Texas McCombs Alumni News

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Alumni Day 2022 Guides Longhorns Through Resources

August 24, 2022 / / 0 Comments

a cluster of images of people on a screen

Alumni Day 2022 provided a comprehensive overview of useful tools for McCombs graduates to access in order to stay connected. Christine Burdell, Director of Alumni Relations led the program, which viewers accessed through Zoom. Ellen Bartkowiak, Head of Alumni Career Management, and Sarita Soldz, Senior Director of the Career Management for Working Professional Programs and Alumni were also on-hand to provide guidance on how to best utilize Career Management tools.  Presentations included information about finding fellow graduates, alumni career resources, how to stay connected to the school, leadership opportunities, and more. Following the benefits presentation, breakout rooms were available for discussion and Q&A with alumni leaders nationwide. Watch the recording!

A call for alumni-owned businesses was also part of the celebration. You can see the directory here. If you’re a business owner and would like your company added, please fill out this form.

 

Alumni Day participants had an opportunity to win McCombs merch through social media engagement. Congratulations to our winners:

Asim Qureshi

Hui Lu

Irene Aguirre

Shanice Williams

Claudia Tobaciaic

Thank you to our Alumni leaders who hosted breakout sessions:

Austin

Terese Everson, BBA ’96

Boston

Brendan Chan, BBA ’11

Dallas

Cameron Chandler, BBA ’83

Luis Rhi, BBA ’98

New York City

James Jackson, BBA ’14

San Francisco

Brendan Chan, BBA ’11

We look forward to hosting again next year.  If you’re a McCombs graduate looking to get involved, please take a look at the Top 8 Ways to Connect with the Texas McCombs Alumni Network or email the McCombs alumni team at alumni@mccombs.utexas.edu.

Giving Streak: Texas McCombs Alum Makes Donations for More Than 40 Years Running

August 4, 2022 / / 0 Comments

It took time for Dan McClean, BBA ’64, to figure out just what he wanted to do with his life. But once his calling in sales was confirmed, it took no time for him to decide what to do with the little bit of extra money in his bank account. Now, 40 years on, McClean looks back on what amounts to a lifetime of giving back to the place he says gave him the gift of curiosity.

“I got an education (at the University of Texas),” he says. “But more importantly, I got stimulated. I got curious and that has paid off in my business life.”

A group of UT Alumni are showing the horns up sign.

Dan McClean (back right) stands near Dean Lillian Mills and other McCombs alumni at a recent Summer Celebration in Denver

Landing on the University of Texas campus, McClean admits to being unprepared for college culture.

“I would say that UT and the United States Air Force were a tremendous growth time for me,” he said. “I wasn’t ready for (UT) at age 18, but it gave me a lot and helped me mature.”

McClean pursued and eventually completed a Bachelors of Business Administration degree at Texas McCombs, but it wasn’t the accounting or data entry courses

that captured his interest. He was drawn, instead, to history.

“My favorite class was England Under the Tudors,” he remembers. “I was fascinated by that.”

His interest piqued, McClean began exploring new interests, such as reading. Thanks to the James Bond film “Dr. No”, he was sudden

Four people show the horns up sign in front of the UT Tower

After a near 40-year-absence, Dan McClean returned to the UT campus last year. Pictured with (from l to r) Holly Hazlett, McCombs Director of Development; wife, Susan; and Wendy Anderson, McCombs Chief Development Officer.

ly very interested in the books. Pretty soon, he had read the entire James Bond series by writer Ian Fleming, and, he says, he hasn’t stopped reading since.

That love of reading followed him after graduation from Texas McCombs as he started his career in digital technology sales. From Chicago to Kansas City to Florida and finally to Colorado, where he finally settled with his wife, Susan, that passion stayed with him.

“It’s the funniest thing, to think back on my time at UT,” he said. “Little things will happen. I’ll read or hear a word that is unique and I’ll flash back to when I heard it at UT. Stuff like that happens a lot.”

As his career continued to gain steam, McClean began thinking about what to do with the extra income he was bringing in. It was time, McClean said, to give back. That was in 1981.

“All of a sudden, you look back and it’s been 20, 30, 40 years of giving,” he said. “And as the years go on, you give a little more and a little more until it turns into something significant.”

McClean has given a yearly donation to Texas McCombs for 41 years, a gift which has grown over time.

For McClean, however, it’s just what you do.

“I was the first McClean to graduate from college,” he says. “McCombs opened up the door to my career and I’m just very appreciative of it.”

To future McCombs alumni, eager to begin their lives, McClean has just one bit of advice as they embark on new careers.

“Somewhere in the next 15 years, you are going to reach a point where your income exceeds your needs,” he says. “That’s when it’s time to give back to society. One way to do that is to give back to your alma mater that has given you a chance at a future. One day, you’ll be very glad you did.”

Connecting the Past with the Present: McCombs Alum Looks Forward to 10-Year Reunion, Homecoming

August 4, 2022 / / 0 Comments
Brunette woman smiling

Natalie Bernard, MBA ’12, Vice President Head of Business Development and Operations at Amhurst Homes

It’s been a decade since Natalie Barnard, MBA ’12, attended Texas McCombs but you’d never know it based on connections she still enjoys to this day. For Barnard, being a McCombs graduate is as much about giving back as it is looking back.

“I’ve had so many mentors from my time at McCombs,” she says, during a short break from rocking her newborn daughter. “Between the mentors and my peers, It’s the part of the school that I’m closest to today.”

That connectivity and relationship-building (two of Barnard’s professors were the first to receive a baby photo along with several of her classmates from ’11, ’12, and ‘13) is exactly why Barnard chose McCombs over any other school in the country to earn her MBA. The people, and therefore the community in which she would be learning, made all the difference, she said.

“Everyone was so amazing to learn with and from,” she said. “I also loved how McCombs integrated the community into their teaching model. We were able to learn from the tech community as well as the business community. That was invaluable.”

As Vice President, Head of Business Development and Operations for Amhurst Homes in Austin, Barnard has definitely used her focus on venture capital and private equity to her career advantage. But, what’s most important to Barnard is giving back to her McCombs family. Serving on the McCombs MBA Advisory Board, speaking to student groups, and mentoring up-and-coming graduates are just a few ways she imparts even a little of what she gleaned while a student on the Forty Acres.

“There’s always so much more for me to learn that it’s wild for me to be the one providing mentorship guidance to others,” she says. “But that piece was so invaluable, and I’ve carried it with me.”

That investment from others inspired her to make the most of her time at McCombs. Among her favorite memories are winning the pitch contest dressed as an undergraduate in an oversized tie-dyed shirt and shorts. She also fondly remembers her time as a Venture Fellow and serving as a Global Business leader, where she led student groups in South Africa and Costa Rica.

“All of these experiences helped me step out of my comfort zone,” Barnard remembers. “And being able to do that with such a diverse and knowledgeable group of people was really special.”

Today Barnard works with Amherst Homes helping provide single-family residences to people seeking an affordable, high quality alternative to home ownership. She says she loves combining real estate and technology to solve real-world problems and is particularly grateful that it brought her back to Austin, just a few minutes away from campus where she actively recruits new talent. Her close proximity will make it even easier for her to enjoy celebrating her 10th reunion with her fellow alumni, even if it seems a little surreal.

“Ten years have flown by! Some days or months have been long, but the years are short,” she says. “When we were at McCombs, Rainey Street had less than 10 bars, Mack Brown was our football coach, Uber wasn’t a thing in town, Leslie was an Austin character (if you know, you know), and you only had one shot at ACL every year versus two weekends.”

Barnard says she is looking forward to introducing her daughter to UT during the homecoming festivities, but is mostly looking forward to reconnecting with the network of colleagues, peers, and professors she enjoys, which she stresses is the most important takeaway from McCombs.

“My advice to any recent graduate is to leverage the McCombs network and the skills you learned,” she says. “I have yet to find a fellow alumnus who won’t take a call or email to help another alum, whether it’s coffee, advice, or insights into an industry.”

Texas McCombs Homecoming weekend is September 31-October 1, and will feature a variety of opportunities to engage, learn, and celebrate. Learn more and register at https://get.mccombs.utexas.edu/2022homecoming/.

 

McCombs Alumni Team Receives National Award

July 21, 2022 / / 0 Comments

McCombs Alumni staff stands with award

During the first in-person meeting of the Association of Business School Alumni Professionals conference in three years, the Texas McCombs Alumni Relations team took home the award for Most Innovative New Initiative for its Board and Council Leader Exchange, which launched in 2021.

The Association is a national networking organization promoting excellence in alumni relations and service to alumni with exclusive membership to only the top 30 business schools in the country, as defined by the rankings of Bloomberg Businessweek and U.S. News and World Report. This year’s conference was held at the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from July 11-14.

“It is such an honor to be recognized by the Association of Business School Alumni Professionals for the Most Innovative Initiative Award,” said Christine Burdell, Director of Alumni Relations for McCombs School of Business.

Honored for its ability to engage the Texas McCombs’ 26 alumni boards and councils, the Board and Council Leader Exchange provided an opportunity for board leaders to exchange ideas, create resources and continuing connections for members across the school. The Exchange had a 65% participation rate, with a virtual component drawing in 69% participation.

The McCombs Alumni Relations team previously won Most Improved Alumni Relations Initiative for 40 Hours for the Forty Acres and Most Innovative New Initiative for Texas 12 Dinners, both in 2016. There are only four award categories at each conference per year.

“We have learned so much from this (ABSAP) community and are very grateful to be a part of it,” Burdell said. “We hope that our program inspires other schools to engage their alumni in a similar way.”

McCombs Alumnus Rings Closing Bell at Nasdaq

May 17, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Rob C. Holmes, BA Economics ’87, President and CEO of Texas Capital Bancshares and Texas Capital Bank rang the closing bell at Nasdaq in New York City on Tuesday, May 17.  To commemorate the official launch of the company’s affiliated broker dealer, Texas Capital Securities, Holmes did the honors on behalf of Texas Capital Bank. 

“This is a meaningful time for Texas Capital Bank as we continue to make progress in our transformational journey,” he said. “We strive to be the flagship financial services firm headquartered in the state of Texas.”

The event was a “major milestone” for the company, Holmes said. Bell ringing took place at 2:53 p.m. CT and was live-streamed on the company’s website. You can watch it here.

Rachel Ybarra, BBA and MPA ’93, Among Top 100 Latinas List for 2022

May 17, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Texas McCombs alumnus and founder of Embrace Any Future, Rachel Ybarra was recently named as one of the nations top 100 most influential Latinas in Latin Leaders Magazine. See how she grabbed her own future with both hands and is making a difference for other future students. Read the article here.

9th Annual Executive Mentorship Dinner Provides Networking Tools for Student Success

May 11, 2022 / / 0 Comments
2022 Executive Mentorship Dinner Participants

An esteemed group of McCombs students and high-ranking professionals gathered to network during the school’s 9th Annual Executive Mentorship Dinner

In an increasingly digital world, McCombs understands the importance of teaching students how to personally engage with the world. That is just one reason its mentorship dinner is such an important tool to introduce in-person networking to tomorrow’s world changers.

Held on Thursday, February 17, 2022, students and high-ranking professionals poured into the McCombs Hall of Honors for the first time in two years to dine and connect during the Ninth Annual Executive Mentorship Dinner. This highly anticipated annual event is made possible through an endowment by Ed Tonkin and his family. Thanks to them, this event will continue for years to come.

Jordon Ambrose, a junior McCombs Success Scholar studying supply chain management, was energized by his mentor interaction.

“I met an amazing person with a lot of experience,” Jordon said. “I learned a lot about how to make relationships and connections with people.”

Another student, junior Andrew Goldberg, enjoyed the group interactions as much as anything else.

“I enjoyed the opportunity to ask my mentor engaging questions and to learn from them through a thoughtful discussion,” he said. “Additionally, it was interesting to hear the diverse questions asked by my peers.”

Junior finance major Nibel Mirzaei agreed, saying he enjoyed, “being able to learn from the mentor’s valued experience as well as having specific conversations on different levels of topics.”

McCombs continues to provide tomorrow’s trailblazers with partnerships to fuel their futures. We are grateful to the following executive mentors for attending this year’s event:

 

Cameron Arrington, Managing Director, Goldman Sachs

Yasmin Bhatia, CEO, Uplift Education

Jennifer Chandler, Managing Director, Bank of America

Scott Chandler, Vice President of Revenue, American Airlines

William Cunningham, Former President, University of Texas Austin

Suzy Felfeli, Executive Director, Lionsgate Corporate Development Group

Tejas Gohokar, Sales Programs Lead, Amazon Web Services

John Hollister, CFO, Silicon Labs

Kathryn McKeon, VP Marketing, Vital Farms

Giovanni Pacelli, Senior Director, Finance, Silicon Labs

Erin Patten, Metaphysical Master, Erin Patten & Associates

Sam Susser, Chairman & CEO, Susser Bank

Rex Tillerson, Former United States Secretary of State

Ed Tonkon, President, Zebra Retail Solutions

Cris Zertuche Wong, Managing Director, Goldman Sachs

Yareli Estaban, President & CEO, Strategar

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