Bhupinder Bhalla

Bhupinder Bhalla

MBA, 2002

Economic Counselor

Indian Embassy,
Washington, DC

“I spent countless nights surfing the websites of over 150 MBA programs in my quest for the best combination of quality and financial aid. Selecting the Terry MBA Program over all other programs was simply automatic. The rigorous courses, the wonderful cultural and work-related diversity of my batch-mates, and the tremendous use of technology are already standing me in good stead.

As a member of the Indian Administrative Service, I have gone from being a magistrate in a rural province, to the IT secretary of a coastal area, to the finance ministry’s banking director, to a diplomat representing India’s economic interests in the U.S., one of the most important markets in the world. Through my government career, I am achieving my personal aim in life: making a positive change in the lives of people.”

Redick Brown

Redick Brown

MBA 2006

District Services Manager

Chrysler Corporation

Jacksonville, FL

“I think you have to be passionate and enjoy what you do. The Terry program was the best fit for my personal needs and career goals.”

“The family-type atmosphere at the Terry College was different and a real plus for me,” Redick Brown says as he describes why he selected the Terry MBA Program. “I am married, and I needed a program that was flexible and understood that I had a family and additional responsibilities in my life. Terry is a very family-friendly environment.”

With the help of Terry’s leadership program, Redick was able to learn more about himself and his leadership style.

“I was challenged by each professor,” Brown adds. “I received the backbone of an education that I will be able to use throughout my life and my career. Terry really prepares managers for all aspects of business.”

“I learned that I did not need to change who I am to cater to a company’s culture. I learned the questions to ask to make sure that I chose the right company for my personality and life goals. I have a work hard/play hard mentality, and I need to work for a company that understands those values.”

“My passion was always to get a job in the automotive industry, because I love cars. Terry helped me make my MBA experience a real life success story.”

With his MBA degree from Terry in hand, Redick chose to work for DaimlerChrysler. He is now the District Services Manager for the Jacksonville, Florida region.

Alicia Greer

Alicia Greer

MBA, 2006

Associate, Securities Operations

Goldman Sachs

Jersey City, NJ

“My job is a direct result of the academic and leadership training I received at Terry.”

“I never expected to actually use this technique we were taught in the Terry MBA Program. We had an entire class on elevator pitches to use when networking towards a job interview. Who knew that I would have the opportunity to make it work?” explained Greer.

After graduating from West Point and serving in the military for five years, Alicia Greer didn’t know what she wanted to do with her life. She decided that an MBA would be a good way to help her focus her career. Alicia chose the full-time program at the Terry College.

Initially, Alicia said that she did not appreciate the importance of the leadership coaches who are part of the Terry MBA Program.

“Through the coaching, you focus on learning about yourself. I knew that I had an issue with stepping forward in situations. I did not speak up when opportunities were presented, but I began to understand how detrimental this could be when competing for a job or an internship,” said Greer. “I conquered that hurdle, and it certainly paid off. My job is a direct result of the academic and leadership training I received at Terry.”

Mike Hair

Mike Hair

MBA 2007

“The structure of the program with a lot of teamwork, along with the coaching experience and the caliber of the faculty really drew me in.”

After completing his undergraduate degree from Georgia Southern and working in the business world for eight years, Mike Hair decided he wanted to strengthen his business acumen. He had no exposure to finance and accounting while he was working and decided he needed to increase those skill sets by going back to get his MBA.

“The reputation of Terry both in Georgia and in the southeast stood out for me,” says Hair. “The structure of the program with a lot of teamwork, along with the coaching experience and the caliber of the faculty really drew me in.”

Mike explains that the Terry team approach helped build his confidence. “I had such a nurturing environment both in the classroom, with my classmates and with my professors, that I now feel I can do anything. My team motivated me to attend the international trips that I would never have had the self-assurance to do — I had never been out of the country before. Now, thanks to my Terry experience, I have visited five foreign countries, including Cuba and China. I even attended the internship program in Germany and conducted a project with a small startup company there.”

“When I entered business school, I had never planned on the international aspect of the Terry curriculum. It was really an unexpected bonus for me.”

Jessica Hanks

Jessica Hanks

MBA, 2007

Product Manager

American Express, Inc.

Atlanta, GA

“Terry gave me the opportunity to create a business plan for a startup company in Atlanta. They were so pleased with my work, they made me their product director.”

After completing a double major in economics and Spanish and working for a few years, Jessica Hanks planned to pursue a graduate degree, but was unsure of where to go.

“A family friend had attended Terry and recommended that I investigate the MBA program there,” says Hanks. “She just couldn’t say enough about the College. So I researched the school and Athens. And after I went in for my interview it was pretty much decided — I would get my MBA at UGA.”

“I really liked the international program at Terry, because I wanted to specialize in international business and marketing. I already spoke Spanish fluently and was very interested in the international trip to Cuba with the MBA Program over Spring Break. It turned out to be an absolutely incredible trip.”

Jessica wanted to work in the southeast, and her degree from Terry was invaluable in achieving this career goal.

“There is such a collaborative working atmosphere at Terry. We all helped each other both with our coursework and in networking as we began to look for jobs. You just don’t see this at other MBA programs.”

Eric Jackson

Eric Jackson

MBA, 2007

Program Director, Enterprise Performance Office

Turner Broadcasting System

Atlanta, GA

“The most meaningful part of this MBA program is the confidence it has instilled in me.”

After more than 20 years in high-level corporate positions, Eric decided that he wanted to change his career path. Fortunately, he and the CEO of his company had a great relationship. When he explained to her that he thought he needed more business acumen in finance, she encouraged him to go back to school. Although he could have gone anywhere in the country, there was no other business school in Eric’s sights than the full-time MBA Program at the Terry College.

Eric had received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Alabama’s Tuskegee University. Over the course of his career, he and his family had lived in 9 different states.

“I wanted to come home,” said Jackson. “I grew up in Athens and have always been a diehard Bulldog fan.”

Starting Terry at 43 years old and being the “elder statesman” in many of his classes, Eric decided early on to have an open mind and to come to school in a learning mode.

“The most meaningful part of this MBA program is the confidence it has instilled in me,” Jackson says. “Terry not only taught me a lot that I didn’t know. It’s also helping me make better use of the base of knowledge I had already acquired in the business world. I can parlay the Terry experience and what I’ve learned into any area of my life.”

Bernd Muelfriedel

Bernd Muelfriedel

MBA, 1996

Chief Financial Officer

12 Snap AG

“I was born in a small village in southwest Germany and grew up in Nuremberg. My parents taught me the ‘old German virtues’ of hard work, honesty, punctuality and politeness, which seemed old fashioned and too tough to me back then, but today I am thankful. Georgia, too, is a good mix of tradition and progress. Terry’s curriculum, especially the entrepreneurship sequence, focused on applying business know-how and concepts to practical situations and inspired me to co-found my own business several years later, after a stint in management consulting with McKinsey.

As CFO, I’m the link between the numbers details and the big picture, the hard financial facts and our business strategy. To keep my skills current, I am taking part in the CFA program. I would like to remain in financial management, perhaps eventually in a mid-sized to large company with a strong international presence.”

Luis Natal

Luis Natal

MBA, 1997

Manager

Booz Allen & Hamilton

“There are many definitions of leadership. Terry doesn’t fall into the trap of thinking that leadership only exists at the top of a company. The more challenging the environment, the more necessary it is to discover leaders at every level of an organization. In my experience, that is the way to unleash the strength of an entire company.

I chose Terry because it teaches more than the application of business knowledge; it trains you in the behaviors of leadership. At Booz, I’m doing just that — drawing out the leadership skills and behaviors that everyone on my team, within their own scope of responsibilities, can demonstrate.”

Laura Pettus

Laura C. Pettus

MBA, 2004

Sr. Marketing Activation Manager

Coca-Cola, North America

“After four years in promotional marketing with an Atlanta firm, I chose the Terry MBA Program for its unbelievable value, growing reputation, team atmosphere and close professional ties to the Atlanta business community. The MBA faculty, many of whom are leaders in their field, has been a joy to work with. For example, I learned accounting from the past chairman of FASB — who better to teach the rules!

The summer of 2003 found me at Bosch Siemens Corporation in Munich, Germany on a three-week corporate strategy consulting team, organized by Terry’s Interna-tional Business Program. Then I interned with the Kellogg Company in Battle Creek, Michigan. I was responsible for all promotional activities in Wal*Mart, Kellogg’s largest account. These experiences and every aspect of the Terry MBA Program have improved my leadership abilities and preparedness for a career in promotions or brand management.”

JB Reed, JD

JB Reed

MBA, 2007

Principal/Owner

JB Reed & Associates

Atlanta, GA

“Terry provided a tremendous academic and experiential learning environment, allowing me to effectively transition back into the workplace.”

When federal and state budgetary cuts substantially reduced the funding available to the non-profit agency she had managed for several years, JB Reed decided to go back to school for her MBA degree.

“Terry really stood out for me because of the focus of the program,” says Reed. “The training in team management, speaking skills, presentation skills, listening skills — the soft skills that business professionals are often lacking — was a big topic of interest for me. I could learn accounting and finance anywhere, but given that Terry placed such an emphasis on personal development and leadership skills, it was my first choice.”

Another important aspect of JB’s MBA training was retooling for the multigenerational challenges she expects to encounter in today’s business environment. She explains that, Terry’s emphasis on working within a permanent team during her first year both supported and challenged her management style.

“I was used to being the ‘boss,” and there were no bosses on our team. It was good for me to be able to let go of control and allow other people to emerge as leaders.”

“Going back to school validated that I had learned a lot about managing a business while working in a non-profit environment,” says Reed. “Terry provided a tremendous academic and experiential learning environment that allowed me to effectively transition back into the workplace.”

Shannon Schultz

Shannon Schultz

MBA, 1998

President

Shultz Consulting, LLC

“If there is one thing I’ve learned from working with leaders and their organizations, it is that the way people accomplish things is as important as what they accomplish. The most successful leaders I’ve worked with know this and actively build this competency in themselves and their organizations. After almost four years as an internal change consultant at Delta Air Lines, I founded a consultancy that helps organizations take the mystery out of managing change.

We help leaders understand that change is predictable. And, that with enough attention to how it’s implemented, they have significantly more control of the way it impacts their business. Terry’s emphasis on ‘soft skill’ development builds awareness of the way we approach our work. Those experiences were invaluable to me personally and are an imperative to anyone who plans to lead an organization in the 21st century.”

Gretchen Shrader

Gretchen Shrader

MBA, 2003

Senior Consultant

Aon Corporation

“Married with two school-aged children, I was looking for a full-time MBA program with strong academics, located in a smaller, family-friendly college town. UGA was perfect! Academically, I gained the strong foundation in business fundamentals that I was seeking and, personally, I gained the break I needed from corporate America to spend more time with my family.

My summer internship experience with Deutsche Telecom in Germany solidified my new business skills in a real-world setting and gave me the confidence to use them in consulting. Now, at Aon Consulting, I can combine my past experience as a project manager with my new knowledge from my concentrations in Risk Management and Organizational Consulting.”

Rudy Weber

Rudy Weber

MBA, 2006

Senior Consultant

Booz Allen Hamilton

Atlanta, GA

“For me, the networking aspects were a great benefit to being a part of the Terry College.”

For Rudy Weber it was all about developing the leadership skills he needed to be able to pursue his career goal of management consultant. This single-minded pursuit led him directly to the full-time MBA Program at the Terry College.

Since management consulting is such an extremely competitive field, Rudy researched MBA programs and decided on the Terry MBA Program for several reasons: he liked the smaller class sizes, the economic value of the degree, and the leadership component. Plus, the Terry program balanced academics with “soft skills,” such as communication and social influence skills, both vital when in a consulting role.

“For me, the networking aspects were a great benefit to being a part of the Terry College,” said Weber. “The Career Management Center gives wonderful support. The smaller size of the Terry MBA Program enables the people in the Center to know you personally and understand your goals. They are extremely helpful and utilize the Terry network to put you in contact with the right individuals for your particular situation.”

“I know it was my first-class MBA education from Terry that helped me land my dream job as a management consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton,” says Weber.

Tao Zhou

Tao Zhou

MBA, 2006

Senior Analyst, Asset Liability Management

HSBC Finance Corporation

Prospect Heights, IL

“The Terry MBA gave me the best return on my investment of any MBA program I researched.”

When Tao Zhou started investigating MBA programs from his home in China, he went online and started corresponding with admissions offices about their individual programs. He wanted to continue his education in America, but knew he’d need financial assistance to study abroad.

Tao found that personal referrals were very important in his decision to pursue his MBA. In his research, he discovered Chinese students who had previously been through the Terry MBA Program and one who was a current student.

“The MBA Program at the University of Georgia is very prestigious,” says Tao, “and its reputation is becoming well known throughout the United States. And fortunately for me, the application process was easy. Everyone was extremely friendly and my questions were all answered promptly.”

“I would highly recommend this program,” says Zhou. “Everything about Terry was so impressive — the atmosphere, working with my classmates and the professors. What I learned was so relevant.”

Today Tao works in Prospect Heights, Illinois, with the title of Senior Financial Analyst for HSBC Finance Corporation, a subsidary of the London-headquartered HSBC Holdings PLC.