Executive Fellows Program

Executive Fellows Honored for Service to Students

ilseu — Thu, 15 May 2025 23:48:07 +0000

Executive Fellows Honored for Service to Students ilseu Thu, 05/15/2025 - 16:48 More News Laurie McLaughlin May 15, 2025

Luis Fajardo ’26 MBA shared advice that Jeff Paul ’92—a 2024-2025 UCR Executive Fellow—gave students this last year:

“Mr. Paul emphasized the importance of decisiveness and staying focused. In a world where it’s easy to get distracted, his message was a great reminder that clarity is a strength—and discipline is a choice.

“He told a group of us, ‘You’re most comfortable when you prepare’ and reminded us that there’s no silver bullet. We must earn our spot in the team. His advice to us was to be ourselves, we all bring a fresh perspective to any team.”

Fajardo’s remarks were part of the May 6 Executive Fellows Installation dinner, which honored this academic year’s Executive Fellows and installed the newly appointed Executive Fellows.

The 2024-2025 Executive Fellows are Hilda Kennedy, founder and president of AmPac Business Capital; Rod McDermott, CEO and co-founder of McDermott + Bull Executive Search; and Paul, senior vice president and head of global sales for WSO2 technology company.

The 2025-2026 Executive Fellows are Jordana Katcher ’96, global vice president of kid’s apparel at Nike, and Mickey B. McGuire Jr. ’97, ’99 MBA, HCN Bank chief information officer and executive vice president of operations.

2025/2026 Executive Fellows Mickey B. McGuire Jr. ’97, ’99 MBA and Jordana Katcher ’96

These Executive Fellows provide in-person student mentorship as they spend time on campus sharing their considerable professional experience and knowledge with both School of Business undergraduates and A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management graduate students.

About 170 people attended the dinner, including special guests UCR Provost Elizabeth Watkins; Lawrence “Larry” Zahn, one of the school’s founding faculty members and a previous interim dean of the school; scholarship donor Craig Blunden ’72, a member of the second cohort of Executive Fellows in 1993-1994; and Amy Harrison ’72, a 1996-1997 fellow who mentored incoming Executive Fellow Mickey McGuire ’97, ’99 MBA as an undergraduate.

Professor Emeritus Lawrence Zahn

The evening’s guests also included business leaders, donors, students, and faculty. All were gathered in the new School of Business Building for the festivities hosted by 2017-2018 Executive Fellow Beverly Bailey, who introduced each of the speakers, including UCR School of Business Dean Yunzeng Wang.

“Our commitment to excellence extends beyond our campus to the community,” said Wang. “We are dedicated to strengthening our partnerships with regional businesses, providing them with access to our talented students and faculty, and collaborating on projects that drive economic growth and innovation.

“Together, we create a thriving ecosystem that benefits not only our students but also the broader community.”

The Executive Fellows’ deep involvement with students reflects that commitment.

Dean Yunzeng Wang speaking at the 2025 Executive Fellows Installation Dinner

Brooke Tabata ’25 spoke about her interaction with Executive Fellow Rod McDermott this last year: “A big takeaway that Rod shared was that an interview—or any interaction—is never really over. We have the power to create moments that redefine the impression we leave, which is what gave me the courage to speak today. Rod taught us that we need to seize every opportunity and be confident about what we can offer, because every story is worth sharing and every experience can be learned from.”

Tabata said that Executive Fellow Hilda Kennedy “makes an impact every time she walks into a room.”

“She was the perfect person for me to meet with. She understood the challenges of balancing personal goals with professional ones, which is something I’ve been struggling with as I try to figure out my career plans. Hilda was able to accomplish it all while still staying true to her faith and morals.

“Woman-to-woman, she taught me that exceling in the workplace requires demanding respect but still operating with grace and humility. She also encouraged me to rethink how I define success in the first place. She helped me realize that it’s not always about the job, it’s more about the impact that you want to make on your community.”

Past and present UCR School of Business Executive Fellows at the 2025 Installation Dinner

The new Executive Fellows were officially appointed, and in her remarks Katcher said: “It means the world to be back here at UC Riverside. It’s a full-circle moment.

“My proudest work moment has always been championing women athletes—removing barriers they face, elevating their voices, and creating products and platforms that truly reflect their power. None of this would have been possible without continuous learning and the help of others.

“To every student, every future leader in this room: Your journey may not be linear. It will test you. There will be wins and losses. The uncertainty may scare you, but if you accept help from others, if you stay open, stay in the game, it will transform you.”

MBA student speaker Fajardo summed up the night’s core message. “The Executive Fellows have given me something powerful: belief. Not just in the fellows, but in myself. They helped me see that I belong in the rooms where big ideas are discussed and big moves are made. With hard work, I have the same potential and opportunities as anyone else.

“More than anything, the fellows taught me that leadership isn’t about being perfect. It’s about showing up, sharing your story, and lifting others as you climb.”

_______________________

Header image (from left to right): Brooke Tabata ’25, Luis Fajardo ’26 MBA, 2017-2018 Executive Fellow Beverly Bailey (MC), incoming Executive Fellow Mickey B. McGuire Jr. ’97, ’99 MBA, Dean Yunzeng Wang, outgoing Executive Fellow Rod McDermott, incoming Executive Fellow Jordana Katcher ’96, and outgoing Executive Fellow Jeff Paul ’92

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“Small Businesses Are the Engine in Our Economy”

ilseu — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 06:01:23 +0000

“Small Businesses Are the Engine in Our Economy” ilseu Thu, 04/03/2025 - 23:01 More News Laurie McLaughlin April 03, 2025

Hilda Kennedy

The day was full of interaction with students, says UCR Business Executive Fellow Hilda Kennedy, about her recent visit to campus. She was impressed.

“What surprised me most is the fact that the students leaned in and asked really great questions, even during the lecture,” she says. “I was surprised with the questions from student leaders dealing with conflict and their interest in accountability.”

As one of three 2024-2025 UCR School of Business Executive Fellows, Kennedy is visiting the School of Business throughout the academic year to mentor students and share her expertise in finance: In 2005, Kennedy founded AmPac Business Capital, which is headquartered in Ontario, California.

As AmPac’s president, she leads the firm in its mission to provide loans, coaching, and training resources to help small businesses.

“Small businesses are the engine in our economy. It was clear to me that if the city did not support small businesses, especially in these black- and brown-dominated communities, those businesses would be closed,” says Kennedy about the reasons she launched AmPac, which was the Small Business Administration’s first faith-based certified lender in the nation.

AmPac has made more than $1 billion in loans and served more than 700 businesses over two decades. In a March 19, 2025, Forbes article, Kennedy weighed in on the importance of community development financial institutions (CDFIs), like AmPac, as President Donald Trump signed an executive order to reduce the federal CDFI Fund, which provides grants to lenders who service clients who have a hard time acquiring financing from traditional lenders. “Quite frankly, banks and traditional lenders rely on CDFIs to provide that support to local small businesses,” said Kennedy in the Forbes interview.

Providing a Financial Hand Up

Kennedy previously worked in the public sector and focused on making loans and financing available to those in the community who had difficulty finding funding. “We need to provide for our own destiny by creating our own loan program and underwriting guidelines to support the ‘life happens’ of business,” she says.

“This was particularly important to me because I had a developer tell me that they only go to towns with ‘soccer moms,’ and our town was not good enough. I know the small businesses in the community want to be here, and they want to thrive; with a financial hand up, we could make a difference.”

At the time, Kennedy was the mother of four small children, and she commuted four hours a day to work. It was unsustainable, she says. “I created AmPac because I loved supporting small businesses, but I could no longer do so with my local city.”

A mentor, Bill Loewenstein—the late founder of Community Initiatives Development Corporation—provided pivotal guidance: “He suggested I start my own firm, and here we are 20 years later serving small businesses from cradle to legacy.”

Strong Relationship with UCR

Kennedy generously pays that guidance forward as a mentor to UCR business students. “When I was in college, I was exposed to companies and potential ‘job’ opportunities as an employee. I was not exposed to entrepreneurship to become a job maker,” she says. “I want students to understand the possibilities and the resources available for small business.”

During her recent campus lecture, she described “how the Small Business Administration and the state of California define small business and why it matters to support these economic generators for our local, state, and national economies,” she says.

Part of Kennedy’s relationship with UCR includes her daughter: Evelyn Kennedy is a UCR alumna—she earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies in 2021 and was “highly engaged in campus life,” says Hilda Kennedy.

“Two other women I respect a great deal asked me to serve as an Executive Fellow,” she says of 2023-2024 Executive Fellow Bansree Parikh, president of the Inland Empire market for Bank of America, and UCR Bournes College of Engineering Director of Development Gwen Thibeaux. “After prayer, I believed I was called to serve, lead, and learn in this esteemed environment,” says Kennedy.

When asked how business leaders may benefit from mentoring college students, she says: “You will learn as much as you give. Students make you sharper; they provoke your curiosity; and they make you think.

“It would behoove a committed leader in the community to learn from and share with our future thought leaders: college students.”

Executive Fellow Hilda Kennedy meets with Black Scholars in Business (BSIB) students

__________________

Within the UCR School of Business Executive Fellows program, business leaders are selected annually to interact and share their considerable knowledge with students and faculty. This year, Kennedy is joined by Executive Fellows Rod McDermott, CEO and co-founder of McDermott + Bull Executive Search, and Jeff Paul, senior vice president and head of global sales for WSO2 technology company.

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‘You Are the President of Your Career’

ilseu — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 20:06:03 +0000

‘You Are the President of Your Career’ ilseu Mon, 11/25/2024 - 12:06 More News Laurie Mclaughlin November 25, 2024

Rod McDermott met separately with undergraduate and graduate business students on Nov. 19 in what he calls “fireside chats,” at the invitation of Professor Heather Anderson, who teaches personal branding and personal development.

“Those subjects are right up my alley,” says McDermott, CEO and co-founder of McDermott + Bull Executive Search, one of the fastest-growing executive recruitment firms in North America with both domestic and international offices.

As one of three 2024-2025 UCR School of Business Executive Fellows, McDermott, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business at UCLA, is spending time on campus throughout the academic year mentoring students and sharing his expertise: For more than 20 years, he’s been an entrepreneur growing companies from the ground up. He is also CEO and co-founder of McDermott + Bull Interim Leaders, addressing clients’ needs for solutions to leadership challenges; McDermott + Bull Executive Network, a community of in-transition senior-level executives seeking guidance to land their next roles; and Activate 180, which helps companies elevate employee performance, productivity, and happiness through coaching.

Within the fireside chats, says McDermott, he discussed how to stand out during the interview process, follow-up after the interview, and once in the position, how to network within the company.

“You are the president of your career, and you’ve got to treat it that way,” he says.

He also conducted the “Big Life Exercise” with students: “Imagine if you lived a life of no limits, no limiting beliefs, no limits on what you can afford, do not think ‘that’s not for me,’ and you decide you can do anything in the world. What would it be?

“I wish someone would’ve gone through this exercise with me when I was in college because it would’ve gotten me thinking really, really big,” he says.

In fact, McDermott experienced the exercise himself in 2005 when he was well into his career and was working with a career coach. “The coach gave us crayons and paper and instructed us to draw a picture of where we wanted our lives to be in five to 10 years,” says McDermott. “I drew this big life, which seemed ridiculous at the time, and I put the drawing away at the bottom of a T-shirt drawer in my dresser. Seven years later, I found the picture, opened it, and it was my life. I contacted the coach and shared this realization with him, and he said, ‘I told you it works.’”

McDermott is a strong believer in making sky-high dreams an on-the-ground reality, especially if that includes some trial and error.

“Looking back, I also wish someone had taught me the concept of visualization, thinking without limits, and understanding failure or rejection as just a step in the process, and letting that be your energy to keep trying harder,” he says. “A lot of great things would never have been invented in this world if people gave up the first time they tried.”

Rod McDermott with UCR School of Business Undergraduate Student Leaders

That sentiment also rings true with a UCR scholarship supported by McDermott and his wife, Laura Martinez McDermott, whose late father is Eliud Martinez, professor emeritus of creative writing, who joined the faculty at UCR in 1972 and retired in 1995. Martinez chaired the Chicano Studies program and helped develop UCR’s Department of Creative Writing. Laura grew up knowing the university well, and she and Rod established an annual scholarship in her father’s name for the creative writing department.

“We like that UCR has been the No. 1 school for social mobility for the last several years, and we have a passion for changing the economic trajectory of the family tree: If we can support first-generation college students and help them graduate, land a job, and build a career, then we can change the economic future of that part of their family tree.

“My father-in-law was the first in his family to go to college, and not only did he go but he earned a doctorate, and his entire family drafted off that, even the members who didn’t go to college, and they all saw the possibilities based on what he did as the oldest.”

As an Executive Fellow, McDermott continues that effort within the UCR School of Business interacting directly with students on campus.

“I see most people live within self-imposed limits, and it doesn’t need to be that way,” he says. “They can have live limitless lives and experience amazing things over their lifetimes, as long as they give themselves permission to do so and have a plan to go for it.”

_____________

Within the UCR School of Business Executive Fellows program, business leaders are selected annually to interact and share their considerable knowledge with students and faculty. This year, McDermott is joined by Executive Fellows Jeff Paul, who was most recently general manager and vice president of the west region at software development company Red Hat, and Hilda Kennedy, founder and president of nonprofit community lender AmPac Business Capital.

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Executive Fellow Jeff Paul ’92 Is Back on Campus

ilseu — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 19:21:06 +0000

Executive Fellow Jeff Paul ’92 Is Back on Campus ilseu Wed, 10/30/2024 - 12:21 More News Laurie McLaughlin October 30, 2024

By sharing a compelling narrative around the significance of the challenge coin, Jeff Paul ’92 explored its backstory and tied it to themes of organizational structure during his October 17 guest lecture in Professor Kyle Ingram’s BUS 107 course.

“Jeff demonstrated how a firm understanding of concepts discussed in this course, particularly around key theories of motivation, can contribute to building a business foundation,” says Ingram, assistant teaching professor of management, adding that Paul drew from Ingram’s assigned reading of Edgar Schein’s “Three Cultures of Management” framework, focusing on the alignment—or often, misalignment—between executive, engineering, and operational cultures.

“Jeff illustrated how leadership experience has involved bridging these distinct perspectives, aligning strategic visions with on-the-ground realities to foster an environment ripe for learning and innovation.”

Paul’s lecture also included the components of organizational culture, referencing observable facts, espoused values, and underlying assumptions, as outlined in Schein’s model. “Jeff’s insights shed light on the importance of balancing a strong organizational culture with the flexibility needed to adapt changing market dynamics,” Ingram adds.

“He effectively linked these ideas to his role as an executive fellow, emphasizing how intentional culture management supports creativity and adaptability—a concept symbolized in the challenge coin.”

As one of three 2024-2025 UCR Business Executive Fellows, Paul is spending time on campus throughout the school year mentoring students and sharing his expertise: He has more than two decades of experience collaborating with clients worldwide helping them attain their business objectives and optimizing the value of their software and services investments.

“Jeff’s personal anecdotes resonated strongly, bringing to life the theoretical concepts discussed and giving students a real-world perspective on leadership and culture,” says Ingram.

Of his executive fellow appointment, says Paul: “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work alongside the esteemed faculty and students of the School of Business.” With an impressive career trajectory borne of intentional and ongoing education and curiosity, Paul has the frontline immersion, stories, and wisdom earned only through on-the-ground leadership practice.

He was most recently general manager and vice president of the west region at Red Hat, a software development company. In this role, he oversaw the comprehensive open-source software portfolio and consulting services practice for all customers west of the Mississippi. Previously at Intel, he served as vice president of the software and service sales organization and general manager of the sales and marketing group. Before joining Intel, he held several positions at IBM during 17 years before serving as vice president for worldwide enterprise marketing management sales.

“I’m looking forward to contributing to the academic excellence of the university and sharing my journey,” Paul says, which is exactly what he’s doing with his fellow Highlanders. During the October campus visit, he met with the graduate student ambassadors for a morning roundtable discussion about maximizing opportunities while still a student and the importance exploring unfamiliar territory academically and socially while having a “safety net” that minimizes risk, a wholly unique feature of academic life.

After lunch with students, Paul also hosted one-on-one advising sessions with graduate students, an invaluable opportunity for students to ask questions, seek guidance, and gain a mentor and experienced resource within their professional networks.

This in-classroom and individual relationship-building with business leaders is the hallmark of the UCR School of Business Executive Fellows program. Each year, business leaders are selected to interact with students and faculty to share their considerable knowledge. This year, Paul is joined by Executive Fellows Hilda Kennedy, founder and president of AmPac Business Capital, and Rod McDermott, CEO and co-founder of McDermott + Bull executive recruitment firm.

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A Year of Mentorship for UCR Executive Fellows

ilseu — Thu, 02 May 2024 23:50:05 +0000

A Year of Mentorship for UCR Executive Fellows ilseu Thu, 05/02/2024 - 16:50 More News Laurie McLaughlin May 02, 2024

During the April 18 Executive Fellows Installation Dinner, student Victoria Alvarado ’24 shared her personal experience with an executive fellow mentor and how the fellows program is particularly valuable to students.

“In the Designing and Leading Teams course I took this year, Executive Fellow Bansree Parikh spoke about leadership, team dynamics, and corporate culture. During her presentation, I was moved by a woman in leadership who also focuses on community development,” said Alvarado.

“Ms. Parikh shared how she rose through the ranks and executed in her role as president of Bank of America Inland Empire. … With her extensive history and dedication to building a strong community, she embodies the essence of the woman and leader I hope to be one day.”

At the dinner, the new 2024-2025 executive fellows were installed: Hilda Kennedy, a parent of a UCR graduate and founder and president of the nonprofit lender AmPac Business Capital; Rod McDermott, CEO and co-founder of McDermott + Bull executive recruitment firm; and Jeff Paul, most recently vice president of sales west region for software developer Red Hat.

The evening also celebrated the mentorship and service to the School of Business by the outgoing 2023-2024 executive fellows: David Gutierrez ’24, a health care finance executive; Parikh; and retired executive Timothy Wiseman ’83.

Executive Fellows Installation Dinner 2024 at Crestmore Manor, Jurupa Valley

“Reflecting on my experience meeting and listening to our executive fellows, I was filled with a sense of gratitude and inspiration. Their insights, shared during our interactions, have left an indelible mark on me,” said Daniel Lam ’24 MBA.

“Tim, thank you for teaching us to open our hearts to people through displaying humility on the path to authenticity.

“David, thank you for giving profound advice on remaining driven and motivated in the pursuit of building lifelong connections.

“Bansree, thank you for inspiring us with your journey of prioritizing bravery over perfection to learn to overcome obstacles to achieve success.

“Through your stories of humble beginnings and grand success, you welcomed me into your world and set me on a journey of self-discovery.”

School of Business and A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management Dean Yunzeng Wang underscored the caliber and commitment of the executive fellows. “All our fellows—past and present—are successful leaders and extraordinary professionals in their respective fields,” said Wang. “It reflects our commitment to professional excellence and our interdependent relationships with distinguished alumni, senior business leaders, and the business community.”

The evening’s master of ceremonies, Mickey McGuire ’97, ’99 MBA, chief information officer for HCN bank, also emphasized the value of mentorship and establishing networks while he was a student at UCR: “It was the combination of the education, the relationships with my fellow students, and the industry connections that were formed—like the ones within the Executive Fellows Program—that provided me with the foundation to become a successful entrepreneur,” said McGuire, who presented just a few of the many heartfelt remarks during the celebration. “Over the years, I have started, grown, and successfully exited two different ventures.”

With 104 guests—including alumni; Dean’s Advisory Board members; UC Riverside leadership, including UCR Chancellor Kim Wilcox; faculty; staff; and students—the installation was held at the Crestmore Manor Carriage House in Jurupa. With the luck of perfect weather, guests greeted old friends at an outdoor pre-dinner reception featuring live cello and piano music in the background.

In his remarks, Dean Wang reflected on the significance of school’s generous supporters: “The Executive Fellows program is an example of a collaboration that builds a world-class business school, and students choose a UC business school not only for the excellent education, but for the opportunities inside and outside the classroom to learn from exceptional professionals like yourselves.”

Alvarez, who is now ready to graduate with a degree in management and a minor in psychology and plans a career in HR management while continuing her work in real estate, illustrated the dean’s sentiment.

“The faculty and the executive fellows, like Bansree Parikh, exemplify UCR’s mission of embracing inclusivity and academic rigor through collaborative work, innovation, and personal development,” she said. “This transformative journey has enriched my personal growth and equipped me with the confidence and resilience to navigate complexities in today’s changing world.”

Lam—whose interests are in digital marketing and business analytics and is planning a career in technology or entertainment—looked forward to his next chapter. “There is a ‘young me’ who was seeking a sense of purpose, a sense of hope, and a sense of belonging that always seemed out of reach.

“There is the ‘present me’ who now strives to find the next milestone in my path to making a difference in my community and fulfilling my career aspirations.

“There is the ‘future me’ who hopes to inspire others and give back to my alma mater and encourage and motivate incoming students who will be the future of UC Riverside.

“Through Tim, David, and Bansree, I have embraced the past, stand in the present, and am prepared for the future.”

_______________________

Header image (from left to right): Jeff Paul ’92, Bansree Parikh, Timothy Wiseman ’83, Dean Yunzeng Wang, Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox, Hilda Kennedy, David Gutierrez ’04

Learn more about the Executive Fellows program:

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Success Requires Bravery, Not Perfection

ilseu — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 17:18:16 +0000

Success Requires Bravery, Not Perfection ilseu Mon, 11/27/2023 - 09:18 More News Laurie McLaughlin November 27, 2023

Be brave. Not perfect.

Those four words summarize the philosophy of Bansree Parikh, president of the Inland Empire market for Bank of America.

The message is so important to her that she had it tattooed on her wrist. And she looks forward to sharing that approach to life during her 2023-2024 tenure as a School of Business Executive Fellow.

Bansree Parikh as Emcee for the 13th Annual Inland Empire Economic Forecast Conference in Fall 2022

“You don’t have to be perfect, but you do have to be brave—because perfection isn’t the goal,” says Parikh. “Just getting better every day is the goal.”

The importance of bravery was instilled in her from a very young age, including her arrival in the United States from India at the age of 5.

“How blessed am I that my parents chose to do the bravest thing?” Parikh says. “I cannot imagine leaving a country, leaving your family, coming to a brand-new country, learning a new language, everything—all to provide opportunity for your children.”

Parikh has made the most of that opportunity. She grew up in Los Angeles and earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from California State University, Fullerton, and the Inland Empire has been her home for more than 20 years.

Her roles at Bank of America have led to strong connections with UCR and the School of Business. These relationships strengthened as she gained greater responsibility, including being named market president in 2021. She also is senior vice president and market executive for the Inland Empire for Business Banking, which serves companies with annual revenues from $5 million to $50 million. In her work with UCR, Parikh has served on the Dean’s Advisory Council, while Bank of America itself has deep ties to the university. These include endowing a chair in the School of Education, which is held by Louie Rodríguez, who was recently named vice provost and dean of undergraduate education. The bank also has sponsored multiple scholarships and grants and, in 2022, sponsored the 13th Annual Inland Empire Economic Forecast Conference hosted by UCR School of Business.

Strong Relationships, Strong Community

The connections between the university and Bank of America make sense, Parikh says, because both organizations benefit—and that contributes to the vitality of the region.

“As a resident of the Inland Empire, it’s really important to me that our youth know about our educational organizations. And the ideal for me would be that they get their education here, they stay here, and they build the Inland Empire,” she says. “I feel so blessed to be able to make an impact at home. So, it is really about what I can do to help support the university, the community and, most importantly, the students.”

Parikh sees the executive fellowship role as an opportunity to repay the support she had along the way in her own career.

“I would not be anywhere close to where I am without my mentors,” she says. “I don’t know if they knew they were mentoring me as much as I was just learning from them and absorbing.”

Speaking from her own experience and as the mom of two daughters, Parikh says she is particularly passionate about mentoring women. And she hopes to encourage all UCR students, and their success depends on their work ethic and willingness to learn from every experience.

“No matter what job you have, master that job,” she says, noting that her own experience includes working at the Knott’s Berry Farm theme park during high school. “I learned customer service there. I learned the importance of clients. I carry that with me today.”

Her other message goes back to the core belief of putting bravery over perfection.

“Don’t be afraid to take risks. Of course, they should be thought-out risks. They should be appropriate to the time of life that you’re in,” she says. “But if you’re working hard, if you’re willing to constantly learn, and you’re putting in that effort and energy, you can do anything you want.”

Bansree Parikh (front row, center) at a UCR Women in Business Speaker Series event in 2022

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First-generation Student to Corporate Executive

clin246 — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 18:48:28 +0000

First-generation Student to Corporate Executive clin246 Thu, 10/26/2023 - 11:48 More News Darin Estep October 26, 2023

David Gutierrez ’04 says UC Riverside graduates have a superpower. And he knows what it is.

David Gutierrez ’04

“They’ve worked hard to get where they are. Many are the first to graduate college in their family,” he says. “It leads to what I call the fire in the belly.”

Gutierrez speaks from experience: He was a first-generation college student at UCR. Today, he is vice president of finance and accounting strategic initiatives for Radiology Partners, a practice with more than 7,500 employees.

Now, as a School of Business Executive Fellow for 2023-2024, he is spending the year meeting with students both in groups and individually to support them on their professional journeys and providing mentorship and guidance. One of his goals is to help UCR students recognize their ability to outwork and outperform the competition in the job market.

“I want to share the perspective that you’re not competing against your peers here at UCR—you’re competing against the schools across the country if you really want to go for those premier jobs right out of college,” he says. “If I share some of my experiences and be a little bit vulnerable with them, maybe they can relate.”

Making the Most of Connections

One tactic he learned from his undergraduate days was staying in touch with those who may be helpful in the long run: As a first-year student, Gutierrez met and talked to a recruiter from one of the Big Four accounting firms, Ernst and Young, and discussed what he was studying and what he might like to do within his career. The recruiter said: “Make sure you come back and talk to me in three years—I’ll get you a job.”

“I took that literally,” says Gutierrez. “I kept the relationship going throughout undergrad.” A few years later, he reached out to the recruiter, landed an interview, got an internship—and went on to a nearly eight-year career at the firm. “I kind of showed them what UCR graduates are like,” he says. “And after that, they started recruiting heavily on campus.”

He also maintains close relationships with UCR alumni, including School of Business graduates and previous Executive Fellows Tim Greenleaf ’78, a venture capital investor, and Darin Anderson ’89, ’91 MBA, chairman and CEO of Salas O’Brien. While a student, Gutierrez reached out to Anderson for advice about graduate school, and they maintained a relationship ever since.

Executive Fellow David Gutierrez ’04 with students in Olmsted Hall

A History of Involvement

As an Executive Fellow, Guiterrez will build on the extensive involvement he’s had with his alma mater over the years, including as a donor, student mentor, guest lecturer, member the Dean’s Advisory Council for the A. Gary Anderson School of Management, and serving as an Alumni Association board member. In 2016 he received the Outstanding Young Alumnus Award.

Gutierrez values the time he’s spending on campus this academic year. “I appreciate being more engaged,” he says. “It’s a way to pay it forward, but it’s also enjoyable when you can see the results. Over the years, I’ve seen a number of people from UCR who have been very successful in their careers.”

Gutierrez, who lives in Palos Verdes, California, also serves as a mentor to high school students and emphasizes the power of education in his service with the Bresee Foundation, a nonprofit battling poverty by empowering youth and families.

That’s the same philosophy he plans to bring to his role as an Executive Fellow.

“Education is where my focus is,” he says. “Because education coupled with a little bit of advice and perspective, can really launch their careers.”

Executive Fellow David Gutierrez ’04 on campus with AGSM students

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To Be a Great Leader, Embrace Humility

ilseu — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 04:04:58 +0000

To Be a Great Leader, Embrace Humility ilseu Thu, 09/28/2023 - 21:04 More News Darin Estep October 06, 2023

Tim Wiseman ’83

Tim Wiseman ’83 will be the first to tell you he arrived at UC Riverside to play baseball, not to launch a business career.

As a starting pitcher on the 1982 NCAA Championship baseball team, he formed lifelong friendships with his teammates. But Wiseman also is grateful for the relationships he built away from the diamond while at UCR.

“I was very lucky to connect with a group of people in the dorms whose primary purpose there was to get their degree, and they were smart and ambitious and talented people. And they helped keep me on track,” said Wiseman, who went on to a business career that took him to 40 countries and saw him rise to the office of CEO. “I learned early on that half the battle is showing up at class every day.”

If that sounds humble, that’s because humility is part of the message he has been sharing with UCR students in speaking engagements over the past several years – a connection that has grown into his selection as a School of Business Executive Fellow for 2023-24.

After graduation and a brief career in professional baseball, Wiseman embarked on a business path that began as a customer service representative and led to senior leadership and global experience at major corporations including Barnes-Hind, Gillette, Adidas and Nike. His latest role was as president and CEO at athletic training product maker SKLZ, where he led the corporate turnaround and sale to Impulse.

A consistent philosophy

Throughout his career, Wiseman has relied on a leadership philosophy of “constant humility, self-correction, and perseverance of purpose” – a message he believes has resonated with UCR students in his previous talks with them.

“I think the kids have kind of looked at me and said, ‘Yeah, this isn't some wonder child who came out of the blue – he’s just a hardworking B student who believed in himself and had confidence and worked hard to get where he is,’” Wiseman said.

“You are always going to have the chosen ones and people who are just on a path. But for the rest of us, we just are who we are. And yet, you can still start to separate yourself and achieve what you want to achieve. And that was kind of me.”

One of the lessons from his growth as an executive, Wiseman said, was that success of leaders depended on the success of the whole team.

“I never dreamed of getting to the level of leadership that I was able to get to. I just didn’t,” he said. “Leaders have to have a vision. But at the end of the day, you’ve got to inspire your people – and your people will see right through you if you are inauthentic. So, to me, the real characteristic of authenticity is humility.”

Timothy Wiseman ’83 visiting campus on October 12, 2023.

Today the Southern California native lives in Huntington Beach, where he enjoys surfing, cycling and golf. He also volunteers at least once a week building houses for Habitat for Humanity. He and his wife have three sons in college.

“We have tried to prepare them to work hard, get that degree. And the other part is to grow up as a human being,” he said, noting the college years go by quickly.

In a similar way, he looks forward to making the most of his time as an executive fellow, sharing what he can with a new generation of UCR students.

“I just want to inspire them in some way to never stop believing in themselves and elevating their dreams to get to where they want to be,” he said. “I hope I can give every one of them something that accelerates and catapults them into continuing to be a great leader.”

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Executive Fellows Share Expertise with Students

clin246 — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 18:12:30 +0000

Executive Fellows Share Expertise with Students clin246 Thu, 04/27/2023 - 11:12 More News April 27, 2023

When Dorothy Doronila ’22, ’24 MBA spoke at the April 13 installation dinner honoring past and present executives who have served as UCR School of Business executive fellows, she shared what she learned from 2022-2023 Executive Fellow Anita Alamshaw ’91:

“Anita Alamshaw taught me and other women in our master’s programs the importance of building a presence, and in the face of adversity in the workplace, find your people and continue to be present and authentic,” said Doronila. “Through this conversation I found direction. … Anita made room for me on the path while continuing to blaze her own. With Anita’s light ahead of me, I can picture my future a little clearer.”

Dean Wang and Tim Greenleaf '78, Executive Fellow 2014-2015 and installation dinner emcee

2022-2023 Executive Fellows, Armen Karamardian '93, Anita Alamshaw '91, and Kenneth Leung '89

The evening was hosted by 2014-2015 Executive Fellow Timothy Greenleaf ’78, who served as master of ceremonies, and Dean Yunzeng Wang honored the outgoing executive fellows: Anita
Alamshaw ’91, executive director of global value access and policy at Amgen; Armen Karamardian ’93, CEO of Zov’s Restaurant Group; and Kenneth Leung ’89, director of marketing at Oracle. Wang also introduced the 2023-2024 executive fellows: David Gutierrez ’04, Bansree Parikh, and Timothy Wiseman ’83.

Alamshaw spoke about her executive fellow experience working with students. “When I was originally approached to be an executive fellow, I committed to this opportunity with the mindset of giving back and serving the students,” she said. “What I failed to realize at that time was how much this opportunity would impact my own personal and professional journey. Each time I was on campus, I felt energized and inspired to continue my own professional development.

“Some of the highlights that resonated for me were during my one-on-one engagements with students to discuss their résumés, talk about interview skills, and post-graduate plans.”

Executive Fellows are selected for their outstanding leadership, professional experience, and business expertise. Founded in 1992, the program has allowed School of Business faculty and students to connect with successful business leaders from a wide range of industries, perspectives, and experiences.

Looking Ahead to Mentorship in 2023-2024

The new executive fellows include a former first-generation student at UCR who built a successful career in finance and accounting; a banking executive who arrived in the United States at age 5; and a professional baseball player and alumnus whose international business career saw him rise through the ranks and become CEO:

Incoming 2023-2024 Executive Fellows, David Gutierrez '04, Banrsee Parikh, and Timothy Wiseman '83

David Gutierrez ’04
One of the things David Gutierrez admires about students and graduates of his alma mater is “the fire in the belly” that drives them to put in extra effort in pursuit of their dreams.

“They’ve worked hard to get where they are. Many are the first to graduate college in their families,” says Gutierrez, who speaks from experience as a former first-generation student. Today, he is vice president of finance and accounting strategic initiatives for Radiology Partners, a practice with more than 7,500 employees.

One of his goals as an Executive Fellow is to help UCR students recognize that they have the ability to outwork and outperform the competition, and he adds: “I want to share the perspective that you’re not competing against your peers here at UCR—you’re competing against the schools across the country if you really want to go for those premier jobs right out of college.”

Bansree Parikh
The importance of bravery was instilled in Bansree Parikh from a very young age, including during her family’s arrival in the United States from India when she was 5.

“How blessed am I that my parents chose to do the bravest thing?” says Parikh, who took the example to heart as she built a career at Bank of America for the Inland Empire.

Her résumé includes being named market president in 2021 and serving as senior vice president and market executive for the Inland Empire for business banking, which serves companies with annual revenues of $5 million to $50 million.

Along the way, she has learned that to find success and satisfaction, “you don’t have to be perfect, but you do have to be brave,” she says.

“If you’re working hard, if you’re willing to constantly learn, and you’re putting in that effort and energy, you can do anything you want.”

Timothy Wiseman ’83
As a starting pitcher on the UCR 1982 NCAA Championship baseball team, Timothy Wiseman formed lifelong friendships with teammates. But he also is grateful for relationships he built away from the diamond.

And he credits the lessons learned on and off the field with helping him understand the necessities of leadership: “constant humility, self-correction, and perseverance of purpose.”

After a brief career in professional baseball, Wiseman embarked on a business path that led to senior leadership and global experience at major corporations, including Barnes-Hind, Gillette, Adidas, and Nike. As president and CEO at athletic training product maker SKLZ, he led a corporate turnaround and the sale to Implus before retiring.

Wiseman looks forward to sharing the lessons learned along the way with a new generation of students, he says. “I just want to inspire them in some way to never stop believing in themselves and elevating their dreams to get to where they want to be.”

At the April dinner, Alamshaw also underscored the importance of executives interacting with students: “The Executive Fellows Program reinforces to our students that in addition to the top- tier professors at UCR, they also have a network and community of executive fellows to share our practical learnings and provide guidance … as they enter the workforce.”

Anita Alamshaw '91, center, shares her experience during her term as a fellow

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Header Image (left to right): Undergraduate Student Speaker Roma Ghanekar, Outgoing Executive Fellow Armen Karamardian, Dean Yunzeng Wang, MC Timothy Greenleaf, Graduate Student Speaker Dorothy Leigh Doronila, Incoming Executive Fellow David Gutierrez, Incoming Executive Fellow Bansree Parikh, Incoming Executive Fellow Timothy Wiseman, Outgoing Executive Fellow Anita Alamshaw, Past Executive Fellow Darin Anderson, Outgoing Executive Fellow Kenneth Leung

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Sharing Knowledge from the C-Suite with Students

ilseu — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 21:43:17 +0000

Sharing Knowledge from the C-Suite with Students ilseu Fri, 03/03/2023 - 13:43 More News Darin Estep March 03, 2023

Anita Alamshaw ’91

A roundtable discussion with students in the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management inspired Anita Alamshaw ’91 to give each of the students a copy of Executive Presence by Sylvia Ann Hewlett. Alamshaw followed up by inviting the students to her home for a book club discussion.

This considerable investment with students—both inside and outside the classroom—reflects the purpose and mission of each of the three business leaders selected annually to serve in the UCR School of Business Executive Fellow program. In 2022-2023 the three fellows included Alamshaw, executive director, Global Value Access & Policy of U.S. Value and Access at Amgen, one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies.

“The Executive Fellows program reinforces to our students that, in addition to the top-tier professors and classes at UCR, they also have a network and community of UCR alumni who are here to share our practical learnings and provide guidance to students as they enter the workforce,” says Alamshaw.

Armen Karamardian ’93

During his time in the classroom, 2022-2023 Executive Fellow Armen Karamardian ’93 made it a point to reassure students. “I found that students are craving real-life practical applications for the topics and theories they are learning in class,” he says. “This information, when presented by an alumnus of the very institution they are enrolled in, provides an especially strong connection because we have walked in the very same shoes.”

Karamardian, chief executive officer of Zov’s Restaurant Group, encouraged students to take some of the pressure off, enjoy this time, get as much experience as they can, and know it’s OK to make mistakes. The alumnus was intentionally generous with his time when students lined up to speak with him after presentations.

“It is an honor to serve my alma mater,” say Karamardian. “The questions that I was asked in class and one-on-one with graduate students reinforced the value of the UCR Executive Fellow program.”

“They are all very busy executives, but every time they were on campus, they were completely present for the day,” says Gwendolyn Thibeaux, associate director of development for the School of Business, who works with the fellows to coordinate their campus visits. “They didn’t come with work on their mind. They came committed to the experience, committed to the students, committed to the faculty.”

Kenneth Leung ’89

That enthusiasm was evident when Executive Fellow Kenneth Leung ’89, director of marketing for Oracle, returned to campus for the first time in 30 years to work with students. For his part, Leung invites today’s students to do the same—give back after they graduate.

“It was a great experience meeting the next generation of business practitioners at UCR,” he says. “I hope the students found the lessons useful, that they are inspired to move forward in their chosen career path. I also hope they will volunteer their time in the future to speak to students when they are alumni.”

Leung’s dedication to the Executive Fellows program and its student-centered approach is echoed by Alamshaw.

“When I was originally approached to be an executive fellow, I committed to this opportunity with the mindset of giving back and serving the students. What I failed to realize at that time was how much this opportunity would impact my own personal and professional journey. Each time I was on campus, I felt energized and inspired to continue in my own professional development.”

“As I told the students, my commitment to serve doesn’t end here. I will continue to support our students in the future as a part of the UCR School of Business network to reinforce our values, mission, and purpose.”

The 2022-2023 Executive Fellows will be honored at the April 13, 2023 installation dinner for incoming 2023-2024 Executive Fellows, David Gutierrez ’04, Bansree Parikh, and Tim Wiseman ’92.

View photos of the 2022-2023 Executive Fellows visits:

Flickr album

Learn more about the Executive Fellows program:

Executive Fellows page

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