Rob Zmudka ’89 (MKT) is Vice President and Executive Director of Strategic Sales for GATX – the largest railcar leasing company in the world.  He recently shared an update with us about his career and GATX’s commitment to service.

Q:  How have you leveraged the key skills and understandings you acquired at Illinois State University as you’ve advanced your career?

A:  My Illinois State University business degree provided the foundation for building my future career.  My marketing classes taught me to not only consider how your company is being represented but to think also about how you are being represented and how you are representing your company, important considerations not only in my professional experience but in my life in general.

Beyond my career-specific classes, the academic experience at Illinois State taught me the value of teamwork, gave me confidence in public speaking and presentation (skills that I continually refine and enhance) and the importance of strategic planning — the ability to think beyond myself and today, and to also consider the longer-term and consequential effects of a particular action or strategy.  And perhaps equally important, my Illinois State experience gave me life-long friendships that continue to this day.

Learn more about Rob Zmudka.

Anson Yeganegi ‘09 (Marketing) is part of the “Best Persons Program” at Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s Midway Airport operations where he is completing extensive training for a position in upper management.

This 22-year-old Wheaton man literally exemplifies “best person” outside the job as well. Last week he dove into a lake and saved the life of a total stranger.  Wheaton police and fire officials are calling Yeganegi a hero.  They are recommending the 2005 graduate of Wheaton North High School be given an award.

Yeganegi said he’s not looking for recognition.

“I am happy enough in myself to know that in a situation like that I was able to do what I could to help,” he said.

Click here to read the amazing story.

Professional success doesn’t just happen - it has to be earned.  Come learn what it takes.

In 2008-2009 the College of Business presented its first Early Career Achievement Awards (ECAA). This annual award celebrates young graduates from each program in the college who have experienced significant professional success, demonstrated innovative and responsible professional leadership and the potential for future distinction.

See who has been selected as  the 2009/2010 ECAA recipients.

Early Career Achievement Awards Panel Discussions
2:30 - 3:45 p.m.
Friday - October 16, 2009
College of Business Building

Accounting and Finance, Insurance and Law - COB 139
Marketing - COB 357
Management and Quantitative Methods and M.B.A. - COB 366

Join us for a Networking Reception in the Lower-level Atrium following the presentations. 

The Early Career Achievement Awards are sponsored by the College of Business and Toastmasters.

Q: What are some of your responsibilities working for the Bulls?

A:  I am a Ticket Representative for the Chicago Bulls Front Office. I’m responsible for the sale of season and group tickets for the 2009-2010 regular season. I contact prior season ticket holders or various other contacts from the leads list provided. In addition I can also shadow other various personnel in the organization and have the option to volunteer during games and special help events.

Q: What does a typical day consist of?

A:  A typical day consist of around 80 phone calls, giving tours of the United Center to prospects, and once the season starts, Bulls games.

Read more about Amy Janus and the Chicago Bulls.

We continue Part 2 of our conversation with Stephanie LH Calahan with specifics on how to more effectively use the COBAN group. Stephanie ’95 (BIS/HR) is an entrepreneur, nationally known speaker, media personality, author, publisher; and productivity / organization specialist about social networking and how she uses tools to build and maintain vital business relationships.

Her clients have included fortune 500 companies, startups, nonprofits, universities and numerous individuals across the country.  Rolodex, Stacks & Stacks, and the Neat Company are a few of the international companies that have sought her expertise.

Read Part 2 of our conversation with Stephanie…

Stephanie LH Calahan ’95 (BIS/HR) is a dynamic entrepreneur, nationally known speaker, media personality, author, publisher; and productivity / organization specialist.  She and her consultants focus on helping you make the most of your time, space, information and ideas.

Her clients have included fortune 500 companies, startups, nonprofits, universities and numerous individuals across the country.  Rolodex, Stacks & Stacks, and the Neat Company are a few of the international companies that have sought her expertise.  We recently sat down with Stephanie to talk about social networking and how she uses tools to build and maintain vital business relationships.

Read more about networking on LinkedIn from Stephanie Calahan…

An Alumni Spotlight by Student Writer Colette Kuk

Just a short time ago Dane Ramirez was a student at ISU and working at Four Seasons gym.  Day in and day out he checked people in at the front desk.  It was not exactly a job he envisioned as a major career launch.  But one fall day in 2007 Dane met Pam, a member at the gym, who asked him about the protocol for hanging up a flyer at the club.  After Dane explained, she asked for his opinion of the flyer.  Enter Mr. Marketing.  “I told her the flyer was kind of boring and not very visually stimulating.”

The next couple of times Pam came in she chatted with Dane about marketing. One day she asked, “Do you know who I am?” He was clueless. Ironically, Pam turned out to be Pam El, Vice President of Marketing at State Farm!

When Pam asked Dane what he was doing besides working at the gym and he told her he was interning at COUNTRY Financial. After learning he was working at a competing company Pam decided she needed Dane at State Farm, and told him to apply for an internship….  Read more about Dane Ramirez.

While completing his business degree, Jerry Wirth ’88 didn’t envision the challenges he’d face as an entrepreneur in the Baltic States. ISU empowered him to withstand corruption and build an international business that now thrives.

After connecting with fellow College of Business Alumni Hall of Fame member Mike Richard ’75, senior vice president and treasurer for McDonald’s Corporation, an international medical care project to help Latvian children was born.

The full story is available on page 8 of the Alumni Magazine http://www.cob.ilstu.edu/images/blog//IllinoisState-AlumniMagazine-vol9no4.pdf.

Jessica Thompson ‘03 (IMC) was recently promoted to Manager of U.S. Communications for McDonald’s USA and is now the official “Tweeter” for McDonald’s new McCafe Your Day campaign. You can follow her at www.twitter.com/mccafeyourday where she’ll be tweeting about McDonald’s McCafe, the McCafe Your Day Contest, and other “fun stuff.”

“This a great opportunity for us to listen, respond and chat with our customers about their experiences with McCafé,” said Thompson. “Our new advertising and communications campaign has been featured in several publications.”

Take Cover! Marketing Blitz for McCafe Is on the Way in Advertising Age.

McD’s Launches McCafe With An Accent On The ‘E’  in MediaPost News.

As Manager of U.S. Communications for McDonald’s USA, Thompson oversees the implementation of strategic public relations and communications programs including McCafe, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and various social media initiatives.
Thompson is a founding member and co-chair of McDonald’s Young Professionals Network and is also a member of McDonald’s Women’s Leadership Network. She actively participates in Junior Achievement and was the recipient of McDonald’s prestigious President’s Award in 2007.

Jessica was an Early Career Achievement Award honoree for the Illinois State University College of Business at Homecoming 2008 and recently gathered with other graduates at the College of Business Alumni Network (COBAN) reception on April 30th at the Chicago Marriott.

Nominations for the 2009-2010 Early Career Achievement Awards can be submitted until June 1 at http://www.cob.ilstu.edu/alumni/. (Yes, self-nominations are welcome!)

If you’re interested in communicating directly with other College of Business Alumni Network members like Jessica, join the COBAN group on the professional networking service LinkedIn. It just takes a few moments to create a profile that summarizes your professional accomplishments. There is no fee for the basic service. Use the following link http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/130547 to join the Illinois State University College of Business Alumni Network.

If you have questions about COBAN or the Early Career Achievement Award, contact Amy Humphreys, Assistant to the Dean for Constituent Relations alhumph@ilstu.edu.

Peoria native Zach Jeremiah ’08 earned his degree in Organizational Management and is putting those skills to good use as a member of the Peace Corps. He recently shared his experiences with us.

Q:  What led you to join the Peace Corps and what sorts of experiences were you hoping it would provide?

A:  Well, I had a classic fork in the road experience that led me here.  My first love is baseball, and I hope to one day work in the front office of a major league club.  Towards the end of college I was talking with the Pittsburgh Pirates front office about an internship doing exactly that.  However, I also wanted to cover my bases, and doing service was the other path I had great interest in.  I interviewed with Teach for America and the Peace Corps, but my wanderlust made the Peace Corps my far and away first choice.  For awhile it looked like I¨d have to make the tough decision between PC and the Pirates, but when the internship fell through at the last moment I was spared that.  And when I saw that I would be going to Peru, I was instantly pleased that it worked out like it did.

As for what I was hoping to gain from the experience- complete immersion in a new culture and the ability to live and travel in a continent I was so unfamiliar with were the prime motivators.  And to be able to do all this while using the education I was lucky enough to receive to help others was about as ideal as it gets.

Read more Q & A about Zach Jeremiah’s experiences in the Peace Corps.  (pdf)