About
Degree:
Carroll B.A. in Mathematics in 1983 (3-2 program) & B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) from USC in 1984.
Current Work:
Executive Consultant / Advisor at Yakima Chief Hops and Boeing
Post-Graduate Degree:
Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Seattle University Albers School of Business & Economics
Master of Legal Studies (MLS) from Seattle University School of Law
Brief description of responsibilities:
I work with companies as a board member or advisor/consultant to senior management to help achieve goals and strategic objectives.
Briefly describe one of your more interesting projects or assignments to date:
During my career at Boeing, the most interesting project I participated in was an internal start-up of Boeing Business Jets, a joint venture between The Boeing Company and General Electric (GE). We pioneered a new market for the Boeing 737 airliner as a private jet for ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
Briefly describe a notable memory from your days at Carroll:
Going through winter workouts and spring practices on the football team during my freshman year is a notable memory. I ultimately opted-out of the following season because I would not have played much (if at all) and I needed to buckle down in the classroom or I wasn’t going to make it through the engineering curriculum. It was not only a physical challenging but also a difficult maturing process in deciding to not continue the following fall. I grew a lot during that time and made some great friends in the process.
A piece of advice for prospective Carroll engineering students:
Persistence is worth a whole lot of smarts.
Also, recognize that one of the most valuable skills you will take away from the Carroll engineering program, a skill that is not fully developed in other engineering programs, is problem solving; how to critically assess a particular problem or issue, take it apart and solve it in logical, manageable steps.
Repeatedly in my career, in both engineering and business settings, I have encountered teams that were stuck and unable to resolve a dilemma. I have been able to contribute by helping to dismantle it into smaller hurdles; clarifying issues and identifying solutions to get over the hurdles, which then often lead to resolution of the broader issues.
The critical thinking, communication, and language skills that you get in the liberal arts curriculum, combined with the objective engineering and scientific analysis skills that you get in the engineering curriculum is a potent and valuable combination of tools that sets the Carroll grad apart from most other engineers. Many engineers have great ideas, but not all have the ability to creatively communicate those ideas or to inspire others in their own creativity. These problem-solving and communication skills are valuable in whatever career path you ultimately pursue.