West MBA Panel Discussion - Industry Trends & Highlights

• published: 09 Jun 2015
• views: 63

MBA professionals discuss their MBA education and what they learned, the applications of their education in their careers, what they look for in hiring, and benefits of an MBA in various fields. Guest Panelists Include: Aram Chavez, Lecturer for Skunkworks at Arizona State University College of Technology and Innovation. Aram has been investing and working with start-ups and small-to-medium enterprises for the past 20 years. He co-authored "Aha! to Exit: 10 Steps to Start Up," has written for the Phoenix Business Journal, is regularly interviewed for articles in the Arizona Republic, Tucson Citizen, several on-line publications, and is currently finishing a children's book. Aram earned with his MBA in Global Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management. Chris Filandro, Vice President & CIO of Meritage Homes, a national home builder with 14 divisional offices. Chris is also an Associate Professor at Western International University (West), teaching courses in information technology, general business and finance. Chris earned both his bachelor degree and his MBA from Western International University. Dan Ernest, Controller of Greater Phoenix Economic Council. Dan oversees all of the financial and accounting related actions at GPEC. Dan graduated from the University of Wyoming with a Bachelor in Finance with a minor in Management Information Systems, and earned his MBA from the ASU W.P. Carey School of Business. Debra J. Stevens, Director of Marketing and Communications at Phoenix Children's Hospital. Debra is responsible for leading brand management, advertising, public relations, communications, and web presence for Arizona's only licensed, freestanding pediatric hospital. Debra earned her Bachelor of Science in Organizational Communication from Arizona State University and her MBA from University of Phoenix. Julie Jakubek, the Julie Jakubek Agency, an Allstate Insurance Company. Julie opened her Allstate Agency in Scottsdale after earning her bachelor degree at Northern Arizona University and her MBA at Pepperdine University. Today, her agency has 6 full time licensed insurance professionals, 2,800 customers, and is one of the largest Allstate Agencies in Arizona. Michael Gorbitz, President of Alberta Oats Milling, Ltd. Mike has over 35 years of experience in the food ingredient and agri-business industry. He has worked for publicly traded companies based in the USA and Europe and for two privately owned companies in the USA and Canada, directing the turnaround and eventual sale of the companies. Mike completed his undergraduate degree at the Krannert School of Business at Purdue University, and earned his MBA at Loyola University of Chicago. Additionally, he received certification from INSEAD, a European graduate business school, after completing their Executive Advanced Management Training program in Fontainebleau, France.