2 Carlson Executive MBA Graduates among Poets and Quants' Best EMBAs
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Recent Carlson Executive MBA graduates Audrey Klein and Jarred Roy were selected by Poets & Quants as the best of the class of 2016. They bested nominees from 36 top business schools who epitomized excellence within their executive MBA programs. Klein and Roy were chosen for their achievements, insightfulness, and distinctiveness.
Audrey Klein
"I realized I wanted to be one of the people creating and defining organizational strategy, not just implementing it. But as someone with a strongly scientific background, I couldn’t picture myself sitting at the senior executive table without knowing a lot more about the basics of business," she says.
Throughout the program, Klein most appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with fellow executive MBA students based in China on an international business project. She also found her marketing classes particularly impactful.
"I came to the Carlson School knowing very little about marketing and I’ve learned that it’s a vital part of business strategy," she says.
Beyond the classroom, Klein forged valuable connections with her classmates, whom she describes as "talented and motivated."
"Audrey Klein is a force. She approaches everything with the open-minded craving for learning that one would expect from a PhD, but she is no stereotypical bookworm. Audrey is creative, fun, energetic, and compassionate," says Carlson Executive MBA Program Director Robyn Wick.
Klein hopes to someday head a company that improves the lives of others.
Jarred Roy
Jarred Roy, '16 CEMBA, made tremendous career strides during his first decade in the workforce: he ran a million-dollar business, then became the youngest sales training manager and youngest product marketing director in Maytag Corporation's history. This year, he achieved his goal of earning an executive MBA before age 40.
"I chose the Carlson School because I wanted to join an institution that would provide a strong education backed by a solid international reputation," he says.
Roy is sales and marketing director of the home appliance division of LG Electronics, USA. In this role, he leads a multi-faceted team while partnering with Best Buy and Target corporations for product placement, promotion, productivity, and profitability. His long-term professional goals include leading a major organization, fostering his own business ventures, and giving back post-retirement through teaching.
This past fall, he led a fundraising initiative for non-profit organization Playworks, which strives to create safe places for kids to play. Its mission is to help children grow physically, emotionally, and socially. To raise awareness and funds for the organization, Roy persuaded his classmates to spend their lunch hour outdoors playing four square, double-dutch, and other playground games to support the cause.
"Jarred Roy embodies what an ideal EMBA student should be. He is open-minded and engaged in the program both in the classroom and out. He brings a positive energy that is contagious," says Wick.