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 Trent Thurman
MBA ’94
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Grad's Career Path Brings Him Full Circle
Like a boomerang, Trent Thurman’s professional life has brought him full circle. The current director of the Texas Evening MBA Program (TEMBA) has bounced from his native Tennessee to Washington, D.C. to Austin, back to Tennessee and again to Austin.
After earning his undergraduate degree in communications from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Thurman moved to Washington, D.C. in the late eighties to work for Senator Al Gore. There, he met his wife, a Vanderbilt alumna originally from Austin who was also employed with the Senator. After spending some time on Capitol Hill, the two moved to Austin, where Thurman worked for the Texas legislature focusing on health care and educational issues. He became interested in the relationship between government and business, which ultimately led him to pursue an MBA.
The academic atmosphere at McCombs invigorated Thurman.
“I felt like I was surrounded by some of the best business minds in the world. It was competitive, at times intimidating, but very beneficial,” says Thurman.
As a student, Thurman was inspired by his fellow classmates and his entire McCombs experience. He remembers commenting to his business law professor, Steve Salbu, about wanting to someday work on a college campus. But his career would first veer him back to Tennessee. With MBA in tow, he and his wife moved to Memphis, where Thurman worked in commercial real estate. The two also started a family, with the additions of twin sons, Ben and Sam.
After 10 years in real estate, Thurman was ready for a change. Still passionate about education, he contacted former business law professor, Salbu, about working in some capacity with McCombs, which led to an interview with the director of the Executive Education Program. Soon enough, Thurman, his wife, and children were returning to Austin. He began working as associate director of the Dallas and Houston Professional MBA Programs in 2005 and was promoted to his current position in October.
Thurman loves his job and, as a McCombs graduate, brings value to the TEMBA Program.
“My goal is to build a feeling of community in the program and help evening participants feel the complete McCombs and UT experience,” says Thurman.
Indeed, the program is making headway toward enriching the educational experience for evening participants. TEMBA recently added a graduate business council modeled after its counterpart in the full-time MBA Program. The council provides leadership opportunities for participants and a forum for communication between students and the school. The addition of the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center, opening in 2008, will also work toward building a sense of community among participants.
All of this pleases Thurman, who is excited about the TEMBA’s future and his place in it.
“Working toward an MBA is one of the most positive experiences a person can make,” Thurman says. “And I’m happy to play a role in that and work among people who are committed to student success.”
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Investment Opportunity
Make a gift to the McCombs School Annual Fund and help us achieve our goal of becoming the best public business school in the nation. Give now.
The McCombs School of Business 2005-06 Investors' Report is available online. View the 2005-06 donors and financial information.
Related Links
Hermes Society
Matching Gift Program
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The MBA Alumni Endowed Excellence Fund provides an excellent opportunity for all alumni to give back to the school. Launching new MBA initiatives that will enhance the educational experience of MBA students, this fund is unique in that a committee of students, alumni, and MBA program office staff will work together to determine optimal usage of the funds.
Hire McCombs Alumni through the McCombs Job Board
Search for a job or promote employment opportunities to both current students and alumni of the McCombs School of Business.
Both the Alumni Directory and the McCombs Job Board are accessible through your UT EID (University of Texas Electronic Identification). Click here for more information on finding your UT EID, or contact the Registrar's office at 512-475-7656.
If you have any questions, please email us and refer to "Alumni Directory" or "McCombs Job Board" in the subject and content of your message.
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MMA Network News
Nominate a McCombs MBA Alumni Business Leader and an Outstanding Chapter Event
The MMA Office is now accepting nominations for the 2008 Rising Star and Outstanding Chapter Event Awards. These awards will be presented at the MBA Alumni Awards Celebration. Next fall, the celebration will be held on September 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the new AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center on the UT campus.
To be eligible for the 2008 awards, we must receive nominations by March 31, 2008. We will consider nominations received after March 31 for the 2009 awards. All nominations will remain active for a period of three years.
The Rising Star Award is presented to an alumnus/alumna no further than 10 years from MBA graduation who has been successful professionally and has helped strengthen the McCombs MBA Alumni Network. This is a graduate who has presented himself or herself as a consummate professional and dedicated businessperson.
The Outstanding Chapter Event Award is presented to a chapter that has held an exceptional event in the prior year that implements strategic initiatives of the McCombs MBA Alumni Network and promotes McCombs in their local area.
To submit a nomination form and view past winners, visit the Awards Celebration Web site.
Network with Alumni in Cities Across the Country
You are cordially invited to the McCombs MBA Alumni Network Winter Chapter Receptions. Stop by for an evening of networking and fun! This is a great opportunity to connect with fellow alumni in your area. Visit the Chapter Receptions web page to RSVP and for more information, including times and locations.
We encourage you to attend multiple receptions, if you happen to be visiting any of these cities.
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Arkansas, 1/16/2008 |
Mexico City, 1/31/2008 |
| Atlanta, 1/16/2008 |
Miami, 1/17/2008 |
| Austin, 1/23/2008 |
San Antonio, 1/31/2008 |
| Boston, 1/17/2008 |
San Diego, 1/16/2008 |
| Chicago, 1/11/2008 |
San Francisco, 1/17/2008 |
| Dallas, 1/30/2008 |
Seattle, 1/10/2008 |
| Denver, 1/17/2008 |
Shanghai, 1/10/2008 |
| Fort Worth, 1/29/2008 |
Tokyo, 1/12/2008 |
| Houston, 1/24/2008 |
Washington, D.C., 1/10/2008 |
| London, 1/11/2008 |
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Featured Jobs of the Month
Visit the McCombs Job Board for more information on these opportunities and others posted by McCombs alumni.
| Company |
Position |
Location |
Advanced
Micro Devices |
SEC Reporting Analyst |
Austin, TX |
| Department of the Navy |
Financial
Management Analyst |
Washington, DC |
| Microsoft TV |
Senior Manager,
Customer Marketing |
San Antonio, TX |
| Microsoft |
Corporate
Development Manager |
Redmond, WA |
Walt Disney
Parks & Resort |
Manager of Finance, Business Planning
and Development |
Burbank, CA |
Alumni Invited to 2008 Sustainable Business Summit
This is a two-day event, January 25-26, at the McCombs School of Business packed with innovative green business ideas and opportunities to connect with local business leaders, learn about cutting-edge green business strategies, discover job opportunities and interact at the sustainable products fair and alternative fuel vehicle test drive. Please visit the Web site for more information and to register.
Alumni Celebrate Reunion 2007
The classes of 1997 and 2002 celebrated their 10- and 5- year reunions in Austin November 9-11, 2007. The weekend included a Friday night welcome reception and slideshow at the Intercontinental Stephen F. Austin Hotel, a pre-game luncheon on the McCombs School Plaza, and a farewell brunch at Whole Foods on Sunday. The Alumni Relations Office thanks the 2007 Reunion Committee. Read more here.
Class of 1997: Leila El-Hakam, Linda Judson Haberlach, Dave
Hendrix, John McCollum, Chris Stanley, Rebecca Thorburn Class of 2002: Stacey Bernhard, Jim Bohart, Sona Chandwani,
Dan Lyons, Chris Spahr, Jessica Walton, Cara Whitehill
McCombs Faculty May be Coming to a City Near You
The McCombs MBA Alumni (MMA) Faculty Speaker Series brings faculty to alumni chapters to discuss current business trends and topics. It is a great opportunity to learn from the latest research, gain faculty perspective, network with alumni, and stay connected to the McCombs School. In spring 2008, faculty will travel to Chicago, Boston, New York, Dallas, and Philadelphia. Please visit the Faculty Speaker Web site for more information. If your city does not currently have an alumni chapter and you would like to organize one in your area, contact mbaalumni@mccombs.utexas.edu.
Women in Business Leadership Conference: Unlock Your Opportunity
February 8, 2008, Hyatt Regency Austin
Each year, businesswomen from around the nation convene in Austin for the Women in Business Leadership Conference. This engaging leadership conference allows women to network with other business professionals in their fields and provides them opportunities to enhance their personal skill sets. The speaker panels this year will feature successful women who have volunteered to help others unlock their opportunities by discussing their experiences on a variety of topics such as entrepreneurship, giving back to the community and advocacy within an organization. For more information, visit our Web site.
Texas Executive Education Offers Virtual Leadership Program
Virtual Leadership: Leading Dispersed Teams
January 31 - February 1, 2008
Faculty: John Daly, Ph.D., and Deidre Mendez, Ph.D.
Virtual teams have become a fact of life as talent becomes diffused across the world, the marketplace becomes global and technology allows better communication. In this program, we examine what it takes to successfully work with and lead distanced teams, and we identify the necessary skills members of a virtual team need for creating successful teams. The session introduces a two-stage model of distance leadership and teaches participants how to more effectively work with, and lead, teams that work far apart.
Alumni In The News
Alumna Joins Center for Global Oncology at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Margaret Row, MBA '07, recently joined the Center for Global Oncology at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston as the associate vice president for global clinical programs. Prior to earning her MBA with McCombs' Houston program, Dr. Row graduated with distinction from George Washington University of Medicine in 1994 and completed her residency training in internal medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.
Alumna Named Top 20 Executive
Diana Carrillo, MBA '04, was named a Top 20 Executive by Mujeres Ejecutivas Magazine. Carrillo participated in the Executive MBA program in Mexico City.
McCombs In The News
What’s Fair in Work and War
U.S. News & World Report, Dec. 10, 2007
 It seems reasonable: People prefer working for companies that treat them fairly, right? Wrong, according to a study co-authored by Caroline Bartel, assistant professor of management, and William B. Swann, a professor of psychology and business. In “Is More Fairness Always Preferred? Self-Esteem Moderates Reactions to Procedural Justice,” appearing in the current Academy of Management Journal, Bartel and Swann and their colleagues studied workers at large companies in the midst of downsizing or restructuring. While employees with high self-esteem were more committed to the company when they felt, for example, that work was fairly distributed in their unit, employees with low self-esteem were largely indifferent to organizational injustice. Being fair with workers doesn't seem to be enough to win employees’ hearts.
Austin-tatious: Change is Storming Texas’ Low-Key Capital of Cool
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dec. 2, 2007
 Austin is in the middle of a transformation that some claim could destroy its freewheeling soul. Others maintain that the new element—fueled by rising property values and an influx of national and international visitors keen on certain amenities—will just add to what the city has to offer. “Fifteen years ago, I would have said that Starbucks would not have been successful, that Austin isn’t going to pay $5 for a cup of coffee. I would have told you that ice hockey would never play in Austin,” said Jim Nolen, senior finance lecturer at McCombs. “But it is successful, and that tells you how many people have migrated to Austin.”
Business-Plan Competitions Become ‘American Idol Meets Trump’
The Wall Street Journal, Dec. 11, 2007
Business plan competitions are becoming an increasingly popular way for business owners and would-be entrepreneurs to raise extra cash while honing their business strategy. The school-based contests have become much like an athletic competition. Student teams often spend months preparing their plans and participating in in-school competitions to get ready. The Moot Corp Competition, an international contest hosted by The University of Texas at Austin, has been dubbed the “Super Bowl of business-plan competitions” where the winners from other college-based competitions face off. Get the full story.
View more McCombs School of Business News Online...
McCombs Monthly Archives
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Last Updated
Wednesday, July 23, 2008