Mark, MBA '20
“The MBA program provided me the education, skill and confidence I needed to own
and run a technology company.”
Why Weber State?
In 2017, while working on my undergraduate degree, my wife and I bought a home in Mountain Green and moved from Salt Lake. I completed a master's degree in Information Systems from the University of Utah in 2019. I knew I wanted an MBA and I looked at many programs in Utah and nationwide. In my evaluation, Weber State and Goddard School were my obvious choices. Price, size accessibility, accreditation and faculty were all compelling factors.
Why the MBA?
I completed an MBA because I felt it necessary to develop an overall understanding of business. The MBA deepened my understanding of the concepts and subjects learned in my undergraduate program. I graduated Spring 2020.
Incredible Access
The Weber MBA program is a great value and world class accreditation. Class schedules are set to accommodate working professionals. The campus is convenient and easy to access. Classes are small enough that professors and staff interact with individual students and typically know you by name. The cohort is small enough that you get to know almost everyone but large enough to be diverse and to get different perspectives. I had constant access to academic advising, the digital library, MBA conference rooms for study sessions, professors when I had questions and scholarships.
Faculty Impact
I was able to connect with multiple faculty that had an impact on me while in the program. I am still connected with many of them and can reach out if I need to ask questions. Doris Geide-Stevenson and the macroeconomic class profoundly impacted my understanding of business and world economics. Her class broadened my knowledge of world events and their impact on global markets.
Advice
My advice would be to start with a plan in mind. Be clear about why you are pursuing an MBA and what you will do with it when you are done. It’s a lot of work, but it's much easier if you know what you are working towards.
How has the MBA program impacted you?
Business school and the MBA program gave me the education, skills and confidence I needed to own and run a technology company. I am a lifelong learner and the MBA program helped shape a framework for learning that I continue to apply to new subjects and interests.
Where are you now?
I am the president and owner of Tradlos. Tradlos is a technology company that engineers and builds telecommunications networks for healthcare and enterprise customers. I have a 20+ year career in the technology industry. I became interested in computers and technology when I was a teenager and have remained interested in it. I received some training in technology from the Army, but I learned most of it along the way. As I progressed in my career, I was promoted to management positions. In 2015, I had the opportunity to go to school to formalize my education in technology and business.