What Ever Happened To The MBAs On The Apprentice?

Season 1:

Kwame Jackson in the Boardroom

Kwame Jackson: A Harvard MBA and Goldman Sachs alum, Jackson floated to the finals despite mostly working on losing teams. Although he rarely distinguished himself, he was also rarely brought to the board room due to his eloquence. In the end, Jackson lost to Bill Rancic after Omarosa Manigault repeatedly undermined him at a concert promotion. These days, Jackson is President of Kwame Inc., where he conducts brand consulting and public speaking. After The Apprentice, he also launched Krimson By Kwane, a luxury line of neckware that’s sold in stores ranging from Macy’s and Dillard’s.

Amy Henry

Amy Henry: An Austin native, who holds an MBA from Texas Christian University, Henry made it to the final four on the strength of winning nearly every task. However, she bombed the interview stage, where she was deemed a poor fit for Trump’s conservative culture. Since then, Henry has authored What It Takes: Speak Up, Step, Up, Move Up: A Modern Woman’s Guide to Success in Business. Like Jackson, Henry is also a regular on the public speaking circuit.

David Gould: It always happens: The smartest contestants are usually the first to go. That was certainly true of Gould, an NYU Stern MBA who also held an M.D. from Jefferson Medical College. Although he boasted that he was the smartest contestant, he became Trump’s first Apprentice firing due to his lousy sales skills. Most recently, Gould was a principal at the Merlin Biomed Group, a New York investment management firm.

Note: Although villainess Omarosa Manigault doesn’t own an MBA, she has taught branding as an adjunct instructor in Howard University’s MBA program.

Season 2:

A Look Back at Season 2

Maria Boren: An MBA from Regent University in Virginia, Boren was dumped after 11 weeks for deciding to go it alone on a photo shoot for Levi’s. In fact, her performance was so awful that it got her project manager fired too. After her public rebuke, Boren founded Wren Consulting in Norfolk, where she focuses on market research, competitive analysis, public relations, and branding.

Stacie Jones Upchurch

Stacie Jones Upchurch: Another early exit, this Mercer MBA was dismissed after her teammates questioned her mental stability. Sensing blood in the board room, they ganged up on her over her supposed reliance on a magic eight ball for guidance. After The Apprentice, this model-turned-entrepreneur scored roles in a few films and now works for Unique Underwriter in mortgage protection.

Kelly Perdew: Season two’s overall winner, Perdew holds a joint JD-MBA from UCLA. After spending a year in the Trump organization, Perdew moved into leadership roles in the sports software industry. Best known for being an Airborne Ranger, Perdew currently serves as the CEO of Fastpoint Games, a proprietary platform where clients can reward and monetize users. He is also an investor and advisor to various companies (including Klout), along with being involved in Big Brothers/Big Sister and the USO Mission.

Note: Although Kevin Allen and Pamela Day didn’t own MBAs during season two, they have since earned them at Emory and Harvard respectively.