2015 MBA to Watch: Bret Peterson

Bret C. Peterson

 

Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business

Pursuing an MBA along with an International Business Diplomacy Certificate, Peterson spent his early career in China working for prestige automaker Mercedes Benz. At Georgetown, he served as VP of Alumni Relations for the Student Government Association, where he modified the existing giving model to draw matching gifts from alumni. Peterson also headed the Georgetown Christians in Business and was a member of the Asian Business Consortium and Emerging Markets Network. He will be joining Deloitte Federal Consulting as a senior consultant after graduation.

Age: 27

Hometown: Bradenton, FL 

Undergraduate School: St. Olaf College

Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor of Science – triple major in Economics, Political Science, and Asian Studies

Where did you work before enrolling in business school? Mercedes-Benz (China) Limited – CIO Support – Global IT Project Management

Where did you intern during the summer of 2014? Eagle Hill Consulting, Arlington, VA

Where will you be working after graduation? Deloitte Federal Consulting LLC., Senior Consultant – Strategy and Operations

“I knew I wanted to go to business school when…I knew I wanted to go to business school the first time an MBA beat me for a financial analytics job in China.”

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would still be working for Mercedes-Benz in either China or Germany thinking about how it was really about time I applied to business school.” 

What are your long-term professional goals? Long-term, I hope to work in the space between business and government, both domestic and international. I’m an advocate for business driven global impact. I think the start to solving some of the world’s larger economic and social problems will come from the influence of private and social sector businesses.

Favorite Courses: BADM 650 – Global Business Experience: Mumbai; INAF 594 – International Business Investment and Negotiations; OPIM 662 – Global Logistics; BADM 702 – Arab-Persian Gulf Project Finance; STRT 511 – Consulting Frameworks, Methods, Contexts; MGMT 611 – Leadership Management of Nonprofit Organizations

Which academic or professional achievements are you most proud of?

• The decision to build my early career in China. Moving to China right after my undergraduate work, each hard fought success built ever so slightly from the last until I could look back and see a terrific achievement.
• Personally developed and implemented the 2013-2014 Mercedes-Benz Auto Finance (China) Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative with Bethel Orphanage, the only orphanage specifically for blind children in China – a year-long service plan incorporating over 500 employees and the donation a multi-passenger van.
• Building the MBA Student Giving Campaign. Previous to my term as VP of Alumni, there was no formal channel for students to give back to the program. Working with administration, we developed a tradition of excellence in student giving beginning with the 2014 and 2015 graduating classes.

Who would you most want to thank for your success (and why)? There is never just one individual or group who defines your success. Forced to pick one, I would like to thank the McDonough administration and program office. These are truly “YES” people. When it comes to helping you create and build your MBA experience, discover opportunities to further academic learning or involvement, or solve the tough questions like “How can we bring our entire class on a multi-location Winery Tour,” they are always ready and available to help.

Why did you choose this business school? Initially, I was drawn to McDonough for it’s location in Washington, D.C. Having worked for a period with the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service in Beijing, I had a commitment to the intersection of government and business and a strong network in the area. Looking into the school further, I connected with the new leadership and academic initiatives of Dean David Thomas and his commitment to building a community that was both globally minded and intellectually rigorous.

What did you enjoy most about business school? I most enjoyed the relationships that I built during the two-year program. Choosing to live just blocks from the business school building, my house was often the host of late night group projects, team dinners, post semester parties, and sports spectating. Georgetown has an incredibly diverse and international student body. The people I was able to work with contributed expertise and perspectives that I am sure to carry into my future career.

What is your most memorable moment from business school? It was our final presentation and first face-to-face interaction with the clients of a two-month long micro-finance project for a woman-owned nonprofit in India. Before our presentation, one of the women gave an overview of their organization and the impact they hoped our work would have on their outcomes that year. Although we already knew much of the information, the excitement and appreciation the client had for what we’d done for them made all of the effort and struggle totally worth it.

Fun fact about yourself: I sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in 2011.

Favorite book: God on the Dock by C.S. Lewis

Favorite movie: Most recently – About Time (2013 directed by Richard Curtis) Since I was a little kid though I’ve always loved The Brave Little Toaster (1987 by Disney).

Favorite musical performer: I’d have to go with the Ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro. I saw him perform at a small venue last year in DC and can’t get enough. That guy is incredible!

Favorite television show: How I Met Your Mother

Favorite vacation spot: I’ve never been but I’d say New Zealand. It is one of the few places that I can surf, sail, and ski – my three favorite sports.

What are your hobbies? I studied large-scale oil painting with extra course credits in college and still paint a lot to take a break from school. I also am an avid marathoner and brew beer with my roommates in our basement.

Twitter Handle: @BretCPeterson

What made Bret such an invaluable addition to the class of 2015?

“Both during his role of VP of Alumni, and after the position’s responsibilities ended, Bret has worked tirelessly to increase engagement between and among students and alumni. At the end of this school year, he improved upon the model of simply setting up a mechanism to donate money for a class gift – he has worked to find a donor who will match dollar for dollar for student contributions. Additionally, he has worked to encourage the donor to immediately match any pledged contributions students make over the next five years. These are significant positive changes for alumni giving, class participation, and student engagement. In this role, Bret also has thoughtfully planned Disorientation* for his fellow classmates, taking many people’s needs and preferences into consideration, and working seamlessly with McDonough staff.  Bret also was the President of the Georgetown Christians in Business club and led the club with energy and professionalism.” – Kerry Pace, Associate Dean for MBA Programs

*Disorientation is a student event for the graduating class – the opposite of orientation.

DON’T MISS: MBAS TO WATCH FROM THE CLASS OF 2015