2016 MBAs To Watch: Christine Heinz-Loomer, Indiana (Kelley)

Christine Heinz-Loomer

 

Kelley School of Business, Indiana University

Age: 34

Hometown: Des Plaines, IL

Education:

B.S., Animal Science – Michigan State University

D.V.M. – University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Where did you work before enrolling in business school? Broad Ripple Animal Clinic (Indianapolis, IN) – Associate Veterinarian

Where did you intern during the summer of 2015? Elanco Animal Health, a division of Eli Lilly & Co. – Greenfield, IN

Where will you be working after graduation? Elanco Animal Health – Consultant, New Product Value Analysis

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: Dean’s Fellow; Student Task Force for the Dean; Leadership Academy – peer coach and Fit-to-Lead volunteer; Kelley Association of Women MBA’s – Undergraduate Kelley Women mentor

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? My finance minor – coming in to business school without any background in business was intimidating, especially trying to learn finance where I felt like they were speaking a completely different language. But I had some great professors who were able to make finance more accessible and understandable and give me the confidence to continue to learn. I know that having this basic understanding will help me significantly in my career.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? It was being nominated for the Nestle Purina Petcare Award (an award given through AAHA to a veterinarian in recognition of outstanding efforts to positively influence the lives of animals and people).

I was nominated based on an impression on a client because of the way I interacted with her and her pet that positive enough to have her nominate me for an award like that. Then, having that nomination supported by other clients was a huge honor and a humbling experience (and one for which I will always be grateful).

Who is your favorite professor? Fred Roedl: Having him as a professor both in the Business Marketing Academy as well as in his Business Marketing Strategy class was a great experience. He not only discussed theories and principles in B2B marketing, but also talked about how the principles applied in the real world in his previous career. More importantly, he was interested in his students, cared about their careers, and was more than willing to take the extra time to help and engage students.

Favorite MBA Courses? Marketing Strategy, Intro to Spreadsheet Modeling, Legal Issues in Marketing Management

Why did you choose this business school? The people!! The rankings and the quality of the program were a given for me…Kelley is a great school academically.  What tipped the scales was the way I was treated when I came to visit. Everyone was genuinely nice, interested in my story, and wanted to help me not just to choose Kelley, but to choose the program that was going to be best for me.

What did you enjoy most about business school? The people!! It was an amazing opportunity to learn not only from the high caliber of faculty here, but also from the diversity of my classmates. Hearing different perspectives from a breadth of cultural, academic, and personal standpoints really enhanced my education both in and out of the classroom. So happy to have met the people I did and to have built some great friendships!

What is the biggest lesson you gained from business school? Be confident in your abilities – you probably have more to offer than you realize.

What was the most surprising thing about business school? It was the amount of soft skills that you work on and acquire. I was ready for the book stuff, but didn’t expect or prepare for the amount of emphasis and coaching placed on communication and learning to be an effective leader and team player.

What was the hardest part of business school? The hardest part of business school was getting back into the swing of school and having to study again. I was used to my routine and my mind was stuck in work mode. It was difficult to break out of that and go back to the classroom to learn new information and skills while also trying to balance having a life outside of school.

What’s your best advice to an applicant to your school? Visit the school. Talk to the students and the faculty while you are here. You will learn pretty quickly what Kelley is about and if it’s the right fit for you. It’s well worth the trip to truly understand what sets Kelley apart from other top programs.

“I knew I wanted to go to business school when…I started looking at the range of opportunities for a career given the combination of the MBA with my DVM. I was excited about the challenge of moving to the industry side of healthcare as well as the opportunity to be able to help people and make a difference on such a large scale.”

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…still in practice, possibly completing a residency in surgery and pursuing board certification.”

Which executive or entrepreneur do you most admire? Martha Hoover – she owns some of my favorite restaurants in Indianapolis. She had no prior experience in restaurants when she opened her first establishment and followed a passion for food. From being a lawyer to being a successful restauranteur takes a big leap. It impresses me that she had the guts to take the leap and then the smarts and tenacity to build that first endeavor into an enterprise.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? My husband and two sons. It is my husband for being not only my partner and best friend and supporting me in whatever endeavor I decide to take on, but for also being my champion and pushing me to exceed every goal I have set and to really be the best version of myself. It is my two sons for being able to make me smile, even on the worst of days, and for keeping me grounded on what really matters in life.

Favorite book: The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

Favorite movie: Love, Actually

Favorite musical performer: John Mayer

Favorite television show: “Downton Abbey”

Favorite vacation spot: Napa Valley

Hobbies: Skiing, running, cooking/eating

What made Christine such an invaluable addition to the class of 2016?

“Christine is an outstanding student, and even more importantly an outstanding person in every facet of life. She demonstrated tremendous professional courage by pursuing her full-time MBA after establishing herself as a well-respected veterinarian. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Christine from the very start of her Kelley experience in our Me, Inc. program – and it was easy to see what a contribution she would make to the classroom and beyond. She lived up to every expectation we had of her as a student and classroom leader. She has successfully transitioned into a business marketing career, and has maintained her busy personal life as a spouse and mother. Her maturity and attitude are what made Christine so invaluable to the Kelley class of 2017, and she will be missed!”

Ray Luther

Executive Director, MBA Program

Kelley School of Business, Indiana University

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