Meet UNC Kenan-Flagler’s MBA Class Of 2020

Galen Parrish Green

University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler Business School

“Professional bluegrass mandolinist who decided to pursue an MBA and study finance and sustainable business.”    

Hometown: Paris, Kentucky

Fun Fact About Yourself: I’m a big horse racing fan, and I witnessed the first and last of American Pharaoh’s four Grand Slam victories in 2015. It was the first and only Grand Slam in horse racing history, and incredible to watch in person.

Undergraduate School and Major: Colorado College, English

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: I was a founding musician and managing partner in The Wooks, a progressive bluegrass band based in Bourbon County, Kentucky.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: With my bandmates from The Wooks, I organized and executed a successful grassroots crowdfunding campaign in order to independently record and release an original album in Nashville with Grammy-winning producer Alison Brown. We then had the honor of seeing the international music market embrace the album via Sirius XM Radio, Internet Radio and FM Radio, which got us a debut slot on Billboard’s Bluegrass Top 10.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? UNC Kenan-Flagler students are friendly, talented and they genuinely care about helping you get to where you’re trying to go. Whether that’s by giving you directions when you’re new on campus or advice when you’re considering a career similar to one they had before school—Kenan-Flagler students create an atmosphere that’s as welcoming as it is inspiring and motivating.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? The key factor for me was the people—the faculty, staff, alumni, students and the people of Chapel Hill. A big piece of what you’re doing when you go back to get your MBA is extending your network, so for me it was imperative that I got along with the people I met who had any relationship with the school. I also wanted a school that could provide an excellent financial and quantitative education, and Kenan-Flagler has world-class people and resources in those fields.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I’m pretty excited about the Student Managed Funds, Golf Club and Foodie Club.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? During my time with The Wooks, I got to “live the dream” of playing music professionally — starting a band and recording an album that gets played on the radio, securing awards and nominations from top industry organizations, performing at major festivals, and collaborating with legends like Peter Rowan and up-and-comers like Tyler Childers. It was all amazing! Once that dream became reality, it also became a business. As that happened, my professional interests evolved beyond the music industry to include finance, general management, and energy because I had recognized how integral these fields were to every kind of business—from huge corporations down to small businesses like our own. The MBA was just a natural progression from there.

How did you decide if an MBA was worth the investment? I talked to MBAs who had been out of school for a year, for 20 years and for just about every number of years in between. Then I talked to some more. I always asked them if they would do anything differently looking back in terms of their MBA. While some people regretted maybe not spending more time at the library (or at the bar) – or not going abroad – not one of them ever said they regretted the MBA experience as a whole. In fact, I’m not sure if one of them ever refrained from saying it was “two of the best years” of their life. Pair those endorsements with some basic forecasting using program costs, average salaries and bonuses, and average time to pay off debt, and it was a pretty easy investment decision.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Foster, GSB, and Darden

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I mostly determined fit by speaking with students and faculty. I prioritized overall fit, diversity of career trajectories coming out of the program, ROI, class size and excellence of the finance, energy and sustainable enterprise programs. I used Poets & Quants, U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, Financial Times, The Economist, Google, MBA students and grads, faculty, admissions departments, and campus visits to evaluate schools. I researched culture primarily by visiting campuses and spending time speaking with MBAs, faculty and admissions. I knew UNC Kenan-Flagler fit my career goals because of strong hires in investment banking and renewable energy.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? I wouldn’t say that my life has been defined by any single moment – I’d say it’s been more of a series of defining moments. My most recent defining moment was unpacking my last box here in Chapel Hill. That signified the end of a long transition and the beginning of my MBA experience, and it shaped me by letting me be more focused and motivated for the two years ahead.

What do you plan to do after you graduate? I plan to pursue a career in investment banking with a focus on energy or technology markets.

Where do you see yourself in five years? In five years I see myself in a mentally challenging, purposeful, and rewarding role that both utilizes and builds on the skills I will gain during the next two years.