Kevin T. Ortiz

University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler Business School

“I aspire to be honest, welcoming and transformative with every interaction in life.”

Hometown: Orlando, Florida, and Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco, Mexico

Fun Fact About Yourself: My bucket list includes visiting all Major League Baseball Fields and attending a Billy Joel concert at Madison Square Garden.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Central Florida, BSBA Business and Finance and Latin American Studies Minor

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Truist Leadership Institute, Senior Student Leadership Specialist

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Kenan-Flagler’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school, and why was it so important to you? One of the items that attracted me to UNC is the Carolina Latinx Center. I wish to be a bridge between UNC Kenan-Flagler, the CLC and the overall Hispanic and Latino community in North Carolina.

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at Kenan-Flagler The Vetter Dean’s Fellows Program. I aspire to leave a positive legacy at UNC Kenan-Flagler through inclusive and inspiring leadership.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Being part of the team behind Truist Financial signing The Hispanic Promise, the first-of-its-kind corporate pledge to prepare, hire, promote, retain and hire Hispanics in the workplace. To see Truist highlight the Hispanic Promise on our CRA report and earnings call made proud of the work and direction of the firm. Outside of work, being a speaker during TheDream.US virtual commencement along with First Lady Jill Biden is up there.

How did COVID-19 change your perspective on your career and your life in general? All we have is today and tomorrow is never promised. As soon as we have a dream or aspiration, we must begin to live it because the dream is always now.

What is the most important quality of a leader…and why is it so important to success? Leaders must have a leadership purpose or internal understanding of why they lead. A clear purpose increases teammate engagement and overall benefits the organizational goals.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? Less than 9% of Latino undergraduate students pursue graduate school. Because I wish to inspire and build the next generation of Latino leaders, the first step I can take to accomplish my goal is leading the way with my example. After three years of amazing work and experience, it is time for a new challenge!

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Emory University, Goizueta Business School

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Kenan-Flagler’s MBA program? Be yourself. Period.

DON’T MISS: MEET UNC’S KENAN-FLAGLER MBA CLASS OF 2023