Thomas Landzert

Georgia Institute of Technology – Scheller College of Business

“Adventuresome, ambitious, goal-oriented leader, enthusiastic about competition, and eager to make a positive impact.”

Hometown: Charlotte, NC

Fun Fact About Yourself:  As an undergraduate, I interned on Capitol Hill for two different members of Congress and the North Carolina Governor’s office.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of South Carolina; Political Science

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, Financial Solutions Advisor

When you think of Georgia Tech, what are the first things that come to mind? How have your experiences with the Scheller MBA and the larger university thus far reinforced or upended these early impressions? Georgia Tech is an institution steeped in a tradition of innovation. Scheller stays true to these roots by being at the forefront of technology and business education. Located in the heart of Tech Square, Scheller College is the pulse of this vibrant start-up and innovation incubator. I have found that the Jones MBA Career Center is a tremendous resource in supporting students in their pursuit of career opportunities due to the number of alumni who work for companies in Tech Square.

What has been your favorite part of Atlanta so far? What has made it such a great place to earn an MBA? Scheller is the focal point of Midtown Atlanta and students have access to popular restaurants, museums, parks, and walking trails. There’s so much to see and experience in this cultural and economic epicenter. Atlanta is a vibrant city with many Fortune 500 companies and is quickly becoming a robust technology hub. Whether working with a large corporation on an agile transformation or collaborating with a start-up on a go-to-market strategy, there’s a wealth of opportunities for MBA students to apply what they learned in the classroom to real-world business settings. I appreciate the opportunities Atlanta provides to Scheller MBA students to learn, grow, and have fun.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of the Scheller MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? What drew me to Georgia Tech’s MBA program was its collaborative learning environment. The emphasis placed on interactive discussions, as well as hands-on learning, was most appealing to me. I wanted to take advantage of the program’s immersive and experiential learning opportunities that extended beyond the classroom. I felt it was essential to apply the methods learned in the classroom to a real-world experience since my course work focused on gaining new skills to allow me to pivot careers. I believe Georgia Tech’s comprehensive curriculum is preparing me to make an immediate impact at most any company regardless of the size, industry, or product.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Georgia Tech Scheller? The CHARGE Leadership program is designed to develop MBA students into becoming principled, forward-thinking leaders. The program is preparing me with the framework to build my leadership competencies so I can become an influential business leader. What I enjoy most about CHARGE is it offers the opportunity to engage in experiential activities that bolster my social intelligence, communication skills, and have to have the opportunity to work together in teams. My favorite CHARGE event has been the Dean’s CEO speaker series. Craig Menear of Home Depot shared his leadership philosophies, and the challenges executives face in today’s pandemic-filled world. I feel fortunate to learn from current industry leaders and practice leadership principles in an engaging way.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: As a business development specialist working at TD Ameritrade, I saw the need to speak to my colleagues about opportunities and issues in my daily job. I formed a national network of business development specialists, and we met regularly via teleconference to discuss issues and the successes we were having. As a result of spearheading this initiative, I was invited to TD Ameritrade’s annual gala, where I and a select handful of others received the “Better Begins with Me” award. This award recognizes individual contributions to the overall success and goals of the firm. I felt privileged to be part of an organization that acknowledges individual efforts towards building a better company culture. It was quite the experience to network with executive leadership and I even took a selfie with the CEO.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: One of the unique aspects of Scheller is it is a smaller-sized MBA program. This allows students opportunities to get involved immediately. I was selected to hold a first-year leadership position on the Peer Leadership Committee. It’s been a wonderful experience to be part of a team focused on fostering collaboration and facilitating relationship-building to ensure our students grow. This semester, I have worked with the committee on hosting several events, the pinnacle being Schell-X, which is similar to TED talks. One of my goals coming into business school was to make a lasting impact and grow as a leader. This leadership experience has given me the confidence to take on more significant positions and responsibilities within the program.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into the Scheller MBA program? I would recommend students consider or ask themselves three things:

First, why are they pursuing an MBA? Second, why is Scheller the optimal choice for them? Finally, how do they connect to the program’s values?

Scheller is a diverse, tight-knit community. We are supportive and want to see our classmates succeed. We want individuals who are collaborators and have a strong desire to be involved in the spirit and traditions of Scheller.

DON’T MISS: MEET GEORGIA TECH’S MBA CLASS OF 2023 AT SCHELLER COLLEGE