Joseph F. Cotie

Texas A&M University, Mays Business School

“I am a young professional with quality, honesty, and excellence at the forefront of my life.”

Hometown: Houston, Texas

Fun Fact About Yourself: The business I started at 15 years old is still operating today!

Undergraduate School and Major: Texas Tech University – Animal Science (Business)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Cotie Brothers Show Cattle – Owner

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of the Mays MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Mays Business School puts a specific emphasis on the management and decision-making skills necessary to successfully run a business… at Texas A&M, an MBA is so much more than just the numbers!

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Texas A&M Mays? Texas A&M has seemingly endless opportunities for entrepreneurial ventures, including Aggies in Business and the McFerrin Center for Entrepreneurship. Being a small business owner and looking to explore my horizons made this a huge selling point for me!

Looking at your recruitment, what was the moment when you realized that Mays was the right graduate program for you? Why? I knew there was no other option after made the first phone call to the Full-Time MBA Program Office and was met with that enthusiasm and excitement that only the Texas Aggies can possess.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Career success is measured differently for everyone. For me, nothing compared to the day my business made its first sale. That feeling of seeing a customer completely satisfied with what you worked so hard to build is unmatched.

What is your unique quality that will enable you to make a big contribution to the Class of 2026? Why? I think my most unique quality is my inability to quit. When the days get long and morale gets low, I find myself rallying my teams and pushing everyone to get back in the race!

Looking ahead two years, what would make your MBA experience successful? This was the first question I asked myself during the application process, what did I want to get out of this? The answer was a resounding “SELF IMPROVEMENT”. Not just in the business world, but in my day-to-day life.