Ryan Montgomery

Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College

“I love asking myself (and others) deep questions; I seek learning through new ideas.”

Hometown: Seattle, WA

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am a professional trail ultra-marathoner, with a specialty in the 100-mile distance.

Undergraduate School and Major: Brigham Young University, Finance

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Workstream, Partnerships Business Development Account Manager; Workstream, Professional Athlete

What has been your first impression of the Tuck MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far. Tell us your best Tuck story so far: Tuck MBA students are some of the most kind and thoughtful people. Every day when I walk through the halls or between classes, classmates take time to genuinely get to know me. People proactively reach out for small group dinners or 1-on-1 coffee dates.  There is a real sense of community here. Likewise, whenever I speak to alumni, they light up in a way that feels nostalgic.   Recently, I spoke to two previous coworkers who are Tuckies (which I didn’t know at the time when we worked together). When I did a coffee chat with them to learn about their Tuck experience a few months ago, they would not stop talking about how positive their experience was and how excited they were for me to experience the “Tuck magic” of the program; I understand what they mean now.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Dartmouth Tuck’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Tuck is known for its co-curricular Centers, which provide pathways of learning and application in specific industry areas. There are six total: Center Business, Government & Society, Center for Digital Strategies, Center for Entrepreneurship, Center for Health Care, Center for Private Equity & Venture Capital, and the Revers Center for Energy, Sustainability, and Innovation.

As someone with a lot of interests, I wanted to give myself the opportunity to explore various industries, and the Tuck Centers are perfect for this. Each week, the Centers put on several events to bring opportunities to students—this can include lunch-and-learns, conferences, case competitions, access to industry leaders and events, unique job opportunities, local and national programs, fellowships, sub-clubs, and more. Truly, the number of opportunities to get involved and learn from the Centers is overwhelming (in a good way).

What excites you the most about coming to live in Hanover? What is the one activity you can’t wait to do? 50 percent of my reason for choosing Tuck is the unique location, with its unmatched access to the outdoors—trails, skiing, cycling routes, etc. Moving my body outside every day is a critical part of my well-being, and Hanover allows this to happen. My professors at Tuck and I talk about our Strava routes and give each other kudos for our runs and bike rides all the time—that is unique and fun. Also, since I most recently moved to Hanover from Park City, Utah, I am excited to try out New England skiing; it will be very different than Mountain West skiing, but new and exhilarating.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Dartmouth Tuck? I am excited to get involved with Tuck Tripod hockey! It’s a classic Tuck experience. Tripod is an inclusive ice hockey club that allows all Tuck students to play. I am currently signed up for winter only. However, the club hosted a very fun “draft” at the beginning of the year that assigned players to teams, and the league will go into fall and winter. Many students—some of whom have never seen snow before, let alone ice skated—are playing ice hockey. Tripod makes for fun, silly moments that will be unforgettable during our time here at Tuck (or perhaps it will be our shared trauma of falling on the ice). Jokes aside, it is very fun.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I am particularly proud of my professional athlete career (and work that comes from it) while simultaneously pursuing my business professional career. Aside from athletic accolades, I have worked hard to bring my business skills to the table with my athlete partners. This has created meaningful partnership work that goes beyond being “an athlete for a brand.” For example, I have worked with my partners to do content shoots in other countries, event marketing strategy, and diversity and equity strategy. These experiences and work projects are something I have uniquely built from my athlete partnerships.

What do you hope to do after graduation (at this point)? I am interested in intersecting my skillset and background in strategy and consulting with my passion for the running, sports, and outdoor industry. I am hoping to do in-house strategy at a big-box sports retailers, such as Nike, REI, Brooks, or New Balance.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Dartmouth Tuck’s MBA program? Before you apply Tuck—or, really, any MBA program—you should spend time evaluating what experience you want from your MBA program… and understand why you are doing it. Because of Tuck’s unique, intimate culture and location, the program selects candidates who want to co-create an MBA environment together, rather than simply take on an MBA program.

Yes, Tuck’s program is amazing and will help you get a great job, but Tuck also wants students who intentionally want the Tuck experience—and the admissions team will look for this in candidates. Are you a proactive person? Will you contribute to the Tuck community, and how? Will you show up for others and the community because you genuinely care? These are important attributes of Tuckies. This is what makes Tuck… Tuck.

DON’T MISS: MEET DARTMOUTH TUCK’S MBA CLASS OF 2026