winter 2020 to Sweet Smell ofSuccess to SweetSmell Service and Law Lead Alum andLawLeadAlum Service p

4 Crafting Artisan Chocolate Artisan Crafting Utah: A Delectable Mecca for Utah: ADelectableMeccafor ALUMNI

p

10 Forging Meaningful Mentorships Creates Forging MeaningfulMentorshipsCreates Accountability, IncreasesSuccess MAGAZINE

p

18

ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Issue Winter 2020 marriott.byu.edu

Publisher Brigitte C. Madrian Managing Editor Robert G. Gardner Editor Kellene Ricks Adams Art Director Jon G. Woidka Copy Editor Krista Holmes Hanby assistant Editor Clarissa McIntire

contributing writers, editors, Haley Butterfield designers, & photographers Madeline Dewsnup Natalia Green Sam Hart Todd Hollingshead Chadwick Little Zachary A. Miller Kate Monroe Lena Harper Primosch Natasha Ramirez Nikaela Smith Heidi Steele Anne Wallace

magazine design BYU Publications & Graphics

All communication should be sent to Marriott Alumni Magazine 490 Tanner Building Brigham Young University Provo, UT 84602 Phone: 801-422-7696 Email: [email protected]

Marriott Alumni Magazine is published by the byu Marriott School of business at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. The views expressed in Marriott Alumni Magazine are not necessarily endorsed by BYU or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Copyright 2020 by Brigham Young University. All rights reserved.

find this and past issues of marriott alumni magazine online at marriottmag.byu.edu

BYU Marriott alumnus and former marketing professor Scott Smith speaks to students during Homecoming Week 2019. Smith, a founder of Qualtrics, received the prestigious Alumni Achievement Award presented from the BYU Marriott School of Business and delivered a lecture to BYU Marriott students as part of that recognition. Photo by Chadwick Little. What makes a language a language? • I don’t think it is possible to get an A in this class. • Don’t sign any papers, and you’re good. • This is the first fun thing I have done in over a week. • It was a good feeling going into the test knowing I could answer most questions. • I’ll dress up in an inflatable T-rex suit for our project; we can all dress up as dinosaurs. Dude, I’m not going to crawl on all fours. • Sometimes life hits you. • My goal is to study for ten minutes before the test. I probably won’t remember anything before that. • Three guys were competing for her attention at country swing. • I’m in my groove. I just want to keep going. • She got double the ice cream for the same price. • Here’s a question: Would you date yourself? • He’s passive-aggressive and narcissistic. I have never been more excited in my life to figure this out. • I guess we should probably go to class. Yeah, I guess that’s a thing. • My roommate went on three dates in one day. I’ll be like her eventually. • I’ve heard that for a piece of information to stick, you need to expose yourself to it four times. • When I focus on the learning aspect instead of the test prep aspect, going to school is much more overheard in the uplifting. • I couldn’t find him online, so I don’t know what he does. • tanner That’s the power of TAs. • We went to Area 51. • I felt like I studied a bunch of meaningless stuff that wasn’t on the final at all. • Keeping plants alive is way harder than my mom made it seem. • I’ve noticed a pattern: they’re very into volleyball. • When you deny job offers, you’re gonna burn bridges. • We were just deciding what mythical creature we would be. I would be a dragon. • Provo can be a party sometimes. • I swore I turned that in. • Sometimes I miss high school. • Pretend you’re teaching it to a classroom. • The internet isn’t working at our apartment, so I have to come here. • I packed two sandwiches today. It’s gonna be a good day. • I wish they played music in the elevator. • I’ve never had black licorice before. • I’m glad you have a fairly solid idea of what you want from life. • We deserve sushi after this test. • I had Chick-fil-A twice today already. • We have the outline; this is exciting. • Crap, I have two missed calls from my mom. • I told her to meet at 5:30 because I know she is always at least thirty minutes late. • He asked me on a date to go mountain biking. I’m terrified. • I can’t decide between the marketing program or the strategy program. • BYU is eternally under construction. Contents | winter 2020

4

10 16

18 Features

4 Good Scents 18 Mighty mentors Plus . . . A field trip to the courthouse inspired Kara Meaningful mentorships are invaluable—in Chatterton’s career path. Armed with a dual the classroom and out in the business world. 9 inside the classroom MPA/JD degree, Chatterton now works as legal And while universities have long recognized Fraud: One of Life’s Tests counsel for Scentsy and loves that she can advo- the power of mentoring, a growing number 16 around the cooler cate, negotiate, and give back to the community. of companies are now investing in mentoring Spring into Action programs as well. Whether you’re a mentor or 23 school news let’s talk chocolate the one being mentored, learning the ins and 10 outs of an effective mentoring relationship can The world of fine chocolate offers delectable 28 alumni news make the experience much more enjoyable and treats—and Utah is home to some of the best. productive for everyone involved. Why the chocolate hot spot? Utah’s chocolate makers say the state’s environment and culture create prime conditions. Cover photo by Bradley Slade

winter 2020 3 Kara Norman Chatterton MPA, 2010

D D

O O

O O

W W

T T

A

H

T I M S A A R by S

P

H

O T O S b y B R A D L E Y S L A D E hen Kara Norman Chatterton was young, W her byu alumni parents took her and her five siblings on a pilgrimage to Provo from Idaho every other year or so. During many a stroll across campus, her mom and dad extolled the virtues of a byu education—while driving the message home with sweet incentives. “We never left campus without a book from the bookstore and candy from the candy counter,” Chatterton says. “I knew early on that byu was where I wanted to go to school.”

winter 2020 5 The visits to BYU sweet spots continued and there to become a judge herself some- small matter of her lifelong dream of attend- once she arrived on campus as a student. day. After the field trip, she came home and ing law school. Chocolate milk and bridge mix from the announced these plans to her parents. “I talked to my parents about it, and I candy counter became her go-to study snack. “They told me that if I wanted to be a mentioned that BYU offered a dualMPA and Since getting married and graduating, Chat- judge, I would have to go to law school,” law degree,” Chatterton remembers. “My terton and her husband, Zach, have kept the Chatterton says. “I said, ‘Okay,’ and that’s parents were encouraging, and so I decided, tradition alive. Every few years they take when I decided. Law school was always part why not? I was in graduate school for four their five kids on the same walk across cam- of my educational plan.” years, and I loved it.” pus, ultimately ending up at the Wilk for ice Chatterton’s parents have never shied cream, candy, and books. away from supporting her, whether she was Becoming an Advocate “We’re trying to brainwash our children,” playing high school soccer, chasing her bud- Somewhere between the fourth grade and Chatterton admits, laughing. “BYU still feels ding ambitions for a high-caliber career, or her final year of law school, Chatterton real- like home because we have so many fond working in the family jewelry store with her ized her career aspirations had shifted. Her memories there. And it’s especially nice to siblings as a kid, first cleaning glass and run- childhood dream of becoming a judge no be on campus without having to worry about ning errands before working her way up to longer rang true, though she still credits the finals.” more responsible positions. courthouse field trip with opening her eyes The Chattertons hold a combined five “My parents always taught us to work hard to the possibility of law school. BYU degrees, including three from BYU and to serve others and have faith,” Chatter- Over two summers and part of a school Marriott: Kara earned her MPA in 2010, and ton says. “I grew up believing that if I worked year, Chatterton worked with a law firm in Zach received his BS in accounting in 2009 hard, I could do anything I put my mind to, Nampa, Idaho, that practiced municipal law. and his MBA in 2016. The couple has worked because they were so encouraging and so “The work was a great combination of my law together to build a life that has room for all supportive of everything I did.” and MPA degrees,” Chatterton says. Although of their dreams. With law school as her eventual goal, Chat- she fit in at the firm and enjoyed her work, the Kara and Zach grew up together in terton decided on political science as her economy wasn’t great when she graduated, Caldwell, Idaho. In high school, they were in undergrad degree at BYU, considering it a and there wasn’t a position available for her. the same friend group, and she gave him a marriage of her interests in government and Three weeks after graduation, the Chatter- copy of the Book of Mormon with her tes- American history. She loved it so much that tons’ first daughter was born, and that spring timony written inside. He eventually joined she even considered pursuing a doctorate Chatterton passed the bar exam. Zach took a The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day in political science after graduating. But her job as a data analyst in Idaho, and Chatterton, Saints, served a mission, and joined Kara at interest in local government led her toward both a newly minted mom and lawyer, still BYU, where they married the summer before BYU’s MPA program—and there was also the had no job leads. Kara began her grad studies. Chatterton, who earned her law degree at BYU alongside her MPA, works as an associ- ate counsel at Scentsy in Meridian, Idaho. Since his graduation, Zach has consulted with a number of companies and recently quit his job to focus solely on a promising tech startup. Chatterton feels fortunate that she found her spot right out of grad school. In her nine years at Scentsy, Chatterton has seen a lot of growth—both professional and personal.

Dreaming Big Practicing law in one way or another was always in the cards for Chatterton—all because of a fourth-grade field trip. With her elementary school class in Caldwell, Chatterton went on a trip to the county courthouse, where she listened to a presentation by a friend’s mother who was a judge. Chatterton was so taken with the experience that she determined then

6 MARRIOTT “My parents always taught us to and to andwork hard . I grew up believingserve thatothers if I worked hard,have faith I could do anything I put my mind to.”

went very well,” she notes. “But I ended up As Scentsy has grown, I’ve learned a lot about getting a job offer. It was my first ‘real’ job how to quickly work through unique chal- out of graduate school, and I’ve been here lenges with Scentsy’s best interests in mind.” ever since.” Today she loves raising her family in Going Forth to Serve Meridian, and her ten-minute commute to Not every contract, negotiation, or arbitration work isn’t too shabby either. “I love coming that crosses Chatterton’s path is purely busi- to work,” she says. “I love the people here, ness. She values how Scentsy provides her the and I love being a part of this company.” chance to use her legal skills to give back. “Scentsy gives its employees the opportu- Negotiating Growth nity to speak with legal counsel about per- Negotiating contracts is the bread and butter sonal legal issues they may have, and that’s of Chatterton’s work as an associate counsel another part of my work I like,” Chatterton at Scentsy. “I enjoy advocating for my client, says. “That gives me a chance to get involved whether that be in an arbitration situation or in areas of law I don’t practice as often. It’s negotiating a difficult contract,” Chatterton great that they provide that resource to their says. “I love the resolution that comes after employees—I can be at work helping my col- working through a difficult contract. I like leagues navigate their own legal issues.” that I have one client and that I am able to This service has led Chatterton to inter- advocate for that one client.” esting cases as she’s had a chance to dig into “We bought a house and got settled in,” As Scentsy’s legal counsel, Chatterton questions beyond her day-to-day workload. she says. “And I got started looking around at finds that her days are never boring. “My She and her attorney colleagues have even what I wanted to do.” She held out hope for work is varied,” she says, “and there’s a lot teamed up on pro bono cases for members part-time work at the law firm where she had of it.” In a change of pace from her work with of the community. worked earlier until she stumbled across a contracts, she and her boss recently repre- Each year, Scentsy picks a charity to job listing that sparked her interest: an asso- sented Scentsy in a major arbitration and sponsor and then donates to that charity ciate counsel position at Scentsy. Scentsy won—a career high for her so far. the proceeds from a selected product line. is a network-marketing fragrance company When Chatterton started at Scentsy, the Sometimes several organizations are chosen known for products such as wickless candles, company had a presence only in the United in different regions around the world. Most and the company’s headquarters are near the States and Canada. Since then, she has recently the company has been working on Chattertons’ house. helped Scentsy expand into Mexico, Aus- raising funds for the Make-A-Wish and Make- “In law school, I had discovered the dream tralia, and various countries across Europe. A-Wish International organizations. of becoming an in-house counsel,” Chatter- The company currently employs more than a Guess who gets to negotiate the legal ton says. She loved the idea of advocating thousand people in three states and interna- agreements behind these charitable partner- and fighting for a single client and cause. “I tionally. Chatterton has played an important ships? “This is a different kind of contract—a applied for the job blind,” she says. “I didn’t role in paving the way for Scentsy to do busi- contract for a cause,” Chatterton says. “I love know anybody at Scentsy, and I was barely ness across the globe. that Scentsy makes giving a part of its busi- out of law school.” “With every new location comes a new ness. It allows us to give back in a big way.” Her chances, Chatterton says, were slim: host of legal issues to deal with,” she says. the opening attracted a number of applicants, “We have to establish new business rela- Powering Through and she was an unknown and untested law- tionships and work with global counsel to A few years after starting at Scentsy, Chatter- yer. “In addition, I didn’t think the interview ensure our policies comply with local laws. ton had settled nicely into her career and her

winter 2020 7 family life. She had given birth to their third Chatbooks and Adobe—plus BYU Marriott’s very fast, but I did three half marathons in child, Zach was comfortable in his work, and world-class entrepreneurship program and 2018, and I have another one coming up.” She the family was thriving in Meridian. its successful track record—he was well ran off and on in high school and college but Soon after she returned from maternity positioned to move his career right where didn’t get serious about it until her third year leave, Chatterton had a distinct feeling that he wanted it. in grad school. a big change was coming for the young fam- After Zach’s graduation, life returned to Some recreational runners might start off ily. She had no idea what that would be—and normal for the Chattertons. Zach joined the with a 5K distance, but since childhood, Chat- then the couple got news that Zach had been family in Idaho, took a job at a tech startup, terton has always been the go-big-or-go-home accepted into BYU Marriott’s full-time MBA and eventually declined a C-suite promo- type. “In my third year of graduate school, I program. Before they knew it, Zach was split- tion to focus on his own startup: Gather, a trained for and ran the Salt Lake City Mara- ting his time between Provo and Meridian, business-to-business software company for thon,” she says. “That was my first race since gone for three to four nights a week while funeral homes. elementary school. Ever since then I’ve loved Chatterton managed the house, kids, new running. Running is something I do just for baby, plus her full-time job. Holding Steady me; it really is a great stress reliever.” “Those two years were intense,” Chatter- Life is good for Kara and Zach. Working Chatterton always has a race on the sched- ton remembers. “It was a crazy time in our together, they’ve followed their passions as ule to train for. Meanwhile she’s keeping pace lives. But we had the attitude of ‘We’ll figure they’ve built their careers and family. Chat- with her busy family, enjoying her kids while it out.’ And we did.” Some weeks she drove terton’s main goal these days is to hold they’re still little, advocating for her client in the kids down to Utah to visit Zach, but most steady, at least for now, while Zach’s busi- whatever way is needed—and planning the of the time he came home to Idaho. They ness and their five children (who range from next trip to Provo for bridge mix. leaned on nearby family and a determination a new baby to a nine-year-old) grow. to make space for what’s important to them. Holding steady doesn’t mean standing still About the Author Zach had always dreamed of becoming though. Chatterton has goals to chase down Sara Smith Atwood worked in magazines before an entrepreneur, and his MBA opened doors outside the office too. “I want to run faster,” becoming a freelance writer. A BYU grad, she lives to make that possible. With internships at she says. “That’s my personal goal. I’m not in Orem with her husband and their two children.

“It was a crazy time in our lives. But we had the attitude of And we did.” ‘We’ll gure it out.’

8 MARRIOTT Fraud: One of Life’s Tests The course description the course is to teach our students for Accounting 550, Fraud how to recognize fraud and, perhaps Prevention and Detection, is pretty even more importantly, give them straightforward: the course covers tools to prevent fraud in their own fraud prevention, detection, investi- careers as well as their personal lives,” gation, issues, and methodology, and Zimbelman says. it includes examination of past frauds The course achieves this through with hands-on cases and computer both traditional classroom instruc- exercises to identify increased fraud tion and invaluable hands-on experi- risk, interrogate data, and design pre- ences. Lectures cover the history and vention and detection controls. different types of fraud, accounting That’s pretty much what Dani Fin- red flags, financial statements, and linson, MAcc student in BYU Marri- internal controls. ott’s School of Accountancy, expected In addition, students work through when she signed up for the class. four ethical dilemmas throughout What she didn’t anticipate was that the course. “Fraud is more common this standard fraud education would than we realize,” Zimbelman observes. be interwoven with gospel principles, “I’ve designed a variety of cases that heartfelt testimony, and application reflect scenarios that have real-life that extended beyond her career and application; these are situations that into her personal life. many of these students are likely to “The class certainly furthered my face in the next five years. Hopefully, understanding of fraud,” Finlinson because of the education and tools says, “but it also strengthened my they’ve gained through this course, testimony and helped me realize how they will know what to do.” easily we can get caught up in making Course takeaways include every- Zimbelman, who weaves gospel prin- wrong choices and how we can pre- thing from developing interviewing The class combines ciples throughout course teachings. vent that from happening.” skills and creating a paper trail to a fraud educa- “When we save money, live within our Finlinson’s experience in the class building a support network and being tion with gospel means, and have food storage, we can principles, heartfelt is exactly what the SOA’s Mary & Ellis financially secure enough that you can leave a questionable situation if we testimony, and Professor Mark Zimbelman was aim- leave a job if necessary. “That’s when application that have to. The temptation to choose ing for when he designed the course the gospel principle of being self-suf- extends beyond fraud because of financial instability more than a decade ago. “The goal of ficient becomes valuable,” explains careers into per- is removed.” sonal lives. Zimbelman says students will have to deal with fraud, whether they like “The goal of the course is to teach our it or not. “We all have to choose between good and evil,” he concludes, “and fraud is one of those life tests. I always students how to recognize fraud and, share a quote from Elder Holland with our students: ‘BYU is not here to help you make money. Any university in this perhaps even more importantly, give land can do that. We hope your education brings income them tools to prevent fraud in their own sufficient for your needs. . . . [But] BYU has been estab- lished to extend to you the very glory of God, His intel- careers as well as their personal lives.” ligence, His light, and His truth . . . to forsake the evil one, your tempter’ (“The Inconvenient Messiah,” BYU devo- tional, 2 February 1982).” —Kellene Ricks Adams

winter 2020 9

LET’S TALK

BY CLARISSA MCINTIRE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRADLEY SLADE

How the Beehive State Became a Hot Spot for Bean-to-Bar Gourmet Chocolate Making

winter 2020 11 f you were disappointed by the choc- olate you got for Valentine’s Day, never fear. You can find many delec- table, innovative options in the world of chocolate. And surprisingly, Utah is home to some of the best. Since the early 2000s, many mak- ers of fine chocolate (also called craft or artisan chocolate) have clus- tered their shops in Utah so close together that the gourmet-food community has taken notice. In 2018 Forbes highlighted the rise in Utah’s chocolate producers and appreciators,1 and in 2016 a Saveur headline queried, “The Craft Chocolate Capital of America Is . . . Utah?”2 Capital or not, Utah has certainly become a chocolate-making hub. Even though cacao trees grow in hot, humid climates, very dif- ferent conditions are needed to turn cacao beans into high-selling quality chocolate. Utah provides the best of those conditions, in both environment and culture.

A Sweet Industry the strictest of connoisseurs would approve it’s too difficult,” Pollard recalls. “That got If you’re not sure whether or not you’ve of. Stretched along the Salt Lake and Utah my attention.” had fine chocolate before, chances are you Valleys and reaching into the Park City area Inspired by both the challenge and his haven’t. Artisan chocolate is not something are Amano Artisan Chocolate, the Cacao own love of fine foods, the 1996 anthropol- you’re likely to consume without noticing a Bean Project, the Chocolate Conspiracy, ogy graduate began a ten-year journey navi- difference. Unlike most of the bars you find Millcreek Cacao Roasters, Ritual Chocolate, gating the logistics of chocolate creation. He at your local grocery store, fine chocolate is Solstice Chocolate, and Taste Artisan designed and built his own chocolate-making made to be unique. Chocolate. machines while also building a software com- According to the London-based Academy Despite their proximity, none of these pany with his business partner. of Chocolate, fine chocolate comprises only makers are of the same mold, according to Eventually Pollard left software behind about 10 percent of the global cacao-bean Brian Ruggles, a 2009 BYU graduate in man- and established Amano Artisan Chocolate market. Most beans are harvested in West ufacturing engineering technology and the in 2006, and the company has since gar- African countries and made into well-known founder and president of the Utah Chocolate nered more awards than any other chocolate brands’ chocolate bars and confections, often Society, one of the largest gatherings of ama- maker in the United States. Despite all of flavored with a touch of vanilla. This process teur chocolate lovers in North America. “All his success, Pollard doesn’t believe in slow- helps name brands guarantee a dependable the chocolate makers I know of in Utah use ing down. He still regularly works fourteen- taste that many consumers enjoy. different machines and even processes to hour days, doing everything from mixing On the other hand, small-batch choco- roast their beans,” Ruggles says in an epi- test batches to driving forklifts. “This career late makers source their beans from all over sode of his podcast, Chocolate Fascination. “In is not what my high school guidance coun- the world—from Vietnam to Venezuela— terms of the speed, the temperature, and the selor would have urged,” he says. “But I love resulting in a variety of cacao flavor pro- time, all of this will affect the way that the every minute of what I do.” files, including fruity, nutty, and floral. The chocolate ends up tasting.”4 He didn’t know it when he started, but Academy of Chocolate defines “proper” choc- as the first fine-chocolate maker in Utah, olate by the percent of cacao solids, the type Unwrapping the Market Pollard helped carve out a niche for others of vegetable fat included, the lack of artificial As an undergraduate, Art Pollard remem- to pursue a then relatively unknown product additives, and the processes used. In short, bers eating a chocolate bar while he was in America. most chocolate doesn’t make the cut.3 working in BYU’s Department of Physics In fact, it may have been Pollard’s choco- However, within a twenty-mile radius in and Astronomy and telling his coworkers he late that inspired Anna Davies and Robbie the heart of Utah, seven fine-chocolate mak- wanted to learn to make his own chocolate. Stout to begin renting factory space in ers are churning out sweet treats that even “They all told me that I couldn’t do it, that Denver for their company, Ritual Chocolate,

12 MARRIOTT in 2011. “We got introduced to the concept A Wild, Wondrous Journey doing good audits at the farms and to make of fine chocolate—actually we probably had There are several things that many people sure we’re contributing to a sustainable and an Amano bar at the time,” Stout remembers. don’t understand about making chocolate. an ethical supply chain.” “We became fascinated.” They relocated to “The misconception is that my job is just If there’s one thing that Utah’s artisan- Park City, Utah, in 2013. being Willy Wonka, basically, and flying chocolate manufacturers have in common, Despite their enthusiasm for fine chocolate, around like a mad scientist with chocolate,” it’s a commitment to ethical sourcing. Davies and Stout found establishing Ritual to says Grant Fry, the supply chain and market- For example, Millcreek Cacao Roasters— be bittersweet work. “Fine chocolate is actu- ing manager at Taste Artisan Chocolate in headquartered in Salt Lake City—empha- ally a market that’s not well defined yet,” says Provo and a former BYU Marriott business sizes its relationship to its growers with its Stout. “Most of the distributors and retail- management major. “But I would say that’s tagline, Farm to Bar Chocolate. And Davies ers that other food businesses typically go only about 1 or 2 percent of my job.” through, well, none of them really understand Another misconception? The idea that what fine chocolate is about or why a choco- cacao can be both easily and honestly late bar should cost ten dollars.” obtained. “Mass chocolate has been an indus- The average consumer often can’t under- try with big problems regarding slavery and stand that either. Why the heavy price tag? other forms of unethical labor,” Fry explains. Here’s a hint: it’s about more than just “We’ve worked hard to make sure that we’re unique, well-made chocolate bars. working with suppliers that we trust to be

Alum Brings Strong Skills to a Tasty Scene When 2003 MBA grad Char Coleman entered BYU Marriott for her your feet wet in everything,” she says. “Therefore I’m able to get my master’s program, she had no idea that she would later use her feet wet in everything—all of the accounting, all of the projections, skills to cofound Taste Artisan Chocolate in Provo. While there was the supply chain, figuring out where our bottlenecks are—all of definitely a learning curve to starting a fine-chocolate company, those things. I would never have known how to do those things she never doubted that it could be done. “At BYU Marriott, you got without my education.”

winter 2020 13 and Stout of Ritual Chocolate consider them- wondrous journey to all these magical places. But it was the landscape—not the high alti- selves “partners with our origin farmers, not It goes on and on, like a river.” tude or low humidity—that was the driving just customers,” Stout says. force behind Ritual’s move from Colorado DeAnn Wallin, owner of Salt Lake–based Home Sweet Home several years ago. “The main motivation for Solstice Chocolate, says that many people So if cacao is sourced from all over the us to come back here was to be closer to the often mistakenly believe that she earns huge world, why the chocolate-making swell in the mountains, to be able to change my clothes profit margins from her bars. However, when shadow of the Wasatch Mountains? at work and be on a mountain-bike trail in she tells her customers that the cost of the Most of the makers say they began pro- a quarter mile, because that’s literally how chocolate is actually providing living wages duction in Utah simply because it was close we are,” Stout says. for cacao farmers, “that’s valuable to a lot home. “I grew up here,” says the Chocolate Pinpointing only one reason for choco- of people who aren’t willing to spend the Conspiracy’s AJ Wentworth, who works out late’s local popularity may be next to impos- money,” she says. “They realize how this is of Salt Lake. “I wanted to be close to family. sible. The reasons become almost cyclical: helping others starting at the source.” Plus Utah is friendly to startup businesses.” Stout says fine-food retailer Caputo’s On a recent trip to Tanzania, Wallin met Some speculate that consumers in Utah Market and Deli, located in Salt Lake City, the men and women who harvest the cacao turn to chocolate in place of other specialty likely began the shift, while deli owner that her company purchases. “We were with foods. As BYU Marriott associate professor of Matt Caputo recently attributed the state’s farmers who had never tasted chocolate, but marketing Glenn Christensen told Bloomberg booming craft-chocolate industry to Pollard. they harvest cacao. They just know it brings in 2015, “We [members of The Church of Pollard, in turn, cites changing consumer in money for their families,” says Wallin, who Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] don’t drink tastes as a significant catalyst.6 shared some Solstice chocolate with them. alcohol, we don’t smoke, we avoid coffee— Regardless of the reasons, fine chocolate in “Watching them taste chocolate for the first but we certainly do sugar.” 5 Utah is part of a national trend, says Wallin. time was fun and fulfilling.” Stout offers other possible explanations. “We’re seeing an American craft-chocolate On a similar trip, Pollard met with cacao “The climate is ideal for chocolate,” he says. movement,” she explains. “The industry has farmers in Venezuela and gave them each a “Water and chocolate are not friends. Actually, so many makers now. It’s exciting to watch bar made with their farms’ cacao. An older the drier the air, the drier our chocolate, so this market grow and be a part of it.” man, tasting chocolate for the first time, said it’s going to be a better consistency here. The Meanwhile for Pollard, creating excel- it was like a river. Upon Pollard’s asking, the chocolate has a low viscosity, and it will actu- lent chocolate—and helping create a mar- man explained: “It takes you on this wild and ally have a longer shelf life too.” ket for the product—has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of his career. “I think the purpose of our lives here on this earth is to search for an ideal, to create some- thing beautiful and share it with others and change their lives for the better,” Pollard says. “That’s what we’re aiming for when people taste our chocolate.” Notes 1. Michele Herrmann, “Is Some of the Best Artisan Choco- late Found In Utah?” Forbes, 7 November 2018, forbes. com/sites/micheleherrmann/2018/11/07/is-some-of-the- best-u-s-artisan-chocolate-found-in-utah/#7db8e86e4f78. 2. Amber Gibson, “The Craft Chocolate Capital of America Is . . . Utah?” Food, Saveur, 23 May 2016, saveur.com/utah- craft-chocolate. 3. “Our Mission” and “Chocolate Defined,” About Us, Acad- emy of Chocolate (website), accessed 15 November 2019, academyofchocolate.org.uk/about-us/our-mission. 4. Brian Ruggles, “Intro to Chocolate Fascination,” 22 August 2018, in Chocolate Fascination, produced by Brian Ruggles, podcast, MP3 audio, chocolatefascination.com/ podcast/intro-to-chocolate-fascination. 5. Craig Giammona, “This State Eats Candy at Twice the National Average,” Markets, Bloomberg, 12 May 2015, bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-12/with-booze-and- coffee-taboo-utah-leads-nation-in-eating-candy. 6. Robert Schaulis, “Caputo’s Market and Deli CEO Matt Caputo Discusses Company Origins,” Deli Market News, 12 February 2019, delimarketnews.com/caputos- market-deli-ceo-matt-caputo-discusses-company-origins/ robert-schaulis/tue-02122019-1052/7265. TASTING NOTES

TheMarriott Alumni Magazine editorial team sampled a bar from each of Utah’s fine-chocolate makers and found each to be unique and compelling. Take a look at the flavor profiles the team CARANERO encountered before 45% MILK going on a chocolate- The Cacao Bean Project: 75% BELIZE Sweet, smooth, buttery tasting adventure of Ritual Chocolate: caramel taste your own. 70% DOS RIOS Bright, tart, and spicy tang Amano Artisan Chocolate: Complex citrus, floral, and pine-like flavors

WASATCH HIMALAYAN 70% BLEND 70% PINK SALT 75% PIURA 73% MACA Solstice Chocolate: Millcreek Cacao Roasters: Taste Artisan Chocolate: The Chocolate Conspiracy: Sweet marshmallow, malt, Salty, savory-sweet Melting raisin-grape savor Woody, honey-tinted, rustic and cinnamon mix fudge notes with clean finish texture

winter 2020 15 around the COOLER

by clarissa mcintire

1 1. KonMari Method In January 2019, thrift stores across the coun- try saw a significant jump in the number of charitable donations received. The reason? Netflix’s release of the show Tidying Up with Marie Kondo inspired thousands to declutter and give away unwanted things. Explore Kondo’s method yourself by keeping only items that 2 3 bring you joy.

2. Profes- sional Spring into Action Polish The origin of spring cleaning is a little uncertain. It may Take a moment to have started as the process of clearing up winter chimney refresh your work- space—and online pres- soot, though others suspect it could be rooted in the Persian ence. Could your desk use a massive reorgani- New Year or Jewish Passover celebrations. Even biology might zation or just a simple explain our desire to spring clean: increasing hours of day- wipe-down? When was the last time you light tend to make us feel more energized. Regardless of your updated your résumé or LinkedIn profile? Try motivation, embrace the season of rebirth and make some spending a few minutes in these easy freshening- wholesome changes with these modern spring-cleaning tips. up efforts.

16 MARRIOTT 4 6

5 7

3. A Fresh 4. Planet 5. Tidy 6. Dead 7. Screen- Mentality Janitor Tech Man’s Free Recent research found While you’re tidying Deep cleaning can be Goals Clean that married American up the house, consider overwhelming to think mothers—even moms ways you could help about. Find a starting Sweep a bad habit out Streaming TV shows is who are the family clean up the earth a point with a variety of of your life by avoid- great when you’re doing breadwinners—spend little too. You can help cleaning apps such as ing “dead man’s goals,” mindless tasks such as almost twice as much the planet by recycling, Spring Cleaning Check- which require only laundry or the dishes. time on chores and planting a garden or list (for Android), which inactivity (e.g., “don’t But when you’re doing childcare than their tree, getting involved in suggests jobs to tackle eat out a lot” or “don’t the less familiar jobs spouses do. If you’re a community cleanup, in each room of your spend too many hours often required by spring married, take time to investing in a bicycle or home. Also try organiza- on social media”). cleaning, the screen evaluate your role in public transit pass for tional apps such as Cozi, Instead, make goals that can become distracting household work and your commute, or look- Evernote, or Busy Kid require action, such as and actually slow down find an appropriate ing for consumer prod- for help with a different “cook dinner five times work. Listen to podcasts workload balance for ucts with smaller carbon kind of mess: a chaotic per week” or “go to bed or audiobooks instead you and your spouse. footprints. family schedule. by 10:30 p.m.” to stay productive.

winter 2020 17 By Bremen Leak Illustrations by Traci Daberko

ow early is too early to show up for your first day of work? Jenny minutes earlier than expected. “It was a wide-eyed-and-eager, Anderson knows from experience that two hours is probably naïve kind of moment,” she recalls, laughing. too early. Today the Minnesota native and 2018 BYU advertising alum “I arrived in the city at 7:30 the night before my first day at work has not only mastered the subway, commuting daily to her full- as a creative marketing intern,” recalls Anderson, who came to time job at a global advertising agency, but she is also thriving New York City in May 2017. “I’d never been to New York before, in the Big Apple. “I love it,” she says. “I can’t imagine being and I thought, ‘How does one ride the subway? I have no idea anywhere else.” where I’m going.’” Allotting two hours to get to work, she caught What made the difference? Mentors. “People who always have a train and arrived in twenty minutes—a full hour and forty a minute to stop and say hello, to hear your low-level crisis or

18 MARRIOTT

whatever worry or concern you have, even if it’s something silly in the grand scheme of things,” she explains. “People who build you up and make you feel like you have a purpose and you have potential. Mentors have been huge for me.”

Power Couples Everyone can benefit from mentors, and we all have the ability to mentor others. Consider history. Henry David Thoreau had Ralph Waldo Emerson. Oprah Winfrey had Maya Angelou. Bill Gates had Warren Buffett. Even Mother Teresa had Father Michael, a priest, confidant, and friend she met while waiting for a bus in Rome. Whether we’re old or young, experienced or not, the workplace can be one of the best places to forge a meaningful mentorship. Research shows that successful mentoring can increase an employee’s career prospects, 200 and Counting the most confident at this agency,” she says. invite raises and promotions, and create The BYU Marriott School of Business has a Then she shared her slides with newcomers. accountability. In one study of more than number of ways for mentors to get involved, Katie Nydegger was one of them. Having one thousand workers at a technology firm in from long-standing mentoring programs to reached out to Martin to learn about the California, mentoring program participants advisory boards to Business Career Center industry, the two reviewed Martin’s presen- were promoted five to six times more often resources—even the newly launched BYU tation over FaceTime. “The slide deck talked than nonparticipants. Connect, a global networking and mentor- about the differences between marketing Mentoring can also help employers drive ing platform for students and alumni (see and advertising, the different roles within employee engagement, retention, and knowl- sidebar on following page). advertising, and how a campaign works,” edge sharing, all of which contribute to a But to understand the power of mentor- Nydegger says. The pair also discussed socially healthy, productive workplace. Today ships, it’s worth asking a few questions: What work-life balance, salary, and a typical day about 71 percent of Fortune 500 companies makes a good mentor? What makes a good on the job. “Adrienne was so transparent,” use mentoring programs as an employee mentee? And what do successful mentor- she says, “which made me want to always development tool.1 ships look like? reach out to her.” Experts say more and more companies are A brand strategist, Adrienne Martin After interning with Martin in summer investing in mentoring programs as a busi- earned an advertising and marketing com- 2018, Nydegger returned to BYU, where she ness necessity, leveraging apps and mobile munications degree and management minor graduated in advertising in 2019. She still technology, incorporating diversity and from BYU in 2006. Since then, she has keeps in touch with Martin, whom she calls inclusion training, and integrating common- helped some two hundred students secure a mentor and a friend. “She is someone I interest groups that can help improve com- internships, including Anderson. Martin says care about, and I know she cares about me,” patibility between mentors and mentees.2 she started mentoring after her internship Nydegger says. Career sites are also registering an interest at Y&R (an advertising firm on New York’s in the topic. LinkedIn reports that 80 percent famed Madison Avenue) turned into a full- A Two-Way Street of its users say they want a mentor or men- time job with lots of ambiguity. After floun- For BYU Marriott students seeking mentors tee; of those, more than half say they don’t dering for the first year, she found a way to of their own, relationship building is key. know how to navigate the process.3 help herself and others: “I started making “We work hard to get our students to While finding the right person can be dif- presentations that would train anybody make efforts to connect,” says Stan Wilson, ficult, the effort is worth it for those who coming in to think about the role and the managing director of BYU Marriott’s Under- persevere. process and where they might fit in and feel graduate Programs Office. “A genuine human

20 MARRIOTT genuine human being reaches out, not for selfish reasons but to help give back. It’s a two-way street. It’s about building a friendship.

being reaches out, not for selfish reasons but Mentors in the Making As for Roberts, he emphasizes the need to help give back. It’s a two-way street. It’s So what makes a good mentor? for compatibility. “As individuals, we need to about building a friendship.” “A mentor is someone you have a high find someone we connect with, someone we Mike Roberts, assistant dean and director degree of confidence in, a high degree of trust and want to emulate,” he says. And that of the Business Career Center, encourages trust in, and someone you can bounce ideas goes both ways. “The word I always focus on mentees to spend most of their time listen- off of,” Roberts says. Good mentoring, he is advocacy. If you can develop a group of ing and learning. “Here’s a great way for a adds, includes “taking an interest in people people who are willing to advocate for you, mentee to start,” he says. “‘I’m super inter- and helping them reach their aspirations and then you’ve created something special.” ested in Adobe. I’ve seen your career. I’d love goals.” Wilson adds that a mentee’s drive and to learn more.’ There’s really no one who Greg Taylor, a 2015 BYU advertising gradu- commitment matter most. Having watched would say no to that.” And to any students ate who earned a minor in management, an enterprising student reach out and who may fear the networking process, Rob- works at Y&R with Anderson; he has had two form a successful mentorship with an advi- erts suggests breaking it down and making mentors since arriving in New York. The first sory board member, Wilson says he was it real. “Find a way to help your mentors, or was Martin, whom he describes as caring and impressed. “They’re colleagues now,” he says. connect them with someone who can, and fun. “She expects a lot from her mentees, but “That mentor is extremely pleased with the then make the introduction.” you always know she has your best interest in opportunity he had to mentor this student.” A good example, Roberts offers, is a job mind,” he observes. Every mentorship is different, but setting hunter who once made a list of all the peo- The second, his current mentor, “does ground rules early on in the relationship ple he had contacted and realized that he a good job of pushing me to produce high- can ensure success. Experts recommend could broker relationships within the group, quality work while also caring for my career taking time to define a structure. How and matching skills and expertise to specific and well-being,” he says. A new father, Taylor needs. He knew enough about the interests and his wife are now juggling work and fam- and challenges of the group members to ily in one of America’s busiest cities. make those connections. “He became an This kind of drive to help and develop oth- asset to everyone on the list,” says Roberts. ers goes a long way. “That’s what we’re look- “He became that much more valuable to the ing for at BYU Marriott,” he says. “We want people around him”—just as any mentee can to grow our network of people who are going be with a little diligence and ingenuity. to create opportunities for our students to For mentors and mentees with a common get started in a work environment. We love professional interest, such as entrepreneur- to have people in industry who have a strong ship or accounting, the school’s numerous interest in giving back.” advisory boards are a great way to serve and connect with both students as well as profes- Mentees on the Move sionals in the field. As liaison of the Under- And finally, what makes a good mentee? graduate Management Advisory Board—a An open mind and a willingness to ask group of two dozen business leaders who for and accept feedback helped Nydegger volunteer their time, expertise, and financial leverage opportunities when she returned resources to help pre-business students envi- to Provo. Following her mentor’s advice to sion their career and life plans—Wilson says always network—even when she didn’t need he has seen a number of mentorships blos- anything—Nydegger easily landed another som. “It’s been a huge win-win,” he says. internship. how often will partners communicate? What bring out the best in those we mentor. About the Author about confidentiality, accountability, and Just ask Anderson, who recently mentored Bremen Leak, a 2005 BYU grad, has written for goals? What about feedback and reflection? some of VMLY&R’s summer interns on top Marriott Alumni Magazine since 2006. A good mentee can take ownership of of her responsibilities managing two major the partnership by working to answer these accounts. “Being a mentor was great, espe- notes questions with the mentor and by making cially having been on that side of the line so 1. Mary Abbajay, “Mentoring Matters: Three Essential Ele- ments of Success,” Forbes, 20 January 2019, https://www. sure that each side understands the goals recently,” she says. forbes.com/sites/maryabbajay/2019/01/20/mentoring- and parameters. Transitions in life can be challenging, and matters-three-essential-element-of-success/#668726a845a9. 2. Kate Harrison, “The Top Employee Mentoring Trends for Anderson still credits her own mentors for 2019,” Forbes, 22 February 2019, https://www.forbes.com/ Paying It Forward guiding her over the threshold. “I’ve done sites/kateharrison/2019/02/22/the-top-employee-mentoring- trends-for-2019/#372b92ae5e45. The poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson wrote, “I am the best I can to emulate what they’ve done 3. Anwesha Jalen, “Introducing LinkedIn Career Advice, a a part of all that I have met.” Through strong and what they’ve taught me and return the New Way to Help You Find and Connect with Profes- sionals for Mentorship,” 15 November 2017, https://blog. mentorships, we can imitate the best quali- favor,” she says, “because mentors make such linkedin.com/2017/november/15/introducing-linkedin- ties we see in our mentors while striving to a world of difference.” career-advice-a-new-way-to-help-you-find-and-connect.

Introducing BYU Connect

eady to find a mentor or mentee of your own? JoinBYU Con- with a sense that what we were doing was necessary and useful for nect, a new global networking and mentoring platform. bringing the Church together to provide support, to help us lift one BYU Connect aims to create a community of alumni from another,” Macdonald says. After a six-month review of fifteen dif- across the globe that students can personally connect with. ferent companies, PeopleGrove—an ed-tech company based in San By participating, individuals can share their insights and Francisco—was hired to provide a solution. empower future graduates. They can also leverage tools to Remarkably, BYU Connect is now available to students and alumni strengthen ties with individual colleges, network globally, from all Church schools, meaning a student at BYU or LDS Business and access a moderated job board. A registration link was College with an interest in, say, microfinance can connect with an circulated on 10 October 2019. industry leader from BYU–Pathway Worldwide. Or two supply chain For BYU Marriott alumni, whose powerful presence in managers—one from BYU–Hawaii and one from BYU–Idaho—can com- the business world spans geographies and generations, “it’s a call to pare notes and discuss best practices. Across the five “hubs,” regis- action,” says Robert Gardner, assistant dean of external relations and tered users from virtually anywhere in the world can connect and serve. technology. “One connection can make all the difference.” Joining BYU Connect is easy and quick: Gardner encourages alumni to sign up right away and join the BYU Step 1: Visit Connect.byu.edu. Marriott School of Business group, along with any professional-inter- est groups that might appeal to them. More groups will form as the Step 2: Create an account and choose an affiliation (alum, user base grows, he says, including regional chapters. student, faculty, etc.). A leap forward in terms of access and reach, BYU Connect uses Step 3: Build your profile by importing your LinkedIn data or third-party technology to provide secure, sortable directories, includ- uploading a résumé. Add a photo if you wish. ing a map view of registered BYU users around the world. With built-in video, voice, and email communication as well as management tools Step 4: Confirm your personal information and availability for events and communities, the platform is a viable alternative to a preferences. power lunch in Provo. Step 5: Review the code of conduct and sign. BYU Connect was born at BYU–Hawaii. While working as director of Alumni and Career Services at BYU–Hawaii during summer 2017, By late October, six thousand BYU alumni and current students had Mark Macdonald, a 2009 BYU Marriott MPA grad, was searching for a signed up, and that number could grow to eighty thousand, Macdon- way to improve the mentoring experience on campus. He approached ald estimates. “If just one-tenth of BYU’s four hundred thousand liv- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint’s Department of Wel- ing alumni provided one thirty-minute phone call, one mock interview, fare and Self-Reliance Services to see how mentoring played into one résumé review a year, you’ve hit the entire campus in a more the Church’s Perpetual Education Fund. He was surprised when one meaningful way,” he says. of its managers, Jeff Roberts, a 2015 MPA grad, said he too had been Now working at PeopleGrove, Macdonald says he can’t wait to hear tasked with finding a way to scale up the department’s efforts. The students’ success stories. “There’s a lot of potential for both students two men teamed up. and alumni to join the system and make those organic connections,” In their search for a mutual solution, Macdonald and Roberts he adds. engaged their counterparts at each Church school. “We came away With BYU Connect at their fingertips, there’s no reason not to.

22 MARRIOTT School News byu Marriott Alum, Smith has dedicated his time outside Former Professor Honored of work to help others. He and his wife, BYU Marriott Karen, have served missions for The alum and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day former market- Saints in Hong Kong and Jerusalem, ing professor where they coordinated humanitarian Scott Smith efforts. They have also been ordinance was honored workers in the Provo Utah and Hong during BYU Kong China Temples. Homecoming Smith is currently a member of the week with board of trustees at Utah Valley University. summit and listened to twenty-two BYU Marriott’s Additionally, he supports the Huntsman experts in the commercial real estate prestigious Alumni Achievement Award. Cancer Center and BYU Marriott. He and field, including two members of theBYU Each college at BYU presents the award Karen have nine children, thirty grandchil- Marriott National Advisory Council, Ken every year to a graduate with significant dren, and one great-grandchild. Woolley and Martin Egbert. Following professional accomplishments. Smith the opening address—given by Wes joined the other recipients in receiving First-Ever Career Paths in Whitman of Whitman Peterson, a real the award during a special ceremony on Real Estate Summit estate private equity company—students Thursday, 17 October 2019. The Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni and attended breakout sessions covering Smith earned his bachelor’s degree Visitors Center at BYU buzzed with topics such as private equity, acquisitions, in business management from BYU excitement as students networked with brokerage, and real estate corporate Marriott in 1971 and later earned his professionals during the first-ever Career finance. In addition, a panel of young real PhD from Penn State University. Smith Paths in Real Estate Summit on Friday, estate professionals spoke to students then returned to his alma mater to 8 November 2019. The success of the about challenges, rewards, and career teach for more than thirty years as a event confirmed to organizers how options in corporate real estate. marketing professor at BYU Marriott. In enthusiastic students are to learn more The Department of Finance is planning addition, Smith cofounded Qualtrics, an about the business of real estate. to make the summit an annual event. experience-management company. More than one hundred BYU students “The success of this first summit was quite Though an accomplished businessman, from a variety of majors came to the humbling,” says BYU Marriott finance Undergraduates Receive Paul Morris Marriott Scholarship

Twenty undergraduates received the Paul Morris Marriott Business Management Scholarship, given to undergraduates who demonstrate a strong work ethic and a dedication to service. The scholarship was founded by Rebecca Marriott Champion in 2010 to honor her father, Paul Morris Marriott, who was a vice president at Hot Shoppes Inc. (which later became Marriott International) and who helped grow the In-Flite catering division of the company. Recipients include (left to right) Madison Call, Carley Aldous, Mia Bracken, Ally Hatfield, Taylor Soper, Alayna Sant, Brett Christie, Kai- den Waldram, Madie Fong, and Moroni Ruiz. Recipients not pictured in the photo are Jayden Bever, Claire Coburn, Joshua Danneman, Kelsey Jardine, Nicolas Jeppesen, Jason Pearson, Nicholas Scoffield, Trevor Stephens, Shaylor Sylvester, and Kristen Westfall.

winter 2020 23

SchoolSeven News New Professors

Sarah Agate Kim Clark Timothy Gubler Joshua Lee Matthew Madden Isaac Smith Nathan Twyman

BYU Marriott welcomed seven new professors to the Tanner Building in fall Lee returns to BYU Marriott as an associate professor of accounting. He 2019. The additions are Sarah Agate, Kim Clark, Timothy Gubler, Joshua graduated from BYU Marriott’s integrated MAcc program in 2009. After Lee, Matthew Madden, Isaac Smith, and Nathan Twyman. completing his PhD in accounting at Washington University in St. Louis, Lee Agate returns to BYU Marriott as an assistant professor of experience taught accounting at Florida State University and at the University of Georgia. design and management, after previously teaching as an adjunct faculty The new director ofBYU Marriott’s marketing lab, Madden graduated member. She has taught at the College at Brockport State University of from BYU with a bachelor’s degree in business statistics in 2000 and a New York, Southwestern College, and Southern Illinois University. Agate master’s degree in statistics in 2003. While completing his master’s degree, graduated from BYU with a bachelor’s degree in family sciences in 2001 and he worked with the World Health Organization. He has also worked as a a master’s degree in youth and family recreation in 2005. She earned her PhD managing partner at Hall & Partners and served as the vice president of in parks, recreation, and tourism management at Clemson University in 2010. analytics at the Modellers. BYU Marriott is eager to welcome Elder Clark as the National Advisory Smith joins BYU Marriott as an assistant professor of organizational Council Professor of Business. Clark received a bachelor’s degree, master’s behavior and human resources. He graduated from BYU in 2004 with degree, and PhD in economics from Harvard University. He spent time as bachelor’s degrees in both economics and English, with a minor in political a faculty member at the Harvard Business School from 1978 to 2005 and science. He received his MBA in organizational behavior with a minor was dean of the faculty there from 1995 to 2005. Clark left Harvard to serve in business strategy at BYU Marriott in 2007 before earning his PhD in as the president of BYU–Idaho until 2015, when he was called to serve as a organizational behavior at the University of Utah. He also spent five years general authority for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. teaching at Cornell University. Gubler joins BYU Marriott as an assistant professor of strategy. He comes Twyman returns to BYU Marriott as an assistant professor of information to BYU Marriott after four years of teaching at the University of California, systems. After graduating from the MISM program at BYU Marriott in 2007, Riverside. Gubler graduated from BYU in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in Twyman earned his PhD in information systems management with a minor economics and earned both a master’s degree in business administration in psychology at the University of Arizona. His research focuses on health, and a PhD in business strategy at Washington University in St. Louis. intelligence, cybersecurity, auditing, and forensic investigation.

research associate Troy Carpenter, orga- experience on how learning to ask and back and another recipient of the 2019 nizer of the event and faculty advisor to live by the right questions saved his life. Dyer Distinguished Alumni Award; the BYU Real Estate Club. “We are already After living by the wrong question— Elder Kim Clark, who recently joined experiencing the fruits from the event “How do I make everyone else happy?”— BYU Marriott as the NAC Professor of with additional employment opportuni- Gregersen suffered a stress-induced heart Business; and Chris McChesney, coauthor ties being offered to our students.” attack that nearly killed him. As a result of The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Achieving of this experience, he realized he needed byu Marriott Hosts to change his life’s question to “How can hr Innovations Conference I reflect light here and now?” “What question are you living?” Hal Gregersen was one of four keynote Gregersen asked more than 250 speakers at the conference, which the attendees during his keynote speech at BYU Marriott Department of Management BYU Marriott’s annual HR Innovations has hosted since 1981 to bring together Conference, held 7–8 November 2019. alumni, students, and faculty to share Audience members listened as the 1983 the latest ideas in human resources, BYU organizational behavior alumnus leadership, and organizational develop- and 2019 William G. Dyer Distinguished ment. The other speakers were Dave Alumni Award recipient shared his Kinard, former BYU football defensive

24 MARRIOTT Your Wildly Important Goals, a Wall Street by Business Ethics for the inaugural chain through a computer simulation,” Journal number-one business bestseller. 100 Best Corporate Citizens rankings— says GSCM senior Josh Wright. “The The conference also included six breakout including both those who did and did afternoon we arrived, we were given School News sessions, business exhibits, and informal not make the cut. Using only companies access to the test simulation to learn how networking. with stocks that were actively being the simulation works. The next morning In addition, Ascendant Leader awards traded on the day of the announcement, the competition simulation was opened, were presented during the conference the authors ended with a sample of 513 and we ran thirteen weeks’ worth of deci- to Starr Fowler, senior vice president corporations to analyze. sions within an allotted three hours.” of human resources at Vivint, and Sean To evaluate investor response to the BYU Marriott’s team included Morrison, vice president of human rankings, the researchers analyzed stock Jake Carlsen from Centerville, Ohio; resources at Mountain America Credit returns using regression discontinuity, a Samantha Jones from Saginaw, Union. These awards are given annually method that approximates a randomized Michigan; Eric Tonini from Pearland, to BYU Marriott human resources alumni experiment. The researchers found the Texas; and Wright from Holladay, Utah. from the MBA program who have made 1.3 decrease in firm value translated to a The group was accompanied by GSCM a significant impact in their fields within median estimated loss of $83 million in associate teaching professor Scott Webb. the first few years of their careers. value for the corporations that just made Courses in the GSCM program prepared the list. the team to succeed in the competition. “Unranked firms actually have some “All of our supply chain courses focus FACULTY NEWS flexibility in creating their own narrative on tools and frameworks to apply to that allows them to promote things that structure an analysis to find a solution to Making the Ranking Cut make them look good, but the firms that complex problems,” says Wright. “We uti- May Hurt just barely make the cut are stuck with a lized these tools and frameworks within position of unfavorable comparisons with the Bowersox case.” higher ranked firms,” says Carlos. Corporate rankings have proliferated byu Marriott Team in recent years, and an increasing number Wins First at Purdue of corporate leaders are prioritizing efforts to be included on such lists. But authors say their findings should prompt leaders to reconsider the time and Chad Carlos Ben Lewis resources they devote to pursuing rank- A new study by BYU Marriott assistant ings, especially if they are likely to end up professors Ben Lewis and Chad Carlos on the margin. shows that barely making a top-100 cor- porate ranking list may actually be worse student NEWS for your company’s financial future than being left off altogether. GSCM Team Places Third Dreams turned to reality for the student Lewis and Carlos examined the impact at Bowersox team from BYU Marriott’s chapter of the on shareholder value for firms that barely Society for Human Resource Management made or barely missed the cut of the at the annual Purdue University Krannert annual 100 Best Corporate Citizens list, a HR Case Competition on 13–14 November prominent ranking that evaluates corpo- 2019. The team returned home with a rate social responsibility performance of first-place win and a $5,000 prize. public corporations. The undergraduate team consisted of In a study published in the Strategic junior Chelsea Allen from Delta, Ohio; Management Journal, the researchers junior Rebecca Garrett from Iberia, found that the firms that just make the list Missouri; senior Rachel Hair from South experience a 1.3 percent decrease in firm Jordan, Utah; senior Gabriel Monarrez value on the day of the announcement Four seniors in the BYU Marriott global from Batavia, Illinois; and senior Alayna compared to firms that just missed the cut. supply chain management (GSCM) Sant from Colbert, Washington. Associate “Being ranked and getting on a list program took third place at the 2019 professor of organizational behavior and like this is generally a good thing for a Bowersox Undergraduate Supply human resources Benjamin Galvin was company,” Lewis says. “But we found Chain Management Challenge hosted the team’s faculty advisor and assisted just barely making the list is not only not at Michigan State University on 24–25 them in preparing for the competition. beneficial, it actually hurts you.” October 2019. The team went through an approval The researchers first obtained the full “The Bowersox competition challenges process before qualifying to represent BYU list of corporations that were evaluated each team to run a company’s supply Marriott at the prestigious competition.

winter 2020 25 The process included presenting their The fellowship provides $10,000 in skills to a panel of professors within the financial support to students pursing School News management department. A week before doctoral degrees and organizes opportu- the competition, the team received the nities for recipients to build a profes- case for the conference. sional network. Twice a year the fellows “I am so impressed by our students, gather in Washington, DC, to meet with and I feel privileged to work with influential policy makers. “These trips them,” Galvin says. “When they get the help the fellows see how their work in a Kathleen Nugent Megdalynn Fisher opportunity to go out into the world and particular area might fit into the bigger demonstrate their abilities, I know they from Highland, New York, and Megdalynn public policy and public management will bring that same passion and excel- Fisher from Spanish Fork, Utah, were picture,” says Christensen. lence to their future communities and nominated for the fellowship by associate workplaces.” professor Rob Christensen and became MBA Students Win Adobe two of twenty recipients in 2019. Analytics Challenge Two for Rumsfeld Grant Nugent is studying public administra- Two recent BYU Marriott MPA gradu- tion and policy with a focus in organiza- ates became recipients of the Rumsfeld tional theory at the University of Georgia. Foundation Graduate Fellowship and Fisher is at Indiana University studying received $10,000 along with priceless net- public affairs with an emphasis in health working opportunities. Kathleen Nugent policy. MISM Student Named Forbes Three BYU Marriott MBA students took Under 30 Scholar home the $35,000 first-place prize at the 2019 Adobe Analytics Challenge in San exposed me to new technologies in development,” Jose, California. he says. The Adobe Analytics Challenge is a Haddad has put the skills he learned in the nationwide, analytics-focused business classroom to use as a web developer. “It’s the perfect case competition. During the competi- combination of design thinking and problem solving tion, university students are given access to deliver unique solutions,” he says. “The skills I have to real company data through Adobe’s gained in web development have given me a great analytics tools, and then they offer breadth of technologies. I now plan on diving deeper possible solutions to a question posed into each skill so I can better apply them in my work.” by Adobe’s partner company. This year Haddad, who is also a Cherrington Scholarship Adobe partnered with Major League recipient, possesses an entrepreneurial spirit. In 2017 Baseball, which asked students to come he helped local ice-cream sandwich store Penguin up with ways to improve the overall game Brothers open its first physical location; currently experience for baseball fans. he builds custom web applications for several com- BYU Marriott’s winning team was com- panies. He describes his niche as a “small-business posed of first-yearMBA students Joseph BYU Marriott MISM student Demitri Haddad was kick-starter.” “I love working with people to get their Heywood from Queen Creek, Arizona; recently named a Forbes Under 30 Scholar for 2019 ideas off the ground,” he says. Ryan Tucker from Papillion, Nebraska; and attended the Forbes Under 30 Summit in Detroit. Looking forward, Haddad would like to explore how and Kyle Wong from Hong Kong. The There he joined an elite group of one thousand to use machine learning and data science to make team also included assistant professor college students from around the country who repre- more-educated purchases in the real estate market. Cody Reeves as faculty coach. sent the innovators and leaders of tomorrow. “Real estate is an untapped market when it comes The competition is split into several Currently completing a combined bachelor’s and to technology,” he says. “I’m excited to research the phases. After receiving training in Adobe master’s degree in information systems through market and see what can be developed to meet the Analytics software, students dive into the BYU Marriott, Haddad feels that his experiences needs of homebuyers.” Haddad currently works as a data provided by Adobe. Teams then have at BYU have helped to refine his character and to web developer for the university and plans on gradu- two weeks to analyze the data and pres- expand intellectually. “The information systems pro- ating in April 2021. Following graduation, he would ent findings and recommendations to the gram taught me how to collaborate on projects and like to pursue a career in tech consulting. judges. Out of the 233 competing teams, only six were invited to the final round. For the BYU Marriott team, the entire

26 MARRIOTT experience turned out to be about more than just winning a prestigious competi- tion. “Learning about teamwork and lead- School News ership and how to work with different Connecting Business personalities are experiences you can’t learn from the classroom or a textbook,” with Healthcare says Wong. “Those learning experiences, such as the Adobe Analytics Challenge, are worth the time and effort.”

Big Wins at AIS Competitions

BYU alumni, students, and healthcare professionals attended the inaugural BYU Healthcare Industry Network BYU Marriott information systems stu- Conference held 15 November 2019 at the Utah Valley Convention Center. The conference allowed alumni to dents took home two first-place finishes build their networks and continue their education, while giving employers a chance to recruit BYU students and one second-place finish at the tenth into healthcare professions. annual Association for Information More than four hundred attendees—an amount that exceeded expectations—listened to keynote speaker Systems Student Chapter Leadership and former UnitedHealthcare CEO Steve Nelson, who spoke about changes needed in the healthcare sys- Conference. tem. “My belief is that we cannot be interested in incremental change,” says Nelson. “We need to be about Led by BYU Marriott information sys- transformative change.” tems associate professor Tom Meservy, In addition to the keynote address, ten presenters spoke at breakout sessions on topics ranging from eight students traveled to Temple impacting healthcare with supply chain and product innovation to digital applications in healthcare. Dan Burton, University in Philadelphia to attend the BYU economics alum and CEO of Health Catalyst (a healthcare data warehousing and analytics company) also conference, where they had the oppor- led a Health Catalyst panel about the power of attracting and retaining talent. The panel consisted of himself, tunity to network with students, engage board member and audit committee chair Jack Kane (a MAcc alum), and chief people officer Linda Llewelyn. with industry experts, explore the city, Healthcare industry initiative chair and School of Accountancy professor Bill Tayler headed the conference and showcase their knowledge at various initiative, knowing the importance of connecting the business world with the healthcare industry. “As we get competitions. our alumni and friends better connected with each other and with BYU, they are better able to help our cur- One of the first-place teams designed rent students who are interested in becoming part of this exciting industry,” says Tayler. a blockchain to help farmers in develop- ing countries certify their farms as organic, sustainable, and ethically grown. This team included seniors Autumn from Highland, Utah, who won the The conference hosted more than Clark from Cardston, Alberta, Canada; computational-case-study portion of 180 students and faculty from thirty- Eric Clinger from Idaho Falls, Idaho; the competition. The case study focused three different schools worldwide. Nine Kyle Finneman from South Jordan, on the social use of computers and workshops and panels led and organized Utah; Caleb Olson from Sammamish, the way artificial intelligence affects by students were held focusing on topics Washington; and Nicole Tucker from communication. such as women in IT, ethical hacking, Lindon, Utah. Clark and Smith also joined MISM chapter leadership, alumni engagement, Tucker attributes the majority of the student Alex Spruill from Idaho Falls, 3D printing, and location analytics. team’s success to the IS program at BYU Idaho, and 2019 information systems Clark participated in a student panel Marriott. “The program has connected graduate Rachel Davis from Draper, led by all women discussing tips and best me with the best people, equipped me Utah, to place second in the software practices to perform at competitions. She with skills the industry is desperate for innovation competition. The challenge says, “Not only was it an honor to meet right now, and built confidence in me as involved creating an app based on one of and speak alongside the other panelists, a software developer,” she says. the United Nations’ sustainable develop- but it is amazing to be a part of three Another first-place finish came from ment goals, one of which is good health teams that placed in the competitions, Clark, Olson, and senior Josh Smith and well-being. with two of them taking first place.”

winter 2020 27 Alumni News Management Society have to be alike or look alike to have love for each other. If we have any hope Competing in the of reclaiming the goodwill and sense of Land of the Blue Sky humanity for which we yearn, it must begin with each of us, one person at a time.”

Doing Better, Being Better More than one hundred people attended the 2019 BYUMS UK and Europe Confer- ence, titled “Do Better, Be Better.” Held on 22 June 2019, the conference featured keynote speakers David Checketts and The BYUMS Asia Pacific Regional Confer- learning curve. But when it came for the Deborah Checketts, England London ence was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, day of the conference, it was extremely Mission president and matron; Charlotte on 17–18 May 2019. More than two well organized and went off without any Steinfeld, head of the UK and Ireland hundred attendees from five countries problems.” Chapter of the J. Reuben Clark Society; gathered to learn about topics related BYUMS looks forward to the next and Elder Alan Phillips, Area Seventy. to the conference’s theme, “Believe and conference in May 2020, which will be Additionally, a leadership session was Achieve,” and to strengthen the BYUMS held in Taipei, Taiwan, and is projected held on 21 June in which chapter leaders network in the region. to host another Asia-wide business plan from the UK and France examined the The Asia Pacific region comprises competition. Management Society’s progress globally eighteen BYUMS chapters, including and regionally. “We discussed how to Hong Kong, Korea Seoul, Singapore, President Nelson Recognizes build and strengthen a chapter, how to and Taiwan. Keynote speakers at the Washington DC Chapter work with Latter-day Saint leaders, and regional conference included Bak Gi San, On 21 July 2019, President Russell M. Nel- how to foster networking,” says Leighton Yonsei University negotiator; Brad Agle, son addressed the 110th annual national Bascom, BYUMS UK and Europe director. George W. Romney Endowed Professor convention of the National Association “It was a great day.” at BYU Marriott; Cody Eldridge, COO of for the Advancement of Colored People Other presenters at the conference Wagner International; Gregory Cook, (NAACP). At the conference, held in included public speaking coach and con- doTerra cofounder; Peter F. Meurs, Gen- Detroit, Nelson recognized the Washing- sultant Simon M. Day, Online TV Group eral Authority Seventy and former execu- ton DC Chapter for honoring the NAACP managing director Peter Middleton, self- tive director on the board of Fortescue with the 2019 Distinguished Public Ser- reliance expert Les Pointer, local stake Metals; and Steven Wheelwright, former vice Award. Nelson also acknowledged counselor Fabrizio Ricciardi, and BYU president of BYU–Hawaii and former the dignified and humble way thatNAACP Marriott’s Whitmore Global Manage- dean of the Harvard Business School. president and CEO Derrick Johnson ment Center managing director Jona- At the close of their first-ever busi- accepted the award. thon Wood. The presenters covered ness plan competition, which is based “While receiving a public service award various topics such as public speaking, on BYU’s Miller Competition Series, the on behalf of the NAACP presented by networking, creating professional videos, Asia Pacific area awarded cash prizes to Brigham Young University’s Management evolving in one’s career, and finding the top four teams who entered: Clean Society,” Nelson said, “President Johnson programs and opportunities available Air by Erdenebileg, from Mongolia, acknowledged that he had been asked why through BYU Marriott. placed fourth; Ninja Code, from Taiwan, he would accept an award from members placed third; the Chinbaatar family’s Eej of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Kimchi, from Mongolia, placed second; day Saints. His response? ‘Because that’s and Battsetseg Chagdgaa, cofounder our neighbor.’” of Gilgerem Soapery, from Mongolia, Nelson also explained the importance placed first. of building bridges with others, as the “This was the first conference of this Washington DC Chapter had done. “We size in Mongolia,” says Anita Hummel, are all connected,” he said, “and we have head of the Management Society’s Asia a God-given responsibility to help make Pacific area, “so there was a bit of a life better for those around us. We don’t

28 MARRIOTT “The focus of the conference was to Witte & Company, a national CPA firm. 1981 give greater insight into the goals of the During his time at Lester Witte, Evensen Elana Glissmeyer BYU Management Society,” Bascom says. served as the chair of the firm’s national Barrow loves both Alumni News “There was a great response to the sched- Accounting Principles and Auditing her jobs because they ule of the day, with most feedback saying it Standards Committee and headed the allow her to make a was possibly one of the best conferences firm’s Continuing Professional Education difference in the lives we have had.” (CPE) program. His experiences with con- of children. The 1981 tinuing education led Evensen to establish secretarial technology graduate currently class notes his own corporation, RMI International works as an instructional assistant and Inc., where he conducted CPE programs interventionist in three elementary 1960 for CPA firms and societies for thirty-five schools near Salt Lake City. Barrow leads Ron Evensen spent years. Evensen also spoke at conferences learning interventions to help students fifty-seven years in of the American Institute of CPAs and improve their reading and mathemat- public accounting. He several state institutes of CPAs. In 2010 ics skills. She was initially a preschool started his career at the California CPA Education Foundation teacher when she began in 1997. She also Haskins and Sells (now honored him with an Award for Instructor has taught private piano lessons in her Deloitte) in Los Angeles Excellence. Evensen enjoys spending time home ever since having her first child. after graduating with an accounting with his wife, Shirley, and their three chil- Barrow feels that some of her greatest degree in 1960. He later became a partner dren, seven grandchildren, and thirteen accomplishments have been seeing her in the Phoenix, Arizona, office of Lester great-grandchildren. piano and elementary school students Now or Never

At the age of forty and with nine children at home, Gloria B. Larkin decided to go back to school and finish her undergraduate degree. The fact that she was busier than most college students didn’t sway her choice in major: accounting, a rigorous program at BYU Marriott. Larkin had always enjoyed mathematics and did some bookkeeping on the side, but she never had the chance to earn a degree before her life became busy with raising her six children. Life seemed to close any doors leading her back to school. First, she went through a divorce. Then she married Roger A. Larkin, who had five children of his own. However, after receiving multiple admonitions in priesthood blessings to finish her educa- tion, she decided it was now or never. Larkin started out at Dixie College, where she completed her general education requirements before transferring to BYU Marriott in 1991. “The accounting core was highly ranked,” Larkin says. “I loved the math part, and I had great professors and a rigorous workload. The school itself has a won- communities in northern Utah. For seven years, Larkin handled all the derful atmosphere, and I loved rubbing shoulders with the younger shining finances for the firm’s eight separate companies. Her duties included keep- stars who attended college with me.” ing the finances separate and properly recorded for each company. She also With the added workload of school, Larkin had to quit her part-time job conducted payroll and delegated accounts payable and receivable. to have enough time for homework and family. While her husband helped In 2013 Larkin left Boulder Ranch when she and her husband were called provide for the family, he also added to the family’s schedule by going back to serve a mission in Germany. They were assigned to work with the young to school himself. He attended BYU along with Larkin, earning his degree in single adults at the YSA center in Leipzig. Again she felt right at home physical plant administration. “We were extremely busy,” Larkin says. “Our working with the “shining stars” of the Church, just as she had felt with children were all mostly teenagers at the time, and they had busy lives of young college students during her time at BYU Marriott. “I told the young their own, so it took a lot of planning and hard work.” adults of Germany that they reminded me of our hardworking BYU stu- After four years of managing intense accounting projects and organizing dents, who also had great integrity,” Larkin says. “It was wonderful to help family schedules, Larkin graduated with her BS in accounting with a minor these young shining stars excel.” in mathematics in December 1995. “It opened lots of doors for me,” she says. After eighteen months in Germany, Larkin and her husband came home “The classes in the accounting program were so good, and I felt well prepared.” and served another mission in Provo. They currently live in Mapleton, Utah. Larkin worked for several different companies as a controller before she While they no longer wear name tags, they stay busy with their thirty-four found a position at Boulder Ranch, a network of mobile-home and rental grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

winter 2020 29 succeed. She and her husband, Joel, have Schader does it all. But handles. Before fully embracing her four sons and nine grandchildren. The rather than remain artistic side, Schader graduated from BYU Alumni News couple currently lives in Midvale, Utah, a hobby, it’s become Marriott in management with an empha- where Barrow spends her free time card her job. A profes- sis in marketing in 1996. She worked as a crafting, reading, playing tennis, travel- sional crafter, Schader marketing associate at video-production ing, sewing, and attending the annual teaches crafting and company Clear Image Inc. and then as Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City, Utah. card-making classes through her business, a marketing coordinator for computer Elaine’s Creations, and as an independent manufacturer AlphaSmart for two years. 1996 demonstrator for Stampin’ Up, a stamp Schader and her husband, Adam (a BYU Embellishing and accenting, die cutting and craft-paper manufacturer. She also Marriott MAcc alum), have three children. and embossing—Elaine McOmber maintains a blog and several social media She enjoys volunteering on the board of a local swim team and in schools near her home in San Jose, California, where she helps out in the classroom and teaches Unexpected Perspective classes on art and Chinese culture.

When Germán Zárate-Hoyos decided to defer getting his MBA for a year, he 2004 expected to spend his time learning to conduct academic research and help- After graduating with ing former BYU Marriott professor of organizational behavior Christopher his management degree Meek write a book. What Zárate-Hoyos didn’t expect was to be convinced by from BYU Marriott in Meek to switch to the MOB program. “I just didn’t think I could do it,” Zárate- 2004, Michael Gayan Hoyos says, “but he encouraged me. I’m glad I did it—it changed my life.” went on to get his Zárate-Hoyos, who had previously completed an undergraduate degree law degree from the in economics at BYU, switched to the MOB program, receiving special William S. Boyd School of Law at the admission to begin during winter semester. While studying, he became University of Nevada, Las Vegas. After involved in several different extracurricular organizations, including Equi- graduating law school in 2008, Gayan tech, a joint program with the engineering department focused on bring- accepted an associate attorney position ing students from different disciplines together to solve unique problems. with Kemp, Jones & Coulthard LLP. In He also took part in an MOB student group that did consulting for small businesses throughout Utah. 2017 he became a partner in the firm. Shortly after graduating with his MOB in 1989—at the same time as his wife, Lori, and carrying their two- During his time there, he has been week-old child—Zárate-Hoyos took another step he never expected: he enrolled in the University of California, responsible for litigating a broad range of Riverside’s doctoral program in economics. His experiences with teaching and researching—in addition to civil matters, including class actions, com- receiving advice from Meek and others during his time at BYU Marriott—showed Zárate-Hoyos that academia plex commercial disputes, and wrongful would be a career path he would enjoy. After a two-year hiatus while working in Mexico, Zárate-Hoyos com- death cases. Gayan is proud to say he has pleted his PhD in 2000. helped recover more than $375 million Now associate professor of economics at the State University of New York College at Cortland (SUNY Cort- for his clients. He and his wife, Jennifer land), Zárate-Hoyos teaches courses in macroeconomics, microeconomics, and international economic devel- (a 2003 BYU graduate), make their home opment, particularly regarding Latin America. His research, including the published book New Perspectives on in sunny Las Vegas with their three young Remittances from Mexicans and Central Americans in the United States, focuses on migration with emphasis on children. Gayan loves reading, playing Latin American migration into the US. “Immigration has become a hot topic,” Zárate-Hoyos acknowledges. sports, and keeping up on his Swedish. For the past two years, Zárate-Hoyos has been preparing to assume different volunteer positions with the Red Cross. He hopes to complete training in disaster services so he can be part of a computer network team 2009 that aids disaster-relief efforts. Soon he will also begin training to be a family outreach caseworker. Brian Halverson In his spare time, Zárate-Hoyos likes to run, bike, play soccer and tennis, and travel near and far from his had never considered home in Lansing, New York. He also thoroughly enjoys teaching and researching. “I never thought I would waste management become a professor,” he says, “but I did, thanks to Meek.” as a career when he In addition to working at SUNY Cortland, Zárate-Hoyos has worked with various partner universities, includ- graduated from BYU ing Fulda University of Applied Sciences in Germany, zmir University of Economics in Turkey, and St. Ignacio of Marriott with an MPA Loyola University in Peru. in 2009. But when 2005 MPA alum Robert Zárate-Hoyos has led many study abroad programs to countries such as Peru, Turkey, Costa Rica, and Mex- L. Hammond, then an executive recruiter ico. One of his favorite trips took his group to Anadolu University in Eski ehir, Turkey. Though the trip was only for the City of San Antonio, Texas, a week and a half, Zárate-Hoyos saw something incredible. “I was amazed how close the Turkish and American reached out to Halverson about working students got by the end of the ten days,” Zárate-Hoyos says. “It proved to me that when we get together in with the city’s Solid Waste Management meaningful settings and in contact with people different than us, we see them in a different light—as human Department, Halverson took a position beings with the same goals and aspirations for themselves and their families that we have for ours.” there as a senior management analyst. He found the industry to be complex with a wide-reaching impact. In his various roles

30 MARRIOTT within the San Antonio city government, Halverson has helped build the city’s first commercial recycling program and Alumni News piloted a new waste-collection program. A Perfect Puzzle In his current role as environmental Priscilla Hobbs Nugent grew up watching her parents services manager, Halverson oversees run the family business and wondering what it took to multiple teams and acts as liaison to other make operations run well. After witnessing the nation- departments and outside organizations. wide recession in 2008, Nugent decided to pursue a He and his wife, Megan Adams-Halverson, career in finance, eventually enrolling atBYU Marriott have three children and live in San and discovering the answer to her childhood wonder- Antonio, where Halverson enjoys writing, ings. “I have loved what I learned in the BYU Marriott woodworking, and gardening. He also vol- program and the opportunities it has provided me thus unteers on storm clean-up crews, with the far,” Nugent says. PTA, and at a local migrant resource center. In between her junior and senior years, Nugent chose to complete an internship with Intel. She explains, 2014 “Intel was the only company that was willing to provide Rebekah Elton an internship that was flexible around my summer tour Brewer felt lucky to with BYU’s Ballroom Dance Company, during which we join the Utah sales won the 2016 British Formation Championship. Seeing scene when she did. how willing Intel was to work with me told me how the After graduating from company treats and respects its employees, and I have not regretted my decision to work with them.” BYU Marriott with a However, when Nugent collected her BYU diploma in 2017, she still felt uncertain about the future. Though degree in recreation management in 2014 she’d accepted a position as a financial analyst with Intel in Folsom, California, Nugent says she was apprehen- and working for a time at the Color Run, sive about moving “to a place where the Latter-day Saint population was no longer the majority. But it ended Brewer decided to make the switch to up being perfect.” sales at Lucid. Her talent and early suc- Just weeks before relocating to the Golden State, Nugent connected with fellow finance alum Michael cess in sales not only led to multiple pro- Nugent. The two went on a date that “kind of felt like it was a finance interview,” Nugent quips. “We basically motions but also inspired her to create a just talked about business and finance.” Since Michael was working as an economic consultant near where network for other women in her situation. Nugent was moving, the two made plans to see each other again. They married in 2018. In 2017 Brewer founded Utah Women Nugent’s first position with Intel involved ensuring correct financial reporting and promoting smart budget- in Sales, a networking organization for ing to support growth and identify opportunities for greater efficiency. When she was promoted to senior women in the area who are interested or financial analyst in 2019, her responsibilities expanded as she oversaw a larger budget and led efforts to currently working in sales. She leads the improve processes. group by organizing events, workshops, Nugent got involved with the company’s activity-planning committee and helped put together events such and conferences that offer powerful as holiday food drives and employee get-togethers. She even volunteered her time to teach social ballroom networking opportunities and advice dance at a company Christmas party. “Another big reason I decided to take a position at Intel was because of from top women in the sales community. its great sense of community,” Nugent says. “The company has a great culture of helping others.” Along with running Utah Women in Sales, After giving birth to a baby girl in July 2019, Nugent took a step back from her work to become a stay-at- Brewer works as the sale-enablement home mother. She says she’s grateful to undertake motherhood with a college diploma and several years of manager at Lucid, providing training and work experience under her belt. “It’s made me feel good that I’ve been able to contribute to our financial goals curriculum development for sales teams. over the past two years,” she says. “I feel like I can use that experience to be an example to my kids.” She adds She lives with her husband, Samuel, and that her education will also help her be supportive of her husband throughout his career. their son in Draper. Looking back, Nugent feels that what she thought was an uncertain future has thus far turned out to be a “perfect puzzle” of circumstances working together for her good. “I can’t even say how much divine intervention 2015 there’s been,” she says. Brent J. Anderson seeks out work that blends his many interests, but it’s a position at software company Yours.co to assist with the development of an not because he once before becoming senior software engi- open-source software project that powers worked at the Lehi, neer at Lambda School, an e-learning similar space center programs around the Utah, company BlenderBottle. He’s service that doesn’t charge tuition until world. For a side project, Anderson and always been inherently intrigued students graduate and accept high- his wife, Michelle, founded Coriaria, a by software, startups, teaching, and paying positions. For more than a decade, company that helps strengthen families service. After filling the role of technol- Anderson volunteered as an advisor to with products that use a mix of technol- ogy manager at BlenderBottle, the 2015 and participant in the Utah-based Space ogy and psychology. The couple has two information systems and MISM grad took EdVentures Foundation. He continues children and lives in Utah Valley.

winter 2020 31 2016 guest-experience tools. Passionate about how much he enjoys the HR function Deborah Weiss has women championing other women, Weiss of an organization. He was thrilled to Alumni News always been a strategic has led various groups for women in busi- get accepted to the human resource builder. At age sixteen, ness. She has also spent three years with management program at BYU Marriott. she managed a business the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance His education landed him a competitive that paid for her mis- program and enjoys reading, playing ten- internship with machinery manufacturer sion, and after earning nis, and traveling globally with a group of Deere & Company, where he was chosen her undergrad, she scaled a nonprofit pro- other BYU Marriott MBA grads. out of nine highly qualified interns to join gram statewide. Loving the fast pace of the the team full-time. Bjorling is in the first tech startup world, Weiss shifted to the 2018 year of his three-year rotational program business-to-business world after graduat- Even though Nicholas and supports the employee-engagement ing with her MBA in 2016. In August 2017, Bjorling graduated team with administering and analyzing Weiss moved to London for eight months from BYU Marriott surveys. Bjorling always hoped to work to help build Grow.com’s Europe, Middle in 2018 and is at the so that his wife had the option to stay at East, and Africa office before returning to forefront of his career, home to raise a family, and he gratefully Utah in 2018 to launch a certified partner he feels grateful and says the path from BYU Marriott has led program. She accepted a position in June confident about his future. After working to this possibility. He and his wife, Jessica, 2019 as a product manager with workspace for the student employment office at live in Eldridge, Iowa, with their one- provider WeWork, where she manages BYU for three years, Bjorling realized year-old daughter, Andi. The Job No One Wanted

Hearing a mix of languages was commonplace for Everet Bluth, who grew McDonald’s Corpora- up speaking both Spanish and English on his family’s farm in a Latter-day tion, which Bluth Saint settlement in northern Mexico. Life at home, Bluth says, “evolved considers some of his around family, church, work on the farm, school, and sports.” He says he had best work. An EVP, he a typical childhood—except that he started driving farm equipment when explains, is “a state- he was eight. ment that a company After a year at BYU–Idaho and a mission to southern Mexico (he skipped will make to commu- attending the MTC and went straight into the mission field because of his nicate to prospective fluency in Spanish), Bluth transferred to BYU. “I’d already decided on going employees what they for a degree in business management,” he explains. “I took an operations can expect from their analysis class, which I fell in love with because it’s highly analytical and experience with that highly quantitative. I love math.” company.” Bluth’s team After graduating from BYU Marriott in 1982, Bluth enrolled at Texas surveyed ten thousand Christian University for his MBA. He and his wife, Alisa Hurlbut, decided to people from thirty settle permanently in Carrollton, Texas, after Bluth earned his MBA. Bluth countries in thirty-two took a position as a manufacturing systems analyst with Texas Instru- languages, analyzed ments. He later joined the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, where he was the data, and made several recommendations. The resultingEVP “is still in promoted several times before becoming senior operations consultant in effect today and continues to be one of McDonald’s decision-making criteria 1990. That same year, he received aUS Treasury award for distinction in assessing all strategic initiatives,” Bluth says. “No other project I have done financial systems improvements. has had such a broad and lasting impact.” At this time, Bluth began to notice that his ability to speak Spanish was Being his own boss has been a great experience for Bluth. “The challenge slowly slipping away due to lack of use. To help maintain his Spanish flu- of being self-employed is you’re more in control of your own career and your ency, he took a part-time job translating documents for Industrial Relations employer is now your customer,” he says. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being International (now IRI Consulting LLC), an employee-engagement survey self-employed.” company. After several years, Bluth got an unexpected phone call: the com- He adds, “My career has taken me to every continent (except Antarctica) pany’s owner asked Bluth if he’d like a job as COO and director of research. and twenty-nine different countries. Who would have ever thought a farm “They offered me a position that nobody else in the company wanted,” Bluth boy from a dusty, small-town farming community would see so much of the says, “and I thought that was an interesting way to sell it.” But that didn’t world? That experience has enriched my life in many ways.” deter him. He took the position in 1996 and acquired the firm in 2009. Bluth, who has three children and six grandchildren, loves to spend his Around the time IRI Consulting changed hands, Bluth and his team were free time camping, hiking, woodturning, Scouting, and doing anything that | Quad working on gathering data for a global employee-value proposition (EVP) for reminds him of his farming heritage. 2/20 | 19-375 45 m

32 MARRIOTT 2/20 | 19-375 | 45m | Quad p 18