Success Stories
Kristel Smith, an MBA graduate and current director of the Kentucky Innovation Network at Eastern Kentucky University, was recognized in the Lane Report's Top Women in Business.
Traditional Bank recently promoted University of Kentucky MBA alum, F.W. “Buddy” Schneider III to Senior Vice President (SVP).
UK MBA alum, Jonathan Beatty has embarked on a very successful corporate and entrepreneurship career since his graduation from the One Year MBA program at the Gatton in 2006. However, Jonathan’s journey began from very humble beginnings growing up.
After graduating with his Mechanical Engineering degree and MBA from the University of Kentucky in 2017, Andrew "Drew" Wilder combined his technical and business skills to achieve his ultimate dream job in the aerospace industry at United Launch Alliance.
UK MBA alum, Teddy Ray is a successful co-owner of the popular North Lime Coffee and Donuts, an eclectic and artsy spot known for its house made specialty donuts and freshest coffee with stores in both Lexington and Louisville Kentucky. Opening in 2012, North Lime works with local coffee roasters to support the local economy with 10% of all profits going towards a local charity or fundraiser.
UK MBA alumna, Amanda Tenney, was recently promoted to Project Delivery Senior Analyst Deloitte Consulting. Deloitte is the brand under which tens of thousands of dedicated professionals in independent firms throughout the world collaborate to provide audit & assurance, consulting, risk and financial advisory, risk management, tax, and related services to select clients.
University of Kentucky's Provost, David Blackwell recently announced that Simon J. Sheather has been selected as the next dean of the Gatton College of Business and Economics, pending approval by the UK Board of Trustees.
President and CEO of Planters Bank, Elizabeth McCoy received the Martha Layne Collins Leadership Award at the 2018 Women Leading Kentucky's Annual Business & Leadership Conference. This prestigious award recognizes an individual Kentucky woman of achievement who inspires and motivates other women through their personal, community and professional lives.
Graduation marks the end of another semester of Project Connect, the UK MBA's consulting practicum that acts as a built-in internship for One Year MBA students. This past semester, student teams applied Lean and Six Sigma tools to a diverse range of projects including (but not limited to) manufacturing, accounting, human capital, and safety processes. Across the range of projects, some estimated to account for more than $100,000 in productivity savings.
University of Kentucky alum, John Vidal, has been a continuous supporter and contributor to the UK MBA program over the years. He's currently the Vice President, Director of Portfolio Innovation Projects at the Brown-Forman Corporation, which is one of the largest American-owned companies in the spirits and wine business (headquarters in Louisville, KY). John has championed Brown Forman's participation in the Project Connect Internship program at the Gatton College of Business and Economics and has also served on the University of Kentucky's MBA Advisory Council since its inception in 2012.