Chris Darden has spent the last two years working at Homeland Security managing a $400 million IT project designed to reduce technological costs while also quickening response capabilities and coordination among Emergency Response Officials. He also serves on the West Virginia Air National Guard as a Navigator on the C-130H3 aircraft. He earned his MBA from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College in 2010. In this interview, Darden discusses how his MBA and military background have helped him in his current position and provides advice for veterans who are considering getting an MBA.
Dr. Lawrence Carr is a Professor of Management Accounting at the Graduate College of Business at Babson College, one of the top business schools for entrepreneurship. He is the recipient the Kennedy Award for Teaching Excellence. He got his MBA from Union College after serving in the Vietnam War and holds the rank of Captain (Retired) in the US Navy. Before entering academia, Carr spent 18 years in the corporate workforce, most notably as the CEO of OSRAM (a division of Siemens). In this interview, he discusses the similarities between military culture and startup culture, and provides advice to veterans who are considering starting their own business.
Grant Moon is the founder and President of VA Loan Captain, a company that helps veterans use their VA Loan Benefits. Moon has an MBA from Babson and 14 years of experience as an Enlisted Soldier and Commissioned Officer in the US Army National Guard. While in the military, he received several accolades including a Bronze Star Medal, an Army Commendation Medal, and two Army Achievement medals. In this interview, he discusses how his military background and MBA helped him start VA Loan Captain.
Gino Marchetti is a Strategic Accounts Manager and Partner at Orion International, the nation’s largest military recruiting firm. He has a BS in Economics from the U.S. Naval Academy and an MBA in Finance from USC Marshall School of Business. Prior to joining Orion, he spent five years serving in the U.S. Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer. In this interview, he offers advice for veterans who are considering getting an MBA and explains why more companies are looking to hire military MBAs.
The TopMBA Connect team is located in New York City, a key hotspot for social entrepreneurship, technology and the international business community.