2015 Best EMBA: Jonathan D. Tenenbaum

Jonathan Tenenbaum

Jonathan D. Tenenbaum

 

University of Florida, Hough Graduate School of Business

A Brooklyn Law grad, Jonathan Tenanbaum is the general manager for NameJet, a domain name aftermarket auction company. He is renowned for his ability to “command a room and work a crowd,” not surprising coming from a one-time member of a hip hop band that opened for acts like the Wu-Tang Clan and Naughty by Nature. In his spare time, Tenanbaum is a guest lecturer at the Florida Coastal School of Law and Wilkes University.

Age: 38

Location: Jacksonville, FL

Family Members: Elizabeth (wife), Jackson (son) & Brayden (son)

Undergraduate School: Villanova University / Brooklyn Law School (Juris Doctorate)

Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Finance;

Where are you currently working? NameJet, LLC – General Manager

“I knew I wanted to go to business school when…while working as in-house counsel for Web.com and NameJet, I recognized the need to expand my skills and abilities in order to provide more value to the companies and to further grow in my career.”

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…continuing my work as a corporate attorney.”

What are your long-term professional goals?  Long-term I would like to further grow and evolve professionally, perhaps running a publically-traded company (or a large division thereof) while also putting myself in a better position to help others through different charitable efforts. I can also see myself getting involved with an early-stage company and helping to take it public.

Favorite Courses: Consumer & Managerial Decision Making, Financial & Managerial Accounting, Risk & Crisis Management

Which academic or professional achievements are you most proud of? Academically, I am most proud of my success in the MBA program, as well as my internship with Enterprise Community Partners (formally the Enterprise Foundation) while I attended law school. Enterprise’s mission is to create opportunities for people with low to moderate income through affordable housing in diverse and thriving communities, and working there was a very fulfilling experience. Professionally, I am most proud of the work I have done to date running NameJet, a leading domain name auction platform that is a joint venture between Web.com Group, Inc. and Rightside Group, Ltd. In the process I have successfully transitioned from the General Counsel to the General Manager of the company, responsible for all day-to-day operations as well as long-term strategy and direction, whereby my MBA experience has been a key driver of that success. I am also very proud of my prior work as in-house counsel for Web.com, where I helped the company grow from $150 million to $1 billion in market cap through my involvement in deals such as Web.com’s acquisitions of Register.com ($135 million) and Network Solutions ($560 million).

Who would you most want to thank for your success?  I would thank my family for being very supportive and encouraging in all of my efforts.

Why did you choose this executive MBA program? I chose this executive MBA program because it has a strong reputation, it is very well administered, and I have worked with people whom I greatly respect that went through the program and had a great experience. Additionally, the close proximity to my home made it possible for me to attend the on-campus classes, which was a key aspect of the program.

What did you enjoy most about the executive MBA program? I most enjoyed expanding my knowledge base, my skill-set and my professional network.  My fellow cohorts have not only become friends but also greatly enhanced the overall value of the program, in that I have learned almost as much from them as from the professors and curriculum.

What is your most memorable moment from business school? My most memorable moment was during orientation. We spent the first day on a “ropes course” and it was an exciting and memorable experience showing up on the first day, meeting all of my classmates and beginning to face those challenges together.

What was the most surprising thing about B-school? I was most surprised by the amount of work required and the amount of value obtained.  I didn’t expect the program to be as rigorous as it was, but at the same time this resulted in incredible knowledge and value gained for me.

Fun fact about yourself: I currently co-host a podcast called Domain Masters, which is focused on domain name investing and the domain name aftermarket. Also, in my younger days I was in a hip-hop band that opened up for well-known acts such as the Wu-Tang Clan, Lil Wayne, Naughty by Nature and the Sugar Hill Gang.

Favorite book: The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement

Favorite movie: Pulp Fiction

Favorite musical performer: Jay-Z

Favorite television show: Breaking Bad

Favorite vacation spot: Aruba

What are your hobbies? Books, movies, music, video games & sports

Twitter Handle: j10enbaum

What made Jonathan such an invaluable addition to the class of 2015 for your executive MBA program?

“Jonathan is currently General Manager at NameJet, a leading domain name auction platform. As GM he is responsible for the long-term strategy and all daily operations. Jonathan is an accomplished legal attorney who chose the UF Executive MBA to further his education and expand his business skills. His goal is to be an even more effective contributor in the legal world. While enrolled in the UF Executive MBA program Jonathan has proven himself to be an excellent student and strong performer across multiple business disciplines. He is easy-going and approachable. He knows how to command a room and work a crowd. This situational acumen combined with his outstanding work ethic and communication skills make him stand out as a student. He exemplifies what it means to be a UF MBA Alum and we look forward to even bigger things as he advances through the next stages of his career. 

– John Gresley, Director of Executive & Professional Student Affairs

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