Matt Wentzel
University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler Business School
(First graduating class of the new Charlotte Executive MBA Program)
Age: 36
“Ambitious, driven, neat freak, dog-dad, boat captain, sports fan, Vol for Life, Tar Heel.”
Hometown: Overland Park, Kansas, and living in Charlotte, North Carolina
Family Members: Dad, mom, brother, one nephew, two nieces, my girlfriend and our two dogs (a golden retriever and a husky)
Fun fact about yourself: I enjoy working with my hands, whether it be in creative ways through woodworking and DIY home improvement and renovation projects to assembling furniture. It is a satisfying feeling to see the finished product as an output of the time and effort put into it.
Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Tennessee, Haslam College of Business, BSBA, finance
Where are you currently working? Barings, Head of Counterparty Risk Management
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles: I have really enjoyed meeting and engaging with prospective UNC Kenan-Flagler students during my time in the program. I have attended a number of events allowing me to share my experiences and answer questions around what it is like to be an executive MBA at UNC Kenan-Flagler. The program also has offered opportunities for me to volunteer within the Charlotte community (Classroom Central) and fundraise for good causes (food drives, cancer awareness, veterans’ initiatives).
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Being seen and recognized as a leader within my study group. During our course Leading and Managing, we had the opportunity to come together as a group with a facilitator to discuss team dynamics, areas to improve, and more. Having my study group identify me as the leader of the group during that session is something I’m very proud of.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I was hired by Barings in May 2021 to establish the counterparty risk management function. Being tasked with building a function from the ground up relied on all aspects of my prior professional experiences, from technical skills and knowledge to team building and leadership. I was granted autonomy by my manager to do what was necessary to shape the function to meet industry standards, something I am proud to say we accomplished.
Why did you choose this school’s executive MBA program? Having spent several years in Charlotte as a young kid before moving to Kansas, the University of North Carolina was introduced to me at a young age. Influenced by friends, classmates in elementary school and family members, Chapel Hill was always THE university in my mind. Fast forward 25 years and UNC Kenan-Flagler brought their Executive MBA program to Charlotte, where I had returned to live after a number of years living, studying and working in several locations across the Midwest, Southeast and Northeast. Given my affinity for the University of North Carolina that started at a young age had only grown over the last couple of decades, it was an easy decision to apply and pursue my executive MBA with UNC Kenan-Flagler over other programs in the area. It was literally a dream come true to become a Tar Heel and the program has offered the rigor and opportunity to hone current and develop new skills. The flexibility to chart my own path through elective offerings in my second year has provided further opportunities to dive deeper into areas of interest. I have become a more well-rounded individual, both professionally and personally.
What is the biggest lesson you gained during your MBA and how did you apply it at work? Learning about power and influence during our elective course “Leading in the Middle” was a very real-world lesson I could apply to my day-to-day in my current role. As someone who has spent my career working in risk management, I have come to realize we are agents of change. Understanding how my current role and organization fit within the broader firm in terms of power and influence helped me to realize how I can better affect change at my company. The ability to identify those with formal or informal (political) power and how to best partner with them to achieve success was incredibly relevant for me. It has helped me in in pushing my initiatives forward and reaching a desirable outcome for all involved.
Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, family and education? It may have been my naivete when entering the program that pursuing my executive MBA, while also working full-time as the head of a global function and maintaining family and personal connections, would be straightforward. It did not take long to realize that balancing all three effectively was going to require making some sacrifices. I have been very fortunate to have a manager who was supportive of me pursuing my MBA. I am also grateful to have a loving and sympathetic girlfriend who understood I might be stressed at times. Having their support helped me navigate the difficulties of my first term when I was trying to figure out how to handle it all — and has remained in place through taking a heavier courseload as I began year two of the program. I’m convinced that nobody can do this alone. It has been with the support of those around me that I was able to successfully juggle all aspects of my life over the last two years.
What advice would you give to a student looking to enter an executive MBA program? I have been provided with the opportunity to speak with prospective executive MBA students over the last couple of years. My main piece of advice is something that someone passed along to me: There is no “right” reason to pursue your MBA. Everyone has their own reasons for wanting to get their MBA, and all of them are “right” for the individual and their interests. This is true whether it involves advancing their career, fueling their passion for knowledge and education, improving their financial situation, or developing professionally. Whatever reason you want to pursue your MBA is enough of a reason to do so. You will benefit from it.
What was your biggest regret in business school? I regret not taking advantage of the experiential learning opportunities offered by UNC Kenan-Flagler, specifically the international options that have provided several of my classmates with wonderful, immersive learning opportunities, both professionally and culturally. Having heard about their respective experiences in the Galapagos, Mexico City and Morocco, my classmates were able to participate in the global experiences that UNC Kenan-Flagler has to offer that I, regretfully, opted not to pursue.
Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Don Young. Don was a member of my study group during the first year of the program. We have gotten to know each other well during our time together at UNC Kenan-Flagler. I was not sure what to expect from Don when I first met him; he is a senior executive at a publicly traded company and had 35+ years of combined military service and professional experience when entering the program. Despite his success, Don has always made the time to not only contribute to the success of our study group, but he also has been incredibly gracious with his time to offer career guidance and support to several members of the Class of 2024 (including myself).
What was the main reason you chose an executive MBA program over part-time or online alternatives? The in-person experience was the most important to me when choosing an executive MBA program. As much as I have taken from the coursework and academics at UNC Kenan-Flagler, the true experience has been working with and learning from the cohorts. They consist of talented and accomplished individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives that differ from my own and have helped me grow personally and professionally
What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? I want to continue developing and empowering the next generation of leaders within the financial services industry, while continuing my personal and professional development as someone who others choose to follow.
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