Merianne Kimmel Roth
Texas Christian University, Neeley School of Business
Age: 50
“Motivated by Purpose, High Performance Teams, Big Laughter, Integrity, Complex Challenges and my incredible family.”
Hometown: McComb, MS via Seoul, Korea
Family Members: Steve Roth (husband); Truman Roth (son); Grady Roth (son)
Fun fact about yourself: I come from a family of veterinarians and used to train and show German Shepherds.
Undergraduate School and Degree: Mississippi University for Women, BS American History & English Literature; Executive MBA, Texas Christian University
Where are you currently working? Texas Christian University, Vice Chancellor, Marketing & Communication
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles:
Fort Worth Country Day Trustee; Trustee & Leadership Chair
Fort Worth Forum, Board of Directors
Presbyterian Night Shelter; First Presbyterian Church; Trinity River Vision TIF Board; Leadership Fort Worth
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? The entire experience was transformational and the program pushes each individual to perform at your very best. However, I’m most proud of the way our cohort worked together and the forever bonds we’ve made. Personally, our oldest son Truman also graduated from high school at the same time and I’m so very proud of all he has achieved. I’m so happy that he will spend his next years at TCU as well. It has been an exciting time in our household!
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Being a lifelong learner and earning an EMBA at 50 was no small task, only made possible by the support of family, my incredible team, and the leadership at TCU and friends – all cheering me on. I’m fortunate to have been able to choose a career and positions that have given me high-stakes experience, mentors, friends and purpose. I’m still close to the teams I’ve been a part of and am proud of the relationships that have been built, as well as the contributions to organizations that make a difference.
Who was your favorite MBA professor? This is the toughest question because each of our professors is stellar in the classroom, experts in their fields who care about each student’s development. Vassil Mihov made finance fun, a tall order for my communication brain. Rita Kosnik literally changed the way I think about every human interaction. Mary Uhl-Bien’s lectures on ethical leadership and complexity theory opened up completely new ways of approaching strategy and re-centering on values. I’ll stop at Top Three!
Why did you choose this school’s executive MBA program? It has been the privilege of a lifetime to experience TCU as a student, in addition to being on staff. As a marketer, there’s no better way to understand what a school is about than to be a student. Neeley faculty are the best in the nation, among them, then Dean Daniel Pullin (now TCU President Pullin), who taught an inspiring innovation course that set the tone for our class, Neeley, and now all of TCU. The leadership at TCU is unmatched.
What is the biggest lesson you gained during your MBA and how did you apply it at work? Determination and grit make a difference, and relationships make it meaningful. I’ve been in the business world for quite some time, so this wasn’t a new learning, but represents the difference between surviving and thriving. The past 20 months have been a long, well-learned lesson in putting your heart and head fully into an aspiration and making it a reality. The journey requires grace and support from people you might not even know are in your corner, cheering you on. You never get there alone.
Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, family and education? The best advice someone gave me was to think about when and where you will make time for the study and work needed to get the most out of an EMBA. We work in groups, but the solo study and assignments require focus. In my position, the days are full and rarely left time for classwork. Plus, I was not willing to sacrifice quality of time with my family, outside of the class days. Many, many days I knew that quiet study time would start, if I was lucky, at 11pm and go on. I’m a night owl so it worked for me and always felt like an investment in myself. I’ve told my husband I’m ready for an MLA next.
What advice would you give to a student looking to enter an executive MBA program? It’s never too late but…Do It Now! For years, I kept thinking a better window would appear where I had more brain space, but life happens and rarely gets easier. Because friends and colleagues encouraged me, I jumped right in and didn’t overthink it once I was accepted into the program. The biggest trick is carving time out of a packed working-parent schedule and making some hard decisions about how you’ll invest your time.
What was your biggest regret in business school? The timing worked out beautifully for my life because there’s not another cohort of friends that I would choose to learn with. But I sure do wish I had some of the lessons from the EMBA earlier in my career. It’s a lot of pressure in the moment, but 20 months certainly does fly by and I wish I could re-live some of those moments.
Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Our class was full of superstars who were undergoing significant life and career changes. We had promotions, job changes, bought and sold businesses and even had babies. Sara Thurber is one of the smartest and most focused people I know; I am so proud of her personally and professionally. She and Mike Frisinger were our tireless class leaders and gave us all the gifts of their time and advocacy. Sara and husband James had beautiful baby boy Conrad right in the middle of our coursework. She had to miss our South Africa trip, but stayed connected and was our constant cheerleader from afar.
What was the main reason you chose an executive MBA program over part-time or online alternatives? I’ve had many friends go through the program and I’ve seen them take their careers and leadership to the next level. The program is built in perfect balance. Complex finance and analytical courses were paired with challenging courses on ethics, business law and leadership. The learnings from each class built upon the previous coursework, ensuring your critical thinking and capacity for analysis was working at its highest and best.
What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? Being a part of a high performing leadership team has always been a motivating force in my career and in life. Working in higher education is unique in its purpose – where your every action is intended to help someone else grow, learn and improve. My ultimate goal is to always contribute to a purpose-led team and within an organization I care deeply about. TCU has invested so much in me and I’m proud to be a Horned Frog.
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