Jimmy Swartz
Georgia Institute of Technology, Scheller College of Business
Age: 47
“Courageous energetic engaging Dad, Husband, Friend. Decisive empathetic healthcare strategist seeking better for everyone. Fun!”
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Family Members: Spouse, Veronica. Children James (22) & daughter-in-law Hailey, Meghan (21), Emily (19), Caleb (15), Faith (14), Stepson Max (13), Samuel (11), Julia (9). Grandson Alden (1). Jim and Lyn (Mom and Dad). Brother Dan Swartz. Sisters Allison Newton and Amanda Thierez. Numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews, and beyond.
Fun fact about yourself: I love a map. I have a unique sense of direction and ability to navigate back to places I have only been to once, even years later. Can’t tell you the names of streets or any specifics. Just go this way and that way and look for this landmark.
Undergraduate School and Degree: The Citadel, Military College of South Carolina. Bachelors of Science in Business Administration, Concentration in Accounting
Current Company and Role: The Swartz Company, Director. Providing strategic financial and operational guidance to healthcare industry operators, enhancing business process through automation and AI integration.
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work, and Leadership Roles: Dad of 8 kids and 1 grandson. Cheerleader to all. Atlanta Community Foodbank, Immaculate Heart of Mary School and Church Volunteer. Emory GA Tech Consulting Club. Past Board Member Atlanta Hospital Hospitality House.
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Being selected to be the GA Tech EMBA nominee for Poets&Quants. Honored and humbled to be selected to represent the school, my classmates, and peers. Further, I am most proud of being able to add an EMBA program and the work effort required to my already busy schedule and still get the most out of being a husband, dad, friend and professional.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? It has been growing beyond my technical abilities into integrating the human people component into them. The proudest moment of my professional career was hiring someone to work on my team who barely met the requirements for the job and didn’t have all of the experiences that some of the other candidates did. But the person demonstrated what I say as ability and opportunity. Investing in that person and seeing them grow as a professional and move onto an even greater role in another organization was so rewarding.
Who was your favorite MBA professor? Frank Rothaermel. He showed us that people matter. He spent time before each class saying hello and engaging with each student. His high energy and passion for what he does demonstrated how he wanted to help us grow and be the best we can be.
Why did you choose this school’s executive MBA program? It was because of the intersection of the technical (architecture, engineering and information technology) and business. The in-person program and opportunities the Scheller Business School enables us to connect “to the other side of the highway” here at Georgia Tech. That means the business school sits one side of the major interstate through Atlanta and the technical schools sit on the other side. It is in the middle of the technology hub of Atlanta with enormous growth potential. The program offers relationships and networking both during the program and beyond completion.
What is the biggest lesson you gained during your MBA and how did you apply it at work? An even greater balance. Already having personal life and work, adding an EMBA program to the mix required me to be in even more places. While it requires some sacrifice, it shows me that I can balance even more and get more out of it. It requires heightened efficiency and deeper rigor in prioritizing and managing time.
Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, family, and education: My schedule was already full before beginning the program. I go to the office 4 days a week and spend time in the car. I help with kid transportation from school to sports in Atlanta. I travel out of town every first, third and fifth weekend to spend time with my kids that live in a different state. My time with my kids is valuable. My time at home is valuable. I have had to learn how to adapt and use the time I have. My commute time has transitioned to listening to lectures, case studies, and other school work. I had classes on Friday and Saturday, which impacted my time with my kids. I’ve had to negotiate rearrangement of the schedule and, at times, shorten my visits to a Sunday only. In the middle of it all, I decided to leave my job in the big corporate healthcare provider world to transition to the next phase.
What advice would you give to a student looking to enter an executive MBA program? Explore different programs. Participate in class visits. Get others perspectives and use them to guide you in YOUR decision. Do it for you, not for anyone else. Find where you connect. Be prepared to leverage the relationship-building opportunities.
What was your biggest regret in business school? No regrets. I am getting all of it. Everything in life is an experience. We get to choose the experiences. At times maybe I would have done things differently, but I only know that after having the experience and will do them differently going forward. Why have regrets? You can’t change the past. You can only learn from it and apply it today!
What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? Professors are leveraging AI in class materials, encouraging responsible use and guiding us through prompting and leveraging in the different types of program work. They are supporting it, not avoiding it or denying that it is there to be leveraged.
What insights did you gain from using AI? They are great tools, but don’t replace the human intuition that is still required.
What was the main reason you chose an executive MBA program over part-time or online alternatives? It was the in-person sessions, teamwork, and relationship-building. The in-person discussions are fantastic and engaging, beyond what you can get online. I chose an executive over a part-time program as I desire to complete in a shorter period of time even if a deeper investment is required.
How did you finance your EMBA and what did you do to make tuition and associated costs more affordable? I am paying out-of-pocket. While an investment, I am investing in my career.
What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? I want to be in a position to make a positive impact on people through leadership, encouragement, and love directly and through a reflection of how I walk in my day. I don’t get it all right. I hit the wall at times, but I learn and keep going.
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