EMBA Testimonials

"Dear Farrokh,
Thank you….
For the opportunity to become an EMBA
For your wisdom, guidance, and unending patience,
For the faith you had in my ability to overcome adversity,
For the chance to be humbled by other  bright  intelligent individuals,
For showing me the path to rise to the occasion and experience the Cycle of One,
For being a wonderful teacher and mentor,
With much gratitude,"

 - Lee Williamson, Executive Director, Delaware Symphony Orchestra

Note from the Director, Farrokh Langdana: Lee Williamson was awarded the position of Executive Director of the Delaware Symphony Orchestra about three months before graduating from the REMBA program.  She reports that she has a new corner office of gargantuan proportions.  The Rutgers EMBA Program looks forward to taking the train down to go visit her.

"Good morning, Farrokh. I wanted to share this good news with you that I received yesterday. I was officially made a Partner at Loop Capital Markets yesterday. I am the the youngest partner (39 yrs old) and the first to make it in under 3 yrs of service to the firm. My Chairman, Jim Reynolds stated yesterday that he already sees my growth as a manager and banker since beginning the Rutgers EMBA Program.

I am very blessed and appreciative that you accepted me within the Program. It is paying off in more ways than one and I am not even half way through!"

 - Derek McNeil, Partner, Loop Captial Markets

Dr. Sunil Wimalawansa, Head of Endocrinology at Robert Wood Johnson hospital, and Rutgers EMBA extraordinaire, sends us this photo of him crossing the Finish Line at a 5K run in San Diego, recently; Sunil came first in the over-50 race.  But most important—note his shirt!  Rutgers EMBA!

"Under Farrokh’s leadership, and with the support of the Rutgers administration, the EMBA program has been taken to new heights and has expanded its approach to reflect today’s global marketplace.  With top rankings from the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, and Business Week, the program continues to demonstrate the compelling value proposition that it offers."

 - Frank Gatti, Retired CFO and Senior VP, ETS

"Often in life, people undergo life changing experiences and that those experiences become part of who they are.  This amazing program is just that.  At the start, I wasn’t sure what to expect but I knew that I needed a change in my life that would begin to define the next 20 years of me and my career.  The EMBA at RBS has impacted me beyond my imagination.  As I drive to work, I begin to notice so many cars on the road with the red “R” stickers, and I feel that I have become part of something much bigger than just me.

It is too difficult to describe in words what the EMBA program has meant to me, but I can say that hands down, by some force of nature greater than me, that I made the right choice of schools.  I am truly grateful and humbled by all of you; for your time, commitment and caring towards all of the students.

Thank you for all that you have done to make the REMBA program outstanding."

 - Richard Acoury, EMBA 2011

"Just wanted to share with you that I flew out to Atlanta last week and officially signed as a Franchisee with Primrose Schools - the leader in educational child care. I have wanted to do this for a few years now but stopped short for various reasons. Due credit to my entire EMBA experience for giving me the confidence and conviction to move forward with this venture.

I have used Prof. Rachel Napear's class to drive a lot of the discussions and QA with the parent company. In fact, when I met with Primrose Management Team on Friday, I was told that I was one of very few prospects who requested a SWOT, Market and Demographic analyses prior to signing up! I have EMBA to thank for that!

My target Market is Berkeley Heights and if all goes well, my school licensed for 200 kids will be opening in the fall of 2012! Will keep you posted of my progress.

In the meantime, coinciding with the EMBA graduation & progressing my Plan B, I accepted the Director, Strategic Program Management Role at Prudential. My first day at the job, I was presented with the team's Marketing Rationale - "Execute against key opportunities relative to market segments by differentiating between appropriate target market segments in which to sell aggressively, opportunistically.........unprofitable market segments will be remediated to free up capacity to absorb growth in profitable market segments." I felt like I was right back with Professors Barry Karafin and Sandy Becker.

For the knowledge, the insight, the confidence and the lifetime of friendships, my Rutgers EMBA experience is more valuable to me than I can ever put in words."

- Amina Gunaratne, Director, Strategic Program Management, Prudential

"Farrokh,

I have to tell you about the huge value the Rutgers EMBA program had for myself because I think such feedback is important to you with all the efforts you put into this program.

I accepted the offer for the position of CFO within a leading US container terminal operator and will start my new role right next week. As I am a non-US resident (fyi: Markus is German), this means a great opportunity to me to gain ground in a leading position with a US company. This has been facilitated by the “gate-opening” of my class-mate, Morten Nicolaisen, (fyi: Morten is CFO of Maersk, USA), who provided me with the contact. This is a great example of the networking opportunities the Rutgers EMBA program can offer.  But most importantly, going successfully through the tough and condensed program, learning a big deal about new financial approaches, strategy, global economy and so much more, combined together with updating my knowledge from my past studies, gave me a lot of “technical” confidence and the ability to fulfill the tasks that such a position requires.

I want to express my thanks to the faculty’s efforts in teaching us the latest material in a very practical and understandable way. And especially, I want to thank YOU for having established this program and implemented this very special REMBA culture where the school is not a hurdle but a supporter for the mastering of all the challenges (and sometimes pains) involved with these studies.

I am happy to be only few days away from the graduation now, but also sad to leave the program."

- Markus Braun, EMBA 2011

"I decided to go back to school for my MBA to expand my business skill-set to be considered for roles of increasing responsibility. My career path to that point was not going to take me much further based on having expertise in one specific discipline. The Rutgers EMBA proved to be the ideal choice. From the professors, readings, trips and my classmates, I gained knowledge that was implemented immediately in the workplace. In some cases I was able to enhance my own work product and in other instances, I participated in discussions and decisions outside of my area of responsibility. Upon graduation, the REMBA experience allowed me to move to a more challenging role at a global technology company. In fact, the job description expanded over the course of the interview process as the company became more comfortable with my background. I was hired as the first Executive Director for the company's U.S. medical business overseeing all Web, Brand, Public Relations, Public Affairs and Marketing Communications activity. Since then, my team and scope of work has doubled due to an acquisition and I am a founding member of a workgroup responsible for guiding communications across all of the company's markets around the globe. I have also just been informed that I will report to the new position of President of the medical business for North and South America. I know that without the skills and motivation provided by REMBA, I would not have had been considered for this position."

 - Mark A. Miller, Executive Director, Marketing Services, Olympus America Inc.

"My thoughts on the program – It was one of the best things I have ever done to enhance my knowledge and career.  While an executive program is challenging, specifically with handling the demands full time job, trying to still be present for my husband and daughter and successfully manage the course work, I enjoyed every second of it.  I was able to stretch myself in ways I didn’t think were possible, throughout the program, beginning with my first week of classes, I was able to immediately utilize my learnings in my workplace. Throughout the program I had the opportunity to be promoted twice and now, 8 months after graduating I’m getting my 3rd promotion!"

  - Jennifer D. Garofolo, Product Manager, Access/Payer Strategy & Marketing, Rivaroxaban

"Thanks for 2 great years that will continue to have an impact on my life till the day I die. I have struggled since I came to NJ to meet people that I really connected with and could form lasting bonds, that is all different now. I have met such a wonderful group of people that I will be friends with for life, that have common interests, goals, and I am sure we will be in touch forever. It is too bad there are no ROI measures for that.... get Jagpal on that one.  I know the program will just get stronger with you at the helm, and I hope you stick with it till it's reputation surpasses all of those programs across the river."

  - Brad Kinnas, EMBA 2010

"It has been almost a year from the happy moments of graduating from the REMBA program.  With the market yet to fully recover from the worst crisis last year, I was very nervous about landing the job I wanted right after my REMBA  degree.

After a few initial setbacks to finding my dream job, I did some strategy analysis based on skills taught by Prof. Barry Karafin and modified my job search accordingly. As a result I landed up at one of the best starting points to launch a management career immediately after an EMBA program. I have been very successful as a great technologist for the last 13 years and there was something lacking to be a great manager inspite of my skills. I believe it was the lack of formal MBA education from a branded school. Rutgers Executive MBA filled that exact gap. My recent job of Vice President of Corporate Finance Technology at Citigroup Corporate Center, responsible for a budget of close to 2MM dollars and managing a global team of 35 technology professionals is quite a bit of an achievement. Esp. keeping in mind, that I was an individual contributor prior to my EMBA program. As a part of this role I am managing technology applications to keep Managerial Reporting and Regulatory Reporting of month-end accounting book close for Citi Private Bank divisions in US and Latin America. Every day I remember Suresh’s accounting tips and his smart quotes in his class.

In my job, I noticed that my personality has improved a lot and that I have a more global mind-set than when I joined the program. The leadership and negotiating skills acquired are of use on a day to day basis. I can’t thank you enough for making this REMBA experience and unique and rewarding one.

Please keep up the great leadership in creating many leaders that transform the corporate world for decades to come.

Thanking all the EMBA staff for their great support and to Marisa for preparing a special lunch every week to accommodate my dietary restrictions without my request. Where else we can find such sweet MBA staff."

 - Seethar Sunku, EMBA 2010

"Outside of Rutgers the word 'executive' may often times be associated with the words stodgy and arrogant. 'Executive' may even intimidate some individuals. The 'E' in the RBS EMBA culture does not have any of those connotations. The culture is casual and helpful. As executive students, we spend our time and energy learning from one another rather than competing against each other."

  - Joe Fetcho, Vice President, Treasury Controllership, American Express

"I enrolled in the Rutgers Executive MBA program in 2004 to sharpen my administrative and leadership skills and learn new ideas that I could take back to my workplace as well as to several non-profit organizations with which I volunteer. My goal was to make our efforts more efficient and productive. Two areas I am particularly focused on are leadership and marketing."

  - Sunil Wimalawansa, Professor, UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

"As my career advances, I increasingly find myself in positions in which strategic analysis of the business is critical. I wanted to gain a better understanding of managing this aspect of a dynamic organization, which led me to the Rutgers EMBA program."

  - Peter G. Pangis, Director, Merrill Lynch Private Banking & Investment Group