Seven alumni honored at annual awards dinner

Gary Cohen

Career Highlights: 37-year career with BD (Becton, Dickinson, and Co.) including 25 years as an executive officer who, at various times, led more than half of the company’s global business.

Other leadership roles: Founder and board chair, Together for Girls; Founder and CEO Maternal Newborn Health Innovations, PBC; Founder, Antimicrobial Resistance Fighter Coalition; Chair, Corporate/CDC Roundtable on Global Health Threats.

Ties to Rutgers: MBA, Rutgers Graduate School of Management (now RBS); Bachelor’s degree, Business Administration, Rutgers College. He founded the Rutgers Institute for Corporate Social Innovation at Rutgers Business School. 

“The most rewarding thing about working in the business world was traveling to over 70 countries and working with people from so many different nationalities and cultures. It gave me the opportunity to leverage the capabilities and resources of the business sector to address challenging unmet societal health needs and issues.”

“I tend to take on very challenging problems, issues most people would choose not to work on because they are very difficult to address, and I mobilize collaborative initiatives across sectors (public, private, nonprofit, academia) to enable positive change to be achieved at a global scale.  I would say this demonstrates resourcefulness. I think this is an important quality because it helps to achieve transformative change.”

“The experience and knowledge I gained at RBS, and the ‘taste’ of what it was like to be successful, benefited me throughout my whole career. Being engaged with Rutgers helps enable students who otherwise may not benefit from a privileged upbringing to achieve their career and life potential.”

Gary Chropuvka

Career highlights: Former president, World Quant; partner Goldman Sachs, where he co-headed the Quantitative Investment Strategies group. His career on Wall Street began at Morgan Stanley’s Correspondent Clearing Group.

Other endeavors: Co-founder of Baseable, a charity that focuses on promoting the game of baseball for individuals with intellectual disabilities in partnership with Special Olympics. He also serves as treasurer and trustee for the Monmouth Medical Center Foundation.

Ties to Rutgers: Bachelor’s degree in mathematics; minor in chemistry, Rutgers College; trustee, Rutgers University; chairman, Joint Committee of Investments, Rutgers University Endowment; vice-chairman, Rutgers University’s board of directors. He is a founding member of Rutgers Business School’s Road to Wall Street Program, and a member of the school's board of advisors. He is also a Rutgers football and basketball season ticketholder.

“The most thrilling part of my job was understanding and tackling a difficult business problem. The world of finance has limitless problems which is great for new graduates and fantastic for people who have been in the business for decades.”

“Simply put, it feels great to give back to Rutgers. I do feel like it is also an expectation to pay it forward to the hard-working gritty Rutgers student that has a passion for success in finance or any other discipline.”

Harvey Schwartz

Career Highlights: Chief Executive Officer and member board of directors, Carlyle; former president and co-chief operating officer, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. He joined Goldman Sachs in 1997 and held numerous senior leadership positions, including chief financial officer, global co-hear od the Securities Division, head of Securities Division Sales, head of North American Sales and co-head of the Americas Financing Group.

Interests: As both an investor and advisor, he is currently involved in a range of investment and philanthropic endeavors, including a focus on mental health, and developing future business leaders.

Ties to Rutgers: Bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University; sits on Rutgers University’s board of governors. He is in the university’s Hall of Distinguished Alumni.

“At a state university where 75% of the students receive financial aid, it is incredibly important for those of us who are in a position to support do what we can to stay engaged and contribute to the success of the students as they prepare for their future.”

“I am extremely proud of my involvement in the creation of the Road to Wall Street Program and especially proud of the graduates who I have met and worked with along the way over the years. It is impressive to see what RTWS has become today with the support of the Business School and Dean Lei and how it is creating opportunities for students to build the skills to succeed and thrive in finance.”

Ramon Rodriguez

Career Highlights: JPMorgan Chase & Co., vice president, Sports & Entertainment Marketing; Team Lead, JPMorgan Chase & Co. Service Corps Program Corps Miami Cohort (the firm’s strategic pro bono consulting program); Diversity Lead and Campus Recruiter, Consumer and Community Banking.

Leadership Roles: JPMorgan Chase & Co., Rutgers Alumni Leadership Team; Adelante Tri-State, the firm’s Business Resource Group supporting the professional development and leadership opportunities for Hispanic and Latino employees.

Ties to Rutgers: Bachelor’s degree in marketing, Rutgers Business School; founding brother, Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity, Inc.; Rutgers University Student Government Association; Rutgers University Diversity Committee; former president, Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA).

“I am a first-generation college student from an urban area in New Jersey where many do not make it out. Rutgers and EOF gave me an opportunity and opened many doors for me. I attribute a large part of my professional success to various mentors from Rutgers who guided me throughout my college and professional career. I believe in paying it forward as it is important to extend your hand and bring up the next person.”

“Growing up I did not have the same experience and opportunities as many of peers who do not come from an urban area and those similar to my background have to learn how to be resourceful to keep pushing forward. Having my humble upbringings has helped me overcome many challenges that many without my experience may not have been able to overcome.”