From CEOs to politicians, here are 10 notable alumni from Cornell University’s MBA program
Thu Jun 30 2022
Cornell University’s Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management is renowned for its full-time MBA program. The degree was launched in 1946 and has since launched graduates into careers at some of the world’s biggest companies.
The Cornell Johnson MBA is ranked 17th in the world and 11th in the US by the Financial Times
Cornell MBA students are located in Ithaca, New York for the duration of their program, close to major cities including New York, Boston, and Philadelphia.
Here are the most notable alumni from Cornell University’s MBA.
Mark graduated with an MBA in 1989, after doing an undergraduate degree at Wayne State University in Detroit. He joined the Fortune 50 healthcare benefits company in 2003 and was made CEO in 2010.
After Aetna was sold to CVS, Mark moved into financial management, becoming co-CEO of Bridgewater Associates, one of the largest hedge funds in the world. He is also on the board of directors for Verizon.
Beforereceiving his MBA from Cornell in 1964, David achieved a bachelor’s degree in software engineering. He went on to become an entrepreneur and founded two software companies after the age of 40: PeopleSoft and Workday.
PeopleSoft went on to become the second-largest application software company, while SaaS company Workday is now valued at $9.5 billion.
3. Anne Chow
CEO AT&T Business
Class of 1990
As well as her MBA, Anne Chow also did her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering at Cornell. When she accepted the position of CEO at AT&T Business in 2019, she became the first woman to hold the position and the first woman of color in AT&T’s history.
Anne is also the co-author of a bestselling book on unconscious bias in business and has also served on the board of directors for companies including the Girl Scouts of the USA and the Asian American Justice Center.
4. Randy Papadellis
Former President and CEO of Ocean Spray
Class of 1981
After his Cornell MBA, Randy built a 35-year career in the food and beverage industry. He majored in marketing during his MBA, and after graduating took roles at global brands like Lays, Schweppes, and Welch’s.
He was appointed President and CEO of Ocean Spray Cranberries in 2002 and held the position for 16 years.
5. Herbert Fisk Johnson
Chairman and CEO SC Johnson & Son, Inc
Class of 1984
Herbert did all of his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at Cornell, including a master’s in applied physics and a PhD. Three years after graduating with his MBA, Herbert joined his family’s company, SC Johnson—the namesake of Cornell’s College of Business.
As well as working in senior management roles both nationally and internationally for SC Johnson, Herbert has been recognized for his philanthropy and activism, including in raising awareness of ocean plastic pollution.
Dan graduated with a bachelor’s degree in government and international studies in 1975 and shortly after moved to Ithaca to get his MBA. He started his career as an intern at AT&T and was later made CEO of their International division based in the Netherlands.
In 2007, Dan was named CEO of Sprint Corporation, one of the US’ largest mobile network operators. In a period of customer dissatisfaction, Dan focused on increasing customer service, forging partnerships with technology companies including Apple, and launching more retail stores.
Managing Director of UBS Private Wealth Management
Class of 2000
Angela achieved a master’s degree at the University of Konstanz, Germany, before moving to the US to get her MBA from Cornell. In the early years of her finance career, she worked as an associate at JP Morgan and Vice President of Bank of America.
Since 2008, she has been managing director of the private wealth management department of global financial services firm UBS. Angela was also a founding member of the United Nations Foundation Global Entrepreneurs Council.
Before joining Cornell, Jim was in the United States Navy. However, at the end of his active duty, he took a role at Wyle Laboratories, a defense consulting firm. In 2008, he was made executive director of the Tulsa Air and Space Museum and got his MBA shortly after.
After three years in the House of Representatives, Jim was chosen by President Donald Trump as the 13th administrator of NASA.
9. Brett Keller
CEO of Priceline
Class of 1997
After graduating with a bachelor’s in Japanese with a minor in business, Brett moved to Japan to work in marketing for Seiko Instruments. After two years, he moved back to the US to get his MBA from Cornell.
After graduating, he took the role of Director of Marketing at Priceline—an online travel agency—a company he has remained at for 23 years. As well as becoming Chief Marketing Officer, Brett also held the role of Chief Operating Officer before becoming CEO in 2016.
10. Amane Nakashima
Chairman of Kewpie Corp. and President of Nakashimoto Co.
Class of 1989
Amane achieved an undergraduate degree in economics from Waseda University in Tokyo before moving to the US to get his MBA. He has been President of Nakashimoto Co.—a food distribution company based in Japan—since 1993, a role that has also included management of Legrand Filles et Fils, one of Paris’ most renowned wine businesses.
Amane is also Chairman of the Board for Kewpie Corp., Japan’s leading manufacturer of mayonnaise.
Learn about more notable alumni from top schools like Stanford, NYU, and UC Berkeley.
Cornell University The Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management
Student
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31/10/2023
On Campus
Outstanding facilities
Cornell University is widely renowned for its esteemed reputation. It boasts remarkable educators, well-stocked library resources, and efficient administrative services. The university offers outstanding amenities that cater to the needs of all individuals, with ample computer facilities and study areas. Moreover, students benefit from excellent educational communication and writing support, as well as guidance from highly knowledgeable education professionals.
Stacy
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31/10/2023
On Campus
Gaining knowledge
Cornell is an amazing school with tons of opportunities for future careers. The campus is beautiful, and the professors are awesome. I feel like I'm getting a great education, and it's tough but rewarding. It's pushed me to grow and improve myself, and the competition here is healthy, not cutthroat. I'm learning to work with others and to help them, just like they've helped me. This is the best school I could have chosen.
Student
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19/10/2023
On Campus
LLM Program at Cornell Tech
The LLM program at Cornell Tech offers a transformative educational experience, seamlessly merging law and technology. Its innovative curriculum, exceptional faculty, and proximity to New York's tech hub provide an unparalleled learning environment. Another plus I could think of is the close relationship between programs - as we did our classes in one relatively small complex, so I could easily interact with colleagues from Computer Science or Business programs. Such an experience allows me to gain fresh perspective in many matters.
However, one downside of doing the Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship program is the insufficiency of the curriculum to allow the students to sit for the bar (not that this would matter to people with common law background). But, if taking the bar is your goal, Cornell provides you with the option of taking an additional semester in Ithaca that will fulfil the required courses for NY bar.
All in all, I love my Cornell Tech experience. Would do it all over again 100%!
Student
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3/09/2023
On Campus
Evident
I'm thoroughly impressed with the courses and the people at Cornell. The variety of unique and captivating courses is exceptional, and it's evident that the majority of the staff and faculty are sincerely invested in your success. Additionally, forming friendships with fellow students has been a delightful experience, as they hail from diverse backgrounds and consistently support one another.
Maxwell
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25/08/2023
On Campus
Diversity driven
It's an amazing place to be, populated by a variety of individuals from different origins, all motivated by their interests and goals. You can explore a wide array of subjects, and we're skilled at both working hard and enjoying a lively social life.
Student
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22/08/2023
On Campus
Various fields of study
The university provides a great opportunity to delve into new fields of study, with its wide range of majors and options for pursuing unique career paths. Participating in extracurricular activities and building friendships can help reduce the stress and competitiveness that often come with academics, fostering a more balanced and healthier experience.
Jason
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22/08/2023
On Campus
Social life
It's an incredible location to be in, filled with a diverse range of people from various backgrounds, all driven by their passions and ambitions. You have the opportunity to study virtually anything you can imagine, and we certainly know how to enjoy ourselves. Balancing hard work with an equally vibrant social life is our specialty.
Irene
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20/06/2023
On Campus
Friendly environment
I liked being able to meet so many different people from all over the country and the world, and Cornell has always been welcoming to me since the day I arrived in freshman year. Cornell's community is very supportive; students are encouraged to work together to solve problems and really support one another in every situation, and professors are always willing to assist students in need.
Student
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17/05/2023
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Masters in CS, practical learning program
I studied MS CS at Cornell Tech. It is an intensive 9 months program which focuses on practical learning. The highlight of the program is the studio based curriculum where students learn how to build ventures from scratch.
Student
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10/06/2024
On Campus
Open to any kind of view and ideas
I spent time training abroad at Cornell University (Ivy League University), Ithaca, USA, working on a project entitled “Characteristics of Packaging films made from whey proteins”, under an ‘International Student Exchange Program’. Although I was simply enrolled in an undergraduate program, I took a keen interest in undertaking a challenging food science research project, which demonstrated my independent thinking at an early stage. I worked on the feasibility of preparing edible packaging films using whey protein isolates. I demonstrated scientific and analytical skills in carrying out the experimental work, while working in a research laboratory. In a very short time span (6 months), I was able to demonstrate my experimental, interpretation and analysis skills. As a result, my research work was accepted for presentation in the annual meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists, Dallas, Texas in the year 2000.I demonstrated intellectual/problem solving/management judgements and good communication skills. It was stated that the work was carried out with “great care, paying particular attention to detail”. Enjoyable campus landscape.
Student
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3/12/2024
On Campus
Global Experience
As one of the leading universities in the world, one would expect to get lost or forgotten in the sea of highly talented students and scholars. However, that wasn’t the case in my university, where I constantly felt supported by the best faculty to achieve my goals. It was amazing to see that I was able to access learning scholarships as well as work abroad opportunities in just a period of 3 years. Be warned that the weather is unforgiving in the winter time, but nothing that a true winter coat cannot withstand.
