Posted on May 6, 2015 by Wendy Frost
Timothy Breidenbach
As a child Timothy Breidenbach dreamed about being the guy dressed in a business suit seated in first class on an airplane. Well, his dream could soon become a reality as he graduates this week with his undergraduate degree in finance and economics and heads to Wall Street to work at Goldman Sachs.
Breidenbach’s passion for finance was fueled by his visits to New York City while he was living in Philadelphia serving with the U.S. Coast Guard. After completing his service, he enrolled at UTSA to be closer to his family in Corpus Christi.
“After leaving the military I was used to getting up at 4 a.m., so I’d go to the gym early and read finance books in the library. I tried to learn what I could on my own,” said Breidenbach.
But, he didn’t feel at home at UTSA until he participated in his first Investment Society meeting.
“Seeing like-minded individuals going for the same goal gave me clarity,” he said. He worked his way up through the ranks and became the organization’s longest-serving president for two years.
The Investment Society is a student organization that educates members about the financial industry, financial analysis and the economy. Organized like a real investment firm, the Investment Society participates in the management of a stock and stock option portfolio for a nonprofit organization managed by faculty member Ron Sweet.
“It was fascinating to make our first call,” said Breidenbach who is studying for his Level 2 CFA exam. “We made enough money to make one microloan for the nonprofit in Costa Rica.”
Committed to growing the organization, Breidenbach has worked on increasing recruitment and engagement opportunities for members. He estimates spending about 10 hours a week preparing for the sector presentations and meetings.
“The Investment Society has been a huge value for me,” he said. “To see alumni go on to lofty positions, it lets you know it is possible for you as well.”
Breidenbach credits business faculty members for being knowledgeable, inspiring and passionate about their fields. Also, he noted that a camaraderie developed among 10-12 core economics students. “We went through the majority of our classes together and developed a strong bond. I’ll miss that.”
In addition to completing local internships in investment banking and equity analyst, Breidenbach secured an internship with Goldman Sachs last summer in Salt Lake City. While there he developed an Excel model to expedite the check-in process for transactions. His work led to a full-time job offer.
“It is nice to start off with such a great company,” he said. “I plan to keep working hard and to continue my education. The moment you stop trying to learn you begin to stagnate.”
Wendy Frost—
Please send your comments to: wendy.frost@utsa.edu
— Wendy Frost
