Two College of Business Alumni Honored as top 40 Under 40 by the San Antonio Business Journal
College of Business alumni Neal Klepach and James Traaa were recognized today as rising stars by the San Antonio Business Journal in their 10 th annual “40 Under 40” awards breakfast. The awards recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the community, and who are poised to do even more.
Klepach is director of operations for Miller Curtain Company. He received his executive M.B.A. from the College of Business in 2002. Building on the skills he learned in the program, he uses a leadership style that focuses on building good relationships with the people who work with him. He empowers his employees so they feel they are a part of the process. He is married with one daughter and one son.
Another graduate of the executive M.B.A. program, Traa is the west regional sales director of Genzyme Corporation’s Biosurgical Specialties Business Unit. He is responsible for a $3 million budget and for leading a team who brings in $9 million annually in sales. He is married with one son and two daughters. Traa is active with the Chromosome 18 Registry and Research Society, which offers support and information to families with this genetic disorder. This organization is close to his heart, because his son is afflicted with the disorder.
The executive M.B.A. is a unique educational opportunity for seasoned executives, professionals and entrepreneurs preparing for strategic leadership responsibility or career transitions. This highly integrated, 21-month E.M.B.A. program offers an exciting mid-career learning journey that blends shared experiences with contemporary theory, applications and reflections on personal responsibility. The E.M.B.A. provides participants with fundamental business knowledge and skills, as well as an opportunity to explore their personal leadership responsibility to apply these competencies in contemporary organizations. The primary objectives of the program are to expand perspectives and strategic capabilities and to inspire new approaches to organizing work in times of dramatic change.
Please send your comments to: wendy.frost@utsa.edu
