Tyrone Brooks ’96

As a 1996 Smith School of Business graduate double-majoring in Accounting and Marketing, I learned sound business principles and acquired skills that provided a foundation that I could apply to any industry -- including Major League Baseball. As a Professional Scout with the Cleveland Indians based in San Francisco, CA, I am responsible for evaluating baseball talent at the major league and minor league levels for potential trades, free agent signings and general roster management. Prior to joining the Cleveland Indians after the 2006 season, I spent considerable time as a valued front office administrator for the Atlanta Braves working in major league administration, scouting and player development, and contributing to the organization winning ten National League East Division titles in 11 seasons (including two World Series appearances-1996 and 1999, during the Braves' unprecedented 14-year run of division titles).  

I look forward to hearing from you.  

Tyrone
Tyrone.Brooks@pirates.com

Justin D. Coulombe ’06
Senior Associate, Investment Banking
Needham & Company, LLC

I graduated from the Smith School in May 2006 with a B.S. in finance and accounting. Directly after graduation, I pursued an opportunity with KPMG in its Assurance practice. In December 2006, I switched paths to focus on an investment banking position with Needham & Company, LLC, a middle-market investment bank focused on technology and growth companies.

I am currently a Senior Associate in the investment banking practice at Needham & Company, LLC in New York. I work on a variety of transactions such as M&A, public and private financings, and strategic assessments. My role is to support senior bankers with both qualitative (strategy, presentations, etc.) and quantitative work (corporate finance, valuation, etc.) throughout all phases of the transaction process (new business, client maintenance, transaction execution, etc.). I generally interact with our clients’ senior management on a regular basis.

I am available to offer advice on investment banking, finance in general, accounting, or working in New York City. I look forward to hearing from you.

Justin
jcoulombe@needhamco.com

Noah Kaufman, CPA, CGFM, MBA’06
Accountant,
Financial Policy and Systems Modernization Branch,
USCIS OCFO Financial Management Division

I received an undergraduate degree in Commerce from the University of Virginia and a MBA from the Smith School of Business in 2006. A few years after getting my MBA, I got a position as an Accountant for DHS / US Citizenship and Immigration Services. In my role, I analyze, document, modify and provide answers to questions on financial management policy and procedures, serve as the lead trainer that creates and delivers training on financial management and other topics, and work on payment and other system implementation. Prior to that, I had approximately ten years experience in financial management and teaching. As an auditor in Arthur Andersen I worked on audits of non-profit, governmental, and public companies, including NASA. I was the financial analyst for the Federal Reserve Board where I worked on financial reports and performed reviews of accounting functions of Federal Reserve Banks. As a Senior Consultant at CGI Federal, I worked on system design, implementation, post-implementation support, testing and requirement analysis of logistics, acquisition, fixed assets, and core financial systems at the US Department of State, GSA, EPA and other federal clients. I also participated in recruiting.

In addition to my experience in financial management, I am a part time instructor. I have also taught classes in Intermediate Accounting for the University of Virginia. I am currently an Adjunct Professor teaching Taxation and Accounting Information Systems at the University of Maryland University College and an instructor for Becker CPA Review. During my free time, I am a volunteer coach for high school wrestling and am an active volunteer in Smith School’s programs and events.
Please feel free to contact me if you like to learn more about financial management, I look forward speaking with you!

Best,
Noah
Noah.kaufman@dhs.gov

Jared Piche ’00
Assistant Vice President &
Senior Regional Consultant,
AllianceBernstein
New York, NY

I received an undergraduate degree in Finance from the Robert H. Smith School of Business in May of 2000. When I graduated it was a challenging time in the financial industry as a result of the “technology bubble” and there were limited job opportunities. After a lot of persistence I got a great job at a small firm called Axiom Capital Management where I learned many different aspects of the financial services business. Most importantly, the transition from college to the workforce taught me that it is critical to stay focused and work hard to accomplish your goals.

I am currently an Assistant Vice President and Senior Regional Consultant at AllianceBernstein where I have worked for four years. In my current role I am a consultant and business partner to financial advisors, helping them and their clients meet customized needs. It is once again a challenging time in the financial services industry and it is important to educate our clients on the capital markets in order to help them make the right decisions.

I look forward to helping current Smith graduates navigate the industry and welcome your outreach.

Regards,
Jared
jared.piche@alliancebernstein.com

Rachel Soronson ’07
Customer Operations Analyst, Unilever
Trumbull, CT

I graduated in 2007 from the Smith School in Logistics, Transportation, and Supply Chain Management (LTSCM) and International Business.  My LTSCM degree helped me in beginning my career with Unilever, a multinational consumer products company.  In my transition from school to work I have learned that I can still achieve my goals and follow my dreams, though not without patience and flexibility.  Working for a large company provides a myriad of opportunities, but similar to the University of Maryland, you must seek out opportunities rather than expecting them to come to you. As a result of being proactive, I was assigned to a high profile project that involved integrating Unilever’s Ice Cream business into the larger Unilever Foods and Personal Care business.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like assistance in deciding and planning your career.
 
Regards,
Rachel
Rachel.Soronson@unilever.com