Kevin Plank knows what it means to be a game-changer. He transformed the world of sports apparel when he launched Under Armour in 1996.

Robert G. Hisaoka ’79 believes building a strong business begins with building a strong team through great communication and measuring performance. Over the span of his career, he’s done just that. 

Entrepreneurs can face a multitude of challenges as they take their ideas from concept to startup, and Bill Boyle ’81 understands them all.

Leigh Burnside ’92 has learned what it takes to climb the corporate ladder and succeed in the C-suite. But she’s also learned that careers aren’t just about reaching the next rung on the ladder – they’re about branching out.

Adam DeMarco, MBA ’21, was raised in a “family of service,” as he put it. His relatives span careers including law enforcement, nursing, medicine, and, as DeMarco himself chose, the military. “The notion of serving, serving others, and being a part of something bigger than oneself is something that I have just grown up with and have sought to inculcate,” said DeMarco.

For many people, work can be stressful. Between the deadlines, meetings, presentations and other responsibilities to be managed, the professional world can be tough to navigate. And it can be made that much harder for people who suffer from a disability.

When Carly Fiorina, MBA ’80, looks back over the arc of her career, what stands out for her isn’t a single achievement or experience. That’s not what defines her. So what does stand out for her as she looks back?

Etim Edim’s path to becoming CFO of Morgan Stanley's Technology, Operations and Firm Resilience divisions started with a realization – he wanted to make an impact. Before overseeing the financials of three major divisions within one of the largest wealth management and investment banking firms in the world, Edim got his professional start as a systems analyst and spent most of his days as a computer programmer. After about four years, Edim yearned for more and began to explore his options.

At Maryland Smith, Terrill L. Drake, EMBA ’12, envisioned the next stages of his career through the pursuit of a more inclusive community. Now, he’s taking the lessons he’s learned to Harvard Business School where he will become its first chief diversity and inclusion officer.

From the earliest days of her professional life, working as a business analyst for JPMorgan Chase, Sherika Ekpo, MBA ’09, was determined to keep one goal in mind: to ascend in her career, making a difference in every step.