Profile: Mark Hom '01
Mark Hom earned his bachelor's in business management from MSU and had a successful career
before returning to teach. He is currently coordinating and teaching the college's
first-year seminar, BGEN 104 and BGEN 291.
Here is his story:
My story, like many of you, begins far away from MSU-Bozeman. The foundations for
my life, were built on the shoulders of immigrants and the American Dream. My grandfather
immigrated to the US from China when he was 11 years old. Life was not easy for him,
the obstacles he overcame seem almost impossible to imagine - learning English, understanding
a new culture, and living with intense racism. Through perseverance and hard work
he became a small business owner, and he instilled in his family the belief of the
American Dream, the importance of seizing opportunity, and the value of a dollar.
After high school, I found myself without a path. I wanted a higher education, but
no one in my immediate family had attended college before. Even at 18, I respected
the value of a dollar - thanks to grandpa - and enrolled in community college while
I continued to work, until I knew what degree to pursue. During one school break,
a buddy and I drove from New York to Montana. We stopped for a night in Bozeman and
I knew I had found a place to both adventure and learn.
I moved to Bozeman and spent a year working to gain residency before attending Montana
State. (Remember, value those dollars!) I enrolled in the College of Business and
met my mentor, Professor Susan Dana. Through her encouragement, I began the International
Business Club and did a semester abroad in Mexico working as an intern in the HR department
at Sony.
The experience I gained with those opportunities have been invaluable to my professional life.
When I graduated from MSU with a business degree, the job market was not that great.
I moved back to New York, secured gainful employment as an HR Generalist and went
to graduate school at night. After graduating with a Masters Degree, I continued to
work in HR as a generalist and recruiter until the opportunity to move back to Bozeman
and work for a bootstrapped risky start up presented itself. I quit my corporate job
in 2007, moved back to Bozeman, and have since owned and operated small businesses
in media, financial Services, and tour guiding.
Several years in Human Resources Management (HRM) and few small business start-ups
later, I cannot imagine another place I would rather be then imparting what I have
learned (and continue to learn) in this great College with you all.