CoB Advisory Board Member Profile - Scott Peterson

Scott Peterson
Degree Option: Business Management, Minor: Small Business Entrepreneurship
Year: 2006
Business: Linthicum Corporation
Title: Project Manager

1. How long have you been on the College of Business (CoB) National Advisory Board?
I have been a board member since 2009.

2. How did you get started at your current job?
Constant networking with past and current business partners, as well as other contacts, resulted in an interview with my current company. At the time they were working on a large project in the Hawaiian Islands, so being young and mobile allowed me to pursue the opportunity.

3. What is your typical day like?
The project I am currently involved with is unique in that my company manages the development side, construction activities and represents the owner’s interest. The balance between maintaining a schedule and successfully completing milestones is always offset by constant budget management. Conducting internal team audits on a project’s time and financial components are the constant tasks in my day-to-day activities. In addition, continually reviewing proposals and executing contracts is necessary to insure and maintain a future workflow for project activities. On top of the day-to-day business tasks, trying to establish a network of professionals within the industry, as well as securing additional projects to maintain a backlog of work, are additional tasks throughout my day.

4. What is the best part of your job? The most challenging?
I manage and run a satellite office in the Lake Tahoe, California region and our corporate office is located in Phoenix, Arizona. There is tremendous freedom in the opportunity to establish and start a new division for a company. However, the challenges of penetrating a new market and establishing a reputation are demanding.

5. How did your education at the College of Business help you in your career?
The special projects that were required as a part of the CoB curriculum allowed for creativity, in addition to providing the fundamentals of business. Being able to execute a new idea for a product or service to benefit your employer’s overall strategy is essential to success.

6. Does any class or professor stand out?
The classes associated with the Entrepreneurship program provided real business partnerships between student groups and local businesses. An actual consulting class in place of a textbook learning style was what really stood out as a real-life application.

7. Describe your fondest CoB memory.
Being a member of the MSU Marketing Club, in my senior year, we raised enough revenue to take a trip to Phoenix, Arizona and meet with companies, as well as tour facilities. It opened my mind to how the real business world operates.

8. What advice do you have for people on following their dreams?
Seek employment with companies that believe in, support and create an environment for young professionals. A company that values youth provides more opportunities at the start of a recent college graduate’s career.