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Francisco Reyes-Retana, MBA '07

After graduating from Universidad Metropolitana in Venezuela with a degree in mechanical engineering I took on several roles in process re-engineering, most notably in distribution and logistics at Cemex in Venezuela. I love improving operations and more generally, solving problems. After obtaining a masters degree in operational research at Columbia University, I went to work for I2 Technologies and consulted with clients in industries ranging from aerospace & defense to retail on issues pertaining to supply chain management and demand forecasting in the USA and Mexico.

I felt I needed an MBA to bolster my professional experience. Boston is a great city with many choices for an MBA education. The reputation of Boston College is strong not only in the northeast, but around the United States and globally. The alumni network is vast and strong. I found this out first-hand when I enrolled in TechTrekWest – an MBA class focused on the management in the IT industry.  The capstone of the class was a visit to Silicon Valley where I met C-level executives at some of the biggest technology companies in the world.  In fact, we gained entry to the VIP section of Macworld because of a BC alumnus who also happens to be the VP of marketing at Apple. And that’s just one example of the network at work.

Boston College has surpassed my expectations both in and out of the classroom. My specialization is marketing and the department here is first-class. Leading academics such as Kay Lemon (customer relationship management) and Jerry Smith (pricing) conduct cutting-edge research, teach our classes, and generally make themselves available to students constantly outside the classroom. And, Kay and Jerry are not just great researchers, they are great professors because they are always connecting the theories we are learning to real-world business cases.

At the same time, I learn as much from my colleagues as from my professors. The small class-size at BC truly leads to an open and approachable environment and it’s allowed me to seize some great leadership opportunities such as my role as president of the Boston College Chapter of ALPFA (Association of Latino Professionals in Finance in Accounting).  I’ve developed friendships with a diverse, interesting, and truly impressive group of people at BC.