STARTING AT THE TOP
MBA Student Benjamin Grunat receives an unusual first job offer
The typical Kelley MBA student entering his or her final semester hopes to parlay their degree into a well-paying job with a prestigious firm. Second year MBA Benjamin Grunat is no different in wanting to launch his career on a positive note. Grunat is far from typical, however, when it comes to his job prospects. Still four months away from graduation, he already has an offer to become a CEO.
“It’s extraordinarily flattering to be considered for such a position,” said Grunat, soon to be a graduate of Kelley’s 3/2 MBA program, wherein students complete three years of undergraduate study in the Business School followed by two years in the graduate program.
The unusual job offer had its genesis when Grunat took a summer finance course taught by then Kelley Ph.D. candidate Bruce Haslem. Grunat’s performance in that and other courses came to mind when Haslem, who went on to become an assistant professor at Florida State University’s College of Business, started a small company and looked for someone to steer the ship. Ben Grunat came immediately to mind.
Grunat was surprised but also intrigued by the job offer. “I certainly didn’t see it coming,” he recalls, “but Professor Haslem believes I have the skill set and wherewithal to run the company. Basically, I’m someone he trusts to help his parents retire, since they’ve put all of their money into the company.”
The company, Water Redemption, is based on technology used to efficiently and cost-effectively remove water from oil drilling sites. Getting rid of the water that accumulates during the oil drilling process is currently cumbersome and expensive. Water Redemption’s technology expedites the process by getting rid of the water faster and cheaper, which would allow oil companies to drill faster and longer. Becoming CEO of Water Redemption, then, could prove to be a lucrative move not only for Haslem’s parents, but for Grunat as well.
What may seem like an easy career choice, though, is complicated by Grunat’s other offer--to join the San Francisco branch of accounting and consulting giant Price Waterhouse Coopers. Choosing between becoming the CEO of a promising startup and joining one of the world’s top accounting firms is a difficult decision, but Grunat feels fortunate to be in a position to have such alluring options.
“I have the Kelley school to thank for my opportunities, and especially the students and faculty that I’ve worked with.” says Grunat. “No matter where I end up, the real value of Kelley will come from the network that I have created that’s helped me develop not only the knowledge I’ve gained from class, but also the soft skills I will take with me to all of my future endeavors.”