Gies iMBA alumni continue to fuel careers with lifelong learning

Already successful in their careers, Jon A. Anderson and EunSoo Choe sought out non-degree courses to add more depth to their knowledge of mergers and acquisitions and taxation. 

Jon A. Anderson: iMBA to Mergers & Acquisitions Graduate Certificate

Why would someone who has bought and sold companies throughout his career enroll in a certificate on mergers and acquisitions?

“Coming from a sales decision-making skillset, I don’t have as many of the technical skills that are part of mergers and acquisition,” said Jon A. Anderson. “I’m not going to become an M&A analyst, but I find better understanding the technical information is intriguing and useful.”

Early in his career, Anderson ran his own consulting company that focused on hotel and real estate development then sold those assets before joining American Guardian Warranty Services, where he worked for 17 years.

As Anderson’s responsibilities grew, he saw an opportunity to scale and add value to the company by changing the sales processes and infusing it with technology.

It was at that time that Anderson began thinking about the benefits of pursuing an advanced business degree. His oldest daughter was attending the University of Illinois at the time and forwarded an email about a fully remote, online iMBA program from Gies Business.

“I was in the throes of growing a company, so I assessed a few courses before committing to exploring the Gies iMBA,” Anderson said. “Midway through the program, my life became extraordinarily complex. I was promoted to President, so my family and I worked together to help me balance their needs with my education and career. 

Anderson said one of the best discoveries was the relevancy of the Gies coursework as he transitioned from a sales and business development role to running and eventually selling a national company.

“The classwork was fascinating and easily applicable to things I was doing on a day-to-day basis,” he said. “The coursework gave me elements and concepts I could apply in diverse ways with a tweak or a slight pivot. Even with a business theory class, I found analogies to my industry that I’ve used hundreds of times.”

He directly applied lessons learned from companies that changed the market dynamic, streamlined a process, or used technology to make a product more cost efficient and scalable. In 2020, the company began looking for new ways to evolve and explored a market sale process. Anderson headed the effort along with continuing his duties as President. Despite increasing interest rates, the company completed a successful sale in 2023, and he transitioned to an advisory role.

Anderson has now shifted his energy again to his own consulting, advisory and investment business. And once again he’s turned to Gies during a career transition to earn a Mergers & Acquisitions Graduate Certificate.

“I’m now actively involved in selling another company and I’m confident the quality of education Gies delivers will continue to fuel my success,” said Anderson. 

EunSoo Choe: MSA to iMBA to Mergers & Acquisitions Graduate Certificate

EunSoo Choe has continuously turned to Gies College of Business to round out her expertise. She completed a Mergers & Acquisitions Certificate earlier this year and is currently enrolled in another one, this time focused on taxation.

“My continuing education gives me the tools and the confidence to excel in my industry on a bigger scale,” said Choe, who had grown restless early in her career when she was working in the international business division of a subsidiary of Samsung.

“My goal was to become a CPA, but I had no experience in accounting when I moved to Champaign to enroll in the one-year on-campus Master of Science in Accountancy program at Gies,” said Choe. “The College had a strong reputation, and I wanted to challenge myself and see whether I could turn accounting into my career.”

Choe found her first opportunity managing portfolios in Los Angeles’ fast-paced real estate industry. “I was drawn to the entrepreneurial spirit of these small and medium-sized companies – everyone was so passionate about the work,” said Choe, who worked in corporate and property accounting at a number of West Coast firms. “It’s what inspired me to pursue an MBA, and once I learned about the online program at Gies, I immediately applied.”

Choe was nervous to go back to school after 18 years, wondering if she had the fortitude to balance studying for an advanced business degree while working full-time with a growing family. She gave herself a three- year deadline but began to enjoy the program so much she took an extra eight credit hours.

“I didn’t want to rush, but really take the time to let the lessons soak in,” she said. “I wanted to feel what I was learning was becoming part of me applying the principles to my daily life.”

Choe said her professors and their teaching assistants not only taught concepts, but also helped her build analytical skills. She also found immense value in the resources available to her – everything from the state-of-the-art technology to access to one of the largest public university libraries in the world.

“In my financial accounting course, Professor Oktay Urcan had us working with the latest 10Ks from public companies,” said Choe. “[Clinical Assistant Professor of Accountancy] Brian Hamm, who worked for a Fortune 500 company, gave us the CFO’s view of how to analyze financial statements, focusing on the importance of investing in R&D and marketing.”

Among her assignments was comparing the financials of Under Armour, Adidas and Nike using vertical and horizontal analyses, analyzing the operational drivers for future growth opportunities and making sound investment decisions.

“These professors nurture future business leaders, giving them insights and encouraging them to think innovatively instead of relying on a cookie-cutter solution,” said Choe.

Choe, who joined CIM Group in Los Angeles as a fund accountant in 2022, said she is managing many more transactions at a fund level than she did in her previous positions. Earlier in her career she focused on income generating property operations, drilling down income statement accounts, reconciling balance sheet and income statement accounts, and monitoring cash to ensure a return for owners’ investments.

“I continue to return to Gies because of the quality of their offerings,” said Choe. “Every course and certificate broadens my understanding of the macro-level of business and most recently has led me to shift focus to investment-level accounting. I am looking forward to upscaling to achieve the next level by learning – gaining a tax perspective of accounting.”