News

Our courses aren’t exactly sit-and-listen here at TCU Neeley. In fact, the negotiations course in our EMBA program has a reputation for being downright aggressive. Dr. Rita Kosnik, who has taught the course since the program’s inception, is well-loved for her high energy and unconventional methods.

Students in the EMBA program at TCU Neeley often learn new things about themselves as well as the business world. Hear how broader business knowledge and a new global perspective gave 2020 grad Austin Laramore a new passion for innovating his family business.

Many EMBA students at TCU Neeley are surprised to find they learn even more from each other than from our globally-recognized faculty and curriculum. Hear our alumni share how the experience of cohort learning gives them very real benefits on the job – and on the job search.

Journalists, computer techs, cattle ranchers and oil and gas professionals: the students in our Executive MBA program run the gamut. But our faculty, executive coaches and staff work to personalize the experience for each person.

From kindergarten, the conventional education system teaches us to color inside the lines, foregoing creativity in favor of what is considered “correct.”

An Executive MBA program is a significant investment – so you'll certainly want an inside look before jumping in. Our preview luncheons (currently offered as preview webinars) offer just that opportunity, not only through faculty presentations that provide a taste of our courses, but also through a panel of alumni who answer your direct questions about what the program is really like, from time management to return on investment.

Whether it's a multimillion-dollar merger or your child's bedtime, you are making negotiations every day of your life. And knowing how to negotiate effectively can make the difference between two very happy parties and total disaster.

Daniel Pullin, new dean at the TCU Neeley School of Business, saw great success as dean of the business school at the University of Oklahoma, and himself earned an MBA at Harvard. But he says there’s something special about TCU Neeley.

The Neeley Executive MBA program has been ranked No. 8 in the nation and No. 18 in the world by The Economist – which is probably why several of our students travel here from outside the DFW Metroplex. One student flew all the way from New Jersey every other week for classes – he said the flight time was actually a great opportunity to get all his homework done.

The pandemic and accompanying shut down are affecting our communities and businesses in more ways than we can imagine, making it difficult to confidently plan a response. However, volatility has always been a rule of the economy, and there are still guiding principles that can inform our decisions.

Every preview luncheon features a panel of alumni who offer their personal insight into the benefits, challenges and experience of the TCU Neeley Executive MBA program. Here are some of our favorite soundbites from a recent luncheon.

There are all types of leaders, with all types of personalities and career goals, and the Executive MBA program offers a personalized experience to fit each of them. 

There’s nothing like getting back together every year for laughs, drinks, news and a little friendly competition.

Four events made up the 2019 alumni weekend, and it was great to see representatives from every class since the Neeley Executive MBA program’s founding in 2002. Below is a quick recap in case you were unlucky enough to miss it. (Also check out our photo highlights.)

There are all types of leaders, with all types of personalities and career goals, and the Executive MBA program offers a personalized experience to fit each of them.

Leadership coaching is a crucial part of the Neeley Executive MBA program. For a recent preview luncheon, we brought together three of our coaches in a panel to share their insight into the program. 

Nicoleta Bugnariu and Victor Duran Melgoza are featured in an exclusive list that honors 100 of the most accomplished EMBAs in the world for their spirit, stamina and success.

Christian Holston was nervous about returning to school, but he knew he needed to round out his tech expertise with business savvy. In this video, he explains how Neeley eases people into the Executive MBA program – and how the program provided immediate results.

Chris Davis has an undergrad in engineering – a far cry from finance and strategic planning expertise needed to start or manage a business. In this video, he covers the top ways the Executive MBA program gave him the skills and confidence to become an entrepreneur.

Steven Kim had a huge job opportunity that would move his entire family across the country – but he’s not a natural risk-taker. In this video, he explains how the diversity and the connectivity of the Executive MBA program helped him make the decision.

As a business leader and mother of two, Farah Lawler knows a thing or two about managing chaos. In this video, she shares how the Executive MBA program has helped her become a calm, strategic voice in a volatile world – and how it has impacted her kids.

There are all types of leaders, with all types of personalities and career goals, and the Executive MBA program offers a personalized experience to fit each of them.

There are all types of leaders, with all types of personalities and career goals, and the Executive MBA program offers a personalized experience to fit each of them.

Shannon Fletcher EMBA ’15 is a walking, talking advertisement for TCU Neeley. Four months after graduating she became the first chief of staff for the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office.

Some organizations are hesitant to invest in graduate education opportunities for employees, concerned that those employees will move elsewhere after expanding their skillsets. In this Dallas Business Journal interview, we discuss how investing in an Executive MBA program can actually improve loyalty, retention and ROI. Featuring Neeley alumni Jarie Bradley and Rodney Shrader, and executive director, Dr. Suzanne Carter.

We discuss the difference between an Executive MBA program and other types of MBA programs - and why it makes sense to pursue an MBA as an executive - in this Dallas Business Journal interview with Neeley alumni Jarie Bradley and Rodney Shrader, and executive director, Dr. Suzanne Carter.

At Neeley, we know that the EMBA program is no small investment, which is why we want to make sure our students see a significant return on that investment. We’re thrilled to hear countless stories of students putting classroom principles to work in the real world before they even graduate. Here are some of our favorite ROI stories, including a recent success from a current student.

Entering an Executive MBA program can be stressful. It’s been a long time since you were in school and you’re going to be in class with highly successful people, and that can be intimidating. Most if not all of our students start out feeling a bit of impostor syndrome.

You may think you’re just not cut out for big ideas or strategic thinking. You may think your brain just isn’t wired that way. But the Executive MBA program is designed to help you discover and develop those talents – in yourself and in your team. Take it from these alumni. 

Diversity is a vital part of the Neeley EMBA program – from diversity of student backgrounds, to the countries we visit in our study abroad trip, to the industries we study in those countries.

“How many of you are amazingly, astonishingly, spectacularly creative?” asked Ray Smilor, Professor of Professional Practice, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, at the June 6 Preview Luncheon.

Every preview luncheon features a panel of alumni who offer their personal insight into the benefits, challenges and experience of the TCU Neeley Executive MBA program. Here are some of our favorite soundbites from the June 6 luncheon.

Every preview luncheon features a panel of alumni who offer their personal insight into the benefits, challenges and experience of the TCU Neeley Executive MBA program. Here are some of our favorite soundbites from the May 3 luncheon.

Every preview luncheon features a panel of alumni who offer their personal insight into the benefits, challenges and experience of the TCU Neeley Executive MBA program. Here are some of our favorite soundbites from the April 5 luncheon.

Every preview luncheon features a panel of alumni who offer their personal insight into the benefits, challenges and experience of the TCU Neeley Executive MBA program. Here are some of our favorite soundbites from the March 7 luncheon.

Every preview luncheon features a panel of alumni who offer their personal insight into the benefits, challenges and experience of the TCU Neeley Executive MBA program. Here are some of our favorite soundbites from the January 24 luncheon.

Every organization has a supply chain of some kind; we all struggle with the logistics of delivering our products or services to customers and clients. And in a world where someone builds a better mousetrap every five minutes, the mantra is “innovate or die.”

It’s that time of year we are reminded how fortunate we are to be part of such a tight-knit, yet ever-growing, group of friends and leaders. The closing of the year is the perfect time to take a look back and reflect on all of our accomplishments. Here’s a recap of the best moments we shared in 2017.

We’ve all heard it: if you’re not moving forward, you’re falling behind. But how do you take the risks necessary to innovate, without going under?

Every preview luncheon features a panel of alumni who offer their personal insight into the benefits, challenges and experience of the TCU Neeley Executive MBA program. Here are some of our favorite soundbites from the November 8 luncheon.

The 16th Annual EMBA Golf Tournament was another success. It’s always great to see alumni, students, and friends of TCU come together from different classes for some good old-fashioned competition. Who hit the hardest? Who wore the craziest pants? See for yourself.

Every preview luncheon features a panel of alumni who offer their personal insight into the benefits, challenges and experience of the TCU Neeley Executive MBA program. Here are some of our favorite soundbites from the June 7 luncheon.

Leadership development is a core component of the Neeley Executive MBA program – but can you really learn leadership? Isn’t it just something you are either good at or not?

Dr. Linda LaCoste, Director of EMBA Student Services and Operations and faculty for the personal leadership development process at Neeley, explains: “Leadership development isn’t a course in the program: It’s baked into every course.” As a student, you become the facilitator, while Neeley provides content and experiences that let you hone your skills.

What you learn in an MBA program is crucial – that’s the whole point, after all. But sometimes it’s the little extras that make a big difference. Take it from our students.

If you’re wondering how you can possibly manage to go through an Executive MBA program like the one at Neeley while working full time and raising a family, take a look at some of the women who have already done it, like Jennifer Deerman, ’17, who entered the program the same time as her husband while they raised three kids, ran two businesses, and moved to a new house. Or Kim Speairs, ’14, a single mother of two who graduated valedictorian while working full-time and fighting cancer.

“Do the facts matter?”  That’s how O. Homer Erekson opened his talk at the Executive MBA Preview Luncheon at Las Colinas Country Club early this month. In a world of “fake news,” where the narrative is sometimes at odds with the facts, it’s a particularly relevant question.

Every preview luncheon features a panel of alumni who offer their personal insight into the benefits, challenges and experience of the Neeley Executive MBA program. Here are some of our favorite soundbites from the April 6 luncheon.

Whether you’re negotiating a multi-million dollar business deal, negotiating with the vehicle in the other lane to let you over, or negotiating with your six-year-old to put on his pants, negotiation is a fact of life.

We’ve talked about disruption and innovation – more specifically, how your organization can stay alive in a volatile landscape - in the first two parts of this series recapping Michael Sherrod’s workshop for Executive MBA alumni. But what’s the next big thing? Amidst the ongoing revolution brought about by the internet and the smartphone, what’s going to transform our society next?

It may be blockchain.

Every preview luncheon features a panel of alumni who offer their personal insight into the benefits, challenges and experience of the Neeley Executive MBA program. Here are some of our favorite soundbites from the March 1 luncheon.

“Business law” may bring to mind droning suits and textbooks the size of Volkswagens, but it’s far from boring when Dr. Robert Rhodes, Professor of Professional Practice in Business Law, is teaching.

At the recent Neeley Executive MBA Preview Luncheon, 29 prospective students, current students and alumni were just getting drowsy after a hearty lunch provided by the City Club of Fort Worth, when Dr. Rhodes stood to speak and woke us all up. 

In the first part of this series covering Michael Sherrod’s Executive MBA workshop about disruption and innovation, we covered several different methods for fostering innovation that don’t always – or even usually – work.

Next, Sherrod went on to share his insight on what does work: both the changes you should implement in your organization and the mindset you should adopt to encourage new ideas.

Facebook took two years to reach 50 million users; WhatsAPP did it in 18 months; Angry Birds in eight weeks; Pokémon Go in 72 hours.

This is the environment we live in now: disruption may not be new, but the speed at which it happens is increasing exponentially. If you’re not accelerating, you’re falling behind.

What’s your biggest challenge in getting customers what you promised them?

No matter what your organization is – for-profit or nonprofit, product or service based – your supply chain is what causes your daily headaches and provides your greatest opportunities. That’s what prospective students, current students and alumni gathered to discuss at the recent Neeley Executive MBA Preview Luncheon on a chilly Wednesday at the City Club of Fort Worth.

Have you ever tried a sure-fire strategy – one you knew from experience would work – and then watched it blow up in your face?

That’s what a group of TCU Executive MBA alumni and prospective students discussed a couple of weeks ago at the Preview Luncheon at the City Club of Fort Worth. Dr. Suzanne Carter, professor of strategy, stood in front of the giant window overlooking a rainy downtown and presented us with two logos: Apple and J.C. Penney.

When James “Opie” Fair started the Executive MBA program at Neeley, he was well-established with 11 years experience as area and branch manager for a modular building company, where he managed budgets across seven states. After working in this industry for more than 25 years, he was eager to gain knowledge that could benefit both his career and employer. He never expected to be laid off two months before his 12-year anniversary.

A great leader never stops learning – and there are few more efficient ways to learn than by cracking open a good book. We recently took to Facebook to ask the Executive MBA family for a peek at their summer reading lists. From current students to alumni to faculty, here’s what we found.

Most people don’t think of law enforcement when they think of a business degree, but one sergeant in the Fort Worth Police Department is making waves with the skills and knowledge she gained in the TCU Neeley Executive MBA program.

Neeley makes sure your education doesn’t stop after you graduate. At the recent “How Do I Find My Zone?” workshop for Executive MBA alumni and students, Dr. Richard “Nick” Grant, Jr. returned to talk about using psychology to improve ourselves, our coaching style and our sales approach.

In case you missed it, or didn’t take as many notes as you wished, here’s a roundup of all three recaps we wrote.

Ray Taylor thought he was done with school when he graduated from Andersonville Theological Seminary with a Bachelor of Theology. The new lead pastor at Trinity Harvest Church in Hurst, Texas, he was prepared for the work as a preacher, teacher, shepherd and counselor. But he soon discovered he needed a boost in a vital skill set that people rarely consider in church leadership: business administration.

Neeley makes sure your education doesn’t stop after you graduate. At the recent “How Do I Find My Zone?” workshop for Executive MBA alumni and students, we focused on using psychology to improve ourselves, our coaching style and our sales approach.

The world doesn’t stop changing after you graduate, so Neeley makes sure your education doesn’t stop there, either. Sometimes we take deeper dives into topics covered in the course curriculum, sometimes we talk about new hot topics, and sometimes – like at the recent “How Do I Find My Zone?” workshop – we focus on improving ourselves.

Kim Speairs, Class of 2014, is a single mother of two who oversees client services at Balcom Agency, the largest full-service marketing firm in Fort Worth, so she’s used to juggling a lot of different things.

And she’s good at it. Kim holds an Accreditation in Public Relations, a prestigious National PRSA Bronze Anvil Award, and was named one of the Fort Worth Business Press’ Who’s Who in Tarrant County from 2000-2002.

Along with our recent ranking by The Economist as number 12 in the world, there’s something else drawing global attention to the Executive MBA program at Neeley.

The TCU Neeley School of Business is now one of only 13 business schools in the world to partner with Korn/Ferry International. Neeley is using the organization’s leadership development and talent management expertise to take our Executive MBA program to the next level.

No matter who you are or what you do, few things are more valuable than your time. But when you’re pursuing an MBA, time is your most precious commodity. Juggling the rigors of graduate school with, in many cases, a full-time career and family life can be a monumental task. That’s why it’s important to utilize tried-and-true time-saving methods whenever you can. And who better to share their wisdom than those who have already reached the MBA summit?

We asked TCU Neeley Executive MBA alumni what time-saving tips they had to offer to incoming EMBA students, each of whom brought their own unique perspective to conquering Father Time.

Every class in Neeley’s Executive MBA program grows incredibly close, and every class makes incredible leaps forward in their careers and in their ability to lead – but every class is also slightly different. Here’s a look back at the some of the many unforgettable moments the Class of 2015 saw in the last year and a half.

What separates a great executive from an average manager is the ability to learn to do things differently and more effectively.

We’ve all been in that strategy session that seems to be going nowhere. Bursts of creative ideas get shot down by monetary realities, then descend into awkward silences, and after hours of brainstorming, you leave uncertain of what your next steps should be.

Have you ever had one of those days where you feel like you’re in a pressure cooker and the top is about to blow? As leaders, when we’re faced with these stressful situations, we can’t just stick our heads in the sand. Here are four roadblocks that often get in a leader’s way and tricks to outmaneuver them.

How was your day?

Chances are, your answer doesn’t depend on the size of your salary or the accompanying benefits package. It probably doesn’t even depend on whether or not you won the big account. It depends on your company’s values, how its people treat one another – the entire workplace atmosphere on a day-to-day basis. In other words, its culture.

Your organization is like a machine, with many moving parts hopefully working toward a single goal. You have to understand each component if you want to keep the machine running smoothly.

Ask any of our alumni and they’ll tell you: Neeley’s Executive MBA program is an intense, transformative, unforgettable experience. In December, we bid farewell to the Class of 2014, but thought it fitting to jot down some of the highlights from their time as Neeley Executive MBA students.

Wow — what a weekend! I knew it would be rough with our Financial Accounting paper, presentation and final exam all due on Saturday. But, traveling out of town for work all day Tuesday and Wednesday did not help. Sleep was in short supply.