Karen Rogers, MBA '84
David Ingram, MBA’89
Doug Parker, MBA’86
Tom Barr, MBA '98
Facts & Stats
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University was founded in 1873 by Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt and currently enrolls more than 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students throughout its ten schools, including law, medicine, education, divinity and management. The combination of cutting-edge research, liberal arts and a distinguished medical center creates an invigorating atmosphere where students tailor their education to meet their goals and researchers collaborate to solve complex problems related to health, culture, society and commerce.
An independent and privately supported university with more than 2,500 faculty, Vanderbilt is located a mile and a half from downtown Nashville on a park-like campus that was designated a national arboretum in 1988.
Owen Graduate School of Management
In 1969, the Owen Graduate School of Management opened its doors to ten students and ten faculty members in a former funeral home. Today, Owen is one of the world’s top business schools. Accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), Owen is widely recognized for its challenging academics, stimulating and innovative research environment, strong student/faculty ratio and a spirit of teamwork. The school was renamed in 1977 in honor of Lulu and Ralph "Peck" Owen, former chairman of American Express. The school offers full-time MBA, Health Care MBA, Executive MBA, Master of Science in Finance, Masters of Accountancy, Masters of Management in Health Care, PhD, and Executive Development programs.
Leadership: Jim Bradford
Jim Bradford has vast experience managing complex organizations as well as a deep commitment to Owen’s mission. Jim joined Owen from industry, having served as President and CEO for AFG Industries, Inc., North America’s largest vertically integrated glass manufacturing and fabrication company.
Bradford earned a B.A. from the University of Florida and his JD with numerous honors from the Vanderbilt Law School. His employment history also includes 11 years of private legal practice and serving as General Counsel for AFG Industries, Inc. during its years as a publicly traded company. His academic areas of interest are primarily in global and domestic corporate business strategy and competitive analysis. He is the recipient of the Owen Teaching Award.
He currently serves on the board of directors for several leading companies and organizations, including CLARCOR Inc. (Corporate Governance, and Compensation and Stock Options Committees); Genesco (Finance and Governance Committees); Granite Construction, one of Fortune’s 100 best companies to work for in 2007 (Audit Committee and Chair of Strategic Planning Committee); and the Graduate Management Admissions Council. He also serves on Advisory Boards at Harpeth Capital (Investment Banking) and the Nashville Health Care Council. An ex-officio board member of the Nashville Health Care Council, Bradford is active in the Nashville Chamber of Commerce’s Partnership 2010, a regional economic development initiative, and is a candidate for Leadership Nashville, an independent executive leadership program for community leaders.
Academic Programs
Degrees
Vanderbilt MBA
Class Profile
Vanderbilt Executive MBA
Class Profile
Vanderbilt Americas MBA for Executives
Vanderbilt MS Finance
Class Profile
Vanderbilt Master of Accountancy
Class Profile
Vanderbilt Master of Accountancy-Valuation
Vanderbilt Master of Management in Health Care
Class Profile
Non-Degree Programs
Vanderbilt Executive Development Institute
Open Enrollment Programs
Custom Programs for Organizations
Accelerator, Vanderbilt Summer Business Institute
Vanderbilt Advanced Certificate in Health Care Management
Honors and Rankings
Vanderbilt's MBA programs are consistently ranked in the top 10% of accredited business schools by Bloomberg Businessweek, U.S. News & World Report, Financial Times, The Economist and Forbes.#4 — Financial Times: HR, specialty MBA programs among U.S. schools, #7 globally (2012)
#9 — Bloomberg Businessweek: MBA Leadership Curriculum (2013)
#10 — FindMBA: Health Care, specialty MBA programs globally (2012)
#15 — Financial Times: Executive MBA among U.S.-only programs, #49 globally (2011)
#18 — America Economia: Full-time MBA among global MBA programs for Latin America (2012)
#21 — Poets & Quants for Executives: Executive MBA (2013)
#21 — CNN Expansion (Mexico): Full-time MBA program among U.S. programs, #35 globally (2013)
#22 — Bloomberg Businessweek: Return on investment for full-time MBA program (2010)
#22 — The Economist: Full-time MBA among North American programs, #32 globally (2012)
#23 — Poets & Quants: Full-time MBA (2012)
#25 — Bloomberg Businessweek: Full-time MBA (2012)
- A+ ratings in career services, teaching quality, and leadership skills
- Job Placement: #29 in the U.S., #35 globally
- Faculty Research: #29 in the U.S., #37 globally
- Career Aims Achieved: #23 in the U.S., #39 globally
- Career Progress: #15 in the U.S., #43 globally
#28 — Poets & Quants: Highest salaries for full-time MBA program (2011)
#30 — U.S. News and World Report: Full-time MBA (2014)
#31 — Beyond Grey Pinstripes (The Aspen Institute): MBA program ranking among U.S. schools for integration of social and environmental stewardship into the curriculum, #43 globally (2011)
#32 — Bloomberg Businessweek: Top Executive MBA Programs (2011)
#33 — Forbes: Full-time MBA (2011)
Princeton Review: Owen was ranked #2 Best Administered, based on student assessment of how smoothly the school is run, and the ease with which students can get into required and popular courses, and #2 Most Competitive Students, based on student assessment of how competitive classmates are, how heavy the workload is, and the perceived academic pressure.
Research and Learning Centers
Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management boasts four Research and Learning Centers, two housed entirely within the business school and two in a cross-disciplinary collaborative effort with other schools on the Vanderbilt campus.
Financial Markets Research Center (FMRC)
The Owen Entrepreneurship Center
Cal Turner Program for Moral Leadership in the Professions
Vanderbilt Center for Environmental Management Studies (VCEMS)
Noted Alumni
We are proud of all Owen alumni. They represent the best in the business—intelligent go-getters with a great deal of integrity. They demonstrate the desire to succeed as well as help others to perform to their potential. Here are just a few who exemplify the Owen spirit.
John Bogle, MBA ’83, President, Bogle Investment Management
David Farr, MBA ’81, Chairman & CEO, Emerson Electric Company
Adena Friedman, MBA, ’93, CFO, Carlyle Group
David Ingram, MBA ’89, owner of Ingram Entertainment Holding Inc. and DBI Beverage Inc.
John Ingram, MBA ’86, Chairman, Ingram Industries Inc.
David Kloeppel, MBA ’96, EVP/CFO, Gaylord Entertainment Company
Margaret Mitchell, MBA ’82, Executive Director of Marketing, Merck & Co.
Doug Parker, MBA ’86, Chairman/President/CEO, US Airways
Josué Christiano Gomes da Silva, MBA '89, Chairman and CEO, Companhia de Tecidos Norte de Minas – Coteminas
Heiki Miki, MBA '96, JFE Steel America, Inc.
Karen Rogers, MBA '84, Fed Ex
