UMass Executive Alumni Group Overview

 

Discovering an unmet need

After a successful 21 year career as SVP with CSC Index, the firm that invented Business Reengineering, I started my own firm to consult with local companies.  Having spent my career consulting with large companies outside New England, I had few professional contacts in the Boston area.  As a result, I went on an aggressive local networking campaign and started taking note of leaders who went to UMass.  I decided to organize a breakfast to meet other successful alumni with the hope that I might make a business connection.  I invited 50 alumni via email.  Not knowing any of them I hope that five alumni might join me.  The first breakfast, in June 2000, had 25.   I stumbled across an unmet need. 

 

Growth through segmentation and one to one marketing

Originally, the group was centered on executives (VPs, Presidents and CEOs) of high-tech firms.  As word spread, I expanded the group to successful executives beyond high tech including financial services, law, accounting, venture capital, health care and others.  The key criteria are that the individual is a graduate of UMass (alumni from all campuses are welcome) and has achieved career success.  With encouragement from the first group, I used my marketing skills to grow the network.  Today, the active list includes more than 1500 alumni and is growing!  The group spans graduation years of '50's through 90's with most of the active members graduating in the '70's and '80's.   The group has been profiled in the Boston Business Journal and the Isenberrg School of Management CommonWealth Alumni Magazine.

 

Giving Back

I run this in my “spare time.”    I use email as the vehicle for communications. It is an “opt-in” group that operates on a “pay-as-you-go” basis.  I am a strong supporter of the University and I encourage each of you to be as well.  I, like many of you, was the first generation in my family to attend college.  UMass was the only affordable avenue to higher education for me.  Running the breakfast group is part of my "giving back" to the University. 

 

Objectives

The objectives of the breakfast group are to foster a community of pride, mutual support and generosity:

  • Pride in its students, alumni , academic reputation, athletic accomplishments and contributions to the Commonwealth
  • Mutual support to its students seeking professional guidance and employment, to its alumni seeking business connections, its faculty seeking research opportunities and its leaders seeking funds
  • Generosity that gives back time and financially to advance the mission of the University

  

 

Contact

  • Glenn Mangurian
  • FrontierWorks, LLC
  • 4 Huckleberry Hill Lane
  • Hingham, MA 02043
  • p: 781-749-3490
  • f: 781-749-7545
  • email us here