Tom Madsen

Tom Madsen Vice President, Verizon Wireless

In today’s business environment, you need to execute, be flexible, and always ensure you are working on projects that bring value to your customers. I found the Rutgers EMBA program provides the optimal environment for developing and enhancing these skills.

A year ago, I took on a new position in which I report directly to the CIO of Verizon Wireless and supervise a staff of over 200 people. Throughout the day I find myself dealing with senior managers in human resources, finance, marketing, product development, and IT. In other words, I have to be able to change gears quickly in order to partner and add value to a diverse set of customers. Without a doubt, the tool set I acquired through the program has helped me communicate well and effectively work with a wide diversity of stakeholders.

One of the best things about the program for me was exposure to other senior-level professionals. It made me realize all of us—whether we are in finance, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, telecom, or any other industry—are trying to solve the same problems. We are just coming at it from different perspectives. My fellow students were all highly seasoned business people, and I learned almost as much from them as from my professors. That certainly is a unique element of the EMBA program and clearly reflects its quality.