Simon Military Alumni/Student Profiles
William Reynolds, U.S. Army, Class of 2010
Will graduated in 2002 from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a Bachelors in Systems Engineering. In 2004 he was deployed to Iraq and started his assignment in Southwest Baghdad, where he served as a reconnaissance platoon leader charged with leading a platoon to provide the infantry battalion reconnaissance support and sniper employment. One day, during a week long transition to Northwest Baghdad, Will's brigade responded to a car bombing of a neighboring unit. Upon returning to their sector, the brigade was ambushed with a concealed explosive device. He was severely wounded by shrapnel in his left leg and left arm. “I consider myself very lucky,” Will says. “I lost 11 units of blood, but combat lifesavers stopped the bleeding and got me treatment.” His road to recovery would include 22 surgeries from November 2004 through December of 2006. He recuperated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. During his recovery, he contemplated business school, and his ultimate goal is to work for a medical device company like Medtronic, and to help others enduring similar experiences as his own. When it came time to choose a business school, Simon was at the top of Will's list—it was one of the few leading business schools offering a Health Sciences Management concentration. After medically retiring in 2007, he came to the Simon School to earn his M.B.A. full time. Will is earning a dual degree at the University of Rochester, an M.B.A. and a Masters in Public Health.
Andrew Armstrong, U.S. Army, Class of 2009
Andrew graduated from Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio, where he earned a B.A. degree in philosophy and theology in 2002. After graduation, Andrew enlisted in the U.S. Army as a linguist. He served as the leader of a human intelligence collection team and was in charge of training the Iraqi army intelligence personnel in everything from interrogation to conducting independent operations. Andrew applied to Simon while on active duty in Iraq and returned to the U.S. in October 2007. Still on active duty, his new assignment was to earn his M.B.A. at the Simon School through the Army’s Green to Gold program (green for enlisted soldier, gold for officer); he also participated in the Army R.O.T.C. program at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Andrew graduated with an M.BA. with concentrations in Finance and Corporate Accounting in 2009. After graduation, he returned to the military as a lieutenant. He says Simon’s response was unique and highly personalized. “Dean Zupan and Dan Struble e-mailed me directly,” he says. “I immediately felt part of the family and valued from the start.” Struble, a retired Navy captain, was an advocate for him and offered to help with the transition to the Rochester area.
Jason DeBlock, U.S. Navy, Class of 2007
After graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 2000 with a Bachelor's in Systems Engineering and attending naval nuclear power and nuclear prototype training in 2003, Jason heard about the Surface Warfare Officer (S.W.O). M.B.A. program, which allows officers to compete for one of four scholarships to business schools. Upon being awarded a scholarship, he chose Simon specifically for its excellence in finance. Jason earned his M.B.A. with concentrations in Finance and Entrepreneurship in 2007. Being in the military and earning an M.B.A. have some significant parallels, according to Jason. “Teamwork is the hallmark of both,” he says. “You can never accomplish on your own what you can accomplish with others. Diversity is another similarity. Simon is very diverse, and so is the military.” Currently on active duty as an operations officer in the U.S. Navy, aboard the U.S.S. Bulkeley, Jason is responsible for all operational aspects of the mission, including operations, intelligence and tactical employment of the ship and its assigned aircraft.
Catherine Chase, Marine Reserves, Class of 2001
Colonel Catherine Chase has been a Marine since the early 80’s, and is currently an activated reservist on military leave from her job at Hewlett-Packard in Austin, Tex. Catherine earned a Bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, double majoring in Chemistry and Zoology. She soon went to work for Xerox Corporation while actively serving in the Marine Reserves. Catherine earned her Executive M.B.A. from the Simon School in 2001 while working for Xerox. In 2003, Catherine joined Hewlett-Packard as director of global imaging and printing services development, where she led managerial groups and virtual teams across worldwide regions and functions. She credits her Simon education with opening doors to global responsibilities in her civilian job. “Although it’s challenging to keep up with civilian educational opportunities while working toward military educational milestones, I believe continuing education is vital for both those leaving military duty for civilian employment and for military personnel who continue to serve,” Catherine says.
Joel Levesque, U.S. Army, Class of 1998
After earning a Bachelor's from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1989, Joel graduated from Army Ranger School at Fort Benning, Ga. Joel intended to pursue an M.B.A. shortly after completing his undergraduate degree, but it wasn’t until he was nominated to join the Economics faculty at West Point in 1995 that he was able to do so. “One of the conditions of this position was being accepted to one of the top 20 business schools,” he says. “I knew I wanted a school with a strong emphasis on quantitative economics, preferably in the Northeast. Simon ranked No. 1 in the nation in finance that year, so it was a great fit.” Joel earned his M.B.A. with concentrations In Finance and Business Environment and Public Policy in 1998; after receiving his M.B.A. from Simon, Joel spent three years teaching economics at West Point. Today, his job as Homeland Defense branch chief for the Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defense Organization involves him in activities such as helping to draft national security policy directives and pushing technology needs through the acquisition process.
Nathan Martin, U.S. Navy, Class of 1996
After graduating from North Dakota State University in 1988 with a Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering, Nathan was commissioned at Officer Candidate School in Newport, R.I., and completed nuclear power training. It was near the end of his first sea assignment in 1993 that Nathan decided to pursue a graduate degree during his next shore assignment. “With my technical background, I thought getting an M.B.A. would give me both the education and experience I would not otherwise gain,” he says. “In addition, pursuing an M.B.A. gave me a chance to study finance and economics, both personal interests of mine.” In 1996, Nathan earned his Executive M.B.A. from the Simon School. While at Simon, he also served as class officer and instructor at the Naval R.O.T.C. unit. Over the years, Nathan has been awarded the Meritorious Service medal, six Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medals, and two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medals. Nathan has served in the Navy for more than two decades and now leads 120 sailors in a nuclear submarine that operates hundreds of feet below the surface of the ocean and cost an estimated $900 million to build.
Stuart Platt, U.S. Navy, Class of 1970
Stuart attended the University of Rochester and earned a Bachelor of Science, followed by a Master’s of Science in Operations Analysis. Although his active-duty status was controversial during the Vietnam War era, he found a welcoming attitude at Simon for students dedicating their lives to the armed forces. He received his M.B.A. from the Simon School in 1970 and took back into his career the School’s emphasis on leadership development, financial analysis and entrepreneurial economics. Stuart’s years in the Navy have earned him more than 20 medals and decorations for combat and military service and entry in the United States Navy Submarine Force Hall of Fame. Now a retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral, Stuart's spirit of innovation and interest in entrepreneurial economics led him to form Harbor Wing Technologies in 2003. He also writes influential op-ed pieces for The Wall Street Journal, particularly on military topics about North Korea and the Far East.
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