Reflections from US Army Veteran Robert Massey ’14S (MBA)

November 11, 2024 

The following blog post was written by Robert Massey ’14S (MBA), US Army veteran and director of public sector sales at techolution. While at Simon, Rob specialized his MBA degree in pricing. We are grateful to the veterans in our Simon family today and every day!

Simon Business School played a critical role in my development as an Army leader by providing me with a strong foundation in analytical thinking, strategic planning, and leadership. In the decade since I graduated from Simon I served as an acquisitions officer in the US Army in a wide range of positions, supporting the full life cycle of product and service solutions for the Department of Defense. Here are a few elements of the Simon MBA that were particularly impactful:

• Analytical Expertise: Simon’s emphasis on analytical and quantitative problem-solving was instrumental in my success as a contracting officer and program manager. The analytical and quantitative approach to problem-solving equipped me to be a skilled negotiator when working alongside partners from industry and academia. This was particularly important when negotiating with contract partners and ensuring the responsible use of taxpayer dollars.
• Strategic Foundation: My exposure to a range of competitive strategy courses at Simon gave me a solid foundation for managing complex programs, such as the Army's Black Hawk helicopter program. The knowledge I gained from these courses, along with the guidance from exceptional instructors, was crucial in keeping this strategic program on track in terms of cost, schedule, and technical performance requirements.
• Leadership Philosophy: Every course, instructor, and classmate at Simon contributed to shaping my leadership philosophy. I learned the importance of approaching business challenges strategically while understanding the tactical realities faced by those at all levels. This balanced understanding enabled me to effectively prioritize challenges while considering the impact of decisions on the people most affected by them.
• Diversity: As you can imagine, the Army is a global force for good and our alliances around the world are critical. The diversity I was surrounded by both in terms of geographic backgrounds and thought were an instrumental part in helping me work closely with dozens of allied service partners on the most pressing challenges facing our shared national security interests.

My experience at Simon was instrumental in my development as an Army officer, and it continues to be a value add in my life as I pursue new opportunities outside of the military.

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