MBA Student Profiles

MBA PROFILES

Jay Famico Boston, MA One-Year Notre Dame MBA Program Class of 2009

You could call Jay Famico a marketing mastermind. But even armed with bachelor's and master's degrees in marketing and plenty of on-the-job experience, Jay had his work cut out for him when he was faced with a challenging marketing task: overhauling his $80 million company's website. Complicating the job of re-branding a site that offered no clear-cut message and no avenues for leads, Jay had only 13 weeks to accomplish the undertaking. Heading a cross-functional team based in five geographies, Jay transformed the company's approach to communicating online with its customers. As a result, the site now accounts for 35 percent of all new leads.

The Wagon Wheel

While Jay was performing at an exceptional level in marketing, he felt something was missing. "I was becoming increasingly focused on marketing, but I knew that further business success would result from a collaboration of skills from different functional areas. I wanted a better understanding of how the entire wagon wheel worked together – IT, marketing, finance, accounting – and decided to pursue an MBA."

In searching for an MBA program, Jay established two criteria upfront. He wanted a "sweatshirt" school—a program with a recognizable, admired name—and one that would deliver a powerful educational experience. He found both at Notre Dame. "Everywhere I go, people know of Notre Dame and its reputation. If anything, I think the university is too modest. The professors at Notre Dame have been some of the best I've studied under."

Open to Options

When he graduates, Jay is considering a leadership development rotation program to further his exposure to all facets of business. That's if his love of marketing doesn't draw him back immediately. Jay is considering leaving his Northeast roots after graduation and is open to opportunities in the Midwest or in other parts of the country, but in choosing a company, as in choosing an MBA program, he has set criteria. "A good cultural fit is important," says Jay. "I appreciate the fit I have at Notre Dame and would like the same kind of culture in the next company I work for."

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