Name: Kirk Chartier
Class Year: 1986
Title: Chief Strategy Officer
Organization Name: Enova International
1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?
Establish business strategy based on market and regulatory opportunities and ensure we are positioned to make desired returns.
2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?
I was a Marine Officer and NROTC student. In the Marines I flew helicopters, went to military schools, and obtained an MBA. When I left the Marines, a corporate recruiter looking for military officers to join corporations reached out to me through a friend and I had lunch – that person connected me to a USMC and Holy Cross alum who connected me to someone at GE who was hiring.
3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?
NROTC, intramurals , cross- enrollment at WPI
4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?
Economics and Civil Engineering. Economics is a long term thinking discipline and fit naturally with business strategy
5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?
Intellectual rigor and curiosity – consider problems from three sides. Confluence of liberal arts and science in the natural world – there is a deeper truth to things that we can uncover through study and which leads to stronger and longer lasting solutions.
6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?
First – build computer knowledge and skills no matter what your major is. Second, Build knowledge that is deeper than current trends and beliefs – shallow things change over time but deeper knowledge of disciplines helps guide thinking.