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Meet Alum Ron Zuvich ’07, Senior Vice President at Emet Capital Management, LLC

Meet Alum Ron Zuvich ’07, Senior Vice President at Emet Capital Management, LLC

 

Name:  Ron Zuvich

Class Year: 2007

Title: Senior Vice President

Organization Name: Emet Capital Management

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

My main responsibility is to acquire distressed housing assets which qualify for tax-exempt municipal bond financing in the sectors of affordable housing, student housing, and senior housing.

 

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 attended several financial services networking events on campus and made a concerted effort to network with alumni in financial services. I had several family members in the financial services field and relied on their experience and guidance as well. I also attended an interviewing workshop and went on as many interviews for relevant jobs as I could.  The ability to act with confidence throughout an interview is a critical skill that does not come easy to some but can be developed with practice.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

Spring Break entrepreneurship program (would highly recommend), club soccer, intramural basketball, working as an accounting tutor.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was an Economics/Accounting major and felt it provided me with a core base of knowledge that would open up several potential paths in the world of financial services (Capital Markets, Asset Management, Investment Banking). I knew from my coursework that working for a Big 4 Accounting firm was personally not for me, so I began networking and applying to jobs primarily at major banks in Capital Markets and Investment Banking. Through some contacts developed at Citi, I obtained my first job working as a capital markets analyst for Citi in 2007.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

Writing and critical thinking – it is not essential, in my opinion, to have a degree in Finance or a business-related major in order to procure a job in the Financial Services industry. I spend much of my time writing detailed credit memos which require performing significant research, identifying investment risks, and thinking outside the box. This is the value of a liberal arts education – always thinking of ways to challenge the status quo and adding value by bringing a fresh approach to old ideas.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Networking is more important than ever in today’s world – have coffee, a quick call, or lunch with alumni in the field of your choice as often as you can, even if there is no immediate job prospect from such a contact. Be active on the good forms of social media (LinkedIn) and mindful of your presence on other forms of social media (Facebook, Instagram, etc.). Don’t be afraid to ask your contacts for help – most people are far more receptive than you might expect.
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Meet Alum, Michael Wright ’12, Associate, Equity Capital Markets at Canaccord Genuity Inc

Alum Michael Wright ’12 – Associate, Equity Capital Markets at Canaccord Genuity Inc

 

Name: Michael Wright

Class Year: 2012

Organization Name: Canaccord Genuity (Equity Capital Markets)

 

In one sentence, what does your job entail?

Advise and execute equity financings for growth focused companies.

 

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?

3 months into my first job out of HC, an HC alumni reached out asking if I would be interested in an analyst position on the Canaccord Equity Capital Markets desk. Despite feeling hesitant given my short time at my first employer, I felt the opportunity to join a small, dynamic team would be too hard to pass up.

 

What were you involved in when you were on campus?

Football, SGA, Big Brother Big Sister

 

What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

History major. Despite not being a finance related major, it provided me with the ability to analyze multiple pieces of information into narrower concepts/ themes . The skills of reading, analyzing, writing, etc. are crucial skills in any professional setting.

 

What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

Multi-tasking

Information analysis

 

What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Choose a major that is interesting to you – Holy Cross has a great reputation across all industries, and employers recognize they a hiring hard-working, smart candidates. Unless an industry requires specific credentials, do not force a major to fit a job application.

Make classroom performance #1, but also spend time utilizing the Holy Cross alumni network in your targeted profession(s). While it can be intimidating at first, the majority of alumni are extremely engaging and happy to provide career advice.
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My Alumni Job Shadowing Experience at GMO

Name: Jack McCabe
Class Year: 2019
Major: Economics and English
Shadowing Visit Site: GMO

Describe your visit and what did you gain from the experience?

During my visit, I got the opportunity to visit a few different desks on the GMO trading floor. In the morning I first attended the daily meeting where the head of the floor talks about the goals for the day and any news that was going on within the company itself. I then was able to visit a derivatives desk where I was actually able to see a few trades in action. Later in the day, I got the opportunity to sit in on an equities desk and then later a commodities desk. From this experience, I was able to gain a wide perspective on the various roles that make a trading floor operate.

How did this experience influence or connect to your future career plans/goals?

This experience really translated into my future because I always knew that I wanted to go into business when I was older, but I was still unsure as to what I wanted to do in business. This day helped me decide that a career in finance was right for me.

What is some helpful advice your alumni host shared with you?

Some really helpful advice that my alumni host shared with me was the importance of networking if I wanted to pursue a career in finance. My host also helped me through some career advice and how to go through an interview process at a place like GMO.

Why would you recommend the Alumni Job Shadowing Program to other students?

I highly recommend the Alumni Job Shadowing Program to other students because you get the chance to build a close relationship with an alum from the college. Networking is key especially in a field like finance, so the more people you know the better. Also, the program is just a great experience for people that are still unsure as to what they want to do when they leave Holy Cross.

The deadline to apply to this year’s Winter Break Alumni Job Shadowing Program is October 20th! Learn more and apply in Crusader Connections.

 
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ALUMNI INTERVIEW: I was a Economics Major, Now I Work for Edward Jones Investments

Meet Joe Curran ‘12, Financial Advisor for Edward Jones Investments

In one sentence, what does your job entail?

Helping families create and monitor a comprehensive financial plan.

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 learned that Edward Jones consistently gets very, very high rankings for training and employee satisfaction in the financial services industry and otherwise through family connections and community contacts.  As a recent college graduate I wanted to make sure that I was working with a company that had a track record of great training and employee satisfaction so that I had the highest probability chance for success in my career, as well as a career that offered me a work life balance that I could appreciate.  It was a good fit because I knew it was a career that allowed me the opportunity to balance my passion for finance with my passion for people.  It was a career that offered me the chance to help people in my community that needed guidance and I found that very attractive/rewarding. 

What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I was a four year member of the Varsity Soccer Program and participated in Holy Cross Goes Unified, as well as various Big Brother Big Sister events/community outreach events. 

What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was an Economics Major which had an influence on my career path. But, I do not think that it is a requirement or necessity to have a finance/economic based major in order to flourish as a financial advisor in particular if your firm has great training.

What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

People skills and dedication/hard work.  Holy Cross is a school that challenges you and expects results.  The expectations apply in the work world.  People skills are critical. I expanded as a person and was able to integrate with many people I wouldn’t have had I not chosen to attend Holy Cross.

What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Explore different fields and reach out to others/alumni to see who you can connect with prior to your graduation.  Learn about the ins and outs of each “job description”, not just what it says on the website.  Find a career that you have some sort of passion for and the rest will take care of itself.