
Business undergraduates meet with Rich Bechtel, director of executive search at Apple Inc and SEBA advisory board member
The Lasallian spirit is alive and well at Saint Mary's College. Demonstrating the Lasallian model of experience inspiring youth, Saint Mary's undergraduate business students Amanda Kopp '15, Mary Beth Ward '15, Simon Tryzna '15, Jennifer Ngyuen '16, and Joseph Ly '15, recently met with Rich Bechtel, the Director of Executive Search at Apple Inc and SEBA Advisory Board member.
The students benefited greatly from Bechtel's company because of his experience working for Apple and as a Saint Mary's alumni. At Apple, Bechtel BS ’84 EMBA ‘94 works to find exceptional leadership for one of the world’s most highly respected brands. He credits the communications skills he gained through the liberal arts education and specific skills in accounting and finance that facilitate his ability to build excellent business relationships. Bechtel also stressed the importance of values and ethics that he received from a Lasallian education at Saint Mary's College: "Ethics and integrity is part of the cultural fabric of Saint Mary’s, and it was a part of so many of our classroom discussions. Whether it was seminar or finance classes, ethical questions were frequently posed and discussed.” As his way of giving back, Bechtel serves on the SEBA Dean’s Advisory Board and in late May organized the dinner for five freshman and sophomore students.
Over the course of the meeting, Bechtel and the students discussed their progress on campus, the challenges found early in careers and what core skills are necessary to succeed in the corporate world. Bechtel offered his advice to the next generation of business leaders and they listened carefully. Furthermore, the students really enjoyed hearing Rich informally share his experiences and lessons learned about his personal and professional career. Kopp shared, "I have wondered over the past two years if I am doing the right things and if I am preparing myself for the world outside of the classroom. Richard made me feel so confident in where I am in my schooling and career development. His praise boosted our confidence in our abilities."
From Bechtel's point of view, he expressed the importance of nurturing youth as vital to the experience : “The challenge is how to bring in the next great leaders who will run any given business and take it from where it is today to the next level,” he says. “In recruiting, it’s all about the relationship and the connection you have with people.” For both Bechtel and the students, the meeting was enjoyable and informative while illustrating how the development of future leaders begins with the youth of today.