Greg Schwager

Schwager says he comes from a “fast-paced, no-nonsense, manufacturing background.” He used to run factory-floor operations for a company in New Jersey, working 16- to 18-hour days and supervising teams of 12 to 200 people. “Getting things done” and “keeping costs low” were his primary drivers.

“Looking back at my management style, I see that I was making decisions based purely upon gut feelings, instincts, and immediate needs,” he says.

Advantages of the supply chain platform

“The supply chain platform gave me a foundation of technical skills that I built upon with courses that strengthened my interpersonal skills. I graduated from Olin with knowledge and experience in inventory management, queuing, and forecasting as well as enhancing my abilities to be successful in the relational aspects of my career.”

Now, he deals with employees at “all levels of the organization” in his full-time position at KLX Aerospace Solutions where he is currently on assignment in the United Kingdom.

How the MBA program exceeded his expectations

Schwager attributes a variety of courses – including finance, organizational behavior, and negotiations – with providing him “a knowledge base that I wouldn’t have acquired on the job. Bottom line, I walked away from the program with a phenomenal tool set that has made me a better business professional and a more responsible leader.”

Certain program advantages surprised him. “The get-what-you-want-out-of-life attitude of some of my peers really impressed me. They landed internships and jobs in cities like San Francisco, New York, Chicago, and Boston through hard work and determination, which drove home the difference between pursuing and realizing your dreams.

“After so many years of being in charge, the MBA program helped me become much more collaborative through all the team assignments and projects – although I’m still very much a work in progress,” he adds.

On his role as vice president of the Olin Supply Chain Club

As club vice president, Schwager’s primary job was to “create connections with attractive companies. The accomplishment I am most proud of was bringing a supply chain manager from Tesla, an Olin alum, to campus. The alum’s visit raised the profile of the university, the business school, and the Weston Career Center.”