Meet Cory Cooper (MBA 2004): New President of the Business Alumni Association

In 2002, Cory Cooper made a big decision. He decided to pursue his passion for Finance and Entrepreneurship and build a successful career on the foundation of both disciplines. Cory enrolled in UIC’s MBA program where he majored in Finance and Entrepreneurship. After completing his MBA in 2004, he held positions at Daimler Financials (Mercedes Benz), HSBC Bank, Ally Bank, and even launched his own financial services practice. He is active on the Chicago cultural scene, serving on committees at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Contemporary Art.  Currently, a private banker at the third-largest bank in the country, Citibank, Cory remains a constant fixture at UIC speaking with students about careers, life experience, and how to make the most of their time at UIC. He is committed to community service and investing in the next generation of leaders. Cory has assumed the leadership of the Business Alumni Association and attributes much of his success to the inspiration, lessons, and relationships from his UIC experience.

You completed your undergraduate degree in Marketing at Saint Xavier University. What was your first job after graduating?

After undergrad, I joined a boutique marketing firm that was acquired by Draft Worldwide soon after I started.  I came on as an Assistant Marketing Manager responsible for working with clients on national Sponsorship and Event Marketing campaigns. My clients were in Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Louisiana, and I spent two (and sometimes three) weeks of every month living in airports and out of hotel rooms in each state.  For a kid fresh out of college (and living at home at the time), I couldn’t have asked for a better job.

How did you decide to pursue an MBA and what made you select UIC for your studies?

I always knew I wanted to get my MBA, even in undergrad. My dad always said that the one thing he wished he would have done in his career was to go back to school and get his MBA.  One of my mentors, who at the time was a Managing Director at Harris Bank’s Private Banking Group, was a UIC alumnus. After a year with the firm I was promoted to Marketing Manager and relocated to South Carolina to co-manage a satellite office supporting one of our client’s marketing campaigns. Managing that office was like running my own business. We were a small office with about 20 employees and were responsible for everything from negotiating agreements with clients to human resource issues and paying bills.  I really enjoyed the financial aspects of my job in addition to the client-facing stuff. In the early 2000’s companies like E-Trade, Ameritrade and Scottrade started popping up and I became obsessed with stock markets and trading. The first stock I ever traded was Sun Microsystems (blast from the past!).  I remember looking at UIC and it was one of the only schools that would allow me to pursue a major in both Finance and Entrepreneurship.

What were some of the highlights of your MBA studies in Finance and Entrepreneurship?

From an academic standpoint–being introduced to stock and bond valuation methods, being exposed to different aspects of new venture financing and valuation methods, learning how to put a comprehensive business plan together, and presenting new venture ideas were some great parts of my studies.  My professors brought in a lot of successful finance professionals and entrepreneurs to speak to our classroom so that was very insightful. From a personal standpoint–I sat in class with students from around the world: Panama, India, China, Bangladesh, and Europe–the list goes on. It was at UIC that I realized the world of business is global.

You joined a commodities trading firm at the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) while pursuing your MBA. What was that like and how did you balance work with your MBA studies?

Working at the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) was a life-changing experience for me. There is nothing like being on the trading floor at the open or close. You always felt like you were watching the next day’s financial news in real time. I was on the floor in the early years of the Euro currency and when the first bombs hit Iraq. I used to always think to myself, “Today someone will become rich and someone will become poor.”

Attending school while working was one of the toughest challenges I faced at the time. I had to be at work at 6:00 a.m. every morning. I left by 3:30 p.m., went to Starbucks to study, then went to class at UIC from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. I made it home by 10:00 p.m. I took the train in from the suburbs so by the time I added in the 1 ½ hour commute, I was lucky to get 5 hours of sleep. Thank God I was in my early 20’s with no family or major bills.

How did you land a spot in the leadership development program at Daimler Financials (Mercedes Benz) and how did your UIC MBA prepare you for this role?

Mercedes Benz actually visited UIC and I attended their presentation, resume in hand. I had one more year of school to go to at the time. Six interviews later, I got the job offer to join the leadership development program so I had a job before I began my last semester of school.

You spent time in corporate banking and then ventured out on your own with C.F. Cooper Advisors, a financial services practice. What were some of the advantages and disadvantages of running your own business?

I have had the entrepreneurial bug since my first job out of undergrad. After completing the MBA program I spent the next seven years in corporate finance underwriting hundreds of commercial credit loans and working for three really good financial institutions. It was the combination of discontentment and a desire to challenge myself in new ways that led me to launch out on my own. I had some really good friends who believed in me enough to become my first clients and I was off and running!

This year you accepted your dream job as a private banker at Citi. What’s it like?

I absolutely love it! There is nothing more personal than a family’s finances. Citi is one of the oldest and largest banks in the world and because of this, I have the opportunity to work with some of the most successful and affluent families in Chicago. I learn a lot from my clients who have accomplished some amazing things in life and I have the opportunity to see a side of them that very few people see. My biggest takeaway thus far has been the humility and modesty of the affluent families I have had the pleasure of getting to know.  They are not driving around in Bentleys and eating Grey Poupon with caviar as TV would have you believe. They live modest lives and are very much grounded in family-first principles. Most pride themselves on holding onto strong family values and they are deeply involved in their communities.  You would never know they had money if you stood next to them. I really respect that.

Talk about your leadership role as incoming president of UIC’s Business Alumni Association. What do you envision for the organization?

The Business Alumni Association plays an intricate role in the overall experience of students and alumni. My vision is for the BAA to be a conduit for current students, recent graduates, and established alumni and supporters of CBA to connect with each other and UIC in a meaningful way. There are three markets that we have to touch in a relevant way: Current students, recent graduates, and established alumni/ friends. Our programs will impact one or all of these markets.

I also envision the BAA becoming more strategically aligned with the Dean of the College of Business Administration.  As an active alum, I have seen positive energy and meaningful impact the Dean has brought to the College of Business Administration and UIC. Our goal is to support the Dean in his vision for the college by actively contributing to and advancing his vision. Finally, the Business Alumni Association is dedicated to the students and alumni of UIC. We should be helping them achieve their professional goals. We have had some great past presidents who have done that, so we need to take their hard work and improve upon it. And we will!

You developed The Cooper Family Project as a way to give back to the community by supporting students in schools with limited resources. What impact do you think the Business Alumni Association can make in the area of community service?

Yes, my wife and I are extremely blessed to be given the opportunity to build fruitful lives for ourselves and our families. We both share the principle of giving back to society. When a person dies, they are usually not remembered for what they have, but they are remembered for what they gave. Giving is the oil that truly makes the world turn.

The Business Alumni Association and UIC have the incredible opportunity and responsibility to impact the communities around us. Chicago is one of the largest cities in the world, so there is a great deal of need out there among us. We have the heart, talents, and ideas that can bring positive change to the city and those who live here. I hope to unleash these blessings on Chicago to do that very thing.

You are an active participant in UIC College of Business Administration student programs, speaking with potential and current students about how they can make the most of their UIC experience. How do you see the Business Alumni Association supporting student recruitment/development efforts?  

We (CBA alumni) lived at UIC—some of us for four years or more. Who better to tell the story than those who walked in their shoes? One of the most meaningful ways to give back is to pass on our experience with the next generation of leaders. I see this as a privilege and a responsibility. Some people say that leaders are born, but that is not entirely true. Leadership can be taught—it’s a skill crafted through trial and tribulation, perfected through trial and error, and passed down through those individuals who are willing to step up and tell their stories.  UIC is one of the finest institutions in the world. If we don’t tell our story, who will?

How can CBA alumni best support and become involved with the Business Alumni Association?

Nelson Mandela said it best when he said that “…The fist is more powerful than one figure…” We are all busy with families and careers. We all understand that time is a limited resource. An alumni association cannot exist without its alumni. We cannot be relevant unless we have alumni who share the BAA’s desire to be relevant. It is easy for us to criticize but much harder to contribute.  We have some amazing former and current Board members who have sacrificed their time, giving heroic effort to provide opportunities for CBA alumni to remain connected with their college and UIC in a meaningful way. Why not support their efforts by attending at least one BAA event in the upcoming year? We are truly stronger as a CBA family than as individuals. If we can all rally around supporting each other in our life endeavors, each of us will experience something special—something that we would not be able to experience by ourselves—and more importantly, we will accomplish something special together.