THE PATH TO SUCCESS FOR COMMERCE ALUMNI IS AS VARIED AS THEIR NUMBER. MEET MARK ESSIG, MBA CLASS OF 1985, PART OF THE MANAGEMENT TEAM CREDITED WITH THE TURN AROUND OF AK STEEL CORP.
| Early lessons on accommodation learned in an integrated community continue to serve Mark in today's diverse business world. |
By the time Mark G. Essig earned his undergraduate degree he already had four and a half year's work, perseverance, and a great deal of ability have characterized everything he's done and helped him achieve the position he holds today, executive vice president-commercial at AK Steel.
A native Chicagoan, Mark was born and raised on the south-side of Chicago, along with his extended family. Essig attended Leo High School, a catholic boys' school, where he was senior class president and valedictorian. He also played a variety of sports. The neighborhood and consequently the school was integrated. While still in high school Mark learned how well diversity could work. Different groups with different perspectives all learned to accommodate themselves to each other for the good of all. These early lessons have remained with him and continue to serve him well in today's diverse business world.
When Mark graduated from high school in 1976 he faced a dilemma. His dad, an engineer with Commonwealth Edison made too much money for Mark to qualify for financial aid, so Mark, the oldest of four children, decided to go to work immediately and attend college at night. Since he had already decided to study accounting, he found a job with Borg-Warner as an accounting clerk (an entry level position that required no experience), and enrolled in the night program at Loyola University's business school. Although he was allowed to take only three courses per semester in night school, he managed t to graduate in four and a half years by going to school in the summer, and taking extra courses simultaneously at DePaul. So in January 1981 he had earned a bachelor's in accounting. One month later he married the "girl next door" whom he had been dating since he was a junior in high school.
As soon as Mark graduated, Borg-Warner transferred him to their automotive component operation in Decatur as the manager of financial analysis. During the preceding years he had done well at Borg-Warner, moving into jobs of increasing responsibility--in the treasury and finance departments -- holding professional positions even before receiving his degree.
Mark was on his way!
| Mark Essig returned to campus in February to speak to the Industrial Distribution Management class and the current Executive MBA group. |
In 1983 he applied for the Executive MBA program at the University of Illinois. There was only one problem. The program required a minimum age of thirty and Mark was twenty-five. But, because he had been working since he was eighteen, his work experience was far greater than the average twenty-five year old college graduate. His last two years in Decatur had provided particularly valuable experience in labor relations and plant management. The early 1980s were a turbulent time for the automotive industry in the United States. In response to strong competition from Japan, the industry underwent restructuring and down-sizing and Mark was in the middle of it.
With his heart set on earning an Illinois MBA, Mark says he doesn't know what he would have done if the program had rigidly clung to its rule about age instead of judging his case on its merits. But he was granted an interview, and the director correctly judged that he would bring a great many strengths to the program.
The Executive MBA program proved to be a very rewarding experience for Mark. Because each student is placed in a study group, the work experience each student brings to the classroom becomes an important part of the learning equation. According to Mark, working with the other three members of his group, Dan Rizzo, Tom Aldrich, and Bill Funkhouser, was the best part of his Illinois education. Each of them brought a different strength (finance, information systems, production, and banking), which led to animated discussions that were extremely stimulating and informative. This was especially true when they prepared case studies. To this day, Mark remains in contact with the three.
The faculty in the program were also very good. Two stood out for Mark: Walther Primeaux who taught business economics (Primeaux retired several years ago and was last reported fishing in his native Louisiana) and Howard Thomas who taught strategic management. Thomas, the Towey Professor of Strategic Management, still teaches in the program, even though he became dean of the college in 1992. When Mark enrolled in the EMBA, Thomas had only been in the college for two years.
Asked who had exerted the greatest influence on him, Mark unhesitatingly spoke of his parents, who provided great inspiration. If he had to choose only two words to describe them they would be "selfless" and "hard-working", qualities that have become part of him as an adult.
In his work, Mark cities his current boss, Thomas C. Graham, president and CEO of AK Steel, as an important influence on his life. Mark came to AK Steel (then Armco) with Graham from another small steel company. When Mark speaks about Graham, it is with great admiration, respect, and fondness. Not only is it easy to learn from him, Mark notes, but he makes you want to do so. At the age of 68, Graham maintains his enthusiasm. He loves what he is doing and is very good at it. According to Mark, for the last 30 years Graham has been the most influential steel executive in the country. And this is an opinion shared by others. Recently Financial World and First Boston voted him the best CEO of the year. Mark speaks of these recent honors with great pride. It's clear that Graham has provided a model for Mark to follow. In fact, according to Mark, Graham's management style is that of both a leader and mentor. "I am privileged to have been in a position to learn from him."
Would Mark Essig have gotten where he is without his Illinois education? Perhaps. But one thing is certain, he puts great value on what he learned at Illinois both in class and out. The MBA program provided a strong foundation in core business areas; the teachers were very effective; and the interchange with other students provided an irreplaceable learning environment. The other managers in his classes brought a wealth of business experience and expertise that was freely shared and has proved to be invaluable.
Mark lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with his wife Debbie and four children, Maggie 10, Allie 8, Chrissy 7, and Bill 4.
| "One of the unique features of the study groups in the Executive MBA program is the way the members relate to each other - as peers. Mark's study group was particularly close; I'm not surprised they remain in close contact all these years later." |
| Kevin Fertig, Director, EMBA |
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