where are they NOW?
BRANDON JOHNSON BBA Management, BBA Marketing, Business Administration, M.B.A. Department of Management and Marketing Undergraduate: December 2015; Graduate: May 2017
Why did you choose ETSU for your education? ETSU was actually an accident for me – I had plans to attend only for a year and then transfer. But from my first day on campus I was hooked, and knew it was the university for me.
What is your current position and/ or research? Professionally, I am the General Manager of Eagle Tire Pros – a multi-million-dollar auto repair and tire shop. As a volunteer, I serve as the head of Lions Clubs throughout the State of Tennessee.
What does your current position/ research entail? My professional job involves everything from sales and forecasting to marketing and human resources. My volunteer role has me managing over 200 clubs and nearly 5,000 members throughout the state. Thankfully, ETSU’s College of Business prepared me for both of these roles!
How did your time at ETSU prepare you for your career?
What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? Don’t give up! Graduate school is tough – especially if you are like most of us and work while you pursue your degree. Getting this degree will be one of the highlights of your life. The faculty you will have will change your life, and your fellow students will become some of your closest friends. Make the most of it and learn everything you can while in your program. You’ll only get out of it what you put in!
What I learned at ETSU helps me every single day. The marketing classes during my MBA helped me develop a strategy for my business. Accounting and finance classes taught me how to budget and forecast. Management classes taught me how to lead my team in a way that leads to constant win-win solutions. Every class I took at ETSU has, in some way, helped me professionally.
What professors/advisors were instrumental in helping you get to this point? There’s too many to name, because I firmly believe that ETSU is blessed with the best faculty imaginable. Professors like Mahmoud Yasin, Craig Turner, Tom Moore, and Dana Harrison stick out for not just what all they taught me, but their kindness and patience along the way.
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