Rob Peterson, B.A.'95, MBA'02
When who you know meets what you know
“The saying ‘It’s not what you know but who you know,’ is only true if you actually know something that other people value. The knowledge that I gained in WMU’s MBA program heightened my skills thereby allowing me to be of even greater value to my network of colleagues,” says Rob Peterson, business recruitment and retention director for Downtown Kalamazoo Incorporated (DKI).
Peterson always had a goal to work in real estate development, particularly on downtown projects with a focus on local business. Over the years, his career pathway has taken him through banking, residential real estate and suburban commercial real estate. He has now landed in a position at DKI, which is a perfect match for his interests and aspirations, though he would not trade any of his experience. “All of the experiences I have had have been invaluable to my current position,” he says.
Meeting Exceptional People
”One of the great things about my job is that I get to connect with exceptional, innovative people on a daily basis,” says Peterson. ”One of the most exceptional people that I have met in my career is Chris Crowell, owner of Gazelle Sports. He either timed his venture perfectly to coincide with the meteoric rise of running as a sport, or he created the market through his community events and superior product. Either way – it is a good business model, and he is a great business person.”
Key Challenges for Businesses Today
“The key challenge for most businesses is one simple thing – talent,” says Peterson. “We can point to financing, global sourcing or a lack of confidence as challenges businesses face, but opportunities are there, and I still see businesses searching for the right people with the right skills to help them leverage those opportunities.”
On Success
“I am rarely satisfied with results; it’s too easy to get lucky. I pay more attention to how I did something, and then determine how I can do it better.”
On WMU’s Haworth College of Business
“Each year, I refer several businesses to participate in the project courses that many of the professors at the college teach,” says Peterson. “This helps students by giving them real-life examples and allows businesses to tap into the top talent that WMU attracts. We are fortunate to have strong partnerships between the business community and WMU’s Haworth College of Business. The shared business resources in Kalamazoo are a strong selling point for Kalamazoo.”