B.B.A.'05, A Global Perspective
Brian Zellner, B.B.A.'05, began his career with ExxonMobil in February 2007 after earning his B.B.A. from the Haworth College of Business and MA in human resource management and labor relations from the University of Illinois. He was originally hired by ExxonMobil as a recruiting advisor in Baton Rouge, LA, staffing area plants. Since then, he has advanced in the company, holding the position of labor relations advisor for a year and a half until relocating to Houston to start his current role as a global HR advisor within the company, supporting the upstream & chemical procurement organizations.
What’s the most interesting experience that Zellner has had in his career thus far? He notes frequent international travel has been a career highlight. Within the past two years he has visited Nigeria, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Japan, France, Czech Republic and Argentina. “Each trip has allowed me the opportunity to experience local culture, present lectures and workshops aimed at employee/leadership development, and meet some very interesting people.”
Along with being personally rewarding, international travel and willingness to take new perspectives is important to staying current with global business trends. “The biggest challenge in today’s business environment is the increasing competition from the international market. We no longer operate in a US-centric world – today there are highly-educated human resources in every region of the world, and companies must adjust their strategies to stay ahead of the curve and remain profitable,” Zellner notes.
Zellner credits the Haworth College of Business for laying the foundation for his future career. While his focus was on human resource management classes, he appreciated courses in other areas of business as well. Classes in supply chain management, finance and accounting help him relate to both coworkers and other businesses he works with, understanding their needs and allowing him to apply his human resources skills in the most efficient manner.
He continues to support the college of business and asks others to do the same. “I encourage others to not only provide financial support to WMU but to provide time and energy to help current students be successful. Whether it is in the form of employment opportunities, mentoring, or speaking to a course, helping students connect what they are learning in the classroom to the real world is an invaluable part of their education and will lead to their success.”