We spent some time with HBM’s Summer Associates to get to know them a little better and hear what was the determining factor for them choosing to come to St. Louis
Each year, HBM recruits talented students from select MBA programs to join us as Summer Associates this May. The program is unique, as Summer Associates are quickly tasked with responsibilities that HBM’s full time team members are given on a daily basis. You can learn more about this program from current Associates and former Summer Associates, Dan Soucy and Adam Silver by reading their blog posts.
This year, HBM is excited to have three Summer Associates joining them: Sarah Salky, Taylor Perry and Latif Alam.
Sarah Salky
CC: Which university do you attend and what is your major?
SS: I am an MBA student at the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis. My academic focus is on strategy and finance. This past year has been great and I’m looking forward to working with the HBM team this summer!
CC: What did you find appealing about HBM’s Summer Associate Program?
SS: HBM’s approach to career development closely reflects their investment strategy – deliberate, thoughtful leadership with a long-term focus, even at the Summer Associate level. I was looking for an opportunity where I could roll up my sleeves and work on substantial projects over the summer. HBM exceeded my expectations. I was also struck by how kind, intelligent and welcoming the entire HBM team was from the beginning. It is a culture that I’m excited to be part of.
CC: Where are you originally from?
SS: I’m originally from St. Louis, an added bonus to joining the HBM team this summer! After living in New York for five years, I’m enjoying being back in the Midwest.
CC: Do you play any sports or have any hobbies?
SS: You will normally find me running in Forest Park on just about any nice day. I’m also an avid reader and always have a few novels cracked open.
CC: Have you received any awards or accolades you’d like to mention?
SS: This year, my team won Olin’s capstone to the MBA core semester, a case competition sponsored by IBM and Monsanto. It was a great way to end the first semester and something that I’m quite proud of.
CC: Is there a non-profit that you are involved with? If so, please share the background as to why you became involved.
SS: I recently joined the Board of FamilyForward (formerly Children’s Home Society of Missouri). The organization provides prevention and support counseling and resources to families experiencing trauma, and promotes safer and healthier relationships for children and their families. FamilyForward is a true leader in the region when it comes to providing these invaluable services.
CC: Please share a fun fact about yourself that most people would not guess.
SS: I lived and studied in Paris, France for a semester of college and speak French.
Taylor Perry
CC: Which University do you attend and what is your major?
TP: I attend the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University where I am pursing a MBA majoring in Marketing and Finance. I studied business in undergraduate school, with a focus on Finance and Accounting. To me, it was important that I broaden my core knowledge of the business world, which is why I chose Marketing. Marketing was an area that I had little exposure to in my prior professional and academic career, and one I was interested in learning more about.
I am a firm believer that it is important for a business leader to have a fundamental grasp on driving revenue in a business, and marketing plays a key role therein.
CC: What did you find appealing about HBM’s Summer Associate Program?
TP: In the two years prior to joining Kellogg, I worked in mergers and acquisitions of industrial businesses, primarily from an investment professional perspective. I have always aspired to run a business one day, and felt that the best way to grow towards that goal, both professionally and personally, is gaining first-hand experience at a growing company.
HBM presents a unique opportunity for someone at this point in my career. Having direct exposure to business strategy and development were areas that I did not anticipate having access to during a summer internship. I am excited to have the opportunity to leverage my knowledge of the industrial space to collaborate with the team and HBM’s portfolio companies on strategies to help them meet their growth objectives.
CC: Where are you originally from?
TP: I am originally from Winchester, Virginia, a town about an hour and a half west of Washington, D.C.
CC: Do you play any sports or have any hobbies?
TP: I enjoy playing golf and I am a moderately active runner. I have run a number of half marathons in the past and I will be running my first, full marathon this fall in New York City.
CC: Have you received any awards or were your achievements recognized?
TP: My first deal while working in investment banking was recognized by the M&A Advisor Turnaround Awards in March 2014 as the “Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year (Over $1 billion).”
CC: Is there a non-profit that you are involved with? If so, please tell us how you became involved?
TP: I was actively involved with Brighter Children in the past. Brighter Children aims to send kids in underdeveloped countries to primary school. The organization was started by a college friend. I was quite involved with the launch and periodically helped thereafter with event communications.
I am currently running the NYC Marathon with Change for Kids, which supports New York City public schools with a broad range of services and resources for under-resourced schools throughout the city.
CC: Please share a fun fact about yourself that most people would not guess.
TP: Last summer, I was chased by a large barracuda in the Caribbean after it thought my GoPro was a potential snack. The great news is I ended up unscathed and caught a lot of it on film.
Latif Alam
CC: Which university do you attend and what is your major?
LA: I am a MBA student at the University of Virginia, Darden School of Business. I’ve been fascinated with business ever since I was young. In middle school, I would sneak into the teacher’s lounge and buy a bunch of soda from the vending machine and then sell them on the bus for a $0.25 profit per can.
CC: What did you find appealing about HBM’s Summer Associate Program?
LA: I was looking for an opportunity that would allow me to see all sides of a transaction. I am eager to understand HBM’s process when deciding whether a company is an attractive acquisition target. I am also very excited to see the other side of the coin – working hand-in-hand with the facility managers and see the final product leaving the plant. The HBM internship is unique as it will provide just the type of experience I was hoping to acquire.
CC: Where are you originally from?
LA: I am originally from Chicago, Illinois.
CC: Do you play sports or have any hobbies?
LA: I am the current president of the Darden soccer club. Prior to attending Darden, I had a part-time job as a development coach for Lake Forest Soccer Association, coaching U-13 girls. I am obsessed with the game and continue to play several hours a week.
In addition to soccer, I race in triathlons. I am fairly competitive and have qualified for the U.S. Age Group National Championships twice. I ran my first half Ironman last summer and plan on completing my first full Ironman next summer.
CC: Have you received any awards or were your achievements recognized?
LA: I have won a few awards for athletic and academic strength, including the Chicago Tribune’s High School Athlete of the week, for scoring 3 game winning goals in a week. My most recent award was my Darden Section superlative of “Most likely to bully you into a 5 am workout”.
CC: Please share a fun fact about yourself that most people would not guess.
LA: I once sat next to Mark Spitz on a plane and asked him if he knew Mark Spitz.