Family. Sports. Traveling. These are three things that Ryan Cathcart is passionate about – besides marketing and business, of course. He is currently enjoying his second year in the Full-time UST MBA program as the president of the Net Impact Club, which focuses its efforts on “businesses leaving positive social and environmental impact.” Cathcart recently organized a club event for the UST MBA students with Pentair at Target Field, where they discussed corporate responsibility with Todd Gleason, the president of the company’s integration and standardization team.
A Minnesota native, Cathcart returned to the Twin Cities working for the Hartford as a sales representative after attending Trinity University in San Antonio. After three years of working at the Hartford, he was presented with an opportunity to move forward with the company in sales. It was then that Cathcart decided to pursue his MBA and dream of becoming involved in strategic marketing role.
Regarding his experience during the Full-time program, he kept it simple: “it’s been great so far. More than anything, I love the people here. The faculty and staff are great, but I especially love the relationships I’ve been able to build with my classmates and the tight community within the program.” He values close relationships—especially with his family.
“My parents,” he answers when asked about who has shaped him as a person and a leader. “They have been and continue to be the most influential people in my life.” Cathcart’s parents, Rick and Kathy, are the ones he says who have given him a strong foundation of principles, values and leadership acumen. They have been dependable and Cathcart’s support system as he has gone through life. He especially mentioned his father Rick as an inspiration and a role model for him in leadership and business.
Next summer, Ryan Cathcart will be joining the Ecolab’s marketing team as the assistant marketing manager, a position he accepted after a successful internship between his first and second year.