Greg Marchand, MBA '09

Greg Marchand, MBA '09 MBA in Organizational and Environmental Sustainability
Department of Organization & Management

Greg Marchand means business. The company he hopes to build will have national, and possibly global reach. And now that he has his MBA, he is in hot pursuit of his dreams.

Greg was a member of the first cohort of Antioch University New England's Organizational and Environmental Sustainability (Green MBA) program, and he exemplified the entrepreneurial bent that characterizes it. Many of these students are looking more for skills and knowledge than for jobs. As Greg said, "I view my degree as more of a tool in my toolbox than anything. It will be something to put on a résumé should I need it, but more importantly the doors it will open, and ideas it has spawned will be invaluable to finding my way in life."

The group came from varied backgrounds, from farmers to members of the corporate and managerial realms. There was a twenty-five-year span between the youngest and oldest members. These differences only helped create a stronger group dynamic, and brought different skills and backgrounds to bear when the students worked together on their second group project assignment.

A key part of the program is a course in which groups of students provide consulting to local businesses or organizations. In order to help Stonewall Farm, a local non-profit educational facility and working dairy farm, brainstorm ways to increase profitability, Greg's class split into three groups to develop business proposals for new areas in which the farm might expand: develop a commercial kitchen, construct a greenhouse, and run part of the farm as a bed and breakfast. The 20- to 25-minute presentations were given to the rest of the class, the AUNE community, as well as to the management of Stonewall Farm. The students provided valuable consulting work to the business, focusing on sustainability as well as profitability.

Greg enrolled in the program because it "combined my two passions in life-my passion for the outdoors and a caring for our environment along with my passion for creating and growing business." Currently he works as a technical specialist in Toyota's corporate hierarchy. His past positions there have been as a business consultant working with their parts and services dealers, and as an ISO 14001 Management Representative, implementing an ISO 14001 certified Environmental Management System at a regional office and parts distribution center.

The Green MBA has helped Greg to bring his experience and passion together as he crafted a business plan for his dream business. His practicum addressed one of the final elements of his business plan that needed refinement. He plans to create "an organization that provides technical training to the automotive aftermarket with the end result of becoming the leader in alternative fuel technical training for the automotive aftermarket, thus helping to drive majority acceptance of alternative fuel vehicles." He envisions using independent contractors to provide training developed by his company. The challenge he sees is to "ensure quality delivery of the curriculum by contractors who are not only outside the company, but who are geographically very far away."

Since graduating, Greg has begun pursuing his business goals and is currently in the process of raising start-up capital. Greg hopes to begin providing technical training to independent automotive repair shops on a national basis during the first quarter of 2010.

Looking ahead, Greg says, "I've always dreamed of owning a business that was not only financially successful, but one that truly fits who I was as a person." The skills and experience he has gained in Antioch University New England's Green MBA will continue to help him along the way. "This program has opened my mind to the possibilities, while at the same time helping to ensure that my path in business is socially and environmentally conscious."

Last Updated: 3/3/10