Alex E.

Navy SEAL - 8.5 years

University of Michigan Ross Executive MBA

Leaving a career in investment banking for the SEAL Teams was a deliberate pivot. I left a world defined by analyzing risk to enter one defined by managing it when the consequences were absolute. That decision was driven by a need to serve and a desire to test my limits. Now, as I transition back to the civilian sector, I am driven by the same purpose: to find where I can make the most significant impact. That pursuit brings me to the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and to the Glen Doherty Memorial Foundation.

Glen lived with a fierce commitment to adventure, service, and continuous growth. His story reminds me that an operator's drive doesn't end when they take off the uniform; it simply finds a new mission. My own life has been a series of calculated leaps—from the trading floor to leading a Fire Team, to the discipline of endurance sports. Having completed three Half Ironmans and one full Ironman, I know the grind of long training hours and the mental resilience required to cross a hard-earned finish line. Like Glen, I view transition not as an end point, but as the beginning of a new, demanding chapter.

I am pursuing this EMBA with a clear objective: to operate at the intersection of defense technology, venture capital, and enterprise tech. Having served as a JTAC coordinating close air support during numerous combat operations, I intimately understand the dangerous disconnect between cutting-edge technology and the harsh realities of the tactical edge. I witnessed firsthand the frustration of tools that looked revolutionary in briefings but fell short in real-world conditions. My goal is to bridge that gap—whether scaling a defense startup, backing veteran founders, or driving innovation inside a major firm.

Ross is the environment where I will forge those broad interests into a concrete plan, translating my battlefield experience into commercial strategy. Committing to a program of this caliber, however, comes with a significant financial reality. While the GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon program cover a substantial portion, a five-figure out-of-pocket gap remains for mandatory expenses. Managing this deficit as a transitioning service member threatens to divert my focus from the rigorous curriculum and critical networking required precisely when full commitment matters most.

At the end of the day, my mission remains unchanged: to lead and to serve. Support from the GDMF would eliminate my financial barrier, allowing me to fully leverage the Ross EMBA to define my next mission and, ultimately, pay that investment forward to the community we share.