Trailblazers: The first Charlotte grads

When UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School’s MBA@UNC, Online Master of Accounting, and Weekend and Evening Executive MBA Program classes graduate on Oct. 26, 2024, pioneering peers from the Charlotte Executive MBA Program Class of 2024 will join them.

The first group to graduate after taking classes at the Business School’s campus in the Bank of America Tower represents a cross-section of backgrounds and business interests, from finance and real estate to healthcare.

Some are well into their careers and looking to strengthen their skillset; others are considering a career change or preparing for expanded duties. Many have spent the past two years balancing their MBA studies with demanding work schedules and young children at home.

But they have one thing in common — they will always be the first. Here are four of their stories.

Kunal Akwalia

In 2018, Kunal Akwalia almost applied to the Weekend Executive MBA Program while living in New Jersey. Just a few years later, there was a new option he couldn’t resist.

After moving to Charlotte in 2021 with his wife, Hiral Akwalia (BA ’09), and their two children, he spotted ads around town for the new Charlotte Executive MBA Program.

“I saw that the leaders I admire and people on my ideal career path had an MBA,” says Akwalia. “Returning to Charlotte at this stage in my career, I wanted to build out my local network with other motivated and successful individuals from different industries.”

He got exactly that. While working as a senior principal in IQVIA’s contracts and revenue group, he went for a concentration in strategy with an eye toward advancing in the pharmaceutical industry.

A native of Hickory, North Carolina, Akwalia graduated from NC State University in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. His career has straddled pharmaceuticals and business, including positions with life-science consulting firms IMS Health and HighPoint Solutions before joining IQVIA in 2018. Through the Charlotte Executive MBA Program Akwalia expanded his knowledge of business, finance and leadership and made vital connections in the city, especially through the very active alumni community.

“Charlotte is a booming city with hundreds of young and experienced professionals moving here to grow in their careers,” he says. “The program gives you access to people from a wide range of industries, many of which you may not even know about.”

There were additional benefits. He received unconditional support from his peers during the two-year program. His study group members never hesitated to take on extra responsibilities during group projects when his work at IQVIA and home life were busier than normal.

And Akwalia was inspired to take a broader look at opportunities within the pharmaceutical industry. He saw himself in a new light.

“My most significant takeaway was realizing that I can do more than I thought I was capable of before entering the program,” he says. “Over the last two years, I worked at IQVIA, parented two kids, built and maintained friendships, learned as a student and grew as a person. The program will allow me to have more confidence balancing life while tackling complex solutions and stepping into new roles on my career path.”

Rob Dills

It was easy for Rob Dills’ study group to name itself.

“We were ‘Lucky No. 7’ on day one, just from observing their diverse array of talents, which was reflective of our entire class,” he says. “I knew this would be a life-changing journey after working with an incredible cohort of colleagues I’ve been able to learn from, debate with and developing meaningful friendships with.”

Dills, who was raised in rural Stanley, North Carolina, was already leaving his mark in Charlotte’s business community when he enrolled in the MBA program. In 2004, shortly after earning degrees in business administration and economics from Belmont Abbey College, he began working for financial services firm the Vanguard Group at its Charlotte office. Over the past two decades he has advanced in the company and now serves as a business manager for Vanguard’s advice services project management office.

Still, he knew there was more he needed to do. After learning about the Charlotte Executive MBA Program, he asked his colleagues for their thoughts on UNC Kenan-Flagler. They all praised the School for its focus on strong leadership development and strategic thinking. From the first time he chatted with admissions, he “felt called” to the program.

“My goal was to identify a top-tier MBA program that would enable me to refine my leadership skills, broaden my perspective and business acumen, and provide a deep-rooted network of alumni in my community,” says Dills, who lives in Belmont with his wife, Allison, and two children. “And I needed it to also give me the flexibility to continue working with my employer while remaining present for my young family.”

The Charlotte Executive MBA Program aligned perfectly with his unique goals. Dills, who concentrated in finance and leading people and organizations, was drawn to its hybrid design, which combines in-person classes with a virtual asynchronous learning model. The program gave him the strategic tools needed to continue solving complex business problems, which is critical to his work and future career growth.

He especially appreciated meeting top Charlotte business leaders throughout the program’s Executive Friday speaker series and developed a greater understanding of business beyond his own field, including real estate, entrepreneurial ventures, operations and marketing.

“Next for me is leveraging what I’ve learned in the MBA program to take on even more strategic initiatives and potentially new leadership opportunities to broaden my impact across the financial services industry,” he says. “I didn’t initially come into the program as a Tar Heel fan, but I am graduating as one which is a true testament to the program’s transformative impact.”

Kathryn Armstrong

Part of the excitement of being part of something brand new is watching it flourish in real time.

“We got to see UNC Kenan-Flagler grow its presence in Charlotte throughout the program. I felt like we were truly a part of its foundation,” says Kathryn Armstrong. “Signage went up on the building in Uptown. That was cool to see. It made things more official.”

Before enrolling, the native of Columbus, Ohio, had lived in Charlotte for six years, working as an e-commerce manager for building materials manufacturer Watts Water Technologies. She knew she wanted to get her MBA and had three main goals: improving her leadership skills, growing her business network and developing well-rounded business knowledge.

“When I learned that UNC Kenan-Flagler was coming to Charlotte, I knew it would be perfect for me,” she says.

Armstrong has a bachelor’s degree from the Ohio State University in business with a specialization in marketing and design. In the Charlotte program she switched it up, concentrating on finance and strategy. She was most impressed with the depth of practical knowledge the program gave her that she has already applied to her current role, including negotiations, financial modeling and forecasting.

Other benefits were intangible but indispensable. What will stay with her the most are lessons learned from her supportive cohort and the friendships that grew along the way.

“The program gave me experience with problem-solving, working with different teams, pushing through ambiguity or frustration, and self-reliance,” she says. “I am more confident, and I feel better equipped to lead projects that span different business functions.

“It is a great opportunity to invest in yourself.”

Myers McGarry

The “UNC MBA Ladies” group chat is pinned to the top of Myers McGarry’s texts alongside conversations with her parents and her fiancé. The women McGarry met in her Charlotte Executive MBA cohort have daily conversations ranging from life celebrations to book recommendations and complex business advice.

They can tackle any issue together, she says.

“Need a recommendation for a house painter? They’ve got a guy. Need to hunt down an unpublished school calendar date? We can do that, too,” says McGarry. “Having a bad day? Maybe someone just sent a general appreciation text about how lucky we feel to have each other in our lives. As I progress in my career, I hope to replicate this model of support.”

As a Charlotte native, McGarry says it’s surreal to be a Tar Heel in her hometown. Through her life, she has seen Charlotte transform into a business hotspot that’s still growing rapidly.

The program’s mission was clear from the beginning — and it came from Hugh McColl (BSBA ’57), former chairman and CEO of Bank of America, who spoke with students shortly after the program launched.

“In our first Executive Friday talk, Hugh McColl aptly stated that Charlotte needed a top-20 MBA program to continue to grow,” she says. “This set high expectations for our class, which is great for Charlotte’s future. Now, Charlotte benefits from 55 enthusiastic Tar Heels helping to lead the city’s next generation of growth.”

McGarry’s managers at global real estate firm JLL encouraged her to apply to the MBA program. After she was accepted, she hesitated to enroll because she was beginning a new commission-based role. She got all the support she could have asked for from both UNC and JLL, receiving a Forté Fellowship from the Business School and tuition assistance from her company. She came into the program with an unconventional background, a degree in journalism and mass communications from Washington and Lee University.

“I decided,” she says, “to bet on myself.”

That’s always a good bet. McGarry works in JLL’s office tenant representation practice, helping businesses buy, sell and lease commercial property. Her MBA studies expanded the scope of her business knowledge. She learned about power of connections in her negotiations class and how managing people is often the most difficult part of the operations puzzle. Her cohort took a deep dive into the complexities of how to work with others to achieve mutual company goals.

McGarry is eager to delve deeper into her brokerage career at JLL. She feels better equipped than ever to discuss the company’s bottom line with CFOs, explore potential changes for day-to-day operations with COOs and review overall trends and competitive landscapes with CEOs.

“Completing the program reinforced my passion for my current role by giving me the confidence I needed to continue,” she says. “I love solving real estate puzzles for businesses, and the program gave me a holistic understanding of the factors decision-makers must consider. It helped shape me into a better broker by enabling me to see business from all angles.”