We love hearing stories about COB alumni from the same family. We’ve heard about families that have multiple generations of COB alumni, husband/wife COB graduates, and even siblings that make attending WT a family tradition. We are pleased to share such a story with you: meet the McDivitt Brothers.
Brett McDivitt
Degrees:
- Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Accounting, West Texas A&M University, Summa Cum Laude, December 2003
- Southwestern Graduate School of Banking, Southern Methodist University (SMU), Dallas, Texas, Graduated with Distinction as class Valedictorian, June 2010
What brought you to WT?
Growing up in Amarillo I had the opportunity to visit WT’s campus numerous times. I am from a large family and a majority of my siblings and mother attended and graduated from WT as well. Being close to family was important to me, so WT was high on the list. I knew I wanted to pursue a degree that was business related and after researching different programs it was evident to me that WT’s College of Business was the right fit.
Describe your WTAMU experience
My experience was excellent. The faculty within the College of Business and the Career Services Office really exceeded my expectations. They were always available to answer questions and were willing to go above and beyond to see students succeed.
Being involved in extracurricular activities really enriched my overall experience at WT as well. I served as vice president of the Accounting Club, vice president of Gamma Beta Phi National Honor and Service Society, and secretary of Mortar Board National Honor and Service Society. Being involved in these organizations allowed me to meet and work with new people on a number of projects that were positively impacting the surrounding communities. I also was selected to serve as an Assistant Portfolio Manager of the WT Investment Series, which gave me hands on experience with managing an investment portfolio. Lastly, the internship I completed with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is what started me on the career path I continue down today.
How did you choose your major?
I have always enjoyed numbers. Growing up working in my family’s small business got me interested in pursuing a major that would allow me to mix mathematics with business. That started me down the path of finance as I had just started investing in the stock market and was interested in learning more. After reviewing the requirements of getting a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in finance, I noted I would need to take a number of accounting classes. As accounting was a subject I also was interested in I decided I might as well double major in finance and accounting.
Influential faculty or courses at WT
I thoroughly enjoyed all of my instructors. I would be remiss though, if I did not recognize the influence of Dr. Anne Macy who served as my faculty advisor. I learned so much from her in the classroom and while serving as a member of the WT Investment Series portfolio management team. If not for Dr. Macy I may not have the career I do today. When I originally learned of the opportunity of an internship with the FDIC I was hesitant to apply as it required students to take a semester off and work for the FDIC full-time. Dr. Macy encouraged me to pursue the opportunity and I am forever grateful. Other professors I would like to recognize include Dr. Sharon Burnett, Dr. Karyn Friske, Dr. James Owens, Dr. Darlene Pulliam, and Dr. Neil Terry. Steve Sellars in the Career Services Office is another individual I would like to recognize for working hard for me and many others when it came to student internships and job placement.
Tell us about your career since you’ve graduated
I started my career with the FDIC as a Student Trainee in the Houston Field Office in July 2002. After graduating from WT, I moved to Denver to work as an Assistant Examiner in the Denver Field Office, examining and assessing the safety and soundness of banks all over the state of Colorado as well as other parts of the country. I became a commissioned Risk Management Examiner in 2006 and a Certified Public Accountant in 2007. I was promoted to Case Manager in the San Francisco Regional Office in 2009 and then to Senior Case Manager in 2018. I originally moved to San Francisco at the height of the Great Recession. This was a particularly interesting time as I was overseeing a lot of problem and failing bank cases in Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada. During my time in San Francisco, I have overseen a number of large and complex cases including domestic and multinational financial service firms. I am a Federal Deposit Insurance application subject matter expert, serving as the Region’s De Novo Point-of-Contact. In this role I serve as the starting point for groups interested in seeking Federal Deposit Insurance. These groups range from small groups interested in opening a community bank to large/complex financial technology companies interested in creating a banking subsidiary. In addition to my regular work duties, I routinely serve as an instructor for both internal and external training events. I was a course instructor for the Financial Institution Analysis School at FDIC’s Corporate University and have presented at a number of events held throughout the San Francisco region including the FDIC Community Banker Workshop, Basel III Capital Training, Directors’ College Program, De Novo Outreach events, and Western Regulators events.
2010 Valedictorian – Brett McDivitt (center), Salutatorians – Chris Stringer (left) and Matt Funke (right)
Grant McDivitt
Degree:
- Bachelors of Business Administration in Economics and Finance, December 2010
What brought you to WT?
I grew up in Amarillo and my family has had a long history of attending WT. Being able to commute easily to school while working for my family’s business was a plus.
Describe your WTAMU experience
My experience at WT was really pleasant. I always appreciated the relationships I made with my classmates and faculty while at WT. I enjoyed being a part of the growth of WT. Even though I did not live on campus, I still felt like I was a part of the community at WT.
How did you choose your major?
Before deciding to pursue Econ and Finance, I considered mechanical engineering. However, my high school Econ teacher sparked a heavy interest in the world of economics. This newly found interest, observing my older brother’s career with the FDIC, and some encouragement from Dr. Macy to double major were the driving forces behind choosing economics and finance.
Extra-curricular Activities
- Internship/Student Career Employment Program at FDIC – I had the opportunity to work with the FDIC as an intern for a semester. For this time, I was stationed in the Oklahoma City Field Office and had the opportunity to examine banks in Oklahoma, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Oregon.
- Study Abroad to Nizhny Novgorod with Dr. Duman – This experience is something that will always stick with me. The discussions Dr. Duman led comparing the economic systems of the US and Russia combined with experiencing Russia itself made for an amazing experience.
- Study abroad Vancouver with Dr. Mills – I loved this study abroad experience. Getting an opportunity to see how the various cultures present in Vancouver mesh and meld and then examining how that can present management challenges was fascinating. Also bungee jumping.
Influential faculty or courses at WT
- Dr. Duman – Dr. Duman’s approach to discussing econ was something that always stuck with me. He really valued the classroom as a forum for the students to discuss ideas they had. He felt the discussions were where we really grew and I really appreciated that.
- Dr. DeArmond – I always loved Dr. DeArmond’s presence while leading a risk management discussion. Even with his height and big personality, he always made room for discussion within the classroom. I also really appreciated his willingness to be available to his students to talk about anything we had on our minds.
- Dr. Macy – I’ll always be thankful for Dr. Macy’s influence as an advisor.
Tell us about your career since you’ve graduated
After my experience as a SCEP with the FDIC, I decided the examiner career was something that interested me. I was offered a position with FDIC following graduation and began the training program to become a full-fledged examiner. Since becoming a commissioned examiner, I’ve led numerous examinations and reviewed institutions ranging from the smallest Oklahoma community banks to institutions in New York City, Los Angeles, and Puerto Rico. My career with the FDIC has given me bountiful opportunities to grow, as the regulatory environment is constantly changing. The FDIC environment has been good to me as a WT alum.
For more information about Undergraduate Programs in the Engler College of Business, contact COBundergrad@wtamu.edu or 806-651-2525.