Meet the MBA Class of 2025: Richard Hamrick, Stanford GSB

“Enthusiastic builder of authentic and inspiring consumer experiences, a new husband and an avid golfer. »

Hometown: Richmond, Virginia

Fun fact about yourself: In my free time, I love mountaineering and have climbed three “14ers” (14,000 foot mountains) – with plans to do a few more while in California.

Undergraduate school and major: Vanderbilt University – Economics and European History

Most recent employer and job title: McKinsey & Company, Head of Strategy and Operations, North America

Besides your classmates, what was the key part of the Stanford GSB MBA program that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? What really stood out to me about Stanford GSB was the commitment to offering courses in a wide variety of formats and learning experiences. No two courses are taught exactly the same way: in the space of a week, I can have a few case-based discussions, participate in a role play with peers, complete a challenge business analysis, then hear from a guest CEO. share their approach to leadership in the industry. GSB faculty choose the course format and learning experience that they believe best suits their course content, based on decades of research and teaching experience. As someone who gets bored easily, I knew I would be constantly challenged and pushed in class. In my first few months here, I can confidently say that the experience has not been disappointing at all!

What has been the most important thing you have learned so far at Stanford GSB? The most important skill I learn at GSB is the art of being intentional with my time. Every day on Stanford’s campus, there’s a lot going on outside of the classroom: from lunches with industry leaders and sessions with employers, to club and organization meetings, and other informal gatherings. I often feel like a kid in a candy store: there are so many amazing things to do, but there are only 24 hours in the day!

While I can’t say I’m an expert at time management yet, I have learned some valuable tips. First, I picked up at a session on prioritization hosted by the GSB Career Management Center. Every Sunday, I look at the calendar for the coming week and sort the events, ordering them from the most important ones I attend (e.g. classes and interviews) to things that may be less important (e.g. example, a quiz night). This helps me thoughtfully participate in the events I’m most passionate about without getting tired of saying yes to everything. Stanford GSB has a great phrase: Instead of worrying about “FOMO,” the fear of missing out, we try to embrace “JOMO,” the joy of missing out, which happens when you make intentional choices about how you want to spend your time. . JOMO aims to celebrate the choices we make intentionally, recognizing that each decision contributes to a rewarding experience.

What class, club, or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Stanford GSB? Money & Banking with Professor Arvind Krishnamurthy was a fantastic introduction to the inner workings of the American financial system. Professor Krishnamurthy is an expert on financial systems and capital markets who regularly advises legislators on financial regulation and policy. Throughout our training, we have delved into the impact of changes in interest rates and investor expectations on capital markets. At the same time, we also examined how policymakers and private entities collaborate to manage economic growth and inflation in countries around the world. We also welcomed an incredibly impressive group of guest speakers to our class, including the presidents of the Federal Reserve Banks of New York and Kansas City and the CEO of a fintech startup.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you have met so far? Give an example of why this is true. I was blown away by the authenticity of my peers. All of my classmates, first and second year MBA students, have been incredibly welcoming, supportive and transparent. They are genuinely enthusiastic about helping each other and collaborating to achieve whatever they are working on – from tackling assignments and projects to starting new student organizations. or start new businesses off campus.

A simple phenomenon that speaks to this incredible culture of authenticity we have here at GSB: every time you meet a classmate on campus and ask them how they are doing, you never get a one-word answer. Instead, they’ll give you a thoughtful answer that reflects what they’re working on, what they’re passionate about, and what they might be struggling with or looking for help with. Our community members are never transactional; instead, they’re happy to share their aspirations and find ways to help you achieve yours, too.

Describe your biggest achievement in your career so far? Throughout my consulting career, I have had the privilege of serving several leading institutions as they grappled with the effects of the pandemic and sought to protect the lives and livelihoods of their clients and of their employees. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to help an airline implement a new financial management and tracking system that helped them manage their expenses more effectively to enable them to invest in its employees and its customers. During the most tense times of the pandemic, when consumer demand for air travel plummeted, our client was able to maintain financial solvency and avoid involuntary layoffs of its frontline employees. I am proud to have contributed, in one way or another, to an effort that has helped maintain the employment of thousands of airline crews and airport operations personnel.

Describe your biggest achievement as an MBA student so far? I’m proud that I was able to leverage my former experience in management consulting by helping several of my classmates break into the industry. Recruitment for consulting internships is very competitive and the whole process is known to be quite lengthy and stressful. I really enjoyed the opportunity to work with my class members as they honed their case interview skills and prepared for behavioral interviews. Over 20 of my peers have received offers to join management consulting firms this summer, and I am incredibly excited about the incredible experiences they will have!

What has been your best memory as an MBA so far? The obvious answer is that there are so many choices! Here’s one from the beginning of this term: We don’t have classes on Wednesdays, which we typically use to do homework or group projects, attend club meetings, and catch up with classmates. Wednesdays are also good days to get off campus and explore all that the Bay Area has to offer. Earlier this term, GSB Golf Club hosted a group trip to the famous Pebble Beach Golf Links, one of the most famous golf courses in the United States. Sixteen GSB students came down and spent the day playing golf and exploring some of California’s most beautiful nature. Some of the most meaningful and thought-provoking conversations I’ve had at GSB take place outside of the classroom, on outings like these. Having the opportunity to participate in such incredible experiences with my peers in the GSB community is a huge part of what has made my time here so special.

What advice would you give to a potential candidate looking to join the GSB Class of 2026? Do not write an application that you think Stanford GSB wants or expects from you. Applying to business school can be intimidating, but the application process can be incredibly rewarding in itself. Before writing my application, I took some real time to reflect on my first years of career and on my professional and personal aspirations. Admittedly, I hadn’t thought about these questions in depth since my university days, and this personal reflection was long overdue. I found the application to be a fantastic way to reestablish goals for my career and personal life – and to express how Stanford could help me get there!