MBA Resume for Freelance Writer
EDUCATION
Darden Graduate School of Business Administration, University of Virginia Charlottesville, Va.
Candidate for Master of Business Administration, May 2002
• Students for Responsible Business (VP Communications), Cold Call Chorus (Music Director), Consulting Club
• Awarded Landmark Communications Incorporated Scholarship for academic, personal achievement
Cornell University, College of Arts and Sciences Ithaca, N.Y.
Bachelor of Arts in Government with distinction, May 1992
EXPERIENCE
Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Co., Strategic Studies Intern (Summer 2001) Fort Worth, Texas
Served as member of eight-person internal consulting team for second-largest U.S. freight railroad. Analyzed
financial and operational issues and presented recommendations to a variety of internal clients.
• Performed cost-benefit, discounted-cash-flow analyses to determine whether company should undertake
$17-million repair of flooded rail line in North Dakota or reroute traffic. Identified $1-million-plus/year in
potential cost savings to the company. Findings used by top BNSF management in talks with state lawmakers.
• Analyzed finance department’s methodology for dealing with project interaction within analyses of proposed
capital investment projects. Developed recommendations to help improve company’s investment decisions.
• Evaluated proposed $34-million capacity-expansion plan for Interstate-5 rail corridor in northern California and
Oregon. Performed cost-benefit and DCF analyses to determine that plan was not financially justified given
growth projections. Recommended methods for handling additional traffic using existing infrastructure.
Times Publishing Co., Business editor and writer (1997-2000) Erie, Pa.
The Reporter, Business writer (1996-97), Freelance writer (1992-95) Lansdale, Pa.
Montgomery Newspapers, Staff writer (1995-96) Fort Washington, Pa.
Developed skills valuable in general management and consulting through experience as business journalist. Gained
positions of greater responsibility at larger papers. Worked most recently for daily paper serving 95,000 readers.
• Identified and researched trends and issues across numerous businesses and industries. Industries covered
included transportation equipment/railroads, manufacturing and financial services. Developed ability to quickly
frame key issues and challenges facing a company or industry.
• Responsible for production of 12-page, weekly personal finance magazine.
• Managed four-writer team and production of newspaper’s business pages in absence of editor.
• Met demanding production requirements and daily deadlines. Worked on multiple projects and multi-story
packages simultaneously. Changed plans quickly to adapt to breaking news.
• Built relationships with and interviewed hundreds of sources, from chief executives to community leaders to
union members. Learned techniques to work successfully with sources who were reluctant to offer information.
• Distilled key facts about complex issues into concise and accurate writing. Wrote up to 10 articles per week.
• Key contributor to redesign of company’s business pages and annual business magazine. Improvements led to
increased advertising revenue and helped sustain section readership in increasingly competitive media market.
• Developed monthly strategy for paper’s business coverage as lead writer on five-person writer/editor team.
Honors: Pennsylvania Newspaper Publishers Association first-place award for business/consumer writing (1999)
Pennsylvania Newspaper Publishers Association second-place award for breaking news coverage (1997)
PERSONAL
• Vocalist and guitarist for ink, a Philadelphia-area pop band. Produced and sold 11-song, self-financed compact
disc. Gained radio airplay, media coverage and repeat engagements at major clubs in Northeast. (1992-96)
• Contribute articles and photographs on railroad-related topics to Trains and Railpace magazines, including 1998
Trains cover story on recent hiring trends in the railroad industry. (1993-present)
