Ryan Rebholz

University of Miami, Herbert Business School

“Small town kid still trying to figure out how to live in a big city.”

Fun fact about yourself: I’ve saved someone’s life.

Hometown: Bloomington, IL

High School: Normal Community High School

Major: Finance

Minor: Business Analytics and Entrepreneurship

Favorite Business Course: Finance 320: Investments and Security Markets

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

• President of the Hyperion Council, a student- run business consulting organization
• Undergraduate Teaching Assistant
• Miami Business School Sophomore of the Year
• Hult Prize Business Plan Competition Campus Champion/Regional Finalist

Where have you interned during your college career? (List Companies, Locations and Roles)

• Elion Partners Investment Management (Miami, FL): Acquisitions Analyst
• University of Miami Investment Office (Coral Gables, FL): Investments Intern
• Lazard Asset Management (New York, NY): Summer Intern

Where will you be working after graduation? Boyne Capital (Coconut Grove, FL): Analyst

What company do you admire most?  Amazon reinvented how we interact with other companies in a way we never would have thought possible. Amazon doesn’t sell a product, they sell all the products.

Who is your favorite professor? Professor Shapiro. Dr. Shapiro was my first ally during the career recruiting process. After hundreds of interactions, I can say that he had more impact on my career progression than anyone else. I truly wouldn’t be where I am now if I hadn’t taken his class freshman year.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business?The business world isn’t always as it seems from the outside or like you read in a textbook. There are layers and complexities to each business you interact with, and the only way to navigate this intricacy is to partner with the right people and mentors.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Focus on two things as you go through college:

1) The people you meet along the way are just as important as the things you learn along the way.

2) Anyone can learn the facts, strategies, and methodologies needed to be successful, but it is the repetitions and practice of what you learn that make them useful.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? The thing that surprised me most about majoring in business was just how dynamic the subject matter was. One day, you’ll be learning about free cash flow yield and the next on how to sell yourself and your brand to others.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? I would ask more questions in class. In the real world you don’t have as many resources or smart people willing to help as you do in business school. I would take more advantage of them while I had the chance.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? It was winning the Business School Sophomore of the Year award. This award was a culmination of a lot of hard work and validated for me that I was on the right path. I believe this award spring boarded me toward a lot of my success down the road.

Which classmate do you most admire? Kyle Kingma. Although Kyle was a senior while I was a sophomore, the way Kyle carried himself had a profound impact on me. As a leader and as a student, Kyle consistently exceled at bringing people together, and showed me all that was possible when you simply treated people the right way.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I would want to thank my dad. He pushed me to be the best version of myself and gave me the tools I needed to be successful. He also gave me the freedom and resources to get better at my craft which can’t be understated. Without his help and guidance I know I wouldn’t be in the place I am today.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

• Building a $100m company
• Employing over 100 people

What are your hobbies? Golfing, watching football, and reading.

What made Ryan such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2021?

“As a freshman, Ryan was practically invisible—mostly because he didn’t see himself as an innovator or leader. Thankfully, he met several faculty and students who saw his potential and supported his efforts to find his voice. Of course, it was obvious he always had the “horsepower” to succeed, but to see him take risks to learn how to leverage his intellect and use it to motivate other really bright, driven colleagues has been my distinct pleasure. He and I travelled to Guyana as part of a student fact-finding team to do the groundwork for a social entrepreneurship program for local women. Despite the wide gap in experiences, Ryan was instrumental in helping the different groups find common ground to begin the tough work in their communities so the program will have legs for the next few years. Building on that experience, Ryan discovered he could be a strong (not necessarily loud) voice to drive change and that has resulted in other students being more effective in their work with similar communities in Latin America and locally.”

EllenMarie McPhillip
Assistant Dean

DON’T MISS: 100 BEST & BRIGHTEST BUSINESS MAJORS OF 2021