2022 Best & Brightest Business Major: Greg Fulling, Marian University (Byrum)

Greg Fulling

Marian University of Indianapolis, Byrum School of Business

Fun fact about yourself: I learned how to ride a unicycle and juggle through a program called “Juggling Masters” in elementary school.

Hometown: Brownsburg, IN

High School: Brownsburg High School

Majors:  Accounting and Business Analytics

Favorite Business Course: BUS 109 (Shark Tank Competition)

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

  • Marian University Tennis Team Captain
  • Student Athletic Advisory Committee Vice President
  • Dean’s Advisory Council Member
  • Dean’s List: All Semesters
  • Founder of BB&B Fellowship Group
  • Business Leaders Scholar Scholarship Recipient
  • Comprehensive Analysis of Business Project Lead
  • Community Volunteer Work – Marian Tennis
  • Cardis Family Endowed Scholarship Recipient
  • Francis Academic Scholarship Recipient

Where have you interned during your college career?

  • Ernst & Young (Indianapolis, IN) – Audit Intern (Winter 2020)
  • CliftonLarsonAllen (Indianapolis, IN) – Audit Intern (Spring 2021)
  • Mister Quik Home Services (Indianapolis, IN) – Financial Analyst Intern (2019-2022)
  • Theoris Services (Indianapolis, IN) – Account Manager (2019-2020)

Where will you be working after graduation? I will be working at CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) in Indianapolis as an audit associate starting in September.

What leader do you admire most? The leader I admire the most is Brad Huff. Brad is the owner and founder of Mister Quik Home Services in Indianapolis. I grew up next door to Brad and he was always approachable and very down-to-earth. It wasn’t until college that I realized he was the owner of a large HVAC company in Indiana with over 100 employees. He has been a great mentor in personal and professional development and even provided me with an internship where I worked alongside the CFO of his company. Brad has always made himself available when I needed help, and introduced me to several other Indianapolis leaders. Brad’s humility, coupled with his strong religious beliefs and focus on his employees and the community, are the reasons why I admire him so much. It is also why Mister Quik has been named by Indy Star as one of the best places to work in Indiana.

Who is your favorite professor? I have been fortunate to have had many good professors at Marian University, but the one who stands out the most is Dr. Mark Reasoner. Dr. Reasoner is a theology professor and is the most knowledgeable person I have ever met about a given topic. Despite his extensive knowledge, he never disregards another student’s perspective and gives them his full attention. Dr. Reasoner is an excellent example of portraying the Christian values he teaches in class and is a humble leader, the type of leader we should all strive to be.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? Before attending Marian University, I was always shy around other people and struggled to have professional conversations. College has put me in many positions where I was forced to overcome my fear of talking to people. From presenting to Fortune 500 board members, working with the Marian community, and networking through alumni events, I have become more comfortable with my communication skills. I have seen growth in my self-confidence, which has opened more professional doors. Through networking, I have learned how interconnected the business world is. Often, you are just one person away from having a conversation that could change your career path or even your life. Don’t be afraid to have those conversations, and you will likely find that people want to help you if you are willing to be helped. Studying business or “doing business” as Marian puts it, has taught me this value.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? Before coming to college I didn’t have a good picture of what “business” entails. Majoring in business has shown me all the different fields there are such as marketing, management, accounting, finance, and supply chain. But what is most surprising about this is just how interconnected all the positions are. In the classroom, you start to see how different areas overlap and the communication that is required. To do your job effectively, it is necessary to communicate with all divisions of the company. You also begin to realize that your skills can translate to many different areas.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? The achievement I am most proud of is serving as team captain of the Marian University tennis team for the past three years. Since arriving at Marian, I have never been the best player on our team. At first, this was a difficult to accept because I was used to being the best. It forced me to be honest with myself and to put my head down and get to work. By sophomore year, I was still nowhere near the best. However, my hard work ethic and pursuit of doing the right thing earned me the respect of the coaching staff and players to name me captain. Being captain has taught me so many lessons about leadership, problem-solving, and organizational behavior.

Which classmate do you most admire? The classmate I admire the most is Ben Kompar. I admire Ben for a whole host of reasons, but he has an amazing ability to focus on what truly matters with such a busy schedule. Not only does he have a lot of schoolwork, but he is an RA, a member of the Marian University rugby team, and works a part-time job to help pay for school. Even with such a hectic schedule, he always makes time for what is most important and is always willing to help others. He does all of this with such a good attitude and holds himself to a high standard in all that he does. This is something I admire because I know how difficult it is to maintain a good attitude and high level of success when there is so much going on. Ben has become a close friend over the last couple of years and somebody whom I admire for the way he carries himself in all that he does.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? There are so many people that have selflessly done more for me than I could ever do in return. However, nobody has done this more than my parents. Looking back on how I was raised, I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity to live a fulfilling life. They have always given me the freedom to make my own decisions, allowing me to learn lessons from both success and failures. They have been there to congratulate me in my accomplishments and hold my hand in the failures. Recently, there have been many difficult decisions I have had to make: where to go to college, whether I should switch majors, what offer to accept, etc. My parents have been there for me through all those decisions and have helped me realize what is best for me, sometimes even when it is not what I want to hear. Without their guidance I would never be the person I am today. I am so thankful for the sacrifices they have made for me.

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

  1. Pass the CPA exam within a year of graduation
  2. Have a strong leadership position within an ethical company

What are your hobbies? My hobbies include: exercising, playing sports, reading non-fiction, working on cars, building things, and doing yard work.

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

“Greg leads by example through volunteer work, recognition as an NAIA Scholar Athlete, internship performance and classroom contributions. Greg demonstrates a rare combination of creativity and analytical ability. Clients that engage with our Business Analytics students are impressed by Greg’s ability to analyze problems and create powerful visualizations that help others understand key issues. I have had the pleasure of working with thousands of students in public and private institutions and Greg stands out as one of the best.”

Dr. Thomas Gjerde
Byrum School of Business
Assistant Dean
Instructor of Business Analytics

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