Justin Hier

University of Miami, Herbert Business School

“Ukulele novice and NFL enthusiast who has way too much fun making color-coordinated spreadsheets.”

Fun fact about yourself: I keep a spreadsheet that tracks every movie that I’ve seen; I’m currently up to 584 movies (my favorites are A Few Good Men and Toy Story 3).

Hometown: Boca Raton, Florida

High School: Claire and Emmanuel G. Rosenblatt High School at Donna Klein Jewish Academy

Major: Legal Studies; Marketing

Minor: N/A

Favorite Business Course: Law of Risk

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

• Iron Arrow Honor Society (“Highest Honor Attained at the University of Miami”)
• President’s Honor Roll (all semesters)
• Miami Herbert Business School Freshman Student of the Year Award
• President of the Miami Herbert Business School MGT 100 Team Leader Program
  • Formerly a Team Leader in my sophomore year and an Executive Team Leader in my junior year
• Member and former Co-Chair of Recruitment of the Hyperion Council, a completely student-run pro bono consulting organization that helps entrepreneurs, small businesses, and non-profits both in the local Miami area and internationally
• Teaching Assistant and Assistant Course designer for a course titled Professional Development and Success in the Workplace
• Vice President of Internal Finance for Alpha Kappa Psi professional business fraternity
• Miami Herbert Business School Student Orientation Speaker
• UMTV Sports Analyst on SportsDesk, a weekly online show
• Miami Herbert Business School Senator in the University of Miami Undergraduate Student Government

Where have you interned during your college career?

• University of Miami Hurricanes Football; Coral Gables, FL; Operations Intern
• Hier Labs; Boca Raton, FL; Marketing Intern & Customer Relations Intern
• SB Nation; Boca Raton, FL; Staff Writer for com

Where will you be working after graduation? Currently applying to law school

Who is your favorite professor? Professor Mark Shapiro has had a tremendous impact on my undergraduate career. Not only have I taken three of his courses and TA’d for one more, but his guidance and compassion in helping me develop as a student and as a professional in my career search has allowed me to grow into the soon-to-be-graduate that I am today. I thoroughly enjoyed the level of engagement and enthusiasm that he fosters in the students that take his classes. In fact, my experience in his courses “Introduction to Business Law and Ethics” and “Law of Risk” played a major part in my developing an affinity for business law and ultimate decision to apply to apply to law school. In his role as Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Business Career Advancement, Professor Shapiro helps countless students in the business school unlock their potential as future titans of the business world, and without him, the Miami Herbert Business school simply wouldn’t be the same. I could not thank him enough for the mentorship and counsel that he’s provided over my four years at Miami Herbert.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? A diverse set of team members working on a problem provides a diverse set of solutions. I’ve learned this through many experiences working in group projects in my courses, serving on the executive board of organizations like Alpha Kappa Psi, and in engaging with extracurricular activities like the Hyperion Council. These experiences have allowed me to meet and work with students who come from a litany of different backgrounds and have a wide array of skillsets and interests.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? When I began studying business, I never could have imagined the scope and depth with which business touches the rest of the world. I’ve had the opportunity to study core business concepts of course in accounting and finance, but I’ve also studied business through the lens of the health care industry, social media marketing, and more. This has led me to think on a daily basis about the different business implications of many entitles I engage with that people don’t tend to perceive as “business entities” at first glance. These may include my university, the doctor’s office, or my gym. How do they make money? How do they maximize their marketing reach? What liabilities do they have? These are questions I find myself wondering as I walk the halls of my school or through the door of my gym.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? I’d look into studying more courses outside of my given majors. As much as I’ve done so, I’ve very much enjoyed the opportunity to learn the different perspectives and ways of thinking that other majors teach.

What business executive do you admire most? Bob Iger, the former CEO and Executive Chairman of the Board of the Walt Disney Company, is an executive that I have long admired. In his book, The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company, Iger details his journey from early days working as a television set assistant at ABC to becoming one of the most powerful people in entertainment. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining humility and never wavering in prioritizing the importance of relationships and human connection in business. In an increasingly tech-centric world that makes it easy to go about your daily work without so much as a face-to-face “hello” to your colleagues, I found his message inspiring and timely. I re-read his book often to remind myself of the many other lessons Iger learned in his decades in business.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? I am extremely proud of the work I’ve done as a member of the sports media community which culminated in a recent television interview with Fox Sports Tampa. I’ve been a Staff Writer for SB Nation’s thephinsider.com for over four years and have interviewed NFL stars like Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry and Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. My work in that industry has allowed me to cultivate wonderful relationships with co-workers and fellow fans. One of the aspects of my work in that industry that I most cherish is that it allows me to connect with people I meet all over campus and beyond simply by sharing a love of sports and football.

Which classmate do you most admire? I admire my fellow business school classmate Lily Walton. Not only is Lily one of the best and brightest business students that Miami Herbert has to offer in her academics, but she is also an accomplished equestrian and has managed to somehow balance a decorated athletic career with countless extracurricular activities in which she’s maintained deep and meaningful engagement on top of an active social life with our friends around campus.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I would like to thank by older brother, Trevor Hier. Trevor is three years older than me and was a senior at Miami Herbert when I arrived on campus as a freshman. There is no more enthusiastically supportive and truly selfless older brother. Trevor has not only been my best friend (along with my little brother Andrew) for as long as I can remember, but he’s been a “north star” of sorts in all corners of my life, from family, to academics, to my professional future. Whenever I encounter a roadblock or a problem, Trevor is the first one there to help workshop the answer. Whenever I achieve an accomplishment, Trevor is the first one there to celebrate. He is, to put it simply, the best.

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

• Help run the legal department of my family’s business, Hier Labs
• Help run an NFL team

What are your hobbies?

• I am an avid NFL fan, sportswriter, and podcaster
• I love to watch movies
• I am teaching myself to play the ukulele
• I love playing board games with friends and family (Rummikub is a personal favorite)

What made Justin such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2022?  

“I have had the pleasure of having Justin Hier in my class for three separate courses beginning in his freshman year and going through his upperclassman years. His presence in the classroom, even from the earliest years, was mature and enlightening. He was always attentive and engaged and I could count on him to add substance to our classroom discussions. Even in large classroom settings, Justin had a voice and was widely respected by his peers.

Justin is a glowing and well-grounded student. He is an independent thinker and is active on campus. He is a favorite among our faculty. When we stumble onto a star student, we all know it and Justin fits the bill. I can think of few who I would be so willing to place my reputation on. Justin is easily one that I do.”

Amy Agramonte
Lecturer in Marketing
Director Professional MBA and Online MBA,
Marketing Department

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