Thomas Antunez, president of Irvine-based Percentix, has pledged $25,000 toward the Dean’s Leadership Circle (DLC) Endowed Professorship Campaign and joined the DLC Executive Committee. A dedicated Merage School alum, Antunez is also a member of the advisory board of the Don Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
“The addition of Thomas to our executive committee adds a new level of innovative leadership to our organization,” said Pam Adams, founding chair of the DLC.
Antunez says his MBA at Merage School has helped him in three ways. "First, it gave me the technical skills, including finance and accounting, to really understand what it takes to run a business. This is critical as an entrepreneur.
"Second, the MBA honed my ability to articulate a business idea to any level, whether it be to a CEO or a financial analyst. This gave me the self confidence to drive business ideas and concepts.
“Third, my MBA experience really developed my understanding of what it takes to work within a team -- how to know when to demonstrate strong leadership and when to let others pull more of the weight. This is key for any business professional. Merage is in the business of producing leaders, but graduates should understand that leadership is as much about giving others the opportunity to lead as it is about leading on your own."
The Dean’s Leadership Circle is the premier alumni support group of The Paul Merage School of Business. Established in 2005 by Dean Andy Policano, the prestigious group of business leaders has raised over $1M in pledges, with more than 330 dedicated members. This funding has allowed the Merage School to secure business faculty in addition to technology and classroom improvements to enhance the student experience.