College of Management and Business NLU ALUMNUS HAS COMPANY ON THE CUTTING EDGE By Brian Kush National Louis University prides itself on being a school that provides access to education. Access to education, due to circumstances, can be tough for many people. In Scott Kartsounes’ case, it was being a working adult with a wife and two young children. National Louis University’s MBA program provided Scott the access to obtain his Master’s degree and move up in his company.
able program, but also had a very good reputation for quality, and good faculty,” Scott said. “I liked that the program was fast paced and I was able to complete the program in under two years. In the end, I think it was good pick.” Scott was right. The MBA program at National Louis University allowed him to finish the program at his own pace while balancing his life at home. Scott was in the MBA program with eight other working professionals, and the small class size allowed the instructors to work closely with the cohort and give special attention if needed.
Scott was recently promoted to Chief Technology Officer at Manufacturers’ News, Inc. Manufacturers’ News, Inc. is the nation’s largest compiler and publisher of industrial directories and databases. Located in Evanston, Illinois, Manufactures’ News, Inc. dates back to 1912.
After completing the MBA program at National Louis University, Scott was immediately promoted to Chief Technology Officer at Manufacturers’ News
Scott started at Manufacturers’ News, Inc. in 1999, right after he graduated from college, as part Scott Kartsounes of the information technology department. Scott helped Manufacturers’ News, Inc. develop new technologies to help customers access information in more efficient ways.
“I liked National Louis because it was very affordable, but also had a very good reputation for quality.” — Scott Kartsounes ’13 Chief Technology Officer, Manufacturers’ News Inc.
“Recently we launched an online subscription service where customers can get unlimited access to our database for an annual fee,” Scott said. “We also started a mobile app and an app for the tablet. It’s all about giving customers new ways, more convenient ways, to access our information.”
Inc. National Louis University made it possible for Scott to take the next step in his career. Scott is now focused on the future of Manufacturers’ News, Inc. and moving them forward in a rapidly-changing environment.
After working in IT for several years, as well as running his own software company, Scott gained a lot of business experience, but he didn’t have the foundational experience in business. He decided to take his career to that next level, he needed an MBA.
Part of the changing environment is the customer becoming accustomed to paying one monthly fee for unlimited services. We see this with companies like Netflix and Pandora. With that in mind, Scott has developed a new service called “Easy Select.” It’s a new subscription service that looks to shift Manufacturers’ News, Inc. from the traditional onetime sale to reoccurring revenue. Subscribers to Manufacturers’ News, Inc. can now access all the
With several options in the Chicagoland area in terms of MBA programs, Scott did his research and found that National Louis University was the best fit for him and his busy life. “I liked National Louis because it was a very afford-
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