ANDREW SHURTLEFF
Alumni Profile
DAVID PIMPO (MBA ’97) First Darden Alumnus to Become a Navy Admiral
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native of Strongsville, Ohio, Rear Admiral David R. Pimpo (MBA ’97) attended the United States Naval Academy in 1986, after which he went on to earn his MBA degree at Darden. He then served as assistant supply officer aboard the USS John C. Stennis, an aircraft carrier that circumnavigated the globe. On his second sea tour aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, he served as supply officer before assuming the role of operations officer for Naval Supply Systems Command. In 2012, Pimpo was selected to become an admiral and assumed command of the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime in Columbus, Ohio, for which he garnered many well wishes and much support from his fellow Darden alumni. To date, Pimpo is the only Darden alumnus to become a Navy admiral. INTIMIDATING FIRST DAYS OF DARDEN In 1995, Pimpo arrived on Grounds for his first day at Darden. The experience caught him off guard. “I remember being in class and getting a little overwhelmed,” he admitted. The subjects were challenging. The approach to learning was rigorous. Many of Pimpo’s classmates were already well versed in the various business concepts because of their professional backgrounds. “I looked around, and I thought, ‘Wow! These guys are impressive. I’m still trying to make sense of this,’” he reflected. Pimpo quickly realized that given his military experience and his effective decision-making skills, he could offer a distinct perspective in course discussions, particularly when the class was discussing leadership. “I’d read the cases and made
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decisions that were different from [those of] my classmates,” he said. “Some of my classmates would come up with unbelievable solutions to complex, technical problems, and I always wished I could contribute in that way,” said Pimpo. “Then, during one of our classes, I was called on and had a very different take. Afterwards, some of my classmates said they liked my solution. It was then that I realized they were just as interested and impressed with my way of thinking as I was impressed with their approach, and I realized I brought value to the class,” he said. “I realized I did belong at Darden.” A DIFFERENT DARDEN MISSION In the summer of 2014, Pimpo returned to Grounds, this time for the “Navy Strategic Thinking” course, which is part of Darden’s Executive Education custom program for the U.S. Navy. The experience broadened his thinking on a global scale. Getting a chance to revisit Darden’s case method was also appealing to Pimpo. “We had several cases to read and discuss. I fought to remind myself not to approach the scenarios as a Navy admiral, but as a person in the case,” he said. Pimpo is not only grateful for the opportunity to continue learning at Darden, but he also considers himself blessed to have been an MBA student at the School. “There are many instances in my career when I’ve thought about things my Darden professors have said or the ways in which they handle situations in class, and I think it’s really made me a better officer than if I hadn’t come here.”
— Abena Foreman-Trice