Grant McQueen didn’t want to leave the classroom when he took on his role as BYU MBA program director.
“I wouldn’t know how to lead a program without being down in the trenches with the students,” McQueen says. “I wouldn’t be able to interact with them—know what is going right and wrong, learn their names—without seeing them at least twice a week for an hour and fifteen minutes.”
To help McQueen stay in the trenches, Dean Lee Perry not only appointed McQueen director, he also named Daniel Snow associate director. McQueen’s responsibilities focus on the MBA’s relationships with individuals and entities outside of the program while Snow handles topics involving the students’ experience.
The third integral member of the leadership team is managing director Treavor Peterson. He oversees the operations of the MBA program—effectively “keeping the trains running on time,” according to McQueen. He has held this position for the last four years and provides continuity during the transition of directors.
“I think the MBA program at BYU is one of the best in the country and I love being a part of it,” Peterson says. “I love working with students and being a part of their progression. It’s one of the greatest jobs ever. That’s why I’m here.”
During their tenure as leaders of the program, these men are hoping to augment the excellence already found here at BYU.
“We inherited a great program, in solid condition, with lots of momentum,” McQueen says. “Given the current environment, my vision is to focus on elevating the quality of the students, the faculty, the curriculum, the experience, and the placement.”
Snow agrees.
“I’ve seen world-class MBA students and programs,” Snow says. “And we have world-class students and faculty here. Our opportunity is to continue to elevate and raise the sights. We don’t need to scrap what we are currently doing in order to make that happen.”
Both Snow and McQueen are excited about their new roles because they are passionate about the school and its students.
“When I taught at Arizona State University and University of Washington, I taught finance,” McQueen says. “I love finance and I’m interested in finance, but at BYU I teach students and I’m much more excited about that. I can dedicate my life to teaching students; I’m not sure I could dedicate my life to teaching finance.”
“I’m a true blue BYU MBA believer,” Snow says. “It’s exciting to me on a professional and spiritual level to be part of building this place.”
Despite their many responsibilities on campus, McQueen, Snow, and Peterson keep busy during their off time as well. Here’s a closer look at what they devote their time to off campus.
McQueen
- Traveling: “My wife Jolene and I recently become empty-nesters. We enjoy traveling; this summer we took a trip to Europe plus trips to Boston, Newport Rhode Island, and Colorado to site see and visit kids.”
- Beekeeping: “I started a couple years ago just for fun. My first didn’t go so well, but last year was great.”
Snow
- Sitting on the board of Ceramic Process Systems based in Norton, Massachusetts: “I think being able to go back and be a part of decision making allows me to come back into the classroom and be a better teacher and researcher.”
- Tinkering/creating: “I restore old cars, I build chandeliers, and I make stuff with three-D printers. I work in knowledge all day, and I need to do something physical with my hands reasonably often or I go crazy.”
Peterson
- Capitalizing on Utah’s great geography: “My son and I enjoy things in the outdoors, particularly fishing, so we spend a lot of time fishing in lakes around Utah.”
- Serving on the board for the American Cancer Society in Utah: “I’m a surviving cancer patient. I underwent a year of surgeries and chemotherapy treatment so cancer treatment is an important part of my life.”