After completing 10 years of active duty service in the United States Marine Corps, Craig Platt was ready to get down to business once he transitioned into General Electric Aviation’s Junior Officer Leadership Program (JOLP) in the spring of 2016. He spent two years in the program before landing his current role at GE.
“JOLP is an incredible program that pulls high-performing military officers straight off of active duty into GE,” Platt said. “I completed three challenging rotations developing commercial skills in customer program management, marketing and sales. The leadership and professional growth opportunities are a powerful advantage of the program.
“The transition going from the military into the business world is a pretty steep learning curve,” he said. “Being able to quickly and effectively fill the knowledge gap is critical to assimilating and taking on positions of greater responsibility – especially within corporate America.”
So, when he became a senior commercial excellence manager and the commercial training leader at GE Additive in early 2018 he enrolled in the Master of Business Administration online program at Northern Kentucky University.
“I looked around and found that NKU has a unique value proposition in that the accelerated MBA program has five-week classes,” he said. “Plus, I felt like I could go a little deeper in core subjects like finance and marketing and get a much better understanding from a management perspective.”
Platt also gravitated toward NKU because of its reputation for working closely with veterans within its Veterans Resource Station (VRS).
“That is one of the truly special parts of the program,” he said. “They are tremendous people who are unbelievable veteran advocates. It can be complicated using the GI Bill or connecting with other veteran peers. The NKU VRS is a huge differentiator for the school and does an incredible job supporting the large veteran population.”
Platt completed the online MBA program in December 2019 and now has a pair of graduate degrees. He earned a Master of Science in organizational leadership with a graduate certificate in project management from Boston University in 2016.
NKU’s online format helps him manage a full-time job and still spend quality time with his wife, Bridget, and their two young children, Charlotte (7) and Teddy (3), while living and working in the greater Cincinnati area.
“My wife was skeptical when I enrolled, but we made it work,” Platt said. “The key for me has been finding the right balance between family, work and school. I have absolutely found the program to be manageable. It’s challenging in the right ways, but it’s your schedule to manage, which is beneficial.”
From the Skies Above to the Business World Below
Craig with his childen
Platt earned his commission as a Marine Corps Second Lieutenant after finishing Officer Candidate’s School (OCS) in Quantico, Virginia, and earning his undergraduate degree in law and justice from Concordia University Chicago in 2006.
He went on to earn his Naval Flight Officer (NFO) wings in 2009 and became an EA-6B Prowler Electronic Countermeasures Officer (ECMO) in 2010. He subsequently completed two combat deployments overseas and finished his time in the service at the rank of Captain. He was also an EA-6B Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) instructor during his last active duty tour, which allowed him to train the next generation of combat aviators while completing over 1,300 flight hours total in the EA-6B. Throughout his time in the military, Platt held multiple aircraft leadership qualifications and had the privilege of completing several different direct leadership assignments on the ground. He specifically recognizes how important the military was for his own professional development and learning to lead and manage effectively.
The decision to enroll in a fast-paced online MBA program while starting a new chapter in his career is paying big dividends.
“Being able to take five-week courses and move quickly through the MBA program, you can apply that stuff in real time,” Platt said. “I took a marketing strategy class as a stack elective that was really broadening. I was able to take a lot of those learnings and apply them directly.”
Platt has enjoyed the two finance stack courses he has taken the most.
“Now, I really like finance,” he said. “That was one of the core areas I wanted to dive deeper into and understand better. I am coming out of the program with a deeper knowledge and appreciation for the true language of business, which is amazing.”
The Future Ahead
With graduation in the rearview, Platt is excited to move forward in his professional career. He says he would like to stay with GE Additive for as long as possible. He also firmly believes having an MBA will help him continue to grow professionally and be better prepared for future business opportunities.
“I am focused on continuing to develop myself future commercial leadership roles,” he said. “You never know when opportunities will present themselves, but I strongly believe this degree will help me be better prepared for them when they do arise.”
Platt believes the biggest key to success in the program is staying engaged, being focused on what is right in front of you, and managing your time and energy effectively.
“I would tell anybody considering this program, first and foremost, that what you put into it is what you’re going to get out of it,” he said. “These five-week classes go by really quick. You’ve got to stay disciplined with your approach and stay on top of your assignments. The classes can and will challenge you.”
Although Platt and his family made some sacrifices for him to enroll at NKU in May 2018, he knows it has all been worth it.
“I 100% received great value from the NKU MBA program,” he said. “From my perspective, it’s perfect for working professional adults and it also has the advantages for veterans.
“NKU has an unbelievable reputation that continues to grow within the Cincinnati area. I think the strength of the business school, the flexible format, and the AACSB accreditation make it a tremendous MBA program. I am excited to see where this program goes in the future.”
Learn more about the NKU online MBA program.
