UPS Leader Offers Career Lessons at MC
David Abney, United Parcel Service COO
Those were among the words of advice that Mississippi native David Abney, the United Parcel Service chief operating officer, delivered to the Mississippi College School of Business.
The Delta State University graduate spoke to hundreds of MC business students and faculty members plus President Lee Royce Thursday at the Ed Trehern Lecture Hall. Abney's visit is part of a series that brings distinguished people in the business world to the MC campus in Clinton.
The Greenwood native recalled he always wanted to be a history professor. But things quickly changed when he went to work for UPS at age 18. Just two years later, he got "brown" in his blood, referring to the familiar UPS delivery truck.
Working with UPS "you get immediate results" and he liked that as he worked hard to make sure packages were delivered on time each day and took on other challenging assignments.
Abney worked his way up the ranks from a part-time worker loading and unloading packages in 1974 to becoming a division manager in New Jersey and district manager in Utah. Today, he's COO with a company that delivers as many as 15 million documents daily worldwide thanks to the help of 250 aircraft and more than 100,000 vehicles.
It's a very results-oriented company, he noted, and it's one that's literally going places.
Given today's economic woes, Abney encouraged students to make sure they consider going into careers that have a future. Given the age of baby boomers, health care is among the industries that will grow for years to come, he said. It's an industry, he said, that UPS has targeted. "It will have career opportunities."
Others with a bright future, he said, are anything dealing with green initiatives, such as alternate fuels. Rapidly changing technology field are another wise choice these days.
On hand for Abney's remarks were some of his former UPS colleagues such as retired longtime UPS administrator Thomas Hawk of Pearl, an MC School of Business graduate. Hawk and others at UPS, Abney said, were "very good mentors" who helped him along the way at the company.
Studying at Baptist-affiliated MC is a plus for students when it comes to the characteristic of integrity, Abney said. "MC integrates faith and ethics with the education you are receiving," the UPS leader said. "You must do the right thing."
After the speech, Hawk showered Abney with praise. "He's a great man," Hawk said. "He's always been an inspiration to all of us."
As they filed out of the lecture hall near financial tickers streaming the latest news from Wall Street and other financial markets, MC students said Abney's lecture offered solid tips as they get ready to venture out and size up a scary job scene in the middle of a recession.
"It was real detailed," said senior Preston Harrell of Clinton of the 60-minute lecture. "It was some good stuff," added the business administration major.
MC marketing major Christa Sutter of Lafayette, La. said the lecture was timely for her since the senior will be searching for a job very soon.
For graduates at MC and colleges nationwide in the Class of 2010, Abney says they face "very challenging times" with America's jobless rate rising to just below ten percent. He says they still can find success, but must "be willing to give the extra effort," even when the boss isn't watching.
MC School of Business Dean Marcelo Eduardo introduced the fellow Delta State graduate as "one of the most accomplished executives in our country." Abney, he said, is a vital part of a lecture series at the School of Business that opens doors for MC students to learn from some of the best professionals in their field.
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