Faculty feature: Meet Brian McCarthy

Please give us a brief overview of your academic and professional background.

I started my career as a sales representative in the technology industry, first with the Burroughs Corporation and then with IBM. I was recruited to Microsoft, which gave me a chance to move from a field office to headquarters and from sales to marketing. At Microsoft, I worked as a channel marketing manager, group marketing manager, and business unit general manager — and loved every minute of it.

I have been teaching at The School of Business for 19 years, at first part-time and later as a member of the full-time faculty. It has been a wonderful second career.

What do you enjoy most about teaching at The School of Business at Portland State?

The students, faculty and staff. That’s an easy one! My colleagues and our students are all here because they want to be — and they bring their best every day. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that? And, of course, I have to add that the Karl Miller Center is nothing short of amazing. What a pleasure to work in this incredible space.

What classes do you teach in our graduate programs?

Each year I teach in our MBA and MSGSCM programs. My courses include Leadership Assessment and Development, Communication for Leaders, Leadership Challenges and Insights, Leadership and Ethics, Marketing Strategy, and Selling and Sales Leadership. I really like all of my assigned courses, so I am glad this question does not require me to rank them. In addition, I serve as the executive coach for our MBA students, which gives me a chance to meet with each one to discuss their professional development. Would you be surprised to know that our students are even more impressive one-on-one than they are in the classroom?

What are you most passionate about in your work?

I am most passionate about playing a positive role in helping our students get where they want to go. For most of our graduate students, the time they spend with us is transformational. They create important relationships, gain relevant knowledge and skills, earn a valuable credential and — above all — pursue their dreams and aspirations. It is an honor to be part of that process.

When you are not teaching, what do you spend your time doing?

You mean, besides watch Netflix? Seriously, I love spending time with my family. I’m married with three children. We are empty nesters now, so the time we are all together is infrequent but extra special. I also enjoy exercising, especially cycling, running and walking. I am a big reader of books about history, including nonfiction works, biographies and historical novels. Finally, I like to visit new places. I’ve traveled all over the world, but lately, my wife and I have really enjoyed visiting U.S. cities we have not been to before. For example, we took a long weekend trip to Austin and loved it. Next up: Nashville. Also, I have a small executive coaching practice outside of the university, and I work on a small pedestrian safety business I co-founded a few years ago.