The Richmond MBA and Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc. Part I
As The Richmond MBA has grown, so has its connections with leading area organizations. The three curricular pillars – Opening Residency, International Residency and Capstone Projects – as well as career development programs take students inside companies to work on real-world issues, learn about the challenges facing unfamiliar industries and form lasting connections with executives, all which provide an experiential, hands-on education.
While Richmond MBA students are eager to take advantage of these opportunities, so are the organizations. Most recently, a conversation with Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc. (HDL, Inc.) expanded into several ongoing engagements involving students, faculty and staff from the two organizations. HDL, Inc. is a health management organization, offering comprehensive blood and laboratory analyses, health risk assessment administration, chronic disease management programs and advisory services. Founded in 2009, HDL, Inc. has grown its Richmond headquarters from 11 employees to a staff of over 700.
A Glimpse Inside
Last year Debbie Fisher, associate director of The Richmond MBA, invited HDL, Inc. to participate in A Glimpse Inside, a monthly program which brings together MBA students and alumni with representatives from notable firms to provide insight into a company’s inner workings. The January 2013 A Glimpse Inside with HDL, Inc. drew the largest attendance since the program’s inception.
“The response to HDL, Inc.’s involvement was huge,” Fisher said. “The feedback I received encouraged me to explore how we could further our relationship with the organization.”
Shortly after the presentation by Tonya Mallory, CEO at HDL, Fisher organized a Capstone Project with the firm. Capstone Projects are designed to mark the culmination of a student’s graduate studies, incorporating the knowledge gained in prior courses by addressing a strategic challenging facing the host organization. Adam Hahn, GB ’13, an associate in equity capital markets at BB&T, was paired with HDL, Inc. for his Capstone Project
Capstone Project
“In terms of the quality of a company, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience,” Hahn said. “Working with such an excellent, fast-growing local organization was a big deal for me.”
Hahn was tasked with researching and presenting a new growth strategy for HDL, Inc. “The organization’s main source of growth was from access to physicians’ clients. As they grew, it was difficult to maintain that rate of growth without picking up larger amounts of clients,” Hahn said. Hahn’s research focused on identifying demand aggregators, opportunities for HDL, Inc. to reach thousands of patients at a time.
Hahn considered heart health clinics, nursing homes and large employers, but in his final presentation recommended partnering with clinics to offer employer-sponsored on-site health clinics and provide laboratory testing for companies offering corporate wellness services.
Drew Jackson, client delivery project manager for HDL, Inc., was able to participate in Hahn’s final presentation. “Adam really helped us understand our expansion possibilities,” Jackson said. “He was able to analyze the future of the industry and really provide a promising strategy for HDL, Inc.’s growth.”
Jackson’s impression of Hahn left him eager to continue working with The Richmond MBA students .