UCF Alum Inspires Next Generation of Business Knights
By Josh Miranda
After more than 25 years of working in the investment management industry, Carrie Callahan ’94 prioritizes sharing her time, talent and treasure with UCF students who now occupy the same classes she attended while at UCF. Callahan is an economics graduate who serves on numerous committees across campus, including the UCF Foundation Investment Committee and the Advisory Council for the College of Business Department of Finance. She frequently speaks on campus, serves as a student mentor and was inducted into the prestigious UCF Business Hall of Fame in 2016. A true philanthropist, Callahan supports initiatives across UCF. Most recently, she established the College of Business Student Emergency Fund, as part of the U-KNIGHT for Business campaign, to support students in their greatest time of need. Simply put: she bleeds black and gold.
As a member of the Executive Management Team at Galliard Capital Management, Callahan was integrally involved in defining the asset management firm’s overall business strategy. Ahead of her retirement in 2019, Callahan’s time at Galliard saw the firm take on more than $74.5 billion in new assets as she worked with clients and consultants to develop strategic business solutions. She credits her adaptability and goal-setting abilities for driving her success at Galliard.
“I would say that I have tenacity to set focused, specific goals and get things done,” Callahan said. “I have learned it is very important to be determined but adaptable. I have also been very supportive in developing people and helping others to be successful through listening, leadership and connecting.”
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About Your College Experience
How did your time at UCF prepare you to launch your career?
I was a transfer student from the University of Wisconsin. The experience at UCF was a big change. UCF provided engaged, practical useful skills. This was coupled with interaction with my professors to bridge academic learning to real world applications. The faculty challenged me to think in real work experience while learning the necessary basics.
What drives you to support UCF and the College of Business as an alumna?
UCF became my connection to my new Central Florida home. In the early ’90s, many of us were commuter students and we learned to support and develop together. The connection of UCF to Central Florida creates pride in the school’s brand. As you grow professionally, you want to support others to succeed as well. UCF was a natural place for me to reengage when professional time permitted. As an economics major, bridging my appreciation for the university and my experience to work with the College of Business was the right place to start a lifetime of support. Now as I continue to learn the university more each week, there are so many ways to be involved and to give.
What advice would you give current students?
As we navigate the global pandemic, we all need to be OK with what it looks like now as there is nothing we can do to change what has happened. It is important for students to try to be OK with not knowing where they are going. It is a cultural norm to have personal expectations of “where you are going” when you complete your studies and fulfill plans, hopes, expectations and dreams. Unfortunately, this time does not allow for that kind of control for so many. So being more comfortable in not knowing exactly where you are going is more relevant now. A paradigm shift is the best way to set yourself up to opportunity and to think about being excited about the change.
About Your Career
What are a few of your proudest achievements throughout your career?
It started early at UCF when I navigated working full time and going to school full time. As a first-generation student, I learned to work hard but work and study at this level was something new for me. My degree was my first major accomplishment. That followed quickly by the university career center helping me find my first sales job at Northwestern Mutual Life. In the first year at NML, in a city where I was new, I became New Agent of the Year. That was my second major success and where my skills were recognized early. That platform allowed me, by mid-career point, to help build a small institutional asset management firm into a dominant player in fixed income asset management today. The capstone of these accomplishments occurred when I was recently recognized as one of the Top 10 Women in Asset Management.
What were the greatest challenges you faced at work?
Over 25 years of balancing being a professional with being a mom, daughter, friend and wife is always a challenge. It takes delicate navigation, self-forgiveness, patience and lots of energy to balance so many roles. It was exceedingly difficult to do this as a woman breaking into a male-dominated industry from a non-conventional way without your typical contacts in the institutional industry. Knowing what you want, being very specific about it and working your way a little bit every day in that direction is what made it all happen.
In your opinion, what changes are ahead as a result of COVID-19?
I do believe that if we all knew what changes were ahead we could all become wealthy and live with less stress. However, what we do know is that we don’t know the changes that are ahead. We do not fully understand how this epidemic has reshaped our local industries (tourism as a leading factor, real estate, etc.). With that in mind, what I would suggest is that students and graduates use good sound factual resources to be more aware than ever to recognize when changes are underfoot. We all have to be nimble, knowledgeable and forgiving to ourselves and others in moving forward out of this pandemic. Opportunity is where preparation and luck intersect. Without your eyes wide open and being prepared, you cannot truly benefit when opportunity presents itself. Therefore, in order to benefit from changes, you need to be ready.
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