51视频

08/20/2019
By Ed Brennen

As a managing director at BlackRock, a global investment management firm and the world鈥檚 largest asset manager, Ludwig Marek 鈥�98 appreciates the value of data.

It鈥檚 something the Swiss native learned almost 25 years ago as a member of the 51视频 men鈥檚 hockey team.

鈥淚 remember our coach, Bruce Crowder, had a saying: The numbers don鈥檛 lie,鈥� says Marek, who recalls Crowder waving his stat sheet at him and pointing out things like penalty minutes and plus-minuses.

鈥淚 was like, 鈥楧ude, what is this? Statistics?鈥欌�� says Marek, who majored in English literature while playing three seasons for the River Hawks. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 true. The data doesn鈥檛 lie. The data will back up what you鈥檙e doing. And data has become the most expensive commodity in the financial industry.鈥�

That was among the insights that Marek shared with several current UML hockey players interested in finance careers during a recent visit to the Pulichino Tong Business Center 鈥� a visit arranged by Manning School of Business Dean Sandra Richtermeyer and Career Services Director Kerry Willard Bray.

Marek, who was in town for the hockey program鈥檚 annual fundraising golf tournament, is currently head of U.S. short duration product strategy at BlackRock in New York City. He joined the firm, which manages $6.84 trillion in assets, in 2013, following stints at Citi Capital Advisors, Goldman Sachs and Knight Capital Group.

After meeting Richtermeyer at an alumni event last year in New York, Marek realized that BlackRock lacked a pipeline to recruit students from his alma mater for summer internships and full-time analyst positions.

Image by Ed Brennen

鈥淭here鈥檚 such a diverse talent pool here that we should be tapping into,鈥� says Marek, who hopes to see r茅sum茅s from UML hockey players in particular. 鈥淎s an alum, and knowing the discipline that Norm (Bazin) as a coach puts into the system, there鈥檚 got to be a useful way to leverage that.鈥�

Members of the men鈥檚 hockey team have distinguished themselves in the classroom as well as on the ice. Thirteen River Hawks were named by the American Hockey Coaches Association this year, the most of any Hockey East program. The team also earned the university's Bob Griffin Academic Award with the highest grade point average, 3.67, among men's teams.

, a sophomore forward for the River Hawks who鈥檚 majoring in economics, appreciated hearing from an alum who has gone on to a successful career after his playing days were through.

鈥淪uch a small percentage of guys make a lasting career out of the sport, so it鈥檚 important to have a backup plan,鈥� says Osik, a Shrewsbury native. 鈥淚t was really nice to hear from someone who went to UML and played hockey like I鈥檓 doing now, and is now very successful in the industry that I鈥檓 interested in. It gives me a lot of confidence.鈥�

Teammate , a senior business administration major from Odenton, Md., agrees.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 really know what to expect after college, so hearing from someone who鈥檚 been through it was definitely a cool experience,鈥� says O鈥橬eill, a forward who netted three goals and five assists in 34 games last season. 鈥淗earing how other UML students have done so well gives you confidence when you鈥檙e looking for a job.鈥�

Marek played six seasons of professional hockey, primarily in his native Switzerland. In 1992-93, the year before he came to UML, Marek had 31 goals and 43 assists for the Brockville Braves of the Canadian Junior Hockey League.

Image by Ed Brennen

After earning his bachelor鈥檚 degree in English literature (with a minor in art history) from the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Marek became a freelance travel and financial journalist for Reuters and Bloomberg. In 2007, he earned a master鈥檚 degree in economic policy management from Columbia University and set out on a career in finance.

鈥淪ome of these leaps, when you do them, you actually don鈥檛 know where you鈥檒l end up,鈥� says Marek, who also spoke with players at the golf tournament. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like on a submarine, when you look out the periscope and all you see is waves. You think you know where you鈥檙e going, but it鈥檚 still very difficult.鈥�

Marek says that if students want to go into asset management, they should understand three things: the product, the market and the calendar of monthly macroeconomic data releases.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a triangle that I鈥檓 asking every single person on my team to understand,鈥� says Marek, who urges students to take advantage of the Bloomberg terminals in the Manning School鈥檚 trading room. 鈥淕et acquainted with it and understand what matters. And be very selective about the publications you choose. Sit down and take the time to not just read, but to read between the lines.鈥�