Les Stearns '94
Mr. Stearns is a senior sales manager for Photop Technologies.
Why did you choose La Roche?
It was a small campus with a great student-teacher ratio and the business program and course offerings supported my long-term career goals.
Why would you recommend La Roche to a prospective student?
La Roche offers a solid learning foundation, and although a small college, it focuses on global business as well as diversity. This is extremely critical in the business world today.
What impact did La Roche have on you as a person?
La Roche taught me how to work independently and also in teams. The faculty had a wealth of knowledge in their fields, which not only gave us classroom learning, but real-life experiences that we could apply to the working world.
How did La Roche prepare you for this position?
I am a 30-year II-VI career person. I started in manufacturing, and my degree from La Roche allowed me to excel in a supervisory role, become a leader and assume more responsibilities in all aspects of our business from finance to collections and operations.
How did a degree from La Roche help you advance your career?
My La Roche degree and education prepared me for a series of promotions that broadened my international exposure and eventually brought me to Florida. I am now part of our China and Vietnam operations, and my experience at La Roche allowed me to be a part of three different due diligence acquisition teams.
Are you involved in any volunteer service projects?
I am in my third term on the Student Advisory Council of my children's elementary school. Being in Florida education is critical to me, and I wanted to be part of ensuring the educational wellbeing at the elementary level since the foundation starts here.
I also am on a District STEM project as I believe today more than ever students need a strong math, science, art and music background to make them well-rounded, global individuals.
What are you most proud of when you look back on your La Roche experience?
The overall learning experience, the high ethics of the faculty and staff, and the willingness of students to support each other. I am more proud of the quality of my bachelor’s degree from La Roche than I am of the MBA I earned at another university.
What advice do you have for our students?
Be prepared for a tough road, and make sure your resume is accurate and error-free. If a resume comes across my desk and there is a single spelling mistake, I toss it aside. As I have not yet met this person this is the first impression I get. Also, after an interview, follow up with a handwritten note. Emails are nice, but a personal, handwritten note goes much farther.
What is your favorite memory of being a student at La Roche?
I was working full time and attending classes, so I did not have a lot of time for other activities. But just being part of a quality learning institution is something I still remember today.