Since starting her career in marketing and communications in 2005, Kimberly “Kim” Flynn ’22 has built a solid foundation within the business world. She started her career as a production manager turned creative director at the University of Rochester’s Simon Business School. In 2017, Flynn began working for Hammer Packaging, which is now MCC Premium Label Solutions, a food and beverage packaging company, where she has held several roles. Currently, Flynn is the Senior Marketing Director, Americas. The company is one of the world’s largest global label solution providers, with market segments in Beverage, Wine & Spirits, Food & Dairy, Personal Care & Beauty, Home Care & Laundry, Healthcare, Durables & Technical, and Automotive & Chemicals.
“I chose SUNY Brockport for my MBA because the program’s structure appealed to me, as well as the broad curriculum,” said Flynn. “I liked knowing that I could complete the program in two years and be exposed to high-level business acumen. In addition, the faculty was professional but personable, helpful, and brought a great depth of knowledge to the classroom.”
Her fellow MBA classmates also made her experience stand out. With similar job levels in their respective careers, they bonded. They had similar mindsets, traversing through their job and figuring out their next career move. Learning beside each other helped with the challenges they faced in their coursework as well as their personal and professional lives.
Flynn’s capstone project was to develop a strategic marketing plan for a division in her organization. This division had not received any marketing support for three years. The marketing campaign heightened the division’s visibility, contributing to more frequent and stronger collaborations with the internal sales team. It also led to an increased lead funnel and justification for additional resources.
“We built a comprehensive plan for this group that included cohesive messaging and a positioning statement, an analysis of the group’s value in the organization, the competitive advantage that this group provided for the company, and then a tactical execution plan: newsletters, social media, website updates, emails, etc.,” Flynn explained.
“I liked knowing that I could complete the program in two years and be exposed to high-level business acumen.”
Kimberly “Kim” Flynn ’22
She said that the knowledge she gained from her capstone project was pivotal in changing her career trajectory. Flynn decided to seek out additional opportunities to strengthen her strategic marketing prowess. It pushed her to think more comprehensively and strategically about positioning departments, analyzing value propositions, and identifying competitive advantages. As a result, her company has tasked her with more analytical marketing projects that utilize data and market research to justify organizational investments and priorities. Flynn feels more fulfilled and is looking forward to newfound possibilities for career growth.
Her advice to graduate students in the MBA program who are interested in marketing is to think broadly. Flynn acknowledges that “marketing” is a big umbrella that encompasses many different areas, and students should explore them all and choose the path that brings them the most fulfillment.
“I never thought I would be this interested in marketing analytics and strategy, but by having the confidence to step outside of my comfort zone thanks to the Brockport MBA program, I now have a renewed career focus with so many opportunities,” she said.