Brian Buchanan '11

I am a two time CSULB alumni. I graduated in 2007 with my bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology (Exercise Science) and then again with my MBA in 2011. Not only did I get my master’s degree at CSULB, I also met my wife in the MBA program. We married this past spring in May and currently live in Laguna Hills.

I am currently working for California Republic Bank, a rapidly growing community bank headquartered in Irvine. I work in the commercial loan department as the Senior Portfolio Manager, managing the Bank’s entire commercial real estate portfolio as well as originating commercial loans with a focus on commercial real estate lending.

I graduated with my bachelor’s degree at the peak of the recent economic decline.  After working in healthcare for a period of time, I realized I no longer wanted to pursue my original career path in healthcare.   At that point, I made a decision to further my education by getting an MBA. I thought I would start to build a foundation of understanding business principles that could be attractive to potential employers, and develop skills that I could use in the workplace.  Getting an MBA demonstrated to employers that I went above and beyond and took my education one step further.

Also, during that time I met and talked to people I considered successful in their respective careers and had a passion for what they did. Even if I had only a slight interest in a particular field, I spoke with people in that field to understand what jobs would be available to me.  There was so much I learned about the job market that I wouldn’t have otherwise known without talking to people every chance I got.

I feel that my current role really makes a difference in the overall growth and wellbeing of the bank. A large part of my position is in risk management. I work closely with the Bank’s Chief Credit Officer to ensure the safety and soundness of the bank. Monthly, quarterly and annually I generate and analyze reports that are presented to the Board of Directors. I also originate commercial real estate loans that contribute to the bank’s asset growth.

Also, I enjoy teaching. As new analysts come into the bank, I enjoy helping them learn and grow. Although I teach them, I learn a lot as well.

I did not see myself going into banking during my undergraduate studies. During my bachelor’s degree my focus was on Kinesiology with the intention of going on to earn my doctorate in physical therapy. During this time I had the opportunity to work for a highly respected, well run physical therapy clinic, where I sadly learned that the healthcare field wasn’t for me. When I was in business school, studying for my MBA, I started narrowing down what I wanted to do as I networked with people and went to job fairs. I entered a job market in California where the unemployment rate was near 10%. I was competing in job interviews with people who had been in the field for 10 years. I lucked out by finding a company willing to take a change on an inexperienced but very hardworking individual.  Growing up in a commercial real estate family, I had an understanding of the field and I think that gave me an edge over other inexperienced candidates.  I remember doing property inspections with my dad when I was still in a car seat.  Being in commercial real estate really feels like home.  

So you are at Graduation; you have your cap and gown on, and your name is called; you shake hands with the President and make your way across the stage. What does that feel like?

I’m sure there are an infinite amount of emotions that people go through when walking across that stage but for me there was an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. My experience during my undergraduate degree studies was different than most. I woke up every morning at 4:30am to compete for CSULB’s crew team where I achieved national recognition. I maintained a high GPA with a full load of classes taking anywhere between 15 and 21 units a semester. I always had a part-time job and I was able to maintain somewhat of a social life. I had no regrets. I felt accomplished.

I think the most difficult part of the transition for me after graduation was that I did not know exactly what I was working towards. I had decided to go back to business school but I was unsure at that point what it was that I wanted to do. When I was rowing I always knew where my next race was and who we were racing against. I knew with each practice and each workout that it was contributing towards my success in the western and national championship races at the end of the season. With doing my undergraduate work I knew that each assignment and test was going towards my grade that would get me into graduate school. But after graduation, I did not know what I was working towards because my path had changed and I was unsure of the endpoint. However, I felt that if I kept learning, networking and working hard everything would fall into place, as it did.

One of the most valuable skills that I learned from college was time management. As I mentioned previously during my undergrad, I rowed on the CSULB Crew team for 4 years, while maintaining a full class load, part time jobs and a social life. Then while getting my MBA at night, I also worked a full time job. In working for a fast growing company I’m tasked with duties that someone in my position at another bank wouldn’t normally have and  learning to prioritize and be efficient and effective with my time has been a huge benefit in my current position.

 I joined the alumni association for networking purposes and to stay connected to the university. Due to a busy schedule I have not been able to attend as many networking events and take advantage of other opportunities as I would like to.  However, having the opportunity to meet and talk with other alumni is very important to me.

Within the next five years I see myself remaining in Orange County with my wife and adding some new members to the Buchanan family. In terms of my career, I hope to keep learning and progressing in commercial real estate. In the meantime, I enjoy where I am at, who I work with and what I am doing. I learn something new every day and I look forward to meeting new people and developing more relationships personally and professionally.

It sounds cliché to say but whatever it is that you choose to do, go at it 100%. Anything worth doing at all is worth giving it everything that you have. Even the most remedial tasks you can learn from. At times you may feel the task is pointless, like you aren’t being recognized or you are underappreciated but continuing to give it 100% will pay off in the long run. If management doesn’t see it, others will. People do recognize hard work.