Rookie of the Year
Brandon Eisaman made an indelible impact during his first year at Arise Virtual Solutions, a business process outsourcing firm in Miramar.
But the impact Eisaman is most proud of is the effect he’s having on fellow young professionals in South Florida. Eisaman’s professional and personal work has been recognized by the Miami Chamber of Commerce, which has nominated him for the HYPE Rookie of the Year Award. The HYPE Awards, sponsored by UF MBA at the Hough Graduate School of Business, were presented today at Jungle Island’s Treetop Ballroom in Miami.
For some, a C-suite level position denotes leadership. For Eisaman, a student in UF MBA’s Professional One-Year Program, his leadership quest involves becoming a servant leader.
“To be a servant leader, you have to be able to put yourself second, and understand there is a greater mission to your organization,” Eisaman said. “Serve your community first, and the rest follows.”
Eisaman’s community service began during his undergraduate days at Florida State University. At FSU, he served as President of the Student Government Senate, and as President & Executive Director of The BIG Event, one of the state’s largest collegiate service events where he managed more than 1,400 volunteers at more than 100 outreach sites.
His community involvement has continued at Emerge Broward, an initiative that’s part of Leadership Broward Foundation, which provides professional development opportunities for the county’s young professionals. Eisaman has chaired Emerge Broward’s Develop Committee since last July.
“Being involved in the community is making a difference in my personal life, as well as my professional life,” Eisaman said. “They’re starting to blend. The connections I’m making through the community could be potential client prospects.”
Those prospects would be in good hands with Eisaman, who has risen quickly at Arise. Eisaman began as a Business Operations Analyst where he immersed himself in finance and analytics. He’s been promoted twice since he began with Arise in May 2014, and now serves as a Finance & Commercial Operations Analyst. He now collaborates with Finance and Business Development executives on how to construct, price and close new business. This new position allows Eisaman to think broader and strategically about the company’s financial goals, growth and value proposition.
“Fundamentally, I’m working in data, but I’m a finance guy,” Eisaman said. “I’m a solution designer, focused on all financial aspects related to implementing beneficial solutions for our clients and working with internal stakeholders—and it’s a great fit.”
Pursuing a UF MBA through the Hough Graduate School’s MBA For Professionals Programs has also been a good fit for Eisaman. The program’s flexibility requires him to make only one visit to campus each month, allowing him to continue to work at Arise, and immediately apply the knowledge and skills he’s learning in the classroom to his work.
“I always knew I wanted an advanced degree,” Eisaman said. “To be part of an institution that is world-renowned, excel in my career, and study in a flexible format that helps me maintain a demanding workload and challenge me academically; it has been wonderful. I want to be able to apply my degree in real time.”
