Alumni Feature - Bryon Baxter '12

Bryon Baxter ‘12 has a motto: “Be open to change and be adaptable. The world is always changing and opening yourself up to being challenged is truly important.”

On average, about 3.5 million people work in the fast food industry in the United States every year. As a teenager, Bryon Baxter was one of them, working part-time at a Burger King in Indiana. He says it’s one of the many things that drew him to the food manufacturing business. “I started looking into the company and saw products like Kraft foods and Coca-Cola drinks and took a liking to the process – now, I’m working for these companies.”

Bryon always had a mind for numbers and science. He knew early on he wanted to take a path that involved analytics. He says it was his part-time job at Burger King, his mom, and a few accounting and career-preparedness courses in high school that inspired him to set a goal and reach it. By the time Bryon graduated high school, he had been accepted to Purdue, Michigan State, and Indiana University. Bryon chose to attend Indiana University on an academic scholarship where he earned his bachelor’s in Finance in 2005, becoming  the first in his family to attend a 4-year university.

Shortly after graduating from Indiana, Bryon moved to Chicagoland and worked for Kraft Foods, Sara Lee, Kellogg, CommScope, and many other notable companies. While climbing the corporate ladder, Bryon chose to apply for Lewis University’s MBA program and graduated with distinction in spring of 2012. He says Lewis gave him the flexibility he needed. “The curriculum was challenging and the culture at the school just felt right. I felt good walking in and out of my admissions interview. I had a great experience at Lewis.”

Bryon said after working a number of years in Chicago and gaining meaningful experience, he felt ready to conquer his career outside of the Chicagoland area. “I was looking for that managerial role and I felt like I reached my peak in Chicago. I was able to take on the role of commercial finance manager for Saputo, Inc in Dallas, Texas in 2017 and then stay in Texas to become a Finance Service Manager in 2017 for Coca-Cola.” On a daily basis, Bryon supports his sales team, conducts and monitors forecasting for the company, implements new tools for his team’s meetings, and creates reports for weekly and monthly sales. He says that there are challenges in his roles, just like any other position, but he loves meeting with clients in person and going the extra mile. “I like to take my work a step forward and not just talk about the numbers but to explain what is driving these numbers. It’s not about providing analysis alone but helping my customer or my associate to make the right decision.”

Bryon says he feels right at home at Coca-Cola, but envisions himself one day entering the real estate field or becoming an entrepreneur in the sports, event planning, or travel industries. He says these types of plans are products of his own personal passions and philosophies about life.

In his spare time, Bryon enjoys traveling, attending football and basketball games, and spending time with family. He also enjoys checking out local festivals in suburban Dallas, Texas and says live music has always been a passion that energizes him. “I played alto sax from fourth grade all the way up until my freshman year of college. I was involved in marching band in high school and tried out for the band at Indiana and didn’t make it! But I’m looking forward to picking the instrument back up and taking lessons.” Outside of relaxing and visiting with family, Bryon is deeply passionate about his community and his neighbors. One of his most memorable activities was a recent trip to a home in the community, coordinated by Coca-Cola. Bryon and his co-workers were able to paint rooms in the home free of charge and get to know some of the residents who live in the area. Bryon is also a member of numerous local professional networking groups, like the Dallas-Fort-Worth Chapter of the National Black MBA Association, Inc., and is a mentor for children who participate in Junior Achievement. He says it’s all part of achieving a healthy balance between work and life. “You need to take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. I find that balance in replenishing myself and in giving back to those around me.”