My Professional Edge - Anna Rodriguez

Anna Rodriguez
Director of Investments, SCF Arizona
Keller degree: Master of Business Administration with a concentration in finance

My career

At SCF Arizona, the state's leading provider of workers' compensation insurance, I manage a $3.2 billion investment portfolio, accounting for virtually 95 percent of the company's assets. Under my direction, in the past four years net invested assets have increased nearly 24 percent.

I coordinate portfolio assignments with a variety of world class investment management firms, and I also direct and manage $1 billion internally. Both programs have outperformed the benchmarks established for the program each and every year, providing sufficient net income to continue our unbroken stream of policyholder dividends.

I am also an important consultant to our Board of Directors and executives. I have a reputation for being able to translate financial data and performance into understandable terms; I'm known throughout the organization as someone who can take a complex financial situation or concept and explain it in simple terms so a listener understands not only basic concepts but also the nuance of each situation.

Career-focused education

Before beginning my Keller MBA degree program, I thought I was good at what I did. Now I know I'm excellent at what I do and in what I can accomplish. I have extremely marketable skills that I can bring to SCF Arizona or any employer.

Even as I was still going through the Keller program the benefits were very real and immediate. I was able in many instances to take a class project, and directly apply the subject matter or assignment to work-related issues. For example, I used a marketing project to help flesh out a business plan to get a license issued for a new subsidiary company we had developed. In another class, I wrote a paper on the legal issues surrounding workers' compensation insurance, SCF Arizona's business, as it relates to undocumented workers. There were many, many more instances where coursework was useful in my workplace.

Professional recognition

I was honored in 2007 to be chosen as a speaker for the Strategic Asset Alliance Insurer Investment Forum, as one of four industry peers chosen from across the nation. My presentation on the SCF Arizona investment process was recognized as the favorite presentation at the Forum. Also in late 2007, I was the executive sponsor of a task force to develop and implement a peer recognition program at SCF Arizona.

Maintaining balance

I have been able to balance a full time executive position, family, and school and perform in all areas at maximum levels. My family does not feel I've "checked out" for the past two years while I've been in graduate school. My husband and I have two children who are both in college, encouraged and supported by my enthusiasm and by my example in going back for my MBA.

Why Keller?

Keller has a national reputation for excellence in education, offering an MBA with an emphasis in finance. Keller's flexible schedule and access to courses were also attractive, as was the ability to take classes in both classroom settings and via online. Also, Keller provides students with the resources to make the most of their education, such as access to the Stalla CFA exam review as part of the MBA course of study.

Keller allowed me to set my own pace and network with other graduate students and working practitioners teaching in their fields. This provided much better working insight to each subject. My Keller educational experience has taught me how to stretch my abilities and has brought rewards that go far beyond the spreadsheets that I work with on a daily basis.