Mike McCarty ’86 has spent his career making big decisions. Today, as chief financial officer of Bloomberg Industry Group, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, he helps assess major opportunities and guide the company’s long-term growth.
McCarty’s path to one of the company’s top leadership positions began at Trinity University, where he arrived already fascinated by business.
“Trinity was a tremendous foundation for my career,” says McCarty, who earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering science and will celebrate his 40th class reunion this year. “The rigorous liberal arts curriculum gave me a broad perspective, while the university’s small size created an environment where students were highly engaged with both classmates and faculty.”
McCarty went on to the University of Texas McCombs School of Business, where he earned his master’s degree in 1991.
“The liberal arts education taught me to think critically, communicate clearly, and see problems from multiple perspectives,” McCarty explains. “My engineering background provided the logical and quantitative skills that finance demands. Together, they gave me an exceptional foundation for a career in business.”
McCarty worked in corporate finance at a number of technology companies, including IBM. He was the CFO of multi-billion dollar divisions at IBM, Nokia, and CSC before landing the Bloomberg position more than 10 years ago.
“One of the things I enjoy most about being a CFO,” McCarty relates, “is that the role touches nearly every part of the business. A major part of my job is evaluating investments, from new product development to acquisitions, and helping the company decide where to place its biggest bets for the future.”
McCarty is a native of Austin, Texas, and attended Lyndon B. Johnson High School. Once at Trinity, he became active with the Bengal Lancers fraternity. McCarty says many of his closest friendships today began during those years.
“The Lancers created a sense of community and school spirit that made Trinity feel like home,” McCarty shares. “I still look back on those experiences with great affection.”
McCarty and his wife, Tracy, live in Vienna, Virginia, with their 15-year-old son, Tyler. The McCartys met in an elevator at work at IBM and have been married since 2008.
He is especially proud of his son, who is an Eagle Scout. As a matter of fact, McCarty is a Scout leader in his troop, and they recently returned from an epic scouting expedition, canoeing across nearly 100 miles of the Canadian wilderness.
As for his advice to students preparing for careers in business, McCarty emphasizes embracing the mentality of being a lifelong learner that has guided his own journey.
“Be intellectually curious and never stop learning,” McCarty recommends. “The business world changes constantly, and the people who continue reading, asking questions, and embracing new challenges are the ones who continue to grow throughout their careers.”
Author’s note: James Hill has been a proud honorary member of the Bengal Lancers since 1984.