Ashland University MBA experience helping new Minerva administrator hit the job running

Greg Mytinger’s MBA coursework in finance, organizational leadership and operations management at Ashland University has already paid dividends in his new job as Minerva Village administrator.

“I’m responsible for budgets, infrastructure planning, policy development and working with council members — areas where the skills I gained at Ashland are already making a difference,” said Mytinger, who started at Minerva in March. “The program gave me a stronger foundation in budgeting, strategic planning and organizational leadership – all of which have been critical as I’ve led departments, developed long-term master plans and managed multi-million-dollar public projects.”

Mytinger decided to pursue his MBA because his leadership roles within municipal recreation were growing and he wanted to sharpen his business and administrative skills.

“Ashland’s program fit well with my schedule and goals, and I appreciated its regional reputation,” said Mytinger, who worked in parks and recreation departments in Canton, Massillon and Streetsboro before Minerva. “I liked that it was designed for working professionals, with relevant coursework that I could immediately apply on the job. The professors were supportive, and the content was both practical and strategic.”

The AU faculty not only provided practical teaching styles and real-world examples, but also helped him balance his course load while managing his career and family responsibilities, said Mytinger, who completed the degree in three years in 2011.

The opportunity to broaden his impact beyond parks and recreation and to take on new challenges in municipal leadership attracted Mytinger to the job at Minerva, a village of about 3,600 people around a half hour east of Canton.

“I was drawn to the chance to help shape a community’s future on a broader scale,” he said. “I’m excited about working closely with residents, staff and elected officials to drive progress, build on community strengths and implement projects that improve the quality of life.”

He’s grateful to Ashland University for providing a flexible and valuable MBA experience that helped position him for this next chapter in his career – almost 15 years later.

“It’s a great reminder that investing in your education can truly open new doors,” Mytinger said, “even years later.”