Senior Associate – Risk Consulting, Contract Compliance
At KPMG, Spartz serves in multiple roles including reviewing contracts between his clients and their third-party service providers to identify risks within the agreement and help his clients to ensure compliance with contracts, standards, policies, and regulatory requirements. “I also collect, manipulate, analyze and interpret large data sets, and use results to develop recommendations for corrective and preventative actions for identified risks,” Spartz says. Spartz earned his undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and a law degree from the University of Minnesota prior to attending UT Dallas.
Why did you choose the UT Dallas MBA?
I was looking for an accelerated program at a school with a good reputation, while also getting a good ROI on my investment. There aren’t many schools that can hit all three requirements—obviously, UT Dallas can and did. Also, I got tired of the winters in Minnesota.
What is your favorite UT Dallas memory?
We had class Monday through Thursday and Friday off. Our class got together and played soccer on Friday afternoons. We usually had about 40 percent participation rate – about 25 students. It was great to see everyone outside of the classroom.
What UT Dallas professor inspired you the most?
I fondly remember my capstone class with Dr. Lawrence Redlinger and Professor Charlie Hazzard. They required us to think outside the box to tackle real business concerns and to be clear and concise in our communications. That was great practice for my current role.
Since graduation, what surprised you about your UT Dallas MBA education?
I conduct business reviews of third parties in pretty much every industry. And when I conduct processes interviews, I end up speaking with folks in pretty much every department. With that in mind, I need a very broad set of business skills to be able to ask pertinent questions and develop relevant recommendations. During my time in the MBA program, I was exposed to a wide range of industry case studies, and I was able to develop skills in a number of areas.
What advice do you have for college students looking to succeed professionally?
I know students have heard this before, but they must spend time networking. We find most of our new people through internal recommendations. A friend of one of my UT Dallas classmates referred me for my current job.
