Ian Gonzalez joined Marquette in November 2019 after serving as corporate controller for Wauwatosa -based Briggs & Stratton Corporation. To get better acclimated to his new role as vice president for finance at Marquette, the College of Business Administration alumnus says he’s been digging into books and audiobooks on the higher education industry.
Ian took a few minutes away from another busy day in Straz Tower to sit down with Marquette Today to talk about his family, why soldiers are his heroes, where he proposed to his wife, and his love of sports-themed Kevin Costner films.
Hometown: Greenfield, Wisconsin
Family: My beautiful wife Kristine; son Wade (10), son Tyce (7) and daughter Aria (4).
Hobbies and interests: Family time, traveling, golf and anything to do with baseball (coaching, playing, watching).
Favorite movies: Field of Dreams and Tin Cup
Heroes: Our military men and women who have served, including my mom, dad, older brother Ryan and my brother-in-law Dan, as well as those currently serving, including my younger brother Denny who is now deployed overseas in the U.S. Army.
Favorite quotes/mottos: “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” —Thomas Jefferson
Currently reading: Given my career transition from the corporate world, I am very interested in books about higher education. I recently finished Grawe’s Demographics and Demand for Higher Education and McGee’s Breakpoint. I am currently reading College Unbound by Selingo and listening to Leadership in Higher Education by Kouzes and Posner.
Favorite vacation spots: In the past year, my family of five took an amazing adventure to Australia and New Zealand, and I recently explored Puerto Rico with Kristine.
Biggest career learning experience: I was fortunate throughout my career to have great mentors. I learned to be comfortable with change, be curious, be a lifelong learner, build relationships, work hard and do what is right.
Fun facts: I have a Marquette theme to my fun facts: I am a Marquette alumnus and a first-generation college graduate. As a student, I lived in Straz Tower (back then it was called East Hall) for two years, and now my office is in the finance area of the same building. I proposed to Kristine in front of the Joan of Arc Chapel. I am a board member for the Marquette University Business Administration Alumni Association.
