On the Record: UMaine’s Norm O’Reilly has big plans for the Maine MBA brand

Photo / Jim Neuger Norm O’Reilly is raising the profile of the University of Maine Graduate School of Business.

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Canada native Norm O’Reilly is dean of the University of Maine Graduate School of Business and a professor of sport management and marketing. He is also the co-author of “Business the NHL Way: Lessons from the Fastest Game on Ice,” which was published this fall by the University of Toronto Press.

Mainebiz: After a year in your current role, what grade do you give yourself and why?

Norm O’Reilly: A-minus. For the ‘A’ part of it, I think we’ve done a good job in establishing relationships, meeting hundreds of people, putting new staff in place, consulting with faculty and other key people to draft a strategic plan, a few successes and lots of tries in fundraising, and enhancing the events and synchronous offerings of the Maine MBA. And why the ‘minus’ part of it, that would be on the efficiency of our efforts to move forward. There are so many players that navigating the politics and the opportunity is challenging, and I think we could have done better there.

MB: What’s this year’s enrollment picture?

NO: We are doing incredibly well. The Maine MBA tripled in size during COVID to more than 400 MBA students, and we’re tracking to be just below that this coming year post-COVID. That is the opposite of national trends. If you look deeper, with the exception of the 2020 COVID class, we have been on a strong year-over-year growth trajectory. And, with plans to enhance our offerings in the coming years, we have a positive outlook.

MB: What does the UMaine MBA program offer that your competitors don’t?

NO: There are three key things that help differentiate us. First, we like to say we’re the “MBA Your Way,” so you can do your MBA in Portland, in Orono or online. Second is our pricing — our MBA can be done for under $20,000 total. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we have a tremendous group of faculty from both the University of Maine and the University of Southern Maine who teach in the MBA. You get our top professors, not their research assistants. This in my mind is why we are ranked in the top MBA programs globally by multiple ranking organizations including CEO Magazine, US News & World Report and Fortune magazine.

MB: What’s your strategy for attracting more students?

NO: We think our biggest opportunity is out-of-state students, and we are growing there at a strong rate. We are now more than a third out-of-state and are concentrating many of our efforts there.

MB: What will change when UMaine’s graduate, business and law programs are all under the same roof, at 300 Fore St. in Portland?

NO: It is going to be amazing. The business world today is digital, interdisciplinary, full of partnerships and desperately seeking talent. Working with Maine Law, as well as the Muskie School at the University of Southern Maine, allows our students to be more well-rounded, work together, expand horizons and most importantly be better prepared to drive the Maine economy forward.

MB: What can you tell us about the new interdisciplinary programs starting soon?

NO: We already have 12 concentrations in the Maine MBA, with a few more on the horizon. We also have plans with Maine Law and Muskie for joint programs and dual degrees. We are seeking to offer programs that build on the strengths of Maine and our faculty. Examples are outdoor industry management, engineering management, the blue economy, geospatial analysis and business analytics.

MB: As an author, how was writing your latest book different from writing a textbook?

NO: During COVID, my co-author Rick Burton and I decided it was time to try a book about business through the NHL view. We based it on the ‘Moneyball’ style of writing and try to share lessons in business and professional development through stories of the league. The University of Toronto Press loved it and published the book and it is going very well, beyond our wildest expectations. The league, teams, agencies and businesses are interested, and I could not be happier.

MB: What’s on your 2023 to-do list?

NO: For UMaine, the goal is to continue the trajectory of the Graduate School of Business, strengthen the Maine MBA, add new programs and build awareness of our presence in Portland.