By sharing a compelling narrative around the significance of the challenge coin, Jeff Paul ’92 explored its backstory and tied it to themes of organizational structure during his October 17 guest lecture in Professor Kyle Ingram’s BUS 107 course.
“Jeff demonstrated how a firm understanding of concepts discussed in this course, particularly around key theories of motivation, can contribute to building a business foundation,” says Ingram, assistant teaching professor of management, adding that Paul drew from Ingram’s assigned reading of Edgar Schein’s “Three Cultures of Management” framework, focusing on the alignment—or often, misalignment—between executive, engineering, and operational cultures.
“Jeff illustrated how leadership experience has involved bridging these distinct perspectives, aligning strategic visions with on-the-ground realities to foster an environment ripe for learning and innovation.”
Paul’s lecture also included the components of organizational culture, referencing observable facts, espoused values, and underlying assumptions, as outlined in Schein’s model. “Jeff’s insights shed light on the importance of balancing a strong organizational culture with the flexibility needed to adapt changing market dynamics,” Ingram adds.
“He effectively linked these ideas to his role as an executive fellow, emphasizing how intentional culture management supports creativity and adaptability—a concept symbolized in the challenge coin.”
As one of three 2024-2025 UCR Business Executive Fellows, Paul is spending time on campus throughout the school year mentoring students and sharing his expertise: He has more than two decades of experience collaborating with clients worldwide helping them attain their business objectives and optimizing the value of their software and services investments.
“Jeff’s personal anecdotes resonated strongly, bringing to life the theoretical concepts discussed and giving students a real-world perspective on leadership and culture,” says Ingram.
Of his executive fellow appointment, says Paul: “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work alongside the esteemed faculty and students of the School of Business.” With an impressive career trajectory borne of intentional and ongoing education and curiosity, Paul has the frontline immersion, stories, and wisdom earned only through on-the-ground leadership practice.
He was most recently general manager and vice president of the west region at Red Hat, a software development company. In this role, he oversaw the comprehensive open-source software portfolio and consulting services practice for all customers west of the Mississippi. Previously at Intel, he served as vice president of the software and service sales organization and general manager of the sales and marketing group. Before joining Intel, he held several positions at IBM during 17 years before serving as vice president for worldwide enterprise marketing management sales.
“I’m looking forward to contributing to the academic excellence of the university and sharing my journey,” Paul says, which is exactly what he’s doing with his fellow Highlanders. During the October campus visit, he met with the graduate student ambassadors for a morning roundtable discussion about maximizing opportunities while still a student and the importance exploring unfamiliar territory academically and socially while having a “safety net” that minimizes risk, a wholly unique feature of academic life.
After lunch with students, Paul also hosted one-on-one advising sessions with graduate students, an invaluable opportunity for students to ask questions, seek guidance, and gain a mentor and experienced resource within their professional networks.
This in-classroom and individual relationship-building with business leaders is the hallmark of the UCR School of Business Executive Fellows program. Each year, business leaders are selected to interact with students and faculty to share their considerable knowledge. This year, Paul is joined by Executive Fellows Hilda Kennedy, founder and president of AmPac Business Capital, and Rod McDermott, CEO and co-founder of McDermott + Bull executive recruitment firm.