Aaron Saltzman, ’21 MBA, was a self-described “theater nerd” in high school who envisioned a career in the entertainment industry. So how did he end up as a top marketing executive in 3D animated visual aids? 

The answer can be found in a professional journey that includes an undergraduate degree in international relations, working on political campaigns, helping build a tech startup, overseeing marketing for a winery resort, and the launch of a wine brand. 

In 2021, with two quarters remaining in his Professional MBA program at the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management, Saltzman was hired to lead the marketing team at DK Global as their marketing director. As he immersed himself in the company’s growth opportunities, more and more of what he had learned at AGSM became relevant — from consumer behavior principles to statistical and quantitative analyses. Two years later, that knowledge combined with hard work paid off with a promotion to chief marketing officer. 

In fact, if Saltzman’s career path were assessed like a wine it might be described as full-bodied and balanced. 

There were some important lessons along the way, as Saltzman shared recently during an alumni panel discussion for School of Business students. 

Before becoming chief marketing officer at DK Global, a Redlands-based leader in 3D animated visual aids for trial attorneys, Saltzman saw campaigns that weren’t won, career choices that weren’t the right fit, jobs that didn’t work out. 

“There were victories, too,” he said. “But I like that Nelson Mandela quote: ‘I never lose. I either win or I learn.’ The key is being adaptable and endlessly curious.” 
 

‘UCR set a high bar’ 

That willingness to learn help convince Saltzman to go back to school, even after years of marketing experience, to earn his graduate degree. 

“I believed that I was a good marketer, but it occurred to me at a certain point: ‘There's a lot of stuff that I don't know. Maybe I need to go back to school,’” he said. “That was a big reason for approaching UCR.” 

He explored programs at several universities, but “UCR set a high bar,” he said. 

While speaking with Sabine M. Freij, assistant dean of graduate programs, he learned about EPIC and the Small Business Development Center on campus. That appealed to his startup background. Then he asked about studies into behavioral economics, Freij invited him to observe a behavioral economics class led by Associate Professor Boris Maciejovsky. 

“It blew my mind,” he said. “He was talking about decision points — this experimental model about when people stop gambling or when people stop participating in activities. And it stuck with me. It was the first MBA-level lesson that I learned, and it drives my email marketing strategy today.” 
 

Lasting lessons 

Saltzman cites multiple other examples of how his education at UCR equipped him for his profession. 

He gained new perspective on the needs of the accounting department. He grew his understanding of databases and information systems so he can submit useful requests to the IT team. During a course on brand management led by Associate Professor of Marketing Mingyu (Max) Joo, he learned how to apply a regression analysis to marketing — a tool he uses today to guide strategies at DK Global. 

“Having an MBA has been really valuable because it has given me more tools to apply to these increasingly complex marketing scenarios where I need to understand what our target customers need,” he said. 

“And it’s not just that at the tactical or strategic level for marketing campaigns, but also how to develop teams, how to mentor and nurture them, how to get them to perform at a higher level.” 
 

‘Build your village’ 

Another lesson Saltzman has learned along the way is the importance of forging meaningful connections. Not only is that an essential skill in marketing, but it’s also important in building any career. And it’s a big reason he is enthusiastic about maintaining ties to UCR. 

“One of the points I made during the panel discussion was that, as you're moving up in your career, you need to build your village,” he said. 

“As you work your way up in the ranks, when you get into leadership positions, there aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish the things that you want to,” Saltzman said. “You need to build a village of people you trust, who you like, who you enjoy working with, who enjoy working with you.” 

Each person’s village is composed of people from their communities of involvement, he said. For him, that includes the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management (AGSM). 

“AGSM has been this wonderful community of incredibly smart, driven, capable people — this incredible knowledge base and resource base that I don't want to give up,” he said. “I want to be part of for as long as I can.”