Bentley University undergraduate and graduate commencement ceremonies will be held on Saturday, May 17, 2014. They will both also be live streamed on the university's website.
Joe Moglia, chairman of the board of TD Ameritrade and Coastal Carolina University head football coach, will deliver the commencement address to approximately 1,000 students at Bentley’s 95th annual undergraduate ceremony. The ceremony takes place at 10:00 a.m. on the south campus, with an expected 7,000 in attendance.
Moglia is an inspirational speaker who this season celebrates his 22nd as a football coach, but it has not been a traditional 22 years. He began his career as a coach for 16 years, moved to the business world for over 20, and returned to coaching where he led several championship seasons, beginning in 2009. During his business years, Moglia was a No. 1 producer in the world for Merrill Lynch before becoming CEO of TD Ameritrade in 2001. In 2008 he stepped down as CEO and became chairman of the board -- and also decided to pursue his love of coaching once again. His accomplishments along a non-traditional career path truly demonstrate that pursuing what you love can bring success in many forms. Moglia will receive an honorary Doctor of Commercial Science degree at the ceremony.
Linda Zecher, president, CEO and director of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH), one of the world’s oldest and largest providers of Pre-K to 12 education solutions, will deliver the keynote address at the Bentley University Graduate School of Business 39th annual commencement ceremony at 3:00 p.m. Before joining HMH, Zecher provided management and leadership expertise to several top technology companies including Microsoft, Texas Instruments, Bank of America, PeopleSoft and Oracle, demonstrating true versatility and determination, as only someone who has moved from being a geophysicist to publisher can do. She will receive an honorary Doctor of Commercial Science degree.
Joe Moglia
In 1984, Moglia entered the MBA Training Program at Merrill Lynch, the only football coach joining 25 MBA graduates. By 1988, he was Merrill Lynch’s No. 1 producer in the world. He ultimately had responsibility for Global Fixed Income Institutional Sales, the Municipal Division, Investment Products, the Insurance Company, the 401(k) Business, and Middle Market Business. He also served on the Executive Committee for both the Institutional and Private Client businesses.
Moglia became the CEO of TD Ameritrade in 2001. Over the next seven years, shareholders enjoyed a 500 percent return on investment, as the firm grew its market cap from $700 million to $10 billion, and client assets reached $280 billion. In 2008, after the firm’s sixth consecutive year of record earnings, Joe stepped down as CEO and became chairman of the board. He also decided to pursue his love of coaching once again.
Over the last eight seasons, Moglia has coached six championship teams. In his first two seasons at Coastal, he led his team to two conference championships and two national playoff berths. He earned Conference Coach of the Year honors, and was twice named a finalist for National Coach of the Year.
Moglia has received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and the Sharp Trophy for Leadership, as well as honors from the National Italian American Foundation, the Columbus Citizens Foundation, and the American Institute for Stuttering. He has been inducted into three Halls of Fame and holds two honorary doctorate degrees. He is also the only author to have published books on both investing and football.
Moglia holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Fordham University and a master’s degree in education from the University of Delaware.
Linda Zecher
Zecher joined Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) in September 2011 as president, chief executive officer and director, bringing with her a strong track record of business transformation and results. Her extensive sales, marketing and technology experience contribute to her ability to successfully lead HMH’s transformation into a global leader in educational content and media.
Previously, Zecher served as corporate vice president of Microsoft’s $8 billion Worldwide Public Sector organization. She led a team of nearly 2000 sales and marketing professionals serving government, education and healthcare in more than 100 countries. Under her leadership, the sector delivered eight years of consistent growth and received the Microsoft Industry of the Year Award for three consecutive years.
Prior to joining Microsoft in 2003, Zecher held leadership positions with Texas Instruments, Bank of America, PeopleSoft, Oracle and Evolve Corp. In each role, she led major change. At PeopleSoft she helped develop sales and marketing capabilities which contributed to revenue growth from $500,000 to over $35 million in three years, resulting in a successful IPO. As CEO of Evolve she managed changes leading to the company’s acquisition.
Zecher has served on numerous boards including the Intelligence National Security Association (INSA), U.S. State Department’s Board for Overseas Schools and the James Madison University’s Board of Visitors. She currently serves on the board of nonprofit Cradles to Crayons.
Zecher holds a bachelor of science degree in Earth Science Education from Ohio State University.
Commencement Information
Commencement 2014 takes place on the south campus at Bentley University. Both ceremonies are held under the tent on the football field. Indoor viewing on a large monitor is available in the Dana Athletic Center. The event is held rain or shine. Buses will run from the parking lots on the main campus to the south campus. Further details on Commencement 2014 can be found at www.bentley.edu/commencement.