Jake Lubel

B.A., double major, Economics and Business Management, 2006

Consumer & Retail Corporate Finance

Wachovia Securities

Charlotte, N.C.

Walk with Jake Lubel through beautiful downtown Charlotte, N.C., and you’ll notice the athleticism that made him a standout shortstop at Guilford College. Named to the ESPN Academic All-District team, the guy is smooth, graceful and, above all, solid. Cross the street with him — the smaller cars would do well to avoid him. They’re more likely to dent than he is.

From a very early age, baseball was it for him, even though he dabbled in other sports. And during his high school years, he was recruited by several very good schools for college play.

“Guilford won the race, though, hands down,” he says, “and I’m very glad it did. The school was terrific in every way.”

Now it’s over. The baseball games are behind him. “I do miss it,” he says, “but I stay in touch with some of the players and coaches, and I have to admit that I’m enjoying my new life a great deal.”

He bridged the two worlds through his Guilford College Senior Honors thesis, a well-written and thorough look at major league baseball’s antitrust exemption and its effect on competitive balance. The boy who loved and excelled at baseball went to Guilford College and matured into a scholar with an economist’s perspective of the sport.

These days Jake works for Wachovia in the areas of investment finance — mergers, corporate finance, IPOs, bond deals, leverage buyouts … all the things he finds fascinating. “The hours are definitely strange,” he says, “in that some of the projects mean you work until 7, 10, midnight, even 3 a.m. on occasion. But you do what needs doing. And you know what? It’s all really exciting.”

What he likes best about this job is the learning aspect: “Even in my first six months here I learned a ton,” he says, “and all the projects we work on are both interesting and beneficial for me to know about.”

It’s obvious that Jake enjoys fully investing energy and enthusiasm into his tasks. He approached his senior thesis that way, interviewing people at the very top of the business of baseball — Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, the head of the players’ association, a leading sports investment banker, the mayor of Las Vegas and others.

He applied that same thoroughness to getting the job at Wachovia, using Guilford College contacts and resources: “I had a scholarship that put me in regular contact with Guilford College President Kent Chabotar, and he became a mentor, teaching me so much over the years — how to build a resume, how to contact the right people, even about investment banking. It was perfect — he’s a nationally recognized finance expert.”

President Chabotar was just the start. “I learned about Wachovia's investment banking practice from Bryant Garnes [class of 2004] and Paul Grube [class of 1982] and went into my interview knowing that Guilford graduates had already paved the way for me in my field of interest. Luckily for me, all went well.”

He lives in downtown Charlotte now, in an apartment with a balcony that looks right at the Carolina Panthers Stadium. He can walk (or run) to work, any time of day or night. He already knew the city of Charlotte from working one summer with another finance company.

“When I was a student at Guilford, I gave a little speech once to the Guilford College Board of Visitors,” he says, “and I was seated that evening next to the greatest guy, Peter Keane. He’s the president of Keane Capital Management here in Charlotte, and our discussions led to my seeking and eventually getting a job with his company for the summer. It was amazing. I learned a whole lot about small and micro caps [investments], and I learned that I liked Charlotte.”

Jake says that his freshman year at Guilford was an eye-opener: “The people at Guilford College are so diverse, so interesting. It was something of a culture shock for me, and that made it fun. It certainly was never boring.”

Did he choose Guilford because of its size? “It’s funny — when I was being recruited to play ball, I didn’t care whether I went to a large school or a small one. I chose Guilford because they were so good at recruiting me, not because the school is small. But now! Now I realize just how important the relationships with professors, other students and administration are.”

He adds: “The professors at Guilford College really do care. If you want to talk to them, you talk to them. If you need to talk to them two or three times a day, you do that. They say they’re there to help, and they mean it. They not only know your name, but also they know your interests, your challenges … you’re a person to them, and a person who matters.”

His advice to high school students preparing for college? “You don’t have to come from money and privilege to be successful. At Guilford College, at least, hard work and determination can get you anywhere you want to go.”

And this last piece of advice is something Jake wants to make sure you know: “If you’re smart, you’ll look for a college that will fit you. Guilford College is a really warm place, a welcoming institution, and everyone who goes there can find a niche where they fit in, where they feel at home.”