Aaron Wagner

Hi, I’m Aaron! I am coming from Michigan’s Automotive industry. Prior to my MBA, I worked for a tier 1 supplier in Metro Detroit, where I started out as a co-op. After early rotations through engineering, I found my fit with the thermal products development team, bringing to market next-gen coolant and A/C products for electrified vehicles. As the EV business expanded, the team needed its own space and moved into a partially abandoned tech center. I was tapped to lead the necessary facilities updates, enabling systems and vehicle-level development work. This sparked a career pivot to internal construction project management where I led a three year, $20M project to expand and renovate the corporate headquarters. I partnered with senior leaders, architects, and contractors to develop the vision for the new space and brought it to reality.  That high visibility experience reinforced my desire to pursue a career in business management and earn my MBA.

For me, Ross was an easy choice, in fact it was the only school I applied to. Many of the high achieving leaders that I respected during undergrad went to Ross to launch their careers, and I wanted to follow that path. I also deeply aligned with Ross’ focus on impact and community. When applying to MBA programs many people chase prestige, however I feel the opportunity to make a difference is what matters. Ross supports that with unique programs like MAP and access to the firms shaping today’s business world. Business school is demanding and pulls students in many different directions, but the community here is very supportive, academically and otherwise. Now that I am here, I feel at home. 

Outside of work, I am usually building or tinkering on construction/DIY projects, motorcycles, unnecessarily complicated German cars, or spending time on the water Up North. To stay active, I practice no-gi jiu jitsu, play pickleball, and occasionally get roped into running a 5k with friends. When traveling, I also try to squeeze in hobbies like snowboarding, scuba diving, and cliff jumping. 

If you are considering Michigan Ross, I would love to share my experience. Go Blue!