Mike Crespi named Director of Corporate Relations at the Wake Forest Schools of Business

Mike Crespi has been promoted to Director of the new Corporate Relations department within the Wake Forest Schools of Business Career Management Center. The newly formed department will serve as a hub for interaction with local, regional and national organizations and will develop relationships with corporations and key businesses for internships, field study projects and full-time employment for Wake Forest business students.

Crespi joined Wake Forest in 2004 as the Associate Director of Business Development in the business school’s Career Management Center. Prior, he served as vice president of sales and marketing for two family owned and operated companies, held multiple marketing/business development roles at Hanes/Sara Lee Corporation, and served in several merchandising positions at Jordan Marsh Company in Boston. Crespi earned an MBA from the Wake Forest University in 1995.

With the growth in graduate business student enrollment and the creation of the undergraduate Business Enterprise Management major’s required internship program, the CMC needed a team to focus its efforts on developing corporate opportunities and building relationships both locally and nationally.

“Our department is here to identify needs, determine solutions and make connections,” said Crespi. “Relationships with companies are crucial in today’s economic climate. Providing our students with practical learning projects, internships and job leads is vital to their success.”

Guy Groff, Director of the Career Management Center, said “Having a team 100% focused on developing corporate relationships and educating organizations on the unique skill sets that Wake Forest business students possess will better enable students to not only find their calling and place in society, but go out and fulfill their lifelong career management plans.”

Crespi will direct a team of three to include Lisa Simmons and Lori Sykes. Simmons, promoted to Assistant Director of Recruiting, manages the recruiting process on- and off-campus. Sykes, promoted to Assistant Director of Corporate Relations, manages and develops corporate relationships regionally as well as local and national career fairs.