UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Smeal College of Business alumnus Curran McCready was recently appointed to the college’s Finance Advisory Board.
The board comprises alumni in the finance and investment communities who advise faculty and administration on matters related to the strategic direction of the department, work with students in the classroom and through mentoring roles, facilitate internship opportunities, and encourage research and collaboration between faculty and students.
Board members meet twice each year — one time on the University Park campus and one time in the New York City region. They also make a financial commitment to the college in support of innovative programs and services that benefit students and faculty in Smeal’s Department of Finance.
McCready earned a degree in finance from Penn State Smeal in 2011 and began his career in two of General Electric's premier financial leadership programs, with roles in financial planning and analysis, treasury, audit and strategy in locations across the United States and London. He later joined PayPal and the London Stock Exchange Group, where he worked in a variety of roles with increasing responsibility across commercial finance and financial planning and analysis.
McCready joined NBCUniversal as the chief financial officer for enterprise engineering, cyber and technical operations in 2022. In this role, he also supports its newly created AI organization. McCready helps drive strategy and support short- and long-term planning, and he partners with NBCUniversal’s team on strategic, enterprise-wide vendor relationships.
Corey C. Phelps, John and Karen Arnold Dean of Smeal, said he was thrilled to welcome McCready to the board.
“Curran’s experience in financial leadership, strategic oversight and global operations will bring invaluable insights to the board. I am looking forward to the perspectives he’ll share with us as a young and highly successful alumnus as we work to advance excellence in business education and strengthen our engagement with industry leaders,” Phelps said.
McCready said he is focused on ‘what's next’ in developing and preparing students for life after graduation. By taking advantage of the breadth of research being done at the University and utilizing its expansive alumni network, he said, Penn State has the tools it needs to succeed.
“I'm excited to engage with Smeal students and to help influence the education of the next generation of business leaders,” he said. “Penn State is such a special community. To continue to be a part of it in a way that is directly impacting Smeal students and their futures is a tremendous honor and responsibility, and I am looking forward to getting to work.”
The board’s next meeting is scheduled to take place on Friday at the University Park campus.
McCready’s gift advances the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development; and increasing the University’s impact for students, families, patients and communities across the commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.