Two new members were added to the Naveen Jindal School of Management Advisory Council this academic year. Will McDade and Jess Bass Bolander bring with them a wealth of leadership experience that will help the council in driving transformational change in management education at the Jindal School. Their commitment further strengthens the council’s longstanding dedication to nurturing the next generation of business leaders.

Will McDade

Executive Vice President,
Chief Financial Officer,
Secretary
Interstate Batteries

Will McDade is executive vice president, chief financial officer and secretary for Interstate Batteries, a $2 billion market leader in transportation batteries in North and South America. In his role, McDade leads all accounting, finance, corporate strategy procurement, pricing, quality and shared services activities for the organization.

He has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from The University of Texas at Austin and an MBA with a concentration in accounting from The University of Dallas. In addition to his chief financial officer role, he also serves as president of the Board of Advisors for TMAC, which is a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce with a mission to improve operations and growth for Texas businesses.

McDade said he joined the JSOM advisory council because he has always had tremendous respect for JSOM and the students it produces. He has hired and worked with many UTD alumni and said he considers it a top-tier university with very talented graduates.

“I am excited for the opportunity to help shape the next generation of leadership education in Dallas and beyond,” McDade said.“I can provide a current perspective on the emerging challenges businesses face and the new management capabilities those challenges require, while further connecting the UTD business network across DFW,” McDade said.

Jess Bass Bolander

Vice President
Lockton Dunning Benefits

Bolander brings nearly two decades of experience in the healthcare industry to her role as vice president at Lockton, providing focused solutions that meet the unique needs of large, complex and multi-location employers. She reviews, develops, improves and manages employee benefits strategies.

She sees her ability to increase value for her clients and their employees as her superpower.

“I joined the JSOM advisory council because I believe in the power of education and community,” Bolander said. “As the granddaughter of immigrants, I learned from a young age that education enables economic and social mobility. My grandfather would tell me, ‘Mi hija, get a good education and work with your brain so you don’t have to work with your hands like me.’ I learned so much from him and hope that my story will help other immigrant families learn the importance of education.”