When Executive MBA Class 43 convened in September of 2013, the room buzzed about one particular student: Robb-Davon Butler, Manager of Sales and Market Development for the Midwest region for PPG Aerospace, a division of PPG Industries. In his previous career he was a professional football player. A celebrity in our midst!

When the time came for introductions, Robb modestly began with, “I played some ball,” followed by appreciative laughter from the class. What followed his statement that day, and throughout our class meetings, has been much more surprising and interesting than we could have imagined.

Butler was a defensive back for the San Diego Chargers in 2004-05 and for the Baltimore Ravens in 2005-06, he also spent some time with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2007. His career ended with injury–turf toe, a sprain of the ligaments and deterioration of the cartilage in the big toe–that bothers him to this day.

Other experiences as a player, however, left a more positive impression. “By and large, the discipline required to be a professional athlete is not dissimilar to being a professional at anything.  It’s a question of, how do you focus those energies? “He quoted his former coach, Coach James Lofton, as saying, “The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare.”

The main difference between the game of football and the game of business, Butler says, is that it is less of a physical game, more mental. With less severe consequences.  Butler leads his professional life with these thoughts in his head, and it shows.

Getting a business degree was always in the back of Butler’s mind, even as a kid.  “I always knew I wanted to play in the NFL. I was a little boy in inner city, living in the projects of Pittsburgh.  To get to football practice, at the ages of seven or eight I took two Port Authority transit buses–the first went downtown the second went to the practice field. When I changed buses downtown, I watched the guys in suits with briefcases going in and out of the big buildings, and I thought, ‘They have it figured out.’ I knew I wanted to go into business.”

After his football career ended, PPG–which is based in Pittsburgh–recruited Butler into the organization and he made a five year plan. “I wanted to learn our business and our products front line as a master salesman, from sales go into management. And that’s what happened–line by line, year by year. I was on schedule.”

An MBA was imperative for Butler to make his next career goal, which was to manage a much larger team. His experience has been transformative. “I knew I had to work on it from the inside out–gain competencies in business acumen, and also discover who I am as a leader. Those two things would give me the competence and confidence to go to the next level.”

Olin’s EMBA caught his attention from a billboard in the airport–the #2 program in the world.  “That caught my eye,” he said.  The curriculum was another draw. He liked the promise of a cohort of executives.  “I knew that the conversation would be so rich and couldn’t be duplicated in the part-time program.  I was right. Our dialog is unbelievable. It automatically had me thinking vice president or CEO instead of mid-level management.” Recently, and within a few months of graduating with his MBA, PPG promoted Butler to Regional Sales Manager of West Florida with P&L accountabilities and responsibility for twenty direct reports.  Right on schedule.

Being who he is, Butler already has his next move in his sites. “As we finish the program with the global theme, I’m thinking about a global role. “I’m considering my kids’ ages, and my wife’s wishes–so it may be a few years.”

Do not be surprised if in five years, we hear that Butler is managing a large operation overseas.