John Sousa '89
Major(s): Sociology and History
Where do you live and work? I live and work in Houston, Texas. I moved from Boston to Houston eight years ago and I'm still trying to get accustomed to Texas summers... and springs... and winters... You probably get the idea - it's hot here.
What is your occupation(s)? I'm Vice President of Public & Investor Relations of Dynegy Inc., a public traded energy company with operations around the country. In short, Dynegy generates electricity and processes natural gas and natural gas liquids and provides them to wholesale customers (e.g., your local utility company).
In my role, I direct all facets of Dynegy's external and internal communications, including media relations, employee communications, investor relations, crisis communications, community relations, branding, and customer relationship management. Whether it's a journalist who would like to discuss our business strategy, an investor who would like to understand our financial results or a senior executive who needs to deliver a speech, it's the Public & Investor Group's responsibility to make it happen.
What did you do immediately after graduating from Bowdoin? Since my sophomore year, my plan was to attend graduate school immediately after Bowdoin. While most of my friends were interviewing for jobs, I was studying for the GRE and filling out grad school applications. No sooner did I have my diploma in hand then I was preparing for the fall semester at Boston University College of Communication. I earned an M.S. in Mass Communications in December 1990.
What has been your most worthwhile professional experience? It was the decision I made early in my career to leave one of Boston's top public relations agencies to become the Director of Communications for the U.S. Pro Ski Tour, a skiing company headquartered in Bath, Maine.
My job in Boston was everything I thought public relations should be: I was developing communications programs for clients, participating in brainstorming sessions with colleagues, directing news conferences and editorial briefings, and pulling all-nighters to help clients respond to crisis situations.
I was in Portland visiting friends during the summer of 1992 when I came across an advertisement in the Portland Press-Herald about a public relations opportunity at the U.S. Pro Ski Tour. I was - and still am - a huge sports enthusiast, so I decided to send my resume. The U.S. Pro Ski Tour's office was a converted two-story apartment above a restaurant and bar. Some of the offices were in closets and the files were kept in kitchen cupboards. There were skis stacked in the corner and employees wore T-shirts, shorts and sandals. After the president of the company and I talked over lobster rolls, he jumped on a sailboat for his commute home.
Everything about the company and the job was the complete opposite of the corporate public relations world I had known. It was the last place I thought I wanted to be. My instincts told me to stick with a "safe" career path, but my heart told me to take a chance. I took the position and it was the best professional experience of my career. It was a small company, so I had the opportunity to run a department, manage a budget, direct outside public relations agencies, and serve as the editor of a weekly newspaper that we published on event results. The U.S. Pro Ski Tour put on events around the world, so I also had a chance to travel extensively and build relationships with national and international journalists - many of whom I still work with today.
The point of this story is when it comes to career opportunities, don't be afraid to follow your heart. Chances are it will lead you in the right direction.
What are the one or two events, courses or people that stand out in your mind from your time at Bowdoin? Please explain. The stock market crash of 1987 was the event that stands out most in my mind. The impact the crash had on the business world, publicly traded companies and individual investors was profound. This event sparked my interest in business and, in particular, the role of financial markets in our economy. In terms of people, there were two professors in the history department, Sarah McMahon and Allen Wells, who had a significant influence on me. Professors McMahon and Wells showed me that the true measure of a college experience is not what you learn in the classroom; it's what you learn about yourself.
Is there a piece of advice you wish someone had offered you while still an undergraduate student in Brunswick? There are three pieces of advice:
- Relax more and worry less. There will come a time when you realize that your four years at Bowdoin were among the best of your life. Enjoy it while it lasts.
- Experience Maine. It's an incredible state with plenty to explore. Take a day and drive someplace new. You won't be disappointed.
- Take courses that develop your writing abilities. Strong writing skills are important in business, regardless of your career path. In public relations, they are an absolute must.
Quote that has most influenced, impacted or shaped your life: "Actions speak louder than words."
I'm not sure who made this phrase famous, but my mother says it to me all the time, so I'll give her full credit.