Sam Wineburgh, B.A. 1996
EVP Merchandising and Marketing, Harbor Freight Tools – Los Angeles, CA
1996 Major: Economics
How has being an Economics graduate from Duke helped shape you personally and/or professionally?
"Folks recognize the Duke brand, which carries a lot of weight, especially in the earlier part of a person’s career. It opened doors that likely would have been met with “no one’s home.” For me, it also gave me the confidence I could successfully solve complicated problems"
What advice would you give students in Duke's Economics programs?
"There are FAR more careers out there than just Investment Banking, Consulting, and Tech. Too often, it seems like those are your only viable options. That’s short sighted. Be prepared and eager to work hard when you leave school, but it’s not a requirement to give up your entire life to find success. I can’t possibly tell you how many former bankers, consultants, and technology folks I’ve interviewed who’ve lamented that they just didn’t enjoy the work / lifestyle / etc. To be sure, I was once one of those folks, having tried both banking and consulting."
