It all started at Union for Curtis Butler ’90.
His time in Schenectady launched his finance career, solidified his dedication to mentoring and inspired his recent jump into entrepreneurship with his new company, Guided Ascent Career Coaching.
“My first conversation with my advisor, Professor Phaup -- who was also my first economics professor -- convinced me that my experience at Union was going to be eye-opening and a chance to prepare for the world,” said Butler, who majored in economics and modern languages, specifically German.
And it was. A scholarship to spend his entire junior year in Germany studying economics, for instance, was nothing short of transformative.
Curtis Butler '90 recently spoke with Union's Student Investment Fund.
“Professors Kellenter and Ward offered encouragement and support that allowed this life-changing experience to happen,” Butler said. “My time in Germany opened the door for frequent trips all over Europe during my career. I can honestly say that my path as a Union student set everything in motion – including a year of graduate school in Europe and a three-decade-long career in finance.”
Butler began his career as an analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, moving quickly to Wall Street, where he developed skills in research, portfolio management and client portfolio management. He has been an investor and client-facing executive at industry-leading firms including J.P. Morgan, Jennison Associates and an affiliate of Legg Mason.
As Butler grew his career, he became more and more interested in mentoring his younger colleagues and those just looking for their first jobs – like Union students.
He started getting involved with serious career coaching at Union just before COVID struck and made his first on-campus presentation in late 2019. Since then, he has mentored dozens of students, helping them successfully transition from campus to the office.
“It was incredibly rewarding speaking with students about career development and establishing a steady stream of connections to help them identify the right path and launch their careers,” Butler said. “I will never forget that first event. It was a sit-down dinner in Old Chapel, complete with white tablecloths and nearly 100 students – all courtesy of the Career Center and Peter Fowler.
“It was an electric experience that was the spark that eventually led me to move beyond my finance career and focus full time on helping college students and young professionals find success in their job searches.”
In 2024, Butler founded Guided Ascent Career Coaching. He’s leveraging his 30 years of experience building and leading teams – and the hundreds of times he’s been on both sides of the interview table with these teams – to help people realize their professional dreams.
The core of Guided Ascent is one-on-one coaching for students and recent graduates to help them:
- identify their ideal career path and find roles that can set them on that path
- create applications that stand out (through a stronger candidate profile that includes resume, cover letter and compelling personal narrative)
- develop efficient networking strategies that yield stronger connections and better results
- master the interview process
“I have always enjoyed helping others and I am excited to continue giving back to my alma mater and help Union grads – and many others – launch their careers with optimism and early success.”