“My Randolph-Macon College education did a great job of making me a well-rounded person,” says Mark Hamby ’87, who majored in political science and minored in economics. “My experiences at RMC taught me to be resourceful and fostered an entrepreneurial spirit that led me to where I am today.”

Hamby is president of Capitol Securities Management (CSM), an independent brokerage firm in Richmond, Virginia. His career trajectory is paved with determination and hard work.

Career Highlights
After graduating from RMC, Hamby worked in a temporary position at a Richmond broker dealer at the company’s syndicate desk. He went on to work at several other bank and trust institutions, and then served as compliance director for another broker dealer, Anderson & Strudwick, where he ultimately become CEO.

In 2006 he was named a partner and owner in Capitol Securities, which was in the process of restructuring. After being named president of Capitol Securities in 2007, he moved its headquarters from Northern Virginia to Richmond.

The EDGE on Internships
Throughout his career, Hamby’s business acumen and eye for recognizing talent have resulted in numerous opportunities for Randolph-Macon students and alumni. To date he has helped arrange internships for more than a dozen students, and currently there are eight alumni working at Capitol Securities.

“I really want to give back in a way that can make a personal impact on individuals,” says Hamby, a member of RMC’s Board of Associates and its EDGE subcommittee. The EDGE, a four-year career preparation program, incorporates the college’s pre-professional programs and internship program and builds on its engaged alumni network.

From Internship to Career
“I hired our first EDGE intern, Will McGhee ’14, as an operations analyst upon graduation, and he is one of our rising stars,” says Hamby. McGhee, who majored in business and economics, learned skills during his internship that proved essential to his career success.

“I shadowed professionals, developed an understanding of the different perspectives of common operations, and learned how to make business decisions,” says McGhee. “I would advise students to get involved in as many different internships as early as they can. Getting experience in a field you’re interested in is the best way to gain a full understanding of that field and is invaluable to the transition into the ‘real world.'”

This year, Max Petersen ’20 is interning at Capitol Securities. Hamby worked with staff from The EDGE to match Petersen with the right internship opportunity. Petersen, a business major and communication studies minor, is currently working on a complex conversion project for the company that requires high levels of organization and problem solving as well as analytical abilities.

Lemon & Black Pride
Yellow Jackets currently working at Capitol Securities include Steve Marascia ’81 (director of research), Jane Whittemore ’88 (compliance supervisor), Shannon Thrift ’07 (senior compliance officer), Bill Richardson ’85 (financial advisor), Eric Jackson ’18 (transition analyst), and Kyle Geblein ’18 (compliance analyst).

Asked what it’s like to work alongside fellow alumni, Hamby says, “It is really an awesome experience. Sharing the same background and experiences provides for a closer working relationship, and you really know what you are getting when you hire an RMC grad.”

Thrift, who majored in English at RMC, worked in management for several years before turning her focus to the financial world. She joined Capitol Securities Management in 2011.

“Capitol Securities has been my home for the last seven years, and I have grown into a new role as a senior compliance officer,” she says. “I am so grateful for the connection that CSM has with Randolph-Macon, and that I have the opportunity to work with Yellow Jackets every day.”

Connections
As a student at RMC, Hamby joined Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity. Membership in the fraternity enriched his life during and beyond college.

“It really connected the dots of academics and social interaction for me,” says Hamby, who previously served as president of the SAE house corporation. “It is the primary reason I have remained actively involved with the college.”

Reflecting on his life as a student, he says, “There were many diverse and extremely interesting personalities on the faculty. That was one of the best parts of my years at Randolph-Macon. I feel as though little parts of all these great folks helped shape me in ways I did not understand at the time but am now very grateful for.”

Generous Sponsor
Capitol Securities is an annual sponsor of the EDGE Boot Camp, a two-day, off-campus immersion program in which students learn to identify their career passions and hone their interview and communication skills to prepare for success after college. Hamby has attended Boot Camp several times, serving as a mentor and conducting mock interviews with students.

He calls the changes that have taken place on campus during the past years—including new programs such as Boot Camp—
“pretty amazing. And the level of alumni giving, which is now higher than ever, is amazing, too.”