Notable Alumni of Babson College: Shaping the World of Entrepreneurship and Beyond
Babson College, a private business school located in Wellesley, Massachusetts, has long been recognized for its specialization in entrepreneurship education. Founded in 1919 by Roger Babson, the college has produced a remarkable array of alumni who have made significant contributions to various fields, including business, government, athletics, and the arts. This article highlights some of the most notable graduates and former students of Babson College, showcasing their diverse achievements and the impact they have had on the world.
A Legacy of Entrepreneurial Education
Since its establishment as the Babson Institute on September 3, 1919, Babson College has been committed to providing practical, hands-on education. The Babson Institute initially granted one-year certificates and maintained a business environment as part of the students' everyday life. Students kept regular business hours and were monitored by punching in and out on a time clock. They were assigned an office desk equipped with standard machines. Personal secretaries typed the students' assignments and correspondence in an effort to accurately reflect the business world. This focus on real-world experience has been a cornerstone of the Babson education, fostering an entrepreneurial mindset and preparing graduates to excel in a variety of industries.
In 1969, Babson converted its three-year Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree into a four-year Bachelor of Science degree. Babson is home to the Grace K.
Babson College consistently ranks among the top business schools in the United States. In 2025, Babson ranked No. It is the No. 1 business school on Forbes' list of colleges with the highest earning graduates. Babson is ranked the No. 1 business school for Return on Investment by PayScale's 2024 rankings. In that same ranking, Babson is ranked 28th nationally for Return on Investment.
Business and Entrepreneurship
Babson College's alumni have a strong presence in business and entrepreneurship, founding and leading successful companies across diverse sectors.
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Arthur M. Blank ’63, H’98: Perhaps one of Babson's most recognizable alumni, Arthur M. Blank is the co-founder and former CEO of The Home Depot. His entrepreneurial vision transformed the home improvement industry, and he has continued to make a significant impact through his ownership of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC. Blank exemplifies the Babson spirit of creating economic and social value.
Akio Toyoda: A great-grandson of the industrialist, Sakichi Toyoda, and a grandson of both the founder of Toyota Motors, Kiichiro Toyoda, and the founder of the Takashimaya department stores corporation, Shinshichi Iida, Akio Toyoda is a Japanese business executive who is the chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation. He was previously the company's president and chief executive officer (CEO).
C. Dean Metropoulos ’67, MBA’68: As the Executive Chairman and CEO of C. Dean Metropoulos & Company, Charles Dean Metropoulos has a proven track record of buying and transforming brands in the food and beverage, consumer products, and other industries. He was the owner of Pabst Brewing Company, which was founded by Jacob Best in 1844. His ability to revitalize established companies demonstrates the entrepreneurial leadership skills instilled at Babson.
Ernesto Bertarelli ’89: Ernesto Silvio Maurizio Bertarelli is an Italian-born Swiss billionaire businessman and philanthropist. Bertarelli understands the importance of family-focused entrepreneurship. He is the third generation to run his family’s pharmaceutical business.
Matt Coffin ’90: Founder and former President of LowerMyBills.com. In 2009, he was named to the Alumni Entrepreneur Hall of Fame by the Arthur M.
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Mohan Murjani ’67: Chairman of the Murjani Group.
Richelieu Dennis ’91: Entrepreneur, investor and social impact innovator Richelieu Dennis has a passion for entrepreneurship that traces back to his family’s roots in Africa and is sustained by a mission to fill unmet consumer needs globally. As founder, CEO and Executive Chairman of Sundial Brands, he has a vision that has resulted in the 27-year-old family founded-and-operated manufacturing company’s success as the maker of top hair, natural bar soap, and bath and body brands via SheaMoisture and Nubian Heritage, as well as prestige beauty brands-Madam C.J. and the largest consumer products deal by a majority black-owned company.
Gustavo Cisneros: Gustavo Alfredo Jiménez de Cisneros y Rendiles was a Venezuelan businessman and Chairman of Grupo Cisneros.
Andrónico Luksic Craig: Andrónico Mariano Luksic Craig is a Chilean businessman and the chairman of Quiñenco, a subsidiary of the Luksic Group, one of Chile's largest conglomerates. He is the wealthiest individual in Chile according to Forbes.
Bob Davis MBA’85: Managing partner of Highland Capital Partners.
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Andrew Bachman: Andrew Bachman is an American entrepreneur and investor. He is the founder of several companies, including Game Plan Holdings.
Anthony Chiasson: Anthony R. Chiasson is an American hedge fund manager and co-founder of Level Global Investors LP, a Greenwich, Connecticut-based hedge fund management firm.
Dhairya Gupta MBA’08: Dhairya Gupta grew up in a small town in India, moved to Delhi for high school and completed his electrical engineering degree from Delhi College of Engineering. Gupta got his start in the electrical industry by working as a project manager with Siemens and as a field engineer with Schneider Electric. However, during this time he dreamed of being an entrepreneur. His love for entrepreneurship took him to Babson College, where he was exposed to many new ideas and experienced internships in Canada and Germany.
Chinmoy Mishra MBA’08: Chinmoy Mishra is one of the founders of AllizHealth, a healthcare technology venture in the area of preventative health.
Cyril Camus: Cyril Camus is a family business entrepreneur who grew up in the Cognac region of France. After receiving his Baccalaureate in France, Camus traveled to the United States to continue his studies. He earned a Bachelor of Science from Babson College in 1991. While at Babson, Camus co-founded his first company with two classmates. After finishing his studies, Camus joined his family business, House of Camus, in the Beijing office, as the company’s representative to the local China market distributor.
Daniel Dalet: After more than a decade in the financial industry, Daniel Dalet decided it was time for a career change. With his wife, Gaby, and cousin Abel Gonzalez, he co-founded an agro-industrial production company in the Dominican Republic that combined old world production with cutting-edge technology to create a high-quality, one-of-a-kind virgin coconut oil product.
Emily Levy: Emily Levy is a graduate of Babson College, Class of 2016, with concentrations in technology, entrepreneurship, and design, as well as being a CWEL Scholar. Levy started Mighty Well with her best friend, Maria del Mar Gomez ’16, and boyfriend, Yousef, after she was diagnosed with Lyme disease and saw how people started to treat her as a medical condition, and not the strong and confident woman that she strives to be.
Yousef Al-Humaidhi: Yousef Al-Humaidhi is a graduate of Babson College, Class of 2015, with concentrations in finance and entrepreneurship. He grew up in Kuwait with entrepreneurship and family business all around him, and saw the process of building companies firsthand. After seeing chronic illness take away the identity of friends and family members, he felt he had to do something. Though he was not a medical professional, he worked to understand patient needs and created the prototype of the PICCPerfect PICC line cover.
Maria del Mar Gomez: Maria del Mar Gomez is a Latina entrepreneur, a graduate of Babson College, Class of 2016, and Draper University, Class of 2017, with concentrations in technology, entrepreneurship, and design, as well as environmental sustainability. After seeing family members and her closest friends struggle with chronic illness, she was inspired to venture in the entrepreneurial journey of starting Mighty Well.
Abby Speicher Carroll: Abby Speicher Carroll is a 2015 Babson MBA graduate and the co-founder and CEO of DARTdrones Flight School. DARTdrones is the national leader in drone training and consultations.
Eric G. Johnson: Eric G. Johnson is the president and Chief Executive Officer of Baldwin Richardson Foods, one of the largest African-American owned businesses in the food industry.
Ketan Rahangdale: Ketan Rahangdale is an American entrepreneur and the CEO of the startup company, EarTop Technologies. He is the youngest person on the Empact 100 list in 2012.
These alumni, through their diverse ventures and leadership roles, exemplify the entrepreneurial spirit that Babson College seeks to cultivate. They have not only achieved financial success but have also created jobs, driven innovation, and contributed to the economic growth of their communities and beyond.
Government and Public Service
Babson College alumni have also made their mark in the realm of government and public service, utilizing their business acumen and leadership skills to serve their communities and countries.
Craig Robert Benson ’77: Served as the 79th Governor of New Hampshire from 2003 to 2005. Benson first came to public attention when he founded Cabletron Systems, later known as Enterasys Networks, which became one of the largest employers in New Hampshire.
W. Haydon Burns: Was Mayor of Jacksonville, Florida, from 1949 to 1965, and served as the 35th Governor of Florida from 1965 to 1967.
Rómulo Roux: Rómulo Alberto Roux Moses is a Panamanian politician, lawyer, and businessman chairman of the party Democratic Change since January 2018. He was the party's candidate for the 2019 general election. He ran again in the 2024 general election, and received 11.38% of the total vote.
Princess Marie of Denmark: A member of the Danish royal family. She is the second wife of Prince Joachim of Denmark, the younger brother of King Frederik X of Denmark. Enrolled in Babson College 1995-1997 studied economics and international business.
Michael T. Franken: Michael Thane Franken is an American retired United States Navy vice admiral. His final posting was as deputy director of military operations for the United States Africa Command.
John Mustin: John Burton Mustin is a retired United States Navy vice admiral who served as the 15th Chief of Navy Reserve from August 7, 2020, to August 23, 2024. He previously served as the Vice Commander of the United States Fleet Forces Command.
Vincent E. Boles: Vincent E. Boles graduated with Master of Business Administration.
Jeffrey Davis Perry: Jeffrey Davis Perry is a former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives who represented the 5th Barnstable District from 2003-2011.
Christine Hunschofsky: Christine Hunschofsky is an American politician from the state of Florida. A Democrat, she has been a member of the Florida House of Representatives since 2020, after serving as the mayor of Parkland from 2016 to 2020.
Jason Bedrick: Jason Bedrick is a former member of the New Hampshire state legislature. He was a Republican representing Windham, New Hampshire.
Reed V. Hillman: Reed V. Hillman is an American law enforcement officer and politician who was the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts for the 2006 gubernatorial election in Massachusetts, as well as a former Massachusetts State Representative.
James A. Lewis: James A.
Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa: Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa is a member of the Bahraini ruling family. He is the current Minister of Finance and National Economy. In 1999 graduated with bachelor's degree in economics.
These individuals have translated their Babson education into impactful careers in public service, demonstrating the college's ability to cultivate leaders who are committed to making a difference in their communities and beyond.
Arts and Entertainment
While Babson College is primarily known for its business programs, its alumni have also found success in the arts and entertainment industries.
Stephen Gaghan ’88: As a screenwriter and director, Stephen Gaghan has achieved critical acclaim for his work in film. He is noted for writing the screenplay for Steven Soderbergh's film Traffic, based on a Channel 4 series, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, as well as Syriana which he wrote and directed. He also wrote and directed the thriller Abandon and the family film Dolittle, and directed the drama Gold. Gaghan's success in Hollywood demonstrates the diverse talents and passions that Babson College nurtures.
Michael H. Bastian ’87: Michael H. Bastian is a luxury American menswear designer born in Lyons, New York, a small upstate town near Lake Ontario.
Debbie Millman: Debbie Millman is an American writer, educator, artist, curator, and designer who is best known as the host of the podcast Design Matters. She is the chair and co-founder of the Masters in Branding Program at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, with Steven Heller and President Emeritus of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) and chair.
Kit Yan: Kit Yan is a queer, transgender, and Chinese-American award-winning poet. He also writes plays and screenplays.
Grace Wong: Grace Wong Kwan-hing is a Hongkong actress, dancer, singer, tv host and beauty pageant titleholder. She formerly contracted to TVB. She is best known for her role as Fa Man in the martial arts television drama A Fist Within Four Walls.
Bernard Lee: Bernard Lee is a professional poker player who first came to prominence by finishing 13th in the 2005 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event.
Jane K. Cleland: Jane K. Cleland is a contemporary American author of mystery fiction. She is the author of the Josie Prescott Antiques Mysteries, a traditional mystery series set in New Hampshire and featuring antiques appraiser Josie Prescott, as well as books and articles about the craft of writing.
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