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Greg Schwartz, ’10, never expected that he would one day work on the corner of Chocolate and Cocoa Avenues near street lights shaped like chocolate Kisses.

As an athlete playing baseball at Maryville and majoring in sport business management, he intended a career that spoke to his inner sports enthusiast. Sometimes life has other plans.

“I had great internships at Rawlings that showed me many facets of business, including marketing and brand management—which was exciting,” says Schwartz. Those key placements led him to graduate school.

Schwartz also credits the guidance of his former professor, John Lewington, PhD, for the change in his career focus. “He brought his real-world experiences to the classroom and helped me find internships that changed my perspective,” he says.

It is important to stay open and capitalize on opportunities that come along, Schwartz advises. “My career plan headed in a different direction and it’s been a good thing,” he says.

After earning an MBA in 2012, Greg worked for Save-A-Lot as a beverage buyer. Working with Coke and Pepsi, he learned about the analytic side of marketing. He landed a job at The Hershey Company in 2013, as an associate manager of the Kisses brand.

“Hershey is a phenomenal company. It’s amazing to work on a brand that everyone knows and loves,” says Schwartz.

He especially enjoys the variety in his job. “One day I might work on redesigning packaging or in-store displays,” he says. “Another day, it’s social media, a television commercial or developing a new flavor. Every day brings a new challenge.”

The most challenging part of his work is the ever-changing market. “It’s tough to keep up with consumer trends, social media and constantly changing technology,” Schwartz says. “Consumers have so many more touch points than in the past. We want to reach them at every facet and give them what they are looking for—even when they don’t know what they’re looking for.”

Schwartz is married to Tracey Schrock Schwartz, ’09. They met as students at Maryville, during her undergraduate studies in the rehabilitation services program. Tracey is currently an academic advisor and adjunct professor at Harrisburg Area Community College. “Tracey has helped so many people in her career and always keeps me grounded in what’s truly important,” Schwartz says.

This story was originally published in the Spring 2015 edition of Maryville Magazine.