Business in the Front, Music in the Back

PROVO, Utah – Jul 31, 2019 – Outside the office, Jonathon Wood, managing director at the Whitmore Global Management Center (GMC), spends a lot of his free time playing in a bluegrass acoustic band known as Lincoln Highway. Along with his fellow band members, Wood recently accepted an invite from Mike Lee, senator from Utah, to play in Washington, DC, at an event known as Utah Days.

Playing with Lincoln Highway has given Wood more than just the gig at the nation’s capital. With Lincoln Highway, Wood has traveled around Utah and the country. Seeing new places and meeting new people is one of Wood’s favorite parts of being in the band; it’s also one of the things he loves most about his career at BYU. 

Wood graduated from BYU Marriott in 1997 with a BS in management and an emphasis in international marketing. After graduation he worked for BYU performing arts management, where he was able to start his world traveling. In this position, Wood was able to travel with the groups he managed while also continuing his education. 

“I took the job with performing arts management knowing that I would be able to get my MBA at BYU Marriott while I was working,” says Wood, who received his graduate degree in 2003. “And that’s exactly what I did.” 

After fourteen years of working and traveling with BYU performing arts, Wood jumped on a job opportunity at BYU Marriott with the GMC. “The offer with the GMC was a chance for me to come back after earning my undergraduate and graduate degrees from BYU Marriott,” Wood says. “I loved my time in school at BYU Marriott and was ready to move on from performing arts.”

One part of Wood’s job within the GMC involved the Centers for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) grant. BYU Marriott’s GMC program is one of only nine other programs that have received the CIBER grant from the federal government. With this most recent grant, Wood and the GMC have started a new initiative to help smaller institutions around the United States participate in international business education. 

Wood finds himself traveling abroad often with his career at the GMC. Wood helps organize and lead a GMC development program that takes faculty on trips across the United States and around the world to learn about international business. Most recently, Wood and a group returned from a trip to Israel, Jordan, and Morocco.  

“I don’t love the airplane rides,” admits Wood. “But I always love being in the different places once I get there.” 

On a long list of memorable places for Wood, Lincoln Highway’s performance at Utah days in Washington DC ranks high. Held at the Russell Senate Office Building, Utah Days was an opportunity for different members of the Utah congressional delegation to invite vendors from the Beehive State to come and highlight multiple aspects of the state. Senator Lee was in charge of finding entertainment for the event and extended the invite to Lincoln Highway.

Once at the event, band members pulled out their thirteen different instruments and played for senators, Congress members, and staff alike. All of Utah’s congressional delegation were in attendance.  

“We had a great time at the event playing our music for everyone,” Wood says. “A lot of people came to the event and got to know more about Utah. The chance to represent the state was awesome.”

Between Wood’s job and band, his schedule is definitely busy. However, for Wood, seeing new places and enjoying new experiences makes it all worthwhile.