Amy Rash Henry knew it was a small world when she discovered that a fellow cast member for a new reality show, set to take place in New York City, was not only a fellow Aggie with a business degree, but one who knew her college roommate and was the son of her seventh-grade teacher.
Henry said her former college roommate had spoken of Bowie Hogg, whom Henry had never met but was also auditioning for the show. Henry guessed Hogg had probably made the cut when they both told similar lies to Henry’s roommate to maintain secrecy about the final cast.
“Within five minutes of seeing him with his big Aggie ring, we made the connection,” Henry said.
Arlington natives Henry, Class of 1995, and Hogg, Class of 2001, now earn the first-name fame that only reality shows can bestow as they appear among 14 men and women on NBC’s “The Apprentice.” Hoping to win the final prize of a $250,000 salary as the head of a Donald Trump business, each contestant works with a team to complete a business-related assignment in each weekly episode.
The teams are divided by sex, and at the end of each episode Trump “fires” a member of the losing team whom he most blames for the team’s defeat. So far, the women haven’t lost.
Henry had worked at high-tech startup BetweenMarkets in Austin before the show. She had made millions in stock options until the dot-com industry went under. She described her audition as “a fluke” since she doesn’t watch television, and she said she feels like it was fate to be chosen for a show that is a perfect fit for her. She was called back after the initial audition when she said she would challenge, rather than brown-nose, an irate boss.
Hogg, who worked in Dallas as a FedEx Account Executive handling multi-million dollar accounts, is currently working on a career as a motivational speaker. He said he was encouraged to audition by his colleagues and was confident he would make the show.
Hogg said he is outgoing, and took only about 45 minutes to become comfortable with the filming.
Neither contestant could comment on the show in detail, but Henry said the biggest difference between Manhattan businesspeople and those from Texas gives credence to an aged stereotype:”People in Texas are much nicer,” she said.
While his past success was one of the reasons he felt he was chosen to be on the show, Hogg said he believes two qualities that distinguished him from others are his personality and drive.
“I live on my personality. I can’t remember the last time I was down,” Hogg said.
One who can personally vouch for Hogg’s personal drive is Kate Holman, Class of 2001, who has known Hogg since 1998 and was a Fish Camp co-chair with him in 2000.
“Bowie is very hardworking and a very good leader. He always pulls through in stressful situations,” Holman said. “The more time you spend with him, the more fun you have. He’s great to be around.”
She said that while the show has not depicted him as the take-charge leader she knows him to be, she attributes that to possible television editorial decisions and speculates that he could have used strategy to avoid alienating people.
“He is a good judge of character, he’s good at reading people and he’s a very good leader,” Holman said. “But he knows what his place is. If he needs to let someone else take the reins, he will, or he steps up if he needs to.”
When it comes to having an edge, Hogg and Henry said working effectively as a team member was the biggest strength a person could have in any business situation.
“Some of the other contestants I don’t think had ever heard the word ‘teamwork,'” Hogg said.
Henry and Hogg, whose lists of involvements and accolades could make the busiest student look idle, cited time management as an imperative skill for a person who wants to succeed.
“(In college) I had to learn that pulling all-nighters wasn’t going to keep my grade point average where I wanted it to be. At A&M, I learned a lot about how to set personal goals and balance my time,” Henry said.
Henry, who earned a degree in marketing, was involved in Fish Camp, COSGA and Panhellenic Council. She earned a full scholarship for her MBA after graduating Magna Cum Laude from A&M. Henry said she learned to balance her time while at college, or as she put it, “focus on getting that 4.0 and being able to go to Carney’s every weekend.”
“Time management is something that you will use the rest of your life. Learn to love it, and embrace it,” said Hogg, who was a student worker and an executive officer for many of his A&M organizations.
Hogg, who also earned a marketing degree, participated in Fish Camp, Big Event committee, Student Government Association, won the Buck Weirus Spirit Award and was named a Student Activities Outstanding Student leader. He credits the networking skills he developed during college for his success as an adult. Those skills, he said, help you get to where you want to be.
“Learn to talk to those above you, and don’t be afraid to ask (them) to be a mentor,” he said. “Remember people’s names, and never let anyone have anything negative to say about you.”
Henry says her favorite memories were the Cotton Bowl football games, while Hogg’s was his entire junior year, when his leadership advanced, his courses were interesting and his friendships were strong.
And in case viewers wonder about the flash of gold each time Hogg gestures, the jewelry he sports is his Aggie ring, which Hogg says “amazed” his cast mates with its ability to open a beer bottle.
Dr. Jerry Strawser, dean of the Mays Business School, said he thinks it is interesting that two out of the 16 finalists chosen are graduates of Mays Business School.
“(They) clearly have a great work ethic, dynamic personalities and proven entrepreneurial skills to have been chosen from among ‘The Apprentice’s’ 215,000 applicants,” Strawser said.
Britney Edwards, a senior political science major, said the show reflects upon Texas A&M in a positive way.
“It shows a lot for the school that two Aggies have the drive to go for the show, make it and do well,” Edwards said.
The two cast mates said that habits like the ones they developed at A&M contribute to how they act in business environments.
“I can say that studying hard in school and balancing it with extracurricular activities around campus helped me with my interpersonal skills, my communication skills and my ‘people’ skills,” Henry said.
Hogg said college is the time to develop a good track record.
“My accomplishments at A&M were one of the reasons I was chosen to be on the show, and also one of the reasons I was highly recruited out of college,” Hogg said. “Employers like to see that you have been successful. Don’t be afraid to take risk for a new opportunity.”
Hogg was the fourth person eliminated from the show on last week’s episode after his team’s restaurant management skills didn’t measure up to the women’s.
“It was a risk that I had to be willing to take,” he said of quitting his job and accepting the show’s offer
While nothing could have trained them for the situations on the show, Hogg said A&M does a great job teaching Aggies to adapt to every situation.
“College is not just about academics, it is about training the leader in you. A&M teaches to be a great leader, and even more important a great person.”