Car Trek

Five grads take different roads but reach the same destination: working for Nissan and rooting for Mason

By David Driver

In April 2006, Brendan Jones was feeling overshadowed—by his own résumé. Jones, BA Communication ’93 and MA International Trade and Commerce ’96, was promoted to regional parts and service manager with Nissan North America’s Mid-Atlantic Region office in Herndon, Virginia, but his bio was creating more of a buzz than his new job. The reason? The promotion came just days after Mason’s first-ever appearance in basketball’s Final Four.

“Typically, when we have a [job] rotation or promotion, your bio goes out nationwide” through Nissan’s internal communications, says Jones. “The funny thing was my alma mater got more attention than the promotion. All of these businesspeople recognize [Mason’s] name now.”

Patriot pride is firmly entrenched at the Nissan office just off the Dulles Toll Road.

Jones, who grew up in Arlington, is one of five Mason graduates on a staff of about 60. In fact, the office has more alumni from Mason than from any other college or university. Rounding out the list of Patriots are Carlos Alvarez, BS Marketing ’91; Sophia Mun, BS Marketing ’03; Nazanin Broumand, BS Marketing ’04; and Fatima Chan, BS Marketing ’04.

“I have Mason stuff everywhere,” says Chan of her office. “We talk about basketball and school and how things have changed at Mason. We make our [Mason connection] well known. Brendan is very vocal about it.” Chan has good memories of her time at Mason. “I really enjoyed the environment. It felt new and fresh.” Chan returned to campus on several occasions this winter to watch Patriot basketball with her boyfriend, Percy Sierra, a senior communication major and fellow season ticket holder.

Broumand and Chan, who are marketing specialists at Nissan, met while they were students. “Naz and I were friends, starting our senior year,” says Chan. “The first class we had together was Marketing Research with Professor [Frank Allen] Philpot.” Now the two alternate work assignments.

Jones and Alvarez were roommates in the late 1980s, then worked together at a restaurant in Tysons Corner. In 1995, Jones helped Alvarez get an interview with Nissan; Alvarez is now the regional sales operations manager.

Mun is a distribution/contests and incentives specialist, and the university is never far from her mind because her brother is a sophomore at Mason this year. “I have always been proud to be a Mason grad,” says Mun.

Working at Nissan allows these five Mason graduates to take advantage of a great company perk: free tickets to concerts at the Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, Virginia. Among the performers these Patriots have seen are Carlos Santana, Aerosmith, Toby Keith, Rascal Flatts, Tom Petty, Sting, and Jimmy Buffett.