Climbing the ladder of success in a career means something different to everyone and sometimes life pulls people in the opposite direction of what they plan.
Dr. Anthony Corso, associate professor of computing, software and data sciences, said he wanted to be a chief financial officer of a major company but God had other plans.
Many students strive to be successful in the business world but Corso was led in a different direction. He cofounded a small, abrasive manufacturing company with a partner following the completion of his master’s degree in technology management.
He was the CFO of the company for three years and got it registered on the Over-The-Counter Bulletin Board, a public exchange list.
A year after starting the original company, his group bought another company to complete the manufacturing aspect of the business.
Corso decided to get his Certified Public Accountant license to improve his credentials for his company and make his way toward becoming CFO of a bigger company, but he decided to sell the company during that process to take a different path.
“It was advantageous to take a buyout when the company went public because I had a lot of stock in the company,” Corso said. “I was able to get most of my money out of the company based on partners wanting to go di erent directions, so that was a good time for me to finish doing my CPA and move on.”
Corso came to California Baptist University as a student to take upper-division accounting courses for his CPA license and was offered a position as an adjunct faculty member while still enrolled.
“It was funny because I had a couple of my studnets in a couple of the classes I was in,” Corso said. “They were accounting majors so we studied in groups together.”
Corso said it was difficult to leave his company because he enjoyed the work he was doing.
“If you own your own company and you’re signing the checks, it’s pretty neat to do that,” Corso said. “The company had hired a lot of people that normally wouldn’t get hired. We supported a lot of people that I trained to do things that they wouldn’t normally be able to do, so it was hard to leave.”
Dr. Gayne Anacker, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of philosophy, was the dean of the college that hired Corso.
“We were all impressed with his knowledge, energy, enthusiasm, friendliness and Christian concern, and it seemed like a great fit,” Anacker said. “We’re all pleased that he became part of the CBU team.”
Anacker said Corso handled issues as Faculty Senate president well last year.
“I was impressed that he dealt with them in a very careful and deliberate and sensitive way, even when they concerned difficult matters,” Anacker said.
Corso said he attributes part of his success to having strong mentors over the years. He worked with a mentor at Silicon Graphics for 18 months after completing an internship with the company during his senior year of college.
Emily Anderson, senior actuarial science major, was asked to be Corso’s teaching assistant after working on a data analysis project with him.
“Dr. Corso is very smart and he works hard in all of his occupations, including being a professor, researcher and father,” Anderson said. “He is funny, kind and encouraging to his students.”
Corso has taught at multiple post-secondary institutions and studied everything from architecture to technology and accounting.
Corso’s career proves not everyone follows a traditional path. He said he may try to start another company in the future but he enjoys being a professor at CBU and has no intentions to leave.
