For Craig A. Douglas, vice president and treasurer at the Stanley Works, the right tool for the job was an MBA.

Douglas joined Stanley after graduating from the University of Connecticut in 1977, and spent four years in various accounting positions at the venerable, New Britain-based manufacturing company. Eager for a new career direction, he enrolled in the UNH MBA program as he was moving into the financial side of the Stanley business. He started as a cash manager, earned his MBA in 1982, and worked his way up to become director of finance in 1997. He moved into his current position in 2002.

Pursuing graduate studies while working full time was an ideal mix, Douglas says, because the knowledge and skills he acquired in the classroom added immediate value in the workplace. He recommends taking that approach early on in a career, when balancing the demands of job and coursework is less taxing. And, as a hiring manager, he likes job candidates who are investing in themselves through graduate and continuing education programs. Keeping current while looking ahead, understanding the operational nuts and bolts, and knowing what questions to ask are essential to growth and success in business, he says.

That’s certainly been a winning formula for Stanley since 1843. The little shop that turned wrought iron into door bolts and other such items is now a worldwide manufacturer of tools, hardware and specialty products for home improvement, consumer, industrial and professional use. The company lives by its slogan: “Make Something Great.”

For Douglas, a resident of Cromwell, Conn., that credo applies to life outside the office, too. He’s devoted 20 years as a United Way volunteer, and is a generous donor to UNH scholarship funds.

Posted Spring 2010