David Murrell, BBA ’01, is the undergraduate alumnus recipient of the 2011 Rising Star Award, given to alumni no further than 10 years from graduation who have been successful professionally and have helped strengthen the McCombs Alumni Network.

"Never stop trying to figure something out just because the answer doesn’t present itself to you the first time," Murrell says.Murrell is a vice president and global investment specialist at JP Morgan Chase in the private wealth management group. He previously worked for Goldman Sachs, and by the time he left the company, he and his team had managed $400 million in client assets, generating annual revenues of $3.5 million. An active volunteer, Murrell works with the Dallas chapter of the Texas Exes to raise money for freshman scholarships and is a BHP alumni interviewer and an industry representative at McCombs Alumni Network career events.

How would you describe your experience as a Business Honors student at McCombs?
In a word: great. We had a terrific group of classmates and we spent four years working very hard and being very competitive with each other, but we were always willing to help each other out. You wanted to do better than your classmate, but no one was undermining anyone else. I had fantastic professors, amazingly bright classmates, and an overall great learning experience. UT has really got to be the best value anyone could get for an undergraduate degree.

What motivates you?
The number one thing is helping people, both professionally and personally. I love my clients and I love solving problems for them. I love doing the best job I can to make their lives easier. If I do the right thing for my clients, everything works out in the end. The same goes for outside of work. I love helping people, whether through my involvement with Texas Exes or other organizations.

What are some pieces of wisdom that have guided your career?
Be curious and keep digging when you can’t find the answer. When there is a question, look for the answer, but don’t just look at the surface. If you have that curious mindset, you end up learning more and doing a better job. Never stop trying to figure something out just because the answer doesn’t present itself to you the first time.

Pay attention to detail. Detail is one of the most important things in my job since I have so much material that goes in front of clients and you can’t have mistakes. This is something I learned very early on. When I was an analyst, I sent something out with a glaring mistake and when I got back, the guy I worked for grabbed my ears and said that it had to be 100 percent right, 100 percent of the time. It gave me a wakeup call to make sure things were always right.

Why did you decide to follow this particular career path?
When I was a junior at UT, I wanted to get an investment banking internship. I got one of 10 interviews with Goldman Sachs to interview for their New York banking analyst position. I didn’t get the internship, but Goldman Sachs called me back a few weeks later and said they had a position in their private wealth management group in Dallas and would love to have me there. I didn’t know a lot about that sector, but it’s a summer at Goldman so why not? I went that summer of 2000 and loved the job, loved the business and loved the people I worked for. It stumbled into this job and it definitely turned out for the best. It was almost an accidental career path.

What do you look forward to outside of work?
I love being outdoors. I ride my road bike a fair amount, though not as much as I’d like. I spend a lot of time hunting with my dad. I love spending time with my wife and we are expecting our first kid. My wife went to UT as well and we are both big football fans, so we make it down for at least four or five football games a season.

What do you do with the Texas Exes?
I am president of the Dallas chapter. Previously, I’ve been the treasurer and I’ve been the vice president of public relations. For the last three years, I’ve planned and led the committee for the tailgate before the Texas/OU game at the State Fair of Texas, which raises between $8,000 and $10,000 each year for the scholarship fund. This year I’ve taken on the 24th annual "Get Teed Off at OU" golf tournament. We think it’s the largest charity golf tournament in Texas.

How does it feel to win the Rising Star Award?
It’s exciting! I didn’t think I would win, so I was shocked and surprised. I’m glad I can represent UT and the business school out in the professional world. I’m just really honored to have been awarded this recognition.