We all present an outward persona that defines us. For those who have met Weatherhead School of Management Dean Andrew Medvedev, adjectives such as “passionate,” “determined,” “collaborative” and “analytical” often come to mind.
An economics alumnus of Case Western Reserve University, Medvedev was officially appointed dean of Weatherhead School of Management on July 1 and for three years prior, acted as co-dean alongside J.B. Silvers.
1. More soup, please
Andrew consumes a lot of soup. What’s interesting about this is not just the regularity, but also the quantity consumed at one time, which can approach 32 ounces. When asked why, he explains it’s in part due to his childhood growing up in Russia, in which soup has always played an important role, and in part to help him stay hydrated as he crisscrosses our campus throughout the day.
2. The great outdoors
Some people collect stamps, others focus on baseball cards. Andrew collects national parks. It’s a chance to experience the stunning natural beauty, wildlife, and diverse ecosystems of the country, he explains – and he’s never had a bad time visiting one. So far, he has traveled to around 250 of the 431 units in the National Park Service – well on his way to his goal of seeing them all.
3. Play ball!
Andrew is an unassuming, but passionate, baseball fan, who as a young immigrant fell in love with the Cleveland (then) Indians during their magical playoff run in 1995. The mathematical nature of the game, lack of a formal game clock and the accessibility of the game are among the many things he loves about America’s past time. Thankfully Andrew has come a long way towards balancing work and baseball since his undergraduate days, when he may have snuck in a portable radio into Tom Bogart’s economics class during the 1996 playoffs.
4. First job
The position of Dean was not Andrew’s first job at Weatherhead. His start at the school came in June of 1994, when he donned the white coat of a computer lab attendant on the 4th floor of the Sears building, Weatherhead’s original home on the Quad. On his way to discovering a career in business, he mastered the art of quickly loading the wide-form green and white computer paper – a skill that unfortunately is in less demand today.
5. Nightcap
After a full day at the office (or on the road) and quality time with three rambunctiously amazing kids, Andrew has been known to enjoy a cocktail at the end of the day – which must feature a proper gin. Duty free shops from airports around the world have fed Andrew’s growing collection of global gins, with interesting infusions from South Africa to Canada to Japan.