Nick Madvek

Nick Madvek, MBA ’10

Manager, Legal Business Operations at NiSource

“I would never have come this far so quickly without my Valpo MBA,” says Nick Madvek.

Nick was recently promoted to lead the legal business operations group at NiSource, a company that provides electric and gas services to customers from the U.S. Gulf Coast to New England and holds a spot on the Fortune 500 list.

Nick now reports directly to NiSource’s executive vice president and chief legal officer, a position he achieved in spite of broader employment trends. When he finished his MBA in December 2010, the job market was a tough place for young job seekers.

“I knew when I graduated that the job market was extremely soft. I figured securing a good position would be a daunting challenge,” Nick says. “No amount of school can prepare one for such a feat, but I persevered and stuck to it. I gained some experience that gave me the courage to not give up.”

Nick spent a year working for an accounting firm before landing an entry-level position at NiSource in 2011. In 2013, he made a move to the legal department, and beginning in 2014, he took the lead of legal business operations.

Now he oversees the day-to-day business functions of the legal department. His group manages budgets and finances for seven units and monitors growing technological needs. Nick collaborates with internal legal counsel as well as outside vendors and external legal counsel.

Though it is a big role, he feels Valpo’s MBA prepared him well.

“The education I received, the value of the degree, and the classes offered have all gone a long way in preparing me for my duties,” he says. “Attending Valpo has also given me the confidence to execute my role at NiSource in an efficient and effective manner.”