Ben Hilkert Resume
BENNETT HILKERT
32685 Wintergreen Dr. • Solon, OH 44139-1392
------------ • ------------
EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Ann Arbor, MI
Stephen M. Ross School of Business
Bachelor of Business Administration, May 2021
• GPA: 3.86/4.00
• Emphases in finance and accounting
• Recipient 2018-2019, Joseph and Elaine Kosic Merit Scholarship for Academic Excellence
• Minors in History and Statistics
EXPERIENCE ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT CLUB Ann Arbor, MI
2017-Present Senior Analyst, Private Equity Competition 1st Place
• Led private equity competition team and successfully pitched LBO of the Cheesecake
Factory (NYSE:CAKE) highlighting operational inefficiencies, off-premise segment growth
and recent acquisitions to panel of distinguished judges, ultimately winning 1st place
• Analyzed volatile economic conditions (November 2018) and portfolio's current positions
and successfully pitched silver (ETF) as a hedge against further market volatility by
sensitizing the price of silver against economic conditions and interest rates, ultimately
generating a ~10% return for the fund and successfully reducing exposure to volatility
• Successfully pitched Calloway Golf Co. (ELY) in reaction to Calloway's investment in TopGolf,
a sports entertainment company that provides a new form of social golf in urban areas to
millennials, the investment allowed Calloway to expand into a new market and diversify
2018 LEE AND ASSOCIATES Cleveland, OH
Summer Analyst
• Underwrote potential acquisition opportunities in CRE industry, reviewed pro formas,
analyzed potential ROI and risks, ultimately supporting management decisions
• Analyzed expense reports across the portfolio and recommended streamlining
communications between property managers, buying certain services and products in bulk
and renegotiating service contracts, resulting in increased profitability and efficiency
• Completed an opinion of value of a property after conducting extensive market research on
comparable properties, aiding in decision to place property on market
• Created database of potential tenants and prepared new marketing material, resulting in a
decrease in vacancies throughout the portfolio and enhanced visibility
2017-Present 180 DEGREES CONSULTING Ann Arbor, MI
Director of Corporate Relations
• Advised a student-run healthcare non-profit with resource allocation, fundraising and
budgeting in light of short-term liquidity hardships leveraging supply chain reorganization
and franchise contribution restructuring to achieve financial sustainability
• Advised a healthcare focused incubator with marketing and brand visibility, strategies for
expansion and successfully implemented an internal communication platform to improve
partner relations and internal operations
• Serve as a liaison between club and companies, by budgeting, planning and executing trips
each semester to visit companies, and securing corporate sponsors for case competition
focused on social impact to be held in the fall that will be open to the Ross community
2015-2016 THE SALTZMAN YOUTH PANEL OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION Beachwood, OH
Panelist
• Personally advocated for funding for a community health fair that provided the inner city
community with access to healthy, ultimately secured enough votes to fund the fair,
resulting in noticeable improvements in the health of Cleveland's inner city youth
ADDITIONAL • Miserable Cleveland sports fan; Cleveland Indians Reporter For a Day; avid runner, golfer
• Veale Foundation Pitchfest Winner, created community kitchen concept allowing local
restaurants to operate at the "Q" during games, concept was recently implemented
• Michigan Community Scholars Program (2017), Ronald McDonald House volunteer
• Selected to participate in Evercore Sophomore Restructuring Summit, Lincoln International
analyst shadow day, Michigan Ross study abroad program in India
• Proficient in Bloomberg, FactSet, Microsoft Office
May 2019
BENNETT HILKERT
32685 Wintergreen Dr. • Solon, OH 44139-1392
------------ • ------------
EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Ann Arbor, MI
Stephen M. Ross School of Business
Bachelor of Business Administration, May 2021
• GPA: 3.86/4.00
• Emphases in finance and accounting
• Recipient 2018-2019, Joseph and Elaine Kosic Merit Scholarship for Academic Excellence
• Minors in History and Statistics
EXPERIENCE ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT CLUB Ann Arbor, MI
2017-Present Senior Analyst, Private Equity Competition 1st Place
• Led private equity competition team and successfully pitched LBO of the Cheesecake
Factory (NYSE:CAKE) highlighting operational inefficiencies, off-premise segment growth
and recent acquisitions to panel of distinguished judges, ultimately winning 1st place
• Analyzed volatile economic conditions (November 2018) and portfolio's current positions
and successfully pitched silver (ETF) as a hedge against further market volatility by
sensitizing the price of silver against economic conditions and interest rates, ultimately
generating a ~10% return for the fund and successfully reducing exposure to volatility
• Successfully pitched Calloway Golf Co. (ELY) in reaction to Calloway's investment in TopGolf,
a sports entertainment company that provides a new form of social golf in urban areas to
millennials, the investment allowed Calloway to expand into a new market and diversify
2018 LEE AND ASSOCIATES Cleveland, OH
Summer Analyst
• Underwrote potential acquisition opportunities in CRE industry, reviewed pro formas,
analyzed potential ROI and risks, ultimately supporting management decisions
• Analyzed expense reports across the portfolio and recommended streamlining
communications between property managers, buying certain services and products in bulk
and renegotiating service contracts, resulting in increased profitability and efficiency
• Completed an opinion of value of a property after conducting extensive market research on
comparable properties, aiding in decision to place property on market
• Created database of potential tenants and prepared new marketing material, resulting in a
decrease in vacancies throughout the portfolio and enhanced visibility
2017-Present 180 DEGREES CONSULTING Ann Arbor, MI
Director of Corporate Relations
• Advised a student-run healthcare non-profit with resource allocation, fundraising and
budgeting in light of short-term liquidity hardships leveraging supply chain reorganization
and franchise contribution restructuring to achieve financial sustainability
• Advised a healthcare focused incubator with marketing and brand visibility, strategies for
expansion and successfully implemented an internal communication platform to improve
partner relations and internal operations
• Serve as a liaison between club and companies, by budgeting, planning and executing trips
each semester to visit companies, and securing corporate sponsors for case competition
focused on social impact to be held in the fall that will be open to the Ross community
2015-2016 THE SALTZMAN YOUTH PANEL OF THE JEWISH FEDERATION Beachwood, OH
Panelist
• Personally advocated for funding for a community health fair that provided the inner city
community with access to healthy, ultimately secured enough votes to fund the fair,
resulting in noticeable improvements in the health of Cleveland's inner city youth
ADDITIONAL • Miserable Cleveland sports fan; Cleveland Indians Reporter For a Day; avid runner, golfer
• Veale Foundation Pitchfest Winner, created community kitchen concept allowing local
restaurants to operate at the "Q" during games, concept was recently implemented
• Michigan Community Scholars Program (2017), Ronald McDonald House volunteer
• Selected to participate in Evercore Sophomore Restructuring Summit, Lincoln International
analyst shadow day, Michigan Ross study abroad program in India
• Proficient in Bloomberg, FactSet, Microsoft Office
May 2019