e-Business Advisor at USAA 
Ex-Army intelligence officer Meighan McNulty, 31, finds success at USAA.
by Warren Duffie

On the surface, there aren’t many similarities between a career in military intelligence and one in financial services. But former Army Capt. Meighan McNulty can point out several qualities that cross over nicely.

“You learn how to work with diverse people with competing agendas and interests,” she said. “In intelligence, you’re working with international governments, militaries and government agencies. In finance, you’re dealing with banks, credit card services, etc. The military allowed me to succeed in both worlds by teaching me discipline, drive, ambition and the ability to handle a lot of stress.”

On the Job
These skills have allowed McNulty to excel since leaving the Army in 2005. She currently is an e-business advisor with USAA. She works in the business and planning analysis group within the channel management part of USAA’s member services branch. Sound like a mouthful? Here’s the translation: USAA has various “channels” serving its members – direct mail, e-mail, Internet and mobile phone applications. McNulty’s group analyzes the financial costs and performances of each channel, targeting areas to improve, expand or cut back.

McNulty, 31, specializes in the Internet and mobile phone channels. She normally works from 0800 to 1800, spending her days in meetings and conference calls and creating and reviewing complex reports and analytics.

The Company
USAA was formed in 1922 by a group of Army officers that was having difficulty getting insurance. The officers pooled their resources to form an association so they could self-insure. From that small beginning, USAA now spans 7.3 million members across the world, mostly current or former military personnel and family members. It’s only logical that USAA’s work force reflects its membership. The company has about 22,200 employees, and an estimated 19 percent are military – veterans, Guard/Reserve members or military spouses.

USAA recruits for a variety of skill sets — information technology (IT), human resources, and marketing, to name a few. But its biggest need is customer service representatives — the people you speak to when you call into the bank or make an insurance claim. The basic qualifications for a CSR position are one year of customer service, one year of college credit or successful completion of a service obligation.

USAA recently unveiled a new Junior Military Officer Program, which recruits officers from the Armed Forces and trains them in various aspects of the company’s business. Every candidate spends three years in the program, each year in a different department.

USAA employment benefits include a pension plan, medical and dental coverage, and 401(k) with a full company match. Also, USAA’s San Antonio headquarters boasts three gyms and various sports leagues — creating an atmosphere of camaraderie similar to the military’s.

“One of the best things about working for USAA is it has a strong code of honor,” said McNulty, “service, leadership, and honesty. Coming from West Point and the Army, that code appealed to me. I also enjoy working with a lot of military veterans and serving the military community.”

In Uniform
A Massachusetts native, McNulty’s father and several of her uncles served in the military, instilling within her a desire to put on the uniform. She attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, graduating in 2000 with a bachelor’s in environmental engineering, and then headed to Fort Huachuca, Ariz., for intelligence training.

From there, McNulty commanded an intelligence platoon at Fort Hood before being deployed to Bosnia. As a counterterrorism analyst, McNulty also compiled a watch list of more than 1,000 names – which was used by Border Service officials to identify terrorism suspects.

The Transition
After her time in Bosnia, McNulty served in Korea and returned to Fort Hood. By 2005, she decided to pursue a business career, separated from the Army and enrolled in the MBA program at Harvard Business School. At Harvard, she interned at Bear, Stearns & Co. before graduating in 2007. She then worked for two years at Citi Cards.

In summer 2009, McNulty met a fellow Army veteran who mentioned he was helping launch the Junior Military Officer Program at USAA and recommended she consider working for the company.

Although she is not participating in the program, McNulty said her friend made a very compelling case. “Of course, I knew about USAA and what a great organization it was. I also was attracted to the idea of returning to Texas and being able to work with the military again.

“I also liked the fact that USAA was profitable and didn’t need to cut benefits,” she continued. “People here work very hard, but the company treats them well and takes good care of them.”

McNulty’s Advice
Be your number one advocate. “Work hard to promote yourself to civilian companies. Be in control of your destiny. I also recommend finding a good mentor, someone at a career level where you want to be in five years. Avoid someone in a chain of command position, that way you can speak to each other frankly.”

Take a look at each company’s culture. Make sure you’ll enjoy working there. That will be a big determinant of your happiness. Talk to some of the company’s employees. Think hard about whether you can spend long hours working on projects with those people.”

Don’t settle for second best. “Find a company that will challenge you and help you grow professionally. Be passionate about what you do. Find your happiness and the money will follow.”