Anca D. Basturescu ’04

As an undergraduate student at Montclair State, Anca D. Basturescu ’04 hoped to one day work for a company in the financial services industry.

Today, she serves as a partner for Yorktown Partners LLC, an asset management firm that specializes in private equity investments operating in energy sector. In her role, she oversees the accounting, tax and some operations of Yorktown.

Basturescu considers the experience and knowledge she has gained over the years as her greatest professional accomplishments.

“If I continue to learn something new from my partners, teams and service providers on daily basis, then I consider that to be the best accomplishment,” she says.

Recently, she was recommended to the Chief Financial Officer Executive Program at Columbia University by a founding partner at Yorktown. “That meant a lot to me,” she says. “It’s a small but important accomplishment for me.”

In 2004, Basturescu graduated from Montclair State as a double major with a BS in Accounting and Finance. Following graduation, she started her career at PricewaterCoopers, where she worked as an auditor for four years and one year in its independent office.

Basturescu is grateful for the valuable lessons and skills she learned while at Montclair State. Her experience taught her how to create and maintain work relationships. “This something I learned from being a full-time commuter student with a full-time job,” she says.

Reflecting back on her time at Montclair State, she recalls the impact that the faculty at Montclair State’s Feliciano School of Business had on her career.

Professor Irene Douma was very influential in teaching how to “think outside the box and always take ownership of your work.” During her four years as an auditor, Basturescu was able to take the lessons she learned and apply them to her work.

A Seminar in Finance course taught by Dr. Ira Sohn gave her a first look inside the world of finance. Unbeknownst to her, a required 45-minute presentation would be the first of many presentations in her career. As she puts it, “it was the first business presentation of hundreds conducted over the last 16 years.”

She also credits a 400 level finance course taught by Dr. Aboubaker Seddik Meziani, Dr. Cecilia W. Ricci and Dr. Nilufer Usmen for inspiring her take on a career in finance.

“There are many great memories from my time as a student but the most notable is meeting people that have left an imprint on me,” she says.

Basturescu holds a special place in her heart for Montclair State University, not only for the exceptional education she received, but for being the place where she met her husband Edward Stachelek ’02 and best friend Olena Vikariy ’07.

Just as she once did, Basturescu advises students to work hard and to never give up. “Do not listen to any one who tells you your dreams are not achievable,” she says. “Think outside the box as opportunities are all around you.”