Taking care of business

John Geluardi
Staff Writer

If success is based on enthusiasm, then it is easy to see why Martin Izensen has achieved so much within two years after graduating from SF State's MBA program.

Izensen, 33, was dressed casually and his manner was easygoing, as he sat at his desk on the ninth floor of Visa's headquarters in Redwood City. He and his wife, Dana, became parents two weeks ago. There were photos scattered on his desk of the proud parents holding their newborn daughter, Emily.

The new father spoke enthusiastically about his job as project manager of Visa's International Risk Management and Security Division.

"Or the fraud squad as we call it around here," Izensen said. "Essentially, what we do is look for high-risk behavior."

Izensen likes to communicate and he wants to make sure he is understood, so he often provides examples to illustrate and clarify what he is talking about.

"Let me give you an example of high-risk behavior," Izensen said. "If you spend an average of $100 a month on your credit card at Safeway or the hardware store and all of a sudden your card shows a $3,000 purchase at Victoria's Secret, our computer system would call attention to the unusual expense that could mean your card has been stolen."

The example Izensen gives makes it clear what the computer system does, but it doesn't describe the enormity of his responsibilities. Izensen, who learned computer skills while working at a company that did data analysis for advertising firms, is developing a computer system to better monitor Visa's 10 million merchant accounts worldwide. The new system will identify suspicious activity like money-laundering and credit card fraud.

"An effective monitoring system saves Visa's client banks hundreds of millions of dollars every year," Izensen said.

Monitoring merchant accounts is complex because of seasonal business activity, said Izensen. If a business shows a pattern of high-risk deposits, the client bank is notified and will then investigate. Often the unusual activity is a result of the normal fluctuations of business or a false positive.

"Let me give you a perfect example of a false positive," Izensen said, "During the summer months, the bookstore at SF State shows virtually no activity. Then on the first day of school in the fall, deposits can be over $100,000."

Izensen said the aspect of his job he finds the most challenging is problem solving. He likes to analyze a problem and not just find an answer, but the best answer.

"The trick is to find a solution that is both eloquent and logical at the same time," Izensen said. "People think if you're being logical, you can't be creative and it isn't true."

Izensen said the professors and curriculum at SF State were excellent for what he wanted to learn.

Izensen said he always researched professors before choosing classes. His criteria for professors was that they be challenging, innovative and above all, interesting.

"If I get bored in a class, it's all over," Izensen said. "I'd rather be challenged by a hard-ass than bored by a nice guy."

Professor Richard Castaldi, who teaches business-management, remembers Izensen as being among the top two percent of students he has taught in the last 15 years. Izensen was in his Capstone class, one of the last courses taken in the MBA program. The course is very tough, Castaldi said, and Izensen not only excelled in the class, but was always willing to help other students.

"He was a leader in an unobtrusive way," Castaldi said. "He led by example, and the work he did raised the standard for the whole class."

Dr. Deborah Lowe, a marketing professor who assisted Izensen with an internship at Charles Schwab Trust Company, remembers him as an excellent student. While at Schwab, Izensen developed a computer program called the neural network, according to Lowe. The neural network Izensen developed is a complex form of artificial intelligence that tracks trading information on a massive scale.

"I wasn't surprised by his success at Schwab," Lowe said. "Marty has what I call star quality."

Lowe said Izensen had the three features of a "star quality" student. The first is a passion for a subject area, the second a willingness to do whatever it takes to learn and succeed at that subject and the third and most important is the ability to ask for feedback and help.

Anyone can develop those qualities, if they chose a field they love," Lowe said.

The SF State MBA core curriculum was helpful to Izensen because it allowed him to study both business and technical applications. Along with economic analysis and theory, he was able to study databases, systems analysis and distributed data processing.

"It proved invaluable to my work here," Izensen said, "Because a lot of what I do is translate 'businessese' into 'techese.'"

Izensen gestured around the office and spoke about how much he likes his job.

"The work is challenging and the people are easygoing," Izensen said.

Izensen, the communicator whose mind seems to be continually active, jumps to another subject.

"If I was really smart, I'd be starting an on-line retail-wholesale business. Think of it, no rental or space overhead," Izensen said with his trademark enthusiasm. "Let me give you a perfect example..."

[ Golden Gater - March 4, 1997 ]