Mel Melaku Negussie, Esq. ('87, Chemical Engineering)

Mel Melaku Negussie, Esq.

CEO, NT Group LLC

COO/General Counsel, Ethio-American Doctors Group, Inc.

BS Chemical Engineering (minor in Material Science), Cal Poly Pomona, 1987

JD University of Southern California, 1992

Born and raised in Ethiopia, Mel Melaku Negussie immigrated with his brother to the U.S. to escape what had become a communist state under a brutal regime. Eventually, they settled in Los Angeles to live with extended family—and both attended Cal Poly Pomona.

The college experience, however, was difficult. “I knew that four years of sacrifice would lead to many years of comfort and opportunity—so it was all worth it.”

Sure enough, Mel’s education lead to a diverse career. Right before graduation, Mel accepted a position with Dow Chemical Company, where he met a lawyer who sparked his interest in getting a law degree. Mel would earn his Juris Doctorate and work for law firms focused on intellectual property, international trade and product liability matters.

A few years later, Mel pursued several entrepreneurial efforts. Today, he owns a consulting company and leads an initiative to build a hospital in Ethiopia, serving as COO and general counsel, and has raised $9 million in seed capital for this $100 million project.

Mel advises students to, “Take risks in your career to go after something that interests you. If you fail, accept it and move on. No one succeeds without failing in something in life.”