Launching to Success

Metro Detroit native Noah Edwards, SBA ’06, learned discipline and dedication growing up in a military family. After graduating from high school, he considered becoming a member of the U.S. military, like his grandfather, father and brother — but his mother had other ideas.

“Mom said, ‘Military life is hard. There’s a lot of uncertainty that comes with it. Maybe you should think about going to college,’” Edwards says. He then began to explore his options as a first-generation college student.

Noah Edwards at the Rocket Companies offices in downtown Detroit.

At the time, his father was deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom, his brother was in the U.S. Navy and his sister was away at college. His mother was also very sick. “I decided to live at home during college to care for my mom and handle things that my dad normally would, like mowing the lawn and fixing the cars,” Edwards says. He also wanted to work for a local pool company to earn money while learning the ins and outs of running a small business.

Having heard good things about OU’s business school, Oakland became Edwards’ No. 1 college choice. The proximity to his home enabled him to commute and get involved on campus. “Oakland offered me the chance to work and balance the entirety of my life, which I couldn’t have done if I went away to school,” he notes.

Edwards’ decision to major in accounting at OU was influenced by a renowned investor’s theory about its impact on business. “Warren Buffett said it best: Accounting is the language of business — no matter what business you have, no matter how well it is performing or what stage it is in,” he says. “Accountants not only perform the accounting, but they also translate that into business decisions or data that people can use to drive outcomes.”

Edwards focused on building industry connections at OU in addition to juggling his classes, work and responsibilities at home. As vice president of Beta Alpha Psi — OU’s professional accounting fraternity — he coordinated events for the business school. Those networking opportunities helped him to land an internship at Deloitte, one of the nation’s largest accounting firms, during his junior year, which resulted in a full-time job offer upon graduating.

After working at Deloitte for six years, Edwards held positions with various other companies before being hired in 2018 at Rocket, a Detroit-based fintech company that handles mortgage, real estate and personal finance. He moved up within the company, and in 2024, he was promoted to chief accounting officer of Rocket Companies, leading the vision, strategy and execution of all accounting, financial reporting, internal controls, tax, financial systems and treasury activities.

As his career continues to flourish, Edwards looks back on his time at Oakland with gratitude. “Choosing a college that equipped me for a successful career has been a huge blessing,” he says. “Oakland had a small enough community where you got to know everyone but still provided big opportunities for me to graduate from college and achieve my goals. As it turns out, mom was right.”