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Kelly Perdew, UCLA Anderson School alumnus and winner of the reality TV show “The Apprentic

A full house of graduate students, professors, business leaders and fans gathered to hear national celebrity Kelly Perdew speak on his experiences on Donald Trump’s hit television show “The Apprentice II” Wednesday at Korn Hall in the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

Last December, after 15 weeks of arduous business challenges, Perdew, who graduated from the Anderson School in 1996, was named as “The Apprentice” out of 18 contestants. He described his work with Trump on various business ventures such as “Trump Ice,” which produces bottled water, and “Trump Tower Tampa” in downtown Tampa, Fla., a $220 million condominium development. But Perdew declined to comment on Trump’s hairstyle.

During the talk, Perdew encouraged the business students in the audience to use all the tools that Anderson offers them.

Perdew was expected to “talk about his experience on ‘The Apprentice’” as well as “what types of skills from his MBA (he) found valuable,” explained Richard Rodner, associate dean of the Anderson School.

Perdew especially emphasized the importance of networking to become successful in the business community.

“When I think of Anderson, I think of team building,” Perdew said. He told students to go out each week and try to meet two new Anderson graduates, and by diploma time, the students would have more than enough business contacts.

“Increase your network base,” he repeated adamantly. By making more contacts, students may have an easier time finding a job in today’s competitive workforce, he said.

Perdew said the classes he took at Anderson were essential because he used them to create business plans that were critical to his success before, during and after his 18-week job interview that was “The Apprentice.”

He also explained that he has spent much time involved in technology and Internet ventures, but offered a small tip to entrepreneurs by saying that “long-term wealth comes from real estate.”

Having a celebrity like Perdew in Los Angeles may not be uncommon, but most celebrities cannot claim graduation from West Point, the UCLA School of Law and the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

In addition to being a military intelligence officer, Perdew also claims the titles of entrepreneur, corporate executive officer and founder and president of various companies. After graduating from UCLA, Perdew went on to spend more than a decade absorbed in the business arena. He worked for large businesses, started his own, many of which were technology based, and also did consulting work.

“I owe a significant amount of where I am to Anderson,” he continued. “The reason I got on ‘The Apprentice’ is because of Anderson.”