Derek Kwan, a University of Wisconsin Master's of Business Administration student, can now say he has something in common with Bono, Kanye West and Kelly Clarkson.

Wednesday night, they all won Grammys.

A first-year graduate student at the UW School of Business Bolz Center for Arts Administration, Kwan was an associate producer of Bebo De Cuba featuring artist Bebo Valdés, which won a Grammy Award Wednesday night for Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album.

Kwan was also co-producer of Una Noche Inolvidable featuring artist Arturo O'Farrill, which was nominated in the same category.

"I'm just very excited for the artists," said Kwan, who will receive a certificate for the win but not an actual award. "It's a nice feeling to have connections with those two artists."

A native of Los Angeles and graduate of Duke University, Kwan first became involved with Valdés while working at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City as an associate director a few years ago.

Kwan first began working with O'Farrill in 2001, while managing a school tour for the artist.

As associate and co-producer for the two artists, Kwan said while the role is often "ambiguous," he had a wide variety of responsibilities, ranging from hiring accompanying artists, picking takes during mixing sessions and artwork for the album. Kwan said he even played the role of peacekeeper.

"Some guys get into deep arguments in the recording studio," Kwan said, noting most arguments involve artistic differences. "They get into disagreements and you have to keep them on the same page."

While a lot of work went into the two albums, Kwan said nobody ever expected they would be nominated for a Grammy when they first started.

"When it was happening, everybody felt something great was going on," Kwan said. "But we never thought a Grammy nomination would come out of it."

Though this Grammy was for a "traditional tropical Latin music" album, Kwan said he hoped to produce music and dance for all genres in the future.

Kwan, however, said he would prefer to produce live music and dance performances because of the different "emotionality" involved.

Right now, though, Kwan said he is focused on completing his MBA degree, and his life is also centered on being an expectant father.

Kwan said his wife is now 33 weeks pregnant and was only able to do an interview after returning from a Wednesday night child-birthing class.

Rebecca Smith, director of public relations for the UW School of Business, said she was proud to call Kwan "one our own."

"[Kwan is] a perfect example of the caliber of a student coming out of the Bolz Center for Arts Administration," Smith said, adding that the program is the first of its kind in the nation and that only a few schools offer MBAs in arts administration.

Kwan is in his second semester in the program and plans to graduate in spring 2007.

By then, Bono, Kanye West and Kelly Clarkson might just be calling.