Spring 2008 Issue - NIU College of Business - Northern Illinois ...

Persons, PlacesViews from the Top – Executives in the ClassroomDennis Barsema (B.S. Management1977), chairman of BlueLaneTechnologies; Jerry Rich (B.S.General Mathematics/Physics1961), president and CEO of RichIncorporated; and Jeff Yordon (B.S.Political Science 1970), presidentand CEO of Sagent Pharmaceuticals.October 9 presentation: “The Longand Winding Road to Success.” Thesethree successful NIU alumni discussedtheir career journeys, challenges,tough decisions, risks, sacrifices, andprofessional attributes that proved, inmany ways, to be transformative andto lead to their career successes. Thepresenters spoke before a standingroom-only crowd of well over 200students, faculty, and NIU ExecutiveClub members. The event was held atRich Harvest Farms, which is ranked#51 in Golf Digest’s Top 100 Courses inAmerica and which is the venue for the2009 Solheim Cup. This fall 2007 Faceto-Faceevent was sponsored by theNIU College of Business and the NIUExecutive Club.Cherilyn G. Murer, J.D., C.R.A.,president and CEO of the MurerGroup, newly appointed chair of theNIU Board of Trustees. September25 keynote: “Conversation with aCEO.” Cherilyn Murer has long beenan active voice in the advancementof quality, cost-effective healthcare.Murer spoke to more than 350 students,alumni, and faculty of both the NIUCollege of Business and NIU Collegeof Engineering and EngineeringTechnology on her leadershipexperiences within the healthcarefield. Along with her many professionalachievements,Murer receiveda Juris Doctordegree withhonors fromNorthern IllinoisUniversity andcoupled herbackground in law with her previousoperational experience as thedirector of Rehabilitation Medicine atNorthwestern Memorial Hospital inChicago. She has also co-authoredfour books on cost-effective healthcare.Murer was appointed to the NIU Boardof Trustees in May 2005 and waselected chair of the board in 2007.Cherilyn Murer’s speaking event wasco-sponsored by the NIU Collegeof Business and the NIU Collegeof Engineering and EngineeringTechnology.The Honorable Sven Erik Holmes,executive vice-chair, legal andcompliance, KPMG LLP. October 24keynote for the NIU College of BusinessEthics Day Event. During his keynotepresentation, Judge Holmes discussedthe processes instituted in KPMG toinstill a sense of personal responsibilityfor the ethical environment of theorganization. He also discussed thedistinction between rogue individualconduct and organizational conduct.The Honorable Judge Holmespossesses extensive experiencein ethics and compliance. At KPMGLLP, Judge Holmes directs the officeof general counsel, governmentaffairs, security, communications,and the firm’s ethics and complianceprograms. He is also counsel to theBoard of Directors and a member ofthe Management Committee. Priorto his KPMG tenure, Judge Holmeswas appointed by President William J.Clinton as United States district judgefor the Northern District of Oklahoma,where he served from 1995-2005, andas chief judge from 2003-2005.Janet Viane (B.S. Management 1980,M.B.A. 1983), senior vice presidentof solution delivery and operationsfor InnerWorkings. March 4, 2008,Women’s History Month keynote:“Today’s Challenges for Women inLeadership.” Janet Viane is the seniorvice president of solution deliveryand operations for InnerWorkings, amanaged print solutions firm tradingon the NASDAQ and the only firm to gopublic in Chicago in 2006. Viane leadsthe implementation and operations ofall accounts and directs the process ofintegrating all corporate acquisitions.Viane has been an active member ofthe NIU College of Business Board ofExecutive Advisors since 1997.28 | NIU College of Business www.cob.niu.edu Where the Classroom Meets the Business World