Fall 2000 - NIU College of Business - Northern Illinois University

BUSINESSNETWORKFall2000Barsema Hall:A dream come true

Insidenside This IssueDean’s Message Inside front coverMaking a World of Difference, Lynn Neeley 1Cover Story—Barsemas 2-62000 College of Business Distinguished Alumni 7-8DebraHopkins.com 9Class of 2000—Profile of Our Future Leaders 10-11International Marketing 12College of Business News 13-14Alumni Events 15-16Alumni Updates 17-19College of Business Outreach 20NIU Foundation Introduces Donor Recognition Program 20-21CommencementFrank Porrevecchio (’69 Finance), senior vice presidentand general manager of sales for Xerox Corporation, spoketo the graduates at the College of Business commencementceremony on May 13, 2000.Deanean’s MessageThis is one of the most exciting letters I have ever had theopportunity to write. Dennis Barsema and his wife, Stacey,returned to campus and delivered the best news they couldpossibly deliver—the gift of a new College of Businessbuilding. Deans RobertThistlethwaite, James Benson,Richard Brown, and I, with ourfellow professionals, haveworked over the 40 years of thecollege to establish, build, anddevelop the human and programmaticfoundations of thecollege. The missing foundationalelement was a trulyoutstanding physical facility.Barsema Hall will be trulyoutstanding! The Barsema storyis an American success story.The Barsemas are outstandingpeople who exemplify NIU and the College of Business—bright, hard-working, and community spirited. The bestnews is that they will continue to be part of our campus foryears to come.Thank you for all your feedback on the spring 2000 issue ofBusiness Network. Editor Sue Braffet and I enjoyed thepositive comments you made about the publication and theinterest you expressed about the college news.This issue is structured to reflect a representative sample ofindividual accomplishments of students, alumni, faculty, andstaff. We are fortunate to have alumni continuing to beactive in our activities. Jamie Still and Denise Rundle aregreat examples of the high quality of our business undergraduatestudents. Our faculty continues to see the businesscommunity as an international arena. Debra Hopkinsexemplifies the energy and talent to be found in our college.Pat Delaney leaves us a great legacy and a solid foundationfrom which to build.We are approaching our 40th year as a college of business.We are currently the 22nd largest undergraduate businesscollege in the nation. We have more than 30,000 alumniacross the world. Our faculty and staff talent pool isextraordinary. If we all communicate regularly and continueto help benefit each other, our organizations, and communities,there is no reason why we shouldn’t find ourselvesranked within the top 75 of the more than 1,100 colleges ofbusiness in the nation.We enjoy hearing from you and having you involved!Sincerely,David Graf, Dean

Making a World of DifferenceBusiness has always been part of the familyfor associate professor of management LynnNeeley. The business that her great-greatgreat-grandmotherstarted back in the 1800sis still family owned and operated. ForNeeley, bringing the knowledge and experienceto help people own and operate theirown businesses was a natural progressionfrom business to the classroom. Perhaps onething she might not have anticipated,however, was the global impact her teachingand knowledge could have.Neeley teaches entrepreneurship, newventure management, and strategic managementat the undergraduate and graduatelevels in the NIU College of Business. She isalso an advocate for and provider of entrepreneurshipeducation in the United Statesand abroad—especially impacting andassisting Poland. Because of her knowledgeand involvement as president of the UnitedStates Association for Small Business andEntrepreneurship and as a member of theBoard of Directors for the InternationalCouncil for Small Business, Neeley’s adviceand council are sought nationally and internationally. She hasprovided insights for articles appearing in Business Week, theChicago Tribune, and USA Today as well as provided publicationsof applied research and solutions for the real-worldchallenges of businesspeople and university students innumerous educational journals.One reason for Neeley’s recognition appears to be theeconomic boom of the 1990s. According to an article in theFebruary 14, 2000, issue of Business Week, entrepreneurshipwas one of the driving forces behind this economicboom. In contrast to the aggregate loss of jobs within largecorporations, new and small businesses in the ’90s createdjobs. Technology and the rise of women in the work forcehave helped to make this possible. “Many women want theability to work around the time and demands of a family,and with the help of technology, many have become verysuccessful running the business from their homes,” Neeleyexplained. Women-owned businesses represent 38 percentof all firms in the United States, and a wide variety of thesebusinesses (architectural designers, photographers, andsoftware developers, just to name a few) are run out of thehome.Entrepreneurship is leading the way on a global scale aswell. It has provided a means for the countries of the formerSoviet block to turn their economies around. NIU’s LynnNeeley has been a major player in the success of Poland’scurrent healthy economy. She was selected to participateon one of the teams of entrepreneurship experts assembledby the U.S. federal government to assist Poland in transformingtheir market. The team’s goal was to work withyoung faculty members at Polish universities to train themand bring them up to date on current business practices,teaching them basic concepts of marketing, advertising,management, and financial and accounting principles.Lynn Neeley (far right) with faculty members from Polishuniversities.Neeley’s team assisted in setting up three developmentcenters in regional towns of Poland—Posnan, Rzeszow, andBialystok. These centers are a combination of a businesscollege and a small business development center, and theyprovide education, assistance, and consulting.The results have been phenomenal—it worked! Out of theold Soviet block countries, Poland has the healthiest andmost vital economy. People own and operate their ownbusinesses, there is a stock exchange, credit cards areused, and there is intense competition for products andservices. On a personal level, Krzysztof Kaszuba of theoriginal team of young Polish faculty members has becomedean of his own private school of business. He and facultymembers from his business school, Wyzsza SzkotaZarzadzauia, are coming to NIU this fall to explore anexchange program with the College of Business.It is exciting to watch the growth and success of smallbusinesses, ranging in location from the basement of asuburban home to cities in Poland. It’s even more excitingknowing that Lynn Neeley and the NIU College of Businessare taking part in making this country and this world work!1

Barsema Hall:A dream come trueIn one balcony of the Wirtz Hall courtyard a band belted outthe Huskie Fight Song, while on the other cheerleadersdanced. The air in between was filled with confetti and thecheers of hundreds of faculty, staff, and students.Not your average afternoon in the College of Business, butthen it’s not every dayan alumnus presents$20 million andpledges to provide aworld-class teachingfacility, which is whathappened Monday,September 18, whenDennis Barsemareturned to Wirtz Hall.“This is a dream cometrue for me and myfamily,” an emotionalBarsema told thecrowd that hadassembled for thegrand finale of a daythat was a whirlwind ofpress conferences andVIP meetings.Even when he was astudent, said Barsema,who graduated in 1977with a degree inmanagement, he hadhoped someday to dosomething big for his alma mater. Still, he told studentsgathered for the announcement, he never really expected tobe standing in Wirtz Hall making an announcement such asthis. However, when his career led him to the top of thecorporate world in Silicon Valley, as CEO of RedbackNetworks, he began looking forways to share his success, andNorthern was near the top of hislist of those he wanted to help.It only took one trip back tocampus to convince him that hisheart was in the right place.“When you meet folks like (Professor)Jack Marchewka, (Dean)David Graf, and (President) JohnPeters, you see how they pour their hearts out—and in a lotof cases pour their own money out of their pockets—toprovide students with a great education. When you seepeople like that, people who have a passion for training thenext leaders of our world…well, if you can’t get behindthem, I don’t know who you can get behind,” Barsema said.2“When I first came to NIU severaleralmonths ago, I said that it was my goal tomake it the best regional university inthe country,” NIU President John Peterssaid. “With this gift we eare e on our way.”He told the crowd how his trip back to Northern had begunwith a letter from a satisfied Redback stockholder, PamFarris, who also happened to be an NIU professor. And hetold how upon his return he was shocked to see the Collegeof Business still housed in the same buildings as when hehad graduated. “They were terrible then, and they hadn’tgotten any better over the last23 years,” he said, drawinglaughs and cheers.Even though no one at NIUhad asked him to considerfunding a building, the needwas evident. Still, he said,that was hardly enoughreason to make such asizeable gift. What convincedhim to take such an extraordinarystep, he said, was thequality of the programs hefound being taught in thosebuildings.“I told Dean Graf, ‘You haveeverything you need from aprogram standpoint. You areabsolutely set up to build thenext leaders for tomorrow’sbusiness world. All you aremissing is the building,’”Barsema said.After consulting with his wife,Stacey, who leads the familyfoundation, the decision was made to provide a building. Ashe announced his decision to members of the NIU community,Barsema was certain he had made the right choice inthrowing his support behind his alma mater.“We are confident that it will bea place where tomorrow’sleaders and tomorrow’s ideasare born,” Barsema said. “Wewant to give you an absoluteworld-class facility. In fact, weplan for it to be the best in theworld, so that your teachershave the best tools available togive you the best education youcan possibly get.”The campus community greeted the news with delight.“When I first came to NIU several months ago, I said that itwas my goal to make it the best regional university in thecountry,” NIU President John Peters said. “With this gift weare on our way. We are poised to have the best college ofbusiness facility, and hopefully programs, anywhere.”

Continued from page 2“We have arrived,” Graf said. “We have an excellent studentbody, great alumni support, a world-class faculty, tremendousstaff, nationally recognized programs, and now aworld-class building.”“As important as the building itself is, we are also delightedby the vote of confidence that it provides,” Graf added. “It istremendously satisfying to have someone of Dennis’ staturein the business world tell us that we are on the right track toproduce the type of graduates who will be tomorrow’sleaders in business and the community.”The dean heralded the gift not as the end of a process, butas the beginning of the next stage of growth and developmentfor the college.“The college, now 40 years old, has many other graduateswho have reached the top in their professions, and we hopethey will join us in this push to make NIU a national leaderamongst public regional institutions.”BARSEMAS GIVE $20 MILLION TONIU COLLEGE OF BUSINESSThe seeds for Dennis and StaceyBarsema’s $20 million gift to theNIU College of Business wereplanted long ago, during Dennis’first year on campus as a juniormanagement major.That year, 1976, the college received some bad news—theBoard of Regents had rejected its request for a newbuilding for a second year in a row. Disheartened, DeanJames Benson told the Northern Star, “The biggest hindranceto improving our business programs is our very, verypoor facilities.”The same thought occurred to Dennis Barsema 24 yearslater, in the spring of 2000, when he visited NIU and foundthe college still in the same quarters. “I saw that they hadoutstanding programs and an excellent faculty already inplace,” he said. “The only thing that seemed to be missingwas a first-class facility, and I am proud and delighted thatStacey and I can provide that.”That building, to be called Barsema Hall, a three-story,130,000-square-foot structure filled with state-of-the-arttechnology, is the centerpiece of the $20 million gift from theBarsemas. The gift also includes more than $500,000 forscholarships, and nearly $250,000 to support specificprograms.Barsema Hall, future home of the College ofBusiness. Plans call for the 130,000-square-footfacility to open in May 2002.3

“Northern gave me the foundation for what I have achievedin the business world,” said Barsema. “Even as a student, Ialways hoped that someday I would be in a position to helpthe school out and make a difference, so this is really adream come true.”“Higher education is something we both feel very stronglyabout,” said Stacey Barsema. “It is the foundation for futuregenerations, so we are very excited that we can make sucha gift.”The building, which will be built on Garden Road, just northof the Engineering Building, will house the entire College ofBusiness, bringing all functions under one roof for the firsttime in decades. It will replace 41-year-old Wirtz Hall and96-year-old McMurry Hall as home for the college. Thoughno specific plans have been made, the College of Business’move into new quarters will free up space and help theuniversity address some long-standing shortages aroundcampus.When it is completed in the spring of 2002, it will be thepremier business school facility in the nation.The design will incorporate the latest trends of corporateAmerica, which is well suited to Barsema’s long-term vision:to see NIU become a leader in transforming the Chicagoarea into one of the nation’s leading technology centers.“We share that vision,” said David Graf, dean of the Collegeof Business. “I sincerely believe this facility will help us tobetter prepare students for careers in the new economy.”The centerpiece of the building will be a soaring three-storyatrium that the architect believes will help foster a sense ofcommunity for students, faculty, and staff—one of theprimary goals identified in the design process. On the mainfloor, the atrium features a central café with a coffee bar,tables, and booths where students can meet, study, orrelax. Surrounding the café will be seating areas suitable forsmall groups, quiet study, and socializing. The main levelwill also have direct access to a terrace overlooking a smallpond on the east side of the building.“The atrium is going to be a fun space and should reallymeet their need for a place that will bring everyone together,”said architect Mark Hopkins of HKM Architects +Planners.The need for communal space was also addressed throughthe creation of small formal and informal meeting areasthroughout the building where teams and groups cangather to work. “That was important to us since we have ourstudents involved in more team projects than any othercollege on campus,” Graf said.To Hopkins, including such spaces in a business schoolmade perfect sense. “This is the way that office buildingsare being designed today. Companies want more openspace, and more flexible space, where groups can gatherto work on projects. This will be right on the edge ofcorporate thinking,” he said.While the design of the building is impressive, perhaps itsmost spectacular aspect is the technology that it willincorporate. It will be wired throughout with the fastestInternet connections available. Every desk in every class-Stacey and DennisBarsema discuss plansfor Barsema Hall.room, the seats in the auditorium—even the couches in thelounge areas—will be wired for power and the Internet.There will be more than 1,000 connections in all, a starkcontrast to the college’s current quarters, which do not offera single Internet connection for laptop users.“There will be no technological or power constraints of anykind. The most complex charts, diagrams, or streamingvideo will be available at the touch of a button,” said WalterCzerniak, NIU associate vice president for informationtechnology. “Technologically speaking, just about anythinga professor or student can imagine, they will be able to do.”“State-of-the-art is a phrase that gets abused an awful lot,but when Barsema Hall is opened it will truly set thestandard for modern business schools,” Graf said. “It willmeet our needs not only for the present, but for the foreseeablefuture, and it will help us educate the business leadersof tomorrow for years to come.”The Barsema gift, and interest earned by the NIUFoundation’s investment of that money, will cover the cost ofconstructing the building. And while the building will benamed in honor of Dennis and Stacey Barsema, there willbe ample opportunities within the building to recognizeothers who make major gifts to support College of Businessprograms by naming rooms in their honor.Current plans call for the building to be completed in 19months, with project design to begin in September 2000and construction to be completed by the spring of 2002.4

A Northern Success StoryDennis Barsema, ’77 ManagementIn the spring of 1999, Dennis Barsema, ’77, set out toconvince Wall Street that his company was the next bigthing in Internet technology.For three grueling weeks he talked up the technology anddefended the company’s business plan to the shrewdestfinancial minds in the industry. When he finally broughtRedback Networks to market, it had the fifth most successfulinitial public offering in Wall Street history up until that time.Not bad for aguy who had towork hard toearn Bs whileenrolled in theNIU College ofBusiness, andwho spent hiscollege yearsstruggling toovercome alifelong stutteringproblem.His successamazes evenBarsema, whobegan hiscareer earning$11,500 a yearselling calculators.“Dennis Barsema’s career should stand as an example forevery NIU student,” said NIU President John G. Peters. “Hisroots and his background are the same as so many of ourstudents today; they should see themselves reflected in him.His example of determination and drive should inspire themto find their own path to success in life.”Despite his many accomplishmentsand such accolades, Barsemaremains the friendly, outgoing guywho served as social chair andpresident of the Sigma AlphaEpsilon fraternity in the mid 1970s,days he recalls fondly.“My NIU education gave me a solidfoundation for my career and forlife,” Barsema recalls. “I had someexcellent professors and classes,but more than anything, it taughtme never to give up.”In appreciation for those lessons, Barsema and his wife,Stacey, recently made the largest gift ever to NIU, giving“Dennis Barsema’s careershould stand as an examplefor every NIU student,” saidNIU President John G. Peters.$20 million for the construction of a new College of Businessbuilding, funding scholarships, and supportingoutstanding programs. Those things, he hopes, will benefitnot only NIU, but also the entire Chicago region.“We firmly believe that education precedes growth,” saysBarsema, who envisions a day when Chicago can rivalSilicon Valley or Boston as a high-tech center. “For that tohappen, however, we must refocus the education system ontraining people whowill create or join hightechcompanies. Wehope this sets anexample that otherswill follow to make thatdream a reality.”It is a lofty dream for aman who grew up inwhat was then ruralNaperville, as the sonof Harold and LindaBarsema. His parentshelped shape hisfuture by giving him asolid set of values andalways supporting himthroughout his life.They taught him thevalue of hard work,and he took to it early,finding a job as astable hand at the Oak Brook Polo Club when he was just13 years old. He kept that job through his days as a studentathlete (basketball) at the College of DuPage, and gave itup only when he enrolled at NIU as a junior in management.At NIU, Barsema sheepishly admits, he sometimes devotedas much energy to fraternity duties as to studies. In hisspare time, the 6' 4" Barsema playedbasketball at the field house andworked as a bouncer at the Red LionInn. His life plan didn’t extendbeyond pursuing a career in sales,an unlikely choice for someone whostuttered.“I am a big believer that you have toget outside of your comfort zone,” hesays, adding that he took speechclasses his senior year to control thecondition.He began his career at Burroughs Corp., selling calculatorsdoor-to-door. His salary was modest but he was thrilled forContinued on page 65

Continued from page 5the experience. He learned the ropes andquickly moved up the sales ranks at Burroughsand elsewhere.His career took off in the 1980s as he movedfrom sales to management, taking on increasinglyimportant roles at ever-larger companies.In the early 1990s he became intrigued asfriends left the corporate world for start-upcompanies. “I noticed that the people who weresuccessful weren’t any different than me,” hesays.In 1996 Barsema became senior vice presidentof worldwide sales for Centigram Corp., andafter just more than a year with the company hewas named co-acting CEO. He was encouragedto apply for the job on a permanent basis,but declined because the company was 16years old, ancient by Silicon Valley standards.“I told them I wanted my first CEO experience to come at atrue start-up company,” Barsema said. “My definition ofsuccess is that at the end of the day you are living out yourdreams, and that was mine.”That opportunity came in a matter of months when Redbackcalled. He joined the company in November 1997 as itsCEO and 32nd employee. Today he serves as thecompany’s chairman of the board, having handed over hisCEO duties to his successor this past summer.From the start he wanted to take Redback public, but theprospect was daunting and old insecurities about hisspeech resurfaced. “I questioned my ability to handle theroad show,” he says of the weeks-long series of presentationsto analysts.Stacey convinced him to make the leap. “She said, ‘If youdon’t do this, you’ll always regret it. You’re right at the door.All you have to do is walk through,’” he recalls.Taking that step made the company successful beyondDennis’ or anyone else’s wildest dreams. Not content to restupon his laurels, Barsema in September accepted theposition of president, chief executive officer, and chairmanof Onetta, a private start-up company that will makeproducts for the next-generation optical network market.His success, Barsema said, created the opportunity for himto fulfill other dreams—like making significant gifts to hisalma mater.“I don’t have to be an NIU alumna to know what a hugeimpact Northern had on Dennis’ life,” said Stacey, whooversees their familyfoundation. “We could havegiven money to Stanford orCal, or another universitywith close ties to SiliconValley, but we have noemotional ties to any ofthose schools. We know thatby giving to NIU we canmake a real impact, andhopefully we’ll encourageothers to follow our example.”“We’ve been blessed, andsince we both come fromhumble backgrounds, I thinkwe appreciate it more thansome people,” Dennis said.“We get a tremendous thrillout of being able to support worthwhile causes. To think thatmy success can make an NIU education available to somedeserving students and enhance the experience forthousands of others, is very gratifying.”Stacey convinced him tomake the leap. “She said,‘If you don’t do this, you’llalways regret it. You’reright at the door. All youhave to do is walkthrough,’” he recalls.6

2000 College of BusinessDistinguished AlumniThe 2000 College of Business Distinguished Alumni, RobertAdducci and David Wilson, are dedicated college alumni.The many hours of their time and efforts have been aninvaluable resource for the college. Adducci and Wilson arethe original cofounders of the NIU Executive Club. It is onlythrough their foresight, planning, and efforts that this clubwas formed. It was also through their efforts that the clubhas grown to become a major partner for the college,providing a wealth of knowledge and resources to serve thestudents, faculty, and staff of Northern Illinois University andthe College of Business.Robert tAdducciducciRobert J. Adducci, 42, is the founding principal and CEO ofReal Estate OpportunityCorporation (ROC). ROCis a leading commercialreal estate developmentfirm specializing in theacquisition and turnaroundof office propertieson a regional basis.Bob oversees theacquisition, marketing,and team-buildingfunctions of the firm.ROC is currently buildinga $250,000,000 portfolioof value-added assets.Current projects includethe $25,000,000 redevelopment and repositioning of foursuburban Chicago office properties totaling 243,000 squarefeet.Mr. Adducci is also president of ROC Corporate Partners, acorporate real estate brokerage firm specializing in representingdiscriminating office tenants on an internationalbasis. Bob’s primary responsibilities are to develop andmaintain strategic long-term business partnerships withclients while effectively leading the team that services theirreal estate needs. His specialty is in solving complex realestate problems and delivering better-than-market solutionsthrough creatively implemented negotiations. Servicesinclude the acquisition and disposition of corporate headquartersand field office facilities, lease transactions, facilityexpansions and contractions, market and financial analysis,build-to-suit projects, and development consulting.Clients include ABN AMRO/LaSalle Bank, Borg WarnerSecurity Corporation, Borg Warner Automotive Corporation,Arthur J. Gallagher & Company, Wind River SystemsCorporation, Lifemark Corporation, Arial Systems Corporation,and Bank Administration Institute.Prior to initiating his real estate career, Bob was a salestraining and sales management executive for the HealthCare Division of Kimberly Clark Corporation, a fortune 100organization. Bob started his career in sales for OneidaSilversmiths.Bob graduated cum laude from Northern Illinois Universityin 1980 with a Bachelor of Science degree in managementand was president of TKE fraternity. He is a cofounder andboard member of the Northern Illinois University ExecutiveClub and enjoys speaking to NIU student groups andclasses.Bob has participated in a variety of civic and volunteeractivities, including a five-year term as an active member ofthe Executive Committee of the Board of Directors ofBroader Urban Involvement and Leadership Development(BUILD) and as a one-on-one mentor of inner-city youth forthe Commercial Real Estate Educational Initiative. He andhis wife, Sara, are youth group leaders through the Questprogram of St. Francis Xavier parish.Bob and Sara have been married for 16 years and havethree daughters, ages 5, 8, and 11. He coaches AYSOsoccer and is involved in the Indian Princess Program. Heenjoys playing 16” softball in Lincoln Park, working out atthe local YMCA, playing basketball, and running 10k races.A life-long resident of the Chicago area, Bob was born andraised in the Roseland neighborhood of the south side ofChicago and currently resides in La Grange, Illinois.David R. WilsonWith optimism drawnfrom his faith, sincerityinstilled in him from hisparents, drive gainedfrom competitive sports,an educational foundationenhanced at NIU,empathy drawn from lifeexperiences, and theloving support given tohim from his wife andchildren, David Wilsonconcentrates hisenergies on his family,the community, andcommercial real estate.Throughout grammar school and high school Davidaccelerated in sports. He was recruited by several universitiesto play football, and he chose NIU. He won a startingposition as a defensive back (the only freshman starter) on thevarsity before the first season game. In his sophomore yearDavid made a dramatic decision to leave football, release hisfull scholarship, and focus his energies on gaining acceptanceinto the NIU College of Business. Once well established in theCollege of Business, David returned to football to regain hisposition and his scholarship.After graduation in 1980 he secured a job with BendixCorporation as a Chicago area sales rep and quickly ascendedto a lead position. Since he hadn’t satisfied hisappetite for competitive sports, he continued to play footballwith the Chicago Fire and Chicago Lions and was invited tothe Chicago Bears free agent camp by Mike Ditka. In thespring of 1983 David left Bendix to pursue a career in footballor real estate, with a self-appointed fall deadline. During thatsummer he took night classes in real estate and trained duringthe day in preparation for “cattle combines” and NFL camps.Continued on page 87

Continued from page 8In the fall of 1983 David closed his book on competitive sportsand burst onto the field of commercial real estate. Over thelast 17 years David has been tackling commercial realestate issues and quarterbacking ventures/transactionslocally and nationally on behalf of both tenants and landlords.David has represented several leading firms invarious industries, some of which are Advocate HealthCare, Aon, Computer Task Group, Cornerstone Securities,the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Phoenix Mutual, T.J.Adams & Associates, Turner Construction Company, theUniversity of Illinois, and UNUM Corporation. Among hislandlord representation experience, he has strategized onpositioningproperty anddirected leasingefforts in allclassifications ofoffice properties,A, B, C, historicalrestorations, andAA properties,including Prime’strophy building at77 West WackerDrive, the945,000 sq.ft.R.R. Donnelley &Sons worldheadquarters.The 2000 College of Business DistinguishedAlumni, David Wilson and BobAdducciToday, David is amember of an executive team that directs PGRT’s service arm.Prime Realty Services’ focus is on behalf of the space user, thetenant, or owner occupant, locally, nationally, or internationally.He is one of the Chicago area’s most active and respectedcommercial real estate brokers and is personally involved infacility analysis, sale, purchase, individual and portfolio leasetransactions in excess of one million square feet, and landdevelopment of over 100 acres.As a student of the market, he has participated in paneldiscussions with other industry leaders and contributednoteworthy articles that have been featured in the ChicagoTribune, Crain’s Chicago Business, and several industrypublications. These articles include “Micro Windows” in 1988,“Chicago’s Secondary Market” in 1989, and in 1992 “TwelveYears in Review,” which has been utilized by lenders andinvestors as a market report.David received a Bachelor of Science degree in marketingfrom Northern Illinois University and has continued hisprofessional education through CCIM, IDRC, and otherindustry organizations. He is a cofounder of the NIU ExecutiveClub and serves on the boards of Partners Home CareFoundation (a senior care program), Naperville’s DowntownSteering Committee, NIU Executive Club, and St. Peter andPaul Athletic Board. He has been active in the preservation ofthe historic district of Naperville, has coached children inbaseball, basketball, and football, and is an active volunteer inseveral other community and church programs. David met hiswife, Sue, in 1984 and they married in 1986. They have beenblessed with four children, David Jr. (11), Andrew (9), Daniel(6), and Catherine (19 months). The Wilson family resides in a102-year-old home they have been restoring in the historicdistrict of Naperville, Illinois.8NIU Alumni Association NamesOutstanding College of Business AlumnusRobert Nieman (’71 M.B.A.) was namedby the NIU Alumni Association as the Year2000 Outstanding Alumnus of the Collegeof Business. The NIU Alumni AssociationAwards Program recognizes some of theoutstanding individuals who haveachieved great success in their personaland professional lives. Nieman joinedaward recipients from eight other collegesat a recognition luncheon last June sponsored by theAlumni Association.College of BusinessDepartments’ 1999-2000Outstanding AlumniMark A. Kramer (’90 Accountancy) received the Departmentof Accountancy 2000 Outstanding Young Alumnusaward. Kramer is with Alliant Foodservice.Len Monson (’78 Marketing, ’80 M.B.A.), with Kuhn & Heapin Naperville, received the Department of MarketingOutstanding Alumnus Award for 2000. Monson was recognizedfor his many contributions to the department.Robert T. Singleton, Jr. (’68 Accountancy) and William E.Taylor (’67 Accountancy) were selected as the 2000Outstanding Accountancy Alumni. Singleton is a partnerwith KPMG, and Taylor is a partner at Deloitte & Touche.Mark A. KramerRobert T. Singleton, Jr.Len MonsonWilliam E. Taylor

Class of 2000Profile of Our Future LeadersDenise Rundle’00 Marketing“I chose businessfor a careerbecause it opensdoors that let yougo anywhere anddo anything—theonly limit you haveis your unwillingnessor fear oftrying somethingnew.”Denise is auniversal accountexecutive withAmeritech coveringthe northwestsuburbs ofChicago as herterritory. She has many future goals she is planning toaccomplish in her career. “First, I plan on becoming one ofthe top salespeople within my organization,” she explains.While achieving this goal, she plans on returning toacademia to obtain her M.B.A. degree. From there, sheplans to become a top executive within an organization bythe age of 35. When all is said and done with her career insales, she plans to “retire” to either obtain a Ph.D. degreeand become a professor of marketing or sales, or she wantsto become a consultant for other organizations.The business education Denise received at NIU hasprepared her to become a business leader. “The primaryreason I came to NIU was for its excellent business school.I wanted to enter the professional sales track that NIUoffers—something that few colleges can claim.” In additionto her parents and brother, who have supported her andbeen her role models, two marketing professors, RickRidnour and Dan Weilbaker, were especially helpful withguiding her through her classes and career decisions.“They sincerely and honestly care about you—not just as astudent in their classes but as an able individual who canmake an impact on the world upon graduation,” Deniseexplains. “While I must give every single teacher, assistant,and professor within the Department of Marketing creditbecause they each contribute something special to thestudents, Professor Ridnour’s class confirmed for me thatsales was the right career for me. Professor Weilbaker’sclass further instilled in me that not only did I love the salesarea, I was also good at it!”Denise has proven herself well during her college career.Her NIU sales team and partner Kevin Clinnen placed third10in the 2000 National Collegiate Sales Conference Finals inWaco, Texas. In addition to participating in several organizationsand activities while in college, she was also able tograduate with a major, an emphasis, and a minor in fouryears’ time!Denise can now look back at her four years in college andadvise incoming freshmen to get involved. “Join organizations,try new things, and experience everything you canget your hands on,” she advises. She also cautions studentsthat, if they aren’t careful, grades can slip rightthrough their fingertips. “These grades unfortunately stickwith you for the rest of your college days and you arecontinually working on an uphill battle. It’s always easier tostart on top of the mountain than having to start at thebottom or even in the middle.”Jamie Still’00 FinanceReputation, proximity, and price are the three reasons Jamiechose NIU for his education. “The reputation of NIU’sbusiness program was a key selling point,” Jamie explained.“The location of NIU made a drive short enough totrek home whennecessary, butalso far enough tojustify living on myown. And finally—the price was right.The tuition of NIUis affordable,especially since Iwas supportingmyself throughschool.”Lucky for NIU andthe College ofBusiness, Jamieselected financeas his major andhas been a studentleader throughouthis college career.Jamie worked inthe Wirtz business computer labs, served as president ofthe Finance Management Association, served on theFinance Student Advisory Board and the Dean’s StudentAdvisory Council, and in his spare time officiated baseballfor some side income.Jamie is beginning his career as an applications analyst forArthur Andersen in St. Charles, Illinois. He gained “realworld”experience through a summer internship withCitibank, giving him a better appreciation of the materialtaught in the classroom. A personal friend and NIU alumnus,Jeff Collis (’89 Finance), helped Jamie secure theContinued on page 11

Continued from page 10internship and has provided guidance and motivation forJamie to set out to achieve his goals. His future goal? “Tobe my own boss!” Jamie exclaims.Jamie believes that graduating with a college degree hasbeen his greatest achievement by far. “All the little, and notso little, achievements along the way have somehow led upto my degree. Being the student marshal at this year’sgraduation is, for me, the perfect symbol of that achievement.”Jamie has fond memories of NIU and the growth he hasachieved during his college career. “There’s a little-knownnook of NIU called C3—the third floor of my freshman yeardormitory. Even though ‘C3’ sounds like some ominouscorner of a state penitentiary, it was a fun place to grow andlearn. The anxiousness of being away from home for thefirst time mixed with the newness of college made my stayin the dorms one of the best years in my life!” he explains.As Jamie leaves NIU for the “real world” of business, headvises new NIU students to get involved. “Balance yoursocial life with your schoolwork. Go to class. Never lookdirectly at the library’s yellow carpet. Make as many friendsas possible. Accept challenges like a free lunch. Learn touse the Internet. And—call your folks every so often so theyknow you’re still alive!”Judging from Denise’s and Jamie’s profiles, we should seesome great things being achieved in their careers. Deniseand Jamie are starting their careers “at the top of themountain” and will continue up from there. They are bothshining examples to represent NIU and lead the businessworld in the new millennium. In nMemoremory Professor Patrick R. DelaneyPatrick R. Delaney, professor of accountancy, passedaway May 14, 2000. He is deeply missed and will be longremembered. The impact of his extraordinary dedicationto NIU, the College of Business, and the accountancyand CPA programs will continue for many years tocome.In the days following the death of accountancy professor PatDelaney, his family was inundated by more than 500 cardsand e-mails from his former students. “They all said, ‘If itwasn’t for you, Professor Delaney, I wouldn’t be where I amtoday,’” said Pat’s wife, Jeri.It was a fitting tribute, according to colleagues, who say thatthroughout his 30-year career in the NIU Department ofAccountancy, 12 of them as chair, Delaney was guided byone simple principle: always do what is best for the students.Delaney, 61, died six months after suffering a massive stroke.The stroke, which came just weeks after Delaney announcedhis plans to retire at the end of 1999, brought to an end abrilliant career that began at NIU in 1970.From the start, Delaney looked for ways to help NIU accountancystudents stand out, and in 1972 he teamed withProfessor Donald Kieso to create the NIU CPA Review to helpboost pass rates on that rigorous exam. The effort wassuccessful from the start and achieved acclaim in 1985 whenthe first official rankings were published, and NIU was best inthe nation. The program has consistently remained in the top10 ever since.In 1980, Delaney brought his knowledge to a larger audiencewhen he took over authorship of what was, and has remained,the best-selling set of Certified Public Accountingexamination review books in the world. “Pat’s books broughtNIU to fame all over the world,” said Professor DebraHopkins, whom Delaney hired as a grad student and laternamed to direct the CPA Review. “No matter where in theworld I go to teach,people are alwaysexcited to learn that Iknew ProfessorDelaney.”Delaney did not rest onthose laurels, however.He foresaw thechanges that computerswould bring to thefield, and during the1980s he beganworking to overhaul thecurriculum, placing a greater emphasis on analytical skillsand understanding accounting systems. That effort paid off,too, and the reputation of the program grew to new heights.During the 1990s, the NIU Department of Accountancy wasconsistently rated in the top 10 in the nation by the PublicAccounting Report. In 1999, U.S. News and World Reportranked NIU’s accountancy program 23rd out of approximately400 accredited programs.Along the way, Delaney earned several notable honors forhimself. In 1976 he earned the NIU Excellence in UndergraduateTeaching award, and in 1988 he was named thefirst Arthur Andersen Alumni Professor of Accountancy atNIU. The Illinois CPA Society named him the OutstandingAccounting Educator in 1991, and in 1999 the organizationgave Delaney its highest honor, naming him an HonoraryMember.Delaney was also a devoted family man, according to hiswife, Jeri. He was a good father to his daughter, Colleen, anddoted on his granddaughter, Mary Katherine. He was alsoextremely active on the parish council at St. Mary’s inSycamore, and a member of the board that guides the BenGordon Foundation.Delaney’s passing is a tremendous loss and provides atremendous challenge. “He was one of the cornerstones ofour department,” said Professor Richard Baker. “Now ourchallenge is to continue on with all of the great things that Pathad us aspire to.”11

The Ireland ConnectionInternational Marketing—Ireland StudentsExperience NIU and DeKalbMarketing students are getting a real opportunity to learn theins and outs of international marketing. This summer, marketingprofessor Dan Weilbaker prepared and hosted the firstNIU/Dublin Institute of Technology exchange for the marketingsales program. The class, MKTG 490, was designed toexpand the scope of sales understanding with an internationalperspective.The first program began with eight students from the DublinInstitute of Technology attending a two-week sales class atNIU. Although the students were from DIT, only six wereactually from Dublin. The other two were from Germany andSpain. Weilbaker met with the faculty from DIT and designedthe course to offer different perspectives and knowledge fromDIT and NIU. The Ireland/U.K. approach to education is verytheoretical and lecture oriented. So, the two-week course atNIU is very application oriented, offering a “hands on”approach that the Dublin students have not experienced.“The classroom experience at NIU and the style of teaching isvery different than what we are used to in Dublin,” explainedLynda Martin, a student in the class. “It is very interactive, andthe simulation is a wonderful learning experience.”The students were very pleased with the program and felt theexperience greatly expanded their understanding andknowledge of both different cultures and the world of sales.The biggest “culture shock,” they all emphatically agreed—“the size!” “The library is so large, it is the size of our totalschool,” they explained. “It is very hard to get around whenthere is so much land and space.”When asked about the mostmemorable experience forthem at NIU, there was againunanimous agreement—“Molly’s!” They truly enjoyed theexperience of being treated asVIPs in DeKalb. In fact, their lastevening in DeKalb was alreadyplanned at Molly’s—they werethrowing a VIIP night in theirhonor. Yes, VIIP—very importantIrish people!On January 2, 2001, NIUstudents in MKTG 490 will travel to Dublin for an internationallearning experience. A few of the things they will experienceinclude a “day in the field” with an Irish sales executive, a tourof an Irish call center, and learning about clear and criticalthinking as well as how the Irish do financial analysis.In May 2001, the program offered at NIU will be expanded toinclude additional students from NIU and other overseasuniversities, bringing in additional cultures to make it a trulyinternational program.Teaching in IrelandIreland has offered an international experience for our facultyas well. During a sabbatical in fall 1998, Nancy Russo,12Exchange students from the Dublin Institute of Technologywith Professor Dan Weilbaker (left) and Dean David Graf(right)associate professor of operations management and informationsystems (OMIS), taught two courses in the Department ofAccounting, Finance and Information Systems at UniversityCollege Cork (UCC) in Cork, Ireland. She was a seniorresearcher for the Executive Systems Research Centre as well.Russo said that she got along with the students quite well,once they got used to her accent. “My undergraduatestudents wanted me to feel welcome, so one day they broughttoy guns to shoot each other with during class so it wouldremind me of the wild streets of Chicago,” she related. “I foundthat the students are used to a somewhat different style oflearning. Because their courses go for an entire academicyear, they tend to have only lecture for the first half and do alltheir assignments and exams in the second half. They werevery surprised that I expected them to do homework andquizzes during my time with them.”In addition to teaching while at the University College Cork,Russo helped students prepare resumes for internships withU.S. employers. She was also invited to the University ofLimerick to give a guest lecture on web applications develop-Nancy Russo, left, withcolleagues Cathal Casey andSheila Hyde at UniversityCollege Corkment. One of the highlights of hervisit was the opportunity to meetthe president of Ireland, MaryMcAleese, when she visited UCC.Russo recently returned from theEuropean Conference on Information Systems, where with hercoauthor, Brian Fitzgerald from UCC, she presented a paperbased on a case study that she did while she was in Cork. Thecase study was done at Motorola, Cork, where programmingis done for the cellular switching services.Russo is excited about exploring further exchanges betweenNIU and UCC. “The nature of the programs makes it difficultlogistically,” Russo explained. The business informationprogram at UCC begins in the freshmen year and is what wecall a “lockstep” program. Our students and professors will getthe opportunity to experience an “Irish flavored” approach toinformation systems, however, as Brian Fitzgerald from UCCwill be joining the OMIS department faculty this summer as aVisiting Research Professor.

College of BusinessStaff Organization Chart 2000-2001Office of the DeanDavid GrafAlumniRelationsCoordinatorSue BraffetAccountancyChairGreg CarnesM.B.A. ProgramsDirectorHarold WrightActing AssociateDeanJeff MercerBusinessManagerDavid ArtabasyActingFinance ChairRichard DowenCollege ofBusinessOutreach DirectorBrian VollmertUndergraduateStudies DirectorLori MarcellusInformationSystemsDirectorMark MisicManagementChairDan WunschStrategicPlanningand StrategicAllianceDirectorMichelle DeJeanMarketingChairPeter KaminskOperationsManagementand InformationSystems ChairWilliam TallonAdministrativdministrativeChangesJeff Mercer, former chair of the Department ofFinance, moved into the acting associate dean’sposition effective August 16, 2000. Jeff is serving inthis capacity while Larry Jacobs, former director ofgraduate studies, recuperates from a stroke hesuffered in July. Jacobs was selected as the newassociate dean beginning fall 2000.Harold Wright, former director of Executive M.B.A.,is expanding his area to director of M.B.A. programs,which will include both the Executive M.B.A.and M.B.A. programs.Richard Dowen is filling in as acting chair of theDepartment of Finance.13

1999-2000 Faculty RetirementsRobert E. Bennett, associate professor ofaccountancy, retired effective December 31,1999. He joined NIU in 1968, with 10 yearsof prior collegiate teaching experience.Bennett taught both undergraduate andgraduate courses in cost management,coordinated the departmental summer andfall internship program, and directed theCertified Management Accounting Review Program.Joachim Lauer, professor of managementinformation systems, retired from the OMISdepartment on May 15, 2000. He joined NIUas a part-time instructor in the businesssystems and analysis department andbecame an assistant professor in thedepartment in 1984. Lauer taught andresearched in the areas of scheduling,expert systems, and management issues in informationsystems.Ahmed Rifai, professor of operationsmanagement and information systems,retired December 31, 1999. Rifai came toNIU in 1970 and has been the facultyadviser for the Delta Sigma Pi businessfraternity since 1973. He received theprestigious 1997-98 Delta Sigma Pi nationalaward of Outstanding National ChapterAdviser, as well as the Excellence inUndergraduate Teaching Award and the Excellence inGraduate Teaching Award.John R. Simon, accountancy professor,retired this past summer from the accountancydepartment. Simon joined NIU in1973, with seven years of prior collegiateteaching experience. Simon held thePricewaterhouseCoopers Professorship andhas received the Excellence in UndergraduateTeaching Award. He was also selectedas a Presidential Teaching Professor. Simonhas been extensively involved in the NIU CPA ReviewProgram since 1976, and taught financial accounting atboth the undergraduate and graduate levels.Donald Weiss, associate professor offinance, retired May 15, 2000. He came toNIU from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 1974. Weiss taught principlesof finance courses to many NIU undergraduateand graduate students and thecase course in financial management tomany graduate students.Joseph P. Yaney, professor of management,came to NIU in 1986 to serve as chair of theDepartment of Management. Yaney taughtbusiness law at the undergraduate level andorganizational behavior at the graduatelevel. He held a joint appointment with theCenter for Governmental Studies.Honors and AwarwardsRichard Baker, accountancy professor, was elected as the2000 president of the Federated Schools of Accountancy.Terry Bishop, associate professor of management, wasnamed the 2000 SHRM (Society for Human ResourceManagement) Student Chapter Adviser of the Year. Underhis guidance, the NIU student chapter has earned SuperiorMerit Awards for the past nine years.Nessim Hanna, professor emeritus of marketing, andRichard Wozniak, marketing instructor, have authored atextbook entitled Consumer Behavior: An Applied Approach,published by Prentice Hall.Debra Hopkins, NIU CPA Review director, authored thebook Get Motivated—You Can Pass the CPA Exam, publishedby John Wiley and Sons Publishing Company. Herbook has become an international seller.Lynn Neeley, associate professor of management, wasselected to serve on the “Women in Business and EntrepreneurshipWorking Group,” a permanent subcommittee ofthe Governor’s Commission on the Status of Women inIllinois.14Student AchievchievementsementsNIU student teams placed first and second in spring 2000Council of Logistics Management (Chicago Roundtable)Case Study competition. The first place team winners were:Yingxi Chen, Natasha Maryasin, Justin Maslowski,Sandee Olen, Tim Rosengren, and Curtis Wardlow. Thesecond place team winners were Brandon Weinhammer,Steve Failla, and Andrea Clausing.Two College of Business students were selected as NIUOutstanding Student Leaders for their contributions to theirorganizations. Jamie Still, finance major, was recognizedfor his work as president of the Financial ManagementAssociation and other supportive activities within theCollege of Business. Bryan Kreske, marketing major, wasalso honored for his leadership and contributions to theMarketing Student Advisory Board.

Alumni EventsCollege of Business Annual AlumniLuncheonMay 5The 10th annual alumni luncheon was held at the PalmerHouse in Chicago on May 5. The 2000 Distinguished AlumniAwards were presented to Robert Adducci (’80 management),president and CEO of ROC Corporate Partners, andDavid Wilson (’80 marketing), vice president at Prime RealtyServices. Corporate tables were sponsored by ArthurAndersen, CNA, Crowe Chizek, Ernst & Young, KPMG, SaraLee Corporation, Siemens Building Technologies HVACDivision, and the College of Business. The College ofBusiness sincerely appreciates the support it received forthe luncheon.NIU College of Business Rockford AreaAlumni Club Golf OutingJune 22Silver Ridge Golf Course in Oregon, Illinois, was a beautifulsetting and the perfect day for a round of golf and networkingamong alumni and college faculty and administration.Joe Novak, NIU head football coach, provided an entertaininginsight into the upcoming football season. A big “thankyou” to AMCORE Bank, National City Bank, Westlake VillageGolf Course, First Union Securities, and Gerald Kenney -Country Companies Insurance for their donations to makethe first annual Rockford Alumni Club golf outing a success!NIU Executive Club Golf OutingSeptember 18The original date for the outing of June 12 turned out to bea rainy, soggy day and resulted in the rescheduling of theouting to September 18. Kishwaukee Country Club was thesite of the event, bringing alumni back to DeKalb for achance to visit campus. The rescheduled date still offered agreat opportunity to network and visit with NIU faculty andcoaches. A big “thank you” to the following sponsors whoassisted greatly with the success of the event:RSM McGladrey CPAs & Consultants—Bob LindemanT.J. Adams Group—Kent NelsonWaste Management of Illinois—Greg MikaNIU Golfer Sponsors:Crowe Chizek—Jim DolinarC.P. Environmental—Jim PetrieGalloy & Van Etten—Bernie Van EttenRuss HagbergNIU Executive Club Executive Lecture Series“Spinoffs and Startups – TheEntrepreneurship Revival”September 27Panel:Steven M. Ehrlich, senior vice president of operations,AprimoJ.B. Pritzker, managing director and founder, New WorldVenturesCary Nourie, vice president, The Illinois CoalitionLynn Neeley, NIU associate professor of managementModerator:Robert Reed, executive editor, Crain’s Chicago BusinessAn interesting discussion from leading experts providedinsights and perspectives they have gained while dealingwith start-ups and spinoff companies. Guests enjoyed theopportunity to speak with the panelists and network withalumni and friends prior to the lecture. The lecture wassponsored by the NIU Executive Club, NIU-HoffmanEstates, and the NIU M.B.A. program.2000 NIU Homecoming—Saturday, October 7The NIU community and alumni enjoyed Homecomingfestivities and a great day of football as the Huskiesdefeated the University of Central Florida Golden Knights40-20. Tailgating began at 9:30 a.m., and many alumnijoined the College of Business tent for fun, food, andbeverages before heading to the game. For completeHomecoming details and coverage, check outwww.myniu.com.Hole Sponsors:Burns International Security Services—Fred KohnkeCaliendo-Savio Enterprises—Cary CaliendoCrowe Chizek—Craig FunkhouserDain Rauscher—Nick PolydorosFleischmann Vodka & Gin—Ray PowersFoxfield Realty St. Charles—Mary PitstickGipson & Associates—Paul GipsonGlenview State Bank—Paul JonesGriffin, Kubik, Stephens & Thompson—Jim KubikJoseph J. Locke & Company—Joe LockeKabarec Financial Advisors—Michael KabarecMK Systems—Tom KubikNational Bank & Trust Co. of Sycamore—Michael CullenNICOR Gas—Kathy HalloranResource Information Management Systems—Terry Kirch15

Alumni EventsNIU Business Alumni Rockford LectureProgram and Workshop“e-Business: Moving from Bricks toClicks”October 10The NIU College of Business Rockford Area Alumni Clubput together an exciting and informative day of workshopsand networking, capped by a panel discussion featuring arange of experts dealing with e-business. The schedule forthe day, hosted at NIU-Rockford, included:5 – 5:45 p.m Workshops:. Getting Started in e-Business—A SuccessStoryMarketing in the New Economy5:45 – 6:30 p.m. —Reception and NIU ExhibitsNetworking opportunity for students, alumni, faculty, andNIU service providers.6:30 – 7:30 p.m. —Panel Discussion“e-Business: Moving from Bricks to Clicks”Peter Provenzano, president and CEO, Supplycore.comSteve Ehrlich, vice president, AprimoJanyce Fadden, vice president marketing, PacificScientificRobert J. Meuleman, chair of board and CEO, AMCOREFinancialModerator: David Graf, dean, NIU College of BusinessNIU Executive Club Fall Face-to-FaceOctober 17 – Hyatt Regency, Oak BrookNIU’s new president, John G. Peters, joined the NIUExecutive Club members and friends to discuss his visionfor NIU’s future. Members had the opportunity to discusshow alumni can assist NIU to make the vision a reality.NIU Executive Club Second AnnualEndowed Scholarship Fund Dinner DanceNovember 3 – Hotel Sofitel, RosemontAn outstanding evening of dining and dancing along with asuperior silent auction is planned to benefit the ExecutiveClub Endowed Scholarship Fund. Last year’s event was sosuccessful that the evening is scheduled again at the HotelSofitel in Rosemont on November 3. Plan now to be a partof the 2000 celebration! Call (815) 753-1755, or e-mailbusinessalumni@niu.edu for further details.Step into success with the NIU CPA AReview CoursesJoin the largest and most successful CPA Review course in the Chicago area serving over 1,200 CPAcandidates a year. We proudly serve our customers with:● Award-winning faculty❍ All-live instruction by technical experts❍ Professors who are masters in conveying exam-taking strategy● Convenient locations in four cities serving accounting graduates from all major accounting programs in the USA.1. Downtown Chicago, Union Station2. NIU-Hoffman Estates3. Glen Ellyn, Holiday Inn4. DeKalb, NIU Main Campus● Course options to meet your needs❍ Four-month, two-month, and weekend course options❍ Personal attention, including review sessions at the Chicago exam site❍ Correspondence courses available for those who cannot travel to the Chicago area● Proven results over the last 10 years❍ Fourth highest overall pass rate in the nation❍ Top five listings on three out of four exam sections, higher than any otheruniversity in the nation. Out of the last 20 exams, NIU has ranked in the topfive pass rates as follows:● Accounting and Reporting nine times● Auditing, 13 times● Financial Accounting, 15 timesJoin the leaders in CPA review. Don’t waste valuable time and money. Askthousands of other successful CPAs how they passed. They will tell you theyachieved success by taking the NIU CPA Review.For more information, contact Debra Hopkins, director, at (815) 753-6207, e-mailcpareview@niu.edu or visit our website: www.cob.niu.edu/cparev16

Alumni Updates- not available online

Alumni Updates- not available online

Alumni Updates- not available online

Intrntroducing the Collegeof Business OutrutreachDear felloellow alumni,As a graduate of our College of Business (B.S. ’90/M.B.A.’94), I have had the pleasure of serving many of you as thedirector of continuing professional education for the collegeover the past three years. After holding several positionsoutside of academe, I returned to campus to contribute toour alma mater through enhancing the offerings that we asadult learners need to stay competitive for our organizationsand our careers alike. During this time, we have significantlyincreased the quality and quantity of public seminars,workshops, professional certification preparations, and inhousecorporate education. Our focus has been to provideCollege of Business faculty and staff with opportunities toengage practitioners in learning interventions that would bemutually beneficial to the clients and the college. You see,the administration, faculty, and staff believe that, by providingour adult learners with a high-quality continuing educationexperience, the client-organization is assisted inreaching its goals, and our faculty and staff membersenhance their professional development. It has proven to bea truly profitable relationship on many fronts.Recently, Dean Graf and I discussed the need to add alevel of service to external stakeholders of the college—notin providing fee-for-service opportunities, but in creating aportal to all that the College of Business has to offer. It is ourbelief that once we are introduced or reintroduced topractitioners and their organizations, the true value ofhaving NIU and the College of Business as a partner will berealized. Therefore, effective immediately, I have acceptedthe dean’s request to direct a new office, appropriatelynamed College of Business Outreach.Under this structure, my staff and I will serve you to the bestof our ability through corporate relations, learning andbusiness solutions, surveys and research, and continuingprofessional education. We are truly excited about theopportunity to promote the college and introduce the manyways that practitioners and their organizations can benefitthrough a relationship with a well-known, highly respectedbusiness school.I encourage you to contact me so that we can discuss yourexperiences at NIU and how the College of Business canserve your current needs as a professional. Perhaps youwant to learn more about a degree program, internships,being a guest speaker for a class, or even how a currentchallenge to your organization could become an excitinglearning opportunity for a course project. Through ourefforts together, we can strengthen the value of ourdegree(s) from NIU by bringing our College of Business toyour organization’s doorstep.I look forward to meeting you, and best wishes of continuedsuccess.Brian VollmertDirector, College of Business Outreach(815) 753-5791bvollmert@niu.eduNIU FoundationIntrntroduces DonorRecognition ProgramThis past fiscal year, the NIU Foundation raised a record$12 million in gifts for Northern Illinois University. Themajority of those gifts came from individuals and corporationswho are committed to Northern’s mission ofproviding excellent educational opportunities for studentsin the northern Illinois region.In order to acknowledge, thank, and honor Northern’sdonors for their annual and lifetime giving, the NIUFoundation has initiated a donor recognition programthat will be presented publicly on October 20 at theannual donor recognition dinner.The donor recognition program currently has three giftsocieties. The Landmark Associates acknowledgesannual gifts; the Founders Forum recognizes cumulativelifetime gifts; and the Cornerstone Society honorsplanned gifts and bequests.Each giving level in the Landmark Associates is namedafter a popular landmark on Northern’s DeKalb campus(see illustration). The recognition societies for lifetimecumulative giving are collectively called the FoundersForum and are named in honor of Northern IllinoisUniversity’s founding leaders: Joseph Glidden, IssacEllwood, and Jacob Haish. The societies are also namedafter John Peter Altgeld, the governor of Illinois for whomAltgeld Hall is named, and John W. Cook, the firstpresident of Northern Illinois University.In the Landmark Associates and Founders Forum,donors will be recognized in an honor roll in thefoundation’s annual report. In addition, donors willreceive frequent communications from the university, plusopportunities to be involved in various Northern eventsand activities with the university leadership.Donors who have made deferred gifts or named NIU intheir wills or other expectancies such as life insurancewill be recognized in the Cornerstone Society. In additionto receiving most of the involvement and communicationopportunities provided to other society members,Cornerstone donors also will be listed on a specialrecognition wall in Altgeld Hall.The Landmark Associates, Founders Forum, andCornerstone Society will honor donors and their gifts toNorthern and foster greater association between donorsand the university through increased communication andopportunities for active involvement in the life of theuniversity.20

Platinum Guild(Greater than $1,000,000)Gold Guild($250,000 - $999,999)Silver Guild($50,000 - $249,999)Bronze Guild(Less Than $50,000)TheCornerstoneSocietyAll Bequests andDeferred Gifts to NorthernNIU FoundationDonor Recognition Lev elsNIU FoundationTheFoundersForumCumulative Lifetime Gifts$5,000,000(1895 Society)$1,000,000(John Peter Altgeld Society)$500,000(Joseph F. Glidden Society)$250,000(Isaac L. Ellwood Society)$100,000(Jacob Haish Society)$50,000(John W. Cook Society)$25,000(The Castle Society)$10,000(The Gargoyle Society)$5,000(The Lagoon Society)$2,500(The Island Society)$1,000(The East Gates Society)TheLandmarkAssociatesCumulative Annual Gifts21

The M.B.A. Programs at NIUQuality–Convenience–ValueNorthern Illinois University offers two M.B.A. programs structured for the working professional.Program features:● Preparation for doing business in today’s global economy● Classes taught by full-time, graduate faculty members who also bring real-world practical experience into theclassroom● Dynamic curriculum that focuses on strategic business relationships● Innovative ideas and real-world experience incorporated in a balanced approach to business education● AACSB accreditationChoose the program that fits your lifestyleSaturday Executive M.B.A.● 18-month program that meets on Saturdays only● Study team format● All classes located at NIU-Hoffman Estates● International experience that visits different globalsitesMaking NIU the Right Choice for You!To learn more about both NIU M.B.A. programs, contact:Saturday Executive M.B.A. ProgramPhone: (815) 753-0257E-mail: emba@niu.eduWebsite: www.cob.niu.edu/embaEvening M.B.A.● Evening classes offered to allow students to set theirown schedules● Classes offered in Hoffman Estates, Naperville,and Rockford● Offers areas of study in finance, internationalbusiness, management information systems,marketing, and strategic managementEvening M.B.A. ProgramPhone: (800) 323-8714E-mail: cobgrads@niu.eduWebsite: www.cob.niu.edu/grad/grad.htmNorthern Illinois UniversityDeKalb, Illinois 60115-2897NONPROFITU.S. POSTAGEPAIDNORTHERN ILLINOISUNIVERSITY