In the latest episode of the Gies Download, Gies alumna and Culver's CEO Julie Fussner talks about her unexpected path from marketing to the C-suite. From discovering a passion for organizational behavior to navigating uncertainty after graduation, she shares how a strong foundation at Gies Business helped guide her journey.
After Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast 20 years ago this summer, many expected long-term economic and health struggles for survivors. But the data tells a surprising story. In this episode of The Gies Download, Gies Business Professor Tatyana Deryugina shares what her research reveals about disaster recovery, resilience, and the unexpected outcomes of forced relocation.
Branding a business school isn’t about marketing buzz—it’s about authenticity and purpose. Chief Marketing Officer Jan Slater joins The Gies Download to reveal how - and why - the Gies Business brand was built. From in-depth research to the bold launch of "Business on Purpose," hear how Gies Business became a brand that reflects pride, innovation, and purpose.
From humble beginnings at Illinois to high-stakes decision-making in Washington, Gies Business alumnus Sam Skinner shares candid stories about leadership, public service, mentorship, and the power of surrounding yourself with good people. With humor and wisdom, he reflects on pivotal career moments, including an unforgettable wake-up call from the President himself.
In the latest episode of the Gies Download, Gies Business alumnus Lester McKeever (ACCY '55), shares his remarkable journey from growing up in Chicago to becoming one of the first Black CPAs in the United States. He reflects on overcoming racial challenges in the accounting field, his lifelong dedication to his alma mater, and how mentorship, hard work, and resilience have shaped his success.
Oscar Ybarra is passionate about finding the answers to questions--important questions--that impact our daily lives. As a professor of business administration at Gies, as well as the director of the Center for Professional Responsibility in Business and Society, Oscar has co-authored a new study on workplace well-being. The goal is to answer the question, "Are people flourishing or languishing at work?" And the results are...somewhat surprising.
In this episode of The Gies Download, Tim Sinclair talks with Tony Petullo...a 1961 graduate of Gies College of Business. After three years as a US Navy officer and five years with Mobil Corporation, Tony founded Olsten Staffing Services and found enormous success. Over the past four decades, Tony has given back to the University of Illinois in many impactful ways, including sizable donations, staff fellowships, and student scholarships. And, despite being in his 80's, Tony still mentors Gies Business students each and every semester.
How does health care impact business? Can companies effectively incentivize employees to live healthier lives in order to save money in the long run? How does where you live and work impact how healthy you are? In this episode of The Gies Download, Tim Sinclair sits down with Associate Professor of Finance, Director of Gies Health Initiatives, and Conrad W. and Shirley A. Hewitt Fellow and Deloitte Scholar David Molitor. David and his team are studying the effects of health on business and, so far, the results are extremely surprising.
On this episode of the Gies Download, host Tim Sinclair is joined by the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs at Gies, Nehemiah Scott. Nehemiah is helping lead the next generation of learners through the ever-changing higher education landscape. He talks about what drove him toward a career in academia and how he's using his position to make a lifelong impact on students at Gies."
Life tends to put us in situations with people who naturally look, think and act like we do. And while this way of operating may feel more comfortable for many, the reality is: it's not very productive or effective. In this episode of The Gies Download, host Tim Sinclair is joined by professor of business administration and Vernon Zimmerman Faculty Fellow Denise Lewin Loyd to talk about the importance of diversity within teams...and how research shows it's not just the right way to go, but the best way to go.
Over the last nine years under the leadership of Dean Jeff Brown, Gies College of Business has experienced unprecedented growth and increasing levels of excellence across its programs, students outcomes, and faculty scholarship. In this episode of The Gies Download, host Tim Sinclair is joined by Dean Brown to discuss his nine years at the helm, why he’s stepping away now, and what the future might hold for Gies under new leadership.
Robert Brunner is an astrophysicist with one of the coolest job titles in the world: Associate Dean for Innovation and Chief Disruption Officer at Gies College of Business. With a penchant for forward-thinking and for futuristic technologies like artificial intelligence, Chat GPT and blockchain, Robert is helping lead the College and its students into the unknown. It's a side of higher education that few other business schools even recognize, much less adopt.
From tutoring youth to starting a school in Chicago to a $150 million dollar gift to his alma mater, Larry Gies has always had a passion for making a positive impact on the world through education. The founder and CEO of Madison Industries, 1988 Accountancy graduate from Illinois, and the namesake of the Gies College of Business is today's guest on the Gies Download Podcast.
President, CTO and founder of CTS Impact Julie Scott joins Tim Sinclair on this episode of the Gies Download. For Julie, the idea of giving back to her community was instilled at a young age. Her degree from Gies College of Business not only served as education, but also as a foundation for doing so – and for helping others do the same.
John Byrne, Founder and Editor & Chief of Poets and Quants, joins Tim Sinclair in this episode of the Gies Download. Poets and Quants is the leading provider of MBA program information and rankings in the world, and John has spent a lifetime helping students and their families determine which schools are the best fit for them, Today, he explains exactly what you should be looking for.
Kelly Janssen has a big job. As Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment for Gies College of Business, Kelly provides strategic leadership and management to engage, recruit, and yield strong, diverse cohorts of students. And you might be surprised to learn that the criteria for admission is far more involved than just grades or test scores. Kelly joins host Tim Sinclair to talk all things “admissions” on this episode of the Gies Download podcast.
Larry DeBrock is the Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Finance at Gies College of Business, and today he joins host Tim Sinclair for the Gies Download. While some tend to meander, Larry's career path has been a 40-year-long straight line. And in December, that straight line will have come full circle.
It’s fascinating to compare what many people plan to do with their lives and what people actually do with their lives. For Brooke Elliott-- EY Distinguished Professor in Accounting and executive associate dean of academic programs--her dream wasn’t necessarily to break gender barriers in the highest echelons of academia but that’s exactly what happened. She's our guest today on The Gies Download.
The expectation was that Manu Edakara would become a doctor or a lawyer, but Manu's passion was for something far different. After testing pre-med and pre-law programs in college, Manu discovered that he was an entrepreneur at heart. And today, he heads up the iVenture Accelerator at the University of Illinois, helping other budding entrepreneurs follow their passions as well. Manu is Tim Sinclair's guest on this episode of the Gies Download podcast.
The iVenture Accelerator Program is powered by Gies College of Business. To learn more, visit: http://iventure.illinois.edu.
Author, researcher and Gies professor Don Fullerton joins Tim Sinclair in this episode of the Gies Download podcast. Don studies the effects of environmental policy on the economy and then presents his research to world leaders and decision makers. Is it even possible to save the environment and protect the economy at the same time? Don's research might surprise you.