Alumni Awards and News
Alumni awards and news
Stay connected with the latest from Gies College of Business. Discover inspiring stories from our alumni community, celebrate those making a meaningful impact, and find out how you can stay engaged and informed.
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Alumni awards
Gies Business and the Gies Business Alumni Association (GBAA) proudly recognizes the outstanding achievements and contributions of our alumni and faculty. These awards celebrate those who exemplify excellence in their careers and communities.
Gies College of Business Awards
Gies Business has tens of thousands of exceptional alumni and friends who work every day to make the world a better place. The following awards are presented at the Spring Luncheon each year for outstanding career achievements and service to Gies Business.
Congratulations to our 2026 winners:
- Distinguished Alumnus Award - Donald J. Edwards, ‘88 FIN; Founder & Executive Chairman, Flexpoint Ford LLC
- Gies College of Business Alumni Impact Award - Jane Romweber Santogrossi, ‘75 ACCY; Partner, Meridian Compensation Partners, LLC (Retired)
GBAA Excellence-in-Teaching Award Recipients
Congratulations to the 2026 GBAA Excellence-in-Teaching Award Recipients:
- Sandra Corredor - Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching
- Xing Gao - Excellence in Graduate Teaching
- Chengyuan (Nicko) Wei - Excellence in Teaching for Teaching Assistants
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Gies Monthly Newsletter
Campus Alumni Directory
The Online Alumni Directory provides Illini an easy way to make connections with fellow alumni worldwide. Use the Online Alumni Directory to reconnect with friends and former classmates, search for Illini near you, and expand your professional network.
Alumni in the News
Stay up-to-date with the remarkable achievements of our alumni. Discover the latest news featuring their successes and contributions. Want to see more? Browse all alumni news.
From Gies Business to the Arena: John Summit comes home
Oct 08, 2026
Gies Business alumnus John Summit returned to Illinois to launch his arena tour and reflect on his journey from accountant to global DJ. He credits persistence, work ethic, financial know-how, and embracing his own story for his success.
Expert panel shares insights on leadership
Sep 30, 2026
University of Illinois leaders emphasized that effective leadership begins with caring for people, communicating honestly, and uniting teams around a clear purpose. Strong leaders prepare for pressure, trust capable colleagues, make timely decisions with incomplete information, and adapt as circumstances change.
Accountancy Alumni Business Administration Faculty Finance Student
Gies Business alumnus CJ Desai to lead Meta's new enterprise business
Sep 29, 2026
Desai (MBA ’95) will lead Meta’s new Enterprise Platform division, turning the company’s AI technology into tools businesses can deploy. Desai brings senior leadership experience from MongoDB, Cloudflare, ServiceNow, and Oracle.
Gies Business ranks #12 in nation, #6 public business school by US News
Sep 22, 2026
This continues Gies Business’ longstanding legacy of ranking in the Top 20 of all business schools and Top 10 among public schools. Additionally, Gies is ranked #1 in the nation in accounting by U.S. News.
Accountancy Alumni Business Administration Faculty Finance Student