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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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.
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.
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Gies Business Accountancy ranked #1 in nation by US News
Sep 22, 2026
Including accounting’s #1 ranking, Gies Business ranks among the nation’s Top 30 in eight specialty areas: finance, marketing, management, management information systems, production/operations management, quantitative analysis, and supply chain management.
PODCAST: How Gies Business scales experiential learning to every student
Sep 15, 2026
Dean Brooke Elliott joined the Changing Higher Ed® podcast to discuss how Gies Business scaled experiential learning from a selective offering into a curricular requirement across every program, and what it cost on the staffing, funding, and governance side to make it hold.
Accountancy Alumni Business Administration Faculty Finance Podcasts Student
Gies Business alumnus Ibeabuchi named to Crain’s New York Business 40 Under 40
Sep 14, 2026
Chidozie Ibeabuchi, a Gies Business iMBA alumnus, leads programs supporting more than 5,000 active and former professional soccer players