In recognition of his many contributions to higher education, the state of Illinois, and beyond, the University of Illinois will bestow an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters upon Larry Gies (ACCY ’88) during the May 2025 campus commencement ceremony.

Gies is the visionary CEO and founder of Madison Industries, which he has built into one of the largest and most successful privately held companies in the world. Madison Industries builds entrepreneurially driven, market-leading companies that make the world safer, healthier, and more productive through innovations in medicine, filtration, air quality and safety.

“Larry is a humble, selfless leader who has dedicated his life and career to improving the lives of others here and around the world,” said Jeff Brown, Dean Emeritus and Larry Gies Family Chair in Business. “His success places him in rarified air alongside other great entrepreneurs and business leaders of the 21st century. Rather than using that success to pursue conspicuous consumption, Larry has used his skills, contacts, and financial resources to pursue social good.”

Madison Industries’ companies have cultivated a strong reputation for pioneering scientific breakthroughs, significantly advancing the field of medicine, and developing safer environments. Operating rooms, drug delivery equipment, medical diagnostics, and places where people work, learn and play are all made safer by its companies. Among the many innovations from the 70+ companies that are part of Madison Industries:

• Phothera leads the industry in phototherapy equipment to treat psoriasis, vitiligo, and other skin conditions.
• Amkus Rescue Systems offers tools that are the industry standard for emergency rescue teams around the world, including cutters and spreaders (think “jaws of life”) for saving lives after automobile accidents.
• Drucker Diagnostics is the leader in designing and manufacturing clinical centrifuges for dialysis labs, patient services centers, and physicians’ offices. They also offer fluorescence microscopy products that are used in everything from clinical trials to testing for malaria.
• Task Force Tips makes industry leading equipment for firefighters and other first responders, including state-of-the-art nozzles used by fire departments across the world.
• Molecular Air Products produces high-performance air purification for life- and mission-critical applications in healthcare, green energy, and other markets.
• Streck makes the world healthier by delivering innovative solutions to preserve the integrity and accuracy of medical diagnostic results in clinical and research laboratories.
  

“I’m deeply honored to receive this recognition from the University of Illinois, an institution that has played such a foundational role in my life,” said Gies. “I have always believed in the power of education. Making a great education accessible not only changes the child’s life, it changes the trajectory of a family for generations. This honorary degree further inspires me to continue striving to make a positive impact on the world.” 

Throughout his adult life, Gies has been a tireless advocate for education. His dedication to democratizing education took shape through his volunteer work at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boys & Girls Club of Chicago when he was 22 years old. He was instrumental in establishing The Gies Campus of Chicago Jesuit Academy, a full-scholarship school serving 3rd- to 8th-grade students on Chicago’s West Side. He serves on the board of the Accelerate Institute, which is helping to solve the achievement gap in US education. Additionally, Gies lends his expertise to the board of Northwestern University, where he earned his MBA in 1992.

Gies has maintained a strong connection with Gies Business by guest lecturing every semester for over three decades. He has consistently challenged students to "find their why," encouraging them to consider the impact they want to have on the world.

In 2017, Larry and Beth Gies made a transformative $150 million investment in the College of Business, which now bears his name. This pivotal contribution supports its mission to democratize education by expanding its capacity to grant scholarships, invest in the expansion of online education, support faculty excellence, and more.

“Larry’s involvement has always been about the students – whether it is welcoming an incoming cohort, meeting new faculty, teaching a class, or repeatedly serving as the guest of honor at Signing Day,” said W. Brooke Elliott, Josef and Margot Lakonishok Professor in Business and Dean. “Larry understands the transformative power of education and the importance of giving back.”