Business Careers Forum & Alumni Reception 

Students & graduates hear leading business professionals across disciplines discuss their career journey and how their business degree helped to navigate their career journey.

Understand what transferable skills are most important regardless of discipline, degree & area of expertise.

Mix & mingle following panel discussion with our panelists, alumni, faculty & students. Make connections to assist you in your career journey. 

Great opportunity to learn what you can do with your business degree. 

Participating Panelists:

Julie Kanak, Managing Director - Diversified Search (Panel Moderator) Julie's LinkedIn Profile

For more than three decades Julie has been helping organizations build businesses and advised on capital strategies.  For the last 13 years, she has focused on human capital issues working broadly across industries and successfully advising, recruiting and assessing CEOs, COOs and CFOs and board members.  Julie leads Diversified’s agribusiness practice with a reputation for a keen eye for talent and outstanding ability to bridge the art and science of executive search and leadership development.   Julie is a member of the industrial, life sciences, consumer, natural resources and financial services practices and has headed the Chicago Office

Prior to search, Julie led the Americas’ agribusiness, food and beverage team for Credit Agricole specializing in corporate finance, M&A, risk management and debt and equity capital markets.  She also served as a senior banking executive for Australia New Zealand Banking Group and State Bank of South Australia.   Julie earned her MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and Bachelors in Business Administration from the University of Iowa where she majored in Marketing and Human Resources & Industrial Relations.

Norah Larke, VP Talent Management - Wintrust Financial Norah's LinkedIn Profile

Norah Larke is Vice President of Talent Management for Wintrust Financial Corporation, a financial services company based in Rosemont, IL, with $27 billion in assets. Norah possess 15 years of progressive human resources and training and development experience.  Norah’s focus as the leader of talent management is to develop and manage the programs, process and tools needed to build talent, maximize engagement, and take the overall effectiveness of the organization to the next level.

Norah holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Loyola University New Orleans and an MBA from Loyola University Chicago. Norah is current member of the Society of Human Resources Management, Human Resources Association of Chicago, and WorldatWork.

Patricia Liotta, VP Human Resources - Panduit (COB Dean's Advisory Board member) Patti's LinkedIn Profile

Patricia Liotta is currently serving as Vice President, Human Resources at Panduit Corporation.  Panduit is a provider of physical infrastructure connectivity products and serves over 126 countries worldwide.  As the VP of Human Resources, Patricia works closely with Panduit’s senior executive team to set and drive the people strategy for the organization.  She also supports the global enterprise through setting total rewards strategy and the execution of associated programs.

Patricia holds a M.A. in Organizational Development from Loyola University Chicago and has obtained multiple certifications in the talent arena including MBTI, 360 evaluations, executive coaching, and several types of leadership and development assessments.

Larry Phillips, AVP, Culture & Inclusion - Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Solutions Larry's LinkedIn Profile

Larry serves as the Divisional AVP for Culture & Inclusion and is responsible for managing Gallagher Connect Partners. As a leader in Gallagher Connect Partners, he is dedicated to establishing meaningful and deliberate relationships with diverse-owned firms to increase business opportunities. Larry also supports Gallagher’s diverse recruiting efforts by expanding and cultivating relationships at HBCUs. Larry received a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2013 with a major in Risk Management and Insurance.

John Schabes, CPA, AOS Manager - BKD CPA's & Advisors, Manufacturing Group (COB Alumnus '93 & '05) John's LinkedIn Profile 

John is a member of BKD Manufacturing Group.  He has more than 20 years of experience in public and private accounting and focuses on the transportation, manufacturing, not-for-profit, and service industries.  He provides consulting services to organizations and their owners, compiling and reviewing financial statements and assisting with individual, corporate and payroll taxation issues. John is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, Illinois CPA Society and Illinois Trucking Association.  He sits on the Chicago Southwest Suburban Community Parish and Community Center Foundation Board of Trustees and is the treasurer and chair of the Finance Committee. John is also the chair of the BKD Chicago Foundation committee, helping to oversee and coordinate the charitable endeavors of the firm in the Chicago area.

Stephanie Carr, Multi State Tax Services Manager - Deloitte Stephanie's LinkedIn Profile

Stephanie is a Manager in the Multistate Tax practice of Deloitte Tax LLP in the Chicago office.  Stephanie has many years of experience in Corporate department tax work for industries including Utility, Distribution and Financial Services.  Stephanie joined Deloitte in 2017 specializing in multistate income and franchise taxes and serves both public and closely held companies providing tax compliance and consulting services.  Stephanie is also an Adjunct Professor at Governors State University where she teaches Financial Accounting and Managerial Accounting.   Stephanie is a Certified Public Accountant and received both her Bachelor of Accounting and Master of Taxation degrees from Northern Illinois University.  She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Illinois CPA society.

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