WIU College of Business & Technology

🌟 WIU’s Jessica Lin, associate dean of the College of Business & Technology (now associate provost for Academic Personnel and Budget), has been appointed by Governor Pritzker to serve as a public member of the Illinois Board of Examiners. Her leadership continues to elevate WIU and the CPA profession. Congratulations, Dr. Lin! 💜💛

Learn more: https://go.wiu.edu/48csUq4

WIU’s School of Accounting & Business Administration has earned a full six-year extension of its AACSB accreditation in Business and Accounting! Only 6% of business schools worldwide hold this distinction. Proud moment for CBT! 💜💛 Read more: https://go.wiu.edu/3Xxm1tm

𝑶𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑾𝑰𝑼 𝑨𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒏𝒂, 𝑺𝒊𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑺𝒄𝒉𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒂𝒏!
We’re excited to welcome Simone Schuppan back to Western Illinois University for two inspiring events!

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐕𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬
Hear how Simone shifted from a corporate career into entrepreneurship — and how values, confidence, and clarity of purpose shaped her path.
📅 September 23, 2025
📍 Stipes Hall 111
🕔 5:00 p.m.

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐯𝐞: 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞
Learn how Simone combines sustainability, business consulting, and beekeeping to create meaningful impact.
📅 September 24, 2025
📍 Stipes Hall 121
🕑 2:00 – 3:15 p.m.

Don’t miss these incredible opportunities to be inspired by Simone’s journey of growth, leadership, and purpose!

We join in celebrating a remarkable career milestone of Joe Creed, an alumnus of the Accountancy program at the College of Business and Technology, on his appointment as the new CEO of Caterpillar. Congratulations on this achievement.

Western Illinois University proudly celebrates alumnus Joe Creed after he was named Caterpillar's next CEO.

Creed, a 1997 graduate of WIU's accountancy program, worked his way up the ladder at the company for 16 years before taking over as the chief financial officer for Caterpillar's Energy and Transportation business segment in 2013. He served as the interim CFO for Caterpillar in 2018 and then became vice president of the Oil & Gas and Marine Division and the Electric Power Division. In 2021, he was promoted to group president of Energy & Transportation. On Nov. 1, 2023, Creed was appointed to the newly created position of chief operating officer.

He will take over the CEO position on May 1.

"For 100 years, our incredible people have been the foundation of Caterpillar's success," Creed said in a statement. "I'm proud to work alongside our talented Caterpillar employees and dealers as we continue to support customers across our diverse businesses, from disaster recovery and building the world's infrastructure to delivering critical minerals and reliable energy. I look forward to leading this amazing team as we build upon Caterpillar's legacy of excellence."

Please join us in celebrating the achievements and contributions of one of our outstanding alumni, Joe Creed.

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Tae Yang, a member of our management faculty, was honored with the Best Paper Award in the Organizational Leadership track at this year’s MBAA International Conference in Chicago!

Dr. Yang and one of our MBA students, Sacha Vincent, both presented their research at the conference, representing our college with excellence on a national stage. We are proud of their achievements and grateful for their dedication to advancing knowledge and leadership in the field.

Congratulations to Dr. Kristi Mindrup on her historic appointment as the 13th President of Western Illinois University 💜💛

Just Hired! 💜 💛 Meet Kaylie Reynolds, a Spring 2024 graduate of Accounting, who has accepted a job with Nestlé. Read more: https://go.wiu.edu/48J0AKt

Congratulations to Dr. Tara Feld on her appointment as the Interim Dean of the College of Business and Technology.

Since 2019, Dr. Feld’s leadership as Associate Dean and MBA Director has driven meaningful changes, from launching new MBA concentrations to strengthening industry partnerships—all to prepare our students for real-world success.

Now, as Dean, she’s ready to take CBT to new heights with a focus on innovation, growth, and excellence. Here’s to an exciting new chapter under her guidance!

WIU School of Agriculture recently hosted its annual Alumni Panel, connecting students with industry leaders for career insights and networking opportunities.

A huge thank you to our amazing alums for sharing their experiences and advice! 🌾

Student Spotlight! 🧑‍🎓

Prince Asamoah, a Master's student in Applied Statistics and Decision Analytics, has accepted a full-time offer as an Audit Assistant at Deloitte’s Chicago office, starting in Winter 2025!

This comes after successfully completing a summer 2024 internship in the Audit and Assurance department.

Prince’s story and achievements are a testament to CBT's mission; preparing the next generation of business and technology innovators.

Congratulations, Prince!

Meet Akhila Gampa, a master's student in Applied Statistics and Decision Analytics at the College of Business and Technology, WIU.

Akhila chose this program because it blends theory with practical skills, helping her to solve real-world problems using data. After graduation, she aims to pursue a PhD focusing on AI in agriculture, to drive sustainable innovations in farming.

Her advice to future students? "Stay curious, ask questions, and dive deep into the data. The skills you gain will be valuable across many fields!"

She also encourages getting involved in campus activities to build a strong network and develop skills beyond the classroom.

Explore how our programs can prepare you for success today!

WIU Accounting, Finance, Economics, & Decision Sciences -AFED