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College of Business
Student Anastasia Sotiropoulos receiving an Early Career Achievement Awards.

Early Career Achievement Awards

Early Career Achievement Awards (ECAA) recognize younger College of Business graduates who have demonstrated innovative and responsible professional leadership, the potential for future distinction and a commitment to serving others. One honoree is selected from each College of Business degree program. They return to campus to receive their award and share advice with current College of Business students through panel discussions.

 

2025 - 2026 Award Recipients

 

Portrait of Briana Allen

Briana Allen '17

Bri currently works as a Broker Director at AIG, where she manages relationships with brokers for the Great Lakes Regions.

Portrait of Virgil Caval

Virgil Caval '20

Virgel is a Senior Product Manager at Hulu, where he drives innovation in the core app experience, focused on helping millions of Hulu subscribers discover and enjoy their favorite TV shows and movies inside the app.

Portrait of Jake Clapsaddle

Jacob Clapsaddle  '13

Jake Clapsaddle is currently a Human Resources Business Partner with National Heritage Academies in Grand Rapids, MI. Jake plays a critical role in ensuring that the educators he supports have the resources and HR consultation needed to ensure the students NHA serves receive a quality education.

Portrait of Kevin Delisi

Kevin Delisi '17

Kevin Delisi is a member of Houlihan Lokey’s Transaction Advisory Services practice. He focuses on providing buyside and sellside financial due diligence and advisory services to both private equity and corporate clients across a variety of sectors, including the industrials, business services, and retail sectors. 

Portrait of April Fornero

April Fornero  '16

April Fornero is the Director of Heartland Community College (HCC) Pontiac. Within that role, she oversees day-to-day operations of the Pontiac campus. 

Portrait of Dalton Manci

Dalton Manci  '18

Dalton Manci is a Global Program Manager at Meta. He drives knowledge strategy and Gen AI integration across a network of 8,000+ agents, improving response accuracy, reducing case handling time, and boosting customer satisfaction. 

Portrait of Annelise Mool 

Annelise Mool  '18

Annelise is with Walt Disney Imagineering Finance, which supports the ideation, design, and construction of theme park and cruise line projects. In her current role as Mgr-Finance, Annelise is responsible for forecast consolidations, critical planning processes, and executive leadership communication. 

Portrait of Jeff Nichols

Jeff Nichols '17

Jeff is currently an account executive at Writer, a generative AI company. He manages the full sales cycle, from prospecting and needs assessment to negotiation, closing, and account management, serving a diverse client portfolio. 

Portrait of Holly Peterson

Holly Peterson '14

Holly is a Client Success & Dance professional with over a decade of experience in tech and the arts. She currently serves as a Customer Success Manager at Edge, a fast-growing startup where she helps clients boost engagement and retention. 

Portrait of Molly Reinhardt

Molly Reinhardt '19

Molly Reinhardt is the Director of Sales Development at BigCommerce, a leading ecommerce platform, where she leads three Sales Development teams focused on driving pipeline and growth across multiple segments. 

Portrait of Michaela Spreier

Michaela Spreier  '20

Michaela Spreier is a Global Mobility Services Manager at KPMG in Chicago, IL, where she excels in leading discussions on U.S. tax implications for international assignees and manages global service delivery for a diverse client base. 

Portrait of Anthony Thompson

Anthony Thompson '17

Tony Thompson is a Senior HR M&A Consultant at Salesforce, where he leads the design and delivery of various global HR programs and technology systems supporting Salesforce’s M&A integrations. 

 

Previous Award Recipients

Nomination Guidelines

Nominees must be graduate students from one of the programs in the College of Business.
Nominations close March 7, 2025.

  • Career Accomplishmentse

    • Exemplary professional capabilities as demonstrated through entrepreneurial success, rapid promotions, industry recognition, or innovative practices leading to measurable outcomes.
    • Demonstrated innovative and responsible professional leadership and the potential for distinction in the long term.

  • Personal Characteristics

    • Embodies the five core principals outlined in the College of Business Standards of Professional Behavior and Ethical Conduct: responsibility, honesty, respect, fairness, and trust.
    • Shown a substantial commitment to the service of others.
    • Continued his or her professional growth through education or professional credentials.

Nomination form for Early Career Achivement Awards

More Information

If you have any questions about the Early Career Achievement Awards, please contact:

  • Steve Vandiver

    Executive Director of Marketing
    College of Business
    Campus Box 5500
    Normal, IL 61790-5500
    shvandi@ilstu.edu

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