����������

President/Broker RLB Realty Group, inc.

Ron Branch is president of RLB Realty Group, Inc., a full-service real estate brokerage specializing in REO/foreclosure marketing, asset management, and redevelopment.  Ron became a real estate broker in 1986 and has specialized in Real Estate Owned (REO) marketing/selling since that time. His REO clients include Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac/HomeSteps, and other financial organizations.  Ron founded RLB Realty Group, Inc. in 1990 when he established ERA Branch & Associates Realty, a real estate franchise.  He is the Past President of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, Inc.

Branch, a lifelong resident of Chicago, is an honors graduate of Millikin University earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management in May 1981. In addition to his accomplished real estate career in which he has earned numerous awards and recognition, Ron is also involved in numerous volunteer, civic, and social organizations.  

Ron loves sports and competition and previously served over 20 years as a basketball coach, including head coach for Chicago’s Whitney Young High School’s varsity basketball team. Ron is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and St. Edmund Episcopal Church. Ron resides in Chicago with his wife Lori J. Watts-Branch and is the proud father of Ronald II, Malcolm, Class of 2014, Zachary, and Maya.

Retired Professor of Marketing, St. Olaf College Northfield, MN

Born and raised in central Illinois, Kathy has spent most of her career in higher education. After earning a Ph.D. in marketing from Northwestern University, Kathy worked for a year and a half at 3M Company in St. Paul before returning to academia and to her passion for teaching. She spent two years on the faculty at the University of Minnesota, followed by twenty-one years on the faculty at St. Olaf College.  Over the years, she has pursued a strong interest in the application of marketing principles to not-for-profit organizations, including symphony orchestras, higher education, and K-12 public schools. Her book entitled Improving Schools Through Community Engagement: A Practical Guide for Educators, was published by Corwin Press in 2004.

Kathy enjoys traveling with her husband, Chris, to visit children and grandchildren who live in Switzerland, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Florida. She volunteers with an organization that provides tutoring and writing support to underserved Twin Cities youth.

Vice President of Partnerships, Benefit Data Trust

Jeff is an eighth-generation Central Illinoisan, growing up in Shelbyville. Selected as a Presidential Scholar, he graduated from Millikin with a degree in political science in 1998. While a student, he served in leadership positions with his fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, the Millikin Interfraternity Council and Model Illinois Government, as well as being a multi-year member of the Student Senate and the University Honors Program Committee. He then matriculated to Indiana University, earning a master's degree in public finance in 2000. He began his professional career at Crowe, Chizek and Company as a municipal finance and bond consultant. He then became a practice director in a major lobbying and governmental relations firm. From 2010 to 2021, he served as Vice-President of Sales & Government Relations with RCR Technology Corporation, overseeing its national consulting practice, business development, and governmental relations. In 2021, Jeff assumed an executive role as Enterprise Director of the U.S. subsidiary of Columbus Global A/S, a worldwide information technology and data company, based in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Jeff is an avid golfer, genealogist, and serves on several statewide and national nonprofit boards. He is a member of many organizations, including St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, the Indianapolis Literary Club, and the Antelope Club. In 2006, he was honored to co-present, along with Professor Ed Walker, ���������� annual James W. Moore lecture.

Jeff and his wife, Jeanne, a law firm Controller, reside in Richmond, Virginia, along with their daughter. Hannah is a member of ���������� Class of 2024 and is the fifth generation of the Lilly family to attend Millikin and a sister of Delta Delta Delta.

Executive Director, Global Talent Acquisition and Executive Talent Search

Case McGee is the Executive Director, Global Talent Acquisition and Executive Talent Search at The Boeing Company.  In this role, he is responsible for the enterprise-wide strategies and innovative solutions that attract top, diverse talent and enable the organization to achieve its ambitious business goals.    

Before joining Boeing, McGee served as the Chief People Officer at Clayton Homes, a Berkshire Hathaway company.  Prior to Clayton, McGee served in a variety of senior positions at Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) in strategic leadership and operational roles during periods of significant growth and transformation.  His experience combines human resources expertise, commercial business acumen and enterprise leadership of the investor relations, corporate communications, and organizational change management functions.  

McGee brings deep experience in talent management, talent acquisition, learning & development, compensation, and ensuring HR strategies drive business results.  He advocates passionately for diversity and inclusion and has been recognized with a “Leadership Excellence” award by both the Illinois Diversity Council and National Diversity Council, along with the CEO Leadership Award for Diversity & Inclusion at ADM.  He is a former chairperson of the Illinois Diversity Council.

McGee is a member of the Board of Trustees at Millikin University, serving on the Committee on Governance, along with the Compensation, Investments and Evaluation Committees.  

McGee received a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts from Millikin University in Decatur, IL.

Retired Vice President, Transportation Union Pacific Railroad

Randy grew up in southern Illinois and moved to St. Louis in 1974 after graduating from Millikin with a degree in biology. He began his career with Missouri Pacific Railroad which merged with Union Pacific Railroad in 1982. At Union Pacific, Randy has held several positions in Operations as well as in Marketing and Sales. In 2012 he was appointed Vice President Transportation where he was responsible for the safe and efficient delivery of the company’s service product.  He retired from Union Pacific Railroad on February 28, 2015.

Randy is an avid golfer and an advocate of plant conservation in the Nebraska area. He serves on the Lauritzen Gardens’ Board of Directors. Randy and his wife, Sharon, have a daughter and son. Megan currently resides in Washington, D.C. Brian resides in Denver, Colorado. He and Sharon look forward to traveling and spending time exploring coastal Maine where they have a home.

Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, South Jersey Industries

Leonard was born in Madison, Florida and grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. He graduated from Millikin in 1979 with a degree in Political Science and Government. He earned a master’s degree in Business Administration, focused in Management and Operations from Jacksonville University.

As Vice President and Chief Information Officer for South Jersey Industries (SJI), he is responsible for the day to day operations of all components of the technology environment. He provides strategic guidance, leadership and direct oversight at the corporate level for all technology and business information system initiatives for SJI and its subsidiaries. He was appointed to his current role in 2017. Prior to joining SJI, he held several technology leadership roles in the insurance, natural gas and energy, and automotive industries. Additionally, he served as technology consultant for several utilities in the state of Florida. 

Leonard serves on the Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey Board of Trustees. He is also a member of American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE). He previously served as Board President for the Simon Estes Educational Foundation in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is a member of Sigma Pi Phi. Leonard resides in New Jersey with his wife Tamara (1981 Millikin graduate) and is the proud father of Brandon, Melissa, and Stephen.

Retired Special Agent ATF
Retired Superintendent United States Air Force EOD

Jesse L. Chester is a retired Special Agent of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). He played a vital national security role as the Chief Architect of the U.S. Bomb Data Center (BDC) and the Terrorist Device Analysis Center (TEDAC) in Quantico, VA. Additionally, Agent Chester served as a special liaison to the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service and the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), providing direct support to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and other counter-terrorism task force operations. Chester earned a Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) Security Clearance.

Jesse is also a decorated Air Force veteran, having achieved the rank of Chief Master Sergeant (E-9), a prestigious rank held by only 1% of the total enlisted force. In this role, Chief Chester planned and directed numerous mobilizations of Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) assets to Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Iraq in support of Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

Currently, Jesse and his daughter Jennifer operate a non-profit organization, NextJennTechMom. This organization provides comprehensive Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) education to children of all ages in the greater Houston metropolitan area. For more information, visit www.nextjenntechmom.org .

Jesse is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE).

Sheri is a native of Champaign, Illinois. She earned a degree in Marketing and Business Administration in 1983 at Millikin University. She began her career with Sprint in 1983 in Kansas City before joining AT&T in Chicago in 1984. During Sheri's 34 year career with AT&T, she held several positions in global Sales and Marketing as well as Sales Operations. From 1999 to 2002, she led sales operations in a global venture between AT&T and British Telecom. In 2010, she was appointed Vice President, Global Business - Enterprise Solutions where she was responsible for growing a $3B business through the design and sale of wired and wireless IT applications to Fortune 200 multi-national corporations. She has resided in Illinois, Wisconsin, New Jersey, California, Ohio and Texas throughout her career.

Chairman Emeritus Monotype Imaging Holdings, Inc.

Bob grew up in Decatur and graduated from Millikin in 1966 with a degree in biology. Bob was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, president of the I.F.C and president of his senior class. Upon graduation, Bob earned a Master’s Degree in Higher Education from Indiana University. After serving one year on the Dean of Student’s staff at the University of Connecticut, Bob was drafted and served two years in the U.S. Army Infantry, including one year in Vietnam.

Bob is the Chairman Emeritus of Monotype, home to some of the world’s most famous typefaces including Helvetica, Arial and Times New Roman. He co-founded the business in 1986, and served this software company as President/CEO until 2006 and Chairman until 2014. In 2007 he helped take the company public on the Nasdaq exchange (Type). Prior to 1986 Bob worked in sales and then as an International Marketing Manager for Agfa Corporation, a multi-national provider of graphic arts equipment and supplies.

Bob has served on a number of Christian non-profit boards and is actively involved with his local church. He has made mission trips with his church to Moldova to teach English, and with World Vision to support children of war in Uganda. Bob and his wife, Connie, a Tri-Delt who earned an elementary education degree from Millikin in 1967, enjoy spending time with their daughters’ families and their five grandchildren.

Lisa Griebel, originally from Peoria, Il, earned her bachelor’s degree in communications, education, and theatre from Millikin University in 1978. While at Millikin, she was actively involved with the speech team, most theatre productions and Pi Beta Phi sorority. Shortly after graduation, she began her professional career working as an admissions counselor at Eureka College. 

Lisa’s move to Minneapolis, MN in 1981 introduced new opportunities for personal growth and development. Her tenure at American Express included positions in marketing, training, client service, operations management and communications. She strengthened her interest and skills in education and training by obtaining her Master of Education (M.Ed.) in organization development and training from the University of Minnesota. 

In 1996, Lisa left the corporate world and founded Crescendo Inc., a performance-consulting firm committed to the growth and development of healthy organizations. Since its inception, Crescendo Inc. has supported talent development by offering consulting and training services in Emotional Intelligence (EI), Leadership and Team Development. 

After nearly three decades of successfully running her practice, Lisa considers herself semi-retired. She is grateful to be able to spend quality time with her young grand nephews. Her commitment to community service remains strong as she continues to dedicate her time, talent and resources to organizations motivated to make a positive impact in the world. 

Millikin is one of those organizations that Lisa is proud to support. In 2021, Lisa established the Lisa L. Griebel Scholarship Fund for eligible Millikin students majoring in Communication, Theatre and Dance, and/or Music. 

Lisa L. Griebel, M.Ed. 

Crescendo Inc. 

612) 718-4389 

www.crescendoinc.com 

lgriebel@crescendoinc.com

EVP & Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer

Matt Guffey serves as the Executive Vice President (EVP) and Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer at UPS. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction of the UPS enterprise, operationalizing their strategy, accelerating the growth and success of their customers around the world, and leading their global transformation efforts.

Matt oversees the Strategy, Transformation, Marketing, Sales, and the On Demand Network teams. By bringing these functions under a single umbrella, Matt’s focus is on upholding the promise of the UPS shield to its customers – by building a differentiated value proposition, to UPSers – by maximizing efficiency and unlocking innovation, and to its investors – by positioning UPS for long-term and sustainable growth.

Matt started his career with UPS 24 years ago. He has led teams in Marketing, Sales, Operations, and Strategy in the U.S and in Europe, providing him a unique breadth of perspective. In his most recent role as the head of Global Strategy, Matt developed and executed the “Better and Bolder” strategy and in the process, ignited a data and digital-centric culture across UPS to enable speed, flexibility, and scale. His experiences take a customer-centric and global approach that positions him to execute on the commercial and enterprise strategy to fuel business profitability at UPS.

A native of Illinois, Matt joined UPS after he earned his bachelor’s degree from Millikin University and currently serves on the Board of Trustees. Matt also is the Vice-Chair of the Marcus Autism Board of Directors.

President & Owner, Horve Contractors Owner, Assisted Living Facilities in Illinois Owner, Hilton Hotel Chains in Illinois

After graduating Millikin University in 1986 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Steve began work in his third-generation family business, Horve Builders, building anything from custom homes, retail, commercial and industrial projects in many states About 10 years ago, Steve broke ground on the first assisted living facility in his portfolio – Eagle Ridge of Decatur.

Over the years, he has continued to build and owns many assisted living and memory care facilities throughout Illinois. In addition, he has several successful hotels in central Illinois, including 5 Hilton-brand hotels. Currently Steve is working on several large projects in central and northern Illinois and he plans to do several more in Indiana in the coming years. Steve serves on the Board of Directors for the YMCA in Decatur and the Leadership Council for St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation.

He has served on the Forsyth Youth League and spends many hours coaching youth baseball and basketball. Steve and his wife, Tina, of 20 years have five children and reside in Forsyth, Illinois. Their oldest daughter graduated from Millikin in 2015.

Owner/CEO of Amy Kemp, Inc.

Amy Kemp is the owner & CEO of Amy Kemp, Inc.  In her work within this growing company, Amy helps leaders and business professionals understand how deeply thought habits impact every part of our work and lives. 

As a certified Habit Finder coach, Amy has led over hundreds of top female business leaders through a four-month leadership development engagement designed to replace unhealthy thought habits with more healthy ones.  She also works through the Habit Finder curriculum with leaders in one-on-one settings and with leadership teams at small and large companies. 

In addition, Amy leads a national sales organization of over 900 independent sales consultants and directors across the United States.  She has led her team of consultants to be the #1 unit of sales consultants in the state of Illinois every year since 2012 and for the last 2 years, the #1 unit in the entire country.   

Most importantly, she is a proud wife and mom.  She has been married to her husband Ryan, a high school administrator and coach at Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School and they have 3 children - Avery who is a freshman at Northwest Missouri State, Anthony who is a junior in high school and Andrew who is in 6th grade.

John Kruep, a native of Decatur and an honors graduate of Eisenhower High School, earned his Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management summa cum laude from Millikin University in 1995. During his time at Millikin, he was recognized with the Scovill Prize in 1994 and named the Outstanding Human Resources Management student that same year. He held several leadership positions, including President and Vice President of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, Treasurer of the Student Senate, President of Alpha Lambda Delta, and President of the Student Society for Human Resource Management.

Following his undergraduate studies, John earned an MBA from the University of Illinois in 1997 and later completed Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program in 2017. With over 25 years of progressive HR leadership experience across three global energy companies, John most recently served as the Chief People Officer at BPX Energy, a BP company. His expertise spans a range of HR functions, including talent acquisition, talent management, performance management, total rewards, employee and leadership development, change management, employee engagement, organization design, workforce planning, cultural transformation, and mergers and acquisitions.

John recently joined the advisory board of Wayside, a company focused on building AI assistants for People teams. His sister Kimberly is also a graduate of Millikin University. Outside of his professional life, John enjoys playing, watching, and discussing sports with his family. He has coached his sons' baseball, basketball, football, and soccer teams. An avid runner, John has completed three marathons and is passionate about traveling, reading, and enjoying desserts.

City Manager, Kankakee, IL 

Elizabeth Kubal currently holds the position of City Manager in Kankakee, IL.  She is responsible for overseeing and managing the daily operations of city departments to ensure services are delivered efficiently to its residents.  Elizabeth was recently appointed to this position and is honored to be the first City Manager in Kankakee’s 171- year history.  Prior to her appointment, Elizabeth served as the City of Kankakee’s Comptroller for 11 years.  Her previous employments include Illinois Power, Decatur Memorial Hospital, the Village of Steger, and the Bourbonnais Township Park District.

Growing up on the west end of Decatur, Millikin University has always been a part of Elizabeth’s life.  After attending LSA and MacArthur High School, Elizabeth enrolled at Millikinin 1995 where she earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting in 1999.  

Community involvement has always been important to Elizabeth.  Over the years, she has served on the Community Foundation of Kankakee River Valley Board of Directors, Riverside Medical Center Foundation Board and Audit Committee, Municipal Bank Board of Directors, City of Kankakee Police Pension Fund Board, and the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Endowment and Parish Fellowship committees.  One of her favorite past times is volunteering as a junior high cross country coach for St. Paul’s Lutheran School.

Elizabeth is married to Joe Kubal (’98) and they have three sons:  Benjamin is a senior in high school, Andrew, a junior in high school and Jacob a seventh grader.  Her mother, Natalie Bernard, worked for Millikin for 25 years.

Executive Director-Market Access & Strategy United States Soybean Export Council

Rosalind (Roz) Leeck is the Senior Director for Global Market Access at the U.S. Soybean Export Council. She is responsible for worldwide activities monitoring and addressing trade barriers and other market access issues that impact the U.S.’s ability to export soy and soy products.

Prior to joining USSEC, Roz served as the Director of Grain Marketing at the Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC) and Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA). She has more than 10 years of experience in the grain trade field with previous positions at Archer Daniels Midland Co. and Demeter L.P. She has also worked for the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, serving in the Division of Soil Conservation.

Roz has been involved in a number of industry activities including serving as Chair of the Indiana Grain and Feed Association and Agribusiness Council of Indiana. Roz originally hails from southern Illinois where she remains a partner in her family’s grain and livestock farm. She received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, a Master of Business Administration from Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, and a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Kevin McGreevey grew up in the south Chicago suburbs and Morton, Illinois after stops in Ocala, Florida and Castro Valley, California. Since 2000, he has been living in Perrysburg, Ohio, an area similar to Decatur that is tied to agriculture and manufacturing. He graduated from Millikin in 1978 with a B.A. in Communications. During his four years at Millikin he was a Football letterman, two year letterman in Track, an Academic All-State Team member, Maxwell Award Winner, and the recipient of the Dr. H.F. Byrd Scholar Athlete Award. Kevin played on two Conference Title Teams and participated in the Boot Hill Bowl Game. Kevin was a member and officer of the Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. 

The McGreevey family has endowed scholarships at Millikin in the School of Nursing and for first time family college attendees. Kevin has over 40 years in consumer product sales, marketing, and logistics with Gillette, Frito-Lay, Anheuser-Busch, and recently retired from D.G. Yuengling & Son Brewery in 2019. Kevin is active in northwest Ohio and international charities, enjoys traveling to new places, physical fitness, golf, reading, and visiting family.

Vice President, Community and Government Affairs, Tate and Lyle

Chris is a native of Decatur, Illinois, and began his career at Illinois Power Company in 1977.  He joined Tate and Lyle in 2005.

Chris has been active in numerous community organizations throughout his career.  These include the Decatur Chamber of Commerce, Millikin Alumni Association, the United Way, Macon Resources (an agency supporting the developmentally disabled), Easter Seals, Rotary, Kiwanis, and the Special Olympics.

Chris and his wife, Debbie, live in Bluffton, South Carolina.  He met his wife at Millikin, and she is also a 1974 graduate.  Debbie formerly worked for the Meridian School District and Decatur Memorial Hospital.  Debbie was also active in the Millikin Decatur Symphony Guild.  The Olsens are still members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Decatur.  They are also members of the Belfair Golf Club in Bluffton, South Carolina, and the Country Club of Decatur. Both Chris and Debbie enjoy golf, college athletics, and travel.

Larry was born and raised in Decatur. A graduate of MacArthur High School, Richland Community College, and in 1978 from Millikin University. Millikin was a great foundation for his professional studies at SIU-SDM graduating in 1982. Upon graduation he returned home to establish his General Dentistry Practice on Mound Road. Professionally he has earned Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry, a Fellow of the American College of Dentists, and a Fellow of the International College of Dentistry. Larry is a Past President of the Illinois State Dental Society (ISDS) and a chair of the Council on Government Affairs for the American Dental Association. He currently serves as the chair of Government Affairs for the ISDS.

Since graduating from dental school 38 years ago, he has served on several community boards: The March of Dimes, Macon County Health Department, and First Lutheran Church. Dr. Osborne most recently served 18 years on the Richland Community College Board of Trustees and also served two terms on the Millikin Alumni Board. Larry and his wife Nancy have a son Samuel, a 2010 Millikin graduate, and their daughter, MacKenzie,, is a 2011 graduate of Greenville University. Larry and Nancy enjoy traveling, golfing, and most outdoor activities.

President & CEO of Consociate Health

Darren grew up in Decatur, Illinois. He attended LSA, MacArthur High School, Millikin University, then SIU School of Law. After graduation from law school, Darren joined his father’s businesses - Mutual of Omaha and Dansig Insurance Services in 1991. In 1995, Darren and his father co-founded Consociate Health as a start-up Third Party Administrator of employee benefit plans. Today Consociate operates in more than 26 States serving companies of all sizes, including Fortune 100 businesses. Darren currently serves as President and CEO.

Darren has served on other boards including CHELP, the Chamber of Commerce, the LSA, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, SouthSide Country Club and the Country Club of Decatur. Darren and Tiffany have three children - Sam, Sydney and Seth. Tiffany’s family has many graduates from Millikin including her father Mike Brelsfoard (‘69), mother Diane (Deremiah) Brelsfoard (‘67), uncles James Deremiah (‘68), John Deremiah (‘68), Jeffrey Deremiah (’70) and great grandmother Edna (Christison) Bradfield (1922). Darren and Tiffany enjoy all things outdoors, traveling with their children, and spending time with their families.  

Attorney

Jay is originally from Quincy, Illinois, but has lived and worked in Chicago since graduating from law school in 2003. At Millikin, he was a double major in English and music with a minor in business. His diverse legal career has involved work for the state and federal governments, one of the top ten law schools in the country, a variety of leading legal publications, and two large international law firms. Currently, he serves as Counsel in the White Collar Criminal Defense & Investigations group at Seyfarth Shaw LLP.

Jay frequently writes and performs sketch and musical comedy in the Chicago area. He is a past committee chair for the Illinois State Bar Association, an active member of the Chicago Bar Association, and a legal volunteer for the National Immigrant Justice Center and Lawyers for the Creative Arts.

Jay and his husband, Ian, have a beagle, Aubrey, and enjoy spending time with Jay’s sister Megan Bates (a 2003 Millikin graduate) and her family, who also live in Chicago. They frequently travel with friends, including an annual trip to Vienna, Austria, where Jay’s law students take part in a moot court competition.

Attorney

David Schrodt is a retired partner of Chapman & Cutler, LLP, where he worked primarily on commercial finance transactions. He continues his work as an attorney, but in a totally different way. He is now the Vice President and Treasurer of the Chicago Council of Lawyers. He is on the Board of the Appleseed Network, a non-profit organization which works to advance the rule of law with 18 centers across the country and in Mexico. He is the founder of the Future Justice Lawyers of Chicago, and he also serves as counsel for various not-for-profit organizations.

David has deep roots at Millikin. He grew up in Decatur and spent countless hours during his youth attending Millikin events with his family. David currently lives in Chicago and has lived in Chicago and the Chicago area for over thirty years. He is an avid reader and a committed life-time learner, and he is over-the-top proud of his two sons, Sam and Noah.

Rector, Basilica of Saint Louis, King (Old Catherdral)
Director, Office of Sacred Worship
Instructor, Kenrick-Glennon Seminary
Campus Minister, Saint Louis University

Founder BLVDier

Zach grew up in Wheaton, Illinois with his parents and older brother.  He played soccer and baseball before moving into fine arts and the speech team at Wheaton North High School.  He spent all 4 years at ���������� School of Theatre & Dance.  Additionally, he was a member of Delta Sigma Phi, Alpha Lambda Delta and worked in the Admission Department.  He performed in dozens or performances and was proud to give commence addresses in 2007 and again with his wife in 2022.

He met his wife, Kirsten (’07), freshman year and began dating junior year eventually getting married in 2011.  They served on ���������� Homecoming Committee together and were also Orientation Leaders.  In 2009 they moved to Chicago where Zach became a working actor and took multiple jobs in retail only to land full time at a clothing store.  After spending 5 years at two different companies, Zach and Kirsten started BLVDier, a custom clothing company in 2014.  Together, they’ve designed and produced over 15,000 garments and accessories for clients all over the world. In his free time, he loves to play with his dog Penelope, five nieces and nephews, and travel to new countries with Kirsten.

Paris received his bachelor's degree in chemistry from Morehead State University in 1998. He earned his Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry at The Ohio State University in 2003. After completing a three-year postdoctoral research appointment in the Materials Science Division at Argonne National Laboratory, Paris was hired to be Millikin University's third inorganic chemist in 2006. 

He has served at Millikin for more than 18 years and holds the rank of Professor. Paris' primary course load involves teaching first-year chemistry courses to majors and non-majors. His research focuses on solid-state inorganic materials and their structural analyses. He has published 17 peer-reviewed journal articles including two with 11 Millikin student co-authors. 

Paris previously served as the chairperson of the former Department of Chemistry, chaired the study group that led to faculty evaluation revision, oversaw two external reviews of the chemistry educational program, contributed to the 2017 Higher Learning Commission reaccreditation (institutional evaluation) report, chaired the Provost's Advisory Committee on Promotion & Tenure for two years, and served on twelve hiring committees. 

Paris has been married to his wife Tracy for 17 years. The Barnes' have three cats and are deeply involved in the welfare and appropriate treatment of animals. Paris is active within his church and the local community. He also enjoys running in his spare time.

Matthew Flaten is ���������� Public Relations Coordinator. Originally from Eau Claire, Wisc., Matthew has a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of Washington. Matthew also serves as the Vice-Chair of the Millikin University Staff Advisory Council (MUSAC). 

Before coming to Millikin in Jan. 2023, Matthew was a reporter for the Decatur Herald & Review, covering high school and college sports, including the Big Blue. His wife, Dr. Laura Dean, is an Associate Professor of Political Science and the Director of the Human Trafficking Research Lab at Millikin. He and Laura have traveled the globe, including living abroad in Ukraine and Latvia. In his free time, Matt enjoys watching movies, collecting sports trading cards, and surviving as a Green Bay Packers Shareholder living in the original home of the Chicago Bears.

Kyler Griggs is a Junior at Millikin University majoring in English Creative Writing with a Philosophy Pre-law minor. She is the Student Representative Designate to the Board of Trustees, and also works on campus as a peer tutor for Public and Professional Speaking. Griggs has aspired to be a screenwriter or author since she was a child and her mother wrote the book “Bob Beetle Book Bug” for her, sparking her love for writing. After graduating, she plans to attend law school to become a Civil Rights Attorney. Currently, she is continuing to work on writing novels and hopes to have them published before she graduates in 2026.