Alumni Connect at “Growth in Chicago” Event

“The event drew alumni from a wide range of classes,” reports Director of Alumni Relations Meghan Huffman Brennan ’07. “It reaffirms what we already believe—there is so much potential and opportunity in our network.”

Kevin W. Willer ’92, partner at Chicago Ventures, presided over the panel that featured John Gavin ’86, principal at Sterling Bay; current parent Karen Sauder, Global Client Partner at Google; and Edward J. Wehmer ’72, president and CEO at Wintrust. The theme of the evening was the emergence of Chicago as a hub for entrepreneurs and startups.

“The three panelists had different stories, but shared a common theme of taking risks to pursue a business opportunity,” says Rory P. Kenny ’06, who serves as chair of the President's Leadership Council Board and helped organize the event.

Executive Vice President Dennis R. Stonequist ’90 was most impressed by the conversation that the panel sparked. “There was an honesty and a realness to it that you don’t find at most networking events,” he notes.  

“The best part of the evening was the candid discussion from the panel,” agrees James W. Lyman ’79. “There were lessons for young and old alumni alike. I heard a few of my own beliefs repeated over and over again: I will always make time for a  Loyola Academy graduate, and you know what type of person you are dealing with when they have a Loyola Academy background.”    

The event drew a large crowd of alumni at all stages of their careers. Liam T. Stanton ’05 recently launched Buoy, a company that helps employers create better workplaces by providing them an easy way to offer their teams meaningful perks. “There was a buzz in the room,” he says. “People were excited to be there with fellow Ramblers, connecting and reconnecting. Being a Loyola alum is clearly very important and meaningful to so many.”

Alumni in attendance represented dozens of industries and businesses including Walgreens, AON, Wells Fargo, the Chicago Cubs, Petra Title, Vedder Price, Deloitte, Burling Bank, Chicago Public Schools and more. The President’s Leadership Council plans to expand its programming to offer more events like this one in the future.

“These events continue to keep our Rambler community connected to each other and serve as a reminder of the values we learned as students at Loyola,” says Les Seitzinger ’88, Loyola principal gifts officer and sophomore football coach.   

Alumni Relations would like to express its gratitude to Google, Sterling Bay, Wintrust and the three panelists for their insight and expertise and Petra Title for underwriting a portion of the event. A special thanks to Kevin W. Willer ’92 for moderating the panel.