Illinois State University alumnus Steve Hagge, president and CEO of AptarGroup, Inc., will be the keynote speaker for Illinois State’s Business Week 2017, February 20 to 24.

Events will include a professional development and etiquette dinner, a golf outing, and seminars on transitioning from college to the work world and corporate social responsibility. For a complete list of the week’s events, speakers, locations, and student registration information, go online.

image of Steve Hagge

Steve Hagge

Hagge will give a talk titled “Adapting to a Changing International Marketplace” at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, February 23, in the Center for Performing Arts. A College of Business Alumni Network reception will follow the keynote address. The presentation and reception are both free and open to the public. Hagge’s presentation is also part of Illinois State’s Speaker Series.

Hagge joined AptarGroup, Inc. in 1981 and has held various senior executive positions including chief operating officer, chief financial officer, and group vice president of finance. He has also been serving as a member of AptarGroup’s board of directors since 2001.

Hagge is chairman of the AptarGroup Charitable Foundation, which funds an employee matching gift program and provides grants for health and human service organizations as well as cultural programs in the communities in which AptarGroup’s employees live and work. He also serves on the board of directors of CF Industries, a global leader in fertilizer manufacturing and distribution. Prior to joining AptarGroup, Hagge obtained his CPA license and worked for Arthur Andersen in Chicago.

Six senior level executives will be officially inducted into the College of Business Hall of Fame during Business Week 2017. Alumni Hall of Fame inductees include Penny Cermak ’89, MS ’91, CFO for Baylor Scott & White Health (BSWH)-Central Texas; Jamie Huff ’96, MBA ’09, president of Progressive Impressions International (pii), a Bloomington-based company; Kris Lutt, MBA ’06, president, sweeteners and starches, in Archer Daniels Midland Company’s corn processing business unit; William Motchar ’85,  president and chief executive officer of Navis Global; and Ron Whitton Jr. ’80, co-founder and owner of Dentsmart Paintfree Dent Removal. The Service Hall of Fame inductee is Drew Butts, group talent acquisition/training and development manager for Enterprise Holdings–Chicago. Read more about the inductees.

Business Week is sponsored by the College of Business and brings corporate and industry leaders to campus to speak on important issues, trends, and cutting-edge developments. The week’s events help students from all academic disciplines better understand the skills needed for success in a dynamic global business environment and emphasize educational preparation, leadership, service, etiquette, networking, goal setting, and career advancement. Business Week is managed by a student-led committee with guidance from staff.