The Andrew Purnell Jr. Trailblazer Award recognizes Illinois State University alumni who are trailblazers in their careers through their leadership and pioneering abilities, and contributions that indicate impact, inspiration, and involvement. The site says, “The recipient of this award demonstrates a heart of great compassion to give and to serve; to significantly improve or enrich the lives of others and the welfare of humanity.”
Alum Brian Little has demonstrated these qualities and has been recognized by his peers, co-workers, community, and Illinois State University as a trailblazer. Little grew up in Peoria and as a child dreamed of being a very successful executive, although unsure at 5 years old what that meant, he was fortunate to have role models in his life to point the way. As an avid reader, he began to see the world differently. “Illinois State was a significant step of the journey from a boyhood aspiration to the realization of my dreams,” Little said.
He graduated from Illinois State University in 1983 with a master’s degree in communication, with a focus on organizational communication and leadership. Now, a leader and trailblazer, he is the vice president of corporate human resources for Intel Corporation in Santa Clara, California.
For Little, the Andrew Purnell Jr. Trailblazer Award sets itself apart from the rest. As Little explained, “Illinois State University, is always going to be near and dear to my heart. The school helped me in many ways, looking back across an extensive career, spanning many organizations and industries. Not knowing where it would take me but ultimately placing me on the path to live out my dreams.”
Illinois State is always top of mind. Most recently, Little and his wife, also an HR executive, whom he dated while at Illinois State, initiated a new scholarship in honor of Charles Martin, an early mentor, to help support underrepresented students in the field of insurance. As CHRO for Zurich North America, Little made sure that Illinois State was one of the schools that his previous employer, Zurich North America, would engage for new talent. Working closely with top senior executives, and another alum who became CEO for the North America unit, they ensured that top students from Illinois State were exposed to the company and considered the organization as top destination.
At Zurich, Little was instrumental in creating a first-of-its-kind apprenticeship program—the first to be certified by the U.S. Department of Labor in the insurance industry. “The program helped to transform lives. It helped the company and the commercial insurance industry provide opportunities to underrepresented communities,” Little said. “I wanted to help by providing career paths, not just a job.”
Currently, Little is able to have a broad impact across another large international organization, which allows him to shape the future of people in technology. This involves focusing on integrating people and business strategies. He works closely with executives to help determine the company’s people investments and reputation, which attracts the best and brightest talent, providing world class development opportunities, and enabling leadership teams to perform at their peak to deliver top business performance.
This position, as well as the many leadership roles he has had, helps to support the lives of employees within the company and the communities they serve. Most importantly, Little’s position gives him the ability to work closely with amazing teams. Little says, “I have helped change the field of HR by reconstituting what great looks like and move HR from providing tactical policy management and administration to solving business problems that help organizations get their desired results through people.”
Little emphasizes that Illinois State University influenced what he brings to the corporate world and helped him to see the world more broadly. Little says, “When I started my career, I had a solid educational background, and leadership skills developed by on-campus activities and from my position as co-captain of the track team. I developed soft skills from working with and competing side by side with students that came from different backgrounds and different views of the world.”
When asked about advice he would give today’s Redbird students, Little shares a perspective he also provides his own two adult children. Little says, “Redbirds are often associated with hope and passion, so taking that to heart, be opportunistic and be aggressive when change is necessary. Seek to take the right risks, make change in the world for good.”
