Bruce Bennett ’93

Bruce Bennett ’93 recently joined Benson Hill’s Executive Leadership Team as President of its Ingredients business segment. Benson Hill, based in St. Louis, MO, is a food tech company unlocking the natural genetic diversity of plants with its cutting-edge food innovation engine. In this newly created role, Bennett will oversee global operations and adoption of Benson Hill’s ingredients portfolio for the growing plant-based protein market to enable more nutrient-dense, better-tasting, and sustainable food.

Mark Gibson ’93

Mark Gibson ’93 of Madison, Wisconsin, died June 4, 2021. He was 49. Mark majored in chemistry at Illinois Wesleyan and later attended graduate school at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He worked as a software engineer for Forte Research Systems (now Advarra, Inc.) for more than 15 years. His hobbies included playing the piano and classical guitar, learning and speaking foreign languages, ballroom dancing, and participating in charity runs. A devoted husband and father, his family was his priority. He is survived by his wife, two children and a sister. More information can be found here.

TAG Day 2021

Monday, February 8 is Thank-A-Giver Day at Illinois Wesleyan and we’re eager to celebrate generous Titans!

Thank-A-Giver (TAG) Day is the symbolic point during the academic year — about 70% of the way through — when tuition dollars are exhausted and Illinois Wesleyan relies on donor generosity to continue providing a world-class education and rewarding collegiate experiences.

Each and every year, every gift matters. Contributions benefit students and faculty, enhance academic excellence, and strengthen the IWU community.

Thank you to all who give back to move IWU forward.

Julie Brown-Haapapuro ‘93

Julie Brown-Haapapuro ‘93 has served as the head of Human Resources for PBS Distribution, in Arlington, Virginia, since 2018. She previously served in a variety of human resources roles, most recently at MicroStrategy and Freddie Mac. She also serves as President of JBH Consulting, Inc., a human resources consulting service she founded in 2010.

Shaye Mandle ‘93

Shaye Mandle ‘93 took part in a panel discussion on the technological and economic renaissance taking place in Rochester, Minnesota, hosted by Finance and Commerce. Shaye has served as president and CEO of the Medical Alley Association since May 2014, overseeing a period of dramatic growth and transformation for the association.

Todd Stocke ‘93

Thank you to Todd Stocke ’93 who gave a virtual Titan Career Chat called Book Publishing 101 on 4/20/20, concerning his experience as Senior Vice President and Editorial Director of Sourcebooks, one of the world’s leading independent book publishers.

 

Titans Supporting Titans

Ways to Support Fellow Titans
    1. To share a word of support for your classmates at this time, submit a post to your class newsletter by emailing your editor or if your class does not have an editor, send your post to classnews@iwu.edu.
    2. You can provide support to the Titan Student Emergency Fund. This fund will provide relief to students with needs such as housing, travel, moving and storage, transportation and vehicle repair, and technology needs related to remote learning.
    3. If you have expertise or a career opportunity that you can share with students, please connect with a Hart Career Center staff member for a phone or video appointment through a Handshake account here. You can also post job and internship opportunities on the site. View FAQs here.
    4. University Archives & Special Collections wants to hear your experiences and reflections to keep a historical record of the impact of the pandemic on the Illinois Wesleyan community, you can learn more here.
    5. Assist the IWU Admissions team in student recruitment efforts. Our alumni are the best and most qualified to meet with prospective students to share your IWU experience. Sign up here: Titan Alumni Ambassadors.
    6. You can see more ideas here.