You have an Economics Degree from the University of Illinois, that is great! But what can you do with it? Below are some notable Alumni from the UIUC Economics Major!
Paul Barr
Paul Barr has extensive experience as a business and financial journalist as well as experience working in the mutual fund industry. In the journalism field, he has had the opportunity to cover such topics as the Passage of the Affordable Care Act, the Great Recession of the 2000s,the bursting of the Internet bubble of the late 1990s, futures markets, derivatives and the hedge fund industry. In addition, he worked as an assistant on the trading desk of several fixed income funds before and after the stock market crash of 1987. During his time at Illinois, he worked at the ticket desk of the Krannert Center for Performing Arts and a waiter for Illini Union Catering. Mr. Barr currently lives in Downers Grove, Ill., and is married with two grown daughters, one of them a member of U of I’s Class of 2013.
Career highlights:
- Senior Writer – Hospitals & Health Networks magazine
- News Editor, Reporter – Modern Healthcare magazine
- Managing Editor, Senior Reporter – HedgeWorld
- Senior Editor – Online Investor magazine
- Trading Assistant – Van Kampen Merritt
Brian Jeselnick
Brian Jeselnick’s path led him to a career with The Walt Disney Company, where analytics and financial modeling are tools to understanding and improving the magic guests experience at Disney Parks and Resorts around the world. In Mr. Jeselnick’s current role, he is tasked with developing the business case for new products, services and business strategies that focus on improving the guest experience within the Disney Parks & Resorts. Additionally, as a part of Walt Disney World’s upcoming launch of MyMagic+, he is responsible for overseeing the testing and integration of the Annual Passholder product.
Brian’s prior roles with The Walt Disney Company involved developing guest-centric pricing strategies, identifying new products and services for both Walt Disney World and Disneyland, and pricing imaging and merchandise products – including the world famous Mouse Ears. Before the door opened on his Disney career, Mr. Jeselnick worked as a consultant, focused on implementing best practice operational processes, technology, and analysis to drive revenue cycle improvements in the health care industry. He also served as a commercial loan underwriter on Middle Market/Leveraged Finance transactions for Merrill Lynch.
Mr. Jeselnick feeds his personal curiosity through running, travel, and entertaining at home in Celebration, FL with his dog Finnegan and wife Melissa (UIUC, BS, Mech. Eng.), who also works for The Walt Disney Company.
Career Highlights:
- Manager, Business Development; Experience Development – Walt Disney Parks & Resorts
- Manager, Strategic Pricing Initiatives; Pricing – Walt Disney Parks & Resorts
- Pricing Analyst, Merchandise & Imaging; Pricing – Walt Disney World Resort, Co.
- Consultant – Jeselnick & Associates
- Associate – Merrill Lynch
Susan Keegan
Since February 1, 2012, Susan has served as the Executive Director of the Center for Disability & Elder Law. CDEL’s mission is to provide quality legal services to low-income seniors and people with disabilities in Chicago and Cook County pro bono and to foster pro bono service throughout the Chicago area legal communities. Prior to taking over the helm at CDEL, Susan engaged in private practice focusing on plaintiff’s business litigation and human rights work including her partnership with the international human rights firm D’Amato Keegan & Duggan LLC in Chicago.
Susan also served as Policy Advisor for the State Treasurer from 1991 to 1995, acting as counsel to the Illinois Public Treasurers’ Investment Pool, a public investment pool with assets in excess of 2.5 billion dollars. In 2012, Governor Pat Quinn appointed Susan Chairman of the Quality Card Board for the State of Illinois. The Board monitors and oversees the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The OIG assists in investigating reports of abuse and fosters humane and caring treatment of people with mental and developmental disabilities. In addition, Susan is a Director of Green Earth Productions, Inc. which just completed the filming of full length feature film. It is in the editing process and scheduled to be submitted to the Sundance Film Festival for January, 2014.
Susan has been married to attorney Mark Furlane since 1987 and is the mother of two children, Gahan Patricia and Michael Keegan. She has been a resident of Chicago since 1989.
Career highlights:
- Executive Director – Center for Disability & Elder Law
- Chairman – Quality Care Board for the State of Illinois
- Director – Green Earth Productions, Inc.
- Private Practice Attorney
- Policy Advisor to the State Treasurer
James Pinkstaff
Jimmie Pinkstaff is an attorney and CPA who lives in Champaign-Urbana, but works remotely for the Chicago office of Sedgwick LLP, an international law firm headquartered in San Francisco. As part of that work, he focuses on Directors & Officers insurance risks for clients located in Bermuda or at Lloyd’s of London in England. Insurers issue Directors & Officers insurance to provide certain protections to companies in the event that the corporation’s executives are sued. When such lawsuits arise, Jimmie analyzes the nature of the lawsuit and determines whether his client (i.e., the insurer or reinsurer) has an obligation to make payment pursuant to the terms and conditions of the insurance policy. This type of work has provided Jimmie with a unique view from the proverbial “10,000 feet” of the corporate scandals that have plagued the U.S. business environment since he graduated from law school in 2002.
Prior to working at Sedgwick, Jimmie worked at Sidley Austin LLP which is also located in Chicago. In that capacity, he worked with clients including investment banks, hedge funds and insurers/reinsurers to create securities products from insurance risks which were then sold in the capital markets. Such products often related to natural catastrophe bonds, industry loss warrants for the aviation industry and the development of a secondary market for life insurance products.
During his junior year at the University of Illinois, Jimmie studied abroad in Brazil. He has returned many times and as a result now speaks fluent Portuguese. He enjoys surfing in Porto de Galinhas (outside of Recife, Brazil) and trained Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Carlson Gracie in Chicago. He also enjoys snowboarding in Lake Tahoe, California and investing.
Career Highlights:
- Attorney – Sedgwick, LLP
- Attorney – Sidney Austin, LLP
Adam Nielsen
Adam Nielsen is the Director of National Legislation and Policy Development in the Governmental Affairs and Commodities Division of the Illinois Farm Bureau. Mr. Nielsen plans and executes the organization’s national legislative programs, acts as a liaison with the Congressional delegation, works closely with county Farm Bureaus by assisting them in development of their national legislative contact programs, and organizes the association’s fly-ins to Washington, D.C. Mr. Nielsen is also responsible for the implementation of IFB’s policy development program, coordination of the Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable, and serves as assistant secretary of ACTIVATOR, IFB’s political involvement committee. As a former local elected official, Mr. Nielsen served 12 years on the Normal (IL) Town Council.
Prior to his time at the IFB, Mr. Nielsen spent 14 years in radio and TV news in Bloomington-Normal-Peoria. As a student, he was the News Director of WPGU-FM in 1985-1986 and covered the Chicago Bears preparing for the 1986 Super Bowl.
Career highlights:
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Director of National Legislation and Policy Development – Illinois Farm Bureau
- Director of Issue Management and Multimedia – Illinois Farm Bureau
- Council Member – Town of Normal, Illinois
Juli Bark
Ms. Bark is best known for being a builder and architect of brands, business growth and high-performance teams across a diverse industry portfolio; she has a broad skill set which includes digital marketing, thought leadership and social media. She is a progressive and inventive marketing professional known for translating strategies into unparalleled results. She is recognized for a unique ability to think broadly about complex business issues while using innovative approaches to deliver in fast-paced, dynamic environments. She has a demonstrated record of creating and galvanizing high-performance sales and marketing teams to achieve measurable revenue and profit objectives.
Career highlights:
- Marketing Advisor – JB Consulting
- EVP, Marketing and Strategic Development – Computershare
- Senior Marketing Manager, Healthcare Tax, Audit and Consulting – KPMG
- Director of Marketing, IBA, ENN, and Chefwear
- Various Sales and Marketing Positions – Baxter Healthcare
Mr. Joseph R. Burden, CLU, CHFC
Joe Burden began his career as an agent in the life insurance business in 1977 at age 26 in Champaign, Illinois. He joined the Robert E. Castelo Agency for Northwestern Mutual Life after being an apprentice for three years in the Professional Golfers Association of America.
Mr. Burden graduated in June, 1973 from the University of Illinois, Urbana campus, with a B.A. degree in economics. In 1972, he was named to the Coaches of America All America team for varsity golf at the Division I NCAA level. He was Captain of the men’s varsity golf team at the University of Illinois during the 1971-1972 and 1972-1973 seasons.
Mr. Burden’s areas of business focus and professional expertise include the personal high net worth market and the closely held private sector business market. Mr. Burden designs life insurance solutions for clients to meet their objectives. On the client’s estate planning team, Mr. Burden combines his technical expertise in life insurance products with proven gift, estate and income tax strategies to achieve goals the client has set forth for efficient wealth transfer of assets and bequests to beneficiaries.
Mr. Burden is a Life and qualifying Member of the Million Dollar Round Table and is a member of the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting (“AALU”), a national association of the leading life insurance professionals who advocate favorable life insurance product taxation with the U.S. Congress.
Mr. Burden resides in Chicago, Illinois with his wife, Melinda. The Burdens have three adult daughters, Elizabeth, who lives in Los Angeles, Anna, who lives in Montreal and Casey, who lives in Chicago, Illinois.
Richard Winkel
Former senator Richard J. Winkel is the director of IGPA’s Office of Public Leadership, which coordinates education and training opportunities for state and local government officials in Illinois. The Office of Public Leadership provides leadership and management training, mentoring and other learning opportunities for elected and appointed government officials, primarily at the municipal, township and county levels. The office also consults with units of government interested in improving their leadership education and in other matters of policy and procedure. It is one of four centers of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs.
Professor Winkel has served as a visiting senior fellow of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs (IGPA) and an adjunct professor in the College of Law at the University of Illinois, where he teaches a course on legislation and legislative process. He also hosted the popular weekly radio program, “Government Insight,” a joint partnership with the College of Law, IGPA, and WDWS-AM 1400 and served as an analyst on the extensive WDWS-AM 1400 Election Night coverage team.
Professor Winkel was an Illinois state senator from 2003 to 2007, and an Illinois state representative from 1995 to 2003. From 1992 to 1994, he was a member of the Champaign County Board, where he served as chairman of the policy, procedures, and appointments committee. Professor Winkel practiced law in the Champaign-Urbana area for 23 years in civil litigation and, while serving in the Illinois General Assembly, a general civil practice. He was of counsel at Meyer Capel Law Firm while in the legislature, and before that a partner at Harrington, Porter & Winkel, in Champaign. He earned his law degree at DePaul University, College of Law in 1982.
Winkel is a co-author of a book entitled Illinois Politics, published by University of Illinois Press in January 2010. He was a contributing author for the following reports published by the Institute of Government and Public Affairs: Opportunities for Reforms and Culture Change in Illinois Politics (The Illinois Report 2010, IGPA); Challenges and Opportunities: On the Road to Reform in Illinois (IGPA, March 27, 2009); Multiplicity of Governments; Paucity of Money: A Look at Options for Local Government Consolidation and Streamlining in Illinois (IGPA, October 27, 2008); and Is There a Con-Con in Illinois’ Future? (The Illinois Report 2008, IGPA). He was a contributing editor for two publications: “Covenants Not to Compete: A State-By-State Survey,” American Bar Association, 1991; “Employee Duty of Loyalty: A State-By-State Survey,” American Bar Association, 1995.
In 1979, Professor Winkel earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (B.A., Economics), where he was a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon, Omicron Delta Kappa, and an Edmund J. James Scholar.