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Lessons in Leading Today: Dennis Chookaszian

February 5, 2014
Dennis Chookaszian

Dennis Chookaszian

Dennis Chookaszian, retired chairman and CEO of CNA Insurance Companies, is an icon in the business and education worlds.

During his career, he has served as a director on the boards of 11 publicly traded companies.

He is a director of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the world’s largest derivatives exchange; Career Education, a private post-secondary education provider; Allscripts, a leading provider of software for the health care industry; Internet Patents Corp., which licenses Internet patents; and MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates, an information services company.

As a leader in education, he is an adjunct professor and advisory board member at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, a trustee of Northwestern University and an advisory board member of Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.

Chookaszian will share his leadership experience Thursday, Feb. 20, as the keynote speaker at Northern Illinois University’s Executive Leadership Forum conference, “Lessons in Leading Today.”

The Executive Leadership Forum – an NIU Alumni Association group – holds events throughout the year to bring business leaders of diverse backgrounds together for discussions and networking.

Logo of the NIU Alumni Association Executive Leadership ForumThe business community is invited to the conference to discuss gaining ground in a global economy, achieving competitive positioning and using the best leadership practices. The conference will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Mid-America Club in the Aon Building, 200 E. Randolph Drive, Chicago.

A panel discussion on leadership practices will be presented by Rita Athas, retired president of World Business Chicago, and Jerry Roper, retired president and CEO of Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.

Jeffrey Yordon, founder of Sagent Pharmaceuticals, will share his expertise on competitive positioning. His company was rated No. 1 on Crain’s 2013 Fast Fifty list of Chicago’s fastest growing companies.

During the cocktail reception at 5 p.m., meet NIU President Doug Baker and network with other business leaders.

The event is free for Executive Leadership Forum members and $50 for nonmembers. Registration is available online.