Turner School Introduces 2024-2025 Advisory Council

Bradley University's Turner School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation has announced its Advisory Council for the coming year.

The 2024-2025 Advisory Council will play a pivotal role in guiding the strategic direction and growth of the school. Members will offer expert advice on curriculum development, ensuring that the educational programs align with the latest industry trends and entrepreneurial practices. The council also supports Turner School in establishing key partnerships with business leaders, fostering connections that enhance student opportunities for internships, mentorships, and real-world experience.

The Turner School Advisory Council is a diverse group of accomplished professionals and leaders from various sectors. Their collective expertise spans industries such as technology, finance, marketing, and education, providing a well-rounded perspective that will help guide the school in shaping its programs and initiatives.

The members of the 2024-2025 Turner School Advisory Council include (in alphabetical order):

Robert Drew: After earning his degree in Finance from Bradley University, Rob began his journey in CPG retail first as a consultant with PwC and later in sales and marketing with The Coca-Cola Company.  During his career he has collaborated with giants like Coca-Cola, Danone, MillerCoors, Kraft, Unilever, and countless emerging brands in bringing new ideas, products, and solutions to the market.

Today he serves as Managing Partner at Retail Strategy Partners, a growth consultancy helping clients optimize win strategies and build commercial capabilities.  As an executive with IRI, Rob led the U.S. mid-market organization, with brands such as Ghirardelli, Welch’s, and Keurig standup data, tech, analytics, and insights assets.

Rob was a founder of LIFT – a retail media company that pioneered cloud-based shopper targeting solutions and was later acquired by VeriFone.  Rob and his wife have 3 children and live in Atlanta, GA.

Jim Foley: As Director of the Turner Center for Entrepreneurship, and the Illinois SBDC International Trade Center at Bradley University, Jim manages programs and related staff of counseling and training in international business planning, marketing, logistics, export finance, and entrepreneurship.  The center is a joint venture between the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Bradley University with a mission to promote business startup, growth, and international trade.

Jim is also Director of International Programs for the Foster College of Business. Jim is the author of the book The Global Entrepreneur, which discusses techniques to expand international trade for small to midsize companies.

Seshadri Guha:  Guha has over 30 years of experience in managing complex business challenges and defining unique approaches for business strategy. His expertise spans from transformation science to technology architecture and business modeling strategies for exclusive solutions. Guha is a founding partner and member of the executive management team at CGN Global.

In 2023, Guha, along with his wife, Dr. Meenakshy Aiyer, Regional Dean at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria, were named a Local Legend by Peoria Magazine. In 2021, TADA received the Entrepreneur and Convergence Business Award from Bradley, and in 2015, became a Central Illinois Business Hall of Fame Laureate.

Gregg Holst: Gregg, a Bradley Electrical Engineering Technology graduate, is CEO at CAS Holdings (iAutomation, RND Automation and Paneltek). He has extensive experience leading and transforming commercial enterprises in publicly traded and privately held environments in both manufacturing and distribution.

Kathleen M.B. Holst: Kathi, a Bradley Accounting graduate, is President of RCMS, a software company that helps construction companies standardize, digitize, and automate back-office processes.

Kathi served as a Bradley University Trustee since 2011, including term as Board Chair. She previously served on the National Council of Advisors for the Foster College of Business. Additionally, she received the Distinguished Alumna Award and was named a Centurion in 2010. Mr. Holst is a member of the Caterpillar College of Engineering & Technology Executive Advisory Council.

Craig Thompson: I have been an entrepreneur most of my life. I had an interest in doing sound systems for shows and county fairs. I did this while going to Bradley for a BS in Electrical Engineering and Technology ‘74, and the practical electronics application was quite helpful.

I was accepted into the Bradley MBA program but soon afterward started my company, Thompson Electronics Company in 1980. The value of my company and investment grew and was recently sold to a group based in France with similar interests to mine.

Bradley University has played an important role in my life, and I hope that I have paid it forward for others to accomplish great things. My first passion is Bradley Men’s basketball and my wife, and I have hardly missed a game in years. As a ham radio enthusiast, each year, I invite the Bradley University Amateur Radio Club to my farm in Trivoli, IL.

Carolyn Turner: Carolyn received a BS from the University of IL and an MBA from Villanova University. After a career in marketing, she turned her attention to Robert and Carolyn’s four children and the Turner’s charitable efforts through the Turner Family Foundation.

Carolyn has served on numerous boards including the Philadelphia Zoo and the Willistown Conservation Trust.  She has and remains active in church activities. Carolyn was the catalyst for the Turner School Council and felt compelled to include Innovation in the name of the school.

Robert Turner, CFA: Robert received a BS and MBA from Bradley University.  He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).  He began his business career with Accenture, before transitioning to investments. After a few years with a financial advisor and insurance company, Robert founded Turner Investment Partners.  It grew to be one of the largest independent and successful growth equity investment managers in the country.  Robert now manages the Windhill Family office with his sons.

Robert has served on numerous for profit and nonprofit boards. He served on the Bradley University Board of Trustees for 12 years and chaired the Board for three years.  Robert and his wife Carolyn endowed the Turner Center for Entrepreneurship and the Turner School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Bradley University. The Turner Center has created or preserved tens of thousands of jobs in and around Peoria, while the Turner School was the first independent School of Entrepreneurship in the country offering entrepreneurial opportunities and experiences to non-business majors.

Norman Understein: Norman has been an entrepreneur for more than 50 years, developing internet, medical, publishing and other business ventures (see www.usacompanies.com). He has been a member of the Advisory Council of the Turner School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation since 2018, and for several years has been a judge for Bradley’s Big Idea Contest.

Norman graduated Bradley in 1966, and two years later developed his first entrepreneur idea – a pocket size zip code directory that sold over 1 million copies.

Jennifer Zammuto: Jennifer started her career in international exports and marketing (with certifications from Bradley University’s Turner Center), working at L.R. Nelson Corporation and Converse Marketing focused on advertising, corporate communications, and public relations before transitioning into philanthropic work for the Caterpillar Foundation. Her unique background brings corporate processes and a customer focus to her work today in leading the Heart of Illinois United Way, a unique data-driven, collaborative nonprofit organization.

Fluent in French, Jennifer studied at Northern Illinois University and Universite d'Avignon, and worked in Europe during her early career. While at Caterpillar, she earned an Executive MBA certificate from Bradley University.

An active community member, she served on almost every committee at the Heart of Illinois United Way before accepting the leadership role as President in 2018. Previously, she was a member of Downtown Rotary, CEO Council and the Center for Prevention of Abuse Board. Currently, Jennifer serves on the Greater Peoria EDC Governing Board, LISC Central Illinois Board, Choose Greater Peoria, Regional Workforce Alliance, the Health Care Collaborative, the Tri County Partnership for a Healthy Community, Al Hooks Black Leadership Initiative and more. Receiving the Women of Influence award from Peoria Magazines, being honored by the Junior League of Peoria as an Empowering Woman, and the Community Foundation’s Women Leader in Business award, she is most proud of supporting highly engaged teams through common sense leadership.