Barbara L. McCloud is Vice President and General Counsel for Midwestern University. Ms. McCloud earned her BS degree from Northern Arizona University and her MBA and JD degrees from the University of Kansas.

Plymouth Place is a life care community in the western suburbs of Chicago that has been providing a full continuum of senior living and care options for seniors since 1944. The not-for-profit community offers independent living apartments, assisted living apartments, memory support suites and skilled nursing care. For more information, visit www.PlymouthPlace.org

The Conference Center at George Williams College is situated on the shores of Geneva Lake and located on the campus of George Williams College of Aurora University in Williams Bay, WI. Our 133 acres and 860 feet of shoreline offer an ideal escape from everyday life and the perfect environment for rest and reflection. Bring a group for a day of executive planning or plan an overnight, distraction-free retreat or business meeting. *98 rooms, including lakefront accommodations *22,000 square feet of flexible and spacious meeting areas *Professional meeting and conference staff *Private venues for informal meetings or social gatherings *Delicious catered buffet or plated meal options serving groups up to 350 *Team-building and leadership development opportunities *Exercise facilities, volleyball, tennis and recreation pavilion *18-hole historic golf course *Private beach and pier *Lakeside bonfires *Lake access with buoy rentals or nearby boat rentals *A relaxing, tranquil environment The Conference Center at George Williams College — your home on the lake.

Bronson & Bratton has been manufacturing tungsten carbide & ceramic tools, dies, and precision parts since 1948. Bronson & Bratton has divisions in seals, powder metal tooling, draw dies, can tooling, rolls, aerospace, and medical. We specialize in difficult materials and tight tolerances. Walter D. Bronson and William J. Bratton founded Bronson & Bratton in 1948. Formerly G.E. Carboloy sales engineers, they recognized the need for a company with the knowledge and skill to finish carbide, and a dedication to serve the customer. Early applications for Bronson & Bratton concentrated on wire and bar drawing dies. Mandrels for tube drawing were soon added. Then heading, nail dies, blanking, and deep drawing applications followed. Bronson & Bratton pioneered the successful application of carbide in tools and dies used in many processes: can lid forming, roll forming, seaming, straightening, and aluminum can drawing. Soon the applications broadened into non-metal working areas: jet fuel atomization, milk evaporation, nuclear fuel pellet compacting, pet food extrusion, rotary seals, and sleeve bearings. With more recent additions in equipment we are expanding our capabilities into high precision machining for the aerospace and medical industries. Now in our third location, we are also in the third generation of Bronson family management. We have slowly and steadily grown from 4 employees to almost 100. Our accumulated knowledge and skill has increased, and our dedication to serve our customers has never wavered.

Rockford University is a private four-year, co-educational institution founded in 1847 offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in traditional liberal arts and professional fields. The University offers more than 80 majors, minors and concentrations, including the adult bachelor's degree completion program in business management. Through the Adult Graduate Studies department, degrees are extended to include the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), and Master of Education in Urban Education, (M.Ed.). Rockford University is home to one of only 11 Phi Beta Kappa (PBK) chapters in Illinois, the most prestigious honor society in the United States. Named by The Princeton Review as a Best Midwestern College and is a U.S. News & World Report Best Midwest Regional University, Rockford University currently serves approximately 1,250 full-and part-time students. Rockford University students belong to a community of communities, have access to accomplished and engaged faculty and staff, learn from academic experiences with practical applications, and benefit from a focus on global perspectives. Students develop the knowledge, values, and skills that impact their lives and our world.

Lewis University is an innovative and entrepreneurial Catholic university offering market-relevant undergraduate and graduate programs to 6,500 students. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis University is nationally recognized for preparing intellectually engaged, ethically grounded, globally connected and socially responsible graduates. Visit www.lewisu.edu for further information.

The Avery Coonley School (ACS) is known as a leader in gifted education. Established in 1906, we offer advanced and gifted learners in preschool through eighth grade a curriculum with the depth, pace, and complexity to challenge them to the fullest. All ACS faculty are experienced with and understand the emotional and educational needs of gifted children and are skilled in differentiating their instruction to support individual learners. Nearly three-quarters of our faculty hold advanced degrees and the average tenure of an ACS teacher is nine years. Our campus is located in Downers Grove, Illinois on 13 acres of inspiring learning spaces with state-of-the-art technology, flexible space for individual and collaborative work, expansive art studio, music room, library, computer lab, and Makerspace. The campus includes 9,000 square feet of outdoor play areas, a challenge course, athletic field, gymnasium, outdoor swimming pool, and pond.

Flinn Scientific, Inc., based in Batavia, Illinois, is a comprehensive multi-line supplier of manufactured and purchased science education products and curricula. Since its founding in 1977, as a laboratory chemicals supplier to high school science teachers, Flinn has continuously expanded its product lines and markets and has developed an intensely loyal, growing base of science teacher customers across all 50 states. Science isn’t just our business— it’s our passion. We make teaching science easier, because we believe in science. We believe in curiosity and determination— in the insatiable quest for knowledge, and the transformative power of breakthroughs. We love those moments when true understanding dawns, and the light bulbs come on, so we love enabling them in our own small way. Science matters— and we also happen to think it's pretty cool. We’ve been a market leader in science supplies & solutions for over 40 years. Join us and find out why! The ongoing success of Flinn Scientific has created new opportunities for talented people interested in joining a company on its path of long-term sustainable growth.

Wheaton Academy was founded in 1853 and continues as one of the oldest and most respected private Christian high schools in America. WA is characterized by high academic standards, a mature student culture, opportunities for leadership, life-changing relationships with teachers, a beautiful 50-acre college-style campus, and state-of-the-art facilities. WA offers an aggressive traditional college preparatory curriculum, an innovative January term, and comprehensive co-curricular programs. Yet, the most important element in making a WA education effective is the strong leadership of “Living Curriculum Teachers,"​ who have a growing and dynamic relationship with Christ; are excellent in their field; hold high standards; and are capable of inspiring a range of students to reach their potential.

Summit School, Inc. is a 55-year-old private education program committed to the vision of Empowering Children to Achieve Their Individual Potential. Whether the student is in the Summit School Early Learning Center or the Summit School Special Education Center, all efforts serve at-risk children and drive our mission to Provide Programs That Build A Solid Foundation For Educational And Lifelong Success. Summit School Special Education Center The Summit School Special Education Center is a small, therapeutic ISBE approved and AdvancED accredited facility serving an average of 60 students whose educational needs are best served in a non-public school environment. Summit students, from kindergarten through high school graduation, are typically placed by home school districts according to students’ individual education plans (IEPs). Children with identified learning, attentional and/or social difficulties, including children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, attend Summit from over 30 school districts. Students benefit from an array of educational and support services, and work with a team of educators, therapists and staff to optimize success. Summit School Early Learning Center The Summit School Early Learning Center is an Illinois Governor’s ExceleRate Gold Circle of Quality accredited preschool program serving three-to-five-year-olds deemed to be developmentally at risk. At no cost to families, the Center strives to prepare 130 children for kindergarten by providing programming to develop social-emotional skills, cognitive skills, math and literacy skills.

With roots dating back 40 years, Brookside Equity Partners makes strategic private equity investments in middle-market companies. Our philosophy is to partner with what we believe to be excellent management teams to help create long-term value. With a range of long-term investors across multiple funds, our strategy is supported by evergreen, patient and flexible capital, with investment decisions driven by the needs of the companies in which we invest.

Bartlett Learning Center, Inc. is comprised of Clare Woods Academy and Cupertino Home. Our mission is to assist youth and adults with developmental and learning disabilities to become self-sufficient and self-directed in the areas of personal growth, education, social and emotional well-being, as well as functional living skills and vocational training. We are dedicated to providing a loving and trusting environment in which individuals can function to their fullest potential without regard to race, sex, creed or religion, enabling them to become responsible, respected members of family, community and society.