NIU’s College of Business will honor 15 alumni at a reception this month for their successes and support of the university.

NIU President John La Tourette, Business Dean Richard Brown and Associate Business Dean Harold Wright will speak Nov. 7 at the 30th Anniversary dinner of the College of Business.

Eleven of the honorees are “distinguished alumni” and four are “honorary alumni,” who did not graduate from NIU.

The alumni, who were chosen by Brown to attend the reception, are “people who have achieved prominence in the business community and have provided strong support to the school,” said Ann Carrel, NIU’s business manager.

“We’ll be honoring firms and some individuals who have done a lot for the College of Business,” Brown said. “They’re our ‘partnering firms,’ who’ve helped us build excellence, especially over the last 10 years.”

Businesses will be honored for giving jobs to NIU grads, funding internships and providing guest speakers.

Rockford, Chicago and Sycamore businesses are among the 15 that will be recognized for their help.

“Invitations were sent to partner firms with ties to the College of Business,” Carrel said.

This is the first reception honoring business alumni.