DeKALB — Wheeler Coleman is a man who never lost sight of his roots; despite venturing out of state to attend an acclaimed university and eventually running his own executive consulting firm, EC-United, he was never able to detach himself from the institution at which he met his wife and found himself.

Coleman, who is now Board of Trustees chairperson, grew up in the projects of Chicago and came to NIU as a student of the CHANCE program, which recruits students who are capable of succeeding at NIU despite their pre-collegiate accomplishments not being up to the usual standard. After graduating with a degree in computer science, he left DeKalb to pursue lofty career goals.

“I grew up in the projects on the westside of Chicago,” Coleman said. “I was influenced by a lot of people who volunteered their time or gave money to help me become who I am, and I’ve always had the belief that before I make it to the mountain top, I’ve got to find a way to give back…I believe in the three Ts: talent, time and treasure. If I’m in a position to give money, then I give money. If I’m not in a position to give money, then how do I give my time or use my talent to help others grow?”

Large in stature and stride, Coleman is intimidating at first glance, but as soon as he speaks, one is pleasantly surprised at his soft-spoken greeting. Based on his size, one would venture he must have an athletic background. Though he was an athlete in high school and many assumed he would continue that as a career in college, Coleman seems to enjoy taking his own path and going beyond expectations, a quality that stood out to his wife Sharon Johnson-Coleman when the two met as undergrads.

“He had to be probably the most determined, focused person I knew,” Johnson-Coleman said. “He has this great confidence in himself and in the people he cares about.”

Johnson-Coleman said a nun at Coleman’s high school told him he should enter the military instead of enrolling at a university and many around him thought he would go to college on a basketball scholarship, but he surprised everyone and showed his determination when he decided to study computer science — something with which he had no experience.

Coleman’s time as an NIU undergrad was not wasted; he participated in the Student Association, a black theater workshop, worked as a photographer for the Black Student Union newspaper and often volunteered by visiting high schools in hopes of serving as a role model to younger students who were unsure about the possibilities ahead of them.

While becoming a well-rounded student, Wheeler Coleman met Sharon Johnson for the first time at McDonald’s, 805 W. Lincoln Highway, where many students still gather to get food on the go. Johnson-Coleman, at the time, was with a group of other female students, and Coleman decided to introduce himself.

“Somehow, we started talking, and it was as if the other girls weren’t even around,” Coleman said.

The two have been together ever since. They emphasized how from their time at NIU to 34 years later in their marriage, talking to each other about their dreams and core beliefs has been a pillar of their relationship.

“We talk a lot whether it be about some major political issues or something that is happening in the community or did you do this,” Johnson-Coleman said.

That communication and mutual support is what both Coleman and Johnson-Coleman believe got them to where they are today.

“I’ve got a partner that is the best support system that I could possibly have…we used to take turns and say ‘okay, it’s your turn to take your career to the next level,’ ” Coleman said.

Coleman graduated from NIU in 1983. From there he did not stop and pursued his Master of Business Administration, which he received from the University of Notre Dame, but he was always a Huskie at heart.

“I always felt that my heart was with NIU; this is the place that got me off on solid ground,” Coleman said. “This is the place that I met my wife. This is the place that helped me grow and develop as a person, and so I feel I can relate to a lot of the existing students. This is the place [to which] I felt I should give back.”

Coleman brought his skill into the healthcare field by taking a job with Blue Cross Blue Shield. During his time at the organization, Coleman was responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars in Information Technology operations, and he successfully prepared those working with him for changes brought about by the Affordable Care Act in 2014.

Coleman’s own co-workers view him as altruistic in every aspect of his character, including how he carries himself with them.

“I use Wheeler as an example for who I want to be in the future,” said Nectaria Sikaras, an executive account manager at EC-United. “He has a special connection to all types of people, just very genuine…so he can reach out to everyone and offer his help.”

The pressure of escalating responsibilities and high-ranking positions — such as senior vice president and chief information officer at Lifetime HealthCare Companies, the largest health insurance company in upstate New York — did not keep him from remaining heavily involved in the success of his alma mater.

Coleman has worked his way through multiple leadership positions on the Board of Trustees since joining in 2011 including vice chair; leader of the Academic Affairs, Student Affairs and Personnel Committee; and vice chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Enrollment.

“This is a give back, and you have to have it as part of a labor of love; you have to want to do it,” Coleman said.

Though Coleman’s résume as a professional and community leader are extensive, this does not mean his home life goes ignored. Rather, Coleman takes many opportunities to evaluate how he can contribute better to relationships with his loved ones. On his website, WheelerColeman.com, he writes a blog where he explores a variety of topics he is passionate about that he feels could also help others.

One of his most recent blog posts from June 15 centers on how to balance work and home life by not bringing stress home. Coleman’s blogs epitomizes the kind of person he is; even while trying to better himself, he looks for ways to help others do the same.

“Well not a lot of people have seen or had the experience that I’ve had, so [I think to myself] how do I find a way to give back, [this includes] writing a blog to share some of my thoughts and feelings,” Coleman said.

As he has done with his two children, one daughter in college and a son in his 20s, Coleman hopes apply his philosophies regarding success and work ethic to his role as chairperson of NIU’s board.

“When my kids were knee high and when I would bathe them, every time before they would get out of the bathtub, we would raise both of our hands and say ‘champion of the world, I am the greatest’…but the thing about it is to be the champion, to be the greatest, you’ve got to work,” Coleman said.