The majority of movers and shakers involved in the Chicago business scene don’t ordinarily make the trek to DeKalb on a regular basis.

However, NIU’s Financial Management Association (FMA) will try to change that tonight. The FMA will host six NIU alumni who work in the Chicago financial scene tonight in the Holmes Student Center’s Carl Sandburg Auditorium. The alumni will speak on what it takes to make it in today’s financial world.

“This program will give people a general view of what goes on in financial markets and the business environment, with specific attention toward the Chicago markets,” said Anthony Gerardi, the FMA’s vice president.

The program will include Nick Calumas, who is a money manager based in Oakbrook, Gerardi said.

Also speaking will be Tom Johnston, senior vice president of the capital markets group at LaSalle National Bank in Chicago.

Gerardi said one focus of the program will be to present the public with an honest perspective of the financial world with “no strings attached.”

However, Gerardi said the success of the program will depend on “NIU’s students showing the alumni that they support them and are interested in the business world,” Gerardi said.

Steve Warner, the FMA’s president, said he wants the interaction between the students and the alumni to be a two-way street.

Warner said they are expecting over 100 people to attend. He said he encourages anyone interested in the business world to attend.

At the conclusion of all speeches there will be a brief question and answer session for the audience.