An accomplished business leader whose career spans global technology, consumer brands and corporate turnarounds, Findley accepted the university鈥檚 top award for entrepreneurship on April 22 inside LaRose Digital Theatre.

Findley currently serves as president, CEO and director of Sleep Number and has held leadership roles at Alibaba, Etsy and Blue Apron.

福利亚洲国产精品 President Connie Ledoux Book presented the medal alongside Haya Ajjan, dean of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business.

The ceremony opened with a video tribute featuring remarks from Book, Ajjan, Elizabeth Caran and Jeffrey Pugh, former Distinguished University Professor and Maude Sharpe Powell Professor of Religious Studies at Elon, both of whom were in attendance.

Caran, Findley鈥檚 sister, emphasized her sibling鈥檚 commitment to making people feel heard and included. Pugh described Findley as someone who 鈥渕akes everything better wherever she goes,鈥� guided by both intellect and a strong moral compass.

In her remarks, Findley reflected on what entrepreneurial leadership has come to mean in her own life and career.

鈥淲hen you told me I was receiving the medal for entrepreneurial leadership, I鈥檒l be honest, I had a moment of pause,鈥� said Findley. 鈥淏ecause when I think about entrepreneurs, I think about founders. People who start companies from scratch. And that鈥檚 not my path.鈥�

Instead, Findley said, her career has been defined by stepping into companies in moments of change and choosing to lead with ownership, resilience and a willingness to act before feeling fully ready.

鈥淓ntrepreneurial leadership isn鈥檛 really about whether you started something,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about how you show up, the risks you take, the responsibility you assume and how you bring people along with you.鈥�

Findley, who grew up in nearby Greensboro, told students that Elon played a transformative role in helping her see herself and her future differently. She described struggling academically and socially in high school before arriving at Elon, where she found an environment that encouraged exploration, curiosity and growth.

鈥淓lon didn鈥檛 just teach me what to learn,鈥� Findley said. 鈥淚t taught me how to think.鈥�

She credited the university鈥檚 interdisciplinary approach, study abroad opportunities and especially a set of religion courses with Pugh for reshaping her perspective.

鈥淭hose classes exposed me to such a broad world of ideas, perspectives, modern views on longstanding concepts,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat changed everything about how I thought of myself and what I could do in the world.鈥�

That openness to possibility would later shape major decisions in her career, including a move to Hong Kong without a job lined up after finding it difficult to break out of communications roles in the United States. The leap eventually led to a role at Alibaba and marked a major turning point in how she thought about risk.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 wait until you鈥檙e ready,鈥� Findley said. 鈥淵ou go. You do. You open yourself up to learning. And that鈥檚 what makes you ready.鈥�

Throughout the evening, Findley returned to the idea that leadership is less about titles and more about how people are treated along the way. She said one of the reasons she wanted to become a CEO was her belief that companies can succeed without losing sight of the people who make that success possible.

鈥淐ustomers and teams matter most, and you could build a successful company while still treating people like humans,鈥� she said.

That people-first approach also shaped how she described her leadership style during a question-and-answer session with students. Rather than entering organizations assuming she has all the answers, Findley said she tries to create the conditions for others to do their best work.

鈥淢y assumption is that everyone else in the room knows more than I do,鈥� Findley said, 鈥渁nd my job is to get out of their way and get everything else out of the way so they can do it.鈥�

Students asked Findley about topics ranging from career pivots and leadership style to failure, resilience and decision-making. In response, she emphasized the importance of core values, communication and internal resilience, especially when navigating uncertainty.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e never going to please everyone,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e never going to make everyone happy, and you鈥檙e never going to have respect from everyone. But you will get respect for actually making a decision and making a change and taking action when people don鈥檛 like it.鈥�

She closed her remarks by offering students three challenges: take one real risk in the next 30 days, put yourself in rooms where you are not the most qualified person, and act like an owner before you ever receive the title.

鈥淓ntrepreneurial leadership isn鈥檛 about starting companies,鈥� Findley said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about taking responsibility for outcomes, for people and for your own path.鈥�

福利亚洲国产精品 the 福利亚洲国产精品 Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership

The Elon Medal Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership is co-presented by the Love School of Business and the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Since 2009, the award has been given to an entrepreneur who is a leader in industry and who exemplifies the values of 福利亚洲国产精品. These values include integrity, innovation and creativity, passion for lifelong learning, and a commitment to building a dynamic community.

福利亚洲国产精品 the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship was established by an endowment gift from Ed and Joan Doherty, entrepreneurs from Saddle River, N.J., and parents of Kerry Doherty Gatlin 鈥�07. The Dohertys have served on the university鈥檚 Parents Council, and Ed Doherty currently serves as an Elon Trustee. Their company, Doherty Enterprises, Inc., is one of the nation鈥檚 leading franchise operators of quality family restaurants, including Applebee鈥檚 Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Panera Bread and Chevy鈥檚 Fresh Mex.

福利亚洲国产精品 President Connie Ledoux Book and Haya Ajjan, dean of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, will present the medal on Wednesday, April 22, at 4:30 p.m. in the LaRose Digital Theatre inside the Ernest A. Koury Sr. Business Center.

The celebration is open to the campus community.

福利亚洲国产精品 Linda Findley 鈥�95

Linda Findley joined Sleep Number in April 2025 and is recognized for her expertise in operations, organizational transformation, marketing strategy and global expansion.

She has held senior leadership roles across several high-growth companies. From 2009 to 2012, she was based in Hong Kong, leading global marketing, business development, and customer service for Alibaba.com Ltd. She later served in executive roles at Evernote Corp. from 2012 to 2015, including chief operating officer.

Findley was chief operating officer at Etsy from 2016 to 2018, overseeing product, design, marketing and customer engagement and acquisition. She then served as president, chief executive officer, and director of Blue Apron from 2019 to 2024, leading the company through significant transformation and growth.

In addition to her executive leadership, Findley has served on the board of directors of Ralph Lauren since August 2018 and has been board chair of HeliosX since February 2025.

Findley graduated from the School of Communications and holds a master鈥檚 degree in journalism from UNC-Chapel Hill. Her leadership is defined by a focus on innovation, adaptability and driving meaningful organizational impact.

福利亚洲国产精品 the 福利亚洲国产精品 Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership

The 福利亚洲国产精品 Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership is co-presented by the Love School of Business and the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. Since 2009, the award has recognized an entrepreneur who is an industry leader and exemplifies 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚 values, including integrity, innovation and creativity, a passion for lifelong learning and a commitment to building a dynamic community.

福利亚洲国产精品 the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship was established through an endowment gift from Ed and Joan Doherty P鈥�07, entrepreneurs from Saddle River, New Jersey, and parents of Kerry Doherty Gatlin 鈥�07. The Dohertys have served on the university鈥檚 Parents Council, and Ed Doherty currently serves as an Elon Trustee. Their company, Doherty Enterprises, Inc., is one of the nation鈥檚 leading franchise operators of family restaurants, including Applebee鈥檚 Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Panera Bread and Chevy鈥檚 Fresh Mex.

Oaks Originals聽is a Doherty Center for聽Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship program that provides student business owners with opportunities to聽showcase聽their products to the Elon community.聽Students聽are able to access聽pop-ups,聽workshops,聽networking聽and聽consulting聽events that help them聽to聽further their聽journeys聽as entrepreneurs.

Many聽student聽business聽owners at Elon聽have worked to incorporate sustainability into their products and designs.

Shriya Baru ’25 is an accounting major at Elon, and her business, Kolis USA, started as a passion project that allowed her to channel her creative interests, and has grown into a lifestyle brand that incorporates Indian design聽through handcrafted products including candles,聽jewelry聽and accessories.聽Oaks Originals has allowed Baru to further her passion for entrepreneurship while聽maintaining聽a commitment to sustainability in various forms.

鈥淜OLIS connects to sustainability through small-batch, handcrafted production that minimizes waste, reusable candle jars and durable materials, reduces transportation impact, and a focuses on cultural sustainability,” Baru said.

Noah Elliott ’28, is an economics and financial technology major whose business,聽Elliott Ringworks, makes and sells fine jewelry. Throughout his time at Elon, Elliott聽has become particularly interested in how business聽and management connect to jewelry making. His聽jewelry-making process involves聽the聽recycling of聽silver聽and metal scraps:

鈥淚 take my old scraps from聽previous聽projects, such as off-cuts and old rings. I then combine that with new silver in the form of a coin and heat it up to 1763 degrees. It all melts together and I can pour it out into usable ingots and make more jewelry out of it,” said Elliott.

For more information on student vendors at Oak Originals,聽visit this聽link.聽For more information on student groups involved with sustainability on campus, please visit the聽Office of Sustainability鈥檚 website.

Before leading a media brand that now reaches more than 11 million readers annually, Collins was an Elon student preparing for a career in finance. 鈥淭he most transformative part of my time here wasn鈥檛 just the internships or the study abroad,鈥� said Collins. 鈥淚t was the relationships. My wife, my best friends, the people who helped me open doors early in my career, all of that started here.鈥�

Those connections led to his first job after graduation. 鈥淚 told everyone I wanted to move to New York and work in financial services. Through a friend鈥檚 family connection, my resume ended up with the right person. That led to Citigroup,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 just kept sharing what I wanted to do and who I wanted to meet.鈥�

After three years at Citi, Collins began his MBA at Duke University. A law school course on venture capital and private equity introduced him to entrepreneurship through acquisition. 鈥淭hat one experience told me this is something I鈥檓 clearly interested in.鈥�

Instead of building a startup, Collins pursued acquiring and operating an existing company. He joined RBC Capital Markets to gain deal experience, launched a search fund, and acquired HousingWire in 2016.

As his team grew, he learned the value of specialization. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really important to have a team that knows how to get in a lane, stay in a lane and execute,鈥� Collins said.

When asked how students can stand out in the workplace, Collins pointed to curiosity and initiative. 鈥淭he people who ask, get,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ven if they report to someone a few levels down, they鈥檙e willing to say, 鈥榃hat are you working on right now? How can I help?鈥欌��

He also emphasized adaptability. 鈥淏usiness priorities change. They change often,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he willingness to ask, 鈥榃hat鈥檚 the priority now? What do I need to learn to help the business get to the next level?鈥� is just really important.鈥�

Reflecting on his time at Elon, Collins said, 鈥淚 probably could have built stronger relationships with some of the professors. There were definitely points in the first few years out where I wish I had someone I could turn around and ask a question to.鈥�

His advice to students was clear: 鈥淒on鈥檛 wait for anybody to give you permission,鈥� he said. 鈥淒on鈥檛 be afraid to take a risk before it feels right. If you get down a path and realize you don鈥檛 like it, do something different. Pivot.鈥�

After graduating from Elon with a degree in business administration, Collins began his career in finance, working in investment banking with RBC Capital Markets and serving as vice president of national sales and marketing at Citi. In 2016, he acquired a media company focused on housing and real estate and has since expanded it into a multi-brand platform recognized for its market intelligence, data insights and industry events.

Collins also leads, Riomar Capital, an entrepreneurial investment firm focused on media, data and technology and serves on several industry boards. His career reflects a blend of financial expertise, strategic growth, and innovation within the business media landscape.

The event will be held in conversation with Dylan Ketchum 鈥�11, a Doherty Center Advisory Board member, who will guide the discussion.

福利亚洲国产精品 the C. Ashton Newhall Endowed Lecture Series

Named for 福利亚洲国产精品 trustee C. Ashton Newhall 鈥�98, this lecture series brings accomplished entrepreneurs to campus each year to share their insights on managing risks, capitalizing on opportunities and innovating in today鈥檚 marketplace. Featuring candid talks and interactive sessions, the series offers students, faculty, and the broader community a valuable window into the inner workings of entrepreneurial success, from sparking an idea to sustaining long-term growth.

The solution became , a Chrome extension, and soon an AI-powered shopping platform with a personalized feed that pulls looks from Gen Z鈥檚 favorite brands.

After several months of user research, advisor meetings and early testing, the founders booked a four-hour whiteboard session with Sean McMahon, associate professor of entrepreneurship.

鈥淧rofessor McMahon鈥檚 guidance helped us take everything we鈥檇 been working on and turn it into something attainable and scalable,鈥� said Graffeo, who earned a degree in human resource management and is from Mount Sinai, New York. 鈥淗is support means a lot to us and we鈥檙e super grateful.鈥�

Mathis is part of the Stanford University Innovation Fellows program at Elon, an experience that strengthened his approach to design thinking and solution-building. Leyda, who earned a degree computer science, statistics and public health is the first woman on Elon鈥檚 hackathon team and drew on marathon coding events to lead the platform鈥檚 technical build.

In the School of Communications, Daniel Haygood, professor of strategic communications, advised the founders as they ran interviews and focus groups that refined OneTap鈥檚 market research.

Months of iteration paid off when OneTap impressed judges at the Innovation Challenge hosted by the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

Ongoing guidance from the Doherty Center linked the founders to alumni, while a recent grant from the university鈥檚 Entrepreneurship Fund will help the group accelerate their plans.

鈥淭he Doherty Center鈥檚 alumni introductions have opened doors in tech, fashion and fundraising we couldn鈥檛 reach on our own,鈥� said Dixon, who earned a degree in economics from Westchester, N.Y.

With Dixon and Graffeo already working in Manhattan, the team will base OneTap in New York City after graduation to stay close to fashion brands, investors and 福利亚洲国产精品 mentors.

鈥淲e want OneTap to be the go-to platform where people discover, organize and buy clothes that match their style鈥攁ll in one place. Think of a personalized home feed like TikTok or Instagram, but for clothes. We鈥檙e building OneTap to personalize shopping,鈥� Mathis said.

This spring, her Raleigh-based company, , captured one of just , a $50,000 award drawn from more than 120 statewide applicants.

The idea for Kahmino began the first time Casey tried to buy a home.

鈥淢y agent asked where I wanted to live, and I realized I knew nothing about Raleigh鈥檚 neighborhoods. It was easy to find the available 2 bed/2 bath, much harder to find the right lifestyle fit,鈥� said Casey.

The frustration lingered until 2023, when she paused her career to backpack through Europe. While walking Spain鈥檚 500-mile Camino de Santiago, Casey met fellow pilgrims who were also re-imagining their lives, a moment that clarified how profoundly community shapes happiness.

鈥淭he Camino showed me you can choose the life you want, but you need the right place to live it,鈥� Casey said. 鈥淚 came home, named the company Kahmino and started coding.鈥�

When working with home buyers, real estate agents use Kahmino鈥檚 AI services to assist buyers in finding their perfect neighborhood match. Buyers fill out a survey that asks them about their priorities. Questions include their typical weekend activities, their preference for a home鈥檚 character, and preferences for the quality of a school district, among others.

For example, a homebuyer looking for a historic bungalow in a good school district with trendy brunch options will have their preferences submitted to Kahmino鈥檚 AI model, yielding results that show neighborhood matches for that buyer.

Within months she had a working prototype and a small roster of paying customers in the Triangle and Charlotte.

Back on campus for Elon鈥檚 Night of Networking for student-athletes, Casey鈥檚 former teammate introduced her to Raychel Lockwood, director of development for the Love School of Business.

Lockwood reviewed Casey鈥檚 NC IDEA micro-grant proposal, offered alumni introductions and pointed her toward additional campus resources.

Dean Haya Ajjan paired Kahmino with two graduate analytics teams that explored revenue models and a potential pilot for graduating seniors and relocating faculty.

Dina Rousset, director of the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, drew on her experience mentoring previous NC Idea grant winners to critique Casey鈥檚 slide deck, organize mock interviews and make Triangle-area introductions.

Casey quickly began paying the help forward, judging the Elon Innovation Challenge and speaking with Innovation Scholars about the realities of launching a company.

鈥淭heir questions were sharper than mine at their age,鈥� she says. 鈥淏eing back at Elon keeps me energized.鈥�

Kahmino鈥檚 traction and Casey鈥檚 success with last year鈥檚 $10,000 NC IDEA Micro Grant helped the startup navigate the Seed program鈥檚 rigorous three-month gauntlet of applications, reference checks and a 30-minute final pitch.

When the congratulatory email arrived, Casey鈥檚 four-person team immediately outlined two goals for the new funding: hiring additional engineers and expanding into four more metro markets.

鈥淭he capital will speed up everything on our roadmap, but the bigger win is NC IDEA鈥檚 network,鈥� Casey said. 鈥淭hey surround you with mentors who selflessly provide all of the network access and expertise they can.鈥�

Her three-year vision is national: Kahmino in every major U.S. market, working with real estate agents and using lifestyle data to match renters and buyers with neighborhoods that feel like home.

鈥湼＠侵薰� felt like home the moment I stepped on campus,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 wanted that same feeling in my neighborhood. Everyone deserves that certainty when they move.鈥�

福利亚洲国产精品 the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Established through an endowment from Ed and Joan Doherty, the Doherty Center cultivates an entrepreneurial growth mindset among Elon students and positions alumni for economic and social impact worldwide. Students and graduates interested in mentorship, speaking opportunities or collaboration can contact innovation@elon.edu.

Dave Porter P鈥�11 P鈥�19, owner and managing partner of Baystate Financial, one of Massachusetts鈥� oldest and largest financial planning firms, received the 福利亚洲国产精品 Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership on April 23 inside LaRose Digital Theatre.

Porter, who recently concluded service as chair of the Board of Trustees, accepted the medal from President Connie Ledoux Book and Raghu Tadepalli, dean of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business.

In his acceptance remarks, Porter described what he calls the two gifts each new day delivers: a chance and a choice. 鈥淚f you choose comfort, you鈥檒l be comfortable for a while,鈥� he said. 鈥淐hoose discipline and you鈥檒l change your future.鈥�

After high-school athletics eclipsed academics in Ramsey, N.J., Porter鈥檚 first college mail contained mostly rejection letters, including one from West Chester University in Pennsylvania. Unwilling to accept the decision, Porter drove 150 miles to the admissions office, requested an interview, and walked out with an acceptance letter written on the back of the original rejection.

鈥淭hat moment,鈥� he said, 鈥減roved you can change your future if you own the outcome.鈥�

Early missteps, most famously faxing a confidential salary sheet to the wrong law-office number, taught him to 鈥渇ix errors fast, learn and move on smarter.鈥�

When he became managing partner of Boston-based Baystate Financial in 1996, the firm tallied under $1 million in annual revenue; today it serves clients from 16 offices across New England.

鈥淕rowth came from one rule鈥攑romise integrity and hire people who keep those promises,鈥� he said.

Putting people first remains central to his leadership. Porter writes three handwritten thank-you notes each morning, a practice that has filled seven storage crates with replies.

鈥淎 quick 鈥榟ello, how are you?鈥� or a handwritten note can change the trajectory of somebody鈥檚 day,鈥� Porter said. 鈥淲rite those notes with the same discipline you bring to hitting your goals.鈥�

Highlights from a Q&A with students

• On staying motivated after setbacks: Long-term drive comes only when people 鈥渙wn the outcome鈥� of their goals; external rewards fade quickly.
• On launching a venture right out of college: Assemble mentors who deliver 鈥渢ruth-telling feedback,鈥� starting with professors willing to critique both ideas and character.
• On life immediately after graduation: Explore service, travel or nonprofit work while expenses are low; constrained experiences reveal authentic passions.
• Most enduring lesson from a mentor: A former boss bought him 12 pocket-less shirts to cure sloppy pen storage 鈥� proof, 聽Porter said, that small details broadcast personal standards.
• A first no-nonsense investment: Porter recommended the Vanguard 500 Index Fund for its low fees and simplicity.

In 2011, Porter endowed the Porter Family Professional Development Center at Elon, which provides resources to assist students in preparing for and acquiring internships, full-time employment or graduate school placement after graduation.

Porter and his wife, Jen, are the parents of five children, including Tim Porter 鈥�11 and Jack Hubley 鈥�19, and three grandchildren.

Joshua Mason 鈥�25, lead scholar intern with the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, introduced Porter at the ceremony. Mason called Porter鈥檚 mantra of 鈥渄oing well by doing good鈥� the backbone of his own venture: Fate Line AI, a startup that delivers technical solutions to small businesses.

Doherty Center Director Dina Rousset concluded the program by reminding attendees that 鈥渁n entrepreneurial mindset isn鈥檛 just about launching companies 鈥� it鈥檚 about choosing to see possibility everywhere.鈥�

福利亚洲国产精品 the 福利亚洲国产精品 Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership

The Elon Medal Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership is co-presented by the Love School of Business and the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Since 2009, the award has been given to an entrepreneur who is a leader in industry and who exemplifies the values of 福利亚洲国产精品. These values include integrity, innovation and creativity, passion for lifelong learning, and a commitment to building a dynamic community.

福利亚洲国产精品 the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship was established by an endowment gift from Ed and Joan Doherty, entrepreneurs from Saddle River, N.J., and parents of Kerry Doherty Gatlin 鈥�07. The Dohertys have served on the university鈥檚 Parents Council, and Ed Doherty currently serves as an Elon Trustee. Their company, Doherty Enterprises, Inc., is one of the nation鈥檚 leading franchise operators of quality family restaurants, including Applebee鈥檚 Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Panera Bread and Chevy鈥檚 Fresh Mex.

Elon鈥檚 maker community is where curiosity becomes creation, and the Maker Takeover brings that spirit front and center.

Hosted by the Maker Hub, the 6th Annual Maker Takeover聽will take place on Wednesday, April 30, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Moseley Student Center. This free, drop-in event is open to the entire campus community. With more than 40 student-made projects on display, it鈥檚 a chance to explore, create, and engage with Elon鈥檚 vibrant maker community.

From quilting, woodworking, and 3D printing to student-designed games and immersive experiences, the Maker Takeover is equal parts interactive gallery and hands-on festival.

Attendees can:

• Play student-designed Connect 4 and Operation-style games.
• Sample liquid nitrogen ice cream from Elon Dining.
• Test their wit in the 鈥淓mergency Lockdown鈥� escape room.
• Craft string art signs, custom t-shirts, keepsake buttons and stickers and other DIY giveaways.
• Watch live demos like chainmail making and screen-printing.

鈥淚鈥檓 excited for Maker Takeover every year,鈥� said Chloe Berkowitz-Pereyra 鈥�26. 鈥淭here are always new games, activities, and little personalized goodies to take home鈥攂ut my favorite is the ice cream! My first year, it was mango ice cream; last year, they made Cheerwine. I can鈥檛 wait to see what unique flavor they have for us this year.鈥�

The event will also feature the 2025 Kickbox cohort. Kickbox聽is a Maker Hub program that awards students funding, tools, and mentorship to turn passion projects into prototypes.

Some of this year鈥檚 creations include:

• Custom joint support rings, designed to ease chronic joint pain.
• A self-landing model rocket, for safer and more affordable engineering exploration.
• A wheelchair umbrella mount for hands-free weather protection.
• A handcrafted subwoofer engineered for audio precision.
• And a custom nightstand inspired by Where the Wild Things Are.

These projects highlight how Elon students are using design, engineering, art, and curiosity to solve problems, express themselves, and turn bold ideas into tangible results. Explore all of the 2025 Kickbox projects on the Maker Hub鈥檚 website.

鈥淢aker Takeover is where creativity meets community. It鈥檚 not just about what our students made; it鈥檚 about what inspired them to make it, and their process of making it real.鈥�

-Dan Reis, senior instructional technologist in Teaching and Learning Technologies, who leads the Maker Hubs.

Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to attend, bring a friend or colleague, and support the makers behind these innovative and meaningful projects.聽Some instructors even integrate Maker Takeover into class experiences鈥攁s extra credit, reflection prompts, or design inspiration.

Follow or visit the Maker Hub website for updates and a full event overview.

He presented a vision 鈥渢o be the best food service company in the communities we serve鈥�.

鈥淥ur vision is to be the best food service company in the communities we serve,鈥� said Doherty.

He broke that vision into six words: wow, attitude, connect, engage, relationships, accountability.

鈥淢y mother was the hardest working person I鈥檝e ever known,鈥� he said, crediting her example for a work ethic that carried him from St.鈥疛ohn鈥檚 University to Mobil and, in 1985, to launching his first franchise.

He advised students that franchise success rests on location, strong operations and community involvement. 鈥淐orporations don鈥檛 have the same passion as an entrepreneur whose money is on the line,鈥� he said.

Doherty insisted that caring for employees is non-negotiable. 鈥淐elebrate their good times and support them in their times of need,鈥� he said.

That approach helped Doherty Enterprises grow to more than 5,000 employees by 2020 and survive an 85% sales drop during COVID鈥�19.

He closed by challenging students to apply the wow mindset in internships and ventures.

鈥淐onnect, engage and build relationships, and success will follow,鈥� he said.