Founder

Jim Deveau is the founder of the Graduate Business Conference and the Graduate Business Forum.  He currently serves as a Director on the Board, and  is most proud of the global GBF network of inspired leaders who share his ideals of Virtuous Leadership, Social Enterprise, and Global Stewardship.

Jim received his MBA from Columbia Business School in 1983 and began his marketing career with recognizable household names like Nabisco and Playtex.  During this period, he worked on several new product launches, including Chewy Chips Ahoy!, Ritz Bitz and Teddy Grahams.

Jim broadened his skills with syndicated information and marketing strategy consulting roles at Information Resources, Neo, Marketing Corporation of America, and GTECH corporation.  With over 50 past client relationships spanning several industries, he has become well-versed in organization assessment, strategic marketing, solution development, and knowledge-based leverage. 

Jim’s entrepreneurial experience includes Chief Marketing Officer roles at the InStore Broadcasting Network (IBN) and Relevance Partners (a shopper loyalty software platform).  He also ran his own personal consulting practice for a number of years.

Jim has enjoyed teaching throughout his professional career.  He lectured for 12 years as an Adjunct Professor of Marketing in the NYU Stern School of Business MBA program, and he currently serves as an Adjunct Professor of Marketing at the Jack Welch College of Business and Technology at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut.

A graduate of The Choate School, Jim received a Bachelor of Science degree from Tufts University prior to his MBA at Columbia Business School.  He currently resides in West Haven, Connecticut.

Chairman

Niall started his career in civil engineering before taking an MBA. Post MBA, Niall spent several years at American Express as part of their ‘drive to digital’ strategy managing products in the European region and globally. Since then, he jumps back between engineering and management paradigms. 

Niall first experience the GBC in 2006 as a student at Copenhagen and answered the call from the Founder to join a new GBF Executive Team to take the organisation forward. Niall managed the Student Leadership Awards as VP for a number of years, being part of the growth towards a more global footprint. He has since had the honour to be appointed Chairman of the Board.

Niall currently serves on the Learning Society Committee, The Professionalism Panel and The Ethics Committee at the Institution of Civil Engineers.

Niall holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from Nottingham University and is a professionally qualified Chartered Civil Engineer. He completed his MBA at Manchester Business School 2005-7, and was elected the first Student President.

Wieteke is CEO of the Euclid Network – the European Social Enterprise Network, an organisation committed to transformation towards an inclusive, equitable and sustainable economy for people and the planet. She is also active as an Observer with the United Nations Task Force on Social and Solidarity Economy, a Member of the Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship, and the Co-Lead at BuySocial (a procurement marketplace to enable a shift to social procurement/ responsible sourcing). 

In the past Wieteke has worked in the European Commission as an Advisory Board Member on the European Social Fund & Social Innovation + Initiative.

Wieteke graduated with a Masters in International Management at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and was the President of the CEMS Global student Board. After being President of the Student Board in 2004-2005 and having worked for the UN and Thomson Reuters, Wieteke returned to CEMS and joined the CAA Board in 2012, and in  June 2013 Wieteke was appointed first CAA Executive Director. 

Wieteke won the GBF Student Leadership Award in 2006 Copenhagen, receiving her award from the Crown Prince Frederik.

Joe is currently the Managing Director of FTI Consulting, providing leadership and financial expertise for organisations going through complex restructuring or financial crises. He has spent over 10 years within the financial services space.

Joe is currently the CFO for the Graduate Business Forum, having been appointed in 2019.

Joe spent almost 2 years at the White House as an Associate Director, Presidential Personnel (Boards/ Commissions/ Delegations) between 2008-9.

Joe received his MBA from the university of Notre Dame in 2013, whilst also being elected as President of the Student body, and collecting the Frederick B. Snite Leadership Award.

Board Member

Velan (AKA ‘V’) is the founder and Chief Executive Innovator of EAI Technologies, a boutique software development and consulting company. EAI serves as a collaborative partner for companies like VeriSign, Nester, First Data, AOL and Cardinal Health in going from concepts to service offerings by developing an engaging enterprise or consumer applications. Velan has created trusted relationships with his clients through his proven creative ability to identify/craft practical solutions to complex problems for supply chain, logistics, operational dashboards, online workflows, and integrated reporting for enterprise customers. 

Velan has an MBA from University of Rochester’s SIMON School of Business, where he was featured in Forbest ‘Best and Brightest’ and a BS in Engineering from Cornell University. 

Velan also sits on the Board of Directors of the Washington Area CTO Roundtable organization (hosting discussions on events and trends poised to have an impact on the technology industry) and is on the Advisory Board - Edge Tech Labs.

As a Senior Consultant at Thrivence, Gary leads strategy and transformation projects with senior executives across various industries, such as healthcare, retail, and technology. He also leads the AI Practice with a focus on helping executives navigate the myriad decision points along the AI journey.

With more than 30 years of management experience and professional certifications in facilitation and change management, Gary helps clients achieve strategic objectives, improve performance, and foster a culture of innovation and collaboration.

Gary is also a longstanding Adjunct Professor at his home university, Vanderbilt where he teaches management, negotiation and on the MBA Marketing & Social Enterprise Consulting.

Gary has also a proud history of volunteering; he was a Board member at Guanacaste Ventures (Costa Rican development and humanitarian organization) till 2017;  at Operation Andrew Group till 2018; Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville till 2016. He is currently actively serving as Chairman at Young Life (a national network of Christian youth groups), and on the Board at In His Grip Golf and The Collective Group.

Gary was one of the four who in 1987 transformed the founder Jim’s vision, into the global network that exists today.

Blair is currently the Managing Director of LaCorte Ventures, a family office engaged in seed investing and advisory services for early-stage venture and middle-market private companies.

He brings an entrepreneurial mindset, deep perspective and unflagging discipline, which has resulted in his companies achieving an impressive track record of growth and investor returns. In addition to Blair’s extensive executive leadership skills, he has been an active investor or engaged adviser to over one hundred companies and
nonprofit entities over the course of his career.

He is also CEO at AEye Inc, an organisation developing advanced perception systems that act as the eyes and visual cortex of autonomous vehicles. And he is a member of Pinnacle Performers Elite as a Mastermind coach and impact speaker.
Blair has a passion for mentorship, coaching and team building, which is evident in the broad array of operating, board of directors, publishing and teaching engagements detailed below. He also has a strong commitment to value-based team development as seen in his service as a national board member of several positive coaching organizations.

Blair is currently the Vice Chair, Board of Directors at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, and Advisory Board Member at the Krach Institute for tech Diplomacy at Purdue and a Contributing Writer for Forbes Business Council to name a few of his positions.
He has led companies across a range of industries, including entertainment, aviation, artificial intelligence, hardware and software technology development, aerospace & defense and supply chain management.
Blair earned his MBA from Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business, where he received the Leibowitz Award for outstanding contributions to his class. He also completed executive coursework in Human Capital and Organizational Behavior at Stanford University.
He is a space enthusiast, former NASA Innovator of the Year and investor in space ventures, including Moon Express and Virgin Galactic. An astronaut-in-training, he is scheduled to take his maiden voyage to space as a Virgin Galactic astronaut.

Blair was one of the four who in 1987 transformed the founder Jim’s vision, into the global network that exists today.

Fred is currently President of Stow & Associates and Vice President and Director of Houston Tool bank; a not-for-profit business that serves community-based organizations by providing tools, equipment, and expertise to empower their most ambitious goals.

At age 22 he began his career by starting his own company, providing land services to the upstream oil and gas industry. Fred continued his energy industry career as a manager at ExxonMobil Corporation as well as senior positions with several management consulting firms including Cap Gemini Ernst & Young. He has worked extensively in North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

Fred was also the Chairman and CEO of Lone Star Meals, a nationwide internet food company providing corporate catering services and on-line ordering services to our corporate clients and restaurant partners.

Fred completed his MBA at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.

Fred was one of the four who in 1987 transformed the founder Jim’s vision, into the global network that exists today.