Campus News

The Department of Economics, Business and Accounting (EBA) is hosting its 8th Annual Business Luncheon, featuring a keynote address from Peter Provanzano, president and chief executive officer of SupplyCore, Inc., “Achieving Organizational & Community Sustainability – Applying leadership & resources to improve the physical & human assets of our community” on Tuesday, April 19, 2016, in Regents Hall, 2nd Floor of the Burpee Center at Rockford University, 5050 East State Street, Rockford. Check-in and networking begins at 11:30 a.m., the luncheon and program take place from noon – 1:30 p.m.

RSVP by April 12, 2016 to RUBL2016.eventbrite.com. Individual reservations are $45; Coporate table of eight is $350. For more information, contact Jennifer Smith at 815.394.4384 or jsmith@rockford.edu.

Mr. Provenzano is also President of Joseph James Partners, and Chairman of the Rock River Development Partnership. He has led his SupplyCore team, to be one of the top 20 award-winning Small Business US Defense contractors in the nation. Today, SupplyCore maintains a worldwide presence. Domestically SupplyCore keeps key offices and warehouses in Illinois, Georgia, Missouri, and California and it has operations on numerous military bases.

In his work to champion small business participation in federal contracts, he is a past chairman of the Small Business Advisory Committee for the General Services Administration (appointed by Congressman Donald Manzullo, IL-16) and has been welcomed to the Captains of Industry round table at the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA).

Mr. Provenzano believes in community sustainability as personified by his urban renewal company Joseph James Partners, which is currently working a number projects in downtown Rockford to include a boutique hotel and the Indoor City Market to which JJP’S staff donates considerable time. He has also invested in a social software solution MPOWR — a technology that was originally developed in Rockford at Carpenter’s Place. This case management software helps individuals in need become more selfsufficient by better integrating a city’s social service community through the use of shared achievement plans and participant-centered data. Mr. Provenzano’s commitment to innovation and passion to shape policy has also earned the organization a number of industry awards. In 2011, he was awarded the NDIA Kathleen P. Sridhar Small Business Executive of the Year Award for his leadership and strategic impact in the defense small business sector. In 2005, Inc. Magazine named Mr. Provenzano a finalist for their entrepreneur of the year award along with Mel Gibson and the awardee Burt Rutan. In the same year, SupplyCore was inducted in the Inc. Hall of Fame for being awarded Inc. Magazine’s Inc. 500 award five years in a row.

Mr. Provenzano has kept SupplyCore’s headquarters in his hometown and he remains very active in the community. He is Chairman of the Rock River Development Partnership (RRDP), a public/private partnership he co-founded with Rockford’s Mayor. He has applied his leadership skills and reinvested his resources into improving the physical and human assets of communities. He was honored with the Rockford Park District’s Community Service Award in 2010, and was inducted into the Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau’s “Tourism Hall of Fame” in 2011 for his continued work with RRDP and establishing the Rockford City Market.

In 2012 he was presented with the Rockford Chamber of Commerce “Twenty People You Should Know” Award which recognizes those who give their time, talent and leadership to the Rockford region, while also mentoring future leaders in the community. His favorite quote from Louis Pasteur, “Chance favors only the prepared mind,” is a testament to his business discipline and passion for community that are at the backbone of his efforts. Mr. Provenzano has served on numerous boards including Rockford University, where he served as Finance Chairman during a period of great transition. He was a trustee for the Chicago Rockford Airport Authority. He currently serves on the Steering Committee of Transform Rockford and is a co-lead on the Case for Change. He and his wife Heather have four beautiful children that they are very pleased to be raising in Rockford.

The Business Luncheon is sposored by ComEd, Illinois Bank and Trust, and Sikich. Additional sponsorship opportunities available. Contact Assistant Vice President for Advancement Denise Noe at 815.394-3756.