Edward L. McMillan was re-elected to a second one-year term as chairman of the U. of I. Board of Trustees during its annual organizational meeting Jan. 21.
McMillan, 69, of Greenville, is an independent business consultant specializing in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and creating business alliances in the food and agribusiness industries. From 1988 to 1996, he was president and CEO of Purina Mills, where he began his career as a field sales representative in 1969 and also held various positions in marketing, business development and diversified business management.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural science from the Urbana campus and is a recipient of the Alumni Association’s Distinguished Service Award and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences’ Award of Merit.
The board also elected its three-member executive committee, which meets as needed to complete urgent university business that cannot be postponed to a regular meeting. Members of the committee are McMillan and trustees Karen Hasara, of Springfield, and James D. Montgomery, of Chicago. All will serve one-year terms.
Trustees also re-elected Thomas R. Bearrows as university legal counsel, Susan M. Kies as secretary of the board of trustees and the university, and Walter K. Knorr as comptroller. Bearrows and Knorr will serve one-year terms. Kies will serve until June 30, when she will retire and be replaced by Dedra “DeeDee” Williams, a longtime university administrator.
