BA Recipients

Shereen Al Nowais
Social Entrepreneur, Taleem Centre
Nominated by Abu Dhabi University

Ms. Shereen Al Nowais is an experienced Corporate Social Responsibility pioneer and trendsetter with over a decade of experience with various government and semi-government entities in the United Arab Emirates. She obtained her master’s degree in the art of communication from Zayed University in Abu Dhabi.

Al Nowais founded Taleem Training Skills Development Centre to raise awareness on learning disabilities identification, treatment and management in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Taleem Centre is a community service initiative oriented toward sustainable community development with a long-lasting and positive impact on the wellbeing of all segments of the Abu Dhabi community. It opened on February 8, 2014 with just 16 students; there are now more than 400. The Centre’s mission and vision is to help raise a generation of healthy, inspired individuals, capable of building and further developing their country; and to promote more inclusive, learning-friendly school and working environment in which their learning-challenged students are empowered to maximize their contribution to the society and the communities of which they are part.

Al Nowais is the recipient of the recent Knights Award Festival 2015, in the field of Humanitarian Community Services for the International Women’s Day of 2015. She is inspired by HH Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed’s vision of women: “[Emirati women] should be supported, encouraged, empowered and given the opportunity to assume their national responsibilities.”

Honorable Terrence “Terry” A. Duffy
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, CME Group
Nominated by Saint Xavier University 

The Honorable Terrence A. "Terry" Duffy is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CME Group, the world’s leading derivatives marketplace and the world’s first exchange to demutualize and go public.

In 2016, CME Group was named the world’s fastest growing and most valuable exchange brand with a brand value of $1.7 billion, beating out the New York Stock Exchange and the Hong Kong Exchange. CME Group’s average daily volume has risen from 2.2 million in 2002 to 15.6 million in 2016. Revenues grew from $453.2 million in 2002 to more than $3.3 billion in 2015.

CME Group has received numerous industry awards during Duffy’s tenure, including;

• Risk Magazine Exchange of the Year in 2016
• Best Futures Exchange from Markets Media in 2013,2014 and 2016
• Best Overall Exchange by CTA Intelligence in 2016
• Global Capital’s award for Exchange and Clearinghouse of the Year in 2014 and 2015, and Clearinghouse of the Year in 2016

Based on his commitment to philanthropy and helping others, Duffy serves his community at leadership levels such as vice chairman of the CME Group Foundation, co-chair of the Mayo Clinic Greater Chicago Leadership Council and as a member of the Economic Club of Chicago, the Executives' Club of Chicago and the President's Circle of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

CNBC named Duffy on its 2014 list Top 200: Leaders, Icons and Rebels, recognizing the world’s top business leaders of the last 25 years. In 2014 and 2015, Chicago Magazinenamed Duffy on its 100 Most Powerful People list.

Duffy attended the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. In 2007, he received a Doctor of Humane Letters from DePaul University.

Christopher D. Furman
President and CEO, Ventura Foods
Nominated by Saint Joseph’s University

Christopher D. Furman became President and CEO of Ventura Foods in 2009. A leading manufacturer of custom and branded food products, Ventura Foods boasts over 3,000 employees and over $3.0 billion in annual sales. Under Furman’s direction, the company has seen five of its most successful financial years and was just named one of the fastest growing private companies in Orange County. Furman also currently serves on the Board for the Pacific Life Insurance Company.

With over 30 years of experience in the F&B and consumer products industries, Furman spent 23 years with PepsiCo, holding positions both domestically and abroad. He most recently served as President of PepsiCo Foodservice, successfully launching two new businesses during his tenure.

Deeply committed to community service, Furman has served on many Boards including Pacific Life Insurance Company and the Santa Margarita High School Consultative Board, where he chairs the Finance and Development Committee. Furman also actively participates with the Children’s Hospital of Orange County Foundation.

As an alumnus and previous Board Member of St. Joseph’s University, Furman was instrumental in establishing the SJU Academy of Food Marketing Endowed Scholarship and will be inducted into the Saint Joseph’s University Haub School of Business Hall of Fame in April 2017.

Emilio B. Imbriglio
President and CEO, Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton Canada 
Nominated by Concordia University

Emilio B. Imbriglio currently serves as the President and CEO of Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, Canada’s largest professional services consulting firm. Imbriglio and his team promote the development of vibrant businesses, on both a domestic and international scale, by providing organizations with the means to pursue their goals. Imbriglio is also a member of Grant Thornton International Ltd.’s Leadership Committee and Board of Governors. Serving as the Chair of the Budget Committee, he represents more than 130 countries, 42,000 people and a $5 billion budget. Holding multiple positions within Grant Thornton Raymond Chabot Infrastructure Incorporated, Imbriglio has also previously acted as head of the Corporate Finance Consulting Group.

As a natural born entrepreneur, Imbriglio strongly believes in encouraging growth and innovation in his community, which he supports through his involvement with numerous organizations. Passionate about helping others to achieve their goals and reach their full potential, he taught for 18 years, with both Concordia and McGill Universities. It is his belief that the pillars of economic development are entrepreneurship, employment, education and sustainable development.

Imbriglio holds both a Bachelor of Commerce and an accounting degree (DIA) from Concordia University and an MBA from McGill University.