Joe Adams (left), S. Biff Bowman and Timothy P. Knight recently joined DePaul University’s Board of Trustees. The 40-member board governs the university. All three are graduates of DePaul. (Adams photo courtesy of McGladrey) (Bowman photo courtesy of Northern Trust) (Knight photo courtesy of Chicago Sun-Times)Three Chicago business executives are the newest members of DePaul University’s 40-member board of trustees. They are Joe Adams, managing partner and CEO of McGladrey LLP; S. Biff Bowman, incoming CFO of Northern Trust; and Timothy P. Knight, CEO of Wrapports LLC. All three are graduates of DePaul.
“Our governing board is gaining the expertise of three exceptional leaders in their fields. I am extremely grateful and look forward to working together,” says the Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider, C.M., president of DePaul.
Adams, managing partner and CEO of McGladrey LLP, has been with the company for 35 years and has progressive experience in audit, mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, operations, and organizational and strategy matters. McGladrey is a provider of assurance, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market.
Adams, a certified public accountant, has two degrees from DePaul: an MBA in operations management and a bachelor’s degree in accountancy. Adams was named to the Directorship 100 list of the National Association of Corporate Directors for three consecutive years — 2012, 2013 and 2014. The honor was in recognition of exemplary leadership in the boardroom and for promoting the highest standards of corporate governance. Adams is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago and on the governing board of the Center for Audit Quality.
Bowman, who has been with Northern Trust for 29 years, was named CFO effective Sept. 1. He currently is a member of Northern Trust’s Management Group, and executive vice president and head of human resources for the company, which is Chicago's largest locally headquartered bank. He has previously served as CEO of EMEA, which is responsible for all of Northern Trust’s business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Another role he held at Northern Trust was managing director the firm’s Guernsey operation.
Bowman has an MBA from DePaul and a bachelor’s degree in business from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He is a member of the board of directors of the public-private partnership Skills for Chicagoland’s Future and Lincoln Park Zoo. Bowman also is a trustee for Glenwood School for Boys and Girls and the Farmer School of Business at Miami University.
Knight, an experienced media executive and attorney, became CEO of Wrapports LLC in late 2011 when he helped launch the technology holding company, which owns the Chicago Sun-Times and some 40 other print and digital publications. Knight is past president and CEO of Newsday Media Group and publisher of Newsday. Previously, he held a number of senior management positions at the Tribune Publishing Company and Chicago Tribune Media Group, where he oversaw the company’s launch of Red Eye and acquisition of Chicago magazine.
Knight served as counsel for mergers and acquisition at the Tribune and started his career as a corporate attorney at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom, based in Chicago and London. Knight has a law degree (Juris Doctor) from DePaul, and a bachelor’s degree in accountancy from Marquette University. He is a member of the Marquette University College of Business Dean’s Council of Excellence, Ambassadors Board for the Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, and board of advisors for Catholic Charities. Additionally, he is on the board of directors of the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association and a member of the Economic club of Chicago. Knight also is vice-chair of the Illinois Mentoring Partnership.