DEKALB, IL — A new partnership encouraging NIU alumni to start, relocate or expand their businesses in DeKalb and DeKalb County held its official launch during NIU Homecoming Week with an event for alumni and community partners at Jonamac Orchard.

The Huskie Business Pack also aims to connect, support and celebrate Huskie-led businesses and nonprofits and develop a strong network that helps Huskies invest in the region. More than 50 area businesses and organizations have already joined the program.

Matt Streb, NIU chief strategy officer and liaison to the Board of Trustees, said the new program can bring both short-term and long-term benefits to the region. “It’s a way to build community, engage our alumni and grow the economy,” he said. “We hear from businesses and organizations that need networking and promotion, and we want to partner with them to support them in their work.”

The Huskie Business Pack helps alumni-led businesses and nonprofits connect with people, grow their businesses, promote their accomplishments and give back to the next generation of Huskies. Joining NIU as program partners are the City of DeKalb, DeKalb County Economic Development Organization, DeKalb Chamber of Commerce and the NIU Foundation.

NIU alumnus and hotel owner Pramit Patel understands the value of partnerships in growing his business.

“A strong community isn’t a group of separate players; it’s a network where each connection makes the next one stronger,” said Patel, president and CEO of eo5 Hotels. “An NIU graduate who stays and hires the next graduate. A business owner who mentors the student who becomes the next owner. That’s what the Huskie Business Pack is building, and it’s why I’m part of it.”

Entrepreneurs and current owners that participate in the Huskie Business Pack can tap NIU resources, including mentorship, networking events, general business services and entrepreneurial education through programs across the university.

“As a local business owner and proud alum, the connection between NIU, our local businesses and the entire DeKalb County community is vital,” said Bill McMahon, owner of Lincoln Inn and Faranda’s. “Being part of the Huskie Business Pack gives us a direct bridge to student talent available for internships and collaborative projects with the university. Staying involved isn’t just great for business—it keeps us deeply invested in the future of our Huskie community.”

Growing the regional economy is the overarching goal of the program, Streb said, with NIU as the anchor in that economy.

“We are always reminding the region of the importance of having a major research institution such as NIU right here in their backyard,” he said. “Our relationship with the region is mutually beneficial and we want to grow that.”

Eligibility for the program includes any Huskie-led business, nonprofit or entrepreneurial venture in which one or more individuals who attended NIU for any period serve in a significant ownership or leadership role. Businesses founded by NIU alumni may continue to participate after leadership transitions, provided they maintain an ongoing relationship with the initiative or the university.

To learn more, visit Huskie Business Pack.

Media Contact: Jami Kunzer

About NIU

Northern Illinois University is a student-centered, nationally recognized public research university, with expertise that benefits its region and spans the globe in a wide variety of fields, including the sciences, humanities, arts, business, engineering, education, health and law. The Wall Street Journal and CollegeNET recognize NIU as a leading institution for social mobility, or helping its students climb the socioeconomic ladder. Through its main campus in DeKalb, Illinois, and education centers for students and working professionals in Chicago, Naperville and Rockford, NIU offers more than 100 areas of study while serving a diverse and international student body.