Jerre Stead, chairman and CEO of IHS Inc., will give the keynote address at Bradley University’s Graduate School commencement ceremony on May 10 in the Renaissance Coliseum on campus. He will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
Stead became executive chairman of IHS Inc. in 2000 and assumed the additional role of CEO in 2006. IHS is a global information company offering technical information, tools and operational and advisory services.
Prior to his work with IHS, Stead took Ingram Micro public in 1996. Under his leadership the company grew from an $8 billion company to a $30 billion company doing business in more than 120 countries.
He began his career in 1965 at Honeywell Inc., where he spent 21 years and held a number of executive management positions in the United States and Europe. Later, he held chief executive positions with Square D Company, AT&T Global Business Communications Systems and AT&T Global Information Solutions (NCR Corporation) and was also the chairman of NCR Japan. He became chairman and CEO of the Legent Corporation in 1995.
Stead earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration at the University of Iowa and attended the Harvard University Advanced Management Program in Switzerland.
He has served on 30 corporate boards during his career and has served as chairman of the National Electronic Manufacturers Association and the Center of Ethics and Values at Garrett Seminary. He now serves on the Salk Institute Board of Directors and is chairman of the Banner Alzheimer’s Institute. He has co-authored several motivational/management books.
Jerre and his wife Mary Joy are well known for their generous philanthropy. The Steads have contributed to universities, churches, children’s hospitals, Alzheimer’s research and many other causes.
