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ISU Business Speaker To Students: 'Think, Act Globally'

Staff

Steve Hagge has spent the past 35 years at Crystal Lake-based AptarGroup, Inc, rising to his current role as Chief Executive Officer of the $2.3 billion company. During Sound Ideas, Hagge said the biggest thing he's learned in that time span is to think and act on a global basis.

Hagge was the keynote speaker at Business Week activities at Illinois State University, where he enrolled as one of the first students in the fledgling accounting program in 1969. He said the best advice he can give business students today is to expand your view to accommodate globalization.

"It's a small world. Try to think broader than what you're living in today. Think on a world-wide basis. Have curiosity about it. Be diverse in your thought process. Be adaptable. Recognize that there are cultural differences," said Hagge. "Frankly, I think that's a lot of fun."

He also encouraged students to make sure they're compatible with the company for which they work.

"You need to be aligned to that, or if you're not, you're not going to be very happy," Hagge added.

Hagge also said it's important for corporate leaders to concentrate on workers' strengths and not their weaknesses.

"We've focused on 'what are your strengths? How do you get them better?' It's more fun. Certainly weaknesses need to be addressed, but if you (concentrate on) your strengths, all of sudden what you're doing makes more difference to you, it's more exciting and leads to a happier employee, a happier employer and a happier company," said Hagge.

Hagge, who is also on the AptarGroup Board of Directors, is retiring as CEO in March.

AptarGroup provides dispensing solutions for wide variety of fragrance, personal care, household, food, beverage and pharmaceutical products.  Customers include Procter & Gamble, Heinz, Unilever, Kraft Foods, GlaxoSmithKline, Pepsi Co., L’Oreal, and Estee Lauder. 

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Willis is a Bloomington, IL, native. During his senior year at Bloomington High School, he finished third in the "Radio Speaking" division of the state speech contest, the only year he competed.