Reijula to Speak at Commencement

Peter Reijula, a 1976 NMU alumnus and president of foodservice business for McCain Foods USA Inc., will be the keynote speaker at the mid-year commencement ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 17, at the Superior Dome. He will also receive an honorary doctor of business degree.

“I am really looking forward to returning to NMU and being part of commencement,” he said. “I will be speaking from my own experiences as a businessman, with a focus on embracing and responding to the dizzying pace of change that is taking place in business and society. I will trace my route to and from NMU and relate how I have capitalized on opportunities in my career by embracing change.”

A native of Finland, Reijula moved to the United States for his college education. He received a bachelor’s degree in general business from NMU, and a master of business administration degree from Michigan State University. After holding various positions in sales and marketing with General Foods Corp. and Tropicana Products Inc., Reijula joined McCain Foods in 1994. This market-leading business has $1.2 billion in annual sales, nine manufacturing plants, and 4,000 employees in the United States. McCain Foods is the leading provider of frozen potato and appetizer products to the foodservice industry.

Reijula was appointed to his current position in February 2005. He previously served three years as president of the company's snack foods division.

Reijula is also involved in sports. He was elected to the NMU Sports Hall of Fame in 1986 for Nordic skiing, and placed fifth in the World Junior Skiing Championships in his youth. From 1992 until 2002, he was also a youth soccer coach in the Glen Ellyn Park district in Illinois. Reijula currently resides in Glen Ellyn Park with his wife and three daughters.

The NMU commencement ceremony begins at 10:30 a.m. It will be broadcast live on WNMU-TV.