ISE alumni entrepreneurs returned to campus for a candid Fireside Chat, offering students an unfiltered look at what it truly takes to build and scale a company. From calculated risk and leadership alignment to hiring for character and embracing failure, the conversation delivered practical lessons grounded in real-world experience. More than advice, the evening underscored something distinctive about ISE: alumni who remain accessible, engaged and invested in the next generation of innovators.
Written by Ashley Sims
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Last month, accomplished ISE alumni returned to campus to speak candidly with students about entrepreneurship, risk and what it truly takes to build something from the ground up. Together, they offered an unfiltered look at the realities of launching and scaling businesses — from leadership decisions and calculated risk to hiring strategy and the discipline required to sustain growth.
“You need the right people, in the right roles, at the right time.”
Gene Kiesel ('79 BS General Engineering)
The IISE at UIUC student group partnered up with the Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering to host a Fireside Chat featuring Jeff Lee ('98 BS General Engineering), founder of Valorea, and Gene Kiesel ('79 BS General Engineering), CEO of Parallel Products Technology LLC. The discussion was moderated by Mike Loquercio ('83 BS IE), Senior Manager of Manufacturing and Supply Chain Technology at Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling andactive mentor andAlumni Board member.
Truths About Starting a Company
When asked what pushed them to become founders, neither alumnuspointed to a lightning-bolt “big idea.”
Gene Kiesel ('79 BS General Engineering), CEO of Parallel Products Technology LLC.
For Kiesel, it was a long-building desire to create somethingof his own — one that began during his senior design experienceat Illinois. After decades of corporate leadership roles, he took on a struggling company and entirelyrebuilt the enterprise.The early years were marked by financial pressure, a few missteps and investor scrutiny. “What I was supposed to accomplish in one year took three,” Kiesel shared.
Lee’s most recent venture came from a different place: restlessness. After exiting the company, he found he needed more than comfort. “I needed to feel productive. I needed to feel a passion behind something,” Lee said. That drive led him back into entrepreneurship.
The alumni agreed on a clear message:Entrepreneurship isn’t glamorous. It is less about the idea and more about resilience, timingand execution. And it is always deeply personal.
Leadership breaks first
Both alumni emphasized that when startups struggle, it’s rarely the product that fails first — it’s leadership alignment.
Mike Loquercio ('83 BS IE), Senior Manager of Manufacturing and Supply Chain Technology, Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling
“You need the right people in the right roles at the right time,” Kiesel said, reflecting on lessons learned from delaying key personnel changes.
Lee echoed that sentiment, describing the delicate balance between people, processes and technology. Processes will break. Systems will lag. It’s the people who “plug the holes,” protect client relationships and stabilize growth.
For students considering entrepreneurship, the takeaway was direct: technical rigor opens doors. Leadership keeps them open.
When asked about pressure to start companies early in their careers, both panelists pushed back on the hype.
Entrepreneurship is not a race. It’s a calculated risk.
Lee encouraged students to assess their readiness alongside their ambitions. Early-career roles, he explained, can provide invaluable leadership and operational experience that increase the odds of long-term success.
Kiesel reinforced that opportunities will come repeatedly throughout one’s career. What matters most is building skills, expanding perspectives and cultivating confidence to act when the moment is right.
“Your growth is on you,” Lee told the students. “If you’re not learning, that’s your responsibility.”
Hiring for character, not just credentials
In a time where AI can polish resumes to perfection, the panelists stressed that credentials are only the starting point.
Kiesel described interviewing candidates without first reading their resumes, focusing instead on character, competitiveness and resilience. Lee shared that he often uses situational problem-solving questions to assess how candidates think under pressure.
Their advice to students: show up as yourself. Demonstrate how you think, how you recover from mistakes and how you work with others. That’s what separates future leaders from applicants.
A full-circle moment
For Kiesel, returning to the Transportation Building was a reminder of where it all started. For Lee, the evening was a chance to invest in the next generation of founders.
The fireside chat covered more than stories of success. It was about setbacks, sleepless nights, difficult decisionsand the discipline required to turn ideas into impact.
For ISE students, it was a powerful reminder that the entrepreneurial path is rarely linear — but with resilience, curiosity, and the right team, it is possible.