Change Leadership in the 21st Century

David DeFreitas is a high-impact leader with a unique combination of expertise in business leadership and financial management. At all stops, Dave has excelled at collaborative leadership and mentoring future leaders. After beginning his career as an auditor with a public accounting firm, Dave joined Caterpillar Inc, where he advanced through 18 roles over the course of 32 years. His title history includes Group CFO for Corporate Services, Divisional CFO for Aftermarket Parts, Controller (Americas) for Caterpillar Financial Services, Investment Director for Energy & Transportation, Managing Director for Telehandlers (an end-to-end business with full P&L, design control, manufacturing, and marketing responsibilities), Corporate Director of Activity Based Costing, and Corporate Business Analysis Project Manager. He gained valuable global experience in each of these roles, including living and working in the UK for five years during his time as a Managing Director. Dave chairs the National Council of Advisors to the Foster College of Business at Bradley University, and is a past Chair and current Emeritus Member of the Department of Accounting Advisory Council at Bradley. He is also a member of the Bradley University Braves Club Board and a member of the Indiana University Accounting Advisory Board. Dave is the Treasurer of his fraternity housing corporation (Sigma Alpha Epsilon) and served as Vice Chair of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Boys State Basketball Championship Executive Steering Committee for seven years. In 2017, Dave and his wife were recognized by the IHSA and Peoria Convention & Visitors Bureau as Volunteers of the Year. In 2019, Dave was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Central Illinois Easterseals Foundation and has co-chaired successful fundraising campaigns. Dave has also co-authored two articles published in professional finance and accounting magazines.