A Unity High School (Tolono, Illinois) graduate, Brad Busboom took automotive courses as dual credit through Parkland's Automotive Youth Education System (AYES) before enrolling at Parkland in 2004 to study Automotive Technology. While at Parkland, he was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa International honor society; was named to the dean's list both years; and was an active member of the Parkland Motorsports Club, working on and driving the Malibu drag car.
Busboom went on to earn a BS in Automotive Technology from Southern Illinois University in 2008 and completed the MBA program at the University of Michigan in 2014.
"Parkland College is where it all started, where I discovered who I am and where I wanted to go," Busboom said. "My time there built the foundation for the skills I have needed in my journey so far, which are at the core of everything I do today."
In June 2013, Busboom was honored during the Illinois Community College Trustees Association's annual convention in Chicago, where he received the ICCTA Distinguished Alumnus Award for Parkland College. He was also the keynote speaker at the Illinois College Automotive Instructors Association conference, when it was hosted by Parkland College in October 2014.
Brad has been working at General Motors since 2008; launching the Chevy Volt in 2011, Cadillac ELR in 2014, and Next Gen Chevy Volt in 2015; and was co-president for the Revitalization and Business Detroit Group at the University of Michigan. Currently he is brand execution manager for Chevrolet globally at General Motors in Detroit, Michigan.
Brad's most memorable Parkland moment: "I will never forget the first time I drove the Parkland drag car; what a rush! At that point, I had been working on and learning about the car for over a year, and it was so satisfying to get behind the wheel and take the car down the track. I remember thinking to myself, 'Where else can you get a quality education while at the same time have the opportunity to drive a 500+ horsepower drag car?' Parkland's Automotive program is truly something special."