DECATUR, Ill. – When Millikin University alumnus Brandon Rick ’04 decided to head to Decatur for college, he thought he had his life planned out and was ready to get things started.
“When I was 18 years old, I was going to come to Millikin, I was going to play football, I was going to get my accounting degree, then I was going to go to the military,” Rick said. “Then, after four years in the Navy, I would become a federal law enforcement officer. That was my plan.”
But even the best-laid plans are bound to change.
After 9-11 and the beginning of the War in Afghanistan and Iraq, Rick's thoughts of a military career changed. He pivoted to a possible career in law enforcement, and after a few years, he again decided to make another career change. While the ultimate goal changed, Rick’s plans helped him navigate those challenging times.
“My plan was to keep moving forward and figuring out what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it. Having that plan gives you direction, it gives you purpose,” he said. “No matter what you're doing or where you think you're in the world, having a purpose will drive you and motivate you to continue. While you might not know exactly what you want to do, the purpose will drive you to continue moving forward.”
Rick recently returned to campus to speak as a part of the first Millikin Masterclass event, a new TEDx-style series of alumni speakers sharing their successes and career journeys. He reflected on his time as a Big Blue student and the lessons he’s learned on his career journey to becoming Fleet & Sustainability Manager at Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) in Decatur.
“Whatever the reason for coming to Millikin, you don't want to let that define you. That's not who you are, and that's just your journey's starting point. From there, Millikin gives you the tools and the opportunities to make your life special. For me, it's been the experiences, but it's also been the inherent knowledge that I learned here at this institution that's helped me get to where I am today,” Rick said. “The message I give to the students I work with is that this is a safe space. This could be the first time you're stepping away from Mom and Dad or out on your own for the first time. You’re allowed to learn about yourself. You're allowed to learn about who you are as an individual.”
At ADM, Rick manages a fleet of 550 Class 8 semis (a big rig truck with a vehicle weight of 33,001+ pounds) and 1,400 trailers positioned in 34 locations nationwide. He’s also at the forefront of modernizing the fleet and sustainability options, including using sustainable fuels.
“My role is to manage that fleet and ensure it's operating at the highest efficiency. We've got a number of older trucks, some newer trucks, so I'm selling the old ones and buying and leasing new ones every year,” Rick said. “I'm looking at our customers’ business needs and ensuring that our equipment operates efficiently and sustainably.”
While attending Millikin, Rick joined the Beta Chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) fraternity, and along with continuing to be involved today with Millikin’s chapter advisor, he also serves as Grand Province Advisor to the TKE chapters in Illinois. Since its founding at Illinois Wesleyan University in 1899, the TKE fraternity recently celebrated its 300,000 initiated member.
“In February, 16 of our men will spend a weekend in Chicago at our Regional Leadership Conference that our TKE International Headquarters puts together. In our organization, we're trying to build leadership as a key tool as you prepare to enter the real world,” Rick said. “No matter your degree, the world needs good, strong leaders. We're trying to instill some of that leadership and other key values that organizations, communities, and everyone's looking for in young men coming out of college and heading to the real world.”
Rick was also instrumental in establishing the close relationship between Millikin and ADM through the yearly Day of Service event, which in 2024 saw more than 400 Millikin students, staff, and ADM employees participate in service projects at 16 sites around Decatur, including the Johns Hill Magnet School, Illinois Children’s Museum, Crossing Healthcare, the Northeast Community Fund, the Salvation Army, and the James Millikin Homestead.
“We wanted a way to build a relationship and collaborate between Millikin and ADM. Over time, the students can see that they might want to stay in Decatur and be employed here. It is a way to focus on the service side of it and keep students here after graduation,” Rick said. “That initial step is taken that first week they are in school during Welcome Week. Let's get them together with some service partners and teach them about philanthropy, and that gets them off on the right foot.”
The Day of Service collaboration is made possible thanks to a grant from the ADM Cares charitable organization, which sustains and strengthens ADM communities by funding organizations that drive meaningful social, economic, and environmental change.
“I appreciated the opportunity to come and speak at the Masterclass and see my friends here at Millikin,” Rick said. “I love to continue to work to bridge that gap between Millikin and the community and Millikin and the professional space.”
