Share this story!

While the rest of us may count on a carefree night of dining out or some homemade comfort food after a long day at the office, we rarely consider all that goes into getting these experiences “just right” for consumers.

For two NIU College of Business alumni, the success stories of their brands are in their numbers, as well as market research, strategic growth and calculated risks.

Tony Querciagrossa

Just ask Tony Querciagrossa, who earned his finance degree in 2007, and now serves as the chief financial officer of Pinstripes, Inc., an experiential dining and entertainment venue. The newly public company serves up made-from-scratch Italian/American cuisine along with bowling, bocce and memorable private events.

“I love to build teams and grow businesses, and Pinstripes is an incredible growth story with a phenomenal team behind the magic that strikes every day here,” he said, adding that he is looking forward to creating value for Pinstripes shareholders, customers and team members for many years to come.

Likewise, Amy Small, who earned her accountancy degree in 2009, works as a senior finance manager at The Kraft Heinz Company—home to everyone’s favorite brands, including the obvious Kraft and Heinz, but also Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Lunchables, Velveeta, Maxwell House, Capri Sun, Ore-Ida, Kool-Aid, Jell-O and Classico.

“I support a sales team with financial planning and analysis activities, and the team I support sells our food and beverage items to dollar, drug and convenience stores. The most fun part of my role is providing guidance to the team to help them in selling items into stores and then seeing the items on the shelf, knowing that I was involved in making it happen,” she said.

Forgoing the mundane stereotypes of stale number crunching, these two Huskies have proven their finance and accountancy degrees have made them integral to growing two companies known for their loyal followings.

Dining Differently

After years of working finance and general management roles at industrial and medical companies like Emerson, GE, Medline and Filtration Group, Querciagrossa made the move to Pinstripes. A seasoned operating executive with experience building and leading highly effective global teams across businesses with varying levels of scale and complexity, he knew it was time to try something new.

“This role has very much been ‘lightning in a bottle’ for me,” Querciagrossa said. “I joined in September 2023, and we went public at the end of December 2023. The biggest challenges are managing the complexities of being a public company while helping to manage the business and create value. It’s a delicate balance.”

Querciagrossa’s successful track record in driving value and strong cash flow generation—all while focusing on organizational and talent development—made him the right man for the job. An experiential dining and entertainment concept, Pinstripes was founded in 2007. The company is headquartered in Chicago and currently operates 16 locations across the country with over 2,000 team members.

For Querciagrossa, who grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago, a business career was no surprise. The son of two educators, he always knew he wanted to be in business.

“I was fortunate to have a group of uncles that all were successful in business and mentored me,” he said, adding that being offered the Executive Club Scholarship at NIU helped to focus his aspirations.

“The Executive Club Scholarship was a key differentiator for me to choose NIU, along with Barsema Hall and the incredible facilities that I knew I would be able to enjoy and utilize.” Querciagrossa said.

Reflecting on his time on campus, he noted that the required UBUS 310 course brought perspective to his learning.

“That course taught me a lot about prioritization and how to methodically work through a number of different business areas all at once. It very much simulated how the real world works, a perspective I now appreciate and understand,” he said.

Amy Small

The Finance of Food

Meanwhile, Small is honing her craft at the Kraft Heinz Company—one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world, with six $1 billion+ brands and global sales of approximately $27 billion. A globally trusted producer of high-quality, great-tasting, and nutritious foods for over 150 years, Kraft Heinz is co-headquartered in Chicago and Pittsburgh, with products sold in nearly 200 countries.

“The most fulfilling part of my work is the impact I have on helping the sales team with selling items to their customers, which has a direct effect on our results as a company,” Small said. “It is rewarding when our hard work adds value to the company and has a direct impact on our company’s success.”

Of course, her job is not without its obstacles.

“Completing our annual planning process successfully and helping to ensure that we do not overspend our trade/promotional budget can be a challenge,” she said, adding that her hands-on experiences at NIU have helped her to know the proper ways to plan ahead.

“My most memorable experience at NIU was being in a sorority—Alpha Phi—during my sophomore through senior years. I held a couple of officer roles, including treasurer and panhellenic delegate, which helped contribute to my leadership and communication skills. I also met many wonderful women, a few of whom I am still close friends with to this day,” she said.

Born in Dodge City, Kansas, Small grew up near St. Louis, Missouri, and in Gurnee, Illinois, where sports helped her to become less reserved.

“In high school, I played soccer and became heavily involved in an organization called Future Business Leaders of America,” she said. “I was a diligent student, graduating with over 4.0 GPA in high school. Initially I wanted to be a teacher or do something in the medical field, like become a doctor or nurse. But in high school, I took a couple of business courses, including accounting, and decided that was the best route for me.”

Small chose NIU for her degree in accountancy because she knew the program was world renowned, and she also sensed the strength of the Huskie community.

“When I visited the campus before making my decision, I got a sense of the school spirit that existed, especially with the NIU Huskies football team. This excited me and helped me in finalizing my decision,” Small said.

Feeding the Soul

As with so many Huskies who have found success in their careers, both Small and Querciagrossa feel compelled to give back to students who are still finding their paths.

“I volunteer for iMentor, which is a nonprofit organization that started in New York and expanded to Chicago. My volunteer work involves being a mentor to a high school student and helping them navigate finishing high school, applying to college, and getting through t he first couple years of college,” Small said, adding that her mentee is currently attending Malcolm X College and pursuing a degree in dental hygiene.

Small also participates in meal packing events that Kraft Heinz holds in collaboration with the organization Rise Against Hunger.

Querciagrossa gives back to a cause that is close to his own heart. He is a donor to and a member of the NIU Executive Club, the same program that offered him a scholarship when he earned his degree. The club creates student scholarships, mentors students, and recruits for internships or permanent positions, among other initiatives.

“I give back to NIU as best I can,” Querciagrossa said. “NIU is practical, affordable and of great quality. People that graduate from NIU work hard and embody a lot of great entrepreneurial attributes. We also tend to know we have to earn everything we get, which is an endearing quality and attitude to have.”

Small could not agree more.

“What makes NIU special is that it offers a great education with real-world experiences woven into the curriculum and an outstanding faculty that cares about its students and makes sure to prepare them for success,” she said.

To support the Executive Club Scholarship or other College of Business scholarships, visit www.niufoundation.org/give.