Franco Bianchi, President and CEO of Haworth, Inc., will serve as Davenport University’s 2018 Commencement Speaker on Sunday, April 29, at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.

Approximately 1,900 graduates from across Michigan are eligible to participate in Commencement, celebrating their new undergraduate and graduate degrees from Davenport. Bianchi will be presented an Honorary Doctorate of Business from DU.

“It is an honor to have Franco Bianchi join us as our Commencement speaker this year,” said Dr. Richard Pappas, President of Davenport University. “Franco is a tremendous friend to the university, serving on our board from 2012 until this past December. His finance expertise and international business experience will relate well to our new graduates as they move on to the next phase of their careers.”

Bianchi assumed the role of President and Chief Executive Officer of Haworth, Inc. in July 2005, overseeing and directing the performance of the global organization comprised of Haworth North America, Haworth Europe, and Haworth Asia Pacific. Since joining Haworth in 1992, Bianchi has served in numerous roles, including Chief Operating Officer, Vice President of Global Product Lines Management and Marketing, Vice President of Finance–Haworth North America Contract Furniture, General Manager of Haworth Italy, and Vice President of Finance, Information Systems and Human Resources for Haworth’s European Operations and for subsidiary Castelli.

Bianchi’s prior experience includes consulting on mergers, acquisitions and re-engineering, a role as senior associate for Arthur Andersen, serving as a chief accountant in Montenegro, Italy, and NATO military service. He holds a degree in Business and Administration from Bologna University in Bologna, Italy, and is a chartered public accountant.