Antonio Daniels, Aaron W. Saak to Speak at 2026 Graduation Ceremonies
The two respected alumni will address graduates on June 15
Two respected alumni will address Northwestern Engineering’s Class of 2026 as part of the McCormick School of Engineering’s graduation ceremonies on Monday, June 15, at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Antonio Daniels (’93, MBA ‘15), chief information officer at Comcast Business, will speak at the McCormick Undergraduate Convocation. Aaron W. Saak (PhD '00, MS '97), president and CEO of Crane NXT, will speak at the McCormick PhD Hooding and Master’s Degree Recognition Ceremony.
“Antonio Daniels and Aaron Saak represent the depth and breadth of what our alumni achieve across industries,” said Christopher Schuh, dean of Northwestern Engineering. “They have led through complexity, driven meaningful innovation, and remained committed to using technology to create impact. I am excited for our graduates to learn from their experiences as they take the next step in their own careers.”
Antonio Daniels
As chief information officer at Comcast Business, Daniels partners with senior executives to lead large-scale technology transformation and growth initiatives. Across more than three decades of leadership, he has guided organizations through moments of complexity and change, with expertise spanning cybersecurity, cloud computing, AI, software engineering, and post-acquisition integration.
Prior to Comcast, Daniels held senior leadership roles at Charter Communications, where he helped scale Spectrum Mobile, and with the State of Illinois, where he earned the Computerworld Laureate Award for advancing a groundbreaking shared services initiative.
He has also dedicated his time to community impact through board service with organizations including Merit School of Music, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Urban League of St. Louis. Daniels earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and computer science.
Aaron W. Saak
Saak, who has over two decades of experience guiding technology‑focused, multinational businesses, is the president and CEO of Crane NXT, a global leader in authentication and traceability technologies with more than 6,000 employees and approximately $2 billion in annual revenue.
Before joining Crane NXT, Saak served as president and CEO of Mobility Solutions and president of Gilbarco Veeder‑Root, a subsidiary of Vontier Corporation. Earlier in his career, Saak held senior leadership positions at Tyco International and General Electric in engineering, product development, and business management.
Saak holds a PhD in materials science and engineering and a master’s degree in industrial engineering from Northwestern University. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign. In addition to his role at Crane NXT, Saak serves on the Board of Directors of A. O. Smith Corporation.