CHAMPAIGN — An entrepreneur will get an alumni award and the University of Illinois chancellor will speak at Parkland College's 44th commencement exercises Friday.

The event begins at 8 p.m. at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts on the UI campus.

Interim Chancellor Robert A. Easter will give the keynote address, as well as receive an honorary associate's degree for outstanding community service and appreciation of higher education.

Local entrepreneur Darrin Peters, who earned an associate's degree in agricultural business management in 1996, will receive Parkland's Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Peters is the founder and president of Midwest Underground Technology Inc. of Champaign.

He said his business acumen was shaped by his time at Parkland.

"I guess college provided me with a lot of hands on practice to develop skills used every day in business, as well as good academic background," he said.

He went on to work for a couple of companies and considered buying one. When that fell through, he started his own company.

Midwest Underground Technology has about 140 employees and offices in Chicago, Champaign, St. Louis and Kansas City.

It has been ranked for four years in a row as one of the Inc. 500 fastest-growing companies.

The Gibson City native is 34.

"Parkland had a lot to do with my success," he said.

If you can't make the Krannert event, you can watch the graduation ceremony live by going to http://www.parkland.edu/commencement for a live video stream or by tuning in to the Parkland channel PCTV.

PCTV is available on Comcast channel 9, Mediacom channel 10, and U-verse channel 99.

Nearly 1,000 candidates for graduation will be earning an associate's degree or certificate this year.