Recently at the DECA Fall Leadership Conference in Rosemont, Maine South 12th grader Riyad Abukhalaf was elected Illinois State President of DECA for 2026-2027. This is the first time Maine South has had a student elected to this leadership role.
The selection process began with 34 candidates and included three stages:
- Round 1: An exam covering Illinois DECA and National DECA information.
- Round 2: An interview with members of the Illinois Foundation for Marketing Education. During this route, candidates were evaluated on their interview performance along with letters of recommendation, plans for the upcoming year, academics, and other application materials.
- Round 3: Two rounds of speeches at the Fall Leadership Conference — the first to earn a position on the State Action Team and the second to determine the Illinois DECA President.
“I’m incredibly excited to be elected as President of Illinois DECA,” shares Abukhalaf. He is a two-time Illinois DECA State Officer. He served as Vice President of Leadership Development last year.
As President, Abukhalaf will have the opportunity to lead Illinois DECA’s largest membership in history, with more than 6,500 members statewide. Some of his responsibilities will include managing and working alongside the four State Vice Presidents, leading the development of DECA’s Program of Work, helping plan and lead the Illinois Career Development Conference for approximately 2,500 students, working closely with the DECA Executive Director, leading and developing statewide initiatives, and visiting DECA chapters throughout Illinois.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to represent Maine South and District 207 at the state level again this year, and I’m really excited for everything ahead,” says Abukhalaf.