2010

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August 31, 2010 – Zopp Discusses New Role at Chicago Urban League

Andrea Zopp talks about her priorities as the new President and CEO of the Chicago Urban League in the "Taking Names” blog at Crain’s Chicago Business.

August 31, 2010 – Wong Honored as ‘Woman of Valor’

The Jane Addams Hull House Association will present Bernarda Wong with the Woman of Valor Award during the annual Jane Addams Symposium, held Sept. 16, 2010, at the Palmer House Hilton.

The award recognizes women whose contributions have improved the quality of life for Chicago residents. "I am touched by this reward and proud to be recognized along with Sylvia Puente, Executive Director of the Latino Policy Forum and Vanessa Rich, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Children & Youth Services, City of Chicago,” Bernie says.  

August 30, 2010 – Hamos Profiled in Crain’s

Crain’s Chicago Business covers Julie Hamos’ work as Director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services in its Aug. 30 weekly edition. You can read about her efforts to make Illinois a "leader on health care reform” in the magazine’s People department.

August 16, 2010 – Crain’s Profiles Cafaro’s Work with Ventas

In its August 16 weekly issue, Crain’s Chicago Business holds up Deborah Cafaro’s determination as a contributing factor for her success with Ventas, Chicago-based real estate investment trust. You can find more about her work in "CEO Cafaro's deal-making puts Ventas at top of hot medical-office segment” online at the Crain’s site. 

August 16, 2010 – Escarra’s Work with Feeding America Spotlighted in Crain’s

Crain’s Chicago Business August 16 issue details Feeding America’s drive to provide food and support to more than 200 food banks, and CEO Vicki Escarra is credited for the organization’s success. You can read online about her efforts in "How Chicago-based Feeding America became go-to charity for corporate funders.”

August 16, 2010 – Crain’s Interviews Three Members on Corporate Giving

Deborah DeHaas and Edith Falk and Valerie Lies are quoted on the state of philanthropy in Crain’s Chicago Business’ Weekly Focus. You can see online what they had to say in "As companies go for biggest bang for philanthropic buck, some Chicago non-profits are left out” and "Even as overall giving increases, companies pull back on event sponsorship, table purchases.”

August 7, 2010 – Chicago Public Library Displays Collection Detailing Wyatts' Activism

The Chicago Public Library’s Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection will house 345 containers of the papers, photos, tapes and other memorabilia highlighting the contributions of Addie Wyatt and her late husband Claude toward racial, gender, economic and political equality.

"When we think about the African-American community, we think about those who have made a difference, and Claude and Addie Wyatt represent how two people can make a difference not only in the city, but for the country and the world,” Mayor Daley said at a news conference at the Harold Washington Library. "It's important for those papers to be here. They are role models for future generations.”

For the full story, visit the Chicago Sun-Times.  

August 5, 2010 – Dominique Raccah Receives Woman of Vision Award

Arnstein & Lehr LLP has honored Dominique Raccah, Publisher and CEO of Sourcebooks, Inc., with a 2010 Woman of Vision Award. The honor recognizes "groundbreaking, inspirational women who have made a difference in the professional world.”

August 3, 2010 – Chris Edwards Appointed to BMO Board

Bank of Montreal has named Christine Edwards to its Board of Directors. Edwards, a partner in Winston & Strawn’s corporate practice group, has worked more than 25 years in the financial services industry.

Edwards serves on number of civic and educational boards, including the Board of Trustees, the Executive and Nominating and Governance Committees and Chair of the Audit Committee for Rush University Medical Center, the Board of Visitors of the University of Maryland School of Law and TCN’s Board. She is a Vice President and a Board Member of the Chicago Finance Exchange and received its 2008 President’s Award. She also serves in Washington, D.C. on the Oversight Board of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness. 

August 1, 2010 – Bernie Wong, Fay Ferguson Featured in TCW

Today’s Chicago Woman interviewed TCN Members Bernie Wong and Fay Ferguson in its August 2010 issue. Wong is profiled as one of "Six Women Making a Difference," and Ferguson served on a panel of experts talking about "Multicultural Marketing in the New Millennium."

July 21, 2010 – Christine Edwards Highlighted in Bank Director

Bank Director Magazine features Christine Edwards in its 3rd Quarter 2010 issue. As part of "Crisis Tales,” Edwards, a partner in Winston & Strawn LLP’s corporate practice group, was interviewed about how she helped Associated Banc-Corp’s 10 independent directors navigate our tough financial times.

July 12, 2010 – Smith Honored by Chicago Bar

The Chicago Bar Association awarded Mary Anne Smith the Exelon Outstanding Corporate Counsel Award at the 12th Annual Pro Bono and Public Service Awards Luncheon held July 12.

June 28, 2010 – Sandra Bruce Featured in Crain’s

In its June 28 weekly edition, Crain’s Chicago Business profiles Sandra Bruce, President and CEO of Resurrection Health Care, for her work to revitalize and grow Chicago’s Catholic health system. In "Reviving Resurrection,” Bruce discusses the challenges she faced when arriving at Resurrection 18 months ago and her strategy moving forward. With a subscription, you can see the full article online at Crain's website.

June 23, 2010 –Chicago Tribune Media Group Promotes Joyce Winnecke

Joyce Winnecke has been named Vice President and Associate Editor and will direct content development initiatives for Chicago Tribune Media Group. She also will play a larger role working on projects that extend to other Tribune media, including Chicago broadcast partners.

Winnecke will serve as the chief liaison between editorial, advertising and marketing on content development and new revenue streams resulting from these initiatives. She will continue to lead Trib Nation, premium content and newsroom events programs. She also will continue to direct and develop Media on Demand as it grows into a multimedia content provider for the Chicago Tribune, other Tribune media and for external clients. 

June 16, 2010 – Adela Cepeda to Co-Chair Cook County Board Democratic Transition Team

The Chicago Tribune reports that Toni Preckwinkle, Democratic nominee for Cook County Board president, has appointed municipal finance expert Adela Cepeda as one of five co-chairs of a transition team to help shape her policies should she win in November. You can see the full article online.

June 7, 2010 - DeHaas to Chair Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce

Deborah DeHaas has been named chair for the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce—the first woman to hold that position in the group’s 106-year history. She will replace James Tyree, CEO of Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc., who has said, "She is exactly the type of leader to step in and make a difference from day one."

DeHaas, who is Vice Chairman and Midwest regional managing partner for Deloitte LLP, already serves on several boards, including the Economic Club of Chicago, Executives' Club of Chicago and United Way of Metropolitan Chicago. She was also named one of Crain’s Chicago Business "Women to Watch.”

In a statement to Crain’s, DeHaas said she was "proud" and "honored" to be the first woman to chair the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce's board of directors and she was ready to "address the challenges our region faces and continue to make it the best place for businesses and families."

June 7, 2010 – Janet Rowley Interviewed in Chicago Life

Chicago Life Magazine spoke with Dr. Janet Rowley, professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, about her work in the field of genetics and cancer research.  You can see the full article online.

June 7, 2010 – Marca Bristo Marks Access Living's Anniversary

As Access Living celebrates its 30-year anniversary, the Chicago Tribune interviewed Marca Bristo, President and CEO of the community-based, nonresidential agency for people with disabilities. You can see the full Chicago Tribune article online. 

May 20, 2010 – Time Profiles Rohini Dey a 'Culinary Superstar'

Vermillion Restaurant owner Rohini Dey is featured in the May 20 online edition of Time Magazine. In "India’s Spice Girls: American Culinary Superstars," Dey discusses how conventional Indian expectations of family and tradition can be at odds with a high-profile culinary career.

May 19, 2010 - Jill Wine-Banks Announces $11 Million Raised for Veterans, Green Education

Operation Green Jobs, a not-for-profit that Jill Wine-Banks has been working with, has received a $5 million U.S. Dept of Energy grant to provide green job training and job placement for returning veterans. In addition, the organization in partnership with IIT has raised $6 million in matching funds, which will support both the veterans program and K-12 green education efforts.

May 19, 2010 - Susan Gallagher Named COO of True Partners Consulting

True Partners Consulting LLC has named Susan Gallagher as chief operating officer. In her new role, she will lead the U.S. region, work closely with each market to drive growth, maintain client satisfaction and help set the firm's overall business strategy.

"Susan has the enthusiasm and leadership skills to help us continue to attract and grow the best professionals and keep our teams working together to solve complex client problems for years to come," said Chief Executive Officer Cary McMillan.

Gallagher has more than 26 years of experience in professional services and is recognized nationally in the consulting market, with a diverse range of clients heavily focused on Fortune 500 companies.

May 10, 2010 – Fischer to Chair Historic Preservation Agency Board

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has named Sunny Fischer, executive director of the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, to the board of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. She will become the new chair of the agency's board.

Since 1992, Fischer has led the Driehaus Foundation, which supports the preservation and enhancement of the built and natural environments through historic preservation, encouragement of quality architectural and landscape design, and conserving open space, as well as other programs. Fischer was executive director of the City of Chicago/Cook County Welfare Reform Task Force from 1997 – 1999, was executive director of The Sophia Fund from 1983 – 1992 and co-founder of The Chicago Foundation for Women,and consulted for many non-profits including The Chicago Community Trust, The Joyce Foundation, and The MacArthur Foundation, according to an IHPA news release.

May 6, 2010 - Georgia Nelson Named to CH2MHill Board

CH2MHill, a global leader in consulting, engineering, design, construction and operations, has elected Georgia Nelson to its Board of Directors. Headquartered in Denver, CO, CH2MHill is employee-owned and has more than 25,000 employees worldwide. The firm's work is concentrated in the areas of water, transportation, environmental, energy and power, and facilities and infrastructure.

May 6, 2010 - Marci Kaminsky Named United Airlines Vice President

United Airlines has appointed Marci Kaminsky Vice President - Corporate Responsibility. In the role, she will oversee United’s corporate affairs and social investment functions, focusing on corporate reputation and responsibility, including working closely with United’s government affairs team on environmental issues and policies.

"Marci has an outstanding success record of implementing programs that engage stakeholders and drive corporate reputation and her appointment underscores our heightened focus on environmental issues," said Rosemary Moore, Senior Vice President, Corporate and Government Affairs.

May 3, 2010 – Seven TCN Members Lead Chicago’s Largest Women-Owned Firms

Seven members of The Chicago Network appear on Crain’s Chicago Business’ 2010 list of Chicago's 25 largest women-owned firms. The TCN group, representing more than a quarter of the list, includes:

• Barbara Levy Kipper, Chairman and CEO, Chas. Levy Co. (1)
• Sue Ling Gin, Chairman and CEO, Flying Food Group (4)
• Marsha Serlin, CEO, United Scrap Metal, Inc. (5)
• Ann Drake, CEO, DSC Logistics, Inc. (6)
• Lois LeMenager, Chairman and CEO, Marketing Innovators International, Inc. (8)
• Terri McNally Beals, President, Global Capital Ltd. (22)
• Nancy Garcia Sharp, CEO, Food for Thought Enterprises (24)
  

May 3, 2010 – Eleven TCN Members Make Crain’s Influential 'Watch' Lists

Crain’s Chicago Business has named six members of The Chicago Network to its annual "Women to Watch" list. These leaders include:

• Donna Carroll, Dominican University
• Diana Ferguson, Chicago Public Schools
• Jan Fields, McDonald’s
• Ilene Gordon, Corn Products International
• Patricia Hemingway Hall, Health Care Service Corp.
• Irene Rosenfeld, Kraft Foods

The article also features five TCN members in an "Also On Our Radar" list:

• Brenda Barnes, Sara Lee Corp.
• Ellen Costello, Harris Financial Corp.
• Deborah DeHaas, Deloitte LLP
• Penny Pritzker, Pritzker Realty Group LLC
• Laura Thrall, United Way of Metropolitan Chicago

Visit Crain's for the full online feature, which includes video profiles.

April 30, 2010 - Two TCN Members Among ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ Finalists

Ernst & Young LLP has announced that Mary Tolan, Accretive Health, Inc., and Julie Smolyansky, Lifeway Foods, Inc., are among the finalists for its Entrepreneur Of The Year^® award in the Midwest.

"These entrepreneurs make a tremendous difference within our communities and for our larger economy," said Randy Tavierne, Ernst & Young Partner and Midwest Strategic Growth Markets Leader. "We thank them for the positive impact they’ve had in the Midwest."

An independent judging panel made up of regional business, academic and community leaders selected Midwest finalists from companies based in Illinois and Indiana. The winner will be announced at an award gala on June 24.

April 29, 2010 – Deborah DeHaas Interviewed on VoiceAmerica

Deborah DeHaas, Vice Chairman and Midwest Regional Managing Partner at Deloitte, discussed the current state of women in leadership as part of the Head Over Heels Women’s Business Radio program May 4.

The WIN initiative at Deloitte has been widely recognized for developing and advancing women professionals. DeHaas talked about the how Deloitte supports emerging women leaders and the factors she feels contributed to her own success in business.

You can listen to the program, hosted by Bonnie Marcus, on the VoiceAmerica Talk Show Network.

April 23, 2010 - Andrea Redmond Publishes Leadership Book

Andrea Redmond’s new book, COMEBACKS: Powerful Lessons from Leaders Who Endured Setbacks and Recaptured Success on Their Terms, was published by Jossey-Bass in April 2010. The book, which she wrote with friend and co-author Patricia Crisafulli, is available now on Amazon and it will be in bookstores in May.

The book profiles 10 senior leaders who had "the rug pulled” out from under them. "For many of them, this meant being fired or asked to resign as CEO,” Redmond says. "Our book devotes one chapter to each person, chronicling careers as they rose to the top, suffered a setback, and then enjoyed a comeback—often redefining what success means to them.”

Executives profiled include David Neeleman of JetBlue, David Pottruck of Schwab, Harry Kraemer of Baxter, Jacques Nasser of Ford, Patricia Dunn of Hewlett-Packard, Durk Jager of Procter & Gamble, and Jamie Dimon, ex-Citigroup now JPMorgan Chase, among others.

April 22, 2010 - Kristina A. Valaitis Earns NIU Outstanding Alumni Award

The Northern Illinois University (NIU) Alumni Association will present Kristina A. Valaitis, Executive Director of the Illinois Humanities Council (IHC), with the Outstanding Alumni Award for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

"This award program seeks to recognize some of those outstanding individuals who have gone out and achieved great success in their personal and professional lives,” said Jack Tierney, President of the NIU Alumni Association. Serving as IHC director since 1993, Valaitis has built the organization’s budget from approximately $250,000 to $2 million annually. In addition, Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich appointed her to the Illinois Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, and she serves on the Board of the Chicago Metro History Education Center and Metro Reads.

April 20, 2010 - Funmi Olopade Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Olufunmilayo "Funmi” Olopade, Associate Dean for Global Health, is one of nine University of Chicago faculty members to be newly elected members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Olopade, also the Walter L. Palmer Professor in Medicine and Human Genetics, Director of the Center for Clinical Cancer Genetics, has showed that breast cancers in younger women of African heritage often produce a pattern of gene expression that is significantly different from that seen in older Caucasian women. These cancers also are less likely to present the molecular targets that form the basis of many standard therapies.

A McArthur "genius grant" recipient and a member of the Institute of Medicine, Olopade is one of the principal investigators in two major research projects. The Center for Interdisciplinary Health Disparities Research is sorting out the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to breast cancer, by looking at the genes, lifestyle, socioeconomic status, and social interactions of women in the United States and Africa and their relationship to breast cancer. The other project is designed to find better ways to prevent, detect and treat women at increased risk for cancers.

April 20, 2010 - Brooke M. Wiseman Named Chicago YWCA Chief Marketing and Development Officer

YWCA Metropolitan Chicago has announced that Brooke M. Wiseman is its new chief marketing and development officer. Wiseman, former president of New Knowledge Consulting, specializing in non-profit management and governance. She is also an instructor/lecturer at Kellogg School of Management and an adjunct faculty presenter at the University of Notre Dame.

For 16 years, Wiseman was CEO of the Girl Scouts of Chicago, having previously served as CEO for Girl Scout councils located in DuPage County, Illinois and West Texas. Currently, she is a member of the Board of Directors for the Union League Club of Chicago, the Chicago State University Foundation and the Leadership Greater Chicago Fellows Association. She is on the advisory council of the Junior League of Chicago. She is also a recognized leader, having been listed in Who’s Who in American Women and receiving the Human Relations Award from the Chicago Commission on Human Relations.

April 17, 2010 - Ruth Ann M. Gillis Named Exelon Chief Administrative and Diversity Officer

Exelon Corp. has appointed company executive Ruth Ann M. Gillis chief administrative and diversity officer. Gillis will continue in her roles as executive vice president of Exelon Corp. and president of Exelon Business Services Co.

"From serving as Exelon’s first chief financial officer in 2000 to her current role overseeing transactional and corporate services and diversity initiatives for the Exelon family of companies, Ruth Ann’s contributions to the success of the company have been many and varied,” said John W. Rowe, Exelon chairman and CEO. "Her designation as chief administrative and diversity officer is well deserved, and I have full confidence that she will continue to serve the company with the highest levels of competence and integrity, and to exemplify Exelon’s values.”

April 12, 2010 - Julie Hamos Appointed Illinois Healthcare Director

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has appointed Julie Hamos the new Director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. She will resign her position as State Representative, in which she successfully advocated important issues that benefit Illinois families for more than 11 years.
With a budget of $18 billion and a staff of 2,400, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services is the largest agency in the Illinois state government, responsible for Medicaid and the child support system. "My goals will be to create efficiencies in Medicaid, execute nursing home improvements, design the state structure for national healthcare changes that will be implemented over the next few years, and build public support for healthcare reform," Hamos said.

April 11, 2010 – Fischer Receives 'Keeper of the Vision' Award

The National Public Housing Museum has awarded Sunny Fischer, Executive Director of The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, its Keeper of the Vision Award.
"The National Public Housing Museum is really the 'keeper of the vision' because it holds the stories of hundreds of thousands of people whose lives would otherwise be ignored," Fischer said. "The stories of public housing are the stories of home and taken together are a part of American history and social culture that should be told. I'm honored to be a part of making it happen."

April 5, 2010 – Lori Andrews Interviewed on 60 Minutes

Lori Andrews, who has worked for the past six years on a pro bono case to invalidate the patent on the breast cancer gene, was recently featured on 60 Minutes."You aren't supposed to be able to patent products of nature, and a gene is a product of nature," Lori said, commenting on her efforts."Plus, the breast cancer gene patents were interfering with women's health and research on treatments."

March 31, 2010 - Debra Cafaro Named to General Growth Board

General Growth Properties, Inc., has named Debra Cafaro, Chairman and CEO of Chicago Ventas Inc., as an independent director to its board. Cafaro is one of nine directors to the Chicago-based General Growth Properties, which owns, develops, operates or manages shopping malls in 44 states, as well as Master Planned Communities in three states.

March 25, 2010 - TCN Members Honored by the Chicago Foundation for Women

Seven TCN members were among those who received 2010 Impact Awards from the Chicago Foundation for Women (CFW). They are:

• Marca Bristo
• Fay Clayton
• Joan M. Hall
• Anne Ladky
• Maria S. Pesqueira
• Diane Primo
• Hedy M. Ratner

As part of its 25th anniversary, CFW presented a total of 25 awards to "visionary women and men who make a difference in the lives of women and girls." The honorees come from diverse communities and fields, from education, medicine and law to community organizing, public policy and the arts.

March 24, 2010 - Heather Becker Interviewed by Chicago Tribune

Heather Becker, CEO of the Chicago Conservation Center, discussed her company's work to provide disaster relief services to those in need with the Chicago Tribune. See the full article.

March 24, 2010 - TCN Members Make Fortune’s "50 Most Powerful" List

Four TCN members are listed among Fortune magazine’s "50 Most Powerful Women in Business" for 2009. They are:

• Irene Rosenfeld, Chairman and CEO, Kraft Foods (2)
• Brenda Barnes, Chairman and CEO, Sara Lee (10)
• Jan Fields, EVP and COO, McDonald’s USA (32)
• Gail Boudreaux, President, UnitedHealthcare, and EVP, UnitedHealthcare Group (38)

March 23, 2010 – Sheli Rosenberg Announces Retirement

In June, Sheli Rosenberg will retire from the board of Equity Residential. She has held a seat on the board since the company was launched in 1993. Previously, she was Vice Chairman and President and CEO of Equity Group Investments. Sheli is also co-founder and former president of the Center for Executive Women at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

March 22, 2010 - Deb DeHaas Speaks on Deloitte's Work with City Year

Deb DeHaas, Vice Chairman and Midwest Regional Managing Partner at Deloitte LLP, recently discussed her company’s work with City Year in an interview for Crain’s Chicago Business. City Year is a national organization that enables young adults to tutor, mentor and otherwise encourage high-school kids to graduate.

March 16, 2010 - Harris Promotes Judy Rice

Judy Rice has been promoted to Senior Vice President and head of Community Affairs & Economic Development at Harris N.A. She succeeds Yasmin Bates-Brown, who recently announced her retirement.
Rice will be responsible for leading Community Affairs, Community Development and Investments, Government Relations and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) efforts. She will also drive economic development, financial education, and multicultural outreach opportunities, as well as the company's visible engagement and presence in its communities.
She has more than 25 years of experience in law, finance, human services and governmental relations. Prior to joining Harris, she was Treasurer of the City of Chicago. She also served as the first female commissioner of two of the largest infrastructure agencies in City of Chicago government: the Department of Transportation and the Department of Water.

March 16, 2010 - AAR Corp. Names Cheryle Jackson VP

Cheryle Jackson has been named Vice President of Government Affairs and Corporate Development at AAR Corp., which offers services to commercial airlines.
"Cheryle's diverse experience in economic development, government, transportation and media will be invaluable as we grow the business and expand our international presence," said Chairman and CEO David P. Storch in a release.
In her previous position, Cheryle was president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League since 2006.

March 12, 2010 - Pritzer Establishes D.C. Real Estate Venture
TCN Member Penny Pritzker, CEO, Realty Group LLC, has formed Artemis Real Estate Partners, a Washington-based company seeking to raise $500 million to buy distressed properties and debt, according to Real Estate Alert. Pritzker and partner Deborah Harmon will reportedly contribute $50 million of equity themselves for the new venture.

March 10, 2010 - Anti-Defamation League Honors TCN Members

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has honored five Chicago-area women—all members of The Chicago Network—at its 17th Annual Women of Achievement Awards. The honorees include Ilene Gordon, Corn Products international; Susan Levy, Jenner & Block LLP; Michele Coleman Mayes, The Allstate Corp.; Sheila Talton, Cisco Systems; and Barbara Levy Kipper, who was presented a special award for a Lifetime of Achievement.
The Women of Achievement Awards recognize outstanding women in business, community service, and embodying the spirit and philosophy of ADL.

February 25, 2010 - Washington Selected Woods Fund of Chicago President
The Woods Fund of Chicago board has selected longtime board member and journalist Laura S. Washington as its new president. Washington has more than two decades of diverse experience in print and broadcast journalism, urban affairs and social justice issues; 12 years of nonprofit management experience; and numerous awards and honors for her journalism and civic activism.

February 25, 2010 - Stegner's West Loop Restaurant Featured in Zagat

Zagat has highlighted Sarah Stegner's New American comfort food on its website. Her new venture Prairie Fire is located in a landmark West Loop building at 215 N. Clinton St.

February 9, 2010 - McInerney Takes Position with CEO Perspective

Erin McInerney has been named Executive Director at CEO Perspective at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.

February 9, 2010 - Rappaport Appointed to 2010 ERISA Advisory Counci

U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced the appointment of five new members and new leadership to the 2010 Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans, also known as the ERISA Advisory Council. Among the appointees is Anna Rappaport, whose expertise is actuarial counseling. She founded Anna Rappaport Consulting in Chicago, Ill., after retiring as a worldwide partner at Mercer Human Resource Consulting.

February 9, 2010 - Aigotti takes position with insurance services startup

Diane Aigotti has been named Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of Ryan Specialty Group (RSG), a new company that offers specialty services to insurance brokers, agents and carriers. Prior to RSG, Aigotti spent almost 8 years as a corporate officer at Aon Corp., a global risk management, reinsurance and human capital consulting firm, before leaving in Spring 2008.

February 3, 2010 - Lenway approved as dean of MSU’s Eli Broad College of Business

Stefanie Lenway, who has 30 years of experience as a business researcher and university administrator, has been approved as the new dean of the Eli Broad College of Business and Eli Broad Graduate School of Management by the Michigan State University Board of Trustees. Her appointment is effective Aug. 1, 2010.

January 5, 2010 - Buck hires former Chicago 2016 president Lori Healey by Andrew Schroedter, Crain's

John Buck Co. has hired the former president of Chicago’s Olympic bid committee as the blue-chip developer looks to drum up more public-sector business.

Lori Healey will start next week as a principal at Chicago-based Buck, where she’ll focus on building the firm’s pipeline of public sector projects. Government work hasn't suffered as much in the recession as other commercial real estate market sectors. More>>

2009

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November 18, 2009 - TCN members on WTTW11

A new report says Chicago women remain a minority in high-ranking positions at the city's largest public companies. Three local executives discuss the findings on WTTW's Chicago Tonight.

November 11, 2009 - Allstate adds recruiting exec to board

(AP) — Allstate Corp. said Wednesday that it will add a recruiting consultant to its board of directors.

Andrea Redmond, 53, will become a director of the insurance company effective Jan. 1. Redmond provides consultant services to senior executives on executive recruiting, succession planning and talent management. She spent 20 years at recruiting firm Russell Reynolds Associates. Allstate shares rose 12 cents to $29.40 in morning trading.

November 8, 2009 - "Making Waves — A new spin on the skyscraper" by Blair Kamin, Chicago Tribune
It is the tallest building designed by a female-owned architectural firm and the first skyscraper from Chicago's Jeanne Gang of Studio Gang Architects and a TCN member. Click Aqua to get the full story.


November 5, 2009 - Congratulations to TCN members who were listed as the Business Leaders of Color, in Chicago United 2009:

• Michele Coleman Mayes, Senior Vice President & General Counsel, Allstate Insurance Company
• Michelle L. Collins, President, Cambium LLC
• Nelda J. Connors, President, Tyco Electrical and Metal Products, a division of Tyco International Management Co.
• Sue Ling Gin, Chairman & CEO, Flying Food Group
• Kym M. Hubbard, Chief Investment Officer, Ernst & Young LLP
• Dolores A. Kunda, President & CEO, Lapiz Hispanic Marketing and Leo Burnett Puerto Rico
  
• Judith C. Rice, Vice President, Director of Government Relations, Harris Bank
• Sheila G. Talton, Vice President, Cisco Globalization Office, Cisco Systems, Inc.

October 26, 2009 - TCN member, Linda Searl, FAIA, participated in a three day conference for the Mayors’ Institute on City Design in Charleston, South Carolina on October 21, 2009. The Mayors’ Institute is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the American Architectural Foundation. An interdisciplinary team of eight design professionals were invited to work with seven mayors from around the country to discuss urban design issues facing each mayor. Searl is a principal in the firm Searl Lamaster Howe Architects, P.C. and currently serves as chair of the Chicago Plan Commission.


October 14, 2009 - Sun-Times Letter to the Editor by Anne Ladky

The funding cuts to the state's Monetary Aid Program constitute a crisis for higher education in Illinois — and for the state's economic future.

If legislators do not restore funding for MAP grants in the next two weeks, about 140,000 lower-income students will lose their financial aid Jan. 1. As Chicago Sun-Times reporter Dave Newbart pointed out, college enrollments are likely to drop dramatically, and without MAP students' tuition, many institutions will have to make deep cuts in their programs.

Failing to restore MAP funds also will deplete the supply of trained workers for Illinois businesses. And that will cripple Illinois' ability to recover from the recession and grow its economy over the long term. MAP funding is an investment in everyone's future, so call or write your state legislators during the upcoming veto session and tell them to restore it.

Anne Ladky,

Executive Director, Women Employed


October 12, 2009 - "In charge of bringing change to ComEd" by Anne Pramaggiore, Chicago Tribune

October 5, 2009 - "Furthering growth at Gottlieb Memorial" by Mike Colias, Crain's Chicago Business

SPOTLIGHT: TCN member, PATRICIA CASSIDY

Job: President of Gottlieb Memorial Hospital in Melrose Park and senior vice-president of strategy at Maywood-based Loyola University Health System, which owns Gottlieb, since July 1.

Vitals: 47 years old; bachelor's degree, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1984; MBA, Loyola University Chicago, 1995; market research coordinator, Dimensional Marketing Inc., Chicago, 1985-86; various positions, including director of provider relations, U.S. Health Care/Lincoln National Insurance Co., Chicago, 1986-90; various positions, including senior vice-president for system development and strategy and vice-president for managed care, Loyola University Health System, Maywood, 1990-2009.

Strong suit: Strategy and business development. Thomas Robertson, vice-president of business strategies at Oak Brook-based University HealthSystem Consortium, which includes more than 100 U.S. academic hospitals, says Ms. Cassidy is "among the top five strategists" he's worked with.

Résumé gap: Has never been a hospital president.

Track record: Led Loyola's deal to acquire Gottlieb in 2008.

Job one: Continue to build key clinical programs that have been expanded since the acquisition, including orthopedics, obstetrics and primary care.

Obstacles: Loyola's precarious financial position - it cut its budget by $21 million in May and eliminated 440 jobs amid heavy operating losses - could limit the capital available to expand clinical programs and recruit doctors to Gottlieb.

The plan: "The No. 1 priority is growth at Gottlieb," she says; she also has set a goal of 3% operating profit margins.

September 22, 2009 - Invitation to Real Estate Leadership Series

Dear Chicago Network Members:

I am delighted to invite you to attend the kick off event of Roosevelt University’s Goldie B. Wolfe Miller Women Leaders in Real Estate Initiative’s Third Annual Leadership Series on October 7, 2009. Three national women leaders in real estate law, Virginia Aronson, Nina Matis and Linda D. White, will discuss the post-recession landscape and the opportunities available as the economy recovers.

The event will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Palmer House Hilton, Empire Room, 17 E. Monroe St. To obtain additional information and register for this event please click on this link: https://www.signmeup.com/site/reg/register.

I hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Goldie


September 21, 2009 - This year Pat Werhane, Wicklander Professor of Business Ethics and Director, Institute for Business and Professional Ethics, Depaul University and University of Virginia was named as one of the 100 best ethics scholars by ETHISPHERE.


September 18, 2009 - "LaSalle vet Herseth lands at Harris" by Steve Daniels, Crain's
Dear Friends:

Today was my third day working with The Night Ministry. This is one of Chicago’s leading human services organizations. The Night Ministry serves the homeless and other people in need. Our bus is out 365 nights a year, when and where people are most lonely, vulnerable and in need of support. We offer food, counselors, warmth, and health care. The numbers of people coming to our bus for health care is rapidly growing as more and more people are losing access. We also have shelters for homeless, runaway and lockout youth. Did you know there are 10,000 homeless youth in Chicago in a year? And thousands turned away from shelters because there aren’t enough youth beds? See The Night Ministry in action by clicking on this short youtube film link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53QsLkE2euY

I am the Vice President of External Relations and Development. This takes me back to my roots in development and marketing. I am happy to serve as VP with such a strong and passionate leadership team, staff, and board. I know I will learn, grow, and make a difference.

This move to The Night Ministry expands on my past work and interests. In my environmental work I always tried to keep a focus on urban communities. Helping to start a youth canoeing program, urban schools nature programs, work with public housing residents are ways that I brought a social focus to my environmental work.

Now, it is my time to focus more directly on people, poverty, and the many issues wrapped up in them. And, I feel great about it.

Please do call me, shoot me an email, let me know what you are doing, and come to learn more about The Night Ministry. I am grateful for the work we have done together, the inspiration you give me, and your friendship. My new e-mail is Laurene@thenightministry.org and my phone number is 773-506-6005.

See you soon, I hope.

Best,

Laurene

September 15, 2009 - Several TCN members have been selected to receive the 2009 Women of Achievement Award from the Chicago Alliance of Women and from the following event co-sponsors. The Platinum sponsors are Holland & Knight LLP, the Chicago Architecture Foundation and Lamp Construction. They are joined by the event co-sponsors CREW Chicago, Columbian Model & Exhibit Works, Ltd. and the Chicago Economic Development Institute.

The award presentation will be at the law firm of Holland & Knight LLP on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. The TCN recipients of this year's award are:

• Goldie Wolfe Miller, Millbrook Corporate Real Estate Services LLC - Real Estate Philanthropy
• Amy Osler, Executive Director, The Chicago Network - Civic & Corporate Leadership
• Lynn J. Osmond, President and CEO, Chicago Architecture Foundation - Architecture & Planning
• Maria Pappas, Cook County Treasurer - Local Government
• Deborah Sawyer, CEO, Environmental Design International, Inc. - Environmental & Green Development
• Janet Schirn, President, Janet Schirn Design Group, Inc. - The Fine Arts & Interior Design (posthumous)

September 15, 2009 - Elizabeth Brackett won the World Triathlon Championship in Australia! She qualified for it this year after winning a zillion triathlons in her age bracket in the U.S. So she was one of very few women in her age bracket who qualified to compete in the World championship which was held in Australia. She competed with women from all over the world and won!


September 15, 2009 - TCN member Martha Gilmer was the 2009 recipient of Dominican University’s Bravo Award. The honor is presented annually by the university to a person or organization whose exceptional contributions to the performing arts have enhanced the public’s opportunities to enjoy the best in music, opera, theater and the humanities. Network member Donna Carroll, said in her remarks "Martha works tirelessly to create new ways of making the CSO more accessible to more people," said Carroll. Her goal is to help audiences view music in different ways. Today, Dominican University celebrates your passion for music, your innovative approach to programming and your business savvy that pulls it all together. You have brought the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to the world and exposed a new generation of concertgoers to a world of music. We applaud your leadership.”


September 22, 2009 - Carrie Nahabedian will be inducted into The Chicago Culinary Museum and Chef Hall of Fame (joining Rick Bayless who was inducted last year). The annual Chefs Hall of Fame Inductee Dinner will take place Tuesday September 22, 2009 at the Union League Club of Chicago, 65 W. Jackson beginning at 5:30pm. For more information and tickets, please visit: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/67989.


August 29-30, 2009 - "Modernizing in the mountains: Aspen's Little Nell gets a big makeover" by Holly Hunt, Wall Street Journal


August 24, 2009 - Crain's Chicago Business - Amy Osler


August 20, 2009 - Office of the Mayor - City of Chicago - Proclamation


July 21, 2009 - "The Ultimate Obama Insider" by Valerie Jarrett, New York Times


July 13, 2009 - "A management consultant-turned-restaurateur" by Mike Steinberger, Financial Times
July 7, 2009 - "More jobless execs foot their outplacement bill" by Joann S. Lublin, Wall Street Journal

CHICAGO—Richard Malone has cooked up a new operating model for sick newspapers, an idea that may need investors.

Unsure of its feasibility, the former Chicago Tribune official outlined his tentative plan last month to executives seated in black leather chairs around a polished mahogany table here. The meeting’s attendees, mostly other displaced executives, proposed ways that Mr. Malone might improve his Power Point presentation before possibly pitching it to private-equity firms.

"Some of the free consulting I’m getting here, I’d have to pay hundreds of dollars for from outside firms,” he said.

Actually, Mr. Malone spent plenty for the "free” advice by forking over a hefty five-figure fee to Shields Meneley Partners, a Chicago career-transition firm that serves displaced top executives by offering specialized job-hunting help, including tapping clients’ expertise, as in the case of Mr. Malone. The boutique runs "Think Tank,” the weekly brainstorming session where he addressed eight fellow clients of Shields Meneley and one former client.

Welcome to the brave new world of high-end outplacement assistance. More laid-off senior managers now must pay part or all of the bill for this customized counseling because employers are less generous in the current economic environment. At the same time, jobless executives need every possible leg up in a fiercely competitive job market.

Shields Meneley charges between $45,000 and $100,000 for 18 months of aid. About 60% of its 35 clients cover at least a portion of the fee, up from 40% in 2004. Small rivals report similar recent spurts in clients footing part of the tab. Yet the median value of external outplacement offered to executives during the past two years is just $6,000, according to a June poll of 265 U.S. employers by the American Management Association and Institute for Corporate Productivity.

As the jobless rate soars, a close look at Shields Meneley offers insights into the pluses and minuses of deluxe career-transition services. The firm’s strongest selling point? Highly personalized attention.

Clients initially undergo a lengthy assessment with a staff psychologist. Assigned one of the firm’s three counselors, executives then develop a marketing plan, polish their resumes, practice interviewing, update wardrobes, enlarge professional networks and get "acclimation” coaching during their next job’s early days.

Shields Meneley represents "the custom tailors of outplacement,” says client Jeff Held, a former vice president of business development for Quixote Corp. The Chicago maker of highway- and transportation-safety products eliminated his post in December 2007. When Mr. Held arrived at Shields Meneley early last year, co-founder Gail Meneley already "had done her homework about my background,” he recalls. Mr. Held likes the firm’s array of services—plus extra touches, such as the staffer who arranged to send his wife a surprise birthday gift. And its plush, high-rise office felt "like being at work again,” he says. Mr. Held, who paid $32,000 of the $50,000 fee, is still looking for a new gig.

If clients need it, Shields Meneley provides extra hand-holding. One Sunday morning this spring, a telecommunications executive called co-founder Hugh Shields at home because he felt anxious about a job interview the next day. "We did role playing,” rehearsing answers to trick questions, Mr. Shields remembers. The man began work Monday, leading a global division at a major telecom.

Other executives appreciate Shields Meneley so much that they become repeat customers. Peter Dunn’s first stint helped him land the presidency of Steak N Shake Co. in 2002. Mr. Dunn later advanced to chief executive. He again used Shields Meneley after leaving the restaurant chain in fall 2007 following a strategy disagreement. He covered $5,000 of that $45,000 fee.

This time, Mr. Dunn rejected CEO offers. He says he and Ms. Meneley instead explored entrepreneurial roles where "my skills could make a difference.” Ms. Meneley encouraged him to consider elder care or health care as "opportunities for solving unsolved problems,” Mr. Dunn adds. In January, he and a partner launched Activate Healthcare LLC, an Indianapolis concern that operates on-site health clinics for businesses.

Shields Meneley also introduces clients to influential corporate leaders, including alums. That’s how Mr. Dunn met potential "angel” investors for his start-up. "These are resources I would not have found on my own,” he says.

The firm created the Think Tank partly so participants could swap potential opportunities in different industries. For instance, in Mr. Malone’s Think Tank session, participants included a printing-industry lawyer, a former marketer for a big consumer-goods maker and the ex-chief administrative officer of an asset-management firm.

There are downsides to high-level outplacement. It requires considerable time and money. On average, Shields Meneley clients now spend nearly a year finding employment—up from eight to 10 months last fall. However, the longer searches common these days persuaded the firm to temporarily extend its standard 12-month client contract to 18 months without raising fees.

New Directions, a Boston competitor, recently introduced a shorter and less expensive version of its traditional multiyear program. Other rivals slash rates for clients who could generate referrals.

Stephanie Kushner, who lost the chief financial officer’s spot at Federal Signal Corp. in December, didn’t mind paying 60% of Shields Meneley’s $45,000 fee. She figures that equals less than 5% of what she likely will earn next. "Why should I try some low-budget [outplacement] alternative?” she asks.

Another drawback: A comprehensive but cozy array of career-transition services may lull people into complacency. The exclusive clubhouse approach "takes the edge off your job search,” and you may not feel so motivated to hustle for a new job if you’re getting so much relaxed hand-holding, warns Laurence Stybel, co-founder of Stybel Peabody Lincolnshire, a Boston consultancy that counsels jobless executives.

"Ours is high-end outplacement as a halfway house,” Mr. Stybel says. "We are here to help you get moving, get on your feet and get out of here.”

Ms. Meneley insists her clients work hard seeking work. "They don’t want to spend a single day longer than they need to in transition.”

July 2, 2009 - "Geneticist honored for 1972 discovery: Leukemia finding changed how disease is targeted" by Robert Mitchum, Chicago Tribune
Members of the selection committee said that Rowley's long, illustrious career made her an ideal recipient, from her detection of the genetic error that underlies some leukemias through her time advising the White House on ethical issues of scientific research.

"She's been a major figure," said Robert Waterston, professor and chair of genome sciences at the University of Washington. "She's been very productive through the years, a very clear thinker, and people seek her advice."

Rowley's achievements are even more notable given a late start to her research career, which hit its stride 14 years after she graduated from medical school at the University of Chicago. Meeting her husband, Dr. Donald Rowley, during her medical studies, Rowley decided to work only three days a week so that she could raise the couple's four sons.

"I was pretty laid-back about a career, and for a long time I looked on medicine as a hobby, and my husband and children were my top priority," she said. "I never expected to get involved in research."

But after learning about the latest methods for studying chromosomes, the scaffolding of genes, during a 1962 sabbatical with her husband at Oxford University, Rowley came back to Chicago and was given laboratory space to examine the then-foggy relationship between genetics and cancer.

Scientists knew that tumor cells taken from cancer patients showed unusual or damaged chromosomes, but they argued over whether that damage caused cancer or was a byproduct of the disease.

Rowley's landmark work, published in 1973, identified an erroneous trade of genes between two chromosomes that characterized one form of cancer called chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Later studies found that this translocation causes the excessive production of abnormal white blood cells, the primary symptom of leukemia. In subsequent years, scientists went on to identify several dozen more cancers caused by chromosomal translocation.

"This changed the way cancer was understood, opened the door to development of drugs directed at the cancer-specific genetic abnormalities, and created the paradigm that still drives cancer research," said Mary-Claire King, professor of medical genetics and genome sciences at the University of Washington.Later in her career, Rowley also made an impact upon scientific public policy as a member of the President's Council on Bioethics established by President George W. Bush in 2001. An opponent of the restrictions Bush placed upon federally funded stem-cell research, Rowley was invited to stand over President Barack Obama's shoulder as he signed an order repealing those limitations in March.

"That was a thrilling day," she said. "I didn't know ... I was going to be standing with the president."

Today, Rowley continues her research, biking each day from her Hyde Park home to her lab and still chipping away at the mysteries of why subtle genetic changes can lead to deadly cancers. Already the recipient of the prestigious Lasker Award and the National Medal of Science, Rowley said the Gruber Prize was no less exciting. "It's a great honor to have one's colleagues still recognize one's accomplishments," she said.

And for the monetary portion of the award, Rowley already has plans for it. "The stock market has hit my grandchildren's college education fund pretty hard, so I look forward to being able to personally rejuvenate it."


June 3, 2009 -  Mellody Hobson, president of Chicago-based Ariel Investments LLC, was among 18 newly appointed members to an investor advisory committee to the Securities and Exchange Commission. (Crain’s)

April 29, 2009 - ComEd Announces Organizational Changes - Names first female president in company’s history.

Anne R. Pramaggiore has been promoted to president and chief operating officer. She will have primary accountability for ComEd’s operations and overall performance associated with reliability and customer satisfaction.

April 7, 2009 - Corn Products International, Inc. (NYSE:CPO) announced that its board of directors has appointed Ilene Gordon chairman, president and chief executive officer, effective May 4, succeeding Samuel C. Scott III who, consistent with Company policy that senior executives step down by age 65, is retiring. (Business Wire)