Marilynn Gardner

Marilynn Gardner is President and CEO of Navy Pier, where she oversees the operations, programming, and long-term vision of the Midwest’s most visited destination, welcoming more than 8 million guests annually.

A lifelong Chicagoan, Gardner has spent more than three decades at Navy Pier, advancing through multiple leadership roles before becoming its first CEO in 2011. She played a central role in the Pier’s $400 million redevelopment and led its transition into an independent, non-governmental nonprofit organization.

Throughout her career, Gardner has focused on sustaining Navy Pier as a year-round destination through long-term capital investment and a continuously refreshed mix of cultural programming and guest experiences curated to reflect the best of Chicago.

Gardner has overseen a series of major transformational initiatives, including Navy Pier’s Centennial Vision, which combined philanthropic investment and capital development to create Polk Bros Park and the Centennial Ferris Wheel. She has also guided the introduction of significant new on-Pier experiences, including the 233-room Sable hotel, Offshore Rooftop, Flyover Chicago, and the Navy Pier Marina.

Recognizing Navy Pier’s role as an economic catalyst, Gardner has strengthened the Pier’s business ecosystem, supporting more than 70 on-site tenant businesses that collectively employ over 3,000 people. Her work emphasizes small-business development, workforce opportunity, and the ongoing vitality of one of Chicago’s most prominent public spaces.

She currently serves on the boards of the Chicago Chapter of The Ireland Funds, the City Club of Chicago, the Chicago Sports Commission, and the Magnificent Mile Association, and was recently appointed to the Advisory Council of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center.