72 Fellows Named Who’s Who in Crain’s Chicago Business
Who’s Who in Chicago Business 2026 — the Crain’s Chicago Business annual guide to the most influential people in Chicago — is here, and we are proud to share that 72 Fellows are recognized on this prestigious list. This year’s edition features nearly 500 influential leaders who are shaping Chicago’s business, civic and cultural spaces. From museum leaders to city officials, lawyers to educators, grantmakers to financiers and everyone in between, these are Chicago’s movers and shakers.
Please join us in congratulating the LGC Signature Fellows, Daniel Burnham Fellows and member of the LGC Signature Fellows Class of 2026 named Crain’s Who’s Who 2026:
Ciere Boatright
Commissioner, Chicago Department of Planning & Development
LGC Fellow since 2020
Calvin Butler
President and CEO, Exelon
LGC Fellow since 2005
Mary Ellen Caron
CEO, After School Matters
LGC Fellow since 1993
Larita Clark
CEO, Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority
LGC Fellow since 1990
Garry Cooper Jr.
Co-founder and CEO, Rheaply
Daniel Burnham Fellow
A. Steven Crown
Executive Chairman, Henry Crown & Co.
LGC Fellow since 1985
Wendell Dallas
President and CEO, Nicor Gas
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Gillian Darlow
CEO, Polk Bros. Foundation
Daniel Burnham Fellow
David Doig
President, Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives
LGC Fellow since 1994
Maria Salterio Doughty
President and CEO, The Chicago Network
LGC Fellow since 2012
Derek Douglas
President, Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago
LGC Fellow since 2013
Pat Dowell
Alderman, 3rd Ward of Chicago
LGC Fellow since 1989
Arne Duncan
Managing Director, Chicago CRED
LGC Fellow since 1995
Nosa Ehimwenman
President and CEO, Bowa Construction
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Ricardo Estrada
President and CEO, Metropolitan Family Services
LGC Fellow since 2001
Ngozi Ezike
President and CEO, Sinai Chicago
LGC Fellow since 2011
Michael Fassnacht
Chief Growth Officer and
President of Chicagoland, Clayco
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Jean Franczyk
President and CEO, Chicago Horticultural Society
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Sean Garrett
President and CEO, United Way of Metro Chicago
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Christy George
President and CEO,
Illinois Economic Development Corporation
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Eva Giglio
Executive Director, CME Group Foundation
LGC Fellow since 2021
Austan Goolsbee
President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
LGC Fellow since 2007
Darrel Hackett
CEO, BMO Financial; President and CEO of BMO Bank NA
LGC Fellow since 2007
Tiffany Hamel Johnson
President and CEO, Chicago United
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Myetie Hennie Hamilton
CEO, Leadership Greater Chicago
LGC Fellow since 2016
Teresa Wilton Harmon
Chicago Co-Managing Partner, Sidley Austin
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Stephen Harris
President of Government Markets,
Health Care Service Corporation
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Brett Hart
President, United Airlines
LGC Fellow since 2007
Brad Henderson
CEO, P33
LGC Fellow since 2012
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Chevy Humphrey
President and CEO, Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Thomas Jackiewicz
President, University of Chicago Medical Center
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Janice Jackson
Executive Director, The Aspen Institute Education & Society Program;
Executive Director, Vistria Group;
CEO, Jackson Price Consulting
LGC Fellow since 2007
Valerie Jarrett
CEO, Obama Foundation
LGC Fellow since 1986
Ashley Duchossois Joyce
Chairman, Duchossois Capital Management
LGC Fellow since 2018
Fritz Kaegi
Assessor, Cook County
LGC Fellow since 2013
Timothy Knight
President and CEO, Robert R. McCormick Foundation
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Jill Koski
President and CEO, Morton Arboretum
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Keenya Lambert
President and CEO, Chicago Foundation for Women
Daniel Burnham Fellow
John Latessa Jr.
President, Advisory and Transaction Services, CBRE
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Katherine Maehr
Executive Director and CEO, Greater Chicago Food Depository
LGC Fellow since 2005
Jamal Malone
CEO, Ada S. McKinley Community Services
LGC Fellow since 2018
Robert Manuel
President, DePaul University
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Samir Mayekar
Managing Director,
Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Michelle Mills Clement
CEO, Chicago Association of Realtors;
President and CEO, Commercial BrokersAssociation
LGC Class of 2026
Marie Lynn Miranda
Chancellor, University of Illinois Chicago
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Matt Moog
Founder and CEO, Career Bird;
Managing Director, Wavetable Studios
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Julie Morita
President and CEO, Joyce Foundation
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Martin Nesbitt
Co-CEO, Co-Chairman and Senior Partner, Vistria Group
LGC Fellow since 1994
John G. Palfrey
President, John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Ameya Pawar
President and CEO, Michael Reese Health Trust
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Sylvia Puente
Co-chair, Chicago Education Alliance;
Former President and CEO, Latino Policy Forum
LGC Fellow since 1997
Gil Quiniones
CEO, Commonwealth Edison (ComEd)
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Diana Rauner
President, Start Early
LGC Fellow since 2007
Mark Reed
President, Loyola University Chicago
Daniel Burnham Fellow
John Rogers Jr.
Founder, Chairman and Co-CEO, Ariel Investments
LGC Fellow since 1985
Melissa Root
Chicago Office Managing Partner, Jenner & Block
LGC Fellow since 2015
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Jesse Ruiz
Chair, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois;
Partner, General Counsel and
Chief Compliance Officer, Vistria Group
LGC Fellow since 2014
Andrea Sáenz
President and CEO, The Chicago Community Trust
LGC Fellow since 2009
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Juan Salgado
Chancellor, City Colleges of Chicago
LGC Fellow since 2005
Kathy Scherer
Chicago Managing Partner, Deloitte
LGC Fellow since 2012
Bradley Schneider
U.S. Representative, 10th Congressional District of Illinois
U.S. House of Representatives
LGC Fellow since 2003
Zaldwaynaka “Z” Scott
President, Chicago State University
LGC Fellow since 1991
Elizabeth “Beth” Swanson
CEO, A Better Chicago
LGC Fellow since 2006
Karen Tamley
President and CEO, Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago
LGC Fellow since 1999
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Elizabeth “Liz” Thompson
President, Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education Group
LGC Fellow since 1991
Linda Xóchitl Tortolero
President and CEO, Latino Policy Forum
LGC Fellow since 2020
Charles A. Tribbett III
Vice Chairman and Consultant, Russell Reynolds Associates
LGC Fellow since 1986
Anna Valencia
City Clerk, City of Chicago
LGC Fellow since 2018
Jon Van Gorp
Chair, Mayer Brown
LGC Fellow since 2005
Adrienne White-Faines
President and CEO, Planned Parenthood of Illinois
LGC Fellow since 1994
Betsy Ziegler
CEO, 1871
Daniel Burnham Fellow
Andrea Zopp
Managing Partner, CAST US, Cleveland Avenue
LGC Fellow since 1990
Forthe full list and to read more, click here.