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Board of Directors

Choose Chicago counts some of the city’s most accomplished professionals among our board members, each committed to promoting Chicago as a premier leisure, meetings, and events destination. In conjunction with the Choose Chicago Executive Office, the Board of Directors serves as a primary source of communication, decision-making, initiative leadership, management, and execution to better serve the Chicago tourism industry.

Board of Directors
Officers

Glenn Eden

Glenn Eden
Board Chair

Strategic Communications Advisor

Marilynn Gardner

Marilynn Gardner
Vice Chair

President & CEO, Navy Pier

Liz Lombardo Stark

Liz Lombardo Stark
Treasurer & Chair of the Finance Committee

Director of Marketing & PR, Gibsons Restaurant Group

Jay Blunk

Jay Blunk
Secretary

Founding Partner, The College Athlete Partnership Alliance

Board of Directors
Board

Jeff Bethke

Jeff Bethke

Managing Partner, Ingenuity Advising

Catherine De Orio­

Catherine De Orio­

Executive Director­, Foundation for Culinary Arts

Lisa Duarte­

Lisa Duarte­

Partner­, Croke Fairchild Morgan & Beres

Michael Fassnacht­

Michael Fassnacht­

Chief Marketing Office, City of Chicago and President & CEO, World Business Chicago

Richard Gamble – Board

Richard Gamble
Interim President and CEO, Choose Chicago

Chair of the Nominating Committee, Founder and President, Realized Value Collaborative, LLC

Nina Grondin

Nina Grondin

Co-Founder and Partner, Curioso

Erin Harkey

Erin Harkey

Commissioner, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE)

Patrick Hatton

Patrick Hatton

General Manager, Chicago Athletic Association Hotel

Chevy Humphrey­

Chevy Humphrey­

President & CEO, Museum of Science and Industry

Ayesha Jaco

Ayesha Jaco

Executive Director, West Side United

Michael Jacobson

Michael Jacobson

President and CEO, Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association

Art Johnston

Arthur "Art" Johnston

Co-Founder, Equality Illinois and Co-Owner, Sidetrack Bar

Kenneth Meyer

Kenneth Meyer

Commissioner of the City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP)

Eve Rodriguez Montoya

Eve Rodriguez Montoya

President and CEO, Rodriguez Media Communications, Inc.

Gary Perinar­

Gary Perinar­
Executive Secretary – Treasurer­

Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council

Michael Reinsdorf

Michael Reinsdorf
President & Chief Executive Officer

Chicago Bulls

Robert Reiter

Robert G. Reiter, Jr.
President

Chicago Federation of Labor

Jamie Rhee

Jamie L. Rhee
Commissioner

Chicago Department of Aviation

James Rondeau

James Rondeau
President & Eloise W. Martin Director

The Art Institute of Chicago

Juan Salgado

Juan Salgado
Chancellor

City Colleges of Chicago

Rebecca Shi­

Rebecca Shi­

Founding Executive Director, American Business Immigration Coalition

Alexandra Sims­

Alexandra Sims­
President & Founder

APS & Associates

Michael Strautmanis

Michael Strautmanis
Executive Vice President for Civic Engagement

Obama Foundation

Christie Tarantino-Dean

Christie Tarantino-Dean
CEO

Institute of Food Technologists

Cherryl Thomas

Cherryl Thomas
Chief Strategy Officer

Ardmore Roderick

Lisa Timbo

Lisa Timbo
Area General Manager

Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk

John Wells

John Wells
Area Vice President, Northern Midwest Region

Hilton Chicago

Rodney Williams

Rodney Williams
President

Diageo Beer Company and Diageo Canada

Elizabeth “Betsy” Ziegler

Elizabeth "Betsy" Ziegler
CEO

1871/CEC - Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center

Board
Ex-Officio

Doreen Burse

Doreen Burse
SVP Worldwide Sales

United Airlines

Larita D. Clark

Larita D. Clark
Chief Executive Officer

Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA)

Jason Ervin

Jason Ervin
Alderman, 28th Ward

Chicago City Council

Benjamin Humphrey

Benjamin Humphrey
Vice President of ORD Operations

Patrick Kelly

Patrick Kelly
President & Business Manager

International Union of Operating Engineers Local 399

Rich Levin

Rich Levin
Managing Director, Consumer and Retail Corporate & Investment Banking

Bank of America

Kristin Richards

Kristin Richards
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO)

Ex-Officio
In Memoriam

David Jacobs

David Jacobs

General Manager, Hyatt Regency McCormick Place

Myrna Salazar

Myrna Salazar

Co-Founder & Executive Director, Chicago Latino Theater Alliance

 

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