Latest News from The Chicago Network

August 11, 2017

TCN'S VISION STATEMENT

As the preeminent organization for Chicago's leading professional women, we are compelled to:

Connect with each other for professional & personal growth
Advance our civic, business & philanthropic communities
Inspire & support the next generation of leaders

TCN Members in the News

MARY DILLON ON TRANSFORMING E-COMMERCE AT ULTA

Mary Dillon, CEO of Ulta Inc., was featured in an article about how she is transforming Ulta's digital presence through partnerships with beauty bloggers and Instagram flash sales. The article notes that the new approach is working and the percentage of revenue from e-commerce has doubled since 2013.

"We've continued to expand the overall footprint of Ulta Beauty both physically and digitally in so many ways," said Mary Dillon. Read more...

WENDY FREEDMAN ON NEW MAP OF UNIVERSE'S STRUCTURE

Wendy Freedman, Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at University of Chicago and Giant Magellan Telescope Organization, was quoted in a Nature.com article about
cosmologists that have produced the biggest map yet of the Universe's structure, and found that matter might be spread more evenly than previously thought. Read more...

SHEILA TALTON ON HOSPITALS AND BIG DATA

During an event last week at Chicago-based startup incubator MATTER, Sheila Talton, CEO & President of Gray Matter Analytics, Inc., shared why it's important for hospitals to utilize better data integration.

"How do you have data that's accessible that can actually become information? Because data is not information. The industry needs to keep moving forward so that data can be used to get descriptive insights, predictive insights and prescriptive recommendations," said Sheila Talton. Read more...

DEBORAH BOWEN ON DIVERSITY IN HOSPITALS AT HIGHER RANKS

Deborah Bowen, President and CEO of American College of Healthcare Executives, spoke with Healthcare Dive about the need for diversity at higher ranks in hospitals.

"The best ways to remedy poor diversity in C-suites is to start cultivating a diverse group of people who have an interest in leadership early on in their careers. Post-graduate fellowship programs and scholarship for mid-level executives can be helpful. Hospitals should provide leadership development and training as well as other career resources," said Deborah Bowen. Read more...

CHRISTIE HEFNER ON PUSHING FOR MORE WOMEN ON BOARDS

In an interview with The Street, Christie Hefner discussed how she helped revolutionize her father's company by bringing on more women as executives and how she is continuing to push for more women on boards today.

"It was even harder for women to get ahead then and so, candidly, I capitalized on that and was able to attract incredibly talented women who felt they couldn't go any further in the companies they were working for," said Christie Hefner. Read more...

STEPHANIE IZARD ON WANTING MORE WOMEN IN THE KITCHEN

On Parade.com, Stephanie Izard , Executive Chef & Owner of Boka Restaurant Group, spoke about her efforts to help women excel in a male-dominated industry with the help of the Stacy's Rise Project. The Project focuses on providing scholarships and mentorships for women in culinary. To read the full interview, click here !

ALYSIA TATE ON THE BUDGET IMPASSE

Alysia Tate, Director of Programs at Chicago Foundation for Women (K. Sujata), shared her thoughts on the recently released report, "Damage Done: The Impact of the Illinois Budget Stalemate on Women and Children," which shows that the reduction in services affected low-income women and their families the hardest.

The report was compiled by Voices for Illinois Children, Chicago Foundation for Women and Loyola University Chicago's Center for Urban Research and Learning.

"The reason we did this report is because ... our experience is if you don't invest in women and children, you don't have strong communities," said Alysia Tate. "We have to invest in women and children to make sure we have communities that work for everybody." Read more...

Women on Boards

SALLY BLOUNT ELECTED TO JOYCE FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sally Blount, Dean, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, has been elected to serve on the Joyce Foundation's ( Ellen Alberding) Board of Directors.

"I interned at the Joyce Foundation the summer before I started at Kellogg as a graduate student. It's fun completing a circle now, as dean of Kellogg, joining the Joyce Board," said Sally Blount. "The mission and values of the foundation have long resonated with me - promoting community vitality and fair society, and focusing on the Great Lakes region." Read more...

Awards

CHICAGO METRO HISTORY FAIR TO HONOR THE POLK BROS. FOUNDATION

On September 13, the Chicago Metro History Fair will honor the Polk Bros. Foundation ( Sandy Polk Guthman, Chairman, and Gillian Darlow, CEO) with its Richard Brown Public Service Award at the fourth annual Spark Awards Dinner at the Chicago History Museum. The Metro Chicago History Fair is celebrating its 40th year of offering Chicago area junior and senior high school students the opportunity to compete with projects in all media exploring Chicago history. This year, the Fair has found a new permanent home as a department of the Chicago History Museum. Its main sponsor is the Guild of the Chicago History Museum ( Libbet Richter, President), providing funding and volunteers. For more information or to purchase tickets online, please visit chicagohistory.org/spark.

UNITED SCRAP METAL NAMED 2017 EXELON DIVERSE SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR

Marsha Serlin, CEO of United Scrap Metal, Inc., and her team at United Scrap Metal were named the 2017 Exelon Diverse Supplier of the Year. Held July 13, the annual Exelon Supplier Summit awards program honors leading supply chain partners who achieve exemplary performance and represent a commitment to diversity plus inclusion within their businesses.

The Supplier Summit brings together suppliers alongside top Exelon executives and leaders to share strategic priorities, drive innovation and accomplish reciprocal business objectives. United Scrap Metal's ability to grow with Exelon's footprint, servicing all facets of its operations with a commitment to community, led to the achievement of this prestigious award.

Announcements

THE GRAHAM FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 400,000 IN NEW GRANTS

The Graham Foundation ( Sarah Herda) announced more than $400,000 in new grants to organizations around the world to support 41 innovative projects engaging original ideas in architecture. Among the funded projects are exhibitions, publications, events, research projects, and site-specific installations and performances.

"This year marks an extraordinary group of projects from organizations around the world working to advance architectural thinking, push the boundaries of the field, and expand into previously underrepresented areas," said Graham Foundation Director Sarah Herda. Read more...

SEEKING NOMINATIONS FOR WCD VISIONARY AWARD FOR LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE OF A PRIVATE COMPANY

From Susan S. Stautberg, Chairman and CEO, WomenCorporateDirectors (WCD) Foundation and Joan Steel, co-chair of the Women Corporate Directors' Visionary Awards Committee:

WomenCorporateDirectors hosts a Visionary Awards Dinner every year in May to honor the directors and leaders of companies who have made strides in transforming the boardroom and enhancing corporate performance around the globe. WCD is committed to honoring the substantive commitment to good governance, director education, thought leadership, and gender diversity that these companies and individuals demonstrate.

Since The Chicago Network is a sanctuary for successful women leaders and a resource to enrich each other and our businesses, and the members are passionately supportive of each other and honor confidentiality, we'd like to ask for your assistance in the nomination process. We are seeking the help of The Chicago Network community to gather candidates for the WCD Visionary Award for Leadership and Governance of a Private Company.

Criteria: Of the high-performing companies which have a woman Chair, a woman CEO, or three or more women on the board, we will consider the following criteria:

CEO has made a significant individual contribution and is respected in the company's industry as a role model inside and outside of the company
Company is respected within the industry/field
Company is rapidly growing or already established, exhibiting innovation, creativity, engagement in its community, and good governance systems and processes
$500 Million in annual revenue; in operation for more than 5 years

We'd like to have the nominations by August 25th and sent to [email protected] with "VA Private Company Nomination" in the subject line. We appreciate the help and support of The Chicago Network.

CHICAGO ARCHITECTURE BIENNIAL: THE VISION BEHIND MAKE NEW HISTORY

With less than two months to go until the opening of the Chicago Architecture Biennial, we want to take you behind the scenes of JohnstonMarklee's vision for Make New History, the exhibition that will transform the Chicago Cultural Center starting on September 16, 2017.

Below is a short preview of what to expect at the 2017 Biennial. Visit the website to see more highlights of the curatorial vision, read more about the participants, and get an overview of everything happening at the Biennial this fall.

TCN members Sarah Herda and Michelle Boone serve on the board of Chicago Architecture Biennial.