2021 Recipients:

Kari Lusk-Basick – Mid-Size Not-for-Profit
David Bruce – Large Not for Profit
Michael Graham – Mid-Size Public Company
Ray G. Young – Large Public Company
Melissa Clark – Small Private Company
Timothy J. Czech – Mid-Size Private Company
Michael R. Herr – Large Private Company

2021 Large Public Company Finalists

Varun Laroyia – LKQ Corporation
James J. McKinney – Kemper Corporation
Mario Rizzo – The Allstate Corporation
Ray G. Young – Archer Daniels Midland Company

2021 Mid-Size Public Company Finalists:

Michael Graham – Reynolds Consumer Products, LLC
Brian N. Schell – Cboe Global Markets, Inc.
Toby Williams – Paylocity Holding Corporation

2021 Large Private Company Finalists:

Christine S. Battist – Avison Young
Natalie A. Brown – Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc.
Michael R. Herr – SRAM, LLC
Zach Jones – West Monroe
Tom Nickele – Clune Construction, L.P.

2021 Mid-Size Private Company Finalists:

Himal Agarwal – Braviant Holdings, LLC.
Timothy J. Czech – Integrated Project Management Company, Inc. (IPM)
Helene Donahue – Call One Inc.
Stacie Gannon – Pheonix Closures, Inc.
Dan Potts – Thrall Enterprises, Inc.

2021 Small Private Company Finalists:

Melissa Clark – Primera Engineers, Ltd.
Logan Derck – Surgical Solutions
Lisa Janek – Cast Products, Inc.
Gavin Kubes – Soulsight, LLC
Roy Yu – Cooler Screens

2021 Large Not-for-Profit Company Finalists:

David Bruce – Erie Family Health Center, Inc.
Vince Pryor – Silver Cross Hospital
Pinky Raina – U.S. Soccer Federation
Harry Zhu – Alliant Credit Union

2021 Mid-Size Not-for-Profit Company Finalists:

Kari Lusk-Basick – Chicago Youth Centers
Karen Hartman – Prevent Blindness
Patricia Lawson – Erikson Institute

2019 Recipients

Ron Blaustein – Not-For-Profit Company

D. Skip Behm – Mid-Size Private Company

Christine Laurens – Large Private Company

Carl Lukach – Public Company

 

2019 Public Company Finalists

Paul W. Hoelscher – Horizon Therapeutics plc

Olivier Leonetti – Zebra Technologies

Carl Lukach – Univar Solutions

James J. McKinney – Kemper Corporation

2019 Large Private Company Finalists

Donna Dreuth – Captive Resources, LLC

Mike Franz – Novaspect Holdings, Inc.

Christine Laurens – A.T. Kearney, Inc.

Jim Lawler – Kemper Sports Management, Inc.

Mike Magner – Ice Services LLC

Amy C. Shelly – The Options Clearing Corporation

2019 Mid-Size Private Company Finalists

D. Skip Behm – AArete, LLC

Brad Gavelek – Midwest Can Company

Ozan Kaya – ShopRunner, Inc.

Tanya Yakhnis – Tandem Family of Companies

 

2019 Not-For-Profit Company Finalists

Ron Blaustein – Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago

Lindy Loyet – Elevate Energy

John H. Nylen – Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

Joe Onzick – County of Kane (Illinois)

Paige A. Rodgers – The Joint Commission

Eric Schwager – Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center

2018 Recipients

Jeffrey J. Bethke – Not-For-Profit Large Company

Mark Janek – Mid-Size Private Company

Jim Japczyk – Large Private Company

Karen Kane – Not-For-Profit Mid-Size Company

Robert (Bob) F. Probst – Public Company

 

2018 Public Company Finalists

Ashish Agrawal – CTS Corporation

Walter G. Borst – Navistar International Corporation

Paul Hoelscher – Horizon Pharma plc

Robert (Bob) F. Probst – Ventas, Inc.

Kyle Sauers – Echo Global Logistics

2018 Large Private Company Finalists

Barry S. Anstandig – Rescar Companies

Jim Japczyk – D&W Fine Pack, LLC

Ron Kruczynski – Paper Source Inc.

Mike Magner – Ice Mobility

Tom Nickele – Clune Construction Company

Wes Saber – HARIBO of America, Inc.

2018 Mid-Size Private Company Finalists

Ken Amann – Cresco Labs

I. Gordon Anderson – The Clarke Group, Inc.

Mark Janek – Energy Distribution Partners

Patrick Sullivan, CPA – Brilliant

 

2018 Not-For-Profit Large Company Finalists

Jeffrey J. Bethke – DePaul University

Vincent M. Everson, MBA – Jewish Child & Family Services

Dana Phillips Goodum, CPA, CGMA – Illinois Sports Facilities Authority

Cheryl Murphy – Mercy Home for Boys and Girls

Laurie Wettstead – AIDS Foundation of Chicago

2018 Not-For-Profit Mid-Size Company Finalists

Daniel Cervantes – Skills For Chicagoland’s Future

Karen Kane – Marillac St. Vincent Family Services

Jennifer Schultz, CPA – Illinois CPA Society

Peter Walton – Great Books Foundation

2017 Recipients

Lori Carlson – Not-For-Profit Large Company

David Copeland – Mid-Sized Private Company

Phillip J. Cutting – Large Private Company

Theodore Dosch – Public Company

Khalid Qazi – Not-For-Profit Mid-Sized Company

2017 Public Company Finalists

Theodore Dosch – Anixter International, Inc.

Brian Gladden – Mondelēz International

Kevin M. Killips – The PrivateBancorp, Inc.

Robert (Bob) F. Probst – Ventas, Inc.

2017 Large Private Company Finalists

Phillip J. Cutting – Brake Parts Inc LLC (BPI)

 Victoria A. Dudley – TTX Company

 Joseph Hyde – HUB International

 Michael G. Kenny – Panduit Corp.

2017 Mid-Size Private Company Finalists

David Copeland – DSC Logistics

 William J. Henry – Affy Tapple, LLC

 Holly Kay – West Monroe Partners, LLC

 Joe Kayser – AIT Worldwide Logistics

 Bernard Peters – Sloan

 Troy Randolph – Chromatin Inc.

 Suk Shah – Avant

2017 Not-For-Profit Large Company Finalists

 Lori Carlson – Rotary International

 Cheryl Murphy – Mission of Our Lady of Mercy DBA Mercy Home for Boys & Girls

 Thomas J. Nissly – Chicago Botanic Garden

 Dhiren Shah – Chicago Commons

2017 Not-For-Profit Mid-Size Company Finalists

Dale R. McClain – Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

 Khalid Qazi – National Able Network

 Linda L. Wagner – Chicago Foundation for Women

2016 Recipients

Adam DeWitt – Mid-Size Public Company

James E. Dunne – Not-For-Profit Company

Jack Fortnum – Large Public Company

Richard Naponelli – Private Company

2016 Large Public Company Finalists

Michael Berman – General Growth Properties

Jack Fortnum – Ingredion Incorporated

Al Nietzel – CDK Global, LLC

Mark Parrell – Equity Residential

2016 Mid-Size Public Company Finalists

Adam DeWitt – Grubhub

Peter McGrail – Paylocity Corporation

Randy Renn – Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty, North America

2016 Private Company Finalists

Jack Arends – Georgia Nut Company

Todd Gierke – Curran Group, Inc.

Ken Gradman – Diversified Foodservice Supply, Inc.

Debra L. Gregorash – Trust Company of Illinois

Richard Naponelli – Sage Products LLC

2016 Not-For-Profit Company Finalists

James E. Dunne – National Opinion Research Center

Eric Gleason – U.S. Soccer Federation

Gay L. Vincent – American College of Surgeons

Sharon Walton – Chicago Academy of Sciences/Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

Jeff Zettek – APICS

2015 Recipients

Kevin Connelly – Not-For-Profit Mid-Size Company

Mike McArthy – Mid-Size Private Company

John P. Mordach – Not-For-Profit Large Company

Richard W. Pehlke – Mid-Size Public Company

Scott Settersten – Large Public Company

David Watkins – Large Private Company

2015 Large Public Company Finalists

C. Mark Hussey- Huron Consulting Group, Inc.

Scott Settersten – ULTA Beauty

Ken Trammell – Tenneco, Inc.

2015 Mid-Size Company Finalists

Mark DeVita – Heritage-Crystal Clean

Scott A. Musil – First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc.

Richard W. Pehlke – Heidrick & Struggles

John W. Schoen – PCTEL, Inc.

2015 Large Private Company Finalists

Victoria A Dudley – TTX Company

Roger D. Lundstrom – Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago

Joe Ridyard – Tempel Steel

Tim Ward – Consolidated Distribution Corporation, LLC

David Watkins – East Balt Bakeries

2015 Mid-Size Private Company Finalists

Thomas L. Hidder – Brook Furniture Rental, Inc.

JoAnn S. Lilek – Accretive Solutions, Inc.

Mike McArthy – INTREN, Inc.

James J. Milligan – VSA Partners

Joan Rockey – CastleArk Management LLC

2015 Not-For-Profit Large Company Finalists

Lori Carlson – Rotary International

Steve Lux – Chicago Park District

John P. Mordach – Rush University Medical Center

2015 Not-For-Profit Mid-Size Company Finalists

Kevin Connelly – Misericordia Heart of Mercy

Kathleen Hechinger – The Joffrey Ballet

Mary Lynne Januszewski – The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

David McConnell – One Hope United

2014 Recipients

Theodore J. Eischeid – Mid-Size Private Company

Gavin Farry – Not-For-Profit Company

David Gransee – Mid-Size Public Company

Randy Khalaf – Large Private Company

E. Lee Wyatt, Jr. – Large Public Company

2014 Large Public Company Finalists

Steven T. Campbell – United States Cellular Corporation

Robert Kuhn – AptarGroup, Inc.

Mark E. Newman – SunCoke Energy, Inc.

Jamie E. Parisi – CME Group Inc.

Michael Smiley – Zebra Technologies Corporation

Timothy J. Wiggins – DeVry Education Group

E. Lee Wyatt, Jr. – Fortune Brands Home & Security

2014 Mid-Size Company Finalists

Brett A. Brown – Inland Real Estate Corporation

Timothy J. Cunningham – Schawk, Inc. (SGK)

David Gransee – Manitex International, Inc.

Jonathon M. Singer – Sagent Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

2014 Large Private Company Finalists

Michael G. Johnson – Network Services Company

Randy Khalaf – UGN, Inc.

Luke Lukens – Sasser Family Holdings, Inc.

Michael V. Pacetti – DuPage Medical Group

2014 Mid-Size Private Company Finalists

Patricia Baeder – Benson Botsford, LLC

Dave Baker – Microdynamics Group

Theodore J. Eischeid – Enesco, LLC

Douglass Lee – Peerless Network

2014 Not-For-Profit Company Finalists

Gavin Farry – Thresholds

Isabelle Goossen – Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association

Miroslava Mejia Krug – Roosevelt University

Vincent Pryor – Edward-Elmhurst Healthcare

Paul Sholty – American Dental Association

Joyce M. Simon – John G. Shedd Aquarium

Gay L. Vincent – American College of Surgeons

2013 Recipients

Kenneth S. Avner – Large Private Company

Edward B. Case – Not-For-Profit Large Company

Thomas C. Freyman – Large Public Company

William S. Johnson – Mid-Size Public Company

Patrick J. Jones – Mid-Size Public Company

Don Tusek – Not-For-Profit Mid-Sized Company

2013 Large Public Company Finalists

Thomas Freyman – Abbott

David Johnson – Molex Incorporated

D. Craig Mense – CNA

Terri Pizzuto – Hub Group, Inc.

Scott Stephens – A.M. Castle & Co.

2013 Mid-Size Company Finalists

James Brace – Wells Gardner

Timothy Cunningham – Schawk, Inc.

William Johnson – Cabot Microelectronics

Lisa Kieres – Lifeline Scientific, Inc.

Ronald Knutson – Lawson Products

2013 Large Private Company Finalists

Kenneth Avner – Health Care Service Corporation

Dan DeCanniere – A.T. Kearney, Inc.

Joel Thomason – Pepper Construction Group

2013 Mid-Size Private Company Finalists

Gary Gardner – SG360°

Patrick Jones – Addison Group

Patrick Schellinger – Selig Group

Norman Smagley – Gogo Inc.

Charles Talbot – Potbelly Sandwich Works

2013 Not-For-Profit Large Company Finalists

Edward Case
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago

William Laird
Loyola University Chicago

James Mellor
YMCA of the USA

Richard Oldshue
Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority

Paul Sholty
American Dental Association

2013 Not-For-Profit Mid-Size Company Finalists

Alex Denja – National Equity Fund, Inc.

Beth Saks – The Global FoodBanking Network

Ann Simms – American Planning Association

Maryellen Skerik – International Association of Lions Clubs/Lions Clubs International Foundation

Don Tusek – Greater Chicago Food Depository

Susan Wallace – Erikson Institute

Deborah Wensel – Property Casualty Insurers Association of America

2012 Recipients

David Barnes – Mid-Size Private Company

Cheryl K. Beebe – Large Public Company

Peter J. McCanna – Not-For-Profit Company

Kristie P. Paskvan – Large Private Company

Andrea Tarbox – Mid-Size Public Company

2012 Large Public Company Finalists

Cheryl K. Beebe – Ingredion Incorporated (Formerly Corn Products International, Inc.)

Neal Fenwick – Acco Brands Corporation

Richard Fleming – USG Corporation

Jeff Park – Catamaran

2012 Mid-Size Public Company Finalists

Marc Baumann – Standard Parking Corporation

Ron Knutson – Lawson Products, Inc.

Ronald D. Mambu – JBT Corporation

Donald W. Pearson – AMCOL International Corporation

Scott D. Schweinfurth – WMS Industries Inc.

Andrea Tarbox – KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation

2012 Large Private Company Finalists

Michael L. Johnson – Fenwal, Inc.

Patrick McKune – M. Holland Company

Kristie P. Paskvan – Mesirow Financial

Kathryn A. Stanton – Follett Corporation

Albert L. Weiss – Forsythe Technology, Inc.

2012 Mid-Size Private Company Finalists

David Barnes – Plymouth Tube Company

David Copeland – DSC Logistics

Thomas Danker – Senior Lifestyle Management, LLC

Joe Freda – Flexera Software, LLC

Bob Gallagher – Classified Ventures, LLC

Michael R. Herr – SRAM

Kimberly McKee – Service Payment Plan, Inc.

James Vargo – HomeDirect, Inc.

Walter W. Winkel III – Convergint Technologies LLC

2012 Not-For-Profit Company Finalists

Carol Crenshaw
The Chicago Community Trust

Jim Croft
Field Museum of Natural History

John Cross
American Institute of Steel Construction

Peter J. McCanna
Northwestern Memorial HealthCare

Laura Skarnulis
United Way of Metropolitan Chicago, Inc.

2011 Recipients

Peter J. Bensen – Large Public Company

Patrick T. Chambliss – Private Company

Bill Davis – Mid-Size Public Company

Dominic J. Nakis – Not-For-Profit Company

2011 Large Public Company Finalists

Peter J. Bensen – McDonald’s Corporation

Ronald L. Jadin – W.W. Grainger, Inc.

James E. Parisi – CME Group

Jeffrey Park – SXC Health Solutions, Inc.

Thomas E. Werner – Hospira, Inc.

2011 Mid-Size Company Finalists

Joseph M. Busky – InnerWorkings

Brian S. Cooper – Westell Technologies, Inc.

Bill Davis – Allscripts

Philip G. Franklin – Littelfuse, Inc.

Linda K. Frauendorfer – SigmaTron International, Inc.

2011 Private Company Finalists

Patrick T. Chambliss – Packaging Dynamics Corporation

William J. Holbrook – The HallStar Company

John Hrudicka – Elkay Manufacturing Co.

Mary Merfeld – Wilton Brands Inc.

Verne Tuite – Klein Tools, Inc.

Albert L. Weiss – Forsythe Technology, Inc.

2011 Not-For-Profit Company Finalists

Nim Chinniah – The University of Chicago

Julie Faber – American Cancer Society, Illinois Division, Inc.

Janet Gibbs – Feeding America

Peter J. McCanna – Northwestern Memorial HealthCare

Dominic J. Nakis – Advocate Health Care

Michael B. Tarnoff – Jewish United Fund / Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago (JUF/JF)