Awards and Recipients
Financial Executives International (FEI) is the premier association for CFO’s and other
senior financial executives in the United States and Canada.
Gary Gordon
Shedd Aquarium/Museum
Gary Gordon has more than 25 years of not-for-profit and governmental financial and administrative experience. As Chief Financial Officer at Shedd Aquarium, he provides executive leadership for Shedd Aquarium’s finance, investments, technology, legal and risk matters, facility operations, construction, and security. In this role, he is focused on long-term planning and continuity to ensure the financial and operational stability of the aquarium. He brings a passion for education and the environment and an eagerness to engage with and support the board of trustees and staff in Shedd’s mission-driven work.
Recent achievements at Shedd Aquarium include:
- Key architect of financial plans, including a recent successful bond issuance, in support of Shedd’s new $500M strategic vision.
- Led the implementation of an environmentally focused ESG private equity investment strategy.
- Rewrote Shedd’s Investment Policy Statement to better align with the organization’s values, including the addition of a DEAI commitment.
- Key contributor to Shedd’s post-COVID financial recovery.
- Worked with partners to create and meet self-imposed MBE/WBE goals for all construction projects within Shedd’s Centennial Commitment.
Prior to joining Shedd Aquarium in 2018, he served for 15 years as director of finance and administrative services for Lake County, Illinois, managing a $500 million annual budget with responsibilities spanning multiple disciplines and support functions including procurement, contracting, construction services, facility management, and finance, in addition to serving as the chief executive on several successful multimillion-dollar infrastructure projects. Prior, he served as director of the Office of Management and Budget for the Chicago Park District and as assistant budget director and director of capital programs for the City of Chicago.
He holds a master’s degree in political science from Loyola University in Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in politics from the University of California in Santa Cruz.