Metropolitan Planning Council/Tricia Scully
J.B. Pritzker and MarySue Barrett discuss the future of Chicago at MPC's 2015 Annual Luncheon.
MPC honors Abbott Chairman and CEO Miles D. White with award for civic leadership
(Chicago) … J.B. Pritzker, noted Chicago entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist, spoke at the Metropolitan Planning Council’s (MPC) Annual Luncheon on Wednesday, June 3, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. Nearly 800 business, government, civic and community leaders attended the luncheon to hear MPC President MarySue Barrett interview Pritzker on the evolution of tech incubator 1871 and emerging opportunities to advance the region’s economy and quality of life.
Also at the luncheon, MPC presented Miles D. White, chairman and CEO of Abbott, with an award for his extraordinary civic contributions to our region.
FEATURED PRESENTATION
Barrett and Pritzker had a conversation that touched on a variety of topics: Chicago’s uniquely vibrant civic sector, how Millennials will plug into that community as they take on leadership roles, why it’s important to think big and take risks to affect policy change, how technology is driving new solutions to urban challenges and why investing in early childhood education provides a good return on investment. A recording of the conversation will be available on metroplanning.org soon.
They also discussed MPC’s Accelerate Illinois campaign and Great Rivers Chicago. Accelerate Illinois, a campaign that hundreds of individuals, businesses and organizations across Illinois have joined, calls on Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Illinois General Assembly to make transportation infrastructure a priority. Great Rivers Chicago is an unprecedented effort with the City of Chicago, in partnership with Friends of the Chicago River, to create a coordinated long-term vision and action agenda for economic and community development along Chicago’s riverfronts. Both of these efforts speak to Pritzker’s directive to think big.
Since 1934, MPC has made the Chicago region a better place to live and work by partnering with businesses, communities and governments to address the area’s toughest planning and development challenges. MPC works to solve today's urgent problems while consistently thinking ahead to prepare the region for the needs of tomorrow.
CHAMPION FIGHTER AWARD
MPC proudly presented Miles D. White, chairman and CEO of Abbott, with the Champion Fighter Award for his determined work to ensure a sustainable, equitable and competitive future for the Chicago region. Andrew J. McKenna, Sr., chairman, McDonald’s Corporation and Schwarz Supply Source—and a co-chair of the Annual Luncheon—presented the award to White.
“At Abbott, our work helps people live their best lives and fulfill their potential,” said White. “It’s an honor to accept this award, because MPC shares similar goals for the Chicago region.”
In addition to furthering Abbott’s long-standing commitment to support programs that increase the understanding of scientific, clinical and healthcare issues, White currently serves on the boards of Caterpillar Inc., and McDonald’s Corporation. He is a member of the board of the US-China Business Council, the Business Council and the Business Roundtable. He is chairman of The Culver Educational Foundation, a board trustee of Northwestern University and a member of the Global Advisory Board at the Kellogg School of Management. He serves on the board of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. White was formerly chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
MPC established the Champion Fighter Award in 1959, as a special honor for individuals who have exemplified responsible leadership on behalf of the public interest. Previous award winners include Mayor Richard J. Daley; Ferd Kramer, founder, Draper and Kramer; Dorothy J. Rubel, longtime MPC executive director; Lester Crown, chairman, Henry Crown & Company; and W. James Farrell, former CEO, Illinois Tool Works Inc.
SPONSORS
PNC Bank was the Presenting Sponsor of MPC’s 2015 Annual Luncheon for the 10th straight year.
“The Metropolitan Planning Council is a leading organization capable of bringing together government, business and community leaders to effect substantive change,” said Scott Swanson, president for PNC Bank, Illinois. “PNC Bank supports MPC in creating solutions to make metropolitan Chicago—and cities and regions across the country—more resilient, equitable and vibrant.”
Abbott; Abbvie; Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois; BMO Harris Bank; The Crown Family; Niranjan Shah, CEO, Globetrotters Engineering; The Harris Family Foundation; JPMorgan Chase & Co.; and Walgreens are Lead Sponsors of the event. Benefactors of the event are The Allstate Insurance Company; Bank of America; Laura and George Bilicic; The Boeing Company; Rita and John Canning; ComEd, an Exelon Company; Fieldglass, Inc.; General Dynamics; Grosvenor Capital Management, L.P.; Jim Gordon, The Edgewater Funds; John S. Gates, Jr; JLL and LaSalle Investment Management; Lazard; Liz and Eric Lefkofsky; MB Financial Bank; Northern Trust Corporation; PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; M. Jude & Lori W. Reyes; Roger and Susan Stone; U.S. Bank; and Wintrust Commercial Bank.
A full list of sponsors is available on MPC’s website.
ABOUT MPC
For more than 80 years, the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) has made the Chicago region a better place to live and work by partnering with businesses, communities and governments to address the area's toughest planning and development challenges. MPC works to solve today's urgent problems while consistently thinking ahead to prepare the region for the needs of tomorrow.
ABOUT PNC BANK
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (www.pnc.com) is one of the nation’s largest diversified financial services organizations providing retail and business banking; residential mortgage banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management; asset management and global fund services. Follow @PNCNews on Twitter for breaking news, updates and announcements from PNC.
The hashtag for this year’s Luncheon was #Chicago2015.
For more information, contact MPC Communications Director Mandy Burrell Booth, at 312-863-6018 or mburrell@metroplanning.org.