2023 Bridge Awards Celebration
Program Overview
Reception5:30 – 6:30 PM
Dinner & Program
6:30 – 9:00 PM
Mark Rivera
News Anchor and Reporter
2023 Bridge Awards
Media Sponsor
2023 Bridge Award Recipient
2023 CU Impact Award Recipient
View Photos From The Event
Chicago United’s Bridge Awards Celebration is Chicago’s premier event celebrating excellence in diversity, equity and inclusion in business.
Our theme this year is:
“Elevating Equity”
A highlight of the celebration, the presentation of Chicago United’s Bridge Award honors a company that has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in achieving diversity, equity and inclusion, especially at the board and highest executive levels within their organization. This award brings visibility to those who have led change and inspired others to follow, fostering multiracial leadership in business.
We will also recognize the 2023 Business Leaders of Color inductees.
We look forward to gathering with our partners, friends, allies and supporters for an evening of celebration, united by
Elevating Equity.
Join the Milestone Celebration!
Chicago United celebrates its 55th Anniversary in 2023! We're marking this milestone by aligning it with the esteemed 2023 Bridge Awards Celebration. Expect an unforgettable event honoring the city's diverse business community and its champions.
Together, let's honor our past, celebrate the present, and shape the future. United, we are Chicago.
Marking 20 Years of Elevating Equity
This year, Chicago United's Business Leaders of Color (BLC) proudly celebrates its 20th anniversary, in sync with the 2023 Bridge Awards Celebration. Over the past two decades, BLC has spotlighted the wealth of diverse leadership talent in Chicago, recognizing 470 board-ready candidates.
Join us in commemorating this milestone of diversity and leadership. Together, we are Chicago United!
Host Committee
As of September 25, 2023
Honorary Co-Chairs
John C. Robak
(Chicago United Board Chair 2021 - 2023)
Former Chairman & CEO
Greeley and Hansen
Kip Kelley
(Chicago United Board Chair 2019 - 2021)
CEO – North America Affinity
Aon plc
Gloria Castillo
Former President (2004 – 2020)
Chicago United
Robert MacGregor
Former and First Executive Director (1973 – 1980)
Chicago United
Committee Members
Chief Executive Officer
Aon
Tim Crane
President and Chief Executive Officer
Wintrust Financial Corporation
Wendell Dallas
President and CEO
Nicor Gas
Kimberley Goode
Chief Communications and Social Impact Officer
BMO Financial Group
Stephen Harris
President
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois
Mark Heckler
Region President
Fifth Third Bank
Travis Hunter Jr.
Chicago Office Managing Partner
KPMG LLP
Reginald J. Miller
VP, People Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
McDonald’s Corporation
Gwendolyn Oglesby-Odom
Enterprise Vice President of Community Engagement
Advocate Health
Nichole Owens
Vice President, Distribution Operations
ComEd, An Exelon Company
E. Scott Santi
Chairman and CEO
ITW
Karriem Shakoor
SVP and Chief Information Officer
UL Solutions
Scott C. Swanson
President, Illinois
Midwest Territory Executive
PNC Bank
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Sponsorship opportunities are now available. To discuss sponsorship and for questions, please contact:
Gail Arrigo, Executive Vice President, at garrigo@chicago-united.org or 312.977.3066.
Thanks To Our Sponsors
*As of October 24, 2023
Presenting Sponsor
Chairman's Circle
Advocates for Change
Reception Sponsor
Corporate Citizens for Change
Leaders for Change
Azteca Foods Inc.
Bank of America
Beam Suntory
Cabrera Capital Markets
Comcast
Deloitte LLP
EY (Ernst & Young LLP)
Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin & Metropolitan Chicago
Governors State University
Grant Law, LLC
Tiffany Hamel Johnson and Derrick Johnson
The Kraft Heinz Company
Mesirow
MZI Group, Inc.
Next Generation, Inc.
Old National Bank
Purple Group
John C. Robak
SDI Presence LLC
Sidley Austin LLP
Slalom
SNtial Technologies, Inc.
Spencer Stuart
Trinidad Construction
UJAMAA Construction, Inc.
University of Chicago
University of Illinois Chicago
Valentine, Austriaco & Bueschel, P.C.
Wynndalco Enterprises, LLC
Friends of Chicago United
Aurora Austriaco
Santino Bibbo
Kathleen Caliento
Tim Crane
Cristina Foods, Inc.
Leslie Drish
Kimberly Evans Killion
Nicole Fritz
Richard Gamble
Cristy Garcia-Thomas
Virxhini Gjonzeneli
Kimberley Goode
Maurice Grant
Grosvenor Capital Management, L.P.
Patricia Hurley & Associates, Inc.
Heli Jaason
Matt Johanson
Nidhi Kapoor
Kip Kelley
Diana Kunz
Kenya McCarter
Robert R. McCormick Foundation
Nicole Owens
Aya Ozeki
Sam Pambah
Angela Putnam
John Sassaris
Katherine Scherer
John Stocchetti
Laura Thonn
Manika Turnbull