Chicago Innovation Judges
Each year, our expert panel strives to build a balanced portfolio of Chicago area companies, both large and small, for-profit and not-for-profit, that best represent the results of a sustained commitment to innovation.
Michael Arndt
Executive Vice President & Executive Editor, Edelman
Ellen Barry
Principal, EBarry Group
John Berschied
Former Head of R&D and Innovation S. C. Johnson Co., Alberto Culver Co., and Church and Dwight Co.
Hardik Bhatt
GM of Smart Cities & Transportation, Amazon Web Services
Kristi Dula
Deputy Director, Office of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology at DCEO
Ron Gleason
Director of News and Programming, WBBM Newsradio 780 and 105.9 FM
Michael Krauss
President, Market Strategy Group
Tom Kuczmarski
Co-founder, Chicago Innovation; President, Kuczmarski Innovation
Dan Miller
Co-founder, Chicago Innovation
Maura O’Hara
Executive Director, Illinois Venture Capital Association
Orlando Saez
Founder, Aker
Gary Slack
Chairman & CEO, Slack and Company
Will Towns
Executive Director, Benefit Chicago
Leslie Vickrey
CEO & Founder of ClearEdge Marketing; Co-founder of ARA