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
Director of Communications, The Harris Poll
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, Digital Governance VC and Startups, WorldWide Public Sector, Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Katherine Davis
Reporter at Crain’s Chicago Business
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
Co-Founder, Market Strategy Group
Tom Kuczmarski
Co-founder, Chicago Innovation; President, Kuczmarski Innovation
Nick Rosa
Co-founder & Managing Director, Sandbox Industries
Orlando Saez
Founder & CEO, Aker
William Towns
Managing Director, 4S Bay Partners, & Adjunct Professor of Social Impact, Kellogg Public-Private Interface
Leslie Vickrey
CEO & Founder of ClearEdge Marketing; Co-founder of ARA