For 25 years, we have celebrated the bold thinkers, groundbreaking ideas, and collaborative spirit that make our city a diverse and welcoming hub of innovation.
This year, we invite you to join us for a special 25th Anniversary Chicago Innovation Foundation In-Gala—a night to come together as a community to celebrate and fuel the power of inclusive innovation that will define the next 25 years still to come.
Chicago Innovation Hall of Fame
2026 Inductees
Chuck Templeton
Founder, OpenTable
Managing Director, S2G Investments
Chicago entrepreneur best known for founding OpenTable, which was later acquired for $2.6 billion. As Managing Partner of S2G Investments, Chuck continues to drive innovation by investing in breakthrough companies in food, agriculture, and sustainability. Active investor, mentor and Chicago tech ecosystem builder.
Diane Swonk
Chief Economist, KPMG
As one of America’s most visible economic voices, Diane is called upon by policy makers and business leaders around the world. Named one of the “100 Most Influential Economists in the World,” she is frequently featured in CNBC, Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times.
Tom Kuczmarski
Co-Founder, Chicago Innovation
25 years ago, Tom started Chicago Innovation to educate, connect and celebrate innovators in the Chicago region. He established a leading innovation consultancy that created over $8 billion in new revenues for its clients, and has taught innovation at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management for 46 years (and counting). Tom is the author of 9 books on innovation and leadership.
Join 500 business, civic and tech leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs for an interactive night with…
Entertainment
Live Auction
Raffles & Prizes
Live Music
Creative dining experience
And much more…
Venue
Held at Bridgeport Art Center
1200 W 35th St., Chicago, IL 60609
Free Parking On-site
Timeline
5:00 PM – 5:45 PM
Opening Reception
6:00 PM – 7:45 PM
Seated Program
7:45 PM – 8:30 PM
Post-Program Reception
Mission
To educate, connect and celebrate all innovators across the expanding Chicago innovation ecosystem.
Vision
To lead a movement that ensures innovation is for everyone.
Our Programs Impact
Illinois Student Invention Convention
- 41,000 K-8th grade students
- 97% increased critical thinking and problem-solving skills
The Ladder
- 400 Black and Latine participants
- 100% of mentees progressed towards achieving their goals last year
Women's Mentoring Co-Op
- 1,300 Women
- 97% of mentees progressed towards achieving their goals last year
Ageless Innovators
- 490 intergenerational innovators
- 95% of co-mentors progressed towards achieving their goals last year
Climate Innovators
- 140+ Climate Champion Award nominees
- 1,500 climate focus innovators convened
In-Gala Committee
Co-Chairs
Sid BalaÂ
KOIOS │
Founder & CEO
Pal Iaconetti
Dell Technologies │
Global Account Executive
Megan McCann
McCann Partners │
CEO & Founder
Tope Sadiku
McDonald’s│
Global Director of Organization Effectiveness and Design
Members
Brandon Austin
The Executives’ Club of Chicago │
Chief Insights & Innovation Officer
Elise Awwad
DeVry University │
President & CEO
Ranga Bodla
Oracle NetSuite │
Vice President, Field Engagement & Marketing
Carlos Cardenas
Wintrust│
SVP Group Manager
Yoana Dvorzsak
Solésence │
Vice President, Innovation & Product Integrity
Colleen Egan
Chicago Community Sculling │
Executive Director
David Emsheimer
Clean Earth Renewables │
Managing Director
Darcy Evon
Tremonia Partners │
Co-Founder
Carlos Cardenas
Wintrust│
SVP Group Manager
Todd Greenwald
Heartland │
President
Craig Hamill
UL Research
Institutes │
Former Director of Technology
Jane Hamner
Centric Consulting │
Client Partner
Emma Harper
Solésence │
Executive Director, Strategy, Marketing, and Communications
Tom Johnson
Better Business Bureau│
Director of Public and Board Relations
Renu Kulkarni
Kulkarni Associates │
Partner
Inna Larson
Clear Irons│
Board of Directors
Aneta Pietraszek
Social Impact and Engagement Executive
Joanna Rodriguez
Mycocycle │
Founder & CEO
Kevin Rooney
West Monroe Partners│
Chief Admin Officer
Patrick Thomas
Milwaukee Tool │
Director of Engineering
Garrett Woody
Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago│
Sr. Enterprise Architect, Cloud & AI/ML, VP
Board of Advisors
Michael Arndt
The Harris Poll |
Director of Communications
Sid Bala
KOIOS |
Founder & CEO
Ellen Barry
EBarry Group |
Principal
Cassidy Beadle
Accenture |
Managing Director
Kate Bensen
The Chicago Network |
Former President
& CEO
Hardik Bhatt
SDI Presence |
CEO
Ray Boyer
Boyer Media |
President
Angelo Bufalino
Retired Intellectual
Property Attorney
John Burke
Vedder |
Chair of the
Intellectual Property Group
Carlos Cardenas
Wintrust |
SVP Group Manager
Jeff Cobb
Comcast Business |
Regional Vice President
Holly Copeland
impact.c3 |
Founder & CEO
Diane Dahl
The Hartell Group |
Founder & Managing Director
Kristen Delphos
UL Research Institutes |
VP, Head of Communications & Public Affairs
Matthew Doubleday
Creative Advisors |
Principal & Founder
Ana Dutra
Mandala Global Advisors |
CEO
Darcy Evon
Tremonia Partners |
Co-Founder
Pat Iaconetti
Dell Technologies |
Global Account Executive
Dipak Jain
China Europe International Business School |
President (European)
Pete Kadens
Kadens Family Foundation |
Chairman
Sandee Kastrul
i.c.stars |
Co-Founder
Michael Krauss
Market Strategy
Group |
Co-Founder
Tom Kuczmarski
Chicago Innovation;
Kuczmarski Innovation | Co-Founder;
President
Susan Lorenc
Dorsey + Whitney LLP |
Partner
Howard Males
Town of New
Buffalo |
Trustee
Mike Maresca
Ulta |
Chief Technology & Transformation Officer
Bret Maxwell
MK Capital |
Managing General Partner
Megan McCann
McCann Partners |
CEO & Founder
Dorri McWhorter
The Executives’
Club of Chicago |
CEO
Maggie O’Brien
J.P. Morgan Private Bank |
Managing Director,
Co-Head of Chicago
Richard L. Rodriguez
Acero Schools |
CEO
Kristi Ross
tastytrade; U3 Coffee |
Co-Founder
Mike Rothman
SMS Assist |
Founder
Nancy Ruscheinski
Zeno Group |
Former Chief Operating Officer
Tope Sadiku
McDonald’s |
Global Director of Organization Effectiveness and Design
Luke Saunders
Farmer’s Fridge |
Founder & CEO
Mohan Sawhney
Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management | McCormick Tribune Professor of Technology
Jai Shekhawat
Fieldglass |
Founder
Marc Shiffman
Divcon |
CEO
Dev Singh
AiRo Digital Labs |
Founder & CEO
William Towns
Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management | Adjunct Professor of Social Impact
Eric VanAlstyne
Molex Ventures |
Director of Corporate Development
Kevin Willer
Chicago Ventures |
Co-Founder
& Partner
Maria Wynne
Leadership Greater Chicago |
Former CEO
Andrea Zopp
Cleveland Avenue |
Managing Partner