Category: past events

Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Speaker: Terry Scrogum | Executive Director – Illinois Arts Council

Host: Wildman, Harrold, Dixon & Allen LLP
225 West Wacker Drive, Suite 3000
Chicago, IL  60606

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Did you know that Springfield is honoring its hometown hero by cutting its very own corn maze – Abe’s Corn Maze will be cut out of 10 acres of corn field and feature over 3 miles of twists and turns. Or that Ravinia commissioned two works in his honor; one by Bill T. Jones, the renowned choreographer, and the other by music legend Ramsey Lewis?

Would you like to know what Abraham Lincoln wrote, said or did exactly two hundred years ago on October 21, 1808? How do Lincoln’s words, thoughts and deeds influence us as we pursue the honorable cause of community engagement and corporate responsibility?

Join us as Terry Scrogum discusses these ideas and tells us more about the celebratory activities to commemorate the life of Abraham Lincoln planned by the Illinois Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, in collaboration with communities, agencies and individuals throughout Illinois.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Speaker: Panel of Chicago Tribune Reporters and Editors

Host: Chicago Tribune
Tribune Tower 20th floor dining room
435 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL  60611

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What will be the impact of the election outcome on the economy – world-wide, national, state, local, corporate, NPO and personal? What will this new administration actually be able to do, and what might we see resulting from those successes? How will the failures affect us? Participate with reporters and editors from the Chicago Tribune for a lively and timely discussion of the issues on our minds, in the headlines and behind the headlines by mid November. Optional Visit to the Newsroom after the Program.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Speaker: Robert Christie | Vice President – Government and Legislative Relations
Northwestern Memorial Hospital

Host: Prentice Women’s Hospital
Third Floor Conference Center
250 East Superior
Chicago, Illinois

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Election 2008: The Impact on Your Healthcare

Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Speaker: Lin Kaatz Chary, PhD, MPH
Ad Hoc Coordinator – Great Lakes Green Chemistry Network Working Group

Host: ArcelorMittal
One South Dearborn Street -19th Floor
Chicago, IL 60603

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Did you know that the chemists who produce the bulk of toxic substances on the market today have never had a course in toxicology?  We’ve been hearing more and more about lead in toys, toxins in baby bottles and all kinds of man-made chemicals we can’t even pronounce being found in our water and our bodies — What are the financial risks and opportunities from the thousands of toxic chemicals now in the marketplace?

Lin Kaatz Chary, environmental health policy specialist and coordinator of the Great Lakes Green Chemistry Network, will address that question and introduce us to the principles of a new approach to chemistry which has the potential to dramatically change the way we see science.  Join us to learn what green chemistry is, how corporations can get informed and engaged on the matter as it relates to their roles in corporate responsibility and what roles NPOs can play. We’ll learn about the companies leading the way in making their products safer, and how the decisions you make every day in your investments, in purchasing and procurement, and even in your choice of personal products have a big impact on the future of toxics policy and use in the U.S.

May 20, 2008
Speakers: Kassie Davis – Executive Director, CME Trust
Eileen Sweeney – Director of Corporate and Foundation Philanthropic Relations, Motorola

Host: Google
20 West Kinzie Street
Chicago, IL 60610

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Whether a new grant maker to the Chicago scene or an experienced grant maker or nonprofit fundraiser, this session will provide you with practical examples of how corporate grant makers achieve optimal success from their partnerships. In this interactive session, grant making experts Kassie Davis and Eileen Sweeney will share examples of how to create successful community partnerships and will share best practices in how to achieve measurable community results. The audience, grant makers and nonprofits alike, are encouraged to share their own models of success with an emphasis on achieving community impact and as value-add to businesses and corporations.

Please come ready to ask questions about programs or challenges you may want to consider and to share ideas for how each of us can collaborate and leverage from each other’s funding programs. Attendees are encouraged to bring materials with them, such as signature program information or corporate-nonprofit collaborative materials to share with others for this very interactive session.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Moderators:
Nancy Radner, CEO, The Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness
Kevin Jackson, Executive Director, Chicago Rehab Network

Panelists:
Kathleen Molnar , Program Director, The Emergency Fund
David Davis, Program Manager and Licensed Housing Specialist, Elam Davies Social Service Center, Chicago Lights
Bruce Martin, Regional Director, Community Development Real Estate, JPMorgan Chase

Host: Chase Bank
21 South Clark Street, 57th Floor
Chicago, IL 60601

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In 2001, an alliance of Chicago area NPO/NGOs, government agencies and foundations developed a plan to end homelessness and shifted the focus of Chicago’s homeless system from managing homelessness by providing shelter to ending homelessness by providing permanent housing.  In 2003, Mayor Daley signed onto the Plan and made it a high priority of his administration.  The Plan changed the configuration of Chicago’s homeless system from 62% shelter and 38% permanent housing in 2003 to 48% shelter and

• 52% permanent housing at the end of 2007.
• What have nonprofits and others seen with the shift to the “Housing First” paradigm?  
• What changes are they seeing in today’s environment as gentrification and the growing influx of former homeowners put additional strains on the problem of homelessness? 
• What’s working, what isn’t, and what is the role of funders as needs shift in the market?  

Participate with experts across the field in a discussion of these and other issues that impact the Chicago area, from homelessness prevention to affordable housing and hear an example of a current mixed use project.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Speaker: Deborah L. DeHaas
Vice Chairman and Regional Managing Partner – Deloitte Services, LLP, Midwest Region

Host: Deloitte
111 South Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606

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Please join us for this unique opportunity to get inside-access to Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympic Games with one of the Bid’s Board of Directors, Deborah DeHaas.
During this once-in-a-lifetime presentation, Deb will give us an overview of the Olympic Movement, take us through the Bid Process and identify Chicago’s winning themes. Plus, she will discuss how leading Chicago companies are positioning Chicago as a strong applicant to host the 2016 Games and making a difference in the community at the same time.
Deborah was recently named as one of the 10 Most Powerful Women in Chicago by the Chicago Sun Times, and Crain Chicago’s named her as one of The 25 Women to Watch.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Speaker: Diane Dillon | Associate Director of Research and Education – Newberry Library

Host: Newberry Library
60 West Walton Street
Chicago, IL 60610

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Dr. Diane Dillon will give us an overview of how the over 60 maps and views from the 16th century to 1900 were selected for this amazing exhibit that has been integrated across over 30 organizations in the city-wide Festival of Maps. Attendees will then have an opportunity to have a guided tour through the exhibit, learning how to “read” the maps and see the varying motivations behind or in the maps, including original maps drawn by George Washington, Lewis and Clark, and John Charles Fremont. As might be expected from its title, the exhibit pays special attention to the place of Chicago in the development of the West and reveals a not-so-well-known, but major role played by Chicago in our westward expansion.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Speaker: Torey Malatia, President and General Manager of Chicago Public Radio

Host: WBEZ
Community Room – Navy Pier

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Torey Malatia will discuss the role of public radio in today’s media landscape, particularly here in Chicago, and discuss what changes have been made recently at WBEZ 91.5 FM and why. He will also be able to give us some insights on Chicago Public Radio’s new initiative – Vocalo.org (89.5 FM), a brand new radio station here in the Chicago-area which is getting attention nationwide as an exciting new way of defining “public radio.”

Many of you may recognize Torey Malatia from his partnership with Ira Glass on This American Life or from his tireless work on the pledge drives, but in addition, he has several awards to his credit, including the honor of being the first non-profit representative to be inducted into the Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame.

For those who can stay a bit longer, we have all been invited to stay and watch part, or all, of the live broadcast of WBEZ’s morning news magazine, Eight Forty-Eight

Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Speaker: Anne Ladky, Executive Director, Women Employed

HOST: Bear Stearns
70 W. Madison, Suite 2400
Chicago, IL  60602

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On November 13th, please join the CR Group for a presentation that impacts almost all of today’s hot topics. Anne Ladky, a nationally recognized expert on women’s employment issues, equal opportunity, workforce development and career advancement, will speak about Women Employed (WE), a 34 year old, dynamic organization of which she is a founding member. She has been on staff with WE for 30 years and currently serves as its Executive Director.
Women Employed is a leading national advocate for women’s economic advancement. The organization analyzes workplace issues, educates policy makers, and builds support to improve opportunities and incomes. Since 1973, WE has fought to outlaw pay discrimination, pregnancy discrimination and sexual harassment and to strengthen federal equal opportunity policies and work/family benefits. It has also connected thousands of women to education and training that lead to better jobs.
The mission of Women Employed is to improve the economic status of women and remove barriers to economic equity. WE has one passion: to make life better for working women. WE believes that all women deserve full and fair economic opportunities. That means better career options and higher pay, more opportunities for training and education and strict enforcement of fair employment laws.
The changes Women Employed won in government and business policies have improved the working lives of millions of women, yet millions more are struggling economically. Today it views its biggest challenge to be to enable more women to earn family-supporting wages. Women Employed envisions a world in which all women can advance and achieve their aspirations.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Speakers: Dr. Clement Hamilton, Vice President of Arboretum Programs and Director of Research

Location: Morton Arboretum -Lisle, IL

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Join the CR Group for a presentation and tour of the Morton Arboretum.   Learn about the Morton Arboretum’s mission: to collect and study trees, shrubs and other plants from around the world; to display them across naturally beautiful landscapes for people to study and enjoy; and to learn how to grow them in ways that enhance our environment.  The Arboretum’s goal is to encourage the planting and conservation of trees and other plants for a greener, healthier and more beautiful world.  The Morton Arboretum in Lisle ranks among the leading arboretums in the world in size, age and the quality of its specimens, as well as in its programs in Education, Plant Collections and Research.

We will be treated to a private tram tour of the Arboretum with emphasis on its four key program areas: Tree Health, Tree Improvement, Woodland Conservation and Public Appreciation of Trees. Presenting the narrative during our tour will be Dr. Clement Hamilton, Vice President of Arboretum Programs and Director of Research.   Jill Koski, Vice President of Development, will also be joining us.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Speaker: Rick Hirschhaut, Project and Executive Director of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center: An Initiative of the Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois

HOST: Exelon
10 S. Dearborn St.
48th floor, Exelon Conference Room

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Mr. Hirschhaut will discuss the Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois’ initiative for the new Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center scheduled to open November 2008 in Skokie. The planned facility will be dedicated to learning and reflection with the aim of strengthening tolerance and understanding throughout our region.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007              
Speaker: Sadhu Johnston | Commissioner of the Environment – City of Chicago

Location: Chicago Center for Green Technology
445 N. Sacramento Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60612

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Dedicated by Mayor Daley in May 2002, the CCGT is a national model of energy efficiency and environmentally-friendly green technology. Built on a recovered brownfield site, the renovated building demonstrates environmentally sound design, uses clean, renewable energy, and is the home of both a green technology company and a community landscaping program.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Speaker: Tom Bartoski
Director of International Business Development – World Business Chicago

Host: Bear Stearns
70 W. Madison, Suite 2400
Chicago, IL  60602

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People like Tom Bartoski make it happen. As Director of International Business Development for World Business Chicago, Tom actively markets the city’s many features and benefits to foreign-based companies seeking a platform for North American business. Tom and the WBC team played a key role in bringing Boeing’s World Headquarters to the city, and wrote the winning proposals that led to the Financial Times naming Chicago as a “City of the Future.”

Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Speaker: Gary Johnson | President -Chicago History Museum

Host: Chicago History Museum (formerly: Chicago Historical Society)
1601 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL

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Gary Johnson, president of the Chicago History Museum will speak about recent changes at the Museum followed by a tour of some of the new exhibits.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Speaker: Gabrielle Lyon | Executive Director – Project Exploration

Host: Harris Bank
111 West Monroe
Chicago, IL

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If you want to learn how to interest kids in science, you will not want to miss the March meeting of CRG.

Since founding Project Exploration in 1998 with noted paleontologist Paul Sereno, Gabrielle Lyon has created a vibrant organization that excites K-12 students about the joys of discovery and the fundamental logic of scientific inquiry.

Through a variety of after school programs, partnerships with local museums and libraries and expeditions to barren stretches of the American West, Project Exploration gives students real, hands-on experience in research. While the primary focus is on girls and minority students in Chicago schools, its mission has touched more than 2 million students worldwide through a website (www.projectexploration.org) that links individuals and classrooms directly to the Project Exploration’s field work underway in some of the most remote locations on the planet.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Speaker: Paul Nebenzahl – Community Health Charities

Host: Chase Bank
21 South Clark
Chicago, IL

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Community Health Charities (CHC) is the largest workplace giving program dedicated solely to health causes. It connects employees across Illinois with premier health agencies that focus on diseases and disabilities facing millions. In partnership with employers, CHC provides a simple way for employees to support charities at work.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Speaker: William Mason | General Director – Lyric Opera of Chicago

Host: Lyric Opera of Chicago
20 North Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL

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The Lyric Opera’s General Director William Mason will give an overview of how he and his artistic staff design an opera season. This is a special opportunity to get unique insight into one of the world’s greatest opera companies.