Donors Forum will commemorate its 40th anniversary throughout 2014, celebrating four decades of strengthening Illinois philanthropy and the nonprofit community.

Although 2014 is still a few weeks away, we've been hard at work since summer planning commemorative initiatives and activities. A 40th Anniversary Committee, co-chaired by Merri Ex from Family Focus, Inc. and Ernest Vasseur from Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County, was formed and is meeting regularly. Engaging for Impact will be our 40th anniversary theme, and we've chosen a logo (to the left) as a graphic representation of our anniversary theme and year.

In the planning stages now are a Winter 2014 Kick-Off Event to be held on Jan. 28; the 40th Annual Luncheon on June 20; and a Fall 2014 event to celebrate Donors Forum and its future.  Get ready for some really exciting events! Watch upcoming issues of Forumnotes and your email for registration information. 

And, if you know people who used to be active in Donors Forum but have since retired or moved on, please send names and contact information to [email protected].

2014 will also be a year of transition. Valerie S. Lies, our President and CEO since 1987, will retire in June. A national search for a new CEO is underway, with an announcement anticipated in the Spring.  

40th Anniversary Committe members, in addition to co-chairs Ms. Ex and Mr. Vasseur, are Ann Becker, Ann Becker and Associates, Inc.; Deborah Bennett, Polk Bros. Foundation; Greg Cameron, The Joffrey Ballet; Kassie Davis, CME Group Foundation; Sunny Fischer, The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation; Bob Glaves, The Chicago Bar Foundation; Marguerite Griffin, Northern Trust; Diana Hess, Spencer Foundation; Mae Hong, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors; Eric Johnson, Illinois Network of Charter Schools; Marcia Lipetz, Millennia Consulting; Trinita Logue, IFF; Barbara Long, The Chicago Community Trust; William Lowry, The Chicago Community Trust; Louis Marsico, Jr., Robert R. McCormick Foundation; Janice Rodgers, Quarles & Brady LLP; Celena Roldan Moreno, Erie Neighborhood House; David Rosen, Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago; Doris Salomon, Nuestro Futuro; Liz Sode, Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights; Heather Steans, Steans Family Foundation; Richard Turner; Benna Wilde, Prince Charitable Trusts; and Nikki Will Stein, Polk Bros. Foundation.

— Marilou Jones, Director of Communications

P.S. 40th anniversary sponsorship opportunities at a variety of levels are available; contact Wande Olude at [email protected].