Park Ridge Chamber Announces New Executive Director Effective August 2020

"It is with great optimism for the future of the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce and the greater Park Ridge business community that I announce the appointment of Jacqueline K. Mathews as Executive Director of the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce effective August 3, 2020.  Upon notification of the impending retirement of Gail Haller from the position, following twelve years of dedicated and excellent service, the Board of Directors was entrusted with the responsibility to select someone for the role who was best suited to lead the Chamber during these unprecedented times and into the future.  The Board of Directors and the Search Committee are in full agreement that this person is Jackie Mathews!

 

Jackie is a proven community, business, and government network relationship specialist.  She has an extensive results-driven and process-oriented background which includes successes in leading revenue generation, fundraising, and related development initiatives, enhancing organizational image equity, and launching strategic enterprises.  Anyone who knows Jackie knows that she is highly collaborative and service-oriented and that she possesses exemplary communication skills and superior relationship management competencies.

 

For the better part of the past two decades, Jackie has held professional and volunteer leadership roles within the Park Ridge community. Jackie has had transformational impact on two of our local flagship healthcare organizations.  Most recently she served as the Major Gifts Officer for Advocate Lutheran General Hospital and Advocate Charitable Foundation where she led the hospital’s annual signature special event, the ‘Gala’, as well as the Men and Women’s Association Golf Outing, the South Asian Cardiovascular Center’s ‘A Red Sari Evening’ and the grand opening celebrations for both the hospital’s new Emergency Department and the Heart Institute.  In addition, she designed and executed a major gift strategy that resulted in a $1.25 Million donation for an endowed Emergency Department Chair.  Jackie was recruited to Lutheran General Hospital by then President, Tony Armada, from Rainbow Hospice and Palliative Care, where she provided leadership direction for major gifts and special events, including three highly successful public art exhibitions that significantly elevated the organization’s mission and reputation within the community.  Jackie serves on the Taste of Park Ridge Committee, the Park Ridge Holiday Lights Commission and Co-Chairs Park Ridge Restaurant Week with Mayor Marty Maloney.  Earlier in Jackie’s career, she held professional roles with the United States Senate in Washington D.C., Chicago’s City Hall, and the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. 

 

Jackie has a strong history with the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce having served as a Board Member, President-Elect, President, and Past President.  As Past President she was invited to serve as Chairperson of the Community Star Awards Committee and she continues to serve in that role.  Jackie’s loyalty to the Chamber exemplifies a commitment to the greater Park Ridge business community and is reflective of the pride she feels in calling Park Ridge home.  The Board of Directors believes that her background, her reputation in the community and her vision for the future of the Chamber uniquely position her for the role of Executive Director and will elevate the Chamber’s impact and future success."

 

Marko Ratic

President, Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce

Owner, North Shore Motor Works

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