Save the Date for the Openlands 2023 Annual Luncheon on October 17 as we celebrate 60 years of conservation leadership and excellence! Contact Nitsaniyah Fitch at nfitch@openlands.org to become a sponsor.
The Openlands Annual Luncheon is the largest gathering of Illinois’ conservation community, usually hosting nearly 1,000 business and nonprofit leaders, elected officials, and community volunteers who are committed to the health and vitality of our region.
Each year at the Annual Luncheon Openlands awards the Conservation Leadership Award to an individual or organization that has made incredible impact in our region and world.
Past Awardees include:
1990– Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley
1995 – The Honorable Jim Edgar
1996 – The Honorable Richard M. Daley, George W. Overton, and Jeffrey R. Short, Jr.
1997 – The Honorable John Edward Porter, Mary Peery, and Leola Spann
1998 – John Husar
1999 – Midewin Corporate Council: BASF Corporation, BP Amoco Corporation, The Dow Chemical Company, Mobil Oil Company
STARCON, Inc., Stepan Company
2000 – Marian Byrnes
2001 – The Garden Club of America: Illinois Clubs
2002 – George B. Rabb, Ph.D.
2004 – Chicago’s Community Gardeners
2005 – George Ware, Ph.D.
2006 – Tony Dean
2007 – Corwith Hamill
2008 – George A. Ranney, Jr.
2009 – Bill Kurtis and Donna LaPietra
2010 – Wendy Paulson
2011 – Michael Howard
2012 – Phil Enquist
2013 – Judith Stockdale
2014 – Terry Evans
2015 – Toni Preckwinkle
2016 – Sophia Shaw
2017 – The Morton Arboretum, Chicago Region Trees Initiative
2018 – Comer Family Foundation
2019 – Stephen Packard
2020 – Dr. Debra Moskovits
2021 – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin
