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The Openlands Annual Luncheon

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Save the Date for the 2025 Openlands Annual Luncheon

Friday, October 17, 2025

Hilton Chicago
720 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago
11:00am to Noon: Networking Reception
Noon to 1:30pm: Lunch and Openlands Program
1:30pm to 2:15pm: Post-luncheon Networking

Join Openlands for the 2025 Annual Luncheon, where we unite the conservation community. Last year, we celebrated with 800+ influential individuals, including elected officials, civic and environmental leaders, and community partners. The 2025 event lineup assures another dynamic occasion you will not want to miss. For information on sponsorship opportunities, please contact Laura Mueller at lmueller@openlands.org.

2025 Gerald W. Adelmann Conservation Leadership Award Recipient: Blair Kamin

Pulitzer Prize winner Blair Kamin will receive the 2025 Gerald W. Adelmann
Conservation Leadership Award. For 28 years, Kamin used his platform as
the Chicago Tribune architecture critic to shape civic debate and advocate
for the public good through “activist criticism.” His work influenced the built
environment at every scale—from skyscrapers and museums to parks and
public housing—always with an eye toward the commons.

In his 1998 Pulitzer Prize-winning series on the Chicago lakefront, Kamin courageously contrasted its often-dismal state with its sterling reputation, envisioning a revitalized public space that would serve all citizens equally, adapt to shifting demographics, and promote a more vital democracy. Kamin has earned nearly 50 awards and honorary doctorates and has authored five books, including the recent Who Is the City For?, a critical look at how the built environment can unite or divide communities. His work embodies the spirit of the Gerald W. Adelmann Conservation Leadership Award, which honors those whose advocacy and vision help protect nature and ensure its access for all.

Carol Ross Barney

2025 Keynote Speaker: Carol Ross Barney, FAIA, HASLA

Carol Ross Barney, the distinguished 2023 American Institute of Architects Gold Medal recipient, is a visionary architect, urbanist, mentor, and educator, and has relentlessly advocated that excellent design is a right, not a privilege. Through her unwavering dedication to crafting public buildings and spaces that elevate our daily lives, she has produced distinctive structures and places that have become cultural icons.

Notable projects include design of the new Oklahoma City Federal Building replacing the bombed Murrah Federal Building for the U.S. General Services Administration; Chicago Riverwalk; McDonald’s Chicago and Disney World Flagship Restaurants; Searle Visitor Center at the Lincoln Park Zoo; JRC Synagogue; CTA Cermak and Morgan Street Stations; UMD Civil Engineering Building; Multi-Modal Terminal at O’Hare International Airport; NASA Aerospace Communications Facility; Railyard Park in Rogers, AR and Chicago’s new DuSable Park.

Honors include over 200 major design awards, including the Cooper Hewitt, National Design Award; fourteen National American Institute of Architects Honor Awards for Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Urban Planning and Design; two AIA Committee on the Environment, Top Ten Project Awards for sustainably designed buildings and over 45 AIA Chicago Awards.

Carol is a graduate of the University of Illinois and served as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica planning national parks. She has taught an advanced Design Studio at the Illinois Institute of Technology for over thirty years.

Carol has left an indelible mark on the architectural community. Her influence is a testament to her unparalleled skill, innovative spirit, and commitment to making design accessible to all.

Supporters

Our deepest gratitude goes to our luncheon co-chairs.

Thank you to our sponsors who make our Annual Luncheon possible.

Premier Sponsors

The Negaunee Foundation

Emerald Sponsors

Kimberly Duchossois

Platinum Sponsors

Text "Andy & Shaun Block" centered on white background.
Bobolink Foundation logo with yellow semicircle, black dot, and triangle, text below.
Gloria Castillo Luncheon Sponsor
Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation logo with a landscape graphic in blue, green, and brown.
Martina Keller & Don McLellan
Text "Andrew & Jeanine McNally" in bold on white background.
Margot Pritzer Fund
Glenn & Barbara Reed
Stantec Sponsorship Logo
Mrs. Lisbeth Stiffel

Gold Sponsor

Logo with bold blue "ADM" below a stylized green leaf.
Jill Allread Public Communications Inc.
Allianz logo with dark blue columns on the left and the word "Allianz" on the right.
The Donnelley Foundation
Logo for The Elements Group with stylized circular design in gray shades.
Joe Ferguson & Suzanne Malec-Mckenna
Logo of the Good Heart Work Smart Foundation with a green heart between the words and "FOUNDATION" below.
Amanda Hanley
Text image with "Patrick & Jessica Hanley" in bold, black text on white background.
Jo Daviess Foundation
Names "Carrie McNally & Rick Maechling" in bold, black text on a white background.
The Morton Arboretum logo with tree illustration and text "The Champion of Trees" separated by a line
David & Sara Reusswig in bold black text on a white background
Schulter Family Foundation_Logo 2024
Scott Byron_Logo 2024
JoAnn Seagren & Scott Lang logo
Nancy Sutherland & Jim Mikkelson
Minimalist logo with a blue-black stylized triangle and the word VENTAS in bold, black letters.

Silver Sponsors

The Alphawood Arboretum at the Illinois Institute of Technology
BrookField Zoo Chicago
Chicago Botanic Garden
Christopher B. Burke Engineering text in bold black on a white background.
ComEd
Jonathan Copulsky
Text "Davey Resource Group, Inc." on a plain white background.
Lynora and Matthew Dobry
Forest Preserves of Cook County
Forest Preserves of Will County
Connie & Dennis Keller
Koch Family Foundation
Lake County Forest Preserve District text on plain background.
Melcher + Tucker Consultants text on a white background
Natural Garden Natives & Midwest Groundcovers
Janis & John Notz
James Rachlin, Meristem Advisors
John Rogner
Shedd Aquarium
Adele Simmons
Bold black letters "SOM" on white background.
Studio Gang
The Wetlands initiative
R & R Winters Family Foundation

Decor Sponsors

Audobon Great Lakes_Logo 2024

Advocate Sponsors

Text "Henry & Lele Barkhausen" in bold black font on white background.
Frederick N. Bates and Ellen J. Benjamin names in black text on white background.
Fehr Graham Environmental & Engineering
Graham Grady
Natural Land Institute
Kim & Doug Voight

List of Donors

Name "Mary H. Anderson" in bold text on a white background.
Susan and Stephen Baird
Frederick N. Bates & Ellen J. Benjamin
Andy & Shaun Block
Name "Susan D. Bowey" centered on white background in bold black text.
Antonia Contro & George Marquisos
Bold black text reading George Davis on white background.
Terry & Sam Evans
Bill Glass
Black text "Elizabeth Kessler" on white background, bold font.
La Central Bakery
Mammel Family Foundation
McHenry County Conservation District
Cynthia Williams Meza
Debby Moskovitz
Benjamin Nagy
Brenda Nelms
Laura & Ricardo Rosenkranz
Text displaying names "Judith & Jonathan Boyer" in black on a white background.
Maria Villalobos, PH.D. Director Of the Master In Landscape Architecture

In-Kind Sponsors

White background with centered bold black text "FIELD NOTES" in uppercase letters.
Logo with "Wastenot Compost" in bold white on dark background.
LaSalle Flowers

Luncheon Host Committee

Gloria Castillo and Steve Koch, Co-Chairs

Jerry Adelmann

MarySue Barret

Allan Bell

Lee Bey

Tim Brown & Jill Riddell

Joe Ferguson

Denise Gardner

Sean Garret

Eleanor Gorski

Graham Grady

Amanda Hanley

Patrick Hanley

Martina Keller

Suzanne Malec-McKenna

Hank & Wendy Paulson

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle

Margot and Thomas Pritzker 

Alexa Rice

Carol Ross Barney 

Laura and Ricardo Rosenkranz

John Rogner

Adele Simmons 

Judith Stockdale/Jonathan Boyer

Nancy Sutherland/Jim Mikkelsen 

Doug Voigt 

Karen Weigert

Chris Wu

Learn more about past Openlands Annual Luncheons

The Openlands 2024 Annual Luncheon

The Openlands 2024 Conservation Leadership Award Ceremony honored Arnold L. Randall with the inaugural Gerald W. Adelmann Conservation Leadership Award.

The Openlands 2023 Annual Luncheon

The Openlands 2023 Annual Luncheon honored outgoing President and CEO Jerry Adelmann’s unparalleled legacy and celebrated Openlands’ 60th anniversary.

The Openlands 2022 Annual Luncheon

The Openlands 2022 Conservation Leadership Award Ceremony honored Adele Simmons lifelong leadership on climate issues.

The Openlands 2021 Annual Luncheon

The Openlands 2021 Conservation Leadership Award Ceremony honored U.S. Senator Dick Durbin’s environmental and conservation legacy.

The Openlands 2020 Annual Luncheon

The 2020 virtual journey honored Debby Moskovits for her impactful legacy of conservation and celebrated large landscape preservation around the world.

Meet Our Expert Staff

Monica Jirak headshots
Director of Development
Laura Mueller 2024 Luncheon headshots
Assistant Director of Development
Head shot of a woman with a scarlet red image and nature background
Development & Data Associate
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