Marilynn Gardner's guest appearances

Marilynn Gardner

City Club of Chicago

The State of Sound Podcast

Mike Kelly

Lori Lightfoot

Kim Foxx

Eddie Johnson

David Brown

John Jay

Kevin Graham

Joe Dominguez

Michelle Morales

Charlie Beck

Helene Gayle

Sean Casten

Jens Ludwig

David Greising

Garry McCarthy

OwlTail

Writer and State of Sound Podcast Host Dave Hoekstra interviews Navy Pier CEO Marilynn Gardner about her history, the Pier's history and future. 

Writer and State of Sound Podcast Host Dave Hoekstra interviews Navy Pier CEO Marilynn Gardner about her history, the Pier's history and future.

Navy Pier CEO Marilynn Gardner

October 27, 2022 Marilynn Gardner – President and CEO – Navy Pier https://serve.castfire.com/audio/4026403/City_Club_-_Marilynn_Gardner_2022-10-28-182303.64kmono.mp3 City Club event description: Marilynn Gardner Navy Pier President and CEO Marilynn Gardner oversees the complex daily operations, programming, long-term visioning, and fiscal wellbeing of one of Chicago’s greatest recreational assets and the Midwest’s most visited destinations. An enthusiastic ambassador and advocate for her native Chicago, Gardner has applied her passion for the ever-evolving landmark into a three-decade career in several leadership roles. She is recognized as the driving force behind its $400 million redevelopment. She was instrumental in adapting Navy Pier into a nongovernmental nonprofit and was appointed its first CEO in 2011 and has since overseen every facet of the Pier’s physical, programmatic, and organizational transformation with a focus on environmental and financial sustainability. Gardner embraces Navy Pier’s moniker as “The People’s Pier” adhering to Daniel Burnham’s Plan for Chicago edict that the waterfront belongs to the people, a guidepost she’s used in reimaging the once-shuttered Pier as an urban oasis and a global destination that offers 200-250 free Arts, Culture and Engagement programs across all four seasons and welcomes 9 million guests annually from across the street and around the globe. Reimagining Navy Pier as a cultural hub for Chicago’s vibrant arts scene, Gardner spearheads Pierwide initiatives such as Chicago Live, a now annual performance festival that brings together more than 60 of the city’s most robust marquee names and emerging artists in a single event. 		More City Club of Chicago	 Bolstering Navy Pier’s role as an economic engine, Gardner encourages growth and evolution for the Pier and its 70 tenant businesses that collectively employ more than 3,000 people. She initiated a First Employer Program that included building an onsite classroom for Southside Occupational Academy. Her longtime vision for an on-Pier hotel was attained in 2021 with the opening of the Sable, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, and major new attractions such as Illuminarium and Flyover Chicago are now under construction. Gardner began her life’s work at Navy Pier in 1994 as Assistant Director of Public Relations, during the Pier’s initial redevelopment. She was promoted to Director of Public Relations, then Senior Director of Marketing and Communications and later Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, ultimately becoming General Manager while the Pier operated under the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority. Gardner’s insights on nonprofit business, tourism, place-making, event management, and programming are often sought by other institutions, media outlets, and such organizations as YPO Gold, City Club of Chicago, Harvard Business School Alumni Organization, Global Cultural Districts Network, and Urban Land Institute. She serves as Vice Chair of Choose Chicago, Executive Committee member of the Chicago Sports Commission, member of the Regional Board of the American Ireland Fund, and second-generation board member of CURE Epilepsy, a cause close to her family’s heart. She remains committed to her alma mater university and high school, serving on the board of St. Ignatius College Prep, as chairman of its Mission and Academic Committee, and on the National Alumni Board of Marquette University, where she earned her B.A. in journalism. She’s a member of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Economic Club of Chicago, the Magnificent Mile Association, and Executives’ Club of Chicago. City Club video She was recognized as Chicago Skyline Executive of the Year (2017) by the Public Relations Society of America Chicago Chapter and Innovator of the Year (2018) by the Executive’s Club of Chicago. She was included in Crain’s Chicago Business’s Notable Women Executives Over 50 (2019), and Chicago Magazine’s 50 Most Powerful Women (2020). Her honors include the Clarion Award from the Association of Women in Business for her leadership in advancing Navy Pier’s Centennial Vision and the Alumni Business Leadership Award from St. Ignatius. A resident of Chicago’s North Center neighborhood, Gardner and her husband Patrick are active and involved parents of college student Madeline and high school students Katherine and Patrick.

October 27, 2022 Marilynn Gardner – President and CEO – Navy Pier <a href="https://serve.castfire.com/audio/4026403/City_Club_-_Marilynn_Gardner_2022-10-28-182303.64kmono.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://serve.castfire.com/audio/4026403/City_Club_-_Marilynn_Gardner_2022-10-28-182303.64kmono.mp3</a> <a href="https://www.cityclub-chicago.org/event/2/3542/marilynn-gardner" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">City Club event description</a>: Marilynn Gardner Navy Pier President and CEO Marilynn Gardner oversees the complex daily operations, programming, long-term visioning, and fiscal wellbeing of one of Chicago’s greatest recreational assets and the Midwest’s most visited destinations. An enthusiastic ambassador and advocate for her native Chicago, Gardner has applied her passion for the ever-evolving landmark into a three-decade career in several leadership roles. She is recognized as the driving force behind its $400 million redevelopment. She was instrumental in adapting Navy Pier into a nongovernmental nonprofit and was appointed its first CEO in 2011 and has since overseen every facet of the Pier’s physical, programmatic, and organizational transformation with a focus on environmental and financial sustainability. Gardner embraces Navy Pier’s moniker as “The People’s Pier” adhering to Daniel Burnham’s Plan for Chicago edict that the waterfront belongs to the people, a guidepost she’s used in reimaging the once-shuttered Pier as an urban oasis and a global destination that offers 200-250 free Arts, Culture and Engagement programs across all four seasons and welcomes 9 million guests annually from across the street and around the globe. Reimagining Navy Pier as a cultural hub for Chicago’s vibrant arts scene, Gardner spearheads Pierwide initiatives such as Chicago Live, a now annual performance festival that brings together more than 60 of the city’s most robust marquee names and emerging artists in a single event. <a href="https://wgnradio.com/news/cityclubofchicago/?ipid=wgnam-recirc-city-club1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> 		More City Club of Chicago	</a> Bolstering Navy Pier’s role as an economic engine, Gardner encourages growth and evolution for the Pier and its 70 tenant businesses that collectively employ more than 3,000 people. She initiated a First Employer Program that included building an onsite classroom for Southside Occupational Academy. Her longtime vision for an on-Pier hotel was attained in 2021 with the opening of the Sable, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, and major new attractions such as Illuminarium and Flyover Chicago are now under construction. Gardner began her life’s work at Navy Pier in 1994 as Assistant Director of Public Relations, during the Pier’s initial redevelopment. She was promoted to Director of Public Relations, then Senior Director of Marketing and Communications and later Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, ultimately becoming General Manager while the Pier operated under the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority. Gardner’s insights on nonprofit business, tourism, place-making, event management, and programming are often sought by other institutions, media outlets, and such organizations as YPO Gold, City Club of Chicago, Harvard Business School Alumni Organization, Global Cultural Districts Network, and Urban Land Institute. She serves as Vice Chair of Choose Chicago, Executive Committee member of the Chicago Sports Commission, member of the Regional Board of the American Ireland Fund, and second-generation board member of CURE Epilepsy, a cause close to her family’s heart. She remains committed to her alma mater university and high school, serving on the board of St. Ignatius College Prep, as chairman of its Mission and Academic Committee, and on the National Alumni Board of Marquette University, where she earned her B.A. in journalism. She’s a member of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Economic Club of Chicago, the Magnificent Mile Association, and Executives’ Club of Chicago. <a href="https://www.cityclub-chicago.org/video/3542/marilynn-gardner" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow" target="_blank">City Club video</a> She was recognized as Chicago Skyline Executive of the Year (2017) by the Public Relations Society of America Chicago Chapter and Innovator of the Year (2018) by the Executive’s Club of Chicago. She was included in Crain’s Chicago Business’s Notable Women Executives Over 50 (2019), and Chicago Magazine’s 50 Most Powerful Women (2020). Her honors include the Clarion Award from the Association of Women in Business for her leadership in advancing Navy Pier’s Centennial Vision and the Alumni Business Leadership Award from St. Ignatius. A resident of Chicago’s North Center neighborhood, Gardner and her husband Patrick are active and involved parents of college student Madeline and high school students Katherine and Patrick.

City Club of Chicago: Navy Pier President and CEO Marilynn Gardner

October 8, 2019 Marilynn Gardner – President &amp; CEO – Navy Pier http://serve.castfire.com/audio/3686763/City_Club_Marilynn_Gardner_2019-10-08-215603.64kmono.mp3 Marilynn Gardner Marilynn Kelly Gardner is a visionary, strategist and passionate advocate for Chicago. As President and CEO of Navy Pier, Chicago’s mission-driven cultural district and one of the Midwest’s leading destinations, Gardner has built a strong reputation as one of the city’s most respected leaders. Appointed to her current role in 2011, Gardner has been the driving force behind the transformation of 50 acres of premier waterfront space into a spectacular cultural district. Her stewardship has inspired nearly $380 million in investment Navy Pier’s current redevelopment through philanthropic and private capital. Since construction began in fall 2013, Gardner has overseen every facet of the effort – from architecture and development, to programming and fundraising. To Gardner, each endeavor is an essential part in positioning the Pier for its second century. Gardner has spent more than two decades establishing Navy Pier as one of the top destinations in the Midwest, welcoming more than 9 million annual guests. To ensure the future vitality and growth of the “People’s Pier,” Gardner led efforts to secure several multi-million dollar gifts from prominent private and corporate donors. In 2014, a historic $20 million legacy gift was granted by the Polk family, the single largest private gift to Navy Pier. The funds are essential in revitalizing the Pier’s entrance, providing it with an inviting “green front door”, an interactive new fountain, and a magnificent performance lawn that will position the Pier as one of the most highly sought-after venues for enjoying arts and culture in Chicago. In 2015, under her leadership, Navy Pier secured a multi-year, multi-million gift from the Aon Corporation to underwrite the Pier’s summer firework series and Grand Ballroom, further reinforcing Navy Pier as a world-class programmatic destination. In 2018, the Pier unveiled the new People’s Energy Welcome Pavilion and Fifth Third Bank Family Pavilion; and broke ground on a 220-room hotel. For most of her career, Gardner has been proudly telling the Navy Pier story to millions of guests and Chicagoans. She began her first role at the Pier in 1994 as the Assistant Director of Public Relations, during its first redevelopment effort, and has held a variety of positions over the years until leading the Pier’s transition to a nonprofit in 2011 and accepting the role of President &amp; CEO. During her nearly 25-year tenure at Navy Pier, Gardner’s impact has been significant in the Pier’s continued growth and evolution. Gardner has been a featured as a guest speaker at events hosted by the City Club of Chicago, YPO Gold, Harvard Business School Alumni Organization, Global Cultural Districts Network, Urban Land Institute and Choose Chicago. A lifelong Chicagoan, Gardner is a member of the Civic Committee, The Chicago Network, and Economic Club of Chicago. She is a member of the Regional Advisory Committee of the Ireland Funds – America, the Magnificent Mile Association and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. She also serves on the board of CURE (Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy). She attended St. Ignatius College Prep near the west side of Chicago, where she chairs the Jesuit Catholic Identity Committee of its Board of Directors. Gardner received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis. and currently volunteers her service as part of the university’s alumni mentorship program. Gardner was honored with the Alumni Business Leadership Award from St. Ignatius in 2015 recognizing her many contributions to the Chicago Business community; and was recognized by Marquette University as the 2017 Communicator of the Year. She also was recipient of the 2017 Chicago Skyline Executive of the Year Award from the Public Relations Society of America Chicago Chapter; received a Clarion Award from the Association of Women in Business for her leadership in advancing Navy Pier’s Centennial Vision, and was named 2018 Innovator of the Year by the Executive’s Club of Chicago. She was included in Crain’s Chicago Business’ 2019 Notable Women Executives Over 50.

October 8, 2019 Marilynn Gardner – President &amp; CEO – Navy Pier <a href="http://serve.castfire.com/audio/3686763/City_Club_Marilynn_Gardner_2019-10-08-215603.64kmono.mp3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://serve.castfire.com/audio/3686763/City_Club_Marilynn_Gardner_2019-10-08-215603.64kmono.mp3</a> Marilynn Gardner Marilynn Kelly Gardner is a visionary, strategist and passionate advocate for Chicago. As President and CEO of Navy Pier, Chicago’s mission-driven cultural district and one of the Midwest’s leading destinations, Gardner has built a strong reputation as one of the city’s most respected leaders. Appointed to her current role in 2011, Gardner has been the driving force behind the transformation of 50 acres of premier waterfront space into a spectacular cultural district. Her stewardship has inspired nearly $380 million in investment Navy Pier’s current redevelopment through philanthropic and private capital. Since construction began in fall 2013, Gardner has overseen every facet of the effort – from architecture and development, to programming and fundraising. To Gardner, each endeavor is an essential part in positioning the Pier for its second century. Gardner has spent more than two decades establishing Navy Pier as one of the top destinations in the Midwest, welcoming more than 9 million annual guests. To ensure the future vitality and growth of the “People’s Pier,” Gardner led efforts to secure several multi-million dollar gifts from prominent private and corporate donors. In 2014, a historic $20 million legacy gift was granted by the Polk family, the single largest private gift to Navy Pier. The funds are essential in revitalizing the Pier’s entrance, providing it with an inviting “green front door”, an interactive new fountain, and a magnificent performance lawn that will position the Pier as one of the most highly sought-after venues for enjoying arts and culture in Chicago. In 2015, under her leadership, Navy Pier secured a multi-year, multi-million gift from the Aon Corporation to underwrite the Pier’s summer firework series and Grand Ballroom, further reinforcing Navy Pier as a world-class programmatic destination. In 2018, the Pier unveiled the new People’s Energy Welcome Pavilion and Fifth Third Bank Family Pavilion; and broke ground on a 220-room hotel. For most of her career, Gardner has been proudly telling the Navy Pier story to millions of guests and Chicagoans. She began her first role at the Pier in 1994 as the Assistant Director of Public Relations, during its first redevelopment effort, and has held a variety of positions over the years until leading the Pier’s transition to a nonprofit in 2011 and accepting the role of President &amp; CEO. During her nearly 25-year tenure at Navy Pier, Gardner’s impact has been significant in the Pier’s continued growth and evolution. Gardner has been a featured as a guest speaker at events hosted by the City Club of Chicago, YPO Gold, Harvard Business School Alumni Organization, Global Cultural Districts Network, Urban Land Institute and Choose Chicago. A lifelong Chicagoan, Gardner is a member of the Civic Committee, The Chicago Network, and Economic Club of Chicago. She is a member of the Regional Advisory Committee of the Ireland Funds – America, the Magnificent Mile Association and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. She also serves on the board of CURE (Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy). She attended St. Ignatius College Prep near the west side of Chicago, where she chairs the Jesuit Catholic Identity Committee of its Board of Directors. Gardner received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis. and currently volunteers her service as part of the university’s alumni mentorship program. Gardner was honored with the Alumni Business Leadership Award from St. Ignatius in 2015 recognizing her many contributions to the Chicago Business community; and was recognized by Marquette University as the 2017 Communicator of the Year. She also was recipient of the 2017 Chicago Skyline Executive of the Year Award from the Public Relations Society of America Chicago Chapter; received a Clarion Award from the Association of Women in Business for her leadership in advancing Navy Pier’s Centennial Vision, and was named 2018 Innovator of the Year by the Executive’s Club of Chicago. She was included in Crain’s Chicago Business’ 2019 Notable Women Executives Over 50.