Commercial Club and Civic Committee Announce New Leaders

CHICAGO, Feb. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Commercial Club of Chicago and the Civic Committee have announced new chairs as they transition to new leadership. 

Jennifer F. Scanlon, President and Chief Executive Officer of UL, will serve as Chair of the Commercial Club – the first woman to lead the organization in its 143-year history. Scanlon also will become Vice Chair of the Civic Committee. 

E. Scott Santi, Chairman and CEO of ITW, will become Chair of the Civic Committee and Vice Chair of the Commercial Club, succeeding long-term Chair Frederick H. "Rick" Waddell, retired Chairman and CEO of Northern Trust. Santi has served as Chair of the Commercial Club and Vice Chair of the Civic Committee since 2016.

Waddell was Chair of the Commercial Club from July 2013 to June 2015 and Chair of the Civic Committee from July 2015 until now. He will remain an active member in the Commercial Club and Civic Committee moving forward.

In announcing his Commercial Club successor, Santi said, "Jenny's success as a CEO and leader in using technology to solve business problems, her record for driving international growth, and her dedication to inclusive diversity make her the right leader for guiding the Commercial Club in this new decade."

"As a lifelong Chicagoan, I am honored to take the leadership baton to work closely with the Commercial Club's accomplished and dedicated leaders to strengthen Chicago's position as a world-class city," Scanlon said. "The Commercial Club of Chicago has an historic track record of driving transformative change to promote the city's leadership and vitality and make all of our communities better places to live and work. I am grateful to Scott and Rick for their strong leadership and look forward to partnering with Scott to build on that legacy."

"Scott is perfectly positioned to assume leadership of the Civic Committee across all of our policy areas," Waddell said. "He has been a great leader for the Commercial Club and a strong partner as Vice Chair of the Civic Committee over the last several years. Both organizations provide important leadership for our region and are well-positioned to help move our City and State in the right direction."

Incoming Civic Committee Chair Santi added, "We are extremely grateful to Rick for his leadership across all aspects of our organization. Because of Rick's ability to build consensus around what is important, our agenda has never been more focused and energized. His leadership has impacted all parts of the organization and I look forward to working with our members and our talented and dedicated team to sustain the momentum and continue to build on our successes."

Waddell said it was a privilege to lead the Civic Committee for the last five years, and the Commercial Club previously. "I'm extremely proud of all of our policy efforts in transportation, education, state fiscal reform, and our P33 tech initiative," he said. "The great work of our affiliates – the Civic Consulting Alliance and Kids First Chicago – also have had a tremendous impact on key services and systems across the region, from advancing the quality of healthcare on the West Side to reducing gun violence across the City to improving access to high-quality public education for all Chicago families."

Scanlon is President and CEO of UL, a company that specializes in applying science and digital solutions to solve safety, security, and sustainability challenges around the world. Formerly the President and CEO of USG Corporation, Scanlon is a member of the board of Norfolk Southern Corporation, serves as vice chair of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and is a fierce advocate for STEM education. An active member of the Commercial Club and Civic Committee, Scanlon has been deeply involved with many important initiatives, including our Transportation Task Force and P33. 

"It is an exciting time to build on the important initiatives that Rick, Scott, Kelly and everyone at the Commercial Club and Civic Committee have undertaken," Scanlon said. "I look forward to upholding and advancing the esteemed legacy of civic contribution."

Santi has spent his entire career with ITW, a Fortune 200 global multi-industrial manufacturing company with almost 50,000 employees in operations throughout the world. Santi serves on numerous boards of directors including, W.W. Grainger, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, United Way of Metropolitan Chicago, and Northwestern University, Rush University Medical Center, Museum of Science and Industry, Lyric Opera, and several other non-profit organizations and cultural institutions throughout the Chicago area.

Kelly R. Welsh will remain President of the Commercial Club of Chicago and the Civic Committee, a position that he has held since 2017. Welsh applauded the transition, praised Waddell and Santi for their tireless efforts on behalf of Chicago and Illinois, and enthusiastically welcomed Scanlon to her new role.

"We are proud of the role we play to make Chicago and Illinois better places for everyone to live, work, and do business. That is only possible because of the tremendous level of civic engagement from our leaders and members," Welsh said.

About the Commercial Club of Chicago
Founded in 1877, the Commercial Club of Chicago is a membership organization of senior leaders in the region, who represent the business, education, cultural, and philanthropic sectors and are committed to the idea that cooperation and an open exchange of ideas are fundamental to success.

As a leader behind initiatives in the areas of economic development, fiscal policy, business climate, transportation infrastructure, educational reform, technology, and cultural institutions, the Commercial Club of Chicago and our affiliated organizations have played a key role in making Chicago the world-class city it is today. Our work spans the economic and social issues facing Chicago. At our nine annual lunches, we bring together business, government, and civic leaders to catalyze robust conversation about the key issues of the day. Our work continues through our affiliated organizations: the Civic Committee, Civic Consulting Alliance, Kids First Chicago, and P33.

About the Civic Committee
Founded in 1983 by the Commercial Club of Chicago, the Civic Committee is comprised of the senior executives of the Chicago region's leading employers. Its mission is to make our region a better place for everyone to live, work, and do business. The Civic Committee establishes task forces and committees to undertake studies, develop recommendations, and work to address key policy issues confronting the Chicago region.

About UL
UL helps create a better world by applying science to solve safety, security and sustainability challenges. We empower trust by enabling the safe adoption of innovative new products and technologies. Everyone at UL shares a passion to make the world a safer place. All of our work, from independent research and standards development, to testing and certification, to providing analytical and digital solutions, helps improve global well-being. Businesses, industries, governments, regulatory authorities and the public put their trust in us so they can make smarter decisions. To learn more about our business solutions, visit UL.com. To learn more about our nonprofit activities, visit UL.org.

About ITW
Since its founding more than 100 years ago, ITW has become one of the world's leading diversified manufacturers of specialized industrial equipment, consumables, and related service businesses. ITW businesses serve local customers and markets around the globe, with a significant presence in developed as well as emerging markets. The company has operations in 55 countries that employ more than 48,000 women and men who adhere to the highest ethical standards. These talented individuals, many of whom have specialized engineering or scientific expertise, contribute to our global leadership in innovation. We are proud of our broad portfolio of more than 17,000 granted and pending patents.

About Northern Trust
Founded more than a century ago, Northern Trust is a leading provider of wealth management, asset servicing, asset management and banking solutions to corporations, institutions, families and individuals. Northern Trust has 20,000 employees and a network of offices in 20 states and Washington, D.C., and across 23 locations in Canada, Europe, the Middle East and the AsiaPacific region.  Northern Trust focuses on managing and servicing client assets through its two client-focused reporting segments: Corporate & Institutional Services (C&IS) and Wealth Management. Asset Management and related services are provided to C&IS and Wealth Management clients primarily by the Asset Management business.  

SOURCE The Civic Committee of The Commercial Club of Chicago