Membership Updates

Above & Beyond

Choose Chicago board member Michael Jacobson was named to Crain’s 40 Under 40 list.

Jacobson, president and CEO at Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association (IHLA), was named to Crain’s prestigious list for 2020. Jacobson has been at IHLA for more than two years.

According to Crain’s, Jacobson “helped craft the statewide protocols for hotels to reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic and led the city of Chicago’s working group that set new safety guidelines for hotels and tourist attractions, bridging the gap between hospitality stakeholders and public health officials to get hotel operators back on their feet after months of decimated tourism.”

IHLA represents and advocates for the lodging industry in Illinois. Members consist of 500 hotels and their employees throughout the state as well as industry partners and suppliers.

Jacobson is a father of two and credits much of his business insight to his 67-year-old father who has owned a sub shop in Portage Park for nearly 50 years. “Seeing his perspective on things as a small business owner helped coach me over the years about what’s right and what’s wrong,” he told Crain’s. “He’s a good source for getting a real-world perspective.”

Congratulations to Jacobson for this honor.

New Association Forum Members

Individual Members

Dr. Nancy Crain Burns, ISPIC

Asiaha Butler, RAGE

Kelsey N Cizek, ADHA

Carolyn Day, Black United Fund of Illinois, Inc.

Lisa Doi, PNC

Kim Dooley, Visit KC

Ralph A. Gervasi, CAE, Gervasi & Associates, Inc.

Sarah Stagg Grubbe, Pass with Flying Colors

Gayathri Kher, fusionSpan

Mimi Korcak, Cremation Association of North America

Bunny Lee, American Bar Association

T.W. Li, Video Parachute

Karyn Linn, Chicago Association of Management

Sheila Mulvey, Zonta International

Mary Patrick, Growth Zone

Kimberly Payne-Ward, ATL Airport District

Mary Post, American Academy of Neurology

Erik Skogsbakken, The Huntington National Bank

Lawrence Sloan, Association of Healthcare Internal Auditors

Katrina Stewart, NYC & Company

Norma J. Taylor, CMP, Tourisme Montreal – Business Events Montreal

Jessica Viramontez, Visit Wichita

Jacqueline White, Association of SAP User Groups

Forum Plus Members

John Schroeder, American Association of Neurological Surgeons

Jamie Lin, American Theological Library Association

Zinat Ali, Association Management Center

Michelle Bailey, Academy of General Dentistry

Bill McDowell, Institute of Food Technologists

Dave Adams, REALTORS Land Institute

Mackenzie Nicole Clauss, SmithBucklin

Sara Khan, SmithBucklin

Mary Lilly Rossi, SmithBucklin

Julie Fera, Society of Actuaries

Sharon Rodriguez, Society of Actuaries

Edna Ibanez Hernandez, Society of Critical Care Medicine

Anna Vecchio, Society for Vascular Surgery