CHICAGO, IL.- The Art Institute of Chicago today announced the election of Eric Lefkofsky as the organization’s new chair of the Board of Trustees. Lefkofsky will succeed Denise Gardner as the leader of the board, the governing body for both the Art Institute of Chicago museum and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC).
Over the last three years, Gardner has made significant contributions to the organization, and her leadership will have a lasting legacy. Her prioritization of the organization’s long-term fiscal health has secured a strong financial foundation for the future. During her tenure, the museum raised $200 million to support the endowment and experienced its largest fundraising year in more than a decade, including a $75 million dollar gift to support campus expansion. Gardner also provided crucial leadership amid and following the pandemic, resulting in the museum experiencing its highest paid Chicago attendance in nearly a decade and the School rebounding to welcome more students into degree-seeking programs. Additionally, Gardner championed the renovation of the museum’s Ryan Learning Center, creating a more inviting and engaging place for families, communities, and tens of thousands of students each year. She also supported a School initiative that raised more than $29 million for student scholarships, wellness, and career preparedness.
“I am incredibly proud of the work we have done over the past three years to position the Art Institute for sustained success,” said Gardner. “From navigating a global pandemic to ensuring the School and museum’s long-term fiscal health, I am confident the Art Institute is positioned for continued excellence, and I cannot wait to see where the momentum we have created takes us. For me personally, now is the right time to take a step back while continuing to serve on the board, and I look forward to supporting Eric and his vision for the future.”
Lefkofsky, the new board chair, is one of the foremost business and civic leaders in Chicago. He is the founder and CEO of Tempus, a provider of AI-enabled precision medicine solutions, and has founded a variety of other venture capital and technology companies, including Lightbank and Groupon, Inc. He has been a member of the Board of Trustees at the Art Institute for 15 years and has served as a vice chair since 2023. Lefkofsky also serves on the boards of Northwestern Medicine and Steppenwolf Theatre Company. He has years of experience in driving growth and collaborating with leaders across the city.
“I am very grateful for Denise and the work she has done to lead the Art Institute during a time of enormous change,” said Lefkofsky. “As a Chicagoan, I understand how important the Art Institute is to our city and am deeply honored to have the opportunity to foster and advance the organization’s bold aspirations and its immense potential. Together with the museum and the School, I look forward to continuing to expand the excellence of our institution, evolving our campus to best serve our visitors, and continuing to educate the artists, designers, and scholars of tomorrow.”
A lifetime Midwesterner, Lefkofsky is also a longtime collector of contemporary art, and his passion for the museum’s collection will help to guide this next phase of growth and development for the organization. With his deep devotion to Chicago-focused civic engagement, he has a unique perspective and years of experience to bring to this role at the Art Institute.
“Eric has been a steadfast collaborator and partner to the museum and taking on this leadership role is a natural progression in his tenure on the board. His leadership will be essential as we plan for the future of the museum’s campus,” said the museum’s President and Eloise W. Martin Director James Rondeau. “And I am immensely grateful that Denise will remain an active member of the board. She has been a tremendous leader—simultaneously laser-focused on financial sustainability while also highly devoted to expanding audiences and access—and I’m so appreciative of her partnership and guidance over the years.”
“The Art Institute of Chicago has extraordinary leaders on the Board of Trustees, and I know Eric, like Denise, appreciates this institution’s important role in both preserving and inspiring the breadth of human expression,” said the School’s President Jiseon Lee Isbara. “He will be a terrific partner in helping SAIC continue its more than 150-year tradition of educating the world’s emerging talents and helping them establish creatively fulfilling careers and lives.”
