2024: Venita Fields '71, Board Director & Financial Management

Fields has been nationally recognized numerous times in her life, including most recently in 2023 by BoardProspects as one of the top Black Board Members in the U.S., by the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) as a Directorship 100 Honoree in 2021, as one of the Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A by Mergers & Acquisitions Magazine in 2018, and as a Director to Watch by Private Company Director’s Magazine in both 2019 and 2017. In 2017, she was also one of 50 women recognized in Chicago Woman’s Magazine's “Fierce 50.” Fields was among the winning team of the M&A Advisor’s 2005 Consumer Deal of the Year, the Chicago United’s 2005 Business Leader of Color, and one of YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago’s Woman of Achievement Award recipients in 2004, among other accolades.

In the community, Fields is a dedicated and long-time member of Sherman United Methodist Church, and has donated her time and skills to many corporate and nonprofit boards, including as a Chatham Hall Trustee. She currently serves as an independent director on the public board of the Superior Group of Companies, the private board of IMA Financial Group, and as chair of the board of Lifespace Communities, a national system of 17 Senior Retirement Communities. Fields has also served as an active and energetic leader of the Association for Corporate Growth Chicago, Chicago Finance Exchange, Economic Club of Chicago, NACD, David’s Bridal, Women Corporate Directors, Private Directors Association, Moran Center for Youth Advocacy, Ravinia Festival, and Delta Sigma Theta, among others.