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EVENTS



    • Wednesday, October 15, 2025
    • 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    • City Winery, 1200 West Randolph Street, Chicago, IL
    • 39

    Join us for an evening of celebration as we welcome the 2025 member class and honor this year’s annual award recipients. This special event recognizes the achievements and contributions of our members while providing an opportunity to connect with peers across the industry.

    You are invited to celebrate and honor the 2026 member class and annual award honorees!

    LAI 2025 AWARDEES:

    Doris B. and Marshall M. Holleb Community Impact Award: Valerie Kretchmer

    Valerie Kretchmer started her career in the public sector in New York City and New Orleans before moving to Chicago in 1978. She worked at Real Estate Research Corporation and VMS Realty before starting her own planning and real estate consulting firm, Valerie S. Kretchmer Associates, in 1985. For 39 years she provided market feasibility and economic development guidance to developers, property owners, lenders, municipalities, counties, regional planning and transit agencies, and housing authorities throughout Chicagoland, Illinois and neighboring states. Valerie retired last year after working for 50 years, but remains involved in housing issues as a member of the board of CJE SeniorLife and the Advisory Board of Community Partners for Affordable Housing.  


    Distinguished Chapter Service Award: Jacqueline Loewe

    Jacqueline J. Loewe is a business development and marketing executive with over 33 years of experience within the professional services and built-environment industry. Ms. Loewe provides relationship-building, ambassador training and presentation coaching for professional service-related companies. Prior to creating Sheridan Park Consulting over fifteen years ago, Ms. Loewe was an equity partner with an architecture / engineering firm and a landscape architecture / planning firm.

    She is an adjunct faculty member with Northwestern University’s McCormick School of Engineering, team-teaching graduate-level courses within the Master of Project Management (MPM) program, Business Development in the Built Environment. She is also teaching a hybrid course, Creating a Firm Ambassador Culture for Northwestern University’s Executive Management in Design and Construction (EMDC) curriculum for students pursing their master’s in science degree.

    Throughout her career, Jacqueline has served on numerous philanthropic and professional association boards. She is a past president of Lambda Alpha International Chicago region Chapter and a member for over 16 years. A native of Columbus, Ohio and a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, Ms. Loewe has lived in Chicago her entire adult life. She is a dog lover and enjoys golfing and cycling.


    Daniel H. Burnham Distinguished Service Award: Doug Farr

    Douglas Farr FAIA founded Chicago-based Farr Associates identified by the New York Times as "the most prominent of the city's growing cadre of ecologically sensitive architects." The award-winning firm has designed many of the Chicago regions most sustainable buildings including 13 LEED-Platinum-Certified projects and several net-zero buildings. In 2023, Planetizen readers named Doug one of "the 100 most influential urbanists of all time." Doug Co-Chaired the creation of LEED-Neighborhood Development and authored two books: Sustainable Urbanism (2008) and Sustainable Nation (2018). In 2023 he co-founded the Climate Action Museum, the world’s eighth museum devoted to climate.


    TABLE SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE

    $2,750 City Table Sponsorship includes seating for 10 guests in the VIP location and sponsor recognition.

    $1,750 Neighborhood Table Sponsorship includes seating for 5 guests in the VIP location and sponsor recognition.


    EVENT POLICIES


    MEMBER SUPPORT FUND

    The LAI Chicago Region Chapter Member Support Fund is available to members who serve nonprofit organizations, public agencies, academic institutions, or those who in a professional employment transition to help offset the cost of attendance at chapter events and membership dues. The goal of the fund is to make Chapter events and activities more accessible and encourage attendance and engagement. In some instances, guests of members may also be eligible to receive these funds.


    • Wednesday, November 05, 2025
    • 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
    • HNTB offices One South Wacker Drive, 25th floor Chicago, IL 60606
    Register


    The LAI Chicago Region Chapter Board welcomes you to a dedicated New Member event of “Getting to Know Us” and...

    • Your fellow 2025 Lambda Alpha classmates
    • Your LAI Chicago Region Chapter and Board
    Please join us for an evening that promises to be engaging and interactive.

    Thank You to our Event Sponsor!



    • Wednesday, November 12, 2025
    • 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
    • 444 West Lake Street, Suite 900
    • 139
    Register



    EVENT POLICIES

    MEMBER SUPPORT FUND

    The LAI Chicago Region Chapter Member Support Fund is available to members who serve nonprofit organizations, public agencies, academic institutions, or those who in a professional employment transition to help offset the cost of attendance at chapter events and membership dues. The goal of the fund is to make Chapter events and activities more accessible and encourage attendance and engagement. In some instances, guests of members may also be eligible to receive these funds.

Past events

Wednesday, October 01, 2025 LAI 2025 Annual Meeting & Networking Breakfast
Wednesday, September 17, 2025 2025 Chautauqua: AI in Practice
Wednesday, August 20, 2025 Portal Innovations and the Polsky Center Present Hyde Park Labs
Wednesday, June 18, 2025 Second Life on LaSalle: Adaptive Reuse Tour
Wednesday, May 21, 2025 AI AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT: DATA CENTERS, COMMUNITY IMPACT AND CLIMATE RESILIENCY
Wednesday, April 23, 2025 Salon Conversation: Our Region, Our Future: Plans to Cultivate a Resilient, World-Class Region that Serves All
Wednesday, April 09, 2025 Past Presidents’ Reception
Wednesday, March 19, 2025 Shaping the Future: Generative AI Insights
Wednesday, February 19, 2025 Chicago’s Cut the Tape Initiative: Updates, Progress, and What’s Next
Wednesday, January 22, 2025 2025 Real Estate Economic Forecast
Thursday, December 12, 2024 Future of the Central Area - Central Area Plan CCAC & LAI Virtual Progress Update and Discussion
Wednesday, December 11, 2024 Holiday Party
Wednesday, November 20, 2024 November Luncheon: A Future Vision for Regional Transit
Wednesday, November 06, 2024 New Member Orientation
Wednesday, October 09, 2024 New Member Initiation & Awards Banquet
Wednesday, September 18, 2024 2024 Chautauqua: Authenticity of Place
Wednesday, September 04, 2024 Annual Meeting & Networking Breakfast
Wednesday, August 28, 2024 Suburban Reinvention
Friday, August 02, 2024 Chapter Volunteer Event
Wednesday, July 17, 2024 Summer Soirée In The Sky - SOLD OUT
Thursday, June 20, 2024 SUMMER TOUR: 43 Green in Bronzeville
Wednesday, May 15, 2024 May Luncheon: Migrant Housing Crisis
Wednesday, March 20, 2024 LAI March 2024 Chapter Luncheon - Dismantling Preservation’s Culture of Preciousness
Wednesday, February 21, 2024 LAI February 2024 Chapter Luncheon - Missing Middle: Making Attainable Housing Attainable


THANK YOU TO 2025 OUR SPONSORS

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CONTACT

4055 W. Peterson Ave., #105
Chicago, IL 60646

773-804-8592

support@laichicagoregion.org

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