Please join us at the Design Museum of Chicago’s 2026 Annual Benefit!
This is an especially exciting year for the museum as we welcome our new Executive Director David Salkin, and celebrate the lasting legacy and foresight of DMoC Founder Tanner Woodford.
At an evening celebrating the past and future of Chicago’s only design museum, we will thank Honorary Co-Chairs Gary Metzner & Scott Johnson for their guiding light in shaping our city’s extraordinary civic ecosystem.
This is Chicago’s best, annual opportunity to connect with a network of design leaders and civic-minded creatives while supporting our museum that fosters bold thinking, meaningful innovation, and design as a community-shaping tool.
Honorary Co-Chairs:
Gary Metzner & Scott Johnson
Co-Chairs:
Bill Beach
Bess Tremonto Cook
Karen Lilly Mozer
Lucca Colombelli Silva
Host Committee (in formation):
Zac Bleicher & Jeff Kruse
Nick Cave & Bob Faust
Deborah Colman
Dirk Denison
Jan & Brian Hieggelke
Rhona Hoffman
Michelle Holland
Jordana Joseph
Tony Karman
Donna LaPietra & Bill Kurtis
Jordan Mozer
Betsy Nathan
Kate Neisser
Cynthia Noble
James Pike
Maria Pinto
Abby Pucker
Nathalie Ribon-Tourre
Lisa Skolnik
Marianne & Gürin Strokirk
Claire Warner & Sam Vinz
Invite Graphic:
Carolina Pereira de Almeida
Benefit Sponsors (lists in formation):
Lead Sponsors ($25,000):
Acton Truettner Fund
Neisser Family Foundation
Visionary Sponsors ($15,000):
Legendary Sponsors ($10,000):
Gary Metzner & Scott Johnson
Abby Pucker Helen Zell
Innovator Sponsors ($5,000):
Dirk Denison
Marfa Stance
Catalyst Sponsors ($2,500):
Helyn Goldenberg & Michael Alper Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts
Jordana Joseph & Glen Saltzberg
Wendy Manning Joe & Jenny Shanahan
Tom Shapiro & Madeleine Grynsztejn
Melissa Weber & Jay Dandy
Richard Wright & Valerie Carberry
Patrons ($500):
Anonymous Nora Daley
Michelle & Glenn Holland
Dwayne MacEwen
Betsy Nathan
Lisa Skolnik
In-Kind Sponsors:
Chicago Gallery News
Chicago Reader
DOCUMENT Artist Services
New City
SECRIST | BEACH
DMoC Mission Statement:
The Design Museum of Chicago educates, inspires, and fosters innovation through design.
In the last 14 years, DMoC has commissioned close to 75,000 square feet of public art; displayed 10,300+ student art works; offered 3,800+ free visiting days to the public; published work of 1,500+ designers; partnered with 547 community organizations; staged 300+ free public events, 62 workshops, and 59 exhibitions; and hired 100+ talented interns.
Learn more about our staff and Executive and Auxiliary boards here.