Join us for our first BLCK.VC Midwest Chapter event featuring one of Chicago's prolific businessmen, John W. Rogers, Jr.!
About this event
As the summer starts to heat up in Chicago, we invite you to join the BLCK.VC Midwest chapter for an intimate evening fireside chat with one of Chicago's most prolific investors. Please join us for a fireside chat with the Chairman & Co-CEO of Ariel Investments, John W. Rogers, Jr.! We encourage all participants from founders, venture capitalists, tech ecosystem, and Chicago business people at large to attend.
Sponsored by Portal Innovations, Deloitte, Silicon Valley Bank, and Cooley
The fireside discussion will begin promptly at 6:00 pm with small bites and open bar to follow. Limited guest parking will be available onsite at no cost.
Location:
Portal Innovations
400 North Aberdeen Street, Roof top
Chicago, IL
Time:
The fireside chat will begin at 6:00 pm, with cocktail hour beginning at 6:35 pm.
Attire:
Dressy casual
About John W. Rogers, Jr.
John’s passion for investing began at age 12 when his father began buying him stocks as Christmas and birthday gifts. His interest in equities grew at Princeton University, where he majored in economics, and over the two-plus years he worked as a stockbroker for William Blair & Company, LLC. In 1983, John founded Ariel to focus on patient, value investing within small- and medium-sized companies. While our research capabilities have expanded across the globe, patience is still the disciplined approach that drives the firm today. Early in his career, John’s investment acumen brought him to the forefront of media attention and culminated in him being selected as Co-Mutual Fund Manager of the Year by Sylvia Porter’s Personal Finance magazine as well as an All-Star Mutual Fund Manager by USA TODAY. Furthermore, John has been highlighted alongside legendary investors Warren Buffett, Sir John Templeton and Ben Graham in the distinguished book: The World’s 99 Greatest Investors by Magnus Angenfelt. His professional accomplishments extend to the boardroom where he is a member of the board of directors of McDonald’s, NIKE, The New York Times Company and Ryan Specialty Group Holdings.
John also serves as vice chair of the board of trustees of the University of Chicago. In 2008, John was awarded Princeton University’s highest honor, the Woodrow Wilson Award, presented each year to the alumnus or alumna whose career embodies a commitment to national service. Following the election of President Barack Obama, John served as co-chair for the Presidential Inaugural Committee 2009, and more recently, he joined the Barack Obama Foundation’s Board of Directors. John received an AB in economics from Princeton University, where he was also captain of the varsity basketball team.
About Portal Innovations
Portal invests in therapeutics, med-tech, and bioinformatics startups with strong leadership teams. Our differentiated mix of crafted capital drives companies from scientific ideation to business creation, helping entrepreneurs translate cutting-edge technology into sustainable, global businesses.
About Deloitte
Deloitte provides industry-leading audit and assurance, tax and legal, consulting, financial advisory, and risk advisory services to nearly 90% of the Fortune Global 500® and thousands of private companies. Our more than 345,000 professionals deliver measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in capital markets, enable clients to transform and thrive, and lead the way toward a stronger economy, a more equitable society and a sustainable world. Building on its 175-plus year history, Deloitte spans more than 150 countries and territories. Our organization has grown tremendously in both scale and capabilities, yet our shared culture and mission—to make an impact that matters—remains unchanged. This is evident not only in Deloitte’s work for clients, but also in our WorldClass ambition, our WorldClimate initiative and our ALL IN diversity and inclusion strategy.
About Silicon Valley Bank
Silicon Valley Bank, the bank of the world’s most innovative companies and investors, provides commercial banking services, expertise and insights to the technology, life science and healthcare, private equity, venture capital and premium wine industries. Silicon Valley Bank operates in centers of innovation around the world and is one of SVB’s core businesses with SVB Capital, SVB Private and SVB Securities. With global commercial banking services, Silicon Valley Bank helps address the unique needs of its dynamic, fast-growing, innovative clients.
About Cooley LLP
Clients partner with Cooley on transformative deals, complex IP and regulatory matters and high-stakes litigation, where innovation meets the law. Cooley has 1,500 lawyers across 17 offices in the United States, Asia and Europe.
