December 8, 2025 -Annual IVCA Awards Dinner

2025 Award Recipients

• Venture Capital Portfolio Company of the Year: Simple Mills
• Private Equity Portfolio Company of the Year: Door and Window Guard Systems (DAWGS)
• Rising Star Award: M25
• Richard J. Daley Award: Bruce Barron, Origin Ventures
• Stanley C. Golder Award: Robert P. Morgan, 50 South Capital
• IVCA Foundation Award: Shoshana Vernick, Avathon Capital

View Event Photos:
https://illinoisvc.org/ivca-annual-awards-dinner/

Event Highlights

✔ 410 attendees
✔ 150+ firms represented
✔ Special remarks from Governor JB Pritzker, a founding IVCA board member
✔ Honored to welcome Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs and other legislative guests

October 7, 2025 - Leveraging AI to Transform VC & PE Firms

We explored how venture capital and private equity firms are integrating AI to sharpen investment strategies and elevate portfolio company performance.

Our incredible speakers included:

Ryan Beauchamp, Managing Director at GTCR LLC
Jeff Cantalupo, Managing Partner & Founder at Listen Ventures
Paul Hsu, Managing Director at Decasonic
Moderated by Martin Ruhaak, Partner at Ropes & Gray LLP

Each speaker shared practical insights that helped attendees better understand how to apply AI in their firms ,whether they’re just starting out or already deep in the journey.

Thank you to our sponsors for your continued support!
Ropes & Gray LLP and Baker Tilly US

You can view pictures from the event, HERE!

December 9, 2024 - IVCA Annual Awards Dinner honoring:

• Stanley C. Golder Award:  James “Jim” Dugan, OCA Ventures
• Richard J. Daley Award:  Mitchell Petersen, Heizer Center, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
• Stephen S. Beitler Award:  James “Jim” Macdonald, First Analysis
• New IVCA Promoting Diversity Foundation Award:  Walter Florence, Frontenac

View videos of each presentation below:

Start with our Chairman’s statement by Phil Alphonse, The Vistria Group

Stanley C. Golder Award – presented to Jim Dugan, OCA Ventures, by David Golder, Golder Investment Management 

Richard J. Daley Award – presented to Mitchell Petersen, The Heizer Center, Kellogg, Northwestern University, by E.F. “Skip” Heizer, Heizer Capital

Stephen S. Beitler Award – presented to Jim Macdonald, First Analysis, by Elinore Beitler and Grace Glick, Steve’s daughters, with opening comments by Mark Koulogeorge, MK Capital.

IVCA Foundation Award – presented to Walter Florence, Frontenac, by Jeff Dobosh, Winston & Strawn LLP

You can view pictures from the event, HERE!

December 4, 2023 - IVCA Annual Awards Dinner 

Governor JB Pritzker proclaimed December 4^th as Maura O’Hara Day and reflected on her valuable contributions to the venture capital and private equity community and to the benefit of the state of Illinois.  View the video here!

Chairman Jim Macdonald, First Analysis, shared IVCA highlights from 2023.  View the video here!

The 2023 Venture Capital Portfolio Company of the Year is Nerdio.  As the market leading provider of software products, Nerdio allows businesses of all sizes to easily deploy, manage, and cost optimize their information technology infrastructure. The award was presented by Bret Maxwell, MK Capital, to Vadim Vladimirskiy, Nerdio Founder and CEO.  View the video here!

The 2023 Private Equity Portfolio Company of the Year is Right at School.  A market-leading provider of distinctive and enriching before and after school programs and school break camps, Right at School helps school districts across the country. The award was presented by Steve King, Prairie Capital, to Mark Rothschild, Right at School Founder and CEO, and Letta Simon, Right at School President.  View the video here!

The Richard J. Daley Award was bestowed upon Jennifer W. Steans, Financial Investments Corporation.  In honor of Mayor Richard J. Daley’s vast economic accomplishments, the Richard J. Daley Award recognizes a single individual who has given direct and extraordinary support to the State of Illinois by participating in or being an advocate for the venture capital and private equity industry.

The award, presented by Marques Torbert, 5^th Century Partners, was accepted on behalf of Jennifer by Ken Hooten, Concentric Equity Partners. View the video here!

December 5, 2022 - IVCA Awards Dinner After hearing an update from IVCA Chair Jennifer Steans on the State of our Association, we presented the Portfolio Company of the Year Awards.  The award presentations were ably emceed by IVCA Vice Chair Jim Macdonald of First Analysis.

VC-Backed Portfolio Company of the Year
Duncan Davis of Breakout Capital presented The Venture Capital-backed Portfolio Company of the Year Award to AIM Clinics which helps kids in Tier 2 & Tier 3 MSAs with autism through intensive Applied behavior analysis therapy.  The company received Seed stage funding and two follow on rounds of funding from Breakout Capital. Breakout exited the company in 2021 at a 20x multiple of initial capital invested.

PE-Backed Portfolio Company of the Year
Private Equity-Backed Portfolio Company of the Year was presented by Michael Langdon to TPC. The Award was accepted by Ty Field - Former Executive Chair of TPC. Frontenac acquired the Buffalo Grove-based TPC in March 2018 and worked with management to shift the business mix from less than 45% digital delivery to more than 85% digital delivery.
 
Stanley C. Golder Award 
The Stanley C. Golder Award was presented by David Golder to Stephen V. King, Co-Founder of Prairie Capital. 

May 18, 2022 - What Limited Partners are Talking About" 

• Melissa Richlen of the MacArthur Foundation
• Keirsten Lawton of Cambridge Associates
• Shari Young Lewis of Aon Investments
• T. Bondurant "Bon" French of Adams Street Partners
• Moderator Joanna Rupp from the University of Chicago Office of Investments

Read all about it HERE! The audio recording is available for IVCA members HERE!

December 6, 2021 - IVCA Annual Awards Dinner 

Honored at this year's program were:

• Venture Capital Portfolio Company of the Year recipient:  Factor
• Richard J. Daley Award recipient:  Linda L. Darragh, Kellogg School of Management Emerita
• Private Equity Portfolio Company of the Year recipient:  Option Care Health
  
• IVCA Fellows Award recipient:  Rocco J. Martino, OceanM19
  

Read all about it and see the pictures HERE!