Chicago CFO Community
Executive Summit
November 2026 | Location Coming Soon
November 2026
Location Coming Soon
Collaborate with your peers
Get together with Chicago's top CFOs to tackle shared business challenges and critical priorities facing your role today. Participate in this one-day, local program with peer-driven topics and interactive discussions with your true C-level peers.
Join your peers to discuss the most critical issues impacting CFOs today:
Prioritizing Cost Optimization and Resource Allocation
Driving AI Impact Despite Challenges and Risks
Closing the Digital Talent Gap to Promote Finance Transformation
Chicago CFO Governing Body
The Governing Body Co-Chairs shape the summit agenda, ensuring that all content is driven By CFOs, For CFOs®.
Governing Body Co-Chairs
Travis George
Molex
CFO
Pat Jermain
Plexus
EVP & CFO
Dee Merriwether
Grainger
SVP & CFO
What to Expect
Interactive Sessions
Hear from CFO practitioners and thought leaders on how they're solving critical challenges impacting your role today in Keynote sessions, and join smaller, interactive discussions with your peers in Breakout and Boardroom sessions.
Community Networking
Make new connections and catch up with old friends in casual conversations during dedicated time for networking designed to better acquaint you with your Chicago CFO community.
Peer-to-Peer Meetings
Connect with like-minded peers in a private, one-on-one setting through Peer-to-Peer Meetings. You will be matched with peers in your community based on your shared interests and priorities.
Agenda
Coming Soon
The CFO Executive Summit agendas are driven by the mission-critical priorities identified among the community. Each agenda is uniquely crafted By CFOs, For CFOs®, and will be available closer to the gathering. All topics and sessions will be inspired by the following themes.
Prioritizing Cost Optimization and Resource Allocation
CFOs are prioritizing enterprise-wide cost optimization with a strong focus on cost transparency and ownership. They must act as “capital activists,” making sharper trade-offs and rapidly reallocating resources away from underperforming areas to balance short-term cost pressures with long-term investment priorities.
Driving AI Impact Despite Challenges and Risks
CFOs lack certainty and confidence in achieving meaningful enterprise outcomes from AI investments, especially in the finance function. Accelerating AI maturity requires a dual-path approach—leveraging embedded AI for immediate gains while building the necessary culture, governance, skills, and data capabilities for sustainable value creation.
Closing the Digital Talent Gap to promote Finance Transformation
Hiring and retaining digital talent in finance is a major concern. CFOs need to reconceive finance roles and structures, linking transformation goals to digital talent ambitions and promoting modern, agile management practices to close the digital skills gap and support ongoing digitalization efforts.
Apply to Participate
Apply to participate in the Chicago CFO Community Executive Summit.
Gartner facilitates exclusive, C-level communities by personally qualifying and understanding the priorities, challenges and interests of each member.
Our selective approach maintains the high quality of the network and ensures top-level discussions with peers from the world’s leading organizations.
Each application will be reviewed, and once your participation is confirmed, you will have access to year-round community programs.
Location
Coming Soon
Venue information will be available shortly.
Community Program Manager
For inquiries related to this community, please reach out to your dedicated contact.
