22 Years Strong: WPO Chicago Annual Summit 2025 a Grand Success!

©2025 Women Presidents Organization Chicago.  All rights reserved.

This is "us" – Women Presidents Organization Chicago strong.  A grand success at our 22nd Annual WPO Chicago Summit 9/11/25.

The Summit took a clear-eyed look at the forces shaping business today and tomorrow. From the broader state of the economy to the evolving role of tariffs, interest rates, inflation, and the Federal Reserve, we’ll examine the questions that matter most to business leaders. Are current policies pushing us toward recession—or resilience?  How might rate decisions in 2025 and beyond affect growth? And what happens if politics enters the Fed’s decision-making? Join us for an engaging discussion on what lies ahead and how you can prepare for it.

Panelists discussed:

• A macro view of the state of the economy.
• Where we stand with tariff changes and policies and the impact on business owners.
• Where interest rates will settle in 2025.
• What happens if the Federal Reserve becomes politicized.
• Whether the U.S. dollar strengthens or weakens in 2025.
• What impact the firing of the BLS Administrator has on economic data.
• What if the next equity drawdown is inflation-led, not growth-led?
• How a business owner can survive or even thrive during economic turmoil.

It was a thought-provoking, engaging and informative program. 

Thank you to Foley & Lardner LLP for hosting us.  Shout out to Ellen Wheeler and Lauren Loew – WPO Chicago members and each respective partners at Foley. 

Big thank you to Lisa A. Byrne, MBA, Senior Vice President | Financial Advisor, Portfolio Director Group, RBC Wealth Management and Rachel D. Irons, CFP®, ChFC®, Senior Vice President – Wealth Management, Financial Advisor, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, UBS for moderating our panel discussion on "Navigating the Unknown: Economic Strategies for Women CEOs."

And to the panelists – Kristin Roesch, Vice President Blackstone Investment Strategy; Charlotte Noels, Vice President Blackstone Private Wealth; Scott Becker, CFA, Calamos, Senior Vice President, Head of Portfolio Specialists; and Katrina Schmaltz, CFA®, CPA, Managing Director, Portfolio Strategist, Nuveen – thank you for sharing your expertise with us.

See you at our 23rd Annual Summit in 2026!

The 22nd Annual WPO Chicago Summit 2025 – Navigating the Unknown: Economic Strategies for Women CEOs

WPO Chicago I Member Ellen Wheeler Is Nationally Ranked in Chambers USA 2025 for Derivatives Enforcement

We are thrilled to announce that WPO Chicago I member Ellen Wheeler, Partner, Foley & Lardner has been nationally ranked in Chambers USA 2025 for Derivatives Enforcement.  "Grateful to my clients for their trust and support and proud to celebrate this alongside my many other colleagues who were recognized," says Ellen.

We are proud of longstanding WPO Chicago member Ellen Wheeler and wish her many more accolades in the future for her important work.

Learn more on Foley’s 2025 Chambers rankings - https://lnkd.in/g9G5ExdS

WPO Chicago's Host Foley & Lardner Opens New Nashville, TN Office

WPO Chicago host Foley & Lardner LLP recently announced the opening of its newest office in Nashville, Tenn., with the addition of three corporate partners to support the firm’s growing Health Care & Life Sciences and Manufacturing Sectors. The location is Foley’s 27th office worldwide and 24th within the United States. 

New partners Jesse Neil, Brent Bowman, and Jon Gaston join the firm from Holland & Knight LLP. The group advises clients on a variety of regulatory, transactional, and tax issues. Additionally, two Foley litigation partners, Kevin Hyde and Lauren Loew [WPO Chicago II chapter member, pictured], will work from Nashville to help establish and grow the office. 

Read the news release here.  Our congratulations to Lauren!  We are so proud of you.

Honoring WPO Chicago Member Ellen Wheeler, Partner at Foley & Lardner

WPO Chicago member Ellen Wheeler (pictured) has been nationally ranked in the 2024 edition of Chambers USA for her work as a derivatives enforcement attorney.  Ellen is a Partner at Foley & Lardner. 

Ellen says, "I’m especially thankful and grateful for the wonderful clients I’m honored to serve and support. Additionally, congratulations to my colleagues who also earned recognition from Chambers this year."

On behalf of the entire Women Presidents Organization, we congratulate Ellen for this prestigious honor.  We are so proud of her!  

20th Annual WPO Chicago Summit: The Art of Balancing Style With Substance (9/14/23)

Jazzed.  Excited.  Proud.  Looking forward!  To our 20th Annual WPO Chicago Summit:  The Art of Balancing Style with Substance on Thursday, September 14, 2023 and hosted at Foley & Lardner, Chicago.

Steering Committee

• Karolyn Raphael, President, Winger Marketing (Chicago I chapter member)
• Lauren Loew, Partner, Foley & Lardner (Chicago II chapter member)
• Ellen Wheeler, Partner, Foley & Lardner (Chicago I chapter member)

Program Agenda (all Central Time)

• 1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Registration and networking 
• 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Welcome and introductions
• 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Workshop presenter:  Jessi Sheehan
• 4:00 p.m. – 4:50 p.m. Questions and discussion
• 4:50 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Closing remarks, and thank yous 

Talented Wardrobe Stylist and Costume Designer, Jessi Sheehan, will share her wisdom, outlining practical strategies to optimize your professional look delving beyond surface-level aesthetics. 

Discover how to infuse your personal brand with the substance necessary to captivate your audiences and make a lasting impact.   In addition, you will learn:

• Decision fatigue - creating your go-to looks so you can focus your energy on other things.
• Color analysis - find the best colors for you to wear.
• Brand discovery - you are sending a message with your outfit, let’s make sure it’s the right one. 
• Dressing for the body you’re in right now - a guide to intentional pieces based on your body type and silhouette 
• In doubt about your look?  Text-A-Stylist – Jess will share more on this! 

With intriguing visuals and thought-provoking analysis, she will provide a valuable resource for anyone longing to enhance their understanding of style. 

We look forward to this fun, engaging and interactive workshop. 

About Jessi Sheehan

Jessi Sheehan (https://jessisheehan.com) is a Wardrobe Stylist and Costume Designer with clients in Nashville and Chicago.

She started her fashion career almost a decade ago, working as an assistant fashion designer in New York.  She then moved back to Chicago and began working in luxury bridal, with private clients in their closets, and styling her own photoshoots. She built a wonderful network filled with many different people, photographers, models and actors.

Her versatility and profound passion for the craft keeps her busy in all facets of the styling world across private clients, commercials and film. 

She has worked with a variety of clients including: Eva Longoria, Jimmy Butler, Jeff Mauro (Food Network), Fall Out Boy, and Second City. 

*** Please RSVP to Laurel Delaney, ldelaney(at)globetrade.com by no later than 9/11/23 if you plan to attend (for members and sponsors only).***