Governor Pritzker Announces the 2022 Order of Lincoln Recipients

CHICAGO - Governor JB Pritzker today announced the 2022 recipients of the Order of Lincoln, the state's highest honor for professional achievement and public service. Established in 1964, the Order of Lincoln honors Illinois residents whose work uplifts every community in the state. This year's Lincoln Laureates will be honored at the upcoming 58th annual Convocation on April 30, 2022, at Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel on the campus of Elmhurst University. The six recipients join a cohort of over 350 distinguished Illinois residents who have joined the Order of Lincoln over the last five decades.
 
"For more than 50 years, the Order of Lincoln has recognized residents who go above and beyond in service to the public, offering innovation, generosity, and commitment to their fellow Illinoisans through a range of achievements," said Governor JB Pritzker. "The 2022 class of Lincoln Laureates can be especially proud to receive this award in an era that has asked so much of all our communities. Illinois is a state defined by its kindness, and it's my honor to recognize these six individuals for embodying that characteristic in all their years of service."  
 
"Once again, The Lincoln Academy is delighted to recognize outstanding individuals with the Order of Lincoln," said Frank Clark, chancellor of the Academy. "In the spirit of Abraham Lincoln, these recipients are great leaders, selfless servants, and proud of this state."
 
This year's recipients are:
 
William Brodsky - With a 35-year career at both the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board Options Exchange, Brodsky is recognized as a global leader in the development of the futures and options market.
Debra Cafaro - Cafaro is the chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Ventas, Inc. an S&P 500 healthcare real estate investment trust (REIT). Ventas was recognized as the most successful publicly traded financial company for the first decade of this century. 
Rebecca Carlisle Doyle - Former Illinois Director of Agriculture, Doyle also served as an officer of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture and spent a decade working with the United Nations' World Food Programme.
John McCarter - McCarter is a life trustee and President Emeritus of The Field Museum. He served as the President and Chief Executive Officer from 1996 to 2012.
Martha C. Nussbaum - Nussbaum is the Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics, appointed in the University of Chicago Law School and philosophy department.
The Honorable Robert R. Thomas - After playing 12 seasons in the National Football League, Thomas launched a successful career in law, culminating in his selection as the Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court.
 
For further information or to attend the upcoming gala, contact Executive Director Leanne Barnhart at 217-493-0047 or visit www.TheLincolnAcademyofIllinois.org. Connect with The Lincoln Academy of Illinois on Facebook and LinkedIn.