Mary Lou Gorno

Mary Lou Gorno is President and CEO of Ingenuity International and leads the CEO and Board Practice for Fortune 500, mid-cap, and privately owned companies. As a board and CEO advisor, she specializes in organizational governance, succession planning, and leadership issues.
Gorno joined the executive search profession with more than two decades of experience in marketing, media, and strategic planning. As a senior executive at Leo Burnett Worldwide, an advertising agency and part of Publicis Groupe, she led global business-building responsibility for Walt Disney Company, Reebok Inc., and the Procter & Gamble Company.
Gorno earned a BA from Saint Mary’s College, an MS in Journalism from Northwestern University, and an MBA from the University of Chicago. She was honored with a Professional Achievement Citation, which the University of Chicago created to recognize alumni whose vocational achievements have distinguished them in their fields and have brought credit to the University. She also served as the Chair of the Board of Trustees and Chair of the Capital Campaign at Saint Mary’s College, and received an Honorary Doctor of Humanities.
Gorno was elected to the Board of Trustees of the University of Chicago and serves as Vice Chair and member of its Executive Committee. Other philanthropic work includes serving as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. In addition, Gorno is Chair of the Smart Museum of Art and the Chicago Historical Society. She is also a Trustee of the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) and a Director of the Economic Club of Chicago. Recently, Gorno was named President of The Chicago Club.