President’s Welcome Letter

CHEF 50th Anniversary! Celebrating Our Legacy, Shaping Our Future

It is an incredible honor to take on the role President of the Chicago Health Executives Forum (CHEF) for 2026. As we enter this milestone year—CHEF’s 50th anniversary—I am grateful for the leaders who built this community, the colleagues who strengthen it every day, and the future we are shaping together.

This year, our guiding theme is “Celebrating Our Legacy, Shaping Our Future.” It reflects both who we are and who we aspire to be. For five decades, CHEF has supported, developed, and inspired healthcare leaders across the Chicago region. That legacy is rich, rooted in service, community, and a shared belief that leadership matters. But our future is equally compelling. As our healthcare landscape continues to evolve, CHEF remains committed to equipping leaders with the relationships, insights, and opportunities needed to navigate complexity and drive meaningful change.

Throughout 2026, we will honor our history while investing in the next generation of leadership. We will continue expanding educational programming, strengthening networking opportunities, and deepening our partnerships across health systems, community organizations, and ACHE. And we will celebrate—together—at one of the most significant moments in our chapter’s history: CHEF’s 50th Anniversary Annual Meeting on March 18th at Bobak’s Signature Events at Seven Bridges in Woodridge. I hope you will join us for an evening that reflects our past, energizes our present, and inspires our future.

As we embark on this anniversary year, I encourage you to stay engaged, stay curious, and stay connected. Whether through committee involvement, networking events, advancement toward FACHE, or simply reaching out to a colleague, your participation strengthens our community and amplifies our collective impact.

Thank you for being part of CHEF and for all you contribute to healthcare leadership across our region. I look forward to celebrating our legacy and shaping our future together in 2026.

Joel G. Jaglin

President, Chicago Health Executives Forum (CHEF)

Project Director – Healthcare Construction

Work Dynamics

JLL