Former President of Top Ad Agency Accepts Position as Vice President of Marketing at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

CHICAGO, May 20, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Kary McIlwain, 26--year veteran of Y&R, has accepted the position as Vice President of Marketing at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago effective July 2015. Since 2002, McIlwain served as President and North American Managing Partner of Y&R, leading efforts in brand strategy, team building and marketing innovation. 

"We are excited to have a marketing executive of her caliber joining Lurie Children's," said Patrick Magoon, President and Chief Executive Officer. "With her expertise and passion, Kary is the ideal leader to oversee our marketing efforts in support of the hospital's mission."

Under McIlwain's leadership, Y&R was named 2014 Agency of the Year by the Chicago Advertising Federation.  "I am thrilled to embark on this new phase in my career, to step out of the advertising agency world into promoting a mission-driven organization," said McIlwain. "Lurie Children's is a world class hospital that deserves world class recognition." 

McIlwain's recruitment is key to Lurie Children's, given all the changes in the healthcare environment and increased competition. "Lurie Children's is leading the way in improving outcomes for the children we serve and cutting healthcare costs," said Susan Hayes Gordon, Sr. Vice President and Chief of Marketing and External Affairs. "We are confident that Kary can help us to raise the level of awareness locally and nationally of all the incredible work the hospital does in clinical care and research."

McIlwain has won every major industry award including Cannes Lions, The One Show Pencil and Gold Effie.  She was named to Advertising Age Women to Watch List and named one of the top 10 Creative Heavyweights by Creativity  magazine.  

Linda S. Wolf, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Leo Burnett Company, chairs Lurie Children's Marketing Committee. "I have known Kary for many years and I have watched her grow into one of the top marketing executives in the country," said Wolf.  "Her deep knowledge of the advertising world and her track record of exceptional outcomes will greatly benefit Lurie Children's, one of Chicago's beloved institutions." 

McIlwain is big on "giving back" to the community and has had numerous pro bono clients including United Way, American Red Cross of Greater Chicago, Greater Chicago Food

Depository, National Domestic Violence Hotline and the Y-USA.

She is a Leadership Council Board Member for Horizons for Youth and is on the Chairman's Council for United Way and on the Marketing Committee for the Lincoln Park Zoo. McIlwain is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago and serves on the board of The Chicago Network. She has a master's degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University and a bachelor's degree in Journalism from Bradley University.

About Lurie Children's
Lurie Children's is one of the nation's top 10 children's hospitals ranked by U.S. News & World Report and is the pediatric academic and research partner of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Its research center, Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, attracted more than $30 million in external funding in 2014. Last year, the hospital served more than 170,000 children from 50 states and 48 countries. 

SOURCE Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago

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