Venita Fields

Venita Fields

Greater Chicago Area
3K followers 500+ connections

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Pelham S2K Managers LLC

About

Ms. Fields is an experienced independent corporate board director in both public and…

Activity

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Experience

  • Pelham S2K Managers LLC

    Evanston, IL

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    Greater Denver Area

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    Seminole, Florida

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    Des Moines, Iowa Area

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    Highland Park, Illinois, United States

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    Conshohocken, PA

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    Rockford, Illinois Area

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    Greater Chicago Area

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    Evanston, IL

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    Evanston, and Chicago IL

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Education

  • Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management Graphic

    Kellogg School of Management

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  • Activities and Societies: Member of the Northwestern Choral Ensemble and Black Folk's Theater

    Named a Richter International Scholar, studying abroad in West Africa.

  • Activities and Societies: Student Council, Drama Club, St. Mary's Choir, Senior Sextet

Volunteer Experience

  • Chatham Hall Graphic

    Trustee

    Chatham Hall

    - Present 1 year 11 months

    Education

    Founded in 1894, Chatham Hall is a grades 9-12 girls' boarding school in southern Virginia. Chatham Hall's mission is to "Equip curious thinkers to lead lives of impact". The 20 member Trustee board consists primarily of school alumnae, I am a member of the Investment Committee and the DE&I Committee.

  • James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy Graphic

    Board Member

    James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy

    - Present 4 years

    Civil Rights and Social Action

    Established in 1981, the James B. Moran Center works to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline. The Center has a holistic approach of providing legal and social work programs for youth in the Evanston , IL and Chicago Northshore communities.

  • Ravinia Festival Graphic

    Trustee

    Ravinia Festival

    - Present 10 years 9 months

    Arts and Culture

    Member of Executive Committee; Nominations and Governance and Ravinia Steans Music Institute Committee

  • Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Graphic

    Trustee

    Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

    - 4 years

    Children

    Member of Finance Committee

  • Association for Corporate Growth Graphic

    Board of Directors: President Emeritus

    Association for Corporate Growth

    - 8 years

    Economic Empowerment

    Served as President (Emeritus) of the Board. Serves on the Private Equity Committee and the Women's Network Committee. ACG Chicago is a leader in the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) global network of over 14,500 professionals. The ACG Chicago mission is to be the premier network of leading authorities on corporate growth.

  • Private Directors Association® Graphic

    Board Director and Founding Member

    Private Directors Association®

    - 5 years

    The Private Directors Association strives to create value through board formation, support excellent practices in board governance, and provide a network to connect individuals with private companies. http://privatedirectorsassociation.org/

  • Wespath Benefits and Investments Graphic

    Member of Fiduciary Committee

    Wespath Benefits and Investments

    - 8 years

    Served as member of the Fiduciary Committee for 8 years. Role of the Committee is to work with General Secretary (Chief Executive Officer) and the Chief Investment Officer on investment policy, asset allocation and investment execution.. Wespath manages pension assets (exceeding $20 billion) and the health benefits of its 50,000+ clergy and laity.

Publications

  • Directors to Watch 2019-Public Companies

    Directors & Boards Magazine

    Recognized as one of 22 Public Company Directors: "Directors to Watch" in 2019
    "Corporate governance is a team sport: Any effective leader fielding a team wants the best available
    talent and knows that each team member must possess different (diverse) skills to get the job done and increase the odds of success. It only makes sense therefore that this philosophy makes its way into today’s corporate boardroom."

    See publication

  • "Directors to Watch" 2017

    Private Company Director Magazine

    "An effective board teams with management: Private companies face the same challenges as their public counterparts: business disruption and disintermediation, succession, cyber risk, technology risk, acquisition integration and talent acquisition. Private business owners and managers need independent, experienced, objective and diverse business leaders on their boards to assist them in developing clear and executable strategies to confront these challenges. An effective board works with…

    "An effective board teams with management: Private companies face the same challenges as their public counterparts: business disruption and disintermediation, succession, cyber risk, technology risk, acquisition integration and talent acquisition. Private business owners and managers need independent, experienced, objective and diverse business leaders on their boards to assist them in developing clear and executable strategies to confront these challenges. An effective board works with management as a team, listening, questioning assumptions, and bringing its collective experience and expertise to the company in a meaningful and respectful way."

    See publication

  • 50 Fierce Women You Need To Know

    Chicago Woman Magazine

    One of 50 women recognized by Chicago Woman Magazine for their example and inspiration.
    "...these women are from all walks of life and are leaving a distinctive mark on the world while paving new paths for the women that follow behind."
    "What makes me fierce is that I am fearless. I am not afraid to tackle new challenges and look at them as opportunities to create positive change in many arenas; in school and other not-for profit organizations, in family life, in the community and…

    One of 50 women recognized by Chicago Woman Magazine for their example and inspiration.
    "...these women are from all walks of life and are leaving a distinctive mark on the world while paving new paths for the women that follow behind."
    "What makes me fierce is that I am fearless. I am not afraid to tackle new challenges and look at them as opportunities to create positive change in many arenas; in school and other not-for profit organizations, in family life, in the community and church. I rarely take no for an answer and look for ways to get to yes. Lastly, I am not a procrastinator. I prefer to move forward, gathering people and resources to solve a problem." Venita Fields

    See publication

Projects

Honors & Awards

  • 2021 NACD Directorship 100 Honorees

    National Association of Corporate Directors

    Selected for inclusion and honored by the NACD with 100 Board Leaders in 2021

  • 2021 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A

    Mergers & Acquisitions Magazine

    One of 35 Women recognized by Mergers & Acquisitions Magazine

  • 2020 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A

    Mergers & Acquisitions Magazine

    Venita Fields of Pelham S2K named to 2020 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A.

    https://www.themiddlemarket.com/news/venita-fields-of-pelham-s2k-named-to-2020-most-influential-women-in-mid-market-m-a

  • Mergers & Acquisitions’ 2019 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A

    Mergers & Acquisitions Magazine

    https://www.themiddlemarket.com/list/most-influential-women-q-a-venita-fields-pelham-s2k-managers

  • 2018 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A

    Mergers & Acquisitions Magazine| The MiddleMarket.com

    Honored by Mergers & Acquisitions as one of thirty-five women who has achieved top-tier status in the private equity industry.

  • 2017 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A

    Mergers & Acquisitions Magazine| The MiddleMarket.com

    Honored by Mergers & Acquisitions as one of thirty-five women who has achieved top-tier status in the private equity industry.

  • Business Leader of Color

    Chicago United

    Recognized by Chicago United as one of 48 Business Leaders of Color in the Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area in 2005

  • Consumer Deal of the Year

    The M&A Advisor

    Smith Whiley and Company received "The Consumer Deal of the Year " award for its investment in Aquion Water Treatment Products, a portfolio company of the firm's Pelham Fund, II, Limited Partnership. Ms. Fields accepted the award on behalf of the Fund for her role as originator of the investment.

  • Woman of Achievement Award

    YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago

    Honored at the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago 32nd Annual Leader Luncheon. One of five women honored.

Languages

  • English

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