Mike Scudder and Sasha Gerritson have been elected chair and vice chair of the board of trustees (Photos courtesy of Mike Scudder and Sasha Gerritson)
On May 30, the board of trustees elected Mike Scudder as its chair and Sasha Gerritson as its vice chair. Trustees since 2017 and 2012, respectively, both will serve three-year terms, effective July 1.
“Throughout their tenure, and particularly as vice chairs in the past two years, Mike and Sasha have been instrumental to our board. Their unwavering commitment to DePaul’s mission and insightful guidance have instilled a deep sense of confidence in their expertise,” President Robert L. Manuel says. “Their unique blend of skills — Mike’s extensive knowledge in banking and finance, and Sasha’s rich background in music, theatre and non-profit leadership — serves as a valuable asset. As we navigate through current challenges, their collective expertise will help to guide our strategic focus on long-term financial planning, philanthropy and program distinction and expansion.”
Mike Scudder is the retired executive chairman of the board of directors of Old National Bancorp, the 6th largest commercial bank headquartered in the Midwest and one of the 35 largest in the nation. He previously served as the chairman and chief executive officer of First Midwest Bancorp, Inc. from 2017 and 2008, respectively, until its merger with Old National in February 2022. Scudder held various executive leadership roles during his 37 years at First Midwest, including serving as the Company’s president from 2007 to 2008 and chief financial officer from 2002 to 2007.
Scudder has served in numerous civic and philanthropic roles over the course of his career. He currently serves as vice chairman of the board of directors of Silver Cross Hospital, and as a member of the executive committee of DePaul's John L. Keeley Center for Financial Services. He also serves on the board of the Will County Center for Economic Development and its executive committee. Scudder is a long-standing member of the Illinois Bankers Association, an inaugural member of the Federal Reserve’s Midwest Community Bank Advisory Board, Chairman of the ABA’s CEO Council for Mid-Sized Banks and served as member of the Board Directors of the American Bankers Association. Scudder was also a founding member and Chairman of the First Midwest Charitable Foundation. Scudder earned a Bachelor of Arts in accounting from Illinois Wesleyan University and an MBA with a concentration in finance from DePaul University.
A graduate of DePaul’s School of Music, Sasha Gerritson was honored in 2005 as the Distinguished Alumna of the Year. She holds degrees in opera performance, French and vocal pedagogy from Northeastern Illinois University and DePaul University and studied choral conducting at Westminster College in New Jersey.
She is a highly sought after opera and musical theater stage director who directs shows for many local and regional companies, specializing in traditional productions of beloved repertoire. For Music Theater Works she recently directed Lerner & Loewe’s “Brigadoon” (2023) and Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” (2022) both to great critical acclaim. She also directs regularly for the Opera Festival of Chicago, receiving praise for her productions of “Assassinio nella Cathedrale” (2023) and Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut” (2024).
Gerritson served as the Opera and Music Theatre director of Northeastern Illinois University from 2010-2022, has directed for Musica Nelle Marche (Urbino, Italy), Opera Piccola, DePaul University and the Cherub Music Theatre program for Northwestern University, in addition to various other summer programs in the area. She has also worked for many of Chicago's highest-level arts organizations, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Children's Choir and MERIT School of Music.
In addition to her stage direction work, Gerritson is a choral conductor and singer, serving as the Director of Music Ministries for the Park Ridge Community Church. She also proudly serves on a number of boards city wide, including The Brookfield Zoo, the Navy Pier Foundation and the Goodman Theatre.
Gerritson lives in Glenview with her husband Eugene Jarvis and their two sons.