John Atkinson

John Atkinson is a Managing Director leading one of Marsh’s fastest growing businesses in the US and Canada, and he serves as Chairman of Marsh’s Chicago office where he helps lead civic and community engagement for the firm and supports the leadership team in growing Marsh’s business in the Midwest. John is a recognized leader in the risk and human capital space. He has spent his career building companies and teams focused on helping clients navigate complex business problems.

In 2019, Illinois Governor Pritzker appointed John as Chairman of the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE). IBHE is the coordinating body which oversees higher education for the State. John recently led the board’s development of a new equity focused strategic plan for higher education in Illinois.

John also serves as the Chairman of the State Universities Retirement System of Illinois (SURS), a $27 billion pension fund serving over 236,000 members throughout the world. John is a Director at Cradles to Crayons, as well as Argentum, a leading national trade organization serving the senior living industry. John also serves on the Advisory Committee of the American Seniors Housing Association. He is a member of the Board of Regents of Loyola University Chicago and the Board of Advisors of Catholic Charities of Chicago.

John and his wife have four children and reside in the suburbs of Chicago.