SLC: When you tell people or friends what you do what is the one assumption they make?
Alexis Geocaris:That it’s all glitz and glamour. They hear about the events we sponsor and think that’s my entire job. But the reality is, I spend just as much time in Englewood, Washington Park, Chatham, Humboldt Park and the other neighborhoods we serve through our grantmaking efforts. People are always surprised to hear that, and are even more surprised when I tell them that’s my favorite part of the job. I find it incredibly rewarding to actually meet the people whose lives are being changed by these important programs throughout the city.
Alexis Geocaris is 2nd Vice President / Senior Program Officer in Community Affairs at Northern Trust Bank. But really what does that mean? We wanted to find out more about what her day and role actually entails and so we followed along.
Northern Trust Bank is committed to the community so in that vein they support different non-profit and community enhacing intiatives through grants and other efforts. Part of Alexis’ job is to engage with the organizations that submit grant proposal and get an understanding of what they do.
SLC: Does it ever happen that you’re unable to find a grantee to receive a grant?
AG: No, in fact it’s quite the opposite. Our grantmaking process is highly competitive and the need for corporate funding is only growing, so unfortunately we actually have to decline quite a few requests each year. To give you some insight to our process with the Northern Trust Charitable Trust, we complete an initial level of screening before inviting organizations to submit a full proposal. This helps determine if it is a good fit from both a programmatic and geographic perspective. From there, we conduct a thorough review of the organization’s community impact, leadership, financial strength, and several other factors before meeting as a committee to make the final decision.
SLC: Are you involved in the revision process of grant proposals?
AG: Yes, very much so. I am responsible for conducting site visits as well as reviewing their applications. I then present my recommendation to a committee of Northern Trust employees who issue the final vote.
The day began with a site to visit to the CARA Program in the West Loop. The organization helps people that may have been incarcerated, homeless get back into the work force. This specific morning we had the oppotunity to partake in their motivational morning.
After a few other meetings through the day, we met up with Alexis at Vernissage. Her company Northern Trust was the sponsor of the EXPO Chicago opening reception, which we covered HERE.
SLC: What was your background in terms of career prior to working at Northern Trust?
AG: In a way, the foundation for my career started in college when I played Division I volleyball for the University of Virginia. That experience taught me a lot about leadership, balancing multiple commitments and working as part of a team towards one common goal. I’ve been at Northern Trust for almost my entire professional career, which is not uncommon at the bank. After returning to Chicago from Charlottesville, I cobbled together a few part time jobs including a couple PR internships and a marketing role for a manufacturing company. My previous experience included an internship at W Magazine. In 2006 I was hired as a PR specialist at Northern Trust. In 2008 I transferred to New York as a marketing director for the northeast region, which included New York, Boston, Connecticut, Delaware and the opening of our Washington DC office in 2011. It was an incredible experience and there’s nothing like New York, but after four years I was ready to come home to Chicago. I’ve been a senior program officer in community affairs for Northern Trust since January 2012.
SLC: The events you attend on behalf of Northern Trust, are they often related to non-profits, or is it more of an “extra” perk
AG:Attending charitable events is part of the job, and a perk as well. Northern Trust invests in many charitable sponsorships throughout the year, often including our executive management as chairs, awardees or hosts of the events. It is my responsibility to help manage those relationships with the nonprofits, make sure Northern Trust is well represented and that all parties are prepared to fulfill their respective roles. We view such events not only as effective branding opportunities, but also as a way to connect with our clients and develop relationships around important causes.
SLC: What board(s) are you currently involved in?
AG: I’m currently a member of the United Way Young Leaders Society and I sit on the nominating committee for the Association of Fundraising Professionals. I’ve been very thoughtful about my community involvement and have taken time to gain an understanding of Chicago’s philanthropic landscape over the past year and a half. That said, I am in the process of speaking with an organization right now and hope to know in the next few months if I’ll be joining their auxiliary board as well.
SLC: What are you staple work outfits?
AG: The ideal outfit for me is a dress I can wear from day-to-night. A simple shift dress with a cardigan or blazer than can be accessorized for an evening event…and you’ll almost always find me in my L.K. Bennett pumps.
SLC: What did you think of EXPO Chicago
I think EXPO Chicago has been great for the city, and under Tony Karman’s leadership it has really helped raise visibility and credibility around Chicago’s contemporary art scene. I’m also thrilled that institutions like the Museum of Contemporary Art and Northern Trust are getting involved. Plus, the crowd at the Vernissage opening event was spectacular.
SLC: As a next generation philanthropic and civic leader in the city what do you hope the current leaders can do to leave a lasting legacy the new gen can carry on?
AG:
I think Chicago has an incredible civic tradition, led by several well-known institutions and families that are fully committed to making Chicago a better place to work and live. However, I fear we’re at risk of losing that sense of civic responsibility with the shift in wealth from baby boomers to their children. So I challenge myself and my peers to continue to make philanthropy a priority, to get involved as early as possible and to make it our own. Liam Krehbiel, founder and CEO of A Better Chicago, is a stellar example of someone doing just that. It’s also great to see Chicago striving to be a center for entrepreneurship and innovation. Hopefully that will create a whole new crop of corporate and individual philanthropists with fresh ideas for collaboration around some of the greatest challenges our communities face.
with contribution from Bisola Sosan
