Cherryl Thomas

Cherryl Thomas has over 40 years of experience successfully directing, managing, maintaining and administering various high-profile projects and budgets. She founded Ardmore Associates in 2003 and merged with The Roderick Group in 2018 to form Ardmore Roderick, where she currently serves as chief strategic officer.

Cherryl has worked for the City of Chicago Departments of Public Works, Water, Aviation and Buildings, and as deputy chief of staff for Infrastructure in the Mayor’s Office. She retired as Commissioner of Buildings for the City of Chicago to accept an appointment by President Clinton as chairman of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board.

She received her Bachelor’s in biology and Chemistry from Marquette University, her Master’s in physiology from the University of Illinois, and her Honorary PhD from Boston College. Organizations that Cherryl is a part of include After School Matters — life director, Big Shoulders Fund, Choose Chicago Board, Chicago Zoological Society Board president, Lyric Opera Board, Polk Brothers Foundation Board, Loyola University (Arrupe College), Marquette University, Life Trustee, Helen Brach Foundation Board, The Economic Club of Chicago, and the Chicago Public Library Foundation. Corporate Boards include AWi, Wintrust Bank, and Spraying Systems.