Arthur Pearson, CEO
716-665-2473 ext 224
apearson@rtpi.org
Chicago native Arthur Pearson spent twenty-five years with the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, most recently as its Director, Chicago Program. His accomplishments include orchestrating a $7 million public-private funding package to advance restoration at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. He helped numerous museums increase public access to their archival treasures. He structured a multi-faceted program to help Chicago’s small art sector build financial capacity to sustainably pursue artistic goals. He has written extensively about conservation issues and is the author of Force of Nature (University of Wisconsin Press), an award-winning biography of George Fell, founder of The Nature Conservancy, the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission and the entire Natural Areas Movement. A master craftsman, he has made numerous original, natured-based stained glass works, featured in exhibitions at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum and in the Center for Humans and Nature’s City Creatures (University of Chicago Press.) A long-time resident of Chicago’s historic Pullman community – the original company town built by railcar magnate, George Pullman – he was part of the leadership team that achieved Pullman’s dedication as a National Monument by President Obama in 2015. As founding president of PullmanArts, he sparked the transformation of two historic structures and an empty lot into a $15 million, 38-unit artist live-work space, Pullman Artspace Lofts. Arthur and his wife Susan, a consultant in energy efficiency and sustainability, are avid birders and big fans of Fika – the Swedish tradition of enjoying a mid-afternoon break of coffee and pastry.
