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(1915 - 1976) |
| Inducted: |
1987 |
Tom Pendergast’s work provided the solid base on which Junior Achievement’s dynamic growth has taken place. For more than a quarter of a century Pendergast brought innovative programming to the greater Chicago area.
Pendergast began with JA of Chicago in 1945, and was COO of the operation throughout his career. He started with 500 students at a time when the National JA network was just beginning to develop. By the time he retired in 1973, more than 7,000 Achievers went through the Chicago JA program each year, making it the largest area in the nation.
Pendergast served as chairman of the Midwest Regional Staff Conference, and was on the planning committee for numerous national conferences. He was a founding member of the Metropolitan Area Group, which is now called the President’s Roundtable. He co-authored the first metropolitan area operations manual.
In the 1960s, Pendergast provided important tactical expertise in helping to weave policies that today form the fabric of the relationship between JA Headquarters and Area Offices. His ability to organize and funnel board leadership culminated in an outstanding reputation for area fundraising.
In his personal life, Tom Pendergast stood as a role model for students, young executives, and CEOs alike. He maintained a calendar heavily committed to community involvement in organizations that included the Chicago Economics Club and the Public Relations Society of America. He was appointed by the governor as a trustee of the Illinois Council on Economic Education. And in the mid-1960s, he received the George Washington honor medal from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, recognizing his significant efforts in economic education.
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