Shari Giddens Named a Crain’s Chicago Notable Leader in Communications

Shari Giddens, our Director of Marketing and Brand, has been named to Crain’s Chicago Business’s 2026 Notable Leaders in Communications.

If you’ve read our newsletter, visited our website, or seen one of our deal announcements, you’ve seen Shari’s work. For eight years, she has built Ravinia’s marketing function: the brand, the website, the content program, and the award submissions behind our own recognition.

Her biggest project so far was our 2024 rebrand and website relaunch. It gave us one look and one voice across every channel. Since then, website traffic is up 55% and organic search is up 60%. She keeps it going with more than 40 original pieces a year.

Shari also gives her time beyond Ravinia. She serves on the Advisory Board of the Chicagoland Industrial Retention Network, which helps Chicago-area manufacturers with succession planning, industrial retention, and employee ownership. She has also co-chaired the Petach Tikva Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International since 2020, supporting cultural and economic exchange between Chicago and Petach Tikva, Israel.

Congratulations, Shari, from all of us. https://www.chicagobusiness.com/