33rd annual
Reach for Excellence Awards Gala
Recognizing Glenn Wilke
Thank you for visiting this page. As a friend of Glenn Wilke, you know how important the mission of Midtown-Metro is to him. You may also know that he shies away from any kind of recognition or celebration of his accomplishments.
Glenn has made a huge impact on thousands of students, staff, and volunteers throughout his 22+ years as an employee and 40+ years as a Midtown tutor and mentor. This year, we are delighted to recognize Glenn at the 33rd Annual Reach for Excellence Awards Gala.
We invite you to celebrate this special occasion and to show your support by attending the gala on November 4. Or, if you are not able to attend, we encourage you to make a contribution in his honor.
Your contribution will not only pay tribute to Glenn but also support Midtown-Metro’s important work.
Please use one of the links below to register or make your gift in honor of Glenn.
Glenn Wilke
Executive Director Emeritus,
Midtown-Metro Achievement Centers
To those who know him, Glenn Wilke is the ultimate “people person.”
Chicago born and bred, Glenn began his involvement with the Midtown Center for boys in 1976 as a volunteer tutor and mentor. He continued in this capacity throughout a twenty-year career as Director of Marketing and Business Management with ConAgra Foods, whose earnings grew substantially during that time. Glenn had earlier earned a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from the University of Illinois in Chicago.
Glenn made a dramatic career change in 2001. He joined what was then Midtown Educational Foundation as Director of External Affairs and Annual Giving and shifted his marketing skills toward helping close the achievement gap for disadvantaged kids in Chicago. In his first year he successfully worked with others to turn the organization around financially. He accepted the post of Executive Director in 2004.
Glenn’s strengths go far beyond fundraising. They include building great teams, taking responsibility when things go wrong, and giving employees due credit. Thousands of youngsters from the city’s toughest neighborhoods have benefited from his leadership: For twenty-four consecutive years, 100% of Midtown/Metro students have graduated from high school and enrolled in college, a rare statistic for any organization serving low-income families.
Glenn is known to be pleasantly persistent in seeking funds for the organization. But he also walks the walk by himself demonstrating generosity on a daily basis to everyone around him: sharing a joke or an optimistic viewpoint, donating personally to the causes of others, shoveling snow to dislodge a parked car in Chicago’s infamous winter, driving a long distance to help someone clear a flooded basement, readily offering cough drops, and even sharing from his treasured store of dark chocolate.
Glenn is a member of the Board of Directors of Character.org, a Washington D.C.-based organization committed to fostering civic virtue and moral character, particularly in youth.
Glenn Wilke has been called the “heart and soul” of Midtown-Metro. In 2023 he was named Executive Director Emeritus of Midtown-Metro Achievement Centers.
According to Midtown-Metro Board member John Conroy, who served as Board President during most of Glenn’s tenure, “Glenn will go down in history as one of the organization’s greatest leaders and champions.”