NBC legend Lester Holt to keynote Better Business Bureau’s 100th anniversary celebration at Navy Pier
The Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois will host its centennial celebration at Navy Pier on April 22, 2026.
Lester Holt, a renowned NBC News anchor and Chicago native, will be the keynote speaker.
The Chicago BBB, formed on April 22, 1926, began as a group of Chicago business leaders who joined together to call out false claims in advertising and create a trustworthy marketplace. The group was led by Elmer Wieboldt, CEO of retailer Wieboldt’s.
“As I reflect on my 38 years with the BBB, I couldn’t be more excited to share this announcement, especially as we approach our historic 100th anniversary celebration next April,” said Steve J. Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau. “It is a true honor to welcome Lester Holt as our centennial keynote speaker. His deep roots in Chicago and unwavering commitment to trust and integrity align perfectly with the BBB’s core values. As one of the most respected journalists in the nation, Lester has brought global stories into the homes of millions, and we are proud to welcome him back to the city he once called home.”
Holt is an award-winning journalist at NBC News and anchor of “Dateline NBC.” Previously, he was the anchor and managing editor of “NBC Nightly News” for a decade, leading NBC News’ coverage of major breaking news and political events, including presidential elections and debates.
Holt has served as principal anchor of “Dateline” since September 2011 and joined NBC News in 2000. In 2025, he released his first Dateline original podcast, “The Last Appeal.”
One of Holt’s trademarks is his on-the-ground reporting and his commitment to providing viewers with first-person accounts when disaster and tragedy strikes, Bernas said.
Holt has reported from around the world, including from Israel following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack as the only broadcast news anchor to be on the ground during the first two weeks of the war in Gaza; Ukraine following Russia’s invasion in 2022; Tehran, Iran in 2019, where he received rare access and interviewed top diplomats and the Iranian foreign minister; Manchester, Brussels and Paris following the 2017 terror attacks; and Hungary during the 2015 migrant crisis in Europe.
During his tenure as anchor of “NBC Nightly News,” he has interviewed numerous world leaders, U.S. presidents, CEOs, politicians, and notable public figures. He also conducted the final interview with President Joe Biden before he dropped out of the 2024 presidential race. Holt also moderated the first presidential debate of 2016 — the most-watched debate in American history.
Over the past several years, Holt has been a leading broadcast journalist on criminal justice reform. In 2019, he led the Emmy-nominated and groundbreaking series, “Justice for All,” across all NBC News platforms and Dateline.
Holt has been recognized with numerous honors, including multiple Emmy Awards, the National Press Club Fourth Estate award, the Edward R. Murrow Lifetime Achievement award, and the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism. In 2022, he was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters, the same year NBC Nightly News received the 2022 Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Newscast.
BBB of Chicago and Northern Illinois is a nonprofit organization that has served consumers and local businesses for 99 years and is a part of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus (IABBB), the network hub for BBBs in the U.S. and Canada.