White Eagle aims to end gender bias, help where she can

Wendy K. White Eagle of Campton Hills is CEO of Native Capital Investment Inc., and has been helping more than her own Ho-Chunk Nation.

She is committed to ending gender bias throughout the entire Chicago region with a new group in the Western suburbs.

The Western Suburbs Giving Circle is a group where its members commit their own time, money and resources to help end gender bias. It is an extension of the Chicago Foundation for Women where White Eagle is its chairwoman of the board. The foundation supports human rights and equal opportunities for women and girls and it had spearheaded "The 100 Percent Project," which aims to end gender bias by 2030 in this area.

White Eagle is leading the charge with the Western Suburbs Giving Circle and realizes it is an immense project. They intend to talk with as many people and groups to see what their biggest issues are, what should be done about them and address how to end gender bias.

"We want to make sure we're serving people in a good way," said White Eagle, 56.

She formed her international investment advisory firm in 2003 in Maple Park after a request from some people she had helped with a transaction.

"The entrepreneurial bug hit me a long time ago," she said.

White Eagle was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin.

She also followed various jobs to different cities, from the Silicon Valley to Ohio to Maine.

In about 2000, she came to the Chicago area and pursued a career in the financial industry.

In addition to ending gender bias, she continues to make strides as a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, Eagle Clan, where her father and grandfather were chiefs.

"Being a part of the Eagle Clan, we're raised with the intend that we'll be leaders," she said. "But that's not just given to you, you have to earn it."

Since she had first hand knowledge of tribal operations from strategic planning to business development, she was often sought for guidance on financial matters, she said.

"I came to realize they didn't know the right questions to ask, and after I helped them, they came back to me later and wanted me to be their financial adviser," she said.

FastTracks

Linda Barrett has opened Linda Barrett Productions in Cary. The photographer provides lifestyle photography, social media and boutique branding for small businesses. ... Pat Ryan is the new vice president general manager of the Illinois Material Handling's Bolingbrook facility. The company is a member of the Wolter Group LLC. ... Daniel Ambrose is the new as chief financial officer of Northwestern College, headquartered in Rosemont. ... Brian M. Novak is the new director of sales and preconstruction at Northern Builders Inc. ... Genelle Iocca of Lisle is the new general manager of the Lincolnwood Town Center.

June McCrory and her property management team at The Missner Group LLC in Des Plaines were honored when the firm was named Property Management Company of the Year by the Institute of Real Estate Management's Chicago chapter. The award, recognizing excellence and outstanding contributions in property management, was presented at the 12th Annual IREM Chicago Premier Awards Gala held at the Drake Hotel of Chicago earlier this month.

John Piechocinski of Plainfield has served as head custodian for the Plainfield Community Consolidated School District since 1986 and returns to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund board of trustees for his second term as employee trustee.

John Hammond, senior vice president of wealth management; Thomas Kilborn, managing director; Benjamin Klein, managing director; Rod Loewenthal, managing director of wealth management; and Steven K. Porter, managing director, all based in Northbrook; and David Sheppard, managing director based in Deer Park, have all been recognized recently on Barron's "America's Top 1,200 Advisors: State-by-State List."

• There's more to business than just the bottom line. We want to tell you about the people that make business work. Send news about people in business to akukec@dailyherald.com. Follow Anna Marie Kukec on LinkedIn and Facebook and as AMKukec on Twitter.