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Episode 003 – Deryl McKissack, CEO and President, McKissack & McKissack

Deryl McKissack shares a candid conversation on her history and success. She sheds light on how family legacy, a desire to fight for equity in a white and male-dominated industry, and building bridges led to the rise of one of the nation’s top architectural firms!

0:22 – Intro to Deryl
1:10 – Family History
4:13 – Early career experiences and what they meant for larger decisions.
10:00 – Racial biases in early career stages from Deryl
12:18 – What was the first big break for Deryl?
17:25 – Chicago landscape and what role the city plays for Deryl
19:09 – Deryl discusses trajectory of local Chicago projects
21:24 – What makes Chicago great for doing business and what makes it a challenge?
23:40 – Discussion about the racial gaps in moving toward equity in Chicago
26:10 – Discussion of stakeholder and project management
28:32 – Purpose in leadership
31:23 – What would you have changed as you scaled your business up?
32:04 – Discussion of the importance of diversity through mentors
33:55 – Giving all members of the team a seat at the table to come up with possible solutions to problems.
42:53 – Opportunity to shift the architecture industry

Follow Deryl: Twitter | LinkedIn
Follow McKissick & McKissick: Twitter | Instagram

Host: Margaret Mueller, CEO & President, The Executives’ Club of Chicago
Producer: Eva Penar, Chief Content & Communications Officer, The Executives’ Club of Chicago

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