Our Work

Arena Partners has been privileged to work with the most respected names in the business, sports, nonprofit, academic, and public sectors. Here is a sampling of our work experience.

Defining the Future.

Northwestern University engaged Arena Partners to support a top strategic priority of the President & Provost: integrating and elevating Northwestern’s data science and artificial intelligence (DS/AI) capabilities to strengthen research excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration, and global positioning.

We led facilitation of a 24-member Steering Committee composed of senior faculty and administrators from across every school and major research unit. The Committee included leaders from medicine, engineering, business, social sciences, journalism, law, statistics, music cognition, ethics, computing infrastructure, and global affairs. Throughout the process, Arena Partners served as strategic advisor, facilitator, integrator, and execution partner; bringing discipline to a complex, multi-stakeholder effort while maintaining momentum and alignment with senior leadership priorities.

The initiative resulted in the launch of the Northwestern Network for Collaborative Initiatives (NNCI), a cross-disciplinary platform that provides a durable governance and operating framework for collaboration across schools, enabling the University to harness its full intellectual capacity in DS/AI.

Driving Innovation and Impact.

Arena Partners drove a strategic effort to establish a technology & innovation campus in Chicago, partnering with Mayors Richard Daley & Rahm Emanuel, top universities, and civic institutions, resulting in the creation of UI LABS and the Digital Manufacturing & Cybersecurity Institute (MxD), which was launched in 2014 with more than $320 million in support from the Department of Defense, leading corporations, and universities.

UI LABS campus on Goose Island in Chicago, Illinois.

Wall with interconnected white and beige hexagonal signs displaying university and company logos such as Microsoft, Siemens, CityWorks, Purdue University, University of Illinois, Nebraska Lincoln, and others.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Arena Partners' Managing Partner John Murray.

Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, Congressman Mike Quigley, and other dignitaries at the ribbon cutting for the UI LABS campus HQ.

UI LABS Industrial manufacturing facility with machinery inside a glass-walled enclosure, visible through an entrance with line markings on the floor outside.

UI LABS modern office space with desks, chairs, and computers, and a yellow wall with large white numbers 3 and 2, along with text about emerging and standard technologies, in a well-lit industrial-style building.

Inside view of a modern industrial manufacturing facility with machinery, large windows, and bright overhead lighting.

Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, Congressman Mike Quigley, and other dignitaries a press conference for UI LABS.

Going for the gold.

During a three-year effort to bring the Olympics Games back to the United States, our team was responsible for the delivery of all major milestones in a $100 million+ campaign involving thousands of volunteers, staff, vendors and VIPs. In addition to overseeing the content and design of the 300-page bid submission, we Produced the United States’ Olympic Bid final presentation in Copenhagen, Denmark, including President Obama, the First Lady, and Oprah Winfrey. Responsibilities included full event production and creative, in addition to coordination with the USOC, Team USA athletes, and City, State & National Officials to promote the interests of the United States and showcase key attributes of the Bid to the International Olympic Committee.

“There isn’t a group out there that John couldn’t unite and lead. During the Olympic Bid he served as the hub, pulling together elite athletes, volunteers, vendors and top business and political leaders from across the globe. He has the skill, finesse and charisma necessary to work effectively with the most complex organizations.” - Patrick G. Ryan, CEO, Chicago 2016

Conference room table with a microphone, glass of water, stacked notebooks, and a pen, set against a large screen displaying colorful graphics.

Large mural on a building promoting the Chicago 2016 Olympics, depicting a woman playing tennis and a woman playing volleyball in front of a stylized background with a rainbow-colored trail. The building features a water tower with a colorful star lo

Bridge over a river with a large banner promoting the Chicago 2016 Olympics that says "IMAGINE". Flags and tall buildings in the background, with construction equipment and water underneath.

Close-up of a United Airlines airplane at an airport, with 'Chicago 2016' written on the fuselage amid the airport infrastructure and other aircraft in the background.

Oprah Winfrey speaking at a podium with a backdrop of Chicago cityscape, wearing a white shirt and a pearl necklace, at a 2016 Olympic bid event.

A production control room with multiple computer monitors and screens displaying a televised event, with people working at desks and audio/video equipment.

Arena Partners' Managing Partner John Murray advising Chicago 2016 CEO Pat Ryan and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley in Copenhagen Denmark.

Michelle Obama seated at a panel with President Obama during the 2009 Copenhagen Olympics conference, with other officials behind them.

Arena Partners' Managing Partner John Murray consulting with President Barack Obama and White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett.

News anchors and Olympic athletes gathered in a television studio with NBC5 branding, posing for a photo during the Chicago 2016 Olympics.

Two women and two men handshake and smile at each other during a professional event, with others in the background near large windows.

Dreaming Big.

It all begins with an idea. In this case, how do we reinvent the way the world’s most trusted non-profit brand connects with its donor community and reach new audiences? The answer: create St. Jude Dream, an epic food & music festival inspired by the vision of the organization’s founder, Danny Thomas, and his dream for curing childhood cancer and grow it to become one of the top-grossing annual events for the organizations nationally.

“John was critical to driving the event concept, strategy and execution of St. Jude Dream Chicago. Arena Partners helped us think big with events that delivered unique guest experiences and high-performing event results.” - Peter Bower, Area Executive Director, ALSAC-St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Photo of downtown Chicago skyline at dusk with Skydome and large white 'ST. JUDE' letters in the foreground.

A server wearing a white t-shirt with colorful text that says 'St. Jude Dream Chicago' is holding a plate of appetizers or small sandwiches at an outdoor event. The background shows other people standing around.

People walking up colorful stairs outdoors, with greenery on the sides.

Two women taking a selfie at an event, both smiling and dressed in summer clothes, with people in the background looking at their phones.

Statue of Jesus Christ holding a medallion and staff, set against a backdrop of modern skyscrapers and a blue sky in a city.

Outdoor event setup with wooden tables, white chairs, and floral centerpieces on a green lawn in an urban park, with a stage, tents, and tall buildings in the background.

Tourists taking photos in front of large white letters spelling 'ST. JUDE' with a globe and international flags behind them, at an outdoor event near a modern building.

Two women at a food stall exchanging plates of spaghetti at an outdoor event, with other people in the background under a canopy.

A glass vase filled with yellow carnations on a table, with a card indicating a partnership with St. Jude Dream Chicago, in a blurred outdoor setting.

Musicians performing on stage at a music festival, including a man in a hat and sunglasses singing and playing guitar, a saxophonist, and a drummer, with a banner in the background reading 'FESTA RICA'.

A volunteer with short blond hair, wearing glasses and a red shirt with "VOLUNTEER" printed on the back, is drawing on a large white wall filled with colorful doodles, including a rainbow, heart shapes, butterflies, flowers, and balloons.

Two framed pictures displayed on a wall covered with green foliage, with reflections showing buildings and sky.

Crowd of people at an outdoor event, some cheering and raising hands, with city buildings in the background during early evening.

Rising Up.

When challenged with developing a strategy to increase winter visitation to the City of Chicago, Arena Partners decided to lean into the City’s biggest perceived detractor and “embrace the cold” with an outdoor celebration of the holidays. The result: Chi-Town Rising, a nationally televised mega-event, landed Chicago on multiple top-ten lists of holiday destinations, attracting 3.5 million TV viewers across 45+ markets, generating 2.3 billion media impressions globally for the City and event sponsors,, and driving $40 million in economic impact, including double digit increases in hotel demand and rates.

“Arena’s innovative thinking and attention to detail are nothing short of remarkable. They quickly comprehend complex issues, take on the burden as though it is their own, and come up with unique and innovative solutions to drive results. Throughout planning, preparation and execution, they keep their eyes on every detail while never losing site of the goal.” - Don Welsh, CEO, Choose Chicago

Nighttime cityscape with a large star-shaped decoration displaying a building image on a building facade. The building is a historic skyscraper with clock towers. Surrounding buildings are lit with interior lights, and streetlights are visible.

Person holding a glow stick with the text 'Chinatown Rising' at an outdoor nighttime event with a stage, performers, and colorful lights.

Woman wearing a leopard print hat, large 'Happy New Year' glasses, and a colorful scarf, standing in front of a city square decorated with colorful lights at night.

People decorating a stall with red Chinese lanterns and decorations at an outdoor festival during evening, with city buildings illuminated in the background.

Night scene at an outdoor event with a tent and string lights, a projected sign reading 'BEACH HOUSE' on the tent roof, and buildings with lit windows in the background.

A large illuminated star displayed on the side of a tall building at night, as part of the City of Chicago New year's Eve celebration.

Nighttime view of a stage with lighting and a sign that reads 'Chi Town Rising', with a large illuminated star decoration on a tall building.

American Authors' lead singer Zac Barnett singing into a microphone on stage with a large audience for Chicago's New Year's Eve celebration.

NBC's Mario Lopez emceeing the City of Chicago New Year's Eve telecast produced by Arena Partners.

The band Chicago performing live on New Year's Eve.

Fireworks display over a crowd gathered at a New Year's celebration in Chicago, with a stage and large sign reading 'Chi-Town Rising' and 'Happy New Year 2016'.

Fireworks exploding over skyscrapers in a city at night, with bright red and white colors illuminating the sky.