CHICAGO ART DECO SOCIETY

JEFFREY KRUSE

Jeff Kruse is an Evanston native that has returned to the Chicago area in recent years and now calls it home. He currently works as the Director of Operations of Edgar Miller Legacy, a non-profit dedicated to the preservation and education of the works and history of one of Chicago’s great 20th century master artist-designers. Through that, he has enjoyed expanding his interest and knowledge of modern design movements that have greatly shaped the iconic look and feel of Chicago through to today.

Jeff has had a long-standing passion for architecture and art design, having studied and lived in some of the great Art Deco cities of the world; he is a graduate of New York University in New York, and Fudan University in Shanghai, China. His particular interests include design work that incorporates vernacular and traditional motifs from non-Western cultures, in topics ranging from Eastern influence on French decorative work in the 1920s to Mayan revival architecture in Mexican design. 

TREASURER

SCOTT GRUBCZAK

Scott Grubczak was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and currently works in banking. Scott serves on the Finance Committee and assists the Treasurer with managing and monitoring CADS finance's. His passion for Art Deco took roots and grew throughout his childhood with every family visit to downtown Chicago.

EBONY SMITH

ANN MARIE DEL MONICO

Ann Marie is currently a member of CADS and serves on the board. Art Deco has appealed to her for as long as she can remember and greatly influenced her career in interior design. She enjoys sharing all things "Deco" with our members.

Ms Del Monico is also on the condominium board of the Art Deco styled building where she resides. She spearheads the Design Committee and works to preserve the Art Deco style in their planned renovations.

RICHARD FRIEDMAN

Richard is a managing member of the Chicago law firm of Neal & Leroy, LCC, where he concentrates in land use law, litigation, municipal law and historic preservation. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urban-Champaign and the University of Chicago Law School.

Richard has a special interest in the 1933-4 A Century of Progress International Exposition and is a fan of Art Deco Archtecture. He joined CADS soon after the organization was formed. He has been active in supporting historic preservation, having served on the Board of Landmarks Illinois for six years, and also as its General Counsel and Secretary. In addition Mr. Friedman teaches Historic Preservation Law in the graduate program of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Chicago Law School.

JOE LOUNDY

MARY MILLER

Mary is a retired CPA and long-time resident of Evanston. Mary's primary interests are preservation and education. She is active in the Volunteer Corps at the Art Institute of Chicago and has served on various Boards, serving preservation interests and the special needs population.

DAVID NITECKI

Bio to come.

KEVIN PALMER

Kevin’s interest in art deco began over 15 years ago when he and his partner began collecting art deco pottery, art, statuary, and furniture. Kevin has been involved with CADS for the past five years as a board member and has been actively serving on the Social Committee to plan many of CADS’ social activities, including the annual picnic and outings to many of the Chicago area's finest art deco locations.  

Kevin has been a high school social studies teacher for 28 years and for most of those years he has taught a course with an emphasis on art and architecture and found a true love of all things inter-war/art deco. Kevin has a B.A. in Political Science and an M.A. in History, both from Indiana University. Besides serving on the board of CADS, Kevin is also a board member of the Swedish-American Museum of Chicago and the Palmer Square Park Advisory Board. 

JEFF SOUVA

Since his first introduction to CADS at a fundraiser for the Chicago Motor Club, Jeff has enjoyed exploring Chicago's Art Deco history through the social and educational programming offered by the organization.  He appreciates design and architecture of many styles, and is especially attracted to the clean, horizontal lines of Streamline Moderne design.

In addition to CADS, Jeff is a professional fundraiser for a national civil rights organization and, more locally, serves as a representative on Chicago's 46th Ward Zoning and Development Advisory Committee.