Brian Bannon

Brian Bannon serves as Commissioner & CEO of Chicago Public Library. Appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2012, Bannon is charged with the oversight of the $130 million urban public library system that serves more than 10 million visitors annually through a network of 80 libraries. CPL is the largest and most visited civic institution in Chicago and is among the largest urban public library systems in the world. Under his leadership, CPL has been recognized as a top U.S. urban library and has won numerous awards and accolades including the National Medal for Museum and Library Service and being named the best urban public library in the United States. Bannon is a recognized leader in the government and nonprofit sectors and known for driving growth and impact within large complex organizations.

Prior to this role, Bannon held a variety of leadership positions within the San Francisco Public Library, Seattle Public Library and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He received his master of library and information science from the University of Washington Information School, his BA in LGBT Studies from Pacific Lutheran University and he is a 2017 Henry Crown Fellow within the Aspen Global Leadership Network.