The Chicago History Museum (CHM) announced that Donald E. Lassere—president of the Muhammad Ali Center and Museum (MAC) in Louisville, Kentucky—will succeed Gary T. Johnson as Museum president.
Johnson is retiring after more than 15 years as president at CHM.
Born in Chicago, Lassere and his family moved several times during his youth before returning to the city, where he graduated from Percy Julian High School. He has been president and CEO of MAC since 2012; before his work there, Lassere served in numerous roles, including senior vice president for Scholarship America, where he led Scholarship Management Services, the nation's largest administrator of education assistance programs.
Lassere is active in several community organizations and committees. He is board chair of the Louisville Visitor and Convention Bureau, served as a member of the selection committee for the Grawemeyer Award in Education and was a board member of the Louisville Downtown Development Corporation, among other organizations.
Johnson will remain president of CHM while Lassere and his family relocate to Chicago. Lassere will begin at CHM on April 12.
