Citing his rare ability to turn visionary ideas into impactful realities throughout Illinois and beyond, Governor JB Pritzker awarded Larry Gies (ACCY ’88) the 2026 Order of Lincoln. This is the state’s highest honor, recognizing individuals for their outstanding professional achievement and dedicated public service.
“Larry has a rare ability to see potential where others see challenges,” said W. Brooke Elliott, Josef and Margot Lakonishok Professor in Business and Dean of Gies College of Business. “Whether he is innovating through Madison Industries or transforming the landscape of business education and Illinois athletics, he embodies the very spirit of the Order of Lincoln –leadership, service, and a relentless drive to make the world better for everyone.”
A Legacy of Impact
Gies is the founder and CEO of Madison Industries, one of the largest and most successful privately held companies in the world. It is dedicated to making the world safer, healthier, and more productive by creating innovative solutions in industries including filtration, medical diagnostics, life sciences, and safety equipment.
“Being named a Lincoln Laureate is an honor and a testament to the incredible community we’ve built here in Illinois,” said Gies. “Both at Madison and at the University, we’ve proved that when you empower people with the right tools and a sense of purpose, they can truly change the world. I am incredibly proud to receive this award and to continue finding ways to give back to the state that has given me so many amazing opportunities to have a positive impact.”
A Historic Commitment to His Alma Mater
Gies’ commitment to his alma mater has been transformational across both academics and athletics:
- Gies College of Business: In October 2017, Gies made an unprecedented $150 million investment in the College, marking a turning point in its history. The support has since translated into dramatically increased need-based scholarships, expanded academic offerings, and new research initiatives that have allowed the College to attract and retain world-class faculty.
- Fighting Illini Athletics: In September 2025, Gies made a $100 million gift to the Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) – the largest in its history. In recognition of this support, the University’s football stadium was renamed Gies Memorial Stadium to honor his late father, Larry Gies, Sr., a US Army veteran.
- Engagement: Gies regularly returns to campus to speak with students, teach courses, and inspire faculty, staff, and leadership. He gives generously of his time to show students and student-athletes what real engagement looks like and how to make a lasting impact beyond financial investment.
The 2026 Order of Lincoln Recipients
The award ceremony will take place on April 11, 2026, in Edwardsville, IL. Alongside Gies, the 2026 Lincoln Laureates include: Valerie Jarrett, former Presidential advisor and CEO of the Obama Foundation; Blair Kamin, Pulitzer Prize-winning architectural critic for the Chicago Tribune; Reginald Petty, noted educator, civil rights activist, and historian, and Jesse White, Illinois’ longest-serving Secretary of State and founder of the Jesse White Tumblers.
The Order of Lincoln was established in 1964 by Proclamation of Illinois Governor Otto Kerner, Jr., to honor individuals whose contributions to the betterment of humanity have been accomplished in Illinois, or, whose achievements have brought honor to the state because of their identity with it, whether by birth or residence, or whose dedication to the principles of public service inspire all Illinoisans to respond to what Lincoln called “the better angels of our nature”.