2017-18 Sylvia M. Stoesser Lecture in Chemistry

 

Linda McGill-Boasmond is owner and president of Chicago-based Cedar Concepts Corporation (CCC). CCC processes raw materials for use in a wide variety of personal-care, household, industrial, and agricultural products marketed under many brand names familiar to both consumers and businesses. Her customers include Proctor & Gamble, Colgate Palmolive, Citgo Petroleum and Boeing. She runs the country’s first and only African American, woman-owned chemical manufacturing plant and just completed the process of constructing the first ground-up chemical manufacturing facility within the City of Chicago in over fifty (50) years.

She has been the proud recipient of several honorable awards of mention, a sought after speaker and profiled in several publications including: U.S. Green Building Council – Illinois Emerald Award – 2017, Women’s Business Enterprise National Council 2016 WBE Star, University of Illinois Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame Inductee – 2015, Speaker at Scripps Research Institute – 2015, Chicago Defender – Woman of Excellence – 2015, Named ‘Woman of Inspiration’ Today’s Chicago Woman – 2014, Alliance for Illinois Manufacturers – 2014 Manufacturer of the Year, Women’s Business Development Center – 2014 Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Womenetics POW! Award Honoree - 2014, Featured in Chicago Sun Times The Minority Report, January, 2014, Appeared on WCIU Uniquely Chicago - 2014, Profiled in Chicago Sun-Times – The Grid - 2013, Dr. M. L. King Jr. Boys & Girls Club Award - 2013, Received Enterprising Woman of the Year Award - 2012, Selected as one of the “Business Leaders of Color” by Chicago United, Speaker on The National Urban League’s 2009 conference business panel, Crain’s Small Business Forum featured her as a speaker for its “Women Business Owners Tell All” and “Manufacturer’s” forum, Profiled by Black Enterprise Magazine’s nationally televised “Business Report”, Harry Porterfield’s “Someone You Should Know” ABC/7 Chicago News segment, Profiled on NBC/5 Chicago, Art Norman’s Business segment,

Linda is a member of the WBENC (WBDC Chapter), NMSDC (CMBDC Chapter) ASQ (Association Society for Quality), Alliance for Illinois Manufacturers (Board Member) and Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (Board Member). She is committed to community involvement and social responsibility through programs such as “Girls 4 Science” (Board Member) and “Chicago Sinfonietta” (Board Member).

Today, Linda has guided Cedar Concepts to nearly 40 employees and ships more than 60 million pounds of product annually, worldwide to many Fortune 500 companies.