The Chicago Botanic Garden is set to have new leadership next year, as its board of directors has selected Gretchen Baker as the institution’s next president and CEO.
Baker, currently the director of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, will assume responsibility for daily operations of the 385-acre Garden in Glencoe beginning in March. She will succeed Jean Franczyk, who is retiring after leading the organization as president and CEO since 2016.
Born and raised in rural Illinois, Baker has studied botany and landscape architecture, according to a statement from the Garden.
“Plants have been braided into my entire career, from the Amazon rainforest to the landscape design studio to the dinosaur gallery,” Baker said in the statement. “I’m honored by the opportunity to lead the Chicago Botanic Garden and excited to devote my energies to advocating for plants and deepening our relationship to them.”
Baker previously held senior leadership roles at two Los Angeles–based museums and at the Field Museum in Chicago.
“Gretchen brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to the Garden’s mission,” said Michael R. Zimmerman, chair of the Garden’s board of directors. “We were equally impressed by her innovative ideas, passion for the natural world, and approachability.”
Baker’s appointment comes as Franczyk prepares to step down following nearly a decade at the helm of the Garden, a period during which the institution consistently attracted more than one million visitors annually.
A South Side Chicago native, Franczyk previously worked at several museums as well as in the administration of former Mayor Richard M. Daley before joining the Garden.
Her accomplishments included setting new attendance and membership records, launching a rebranding campaign, and expanding partnerships with organizations supporting agricultural and educational programs, per a Garden spokesperson.
The Garden also introduced a daily admission fee during that period, compared to the previous practice of charging only for parking. In recent months, some employees have discussed unionizing amid concerns about workplace issues, according to previous public statements.
“During her tenure, the Chicago Botanic Garden experienced an extraordinary period of growth, change, and commitment to helping grow a better world by connecting people to the power of gardens and green space,” the Garden said in a statement.
The Garden did not specify Franczyk’s future professional plans, stating only that she will be focusing on a limited number of select projects.
