Brian Sir Passes the Torch

After five years of faithful service as board chair, Brian Sir, formerly the Chief Operating Officer at Guggenheim Partners, is transitioning into the role of committee member.

Brian has had an immeasurable impact in his role. Throughout these five years, he's guided Hope during seasons of growth as well as those of challenge. He has also been a source of support and friendship to many on staff. Above all, Brian has been one of Hope’s most passionate advocates – especially for our students, families, and teachers. His leadership helped further shape Hope as a place deeply committed to inclusion, community service, and opportunity for all.

Under Brian's leadership, Hope launched the Trades Pathway with the support of local unions, initiated our annual spring luncheon, forged a beautiful partnership with Special Children’s Charities, invested in the celebration of women's sports programs, led the recruitment and engagement of new board members, developed our board governance committees, and expanded our Career Advancement programs. But just as importantly, Brian made it a priority to support and retain great teachers. During his tenure, Hope reached the highest levels of teacher retention in our two decades of existence – a reflection of a culture where teachers feel valued, supported, and committed to the mission.

We're profoundly grateful for Brian’s vision and unwavering belief in the transformative power of a Hope education. While his role is changing, we know his commitment to Hope does not.

Matt Gerdes is a Principal and Managing Director at Freeport Financial Partners LLC, a Chicago-based investment management firm. Matt steps into the role of chair after two years on the board, serving on the finance, investments, and trades committees. He is responsible for structuring and managing middle-market private credit investments for Freeport’s funds and is a member of the firm’s investment and management committees.

Matt graduated with a B.S. in Finance from Northern Illinois University and holds an M.B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He and his wife, Jennifer, reside in Western Springs and have two adult children. In his free time, Matt enjoys spending time with family and friends on Delavan Lake in Wisconsin and coaching youth basketball.

“Hope is a special place to me," Matt said. "My first involvement was with the school’s EYE program in 2021 as a student mentor. Since then, Hope’s students and mission have been sources of inspiration to my entire family. One recent highlight was merging my work community with the Hope community for a day of introducing 40 students to the world of private credit. The students livened up our office and reminded my colleagues and me that our professional experiences are gifts to steward well. I’m very blessed to be a part of this community and couldn’t be more excited about Hope’s future.”

In our third decade as an organization, Matt’s strategic thinking and dynamic leadership will be an asset as we expand Hope’s initiatives.