Years: 

1913–1982

Year Hutchinson Medal awarded:

1978

Executive Director of the Chicago Community Trust

James Brown IV was the second Executive Director of the Chicago Community Trust from 1949 to 1973; during his 24-year tenure he inspired countless nonprofits working toward improving the well-being of Chicagoans. According to the Chicago Community Trust: “A survivor of childhood polio, Brown showed genuine compassion for those in need that he brought to his work with business and philanthropic leaders. One day, he would host the city’s top philanthropists to discuss their interests, and the next, he would visit Cook County Hospital to cheer up patients. He avidly believed in the healing power of gardening since childhood, when he regained the use of his hands through caring for plants. He brought this love of green spaces to the Trust, where he advocated for the creation of Grant Park and the Osaka Garden of the World’s Columbian Exposition. His relationship with Clive and Mary Runnells led to the creation of the Mary W. Runnells Fund at the Trust, which supported the Chicago Horticultural Society’s transformation of 300 acres of land in Northern Cook County into the Chicago Botanic Garden. Many years later, he had a hand in the creation of a gardening program for youth from disadvantaged areas of the city.”

His involvement continued after his retirement; he served as Director of the Chicago Horticultural Society and Chairman of the Building Committee for the Chicago Botanic Garden, leaving a lasting mark on the Garden for generations to come.