New Board Chairwoman Dorothy Abreu Brings Wealth of Experience in Financial Services and Leadership
2022-03-02
As Dorothy Abreu prepares to take her seat for her first meeting in March, the Illinois Tollway’s new
Board Chairwoman brings with her with more than 20 years of experience in financial services, significant public sector experience and an active track record of community service.
Appointed to the Tollway Board post by Governor JB Pritzker, Abreu, a senior vice president at PNC Bank, will be just the second female to lead the board in the Tollway’s nearly 70 years and the agency’s first Latino chairperson.
“I am honored to serve as the next Tollway Board Chairwoman and CEO and am committed to building on the strong progress made over the past several years,” said Abreu, noting the Tollway’s successful delivery of the 15-year, $14 billion Move Illinois Program on schedule and within budget and the agency’s efforts to bring more diversity in the types and sizes of businesses helping to deliver the capital improvements systemwide.
Most recently, Abreu has worked with PNC’s clients to manage challenges related to COVID-19 pandemic-related disruptions and operational funding needs.
She has also led financing for high-impact projects focused on driving economic development and affordable housing in Illinois’ low- to moderate-income communities - critical skills as the Tollway enters year 11 of the largest capital program in the agency’s history at a point where its projects are having the largest impact on neighboring communities as well as customers.
“The Tollway is a state-of-the-art system with hundreds of miles of roadways connecting millions of customers to work, family and their daily lives,” said Abreu. “With an eye towards strengthening collaboration, equity and transparency, I am eager to get to work to provide our customers with the experience they deserve.”
Abreu has enjoyed a long and successful career in the Illinois banking sector, with responsibilities spanning commercial lending, community development banking and asset management. She is currently a senior vice president for PNC’s Corporate and Institutional Banking group, where she leads the delivery of financial solutions and banking advisory services to public institutions and non-profit organizations in the state.
A graduate of North Park University, Abreu has extensive experience serving on boards of several high-profile organizations. She is the current president of the Latino Policy Forum and serves on the boards of the Chicago Community Loan Fund, Chicago Commons and Chicago Habitat for Humanity.