Liberty Gala 2026

2025 Liberty Gala Ariel Shot

The 23rd Annual Pritzker Military Museum & Library Liberty Gala was held on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place Chicago.

This year’s theme, Spirit of ’76: Birth of the Citizen Soldier, honored the 2026 recipient of the Citizen Soldier Award.

The Liberty Gala is our premier evening dedicated to honoring the legacy of the Citizen Soldier on a national stage. We invited you to join distinguished guests and local leaders as we celebrated the courage of those who serve.

Building on decades of excellence, the Gala serves as our most significant fundraiser of the year. Your attendance directly supported our mission to preserve military history and share the stories of service members with the world. The evening blended formal tradition with a forward-looking vision for the Pritzker Military Museum & Library.

Thank you for your support.

Details From the Evening

Saturday, September 19, 2026 at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place Chicago

6:00 PM • Cocktail Reception
7:00 PM • Program & Dinner
9:00 PM • After Party - Presented by Captain Dave's Foundation

Black tie optional, military full dress or class A uniform.

Exclusive Tour

The morning of the gala, there was a tour of PMML and Mission94 provided to guests. Thank you to all who participated.

Sponsorships

The organizations below help make this year's Gala possible.

Gala Donation

2026 Citizen Soldier Award Recipient

General (Retired) Stanley McChrystal

General McChrystal is a transformative leader known for helping organizations tap into human potential to compete in a complex world. Following thirty-four years of service in the U.S. Army, including as commander of U.S. and International Security Assistance Forces Afghanistan and commander of the nation’s premier counter-terrorism force, General McChrystal delivers his unique blend of on-the-ground experience with decades of leadership to provide practical insight and wisdom to help organizations transform and succeed in challenging, dynamic environments.

2026 Founder's Award Recipients

Eden Juron Pearlman

Pearlman is a seasoned consultant focusing on the not-for-profit sector. She has broad experience in executive leadership and nonprofit strategy and enjoys serving the community through interim leadership and project management.

COL (Ret) David Pelizzon, USA

COL Pelizzon, is a retired US Army officer who served almost 30 years on active duty in airborne and special operations units. Since his retirement from active duty in 2003, he has worked as a manufacturing executive in the US and Asia. Prior to starting Squadron Capital Mr. Pelizzon was the Managing Director of Precision Edge Holdings, Colson Associates in Chicago.

CW5 Phyllis Wilson, USA (Ret.)

CW5 Wilson served 37 years in the U.S. Army as a military intelligence officer and deployed to Iraq multiple times with the Joint Special Operations Command. Chief Warrant Officer Five Wilson was the most senior warrant officer in the Army Reserve, where she helped manage more than 200,000 personnel and an $8 billion budget.