The Auditorium Theatre first became acquainted with Bruce Crown in 2006. He was on the Board of Trustees at Roosevelt University following in the footsteps of his father. Bruce was a frequent visitor to the performances at the Auditorium Theatre, with a particular fondness for the rock concerts. The first show he attended at the Auditorium was Les Grande Ballet Canadiens’ performance of Tommy.
In 2009, we were lucky to welcome Bruce to the Board of Directors of the Auditorium Theatre and meet his fabulous wife of now 28 years, Deborah Slowinski Crown. Bruce and Deb are this season’s presenting sponsors of our National Geographic Live Series. We are always inspired by their adventures and hope you enjoy learning more about this dynamic couple.
Bruce grew up in Glencoe, Northfield, and Chicago. He attended New Trier West High School and graduated from the University of Colorado with a Bachelor’s Degree in Operations Management. Bruce is chairman of BevBar Inc. He has been involved in managing family assets for more than 30 years and has served as a Roosevelt trustee since 1995. Bruce has shared his business acumen by serving on the Finance and Investment Committees of the Roosevelt University Board and was Treasurer of the Auditorium Theatre Board until 2021.
At the Auditorium, he now serves as Board Secretary and sits on both the Finance and Audit Committees. Bruce believes it is important to be part of a working board and to make a difference.
Deb grew up on the South Side of Chicago and attended Queen of Peace High School. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Rehabilitation Education from the University of Wisconsin and a Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from the Illinois Institute of Technology. Deb has been working for the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, now the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, for 30 years. Deb is currently the Manager of Research Operations at the Center for Rehabilitation Outcomes Research. The center is focused on researching rehabilitation interventions that improve functional recovery and allow return to community participation, family and social roles, independent living, and employment. Thank you, Deb, for the important work you do!
When they are not working and sharing their wealth of knowledge, both Deb and Bruce are active and athletic. Deb played volleyball for the University of Wisconsin. They have a love for the outdoors and travel. In fact, Deb and Bruce met on a sailboat. Both are avid snow skiers and scuba divers. They have gone whale watching in Alaska and Mexico, swimming with whale sharks, and diving with the manta rays in the Maldives. They both love animals — Bruce is on the board of PAWS and Deb is on the board of Canine Therapy Corps.
When asked about the Auditorium Theatre and why they stay involved, both Deb and Bruce talk about being part of the history and the amazing architecture. They are also proud of our outreach programs like Hearts to Art and Admit One. Over the years, Deb and Bruce have been frequent supporters of our annual gala, introducing new friends to our building and our programs. They have hosted the Auditorium’s Auxiliary Board members at many events and chaired the first “Summer Solstice” party on our stage. In 2014, they sponsored the Chick Corea and Bela Fleck Concert.
When asked why they were inspired to sponsor this year’s National Geographic Live Series, Deb and Bruce expressed these thoughts: “We were so impressed with the speakers and stories that were presented during the first year of the National Geographic series that we wanted to be sure it continued. Each speaker is so passionate and shares their love of nature and our beautiful earth. The series is truly awe- inspiring and educational for the whole family. We hope the 2021–22 Series brings a deeper appreciation of our amazing world, including how to best protect it and our animals.”
Thank you, Deb and Bruce, for your warm and generous friendship to the Auditorium Theatre!
Photos courtesy of Deborah and Bruce Crown and the Auditorium Theatre.
