Margaret Onken is the Chief Engagement Officer for Greater St. Louis, Inc. – The St. Louis metro’s economic development institution, providing the vision and strategy for fostering inclusive economic growth. In her role, Margaret is responsible for the organization’s annual revenue, the design and implementation of an active investor engagement program, and special projects that drive the organization’s mission forward.
Prior to her role at GSL, Margaret was Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations at Maryville University. While at Maryville, Margaret increased donations by 40%, developed a digital alumni engagement team, established a government relations program, and spearheaded the university’s entrance into the workforce development eco-system.
Margaret also served as Executive Director of the Hawthorn Foundation, a public-private partnership with the Missouri Department of Economic Development. In that capacity, she oversaw business attraction efforts for the state, including Governor Nixon’s international trade mission work, serving on delegations that visited Israel, Dubai, Europe, Colombia, and Cuba among other countries.
Ms. Onken was Governor Nixon’s finance director on his gubernatorial races, raising a record
$33M for the statewide elections. She has also worked with organizations as varied as Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Saint Louis Ballet, and Great Rivers Greenway. Ms. Onken earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theater and History at Smith College. She and her husband live in Kirkwood, Missouri. They have 3 beautiful children and 2 wonderful dogs.