Jamie Thorsen

History of The Service Club of Chicago

Established in 1890, The Service Club of Chicago is a women-led all volunteer charity that supports Chicagoland’s most worthy nonprofit groups. The organization was launched by 13 women who drew inspiration from Jane Addams’ Hull House, and their original work focused on creating garments for children in need.

Now retired, Jamie Thorsen spent more than 30 years in the banking industry, ultimately serving as executive managing director of FX products and China capital markets with BMO Capital Markets. Jamie Thorsen is currently a member of the Denison University board of trustees and The Service Club of Chicago.

By 1894, the organization had become The Service Club and began focusing on giving to individuals and families, with an emphasis on immigrants. As more and more organizations were developed to meet the needs of the city’s underprivileged residents, The Service Club began contributing to these organizations. In 1938, the name was changed to The Service Club of Chicago, and the charity began shifting its focus to support housing, employment assistance, education, and healthcare, later adding cultural organizations.

The organization continues this important work today. To learn more, visit www.theserviceclubofchicago.org.

Travel Destinations for 2020

Jamie Thorsen spent her career in the banking industry, ultimately achieving the role of executive managing director of FX products and China Capital Markets for BMO Capital Markets. She was also the sole female member of the bank’s executive committee. Now retired, Jamie Thorsen enjoys spending her free time traveling the world.

Deciding where to travel can be one of the best parts of planning a trip. According to CNN Travel, here are three of the hottest destinations for 2020.

1. Chile Lake District. Also known as Los Lagos, this part of Chile offers gorgeous landscapes and peace, and many travelers will flock there in December to witness a total solar eclipse. Go any time, however, and experience Chiloe Island, the active volcano at Conguillio National Park, and the thermal springs resort town of Pucon.

2. Estonia. Often overlooked, this Northern European country has much to offer foodies with more than 100 restaurants included on the White Nordic Guide, a guide to the best places to eat in the Nordic and Baltic countries. Like the Chile Lake District, Estonia also offers stunning scenery and is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts.

3. Tunisia. While many associate Tunisia with beaches, the African country is also home to several archaeological wonders, such as Carthage, a Phoenician city outside of Tunis, and Dougga, considered the best preserved Roman town in North Africa. Bulla Regia, another Roman city well worth exploring, became safe for travel in 2018, according to the British government’s travel advisory.

Lurie Children’s Awarded Federal Grant to Improve Care for Vulnerable

Based in Chicago, Jamie Thorsen served as executive managing director with BMO Capital Markets for nearly two decades and was a pioneering leader in her field. Active in her community, Jamie Thorsen is committed to supporting educational and saving organizations and serves on the Founders Board of the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

In December 2019, Lurie Children’s was one of eight institutions nationwide awarded as much as $16 million by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services toward the development of an innovative seven-year Integrated Care for Kids project.

Representing a new care model, the goal of the initiative is to decrease treatment costs, while improving health outcomes, among those covered by the Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicaid. A focus is on early identification of behavioral, social, and physical issues, as well as placement with appropriate local care providers. This proactive stance will reduce emergency visits and avoidable hospitalizations.

The project will involve Lurie Children’s taking a lead role in partnering with neighborhood organizations, as well as the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in developing a “socially and clinically integrated network” for 43,000 children across Chicago’s Austin and Belmont Cragin neighborhoods.

Cultural Foundations of the Gemstone Jade

Jamie Thorsen is a respected presence in the Chicago financial community who held leadership responsibilities with BMO Capital Markets for many years. With a passion for jewelry making, Jamie Thorsen guides the company Seeforever Designs and has extensive knowledge of gemstones used in necklaces.

One of the broad gemstone categories is jade, which is not a distinct mineral type, but a cultural term for an extremely durable stone that has a 5,000 year history of being turned into sculptures, tools, and gemstones. While green is the color many associate with the stone, there are many types, including blue, lavender, red, orange, and gray.

The mineral distinction between types of jade was codified in 1863 by Alexis Damour, who divided the difficult-to-distinguish stones into two types: the aluminum-rich pyroxene jadeite and the magnesium-rich amphibole nephrite.

These distinctions had been recognized centuries before by Chinese craftsmen, who preferred jadeite, a denser and harder stone primarily sourced from Myanmar. One of the most sought after types of this material is fine-grained “Imperial Jade,” which has a bright translucence and polishes to a high luster. Originally reserved for the Chinese Emperor, this type of jade is now found in high-end jewelry, with the finest specimens commanding a higher price per carat than quality diamonds.