Bryan K. Specht

Mr. Bryan Specht, age 50, of Elmhurst, IL, passed away October 8, 2023.
A man of uncompromising character, great kindness, and boundless loyalty,
he will be remembered as a dedicated humanitarian, a successful business leader, and devoted husband, father, brother, and son-in-law.
In October 2021, Bryan founded Salient Global, a data and services company created to deliver new paths to growth for businesses and people alike. In only two years, Salient's consultative services along with its specialty agencies have grown exponentially. Perhaps most significantly, Bryan managed to assemble a team of colleagues and friends eager to join him on his mission to innovate, experiment, grow, and be happy at work.
Bryan previously led the relaunch of W2O Group as health innovation company Real Chemistry and was a key architect in launching ICF Next, a 1,700-person global consulting agency built through the merger of 10 different award-winning businesses.
Before ICF, Bryan served as president of Olson, earning multiple Agency of the Year distinctions, more than a dozen Cannes Lions, and the label, "a model for creativity, growth, and client service." He was named to the Holmes Report Innovator 25 and three times to PRWeek's Power 50 List. And as an Executive Vice President in the Issues and Crisis Management Practice with Weber-Shandwick, he engineered the global response for American Airlines following the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11.
Having grown up in a troubled home and as a victim of child abuse, Bryan devoted his life to helping others unable to help themselves. He founded the Promised Land Society, a foundation dedicated to promoting the well-being of children, and established the Awful Grace Project, a support group for abuse survivors. He also sat on national boards for Prevent Child Abuse America and the Children's Advocacy Center, as well as committees for the Washington Football Charitable Foundation and the American Red Cross.
A passionate lifelong learner, Bryan earned a bachelor's degree from Ohio University and has studied at Oxford, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia and George Washington University. While at Ohio, he played football for the Bobcats and eventually brought that experience to bear as a coach of his son Charlie's football team and led them to the BGYFL 2018 Super Bowl Championship. He was an active lover of all things Elmhurst and made friends with people from boardrooms around the world to Helen's, a home-basement bar named after both his and wife Lauren's grandmas.
Most of all, Bryan was a family man. For all his life's successes and civic and athletic recognition, he will be best remembered for the love, care and honor he imparted to his family every day of his life. Bryan defined himself by the devotion and joy he felt for his beloved wife Lauren and extraordinary children Charlie and Elizabeth, a fact that became clear to anyone who ever encountered the beaming and vociferously proud husband and dad. Nothing mattered more to Bryan than his family.
Bryan's survivors include: His Wife of 20 years Lauren Justice Specht, Son Charlie Specht (18), Daughter Elizabeth Specht (15), Sister Debi Mongan of San Francisco, Brothers Yale Specht of Boston and Todd Enders of San Francisco, Niece Shelby Crotwell of Chicago, Father- and Mother-in-Law Michael and Robbi Justice of Tucson, Brother-in-Law Michael Justice of Tucson, His Wife Yesenia, and adoring niece and nephew Olivia and Graham Justice, and countless friends.
There will be a service for Bryan at Elmhurst Community Funeral Home - THE AHLGRIM CHAPEL (Ahlgrim Funeral Home, 567 S. Spring Road, Elmhurst), on Saturday, October 14, with a service beginning at 6:00PM and visiting hours to follow. In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Bryan can be made to the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention https://afsp.org
Arrangements in care of Elmhurst Community Funeral Home - THE AHLGRIM CHAPEL. For info (630) 834-3515 or www.ElmhurstFH.com.