The City of Chicago and State of Illinois lost one of their most vociferous and effective advocates with the death of Laurence J. Msall, long-time president of the Civic Federation and aide to two Illinois governors.

As the business community's voice for fiscal responsibility, government efficiency, and accountability, Laurence was an indefatigable fixture in the media and legislative bodies throughout Illinois, helping to explain complex government finance issues and pushing government leaders to choose sustainable fiscal policies with a long-term perspective. A doting father, loving husband, true sibling, and generous friend and mentor, Laurence passed surrounded by family. Despite his numerous professional successes, Laurence would most want to be remembered as an avid runner, fisherman, world traveler, White Sox fan, and a great father, grandfather, uncle, loyal friend, and devoted husband.

Laurence Msall was born in Chicago in the winter of 1962, the eighth of 10 children of Emil and Lucille (nee Kotewa) Msall. Laurence attended St. Ignatius High School and Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, where he proudly served on the Board of Trustees. His formative years at Knox College are where he picked up the political bug, and he moved to Springfield after Knox to work for then-Illinois Governor Jim Thompson at the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs. In 1990 Laurence joined the staff of the Commercial Club of Chicago as vice president, where he worked with the CEOs of some of Chicago's largest corporations promoting regional economic development strategies and special projects including the Chicago Bears stadium and reorganization of the United Way of Chicago. Laurence earned his Juris Doctorate in 1992 at Loyola University School of Law, Evening Division.

Laurence returned to Illinois government in 1999, when then-Governor George H. Ryan appointed him Senior Advisor for Economic Development. Laurence was responsible for the oversight of 11 of the state's economic development and infrastructure-related agencies.

Laurence became president of the Civic Federation, Illinois' century-old and leading voice for fiscal responsibility and government accountability, in January of 2002. Over his 20 years as president, Laurence worked tirelessly to make the Civic Federation an indispensable source of reliable fiscal information and government process recommendations to public officials, the media and the general public. Laurence was a strong mentor to a generation of Civic Federation staff, who have gone on to successful careers in government, philanthropy, and the private sector.

Laurence married the love of his life, Nicola Hill-Cordell, in 2018, creating a loving and boisterous mixed family of eight children. He is also survived by his three adored daughters, Lucille, Camille, and Matilda, and Nicola's beloved children, Alex (Maria), Samantha (Michael), Tommy, Tess, and Oscar, as well as three much-cherished grandchildren, Valerie, Owen, and Reece Jeffrey. Laurence is survived by eight of his siblings, Michael (Karla), Anita, Karin (Steve) Fischer, Mary (Scott) Rogers, Camille, Madeleine (Frank Mauceri), Christianne, and Julianne (Christopher) Pegler, his first wife Mary Jo Smith, and many nieces and nephews. Laurence was preceded in death by his mother, father, and brother, Gerard Peter. He will live on in the hearts of a legion of friends, who he made wherever he went and cared for deeply, and as a true Chicago civic leader and wise counsellor to mayors and governors. Generous to the end, he will also live on through the people he helped via organ donation.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Laurence's memory to L'Arche Chicago, an organization that provides services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.