Elmhurst Economic Development Commison Elects Shanklin Chair, Reichert Vice Chair

by | Feb 13, 2017 | News

 

Photos Available Upon Request

 

ELMHURST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

ELECTS SHANKLIN CHAIR, REICHERT VICE CHAIR

 

     ELMHURST, IL, February 10, 2017 – Businessmen William “Bill” Shanklin and Rich Reichert, both of Elmhurst, were elected to serve two-year terms as Chairman and Vice Chairman, respectively, on the Elmhurst’s Economic Development Commission (EEDC) at the Commission’s January 26 meeting at Elmhurst City Hall.

     Shanklin is the President, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and former Executive Vice President at Wood Dale-based Champion Container Corporation, formerly of Elmhurst.

     Shanklin is only the fourth Chair since the Commission’s 2005 inception, following business entrepreneur Betsy Hanisch (2005-11), and commercial real estate experts Kurt Warnke (2011-14) and Mark Sabatino (2014-15).

     Sabatino is first-term Alderman on the Elmhurst City Council serving the First Ward and Warnke is a member of the City’s Zoning and Planning (Z&P) Commission.

     The Commission was established as the successor to the Elmhurst Economic Development Corporation, a public-private partnership that operated from 1995-2005.

     Shanklin served as the EEDC’s Vice Chair (2014-15) before succeeding Sabatino—who resigned after being elected to the Elmhurst City Council as a First Ward Aldermen—and has been a Commissioner since his 2011 mayoral appointment.

     Shanklin served Century Container Corporation in Hillside as President (1997-2002), Mechanical and Industrial Fasteners in Elgin as Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer (1995-97), Illumelex Corporation in Raleigh, North Carolina as President (1992-95), EHS Home Health Care in Oak Brook as executive Director and CEO (1988-92), Foster Medical Corporation in Chicago as Area Director of Operations (1985-88) and McMaster-Carr Supply Company in Elmhurst as Director of Distribution, Branch Controller and Director of Corporate Budget and Planning (1967-85).

     Shanklin serves on both the Elmhurst Veterans Memorial Commission and Elmhurst College’s Center for Professional Excellence (CPE) Advisory Board, and also is an active member of both Elmhurst American Legion THB Post 187 and Rotary Club of Elmhurst.

     Serving as the Legion’s Sergeant-At-Arms for 2016-17, Shanklin is a member of both the Elmhurst Veterans Memorial Commission and Elmhurst Memorial Day Parade Committee, and he oversees Elmhurst’s Veterans Day ceremony.

 

     Shanklin has served on the nine-member Board of Trustees of the Elmhurst Public Library since his 2013 appointment to former Elmhurst City Council Alderman Jan Vanek’s vacated seat, and his current three-year term expires in 2019.

     Shanklin earned a Master of Business Administration (1988) from Lewis University on Romeoville and a Bachelor of Science degree (1971) in Business Administration from Roosevelt University in Chicago.

     Reichert is the President (since 2001) and CEO (since 2007) at Community Bank of Elmhurst.  Prior to CBE, he served at York State Bank as Vice President (1991-93) and Suburban Bank of Elmhurst as Assistant Vice President (1985-91).

     Reichert has served as a Commissioner since the Commission’s formation and was a member (2003-04) of the Corporation before that.

     While representing CBE, Reichert served as 2001 Chairman of the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s (ECCI) Board of Directors.  During his tenure as an EECI Director (1996-2002), he was a five-year member of the Executive Committee, including the roles of Treasurer, Second Vice Chair, First Vice Chair and Past Chair.

     Reichert is Chair (since 2015) of the City of Elmhurst and Elmhurst College Commission, and he previously chaired Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205’s Finance Review Task Force (2002-04).

     Reichert also serves on the Elmhurst Heritage Foundation’s Board, The Conservation Foundation’s Advisory Council in DuPage County, Epiphany Lutheran Church Council and Elmhurst Lions Club Board of Directors (since 2001).

     Reichert was twice a member of the Board of Directors of the Elmhurst Historical Museum Foundation (2007-09 and 2012-15), including service as Treasurer (2007-09).

     A 1994 EC graduate with a B.S. degree in Business Administration, Reichert is the 2013 recipient of the Bluejay Backer Community Service Award and serves as President of the Bluejay Backer Bunch.

     Reichert was named to The Business Ledger’s Today’s Young Executives in 2003.

     The mission of the EEDC’s role is to establish, maintain and promote communication among the City, other government agencies, businesses, business, trade and industry organizations, and other local organizations and institutions, for the purpose of maintaining and improving the economic health of the City.

     The EEDC is comprised of 15 appointed Commissioners serving across staggered three-year terms, plus several ex-officio members.

     A total of 12 Commissioners are Mayoral appointees and three are appointed by Commission consensus, both with the approval of the Elmhurst City Council.

     Ex-officio members are the Chairman of the City Council’s Development, Planning and Zoning Committee, President and CEO of the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and Executive Director of Elmhurst City Centre.