Dear Members:

While the City of Elmhurst’s roots date back to the 1830s, it was back in 1918 that a group of some 60 prominent businesspeople gathered in H.O. Stevens’ home to establish the Elmhurst Boosters’ Club that developed into our Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce & Industry of today.

As part of our Centennial Celebration in 2018, the Elmhurst Chamber has created an Elmhurst-Opoly board game as both a historical keepsake and gaming fun.

A total of 1,000 of the board games—made in the USA by Cincinnati, Ohio-based manufacturer Late for The Sky—are schedule for delivery to our Chamber office in June, with 100 games already committed to some 50 businesses, organizations and individuals sponsoring 75 items such as board properties and playing cards, and game money and tokens.  Our sponsorships sold out in an-unheard-of two weeks and we turned away 25 other businesses wanting a presence in the board game.

Elmhurst-Opoly is already available to the public for purchase online for only $25 (retail sales tax included) and also will be sold at select retail and business locations (to be announced) while quantities last.  In May, more than 75 games were pre-purchased via our Chamber’s website.

Leading into our 100th Anniversary, the Elmhurst Chamber completed an organizational rebranding that included creation of a new logo (with a Centennial version), new Search Engine Optimized (SEO) website and pop-up event display with TV monitor, along with development of a $250,000 Capital Campaign, which is currently at 75 percent of goal.

The hometown-Opoly game has become increasing popular with chambers of commerce across America in recent years.  The Batavia Chamber of Commerce has nearly sold out its 750 game allotment and three other nearby chambers are close to inking Late for The Sky contracts.

Elmhurst-Opoly is designed to provide residents and visitors an entertaining and affordable way to enjoy our community for the next 100 years, so buy yours today!!!

Corporate Buyouts in Elmhurst
Two recent major corporate acquisitions involved prominent Elmhurst businesses.

On May 22, Cincinnati, Ohio-based Fifth Third Bank, with a high-profile location in downtown Elmhurst, spent nearly $5 billion to purchase MB Financial, which has an Elmhurst branch at 990 North York Street at the border with Bensenville.

On May 9, Altorfer Holdings, a family-owned Caterpillar dealer headquartered in Cedar Rapids, in Iowa, announced its purchase of Patten Industries, a Caterpillar dealer operating a major sales location in Elmhurst at 635 West Lake Street.

Capital Campaign
Our $250,000 Centennial Celebration Capital Campaign—featuring the $150,000 Ralph P. Pechanio Student Internship Fund at Elmhurst College and $100,000 Second Century Fund (including $50,000 for development a public Civic Hall of Fame Memorial)—is at 75 percent of goal, with $188,083 in gifts and pledges.

The Pechanio Endowment Fund is at 89 percent of goal ($133,561), while the Second Century Fund is at 55 percent of goal ($54,522), which includes the $50,000 unrestricted fund at 87 percent ($43,350) and the Civic HOF fund at 21 percent ($10,300).

Explore Elmhurst Trolley
Featuring 20 display advertising signs representing 19 Elmhurst businesses, organizations and not-for-profits, the City of Elmhurst’s 16-weekend Explore Elmhurst Summer Trolley Program kicks off today (June 1) and runs through September.

Connecting the Elmhurst City Centre, Spring Road and York and Vallette business districts, this year’s expanded trolley service ran in May for the 22nd Annual Elmhurst Art in the Park and 22nd Annual Elmhurst Museum Day, and will also run for six Saturdays in November and December starting on November 24 for Small Business Saturday.

Advertisers include Chamber members Alpine Creek Dental, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Koenig Rubloff Realty, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Prairie Path REALTORS, Christopher Glass and Aluminum, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage (Eva and James Sanchez), Community Bank of Elmhurst, Elmhurst Art Museum, Elmhurst College, Elmhurst History Museum, Elmhurst Park District, Hauert Law Office, Lezza Spumoni & Desserts, NEXT Yoga, Slone Commercial, Spring Road Business Association, Total Window Treatments, York & Vallette Business Association and York Theatre – Classic Cinemas.

Happy Anniversaries
Two members are celebrating milestone Chamber anniversaries in June, as follows:  25 yearsRE/MAX Action (Dennis Sluga); and 10 yearsClearing Chaos, L.L.C.

New Members
The Chamber welcomed seven new members in May as follows:  101 Mobility, Cohab & Company, Elite Tutoring Place, Fresh Twist Studio, Harmony Coaching, Stray Hen Café and Titan Contracting Company.

No Longer Members
The Chamber said goodbye to the following four members in May:  Guaranteed Rate – John Noldan, Thomas O. Myers, Tellefsen, Ralph F. III, and Gould and Ratner.