Dear Members:
President Donald Trump on March 28 nominated Illinois State Senator Kyle McCarter (R-54th District) of downstate Lebanon to serve as our United States Ambassador to the African Republic of Kenya, where he has done charity work since 1984.
A small business owner and Certified Public Account, Sen. McCarter attempted to facilitate a state budget comprise in the Illinois General Assembly last spring by proposing his own balanced budget free of either school funding or income tax amendments, both of which were to be negotiated after an operating budget passed.
I was in Springfield as part of a multi-chamber West Suburban contingent that met with Sen. McCarter late in the afternoon when his legislative proposal went public and, boy, did he take a beating from both sides of the aisle. Too much common sense, I guess.
Annual Awards for Business Excellence
The Daily Herald Business Ledger at Danada House in Wheaton on March 29 honored 26 businesses and organizations with 2018 Annual Awards for Business Excellence (AABE), including our Chamber as the only recipient in the Business Organization/ Economic Development Entity category. Click HERE to view event photo page.
Director of Member Services Tessa Zemgulys and I accepted the award on behalf of our Board of Directors, Committee members, Ambassadors and membership at-large.
Also proudly representing our Chamber were Directors Kevin Kost (First Vice Chair) of Edward Jones Investments, Ralph Pechanio (Treasurer) and Tim Gurrie (2016 Board Chair) of Skyjeep Mobile Notary Service and Julie Miller (also Centennial Celebration Committee Chair) of IRS Trouble Solvers, 2017 Board Chair Joe Muchow (formerly of E.L. Foust Co.), Centennial Celebration Committee member Betsy Hanisch, Website Consultant Jennifer Speaker (2012 Board Chair) of SMB Advantage Group and Capital Campaign Consultant Lea Ann Skogsberg of Dollars and Sense.
Back in 2001, our Chamber received the Business Ledger’s Business Achievement award in the Business Association category.
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)—has reached 75 percent of goal, with $186,986 in gifts and pledges.
The Pechanio Endowment Fund is at 89 percent of goal ($134,461), including some $11,450 in 2017 earnings, while the Second Century Fund is at 54 percent of goal ($53,507), which includes the $50,000 unrestricted fund at 85 percent ($42,335) and the Civic HOF fund at 21 percent ($10,300).
Recent donors to the Pechanio Endowment Fund include Simplex System Controls, Elmhurst Auto Group and GO Promotions.
Donors to the Second Century’s unrestricted fund included Simplex, Elmhurst Auto Group and John Sakash Company, while Simplex and Whole Foods Market contributed to the Civic HOF fund.
That unrestricted fund also counts $1,940 in $5 ticket income collected in the first month of our Split-The-Pot Raffle, which ends at our 100th Annual Award Gala on January 25 of 2019. Members bought 58 tickets at our March 20 Business After Hours hosted at Pinot’s Palette, with Julie Miller generously donating $290 for matching tickets.
Explore Elmhurst Trolley
For the second year in a row, our Chamber is partnering with the City of Elmhurst to sell inside display advertising for the Explore Elmhurst Trolley 16-week summer program, along with addition dates in early May, late November and in December, at a cost of $400 per each of the 20 spaces (9.5” H-by-25” W). Click HERE to register online.
Happy Anniversaries
Four members are celebrating Chamber anniversaries in April, as follows: 25 years—Feze Roofing; 15 years—Egg Harbor Cafe; and 5 years—Inspired Closets by Carson and Precision Payroll of America.
New Members
The Chamber welcomed 11 new members in March as follows: Bounce Houses R Us, Box Drop Mattress, firstChoice coffee services, Glidepath Power Solutions, Kan Ya, Matthew L. Blass, DDS & Associates, Montecasino Mexican Grill, Mrs. Illinois International Kaili Harding, Nana’s Hotdogs of Elmhurst, Remax 1st and Sharing Connections.
No Longer Members
The Chamber said goodbye to the following eight members in March: Boxless Media, Chicago Tribune Media Group, E.L. Foust Co., Elmhurst Coins and Collectibles, Doshi Orthodontics, Mama Squash Market, One Fifty One Kitchen / Bar, and Rizazz Advertising.
E.L. Foust has been sold by 2017 Board Chair Joe Muchow and the new owner is relocating the business to Wisconsin. Happy retirement, Joe. We’ll miss you.