Dear Members:
On April 10, I will join fellow chamber of commerce executives from across the state at the Illinois Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Chamber Day at the Abraham Lincoln Hotel in Springfield to discuss business-related legislation proposed by the Illinois General Assembly.
Guest speakers will include Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, Senate Republication Leader John Curran, Illinois House of Representatives Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, House Republican Leader Tony McCombs and Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs.
Umbrella Sky Displays Return
The City of Elmhurst’s Public Arts Commission and Elmhurst City Centre will partner again to bring you Umbrella Sky Elmhurst in 2024 at the same three downtown Elmhurst locations—only the sixth city across the United States to host the colorful displays.
ECCI members Community Bank of Elmhurst, Elmhurst Bank and Lakeside Bank, all with downtown Elmhurst branches, sponsor the Umbrella Sky displays, respectively, in the Schiller Street Walkway, North York Street Plaza and Cottage Hill Avenue Cultural Campus adjacent to the Elmhurst Art Museum and Elmhurst Public Library.
An Umbrella Sky Opening Day Party along Schiller Street east of York Street is scheduled for Saturday, April 27, from 4 to 7 p.m. The party will feature live music from The Sam Fazio Band and beer/wine will be sold to be enjoyed on the street.
Explore Elmhurst Trolley Returns
The City of Elmhurst has again contracted with our Chamber to sell display advertising inside the Explore Elmhurst Trolley, which will run 16 weekends from June into September and five Saturdays in November and December, as approved by a 9-5 Elmhurst City Council vote.
The cost is $1K, or $27 per trolley ride day, with the 24 advertising businesses and not-for-profit organizations from 2023 having the right of first refusal through April 5.
22nd Annual Economic Outlook Luncheon
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President and CEO Austin D. Goolsbee will deliver the Keynote Address before a “Sold Out” crowd of more than 280 businesspeople at the 22nd Annual Multi-Chamber Economic Outlook Luncheon Networking and Business Expo at the Hilton Oak Brook Hills Resort and Conference Center in Oak Brook on April 4.
The 20-chamber event is co-hosted by the Westmont Chamber of Commerce and ECCI, which first teamed up back in 2003. Participating chambers are Bartlett, Batavia, Bloomingdale, Bolingbrook, Chamber 630 (Downers Grove and Woodridge), Darien, Geneva, Glen Ellyn, Greater Oak Brook, Hinsdale, Lisle, Lombard, Roselle, Villa Park, West Suburban, Western DuPage, Wheaton and Willowbrook/Burr Ridge.
Elmhurst Bank is an Event Sponsor and Bartlett Wealth Management is a Logo Sponsor, while five of the Expo’s 32 exhibitors from across Chicago’s western suburbs include new member Club Z! In-Home, Group and Online Tutoring Services, Elmhurst Bank, Helping Hands Cleaning Service, Lewis University and See Your House Right Here @properties Elmhurst.
February DuPage Hotel Stays Strong
Metrics on hotel stays in Elmhurst and across DuPage County in February showed increases, including room demand, average length of booking and revenue of $23.6 million, up 2.2 percent from the prior year, according to data release by the DuPage Convention and Visitors Bureau.
105th Annual ECCI Awards Gala
Nearly 140 Chamber members and guests celebrated our Chamber’s 2023 accomplishments during the 105th Annual ECCI Awards Gala held in the Presidential Room at Elm West Banquets on March 22. Click HERE to view photo page.
Alan Energy Services Air Conditioning and Heating Company was recognized as the A.J. “Toche” Terrones Business of the Year for 2023, Endeavor Health’s Colin Dalough received the Chairman’s Award, Eva Sanchez of See Your House Right Here @properties Elmhurst was the first repeat Ambassador of the Year and Dan Gibbons of the Dan Gibbons Turkey Trot Foundation became the 34th inductee into the ECCI Civic Hall of Fame.
Elmhurst TV videotaped the program to air on Comcast Channel 6 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 through April.
Buck-A-Duck Raffle
During 2024, a single Buck-A-Duck winner will split the pot collected at each of our Chamber’s monthly networking events and other selected events.
Eric Weech of Alan Energy Services won $26 at the March 14 Business After Hours co-hosted at Guaranteed Rate – John Noldan in downtown Elmhurst, along with Community Bank of Elmhurst.
New Members
The following business and not-for-profit organization joined our Chamber in March: Club Z! In-Home, Group and Online Tutoring Services and Elmhurst Student Philanthropy Council.
Dropped Members
The Chamber dropped three members in March as follows: Citizens for Jake Meding, Itasca Bank & Trust and Maharaj Indian Grill.
Gone, But Not Forgotten
Cable television personality Pat Cheffer, host of Comcast-forerunner Continental Cablevision’s “Lifestyles with Pat Cheffer,” passed away at the age of 88. In 1997, ECCI honored her among 10 modern-day pioneer women during a Salute to Women in Business Spring Luncheon.