BizWord October 2011
 

  Table of Contents
From the desk of Laura Crawford

A Letter from the Chairman of the Board

Chamber Announcement

Personalize Your Message

Class A Office Space

Not-for-Profit Breakfast

Black & White Ball Portraits

Take Advantage of your FREE Banner Ad

Members in the News!
Thank you Members!

From the desk of Laura Crawford

It took us 60 years of being in business to have the best ever Black & White Ball. Thank you to those who attended, I know you had a wonderful time. Congratulations to the Members who were installed as new Directors on that beautiful evening!   As your Chamber moves into the 2011-12 fiscal year, we have a full agenda, packed with ways to build your business. We kicked our fiscal year off featuring Jarrett Payton inspiring the Not-for-Profits and Wednesday, October 12th, Mike Wynne presented Total Profit-Ability at the General Membership Luncheon. Also starting in October, your Chamber will help you save money on your electric bills. Direct Energy is hosting a lunch at Emmett’s Ale House to provide you with information on better buying power and buying green power. Call the Chamber office for more information on this Chamber benefit.   Beaujolais & Beer will be celebrated on Friday, November 18th, providing a showcase of the best beverages and bites in the area. This event officially kicks off the holiday season and will appropriately provide a venue for our retailers (and you) to start the season of shopping. Downers Grove South High School Jazz Band will once again delight the crowd with astounding talent.   You won’t want to miss the Annual Chamber's Favorite Things luncheon showcasing the very best gifts Downers Grove has to offer your nearest and dearest. Perfect for last minute shoppers, this event will take place on December 14th.   As we turn the corner into 2012, resolutions all in place, join us for Up and Down in Downers Grove, our very first stair climb, featured by the Wellness Resource Network. Save the Saturday morning of January 21st to dedicate to your wellness! You will also see the return of Business Roundtable with a full day seminar on Total Profit-Ability with a return of Mike Wynne for kick off on February 17th. Sessions that follow will be in true roundtable fashion addressing the unique challenges of conducting business today.   These are only some of the events we have planned, so get your calendars out and fill in the dates, use your Chamber Membership to build your business!

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A Letter from the Chairman of the Board

I would like to thank you for this wonderful opportunity to Chair the Board of Directors of the Downers Grove Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry.  I would also like to thank Joseph Malas of Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital for serving as our Vice-Chair & Treasurer, Richard Mytnik of Illinois Business Systems as 2^nd Chair, and Dean Malone of Midwestern University, our immediate past Chair for joining me and the entire Board in this endeavor.   Their knowledge, experience and dedication to the Chamber will help us continue to be one of the greatest Chambers in the State of Illinois.

My past experience with the Chamber includes serving as a Board Member for the past two years as well as being a Chamber Member attending many functions for over 40 years.  My career in Downers Grove started at Downers Grove National Bank.  Today I am pleased to be continuing my banking career in Downers Grove as Sr. Vice-President responsible for the Trust Division of BankFinancial.  I have lived in this area for almost all my life and I am a proud graduate of Downers Grove South High School (GO MUSTANGS).

Living and working in this community I have had the pleasure of watching the remarkable growth and success of both the residential and business communities, and of course I have been able to see the important role the Chamber has played in this success.  You see as a Chamber Member we have the Chamber working for us.  We focus on Promoting Your Business, Protecting Your Business and Enhancing Your Business.  We do this in a fashion that assures that the Chamber itself reflects business excellence by maintaining the highest standards in how we do business.

All you have to do is get involved.  That is why this year I would like to focus on Connecting with Your Chamber.  This means connecting with other business people, other organizations and also our local government.  It also means connecting with the savings and opportunities of our Buy Chamber Program, our Member directory, networking opportunities, educational programs, marketing opportunities and the opportunity to highlight your business on the chamber web-site.  All you have to do is connect with our Chamber Staff to see how we can help your business succeed.   Laura Crawford has assembled a great staff that will help you take advantage of everything the Chamber has to offer so just give them a call.

In closing I would like to again say thank you for this opportunity, I am looking forward to working with Laura and the entire Board.  I would also like to thank Dean Malone for the tremendous job he did leading this Board for the past year.  He is a great leader and a great friend who helped the Chamber continue down the path of success. 

Hope to see you at the Beaujolais & Beer Tasting on November 18^th.

Thank You,

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Chamber Announcement

The Downers Grove Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry is happy to announce Becky Nelson as Manager, Business Development.  Ms. Nelson has lived in the Village of Downers Grove most of her life and brings a professional history that includes both not-for-profit and for profit work experience.  As a Marketing Representative, she established referral-based relationships with business owners, created and launched new marketing ideas and promoted product awareness at corporate and community events.  She also has ten years experience in education developing curriculum, standards, and staff education. 

In Becky’s role she will further the growth of the Chamber; she is motivated and looking forward to making a difference in the Chamber organization. The Chamber president, Laura Crawford said, “We are thrilled to welcome Becky Nelson to the Chamber staff, she brings with her a tremendous energy and passion for businesses in the Village of Downers Grove.”

By accepting the position of Manager of Business Development, Becky will be providing another resource for our Chamber Members to help answer the perpetual question, "What can the Downers Grove Chamber do to help build my business?" If you are interested in learning more about how the Chamber can serve you, please feel free to contact Becky! 

 We invite you to stop by the office to meet the Chamber’s newest staff member! 

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Personalize Your Message

The Downers Grove Chamber Not-for-Profit Network has focused its entire 2011-12 series on how you can improve your marketing - maximizing your message to increase your market share. Next Tuesday is a don’t miss NFP meeting featuring Dennis Culloton of the Public Relations firm, Culloton Strategies. You may have noticed Dennis on the news as Theo Epstein was signed on as the new president of the Cubs (Sox fans, don’t take offense). Dennis is also a Board Member of the pediatric cancer foundation, Bear Necessities where he has successfully greatly raised awareness of their good work; in his paying job he has worked with clients such as the Chicago Cubs, Navistar, Children’s Memorial Hospital, Metro and the Governor’s office in the O’Hare and Midway expansions.  They paid a lot – for your organization, it’s a benefit of membership!  You will benefit if you work for a Not-for-Profit, serve on a Board or work for a business.

 The presentation is PERSONALIZE YOUR MESSAGE, admit it – we all need that!

 This meeting will take place in the Chamber conference room on Tuesday, 11/1 from 8 – 9 a.m. – sign up TODAY. 

Remember, this is a benefit of Membership, but we do appreciate RSVP’s, please click here.

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Class A Office Space

AVAILABLE RIGHT HERE IN THE CHAMBER!

Enjoy the following:

• 14 x 14 Private Office

• Reception Services

• Internet Access

• Fax & Copier Services

• Conference Room Space

• Mailbox Service

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Jarrett Payton - Passion In Your Mission Is Sweet....Ness

Tuesday, October 4th

Jarrett Payton is the son of the late Walter Payton, former Chicago Bears running back and member of the NFL Hall of Fame.  Jarrett was born on December 26, 1980 in Arlington Heights, Illinois.  He grew up in nearby Barrington, Illinois and starred in football at St. Viator High School.  Payton was recruited by major Universities nationwide including Penn State and Notre Dame.  He settled on the University of Miami (Florida), where he played in five major bowl games in five years capped off in 2004 when Payton was named MVP of the Orange Bowl.

Payton went on to play in the NFL for two years with the Tennessee Titans and the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europe, winning the world bowl championship.  From 2007-2009, Payton played in the CFL for the Montreal Alouettes and Toronto Argonauts.  In 2010 Payton signed with his hometown team, the Chicago Slaughter of the Indoor Football League.

Payton’s zest, candor and smarts have transitioned him off the field and into a well sought after radio and TV personality, and motivational speaker.     

Payton is the host of The Jarrett Payton Show, an internet sports radio show.  The show, airing weekdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., covers current sports’ stories, personalities and more – “Sports, Life and Everything In-between”.  Some of greatest names in sports have joined Jarrett to discuss topical issues including NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL Hall of Famers Jim Brown and Emmitt Smith.  To listen to “The Jarrett Payton Show” visit www.chicagolandsportsradio.com and click “Listen Live.”

Payton dedicates time to The Walter & Connie Payton Foundation.  The organization, created in honor of Jarrett’s late father, Walter Payton, is dedicated to the emotional healing of neglected, abused and underprivileged children by providing tools and opportunities to build self-esteem and encourage a better family unit, giving hope for a brighter future. 

Along with honoring his father’s legacy of making a difference in the community, Payton enjoys connecting with children, serving as a role model and stressing the importance of education and character.  Through his drive to make a difference, Jarrett and his wife have established The Jarrett Payton Foundation working with Chicago area schools to implement anti-bullying messages and programs to increase awareness and encourage safe environments for our youth.  JPF is committed to positively impacting the lives of children and adolescents by creating and providing programs that present them with a wide variety of opportunities specifically designed to develop their leadership skills and enrich their lives.  JPF plans to include Jarrett Payton Academy in the near future.  JPA will feature football camps for youth ages fourth grade through high school.

Jarrett is a rising star within media circles.  He has carried on the Payton legacy by creating his own.  Jarrett’s humble way and unique style has allowed him to appeal to a mass audience.  His grand appeal makes him one of the most marketable celebrities in Chicago whose name is synonymous with excellence or shall we say, “Sweetness.”

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Black & White Ball Portraits

Thank you to those Members that brought guests, please feel free to share these photos with them!

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• If you already have a banner ad, please email it to bpeterson@downersgrove.org. Please also include the web address or email you would like it linked to.
   
• If you are going to make your own banner ad, please size it to be 468 x 60 pixels and sumbit as a pdf or jpeg file to bpeterson@downersgrove.org. Please also include the web address or email you would like it linked to.
   
• If you need help creating a banner ad send us your logo, link and tagline to bpeterson@downersgrove.org. We’ll put it together for you. Please also include the web address or email you would like it linked to.

 If you have any questions, please call the Chamber at (630) 968-4050.

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Members in the News!

Congratulations to the following Members:

• Congratulations to Keith Hoffman of 1st Advantage Mortgage for being named Citizen of the Year by the Indian Boundary YMCA!
• Congratulations to Spiro J. Garbis, Ameriprise Financial, for being voted a 2011 Five Star Wealth Manager by Chicago Magazine.
• Diveheart: You can dive. Make no excuse.  Click on here to read this hearwarming story.
• Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove has named Patrick (Rick) Idemoto as vice president, business Development.

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Thank You Members!

The Downers Grove Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry would like to Thank the following members for their generosity and support: 

Thank you to Pam Toleikis of Business Partner Chicago for presenting at the October WIN Luncheon.

Thank you to BankFinancial for a fabulous Business After Hours and Ribbon Cutting.

Thank you to Ballydoyle for hosting the YPN Howl-O-Ween event.

Thank you to Michael Wynne for presenting, Profit-Ability at the October General Membership Luncheon.

Thank you to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital for sponsoring the October General Membership Luncheon, Profit-Ability.

Thank you to Jarrett Payton for speaking at the Not-for-Profit Breakfast, Passion in Your Mission is Sweetness.

Thank you to Little Friends, Inc. for sponsoring the Not-for-Profit Breakfast, Passion in Your Mission is Sweetness.

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