ELMHURST, Ill., July 10, 2009—Community volunteer and retired banker Ralph Pechanio of Elmhurst was honored as the 2009 recipient of the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s Good Works Award presented at the Chamber’s 61st Annual Golf Outing held at Maple Meadows Golf Club in Wood Dale on July 8.
The 10th Good Works Award recipient, Pechanio has been involved with the Chamber for nearly 40 years, including his 23-year career as a hometown banker. Since his retirement in 1993, he has continued to serve the business and civic communities.
The award was given to Pechanio “for his contributions to the betterment of the Chamber and Elmhurst business community through his selfless service as Co-Chair of the Elmhurst Memorial Day Parade Committee since 1997 and Chair of the Elmhurst Veterans Memorial Commission since prior to the Wilder Park Memorial’s 1993 dedication, his past leadership roles on the Board of Directors of both the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Elmhurst Economic Development Corporation (EEDC), his service in Elmhurst as a community banker for 23 years and 17-year member of the Kiwanis Club of Elmhurst, and his decades of support of the Chamber Golf Outing.”
Presented annually at the Chamber Golf Outing since 2000, the Good Works Award honors the memory of the late Chamber President, A.J. “Toche” Terrones, who led the Chamber for nearly 10 years until his death the night before the 1999 Golf Outing.
“Ralph has been a constant at our Golf Outing as a player and donor for as long as I can remember,” stated John Quigley, Chamber President and CEO since 1999 and active in the Chamber since 1991.
Past recipients include retired banker Frank Vitelli (2008), building contractor Paul DeMichele (2007), Chamber Retention Coordinator Jerry Sletten (2006), the mortgage team of Frank Catalano Jr. and Debra Klosterman (2005), retired business executive and Membership Vice President Howard Schreiber (2004), retired banker John Wartinbee (2003), then Elmhurst Mayor Thomas D. Marcucci (2002), entrepreneur Betsy Hanisch (2001) and Tom Coffey (2000) of Electronic Specialty Design.
“We present this award to people who have supported our Golf Outing in particular and the Chamber as a whole, and contributed to the Elmhurst business community at large,” Quigley stated.
Honored as the 2001 recipient of the Elmhurst Jaycees’ Distinguished Service Award, Pechanio has volunteered his time as Co-Chair of the Elmhurst Memorial Day Parade Committee since 1997.
“Ralph is the epitome of what it means to be a selfless volunteer,” said Quigley, who has Co-Chaired the Memorial Day Parade Committee with Pechanio since 2000.
Pechanio played an integral role as Fund-raising Chairman in the building of the Veterans Memorial in Wilder Park while Chairman (then President) of the Elmhurst Chamber’s Board of Directors. He also has chaired the Elmhurst Veterans Memorial Commission since its inception prior to the memorial’s 1993 Memorial Day dedication.
His banking career included 23 years at the former Elmhurst Federal Savings Bank (1970-93) as a Controller, Vice President and Treasurer, and then Chief Financial Officer. Prior to Elmhurst Federal, he served as a Savings and Loan Examiner at the State of Illinois’ Department of Financial Institutions (1964 and 1967-70).
Pechanio graduated from DePaul University in 1964 with a Bachelor of Science with a major in accounting and then served in the U.S. Army (1965-67).
Besides the Elmhurst Chamber, his local affiliations have included the City of Elmhurst, Elmhurst Economic Development Corporation, Elmhurst Family YMCA, Elmhurst City Centre, MacCormac College and Kiwanis Club of Elmhurst (since 1993).
Pechanio and his wife, Georgette, have resided in Elmhurst since their marriage in 1969. They are the parents of Matthew and Polly.
Established in 1918, the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce & Industry is a voluntary organization of business and professional men and women who have joined together to promote the civic and commercial progress of the community.
The Chamber also serves the needs of its members through services, programs and events that provide opportunities for networking and referral, business education, development and promotion, governmental representation and community involvement.
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