Elmhurst Chamber News & Notes
Annual Meeting/Silent Auction
The Chamber will hold its Annual Meeting/Silent Auction with a “Taste of Elmhurst” and Elmhurst Jaycees-sponsored Casino Night in the Waterford Banquet Room at the Quality Inn (933 South Riverside Drive) on Wednesday, January 25, 2006, starting at 5:30 p.m. with the 30-minute Annual Meeting, where the A.J. “Toche” Terrones Business of the Year, Ambassador of the Year and Chairman’s Award for 2005 will be presented. The Silent Auction, “Taste of Elmhurst” and Jaycees Casino will run from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Casino proceeds will benefit the Elmhurst Fire Department Fire Engine Restoration Fund. Ticket cost is $10.00 per person; bar is cash.
Business After Hours
Seven Ten Lanes (119 North York Street) will host the Chamber’s monthly Business After Hours on Tuesday, January 31, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Chamber Anniversaries
The following five businesses are celebrating Chamber Anniversaries in December:
25 Years—M.E. Olson Construction Co. (601 South Route 83); and
5 Years—City Suburban Mortgage, Inc. (917 South York Street), Elmhurst Mailbox Center, LLC (105 East Vallette Street), Little Sprouts Infant Learning Center & Preschool (324 North York Street) and Tree Town Cooperative Nursery School (235 South Kenilworth Avenue).
In addition, Bob Hanisch, a retired businessman who formerly owned Western Slate, is marking his fifth year as a Chamber member.
New Members
The following three businesses joined the Chamber in the past two weeks:
Karen’s Kreations (193 Larch Avenue), custom paintings and murals, Karen Exiner, 530-0362;
Salon 360° (350 North York Street), hair design, Cyndi Hester and Valorie Hamilton, 530-7661 or 941-1031; and
Sun Construction Building Corp. (638 South Sunnyside Avenue), real estate development, Pravin Patel, 758-0880.
Newsmakers
With the November 18 closing of its historic acquisition of AT&T—after receiving final regulatory approvals from both the Federal Communications Commission and U.S. Department of Justice—SBC Communications (225 West Wesley Avenue, Wheaton 60187) has begun operations as the new AT&T, Inc., combing AT&T’s “passion to invent” and SBC’s “drive to deliver.”
State Senator Carol Pankau (R-23rd District) (One Tiffany Point, Suite G, Bloomingdale 60108), a state legislator since 1993, announced her candidacy for the Republican nomination for Illinois State Comptroller in 2006. The Illinois Chamber of Commerce presented her with “Champion of Free Enterprise” awards in 2002 and 2004, and rates her lifetime voting record at 87% pro-Chamber.
The Ray Graham Association for People with Disabilities (420 West Madison Street) honored State Representative Lee A. Daniels (R-21st District) and Elmhurst Mayor Thomas D. Marcucci as Legislator and Mayor of the Year, respectively, at River Forest Country Club (15W468 Grand Avenue) on December 8. Advocate of the Year was Robert Schillerstrom, Chairman of the DuPage County Board.
Elmhurst College (190 Prospect Avenue) bestowed Founders Medals upon former member of the Board of Trustees Virginia “Ginny” Harmon, who founded Unique Travel Service, Ltd. (170 North York Street) in 1975, and husband/business partner Earl Harmon for their decades of service to the College, the Chamber, the City of Elmhurst and the Community during the Annual President’s Appreciation Dinner held at The Abbington in Glen Ellyn on December 4.
The David Agency Insurance, Inc. (385 North York Street) has hired Barb Bohnert and Michelle Hooper, announced Executive VP Agency Development David Lacine. They are the wife and daughter, respectively, of Dr. John Bohnert, currently Dean of Education at Elmhurst College and Lacine’s former Professor at EC back in the 1970s. The Bohnerts have a longtime relationship with The David Agency Founder and Chief Executive Officer David Meilahn.
Elmhurst Firestone (436 North York Street) and Edward Jones Investment/Jason Janes (115 West Vallette Street) is serving as a U. S. Marines Toys for Tots collection site for new, unwrapped toys for needy children. Call Firestone at 834-3131 or Edward Jones at 279-5530 for more info.
Suburban Bank & Trust is sponsoring a Holiday Food Drive at its two Elmhurst locations (150 West Butterfield Road and 400 West Lake Street) to benefit United Community Concerns in Elmhurst in providing emergency and food assistance to needy families. Call 279-1300 for more info.
Special Events
The exhibit “Depicting Elmhurst” will go on display at the Elmhurst Historical Museum (120 East Park Avenue) starting Tuesday, December 13. Call 833-1457 for more info.
“State of the City” Mayoral Address
Elmhurst Mayor Thomas D. Marcucci will deliver the annual “State of the City” Mayoral Address at the Chamber’s January Membership Breakfast hosted by co-sponsor Community Bank of Elmhurst on Wednesday, January 17, 2006, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. The event is free to Chamber members, but seating is limited to 150.