Elmhurst businesswoman Cathy Bajkowski will be honored as the 2022 Good Works Award recipient presented at “Networking on the 9s,” the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s 74th Annual Golf Outing, to be held at Sugar Creek Golf Course in Villa Park on Friday, September 23. Click HERE to register as a golfer, sponsor or luncheon attendee.
The first two-time Good Works awardee, Bajkowski was the 12th recipient at ECCI’s 63rd Annual Golf Outing held at White Pines Golf Club in Bensenville in June of 2011
Bajkowski is the owner of CB Health Insurance (188 Industrial Drive, Suite 226), which she opened in 2005, and has been an active ECCI member since 1993.
The award is being given to Bajkowski “for her contributions to the betterment of the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Elmhurst business community through her active 30-year Chamber membership—including as Chair of the Board of Directors (2003), Chairman’s Award recipient (2002) and Ambassador of the Year (1997), her support of Elmhurst Women in Business as a founding member, her charitable and philanthropic work, and her personal and business support of the Chamber Golf Outing.
“As I said back in 2011, Cathy is one of those special individuals who throws her heart and soul into whatever endeavor she chooses,” stated John R. Quigley, Chamber President and CEO since 1999, “and our Chamber is among the fortunate benefactors of her many good works.”
Bajkowski has worked in the insurance business since 1989, starting out with Woodman Accident & Life and then moving to MONY Life Insurance before opening up her own agency.
In 2003, Bajkowski became only the fourth woman to serve as Board Chair, following in the footsteps of Virginia “Ginny” Harmon (1982) of Unique Travel Service, Nancy Phillips (1988) of York State Bank and Gloria Duarte (1999) of Café Las Belles.
A graduate of the University of Illinois in Champaign, Bajkowski also volunteers as Chapter Advisor for the Phi Mu Fraternity at Elmhurst College.
Her husband of 30 years, Joe Bajkowski, is the Owner of JB Painting, a Chamber member since 2002. They are long-time residents of Elmhurst.
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.
“We present this award to individuals, businesses and organizations that have supported our Golf Outing in particular and the Chamber as a whole, and contributed to the Elmhurst business community at large,” Quigley stated.
Past recipients include the Elmhurst Park District (2021), Elmhurst University (2020), Elmhurst Jaycees (2019), President Dan Roesch and Partner/General Manager Paul Koch (2018) of Larry Roesch Chrysler Jeep Dodge RAM, Senior Vice President Ken Bartels (2017) of Community Bank of Elmhurst (CBE), the late Dare Messina of L.W. Reedy Real Estate (2016), Owner Pete DiCianni of DiCianni Graphics (2015), CBE Board Chair William “Bill” Gooch Jr. (2014), Attorney Scott Levin (2013) of Howard & Howard, Barb Savage (2012) of ECCI and CBE, Office Manager/Paralegal Julie Miller (2010) of Patrick T. Sheehan & Associates, longtime Chamber volunteer Ralph Pechanio (2009), retired banker Frank Vitelli (2008), former 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 Owner Tom Coffey (2000) of Electronic Specialty Design.
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.