Dear Members:
Although state-mandated Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic restrictions prohibited members and guests from gathering on January 29 as originally planned to celebrate the 102nd Annual ECCI Awards Gala, our Chamber hopes to properly fete our 2020 business and individual honorees in person by mid-2021 at the latest.
Honorees include Edward-Elmhurst Health’s Elmhurst Hospital as the A.J. “Toche” Terrones Business of the Year; Betsy D’Onofrio of Inland Home Mortgage as the Ambassador of the Year; ECCI President and CEO John Quigley as the Chairman’s Award recipient; and Scott and Charity Ahlgrim of Ahlgrim Funeral Home as ECCI Civic Hall of Fame inductees.
Paycheck Protection Program
My personal thanks to our friends at Community Bank of Elmhurst for their assistance in securing a federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) forgiveness-eligible loan worth $39,750 for our Chamber, which has remained fully staffed and operational throughout the Pandemic.
The $900 billion Emergency Coronavirus Relief Act of December 27 provides for financial relief of small businesses and not-for-profit (NFP) organizations—including the expansion of PPP eligibility to previously-excluded chambers of commerce, business and trade associations and other 501(c)(6) NFPs—plus assistance to the hospitality industry (see report on Tourism).
Of the $325 billion appropriated for small businesses and NFPs, $284 billion is for first and second rounds of forgiveness-eligible PPP loans, and increases individual loans from 250 percent to 350 percent of average monthly payroll for restaurants and hotels. Also, the relief package features a simplified forgiveness application for PPP loans under $150,000.
Business Interruption Grants
While our Chamber’s application with the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (IDCEO) for a Round 2 Business Interruption Grant (BIG) was denied due to a lack of available funding, 16 Elmhurst businesses and NFPs received $615,000 out of some $227 million in grant awards, with more than two-thirds of those monies awarded to ECCI members.
State of the County Address
DuPage County Board of Commissioners Chairman Dan Cronin of Elmhurst delivered his Annual State of the County Address on January 20 via Zoom video conferencing to some 120 members representing ECCI, host Chamber 630 and a seven other local chambers.
This year’s 90-minute program also included a panel discussion led by Karyn Charvat, Executive Director of Power Forward DuPage and featuring Ron Lunt, Office Division Partner and Founding Partner of Hamilton Partners and Greg Bedalov, President and CEO of Choose DuPage, the County’s economic development agency.
Administered by Choose DuPage, the County used some of its $161 million in Coronavirus, Aid, Relief and Economic Stability (CARES) Act funding to award $20.29 million in forgiveness-eligible $15,000 Reinvest DuPage Grants to 1,621 businesses and NFPs, including our Chamber.
“State of Our City” Mayoral Address
Two-term Elmhurst Mayor Steve Morley delivered his eighth and final “State of Our City” Mayoral Address on January 14 live from the Hammersmith Community Room’s Business Zone at CBE via the City’s YouTube page. The program also will air on Comcast Channel 6 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99 during February on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m.
State of Our Chamber Address
During the “State of Our City” event, I delivered my 22nd Annual State of Our Chamber Address, which was abridged (10 minutes) from the written Address uploaded to our Chamber’s website, shared via Facebook and Twitter posts, and e-mailed to members back on January 11.
19th Annual Economic Outlook
ECCI and co-host Westmont Chamber of Commerce and Visitor & Tourism Bureau are vetting dates in late February or early March to stage the 19th Annual Economic Outlook Multi-Chamber Event via Zoom video conferencing, with Anna Paulson, Executive Vice President and Director of Research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, as the Keynote Speaker.
Also, the Chicago Fed is seeking ECCI member participation in its Survey of Midwest Business Conditions 2020 Review and 2021 Outlook—the results of which Fed policymakers will use to make better-informed decisions on federal monetary policies.
Tourism Industry Optimistic
DuPage Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Beth Marchetti reported in her January 19 Message from the Director that optimism is rising across the travel industry as Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines are more widely administered, as follows:
“According to Destination Analysts, Americans’ openness to travel inspiration on a scale of 0-10 measures at 6.0, with excitement levels about travel in 2021 at 6.1. Those in a travel readiness state-of-mind are at 58.6%. The percent of American travelers who believe COVID-19 vaccines are safe is a solid 68, with 61% reporting they will be getting vaccinated. Some 56 percent of American travelers are more optimistic about being able to safely travel in the next six months due to vaccine availability.
“With the pandemic equalizing the playing field, all Chicago-area destinations are starting from the same recovery point. Now is the time for DuPage’s industry to stay strong and reinforce efforts in the marketplace. In 2019, DuPage’s four million hotel room nights equated to $2.86 billion in revenues, with those hotel guests spending money in substantial ways: $800 million on eating and drinking; $744 million on transportation; $458 million on retail; and $372 million on entertainment. It is undeniable how important visitors are to the health of your business. In fact, hotel guests accounted for a whopping 35 percent of expenditures in eating/drinking establishments, and 26 percent of general merchandise and apparel expenditures.
“DCVB has directed efforts toward areas that prioritize the health of our businesses and the return of guests to our hotels. Our $15,000 meeting incentives program, in a six-week reporting period in November and December, yielded over 1,000 future room nights and an estimated economic impact of $1.69 million. Our marketing programs result in trackable conversion rates, with a seven-week $25,000 Expedia program yielding 8,370 room nights, over $700,000 in gross hotel revenue and 3.7 million impressions. DCVB has kept DuPage top of mind, with features running in AAA, CVENT, Chicago Style Weddings, and digital social media ads. Efforts continue to promote DuPage as an ideal destination for road trips and future small meetings, weddings and events. Major programs such as Dining at a Distance and #CelebrateLocal remain ongoing.
“There are challenges ahead—recovery is going to require investment, continued unification of DuPage’s voice and brand, and collective strategies among leadership. Each DuPage organization plays an important role—and its own individualized pillar—as we move forward…”
Shop and Dine Hometown
Even with the January 26 return of limited indoor dining in Region 8 (including DuPage County), our Chamber’s “Dine Out” From Home website page will continue to promote some 90 Elmhurst restaurants and bars (members and non-members alike) that provide their patrons with walk-in takeout, curbside pick-up, drive-thru and/or delivery services.
Ranked as the No. 1 most visited website page since going online last March, “Dine Out” From Home features the name, address, phone number, hours of operation, both menu and online ordering (if an option) hyperlinks, and service delivery options for each restaurant and bar.
2021 Elmhurst Community Directory
Produced in partnership with the Elmhurst Suburban Life/Shaw Media, some 19,200 copies of the 2021 Elmhurst Community Directory were Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) delivered to every resident, business and Post Office Box address in Elmhurst in January. Directories also will be distributed via our Chamber’s New Resident Greeter Tote program and available at Elmhurst City and other public locations. A page-able Directory version can be viewed online.
Happy Anniversary
Nine members are celebrating Chamber anniversaries in February as follows: 55 years—Elmhurst Firestone; 30 years—Rainbow Café and Roberto’s Ristorante & Pizzeria; 20 years—Elmhurst Lions Club and Humbert Insurance Agency; 15 years—AES Systems Corp., DuPage Senior Citizens Council and Slone Commercial; and 5 years—International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers.
New Members
Our Chamber welcomed two new members in January as follows: LMC – The Flynn and The Junkluggers of West Chicago Suburbs.
Dropped Members
The Chamber said goodbye to the following seven members in January: Carousel Flowers by Shamrock Garden Florists, CIBC, Crescent Court Condo Association, Crown River Partners, Jordan Daily Money Management, Richard J. Blass & Associates and VNA Health Care.