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GREATER OAK BROOK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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WHAT WE DO

The Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Partnership connects companies to the pulse of business in the Chicago region and serves as an influential and effective advocate and marketer for businesses.
We always put the needs of businesses first by:
1. Attracting new companies to our community and building new business opportunities for those companies and existing companies.
2. Working with key local, state and federal government decision makers to address the financial, operational and other needs of local businesses and businesses seeking to locate here.
3. Identifying transportation, infrastructure and other community solutions that will attract and retain a talented local workforce.
4. Developing new area attractions and marketing initiatives that will expand tourism and grow our local economy.
Welcome and Mission, Please Join
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HOW WE WORK

The Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce is a 501(c)6 business association governed by a board of directors comprised of Greater Oak Brook companies representing a range of industries: Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, hospitality and retail businesses, technology companies, commercial real estate firms and more. Collectively, these individuals and their companies represent the policy interests of the Greater Oak Brook business community.

Six paid staff and consultants experienced in business, nonprofit and economic development program management, government and higher education assist the board in planning the organization’s strategic direction, and manage and execute its operations, programs and activities.
Meet Our Staff and Board of Directors

Organizational Culture
The organization’s leaders and members work together in a geographically small community that is bustling with business. Over 100,000 people work or visit here each day, which keeps our local companies and economy thriving!
Fortunately, the community’s small geographical size allows us to stay connected and aware of the issues affecting each other. Working together like this has helped create a supportive and respectful organizational culture in which members may build positive professional relationships over time.

One Voice for Business through Committees!
The organization has established a collaborative communication structure that allows local businesses to work together through councils and committees to develop a vision and strategy that serve the broader business community’s needs. These joint efforts have helped create one business voice to address critical issues ranging from local signage codes and community marketing and transportation initiatives to broader state business policy concerns. Members may serve on the following councils and committees:
• Business Roundtable
• Economic Development Partnership Council
• Talented Workforce Committee
• Young Business Leaders
• Inclusion & Diversity Committee
• Not For Profit Committee
• Transportation & Infrastructure Committee
• Serve On Committees
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OUR MEMBERS

Over 350 key area companies employing nearly 10,000 people are members of the Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Partnership. Member companies represent commercial real estate (20%), hospitality and retail (25%), technology and other professional services (30%), banking and financial services (15%) and healthcare (10%) sectors. More than 1,500 professionals from these companies regularly participate in the organization’s programs and activities and/or serve in council and committee leadership roles.
Member Directory, Renew or Join Now

the TEAM

MEET EVERYONE!

MEET THE STAFF AND CONSULTANTS

MEET THE BOARD

David Carlin

President & CEO

David Carlin is the Chamber’s President and CEO and oversees all facets of its work. Previously, David served as District Director for two Members of Congress and as a Senior Advisor in the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office.

David’s undergraduate degree is in public administration and political science and he is a licensed Illinois Real Estate Broker.

Please contact David at [email protected] or 630-747-3989.
Ed Tracy, CPA

Chief Financial Consultant

Ed Tracy is the Chamber’s Chief Financial Consultant, overseeing the organization’s budget development and financial reporting processes. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Illinois and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Illinois CPA Society. Please contact Ed at [email protected].
Nicole Lovato

Accounting Solutions Senior

Nicole Lovato is an accounting solutions senior at Selden Fox. She works with a variety of clients assisting on day-to-day processing support including general ledger maintenance, reconciling bank accounts, resolving account discrepancies, posting payroll, and other month-end entries, among other accounting services support. Nicole also prepares tax returns for privately held businesses and individuals.

Prior to joining Selden Fox, she was a senior tax accountant in the fiduciary group at a Big 4 accounting firm. Nicole earned her Bachelor’s degree in business administration and her Master’s degree in financial fraud from Saint Xavier University.

Please contact Nicole at [email protected].

Tamryn Hennessy

Program Director

Tamryn Hennessy is the Chamber’s Program Director. She is responsible for leading and managing the organization’s economic development programs, with a current focus on new workforce attraction and retention initiatives, including the STEM Bridge Partnership.

She jointly staffs the Economic Development Partnership Council, Talented Workforce Committee, and Young Business Leaders group. Tamryn’s professional background includes work in higher education, commercial banking, and corporate real estate. Her undergraduate degree was in economics. Please contact Tamryn at [email protected] or 708-557-8676.
Jenny Stanko

Communications & Membership Development Manager

Jenny Stanko is the Chamber’s Communications & Membership Development Manager. Jenny is responsible for managing content for Chamber websites and social media pages. She creates marketing pieces and blog posts for events as well as provides support for Chamber members, meetings, events and grant projects.

Jenny previously served in various project support roles in commercial real estate. Jenny’s undergraduate degree was in speech communications. Please contact Jenny at [email protected] or 708-609-4163.
Bridget Karnick

Meeting & Events Planner

Bridget Karnick is the Chamber’s Meeting & Event Planner. Bridget is responsible for organizing membership events and council and committee meetings, and meetings and events for the Economic Development Partnership.

Previously Bridget served in administrative and project management roles in commercial real estate. Her undergraduate and graduate programs were in finance and marketing and business administration. Please contact Bridget at [email protected] or 630-853-9247.

Chairman Finny Rajchel

State Farm Insurance, Oakbrook Terrace

Finny Rajchel, the owner of the Finny Rajchel Insurance Agency, has been affiliated with State Farm Insurance and Financial Services for 28 years, consulting with individuals and businesses to manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams.

Finny holds his Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter designation, providing product expertise covering a spectrum of broad and niche solutions for his clients. Finny previously served as Wheaton College’s baseball coach from 1994-99 as well as played for the Milwaukee Brewers' minor league team from 1988-89.

He is an active and enthusiastic supporter of community groups including serving as Secretary of the Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, a member of the Lion’s Club and acting as the first non-realtor Affiliate Director of the Mainstream Organization of Realtors.

He proudly attended Ohio State University and graduated from Cedarville University.
Vice Chairman Dan Wagner

Inland Real Estate Group, Oak Brook

Daniel Wagner is senior vice president of government relations for The Inland Real Estate Group of Companies, Inc. He has been a licensed real estate broker since 2004 and holds Series 7 and 63 security licenses.

Wagner serves on numerous real estate industry, and governmental boards and committees. He served as Treasurer and President Elect of the ILLINOIS REALTORS®, President of the CHICAGO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® in 2016 and was the 2016 Commercial Liaison for the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Wagner was named 2017 REALTOR® of the Year by the CHICAGO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and received the 2017 Commercial Award from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Wagner is also a commissioner on the DuPage Airport Authority and serves as the Chairman of the Authority’s Capital Development Committee. Wagner served for two terms as Chairman of the Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce and is currently Vice Chairman of the organization. Additionally, he serves as a Trustee for The Conservation Foundation.

As a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, Wagner has been a significant advocate for the Marketplace Fairness Act which the Supreme Court ruled into law in 2018. Wagner is also a board member of the Institute for Portfolio Alternatives’- (IPA) and in 2018 received the IPA Outstanding Service Award for his role as Co-Chair of the Policy and Government Affairs Committee. He was a part of the Real Estate Roundtable’s 1031 Like-Kind Exchange Coalition, whose ultimate outcome was the preservation of the 1031 Like-Kind in the 2018 Federal Tax Law. He is a board member for the Civic Federation of Chicago and is active in the United States Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Manufacturers Association, and Illinois Retail Merchants Association.

In 2014, he received the Advocacy Award from the Illinois Park and Recreation Association for his work on behalf of special needs children in his community. Wagner is a longtime volunteer for the Hinsdale Wellness House which helps people with cancer. In 2015, the Illinois State University Political Science Department honored him with their alumni award. In 2018, he received the Illinois State University’s College of Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame Award and the Illinois State University Division of Student Affairs Steve and Sandi Adams Legacy Hall of Fame Award.

Wagner obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Illinois State University. He is married and has four children, three of whom are triplets.
Secretary Mae Behm

JVM Realty Corporation, Oak Brook

Mae joined JVM in 2010 and has over 35 years of experience in the financial services industry. She is responsible for development of fund offerings, marketing, fund administration, and investor reporting and communications for JVM. Mae received her B.S. in Finance from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Treasurer Kathy Hardy

At-Large Director

Kathy Hardy is an Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer at Leaders Bank. She has a demonstrated history of working in the banking industry and has been with Leaders Bank for over 15 years. Prior to her work at Leaders Ms. Hardy had several senior vice president roles at several Chicagoland area banks.

Kathy has also been a volunteer for nonprofit Poised For Success for over 15 years.
Teresana Barabba

Chicago Marriott Oak Brook, Oak Brook

Teresana Barabba is part of the Chicago Marriott Oak Brook sales team as an Area Sales Manager. With over five years of hospitality experience, Ms. Barabba sells for the corporate group sector. She is passionate about fostering collaborative relationships with partners that ensure positive and successful experiences at the Chicago Marriott Oak Brook.
Erik Beck

Millennium Trust Company, Oak Brook

As Chief Growth Officer at Millennium Trust Company, Erik is responsible for sales and relationship management, product and strategy, and marketing. Erik leads our client engagement and partnership strategy, defines strategic growth plans, and ensures we deliver innovative and robust products and services to our clients.

Prior to joining Millennium Trust, Erik was a managing director, member of the operating committee, and head of the investment management industry group at BNY Mellon. There he led a team responsible for business development and client engagement. Prior to that role, he held various other leadership positions responsible for technology projects and building partnerships with key clients. Erik is passionate about finding opportunities that contribute to the success of clients and drive growth for the firm.

Erik holds a BS in Finance from San Diego State University and serves on the board of trustees of the New York Foundling.

Kristina Bedell

Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse, Oak Brook

Kristina has been with Gibsons Restaurant Group for more than 16 years. Kristina began working for Gibsons in 2006 as a Server and now leads Gibson’s Bar and Steakhouse in Oak Brook as General Manager.
Norm Canfield

At-Large Director

Norm is a 44-year veteran of Hyatt Hotels Corporation. During his tenure with Hyatt, Norm held various posts including Corporate Vice-President of Rooms and as General Manager at nine Hyatt hotels across the country including at Oak Brook’s Hyatt Lodge.

In addition to serving on the Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Norm has served on the DuPage Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Board of Directors; as Chairman of the Village of Oak Brook’s Hotel, Convention and Visitors Committee; as a member of the Village of Oak Brook Community Enhancement Committee and as a leader in many civic, business and hospitality industry organizations.

Norm grew up in up-state New York and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Hotel Administration from the University of New Hampshire. Norm has lived in the Chicago area for more than 24 years.
Tim Geiges

Brookfield Properties, Oak Brook

Tim Geiges joined Oakbrook Center in November 2018 as Senior General Manager. Prior to joining Oakbrook Center, Tim held the position of regional director of property management for Starwood Retail Partners, overseeing the West region. In that position, he led the property management teams during several development projects including a $125M redevelopment of The Shops at Willow Bend in Plano Texas.

Prior to Starwood, Geiges held the position of district general manager of Westfield Old Orchard and its Illinois district, overseeing Chicago area centers; Southlake Mall, Fox Valley Mall and Hawthorn Center. In that role, Geiges led the center teams through various projects including a common area revitalization project at Old Orchard and $50M theater development at Hawthorn.

Geiges has a Bachelor’s degree from Baldwin Wallace University and has been in the shopping center industry for over 20 years, starting his career at Southlake Mall in Merrillville, IN and has been in the retail industry ever since.

Dennis Hiffman

NAI Hiffman, Oakbrook Terrace

Dennis J. Hiffman has been involved in Real Estate Brokerage for over 45 years. During that 45 year period he has been a general partner in the development and/or acquisition of 1.25 million square feet of office buildings, including the Old Orchard Plaza in Skokie, Illinois; the Garretson & Santora Building in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; the Midwest Office Center and One Oakbrook Terrace in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois; 180 N. Wacker Drive in Chicago; and some 2.5 million square feet of retail shopping centers, including Orland Park Place, Orland Park; Broadview Village Square, Broadview; Broadway Center in Chicago, Oak Brook Promenade, Oak Brook, and Main Street Village, Orland Park, and 12 million square feet of industrial space throughout the United States.

From 1972-1977, Mr. Hiffman was at Hawthorn Realty Group where he developed new industrial properties and sold or leased existing properties for numerous major public corporations. In 1977, Mr. Hiffman formed MRX/Midwest Realty Exchange, Inc. MRX was later sold to Grubb & Ellis and became the basis for their Chicago office. In 1981, Mr. Hiffman founded HSA to serve the needs of corporate real estate. Over the next 18 years HSA grew to be the largest independently owned commercial real estate firm in Chicago.

In 1999, Mr. Hiffman became Chairman of NAI Hiffman, which was formerly the Brokerage Division of HSA. In 2001, NAI Hiffman merged with Scribcor Real Estate Services, a 110 year old management and brokerage services company. This brought in accounts such as: The Wrigley Company; St. Paul Travelers; UBS Brinson; and the MacArthur Foundation. At NAI Hiffman, Mr. Hiffman spearheaded the development and leasing of Oakbrook Promenade, a 185K SF lifestyle center located in Oak Brook in 2006.

The firm currently manages and leases over 77.8 million SF of space and has been named the #1 Property Management Firm in Chicago by Crains Chicago for 2009-2015, has consistently been in the top 10 in the Crains Book of Lists for leasing and sales, and named Top Workplace by the Chicago Tribune 2013 - 2016. NAI Hiffman has over 162 real estate professionals located at their headquarters in Oakbrook Terrace, and at management offices throughout the Chicagoland area.
Tom Jones

Comcast Business Class, Oak Brook

Tom Jones has worked for Comcast in Business Services in the Chicago area for over 9 years. He is currently the Director of Market Development and prior to that he held various sales leadership positions. Prior to working for Comcast, he was a Director of Customer Support at Level 3 and also worked for CIMCO, Broadwing Communications and Verizon in roles that ranged from National Accounts sales positions to project management and marketing roles. Tom is a graduate of the University of Michigan. In his spare time he enjoys running and spending time with his family, including his wife and 3 grown children who all reside in Chicago.
Anna Kamilis

The Outpost Mexican Eatery, Downers Grove

Anna worked in restaurants during school and developed a passion for the industry. Upon completing her education, she joined Marriott International where she went through The Manager in Training Program and went on to work for Starwood and Fairmont Hotels. Anna was Director of Guest Services, implemented Presidents Club Programs, oversaw the Concierge Level and Lounges, was responsible for travel and itineraries for VIP’s and negotiated vendor contracts for the hotels.

Anna spent ten years with the iconic Gibsons Restaurant Group as Director of Business Development and was responsible for building the Suburban Private Dining Division from the ground up. Anna evolved and maintained her hospitality partners, became involved in the communities, and is an active member of neighborhood chambers of commerce and many charitable organizations. Through her years of networking she formed relationships with large corporations and small businesses bringing over one million dollars in sales both in private event business and everyday dining room business to The Gibsons Restaurant Group and more recently Doughboy Restaurant Group and One Off Hospitality.

Anna has taken her love of hotels, restaurants and people and has spent the last twenty-five years building lasting relationships and lifelong customers through trust, accountability, and attention to details. In 2020, Anna realized a lifelong dream of opening her own restaurant, The Outpost Mexican Eatery.

Jeffrey J. Krusinski

Krusinski Construction Company, Oak Brook

As a kid, Jeff watched his father build Krusinski Construction Company often visiting project sites with his dad on the weekends. Jeff joined the Company in 1994 as a laborer and worked within many departments such as estimating, project management and field operations. After decades of hard work, dedication and success in each role, his passion and vast knowledge of the industry earned him the current role of president. Working with clients building long-term relationships while increasing company growth has always been Jeff’s goal. He, like his father, understands the value of developing client trust through exceptional performance. Jeff enjoys spending time with his family and is often caught on the golf course or playing hockey.
Pam McMeen

Chamberlain Group, Oak Brook

Pam McMeen leads the marketing organization for Chamberlain Group responsible for planning, organizing, staffing, training and overall management of the marketing function to achieve company sales and profitability objectives. Ms. McMeen joined Chamberlain Group in November of 2014 as the SBU leader for the retail business and has been leading the marketing organization since November of 2018. During her tenure as CMO, Pam restructured the marketing department to support CGI’s business transformation and modernized the operating model to better meet business needs resulting in improved quality and productivity. Pam has been a member of the board of directors for Ideal Industries since December of 2020 bringing her P&L experience and depth of marketing expertise to a family owned business to help drive transformational growth.

Pam is a native of Chicago and has over 20 years of experience in consumer products across multiple industries including Housewares, Hardware and Office Products. Prior to joining The Chamberlain Group, she held the position of VP Marketing at Focus Products Group, VP Marketing at World Kitchen, and various marketing and new product development roles at Fortune Brands, Sunbeam Corporation and Taylor Precision after starting her career at Kraft Foods.
Adrian Mendoza

Lillig & Thorsness, Ltd., Oak Brook

Adrian Mendoza has tried numerous jury and bench trials in state and federal courts and appeared before administrative law agencies throughout the country in cases involving catastrophic injury, fraud, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, employment practices and real property disputes. He represents clients in the real estate, manufacturing, hospitality, financial, legal, and insurance industries.

In addition to his trial work, Adrian counsels businesses on preventative measures, post-occurrence investigations, settlement negotiations and governmental compliance. He has been called upon to conduct internal corporate investigations relating to fraud, harassment claims, wrongful death, and safe practices and procedures.

Adrian was admitted to practice law in the State of Illinois in 1994, the State of Indiana in 1997 and the District of Columbia in 2012. He is also admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois, the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana, and the United States District Court for the District of Colorado, and has appeared pro hac vice in courts in Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New York and Pennsylvania.

Adrian is a member of the Defense Research Institute and the Illinois State Bar Association. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce. He is a past President of the Riverside Swim Club and previously served on the Board of Directors of The John Marshall Law School Alumni Association and the Zoning and Planning Commission for the Village of Riverside. Adrian has been recognized as an Illinois Super Lawyer in 2006, 2007 and 2019 – 2021.

Nathan Post

BCS Financial, Oakbrook Terrace

Nathan Post is the Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Communications at BCS Financial Corporation, a wholly owned Blue Cross Blue Shield company that delivers insurance solutions for Blue Plans nationwide.

He is currently responsible for developing and executing marketing strategies that support the company’s mission, while also helping to build the sales pipeline for its varied insurance product lines.

Before joining BCS in 2015, Nathan held marketing roles at the American Hospital Association, Paragon Digital Marketing, and CNO Financial Group, where he led major initiatives that ranged from launching new products to repositioning existing lines of business through product enhancements, capabilities, and solutions.

He has also received industry recognition from organizations as Insurance Nexus, the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (Marcom Awards), National Mature Media, Society of Typographical Arts, the Midas Awards, and The Telly Awards. Nathan earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and his Master of Business Administration from Purdue University Northwest.

He recently served on the Board of Directors for Tutoring Chicago, a not-for-profit that offers free one-to-one tutoring services to economically disadvantaged students in 1st through 6th grade.
Todd Probasco

Lakeside Bank, Oak Brook

Todd is the Vice President of Mortgage Lending at Lakeside Bank.
As a producing manager he leads an experienced group of highly talented mortgage loan originators, focusing on sales, marketing, and recruitment.
With over 20 years in the business, Todd has helped hundreds of clients achieve their real estate goals while lending in all 50 states.
Todd was the proud winner of the 2005 Mortgage Broker/Owner of the Year Award presented by the Illinois Mortgage Brokers Association. Mr. Probasco can be reached at [email protected] or 708.205.2983.
Lauren Rullo

Weber Grill Restaurant, Lombard

Lauren Rullo is currently the Corporate Sales Manager for Weber Grill Restaurants. In her current role she oversees the Sales team, as well as books private dining and catering events for their Lombard and Schaumburg locations. Additionally Lauren has been a vital part of developing private in-person and virtual Grill Academy classes and off-premise, full service catered events where they bring authentic charcoal Weber Kettle Grills out to your event and prepare everything on the spot.

Lauren joined the Weber Grill team as a server in 2004 and quickly found that her passion for people and food had her wanting to climb the ladder. Despite an English degree, the fast paced excitement of the restaurant world is where she has established her career. She did leave Weber Grill Restaurants for a short five years, where she was a Sales Manager at Harry Carey’s, Bucca di Beppo, and Shaw’s Crab House but returned to Weber Grill Restaurants. Cumulatively, Lauren has been a part of the Weber family for over 16 years.

Lauren worked closely with the Greater Oak Brook Chamber Bridge Partnership Program and York High School Hospitality program in 2019, a semester long program that culminated in a Burger Battle; the winning team's burger was featured on the menu in the restaurant for National Burger Month.

In 2018 she was awarded the Under 40 Leadership Recognition Award by the Greater Oak Brook Chamber, and in 2016 she was awarded the Young Business Professional of the year by Chamber 630. Lauren has sat on the NextGen Executive Board for the DuPage Children’s Museum, and been an Advisor to different positions of the board of her sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma at her alumni.

In her free time, Lauren spends time with family or close friends and their kids. She loves throwing them over the top birthday parties and spoiling them as often as possible. She is a big Chicago Bears and Blackhawks fan, and also enjoys checking out new restaurants, going to see comedians and will never turn down an opportunity to do some shopping.

Suzanna Strangmeier

ComEd, Oak Brook

Suzanna started working full-time in the External Affairs group on September 18, 2018. As an External Affairs Manager, she engages in community outreach that powers, invests in, uplifts, and transforms communities. Suzanna represents the Subject Matter Experts at ComEd and works to build strategic partnerships and provide trusted advisement to municipalities. She also leads and co-leads initiatives that strengthen ComEd and Community partnerships to advance reliable, clean energy.

Prior to joining ComEd, Suzanna worked at the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the entity certified by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to oversee reliability and security compliance and enforcement after the 2003 Blackout. Her last appointment was as a liaison where she strategically engaged NERC staff, eight North American regional offices, and industry representatives to navigate effectively on policy and standards amid matrixed authority structures. She spearheaded regional and NERC alignment initiatives resulting in published sampling methodologies, best practices, lessons learned, or audit guidance. Her entrance into the energy and regulatory sectors began with a career in journalism. In her last assignment as a correspondent, she covered North American and global power trends related to policy, financials, technical innovation, fuel competition, power markets, supply/demand, cyber security, and environmental issues.

Suzanna earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Houston-Clear Lake in 1999. Before then, she spent several years working full time to pay for her undergraduate degree, during which she held positions in the medical; commercial and household storage/transportation; sales; and customer service industries. She has been a certified Strategic Planning Professional with the Association of Strategic Planning (ASP) since December 2017 and is a board member the ASP Chicago Chapter. She loves the outdoors and appreciates the beautiful seasons in the Midwest. Suzanna’s foundation is her personal faith, and it fuels her relationships, work ethic, and public service. She has volunteered with groups such as Little Brothers, Friends of the Elderly, Feed My Starving Children, Illinois Veterans’ Homes, Meals on Wheels, Levy Senior Center, Illinois Food Bank, Earth Day, Naperville Path of Hope Clinic, and several Maasai and African Fundraising Campaigns.

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BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE
The Business Roundtable is the Chamber’s public policy advisory group, composed of the leaders of area companies who are committed to working on behalf of the Chamber’s local, state and congressional legislative agendas. These agendas support the state and congressional legislative priorities of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
The Business Roundtable meets quarterly and guides the Chamber on priority policy initiatives throughout the year.
For information about the Business Roundtable, please contact David at [email protected] or 630-747-3989.

Business Roundtable

Maryanne Adams, Selden Fox, Ltd.

Hamed Babai, Power Kiosk
Douglas Beck, HUB Group
Erik Beck, Millennium Trust Company
Kristina Bedell, Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse
Jim Bell, Innovation DuPage
Joe Buchholz, Buck Services, Inc.
Jon Crost, Weber Grill Restaurant
Dina Derman, Inland Bank and Health Savings Division
Jennifer Doherty, Lewis University Oak Brook Campus
Sean Durkin, Fifth Third Bank
Kathy Dwyer
Beth Engel, Wells Fargo Private Bank
Jason Fowler, JWF Group, Inc.
Tim Geiges, Oakbrook Center
Liz Gonzalez, Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush
Sam Guerrero, Innovation DuPage
Walt Hajduk, DoubleTree Hotel Chicago-Oak Brook
Kathy Hardy, Leaders Bank
Dennis Hiffman, NAI Hiffman
Perry Higa, NAI Hiffman
David Hoy, Law Offices of Hoy & Sahlas, LLC
Randal Johnson, Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush
Tom Jones, Comcast Business Class
Tom Joseph, Illinois Association of Realtors - MSOR
Anna Kamilis, The Outpost Mexican Eatery
Jeff Krusinksi, Krusinski Construction
David Lind, CBRE
Travis Linderman, Innovation DuPage
Susan Lindquist, BCS Financial Corporation
Jackie Lorenty, Chamberlain Group
Sean McCarthy, Comcast Business
Adrian Mendoza, Lillig & Thorsness, Ltd.
Michelle Mugnolo, Inland Bank & Trust
Kevin Munday, Xeno Media, Inc.
Jim Nagle, Drake Oak Brook
Steve Pierson, Selden Fox, Ltd.
Kristopher Plencner, Royce Realty & Management
Nathan Post, BCS Financial
John Quinn, AT&T
Finny Rajchel, State Farm Insurance
Ed Tiesenga, Village of Oak Brook
Dan Wagner, Inland Real Estate Group, Inc.
Dave Yeager, HUB Group
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NOT FOR PROFIT COMMITTEE
The Chamber formally organized a Not For Profit committee in 2019 as a place for the Chamber’s not for profit organizations to come together to share ideas and best practices. The committee will provide topics of interest to address some of the unique challenges that not for profit organizations may face. The committee will also provide opportunities for these organizations to connect with the other for profit Chamber companies and receive additional visibility within the community.
The committee will formally meet 4 times a year. If you are interested in learning more about this committee, please contact Bridget Karnick at [email protected] or 630-853-9247.

Not for Profit Committee

Kate Bousum, Child's Voice
Jana Cronin, National Alliance on Mental Illness
Kiyoko Czech, American Cancer Society
Jennifer Doherty, Lewis University Oak Brook Campus
Carrie Flick, DuPage Pads
Debbie Hasse, College of DuPage
Barb Linek, Family Bridges
Liz Littwin, Oak Brook Park District
Sara LoCoco Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois
Debbie Lunger, People's Resource Center
Jenifer Walsh, College of DuPage
Kathie Watts, Elmhurst-Yorkfield Food Pantry
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL
The Economic Development Partnership (EDP) Council is composed of our community’s larger employers and elected and staff representatives of the Village of Oak Brook and City of Oakbrook Terrace. The Council guides the following Economic Development Partnership strategic goals:
• To retain and attract businesses to Oak Brook and Oakbrook Terrace by marketing our properties and community and maintaining low business costs, efficient permitting, signage and zoning processes, and a positive local response to business requests, overall
• To drive significant attractions and events to our community
• To identify and develop solutions to address the transportation and infrastructure needs of local businesses
• To retain and attract talented employees here, with an emphasis on attracting more young professionals and technology professionals
For information about the Economic Development Partnership, please contact David at [email protected] or 630-747-3989.

Economic Development Partnership

Maryanne Adams, Selden Fox, Ltd.
John Baar, Village of Oak Brook
Douglas Beck, HUB Group
Larry Brand, Elkay Manufacturing Company
Tony Budzikowski, Village of Oak Brook
Norm Canfield, Hyatt Lodge McDonald's
Michael Donnantuono, Blistex
Kathy Dwyer, Marriott Oak Brook
James Fasano, Jupiter Realty
Cindy Fernandez, Perry's Steakhouse & Grille
Tim Geiges, Oakbrook Center - Brookfield Properties
Ed Harrington, CenterPoint Properties
Dennis Hiffman, NAI Hiffman
Randal Johnson, Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush
Tom Jones, Comcast Business Class
Laure Kosey, Oak Brook Park District
Jeff Krusinski, Krusinski Construction Company
President Gopal Lalmalani, Village of Oak Brook
Susan Lindquist, BCS Financial Corporation
Jackie Lorenty, Chamberlain Group
Jay Madary II, JVM Realty Corporation
Jeff Mann, CBRE
Kristine Marsh, BKD LLP
Adrian Mendoza, Lillig & Thorsness, Ltd.
Diana LaVaque, Frankilin Partners, LLC
Kevin Munday, Xeno Media, Inc.
Jeffrey Pagnotta, Perry's Steakhouse & Grille
Kristopher Plencner, Royce Realty & Management
Mayor Tony Ragucci, City of Oakbrook Terrace
Finny Rajchel, State Farm Insurance
Todd Schaefer, Jones Lang LaSalle Tenant Representation Group
Nadeem Siddiqui, Hiltons of Oakbrook
Charles Ungaro, Ace Hardware Corporation
Dan Wagner, Inland Real Estate Group, Inc.
Mary Wahlbeck, DeVry University
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TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
The Chamber’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is a subcommittee of the Economic Development Partnership Council. The Committee is composed of local commercial property owners and property representatives who review and make recommendations on initiatives designed to make our community more competitive in attracting and retaining new businesses and top talent.
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INCLUSION & DIVERSITY COUNCIL
Be it resolved that the Board of Directors of the Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce and related Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Partnership hereby adopts this Statement of Diversity and Inclusion.

 We believe that diversity in the workplace and our communities should be openly discussed and celebrated.

 We believe Chamber members, community partners, and guests should feel comfortable expressing different ideas, opinions, and worldviews while participating in Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce meetings and events.

 We believe that the highest level of respect should be afforded to all individuals without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability.

 We believe dialogue is a powerful tool, which, according to William Issacs, Director of the Dialogue Project at MIT “…is a way of taking the energy of our differences and channeling it toward something that has never been created before. It lifts us out of polarization and into a greater common sense…”

 We believe respecting one another and focusing on what we can learn from each other leads to an increased knowledge of the world and its people.

 We stand in solidarity against racism and advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in all Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce activities, and in our society and economy.

 We commit to the establishment of a Diversity and Inclusion Council for the purpose of increasing the diversity of ideas, membership, programming and opportunities within the Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce and greater Oak Brook business community. Adopted by a vote of the Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, on this day, Wednesday, June 17, 2020.
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TALENTED WORKFORCE COMMITTEE
The Talented Workforce Committee’s main goal is to ensure the future success of local businesses by establishing and strengthening initiatives that help retain and attract a talented workforce in Greater Oak Brook. The committee members, composed of the chamber’s large employers – and member staffing companies, member academic institutions and chamber staff – will combine their efforts this year to connect companies to available training programs. Committee members will specifically focus on engaging and coordinating local professional peer groups with an emphasis on technology talent and young professionals.

For information about the Talented Workforce Committee, please contact Tamryn Hennessy at [email protected] or 708-557-8676.

Please click here to read about the Talented Workforce Committee’s new My Mentors STEM Partnership

For a list of local area Small Business Development Centers please the state Small Business Development Centers and U.S. Small Business Administration.

Talented Workforce Committee

Chairwoman Nora O'Connor, Inland Real Estate Group, Inc.
Chairwoman Susan Lindquist, BCS Financial
Wes Becton, Washington Street Partners
Mae Behm, JVM Realty Corporation
Laura Bellis, LaSalle Network
Jamie Brown, WorkNet DuPage
Luisa Buehler, The Hire Solution Employment Corporation
Sirmara Campbell, The LaSalle Network
Joseph Crimmins, Serve and Protect Law LLC
Rick Curry, Blistex
Karyn DeFalco, Millennium Trust Company
Patti Demitros, Elkay Manufacturing Company
Rebecca DePorter, CenterPoint Properties
Jennifer Doherty, Lewis University Oak Brook Campus
Kathy Dwyer, Marriott Oak Brook Hotel
Lisa Fitterer, Chamberlain Group
Joe Gallelli, Total Staffing Solutions
Kathy Hardy, Leaders Bank
Debbie Hasse, College of DuPage
Ashish Kapoor, JVM Realty Corporation
Shannon Kelly, Ace Hardware Corporation
Gina Krusinski, Krusinski Construction Company
Michele McDermott, HUB Group
Adrian Mendoza, Lillig & Thorsness, Ltd.
Kevin Munday, Xeno Media, Inc.
Tricia Myers, Chamberlain Group
Juliana Nelligan, Roosevelt University
Patrick O'Rourke, BCS Financial Corporation
Dr. Ryan Petty, Roosevelt University
Steve Ritter, Team Clock Institute, LLC
Lauren Rullo, Weber Grill Restaurant
Kara Ryder, Ace Hardware Corporation
Jessica Schaeffer, LaSalle Network
Lisa Schvach, WorkNet DuPage
Emily Sharma, LaSalle Network
Tim Sheahan, Indiana Tech
Stacey Varnasidis, Ace Hardware Corporation
Brett Walsh, Graycor Construction Company
Anna Weselak, Weselak & Associates
Ingrid Woolfolk, Willis Tower Watson
Maureen Wood, Brightstar Care
Jennifer Zaranski, The Salem Group
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YOUNG BUSINESS LEADERS
The Chamber’s Young Business Leaders group helps local young professionals to become more involved in important chamber and community leadership opportunities. The group also offers peer activities to strengthen young leaders’ professional networks..

Participation in the Chamber's Young Business Leaders group is by employer nomination. To be eligible for the group, young professionals must be:

• Between the ages of 22 and 39
• Employed at a company based in Greater Oak Brook
• Knowledgeable about how the US economy works and the important role businesses play in ensuring a strong economy
• Supportive of his or her employer’s business strategy and goals
• Very interested in learning more about his or her company and industry
• A strong individual performer who supports other members of his or her team
• A good collaborator with demonstrated leadership potential.
For information about the Young Business Leaders, please contact Tamryn Hennessy at [email protected] or 708-557-8676.

Young Business Leaders

Co-Chairs: Kate Bousum, Child's Voice and Shannon Kelly, Ace Hardware Corporation, Patrick O'Rourke, BCS Financial

Chuck Arquilla, BCS Financial
Rich Austin, Corporate Strategies & Solutions, Inc.
Jacob Banot, Corporate America Family Credit Union
Becky Barnhart, Millennium Trust Company, LLC
Kathy Benjawan, Millennium Trust Company, LLC
Sally Blake, Inland Real Estate
Anam Bokhari, Pinot's Palette
Christopher Brown, Family Bridges
Matt Cerone, Millennium Trust Company, LLC
David Chimitris, Elkay Manufacturing Company
Whitney Cimaglia, Republic Bank
Danielle Clark, CDH
Jack Connors, Jones Lang LaSalle
Rob Cook, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Kiyoko Czech, American Cancer Society
Anna Demirgian-Ebner, Chamberlain Group
Mike DiMiele, Chamberlain Group
Silvina Duenas, Chamberlain Group
Cindy Fernandez, Perry's Steakhouse & Grille
Samantha Flerlage , Peters & Associates
Greg Gliniewicz, Elkay Manufacturing Company
Lauren Hall, Chamberlain Group
Brian Heinrich, Krusinski Construction Company
Lane Hoffman, Top Golf
Ashley Hoppe, Hyatt Lodge
Hala Istanbuul, Millennium Trust Company, LLC
Albert Jankowski, Xeno Media, Inc.
Sasha Jimenez , BCS Financial
Kyle Johnson, BCS Financial
Michael Kelly, Millennium Trust Company, LLC
Colleen Kopeika, Millennium Trust Company, LLC
Liz Littwin, Oak Brook Park District
Ryan Maher, NAI Hiffman
Jennifer Mark, BCS Financial
Melanie Martin, CDH
Katie Mayers, The Clubhouse
Phil McAlister, Inland Private Capital
Katelyn Berg, Ace Hardware Corporation
Melissa McNally, DoubleTree
Elizabeth Mendez, Hyatt House Oak Brook
Claire Buckley, LaSalle Network
Chris Nation, Countryside Bank
Shantel Okoeguale, CDH
Tricia Papanton, Beatrix
Melanie Pasillas, Le Meridien Chicago - Oakbrook Center
Michelle Paul, Millennium Trust Company, LLC
Ashley Payonk, Hyatt House
Kamila Plata, Millennium Trust Company, LLC
Sil Prassas, Gibsons
Gabby Prylinski, Millennium Trust Company, LLC
Carissa Rosine, Geneca
Lauren Rullo, Weber Grill Restaurant
Daniel Sadowski, Millennium Trust Company, LLC
Lucy Samoskaite, Clarion Inn
Lauren Schulz, Millennium Trust Company, LLC
Kara Schwer, ComEd
Vito Spadafino, West Suburban Wellness
Raina Spasov, Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort
Alan Stern, McGrath Lexus
Kevin Stone, Hyatt House Oak Brook
Alex Thervil, Oakbrook Center
Julian Vargas, Xeno Media, Inc.
Ami Wallschlaeger, BCS Financial
Linda Wati, BCS Financial
Torrez Watson, Hyatt Lodge McDonald's
David Wernette-Harnden, Hub Group
Mike Woolsoncroft, Geneca
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CHAMBER NETWORKERS
Chamber Networkers serve as liaisons with prospective member companies, playing a very important role in the Chamber’s growth strategy. Networkers make a one-year volunteer commitment to assisting the Chamber in membership recruitment efforts.

Networkers first participate in a two-hour orientation to become familiar with the Chamber’s objectives and core activities. Networkers then receive, on an ongoing basis, the materials and contact information they need to meet with prospective member companies.

Networkers meet quarterly to stay connected to new Chamber activities and programs. They also share business feedback and their insights, related to member needs.

For information about the Chamber Networkers, please contact David at [email protected] or 630-747-3989.

Chamber Networkers

Chairman Finny Rajchel, State Farm Insurance
Cathy Boyke, Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse
Bob Hutchison, Hutch Sells
Ann Marie Rosen, Indiana Tech
Dylan Adams, Kovak Dermatology
Eileen Sachanda, Northern Trust
Melinda Barucki, Oakbrook Terrace Park District
Cindy Fernandez, Perry's Steakhouse
Linda Susmilch, Premier Payment Systems
Jordan Schmidt, Schmidt Financial
Josh Champney, State Farm Insurance
Kim Hamilton, Waxing the City
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RETAIL & HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE
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Chamber members and partners may participate in all Chamber meetings, events and activities at no charge; a company’s membership covers all Chamber activities for all employees for the full year. Guests are invited to attend certain chamber events at a cost of $50 per person (see calendar and individual event listings). The Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce reserves the right to restrict or deny guest participation at any time.

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P.O. Box 3691,
Oak Brook, IL 60523

630-472-9377
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