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The Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce proudly announces Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center’s General Manager Steven Ellingsen is the recipient of the Chamber’s Impact Leadership Award, given to individuals who display innovation in promoting growth, employee development and community impact. Steven’s oversight of the property’s recent $20 million renovation and repositioning of the resort’s profile led to its recent designation as one of the “Best Resorts and Conference Centers in Illinois”.

Events such as New Year’s Eve televised broadcast and Fourth of July fireworks have brought the resort great notoriety. Core to Steven’s success is his inspiring focus on staff, who infuse life into this “Resort with Soul”. Promoting from within, offering community service days, and promotion of open employee communication have driven success. His passion for giving has translated to partnerships with organizations such as the People’s Resource Center, L.A.D.S.E, Poised for Success and veterans’ groups.

One of the Resort’s team members stated, “Steven can call on employees for anything because he has their utmost respect. When he sets expectations and accountability, all employees believe in him and are motivated to do what he’s asking them to do.” Congrats Steven!

The Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce proudly announces that Hinsdale Humane Society’s (HHS) Executive Director Tom Van Winkle is the recipient of the Chamber’s Impact Leadership Award, given to individuals who display innovation and leadership in promoting growth, employee development and community impact.

With over 20 years of expertise, Tom’s innovative approach has brought great success to HHS over the past three years. He has led 25 staff members and 250 volunteers transitioning into a new facility, developing new systems protocols and expanding funding sources.

With a team of developers, he created a software system that melds donor, adopter and animal data, which is available for sale to other groups to streamline their own costs. He facilitated a joint grant application, funding a shared rescue van. The clinic is now open to other needy groups for surgeries. He established a Veterans Appreciation Program, offering low-cost services for veteran’s pets and also a program that brings low-cost vaccinations to communities in need.

Tom’s staff shared that “Tom pushes us every day to be better and make more happen for our organization and the animals in our care. He has empowered me to look ahead to innovate ways to put an end to animal homelessness.”

Congratulations Tom!

The Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce proudly announces that Corporate Strategies and Solutions-Sandler Training’s (CSS) Lindsay Goetting is the recipient of the Chamber’s Rising Star Award, given to under-40 individuals who display leadership in innovation, research, professional development, and community impact.

CSS was founded in 1994 to provide goal-achieving  training solutions, focusing on sales methodology, empowered leadership strategies and customized behavioral models. Lindsay is responsible for operations, staffing,  sales success, marketing and client satisfaction. Last year,  Lindsay created an engaging professional development campaign entitled “The Unapologetic Saleswoman” to great success, garnering the firm’s highest virtual attendance and client conversion.

She is committed to forging impactful community relationships. This was exemplified by her partnership with Greater Oak Brook Chamber’s Bridge Partnership Program, delivering “DiSC” professional communication tools to eager Willowbrook High School students.

One of Lindsay’s clients shared, “I can honestly say that she has changed my life: my outlook, my drive, my motivation, my talent have all been stretched to be the best possible version of myself that I can be, while still striving for higher goals.”

On Monday, April 27, between the hours of 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., Drury Lane will host a drive-through donation event, accepting fabric and elastic donations to support the efforts of theatrical seamstresses who are sewing and donating fabric masks for healthcare workers, first responders, and others in need across Chicagoland.

During the donation drive, Drury Lane’s façade will be illuminated in blue as a tribute to our frontline healthcare workers. The blue lights have been donated by Midwest Conference Services and will turn on at 7 p.m. and remain lit throughout the evening.

To donate, simply drive up to Drury Lane’s front doors between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Monday, April 27 and drop off your fabric and elastic donation. Participants will remain in their vehicles at all times, and social distancing guidelines will be adhered to during this event.

Fabric and elastic will be donated for creating masks as part of the partnership between UIC’s College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts and Chicago Shakespeare Theater; this partnership has yielded over 14,000 face masks for those in need.

At the request of the UI Health system, Drury Lane is specifically seeking 100% cotton quilting-style fabric that is at least 12 inches wide by 12 inches tall. Ideal elastic is ¼” flat braided elastic that is at least 7 inches long.

For more information on the UIC-Shakespeare Theater partnership, please click here.

Chamberlain Group (CGI), a global leader in access solution and products with over 6000 employees  worldwide, is the recipient of the Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce’s Model Workplace Award, honoring organizations creating dynamic and unique workplace cultures. CGI’s example of leadership, safety, quality and innovation drives its model culture, inspiring a collaborative, curious and driven group of employees.

Well-being permeates the culture at CGI through the broadest initiatives focusing on physical, financial and emotional health, promoting collaboration and team building. Examples include wellbeing incentive plans, walk/run campaigns and financial consulting.

CGI invests in the development of its teams through its Early Career Programs (internships, co-ops and rotational programs) as well as its LEAD program (Leadership, Empowerment, Advancement and Development). CGI is a participant in the Chamber’s Bridge Partnership Program, mentoring the engineers of tomorrow.

Its Corporate Citizenship efforts offer CGI employees opportunities to volunteer with causes benefiting children’s development and wellbeing, with a targeted goal to empower youth through four focus areas: Wellbeing, Sustainability, STEAM and Humanitarian.

Congratulations to CGI for your exemplary efforts!

LaSalle Network is the recipient of the Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce’s Champion for Young Professionals Award, honoring the organization who displays innovative leadership in attracting and retaining young professionals. For over 21 years, LaSalle’s mission has been to deliver exceptional service to its clients by identifying and retaining high potential talent. Its deep commitment to promoting from within has resulted in 60% of its executives coming from entry level roles. With growth of 30% year over year, LaSalle knows its continuing success is determined by its innovations in retaining its young talent.

New hires are onboarded through an immersive program, culminating in an executive-led graduation.  Efforts include peer-led philanthropic committees, weekly lunch and learns, five days off for volunteerism at five years, and a variety of bonding corporate celebrations. Should the company achieve its goals, the entire company is treated to an all-expense paid trip.

As one LaSallian stated “I choose LaSalle Network because I would not be who I am without every lesson learned, obstacle tackled and success celebrated here with people around me that push me to my highest potential, and of course keep me laughing!” Congratulations to LaSalle Network!

Elkay Manufacturing is the recipient of the Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce’s Model Workplace Award, honoring organizations creating a dynamic and unique workplace cultures. Family owned since 1920 with over 2,200 employees across 21 locations worldwide, Elkay demonstrates that its people and business partners are an extension of its family.

Employee surveys attest that Elkay’s actions are the embodiment of its stated values: “We are in business forever, knowledge empowers, our word is our bond, we value quality in all we do, making a profit is an honorable endeavor, and our strength is in our people.”

Programming such as Elkay’s High Potential and Emerging Leader development groups, ELKAYcares (raising over $2.5 million in past 10 years), Using Your Smarts for the Arts volunteer program, and the Elkay Family Foundation (providing educational grants, housing and disaster relief in their communities) exemplify Elkay’s model corporate citizenship.

As an employee attested, “I have never seen a company that so closely aligns what it is striving to be with the actual day-to-day experience of working at Elkay. The family values of taking care of each other and helping one another to become our best selves can be seen at every level of the organization.” Congratulations Elkay!