October 2011
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Will County Executive Larry Walsh to speak at Chamber Luncheon

Will County Executive Larry Walsh will be the speaker for the October member luncheon on Monday, October 24 at 11:30 a.m. at the Jacob Henry Mansion's Victorian Ballroom!  Cost to attend for members is $30 pp and reservations are required.  Click here to register.

Joliet Area Young Professionals (JAYP) Annual Dinner

The JAYP will hold their Annual Dinner on Tuesday, October 11, 5:30 p.m. at Harrah's Joliet Casino & Hotel.  Ed Jarot with the law firm of Dystrup, Hoster & Jarot, P.C., will be honored as the 2011 Young Professional of the Year!  Also featuring a Special Presentation by Jim Roolf, First Midwest Bank.  Cost to attend is $25 for JAYP members, $30 for guests - All are invited to attend!  Reservations required by October 6th.   Click here to reserve.

Business Doing Business After Hours

The Chamber's Annual BUSINESS DOING BUSINESS AFTER HOURS will take place on Thursday, October 27 from 4 - 7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Joliet Hotel & Conference Center. 

This is the Chamber's annual Business to Business EXPO, combined with our monthly BUSINESS AFTER HOURS.  You can purchase a table to display your product/service for only $95!  This event keeps growing every year...last year we had 55 exhibitors and we are hoping to top that this year!  Please watch your Chamber mail for registration information, or visit click here to register or for more info.

Annual Dinner & Celebration of Success

The Chamber's Annual Dinner will be held on Monday, November 7, 2011 at Syl's 150 West Banquet Hall.  Invitations have been mailed to all members. Please join us as we honor the 2011 recipients:

Business of the Year:

EDWARD JONES INVESTMENTS - Edward Dollinger

Financial:

MIDLAND STATES BANK

Professional Business Services:

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE

Retail:

DENNY'S RESTAURANT - Joey Terrell

Rabbi Hershman Community Service Award:

SISTER MARY FRANCES SEELEY, OSF, PHD

Lifetime Achievement Award:

FORMER JOLIET MAYOR ARTHUR SCHULTZ

Please mail in your response card or click here to register on line.

Nominating Committee Proposed Directors and Officers

The Chamber Nominating Committee proposes the following candidates to fill the vacancies on the Board of Directors of the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry.  The Terms shall be for the period of January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2014.

Kim Cunnea - Old Second Bank

Larry Johnson - Silver Cross Hospital

Charles Meade - Meade Accounting & Wealth

Ken Plante - Plante and Associates

John Quinn - AT&T

Nominated as officers of the Board of Directors for the year 2012 are:

Chair of the Board - Mark Papoccia, Harris N.A.

Vice Chair - Donnie Chestnutt, First Midwest Bank

Treasurer - Ken Plante, Plante and Associates

Secretary - Russ Slinkard (per Chamber By-Laws)

Article VI, Section 5 of the Chamber Bylaws provides that "Nominations, other than those recommended by the Nominating Committee may be made by any fifteen (15) members in good standing by filing the names of the nominee with the President / CEO by November 1st."

Article VI, Section 6 continues "If there are no additional nominees at the expiration of the time designated in Article VI, Section 5 hereof, the Board of Directors shall declare the nominees of the Nominating Committee unanimously elected at the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors."

Membership Event

What do you get when you combine cow bells, a man with outrageous red and yellow suits, and up to 200 volunteers cheering and running around crazy in a confined room?

If you haven’t guessed, it is the time of year for the Chamber to hold its annual Membership “Event.” 

Over the years the Chamber welcomed anywhere from 140 to 210 new members in just two days of hard work.  Starting Tuesday, November 8 and concluding on Thursday, November 10, ten plus chairpersons will lead their teams into battle.  Each chair has been asked to recruit at least 5 captains who will then recruit their own team of at least 5 volunteers to work the phones in order to bring in new members.

All who participate are assured to have a great time - and lots of laughs - while helping to advance their very own Chamber of Commerce. 

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MEMBER NOTES & NEWS BRIEFS

Illinois Department of Employment Security - SAVE THE DATE...November 10, 2011...for the State of Illinois Regional Veterans Job Fair, Sponsored by the Illinois Department of Employment Security, in partnership with the US Chamber of Commerce.  Registration and contact information:  Thursday, November 10, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. @ Orland Park Civic Center, 14750 Ravinia Ave., Orland Park, IL  60462.  Call Robert Smith, Joliet & Kankakee office (815) 740-5100 ext. 205 or Reginald Whitley, Harvey office (708) 596 2354.

Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center - When US News & World Report released its list of "Top Doctors", Provena executives were proud to claim 31 medical staff members among those in this highly acclaimed group.  "We applaud all our physicians who provide the highest quality care to our patients each and every day.  We are gratified to see this type of third-party recognition, and congratulate each of our fine physicians who have been named to the list", said Beth Hughes, President and CEO of Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center.

Joliet Park District's Inwood Golf Course - Par 3 Challenge/2 Person Scramble.  This fun and really unique event will be on Saturday, October 8.  Tee boxes will be modified so that each of the 18 holes will be played as a par 3.  All golfers hit from the same tee.  This challenge will be a 2-person scramble.  Cost is $100 per team with an optional $50 per team skins game.  Team price includes fee and carts, hot dog, chips and a drink, long drive and closest to the pin contest, and food and drinks at the end of play.  Call 815-741-7265 or e-mail blegan@jolietpark.org for more info or to register.

Silver Cross Hospital - The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) at Silver Cross Hospital's Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit has received a 3-year accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).  This is the fourth time that the inpatient rehabilitation program at Silver Cross has received CARF accreditation.

Prairieland Audiology - Once again, Prairieland Audiology is partnering with the Will-Grundy Center For Independent Living to provide free hearing screenings to individuals with hearing loss.   This FREE event will be on Monday, October 10.  Please contact Dr. Karen Pastell at 815-744-5661 for more info.

Will Grundy Center For Independent Living - Hosting it's annual Disability Mentoring Day program.  Workplace mentors are encouraged to offer job shadowing opportunities to high school students with disabilities.  Students are paired with mentors in their particular field of interest,  This half-day event will be on Wednesday, November 16.  Contact Kelly McKenzie at 815-729-0129 for more info or to register.

Aunt Martha's Youth Services - Mix and mingle with other up and coming professionals from across the Chicagoland area.  $30 cover charge will get you 3 hours of FREE appetizers and drinks.  Event will be held on Wednesday, October 12 from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. at Excalibur Nightclub, 632 N. Dearborn Street in Chicago.  Please r.s.v.p. by October 7th to Franca at filburdi@auntmarthas.org or call 708-653-2407.

Grace United Methodist Church - Gary Moore, author of Playing with the Enemy and Hey Buddy:  In Pursuit of Buddy Holly, My New Buddy John and My Lost Decade of Music will be at Grace United Methodist Church (corner of Larkin and Avalon in Joliet) on October 20 at 7:00 p.m. to discuss and answer questions about his new book about Buddy Holly.  The event is open to the public and all are welcome to attend.  For more info contact 815-725-7632 or visit www.graceumcjoliet.org.

Joliet Area Historical Museum - The Joliet Area Historical Museum has been awarded a Superior award for its Bucket Brigades to Tactical Units:  Joliet's Fire and Police Departments exhibit by the Illinois Association of Museums.  This was an impressive partnering with two important community services, the fire and police departments.  Congratulations!

Pearle Vision - This Halloween - or Sight Night - give while you get by becoming a Sight Night volunteer and scaring up used eyewear while you trick-or-treat.  The used eyewear (prescription glasses and non-prescription sunglasses) collected by Sight Night volunteers will be recycled and hand-delivered to those in need to countries where doctors hand-deliver recycled eyewear to those in need during OneSight Global Optical Clinics.  Sight Night began in 1998.  Since then, more than 166,000 volunteers have collected more than one million pair of eyeglasses for both American and International missions.  For more info, visit  www.onesight.org.

Goodwill Industries Workforce Connection Center - The Goodwill Workforce Connection Center, located inside the Goodwill store on Hennepin Drive in Joliet, is open to the public and offers FREE services and a staff that help people build a resume and find a job.  Walk-ins are welcome with no appointment necessary.  Resources include:  computer, e-mail and internet access, resume preparation, job postings and on site interviewing, career exploration tools workshops in job search, etc.  For more information, please contact Adam Thomas at (773) 627-5783 or e-mail Adam.Thomas@goodwillchicago.com.

Joliet Slammers Professional Baseball Club - Congratulations to the Joliet Slammers on bringing home the Frontier League Championship trophy their first year in the league!

Joliet Oncology Hematology Associates Ltd. (JOHA) - There are four different events scheduled at JOHA during the month of October.  Please visit www.jolietoncology.com or call 815-725-1355 for information and to register.

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Member Spotlight

To have your business appear in an issue of VISION as the Member Spotlight, contact Trish at 815-727-5371 or e-mail tblacklock@jolietchamber.com.

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Pictures from Chamber events!

ATHENA luncheon on September 1st honoring Lisa Morel Las at Holiday Inn Hotel & Conference Center

Congressman Adam Kinzinger speaking at Chamber luncheon on September 6th at Patrick C. Haley Mansion

Ribbon cutting at Goodwill Industries on September 20th for the Goodwill Workforce Connection Center

Gloria and Ed Dollinger speaking at the SWSPN luncheon on September 22nd at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Conference Center

Business After Hours on September 22 hosted by Edward Jones Investments, Slattery, Noonan & Co. and Wermer, Rogers, Doran & Ruzon, LLC.

CWW Luncheon - Thursday, October 6, 11:45 a.m. @ Al's Steakhouse, 1990 W. Jefferson Street in Joliet.  Cost is $15 to attend.  Program will be TAKE BACK THE NIGHT.  Please call the Chamber to reserve.

Green Business Seminar - Wednesday, October 12, 8:00 a.m. - 12 noon @ Joliet Junior College, Main Campus, Building T, Room T1002.  Cost to attend is $15.  Call 815-280-1555 to register.

Business After Hours - Thursday, October 27, 4 - 7 p.m. @ Holiday Inn Joliet Hotel & Conference Center.  Combined with the Chamber's annual Business Doing Business After Hours.  NO COVER CHARGE!  Plenty of refreshments...come and network with the 50 + exhibitors (don't forget your business cards)!

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Learn more about becoming
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A. BARR SALES INC.

Abri Credit Union

AT&T

Berman Capital Management & Research

Brodnicki Group / Market America

D Oxley Construction, Inc.

Hometown National Bank

Joliet Area Historical Museum

Mortenson Construction

NextMedia Radio Group

NICOR Gas

Nowacki Insurance Agency

NuMark Credit Union

R. Berti Building Solutions

Senior Helpers Caring In Home Companions

Senior Suites of Joliet

Servpro of Joliet

Smithereen Pest Management Services

Turk Furniture

Vitas Innovative Hospice Care

Wingate by Wyndham

Exciting New Announcement !!!

We are excited to announce that our members can now access our new Business / Membership Directory as well as a new Calendar / Online Registration page. 

First, when you visit our Chamber home page you can easily click on Business/Membership Directory and you will be taken to a newly designed search page.  From here you may search for members by company name and/or business categories.  A full category drop down menu is available as well as an improved key word search function.  Once a business or category has been displayed, new options appear as well in terms of business information. A scrolling list of new members appears on the right sidebar and you now have a feature that allows you to start your own list and/or roster to save for future reference. 

Second, we have added a brand new and easy to use Calendar of Events page that now allows all members to register and pay for their luncheon, dinner, etc online with a credit card or opt for an invoice to be sent out.  No more faxing or mailing or calling in a reservation (we'll still gladly accept) as you can now complete your registration and receive confirmation right away.  You can view the entire calendar in a special view and print out. Also, now you can set up a reminder to be sent directly to your inbox for an event.  Finally, you now have the option to import the events directly into Microsoft Outlook which is especially useful in this time of smart phone use. 

Take some time and check out both of these new features and we suggest that you utilize them to their fullest capabilities. You can feel free to contact us if you need help in one of the areas.