Porte Brown earns top Schaumburg business honor

Waves and the ocean reminded participants at a Schaumburg Business Association dinner Saturday night that summer is behind us.

But that was no reason not to celebrate. More than 300 business leaders gathered for the annual formal dinner at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel in Schaumburg.

Members socialized and celebrated as Porte Brown was named winner of the Brian H. Burke Business of the Year award, the top honor of the evening.

The award is named after SBA founder Brian Burke, CEO of Links Technology, the Schaumburg company that originated as an office supply company and reinvented itself into a growing digital firm.

"I'm honored," said Bruce Jones, managing partner Porte Brown, CPA firm. "Every member of our firm values our relationship with the Schaumburg Business Association," he said after accepting the award.

Other business award winners during the evening included Leadership Award, Jeff Miller of Divine Signs; Ambassador of the Year, Katie Berganske Frank of AmCheck; Volunteer of the Year, Jon Heller of Porte Brown; Member of the Year, Curtis Newborn of Curtis Newborn Photographic; and Rookie of the Year, Timeline Media.

Organizers of the event were pleased with Ocean, the incarnation of the Toast of Schaumburg.

Kaili Harding, Schaumburg Business Association president, said she was thrilled with the energy at the event.

Ocean, the theme for the upscale dinner, is based the vastness of business and the depth of economic impact that SBA members make here in this region and beyond, said Ben Olson, owner of 3 Monkeys & Aardvark Studios.

"The size of the SBA is such that sometimes you can miss the success of others and the opportunity with other businesses," Olson said. "While we all swim in the 'Ocean,' our event brings our fellow business community together to accomplish several goals including fostering those relationships, recognizing outstanding individual members, giving back to our community with scholarship fundraising through the SBA Foundation and of course parting like its 1999."