Elgin chamber names McDonald's owner volunteer of year

David Bear took home the Volunteer of the Year award Thursday during the Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce's annual award luncheon.

Bear, owner of Bear McDonald's Restaurants of Elgin, served on the chamber's executive committee and helped shepherd through a new business license program along with leading South Elgin businesses to partner with Elgin after that chamber folded.

"He was an excellent bridge between our chamber and those members, enabling communication and working to explain benefits of associating with the Elgin Area Chamber," said Susan Angell-Case, vice chair of membership.

Bear said he learned from his parents that it was important to give back to the community. He also credited everyone involved with the chamber.

"It's really all your efforts," he told a crowd at Elgin Community College. "Sometimes it's easy to be the guy upfront. Sometimes, it's not so easy."

Several other awards were handed out at the chamber lunch.

The Work Force Development Award went to ECC's Vocational Technical Programs; the Ambassador of the Year Award went to A.J. Smith of A.J. Smith Enterprises; New Member Recruiter of the Year went to Michael McKay of Edward Jones Investments; Small Business of the Year went to Shales McNutt; and Elgin Area School District U-46 won as Large Business of the Year.

U-46 Superintendent Jose Torres also presented the district's Business/School Partnership Award to AT&T.