Moto’s foundation director readies for Haiti trip
Matthew Blakely, director of Schaumburg-based Motorola Solutions Foundation, will be making a whirlwind, one-day tour of Haiti, nearly 2 years after the devastating earthquake.
He, along with executives from Citi Group, Verizon Foundation, Campbell Soup, Costco and United Airlines, are gearing up for the Feb. 15 flight. They’ll meet with Red Cross officials to tour areas of housing reconstruction, health care and water treatment facilities to see how thing are going.
While this is Blakely’s first trip there, he’s been cautioned not to expect a lot of progress.
“Based on the information we’re getting, reconstruction has been slow, but with some bright spots,” he said.
When disaster first struck Haiti about two years ago, Motorola donated about $2 million in cash and equipment, including two-way radios, mobile computers and other devices.
Blakely is familiar with disaster areas. He’s also visited New Orleans a year after Hurricane Katrina and viewed the progress of reconstruction. He has a long history of traveling on behalf of Motorola and his own personal volunteer efforts.
Blakely enjoys helping children and attended last year’s FIRST Robotics conference at UIC, ready to jump on the floor with the students. He chatted with them, played with their robots and listened to their stories about their passion for engineering. The foundation helped the group with a grant.
Before joining Motorola Solutions, Blakely was senior program officer in the communities program at the McCormick Foundation, where he helped guide the philanthropic giving of 11 companies nationwide. He also worked at Sara Lee Foundation and interned at the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
He also serves on the corporate advisory council of the Adler Planetarium and advisory committee of the Chicago History Museum, among other activities. He also found time to travel visiting Kauai, Costa Rica, Mexico and the Pacific Northwest. His work also has taken him around the United States as well as China, Poland and Chile.
“I’m lucky enough to have a job I love to do, so it comes easy,” Blakely said. “I also talk with great people who do great work in their community.”
Music to our ears
Northfield resident Paul R. Judy, a former investment banking executive, is the new chairman of the board for the Orchestral Society of Illinois, parent of Evanston-based Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra and various chamber music ensembles. He’s the founder of the Symphony Orchestra Institute in 1994.
Ready to play
Arlington Heights resident Patrice Miller recently opened Gymboree Play & Music at The Arboretum of South Barrington. The play equipment was custom designed for young children and classes were developed to provide a range of age-appropriate challenges and skill building exercises, she said. And parental participation is essential.
Electric systems a go
Naperville resident Mark Aubry, vice president of sales and marketing for alternative fuel brands at Lisle-based Navistar, is co-chairman of a new coalition of executives who will map out the so-called ecosystem for electric vehicles. The Electrification Leadership Council is expected to meet March 14 to discuss a national model for how consumers can buy and maintain electric vehicles. They’ll also discuss charging stations, the electrical grid, energy storage devices and battery second-life applications, among other issues to put electric vehicles in the forefront of society. “This council is like what Apple did for apps,” Aubry said. “It brings all the necessary components together for consumer to make it easier for them.” The group is expected to meet three times a year for about 3 years.
FastTrack
Kent and Julie Phillips, owner of Sir Speedy Printing in Naperville, said their business is now offering mobile marketing services. This includes mobile website design, text messaging and integrated marketing. The entrepreneurs have owned the business for more than 27 years.
Arlington Heights resident Josh Sroufek is the new director of training programs and athlete performance at Elite Athletic Development North-CrossFit Arlington Heights and CrossFit Axis. ... Deerfield native James Goldman is the new senior account director for LH&S, a Chicago-based advertising agency.
Carolyn Russell has passed the Illinois Real Estate Broker exam and is a broker with Batavia Enterprises Real Estate LLC. She’s also working on a master’s degree in organizational leadership at Judson University in Elgin. ... Linda Kost of Algonquin and Dave Schmidt of Elgin are new senior broker associates at Premier Commercial Realty in Lake in the Hills. ... Broker/owner Rob Schaid of Re/Max Plaza has added a Wauconda office. He already has offices in McHenry and Richmond, both McHenry County. He took over the Re/Max American Dream office, and its former broker/owner Pattie Taylor expects to remain.
Neurosurgeon Kevin Kelly, of Naperville, has joined the Edward Neurosciences Institute in Naperville. ... Aurora resident Michael Peters is the new chief financial officer at Naperville-based Extra Edge. ... Ellen Vinzani of Arlington Heights, Paula Skweres of Spring Grove and Tamara Kruse-Nahigian of Hoffman Estates are among the new consultants joining Elderwerks in Cary. ... Todd A. Rowden of Palatine is a new vice-chair of Thompson Coburn LLP’s Business Litigation Group.
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