Chamber honors business leader

The Mount Prospect Chamber of Commerce bestowed its highest honor -- Business Leader of the Year -- on a young entrepreneur who started his accounting business only two years ago and has already grown it to the point where it has about 100 personal and 40 business clients.

Richard Sassan, owner of B & E Accounting Services, Inc., 800 W. Central Road, was given the honor at the chamber's annual holiday luncheon on Dec. 6 at the Radisson Hotel in Northbrook.

Incoming Chamber President Cliff Higley of U Keep Us in Stitches presented the award to Sassan for his "dedication, hard work, civic involvement and leadership qualities," as well as for his leadership in the community with the Downtown Merchants Association, his work as a chamber ambassador and also with several charities.

Sassan, 39, said that he started his business (which is, incidentally, named after his children, Brandon and Elissa) after working for a number of small businesses' accounting departments. A 1991 graduate of Winona State University, he passed the CPA exam in 2002.

"The first thing I did when I started B & E Accounting was to join the chamber because I had no clientele and I had to get my name out there," Sassan explained. "And the chamber has been great for me. It has helped me to build relationships that have both gotten me clients and that have added value to my services. It has been instrumental in my success."

In the charitable realm, Sassan has been active with CEDA, the American Cancer Society's Mount Prospect Relay For Life and the Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation.

Other Chamber awards:ŒTwo other awards were also bestowed at the annual luncheon. The Small Business of the Year award went to Dave's Specialty Foods and David Esau.

"Outgrowing his first location in less than three years, Dave provides catering services, teaches cooking classes and provides some extraordinary items for sale at his store on Prospect Avenue. In addition, he provides support to many fundraising events in the community," Higley said.

The Large Business of the Year winner was Northwest Community Hospital for "ongoing support and sponsorship of many chamber events and consistent support of the community through participation in civic events and support of employee involvement within the community." The hospital's award was accepted by Ron Buch, Northwest Community's executive director of community health and outreach.

Gift of Reading:ŒThe Mount Prospect Public Library's "Gift of Reading" program will end this Sunday.

This is the program which collects donations of new or like-new unwrapped books for local children in needs, ages six and under. Donations of books in both English and Spanish are requested.

For more information, phone the library at (847) 253-5675.