Bartlett photographer's artistic eye memorializes students
A Bartlett couple met while college students and that changed their lives. And years later, a connection to other students still impacts their lives, but in a different way. Kathy and Mark Shangraw own Clique Photography in Bartlett and they artistically photograph high school seniors who pose while at the cusp of their own lives.
“It's what we enjoy doing the most,” Mark said. “This is where we put our energies.”
And that energy has led Mark to win a number of awards and honors, including being inducted as a master photographer by the Professional Photographers of America. The honor was presented to him by the group's President Tim Walden at the association's annual convention held recently in Atlanta, Ga.
The path that took them to Atlanta may not have happened had the couple not met in college. They both worked on the staff of Illinois State University's Daily Vidette. But the staff had about 70 people, so it wasn't until they were both tossed into an assignment to cover a local comedy club that they got to know each other.
“The editor gave me two tickets to the club and I actually considered taking someone else, but he couldn't make it, so I went by myself,” said Kathy, who was a reporter at the time.
That's when she met Mark at the club. After they left, the club owner gave them free tickets, which they used. And they remained together ever since.
They married in 1993 and had two daughters. Mark did photography for the Daily Pantagraph in Bloomington, the Pontiac Daily Leader and then for a studio while Kathy worked for an advertising and marketing firm. Then Mark returned from a conference a changed man.
“He came back all energized from the conference,” Kathy recalled. “He met a couple where the wife was in marketing and the husband did photography, just like us.”
That couple had started their own studio, and that's what Mark wanted to do.
“He said we could do this, but I was apprehensive,” Kathy said about jumping into the unknown. Still, they took the plunge and opened Clique in 2005.
“And I won't even look back now,” she said.
Mark doesn't just take pictures, he becomes an artist of his subjects, who are mostly high school seniors. He and Kathy talk to the students for a couple of hours, learn all about their lives and hopes for the future. They then instruct the students to bring different changes of clothes and some of their favorite things, or items they are associated with for the photo shoot. A number of hours could be spent on the photo shoot, and later work involving photo selection and presentations. The student then receives a framed portrait and other photos, or a coffee-table book, depending on what they requested. The cost is about $1,200.
“This is not a quick get in and get out photo,” Mark said. “This is something they can hand down to the next generation.”
Geneva store owners have treasure
Owners Dagmar and Harold McGowan mark the first year of their store, America's Treasures, Antiques, Furniture & Gifts in Geneva. They've been in the antique industry for about 25 years and have sold items at the Priceless Possession in Bartlett and at Affordable Antiques in Naperville. Dagmar McGowan said she was a postal carrier for 25 years at the Bartlett Post Office when she took a buyout during some cutbacks and decided to sell antiques full-time with their own store. Harold McGowan still owns his own truck and hauls steel but also works part of the time with his wife at the business.
Marking 25 years
Gary and Carol Andrzejewski are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their Designer Blinds shop in Naperville. The window treatment and interior decor business features the Hunter Douglas line. The business was established in 1988 by Martin and Tammy Overton and then purchased by the Andrzejewskis in 1997.
Marking a century
Joe Pray, Trustmark Cos. president and CEO, said the Lake Forest company marks its 100th anniversary this year. What started as a one-desk office in downtown Chicago in 1913 has grown into a nationwide employee benefits company with 4,200 associates nationwide. It provides voluntary supplemental benefits, small group health insurance plans, on-site wellness and fitness programs, and benefits administration services for self-funded employers through more than 50 offices nationwide.
FastTrack
Lonny Paul, vice president of marketing and strategic initiatives at Systemax Technology Group, along with TigerDirect store manager Timothy Villareal and Chicago Area District Manager Michael Batka were on hand for the ultimate “geek sport” known as the 16th annual Build Your Own PC Race for Charity competition. It was held Sunday at the TigerDirect store in Hoffman Estates. TigerDirect is a subsidiary of Systemax. ... Longtime Allstate Arena employee Patrick Nagle is now the executive director of both the Allstate Arena and Rosemont Theatre in Rosemont. Nagle, a Rosemont resident, replaces Harry Pappas, who retired.
Glen Ellyn resident Dawn Drella has been promoted from principal to partner in the Chicago office of professional services firm Tatum in Chicago. ... John Kelleher has been promoted to partner at Crowe Horwath LLP, a national accounting and consulting firm in Oak Brook. ... Leslie Karr is the new senior managing director at Newmark Grubb Knight Frank Retail, which has offices in Chicago and Rosemont. ... Justin Duhai has joined MB Financial Bank in Oak Brook as vice president/senior field credit officer.
Lake in the Hills resident Kyle D. Welte, a senior project engineer at Engineering Enterprises Inc. in Sugar Grove, can add certified public infrastructure inspector to his position. The certification program is governed by the CPII Council of the American Public Works Association. ... Iqbal Arshad, senior vice president of engineering for Global Product Development at Libertyville-based Motorola Mobility LLC, said the company is sponsoring Techweek 2013, where about 8,000 attendees are expected June 27-29 at the Merchandise Mart, the soon-to-be headquarters for Mobility. ... Michael R. Sitrick is the new director of development and Elizabeth A. DiNovis is the new program assistant at The DuPage Community Foundation in Wheaton.
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