Another side of Hillary Clinton revealed by communicator

When Park Ridge native Hillary Clinton came to town last week as keynote speaker of the Chicago House luncheon, she helped the fundraiser sell out 1,800 seats, raising about $800,000. And David Viggiano, media director of Alpaytac Marketing Communications and former features reporter for Fox TV Chicago, was on hand to talk with the former first lady and secretary of state before an audience.

“I was delighted to discover what a great personality and sense of humor she had,” said Viggiano.

Sure, she tackled some serious issues, including the Naval Yard shooting in Washington, D.C., chemical weapons in Syria, the Affordable Care Act, and others. But the some fun came afterward.

“About halfway through the question-and-answer session, I said it was 'time to deal with the elephant in the room,'” Viggiano said. “When Hillary gave me a knowing look, because she knew I was referring to whether she is running for president, the audience went wild with applause and cheers. I told her I knew she wasn't going to tell me if she was running, so I read to her a question from a young Chicago House resident, Gayla, age 6. She wrote, 'I would vote for you as president of the United States. Are you going to run?' The audience then stood on its feet and gave her the longest standing ovation of the event.”

Clinton didn't provide a straight answer, but said she would personally call Gayla, Viggiano said.

Then Viggiano said he'd like to ask five frivolous questions. He asked Clinton if she ever took a “selfie,” and “she said Chelsea showed her how to do that, then offered to take on with me. How could I refuse?” Viggiano said.

She was then asked about her childhood celebrity crush and she said she was the president of the Fabian fan club and there were only three members.

After that, Clinton was asked if a bar wanted to put a Hillary Cocktail on the men, what would the ingredients be.

“That was the only part of the interview where she was speechless,” said Viggiano. “She did say she thought she had been asked every question there was to ask. But I had given her a first!”

Making a beeline on TV

Stacey McClenathan, owner of Libertyville-based Bee-line Communications, said she competed with Chicago-based multicultural agency CommonGround for a piece of the Little Caesars business on a recent edition of AMC's “The Pitch.” The challenge was an online banner campaign coupled with a 30-second video spot that focused on the quality of Little Caesar's pizza as a differentiator. Each agency had about 7 days to return a business pitch. CommonGround prevailed in the challenge, Viewers are only treated to a small portion of the overall campaigns, as Bee-line also provided Little Caesars with an online ordering application that was described as providing an additional $12 million in operational efficiencies to the pizza chain.

Promotion for Schoen

Mount Prospect resident John Schoen, PCTEL Inc.'s longtime chief financial officer, was promoted to senior vice president and CFO. Schoen has served as CFO since November 2001 and has been part of the core executive team that navigated the Bloomingdale-based company's transition from an analog modem company to a wireless equipment and services operation.

FastTrack

Ben Galatz of Naperville has been promoted from director of night life operations to director of restaurants and night life for TheWit, a Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in downtown Chicago. ... Chef Anthony Dee is planning a throwback dining experience beginning Oct. 7 at Eddie Merlot's, the steakhouse at Burr Ridge, Lincolnshire, and Warrenville. ... Anthony P. Lebario was welcomed on staff at an open house at the Barrington Pain and Spine Institute that also included special guest, Hall of Famer and former Chicago Bear Dick Butkus.

Lee Clark has joined Barrington-based Renee Clark Real Estate Group at Baird & Warner. He will serve in an administrative role, assisting the four broker associates in the group. ... David C. Johanson is a new project manager at Engineering Enterprises Inc. of Sugar Grove. ... Breanna Vrkljan is now sales and services coordinator at the DuPage Convention and Visitors Bureau in Oak Brook. ... Paul Zalatoris, CEO of the Northbrook-based Top Driver, said it is now located in Terra Cotta Corners, 650 E. Terra Cotta at the corner of Route 176 and Pingree in Crystal Lake.

Author Vicki Mack will discuss her new book, “Frank A. Vanderlip, the Banker Who Changed America,” at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 23, at the Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer Place in Aurora. Vanderlip, an Aurora native, influenced federal banking policies and instituted new programs, Mack said. ... Teresa Mackintosh, president of U.S. Software for CCH, and Jason Marx, president of CCH Small Firm Services, part of Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting in Riverwoods, have been named to the list of Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting by Accounting Today. The annual list honors those who are helping to shape the current and future direction of the accounting profession.

Michel Rolland has been tapped as a winemaking consultant at Rutherford Hill Winery in Napa Valley. Lake Bluff-based Terlato Wines International, a marketer of luxury wines in the United States, acquired Rutherford Hill in 1996. ... Greg A. Lee, a former human resources officer for the former Motorola Inc., Sears, Whirlpool and other major corporations, has created Greg A. Lee & Associates, an Oak Brook-based business coaching firm specializing in executive coaching for top corporate executives and business coaching for the owners of small and mid-sized companies.

Joseph Masotti has been promoted to vice president/business development officer at Suburban Bank & Trust in Elmhurst. ... Mike Feigenbaum, chairman of the board of directors for the DuPage Convention & Visitors Bureau and general manager at the Westin Lombard Yorktown Center hotel said the bureau marked its 25th annual meeting with about 250 members, partners and dignitaries. ... Orthopedic surgeon Thomas S. Obermeyer has joined the staff of the Barrington Orthopedic Specialists.

Gary Jaslovsky is the new project director for MC Industrial, a national construction company specializing in industrial construction. ... Alvin Carter Jr. is the executive director at the Kugman Partners in Lake Forest. ... Michael Laurie of Highland Park, Kurt W. Anstaett of Winnetka, John Malloy of Lake Forest, Shane Koonce of Lake Forest and Andrey Rudnitsky of Chicago are part of a new corporate banking team with BB&T Capital Markets in Chicago. ... Entrepreneur and TV personality Bill Rancic joined the Dr. Smith's Diaper Rash Ointment team to help launch the brand in Deerfield-based Walgreens stores nationwide.

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