Arlington Heights business leaders celebrate chamber awards
More than 250 community and business leaders took a trip back to the roaring 1920s for the 69th annual Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce Installation and Awards celebration on Friday night.
The event, hosted at Arlington Park for the first time, was complete with women in flapper dresses, a live band and casino and slot machines - with fake money - as part of the fun.
Chamber Executive Director Jon Ridler even joked with state Rep. David Harris about the irony of the play gambling at the track while a battle to bring real slots there is a source of ongoing contention between the racecourse's owners and politicians in Springfield.
"It took the chamber of commerce to get slot machines at the racetrack, but it's up to you to keep them here," Ridler said.
Village President Tom Hayes shared some 1920s facts with the crowd, including that in that decade the population of Arlington Heights jumped from 2,500 to 5,000. It was also the decade that Arlington High School and Arlington Park opened.
Getting back to more recent history, Ridler said 2015 was a good year for the chamber as he talked about the organization's new brand: "Connect, engage, succeed."
Outgoing chamber board President Amy Philpott thanked the chamber and community for their support during her year as leader.
New Chairman Colin Gilbert said he was looking forward to more communication, collaboration and success in 2016.
Gilbert said leading the chamber board has been a career goal of his for many years and promised to work hard for the group.
The chamber gave two special President's Awards to Greg Padovani and Frank Lesniak.
Tuscan Wine Shop and Market, which Gilbert and his wife, Lisa, became owners of in 2015, was named Business of the Year.
"It's because of this community that we've been able to achieve our dream of becoming the mom and pop wine shop in the town we absolutely love," Lisa said.
Jason Miller, owner of Fitness 19, was named Business Leader of the Year, Ditka's of Arlington Heights was named Emerging Business of the Year, Mike Driskell of the Arlington Heights Memorial Library was named Business Volunteer of the Year, and Faith Community Homes was named Nonprofit Organization of the Year.
"I'm almost in tears, I hardly know what to say," said Faith Community Homes Executive Charles Warner. "Arlington Heights is a rather unusual place. Working here I find a community that has a huge heart, more than any other place I've ever been. Every day I see people stepping up to help people in need. It's amazing and this is an amazing community.