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Medix CEO aims to make difference in lives, including orphans

Andrew Limouris, president and CEO of Medix, isn't sure what to expect when he and some of his staff visit Sierra Leone.

But when they visit The Raining Season orphanage in Africa, they likely will feel a stronger connection to the 16 kids they mentor via Skype.

"Usually when kids age out, or get too old for the orphanage, they end up on the street and get into all kinds of things, like prostitution, running diamonds and other things," said Limouris, 46, of Glen Ellyn. "But we've been spending some time with the kids on Skype and mentoring them. We also email with them. We're hoping to make a difference in their lives."

Making a difference is part of Limouris' mission through his Chicago-based staffing and recruitment firm. His volunteer and company work were among the reasons Limouris recently was awarded the Midwest Entrepreneur of the Year 2017 in Technology and Talent Services, hosted by EY. Limouris knows what it's like when people help people, especially after some helped his parents when they came to the United States from Greece in 1971. His mother landed a job as a janitor and his father worked in the baking industry.

He also knows about such help when he launched his company after being laid off from his job after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He then started Medix in Oak Brook and eventually moved to Chicago. The company now has about 400 employees.

Limouris said mentoring the orphans in Africa started a couple of years ago when some staff were either adopting or fostering children. When a relative of one employee adopted children from Africa, it led to a new policy at the company to help provide $5,000 toward adoptions.

The company also worked with TheShoeThatGrows.org to donate about 200 pairs of shoes for orphans in Africa.

"We have become a purpose-led organization," he said.

Sammons at Old Second

Derek Sammons of Wheaton was named senior vice president of commercial lending at Old Second National Bank, operating from the Lisle branch at 3101 Ogden Ave. He will focus on building long-term relationships with commercial banking customers. Old Second is based in Aurora.

Hamrick at Adams Auto

Body technician Jay Hamrick of Harvard, who left Rex Auto Body when it closed, is now at Adams Auto Body and Service Center in McHenry. Adams also acquired roughly $40,000 worth of Rex's equipment, including a Chief frame bench and a top-of-the-line SnapOn John Bean alignment machine, said Rick Corso, Adams' general manager.

FastTracks

•Financial Advisors George Rizos of Mount Prospect and Joseph Vitale of Arlington Heights have joined Wintrust Wealth Management as senior vice presidents of investments. They will serve clients at the Village Bank & Trust branches in Uptown, Arlington Heights, and Mount Prospect. Before joining Wintrust, Rizos and Vitale each have spent more than 15 years at JPMorgan Chase & Co. Wintrust Wealth Management is part of Rosemont-based Wintrust Financial Corp.

•Kerri Quigley of South Elgin, a vice president at Assurance, was selected as one of Insurance Business America's Elite Women winners. She is featured in the latest edition of the Insurance Business America magazine.

•Attorneys Susan Valentine of LaGrange, Aurora Austriaco of Park Ridge, and Lydia Bueschel of Chicago, of the Valentine Austriaco & Bueschel P.C. law firm, established a practice in commercial litigation and real estate. The growing firm has adding new clients and hired its sixth attorney in May.

•There's more to business than just the bottom line. We want to tell you about the people who make business work. Send news about people in business to akukec@dailyherald.com. Follow Anna Marie Kukec on LinkedIn and Facebook and as AMKukec on Twitter.

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President & CEO Andrew Limouris of Medix, shown in his office, encourages his workforce to make a difference in someone's life. COURTESY OF EY
Children at an orphanage in Sierra Leone, Africa, receive donated shoes on behalf of TheShoeThatGrows.org. President & CEO Andrew Limouris of Medix said his company has "adopted" the children to help mentor them via Skype and will visit them this month. COURTESY OF THE RAINING SEASON
Children at an orphanage in Sierra Leone, Africa, receive donated shoes on behalf of TheShoeThatGrows.org. President & CEO Andrew Limouris of Medix said his company helps to mentor these kids Skype and will visit them in Sierra Leone this month. COURTESY OF THE RAINING SEASON
President & CEO Andrew Limouris of Medix was recently honored as Midwest Entrepreneur Of The Year 2017 in Technology and Talent Services from EY, a tax, transaction and advisory services company. COURTESY OF EY
Derek Sammons
Jay Hamrick
Kerri Quigley
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