NorthShore Glenbrook Hospital, FGK Services, P.J. Weiland gain Northbrook Chamber honors

The Northbrook Chamber of Commerce & Industry will recognize three outstanding members at its 2021 Meeting & Awards Ceremony, all of whom achieved unique accomplishments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

They include Northbrook Business of the Year FGK Services, Inc., Corporate Citizen of the Year NorthShore Glenbrook Hospital, and Chamber Volunteer of the Year PJ Weiland.

"This year's meeting is a special opportunity to say thank you to three chamber members who have had a vital impact during the pandemic," noted Chamber President Tensley Garris. "While we wish that we could honor them in person, we trust that the Chamber community will sign on to participate in this very meaningful celebration."

The virtual meeting will be held via Zoom beginning at noon on Thursday, Feb. 25. Registration information is available on NorthbrookChamber.org.

Corporate Citizen of the Year

For almost 45 years, Glenbrook Hospital has been the community's comprehensive medical center - highly respected, and perhaps taken somewhat for granted. In 2020, however, this venerable institution mobilized to face the onslaught of COVID-19, taking on the role of primary COVID treatment site for the multi-campus NorthShore University HealthSystem. The Chamber's Corporate Citizen Award honors the herculean efforts of Glenbrook's medical professionals, administrators, and other staff on behalf of patients and the general community.

In March 2020, NorthShore's leadership developed the strategy of centralizing COVID treatment as a way to control exposure to the highly contagious virus. Glenbrook was designated as the COVID center because of its design and infrastructure; much of the building's airflow could be redirected, and contractors were able to make quick HVAC adaptations to other areas.

After swift intra-system transfers of patients, Glenbrook became a COVID-only facility on April 1 and remained that way through the harrowing spring months. At its peak in May, 151 COVID cases were being treated at the 170-bed facility. Roughly 1,000 COVID patients had been hospitalized at Glenbrook as of January 2021.

"Our system has always recognized the benefits of concentrating expertise at specific locations," notes Glenbrook President Jesse Peterson Hall. "By creating a COVID center at Glenbrook, our staff became uniquely equipped and skilled in treating these patients."

As COVID cases dropped during the summer, Glenbrook gradually reverted units back to general purposes, a process that required five to seven days of thorough disinfection. By late fall, most of those units had been converted back to COVID care as infections rebounded. The hospital's staff has shown remarkable adaptability to changing protocols, but the ongoing challenges of treating COVID patients inevitably takes a toll.

"Most people who contract COVID-19 will not need to be hospitalized, but those who do are frequently very sick. Our staff, especially nurses and respiratory therapists, are dealing with a much higher mortality rate in their patients than they've ever experienced," Hall said.

"That's part of the reason why we've been so adamant about the importance of health practices in the community like wearing masks, washing hands and social distancing. We see every day how bad this virus is, and we want to protect people from it."

That mission to educate the public about COVID prevention has taken a number of forms. Hall represents the hospital on the Glenview Northbrook Coronavirus Task Force, which since last March has used the communication channels of Village governments, school districts, libraries, park districts and chambers to disseminate timely, accurate information. Community outreach, led by Northbrook Chamber Board member Hania Fuschetto, takes advantage of long-standing partnerships to arrange informational webinars with a variety of groups.

"We've hosted virtual Town Hall-style meetings with school districts, faith-based organizations, the Southeast Asian community and other groups. Working with leaders in those communities helps us overcome language differences, cultural barriers, and other issues," Fuschetto said. Demographic information on infection trends helps identify areas where outreach is especially needed.

Social media has also been a vital tool in sharing best practices for virus prevention. Since November, NorthShore has presented an interactive COVID Community Checkup every Thursday via Facebook Live, where viewers can submit their questions to be answered by the system's chief medical officer. NorthShore also offers a variety of shareable graphics to encourage individuals and businesses to be "Safety Ambassadors" by following and promoting prevention strategies.

While Glenbrook's team continues to battle the pandemic both in the hospital and in the community, they make a point of stating their appreciation for the support they have received from individuals, businesses and local organizations.

"So many people sent meals to our staff, especially in the early months," Hall said. "They definitely enjoyed the food, but even more they were thankful for the thoughtfulness of the community."

The hospital returned the favor with support of the Northfield Township Food Pantry through a food recovery program that donates unused items from the facility's dining services.

Each small victory over COVID is a cause for celebration: When a COVID patient is discharged, everyone in the building hears The Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun" played over the loudspeaker. However long it takes to move past the current crisis, Northbrook will be able to rely on the expertise and dedication demonstrated by the entire Glenbrook Hospital team, which has gone far above and beyond as a true corporate citizen.

Business of the Year

Frank Karkazis, owner of FGK Services Inc., built his business by focusing on essential cleaning and maintenance services for his commercial clients.

"I felt that I will always be in business if I provide services that people need, instead of want," he noted.

In 2020, he took that philosophy to the next level by introducing comprehensive COVID disinfection services. The resulting dramatic growth of his company, along with enthusiastic endorsements from a variety of clients, led to FGK's recognition as Northbrook Chamber Business of the Year.

FGK's pivot to specialized disinfection began in the spring, when Karkazis saw an urgent theme emerging in conversations within industry discussion groups: janitorial company owners on the East Coast were desperately dealing with quickly-rising infection occurrences at their clients. He started looking for strategies that would enable his clients to safely stay open.

"I really was motivated by fear," says Karkazis - fear of the devastating effects of the pandemic on both his clients' businesses and, by extension, his own.

By May, Karkazis had completed a certification course in COVID disinfection and invested in specialized spraying equipment, EPA-approved cleaning products and specialized PPE for his employees. FGK began offering COVID disinfection to supplement the regular nightly anti-virus cleaning protocols. Demand for the service exploded with both existing and new clients.

"Everyone wants to show their customers that they're doing everything they can to keep their businesses safe," Karkazis said. "I created a Certificate of Disinfection that they can display, which has been a really great tool for them."

In 2020, FGK's customer base and revenue doubled and the company's workforce increased from 19 to 48 employees. While emergency disinfections are an ongoing part of the business, the recurring revenue of regularly-scheduled cleaning has also grown. FGK also offers window cleaning, carpet cleaning/disinfection, and repairs to asphalt, concrete and brick pavers.

Karkazis's professional journey includes some significant pivots in the past as well. After graduating from Arizona State University's Carey School of Business, he spent more than 20 years working as a broker/trader at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. In 2009, as computerization transformed the trading profession, he left the financial industry in search of a business "that couldn't be taken over by computers."

That search led him to purchase National Building Resource Group, a Chicago janitorial company with more than 100 employees servicing 6 million square feet of client space nightly. The success of that business culminated in a buyout by Seacrest Services. Following a two-year noncompete agreement, Karkazis launched his current Northbrook-based company in 2013.

With the surge in demand caused by the pandemic, FGK Services now works with clients throughout Chicago's North Side and the northern suburbs, and has been called for disinfection at facilities as far away as Milwaukee, and Hammond, Indiana.

Among his most appreciative clients are local nonprofit organizations, many of which have specialized service needs.

"FGK and Frank's personal commitment to keeping our 'Y' safe should be applauded," said Kathy Fielding, CEO of the North Suburban YMCA. "We worked with FGK to enhance our facility sanitation, especially during camp this summer. We are proud to say that our Y has been open since June without any cases of COVID-19 and we believe that is in part due to Frank's commitment to keeping our facility safe. There wasn't a day during the shutdown and the summer that Frank didn't come out to our Y, check in with our staff and help with our increased cleaning demands."

Karkazis has also been commended for his dedicated support of community organizations and people in need. FGK proudly sponsors fundraisers for the YMCA, Glenkirk, the Northfield Township Food Pantry and Wesley Child Care Center, and has hired individuals with disabilities through Glenkirk's employment referral program. During the pandemic, the company performed disinfection services at no charge for groups and families who could not afford to pay.

Craig Solomon, executive director at Wesley, summed up the feelings of many when nominating FGK as Business of the Year.

"Frank's support is not only financial. He is the first to roll up his sleeves and offer to lend a hand," Solomon said. "When COVID hit, FGK Services made a conscious decision to respond to a higher community need. They have been a lifesaver to those countless businesses in need of a trusted provider and also helping those in need at no cost or reduced pricing."

Volunteer of the Year

P.J. Weiland is an ActionCOACH, part of a global franchise network of entrepreneurial coaches. That business name is especially appropriate for Weiland because she is an individual who transforms ideas into action on a daily basis. During the pandemic, the chamber and its members have benefited from Weiland's tireless energy as she shared her technical expertise, marketing creativity and spirit of mentorship.

In appreciation for all her countless hours of service, the chamber honored her as its Volunteer of the Year.

"In her role as a chamber ambassador, P.J. has always been generous in her support," noted Membership Director Kathi Quinn, "but when the pandemic hit, P.J. stood up and offered help and solutions to the small business community. She supported the chamber in being Zoom savvy and led our Roundtables to keep members connected. Additionally, she went out into the community with inventive marketing campaigns. P.J. has done amazing things for the chamber and the entire business community the past year."

Weiland went into the business coaching profession 10 years ago, looking to combine her career experience in the fields of technology and marketing in a meaningful way. Coaching offered the opportunity to help entrepreneurs, a passion that has deep roots in her family.

"My father was an entrepreneur, and I have seven siblings who are all small business owners," she said. "I was looking for my life's purpose, and I really gravitated toward helping small business owners."

A longtime chamber ambassador, Weiland has always enjoyed the opportunity to help new members make the most of their chamber experience. She was well known to other members from her participation in networking events, where she excelled at matching up individuals for productive connections.

This year, she has been even more visible as she guided the chamber in developing virtual events, helping to transition the popular First Friday Networking Breakfast to a digital format and supporting the creation of new programs like the weekly Virtual Business Roundtable.

Long before the pandemic struck, Weiland used teleconferencing as an essential part of her business. She consults with clients all over the country and frequently meets with ActionCOACH groups from around the world. Those discussions with her global community made her acutely aware of the looming impact that COVID-19 would have on local economies and businesses.

Weiland took a characteristically active stance in response to the pandemic. By mid-March, she had organized her first webinar on how to prepare for mandated shutdowns, with 350 people tuning in. She also reached out to more than a dozen area chambers of commerce, volunteering to assist with setting up virtual programs. For many chamber leaders, using Zoom was a completely new experience. Members also needed support learning to use the technology; Weiland estimates that she has taught around 3,700 people to use Zoom, including seniors up to age 96.

In Northbrook, she manages a seamless flow of conversation between more than 80 First Friday participants, in partnership with event emcee Dan Gelfond. She also works closely with Quinn on the weekly Virtual Roundtable, developing discussion topics and facilitating Zoom participation.

Away from the computer, Weiland has been out in the community helping to raise support for local businesses. The neon-yellow "Yes We're Open" signs that appeared in dozens of local restaurant windows last April were produced and distributed by Weiland, free. In later months, she created "Grand Reopening" Facebook videos for retailers as restrictions were lifted. She also developed the blue bow giveaway campaign that encouraged residents to display bows in support of first responders and hospital workers, while providing community recognition to participating chamber businesses.

In addition to her volunteer efforts for Northbrook's and other chambers, Weiland is deeply involved with organizations that fight food insecurity. She has served on the board of Hunger Resource Network and devotes her Saturdays to working with the food bank at Mission of Our Lady of Angels in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood, among other hunger initiatives. She also mentors high school students in the business incubator program in Glenbrook District 225.

With all her professional and volunteer activities, Weiland worked nonstop for the first six months of the pandemic. Without a hint of complaint, she notes that there is no such thing as a day off when there are businesses and people in need. She knows that these meaningful interactions form relationships that enhance her personal and professional life.

"I've talked to so many people I never would have met otherwise," she reflects. "I've been able to help them when they needed it, and I know those doors will be open to me in the future."