In This Issue 

• Chamber Golf Classic
• Calendar of Events
• Premier Members
• Did You Know?
• Member News
• Topinka Flood Recovery

Quick Links 

• Member Directory
• Premier Members
• Elite Members
• Calendar of Events
• Job Postings

Ribbon Cutting: McLaughlin & Associates
Tuesday, May 7, at 4:00 p.m.
495 N. Commons Dr., Suite 103, Aurora

Ambassadors
Thursday, May 9, at 11:30 a.m.
Chamber offices

Business Development Leads Group
Tuesday, May 14, at 7:30 a.m.
Chamber offices

Ribbon Cutting: Randall Town Homes
Wednesday, May 15, at 11:30 a.m.
1241 Ritter Street North Aurora

Illinois Business Day 2013
Monday, May 20, 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
President Abraham Lincoln Hotel, 701 E. Adams, Springfield

Coffee & Connections
Tuesday, May 21, at 8:30 a.m.
Painters District Council No. 30, 1905 Sequoia Drive, Suite 201 Aurora

Business Development Leads Group
Tuesday, May 28, at 7:30 a.m.
Chamber offices

Fox Valley Networking Professionals
Thursday, May 30, at 8:00 a.m.
Pomegranate Restaurant, 55 S. Commons Dr., Aurora

NFP Alliance: Building Your Board
Friday, May 31, at 8:30 a.m.
Sponsored by SmithAmundsen
Chamber offices

Judge Judith Brawka, Chief Judge of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit Court, will administer the Oath of Office to seven members of the Aurora City Council and Mayor Thomas J. Weisner.

Three aldermen return to seats on the Aurora City Council including Alderman-at-Large Robert J. O’Connor, Seventh Ward Alderman Scheketa Hart-Burns, and Second Ward Alderman Juany Garza.

The City of Aurora will welcome four new aldermen to the Aurora City Council: Theodoros Mesiacos of the Third Ward, William Donnell of the Fourth Ward, Edward J. Bugg of the Ninth Ward, and Lynne Johnson of the Tenth Ward.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. to the general public. Parking is available at the Stolp Ave. Parking Garage at Stolp Avenue and Downer Place. Valet parking will also be available at the Paramount Theatre.

Please RSVP to rsvp@aurora-il.org or (630) 256-3010 by Monday, May 6.

On Friday, May 10, from 8:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., The Compass Church of Naperville will be hosting Chick-fil-A Leadercast, a one-day leadership event that will be broadcast live from Atlanta to hundreds of locations around the world. Registration is available online.

Waubonsee Community College Adult Literacy Project Change a Life: Be aTutor! training session will be on Saturday, May 11, and Saturday, May 18, (both days are required) 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. If you are interested, please contact Elsie Mills at (630) 801-7900, ext. 4221, or email her at emills@waubonsee.edu.

Save The Date. GiGi’s Playhouse Fox Valley 7th Annual Golf Event is set for Friday, June 21, with a 1:30 p.m. shotgun start at Orchard Valley Golf Course in Aurora.

Naper Settlement presents “Gabbing About Gatsby”. Enjoy Gabbing about Gatsby during this Roaring Twenties trivia party from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 9. This party promises to be the bee’s knees for movie goers awaiting the May premiere of “The Great Gatsby” film remake. Wear your best flapper-era accessories and join in the 1920s fun. Tickets are $23 per person and include appetizers with cash bar. Call (630) 420-6010 for reservations.

Alden of Waterford is hosting a Veterans Breakfast on Friday, May, 17 at 8:00 a.m. at 2000 Randi Drive in Aurora. The Alden of Waterford campus and area veterans will be honored at the breakfast, followed by their Summer Health Fair. RSVP to Cindy Droste (630) 899-6666 by Friday, May 10.

This year CityGate Grille’s Mother’s Day celebration will combine breakfast and lunch favorites. From an omelet station to a delicious dessert bar, CityGate Grille will be sure to please everyone’s palette. Mother’s Day will be celebrated on Sunday, May 12, from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Reservations may be made by calling (630) 718-1010.

Save the Date: Waubonsee Community College Foundation’s 26th Annual Golf Outing is Wednesday, May 29.

Finish what you started. An Adult Degree Completion Open House will be held at Aurora University, University Banquet Hall, 347 S. Gladstone, on Thursday, May 9, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. To register, call (630) 844-5294 or email AUadmission@aurora.edu.

Raise funds for AID (Association for Individual Development) when you register for the Fox Trot 2-mile walk being held on Saturday, May 25. Visit the Foxtrot Website for more information.

Waubonsee Community College’s Aurora Campus Early Childhood Center recently received a Quality Counts Child Care Grant through the Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) Agencies. They also received a City of Aurora Community Development Block Grant to help operate the Employment Skills Program, which is a collaboration between the college and Hesed House.

On Wednesday, May 15, CityGate Grille will host their first wine dinner of 2013. Travel the globe during this one of a kind event featuring wines from around the world. Journey to France, Italy, Chile, Greece and Australia while dining on food pairings designed around the featured wines and countries of origin. The reception kicks off at 6:30 p.m. followed by the main event beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Come sample Aurora’s diverse culinary offerings at the Eleventh Annual Downtown Aurora Taste on Tuesday, May 14, from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. Participating restaurants are eager to offer special dishes to please your palate. Ticket books contain a parking pass and four restaurant passes (you decide which restaurants to visit from the list of participating restaurants). For more information, call (630) 415-1263.

Join Naper Settlement for Civil War Days. They will be transformed into a Civil War encampment where visitors can experience firsthand a turbulent time period in our nation’s history from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday, May 18, and Sunday, May 19.

Join Fox Valley United Way for their Annual Breakfast celebrating a community that cares, honoring the people and organizations that have helped so many through their support. Hear testimonial from people whose lives have benefited from your generosity. This annual event provides the Fox Valley community with what has been accomplished during the past year. The breakfast will be held on Thursday, May 16, registration beginning at 7:00 a.m., with program beginning at 7:30 a.m.

Waubonsee Community College’s Dean for Business and Information Systems, Suzette Murray, was recently re-elected as Regional Director for Region 8 of the National Council for Workforce Education (NCWE).

Residents of the Fox Valley Park District may register for summer programs and events beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 11. Non-resident registration will begin the following week on Monday, May 20.

The Label Printers sponsors Geneva High School’s “ROBOVIKES” Team at the FIRST Robotics Midwest Tournament. The UIC Pavilion in Chicago was once again rockin’ for the FIRST Robotics Program’s Midwest Regional competition on April 5 and 6. Geneva High School’s Robotics Team – the Robovikes – competed against 54 teams who came to this regional championship from five states and Turkey. The competition challenges high school students, working with professional mentors, to design, build and program a competitive robot.

“Recent storms and flooding have destroyed the livelihoods of thousands of residents in every part of our state. Many of those hit by this ‘once in a lifetime’ flood are struggling with what to do next, and in need of immediate help to rebuild and recover.

“To that end, the Comptroller’s Office stands ready to work with businesses impacted by this natural disaster to prioritize delayed state payments. Likewise, the office will prioritize state payments for businesses contracting for clean-up and recovery efforts in counties declared state disaster areas, including: Adams, Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Cook, DeKalb, Douglas, DuPage, Fulton, Greene, Grundy, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kendall, Knox, Lake, LaSalle, Livingston, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, Mercer, Morgan, Ogle, Peoria, Pike, Putnam, Rock Island, Schuyler, Scott, Stark, Tazewell, Whiteside, Will, Winnebago and Woodford.

To address payments, businesses are encouraged to contact the Comptroller’s Office at (217) 782-6000.

In This Issue 

• State of the Village
• Check It Out
• Our Blog
• Nominations Open
• Calendar of Events
• Premier Members
• Did You Know
• Member News

Quick Links 

• Member Directory
• Premier Members
• Elite Members
• Calendar of Events
• Job Postings

The Compassion Foundation’s Community Champions Recognition Dinner

Aurora Community Celebrates The MIX Suburban Madness Victory

Wellness Works 2013 Set

Illinois Chamber, Aurora Chamber Announce Employer Action Day: May 20, 2013

Aurora Chamber, Waubonsee SBDC Offer Retail Workshop

To be considered to be a Director, nominees must be members in good standing. Members who have served as a Director in the past should have had one year pass after the expiration of their term before seeking re-election.

The Board of Directors governs the business, property, and affairs of the Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce. The Board is responsible for establishing policy, budgets, and the guidance of affairs. The Board is composed of up to twenty-two (22) persons who shall be members in good standing of the Chamber. Directors are elected for a term of three (3) years which are staggered so that approximately one-third of the directors are elected each year.

A nomination form may be found online.

Aurora First
Wednesday, April 17, at 11:00 a.m.
Chamber offices

Business After Hours
Wednesday, April 17, at 5:00 p.m.
Westwood College, 7155 Janes Ave., Woodridge

Business Development Leads Group
Tuesday, April 23, at 7:30 a.m.
Chamber offices

State of the Village Address
Wednesday, April 24, at 11:30 a.m.
Oak Street Restaurant, 945 Oak Street, North Aurora

Fox Valley Networking Professionals
Thursday, April 25, at 8:00 a.m.
Pomegranate Café, 22 S. Commons, Aurora

Business Before Hours
Tuesday, April 30, at 7:30 a.m.
Colonial Café, 1961 W. Galena Blvd., Aurora

Contact the Chamber for details at chamberinfo@aurorachamber.com or (630) 256-3180 and ask about the special pricing for four or more email messages.

Aurora Township is partnering with Comcast, Aurora’s Second Ward Alderman Juany Garza, LULAC, State Representative Linda Chapa-La Via, and West Aurora School District 129 to bring Comcast Cares Day 2013 to Aurora. The volunteer event will take place on Saturday, April 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Please join us! For more information on volunteering or donating supplies, please contact Patricia Richardson at (630) 897-8777 or email patricia.r@auroratownship.org.

Congratulations to Sikich LLP for their recent feature in Crain’s Chicago Business that highlighted their 30-year history in creating a dynamic business model.

Save the Date: 2ND2None 5K Run & Walk will be held on Sunday, April 28, benefitting Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry and Communities in Schools.

The Aurora Public Art Commission unveiled its new art exhibit, “Dinosaurs: the Art and Science of Paleontology,” at the David L. Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer Place. The exhibit features the works of field paleontologist and artist Rob Sula and will showcase his natural history themed art, paleo-illustration and field-illustration (site maps.) The exhibit also explores the innate beauty of fossils and examines the craft of fossil restoration. The free exhibit is open from noon until 4:00 p.m., Wednesdays to Fridays through May 3.

Volunteers will renovate and repair 20 locations in the Pattersonville neighborhood in Aurora in honor of Rebuilding Together Aurora’s 20th anniversary of their April Rebuilding Event. These families will soon have safer and healthier homes–along with 2 revitalized community spaces and the Marie Wilkinson Child Development Center. This event will take place on Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27.

Cabot Microelectronics invites you to “The Rise of Social Entrepreneurship: Disruptive Innovation and Impact Accelerator” on Friday, April 26, at NIU’s Conference Center, Naperville. The event supports the Laboratory School for Science & Technology which prepares students for the future in STEM fields by providing physics education to middle school students. For information, contact Mariejose Monsalve.

Communities In Schools is having a Spaghetti Dinner on Thursday, April 18, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at West Aurora High School. Carry out is available. This event is sponsored by Olive Garden. A complete dinner is $10. All proceeds will support the CIS/Project Unity Back to School Fair in August where children receive free school supplies and services.

Naper Settlement’s Blacksmithing 101 will be held Saturdays, April 20 & 27, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Learn the art of blacksmithing with an introduction to safety, tools and the forge during this two-session workshop held at the blacksmith shop. Learn how to use the forge and practice hammer techniques while making an iron hook. Fee is $150 and includes materials. Registration is required. Class is limited to six participants.

In honor of the Week of the Young Child, join Rasmussen College on campus, at 2363 Sequoia Drive, Aurora on April 18 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. for an evening filled with fun! There will be children’s crafts, book readings, games and health snacks! Hear the story of Jonathan James and the Whatif Monster, make your own Whatif Monster or play a monster game! The event is open to all families, free of charge.

On April 20, The Growing Place will be hosting Spring Learning Garden Stroll at 9:00 a.m. The Growing Place has designed and planted beautiful gardens that match many of the conditions homeowners face in their own yards. You can learn from strolling the gardens, noting the well-labeled plants and pretty combinations. After the stroll there will be gardening tips and techniques given.

Naper Settlement will be holding Naper Wine & Dine. Join the Naperville Heritage Society at the annual wine dinner, sponsored by Sullivan’s Steakhouse on April 22 from 5:30 to 10:00 p.m. This wine dinner boasts a five-course meal developed by Executive Chef Terrell Cole. A vegetarian menu is available. The evening’s entertainment consists of a live auction. For more information call (630) 420-6016.

You’re invited to KDI for a Kure Fourth Annual Vegas Night on Friday, April 19, from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. at 645 S. River Street, Batavia. Admission includes $100 poker chips, one raffle ticket, one drink of choice, munchies, live music, and silent auction. All proceeds will benefit the AVON Walk for Breast Cancer. For more information or to RSVP email ginny@kdidesign.com.

Restoration Techs would like to remind you, Marmion is looking for sponsors and in-kind donations for their Heroes Mud Run being held on Saturday, May 25. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor please contact Patrick at patrick@restorationtechs.com. This is a unique opportunity for you to show your support of our Heroes. A portion of proceeds will benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the Heart of a Marine Foundation.

Mutual Ground reminds the business community that April has been designated Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). The goal of SAAM is to raise public awareness about sexual violence and to educate communities and individuals. Eat/drink at any of the four area Chili’s (dine in or take out) all month. Just show the voucher on your smart phone and Chili’s will donate 10% of your purchase. Also, attend ‘Shine A Light on Sexual Violence’ event on April 24 at the North Aurora Police Dept. at 6:30 p.m.

Lunafest will be held Friday, April 19, at the Copley Theater in Aurora. A film festival for, by and about women, this traveling film festival spotlights the work of a diverse array of talented women filmmakers with intelligent, funny and thought-provoking themes.

The Growing Place is hosting Terrarium Potting Party and Demo from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 20. Sample this popular form of gardening. Pick from the wide variety of containers and plants to plant your own with the help of our designers.

During this 2013 Masters Golf Tournament week, the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) is recognizing its national Design Excellence Award recipients. Only six golf courses across the United States are receiving such distinction and Aurora’s Phillip Parks Golf Course is one of the honorees.

Two new parks will soon be developed as the Fox Valley Park District. The Balmorea subdivision – located in southwest Montgomery at Galena and Dickson roads – will be home to a 7.45-acre neighborhood park with age-specific playground areas and adult fitness components. Also included in the plan are a picnic shelter, ball field backstop and basketball half-court. An asphalt trail will provide access through the park. In Aurora, a 5.72-acre area – just west of Route 59 between Liberty and New York streets – will be developed as part of the Lehigh Station / Plaza on New York improvement plan. Initially, the plan is to develop 3.06 acres at the north end. Features will include age-specific playground areas and adult fitness stations, picnic shelter, pond overlook, basketball half-court and a multi-use, open space area. An asphalt path will traverse the park.

Nick Weis, managing broker at Third Day Commercial Real Estate in Oswego is pleased to announce that David Kuhne has joined the firm as a broker assistant intern.

What’s the next step in your career? Get there faster with an Aurora University graduate degree. Spring Graduate Programs Open House will be held Tuesday, April 16, at 6:00 p.m. Graduate faculty, admission representatives and financial aid counselors will be available to answer your questions. Evening, weekend and online course options are offered. To register or for more information, contact (630) 844-5294 or AUadmission@aurora.edu or register online.

Fox Valley Marines present the third annual Hoops for the Troops held Saturday, April 20, and Sunday, April 21, beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the Vaughn Athletic Center. There will be raffle drawings for incredible prizes, great food and a live radio broadcast.