Thank you.
Thank you for allowing me to serve the Chamber of Commerce for the Village of Mt. Prospect in 2010. Lee DeWyze wasn't the only winner this past year.
As we enter into the New Year I'll use the namesake for the month of January as the basis for my allegory this month. Janus is the "the god of gates, doors, doorways, beginnings, endings and time."1 He is usually depicted as having two heads facing in opposite directions. And right now I'd like to look back at this past year while also looking forward to the prospect of what lies ahead of us.
There are many accomplishments to celebrate in 2010. We welcomed several new members to the Chamber, enjoyed the input of a few new Board members, survived the challenge of the current economy, held two successful golf outings, toasted a fantastic Downtown Block Party, and enjoyed a fun 5K Run. We've worked with the Village in celebrating many ribbon cuttings, hosted a first-time event for the businesses located in the Kensington Business Center, and jointly assisted local businesses in whatever capacity would keep them viable and profitable. We enjoyed the courtesy of many local businesses that allowed us to host many memorable after-hours events in their locations. We hosted debates for the various political races, and Jim Uszler was recognized (again) for his contributions in monitoring the political climate and sharing that information with our own constituency (you!).
I want to personally thank Jim for all he has accomplished in these last eight years. I was welcomed into the Chamber shortly after Jim was hired in 2002 when I was hired to run the LaSalle Bank at Golf & Elmhurst Roads in April of 2002. I guess you could say Jim and I took this journey together. For those that don't know or don't remember, Jim came in to the Chamber and immediately provided some stability and organization, recruited active participants, focused the Chamber on member benefits, created additional revenue streams with new events, established the Ambassador Corps, and with sweat and tears brought the Chamber to where it is today. Jim will be retiring at some point in 2011, so if you get the chance to say thank you, please do so.
Now let's look forward. Richard Sassan, CPA, brings a passion for the Chamber of Commerce that will serve him well in his role as Chairman in 2011. Dawn Fletcher-Collins possesses an energy level, a sense of organization, and a love of Mt. Prospect that makes me realize that she will "own this role" and be a worthy successor to Jim as she develops into the position of Executive Director in 2011.
Our events for 2011 are already in the planning stages. Goals and budgets are set. Our Annual Holiday Luncheon is being held on December 9th. I hope you can join us. For a link to the event and more details click here: Holiday Luncheon Registration
Let's enjoy the holidays, spend a few moments reflecting and honoring those that served well, and then move forward to assist Jim, Richard, and Dawn in making 2011 a successful beginning to a new era.
So...
What will your role be in 2011?
1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus (of course!)
Michael Putz,
President, Energy Veterans
Chairman of Chamber Board 2010
