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OAK BROOK MAGAZINE YEAR IN REVIEW
It has been a privilege to bring you our first first year of Oak Brook Magazine on an every-other month basis. With this issue we have completed our first year. We have come to know how special a community this is, starting with the vision of Paul Butler and others, to the notable residents, to amenities that make up the sports core, to the large number of elegant homes in gated communities. We have come to know and appreciate the village government, and the number of fine businesses headquartered here. For shopping, Oakbrook Center is second to none in the quality of stores and variety of entertainment. In addition to the sports core, Oak Brook has a marvelous Park District and the village is known as a mecca for dining. We have come to appreciate Oak Brook and have enjoyed meeting and learning from so many. We look forward to our continued work with the community as we bring more stories to you!
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OAK BROOK'S FIRST MAGAZINE Premier Issue 2022 $5 US OAK BROOK'S FIRST MAGAZINE June/July Issue 2022 $5 US
DICK PORTILLO
An American Success Story
RESTAURANT WEEK Oak Brook Dining OAK BROOK Women’s Club
GOPAL LALMALANI Oak Brook President ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT West Suburban Symphony
TRUSTEE MIKE MANZO Takes On Red Light Cameras GREG SUMMERS Village Manager
OAK BROOK'S FIRST MAGAZINE October/November Issue 2022 $5 US
PAUL BUTLER
The Founder of Oak Brook… and much more
+Oak Brook Polo 100 Years! Before Oak Brook there was Fullersburg Women Who Shaped Oak Brook
OAK BROOK'S FIRST MAGAZINE December Issue 2022 $5 US
Brian Sheehan, International Lions President
OAK BROOK MAGAZINE January/February Issue 2023 $5 US
Oak Brook Park District CELEBRATES Sixty
Sharon Knitter & Laure Kosey Lead the Charge
+Premiere Athletic Management takes to the soccer fields Entrepreneur Maggie Gerth PROPS Luggage Founder Mistletoe Medley Hearts of Gold
Lions Roar
Brian Sheehan Leads Lions Club International Volunteers Worldwide
+Oakbrook Center Outlook Bright Polo Club Celebrates 100, Friends of Conservation is 40 Drake Oak Brook Honored Allison Rosati
Master of Ceremonies: Infant Welfare Society's Mistletoe Medley
Butler School District 53 Thrives 2022 Year in Review New Beginnings: Adoptive Families
2022 FEATURE
Dick Portillo has met a lot of famous people during his 80 years. One he never met is Frank Sinatra. Frank’s gone, but one of his most memorable songs is “MY WAY”. Opening lyrics include these words: “My friend, I’ll make it clear
I’ll state my case of which I am certain I’ve lived a life that’s full
I traveled each and every highway And more, much more I did it, I did it my way Regrets, I’ve had a few
But then again, too few to mention I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption I planned each charted course
Each careful step along the byway And more, much, much more I did it, I did it my way
Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
And through it all, whenever there was doubt I ate it up and spit it out I faced it all and I stood tall And did it, did it my way I’ve loved, laughed and cried I had my fill, my share of losing And now, as tears subside I find that it’s all so amusing And to think I did all that And may I say not in a shy way No, no, not me I did it my way
For what is a man, what has he got
If not himself, then he has naught
Not to say the things that he truly feels And not the words of someone who kneels
The record shows I took all the blows And did it my way”
Source: LyricFind Songwriters: Claude Francois / Gilles Thibaut / Jacques Revaux / Paul Anka
Original story continues here: ›
OAK BROOK'S FIRST MAGAZINE Premier Issue 2022 $5 US
DICK PORTILLO
An American Success Story
RESTAURANT WEEK Oak Brook Dining OAK BROOK Women’s Club
GOPAL LALMALANI Oak Brook President ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT West Suburban Symphony
TRUSTEE MIKE MANZO Takes On Red Light Cameras GREG SUMMERS Village Manager
A Dining Mecca of over 65 Restaurants
Enjoy discounted dining at some of Oak Brook’s finest restaurants during Restaurant Week 2022. Participating restaurants offer select prix fixe menus. No tickets are necessary, but reservations are recommended for those establishments that accept them.
630.368.500
VISIT OHOAKBROOK.COM FOR A LIST OF PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS
2022 FEATURE
For a town of less than 10,000 residents, Oak Brook has become very well known for its restaurants, even restaurant chain headquarters. And, we want to celebrate Restaurant Week, April 22-30, with you. How Oak Brook Became A Dining Mecca It all started with the vision of Paul Butler who wanted to create an upscale community where people of means could live, work, play, shop, and enjoy the finer things in life…to include dining. It even became a focal point for 47 years as the headquarters of the largest restaurant chain in the world… McDonald’s.
This development as a dining center didn’t happen overnight. In fact, it has taken decades.
While Paul Butler set an enviable foundation with his vision for Oak Brook as a village, Oak Brook dining could have never happened unless Chicago itself hadn’t become a draw for restaurants and restaurateurs.
According to Phil Vettel, Chicago Tribune dining critic for 31 years, “I had a ring-side seat and watched as Chicago evolved. Top chefs like Rick Bayless came to town, after spending years in Mexico learning how to prepare authentic Mexican fare. Others, like Charlie Trotter, were self-taught. Still, others learned at locations like Gordon’s, who in turn, taught the likes of John Terzcak, Ron Blazek, Michael Smith, Stewart Parsons, and Don Yamauchi.”
Of course, one of the most well-
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2022 FEATURE
Once upon a time, spanning much of the 20th century, a true visionary came on the scene in what is now the Village of Oak Brook. Paul Butler was the Father of Oak Brook—but he accomplished a whole lot more. What follows is a reminder of some of what he did, and how he did it all. Karen Bushy, the last president of Oak Brook to know and spend time with Butler, has contributed many of the observations in this piece. Bushy was a person that Butler trusted during the years when his ideas were being translated into reality, as the dream began to be implemented on the scale he had imagined. Bushy met Butler shortly after moving to Oak Brook in 1973. They became good friends and remained so for the rest of Butler’s life.
The Butler Paper Company
Before there was a Paul Butler, there was the Butler Paper Company. Butler’s grandfather Julius Wales Butler and great uncle Oliver Morris Butler founded the J.W. Butler Paper Co. in the 1800s in the Chicago area. It grew to become one of the largest family-owned paper companies in the country until Paul Butler sold it in 1960. Nevertheless, Butler Paper was the foundation that enabled Butler to add companies and follow pursuits in a number of eclectic directions.
Paul Butler arrives on the scene
Tom and Mary Sterling, authors of Hinsdale & the World, relate that Butler was born on June 23, 1892 to Frank and Fannie Butler of
Original story continues here: ›
OAK BROOK'S FIRST MAGAZINE June/July Issue 2022 $5 US
PAUL BUTLER
The Founder of Oak Brook… and much more
+Oak Brook Polo 100 Years! Before Oak Brook there was Fullersburg Women Who Shaped Oak Brook
2022 FEATURE
If your wife’s first name was Merry, and your first name was Richard, and you wanted to open a jewelry store, would you consider naming it Merry Richards Jewelers? Well, that’s exactly what Merry and Richard Cheng did in 1985. It just seemed obvious and natural. According to Richard: “We also got a little encouragement from the Mary Tyler Moore tv show. Mary’s maiden name was Mary Richards.”
Why are they so successful?
As it turns out, Merry Richards has turned out to be the perfect name for what they do so well. In fact, the very first thing Merry said when we sat down with the couple was, “Let me tell you. We love the business we’re in because our customers are happy when they come in. They want to celebrate a happy occasion, like a wedding, or an anniversary, or a birthday, or something they want to remember, and they want to do it with jewelry. When they leave, they are even happier, because we have given them good advice on the jewelry they are looking for, we give them beautiful gems in custom settings that they like very much, and we give them a good value for the money. The way I spell my name, Merry, says happy; so It works.” Richard adds, “We get great satisfaction from helping people celebrate. Our customers like our approach. We never push. They tell others. We are very fortunate that they have spread the word.” Simply put, the name, how they care for customers, along with valuable help along the way, and a lot of hard
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2022 FEATURE
OAKBROOK CENTER
Shares bright future with Historical Society
BY LARRY ATSEFF I PHOTOGRAPHY BY GREG KOZLICK AND OAKBROOK CENTER
Tim Geiges, Senior General Manager of Oakbrook Center, impressed a very attentive Oak Brook Historical Society crowd with the latest progress at the iconic shopping center. Thanks to the efforts of Historical Society Director of Development, Marci Spingola, the timing of the October 16 presentation at the Village Hall auditorium couldn’t have been better, since the holiday shopping season is right around the corner.
Geiges remarked, “For the past ten years, Brookfield Properties has been transforming Oakbrook Center into a true marketplace of the future, bringing together a curated collection of high-profile retailers, including Louis Vuitton, Burberry, David Yurman, Gucci, and now, a new CHANEL Fragrance & Beauty boutique. A highly successful restaurant row, and new categories like entertainment, and fitness, meet consumers’ daily needs and further enhance the surrounding community.” Opened in 1962 with then-anchor stores Sears and Marshall Field, Oakbrook Center is the secondlargest shopping center in the Chicago metropolitan area, generating over $800 million in retail sales annually. The welllocated shopping destination — with easy access across Chicago’s western suburbs — is also the most visited retail venue in the greater Chicago area, drawing shoppers from nearby hotels, convention centers, and office buildings. Original story continues here: ›
OAK BROOK'S FIRST MAGAZINE October/November Issue 2022 $5 US
Oak Brook Park District CELEBRATES Sixty
Sharon Knitter & Laure Kosey Lead the Charge
+Premiere Athletic Management takes to the soccer fields Entrepreneur Maggie Gerth PROPS Luggage Founder Mistletoe Medley Hearts of Gold
2022 FEATURE
The Oak Brook Park District is celebrating being 60 years young this year. All 173 acres of it, with beautiful, spacious grounds and an unmatched array of facilities and activities for everyone to enjoy year-round. Complete with an award-winning staff to help you thoroughly enjoy it all. The 60th-anniversary celebration started by dedicating its Summer Concert Series to ‘60s music. The Summer Concert Series alone celebrated 40 years of performances. Haley Colucci, Marketing and Communications Manager, said, “It was such a joy to watch our community celebrate the Park District’s 60th this year at the ‘Celebrating the ‘60s Summer Concert Series.’ We are looking forward to continuing the festivities on Friday, November 4. Be sure to check the Oak Brook Park District’s website for the details.”
Friday, November 4 Open House
The Park District will have several themed activities starting October 31 and throughout the week. On Friday, November 4, there will be an Open House at the Family Recreation Center, complete with food, beverages, games, raffles, and fitness-related activities that the whole family can enjoy. The day will end with a “Flick and Float” at the Family Aquatic Center.
Much To Celebrate
There is no question that over its 60 years, the Park District has worked extremely hard on its mission: to provide the best in park and ‹ Original story continues here:
2022 FEATURE
Did you know that the headquarters of the largest volunteer service organization in the world is located right in Oak Brook? We are referring to Lions International which was started in 1917. A sidebar lists just a few key milestones, including locating in Oak Brook in 1971.
You are about to learn how just 300 employees, in a small, unassuming two-story building at the corner of 22nd Street and York Road in Oak Brook, provide unparalleled support, guidance, and encouragement to an astonishing 1.4 million volunteers in nearly 50,000 clubs around the world. Read that again.
Even more important, you are also going to learn how you can become involved locally with this extraordinary group as a local Lion volunteer and/or as a donor to local causes as they push forward into 2023, in our area, with a renewed effort.
Why Have Lions Clubs Succeeded So Well, For More Than A Century?
For an answer to that key question, we spoke to Sanjeev (s-uh-n-j-ee-v) Ahuja, Executive Administrator of Lions International, who has a great vantage point of the entire enterprise. As he put it, “First and foremost is the positive mindset of Lions, from top to bottom. Lions have a desire/ passion for helping people deal with local and global issues. They provide physical hands-on local support
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OAK BROOK'S FIRST MAGAZINE December Issue 2022 $5 US
Brian Sheehan, International Lions President
Lions Roar
Brian Sheehan Leads Lions Club International Volunteers Worldwide
+Oakbrook Center Outlook Bright Polo Club Celebrates 100, Friends of Conservation is 40 Drake Oak Brook Honored
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Managing Director – Investments 111 South Lincoln Street, Suite 200 Hinsdale, IL 60521 (630) 734-8910 richard.barrett@wellsfargoadvisors.com www.barrettgroup.wfadv.com
Dick Barrett
Managing Director – Investments 111 South Lincoln Street, Suite 200 Hinsdale, IL 60521 (630) 734-8910 richard.barrett@wellsfargoadvisors.com Jessie Barrett, CFP® www.barrettgroup.wfadv.com Managing Director – Investments 111 South Lincoln Street, Suite 200 Investment and Insurance Products: NOT FDIC Insured / Hinsdale, IL 60521NO Bank Guarantee / MAY Lose Value (630) 734-8909Wells Fargo Advisors is not a legal or tax advisor. You should consult with your attorney, accountant and/or estate planner before taking any action.jessie.barrett@wellsfargoadvisors.comWells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. ©2021 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved. CAR-0221-00536 www.barrettgroup.wfadv.com
Managing Director – Investments
Dick Barrett
Managing Director – Investments 111 South Lincoln Street, Suite 200 Hinsdale, IL 60521 111 South Lincoln Street, Suite 200 (630) 734-8909 Hinsdale, IL 60521 jessie.barrett@wellsfargoadvisors.com(630) 734-8910 www.barrettgroup.wfadv.comrichard.barrett@wellsfargoadvisors.com www.barrettgroup.wfadv.com Investment and Insurance Products: NOT FDIC Insured / NO Bank Guarantee / MAY Lose Value Wells Fargo Advisors is not a legal or tax advisor. You should consult with your attorney, accountant and/or estate planner before taking any action. Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. ©2021 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved. CAR-0221-00536
Jessie Barrett, CFP®
Managing Director – Investments 111 South Lincoln Street, Suite 200 Hinsdale, IL 60521 (630) 734-8909 jessie.barrett@wellsfargoadvisors.com www.barrettgroup.wfadv.com
