MAY
2021
Newsletter
Proudly serving the City of St. Charles, St. Charles Township, Village of Campton Hills and surrounding communities.
NEW CHAMBER PROGRAM Introduces students to benefits and opportunities of skilled trades
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By Diane Krieger Spivak
t’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic created an unmatched demand, and thus, a shortage of workers, in the skilled trades. Yet, many young people aren’t aware of the benefits and opportunities of a skilled trades career — fewer years of training, less out-of-pocket education costs, and great paying jobs. The St. Charles Chamber has heeded the call from its skilled trades members and has created a program to introduce middle, high school, and college-age students to the opportunities available in the skilled trades.
The National Trades Day Program will be unveiled in schools via the web on May 5, National Skilled Trades Day. “We gained a better understanding of the business needs over the last couple of years through our Industrial and our Commercial Construction Real Estate Development (CCRD) groups,” said Jim Di Ciaula, president and CEO of the St. Charles Chamber. “We have found there are huge opportunities from a job perspective in Kane County that relate to industrial, manufacturing and the trades. We looked at the key drivers of economic development. Labor is one of those key elements.”
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St. Charles Chamber of Commerce WHAT'S INSIDE u Continued from page 1
Projections show that the fastest growing jobs are in manufacturing, wholesale and the trades — 15-20% between now and 2026 — according to the latest study, Di Ciaula noted. According to Paula Price, owner and president of Batir Architecture in St. Charles, who also heads the Chamber’s CCRD group, one area many chamber members have voiced frustration with is the lack of young people going into the trades. “The trades are really good opportunities for people who want to work with their hands or maybe run a small business,” Price said. “Our target audience is middle and high school kids who maybe don’t have a career direction they want to explore other than a four-year university degree.” The program’s video presentation will feature 5- to 7-minute stories in which tradespeople share what their daily routines look like. “There is good income potential available to people who want to work in the trades,” Price said. Participating trades include HVAC, plumbing, steel, construction supervisors and managers, general contractors, carpentry, drywall, concrete construction, welding, office interiors and more. The Chamber has spent the last couple
years supporting Manufacturing Month in October through a partnership with the schools with videos of manufacturers across different industries, along with panel discussions, making students more aware of what jobs are in manufacturing. “We’re taking those lessons learned and applying them to the trades,” Di Ciaula said. On May 12, a week after the launch, a Zoom-type virtual panel discussion with students and representatives of the different trades will take place. The program will be available to high schools and middle schools throughout Northern Kane County that feed into Elgin Community College. “I also highly encourage the community at large to take a look and participate,” Di Ciaula said. “Our goal is really raising awareness of the opportunities for careers in these trades, which: A. Do not require a fouryear degree; B. Are actually quality, goodpaying jobs; and C. There’s a demand for,” Di Ciaula said. “We’re trying to create opportunities for students to realize there are other opportunities available, and what skills do I need, what’s my approach, and how do I learn more. That’s the spirit of it all.”
For more details visit: https://stcharleschamber.com/TradesDay
2021 Annual Golf Outing AUG. 2 at The Royal Fox Country Club This major events offers breakfast, prizes, golf, cocktails, reception, raffles and awards. This event provides opportunity to network and build relationships within our greater St. Charles community.
TABLE OF CONTENTS New chamber program....................................................................................1 Important dates ............................................................................................... 3 Mayor transition...............................................................................................4 St. Charles Chamber Board of Directors ................................................... 5 Why be a member............................................................................................ 5 Library renovations.......................................................................................... 7 New chamber members................................................................................. 7 Artist Call............................................................................................................9 Celebrating St. Charles successes during COVID-19 ............................ 10 www.stcharleschamber.com
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216 S. Riverside Ave., St. Charles, IL 60174
(630) 584-8384 • Fax (630) 584-6065
www.stcharleschamber.com
Becoming a Member is EASY and Affordable!
Check us out online at www.stcharleschamber.com Call, e-mail, or stop on by! St. Charles Chamber of Commerce 216 Riverside Avenue • St. Charles, IL 60174 Phone: (630) 584-8384 • Fax: (630) 584-6065 Email: info@stcharleschamber.com St. Charles Chamber of Commerce Newsletter | MAY 2021 3
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St. Charles Chamber of Commerce NEWSLETTER
MAYOR TRANSITION Ray Rogina reflects on his experience as mayor of St. Charles since 2013; Lora Vitek prepares for new role By Chris Walker
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ne of outgoing St. Charles Mayor Ray Rogina’s biggest successes also is one of Lora Vitek’s first challenges as the new mayor-elect of St. Charles.
“One of the very important things that is happening is the hiring of a new city administrator, which is going to happen over the next couple of months,” Vitek said. “I’ll be working with a recruiter and I’ve asked to see all those applications. That’s a very important job; that person works hand-in-hand with the mayor. I know people are concerned because of the fact that there is so much transition happening, so I’ve made it a priority to get the house in order.” After Rogina was elected in 2013, the city hired Mark Koenen as city administrator. Koenen is retiring and his contract ends on May 15. “I got out of the gate pretty well in this respect as after three months the past city administrator (Brian Townsend) left the office for another job and I was faced with hiring a new city administrator,” Rogina said.“I think the hiring of Mark Koenen,
a superior city administrator, brought everything else moving forward.” Meeting the demand for a new police station was another of Rogina’s most proud moments. “We saw the need for a new police station and the inadequacy of what existed on the river,” he said. “So we did a little urban renewal project in redoing a dead strip mall on 64 and put in a new police station, and at the same time it opened up opportunities now for development along the river.” It meant more to Rogina since his father was a police officer. “I’d put the police station right up there as an important accomplishment,” he said. “And I also say that in the light of the fact there’s as an emotional piece there because I’m from a police family. My dad was a police officer so it made it a little more special.” Other big accomplishments Rogina mentioned include the Shodeen Group’s Prairie Center development at the former St. Charles mall, and the continued development of downtown First Street.
“The old St. Charles mall sat for 15 years so after sitting empty for so long, and at a key location, to now have new buildings going up is important to me,” he said. “The last one would be the whole development of First Street downtown, which is not complete yet, but perhaps in my retirement there will be an opportunity to at least be involved in a committee to see that it’s finished, at least between Main Street and Illinois Street.” Vitek’s early priorities are to get all the pieces put together. “What I’ve been doing so far is I have to work on getting commissions and appointments together and several commissions that need to be filled are by aldermen and some by external individuals so I’m working on that,” she said. “And because of the fact we’re going to have a new city administrator I have decided to schedule one on ones with all of the directors and there are seven of them. Because the city administrator will be their boss, I want to make sure I’m well aware of what skills and characteristics they want to see in the city administrator and to get a better feel for them
and to discuss my work style and their work style, and to see if there is anything I can do for them to make their job as easy as possible.” She’s also heavily involved in the First Street project as the chair of the St. Charles Initiative, which is planning on have the hole over Main St. flattened so that it can be a safe environment for people to walk on. “I’ve been Chair of the St. Charles Initiative so I also need to turn that committee over (by May 3),” she said. “I’ll continue to still sit in on that and so will the current mayor. We have fundraising to do and ground to break so that’s been a bright spot during COVID for our city.” Vitek (56.12%) was elected mayor in early April after defeating Maureen Lewis (42.22%) in the election (2,127 to 1,600 votes) with 16.25% voter turnout.
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St. Charles Chamber of Commerce BOARD OF DIRECTORS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
RYAN ANDERSON Chair HighWire Networks
DEBBIE GURLEY Vice Chair Miscella Real Estate a BEI Company
NICK BROOKS Treasurer DHJJ, Certified Public Accountants and Business Advisors
DIRECTORS
JOSHUA FEAGANS Griffin | Williams LLP
CHARLES MURPHY Midwest Compost, LLC
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DAVE FROLICSTEIN Frolicstein Financial Wealth Management
CHRIS SCHEJBAL AAA Schejbal Insurance Agency
JOYCE GILBERT Association of Nutrition & Food Service
RACHEL SCHUCK Edward Jones
STEVE MARTIN First State Bank
LAURA SHAW Shaw Media
ANGELA MCCRUM LivingWell Cancer Resource Center
RITA TUNGARE City of St. Charles Ex-officio
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WHY BE A MEMBER?
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At the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce, we: • are invested in our member’s success • provide business advocacy • are connections-focused • offer a breadth and depth of quality programs and experience The Chamber Provides: • Business Support Services • Educational Programming • Networking & Relationship Building
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There are a few key factors one should consider in determining whether or not a membership in the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce is right for you? • Is your goal as a company to grow your business and/or engage with the community? • Are you looking for quality connections that will lead to personal and professional growth as well as business opportunity? • Will you be able to commit some of your time to engage and participate in one or more of our quality programs, environments and experiences? If the answers to these questions are YES, we would love to partner with you on your journey. We look forward to connecting with you soon.
Complete
Click on "ABOUT MEMBERSHIP" on www.stcharleschamber.com for more information.
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ROCK N ROLL PARADISE PASSPORT FOR TWO GRAND RAFFLE To purchase entries into the grand raffle, visit https://charlemagne2021.eventgroovefundraising.com www.stcharleschamber.com
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St. Charles Chamber of Commerce NEWSLETTER
LIBRARY RENOVATIONS CREATE SPACE FOR WORK, PLAY By Melissa Rubalcaba Riske
NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS BENJAMIN F. EDWARDS & CO. 50 S. 1st Street, Suite 100 St. Charles BIG HEARTS OF FOX VALLEY 1207 Foundry St., Unit B St. Charles CAPRIOTTI'S 1960 W. Main St. • St. Charles, IL CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE 9 Lincoln Ct. • South Elgin DUKANE CORPORATION 2900 Dukane Dr. • St Charles EAT AT SYRUP 552 S. Randall Rd. • St. Charles EMPLOYMENT & EMPLOYER SERVICES 143 First St. • Batavia
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rom the new creative workspace to the grand reading room complete with a fireplace, there will be plenty to enjoy as the St. Charles Public Library reopens in its renovated building this summer. After more than 12 years of planning, saving and the last year of construction, the major renovations, additions and modernization of the original library building dating back to 1908 has nearly come to completion. The target for reopening the building is July. The completed building presents a space that both residents and the business community will be able to enjoy and utilize, whether for the leisure of reading a book in the grand reading room, flipping through a magazine on the outdoor terrace garden or finding space for business needs. With the renovations there will be additional meeting spaces and study rooms available for use. Reserve these spaces for an in-person staff meeting or to host a conference call. Need to escape the home office for a few hours? Reserve a quiet study room. Additionally these rooms will have the latest in video conference technology. The library will have laptops, tablets, digital
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projectors, video cameras and speakers available for use at the library as well as items for check out. The new STC Creative and Computer lab will have the latest tools and technology, whether creating a website, video or designing a new logo for your business. Be sure to plan time to visit the reopened building and notice how the architects were able to incorporate elements of the local landscape into the building. Elements including the winding look of the Fox River and artistic rock patterns were used as inspiration to the building’s redesign. There have also been improvements to enhance the safety features of the new design. The new main entrance includes a relocated staircase and elevator for easier access to all building levels. The parking lot was expanded to allow more spaces and safer pedestrian access, and there is a new drive-up window for patrons picking up and returning materials on hold. Additionally, there is a new roof and HVAC system which brings more fresh air into the building. And you’ll be able to get a cup of fresh coffee at The Daily Bean, the dedicated cafe space managed by the District 303 Transitional Students.
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St. Charles Chamber of Commerce NEWSLETTER
ARTIST CALL
For the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce 100th Anniversary Edition of 2022 Community Guide
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he St. Charles Chamber of Commerce is seeking artwork for the cover of its 2022 Community Guide and Membership Directory as the Chamber celebrates its 100th anniversary. The Guide is mailed to more than 10,000 households annually throughout the community. Successful artwork entries should be reflective of the rich history found in St. Charles and have a professional presentation (no cartoons please). Entries reflective of the 1920s and the city's rich history are encouraged.
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To submit, send a high-resolution PDF or JPG image of your artwork to Marketing@stcharleschamber.com by noon on July 30, 2021. The artist must reside in the primary service area of the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce, including: City of St. Charles, Village of Campton Hills, St. Charles Township, St. Charles School District 303 boundaries.
COVER ARTIST WINNER
BENJAMIN RINENBACH
COVER ARTIST RUNNERS-UP
All forms of art are acceptable. Along with your art submission, please include a summary document that includes: Name, Address, Email, Phone, Website (if applicable) and an overview of the inspiration for your submission and how it is representative of the St. Charles Community.
“BE YOU” Karen Muehlfelt
“SUNSET OVER THE FOX” Karen Lorenzo, Artist at Pinot’s Palette
ST. CHARLES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 2020 WWW.STCHARLESCHAMBER.COM
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PRIZES 1ST PLACE $250 St. Charles Chamber of Commerce Gift Certificates and 2 tickets to the 100th Anniversary Gala 2 RUNNERS UP $100 in St. Charles Chamber of Commerce Gift Certificates
Entries will be juried by members of the St. Charles Arts Council based on criteria collectively set by the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce and the St. Charles Arts Council. IMPORTANT DATES: Submission Deadline: noon Friday, July 30 Announcement of winners: mid-September Chamber recognition of winning artist at the 100th Charlemagne Awards Gala on Feb. 11, 2022. For additional information please contact the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce at (630) 584-8384 or at info@stcharleschamber.com www.stcharleschamber.com
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St. Charles Chamber of Commerce NEWSLETTER
CELEBRATING ST. CHARLES SUCCESSES DURING COVID-19 By Allison Bills
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f there was ever a year to celebrate businesses succeeding in the St. Charles community, this is the one.
The St. Charles Chamber of Commerce doesn’t plan on missing a chance to honor local businesses that have faced adversity with COVID-19 and survived – so they will be hosting the 99th annual business awards and Charlemagne gala this summer. Rather than the usual February date, the event has been changed to an outdoor affair on Friday, June 18 at the Prairie Landing Golf Club in order to ensure the safety of all the guests in attendance.
“We’re gearing up for it,” said Jim Di Ciaula, president and CEO of the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce. “It’s a different look and feel, but the celebration is nevertheless very important.” The event will be highlighting businesses who excelled over the last year and presenting an array of awards to local businesses. “It’ll be outdoors, socially distanced and following all the rules,” Di Ciaula said.”We’ve also been advertising a lot of the award winners in advance to get them appropriate recognition.”
The chamber will be presenting the Community Development Award, Community Image Award, and Civic Image Award, all of which have been released to the public already. In addition, they will be revealing and presenting the L.E.A.P. Award, which is given to an extraordinary woman in the community, and of course the Charlemagne Award Winner, which is the lifetime award, will be presented. Businesses celebrating 50-, 25-, 20-, 15-, 10- and 5-year anniversaries will also be honored. This year, after what everyone went through with COVID-19, Di Ciaula stressed how
important it is to celebrate local businesses. “I think what’s really unique is that there has been so much that has happened during COVID-19,” Di Ciaula said. “We have to keep in mind that many are businesses that came into town or did major remodels during that time. That makes it really special.” The chamber will be working with state and county rules to ensure the safety of all guests, but tickets will be limited. The decision was also made to move all of the raffles, except the grand raffle, online over the winter to make the
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Charlemagne gala as contactless as possible. And attendees will want a shot at winning the grand raffle prize this year. The grand raffle is a “passport to rock ‘n roll paradise for two” at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles. The getaway includes a personalized VIP weekend in the Arcada’s brand-new suites, access to the VIP lounge, tickets to the new restaurants, room service, live performances, and a private dinner with Ron Onesti, the man behind the Arcada Theatre. The space recently underwent a massive renovation while adding several restaurants
and a hotel area. “The grand raffle is going to be amazing,” Di Ciaula said, noting that raffle tickets can be purchased both online at the chamber’s website and at the event. But most of all, this is the chamber’s first big event since they held the last Charlemagne gala last February, right before COVID-19 hit. “I’m just looking forward to celebrating our business community together,” Di Ciaula said. “Even if it’s different and smaller.”
To reserve your tickets for Charlemagne and/or purchase entries into the grand raffle, visit
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Proudly serving the City of St. Charles, St. Charles Township, Village of Campton Hills & surrounding communities 216 S. Riverside Ave., St. Charles, IL 60174
(630) 584-8384 • Fax (630) 584-6065 www.stcharleschamber.com
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