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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Craig Larsen
Chairman
Sharon Spero
Vice Chairman
Money Mailer of Fox Valley
Ryan Anderson
Treasurer
HighWire Networks
DIRECTORS
Leah Hoppes
Vision Force Marketing
Sacha Urban
TriCity Family Services
Colleen Noe
Intergrative Family Healthcare
Jim Ringess
Shaw Media
Steve Martin
First State Bank
Bill Johnson
BMO Harris Bank
Ex-officio
CHAMBER STAFF
President & CEO
Bookkeeping
Special Events & Marketing
Membership Representative
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Our Distinguished Members
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PLATINUM MEMBERS
GOLD MEMBERS
SILVER MEMBERS
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The St. Charles Chamber
of Commerce is an inclusive and active membership organization that helps its members grow their businesses, their business knowledge, and business connections.
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Vision Statement
Building a vibrant and prosperous community through business leadership
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Stay Connected with the Chamber
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St. Charles Chamber Connect
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Luncheons
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Network
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YPC Foxtober Fest- Beer Tasting
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A Word from the Board - Board Director - Dr. Colleen Noe
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Dr. Colleen Noe
Board Director |
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It might sound like I'm exaggerating when I tell you that joining the Saint Charles Chamber of Commerce was the best thing I ever did for my small business. Humor me and spend the next five minutes of your time reading this so I can explain to you why that statement is the honest truth. I didn't wake up one day four years ago to an epiphany that I would dedicate myself to opening a small business, honestly I did it more out of necessity than anything. So I knocked on the door of the chamber (figuratively speaking) and told them here I am, here is my business, now help me grow! And they did just that! They pointed me in the direction of success and helped me get there with not only a welcoming attitude but a resource of business knowledge that you'd expect from a dynamic chamber like ours. I realized quickly that it was up to me to utilize the chamber as a tool to grow my business and to take advantage of all it had to offer.
As I began to get involved with the chamber and some of the councils it offered I couldn't help but feel there was even more I could bring to the Chamber. So, recognizing a need to engage younger professionals in our area, we began the Young Professionals Council. We had three major goals when we set out; to create fun and fresh networking events that add value to existing chamber membership, to give back to the chamber and our community through service, and lastly, to educate younger professionals in how to be successful in business. Since we began this council three years ago we have seen it change in tremendous ways. Though something that has never changed was consistently hearing from our chamber members how much fun they had attending our Young Professional Council events. Don't let our name fool you, we welcome everyone to our events (both younger professionals and the more seasoned business veterans) and we believe this open door policy is part of what makes our events so successful. We allow for the opportunity to network with your future boss, or to find someone who might be your newest employee! Our mission is to unite all Chamber members, no matter their age, to foster business growth and create a trusted referral network. We'd love to invite you to the Young Professional councils most well attended networking event of the year, our 3rd annual craft beer tasting, Foxtoberfest! Where you can be sure to try some great beer, eat some great food, and enjoy some great networking!
Dr. Colleen Noe
Integrative Family Healthcare, LLC
(630) 549-7199
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A Word from the President - Stacey Ekstrom
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| Stacey Ekstrom |
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Happy Fall!
We wrapped up the summer with our Chamber Week in September. I want to thank the Membership Committee and everyone that helped (through volunteering, donating, and support) during this busy week. Please see this newsletter for more details.
The Chamber Board and Staff will be meeting in October for our Strategic Planning meeting to set up long-term goals that we will present at our annual membership breakfast.
Even though 2016 is coming to a close, there are still plenty of Chamber events to attend and sponsor. Coming up on October 19
th is our City Update at Royal Fox Country Club. Mayor Ray Rogina will be presenting pertinent information regarding the City of St. Charles. Also, Community Unit School District 303, Downtown St. Charles Partnership, Convention and Visitors Bureau, St. Charles Public Library, and the River Corridor Foundation will have tables set up with information, and attendees will have the opportunity to speak to their representatives.
Our Marketing series has been very successful, and the 2016 series will conclude on November 9. The seminar is titled "The X Factor: Putting It All Together" and is the culmination of the 2016 seminars. Please see our newsletter for more details. As always, if you have any suggestions for educational programming, please feel free to contact us.
Our annual Membership Breakfast is on November 3
rd at St. Charles Country Club. Also, we will be presenting our 2017 Board and committee goals established at our October Strategic Planning meeting. We love honoring our Member and Rookie of the Year, viewing beautifully decorated tables by our sponsored members, and listening to our Committee Chairman with important information from our committees. Please mark your calendars for YOUR Membership Breakfast.
The 2016 Holiday Party is right around the corner. It will be held on December 8
th at St. Charles Place. The event is hosted by our Women's Business Council and averages about 90 attendees. More details will be coming.
Please contact the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce if you have any questions or interested in sponsoring one of these events.
Stacey Ekstorm
St. Charles Chamber of Commerce
(630) 584-8384
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Forthright Financial Planning
200 W. Main Street, Suite 102, STC
Welcome to the St. Charles Chamber! Chamber Members gathered for a ribbon cutting at Forthright Financial Planning. They are an independent firm, Member FINRA/SIPC. Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc.
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Colonial Café Restaurant and Creamery
1625 E. Main Street, STC
Since 1901 Colonial also has had their family style restaurants serving eggceptional breakfasts, classic lunches, fresh baked dinners, & legendary Colonial ice cream. They recently renovated their location on East Main Street creating an upscale lodge type vibe. Private party and meeting rooms are available at no additional cost with food and beverage purchases. Make sure to stop in to check out the renovations at this location!
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The Painted Vine Cellar
1 W. Illinois St, Unit 110, STC
Are you looking to explore your artistic side? Throw a fun party?The Painted Vine Cellar is the Fox Valley's premier paint and sip entertainment venue, located in the heart of historic St. Charles in a 1900's lantern factory featuring exposed brick and original wood beams. Professional artists will instruct you to recreate a painting on canvas or barn wood while you sip on your favorite beverage. There is a selection of wines, beers, and non-alcoholic beverages. Sessions are typically held on Wed, Fri, Sat, and Sun. Visit their website to view their calendar of events at www.thepaintedvinecellar.com
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Bare All Beauty Bar
501 Illinois Avenue, STC
Congratulations to Bare All Beauty Bar for opening a gorgeous salon in St. Charles! Specializing in waxing, advanced facials, eyelash extensions, and makeup, they customize all treatments and skin care regimens. Bare All Beauty's skilled estheticians help accentuate your natural beauty. Make sure to contact them with your beauty needs!
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Urban Counter
1820 Bricher Rd, STC
We are happy to have Urban Counter as a new Chamber Member! Urban Counter was created in 2012 with one simple goal: To provide the best food possible for people who are on the go. Their philosophy is that you should never have to sacrifice great taste and quality because you are in a hurry. Their hot dogs, burgers, salads and sandwiches are prepared for you fresh and fast every time. They have developed their recipes to cater to their customers' taste. They make their burgers, salad dressings and condiments in house. Stop in today for a freshly prepared meal and see for yourself!
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Speed Networking
Clarke
, 675 Sidwell Ct, STC
Thank you to Clarke for hosting and providing food for our Speed Networking event. This great event allowed 20 people to meet 19 people in one hour. Similar to musical chairs, this is a quick and easy way to get everyone moving and networking! If you missed out, make sure to sign up for the next Speed Networking event!
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Discover Your Culinary Side- Progressive Dinner
Multiple Locations in Downtown St. Charles
The St. Charles Chamber hosted our second progressive Food and Spirit Pairing during Chamber Week! The 50 attendees all tried wonderful dishes paired with beverages from five different restaurants. This event was organized in an effort to showcase the St. Charles Chamber Member Restaurants and their chefs. The restaurants involved are The Finery & Blacksmith Bar, Francesca's on The River, Isacco's Kitchen, McNally's and ROX City Grill. Sterling Bank located on First Street in St. Charles, was the Main sponsor for this event. We would also like to thank our other sponsors for this event including;
Forthright Financial Planning, Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Imperial Gutter Services, Jeans & A Cute Top Shop, McDowell Remodeling, Mercedes-Benz of St. Charles, Schramm Construction, and St. Charles Dental.
If you were not able to join us, stay tuned for the next event!
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Marketing Bootcamp Luncheon
Take Your Facebook Activity to the Next Level
Thank you to Rebecca Wardlow from Social Solutions for coming to present for our Marketing Luncheon. Attendees learned about the basics of Face Book to the specifics of how to manage your page, setting up posts, how to gather information for posts, creating events, paying to promote an event or your page. This luncheon was very informational and a great educational resource for all who attended!
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After Hours Mixer
Autumn Leaves of St. Charles, 10 N. Peck Rd., STC
Autumn Leaves opened their doors for Chamber members to network and view their property. They are family owned; Autumn Leaves was founded on the principle of providing the highest-quality environment to individuals requiring specialized care due to Alzheimer's and dementia-related conditions. Thank you for the space to hold this Mixer during our Chamber Week celebration!
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Chamber Open House
Chamber Office
, 216 S. Riverside Avenue, STC
We wrapped up Chamber Week with an Open House at the Chamber Office. Thank you to our Chamber Member's who donated food including; Alexanders Café, Buona, Claddagh Irish Pub, Country House at Geneva, Dairy Queen Grill & Chill St.Charles, Forthright Financial Planning, IHOP, McDonalds of St. Charles, Olive Garden, Q Center, Romano Mercato Italiano Italian Deli & Café, Salsa Verde Mexican Restaurant & Taqueria. Everything tasted amazing and we are very lucky to have such delicious and gracious Members in the Chamber!
Fourteen of our newest members set up tables to discuss their business, and greet the current members and prospective members who joined us! Thank you to everyone who participated! If you were unable to attend this year make sure to mark your calendar for next year as this is a great networking opportunity!
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Legislative Luncheon- Illinois Unemployment Insurance Act Seminar
The Legislative Committee held and Unemployment Act Seminar with Anthony Caruso from Wessels Sherman. There have been updates to this policy to help businesses fight unemployment claims. Some of these new additions to the act include failure to maintain licenses, registrations and certifications businesses will not be held responsible for paying unemployment. Another example is consuming alcohol or drugs during working hours while violating employer's policies; this would not entitle the individual to unemployment. Clarification in this area will help employers save money, time and hold individuals responsible for their actions.
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WBC Business Luncheon- How to Create a Budget
Hickory Knolls,3795 Campton Hills Drive, STC
The Women's Business Council hosted their September Luncheon at Hickory Knolls Discovery Center. Enticing Cuisine catered the event providing a delicious lunch and dessert. The theme for the luncheon was "How to Create A Budget" and featured a presentation by Tory Haines. She presented attendees with important definitions and helpful tips to use and remember when they create their own budgets. The WBC also raffled off a variety of prizes donated by generous businesses in the St. Charles area with all proceeds going to the WBC's third quarter charity: St. Charles History Museum. WBC Chair Anna Koehler presented Embrace A Family, the WBC's second quarter charity, with a check for $411.
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Fox River Luncheon & Expo
Grand Victoria Casino
, 250 S. Grove Ave., Elgin
This Multi-Chamber Fox River Luncheon and Expo included
Bartlett, Batavia, Elgin, Geneva, St. Charles, and Western DuPage Chambers of Commerce
and was held at
the Grand Victoria Casino.
We had the pleasure of having Nick Sarillo, Nick's Pizza, speak to over 100 people on inspiring leaders to influence transformation in their organizations. Having 70% of his employees under the age of 25, there is a less than a 20% turnover rate. Simply put, Nick has a systematic way of turning values into verbs with his employees.
At Nick's Pizza it is their value to provide a great place for friends and family to connect in a friendly environment. As you can see, it says nothing about the pizza. He has created a culture at his restaurants that facilitates pride because they have a meaningful place to work.
By treating everyone in his corporation with dignity and respect and putting the values into the "here and now", he puts his employees in a leadership role by letting them decide when they would like to take the next step in their career.
The leaders are taught to "coach in the moment" with the employees so they can learn and identify with what they are doing right and what they might be able to do to enhance their performance. Each employee takes pride in their commitment to provide quality service and a quality product. Thus, making Nick's Pizza & Pub the sixth busiest independent pizza company in per-store sales in the United States.
We would like to thank Nick Sarillo and his team for providing a very interesting and educational luncheon for our members.
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Business of the Month
Family Flooring
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2015 Dean St.
St. Charles, IL 60174
(630) 584-9300
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Business of the Month
Fox Valley Buick GMC
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Fox Valley Buick GMC located in St. Charles is one dealership in the Fox Valley Auto Group. Other dealerships include Fox Valley Volkswagen in Schaumburg and the recently relocated and expanded Fox Valley Volkswagen in St. Charles.
Founder Emir Abinion has put together a team with a mission: Move People. "Our goal is to always move people for the better...financially, spiritually, emotionally, as well as professionally," says Abinion. "We want to move people to a better place in their lives just by dealing and working with us."
Abinion says the secret to all the dealerships' success is the commitment to treat people like he would want to be treated and to be a value through service to his customers and the community.
The team at Fox Valley Buick GMC is proud to be recognized as the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce Business of the Month. They work hard to ensure the dealership's promise statement to its customers is demonstrated every day:
- Give you the absolute best service.
- Provide you with a pleasant purchase & ownership experience.
- Provide you all the information you need to make an informed decision.
- Give you fair pricing and the best selection of new & pre-owned vehicles.
- Continue to do our best to make your ownership experience the best it can be.
- Make you a part of the Fox Valley family.
Fox Valley Buick GMC is located at 1421 E. Main St. in St. Charles. Our Sales Department is open Monday through Friday from 9AM to 9PM and on Saturday from 9AM to 6PM. Our service department is open from 7AM to 6PM Monday through Friday and 8AM to 5PM on Saturday. FoxValleyBuickGMC.com, is your one-stop for all your automotive needs. You can see all of our latest specials, browse our complete new and used vehicle inventory, get a quote, make a service appointment, and even apply for financing. You can also "like" us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to find out the latest that's going on and get even more moneysaving special offers.
1421 E Main St
St. Charles, IL 60174
(630) 584-6400
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AUTOMOBILE REPAIR & SERVICE
Truckwurx LLC
Tyler Oldroyd
1900 East Tyler Rd.#400
St Charles
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CATERERS
Catering Made Simple
Mary Meyer
1544 Fleetwood Drive
Elgin
(847) 754-1090
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DENTISTS
Bespoke Dental Co. of St. Charles
Joe Wolski
11 S. 2nd Ave #11
St. Charles
(630) 377-1200
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MANUFACTURERS
Sopro Machinery
Mark Lietz
405 S. 38th Ave.
St. Charles
(331) 901-5097
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ORGANIZATIONS-CHARITABLE
Geneva Lions Club
Hank Erwin
Geneva
(847) 544-6878
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TREE SERVICES
Bartlett Tree Experts
Brad Buker
22272 N. Pepper Rd, Unit D
Lake Barrington
(847) 382-3111
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Advanced Disposal
Batavia
(630) 587-8282
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All Things Art Studio
St. Charles
(630) 360-1410
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Apple Graphics, Inc.
Batavia
(630) 389-2222
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Arts Center of St. Charles
St Charles
(630) 234-9506
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Balanced Plumbing
Sycamore
(630) 229-4707
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Beth Fowler School of Dance
St. Charles
(630) 945-3344
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Bike Rack, Inc.
St Charles
(630) 584-6588
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Campton United SC
St. Charles
(630) 377-9292
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Cherry Creek Mortgage Company
St Charles
(630) 762-9600
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Costco
St. Charles
(630) 549-2022
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Daily Herald
Lisle
(630) 955-3559
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Dayspring Pediatric Dentistry
St. Charles
(630) 587-4444
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Dellora A. Norris Cultural Arts Center
St Charles
(630) 584-7200
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Discount Tire & Service
St Charles
(630) 584-1277
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Durham Group, Inc.
St. Charles
(630) 377-6027
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FCA of St. Charles
St Charles
(630) 762-9335
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Flannery School of Irish Dance
St. Charles
(312) 344-0957
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Flores Painting
St. Charles
(815) 603-9413
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Fox Valley Food for Health
Geneva
(312) 505-3203
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Giant Fox Valley
St. Charles
(630) 524-4855
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Graham's Fine Chocolates & Ice Cream
Geneva
(630) 232-6655
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Heritage Radon Mitigation Services, Inc.
St Charles
(630) 377-9156
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Isacco Kitchen
St. Charles
(630) 444-0202
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Just For Paws Pet Salon
St. Charles
(630) 549-7845
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Kiwanis Club of St. Charles, Noon
St Charles
(630) 587-6444
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Lazarus House
St Charles
(630) 587-2144
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Logon Group - Dental IT
St. Charles
(888) 457-7900
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McDowell Remodeling
St Charles
(630) 584-2255
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McGrath Honda - St. Charles
St Charles
(630) 443-6400
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Mendel Plumbing & Heating, Inc.
St Charles
(630) 377-3608
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Mercedes-Benz of St. Charles
St Charles
(630) 485-2300
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OFFICE Dining & Spirits, The
St. Charles
(630) 549-0287
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Old Towne Pub Wasco
St Charles
(630) 513-4240
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Prairie State Water Solutions, inc
Saint Charles
(630) 864-7078
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Presence Pine View Care Center
St Charles
(630) 377-2211
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Spry Consulting, Inc.
St. Charles
(630) 444-0488
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St. Charles Bank & Trust Company
St Charles
(630) 377-9500
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St. Charles Community Unit School District #303
St. Charles
(331) 228-2000
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St. Charles Country Club
St Charles
(630) 377-9000
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Sterling Bank
St. Charles
(630) 549-7065
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Wine Sergi Insurance
Naperville
(630) 513-6600
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Wunderlich Securities, Inc.
St. Charles
(630) 463-9250
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*Note: As events can change or be rescheduled, always go to our
Events Calendar
on our website for the most up-to-date listing of all Member and Chamber events.
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Thursday, October 6th
5pm
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Fox Valley Volkswagen
4050 E. Main Street
St. Charles, IL 60174
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Monday, October 10th
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*Columbus Day*
*Office Closed*
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Thursday, October 13th
12:00pm
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Chamber Board Room
216 S. Riverside
St. Charles, IL 60174
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Thursday, October 13th
4:30pm
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International Medical Massage Association
2201 Dean St. Unit E1
St. Charles, IL 60174
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Wednesday, October 19th
11am- 1:30pm
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Royal Fox Country Club
4405 Royal & Ancient Drive
St. Charles, IL 60174
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Thursday, October 20th
4:30-6pm
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Wunderlich Securities, Inc.
303 W. Main St, Suite 202
St. Charles, IL 60174
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Tuesday, October 25th
4:30pm
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Mixology Salon Spa
116 W. Main Street
St. Charles, IL 60174
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Thursday, October 27th
11:30am- 1:30pm
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WBC Business Luncheon History of St. Charles Panel
Hickory Knolls
3795 Campton Hills Drive
St. Charles, IL 60174
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Thursday, October 27th
4:30am- 6:30pm
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Riverside Pizza
102 E. Main Street
St. Charles, IL 60174
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See What's Going On With Chamber Businesses
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Thank you to:
Membership Committee:
Marco Almeida, Ryan Anderson, Steve Brainerd,
Cherie Breedlove, Brian Dunne, Deborah Hestrup, Bill Johnson, Kelly Kah, Peter LaSalle, Christopher Schejbal, Sharon Spero, Mark Wilson, and James Zukowski
Speed Networking:
Clarke, Kelly Kah,
Cherie Breedlove, Christopher Schejbal
Open House Food Donations:
Alexanders Café, Buona, Claddagh Irish Pub, Country House at Geneva, Dairy Queen Grill & Chill St.Charles, Forthright Financial Planning, IHOP, McDonalds of St. Charles, Olive Garden, Q Center, Romano Mercato Italiano Italian Deli & Café, Salsa Verde Mexican Restaurant & Taqueria
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Hot Deal
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October
Receive a FREE Business Card Ad in Monthly Newsletter
Contact the Chamber Office at 630-584-8384 for more information or how to sign up.
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*Must mention this ad when applying, For New Members only.
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St. Charles Chamber Gift Certificates
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Purchase multiple gift certificates in $5 denomination from $10 through $25. To view where to purchase gift certificates and a list of participating merchants click link below
Shop Local - Available All Year Long
Purchase at the St. Charles Chamber Office, Blue Goose Super Market, and City of St. Charles Municipal Bldg.
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______________________________________________________________________
Your Ad Could Be Here!
If you'd like to advertise in our next Newsletter, please contact
the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce at
(630) 584-8384 or email [email protected]. Business card ads, pdf picture ads and Word document ads are all welcome. (There is a charge for Newsletter Ads.)
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