January 24, 2022

Last year our Wheaton Chamber theme was GRIT. We held fast to that theme and even developed our December 2021 awards program around it. Generosity, Resilience, Integrity and Team--GRIT.

This year, we have a new theme: it's "Movin' On!" Pandemic or no pandemic, we're movin' on. No cancellations. Rescheduling, perhaps. Reimaging, for sure. For example, our upcoming "Reset for Success: Women in Business Expo 2022" on March 18 will be a "blended event," a term I coined as an alternative to the dreaded "hybrid meeting." Stay tuned for more info about Reset for Success, and thanks to Christina Carrington Riley of CCR Creatives and her WIB Task Force for all the work they've invested so far.

How about you? What is your theme for 2022? Send me your answers and we'll feature them here in Monday Matters.

Movin' on with you~

New members continue to join the Wheaton Chamber, and for that we are so grateful! Please help us welcome:

Did you know there's a referral bonus for any Chamber member who refers a new member to us? Ask Vickie more about it.

We are happy to introduce you to Allison Orr, the new executive director of the Downtown Wheaton Association. Some of you may have met Allison during our virtual "Town Hall" last week--we had time to make some introductions, and Allison and Morgan Bainbridge were both there from the DWA.

Allison comes to the DWA from Drury Lane Theater & Events in Oakbrook where she was director of marketing. She has a wealth of experience in events management in the theater world and shared with us that she looks forward to bringing that experience to her new role at the DWA. She holds degrees from Columbia College, North Park University and Roosevelt University with masters degrees in business administration and nonprofit management.

Please join us in giving Allison a warm welcome. We look forward to collaborating with the DWA as often as possible to further our shared and respective members' goals, strengthening the business community together.

Crain’s Chicago Business is compiling their "Fast 50" issue, a feature showcasing the Chicago area’s fastest-growing companies. Crain's is looking for Chicago-area companies that grew significantly between 2016 and 2021. Companies are allowed one drop in revenue since 2016.

To apply, companies need to submit this online form by Friday, February 25.

Learn more about who’s eligible and visit this FAQ page. There’s no fee to participate. To see the final product check out the online version of last year’s Fast 50. 

Registration is now open for Parts II and III of the series. Join us for:

This "Diversity Matters" series is free to our members thanks to the generous sponsorship of Innovation DuPage.

In case you missed Part I of our three-part series, "Diversity Matters: A New Mindset for Today's Leaders," a video is now available. This series is being co-sponsored by Innovation DuPage and the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Committee of the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce.

We love to #BragandTag about our members, so please send promotions, press releases, member-to-member deals and "Hot Deals." We'll share here in Monday Matters, on our website and on our social media platforms. Please follow us on social media so we can follow you right back.

One of our newest members, Kevin Walker from Extract Juicery, got right into the spirit of #Mugshots and sent us this scenic photo with--what else? A cup of juice! Send us your #MugShot so we can #BragandTag about you on social media.

"The Year Ahead" is being hosted by Fairhaven Wealth Management at 5:00 p.m. on January 27. This virtual event is open to Wheaton Chamber members.

On the agenda, according to the folks at Fairhaven Wealth Management: "Inflation. The Fed. Crypto. Politics. Pandemic. UGH! But there may be some remedies! You will also hear about ideas to consider for your financial plan and investment portfolio, Leading the discussion will be FWM's own Marc Horner. There will be plenty of Q&A, so come prepared with your questions. (If enough people ask, Marc may even strike up the bagpipes for you.)" You can RSVP here.

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County is hosting a Romantic Night Walk from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 11 and 12 at Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve, 3609 Spring Road in Oak Brook. Take a one- to three-mile self-guided walk with your sweetheart or with friends on lantern-lit paths that meander through an oak forest. Along the way you’ll pause at historic shelters, cozy fires, and scenic bridges, where you can listen to the soothing sounds of the rolling waters of Salt Creek. Register here.

The Museums at Cantigny Park announce two programs in February focusing on 1920s Prohibition and its ramifications. Historians from The Mob Museum in Las Vegas will present online via Zoom. Both events are free but require advance registration at Cantigny.org.

The Wheaton Public Library is featuring the work of Wheaton Chamber member Miguel Morna Freitas of Morna Freitas Photography as a featured artist at the library's Arts and Culture Center.

Fine arts portraits from the newly released series "Skin Tones" will be on display at the library from January 14 through January 31. Here's additional information about the exhibit from Arts DuPage. Miguel's work will be up at the library through January 31.

Just added to job postings from our Wheaton Chamber members:

Send us news about your company's open positions--we'll be happy to post them here and promote on social media. If you have a "hot deal," let us know and post in your Chamber member profile. If you need help getting into your member account, please contact Doris Barrera, membership coordinator.