WELCOME   6

ABOUT THE CHAMBER   8

PARTNERS IN BUSINESS SUCCESS   12

DETERMINED MEMBER BUSINESSES   16

DUPAGE PADS RALLIES COMMUNITY TO END HOMELESSNESS   17

ROMEXTERRA CONSTRUCTION HELPS REBUILD HOMES, COMMUNITIES   18

ALTER BREWING COMPANY AND ITS AMBITIONS CONTINUE TO GROW   22

ARTFULLY ARRANGING BUSINESS AND FAMILY
FOR 100 YEARS   24

EXIT REAL ESTATE PARTNERS - MAKING REAL ESTATE A REALITY THROUGH ANY CRISIS   28

CONTENTS

2001 Butterfield Road, Suite 105

The Esplanade at Locust Point

Downers Grove, Illinois 60515

630-968-4050

https://www.chamber630.com

info@Chamber630.com

Office Hours:

Monday – Friday

8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

This is a Town Square Publications,
formerly MetroMedia (since 1997), publication created and produced for Chamber630.

Copyright © 2023 Town Square Publications
P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006
(847) 427-4905 | marketing@tspubs.com
www.TownSquarePublications.com

Every effort has been made to ensure the Accuracy of the information in this publication. The Chamber and Town Square assume no Responsibility for misinformation. Please contact the Chamber with any additions or corrections. Reproduction in whole or in part without Permission of the Chamber and Town Square Is prohibited.

Chairman, CEO and Publisher | Douglas K. Ray

President and Chief Operating Officer | Scott Stone

Vice President / Director | Scott Ray

Managing Director | David Small

Director of Production | Ryan Moore

Senior Account Executive | Josh Rose

Editor | Mia Katz

WELCOME

Welcome to Chamber630, center of the suburbs. We’re thrilled to offer you this digital publication showcasing some local businesses that have not only survived the Pandemic, but are now thriving! You will also learn about DuPage Foundation who, due to the generosity of DuPage County Board, will ensure our local non-profits will continue to thrive and care for those in need.

You will also find the most up-to-date list of business Members of Chamber630. We hope you will call on these businesses that care about your community, when you need an attorney, financial planner, electrician, plumber, meat market, caterer or a plethora of other business types that serve our needs on a daily basis.

In spite of the weather that arrived in force, the first of the year brings on a busy schedule. We opened with hosting the Multi-Chamber State of the County Address in January, featuring the first ever, female Chair of DuPage County, Deb Conroy. This was followed by the annual Gala held at DoubleTree Suites by Hilton in Downers Grove, celebrating our Members.

Early February was the start of the 630 Workforce Education Foundation’s Attainable Futures program. Students from Downers Grove North and South High Schools enjoyed their first half-day session at College of DuPage for workforce readiness sessions on ‘Setting Your Sights,’ and ‘Road to Success’ at the Homeland Education Center. Mix all that in with the New Residential Greeter Program recently introduced, Young Professional Network, a multi-chamber Women in Business luncheon focusing on heart health and let’s not forget the monthly Business Off The Clock events.

Chamber630 welcomes you to one or all of these events!

All the best,

President & CEO

ABOUT THE CHAMBER

Welcome to Chamber630, one of the largest business organizations in DuPage County. In the center of the suburbs, members of Chamber630 span across 50 municipalities, 65 zip codes and several counties. Businesses benefitting from membership in this organization range from small, family-owned companies, start-ups to international corporations and everything in between.

We offer top notch marketing opportunities, legislative advocacy, workforce development and a connection to the residential and business communities of central DuPage County. There is something for all businesses to embrace, from networking events, referral groups, regional events, conference room space, trips to Springfield, engagement in the local high schools, many committees and networks, scholarships for Members’ students, two golf outings, business excellence recognition and so much more.

Our mission is to serve its members by providing and protecting economic opportunities essential to a successful enterprise. The Chamber630 vision is to be the best chamber of commerce. We work hard at this vision, every single day. For more information visit https://www.chamber630.com/.

Partners in Business Success

Chamber630 highlights and partners with various organizations to foster success for area businesses and the community. Among them is the Dupage Foundation and Choose DuPage. Choose DuPage makes available Connect DuPage, a new program that opens doors for local minority, women, disabled, and veteran-owned businesses.

The Chamber shares the following initiatives with a goal to improve residents’ lives.

The Dupage Foundation has a mission to foster philanthropy, connect donors to area needs, and build community partnerships. The organization, which sponsored Chamber 630’s Multi-Chamber Business EXPO and State of the County address in January 2023, has awarded more than $70 million in grants to not-for-profit agencies serving the residents of DuPage County and beyond.

In 2022, the DuPage County Board voted to solidify a grantmaking partnership with the DuPage Foundation, executing an agreement to allocate $10.6 million in federal funds received through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to the Foundation to implement and manage a five-year grant program benefitting local not-for-profit social services organizations responding to the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Immediate Intervention and Transformational grant opportunities were created to support programs addressing the issues of food insecurity, housing instability, mental health and substance use disorder. Application opportunities will be offered in 2023 and 2024 for Immediate Intervention grants and 2024 for Transformational grants. More information and a listing of other available grants from the Dupage Foundation can be found here.

In January 2023, the organization welcomed new president & CEO, Michael Sitrick. “It is an honor to have been selected by the search committee and Board to succeed Dave and serve as DuPage Foundation’s next leader,” Sitrick said in a statement. “I never imagined when I relocated to DuPage 20 years ago that I would find not only a wonderful home, but a vocation about which I am fiercely passionate. Serving our community and constituents is a privilege. I look forward to working with our phenomenal staff, volunteer leaders and partners to continue delivering on our promise of raising the quality of life throughout DuPage County and seeing even greater impact for our residents.”

At the Chamber 630’s Multi-Chamber Business Expo and State of the County address in January 2023, regional leaders shared news of the formation of the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership, a first-of-its-kind, united effort including the City of Chicago, Cook County, and six counties across metropolitan Chicago to drive regional economic growth in an increasingly fierce competitive global market. The Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership has a goal to promote the region’s many benefits, including diverse talent, strong exporting industries, and exceptional institutions of innovation, research, and culture to develop a competitive global identity.

Businesses looking for supply chain partners in DuPage County now have a valuable resource via the new program Connect DuPage – a new initiative designed to build meaningful collaboration among a diverse range of DuPage County businesses.

Connect DuPage aims to promote commercial collaboration, address current supply chain challenges and increase awareness and opportunity for DuPage County businesses, including minority, women, disabled and veteran-owned.

Businesses that fall into these categories can register with Choose DuPage to be featured as potential partners within custom reports. These businesses can also be added to the supplier database for free.

Joining the database is a way to become known in the business community and get connected. Businesses can learn more and register via this link: www.choosedupage.com/register-with-connect-dupage.

Determined Member Businesses

A number of Chamber 630 Member Businesses have not only survived, but thrived despite the pandemic and other challenges. We highlight here just a few remarkable organizations making a difference and blossoming through uncertain times.

DuPage Pads Rallies Community to End Homelessness

By Dave Hoffman

DuPage Pads offers assistance to people who are without a home. Their goal is to end homelessness by providing interim and permanent housing and support services to their clients with the goal of ending homelessness in the county.

“We do that through two areas,” said President and CEO April Redzic, “The first is interim housing, which is an emergency place to stay for people who are unsheltered and need a safe warm place. The second is supportive housing, where we help people through rapid rehousing for survivors of domestic violence, people with disabilities who have a history of homelessness, and rapid rehousing for others who need assistance.”

The organization has been in the area for 37 years, starting out as an overnight shelter to protect people who are unsheltered from the worst of the elements. On a rotating basis, congregations in the area would open their doors nightly giving homeless residents a warm place to sleep.

During the past few years, in the wake of the COVID pandemic, the organization and surrounding community have been able to ramp up their impact to a whole new level. During the COVID pandemic, sleeping in a group with others was deemed unsafe and the organization turned to hotels to put up their clients, which turned out to have a beneficial effect on their efforts to improve their situation. The organization was able to use Federal CDBG-CV funds that were granted to help homeless service providers during the pandemic.

“It gave our clients the ability to do more to end their homelessness because they weren’t moving from place to place night after night in a county where public transportation is very challenging,” said Redzic. “In addition, having four walls and a door helped the clients heal from the trauma they had gone through and made it safer for families coming into the shelter.”

Seeing the benefits, the DuPage Pads Board met to develop a strategic plan to acquire a property. From those efforts, they were able to acquire a building with 120 rooms in Downers Grove. Additionally, the organization runs an empowerment center where clients can use resources that help them get on their feet such as support groups, computers, learning opportunities, employment supports, or medical care.

Redzic credits a responsive board and supportive community with the ability to scale their services so quickly. Local businesses and faith communities donate food. The school system welcomes children during the stressful transition period. Volunteers come in to help with meals, laundry, and tutoring. The County itself voted $5 million to purchase the property, while the organization was able to raise another $1.5 million they needed from donations. They were also able to rely on experts in the legal, architecture and real estate fields who offered help on a pro-bono basis.

“We made it happen because people came together and used their unique skill sets to make this happen,” said Redzic. “We thought this would be a long-term project, but it came together quickly because people believed that no child should have to sleep in a car. If you ever doubted whether people are incredible, look at what we were able to do over the course of 15 months.”

Romexterra Construction Helps Rebuild Homes, Communities

By Dave Hoffman

Romexterra Construction Fire and Water Restoration operates under a philosophy of helping people in their worst moments, not only for their customers, but for their community.

The full-service restoration company handles every kind of restoration. On the outside, there could be damage from water or hail. They fix fire and smoke damage, and flooding that can destroy both the interior and exterior of a home. And inside they help with damage to property, personal belongings, and property. The company has been in business since 2003.

“That was our original reason for being, that we’re here to help,” said Administrative Manager, Marie Sacco. “We’re here to help people in their worst moment, whether it be a burst pipe, a fire, or something as seemingly mundane as a kid clogging the toilet. It can seem cute and funny if there is not a lot of damage, but if there is, it’s a big deal. When this kind of damage occurs, a homeowner may be inclined to panic, and we’re here for them 24-7.”

Their four divisions of expertise include emergency service; content cleaning and restoration; the exterior department; and the rebuild department.

“We pride ourselves in doing the right thing. We work for the client, not the insurance company,” said Sacco. “We’re honest about what we can’t or can’t do. It’s not always about making a profit, it’s about doing the right thing and helping people.”

When Covid hit the community, they put their resources to work for the people. Their strong focus on being there to help customers naturally led them to expand their reach when the economy closed down due to the covid pandemic.

“When we were slow, without jobs, we were able to keep our employees employed and paid while doing good for the community,” she said. “We worked with a lot of nonprofits and hired people who had lost their jobs with other companies. Our trucks are wrapped and marked, so they’re driving billboards for our company while we do it.”

Romexterra hired people through Worknet DuPage and helped with nonprofits from throughout the region. They helped with Bike Bald in Oswego, a charity organization that provides food, clothing, and recreational events for children affected by childhood cancer or rare diseases. In Waukegan, they worked with Midwest Veterans Closet delivering meals for DuPage seniors, and worked with Jeep to deliver Christmas toys.

“During the pandemic, we managed to stay afloat and not only survive with the staff we had, but also expand, and that meant not only employee size, but also equipment and vehicles. We just kind of blossomed,” Sacco said.

The focus on the larger community has led the company to grow to more than 50 employees since their inception, and they’re still growing.

“We’re very much a family. We’re a growing company,” said Sacco. “It’s hard to look at a company of more than 50 people as a family, but we are. We really look out for each other. We do our best work as a team and have each other’s back.”

Alter Brewing Company and its Ambitions Continue to Grow

By Mike Danahey

Rlter Brewing Company CEO David Yob says any comparison to how Cooper’s Hawk has built its winery and restaurant business from one location in Chicago’s southwest suburbs to a rapidly expanding, multi-state operation would be a good one.

“Our ambitions continue to grow,” Yob said. Still, Yob said the team behind Alter Brewing is taking a bit of a well-earned breather, at least when it comes to expansion.

In mid-December, Alter opened its third operation, a brewery and kitchen near Oak Brook Center. That’s after successfully launching a taproom and production facility in Downers Grove in 2015, then opening a first brewery and kitchen in downtown St. Charles in May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was difficult,” Yob said. “We did a lot of streamlining and bootstrapping, taking on work ourselves and minimizing staffing.”

What also helped Alter make it through those times was experience from running the taproom and in providing beer for people to take home with them. Then, as places were allowed to have outdoor seating, having a good-sized al fresco area in a downtown off the Fox River, well-known as a dining and entertainment destination, contributed to growing the business, Yob said.

As restrictions waned, the craft beer scene continued to grow across the nation and in St. Charles, where Yob said at least a half dozen places are making their own beers.

Having the other breweries, along with the various restaurant options in St. Charles provides a synergy, Yob said.

What separates Alter from other places of its kind, though, is a focus not only of pairing its beers with its menu items but in incorporating beer into the dishes themselves.

“Our restaurants are as much about the menu as they are about the beers,” Yob said.

The sites are also about locating in high traffic areas, Yob said. In the case of Oak Brook, Alter looked for a year or so, when a developer looking to lease a site in the aftermath of the pandemic approached them with what turned out to be a winning proposition.

The Alter Brewing website also notes the “brewing theaters” to be experienced at its locations.

In terms of the new spot in Oak Brook that setup features a Solera Brewing System with 12 American Oak wood foeders (barrels).

Yob said this old-world system of aging beer is rarely seen on such a scale here in the United States. In time, that system will allow Alter to add artisanal beer styles such as sours, lambics and saisons to its portfolio, Yob said.

As with Alter’s St. Charles brewery and kitchen, natural lighting plays a role in the ambience of the Oak Brook location, Yob noted, as does having an expansive, seasonal outdoor patio, this one along 22nd Street.

And, like downtown St. Charles, the Oak Brook corridor is known for its abundance of restaurants.

“There’s a lot of competition, but it’s an area with a lot of businesses, a lot of offices, a lot of hotels. People in Oak Brook are looking for entertainment and places to enjoy good food and drink,” Yob said. “While there are a ton of great breweries and brewpubs, what you’ll find with Alter is we’re not a cult of personality. We’re a team, first and foremost.”

Artfully Arranging Business and Family for 100 Years

By Jill Tridgell

If there’s one thing the Phillip family knows, it’s the power of flowers.

Business has bloomed at Phillip’s Flowers and Gifts in the Chicago suburbs for 100 years, due in large part to the dedication of three generations that have lovingly propagated the once-small business rooted by their patriarch, James A. Phillip, in 1923.

“We call it a labor of love for both flowers and family,” said Baxter W. Phillip, the company’s executive vice president. Today, six family members helm the company of nearly 200 employees.

The first Phillip’s Flowers opened in Cicero and now boasts six locations: Elmhurst, Hinsdale, LaGrange, Naperville, Wheaton, and the headquarters/30,000-square-foot design center in Westmont. The folks who run the show today basically took their first steps among bursting, sweet-smelling bouquets of every color in one or another of their family’s storefronts.

“We all grew up pushing a broom and cleaning the shops,” Phillip said.

They divide and conquer, with each having honed different areas of expertise.

“Our secret sauce is first and foremost, the 150-plus floral professionals on staff, as well as buying flowers fresh direct from all over the world,” he explained. “That, and overall family values of hard work and attention to customer service.”

They all agree that there’s a pure and simple joy that comes with brightening rooms and, often, spirits, with their living art arrangements.

“They of course provide joy but are also comforting in times of sorrow,” he said. “They mark many of life’s most important milestones.”

Mother’s Day is their busiest week of the year, with Valentine’s Day proving to be their most lucrative day or two.

The company not only specializes in fresh flowers, plants, bouquets, and floral arrangements for every occasion, but also in “interior plantscaping” design and maintenance for many businesses primarily in the city.

In a society that’s increasingly reliant on e-commerce and quick turnarounds, Phillip’s success is rooted in reliability, quality products, an intimate understanding of their communities, and its eagerness to serve the unique needs of many longtime customers.

“Some of our customers have been coming to us for a long time,” Phillip said. “There are families where we’ve done their wedding, then their children’s prom flowers, and even wakes.”

For them, the personal touches are meaningful and keep them coming back. Simply put, a rose by any other name than Phillip’s just wouldn’t smell as sweet.

For additional information or to send flowers almost anywhere,
visit phillipsflowers.com.

EXIT Real Estate Partners –Making Real Estate a Reality Through Any Crisis

By Mike Danahey

Chris Hochstedt said his passion for real estate started at a young age, learning from his grandmother, who had taught his father about investing in property.

“Grandma Anna collected and sold metal through the Great Depression to have enough cash to buy two homes outright post-Depression,” Hochstedt said.

Today, Hochstedt is a broker and alongside partners Brian Kwilosz and Tom Sailer, is one of three owners of EXIT Real Estate Partners, a veteran-owned business located at 4901 Main St., Downers Grove.

After college, Chris and his wife, Caroline, were both bartending. On the side, they started their own portfolio, buying real estate for themselves and for investments. After his career in bartending ended, he stayed active as a real estate investor, and in 2003 became a licensed broker with a local agency.

“When I learned the benefits of EXIT Realty and the mindset behind the ownership, I was intrigued and bought my own franchise with business partner, Tom Sailer, and (with the assistance of) office manager, Kelly Deschamp, in September 2007, opened the doors in Downers Grove,” Hochstedt said.

Hochstedt said that with all the excitement from opening the new business, he didn’t expect the recession in 2008.

“But our determination and drive to succeed carried us through the rough years while growing the office,” he said.

In 2015, Hochstedt and his partners purchased their current office space. To improve the building, projects so far have included digging out the basement, and installing new plumbing, electric, and fire safety systems.

They opened in their new space in March 2019, but like other establishments, wound up having to close two weeks later because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The emotions of the unknown in the real estate market were high. We had to figure out how to sell homes during Covid and gain clients’ trust while navigating through all the unknowns with the virus. We relied on referrals from our trusted network,” Hochstedt said.

That network includes Chamber 360, where Hochstedt has been a member for a number of years and currently serves on its board of directors.

“Being involved with the Chamber and service on the board of directors has taught me the dynamics of the local community and how businesses work within it. I can now speak confidently on local topics because of the relationships that were formed at the board level,” Hochstedt said.

Past the pandemic and the ebb and flow of the current economy, Hochstedt said his office has about 50 brokers working out of it. They speak various languages including Italian, Russian, Spanish and Polish, in addition to English.

The office specializes in residential, commercial, and leasing properties and combined, its realtors have more than 15 different designations in the office, including Graduate of the Real Estate Institute (GRI) and Certified Residential Specialist (CRS). It is one of 15 EXIT offices in Illinois, and one of more than 650 offices nationally and 50 offices internationally.

“The keys to our office and production are relationships and education. We strive to further ourselves to be at the top of our game for our clients,” Hochstedt said. “We focus on family, spiritual, business, financial, and, personal growth. We educate our Realtors to find a balance to fulfill their family and financial goals.”

As for advice to anyone buying or selling in today’s market, Hochstedt said a key is to interview your real estate agent to make sure they have sales to back up their resume.

“Also, ask them about the designations that they carry in the real estate industry. Our agents strive to obtain designations once they are licensed,” he said, explaining that “The GRI designation is like your Masters in Real Estate which takes about two years to get and CRS requires a lot of production in home sales just to be able to get that designation.”

In addition, Hochstedt shares that one of the advantages to using EXIT is that they have lawn sign geolocation technology, which enables a potential buyer to receive information about the house instantly to their cell phone by texting EXIT to 85377.

“EXIT Real Estate Partners’ mission statement provides the highest quality of services to our clients and support to our local community,” Hochstedt said. “We offer a positive workplace.”

For more information, see https://exitrealty.com/office/Downers_Grove/IL/1519/EXIT_REAL_ESTATE_PARTNERS.