Table of

Contents

08 WELCOME

14 THANK YOU TO OUR RENEWING MEMBERS

15 WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

16 THE ONE-TWO PUNCH

 BOOST SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
WITH HUMOR AND EDUCATION

18 Q&A WITH STEPHEN GILLIS

20 BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

 DELIVERING UNFORGETTABLE TEAM-BUILDING EXPERIENCES

24 2023 UPDATE

GOA REAL ESTATE MARKET:
LOW TURNOVER, SELLER’S ADVANTAGE

26 Q&A WITH DINO C. GAVANES, CIC

This is a Town Square Publications, formerly MetroMedia
(since 1997), publication created and produced for the
GOA Regional Business Association.

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

Sales | Angie Riffel

Editor | Mia Katz

Design Project Manager | Sandy King

Welcome to our summer edition of In the Know, the quarterly magazine that features our members, their businesses, and current topics important to the business community. In this issue, we share how laughter makes us listen – and how marketers can use humor to be memorable - thus driving attention to their businesses.

We also examine how to build relationships and teams through rewarding experiences, such as a work outing to venues like Pinot’s Palette, the Schaumburg Boomers baseball club, or Topgolf. Meetings such as these can foster trust, communication and collaboration among clients and colleagues.

Finally, we examine real estate trends and what the experts at Berkshire Hathaway American Heritage Real Estate and GC Realty and Development share about what you should know about residential and commercial real estate markets in the region.

We are happy to have this forum to share useful information and interesting stories from our members.

If you have a story of particular interest you would like considered for a future issue of In the Know, please send them to me via shirlanne@thegoa.com.

Don’t forget to sign up to one of our many events throughout the year, which include everything from job fairs to networking breakfasts and more. For more information and to register, please visit thegoa.com/events.

Please remember that if you have ideas or input for us at the Association, we are always happy to hear your thoughts. We welcome your feedback and suggestions for future events or programs. Please contact our office or reach out to a board member with your input.

Sincerely,
Shirlanne Lemm
President & CEO

Get to Know

Happy Anniversary!

Thank you to our renewing members

51 Years

Gladstone Group Inc.

50 Years

Jarosch Bakery

Elk Grove High School

48 Years

Porte Brown Accountants & Advisors

Daily Herald Media Group

Elk Grove Park District

44 Years

Nippon Express Usa Inc.

43 Years

W.e. Carlson Corporation

42 Years

Kenneth Young Center

Harper College

40 Years

Expeditors International Inc.

39 Years

Restricted Articles Specialists Inc.

Ups Supply Chain Solutions

Rent Rite Equipment Company

38 Years

Ponticelli & Vito

Elk Grove Village

36 Years

Hamilton Partners

35 Years

Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices American Heritage Real Estate

32 Years

Safeguard

Ch Robinson Freight Services Ltd.

Gullo International Development Corp.

31 Years

E. H. Wachs

30 Years

Battery Service Corporation

Dimerco Express

28 Years

La-Co Industries Inc.

27 Years

Wehmer Corporation

26 Years

Signature Flight Support Ord

Basketworks, Inc.

25 Years

Air-Sea Forwarders

Dsv Air & Sea

24 Years

Kvf Company Inc.

22 Years

Ups Supply Chain Solutions

Ait Worldwide Logistics

Walmart

Edward Jones - Roger Smith, Financial Advisor

21 Years

Alphagraphics - Wood Dale

Clarke - Mosquito Control

Toll Global Forwarding Usa Inc

20 Years

Mallory Alexander International Logistics

Standra Improvements

19 Years

Crosscountry Mortgage

Promark Planners

18 Years

Alexian Village Of Elk Grove

Supply Chain Solutions, Llc

17 Years

Signode System Gmbh

Roccovino’s Restaurant

Service Shipping Inc.

Spirit International Transport, Inc.

16 Years

Scarbrough International Ltd

Technology Masters Inc

Image One Facility Solutions

Wac Solution Partners-Midwest

Quick Delivery Service Inc.

Sankyu U.s.a. Inc.

15 Years

W. S. Darley & Co

Rohlig Usa Llc

Siemens Industry, Inc.

14 Years

Saul Ewing

Expeditors Intl Of Washington

Express Air Freight Ord, Inc.

13 Years

Comcast Business

12 Years

Pinnacle Services Inc

Itasca Park District

Chandlers Chophouse & Banquets

Courtyard By Marriott - Wood Dale

Hellmann Worldwide Logistics Inc.

Tomlinson & Shapiro, P.c.

Oia Global

Hervas, Condon & Bersani, P.c.

Village Of Itasca

Johnson Insurance Agency Inc.

Americor Electronics Ltd.

11 Years

Savage Bros. Co.

Betsy’s One Of A Kind

Rotary Club Of Elk Grove Village

Unique Logistics Int’l

Parkway Bank & Trust

Aeronet Worldwide

10 Years

Church Street Brewing Company

Garage Store

Nicor Gas

The Hbc Insurance Group

Edward Jones - Brian G. Hamm

Allied Dairy Products, Inc. & Subsidiaries

9 Years

Kellstrom Aerospace

Topgolf

Nissin International Transport

Elk Grove Village Sewer & Plumbing, Inc.

Flexera Software Llc

Elegante Cuisine Inc.

8 Years

Apex Logistics International (Ord) Inc.

Axon International Inc

Polaris Worldwide Logistics

Complete Scrub Maintenance Inc.

Karabiner Design

Leader Mutual Freight System Chicago Inc.

Mp Insurance Group

Boc International Inc.

7 Years

Advisers Group, Inc.

Complete Landscaping

Ohi Llc

Pilot Freight Services

Jrs Mar/Com

Ram International

6 Years

Audiometric Associates

Nnr Global Logistics Usa, Inc.

Motel 6

Bright Horizons

Interfracht Usa

The Residences At Hamilton Lakes

Particle Dynamics

Anderson Lock Company

5 Years

Schiele Group

Ol Usa

Panduit Corp.

Vapor Power International

Servpro Of Elk Grove

Tree Guys Pizza

Precise Fleet Tracking Solutions

Heartland Payment Systems

Arden Courts

4 Years

Sonesta Chicago O’hare Airport

Tecta America Illinois Roofing

Walter E. Smithe Furniture & Design

Home Instead

3 Years

American Community Bank & Trust

Green Worldwide Shipping Llc

Nexa Mortgage

Trade Technologies Inc.

Sipi Asset Recovery

Green Worldwide Shipping

Battaglia Industries, Inc.

Mcgrath Lexus Of Westmont

Concept One Media

Dynasty Usa Group

2 Years

Rightsize Facility

Reliance Orthodontic Products, Inc.

Allstate - Sundara Insurance Group Llc

Draper & Kramer Mortgage

Jit Usa Logistics Corp.

Insperity

Ion Exhibits

Komatsu Forklift Of Chicago

Laner Muchin, Ltd.

Logsdon Office Supply

Express Employment Professionals

Old Republic Title

1 Year

Forensic Analytical Consulting Services

New City Moving

Jack Lewin Associates, Inc.

Carlisle Banquets

Midwest Computing Group, Inc.

Pinot’s Palette - Elmhurst

Alyce Paris

Mighty Moving, Inc.

Eco Clean Services Inc.

Meridian Banquets

Enhanced Energy Solutions

Dsp Insurance Services

Freight Systems Inc.

Helm Tool Company Inc./Intermolding Technology Inc.

Transworld Mergers & Acquisitions

WELCOME

NEW MEMBERS!

ACB CHB

soniaavlakhchb.com

Alari Financial Consultants/Alari Search

alarifc.com

All My Sons Chicago

allmysons.com/illinois/chicago/index.aspx

Apex Material Handling Corporation

apex-cos.com

Away Staffing

awaystaffing.com

B10 Capital

b10cap.com

Berkshire Hathaway Starck Real Estate

dealwithdina.com

Beth Kaim Real Estate With Berkshire Hathaway Home Services American Heritage

bethkaimrealestate

Bos 

bos.com

Burton Medical Llc

burtonmedical.com

Cartage Xperts Co

cartagexperts.com

CJ Commercial Real Estate Solutions

cjcres.com

Cobblestone Realty

cobblestonerealtygroup.com

Colonial Life

coloniallife.com

Creative Capital Corp.

Cybervenger Llc

cybervenger.com

Dolphin Merchant Services

goDMS.com

Elk Grove Nutrition

Entertainment Management Group

Farmers Insurance

agents.farmers.com/il/rollingmeadows/russell-gruber

First American Bank

firstambank.com

Foremost Roofing Solutions

foremostimprovements.com

Global Fmcg Brands Inc.

Home Trust Mortgage

hometrust.com

Imperial Crane Services 

imperialcrane.com

Insperity

insperity.com

Ixsolutions

ixshealth.com

J Print Center Chicago

jpc-chicago.com

J. Krug & Associates, Inc.

jkrug.com

Kas Max Services Inc.

Labor Solutions

labor-solutions.com

Little City Foundation

littlecity.org/

Maryville Academy

maryvilleacademy.com

Midwest Field Solutions

midwestfieldsolutions.com

Nations Property Management

inclusionhomes.com

Painless Tax Solutions

painlesstax.com

Peak Utility Brokers

peakutilitybrokers.com

Precise Fleet Tracking Solutions

precisetelecom.com

Real Brokerage Llc/Dewilde Agent

dawildagent.com

Residential Heating & Cooling

residentialheatingcooling.com

Rieke Interiors

rieke.com

Ru Marketing

rumarketingnow.com

Sbo Buzz

sbobuzz.com

Simple Flooring

simpleflooringco.com

Stericycle, Inc.

stericycle.com

Thornwood Financial

thornwoodfinancial.com

Timely Vending Llc

timelyvending.com

Titus Talent Strategies

titustalent.com/

T-Mobile For Business

t-mobile.com

Transworld Mergers & Acquisitions

tworld.com/locations/kenosha

Triantan CCC LLC

ccctechnologies.com

Unitedhealthcare

uhc.com

Village Medical

VILLAGEMEDICAL.COM

Virginia Tile Company

virginiatile.com/

Vmr Remodeling

vmrremodelinginc.com

Windy City Toolbank

windycitytoolbank.org

Zeigler Buick/Gmc

zeiglergmbuick.com

Zeigler Cadillac

zeiglergmcadillac.com

Zentro

ZentroInternet.com

THE ONE-TWO PUNCH

BOOST SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING WITH HUMOR AND EDUCATION

By Marc Sheforgen

Consumers, Alan Stern has learned, remember what made them laugh but trust what gives them the information they need to solve a problem. Small businesses, he said, are often failing to win attention because they aren’t addressing both of those principles.

Stern, a sales consultant with McGrath Lexus of Westmont, has started a business, Persona Marketing, to teach marketers and sales staff how to more effectively reach potential customers through social media. Or, as he calls it, “how to become a one-man content machine.” And the beauty of his method, he said, is that small business owners can realize big returns without spending any money.

Many marketers understand the principle of identifying a consumer problem and then advertising a solution to solve it. That’s education-based marketing. But Stern said it alone isn’t enough to win attention.

“The average person sees between 4,000 and 10,000 advertisements every single day,” he said. “So unless something is relevant, it’s going to get tuned out. So on social media, the idea is to stop the scroll.”

The way to do that, Stern said, is to make a person laugh.

“When people are laughing, they’re listening,” he said. “And when people laugh, they remember what made them laugh. In this case, that’s your business.”

A while back, Stern, who has been in the car business for more than 12 years, began posting funny memes and GIFs on social media as a unique way to cut through the noise and attract customer attention.

“People started coming up to me and they would comment on the marketing they would see,” Stern said. “They would go, ‘I saw you posted a meme the other day. That was hilarious. I loved it.’”

Stern quickly realized that humor was helping him to stand out. And if he combined those laughs with solid, trustworthy service and factual information, he could attract loyal customers. Now he’s teaching others how to do the same.

Beginning in February 2022, Stern has been invited to speak at about 30 different area events. He shows people how simple it is to create engaging content on social media. Beyond his speaking engagements, Stern’s Persona Marketing offers consulting services, access to a group of like-minded marketers and ad management. He’s in the process of creating a free e-book that teaches his method.

“People don’t buy from brands, they buy from people that represent brands,” he said. “I teach you how to show your personality in your marketing in the form of humor, in the form of education and in the form of trust. These are all things that require zero resources that people can do on a shoestring budget and quickly.”

To learn more about Persona Marketing and how to become a one-man content machine, visit onemancontentmachine.com.

If you’d like to get a free copy of Alan’s E-Book “How To Dominate The Newsfeed Without Spending A Dime,” simply go to getalansbook.com and let him know where to send it.

Q & A with

Stephen Gillis

ELK GROVE CHAMBER
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Stephen Gillis is vice president of national sales for the Schiele Group, a group of printing manufacturing companies located in Elk Grove Village (EGV). Gillis has worked for the Schiele Group for 26 years and he has held a variety of roles including feeder, pressman, and plant manager. His current work consists of speaking with clients, discussing their projects, offering quotes, communicating with project managers, and finding new business opportunities. He is currently the Elk Grove Village Chamber of Commerce chair and a Lemont Rotary member.

Do you have an interesting quote to share about yourself, or how would you describe yourself?

I would describe myself as dedicated, compassionate, straight-forward, and a problem solver. As I tell my clients, “No job is too big or too small that I cannot handle”.

What is your board and committee involvement/length of time on the board?

I spent one year as vice president of the GOA GONE IV Group, one year as president, and one year as outgoing president. Currently, I am the chair for the Village of Elk Grove Chamber of Commerce that is a two-year commitment. I have spent the past seven years as a Rotarian for the Lemont/Homer Glen chapter. Lastly, for four years I was the chairperson and leader of a networking group in the downtown Chicago area.

What was your first job and what did you learn from it?

My first job was when I was 10 years old, and I worked in the school office answering phones on the weekends, as well as other odd and end jobs around the school. This taught me patience, time management, and work ethics.

Why did you choose your current field?

I was given an opportunity to choose between two different career paths, printing, or work in a lettershop. I was fortunate enough to interview and receive job offers in both fields. I am a “hands on” person and believed that printing would better suit me, not knowing at the time that the lettershop would be intertwined with printing. Here I am 35 years later having great knowledge in both printing and lettershop.

What is rewarding about your current position?

Meeting people throughout the years and creating many relationships that have lasted more than 40 years.

Do you have family members/pets?

I am married with five children and four grandchildren. No pets.

Do you have any hobbies or favorite way to relax in your free time?

Golf, golf, and more golf! This is my relaxation. However, I do enjoy remodeling homes and relaxing on the Beach with my feet in the sand.

Do you have any favorite books? Why did this resonate with you?

I would have to say my favorite book is Brian’s Song. This is so cliché, but I learned to “live life to its fullest as you don’t know when it will be your last day.”

Do you have a favorite travel destination?

My favorite travel destination would be Maui. It’s warm, beautiful, great golf, and very relaxing. Although, I have not been to Scotland quite yet, which is on my bucket list.

If you weren’t in your current job, what career path would you like to explore?

If I was to do it all over again, I would have started my own company and cultivated it into a successful business.

What is the most rewarding part about being involved with the Chamber?

I have been working in EGV for 36 years. Throughout the years, I have seen changes and development of EGV and how it’s evolved into a great business hub. However, being a member of the Chamber gives me great pleasure knowing that I can contribute and be part of those changes and growth of this great community.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

DELIVERING UNFORGETTABLE
TEAM-BUILDING EXPERIENCES

By Matt Beardmore

When entertaining clients and organizing team-building events, selecting a venue that can provide a customized and memorable experience is key. Three GOA Regional Business Association members are delivering those types of experiences.

Despite losing to the Québec Capitales in the 2022 Frontier League Championship Series – the first time the Schaumburg Boomers baseball club had dropped a playoff series after winning titles in 2013, 2014, 2017, and 2021 – Michael Larson, the team’s executive vice president and general manager, said the team has “a bit of a dynasty going.”

“I’m in a unique situation – my job is not too hard into the baseball side of things,” he said. “Most of my focus (on the baseball side) is giving (manager Jamie Bennett) the tools and resources he needs. We have a clear competency there.”

The Boomers’ ability to create unforgettable off-the-field experiences for their fans has also been a hit, whether it’s hosting a birthday on the left field party deck or a client in one of Wintrust Field’s 16 private suites, organizing a company softball game on the field, or setting up a meeting in the Schaumburg Club or Jim Beam Club.

“We’ve put a lot of work into the atmosphere,” Larson said. “Something’s that unique here is that we can do company outings of 10-20 and all the way up to 2,000 people. We can adjust – everything we do is based on size and what kind of experience they want to have.”

Anam Bokhari, owner and Chief Fun Officer of Pinot’s Palette, also prides herself on creating a customized guest experience at her paint-and-sip studio in Elmhurst. Bokhari’s goal when opening the studio a little more than five years ago was to create a fun environment where people are connecting with each other – not with their phones.

“I took my mom to a paint-and-sip and I loved that people were spending quality time with each other,” said Bokhari, whose studio joined the GOA last year. “They weren’t at a bar on their phones. They were creating and being creative. That is what I really wanted people to feel.”

In addition to hosting 6-10 weekly public events at the 3,000-square-foot space, which includes a full bar, Pinot’s Palette offers private experiences. This includes everything from team-building activities and bachelorette parties to girl’s nights out and kid’s birthdays.

Pinot’s Palette can also go mobile, bringing the party – and the art supplies – to another location. During the Covid-19 lockdown, Bokhari’s team pivoted hard, developing take-home art kits complete with a canvas, paint, disposable aprons, and step-by-step instructions and running private parties and public events virtually over Zoom.

These days, one of the most popular team-building activities at Pinot’s Palette is jigsaw painting.

“Everyone paints their own canvas and they’re actually painting a piece of the puzzle,” Bokhari said. “It all comes together as one big mural or painting. Companies really love that so they can hang it up at their office.”

Another popular venue for hosting client meetings and team-building events is Topgolf in Schaumburg. Minutes northwest of Woodfield Mall, Topgolf showcases 102 climate-controlled hitting bays where guests, regardless of their skill level, can take their swings.

“You really don’t have to be a golfer to enjoy,” said Gigi Wagner, Topgolf’s Director of Sales. “We have high-def TVs and music, and our food is top-notch. It’s a unique option against your regular restaurant or stuffy conference room.”

Like the Boomers and Pinot’s Palette, Topgolf has plenty of flexibility when it comes to tailoring the event to their guests’ needs.

“We can have events in our outdoor patio with bays, and we can also do a private Chairman’s Suite that caters more to special events,” Wagner said. “We have three levels, so we can do just a section of a floor, we can do a full floor buyout, or we can do a whole venue buyout. We can cater to a small birthday party or host a company event for 1,000 people.”

That’s the type of versatility that can help make a team-building event or client meeting one that everyone will enjoy and remember.

2023 UPDATE

GOA REAL ESTATE MARKET:
LOW TURNOVER, SELLER’S ADVANTAGE

By Dave Hoffman

Residents and businesses located in the GOA region seem to be happy settling in for the time being, as the 2023 real estate market has shown lower turnover than in previous years. This makes it a seller’s market - good for residents, landlords, real estate agents, and the area in general. The higher rates haven’t stopped people from looking to move in, only out.

The GOA region is attractive because it has a large industrial park, which keeps the tax rate down. This enables residents to benefit from the school systems, and parks, making it a great place to raise a family.

According to Rosanna DeFrenza, recruitment director and associate broker at Berkshire Hathaway American Heritage Real Estate out of Elk Grove Village, there has been a 30 percent decrease in home sales in 2023 compared to the same time last year – 26,000 compared to 37,000 over the same time period last year.

“That’s a significant decrease,” DeFrenza said. “One major reason is interest rates went from 3 percent to 6.5 percent. Some buyers don’t want to pay more money for a loan because rates have doubled.”

The reluctance to incur a higher mortgage rate leads to fewer people moving, and that means fewer homes are on the market. This decrease in supply leads to higher prices for the homes that are available because of increased competition among buyers.

“We put a two bedroom, two bathroom home on the market for $225K and over three to four days, we had 11 offers on it,” DeFrenza said. “It ended up selling for about $20K over the asking price.”

The big winners in this high interest rate environment are likely to be seniors who are looking to downsize.

“If you’re a seller in today’s market you are in a good position,” said Frank Ramljak, American Heritage’s Office Managing Broker. “Home prices have gone up dramatically in the last few years, so chances are seniors have enough money in their home so they can buy a smaller home for cash. It’s a great time for anybody who wants to go from a larger home to a smaller home for cash because higher interest rates don’t have as much of an impact on them.”

Higher mortgage rates and real estate prices also lead to an increase in people looking to rent, which results in higher rent prices.

“People want to rent, but supply is down,” said Mark Ainley, a partner at GC Realty and Development (GC), a property management and brokerage company based in Roselle. He noted that rising rents towards the end of 2022 led to frustration on the part of people and companies looking to move. This has the positive consequence of encouraging people to stay in town.

“People were getting beat out by multiple offers on the buyer side, so people are not looking to move for the time being, they’re looking for renewals,” Ainley said. “The occupancy rate for renewals has been at an all-time high for the Chicago market. There has been (an economy) that has fueled demand. When they’re not getting space in Chicago itself, they move out to the rest of the region.”

GC Realty and Development manages 1,200 units in the Chicago area. In most cases, outside investors hire GC to manage their properties, but GC owns and manages some properties themselves.

“For us, it’s good when people stick around for our clients,” said Ainley. “When people don’t move out it saves you a lot of money and effort.”

Q & A with

Dino C. Gavanes, CIC

ITASCA CHAMBER
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Dino Gavanes is a principal with Advisers Group, Inc., a network of independent financial advisors. In September 2022, he joined Equitable Advisors, a national firm in the financial services industry. Gavanes has more than 40 years of experience in the insurance industry, with previous work including that as area executive vice president for Gallagher Premier, a division of Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services, Inc. and president and founder of Premier Risk Services, Inc., a multi-line insurance agency and services firm located in Itasca, Illinois. Gavanes currently serves as chairman of the Board of the Itasca Chamber of Commerce and he also currently serves as Itasca Village Trustee. He is a recipient of the C.M. Cartwright Award and Illinois Agent of the Year.

How would you describe yourself?

It’s difficult to describe one’s self, but probably the most obvious is that I have been an entrepreneur since I was in my 20’s. I have enjoyed the sales end of a number of industries, and found that solving problems, while serving clients, brings me great joy.

I consider myself somewhat outgoing, and take pleasure in meeting new people. I also am somewhat of a political animal, and try to keep abreast of government activities, or inactivity.

What is your board and committee involvement/length of time on the board?

I have been a member of GOA/Itasca since the mid 1980’s. I enjoy attending the functions when possible. I enjoyed the advocacy involvement that we promoted. I think we should do more of it.

What is your first job and what did you learn from it?

At 16 ( actually 15) I was able to work part-time at a clothing store and jeans shop at Harlem Irving Plaza. Working there taught me a lot about people, social skills, and running a small business. I worked there through high school and college. (It was) a great experience.

How did you choose your current field?

After graduating with an Engineering degree, I went to work for U.S.Steel Corp. (I) didn’t like it. (I) went to DePaul for an MBA in Finance, and ended up in the insurance industry. Sometimes the road leads to somewhere you don’t expect. (I) spent the next 40 years working in various areas of insurance, primarily in the commercial business areas.

It was an extremely rewarding career move. I don’t regret a minute of it. It has allowed me to travel, meet great people, and make a good living for me and my family.

My position as Village Trustee in Itasca is also very rewarding. I get to help shape the future of the village, and meet great people along the way. Community involvement should be an activity for all citizens.

That is one of the reasons that I have remained active in the Chamber. It allows me to meet people with various points of view, and to be involved with the progress and evolution of our communities. I think the Chamber’s objectives fit well with local government’s in that they exist to promote the economic well-being of the business community, which, of course, is good for all of us.

I currently reside in Itasca with my wife Melanie, who is also in the insurance business. We met at Insurance Association functions. Between us we have three grown children, and five grandchildren. They all keep us busy. She was raised in Southern Illinois, while I was born and raised in the inner city of Chicago. As you can imagine, we have some different perspectives in some areas.

Do you have any hobbies or favorite way to relax in your free time?

Although I read a lot, I tend to read nonfiction, and the Wall Street Journal. I do enjoy some espionage and murder mysteries. Baldacci, Patterson, Le Carre are all pretty good.

I enjoy golf, tennis ( and now, pickleball), snow skiing, and laying on a beach in Mexico. Great hobby- working on a tan.

Travel is probably my greatest passion and joy. We have been fortunate, thus far, to travel to most of the Mediterranean, and Europe; Mexico, Caribbean, Canada, South Africa ( amazing trip).

Still, there are many, many places to experience. As you would expect, if you know me, Greece is high on the list of favorite places. The beauty, and the history, make it an unforgettable region.