Celebration of Excellence Awards
Annual banquet honors chamber members’ achievements
Five outstanding members of the Hoffman Estates Chamber of Commerce & Industry were honored in late
January for their extraordinary efforts to serve the local community at their annual Celebration of
Excellence Awards dinner, held at Moretti’s Unique Events. The honorees
represented a variety of businesses and nonprofit entities.
New Business of the Year
“I Smell Bacon BBQ & Pub” opened in a converted pizza restaurant at 2620 Sutton Rd. on
August 31, 2024 (International Bacon Day), so it is definitely new! The family-owned establishment is
the brainchild of Mark Mueller, a retired Hoffman Estates police lieutenant, who has long had a passion
for cooking, grilling and barbequing. He learned the tricks of the trade from a friend, who is the grill
master at Weber-Stephen Products, and then named his establishment in a joking reference to his former
occupation.
“We offer a cool, casual space to enjoy a cold drink, watch a game and hang out with friends
while enjoying great homemade barbeque food! We offer farm-to-table BBQ options with the freshest
sustainable meats available,” Mueller said.
Catering is also offered and the restaurant, which the Hoffman Estates Chamber has helped promote, is
available for private events, as well.
Business of the Year
Bell Works Chicagoland is the nation’s newest “Metroburb” – a self-contained
metropolis in suburbia. It is located at the previous home of the AT&T corporate campus. The existing
1.65 million-square-foot building is being updated with world-class workspaces, curated dining options,
one-of-a-kind retail experiences and much more, while the surrounding campus will soon boast 550
residential units.
“We create innovative communities that reimagine what’s possible in the built world,”
said Ralph Zucker, CEO and Founder of Inspired by Somerset Development, Bell Works’ developer.
“In a shifting office landscape, a Metroburb like Bell Works Chicagoland speaks to people because
it is a place where they can work, play, shop, dine and live,” he said. “We appreciate this
recognition from the Hoffman Estates Chamber of Commerce & Industry and look forward to continuing to
work with everyone there as we move forward.”
Small Business of the Year
Minuteman Press in Hoffman Estates, owned by Wende Walker and Chris Camden, is the Chamber
Members’ trusted local partner for all things print and design. With a commitment to excellence
and innovation, they specialize in delivering high-quality printing, custom branding solutions, and
eye-catching designs that help businesses and individuals make their mark.
“Ever since we bought this business in December 2022 we have worked very hard to become active in
the Chamber and the entire community,” Camden said. “We have established relationships with
many Chamber members because we understand that the more we put into the Chamber, the more we get out of
it.”
He said that approximately half of their customers are fellow Chamber members looking for them to
produce items for their businesses. They also occasionally assist individuals who are looking for
wedding invitations, funeral programs and the like.
“We are only in our second year of business, so it was a surprise to even be nominated for this
honor,” he added.
Service Organization of the Year
The Rotary Club of Schaumburg/Hoffman Estates has been making a profound impact on the local community
since its organization in 1969, according to Wendy Paszkiewicz, director of the Club’s Community
Service committee.
Rotary members meet for lunch, business and speakers at the Chandler’s Golf Course on Fridays.
They coordinate a wide range of initiatives including Operation Toolkit, through which they donate auto
tools to aspiring mechanics students in District 211, and Harper’s Fishing Well, a mentoring and
scholarship program for non-traditional students at Harper College.
The Club also regularly donates funds, gift cards and Meals on Wheels delivery services to the Kenneth
Young Center; maintains a butterfly garden at the Children’s Advocacy Center in Hoffman Estates;
donates funds for temporary housing, toiletries and food to the WINGS domestic violence agency; and
financially supports the School District 54 food pantry and emergency housing fund.
Volunteer of the Year
Elle Forte of Elle Forte Photography, a boutique portrait photographer who is known for her
contemporary style of portraits of individuals, families, high school seniors, engaged couples,
mothers-to-be and corporate groups, was named the Chamber’s Volunteer of the Year because she is a
regular photographing presence at the Chamber’s annual golf outing and at ribbon-cuttings for
fellow members.
“I try to participate in Chamber events as often as possible and am involved in the Women Engaged
in Business (WEB) networking group. Both have helped me form mutually-supportive relationships with
members. They know that I am always available for their personal and business photography needs,”
Forte said.
She is also in the process of expanding her business offerings to include short-form videos, which, she
said, more and more businesses are seeking for their social media, websites and other marketing
applications.
