Thanks to the Candidates

The Oswego Chamber of Commerce is blessed with a membership of volunteers who readily step forward to undertake the work of the organization.  Case in point, we celebrated our Annual Dinner meeting last Tuesday where the election of new Directors was on the agenda. 

Prior to the election, I thanked Director John Cody for chairing this year’s nominating committee which produced eleven highly qualified candidates vying for five available seats on the Board.  Those elected will begin their two year terms on May 12 when they’ll meet to elect officers and select committee chairmen.

And while our new Directors assume their duties, it’s important we recognize that ownership of the chamber remains with the membership and as we continue to grow so does our need for additional dedicated volunteers.  My thanks go out to all eleven candidates who offered their time and expertise for the good of the chamber. 

Steve Hatcher
Executive Director

Bronze Elite member Area Erectors, Inc. (71 Stonehill Road, Suite A, Oswego) provides structural steel, pre-cast and pre-engineered erection services to fabricators and general contractors through six strategically located offices in Illinois and Wisconsin.

An AISC Certified Advanced Steel Erector, the company offers the Oswego region steel erection, pre-engineered metal building sales and pre-cast concrete erection services. It has provided steel erection services for several of the new retail shopping centers including Meijer and five of the school district’s new construction projects including Oswego East High School.

In addition to furnished and installed pre-engineered steel buildings, Area Erectors can provide value engineering and design/build services to assist architects, engineers and controlling contractors during their pre-engineered & structural steel projects.

It also offers equipment and crane rentals and conducts construction safety training including OSHA consultation and American Heart Association FA/CPR/AED courses.

Business Development Representative Jerry Meister sees Oswego as a viable market with ever-increasing promise.

“Both the village and the Oswego Economic Development Corporation have done a tremendous job to encourage a controlled growth of the area,” he said. “Their efforts have provided numerous construction projects for our firm and I believe they’ll continue to create opportunities for many businesses throughout the village.”

Meister acknowledges the great value of being an Oswego Chamber member as well.

“Our membership has led to rewarding networking opportunities while enhancing our skills in sales and promotion. The Chamber also provided invaluable assistance and information while navigating the application and construction process of our new Oswego facility. I hope all members recognize the resource they have in the Chamber and take advantage of it. The Chamber is there to help all of us realize our greatest potential living and working in Oswego.”

To discover more about Area Erectors, call (630) 551-7272, visit www.areaerectors.com or e-mail sales@areaerectors.com.

Jerry Meister, Business Development, Area Erectors, Inc.:
Making the Most of Your Chamber Membership

As an Oswego Chamber Bronze Elite member, Area Erectors, Inc. has first-hand experience with the many resources and opportunities that the Chamber provides. Area Erectors’ Jerry Meister offers the following quick tips for making the most of your membership:

• Learn more about the Chamber’s diverse services, resources and events – start by visiting www.oswegochamber.org.
• Participate in the various meetings, dinners and leads groups to make new friends, build professional relationships and fully develop your network.
• Be diligent in referring business to other Chamber members.
• Pursue the leads you receive through the Chamber.
• Stay current with Oswego Economic Development Corporation projects.

2009 Business and Consumer Expo

The 2009 Business and Consumer Expo was held on Saturday, April 4th from 9 – 2.  This year we had 113 businesses and 3 food vendors  at the Expo.  There was a demonstration of Pet First Aid and performances by Storm Dance Alliance and Dance w/Flair as well as 2 Fly Dogs Disc Shows.

April Business after Business

Hometowne Insurance Services, Inc.

Coffee with B.O.B – Business before Business – April 14th

Leads Group IV will be having a Coffee with B.O.B. on the second Tuesday of every month at the Village Grind, 19 N. Main St.  This is open to all chamber members and is sponsored by a different business every month.  The April event was sponsored by Veritrust Financial.  The next Coffee with B.O.B. will be held on Tuesday, May 12th and is sponsored by Oswego Chiropractic.

Building the Village That Raises a Child

A close-knit business community and chamber of commerce help ensure a village’s vitality. As the African proverb puts forth, it takes that same village to raise a child. To remain secure and fulfilling, the community must be a living, breathing body of interconnected neighborhoods that remain aware of their influence on people’s quality of life.

Each family in every house on every street plays a vital role in the strength of the community. Even the smallest efforts and gestures can make a positive, lingering impact.

Embrace Your Neighborhood

Here are some quick and easy ways to help maintain a neighborhood you love to live in:

• Get to know everyone on your block, including its young people. Consider building a list of neighborhood names and phone numbers. Share it with your neighbors as well.
• Go for walks and drive slowly through your neighborhood so you become more intimately familiar with it.
• Team up to keep an eye on one another’s homes when a neighbor will be away.
• Keep your porch light on from dusk until dawn. Beyond making your neighborhood look and feel more welcoming, it deters criminal activity.
• Help neighbors with minor tasks such as raking leaves. This friendly assistance can often incite a chain reaction of good will and common concern.

Cherish Your Community

Here are some simple ways you can enhance your community’s beauty, safety and interconnectivity:

• Encourage local businesses to “adopt a street” to care for. Contact local nurseries that might be willing to donate plants or greenery that helps to keep main intersections attractive.
• If you own or manage a business, sponsor bi-annual community clean-up campaigns.
• Help organize a festive community block party or picnic where each attendee provides food, drink, games or entertainment. See if any local merchants would be willing to raffle products or services in exchange for on-site advertising.
• Ask your local police to discourage speeding throughout your neighborhoods.
• Pick up litter you see even if it’s not yours. Litter is more likely to accumulate in communities that aren’t kept clean.

With computers, cell phones and text messages as the primary means of communication, our modern lifestyles have taught many of us to be loners. Yet the need to feel connected to others remains. The social safety and interaction we desire can be ours when we commit to being good neighbors – and to building the village we would want to raise our children.

Annual Dinner

Thank you to our Event Sponsor – Alden of Waterford

Thank you to all our Dinner Sponsors:  Allied First Bank, Edward Hospital and Health Services, Just Because…Gift Baskets, Leads Group III, Leads Group IV, & Oswego Community Bank

Thank you to our Tabletop Sponsors:  Arbonne – Kelli Maruna, Can Am Communications, Citizens First Bank, Cygnet Midwest, Definitive Audio-Visual, Definitive Landscape, Edward Hospital, Edward Jones – Dave Erickson, Energetic Health, Fox Valley Kickers, Fox Valley Trophy, Home Sweet Home Solutions – Windows & Doors, Premier Designs – Dana Niesluchowski, Tony Sidio Consulting & Veritrust Financial

Spring into NSF Action!

Bad checks are on the rise with springtime projects. Let’s get a head start and
“spring into action” as merchants prepare to handle a rush of business, some of whom
may let their guards down, thus, creating opportunities for bad check writers. Even
when businesses take precautions, banks still may return checks due to insufficient
funds. Bargains attract all shoppers, most of whom at this time of year are caught up in
the excitement of home projects. Most offenders are law abiding citizens who lack selfcontrol
and have knowingly passed a worthless check.

The Kendall County State’s Attorney’s Office wants to help merchants keep bad
check losses to a minimum, and with that, invite you to take advantage of a “FREE”
service to assist in NSF check recovery. The Kendal County State’s Attorney Bad
Check Restitution Program creates opportunities for both large and small businesses to
recover lost revenue. Through the program, the bad check writers are required to:

• Pay full Restitution to you the merchant
• Pay a program fee that covers all program cost
• Attend a mandatory educational intervention class

Merchants who receive a bad check should immediately send a notice to the
check writer requesting payment. If, after 7 days, the check writer does not comply, the
merchant can report the check to the Kendall County State’s Attorney’s Bad Check
Restitution Program. Sample request letters and reports for filing claims are available at
www.checkprogram.com/kendallcountyil. For further information please contact your
Regional Manager of Prosecutor Relations, Tracy Tibbetts at (866) 704-9528 or contact our victim hotline at (866) 434-1418.

Kendall County State’s Attorney Eric Weis:
Bad Check Restitution Program State’s Attorney
P.O. Box 487
Yorkville, IL 60560-0487

Thursday, May 21st
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Harris N.A. Bank
220 Douglas Rd.
Oswego, IL

For more information, please call the Oswego Chamber of Commerce office at 630.554.3505

Edward Jones - Jeff Malas
Tuesday, May 19th
4:30 pm
Edward Jones
1116 Douglas Rd
(in Mason Square)
Oswego, IL

Posh Limousine
Thursday, June 4th
4:30 pm
911 Route 31
Oswego, IL

May Coffee with B.O.B. (Building Oswego Business – Leads IV)
– Sponsored by Oswego Chiropractic

May POW! Luncheon – “Ask a Physician”
– Sponsored by Rush Copley

Chamber Office Closed

Grand Re-opening / 2 Year Anniversary

Annual Oswego Chamber of Commerce Golf Outing at Fox Bend Golf Course

New this year: Long Drive Excitement – Hole #3

Long Drive Specialist David Brinker will be booming Long Drives on Hole #3.

For $40.00 ($10.00 per person) your group can use his drive, and each person will receive a FREE Wedge and $25 Gift Card from SMT Golf.

Leads II – Cougars Baseball Game

Oswego Youth Tackle Football
Tom Zagorski
Promotes fundamentals of football, safety, conditioning, sportsmanship & teamwork for youth living in the Oswego CUSD #308. Cheer and Pom program is also available with the same fundamentals as football.
P.O.Box 531
Oswego, Illinois 60543
Phone: 630-335-6282
Fax: 630-554-4956
tomzagorski@oytf.org
www.oytf.org
Referred by: Keith Wolff

Can Am Communications, Inc.
Chris deRidder
Low voltage contractor – wiring, home theatres, CV intercoms, telephone systems, lighting-residential & commercial
129 Commercial Drive #9
Yorkville, Illinois 60560
Phone: 630.553.1228
Fax: 630.553.6007
canamcom@sbcglobal.net
www.canamcomm.com

Posh Limousine
Giovanni Solano
Limousine company
911 Route 31
Oswego, Illinois 60543
Phone: 815-603-9258
Fax: 630-551-4666
carlo.solano@sbcglobal.net
www.poshlimousine.com

Stonehill Dental
Nancy Schillinger
Dental office
60C Main Street
Oswego, Illinois 60543
Phone: 630-554-7725
Fax: 630-554-7726
stonehilldental@yahoo.com
www.stonehilldental.com
Referred by: Angie Hibben

Upper Crust Catering
Jeanne Morrell
Catering – off premise from box lunches to weddings, servers available, great quality & service
109 E. Hydraulic
Yorkville, Illinois 60560
Phone: 630-553-9533
Fax: 630-553-1822
jm0957@sbcglobal.net
www.uppercrust-catering.net

PC Tech Gurus
Computer consulting & repair services, networking – small business & residential
26 S. Madison #566
Oswego, Illinois 60543
Phone: 630-388-6829
eric@pctechgurus.com
www.pctechgurus.com

Edward Jones
Jeff Malas
Financial services
1116 Douglas
Oswego, Illinois 60543
Phone: 630-551-0859
jeff.malas@edwardjones.com
www.edwardjones.com
Referred by: Nancy Leifheit

Extra Mile Catering
Robin Taylor
Catering/event planning
871 Raintree Drive
Naperville, Illinois 60540
Phone: 630-589-6502
robin@extramilecatering.com
www.extramilecatering.com
Referred by: Laura Witt

Mona-vie
Terry McGinn
Sales of health drink
1200 Prairie Street
Aurora, Illinois 60506
Phone: 630-896-8293
rippiemct@hotmail.com

Chesterbrook Academy
Jenae Reach
Private preschool, infant-toddler care, and before/after school programs
750 Fifth Street
Oswego, Illinois 60543
Phone: 630-554-2100
Fax: 630-554-2322
jenae.reach@nlcinc.com
http://oswego.chesterbrookacademy.com