Real estate broker to be honored by Batavia Chamber of Commerce

A longtime Batavia real estate broker has been announced as the 2023 Donna Dallesasse Award recipient, according to a news release from the Batavia Chamber of Commerce.

Kathy Barkei, a real estate broker with Fox Valley Real Estate, has been a Batavia Chamber member for 28 years, joining in 1995 as a realtor with Realty Executives, according to the release.

Barkei will be honored at the Chamber Cheers event at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5 at Enticing Cuisine Banquets, 1117 N. Washington St., Batavia.

The Donna Dallesasse Award is given out each year to celebrate one Chamber member who has displayed “an outstanding commitment and dedication to the Chamber’s mission, vision, and values,” according to the release.

Barkei has served as the head of the philanthropy committee of the Batavia Women in Business Council for years. BWIB’s annual holiday luncheon features tables of raffle baskets to raise money for the Batavia United Way’s Adopt A Family program and the Batavia ACCESS toy drive, according to the release.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have such a dedicated and dependable person as a member and one of our ambassadors,” Margaret Perreault, president and CEO of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce, said in the release. “Kathy is invariably the first person to volunteer when we need help with event registrations or other tasks. Her generosity of time is immeasurable.”

Barkei grew up in Batavia, married her high school sweetheart, Randy, and raised five children in the community. Her father and grandfather owned businesses in Batavia, Perna’s Shoe Store and the Batavia Meat Market respectively, according to the release.

“I like the camaraderie of the people in the Chamber, being with them and the infusion of different ideas that comes from being an active part of the Chamber,” Barkei said in the release.

Four Chamber members will receive Membership Milestone Awards at the Chamber Cheers event. Those receiving the 25-Year Milestone are Batavia Access Television, the Batavia ACCESS Committee, Batavia United Way and Old Second National Bank.

Tickets to Chamber Cheers cost $50 per person, which includes food, music, a drink ticket and a raffle ticket to win the door prize of $1,000 in Batavia Chamber Bucks. A cash bar will be available and casual attire is welcomed, according to the release.

Registration for Chamber Cheers is required. Call 630-879-7134 or visit https://www.bataviachamber.org/events to register online.