Grundy County Chamber’s annual dinner celebrates milestones with record breaking crowd

Over 550 people attended the Grundy County Chamber of Commerce’s annual dinner Wednesday night at Jennifer’s Garden, where the chamber and the Grundy Economic Development Council celebrated the accomplishments of the last year.

“It’s a testament to the wonderful work of the GEDC, the Chamber, and all the residents and businesses that call Grundy County home,” GEDC Board Chair John McCann, of ComEd, said while kicking off the evening’s awards according to a Wednesday news release. “On behalf of the GEDC and the Chamber, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to celebrate with us tonight.

Both the Grundy Economic Development Council and the Grundy County Chamber of Commerce presented awards, starting with the Partnership Award, which was given out by GEDC President and CEO Nancy Norton and McCann to the YMCA, Morris Hospital and the City of Morris for their work in making the new Morris Hospital YMCA happen.

“Like all good things, it doesn’t just happen overnight. Although the Y initiatives started long before 2014, the true partnership between the Y, hospital and City began that year. As Missy Durkin told me,

when the City and the hospital joined in the efforts it was so important as the Y was a bit of an unknown in Grundy and their partnership and buy in with what we were trying to build, was fundamental," Norton said. “In a little more than 60 days, the old City Hall was transformed into the Y’s first physical presence, thanks to a favorable lease and support from the City. Then the hospital and YMCA started visiting other facilities around the country that had a healthcare component. After those visits, they were more convinced than ever about the importance of having an integrated facility with a united purpose.”

Norton said the fundraising, planning and partnerships over the last ten years were a full-on commitment of time, treasure and purpose.

For the Welcome to Grundy County Award, the GEDC recognized Trajectory Energy Partners, an Illinois-based solar developer.

“A few words sum up this company’s approach to development: Communityu input, do what you say you’re going to do, be a good neighbor, and focus on quality,” Norton said. “Those are shared ideals we can get behind.”

President Jon Carson and Project Development Director Kiersten Sheets accepted the award.

The GEDC presented its Business of the Year award to Costco, who came to Grundy County 25 years ago and has since grown to include four buildings, 468 acres, and it’s growing to employ over 1,600 people at its site on N. IL Route 47 in Morris.

Chamber President and CEO Christina Van Yperen and Chairwoman Sarah Beach, owner of Sunshine Garden Center in Diamond presented the Chamber’s awards, but first, Beach recognized Van Yperen, Chamber Marketing Director Lena Wickens and Administrator Director Christy Kelly for being named the Illinois Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives Chamber of the Year for 2024.

“IACCE is an association to empower and connect chamber teams across the state and has more than 140 member organizations in Illinois,” Beach said. “The Grundy Chamber was chosen for this recognition by chamber association execs from across the Midwest for its work on strengthening advocacy efforts, programming, membership growth and financial security. Two specific projects the judges highlighted included their work with the GEDC on the Resilient Grundy Project and the Chamber’s new Empower event, as well as its financial growth over the years. Please join me in congratulating Christina, Lena, Christy, and our Chamber members on being Chamber of the Year.”

The Chamber awarded Business of the Year to Oleanders Boutique, owned by Megan Housman. Housman first opened Oleanders in 2017 after quitting her full-time job in retail.

“By October of 2023 she took her business to the next level and purchased the historic building in downtown Morris Oleanders was originally housed in,” Van Yperen said. “Her family took the next year to prepare and remodel the additional space, expanding Oleanders by 1500 square feet. The newly expanded Oleanders has been open since September. The new space offers a trendy environment while embracing its historic bank roots.”

Oleanders now has five employees and offers online ordering. Housman is also the current chair of the Morris Retail and Restaurant Association.

The Entrepreneur of the Year Award went to Laura and Tyler Jones, owners of The Cove in Coal City.

Laura lost her job during COVID and at same time, she was on a healthy living journey with Tyler that led to them opening their nutritional drink business in Coal City, according to a Wednesday news release.

“With a growing customer base and larger space this has just increased their drive to be a business-friendly community space,” Van Yperen said. “From pop-up shops for home-based businesses, small business workshops, to library story-times, and family game days – every day welcomes another reason to visit The Cove. Their motivation for this – because now that they’ve leveled up their business with brick and mortar, they want to help other businesses level up who aren’t quite there yet."

The Organization of the Year Award went to Hearts with Compassion, an organization based out of Minooka that provides help to those in need.

Founder Kim Przybyla was fighting cancer when it started more then 10 years ago: She started a toy drive while on bed rest to gather toys for families impacted by the 2015 Coal City-Diamond tornado. That toy drive gathered more than 300 toys and started her mission. Not long after, she and her husband adopted a daughter and received the same help from their community in the form of clothes and baby necessities, according to the Wednesday news release.

“Paying it forward turned into what is now Hearts with Compassion – an organization for families to exchange children’s clothing and items. For example, a family with a 3-year-old may come in with 20 items of 2T clothing and can exchange it for 20 items of 3T clothing their child now fits in," Van Yperen said. “In addition, they provide maternity clothes, nursing items, and other baby essentials-all free of charge, supported solely by donations and a handful of volunteers.”

Hearts with Compassion moved into a 2-floor location and served 200 families in 2024, and their services are open to all.

“They don’t’ feel judged, they feel comfortable and they feel relief because their kids are going to be clothed and this is one thing they no longer have to worry about,” Van Yperen said.

The Chamber Ambassador of the Year Award went to Christine Mendez, the Marketing Director at Grundy Bank.

Ambassadors serve as liaisons between Chamber members and staff, gather feedback and answer questions during calls and make visits throughout the year. This is the second time Mendez has earned the award.

This year’s dinner was sponsored by platinum sponsors Busey Bank, CPV Three Rivers Energy, Old National Bank, P&G, gold sponsor City of Morris, and bronze sponsors American Commercial Bank, Carpenter’s Local 174, Nicor Gas, Surf Internet, Sunshine Garden Center, Airwave Media Productions, and Trajectory Energy Partners.