Crystal Lake Chamber honors business, lifetime achievements

Crystal Lake leaders and businesses were recognized at the Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards dinner on Thursday at the Crystal Lake Country Club.

Winners are celebrated for “making a difference in our community,” chamber ambassador chair Ken Pringle said. Award winners were Denise Smith of Smith Physical Therapy + and General Kinematics, and Bob Blazier took home the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Blazier, 97, and his wife Rosemary moved to Crystal Lake in 1962; he worked at and became superintendent of Crystal Lake Elementary School District 47. Later, he was the vice president of the Northern Illinois Medical Center in McHenry (now Northwestern Medicine) and president of the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce for 17 years. He also played a role in nonprofits like the District 47 Education Foundation, Northwestern Medical Foundation and McHenry County Salvation Army.

Blazier, who has been called “the spirit of Crystal Lake” by Mayor Haig Haleblian, received a standing ovation as he accepted the award.

“I’m known as a person who sees opportunities and takes them,” he said. “It’s not bad because if you want to get some things going in the community, take it over, get it started and get the hell out of the way.”

Smith Physical Therapy + owner Denise Smith received the Carl E. Wehde Award for her contributions to the community. Smith, who is also a Crystal Lake City Council member, has organized multiple McHenry County races like the Crystal Lake Aquathon and the Crystal Lake Half Marathon.

“There should always be a ‘why’ to what we do and my love for Crystal Lake is my ‘why,’” she said. “I’ll continue to serve in every capacity as my way of giving back to show my gratitude for the businesses, residents and friends that have supported me in so many ways.”

The Robert O. Covey Award for business of the year went to General Kinematics for its involvement in the community through service and support. The business came to Crystal Lake in 1975 and based its entire office in the city in 2003, board chairman Paul Musschoot said. General Kinematics engineers machinery to help other companies retrieve raw mining products like gold, aluminum and lithium for batteries around the world. Vice President Randy Smith received the chamber’s GEM award last month for his commitment to mentoring younger generations through the chamber’s Leaders in Action program.

“We plan to stay here for a while,” Musschoot said. “We’ve been attempted to be spirited away by members of Winnebago County, a couple representatives from the state of Wisconsin. We’re not going anywhere.”