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Daily Herald Business Ledger honors suburban businesses for excellence

Daily Herald Business Ledger awards honors for excellence

Twenty-six suburban companies and business organizations were honored for their achievements and community involvement at the 28th Annual Awards for Business Excellence, hosted by the Daily Herald Business Ledger and its sponsoring partners, Thursday evening at the Danada House in Wheaton.

The AABEs highlight successful suburban businesses and organizations and honor the people who make them successful. They are given for business achievement, growth and community involvement, and are presented to businesses and nonprofits with a significant presence in the suburban circulation area of the Daily Herald Business Ledger. The companies are nominated by their peers and are selected by staff members of the Daily Herald Business Ledger.

Keynote speaker Michael “Mick” O'Rourke, co-founder and president of Signature Bank, spoke about overcoming obstacles, using the story of Signature Bank's beginnings right before the Great Recession almost a decade ago,

“The world was completely upside down and here was this new, young bank saying, 'We can overcome this,'” O'Rourke said, adding the bank survived and grew by exceeding the expectations of its customers, investors and employees.

He also told the honorees that, as successful companies, they must work together with local firms to remain strong and grow.

“We're all in this together, and we can make ourselves stronger by choosing the local option,” he said.

Many of the honorees reflected on how they started their businesses as the result of an obstacle, such as a career change, echoing O'Rourke's story.

“This is the best job I ever had,” said Teri Dreher, president of N-Shore Patient Advocates of Libertyville, who said she left a health care career to start the business.

Garrett LeTourneau, owner of Imperial Surveillance in Arlington Heights, said he was inspired by his mother, who was able to raise 1 million soup can labels to help get a bus for his small school.

“No one thought it was possible,” LeTourneau said. “It was her hard work and dedication. My mom was a true entrepreneur, and that's how I got encouraged to start a business.”

Terri Roeslmeier, president and CEO of Automated Business Designs in Rosemont, summed it up best in describing the honoree's success.

“Great things don't happen in your comfort zone,” she said.

Profiles of the 26 AABE honorees will be published in the April issue of the Daily Herald Business Ledger, to be published April 23, and can be found online at dhbusinessledger.com.

Presenting sponsors for the AABEs are Focus Capital Advisors, Signature Bank and B. Gunther & Co. Marketing partners are the Small Business Advocacy Council and MRA-The Management Association.

2018 Annual Awards for Business Excellence Honorees

  Neil Wolf of Rose Paving in Streamwood accepts his award in the Large Company category during the Daily Herald Business Ledger's Annual Award for Business Excellence ceremony at Danada House on Thursday, March 29, 2018. Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
  Brian Baldof of VHT Studios in Rosemont accepts his award in the Mid-Sized Company category during the Daily Herald Business Ledger's Annual Award for Business Excellence ceremony at Danada House on Thursday, March 29, 2018. Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
  Eric Bates of Chicago Marriot Lincolnshire Resort accepts his award in the Large Company category during the Daily Herald Business Ledger's Annual Award for Business Excellence ceremony at Danada House on Thursday, March 29, 2018. Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
  Jean Theis of Andigo Credit Union accepts her award in the Innovation Business category during the Daily Herald Business Ledger's Annual Award for Business Excellence ceremony at Danada House on Thursday, March 29, 2018. Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
  Peter Wroblewski of The Mx Group in Burr Ridge accepts his award in the Mid-Sized Company category during the Daily Herald Business Ledger's Annual Award for Business Excellence ceremony at Danada House on Thursday, March 29, 2018. Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
  Jeff Kubas of Vertex Resource Group in St. Charles accepts his award in the Small Company category during the Daily Herald Business Ledger's Annual Award for Business Excellence ceremony at Danada House on Thursday, March 29, 2018. Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
  Jennifer Barton of CTM-CPAs & Business Advisors in Lincolnshire accepts her award in the Small Company category during the Daily Herald Business Ledger's Annual Award for Business Excellence ceremony at Danada House Thursday. Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com

Annual Awards for Business Excellence honorees

<b>Large Companies (Over 151 Employees)</b>Cambium Networks, Rolling Meadows

Chicago Marriot Lincolnshire Resort, Lincolnshire

Combined Insurance, A Chubb Company, Glenview

Rose Paving, Streamwood

Innovation in Business

Andigo Credit Union, Schaumburg

Automated Business Designs, Rosemont

Lakeshore Recycling Systems, Morton Grove

<b>Small Company (Up to 50 Employees)</b>12five Capital LLC, Bolingbrook

Buff & Coat, Naperville

CTM – CPAs & Business Advisors, Lincolnshire

Merrimac Solutions, Aurora

NShore Patient Advocates, Libertyville

Tiemart Inc., Mundelein

The zen of slow cooking, Lake Forest

Vertex Resource Group, St. Charles

<b>Mid-Sized Companies (51-150 Employees)</b>Imperial Surveillance Inc., Arlington Heights

Mowery & Schoenfeld LLC, Lincolnshire

Quality Logo Products, Aurora

The Mx Group, Burr Ridge

VHT Studios, Rosemont

<b>Family Business</b>Sunset Foods, Highland Paark

<b>Business Organization/Economic Business Entity</b>Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Elmhurst

<b>Nonprofit</b>Abbey Farms, Aurora

Center of Concern, Des Plaines

One Hope United, Chicago

Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation, Orland Park

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