Voting 2022 LZACC Award Nominees is open through January 9th!
Below are SHORT stories for each of the award nominees. All nominees and the winners will be presented at our the Night Full of Stars Member Awards and Appreciation Night on January 27th, 2023. Cast your vote for your favorites!
Each voter may only vote ONE TIME for each category. Be sure to share this voting page with your family and friends.
Voting Closes on January 13th at 12:00 pm.
2022 BUSINESS of the Year Nominees
A.M. WOODLAND OUTDOOR DESIGN
A.M. Woodland is consistently evolving with their community and customer needs. They are committed in the growth of all of their teams and employees. They offer continuing education within the field and are routinely ahead of the game in software and system utilization to be as effective and efficient as possible. A.M. is always establishing meaningful partnerships to showcase their expertise and talents while cultivating productive cooperatives. For example, helping to establish the Rae of Sunshine Foundation, which helps to comfort families who have lost a child far too early by gifting spaces created for the families of these children include design and construction of memorial gardens. Aside from their continuous charitable partnerships, growth of their employees within the community and industry, A.M Woodland Outdoor Design has been able to launch a successful location in Denver and establish several complimentary business within in the industry to run as a flawless one stop outdoor design execution firm.
GENERATION PAINTING, INC.
Generation Painting Inc. and all of its employees reflect and portray great morals and values including customer satisfaction, respect, trust, honesty, diversity, improvement, and work with outstanding quality. The business prioritizes giving back to the community by helping families homes and dreams come alive. They were awarded the Business Diversity Award of 2022, because they represent what an inclusive, equal, and equitable company looks like. In 2022, Generation Painting has accomplished many things including expanding their crew and adding an office admininistrator, a third crew leader vehicle, producing a monthly newsletter, improved budgeting and job costing, created customer feedback surveys, updated their marketing styles, and gained many additional new happy customers. Generation Painting was able to upgrade their office space to a larger unit which allows workers to have a home base for employee training. Generation Painting Inc. is always looking for ways to improve and truly cares about each and every customer.
THE HUNGRY MULE
The Hungry Mule has been supporting the community for over 3 years with fundraisers, donations, and more. The Hungry Mule proudly hires kids from the high school and helps them develop and set good standards for their future. During the pandemic, while many businesses had to reduce staff, they made a commitment to retain all of our employees and even expanded their staffing needs. With over 50 years of combined experience, the owners and management team have taken great pride in helping the community both on a personal and professional level. They opened their doors for special events to help the community rally around each other. Additionally, they have made themselves available to help many organizations, schools and religious institutions with fundraisers, food donations and financial support.
MVP Sports Academy & Fieldhouse
MVP Sports Group provides educational and developmental programs instructed by an elite group of coaches who specialize in all aspects of baseball, softball, cricket, golf and speed and agility. The business operates two indoor sports training facilities in Lake Zurich. The Academy facility includes a full infield, HitTrax baseball simulator, 12 batting cages, 2 soft-toss/tee tunnels, 3 pitching lanes and a fitness area for strength and conditioning. The Fieldhouse includes a cricket training ground CYCA (Chicago Youth Cricket Academy) and features 8 – Full length (130’) bowling lanes, 3 golf simulators, 7 batting cages, 2 pitching lanes, 2 extra wide live hitting tunnels. The MVP team understands and accepts the responsibility of teaching the game the right way and helping the advanced, elite player fulfill their dreams; while taking the youth player and teaching them the basics to build confidence while passing on the passion for the game they love! In 2022 their accomplishments included:
- Acquired Chicago Tigers Minor League Cricket Team
- Cricket MYPL Chicago Champions
- Cricket U12 MYCC Champions
- Gained over 1000 new members
- 21 bigtime college athlete commitments from MVP Elite players
- Started youth fall ball program
- Increased birthday parties by 60%
- Aided in multiple fundraising events with high-dollar donations to promote healthy activity in our youth
- Gained more team rentals – reaching to further villages and counties
2022 COMMUNITY IMPACT of the Year Nominees
COLLEGE OF LAKE COUNTY
As a community college serving nearly 700,000 county residents, College of Lake County (CLC) is proud to be a part of building strategic collaborative partnerships that establish innovative educational solutions and meet the diverse skilled talent workforce needs in our community. CLC’s strategic efforts ensure equity in access and success for students, with the goal of every individual completing their chosen credential or degree and then engaging in a rewarding family sustaining career or transferring to the university of their choice. Here are a few highlights of CLC’s accomplishments in 2022 impacting the Lake County business community:
- Created a world class Advanced Technology Center with 70,000 square feet of the building (for Phase 1 and an additional 85,000 square feet in Phase 2) to strengthen Lake County’s manufacturing workforce. The center includes a 27,000 square-foot welding and fabrication lab and 12,000 square-foot industrial technology lab space, plus a hydraulic and metallurgy lab with a total of $5.5 million worth of equipment.
- 20,000 students enrolled annually and 35,000+ community members were served
- Dual credit partnerships with 24 high schools in 42 academic departments and 2,200+ high school students enrolled in free dual credit classes saving approximately $1.5M for students and families
- Received the 2022 Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization from the National Association of International Educators; enrolled 94 international students representing 35+ countries
- Provided free on-campus daycare for more than 50 student-parents as part of a $354,200 grant from the US Department of Education
- Loaned 1,737 laptops and internet hotspots at no cost to students
- A donation of more than $100,000 from an anonymous community member created 25 scholarships for students to enroll in truck driving courses to earn their commercial driver’s license
- 46 apprenticeships were offered with 19 employers
- 400+ students in grades 1-12 attended summer campus that directly connect to future careers and college programs
LAKE ZURICH FAMILY MARTIAL ARTS
Kera & Ted are the proud owners of LZFMA and they teach martial arts in the Lake Zurich Community! Kera & Ted have trained and worked together in martial arts for many years now. They both decided to pursue their dream job as martial artists and school owners. Their martial arts programs are super friendly, student focused, safe, and they are family school! The studio has been in business for over 30 years and continues to grow. Most importantly they have created a positive culture of supporting each other. Some of the community contributions they have made include: hosting several blood drives throughout the year, a gigantic FREE family day event for anyone in the community, a school supply drive, and collected food for a local food bank. They made several donations to Toys for Tots, the American Cancer Society, as well as served food to the hungry at the St. Francis charity dinner, and raised money for Operation Warm among many other services. Kera and Ted always jump at the opportunity to do good! They continue to serve personally, as a business, and as part of many clubs in Lake Zurich including The Rotary, Lions, & Business Women Connected.
MASTER HAPPINESS WITH MARTY JALOVE
Marty Jalove, Master Happiness is more than a smiling face on social media. He does a lot for our community. He is a hard-working member of the planning committees for both “Rock the Block” and “Alpine-Fest.” He was instrumental in bringing Santa Claus to “Miracle on Main” and on the Fire Truck that drove through our neighborhoods. Dressed as a lion, Marty collected money for the sight and hearing impaired and emceed both the Ela Historical Society’s “History Day” and the Rotary’s 3-Day Fund-Raising “Oktoberfest.” He enjoys holding workshops for the Chamber, hosting weekly classes for ESL Adults, is an LZHS Incubator Mentor/Coach, and teaches children how to “Debate without Hate.” During Covid, Marty walked his dog, dressed as a unicorn bringing smiles to the faces of children stuck at home. And he has a weekly community-radio show, “Bacon Bits with Master Happiness” where he tries to help people find hope. Marty has been a tremendous force of love and laughter within our community throughout this past year.
2022 INNOVATOR of the Year Nominees
BONNIE CONTE, AVALON SALON
Staying positive, thinking strategically, and engaging with the AVALON community led Bonnie Conte to the decision to relocate AVALON’s flagship salon.
It is the biggest risk she has ever taken. Now, along with delivering 5-star service, AVALON is home to the following:
- VIBE. Attached to our main salon, a salon specifically for teens.
- Bar and restaurant. Relax with a drink or snack and be a part of the AVALON community.
- Wheeled stations. Custom-made hair stations move easily, creating a ballroom-size space for gatherings.
- Expanded retail. Added boutique items and event opportunities in AVALON’s new, versatile space.
It’s been so exciting for Bonnie to transform her dream into a reality!
BRIAN MATTEY, GENERATION PAINTING INC.
Generation Painting Inc. ‘s owner and CEO Brian Mattey practices the fundamentals of what it means to be an innovative company. He expresses great open mindedness when going into each and every job knowing that each customer’s standard for satisfaction will be different. That also goes along with his strength in adaptability which is also an important quality for an innovator to have. He shows his gratitude with his customers by showing off their beautiful homes making them come alive through a camera lens. Brian puts together great videos and slideshows to show the progress and accomplishments of each and every job sight. One of the traits that stands out with Brian the most is his curiosity in always trying to find ways to improve the company’s stamina for marketing, customer satisfaction, company success, financial stability, and developing a team that has good chemistry. At the end of the day Brian believes that Generation Painting is not all about work, it is about building family and community. He brings together his team of employees to better build their bond outside of work as well as internally by having crew leader and company meetings. He started off the year strong by finding creative ways to expand his customer radius. He and his company attended EXPO events and engaged with communities in very unique ways including generous prizes, such as Chicago Bulls tickets, for those who engaged with their booth. Another accomplishment that Brian achieved was improving his intimacy with his customers by sending out a one-of-a-kind monthly newsletter that included many different interests for various types of customers such as recipes, funny jokes, comics. Brian creates a fun, comfortable environment which makes Generation Painting unique. Brian has saved the company a lot of money due to his innovative and creative strategies.
JORGE MENDEZ, LA PARROQUIA MEXICAN PANCAKE HOUSE
With the influx of food trucks coming through our area, Jorge and Cary, owners of La Parroquia, saw an opportunity to create one of the first local Lake Zurich food trucks to serve the community such as school and charitable functions. While it was a risk to take on in addition to running the brick & mortar restaurant they set out to do it and accomplished this new adventure.
2022 CHAMBER VOLUNTEER of the Year Nominees
JEN WALENGA, SENIOR TRANSITIONS CONCIERGE
Being relatively new to the Chamber in the past 2 years, Jen has contributed several hours of time volunteering at the Chamber’s biggest annual events. She has made a great impression with many due to her professionalism at numerous networking events throughout the year. She was selected to serve on the Nominating Committee which worked to determine the best slate of candidates for the 2023 LZACC Board of Directors.
JOE JANICKI, BRIGHTWAY INSURANCE
Joe Janicki has been someone the Chamber can call on in a moment’s notice for help. He has volunteered his time working at the Chamber’s largest events. He served on the Car Show Committee to develop an inaugural summer event series that was such a success it will now be an annual event for the Chamber. He was selected to serve as an Ambassador for the Chamber which is a distinct honor as he joins the team as being one of the faces new members meet as soon as they join. He was also selected to serve on the 2023 Board of Directors because of his leadership, wealth of knowledge, and his love to laugh and be jovial with all he encounters.
KATHY MARRISON, HAMPTON INN & SUITES
Kathy Marrison has served on the LZACC Board of Directors for several years, most currently entering into her second term as Vice President. She is a humble, hard worker and contributes both behind the scenes at monthly Executive and Board meetings along with being in the front lines volunteering at many of our events such as the Inaugural Car Show, Taste of the Towns, Golf Outing, Job Fair and so many more. Kathy has also played in integral part of launching the Women’s Leadership Initiative. She is intentional, in her position at Hampton Inn & Suites, in partnering with numerous local businesses to help provide them exposure to their customers.
TAMMI MALINOWSKI, FIRST AMERICAN BANK
Tammi Malinowski started with the Chamber in 2022 in her new position with First American Bank and really hit the ground running. She fully engaged with LZACC and what it has to offer local businesses. She was immediately selected as an Ambassador to meet and greet the newest member businesses. She was so on top of her duties as an Ambassador she was selected to serve as the Ambassador Committee Leader for 2023. Tammi’s kindhearted, congenial demeanor embodies what an LZACC volunteer looks like.
RONNA STREIFF, BAIRD & WARNER
Ronna Streiff knew the benefits of a Chamber and quickly embraced LZACC in 2022. She has supported the Chamber through multiple sponsorships that helped make events such as the Pub & Grub Crawl, Taste of the Towns and Golf Outing a success for the Chamber. She also helped build relationships for LZACC with businesses in Long Grove, which is one of the five communities the Chamber serves. Ronna is fun, creative, and giving which embodies what an LZACC volunteer looks like.
2022 CHAMBER ROOKIE of the Year Nominees
AGNIESZKA MORONI, TOTS THERAPEUTIC CHILD CARE CENTER, NFP
Agnieszka Moroni joined the Chamber in April of 2022 and quickly showcased how a business owner can benefit from belonging to the Chamber. This non-stop networker has been out at numerous events building relationships for the most selfless reason of building a full-time daycare for kids with special needs which would be the first in our community. Her tenacity to see this venture through along with the use of Chamber benefits to assist her is admirable at best.
ANNE MARIE BROWN, STRETCHLAB DEER PARK
Anne Marie Brown joined the Chamber in May of 2022 as the representative for the StretchLab franchise that has over 200 locations and opened a new location in Deer Park. In just under 6 months, Anne Marie has caught the Chamber’s attention with her level of involvement in networking events, marketing opportunities, as well as Women’s Leadership Initiative and the annual Golf Outing.
REBECCA SMITH, SIGNARAMA BARRINGTON
Rebecca Smith started a new chapter in her life by taking ownership of Signarama in Barrington. Despite this busy endeavor she saw the importance of belonging to the Chamber. Her generosity was evident with her donation of sponsor signs for our Golf Outing. Her professionalism and promptness in helping the Chamber with signage at the new Chamber house didn’t go unnoticed.
2022 New Business of the Year Nominees
BRIGHTWAY INSURANCE – THE JANICKI AGENCY
As with any business, it’s the people within that make the business a success. The owner of Brightway Insurance, Joe Janicki, has done a great job balancing all the characteristics of the “new business of the year” category within the first 2 years of being open. Brightway’s business model includes visibility in the community and this is demonstrated through Joe and his teams involvement in the LZ Rotary Club, LZ Lions Club, District 95 School Foundation as well as LZACC. He is on the Ambassador committee for the Chamber and he participates in many (if not all) of the events that take place in the community (Business After Hours, Car Shows, LZFMA open house, Alpine Fest…just to name a few). In addition, he supports his staff with lunches and recognitions for their achievements and milestones and brags about them on social media. It’s with certainty that the image they display in public, mirrors the interactions they have with their customers. Joe and his team pride themselves on the service they provide to clients and members of the community. Going above and beyond, his team believed in and supported Joe while running for public office in Lake County where he was committed to serving the community at large.
YOUR HOME REIMAGINED
Kayla Beirne opened Your Home Reimagined a little over a year ago and has been extremely active within the Chamber and the community. She has served dozens of clients, volunteered for several events, and has taken on several roles in networking groups, volunteered as Committee Leader of the Chamber’s Member Experience Committee, and so much more. Kayla has expressed the privilege of being in trusted in her client’s homes to help them navigate life’s transitions through organization, which ultimately helps clients sell their homes for a higher asking price. At this speed, Kayla and Your Home Reimagined will set all new records in the coming years!
xGOLF, KILDEER
XGolf Kildeer chose Kildeer for the home of their newest location in 2022 which brings new visitors into our community every day! Instead of packing away your clubs for the winter, you can keep improving your game all winter long and play on a number of your bucket list courses in the world on their state-of-the-art simulators. With their simulators, you get the full golf experience from driving off the tee box to sinking a 20-foot birdie putt. They also have a PGA certified instructor on staff to provide individual and group lessons for those really looking to improve their skills. In addition to the golf, they added a full-service bar for food and drinks as well as semi-private rooms for events and parties. This business has created a gathering place for residents within the community as well as drives new traffic to the area that surrounding businesses can benefit from.