Business Briefs | April 2016

By Naperville Magazine
April 2016 View more Business

Appointments

Sikich LLP, a leading professional services firm, recently elected eight new partners in its Chicago, Milwaukee, and Naperville offices. The following individuals were elected partners: Timm Bellazzini, CPA, audit; Terry Bishop, CPA, accounting services; Brent DeMay, CPA, employee benefit plan audits; Thomas Perez, CPA, tax; Anahita Khan, marketing and public relations; Sarah Harris, general counsel; Brad Netzel, CPA, audit; and Jerry Schmit, CPA, tax. Sikich offers a full range of services, including audit, accounting and tax, technology, investment banking and a variety of advisory and managed services out of its 12 offices across the country.

Courtesy Edward Medical Group

Lisa Walinski, a board certified family medicine physician, has joined Edward Medical Group’s (EMG) office located at 1222 N. Eola Rd. in Aurora. Walinski graduated with honors from Loyola University, received her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her family medicine residency at Hinsdale Hospital. EMG is a primary care practice of Edward-Elmhurst Health and has more than 70 board certified family practice, internal medicine and specialty physicians who treat patients of all ages.

Courtesy Naperville School District 203

Christine O’Neil was appointed by the Naperville Community School District 203 School Board as the new principal of Beebe Elementary School. O’Neil is currently serving as assistant principal at Beebe Elementary and she will begin her role as principal on July 1, 2016. She replaces current Beebe principal, Chuck Freundt, who was appointed to the assistant superintendent for elementary education earlier this school year. O’Neil began her educational career as a teaching assistant at Mill Street Elementary in 1996. She taught second and first grades in the school district, and over the last 13 years has served in administrative roles at several Naperville 203 elementary schools including Beebe, Meadow Glens and Highlands. O’Neil has a Masters of Education Administration and Leadership from North Central College and a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Butler University.

Courtesy Aurora Fire Department

Aurora Fire Marshal Gary Krienitz, a 19-year Aurora Fire Department veteran, has been sworn in as the new Aurora fire chief. Krienitz replaced Chief John Lehman who retired in April. Krientiz was chosen from a field of six candidates from within the department. In 2014, Krienitz was named firefighter of the year in Aurora. Along with Pvt. Jason Larson and Pvt. Dan Murphy, he earned the department’s top award for efforts during a dangerous motel fire that resulted in them saving the lives of two people. A member of the National Fire Protection Association and the International Association of Arson Investigators, Krienitz holds more than 15 certifications, including being a certified evidence technician, rescue specialist, arson investigator, emergency medical technician, juvenile fire setter counselor, and personal trainer. He has completed more than 50 training courses through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Illinois Fire Service Institute, the Illinois State Police Academy for Arson and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Krienitz earned his fire science degree from the College of DuPage and was a team leader with the DuPage County Fire Investigation Task Force.

The Gierach Law Firm based in Naperville named Tamara M. Paulun a partner. Paulun will continue to serve her clients in estate planning and business law as she moves into this new role. During her time at the Gierach Law Firm, Paulun assisted clients with their estate planning needs, including probate and trust administration and disputes. Paulun is an honors graduate of Hillsdale College in Michigan and received her Juris Doctor from The John Marshall Law School, where she also graduated with honors. She is involved with the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce and is currently serving on the Advisory Board of the Ambassador’s Committee.

Courtesy CS&S

Corporate Strategies & Solutions, Inc., (CS&S), a Sandler Training Center in Naperville, has hired Rich Austin as a senior business development associate. Austin has a record of successful business development from concept through sustained long-term growth and change management. Prior to joining CS&S, he worked for Sandler Training in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As an award-winning Sandler Trainer, Austin’s four areas of expertise are analyzing business behaviors around prospecting, qualifying and closing; customizing the Sandler selling system to help sales teams in front of the right prospects; recapturing and widening the business scope with current accounts; and coaching and mentoring sales managers and executives to maximize sales team performance. Austin earned his bachelor’s degree in Sports Management and Communication from the University of Michigan.

Courtesy The Dupage Foundation

The DuPage Foundation has hired William C. Pearch as its new marketing manager. Pearch is a seasoned professional who brings more than 20 years of marketing and communication experience from both the for- and not-for-profit worlds to The DuPage Foundation.
In his new role, Pearch will be responsible for focusing the Foundation’s messaging to its various constituents and helping foster greater awareness for its mission and services throughout the community. For the past eight years, Pearch focused his talents serving greater Chicagoland engineering firms. Most recently he worked as marketing and business development coordinator for Chicago-based TERRA Engineering, Ltd. where he was responsible for branding and cross-promotion of the firm’s engineering services lines. Prior to that, Pearch spent more than a decade leading marketing, communications and special event efforts in DuPage County for the Elmhurst and Downers Grove Park Districts. He is a graduate of Elmhurst College where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdepartmental Communications and a Master of Arts degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Roosevelt University.

Awards

My Chef Catering has received the wedding industry’s two most prestigious online awards for 2016. For the 6th year, The Knot has recognized My Chef with its 2016 Best of Weddings Award. The Knot has also placed My Chef Catering in their Hall of Fame for consistent excellence in the wedding industry. The Wedding Wire also recognized My Chef Catering with its 2016 Couple’s Choice Award. This is the 7th year My Chef has won this prestigious award. These awards are given to companies that receive the highest customer satisfaction ratings from brides, grooms, and their families in such areas as professionalism, quality of service, responsiveness, value and flexibility. My Chef Catering has consistently ranked in the top 5 percent in the U.S. for wedding excellence by both of these online wedding industry leaders.

Courtesy Perma Seal Basement Systems

Downers Grove-based Perma Seal Basement Systems executive vice president Laura Ann Spencer has been named a 2016 Woman of Influence award winner by Chicago Business Journal. The award focuses on women business leaders who foster environments that create more successful women in the future. The winners were selected by a group of advisers and editors from the American City Business Journal, a parent company of Chicago Business Journal. For more than 10 years, Spencer has helped Perma-Seal develop a strong set of core values and foster a thriving company culture.

Lisle Library District Director Kathy Seelig and Literacy Outreach Librarian Jean Demas accepted the Naperville School District 203 Exemplary Business Partnership Award in February. The award praises the Lisle Library District’s promotion of family literacy throughout the community. The Lisle Library District partners with the Ann Reid Early Childhood Center and Literacy DuPage to provide English as a second language resources and classes to help parents teach their children.