Business Briefs | May 2015
By Mark Zonca
May 2015 View more Business
Appointments
Photo courtesy of Vickie Deppe
Naperville resident Vickie Deppe has been named a 2015 fellow for the Illinois Lincoln Excellence in Public Service Series, a leadership program that trains and mentors up-and-coming Republican women in Illinois. Deppe is one of five women selected statewide to participate in the Illinois Lincoln Series this year. By participating in the Lincoln Series, fellows are able to build, in a matter of months, political acumen and relationships that would take years to acquire in a conventional setting. Deppe holds a B.S. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and an M.A. from Wheaton College. She began her career in the software industry, and has been active in the nonprofit community for 20 years. She currently serves as a board member of the Fox Valley Orchestra in Aurora and as secretary for KidsMatter in Naperville. She is also the Illinois Legislative Liaison for the Convention of States Project. Deppe will be joining a network of over 200 women who have participated in the Illinois Lincoln Series program. Graduates have gone on to achieve elected office, public service careers in state and federal government, and campaign management positions.
Photo of Dawn Hartman courtesy of Naper Settlement
Naper Settlement has appointed Dawn Hartman as the new director of marketing. With more than 14 years of experience in marketing and graphic design, Hartman most recently served as superintendent of marketing and communications for the Fox Valley Park District, headquartered in Aurora. As a key member of Naper Settlement’s management team, Hartman will be responsible for developing and implementing a marketing and communications strategy. She will help build, manage, and integrate the organization’s brand and all aspects of marketing communications and social media in order to raise awareness of the organization. In addition, she will be responsible for securing financial resources through sponsorship and events, which support the organization’s programs and services.
Photo of Ami Dean courtesy DuPage Convention and Visitors Bureau
Ami Dean has joined the staff of the DuPage Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) as sales manager for the corporate, fraternal and Chicago associations markets. Dean’s focus is on showcasing DuPage County as a preferred destination and helping these groups to plan and successfully conduct their meetings and events. She reports to Lisa Landers, director of sales, and works closely with the rest of the DuPage CVB sales team. Prior to joining the DuPage CVB, Dean worked in Peoria, as a senior sales executive for The Rally Point Meeting & Conference Center and later as a sales executive at the Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette hotel for Marriott International and the First Hospitality Group, Inc. She holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix.
Mark London joined G&D Integrated as vice president of sales and marketing in January to oversee the strategic direction and execution of all sales and marketing initiatives. Prior to joining G&D, London was the vice president of sales at Livingston International where he launched Livingston’s sales program in the U.S. and grew both the sales force and revenue significantly in just three years. He was previously in leadership positions with Purolator USA and DHL Express, and was a President’s Award winner at both companies.
Susan Jania has been promoted to corporate logistics director at Aurora-based Diamond Envelope. Jania drives business results by understanding customer needs, finding cost savings amongst the plant operations while delivering high quality products. Jania is currently in the Executive MBA program at Notre Dame University and holds a BS degree in Supply Chain and Information Systems from The Pennsylvania State University. Diamond Envelope Corporation is a leading manufacturer of envelopes and direct marketing materials in the nation and is owned and operated for over 30 years in the far western suburbs of Chicago.
Sikich LLP, based in Naperville, recently named Tom Krehbiel as the partner-in-charge of CPA services firm-wide. Krehbiel, a CPA and certified information systems auditor, previously served as the partner-in-charge of CPA services at the firm’s Springfield office and as that office’s partner-in-charge. Krehbiel will work with CPA partners across the firm to standardize processes and procedures for areas that include billing, project management, client and staff communication and staffing and resource allocation. In addition, Krehbiel will assist partners in the development and implementation of firm-wide best practices.
New Business
Rendering courtesy Naperville Park District
The Naperville Park District broke ground on the Fort Hill Activity Center in April. The new facility, at the corner of Fort Hill Drive and Quincy Avenue in Naperville, will provide year-round active recreation space as a one-stop shop for families, children, adults, teens and seniors. The Center will include gymnasium space for basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, and other activities, an indoor walking/running track, multi-purpose rooms, fitness space, an indoor playground, and a café. The Center will be located adjacent to Players Indoor Sports Center and the City of Naperville’s Recycling Center. The project is expected to be completed by the fall of 2016.
Bolingbrook-based Swap.com, the largest online consignment marketplace for baby, kids, and maternity clothing and accessories, is expanding into women’s apparel, shoes, and accessories. The launch into women’s apparel positions the company as a category leader in buying and selling pre-owned fashion online.
Sportsman park Photo courtesy of Naperville Park District
Sportsman’s Park has reopened for trapshooting. The facility is located on West Street, just north of the Community Garden Plots and across from Knoch Park. Sportsman’s Park had been closed since mid-June for site remediation work and park improvements. Contractors will continue working on landscape restoration and backfilling of the parking lot and sidewalks. However, work at the site has progressed to the point where the facility is able to reopen for shooting. Regular trapshooting hours are 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursdays and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
Awards
My Chef Catering has once again won the most prestigious online wedding awards in the catering industry. For the fourth year in a row, The Knot, awarded My Chef Catering the 2015 Best of Weddings award. They are the only caterer in the Western Suburbs to receive this recognition. The award is based on high satisfaction levels in post wedding surveys of the brides, grooms and their families for food quality and presentation, room ambience, and event service. My Chef Catering is a full service catering and event planning company, that has been creating memorable weddings for more than 25 years in the Western Suburbs.
