GRUNDY COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS CELEBRATE MILESTONES WITH RECORD BREAKING CROWD
MORRIS – Grundy County’s business community continues to grow in support of the Grundy Economic Development Council and the Grundy County Chamber of Commerce & Industry as shown at their Annual Dinner Wednesday where 550 guests registered to attend and celebrate the organizations’ business awards.
This is the second year the event has been held at Jennfier’s Garden in Morris to accommodate the growth. This year there were 100 more registered than last year’s record-breaking year.
“It’s a testament to the wonderful work of the GEDC, the Chamber, and all the residents and businesses that call Grundy County home,” GEDC Board Chair John McCann, of ComEd, said while kicking off the evening’s awards. “On behalf of the GEDC and the Chamber, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to celebrate with us tonight!”
This year’s dinner was sponsored by platinum sponsors Busey Bank, CPV Three Rivers Energy, Old National Bank, P&G, gold sponsor City of Morris, and bronze sponsors American Commercial Bank, Carpenter’s Local 174, Nicor Gas, Surf Internet, Sunshine Garden Center, Airwave Media Productions, and Trajectory Energy Partners.
GRUNDY COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AWARDS
Chamber President & CEO Christina Van Yperen and Chamber Board Chairwoman Sarah Beach, owner of Sunshine Garden Center in Diamond, presented the Chamber awards. Before recognizing the area businesses, Beach celebrated the Chamber being chosen as the Illinois Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives 2024 Chamber of the Year.
“IACCE is an association to empower and connect chamber teams across the state and has more than 140 member organizations in IL. The Grundy Chamber was chosen for this recognition by chamber association execs from across the Midwest for its work on strengthening advocacy efforts, programming, membership growth and financial security. Two specific projects the judges highlighted included their work with the GEDC on the Resilient Grundy Project and the Chamber’s new Empower event, as well as its financial growth over the years. Please join me in congratulating Christina, Lena, Christy, and our Chamber members on being Chamber of the Year,” Beach said to the crowd.
Chamber Events & Marketing Director Lena Wickens, and Administrator Director Christy Kelly joined Van Yperen on stage for the recognition. Van Yperen then continued the presentation with the Chamber’s awards.
Chamber Business of the Year – Oleanders Boutique
Oleanders Boutique was recognized as the Chamber’s 2024 Business of the Year. Owner Megan Housman first opened Oleanders in downtown Morris in 2017. At 26-years-old she quit her full-time job, rented space, remodeled it with her family and opened the clothing and accessories boutique.
“By October of 2023 she took her business to the next level and purchased the historic building in downtown Morris Oleanders was originally housed in. Her family took the next year to prepare and remodel the additional space expanding Oleanders by 1500 square feet. The newly expanded Oleanders has been open since September. The new space offers a trendy environment while embracing its historic bank roots,” Van Yperen said.
Oleanders now employs 5, offers online ordering, and has elevated its brands and products. In addition to owning a business, Housman is a wife, mother, and current chair of the Morris Retail & Restaurant Associations.
“Megan summed up her passion for her customers like this: I love being a part of their life – even if it’s just to support the in their life for the hour they are here shopping.”
Housman took the stage to accept the Business of the Year Award.
Entrepreneur of the Year Award – Laura and Tyler Jones, The Cove in Coal City
This year’s Entrepreneurs of the Year are Laura and Tyler Jones, of The Cove in Coal City.
The start of The Cove began when Laura Jones unexpectedly lost her job during COVID, and at the same time her and her husband Tyler were on a healthy living journey. This journey led to opening their nutritional drink business in Coal City. For the first year and a half the original Cove offered a family-friendly space, that also operated as a coworking and social space. By the Fall of 2024 the Jones’ purchased their own, larger space reopening an even better Cove.
“With a growing customer base and larger space this has just increased their drive to be a business-friendly community space. From pop-up shops for home-based businesses, small business workshops, to library story-times, and family game days – every day welcomes another reason to visit The Cove. Their motivation for this – because now that they’ve leveled up their business with brick and mortar, they want to help other businesses level up who aren’t quite there yet,” Van Yperen said.
“They stated – ‘We want to be the open door for them to pursue something they care about. Business is a team sport. You can’t start a business on an island, you can’t do it alone. Be a part of your community. Put yourself out there, find support, and find friends to help you grow,’” she continued.
Laura and Tyler Jones accepted the Entrepreneurs of the Year Award.
Organization of the Year Award – Hearts with Compassion
This year’s Organization of the Year, Hearts with Compassion in Minooka, began more than 10 years ago when its founder Kim Przybyla was fighting cancer. While on bed rest she started a toy drive to gather toys for families impacted by the 2015 Coal City-Diamond tornado. That toy drive garnered more than 300 toys and started a mission for Przybyla. Not long after she and her husband unexpectedly ended up adopting a daughter and their community came out in number to help them with clothes and baby necessities.
“Paying it forward turned into what is now Hearts with Compassion – an organization for families to exchange children’s clothing and items. For example, a family with a 3-year-old may come in with 20 items of 2T clothing and can exchange it for 20 items of 3T clothing their child now fits in. In addition, they provide maternity clothes, nursing items, and other baby essentials- all free of charge, supported solely by donations and a handful of volunteers,” Van Yperen shared with the crowd.
In 2024 the organization moved into a larger, 2-floor location and served 200 families. Their services are open to all and no one is turned away.
Przybyla told Van Yperen that what they do provides relief for families – “They don’t’ feel judged, they feel comfortable and they feel relief because their kids are going to be clothed and this is one thing they no longer have to worry about.”
Przybyla accepted the award.
Ambassador of the Year –Christine Mendez, Grundy Bank
Chamber Ambassadors serve as liaisons between Chamber members and staff. They gather feedback and answer members’ questions during calls and visits they make throughout the year. The Ambassador of the Year award is presented annually to an individual who has most effectively fulfilled their responsibilities as a Chamber Ambassador. This year’s Ambassador of the Year is Christine Mendez of Grundy Bank – her second time earning this award.
GRUNDY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AWARDS
Partnership Award
GEDC President & CEO Nancy Norton presented the GEDC Awards with McCann.
The Partnership Award was given to the YMCA, Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers, and the City of Morris for their work to bring the new Morris Hospital YMCS facility to Morris.
“Like all good things, it doesn’t just happen overnight. Although the Y initiatives started long before 2014, the true partnership between the Y, hospital and City began that year. As Missy Durkin told me, when the City and the hospital joined in the efforts it was so important as the Y was a bit of an unknown in Grundy and their partnership and buy in with what we were trying to build, was fundamental. In a little more than 60 days, the old City Hall was transformed into the Y’s first physical presence, thanks to a favorable lease and support from the City. Then the hospital and YMCA started visiting other facilities around the country that had a healthcare component. After those visits, they were more convinced than ever about the importance of having an integrated facility with a united purpose,” Norton told the crowd.
“The fundraising, the operations, the planning, the partnership over the last ten years represents a full-on commitment of time, treasure and purpose,” she continued.
Representatives from all of the organizations took to the stage to accept the award.
Welcome to Grundy County – Trajectory Energy Partners
The Welcome to Grundy County Award recognized Trajectory Energy Partners.
“Congratulations to this year’s Welcome to Grundy County Award, Trajectory Energy Partners. Trajectory is a leading Illinois-based solar developer. A few words sum up this company’s approach to development: community input, do what you say you’re going to do, be a good neighbor, and focus on quality. Those are shared ideals we can get behind,” Norton said.
President Jon Carson and Project Development Director Kiersten Sheets accepted the award.
GEDC Business of the Year – Costco
Norton was excited to present the Business of the Year award to a local business that first came to Grundy County 25 years ago and continues to invest in this community.
In 2000 Costco built two logistics facilities on Route 47 in Morris, one for dry products and one for cold. About 10 years later Costco expanded with a meat processing facility. Today they are more than doubling that facility, adding an additional 312,000 square feet. This is on top of a few years ago adding another million-square-foot logistics facility.
“Costco has 4 buildings, own 468 acres, and anticipate that when the meat facility is fully operational, it is likely Costco will employ nearly 1,600 to 1,800 people on their entire site on N. Rt. 47. Congratulations to Costco and thank you for your continued investment in Grundy County and the City of Morris,” Norton said.
Costco General Manager Katie Holck took the stage to accept the award.
Beach closed out the dinner thanking the businesses that have grown, entrepreneurs who have taken chances and organizations that serve this county.
