04/18/16 - Mayor's Column: Salute to Business Awards
The O’Fallon-Shiloh Chamber of Commerce and the O’Fallon Progress’ 40th annual “Salute to Business” Awards luncheon was held on Thursday, April 14, 2016 at the Regency Conference Center, 400 Regency Park Drive in O’Fallon. The event also served as a celebration of the Chamber’s 70th Anniversary.
Brenda Fedak, Multimedia Advertising Manager of the Belleville News Democrat, presided at the awards ceremony and installed Paul Evans, Evans Law Firm, as the new President, and Sid LeGrand as the new Vice President of the O’Fallon-Shiloh Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber Ambassador of the Year Award went to Renee’ La Bruyere’ from Quality Testing & Engineering. The Chamber Ambassador Impact Award went to Matt Gilreath from Chick-fil-A.
Businesses and organizations that were honored this year included Memorial Hospital East (Economic Impact), the O’Fallon Public Library (Business Beautification), Tamarack Golf Course (Heritage Award), Hospice of Southern Illinois (Spirit of the Chamber Award), and The Spengler Company (Community Service).
Memorial Hospital East (Economic Impact Award)
After three years of construction, the $124 million, 94-bed hospital officially opened to the public on April 12, 2016. In addition to bringing a first-class healthcare facility to the O’Fallon-Shiloh area, Memorial East is expecting 700 new jobs over the course of the next few years for its satellite hospital in Shiloh. Not only will there be a spike in local job creation, but it is also expected to generate more shops, retail, and restaurants in the area. For more information, please go to: http://www.memhospeast.com/.
The O’Fallon Public Library (Beautification Award)
After many years of planning and waiting, and less than a year of renovations, the O’Fallon Public Library is finally finished with its remodeling. Korte & Luitjohan Contractors Inc. was the main contractor. The renovations created an interior that is more aesthetically pleasing, fun, and navigationally intuitive for the growing number of O’Fallon residents and over 160,000 Library visitors per year. For more information, please go to: https://ofpl.info/.
Tamarack Golf Course (Heritage Award)
Tamarack Golf Course continues to operate in the same location in which it was founded – five decades later. The course began as a vision for businessmen who just wanted a place to play golf. Tamarack is still owned by the original 22 stock holders and their families. About 31,000 rounds of golf are now played each year at the 18-hole, 6,300 yard course that is open to the public. For more information, please go to: http://golfattamarack.com/.
Hospice of Southern Illinois (Spirit of the Chamber Award)
Hospice of Southern Illinois serves 27 cities in southern Illinois and offers a wide array of services for individuals and their families facing the end of life. They also provide bereavement classes. It started in 1981 as a grass-roots volunteer movement to help individuals and their loved ones with a terminal illness live their end-of-life journey with peace and dignity. They continue that philosophy today. For more information, please go to: https://hospice.org/.
The Spengler Company (Community Service Award)
For 44 years, the Spengler Company has had a foothold in the O’Fallon-Shiloh area, not just for being business savvy, but also for its community contributions. The Spengler Company helped to create and later maintain the O’Fallon Veterans’ Monument, and in May 2015, when the stone pillars were damaged, the Spenglers stepped in and spearheaded a community-wide effort to raise more than $10,000 in funds to replace the damaged pillars. Over the years, the Spenglers have also donated their services by providing free labor to build the O’Fallon Community Pool. Through its Everyday Hero Fund, Spengler has awarded over $30,000 to local fire departments as part of The Men of Spengler Calendar. Since 2013, Spengler has provided over $50,000 in service and repairs to women who are fighting breast cancer through their Think Pink Initiative. For more information, please go to: http://www.spenglerco.com/.
If you would like to view the Chamber Awards Banquet slideshow presentation, please go to https://youtu.be/Mewyx-IeqoM.
Congratulations to our business award winners. You have each played a vital role in the development and sustainability of our communities and it is a real honor that each of you chose O’Fallon or Shiloh as the location for your business. I look forward to many more years of working with you to make O’Fallon and Shiloh the best communities in the Metro East.