Contact the Chamber office if you are interested in Sponsoring our Annual Awards Dinner at info@clchamber.com or 815-459-1300
Legacy of Leadership
An evening of celebration of the year's accomplishments and the presentation of awards to select members.
Congratulations to the 2021 award winners!
2021 Robert O. Covey Award Winner
City of Crystal Lake
The City of Crystal Lake embodies the spirit of the Robert O. Covey Award this year for their outstanding efforts working with local businesses throughout the pandemic. The City of Crystal Lake’s hard work helping to create new outdoor spaces for local restaurants, providing additional city grant funding and acquiring federal funds to assist local businesses through this difficult time and for promoting accommodations and providing guidance for local businesses so they could stay open or continue operating while the pandemic restrictions were in place, are just a few examples of how all departments of the City stepped up to help local businesses and residents.
2021 Carl E. Wehde Award Winner
Crystal Lake Park District
The Crystal Lake Park District embodies the spirit of the Carl E. Wehde Award this year for their outstanding efforts improving the quality of life in Crystal Lake over the past 100 years. The Crystal Lake Park District’s hard work creating new outdoor spaces; building, and maintaining amenities that residents enjoy daily including walking paths, beach areas, ball parks, senior centers, racquet sports, and so much more; and for continuing to envision a Park District that certainly adds to the philosophy that “Crystal Lake is a Great Place to Work, Live and Play”. For all of this, we thank you and recognize all the contributions your staff, leadership team and trustees give and do to make Crystal Lake a place to be proud of.
Covid-19 Pandemic Partners of the Year
2021 Healthcare Partners of the Year Award Winners
Advocate Aurora Healthcare, Mercyhealth and Northwestern Medicine
Since March 10, 2020, the date of the first case of Covid-19 in McHenry County, we are going on almost 1 ½ years since Covid-19 first entered our lives. In McHenry County alone we have had 29,384 cases of Covid-19 and 299 deaths according to IDPH out of 385,084 residents. As Illinois and the country faced the unprecedented public health emergency brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, all three hospital systems we recognize here today, Advocate Aurora Health, Mercyhealth and Northwestern Medicine were confronted with an extraordinarily high demand for health care services and had to quickly implement actions to address the COVID-19 crisis.
Each of these healthcare systems offered Covid-19 testing, ICU and on-going critical care for Covid-19 cases, held virtual informational town halls, provided online resource centers, tele-health options, mask distribution, and continue to offer vaccine clinics.
For all these reasons and for being there for all of us; We are both proud and grateful to present the Healthcare Partner of the Year Awards to Advocate Aurora Health, Mercyhealth, and Northwestern Medicine. Thank you on behalf of all Crystal Lake and McHenry County area residents, for providing guidance and care for all of us throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
2021 Banking Partners of the Year Award Winners
Home State Bank, Crystal Lake Bank and Trust, American Community Bank, BMO Harris Bank, Blackhawk Bank, Cornerstone Bank and Trust and Prairie Community Bank.
Each of the aforementioned banks, offered unprecedented service and access to bank resources and staff despite their offices and branches being closed to the public for much of the pandemic, they made wellness calls to customers, assisted both existing customers and non-customers with loans and provided access to other SBA programs, provided online resource centers, expanded online banking options, and so much more. When Covid-19 showed up in Crystal Lake, bank staff quickly assumed emergency roles establishing and operating under new Covid-19 protocols for their bank locations.
For all these reasons and for being there for all of us; We are both proud and grateful to present the Banking Partner of the Year Awards to Home State Bank, Crystal Lake Bank and Trust, American Community Bank, BMO Harris Bank, Blackhawk Bank, Cornerstone Bank and Trust and Prairie Community Bank. Thank you on behalf of all Crystal Lake and McHenry County area residents, for providing guidance and care for all of us throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
Bob Blazier - School District 47, Home State Bank, Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce
Presidential Awards of Excellence Award Winners
Pam Bialas - Crystal Lake Bank and Trust
Scott Block - McHenry County Mental Health Board
Tim Erwin - Crystal Lake AAMCO
Michelle Kidd - School District 155
Heather Maieritsch – City of Crystal Lake
The Carl E. Wehde Award
CARL E. WEHDE AWARD CRITERIA:
- Individual person or group known to have made a verifiable contribution to the quality of life in the greater Crystal Lake area
- He/she provided inspiration that will have also sparked other people to become intensely involved in efforts to assist the community.
- He/she has been involved in establishing goals for community development seeing them through to fruition.
- He/she should be involved more than one project area or organization showing leadership in education, community service/government or business for more than 3 years establishing a consistent pattern of public service.
- He/she should be dedicated to the mission of improving opportunities for all people on going beyond that of just providing funds for programs.
- Demonstrated active multi-dimensional interests that have challenged community leaders like Carl Wehde.
Previous Winners:
Bill Dwyer 2002
Ken Koehler 2003
Bob Blazier 2004
Mark Elmore 2005
Mike Tryon 2006
David Hubbard 2007
Kathi Etten 2008
Robert O. Covey 2009
Mike Splitt 2010
Ann Viger 2011
Patti Lutz 2012
Diana Kenney 2013
Aaron Shepley 2014
Rick Schildgen 2015
Peter Affrunti 2016
Bob Gray 2017
Ryan Farrell 2018
Crystal Lake Lions Club 2019
Crystal Lake Park District 2021
The Robert O. Covey Award
Robert O. Covey Business of the Year Award Criteria:
- Must have exhibited business success in the Crystal Lake area
- Involvement in the Chamber of Commerce or other business organizations
- Must have some involvement in the local community either by service or support
Previous Winners:
Countryside Flower Shop 2004
Home State Bank 2005
Charles River Development Group 2006
Sherman Mechanical, Inc. 2007
Heisler’s Bootery 2008
Centegra Health System 2009
Dorion-Gray Retirement Planning 2010
Exemplar Financial Network 2011
Black Diamond Plumbing & Mechanical 2012
Curran Contracting, Inc. 2013
Georgio’s Chicago Pizzeria & Pub 2014
STAR 105.5 FM 2015
INTREN 2016
Phoenix Woodworking Corp. 2017
Courtesy Buick GMC 2018
JA Frate Transportation Services, Inc. 2019
City of Crystal Lake 2021