The Evanston Chamber is proud to recognize its award recipients for their outstanding contributions to their business and community.
Businessperson of the Year
Recognizes an individual who has demonstrated remarkable leadership and commitment to the Evanston business community by actively engaging in events, meetings, advocacy, volunteerism, and participation in the Evanston Chamber of Commerce. This is typically a business owner, executive, proprietor, or entrepreneur.
- 2023 Amy Morton, LeTour / The Barn Steakhouse / Found
- 2022 Lenice Levy, Good To Go Jamaican
- 2021 Heather Bublick and D’Andre Carter, Feast & Imbibe, Soul & Smoke
- 2020 Sandy Chen, Koi
- 2019 Jill Kushner-Bishop, Multilingual Connections
- 2018 Robert Yohanan, First Bank of Evanston
- 2017 Shaun Chinsky, Good’s of Evanston
- 2016 Joseph Liss, Porte Brown
- 2015 Steve Hagerty, City of Evanston
- 2014 Joe Romano, Romano Wealth Management
- 2013 John Cahill, John J. Cahill, Inc.
- 2012 Maggie & Dean Noonan
- 2011 Frank Muns & Kyle Kurz, Allegra Printing
- 2010 Chris Mailing
- 2009 Robert & Fred Piron, Belgian Chocolatier Piron
- 2008 Mary Gavin
- 2007 Glenn Moak
- 2006 Hecky Powell, Hecky’s Barbeque
- 2005 Daniel Kelch
- 2004 Pat Cunningham
- 2003 Marian & Bob Kurz
- 2002 Matthew David, Larry Huber, Scot McKay
- 2001 Cease & Paul Giddings
- 2000 Tom & Patty Erd
- 1999 Katie & Don Bally
- 1998 Judy & Bill Hooper
- 1997 Gerald & Susan Morris
- 1996 Lucile Krasnow
- 1995 Henry Funkenbusch
- 1994 Alex Sproul
- 1993 Harvey Pranian
Community Leadership Person of the Year
Recognizes an individual who has actively participated in making Evanston a better place for its residents and institutions through civic engagement, innovation, leadership, recruitment, and/or partnership. This person can be an Evanston resident, business owner, employee, educator, artist.
- 2023 Lisa Kaplan, Thryv
- 2022 Ande Breunig, Founder, Our Evanston
- 2021 Meleika Gardner, Evanston Live TV
- 2020 Richard (Dick) Peach
- 2019 Neil Gambow, Mayor’s Employer Council
- 2018 Keith Terry
- 2017 Elizabeth Tisdall, Mayor of Evanston
- 2016 Patrick Hughes, Jr. , Inclusion Solutions
- 2015 Bill Logan
- 2014 Jane Doyle
- 2013 Eugene Sunshine, Northwestern University
- 2012 Cease & Paul Giddings
- 2011 Sara Schastok
- 2010 Marian & Bob Kurz
- 2009 Lorraine Morton
- 2008 Judith Aiello
- 2007 Frank Kaminski
- 2006 Bob Heiberger
- 2005 Howard Kain
- 2004 Richard Romano
- 2003 Dan Phillips
- 2002 Frank Foster
- 2001 James Lytle
- 2000 Ingrid Stafford
- 1999 Joseph Levy
- 1998 Terrence Jenkins
- 1997 Ira Golan
- 1996 John Taylor, III
- 1995 Leon Robinson, Jr.
- 1994 George Cyrus
- 1993 Bruce Goodman
NonProfit/Public Service Person of the Year
Recognizes an individual in the public or not-for-profit sector who has distinguished themselves by working to advance Evanston through their organization, generating awareness of challenges or initiatives, and creating and responding to new opportunities or challenges by motivating local individuals or organizations to get involved. This person can be a leader, employee, or board member of a not-for-profit, cultural institution, government institution, or public service organization.
- 2023 Peter Braithwaite, City of Evanston
- 2022 Ann Sickon, Senior Executive Advisor, Center for Independent Futures
- 2021 Monique Jones, Evanston Community Foundation
- 2020 Steve Newman, Evanston Scholars
- 2019 Michele Berg, Rotary International
- 2018 Joanna Pinksy, Art Encounter
- 2017 Bea Rashid, Evanston Dance Ensemble
- 2016 Kevin Mott, Edward Jones Investments
- 2015 Paul Selden
- 2012 Sylvia & Larry DiStasi
- 2011 Bill Geiger
- 2010 Gerald Gulley
- 2009 Bridget McDonough
- 2008 Fr. Robert Oldershaw
- 2007 Don Baker
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