JWC Media
a luxury lifestyle website that delivers a colorful and passionate telling of neighboring events, fashion, beauty, finance, and the pursuit of leisure.
By Michelle Crowe
PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN MCLEOD
The 2024 Chamber Board of Directors Front row: Mark Wanless, Eva Field, Laura Liss, Jan Janowick, Gretchen Barnard Second row: Amanda Wagner, Christine Julian, Melissa Waters, Alan Singletary, Paige Logan, Ingrid Wittwer Back row: Jim Slonoff, J. Ford Sunderland, Bob Smith Joseph Molfese
When asked why they chose to call Hinsdale home, most people mention the charming downtown as a top reason. A vibrant village is made up of caring people, beautiful streets, great businesses, and destination events. The Hinsdale Chamber of Commerce have truly mastered this mix.
Chamber President Eva Field says, “The Chamber helps bolster Hinsdale’s reputation as one of the most desirable suburbs in the Chicago area. It’s here to see that the reputation continues, by providing services for the demands of our residents, and the organizational network on which the business community thrives.”
Now celebrating a 100-year anniversary, this vital organization truly exists in service to the economic well-being of the community. “The Chamber is the place people turn to when they find the working spouse has been transferred to the area. It answers the letters and calls from those seeking to know more about Hinsdale,” says Field.
Since its inception in 1924 at the Hinsdale Commercial Association, the Chamber has grown with the town, encouraging residents and visitors to linger longer. “We provide services for the demands of our residents, and the organizational network on which the business community thrives,” says Marketing Director Amanda Wagner.
For example, after an 85-year ban on bars and drinking establishments in Hinsdale was overturned by referendum in 2001, the Hinsdale Chamber of Commerce began a campaign to attract restaurants to town. This effort included launching Uniquely Thursdays, which brought the party to the streets in 2002. Heading into its 22nd year in June, these Thursday night concerts with local food vendors and beverages have created lasting memories for generations of Hinsdaleans.
Even longtime attendees may not realize that each Thursday, Chamber members volunteer in the beverage tent and other key spots around Burlington Park. Chamber members also make magic at the Farmers Market, the Fine Arts Festival, and the Hinsdale Fall Festival in October.
The Hinsdale Christmas Walk dates to 1966 and remains a holiday must-do for most. The gorgeous greenery decorating the village is a joint effort between the Village and The Chamber of Commerce.
Members meet monthly to support one another, learn new skills, and collaborate. The meetings are filled with energy as entrepreneurs from every industry find ways to drive success. The Chamber Board of Directors is made up of especially dedicated members who volunteer their expertise to lead. Dan Janowick, Executive Director of The Community House, and Board Chair of the Hinsdale Chamber of Commerce says, “Every business in our membership, large and small, plays a role in making a Hinsdale a destination.
hinsdalechamber.com, 630.323.3952
