LIGHTING THE WAY | BLC Newsletter Q4 2022
Message from our
Chief Executive Officer
It’s Going to Be a Great Year!
I pray that all of you had a safe and enjoyable holiday season. As business owners and executives, you should be very excited and optimistic about your firm’s contracting opportunities in 2023.
As Chicago’s preeminent voice of the Black business community, the BLC’s goal is to introduce you and your businesses to as many public and private contracting opportunities as possible and to advocate for your participation on these projects with their owners and decision makers. These projects include:
- Sterling Bay’s Lincoln Yards multi-billion-dollar retail, business and residential development project
- Landmark Development’s multi-billion-dollar One Central entertainment and residential development project in Chicago’s South Loop,
- Bally's construction and opening of its new Chicago based casino, and,
- The Chicago Bears pending relocation to Arlington Heights, Illinois.
These projects represent contracting opportunities for BLC construction and professional service-based firms. As we look to having a busy and prosperous 2023, I encourage you to maximize the opportunities the BLC offers you to network with and market your services to each other and jointly to others as strong talented allies, united to win. Please pay your annual membership dues in a timely fashion, participate in BLC general membership meetings and all relevant BLC ad hoc committee meetings.
We have exciting events in store for you including a forum next month for all nine of the mayoral candidates and discussions with the principals for some of Chicago's most robust projects.
Let us hear from you if there are regulatory issues that prevent your business from bidding on a contract opportunity. The BLC stands ready to advocate and lobby for changes to existing law that may unreasonably and/or adversely affect your business’ ability to win.
In closing, please know that we are truly stronger together speaking with one collective voice. I look forward to seeing you throughout the year and I wish you nothing but good health and great fortune in 2023!
Montel M. Gayles
Chief Executive Officer
Member Spotlight and New Members
The Business Leadership Council celebrates our established members whose powerful contributions have helped to make the BLC a respected partner in the Illinois Business Community. We also welcome new members whose professional skills, talents and business capabilities make us a more powerful voice for the African American business community.
Member Spotlight
Audrena Spence
Executive Director
Gift of Hope Community Foundation
Illinois Transplant Fund
Audrena Spence
was appointed Executive Director of
Gift of Hope Community Foundation
and
Illinois Transplant Fund
in January 2022, to advance their mission to save and enhance lives through organ and tissue donation. Spence brought to her role extensive executive and philanthropic experience, enthusiasm and deep passion for community and civic engagement .
“So many lives can be saved and so much good done if we increase the number of people who donate organs,” said Spence. “To do that, we must increase awareness and persuade more people, especially people of color, that their loved ones can live on through organ donation.”
Spence provides organizational leadership and operational management for the Fund’s philanthropic strategies, and oversight for projects, grants, major gift campaigns, fund development and partnerships. It is a perfect role for Spence whose talents were honed through working closely with the community.
Before joining Gift of Hope, Ms. Spence served as Executive Director for Metropolitan Family Services Calumet Center and founded the Metropolitan Leadership Academy to identify, enhance, enrich, and develop future leaders within the organization.
“Nothing is more important to me than sharing what I have learned and helping to make our communities better by nurturing a new generation of strong leaders to build on what we have begun,” said Spence.
Ms. Spence, who holds bachelor's and master’s degrees in social work from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has completed the Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership program. Her numerous awards and recognitions include selection to the Leadership of Greater Chicago 2013 Fellows; the Rainbow PUSH Dr. King: Game Changer Visionary Service Award and the Chicago Defender’s Women of Excellence. Her civic involvement includes Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the National Association of Social Workers, the National Association of Black Social Worker and The Links, Inc.
Calvin Brown
Founder/CEO
Crystal Clear Window Washing
& Janitorial Service (CCWWJS)
Calvin Brown is the founder and CEO of Crystal Clear Window Washing & Janitorial Service (CCWWJS), founded in 2012 to create viable career pathways and employment opportunities. Prior to the creation and expansion of CCWWJS, he proudly served as an Engineer with Cook County Government for a remarkable 29 years.
Calvin is an esteemed leader who advocates for community revitalization and equal access to opportunity. As an entrepreneur, he leads by example and inspires others along the way through his steadily growing list of successes and achievements. From clients such as the City of Chicago, Federal Aviation Administration, Omni Group and Chicago Public Schools, he has spearheaded a minority-owned and operated firm built on a foundation of integrity, strategic redevelopment, and economic vitality.
In addition to leading CCWWJS, Calvin is the Grant Administrator and Project Director
for the Northern Illinois Jurisdiction Church of God in Christ on Chicago's South Side.Not only does he work to identify opportunities for economic development and community revitalization in Chicago's most underserved areas, he also oversees
violence prevention programs that ignite the entrepreneurial spirit of our forgotten youth and young adults.
In less than a year, under his leadership, Calvin secured over $1.2 million in funding
collectively from FEMA's Nonprofit Security Grant Program, Department of Human Services Reimagine Public Safety Violence Prevention Grant, and through the Justice Advisory Council.
Through Calvin's operational oversight, budget and fiscal management, and hands-on approach to community engagement and outreach, the program is posed to secure upwards of $2 million in funding in 2023 for the faith-based organization.
To learn more about CCWWJS by visiting:
www.crystalclearwwjs.com
BLC New Members
Dawn Farmer-Hogan
Gordon Salons
Vanguard, Professional Services
Sector
Kahill Hogan
President/CEO
Vista National Insurance Group
Financial Services Sector
Audrey Woodley
Executive Director
Changing Oasis, Inc.
Vanguard, Education Sector
Matthew Cooper
CEO/Co-Founder
The Inner-City Group of (Insurance) Companies
Financial Services Sector
Ashley Floyd
Executive Director, Major Giving
Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
Civic/Community Sector
Krystina DeSadier
Store Director
Target
Vanguard, General Services Sector
BLC Events:
Past &
Future
BLC’s goal is to educate, empower and enlighten our members about issues that impact our businesses and our communities. We invite impactful leaders to address our members and guests, to share their views and help us make informed decisions about our world.
Future Events
Upcoming...
BLC will sit down with the Chicago Bears to talk about their new stadium plans.
BLC will discuss progress and compliance with Bally's regarding the new Chicago casino.
BLC Members in the News
BLC Member Deryl McKissack, "McKissack & McKissack, a Black Owned Architecture & Construction Firm Managing Over $15 Billion in Projects"
Shoppeblack
BLC Founder James Reynolds’s Loop Capital Markets makes historic purchase of Smith Graham & C. Investment Advisors. Pensions & Investments Magazine,
November 3, 2022
BLC Executive Committee Member Melody Spann Cooper, Owner of Midway Broadcasting, Crains Chicago Business panelist “Bringing Diversity to the C-Suite”.
November 28,2022
BLC Board Chairman Charles Smith participates in the “Small Business and Economic Development Roundtable with President Barack Obama and the Obama Foundation.
Opportunities for BLC Companies & Members
Q4 2022
All Construction Group, Notice of Addendum #2, Pershing Road Center
Building Upgrades, Construction Sector, December 28, 2022
Epic Academy, 3 Campuses,
8205-8259 S. South Shore Drive, 3134-3158 E. 83rd Street and 8232-8258 S. Brandon Avenue, Construction Sector
Chicago Department of Aviation,
Job opportunities, BLC General Membership
City of Chicago, Departments of Planning and Development, Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Business Affairs and Consumer Protection and Children and Family Support Services,
Multiple Requests For Proposals, Communications, PR, Marketing and Non-Profit Industries, November and December 2022
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, Construction and Professional Services, Vendor Outreach Fair,
BLC General Membership, November 29, 2022
Draper and Kramer Chestnut LLC was seeking trades participation in the construction of a 10-story residential dwelling complex with parking at 330 W. Chestnut Street,
BLC Construction Sector, October 19, 2022
MH Building LLC, was seeking trades participation in Construction of a multi-purpose residential and commercial structure at the intersection of Hubbard, Union and Milwaukee Avenues,
BLC Construction Sector, October 19, 2022
SA East Owner, LLC was seeking trades to participate in the construction of a multi-building residential, commercial, hotel and parking complex at 500-520 N. Des Plaines/509 N. Union Street,
BLC Construction Sector, October 19, 2022