Networking brings together potential new members, employers, and referrals and connects them with current members in a casual environment set in local Andersonville hangouts. Each month the Chamber provides light bites and host a Spotlight Professional. Each Spotlight Professional is a chamber member that offers something unique and dynamic to offer and will be giving a brief presentation for attendees. Then open networking continues afterwards.
January's Spotlight Professional will be Christine DeSousa, Assistant Director of Sales and Marketing for the Illinois Restaurant Association.
Christine DeSousa has worked in the food and beverage industry for almost 19 years. Over the last eight years, she has earned the title of Assistant Director of Sales and Marketing for the Illinois Restaurant Association (IRA), where she’s been instrumental in both new revenue growth and maintaining a member retention rate of 85 percent. Christine is also the co-founder and producer of the IRA’s annual Meet the Experts event (going on 7 years) and co-producer of The Tech Tour, which the IRA has been hosting for the last three years. Since 2015, her prized people skills have been essential to the smooth execution of the red carpet, press room, and VIP area of the James Beard Awards here in Chicago. During the IRA-produced Chicago Gourmet in Millennium Park, Christine manages the East Lawn and Culinary Stage, which hosts a variety of beer, wine and spirits and cooking seminars over the course of the September weekend. Christine has been a key member of the Planning Committee for the Grand Chefs Gala/Jean Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence, a January event held in conjunction with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and in 2017 became an industry advisor for the Jean Banchet Awards. In 2018, Christine was asked to sit on the inaugural Associate Board for Navy Pier, where she also serves on the Executive Board as Co-Chair for the Events Committee. Additional highlights from her career include a position as Vendor Coordinator for the Wavefront Music Festival, where she also planned a food truck kickoff event with DJ Sharam leading up to the Festival. Prior to joining the staff of the IRA, she spent a decade co-chairing the development department’s fundraising efforts for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra where she increased revenues by $1.5 million. Christine earned a BA from Columbia College and resides in Fulton River District in Chicago.
Please join us at one of Andersonville's institutions for networking and delicious food and drink from Uvae!
*For additional information about any of our business events please contact David Oakes at doakes@andersonville.org.
Thursday Jan 16, 2020
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM CST
Thursday, January 16, 6-8PM
Uvae Wine Bar CTA Red CTA Bus Metra Lake Shore Drive US I-90 US I-94
5553 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60640
Street parking is available
Berwyn or Bryn Mawr stop
#22 Clark, #92 Foster, or #36 Broadway
Ravenswood stop
exit Foster or Bryn Mawr
exit Foster or Lawrence
exit Peterson, Foster, or Cicero (to Foster)
Free for Members and non members for January
doakes@andersonville.org
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