The Goals of Choose DuPage
- Grow, retain and attract businesses
- Support county-wide economic development initiatives
- Address policy issues critical to the needs of the regional economy
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Eric Rhodes
President
WWW.ADVOCATEHEALTH.COM
Sean Toolan
Director of Operations
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John Miller
Chief Financial Officer, Sr. Vice President, Finance
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Sarah Higgins
Deputy Director, Government Relations
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Christian Molinaro
Director, External Affairs
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Tom Cross
Executive Director, Institute for Collaboration
Lisa Vivoda
Sr. Director of Development
AURORA.EDU
Anna Ball
CEO
Todd Frauendorfer
Treasurer and Corporate Secretary
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Paola Sprenzel
Vice President of Business Development
Anthony Izzi
Vice President, Construction
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Mark McHorney
Interim Chief Advancement Officer
Phil Hardy
Director of Innovation & Strategic Partnerships
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Matt Brotschul
Co-Owner and Partner
Ryan Potts
Co-Owner and Partner
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John Calamos
Founder, Chairman and Global CIO
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Ken Witkowski
Senior Vice President
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Starr McCaffery
Director, Communication Strategy
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John Cook
President – CBIZ Employee Benefits Division
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Tyke Spencer
Benefits Consultant
Seth Lillenberg
Benefits Consultant
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Dan Persa
First Vice President
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Andrea Rodgers
Senior Vice President, Guest Experience and Operations
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Christopher B. Burke
President
John Doria
Director of Government Affairs
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Jodi L. Henninger
Partner
Phillip J. Salerno II
Partner
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Christine M. Hammond, Ph.D.
Interim President
Joe Cassidy
Assistant Provost of Workforce and Economic Development
Wendy McCambridge
Director, Legislative Affairs/Special Assistant to the President
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Anthony M. Signorella
Director, Government Affairs
Sean McCarthy
Vice President, Business Development & Strategic Initiatives
Edward M. Sitar, III
Manager, Economic & Business Development
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Dan Allen
Executive Director
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Mike Roth
Consultant
Mike Kelch
Chairman and Founder
Ted Lindholm
President
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Chris Pohlman
Partner/Managing Director
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Bert Nuehring
Partner
Susannah Heitger
Principal, Public Sector Consulting
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Michael Connelly
External Affairs Manager, Central Area
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Hugh Elliott
Principal
Nick Pollastrini
Manager
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Beth Marchetti
Executive Director
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The Honorable Deborah Conroy
DuPage County Board Chair
The Honorable Yeena Yoo
DuPage County Board, District 2
Joan Olson
Chief Communications Officer
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Amber Quirk
Regional Superintendent of Schools
Lisa Schvach
Executive Director
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Michael R. Sitrick, CFRE, JD
President & CEO
Nicki Anderson
Director of Strategic Partnerships
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The Honorable Richard Veenstra
Mayor, Village of Addison
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Joseph C. Dant
President, South Region and Institutes
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Leo Wright
Senior Vice President
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Ron Lunt
Partner
Paul O’Connor
Partner
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Greg Liss
Vice President – Regional Banking Relationship Manager Sr.
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Dan Wagner
Senior Vice President, Government Relations
Anna Maria Kowalik
Senior Vice President, Director of Business Development, Inland Green Capital LLC
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Michael Houston, CCM, LEED AP BD+C
Vice President
Melissa Hoffmeister, P.E.
Vice President
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Kevin Kalus
Market Executive, Middle Market Banking
Jordan Hennessey
Vice President, Commercial Banking
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Ryan Butt
Dean, College of Business and Graduate School of Management
Bill Vorhies
Partner
Courtney Healy
Vice President, Strategy & Accounts
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Nick Ryan
CEO
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Richard Price
Chairman & CEO
Laura Sullivan
Chief Operating Officer of Corporate Services
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Anna Duan
Senior Director, Supply Chain Stewardship & Risk Management
Barry McGoldrick
Chief Procurement Officer
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James Adler
Executive Vice President
Mark Moran
Executive Vice President, Industrial Services
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Rick Trujillo
Chief of Staff to President & CEO
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Ann Hall
Vice President, Administration, Community Affairs
Katharine Bertani
Director, Strategy
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Christine Rose
Community Relations Representative
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Frank Cerrone
President, CEO
Susan DiMeo Sargent
Senior Vice President
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Karyn M. Charvat
Executive Director
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Emily Shupe
Litigation and Employment Attorney
Heather Kramer
Litigation Attorney
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Ramsey Elshafei
President
Jeremy Szybowicz
Leasing Manager
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Kim Godden
Vice President of Legal, Government Relations
Valerie A. Bruggeman
Director, External Affairs
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Jill Koski
President & CEO
Alicia LaVire
Vice President, Marketing and Guest Experience
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Stephen P. Mares
Vice President, Commercial Banking
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Naveen Venkatapathi
Managing Director
Carol Fleishman
Senior Client Executive
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Robert Hutchinson
President
Ryan Brown
Senior Vice President, Relationship Manager
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Bradley A. Paulsen
Senior Vice President, Chief Development Officer, PK-12 Education Practice Leader
Jim Mark
Managing Director, Private Markets & Chief Strategy Officer
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David Andalcio
CEO
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Greg Bedalov
President & CEO
(331) 401-5819 | gbedalov@choosedupage.com
As President and CEO of Choose DuPage and Chair of the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership, Greg Bedalov leads economic development efforts within DuPage County and across Northeastern Illinois.
A longtime advocate for regionwide collaboration, Bedalov previously served as President & CEO of Choose DuPage from 2010-2015. He later served as Executive Director of the Illinois Tollway and President of the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority (ISFA). In 2019, he returned to his leadership role at Choose DuPage.
Under his leadership, Choose DuPage has implemented numerous programs that support local municipal development, including initiatives focused on improving sustainability, equity, quality of life, supply chain management, and opportunities for small businesses.
As Chair of the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership, Bedalov partners with private- and public-sector leaders from across Northeastern Illinois to drive economic growth, advance equity and support regionwide prosperity.
Rita Haake
Senior Vice President, Economic Development
(331) 401-5817 | rhaake@choosedupage.com
As Senior Vice President of Economic Development, Rita leads efforts to support the organization’s economic development strategy with a specific focus on business attraction, retention, and expansion. Prior to her role at Choose DuPage, Rita spent 25 years serving the business community as the leader of the College of DuPage Business Development Center. Her primary expertise has been assisting businesses in expanding their government contracting efforts. Rita graduated from Northwood University with a degree in Business Administration.
Cindy Klima
Vice President, Economic Development
(331) 401-5818 | cklima@choosedupage.com
As Vice President of Economic Development for Choose DuPage, Cindy is responsible for implementing and leading the organization’s economic development strategy. This includes engaging in business attraction activities and working with municipalities to support economic development initiatives throughout the county.
Cindy has broad experience working with municipalities throughout Chicagoland to support their economic development strategies, and previously worked as the Chief Communications Officer for the Illinois Tollway. Cindy graduated from Valparaiso University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. She is a member of several civic organizations and community associations.
Lisa Spaeth
Director, Investor Relations
(331) 401-5815 | lspaeth@choosedupage.com
As Director of Investor Relations, Lisa is responsible for assessing the changing needs of the DuPage County business community, helping to create and communicate the Choose DuPage vision, and developing a strategy to foster and grow board membership.
Lisa joined Choose DuPage in 2024 and has over fifteen years of experience working in fundraising and nonprofits. She attended the University of Iowa and is actively involved in a variety of community service and volunteer organizations in DuPage County.
Teresa O’Brien
Manager
(331) 401-5820 | tobrien@choosedupage.com
Teresa joined Choose DuPage in 2019 and has led several of the organization’s strategic programs and initiatives including the Reinvest DuPage Small Business Relief Grant Program. Teresa’s other responsibilities include meeting and event planning, as well as providing overall support towards the mission and goals of Choose DuPage. Prior to joining Choose DuPage, Teresa worked as an HR generalist in the commercial real estate development and manufacturing industries.
Courtney Healy
Marketing & Advertising
(331) 444-1601 | courtney@maclyngroup.com
Choose DuPage partners with MACLYN, a boutique advertising agency located in Naperville, for marketing services including creative branding, advertising, strategic planning, and communications. Courtney has been working with MACLYN and Choose DuPage since 2011, and has a bachelor of science in marketing from DePaul University.
