Rick Simon
Chairman of the Board of Directors
President, United Service Companies
October 2018
Dear Members,
I am excited to announce the re-launch of TheMagnificentMileAssociation.com. Be sure to visit our totally re-designed Association website, which makes it easier than ever to connect with fellow members and register for upcoming networking events. We will feature all members in our enhanced Member Directory, which drives web visits and personal referrals to your business.
Moving forward, the Association will continue its efforts to serve members with expanded digital marketing opportunities, while ensuring The Magnificent Mile remains a great place to visit, work, and reside.
Member events continue to offer diverse opportunities for professional development—and to connect with one another in greater numbers. Just last week, we welcomed seven City Aldermen to our Fall Member Luncheon, along with three high-ranking Chicago Police officers. Our keynote featured Tom Ricketts, Chairman of the Chicago Cubs. Elected officials, alongside those who work closely with City government to drive key developments, provide us a roadmap for improvements in our own District.
Successful development requires a steady workforce, and the Association is pleased to partner once again for the 3rd Hospitality Hires Chicago (HHC) event. Working with Chicago’s premier workforce agencies, Hospitality Hires Chicago provides employers with an opportunity to take a strategic approach to finding skilled workers and for job seekers to get access to employment. You can access an employer questionnaire here; and the deadline for submitting this information is Monday, October 8.
Meanwhile, the Association continues to provide information to member businesses on best practices for mass gatherings in the district, including how and when to alert authorities. You can find a Security Preparedness Bulletin from the Chicago Police Department here [LINK]. Please reach out to Association staff with any other questions or concerns. As always, we are here to help!
Sincerely,
Rick Simon
Chairman of the Board
September 2018
Dear Members,
We advocate year-round for your business or property—please help us help you! As we wind down from a successful summer and prepare for the busy Holiday season ahead, we are here to assist you when you need guidance with permitting, graffiti removal, repair of conditions on the public way, and much more. I want to remind you that you have a voice and our support for matters impacting your business or property.
Our businesses create hundreds of thousands of jobs and contribute billions of dollars to the City and State, making it possible for them to meet their obligations. In turn, The Magnificent Mile Association maintains crucial connections to City officials on behalf of our members.
Just recently, our Planning Director fielded a concern at a major property regarding a street closure that would impact loading dock access. We worked with Alderman Hopkins to determine how best to proceed with the development project while still providing limited access to support the building tenants.
We also advocated for a historic hotel just off The Magnificent Mile to expedite repairs to a broken curb by working with Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT). On the flip side, we advocated for another hotel that receive no advanced knowledge of a resurfacing project outside their entrance—and provided the latest information to them via the Alderman’s office.
We have also addressed the condition of alleyways adjacent to Streeterville office buildings at the request of the property manager; and even the condition of the landmark DuSable Bridge.
In the past few months, several members have reached out regarding panhandling, peddlers, solicitors, street performers, and more. We are a trusted source of information on City ordinances and codes, which is compiled in this Use of the Public Way Guide [LINK to PDF].
Please never hesitate to reach out to the Association’s Planning & Advocacy Division. Key contact information for Advocacy matters, including legislative issues follows:
Phil Levin, Planning Director; (312) 344-2318; plevin@themagnificentmile.com
John Chikow, President and CEO; (312) 344-2323; jchikow@themagnficentmile.com
Rick Simon, Chairman of the Board; (312) 642-3570; chairman@themagnficentmile.com
We look forward to hearing from you and to providing information and support. We thank you for your continued partnership.
Sincerely,
Rick Simon
Chairman of the Board of Directors
August 2018
Dear Members,
The Magnificent Mile Association is pleased to announce it will once again play a leading role in its partnership with other downtown business associations to conduct another Hospitality Hires Chicago employment event.
The next event is scheduled for Wednesday, September 19 at the Palmer House Chicago. At this all-day event, representatives from approximately 50 businesses will interview hire-ready candidates for quality jobs in the retail, hotel, restaurant, attractions, and services sectors.
The program is very successful. Each of the last two Hospitality Hires Chicago events resulted in job offers to several hundred individuals from all areas of the city. To date, 909 individuals have participated and 527—58 percent—have received a job offer from a prominent downtown or Magnificent Mile hotel, restaurant, retailer or service provider.
As an employer, we encourage you to consider participating in the next Hospitality Hires Chicago event. Please click here for a link for more information about the program and to sign up for the event.
Thanks to you, our valued members, our businesses create hundreds of thousands of jobs and employ people that live in all areas of the City and metropolitan Chicago. Our businesses also contribute billions of dollars to the City, County and State, making it possible for government to meet its obligations.
As a result, a primary goal for my term as Chairman has been to ensure our organization’s long-established position of prominence and strength is not only maintained; but that we communicate effectively to our elected-officials so they understand how the decisions they make today - affect our member businesses and the people they employ now and into the future.
That is why we will continue to work hard to advance the mission of The Magnificent Mile Association through accelerated advocacy for our members and programs like Hospitality Hires Chicago. By striving to increase the Association’s public profile, we will help to ensure more favourable business conditions for you - our member businesses.
On behalf of the Association staff and leadership, I thank you for your continued support of our organization and programs like Hospitality Hires Chicago. If you have any additional questions, suggestions, or concerns, please reach out to me directly. [chairman@themagnificentmile.com]
Sincerely,
Rick Simon
Chairman of the Board of Directors
July 2018
Dear Members,
Our Summer of Public Art is in full swing, and I hope you have had the opportunity to see the more than 50 individually-designed lighthouse sculptures lining The Magnificent Mile—if not in person, then in the media. Our June 19 launch of Lighthouses on The Magnificent Mile was attended by dignitaries including Illinois Supreme Justice Anne Burke; and was covered on ABC, NBC, CBS, and more in the days since. Learn more about this philanthropic campaign and be sure to follow along and post with #magmilelighthouses.
Next month, I am thrilled to welcome back the K9s for Cops, a public art campaign to memorialize our city’s heroes while supporting the families of police officers that have been killed or catastrophically injured in the line of duty. Various canine and horse sculptures will be on display from August 19 to September 30, including two special sculptures dedicated to the memory of Commander Paul Bauer. The campaign received international media coverage and widespread attention on social media in 2017, and some sculptures have become permanent fixtures along The Magnificent Mile.
In fact, there are more than 50 permanent pieces of public art around The Magnificent Mile district, and the Association’s multiple Public Art Walks were just featured on ABC 7 Chicago. If you or your guests are in search of a unique, walkable experience, I encourage you to utilize the online guide at TheMagnificentMile.com to explore the variety of works that pay homage to Chicago and its history.
Spot the art and see the sights from the water during The Magnificent Mile Association’s Summer Cruise on Tuesday, August 28 aboard Chicago’s Leading Lady. And then save the date on Thursday, September 27 for a true Chicago experience, as we welcome Tom Ricketts as our featured speaker at the Fall Member Luncheon. I look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event—our out for a summer walk to see the art!
Sincerely,
Rick Simon
Chairman of the Board of Directors
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