As anyone who knows me well can attest, my life the past three months has often revolved around coordinating the Shop the Village program that debuted in Oak Park. Today marks a high point of the campaign, which has been focused on stimulating commerce among more than 100 participating merchants from across the community. On […]
Search Results for: Shop the Village
Six months ago, I would advise clients to consider starting a blog. You can show your expertise, I would explain, give your target audience something new to check out, and so forth. I don’t think anybody heeded my suggestion. Seemed like so much busy work, I’m sure. At the time, I was “too busy” to get […]
Two years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Keith J. Taylor when he appeared as my guest on “A Beer With Baron.” Humble, humorous and grateful, this talented cartoonist was a joy to interview. It was my first segment at One Lake Brewing, on the border of Oak Park and Chicago, after 10 BWB […]
For over a decade, I have had the honor of interviewing some of the most fascinating, accomplished, all-around cool people who hail from Oak Park, Illinois, the community that has been my home for over 25 years. Some guests I had the pleasure of knowing already; others–thanks to the show–I have been fortunate to get […]
Twenty summers ago, on a warm mid-July night, my wife, Bridgett, and I ambled out of a Chicago bar. Sauntering toward the corner, we passed an older gentleman sweeping the sidewalk. On the fire escape directly above us, a woman gazed at us with a deep melancholy. And all around were scores of people, each […]
Yesterday, as part of the Concordia University Chicago College of Business Guest Speaker Series, I shared key principles that have been integral to my professional and personal journey. Among those principles: *Stretch beyond your comfort zone on a regular basis;*Ask for help and seek out mentors in your field of endeavor:*Value all people–not only those you think […]
Nearly three years ago, my interviews of local Oak Park notables for the village’s local cable access channel shifted gears. While I have continued the Q & A format that encompassed my smattering of segments dating back to 2009, the program’s alliterative hook has gone from “Oak Park’s Own” to “A Beer With Baron.” In […]
Six years ago, at the behest of an employee at Volvo of Oak Park who had heard me speak at a public relations workshop, the dealership’s vice president met with me at the business, 1140 Garfield St. At my suggestion, he agreed to bring me onto the iconic seven-car tower that the dealership built in 2006–at a […]
Last week was the last one on the job for Pat Zubak, executive director of Downtown Oak Park. After seven years at the helm of the organization, she is retiring. Her presence will be missed, as Bruce Ingram noted in a story about Zubak’s farewell in last week’s edition of the Oak Leaves, part of […]
It had been 75 days since I last wore a red cape, but who was counting? On Tuesday, I returned to super-hero action by playing the role of “Census Count Crusader.” It was part of the Village of Oak Park’s awareness-raising efforts for the 2010 Census. With visits to Oak Park and River Forest High […]
- 1
- 2