By Anthony Stanford –
Aurora 10th Ward alderman and businessman, Judd Lofchie, is well-known throughout Aurora and the regional business community. Lofchie is a commercial realtor, developer, attorney, and former president of the Rotary Club of Aurora. He is an Aurora Downtown board member and co-founder of the networking group Aurora Business United. Aurora Business United comprises business owners and employees, entrepreneurs, non-profits, arts, government and others who are interested in networking.
On the second Friday of every month from 7:45 a.m. until 9:30 a.m., Lofchie is host to the Aurora Business United group at the Santori Public Library. Aurora Business United has approximately 1,000 members and is believed to be the largest business-networking group in Chicago’s western suburbs. Yet, anyone who knows Lofchie understands that the success of the group or its size isn’t surprising.
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What’s been proven is that Lofchie thrives when taking on the seemingly impossible. For example, Lofchie founded the renowned non-profit newspaper Streetwise in 1992 and serves as a board member emeritus. It’s no small feat that Streetwise has helped 11,000 homeless individuals in Chicago, and has become one of the largest street papers in the United States.
October 12, a crisp Autumn morning, Aurora area business and civic leaders gathered at the Richard and Gina Santori Library of Aurora to hear the scheduled presenters. Bob Lockwood of Luigi’s Pizza, business consultant Dan Okoniewski, professional counselor Amanda R. Lowe, and Suzanne Stegeman, representing Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry, offered their interesting perspectives on the crucial, but seldom-discussed issue of what to do if your business is in trouble or in the midst of a crisis.
Marketing director Jim Catalano, representing Catalano, Caboor & Company, has been attending the Aurora Business United meeting for five years. Catalano expressed the sentiment of many entrepreneurs in attendance. “Aurora Business United events, are in my opinion, the largest-attended free networking events in the ’burbs. The people that attend are serious networkers that genuinely seek synergy between their business and others. Lofchie himself does an amazing job making introductions and connecting people that attend,” Catalano said.
The group will meet again Friday, Nov. 9, at the Santori Library. For additional information about Aurora Business United, visit its Facebook page.
Anthony Stanford is an author and Aurora Public Library Media Consultant.