Zack Sullivan
Geneseo Chamber of Commerce
Executive Director

GENESEO, IL – The Geneseo Chamber of Commerce gathered business and community leaders last night at Lavender Crest Winery for its 2025 Annual Dinner & Awards Banquet—an evening of celebration, recognition, and a shared vision for the future.

“The Geneseo Chamber isn’t coasting – we’re charging forward. And we’re bringing Geneseo with us,” said Zack Sullivan, IOM, Executive Director of the Geneseo Chamber of Commerce, as he opened the evening.

The event was more than a celebration—it was an opportunity to reflect on a year of milestones and to share plans for continued progress. Sullivan highlighted key achievements from the past year, including:

• Investment in professional development for Geneseo Chamber staff.

• The Geneseo Chamber’s first advocacy trip to Washington, D.C. in 16 years, representing Geneseo’s business community at the national level.

• Successfully adapting the 2024 Geneseo Christmas Walk after an ice storm forced last-minute changes.

“I can’t be the only person who has noticed Geneseo’s positive economic momentum over the past five years,” Sullivan told the crowd. “This progress is not the result of two people at the Chamber office. It is the result of all of the hard work our business community puts into their crafts, of the leadership at our City, and of your dedication to making Geneseo the best place it can be.”

The Geneseo Chamber reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the local economy, stating: “We are eager to see Geneseo’s continued growth during the second half of the decade. And we’ll be here to support Geneseo’s incredible business community along the way!”

The evening also honored individuals and organizations that exemplify leadership, service, and innovation within the Geneseo Business Community:

• Lifetime Achievement Award – Lorrie & Barry Snodgrass

• Business of the Year – Blain’s Farm & Fleet

• Business Person of the Year – Tina Cooper of NOSH (accepted via video message)

• ACES Award – Geneseo School District 228 (presented by Inspire Continuing Care; accepted by Superintendent Dr. Laura Delgado)

• Beautification Award – Erdman Construction LLC

• Rising Star Award – Habaneros Geneseo

• Volunteers of the Year – Kristen Granell & Ashley Moore, Little Miss Geneseo Music Fest Pageant The Geneseo Chamber thanks its 2025 Annual Dinner & Awards Banquet sponsors: Apex Clean Energy, Mel-O-D Lane Boarding, Sedlock Construction, Trackside Liquors, In A Godda Da Vida Music, Geneseo Communications, Catherine Rothschild CPA, and Caffeine and Carbs.

The evening concluded with a spirited auction, friendly networking, and a shared sense of excitement for Geneseo’s future