Bloomingdale Area Women in Business (BWIB)
The BWIB (an arm of the Bloomingdale Chamber of Commerce) is a dynamic group of women seeking to expand professional opportunities for themselves in the Bloomingdale area. The BWIB are looking for women who possess the ability to empower, embrace and equip women with the knowledge and resources to achieve their personal goals and reach their professional potential.
Recently the BWIB created the Business Woman of the Year Award, named after longtime Bloomingdale business woman Georgene Geils, who with her husband, Wally, ran Economart for over 40 years. Few women in town had a greater positive impact on all facets of Bloomingdale - family, business, school, church, scouts, and politics - Georgene made her mark in all those areas
This year, the Village's own Mary Ellen Johnson was the award recipient. Mary Ellen is the Village's Almanac Newsletter Editor, Executive Secretary to the Mayor, Business Promotion and Cultural Development Committee Secretary & Fundraising Coordinator, as well as a key public relations contact for various community agencies. In addition to her work for the Village Mary Ellen co-authored "Images of America, Bloomingdale", served as a Bloomingdale District 13 School Board member for 17 years, (four of which as president), and wrote articles for many local newspapers including the Addison Leader, the Bloomingdale Voice and the Daily Herald.
"I have long admired Georgene for being the kind of woman who makes a difference," Mary Ellen said. "To receive an award with her name on it is truly an honor."