Former Bear Kurt Becker to take over management of Timber Creek Inn

SANDWICH – Former Chicago Bear Kurt Becker has agreed to take over management of the Timber Creek Inn & Suites on Route 34.

Becker, a member of the 1985 Super Bowl champions and a former football coach at East Aurora High School, recently helped the East Aurora School District 131 build a new football stadium. He attended the Sandwich Chamber of Commerce breakfast Thursday and received a standing ovation from the members for his willingness to take over management of the hotel, Mayor Richard Olson said.

“One of [Becker’s] ideas is to have our stores represented inside that building,” Olson said.

Olson said Becker saw the glass display cases in the hotel and suggested the city’s antiques shops could use them to advertise their businesses as a way to bring visitors to the city’s downtown. Olson said Becker suggested programs related to antiques could be held at the hotel during the slow times.

“He knows that [antiques are] one of the reasons people come to our town,” Olson said.

Olson commented on the two large murals in the hotel lobby that were painted some time ago by an area resident. One is a mural of Sandwich and the other is of Plano, which is similar to the one in the Plano City Council chambers.

He said Becker noted that a visitor could not tell which city he was in as he walked into the hotel.

“He wants to change that and plans to put a community name to the hotel,” Olson said.

Olson said the hotel owner had talked about installing an information sign on the property to list future events taking place downtown.

Also at the tourism committee meeting, Olson introduced Geri Benning, who recently became executive director of the Sandwich Area Chamber of Commerce.

Benning said she has lived in Plano for more than 14 years.

“I was involved with the Plano Chamber whenever possible, so I know what a Chamber can do for a community,” Benning said. “I was not looking for a job, but when this position opened up, I applied and got it.”

Benning said she has hired an office manager and they are now working on plans for the future, including participating in various events already planned, such as the Plano Bologna Sandwich Day.

She plans to visit Chamber members whenever possible and noted that the Chamber has an email calendar where merchants can add information about their events.