July 12, 2025
Local News | Kane County Chronicle
Local News

Batavia Chamber seeks nominations for Citizen of the Year

Award presented at Chamber's annual Inspire Awards event in January

By KANE COUNTY

Nan Phillips, the Batavia Chamber of Commerce's Batavia Citizen of the Year for 2019. Nominations are being sought for the honor for 2020, which will be presented in January 2021. (Photo provided)

BATAVIA – The Batavia Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications for the annual Batavia Citizen of the Year Award, which honors contributions to the community over the course of the recipient's lifetime, according to a news release from the Chamber.

The person (or persons) will be the guest of honor at the Batavia Chamber of Commerce’s annual recognition event in January. The date and location of the Inspire 2021 event has not yet been finalized, the release stated.

The Citizen of the Year Award is given to a local resident whose service and dedication have made a significant contribution to the community.

Criteria for the award are:

The nominee must reside, or have their business, in Batavia or Batavia Township. The nominee must have assisted in an improvement or program of significant value to the Batavia community, and that improvement must be made as a result of a personal commitment and not substantially as a result of their primary employment or public responsibilities.

The nominee may not currently be on the Board of Directors of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce, but does not need to be a member of the Chamber. The contributions of the nominee to the community should be of an extraordinary nature.

To nominate a deserving person, submit a letter of recommendation to the Batavia Chamber of Commerce no later than Friday, Nov. 13. The letter should state the reasons why the nominee is worthy of this honor. A committee of previous recipients of the award selects the Batavia Citizen of the Year based upon the letters of recommendation received.

The last 10 Batavia Citizen of the Year winners are Nanette (Nan) Phillips (2019), Georgene Kauth O'Dwyer (2018), Marcia Boyce (2017), Ed and Nancy Weiss (2016), Joanne Spitz (2015), J. Thomas "Tom" Von Lunen (2014), James (Jim) Hanson (2013), Steve and Britta McKenna (2012), Robert and Suzanne Peterson (2011), and Virginia C. Babcock (2010).

Contact Margaret Perreault, president and CEO of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce via email margaret@bataviachamber.org or by calling 630-879-7134 for more information.