The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce today released its 2019 programming agenda for Mid-Market Chicago, a program founded in 2016 to help grow and support middle market companies (defined as $10mil – $1bil in annual revenue) across Chicagoland.

According to a 2017 survey by the Chicagoland Chamber and the National Center for the Middle Market (NCMM), this segment of the region’s business community is a workhorse for jobs and economic vitality. It comprises just 1.5% of all Chicago-region companies, yet provides jobs to 26% of the region’s private sector employees, and generates 22% of all business revenue in the region.

“In a world defined by change, middle market companies are leading the way,” said Stephen Ferrara, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Board member and Chief Operating Officer of BDO USA, the Presenting Sponsor of Mid-Market Chicago. “Ready to pivot toward new opportunities, they’re innovating, creating jobs, and driving our economy today and into the future. It’s never been a more exciting place to be.”

To kick off the 2019 program, the Chamber will host two back-to-back events unveiling the findings of its annual survey of middle market companies as part of its partnership with NCMM. The first event will be held on Tuesday, April 2 (7:30-9:30a) at Aon Center in downtown Chicago. The second event will be held the following day on Wednesday, April 3 (7:30-9:30a) at Illinois BIS in Naperville. Admission is free for middle market companies, but registration is required.

“Middle market companies play a vitally important role in the region’s business community. As part of our ongoing commitment to helping our customers make sense of complexity, we are delighted to partner with the Chicagoland Chamber on deploying timely, relevant content and educational resources to help mid-market companies across all sectors of the economy thrive,” said Laura Garcia, Managing Director of US Commercial Banking Credit, Risk & Compliance for BMO Harris Bank, NA.

“Aon has been a Chamber member since 1945 and is proud to also serve on the Chamber’s Executive Committee. We’re excited to expand our partnership through the Mid-Market Chicago program and look forward to further collaborating with its members.  As risk and health advisors, we applaud the innovations that mid-market companies foster to further fuel economic and human possibility for Greater Chicagoland,” said Don Ortegel, Resident Managing Director, Aon Chicago Commercial Risk & Health.

Below is a schedule of Mid-Market Chicago events for 2019. Be sure to mark your calendars and check our website frequently for new content and resources, too.

Schedule of Events

April 2 | State of the Mid-Market – The Loop

April 3 | State of the Mid-Market – Naperville

May 23 | The Value of Benefits: What Employees Want

June 11 | Fostering a Diverse & Inclusive Workplace

July 16 | Building High-Performing Cultures

September 10 | Creating the Workplaces & Workspaces of Tomorrow

October 8 | Save the date! (Topic TBD)

December 10 | The Mid-Market & What to Expect in 2020

“As a founding partner of the Chamber’s Mid-Market Chicago program, DLA Piper is committed to support middle market companies in the Chicago region. Through exciting programs that focus on a myriad of issues, including fostering diverse and inclusive cultures across companies of all sizes, we are excited about this continued partnership with the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce,” said Stephen Schwab, Partner at DLA Piper LLP, which along with BDO, serves as an inaugural partner of the program.

“The Chicago area is home to many of country’s most vibrant middle market organizations. In fact, this segment of the area’s business community provides jobs to over a quarter of the region’s private sector employees, thus generating a sizable impact on Chicago’s economy. I personally believe that the program’s education and networking opportunities are second to none and, as a company, Colliers is proud to help provide valuable resources to this great initiative and growing segment of Chicago’s business community,” said Jim Carris, Executive Managing Director-Market Lead at Colliers.

For more information about Mid-Market Chicago, please contact Vice President of Programs Joey Mak at jmak@chicagolandchamber.org.