The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce was thrilled to host The Exchange 2023, our annual signature showcase that brings together Chicago’s diverse business community for an exciting evening of networking and business development. This year’s event took place on March 29, at the iconic Soldier Field and was presented by Southwest Airlines.
The event is the Chamber’s largest networking event of the year, with over 800 local professionals and exhibitors representing a diverse cross-section of businesses, including small, midsize, and enterprise companies from Chicago’s major industries.
The day kicked off with a Networking Happy Hour in the Midway Club, where attendees were able to enjoy drinks provided by Molson Coors, Cooper’s Hawk, and Liquid Death. The brisk but sunny walk to the Midway Club toured the lower section of the stadium’s concourse, providing a spectacular view of the field. The energy inside the club matched the thrill of the walk, as attendees mingled enthusiastically.
The hum of networking continued in the background, while Chicagoland Chamber President and CEO Jack Lavin and Southwest Airlines Chief Sales Officer Dave Harvey officially welcomed guests to The Exchange 2023 before introducing a keynote presentation by LinkedIn on effective hiring and retention practices.
The keynote featured talent insights and trends by LinkedIn VP of Go-To-Market Enablement Michelle Schumaker, followed by an expert panel from LinkedIn that spoke about how their platform is connecting Chicago’s business community using the insights that they’ve uncovered. Ending with a Q&A session, the presentation was incredibly insightful and provided valuable takeaways for all attendees.
Meanwhile, back in Club One, the main showcase floor was buzzing with a diversity of businesses and people. A lot of excitement was shown towards the Culinary Showcase presented by GrubHub, which featured samples and giveaways from 30 local restaurants and bars. This showcase was a real highlight, and attendees were able to sample a wide range of delicious foods and drinks.
There were many unique showcases throughout the space including the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, which was designed to help entrepreneurs create jobs and economic opportunity by providing access to education, capital, and business support services. Additionally, Wintrust Bank provided an array of banking and lending solutions for guests along with a generous selection of swag.
The event ended with a drawing for six round-trip tickets provided by Southwest Airlines and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. This was an exciting end to an already fantastic event, and we were thrilled to see the enthusiasm and engagement of our attendees throughout the day.
The Exchange 2023 was a huge success, with more people attending than any previous event. We are incredibly grateful to all of our sponsors, partners, exhibitors, and attendees who helped make this event such a memorable experience. We look forward to continuing to support and promote the businesses that make Chicago such a dynamic and exciting place to live and work.
Check out the full album of pictures from The Exchange 2023!
Get involved by checking out the full list of upcoming Chamber events!