The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce hosted The Exchange 2025, presented by Southwest Airlines, on Thursday, April 10, inside historic Soldier Field. As the Chamber’s largest networking event of the year, The Exchange brought together more than 750 business leaders from across the region for an afternoon of energy, insights, and new connections.
Beneath the historic columns, guests explored two levels of activation throughout the stadium’s elegant club space. Exhibitors lined the main floor with colorful branding, interactive promotional giveaways, and welcoming representatives from businesses large and small. A broad cross-section of industries was represented—companies like Uber, K&M Printing, Rotary International, and Pillur Business Banking to startups, creative agencies, nonprofits, universities, and community banks.
The day began with Welcome Remarks in the North Temple Gate Room, where Chamber President & CEO Jack Lavin was joined by Melanie O’Brien, Regional Manager of Community Engagement at Southwest Airlines, to officially open The Exchange. Together, they set a collaborative, forward-looking tone for the day, highlighting how The Exchange fosters stronger business connections across Chicagoland.
Meanwhile, on the showcase floor, more than 100 businesses shared their services, products, and ideas—creating an open marketplace of opportunity and discovery. The Culinary Showcase presented by Grubhub featured samples from 25 local restaurants, bars, and food brands along the east wall, offering everything from empanadas and egg rolls to pizza and pastries. Near the entrance to the field view, guests stepped in for complimentary professional headshots courtesy of Chicago Corporate Photography & Video, while AT&T powered up attendees with a convenient charging station.
Throughout the day, attendees heard from leaders across two compelling Chamber Chats—new to 2025.
In the first session, Robert Half led a discussion on the shifting dynamics of today’s workplace, titled The Future of Work – Navigating Talent Trends. Thomas Vick and Kieran Costello shared data and insights on emerging talent trends, building strong pipelines, and retaining top employees to stay competitive in 2025 and beyond.
The second session, hosted by Alera Group, titled Small Business Health Insurance – What the Heck?. Marcus Newman broke down the current landscape of health insurance including the impact of the Affordable Care Act and cost-effective strategies for providing quality benefits to employees.
Upstairs on the third floor, LinkedIn hosted two back-to-back Speed Networking sessions. These fast-paced sessions matched participants based on their industry preferences to help maximize the opportunity for building meaningful relationships. LinkedIn also proudly invested in Chicago’s small business community by contributing a total of $40K in ad credits at The Exchange 2025.
From the sun-soaked field views to the sound of handshakes, laughter, and introductions echoing through the stadium, The Exchange 2025 captured the essence of Chicago’s business community: vibrant, resilient, and ready to grow.
View the full photo gallery from The Exchange 2025 here.
Get involved by checking out the full list of upcoming Chamber events!