Thursday, November 20, 2003
IBM and Windy City Media Group will present the 2003 GLBT
Technology and Business Leadership Awards Thursday, Nov.
20 at Speakeasy Supper Club, 1401 W. Devon in Chicago.
IBM and Windy City Times newspaper have co-sponsored a
series of business features in 2003, with the goal of honoring
many of the individuals in a year-end ceremony.
IBM is known as the “Technology Leader for the GLBT
Community.” Windy City Media Group, the publisher of Windy
City Times, has played an instrumental role in the growth of the
Chicago-area gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender business
community since its founding in 1985.
The following individuals and businesses will be honored for
their technological savvy and business leadership:
Alderman Tom Tunney, owner of Ann Sather’s Restaurants and
the cities first openly gay alderman.
Aldo Castillo, award-winning entrepreneur both locally and
nationally for his Aldo Castillo Gallery.
R. Sue Connolly of Northern Trust Bank for her work helping to
change the banking industry on GLBT issues and for her
non-profit volunteer efforts.
D/E EntertainmenT & Grammy Award-winning DJ Frankie
Knuckles, for marking 10 years of providing top-flight community
events.
Mary Ellen Diaz, owner of First Slice, a restaurant serving the
homeless, elderly and poor families in Chicago.
Malik Gillani of MicroTech for his work on technology as a
business owner as well as his work in the community through
the Silk Road Theater Project and other non-profits.
Materville Studios for their unique business which provides
technology support for musicians and small businesses. Most
recently they were profiled in The Advocate.
Judith Markowitz, Ph.D., president of J. Markowitz, Consultants,
a high-technology consulting firm specializing in artificial
intelligence and speech-processing (which includes speech
recognition and speech synthesis).
In addition, special awards, presented by IBM program director
of GLBT Sales and Talent Sarah Siegel, will be given to reporter
Andrew Davis and entrepreneur Jody Andre, owner of The
Room and Speakeasy Supper Club (and formerly Tomboy
Restaurant). There will also be a Youth Entrepreneurial
Scholarship Presentation which will award one young individual
who has started—or is about to start—a business venture.
A cocktail presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the award
presentation to follow at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person
and reservations must be made to (773) 871-7610 by Nov. 14.
For more information please contact Tracy Baim at Windy City
Media Group at (773) 871-7610.