MARK DOBRZYCKI

Founder

 

Harwood Heights Trustee Mark Dobrzycki is the founder of our Chamber of Commerce. Shortly after being elected to his first term Trustee Dobrzycki started on one of his many succesful projects. After meeting with a local business that was improving its store and property Trustee Dobrzycki learned that the business had decided not to repave their parking lot because the cost of the permit to do the work was exorbitant. He asked how come the business did not comment when the ordinance was brought before the village board. The answer was simple, no one knew.

 

The answer to that was simple too. Trustee Dobrzycki introduced an ordinance to reduce the cost of the permit, it passed unanimously and communications between the village and its constiuent businesses began in earnest. He started meeting with local business people and gathering information. Trustee Dobrzycki's idea was to create the first ever Chamber of Commerce. There had never been a Chamber of Commerce before in Harwood Heights and the surrounding area and soon Trustee Dobrzycki would change that.

 

Going from one business to another, Trustee Dobrzycki created interest and starting signing people up to the fledgling organization. He met Elsa Volpe a manager at a newly opened bank and she agreed to help. Local stores, restaurants, banks, and other businesses came on board, and the first ever Harwood Heights Chamber of Commerce was born. Businesses from Harwood Heights were joined from neighboring Norridge and Chicago. Over 75 businesses and professionals became part of one of the area's newest chamber of commerce.

 

Trustee Mark Dobrzycki is founder and the official liaison for the Village of Harwood Heights to the Chamber of Commerce. He has lived in the area since 1976 and holds two degrees from Northwestern University, Economics and Sociology, and earned a Masters in Business Administration from Loyola University Chicago. Trustee Dobrzycki is the Executive Director of the Amicus Poloniae Volunteer Legal Clinic, part of the Chicago Volunteer Legal Service Foundation, and the PNA Information Center.

 

He is proud that his initiative and hard work has lead to a very successful and community based organization.