Today we’d like to introduce you to Gene Wagendorf III.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Gene. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m a life-long Chicagoan, currently residing in Belmont Cragin. After studying English at Northeastern Illinois University I began a career in retail banking (yuck), while also regularly contributing to several local music websites. While writing for a currently-defunct site called Windy City Rock, I started to dip my toe into concert promotion by arranging a series of charity shows for a variety of local non-profits, including Foundations of Music, The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, and Mercy Home for Boys & Girls.
In 2014 I was hired by the Ravenswood Community Council to help run the 13th annual Ravenswood ArtWalk, a tour of arts and industry that showcases work from one of Chicago’s most creative communities. Also known as RAW, the event takes place at multiple locations across two days and includes studio and gallery tours, industrial open houses, artist markets, a street festival center and hundreds of local makers and performers.
In 2015 I joined the Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce as its full-time Events and Marketing Director, Since being hired I’ve helped launch the new chamber by creating new events like our farmers market and craft beer festivals, and just last year I helped to re-brand a section of our neighborhood as “Malt Row,” in recognition of the incredible communities and brewers and distillers that now call the Ravenswood Industrial Corridor home.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There have definitely been challenges, so the last few years have easily been the most rewarding of my professional life. My first Ravenswood ArtWalk in October 2014 was rough- freezing temperatures, icy winds, occasional bursts of hail and some music that proved… a little too experimental for our crowds. A bumpy start for sure, but we emerged in the black and with a great foundation to build off of. The following year I shifted the event into September, lucked out on weather, nailed the music and had a fantastic turnout.
In subsequent years we’ve grown the event, adding more music, more public art, more unique programming, a children’s corner, a food truck roundup and an outdoor beer garden. RAW 2017 boasted a lineup of over 200 artists, 45 venues and several dozen Chicago bands and musicians. This year we’re also launching our RAW Schools Grant, which will fund a new public art project or performance from a school in our community.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce – what should we know?
As a young chamber of commerce, we’ve been empowered to do things a little differently. As retail and business in general change with technology, the kind of assistance that independent and small businesses need is also changing. At GRCC we take pride in having an inclusive, proactive approach to community issues. Without a set of programming that’s been established over thirty years of operation, we’ve had the freedom to think outside the box and attempt to do what no one else is doing.
For instance, while we do offer some conventional networking events, we host Chicago’s only dog-friendly networking night, an event called Where Bark Meets Business that has grown in attendance each year. Many of our education workshops cover topics like e-commerce and strategic planning, our holiday promotions this year included a fun social media scavenger hunt, and our Women Leaders in Business group has become an absolute force in just a few short years.
A huge benefit to working in this neighborhood is that I rarely need to go outside of it to bring an idea to fruition. Ravenswood is home to artists, artisans, designers, retailers, brewers, distillers, manufacturers, schools and really just about every kind of business you can imagine. The ability to make sure that nearly every aspect of what we do and who we are is sourced from Ravenswood is incredibly valuable, and it certainly helps sets us apart from other groups doing similar work. There’s a phenomenal sense of community here and I’m truly excited to be charged with connecting those dots.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I’ve been lucky enough to have some wonderful teachers and professors who really challenged me, even after I’d moved on from school, to continue to grow. Barry McGraith, formerly of Northside College Prep, and Professor Thomas Bracken, formerly of Northeastern Illinois University both deserve an overwhelming amount of credit for being thoughtful motivators who always encouraged me not to settle. I also certainly owe my parents, Gene and Lucy, for being supportive when I made the decision to leave banking without a job lined up, and my partner Mac Grambauer, whose unconditional love and experience in the non-profit world I’ve relied on regularly these last few years.
I’d also be remiss not to credit our Executive Director Megan Bunimovich, who took a gamble on hiring someone from outside the industry to help launch our new chamber. Her faith in me has been inspiring and her open-mindedness has made GRCC a place where creativity is encouraged where we can explore big ideas. I’ve learned a hell of a lot about how to succeed in this role from Megan, and I have no clue where I’d be right now if she hadn’t taken a chance on me.
Pricing:
- All of our festivals, including Ravenswood ArtWalk (9/15 + 9/16) and Ravenswood On Tap (6/23 + 6/24), only charge a $5 suggested donation.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ravenswoodchicago.org
www.ravenswoodartwalk.org
www.maltrowchicago.com - Phone: 773.975.2088
- Email: gene@ravenswoodchicago.org
- Instagram: @ravenswood_chi
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RavenswoodChicago
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ravenswood_chi
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