Business Briefs
February 7, 2012 1:28PM
Updated: February 22, 2012 12:17PM
Metra is asking its riders to comment about minor schedule adjustments that it is proposing for its Burlington Northern Santa Fe Line to Aurora.
Only certain trains on the BNSF line would see modifications. In most cases, the proposal adjusts a train’s departure times from certain stops or its running times between stations or overall by two to five minutes. The adjustments will affect both weekday and weekend trains with most of the proposed schedule adjustments affecting non-peak and weekend trains. The changes are designed to make the schedules more accurate and/or to minimize conflicts with other trains.
The most significant of proposed changes for weekday riders will be to afternoon outbound trains 1241, 1245 and 1247. Under the proposed change, Train 1241 will depart Chicago Union Station two minutes earlier schedule and arrive in Aurora two minutes later. This change is intended to minimize delays to express trains that follow this local service.
The proposed schedule calls for Train 1245 to terminate its run at Fairview Avenue. Train 1247 will add a stop at Fairview Avenue to allow passengers transferring from 1245 to board and continue their trip to outlying stations. The changes to these two trains’ schedules will increase operational efficiency of the weekday afternoon rush hour service.
The proposed new schedules can be viewed at Metra’s website, www.metrarail.com. Comments about the adjustments can be made via the online comment form (click on the “Contact Us” link from the homepage), by sending an e-mail to onthebilevel@metrarr.com or by calling Metra’s customer service number on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 312-322-6777 (Press 7 to talk to a Metra representative).
Comments will be accepted until Feb. 21. A final decision about the proposed changes will be made after all comments have been reviewed.
Smothers Realty leads the market
Smothers Realty Group continued to lead the market for home sales and volume in La Grange and LaGrange Park, according to 2011 Multiple Listing Service figures. In La Grange, Smothers commanded a 27 percent market share, selling three times the dollar volume of houses of the nearest competitor. In LaGrange Park, Smothers’ market share was 17 percent and again sold twice the dollar volume of homes as the nearest competitor. In addition, nine out of the top 20 agents for single family home sales in 2011 for La Grange and LaGrange Park were from Smothers Realty Group.
The company recently renovated an office building at 919 W. Hillgrove Ave., La Grange.
Smothers Realty Group also recently welcomed Realtor Beth Brace to its team. Brace previously worked at Adams and Meyers, Prudential Preferred Properties and Roudebush Realtors, Inc., where she was consistently a multimillion dollar agent. During her tenure at Prudential, Brace earned certifications as a relocation specialist, an internet specialist, a negotiations consultant, short sale/foreclosure specialist and as a certified stage consultant.
Brace graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in economics from St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame. She lives in La Grange with her family and has four grown children. To contact Beth Brace, call (708)482-2996 or visit www.bethbrace.com.
Career exploration event scheduled
On Feb. 25, dozens of west suburban professionals will assemble in Countryside to offer expert advice to job seekers. Designed to re-energize the flagging enthusiasm of the Chicago-area unemployed, the West Suburban Chamber of Commerce and Industry Business Education Council Get Back to Work Event intends to provide tools for choosing from among traditional employment opportunities, entrepreneurial options and ongoing training. Members of various mental and physical health organizations will offer advice on staying upbeat during unemployment, a time generally considered by health professionals to be among life’s most stressful experiences.
From among three seminar tracks, attendees will have access to 10 seminars. The seminars vary among topics such as using social media in the job search, starting your own business, improving your networking skills, and training for and entering growth industries.
The career exploration event, being held at 9649 W. 55th Street in Countryside, will begin with registration at 8 a.m. Feb. 25. Keynote speaker Donna DeSai of DeSai Counseling, will address the assembly at 8:30 a.m., and seminars will begin at 9 a.m. The industry exposition will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pre-registration is requested at (708) 387-7550, or katherinel@wscci.org. This event is provided by WSCCI free of charge to attendees and vendors.
Kroll named to Best Lawyers List
Hinsdale resident Jeffrey Kroll was selected by fellow lawyers for inclusion in the 2012 edition for The Best Lawyers in America in the practice area of Plaintiff’s Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Litigation. For nearly three decades, Best Lawyers has been regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence in the United States. Also, for the 8th consecutive year, Kroll was selected as an Illinois Super Lawyer in the practice area of Plaintiff’s Personal Injury Litigation.
Sobieraj assumes presidency
James R. Sobieraj, a Hinsdale resident and a shareholder at intellectual property law firm Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, became the firm’s president, effective Jan. 1.
An attorney at Brinks since 1982, Sobieraj has extensive experience in counseling clients and litigating intellectual property cases before juries, judges and arbitrators, representing companies with a variety of innovative technologies. He has been lead counsel in numerous lawsuits involving patent infringement, ownership of patent rights, license disputes, misappropriation of trade secrets, trade dress infringement, unfair competition, false advertising, fraud, antitrust, breach of contract and other commercial disputes.
Sobieraj is a past president of the Licensing Executives Society (LES USA & Canada), and serves as treasurer to the board of directors of the Licensing Executives Society International. He also has served as president of the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago, and on the board of directors for the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Sobieraj is a founding member of the IP Hall of Fame Academy, and the Richard Linn American Inn of Court. In addition to his professional responsibilities, he is the president of the St. Edward’s Church parish council in Mendon, Mi., and is a member of the Union League Club of Chicago.
Sobieraj earned his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and holds a bachelor of science degree. magna cum laude in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan.
Brinks has its headquarters in Chicago, and offices in Washington, D.C., Research Triangle Park, N.C., Salt Lake City, Ann Arbor and Indianapolis. More information is available at www.usebrinks.com.
Mutual Trust receives honor
Mutual Trust Financial Group, based in Oak Brook, was recently selected as one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the country by the National Association for Business Resources. Prior to winning this national recognition, Mutual Trust Financial Group was named by the association as one of Chicago’s 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For six years in a row.
The winning companies were assessed by an independent research firm on a number of key measures, including communication, community initiatives, compensation and benefits, diversity and multiculturalism, employee education and development, employee engagement and commitment, recognition and retention, recruitment and selection, and work-life balance. The winning companies are featured in January’s online edition of Corp! Magazine and will receive recognition as a national winner at a symposium and gala later this year.
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