Board of Directors Bios
Pon Angara
- President of Board, Member of Local First Chicago, and Owner of Barkada Creatve -
Pon Angara is Principal of Barkada Creative, a team of brand architects working
with emerging businesses and associations to enhance their positioning and
recognition in the marketplace. Pon is responsible for the design and
implementation of the clients' cohesive brand strategies and the development of
their marketing communications materials. Barkada Creative serves clients in
professional services and associations, financial services, healthcare, IT,
education, retail, and non-profit organizations. Contact Pon at pon@localfirstchicago.org.
Suzanne Keers - Treasurer of Board, Co-Founder, and Member of Executive
Committee - Suzanne Keers is a co-founder and the Treasurer of Local First
Chicago. She is the owner of Main Street Innovations, a consulting
company devoted to helping experienced business owners grow and optimize their
companies. She has 25 years of experience in consulting and management
with deep knowledge of quality management, process improvement and general
management. She holds an undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering
from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, an MBA from the University of
Chicago and a Certificate in Liberal Arts from the Basic Program at the
University of Chicago.
Melissa
Ryzy - Secretary of Board and Director of National Sales for WCPT, Sponsor of Local
First Chicago - Melissa
Ryzy has been in Broadcast Media (radio and television) for over 20 years.
Her experience is in sales, promotions, and management and has a deep
appreciation for cause-related marketing and non-profits. She and her family
moved to the Chicago area 3 years ago and vow to never leave this wonderful
city! She lives with her husband and daughter in Park Ridge. Contact
Melissa at melissa@localfirstchicago.org.
Amir Mohabbat - Board Member, Member of Local First Chicago, and
President of The Chicagoland & Suburban Law
Firm - Amir practices law in the areas of complex business litigation
in state and federal courts throughout the nation and in transactional
intellectual property, contractual and regulatory matters. Amir’s
litigation practice emphasizes work in all aspects of intellectual property,
corporate, entertainment, FDA and FTC regulatory, unfair competition and trade
secret matters. Amir has negotiated and prepared many contractual licensing,
manufacturing and franchising agreements and has successfully prosecuted the
registration and maintenance of many trademarks and copyrights with the United
States Patent and Trademark Office and United States Copyright Office.
Jean-Paul Thomas – Board Member, Member of Local First Chicago,
and Owner of Small Office Nets –
Jean-Paul is the founder of Small Office Nets, a technology consultancy which
specializes in technology solutions for the Small and Medium Businesses in the
metropolitan Chicago. When not implementing and supporting his clients
with computer / networking based solutions; you will find Jean-Paul assisting
local community organizations with their efforts to improve residents’ quality
of life within the city of Chicago.
Jim McHale – Board Member, Member of Local First Chicago, and Vice
President of North Community Bank - Jim is
a lifelong Chicagoan who began his career in banking twenty three years ago
working for a community bank on the north side of Chicago. After moving
to a larger banking environment Jim returned to community banking ten years ago
and joined North Community Bank, a locally owned bank whose mission is one of
true community banking. Currently Jim is a Vice President of the bank whose
responsibilities include the daily operations of the twenty six branch bank
located throughout the north side of Chicago. Jim is the previous past
Chairman of the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce and served as President of that
organization for three years. In addition Jim is a member of the 48th
Ward Zoning and Planning Committee.
Jenna Obluck – Board Member, Member of Local First Chicago and President of Gilasi Recycled Glass Countertops
–
Jenna has six years of experience as a small business owner, five years in IT management,
eight years in corporate communications and eight years in the mental health
field, specializing in crisis intervention. She and her husband Garrett began
developing Gilasi in 2003 when they couldn't find sustainable countertops,
tiles or flooring for kitchen and bath projects in Chicago. They now
manufacture Gilasi surfaces in a day-lit facility in Chicago’s Kinzie
Industrial Corridor. They locally source all the recycled glass used to make
Gilasi, mostly from local businesses that have glass that cannot be recycled in
traditional ways. The Oblucks continue to seek and find ways to make their
business and their lives more locally sustainable.
Megan Wade Antieau - Board Member - Megan is a Rogers Park resident who recently returned to Chicago after working as a community organizer in Eureka, CA with the grassroots non-profit Democracy Unlimited of Humboldt County. While there she also served as a board member for the Humboldt County Independent Business Alliance. Megan holds a BA and MA from the University of Chicago. She does both freelance writing and freelance support for various non-profits, including editing, research, and project assistance. Her passion for building strong local, democratic, and sustainable communities shapes her belief in the importance of local, independent businesses and of groups like Local First Chicago.