10-Mar-19 – From 300,000 workers in the Chicago Loop, a project to celebrate the Loop workforce will select an “employee of the month” each month through next February.

Chicago Loop Alliance says besides recognition, there will be prizes – a package worth $500 to each worker selected. Each winner will also appear in a mural “dedicated to the Loop worker.”

“These workers can be anyone from baristas to CEOs, as long as they are great at what they do, contribute to their community, and inspire those around them,” said a spokesperson for CLA.

The worker must also be at least 16 years old and work within the CLA’s definition of the Loop – Congress Parkway to the south, Michigan Avenue to the east, and Chicago River to the north and west.

“The Loop is a major economic driver for the entire city of Chicago and beyond,” said CLA President and CEO Michael Edwards. “At the heart of that is the Loop’s workforce of 300,000. These are our workers in the service industry, retail, the tech sector, arts and culture, real estate – the list goes on. Our mission at CLA is to make the Loop a high-performing urban center, and that mission cannot be accomplished without this workforce.”

The first winner is Marion Batey, a Business Relations Specialist for Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, which places workers in the hospitality industry.

“When I am on the street, and a person comes up to me and tells me they got employed, that is my favorite part about this work,” said Batey (left). “Not only does it change their life, but it changes the trajectory of their household. That’s what we’re all committed to, is that snowball effect.”

The prize package includes theater tickets, a one-night stay at Hilton Chicago, gift cards, and one week of free parking.