Finalists Announced for Second Annual Summit Awards

Ateema Media & Marketing is proud to announce the official nominees for The Summit Awards, an annual program celebrating excellence in Chicago’s tourism and events industry. The awards will be presented at Morgan Manufacturing (401 N. Morgan St.) during the Trade Show portion of the conference. The Summit Awards are sponsored by Live Art International, an experiential programming company that connects brands with creative professionals. This year, over 300 nominations, ranging from hotels to attractions to event services were submitted by industry professionals in consideration for the final round.

“Following the success of our inaugural program, The Summit Awards will again create a space to celebrate the new and innovative ideas in Chicago’s hospitality, tourism and event industries. These nominees are creative, passionate and committed to making Chicago a world-class destination for tourism and events,” said Tim O’Malley, CEO of Ateema Media & Marketing.

These awards spotlight industry leaders and innovators who are setting new standards for outstanding services. From this exceptional group, five nominees were selected as finalists in each of the 11 categories. Award categories range from recognizing the city’s top concierges to favorite hotels, venues and restaurants.

The nominees, by category are:

Hotels

• Chicago Athletic Association

• Hyatt Regency Chicago

• L7 Chicago by Lotte

• Nobu Hotel

• The Langham

  
  

Concierges

• Alex Yu (The Langham Hotel)

• Faith Czajkowski (JW Marriott Chicago)

• Flor Sigaran (110 North Wacker)

• Joyce Fong (Chicago Athletic Association)

• Sheryl Walerski (Waldorf Astoria)

  
  

Nightlife

• Celeste

• Emerald Loop

• Howl at the Moon Chicago

• TAO Chicago

• Tunnel Chicago

Event Services

• AV Chicago

• Black Circle Creative

• Food For Thought Chicago

• Tablescapes Event Rentals

• US Poker & Casino Parties

Restaurant

• Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse

• Lucca Osteria & Bar

• Robert’s Pizza and Dough Company

• Rosebud Restaurants

DMO & Associations

• The Magnificent Mile Association

• Choose Chicago

• Heritage Corridor Destinations

• Chicago’s North Shore CVB

• Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Attractions

• City Cruises Chicago

• Color Factory Chicago

• FlyOver

• Shoreline Sightseeing

• Skydeck Chicago

Venue (Sponsored by AV Chicago)

• Catalyst Ranch

• Convene

• Lacuna Events by LM

• The Fulton West

• Wrigley Field

Shopping

• Fashion Outlets of Chicago

• Garrett Popcorn

• Marshall Pierce & Co.

• Oakbrook Center

• South Loop Farmers Market (Water Tower Place)

Social Media & Influencer

• Abby Bilinski (@itsabbysworldafterall)

• Kaylee Jo Flores (@kayleejochicago)

• Kennedy Bloom (@keninchicago)

• Lindy Esquivel (@lindyandthelittles)

• Renee Koontz (@chicago.by.ren)

Meeting & Event Planner (Sponsored by Aries Charter Transportation)

• Gwendolyn McNutt CSEP (Gym Events)

• Jamie Sowski (Cboe Global Markets)

• Lindsay Nation CMP, CMM, CTSM Gold, CEM, HMCC (CVS Health)

• Marisol Claich CMP, DES (American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine)

• Michelle Orlando, DMCP (Elevoque Business Events)

The 2026 award winners will be announced live at The Summit trade show, offering a platform for industry professionals to be recognized for their leading achievements. The winners will receive commemorative trophies, recognition on The Summit’s website and social media spotlights displaying their accomplishment to the industry.

Voting opens March11 and runs through April 17, allowing industry professionals and the public to choose this year’s winners. Visit our Awards page to vote. To purchase tickets and learn more about the 2026 agenda, visit our homepage.