Chicagoans of the Year 2010: Rocky Wirtz, Chicago Blackhawks

Goal Tender CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS Related: PHOTO GALLERY » MORE CHICAGOANS OF THE YEAR 2009 » 2008 » 2007 » 2006 » LIST OF HONOREES » dating back to 1994 The enormity of it—the marvelously goofy, wonderfully silly, joyously cathartic insanity of it—didn’t hit Rocky Wirtz right away. As the principal owner and chairman of the Chicago … Read more

Chicagoans of the Year 2010: Susan Axelrod, CURE

Heal-Raiser CURE Related: PHOTO GALLERY » MORE CHICAGOANS OF THE YEAR 2009 » 2008 » 2007 » 2006 » LIST OF HONOREES » dating back to 1994 In 1981, Susan Axelrod was a young mother tending to her seven-month-old baby, A doted-on firstborn. The baby, Lauren, was healthy and bouncy—and then one day she developed … Read more

Chicagoans of the Year 2010: Gunny Harboe

Past Perfect SULLIVAN CENTER Related: PHOTO GALLERY » MORE CHICAGOANS OF THE YEAR 2009 » 2008 » 2007 » 2006 » LIST OF HONOREES » dating back to 1994 On the southeast corner of State and Madison, it’s as if the 20th century were dawning anew. Looking better than it has since a Roosevelt—Teddy—sat in … Read more

Because everybody knows somebody who knows the president

[click to enlarge] BARACK OBAMA President of the United States MICHELLE OBAMA First Lady DAVID MANILOW Executive producer, Check, Please! When Manilow needed guests in the show’s early days, he tapped Barack, then a “lively, articulate” state senator, who taped an episode in 2001. ALPANA SINGH Host, Check, Please! She wasn’t hosting when Barack appeared—and … Read more