1871 is proud to name McDonald’s as the 2017 Corporate Champion due to the company's outstanding community impact in Chicago. This award celebrates McDonald's decision to open their state-of-the-art headquarters in downtown Chicago, bringing more than 2,000 jobs and the iconic brand to the city.
The Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center and 1871 today announced that McDonald’s will be named the 2017 Corporate Champion at the 10th Annual Momentum Awards Dinner on November 2 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel Chicago. McDonald’s is being honored for its continued commitment to the Chicagoland community and economy. The company announced in the past year the relocation of its headquarters to downtown Chicago.
"McDonald’s has long been a partner at 1871, from sponsoring events that inspire young entrepreneurs to partnering on innovation days that connect startups to large corporations,” said 1871 CEO Howard A. Tullman. “The company continues to prove that even a 62-year-old organization can innovate and evolve nimbly, and we’re proud to welcome them among many other world-class organizations that have received the Corporate Champion Award.”
"Innovation is key to our commitment to building a better McDonald's for our customers so to be recognized by a technology leader like 1871 is an honour,” said McDonald’s President and CEO Steve Easterbook. “We look forward to returning our headquarters to Chicago in the spring, opening the doors to a modern environment that enhances our ability to innovate on new and better experiences for our customers.”
1871 and McDonald’s have partnered on creative and inspiring events, like the recent “NEXT GEN: Entrepreneurs You Should Know” event, which brought together entrepreneurs ages 12 to 18 to share their stories of founding impactful companies. Additionally, McDonald’s has participated in 1871’s Innovation Day program, which aims to bring together budding startups with large corporations.
“McDonald’s is an iconic example of how Chicagoland businesses can begin with humble roots and become internationally recognized giants,” said Jim O’Connor, Jr., CEC Board Chairman. “We couldn’t be more proud to call them a partner, and we thank them for their continued commitment and leadership in the local economy.”
Several other honors will be presented at the event, including the Merrick Momentum Award, the Momentum Rising Star Award, the Chicagoness Award, the Entrepreneurial Champion Award and, for the first time, the Lifetime Achievement in Entrepreneurship Award. The event will be attended by more than 1,000 of Chicago’s best and brightest tech innovators, corporate leaders and civic supporters. It is the largest gathering of the tech community annually and the primary fundraiser for CEC, which supports the activities and operations of 1871.
Anyone interested in attending the Momentum Dinner or becoming a sponsor can email momentum@1871.com or visit www.1871.com/Momentum for more information.
About McDonald's
McDonald’s is the world’s leading global foodservice retailer with over 37,000 locations in over 100 countries. Over 90 percent of McDonald’s restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local business men and women.