It all started on the beach back in June, 2002.
Jeremy Hilborn met Stan Sloan on the beach in Chicago and then, coincidentally, was volunteering to do media relations work that same evening at the HRC Gala. Hilborn, who hails from north suburban Deerfield, graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1999 with a degree in journalism and had spent three years working in the news room and in the production department at CBS/Newsradio 780 WBBM.
Sloan was a guest at the gala, and their conversation from the beach continued. He told Hilborn about a job opening at Chicago House & Social Service Agency, where Sloan is the president/CEO. Hilborn came in the following Monday for an interview.
Eleven years ago, with countless memories to remember, Hilborn is now saying goodbye to Chicago House. He is joining agencyEA, an award-winning experiential event marketing company based in Chicago, as an event producer.
His last day at Chicago House is Nov. 22, and he starts his new job on Nov. 25.
"I did my research, and knew I was coming in to an organization that had a great reputation for compassion and care, and that it was as well known for this as it was for the caliber of event fundraisers that it hosted. The bar was set high. My predecessors were the people who built Chicago House," Hilborn said. "We had an incredible staff and board, we had events that were recognized and respected in the community.
"I was a kid [when I started at Chicago House], so I honestly didn't know what I didn't know, yet. I came in excited and ready. I saw the bar, and with Stan's encouragement and leadership, I jumped over it.
"There are just too many [highlights] to count. I've met some truly incredible people here, between the amazing staff and board, to the countless Broadway touring companies who have partnered with us to raise funds for our mission, to working alongside the incredible guest speakers and celebrities we've featured at our events.
"The biggest highlight for me has been the amount of trust Stan and our board have had in allowing me to freely develop our new events, to make revisions to our standard events, and to conceptualize them in the way that was not only appropriate and profitable to the organization, but appealing to our donors. Feeling like my opinion and my expertise has been valued, and that I'd not been micromanaged throughout was, and is, an important part of allowing for my personal and professional growth."
Hilborn, 36, who lives in Uptown and is openly gay, is the Director of Individual Giving and Special Events at Chicago House. He previously served at its Special Events Manager.
Hilborn said his most memorable Chicago House moment also was one of the most recent. At the 2013 Speaker Series Luncheon, with former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton attending, she praised the work of Chicago House, and gave special recognition to Hilborn, which "truly substantiated the years of work that we've put into building the Speaker Series to what it now is," he said. "She validated my personal efforts, but more importantly, put a stamp of approval on Chicago House's work and so closely aligned what we've done and where we're going with her own personal and political priorities."
Despite the high-profile Clinton spotlight and endorsement, Hilborn said supporting the people that Chicago House serves truly stands out. "Our administrative facilities aren't at the same site where most of our services are offered," he said. "As a result, I often feel disconnected from the mission and from our residents, so the rare moments I did get to share with our clients were that much more special.
"Every summer, the kids who live at our family support building put on a show called 'Mesh and Groove' at the conclusion of their summer camp program. With support from Barnett Foundation and After School Matters, these kids work together for months to learn lines and music, and choreography, and to write, produce, and perform their own material in front of loving audiences. Being a 'theater kid' myself, I know the importance of working toward a goal, and how amazing it feels to get applause, and the important life skills you gain from standing confidently in front of a group of your peers....
"Having some place to express yourself artistically, and having a sanctuary from the sometimes harsh realities of life can be as important as having a warm bed to sleep in at night."
Hilborn praised Sloan for his leadership and guidance, not just his friendship and support. "Stan always says that Chicago House remains committed to encouraging individual growth and development—for our clients, staff, and board members themselves. I feel like I came here with an empty toolbox. Chicago House gave me the tools, and then showed me how to use them, the same way we do for the individuals and families who come to us in need. I can say with 100 percent certainty that my skill set related to events and fundraising, and the doors that have opened for me would not have been possible without the nurturing family here who allowed and encouraged me to succeed.
"I think the most important lesson here has been the underlying significance of gratitude in everything that we do. That is gratitude to our donors, to our sponsors, our volunteers, our vendors, [everyone], and that is a sentiment that can be transferrable to any career at any company.
"Chicago House is where I grew up. Chicago House made me. I feel like my tenure here has been an extended grad school course, and I'm ready to take the 11-year practicum and use these skills to soar in my next job."
Hilborn said it is "overwhelming" to think of the thousands of lives that have been touched by Chicago House during his 11-year career. "I feel proud to have played a small part in helping someone get back on their feet, or making their final days here more dignified," he said. "Our programs expanded by leaps and bounds while I was here. We built two new buildings, added prevention work, city-wide testing, employment, new housing units, and reached out to provide even more diverse support to countless LGBTQ people in need.
"That expansion is directly linked to the availability of unrestricted funding, which came from the events and donor development projects I worked on with our team. The more overwhelming piece to think about are hundreds of thousands of donors who have come together since Chicago House's founding in 1985 to do something good to help the lives of people whose names and stories they will never even know. That's exceptionally inspiring to me."
Hilborn said he will remain a Chicago House donor and volunteer, and of course attend future Speaker Series Luncheons.
"As our organization grew, we were forced to elevate the quality of our work, to think about our rhetoric and how Chicago House wants to tell our story. [We] worked for years to develop an event that was as financially significant as it was meaningful," Hilborn said. "Inaugurating the Series with a former President, [Bill Clinton], legitimized us, and laid the groundwork to be able to seek out corporate sponsors, and even to have access to an impressive list of keynote speakers for subsequent years. The event opened doors for Chicago House, allowing us access to donors who may have never noticed us otherwise, and was the best PR tool to shout out [the Chicago House] mission from the rooftops while aligning ourselves with respected leaders who have done similar work."
So why leave Chicago House?
"Much like Chicago House sort of fell into my lap when I met Stan 11 years ago, the universe presented me with an incredible new opportunity that I felt would be the next important step in my own career growth," Hilborn said. "I feel positive that I'm leaving at a great time in the organization's history, and can feel very proud of what we've been able to accomplish in my time here.
"I'm excited to face some new challenges and really elevate the types of events that I can work on."
