In his 12 years working at Phillips Chevrolet, Niko Kalpakidis has come to realize that the secret to being a great salesman isn’t much of a secret at all. It pretty much comes back to the Golden Rule.
“What I like best about this job is sincerely helping people find the right vehicle, and treating them like I would like to be treated,” he explains.
To that end, Kalpakidis says he strives to be as transparent and honest with customers as possible.
“I’m trying to build a long-term relationship, which means I care about their happiness and satisfaction just as much after the sale as before it,” he says. "And yes, I’m that guy that picks up his phone while I’m on vacation to help a customer out.”
In her four years with Marquette Bank, Amy Kasanders has come to see the community institution as more than just a place to make a deposit or take out a loan, and her role in it as more than just executing transactions.
“At Marquette Bank, we have the tools and resources needed to help our customers succeed, and I enjoy using those resources to find solutions that support their goals,” she explains. “I love having the opportunity to help my neighbors build a stronger financial future.”
To that end, she focuses on going beyond just delivering exceptional customer service to make genuine connections with her customers by taking the time to understand their unique needs. And in doing so, she feels like she’s getting as much out of the interaction as they are.
“Seeing my customers achieve their financial dreams is one of the most fulfilling parts of my career,” she says.
“It’s lonely at the top” may be a common lament of many leaders, but don’t count Connie O’Reel among them. In her mind, leadership is far from a solitary pursuit.
“I’ve learned over the years that leadership isn’t about doing everything yourself,” she explains. “It’s about building a strong team, creating a positive culture and making sure the people around you have what they need to be successful.”
This approach has worked well at Southwest Synergy Dance, where O’Reel and her team have built not just a dance studio, but also a place that she says nurtures friendships, encourages belonging and instills confidence in the young students who come through the program. It hasn’t always been easy, but it’s never been lonely, either.
“I have an amazing team that believes in what we’re building, and they are a huge part of why Southwest Synergy is what it is today,” she says. “Knowing that we’ve created a place where kids can walk through the doors and truly feel like they belong is probably the most rewarding part for me.”
After nearly two decades in the kitchen, Tobias Garcia knows his way around. And in his six years at The Primal Cut, that means he’s developed a deep knowledge of just how to prepare a perfect ribeye or a delicious salmon filet.
But his job goes beyond the plate. Because more than just a great meal, he’s trying to create a memorable experience for his customers.
And while taking home this honor is a source of great satisfaction, watching guests leave happy after eating his cooking night after night is an even bigger thrill.
Shari Raslavicz, who has been working at Bailey's Bar & Grill for 15 years, is also a pretty good talker.
“I think I do more talking than the customers do,” Raslavicz says. “Everyone around here are friends. They are super friendly, and I always get them quick drinks or I’m in trouble.”
“She’s just a social butterfly,” says Bailey's co-owner Tamir Bailey. “She’s everybody’s favorite. She tells a lot of stories and she’s really just a lot of fun to be around. She’s a good person.”
Navigating retirement and investment options, cash management and devising financial strategies are all part of what Nathan McCatty has been helping people do since 2018.
His father, Mike McCatty, is a local real estate agent. On his Edward Jones webpage, Nathan McCatty calls his dad “an inspiration and mentor to me on client service, attention to detail and honesty.”
Working for Edward Jones since he obtained his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois, McCatty continues to better himself. He became a certified financial planner in 2024, as well as an accredited asset management specialist.
After more than four decades of styling hair, a win in this category was not something that Susan Bedinghaus was expecting. But a long career of caring for her customers and treating people the right way seems to have caught up with her.
“It’s quite something to receive this kind of recognition,” Bedinghaus says. “I’m semi-retired now, so I’m not sure I’m quite ready for all the notoriety that comes with it.”
Bedinghaus continues to feel blessed to be able to interact with her clients, especially since many of those appointments feel like catching up with old friends.
“I love getting to know my clients, sharing ideas and helping each person feel beautiful and confident when they leave my chair,” she says. “There is truly no better feeling than seeing someone look in the mirror and love what they see.”
Working as a State Farm agent since 2008 out of offices in Tinley Park and Manteno, Mark Moylan has built long-term relationships with many of his customers. And that’s been one of his favorite parts of the job.
“Over the years, my team and I have had the privilege of watching families grow, helping young people get started, helping parents prepare for their families’ futures and being there when they experience the unexpected,” he explains.
Why do so many of those customers stick with Moylan and his team? He believes it is that focus on relationships, as well as a strong sense of community involvement and charitable fund raising. In the end, he says, it’s all about service.
“This team comes to work each day in our offices with the goal of listening to customer needs and making our customers feel like they matter,” he says.
What do Michael Del Galdo’s clients want most when they hire him to represent them? To not have to worry about their legal issues.
“Elected officials can focus on governing, and private sector CEOs can focus on running their businesses because they are confident in the knowledge that I am handling their legal affairs with judgment, competence and integrity,” he says. “That’s why clients come knocking on my door.”
With three decades of experience, Del Galdo knows that maintaining his longstanding reputation means continuing to cultivate trust, confidence and respect with every new case.
“I always have to be able to work with every stakeholder in a community to solve problems on a basis of shared interest and trust,” he says. “Because without the trust, confidence and respect of the parties involved in a negotiation, no amount of legal knowledge and talent will compensate.”
What has Dave Wooten found to be the secret to success in the last couple of years behind the bar? Short answer: He hasn’t.
“I’m still trying to figure it out,” he says.
The good news is that he gets to try and figure it out while doing a job he has come to love in just a short time, mostly due to the sense of family he says he’s been able to build with his fellow employees and regular customers at Ed & Joe’s. And the key to that is no secret at all.
“I know I’m not perfect behind the bar, but I always try to be sure everyone is having a relaxing time while they’re out.”
“Wow, it’s such an honor to be named ‘Best Mayor’ by Southland’s Best readers for the fourth year in a row,” Glotz says. “I’m extremely proud of everything our community has and continues to accomplish, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to serve as mayor of this great town. Tinley Park truly is a wonderful place to live, to work and to visit and I’m thrilled to be part of it.”
Glotz is in his second year of his second term. He was elected in 2021 and again in 2025.
“It’s been fun to watch it grow over the years,” Will Hopper says of the community F45 has built. “It feels like we are a team, not just a group of people working out.”
After years of his own fitness journey, he realized a goal to help others. “For me it was life-changing to see the transformation and gain confidence in myself.”
Now that he’s dad to a 14-month-old, he appreciates his profession even more. “As a parent I realize, this is why we’re doing these movements so we can get up and down off the ground. Or be quick on your feet.”
He strives to make the workouts make sense, to explain the benefits and how to do it safely.
“Being able to know the members goes a long way,” Hopper says of how he keeps clients motivated. “Everyone works out for different reasons.”
And F45’s enthusiastic members keep him motivated, too. “I’m lucky to have them.”
In eight years as a professional photographer, one of the things that Rachel Miller has come to appreciate most about the job is the opportunity to document so many meaningful seasons in people’s lives and to get to watch families grow through the years.
“Knowing these photographs may someday become some of their most treasured memories is something I never take for granted,” she says. “I genuinely care about both the work I create and the experience I give my clients.”
Star Nelson has pretty straightforward approach to tattoo requests: “The weirder the subject, the better.”
That lighthearted, anything-goes attitude — and the serious artistic talent to back it up — has helped Nelson gain a devoted following in just three years in the chair. Being able to connect with people through art is something she’s wanted to do since she was a kid, and she’s grateful to be able to live that dream every day.
“I love having a job that helps other people feel better about themselves through artwork, and I’m very grateful to have built trust with an amazing clientele to do so.”
