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 on April 28 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 & Associates
- 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 April 28 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 runs through April 17, allowing industry professionals and the public to choose this year’s winners. Visit thesummitchicago.com/awards to vote. To purchase tickets and learn more about the 2026 agenda, visit thesummitchicago.com.
About The Summit
The Summit Chicago is the premier annual event for professionals in the hospitality, tourism, and events industries. With a high-energy trade show, targeted educational sessions, interactive roundtable networking, and The Summit Awards, it brings together more than 1,200 industry leaders—including event planners, social media influencers, concierges, media, hotel teams, and leading industry-focused businesses. Attendees come to connect, learn, sell, and grow—and leave with new leads, stronger partnerships, actionable insights, and real momentum.
About Ateema Media & Marketing
Founded in 2001, Ateema Media & Marketing helps small- and mid-sized hospitality businesses thrive through local, tourism, and event marketing. Based in Chicago, Ateema bridges the gap between buyers and sellers in the tourism, meetings, and events industries. The company offers a range of products and services to help clients connect with key audiences—such as meeting and event planners, visitors, concierges, social media influencers, and groups—to attract and grow business. Ateema’s portfolio includes a highly successful digital advertising platform, a visitor content marketing program, and a popular weekly newsletter showcasing things to do in Chicago. The company also produces Concierge Preferred Magazine, the only visitor publication found in hotels, as well as The Hospitality & Tourism Summit Chicago, Chicago Does videos on Instagram and TikTok, and Chicago Does Neighborhood Hotel Maps. For more information, visit Ateema.com.