Naperville veterans who built businesses with help from a local nonprofit get the spotlight at the organization's biggest fundraiser yet on Oct. 29.
The Veteran Business Project (VBP) holds its third annual Valor to Venture gala from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, at Hotel Arista, 2139 CityGate Lane, in Naperville's CityGate Centre. Tickets cost $300 each, according to the event announcement. Sponsorship packages are also available.
The centerpiece of the evening is the inaugural Entrepreneurial Leadership Award, as VBP's event page names it, going to John P. Calamos Sr. Calamos Investments' building in CityGate Centre has housed VBP's headquarters since 2025. A Calamos companies spokesperson, Ken Witkowski, said in the announcement that supporting veterans' causes has been a longstanding priority for Calamos and is integral to the culture of all the Calamos companies.
VBP says the gala's ticket sales, sponsorships, live auction and raffle will help fund a PTSD mental health program the organization is developing with the Veterans Assistance Commission of DuPage County and the University of Chicago. Details on the program's scope and timeline have not been released.
The evening starts with a cocktail hour where guests can meet VBP-supported veteran business owners, followed by dinner. Fox News Network's Mike Tobin is listed as emcee. Business attire is requested, and military decorations are encouraged.
VBP was founded by Vietnam Marine Lynn Lowder and restaurateur and business coach Dale Eisenberg. The organization reports it has supported 75 new veteran-owned businesses in 48 months and formalized partnerships with College of DuPage and Innovation DuPage.
"… Veterans deserve more than gratitude – they deserve real ownership opportunities that create an atmosphere of hope for themselves and service to their community," Lowder said in the announcement.
The nonprofit also runs Rosie's Home Cookin', a local diner whose proceeds support VBP's mission. The restaurant also hosts VBP educational programming, according to the announcement. Co-founder Eisenberg described Rosie's as a working part of the nonprofit where every plate served helps sustain its mission.
Tickets and sponsorship details are available at veteranbusinessproject.org.
