Membership Requirements
Potential members must meet all of the following:
- Generates at least $1Million in gross revenue, either earned in the prior calendar year or as the sum of the most recent twelve calendar months. Note: realtors, mortgage or insurance brokers, and similar companies must meet these criteria using annual commissions and/or fees collected.
- Employs three full-time employees or the equivalent.
- Actively in control by maintaining the position of CEO, President, or the equivalent (i.e. Managing Partner) and has predominant day-to-day executive management duties at an operational and/or strategic level.
Potential members must meet at least one of the following:
Founder or Co-founder
Responsible for the formation of business or partnership who, at the inception of the business or partnership was either an Owner, General Partner, Majority Shareholder with at least a 30% ownership in the company. The person must also currently have predominant day-to-day executive management duties at an operational and/or strategic level.
Owner
A sole-proprietor of an unincorporated business, or sole shareholder of a corporation.
Controlling Shareholder
A person associated with the business who owns equal or more shares to other partners, which enables them to control the appointment of management for the business, or who effects control of the business through the exercise of management authority. Only two partners from a business may be EO Chicago members. Special considerations will be made for persons with less than equal ownership, but have a formal succession plan in place.
Family Owned
C-Level executive of a family-owned business with majority ownership or control of management decisions at an operational or strategic level. For those in line to take over a family business, there must be a formal succession plan in place, with a letter from the family and accountant or lawyer stating the intent for a transfer of shares.
