Lake in the Hills accepting Gordon Larsen Business of the Year nominations

Lake in the Hills is taking nominations for its Gordon Larsen Business of the Year award.

The award is designed to honor a Lake in the Hills " business that exemplifies excellence in service, community involvement, innovation, or positive economic impact," according to a news release from the village.

“Lake in the Hills is home to so many exceptional businesses that contribute to the vibrancy and growth of our community,” Village President Ray Bogdanowski said in the release. “The Gordon Larsen Award is an opportunity to recognize those efforts and celebrate their impact.”

People can nominate any business until Sept. 26, and officials said they welcome and encourage all submissions.

After Sept. 26, village officials will review the submissions and pick five finalists.

The public will be able to vote for its favorite among the top five from Oct. 6 through 31; the business with the most votes wins the 2025 Gordon Larsen Business of the Year.

The winner will be announced in November and gets recognition at a Village Board meeting, according to the release.

“The Gordon Larsen Awards have long been a tradition in Lake in the Hills, previously honoring multiple businesses across several categories,” according to the release. “This year, the award will once again spotlight one outstanding business whose contributions rise above the rest.”

Last year, the awards program celebrated its 20th anniversary and changed the process for the award in honor of the anniversary. Almost 500 people voted last year, according to the Lake in the Hills website.

The Place for Children with Autism won the award last year.

“The Place for Children with Autism stood out for their dedication to creating inclusive spaces at Village events. Their sensory-friendly activities, generous donations, and sponsorships added tremendous value to events like Family Bingo, Unplug LITH, and the Summer Sunset Festival. They also introduced the Village to the Rockin’ the Spectrum organization, further advancing our efforts to provide inclusive experiences for all residents,” according to the Lake in the Hills website.

Go to lith.org/gordonlarsen for more information and to nominate businesses.