Veteran Business Project is hosting its Valor to Venture Gala at Hotel Arista
The Oct. 29 event celebrates & showcases VBP’s Success Stories & New Partnerships
Veteran Business Project, Inc. (VBP) will celebrate veteran success stories at its third annual Valor to Venture fundraising gala from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, at Hotel Arista, 2139 CityGate Lane, Naperville’s CityGate Centre.
The only boots-on-the-ground nonprofit that works one-on-one with military veterans and military spouses to attain business ownership, VBP was founded 14 years ago by Vietnam Marine Lynn Lowder and local restaurateur and business coach Dale Eisenberg. In just the last 48 months, VBP has supported 75 new veteran-owned businesses. More recently, it has formalized partnerships with College of DuPage and Innovation DuPage, deepening its educational resources and further establishing a Veteran Training Institute operating out of Rosie’s Home Cookin’, a local diner and VBP wholly owned subsidiary whose proceeds directly support the nonprofit in a unique sustaining model.
“Rosie’s is more than a diner. It’s a working part of our nonprofit with every plate served helping sustain our mission,” said Eisenberg. “Plus, it hosts VBP’s educational programming.”
Valor to Venture will include a cocktail hour where guests can meet and mingle with VBP-supported veteran business owners, followed by a plated dinner, live auction with professional auctioneer David Goodman and raffle which includes authentic, battle-carried WWII knives. Emceed by Fox News Network’s Mike Tobin, the gala will honor those business owners, celebrate new partnerships and recognize honored guests. Sponsorships, ticket sales, the auction and raffle are designed to help fund new and expanding programs, such as the PTSD Mental Health program under development in a partnership among the Veterans Assistance Commission (VAC) of DuPage Country, the University of Chicago and VBP.
“We started Veteran Business Project because veterans deserve more than gratitude – they deserve real ownership opportunities that create an atmosphere of hope for themselves and service to their community,” said Lowder. “Seeing 75 new veteran-owned businesses launch in the last four years—and now partnering with College of DuPage and Innovation DuPage—shows how far that mission has come.
“The selection of Hotel Arista to host the event is a natural fit as CityGate Centre is our home,” Lowder added.
VBP relocated its headquarters to the Calamos Investments building in CityGate Centre in 2025, and Rosie’s reopened in the community earlier this year. The organization and its mission are well-suited to CityGate Centre, developed by local businessman and Vietnam veteran John P. Calamos, Sr., who, with his namesake investment firm and commitment to community and service, demonstrates the enterprising spirit Lowder and Eisenberg hope to help more veterans achieve.
Mr. Calamos will be honored at the gala with VBP’s first annual YET (You’ve Earned This) Award, recognizing outstanding support for VBP and veterans across the country.
“Supporting veterans’ causes is a longstanding priority for Mr. Calamos and integral to the culture of all the Calamos companies,” said Calamos Real Estate SVP and Designated Managing Broker Ken Witkowski. “We are extremely proud to have Veteran Business Project and Rosie’s Home Cookin’ here.”
Valor to Venture tickets are $300 each or $2,700 for a table of 10. Sponsorship packages are also available, and each sponsorship level includes event tickets.
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