Dobskis win ISU entrepreneur award

Bob and Julie Dobski
Longtime McDonald’s owners Bob and Julie Dobski have been named Illinois State’s Entrepreneurs of the Year. (Photo by Larry Duling/WJBC)

By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – Longtime McDonald’s owners and community philanthropists Bob and Julie Dobski have been named Illinois State’s Entrepreneurs of the Year.

“You can’t do everything by yourself, unless you are a celebrity or something or a standup comic but you have to depend on people and treat people (well) because they will gave it back to you 110 percent,” Bob Dobski said.

The Dobski’s recently sold their restaurants while Bob Dobski serves as an ISU trustee and Julie Dobski runs three Little Jewels Learning Centers in the community.

“One thing I tell my employees all the time is people are watching you,” Julie Dobski said. “Be on your best behavior, give 110 percent, because people are always watching how you are behaving.”

ISU’s George R. and Martha Means Center for Entrepreneurial Studies hosted an awards dinner on Thursday night at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel.

Katie Hill-Gottesman, founder of Commuter Advertising, was named ISU’s Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year.

Kingston Wealth Management Group is the founding partner.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
Larry Duling contributed to this report.

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…