Welcome to the 2026 Gordon Larsen Business of the Year Award Survey!

We’re celebrating the outstanding businesses that make Lake in the Hills a great place to live, work, and play. Each of the nominees has gone above and beyond to serve our community, whether through exceptional customer service, community partnership, or remarkable achievements.

Now, it’s your turn to choose! Read about each nominee below and vote for the business you believe deserves to be recognized as the 2026 Business of the Year. Your input helps us honor the hard work and dedication of our local businesses.

1.Please select one winner to receive the Gordon Larsen Business of the Year Award:

Algonquin Academy of Dance, 4590 Princeton Lane, Ste 140 (Community Partner) –
Through its competitive team, Revolution Dance Company, the studio teaches teamwork, leadership and giving back, with activities including Feed My Starving Children, fleece blanket donations for children battling cancer, Wreaths Across America and the Polar Plunge. One parent credits AAD with helping her daughters become “confident, compassionate, resilient young women” and says the friendships, character and sense of belonging will stay with them long after their final dance. “AAD is so much more than a dance studio - it is our second family.”

Elite Laser & Skin Spa, 4581 Princeton Lane, Ste 111 (Customer Service) –
“DeAnna is deeply invested in the success and well-being of the area.” Elite Laser & Skin Spa is being recognized for the business's history, attentive service and welcoming atmosphere. The nominations explain the owner DeAnna Kell’s philosophy that caring for ourselves helps us give our best to our families, careers and communities, and describes her active involvement with the McHenry County Mental Health Board, Big Brothers Big Sisters and other local causes. As both a resident and business owner, she is described as “deeply invested in the success and well-being of the area”.

First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO), 2100 Algonquin Road and 4520 Algonquin Road (Longevity) –
“FNBO is more than a bank - it is a family-owned financial institution.” With two locations in Lake in the Hills, and a history of more than 165 years; FNBO was recognized for its commitment to relationships with local families, businesses, nonprofits, schools and community organizations. Its Lake in the Hills employees were recognized for giving their “time, talent and resources” through volunteerism, sponsorships and financial contributions, as well as helping small-business owners and families make important financial decisions.

Slim & Eddie’s Barber Company, 6 Miller Road (New Business) –
“Slim & Eddie’s didn’t just open a new business - they quickly became part of the community.” Nominators describe a welcoming barbershop where grandparents, parents, teenagers and children all feel at home, and where customers from different professions and backgrounds come together. They also praise the friendly, experienced barbers, affordable prices, quality haircuts and investment in revitalizing an older neighborhood space.