Dance for Life co-founder Keith Elliott and Art Smith, best known as Oprah Winfrey's personal chef, are among those named by Chicago magazine at its Chicagoans of the Year for 2006.
Well over a decade ago, Elliott and Harriet Ross ( listed by the magazine along with Elliott ) came up with Dance for Life, the largest performance-based benefit in the Midwest. The event marked its 15th year of raising funds and awareness for HIV/AIDS last August at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph—and raised $278,000, according to the magazine.
Smith, along with his business and life partner, Jesus Salgueiro ( also named to the 2006 list ) came up with Common Threads, an organization devoted to children, world cultures and the culinary arts. The project currently operates out of an office at Kendall College and will reach approximately 750 children this year.
Profiles of the honorees will appeared in the magazine's January 2007 issue. The recipients will be honored at the 13th annual Chicagoans of the Year luncheon on Thurs., Jan. 18 at the Four Seasons Hotel, 120 E. Delaware, at 11:30 a.m.
Past honorees have included violinist Rachel Barton, writer Scott Turow, singer Koko Taylor and talk-show queen Oprah Winfrey.