The Ideal Candidate 10 Year Celebration Sponsored by Best Buy
Join us for an unforgettable evening as The Ideal Candidate celebrates 10 years of transforming careers, closing the soft skills gap, and placing workforce-ready talent across Chicago and beyond.
On August 8th, 2025 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM, we're gathering the graduates, hiring partners, mentors, sponsors, and community champions who have been part of this journey — at the iconic Bar Sol on Navy Pier, with views of Lake Michigan and a night to match.
All ages are welcome! Families are encouraged to attend and enjoy a special interactive art area for kids led by featured artist Community Corey. Young guests will have the opportunity to paint, create, and be part of the celebration.
Expect an evening of great food, drinks, meaningful conversations, and a look ahead at the next chapter of The Ideal Candidate.
Whether you're a graduate who landed your first professional role through our program, an employer who has hired our talent, or a partner who has believed in this mission from the start — this night is for you.
Tickets include food and a drink. Dress to impress — this is a celebration ten years in the making.
Agenda:
5:00 – 6:30 PM → Arrival + Networking (Happy Hour Vibe)
6:30 – 7:00 PM → Speakers + Award Recognitions
7:00 – 9:00 PM → Celebration + Music + Open Networking + DJ Party
Sponsored by Best Buy. Hosted by The Ideal Candidate. | TheIdealCandidate.org
Event Host: Virginia Rose
Event Artist: Community Corey
Impact Pictures Over The Years:
More about the event host:
Virginia Rose is a dynamic entrepreneur, Chairwoman of the VRVA corp, international fashion photographer, model, figure skater, established artist, podcast host, and women’s empowerment leader. With a background spanning the arts, business, music production, media, and consulting, she is also the founder of Choose You Consulting, where she helps women and men build confidence, leadership skills, and purpose-driven businesses.
A domestic violence survivor and advocate, Virginia creates powerful empowerment events across the Midwest and hosts events that bring impact all across Chicago. She has been featured on major media outlets including CBS, ABC, FOX, WGN, and PBS, and continues to inspire audiences worldwide through her speaking, creative work, and mentorship.
Web:www.iamvirginiarose.com Ig:@chooseyouconsulting
More about the event artist:
Corey DooleyJohnson is an author, artist and entrepreneur. He is the founder of a community development organization known as CommunityCorey (both for-profit and non-for-profit).
Corey’s work is driven by lived experience and a commitment to building self, community and economy. Especially on Chicago’s West Side where he currently lives and works. In the last five years, his company, Community Corey, has achieved several major milestones that demonstrate both community impact and growing recognition. Community Corey LLC was selected for the 2025 Navy Pier Small Business Accelerator Program and he now has products for sale in a storefront at Navy Pier. Corey was also featured in Choose Chicago’s “Never Done.
Never Outdone” brand campaign. In 2024, Corey served as Visibility Captain for the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, leading a team responsible for signage distribution and guest wayfinding for 50,000 attendees. Corey was honored as a 2024 Chicago Defender Men of Excellence awardee and recognized as “Community Member of the Year” by the Austin African American Business Networking Association . Corey is an author, he has published two children’s books—Lil Shorty Love and Lil Shorty Color—that promote literacy, creativity, and social-emotional learning.