Glen Ellyn Resident Participates in Kidney Foundation Fundraiser

Submitted by the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois

On Monday, a resident will be among the more than 250 members of Chicago’s middle market deal-making community joining together for the Middle Market Open, a premier golf tournament that benefits the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois. 

Since its inception in 2005, the Middle Market Open has raised more than $1.5 million to help people suffering from kidney disease throughout the state of Illinois.  The tournament attracts players from leading middle market private equity firms, senior and junior capital providers, attorneys, accountants, consultants and portfolio managers from the greater Midwest and beyond. 

Golfing this year will be Brian Basich of Enterprise Fleet Management, who participates to support of kidney patients like his brother, William Basich, who received a kidney transplant in 2006. 

“The more awareness that can be raised, the more the general public can truly understand about the disease and who’s at risk,” Brian Basich said.  “Having a brother that has been impacted by the disease made me realize how little I know about the disease, how it can impact people’s lives, and the education material that is out there to help educate people.”

Now in its eighth year, the Middle Market Open is on track to top the $230,000 raised last year and will be presented by and Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP.  The tournament will take place on the north and south courses at Olympia Fields Country Club, which plays host to major professional tournaments including the 2003 U.S. Open and the upcoming 2015 U.S. Amateur. 

Middle Market Open players will compete for incredible prizes such as a trip to Pebble Beach with three rounds of golf, a $1,500 gift certificate to Gold Coast Tickets or an iPad.  Raffle tickets are also available for purchase at $100 per ticket, and the grand prize is two escorted threesomes at the Olympic Club, home of the 2012 U.S. Open and TPC Harding Park in San Francisco.  While the foursomes for the Middle Market Open are already sold out, raffle tickets are still available.

The Middle Market Open is made possible largely due to the efforts of its dedicated planning committee led by City Capital Managing Director Scott Lang. 

“One key reason for the MMO's unusual success has been the team behind it, and by that I mean not just the NKFI staff but also the MMO Golf Committee, which from the beginning included prominent members of the middle market deal making community who also happen to be avid golfers,” said Lang.  “[the committee members] have now become challenged and determined to raise more money every year for the NKFI.” 

Financial support through the MMO this year will benefit the “Fill Up the Tank” campaign, which enables the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois’ KidneyMobile to travel across the state providing free early detection screenings for kidney disease. Over the past five years, the KidneyMobile has screened more than 30,000 individuals (73 percent of whom had at least one abnormal result that could lead to kidney disease), making the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois one of the most effective organizations in the country dedicated to reducing both the healthcare impacts and taxpayer expenses of chronic kidney disease.

Learn more about the Middle Market Open or purchase a raffle ticket or call Jessica MacLean at 312-321-1500. Learn more about the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois.