“It goes back to my grandfather,” said Elana Schulman, VP of Eli’s Cheesecake. “During the war, he had a sign in his restaurant that said, ‘If you’re hungry, come in and we’ll feed you for free.’ Those words and the golden rules he lived by are our daily inspiration.”

Today, the company is a third-generation, family-owned bakery specializing in cheesecake, layer cakes, tarts, bars and mini pies for restaurants, airlines and supermarket bakery cases. To reach its loyal consumer base, the bakery relies on its powerful team — from operators to executives — to maintain the level of success that started with the family’s dedication to the craft. Eli’s hiring practices are one of many facets that reflect its commitment to Chicago.

Of the roughly 300-person employee list, resettled refugees account for more than 30% of the workforce. Elana and her father, Marc Schulman, president, support employee recruitment, including refugees. Through a partnership with RefugeeOne, a Chicago-based organization that provides free holistic services to help newcomers flourish in their new lives, Marc and Elana carry on the tradition of Eli’s origin story.