2025 Entrepreneur of the Year Recipient
Chris Saunders, President and Owner of Green Street Realty
Chris Saunders was born in Grand Island, Nebraska, and moved to Champaign, Illinois, in 1994 to attend the University of Illinois and compete on Track and Field and Cross Country teams, where he earned All-American honors in Track and Field. Prior to Illinois, he attended the University of South Dakota, earning Division II All-American honors in Cross Country and reaching the NCAA Division II Track and Field Nationals finals in the 1500m. He later earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from The University of Illinois.
After graduating, Saunders worked in the Champaign Unit 4 Schools as a teacher and as Coordinator of Student Services. He also served as Head Girls Track and Cross Country Coach at Champaign Central High School while volunteering with the University of Illinois Track and Field and Cross Country teams from 1999–2003 until the retirement of his former college coach, Gary Wieneke.
Saunders began his real estate career in 2004 with the purchase of his first investment property, a single-family home in Urbana, Illinois. Over the next two decades, he developed and acquired a large portfolio of real estate assets, including student housing, multifamily, affordable housing, retail, industrial, and office properties. As President and Owner of Green Street Realty, a Champaign-based real estate firm, he oversees the management of over 5,500 student housing beds, 1,500 multifamily units, and 300,000 square feet of office, industrial, and retail space.
In 2014, Saunders founded Sub 4 Development Company, a construction management firm that has completed over 40 projects with a value exceeding $500 million. Sub 4 operates offices in Champaign, Illinois; Scottsdale, Arizona; and Colorado Springs, Colorado. Sub 4 has several new developments underway and planned in Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, and the Champaign-Urbana market.
Beyond real estate, Saunders owns CRS Hospitality, a restaurant and entertainment management company operating 13 brands in the Champaign market. Some popular establishments include The Ribeye, Billy Barooz, Seven Saints, Jupiter’s, and The City Center. He also co-owns and operates Culver’s franchise locations in Grand Island and Omaha, Nebraska, with his brother Greg.In 2017, Saunders expanded into retail by acquiring and operating the Do it Best Hardware Store in Champaign. He also co-owns Insurance Providers Group, an independent insurance agency with six offices across Central Illinois.
Saunders currently resides in Urbana, Illinois, with his wife, Jodi, and four children, Morgan, Jay, Cole, and Harper.
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About the Entrepreneur of the Year Program
The Parkland College Foundation awards the V. Dale Cozad Entrepreneur of the Year annually to an individual who demonstrates the best traits of entrepreneurship including being a leader, a self-starter, willingness to take risks, drive perseverance, discipline, confidence, a strong worth ethic and passion.
Award recipients are celebrated each year in partnership with the Founding members of the Parkland College Entrepreneurial Program, the result of a partnership between the college and community members, committed to developing strong, educated leaders for today’s workforce.
The Entrepreneurial Program provides scholarships to students demonstrating potential for growth as future managers, leaders, and innovators, for immediate entry into District 505 industries and companies. Ultimately, the program aims to increase the number of graduates with a strong work ethic and commitment to excellence that supports existing industry, creating a more attractive community to future employers.
Founding Members
Cozad Asset Management
David Eades
Donald C. Dodds, Jr.
Meyer Charitable Foundation
Peter Fox
Chuck Keeling
Roy Lambert
TSM Ventures, Inc. - Stewart Family
Westchester Group, Inc.
V. Dale Cozad Entrepreneur of the Year Award Recipients
2010 Clinton Atkins
2011 Rick Stephens
2012 Dwight Miller
2013 Rudy Frasca
2014 Murray Wise
2015 Steve Hillard
2016 Lori Gold Patterson
2017 Jeff Hartman
2018 Robert J. Libman Family
2019 David J. Downey
2022 Victor Fuentes
2023 Brian Neiswender
2024 Betty Brennan
Lifetime of Entrepreneurship Award
2014 Roy Lambert
2015 George Shapland
2019 John and Marge Albin
Student Entrepreneurial Opportunities
Parkland College provides students with several entrepreneurial opportunities including: