Jill Hebert
Events/Tradeshow Industry Advisor
Jill Hebert is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Matrex Exhibits, Inc., headquartered in Addison, Illinois. She began her trade show industry career in 1979, holding a variety of positions in engineering, client services and sales. In 1987, Hebert started Matrex with a $20,000 home equity loan. Today Matrex designs, fabricates and manages custom trade show exhibits, multi-media presentations and interactive, metric-driven “edutainment” products. Matrex has annual revenues of $19 million, employs over fifty people nationwide and is the largest 100% woman-owned, WBENC- certified exhibit company in the U.S.
As CEO, Jill oversees all financing, corporate strategy, and new product development. As a result of Hebert’s efforts, Matrex clientele includes leading companies such as Astellas, Wrigley, Bosch Power Tools, Case New Holland and Stryker Medical, among others. For more than 20 years Matrex has maintained a new business closing ratio of 62% to 64% versus an industry average of 25% to 33%. Under Hebert’s leadership Matrex has sustained an average annual growth rate of nearly 20%.
Hebert has been recognized by Ernst & Young as a finalist for its Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Western Michigan in 2005, 2006 & 2007. Matrex was listed in Crain’s Chicago Business as one of the Top 30 Woman-Owned Businesses in 2006. Hebert has received the Trade Show Exhibitor Association’s Focus Award and Exhibitor magazine’s Sizzle Award for her marketing efforts and contribution to the industry. A champion of entrepreneurship, Hebert has been a guest speaker on panels at DePaul University’s Coleman Entrepreneur Center and the Foster School of Business, University of Washington.
Hebert has a passion for mentoring emerging entrepreneurs through associations such as the National Association of Woman Business Owners and DePaul University. She is a member of the Committee of 200 and Vistage, and serves on the board of the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center, DePaul University.
Alliances:
Vistage – Formerly known as TEC – Member since July 2007
Committee 200 – Member since October 2006
DuPage Habitat for Humanity – Board of Directors October 2007 – February 2010
Coleman Entrepreneurship Center, DePaul University – Advisory Council since 2006
Coleman Entrepreneur Center Panelist - “Letting Go: How to work ON your business not IN it”
Coleman Entrepreneurship Center, DePaul University – Judge for New Venture Challenge 2007
WBE – Woman’s Business Enterprise - Certified Since 2002
TSEA – Trade Show Exhibitors Association – Member
HCEA – Health Care Exhibitors Association - Member
Recognition:
Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award –
Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, W. Michigan - Finalist 2007
Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award –
Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, W. Michigan - Finalist 2006
Crain’s Chicago Business – Top 30 Woman Owned Business 2006
Trade Show Exhibitor Association – Focus Award 2005
Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award –
Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, W. Michigan– Finalist 2005
Exhibitor Magazine – Sizzle Award 2004 and 2006
WBDC - Diversity Business - Top 200 WBE’s in 2009
NAWBO Chicago – Influential Woman in Business Award 2009
Education:
Continuing Education - College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, IL – Interior Design Continuing Education Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois – Art History
Foundation Design Studies – Kent State University, Kent, Ohio - Architecture
Vocational Education – Cuyahoga Falls HS, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio – Mechanical Engineering