A few months back when the Chicago Bulls announced they hired Vinny Del Negro as their new head coach, many people in Chicago said, “who?” I was not one of them. As someone who grew up in the Springfield, Massachusetts area in the 80’s, it was hard not to hear about his stellar school-boy record and play at NC State under legendary coach Jim Valvano. He then went onto play in the NBA as well in Italy.

The Bulls is Del Negro’s first coaching gig, as his previous non-playing experience in the NBA has been in the front office. Many people panned the team for picking such a green candidate, not to mention one at a young age of 42. What most people don’t realize is that he is not the first person from western Massachusetts who came to Chicago to make a name for themselves. A 21-year old native of Conway, Massachusetts, a few miles from Springfield, came to Chicago in 1856 to try to make it in the business world. His name was Marshall Field. Word is he did pretty well here.

Four years ago I arrived here in Chicago and started Dunkirk Systems, LLC, after several years in Boston after my start in western Massachusetts. Where I don’t have a monumental building on State Street or an NBA coach’s income, I can't complain that business has been great!

Welcome to Chicago Vinny, and good luck! Well, except when the Bulls are playing my Celtics.

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