By Hardik Bhatt, CEO
As we conclude 2025, I want to take a moment to recognize the exceptional work of our team, the trust of our clients, and the partnerships that have propelled SDI to another year of meaningful organic growth. This year reaffirmed what makes SDI unique: our unwavering commitment to being present—for our clients, colleagues, and the communities we serve.
2025 was a year defined by innovation, impact, and investment in people. Below are several highlights that demonstrate how far we’ve come—and how well we’re positioned for 2026.
Celebrating Recognition and Leadership
A Culture That Endures
In 2025, SDI earned placement on the Chicago Tribune’s Top Workplaces list for the eighth consecutive year. This achievement is especially meaningful because it is driven entirely by employee feedback. It reinforces that our culture—rooted in collaboration, flexibility, and human-centered leadership—remains one of our strongest differentiators.
Showcasing Xchange on a Citywide Stage
This year, SDI was honored during the 2025 ChicagoCIO ORBIE Awards in a special feature highlighting the transformative impact of Xchange Chicago. The segment elevated the work of our apprenticeship programs and the future talent they are shaping. It was a proud moment for our entire organization—an acknowledgement that our commitment to innovation is matched by our commitment to people.
Expanding Our Influence
I was personally honored to join the Board of Directors of Intersect Illinois, now Illinois Economic Development Corporation (IL EDC), where we are helping to accelerate investments, innovation, and talent pipelines across the state. Our role allows us to contribute directly to efforts that grow Illinois’ talent ecosystem and ensure economic development reaches more people and regions across the state. This appointment is not about SDI alone; it reflects our broader responsibility to help shape the future of Illinois as a growing hub for technology, workforce development, and economic opportunity.
The Grand Opening of Xchange Chicago: A Defining Moment
Perhaps the most significant achievement of 2025 was the opening of Xchange Chicago on November 17. What began as a bold idea—co-founded by SDI Presence, The Comer Science & Education Foundation, and P33 Chicago—has become a groundbreaking 28,000-square-foot hub for talent development and onshore IT delivery.
Located in Greater Grand Crossing Neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side, Xchange is designed to:
- Accelerate tech apprenticeships
- Build pathways to high-growth and family-sustaining IT careers
- Anchor corporate IT spend in historically under-invested Chicago communities
- Support training, smaller local business participation, and wraparound services under one roof
The early results speak for themselves. With 67apprentices trained and more than 60 placed into tech roles, Xchange is already enhancing Chicago’s talent landscape. The program is not only filling open positions—it is cultivating the next generation of technologists, leaders, and innovators who will shape our city’s future.
Xchange stands as a living example of what’s possible when community, corporate intentionality, and civic leadership align around a shared vision for inclusive growth.
Demonstrating Our Presence Through Community Impact
In 2025, SDI’s commitment to presence extended beyond our client work and into the communities and causes we proudly support. Our team participated in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk, raising $5,000 to support research, screenings, and patient care. We also continued our longstanding support of Special Olympics Illinois through both the Plane Pull—where our team earned first place in our division and third overall while pulling a 90-ton United Airlines aircraft—and the annual Polar Plunge, raising funds to expand athletic opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities. In partnership with our customers Peoples Gas and ComEd, these efforts reflect how we show up together in support of meaningful impact. These efforts underscore a core truth about SDI: we are at our best when our presence extends beyond the office and into the community.
Looking Ahead to 2026
As we head into 2026, we are building on strong momentum:
- A growing portfolio of mission-critical clients
- Expanding capabilities across ServiceNow, Data & AI, and Managed Services
- A deepened commitment to community and workforce development through Xchange
- A culture that continues to attract and develop exceptional talent.
Our mission ahead is clear: continue delivering with precision, strengthening our partnerships, innovating boldly, and staying relentlessly present for the people who count on us.
Thank you—for your trust, your resilience, and your dedication. I am incredibly proud of what we have built together, and I’m even more excited for what comes next.
Cheers to an extraordinary 2025—and an even greater 2026!
— Hardik
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