November/December 2022

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

Illini Radio Group - MIX 94.5, WIXY 100.3, Rewind 92.5, WYXY Classic 99.1, True Oldies 97.9, Extra 92.1, Hits 99.7

Stevie Jay Broadcasting - Q96-96.1FM, US105.9, Christian FM 95.3 &

W e l c o m e t o t h e C h a m b e r

ALA Handyman Services

Urbana, IL 61802 217.419.3637

www.facebook.com/handyman.laynez Home Improvements

Our landscaping services include spring/fall clean-up, mowing, mulching, trimming, hauling and snow removal. Home improvement services include interior and exterior home remodeling, plumbing, electrical, drywall, carpentry projects, painting, windows, flooring and more.

Celeste Hair Salon

2110 N. Market St. Ste. C

Champaign, IL 61822 217.550.5850 https://m.facebook.com/profile. php?id=100072285086986

Beauty Salons

Celeste Hair Salon is a Spanish/English bilingual, family-friendly establishment. We do haircuts for the whole family and other services such as colors, highlights, lowlights and perms.

Champaign County Radon

2005 N. Prospect Ave. Ste. 11138

Champaign, IL 61822 217.967.2366 www.champaigncountyradon.com Home Inspection Service

Champaign County residents reside within the EPA’s highest radon risk zone. At Champaign County Radon, our mission is to increase awareness of radon’s clear and present dangers and encourage more people to test their homes. Nearly 25,000 people die each year from radon-induced lung cancer in the US. We can reduce these preventable deaths through simple testing and proven mitigation techniques. Champaign County Radon offers testing throughout Champaign County using ultra-sensitive solid-state detectors for the highest precision. Knowing your radon number means a lot. The average untreated Illinois home has radon levels that cause the same radiation damage equivalent to 220 x-rays per year. Why risk it? Test your home today. If your home is less than ten years old, ask what our passive-to-active conversion can do for you. Call or text 217-96-RADON.

Colorfil

907 N. Country Fair Dr. Champaign, IL 61822 808.255.6175 www.colorfil.com Manufacturers-Wholesale

Colorfil is a manufacturer of high-performance air filters for home and commercial use. Founded in 2011 by James Langer and Weihua Zheng as graduate students at UIUC, Colorfil’s filters feature a proprietary coating technology that captures and removes pet, kitchen, and bathroom odors five times better than leading brands. Its filters are also the only filters in the market that feature a proprietary color-shift technology changing from vibrant pink to yellow to gray, indicating when it’s time to replace the filter. Colorfil is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2022 Pet Innovation Award for Stain and Odor Remover Product of the Year within the $300 billion Pet industry. Learn more at colorfil.com.

C-U Under Construction

1153 County Road 1200 East Ste. 2 Champaign, IL 61822 217.954.0385 www.cuunderconstruction.com

Contractors-General

C-U Under Construction offers residential and commercial contracting services for Champaign, Urbana and surrounding areas. New construction, remodeling, additions, basements, siding, roofing, doors, decks, windows, flooring, painting, pergolas, commercial build-outs, solar energy, restoration work and outbuildings are among the many services we offer. C-U Under Construction stands out in the local construction industry because we provide HVAC, electric and plumbing services through our in-house trades company. This relationship leads to efficient project workflow, central accountability and convenience for our clients. Together C-U Under Construction and C-U Trade Services have over 100 employees offering comprehensive benefits, company events and continuous training to the teams. Giving back to our local community is a top priority for our leadership, and we are grateful for our 18 years in business and the opportunity to give back.

El Oasis

510 N. Cunningham Ave. Ste. 14 Urbana, IL 61802 217.954.0215 www.facebook.com/El.Oasis.in.Urbana.IL/ Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts-Retail

We offer watermelon, pineapple, mango, cucumber, apple and melon fruits in a cup and all of your favorite ice cream and popsicles. We also offer chicharrones preparados, botana loca diablitos, fresas con crema, esquites, whole corn on cob and tres leches cake.

Forage Kitchen

503 E. Green St. Champaign, IL 61820 207.837.4069 www.foragemadison.com Restaurants

Forage Kitchen, founded in Madison, WI. in 2015, sells salads and grain bowls at the Green Street location. Available for dine-in, pickup, or delivery, Forage is a delicious option for those that are looking for a healthy and fulfilling lunch or dinner. We serve all types of proteins, so it is an excellent option for any diet. Open from 11:00 to 8:00 pm daily.

Fox Philanthropic Advisors

Champaign, IL 61822 217.275.0570 www.foxphilanthropic.com Financial Planning Consultants & Services

At Fox Philanthropic Advisors, we help individuals and families become intentional philanthropists so they can effect meaningful change with the same planning and strategic thought they devote to their other investments. We work alongside our clients’ financial, tax and legal advisors to help them clarify their philanthropic goals and implement plans and structures to achieve them.

Grace African Market

2010 W. Springfield Ave. Ste. B Champaign, IL 61821 217.607.1059 www.facebook.com/people/Grace-AfricanMarket/100063649672238/ Grocers-Retail

Grace African Market serves West African and

Mediterranean food, spices, snacks, clothing and products.

Harvest Solar 2901 Boardwalk Dr. Ste. E-H Champaign, IL 61822 517.788.8800 www.harvestsolar.com Environmental & Ecological Service

Harvest Solar offers solar energy solutions for commercial, industrial and agricultural use, and we can help meet your energy needs by delivering the highest quality product and service possible. In 2006, Harvest Solar was founded with our first venture in wind energy with installations throughout the Midwest. As the price of solar components continued to drop, the viability of solar energy became more attractive and practical to our agricultural and commercial customers. Harvest Solar is a Michiganbased solar energy company serving over 11 states throughout the Midwest. Our full-service solar products are top-notch and carry a 30-year warranty.

Heidi Esther Unlimited, LLC

Champaign, IL 61821 217.714.4345 www.heidiesther.com Motivational & Self-Improvement

Training

Your life transformed. With my 17 years as a relationship-building professional and ten years as a storyteller and poet, my heart and brain know every step to self-love and joy. If you are ready to carry the world on your shoulders no longer, know you are worthy of so much more, go on a journey of selfdiscovery and have some fun in the process, come along with me as I share those steps with you. I want you to find your self-love and joyful purpose, find new friends in a safe, supportive community and have a guide who has been there and can see your beauty within -- even if you cannot.

Kirstie Davis Agency—Farmers Insurance

313 N. Mattis Ave. Ste. 208 Champaign, IL 61821 217.295.2627 agents.farmers.com/il/champaign/kirstie-davis Insurance

As your local Farmers® agent in Champaign, IL, I help people customize their insurance coverage to best fit their needs, and I explain what is covered and what needs to be covered. We do things a little differently, and I like to show you what you have and what you don’t have. My process is straightforward and personalized to help make you informed about insurance. I have the knowledge and years of experience to help you better understand your coverage options- life, auto, home, renters, business insurance and more. Call me at 217.295.2627, and I’ll be happy to answer any questions.

La Paloma

Urbana, IL 61802 217.621.7284

www.la-paloma-food-truck.negocio.site

Restaurants-Mexican

La Paloma is a local food truck serving Mexicanstyle tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos and street corn. We are happy to cater your events, birthdays, employee appreciation party and more.

Les Gourmets Cuisine

401 N. Broadway

Urbana, IL 61801 217.419.9162

Restaurants

Les Gourmets Cuisine is a Congolese restaurant inside Urbana’s Broadway Food Hall, serving chef specialties of salted fish, whole chicken, and a Congolese legume bowl with pondu, fumbwa, musaka, ngai-ngai and ndunda. Les Gourmets’ lunch plate options include chicken wings, pork ribs, beef kebab, red snapper, tilapia and goat meat, served with a choice of plantains, kwanga, fried potatoes, fried rice or fufu.

Nurse Next Door

Ogden, IL 61859 217.377.2456

www.NurseNextDoor.com

Home Health Services

I am Elizabeth Riddle, owner of Pocketdoor Enterprises, and soon to open a senior care franchise called Nurse Next Door. I have been a nurse in Champaign County since 2008, working with people and families of all ages. This next step in my career allows me to serve my Champaign-Urbana and greater rural communities, which is very important to me and my family. I am excited and plan for a January 2023 grand opening. Our community, family, and friends have demonstrated a need for loving,

dedicated, compassionate, and competent care. Care for our loved ones needs a revolution, it needs to be better, and we hope to help fill this need.

QC Kinetix

410 E. University Ave. Ste. 102 Champaign, IL 61820 217.679.3399 www.qckinetix.com Medical Service Organizations

QC Kinetix improves your health and quality of life with our non-surgical joint pain treatments. Regenerative medicine utilizes natural biologics to help relieve pain in the knees, shoulders, low back, hips, hands, and other joints, due to injuries, arthritis and more. We can help with pain related to arthritis, sports injury or other musculoskeletal conditions without the need for invasive surgical procedures. Our therapies promote the regeneration of healthy tissues, relieving chronic pain so you can get back to the life you want to live. If you’re ready to get back to the life you want, make a free, consultative appointment with QC Kinetix in Champaign today.

Rick’s Bakery & Cafe

124 W. Main St. Urbana, IL 61801 217.344.9383 www.ricksbakeryurbana.com Bakers-Retail

Rick’s Bakery & Cafe was founded in 2012, and we strive to provide quality bakery products to the Urbana area ever since. We are a family-operated business making various cakes, pastries, breads, desserts, burritos, and tamales from scratch daily.

Stratum Brokerage Company, LLC

3310 Fields South Dr. Ste. 101 Champaign, Illinois 61822-3742 217.902.5484 www.stratummed.com Insurance

Stratum’s insurance business strategy uses a supply chain approach to provide superior coverage and services to all partners. By pooling member volume and coverage lines to a single, preferred insurance broker, Stratum members can take advantage of premium rates and streamlined insurance procedures.

Stango Cuisine

500 N. Walnut St.

Champaign, IL 61820 217.390.5842 www.stangocu.com Restaurants

We love traveling to places we’ve never been before to learn about the local culture. And we found out that what brings us together as people is excellent food cooked in a certain way with everyday ingredients. No matter our nationality, creed, religion or race, we all love great food. So we decided to share our life experiences by opening Stango Cuisine, the first and only Zambian restaurant in North America. Come out and discover the passion of cooking with the taste of Zambian. We offer the best Zambian cuisine prepared with love and 10 percent of the sales at Stango Cuisine is donated to One Dream Foundation to help build a hospital in Zambia.

The Best of Africa’s Food Store

208 W. Griggs St. Urbana, IL 61801 217.693.2081 www.bestofafricafs.com Grocers-Retail

The Best of Africa group’s mission and vision is to provide quality products and services to our customers while showing support to the African Immigrant population through cultural immersion. The Best of Africa’s Food Group, which consists of Best of Africa’s Food Store (BAFS) and Mama’s African Kitchen, is co-owned by Congolese Immigrants Memoire Budimbu Mabiza and Lisette Mbaki. This food store and kitchen is the first in Champaign County. BAFS offers a wide variety of African products, including grocery items, hygiene products, kitchen supplies and traditional African clothing. Mama’s African Kitchen offers exotic African dishes mixed with African spices and love. The Best of Africa Food Group also provides catering services, event space and event decoration!

Top Hair Braiding

1717 Philo Road Ste. 17C Urbana, IL 61802 217.298.0035 www.facebook.com/ Tophairbraidingchezedendamba/ Beauty Salons

We do all types of hair braiding. Visit Facebook for photos of our work and come see us.

YWCA of the University of Illinois

2403 W. Springfield Ave. Ste. P-1 Champaign, IL 61821 217.344.0721 www.ywcauofi.org Human Services Organizations

YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. Having served the campus community for over a century, in 2020, we committed to pursuing our mission off campus. The YWCA is currently rolling out economic empowerment programming for community members. Our newest program, Strive, builds the area workforce’s capacity by teaching basic digital skills to low-income people, preparing them for better employment opportunities. Please find out more about us at www.ywcauofi.org.

Ribbon Cuttings

First State Bank celebrated a ribbon cutting on September 29.

Since 1940, First State Bank has been a locally owned bank committed to providing value-added offerings backed by exceptional service to the local communities we serve. We combine cutting-edge banking products, customer conveniences and employ local professionals who take the time to get to know our customer’s banking needs individually.

Harvest Solar celebrated a ribbon cutting on October 6.

Solar energy solutions for commercial, industrial and agricultural use. Whether residential, commercial or agricultural solar power, we can help meet your energy needs by delivering the highest quality product and service possible. Harvest Solar is a Michiganbased solar energy company, serving over 11 states throughout the Midwest United States. Our full service solar products are top notch and carry a 30 year warranty.

Habitat for Humanity Restore celebrated a ribbon cutting on October 14.

The Champaign County ReStore is a nonprofit home improvement store and donation center that sells new and gently used furniture, appliances, cabinets, home accessories, building materials and more at deeply discounted prices. Proceeds from the ReStore provide funding to Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County in an effort to eliminate substandard housing in our community and around the world.

Congratulations to the 2022

LEAD Champaign County is a nine-week program designed to mold young professionals into strong local leaders.

Grant Ames

Senior Associate, Martin Hood LLC

Graduates

I am an auditor and work on Nonprofit, Employee Benefit Plan, and Construction Audits.

“I like hearing many different perspectives on how to be a leader as there is never a one-size-fits-all for leaders.”

Marguerite Bailey

Legislative Assistant, Mike MarronState Representative 104th District

As a legislative assistant to State Representative Mike Marron, I help carry out the responsibilities of the representative through outreach. I aid in providing meaningful communication between the community and the representative by cultivating relationships with advocacy groups, nonprofit, business, healthcare, law enforcement, educational institutions and more. I provide support to local governments within district 104 using various legislative avenues.

“I thought the program provided a well-rounded opportunity to improve my communication skills, as well as an opportunity to meet influential partners and personally build my selfconfidence.”

Dan Bell Vice President Innovation, Pavlov Media

I use our company slogan “Simply Exceptional Connections” as the background to create better, stable and more efficient products and services for our business and home clients.

“The program offered the ability to work with peers in our community and to hone our skills as leaders. We got to converse with individuals in the classes as well as network and get to know some of the local leaders. Many of classmates were not in the same industry or career field so it was refreshing to be able to hear other experiences from those leaders to help manage the day-to-day workings of their departments or staff. This has helped me immensely as I am now able to consider things from a different angle or tactic instead of the normal tunnel vision approach that I had in the past.”

Paul Burton Branch Manager, Busey Bank

I am a Branch Manager for Busey Bank. I oversee all of the day-to-day operations of the bank. I am responsible for meeting sales targets, overseeing staff training, promoting Busey and our services and meeting with clients regularly to discuss any issues or problems they might have.

“One thing I liked about this program is getting to hear local Business leaders from our community discuss leadership. I think that it is great to learn from the best. Even something as simple as learning their morning routine is very beneficial.”

Emily Dunlap Audit Supervisor, Martin Hood LLC

I work directly with our clients to analyze their company financial statements and help ensure they are in compliance with the required laws and regulations.

“I enjoyed hearing the tips and tricks that various leaders in our community use to be a successful leader.”

Jazmen Eison Senior Information Services (SIS) Supervisor & Communications Coordinator CRIS Health Aging

I create internal and external communications, messages and content as needed for the agency. The SIS department engages clients wherever they are to assess their needs and connect them to our departments and programs internally and make referrals to community partners when necessary.

“Honestly I liked it all. I really liked meeting all the members participating in the program from local businesses. I will say there is nothing more effective than asking strangers to pass you through ropes tied to trees! The entire experience from the speakers to the sessions covered was fantastic!”

Katie Fidler Senior External Affairs Specialist, Illinois American Water

I help communicate important information to over 1.3 million customers in Illinois. I lead business efforts, manage social media, customer communications and much more.

“I’ve enjoyed the educational aspects you might not learn from a handson experience. This provided a more in-depth way of thinking about leadership roles and the impact you can have on employees.”

Cole Froelich Engineering Services Manager, Artisan Technology Group

I lead daily operations and future development in repair and functional testing of obsolescence stage industrial, scientific and defense electronics.

“This program has strong central ideas that are explored through a variety of lenses. This approach allowed me to find a viewpoint that I resonated with to accept my shortcomings as a leader and make an impact with those in my immediate vicinity. ”

Madalyn Guthrie Associate, CliftonLarsonAllen

I provide accounting services to clients including audit engagements, reviews, compilations and tax returns.

“My favorite thing about the program was all the different speakers we got to hear each with different leadership styles. I likes being able to take bits of knowledge from each one from their experiences.”

Kali

Harris Director

of Informatics and Logistics, Pavlov Media

My role at Pavlov Media is to maintain the ERP system as well as manage the ERP and Logistics teams.

“What I enjoyed most about the LEAD Champaign County program was the opportunity to engage with other professionals in the community who are committed to improving their leadership skills.”

Maddie Henegar Tax Supervisor, Martin Hood LLC

I work with various individuals and business on tax returns, financial statements and other accounting needs.

“The LEAD program gave me several tools that I can use to better communicate with clients and my team members. I loved getting to meet other business individuals in the area. And, every class was something new and different that will help me grow and become a better leader. ”

Yolanda Johnson Coordinator Medical Staff Credentialing, OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center

I organize and maintain all aspects of the credentialing process and files for the medical staff of OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center.

“The opportunity to network and build the potential for long term relationships both for the presenters and my fellow LEAD mates.”

Stephanie Pirie

Hospitalist Coordinator, OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center

I work as a dyad with the lead hospitalist to advance workflow processes, document outcomes, enhance communication, and meet strategic quality and financial goals. I act as a liaison for communication and information to and from the hospitalist team.

“I really enjoyed the leadership panel and hearing from a variety of leaders with different backgrounds who are working in the area.”

Kylie Sparks General Manager, Elevate Trampoline

Park Champaign

As general manager of Elevate Trampoline Park, I am responsible for running day-to-day operations and guiding general business strategy. My duties include overseeing the hiring and scheduling of my staff, tracking our cash flow and setting both sales and customer interaction goals within my team.

“One thing I thoroughly liked about this class was that I learned something new about my management style at every single seminar. I loved seeing how much I related to the things that were being presented and how it gave more clarity to some of the things I wasn’t so sure about. ”

Joe Trotter

Harm Reduction Program Coordinator, Champaign-Urbana Public Health District

I am in charge of overdose prevention.

“One thing I like about this program was the networking opportunities.”

Tania Vucsko

HR Generalist, CIBM Bank

I assist in all areas of HR for CIBM. This includes recruiting, new employee onboarding, employee engagement, benefits and open enrollment.

“What I liked best about the LEAD program was making connections with representatives from other companies to help networking for future events or programs.”

Whit Walker

HR Generalist II, Wolfram Research, Inc.

I provide support and guidance to the HR team, handle employmentrelated inquiries from employees, create learning and development programs and initiatives that provide internal development opportunities for employees and maintain compliance with federal, state and local employment laws and regulations.

“I am still relatively new to the CU area. It has been great expanding my professional network and learning about the different industries represented in the area. I also really enjoyed hearing Lynne Barnes speak on resiliency and leadership, Captain Anthony Corapi speak on leadership verses management and Jerris Duncan speak on effective communication in the workplace. Each of their presentations had a lot of useful information and great ideas.”

Kelsie Woelfle Director of Marketing & Events Champaign

County Chamber of Commerce

I am responsible for creating all marketing materials for the Chamber (printed, digital, website, social media, emails, etc.) and I plan most of the events throughout the year.

“What I enjoyed the most was the challenge course Allerton Park. It’s fun to do activities that really make you think and make you realize the importance of team work and learning how to work with people you do not know well.”

Graduates not pictured: Sarah Heller, Alex Pryde-Wait, Sophie Hall, Kristi Wall, Nicole Ruggles and Natalie Pennock. Photo courtesy of mb-photoarts

PUBLIC POLICY UPDATE: A GOVERNMENT DIVIDED

The 2022 Midterm Election has concluded. While some races are still yet to be determined at the time of this writing, one thing is certain. The U.S. Government is divided for the next two years.

The term “divided government” frequently describes governmental and political activity. The phrase comes from the concept that the majority party in one or both houses of Congress differs from the party controlling the White House. With President Biden in office, democrats hold the White House. The 2022 Midterm Election results indicate that the democrats will continue to control the U.S. Senate, but republicans will control the U.S. House of Representatives.

Many experts note that a divided government can have both disadvantageous and beneficial results. There is a risk of greater partisanship and lack of momentum in governance in a divided government. With majority thresholds

needed to pass legislation in both houses of Congress, neither party inherently has the power to pass legislation unilaterally. Stalemates may be more common as legislation is debated because each party will want their priorities and perspective included.

Some see a benefit to citizens in that lack of a majority. Without a clear majority, each party becomes incentivized to come to a negotiation, work together and compromise.

How will this divided government play out? Only time will tell after the new Congress begins on January 3, 2023.

We encourage you to join our advocacy efforts. To learn more on how you can be involved, email Madeline Herrman, director of public policy, at madelineh@champaigncounty.org or go to champaigncounty.org/advocacy.

2022 Annual Meeting Recap

The 2022 Annual Meeting was Friday, November 4 at the I Hotel and Illinois Conference Center. Over 240 members attended and helped celebrate another incredible year. We held a Jingle Bell Market with 18 different small business enabling our members to shop locally and get their holiday shopping started early.

Chamber President and CEO Laura Weis introduced this year’s video, Champagne Holidays in the County, which mimicked those sappy holiday movies people either love or hate.The video highlighted a number of Chamber programs and initiatives. To check out this video visit our Facebook page to see all it’s glory. We honored our outgoing board members Deb Reardanz, Justin Overstreet and Chuck McReaken.

The meeting concluded with comedian Andy Hendrickson. Thank you to all of our sponsors and to all of those who attended this year’s Annual Meeting and hope to see you next year.

Shop Champaign County Gift Card

Lauched ‘Shop Champaign County’ gift card to keep more money local. Can be used at any merchant who accepts MasterCard.

Fy23 Board Members

Board of Directors

Kyle Emkes - Maatuka Al-Heeti Emkes LLC Chair

Dan Hurley - FedEx Ground Vice Chair

R.J. Hynds - English Brothers Company Second Vice Chair

Dan Kirby - CliftonLarsonAllen Treasurer

Laura Weis - Champaign County Chamber of Commerce Secretary

Tonya Horn - Rogards Past Chair

Board Members

Rachel Coventry - Curtis Orchard, Ltd.

Nathan Escue - Hamilton Walker’s

Laura Heiser - The Real Estate Group

Bud Windelborn - Pavlov Media, Inc.

Chad Schumacher - Colorfil

Dr. Dalitso S. Sulamoyo - Champaign County zzzRegional Planning Commission

Andrew Weintraub - Health Alliance

Dr. Pamela Lau - Parkland College

Matt Carr - First Mid Bank & Trust

Corrinne Hillard - H3 Manufacturing Group, LLC

Amie Smith - BankChampaign, N.A

Bill Walter - A & R Mechanical Contractors

Outgoing Board Members

Deb Reardanz - Clark-Lindsey Village

Justin Overstreet - Martin Hood

Chuck McReaken - TSM Ventures, Inc.

MEMBER ACCOLADES & NEWS

REGENCY MULTIFAMILY

Regency Multifamily is excited to announce the promotion of Brittney Warters to senior vice president and chief operating officer. Brittney joined Regency in 2008 as a parttime leasing consultant. She has since held roles as a property manager, regional property manager, director of operations and vice president of operations before being promoted to her current role.

SNYDER INSURANCE

Sarah Marshky, CIC of Snyder Insurance, Champaign, IL was recently recognized for professional leadership and advance knowledge by the Society of Certified Insurance Counselors. Ms. Marshky was awarded a certificate of achievement recognizing twenty-five consecutive years of successfully maintaining the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation. The CIC designation requires an annual continuing education update ensuring that her education is always up-todate and relevant.

FIRST MID BANK & TRUST

First Mid Bank & Trust is pleased to announce the promotion of Fredy D. Moreno to CRA retail loan officer in Champaign, and the surrounding communities. His role as a retail lender is to assist customers with all aspects of Mortgage Lending, including home purchases, refinances and home equity lines of credit.

THE CHAMPAIGN URBANA SCHOOLS FOUNDATION (CUSF)

On October 18 and 19, the Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation (CUSF) board of directors “Prize Patrol” delivered souvenir checks totaling more than $110K in Champaign Unit 4 and Urbana School District #116 schools. A record 285 teachers applied for CUSF grants this fall. The grant awards, supporting 153 new projects are part of CUSF’s ongoing efforts to invest in educators and motivate students for success

in our local public schools. Every first-year teacher, across both districts (85 total), received a $100 grant from CUSF to set up their new classrooms.

HICKORY POINT BANK

Hickory Point Bank has announced Brennen Kraft has been promoted to assistant vice president, First Illinois Ag Group, with responsibility for the administration of farm management accounts, appraisal valuations and farm brokerage.

FEHR GRAHAM

Fehr Graham, a leading Midwest engineering and environmental firm, hired Andy Rainwater as a senior project manager. Rainwater serves clients in southern Illinois where he specializes in water, wastewater, water resources and transportation projects. He supports the Champaign market by overseeing projects like roadway improvements, sanitary sewer lift station and force main, industrial process improvements and construction administration.

We want to help you share your company’s accomplishments, recent hires and good news. Email it to KelsieW@champaigncounty.org. Then look for it on our website AND in our bi-monthly publication. There is no fee to do so it’s an added feature of your membership.

Tell your customers where to find you.

Website Banner Ads

A banner ad on our website means that your company name, logo, product or service is seen by 150K unique visitors annually. With pricing starting at just $300, where else can you find this affordable and effective exposure for your business?

Email Blasts

Is there a new product, service or information about your business that you would like the entire Chamber membership to learn about or utilize?

Through our email blast program, we’ll send an email on your behalf to our 4,000 email contacts for just $500. We’ll even throw it on our Facebook page at no additional cost.

*Only ONE email blast will be sold per month on a first contact, first sold basis.

e-Connection Banner Ads

Every Monday, without fail, over 4,000 decision-makers receive our e-newsletter. People want to know what’s going on, we are a trusted source of information, so they open our e-Newsletter. That is what you want as an advertiser. Purchasing a banner ad to be placed at the top of the e-Connection gets you exposure to thousands for just $100 per week.

Website Directory Enhancements

Our website directory gets hundreds of views each day. We are like the modern-day version of 411 for people trying to find a business, resource or service. An enhanced listing makes you stand out against your competitors. Turn your standard listing into an eye-catching, search engine optimized marketing tool for just $79 annually.

Commerce Connection Ads

Do you know what happens when you add magazine print to your marketing strategy? According to Magazine Networks, you get the multiplier effect. They say, “people are 3.2 times more likely to identify the brand as one they wanted to find out more about and a 43 percent increase in their likelihood to purchase.” Our bi-monthly publication, Commerce Connection, gets mailed to all chamber members (and then some). Those chamber members employ an estimated 59,000 people. Imagine 59,000 people looking at an ad for your competitor? The Commerce Connection is not only your B2B best bet; it is also a strong force for B2C marketing.

Do you really want to be seen? There are a variety of ad sizes available starting at just $120. Member businesses can also purchase the magazine’s cover. You get exposure before readers even open the publication.

Mailing Labels

Sometimes, when you are trying to break through the internet noise, it pays to go ‘old-school’ with good old snail mail. We have names, and we will sell them. An exclusive benefit of Chamber membership allows you to purchase mailing lists containing names and physical addresses of Chamber member businesses to enhance your B2B marketing. Two lists are available for purchase:

Long list (approx. 2,000 contacts): $195 Short list (approx. 900 contacts): $125

Let’s do this. Contact Kelsie Woelfle at Kelsiew@champaigncounty.org or 217.359.1791.

These opportunities are exclusive to chamber members. Are you taking advantage of it?

Customers and Sales Made Possible with Affordable, Effective Marketing Opportunities

We can help you maximize your businessto-business marketing strategies. We can put your company in front of consumers. Most importantly, we can do it in the most affordable way to meet your budget.

calendar of event s

HR Webinar Series: Untangle the Triangle: FMLA/ADA/Workers’ Compensation Tuesday, December 13

9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Webinar

Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Thursday, December 15

9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Webinar

Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Wednesday, December 21

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Webinar - Last Chance in 2022

First Friday Coffee Friday, January 6

7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Hosted by Rogards 1315 N. Mattis Ave. Champaign, IL

Business After Hours Thursday, January 19

4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Hosted by Lodgic Everyday Community 1807 S. Neil St. Champaign, IL

3.5%

Champaign County Unemployment Rate in October 2022 19 business licenses applied for in Champaign County in October 2022

103.7

October 2022 U of I Flash Index for Illinois

942,233

rides were taken on CUMTD in October 2022 6,329 visits to the Chamber’s website, champaigncounty.org in October 2022

For more information or to register for an event, go to www.champaigncounty.org/events/calendar/

The Chamber office is open Monday through Thursday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

PLEASE NOTE: The Chamber complies with the state mandate and asks that members follow the CDC guidelines and/or state mandate at Chamber functions. While masking is now optional, please remember that people will have different comfort levels as we return to in-person events. Handshaking and standing close may still make people uneasy. So, we ask that all participants be respectful of this. Bring your best fist bump, reconnect and enjoy.

3,963 number of unique searches on the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce Online Business Directory in October 2022

2014 and 2021

The years that the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce was named the Illinois Outstanding Chamber of the Year

303 W. Kirby Avenue Champaign, IL 61820 P 217.359.1791 | F 217.359.1809 www.champaigncounty.org