ANNOUNCEMENTS

New director named for Illinois Small Business Development Center

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL - Western Illinois University, the Illinois Institute of Rural Affairs (IIRA) and the Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) have named Ann Friederichs, director of the Illinois SBDC WIU She succeeds James Boyd who retired March 2023

Friederichs has been assistant director of the Illinois SBDC at WIU since March 2022 She began working at WIU in May 2017 as an Illinois SBDC business advisor. Prior to coming to WIU, Friederichs was director of the Davenport School Foundation and owned her own business for 25 years.

"I look forward to continuing to be an integral part of WIU and the IIRA servicing area entrepreneurs and business owners in a 22-county area," said Friederichs "The Illinois SBDC WIU specializes in confidential, no cost, one-on-one business advising I have a passion for small business and working in collaboration with area stakeholders and resources."

The Illinois SBDC at WIU was established in 1989, helping area entrepreneurs and small business owners start, grow, accelerate and, when ready, transition out of business. The Illinois SBDC is funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U S Small Business Administration, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and WIU.

For more information on the Illinois SBDC, visit wiusbdc.org.

Chamber Ambassador becomes lead pastor

MACOMB, IL - Macomb Area Chamber Ambassador, Kaleb Greenlief, has taken the position of Campus Pastor at The Crossing- Macomb, a multi-site non-denominational church serving communities in Illinois, Missouri and Iowa, as well as online options

Former Macomb Campus

Pastor Ben Ellefritz has relocated t Quincy to become the Executive Pa of the Crossing's host site.

Greenlief received an associated de at Spoon River College and has bee a staff member with The Crossing- Macomb for a numbe of years, serving in youth and student leadership roles. For more information, visit thecrossing net