January Voice 2018 by Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce

WATT SHINES BRIGHTLY FOR 100 YEARS PAGE 5

JOINING THE ORDER OF LINCOLN PAGE 10

The Voice is online at rockfordchamber.com

GOOD NEWS FOR THE ROCKFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT January 2018 | Volume 31 | No. 1

TWENTY-ONE AREA PARTNERSHIPS NAMED IN FIRST CONFLUENCE HONORS

Working together to achieve uncommon results By Barbara Connors

It was an evening of excitement and anticipation as groups from many area organizations gathered among the collections of artwork; awaiting the announcement of their project to be honored at the Rockford Chamber’s first Confluence Honors awards on Dec. 7. The chamber awarded 21 successful community collaborations at the evening reception at Rockford Art Museum. “This award is valuable in sharing with our community what can be created

through partnerships,” said Alan Zais, executive director of Winnebago County Housing Authority. The organizations and people that exhibited the ‘spirit of confluence’ represented collaborations that achieved mutually beneficial outcomes and positive community impact. Simply put, the partnerships achieved something great together that they could not have done on their own. “To borrow the words of Andrew Carnegie, working together toward this common vision is the ‘fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results,’” said Sandie Soldwisch, Ph.D., APN, ANP-BC, president of Saint Anthony College of Nursing, in a comment after the event. “While we knew there were some notable partnership projects out there to celebrate, we were amazed and impressed as to the number, depth and breadth of them,” said Einar Forsman, president & CEO of the Rockford Chamber. “It was very encouraging.” Sponsors of the Confluence Honors reception were Mercyhealth (presenting) and Wintrust Commercial Banking & Mortgage (community connector).

Introducing the 21 Recipients of the 2017 Confluence Honors AFTER SCHOOL ALLIANCE

One in five children do not have someone to care for him or her after school. Rockford Public Schools partnered with the YMCA of RockRiver Valley for the YMCA Kids’ Time

Visit us online at: rockfordchamber.com ■ online registration ■ keynote speaker video clips ■ event photos ■ list of Chamber events

Questions? 815-987-8100

Join the Chamber’s LinkedIn Group

PHOTOS BY BRIAN THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHY

Javon Bea, President/CEO of Mercyhealth greets the audience at the Confluence Honors event.

Illinois

The website, SchoolDigger, named Thurgood Marshall Middle School, 4664 N. Rockton Ave., in Rockford, as the top-ranked middle school out of 1,304 middle schools in Illinois based on 2016-17 test scores. Student performance ranked in the 99.9 percentile. The public school with 556 students, grades fourth to eighth, has a 25.2 student/teacher ratio. Thurgood Marshall Elementary, 4704 N. Rockton Ave., Rockford, ranked eighth out of 2,063 elementary schools in Illinois. Student performance in test scores ranked in the 99.6 percentile. The public magnet school with 514 students, grades first to fifth, has a 20.5 student/teacher ratio.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

program, which offers a safe space for 600 students between the critical afterschool hours of 3 to 5:30 p.m. Recently, the Northern Illinois Food Bank joined to offer every child in the program a cold dinner and snack each school day.

Rockford Chamber

ANNUAL DINNER January 25 • Giovanni’s For more info, see page 35 SPONSORED BY

AQUA-ROCK BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc., and the Rock River Water Reclamation District have developed an innovative wastewater treatment facility that’s the first of its kind in the United States. It uses Nereda technology, which makes treatment less complex, expensive and energy- and space-consuming. Granules introduced into wastewater create a type of sludge that settles faster in treatment tanks and speeds up the purification process.

AUTISM AWARENESS NIGHT The Autism Program of Easterseals and the Rockford IceHogs host an annual Autism Awareness Night, generally sell-out IceHogs games that have raised more than $80,000. This has been critical in the survival of the Continued on page 8

Changes to the Rockford Chamber board for 2018 The Rockford Chamber board, headed by Rick Zumwalt voted in its members for 2018. President Einar Forsman noted that there were many qualified candidates for each new board position. “We’re confident that the members elected will represent the Rockford area business community with distinction.” Michele Petrie, Wintrust Commercial Banking & Mortgage, was voted as chair elect for a one-year term to begin

#1 in

Jan. 1, 2018 and expire Dec. 31, 2018. Existing board members reappointed for additional three-year terms: ■ Rebecca Epperson, Chartwell Agency ■ Ira Grimmett, UTC Aerospace Systems ■ Tim Honquest, Honquest Family Funeral Home with Crematory Continued on page 3

ILLINOIS TOLLWAY URGES TRANSPONDERS IN EVERY CAR The Illinois Tollway is encouraging customers to mount an I-PASS in every car that uses the tollway to be sure every driver receives the 50 percent discount on tolls. A single transponder can be passed between cars and motorcycles registered to the same I-PASS account, but the transponder must be properly mounted in each vehicle while driving the tollway. Sharing a transponder puts drivers at risk of forgetting to move the transponder. The tollway advises instead to purchase multiple transponders, for $10 each, drawing from the same, single prepaid account balance to ensure everyone receives the 50 percent discount on tolls every time. If multiple vehicles are sharing a single transponder, each vehicle must be registered to the I-PASS account. Login and manage your account at illinoistollway.com, and clicking in the upper right corner.

January 2018

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President’s Message VIEWPOINT

Take the time to develop your own opinion on Home Rule There will be a lot of discussion leading up to the March 20th General Primary Election on restoring Home Rule powers to the City of Rockford. For Rockford voters, this topic could be a defining moment for our future! The Rockford Chamber is in its own public policy process to consider its position on Home Rule. Whether or not you are a Rockford voter, I encourage you as a business owner, employer, employee -- as someone tied to the Rockford Region – to do your own research to gain familiarity with the pros and cons being espoused by experts, research, media, government leaders, supporters and opponents.

Chamber Launches Resource Center The concept of Home Rule is relatively straight forward; however, the various sides of the issue will take some time to wrap your arms around. It’s worth your time, I promise. Towards that end, the chamber has set up a webpage; an objective resource center with information from various channels on Home Rule. There are links to chamber communications, published

The chamber will come forward with its own position on Home Rule after we complete our own public policy process with the chamber’s Government Affairs Council during the early part of the first quarter of 2018. Chamber members are always welcome to join the council or attend as a guest at any of our monthly meetings. research, media coverage and City of Rockford-related materials -- all collected on one site, www.rockfordchamber. com/home-rule.html. The chamber will continue to add resources and categories as they develop. We will not include social media on this site. Why are we providing this site? The answer is easy. The Rockford Region’s business community has a lot at stake here, regardless of the outcome of the vote on March 20. While we have areas of concern, such as crime, infrastructure, jobs and taxes, I think you will agree that our momentum has moved in a positive trajectory in several areas, including education, economic development, the Chicago Rockford International Airport and downtown development. All of these topics should be considered against the

backdrop of Home Rule to determine what maintains, or even fuels, our positive trajectory. The chamber will come forward with its own position on Home Rule after we complete our own public policy process with the chamber’s Government Affairs Council during the early part of the first quarter of 2018. Chamber members are always welcome to join the council or attend as a guest at any of our monthly meetings.

Come to Your Own Conclusions Is this an important vote for those registered in the City of Rockford? All votes are important! Residents should make every effort to vote in local, state and federal elections. Many dismiss this responsibility, saying that they do

not care about the issues on Einar K. Forsman Rockford Chamber the ballot or of Commerce that they are unfamiliar with the candidates up for election. But by failing to use their privilege to vote, they essentially allow other voters to make their decisions for them. By making no effort to go to the polls, they allow others’ voices to be heard. The outcomes of elections affect voters’ personal freedoms, taxes and other aspects of daily life generally taken for granted. An election can have a farreaching impact. If people want a say in how their futures play out, they have the duty to cast their vote. Please use the chamber’s Home Rule resource page to come to your own understanding of Home Rule, and develop your own opinion on how it can impact our community! Visit www.rockfordchamber.com/home-rule. html or contact us at HomeRule@ rockfordchamber.com. Einar Forsman is president & CEO of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

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January 2018

Chamber Board (continued from front page)

Traffic signal removal study

■ Mike Paterson, Mid-West Family Broadcasting ■ Dan Ross, Gallagher Williams-Manny New board members elected for three-year terms to begin Jan. 1, 2018: ■ Kim Blascoe, Wipfli LLP

Kimberly Blascoe Wipfli LLP

Doug Curry Stenstrom Excavation and Blacktop Group

■ Doug Curry, Stenstrom Excavation and Blacktop Group

Elizabeth Lee Greenlee Textron

■ Elizabeth Lee, Greenlee Textron ■ Sue Schrieber, Mercyhealth ■ Udaya Talwar, Woodward Rena Cotsones, Ph.D., Northern Illinois University; Pat Morrow, Alpine Bank, and Pat Shaw RSM US LLP, completed nine years of service on the board on Dec. 31, 2017; the maximum permitted under the current chamber bylaws. theVoice

Sue Schrieber Mercyhealth

Udaya Talwar Woodward

Let your Voice be heard The Rockford Chamber of Commerce w elcomes and encourages submissions for The VOICE of the Rockford Business Community. Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding p ublication. Send news releases and other items of interest to the business community to: The VOICE Rockford Chamber of Commerce 308 W. State St., Ste. 190 Rockford, IL 61101

For information about advertising contact Customer Service at 815-987-8100. The VOICE of the Rockford Business Community (USPS 784-120). ISSN number 1086-0630, is published monthly by the Rockford Chamber of Commerce, 308 W. State St., Ste. 190, Rockford, Illinois 61101. Periodicals postage paid at Rockford, Ill. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The VOICE of the Rockford Business Community, 308 W. State St., Ste. 190, Rockford, IL 61101.

The City of Rockford will begin a study of the possible removal of the traffic signals at the intersection of West State Street and North Court Street. All signals will be shut off and bagged as part of the study and all legs of the intersection will be under stop sign control. Warning signs will be installed in advance of the intersection at each leg. The signals will remain covered for at least 60 days to determine the viability of removing the signals. Users of the roadway should use caution while entering the newly controlled intersections. Drivers are reminded to stop for pedestrians until they clear the crosswalk. For questions, or to call for support or concern regarding the possible signal removal, contact Jeremy Carter, 779348-7656 or jeremy.carter@ rockfordil.gov.

January 2018

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Doing our part to relieve tax burden Our mission in the Rockford Public Schools is to be the first choice for all families. But something has to happen before we even have a chance to fulfill our mission: People must first choose Rockford as a place to live. In RPS 205, we’re doing our part to relieve the tax burden and still invest in our students with high quality education. I believe that’s what’s right for our community. Our school board, however, has done more than “believe.” It has done more than talk about fiscal responsibility and financial stewardship. For the sixth consecutive year, the board has held the line on tax collections by levying well below the district’s allowable rate. The levy the board approved last month was lower than 2015 and the lowest, in fact, since 2012. The choice to hold the line has not been easy, of course. The aggregate worth of property in RPS 205 — the equalized assessed value or EAV — dropped 33 percent between 2008 and 2016. In that time period, we’ve lost almost $1 billion in property value. It’s

Good financial stewardship; good student outcomes

Strong

schools

are

central

a community’s health, but so are

“It turns out that being the first choice for families is in itself a good strategy for driving property values up.” like a teeter-totter: As the value goes down, the rate has to go up. As we were keeping the tax levies flat, we also left tax revenue on the table. We didn’t take money we were entitled to, money tied to factors such as the increase in the Consumer Price Index and credits for new property and Tax Increment Financing (TIF) recovery. We’re still proud of the fact that, in 2011, we returned $13 million to the taxpayers following the end of a five-year commitment to improve the schools. That “Kids Win” campaign had raised the tax rate by 58 cents, and we removed that money from the levy. All the while, we faced the same pressures that other businesses and other governmental entities faced. We had growing labor costs and rising health care costs. We had to be very astute in how we built our budgets

partnerships that work together in relieving the tax burden. It’s integral to one of the goals in our Strategic Plan

because, even as we wanted to keep the levy flat, we knew our costs were not.

— Fiscal and Operational Stewardship.

Holding the Line

to better educational outcomes.

What some of you may not know is that the Rockford Public Schools is midpack — or fourth of nine — in regional school districts when comparing tax rates. In 2016, with a rate of $7.80, we were between Harlem ($8.26) and Pecatonica ($7.44). Even better news is that we’re projecting a tax rate of $7.72 this year. That’s a 21-cent reduction over two years. Other taxing bodies are following suit. Winnebago County, the City of Rockford and the Rockford Park District have had good track records over the last few years in holding the line. We all share the belief that this is the key to driving tax rates down as property values edge up.

Even as the population has declined,

As we’ve been good stewards of your tax dollars, we’ve remain committed We’ve seen achievement improve. we’ve seen enrollment go up. That has brought in more tax dollars. It turns out that being the first choice for families is in itself a good strategy for driving property values up. We will continue to do all we can to make Rockford regionally competitive and, most importantly, to offer our students the best possible return on their potential. Dr. Ehren Jarrett is superintendent of Rockford Public Schools. The views expressed are those of Dr. Jarrett’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

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January 2018

Member Profile PROFILE CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF COMMUNICATION

WATT Global Media

WATT Global Media has a staff of 50 with 15 in Rockford, who are actively involved in the community through organizations such as the Northern Illinois Food Bank. By Paul Anthony Arco WATT Global Media has come a long way since its early days in rural Mount Morris, Ill. Today, WATT Global Media is a niche business-to-business information and media company with a focus on three different markets: pet food manufacturing, poultry production and processing and the animal feed industry. The company serves more than 150,000 senior management professionals from more than 140 countries. “We serve global audiences in those industries through different media channels with content and information based on their specific and job function needs,” said Greg Watt, president and CEO. “For most of our history the business was predominately magazines and now we’ve expanded to online digital, subscription data and live events, conferences and trade shows all of which are driving our growth.” WATT Publishing Co., was incorporated July 6, 1917, as the Poultry Tribune Company by founders J.W. Watt and Adon A. Yoder. In 1929 the company name was changed from Poultry Tribune Company to Poultry-Dairy Publishing Company, and in 1944 the corporate name was changed to WATT Publishing Company. The company was rebranded as WATT Global Media in 2014.

Expansion Through Live Events Greg Watt is a fourth-generation owner. His great grandfather, J.W. Watt, founded the company when he acquired Poultry Tribune, a Freeport-based publication intended for poultry raisers. His grandfather, Les, was involved for 60 years, taking the business international through acquisition and startup which expanded the audience to Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, South East Asia, and then China. His father, Jim, was involved in the company from the early 1960s until 2006. Jim and his management team started the movement into live events. After spending 90 years in Mount Morris, WATT moved its corporate office to Rockford 10 years ago. “We came to Rockford to have better access to talent

which was going to drive our business growth going forward,” Watt said. “We were running into barriers at our prior location which served us well for many decades but with the shift in media to digital we had to be closer to the urban centers around our region to hire new digital skill sets.”

Results-Only Work Environment WATT Global Media has a staff of 50 with 15 in Rockford as a result of a resultsonly work environment that started 5½ years ago. The staff has equal autonomy and accountability to work wherever they are most productive. Watt has employees in 12 states as well as the Netherlands, Spain, Greece and a partner in China. “We are not restricted by geographical location for recruiting or retention of top talent,” said Watt. “We had a number of staff move to different states due to family issues or spouses taking new job opportunities. Now it’s a nonissue as long as they’re performing and giving the results we need to be successful.” WATT offers live events and conferences in Bangkok, Shanghai, Cologne and Baja, Mexico. Their largest trade show, however, is the annual Petfood Forum, a business-to-business event for pet food manufacturers and the supply chain with attendees from the top companies who make pet food, including Mars Petcare and Nestle Purina. More than 3,000 people attend every year from all over the world, including Japan, Mexico and Europe. Now that its 100th anniversary has come to a close, WATT Global Media is looking forward to the next century. “As a whole, everyone in the organization is passionate about what they do,” Watt said. “Our purpose and ultimate outcome is to improve the health of humans and animals across the world. It’s a massive focus but everyone believes in it. It’s exciting to be a part of this movement.”

WATT GLOBAL MEDIA President/CEO: Greg Watt 401 E. State St. 815-966-5400 www.wattglobalmedia.com

January 2018

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Rockford University PERSPECTIVE

Rockford area business outlook Looking good for start of 2018 It’s always exciting to look ahead to the start of the new year, and even more exciting when 2018 is already shaping up to look better than its predecessor. This year holds the promise of solid improvements for a majority of the businesses in the greater Rockford area. As we head into 2018, the forecasts for economic growth above two percent are being proven accurate, and the online publication, “The Balance.com,” forecasts the 2018 Gross Domestic Product to see annual growth around two-and-a-half percent. Gross Domestic Product, GDP, is a measurement of how quickly the economy is growing. By comparing current and previous “quarters,” the GDP reflects our growth rate in areas such as retail sales, personal consumption and business investments. The third quarter GDP for 2017 was 3.3 percent, which is the highest level it has reached in the last three years. While last year’s hurricane season leveled a devastating toll in Texas and Louisiana, the economy is starting to see recovery. Following the storms and flooding of last year, the year ended with solid increases in employment.

Gross Domestic 2015 Product

2016

Quarter

G.D.P.

0.2

0.7 0.6

2017

Q2 Q3

0.5 0.6

0.2

0.8

0.2

0.1 0.3

Locally, the estimated number of unemployed in the Rockford area was 19,015 in January of 2017, dropping to approximately 8,000 by the end of the year. This 50 percent decline in the number of unemployed is an impressive decrease and simultaneous challenge to area businesses to fill open positions. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the labor force within the Rockford metropolitan area decreased from 170,872 in January of 2017 to 162,388 in October (the last reported data). The unemployment rate declined from the 11.1 percent point in January of last year, to an estimated five percent near the end of 2017. This employee labor market will require businesses to work harder as they recruit and retain their employees. PayScale.com, an internet provider that examines average salaries throughout the United States, found a one-and-a-half percent increase in

Locally, the estimated number of unemployed in the Rockford area was 19,015 in January of 2017, dropping to approximately 8,000 by the end of the year. wages during the second quarter of last year, and an estimated 10 percent lower cost of living in the Rockford area. Dr. Orhan Erdem, who specializes in real estate and behavioral finance and is a visiting assistant professor in the Puri School of Business at Rockford University, said, “The combination of increased wages, lower cost of living and the lowest unemployment rate since May of 2007 positions the Rockford area for solid growth this year.”

What Does This Mean for Education? Academically, this is a good time to complete a college degree. In our current job market, employers are looking for important differentiations in the background, accomplishments and level of education for their candidates. With record low levels of unemployment, the number of potential employees will be equally low. Having a college degree could mean the difference between getting an interview, and getting a rejection letter. As the cost of higher education continues to climb, prospective students and their families might wonder: “Does it still pay to get an education?” According to the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Yes, it does. The average median wage for workers with a high school diploma is $651 per week. Those with a bachelor’s degree average $1,108 and workers

with a master’s degree Dr. John Gunyon average $1,329. Rockford University Those with a professional degree (lawyers, physicists, dentists, etc.) have average median weekly earnings of $1,714. Educational institutions also need to pay close attention to economic indicators and trends and to continually assess how programs and curriculums can better serve both community and student. A recent example of this kind of response at The Puri School of Business relates directly to the State of Illinois Economic Forecast released in early 2017. It suggested that healthcare will be a driver of gains, particularly in regional healthcare centers such as Rockford. The Puri School of Business saw both a need and opportunity to update the graduate MBA concentration in health administration. We want to ensure that our program is cuttingedge so our graduates possess the latest knowledge and understanding, as well as the ability to know where to look for future changes in the administration and leadership of healthcare. Dr. Erdem added, “Although we can expect a market correction in 2018, the current bullish market is an indicator of economic growth in our area.” Indices, such as the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and NASDAQ, all set several records in 2017. Investors are encouraged by President Donald Trump’s tax reform plan, and global growth, coupled with a weaker dollar are boosting exports. “Our area, as well as the country, should look forward to a good economic start in 2018,” Erdem said. John Gunyon, Ph.D., is chair of the Puri School of Business at Rockford University and associate professor of economics, business and accounting. The views expressed are those of Dr. Gunyon’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

Rockford Housing Authority seeks applicants to Workforce Development Institute The Rockford Housing Authority Workforce Development Institute is accepting applications for classes starting Jan. 9, 9 a.m. to noon in the Blackhawk Empowerment Center, 330 15th Ave. The WDI is an eight-week; 72-hour course focused on targeting soft skills such as positive attitude and behavior, adaptability, responsibility, professionalism, problem-solving, communication and teamwork to increase employ-ability. Those who complete the program earn a Certificate of Workforce Readiness recognized by local employers and get a 90-day follow-up and career makeover. Students must be 17 or older and willing to sign a participation agreement. Apply at www.rockfordha.org or any RHA site.

8 | CONFLUENCE honors

Confluence Honors

(continued from front page)

Autism Program, which faced the possibility of closing its doors during the state budget crisis. In their zeal to promote autism awareness, the organizations have worked together to create an anti-bullying campaign presented in area schools. “The Autism Awareness Night with the Rockford IceHogs not only provides an outlet for a family that has a child with special needs to attend an event together, they can also learn about resources and what autism spectrum disorder truly is. This event has blossomed into so many other things through our partnership. It is truly a community coming together to make awareness not just once a year, but every day.” Lori Davie, The Autism Program of Easterseals

BUILDING HOPE: HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PARTNERSHIP For the second year, Guilford High School students have developed their construction skills working alongside a Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity family to build a home in the Sandy Hollow Golf Course neighborhood. The students get to know the family members, who must invest 300 hours of “sweat equity” in their home.

CASE MANAGEMENT COLLABORATIVE Community partners Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois, The Literacy Council, Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence, Rockford Housing Authority, Rock Valley College, Rockford University, Transform Rockford, United Way of Rock River Valley, The Workforce Connection and Youth Services Network have created a training program for case managers, who navigate the network of more than 150 human service non-profit agencies in the area. Already more than 120 case managers and supervisors from more than 30 organizations have been trained in best practices.

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HEAD START PRELUDE: EARLY CHILDHOOD MUSIC The City of Rockford Head Start program has partnered with The Music Academy in Rockford to expose nearly 600 3- to 5-year-olds to music of all kinds. It’s an auditory and kinetic experience as the students move with the music -floating, twirling, clapping, stomping or swaying in a release of energy and emotion. “The Music Academy envisions a nation where arts education is accessible and embraced as essential for human development and healthy communities. “It is important that those who quietly work together over the years for the greater good of the community occasionally have the opportunity to rise up and say, ‘Look folks! We are doing the right thing; really good, innovative and collaborative work, right here in our own river city.’” Marti Frantz, The Music Academy in Rockford

HEALTH SCIENCES BUILDING Saint Anthony College of Nursing moved its location to the top floor of Rock Valley College’s newly built Health Sciences Center earlier this year, making it the first nursing school in the nation to have its campus exist on a community college campus. The college of nursing signed a 20-year lease, and students can attain a bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degree all in one building. “The 2017 Conﬂuence award recognizes the collaboration of two great colleges who are working together with a vision of sustaining and expanding health care education in the region. Jointly, we have the ability to educate hundreds of people in a range of programs from certiﬁcate level through a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.” Dr. Sandie Soldwisch, Saint Anthony College of Nursing

INTERGENERATIONAL LEARNING: RESIDENTS AND STUDENTS Sixty residents at Wesley Willows Senior Living Communities serve as mentors to students from the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford. The future doctors develop communication skills in caring for

geriatric patients as they work with the Wesley Willows residents — and the mentors dispel myths about the aging process.

LEVINGS PARK: GORGEOUS REVITALIZATION Thousands of volunteers from organizations such as Rockford Sharefest, Rockford Park District, Southwest Ideas for Today and Tomorrow, West Rock Wake Park and The Perks Family Foundation, and individuals such as neighbor Elbert Jordan, Winnebago County Board member Dorothy Redd and City of Rockford Alderman Venita Hervey, poured hours into Levings Lake and Park; making it one of the top destination parks in the city.

MALL CAR SHOW HELPING NOT FOR PROFITS Every year, CherryVale Mall breaks up the winter blues with a Spring Car Show in mid-February, displaying the latest cars, SUVs and trucks from the 10 dealerships of the Rockford New Car Dealers Association. Attendees of the show submit entries for their favorite local charities and an independent panel of judges decides a not-for-profit organization to receive a $10,000 check.

To date, more than $200,000 has been awarded. “When we work with like-minded people like the Rockford New Car Dealers Association, great things can be accomplished! We are privileged to have worked with them for the beneﬁt of 22 great community organizations, and hope to beneﬁt many more in the years ahead.” Mark Peterson, CherryVale Mall

MISSION PARTNERS For nearly 50 years, First Free Rockford has been a strategic partner with the Rockford Rescue Mission, not only through financial support and volunteer hours in the kitchen, but through weekday worship events and a full Sunday morning worship service for residents and those from the surrounding neighborhoods. Most recently, the church began offering Sunday morning satellite worship services at the mission.

NIU ENGINEERING @ RVC It’s the well-known story of brain drain, and NIU and RVC have partnered in a solution for area companies needing bachelor’s-prepared engineers. NIU Engineering @ RVC launched in the fall of 2016; combining a two-year engineering Contineud on page 9

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Confluence Honors (continued from page 8)

curriculum at RVC with the third and fourth years taught by NIU professors on the RVC campus. It’s more affordable at $40,000, and many area companies supplement with paid internships.

ROCK HOUSES With the goal to make a couple of Rockford’s neighborhoods safer, the Winnebago County Housing Authority, Rockford Housing Authority, Rockford Police Department and Comcast have partnered to launch the Officer Residency Program. A Rockford police officer and his or her family lives in a high crime area – close to schools, businesses, churches and a mix of homeowners and renters. A similar initiative proved to reduce crime in Elgin, thanks to the high visibility of the officers living in their respective neighborhoods. “The ROCK program was possible only because we have the care of so many people and agencies that want to come together.” Alan Zais, Winnebago County Housing Authority

CONFLUENCE honors | 9

PRETZEL CITY KITCHENS Pretzel City Kitchens opens its doors in January to students, entrepreneurs and small businesses that need a commercial kitchen meeting health department regulations for food-related businesses. The kitchen is the dream of partners University of Illinois-Extension Office, CareerTEC, Highland Community College, M45, Christina’s Bakery, Freeport Public Library, City of Freeport and 218 Property Management. Entrepreneurs can experiment with recipes and products, and organizations or individuals offering cooking classes can rent the shared-use, commercial kitchen in Freeport Wagner House. “Being part of the Conﬂuence program was very important to Pretzel City Kitchens. It allowed us to reach a broad regional audience with information about the kitchen, which is important, as there is not a similar venue in northern Illinois.” Margaret Larson, University of IllinoisExtension Oﬃce

PROJECT SEARCH AT MERCYHEALTH This partnership between RAMP, Mercyhealth, Belvidere School District and the Illinois Department of Vocational

Rehabilitation offers medical rotationstyle internships at the hospital to high school students with disabilities. Students gain the skills they need for competitive employment. But the farreaching effect is changing employers’ attitudes about hiring people with disabilities, and the range of jobs in which they can be successful. “This award really represents the interns we are supporting and laying the foundation for in their future careers. These students have an opportunity for true independence, making our community that much richer.” Julie Bosma, RAMP

PUBLIC SAFETY COLLABORATION A relationship between Winnebago County Sheriff Gary Caruana and Rockford Police Chief Dan O’Shea has led to a more regional approach to law enforcement and public safety. The two departments are sharing intelligence and resources, with the Rockford Police Department Domestic Violence Unit now housed in the Winnebago County Justice Center for better information sharing and consolidation of staff and resources. Tactical and drug units hold monthly meetings with law officials from Winnebago, Boone, Ogle and McHenry counties.

RENEWING LIVES! PROVIDING PURPOSE Adolescents moving through the Rosecrance treatment program participate in two-hour sessions that include a short tour through Anderson Japanese Gardens, a cultural discussion and an outdoor service project -- rain or shine. The weeding and cleaning is valuable to the meticulously cultivated Anderson Gardens, but it’s helping the adolescents reconnect to the outside world and build confidence and a sense of purpose and hopefulness that’s priceless.

STROLL ON STATE Every Thanksgiving weekend, the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and Rockford Sharefest transform the downtown, with the help of more than 700 volunteers, into a glittering family holiday destination. What started as the spark of an idea, an official tree lighting ceremony, has ignited into an event drawing 75,000 and supporting retailers and restaurants in the downtown area.

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January 2018

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Two from Rockford to Join the Order of Lincoln Celebration honors the newest Laureates on May 5 Rockford is poised to become a focal point for statewide attention on May 5 when the Lincoln Academy of Illinois, after a 47-year absence, host its 54th annual spring convocation, concert and gala reception at the Coronado Theatre. The academy will partner with the City of Rockford and the Friends of the Coronado for the history-making event that coincides with the Illinois Bicentennial and the Coronado’s 90th anniversary. The May 5 event starts at 4:45 p.m., with welcoming music on the Coronado’s Grande Barton organ. The formal ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m., with a processional set to a worldpremiere composition by Rockford Symphony Orchestra Conductor Steve Larsen. A patriotic memorial concert in memory of the late Tom Johnson, former academy chancellor and revered “Rockfordian,” follows, with the second world premiere of the evening, an original piano and orchestral composition by Emily Bear.

Bear, Rydell Named to The Order of Lincoln In 2018, the Lincoln Academy of Illinois recognizes the eight new Laureates of The Order of Lincoln, the state’s highest honor. Rockford has the distinction of being home to two of the

songwriter with styles that encompass jazz, classical, film music and pop. The

Rockford

native

made

her

professional debut at the Ravinia festival in Highland Park, Ill., at 5 years old and has performed at venues such as Carnegie Hall, the White House, Lincoln Center, Montreux Jazz Festival and the Hollywood Bowl. Symphonies across the world have performed Emily Bear

Dave Rydell

newly named Laureates: Dave Rydell, chairman of Bergstrom, and Emily Bear, 16-year-old pianist, composer and songwriter -- by many years the youngest Laureate ever. Only 340 individuals have been honored in 54 years. “This year’s Order of Lincoln recipients are an extraordinary group of individuals that truly embody President Abraham Lincoln’s relentless and passionate spirit for public service,” said Gov. Bruce Rauner in an announcement he made on Sept. 15, 2017. “They have positively changed their communities in numerous ways, and their contributions will impact Illinois and the world for generations to come.” The Rockford Chamber encourages organizations to support this event by contacting civic committee chairs

Major General (ret) John and Myrna Borling at 602-820-3608 or jlbviking@ yahoo.com.

2018 Laureates of The Order of Lincoln ■ Emily Bear

Emily’s original compositions, and she has helped raise millions for charities across the globe through performances and events. David Rydell is chairman since 2011 of Bergstrom Inc., after working as president and CEO in 1986. He and his management team have positioned the designer and producer of climate systems for the commercial vehicle

■ Dick Butkus

industry

■ Stephen Shih Chen

capabilities. The company has become

■ The Reverend Michael J. Garanzini, S.J.

recognized as a technology leader in

■ Mellody Hobson ■ Edward L. McMillan

with

global

production

no-idle heating and air conditioning in its marketplace. The Rockford native and Augustana College graduate has served on many community and not-

■ Dr. Louis Philipson

for-profit boards and supported many

■ David Rydell

organizations

through

family

and

company foundations. Emily Bear is a 16-year-old, chart-topping pianist, composer and

Visit www.thelincolnacademyofillinois.org.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

January 2018

 Destination

ILLINOIS, USA

ADDING WEALTH TO THE REGION’S ECONOMY BY GROWING TOURISM

Beyond the fun Special events,

ala, Stroll On State fan future growth Stroll on State, presented by Illinois Bank & Trust, is more than a one-day windfall for downtown business owners. Some of them say it’s a gift that keeps on giving throughout the year, and they are happy to share strategies they use during Stroll and other special events to grow business and make customers eager to return. When you think of a customer-rich environment, Stroll on State tops the list. The event continues to grow and the impact on downtown is deepening, according to 2017 numbers. November’s Stroll drew 82,500 people downtown, a 10 percent increase over last year. Spending per person was up, too, with 75 percent of attendees saying they spent more than $25 that day. Beyond that, 95 percent of those surveyed said they would come back downtown after experiencing Stroll on State. But just having all those potential customers on the sidewalk outside the front door of a business doesn’t guarantee anything, according to savvy downtown merchants. People have to walk through the door, and the experience inside has to be positive. “It’s not all about business; it’s how you make those people feel,” said Sarah Leon, who with husband Tony owns The Parlour at 412 E. State St. The Parlour is a barber shop offering haircuts, hot lather shaves and men’s clothing. The Leons hired a rockabilly band to play in the shop, and people were dancing on the sidewalk and street outside. “It’s about having fun for us, cutting loose and being ourselves,” Sarah said. “We did some on-the-spot sales, but it was mostly about seeding business for the future. A lot of people called the week after and said, ‘I was in the shop during Stroll on State and want to come in for a cut.’” Nearby, at Bath & Body Fusion, 324 E. State St., Jen Ralston and her team started making products two months before Stroll to have enough stock to get through the biggest sales day of the year. Jen brought in extra staff to reduce customers’ checkout time. “We try to wow our customers with window displays and make the inside magical,” she said. Down the street at Woodfire Brick Oven Pizzas, 408 E. State St., owner Joe D’Astice,

John Groh

knew the Rockford Area Convention & restaurant would Visitors Bureau be slammed during Stroll. He wanted to serve as many people as possible and do it well. He rearranged the dining room for communal seating, which allowed him to accommodate large parties. Tables fill up quickly during Stroll, and Joe understands that people want to enjoy the event, not wait in a long line to eat. “Nearly everyone has a cell phone and does texting. We gave them an approximate wait time so they could go enjoy Stroll, and we texted them when the table was ready,” he said. Karen Elyea, owner of Minglewood Boutique, 333 E. State St., counts on special events for more than a one-day sales boost. “Special events help tremendously because so many new people discover us,” she said. “When they return throughout the year – that’s what keeps me in business.” For the third year, she featured live mannequins in her front windows wearing fashions from the store’s inventory. She stocked a lot of hats, gloves and scarves and sold them all as the sun set and the temperature dropped on Stroll day. She was happy to hold purchases for later pickup for customers who bought other items. Going back to what Sarah Leon said, growing business through special events is all about making people feel good about the experience. Downtown business owners get that. They decorate inside and out. They create a fun atmosphere. They add staff and stock ample product. They interact with customers. They understand that putting their best foot forward during Stroll on State requires jumping in with both feet. When that happens, everybody wins. The Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau produces Stroll on State with the support, services and donations of many community partners, volunteers and sponsors. For a complete recap on the 2017 event, visit www.strollonstate.com. John Groh is president/CEO of the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. The views expressed are those of Groh’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

The Parlour hosts a fun rockabilly show in their barbershop during Stroll on State.

12 | CONFLUENCE honors

Confluence Honors (continued from page 9)

UTC AEROSPACE ENGINEERING PROGRAM Now in its eighth year, engineers from UTC Aerospace Systems partner with eighth grade students from Lincoln Middle School who are struggling with math. The mentors give one-on-one attention and guidance and serve as role models for a successful career. The students build confidence and social skills and the ability to problem solve; paving the way to high-paying, satisfying careers in a number of fields. “This program exposes students to individuals who are using math on a daily basis in a successful career. Having positive role models is an important part of a middle school education. UTAS gives their employees the opportunity to volunteer during the school day to make a diﬀerence in a student’s life.” Jim Parker, Rockford Public Schools

driven decisions to prioritize projects and creative designs to minimize the impact on residents. Progress has included $3.4 million in improvements to the city’s Stanley Street Pumping Station, where a treatment plant addition has aided in radium removal and overall production efficiency.

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Rockford named fourth best metro for manufacturing Study finds many jobs, workers paid well

WOODWARD HEALTH CENTER SwedishAmerican, A Division of UW Health, partnered with Woodward, Inc., to open Woodward Health Center inside of its Immediate Care Clinic on Rockford’s east side. The clinic offers company employees and dependents personalized, direct primary care and disease management services. The care model has been applied to other populations in the community to decrease costs, improve health outcomes and reduce emergency department visits and hospital admissions. “This model was designed to address the growing health care costs experienced by

WATER SERVICE FOR A BETTER COMMUNITY

many employers. Nearly a year into the

The City of Rockford Water Division and Fehr Graham Engineering and Environmental have joined forces in an accelerated capital renewal/replacement program addressing the city’s aging water system. Fehr Graham uses data-

program participants and reduced health

project, initial results have demonstrated signiﬁcantly improved health outcomes for care expenditures.” Don Daniels, SwedishAmerican, A Division of UW Health

Barbara Connors is editor of The VOICE.

A study by SmartAsset has found that Rockford — long known as a manufacturing hub — remains that way. The personal finance technology company headquartered in New York looked at 483 metro areas in its second-annual study to find the best places to work in manufacturing. Rockford ranked number four in the nation based on factors such as employment and income growth in manufacturing, density of manufacturing jobs and housing costs. Overall, SmartAsset discovered that it was not big cities, but smaller metro areas that dominated the list. Some places on the list grew manufacturing jobs rapidly, with Ogden-Clearfield growing manufacturing jobs by 55 percent from 2010 to 2015.

Why Rockford?

top 10 was about 300,000. Discounting Greenville, N.C., and Ogden-Clearfield, Utah, the figure drops in half to 150,000. The largest metro area in the top 25 was Louisville-Jefferson, Ky.-Ind., with 1.2 million residents.

Large Variance Across Metro Areas. There were some places where manufacturing jobs were growing rapidly and others where manufacturing jobs were leaving in a hurry. In Rochester, Minn., the number of manufacturing jobs dropped by almost 30 percent from 2010 to 2015. In Ogden-Clearfield, the number of manufacturing jobs grew by 55 percent from 2010 to 2015.

Metro Areas Listed by Rank: ■ Talladega-Sylacauga, Ala.

In the past, Rockford has been known as a manufacturing hub that produced heavy machinery and tools. While the area has declined since its heyday, 25 percent of all workers in Rockford are still employed in the manufacturing industry. The study also found that working in manufacturing pays well. After paying for housing, the average manufacturing worker has about $54,000 left — before taxes, that is.

Other Key Findings No Big Cities.

■ Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, S.C. ■ Ogden-Clearfield, Utah ■ Rockford, Ill. ■ Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, Ky. ■ Greenville, N.C. ■ Napa, Calif. ■ Amarillo, Texas ■ Oshkosh-Neenah, Wis. ■ Mount Vernon-Anacortes, Wash. For more information, visit smartasset. com/mortgage/the-best-places-to-work-in-

Smaller metro areas dominated this list. The average population across the

manufacturing. Source: Michele Lerner for smartasset.com

18 states ring in 2018 with minimum wage increases Arizona

$10.50

California

$11.00

Colorado

$10.20

Hawaii

$10.10

States Indexing by Annual Cost of Living Adjustments

Maine

$10.00

Alaska

$9.84

Michigan

$9.25

Florida

$8.25

New York City, New York

$13.00

Minnesota

$9.65

Long Island, New York

$11.00

Missouri

$7.85

New York State

$10.40

Montana

$8.30

Rhode Island

$10.10

New Jersey

$8.60

Washington state

$11.50

Ohio

$8.30

Vermont

$10.50

South Dakota

$8.85

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

January 2018

Winnebago County raises flag to kick off Illinois Bicentennial Yearlong celebration in 2018 for nation’s 21st state On Dec. 4, Winnebago County and representatives from local municipalities held a bicentennial flag raising ceremony to kick off a year-long celebration leading up to Illinois’ 200th birthday on Dec. 3, 2018. The event included a proclamation reading, vocal performance and special bicentennial flag raising at noon at the side flag pole at Veterans Memorial Hall at 211 N. Main St., in downtown Rockford.

Bicentennial flags were raised at the same time across the state. The Illinois Bicentennial will commemorate and celebrate all of the great things that instill pride in people who live, grew up and have roots in the state. Throughout history, Illinoisans has made a massive impact on the country and the world. Leaders like Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Ronald Reagan

and Barack Obama and pioneers like Jane Adams, John Deere and Enrico Fermi have called Illinois home, as have other icons like Ernest Hemingway, Muddy Waters, Walt Disney, Oprah Winfrey and Michael Jordan. Citizens are encouraged to participate in the celebration by visiting the PARTICIPATE page at www.Illinois200. com and using the hashtag #IllinoisProud.

High Points in Illinois’ History The 21st state to join the union now is the fifth most populous state in the nation. With many high points throughout the state’s 200 years, the Illinois Bicentennial Commission highlights some relatively recent ones, from 1981 to present.

Harold Washington (April 12, 1983) Harold Washington is elected the first African American mayor of Chicago. The achievement requires defeating the incumbent mayor and the son of political legend Richard J. Daley in the Democratic primary and then beating a Republican candidate with substantial Democratic support. As mayor, he faces harsh opposition from many white Democrats on the city council, a period known as “council wars.” Ultimately, additional Washington supporters are elected to the council, giving him more freedom to act.

Oprah Premieres (Sept. 8, 1986)

Chicago Bears (Jan. 26, 1986) The Chicago Bears win their first Super Bowl with one of the strongest teams in NFL history. Under legendary coach Mike Ditka, players like William “The Refrigerator” Perry and Walter Payton dominate their opponents for a 15-1 season.

Chicago Bulls Champions (June 6, 1991)

The Oprah Winfrey Show, broadcast from Harpo Studios in Chicago, airs nationally. Already a well-known local personality, Winfrey’s show would become one of the most popular in television history.

Led by Michael Jordan, the Chicago Bulls win their first of six NBA championships. The team’s amazing runs earns titles for the 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996 and 1998 seasons.

Obama Elected (Nov. 4, 2008) Chicagoan Barack Obama is elected president, becoming the first African American to reach that office. He serves two terms and establishes his presidential library in Chicago.

Historic Senator

Cubs Win! (Oct. 22, 2016)

(Nov. 3, 1992)

The Chicago Cubs defeat the Cleveland Indians to win the World Series for the first time in 108 years. The ensuing celebration in Chicago is one of the largest gatherings in world history.

Carol Moseley Braun becomes the first African American woman elected to the U.S. Senate. She serves until 1999 and then becomes an ambassador.

Technology Game Changers

January 2018

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

INSIGHT

Guest Perspective

Tech trends to keep an eye on in 2018 Changing the way we do business 2017 was a big year for the types of technology that can impact and enhance our personal and professional lives in many ways. Projections are showing this trend is likely to continue in 2018, particularly in the workplace, as new technology becomes just as integrated into our professional lives as it is in our personal ones. Likely the biggest move companies are making with regard to technology right now is the ongoing push toward offsite data storage in the form of cloud computing. Redundant systems help mitigate the risk of losing valuable data in the event of any kind of disaster, hack or hardware failure, which provides many business owners with greater peace of mind. The lack of a storage limit also is a major benefit. This trend is even emerging in many of the new cellphones that have been released in recent months, wherein an individual’s photographs and other media are stored on cloud servers rather than on the device itself. This means that our offices will definitely become more mobile-enabled than ever before. With specific regard to important documents that companies need to

For years, the dream of being able to rapidly produce small components and parts was unattainable for many, but the emerging affordability of 3D printers is going to completely revolutionize the industry. routinely access and keep secure, document management services are increasingly becoming an attractive option for many different types of firms. Files are stored on a shared drive or cloud-based format, and they’re indexed to allow easy searching. The biggest benefits to this are most likely the data encryption aspects that keeps files secure, and the project management features that enable business leaders to better control workflow.

A Shrinking World There’s a lot to look forward to on the new gadget forefront for 2018, too, particularly for manufacturing and R&D companies of all sizes. For years, the dream of being able to rapidly produce small components and parts was unattainable for many, but the emerging affordability of 3D printers is going to

completely revolutionize the industry. For smaller companies, the impact is going to be incredible. These machines can fit on a desktop and operate on userfriendly software, meaning that more and more development is being placed in the end-user’s hands than ever before. Greater use of teleconferencing devices is another trend we’re seeing emerge across many industries. Business travel, as we all know, increases overhead costs for many businesses. So why travel? Today, particularly with increased use of gadgets like interactive boards and video walls, presentations can be delivered from anywhere in the world with much the same feeling and impact as a traditional presentation. Many of these devices can be custom-tailored to fit the space and/or conference room constraints of any operation, and can really open up a company’s doors to the entire

world. Imagine James Mitchell meeting with Des Plaines Office clients all over Equipment Company the globe on a daily basis, with very much the same oneon-one feel of a typical meeting. Combine these elements with cloud storage and document management software and people can even collaborate on projects together from different time zones. It’s going to significantly impact the way people do business moving forward and will likely lead to an even greater global marketplace for new partnerships. As 2018 approaches, be sure to take stock of ways that all of these tech trends can boost your company. Adopting their use will allow your company to remain competitive and cutting-edge and is sure to impress your clients. James Mitchell is Rockford sales manager at Des Plaines Office Equipment Company. The views expressed are those of Mitchell’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

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Technology Game Changers

January 2018

Restoration Tools: game-changing products Taking inventions to market By Sherry Pritz Enderle, NIU EIGERlab

ahead of where we would have been without their assistance.”

Bringing a good idea to fruition can be overwhelming. But the process — and the results — are worth it. “Being new to the invention game has kept us on the edge of the learning curve throughout the process,” said Charlie Hare, co-owner of Restoration Tools®. Charlie, his daughter Jocelyn and third team member, Marcus Smith, have created the “Aerator” — a utilitarian tool which solves a multitude of issues in the restoration field including cleanliness, a safer work environment and increased efficiency. When the team first brought their idea to Mike Cobert at NIU EIGERlab’s Center for Profit Development (C4PD), they had a long list of inventions they were interested in bringing to the market. Mike advised the team to hone in on one, learn the process, align themselves with the manufacturers, and move forward. “Looking back, this was sage advice,” said Jocelyn Hare. “C4PD has assisted with the durability study, providing a comprehensive project management punch list, and an impressive list of invaluable connections. We are so far

In addition to working with the C4PD, the team has embraced regional entrepreneurial

offerings

such

NIU EIGERlab’s Innovation Tuesday Meetups,

Thinker

Profit’s

weekly

1M Cups, and a variety of Rockford Chamber events. “By attending NIU EIGERlab’s Meetups, we’ve had an impressive number of our questions answered by both legal and financial experts,” said Jocelyn. In addition to gleaning valuable information and meeting people whom they can potentially partner with, they’ve also met entrepreneurs who are either steps ahead or behind in regards to formulating their businesses. The

entrepreneurial

network

has

been a strong source of support and encouragement. “I can’t say enough about the importance of networking, and paying it forward,” shared Charlie. “Our team members are some of NIU EIGERlab’s biggest cheerleaders, and we use every opportunity to share information on this exceptional local asset.”

Charlie Hare, daughter Jocelyn and Marcus Smith (not shown) are in the process of commercializing their group of restoration-related tools.

Support for Entrepreneurs “It’s been a pleasure working with the Restoration Tools team, and we’re looking forward to an ongoing relationship as they commercialize their entire group of restoration-related tools,” Mike Cobert shared. “When entrepreneurs are involved in the dayto-day operations, streamlining, safety and efficiency are often the results. This new line of tools will assist with improved working conditions and additional revenues. I believe Restoration’s revolutionary tools will change the restoration industry!” NIU EIGERlab embraces startups and supports entrepreneurs like the

Restoration Tools team along the pathway toward success. Programming and services are in place at two NIU EIGERlab locations to assist startups and existing businesses — entrepreneurs in all phases. To learn more about how NIU EIGERlab can help you develop your idea or grow your business, visit www.EIGERlab. org or call 815-753-2192. Sherry Pritz Enderle is marketing & events coordinator/business development at NIU EIGERlab Innovation Network. The views expressed are those of Pritz Enderle’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

Technology Game Changers

January 2018

BBB offers tips to avoid most common scams The National Retail Federation (NRF) expects 2017 holiday retail sales to top last year’s by up to four percent. The Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois offers consumers tips to avoid vulnerability to some of the most common tactics fraudsters use; given the heightened emotions of the “gift card shopping season” immediately following the holidays.

Common Shopping Scams Look-Alike Websites. These email alerts announce deals, gifts and sales, but the links may lead to look-alike websites meant to trick you into entering private information or downloading malware. Consumers should: ■ Review the sender’s address, as businesses will often send emails with a proprietary address, like @bbb.org. ■ Look for misspellings throughout the email. ■ Hover over links without clicking to see where they reroute. ■ Only enter sensitive information into a website that begins with “https,” as the “s” informs you that it’s secure and information entered is encrypted. Social Media Gift Exchange. Purchasing one gift and receiving several in return may sound harmless, but this is a pyramid scheme, which is illegal. Free Gift Cards. Scammers reach out through phishing emails and pop-up ads; offering gift cards. Do not: ■ Open the email as it can be a phishing attempt. If you do, don’t click the links. Mark the email as SPAM or JUNK. ■ Share any personal information to receive the card. Scammers will use the information to steal your identity later. ■ Click the ad, instead close out of the app or program you are using, clear your history and turn on your ad blocker. E-Cards. Some friends and family may be going high-tech by using e-cards, but so are scammers. To determine if it’s a friendly e-card: ■ The sender’s name is easily visible.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

INSIGHT

Guest Perspective ■ Be wary if you are required to enter personal information to open the card. ■ Do not open an email attachment that ends in “.exe,” which indicates an execute command and could download a virus. Fake Shipping Notifications. Some announcements of delivery notifications might be phishing scams. The emails often use a legitimate businesses name and logo to trick you into opening the email; allowing thieves to gain access to personal information and passwords. ■ You are not required to pay money to receive your package, that happened when you made your purchase. ■ Delivery services do not need personal information to deliver your items. Phony Charities. Scammers pose as charities or needy individuals soliciting donations. Here are a few tips: ■ Look for sound-alike names. ■ Verify your charity at Give.org. ■ Review the charity’s website to make sure it specifies the plan for the donations. Puppy Scams. Those seeking to add a family member can be drawn in by the cute pictures. ■ Do an image search online of the photo given of your pet. If multiple websites pop-up, it’s probably a scam. ■ Know what prices to expect. ■ Search bbb.org for accredited breeders and rescue shelters. ■ Never pay using a money order or via the Western Union or Moneygram. Use a credit card to give added protection and ability to dispute the charges. Remember to always report scammers. If you’ve been the target of a scam or suspect scam activity, report it to authorities and bbb.org/scamtracker/ chicago to warn others. For BBB business reviews you can trust, visit bbb.org/ask.

Technology: Making connections, providing insights in every industry

Sean Grennan Wipﬂi LLP

Data helps businesses identify improvement opportunities Have you ever been involved in a scenario similar to the following? ■ After an appointment at a local hospital, a patient’s MRI scan is sent confidentially, electronically and instantaneously to the health clinic you manage. The patient is now scheduling an appointment for follow-up care, and it will occur the same afternoon. You have just added a patient to your practice through a simplified, secure process. ■ Your closest manufacturing competitor has just dropped its highestvolume product line. Why would they drop a profitable product? Have you been assuming it has been profitable for them all along? Is this good news for you or do they know something you don’t? ■ A customer walks in the door at your bank to deposit a check. The teller opens their client account dashboard, and the system informs the teller of a next-best offering because of the high balance in the customer’s non-interestbearing account. A new lead is created, and a personal banker is notified to contact the customer regarding the opportunity. All of these situations are possible when software and systems are in place so your business can take immediate action. Your bank teller has a readily available database at her fingertips, populated with personal and account information about your customers; your manufacturing competitor invested in enterprise resource planning software

that revealed they had an unprofitable production line; your health care clinic was fed crucial patient information from the local hospital via a secure networking application process. Countless stories such as these exist in your business environment today, and many more will surface in the near future. If you have neglected to pay attention to disruptive technology trends in your industry, there’s good news: Today is not too late to start. You may prefer to be the first one “on board” to adopt a cutting-edge application, or you may want to wait for proven results before implementing a new process. The fact remains that technology can be a game changer for you. The key is to stay educated and informed. I encourage everyone to read trade journals, follow technological breakthroughs in your field and subscribe to related technology publications. Open a dialogue with a trusted technology advisor. Many solutions have low startup costs and will quickly make a strong positive impact on your business. Staying current allows you to stay competitive. Discover how technology can enable your organization to reach its goals and prepare your business for the future. Sean Grennan is senior consultant at Wipfli LLP. The views expressed are those of Grennan’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

January 2018

AME apprenticeship program Decreasing manufacturing skills gap By Meaghan Ziemba, AME On Tue, Dec. 19, 2017, Advanced Machine & Engineering (AME) broke ground for a new $3.5 million facility expansion. The 30,000-sq.-ft. addition is expected to bring up to 100 jobs to the Rockford and surrounding communities -- a testament to how manufacturing is making a comeback in the United States. According to Deloitte Consulting LLP and the Manufacturing Institute, more than 3 million manufacturing jobs will likely need to be filled over the next decade; however, due to the skills gap, 2 million of those jobs will be left unfilled. There are several factors contributing to the gap, including older generations of machinists coming up on retirement, and the lack of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) skills among workers. To help close the gap, AME, along with other local manufacturing companies, offer an apprenticeship program to local high school students. “We knew we were going to have a skills gap problem as these older guys started to retire,” said Dietmar Goellner, president and CEO of AME. “We had to replace that with new thinking, so we embarked on a comprehensive apprenticeship program.” The apprenticeship is a federally approved, four-year program administered through the Rock River Valley Tooling & Machining Association (RRVTMA). Participating students are required to complete 8,000 hours of manufacturing training in parallel of schooling at Rock Valley College.

AME, along with other local manufacturing companies, offer an apprenticeship program to local high school students, where they learn skills including, GD&T, CNC programming, materials sciences, feeds and speeds, and milling, drilling and turning processes. variety of classes at Rock Valley College including: ■ Mathematics for Machine Technology I ■ Blueprint Interpretation ■ Metal Cutting Applications ■ Metrology ■ CNC/CAM Operations ■ Introduction to Welding

Training Your Own

■ Graphics/SolidWorks CAD I

“It’s so hard to find skilled labor, so that’s why we believe in ‘training your own,’” Goellner said. During the apprenticeship, students learn various skills associated with the trade, including GD&T, CNC programming, materials sciences, feeds and speeds, and milling, drilling and turning processes. They also attend a

The RRVTMA helps students select which classes to take, and provides their grades to the companies so they can continue to monitor their progress. “When our people graduate, they are really, really good because of our tremendous screening process,” Goellner said. “We know we’re getting the cream of the crop.”

The apprenticeship started more than 15 years ago with AME Chairman and Founder, Willy Goellner. “When I came over here [from Germany], I found out that the training was very weak when it comes to apprentice training.” Initially, the apprenticeship involved a general program that gave students basic machining practice. “In the last 8 years, the program has really taken off. We now offer five different tracks that include CNC lathe operators, CNC mill operators, CNC grinders, and at Willy’s behest, assemblers and machine builders,” said Brad Patterson, VP operations and continuous improvement at AME. Last year, Patterson accepted 30 applications for the apprenticeship. He’s expecting 40 for next year. “We went from hiring one to two apprentices

every year, to hiring two to four.” Nick Roeling, product manager for the fluid power Meaghan Ziemba AME division at AME, is a prime example of how successful the program is. He participated in the apprenticeship back in 2010 after getting laid off from another manufacturing company in the area. “I started in the sawing area, where I learned measurements and how to cut certain materials,” Roeling said. “After a year I finally got to start machining on a CNC machine, the multiplex. It was the perfect machine to start on because it’s already programmed for you, and it was nice to get on something that was already running.” After running the multiplex for two to three months, Roeling had a better understanding of how to load a tool, set a tool and catch off a tool. He then moved on to a smaller machine to learn programming. “Once I graduated from the program, I was able to continue working at AME, making my way up to product manager for the fluid power division.”

Investing in People Patterson acknowledges that there is a place for general machinists, but AME and other manufacturing companies need the highly skilled machinists to fill their available positions. The expertise that they are looking for takes years of training to develop. After two decades of losing manufacturing jobs in the area, Goellner is excited to have the opportunity to hire more people. He understands that to be successful in manufacturing, you must invest in the people. That is why AME has invested in a program that focuses on hands-on training as well as weekly classes that review that latest in manufacturing technology. Meaghan Ziemba is content marketing manager at AME.

Manufacturing News is sponsored by Advanced Machine & Engineering Co.

January 2018

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Introducing Joseph Grenny

Rockford Leadership Alliance Keynote Speaker

Rockford Leadership Alliance kickoff keynote speaker Joseph Grenny is bestselling author of Crucial Conversations, Influencer, Crucial Accountability and Change Anything.

By Caitlin Pusateri, Rockford Chamber With a new year, comes a new Rockford Leadership Alliance program! Based on feedback we’ve received from

participants from past years, we’ve made a few changes to the program. Most notably, we’ve altered our schedule a bit. This year’s Rockford Leadership Alliance will begin in September and run through March. Same months, different order to avoid the awkward summer break. We are excited for the continuity and momentum this change will bring to the program. Kicking off the program on Sept. 19 will be bestselling author and leading social scientist for business performance, Joseph Grenny. Grenny is the coauthor of four immediate New York Times bestsellers with more than three million copies in print: Crucial Conversations, Influencer, Crucial Accountability and Change Anything. He contributes regularly to Harvard Business Review and LinkedIn. He has appeared on The Today Show, CNN,

… most people choose to say nothing because when accountability is void, they assume they don’t have the power or authority to raise a concern. In fact, Joseph’s research shows people waste $1,500 and an eight-hour workday every time they avoid an accountability conversation. Bloomberg and Fox Business News; and been featured in Forbes, Businessweek, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, and the Washington Post. For the past 30 years, Joseph has conducted social science research with the goal to help leaders and organizations achieve new levels of performance. Specifically, he has focused on human behavior — the underlying written and unwritten rules that shape what employees do every day.

2018 Theme: Accountability In 2018/2019, Rockford Leadership Alliance will turn its focus to spotlight Accountability. Using Grenny’s Crucial Accountability to help framework content and discussion, RLA will hone in on this key opportunity exposed in both the 2016 RLA 360 Reviews and the 2017 Organizational Health Assessments. With help from our friends at The Anser Group, 2018/2019’s content will once again be engaging, thoughtprovoking and organization-changing. So why accountability? Because it matters. Through RLA, we’ve built a case for trust in our organizations. We’ve examined what it means to have a healthy organization by building cohesive leadership teams and dedicating time and energy to clarity in all we do. We’ve established great groundwork. Now is the time to dive deeper into giving one another the gift of accountability. We owe it to ourselves, to our organizations and to our communities to hold our feet to the fire, so to speak – even when the going gets tough. Accountability will be a massive change agent for individual relationships, teams and our community.

A Culture of Accountability To aid in this process, the Rockford Chamber is excited to bring in THE expert: Joseph Grenny.

Grenny has spent 30 years studying cultures of dialogue and accountability. When others let us down, break rules, fail to deliver on their promises, or behave badly, what do we do? Unfortunately,

most

people

choose to say nothing because when accountability is void, they assume they don’t have the power or authority to raise a concern. In fact, Joseph’s research shows people waste $1,500 and an eight-hour workday every time they avoid an accountability conversation. However, in organizations that build cultures of accountability, people raise concerns with those next to, above and below them on the organizational chart. As

result,

problems

are

solved routinely and quickly and a pervasive sense of empowerment and responsibility for results prevails. It’s clear – an organization with a culture of accountability is a healthy organization built on trust. RLA is excited to offer this challenging content suited

for

hungry-for-improvement

leaders within our community. Registration now is available at www. rockfordchamber.com.

Organizations

interested in sending teams of 10 (or more!) should contact Caitlin Pusateri (cpusateri@rockfordchamber.com) for discounted pricing. Over the next few months, RLA will share other opportunities for development available between now and our kickoff. But for now, visit our website to find the 2018/2019 RLA dates. We look forward to working with you! Caitlin Pusateri is vice president, leadership development at the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

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January 2018

R O C K F O R D

C H A M B E R

O F

C O M M E R C E

Small Business Enterprise Funding Opportunities

Provisions in the final Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 2017 The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released information in December on how the tax cuts recently passed by President Trump would affect small businesses. The U.S. Chamber stated in its website campaign, The Case for Tax Reform, that the United States had a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the economy and jumpstart growth through comprehensive, progrowth tax reform. New 20 Percent Deduction for Pass-Throughs (Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships, LLCs, and S-Corps.) The bill includes a new 20 percent deduction on the first $315,000 of joint income ($157,500 in the case of a single return) earned by a pass-through. For example, if a small business earns $200,000 and the owner files a joint return, then the owner will not pay taxes on $40,000 (20 percent of $200,000) of their income. The 20 percent deduction is in addition to the overall lower tax rates for individuals and pass-throughs provided by the bill. For larger pass-throughs with joint income above $315,000, the deduction is restricted as follows: ■ It is phased-out for “professional services” which includes: businesses in the fields of health, law, consulting, athletics, financial services, brokerage services or any trade or business where the principal asset of the business is the reputation or skill of one or more of its employees or owners, or which involves the performance of services that consist of investing and investment management trading, or dealing in securities, partnership interests or commodities. ■ For other businesses, the deduction is limited based on W-2 wages paid or capital invested by the business owner. Specifically, the deduction is limited to

Illinois Talent Pipeline Management

the larger of: ❍ 50 percent of the W-2 wages paid by the business, or ❍ The sum of 25 percent of W-2 wages paid plus 2.5 percent of the initial cost of tangible, depreciable property used in the business. The official explanation of the bill includes this example: For example, a taxpayer (who is subject to the limit) does business as a sole proprietorship conducting a widgetmaking business. The business buys a widget-making machine for $100,000 and places it in service in 2020. The business has no employees in 2020. The limitation in 2020 is the greater of (a) 50 percent of W-2 wages, or $0, or (b) the sum of 25 percent of W-2 wages ($0) plus 2.5 percent of the unadjusted basis of the machine immediately after its acquisition: $100,000 x .025 = $2,500. The amount of the limitation on the taxpayer’s deduction is $2,500. Expanded Ability of Small Business to Immediately Write-off the Cost of New Equipment. Under current law (section 179) small businesses are accustomed to deducting purchases of new equipment immediately, subject to certain limitations. Under tax reform, these limitations are waived so all businesses will be able to deduct all equipment purchases. Small Businesses Continue to Deduct Net Interest Paid. While the bill imposes a new restriction on the ability of large businesses to deduct their net interest payments, small businesses with gross receipts of less than $25 million are excluded from this restriction. As a result, small business will continue to be able to deduct their interest expenses.

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced a funding opportunity under the Illinois Talent Pipeline Program, which supports sustainable work-based learning programs to help Illinois companies retain and train current workers and hire new staff. The goal of a talent pipeline grant is to maintain a pipeline of hirable talent for the employer being served. Applications must address one or more of these: ■ Projects that connect talent strategies with business needs. ■ Layoff aversion projects that support businesses and workers impacted or at risk of company closures or layoffs. ■ Projects that expand work-based learning opportunities including apprenticeships for targeted populations. The Illinois DCEO expects to award eight to 10 pilot projects of $250,000 to $500,000. Grant awards will generally not exceed $500,000. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis throughout the 2018 State Fiscal Year until May 1, 2018. Visit https://itpm_nofo.eventbrite. com to register for an informational webinar on Jan. 25 at 2 p.m., or for more details visit www.illinoisworknet.com/ TalentPipelineNOFO.

Workforce Innovation The Workforce Innovation funding opportunity seeks proposals from eligible organizations capable of planning and implementing innovative projects that impact the competitive position of Illinois businesses and workers through workforce development, education and economic development projects that can be replicated throughout the state. Applications must address one or more of these: ■ Sector partnership projects ■ Innovative workforce research projects

pilot

■ Priority population projects

and

■ Statewide technical assistance The Illinois DCEO will accept proposals that support projects that serve youth, adults, dislocated workers and/ or incumbent workers that are eligible under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The DCEO expects to award three to five pilot projects of $100,000 to $350,000. Grant awards will generally not exceed $500,000. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis throughout the 2018 State Fiscal Year until May 1, 2018. For more details visit illinoisworknet. com/WIOAInnovationNOFO.

Veterans Business Outreach Center Private organizations, colleges and universities, private sector firms, nonprofit organizations and state, local or tribal governmental agencies are eligible to apply for funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration to provide training and counseling to aspiring and existing veteran small business owners as a Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC). The grant awardees will be providing training to service members and military spouses through the Boots to Business entrepreneurship training program, which is part of the Transition Assistance Program. Each award is made for a base project period of 12 months, with four 12-month option periods. To submit your application for the VBOC-2018-01 grant visit the www. grants.gov portal, click on “Applicants” tab, then click on “Apply for Grants.” Follow the “Search” tab and type in “VBOC” in the keyword block to pull up grant announcement VBOC-201801. Click on the “Package” tab, and then click on “apply” to fill out the application form. Applications must be submitted via grants.gov no later than 4 p.m. (EST) on Jan. 8. For questions, email Janet Moorman at Janet.Moorman@sba.gov.

Planning Your 2018 Image

January 2018

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Guest Perspective

2018 resolution #1 Get your brand in shape Your 2018 business resolutions are optimistic, yet practical. The typical list includes things like, “manage cash flow more effectively” or the ubiquitous “get better at delegating.” Far down the list, if there at all, would be a resolution related to “Brand.” For most business people, brand is an afterthought when compared to the more existential challenges they face every day, like meeting payroll or paying for healthcare.

Strong Brands Win Hearts and Minds The challenge for many is that brand can seem esoteric and hard to quantify — and business people like nothing better than a spreadsheet. What’s my ROI? They’ll ask. If I spend $100 to build my brand, will that result in $200 in new business? While the value of brand varies from company to company, the facts are indisputable: Brand has measurable equity. Brand heavily influences consumer and business buying decisions and often equates to more marketshare and increased marketshare usually means more profit. While brand means different things to different people, there’s no denying its power. Every day, our lives are heavily influenced by brand: from the $5-million, 30-sec. Super Bowl iPhone X spot that

compels you to get an upgrade the next day, right down to the local gym’s Facebook page that makes you want to start living your life to the fullest. Brand is the “secret sauce” that companies like Apple use to create perception and, most importantly, differentiation. Feature for feature, dollar for dollar, Galaxy might be just as good as iPhone – but which one’s cooler? That’s brand at work. Fortunately, building a brand and wielding its remarkable power isn’t confined to just the largest retailers and manufacturers. It’s well within reach of any business. When a local tree care company, for example, keeps its trucks immaculately clean, it associates its brand with “attention to detail” and differentiates itself from the not-so-careful, chainsaw-wielding competition. When a local eye care center encourages real patients to tell their stories, the brand takes on powerful credibility.

First Steps to a More Powerful Brand Step #1: Define your brand’s value proposition. Perhaps the most important step — for startups and mature businesses alike — is to establish a compelling, engaging, and above all, unique brand value proposition. Ultimately, your

brand should conjure up an immediate association in the minds of your customer when they think about your business and its products and services. In other words: “What’s in it for them?” Think of the value propositions marketplace winners have created for their brands — and leveraged for more marketshare: Patagonia = Clothing Co.? No – helping save the environment. TOMS Shoes = Shoes? No — altruism. Airbnb = A room? No – a travel experience like no other. Uber = Transportation? No – the smartest way to get around. What does your brand stand for? Most importantly, how do you stand out from your competition? Define it, and you’re halfway there… Step #2: Launch Your Brand. Launching your new brand requires a strategy. First, you’ll need to put all the usual pieces in place. Does your logo say “stodgy and conservative” when in fact you’re an iconoclastic industry maverick? Change it and couple it with a tagline that helps capture the essence of your brand. Website, packaging, promotional materials: Bland and generic? Hopelessly outdated? Re-invent them. Inject your new graphic

elements, and most importantly, Michael Hayes a “voice” that Hayes Marketing Services accurately reflects the personality of your brand. It should be authentic, genuine and consistent in all of your interactions with customers. Now you’re ready to reach out to the world or maybe only Rockford. In any case, you’re ready to use an appropriate mix of channels to target your customer base and begin influencing them with a variety of brand-building elements. Social Media, SEO and a Google Adwords campaign? Digital targeting and re-targeting of customers in various industries? Local TV, radio and outdoor? PR? More options exist than ever to be highly efficient in reaching your customers. So go ahead, be bold in 2018. Put your brand at the top of the resolutions list, where it belongs. Michael Hayes is president of Hayes Marketing Services, a local advertising agency with 30 years of experience. The views expressed are those of Hayes’ and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

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Planning Your 2018 Image

January 2018

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Lessons from grade school

Using five elements to tell your story One of the many lessons my eightyear-old daughter is learning in school is about the elements of a story. Each night, after she finishes reading a story or chapter in a book, we talk about what she’s just read and try to identify the characters, setting, plot, conflict and resolution. In working through this exercise with her, it reminded me how we use these same story elements in marketing and public relations to share our clients’ news. Every day, whether we’re writing a press release, a blog, a white paper, a script for a commercial or advertising copy, we are incorporating the basic elements of a story to set the stage and inspire the reader on our clients’ behalf. Telling a good story is something all business owners, marketers and public relations professionals should be thinking about when they share news or stories about their companies, and using the five elements of a story can help tell your tale in the best way possible. Storytelling in marketing is not a new concept, but it has become increasingly important as we continue to get the majority of our information from social media and through digital marketing. And while many of us learn about news first through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, it’s also true that we take less and less time to actually read the whole story. The competition for “eyeballs” is fierce and getting readers to stay with you is key. Corporations that are winning the hearts and minds of their audience are the ones sharing compelling and useful stories in their advertising and marketing efforts. The key is to incorporate elements to connect with your audience members and make them remember your story. So, let’s use the elements of the story that my daughter is learning about and apply them to how your company can create stories that will make an impact and connect with your readers.

Characters Stories need characters and whomever you select to be the characters in your story depends on the marketing goals for your campaign or initiative. For example, if your story is about a specific product or service, your character may be a current customer who used the product or service. Or maybe your character is the product or service. Keep in mind that the characters you choose should relate to your audience and reinforce your brand. Choose someone or something that is compelling and has an interesting tale to tell.

Setting

Karli Smith Chartwell Agency

The next element is the setting. Where does your story take place? If you are a health care organization and want to tout a new procedure, you may want to select a location that highlights how your character’s quality of life was enhanced by having the procedure. Consider adding secondary locations to reinforce the story and connect the dots from the procedure to the patient. Your character is “shown” in an exam or operating room and, later, on the bike path walking, running or biking. By keeping settings top of mind, you’re delivering a complete picture.

Plot Here is where the rubber meets the road. What is the overall series of events you want to show in your story? The plot is the “why” for what happens in a story. Think of the compelling pieces that will help connect with the reader and draw him or her into your story.

Conflict Incorporating conflict into your story is essential. Every story has a conflict to solve. In sticking with the health care example, perhaps the conflict in your story is a character who has been experiencing severe back pain and has been unable to get around. You must identify the customer challenge, show how you can solve your customer’s challenge and highlight the resolution.

Resolution This is the outcome and your chance to really hit home what you want your readers or viewers to know. One of the worst things you can do is leave your audience hanging – cliffhangers would not be welcome here. Wrapping up the story with a strong resolution will help build loyalty among your audience.

And finally, . . . As you think about your organization’s story, determine how you can use it most effectively for your marketing efforts in 2018. Using characters, setting, plot, conflict and resolution will help ensure you are telling a story that will captivate your audience, keep them engaged and possibly inspire them to become an ambassador for your brand by sharing your story (and theirs) with others. Karli Smith is a vice president at Chartwell Agency. Visit www.chartwell-agency.com. The views expressed are those of Smith’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

Planning Your 2018 Image

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January 2018

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When does PR spell ROI? When does the buzz translate into growth?

Our team and I have worked on public relations for multimillion-dollar corporations down to small startup companies, and when we work with them they all have one thing in common. The first question typically asked is, “How do I know if the PR is working?” (Which really means … is it resulting in increased sales?) Public relations can be measured, but not in the same way as other marketing and sales efforts. Unlike a coupon offer or a highly effective sales person, the results of public relations are a bit more complex to track. That does not mean, however, that they CAN’T be measured. So, how do you measure the results of public relations?

A Few Key Areas to Track Number of Impressions. Basically, how many times did your topic get picked up by the media and where? Print, TV, online? Did the coverage include a link to your website or social media page? If so, you can track that inbound traffic, as well. Set up Google Alerts and check the websites of the media outlets that ran the story. Check your own web analytics. Positive Brand Awareness. How many of your PR mentions in the media are positive? How many are negative? Are your proactive public relations activities resulting in more positive mentions than negative ones? This can truly be captured via an excel spreadsheet or written log. What is the conversation surrounding your media exposure? Is it positive or negative? Look at the

Pam Maher KMK Media Group

social media comments posted to the stories online. Ask your outside sales/ community relations people for specific customer feedback. Check your own website contact page and social media conversations.

So How Do You Start? Take a look at where you sit now in the public eye. Do you get media coverage? How often and how much? Is it more positive or negative? Is it proactive or reactive coverage? Is it in the media outlets that are consumed by your target audience? Then, track and measure how your PR coverage changes and use those figures to justify the expenditure, the value and if it’s worth continuing, stopping or increasing the dollars. Although there are companies you can hire to track metrics for you, you don’t have to get fancy with it; a simple Excel spreadsheet works fine. Moving the needle on positive brand awareness is more likely to happen through public relations and social media than through more traditional forms of marketing. Ultimately for most business owners, increased sales is the goal, but that only happens if a brand is viewed favorably by its target audience. Pam Maher is chief executive officer of KMK Media Group, Inc. The views expressed are those of Maher’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

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Planning Your 2018 Image

January 2018

Marketing trends to watch in 2018 Deep Patel writes in an article search as well. published on Nov. 22 at entrepreneur.com 6. Privacy protection becomes about the trends to watch for in marketing a major selling point. for 2018. He said marketing is becoming With the high-profile data breaches more analytical and more focused on in 2017, consumers will begin to favor digital through organic search, voice and products that protect their privacy. social media. Because of a confluence of factors, Here’s some of the most important marketers will begin using privacy developments he said to look for in 2018. protection and data security as a value 1. AI takes over website messaging. proposition across industries. Thanks to tools like Intercom and 7. Instagram becomes a more Drift, marketers can already use artificial- valuable channel than Facebook. intelligence-powered live-chat tools to Instagram is growing. In 2017, it communicate with customers. He said it’s announced that approximately 800 likely that more brands will embrace AI million people use the platform each live chat to better service website visitors. month. Their latest tool, Instagram Stories, became more popular than 2. Personalization goes Snapchat just one year after going live. to the next level. Since brands tend to see better A key tenet of account-based marketing (ABM) is providing content tailored to engagement on Instagram than any other specific accounts or account types. As social media platform, and because of ABM principles go mainstream, look for great advertising controls, Instagram content personalization to proliferate. is poised to become the go-to channel Platforms provided by Adobe and for brands interested in social media Optimizely make it possible for marketers marketing. to recommend specific pieces of content, 8. Leading brands invest similar to the way Netflix suggests shows. in live events.

3. Marketers begin developing augmented-reality content.

With the release of the iPhone eight and iPhone X, Apple has made it clear that they are betting on augmented reality (AR). As these new devices go mainstream, brands will begin experimenting with ARsponsored and -branded content.

4. In-car ads become a new marketing channel for some. Self-driving cars are on the horizon. What will happen when drivers no longer need to pay attention to the road? They’ll consume content, of course, and with that content will come in-car ads. He said to watch for some brands to begin experimenting with this new marketing channel in the coming year.

5. Brands start to develop voice-optimized content.

Approximately two-thirds of marketers say that they will increase the number of live events they host in 2018. This is because marketers recognize that live events are one of the most effective marketing channels.

9. B2B marketers create multichannel coldoutreach campaigns. The average cold email response rate is low, and it will continue to decline as email clients get better at filtering out junk mail. The best marketers develop integrated marketing campaigns that use a combination of email, digital ads and other channels to engage prospects in new and exciting ways. For example, by using Twilio, marketers can send text messages in addition to email. They can then retarget highly qualified prospects with custom audience ads offered by platforms like Facebook and Google AdWords.

Last year 20 percent of online searches were conducted through voice search. By 2020, that number is expected to increase to 50 percent. Just as marketers have 10. Twitter dies a quiet death. Twitter has been unable to grow users optimized content for web 2.0 and mobile, they will start optimizing content for voice in 2017. The platform has focused on

user acquisition rather than on making 14. Virtual reality is improvements to their ad platform. This called into question. trend will continue in 2018 as Twitter A few years ago, virtual reality was continues to struggle. predicted to be the next big thing in content. While VR is popular in the 11. LinkedIn sees new life videogame community, it has not among B2B marketers. LinkedIn has made a number of great gone mainstream. With VR, it can be improvements to its platform. A site-wide difficult for brands to produce content revamp refreshed the LinkedIn user with a controlled point of view. Instead, interface in 2017. The platform also saw augmented reality is slated to make waves good improvements to the LinkedIn ad next year. Look no further than Apple’s platform. rumored AR glasses.

12. Machine learning changes how marketers manage ads.

15. Consumers expect more from brands.

Why pay a digital marketing agency thousands to manage ads when a machine-learning platform can do it better? New platforms like Acquisio and Trapica promise to optimize ad spend through advanced machine-learning algorithms. Marketers simply need to set basic campaign parameters, and the platforms then do the work of identifying ideal audiences and effective creatives.

Thanks to a confluence of services, consumers will have increased expectations from brands of all kinds. Voice assistants, same-day delivery and on-demand content will mean that both B2C and B2B marketers must find innovative new ways to delight prospects and customers with nearly instant service.

13. Predictive lead scoring makes marketers rethink lead routing.

16. Influencer marketing remains a useful strategy. Nearly 95 percent of marketers who use an influencer marketing strategy believe it is effective. Brands interested in connecting with prospects via social media will continue to turn to influencer marketing to create compelling content that appears to be organic. Consumers, especially younger ones, prefer content that feels less “staged” and more natural.

Using predictive lead scoring, marketers can identify the prospects that are most likely to convert to customers. All that’s needed is an email address, and tools like Infer crawl the web looking for buying signals. Leads are then scored and sorted, so that only the most qualified people are passed to sales. Source: entrepreneur.com/article/305047

January 2018

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Young Professionals

There’s a new kid in town

Communities deserve high-impact nonprofits

And her name is Generation Z I recently heard some of the sweetest words to tickle my ears in the last few years: “Millennials are old news.” Ah, it feels great. Just because I love the sound of it so much, I’m going to say it again, this time in all caps: “MILLENNIALS ARE OLD NEWS.” You heard right. The group of people the world loves to blame things on is actually moving out of the limelight and making way for the next generation – Generation Z. I couldn’t be more excited. Gone will be the days of every communication problem in offices blamed upon the tank-top strapped shoulders of Millennials. The dirty looks as I carry my Starbucks and text while walking into a meeting will be reserved for the smoother-skinned and brighter-eyed youth that trails behind me. The rolling of eyes followed quickly by “Back in my day…” as I mention my career goals or experience will soon fall to the deaf ears of a new generation with carpal tunnel in their thumbs. Heck, with the attention turned away from me, perhaps I’ll start bringing in my trophies and lining my office shelves with them – no one will notice!

Welcome to the Next Generation! Let me happily introduce you to the next generation. While I think much of what’s been uncovered about this rare species we call “youth,” there’s already a good baseline of information about what these specimens are like in the wild. Let’s start with the harsh news that could be good or bad depending on your viewpoint. Generation Z is basically a souped-up version of Millennials with a few adjustments. Millennials 2.0, to a point, if you will. Generation Z is currently categorized as those born between 1996ish-2016. Generation Z kids never knew the world without the Internet, which shapes much of their viewpoint. They’ve never had the joys of picking up a landline (they probably never had one) and hearing that obnoxious sound signaling someone was on the computer. They’ve never had to be home at a certain time to catch a TV show, thanks to streaming and DVR, and have rarely been forced to watch full-length commercials. Their attention span is even shorter than that of the Millennials but their demands from companies and brands are even higher. Generation Z isn’t exactly a clone of their Millennial counterpoints. They are not quite as optimistic as my

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

generation, as

Caitlin Pusateri Rockford Chamber

they were kids when the Great Recession hit. (As a point of reference, Millennials were older and graduating college about that time.) They are more cynical and less trusting of big-name brands, preferring individuality and, in a sense, privacy. They spend less than Millennials and are focused more on education as a means-to-an-end,

though

frequently

through non-traditional outlets, rather than an experience. The generation is more frugal, having seen their parents’ retirement accounts drained in 2008. Combine that with what the generation views as a very unstable economy and political scene, and you’re bound to create a penny-pinching cohort.

Moving On In truth, with the advent of a new generation, I find myself mixed with emotions. I hope that the next generation is treated with a little more respect and admiration for what they bring to the table than the dismay and disappointment we met. I hope that our generation remembers what it was like to be the new kids on the block and help rather than strictly talk about the “glory days” as we settle into our ways. I hope eventually we can start looking at what connects us as people – the commonalities that drive our behavior – and start focusing more on those and less on age. I hope my metabolism sees the younger kids and realizes youth isn’t on our side as much as it once was, and kick starts instead of fades. While I look forward to “Millennial” being less of a buzz word, I hope that we remember that attracting younger generations is a vital part of organizational and community/ economic development. So, as I sit back in my yoga pants and flip-flops and watch the new kids get off the generational bus, I can’t help but realize that no matter your generation, realizing you’re not the young kids anymore is a lot like jumping off a cliff into a cold lake – it’s equal parts scary and invigorating; cold at first, but warms up quickly; and is always better if you do so with an open mind and heart and full of laughter. Caitlin Pusateri is vice president, leadership development at the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

Interdependence to grow between sectors Americans have a tremendous spirit and capacity for giving, donating nearly $265 billion in 2015. In our state of Illinois, charitable donations totaled $8.6 billion; Winnebago County totaled $119.6 million for the same year. And while money is important to nonprofits, so too is our communities’ time, talent and expertise; also given in equally impressive amounts. These donations are intended to serve as investments in organizations that aim to achieve impact by influencing the number of people who move toward educational and employment success, gain financial security and independence, and live safe and healthy lives. Like any business, impact is key; but impact is not about what nonprofits do. It’s not about how many people they serve, how long they’ve been in business or how far their service areas reach. Impact is about the positive change nonprofits achieve and whether it lasts. How as a community can we be sure nonprofits are achieving impact? High impact? And what does this look like? The solutions are in our Commitments. The Alliance for Strong Families and Communities believes that organizations do not achieve impact by accident, but through dedication and rigorous attention to ambitious practices and values. Therefore, it has identified the Commitments of High-Impact Nonprofit Organizations (the Commitments) to serve as a framework and pathway for impact. Organizations that uphold the Commitments effectively focus on achieving not only immediate outcomes, but lasting impact. Further, they do not think about their work only in terms of programs and services, but rather as advancing change and supporting the vision for success defined by the children, families and communities with whom they work. High impact organizations navigate changing environments by making internal policy and culture changes that support improved well-being; strong, sustainable relationships, and community history and pride; with sustainable results.

The Commitments Starting in 2016, and through 2017, the Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence, hosted a series of workshops and events on the Commitments, in partnership with the Alliance. From Leading with Vision to Advancing Equity, NICNE continued over 2017 to bring that rigorous attention to these best practices and values so that they could expand the excellence and impact of our local nonprofit sector. I offer thanks to NICNE

Ron Clewer AFSC

for laying this groundwork and for the work they do to elevate excellence as a matter of existence. I see alignment in our missions. It is a given that as we head into 2018, the environment in which we all work will continue to change. For nonprofit leaders, tax codes, budget cuts and welfare reform will greater challenge operating models with potential to adversely affect our community. Those organizations who firmly live the Commitments will be best positioned to innovate solutions to delivering high impact outcomes that will help our resident thrive in these new conditions. This will impact our economy as a thriving local economy is directly linked to thriving residents. Thriving residents are happy and healthy workers employed across our local business sector. This creates an opportunity for generative partnerships – business and government working with our nonprofit human services sector toward common goals. The traditional course of human and community development work will continue to merge together, or at least become more interdependent. We have seen this coming together and alignment across the health and human services sector, between education [RPS205] and our business sectors, across the work of Transform Rockford. While significant progress has occurred and continues, 2018 stands to be a disruptive year for nonprofits. How might we come together in the spirit of growing and maintaining excellence in our community and in our nonprofit sector? While I know the answer lies in part with NICNE, it also lies within each of us. How might community/business leaders think differently about innovation and the role it will play in delivering human services in an efficient and impactful way so that we continue to grow as a community and we see a greater number of residents and businesses thriving? Considering the spirit and capacity for giving, I believe we as a community have the essential time, talent and expertise necessary to solve for forthcoming challenges. I look forward to 2018 and all of its opportunities. Ron Clewer is chief operating officer of the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities in 2017, responsible for operations of the National Association Operations Center in Milwaukee and the Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C. He served as chief executive officer of Rockford Housing Authority. The views expressed are those of Clewer’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

January 2018

ROCKFORD REGION SCORECARD Month, year

Employed

Jobless rate

Oct. 2013

151,176

10.2

Oct. 2014

155,801

6.8

Oct. 2015

157,944

6.8

Oct. 2016

156,801

6.2

Oct. 2017

154,204

5.0

Source: Illinois Department of Employment Security. Note: Boone and Winnebago counties

Q, year

Median home sale price

3Q, 2013 $83,000 3Q, 2014 $80,000 3Q, 2015 $88,000 3Q, 2016 $103,000 3Q, 2017 $109,900

Median Household income

2013

$38,067

2014

$38,231

2015

$38,716

2016

$40,143

By Mike Schablaske, Transform Rockford

percent (Source: November 2017 Rockstat report). Further, it was important to see our community honor the new safety

Violent crimes

Rate per 100,000

Murders/neg. homicides

2013

2,452

711.1

7.5

2014

2,281

664.8

6.7

2015

2,783

818.8

6.8

2016

2,939

871.3

9.2

Rate per 100,000

Source: FBI.gov, Crime in the U.S. Note: Winnebago and Boone counties

Year

% with Bachelor’s degree

% with High school degree

2013

21.2%

86.2%

2014

21.7%

86.6%

2015

21.9%

87.2%

2016

22.4%

87.4%

Source: American Community Survey. Note: Winnebago County, population 25 and over

Year

% Smokers

% Obese

% Inactive

% Excess Drink

2013

22.8%

28.8%

26.8%

17.8%

2014

21.4%

29.1%

26.4%

17.8%

2015

21.4%

29.4%

26.7%

17.8%

2016

16.6%

31.5%

26.3%

19.3%

2017

16.6%

33.9%

26.7%

18.8%

Source: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. Note: Winnebago County

Year

% Vacant Houses

Year

% Working in Manufacturing

2013

9.8%

2013

20.6%

2014

9.7%

2014

20.8%

2015

9.4%

2015

21.1%

2016

9.0%

2016

21.3%

Source: American Community Survey. Note: Winnebago County

There’s progress on many fronts Get involved in your neighborhood

Source: American Community Survey. Note: Winnebago County

Source: Illinois Association of Realtors. Note: Winnebago County

Year

Source: American Community Survey. Note: Winnebago County

The end of a year always is an important time to reflect, acknowledge progress, identify course correction where appropriate, and say “thank you.” Our region is experiencing progress on several fronts. More than 45 transformational projects are underway and being led and supported by individuals and partner organizations throughout our community. The community’s scorecard tells the long-term story, and leading indicators are showing positive trends on several fronts. One issue stubbornly remains a major issue for all -- safety. Many of you are deeply involved in important initiatives around safety that align with the community’s transformation plan and vision. Community policing, neighborhood engagement, Strong Houses, and strengthened law enforcement agency relations are all efforts that are less than two years old. We are driving to best practices, engaging and supporting one another, and keeping our eye on the vision – making this community one where: “All residents are safe and feel safe, regardless of address.”

partnering efforts at the Confluence

Crime Figures Improving

our future!

Despite concerns and the unacceptable safety results, we are seeing early progress. Through October, violent crime in the city of Rockford is down five percent this year, and property crime is down 10

Mike Schablaske is executive director of

Awards, hosted by the Rockford Chamber of Commerce in December. It was a recognition of efforts to embrace best practices and pursue dramatic change. I encourage you to join (or form) your neighborhood association, know your

community

policing

officer

and know your neighbors. Great Neighborhoods Rockford Region aims to support neighborhoods in efforts to engage, identify and proactively support the strengths and assets of your neighborhood. To learn more about (or form) your neighborhood group, please contact the project team

greatneighborhoods@

transformrockford.org. Thank you for your engagement, commitment,

patience

and

perseverance

throughout

2017.

Driving

transformation

takes

character, compassion, strength and humility. The Rockford region is rich in people, character and other key assets. For that, I’m very thankful at the outset of 2018 and confident in

Transform Rockford. The views expressed are those of Schablaske’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

‘Linking Talent With Opportunity’ could be truly transformational On Dec. 1, the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois announced its largest community grant in its 64-year history: A three-year, $675,000 grant to Rock Valley College for its Linking Talent With Opportunity project. The RVC project is an ambitious, multi-county effort to train high school students for high-demand local jobs. RVC and

The students would begin taking specialized coursework in high school, gain real-life work experience and earn certifications. All of this would transition to Rock Valley and Highland where students could graduate with technical diplomas and associate’s degrees in fields that align with local workforce needs. “This grant is one piece towards the ultimate goal of creating

Highland Community College in Freeport will hire “pathway

a ‘culture of education,’ Rock Valley College Board of Trustees

coordinators” to work with more than 25 local school districts to

member Lynn Kearney said when the grant was announced.

help those schools identify and prepare students for “high-priority

“That this will also provide valuable work for individuals as well

occupations.” These careers range from advanced manufacturing

as the community is truly the symbiotic relationship education

and aviation to health care and public safety.

provides.”

— By Alex Gary

January 2018

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Members in the News MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

1. Chris Kelley

2. Dr. Michael J. Born

3. R. Dean Bingham

4. Dr. Kristin Clemons

5. Dr. Christopher Grant

6. Dr. Terrance R. Grant

7. Dr. Allison Lindell

8. Dr. Muhammed Sherid

9. Sean Muserallo

10. Stephanie Spickler

11. Michelle Cassaro

12. Zachary Oakley

13. Seth Nygren

14. Shannon Nygren

15. Annie Ray

16. Lisa Beardsworth

17. Todd Weegens

18. Dr. Maninder Kaur

19. Stephanie Abbott

20. Mallory Cwynar

21. Michael Homan

22. Rachel Schmitz

23. Diane Peters

24. Aubrey Dobbs

Rockford Chamber members appear bolded. Thank you for your support of your fellow Chamber members.

BOARD APPOINTMENTS Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden updated board positions for 2018: Nancy Lundstrom, president; Jean Harezlak, vice president; Michele Lind, secretary, and Steve Penticoff, treasurer. Members are Julie Buchanan, Sharyn Castrogiovanni, Sam Darby, Gail Farr, Jody Goff, Sherry Harlan, Rod Leezer, Susan Lynch, Susan Nunez, Jim Reid, Sherri Rudy and Jane M. Wallace. Chris Kelley (1) was appointed interim board president of the River District Association. Michael J. Born, M.D. (2), was elected chair; Jim Knutson, vice chair; Rebecca Cook Kendall, secretary; Michael E. Abate, treasurer, and Hon. Janet R. Holmgren, immediate past chair, of the Rockford Regional Health Council board. New board members

are: Brent Pentenburg and Danielle Potter. Appointed designated directors are: Shurice Hunter, Frank Haney and Derek Cheng, DMD. R. Dean Bingham (3), was appointed to Midland States Bank’s board of directors.

NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, RETIREMENTS Kristin Clemons, M.D. (4), joined Mercyhealth Orthopedic Center of Excellence’s team of physician specialists. Mercyhealth welcomed brothers Christopher Grant, M.D. (5), and Terrance R. Grant, M.D. (6), neuroradiology; Allison Lindell, M.D. (7), pediatric hospitalist, and Muhammed Sherid, M.D. (8), gastroenterology and hepatology, to Mercyhealth Rockton Avenue. Former 13 WREX evening anchor Sean Muserallo (9) joined Mercyhealth as a media specialist and Stephanie Spickler (10) as a marketing specialist.

Chicago Rockford International Airport promoted Michelle Cassaro (11) to deputy director of finance and administration; Zachary Oakley (12), A.A.E, to deputy director of operations and planning; Seth Nygren (13) to operations manager, and Shannon Nygren (14) to airport security supervisor. Fehr Graham hired Annie Ray (15) as a staff hydrogeologist to work in its Rockford office. Lisa Beardsworth (16) joined Midway Village Museum as rentals manager. Todd Weegens (17), managing member, Fehr Graham, announced his retirement after 28 years. Matthew F. Taylor was appointed as president of Woodward, Inc.’s Airframe Systems business group effective Feb. 2; succeeding Marty Glass who announced plans to retire. Sam Schmitz announced his retirement as president of Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois and

Wisconsin Stateline Area, Inc., after a replacement is found, which is anticipated to be spring 2018. Crusader Community Health welcomed Maninder Kaur, M.D. (18), family medicine, to its West State Street medical team. Savant Capital Management named Stephanie Abbott (19) as digital marketing communications coordinator, Mallory Cwynar (20) as accountant/ payroll coordinator, Michael Homan (21) as trader and Rachel Schmitz (22) as administrative assistant for the Retirement Plan Services Team at its Rockford office. Diane Peters (23), marketing specialist, earned her Professional Certified Marketer® certification from the American Marketing Association. Des Plaines Office Equipment hired Aubrey Dobbs (24) as a technology account executive. Rock River Water Reclamation promoted long-time employee Jim

25. Jim Reader

26. Elizabeth Ephraim

27. Keith J. Akre

28. Jason Stoll

29. Sarah Bowen

30. Renatta Palmore

31. Tonya Tidwell

32. Jason Edlén

33. Kent B. Shantz

34. Grant McCarty

35. Candace Hart

36. Jay Solomon

37. Bing Liu

38. Dan Morgan

39. Steve Ernst

40. Dr. Kathleen M. Kelley

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

January 2018

the News INMembers THEin NEWS

41. Darren Smith

42. Yvonne Peterson

Reader (25) to supporting services manager. Elizabeth Ephraim (26) joined Miller Eye Center as physician assistant (PA-C). Stillman Bank hired Keith J. Akre (27), CFA, CFP® as trust officer. Fehr Graham appointed Jason Stoll (28) as the new branch manager of its Rochelle office. SwedishAmerican, a division of UW Health, welcomed three new advanced practice nurses: Sarah Bowen (29), adult gerontology acute care; Renatta Palmore (30), women’s health, and Tonya Tidwell (31), family practice. Chartwell Agency hired Jason Edlén (32) as art director to lead the development of creative client deliverables. Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Illinois Chapter welcomed Karen Tennyson, MSW, LCSW, CDP, as a new manager of care navigation and early-stage engagement for the Rockford office. Rockford Mutual Insurance Company promoted Kent B. Shantz, CIC (33), former COO, to its new acting president and CEO; retroactive to Oct. 1, 2017.

EMPLOYEE/COMMUNITY RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS Chris Benson, Lisa Carter, Jacki Martin, Shawn Murphy and Kathy Sink, Blackhawk Bank, completed the 2017 Principles of Commercial Lending School. Grant McCarty (34), local foods and small farms extension educator; Candice Hart (35), horticulture educator, and Jay Solomon (36), energy and environmental stewardship educator, were recognized with a Team Excellence Award by University of Illinois Extension for contributions to the Small Farms Winter Webinar series.

43. Steve Schou

Bing Liu (37), a graduate of Rock Valley College’s Mass Communication program, learned his documentary feature film, “Minding the Gap,” was selected for the Sundance Film Festival. He will compete with 15 other films for the grand jury prize. Meridian named Dan Morgan (38) as November employee of the month. Rockford Regional Health Council gave its 2017 Volunteer Impact Award to Steve Ernst (39), and its 2017 Community Leader Impact Award to Kathleen M. Kelly, M.D. (40) Darren Smith (41), operations manager, LaMonica Beverages, Inc., was recognized in the National Beer Wholesalers Association Employee Spotlight Program. Yvonne Peterson (42), Heritage Woods of Rockford, received the Shining Star Award for 2017 by Gardant Management Solutions for demonstrating its mission: love, compassion and dignity.

OF GENERAL INTEREST Training by John Pingo, Ph.D. BCBA-D, CEO, Goldie B. Floberg, “Mindfulness at the Movies,” was approved by the Illinois Department of Human Services. The interactive two-part seminar was introduced at the Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities 2016 annual conference. A paper by Dr. Philip Schalow, clinic director, Upper Cervical Care Center – Rockford, “Upper cervical chiropractic care and pulmonary function: A case study,” was accepted for publication in the Internet Journal of Chiropractic. Steve Schou (43), CFP®, vice president of business development & wealth advisor, Rockford Bank & Trust Wealth Management, attended the Pohl Consulting and Training 2017 Wealth Executive Forum.

Mercyhealth celebrates the retirement after 40 years in the maternity and pediatric units of Rockford University graduate Donna Mathews, R.N.

January 2018

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Business Briefs BUSINESS BRIEFS Rockford Chamber members appear bolded. Thank you for your support of your fellow Chamber members. OSF HealthCare reached an agreement with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) to ensure patients have uninterrupted access to in-network medical care and services. OSF HealthCare hospitals and providers will be in-network caregivers for BCBSIL moving forward into 2018, including the BCBSIL Commercial, PPO, EPO and Blue Choice products that BCBSIL terminated previously. Visit www. osfhealthcare.org/blue. OSF HealthCare and Physicians Immediate Care formed a new joint venture, offering five urgent care and occupational medicine facilities in the region. Physicians Immediate Care is the medical provider, with management services provided by the joint venture. Physicians Immediate Care and OSF HealthCare will work to provide occupational services to corporate clients and employees in the Rockford area. Blackhawk Bank’s new full-service office at 2525 Milton Ave., Janesville is open. A weeklong grand opening celebration will take place in January 2018, including prize giveaways. Details will appear at the bank’s Facebook page close to the time of the celebration. SwedishAmerican’s 20th annual Puttin’ on the Glitz fashion show in November at Giovanni’s raised nearly $50,000 to benefit oncology patient. Employees on the hospital’s “Sunshine Committee” tied 97 bags of hats, gloves and scarves on the trees and fence surrounding the hospital campus in November to help residents in need during the cold winter months. On Giving Tuesday, Nov. 28, nurses in SwedishAmerican’s Cardiac Surveillance Unit made holidaythemed fleece blankets they delivered to patients during the week of Christmas. KMK Media Group was hired by Crusader Community Health to assist with marketing consultation for its two CrusaderNow Walk-In Clinics on North Alpine Road and Broadway in Rockford. RAMP announced its support for the Campaign for Disability Employment; designed to change attitudes and foster dialogue on employing people with disabilities. A local public service announcement, “Who I Am,” will feature nine people with disabilities. Visit https://youtu.be/ KULzrBrX3ow. RAMP received a $2,100 grant from the Freeport Community Foundation for preemployment transition services. YWCA Northwestern Illinois’ 38th annual Leader Luncheon and Women of Achievement Awards

This buoy located near the big hoop behind UW Health Sports Factory is one of 12 provided along the Rock River, thanks to the Rockford Fire Department and Rockford Park District.

Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois’ holds a graduation ceremony in December for four students who earned their GEDs as a part of the second graduating class of its GoodGRADS Program.

ceremony on March 5 at Giovanni’s will feature Lisa Regina, actress, acting coach, filmmaker, domestic abuse survivor and founder/director of the nonprofit, A Write to Heal.

and a “first dig” to symbolize construction on the new Rockford Bank & Trust Pavilion at Aldeen Golf Club driven by Giovanni’s. The park district will move forward with plans for a new indoor facility thanks to $2.7 million in donations.

SwedishAmerican’s pharmacy department implemented a new IV workflow system, BD-Cato, a device that standardizes sterile medication compounding processes to reduce risk of error and improve workflow efficiency. Dog Haus, offering gourmet hot dogs, sausages, burgers and one-ofa-kind creations, opened a location in Rockford at 7616 Walton St. Larson & Darby Group was selected to display its design work for the Lena-Winslow High School renovation project at the recent 2017 Joint Annual Conference of Illinois Association of School Boards, Illinois Association of School Administrators and Illinois Association of School Business Officials. Community Foundation of Northern Illinois announced $500,000 in scholarships available to local students; some based on financial need; others on academic excellence, community involvement and extracurriculars. Last year, CFNIL awarded 154 scholarship awards worth $237,250 to local students. Since 2000, CFNIL has awarded more than $2.5 million to local students pursuing post-secondary education. There’s one application and one deadline: Feb. 1, 2018. Visit www.cfnil.org/scholarships. Rock River Valley Blood Center was the only center in its category to receive distinctions by the National Marrow Donor Program for Tier 1 Donor Management Performance and top honors for recruitment of both ethnically diverse and Caucasian donors. It has served as a Donor and Apheresis Center for the Be The Match® Registry since 1990; collecting peripheral blood stem cells and marrow cells. Rockford Park District began expansion of the north parking lot

Richard L. Johnson Associates, Inc., architects and Geneseo Community Unit School District #228 received an “Honorable Mention” award for excellence in educational environment design from the IASB Service Associates in November. The jury said it was an “innovative idea of a collaboration lab as the showplace of the pre-K-5 elementary school” and that “the collaboration lab defines 21st century learning.” Since 1990, Crusader Community Health has offered the Living with HIV program, with access throughout the course of the illness and regardless of health care coverage or ability to pay, to primary care, pharmacy, dental, optical, mental health, case management and prenatal services to 400 patients across nine counties. It uses a holistic chronic disease management model to assist persons affected by HIV and is the only clinic in the region providing Ryan White part C early intervention care. Adult & Child Health, a theFranaGroup client, was certified as a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike, joining 59 other clinics nationwide who have achieved Look-Alike status. KMK Media Group launched a new website for the Winnebago 9/11 Memorial at www.winn911.org with a drone video, shot by KMK Media, of the memorial for Rockford Police Officer Jaimie Cox. View the memorial’s start-up process, read about its steel beams from Ground Zero and how to donate. The Mercyhealth Pulmonary Rehabilitation Center in Rockford announced the certification of its pulmonary rehabilitation program by

the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. University of Illinois Extension Winnebago County 4-H teamed with FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL) to compete in its first-ever FLL Regional Competition. A team of eight 4-H members, coached by 4-H volunteer Jeff Briggs, participated in the competition in December at Eisenhower Middle School. Rockford Systems, LLC returns in 2018 with a comprehensive seminar schedule for professionals in the EH&S, plant management, insurance and metal fabrication industries -- from understanding how to properly safeguard machinery for meeting OSHA/ANSI standards, to a discussion on how to incorporate ergonomics into safeguarding methods. In 14 days, Northwest Bank raised more than $12,300 for the United Way of Rock River Valley with 50/50 raffle ticket sales and internal lobby games. Fehr Graham and Furst-McNess Co., received a 2018 ACEC-IL Engineering Excellence Merit Award – Environmental from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois for clean-up of FurstMcNess Co.’s former WEK Holdings LLC site, in Freeport. Fehr Graham assessed and remediated the site since 2003, which had chlorinated solvent contamination in fractured carbonate bedrock. For more than 20 years, OSF HealthCare Mission Partners have participated in the Foster Care Alliance “Adopt-an-Angel” program. Employees in 2017 choose tags with the first name, gender, age of a child and wish list; yielding presents for 200 foster children in Winnebago and Boone counties. GiGi’s Playhouse Rockford received a grant from the MAXIMUS Foundation.

(continued on page 29)

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

January 2018

Business Briefs BUSINESS BRIEFS Continued from page 28 V2 Marketing achieved Silver Certified Agency Partner status with HubSpot, the world’s leading inbound marketing and sales platform. Chemtool retained V2 for inbound marketing services, using website, email and social media channels, along with marketing automation to generate sales leads and analysis of marketing activities. Chicago Rockford International Airport partnered with several local organizations and individuals to host a special Toys for Tots holiday celebration for more than 40 local families and 75 children in Winnebago and Boone counties. Rosecrance launched its specialized services program— a residential unit at the Griffin Williamson Campus for adolescent clients with primary mental health diagnoses, such as mood disorders, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, PTSD and suicidal behaviors. Kids’ Place, the childcare facility at the Winnebago County Justice Center and Winnebago County Criminal Justice Center, received a $500 grant from Aktion Club, a Kiwanis-affiliated service club whose members are adults with disabilities. It offers secure and supervised childcare for parents and guardians while they conduct court business. KMK Media Group produced a fundraising video for the Boy Scout Blackhawk Area Council’s Legacy of Service Luncheon. KMK was hired by the Friends of Tom McNamara campaign committee to assist with marketing and event planning for the mayor’s “Jingle & Mingle” fundraiser at Giovanni’s in December. Crusader Community Health earned The Joint Commission’s accreditation by demonstrating compliance with national standards for health care quality and safety in ambulatory care organizations. The Joint Commission certified Crusader as a Primary Care Medical Home. Specialty Screw Corporation was honored with a Bronze 2017 Supplier Performance Award by Adient, the world’s largest automotive seating supplier. Overall, 53 suppliers worldwide received awards at four levels – platinum, gold, silver and bronze. Northern Illinois Building Contractors Association will celebrate 100 years of continuous community service in 2018 with community-oriented events. Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau reported an estimated 82,500 visitors gathered in downtown Rockford to celebrate Stroll on State in November. It launched a new “Rockford Store” page at gorockford.com with

Rockford-themed merchandise and gift items. Products also are available at the office. Rosecrance Health Network received a $3,000 grant from the Try-beta Club of Rockford to create 15 mobile community sensory kits to supplement a new experiential therapies resource at Rosecrance Berry Campus. Forest City Gear met the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council’s standards for certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise for businesses owned, controlled, operated and managed by a woman or women. Heartland Hospice received a $3,724 check for its memorial fund; raised earlier this fall by 100FM’s Hotrods for Hospice Car Show. Colorwave Graphics, LLC produced a 9 x 5-foot wall display for the remodeled Rockford University Starr Science Center, using digitally imaged films adhered to seven individual clear Acrylic hexagons and installed with stainless steel stand-off hardware evenly spaced onto a brick surface. Per Mar Security Services received the 2017 Honeywell Community Service Award as the sponsor of Hand-in-Hand’s largest fundraiser, the Chili Cook-Off. The non-profit organization teaches life skills, social development and child care for special needs children and young adults. Rockford Park District Board of Commissioners voted to hold the line on taxes and maintain the 2017 tax levy. This is the fourth consecutive year it has elected not to increase tax dollars. It faces a $1 million deficit and will have to reduce services for 2018. It will begin to engage the community in a master plan in the new year. Colorwave Graphics, LLC was awarded the Gateway Marketing Signs project by the Greater Beloit Economic Development Corporation to create 13 8 x 4-foot and one 24 x 16-foot outdoor market signs for Beloit’s Gateway Business Park, spanning hundreds of acres east of I-90 and south of I-43. Rock Valley College received an educational-based Linking Talent with Opportunity grant from the Dr. Louis and Violet Rubin Endowment of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois; worth $675,000 over three years. OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center ranked among 100 medical centers and health systems with great orthopedic programs by Becker’s Healthcare, an independent evaluator of hospitals and medical centers.

Issues to Watch LEGISLATIVE Highlights: More than 200 new laws for 2018 STATE FUNDS TO COME FOR ROCKFORD PROJECTS Illinois citizens will begin 2018 with more than 200 new laws, from a bill to help veterans, to a measure to combat fraudulent opioid prescriptions by targeting “doctor-shopping.”

CAPITAL FUNDS FOR AREA PROJECTS Millions of capital dollars soon will be released for important local projects, according to State Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford). For the Rockford area, capital funds include $3 million (part of an $11 million appropriation) to renovate and expand space at Rock Valley College, and $2.4 million to Crusader Community Health (part of a $3 million grant) to add 18 exam rooms and other upgrades to existing infrastructure. “Providing funds to Crusader Community Health to improve healthcare access, and to Rock Valley College and the DeKalb Library will help the entire northern Illinois region,” said Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner. Senator Syverson said key projects still await state funding. He’s part of an initiative to pass a gaming bill aimed at funding key capital projects left on the list.

STOPPING ‘DOCTOR-SHOPPING’ Beginning Jan. 1, a new law helps deter the practice known as “doctor-shopping” for prescription drugs, by requiring prescribers to check a patient’s prescription history before writing a prescription. Often individuals abusing opioids and other drugs obtain prescriptions from multiple doctors to support their addiction. Senate Bill 772/PA 100-0564 requires prescribers to check with the Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program, a database that records patients’ prescription histories, before prescribing opioids.

AGE OF CONSENT LOWERED FOR ORGAN DONORS Also beginning in 2018, 16-yearolds can have their names included in the First Person Consent organ and tissue donor registry. House Bill 1805 reduces the age of consent from 18 to 16 to give younger residents the option to become a donor, which will increase the numbers of organ and tissue donors in the database.

HELP FOR VETERANS COMING HOME Several measures seek to provide veterans with the tools they need to be successful when returning to civilian life. Senate Bill 1238 allows for the expansion of the number of veterans’ courts in the state, which are able to focus directly on the special needs of former and current members of the Armed Services. In some instances, veterans who qualify and successfully comply with court orders are able to receive the treatment they need and have their charges dismissed. Senate Bill 866 requires the state’s Department of Veterans’ Affairs to give informational resources on service animals to veterans returning from deployment. The legislation was introduced in response to information gathered by the 2015 Veterans’ Suicide Task Force, which found that many veterans do not know about all the services and programs offered to them, especially those pertaining to service animals. Senate Bill 838 seeks to educate veterans about the importance of early cancer screening, while House Bill 3701 seeks to help current and former members of the military advance their higher education, by requiring public universities and community colleges to form a policy to award appropriate academic credit for the education and training gained during military service.

HAPPY OBAMA DAY August 4 is our 44th President’s birthday. It’s also now Barack Obama Day in Illinois to honor the Chicagoan’s historic election and two terms in the White House.

EXPELLED FROM PRESCHOOL? Early childhood programs will need to find services to help young children resolve problems rather than simply kicking them out.

KNOW WHAT YOU’RE PAYING FOR Women often end up paying more than men for dry cleaning, haircuts and other services. A new state law requires price lists for standard services so customers can make more informed decisions. Sources: Senator Syverson’s Week in Review and abc7chicago.com

January 2018

Relevant conversations of opportunity in the region During 2017, the Rockford Area Economic Development Council met with 135 advanced manufacturing companies connected to the aerospace industry inside and outside our region; an 80 percent increase over 2016. These CORE (Creating Opportunities for Retention and Expansion) conversations traditionally have been limited to the Rockford region, but expanding to the greater northern Illinois area has allowed for more comprehensive discussions regarding industry trends and their impact on businesses, workforce needs that encompass more of the state, as well as opportunities for the RAEDC to pro-actively promote our region’s assets. “These conversations are critical to verify that needs of current businesses are met, while ensuring our region is primed to meet the needs of businesses that want to relocate or expand into the Rockford region,” said Nathan Bryant, president and CEO of the RAEDC. Since 2004 there have been more

than 900 CORE conversations within the business community. The primary objectives for these conversations include ■ understanding the plans of existing organizations within our community. ■ identifying current site issues and improvement opportunities that would help businesses grow. ■ inputting information for infrastructure planning, development plans and managing growth expectations. ■ aiding the development of long- and short-term improvement projects with better use of our local resources. ■ identifying connections from companies in our market for out-ofmarket growth to our region. The RAEDC will connect with 140 companies throughout 2018. To schedule your CORE meetings, contact us at info@RockfordIL.com or 815-9878118.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Showing off our region Fifteen. That’s how many international, national, regional tradeshows and industry events the Rockford Area Economic Development Council attended during 2017. These events provide opportunities to share the collaborate efforts happening in the region that have become global differentiators, including our customized education to workforce strategy. Economic development efforts are focused around touchpoints. The more companies, decisionmakers and individuals the organization connects with, the better the chance to provide assistance for expansion, increased opportunities for recruiting business to locate in the region, connecting companies to resources necessary to sustain or grow, making B2B connections and further strengthening existing supply chains. Gerald Sagona, RAEDC’s vice president of business development, sees the

opportunity in tradeshows stating,

“My primary role is to aggressively present meaningful information

about the economic opportunities in the Rockford region and to develop relationships with as

many company owners, decision-

makers, site selectors and brokers as possible. Company visits,

networking events, tradeshows, research, telephone calls and

electronic communication are all

necessary ingredients to generate the leads that turn into projects

and will ultimately become wins

in the form of primary jobs for our region.”

Through tradeshows,

conferences and exhibitions, the RAEDC cultivates opportunities for primary job growth that

increases the economic wellbeing of our region.

Learn more about where the

RAEDC will represent our region at RockfordIL.com/events.

How does your company support “every system, every aircraft?” RAAN and the RAEDC want to know what your aerospace capabilities include, to make sure we have a comprehensive representation of the region’s aerospace cluster. Please take four minutes to help us out at RockfordIL.com/ aerospacecapabilities. Every commercial aircraft has a component or system that was designed or manufactured in the Rockford region. The Rockford region is home to four tier-one aerospace companies and more than 250 suppliers within a 90-minute radius. The Rockford Area Aerospace Network rebranded itself this year to better represent the strengths and capabilities of our region. The new tagline, Every System Every Aircraft, embodies the region’s influence on the aerospace industry. Major subsectors of our region’s

capabilities include AS9100 and Nadcap-certified providers of: ■ Electric power generation systems ■ Power management ■ Actuation systems ■ Metal component fabrication ■ Aircraft interior manufacturing ■ Maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) ■ Your Capabilities Here ??? RAAN is a consortium of companies implementing a strategic plan to increase the competitiveness of the Rockford region for aerospace expansion and attraction. Visit RockfordIL.com/ aerospacecapabilities to provide information that will be included on the RAAN (RockfordAerospace. com) and RAEDC (RockfordIL. com) websites.

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January 2018

Regional, National Indicators THE ECONOMY

Community Events COMMUNITY

U.S. Indicators November 2017



Consumer Price Index Unemployment Rate

0.4 percent 4.1 percent

      

Payroll Employment Average Hourly Earnings Producer Price Index Employment Cost Index Productivity U.S. Import Price Index U.S. Export Price Index

228,000 $0.05 0.4 percent 0.7 percent (third quarter, 2017) 0.3 percent (third quarter, 2017) 0.7 percent

Rockford Symphony Orchestra hosts its 2018 Concerto Competition of regional musicians up to 21 years old on Jan. 20 at Rock Valley College. Shown Annaliesa Caswell performs violin Edward Lalo - Symphonie Espagnol, Op. 64, accompanied by the Rockford Symphony Youth Orchestra.

0.5 percent

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Unemployment Rates Region / State / Nation

JANUARY, 2018

Aug. 2017

Sept. 2017

Oct. 2017

Nov. 2017

Rockford

5.6

5.0

---

Chicago

5.3

4.8

4.9

4.8

Illinois

5.0

4.9

United States

4.4

4.2

4.1

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Standard Mileage Rates Up from 2017

■ 54.5 cents for every mile of business travel driven, up one cent from the rate for 2017. ■ 18 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes, up one cent from the rate for 2017. ■ 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations. The standard mileage rate for business is based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile. The rate for medical and moving purposes is based on the variable costs. Taxpayers always have the option of calculating the actual costs of using their vehicle rather than using the standard mileage rates.

Idaho Nation’s Fastest-Growing State Largest Percent Population Increases 2.2% (domestic migration) 2.0% (domestic migration) 1.9% (excess births over deaths) 1.7% 1.6% 1.6%

States Losing Population Illinois

Wyoming

Monday, January 1

Rockford Park District presents the Sinnissippi Station Model Garden Railroad Exhibit through Jan. 14 at Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens, 1354 N. Second Street. Includes six G-scale trains and trolleys running throughout the conservatory. For information, visit www.nicholasconservatory.com or call 815-987-8855.

Tuesday, January 2

The Internal Revenue Service issued the 2018 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. Beginning on Jan. 1, 2018, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:

Idaho Nevada Utah Washington Florida Arizona

Rockford Chamber members appear bolded. Thank you for your support of your fellow Chamber members.

Lost 33,703 people (largest population decline). 1% (largest percent decline)

States in the South and West continued to lead in population growth. In 2017, 38.0% of the nation’s population lived in the South; 23.8% lived in the West.

Rockford Park District opened the area’s first Indoor Golf Driving Range at Indoor Sports Center at Mercyhealth Sportscore Two, 8800 E. Riverside Blvd., Loves Park through March 30. Schedule is Mondays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit www.mercyhealthsportscore.com.

Friday, January 12

Northwestern Mutual hosts a Lemonade Stand in support of Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, fighting childhood cancer, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at its Rockford office, 1252 Bell Valley Road. Lemonade and chips along with choice of brat, hot dog, chili dog or chili. Cutoff for delivery orders is Jan. 5. Contact 815-226-3844 or Tracey.Phillips@nm.com or visit www.alexslemonade.org/ donate/1310709.

Tuesday, January 16

2HB Human Resources & Beneﬁts Solutions presents LTD – From Beginning to End, at 1515 S.

Meridian Road, Rockford. Learn how to select the correct disability plan, understand LTD benefits and discuss return to work programs. Call 815-977-3496. Northern Illinois University Art Museum, 116 Altgeld Hall, Dekalb, opens its School of Art and Design Faculty Exhibition, an invitational show featuring recent artwork and scholarship by faculty and teaching staff of the NIU School of Art and Design through Feb. 23. Visit www. niu.edu/artmuseum/events.

Saturday, January 20

Rockford Symphony Orchestra, in partnership with Rock Valley College, hosts its 2018 Concerto Competition; drawing musicians up to 21 years of age from a 50-mile radius of Rockford at Rock Valley College. Visit www. rockfordsymphony.com/concertocompetition.

Wednesday January 31

The UIC College of Pharmacy at the UIC Health Sciences CampusRockford hosts a Pharmacy Information Session, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., 1601 Parkview Ave. For more information, contact Rachel Van Den Broek, 815-395-5749 or rachelv@uic.edu.

FEBRUARY, 2018 Monday, February 5

University of Illinois Extension Winnebago County hosts the 22nd annual Stateline Fruit and Vegetable Growers Conference, 9 to 2 p.m., at Midway Village Museum, 6799 Guilford Road, Rockford. Register before Jan. 16 at go.illinois.edu/StatelineGrowers2018 or 815-986-4357.

News to Share?

Send news releases and other items of interest to the business community to: The VOICE, Rockford Chamber of Commerce, 308 W. State St., Ste. 190, Rockford, IL 61101

DEADLINE IS THE 15TH OF THE MONTH PRECEDING PUBLICATION

January 2018

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

New Chamber Members AD VICE MARKETING

MCDANIELS MARKETING

Advertising agency specializing in social media marketing - marketing, social media, SEO, SEM, media planning, media buying, website design, digital marketing. 7210 E. State St., Ste. 104, 61108 Lisa Chatfield 779-774-4229 www.ad-vicemarketing.com

A full-service agency with over 51 years experience 11 Olt Ave. Pekin, IL 61554 Kate McDaniels-Baumann 309-346-4230 www.mcdanielsmarketing.com

BURCH DENTAL Dental office. 8100 Forest Hills Road Loves Park, IL 61111 Melissa Miller 815-968-2008 www.burchdental.com

DOG HAUS Gourmet hot dogs, sausages, burgers and one-of-a-kind creations. 7616 Walton St., 61108 David Clark 815-227-9900 www.goalzllc.com

EDWARD JONES - TRINA BANKORD Financial Services, Investment 2406 Charles St., Ste. 1-A, 61108 Trina Bankord 815-398-7759 www.edwardjones.com

NO COMFORT ZONE CONSULTING, INC. Speaking / Training / Consulting Dan Brzozowski 773-220-0938 www.thenocomfortzone.com

SECONDFIRST CHURCH Energizing downtown Rockford and beyond with God’s grace. 318 N. Church St., 61101 Pastor Rebecca White Newgren 815-963-8431 www.secondfirst.org

SIEPERT & CO., LLP A regionally focused, full-service public accounting firm with three offices in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. 1920 W. Hart Road, Beloit, WI 53511 4278 E. Rockton Road, Roscoe, IL 61073 2380 Bethany Road, Sycamore, IL 60178 Amy SHRM-CP, P Boston 815-787-7657 www.siepert.com

Membership Renewals Thank you to members who renewed with the Rockford Chamber of Commerce in November, 2017. AAA Rockford Abreo Restaurant Advanced Chimney Systems Inc. Alpine Kiwanis Club Androck Hardware Corporation Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP Barron Metal Finishing, LLC Benning Group LLC Black & Jones Attorneys at Law Block Advisors Camelot World Travel Chem Processing, Inc. CherryVale Mall Ciao Bella Ristorante CMM & Associates College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving Come Together Rockford CYRS Wealth Advisors LLC Dickey’s BBQ Dodge Lanes, Inc. Edward Jones - Jen Reisinger Edward Jones - Michelle Bowman Edward Jones - Tara S. Harris Erboe & Associates, CPAs Fehr Graham First National Bank and Trust First National Bank and Trust Forest City Communications of Illinois Inc. Healthcare Plus Illinois Bank & Trust Independence Village at Rockford

KFACT Inc. Laser Quest Lenox Healthcare for Women Lincoln Rent-All & Sales, Inc. MDM Consulting Mid-City Office Products Mrs. Fisher’s, Inc. NAACP (National Association For the Advancement of Colored People) Napleton Honda New Zion Missionary Baptist Church NITROrthopaedics, LLC Northern Illinois Terrazzo & Tile Company Rockford Housing Authority Rockford Molded Products Rockford Roasting Company Summit Radiology SuperSuds Car Care Center T. Pratt & Associates, Ltd. Thayer Lighting, Inc. The Olympic Tavern Trinity Day Care VetsRoll.org Village Green Home & Garden Winnebago County Health Department Winnebago County-River Bluff Nursing Home workplace

January 2018 Member Anniversaries Thank you to the members celebrating their anniversaries with the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

35-YEAR MEMBER

15-YEAR MEMBERS

Pearson Plumbing & Heating Co.

Van Matre HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital Zion Development Corporation

30-YEAR MEMBERS March of Dimes

20-YEAR MEMBERS Catholic Diocese of Rockford The Observer Rockford Area Economic Development Council Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity Inc. Winnebago County Board Office

10-YEAR MEMBER SVL Productions

5-YEAR MEMBERS C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. Forward Equity Marketing Group Rock Valley Credit Union Union Fence Company workplace

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

January 2018

ON DIGITAL

Members Caught on Digital Ceremonial ribbon donated by SERVPRO of Rockford.

Advanced Machine & Engineering Co. (AME) breaks ground on Dec. 11 on a $3.5 million facility expansion, with projections to add up to 100 jobs and increase capacity for several AME product lines. Cord Construction Company will lead the development processes for the building addition just north of the ABI building. “The expansion will not only increase our top line revenue and overall profitability, but more importantly, it will also allow us to grow our market share in our backup power generation business (Genset) that we started 10 years ago,” said Dietmar Goellner, president & CEO of AME/Hennig Inc. “We must increase capacity quickly to meet customer demand.” Visit www.ame.com/careers with information on AME’s apprenticeship program, which aims to close the skills gap in manufacturing with on-site paid training for a successful career.

A 2015 Chrysler 200 was donated to Micky at an event in December at Crash 1 Collision Center. Crash 1 Collision Center joined forces with MetLife and Shelter Care Ministries to donate a 2015 Chrysler 200 to Micky, a single mother of three, thanks to “Recycled Rides,” a nationwide program of the National Auto Body Council in which collision repair companies, insurers, suppliers and vendors collaborate to refurbish and donate vehicles to individuals, families and service organizations in need. Before receiving the car, Micky had to spend $250 to $300 a month on bus and taxi fares to get back and forth to her job at Walmart and day care. She had to decline a promotion at work that would have led to a pay increase and more consistent daytime hours due to her lack of personal transportation and had to work odd hours and swing shifts to make ends meet. Now she’s able to accept a promotion.

Dog Haus, offering gourmet hot dogs, sausages, burgers and one-of-a-kind creations, holds a ribbon cutting on Dec. 13 at 7616 Walton St., Rockford.

Hennig, Inc., a global leader in design and manufacturing of machine protection and coolant/chip management systems, holds a groundbreaking event on Dec. 20 at its main building at 9900 N. Alpine Road for the expansion of its manufacturing facilities. Cord Construction will lead all of the development work. The two new facility additions, totaling 28,000 square feet, will bring more than 50 jobs and accommodate increasing customer demand. Upon completion, the facility at the Machesney Park location will total 110,000 square feet. Dietmar Goellner, president & CEO of AME/Hennig Inc., said he’s excited for the benefits the expansion will bring to the local community, including additional business for their local suppliers, and more manufacturing jobs for the region. “We are bullish for the state of manufacturing in the United States,” Goellner said. “We’re certainly doing our part to grow the manufacturing sector through our apprenticeship and other employee development programs. We passionately hope the United States manufacturing sector will again reach the glory days of the past.” Anticipated project completion date is May 2018. Visit www.hennig-inc.com.

Ambassadors gathered for the December luncheon at Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens. Ambassadors donated items to KFACT Inc., and Shamika Williams, KFACT Inc., and Einar Forsman spoke at the event. Lunch was catered by Mary’s Market.

January 2018

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

ROCKFOR D CHAM B ER

MEMBERSHIP SALES POSITION Seeking a dynamic, self-motivated, credible individual to complete our membership development/sales team. The ideal candidate must be sales-oriented, willing to follow proven success methods and enjoy talking to business leaders. This position is for someone who is: ■ Goal-oriented ■ Works independently

investment revenues. Responsible for achieving membership recruitment goals on a monthly basis.

■ Values integrity

EXPERIENCE:

■ Wants to work in a position that supports business

■ Proven track record of achievement

■ Seeking a career rather than a job ■ Understands the issues facing business

PURPOSE & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY: Primary responsibility is to ensure the growth of the Chamber’s membership by creating, developing, sustaining and recruiting new members in a manner that will ensure a net gain in members and an enhancement of the Chamber’s

■ Proven success in a professional sales environment ■ Possess superior telephone skills ■ Previous success in a fast-paced environment ■ Ability to communicate with use of imagery, a must ■ Must be able to laugh at yourself and with others

EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree preferred

Send resume and personalized cover letter including day-time phone number to: hgarner@rockfordchamber.com.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

January 2018

Advertisers Index ADVERTISERS

Upcoming Chamber Events CHAMBER EVENTS JANUARY, 2018

FEBRUARY, 2018

Thursday, January 11

Friday, February 9

Ambassador January Meeting takes place, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at RAMP, 202 Market St., Rockford.

Friday, January 12

Government Affairs Council, 7:30 to 8:45 a.m., at Stockholm Inn, 2420 Charles St., Rockford. Thursday, January 25 5 - 8 pm Giovanni’s, Inc. 610 N. Bell School Rd., Rockford

ROCKFORD CHAMBER

Annual Dinner Bill Graham, director of creative affairs, Procter & Gamble Productions, producers of the long-running soap operas: Guiding Light, As the World Turns and Another World, presents The Power of Likable Leadership. Announcement of the 2018 Citizen of the Year. Sponsored by OSF Healthcare (presenting), Associated Bank (gold), Quartz (silver), Gallagher Williams-Manny (wine), and AT&T, The Alliance, and RSM US LLP (bronze).

Government Affairs Council, 7:30 to 8:45 a.m., at Stockholm Inn, 2420 Charles St., Rockford.

Advanced Machine & Engineering Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Ballard Services, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Blackhawk Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Brian Thomas Photography. . . . . . . .22 Chartwell Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Wednesday, February 14 7:30 - 9 am Rockford University Burpee Center Room 124 5050 E. State St. , Rockford

Colorwave Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Breakfast BUZZ

Fehr Graham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Steve Bois, CEO, and Conor Brown, government affairs director, Rockford Area Realtors, present State of the Regions’ Real Estate Market. Sponsored by RSM US LLP.

Comcast Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Des Plaines Office Equipment Company. . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Gallagher Williams-Manny. . . . . . . . . .5

McDaniels Marketing. . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Mercyhealth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Meridian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 OSF HealthCare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Quartz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Rockford Bank & Trust Co. . . . . . . . . .6 Rockford Chamber of Commerce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27, 34, 35 Staff Management, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . .9 Stillman Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Thayer Lighting, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Hayes Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

V2 Marketing Communications . . . . .21

Illinois Bank & Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Widmer Interiors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Illinois Small Business Development Center . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Wintrust Commercial Banking & Mortgage . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Illumination.io . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Wipfli LLP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Visit rockfordchamber.com for the latest events Chamber Staff / Call 815-987-8100 ............................................. Direct Line

Harold “Bo” Boger, IL Small Business

Development Center Director ............................................................. 815-316-4301

Sue Boyer, Member Relations ................................................ 815-316-4315

Let your Voice be heard DO YOU HAVE NEWS TO SHARE? Send news releases and other items of interest to the business community to: The VOICE, Rockford Chamber of Commerce 308 W. State St., Ste. 190, Rockford, IL 61101

DEADLINE IS THE 15TH OF THE MONTH PRECEDING PUBLICATION

Einar K. Forsman, President & CEO ......................................... 815-316-4304 Heidi M. Garner, Chief Operating Officer ................................... 815-316-4312 Doug Hessong, Director of Publications & Technology .................. 815-316-4338 Lynette Jacques, Vice President, Member Investment ................... 815-316-4317 Caitlin Pusateri, Vice President, Leadership Development .................. 815-316-4337 Doug Rand, Accounting Manager/Controller .............................. 815-316-4316 Joan Sundvall, Membership Contact Coordinator ........................ 815-316-4320

Chamber Board of Directors & Officers EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chairman of the Board Richard Zumwalt Z Resource Chair-Elect Michele Petrie Wintrust Commercial Banking & Mortgage Vice Chair Dan Ross Gallagher Williams-Manny Treasurer Amy Ott Boylan Catholic High School Immediate Past Chair Patti Thayer Thayer Lighting, Inc.

DIRECTORS Andrew Benson Benson Stone Company, Inc. Kimberly Blascoe Wipfli LLP Jan Bowman TLC Construction LaVonne Brown Savant Capital Management Paula Carynski OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center Samuel J. Castree Staff Management, Inc. Joe Castrogiovanni Giovanni’s, Inc.

Sue Schrieber Don Daniels SwedishAmerican, A Mercyhealth Division of UW Health John Schuster Rebecca Epperson Rosecrance Health Chartwell Agency Network Ira Grimmett UTC Aerospace Systems

Karl Swanson Rockford Bank & Trust Co

Tim Honquest Honquest Family Funeral Home with Crematory

Udaya Talwar Woodward

Jeff Hultman Illinois Bank & Trust Michael F. Iasparro Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP Elizabeth Lee Greenlee Textron

Kris L. Kieper Jean Crosby Machajewski Berkshire Hathaway YWCA Northwestern HomeServices Crosby Illinois Starck Real Estate Mike Paterson Doug Curry Mid-West Family Stenstrom Excavation Broadcasting and Blacktop Group Mark Peterson CBL Associates Cherry Vale

Jon Thompson Butitta Brothers Automotive

EX-OFFICIO DIRECTORS Einar K. Forsman President & CEO, Rockford Chamber of Commerce John Groh Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Nathan Bryant Rockford Area Economic Development

FEBRUARY VOICE SPECIAL SECTIONS Ahead of the Curve – Health Innovations Cultivating Leaders – Educational Avenues For information on advertising, call 815

987-8100