March Voice 2022 by Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce

the

PLUMBING NEW DEPTHS

BUILDING A GOOD PROJECT

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March 2022 | Volume 35 | No. 3

of the rockford business community TAX PREP HELP FOR QUALIFYING TAX PAYERS

Fund formed for the rehab of vacant, dilapidated homes Rockford City Council approved in January a $200,000 long-term loan to create a Community Development Financial Institution as a separate entity in partnership with the Rockford Local Development Corporation. The RLDC has served the community since 1979 with SBA loans through its 504 Loan program. It has managed several revolving city and county loan funds to provide capital to area businesses and individuals. The Rockford Community Investment Fund will have a primary mission of fostering economic development in lowto moderate-income neighborhoods in the City of Rockford by financing the rehabilitation of vacant and dilapidated homes. It seeks certification from the U.S. Department of Treasury that will allow it to ask for federal funding. While there are more than 1,100 certified community development financial institutions throughout the

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HomeStart Smart Taxes Program is partnering with the IRS to offer free basic tax preparation for qualifying tax payers. This includes persons who make $58,000 or less, persons with disabilities, limited Englishspeaking taxpayers and persons who are 60 years of age and older. Oﬃces are in Rockford and Freeport, Tuesdays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 815-977-8329.

LIFESCAPE PARTNERS WITH AARP TO PROVIDE FREE TAX SERVICES country, there are none serving Rockford or northern Illinois, outside of the Chicago area. “We are excited to bring a CDFI to Rockford to help stabilize and improve the housing stock in the city, and to foster home ownership in the community,” said Tom Sandquist, the fund’s first executive director. “We look forward to partnering

with the city as well as several local businesses and agencies to maximize our resources and better serve the area.” The initial board of directors are: Charles Box; Todd Cagnoni; Earl Dotson, Jr.; Jeff Fahrenwald (chair); Linda Heckert; Shelton Kay; Alfredo Linares; John Phelps, and Jim Ryan. (continued on page 9)

World-renowned GFNY cycling marathon to come to Winnebago County An opportunity to show all our area has to offer

Lifescape hosts the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program. Tax preparation is completed by appointment only, by a Tax-Aide volunteer at 705 Kilburn Ave, Rockford, in one visit to anyone, free of charge. A special focus will be made for taxpayers who are over 50 or have low to moderate income. Volunteers are trained and IRScertified every year to make sure they know about and understand the latest changes and additions to the tax code. Appointments are available Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., through April 6. Call 815-963-1609.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! ROCKFORD CHAMBER

ANNUAL MEETING THURSDAY, MARCH 31, NOON FACEBOOK STREAMING For more information, see page 23 PRESENTING SPONSOR

BLOCK GRANT: SURFACE TRANSPORTATION

The Rockford region is one of five destinations to host the Gran Fondo New York cycling marathon in the United States in 2022. It’s anticipated to generate $3.9 million in visitor spending over three years.

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The Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau signed a three-year agreement with Gran Fondo New York to host the internationally-known Gran Fondo New York cycling marathon in 2022, 2023 and 2024. The event will take place on Sunday, Aug. 7, with planned run rides on Friday and Saturday before the race. “An event of this caliber is an economic driver that will directly impact many of our local businesses along the various routes in such a positive way,” said Lindsay Arellano, RACVB vice president of sales &

service. “It’s also a fun event that gives participants the opportunity to get outside and experience first-hand all that our destination has to offer.” GFNY is considered the premier, global cycling marathon series and consists of 25 races in 17 countries, including Italy, Mexico, Portugal and Argentina, New York, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Costa Rica, Jerusalem, Florida, Bali and Cannes. The event in Rockford is expected to draw at least 750 cyclists and additional spectators to the region; fill more than (continued on page 5)

The Region 1 Planning Council seeks eligible projects for Surface Transportation Block Grant funds through March 18. Almost $3.2 million is available. STBG funding is authorized by the federal Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act for projects that preserve and improve the conditions and performance on any federal-aid highway, pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, transit capital, planning projects and intercity passenger projects. The goal is to support the implementation of the MTP, 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan for the Rockford Region, by enhancing the transportation system to provide mobility, social and environmental improvements. Completed applications must be submitted by March 18, 5 p.m. For details visit www.r1planning.org/ tip. For questions, contact Sydney Turner, 815-319-4185 or sturner@ r1planning.org.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

March 2022

EXECUTIVE’S PERSPECTIVE

You’re braver than you believe CAITLIN PUSATERI Rockford Chamber Executive VP

We are all called to lead in our own circles

I recently had a conversation that felt a bit overdue, but non-monumental. In casually relaying the news to a friend about the interaction (probably in route to a more important part of my actual story I was sharing with her), she stopped me and commented on how brave I was for having the conversation. I brushed it off – surely bravery wasn’t a happenstance conversation that was merely just a statement of facts. No, bravery involved far more pre-planning, anxiety, and over-thinking than what I had given that nothing-of-a-conversation … right?? A wise, half-naked, overweight bear once said, “You are braver than you believe, smarter than you seem, and stronger than you think.” (Winnie the Pooh). While the quote itself usually is left for nursery walls or inspiration journals, it’s been rattling around, rent-free, in my brain these days. I know we are all so tired of talking about the pandemic. When writing this piece, I promised myself I wouldn’t mention the pandemic. We are all so tired of it … certainly there’s more to say than

what’s already been talked about to death. But I kept coming back to my friend’s comments, that bear with no pants, and the pesky little pandemic. In breaking a promise to myself, it looks like I’m going to write about the pandemic, yet again. The last few years have been hard – harder for some than others – but hard for all. And somewhere, amid the hard, was shoved all of the “normal” – all the breakfasts that were made, the birthday gifts that were bought, the break-ups, the spring cleaning purges, the long walks, crying kids, inside jokes. All of that normal made it feel like maybe the hard was all just in our heads. Maybe the hard really wasn’t that hard – we were just weak, couldn’t handle the heat. Everyone else seemed to be doing just fine – clearly – their Instagrams told us so. But, in reality, the last few years were more than just a bunch of normal all shoved together with a splash of hard now and then. The hard and the normal were intertwined to the point that it didn’t even register anymore. We have spent the

last few years brushing off all the hard moments that now, we have no idea how to process the pain, the difficulty and the sadness that’s been wrapped up in, well, everything, for years. And through all of this, we were called to lead. Some of us were leading companies, some teams, some families, some just ourselves. And so many tried to push old leadership tactics onto fresh wounds. Passive aggressive communication tactics. Demanding professional presence. Lines in the sand based on traditional corporate values. We were grasping at straws to find some sort of balance – a place we understand stood and knew to be true. It turns out that leadership right now demands more. It is demanding more tolerance and less tradition. More love and less strict regulations. More time and less busyness. More quiet and less noise. More Pooh and less pants. I would argue that now, more than ever, fresh,

new leadership skills are vital to the continuation of, well, everything. To be honest, I’m not even sure what the point I’m trying to make is. But it needs to be said: You’re braver than you believe, smarter than you seem, and stronger than you think. Things are hard – even as we move toward the endemic. Even after doing all sorts of hard for two years and counting … It isn’t in your head. It isn’t made up. And it isn’t just you. And, if you are a leader? You have the awesome responsibility to, somehow, do more. Do it differently. And help others figure out how to do it, too. Caitlin Pusateri is executive vice president of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

Let your Voice be heard The Rockford Chamber of Commerce welcomes and encourages member submissions for The VOICE of the Rockford Business Community. Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding publication date. 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.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

March 2022

proﬁle

MEMBER PROFILE

FOLLOWING NATURE’S LAW OF GRAVITY:

Rockford Separators By Paul Anthony Arco Ever wonder what happens to that oil that goes down the drain at an auto repair shop or the solid food waste at a fastfood restaurant? That’s where Rockford Separators comes in. Rockford Separators manufactures separators and trench drains for the plumbing wastewater industry and new commercial construction. The company was started by a local ownership group under the name Rockford Sanitary Systems in the late 1960s and was located on Railroad Avenue. Rockford Separators has been at its current location on 28th Ave., since 1976. “The company started as a job shop that made whatever anyone needed — they could ﬁx or weld anything,” said President Rob Williams. “They started manufacturing the separators for a company in Chicago that went broke in the early ’70s and ownership decided at that time — since we were already manufacturing everything — to go ahead and market them under our own name.” The original ownership group sold the company to the Mott Brothers in the mid-1980s and, following Merritt Mott’s death, current owners Jeﬀ Beto, Tom

Graceﬀa, Andrew Hranka and Josh Yelsey acquired Rockford Separators in 2019. The company has since expanded its national footprint and is actively working to partner with other regional and local manufacturing businesses. “Our advantage is that we’re able to focus on one product — that allows us to be more eﬃcient than our competition,” said Williams, who joined the company 40 years ago as a welder and moved up the ranks, becoming president three years ago. “The customer can call us and talk to one person, and we can get started within hours on their custom unit or project. We have a quicker reaction time than a larger company, where separators are just one segment of their total product line, which allows us to be more competitive.”

Custom-Built Solutions Separators are used to separate a variety of wastes: grease, oil, fuel, lint, food solids, chemicals, solid waste, sand and gravel. It’s all about gravity separation, according to Williams. “What sets our separators apart is that our designs follow nature’s law of gravity in separating lighter-than-water waste matter from heavier-than-water waste, and both are retained in the separator,” he said. “The

The company has just under 20 employees and 25 independent manufacturing reps with an average tenure of local employees of 10 to 12 years. PHOTO BY JASMINE WAGNER water continues through into the sewer system and our separators trap the greases, food or sand and gravel before it enters the sewage system and mixes with other waste.” The separators are custom built and come in more than 600 different sizes, ranging from 1½ gallons to 50,000 gallons for job-site specific applications and installed wherever separation systems are needed, including industrial plants, office buildings, restaurants, food-processing plants, laundromats, hospitals and retail outlets. Rockford Separators can produce and ship smaller separators in three to five days; 2,000-gallon separators can take up to two weeks to build and deliver. The company produces an average of 4,000 separators each year. The restaurant industry is the company’s biggest segment of business — they manufacture grease separators for hospital and school cafeterias, as well as local and chain restaurants. “The bulk of our sales is sold to plumbing wholesale supply

companies across the country and locally to companies like Columbia Pipe, Connor Company and Ferguson Enterprises,” Williams said. “We also work with engineers and contractors on specs for projects.” The company has just under 20 employees, including engineers, machine operators, welders, painters, clerical, shipping and receiving and accounts payable. They also have 25 independent manufacturing reps working to market their product across the country. Williams said the average tenure of local employees is 10 to 12 years. “Everyone here knows their job,” he said. “You can give them a set of drawings and know it will be done right the ﬁrst time.” The COVID pandemic impacted Rockford Separators’ business when restaurants were closed and were not building new or didn’t need to replace their existing grease interceptors. Business, Williams said, is slowly returning to normal and should improve when new construction begins in the spring. “Everyone here is antsy to get busy again. In the meantime, we just keep looking for new opportunities.”

ROCKFORD SEPARATORS President: Rob Williams 5159 28th Ave. 815-229-5077 Rkfdseparators.com

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

March 2022

IN SEVERAL ESSENTIAL OCCUPATIONS

Women represent majority of workers In 2019, women earned 82 cents to every dollar earned by men Thirty-four million women work in jobs officially classified as essential; and women represent the majority of workers in several occupations, including health care, education, personal care and sales and office occupations. Despite women’s substantial presence in essential jobs, the disparity between total median earnings for women and men exists across occupations deemed essential. Equal Pay Day is March 24 this year. That’s earlier than it’s ever been since its inception in 1996. Last year, it occurred on March 31. In 2019, women earned 82 cents to every dollar earned by men, indicating the gender pay gap is narrowing, but continues.

Who Are Essential Workers? Using guidance from the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Census identified 312 detailed occupations from the 2019 American Community Survey where workers provide services essential to the continued operations of the economy in the face of unprecedented challenges associated with COVID-19. The list identifies workers in the following broad categories: health care, education, telecommunications, information technology systems, food and agriculture, transportation and logistics, energy, water and wastewater, and law enforcement. Based on these criteria, 72 percent of the workforce is classified as fulltime, year-round essential workers — an estimated 82 million. Women hold 42 percent of the nation’s full-time, yearround jobs designated as essential. Women represent the majority of essential workers among education, health care, personal care, and sales and office occupations.

Health Care Is in Women’s Hands Women have driven the overall employment growth in health care and play a key role in everyday health care needs associated with COVID-19. Women comprise 73 percent of health care practitioners and technical occupations identified as essential. Women also make up an ever-larger proportion (86 percent) of essential health care support workers.

Registered nurses are one of the most common health care-related occupations. Around 2.5 million of the nation’s fulltime, year-round workers and 87 percent of registered nurses are women. Despite women’s large presence in health care occupations, the gender wage gap remains. Male nurses had higher median earnings than female nurses in 2019: $73,603 compared with $68,509.

Teachers and Child Care Workers For the past year, teachers have been spending long hours online in virtual classrooms but are gradually returning to in-person instruction as COVID-19 vaccines become available. Large shares of working women are in education: 80 percent of elementary and middle-school teachers and 97 percent of preschool and kindergarten teachers are female. In 2019, male elementary and middle-school teachers reported higher median earnings than women in the same jobs: $57,041 compared with $51,787 for women. Among preschool and kindergarten teachers, women earned $30,537, which was not statistically different from men’s earnings of $31,149. Parents and employers rely on child care workers so they can work and conduct business. Child care workers were also predominantly female (95 percent) and earned about $27,000 less per year than median earnings ($50,078) for all workers across all occupations.

Keeping Our Stores Open Retail jobs are among some of the most common occupations in a variety of industries, including grocery and drug stores. Around 75 percent of cashiers are women but only 45 percent of women are first-line supervisors of retail sales workers. Cashiers are among the lowest-paid members in the retail workforce. In 2019, the median earnings of female cashiers and first-line retail sales supervisors were $22,032 and $36,432, respectively; men in the same jobs earned $24,616 and $50,270. Source: Lynda Laughlin and Megan Wisniewski, U.S. Census Bureau

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

March 2022

IGNITE: YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

Believing in the power of one CIRA RICHARDSON IGNITE

Your actions have a rippling effect to others

When I talk to people about changing their neighborhoods, a common theme that I hear people say is “I am just one person. What can I do?” It is as if they cannot see how much influence they really have. The truth is most people ask that question, can one person really make a difference? When we look around the world today, or even around our circle of influence, we see so many things that need to be changed. People need help. Communities need hope. It seems impossible, doesn’t it? But what if it wasn’t? Most people doubt if they are making an impact because meaningful and effective change is not always instant. Making the world, the community, and even our neighborhood a better place sometimes takes months or even years. The truth is that making the world a better place often means improving it for a few people at a time, but it has a rippling effect and can impact generations. Here’s an exercise for you. Close your eyes for a moment and think about all the

people who had a major impact on your life. A friend, family member, co-worker, even a stranger. The list goes on and on. But you have also impacted people greatly. The friend who needed a hug. The co-worker who needed a listening ear. The drive-thru order you paid for. All it took was you and that moment. You had an impact! You have no idea how many people you have and can influence today. But in case you need some guidelines or a place to start, here are a few tips: ■ Don’t start globally. Start where you live ■ Start somewhere. Do something to give back to your community. ■ Stand up for causes you care about. ■ Do random acts of kindness throughout the day. ■ Find like-minded people who are committed to the same cause. ■ Don’t overthink it and don’t work yourself to exhaustion. If you are looking for an organization

that can help you transform where you live, Great Neighborhoods is a great place to start. Great Neighborhoods is a grassroots program available to help residents understand their neighborhoods and what they have to offer. We transform neighborhoods into what the residents want. Together, we co-create action plans with our neighborhoods, and help connect all the dots and utilize networks and resources to move projects forward. Connect and get involved with Great Neighborhoods to impact the neighborhoods around you by emailing cira@transformrockford.org. You can also visit https://greatneighborhoods.info and link to the Facebook and Instagram accounts too. Cira Richardson is program director, Great Neighborhoods, Transform Rockford and a member of IGNITE. The views expressed are those of Richardson’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

CYCLING

Continued from front page

1,000 hotel room nights and more than $1.3 million in spending. Racers in GFNY Rockford will choose between two distances: the 93.6-mile competitive race or the 63mile, non-competitive, recreational ride. It starts and ends near the Venetian Club on Elmwood Road. Other points include the Carl and Myrna Nygren Wetland Preserve, Williams Tree Farm, The Pavilion at Orchard Ridge Farms, Colored Sands Bluff Nature Preserve, Calvin and Sophia Ferguson Forest Preserve, the Pecatonica, Sugar and Rock Rivers, and points near Rockton, South Beloit, Durand, Shirland and Lake Summerset. Visit ridewithgps.com (GFNY Rockford – Long) for an interactive map. All fitness levels and any athlete over age of 18 is eligible to participate in the cycling event. Participants do not have to qualify or be a licensed racer with a federation to take part in GFNY. Visit www.gfny.com. v

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

March 2022

BBB alert: Avoid an app attack!

Watch for the tell-tale signs of a scam Reports are coming in to the BBB Scamtracker regarding app store scams. From passwords to banking details, you store important personal information on your mobile devices. Unfortunately, scammers are lurking on the app stores of Apple and Google and using various techniques like pop-up ads and emails on the hunt for victims. “You are much more likely to download an app that will send spam messages or expose your phone number if you download it from an unofficial or littleknown app store,” said Dennis Horton, director of the Rockford Regional Office of the Better Business Bureau.

BBB Recommendations ■ Only download apps from oﬃcial app stores. ■ Don’t rely solely on a high star rating. One tell-tale sign of a scam is when an app has thousands of five-star reviews with no written comments and hundreds of one-star reviews with negative comments. App developers may have purchased the good reviews to cover up the bad reviews. ■ Read good and bad reviews. Scammers can artificially push good reviews to the top of the list by getting fake users to mark them as “helpful.” They can also pay people to create written

reviews claiming the app is great. Don’t stop after reading a few good reviews. Take the time to check out poor reviews to find out what people didn’t like about the app. Look for users who mention they were “scammed” or that the app didn’t deliver what it promised.

trial, test it out right away and unsubscribe before you get charged if you don’t plan on using the service. Both Google and Apple allow you to access all of your subscriptions in a single place, so you don’t have to do any digging to find an “unsubscribe” button that an app developer may have hidden.

■ Read the app’s privacy policy before you download. It could be a red flag if the permissions don’t make sense (for example, if a weather radar app says it needs access to your contacts to work). In addition, any app that doesn’t have a privacy policy is probably not safe to use.

■ Do regular app housekeeping. Outof-date apps are particularly vulnerable to hackers. This is because they may have security issues that haven’t been addressed through updates. If you haven’t used an app in a few months, or you notice an app hasn’t been updated by the developer recently, it’s probably best to delete it.

■ Make sure you download the real version of any app you look for speciﬁcally. One popular tactic scammers use is to create copycat apps to trick people into downloading. If you are looking for a popular app, keep in mind it may not be the first to appear on the list after you search for it. Look out for similar but not-quite-right logos and app developer names that don’t look legitimate. Read the app’s description text carefully, too. Impostor apps often contain descriptions that don’t make sense or spelling and grammatical errors. ■ Keep an eye on free trials. Many scam apps charge for weekly instead of monthly subscriptions, which can add up quickly, even if you are only charged a few dollars at a time. ■ Whenever you sign up for a free

■ Watch out for shady app behavior after you download. If you decide to download an app after reading reviews and the privacy policy, you’ll still want to keep a critical eye on how it works. Asking for unnecessary permissions, disappearing from your home screen, draining your battery or data even when not in use, and not doing what it promised to do are all signs of a scam. ■ Report fraudulent apps. If you spot an app scam, report it. In the Google Play store, you can flag an app as inappropriate and then explain the reason. In a recent update to Apple’s iOS, you can now “report a problem” on any app’s description page and then select “report a scam or fraud.” You can also report app scams to BBB.org/ScamTracker.

Tax credits and deductions for businesses Making business accessible to workers, customers with disabilities Businesses that make structural adaptations or other accommodations for employees or customers with disabilities may be eligible for tax credits and deductions. Here’s an overview. Disabled access credit. A nonrefundable credit for small businesses that have expenses for providing access to persons with disabilities. An eligible small business is one that earned $1 million or less or had no more than 30 full-time employees in the previous year. The business can claim the credit each year they incur access expenditures. Barrier removal tax deduction. Encourages businesses of any size to remove architectural and transportation barriers to the mobility of people with disabilities and the elderly. Businesses

may claim a deduction of up to $15,000 a year for qualified expenses on items that normally must be capitalized. Work opportunity tax credit. Available to employers for hiring individuals from certain target groups who have consistently faced significant barriers to employment, such as people with disabilities and veterans. The maximum amount of tax credit for employees who worked 400 or more hours of service is: ■ $2,400 or 40 percent of up to $6,000 of first year wages, for qualifying individuals. ■ $9,600 or 40 percent of up to $24,000 of first year wages for certain qualified veterans. A 25 percent rate applies to wages for individuals who work at least 120 hours but less than 400 hours for the employer.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

March 2022

 Destination

ILLINOIS, USA

ADDING WEALTH TO THE REGION’S ECONOMY BY GROWING TOURISM

JOHN GROH Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

The bureau ain’t all bikes and bowling!

As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, pent up demand for travel is set to unleash one of the largest market rebounds in the travel industry’s history. That gets me thinking about how the Rockford area can capitalize on and capture this demand, grow market share and increase the positive benefits of tourism. Many know RACVB for our role in attracting visitors to places like our bike trails and tournaments to venues like our bowling alleys. While, promoting our region to leisure visitors and sports teams is at the core of our mission, RACVB’s responsibilities are more expansive. Recently, a colleague asked me about the origin of “Convention & Visitors Bureaus” and I told her about the development of our industry — with the first bureau in the United States formed in Detroit, Mich. in 1896, as a means of attracting businessmen and conventions to the city. Over time, the role of CVBs became more complex. Most bureaus, often now called destination marketing organizations, put tremendous resources toward attracting multi-day conferences, large events and sports tournaments that fill hotel rooms and fill the coffers of local restaurants and attractions. RACVB is no different. We work hard to sell and promote Rockford to the managers of large-scale events, like our recent win in securing a three-year agreement with Gran Fondo New York (GFNY) cycling marathon. Capturing commitments from these groups takes months (and sometimes years) of relationship building, negotiation and incentivizing. Once a group is in market, our selling efforts transition to servicing, as we welcome, entertain and manage on-site logistics for our guests. The core work of “selling and servicing” our destination is bolstered by the variety of venues we have to offer groups, however that hasn’t always been the case. Having an eye on the ‘product’ is always important. To ensure a robust offering, RACVB plays a role in partnering in the development of tourism assets and has done that with projects like the UW Health Sports Factory, Mercyhealth Sportscore One and Two, the new downtown Embassy Suites, the Laurent House and more. This commitment to planning and advocating for the development of experiences, venues and attractions ensures our area is a great place to visit and even more so, a great place to live.

It’s for Residents, Too Residents benefit from the tourism economy

through

visitor

spending

and tax generation, the creation of jobs at our hotels, restaurants, venues, attractions — and through having cool places to hang out! Reflect, for example, on the ripple effect from City Market, the restaurants in the 500 block of East State in downtown Rockford, and Prairie Street Brewhouse, and you will discover the positive momentum that new businesses have on surrounding neighborhoods. To build on these brick-and-mortar developments, RACVB has led the creation of new experiences and events with our public beautification program Forest City Beautiful, more than 20 CRE8IV Art murals and sculptures, and Stroll on State. These programs make Rockford and our county more enjoyable for those of us who live here, while also attracting visitors from throughout the Midwest. Our community has flourished despite economic and pandemic setbacks, and yet we can not rest. As we emerge from the pandemic, RACVB’s relentlessness in developing and promoting our community will continue unabashedly. We still have work to do across all fronts. On the product side, revitalizing Davis Park comes to mind as an opportunity, along with additional development of mountain biking trails at Atwood Park. We are due for an updated tourism development master plan, and we are just getting started in attracting new residents to the area with our “Made for Rockford” campaign. I am in awe of all we have accomplished together — as an organization and as a community. I am encouraged by the possibilities of what we all have yet to achieve. And I am ever confident in RACVB’s ability to create value for Rockford and Winnebago County through destination marketing that promotes our bike trails, bowling alleys and oh, so much more! 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.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

REHAB HOMES Continued from front page

“The city has needed a CDFI for some time now,” Fahrenwald said. “We are happy to be bringing one here to aid in the economic development of those neighborhoods that most need it.” The CDFI housing program is based on a pilot program RLDC started a few years ago through Northern Illinois Community Development Corporation,

March 2022

a multi-bank community development corporation managed by RLDC and owned and funded by 10 local financial institutions: Illinois Bank & Trust, Midland States Bank, Blackhawk Bank, US Bank, Associated Bank, State Bank of Davis, German American State Bank, Northwest Bank, Stillman BancCorp, and Rockford Community Bank. Through the pilot program, RLDC financed 54 vacant/foreclosed houses, totaling $3.4 million, which have been remodeled for resale to owner-occupants. v

Other Actions by Rockford City Council in January Approval of $250,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to go towards establishing a Critical Residential Repair Program with Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity. Under the program, 50 home repairs will be done on homes owned by low- to moderate-income homeowners in Rockford. Approval of an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Rockford Park District for a Collaborative Summer Youth Program. The park district and the city will collaborate to create an edu-rec summer curriculum that relieves trauma for young participants and includes strategies to prevent youth violence in the immediate and long-term. Approval of an ordinance establishing a Civilian Oversight Board to work with the Rockford Police Department to identify areas for improvement and find solutions to continue building trust. The seven citizens of the board will receive citizen complaints and monitor processing, review completed internal investigations of citizen complaints and review use of force incidents.

Support urban farmers while eating local food Veggie shares from Roots & Wings Farm & Garden Community Supported Agriculture community across the country celebrated CSA Week, Feb. 20 to 26. Roots & Wings Farm & Garden, led by the Angelic Organics Learning Center, for the ninth year will offer shares as a part of its summer and fall Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) project. Consumers “sow,” by paying in advance and reap seasonal farm products (veggies, eggs, meat, etc.) regularly. The CSA is coordinated by Angelic Organics’ Youth Leader Program to help increase the job skills of Rockford youth through community-based urban farming, business training and cooking. Produce is grown organically on an ½-acre urban farm located in Blackhawk Courts, a Rockford Housing Authority property. Customers can purchase a full (weekly) and half (biweekly) CSA share for the summer, a biweekly fall share and a honey share. In addition to getting locally grown food, they support employment opportunities and

Yatte Moore, urban farm manager, shows a cabbage organically grown at Roots & Wings Farm & Garden in Blackhawk Courts in Rockford. educational programs for Blackhawk Courts residents. Funds paid ahead of time help the farm prepare for the growing season with the purchase of equipment and supplies. To support Roots & Wings Farm & Garden and sign up to become a CSA member, visit https://www. learngrowconnect.org/roots--wingscsa.html. Spots are limited. Use the hashtag #CSAWeek to join the online conversation on CSA Week.

SPECIAL SECTION Educating for the Future

March 2022

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

Increasing the number and diversity of STEM graduates ‘STEM, in general, has a marketing problem’ STEM workers are in fierce demand, and not just in the global epicenter of high tech known as Silicon Valley. According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics analysis, STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — professions are expected to grow 10.5 percent between 2020 and 2030, compared to just 7.5 percent for all other occupations. In addition, the median annual STEM wage is $89,780, compared to $40,020 for all non-STEM occupations. Representing Wallethub.com, Professor Carlotta A. Berry answered questions about the recent educational experience for those in STEM fields. She’s Lawrence J. Giacoletto Endowed Chair in electrical and computer engineering for Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. According to recent census figures, the majority of STEM grads do not ultimately work in a STEM occupation. Why is that the case? I think there are several reasons but one is because many students select a major in STEM without completely understanding what it is. They may have been motivated by a parent, teacher, school counselor, or even the promise of a high salary. They may lose interest during college but based upon the high cost of tuition and the time commitment they have already invested; it is best to just finish. I recently counseled a student that was so close to the end that it was better to graduate and then leverage her engineering degree to open the door to the opportunity she was actually more interested in, whether that was medical school, law school or music production. For female students as well as those for marginalized or minoritized

communities, the reasons they may choose to not remain in a STEM occupation are a bit more nuanced. For example, there is research that shows that they either switch majors in college or do not work in the field after graduation because it does not feel very welcoming, and they do not feel a sense of community. How can the U.S. stay ahead of other countries in attracting and retaining the best STEM professionals? I personally believe that engineering or STEM, in general, has a marketing problem. It has to start well before college that we show young people what type of jobs they would have. For example, show them what a day in the life of an engineer is like. Job shadowing, television shows, movies, web series are all great ways of exposing children to STEM so that they choose a college major and future career based upon getting data. It is also important for young people to see themselves in their career, so this requires breaking the mold to show engineers as more than just nerdy White guys. In order to solve the problems facing a global

and diverse world, we need STEM professionals to be global and diverse. We have to meet people where they are, using non-traditional methods to show people that STEM is for everyone, for example posting videos, memes and GIFS on social media that show all types of people doing STEM. Showing that an engineering professor can be fun, exciting, approachable, diverse, and that the subject matter is achievable for everyone. How can government, employers and educators increase the number of women and minorities in STEM fields? Provide them with the support and resources to be successful in their chosen career. Provide role models and mentors who look like them as well as those who do not, but show a vested interest in their success. This may require all members of the community to take courses in effective mentoring, cultural competence, implicit bias to understand some of the challenges these communities face and how to support them as they attempt to navigate the STEM obstacle course. In particular, research shows that female students perceive that some STEM fields do not benefit or help society, so they choose to major in something else. This is once again a marketing problem, and we must show all young people that all opportunities in STEM can benefit society, such as building housing for the homeless, wells in Africa, improving the power grid in Puerto Rico, etc.

How has the pandemic impacted the STEM field in terms of education and employment? Interestingly enough, there is always a high demand for engineers and fulltime employment, and those students who graduated during the pandemic still kept their job offers although they may have changed to working from home. More students than we have ever seen before still may not have met their coworkers face to face. Unfortunately, some internships and co-op opportunities did not fare quite as well, with many opportunities withdrawn during 2019 and 2020. These students either scrambled to find alternate employment or chose to go home or take summer courses. Listening to my colleagues and students, it was difficult for everyone. It was hard to learn engineering, math, physics online when many of these courses have lots of hands-on activities, labs or faculty-student interaction to help master difficult concepts. There was a drop in college enrollment in fall 2020, with an assumption that many students chose to take a gap year to wait out the pandemic. However, when the pandemic continued, these students enrolled in college in fall 2021, and many universities saw groundbreaking enrollment. Students I taught with the pandemic last year were not as well prepared for the rigor of an engineering curriculum. There were some basic prerequisite skills I was expecting to see that were not there for the freshmen and sophomore students.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

DR. EHREN JARRETT Superintendent RPS 205

SPECIAL SECTION Educating for the Future

March 2022

Rockford Public Schools partners with Rosecrance

Teaching resilience to our youngest citizens The pandemic has hurt many students’ academic progress, but it has also posed a risk to their mental health. In the Rockford Public Schools, we have partnered with Rosecrance to provide real-time support to students who are in socio-emotional or behavioral crisis. Earlier this year, the School Board approved 16 full-time Student Assistance Professionals for our schools – staff that will be embedded at the schools in a partnership with Rosecrance, a behavioral health leader in the region. These positions are being funded on the district side under the American Rescue Plan-Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief program. You heard last month in my column about the many ways we are using that ARP ESSER money. Organizations like Rosecrance that offer community health services have federal pandemic relief grants of their own to spend.

Panorama isn’t the only way we gauge when, how and how much support we offer our students, of course. But Panorama’s screening and organizational capabilities also help our stressed staff. The pandemic has been trying and exhausting for them, too. Teachers, counselors and building leaders are the first line of defense, but the pandemic has stretched their resources thin. The

goal

Panorama,

the

partnership with Rosecrance and the extra professionals is to let no student fall through the cracks. Rosecrance will use its federal relief money to provide four full-time professionals; the district will provide 12 professionals. These people will be deployed based on a review of current student discipline data and needs as reflected in the Panorama survey.

The goal of Panorama, the partnership with

The intent is to provide four Student Assistance

Professionals

for

each

quadrant of the district. Based on need,

Rosecrance and the

one school might have a full-time person

extra professionals is to

every day. Another school might see the

let no student fall through the cracks.

Student Assistance Professional only a few times a week. We have made a commitment to Student Assistance Professionals through

We are partnering with Rosecrance to add mental and behavioral support where the need is the greatest. Two years of a pandemic has rocked the lives of many students, but especially those with preexisting behavioral or emotional challenges or those at risk for substance abuse.

2023. If all goes as planned, we hope to

New Tool: Panorama Education

Winnebago County voters approved a

To best identify student needs and align resources, we are using a tool called Panorama Education. School staff members use this platform to collect and analyze data about academics, behavior, social-emotional learning, attendance, discipline and other important indicators of needed support. Students take social emotional learning surveys twice a year that include questions such as how frequently they feel excited, happy, safe or hopeful. Teachers can also flag students at any time for evaluation – for example, if students show an increase in disruptive behaviors.

with Rosecrance and leveraging federal

find a way to expand this vital behavioral and mental health support beyond that. Academics is our primary job. But we share the community’s commitment to addressing mental health needs. Such a commitment was demonstrated when mental health sales tax. By partnering pandemic relief funds, we’re joining that vital collaborative effort. Together, we can give our youngest citizens the tools to be resilient and deal with all of life’s challenges – including a pandemic. 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.

SPECIAL SECTION Educating for the Future

March 2022

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

Free Facebook and social media marketing training All online; chance to earn a certification UScellular donated three wireless hotspots and two years of service to benefit kids at Ken Rock Community Center, Inc.

Bridging the digital divide one hotspot at a time After School Access Project aims to address the homework gap UScellular as part of its After School Access Project donated three wireless hotspots and two years of service to Ken Rock Community Center, Inc.; benefitting kids in kindergarten through fifth grade. Currently, more than 40 million people in the United States lack reliable access to high-speed internet. This leads to an issue known as the “homework gap” among youth who lack proper internet access. Through its pilot After School Access Project, UScellular donated 2,800 hotspots and service to 33 Boys & Girls Clubs across the country in 2021, a $2.6 million investment to help close the connectivity gap.

Connectivity is Necessary Currently, 35 percent of low-income households lack any access to broadband service at home. “Connectivity is no longer a nice thing to have – it is a necessity for progress, learning and access to future opportunities,” wrote Laurent “LT” Therivel, president and CEO of UScellular, in a press release. “BroadbandNow estimates nearly 42

Parents and children are going to great lengths to find free Wi-Fi connections, turning local laundromats, coffee shops and

Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois invites small business owners who want to learn how to market themselves through social media, those who want to become a social media influencer or who are just interested in social media in general to apply for free Facebook & Social Media Marketing Training. The six-course program is done completely online through the learning platform, Coursera, and prepares participants for an entry-level role in social media marketing. Learn how to establish an online presence, create posts, build a following, manage your accounts, create and manage advertising campaigns, and evaluate results of your marketing efforts. Training, broken down into six courses, involves a commitment of at least 10 online course hours per week. Estimated certificate completion is six months, but training is entirely self-paced. Those who complete it, earn an industry-recognized Facebook Digital Marketing Associate Certificate. For more information, contact Gaby at 815-987-6217 or GabrielaG@goodwillni.org.

libraries into their ‘home’ offices and classrooms, to simply finish homework, apply for a job or college and keep learning.” million Americans do not have access to high-speed internet – either due to availability or affordability. Parents and children are going to great lengths to find free Wi-Fi connections, turning local laundromats, coffee shops and libraries into their ‘home’ offices and classrooms, to simply finish homework, apply for a job or college and keep learning.” Michigan State University discovered that students with unreliable connectivity on average scored a half letter point lower than their connected counterparts.

Median weekly earnings rate by education attainment, 2019

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

SPECIAL SECTION Educating for the Future

March 2022

legislative LEGISLATIVE ISSUES

New Illinois laws in education for 2022 Almost 300 new laws went into effect in 2022 in Illinois. Below are some passed in the area of education.

ALREADY EFFECTIVE HB 332. Creates the College Course Materials Affordability and Equitable Access Task Force to conduct a college course materials affordability and equitable access study. HB 557. Requires school districts to allow a dependent of U.S. military personnel to enroll free of tuition if, at the time of enrollment, the child is in temporary housing outside of the school district but will be living within the district within six months. HB 573. Delays the start date for the Treasurer’s college savings program for newborns from Jan. 1, 2021 to Jan. 1, 2023. HB 597. Requires each school district to provide contact information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and for the Crisis Text Line on the back of each student identification card issued by the school district. SB 517. Creates the HighCost Special Education Funding Commission for the purpose of making recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly for an alternative funding structure for high-cost special education students.

HB 1162. Inserts the word opioid as part of the instruction, study and discussion on effective methods for the prevention and avoidance of drugs and the dangers of opioid and substance abuse in the school code. HB 1710. Alters the requirements for the Superintendent of the Illinois School for the Deaf and the Superintendent of the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired. HB 1719. Amends various articles of the school code to replace the terms “school guidance counselor” and “guidance counselor” with the term “school counselor.” HB 1746. Requires school boards to appoint at least one employee to act as a liaison for students in the legal custody of Department of Children and Family Services and to ensure proper communications are made to the Department’s Oﬃce of Education and Transition Services. HB 1785. Requires a school board to hold at least three public hearings prior to closing a school building unless the building has been deemed unsafe by a licensed entity. SB 673. Expands the definition of ‘restorative measures’ in the School Code by stipulating that it also means increasing student accountability if the incident of bullying is based on religion, race, ethnicity or any other category that is identified in the Illinois Human Rights Act.

HB 741. Updates provisions relating to the Bright Start and Bright Directions College Savings Programs.

SB 1638. Requires all public universities to provide a report to students containing relevant, independent and accurate data related to the student’s major and the occupational outlook of that field of study.

HB 796. Adds the University of Illinois to the Public University Uniform Admission Pilot Program starting with the 2022-2023 academic year.

HB 15. Requires school districts to provide written notification to a student’s parent or guardian when a student commits an act of misconduct.

HB 814. Allows the court to deposit money from a ward’s estate into a qualified tuition program under 529 of the Internal Revenue Code.

HB 18. Allows school districts to perform teacher evaluations every two or three years, rather than every two years, if the teacher previously

received a rating of ‘excellent’ or ‘proficient’.

meet for the sole purpose of filling vacancies.

HB 41. Requires school districts to provide students and their families the option to send the student to an in-state special education residential facility prior to placing the student in an out-of-state special education residential facility.

SB 1640. Prohibits a school guidance counselor from intentionally soliciting or receiving gifts from prohibitive sources.

HB 375. Requires the board of public universities and community colleges to notify adjunct professors about the enrollment status of their courses both 30 days and 14 prior to the start of a semester or term. HB 576. Expands the range of exemptions from attending school to include the mental and behavioral health of a child. HB 577. Adds specificity to the model policies developed by the Illinois State Board of Education and school boards pertaining to suicide awareness and prevention. HB 816. Modernizes the use of paid sick leave for teachers and other employees of a school district with respect to the birth, adoption or placement for adoption of a child. SB 633. Requires the Illinois Stated Board of Education’s school report cards to include data on the number of incidents of violence that occurred during school-related activities and resulted in student disciplinary measures. SB 641. Requires colleges and universities to advertise contact information for their Coordinator of Veterans and Military Personnel and Student on their website and social media accounts. SB 652. Requires that if Local School Council membership falls below seven members, then four members (at least two who are elected) shall constitute a quorum to

SB 1577. Expands the range of exemptions from attending school to include the mental and behavioral health of a child. SB 1592. Prohibits insurers from denying or refusing to provide autism diagnosis and treatment services for those under 21 that are otherwise covered solely based on the location where the service is provided. SB 698. Requires that state IDs be issued to persons upon release or discharge from the Department of Human Services and prohibits a person convicted of aggravated domestic battery from receiving a school bus driver permit. SB 808. Clarifies that a student teacher candidate may not be required to submit test materials by video submission to obtain licensure. SB 812. Requires the State Board of Education to make available on its website the total number of personnel with a school support personnel endorsement, along with other information.

EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2022 SB 605. Requires each school district, charter school or alternative school, or any school receiving public funds, to develop an absenteeism and truancy policy.

EFFECTIVE AUG. 1, 2022 HB 26. Establishes new internet accessibility requirements for school districts to ensure that all students with disabilities can fully participate in any curriculum content delivered online.

Celebrating 175 years as an educational pioneer for students of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

March 2022

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economic development Employer Training Investment Program Grant offsets training costs to employers The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association is the recipient of Employer Training Investment Program (ETIP) grant funds for FY2022. This program provides employers with up to 50 percent reimbursement of eligible employee training expenses. The initial deadline for companies to express interest in participating in this grant program has been extended, and funds are still available. Interested companies are asked to submit initial applications to the IMA as soon as possible. To apply, please complete the application forms on the IMA’s ETIP page. The Company Profile needs to be

completed, along with Schedules A & B, for this initial submission. These schedules should reflect training that has taken place from July 1, 2021 through Dec. 31, 2021, and what is planned to occur from Jan. 1, 2022 through June 30, 2022. To help companies complete the process, IMA has recently published an ETIP FAQ and recorded an instructional webinar to address some of the most frequently asked questions. If you have any questions, please contact Randy Prince, rprince@ima-net.org. Find the required forms and additional information at IMANet.org.

PTAC oﬀer resources for small businesses interested in government contracting Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC) are portals for small businesses looking to enter the world of government contracting. The centers provide one-on-one counseling, technical information, marketing assistance and training to existing businesses interested in selling their goods and services to local, state and/or federal government agencies. The RAEDC recently held a webinar outlining the services and benefits for small businesses that are interested in becoming government contractors. Illinois ranks #19 in government spend in the state out of all 50 states. This represents a $9.3B spend, including $2.4B in total payroll in Illinois for fiscal year 2020. The no-cost assistance from PTAC comes in the forms of teaching, mentoring and coaching. Providing clients with a complete set of tools to research and identify government contracting opportunities.

■ Read and understand government bid

Illinois Businesses Learn How To:

■ Properly submit an invoice, including

■ Conduct market research, find government opportunities and establish relationships with agencies.

■ Handle post-award contract

■ Execute SAM and other governmental vendor registrations.

from these services and watch the complete

and proposal solicitations. ■ Locate businesses – large and small – to form partnering agreements between firms. ■ Prepare, review and finalize a bid or proposal.

RAEDC represents region at IMA Statewide Education Tour In Q4 2021, the RAEDC represented the Rockford Region at the statewide, multi-stop education and workforce policy tour organized by IMA. Many industries are finding it difficult to find employees, and manufacturers are no different. Our region has been working on customized education-to-workforce pipelines for more than a decade and continues to expand the connections between employers and educational facilities. The region has also seen Rockford University and Rock Valley College incorporate stackable credentials into their programs as well as the introduction of Critical Core Manufacturing Skills to ensure we have a skilled workforce for jobs that are good today, tomorrow and in the future. Some of the key findings of the Education and Workforce Policy Tour include: ■ A lack of interest in manufacturing careers. ■ Workplace culture has a significant role in all aspects of the company. ■ Challenges exist in recruiting, retaining and succession planning as employees move through stages of life.

While manufacturing of today and tomorrow look vastly different than it did in the past, the preconceived notion continues to make hiring difficult as parents want their children to have a safe and clean working environment, without realizing how much manufacturing has changed and continues to evolve. Manufacturing is becoming more hitech, and as Industry 4.0 moves across the industry, there are more opportunities for employment. The question posed by IMA is this: How does our region make that message clear to students, parents, teachers, administrators and dislocated workers to pique interest in a career in manufacturing? The fact that the average person working in manufacturing today earns almost $89,000 per year in salary and benefits – is not sufficiently recruiting people to manufacturing careers alone. It will continue to take partnerships, educational institutions, employers and members of the community to spread the word about manufacturing being an amazing industry to work in. Read the complete IMA report at IMA-Net.org.

■ Locate technical information and pricing data. ■ Understand RFID, UID and packaging standards. ■ Navigate 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, EDWOSB, DBE certifications and veteran-owned business verification. ■ Prepare for pre-bid conferences, shortlist interviews, debriefings and pre-award meetings. ■ Participate in electronic and other Internet-based bid opportunities. Wide Area Work Flow (WAWF). administration. Learn how your business can benefit webinar at RockfordIL.com/resources.

2022 Quick Reference Guide available for download The Rockford Area Economic Development Council released the 2022 version of the Quick Reference Guide. This annual publication features information about Winnebago County and the Rockford Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Winnebago and Boone counties. The 2022 version includes select occupational salaries from various careers, additional demographic information and an updated version of the region’s largest employers. Download the 2022 Quick Reference Guide at: RockfordIL.com/ QuickReferenceGuide.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

March 2022

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Small Business Enterprise Cryptocurrency for small business: Is it ready for us? MICHAEL ROGERS Rockford SBDC

Benefits and risks for this new method of monetary exchange

Cryptocurrency is a digital method of exchange that uses a digital ledger called a blockchain to enforce security of transactions. Cryptocurrency is not owned, backed or regulated by any government or financial regulating organization. It relies on encryption and a personal key to maintain ownership of the “money.” There is no middleman in peer-to-peer currency transfer, it’s considered secure, eliminates many types of fraud and is totally disconnected from economic inflation. Crypto came to be shortly after the 2008 financial crisis where banks, investment firms and financial institutions drove up assets then backed down, resulting in billions of dollars in recovery buyouts. Crypto has several forms such as a Bitcoin,

digital coin or a token, and users of crypto can select from Bitcoin, alt coins or stable coins as currency. As of today, there are more than 16,500 recognized cryptocurrencies with more than 9,600 considered active. Each one is a little different, but all share the same basic cryptocurrency architecture. Many large financial players readily accept crypto: Tesla, PayPal, MasterCard, Microsoft, Overstock and Home Depot, to name a few.

How Can Small Business Benefit from Cryptocurrency? Simply put, crypto opens up opportunity for small business. Crypto

provides small businesses with a new method for accepting payment and greater interoperability with many other types of asset classes and liquidity. It can provide some insulation from economic uncertainty and downturns and has a bonus of being a speculative investment method as well as an immediate payment handling medium. Crypto is cheaper and faster than conventional payment processing and gives businesses access to new types of business. There are 1.7 billion people worldwide that do not have banking options that can readily use crypto. There are no chargeback fees for merchants and greater protection for merchants from fraudulent purchases. Crypto today is convenient for customers to use, opens sales doors to a global worldwide market and gives merchants a global reach for their services and goods.

What are the Risks of Using Cryptocurrency? Crypto is not without risks as it is a relatively new concept in monetization. It is somewhat technical to work with and requires a special application called a digital

wallet to use. Crypto is also volatile and has an unpredictable value: In 2009, Bitcoin was valued at pennies but now is worth more than $65,000 each. Companies may insulate themselves from volatility by using merchant services to convert transactions to cash right away. Since crypto is new, the exploits from cyber criminals are yet to be discovered. Also yet to be discovered is how global governments will handle an unregulated monetary system they cannot control. Some countries such as China have banned crypto altogether. Despite the relative few drawbacks and risks, crypto represents a major new opportunity for small business that can be utilized now to increase reach of goods and services and a wide pool of customers. Crypto is not going away and is here to stay. Small business needs to embrace this new way to handle payment, as it is one technology that further levels the playing field for small business to compete with the big players. Michael Rogers is consultant in cyber security and new emerging technologies for the Rockford SBDC.

SPECIAL SECTION Architecture & Engineering

March 2022

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

POPULAR SCIENCE ANNOUNCES THE

100 best innovations of 2021 At the end of 2021, Popular Science announced its 100 of what it determined to be the most groundbreaking, cultureshifting products and technologies. Award winners were chosen by staff. Winners spanned 10 categories: Aerospace, Automotive, Engineering, Entertainment, Gadgets, Health, Home, Personal Care, Security and Sports & Outdoors. Here are some of the innovations. Visit www.popsci.com/ technology/best-of-whats-new-2021.

AEROSPACE Alaska Airlines (Grand Award Winner): A smarter system for creating flight plans

Software by startup Airspace Intelligence is providing artificial intelligence to Alaska Airlines dispatchers; suggesting routes between cities. The airlines says since using the system, more than 28,000 flights have had their routes optimized, saving an estimated 15.5 million pounds of fuel and 24,490 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Flights tend to land a couple minutes sooner. SpaceX: A giant reusable rocket system

Elon Musk’s approximately 165-foot tall stainless steel Starship aims to reach Earth’s orbit, the moon or even Mars, and then return in one piece by landing vertically. In the future, the fully reusable spaceship could even ferry people and cargo across the globe in less than an hour.

Redwire: Bricks made from ‘moon dust’

Three gray, palm-sized bricks made largely from simulated moon dust, or “regolith,” emerged from a 3D printer aboard the International Space Station, which squeezed them out in near-zero gravity about 250 miles above Earth. Researchers hope that supersized versions of the machine will someday turn real moon dust into essential infrastructure, such as lunar roads and landing pads.

and used it to make a mining and quarrying vehicle. Vertical Oceans: Downtown sustainable seafood farm

Global hunger for farmed shrimp has destroyed some 3.4 million acres of mangrove forests since 1980, mostly in Southeast Asia, gives the practice a carbon footprint higher than dairy cattle, pigs or chicken. Disease outbreaks and waterways choked with waste also plague the industry. “Vertical Oceans” takes the whole operation indoors with shellfish living in modular school-bus sized tanks. Algae, seaweed and bottom-feeding fish filter out waste. Nearly 100 percent of the water gets recirculated, so no need for a sewer. Carnival Cruise Line: The first seabound floating rollercoaster

Carnival Cruise Line’s BOLT coaster uses electricity to power its motorcycle-esque cars along a long, looping track. Riders control the speed, up to 40 mph, and travel 187 feet above sea level. Using the motor for propulsion prevents the experience from reaching unsafe speeds. SkyCool Systems: Using the sky as an air conditioner

Air conditioners and fans consume 10 percent of the world’s electricity, and AC use is projected to triple by the year 2050. SkyCool rooftop nanotech reflects light and the aluminum-based panels bounce radiation, cooling up to 15°F for emissions-free cooling to a building’s existing systems. A prototype installed last fall on a grocery store in Stockton, Calif., cooled water pipes beneath the panels to chill the store’s refrigeration system — saving an estimated $6,000 a year in electrical bills.

SECURITY

General Atomics: The brains for a robotic wingman

The Air Force’s vision for the future includes fighter-jet-like drones partnered up with traditional aircraft that could fly ahead to send back intel or carry out a weapons strike in dangerous territory. The Air Force’s Skyborg program is developing the Autonomy Core System to pilot different makes of drones.

ENGINEERING Åsa Bäcklin/HYBRIT (Grand Award Winner):Steel with a smaller footprint

Steelmaking yields between seven and nine percent of the world’s carbon emissions, mostly due to a specially processed type of coal called “coke.” Hybrit steel production taps hydrogen, rather than carbon, to transform iron ore. Last summer, Volvo took delivery of the first batch of this “green steel,”

Howe & Howe/Textron Systems: Robotic firefighters

Newly adopted by the Los Angeles Fire Department, the Thermite RS3 is a robot ranging from 5 to 7 feet tall and 3,000 to 4,000 pounds that can help put out flames without risking the lives of firefighters.

Yubico: Encrypted biometric security at your fingertips

YubiKey launched its first biometric fobs in 2021. The key reads a fingerprint, a personalized marker that it stores securely and locally on the device itself. Using the gadget, which comes in both USB-A and USB-C models, for password-less authentication allows it and the fingerprint to work together as a multi-factor check on logins.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

SPECIAL SECTION Architecture & Engineering

March 2022

GUEST COLUMNISTS

STEPHEN NELSON Larson & Darby

CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON Larson & Darby

At the risk of perpetuating the stereotype of the arrogant, cape-wearing, creative genius (Frank Lloyd Wright, anyone?), we architects have a very particular set of skills – skills that we have acquired over years of significant study, training and practice – skills that make us a delight for people like you.

What is an Architect? The word architect comes from the Ancient Greek — arkhi- (chief) + tekton (builder) — and means “chief builder.” While there are still some who continue the tradition of the master builder, today, architects (and their related design practitioners) are highly trained in the art and science of building design and are charged with the responsibility to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public.

What are Our Superpowers? Architects envision a better tomorrow — how’s that for a superpower? Architects are idealists. And optimists. And empaths. These traits continuously drive us to help shape our community into a better place than we found it, one assignment at a time. Architects solve problems. Through a process of inquiry and discovery, we elicit our clients’ needs, dreams and desires. We guide them toward the definition of a problem. And with a defined problem, we work diligently to craft multiple options in response, many you might never have dreamt of. And we use an iterative process to continue to refine the design until we arrive at the most appropriate response to the problem at hand. At its most basic level, it can be said that architects use their design training to solve problems. Architects are creative. Buildings

I’m an architect What’s your superpower? that are the product of unskilled designers are easy to pick out and lack the aesthetic qualities of a properly designed building. Buildings designed by architects typically have well-thought-out details, appropriate scaling and functional floor plans. Architects are great jugglers. At a minimum, our solutions need to meet the client’s goals and objectives. We do this while simultaneously ensuring that our solutions meet clients’ budgets and schedules, zoning ordinances, building codes, energy codes and accessibility standards. Architects have incredible balance. The biggest challenge of any project is aligning client expectations with budget. Careful balancing of scope, quality and budget is the cornerstone of a successful architect. Architects are well-versed in all things building related. Our future focus, extensive education and training affords us the technical expertise in design and construction to perform feasibility studies, programming, planning, aesthetic and structural design, construction documents, administration of construction contracts, project representation and construction management. Architects communicate design intent. In both written word and drawing form, we assemble detailed contract documents which allow buildings to be priced competitively and to be built more efficiently and economically. Architects advocate for you. Once the design work is finished and construction commences, it is the architect’s duty to monitor construction to ensure the proper execution of the design. Architects save you money. Engaging a trained professional architect in your building project means you get the benefit of their education,

Architects are idealists. And optimists. And empaths. These traits continuously drive us to help shape our community into a better place than we found it, one assignment at a time. training, creativity and knowledge of building design and construction. Efficient use of space, judicious employment of materials, and reduced energy and maintenance costs — to name a few — are some of the ways architects can bring added value to your project.

Do You Need an Architect? Outside of farm structures, detached single- or two-family residential projects and minor interior renovations, a licensed architect is required to design, develop contract documents and sign and seal them for technical submission to the municipality for all building endeavors. It is illegal for someone to call themselves an architect if they don’t hold a current license.

It makes good financial sense to enlist the services of a trained professional when preparing to make what is likely one of the biggest financial commitments you will ever undertake. If your new building, expansion, renovation or restoration project matters to you, perhaps you owe it to yourself to let an architect use his or her superpowers for your benefit. Stephen M. Nelson, AIA, LEED AP, is CEO and Christopher W. Anderson, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, president of Larson & Darby Group. The views expressed are those of Nelson’s and Anderson’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

SPECIAL SECTION Architecture & Engineering

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

March 2022

on digital

MEMBER PICS

GUEST COLUMNIST

JAKE DYKSTRA Cord Construction

What to look for when selecting the right contractor

A building construction project is a large investment of time and capital for your organization. What it doesn’t have to be is overly stressful. Teaming up with the right contractor can make the difference between a smooth project and one that is filled with frustration, missed deadlines and hidden costs.

Judson University’s Athletic Department hosts a groundbreaking on Feb. 4 for its new artificial turf and three-lane track complex at the current Dawson Field (university soccer field). It will serve as a home competitive and practice complex for the men’s and women’s soccer teams and a practice complex for the football and track and field teams.

Today knowledge of the marketplace is more important than ever with the material shortages/lead-time issues and constantly changing pricing. A Project Partner Looking for an experienced designbuild general contractor or construction manager is the first step. They will consider each phase of the construction project and recommend the approach that best serves you and your needs. Whether you have a complete vision for your project or just the beginning stages of an idea you want to pursue, your contractor is your trusted partner throughout your project journey.

It All Starts With a Conversation

Rock River Valley Blood Center hosts a groundbreaking event on Feb. 14 for construction of its new, 8,700-sq.-ft. donor center expected to open in early summer, 2022, at 418 N. Longwood Dr., Rockford. The current location at 6th Street will continue to house the laboratory and administration offices.

Rockford Community Bank, a Wintrust Community Bank, holds a ribbon cutting on Feb. 23 at 1825 N. Perryville Road.

To keep a project on time and on budget, you need the right plan. To get to the right plan, your contractor should always start by outlining their preconstruction services. More than just a budget, pre-construction services should include everything from estimating and scheduling to safety and costmanagement plans that leave nothing to chance. Having accurate estimates, a list of potential subcontractors and the necessary regulatory approvals, the pre-construction phase includes meticulous attention to detail and open communication with the ultimate goal of keeping your project on time and on budget. In addition to delivering a realistic budget and schedule, your contractor can also advise you during pre-construction on the decision to purchase land or the layout of your facility. Is the less expensive piece of land the best value for your project? Are there any issues with the soil that may cause substantial delays and extra costs? Are the appropriate utilities available? What about storm water detention? These questions, among many others, are valuable topics during pre-construction.

Design-Build vs. Construction Management No matter which approach you choose, design-build and construction management are natural continuations of the pre-construction process. But what’s the difference? The design-build option is a more turn-key approach where the designbuild contractor hires the project architect and makes sure the design works within the established budget and schedule. With construction management, the client hires the project architect and then the construction manager works hand-inhand with the client’s architect and design team to achieve the projected budget and schedule. When deciding between design-build and construction management, your contractor can walk you through each method during the pre-construction phase. Understanding the benefits of each can help you make your decision.

Transparency is Key There are many phases to your construction project, and you should feel comfortable at every stage. Always keeping lines of communication open and transparent should be your contractor’s first and foremost goal. Your contractor should employ expert value engineering and communicate timely updates to you in order to minimize additional costs when changes do occur. It’s also crucial that your contractor manage day-to-day construction activities and the project schedule with proper documentation and control. You should have access to various daily and weekly reports, often delivered through a collaborative project management platform that provides transparency and shows progress. Many platforms include mobile access, providing even more convenience. Access to your construction team is also necessary should you have any questions throughout the project. Any type of building construction, whether large or small, is an important investment. Today knowledge of the marketplace is more important than ever with the material shortages/lead-time issues and constantly changing pricing that exists. Your contractor should provide the expert guidance and approach to taking your vision to reality – and making it better than you could have imagined. After all, it’s not a building, it’s your future. Jake Dykstra, MBA, LEED AP, is president at Cord Construction. The views expressed are those of Dykstra’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

March 2022

business

BUSINESS BRIEFS

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

RAMP received a $2,300 grant from the Rockford Area Arts Council to display historical photos on the history of the disability rights movement and the Americans with Disabilities Act at its building at 202 Market St., in Rockford. RAMP received $9,340 from the 708 mental health board in Stephenson County and collaborated with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to enhance the information on its website regarding accessibility of state parks.

Rockford Mutual Insurance Company has partnered with Illinois Mutual Life Insurance Company to expand its product offering and provide partnered agents access to life insurance and disability income insurance products. Rock River Development Partnership announced that starting May 21, North End City Market will be open outside every Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the intersection of Auburn and North Main. Local farmers and vendors will sell produce, flowers, baked goods, pickles, honey and dog treats. Market is dog-friendly. Seeking vendors. Visit www. rockfordcitymarket.com.

Barbara Olson Center of Hope received a $4,625 grant from the Woodward Charitable Trust to purchase outdoor recreational equipment for individuals with developmental disabilities. Rockford Community Bank, part of the Wintrust Community Bank network, opened a 6,000-sq.-ft. facility at 1825 N. Perryville Road in January to serve retail, residential mortgage, wealth management, small business and commercial customers. The Woodward, Inc., board authorized a two-year stock repurchase program, under which up to $800 million in stock may be purchased in the open market and private transactions. It replaces the previously authorized stock repurchase program. The board approved a dividend of $0.19 per share, up from the prior quarter’s dividend of $0.1625 per share, payable on March 7, 2022, for stockholders of record as of Feb. 21, 2022. Woodward reported for first quarter of fiscal year 2022 net sales of $542 million, compared to $538 million in the same period in 2021. Upper Iowa University-Rockford Center has a new Transfer Connection Scholarship which saves $1,500 per year when a student transfers from a partner school like Rock Valley College or Rockford Career College with transfer credits towards a bachelor’s degree. The Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board program year 2022-2023 grant application period closed on Jan. 31, 2022. The board received 34 applications for a total of $18.3 million in requested funding. The total available amount is up to $15 million. The two-hour “Evening for Hope” Telethon raised $128,300 for Rockford Rescue Mission. It was broadcast live and commercial-free by WTVO-TV. The 36th annual Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition hosted by the Rockford Park District drew 11 state teams, 11 high school teams and one exhibition team (last year’s winner). Kilted Snow Weasels team carved as a special tribute to long-time snow sculptor and area educator George Harnish, who

Rockford Christian High School’s “Navy Seals” wins first place in the high school division of the Rockford Park District’s 36th annual Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition in January. passed away in 2021. State team winners: Cave People from Space, “Antreader” (first), Two Blondes and a Burnette, “Fee Fi Fo Fum” (second) and Windy City Snowmen, “Old Soles” (third). High school winners: Rockford Christian Schools, “Navy Seals” (first), Keith Country Day School, “Spaced Out” (second) and Rockford Lutheran School, “The Tree of Life” (third). KMK Media Group, Inc., was hired by Accurate Auto Insurance, Oak Brook, Ill., to handle social media marketing. Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois and partner SupplyCore, Inc., issued a save the date for the fourth-annual Over the Edge 4 GSNI, an urbanrappelling, fundraising adventure on June 4. Contact ote@girlscoutsni. org. JetBlue Airways will begin its nonstop flights from Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport to Boston Logan International Airport and New York/John F. Kennedy International Airport on March 27. JetBlue’s MKE flights will be operated by brand-new 140-seat Airbus A220 aircraft. Tickets are available for purchase now. With the staﬃng shortage subsided, Crusader Community Health has reopened all services (medical, dental and behavioral health) at its Loves Park clinic. Hours of operation are the same as before the temporary closure: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday and Thursday. City First Church served as a host of Night to Shine 2022, sponsored

by the Tim Tebow Foundation. The prom night experience celebrated people with special needs on Feb. 11 with a Shine-Thru Parade (a drive-thru adaptation of Night to Shine). Guests drove down the red carpet to cheering paparazzi, had photography opportunities, music, dancing, lights, bubbles, decorations and special guests/characters. Guests enjoyed the worldwide Virtual Celebration hosted by Tim and Demi Tebow, a pre-recorded event with a virtual walk down the red carpet, karaoke, dancing and special guests. Every honored guest was crowned a king or queen of the prom. Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau announced the 2022 Rockford Region Restaurant Week “Best of” Winners: Best Atmosphere and Vibes, Ernie’s Midtown Pub, Rockford; Best Restaurant Week Package, The Fire Barn, Durand; Best Cocktail or Brew, 8th Ward Pub, Rockford; Best Bite: Salamone’s, Cherry Valley, and Best for All: Lucha Cantina, Rockford. Rockford Park District’s Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens will open Delicate Forces, a botanically inspired, immersive, large-scale art exhibition, June 25 to Nov. 6. It features five large art installations in the lobby and outdoors created by chemical processes and other technologies that incorporate subtle mechatronic movements that mimic those found in nature. The tropical exhibition area will contain 13 mechatronic flowers up to 10 feet tall positioned throughout the beds.

Rockford Rescue Mission estimates it provided 11,160 meals in February and asks for help from community members. Drop off canned goods and nonperishable food at the food service donation door off Mulberry Street, Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sun., 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Visit rockfordrescuemission.org for a wish list. Brian Thomas Photography celebrates 30 years helping businesses with their photographic needs. Rockford Housing Authority was chosen by HUD as one of 70 U.S. agencies to participate in the expansion of the Move to Work Demonstration Program. Through it, RHA can provide incentives to landlords to encourage them to participate in the housing choice vouchers program. RHA manages 1,284 public housing units and 1716 housing choice vouchers, serving nearly 10,000 residents in total. Rock Valley Credit Union was honored in February by the Stateline Chamber of Commerce as the recipient of its Large Business of the Year award for commitment and dedication to the community. Rockford Christian Schools hosted Battle of the Robots in Rockford. High school seniors had their ceramic works juried into the National K-12 Clay Exhibition in Sacramento, Calif. Personalized tours are available for the 2022-23 school year. Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau welcomed the 2022 Illinois High School Association Girls Bowling State Finals, Feb. 18 to 19. Approximately 220 bowlers and 30 teams competed at Cherry Bowl in Rockford, filling about 350 room nights and an estimated $158,000 in overall economic impact.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

March 2022

in the news

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

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

1. Mary Ann Laudicina

2. Jeff Jacobson

3. Tracy Vogel

4. Jarod Schut

5. Kyle Lamb

6. Stephanie Lawton

7. Dan Mowers

8. Kelsey Hartz

9. Hana Hinkle

10. Julie Redders

11. Josh Starks

12. Paula Sanders

13. Kristine Daub

14. Kevin McLeod

15. Marlyn Ripalda

16. Daniel Ludwig

BOARD APPOINTMENTS Midway Village Museum welcomed board member Asif Sheriﬀ, Nalco Chemical Company. YMCA of Rock River Valley named new board members serving threeyear terms, Pastor James Fambro, Christian Growth Center; Cheryl Floyd, Winnebago County Health Department; Carol Friesen, OSF HealthCare, and John Rose, CoyleKiley Insurance Agency. Mary Ann Laudicina (1), financial advisor at Baird and ’91 Rockford University alumna, was named chair of the Addams Circle. Named for Jane Addams, it empowers female students to become architects of their own futures.

NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, RETIREMENTS Fehr Graham promoted Jeff Jacobson (2) to project designer. First National Bank and Trust promoted Tracy Vogel (3) to vice president – trust operations manager, Fran Sorenson to assistant vice president – trust officer, Jarod Schut (4) to assistant vice president – trust and investment officer, Kyle Lamb (5) to senior vice president director of credit services, Stephanie Lawton (6) to first vice president, credit

administration, Dan Mowers (7) to vice president, commercial banking, and Kelsey Hartz (8) to assistant vice president credit manager. R1 Planning Council hired Jacob Doro, Brandon Rucker and Basmah Nadeem as planners and Gabrielle Gamily as research associate. The Presidential Leadership Scholars program welcomed Hana Hinkle (9) as interim director and department head of the National Center for Rural Health Professions at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford. Cain & Company hired Meghan Peper as marketing coordinator, Bob Marruﬀo as a digital media developer, Fran Peplos as bookkeeper and oﬃce assistant, and Leann Nelson as digital media specialist. It promoted Monica Alfano to account coordinator. M3 Insurance named Julie Redders (10) as vice president of marketing. First National Bank and Trust promoted Josh Starks (11) to branch manager of the Williams Bay, Wis., location. J.L. Clark promoted Parker Bird to sales administration manager. Rockford Community Bank, part of the Wintrust Community Bank

network, welcomed Nathan Bevineau, branch manager of retail banking; Darwin Rodriguez, personal banker, and Wendy Sutton, teller supervisor. Northern Illinois Hospice promoted Paula Sanders (12), RN BSN CHPN, to director of clinical services and Kristine Daub (13), RN BSN, to director of patient access. Entre’ Computer Solutions hired Kevin McLeod (14) as part of its ENM team, responsible for client help desk support. Fehr Graham hired Marlyn Ripalda (15) as a designer. Daniel Ludwig (16) was promoted to associate engineering technician and Tim Hoﬀ (17) to staff hydrogeologist. Rockford Country Club hired George Larsen (18) as general manager and culinary professional Charles Daniels (19) as head chef. CIT Trucks promoted Jim Garner (20) to general manager and Tim (TJ) Stahl (21) to service manager. Rock Valley Credit Union promoted Ali Munoz to marketing specialist, Felecia Dawdy to lead collector and Estefania Leesley to universal loan oﬃcer (also assisting Spanishspeaking members). RVCU hired Rachel Sprayberry as director of

education and engagement and Ellain Ray and Brittany Diederich as member service representatives. Saint Anthony College of Nursing promoted Michelle Brady, DNP, FNP-BC, to interim dean of graduate affairs and research. Shannon Lizer, Ph.D., APRN, FNP-BC FAANP, was promoted to interim president of Saint Anthony College of Nursing and Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing. Lacey Endres (22) was named vice president of property & casualty operations at M3 Insurance.

EMPLOYEE/COMMUNITY RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS Dr. Hannah Orem (23), Upper Cervical Care Center – Rockford, achieved National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association board certification. There are less than 30 doctors worldwide who are NUCCA board certified, and fewer than 10 are women. Castle Connolly Medical, Ltd., named OrthoIllinois hand surgery specialists, Dr. Brian Bear (24) and Dr. Brian Foster (25), and orthopedic sports medicine specialist, Dr. Scott Trenhaile (26), on its list of Castle Connolly Top (continued on page 21)

17. Tim Hoff

18. George Larsen

19. Charles Daniels

20. Jim Garner

21. Tim (TJ) Stahl

22. Lacey Endres

23. Dr. Hannah Orem

24. Dr. Brian Bear

25. Dr. Brian Foster

26. Dr. Scott Trenhaile

27. Brett Nelson

28. Ramon Gomez

29. Eric Persinger

30. Corey Norton

31. Diane Derr

32. John O'Connor

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

March 2022

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS BIOLIFE PLASMA SERVICES

RUSH CREEK DISTILLING

5824 E. State St., 61108 Alex Perkins www.biolifeplasma.com

1501 W. Diggins St. Harvard, IL 60033 Mark Stricker 815-943-7874 www.rushcreekdistilling.com

An industry leader in the collection of high-quality plasma that is processed into life-saving plasma-based therapies.

33. Keith Vogelhuber

37. Dr. Robert Erickson

34.Kristen Lyons

38. Jake Dykstra

Continued from page 20

Doctors for 2022. Only four to five percent of doctors in America earn this honor. Connor Magnuson, student at Rockford Christian Schools, received a perfect score on the AP Computer Science Principles exam given by the College Board. This puts him in the category of only 335 other students worldwide. Brett Nelson (27), VP chief financial oﬃcer, Wesley Willows, received his Nursing Home Administrator’s license and Ramon Gomez (28) was voted Employee of the Year 2021 by his co-workers. Eric Persinger (29), dining services and overnight security, Peterson Meadows, was voted Employee of the Year 2021 by co-workers. Corey Norton (30) completed the compliance requirements for Entré to be designated as a Cisco Small Business Specialist.

35. Michelle Christiansen

36. Lana M. Engen

Diane Derr (31) celebrated 39 years, John O’Connor (32) 5 years and Keith Vogelhuber (33) 25 years with Rockford Mutual. Kristen Lyons (34) was promoted to commercial underwriter trainee and Michelle Christiansen (35) to assistant manager – internal marketing operations. Lana M. Engen (36), CFP™ a private wealth advisor with Ameriprise Financial in Rockford, was named to the list of “Forbes Best-in-State Women Wealth Advisors” published by Forbes magazine.

OF GENERAL INTEREST Judson University mourned the passing of Dr. Robert D. Erickson (37), founding faculty emeritus. He joined Judson in 1961 and taught more than 50 years in the classroom. He’s the last of the founding full-time faculty. Jake Dykstra (38) has been named president of Cord Construction Co. The providers at the OSF Medical Group – Primary Care location on Roxbury Road, Divyesh Morker, M.D.; Lauren Hargrave, PA; Martine Schultheis, M.D., and Melissa House, APRN, now will see patients at OSF Medical Group – Primary Care at 6830 Villagreen View, Rockford.

CAMELOT CARE CENTERS Child Welfare and Behavioral Health Agency

5301 E. State St., Ste. 208, 61108 Kirsten Ahlberg 815-484-9180 www.camelotcarecenters.com

PATHWAY TO LIVING/ GRAND VICTORIAN OF ROCKFORD

There is something new to discover at Grand Victorian of Rockford.

3495 McFarland Road, 61114 Dianna Romero 815-654-1400 www.pathwaysl.com/senior-living/il/ rockford/mcfarland-rd/

Distillery with tasting room, merchandising store, private parties and tours.

SECONDARY SOLUTIONS, INC.

A full service contract manufacturing company capable of providing diﬀerent products and services to support your business needs.

4620 Hydraulic Road, 61109 Bob Demo 815-222-7315 www.ssi-co.com

MARCH MEMBER ANNIVERSARIES Thank you to our members celebrating their anniversaries with the Rockford Chamber of Commerce

80-YEAR MEMBER Associated Bank

45-YEAR MEMBERS IMEG Corp. Rockford Mass Transit District Rockford Mass Transit District/ Paratransit

20-YEAR MEMBER

Accuride Wheel End Solutions Rockford Gunite

15-YEAR MEMBERS DHS Division of Rehabilitation Services Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois

10-YEAR MEMBERS

Glenwood Center Ltd. Knopp Construction Inc. Meridian NTS Technical Systems Rockford Metal Polishing Co.

5-YEAR MEMBERS

ForeverLawn Chicago Lehan’s Medical Equipment M2 Landscaping LLC Rockford Area Arts Council Rockford Community Bank, A Wintrust Community Bank State Farm Insurance Solomon Foley

MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS Thank you to members who renewed with the Rockford Chamber of Commerce in January 2022. AAA Rockford Addante & Associates, Ltd. Advantage Funeral Home & Cremation Services at Willwood Burial Park Affordable Dentures and Implants Alden Debes Rehabilitation and Health Care Center Alden Park Strathmoor Alignment Rockford All Auto Parts, Inc. Alzheimer’s Association, Illinois Chapter Barnes International, LLC Benning Group LLC Boylan Catholic High School Circle of Change-Veteran’s Dog Program CMM & Associates Comcast Business Comcast - Xfinity Retail Cord Construction Company

DHS Division of Rehabilitation Services Dickey Staﬃng Solutions Employers’ Coalition on Health (ECOH) Engineering Enterprises, Inc. Family Counseling Services of Northern Illinois Fitzgerald Funeral Home and Crematory, Ltd. - Mulford Fitzgerald Funeral Home and Crematory, Ltd. - Rockton Forest City Corporate Center Forest Hills Country Club Freeway Rockford, Inc., Subsidiary of Freeway Corporation Gemini Computer Systems, Inc. Giordano’s Glenwood Center Ltd. Golden Apple Foundation Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois JC Precision Milling, LLC

Keith Country Day School Key Realty, Inc. Lehan’s Medical Equipment Leland L. Freberg, CPA, LLC Medicare 411 Co. Merrill Lynch Midwest Stitch Nicholson Hardware Northwest Community Center Oliver Close, LLC Orput Companies Inc./Edgebrook Shopping Center Porter Pipe & Supply Co. R.R. Floody Company, Inc. Rally Appraisal, LLC Richard L. Johnson Associates, Inc. Rock Valley College Foundation Rock Valley Credit Union Rockford Broach, Inc. Rockford Evaluation Center Rockford Regional Health Council Rocktown Adventures

RU Recovery Ministry Sustain Rockford, Inc. Sutkay Insurance Group (SIG) Taylor Company The UPS Store theFranaGroup Triton Test and Balance U-Haul Moving & Storage of Rockford University of Illinois Extension Winnebago County Van Galder Bus/A Coach USA Co. Winnebago County Board Oﬃce Winnebago County Clerk and Recorder YMCA of Rock River Valley YMCA - Camp Winnebago YMCA YMCA - Children's Learning Center YMCA - Northeast Family YMCA YMCA - Puri Family YMCA YMCA - SwedishAmerican Riverfront YMCA YMCA - Youth Achievement YMCA Zion Development Corporation

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

March 2022

community

COMMUNITY EVENTS & WEBINARS

MARCH 2022

TUESDAY, MARCH 1 Rockford Park District’s Nicholas Conservatory annual In Full Bloom Orchid display is open through March 6. The theme is “Singapore Rain” with decorative Asian umbrellas and bamboo among the orchids. Visit www. nicholasconservatory.com or 815-987-8858. Rockford Regional Health Council, a partner in the Rockford Ready initiative, is encouraging health care professionals to attend Webinars on Health Disparities, Health Equity, Health Literacy and Cultural Humility, March 1, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m., or March 11, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The initiative is supported by the Oﬃce of Minority Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Register with Falen Petros, falen.petros@curastrategies.com.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2 Accelerating Creatives & Entrepreneurs (ACE) Conference and Expo takes place March 2 (virtual on Zoom) and March 3 at Discovery Center Museum, 711 N. Main St., Rockford. Sessions in the Hobby to Hustle, Gotta Keep on Movin’ and Full Steam Ahead tracks. Make connections with local business influencers, partners and other entrepreneurs, innovators and creators. Register at theaceevent. com.

THURSDAY, MARCH 3 WOMANSPACE hosts LUNAFEST Rockford 2022, 6:30 to 9 p.m., in the newly renovated, state-of-the-art J.R. Sullivan Theater in the Nordlof Center, 118 N. Main St. Includes a screening of eight award-winning short films by and about women, tasty movie snacks, cash bar, raﬄe prizes and 50/50 raﬄe. A virtual screening option is available in your home. Visit womanspace-rockford. org (Events).

SATURDAY, MARCH 5

Rockford Christian Schools jazz, band and choir presents Jazz in the Moonlight, a music department fundraiser, 7 p.m., at 1401 N. Bell School Road, Rockford. Visit rockfordchristian.org.

MONDAY, MARCH 7 YWCA Northwestern Illinois will host the 42nd annual Leader Luncheon and Women of Achievement Awards presented by Illinois Bank & Trust, a virtual event, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Features keynote speaker Chandra Childers, Ph.D., on “The Pandemic, the Shecession and the Future of Work: How Do We Recover and How Do We Prepare for the Future?” Visit leaderluncheon.swell.gives.

THURSDAY, MARCH 10 Rockford Area Arts Council hosts the 2022 Rockford Area Arts Awards, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the Woman’s Club of Rockford, 323 Park Ave., Rockford. Tickets at https:// artsforeveryone.com/rockford-areaarts-awards-2022.

SATURDAY, MARCH 12 University of Illinois Extension hosts its annual Winnebago County 4-H Project Workshop Day, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at Prince of Peace Church, Rockton. Open to all area youth, regardless of 4-H membership. Register by March 6 at go.illinois.edu/jsw (Events). Midway Village Museum presents Sock Monkey History Day, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 6799 Guilford Road, Rockford. Register in advance at www.midwayvillage.com or 815397-9112. Rockford Park District opens The Secret Life of Butterﬂies exhibit, March 12 to May 29, at Nicholas Conservatory, 1354 N. 2nd St., Rockford. Visit nicholasconservatory. com.

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

SATURDAY, MARCH 19 Rockford Park District hosts Skill Building: Archery and Tomahawk, 1 to 3 p.m., at Atwood Center, Seth B. Atwood Park, 2685 New Milford School Road, Rockford. Registration recommended at www.atwoodpark. org/programs.

THURSDAY, MARCH 24 Comedian Iliza Shlesinger performs as a part of her Back In Action tour, 7:30 p.m., at Coronado Performing Arts Center 314 N. Main St., Rockford. Tickets at Ticketmaster. com, Coronado PAC box oﬃce and 815-968-5222.

SUNDAY, MARCH 27 Angelic Organics Learning Center, 1545 Rockton Road, Caledonia, presents Planning a Summer Garden, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., a part of a “Sunday Skill Share” series the second and fourth Sunday of each month. Visit www.learngrowconnect. org/farm-programs.

MONDAY, MARCH 28 Keller Williams Realty Signature hosts a Diversity Meeting, The Wealth Gap and Housing in America, noon to 1 p.m., at 4201 Galleria Dr., Loves Park. Call 815315-1111.

APRIL 2022

THURSDAY, APRIL 21 Stateline Youth for Christ hosts its Annual Banquet, “Be the Story,” 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront, 416 S. Main St., Rockford. Experience an inspiring journey through the mission and passion of YFC to transform the lives of youth, families and community. Register at www.statelineyfc.org/ new-events.

MONDAY, APRIL 25 Keller Williams Realty Signature hosts presents, Diversity is Good for Business, noon to 1 p.m., at 4201 Galleria Dr., Loves Park. Call 815315-1111.

THURSDAY, APRIL 28 Comedian Jo Koy performs as a part of his Funny Is Funny World Tour, 8 p.m., at Coronado Performing Arts Center 314 N. Main St., Rockford. Tickets at Ticketmaster.com, Coronado PAC box oﬃce and 815-968-5222. Rockford Network presents the seventh-annual Professional Development Day, 8 to 11:30 a.m., at the Rockford Bank & Trust Pavilion at Aldeen Golf Club, 1902 Reid Farm Road. Jo Miller presents “Get Your Shift Together: Five Ways to Shift from Doing to Leading.” Call Yvonne Peterson, 815-414-9044, or Karen Arce, 815-721-9493, or pdchair@ rockfordnetwork.org.

FRIDAY, APRIL 8 World Leaders Forum featuring special guest, Edward James Olmos, part of its Inspirational Series, 4 to 5:30 p.m., at Herrick Chapel, Judson University campus, Elgin. Entrepreneur Jacqueline Ruiz also will moderate a panel discussion with Rick Najera and Evelyn Miralles. Visit www.judsonu. edu/WLFinspiration.

SATURDAY, APRIL 9 Saint Anthony College of Nursing hosts a Community Open House, 9 to 11 a.m., at 3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford. Visit www.sacn.edu.

Are you a Member with 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

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

CHaMBER

ADVERTISERS INDEX

CHAMBER EVENTS & WEBINARS Rockford Chamber members appear bolded. Thank you for your support of your fellow Chamber members.

MARCH 2022 TUESDAY, MARCH 8 Business Women’s Council, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Forest Hills Country Club, 5135 Forest Hills Road, Rockford. Join us for a conversation about what it means to be a woman business owner with panelists: Sarene Alsharif, Tad More Tailoring, Mary Jo Hare, Servpro of Rockford, Laura Kane, Marshmallow's Hope, Lucretia Ristin, Rockford Roasting Co. and moderated by Rebecca Epperson, Chartwell Agency. Sponsored by Associated Bank.

THURSDAY, MARCH 10 IGNITE Lunch with a Leader, noon to 1 p.m., PURI School of Business, 5100 E. State St., Rockford. Rockford native, Danial Petrie, KIND Staﬃng Group, will present. Join via Facebook Live if unable to join in person. BYO lunch.

FRIDAY, MARCH 11 Government Aﬀairs Council, 7:30 to 9 a.m., Stockholm Inn, 2420 Charles St., Rockford. The Mental Health Board will be presenting. Sponsored by AT&T.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16 Community Priority Series, 10:00 a.m., Livestream; Workforce & Talent presented by Lesly Couper, workplace.

March 2022

THURSDAY, MARCH 17 March Ambassador Meeting, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Comprehensive Community Solutions, 917 S. Main St., Rockford. First Ambassador meeting of 2022. Tour CCS and meet with Claudia Consuelos on what the organization is working on.

THURSDAY, MARCH 31 Annual Meeting, Noon, Livestream; presented by OSF Healthcare Saint Anthony Medical Center.

Blackhawk Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Project First Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Comcast Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Rockford Chamber of Commerce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4, 6, 8

Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois.10 Illinois Bank & Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 The Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) . . . . . . . . 15 IMEG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 LaLoggia Investment Group of Wells Fargo Advisors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6 Drive — a topic-driven workshop series, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Tebala Event Center, 7910 Newburg Rd, Rockford. Representation Matters: This action-oriented session is focused on all-things DEI.

FRIDAY, APRIL 8 Government Aﬀairs Council, 7:30 to 9 a.m., Stockholm Inn, 2420 Charles St., Rockford. Sponsored by AT&T.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20 Community Priority Series, 10:00 a.m., Livestream.

aMBaSSaDOR DOR SPOTLIGHT Pat Casazza

Rockford Chamber Ambassador retires from Broadmoor Agency After working at Broadmoor Agency for more than 33 years, it is time to retire. I have loved every minute I have worked there and feel like I am leaving family. I started as a customer service representative in the life and health department, working under Phil Omanson. As I moved up to selling, he taught me so much about life insurance and group insurance, but most importantly, he taught me to only think about the client and their needs. I have followed his advice for all of these years and have many clients that I now think of as friends. As the years went by, I got my license for home and auto and commercial insurance. I loved picking up the phone and never knowing what kind of insurance a person calling needed, but knew I could provide great companies to take care of their needs. I always like being a one-stop shop! When I began selling Medicare supplements products more than 25 years ago, I never imagined that would be my favorite product to sell. I saw the need to help seniors understand all the different products they could purchase to have the best health insurance in their “golden years.” It has been a great career for me, and I hope younger people decide it might be their career for the next 30 years or so. As I am now in those “golden years,” I am looking forward to volunteering more in our community. I recently joined the Alpine Kiwanis and know there are so many wonderful ways to help within that organization. I want to volunteer at my church, and since I am the Irish director at the Ethnic Heritage Museum, I plan on being more involved there and can continue as a Rockford Chamber Ambassador, representing the museum.

Rockford Community Bank, A Wintrust Community Bank . . . . . . . . . 7 Rockford University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Saint Anthony College of Nursing . . . . 11 Schmeling Construction Co.. . . . . . . . . 16

Larson & Darby Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Studio GWA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Mercyhealth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Stillman Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Northern Public Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Thayer Energy Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

OSF HealthCare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

VOICE

APRIL 2022

Rockford Christian Schools . . . . . . . . . 12

the

Chamber Staﬀ / Call 815-987-8100 ...........................................Direct Line Caitlin Pusateri, Executive Vice President ...............................................815-316-4337 Lynette Jacques, Vice President, Member Investment ..................... 815-316-4317 Jeff Bailey, Membership Development Executive ...................................815-316-4336 Olivia Guzman, Administrative Assistant/Customer Service Rep...........815-987-8100 Doug Hessong, Director of Publications & Technology .................... 815-316-4338 Carmen Kellerman, Program & Event Coordinator .............................. 815-316-4302 Kristin Muehlfelder, Member Relations....................................................815-316-4315 Doug Rand, Accounting Manager/Controller ................................ 815-316-4316 Joan Sundvall, Membership Contact Coordinator .......................... 815-316-4320 Einar K. Forsman, President & CEO ........................................... 815-987-8100 Edward Caceres, Director, Small Business Development Center ....................................................815-987-8100

CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS & OFFICERS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chair of the Board Dan Ross Community Foundation of Northern Illinois

DIRECTORS LaVonne Brown Savant Wealth Management Samuel J. Castree Staff Management, Inc.

Vice Chair Jean Crosby Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Crosby Starck Real Estate

Lesly Couper workplace

Vice Chair Don Daniels

Rebecca Epperson Chartwell Agency

Treasurer John Schuster JFS Services

Doug Curry Stenstrom Construction Group

Carol Friesen OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center Eric Fulcomer, Ph.D. Rockford University Ira Grimmett Collins Aerospace Tim Honquest Honquest Family Funeral Home with Crematory

Michael F. Iasparro Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP

Teresa Sharp American Precision Supply, Inc.

Carly LaMonica LaMonica Beverages, Inc.

Alex Stagnaro-Green, MD, MHPE, MHA Univ. of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford

Kris L. Kieper Machajewski YWCA Northwestern Illinois Christina Valdez CMM & Associates

Karl Swanson Illinois Bank & Trust Dustin Vock Meiborg, Inc.

Joel A. Prah Mercyhealth

Robert Young Midwest Packaging and Container

Nicole Radford UW Health Northern Illinois Region

EX-OFFICIO DIRECTORS

Denise Sasse RSM US LLP Peter Schmeling Schmeling Construction Co. Brent Scott Rockford Community Bank, A Wintrust Community Bank

Einar K. Forsman President & CEO, Rockford Chamber of Commerce John Groh Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

APRIL VOICE SPECIAL SECTIONS

Sourcing/Retaining Top Talent Keys to Business Success For information on advertising, call 815

987-8100

March Voice 2022

Articles inside

MEMBER PROFILE - Rockford Seperators

Small Business Enterprise - SBDC March 2022

IGNITE March 2022