May Voice 2019

AQUAAEROBICS: FIVE DECADES OF SUCCESS

SOLAR SHINES

CITY MARKET TURNS TEN

PAGE 4

PAGE 19

PAGE 3 THE VOICE IS ONLINE AT ROCKFORDCHAMBER.COM

of the Rockford Business Community

may 2019 | Volume 32 | No. 5

Trade talks, awards celebration highlight

Manufacturing Dinner

The importance of trade between the United States and Canada was the focus of the remarks by Canadian Consul General John Cruickshank. Cruickshank, whose offices are in Chicago, has the Midwestern territory of Illinois, Wisconsin and Missouri to engage with on behalf of the Canadian government. In his remarks, the Consul General outlined some of the importance of the relationship between the two countries. Millions of jobs depend on trade and investment with Canada. Of the 50 U.S. state, 47 of them count the Canada as their first, second or third most important export market.

Additionally, Canada buys more goods from the U.S. than China, Japan, and the UK combined.

PHOTOS BY BRIAN THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHY

Manufacturer of the Year was awarded to JC Milling Co., Inc. Owners Dean and Dominique (center with award) celebrated with a number of their employees.

Looking at Illinois specifically, Illinois is the fifth ranked exporter of the 50 states in the U.S., and is the fourth ranked importer. Illinois exports to Canada to the tune of $17.7 million (2017), its number one export relationship. In addition, imports from Canada are $32 million (2017). Overall the trade balance is 47/50.

Cruickshank, in his remarks, also shared that the annual value of goods & services exported to Canada from Illinois’ 16th and 17th Congressional Districts are $1.5 billion and $1.1 billion, respectively.

The Consul General during his remarks also talked about the importance of having the USMCA trade agreement ratified by Congress. Already signed off

by President Trump, the final stage is for Congress to complete its actions. During the portion of his remarks, the Consul General also recommended the removal of Section 232 tariffs from Canadian steel and aluminum.

In addition to the Consul General’s keynote, the Celebration Continued on page 24

State of the County Luncheon

Winnebago County Chair Frank Haney won’t seek re-election

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

Questions? 815-987-8100

Join the Chamber’s LinkedIn Group

Community leaders anticipated a spirited conversation during the Rockford Chamber of Commerce’s State of the County luncheon. What they didn’t expect, however, was the announcement from Winnebago County Board Chairman Frank Haney that he will not seek re-election when his term ends in December 2020.

Haney broke the news to a crowd of about 400 during his annual address, which was held on April 25 at Tebala Event Center.

Early in his presentation, Haney recommended the community put a referendum on the ballot next year to make the chairman position a permanent position. This would eliminate a voter-chosen chairman.

Haney said he made his decision in the last few days. “The job I have today is much different than the one I got elected to,” he said. “And there have been attempts to change my job

long before I got elected into it. When we look at how we tackle the big, tough generational problems, there are never simple solutions. There are never any easy answers and there are always going to be disagreements. But every time we have a disagreement, we can’t have a threat of ending someone’s job or changing it. Because what happens then is the discussion isn’t about policy, it’s about the job, and then we don’t have real discussions.”

The relationship between Haney and the 20-member County Board has been strained ever since he took office.

Things got worse at the end of last year, when several board members asked for Haney’s resignation. Haney said he has no plans on stepping down.

“When I ran for the job 14 months ago, I got vetted, poked at, prodded and challenged,” he said. “I had to lay out a vision of what I believe in and how I do Continued on page 8

GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR ‘SILENT SPORTS’ TRAILS, MAY 3 Rockford Park District will host a groundbreaking on May 3 kicking off the development of the Atwood Park Silent Sports Trail System.

Enter Seth B. Atwood Park at 7074 Rydberg Road to attend.

Citizens voiced that investing in trails, open space and recreation paths were very important during open sessions of the park district’s community-led Master Plan.

Phase 1 will be funded by a grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Atwood Foundation and more than 40 individual donors, and include five miles of multi-use natural surface trails for beginner and intermediate users, a parking area, trail signage and a bike wash/repair station. Eventually, 20 miles of interconnecting trails on the north and south sides of the Kishwaukee river will accommodate hiking, mountain biking, trail running, paddle sports, snowshoeing and cross country skiing.

N-TRAK Group, LLC, which includes trail builder subcontractor Terra Firma Trails, LLC, received the construction contract. Phase 1 is expected to be completed this summer.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! ROCKFORD CHAMBER

Golf Classic

may 20 • forest hills country club For more info, see page 27 SPONSORED BY

PROPOSALS SOUGHT TO TRAIN NEEDED WORKERS The Workforce Connection seeks proposals by May 15 from qualified training providers to prepare individuals for employment in high-growth job sectors in Boone, Stephenson and Winnebago counties as a part of the Bridge to Employment program.

Sector-based training modules may include bridge programming and should feature academic and occupational skills training, job readiness and work experience within a specific industry. The successful bidder must work with local employers or training providers to train a strong pipeline of skilled workers. Funding comes from the federal Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act. Visit theworkforceconnection.org.

2

| may 2019

theVoice • rockfordchamber.com

positionChairman’s Perspective Mentoring a future leader

Rockford Chamber focuses on helping the next generation It’s already been a few months and a lot has happened. Here are a few items worth noting. Congratulations to: ■■ Rockford East High School Boys Basketball Super-Sectional Champions!

■■ NICDC for recapitalizing more than $4.5 million with the help of nine local banks – that money will be lent to businesses in our area, which is exciting for so many reasons.

■■ Newly elected Rock Valley Community College Trustees – a majority of the Trustees are pro-business, supporting President Doug Jensen and the Barber Coleman Village Advanced Technology Center. This election was a great win for the business community.

■■ City of Rockford Mayor McNamara and Chief O’Shea for steadily reducing violent crime statistics and starting a potentially transformative project — the Family Justice Center (a community venture to reduce domestic violence.)

At our annual dinner in January and in my letter to our members in March, I talked about the importance of pulling

young people into community leadership roles. The Chamber will be focused on helping our next generation leaders run for local elected positions and to be selected for Boards and Committees. We all need their fresh perspective to be a cutting-edge place to work, live and play.

In January and March, I asked our mature leaders to mentor high-potential young professionals (defined as someone with good attitude, aptitude and work ethic.) Did you act? If not, what are you waiting for? When you do act, remember being a mentor is more than just mentoring if you want transformative change. You must also remove barriers in the way of them getting leadership positions today. Often those barriers are people or groups who don’t want to lose money, or the relevance they have acquired in their position, and are fighting to keep things “as they are.”

So ask yourself this: “is the incumbent person or group or existing rule pushing this young professional away for a good reason or a bad one?” If it’s a good reason, then it’s time to mentor and/or educate so they can get to the most impactful

position. If it’s a bad reason, then its our job to act or challenge that barrier.

job or industry.

I will end this month’s thoughts with a few tips for mentoring a future leader: 1. Let them talk, and listen well.

2. Promote learning lessons from places other than work that will advance their skills, successes and failures (applying skills in different places and in different ways leads to mastery.)

3. Use stories from your life to give them context. One story I used recently mentoring a young female professional was my decision to be a stay-at-home-mom, when my twins were young. At the time, I was in a “big job” I didn’t really enjoy. I was telling myself that if I quit, I’d never be able to work in the industry again. For some reason, call it instinct, I didn’t listen to that fearful voice and quit my career, soon to be working as a consultant four months later. That move was not a pretty or linear career step, but it turned out to be a good one. I learned my instincts were good, my banking skills served me well as a consultant, and that my skills could be applied to much more than just one

later, that twist

Nearly 17 years (and many oth-

Michele Petrie Rockford Chamber Board Chairman

er turns) have provided me with a deep well of experience that gives me the confidence to take risks and make decisions more effectively.

4. Be sure to communicate that people and relationships matter. Face-toface meetings build relationships. Strong relationships usually create strong trust.

And when people trust each other, things tend to get done. If you have enough relationships (after a 100 cups of coffee) you will have a meaningful network. Use that network to serve and be credible. I promise you, opportunities will appear.

5. Try to get to the heart of the person’s why: Do they want to help people?

To problem solve? Are they working for relevancy? To grow and learn?

When the why is clear and matches the job, great things can happen.

It’s been a great spring so far … summer, here we come!

theVoice • rockfordchamber.com

may 2019

|

3

PROFILE Member Profile

Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc., celebrates 50 years in business

By Paul Anthony Arco Ask Peter Baumann the key to AquaAerobic Systems’ success over the past 50 years, and he doesn’t hesitate to answer.

“Our success over the past five decades comes from continuous innovation and service to our customers,” said Baumann, president and CEO. “We have a strong reputation in the marketplace, and that results from the performance and longevity of the company.”

Since 1969, Aqua-Aerobic Systems has been a leader in the water and wastewater treatment industry. The company’s roots were in manufacturing, but over time, the company has evolved into an applied engineering company with focus on the design and application of treatment systems, with some assembly of products at its current facility.

“We are an applied engineering company that provides solutions to the challenges of the water and wastewater industry,” said Baumann, who joined the company 20 years ago and became CEO in 2016. “Our clients come to us with wastewater treatment needs, and we work with them to design the equipment to achieve the results they’re looking for.”

Aqua-Aerobic, which serves municipal

and industrial clients, works with consulting engineers, owners, plant managers and operators to provide the best treatment solution for specific applications.

According to Baumann, about 60 percent of the company’s business takes place within the United States, with its remaining business overseas, including China, Korea, India, Europe and Australia.

Testing the Waters It all started in 1964, when a group of investors purchased Solem Machine Company, a respected manufacturer of woodworking equipment. Soon after the company added the McCoy-Taylor Division which manufactured asphalt distributors, spreaders and transport tanks. In 1969, Solem Machine Company purchased Aqua-Aerobic Systems and began to manufacture its own line of aerators, namely the Aqua-Jet® surface aerator. The Aqua-Jet aerator quickly transformed the aerator industry and wastewater treatment became the company’s main focus. In 1976, Solem Machine Company changed its name to Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc. Today, Aqua-Aerobic Systems employs about 160 people in research and development, engineering, sales/marketing, manufacturing, customer service and

administration. About 30 percent of its employees work in engineering including: civil, environmental, mechanical and electrical. “Although we do seek talent nationally, our recruitment efforts mainly target the Midwest and local region, and in doing so, our retention rate is much higher,” Baumann said.

Aqua-Aerobic also has a strong working relationship with the Rock River Water Reclamation District and maintains a research and technology center within the treatment plant. The center allows Aqua-Aerobic to conduct research and test equipment under real working conditions before products are commercially available to the industry.

“Ten years ago, the district provided us direct access to their wastewater by allowing us to build the R&C center on their property; prior to this, we had to set up make-shift tents, hoses and pumps to do our testing,” Baumann said. “The district allowed us to build two structures on their property for research and development. We now have access to three different locations to test, analyze and gain information on water qualities. It makes a big difference in the time it takes to develop a new product by having this vital resource in our own backyard.”

Open House Celebrates 50 Years Part of Aqua-Aerobic Systems culture is giving back by contributing to local non-profit organizations, including the Discovery Center, Rockford Promise and GiGi’s Playhouse. “We draw from the community, so it’s important to give back,’’ said Baumann. “Our employees are enthusiastic about supporting Rockford and spreading the gospel about the good work we do here.”

To celebrate its 50 years in business, Aqua-Aerobic is planning a special open house later this month for employees, vendors and community business leaders.

“As a successful business for nearly 50 years, Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc., maintains its long-standing commitment to our customers and our community,” said Baumann. “We’re successful today because we remain on the cutting edge. We’re proud of our position as leaders in the industry.”

AQUA-AEROBIC SYSTEMS, INC. Peter Baumann, president and CEO 6306 N. Alpine Road www.aqua-aerobic .com 815-654-2501

4

| may 2019

theVoice • rockfordchamber.com

Guest Perspective insight

Solar technology has come a long way Factors to consider if considering a solar installation Every year integrating solar power into your business makes more sense.

Renewable energy benefits the planet and our country, and gives you the ability to hedge if energy prices spike. But one major factor is cost savings. A market survey by EnergySage found the average commercial property owner paid $1,950 per month for electricity, but paid about $500 per month after installing solar. In other words, about a 75 percent reduction.

Ready to save? Let’s look at actions you can take to help choose the right solar installer for your business.

Go for Experience Solar is a young industry, but experience still counts. In fact, it counts for more, because more companies are entering the field by the day. When choosing an installer, look for a company with management that either has significant solar or renewables experience, solid previous experience in construction before the solar boom, or both.

Evaluate Them Like Any Other Contractor Despite the differences between solar installations and other contracted improvement projects, the same practices you use to evaluate a remodeler or plumber should apply here: ■■ Get multiple quotes.

■■ Check references and online reviews carefully.

■■ Inquire about their use of subcontractors. If they use them, ask about their oversight process.

■■ Choose a company that will handle permits and other paperwork with local authorities.

Ask About the Latest Tech Like LED lighting, solar technology was not the most user-friendly tech when it debuted, but rapidly improved and is

tax liability is less than that, you can roll the incentive over to

Patti Thayer Thayer Lighting Inc.

future tax years.

However, unless Congress acts, the incentive will drop to 26 percent for the 2020 tax year, 22 percent for 2021 and just 10 percent after that.

Paying out 4 to 8 percent or more then you need to on a capital investment in your business is a pain you don’t need! now simple, versatile and a great addition to any business. Because of this rapid improvement, it’s wise to make sure your installer offers the latest proven solar technology.

Recent advancements have produced panels that look better (as well as being lighter and more efficient), and controls, inverters and optimizers that work better.

Plus, the most recent generation lasts longer, with warranties stretching into decades. Speaking of that...

Check Out Their Warranties As with any contractor, you should ask about guarantees the solar installer makes on their own work. A warranty on installation of five to 10 years or more should be a given. It’s crucial to understand the warranties on the equipment itself, as an indicator of quality and potential ROI. For example, any solar panel you install should be guaranteed to last 25 years or more. Inverters and optimizers should be warrantied for at least 10 and 25 years respectively.

Know If They Can Navigate Here’s some good news: Illinois, the federal government, ComEd and a number of other organizations are eager to promote solar energy and will gladly give you rebates and other incentives to power your business with the power of the

sun. The bad news? This creates an array of different programs requiring differing paperwork and benchmarks. And we business owners all know how government agencies especially love their paperwork!

Make sure your solar installer will be a partner in navigating this territory, helping you realize the best possible return on your dollar. This is why it’s wise to choose an installer with plenty of experience in renewable energy. The more experience they have dealing with the ins-and-outs of these programs, the more likely you are to maximize your ROI. Financing needs to be part of this evaluation. Incentivized or not, installing a solar system is a significant investment.

While nearly every installer will have some financing option available, make sure the details fit your financial goals and position. Helping the planet is great, but saving money is nice too, and it’s difficult to do that if you’re weighed down with high interest.

Some installers offer an option in which payments are deferred for 18 to 24 months, so that you only pay after you’ve received the benefit of your federal tax incentives. Which brings us to ...

Act While Incentives are Strong Currently, you’ll receive a federal tax incentive of 30 percent of the cost of your solar system. Even better, if your

Now’s the time to begin the process of going solar, so help the Earth, and your bottom line!

Patti Thayer is president and owner of Thayer Lighting Inc. The views expressed are those of Thayer’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

Let your Voice be heard The Rockford Chamber of Commerce ­ elcomes and encourages member w 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

may 2019

|

5

A FEW WORDS FROM RPS 205 SUPERINTENDENT

Personal staff, student stories on the 205 VIBE Making connections supports our first-choice vision Every year, I visit each of our schools in the district. Meeting with faculty gives me a chance to hear what teachers are working on and what they are most proud of. What I might not hear there, I read about on the 205 VIBE, our multimedia platform for blog, podcast and video on rps205.com.

The VIBE allows people to tell stories around the district, in their own words.

You may have heard that the Rockford Public Schools’ vision is to be the first choice for all families. Talking to staff and reading stories on the VIBE, amounts to seeing that vision and how it’s lived: It’s first choice in the first person.

As our 2018-19 school year draws to a close, I’d like to share some of the stories that highlight our first-choice vision: ■■ About a dozen educators in our district are certified LEGO Education trainers. The training for district staff will expand even more this summer. Our students are learning skills like coding and programming, but not only that. Teachers have been amazed at how quickly LEGO lessons have helped students understand complicated topics like gear ratios. Other lessons, such as the 4Cs (creativity,

collaboration, critical thinking and communication), are just as powerful.

■■ We are celebrating grade-level successes in student growth, through strategies such as small groups and retraining teachers that struggle and mistakes as “keys to learning.” Teachers are helping students set and reach their own growth goals — or, if they are performing at or above grade level, to make the connections to move even further ahead. We have more work to do. But these breakthroughs are inspiring staff, mobilizing schools and renewing our collective commitment to raising achievement.

■■ Staff and students regularly extend learning outside of the school day. A good example is Auburn High School’s Marianna Ruggerio, an Advanced Placement/physics instructor. Because AP exams begin the first full week of May without exception, her students used the district’s snow/cold days to work on lessons that Ruggerio specifically assigned for them to work on at home. “I’m deeply impressed by the tenacity and maturity of the AP Physics 1 students at Auburn High School,” she

wrote in a blog post on the 205 VIBE. ■■ We could not prepare our students for college, career and life without dedicated volunteers, many of them working in innovative programs you will find only in RPS 205. Our Band Grandpa program received deserved national media attention in March when it was featured in a segment on the NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. These retirees are now 13 strong in the program. In addition to helping teach music skills, they offer a unique and important relationship to our students. “When they tell stories, kids listen,” said Bonnie Spurling, Fine Arts director for the district.

■■ E-Rab pride was everywhere when the East High School boys basketball team made its first trip to state in 41 years.

The fourth place finish in the Illinois High School Association tournament was exciting. However, the team had already made Coach Roy Sackmaster -- and the entire district -- proud earlier in the season. That’s when game officials took Sackmaster aside and said our E-Rab boys were some of the most respectful young athletes they have ever dealt with.

■■ Of many proud moments Dr. Ehren Jarrett I have had Superintendent RPS 205 over the past year, one is especially touching. During my visit to Riverdahl Elementary, I heard the story of a teacher from Lewis Lemon who called to check on a student who had just transferred from her school to Riverdahl.

The Lewis Lemon teacher called the new teacher in her classroom. She then put her entire former class on speakerphone to encourage the student in his new school.

You can talk about first-choice vision, but you have to hear stories like that to believe the value and the profound connection we offer our students. If you’d like to read more, please visit the 205 VIBE on rps205.com. It’s a perfect window into our vision of being the first choice for all families.

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.

6

|may 2019

theVoice

igniteYoung Professionals Unleash your young professional power

You can make great change in the world Consider this: despite all of the things we need and don’t have, so much of what we have we don’t need in the slightest.

I know, it’s a statement so obvious that it’s almost pointless, and there’s no doubt some version of that has graced its share of graphic t-shirts. What IS interesting about it is what it leaves out.

There are some things in this world that we need, and that we have, that we simply do not use.

Our generation has come up in a time headlined by anxiety, by inequality and by access to jarring amounts of information. More than in any other time we are aware of the options and possibilities of the world, and we are cowed by them. There is so much we can learn and experience from the comfort of home, but only at its surface. We watch glamorous Instagram influencers on beach vacations and 24-year old entrepreneurs giving TED talks. We listen to the athletes and experts, we learn about different cultures and exciting music and unbelievable places, pressing political crises, and then we look back at ourselves and don’t recognize how we could possibly fit in. So while the world is at our fingertips, it feels totally out of reach; too fast and too big to fit into.

But what we need we already have.

You Have Power, Use It! Young professionals have the power to make great change, but it goes untapped. For brevity let’s limit our scope to Rockford. Guess what? The scope is still massive because you can get involved with almost any cause, hobby or mission. Rockford is blessed with a great art scene, service organizations with incredible volunteer opportunities, tons of nature, small businesses, and so much more that I can’t tell you about because I promised I’d fit everything onto one page.

There are things that you probably want to see happen here, and you can make it happen. Young professionals are underrepresented in these major ways, and it’s a waste we can change.

Volunteer or Join a Board As the manager of the I READ Program here in Rockford, I should get this out of the way: There are thousands of volunteers in Rockford who are taking the future into their hands every day with their volunteer work. Rockford has always been unique in how many dedicated people go out of their way to make a difference.

And you could too! The truth is that

Matt Hargrove IGNITE

the volunteer pools of my program and those of my colleagues are composed overwhelmingly of volunteers over 50. The Baby Boomers are crushing it, and working full-time does not account for the low levels of Millennial and Gen X participation in volunteer organizations. We are missing out on our chance to grow ourselves and help shape this community.

Perhaps the biggest missed opportunity is how few young professionals sit on nonprofit or corporate boards. You, yes you, can make a direct and significant positive impact by joining a board for a cause or business you support. It doesn’t take some expertise you don’t have, it takes very little time, and boards all over the community are hungry for young engaged volunteers. We are throwing away our power by passing on these opportunities.

Check www.volunteermatch.org or the local United Way-operated www. wevolunteer.org to find opportunities that speak to you.

Local Politics There are so many ways you can impact the future of Rockford through the political process. As Mayor McNamara has said, local politics are less partisan. Local concerns are more cooperative and issue-based. Start by getting an rrstar.com subscription. From there, attend or watch the YouTube uploads of City Council meetings. You can even settle for just reading the agenda each week. Take these steps before worrying about anything else -- it is in this way that you can better learn what’s actually happening in your city.

Then maybe down the line you can petition your alderpersons, your members of Congress or even run for office yourself.

The city is eager for our contributions.

We have so much power we don’t use, and our city has a lot of good work ready to be done to build our future.

Start small, commit to one small way to connect more to our community. If you’re not sure where to start, talk to me at ma.hargrove@gmail.com.

Matt Hargrove is a member of IGNITE Rockford.

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

theVoice

may 2019

 Destination

|

7

ILLINOIS, USA

ADDING WEALTH TO THE REGION’S ECONOMY BY GROWING TOURISM

Many exciting projects on the horizon

Artists come in May to transform now-blank building walls The numbers are in and all I can say is: WOW. Last year was another banner year for attendance at area events and visits to local facilities that serve residents and attract guests from afar.

So many factors are working together to ensure that this upward trend continues. For one, the region truly is benefiting from the Reclaiming First project, which greatly improved our sports complexes and allows the region to serve local residents’ recreational needs and attract a growing number of important sporting tournaments. The most recent stats show that, once again, our sports complexes led the way in attendance by locals and visitors, which translates to improved health outcomes for locals and tremendous benefits for area businesses.

At the same time, existing recreational and cultural events and facilities pull in large numbers of visitors while new destinations and events are being developed every year to bring more variety to our menu of attractions.

Projects on the horizon will fuel the positive trajectory of attendance and economic impact. To name a few: the expected 2020 opening of the Hilton Embassy Suites Hotel and Rockford Conference Center in downtown; the indoor City Market downtown (projected to open in mid-May); and soon-to-be-announced improvements to Davis Park.

Overall, attendance at area events and sites in 2018 was 8.6 million, compared to 8.3 million in 2017.

While that increase is a few hundred thousand, the real relevance is apparent in the bigger picture. Over five years, total attendance has risen by well over a million visitors for an increase of 13 percent.

Sports Success Formula That’s a lot of people and lot of new revenue being infused into the local economy. A recent event and one coming up in July exemplify the sports success formula.

In April, some 27,000 soccer players, coaches and spectators flocked to Mercyhealth Sportscore Two over two weekends for the Puma Champions Cup competition. Lindsay Arellano, vice president of sales and services at RACVB, estimated the economic impact of this year’s Puma competition at $1.8 million.

John Groh Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

In addition, in a first-time partnership, the Rockford region is teaming up with Beloit to welcome the National Softball Association Girls Fast Pitch World Series, the largest tournament of its kind ever to be hosted here. The event, set for July 17 to 21, is expected to generate more than $2.1 million in economic impact and use some 4,000 room nights in Rockford and 1,600 more in Freeport, the Chicago suburbs and Beloit, Wis.

Metromorphosis Mural Festival Beyond that, I am tremendously excited about what we’re calling Metromorphosis Mural Festival, which will be an extremely colorful and exciting week in May. The new festival, produced by RACVB, will bring seven internationally and regionally known artists to downtown Rockford to create large-scale murals on now-blank building walls.

These new murals will add to a growing collection of professionally created, varied, interesting and interactive public artwork that already is adding interest and drawing residents and visitors to downtown.

The RACVB Foundation’s Forest City Beautiful initiatives previously have included widespread landscaping and beautification projects, the visiting sculpture program and new murals that were created last summer.

We’re planning a week-long series of events coordinated with creation of the murals. The public will be able to watch the artists at work as they beautify large spaces on highly visible walls downtown.

The murals are intended to peak interest, unify neighbors and welcome guests. These large blank walls, which now are entirely unremarkable, will be transformed in interesting ways that showcase the unique character of our city. What a way to kick off the summer.

I can’t wait!

John Groh is president/CEO of Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. The mission of RACVB is to drive quality of life and economic growth for our citizens through tourism marketing and destination development. www.gorockford.com The views expressed are Groh’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

8

|may 2019

Leadership

(continued from front page) business. That’s a tough process. And for it to be changed so many times over just a couple of policy disagreements, frankly, I don’t see it being good government.”

Need for Big Thinkers Chamber president and CEO Einar Forsman has seen this type of situation occur before, earlier in his career.

Now is the time for the board to come together, he said. “We need some big thinkers at the table,” Forsman said.

“We need people to take responsibility to get out of the situation the county finds itself in. People aren’t happy when elected officials don’t get along. It’s not good for anyone. And that’s what is happening here. It’s frustrating to see someone work hard to run for office, to do it for all the right reasons, and then have some bumps along the road to get his agenda done. It’s disappointing.”

Working on His ‘ACT’ Plan In the remainder of his term, Haney said he has more work to do, including eliminating blight, exploring an emergency management

theVoice

partnership and reducing Winnebago County’s budget deficit – all of which fall under his mantra ‘ACT’ – to make Winnebago County government more accountable, more collaborative and more transparent.

“How do we best position ourselves to finish what we started?” Haney asked.

“I owe it to whomever the next chairman is, and I owe it to the community I grew up in, to do it differently. This affects public safety, economic development and community health. You want an elected official to be involved with these types of discussions. And if he can’t weigh in because he’s worried about his job being yanked out from under him, it diminishes and silences those real discussions.

“Life will go on for Frank Haney.

I’ll move on,” he added. “I think I can get more done with our partners in the next 18 months by removing myself from future consideration. I don’t want the next person to go through this. At a time we’re doing great things, I don’t want this to become a dark cloud. We can fix this.”

Sponsors of the luncheon include BMO Harris Bank, Humana, Comcast Business and Alpha Controls & Services. theVoice

Children 5 to 12 explore at Camp Nature Quest. © Rockford Park District.

815 Outside encourages residents to unplug, get outside A county-wide collaboration is encouraging residents to unplug from the noise of technology and social media and to journey out to the area’s many free green spaces. The 815 Outside initiative aims to improve residents’ health, wellness and quality of life through opportunities provided

by Winnebago County, Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Severson Dells Nature Center, Natural Land Institute, Forest Preserves of Winnebago County, Nature at the Confluence, Rockford Park District and Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden.

Winnebago County ranks the third unhealthiest county in the state, but has many forest preserves and parks that offer free access to natural areas.

“I am not aware of a community in the Midwest that offers the outdoor

A day of outdoor fun at Easter-themed Cottontail Trail at Lockwood Park. © Rockford Park District. Photo by Jesse Fox. experiences we do, whether that be our award-winning parks and forest preserves, trails or rivers,” said Frank Haney, chairman of the Winnebago County board. “Join me in ‘unplugging’ from the constant noise of technology and social media and explore some of the green spaces that are the envy of communities all over the Midwest.”

For more, visit www.815outside. com or 815 Outside on Facebook.

theVoice

may 2019

|

9

Rockford University PERSPECTIVE

Reality of admission differs greatly from the headlines

Majority of colleges and universities do it right Look around our community.

You’ll find successful professionals in all fields who have gone to colleges and universities that conduct transparent and fair admission processes.

In the past several weeks, the college admission scandal, sometimes called Operation Varsity Blues, has been a top news story. This scandal, which involves a number of wealthy parents who bribed coaches and/or paid consultants to ensure that their sons and daughters got into elite higher education institutions, has many sensational attributes that catch our collective attention – celebrities, big money, well known colleges, etc. It has caught the attention of those of us who work in higher education as well - and speaking for myself and my colleagues at numerous institutions similar in size and mission – we are appalled.

In a recent poll conducted by USA Today and Suffolk University, 67 percent of respondents thought that the college admissions process favors the wealthy and well-connected in an unfair way. Another recent poll suggested that public opinion of colleges and universities has dropped by 20 percent since the scandal broke. People are fed up with the idea that colleges provide special treatment in the admissions process, whether that be for athletics, donations or children of alumni.

Further, it appears that the public sees this as a problem that spans all types of colleges – public and private, large and small.

In reality, this recent scandal exposes some disturbing practices in a very small group of colleges and universities – much less than one percent of all institutions. These elite institutions (the less than one percent), most of which are not caught in this particular scandal, operate in scarcity. In other words, they receive tens of thousands of applications, for a small number of spots. Harvard University, for example, received nearly 43,000 applications for the class of 2022, admitting just more than 2,000 and enrolling just 1,653. That means that fewer than five percent of those who applied to Harvard were accepted.

Dr. Fulcomer Rockford University

Elite schools get numerous applicants with perfect grades and perfect ACT/SAT scores; they look for differentiators to make decisions. In this model, there is space for a few bad actors to manipulate the process.

Equal Opportunity At Rockford University, and schools like ours, we assure that all students have an equal opportunity to admission. Unlike the aforementioned elite institutions, we do not operate in scarcity. We purposefully admit all students who meet the minimum academic qualifications and do not consider athletic ability, donations or parental alumni status in the admission process. Our admission process is fair, and it is transparent. We provide all students who we believe have the academic ability to succeed, an opportunity to earn a degree.

Most of us, myself included, did not attend elite colleges. Look around our community. You’ll find successful professionals in all fields who have gone to colleges and universities that conduct transparent and fair admission processes.

For Rockford University, you’ll find lawyers, nurses, doctors, teachers and business executives among our graduates. In fact, OSF Saint Anthony Hospital, Rockford Park District, Midwest Aero Support, Woodward, Forest City Gear, First Midwest Group and Entré Computer Solutions are all led by graduates of Rockford University; this is just a sampling of the local organizations run by our alumni.

The best preparation for college is to work hard in school and get good grades. For the great majority of colleges, admission practices are made on the merit of the individual and a person’s ability to successfully complete a degree at their chosen institution.

While the admission practices of a few bad actors in the Operation Varsity Blues scandal have caught the national attention, let’s remember that the vast majority of colleges and universities conduct their admission processes in a fair and ethical manner.

Eric W. Fulcomer, Ph.D. is president, Rockford University.

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

10

| may 2019

theVoicE • rockfordchamber.com

B U S I N E S S

G R O W T H

F O R

T H E

R O C K F O R D

R E G I O N

Economic Development Key Economic Indicators

New/Retained Jobs 6,031 60% to goal of 10,000

Upcoming tradeshows, events & training opportunities

Capital Investment $1.011 billion 109% to goal of $925

New/Renovated Space 4,219,047 sq.ft.

53% to goal of 8 mil.sq.ft.

The RAEDC attends a wide range of tradeshows, conferences and events throughout the year. The method of cultivating opportunities to create and attract primary jobs may differ at each event but the goal is to increase the economic well-being of our region.

We will be at the following tradeshows to promote our region as Your Opportunity Region the first portion of 2019.

KEY ECONOMIC INDICATORS The RAEDC provides quarterly updates on the region’s progress towards the economic indicators outlined in the Rockforward20/20 strategic plan, which spans from Jan. 1, 2016 to Dec. 31, 2020.

The figures above cover Jan. 1, 2016 through March 31, 2019. The region has surpassed the capital investment goal by nine percent! Through continued collaboration our region is well on our way to achieving the goals set for new/retained jobs and new/renovated space.

The RAEDC goes to MRO Americas More than a half-dozen aerospace organizations and companies promoted the strength of the Rockford Region’s aerospace supply chain and pursued opportunities to expand their scope at MRO Americas tradeshow held in Atlanta. MRO Americas is the premier event for the commercial air transport maintenance, repair and overhaul industry featuring 889 exhibitors and more than 15,000 attendees.

In addition to the Rockford Area Economic Development Council (RAEDC), four companies that attended hosted a networking reception to further engage opportunities: ■■ Midwest Aero Support/US Flight ■■ Chem Processing, Inc. ■■ Larson & Darby Group ■■ Superior Joining Technologies, Inc. These companies are members of the Rockford Area Aerospace Network (RAAN). RAAN is a consortium of companies working to increase the competitiveness of the Rockford

Region for aerospace expansion and attraction. These types of shows provide opportunities to increase the international awareness of the Rockford Region and create opportunities to help businesses grow locally by connecting globally.

“Working with the companies involved in RAAN provides the opportunity for many businesses to meet with different types of companies during a short timeframe and learn about the highly skilled workforce, advanced manufacturing and aerospace supply chains and the logistics that make the Rockford Region, their Opportunity Region,” said Gerald Sagona, VP for business development for the RAEDC. “This collaboration between companies is a prime example of why our region is growing and continuing to provide opportunities to companies already located here, as well as, compete with regions much larger than ours for attraction projects. Especially in the workforce development sector,” said Stephanie Jones, VP of sales.

HOW DOES YOUR COMPANY SUPPORT ‘EVERY SYSTEM EVERY AIRCRAFT?’ RAAN and the RAEDC want to know what your aerospace capabilities include. This allows us to broadcast how strong the aerospace and advanced manufacturing industries are. Complete the survey at the link below.

RockfordIL.com/aerospacecapabilities Every commercial aircraft has a component or system that was designed or manufactured in the Rockford Region; home to four tier-one aerospace companies and more than 250 suppliers within a 90-minute radius.

Visit RockfordIL.com/aerospacecapabilities to provide information that will be included on the RAAN (RockfordAerospace.com) and RAEDC’s (RockfordIL.com) websites.

Advanced Manufacturing New York, June 11 to 13, New York, N.Y.: For 36 years, engineers and executives have gathered in New York to experience the latest innovations in medtech, automation, packaging and plastics in real life. With more than 550 companies showcasing technologies and solutions across the advanced design and manufacturing industry, it’s a must attend for staying current in advanced manufacturing.

Paris Air Show, June 17 to 23, Paris, France: The International

Paris Air Show at Le Bourget brings the entire industry together once every two years. With 2,381 international companies, the International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget offers more commercial and marketing opportunities. The International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget is the ideal event at which to discover all the market’s latest innovations and developments. This is where the major aviation and space technologies and trends emerge.

theVoice • rockfordchamber.com

may 2019

|

11

Four steps to maintaining balance in manufacturing leadership

By Dietmar Goellner, AME

and outs of the position. Don’t worry, not responsible for holding others accountable everyone ‘gets it.’ It is not a bad thing; he to the culture as well.

There’s one thing I know for sure: a oneAsk anyone in the machine shop what or she just needs to be in a different seat. size-fits-all approach to culture won’t work. to do when a spindle is off balance, and They have to want it Each business is a unique organization you’ll likely get a straightforward answer. with different strengths, weaknesses, goals, Does he or she genuinely want to do But what about when your manufacturing leadership is off balance? Recently I the job? Sometimes you can tell just by history and challenges. Your corporate discussed the challenges of leading a a person’s posture or tone of voice if this culture should be like a fingerprint — generational family business with Jason, is the type of job he or she gets up in the unmistakably yours and yours alone.

3. Replace Micromanaging and Jim, and my son, Nick, on an upcoming morning wanting to do.

Fixing with Coaching and Auditing No matter what kind of motivational episode of the MakingChips podcast.

No matter what stage of your career speaker you are, you can’t pay, force Here is a step-by-step process to making you’re in, I assure you we all lose our or beg a person enough to make them bad decisions:

balance at some point.

As president, CEO and co-owner of Advanced Machine & Engineering Co. and Hennig Inc., I know a thing or two about making chips, and a thing or two about balance.

AME specializes in machine tool design, workholding systems and metal cutting solutions, while Hennig is a global manufacturer of machine protection systems, chip conveyors and filtration systems and machine enclosures and facility safety equipment. Between these two global manufacturing companies, we have locations in every continent except Antarctica.

Over the years I’ve developed four steps to help me hold it all together. Some rely on instincts, some on business principles, but all of them rely on me, keeping myself accountable for setting the example of good balance from the top down.

1. Provide a Clear Vision to Great People As the leader, you set the target, and you choose the people. I may be the CEO, but I can do very few jobs as well as the person I have in that position. That’s not by accident.

I have to trust myself to communicate a clear vision, which is how I can be sure everyone is aiming at the same target.

That’s only half of the equation. The other half is choosing the right people to execute that vision.

When it comes to assembling a strong leadership team, there’s no exact science, however I always look for these three things:

They have to get it In other words, do all of the neurons in his or her brain seem to connect when you explain the job? Ask a few questions to gauge if he or she ‘gets’ all of the ins

want something over the long term. He or she has to want it on their own. It may be frustrating when you see a lack of motivation in a talented person, but sometimes people who ‘get it’ and have the capacity, still just don’t want the job.

There’s nothing you can do about that.

They have to have the capacity to do it Does he or she have the mental, physical, spiritual and emotional capacity to do the job? Sometimes this one is negotiable. While not getting it or wanting it are deal-killers, on occasion a problem of capacity can be solved.

Most growing organizations don’t have the luxury of waiting one to three years for an employee to gain the capacity he or she needs to do the job. Most need the seat filled completely, right now. However, if you are willing to invest the time, resources and energy in a person you believe can gain the capacity, then you might want to do it.

A return on an investment such as this is often worth so much more than just an employee who gets it and wants it, but also one who has immense loyalty toward a company and a leader who took a chance on him or her.

2. Hold Yourself Accountable for a Strong Culture “Advanced Machine & Engineering (AME) was founded in 1966 out of Rockford, Illinois by Willy Goellner — a man of drive and determination who immigrated to America from Germany in 1958.”

This is not only a direct quote from our company website, but a part of our story that helps communicate who we are and what we are all about. It’s my job, as CEO, to be the first one responsible for living out the principles and visions of our companies every day of the week. I’m also

Too much stress which leads to …

Lack of patience which leads to …

Low tolerance for others mistakes which leads to …

The need to do it yourself which leads to …

Bad, impulsive decisions with serious consequences which leads to …

Frustrated leaders and managers.

What do frustrated leaders and managers lead to? Stressed out, directionless employees with no confidence in the company or the culture.

Everyone in a leadership role has likely taken a trip down ‘bad decision lane’ at least once. That’s all part of learning.

The trouble occurs when you allow yourself to stay in a destructive cycle of micromanaging and trying to fix every little problem yourself. Refer to the process above to check your gut and see if maybe your leadership is off balance right now.

It’s never too late to make a change.

Start by asking questions and performing audits. Invest your time into understanding big-picture processes and issues as well as possible, then delegate the details to capable managers and allow them to find their own solutions.

Realize that by fixing everything yourself, you’re robbing good, qualified team members from learning and growing in their roles.

Delegating lesser responsibilities is not equivalent to sitting on the bench; it’s assuming the role of head coach, making decisions that empower and inspire your team.

4. Protect Your Most Important Priorities (Personally and Professionally) You are the only one who can define your most important priorities. For me, it is putting God first and recognizing He is in control. My faith is at the center of my life and my leadership, which helps me keep

my priorities in perspective, no matter the situation. It also helps me extend grace and let some things go that otherwise might offend or distract me.

After God, it’s all about family.

Whether or not you’re a leader within your own family’s business or not, I am sure you can at least imagine some of the common pitfalls, with nepotism being one of the most destructive. However, for me, I work hard to make sure to never let the family business become more about business than family.

There’s a reason AME and Hennig have thrived for so long, and it’s not just because we have quality products, competitive prices and exceptional service, but because many of us are bound by blood, not a paycheck.

Still, don’t misunderstand me. I won’t allow family members to fall below the bar.

No matter how hard the conversation has to be, in the end, enabling family members will only ruin the family and the business.

Then where would we all be?

I can’t tell you what your top priorities should be, but I can assure you that if you don’t know what they are, then your leadership is definitely off balance. Take some time to really think through what is important to you. Here’s a hint: it probably won’t be something with a dollar sign in front of it. Dig deep and think about your legacy.

Maintaining Balance My parting advice is to continue to seek wisdom through counsel. Invest time in finding a strong community of leaders who are willing to both give and take advice.

There’s power in the metalworking nation, and sometimes it’s our friends who notice when we are off balance before we do. Build your network through social media, accept invitations for in-person social opportunities and serve on the boards of professional and educational organizations.

A person surrounded by strong pillars to lean on is rarely off balance.

Subscribe today to listen to past, current, and upcoming episodes of the MakingChips podcast at www.making chips.com/listen.

Dietmar Goellner is president and CEO of Advanced Machine & Engineering.

Sponsored by Advanced Machine & Engineering Co.

12

| moving & Logistics

may 2019 • theVoice • rockfordchamber.com

National Indicators theRegional, economy U.S. Indicators March 2019



Consumer Price Index

0.4 percent

Unemployment Rate

3.8 percent

      

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

196,000 $0.04 0.6 percent 0.7 percent (fourth quarter, 2018) 1.9 percent (fourth quarter, 2018) 0.6 percent 0.7 percent

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Unemployment Rates Region / State / Nation Dec 2018

Jan 2019

Feb 2019

March 2019

Rockford

6.3

7.1

6.4

---

Chicago

3.6

4.4

4.0

3.6

Illinois

4.3

4.3

4.3

4.4

United States

3.9

4.0

3.8

3.8

CALL FOR REGIONAL PARITY ON ILLINOIS TOLLWAY BOARD After none of the nine seats on the board were filled with members from Winnebago or Lake counties, State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) and colleague State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) responded with a legislative proposal to require greater regional representation on the Illinois Tollway Board. Senate Bill 794, which would mandate the governor to immediately appoint one member from Lake County and one member from either Winnebago, Boone or McHenry counties, was approved in the Senate and now advances to the House.

“Residents of counties serviced by the tollway ought to have someone on the board representing their interests,” Sen. Stadelman said. “This bill guarantees that those very residents get that representation and aren’t forgotten.”

The Toll Highway includes 294 miles in five tollways that run through 12 counties: Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Kane, DeKalb, Ogle, Whiteside and Lee. “We have a law that says no more than five members of the tollway board may be from the same political party,” Sen. Bush said. “There should be a law that ensures geographic diversity on the board as well. Lake County is one of the largest financial contributors to the tollway. I think it’s fair to demand a local voice for Lake County residents on the tollway board.”

Source: Senator Stadelman’s Weekly Bulletin, April 12, 2019

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Overall Tax Burden by State STATE & LOCAL TAXES

With a new tax code taking effect this year, this year’s taxes have been quite different than last year’s. One simple ratio known as the “tax burden” helps cut through the confusion, which measures the proportion of total personal income that residents pay toward state and local taxes. WalletHub compared the 50 states across the three tax types of state tax burdens as a share of total personal income in the state.

Total Property Individual Total Sales & Excise 1. New York

12.97%

6

1

21

2. Hawaii

11.71%

39

9

1

3. Maine

10.84%

5

15

25

4. Vermont

10.77%

2

26

26

5. Minnesota

10.25%

20

4

20

6. Rhode Island

10.20%

4

27

34

7. New Jersey

9.86%

3

22

43

8. Connecticut

9.70%

8

8

42

9. Illinois

9.67%

9

32

23

10. Iowa

9.49%

16

20

24

Tax Rates in Illinois

IMAGE BY PHOTOROYALTY

51st

Overall Effective State & Local Tax Rate

39th

Income Tax

50th

Real-Estate Tax

Vehicle Property Tax

1st

25th

Sales & Excise Taxes

1=Lowest; 25=Avg.

The art of stress-free living Making spring cleaning a stress-free breeze Studies show that trying to tackle such an immense project as spring cleaning usually leads to procrastination, and little else. The good news is that breaking it up into manageable chunks spread out over a period of time has the opposite effect.

Here are three things to consider that will help motivate you to make it through without feeling overwhelmed or stressed.

Visualize Your New Home. What do you honestly expect your home to look like when you are finished spring cleaning? Would you be happy with just freeing up some space and cleaning behind the couch? Or do you want the corners of the mantle to shine, sparkle and bling like in a cartoon? There’s no right or wrong answer, but if you make up your mind and visualize your definition of a successful clean, your odds of getting there will increase dramatically.

Define Your Own Success. Once you

have your visual, you need to understand that spring cleaning is a generic phrase without much tangible meaning. If you want to be successful in transforming your home, you must be specific. Look through each room and mentally take stock of what exactly needs to be done.

Feel the Reward. The appearance of your home is how you objectively decide how your progress is coming.

Take a moment to imagine the sense of relaxation your newly cleaned home will give you!

The last thing you will need to do is come up with a game plan, figure out what your timeline is and then think backwards from that date to create a schedule that works for you. If you don’t really have a deadline we suggest taking on a single room each weekend. You will make steady progress without burning yourself out.

Source: College H.U.N.K.S Hauling Junk and Moving

rockfordchamber.com • theVoice • may 2019

IDOT picks winners of sign contest

moving & logistics

13

2019 IDOT WORK ZONE U.S. 20-Illinois 2 interchange, Rockford. Change existing cloverleaf into a diverging diamond. U.S. 20 reduced to one lane. Expected completion in late 2020.

LEGISLATION ADVANCES TO HEIGHTEN AWARENESS OF SCOTT’S LAW The Illinois Department of Transportation recognized six members of the public in April for their creative ideas to improve safety on the highways as part of the department’s digital message sign contest. More than 1,400 entries were submitted in six categories.

“With more than 1,000 traffic fatalities last year, the public’s messages could be the difference between life and death,” said Omer Osman, acting Illinois transportation secretary. The messages will run in rotation on approximately 100 overhead dynamic message signs statewide in 2019.

■■ Distracted Driving “Put Down The Phone and Nobody Gets Hurt,” Leanne Harbour

■■ Impaired Driving “Only the Casserole Should Be Baked.

Don’t Drive High,” Grant Mitchell ■■ Occupant Restraint “You Look So Cute in that Seatbelt,” Audra Noyes ■■ Speeding “Dashing Thru the Snow? Slow Down!”

John Shukites ■■ Vulnerable Users “Drive Like Your Family is in the Next Car,” Gene Larkin ■■ Work Zone “Someone I Love Works on Roads.

Slow in the Zone!” Lisa Hansen Visit www.lifeordeathillinois.com for more information.

‘Drive Like You Work Here’

The Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police, Illinois Tollway, industry partners and frontline construction workers launched National Work Zone Awareness Week to signal the start of construction; asking the public to “Drive Like You Work Here.”

Three troopers already have lost their lives in 2019 in traffic-related fatalities.

Each year, more than 5,300 motor vehicle crashes on average occur in Illinois work zones, resulting in more than 1,500 injuries. In 2018, 18 people died in work zones in Illinois, including one worker -- the lowest total since at least 2001, but still far too many.

The following guidelines for traveling through work zones should be followed at all times: ■■ Drop it and drive. Phones and electronic devices down at all times – it’s the law.

■■ Obey the signs. They will help you safely navigate work zones – and sometimes avoid delays.

■■ Slow down. The posted speed limits are there for the safety of workers and you.

■■ Be on the lookout for slowed or stopped traffic.

■■ Consider the limitations of heavy equipment, trucks and commercial vehicles.

■■ Provide them extra distance to come to a complete stop if they are behind you.

For more information, visit idot.illinois.gov or lifeordeathillinois.com.

State Senator Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) has sponsored Senate Bill 947, which would require the Secretary of State to include in each registration renewal notice a reminder of Scott’s Law, which states that drivers should move over and slow down when approaching an emergency vehicle. The measure also adds a question about Scott’s Law to the driver’s exam.

The bill received unanimous support in the Senate on April 12 and headed to the Illinois House.

Source: April 16, 2019 press release

14

| moving & Logistics

may 2019 • theVoice • rockfordchamber.com

GRAPHIC BY MACROVECTOR

Business Community’s Role in Public Safety: Share Your Security Camera Surveillance Data with Police

PHOTO BY LAUNDE MONDE

First mural festival to turn downtown into outdoor art gallery The Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Mayor Tom McNamara and City of Rockford announced plans for a new mural festival, CRE8IV: transformational ART, May 15 to 19 at various locations in downtown Rockford.

CRE8IV (pronounced “creative”) will feature eight lead artists working with teams of artists to create eight large-scale murals in Rockford’s central city, along with a free-to-attend Block pARTy at one of the mural locations.

“The daily Block pARTy events will allow residents and visitors a chance to interact with the artists and explore downtown Rockford,” said John Groh, RACVB president/CEO. “Perhaps most important is the long-lasting impact the murals will have as, over time, the city itself becomes an art gallery.”

“In the last year, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in interest in creating community murals,” said Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara.

Match Funding Needed The festival, produced and presented

by RACVB, is made possible by a $91,800 matching grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce, Office of Tourism and partnership of Painters District Council No. 30, Local 607.

RACVB is working to secure match funding through sponsorship of the festival and each mural, with local match funding, to date, provided by the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois and RACVB.

Mural Locations and Artists “We couldn’t do this without the building owners who are ‘all in’ on this new adventure,” Groh said. “We appreciate their willingness to support CRE8IV and to lend their walls to such dynamic, creative artists.”

Lucette Holistic Salon and Boutique, 508 E. State St. Artist: Molly Z, Chicago, www.mollyz.net The Symbols, 316 W. State St. Artist: Yulia Avgustinovich, Denver, www.Yulia-Art.com Wired Café Alley, 416 E. State St. Artist: Jenny M. Mathews, Rockford, www.instagram.com/jenny1396/

Lower Jefferson Street (under bridge approach on east side of Rock River), 299 N. Madison St. Artists: Lisa Frost and Libbie Frost, Rockford, www. lisafrost.com Rockford Orthopedic Appliance, 422 E. State St. Artist: Chris Silva, Chicago, chrissilva.com/ Urban Equities, 114 N. First St. (visible from 324 E. State St.) Artist: Corey Barksdale, Atlanta, coreybarksdale.org/ Chocolat by Daniel, 211 E. State St. Artist: Jenny Roesel Ustick, Cincinnati, www.jennyroeselustick.com/ Makers Space, 203 N. Church St. Artist: Brett Whitacre, Sycamore, Ill., www.instagram.com/ brettwhitacreart/?hl=en

Schedule for Block pARTy Events (Free; open to all) Wednesday, May 15. Parking Lot 5 (South Church and West State streets, Symbols Clothing), 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Mural painting by Yulia Avgustinovich.

Thursday, May 16. Family Fest Night, Lot 4 (324 E. State St., lot next to Bath & Body Fusion), 4 to 7 p.m. First night of Dinner on the Docks at Prairie Street Brewhouse. Meet artist Corey Barksdale.

Friday, May 17. Parking Lot 10 (508 E. State St., Lucette Holistic Salon/ Boutique), 4 to 8 p.m. First night of Rockford City Market. Meet artists Chris Silva and Molly Z. Saturday, May 18. Lower Jefferson and Water streets, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Downtown trolley art tour from Riverfront Museum Park or Rockford Art Deli. Discounted tickets to Rockford Art Museum. The pARTy continues, 6 to 10 p.m. Meet artists Lisa and Libbie Frost. Fireworks at dusk.

Sunday, May 19. Wired Café Alley, 414 E. State St., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., downtown trolley art tour from Riverfront Museum Park or Rockford Art Deli. Discounted admission to Rockford Art Museum. Mural painting by artist Jenny M. Mathews.

For more information, contact Martesha Brown at 815-489-1655 or mbrown@gorockford.com.

The Rockford Chamber of Commerce’s Public Safety Council has met regularly over the past several years with the Rockford Police Department and Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department to maintain an awareness of progress in addressing public safety issues. At these sessions, we have always asked what the business community can do to help.

The answer that has jumped out most recently is for members of the business community to be willing to share their security footage when incidents occur near their business, or more importantly, allow their security cameras to be directly connected to the City of Rockford Police Department’s new intelligence center, called The Fusion.

The Fusion intelligence center features a wall of screens showing live footage of Rockford’s main intersections, shot spotter maps and license plate reader tracking data. It is a new tool that the police department says is just getting started and plans to grow over the next few years to target violent crime.

The department currently can access around 200 cameras around the city to track crime using the intelligence center.

Getting further assistance by having the ability to quickly access area businesses’ security camera surveillance data if and

when necessary and will serve to expand the network and continue to improve public safety.

Having a growing database of surveillance cameras can speed up police response to incidents, obtain a more accurate time frame for when a crime happened, narrow down suspects, and gather additional evidence.

The Rockford Chamber encourages its members to contact the Rockford Police Department representative, Robert Reffett at 815-378-5742 to learn about how to share your surveillance data. We also encourage you to review your own security plan with your security or surveillance company. If you do not have an existing relationship, there are several qualified service providers in the Chamber’s directory at www. rockfordchamber.com For additional questions, please contact Einar Forsman at eforsman@ rockfordchamber.com.

Robert Reffett, Lieutenant – Special Operations Rockford Police Department District 2 Office: 779-500-6474 Cell: 815-378-5742 robert.reffett@rockfordil.gov

How can you make sure your surveillance cameras are really helping to secure your building?

HERE ARE SOME HELPFUL TIPS: Selection: Make sure your camera is of good quality and installed correctly to ensure proper visibility for current time and recorded viewing. Conducting a site security assessment can help determine your needs; using a professional installer is also important.

Placement: Consider where previous incidents have occurred when selecting camera installation sites. As blind spots are discovered, budget for additional equipment. Installation also should be secure and not within reach of passersby.

Recording method: Figure out how long you want to keep recordings. Will you use a loop system to record over prior events or will separate recordings be maintained for a set period before disposal or reuse?

Real-time monitoring: Decide if your security staff needs monitors for real-time viewing. If so, hold them responsible for monitoring the screens on a regular basis.

Staff training: Make sure employees avoid blocking the camera’s view.

What good is a camera placed in a critical area if an employee is obstructing the camera’s lens?

Footage retrieval: Label surveillance recordings with dates and areas to make search and retrieval easy and efficient.

Incident investigation: Use recorded footage when investigating incidents.

Maintenance and adjustment: Check periodically for equipment condition and adjustment needs. Your security or facilities management personnel should be able to inspect equipment, make minor adjustments (i.e., angle viewing changes) and know how to get equipment professionally repaired or replaced.

Hand-held cameras: Consider utilizing a handheld video recording device to record planned and surprise drills and supplement your recording equipment.

In this era of heightened security risks for facilities in almost every industry, a well-thought-out security plan can be your best defense against criminal activity, security breaches and overall property damage.

15

|

may 2019

theVoice • rockfordchamber.com

CENTER FOR

Leadership Development The power of showing up Leaders owe it to employees to be present In life, we are often looking towards the big moments. We look forward to milestones in our life that are easily identified as life changing – like weddings, graduations or religious ceremonies. We count down the days to holidays and birthdays, special events and special occasions. We celebrate big moments like job promotions or passing certification tests. We are constantly on the prowl for the next reason to grab a Hallmark card and eat cake.

But Hallmark doesn’t make a card for the moments that leaders should really participate in. This isn’t some “everyone gets a trophy” millennial approach. Or, maybe it is. Either way – I firmly believe that leaders should live in more of the mundane. It’s there – in the normal parts of everyday life – that leaders really have the opportunity to show up and make a difference.

According to Business insider, the average American spends 90,000 hours at work.

Payscale.com clocks the average in at 13 years and two months.

No matter how you look at it, people spend a whole lot of their lives at their place of employment. Of those 10 to 13 years, I would argue that probably most are pretty mundane. Most aren’t days filled with endless sales wins or successful completion of projects. Most days are the middle – the days where you make small progress towards big goals. Or you spend all day looking at cat videos. People work in a variety of ways. …

Show Appreciation As leaders, we have the honor of creating an environment in which people will spend a huge portion of their lives. We have the privilege of really shaping someone’s life – changing how they experience each and every day. The fact that people show up at a specific organization time and time again is really quite special when you stop to think about it. They’ve decided that, for whatever reason, your organization is worth 13 years of their life. Perhaps it’s the people they work with. Maybe it’s the specific work they do. Or maybe it’s

the paycheck and benefits. Whatever the reason, they’ve decided, consciously or not, that it’s worth 13 years of their life.

So what do we owe our employees for such dedication?

I would argue we owe it to them to show up. I think as leaders this can mean different things to different people at different times in our life. Sometimes it means simple things like making sure you say hello as you walk by their office or thanking them for their time as you leave for the day. Sometimes it means being flexible in looking for creative solutions to allow for people to continue to work differently, be it in time or place, during changes in their life outside of their control. Sometimes it means pay raises based on work completed or moving the needle toward strategic success.

Then there are times that showing up for an employee is far less enjoyable. It’s the crucial conversation you aren’t looking forward to having. It’s the evaluation and feedback that the employee is missing the mark or not managing others well.

It’s engaging in conflict resolution when it would be easier to ignore it and hope that it goes away on Caitlin Pusateri its own.

Rockford Chamber The opportunity to show up for employees occurs many times during a day. It sneaks up on you in the break room or slides into your inbox unnoticed. They usually aren’t moments that Hallmark makes cards for. They happen so often, we frequently miss them.

They are buried in the 13 years-worth of time spent at the office. It’s our job as leaders to stop and notice. Take the time to show up for our employees. And every now and then, to bring in cake.

Caitlin Pusateri is vice president, leadership development at the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

theVoice • rockfordchamber.com

may 2019 | 16

CENTER FOR

Leadership Development Leadership Rockford: providing opportunities to fine-tune personal and career skills Designed to provide a holistic understanding of the Rockford community, Leadership Rockford is an 8-month program suitable for emerging leaders, leaders new to the community, or leaders eager to become more involved in the Rockford region.

Members of the class represent a wide range of backgrounds, organizations, and levels of experience. The diversity of the class forms a dynamic cross-section of personal and professional viewpoints and perspectives.

Whether a life-long resident of the community or a newcomer, Leadership Rockford provides each participant with an in-depth understanding of the local community, including its history, opportunities and successes.

The mission of Leadership Rockford is to build leadership skills and enhance awareness of business, government and civic issues through interaction and direct involvement with business and community leaders. Participants can expect:

■■

Exclusive introductions to the

people that make up the very core of the Rockford Region ■■ Behind-the-scene looks of successful organizations in the Rockford Region through company tours ■■ Lively discussion and interaction with emerging leaders and people firmly established in positions of influence ■■ A further understanding of personal leadership strengths and opportunities ■■ Access to opportunities encouraging further

business

and

community

leadership development Registration

for

the

2019/2020

Leadership Rockford class is now open and can be found at www. rockfordchamber.com. Because the class is designed to be interactive and build an intimate network, class size is limited.

Find a full list of dates and supplemental information on our website.

theVoice • rockfordchamber.com

Leadership Development

ROCKFORD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

CENTER FOR

may 2019 | 17

18 | Locally Grown

may 2019 • theVoice • rockfordchamber.com

Award-winning app helps improve patient outcomes in physical therapy

By Sherry Pritz Enderle, NIU EIGERlab

The Edgebrook Farmers Market returns on May 1 and continues on Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., through Oct. 30 on the corner of Alpine and Highcrest Roads.

Edgebrook Farmers Market returns for its 28th year

Farmers market helps launch brick-and-mortar business

By Darcy Hanson, Edgebrook Spring has officially sprung in the stateline, and it’s time to celebrate all the colorful and delicious goods northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin have to offer through our local farmers markets.

The Edgebrook Farmers Market celebrates its 28th year. With the opening of the 2019 season, farmers are offering the best in seasonal vegetables, fruits, flowers and plants, organic produce, baked breads, sweet treats, artisan cheeses, honey and farm fresh eggs. Also for 2019, select farmers will offer nonedible goods such as goat milk soap, lard soap, beeswax hand salve and beeswax lip balms -- all derived directly from ingredients produced on their farms.

The Edgebrook Farmers Market prides itself on delivering local goods to our local community. By shopping at a local farmers market, you are allowing your palette to enjoy everything that the season brings to our area. As the weeks, months and temperatures change, so do the offerings at a local farmers market.

Our visitors enjoy returning week after week to see what new, delicious items have been freshly harvested.

In addition to the availability of local produce, one of the best reasons

to shop at a local farmers market is in establishing relationships with those who grow our food. By speaking with your local grower, you can get inside information on why your strawberries may taste especially sweet this year, what is the best way to grill your sweet corn or what previously untried produce might become your new favorite.

Market Stall to Brick-and-Mortar This market visitor-farmer relationship is what was able to grow a favorite local vendor from market stall to brick-and-mortar store. In 2018, we were able to welcome Edgebrook Farmers Market vendor, Van Laar’s Fruit Farm, as Edgebrook merchant, Van Laar’s Farm Market & Bake Shop. Customers now enjoy the offerings of the Van Laar Farm all year.

Find more details about the Edgebrook Farmers Market, including a complete list of vendors, at edgebrookshops.com Darcy Hanson is marketing & event coordinator at Edgebrook.

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

Innovation is all about new solutions.

For the creators of Avior Analytics, their personal experience with physical therapy led them to create an app to increase patient engagement resulting in improved patient outcomes. Their idea won the student award in the 2019 NIU EIGERlab FastPitch competition.

Ryan Wosick and Joe Scheidt were both wrestlers in high school and college.

After they medically retired because of shoulder injuries, their path moving forward was uncertain. While their wrestling careers were over, their physical therapy continued.

“After four shoulder surgeries and over three years of physical therapy, I was unable to return to college wrestling, a sport I loved and into which I had put years of effort,” Wosick shared. “Looking back I realized my lack of motivation and engagement with my rehab process lead to inefficient and incomplete recoveries.

“I started Avior Analytics so that all patients can stay motivated throughout their rehab, receive the full recovery they deserve, and regain the ability to return to whatever activities they find most important in their lives.”

The team soon realized, from communicating with their physical therapists, that the engagement between patients and therapists impedes recovery; patients’ motivation typically fades before the injury is healed.

They delved into the stats and were surprised to learn that a staggering 70 percent of patients neither adhere to, nor complete their outlined care program.

In addition to limiting the benefits of physical therapy for patients, missed appointments and unfinished therapies result in hundreds of thousands in lost revenues per clinic annually.

Entrepreneurial Spirit Based on their personal experiences, Wosick and Scheidt set out to create something that more realistically connected patients to their recovery programs. Their goal was to create an app that improves the results of physical therapy through increased patient engagement — empowering patients to take ownership of their care along their road to recovery.

“Ryan has been my closest friend since we wrestled on the same high school team together,” Scheidt shared.

“After his injuries forced him out of sports, I was excited to join his mission to improve the patient experience. I’ve had my own extensive physical therapy, and I’ve found that patients need a strong relationship with their therapists in order to experience a full recovery. My goal for Avior is to build the foundation for better patient-therapist relationships.”

Ryan Wosick and Joe Scheidt turn their wrestling injuries into an app to help increase patient outcomes in physical therapy.

App Builds PatientTherapist Relationship As they developed their app, they spoke to more than 40 clinicians and their patients, who confirmed their beliefs about the disconnect which often occurs between patients and physical therapists.

They were then determined to create content-based software tools to assist with solidifying the physical therapist/patient connection and increase both patient adherence and outcomes.

The next steps were to align with app creators to bring their app to market.

“The hiring vetting process was huge,” Scheidt shared. “By doing our homework, and electing to engage with a solopreneur vs. a larger tech firm, we saved a lot of money.”

Early on, Wosick and Scheidt had elected to bootstrap the creation of Avior Analytics utilizing their own personal funding and competition prize winnings.

Believing that there was a need and that the duo would accomplish their goals, family and friends also assisted with funding the project. Moving forward, Wosick and Scheidt’s plans are to reinvest their revenues versus diluting the value of their business with outside funding.

Early Adopters “We are grateful for the input of physical therapists who realized the potential value of our app and volunteered to assist with its development by using it with their patients,” Scheidt stated. The team was fortunate that a large percentage of the clinics involved with the beta test did not want downtime without the app.

These early adopters became Avior’s first clients.

Their soft launch was in March, just five months after FastPitch. To learn more about Avior Analytics, visit avioranalytics.net. To learn more about how NIU EIGERlab can assist with business development, visit eigerlab.org or call 815-753-2192.

Sherry Pritz Enderle is marketing & events coordinator/business development at NIU EIGERlab Innovation Network.

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

rockfordchamber.com • theVoice • may 2019

Locally Grown

19

Rockford City Market turns 10 Many new events coming this year

By Cathy McDermott, RRDP

■■ 10 year t-shirt design contest - Designs

by May 2

It’s hard to believe that we are entering year 10 of Rockford City Market. It seems like just yesterday that we were setting up for our opening night with great anticipation and thrilled when we had about 1,000 people show up to our tiny market.

As the year went on, we embraced bringing a local public market to our center city to drive traffic to the area and give entrepreneurs a start. That first season was a big learning curve, and there are a few of us still around who remember the big storm that came through in week three.

We were woefully unprepared -- and didn’t understand the importance of weights -- as the tents went airborne all around us.

■■ Punch card - 10 visits to the market and win a prize

What’s New This Year We’ve partnered with Runner’s Image in “Race to the Market 5K” on June 7 at 6 p.m. Starting at City Market pavilion, it takes a southwest route to the recreation path and highlights some of infrastructure coming in the future. A free kids 25¢ fun run across the State Street Bridge will be included. To sign up, visit runsignup.com/ race/il/rockford/racetothemarket5K.

10 New Activities #RCM10 ■■ Race to the Market 5K and Kids Fun Run - June 7

■■ June 7 discounts and specials at downtown businesses ■■ Vendor specials at the market ■■ 10 year vendors, sponsors and volunteers recognized ■■ Rockford City Market photo backdrop inside market hall - all season

Rockford City Market now averages 100,000 patrons per season. In the works is Race to the Market 5K and the opening of the long-awaited indoor market facility.

■■ Return of the market games - July ■■ Return of Kids Carnival - June 28 ■■ Guest bartending at the market-elected officials and radio/tv personalities August For more on the t-shirt design contest, visit www.rockfordcitymarket.com/design challenge. Designs should be submitted by May 2.

Visit www.rockfordcitymarket.com and www.facebook.com/RockfordCity Market.

More on the Horizon

Plans for indoor market include vendors such as Crust & Crumbles, Ronit’s Kitchen, Quixotic Bakery and planTerra Vertical Farms at its five-day-per-week food hall.

Rock River Development Partnership continues to manage the North End City Market, starting May 17 and running on Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at North Main and Auburn. It will have several new vendors this year. We also are bringing back the Vintage Market on June 22 and Bite Nite on July 27.

Currently, Rock River Development

Partnership is hosting public events in the indoor Market Hall and Bowtruss Room as a soft opening before the permanent tenants are complete. We have scheduled “winter” markets (the term for indoor markets off-season), dance classes, trivia nights, paint and sip and story times, and opportunities for private rental. Visit www. rockfordcitymarket.com/event-inquiry-

form. We expect tenant buildouts to be complete in a couple of months and will have an official ribbon-cutting.

Cathy McDermott is executive director of Rock River Development Partnership.

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

20

| may 2019

theVoice • rockfordchamber.com

legislative

Issues to Watch

New Illinois Laws for 2019

This year, 253 new laws took effect in Illinois. Below are those related to business, commerce, regulation, labor and licensure. For more details on any of the following, visit www.ilga.gov.

TRANSPORTATION, INFRASTRUCTURE AND VEHICULAR REGULATION/SAFETY

Agriculture Commodity Transport HB 5749/PA 100-1090 Between Sept. 1 and Dec. 31, requires IDOT to issue special permit authorizing the movement of loads of agricultural commodities that may exceed the current axle or vehicle gross weight limits by 10 percent.

Also increases the fee to ISP for a police escort to $75 per hour.

SOS Omnibus HB 5056/PA 100-0956 Advances various changes suggested by the Secretary of State to improve existing law and to clean

up areas of the Illinois Vehicle Code: Provides that the owner of a junk vehicle is not required to surrender the vehicle’s certificate of title under certain circumstances. Allows SOS to alternate numeric and alpha characters on specialty plates to increase the issuance of certain plates without redesigning/issues plates. Permits funeral home plates to be personalized. States any first division vehicle that has a gross weight of 8,000 pounds or more and is used for commercial purpose shall be subject to inspection by IDOT.

Vehicle Safety Test HB 4944/PA 100-0683 Provides that property carrying vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds to

26,000 pounds be subject to a safety test at an official testing station at least every 12 months, rather than six months.

IDOT ID Special Permit Language Change SB 3028/PA 100-0728 Removes language for the application for special permits (weight, height, length) from IDOT by paper. IDOT has moved to an electronic application system.

Reach” method in their Rules of the Road publication. The “Dutch Reach” method involves checking the rear view mirror, checking the side-view mirror, then opening the door with the right hand. Also requires the Secretary of State to include questions concerning safe driving in the presence of bicycles in their question pool for the written portion of the driver’s license examination.

Back-Up Vehicular Lights SB 2511/PA 100-0707 Provides that a back-up lamp equipped on a motor vehicle must emit a white or amber light without glare.

Covered Farm Vehicle Designation SB 3241/PA 100-0734 Allows second division vehicles in the 8,000 lbs. or less category that are specialty plated to receive the Covered Farm Vehicle (CVF) designation on the vehicles registration card. Vehicle owners requesting to receive the CFV designation must pay an additional $10 surcharge to receive the designation.

Tollway Agenda Posting SB 2291/PA 100-0867 Requires the Tollway to post an agenda for each Board of Directors meeting on the Tollway’s website and at headquarters building at least two business days in advance of the meeting. Any agenda must set forth the general subject matter of any issue that will be the subject of final action and include specific details concerning contracts for projects more than $100,000.

Rear-Facing Car Seat HB 4377/PA 100-0672 Requires children under the age of two to be secured in a rear-facing child-restraint system. Children weighing more than 40 pounds or taller than 40 inches are exempted.

Rules Of The Road HB 5143/PA 100-0770 Requires the Secretary of State to include information on the “Dutch

Intercity Rail Services HB 5206/PA 100-0773 Allows the Illinois Department of Transportation to enter into agreements with any state, state agency, or units of local government (currently any neighboring state) for the purpose of leasing any locomotive, passenger rail cars and other rolling stock equipment or accessories. Funds gained would be placed in an escrow account for future rail costs.

Public Transit Toll Exemption HB 5856/PA 100-0739 Provides that any revenue vehicles owned or operated by a Mass Transit District created under a provision of the Local Mass Transit District Act and running regular scheduled service may use any toll highway without paying a toll.

LOCAL BUSINESSES Urban Agriculture Zones HB 3418/AMENDATORY VETO OVERRIDE Allows municipalities to create urban agriculture zones and offer tax incentives to businesses associated with qualified agricultural products. Municipalities would also be allowed to authorize local utilities to offer wholesale or reduced rates for businesses in urban agriculture zones.

Illinois Home Grown Business Opportunity Act SB 3285/PA 100-1084 Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to develop an economic plan to assist businesses and municipalities located next to the state border. Provides for specific strategies the economic plan shall include.

Source: Illinois Senate Republicans

theVoice • rockfordchamber.com

may 2019

business

Trekk received a Summit Marketing Effectiveness Award for its brand work for International Paper’s Accent Opaque line. Trekk was recognized by the American Advertising Federation of Northern Illinois for its augmented reality app development capabilities. It’s Burpee Museum of Natural History app received two gold ADDYs, one in Apps, Games, and Virtual Reality - Mobile Apps, and one in Digital Creative Technology - Augmented Reality.

Barbara Olson Center of Hope received a $1,200 grant from Alpine Kiwanis Charities to purchase sensory stimulation tools to enhance therapeutic programming in a safe environment for its participants with autism.

Rockford Systems, LLC., launched a new Combustion Safety division that provides turnkey solutions for organizations that use thermal processes in their operations.

Researchers in the Regenerative Medicine and Disability Laboratory at the UIC Health Sciences CampusRockford are part of a team moving closer to finding potential therapies to treat the leading genetic cause of infant death: spinal muscular atrophy.

The team used stem cell models to find pathways for promising agents to reverse damage or at least protect nerve cells from further damage. A patent application has been filed, laying the foundation for future drug discovery. The research was published in the online journal, Life Science Alliance.

The 12U Rockford Rim Rockers, a Jr. NBA team of five from Rockford Park District’s Jr. NBA Basketball leagues, competed against the country’s best basketball players at the 2019 Jr. NBA 3v3 National Basketball Championships in Dallas in April. The national championships consisted of 96 teams in eight divisions of boys and girls.

Omni joined forces with Saggezza, a global technology solutions provider based in Chicago. This acquisition will expand the technical resources, expertise and global capabilities for clients of Omni, a Saggezza company.

Rock House Kids received a donation of time and talent in March from Material Management XPerts, who removed old crane equipment from its future indoor play area for kids to enjoy a variety of sports (i.e., basketball, volleyball, jump rope.).

The space will include a computer lab, additional classrooms, a teen lounge and new multi-use area.

Forty-six students from the Class of 2019 at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford matched into residency programs for the next three to seven years of medical training in 14 specialties in 19 different states. Fifty-seven percent matched into primary care specialties, including family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics.

Fifteen will stay in Illinois.

SwedishAmerican and the Rock River Valley Blood Center partnered in “Thank the Donor,” which allows recipients of blood transfusions at the health system to send anonymous messages to the person who donated the blood they received.

SwedishAmerican Foundation raised nearly $145,000 at Swedes’ Night, its annual gala on March 2 at Giovanni’s. Proceeds benefit SwedishAmerican’s new Creekside Medical Center, a 70,000-sq.-ft. multispecialty clinic set to open in July at 3505 N. Bell School Road in Rockford.

Digital Hive Mind launched a new website for Transform Rockford at www.transformrockford.org, which highlights the plan to become a top 25 community by 2025. It includes status of projects and progress, social media integrations, opportunities to make donations and sign up to volunteer.

Mercyhealth’s Adult Critical Care nursing team earned a Silver-Level Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of CriticalCare Nurses for a consistent and systematic approach to evidence-

21

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

Business Briefs

Advanced Machine & Engineering Co., installed a 704-kilowatt solar array on its roof on Latham Street on Rockford’s northwest side, making it the region’s largest commercial solar installation. AME applied to ComEd for a solar rebate and will receive a total of $176,240.

|

based care optimizing patient outcomes.

Per Mar Security Services acquired American Pride Security Services of Bloomingdale, Ill. Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Rockford Area Economic Development Council jointly contributed in March to a special section profiling Illinois in United Airlines’ inflight magazine, Hemispheres. The Rockford region is prominently featured on several pages of the publication and highlights businesses and attractions like Woodward, Laurent House and Anderson Japanese Gardens.

Community Foundation of Northern Illinois gave a $67,334 grant to Prairie State Legal Services to continue a medical-legal partnership with Crusader Community Health for no-cost civil legal services for patients.

Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau hired KMK Media Group while its associate director of marketing is on maternity leave.

The Rockford Raptors youth soccer league, Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and Rockford Park District welcomed the Puma Champions Cup Series to the Rockford region in April for the 20th year; with an estimated 27,000 attendees and economic impact of $1.8 million.

Rock River Water Reclamation District received a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada.

If approved, the Chicagoland Summer Showcases I and II will take place in Rockford and Belvidere, June 21 to 23 and June 28 to 30, at Auburn, East, Guilford and Jefferson high schools, Rock Valley College and Belvidere North High School.

The June events must be approved by both the state high school association and the National Federation of High Schools, organized by high school coaches or their organizations and held at middle school, high school or college (non-D1) facilities.

The Rockford Art Museum 78th Young Artist Show: Youth Division is on view through May 5 at 711 N. Main St. Comprises 375 paintings, drawings, sculptures, mixed media and more by K to 8 students at 65 schools in Winnebago County.

Ignition Studio worked with Rockford Ball Screw on an integrated campaign, “It’s Your Move,” on overcoming the challenges of communicating decades of manufacturing expertise in a mature industry.

SwedishAmerican Foundation received a $10,000 corporate donation from the Rockford IceHogs, through the IceHogs Charitable Foundation to invest in cancer care programs and services for patients and their families.

Rockford IceHogs raised more than $70,000 from its annual Jersey Auction Game and Wizard Night on March 31. A portion will benefit the Greg Lindmark Foundation in honor of retired Rockford Deputy Chief Greg Lindmark, who took his own life after suffering issues related to posttraumatic stress as a first responder. The IceHogs have raised nearly $1.1 million in 20 years through the annual fundraiser.

Cookies by Design celebrated 25 years in the Rockford area with a birthday celebration, April 8 to 13. It included daily specials, free samples and a giveaway for one free cookie bouquet a month for a year for one winner.

YMCA of Rock River Valley raised more than $650,000, that’s 51 percent towards its 2019 annual campaign goal of $1.3 million.

SwedishAmerican held a toy drive in March as a part of the nursing division’s Year of Giving and delivered Easter candy, scooters, bicycles, coloring books, chalk, basketballs, soccer balls, hula hoops and other toys to Rock House Kids in March.

A group of high school students who make up the In Youth We Trust Council awarded more than $23,000 in grants for nine unique youth projects in April, after they recommend proposals for funding to Community Foundation of Northern Illinois’ Board of Directors.

22

| may 2019

theVoice • rockfordchamber.com

in the news

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

Members in the News

1. Pete Rundquist

2. Lauren Jones

3. Matt Schmid

4. Tiffany Miller

5. Bif Buchan

6. Michelle Polivka

7. Trisha Tousant

8. Jim Polsean

9. Lori Wallace

10. Lori Kehoe

11. Chris Edwards

12. Kurt Schiffer

13. Paula Olson

14. Shelley Smith

15. Dennis Roop

16. Martesha Brown

17. Casey Bachochin

18. Becky Winstead

19. Leonard Forsell

20. Thomas R. Hughes

21. Edward Mungia

22. Shawn R. Cannova

23. Kathleen M. Yocum

24. Benjamin D. Miller

BOARD APPOINTMENTS University Club of Rockford elected new board officers in January: Pete Rundquist (1), president; Elder Granger II, vice president; Tom Michalowski, secretary; John Letourneau, treasurer; and new board members: Mark Cirone and Bob Guirl.

River District Association announced two new board members: Lauren Jones (2) and Matt Schmid (3).

Severson Dells Nature Center elected new board members: Helen Tobon-Molina, Chris Samuelson and Catherine Povalitis.

NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, RETIREMENTS Fehr Graham hired Tiffany Miller (4) as its new marketing coordinator.

YMCA of Rock River Valley promoted Bif Buchan (5) to vice president of youth development, Michelle Polivka (6) to vice president of marketing and communications and Trisha Tousant (7) to vice president of operations.

Ballard Services, Inc., promoted Jim Polsean (8) to vice president.

KMK Media Group promoted Lori Wallace (9) to project manager.

Rosecrance appointed Lori

Kehoe (10) as a new community relations coordinator in the Chicago region.

Per Mar Security Services named Chris Edwards (11) its new president of electronic security.

University Club of Rockford hired Kurt Schiffer (12) as its new general manager.

Illinois Bank & Trust promoted Paula Olson (13) and Shelley Smith (14) to assistant vice president, bank operations manager, and Dennis Roop (15) to executive vice president.

Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau hired Martesha Brown (16) as its director of advancement.

Rockford Mutual Insurance Company hired Gregg Hansen as assistant manager – IT infrastructure and support; Lisa Olsen, CPCU, as commercial lines underwriter; Joseph Tassone and Peter Fassbender as marketing representatives; Lynette Duncan as claims representative, and Tracey Parker as casualty specialist.

Stillman BancCorp N.A., promoted Thomas R. Hughes (20) to the holding company’s president, Edward Munguia (21) to the holding company’s executive vice president, Shawn R. Cannova (22) to vice president of operations, Kathleen M. Yocum (23) to vice president retail banking and Benjamin D. Miller (24) to information technology officer.

Ryan Adleman (25), assistant vice president cash management, joined Blackhawk Bank at the Perryville Banking Center.

Mercyhealth welcomed Justin Johnson (26), O.D., to the optometry staff of the Mercyhealth Vision Center-Perryville.

Mercyhealth promoted Joe Milanese to director of supply chain and Shawn Reinen, PharmD, to pharmacy clinical coordinator.

EMPLOYEE/COMMUNITY RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS Melinda Hagerman, Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory LTD, won SwedishAmerican’s Commitment to Caring Award.

Remedies Renewing Lives promoted Casey Bachochin (17) to domestic violence program director and Becky Winstead (18) to vice-president of domestic violence services.

Brent Brodeski (27), CEO and financial advisor, and Jakob Loescher (28), financial advisor, Savant Capital Management, were named to Forbes’ 2019 list of Best-in-State Wealth Advisors.

Specialty Screw Corporation promoted Leonard Forsell (19) to plant manager.

Rockford Symphony Orchestra named Brad Koloch (29), Kishwaukee Elementary School, as

its 2019 Outstanding Music Educator of the Year.

By audience vote, Peter Mera won Rockford Art Museum’s first Paint Wars in April. He will have a solo show in the Art Annex. Runnersup: Jessica Quam and Damion Davis. Other participating artists: Nicole Arns, Jane Erlandson, Rhonda Gates, Nancy Guthrie, Margaret McGraw, Janus Rose, Jen Schneck, Devin Schuyler and David Wennemar.

Michael Wilder (30), staff accountant, Wipfli LLP, received his CPA license.

Alpine Kiwanis Club presented the Robert P. Connelly Medal of Heroism to Matt Howes, Collins Aerospace. He pulled a driver out of her car after losing control, crashing through the guard rail and rolling down the embankment of Spring Creek Road bridge over Interstate 90. He returned to the burning vehicle to rescue her son.

Judy Coe, blood bank supervisor, SwedishAmerican, received the Patriot Award from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

Eric Ngum (31), chaplain, Wesley Willows, is a board-certified chaplain through the Association of Certified Christian Chaplains.

Meridian named JoAnne Mulvihill (32) its March 2019 employee of the month.

Continued on page 23

theVoice

may 2019

|

23

Members in the News

25. Ryan Adleman

26. Dr. Justin Johnson

27. Brent Brodeski

28. Jakob Loescher

29. Brad Koloch

30. Michael Wilder

31. Eric Ngum

32. JoAnne Mulvihill

(continued from page 22) The American Hockey League’s Rockford IceHogs gave team awards for the 2018-19 season: Jacob Nilsson (Most Valuable Player), Dylan Sikura (Rookie of the Year), Lucas Carlsson (Defenseman of the Year); William Pelletier and Tyler Sikura (Unsung Hero), Andreas Martinsen (Heavy Hitter Award), Dennis Gilbert (Most Improved Player) and William Pelletier (Man of the Year).

Michael Vincent LaLoggia, managing director – investment officer of LaLoggia Investment Group of Wells Fargo Advisors, was named to 2019 Forbes Bestin-State Wealth Advisors Ranking for the second year in a row.

Linda Kuhn (33), point of care testing coordinator, laboratory, OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center, is only one of 17 professionals nationwide to become a certified point of care professional.

33. Linda Kuhn

OF GENERAL INTEREST Dr. Josh Berven, Hulsebus Rockford Chiropractic, gave a continuing education lecture on golf screening for the chiropractic office at the annual Sports and Chiropractic Symposium at Palmer College of Chiropractic on April 13.

Jasn Harris, infection prevention specialist, SwedishAmerican, gave a presentation on Steramist for reducing infections in the hospital at the Illinois Health and Hospital Association’s Quality Advocacy Showcase in Springfield in April.

Ann Gantzer, vice president of patient services and chief nursing officer, gave one on the Mobile Integrated Health program.

24

|may 2019

theVoice

Manufacturing Dinner (continued from front page)

of Manufacturing Dinner featured a well-attended Expo, and the event was highlight by the two manufacturing awards announced, the Manufacturer of the Year, and the Individual Business Catalyst of the Year.

Manufacturer of the Year JC Milling Co. Inc. was announced as the 2019 Manufacturer of the Year.

This 40-year company has undergone significant change in the past few years.

This is a company that makes parts for a variety of industries around the country, including gas and oil, medical, aerospace, manufacturing, automotive and military applications. The company’s capabilities include precision CNC machining, milling, turning, grinding as well as cutting tool design.

In 2015, the company’s current owners purchased the company from its long time owners. Always a strong and successful company, the former owners knew that changes were needed to keep the company relevant in the new age of technology. The new owners along with its team of employees launched a “change-a-thon” and worked together to bring about several notable changes in technology, facility design, and training.

In addition, this company worked to enhance computer applications to better support company operations, going from just four computers to over 30 with redundant networks. They also enhanced their engineering programs to allow customers to submit prints electronically. Recently the company also fully embraced an ERP system that tracks all movement, workflow, accounting and costing.

The core of the company remains with this company’s great team of employees.

With the average employee tenure of 8 years, the knowledge and collaboration is a true asset and serves as the heart of the company. Management works to ensure that all employees are valued, and that the family values that were in place before the changes continued to be upheld. The team celebrates its accomplishments together and in unique ways to also have some fun. This company has also added or improved upon employee benefits options as well as special event days and

outings to thank and recognize their importance.

Owners Dean and Dominique accepted the award but were quick to make sure their team of employees were the most critical component to their success.

Individual Business Catalyst The Individual Business Catalyst honoree is someone we all know, as he is a very visible member of the community.

He has been active in the Stateline Quiz Bowl, Rockford Region Manufacturing Day, and Made in the Stateline. He is Eric Wilson of WTVO/WQRF. Eric was very proud to accept the award but wanted to make sure the audience knew that the things that they do could not be done without the leadership and support of so many people within WTVO. Wilson also shared a personal moment that changes his life forever, and demonstrated his passion for our community and Made in the Stateline.

Eric Wilson has been able to use his profession to advance our community and awareness of key assets in our community as well.

Nearly 400 area manufacturing leaders and other businesses attended the dinner and expo. The Presenting Sponsor for the Celebration of Manufacturing Expo and Dinner was QPS Employment Group, who has sponsored this event for nine years. theVoice

theVoice • rockfordchamber.com

may 2019

community Tuesday, May 7

Stepping Stones of Rockford, Inc., presents its 50 Year Anniversary Rosecrance Health Network presents Celebration Dinner, 5 p.m., at It’s More Than ‘Just Say No’: Raising Radisson Hotel & Conference Center, Resilient and Drug-Free Kids, 6:30 to 200 S. Bell School Road, Rockford.

8 p.m., at Heartland Community Performances by Stars of Light and Church, 1280 S. Alpine Road, Rockford.

Felix & Fingers Dueling Pianos, and Free, but register at Rosecrance.org/ silent auction. Reservations by April 25 drugfreekids. at www.eventbrite.com (search Stepping Stones) or contact Randy Friday, May 3 Roberson, 815-963-0683 or randy@ KFACT hosts its annual Wine Tasting, ssrinc.org.

5:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Artale Wine Co., 6876 Spring Creek Road, # 128, Wednesday, May 8 Rockford. Funds will provide each Circle of Wellness hosts a free graduating senior with a dorm basket Diabetes Screening with Karen filled with dorm room essentials and a Radtke, holistic nurse practitioner with senior trip to Chicago. For questions, Integral Health Solutions, 4 to 6 p.m., at call 815-519-1072.

3626 E. State St., Rockford. Call

Wednesday, May 1

Sunday, May 5

Rockford Park District presents its Cinco de Mayo Golf Event, 2 to 7 p.m., at Elliot Golf Course, 888 S. Lyford Road, Cherry Valley. An 18-hole, two-person scramble, taco bar and margaritas. Register at www. golfrockford.org, park district locations or call 815-968-7529.

Barbara Olson Center of Hope presents Rock for the Center Family Festival, noon to 4 p.m., at Tebala Event Center, 7910 Newburg Road, Rockford. Includes children’s games, music by DJ Joe! and Chloe Alexander, photos with princesses and super heros, chance auctions and 50-50 raffle, food for purchase. Kids invited to wear their superhero costumes. Visit www.b-olson centerofhope.org.

Rockford Symphony Youth Orchestra presents a 50th Anniversary Concert, 3 p.m., at Coronado Performing Arts Center, 314 N. Main St. A Reunion Celebration takes place on May 4, 6 p.m., at Kresge Hall in the Rockford Museum Park featuring RSYO alumni.

Tickets for concert at 815-965-0049 or www.rockfordsymphony.com. Call Margo Stedmann at 815-509-7520 or web site for reunion party.

779-423-1700 or visit www. circleofwellnessrockford.org.

Thursday, May 9

First Northern Credit Union presents Drive Away Happy: Car Buying Decisions, 5:30 to 7 p.m., at 104 N. Show Place Dr., Rockford. Register at www.fncu.org/seminars. For questions contact Zachary Taylor, 815-701-6111 or ztaylor@fncu.org.

Rockford Public Library and Prairie State Legal Services of Illinois presents Free Legal Help, 1 to 2 p.m., at the Montague Branch Library, 1238 S. Winnebago St., Rockford. Schedule in advance at 815-965-2902 or walk in; first come, first served.

Rosecrance Flower Day, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Gensler Gardens, 8631 11th St., New Milford, and 102 Orth Road, Loves Park. Visit rosecrance.org or call 815-391-1000.

Tuesday, May 14

Alzheimer’s Association, Illinois Chapter presents Understanding Alzheimer’s & Dementia, noon to 1 p.m., at Oakley Courts, 3117 Kunkle Blvd., Freeport. Register at 815-4841300.

Thursday, May 16

Mosaic presents Discover the

25

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

Community Events

MAY 2019

|

Possibilities free lunch & learn tours, noon to 1 p.m., on May 16 and 29 at 1111 S. Alpine Road, Ste. 401, Rockford. Learn about the mission to create real life with real possibilities for people with intellectual disabilities.

RSVP to 815-387-8390 or tammy. english@mosaicinfo.org.

Friday, May 17

Rockford Park District hosts its 13th annual Great Golf Ball Drop, 5 p.m., at Aldeen Golf Club, 1902 Reid Farm Road. Benefits the Fore the Kids Golf Outreach youth program. Tickets by May 12 at www.golfrockford.org or park district locations.

Saturday, May 18

Rockford Park District’s Atwood Center presents A Little R and R, 1 to 3 p.m.; part of the In the Outdoors series at 334-acre Seth B. Atwood Park, 2685 New Milford School Road. Observe raptors and reptiles outdoors and indoors. Visit www.rockfordparkdistrict. org/atwood or call 815-987-8800.

University of Illinois Extension presents The Deeper Roots: Digital Marketing in the Local Food System, 9 a.m. to noon, at the Winnebago County office, 1040 N. Second St., Rockford. Register at go.illinois.edu/ deeperroots or 815-986-4357.

Wednesday, May 22 Rockford Art Museum presents its 2019 Pop-Up Restaurant Series featuring Chef Gagan Anand of Shree, 7 to 9:30 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Reservations required. Tickets at rockfordartmuseum.org or 815-9682787.

University of Illinois Extension presents a community gardening program, An Evening with Nancy Nedveck, 5:30 p.m., at Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens, 1354 N. Second St., Rockford. Free but preregistration required at go.illinois.edu/ ExtensionJSW. For questions call 815-986-4357.

JUNE 2019 Saturday, June 1 Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois hosts a free event, Air Fair, an air-and-spacethemed family fun fair, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles, Ill. Email customercare@girlscoutsni.org, call 844-476-4463 or visit www.girlscoutsni. org/ote.

Thursday, June 6

Rockford Park District’s Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens presents Whiskey on the Rock, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. More than 20 tables of whiskey varieties and beer and wine samples by Artalé Wine Co.; hors d’oeuvres by Cliffbreakers. Tickets at Artalé, 815877-9463 or www.artaleandco.com.

KFACT’s Annual Fundraiser theme this year is “The Artifacts of KFACT” featuring a fashion party. Tickets are $50 each and available at Blackhawk Banks and online at Eventbrite.com.

Held at Burpee Museum of Natural History, 737 N. Main St., starting at 6 p.m.

Monday, May 20

Friday, June 7

Rockford Park District’s Aldeen Golf Club, 1902 Reid Farm Road, presents Couples Night Out on the third Mondays, April to November, rain or shine. Five-point putting game for all skill levels, 5:30 p.m.; dinner by Graystone Grill, 6:30 p.m. Registration at least 48 hours prior at duncangeddes@rockfordparkdistrict. org or 815-987-1673. Visit www. aldeengolfclub.com.

Rock River Development Partnership and Runner’s Image present Race to the Market 5K in conjunction with the 10-year celebration of Rockford City Market. Starts at 6 p.m., at the City Market pavilion and follows southwest to the recreation path. Includes a free kids .25 fun run across the State Street Bridge. Sign up at runsignup.com/race/ il/rockford/racetothemarket5K.

26

| may 2019

New Chamber Members MONTEL TECHNOLOGIES LLC

F & F SCREW PRODUCTS, INC.

Security Products and Solutions 8100 E. Riverside Blvd.

Loves Park, IL 61111 Ray Montelongo 815-966-1267 www.monteltech.com

Manufacturer of Quality Screw Machine Parts 2136 12th St., Ste. 101, 61104 Francisco Rosales 815-968-7300 www.ffscrewproducts.com

EAGLE RIDGE RESORT & SPA

MONEY MANAGEMENT EDUCATORS

Open year-round, our majestic resort has become a cherished vacation destination rated by Midwest Living as one of the “45 Midwest Resorts We Love” 444 Eagle Ridge Dr. Galena, IL 61036 Sherry Kenny 630-220-3658 skenny@eagleridge.com www.eagleridge.com

Providing free financial education 520 Lake Cook Road, Ste. 600 Deerfield, IL 60015 Gary Erickson 847-773-7110 www.MMEducators.org

SMOKEY BONES We specialize in three things: Good Food, Good Drinks and Good Times 6690 E. State St., 61108 Lou Anne Banks 815-516-1291 www.smokeybones.com

May 2019 Member Anniversaries Thank you to our members celebrating their anniversaries with the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

40-YEAR MEMBERS

35-YEAR MEMBER

FBM Gypsum Supply of Illinois Hayes Beer of Rockford Rockford Speedway/ Forest Hills Lodge Rosecrance Health Network

American Red Cross, Northwest Illinois Chapter

30-YEAR MEMBER Magnuson, Inc.

theVoice • rockfordchamber.com

Membership Renewals Thank you to members who renewed with the Rockford Chamber of Commerce in March, 2019 Accuride Wheel End Solutions Rockford Gunite Akerman Shoes Alignment Rockford American Precision Supply, Inc. Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc. Associated Bank Baird Wealth Management Ballard Services, Inc. Barbara Olson Center of Hope Beefaroo, Inc. Blackhawk Propane Company, Inc. Broadmoor Agency, Inc. Capri Restaurant, Inc. Chartwell Agency Choice Furniture, Inc. - Alpine Road Choice Furniture, Inc. CherryVale Mall CIT Trucks ComEd, An Exelon Company Countryman Inc. Diversified Machining, Inc. Dixon Automatic Tool, Inc. ESCO Grinding & Supply Company Exclusive Condominium Management First Free Rockford Forest City Corporate Center Freeway Rockford, Inc., Subsidiary of Freeway Corporation FurstSearch LLC G & O Landscaping Inc. Gallagher Guyer & Enichen - Attorneys at Law H & R Block Hanson Professional Services Inc. Highcrest Centre, LLC Hoffman House HolmstromKennedyPC I. Spinello Locksmiths and Security, Div. of Nate, Inc. Interstate Graphics Ipsen, Inc. J.L. Clark Keith Country Day School L.K.G. Industries, Inc. Lamar Advertising of Rockford LSP Industries, Inc. Macktown Living History Maney’s Lawnscape Inc. Manpower

Mark Pack Inc. Mercyhealth Merrill Lynch Midwest Scale Company, Inc. Nova Painting & Decorating O & L Machine Co. Inc. PCI Pharma Services Pepper Creek/Fourth Street Greenhouse Pepsi-Cola of Rockford Phantom Regiment Red Roof Inn #10035 Restoration Cafe Restore Counseling & Recovery Riverview Inn & Suites at Cliffbreakers Rock River Valley Pantry Rocket Industrial, Inc. Rockford Area Crime Stoppers, Inc. Rockford Area Realtors Rockford Career College Rockford Gastroenterology Associates, Ltd. Rockford Mercantile Agency, Inc. Rockford Park District Rockford Process Control LLC Rockford University Rockford Urological Associates, Ltd. Rosecrance Health Network RU Recovery Ministry Sikich LLP Singley Construction Sjostrom & Sons, Inc. Specialty Screw Corporation Spring Ridge Senior Housing Sprinkmann Sons Corporation Staybridge Suites Streamline Architects PLC Sundog Superior Joining Technologies, Inc. SupplyCore, Inc. SwedishAmerican, A Division of UW Health Transformations Plastic Surgery & MedSpa Village of Machesney Park Voss Metals Company, Inc. Wells Fargo Advisors Willett Hofmann & Associates, Inc. Wipfli LLP Zuba and Associates, P.C.

For sponsorship of any Chamber event, please contact Lynette Jacques, VP, Member Investment at

815-316-4317

theVoice • rockfordchamber.com

may 2019

chamber

Upcoming Chamber Events

MAY, 2019

Thursday, May 2 8 - 9:30 am Tebala Event Center 7910 Newburg Rd., Rockford

Celebration of

Leadership

Monday, May 20 11 am Forest Hills Country Club 5135 Forest Hills Rd., Rockford

Rockford Chamber GOLF CLASSIC

BREAKFAST

Featuring the 65th class of Leadership Rockford Keynote speaker is Rich Harwood, president & founder, The Harwood Institute.

Sponsored by PNC (presenting) and United Way of Rock River Valley (keynote).

Graduation sponsors: Alpha Controls & Services LLC; Associated Bank; Illinois Bank & Trust; LaMonica Beverages, Inc.; Mr. Goodwater, Inc.; OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center; Rockford Bank & Trust Co.; RSM US LLP; Savant Capital Management, and SwedishAmerican, A Division of UW Health.

Tuesday, May 7

Business Women’s Council, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Forest Hills Country Club, 5135 Forest Hills Road, Rockford. Kris Machajewski, YWCA Northwestern Illinois, presents “Implicit Bias: It’s About More Than Race.” Sponsored by Associated Bank.

Ribbon Cutting, 4:30 p.m., for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois’ new location at 1886 Daimler Road, Rockford. Includes light refreshments.

Wednesday, May 8

Breakfast Buzz, 7:30 to 9 a.m., Rockford University Puri School of Business, 5050 E. State St., Room 124, Rockford. Diane Navickis, president, Custom Training Resources, presents “Customer First: A Philosophy and Psychology.”

Sponsored by RSM US LLP.

Registration & Lunch 11 am Shotgun Start Noon Dinner immediately to follow Sponsored by Savant Capital Management (presenting); Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP (gold), SwedishAmerican, A Division of UW Health (lunch), OSF HealthCare (Mulligan), and The Alliance and Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (greens).

Friday, May 10

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

Thursday, May 16

Chamber 101 with Speed Networking, 7:30 to 9 a.m., RMTD East Side Transfer Center, 725 N. Lyford Road, Rockford. Sponsored

by MembersAlliance Credit Union.

27

Advertisers Index advertisers Advanced Machine & Engineering Co.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 American Precision Supply. . . . . . . . 13 Blackhawk Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Boylan Catholic High School. . . . . . . 16 Brian Thomas Photography. . . . . . . .24 HomeStart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 The Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC). . . . . . . 2 KMK Media Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Larson & Darby Group. . . . . . . . . 16, 17 Mercyhealth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Midland States Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Northern Public Radio. . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Northwest Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Orput Companies Inc. Farmers Market. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 OSF HealthCare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Rockford Mass Transit District . . . . . 13 Rockford Bank & Trust Co.. . . . . . 8, 17 Rockford Chamber of Commerce. . . 8, 15-17, 21, 23, 26, 28 Stenstrom Construction Group. . . . . . 9 Stillman Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Thayer Lighting, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Think Big Expo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

MPOWR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Van Matre Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Mr. Goodwater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Winnebago County - 815 Outside. . . 19

Wednesday, May 22

Advantage Power Network, Good Morning Rockford! 7:30 to 9 a.m., at Rock House Kids, 1325 7th St., Rockford. Networking and breakfast.

Registration not required.

JUNE, 2019 Friday, June 7

Ribbon Cutting, 11 a.m., at Cream City Scale LLC, 4300 N. Bell School Road, Loves Park.

Wednesday, June 12

Breakfast Buzz, 7:30 to 9 a.m., Rockford University Puri School of Business, 5050 E. State St., Room 124, Rockford. Jason Todd, Thinker Ventures, presents “Predict the Future, Using Leading Indicators to Manage Your Business.” Sponsored

by RSM US LLP.

Friday, June 14

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

Thursday, May 9

May Ambassador Lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at The Standard/Capri Restaurant, Rockford.

|

Thursday, June 20 10 am - 1:30 pm Giovanni’s, Inc. 610 N. Bell School Rd., Rockford

Women in Business EXPO & LUNCHEON Sponsored by Mercyhealth (presenting), OSF HealthCare and Illinois Bank & Trust (gold) and Northwest Bank of Rockford (awards).

Let your Voice be heard

of the Rockford Business Community

Chamber Staff / Call 815-987-8100................................................Direct Line Carmen Brenz, Program & Events Coordinator......................................815-316-4302

Einar K. Forsman, President & CEO........................................... 815-316-4304 Heidi M. Garner, Chief Operating Officer..................................... 815-316-4312 Olivia Guzman, Administrative Assistant/Customer Service Rep...........815-987-8100 Doug Hessong, Director of Publications & Technology.................... 815-316-4338 Lynette Jacques, Vice President, Member Investment. . ................... 815-316-4317 Kristin Muehlfelder, Member Relations....................................................815-316-4315 Caitlin Pusateri, Vice President, Leadership Development.....................815-316-4337 Doug Rand, Accounting Manager/Controller................................ 815-316-4316 Joan Sundvall, Membership Contact Coordinator.......................... 815-316-4320 Mike Mastroianni, Director, Small Business Development Center.........815-987-8100

Chamber Board of Directors & Officers EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chair of the Board Michele Petrie Wintrust Commercial Banking & Mortgage Chair-Elect Dan Ross Gallagher

DIRECTORS Andrew Benson Benson Stone Company, Inc. Kimberly Blascoe Wipfli LLP Jan Bowman TLC Construction LaVonne Brown Savant Capital Management

Vice Chair Jean Crosby Paula Carynski Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Crosby OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Starck Real Estate Medical Center Treasurer Samuel J. Castree Amy Ott Staff Management, Boylan Catholic Inc. High School Immediate Past Chair Richard Zumwalt Z Resource

Doug Curry Stenstrom Companies

Tim Honquest Honquest Family Funeral Home with Crematory

Dr. Alex Stagnaro-Green Univ. of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford

Jeff Hultman Illinois Bank & Trust

Karl Swanson Rockford Bank & Trust Co

Michael F. Iasparro Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP Kris L. Kieper Machajewski YWCA Northwestern Illinois Mike Paterson Mid-West Family Broadcasting Mark Peterson CBL Associates Cherry Vale Denise Sasse RSM US LLP

Sue Schrieber Don Daniels Mercyhealth SwedishAmerican, A Division of UW Health John Schuster Rosecrance Health Rebecca Epperson Network Chartwell Agency Teri Sharp Ira Grimmett American Precision Collins Aerospace Supply, Inc.

Jon Thompson Butitta Brothers Automotive Terry Voskuil Woodward

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

JUNE VOICE SPECIAL SECTIONS

MEMBERS:

Tactics & Strategies

Send news releases and other items of interest to the business community to:

Game Changers & Disruptors

Do you have news to share?

The VOICE, Rockford Chamber of Commerce 308 W. State St., Ste. 190, Rockford, IL 61101

DEADLINE IS THE 15TH OF THE MONTH PRECEDING ­PUBLICATION

(financial aspirations) (innovations in technology, manufacturing) For information on advertising, call 815

987-8100