May Voice 2021 by Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce

the

CAN-DO SPIRIT PAGE 3

May 2021 | Volume 34 | No. 5

Insights from past honorees WHAT’S CHANGED, AND WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT By Barbara Connors, with thanks to PYSKs The Rockford Chamber announces its newest class of People You Should Know honorees on June 24 — individuals in our region who are compelling, interesting and amazing. Here’s more words from honorees representing former classes, with input on what they’re doing now, attitudes and activities that have changed, and insights on leadership and world problems.

Lori Gummow, Winnebago County Clerk and Recorder

What are you currently doing? I

was

elected

Winnebago County Clerk in 2018 and assumed the Recorder’s Office in 2020. Checked off your “to-do” list of goals? I was looking for a new challenging

role, while still serving the community. Concept of leadership changed? Due to the pandemic, I had to re-think and re-evaluate strategies and procedures of the past. The safety of my team was always my priority, but with COVID-19, it was a different type of threat to their safety. I had to consider that my actions would not only affect them, but their families as well. That is a lot of responsibility. Anything surprise you about where you are now? After nearly 30 years leading an environmental non-profit, I never imagined I would be an elected official. However, I had several people calling me asking me to run, and I had my family’s full support. I was surprised

how many people stepped up to support me, and I was overwhelmed. It is a humbling experience. Speciﬁc place you most looking forward to visiting? I really do miss the opportunities for social interaction. I cannot wait for a large Chamber event where we can gather safely with 500 of our closest colleagues and give each other a warm handshake or a big hug.

Class of 2011 Jeﬀ Fahrenwald, VP of strategic development & execution, SupplyCore What are you currently doing? I retired from teaching and reentered the Continued on page 10

Rockford IceHogs to stay in Rockford through 2036

Join the Chamber on Social Media

The Voice is online at rockfordchamber.com

Governor JB Pritzker joined the Chicago Blackhawks, the City of Rockford, Rockford Area Venues and Entertainment Authority and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity on April 7 to announce a $23 million multi-year capital project to revitalize the BMO Harris Bank Center. “Not only will this $13 million investment create more than 250 construction jobs, retain hundreds of existing positions at the arena, and generate tens of millions in economic activity for the region – but we’re also opening the door for the Chicago Blackhawks to formally purchase their AHL affiliate, securing the IceHog’s long-term presence in Rockford,” said Governor JB Pritzker. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will provide $13 million in Rebuild Illinois grant funding towards the $23 million in capital improvements to the 40-year-old facility.

WE L COME ROCKFORD CHAMBER ALLSTARS BUSINESS NETWORKING GROUP HOSTS VISITORS DAY, MAY 4 The Allstars Business Networking Group invites you to “May the 4th Be with You Visitors Day,” on Tuesday, May 4. The networking group meets every two weeks on Tuesdays, noon to 1 p.m., on Zoom. Several openings for chiropractor, various contractors, accountant and more. Link to the event at https://fb.me/e/ CWYASGet. Password: 969073.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! ROCKFORD CHAMBER

GOLF CLASSIC

MONDAY, MAY 24, 11 AM THE MAUH-NAH-TEE-SEE CLUB For more information, see page 21

$23M for renovation of BMO Harris Bank Center

THE VOICE IS PUBLISHED BY

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of the rockford business community

People You Should Know: PART 2

Class of 2011

STUDENT LOAN CRISIS

Another $10 million includes short- and long-term capital from RAVE and the City of Rockford. Improvements will include improved audio-visual and digital technology, enhanced guest experience and concession areas, space for sports betting and upgrades to the center’s backof-house facilities. Subject to AHL approval and finalization of legal documentation, the Blackhawks will pay $11.8 million for the purchase of the franchise. RAVE has committed $1 million directly from the sale of the team to the building improvements. The private operator of the facility, ASM Global, also will work with RAVE to finance a portion of the renovation master plan. When combined with the sale of the team to the Blackhawks and their long-term commitment to the facility, the renovation ultimately will generate $382 million in net spending in Rockford and retain 358 jobs over the next 15 years. v

PRESENTING SPONSOR

WCHD TO RESUME ADMINISTRATION OF JANSSEN VACCINE

Based on CDC and FDA guidance to lift the recommended pause, the Winnebago County Health Department will resume administration of the Janssen vaccine (Johnson & Johnson) to Illinoisans, 18 and older when available. It states that while the risk for thrombosis with thrombocytopenia is serious, it is also rare. Health experts across the country have reviewed the data and benefits of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine in preventing COVID-19, and determined the benefits outweigh the risks.

LIFEFORCE DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE SEEKS APPLICANTS

Rockford Housing Authority’s Lifeforce Development Institute is accepting applications for upcoming classes beginning May 4. The extensive, hands-on, 108hour curriculum aims to address employment barriers by focusing on soft skills such as positive attitude and behavior, adaptability, responsibility, communication, problem-solving, professionalism and teamwork. All classes are online. LDI graduates earn the LDI Workforce Readiness Certificate; recognized by local employers and get assistance with employment opportunities that match career goals. Visit launchmyfuture.com/ registration.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

EXECUTIVE’S PERSPECTIVE

The hardest part is the end CAITLIN PUSATERI Rockford Chamber

Chamber has resources to assist in next steps as we open doors

I have quite a collection of wonderful books in my library at home. I can safely say, the first 24 pages of most of them are really great. The remaining pages? Well, I hope to one day find out. It’s often said that starting a project, getting an idea on paper or taking the first step is the hardest part of anything. And sure, there’s truth to that. I have plenty of other books in my library of which I haven’t even broken the spine on that can attest to this idea. But, right now, I want to focus on a part of the process that isn’t always discussed: the end. When we start something new, we are usually filled with hope and excitement for what’s to come – or at least a sense of accomplishment for getting something started. We have grand visions of finishing the project, checking off our list and submitting it to the world for review (and, hopefully praise or implementation). The middle is often filled with mundane work, but frequently a process that is tried and tested – a road map, if you will. But the end … the end often sneaks up on us and either sifts through our hands like sand or knocks us over like a ton of bricks. Very rarely does there ever seem to be a project

that wraps up neatly, checking all the boxes of our original intention, at the speed we would like. It’s either hurry-up-and-justfinish-it or set it on a bookshelf and get back to it one day. The end is often rushed, unfinished or finished unsatisfactorily, or just anticlimactic.

Middle of the End As it turns out, we as a global community, are smack dab in the middle of an end. The COVID-19 pandemic is, hopefully, coming to an end somewhat soon – exact deadline, TBD. While this is certainly good news, we as a business community are just starting the rebuilding work. The hardest part may very well be laying before us rather than in the rearview mirror. How we finish the pandemic is very much in the balance right now – and our ability to recover depends on our ability to complete the race. As employees and employers, I know we are all weary. We’re tired and sore and just ready to be done with the whole thing. If we don’t hear the words COVID-19 for the next 15 years, I think it might still be too soon. But, here we are – at the end. And we have to keep going.

Our business community is now faced with the challenge of finishing the pandemic in an intentional way. We’ve been firefighting for so long – it’s time that we start putting down the hose, stepping back and figuring out where the flames are actually coming from. For different businesses, this will mean different things. But for everyone, it will mean more change.

Moving Forward with Intention We can’t go back to the “way things used to be.” We simply aren’t the same people, society or businesses that we used to be. The pandemic has changed us, and it is in this moment – the end – that we can be intentional about how we wrap up and move forward. In reading a February 2021 Harvard Business Review article on burnout (BTW a few quick stats from the article — 89 percent of respondents said their work life was getting worse; 85 percent said their wellbeing had declined; 56 percent said their job demands had increased; 62 percent of the people who were struggling to manage their workloads had experienced burnout “often” or “extremely often” in the previous three months. (Moss, Beyond Burned Out), it was clear that organizations need to take time now to fully address how to move forward for all employees in a way that’s intentional, relevant and forwardthinking rather than just revert to the same-old-same-old as quickly as possible. Where we go from here matters. How we finish this pandemic matters. How we

can help each other make sense of the haze, matters. And the Chamber is here to help. We are dedicated to helping our business community finish the fight in a way that best sets them up for success – not leaves them on a bookshelf, getting dusty, with the end never really fully written. We have resources on tap for you to assist in your next steps. We are ready to help open doors, make connections and research answers. Please let us know how we can help you, our members, finish well and move forward. Caitlin Pusateri is executive vice president at the Rockford Chamber of Commerce. Moss, Jennifer. “Beyond Burned Out.” Harvard Business Review, 1 Apr. 2021, hbr.org/2021/02/beyondburned-out.

Let your Voice be heard The Rockford Chamber of Commerce welcomes and encourages member submissions for The VOICE of the Rockford Business Community. Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding publication date. Send news releases and other items of interest to the business community to: The VOICE Rockford Chamber of Commerce 308 W. State St., Ste. 190 Rockford, IL 61101 For information about advertising contact Customer Service at 815-987-8100. The VOICE of the Rockford Business Community (USPS 784-120). ISSN number 1086-0630, is published monthly by the Rockford Chamber of Commerce, 308 W. State St., Ste. 190, Rockford, Illinois 61101. Periodicals postage paid at Rockford, Ill. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The VOICE of the Rockford Business Community, 308 W. State St., Ste. 190, Rockford, IL 61101.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

proﬁle

MEMBER PROFILE

Participants display certificates from a Know Your Business seminar.

Brandi Morris:

CULTIVATING AN ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT By Paul Anthony Arco Brandi Morris has taken entrepreneurship to an entirely new level. “I like challenges,” she said. “And I have many interests, including helping people succeed in business.” It’s hard to describe what Morris does for a living because she’s involved in so many things. For starters, Morris, 38, owns LADIWORKZ, a consulting firm that works with small business owners on everything from trademarks to branding. Her other business is Storm’z Entertainment, Ltd., a multimedia company that promotes those in the entertainment business such as musicians, athletes and authors. Morris also sells a line of women’s casual clothing and dress shoes. Morris does it all as a company of one in a spacious office building in downtown Rockford, where she also hosts seminars and other special events including an annual women’s business expo, and popup workshops. “It’s important to me that small business owners get the knowledge they need to stay in business,” Morris said. “A lot of people don’t understand the business structure or how to file taxes, for example. If you don’t know what to do, you end up losing your business.” Morris gets her can-do attitude from a family full of overachievers. She learned a savvy business sense from her grandmother who owns group homes for the mentally challenged in Chicago. Her great uncle once worked as an emcee at the Apollo Theater in New York, and one of her cousins is a former New York City detective who investigated the murders of rappers Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G.

New TV Show The Chicago southside native got her start working promotions for Jive Records, an independent record label formed in the 1980s, which was later rebranded as RCA Records. Morris’ work took her to New York and Los Angeles before settling down 20 years ago in Rockford, which happened to be near her husband Shawn’s hometown of Beloit. “Rockford is nice and quiet

compared to New York and L.A.,” she said. Morris’ latest project could turn out to be one of her biggest. She has developed a TV talk show called “Relevant Conversations.” It’s an hour-long program that features two women, two men, a deejay and a bartender, conversing about current issues and working towards solutions. “The show is based on things I’ve observed in my life,” she said. “A lot of people need an outlet, and this show is a way to have discussions about the issues we face in everyday life.” Initially, Morris pitched the idea to the Bravo network, but is now working with NBC Universal, which has expressed interest. Seven episodes were shot before the start of the COVID pandemic, and if all goes according to plan, Morris said the show could see the light of day in 2022. But Morris is just getting started. In the fall, she plans to open a second office in Las Vegas, a natural move for business growth in the entertainment industry, she said. In fact, Morris has picked up 17 new clients during the pandemic, both locally and nationally. There is one more project that is personal in nature for Morris. At age three, she suffered an accident that left her blind in one eye. At 23, she was fitted with an ocular prosthetic after her left eye was surgically removed. “My eyesight has never been a hinderance for me,” she said. “I’ve dealt with this my whole life.” The accident made Morris more determined to help others. Over the years, she has heard similar tales from people across the country, and it’s her goal to create funding opportunities and support groups to help other people facing the same obstacles she did. “The surgery is so expensive and there are many people who just can’t afford it,” she said. “I just want to help where I can.”

LADIWORKZ/STORM’Z ENTERTAINMENT, LTD. Owner/CEO: Brandi Morris 730 Church St. 815-742-4754 www.ladiworkz1.com

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

GUEST COLUMNIST

ALEX MILLS Klehm Arboretum

Spring brings change to Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden

Smartphone tours, going solar, IMLS Museums for All program

Spring is a fantastic time to be out and about, to explore, meander and savor this new, special season and the changes that nature brings. There are also many exciting changes happening for Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden. For starters, if you have not driven down South Main Street in some time, you can’t miss us now with our new monument signage and landscaping on this main corridor to downtown Rockford. It welcomes all visitors to the area and grows Klehm’s profile as a tourist destination for the region. We have improved our onsite amenities in 2020 and have even more in the works in 2021. If you would like to come out to see what nature has in store this time of year, there is no greater opportunity than the Go Public Gardens Days community event taking place from May 7 to 14. As part of a nationwide event, there’s free admission for the whole week during operating hours (9

As a public garden and arboretum, we already tend to be very green, so why not go all in?

a.m. to 4 p.m.) and several self-guided and family friendly activities planned to allow you to experience the blooms and blossoms of the season up close. We’re also offering a special smartphone tour throughout the grounds and gardens to highlight the spring plant attractions at Klehm, thanks to The Dean Alan Olson Foundation, The Love Johnson Group (Baird), Nicor Gas and Thermo Fisher Scientific.

2021 Initiatives Recently, Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden looked at what lies ahead in terms of projects and goals,

and the resulting message was loud and clear -- go solar! The organization currently is exploring several different options and funding opportunities that would allow it to add photovoltaic systems to the buildings on the grounds this year. As a public garden and arboretum, we already tend to be very green, so why not go all in? Another new initiative for 2021 is participation in the IMLS Museums for All program, which allows us to ensure that no one is unable to visit Klehm due to their level of income. Visitors who show proof of their EBT benefits (such as a Link card) at entry are granted free admission for the day. In this manner,

we are committed to ensuring that we are not creating barriers to anyone who wants to visit, and that Klehm can truly serve as a resource and destination for everyone in our community. We do plan to hold our most popular fundraising event of the year, Garden Fair, on June 5 and 6. In addition to a variety of plant- and garden-related vendors, local non-profit agencies will provide information to visitors and present short sessions on gardening topics with “Learning Garden” added to the event. Klehm in 2021 continues to partner with Franchesco’s Ristorante for all aspects of venue rentals for food, service and event management. Alex Mills is executive director of Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden. The views expressed are those of Mills’ and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

 Destination

ILLINOIS, USA

ADDING WEALTH TO THE REGION’S ECONOMY BY GROWING TOURISM

JOHN GROH Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

RACVB, city beautification partnership extended

What happens when public and private donors come together to improve downtown Rockford? Vibrant transformation programs like Forest City Beautiful! Established by RACVB in 2014 as a means to improve downtown civic spaces and stimulate business development and community pride, Forest City Beautiful started with restoring public landscapes, planting bright seasonal containers, creating inviting seating areas, adding trash receptacles, installing wayfinding signs and sponsoring public art. Since that time, the program has blossomed to include initiatives such as iconic placemaking features such as the “Rockford” letters at Davis Park and our CRE8IV Transformational Art murals. Forest City Beautiful is supported by the generous donations of individuals and organizations throughout our community. Recently, Rockford’s City Council recommitted its partnership

funding of $105,000 annually through 2024. In addition, the RACVB has engaged private sponsors and donors, and secured grants to fill the gap needed to ensure this beautification program continues to bolster downtown and other areas in the city with inspiring, colorful places worthy of our residents and visitors.

Expanding the Reach As the program leader, RACVB Destination Development Director Kristen Paul regularly explores our neighborhoods to discover new ways to increase Forest City Beautiful’s reach. In 2021, you will see expanded beautification enhancements west of the downtown Rockford Mass Transit District depot in support of that growing business corridor. Our efforts are noticed! Along with accolades from downtown workers and tournament visitors, City of Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara has noted that the appearance of downtown Rockford

has changed dramatically through the program. “It’s been a noticeable and visible improvement,” said the Mayor. “The downtown is cleaner, brighter and more welcoming. A positive impression is critical, and it’s what our residents and our visitors expect and deserve.” Forest City Beautiful is a solid example of the power of public private partnerships. We are grateful for our partners in this effort including, but not limited to, the City of Rockford, OrthoIllinois, Illinois Bank & Trust, SwedishAmerican, A Division of UW Health, BMO Harris Bank, WilliamsMcCarthy, MembersAlliance Credit Union, Rockford Area Realtors, Fehr Graham and Woods. We also extend deep gratitude to Rockford Sharefest for its years of logistical and volunteer support in installations throughout the area and especially at Davis Park. As the weather warms and we begin to ramp up our efforts, we are honored to bring beauty and color to your

This before and after is a dramatic illustration of the cooperative efforts of Forest City Beautiful.

outdoor experiences and shopping in downtown Rockford. If you can’t make it downtown for a first-hand experience, be sure to visit GoRockford on social media to watch the Forest City Beautiful 2021 edition of vibrant transformation. John Groh is president/CEO of Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. The views expressed are those of Groh’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

IGNITE: YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

Chance to take on a leadership role

CARMEN KELLERMAN IGNITE

Promoting volunteerism and community engagement

Getting INVOLVED in your community is a great way to develop professionally, personally and as a way to give back. Community service connects us to the community by getting us involved in improving it and thus making the community a better place for us all to live. IGNITE has multiple ways to help you with that. IGNITE is committed to providing its members with a wide variety of opportunities that allow them to give back to and grow in the community. We encourage our members to go to community events, volunteer in the community and to have positions on community boards. Volunteer opportunities can be found at www.igniterockford.com/ ignite-the-community/ Want to be a part of IGNITE, but want to be more than a member? Join the leadership team! If you are looking for a way to get involved in our community, we have the perfect opportunity for you. IGNITE is searching for a new INVOLVE co-chair to add to our leadership team! Please read position details below.

Job Duties INVOLVE co-chairs are tasked with community engagement and volunteerism. They … ■ Support projects and initiatives that would make Rockford a more attractive option for young professionals. The group focuses their efforts on ways that young professionals can become more involved and engaged in their city and have their voices heard. ■ Build relationships with area not-forprofits and connects young professionals

with area not-for-profits to promote volunteerism. ■ Coordinate with local non-profits and businesses to provide young professionals opportunities to experience various types of volunteerism in the Rockford community. It is required that each leadership team member work to recruit new members and event sponsors. It is also expected that the leadership team work hand in hand with each other. All leadership team members are required to attend leadership team meetings monthly (currently scheduled virtually during the lunch hour.)

How to Apply If interested in becoming the INVOLVE co-chair, please email info@ igniterockford.com with your name, title and company and why you think you would fit the INVOLVE co-chair position. Thank you for your interest, and we look forward to hearing from you!

Current Leadership Team Coordinator: Carmen Kellerman President: Danica Keeton Vice President: Kira Devin Secretary: Amanda Sink Marketing Director: Brianna Crosser REACH Co-Chairs: Janessa Wilkins and Vicky Rhine EDUCATE Co-Chairs: Bobby Reitsch and Kyle York INVOLVE Co-Chair: Shane Sullivan Carmen Kellerman is event & program coordinator at the Rockford Chamber of Commerce and IGNITE Rockford.

TUESDAY, MAY 4, 2021 at 12 PM CDT

“May the 4th Be With You Visitors Day”

AllStars Business Networking Group – Rockford Chamber

FREE - ONLINE EVENT

Link to the event at https://fb.me/e/CWYASGet. Password: 969073

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

DR. EHREN JARRETT Superintendent RPS 205

May 2021

Families share their feedback in School Quality Survey

Because of the disruption of the pandemic, many of us in the Rockford Public Schools braced for the results of this year’s School Quality Survey. When the data came in, we were relieved. Ultimately, 85 percent of families responding to the 2020-21 survey rated the education their students received in RPS 205 as excellent or good. Despite our fears -- and despite downward trends in other school districts -- we didn’t lose ground from previous surveys. On the most important dimensions of school quality, whether students were remote or in-person, we held our own. The results underscore the decision of our School Board to allow families to choose the mode of instruction for their students, so they could learn in a way they believed was most comfortable and safest. Since the 2018-19 school year, the survey has been administered and

analyzed by K12 Insight, a company focused on customer experience in education. The questions measured topics such as academic support, student support, school leadership, family involvement and safety and behavior. The survey, which was online, was open for a month in January and February. It was translated into Spanish and Arabic. One in four RPS 205 families participated, which meets both our district goals and industry best practices for survey response. The 85 percent of families this year who rated the overall quality of their child’s school as excellent or good compared to 84 percent in the school year 2019-20 and 83 percent in 2018-19. Seventy percent of our families believed the district did an excellent or good job managing COVID this year. That’s a higher favorable percentage than similar districts, according to K12 Insight.

At least three-quarters of families strongly agreed or agreed with statements related to academic support, student support, school leadership, family involvement and safety and behavior. Their agreement was on par with previous years.

Areas to Work on We aren’t planning any celebrations, mind you. There are plenty of areas in which we continue to see challenges. We see a dropoff in perceptions as students get older. For example: 97 percent of early childhood families rate the overall quality of their school as excellent or good, while only 76 percent of families of high school students do. The age disparity exists in almost every dimension measured. This is not unusual; indeed, a family’s feeling of disconnection and waning support is seen across the country as students move from pre-kindergarten/ kindergarten to 12th grade. Just because it’s a common problem is no excuse. We will strive to be better partners with our parents, regardless of the age of their student. Discipline is another area in which we need to explain and communicate

better with our families. Even though we must protect the privacy of students and cannot share details, we can make sure families know what constitutes bullying or other infractions of our discipline code, and what comes next. We would be remiss, however, if we didn’t give a shout out to teachers who continue to find unique ways to connect with parents. Their innovation offers a silver lining in the pandemic, and I know they will apply those lessons forward. Between now and the end of the school year, principals will report back to their families about what survey data shows in each school and what they plan to do about it. My Superintendent’s Cabinet is also studying survey results and determining action steps. Pandemic or no pandemic, we commit to listen to our families and be better partners in learning. Keep sharing the feedback. It’s a gift. 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.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

R O C K F O R D

C H A M B E R

O F

C O M M E R C E

Small Business Enterprise The courage of the follower: Five dimensions MIKE MASTROIANNI SBDC

Responsibility, service, challenge, transformation, moral action

Much has been made of leadership with training and mentoring for leaders and prospective leaders. The SBDC and the Chamber have provided many programs on the topic. But every leader is also a follower. The book, “The Courageous Follower” by Ira Chaleff presents some interesting insight on what it means to be a good follower. The book discusses the five dimensions of good followership, including the courage to assume responsibility, the courage to serve, the courage to challenge, the courage to participate in transformation and the courage to take moral action. We have seen examples of this in our lives. There is sometimes difficulty in taking on responsibility. Some would love to have another person step up and be accountable, but there are times when we need to demonstrate our value to the organization. We have heard about servant

leadership, and there is also responsibility on the part of the follower to serve too. When I was the president of the Rock Valley College, I had team members who had skills I didn’t possess, and I relied on them to take charge and help me by using their skills, and then to support me in the difficult decisions that I had to make. I told my staff that their loyalty was to the college, not to me personally, and that gave them the ability to challenge me if I was in error or if they didn’t understand the direction I was heading. Sometimes people are saying things contrary to your decision in order to help you and prevent you from making a terrible mistake. Of course, there is a right and wrong way to confront, and we have done many seminars and webinars about how to confront another respectfully, getting the point across while preserving the on-going relationship. There were a lot of changes taking

place not only at the college, but in other roles where I served as a leader. When change is warranted, a leader wants a follower who will voice concerns, weigh all the options in private and then publicly support the final decision. The courage to take moral action occurs when the leader is asking a follower to do something unethical or immoral. The courageous follower refuses to do so, even if it means that they are out of a job. Norm Dasenbrook, MS, LCPC and I teach something called the “stay or go model.” We have found this to be an effective way of knowing when to leave. First, I ask if I am looking at the issue correctly. If I am, then I ask if there is anything I can do to change the situation. If there isn’t then I ask if I can live with either the consequences or the stress from taking that action. If I am looking at things correctly, I can’t do anything about it, and I can’t live with the stress, then it’s time to leave.

The courage to take moral action occurs when the leader is asking a follower to do something unethical or immoral. These are challenging times for all of us, both in a leadership and in a followership role. With all the issues we have faced, a well-run organization thinks through what they are doing, involves people in the decisions affecting them and supports one another. When those things occur, the issues that do arise can be handled by a strong team, willing to take responsibility and to make things better. It is the leader’s responsibility to listen to her or his followers and involve them in decision making.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

GUEST COLUMNIST

JOHN FRANA theFranaGroup

The new middle class

The Student Tax OPtion (STOP) Act

The student loan crisis is poised to be the next financial bubble. The CARES Act provided temporary relief by suspending student loan payments through this September. Additional relief may come in the next COVID legislation, but these are simply temporary measures. The Center for Education and Training Reform (CETR) was formed as a 501(c)4 nonprofit corporation to address this and other education and training issues. The voluntary organization has nine board members who meet monthly. As its first project, CETR has undertaken a grassroots campaign to change student loan payments into federal tax credits: the Student Tax OPtion (STOP) Act. In a generation, the funding of post-secondary education has shifted from state and federal tax support to individual student loans – a shift that has now grown to a $1.7 trillion student loan debt -- larger than automobile and credit card debt combined; exceeded only by home mortgage debt. In Illinois, the state university support from the legislature has shrunk from $11 for every $1 paid by students to less than $1 for each student dollar. The political fear of the third rail (taxes) has created an alternate individual tax called “student loans” and a pending financial crisis larger than the 2008 financial meltdown. All current and proposed “student loan solutions” either nibble at the edges of the problem, have income caps, cover only public colleges and universities, do not cover private colleges and universities, do not cover private student loans (10 percent of the total) or do not address the need for a transition period to increase state and federal funding for education. This is a nonpartisan campaign aimed at having members of Congress and candidates for Congress sign a pledge to pass the STOP Act. The STOP approach provides an incremental change period that keeps the current system in place while the process of increasing general taxation by state and federal governments works to reduce the need for the student loan system. In the process, a new middle class is created that will inject $17.5 billion ($393 average loan payment times 44.7 million) in disposable income into the economy each month for years to come. Faced with a need to speed economic

recovery, this new middle class will drive the recovery by doing the things student debt has kept them from doing: buying automobiles, getting married, buying homes and starting families.

The STOP Act Contains the Following Terms ■ All student loan (public and private) payments (principal, interest, and fees) shall be allowed as individual federal income tax credits in the year paid. Currently, only interest paid on student loans is allowed as a tax deduction. ■ Similar student loan payments made in the previous five years are aggregated and established as federal tax credits (claw back provision). ■ All unused credits carry forward for up to 10 years. ■ All Social Security payments shall be exempt from garnishment of student loans. Currently, more than 100,000 loan holders have their Social Security checks garnished to pay for student loans. All current Members of Congress and candidates for Congress have been requested to support the STOP Act.

With

44.7

million

student

loan holders, including 8.9 million loan holders over age 50, there is significant motivation for the one in four American adults and their supporters who owe on student loans to urge Members of Congress to support the act. As in the California Proposition method, if the overwhelming student loan holders support this campaign, the creation of a new middle class can be assured. If you have or know of someone who has a student loan, help make this effort go viral by making them aware of this effort. More information can be found at StudentTaxOPtion.org. John Frana is president of theFranaGroup, founded in 1999, a national healthcare consulting firm that provides solutions for Federally Qualified Health Centers. The views expressed are those of Frana’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

PYSK INSIGHTS Continued from front page

business world with SupplyCore and its affiliated companies — MPOWR, JJP, Rocktown Adventures, to name a few. Checked off your “to-do” list of goals? I was traveling more, getting involved in boards, spending more time with my grandchildren and my family, and then COVID hit. Now I am looking to restart some of my efforts. During COVID, I was able to get in better shape. I walk over five miles a day now, can do a five-minute plank and keep up with my grandkids! Currently reading or watching? I am in a group with work colleagues reading one book per month related to strategy development. It makes us accountable to each other to keep up in our field. Gotten you through the past year? My grandchildren and my wife. When I switched jobs, my wife retired. She has taken most of the pressure off me during this past COVID year. Because of my son’s work schedule, our grandkids stay with us about four days a week. They are one of my biggest joys, and no matter what my day has been like, they always make me laugh. Goals changed? Looking more to retirement in a few years and having fun in the work I do until then. Concept of leadership changed? My most satisfying moments are when I see my ‘fingerprints’ on something that someone else is being recognized for accomplishing. Who has inspired you lately? My wife Linda, who has had to pivot to full time preschool teacher for my granddaughter and sometime teacher for my grandson. She has done it with patience and grace far beyond my capabilities. Anything surprise you about where you are now? I didn’t think I would ever have the variety of opportunities and challenges I have at SupplyCore, including work with our start-up software company, MPOWR. Habit have you started? Besides walking five miles a day, I took up yoga. I cut way down on sugar also. Place you most looking forward to

visiting? I would be happy to travel just about anywhere. I really haven’t been out of the state in over a year. Locally, I look forward to attending our various summer music venues and locally-owned restaurants. Problem you wish you could solve? Civility and cooperation. I am so tired of the way some of us treat others, and I am so tired of everything being defined as ‘red’ or ‘blue.’ I don’t think this gets us anywhere.

Class of 2011

Brent Brodeski, chief executive oﬃcer and ﬁnancial advisor, Savant Wealth Management

What are you currently doing? I continue as a founder and the CEO of Savant Wealth Management, but now, we employ 210, have 6,500 clients and manage $10BB for clients in all 50 states. Checked off your “to-do” list? We have expanded employee ownership from a handful of people to 77 and counting! Currently reading or watching? Various books to help me think about life and business post-COVID. Two good ones: Remote Work Revolution by Tsedal Neeley and Post Corona from Crisis to Opportunity by Scott Galloway. Gotten you through the past year? My wife Sharon and I decided to become wine experts. We became level III wine sommeliers. This was harder than any of my financial designations I’ve earned. Disclaimer: We did this only for fun — don’t expect to see us moonlighting pouring wine in a local

restaurant anytime soon (unless we happen to be sharing a good bottle with friends over dinner)! Goals changed over the past year? I am still super excited about our longterm vision of improving one million lives. But with completing my sommelier certification, I have also decided that I will only drink good wine on our journey to improve one million lives! Concept of leadership changed? Leadership in the old days was top down command and control. This might have worked in the industrial age, but it no longer works in today’s world where teams are distributed and the global economy is focused on services and ideas. As a result, today’s successful companies focus on developing the next generation, and unconventional leaders, at all levels of organizations. This is my focus — make it safe and inviting for inspired and empowered leaders to emerge. Who has inspired you lately? I finished my ninth year of executive education at Harvard Business School and became an official HBS alumnus. Several professors, year after year, have taught me invaluable lessons and expanded my thinking. Savant is the only organization that I have grown and led. The amazing faculty have made me far more effective at doing so. Surprised where you are now? I could never have imagined being where I am. Some of this is a result of hard work and persistence, some good decisions, some due to taking good risks and surrounding myself with great people. But I have to be honest — a lot of my success is a function of good luck and fortunate timing! Habit you’ve started? I used to eat too much and did not move nearly enough. I decided to use COVID as an opportunity to lose weight and get into shape. It was easier since we could not travel and dine out regularly. I’ve lost 130 lbs. and gotten in the best shape in my life. Speciﬁc place you look forward to visiting? I am excited to go back to Europe to visit wine country. I have a new appreciation for France, given that I am now working on my French Wine Scholar designation.

Things you’ve realized you do — or don’t — really need? I traveled a lot for business pre-COVID. That all stopped a year ago. I have had more time to be a good leader — just as effective without jet setting around the country every other week. I will start to travel again, but also excited about limiting this travel to spend more time with our team and my family. Problem you wish you could solve? Team Savant has signed up for helping a million people build ideal futures by aligning their values, priorities, goals, money, strategies and financial structures. My back of the envelope calculation is that we currently directly or indirectly help about 50,000 people. So, only 950,000 more to go! Freedom to do anything, what? The only thing still on my bucket list is to have a warm-weather place on the ocean to escape January/February Midwest winters!

Class of 2014 Jim Derry, president, FIELD Gotten you through the past year? 2020 was a very challenging year! I was diagnosed with cancer on Dec. 31, 2019, started 10 rounds of chemo in January, and COVID had the biggest impact on the business we’ve seen in our 30 years. These challenges provided clarity on what was most important: faith and family. The cancer experience provided insights I never would have had without it. I’m a better person for it and had amazing support from my family and closest friends. When COVID hit Field Fastener, we focused on protecting lives and livelihoods. That commitment enabled us to adapt and adjust to keep the team safe and employed while we took care of our customers.

Class of 2014 Patrick O’Keefe, executive director, Midway Village Museum Checked off your “to-do” list of goals? Surviving 2020. What are you currently reading or watching? Sustainable Museums, Sutton. What has gotten you through the past year? Close friends and work. Continued on page 11

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

PYSK INSIGHTS Continued from page 10

Concept of leadership changed? Keeping up open communication and integrity. Who has inspired you lately? Why? Anthony Fauci; doing and saying what’s right for mankind. Surprised you about where you are now? I have been a volunteer in the non-profit sector for years, and now I am working in not-for-profit for the first time. It’s great. Habit you’ve started? Reading more. Speciﬁc place in your neighborhood you most looking forward to visiting? Looking forward to Edgebrook Farmers Market. Outside, I am looking forward to City Market. Some things you’ve realized you do — or don’t — really need? I guess I don’t really need dining out, as I didn’t miss it that much. I DO need travel; I have never NOT traveled in my life. Problem you wish you could solve? The horrible rampant gun violence we have in society. I fear that we are somewhat desensitized to it. If you had the freedom to do anything, what? Pretty much what I do.

Class of 2015 Heather Kelley, consultant, The Illinois Small Business Development Center

What are you currently doing? Assisting start-up and existing small businesses realize their dream of entrepreneurship with training and guidance in their marketing activities. In order to stay active in the advertising industry, I serve as governor of The American Advertising Federation in District Six (IL, MI and IN). Currently reading or watching? Reading The Long Tail. Gotten you through the past year? Moving to and experiencing a historic

May 2021

neighborhood in Rockford with close friends nearby. We can easily walk to the food trucks at Sinnissippi and to the downtown area as well.

Problem you wish you could solve? We need to go back to listening to each other and know that it’s okay to not always agree. Be respectful and mindful of the opinions of others. Goals changed? Generally, all of my experiences in the past year have molded me into becoming more mindful and deliberate with my goals and decisions. I’ve also learned to be a lot more flexible. Concept of leadership changed? Surrounding myself with people who have more knowledge and experience has kept me motivated and made me a better leader. Also paying attention to and focusing on the individual strengths within a group or team. Inspired you lately? I have focused on reconnecting with mentors in key focus areas of my career path. Many are former bosses and board colleagues. It has really helped me gain perspective in terms of how far I’ve come and how many of my core values have stayed consistent. Surprised you about where you are now? Years ago, I thought I would be a lifer in the banking world. As the years passed, I became more interested in investing in new experiences such as working on the client and agency sides of the advertising world and gained experience in the food industry, banking, manufacturing and non-profit worlds. Habit you’ve started? I have been more conscious about self-care and taking vitamins and supplements to stay healthy. Also incorporating meditation into my daily routine for relaxation and focus. Place you most looking forward to visiting? I would really love to visit Key West when it is safe to do so. I also miss the farmer’s markets and concerts around town.

Things you’ve realized you don’t really need? Since I’ve been working from home, I realize I don’t need my daily Starbucks run! Problem you wish you could solve? We need to go back to listening to each other and know that it’s okay to not always agree. Be respectful and mindful of the opinions of others. Freedom to do anything, what? I would travel the world; possibly live in and experience other countries for short periods of time.

Class of 2015 Cathy McDermott, executive director, Rock River Development Partnership What are you currently doing? Same job! Checked off your “to-do” list of goals? We actually constructed and opened the indoor market in 2019! We are fully leased and finally able to do some small events again coming out of COVID. Currently reading and watching? Reading A Promised Land by Barack Obama. I’m an Obama fan — and read Michelle’s book last year, which is shorter and an easier read for sure. I’ve worked on campaigns, so find the details interesting. Watched March Madness! We are a basketball family, and there’s nothing better. Gotten you through the past year? Family, exercise, prayer and a bit of wine. Goals changed over the past year? I became a grandma in December, and my goals are more family oriented now. Funny how that changes in an instant. Who has inspired you lately? My mom and mother-in-law on how they handled a lot of alone time in the last year due to COVID. Habit you’ve started, or broken? I’ve always exercised, but COVID forced me to exercise outdoors, year round, in the cold. My daughter Emily and I walk almost daily. Place you most look forward to visiting? Santa Monica, often, to see our daughter, her husband and grandson. Things you’ve realized you don’t really need? Nice clothes. Nowhere to

go :) You really do need? Girlfriends. I am blessed to have many, and I really missed them in the lockdown.

Class of 2015 Joel P. Zirkle, principal, Fehr Graham What are you currently doing? Still working at Fehr Graham. I am no longer branch manager because we moved Ross Grimes into that role at the beginning of 2020. Checked off your “to-do” list of goals? I bought my dream home in Rockford. Currently reading or watching? Mostly about political and societal changes as a result of prior and current administrations. I am concerned about how polarizing things have become. Gotten you through the past year? Ha, Netflix! Goals changed over the past year? Thinking more about my post-Fehr Graham life and developing people to take over my role in the future. Concept of leadership changed? A lot. Titles really do not mean anything; you can influence up, down and sideways wherever you are in an organization; you just have to choose to do it. Surprised you about where you are now? Hmm, on a personal level a lot has changed. I thought it was for the worst, but it has turned out far better than I expected. Fehr Graham has continued to grow as a firm in Rockford. We added about 3,000 square feet to the Rockford office because of growth. I didn’t imagine this happening when we moved into the Prairie Street Brewhouse in 2013. Habit broken, during the quarantine? My exercise routine has been totally disrupted by COVID. I am looking forward to reclaiming that part of my life in 2021. Speciﬁc place you most looking forward to visiting? I live near Anderson Gardens and look forward to Tuesday Evening in the Gardens to return. Dinner on the Dock at the Brewhouse is also great. Things you’ve realized you don’t really need? I have moved in the past Continued on page 25

SPECIAL SECTION Innovation & Digital Transformation

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

GUEST COLUMNIST

BILLY COLLINS Wipfli

What states have best work at home conditions? With 71 percent of people whose jobs can be done remotely working from home all or most of the time during the COVID-19 pandemic, WalletHub.com released its report on the Best States for Working from Home. Prior to the pandemic, just 20 percent of all employed people whose jobs could be done from home actually worked from home all or most of the time. Now, that number has risen to 71 percent, with 54 percent saying they would want to continue working from home after the pandemic ends. However, people who are allowed to work from home may not always have the best environment for doing so. The best work-from-home conditions include low costs, reasonable comfort and a high level of security. WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia on metrics from the share of workers working from home before COVID-19 to internet cost and cybersecurity to how large and crowded homes are in the state. Illinois ranked 36th.

Best States for Working from Home 1. Delaware 2. North Carolina 3. Georgia 4. New Hampshire 5. Tennessee 6. Arizona 7. New Jersey 8. Texas 9. Utah 10. Oregon

Key Stats Colorado has the highest share of the labor force working from home, 8.30 percent; 3.5 times higher than in Mississippi, the state with the lowest at 2.40 percent. New Hampshire has the highest share of households with a broadband internet subscription, 79.30 percent; 1.7 times higher than Mississippi, the state with the lowest at 47.60 percent. Connecticut has the highest share of households with access to broadband speeds over 25 Mbps, 98.70 percent; 1.5 times higher than in Mississippi, the state with the lowest at 65.40 percent. South Dakota has the fewest cybercrime victims per 100,000 residents, 54.33; four times fewer than in Nevada, the state with the most at 214.68.

Indiana has the lowest amount lost per victim as a result of internet crime, $2,466; 11.5 times lower than in Ohio, the state with the highest at $28,394. Oklahoma has the lowest residential retail price of electricity, 8.88 cents per kWh; 3.3 times lower than in Hawaii, the state with the highest at 29.14 cents per kWh.

Q&A with WalletHub What do you make of the fact that the majority of people who can work from home would like to do so even after the pandemic ends? It makes sense that the majority of people who can work from home would like to continue doing so after the pandemic for many reasons, such as the fact that it eliminates a daily commute and can offer a quieter workspace,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “But working from home could also create increased job competition. People can be hired by companies across the world, but also have to stand out among a worldwide field of applicants.

Why is Delaware the best state for working from home? “Delaware is the best state for working from home due in part to the fact that the state provides a comfortable environment for working remotely, with the sixth largest average home square footage. In addition, nearly 97 percent of households in Delaware have internet speeds above 25Mbps,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “Plus, Delaware has one of the highest percentages of people who could potentially work from home, so many workers can take advantage of these good remote work conditions.”

Why does Alaska rank lowest for working from home? “One reason Alaska ranks lowest for working from home is that only around 68 percent of households have broadband internet access. In addition, Alaska has the fifth lowest share of potential telecommuters,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “On top of that, Alaska is the fourth lowest ranked state when it comes to cybersecurity and has the third highest cost of electricity in the nation. For many people, working from home in Alaska will be difficult, costly and risky.”

Three ways to tell if you’re ready for a digital transformation

Plenty of organizations talk about embracing technology to manage operations and deliver services, what many call a “digital transformation.” But being ready to take that step is an entirely separate conversation. Digital readiness speaks to how prepared you are to use technology to increase your organization’s impact. Do you have the tools, the data and the know-how to quickly pivot when client and community needs shift? Likewise, do you have the infrastructure to support your digital ambitions? Assessing digital readiness before you dive into a project is critical to delivering an experience that resonates with your stakeholders, including staff, clients, funders and others. There is no one action you can take to ensure readiness. But there are three broad ways to determine whether you have the right foundational elements in place to secure long-term success. Without these cornerstones, any investments you make in design, accessibility and tool development will be wasted.

1. You Know — Really Know — What Experience Your Audiences Want? How do you know what experience your audience wants and needs from you? Unless your answer is “through qualitative research,” then you have work to do. Too often, organizations make decisions about their audience based on a gut feeling. Your gut might be right. But if not, you risk wasting funding and time you can’t get back on tools your audience won’t use. Your stakeholders are an oracle. They’ll tell you what they want and how they want to interact with you — if you listen to them. That means research. User surveys, interviews and workshops are all fantastic ways to gather data. Google Analytics, heat maps and other tools can provide further context by revealing how clients interact with your existing digital assets. Armed with this information, you can develop stakeholder’s personas and journey maps to determine what they really want, as well as how they make their decisions.

2. Your Efforts are Guided by a Digital Roadmap The next measure of readiness for digital transformation is knowing where you want to go and how you will get there. Naturally, your digital roadmap should be guided by the personas and

journey maps you developed. It should also be informed by one-, three- and five-year look-aheads, along with a plan for building out your infrastructure to support this vision. Much like stakeholder research, this is not a step to be skipped or rushed. Start with the outcomes that matter most to you, and shape your tools from there. Doing so helps to ensure you are investing in your business goals rather than pursuing digital for the sake of digital. It will also keep your key performance indicators front and center so that you can effectively measure ROI — and prove the value of your efforts to stakeholders.

3. You Have a Digital Champion Who is Accountable for Your Roadmap Digital is so all-encompassing, who owns it isn’t always clear. But distributing accountability for your digital roadmap across functions is a sure-fire way to lose momentum. Instead, you need a champion with decision-making capacity and a seat “at the table” to head up your digital transformation strategy. By marrying the strategic and financial perspectives of your transformation with a single point of contact, you’ll have greater success developing a cohesive strategy, marshaling resources and seeing your plan through.

When You’re Ready to Make the Leap Digital readiness, like digital transformation itself, is not a one-anddone event. It is a process you need to engage in regularly to detect new areas of weakness and discover emerging opportunities. Truly mastering the process involves shifting your thinking from stand-alone launches to innovation sprints that are responsive to your users’ changing expectations. The good news? You don’t need to tackle everything at once, and you don’t need to go it alone. If you lack the resources to conduct extensive stakeholder research or the time to build a bulletproof technology roadmap, you can call in digital specialists to assist. Billy Collins is head of digital strategy at Wipfli. The views expressed are those of Collins’ and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

GUEST COLUMNIST

Comcast: Citizenship is part of business JOAN SAGE Comcast

A Gig City, we’re partnering with Rockford to take on the digital divide

Today’s companies not only deliver services, they have a profound impact on their employees, their customers and the communities they serve. Comcast’s business helps power communities through the various impacts of almost every aspect of daily life – from work, education, recreation and communications, to health, safety and security. Comcast understands the momentous responsibility on its shoulders and operates its business with these factors top of mind.

In the coming weeks, Comcast plans to launch the first three Rockford-based Lift Zones in partnership with community anchors, including the Rockford Boys & Girls Club and the YMCA. Comcast has built more than 1,450 miles of state-of-the-art network infrastructure in Rockford, making it a Gig City. The network technology includes the same Internet service with download speeds of up to 1.2 Gbps, along with a full suite of video, phone and security and automation services – to all homes and businesses the network passes across the city. In addition, Comcast has nearly 30,000 Xfinity WiFi hotspots in the Rockford area (and more than 20 million in locations nationwide), which make accessing the Internet possible across the city. Rockford employers need to be able to manage and communicate with employees, serve customers and compete with businesses around the corner and around the world. To these ends, Comcast Business has built fiber in locations throughout the city, providing tailored solutions to clients in key industries like education, health services, hospitality and manufacturing. Delivering Internet speeds up to 100 Gbps, along with its full suite of advanced commercial services, it offers a range of services, from Ethernet Dedicated Internet to ActiveCore SDWAN service.

Connecting Some for the First Time In taking on the digital divide, 10 years ago, Comcast launched Internet Essentials, a low-cost residential broadband service for low-income households. The program is available

to eligible low-income households with school children, as well as to low-income public housing residents, community college students, veterans, seniors and others enrolled in public assistance programs, ranging from the National School Lunch Program and Housing Assistance to Medicaid, SNAP, SSI and others. Since it launched, the program has connected more than 76,000 Rockford-area residents to the Internet at home, many for the first time. With the pandemic forcing millions of school children to distance learn from home, school districts in Rockford, Belvidere, Freeport and other locations across the country partnered with Comcast to offer eligible households with school children an Internet connection at home via Internet Essentials. Not every child or family has a stable living environment, so the company created “Lift Zones,” WiFi-enabled safe places where children can participate in distance learning and adults can build digital skills and search for jobs in community centers across the country. In the coming weeks, Comcast plans to launch the first three Rockford-based Lift Zones in partnership with community anchors, including the Rockford Boys & Girls Club and the YMCA. The company recently announced a $1 billion, 10-year commitment to continue building digital equity through Internet Essentials, Lift Zones, digital skills training and a host of other initiatives. In a way, Comcast is a large multinational corporation and a small local company at the same time. Given the extent of our network locally, the amount of local resources we employ to operate our business, our local office, our Xfinity Store and the number of employees we have that live in and are committed to Rockford, along with the support and partnership we offer local non-profits, Comcast is both a service provider and a “resident” of the city. The company is proud to be part of the growth of Stroll on State and other local events and participate in and support the Rockford Chamber of Commerce, the Rockford Area Economic Development Council and the new Greater Rockford Growth Partnership, because a rising tide lifts all boats. Joan Sage is regional government affairs and community relations manager for Comcast. The views expressed are those of Sage’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

SPECIAL SECTION Innovation & Digital Transformation

Governor Pritzker names April as Innovation and Technology Month “We have some of the best research universities in the world, producing the third largest number of computer science graduates, the fourth largest number of MBAs in the nation, and the sixth highest number of data scientists,” said Governor JB Pritzker, with the proclamation of April as Innovation and Technology Month in Illinois. According to the 2020 Illinois Innovation Index from the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition, Illinois higher education institutions awarded 24,861 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in STEM areas, a new record for the state. Illinois ranks seventh in STEM degrees, nationally. To prepare students for higher

education, Illinois is working to expand free broadband for K-12 public schools throughout the state via the Illinois Century Network. During remote learning as a result of the pandemic, wireless hotspots sites also were expanded throughout the state. “Our team at DoIT has worked closely with state agencies to modernize websites to support unprecedented web traffic, utilize artificial intelligence to launch virtual agents for increased call center demands, apply data analytics to drive critical decision making and empower secure remote work capabilities for state employees,” said Jennifer Ricker, Illinois CIO and acting secretary for the Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT).

What is DoIT? Mission: DoIT’s mission is to empower the State of Illinois through high-value, customer-centric technology by delivering best-in-class innovation to client agencies fostering collaboration and empowering employees to provide better services to residents, businesses, and visitors. DoIT is leading a digital transformation toward an enterprise approach to technology at the State of Illinois to gain eﬃciencies and improve service delivery for customer agencies who in turn, serve the residents of Illinois. This transformation is resulting in improved security and data protection, fewer redundant systems, more eﬃcient technology spending and greater interagency collaboration.

May 2021

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

State of Illinois distributes devices to keep older Illinoisans connected The Illinois Department on Aging and Illinois Department of Human Services distributed more than 1,100 connectivity and assistive devices to older adults and persons with disabilities disproportionally affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, after receiving $1.7 million from the federal Administration for Community Living in May 2020. Funding purchased iPads and tablets with FaceTime and Zoom and internet/ Wi-Fi/hotspot access to help older adults and individuals who are disabled combat social isolation and loneliness and connect with family members and friends. IDoA has published resources to help connect older and disabled Illinoisans with family and loved ones to prevent social isolation and feelings of loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic. For assistance, visit www. illinois.gov/aging or contact the Senior HelpLine, 1-800-252-8966 (hearing impaired call 888-206-1327) or email aging.ilsenior@illinois.gov.

Underground, high-speed fiber optic network coming to Rockford City Council unanimously passed a Development Agreement with SiFi

Networks to develop a Citywide Fiber Optic Network. Under the agreement, the city will allow access and use of the right-of-way to the private company, which will pay for and install an underground, high-speed fiber optic network. More than 1,100 miles of the fiber optic system will be laid in the next four years across the entire community. Then, SiFi will work with multiple service providers, which will offer services to residents and businesses in every Rockford neighborhood, including Symmetrical Gigabit internet, TV, phone and home security managed by Wi-Fi. “This private $200 million investment in our city is a true game changer bringing stronger, faster, fiber optic network to our community,” said Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara. “This agreement also has the potential to help us fulfill our goal of bridging the digital divide, which was illuminated as we have fought the pandemic and worked to attract more high-tech businesses to our community.” SiFi has similar agreements in California, Wisconsin, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

SPECIAL SECTION Transportation & Logistics

IDOT awards $7 million to help manage truck traffic, economic growth Leverages total $36 million investment to create designated truck routes The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that $7 million has been awarded for 21 projects, including three in Boone County, to upgrade roads to accommodate local truck traffic. “Illinois is the country’s transportation hub, with freight activity a cornerstone of the state’s economy,” said Omer Osman, acting transportation secretary. “At IDOT, we want our local partners to have the necessary tools to manage traffic safely and spur even more job creation and economic growth.” The grants are made possible through IDOT’s Truck Access Route Program, which allows counties, municipalities and townships to apply for assistance in upgrading roads to accommodate 80,000-pound trucks and become designated truck routes. A maximum of $900,000 can be awarded

to projects that improve connections to other designated truck routes and businesses that generate truck traffic.

Road, running from the City of Belvidere to Village of Poplar Grove. A $1,366,042 cost.

Boone County Awards

■ $246,000 towards Irene Road, running from U.S. 20 to Beverly Materials and William Charles quarries. A $702,919 cost.

■ $202,000 towards Centerville Road, running from U.S. 20 to the grain storing and drying facility. A $1,194,652 cost. ■ $630,000 towards Poplar Grove

The grants allow counties, municipalities and townships to apply for assistance in upgrading roads to accommodate 80,000-pound trucks.

SPECIAL SECTION Celebration of Business

May 2021

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

GUEST COLUMNIST You have identified your next superstar, extended the offer,

JENNIFER FURST FurstStaffing

Beyond screening and filling available positions

The demand for workers continues to grow, with increases in both permanent and temporary vacancies. IDES has recently shown an 11 percent unemployment rate; however, many restaurants, manufacturers, health care organizations and service businesses are suffering from talent shortages. Staffing Industry Analysts states 8 million jobs were lost in 2020. According to SIA’s April update, only half of the individuals who left the workforce due to the pandemic have returned. We spend so much money, time and effort finding, screening and hiring individuals to be the new rock stars of our organizations. It might be easiest to just answer “Why Me?” in the job description. Highlight the Positives. What do your employees love about working for your company? Highlight benefits,

training and education programs, and career paths available. Identify Your Target Candidate. Do you add unnecessary barriers to hiring? Make sure you are up to date with the new Illinois Human Rights Law (March 2021) regarding the use of background checks and fair hiring practices. One in three Americans has an arrest or conviction record of some sort, but they can have a huge impact as part of our workforce. Accurate but Abbreviated. Simplify the requirements and duties of the role and keep it high level. Internal Review. Are there patterns in employee reasons for leaving? Bad managers tarnish the reputation of your organization. It is never easy to move someone along from your organization, but it is needed for the protection of your brand and tenure of other employees.

and the employee has accepted. Now, the real work begins. Nurturing Your Next Rock Star You have identified your next superstar, extended the offer, and the employee has accepted. Now, the real work begins. It is now about enrollment and engagement. A set, structured and engaged onboarding process is key to uncovering your rock star. Step 1: Orientation. Avoid making day one about paperwork. Electronically send the paperwork in advance of the first day. Orientation should involve the conversation about expectations and process. Whether it is a trainer, HR team member or the direct supervisor, it is the time to share the vision and values of the company and the accountability of the team. Pointing out what is rewarded and who the team is will help the employee feel situated. Also, personal touches, such as a plant, a welcoming card or a company shirt will make the employee feel like they are part of the team immediately. Step 2: Training. It is helpful for your new rock star to learn about each

Major changes in background checks, equal pay reporting for Illinois employers On March 23, 2021, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 1480, amending the Illinois Human Rights Act and Illinois Equal Pay Act. Together, the provisions pose risks of substantial liability for any business that employs individuals within Illinois.

the offense and the individual’s employment; or (2) hiring or continuing to employ the individual would pose an “unreasonable risk” to property or the safety of others. Notably, this ban applies even if there is no showing of a discriminatory impact.

Criminal Background Checks in Hiring

Equal Pay Reporting

SB 1480 amends the Illinois Human Rights Act to make it a state civil rights violation for employers to use an individual’s criminal conviction record in any employment decision, unless one of two exceptions applies: (1) there is a “substantial relationship” between

SB 1480 also amends the Illinois Equal Pay Act to require that businesses with over 100 employees in Illinois obtain an “equal pay registration certificate” from the Illinois Department of Labor before March 24, 2023, and then recertify every two years thereafter. To obtain a

certificate, an employer must provide gross compensation information for all of the demographic groupings on its EE0-1 report and provide a full payroll run showing all compensation to all individuals employed in Illinois (grouped by gender, race, and ethnicity) in the year prior to application. The data must demonstrate that there is no pattern of relative underpayment by gender or race or explain with nondiscriminatory factors any pattern appearing in the data. For more info, refer to https:// www.natlawreview.com/article/majorchanges-background-checks-equalpay-reporting-illinois-employers

department, the history, processes, systems and FAQs. Whether it is a person, video or document sharing these details, the message creates a social awareness of the business as a whole. Step 3: Goals & a Buddy. Establish what success looks like in 90 days. Help set a vision and goal in which the employee will feel challenged and supported while promoting a winning environment. Build up your rock star. Assign a Buddy. Depending on the size of your company, it may be a peer on their team or a like role from a different department. The relationship helps answer the new employee’s question, “Am I in the right place?” If new employees do not make a new friend within two weeks, they will likely not be with the company in two months. If the employee only attempts relationships with decision makers, this could be a red flag. Step 4: Follow Up. It is important to set a sequence of check-in connections. Your new rock star will know they have a direct line of support. Gather feedback! It shows your organization is open and interested in learning. Additionally, it builds a connection and shows you are listening. The Voice is highlighting companies with longevity. In our company’s 50-year history, we have had to adapt and change. We know there is a delicate balance between the immediacy of a tech-driven world and making experiences personable and individualized. There is nothing more important than providing meaningful employment for an individual, a family and our community. As business leaders, it is our responsibility to invest time to ensure our investment in our people drives the creation of rock stars! Jennifer Furst is president of FurstStaffing. The views expressed are those of Furst’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

GUEST COLUMNIST

MARY CACIOPPI One Body Collaboratives

An approach that transforms individual lives and stabilizes businesses Improving the lives of employees who deal with daily instability

There is no question that increased worker stability boosts productivity, retention and morale, which leads to greater profitability — but it may yet be a challenge you need to address. The behaviors, habits and patterns of low-wage and entry-level employees often leave business owners and managers scratching their heads. Have you had an employee who suddenly stopped coming into work or started arriving late every day? Maybe you promoted an employee from within but were confused by that person’s behavior after the promotion. There is no question that increased worker stability boosts productivity, retention and morale, which leads to greater profitability — but it may yet be a challenge you need to address. Why would an employer want to increase the personal and professional stability of workers? And how exactly can businesses go about it? The Bridges Out of Poverty Workplace Stability program is for businesspeople who would like to improve on the turnover treadmill, absenteeism, lack of productivity, motivation issues, language barriers and disciplinary problems that sometimes occur with entry-level, lower-wage employees. Instability is a measure of diversity in your workforce. Low-wage workers can experience personal instability that leads to absenteeism, health problems and violations of workplace expectations, all of which decreases morale, attention to work and job performance. The three goals of the Workforce Stability program is to: ■ Reduce turnover productivity

and

increase

■ Improve employee relationships ■ Increase stability for employee and employer The program is focused on understanding and improving the stability of employees who live in daily instability. In the end, stabilizing the lives of employees stabilizes the business. The program helps you to explore the environment of daily instability (as well as stability and long-term stability) and learn how the environments we grow up in can create barriers to our success at work. The Workplace Stability program is two-fold, providing insight to your staff on the complexities of poverty, while

also providing a 10-session program for under-resourced employees that need to gain stability.

Workplace Stability Training The Workforce Stability program begins with a Bridges Out of Poverty Training Session at your workplace that helps all levels of your staff understand the diversity of economic class in the workplace. The training can be customized to a one-hour or two-hour session and may lead to changes within the workplace to better support the under-resourced workers.

Getting Ahead in the Workplace Curriculum This 10-session curriculum helps under-resourced workers gain stability to become more productive employees. Getting Ahead in the Workplacecertified facilitators help underresourced individuals: ■ Stabilize and take charge of their lives ■ Self-assess their resources and make plans to build them ■ Develop mental models to investigate poverty’s impact on themselves and their community ■ Create new future stories and build resources for a better life and community We are seeking employers such as manufacturers, health systems, hospitality industry, call centers, etc., that have a high volume of entry level, low-wage workers. Typically, these are workers who need more stability in their life to help them become more productive in their workplace. One Body Collaboratives will provide the backbone structure and support for these classes and will also track all Getting Ahead participants over the course of two years to measure the results of the program. Mary Cacioppi is executive director of One Body Collaboratives. Contact Mary. Cacioppi@OneBodyCollaboratives.org. The views expressed are those of Cacioppi’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

SPECIAL SECTION Celebration of Business

How pandemic proof are small businesses in Illinois? With states gradually reopening, but thousands of businesses closed permanently during 2020, WalletHub released its report on the States With the Most Pandemic-Proof Small Businesses. Though states are gradually reopening and loosening restrictions, around 100,000 businesses shut their doors permanently in 2020. Businesses in some states have been more resilient than others, though. To identify the states where businesses have the greatest potential to recover, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 11 key metrics: from share of small businesses operating in highly affected industries to small-business credit conditions and the state’s small-business friendliness.

How Illinois Ranks 1=Best, 25=Avg. ■ Share of Small Businesses Operating in High-Risk Industries: 7th ■ Share of Small-Business Employees Operating in High-Risk Industries Among Total Small-Business Employees: 7th ■ WalletHub’s “States Whose Weekly Unemployment Claims Are Recovering the Quickest” Score: 10th ■ Business Vitality: 20th

■ Average Annual Federal SmallBusiness Funding per GDP: 28th

■ Total Amount of Small-Business Loans per Small-Business Employee: 13th

GUEST COLUMNIST

To view the full report, visit https:// wallethub.com/edu/states-smallbusinesses-covid/72977

More Data Reported In addition, the U.S. Census Bureau’s Small Business Pulse Survey (SBPS) started asking businesses in April of last year when they expect to return to normal levels of operations, a crucial indication of how they are adapting to the pandemic, social distancing, and other public health strategies. 16.5 percent of businesses reported they experienced little or no effect from the pandemic. A little more than 55 percent answered they expect long-term (more than six months) challenges. It was noted to be careful interpreting the results, as they are averaged across all sectors of business. Sectors with relatively high percentages of businesses not affected by the pandemic or that already returned to normal level of operations include construction, finance and insurance, real estate, and administrative support. At the other end of the spectrum of expectations, sectors affected by the pandemic reporting the most concern about returning to normal levels of operations include educational services; arts, entertainment, recreation; and accommodation and food services. For more info, go to https://www. census.gov/library and search Small Business Survey.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

KATHY VELASCO V2 Marketing & Management

A celebration of business through the eyes of an ad agency

1996 — One of the top ten ad campaigns of the year, according to Time Magazine was for Polaroid:

we knew let us sub-lease space and use

“This year’s print ads whimsically position the camera as not just a quick processor but also a great shatterer of delusion. In one of the ads, two parents speculate about their daughter’s new college boyfriend. Surely, he must be respectable. The Polaroid-provided reality? He looks like a bassist for Babe the Blue Ox.”

And while we were busy getting our

their phones, their copy machine, their fax machine. ducks in a row, the internet showed up. The evolution of digital advertising began in 1994 when HotWired launched the first digital banner ads on the internet. Then in 1996, DoubleClick became the first online advertising

Polaroid? A mere five years later the company was gone. A lot has changed in the past 25 years since V2 Marketing & Management first opened its doors — a lot has changed in business, in advertising, in technology, even in public health! An advertising agency hanging out its shingle in 1996 was generally a full-service agency, providing creative concept and design and still trying to hang on to a media buying relationship with its clients. Prior to the ’90s, media buying commissions were typically the largest percentage of agency revenues. But the big international agencies started to uncouple the media buying function in the ’90s, leading to the rise of the spinoff media buying agencies and in-house agencies. By the late ’90s, most smaller agencies needed to build revenues on creative work alone.

platform to run targeted ad campaigns

Technology?

evolution. How long will the digital

Well, we did have a couple computers to help us process words and pictures, but that was about it. AOL Instant Messenger showed up in 1997 to help us chat with people but most of our contact was done in person or on the phone. I still remember trying to figure out how to attach a WordPerfect (we didn’t have Microsoft Word) to an email for the first time. Then, spending a half hour on the phone with a client trying to talk him through the same process. The money we spent on one printer would buy 6-7 printers today. And, when I sent a graphic file to print, I would get up and walk away from my office for a break because it would take 10 minutes to render the file and then print. Things just moved slower out of necessity, but in many ways, it was a blessing that allowed us to think and rethink about the project at hand.

A Hard Left Turn V2 got started with the help of a lot of friends and a lot of networking. SCORE helped us build a business plan. A friend’s father was president of the bank that eventually became Chase, so he helped us get set up with accounts and a Line of Credit. Another company

as we know them today. Google Ads in 2000, Facebook Ads in 2007, digital advertising was off and running, and advertising would never be the same. By the end of 2021, more than 50 percent of global advertising spending is projected to be spent on internet ads followed by television ads (27 percent), outdoor ads (7 percent), newspaper ads (6 percent), radio ads (5 percent), magazine ads (3 percent), and ads in cinemas (1 percent) according to Statista. And the technology that V2 has gone through! Just think about data storage and transfer. From floppy drives (first 5.25, then 3.5), to Syquest drives, then CDs, DVDs, USB flash drives to the cloud. The technology almost becomes a metaphor for the advertising media period last and what will replace it? That’s the next question!

Don’t be Afraid to Break the Rules So, now it’s 2021 and V2 Marketing is celebrating 25 years in business. Just like the industry itself, longevity becomes a survival game. In looking back, it’s clear that change and adaptation is the key element to surviving — and to thriving. But more importantly, to thrive requires you to push the envelope, to take the risk and to cross the line. It’s something that I didn’t always do, but almost always regretted not doing. So, get out there and break the rules in your industry! Kathy Velasco is the co-founder of V2 Marketing & Management, with her partner, the late Jack Broughton. She is celebrating V2’s 25th Anniversary by handing ownership to the next generation, V2 employees Michele St. Clair and Stacy Wallace. The views expressed are those of Velasco’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

Resources for Business IRS guidance on deductions for food or beverages from restaurants Through Dec. 31, 2022, businesses can claim 100 percent, rather than the customary 50 percent, of food or beverage expenses paid to restaurants as long as the business owner (or employee) is present when provided and the expense is not lavish or extravagant, under the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Relief Act of 2020. Restaurants do not include businesses that primarily sell pre-packaged goods, such as grocery stores and convenience stores, or certain employer-operated eating facilities, even if operated by a third party under contract with the employer. Visit www.irs.gov/coronavirus/coronavirustax-relief-for-businesses-and-tax-exemptentities for COVID-related information.

Things to know about the Restaurant Revitalization Fund Program details are available on the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, a program that provides emergency assistance for eligible restaurants, bars and other qualifying businesses impacted by COVID-19. Visit the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Restaurant Revitalization Fund page at www.sba.gov for eligibility, funding amounts and allowable use of funds. Prepare your application by reviewing the sample application, program guide and cross-program eligibility chart on SBA COVID-19 relief options. You will be able to apply through SBA-recognized Point of Sale Restaurant Partners or directly via SBA in an online application portal.

Claiming Employee Retention Credit, Q1 and 2, 2021 The Internal Revenue Service has issued guidance for employers claiming the employee retention credit under the CARES Act, modified by the Taxpayer

Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020. Notice 2021-23 explains the changes. Eligible employers can now claim a refundable tax credit against the employer share of Social Security tax equal to 70 percent of qualified wages they pay to employees, Dec. 31, 2020 through June 30, 2021. Qualified wages are limited to $10,000 per employee per calendar quarter in 2021. The maximum employee retention credit available is $7,000 per employee per calendar quarter, for a total of $14,000 for the first two calendar quarters of 2021. More coronavirus relief information for businesses is available on IRS.gov.

Safe harbor to claim deductions related to first-round PPP loans The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service issued Revenue Procedure 2021-20 for certain businesses that received first-round Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans but did not deduct any of the original eligible expenses because they relied on guidance issued before the enactment of tax relief legislation in December, 2020. Under prior guidance, businesses that received PPP loans to cover payroll costs, interest on covered mortgage obligations, covered rent obligation payments and covered utility payments could not deduct corresponding expenses. With the Dec. 27, 2020, enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, businesses now may claim these deductions even though they received PPP loans to cover original eligible expenses. These businesses can use the safe harbor provided by this guidance to deduct those expenses on the return for the immediately subsequent year. More information on COVID-19 related tax relief for business can be found at IRS.gov.

More Resources Grants for research and development If your small business is engaged in scientific research and development, you may qualify for federal grants under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. These programs encourage small firms to undertake scientific research that helps meet federal research and development objectives and have high potential for commercialization if successful. Visit https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/grants.

Grants for exporting The SBA’s State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) provides financial awards to state and territory governments in order to help small businesses with export development. Visit https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/grants/state-tradeexpansion-program-step.

Community Organizations SBA makes grants to community organizations to help promote entrepreneurship including the Resource Partner programs: https://www.sba. gov/funding-programs/grants/sba-associated-awards.

American Rescue Plan tax credits available to small employers

Reimbursed for paid leave to employees receiving COVID-19 vaccines The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department announced details of tax credits available under the American Rescue Plan to help small businesses, including providing paid leave for employees receiving COVID-19 vaccinations. Eligible employers, such as businesses and tax-exempt organizations with fewer than 500 employees and certain governmental employers, can receive a tax credit for providing paid time off for each employee receiving the vaccine and for any time needed to recover. For example, if an eligible employer offers employees a paid day off in order to get vaccinated, the employer can receive a tax credit equal to the wages paid to employees for that day (up to certain limits). “This new information is a shot in the arm for struggling small employers who are working hard to keep their businesses going while also watching out for the health of their employees,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “Our work on this issue is part of a larger effort by the IRS to assist the nation recover from the pandemic.” Self-employed individuals are eligible for similar tax credits. The ARP tax credits are available to eligible employers that pay sick and family leave for leave from April 1, 2021, through Sept. 30, 2021.

How to Get Credits The paid leave credits under the ARP are tax credits against the employer’s share of the Medicare tax. The tax credits are refundable, which means that the employer is entitled to payment of the full amount of the credits if it exceeds the employer’s share of the Medicare tax. In anticipation of claiming the credits on the Form 941, Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return, eligible employers can keep the federal employment taxes that they otherwise would have deposited, including federal income tax withheld from employees, the employees’ share of social security and Medicare taxes and the eligible employer’s share of social security and Medicare taxes with respect to all employees up to the amount of credit for which they are eligible. If the eligible employer does not have enough federal employment taxes on deposit to cover the amount of the anticipated credits, the eligible employer may request an advance by filing Form 7200, Advance Payment of Employer Credits Due to COVID-19. Self-employed individuals may claim comparable credits on the Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.

Electronic filing fully operational for the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission Filing and case management are now fully paperless processes for the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. The cloud-based system, called CompFile, allows for filing and processing of court documents completely electronically. CompFile was introduced to the Illinois workers’ compensation community incrementally. During the first release, which launched in February 2020, CompFile users registered their law firms and set up accounts. July 2020 brought the second release, which allowed for settlement contracts to be drafted, signed and approved electronically. CompFile users experienced a drastic decrease in approval times, as CompFile eliminated the necessity for paper settlement contracts to be circulated by mail. The third release of CompFile, which began on April 21, 2021, incorporates applications, motions, decisions and reviews, as well as improvements to the electronic settlements process based on user feedback. Throughout the design and implementation phases of the CompFile project, the CompFile team used input from key stakeholders, including attorneys, legal assistants, arbitrators, commissioners and other IWCC employees. The new system has made it possible to accomplish in one day what previously required weeks. Visit the CompFile Implementation webpage, www.iwcc.il.gov/ compfile.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

legislative

LEGISLATIVE ISSUES

People’s Independent Maps Act Aims to make changes to Illinois’ redistricting process Legislation is on the table that would remove politicians from Illinois’ redistricting process. The People’s Independent Maps Act (Senate Bill 1325) would set up a 16-member Independent Redistricting Commission appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to create the redistricting plans within 30 days of becoming law for legislative, representative and congressional districts. Currently, state law allows legislators to draw district boundaries.

The legislation would only apply to

lobbyists are prohibited from serving on the commission.

the 2021 redistricting cycle. The act would implement more changes to Illinois’ redistricting process:

■ The commission would be required to hold at least 10

■ The makeup of the commission would

public hearings throughout the

be required to reflect the ethnic, gender

state before adopting a plan, with

and racial demographics of the state.

at least four hearings after a map is

Party affiliation would be evenly split

proposed.

in addition to members without party

■ The commission will release a map

affiliation. ■ Legislators,

within 30 days of receipt of the census state

employees

and

redistricting data. A proposed redistricting map. This map is one of several proposed by lawmakers after the 2020 census.

Gov. Pritzker signs Education and Workforce Equity Act Governor JB Pritzker signed HB 2170 that effective immediately expands access, equity and opportunity in Illinois’ education system. It aims to support public schools, make college education more affordable, invest in vocational training and expand the teacher workforce with a heightened equity focus on communities disproportionally impacted by longstanding disinvestment. “When the ILBC sat down to construct HB2170 we knew that we needed to pull together experts who agree that education must be redesigned to address the root problem of equitable access,” said Carol Ammons, House Majority conference chairperson. “This bill reimagines education and seeks to uproot the systemic racism that has persisted in it for centuries.”

Early Childhood Education ■ Expands access to the Early Intervention program by allowing children who turn three years old between May and August to continue receiving services until the beginning of the next school year.

■ Requires the Illinois State Board of Education to annually assess all publicschool students entering kindergarten to measure their readiness. ■ Requires that behavioral health providers use diagnostic codes and descriptions that are developmentally and age appropriate for children under the age of 5.

Primary and Secondary Education ■ Adds new graduation requirements to better prepare students in computer literacy, laboratory science and foreign languages. ■ Increases access to accelerated placement programs for students meeting or exceeding state standards in English language arts, math or science. ■ Expands the required Black history coursework to include pre-enslavement of Black people, why Black people came to be enslaved and the American Civil Rights renaissance. ■ Requires the Illinois P-20 Council to make recommendations for the short-

term and long-term learning recovery actions for public school students in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. ■ Establishes a 22-person Inclusive American History Commission. ■ Requires the Professional Review Panel to study various issues to strengthen the equity components in the state’s evidence-based school funding formula. ■ Creates the Whole Child Task Force to focus on expanding traumaresponsive school services. ■ Establishes a freedom school network to supplement learning in public schools.

Higher Education ■ Establishes the Developmental Education Reform Act, which requires community colleges to use certain measures to determine the placement of students in introductory college-level courses. ■ Increases the percentage of grant funds prioritized for Black males and incorporates consideration of financial

need in awarding grants. ■ Establishes priority in grant funding for students wanting to become bilingual teachers. ■ Expands the Illinois Teaching Excellence Program to cover programs working with diverse candidates. ■ Reduces the AIM High Program matching funds requirement for public universities based on the percentage of low-income students enrolled at the public institution. ■ Requires that ISBE compile a review that identifies the courses that each public university requires or recommends that high school students take in order to be admitted as an undergraduate.

Workforce Development ■ Requires the Illinois Workforce Investment Board conduct a feasibility study of all workforce development programs funded by the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

SPECIAL SECTION Celebration of Business

R O C K F O R D

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

C H A M B E R

O F

C O M M E R C E

economic development Manufacturing survey results showing positive trending The RAEDC has released the follow-up survey in March 2021 to manufacturers, which will allow us to gauge the need for support and information as well as provide a comparison for the first survey released in March 2020. The survey was designed to assist the RAEDC with developing programs for our region’s business community. There were a similar number of respondents to each survey, so the responses reﬂect a proportional comparison.

Estimated Business Activity The total reversal in responses from March 2020 to March of 2021 clearly demonstrates an increased positivity and expectations from regional companies. As a secondary question in the survey, it was revealed that 23 percent of the respondents have plans for expansion within the next two years.

Reduced Revenue Resiliency Companies in March of 2021 are clearly in a more stable financial position than in 2020 with companies being able to sustain financial viability from 90 days to a year being the largest groups instead of 0 to 30 days that were seen in March 2020. This increased stability can be attributed to multiple factors including refinancing of existing loans, government programs such as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the CARES Act, as well as additional lines of credit.

Supply Chain Disruption There is clearly still a concern with manufacturing supply chains however, this extends into other industries as well, such as lumber and computer chips. This provides an opportunity for companies to expand their services to bridge these gaps or find new companies that can provide the required products.

Return to Work Plan This question was not asked in 2020 but clearly demonstrates the impact COVID-19 has had on the thought process for work locale within the manufacturing industry.

Cybersecurity as a Priority This question was not asked in the 2020 version of the survey but clearly demonstrates the need for increased awareness and investment of cybersecurity amongst manufacturers. Especially those that are contractors or subcontractors for Department of Defense work. The respondents’ collective average is at 70% with 100% being the most important. There is much work to be done in the Rockford Region, however, the increased financial resiliency of our companies, the refocused efforts for entrepreneurs and start-up support, and the ability of our companies to redesign supply chains and products demonstrate the resilience and innovation that has led to the transition from aerospace manufacturing to medical manufacturing, production of gears for the Mars Rovers, every commercial aircraft having a part or system made or designed in Rockford, and the base for the Giant Magellan Telescope being made right here.

MAC2021 GEARING UP FOR A GREAT EXPERIENCE Innovation and technology are the heart and soul of aerospace. MAC2021 is continuing to strengthen supply chains, create connections and share relevant information key to the aerospace industry. Join us on Oct. 5. For more information visit MidwestAerospaceConference.com or email Anna Garrison at AGarrison@ RockfordIL.com This event is sponsored by prime sponsors: Collins Aerospace, GE Aviation, and Woodward, Inc.; premier sponsors: Anchor Harvey; and supporting sponsors: Clinkenbeard, LTL Co., Superior Joining Technologies, Inc.

RAEDC & IMEC Host Leadership Seminar The RAEDC is working with IMEC to host a leadership summit as part of the EDA Cares Grant obtained in October of 2020. If you are interested in obtaining additional information, please contact Anna Garrison at AGarrison@RockfordIL.com.

RAEDC & Stateline Advanced Manufacturing Network Join the Stateline Advanced Manufacturing Network for the first Advanced Manufacturing Roundtable and Panel Discussion on June 9. The panel discussion will include a conversation between Noah Goellner, Hennig Inc.; Todd Wells, Bourn & Koch, and Dean Harms, IMEC. This discussion will be facilitated by Stephanie Jones, VP of sales, RAEDC. The roundtable discussion will be facilitated by Jim Reynolds, Blackhawk Bank. There is no cost to attend this event, and we request that no more than two people from a company register to ensure more companies can attend. This event is sponsored by Blackhawk Bank and the Rockford Area Economic Development Council. Register at RockfordIL.com/events.

Connect with us We love sharing your good news and celebrating the successes of your organization. Connect with us on our social networks and help us spread the word about your good news, upcoming events and employees.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

Transform Rockford’s community scorecard Transform Rockford unveiled Rockford’s community scorecard, which for the past two years has tracked 90 different measurements of the area’s progress against 101 peer communities with similar populations and economic industries.

Areas of Improvement ■ The percentage of the area’s population with a bachelor’s degree or higher improved from 20.9% to 23%. ■ Rockford has more mental health providers in comparison to peer communities, improving its ranking from 67th to 52nd. ■ Rockford’s property crime decreased with its ranking in comparison to peer communities improving from 65th to 37th. ■ The percentage of people in poverty improved from 16.5% to 14.7%.

Areas Needing Improvement The number of full-time workers living in poverty grew, moving the community’s ranking from 34th to 77th. ■ The Rockford region’s population decreased 1.84% over the past five years. ■ Rockford’s home values increased, but they decreased compared to peer communities, dropping Rockford’s ranking from 57th to 76th. ■ Obesity increased, dropping Rockford’s ranking in comparison to peer communities from 35th to 63rd. “Focus areas to propel us forward in becoming a ‘Top 25 community’ by 2025 include high school graduation rates, economic development, workforce development and the mental and physical health of our community,” said Spitty Tata, program manager for Transform Rockford. “We will continue to work together as a community, and we welcome anyone to get involved and join us.”

Equity-driven healthcare reform legislation passed in Illinois The Health Care and Human Services Reform Act was signed into law on April 27, which seeks to move Illinois towards health equity. HB 158 takes effect immediately. The Health Care and Human Services Reform Act will:

Expand Health Care Access and Equity Creates a Community Health Workers program with training and certification. Adds implicit bias training to the required training for interns, residents and physicians. Creates the Underlying Causes of Crime and Violence Study Act, which will study how to create a process to identify high violence communities, also known as R3 (Restore, Reinvest, and Renew) areas, and prioritize state dollars to address underlying health issues and underlying causes of violence. Reduces taxes on all blood sugar testing products to one percent. Amends the Employee Paid Sick Leave Act to include care of children, parents, step-parents, in-laws and grandparents. Requires the Health Facilities and Services Review Board to conduct a racial equity impact assessment that is publicly viewable for all future hospital closure applications. Creates the Health and Human Services Taskforce to review health and human service departments and programs with the goal of improving health and human service outcomes for Illinois residents. Creates the Anti-Racism Commission to identify and propose statewide policies to eliminate systemic racism.

Creates the Medicaid Business Opportunity Commission within HFS to develop a program to support and grow minority-, women- and persons with disability-owned businesses.

Improve Children’s Health, Women’s Health, Mental Health; Address Substance Abuse Requires day care providers to be trained in childhood emotional learning, trauma and adverse experiences. Creates the Special Commission on Gynecologic Cancer to study issues relating to gynecologic cancer and present a report to reduce disparities and promote best practices. Prevents a person who seeks or obtains emergency medical assistance for an overdose or someone experiencing an overdose from being arrested or charged. Expands coverage of doula services and home visiting services for pregnant women. Increases payment rates for psychiatric treatment at hospitals serving primarily low-income patients.

Improve Quality of Care for All Illinois Residents Requires that any intern, resident or physician providing services at a hospital have proper credentials and any required certificates for ongoing training. Instructs hospitals to provide N95 masks to all physicians and nurses free of charge. Increases dementia training and requires continuing annual trainings.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

MEMBERSHIP 101 MEMBERSHIP

Building your success story

Expand your knowledge, learn from others, get new clients The pandemic hasn’t stopped the networking. The Rockford Chamber of Commerce now hosts four Advantage Clubs or OPEN

BNGroups, made up of business owners, decision makers and sales associates who network and refer business to one another. Only one member from each industry is accepted into each group. Visitors are welcome to attend a meeting before making a decision to join. For information on openings, contact Kristin Muehlfelder, 815-316-4315 or kmuehlfelder@rockfordchamber.com.

IGNITE Business Networking Group Designed for young professionals (under 45) Meets virtually until further notice second and fourth Tuesdays, noon Contact breitsch@ swedishamerican.org

Advantage Club Originals Meets virtually until further notice second and fourth Wednesdays, 11:45 a.m. Contact Josh Berven, 815-398-3434 or josh.berven@ gmail.com.

Advantage Power Network Club Meets virtually until further notice second and fourth Wednesdays, 11:45 a.m. Contact Michelle Bowman, 815-636-6665 or michelle. bowman@edwardjones.com

ALLSTARS Business Networking Group Meets virtually until further notice, first and third Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Contact Mike Peyton, 815- 908-2844 or michael.peyton@thryv.com

Pow(H)er is a conference for all who support, believe in and champion the advancement of women 2020 was an extremely difficult year – especially for women. Join us for a conference celebrating women’s achievements, supporting women through COVID recovery, and educating the community on how to advocate for and champion women in the business community. More information including speaker line up, virtual/in-person attendance opportunities, and award nominations to come.

Platinum Sponsor Edward Jones Erna Colborn, AAMS®, CRPS® Bronze Sponsor

Save the Date: October 28, 2021 Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront & Rockford Conference Center

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

PYSK INSIGHTS Continued from page 11

year and realized I had a lot of things I had stored away, most of which I did not remember having. I got rid of a lot of that stuff because I simply do not need as many things. Problem you wish you could solve? People no longer seem to be able to have civil conversations about things about which they disagree, and it is polarizing and mean. I have friends who I do not agree with, on certain topics, yet we are still friends. On social media, it seems like disagreeing with someone is an assault and divides people. Politically it comes from the left and right. Had the freedom to do anything, what? Travel for entire year around the world.

Class of 2018 Willy Goellner, chairman emeritus, Goellner Inc. (AME and Hennig Inc.) What are you currently doing? Recently celebrated my 90th birthday and still go to work every day. Still chairman emeritus of Goellner Inc., which includes Advanced Machine & Engineering Co. and Hennig Inc. Worldwide. Goellner R&D, Inc., has been formed to concentrate on research and development and the AMSAW Sawing Technology. Employment has grown to 470 in the United States and 444 in Europe. Still sing in the German Society of Rockford choir at United Lutheran (formerly Faith Lutheran Church). Was cofounder of the organization that began in 1963. Also enjoy being in nature and maintaining a large orchard/garden, traveling to Europe to visit key partners and customers, particularly Austria where I met my wife, Irmgard, married more than 60 years.

May 2021

Class of 2018 Lesly Couper, chief operating oﬃcer, workplace Checked off your “to-do” list of goals? I completed the professional certificate in digital marketing through the Digital Marketing Association and Digital Marketing Institute. Currently reading or watching? Just finished The Outsider by Stephen King and started Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. Gotten you through the past year? Most of all recognizing that we are in a temporary situation and to take the time to enjoy spending time at home with family and slowing life down a bit. Goals changed over the past year? Absolutely! I was presented with a great opportunity to change industries and career paths. After more than 20 years as a bank marketing and communications professional, I am now focused on the operations side in the staffing industry. Marketing and branding will always be passions of mine and luckily still falls within my role. Surprised you about where you are now? I thought I would end my career in banking, but the old adage holds true that when one door closes, another one opens. Speciﬁc place you most looking forward to visiting? I am most looking forward to attending concerts again.

Class of 2018 Mick Gronewold, principal, Fehr Graham What are you currently doing? Fehr Graham continues to grow as we inch closer to 50 years in business and 30 years in Rockford. We’ve expanded our office at 200 Prairie Street in Rockford by roughly 3,000 square feet and more than enjoy the opportunity to play a part in local projects. A great team leading projects has allowed me to focus more of my time and effort on client relations, new business and acquisition opportunities. Admittedly,

Mick Gronewold and family I get a lot of enjoyment in watching others take on more responsibility and stretching themselves each day. The ownership group here is fully committed to making the investments necessary to create an environment that provides staff the opportunity to grow. Concept of leadership changed? The past year has provided some clarity on the idea of “what got you here won’t get you there.” While leading the design process or developing client relationships or running the business well, are hugely important in our line of work, none of those were all that helpful to support our people through the stresses we all shared from the pandemic, polarized politics and social injustice awareness. A pivot from the linear approach to which we engineers typically adhere was necessary to help those around us feel comfortable, confident and productive. We are still improving in this space, but are better for choosing to start taking these steps. Things you’ve realized you do — or don’t — really need? I was at the office for an extended period by myself while everyone else worked from home. I suspect it isn’t the social aspect of being in the office or the need to have people around me that helps me get things done. My mental state and ability to focus aligns better with

Concept of leadership changed? The past year has provided some clarity on the idea of “what got you here won’t get you there.” executing my to do list when I am at the office. I didn’t try hard to work from home, but the few days I did, all I wanted to do was go to the kitchen for something to eat and check to see where my wife, Kate, was and what she was doing. Guess my ADD is worse at home than it is at the office. Anything you’d like to say that we missed asking? I think current times are calling for more tolerance from leaders. We all are dealing simultaneously with so many different issues, perspectives, personalities and needs that it can be somewhat overwhelming at times and difficult to remain calm. Being intentional about facing uncertainties while remaining patient, empathetic and diligent may seem difficult but is what is being asked of leadership today. Everyone has different motivators and a slightly different work/life balance equation. Being tolerant of the many differences while keeping your people focused on outcomes, as opposed to hours worked, is necessary to achieve success. v Barbara Connors is editor of The VOICE.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

business

BUSINESS BRIEFS

89.5 WNIJ, the broadcast arm of Northern Illinois University, celebrates 30 years of public broadcasting this year. The station went on the air on April 28, 1991. Programming previously provided by WNIU was split into two services. WNIU became an all-classical music station and WNIJ news, jazz and entertainment. Visit wnij.org. On April 6, more than 40 Saint Anthony College of Nursing students participated in a Farm Safety Day sponsored by Stateline Farm Rescue at Bakers Acres Dairy in Orangeville, Ill. They learned about farm safety issues, including methane gas poisoning, electrical hazards on the farm, rollover accidents, grain bin safety, suicide and mental health issues. KMK Media Group designed and developed a COVID-19 testing website for HCI Health at www. hcihealth.net, and modern and mobile-friendly websites for Panino’s Restaurants at paninosofrockford.com and The Kjellstrom Family Foundation at www.kjellstromfdn.org. The Patricia D. Pepe Center for Cancer Care at OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center upgraded its technology with a Varian True Beam linear accelerator for faster, safer and more targeted care radiation treatment. Forest City Gear was selected as Large Business of the Year for 2021 by the Stateline Chamber. Rockford Rescue Mission received a $15,000 grant from General Mills Foundation to upgrade its heavily used food service areas, including heavy-duty food storage racks, stainless steel food preparation table, cafeteria tables, a tablet and software for checking in volunteers and a commercial grade, electric can opener for hundreds of canned goods daily. The mission serves an average of 433 meals a day, 365 days a year. Rockford Systems, LLC, announced plans to reopen its in-person Machine Safeguarding Seminars, July 21 to 23 and Oct. 20 to 22, at its training center in Rockford. First National Bank and Trust Company sponsored the EVERFI Financial Literacy Bee, April 1 to 15, a nationwide financial literacy challenge for high school students. Curran Contracting Company announced a merger with G.A. Blocker Grading Contractor, Inc., bringing together business operations, personnel and operating under the Curran brand. OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center achieved Certified Blue Zones Worksite™ status,

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

becoming the first standalone certified worksite not located in an already existing Blue Zones Project community, and the first in the state of Illinois.

wages to $15; $16 on weekends and expanded benefits to include paid time off, job training and ﬂexible schedules for in-home caregivers.

Judson University was featured for having four top-ranked degree programs for 2021 by Intelligent. com: Human Resources Certification Degree Programs (#29), Master’s in Ministry Degree Programs (#5), Colleges In Illinois (#27) and Human Services Degree Programs (#6).

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Laurent House opened its eighth tour season on April 10: Saturdays and Sundays, April to November, and Fridays, May to October. It’s partnering with Anderson Japanese Gardens for tours Wednesdays and Fridays. Other specialty tours include holiday events in December and twilight tours in summer. Private group tours are available and the gift shop is open.

RAMP received $3,000 from the DeKalb County COVID-19 Response Fund towards audiovisual equipment for virtual education and advocacy services for students and families. It received $1,000 from the First Lutheran Endowment Fund for RAMP’s youth education and advocacy services in Stephenson County. V2 Marketing & Management organized, promoted and facilitated a two-day virtual Manufacturing Symposium for the National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers, an online gathering with workshop sessions for more than 70 attendees. OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center received DNV-GL reaccreditation as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, the first hospital to receive it in the Rockford region in 2018. It’s the longest accredited hospital in the Rockford area for stroke and aneurysm care. Rockford Park District received a $200,000 Boat Access Area Development grant in 2021 from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources towards its Mercyhealth Sportscore One Boating Area Development project. Tasks include repaving and restriping the parking lot and boat stalls, installing light poles and LED fixtures, painting the restroom building interior and exterior, and installing a new water supply pressure tank, vanities, accessible drinking fountain and LED lights for the restrooms. OSF Wound Care, the outpatient wound center of OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center, received the Center of Distinction award from Healogics. For the fifth year, it’s achieved outstanding clinical outcomes including patient satisfaction higher than 92 percent and minimum wound healing rate of at least 92 percent within 28 median days to heal. Savant Wealth Management developed a suite of multi-media education tools on the concept of Evidence-Based Investing. Visit savantwealth.com/evidencebased-investing. Comfort Keepers raised hourly

Anderson Japanese Gardens opened for the season on April 16. Advance reservations are encouraged at the website. Fresco, owned and operated by Franchesco’s Ristorante, also is offering daily breakfast and lunch service. The 2021 Puri Cup College Showcase took place, April 9 to 11, and the 2021 Puri Champions Cup, April 16 to 18, at Mercyhealth Sportscore One and Mercyhealth Sportscore Two. In March, Wesley Willows and Savant Capital Management held a “How to Avoid Probate: Your Loved One’s Will Thank You” seminar for the residents. Rockford Park District’s Therapeutic Recreation Summer 2021 Program Guide is available free at customer service, facilities and www.rockfordparkdistrict.org/tr. Edward Jones ranked Highest in Investor Satisfaction, according to J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Full Service Investor Satisfaction StudySM On April 14, Boylan Catholic High School inducted 50 juniors into the National Honor Society at an in-person ceremony; joining 54 senior members previously inducted. Discovery Center Museum, with support from Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, gave 1,000 children, ages 3 to 5, free Discovery at Home activity kits and links to virtual story times to help shape positive early-learning experiences. Rockford Christian Schools Middle School students donated 100 loaves of bread to the Rockford Rescue Mission, in partnership with Great Harvest Bread. Goodwill’s Young Adult LifeLaunch program, since 2019 has offered youth released from the justice system, ages 18 to 24, a safe environment, training, work experience, case management and

support to get back into the workforce with warehouse and manufacturing training. Ninety seven percent enrolled received an industry-recognized credential including forklift certifications and welding certifications. The program currently has openings. Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois through its Our Girl Scout Gift initiative will provide 2022 Girl Scout membership fees for all new, previous and returning Girl Scout members who join or renew their membership through May 12. Visit at www.girlscoutsni.org/renew. As part of a new Intergovernmental Agreement and with Guilford Tennis Center opening to the public again, the Rockford Park District will provide $4,669 every year to Rockford Public Schools to partially offset costs of electricity, custodial services, garbage service and maintenance for five years; costs adjusted annually as needed. The two organizations share the use of the 14-court lighted facility. V2 Marketing & Management planned and placed a hiring campaign for both the Roscoe, IL and South Bend, IN locations of Schafer Industries. The plan included outdoor billboards and building signage. Harlem Unit School District 122 received $21,300,984 and Rockford School District 205 $208,505,504 from the American Rescue Plan to address COVID-19 challenges. They received $12,897,380 in CARES Act funding last year. At least 20 percent must be used to address learning loss, but also can be used to better equip schools for safe learning, prevent layoffs, address students’ social and emotional needs, fund summer programs and ensure all students have access to reliable Wi-Fi and technology. SwedishAmerican, A Division of UW Health, achieved re-designation of Magnet® recognition as a reﬂection by the American Nurses Credentialing Center of its nursing professionalism, teamwork and superiority in patient care. It first received Magnet designation in 2015. V2 Marketing & Management recently organized, promoted and facilitated a three-day multi-track virtual conference for the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH). The conference included Humor Academy instruction, 10 conference keynotes and 28 breakout speaker sessions, research showcase, virtual banquet/awards and provided continuing education credits. OSF HealthCare received a grant by the Illinois Department of Public

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

BUSINESS BRIEFS Health to support the Pandemic Health Navigator program in Region 1, which includes Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties. The program provides health and disease prevention education and connections to local services and resources to those impacted by COVID-19. Rockford Housing Authority announced its new website at www.rockfordha.org is now live. Registration is open for group horse riding lessons and camps at Rockford Park District’s Lockwood Park and Trailside Equestrian Centre. Register at www.lockwoodpark.com, customer service locations or 815 987-8800. Rockford Area Economic Development Council released the 2021 version of its Quick Reference Guide. View it at RockfordIL.com/ QuickReferenceGuide. Rockford Systems, LLC, dba Rockford Combustion Solutions, is broadening its portfolio to include field service throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. New or expanded field service offerings include expert tuning for emissions control and energy optimization, combustion equipment inspections, troubleshooting, equipment service and repairs, and preventative maintenance programs. For the third consecutive year, Rockford Rescue Mission earned a 4-star rating, the highest possible rating, from Charity Navigator, the national, independent charity evaluator. Rockford Symphony Orchestra returned to the Coronado Performing Arts Center for the first time since March 2020 to record a

KMK Media Group developed a direct mail campaign for Royer Asphalt Paving, a division of Curran Construction in Crystal Lake, Ill. Chartwell Agency received a Gold ADDY award at the District 6 American Advertising Awards for the “Getaways to Dream About” social marketing campaign created for the Chicago Rockford International Airport. The entry automatically moves to the national American Advertising Awards. Winners will be announced at a virtual awards ceremony in June. Students in Boylan Catholic High School’s art and visual communications classes created new logos for Engineered Fibers Technology, a Connecticut-based company recently acquired by Cellusuede Products, Inc., in Rockford. Kiwanis Club of Rockford awarded a $25,000 grant to Stateline Youth for Christ for its program, Building Positive Relationships between Rockford Youth and Law Enforcement.

Zoom Meeting: Friday, May 14, 2021 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

JANUARY 2021 MEMBER ANNIVERSARIES Thank you to our members celebrating their anniversaries with the Rockford Chamber of Commerce

20 YEAR MEMBERS

Midwest Stitch Orput Companies Inc./ Edgebrook Shopping Center

15-YEAR MEMBERS

Gemini Computer Systems, Inc Leading Lawyers

MEMBER PICS

Ingersoll Ground Breaking holds a ground breaking on March 30 for a new 40,000-squarefoot facility at 707 Fulton Ave., Rockford, in preparation to assemble a 1,800-ton mount for the Giant Magellan Telescope.

Storming Crab holds a ribbon cutting on April 16 to celebrate the opening of its restaurant at 6779 E. State St., Rockford. It features Cajun-style crab legs, claws, corn, potatoes, shrimp and oysters.

V2 Marketing & Management has been hired to produce a promotional video for the National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers (NAPIM). The video will be used on the association website, shown during conferences and meetings and during new member recruitment sessions.

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COUNCIL MEETING

Northwest Community Center

on digital

series of ensemble and chamber orchestra performances on April 23. In February, the RSO board approved funds for a new Musician Ensemble Program, inviting musicians to create their own ensemble and submit a program for virtual concerts at the “ComEd Digital Stage” website page.

ROCKFORD CHAMBER

25 YEAR MEMBER

10-YEAR MEMBERS

Arc Design Resources, Inc. Benning Group, LLC Miller Eye Center

5-YEAR MEMBERS

Block Advisors Chick-fil-A Rockford Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network Powertrain Rockford, Incl Vixen Productions

Buckbee Weed Co., holds a ribbon cutting on April 20 for its location at 1018 S. Main St., Rockford. In 2020, four guys from Rockford started the hemp company. It offers a product line that includes cannabis vape cartridges, tinctures, vegan gel caps, gummies, flower and prerolls.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

in the news MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

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

1. Ana Montoya

2. Kent Kohlbacher

3. Allyson Rosemore

4. Scott Campbell

5. Raiza Sitchon

6. Heather Carr

7. Karla Dickson

8. Benjamin D. Miller

9. Anthony J. Saporito

10. Karen L. Stevens

11. David Boccignone

12. David Cyrs

13. Kyle Middleton

14. Dr. Terry Buzzard

15. Leticia (Lety) Castellanos

16. Stacy Matuseski

NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, RETIREMENTS

and Arthur Hudson, Gerard DuMelle, Jose Bernachea and Sara Palmer (sales associate achievement certificates).

Rock Valley Credit Union named Ana Montoya (1) as community outreach director. Transform Rockford’s executive director David Sidney will step down from his current position effective May 31. The organization will seek a new executive director. Patrick Voller now leads the entirety of SupplyCore’s business operations as senior vice president. Kent Kohlbacher (2) was promoted to SVP, business banking team leader, Northwest Bank. Allyson Rosemore (3) is the market manager for Rockford Midtown Market. Wesley Willows hired Scott Campbell (4) as assistant director of facility and promoted Raiza Sitchon (5) to nursing supervisor. FurstStaffing hired Heather Carr (6) in the newly-created role of vice president of marketing and branding. Stillman Bank welcomed Karla Dickson (7) as director of human resources. Stillman BancCorp N.A., promoted Benjamin D. Miller (8) to vice president and information technology office, Anthony J. Saporito (9) to administrative accounting officer, and Karen L. Stevens (10) to credit operations officer.

17. Darcy Rallo

18. Kerry Schaible

sensitivity training and diversity in the workplace. David Boccignone (11), CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, MBA, private wealth advisor, Studio Wealth Advisory Group, Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC, Rockford, reached the company’s Circle of Success program for years of consistently high performance. David Cyrs (12), senior partner, CYRS Wealth Advisors, was named a 2020 Five Star Wealth Manager by Five Star Professional, a market research firm. Kiwanis Club of Rockford gave education grants, ranging from $3,000 to $5,000, to high school seniors towards college, university or trade school: Gloria Okoroti, Rockford Lutheran High School; Brielle Owens, Rockford Christian High School; Mackenzie Park, Rockford Christian High School; Ieva Surantas, Auburn High School, and Taylor Thompson, East High School.

Paul Green, PCG private wealth financial advisor, Wells Fargo Advisors, Rockford, was recognized on the Best-In-State Wealth Advisors list by Forbes.

Keller Williams Realty Signature celebrated its 2020 regional award winners for home sales: Allison Hawkins (single agent), 84 closed transactions; Fidel Batres, team leader, Fidel Batres team (team award), 276 closed transactions, and Toni Vander Heyden, team leader, Sold on Toni team (group award), 356 closed transactions.

Nastasia Brown, Joei Krutza and Toni Vander Heyden, Keller Williams Realty Signature, earned their diversity certifications with hours leading in awareness,

Weichert Realtors Tovar Properties announced its 2020 Oﬃce Award Winners by the national franchise organization: Carrie Du Melle (executive club),

EMPLOYEE/COMMUNITY RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS

First National Bank and Trust Company recognized Kyle Middleton (13), Rockton, as first-round local winner in the “Lights, Camera, Save!” national video contest organized by the American Bankers Association Foundation. His video will compete at the national level. Rockford Rescue Mission named Dr. Terry Buzzard (14), regional medical director for Physicians Immediate Care, as volunteer of the year for 2020 for significant help during the COVID-19 crisis. Judson University gave Leticia (Lety) Castellanos (15), honorary consul to the Consulate of Belize, with the Presidential Award for Exceptional Achievement for her work as co-chair and co-founder of the United Belizeans of Northern Illinois. Boylan Catholic High School held an athletic signing ceremony on April 14: Kyle Agunod (football), St. Ambrose University; Jon Berry (volleyball), Mount Mercy University; Xavier Bryant (football), St. Xavier University; Nopparat Chiangtong (cross country), Rockford University; Daniel Contreras (baseball), Iowa Western Community College; Nicolas Fehrle (baseball and football), North Central College; Madison Harter (basketball), North Park University, and Christyna LaMantia (track and cross

country), St. Ambrose University. Joan Van Allen, financial advisor, Edward Jones, achieved the designation of Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®). Stacy Matuseski (16), First National Bank and Trust Company, earned the designation of SHRM-Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) and Darcy Rallo (17), HR generalist, as SHRM-Certified Professional (SHRM-CP). Brielle Owens and Mackenzie Park, students of Rockford Christian Schools, received Kiwanis scholarships. High school students Helena Vuong, Brielle Owens, Bjorn Carlson and Cassidy Proper had their ceramic works juried into the National K-12 Clay Exhibition in Cincinnati. Vuong’s carved sgraﬃto piece, “Dad’s Koi Pond” won the Artistic Merit Award and DiamondCore Tools ($100) Award.

OF GENERAL INTEREST Brian Thomas, Brian Thomas Photography, completed a photographic documentary of the Prairie at Reﬂectionz, located on six beautiful acres in northwestern Winnebago County. Kerry Schaible (18) attended the Northwestern Mutual advanced planning webinar, “Planning for the End of the Stretch IRA,” due to the SECURE Act, presented by Ed Slott.

Are you a Member with News to Share? Send news releases and other items of interest to the business community to: The VOICE, Rockford Chamber of Commerce 308 W. State St., Ste. 190, Rockford, IL 61101

Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding publication

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS ALLEN GALLUZZO HEVRIN LEAKE, LLC

HIDDEN CREEK ESTATES

Quality legal service to businesses, local governments and individuals in northern Illinois. 6575 Vistagreen Way, Ste. 110, 61107 James Allen 815-265-6464 www.AGHLLaw.com

A family-run venue creating creative and memorable experiences for your wedding, special event, corporate and community events. 13276 White School Rd. Roscoe, IL 61073 Aaron Frank 815-242-2099 www.hiddencrk.com

BP ROOFING SOLUTIONS

IMA

Commercial service rooﬁng company specializing in emergency leak repairs and roof restoration. 6661 Squire Ct. Loves Park, IL 61111 Brett Polhill 815-885-8326 www.bproofingsolutions.com

CRANDALL STATS AND SENSORS, INC.

Pressure: Sensors, Switches, Thermostats, Humidity Transmitter Receiver Controllers, Relays, Wire Processing, Printed Circuit Board Processing, Brazing, Tool Design and Tool Build. P.O. Box 10189 Loves Park, IL 61131 Mike Crandall 815-316-8600 www.crandallmfg.com

CURRAN CONTRACTING ROYER ASPHALT PAVING, INC.

Oﬀering superior asphalt paving, excavation and demolition, underground utilities, project management, site remediation, concrete recycling, clean soil disposal, asphalt mixes and clean ﬁll materials. 2220 County Farm Rd. DeKalb, IL 60115 Sara Carlson 815-756-9394 www.royerasphalt.com

DISTINCTIVE ROOFING, INC. Commercial and Industrial Rooﬁng 1555 New Milford School Rd., Ste. B Rockford, IL 61109 Doreen DeLacy 815-986-0831

Design/manufacturing machines for processing packaging of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food, tea and coﬀee. 4608 Interstate Blvd . Loves Park, IL 61111 Andrew Hendrickson 815-885-8846 www.ima.it

NAACP

NAACP’s mission is to ensure the political, educational, social & economic equality of rights of all persons & to eliminate racial hatred & racial discrimination. P.O. Box 121 Rockford, IL 61105 Rhonda Greer Robinson 815-969-6033 www.illinoisnaacp.org

NEW YORK LIFE - MARY WHITNEY Insurance 6N024 Meredith Rd. Maple Park, IL 60151 Mary Whitney 630-235-6722 www.newyorklife.com/agent/ mbwhitney

TRAJECTORY ENERGY PARTNERS LLC

Bringing together landowners, electricity users and communities to develop solar energy projects with strong local support. P.O. Box 310 Highland Park, IL 60035 Jon Carson 312-882-3713 www.trajectoryenergy.com

ENGEL ELECTRIC CO.

Commercial, Industrial, Institutional, Fire Alarm, Security, Network/Fiber Optic 5280 11th St., 61109 Scott McGinn 815-625-5949 www.engelelectric.com

6 WAYS TO GET MORE OUT OF YOUR CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP 1. Support other Chamber members through any of the social media outlets they use and tell your network about them as well. 2. Share your Chamber peers’ news with other groups you may be part of. 3. Invite fellow Chamber members to come speak at your company functions or the business seminars you are hosting.

4. Share your skills and expertise. We are all experts at something! 5. Invite one or two of your Chamber peers to attend other functions with you as your guest. 6. Support your fellow Chamber members by giving them preference when you shop.

In Memoriam Daniel J. Nicholas, 93, one of the namesakes for Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens, passed away on April 5. On April 15, the conservatory was lit in purple at sunset to honor him and his contributions to the City of Gardens and the conservatory. Dan was the first foundation board president for the Rockford Park District from 1993 to 1999 and served as a commissioner from 2001 to 2003. He was named an emeritus director in 2019 and volunteered at the conservatory as a greeter. Dan and his wife Ruth are credited for establishing the City of Gardens program with hundreds of hanging baskets hung annually throughout the community. In March 2006, the Nicholas family announced their donation of $2,150,000 toward the conservatory project in honor of their parents, William and Ruby Nicholas. The three Nicholas brothers, Bill, Dan and Ab, spent much of their time outdoors enjoying Sinnissippi Park and the Rock River.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2021

MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS Thank you to members who renewed with the Rockford Chamber of Commerce in March 2021 13 WREX Above and Beyond Associates Accuride Wheel End Solutions Rockford Gunite Akerman Shoes Anpec Industries Astro-Physics, Inc. B & H Oﬃce Furniture Ballard Properties, Highcrest Centre, LLC, Ballard Properties Group, I, LLC Barbara Olson Center of Hope Beefaroo, Inc. Bucciferro Family Management Cherryvale Place, Senior Living Christofferson Moving & Storage City First Church Collins Aerospace ComEd, An Exelon Company Countryman Inc. Curran Contracting Discount Tire Eickman’s Processing Company Electrical Workers Union/ Local 364 IBEW FBM Gypsum Supply of Illinois Flanagan Orthodontics FNBO Forest City Corporate Center FurstStaﬃng G & O Landscaping Inc. Giordano’s Global Spiritual Organization (Sikh Temple) Golden Apple Foundation Grand Regency of Rockford Guler Appliance Company Harlem Community Center Hoffman House Home2 Suites by Hilton Interstate Graphics Ipsen, Inc. J.L.Clark KP Counseling Management, LLC Lamar Advertising of Rockford Lechtenberg & Associates LLC LSP Industries, Inc. Macktown Living History Mary’s Market MegaFab MercyCare Health Plans Midwest Scale Company, Inc. Miller Eye Center Montel Technologies LLC Mosquito Joe of Rockford of Rockford - Crystal Lake - Janesville New Leaf Remodeling Next Rockford NFP, Inc.

Northern Illinois Food Bank Rockford Branch Oliver Close, LLC Olson Aluminum Casting Ltd. Pepper Creek/Fourth Street Greenhouse Phantom Regiment Progressive West Rockford CDC* Red Roof Inn #10035 River Valley Kitchens & Baths, Inc. Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated Rock River Development Partnership/ Rockford City Market Rocket Industrial, Inc. Rockford Area Arts Council Rockford Area Convention & V isitors Bureau Rockford Area Crime Stoppers, Inc. Rockford Career College Rockford Gastroenterology Associates, Ltd. Rockford Mercantile Agency, Inc. Rockford Park District Rockford Radiology Associates Rockford Register Star Rockford University Rockford Urological Associates, Ltd. Rustoleum Corporation (Testor) Severson Dells Nature Center Shogun Japanese Restaurant Izakaya 88 Sjostrom & Sons, Inc. Spring Ridge Senior Housing State Farm Insurance - Solomon Foley Stenstrom Construction Group Sundog Superior Joining Technologies, Inc. SupplyCore, Inc. SwedishAmerican, A Division of UW Health Talecris Plasma Resources The Logsdon Group The Olympic Tavern Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum Tovar Snow Professionals V2 Marketing & Management Viking Chemical Company Village of Machesney Park Willett Hofmann & Associates, Inc. Winnebago County Clerk and Recorder Winnebago County Health Department Winnebago County Medical Society Wipﬂi LLP WQRF-TV/WTVO-TV Zimmerman & Walsh, LLP Zuba and Associates, P.C.

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

40-YEAR MEMBER

Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP

35-YEAR MEMBER FurstStaﬃng

30-YEAR MEMBERS Johnson Controls, Inc. SupplyCore, Inc.

20-YEAR MEMBERS

Comfort Keepers MainStreet Financial Group North Park Rental Service, Inc. Rockford Linear Actuation, Inc.

15-YEAR MEMBERS Hilton Garden Inn Meg’s Daily Grind

10-YEAR MEMBERS

Danfoss Drives Harlem Community Center LSP Industries, Inc. New Leaf Remodeling Rock River Valley Pantry Sundog

5-YEAR MEMBERS

Alden Debes Rehabilitation and Health Care Center Alden Park Strathmoor B&H Oﬃce Furniture MercyCare Health Plans Rockford United Labor

community

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

MAY 2021 SATURDAY, MAY 1 Alzheimer’s Association, Illinois Chapter, Northern Illinois Hospice and Northwestern Illinois Area Agency on Aging present the Northwest Illinois Virtual Health Fair, 9 a.m. to noon. Open to all residents in Boone, Dekalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, McHenry, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties. Register at nwilvirtualhealthfair.com. The Demoss Center for Worship and the Performing Arts at Judson University hosts a Spring Concert of Worship, GreenRoom Improv and special documentary film highlighting the songwriting-to-recording journey of several DCWPA students, 7 p.m., at Herrick Chapel, 1151 N. State St., Elgin, Ill. Free. Eventbrite tickets required.

SUNDAY, MAY 2 Barbara Olson Center of Hope’s fifth-annual Rock for the Center Family Festival, takes place noon to 3 p.m., at 3206 N. Central Ave., Rockford. Include a cash raﬄe and online art auction of works by participants. Tickets at Rock4theCtr21. givesmart.com.

MONDAY, MAY 3 Goodwill Northern Illinois hosts its Springs Fling Golf Fundraiser at Abbey Springs Golf Course in FontanaOn-Geneva Lake, Wis. Register at www.goodwillni.org/springsﬂing. Northern Illinois Hospice hosts Mindful Mondays: Grief & Resilience, 3 to 4 p.m., on May 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 at Anderson Japanese Gardens, 318 Spring Creek Road, Rockford. Registration required at 779-774-9820.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 5 Abreo and the River District Association present Trucks and Tunes, 5 to 9 p.m., with music, block party atmosphere, full-service bar and local food trucks at City Hall, 515 E. State St., behind Vintage @ 501 in downtown Rockford. The monthly events run through Nov. 24.

THURSDAY, MAY 6 NIU EIGERlab at NIU-Rockford hosts an online, five-course Certiﬁcate in Nonproﬁt Management program, 1 to 3 p.m., May 6, 13, 20 and 27 at 8500 E. State St., Rockford. Call 815-7532192 or register at Eventbrite. University of Illinois Extension presents Raised Bed and Container Vegetable Gardening, 6 to 7:30 p.m., free on Zoom. Donations accepted. Register at go.illinois.edu/jsw or 815-986-4357. Illinois Small Business Development Center presents Access to Capital

and Coaching, a webinar with Jackie Blair, Allies for Community Business, 11 a.m. to noon. Visit www. rockfordsbdc.org/workshops-trainings.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 12 Trajectory Energy Partners LLC hosts a webinar, Community Solar for Illinois Businesses with Seven Generations Ahead, at noon on subscribing in a community solar project with no upfront investment for home or business. Visit trajectoryenergy.com/commercial to register.

THURSDAY, MAY 13 University of Illinois Extension presents Weed Management in the Vegetable Garden, 6 to 7:30 p.m., free on Zoom. Donations accepted. Register at go.illinois.edu/jsw or 815-986-4357. Peterson Meadows hosts a Hiring Event, 3 to 4:30 p.m., at the Dick & Pat Nyquist Family Chapel, 6402 Newburg Road, Rockford. Includes on-the-spot interviews. YWCA Northwestern Illinois hosts its 2021 Leader Luncheon: Women of Achievement Awards, virtual edition, at noon. Register at leaderluncheon.swell. gives. Illinois Small Business Development Center presents Media Buying for Small Businesses, a webinar with Michele McAffee, marketing director, Rockford Symphony Orchestra, 11 a.m. to noon. Visit www.rockfordsbdc. org/workshops-trainings.

SATURDAY, MAY 15 Ladiworkz presents Tea and Crumpets Anyone? a tea party for ages 6 to 12, noon to 2 p.m., at 730 N. Church St., Rockford. Tickets at Eventbrite. For questions, contact info@ladiworkz1.com or 815-7424754. Rockford Park District’s Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens presents Bumble Bee Nests, a nature-themed project for ages five and up at 9 a.m. Join the virtual class with activity box or in person. Visit nicholasconservatory. com/activities. Rockford Park District presents Wondrous Wildﬂowers, part of its In the Outdoors series, 1 to 3 p.m., at Atwood Center at Seth B. Atwood Park, 2685 New Milford School Road, Rockford. Register at www. atwoodpark.org/programs.

MONDAY, MAY 17 Women of Today’s Manufacturing hosts special guest, Stateline Robotics, at its annual Scholarship Fundraiser, 5 to 8 p.m., at Rockford Country Club, 2500 Oxford St., Rockford. Visit wotmrockford.com/events. Continued on page 31

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

community

ADVERTISERS INDEX

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

(Continued from page 30)

THURSDAY, MAY 20 Illinois Small Business Development Center presents Marketing Planning and Budgeting for Your Small Business, a webinar with Lisa Chatfield, president, Ad-Vice Marketing, 11 a.m. to noon. Visit www.rockfordsbdc.org/workshopstrainings.

SATURDAY, MAY 22 Midway Village Museum presents Tour of Duty: World War I Reenactment Weekend, May 22 and 23. Reserve tickets at 815-397-9112 or email store@midwayvillage.com for sessions: 9:15 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 9:45 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 1:45 p.m., and 2 p.m.

MONDAY, MAY 24 Deadline is today for artists to apply to participate in the 73rd annual Greenwich Village Art Fair, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sept. 18 at Riverfront Museum Park. Categories for the juried event include painting, mixed media, sculpture, printmaking, photography, jewelry and fibers as well as artisan food and hand-crafted gift vendors.

May 2021

JUNE 2021 TUESDAY, JUNE 1 First day of Camp Vertical Extreme, June 1 to 22 at Rockford Christian Schools. Visit www.rockfordchristian. org/editoruploads/files/CampVE/ CampVE21.pdf

THURSDAY, JUNE 3 The 2021 Rockford Midtown Market kicks off today and runs Thursdays through Sept. 30, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the RPS205 administration parking lot, 501 7th St., Rockford. Visit rockfordmidtownmarket.com.

ARCO Machinery Movers . . . . . . . . .15

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

Blackhawk Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Premier Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Comcast Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Rockford Chamber of Commerce

Entré Computer Solutions . . . . . . . .13

. . . . . . . . 6, 20, 21, 23 – 25, 27, 29, 31

Forest Hills Country Club . . . . . . . . .18 FurstStaﬃng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP . . . . . . . . .4 Illinois Bank & Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

University of Illinois Extension’s Northern Illinois 4-H Summer Day Camp takes place June 15, 16 and 17, at Rock River Christian Camp, Polo. Open to all boys and girls, ages 8 to 14; 4-H membership not required. Register at go.illinois. edu/4HSummerCamp.

Rock Valley College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Royer Asphalt Paving, Inc.. . . . . . . . . .7 Schmeling Construction Co. . . . . . . . .9 Stillman Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

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

Thayer Lighting, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Northern Public Radio . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Wipﬂi LLP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

VOICE

TUESDAY, JUNE 15

Rockford Mass Transit District . . . . .16

the

Chamber Staﬀ / Call 815-987-8100 ..........................................Direct Line Caitlin Pusateri, Executive Vice President ..............................................815-316-4337 Heidi M. Garner, Chief Operating Oﬃcer .................................... 815-316-4312 Lynette Jacques, Vice President, Member Investment .................... 815-316-4317 Jeff Bailey, Membership Development Executive ..................................815-316-4336 Olivia Guzman, Administrative Assistant/Customer Service Rep..........815-987-8100 Doug Hessong, Director of Publications & Technology ................... 815-316-4338 Carmen Kellerman, Program & Event Coordinator .............................815-316-4302 Kristin Muehlfelder, Member Relations...................................................815-316-4315 Doug Rand, Accounting Manager/Controller ............................... 815-316-4316 Joan Sundvall, Membership Contact Coordinator ......................... 815-316-4320 Einar K. Forsman, President & CEO .......................................... 815-987-8100 Edward Caceres, Director, Small Business Development Center ....................................................815-987-8100

CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS & OFFICERS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

DIRECTORS

Chair of the Board Dan Ross Community Foundation of Northern Illinois

Brent Bernardi Alpha Controls & Services LLC Kimberly Blascoe Wipﬂi LLP LaVonne Brown Savant Wealth Management

Vice Chair Jean Crosby Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Crosby Paula Carynski OSF HealthCare Starck Real Estate Saint Anthony Vice Chair Medical Center Don Daniels Samuel J. Castree SwedishAmerican, A Staff Management, Division of UW Health Inc. Treasurer Lesly Couper Amy Ott workplace Boylan Catholic Doug Curry High School Stenstrom Immediate Past Chair Construction Group Michele Petrie Wintrust Commercial Rebecca Epperson Banking & Mortgage Chartwell Agency

Eric Fulcomer, Ph.D. Rockford University Ira Grimmett Collins Aerospace

Tim Honquest Honquest Family Funeral Home with Crematory

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

Jeff Hultman Illinois Bank & Trust

Terry Voskuil Woodward

Michael F. Iasparro Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP

Robert Young Midwest Packaging and Container

Carly LaMonica LaMonica Beverages, Inc.

EX-OFFICIO DIRECTORS

Kris L. Kieper Machajewski YWCA Northwestern Illinois Mike Paterson Mid-West Family Broadcasting Joel A. Prah Mercyhealth

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

Denise Sasse RSM US LLP John Schuster Rosecrance Health Network Teresa Sharp American Precision Supply, Inc.

JUNE VOICE SPECIAL SECTIONS The Future of Wealth Management (Economic & Demographic Shifts & Digital Advances Transform Industry)

Women In Leadership (Changing the Face of Business)

Family-Owned Businesses (A Celebration of Excellence)

For information on advertising, call 815

987-8100

May Voice 2021

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