May Voice 2022 by Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce

the May 2022 | Volume 35 | No. 5

BRIGHT IDEAS

LEADERSHIP ROCKFORD

PAGE 3

PAGE 12

of the rockford business community

Caitlin Pusateri

named president of Rockford Chamber of Commerce

The Rockford Chamber of Commerce has announced Caitlin Pusateri as the organization’s President. She

will

lead

the

Chamber’s

strategic initiatives, create and oversee implementation of impactful regional connections, manage staff and day-today operations, and set the path forward for continued organizational success. “I’m thrilled to continue my work advocating for the businesses that help

build up our thriving local economy and diverse community. A strong business environment allows for a vibrant, healthy, and forward-thinking community. With our mission to ‘Lead Business Growth’ as my North Star, I am committed to serve our members, advocate on their behalf, and ensure the Rockford region is good for their prosperity,” Pusateri said. In her new role, Pusateri will lead one of the partner organizations which reports to the Greater Rockford Growth Partnership (GRGP), a non-profit umbrella organization encompassing and aligning the efforts of both the Chamber and the Rockford Area Economic Development Council’s (RAEDC) to positively impact the region’s business growth. “I’ve worked with Caitlin for more than 12 years and have seen firsthand her leadership and impact she has on our community. She’s extremely qualified to take the reins and continue building upon the bright legacy she’s been so much a part of so far,” Einar Forsman, CEO of the GRGP said. “Her experience with our organization and her dedication to our community will set herself – and our region – up for success. The future is bright under her leadership.” Pusateri began working for the Chamber as Executive Director of IGNITE in 2010 and has worked for the Chamber in some capacity ever since. In

VACANT WAREHOUSE TO BE TRANSFORMED INTO APARTMENTS, ENTREPRENEURIAL SPACES

October 2015, she became Vice President of Leadership Development. After being named Executive Vice President in 2021, she continued to develop leadership opportunities for Chamber members and spearhead opportunities to connect members to professional development, economic possibilities, and networking. Last year, Pusateri completed the US Chamber’s Institute of Organization Management, a program designed to enhance individual performance, elevate professional standards, and recognize chamber of commerce professionals who demonstrate the knowledge essential to nonprofit management. She also completed the ACCE Fellowship for Economic Recovery, a selective 10-month virtual cohort program of 45 Chamber professionals from across the country that explores timely theories, approaches, and best practices through a combination of peer learning, expert consultations, and network-building. “Caitlin is not only recognized locally as a change-maker, influencer for good culture, and leader, but she’s also received recognition on a national level. She is someone we can rely on at the Rockford Chamber of Commerce and we are so thankful for her continued commitment to excellence,” said Dan Ross, Chairman of the Chamber’s Board of Directors. v

Sliding into the driver's seat

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My toddler daughter and infant son both wear glasses – and not just “normal” glasses, but glasses that magnify their eyes greatly and have lenses that rival Coke Bottle bottoms. While they are both quite young, it has been important to me to surround them with others who wear glasses. My son has prints of cute wildlife animals with glasses above his changing table. My daughter has a doll (or two) with glasses. We have books that show kids wearing glasses. I dress them in clothes that show kids or animals wearing glasses. They are surrounded by people, animals, inanimate objects that wear glasses. Because I want them to see themselves in the world around them. I want them to be comfortable with who they are from day one and know they can

do or be absolutely anything they want to be – glasses and all. It’s a small thing, really. Lots of people have glasses and no one really passes much judgement on their moral character, value as a person, or ability to contribute to a leadership team because of them. And yet, to me, representation matters. For a kid who wears glasses. Glasses are easy – glasses can be temporary or removed or changed. But, for so many, what makes them “different” is more concrete. Race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity – the list goes on. These are parts of a person that are core to who they are. You can’t “take off” your gender identity. You can’t change the color of your skin to blend into a specific group (continued on page 17)

The Rockford City Council approved a deal to turn the vacant Condon-Shumway Seed Company building and the vacant Mack Paper/Bartlett structure, both on Cedar Street, into a combined 65unit apartment complex. Developers will receive 100 percent of the estimated $1.4 million lifetime amount of increased tax revenue. The development also will cater to artists and entrepreneurs with first-ﬂoor commercial and gallery space. Developers hope to open it in 2023 or 2024.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! ROCKFORD CHAMBER

GOLF CLASSIC

MONDAY, MAY 23, 11 AM FOREST HILLS COUNTRY CLUB For more information, see page 23 PRESENTING SPONSOR

SALES TAX FUNDS AREA MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS The Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board announced it collected $15 million to fund organizations that provide mental health and substance abuse services in Winnebago County. It came from the half-cent sales tax approved by voters in the March 2020 primary. The tax went into effect July 1, 2020, and has a sixyear sunset provision. The board announced it will allocate nearly $8 million to: Children’s Home & Aid, Winnebago County Doula Program; Children’s Home & Aid, Winnebago County EPIC Program; City of Rockford, Crisis Co-Response Team; Crusader Community Health, Crusader Behavioral Health Services Expansion - Continued (PY23); Remedies Renewing Lives, Domestic Violence Therapy & Advocacy Project; Rosecrance, Inc., Rosecrance Access to Care; Stepping Stones of Rockford, Inc., Stepping Stones Counseling Center; University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford, The CARE Program - Compassionate Appreciation for Recovery in Everyone; Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, Winnebago County Jail-Behavioral Health Program, and Youth Services Network Inc., Youth Trauma Clinic.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2022

PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

CAITLIN PUSATERI Rockford Chamber President

What makes me stay

I recently listened to a podcast by one of my favorite thought leaders, Adam Grant. Understanding organizations are hurting for a talented workforce right now (for a myriad of reasons, but that’s another article), he focused his attention on the less-talked about side of the talent equation: retention. So often, we hear about talent efforts that are aimed at upskilling, attracting or onboarding new talent. But so often, organizations forget the employees already punching the clock and doing the work. Once you actually have an employee reliably meeting their goals and doing great work, it can be easy to forget that the relationship needs constant maintaining. Afterall, even a cactus needs a few drops of water now and then. Grant spoke with a few experts on the broad-based topic of retention, but one that struck me as particular interesting was that of a Stay Interview. Employees interview for jobs before they are hired. Organizations often interview

employees as they head out the door. But what about in between? Enter: the Stay Interview. While the entire podcast is interesting (episode 3, Season 5 of WorkLife with Adam Grant – available where you typically find podcasts) the Stay Interview concept encouraged employers to meet with employees and ask those awkward questions that we so often avoid. ■ Amid the “great resignation” what has made you stay with our organization? ■ What do you like about your job? What do you dislike? ■ Where do you see areas of opportunity for improvement – within your relationship with your manager, within the company, within leadership? ■ What career goals do you have and how can we play a role in helping you achieve them? ■ What three small things would make your job easier/your life better?

■ What would entice you to leave our organization? These question don’t always offer easy answers. Even more so – the questions often require managers to sit and listen to feedback that may, in the end, create more work for them. But they are important questions. Not only do employees feel valued, but the organization has a better understanding of areas of opportunity and a way to gauge where things may go off the rails, so to speak. Knowing what it would take for a competitor or a new organization to swoop in and steal away your best talent is good information to have. You can actively work to make sure your greatest assets – your people – aren’t leaving for reasons that you could have easily remedy with a bit of elbow grease before the resume was updated. I recently took on a new role at the Chamber – President. I am excited that each day I’ve deliberately decided to stay at the Chamber. I’ve shown up. I’ve been engaged in my work. And I’ve loved what I do. I’ve started to ask myself why I stay – because it’s a good internal question to know the answer to. I stay because I believe in the work I do. I stay because I enjoy my co-workers. I stay because

I think the work offers opportunity to make an impact on my community. I stay because I have a flexible schedule that allows me to take advantage of both inperson and remote work environments, based on my needs both at work and at home. I stay because I like a challenge. I stay because I’m proud of the work I do. My plan is to find out why my team members are staying as well. After all, the best thing I can do as a leader is learn from the people surrounding me, remove obstacles, and watch them grow.

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 2022

proﬁle

MEMBER PROFILE

CASTING A LIGHT ON SUCCESS:

Thayer Energy Solutions By Paul Anthony Arco When Patti Thayer began her working career, she never pictured running her own company. Now, she can’t imagine doing anything else. Thayer is president and owner of Thayer Energy Solutions (TES), a company that specializes in retrofitting commercial lighting systems, inside and out, to increase energy eﬃciency and decrease the cost of operations. “The keys to our success are service, longevity and reputation,” she said. Formerly known as Thayer Lighting, TES has clients in several industries — shopping malls, auto dealerships, hospitals, schools, municipalities. An average project is 10,000 to 50,000 square feet and their largest project was 1.3 million square feet. Thayer estimates her company has retrofitted more than 100 million square feet of space and has grown five-fold over the past few years. “We don’t do a cookie cutter job,” she said. “We have the experience of coming into a facility and taking care of the customer’s needs when it comes to optimal lighting.” The company was started by Thayer’s late husband, Tom, in 1987. Thayer, who has a diverse background in sales, training, and payroll, met Tom at a political function

when she worked in membership sales for the Rockford Chamber of Commerce. The next day she signed Tom up for a chamber membership. “Six months later we were married,” she said. Thayer soon went to work for her husband and totally immersed herself into the business. She studied, researched and attended conferences and trainings. Tom eventually retired and Thayer took over in 2008. “I grew to love the company and the relationships with our customers,” she said. Tom died in 2019. TES has completed projects for the City of Freeport, Rock River Ford, Benson Stone and Anderson Auto Group, among others. Earlier this year, TES completed a comprehensive lighting project for Midwest Packaging & Container, replacing every light fixture both inside and outside the facility. Company president Rob Young says he appreciated TES’s professionalism and flexibility of working around Midwest’s machine schedule during the process. “Improving our lighting and saving on energy have been two priorities for us,” he said. “The plant looks great, and we’ve saved quite a bit of money on our energy bill. We love showing off our facility and providing a safe and productive environment for our 150 employees.”

Thayer Lighting Solutions has brightened working conditions in hundreds of working areas: shops, storage, industry and parking lots. TES has seven full-time employees, along with several independent contractors who handle marketing and sales. Thayer calls her team the backbone of the company. “I consider all of them a part of my family. They are an integral part of who we are as a business.” These days, TES is riding the wave of the sweeping changes in lighting technology. For example, LED has fundamentally changed the future of lighting. Three years ago, nearly half of all lighting sources were LED and that number is expected to grow to 87% by 2030. “Technology has evolved so much,” Thayer said. “We have much better control of lighting output. We used to deal with wires in the walls and now you can go remotely. It’s an exciting time to be in the business.” And 2022 promises to be another eventful year. One of the most exciting

projects is the company’s role in installing electrical vehicle chargers (EVCS) for auto dealerships in the Rockford and Crystal Lake areas as well as for manufacturers, municipalities and for residents. “This is the perfect direction for our company,” said Thayer. “We’ve come a long way when it comes to technology, and we recognize the importance of service.” For Thayer, it’s all about making the customers happy: “When the kind words come back to me, I know we did the job the right way,” she said. “That’s my greatest satisfaction.”

THAYER ENERGY SOLUTIONS Owner and President: Patti Thayer 959 Industrial Ct. Loves Park thayerenergysolutions.com

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2022

PHOTO BY MINDY JOY PHOTOGRAPHY

Rockford Park District Executive Director Jay Sandine underscores the important role the Rockford Park District plays in building a resilient, healthy and economically vibrant community with Rockford Chamber President Caitlin Pusateri.

From socialization, to jobs, to healthy relationships Park district director talks about the importance of play in people’s lives

The Rockford Park District began in 1909 with similar lofty goals: to reduce crime by getting kids oﬀ the streets and to strengthen families by providing a place where they could relax and recreate. By Barbara Connors The Rockford Chamber held its second Community Priority Series, a live-streamed chat between Caitlin Pusateri, president of the Rockford Chamber, and Jay Sandine, executive director of the Rockford Park District. The event was sponsored by BMO Harris Bank. View the entire exchange at www.rockfordchamber.com/communitypriority-series.html. Sandine, a third-generation leader in parks and recreation, talked about one of his two favorite values the park district brings to the community, as “your kid’s first-time employer.” Sandine started himself at a mere 19 years old; pulling grass at Elliot Golf Course. “The park district has been the firsttime employer to literally thousands of high school- and college-aged kids.” By the time they’ve made it through high school and college, they have eight years of work experience, maybe even as a supervisor or manager. “They are ready to tackle the world.” The Rockford Park District began in 1909 with similar lofty goals: to reduce crime by getting kids off the streets and to strengthen families by providing a place where they could relax and recreate. When COVID hit and the park district closed its facilities, tournaments and programs, it affected people’s mental and physical health. Kids in particular needed the socialization and recreational activity. Crime went up 100 percent. “I know how I felt not being able to play hockey,” Sandine said. On the positive side, people gained a greater appreciation for the parks, trails and golf courses as a welcome refuge, and there was a big upsurge in their use.

Even before that time, in 2017, the park district’s budget took a hit from decreases in its revenue streams, property taxes and program fees. It sought community feedback and was advised to reduce its footprint. Parks and neighborhood playgrounds ranked as a top priority to keep. Taking a cue from former park district leader, Webbs Norman, who always said, “It’s not my park district,” the leadership knew its job was to find out how the community wanted to recreate, then execute on that. Hard decisions followed, such as the leasing of Magic Waters to Six Flags. Sandine describes in the Chamber chat his leadership role in the transaction, which other Illinois park districts have emulated. He highlights plans for the sale of Elliot Golf Course; located near the new casino, and how the revenue is going to be used. He talks about the “most exciting project he’s been involved in” at the park district, the new Indoor Equine Center at Lockwood Park. Keeping with the park district’s lofty goals, the center aims to help kids of all backgrounds struggling with issues through the therapeutic power of horses. “It’s something that a counselor, that a parent, can’t give a kid.” Sandine ends the chat with his favorite value the park district brings to the community: As a unity driver. “Drive down to Nicholas Conservatory and park in one of those lots. Sit there for 10 minutes. I guarantee, you’ll see every age, every ethnicity, every background all coming together through the common love of play.” Barbara Connors is editor of The VOICE.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2022

GUEST COLUMNIST

Rockford now reaping beneﬁts of Rockford Promise investments ALEX GARY Alex Gary Communications

Mentors needed for the growing number of scholars

Alyssa Giardono knew early on how significant it was to her future when she learned she was going to receive a Rockford Promise Scholarship to attend Rockford University tuition-free. “The day I found out was very surreal,” said Giardono, a Jefferson High School graduate who was among 84 Rockford Public Schools graduates to apply for 22 scholarships in 2018. “I heard how hard it was to get the scholarship and how few people they picked to actually receive it. I was very proud of myself that day.” Of course, that meant she was committing to a rigorous college program and every college career has its struggles. “My biggest hurdle at (Rockford University) was starting the nursing program,” she remembered. “There were so many required books and supplies that I remember sitting at my mentors’ counter just frustrated, having them both help me research my books and where I could get the nursing accessories I needed.” This May, Giardono will walk across

Alyssa Giardono

These students will take the leadership mantle for our community when current leaders are ready to retire. a stage to accept her bachelor’s degree in nursing. The hard work already has paid off professionally. She was hired by OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center as a registered nurse in its neuro trauma burn intensive care unit. Giardono is not alone. Since 2016, Rockford Promise has been a Johnny Appleseed of sorts, planting educational seeds in the college careers of more than 180 students. Those seeds are increasingly growing into collegeeducated adults. In May, more than 20 Rockford Promise scholars will be earning two- or four-year degrees, bringing the number of graduates since 2016 to 53. These students will be entering the working world not only with a college education but without much of the crushing college

debt which keeps so many students from middle- and low-income families from being able to build wealth for 20 years or more.

navigating higher education upon whom

Expanding Program

of scholars, Rockford Promise is in need

Rockford Promise has expanded rapidly since Giardono entered the program. In 2018, she was one of four RU and 18 Rock Valley College students to receive the Rockford Promise scholarship. In the 2022-2023, there will be more than 225 receiving scholarships to attend RU, RVC and Northern Illinois University. Rockford Promise will be supporting more than 400 active students. (One of the hallmarks of Rockford Promise’s program is the addition of Scholar support through graduation.) This is where Rockford Promise needs the help of the business community. Part of the “promise” to Scholars is providing the help and guidance of a mentor if they ask for one. Many of these students are the first in their families to attend college and lack a resource familiar with

they can lean on when they encounter hurdles like the ones Giardono discussed. With the rapidly expanding number of new mentors. The commitment is manageable, with most mentors able to spend an hour a week as a resource and sounding board for Scholars. These students will take the leadership mantle for our community when current leaders are ready to retire. An investment in their futures is sure to pay dividends. If you or your organization would like to learn more about Rockford Promise and mentorship opportunities, we invite you to contact www.rockfordpromise. org/become-a-mentor. Alex Gary is president of Alex Gary Communications and Alumni Engagement Services. The views expressed are those of Gary’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2022

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 DEVELOPMENT CENTER BACK TO THE WORKPLACE: MIKE MASTROIANNI Illinois SBDC

Now’s the time to come together

Some of us remember the old Beatles song, “Come Together.” Now, after many months, employees are coming back to the workplace, and at least some of the time, are working at the workplace instead of or in addition to home. What attitudes and frustrations will they bring with them? It seems as if the country now is divided in multiple areas. Some of those divisive attitudes can carry over to work. Some examples could be in the areas of mask wearing or not mask wearing. Some may still choose to wear masks, even though it is permissible to take them off. Will there be arguments over who is or who isn’t wearing them? Will there be “mask harassment?” What about the lunch table talk about politics,

the economy, the environment, global warming and a number of other hot topics that we, as employers, cannot legislate away from the company? It seems reasonable that the best way to deal with things is to address situations BEFORE they happen. At a staff meeting, it may make sense to ask people to be tolerant and kind to each other, to prevent frustration levels from affecting the culture and the work of your employees. It also makes sense to have some training in constructive confrontation. There are two ways this technique can be used. One is if I am being confronted by someone, and the other is if I need to confront someone. When confronted, we need to listen first, get the frustrations/

feelings aside and then make our points. Feelings are acknowledged when stated. Then, we can move on. So, after the person vents to us, we might say: “Sounds like you’re frustrated with government policy now. Things can certainly be confusing. I guess I just as soon not get into arguments about it.” OR “Sounds like you’re angry with me because of how I voted in the last election. I can understand that we all have strong feelings about it, but I hope we can get past it so we can work well together.” If I have to confront, it’s best to do so using “I” messages, expressing feelings and then hearing the other person out. “I’m feeling a little frustrated that I’m getting grief over wearing this mask. I get that we all have our views on the CDC and the guidelines, but I feel safer with it on, and I hope that we can get past this and work well together.” After saying this, the person may vent. ... If that occurs, we say, “again, I understand your feelings on this, but whether it’s worn or not worn, I just

want to come to work, get along with the people I work with, and go home.” It may take some time before we get back to the “Way We Were” (An old Barbara Streisand hit, since we’re on the music theme today), but in the meantime, we may have to use effective confrontation techniques to get differences acknowledged, and then set aside so that we can get along well enough to get the job done. Why worry about it? Because an underlying frustration level can mean a focus on the wrong things and can leave an organization vulnerable to disputes, conflicts, factionalism and even safety concerns. A policy or procedure cannot regulate people’s feelings, only their actions. Speaking out on issues before they arise, and then confronting those issues if they persist are ways to make sure frustration levels stay small and don’t get out of hand. Michael Mastroianni is consultant, management & HR, for the Illinois SBDC at the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2022

The goal is to make a career in education attractive and ﬁnancially feasible – especially

DR. EHREN JARRETT Superintendent RPS 205

Program helps make education an attractive career option

A single mother at 16, it would have been easy for Harmony Perry to be overwhelmed. Fortunately, Perry’s teachers at Roosevelt Community Education Center led her down a path to become a teacher herself. Perry is the first Roosevelt student to pursue the Rockford University Education Pathway, and she’s among the pathway’s largest scholar classes ever this year. The pathway is a program in which Rockford Public Schools students learn about education in our high school academies and pursue the career locally and cost-effectively, via a scholarship. For Harmony and 25 other pathway scholars this year, they have a chance to earn a bachelor’s degree and a teacher’s certification at a steeply discounted rate at Rockford University. Pathway graduates return to teach in our district, where they can also earn their master’s degree in urban education at RU for free. The goal is to make a career in education attractive and financially feasible – especially for young people like Harmony, who reflect the diversity of our community. It’s especially important in the midst of a teacher shortage.

Building Relationships The grow-our-own teachers program – and the partnership with RU – is so important to the future of Rockford. But we couldn’t have gotten here on the strength of an idea only. We had a major assist from RPS 205 staff who know the technical solution is only part of the picture. Relationships form the backbone of any successful program. Take Jefferson High School, for example. It had 10 Education Pathway scholarship recipients this year; twice as many as any other school. The numbers are even more remarkable considering it

was Nicole Frazer’s first year teaching the education seminar course at Jefferson. In putting her own mark on the course, she drew on her passion for project-based learning — immersing students in the work, rather than relying on a textbook. Frazer saw her students getting more and more engaged in the fundamentals of learning. They even began to see how their own teachers applied education concepts in the classroom. “The amount of reflecting these students have been able to do on their own education – the strengths and the weaknesses – has just been amazing in the class,” Frazer said. A field trip to Riverdahl Elementary School was instrumental too. Riverdahl’s teachers insisted the pathway students immerse themselves, rather than merely observing. One pathway scholar came up to Frazer afterward and said, “You are right. I do want to do this.” As evidence of the power of the Riverdahl experience, every one of the 10 Jefferson pathway scholars want to be elementary teachers. At Roosevelt, where Harmony Perry is nearing graduation, Academy Coach Scott Sevey credits the college and career academy concept itself. The goal is to connect student learning to how students will live in the world. Certainly, the lesson was not lost on Harmony, who wrote in her pathway essay about how she wants to teach young children there is more to life than taking the easy way out. Until the ninth grade, Harmony wanted to be a basketball player because her family was poor and athletes had money. She wrote: “As an African-American female, if I had not seen other AfricanAmerican female teachers who had been poor become successful as teachers,

for young people like Harmony, who reﬂect the diversity of our community. I probably would still be looking into sports scholarships.” Harmony’s story is a great example of what we have to do in a time of talent scarcity. We have to pair technical solutions (the RU Pathway) with renewed attention to the other part of the recruiting equation – building relationships. My congratulations and thanks to the 26 students who stepped up to become

part of the solution: Our next generation of teachers. Dr. Ehren Jarrett is superintendent of Rockford Public Schools. The views expressed are those of Dr. Jarrett’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

SPECIAL SECTION The Transportation Issue

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2022

America’s migration to lower-density populations Less moving for a job; more moving to be closer to family United Van Lines released its 45th annual National Movers Study of its American customers that indicated many were motivated to move to lower-density areas and to be closer to their families last year. The annual study determined Vermont as the state with the highest percentage of inbound migration with United Van Lines. Topping the list of outbound locations was New Jersey, which has held the spot for the past four years. South Dakota, South Carolina, West Virginia and Florida also rated top inbound states for 2021. Meanwhile, states like Illinois, New York, Connecticut and California, which have regularly appeared on the top outbound list in recent years, again ranked among states with the largest exoduses. Each year United Van Lines conducts an accompanying survey to examine the motivations and influences for Americans’ interstate moves. Results indicated 31.8 percent of Americans who moved did so in

order to be closer to family – a new trend coming out of the pandemic as priorities and lifestyle choices shift. Additionally, 32.5 percent of Americans moved for a new job or job transfer, a significant decrease from 2015, when more than 60 percent of Americans cited a job or transfer. Amid the pandemic, many Gen Xers are retiring (often at a younger age than past generations) and joining the Baby Boomer generation. While many are retiring to states like Florida, United Van Lines’ data reveals they’re not necessarily heading to heavily populated cities like Orlando and Miami — they’re venturing to less dense places like Punta Gorda, Sarasota and Fort Myers-Cape Coral. Similarly, in Oregon, cities including Medford-Ashland and Eugene-Springfield saw high inbound migration in 2021.

Moving In The top inbound states of 2021: 1. Vermont 2. South Dakota

United Van Lines' map of 2021 moves. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

South Carolina West Virginia Florida Alabama Tennessee Oregon Idaho Rhode Island

Six of these states — Vermont, South Dakota, West Virginia, Alabama, Oregon and Idaho — are among the 20 least densely populated states in America, with less than 100 people per square mile. Tennessee and South Carolina are among the top 25.

Moving Out The top outbound states for 2021: 1. New Jersey

Annual report on potential high-speed rail to include Rockford Progress is underway to form a commission to produce an annual report on potential plans for a high-speed rail line between Chicago and St. Louis, with connections to the cities of Rockford, Moline, Peoria and Decatur. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation last August, and this past month, legislation was approved before the Illinois General Assembly clarifying that appointments by the governor to the Illinois High Speed Railway Commission should be named from among key stakeholders in the next few months. In 2020, State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) secured $275 million in capital funding to bring back passenger rail between Chicago and Rockford and sponsored the legislation to establish the commission. The final goal would be to modernize and integrate all train systems in Illinois into one connected high-speed rail network. According to www.idothsr.org, the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration are the joint lead agencies and ultimate decision makers on the Chicago to St. Louis High-Speed Rail project. Additional

project partners include: Union Pacific Railroad, Amtrak, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), Canadian National Railway, Kansas City Southern and Terminal Railroad Association. Also included are representatives for communities and cities along the corridor.

IDOT construction on U.S. 20 Resurfacing has resumed on a 6.5-mile section of U.S. 20 from Falconer Road to Simpson Road. Traffic lanes and shoulders in both directions will be resurfaced, along with entrance ramps at Montague and Meridian roads. A lane closure in each direction will be in place through the $12 million project’s expected November completion. IDOT plans to improve more than 3,535 miles of highway and 9 million square feet of bridge deck as part of the Rebuild Illinois capital program, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation. Visit GettingAroundIllinois.com.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Illinois New York Connecticut California Michigan Massachusetts Louisiana Ohio Nebraska

Nine of the top 10 outbound states are considered densely populated, further illustrating America’s shift to less crowded states.

Balanced Several states saw nearly the same number of residents moving inbound as outbound. Kentucky and Wyoming are among these “balanced states.”

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2022

SPECIAL SECTION The Transportation Issue

GUEST COLUMNIST

Tips for airline travel in 2022 STEPHANIE STAUDINGER MKE

Technology makes for a smarter travel experience

During COVID-19, airports across the country had to shift the way they operated, almost overnight. What’s not changed: Those who travel want to get through airports quickly, easily and safely. Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) implemented a variety of new technology advancements throughout COVID-19 that still exist today, in 2022, as travel continues to rise to pre-pandemic levels. All of this new technology has one goal in mind – to make it easier for you to travel. MKE wants you to be able to move through the airport as quickly, as easily and as safely as possible. Did you know you can save time by reserving parking ahead of time? Did you know there a few other easy things you can do to help you skip lines?

Nervous About Airport Parking? Milwaukee’s airport wants parking to be easy. Nobody should have to stress about where they’re going to park while thinking about a vacation. With the

Instead of paying with cash or card, you can pull out your phone and tap to pay at all of the shops and restaurants. Smart Park app, you can reserve a spot and pay through the app. Not only do you not have to wonder where to park your car, you can pay ahead of time and earn rewards. Pay stations continue to pop up at airports across the country because they help cut down on time spent waiting in lines when coming and going from a parking structure. At the Milwaukee airport, pay stations are located inside the Main Terminal to pay ahead and exit through a special lane in the structure.

TSA Technology Makes Lines Move Quicker During COVID-19, TSA implemented new technology to make the traveling

experience smoother. That technology still exists today at MKE because it’s changed the game for easy travel. CT scanners result in fewer manual bag checks having to be done by TSA oﬃcers. CAT devices mean you don’t always have to hand over your identification or boarding pass. This not only speeds up the process – it helps detect fraudulent documents and enhances safety by reducing touchpoints.

Pay on Your Phone Every Step of the Journey Another convenience that arose is touchless technology to pay for anything inside of the airport. Instead of paying with cash or card, you can pull out your phone and tap to pay at all of the shops and restaurants. Skip the line at the Starbucks on Concourse C or Concourse

D and have your coffee waiting for you before your flight by ordering ahead through the company’s mobile app.

Still Have Questions? Ask Away! MKE currently offers flights to more than 35 nonstop destinations across North America. If you have a trip coming up, you can find live assistance from TSA on Twitter at @AskTSA. Otherwise, email your travel questions to info@mitchellairport.com. We’re always happy to help answer them. Stephanie Staudinger is marketing and public relations coordinator at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport. She is the creator behind the now viral “lost and found stuﬀed animals at MKE” series. The views expressed are those of Staudinger’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2022

GREATER ROCKFORD GROWTH PARTNERSHIP

economic development C O U N C I L Jerry Sagona, Vice President of Business Development Jerry is responsible for the overall leadership of business attraction, expansion and retention activities in the Rockford Region. In this role, he serves as the liaison between the Rockford Region and the National, Chicagoland and Winnebago County real estate communities, global site selectors and private companies considering first-time investment in the Rockford Region.

Celebrating economic development Economic Development Week takes place May 9 to 13; celebrating the work economic development organizations (EDOs) conduct to create opportunities for sustainable primary employer growth and vibrant communities. Economic Development Week was created by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) in 2016. To increase awareness of local programs that create jobs, advance career development opportunities and improve communities’ quality of life everywhere, we have continued the tradition. The daily work of economic development has evolved over the years from working on large business attraction projects to focusing on business retention work while keeping business attraction as a secondary focus into forward-looking with a focus on prosperity for all. Meaning the community, the businesses and the people

Matt Zarembski, Director of Investor Relations

within the community and businesses are prosperous in a sustainable way; creating a region that is a great place to live, work and visit and enticing those that may have left to return to the area to continue their careers and lives. We use this week to help the region get to know the people that work at the RAEDC and why the work they do matters to the people of the Rockford Region.

Matt is responsible for fund development and revenue generation, working towards sustaining and increasing investments in the RAEDC. By networking with local business and community leadership, Matt builds relationships designed to generate a better understanding of the organization’s mission, needs and strategic plan to provide appropriate engagement in successful client projects.

Therese Thill, President

Erin Marshall, Marketing and economic Communications Manager

Therese leads the development strategy for the region and focuses her efforts on engaging with site selectors, company executives, business owners, brokers and public oﬃcials to encourage companies to locate or expand in the region. She also concentrates on assisting existing primary employers in the region with resources for sustainable growth.

Erin supports the RAEDC, GRGP, Rockford Chamber and all staff through communications, marketing and public relations initiatives. She is responsible for all levels of creating, coordinating and implementing projects and programs that support business development; business attraction; business retention; regional branding, and other economic

WHY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MATTERS: Business The effect economic development has on a community can be experienced in many ways. Over the next few months, we will cover the top six ways the daily work of economic development matters, beginning with business retention. Therese Thill, RAEDC president, has highlighted business retention as one of the strategic areas of economic development work the RAEDC will focus on. We recently had a conversation with her about why business retention is important, and what primary employers can expect. Previously the RAEDC has focused on the jobs these primary employers offer as primary jobs, sticky jobs, and jobs that are good for today, tomorrow and the future. You’ve implemented a Business Retention Visit program, why is this important? At the Rockford Area Economic Development Council, we systematically get out from behind our desks to visit about 150 companies per year. We do this to gain a better understanding of our customers, in our case, Rockford Region businesses. It’s really about customer service and gaining a clear understanding of what is

happening in the ‘real’ world. Excellent customer service is a “must” in all occupations, and serving existing industries is also our number one priority. Existing businesses drive more than 80 percent of all job creation and capital investment. Do you only meet with companies that plan to expand or grow? No, we value all our existing businesses; however, we do focus on primary employers. In simple terms, a primary employer is a business or industry that produces goods and services for statewide, national or international markets. The goods and services are exported to consumers outside of the region, resulting in a stream of new dollars coming into the local economy, and ultimately the distribution of wealth through wages paid to employees, a stronger supply chain, and tax revenues. Secondary employers are those businesses that serve the local community and essentially recirculate local dollars. An example of a secondary employer is a barbershop or plumbing company that caters primarily to a local consumer market.

development programs or projects. She is also responsible for online analytics and condensing large amounts of data and high-level concepts into bite-sized pieces of information, making economic development more accessible to members of our community.

Lolita Pettigrew, Executive Assistant Lolita is responsible for the daily work of ensuring the oﬃce runs smoothly. Lolita coordinates with staff and GRGP and RAEDC board members. She assists with key events and oversees the updating of the organization’s contact management database. The Rockford Area Economic Development Council staff are economic development professionals focused on serving clients, investors and partners. RAEDC staff work with regional economic development partners to cultivate opportunities for primary employer growth that increases the economic well-being of our region. RAEDC staff are experts in their fields and create relationships that benefit companies that are located here and companies that are looking to expand or relocate into the Rockford Region. Economic Development Week allows the staff of the RAEDC the opportunity to celebrate the work done throughout the year. Learn more about the daily work of economic development and the RAEDC staff at RockfordIL.com.

retention

Describe your visits with a company. It’s a candid conversation, where we do most of the listening. We try to get a snapshot of the company’s situation, opportunities, challenges and pain points. Although the discussion is candid and relaxed, we do use a systematic approach with set questions. The information we gather is kept confidential and may be aggregated to reflect trends in the area. This disciplined approach, along with custom software to capture the information, will give the RAEDC greater insight into what’s needed to keep the local economy healthy. Assume I’m the CEO of a Rockford area company. Tell me in 30 seconds or less: Why should I meet with you? Your input is important to us. Existing businesses create the bulk of jobs, payroll, taxes and capital spending in our economy. These are the RAEDC’s number one customers. We want to hear from our customers. Second, regardless of expansion plans, CEOs and business owners provide the

Rockford Region with a view from the street. We hear about opportunities and challenges long before it’s a major trend and makes the front page of the Wall Street Journal. And from a community perspective, the CEO provides valuable information about whether the community is on the right track or going in the wrong direction. Finally, and just as importantly, I would tell a CEO that having a base knowledge of their company can be an advantage. From a business-to-business perspective, the RAEDC has helped some businesses connect. Our goal is to bring resources to the table to help the company continue to grow in the area. These resources might be a connection to financial assistance or working through a problem with the municipality. Business retention visits allow the RAEDC to understand a variety of industries that are important to our region and communities. These visits are a critical aspect of economic development.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2022

 Destination

ILLINOIS, USA

ADDING WEALTH TO THE REGION’S ECONOMY BY GROWING TOURISM

JOHN GROH Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

The future of travel: The heartbeat of our community

Celebrating National Travel and Tourism Week, May 1 to 7 Reconnecting with family, friends and co-workers in-person is increasing; the idea of easy, safe international air travel has become a dream, and experiences where inclusivity and diversity thrive remain a driver of our welcoming spirit. We crave a future where travel is once again the heartbeat of our communities and businesses, a future where visitors dive into the real, original sites and attractions that can only be experienced here and inperson. The Future of Travel is the theme of this year’s National Travel and Tourism Week, May 1 to 7, and so much about our future is aligned with recreating and improving on the sense of hospitality we enjoyed prior to the start of the economic downturn and its effects on travel and tourism.

The future of travel is facilitating our recovery. As I’ve shared in this column before, tourism is an essential economic driver for businesses and communities throughout the region; providing thousands of jobs and spurring community growth. Without it, a full recovery and robust growth cannot be possible.

The future of travel is rebuilding our workforce.

The future of business travel is seamless, secure and in-person. Biometrics,

improved

baggage

checking or ticketing services and other technological advancements are making it just as easy to hop on a flight as it is to hop on Zoom. Through best-practice health and safety protocols, convention centers, meeting spaces and event organizers are making it safer and easier for travelers to get back on the road and back to business.

The future of travel is more sustainable. Our sites and attractions attract hundreds of thousands of travelers each year. Protecting our natural treasures, like our state parks, county forest preserves and other outdoor attractions, ensures a bright future of travel for generations to come.

The future of travel is greater mobility. Infrastructure investments in roads, airports, transit or passenger rail are key to making it easier to access destinations and attractions — near and far. New transportation technologies like highspeed rail, autonomous vehicles and electric

Travel, tourism and hospitality are indispensable sources of jobs that fuel the visitor economy in our region. Careers in the travel industry span a variety of interests, promote cultural exchange and are critical to the communities we live in. These careers are rewarding for the employees and are open to people from all backgrounds. Yesterday’s entry-level travel workers are today’s innovative leaders who are entrepreneurial, rising in the ranks and shaping the future of our restaurants, retail outlets and local attractions.

vehicles can improve travel times and

The future of travel is more inclusive.

international travelers.

Creating a culture of belonging has long been valued by RACVB, a value we solidified with our Welcoming Diversity commitments in 2020. Organizations and industries that prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are stronger, more welcoming and more creative. Travel is uniquely positioned to uplift DEI initiatives to power a future that values all cultures, embraces new perspectives and reflects the faces and ideas of our global society.

sustainably transport more visitors to our destination.

The future of travel is more globally competitive. Promoting America and Rockford as a premier destination for global travelers — leisure and business — is more important than ever as we recover from steep losses. The future of travel is connecting the United States with the global community and safely and securely welcoming back As we celebrate National Travel and Tourism Week 2022, please follow us on our gorockford social media and like, comment and share to help us spread the word on the #FutureOfTourism. John Groh is president/CEO of the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. The views expressed are those of Groh’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

SPECIAL SECTION Leadership Rockford Congratulations

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2022

Leadership Rockford 2022

Designed to provide a holistic understanding of the Rockford community, Leadership Rockford is an 8-month program suitable for emerging leaders, leaders new to the community, or leaders eager to become more involved in the Rockford region. Members of the class represent a wide range of backgrounds, organizations, and levels of experience. The diversity of the class forms a dynamic cross-section of personal and professional viewpoints and perspectives. Leadership Rockford provides each participant with an in-depth understanding of the local community, including its history, opportunities and successes. This year, 36 professionals graduated from the program as the 67th Class of Leadership Rockford. They join the almost 2,000 alumni who have participated in the program before them. Participants spent time learning about the Rockford community by visiting different organizations, learning from a wide variety of leaders. The mission of Leadership Rockford

PHOTO BY MINDY JOY PHOTOGRAPHY

The 67th graduating class of Leadership Rockford, presented by PNC Bank, was comprised of professionals from a variety of businesses and industries. Program participants completed an 8-month holistic, deep dive into the Rockford community. is to build leadership skills and enhance awareness of business, government and civic issues through interaction and direct involvement with business and community leaders.

Congratulations to our 2022 Graduates: Ryan Adleman, Blackhawk Bank Bill Albee, Reno & Zahm LLP

Brooke Benoit, City of Rockford JinJu Bredeson, Midland States Bank

2021/2022 Moderators

Jessica Bruns, Woodward

Paul Arco, OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center

Casey Christianson, Savant Wealth Management

Katie Bryant, CoyleKiley Insurance Agency Inc

Danielle DeDario, US Bank

2022/2023 Moderators:

Lynsey Faraher, Dickerson Nieman

Danielle DeDario, US Bank

Sue Fischer, OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center

Laura Laumer, Rockford Public Schools District 205

Mike Franz, FNBO

Marianne Plath, Community Foundation of Northern Illinois

Tarina Frisella, Dickerson & Nieman Realtors Haley Green, Fehr Graham

Sherrin Mulae, PNC Bank

Matt Honson, Thayer Energy Solutions

Armando Novoa, Mercyhealth

Bridget Jennison, Rockford University

Dan Obert, UW Health Northern Illinois Region

Laura Laumer, Rockford Public Schools, District #205 Nathan Malewiski, Collins Aerospace Kelly Masanz, 13 WREX Andrew McCorry, Savant Wealth Management

Marianne Plath, Community Foundation of Northern Illinois Marsha Pryor, Schmeling Construction Co. Erin Rabon, Circle of Change

Nikki McIntosh, Mercyhealth Michael Montana, Four Rivers Sanitation Authority

(continued on page 13)

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

LEADERSHIP

Continued from page 12

May 2022

SPECIAL SECTION Leadership Rockford Congratulations

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2022

IGNITE: YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

Virtual meetings: DANICA M. KEETON IGNITE

They are here to stay

COVID has taught most of the population what a Zoom call is and coined the term, “You’re on mute,” but how does all this play together heading into the postpandemic era? “To virtual or not to virtual,” that is the question. COVID has taught most of the population what a Zoom call is and coined the term, “You’re on mute,” but how does all this play together heading into the post-pandemic era? Virtual and hybrid meetings allow you to be more inclusive with who can join your group — from those who cannot leave work, those who are immunocompromised, those with transportation issues and even those with children. We can now accommodate all these various concerns. Now, I know some people are still hesitant because of the lack of face-toface participation where you can better notice context clues and get to know one another and develop that intimate, personal relationship. BUT there are ways around this! Here are some of my favorite tips and tricks to help make virtual meetings more engaging. ■ Send an agenda — and make sure you are not the only person speaking. The biggest flaw I see is when one person is speaking the entire meeting. This gets boring, and we need to switch it up to keep people engaged and ready! Be sure to stick to time frames so your meeting does not run over. I personally like to assign each section/ topic of a meeting into a timeframe to

hold myself accountable and help with the next item on the list. ■ Careful on the small talk, be ready to jump right into things. An opening slide when people are coming in that asks them to share in the chat is a wonderful way to break the ice and get that conversation going! Consider pairing this with a dedicated virtual space, like a Facebook Group, Slack Chanel or Teams Channel where the conversations can continue. ■ Make sure you pay attention to your virtual listeners if most people are in person! Always call on the virtual audience to share and be ready for any breakout rooms that may happen. This is also where I want to mention the use of a camera. If someone does not want to turn their camera on, that is perfectly acceptable! We do not know why they are virtual and what else is going on around them. Do not guilt someone into turning on their camera, as that does not make for a positive experience for them. Instead, encourage them to update their Zoom photo so we can see that instead of their name. There are so many other benefits to a hybrid meeting, and they are here to stay. Keep researching ways to make these meetings better and more inclusive so we can be sure to take everyone around us into consideration. Danica M. Keeton is president of IGNITE Young Professionals. She also is owner of Weddings by Danica and president elect of Junior League of Rockford. The views expressed are those of Keeton’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2022

GUEST COLUMNIST

REBECCA EPPERSON Chartwell Agency

Celebrating your organization’s milestones

I didn’t realize it until a team member mentioned it, but this year marks Chartwell Agency’s 20th year. It seems like only yesterday I started my oneperson local PR firm, and two decades later, we’re a full-service marketing and communications agency providing impactful marketing to local, region and national clients. We’ve made positive and measurable contributions to their business goals, worked on — and won awards for — amazing projects, and our team continues to grow with brilliant and enthusiastic individuals who deeply care about their clients’ successes. A significant milestone like an anniversary is a perfect opportunity to celebrate your organization’s growth and reinforce the magic ingredients that have contributed to its impressive success. For us, and for your organization, an anniversary is more than a celebration – though that is certainly an element. It is a chance to tell your story, demonstrate the value you have delivered and enhance your visibility and credibility. Some of the milestone initiatives we recommend — and which we’ll leverage ourselves this year:

Invest in an Anniversary Logo This graphic icon reiterates your current logo but “pumps it up” with elements to recognize the anniversary year. Over our past 20 years, we’ve created many anniversary logos, and these celebration identities encourage everyone to take a second — and third — look at your organization. As importantly, it provides a pride point for your staff to be at a thriving business. In Chartwell’s 20th anniversary logo (check out our website at www.chartwellagency.com), we highlight what we do best — “storytelling.” Compelling storytelling is represented in every effort from public relations to websites, and graphic design to collateral. Your story is what sets you apart, and it’s what you should share. Identify ways in which to seamlessly use the anniversary logo in ongoing communications throughout the year. From email signature lines to social media, and from your website to other electronic mediums, sharing the anniversary identity doesn’t take much work or related production expense. There are also plenty of opportunities to display an anniversary logo, including exterior and interior signage, branded premiums and more.

Create a YearLong Anniversary Communications/ Marketing Plan But — and here’s the trick — don’t make it all about you. Share your achievements while also spotlighting your current

and

past

customers

and

employees. Bring attention to the work you are known for and the culture you’ve created during your years in business. Future employees want to know more about you. Current/past clients love to share the limelight. Future customers want to work with an organization with a track record of success. Communications efforts can include case studies and retrospectives, blogs, videos, social posts, newsletters, website updates, media relations activities and community involvement. Speaking of community involvement, at Chartwell Agency, our team gives back at least 15 percent in time and treasure to the communities and industries that support us. I believe we’ll track to 20 percent to match our 20th year. What can you do to further make an impact in people’s lives?

Remember Your Internal Audiences Don’t forget your most important audience — your staff. We would be remiss if we didn’t recognize the people that helped our company to grow and who make an impact for our clients every day. Find fun events to celebrate with your team. After all, they are your strongest ambassadors. Swag such as anniversary-logo

coffee

cups,

shirts,

celebratory sweets do amazing things for morale and company confidence. I am humbled to be surrounded by the best and brightest staff in the industry and more honored to have worked with the best clients during the past 20 years. You’ll be seeing a lot of Chartwell “happenings” in the year to come, and we hope you’ll stay tuned. Even better, reach out to see how we can impact your next 20 years. Rebecca Epperson is founder and president of Chartwell Agency. The views expressed are those of Epperson’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2022

aMBaSSaDOR DOR SPOTLIGHT Randall “Smitty” Smith

Sr. Business Account Executive for Stratus Networks Based in Illinois, Stratus Networks is a boutique telecommunication provider that offers white glove service to every customer, big and small. Our strong presence of Dedicated Fiber Internet Access in the Rockford area caters to medium to larger businesses and corporations, while our Business Fiber Internet Access helps smaller businesses feel the security of knowing their internet is reliable and at a competitive rate to that of the coax or traditional internet cable. Featuring Cisco phones, our HPBX (Hosted Voip Platform) provides the comfort of knowing you will never miss a call again wherever you may be. If you are in need of one phone or 200, our internal professional installation team and training personnel will provide you with an unmatched customer service experience. Our Cloud services offer a variety of flexibility to suite your needs including unlimited scalability, private connectivity, managed firewall service and web security. All the people I have met and had the chance to get to know, from the large corporations to the mom and pop businesses, is willing to share a story. The welcoming that I receive from the minute I walk in the door is awesome and unprecedented. Having conversations about peoples’ families to the business at hand; everyone loves to tell a story, and it’s been a super-cool experience to listen to those stories. my advice simply would be: “Just try it, you may like it” — I have!

Exercise caution taking those Facebook quizzes ID thieves may use your right answers for all the wrong reasons Social media is used as a fun distraction for some people and taking a Facebook quiz may seem like a harmless way to pass the time. But are you giving away more information than you think? Better Business Bureau says “yes.” Not all social media quizzes are data collection scams, but the BBB cautions users to be careful about what they share online and check your account’s privacy settings. “Specific, personal information about you is a gold mine for con artists,” said Dennis Horton, director of the Rockford Regional Oﬃce of the Better Business Bureau. “Social media data and quiz answers can be used to steal identity or enable a scammer to impersonate you to your friends and family.”

How It Works A fun quiz pops up on your Facebook feed or another social media platform. A few questions are answered to prove how well you know a friend. Or a short personality test is offered to match a character from a favorite TV show. These quizzes appear to be meaningless, but they intend to collect information. For example, you may be asked questions such as: “What was the first car you owned?” “What is your mother’s maiden name?” or “What is the name of the street you grew up on?” These are

common security questions for insurance, banking and credit card accounts, and sharing it can lead to accounts being hacked and personal and financial information being stolen.

BBB Advice Be skeptical. Before answering a quiz, figure out who created it. Is it a brand you trust? Just because something appears to be fun and innocent doesn’t mean there isn’t an inherent risk. Adjust privacy settings. Review the social media account’s privacy settings; be strict about any shared information; be mindful of who you are sharing it with. Remove personal details from your proﬁle. Don’t share your phone number or home address on social media accounts. Don’t give answers to common security questions. Be cautious if the questions in a quiz ask for things like your mother’s maiden name, the street you grew up on, previously owned vehicles, favorite foods or the name of your high school. Monitor friend requests. Don’t accept friend requests from people you don’t know. Also, be wary of a second friend request from someone you are already connected with; the second profile may be an imposter trying to access your data and your Friends list.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2022

Reducing robocalls, those calls you love to hate Although some robocalls are legitimate, such as a nonprofit asking for a donation or your doctor’s oﬃce reminding you of an appointment, many are unwelcome. To help, the Federal Communications Commission on June 30, 2021, requires providers to implement STIR/SHAKEN in the Internet Protocol (IP) portions of their networks. This digitally validates that a call is in fact from the number displayed on Caller ID.

Security numbers, mother’s maiden names, passwords or other identifying information in response to unexpected calls or if you are at all suspicious.

Tips for Stopping Unwanted Robocalls

■ Use caution if you are being pressured for information immediately.

■ Don’t answer calls from unknown numbers. If you answer such a call, hang up immediately.

■ If you have a voice mail account with your phone service, be sure to set a password for it. Some voicemail services are preset to allow access if you call in from your own phone number. A hacker could spoof your home phone number and gain access to your voice mail if you do not set a password.

■ Caller ID showing a “local” number does not necessarily mean it is a local caller. ■ If you answer the phone and the caller — or a recording — asks you to hit a button to stop getting the calls, you should just hang up. Scammers often use this to identify potential targets. ■ Do not respond to any questions, especially those that can be answered with “Yes.” ■ Never give out personal information such as account numbers, Social

■ If you get an inquiry from someone who says they represent a company or a government agency, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement, in the phone book, or on the company’s or government agency’s website to verify the authenticity of the request.

■ Talk to your phone company about call blocking tools and check into apps that you can download to your mobile device to block unwanted calls. ■ Register your number on the Do Not Call List. Legitimate telemarketers consult the list to avoid calling both landline and wireless phone numbers on the list.

DRIVE

Continued from front page

of people. You can’t simply stop using a wheelchair or hearing aides to more easily navigate a crowded job fair or find more convenient transportation. Unfortunately, our national business climate isn’t representative of the world we live in. While DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) efforts have certainly come a long way in the past few years, the work to truly be inclusive – especially in leadership roles – is not where it should be. When glancing around a board room, a manufacturing floor, or an industry-specific networking event, without careful and intentional longterm cultivation, the rooms can look homogenous in almost every way. The war for talent is real – and the organizations that will win are those that understand the benefits of diversity. The need to innovate to attract new customers, distribution channels or find new revenue streams will demand the talents and ideas of a wide breadth of employees. New ideas can’t come from same-old-same-old models. In an effort to help support this work, the Rockford Chamber is hosting an inperson opportunity for leaders to be in the driver’s seat on important initiatives, business trends and growth tactics. Designed to focus first on big-

picture thinking, then showcase regional examples of success & movement, and finally create space for connection and action through intentional roundtable discussions. Drive allows leaders to give mental energy to bold ideas and room to think about what’s driving their business and themselves forward. Our first session will focus on DEI efforts under the umbrella title “Representation matters.” Our keynote speaker who will focus on big-picture ideas is Bernadette Smith, CEO of the Equality institute. Our Regional Success Panel will feature work being done in the DEI space locally by Rockford Park District; Thermo Fisher Scientific; and Rockford Public Schools, District 205. Participants will then have the opportunity to intentionally network with fellow leaders in guided small groups. Participants will also receive a copy of Bernadette’s book, Inclusion 360. Our businesses have the opportunity to do good, intentional work in this space. We have the opportunity to make sure that when a new employee looks around the break room, they see themselves – no matter who they are – reflected back in the people, leaders, marketing, products, and values around them. Join me for an impactful day of learning, networking and growing on May 11 at Forest Hills Country Club. I’ll be the one in glasses. v

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2022

in the news

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

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

1. Kathy KwiatHess

2. Michael Gann

3. Bryan Heidemann

4. Dr. Dinesh Pandya

5. Kevin Hrdlicka

6. Michael Teleso

7. Diana Disch

8. Mark Middendorﬀ

9. Ciara Stahly

10. Lisa DeLang

11. Katherine Carlson

12. Luke Kelly

13. Derek Thompson

14. Marc Smith

15. Jeanine Woyner

16. Stephanie Meier

BOARD APPOINTMENTS Community Foundation of Northern Illinois named Kathy Kwiat-Hess (1), retired LCSW, as new board chair and welcomed new board members: Michael Gann (2), retired MPEC; Bryan Heidemann (3), CoyleKiley Insurance Agency, and Dr. Dinesh Pandya (4), retired doctor of podiatry. The Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful board announced officers Kevin Hrdlicka (5), Savant Capital Management, president, and Michael Teleso (6), Northwest Bank, vice president, and welcomed new members Diana Disch (7), Harlem School District, and Mark Middendorﬀ (8), Smith Amundsen LLC.

NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, RETIREMENTS R1 Planning Council hired Gabrielle Gamily as research associate, Cesar Sanchez as economic development planner, Brandon Rucker, Jacob Doro and Basmah Nadeem as planners, Myranda Gould as graphic designer, Joshua Penas as data analyst and Eric Tison as project coordinator. Community Foundation of Northern Illinois hired Ciara Stahly (9) as development coordinator and promoted Lisa DeLang (10) to program and administrative associate. OSF HealthCare welcomed Katherine Carlson (11), physician’s assistant, to the OSF Medical Group – Primary Care – Cherry Valley office.

17. Michael Vick

18. Sally Draper

Fehr Graham hired Luke Kelly (12) as an engineer and promoted Derek Thompson (13) to senior project engineer and Marc Smith (14) to surveyor.

Ph.D., as vice president of clinical operations.

Blackhawk Bank promoted Jeanine Woyner (15) to senior vice president of human resources, Stephanie Meier (16) to senior vice president marketing & communications, Greg Lundquist to vice president business banking, Andrew Reed to vice president – regional banking center manager, Becca Johns to AVP – personal banking officer, Lorianne Robertson to AVP senior marketing specialist, Alex Meyer to vice president mortgage technology and Kaitlyn Jones to assistant vice president, relationship manager associate.

Crandall Stats and Sensors hired Eduardo De Leon (23) as design engineer.

Broadmoor Agency, Inc., hired Teresa Lemmons as insurance agent of life insurance and fixed indexed annuities. Specialty Screw Corporation announced the retirement of Russ Johansson, CEO, on April 5, after 42 years and growth of the plant from 45,000 to 100,000 square feet. Rosecrance named Michael Vick (17), CPA, M.B.A., as senior vice president and chief financial officer, and Sally Draper (18) as senior vice president and executive director of the foundation. Rosecrance promoted Teresa Baumgartner (19), CPA, as vice president of finance; Elizabeth Ellison (20), LCPC, CADC, as clinical director of the Chicagoland area; Joe Kreul (21), AMFT, LCBC, LPHA, as vice president of child and adolescent services, and Greg Tierney (22),

19. Teresa Baumgartner

20. Elizabeth Ellison

The Workforce Connection board named Gina Caronna-Marvin as executive director.

Fehr Graham promoted Marie Dinwiddie (24) and Amy Trimble (25) to project environmental health and safety (EHS) scientists and hired Brady Carlisle (26) as engineering technician. Jedediah Cantrell (27), FACHE, MBA, joined OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center as vice president of operations and special projects. Northwest Bank promoted Joseph (JT) Quillen to senior vice president, director of retail banking. Forest City Gear appointed Kika Young as president. Jim Sadler (28), business analyst, will retire from Rockford Mutual Insurance Company, eﬀective May 1 after 30+ years of service to the organization. Obsidian Manufacturing Industries hired Emily Kite as marketing assistant. First National Bank and Trust hired Mindy Lucchesi (29) as vice president and trust officer. Martesha Brown (30) returned to Midland States Bank as regional community development relationship manager for the Northwestern Illinois region. Rockford Urological Associates hired Stephanie Gile, boardcertified nurse practitioner.

21. Joe Kreul

22. Greg Tierney

Rockford Christian Schools welcomed Dr. Jahna Duda as its new head of school.

EMPLOYEE/COMMUNITY RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS Brittany Strickert, corporate data analyst, First National Bank and Trust, graduated from the American Bankers Association’s Data and Analytics School. Lisa Zeimetz, senior vice president-risk compliance officer, earned a certificate in bank financial management from the ABA. Rockford Area Arts Council named winners of the 2022 Rockford Area Arts Awards: Juwayria Zahurullah (31) (Youth Arts Ambassador), Jenny Mathews (Visual Artist of the Year), Robert Rub (Performing Artist of the Year), Brian Hierstein (Arts Educator of the Year) and Dorothy Paige Turner (32) (Lifetime Achievement Award). Stephanie Penix, maintenance trainee/driver, was the February winner of Rockford Housing Authority’s Peer-to-Peer Recognition. Marilyn Taylor, assistant property manager, won the February Director’s Spotlight Award. Jake Massetti (33), help desk technician, and Jesse Suttner (34), claims representative, celebrated five years with Rockford Mutual Insurance Company in April. Lana M. Engen (35), CFP™, private wealth advisor, Ameriprise Financial, was named to Forbes magazine’s list of “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors.” (continued on page 19)

23. Eduardo De Leon

24. Marie Dinwiddie

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

in the news

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

25. Amy Trimble

26. Brady Carlisle

May 2022

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

27. Jedediah Cantrell

28. Jim Sadler

29. Mindy Lucchesi

30. Martesha Brown

31. Juwayria Zahurullah

32. Dorothy Paige Turner

33. Jake Massetti

34. Jesse Suttner

35. Lana M. Engen

36. Jeremeh Dagdayan

37. Jacki Yagla

38. Michele Miller

39. LaMonica Sharp

40. Cliﬀord "Chip" Stoner

41. Katryn Kirby

Continued from page 18 Winnebago County 4-H held its first 2022 4-H show on April 5 at the University of Illinois Extension Winnebago County. Winners: Cecilia Higdon, Clover Crusaders 4-H Club, beginner level for illustrated speech; Claire Hopkins, Owen Blue Bonnets 4-H Club, advanced level for formal speech, and Emma Moore, Clover Crusaders 4-H Club, beginner level for formal speech. All three traveled to the State Public Speaking Contest on April 30 in Champaign, Ill. Jeremeh Dagdayan (36), a junior at Harlem High School, was named the Illinois Youth of the Year by Boys & Girls Clubs of America. He receives a $2,500 college scholarship and will advance to the regional Youth of the Year and ultimately the national event. Jacki Yagla (37), account services team lead; Michele Miller (38), deposit services specialist, and LaMonica Sharp (39), account

services specialist, First National Bank and Trust, completed the Advanced IRA Workshop oﬀered by the Wisconsin Bankers Association. Cliﬀord “Chip” Stoner (40), president & CEO, Boys & Girls Club of Rockford, was inducted into the inaugural class of the Illinois Area Council Boys & Girls Club Hall of Fame.

OF GENERAL INTEREST Katryna Kirby (41), founder, Social Kat Co., spoke at the Community Bank Association of Illinois’ Marketing Conference in April in Springfield, Ill., on “Social Media in a New Era.”

Dr. Philip Schalow, clinic director at the Upper Cervical Care Center, was lead author of “Secretory Immunoglobulin A and Upper Cervical Chiropractic: A preliminary prospective, multicenter, observational study,” published by Elsevier.

Rockford Park District Board of Commissioners officially renamed Saturn Park as Keeling Trailhead Park in recognition of Jim Keeling. The playground, currently under construction, should be completed this spring.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2022

business

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Northern Illinois University School of Art and Design students display a 44-foot, six-inch paper snowflake they created on the floor of the NIU Convocation Center. Students applied to have the project certified in the Guinness of Book of World Records. It’s more than double the size of the current record holder at 20 feet and one-half inch. The YMCA of Rock River Valley Retired Men’s Club donated $14,000 towards YMCA programs for youth and families from money raised during its annual Christmas Tree Sale. This year, $5,000 goes towards a power accessible door for the For All locker room at the Northeast Family Y, new ADA accessible gaga ball pit at Camp Winnebago, a strength and stretching bar for Stingrays swimmers, a new stage for healthy living events, a pool table for teen programs, adding sensory corners in the Kids’ Care and funding the Livestrong at the YMCA cancer program. The YMCA Annual Campaign received $5,000 with $4,000 going towards Log Lodge renovations. Chartwell Agency managed public relations efforts for TexAmericas Center and completed a website redesign for BioForward Wisconsin. Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau welcomed the Rockford Raptors Soccer Club’s Puri Cup, April 1 to 3 and 8 to 10 at Mercyhealth Sportscore One and Mercyhealth Sportscore Two. It was the largest soccer tournament, and one of the largest sports tournaments, held in the Rockford region with an estimated economic impact of $5.2 million. SupplyCore Inc., partnered with T&T Materials, Inc., to supply critical metal products and other industrial items to authorized customers in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Last year, SupplyCore was awarded by the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support a maximum $900 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity contract for Metals Tailored Logistics Support. KMK Media Group was hired by the International Women’s Baseball Center to assist with marketing for capital campaign fundraising efforts. The center at Beyer Field in Rockford will include an activity center and museum. Rockford Park District is selling 2022 Golf Rockford memberships to play all four golf courses all season long: three 18-hole courses at Ingersoll, Sandy Hollow and Aldeen Golf Club, and the nine-hole Sinnissippi Golf Course. Visit golfrockford.org/memberships.

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

Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois receive a $10,000 grant from Girl Scouts of the USA to pilot the new Maker Badge Program. Troops across the nation will provide feedback on the new maker badge activities and help GSUSA develop national STEM programming.

University of Illinois Extension will hold Pressure Canner Testing Clinics, May to July. Bring in your pressure canner lid with the gauge attached. Staﬀ will inspect the lid, gasket and gauge for accuracy and provide you with an assessment (not including test weighted gauge pressure canners). Register at go.illinois.edu/jsw or 815-986-4357. Illinois SBDC at the Rockford Chamber of Commerce launched a new partner location at the Belvidere Area Chamber of Commerce, 404 S. State St., with in-person small business consulting services, Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. V2 Marketing & Management recently organized, promoted and facilitated a three-day multi-track in-person conference in Orlando, Fla. for the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH). University of Illinois Extension launched Be A Quitter, providing businesses throughout Illinois with the opportunity to oﬀer employees a free tobacco cessation program. Includes program materials. Contact Dr. Allen Barton, awbarton@illinois.edu or 217-244-2009.

The Rockford Park District’s Therapeutic Recreation Summer 2022 Program Guide is available with programming June through August, 2022. Registration for summer 2022 programs is open at rockfordparkdistrict. org/therapeutic or at Rockford Park District customer service locations.

Students of Rockford Housing Authority’s Lifeforce Development Institute celebrate their graduation at the Nordlof Center on March 31. Graduates received a certiﬁcate of workforce readiness, professional development mentor and continuous educational training.

Youth from the Winnebago County Extension and 4-H work with the Winnebago County Soil & Water Conservation District as a part of the 4-H Green Communities Tree Program to plant a group of 25 oak trees, called a savanna, at Rock Valley College. The college experienced extensive storm damage in 2020, and the hope is a return of the wildlife under the new shelter.

Rockford Park District’s Nicholas Conservatory presents its The Secret Life of Butterﬂies exhibit through May 29. Timed tickets are required for general Conservatory admission, due to limited capacity. Visit nicholasconservatory.com/tickets. KMK Media Group, Inc., worked with the Winnebago County Health Department to create a trio of videos aimed at educating parents on the importance of oral health for pregnant mothers, babies and toddlers.

The Keeping Families and Communities Together (KFACT) graduating class of five mentees all were accepted into a college or university to pursue post-secondary education. The organization has maintained a 100 percent high school graduation outcome for all mentees for the past eight years.

University of Illinois Extension hosted its annual Winnebago County 4-H Project Workshop Day on March 12 at Prince of Peace Church in Rockton after missing the past couple of years due to the pandemic. Youth, ages 8 to 18, explored the many project areas available through the 4-H program.

As a part of its Easter celebration, City First Church held a free, community Helicopter Egg Drop with 8,000+ Easter eggs, photos with Easter characters, games and special prizes dropped onto the Christian Life School football field. An after-party Glow Party followed.

Rockford Mutual Insurance Company was named as one of the 2022 Best Places to Work in Illinois by The Daily Herald Business Ledger, in partnership with the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, MRA-The Management Association, the Small Business Advocacy Council and Best Companies Group.

First Northern Credit Union held its free annual Easter Event, after two years of cancellations due to COVID-19. Hundreds attended for the two egg hunts, free hot dogs and beverages, bounce house, face painter and photos with the Easter Bunny. The annual Fall Festival will return to the same location, 104 N. Show Place Dr., Rockford, in October 2022. Visit fncu. org/events.

Discovery Center Museum has eliminated session times; guests are welcome to play all day. Museum hours also are expanding to Wednesday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday to Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Advance ticket purchases are encouraged, but not required.

OSF Medical Group – Obstetrics & Gynecology will be seeing patients at the new location: 621 Roxbury Road, Rockford. City of Rockford’s Rockford REGROW grant program, funded by the three percent local tax on adultuse cannabis retail sales, gave $10,000 grants to: Awaken Foundation; African American Resource Center at Booker for Flourish: Start Strong Finish Strong; Discovery Center Museum of Rockford/National Society of Black Engineers for Rockford Chapter STEM on the Rock; Rockford Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Christian Union Church/Concerned Citizens United for Self-Improvement for Community Kitchen, and Conscious Coaching for Acclimated. Renovations have begun at the Rockford Park District Riverview Ice House. Lessons, leagues and programs are being relocated to Carlson Ice Arena in Loves Park until the first phase of construction is completed this fall. First phase improvements include replacement of the ice system mechanicals and concrete base ﬂoors along with new dasher boards, glass and infrared heat in the spectator areas. The second phase involves painting, new windows, roofing, plumbing, lighting, updates to locker rooms, restrooms and concessions and landscaping.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2022

NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS BUCKBEE WEED CO./ MRS. BUCKBEE’S WAKE-N-BAKERY Cannabis dispensary 275 Deane Dr., 61107 Erik Carlson 815-797-9050 www.buckbeeweed.com

DLAJÉ BEAUTY INC.

Local ﬂower shop - Fresh cuts, silk and dried ﬂoral arrangements, greeting cards 308 W. State St., Ste. 130, 61101 Charyl Frye 815-668-6828 www.dljebeauty.com

EVOLUTION DIGITAL MARKETING AGENCY

Helping “mission-driven” organizations gain more followers, volunteers and clients. 5299 Zenith Pkwy. Machesney Park, IL 61115 T.C. Bell 312-900-9168 www.evolutiondma.com

KADON PRECISION MACHINING

Contract manufacturer 5876 Sandy Hollow Road, 61109 Justin Franklin 815-874-5350 kadonprecision.com

RISING FLAMES PROJECT LLC

Education on various streams of digital income: Cryptocurrency, foreign exchange, e-commerce Louis Dotson 815-209-1102

ROCKFORD CASINO “A HARD ROCK OPENING ACT”

on digital

MEMBER PICS

Ceremonial ribbon donated by ServPro of Rockford

Rockford Casino delivers the legendary vibe of the Hard Rock brand including gaming, entertainment and great food 610 N. Bell School Road, 61107 Geno M. Iafrate 779-269-9010 www.hardrockcasinorockford.com

ROCKFORD REGIONAL HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Rockford Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is proud to have a team of exceptional and results-driven community leaders who love to work with our growing clientele 4249 E. State St., Ste. 209, 61108 Sully Cadengo 815-200-2863 www.rrhispanicc.org/our_team

T-MOBILE CONNECT

T-Mobile continues to invest BILLIONS to light up their awardwinning network in more places than ever - bringing faster, aﬀordable and reliable network to hometowns and businesses like yours 6602 E. State St., 61108 Eric Malik 815-381-8700 www.t-mobile.com

ZAVIUS JEWELERS, INC.

Unique, custom designed jewelry 2636 McFarland Road, 61107 Melissa Pavez 815-654-4000 www.zavius.com

MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS Thank you to members who renewed with the Rockford Chamber of Commerce in March 2022. 13 WREX 815 Beltway Holdings, LLC Accuride Wheel End Solutions Rockford Gunite Akerman Shoes Allen Galluzzo Hevrin Leake, LLC American Precision Supply, Inc. Ameriprise Financial Studio Wealth Advisory Group Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc. Associated Bank Barbara Olson Center of Hope Behr Iron & Metal, An Alter Company Blackhawk Propane Company, Inc. BP Roofing Solutions C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. Cain & Company City First Church ComEd, An Exelon Company Countryman Inc. Crystal Precision Drilling, Inc. Electrical Workers Union/ Local 364 IBEW Guyer & Enichen - Attorneys at Law Harlem Community Center In Home Medical Group LLC

Interstate Graphics Ipsen, Inc. Johnson Controls, Inc. Kent Feeds, Inc. KFACT Inc. Lamar Advertising of Rockford Love’s Travel Stop MegaFab MercyCare Health Plans Mercyhealth Metropolitan Title Agency Midwest Scale Company, Inc. Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport Modern Advanced Manufacturing, LLC Motor Parts & Equipment Corporation (MPEC) - NAPA Auto Parts Northrock Court Motor Parts & Equipment Corporation (MPEC) - NAPA Auto Parts State Street Motor Parts & Equipment Corporation (MPEC) - NAPA Auto Parts Belvidere NAACP

Barnstormer Distillery holds a ribbon cutting on April 7 at 6969 S. Main St., for “The Hanger,” its new indoor tasting and cocktail room.

For Up-to-date Event Information, visit rockfordchamber.com MAY MEMBER ANNIVERSARIES Thank you to our members celebrating their anniversaries with the Rockford Chamber of Commerce

45-YEAR MEMBER

30-YEAR MEMBER

Berg Industries, Inc.

Summit CPA Group, P.C.

35-YEAR MEMBERS

20-YEAR MEMBERS

Electrical Workers Union/ Local 364 IBEW Modern Advanced Manufacturing, LLC National Business & Industrial Centre, Inc. Rockford Separators, Inc.

McMAHON Mosaic in Rockford The Pregnancy Care Center

15-YEAR MEMBER Grand Regency of Rockford

5-YEAR MEMBER Quartz

New Leaf Remodeling Next Rockford NFP, Inc. O & L Machine Co. Inc. Olson Aluminum Casting Ltd. Phantom Regiment Pro Legal Care LLC Region 1 Planning Council Rock River Development Partnership/ Rockford City Market Rockford Career College Rockford Community Bank, A Wintrust Community Bank Rockford Gastroenterology Associates, Ltd. Rockford Park District Rockford University RSM US LLP Rustoleum Corporation (Testor) Sam's Club, A Division of

Wal-Mart Stores Severson Dells Nature Center Spring Ridge Senior Housing Staybridge Suites Stenstrom Construction Group SupplyCore, Inc. T K Group, Inc. Talecris Plasma Resources Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum Viking Chemical Company Warner Contracting, LLC, Dba Warner Roofing & Restoration Willett Hofmann & Associates, Inc. Winnebago County Medical Society Wipﬂi LLP Women of Today's Manufacturing (WOTM) Youngberg Industries, Inc. Zuba and Associates, P.C.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

May 2022

community

COMMUNITY EVENTS & WEBINARS

MAY 2022

St. Live performance by @RKHAM, buﬀet lunch, 50/50 raﬄe tickets. Call 779-770-9967.

SUNDAY, MAY 1 Barbara Olson Center of Hope’s sixth-annual Rock for the Center Family Festival takes place, 1 to 3 p.m., at 3206 N. Central Ave., Rockford. Includes an online art auction featuring works by participants and a cash raﬄe. Visit b-olsoncenterofhope.org. Ethnic Heritage Museum/GrahamGinestra House presents Early Mexican Settlers of South Rockford, 2 to 4 p.m. Special presentation at 2:30 p.m., self-guided tour and light refreshments. Free. Donations appreciated.

MONDAY, MAY 16

Natural Land Institute received $6,800 from the Dr. Courtney J. and Margaret Hutchins Hamlin Family Fund of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois’ Community Grants Program for its Family Nature Adventures event on June 25.

TUESDAY, MAY 3 To diversify its collection, Northern Illinois University Art Museum hosts a Silent Beneﬁt Auction, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday; noon to 6 p.m., Thursday, Friday, in the North Gallery. Sales go towards the purchase of artwork from the Brandywine Print Workshop, a diversity-driven printmaking studio selling underrepresented artists’ work.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4 Edgebrook Shopping Center’s weekly Farmer’s Market opens today, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Features seasonal fresh produce, organic chicken, ﬂowers, plants, natural dog treats, jams and jellies, baked goods and pizza through Oct. 26. Select vendors will accept pre-orders via their website or social media pages for market pickup. Visit edgebrookshops.com/ events/farmers-market.

FRIDAY, MAY 6 Northern Illinois University Career Services hosts a virtual End-of-Year Career Fair, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., via Symplicity for students and recent alumni. Visit www.niu.edu. Click Career Services, Huskies Get Hired. Northern Illinois University hosts Senior Design Demonstration Day featuring more than 150 College of Engineering and Engineering Technology students showcasing their innovative engineering/technology senior projects, noon to 4 p.m., NIU Convocation Center, 1525 W. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb. Keeping Families and Communities Together (KFACT) hosts its Annual Wine Tasting with Artale Wine Co., 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., at 6876 Spring Creek Road, Rockford.

SATURDAY, MAY 7 Macktown Living History hosts its Fiber Arts Festival, Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 2221 Freeport Road, Rockton. Call 815-218-3874 and rmj5288@ gmail.com.

MONDAY, MAY 9 The Coronado Performing Arts Center, 314 N. Main St., Rockford,

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

presents Anastasia, the new Broadway musical, 7:30 p.m. Visit coronadopac.org/Broadway.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11 Judson University’s annual Community Prayer Breakfast takes place 7:30 to 9 a.m., on the Elgin campus. Keynote speaker is Rev. Huron Claus of the Mohawk/Kiowa tribes of New York and Oklahoma. Tickets at judsonu.edu/ prayerbreakfast.

THURSDAY, MAY 12 University of Illinois Extension presents Understanding Inflammation and How Diet Influences the Inflammation Process, 1 to 3 p.m., at the Stephenson County Farm Bureau, 210 W. Spring St., Freeport. Also virtual on April 13, 1 to 3 p.m., via Zoom. Free but registration required at 815-9864357 or go.illinois.edu/jsw. RAMP presents Sip and Sample, an evening of wine, beer, spirits and food, 5 to 8 p.m., at Anderson Japanese Gardens, 318 Spring Creek Road, Rockford. Bid on silent auction via smartphone. Tickets at give.classy. org/sipandsample.

FRIDAY, MAY 13 Mercyhealth Development Foundation hosts Golf for a Good Cause, its annual golf play day at the Beloit Club, 2327 S. Riverside Dr. Proceeds benefit the foundation’s Emergency Medical Services Scholarship Fund. Registration and breakfast, 7:30 a.m.; siren start, 8:30 a.m., followed by lunch and prizes. Register at mercyhealthsystem.org/ golf, 815-971-4143 or 608-755-8821.

SATURDAY, MAY 14 Rockford Art Museum presents a Book Discussion on The Secret Lives of Color, 10 to 11:30 a.m., at 711 N. Main St., Rockford. Visit rockfordartmuseum.org/events.

SUNDAY, MAY 15 Illinois Institute of Nursing Studies Inc., presents its first-annual Golf Tournament fundraiser, 11 a.m., at Rockford Country Club, 2500 Oxford

Women of Today’s Manufacturing hosts its annual Scholarship Fundraiser, 5 to 8 p.m., at Rockford Country Club, 2500 Oxford St. Register at wotmrockford.com or email wotmrkfd@gmail.com.

THURSDAY, MAY 19 University of Illinois Extension presents Move More for Better Health, 1 to 3 p.m., at the Stephenson County Farm Bureau, 210 W. Spring St., Freeport. Join virtually, May 18, 1 to 3 p.m. Free but register at 815-986-4357 or go.illinois/jsw.

FRIDAY, MAY 20 Rockford Art Museum hosts Coﬀee with the Curator, 10 to 11 a.m., at 711 N. Main St., Rockford. Coﬀee provided by Rockford Roasting Co. Visit rockfordartmuseum.org/events. Court Street United Methodist Church presents its 17th-annual Garden Bazaar, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the corner of Mulberry and Court streets in downtown Rockford. Annuals and perennials, herbs, vegetables, hanging baskets and house plants. Rock River Development Partnership announced Opening Day for Rockford City Market, 4 to 8:30 p.m., at 116 N. Madison St., Rockford.

SATURDAY, MAY 21 WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, featuring WWE SmackDown superstars, takes place, 7:30 p.m., at BMO Harris Bank Center, 300 Elm St., Rockford. Tickets at Ticketmaster. com, the box office or 815-968-5222. Rockford Christian Schools hosts its Graduation, 1 p.m., at Coronado Theater, 314 N. Main St., Rockford. Enrollment is open for 2022-23 school year. Call 815-391-8000 for information or a personalized tour. Rock River Development Partnership announced Opening Day for North End City Market, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at 1431 N. Main St., Rockford.

MONDAY, MAY 23 Keller Williams Realty Signature hosts Mentoring for Diversity, a diversity meeting, noon to 1 p.m., at 4201 Galleria Dr., Loves Park. Call 815-315-1111.

FRIDAY, MAY 27 First National Bank and Trust hosts a free Coin Appraisal, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at its branch at 105 State Road 67, Walworth, Wis. Visit www. bankatfirstnational.com.

TUESDAY, MAY 31 Rockford Christian Schools opens its first day of Camp Vertical

Extreme for 4- to 15-year-olds, 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Call 815-391-8000.

JUNE 2022 SATURDAY, JUNE 4 Rockford Art Museum hosts a Booksale with Rockford Public Library at 711 N. Main St., Rockford. Doors opening at 9 a.m. Free admission, food trucks and activities all day. Visit rockfordartmuseum.org/ events.

SATURDAY, JUNE 11 First National Bank and Trust hosts a free Shred Day, 9 a.m. to noon, at its location at 105 State Road 67, Walworth, Wis. Limited to six boxes of shred per person. Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden hosts Sean Kenney’s Nature Connects Made with LEGO® Bricks; art made from simple toy blocks that explore animal endangerment, the balance of ecosystems and mankind’s relationship with nature, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., June 11 to Sept. 11. Visit www. klehm.org/nature-connects.

TUESDAY, JUNE 14 University of Illinois ExtensionWinnebago County presents Northern Illinois 4-H Summer Day Camp, June 14 to 16, at Rock River Christian Camp, Polo, Ill. Check-in at 9 a.m.; checkout at 8 p.m. Open to all boys and girls, ages 8 to 14. 4-H membership not required. Visit extension.illinois.edu/bdo/northernillinois-4-h-camp.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15 RAMP’s 13th annual Bad Pants Golf Open at Timber Pointe Golf Course, 5750 Woodstock Road, Poplar Grove. Shotgun start at 3 p.m.; nine-hole golf scramble with contests, drink tastings and prizes for the best bad pants overall and best team bad pants. Silent auction and dinner from Famous Dave’s. Register at give.classy. org/badpants.

SATURDAY, JUNE 25 Natural Land Institute presents Family Nature Adventures, a free event tailored towards families with children, ages two to 14., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Nygren Wetland Preserve, 3714 W. Rockton Road, Rockton. Register at naturalland.org or contact 815-964-6666 or info@naturalland.org.

MONDAY, JUNE 27 Keller Williams Realty Signature hosts How to be an Ally and Bystander Intervention, a diversity meeting, noon to 1 p.m., at 4201 Galleria Dr., Loves Park. Call 815315-1111.

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CHaMBER

ADVERTISERS INDEX

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

MAY 2022 TUESDAY, MAY 10 Business Women’s Council, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Forest Hills Country Club at 5135 Forest Hills Road, Rockford. Join us for a networking and professional development luncheon for Rockford Chamber women. Presented by Associated Bank.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11 Drive: Representation Matters, a topic-driven workshop, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., an action-oriented session focused on all-things Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at Forest Hills Country Club, 5135 Forest Hills Road, Rockford.

THURSDAY, MAY 12 Ribbon cutting at Stepping Stones of Rockford, Inc., 11:30 a.m., at 4317 Maray Dr., Rockford.

FRIDAY, MAY 13 Government Aﬀairs Council, 7:30 to 9 a.m., Stockholm Inn, 2420 Charles St., Rockford. Dr. Ehren Jarrett, Superintendent of RPS, District #205 will address timing and use of American Recovery Act Funds District 205 has received. Sponsored by AT&T.

TUESDAY, MAY 17 IGNITE Lunch with a Leader with Kika Young, Forest City Gear Co., noon to 1 p.m., at 11715 Main St., Roscoe.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 18 Community Priority Series: Healthy Mind, Healthy Body, Healthy Community, a virtual “fireside chat," 10 a.m., featuring a panel: Sam Miller, president/CEO, Crusader Community Health; Dave Gomel, Ph.D., president/CEO, Rosecrance Health Network, and Brent Pentenberg, CEO, YMCA. Livestream on the Rockford Chamber Facebook page. Sponsored by Rosecrance (leader), Humana (business), Mindy Joy Photography (photography).

Northern Illinois Region (gift), and OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center (Mulligan).

JUNE 2022 TUESDAY, JUNE 7 Ribbon cutting at OSF Medical Group - Obstetrics & Gynecology, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., at 621 Roxbury Road, Rockford.

Northern Public Radio . . . . . . . . . . . .16

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

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

Community Foundation of Northern Illinois . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Region 1 Planning Council . . . . . . . .13

Fehr Graham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Rockford Chamber of Commerce . . . . . . . 11,15, 16, 17, 19

Illinois Bank & Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Rockford University . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

The Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC). . . . . . . .6

Schmeling Construction Co. . . . . . . . .4

LaLoggia Investment Group . . . . . . . .4

Thayer Energy Solutions . . . . . . . .7, 12

Larson & Darby Group. . . . . . . . . . . . .8

TUESDAY, JUNE 14 Business Women’s Council, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Forest Hills Country Club at 5135 Forest Hills Road, Rockford. Join us for a networking and professional development luncheon for Rockford Chamber women. Presented by Associated Bank.

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

Meiborg Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Winnebago County Health Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Mercyhealth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5, 13

Woodward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

VOICE

Government Aﬀairs Council, 7:30 to 9 a.m., Stockholm Inn, 2420 Charles St., Rockford. Lynn Stainbrook, Executive Director of the Rockford Public Library will speak on Library activities and priorities as well as the library in terms of structure, services and how they are funded. Sponsored by AT&T.

the

Chamber Staﬀ / Call 815-987-8100 ...........................................Direct Line Caitlin Pusateri, President ................................................................... 815-316-4337 Lynette Jacques, Vice President, Member Investment ....................... 815-316-4317 Jeﬀ Bailey, Membership Development Executive ............................... 815-316-4336 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 Edward Caceres, Director, Small Business Development Center ................................................ 815-987-8100

CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS & OFFICERS

TUESDAY, JUNE 21 Ribbon cutting at Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois, 1 to 2 p.m., to celebrate the opening of the new store at 3068 McFarland Road, Rockford.

THURSDAY, JUNE 23 40 Leaders Under Forty Honoree Reception, 3 to 5 p.m., at Hidden Creek Estates, 13276 White School Road, Roscoe. Sponsored by workplace (presenting), Illinois Bank & Trust and Mercyhealth (hospitality), OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center (business).

THURSDAY, JUNE 30 Grand opening/ribbon cutting at BioLife Plasma Services, 10 to 11 a.m., 5824 E. State St., Rockford.

May Ambassador Meeting, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Barnstormer Distillery (formerly GrantView Distillery), 6969 S. Main St., Rockford. Rockford Chamber Golf Classic 2022, 11 a.m., Forest Hills Country Club, 5135 Forest Hills Road, Rockford. At-your-car-registration and lunch, 11 a.m. to noon; Shotgun start, noon; casual dinner immediately following golf. Sponsored by MercyCare Health Plans (presenting), UW Health

Blackhawk Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

FRIDAY, JUNE 10

THURSDAY, MAY 19

MONDAY, MAY 23

May 2022

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

DIRECTORS LaVonne Brown Savant Wealth Management

Chair of the Board Dan Ross Community Foundation of Northern Illinois Vice Chair Jean Crosby Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Crosby Starck Real Estate Vice Chair Don Daniels Treasurer John Schuster JFS Services

Samuel J. Castree Staﬀ Management, Inc. Lesly Couper workplace Doug Curry Stenstrom Construction Group Rebecca Epperson Chartwell Agency Carol Friesen OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center Eric Fulcomer, Ph.D. Rockford University Ira Grimmett Collins Aerospace Tim Honquest Honquest Family Funeral Home with Crematory

Michael F. Iasparro Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP Carly LaMonica LaMonica Beverages, Inc. Kris L. Kieper Machajewski YWCA Northwestern Illinois Nicole Radford UW Health Northern Illinois Region Denise Sasse RSM US LLP Peter Schmeling Schmeling Construction Co. Brent Scott Rockford Community Bank, A Wintrust Community Bank Teresa Sharp American Precision Supply, Inc.

Karl Swanson Illinois Bank & Trust Christina Valdez CMM & Associates Dustin Vock Meiborg, Inc. Robert Young Midwest Packaging and Container

EX-OFFICIO DIRECTORS Caitlin Pusateri President Rockford Chamber of Commerce John Groh Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Therese Thill Rockford Area Economic Development Council

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

JUNE VOICE SPECIAL SECTIONS The Rockford Chamber is always on the look out for educational speakers for our events! Want to share all you know about a particular topic? Reach out to discuss potential speaking opportunities at an upcoming event! Send your idea to cpusateri@rockfordchamber.com.

The Financial Issue Staycations / Vacations For information on advertising, call 815 987-8100

May Voice 2022

Articles inside

MEMBER PROFILE - Thayer Energy Solutions

May Voice 2022

Small Business Enterprise - SBDC May 2022

IGNITE May 2022