August Voice 2014

The Voice is online at rockfordchamber.com

ATRONA: HEAVY METAL SUCCESS

NIU, RVC SIGN AGREEMENT

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CORRECTIONS TO THE JULY VOICE

August 2014 | Volume 27 | No. 8

Rockford Chamber Founder’s Day Two more inducted into Business Hall of Fame

By Paul Anthony Arco Happy Birthday, Rockford Chamber of Commerce!

On July 10, the Chamber turned 104, and more than 250 community members were there to celebrate during the Chamber’s third-annual Founders’ Day Celebration, which was held at Midway Village Museum. The program included food, beverages and music. Representatives from many of the 15 founding and legacy members of the Chamber were also in attendance.

“This celebration is quickly turning out to be one of our more anticipated events each year,” said Einar Forsman,

BIKERS FUND FREE BIKE REPAIR STATION

Jerry Busse, Rockford Toolcraft (left) with son Tom and Robert Wimmer, Aqua-Aerobics Systems, Inc., with Einar Forsman, Chamber president are the 2014 inductees into the Rockford Chamber’s Hall of Fame. president and CEO of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce. “The primary reason we celebrate is to acknowledge our generous members. It’s a fun way to thank them for all their years of support, going back to 1910.”

Two Added to Northern Illinois Business Hall of Fame

Visit us online at: rockfordchamber.com ■ online registration ■ keynote speaker video clips ■ event photos ■ list of Chamber events Questions? 815-987-8100

Join the Chamber’s LinkedIn Group www.linkedin.com/e/gis/2544

Please note the following corrections to the July issue of The Voice. The company named in the Ambassador box on page 31 was incorrectly listed. Jamie Lauer works at Upstream Investment Partners.

Please see her box in the August Voice on page 27. The author of the July Ignite column on page 8 was misspelled under her picture. The author’s name is Alpa Patel.

During the event, two individuals and their companies were inducted into the Northern Illinois Business Hall of Fame. The 2014 inductees were Jerry Busse, CEO of Rockford Toolcraft, Inc., and Robert Wimmer, president and CEO of Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc. The Northern Illinois Business Hall of Fame was started in 1989 by the local Junior Achievement chapter. JA inducted 49 individuals in nine classes, before ceasing operations in 2009.

The Rockford Chamber of Commerce took over the hall of fame in 2012, and changed the focus from inducting individuals to adding companies and inducting the founder.

“This was another tremendous class,” said Forsman. “Both Jerry and Bob and their respective organizations have contributed so much to the Rockford community. This recognition is well deserved.”

Wimmer and Busse join an impressive list of past recipients that include Seth Atwood, Howard Colman and Edson Gaylord.

Busse started Rockford Toolcraft in 1976 as a contract tool and die manufacturer. In 1985, the company added production metal stamping.

Under Busse’s leadership, Toolcraft

survived both the early 1980s recession and the Great Recession and today employs 375 at two plants.

“Over the years, I’ve been asked by many people what’s the secret to my success. I don’t have a secret. The key is to be the best you can in all areas,” Busse said. “First, you have to serve the customer. If you can do that better than the next guy, they’ll come back to you. Secondly, you have to have the best resources available. I’ve always had the newest, latest and fastest stuff to do the job. Finally, are the employees. You need top people who are motivated and like working for your company. You do that by creating an environment that is positive and productive and pays well.

You put them all together and you will find yourself rising to the top of your industry.”

Aqua-Aerobic Systems makes waste water treatment systems and equipment. The company is celebrating its 45th year in business. Wimmer has been president and CEO of AquaAerobics since 1998. Under Wimmer’s leadership, Aqua-Aerobic has grown its employee and customer base, expanded its plant and received a number of awards.

“What an honor to be selected for this award and have Aqua-Aerobic recognized not only for our growth, but more importantly to have our employees recognized for their hard work,” Wimmer said. “It’s very important that a good company has a face in the community, and receiving this award is a measure of the success in that area.” more on page 3

If you ever pop a tire, need some air or a tool to fix your derailleur, the tools to fix it are available at a free bike repair station along the Sinnissippi bike path behind the YMCA of Rock River Valley, 220 E State St., Rockford — thanks to riders of last year’s Tour de North End. The third-annual Tour de North End drew more than 530 riders from Rockford, Chicago, Madison and Milwaukee, who rode around Rockford’s North End, patronized local businesses, and raised bicycle safety awareness. The Olympic Tavern purchased the bike repair station from event proceeds.

Users can scan a QR code with their phone and receive step-bystep instructions on minor repairs.

This year’s Tour De North End neighborhood bike festival takes place on Aug. 2 with registration at noon at The Olympic Tavern, 2327 N. Main St. Visit tourdenorthend.com.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Education Outlook LU N C H EO N Sept. 4 • Giovanni’s Inc. For more info, see page 30

TOOL HELPS COMPANIES MEASURE INCLUSION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES RAMP announced that Comcast and NBCUniversal have launched the Disability Equality IndexSM (DEISM), an online tool that offers businesses the opportunity to objectively measure their full inclusion of people with disabilities as customers, employees and suppliers. Businesses receive an objective score, on a scale of zero to 100, on their disability inclusion policies and practices, and identify avenues for continued improvement.

Visit www.neweditions.net/dei/.

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August 2014

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Chairman’s Perspective VIEWPOINT

Many ways to get involved with your Chamber One of the benefits to being a member of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce is getting involved with the community.

There are many ways for Rockford Chamber members to get involved. The Chamber hosts seven councils, bringing together key membership groups that work together to build the strength of the business community. From government affairs to manufacturing to women in business, the Chamber covers a range of topics that may be of interest to you the member.

All of our Chamber board members are expected to be involved with one or two of the various councils. But now we are asking our general membership to roll up their sleeves and find a council that can not only benefit from your expertise, but that helps you get even more value out of your Chamber membership.

For me, I have an interest in government affairs, which has been a tremendous benefit over the years. Organizations are looking for the Chamber’s input or feedback on key issues, so we get to hear about things early in the process. For example, we hear about county issues such as road or utility proposals long before the public does. It’s a tremendous learning opportunity for all who are involved.

The time commitment to join one of the councils is minimal. Many councils meet once a month. Some are more active than others. The only cost to you, the member, is the price of lunch.

When Chamber members get involved, we see results. A perfect example is Transform Rockford. The Chamber has become a lead organization in this grassroots effort, and thanks to the unwavering support from many of our members, we’re making a difference in helping to shape Rockford’s future.

We can do the same thing with our seven councils. Here’s a brief description of each one. Find the one that works for you and your business. You’ll be glad you did.

Chamber’s Seven Councils Business Education Council. Works to educate members on sound business practices with monthly “Breakfast Buzz” seminars on sales, marketing, human resources and other business-related topics.

Multicultural Business Council.

Hosts monthly meetings designed to share information, discuss best practices, promote collaboration and foster business growth for minority professionals, business owners and managers.

Business Women’s Council. Meets

monthly to foster networking and education for women in business. Meetings are designed to help women shape their dreams, achieve professional goals and generate positive results in their lives.

Manufacturers Council. Works to ensure manufacturing continues to play a vital role in the Rockford region. Hosts manufacturing-related events and works to develop and improve a range of services for existing manufacturers. Open to manufacturers only.

Government Affairs Council. Meets to discuss issues facing the region’s business community, advocates on behalf of business with public officials and affects the policy positions taken by the Chamber’s board of directors.

Ambassadors Club. This is the volunteer arm of the Chamber. Wearing traditional red blazers, Ambassadors serve as mentors to new members, and are active at grand openings, ribbon cuttings, open houses and Chamber events.

IGNITE – Young Professionals Organization. Connect with young professionals, ages 21-45, who live, work, learn and play in the Rockford region.

Our mission is to attract and retain young professionals to the Rockford region.

IGNITE enables young professionals to

network with new friends and business Rich Walsh Rockford Chamber contacts as Board Chairman well as provide leadership, volunteer and personal and professional development opportunities.

Public Education Council. The Public Education Council focuses on assisting the public education system in meeting the needs of the business community. The council aims to identify objectives for improving Rockford’s public education system to foster business growth and retention, and to support the Rockford Public School Board and Administration in achieving those goals.

Public Safety Council. This is a recently formed council to consider ways in which the business community can positively impact crime prevention and reduction.

I hope you find one of our councils of interest to you and your business and would like to get actively involved.

Remember you can make a difference.

For more information on any of the seven Rockford Chamber of Commerce councils, please call Diane Navickis at 815-987-8100.

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August 2014

Founders’ Day Continued from front page

“The key to our success is the focus we put on quality products and service for our customers, as well as the dedication our employees have, not only to our customers and stakeholders, but the community in which we live,” he added. “At Aqua-Aerobic, we live our mission every day, and that is to make a good company into a great one.

The difference is always the people who make it happen.”

The Founders’ Day Celebration was presented by Rockford University.

SwedishAmerican Health System was the hospitality sponsor. theVoice

PHOTOS BY BRIAN THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHY

Denise Noe, Steve Rapp and Steve Haight share a laugh.

Many thanks to Rockford University for being the Presenting Sponsor. Rockford University is a founding member of the Chamber.

Chris Korab of Aqua-Aerobics Systems, Inc., flanked by Mike Broski and Einar Forsman, accepts the Business Hall of Fame honor on behalf of Robert Wimmer.

Valerie Tippitt, Mike Schablaske, and Judge Gwyn Gulley were in attendance.

Jerry Busse of Rockford Toolcraft and his wife Kathy listen to the Business Hall of Fame announcements.

The crowd responds to the Business Hall of Fame inductees.

Russ Squires, Connie Kelly, and Steve Oman.

Attendees enjoyed the Business After Hours’ appetizers and drinks.

Robin Persoon, Diane Goldsworthy, and Diane James.

Let your Voice be heard The Rockford Chamber of Commerce ­ elcomes and encourages submissions for The w VOICE of the Rockford Business Community.

Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding ­publication. 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.

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August 2014

Member Profile PROFILE

By Paul Anthony Arco Atif Odeh knew he was taking a risk, when he walked away from a good job as a metallurgist and product engineering manager at Rockford Powertrain after five years. But it was a chance he was willing to take.

Odeh left to start his own company, ATRONA Test Labs, Inc., in 1999 with the support his wife, Robin, a former rehabilitation counselor. “I’ve always specialized in solving engineering problems. This is something companies need,” he said. “I was working 10 to 20 hours a day and visiting three to four companies a day to see how I could help them. Failure was never an option.”

The couple hasn’t looked back.

ATRONA Test Labs is a metallurgical and material testing and consulting/ problem solving laboratory specializing in failure analysis including metal testing, polymer testing, mechanical testing, non destructive testing and chemical analysis.

“Our idea was to assist customers with more than just numbers but with actual solutions and material selections, heat treat consulting, failure analysis, manufacturing, welding quality, plating problems and helping with engineering requirements and specifications,” said Odeh, author of “Metallurgy and Heat Treatment, the Pocket Book,” a bestselling handbook that summarizes the

ATRONA has expanded its workforce to 25 employees and hopes to double its staff in the next five years.

ATRONA Test Labs, Inc. Metallurgical test lab success

essentials of metallurgy and materials, and their heat treatment.

“Our job is to figure out how and why systems and components fail,” he added.

“Our number one specialty is failure analysis regardless of material type – whether it’s metal or plastic. We step in with our expertise and technology and perform a series of tests putting the pieces together much like a puzzle.” The testing is done in ATRONA’s labs. Final reports on their findings range in size from 30 to 200 pages and are available to clients within seven days.

Solid Growth Despite having no sales staff for marketing the company, ATRONA has seen 25 percent annual growth over the past 15 years, thanks to word of mouth. ATRONA has expanded its workforce to 25 em-

ployees – mostly metallurgical engineers and chemists along with technicians and mechanical experts – and hopes to double its staff in the next five years. It’s increased its facility space from 2,000 square feet 15 year ago to more than 30,000 square feet, when it moved to its current Loves Park location three years ago.

In 2008 ATRONA acquired another laboratory, Bodycotes Testing Group, and folded it within its company. Two years later, ATRONA opened a second business, MAZTEK Calibration, an independent accredited calibration lab, which is housed next door to ATRONA. The addition of state-of-the-art equipment over the past several years has also put ATRONA at the top of its industry.

“We attribute our success to the way we solve problems,” said Odeh, who was named the 2004 University of Illinois

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Alumnus of the Year. “A lot of companies pay engineers $60,000 a year to solve problems. We can step in and solve a problem for $3,000 to $5,000 through failure analysis where the root cause is determined and recommendations are made to solve the issues at hand. We not only offer our expertise, but a cost savings as well.”

ATRONA boasts a roster of more than 1,000 clients from a variety of industries including aerospace, medical, oil and gas, food industry, heavy machinery, off highway and automotive. Most clients are located outside of Rockford. Another top priority for ATRONA is helping develop future engineers. The company supports the robotics team at Hononegah High School and provides laboratory tours to area students and scout troops.

“I want to build something unique here in Rockford,” Odeh said. “My vision is to grow our complex into an engineering and testing center within the next five years. I want ATRONA to be known as a place where engineering problems are solved.”

ATRONA TEST LABS, INC. Atif and Robin Odeh, owners 5271 Zenith Parkway Loves Park, IL 61111 815-229-8620 www.atrona.com

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August 2014

Maisch takes reins at the Illinois Chamber

‘Great Responsibility ... Move Illinois Forward’ The Illinois Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors appointed Todd C. Maisch, 48, its new CEO. His term began on July 1.

Maisch served as executive vice president of the chamber’s Business Services Division, Government Affairs and the Membership and Marketing Department. He holds a bachelor of science degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an MBA from Illinois State University. Prior to joining the chamber in 1994, he worked for the General Assembly as a research analyst for the House Republican staff.

Below is his message on taking the CEO position upon the retirement of former Illinois Chamber CEO, Douglas L. Whitley, 64, on June 30.

It is a great honor to what sets the Illinois write to you today as the Chamber apart from other new President and CEO advocacy organizations of the Illinois Chamber of is that our members Commerce. I am humbled have given us a “dual by the support of a great mandate” to satisfy. On board of directors and the one hand, they expect business leaders from us to be engaged with across the state that share policymakers to get things my vision of a stronger accomplished by passing Todd C. Maisch, Illinois climate for business and laws and reasonable Chamber of Commerce a better quality of life for regulations. Yet, they also our citizens. expect us to push those I am also honored to lead a same policymakers to do something they tremendous team of individuals here have been very reluctant to do, make the at the Chamber. They are committed hard political decisions that are vital to to the cause of helping employers be returning Illinois to prosperity. successful and work every day on your The fact that so few organizations are behalf. The array of talent and expertise willing to take on that second task, makes assembled at the Chamber means it imperative that the Chamber is ready we can engage on an unparalleled to do so. Let’s be honest, the process number of issues confronting Illinois’ surrounding government decision employers. Our team has a great record making is rigged with a “go along to get of accomplishments and only have along” mentality. The Chamber likes to plans for more. get along with policymakers too, but we The role of President and CEO of the are also ready to take necessary action, Illinois Chamber has always carried great even if that action makes the status quo responsibility as the voice for Illinois uncomfortable. business. Yet, that responsibility seems As we engage on these tasks we only greater now considering the current will celebrate success and good news state of affairs in government. Illinois as well as pointing out the need for is, indeed, a great state blessed with so improvement. We will work with many economic advantages. However, to Democrats and Republicans, liberals be blunt, the status quo in government and conservatives. The Chamber will is simply unacceptable. It must change engage anyone with a genuine desire before our state’s advantages are unable to see Illinois improve its fortunes. We to make up for the fact that government won’t always agree, but the staggering is broken, no longer able to meet the issues that confront us demand inclusive needs of employers nor citizens alike. conversation to find a way forward.

I have always believed that part of Much work awaits. Let’s get started.

Illinois moves up on business-friendly list CNBC ranked Illinois 27th overall, up from 37th last year, among U.S. states as one of the best places to do business, based on dozens of measures of competitiveness. All 50 states were judged on 56 measures of competitiveness, based on input from business groups, economic development experts, companies and the states themselves.

Metrics fell into ten broad categories, weighting the categories based on how frequently they are cited in state economic developm ent marketing materials. Therefore, the study ranks states based on the criteria they use to sell themselves.

Illinois ranked particularly highly in infrastructure, and technology and innovation.

ILLINOIS RANKED OVERALL

27

BUSINESS-FRIENDLY

SPECIFIC

CATAGORIES 2014

ILLINOIS ECONOMIC PROFILE GDP growth:. . . . . . . . . .

Unemployment rate (May 2014): . . . . . . . . .

Top corporate tax rate:. .

Top individual income tax rate:. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Gasoline tax:. . . . . . . . . .

Bond rating/outlook:. . .

0.9 percent 7.9 percent 9.5 percent 5 percent 58 cents/gallon A3/negative

Infrastructure. . . . 3 . . . . . 5 Technology & Innovation . . . . . . 5 . . . . . 5 Access to Capital. . 14 . . . . 25 Education . . . . . . . 15 . . . . 22 Cost of Living . . . . 29 . . . . 23 Quality of Life. . . . 30 . . . . 30 Workforce. . . . . . . 32 . . . . 29 Economy. . . . . . . . 36 . . . . 45 Cost of Doing Business. . . 40 . . . . 44 Business Friendliness . . . . . 41 . . . . 36

Economic profile sources: Federation of Tax Administrators, American Petroleum Institute, Moody’s Investor Service, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Illinois FY 2013 CAFR

TOP 10 STATES TO DO BUSINESS 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Georgia Texas Utah Nebraska North Carolina

6. Minnesota 7. Washington 8. Colorado 9. Virginia 10. North Dakota Source: www.cnbc.com

2013

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August 2014

FastPitch Competition winner chosen for INPEX Inventor’s Convention

A kiosk in the State of Illinois booth showcases the region’s aerospace manufacturing expertise at the 2014 Farnborough International Airshow in July.

By Sherry Pritz, EIGERlab After Adrian Vasquez, inventor of the NZ3 hair product, won second place in the 2013 FastPitch Competition, he set his sights on a higher prize: being accepted to participate in the Invention and New Product Exposition (INPEX), the world’s largest invention tradeshow. INPEX provides a forum for inventors to exhibit their inventions and pitch their ideas with companies interested in licensing, marketing and manufacturing their new products.

“It was worth every mile,” Vasquez said, since he met so many key individuals, including representatives from QVC, SkyMall magazine, a broker in the beauty industry who is interested in handling his products exclusively, and George Foreman, George Foreman Cooking Products.

Another accomplishment resulting from his participation is being chosen as one of 35 --from a total of 400 who applied -- to move to step two with QVC this September in Las Vegas. “It’s a huge compliment to be included in such an exclusive group,” Vasquez said. “QVC

Adrian Vasquez and George Foreman pose at the INPEX; inventor’s convention. representatives shared many tips and clues to move my business forward, such as the importance of having two applicable product markets. In regard to the NZ3, the obvious market is haircare, but the second, which I had not considered, is the pet market — a $55.7 billion dollar industry in 2013.”

Vasquez, who is both an inventor and owner of Totally You Hair Salon, is thankful to the staff at EIGERlab’s Center for Product Development, his local manufacturer and everyone who assisted him along his entrepreneurial journey. He stated, “As an entrepreneur and inventor, you never stop learning!”

Sherry Pritz is marketing coordinator/business development at EIGERlab/Rock Valley College.

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RAEDC attends Farnborough International Airshow The Rockford Region showcased its aerospace network at one of the world’s largest trade shows. A record seven area companies joined the Rockford Area Economic Development Council (RAEDC) at its exhibit booth at the 2014 Farnborough International Airshow (FIA), July 14 to 20, in Hampshire, England. The biennial airshow alternates annually with the Paris Air Show.

The State of IL DCEO has shown growing support for the Rockford Region’s aerospace cluster through its continued commitment to the Farnborough and Paris airshows. For more than 60 years, FIA has been recognized as the world’s best arena for aviation companies to achieve their business and commercial objectives.

Since 2010, the RAEDC and regional companies within the Rockford Area Aerospace Network (RAAN) have partnered with the Illinois DCEO to exhibit at the Farnborough Airshow, which has led to remarkable networking opportunities and quality business leads for the region. A RAAN kiosk set-up within the State of Illinois booth provided Illinois companies with an exhibit space; showcasing the region’s aerospace manufacturing expertise. Area companies that participated included: American Precision Assemblers, Inc.; Chem Processing, Inc.; Ingenium Aerospace; Ingenium Technologies; Ipsen Inc.; Midwest Aero Support, Inc., and Skandia, Inc. Other area companies at the trade show included B/E Aerospace, GE Aviation, Esterline, UTC Aerospace Systems and Woodward.

Epicenter for Aerospace The Rockford Region is one of the largest epicenters of aerospace activity

in the country, with more than 250 suppliers operating in the area. The region has the critical mass of suppliers and infrastructure that tier-one and original equipment manufacturers need, including unparalleled global access. As part of the world’s third-largest multimodal port system, the Rockford Region is a top logistics site for connectivity and low cost of operations, and has direct access to all major world markets.

“The State of Illinois’ involvement in international shows has a long history of yielding new business connections for our companies,” explained Adam Pollet, DCEO director. “We are glad we could provide this exposure to Rockford’s already dynamic aerospace industry.”

“We are excited to showcase the Rockford Region’s aerospace capabilities among the world’s largest aerospace companies,” said Mike Nicholas, RAEDC president. “Increasing foreign direct investment in our region is a top priority, as it will lead to new business development and job creation. We value our partnership with the DCEO and look forward to building international awareness for the State of Illinois and the Rockford Region.”

The Farnborough International Airshow is known for facilitating outstanding opportunities for the global aerospace industry. As one of the world’s largest exhibitions and air displays, it provides a wealth of dedicated and focused business platforms. This biennial event saw $72 billion worth of orders announced and the success of a new Civil and Commercial Delegations Program. FIA 2014 delivered a truly international audience looking for business.

The Rockford Region is one of the largest epicenters of aerospace activity in the country, with more than 250 suppliers operating in the area.

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August 2014

BPI receives certification in Identity Mapping™

The new facility will be able to accommodate 150 students of aviation maintenance programs.

New aviation maintenance facility to open at airport Classes should begin in Fall, 2015 The Greater Rockford Airport Authority (GRAA) and Rock Valley College (RVC) broke ground on a new 40,000-sq.-ft. RVC Aviation Maintenance Technology Program facility on Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) grounds.

The facility will house the RVC educational course of study for aeronautical maintenance and repair, with room to grow.

GRAA and RVC recognized the need to grow the region’s educated workforce, as the Rockford Region is one of the largest epicenters of aerospace activity in the country.

“As a thriving aerospace cluster, we consistently receive inquiries from businesses exploring expansion, growth and relocation opportunities,” said RFD Executive Director Mike Dunn. “And quite frankly, one of the determining factors is whether or not we have a distinctly aligned workforce to support the type of specialization required. We are thrilled to now be able to share with prospects that our workforce will be even more strongly aligned. This distinction will continue to propel the region forward in being an aerospace leader.”

Economic Impact The new facility will be quadruple the size of the existing RVC Aviation Maintenance Program to accommodate 150 students. Graduates take positions as airline or general aviation engine and/or airframe mechanics.

“RVC is pleased to be in partnerships with a number of businesses and public entities, including Woodward, Eclipse and the airport,” said RVC President Mike Mastroianni. “These partnerships help us to provide affordable credentialing opportunities to prepare individuals to secure good jobs.”

Once complete and operational, the facility will employ more than 20 employees and generate about $1 million.

Construction will generate about 40 jobs and bring an economic impact of more than $5.1 million to the region.

Aviation Maintenance Technology Degree Degree: Associate in applied science, 82 credits Contact: Aviation Maintenance Technology Program, 815-921-3016 or Division of Technical Programs Office, 815-921-3000 Visit www.rockvalleycollege.edu/Courses/ Programs/Aviation/index.cfm

Personality Resources International … The Colors People has certified the Business and Professional Institute in delivering its patented Four Ways System, which is a key application in the mapping process. The key component in the Corporate Mapping application is Identity Mapping. The Identity Mapping Assessment Instrument, developed in 1999, assesses core personality based on the work and theory of Carl Jung.

It provides an accurate assessment that is easily understood, allowing the individual to respond to clearly presented characteristic behaviors in a way that is non-intrusive and non-threatening; providing an easy-to-understand description of core personality.

Personality Resources International proprietary Identity Mapping process is an integral module of its Four Ways System. This is an effective and efficient self-assessment behavior application that enables self-discovery and comprehension of one’s personal strengths and character and the strengths and character of others that we interact with every day.

Accepted Nationally What is so unique about this system is that there are few individuals that have the exact same combination of “ways,” and the major impact of learning about the different combination of “ways” is

the discovery of an individual’s primary “way” of thinking, behaving and Bernie Luecke functioning.

RVC BPI The Four Ways System, using Identity Mapping, simplifies and standardizes an understanding of human dynamics, by providing a common language and recognition of the diversity of personalities within an organization.

Behavioral strategies are identified that are most appropriate for communicating and relating that influence others and contribute to the cultivation of a positive work environment.

Personality Resources International is well-respected nationally and it has been very successful training employees in top-ranked organizations, including: Ford, Miller, Cisco, Southwest Airlines, Microsoft and Shell.

If you would like to learn more about creating an environment that results in positive outcomes for staff members, increased corporate performance for everyone in your organization, increased profitability while reducing employee costs, please contact me at 815-921-2067 or B.Luecke@RockValleyCollege.edu.

Bernie Luecke is director of the Business & Professional Institute at Rock Valley College.

Manufacturing E-Commerce Trends U.S. manufacturers reported e-commerce shipments were $3.0 trillion in 2012, up 10.5 percent from a revised $2.7 trillion in 2011.

Total shipments were $5.8 trillion in 2012, up 5.0 percent from a revised $5.5 trillion in 2011.

E-commerce shipments were more than half of all manufacturing shipments at 51.9 percent in 2012, up from a revised 49.3 percent in 2011.

In 2012, 11 North American Industry Classification System sub-sectors had e-commerce shipments that accounted for more than 50 percent of their total manufacturing shipments, led by n Beverage and tobacco product manufacturing n Transportation equipment manufacturing n Paper manufacturing

Manufacturing News is sponsored by RVC BPI

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August 2014

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IGNITE

Young Professionals

Lessons from a small town stockbroker Reaching out to connect with community I joke with people that I grew up in the suburbs of Kent, Illinois, which is a suburb of Pearl City. Pearl City is a town of 800 with one school building; day-care through high school. Kent isn’t really famous for anything, but if it was, it would probably be the welcome sign that says, “84 people and 42 dogs.”

It wasn’t until after college that I realized how great small towns are and how much I missed it! When I was a kid, my friends and I could bike anywhere we wanted, except those houses where you’ll get yelled at if you are too close to their lawn. There was always a football or baseball game in someone’s backyard. Every kid had a tab at Liebenstein’s Grocery Store. I tried to sneak baseball cards on the tab once and my mom made it very clear that won’t happen again.

In high school, I was able do football, basketball, baseball, band, speech team, theatre, chorus and FFA. Everywhere you go, people would stop to ask you, “How you are doing? How’s your family?”

When I moved to Rockford, everything I loved about small towns was gone. I could go to the grocery store, church or the mall, and every face was brand new. The only people I knew were my much older (cooler if they are reading this) co-workers.

I knew growing up I wanted to be a stockbroker, just like my grandpa, and loved my job right away. I’d talk to my grandpa a couple times a day, and we would trade stocks. Life was working out exactly how I had planned -- until 5 p.m. My office closed and my coworkers all went home to their lives. I went home and waited for the next day so I could go back to work.

Derek Erwin IGNITE

My grandpa told me, “you need to give back to your community.” Sitting at home and waiting for work the next morning was getting old fast, so I figured I’d give it a try. The scary part was, I didn’t know where to start.

I like sports, so I called the YMCA and

volunteered

to

coach

youth

basketball and joined my church softball team. I’ve been coaching basketball and baseball ever since through the YMCA, Rockford Christian Elementary School, Boys and Girls Club and Rockford Phoenix. I’ve added golf, bowling, sand volleyball, indoor volleyball and basketball to my schedule too. I’ve had a chance to help with Sharefest, decorate Stroll on State, pack meals for Haiti, and judge GoldenApple applicants.

I joined IGNITE a few years ago and got invited to join the REACH Committee last year as co-chair with Caitlin Ludwig. If co-chair means one person does all the work, then we are absolutely co-chairs, because she does everything!

Each new thing introduced me to so many new friends, opened doors and created opportunities. I’m still looking for a grocery store in town that will let me start a tab for my mom to stop by and pay on her way home from work.

I still miss the peacefulness of living in the country. I can’t stand stoplights, sirens and traffic, but when I see familiar faces around town, it makes Rockford feel a lot like my small town of 800.

My grandpa must have been right; you need to give back to your community.

For more on IGNITE, visit www. igniterockford.com.

Paul Sletten, Social and Abreo, says, ‘I’m a big fan of other restaurants’ Visitors add nearly $330 million to Winnebago County’s economy when they come here for sports tournaments, visit our attractions, stay at our hotels and eat at our restaurants, like Social, Abreo and others. That’s significant economic impact.

I want periodically to highlight a local businessperson who understands the value of tourism dollars and helps position the Rockford Region as a unique destination. For us to successfully market the area, it takes teamwork from businesses, government and other partners to put our best foot forward and help us get more tournaments, more visitors and more dollars.

Restaurateur Paul Sletten’s Thoughts About Visitors Let’s begin with Paul Sletten, owner of Abreo and Social, two “Rockford Original” restaurants, and a Rockford Chamber member.

Many of you know that WTTW’s Emmy-winning show, “Check, Please!” included the Rockford Region on its June 20 episode, and featured Sletten’s restaurant, Social, as well as other area highlights. The segment resulted in 130,000 media impressions. Sletten said, “it definitely created excitement and pride, for our guests and for us as well.”

His restaurants have long had a small contingent of Chicago guests, so he hopes to see more people from Chicago as a result of the exposure.

Sletten has been in the hospitality industry for 20 years, starting with catering and adding the Abreo and Social restaurants 10 years and four years later, respectively. Today he has 50 full-time-equivalent employees. Tourism supports about 2,700 jobs, nearly $72 million in payroll. This fall he plans to open a third restaurant, a breakfast/ lunch spot in Colonial Village.

“Amazing Tournaments, Parks” Having served as a board member on the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau gave Sletten the opportunity to learn about the tourism industry. “I learned the impact of all these soccer tournaments, and what a big deal Sportscore One and Two are for us. It’s really amazing what they do for our area,” he said.

“There are a lot of really cool things happening, like the West Rock Wake Park that will draw wakeboarders and other water sports enthusiasts to a portion of Levings Lake near U.S. Route 20,” Sletten noted. The Rockford

John Groh Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

Paul Sletten, owner of Abreo and Social, encourages businesses to support each other to grow tourism, to grow the $330 million visitors spend here annually.

Park District, City of Rockford and Winnebago County are assisting, and private businessman Dan Jarrett will be the primary investor. “We also have amazing parks, like Rock Cut Park.”

Positive Impressions Help “For us to grow the tourism industry, to get more visitors to come here and spend more than the $330 million annually, I think we could work together a little more,” Sletten said. “Businesses, government and the RACVB do collaborate, we just need to keep improving, so that we present ourselves positively and constructively to our visitors and to our residents. For example, when big sports tournaments come here, we need accurate and helpful signage to help the traffic flow, so visitors are not routed away from our unique downtown area.”

Support Other Businesses, Create More Success Stories “The best things businesses can do to grow tourism is to support each other, and to be open to each others ideas,” Sletten said. “I’m a big fan of other restaurants. I want people to try Octane and Alchemy. The more of those we have, the better our draw will be to visitors. I also think franchise restaurants are part of the mix. Visitors know what they will get with franchises, so it’s a comfort zone. Franchises started as a local restaurant. They’re all success stories. The more opportunities you have for people to have a success, the more unique character your town will have, to set us apart from other places.”

John Groh is president/CEO of the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.

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

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

9

August 2014

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

Whose idea is it anyway? Protecting start-up IP Starting a new business is a tricky path dotted with hidden pitfalls. Starting a new business based on intellectual property is even trickier. Without the right IP protections, a start-up business can find itself without ownership of the very assets necessary to create value for the business.

Many start-up businesses operate by the cash clause – if I pay for it, I own it. Operating in such a manner, however, ignores the legal landscape regarding inventions, creative expression and other intellectual property.

Expending the effort and time to develop basic intellectual property safeguards, such as a work-for-hire agreement or projectspecific intellectual property assignment, can pay for itself many times over.

Start-up businesses should protect their intellectual property from the starting gate by ensuring the creation of their technology and the subsequent ownership of it is protected by a work-for-hire agreement, which specifically provides for assignment of any related intellectual property created to the start-up business. Otherwise, the product’s creator can retain outright ownership of the product, with the business receiving only a license to use the product for certain purposes or only with the product creator’s permission. Perhaps worse, a startup business can end up in litigation later in life or be forced to pay dearly down the road for intellectual property that the business has already paid for.

Work-for-Hire

agreements to protect against employee commissioned disclosure of business plans and data, and paid for.

Work-for-hire agreements originate from expressed but unexplored ideas, and trade To protect the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, but have or company secrets.

Daniel Huntley its intellectual WilliamsMcCarthy LLP since been expanded in use to many forms property, a startof intellectual property. Basic work-for-hire Establishing Protections up business agreements provide that the product of for Businesses should: an employee or independent contractor’s In Illinois, a statute called the Illinois ■■ Ensure that a written agreement is labor for a start-up business is the business’ Employee Patent Act, 765 ILCS 1060/2, entered into with the employee, inventor property. Work-for-hire agreements are protects the intellectual property rights of or developer specifically spelling out the often incorporated into employment employees as to inventions that are created ownership and use rights of both the startagreements to protect against an employee under certain circumstances. Businesses in up business and the developer. creating a derivative work using the start- Illinois cannot require assignment of any up business’s capital and competing with employee invention to the business if the ■■ Ensure the written agreement includes the business for market share and venture employee invention was created without absolute assignment language to protect capital investments. the use of any of the business’s equipment, against a situation where the copyright To ensure that an employee work-for- supplies, facilities, unless the employee isn’t owned from creation by the start-up hire agreement is effective, the Copyright invention relates to the business, the business.

Act requires that the invention is created business’ anticipated development, or from ■■ Ensure that however the intellectual within the scope of employment. However, any other work performed by the employee property is created and stored that it is done to ensure that an independent contractor’s for the employer. so in a manner that the code, platform, files work-for-hire agreement is effective, the Businesses that require employees to or specifications can later be transported to invention must be written, specially assign invention rights as part of their either the start-up business’s employees for commissioned by the start-up business, employment agreement must include a further development or to a new developer and within one of the nine categories provision stating the employee’s rights for completion. enumerated in the act, such as a part of a under the Employee Patent Act. Employees ■■ Seek intellectual property registration motion picture or other audiovisual work. bear the burden of proving that their and protection at the earliest opportunity.

To protect against the situation where invention falls under the protections of the Daniel Huntley is an associate attorney at a work-for-hire agreement doesn’t fall act to retain the ownership rights. within one of the nine categories listed in In the rush to develop and launch a WilliamsMcCarthy LLP, advising small- to the Copyright Act, it is recommended that product, establishing protections for the medium-size businesses on corporate law issues, and start-up businesses obtain a full assignment business can fall by the wayside. Negotiating additionally serving clients in the areas of trust of any copyrights or other intellectual a written work-for-hire agreement with an and estates, real estate and agribusiness law issues. property that are related to the work or absolute intellectual property assignment The views expressed are those of Huntley’s and invention being created. Many start-up can go a long way toward ensuring that a do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford businesses should also utilize confidentiality business owns the intellectual property it Chamber of Commerce.

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August 2014

Next Steps in the Transformation Process

By Jennifer Symonds After Transform Rockford’s Vision Rally was held at the Coronado Theater on July 9, the movement’s leaders and volunteers have the full attention of the press and community members alike. The Transform Rockford movement is rapidly gaining momentum in the Stateline and heading into the next phase of defining the action steps necessary to remake our city into a Top-25 community in the United States. The next phase of Transform Rockford’s work was revealed at the Vision Rally to a packed house of over 1,400 people.

At the rally, Transform Rockford members presented the Community Vision and the next steps to take to achieve that vision. Over the last several months, Transform Rockford volunteers have been working to develop a vision for what we want our city to be. Opinions and feedback were collected from people across the community, and a committee worked together to synthesize those comments and to draft a vision. A strategy was also outlined for implementing that vision.

Twelve Impact Statements were presented at the rally. They were the most important part of the presentation, given that they identify the areas that will be the focus of change. The Impact Statements cover the areas identified in the chart included in Figure 1. Spoke Teams will be developed to work on these twelve different areas.

Community members are urged to review these Impact Statements, which are described in more detail on the Transform Rockford website, and to give their feedback. A survey is available on the website that allows people to give their input. This survey is available with the intent that Transform Rockford does its best to voice the thoughts of members of the greater Rockford area.

Spoke Teams will work on the particular areas identified by the Impact Statements and will be responsible for developing and implementing changes so that we can achieve our goal of being a Top25 community “where our people

are engaged, inspired, and leading successful and fulfilling lives.”

Transform Rockford has developed an efficient system for ensuring that high standards are met. This takes place in the form of an infinite loop.

Each team will receive feedback and reviews from community members and another team of individuals from Transform Rockford will act as a sounding board (see Figure 2).

Spoke Teams will be grouped into Segment Teams. While teams will be made up of volunteers, each Segment Team will also include a smaller leadership team (see Figure 3). This ensures that each Segment Team has a strong leadership structure, that larger relationships and connections are being noted, and that the larger picture isn’t forgotten. As a result, team volunteers will all have solid knowledge of what they need to do to move the vision forward.

Leadership Teams will include three different individuals; each team will have a member from the clergy or a non-profit organization, one from business, and one member from the public. There are specific qualities that Transform Rockford is looking for in the people selected for the leadership teams, including team management and organizational skills. These teams will lead the Spoke Teams, which will be made up of community members, analysts, and subject experts who are knowledgeable in the particular areas covered by the Impact Statements.

By mixing the general public with Rockford-area leaders and individuals with expertise in the field, Transform Rockford will be able to address issues quickly and start working on accomplishing the Impact Statements.

Everyone is encouraged to be involved. If you are interested in giving your time to help out the greater Rockford area, then please visit www. transformrockford.org and sign up under the Contact Us tab. On the website, you can also check out a list of upcoming events in the area where volunteers are needed.

Jennifer Symonds is an English Major at Rockford University and a lifetime resident of the Rockford area.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Leadership & Youth

Planning

Arts & Recreation

Funding and Alignment

Unity, Pride & Culture

Quality

Physical Infrastructure

Safety

Healthy Lifestyles

Education

Family & Neighborhoods

Economy & Jobs

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

If you are interested in being a part of a Transformation Team, then please visit www.transformrockford.org and sign up under the Contact Us tab.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

11

August 2014

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

Giving back: The importance of volunteerism, charitable giving Throughout our careers, our work lives can become a bit monotonous.

As we drift along through the years, it can become very easy to lose a sense of purpose. Making a good living isn’t what always fulfills our lives – sometimes we need something more than that.

Giving back to the community and volunteering your services for a cause greater than your own personal needs is an excellent way to regain some of that purpose. Connecting with those who are less fortunate and helping make their lives better refreshes our goals in life and helps us keep our eyes on the big picture.

One of the most important reasons I believe we should give back to the community lies within the term itself.

The phrase “giving back” implies that we have already received something from the community. And we truly have, with support from the city’s citizens, leaders and fellow businesses. That is why giving back to the community is so important. It’s the least we can do to show our appreciation for supporting our business and allowing us to flourish within the community.

Mutual Benefits of Giving Back On the surface, it may appear as though the party on the receiving end of the charitable work is the only one that benefits. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, businesses that take the time to volunteer their time and efforts for a charitable cause benefit in several different areas.

Improved public relations. A company’s philanthropic activity doesn’t go unnoticed by the media. Nonprofit organizations and fundraising events rely on the media to spread the word about their work, so companies who take part in that work will share in the media coverage.

Improved social media. Companies that are involved with positive, uplifting stories on social media will certainly see increased engagement with their followers. The impact of an inspiring event shared with followers on social media cannot be overstated and can even be held in comparison to positive public relations.

Better reputation. While a company’s reputation isn’t as measurable as social media or public relations, there is no denying the fact that many consumers base their buying decisions as much on how they feel about a company as on how they feel about the product.

Dan Ross Williams-Manny Insurance Group

More employee engagement.

Recruiting the top-performing employees and keeping them happy is a priority of all prospering corporations.

Studies have shown that charitable giving improves employee engagement by instilling a sense of gratitude and pride for the organization, which in turn boosts productivity.

Increased employee morale.

When employees are more engaged in their work and proud to work for an organization that takes part in charitable work, morale among workers will naturally be higher. This higher morale, in turn, leads to less time and productivity lost due to illness, tardiness or extended breaks and lunches, as well as lower turnover rates.

How Can My Company Get Involved?

If you’re thinking about getting your company involved with the community, great! There are thousands of ways and causes to help – but here are a few suggestions to get things started.

Serve on a community board.

Serving on a community board is one of the best ways to get recognized among local nonprofits and other professionals. Try finding a board that fits you and your business’ interests, such as education or the arts.

Build partnerships with local business that also support nonprofits.

If you’re serving on a nonprofit board already, take the opportunity to reach out to some of the other board members who are part of local businesses. Utilize these relationships to work on local initiatives and make connections to those who share the same desires to help those in need.

Consider a donation. Donations don’t always have to be in the form of finances, but can also come in the form of donating time or resources.

Seek out a nonprofit that would truly benefit from whatever it is that your company decides to donate and try to connect with them. This is another opportunity your company can use to find a nonprofit that coincides with your business’ philosophies or ideals.

Dan Ross, MBA, is president of WilliamsManny Insurance Group.

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

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

ROAD TO SUCCESS: Focus On Education / Training Services

August 2014

For first time, public education revenue decreases NIU President Doug Baker and RVC President Mike Mastroianni sign an innovative reverse transfer agreement during a morning ceremony in May at the student center of the RVC main campus.

NIU, RVC sign innovative reverse transfer agreement An innovative reverse transfer agreement between Northern Illinois University and Rock Valley College will allow eligible students who transferred from RVC without associate’s degrees to earn their two-year degrees using credit from NIU courses. Students who have transferred from RVC to NIU before earning their associate’s degrees can have their credits completed at NIU transferred back to RVC to satisfy their associate’s degree requirements – similar to how credit is transferred from a community college to NIU, just in reverse.

“This partnership — like others we have with RVC — positions students for student career success, increasing opportunity by breaking down barriers to provide a seamless process to receive credit for work they’ve completed towards an associate’s degree,” said NIU President Doug Baker.

Regional and national data show employees with associate’s degrees typically earn an average of $7,200 per year more than employees with no postsecondary credentials – almost $600,000 more in salary over a lifetime.

“This agreement is a vital step in helping us to transform our region by increasing the number of residents who have obtained a post-high school

credential,” said RVC President Mike Mastroianni. “They will have earned a degree which results in higher income potential and more opportunities for their future.”

Lt. Governor Sheila Simon — a strong proponent of increasing the proportion of working-age adults with college degrees — touted NIU’s reverse articulation program in her College Completion Playbook released late last year. More than 150 higher education administrators from around the state received her playbook on how to help more students complete college at less cost. The guide collects the effective practices of leading educators, national experts, faculty, administrators and other professionals and specifically noted

NIU’s

innovative

work

to

streamline course credit transfers from one school to another.

“In a time when we desperately need more advanced education in our community, this agreement makes that goal easier to attain,” Mastroianni said.

“Students want a hassle-free transfer process and to receive credit for the work they do,” Baker said. “With this reverse transfer agreement, we’ve got that.”

Public elementary and secondary education revenue declined 0.8 percent in fiscal year 2012 for the first time since 1977, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Instructional salaries, the largest expenditure category for public elementary and secondary education, totaled $206.7 billion (34.8 percent of total spending).

Leading Governmental Revenue Sources State . . .$270.4 billion Local . . .$264.6 billion 65.3 percent from property taxes Federal . . .$59.5 billion Highest Spending per Pupil New York . . .$19,552 District of Columbia . . .$17,468 Alaska . . .$17,390 New Jersey . . .$17,266 Connecticut . . .$16,274 Lowest Spending per Pupil Utah . . .$6,206 Idaho . . .$6,659 Oklahoma . . .$7,466 Arizona . . .$7,559 Mississippi . . .$8,164 Highest Revenue from Federal Funding Louisiana . . .18.1 percent Mississippi . . .17.8 percent South Dakota . . .16.4 percent Alaska . . .14.8 percent North Carolina . . .14.3 percent Lowest Revenue from Federal Funding New Jersey . . .5.2 percent Connecticut . . .5.2 percent Maryland . . .6.3 percent Massachusetts . . .6.3 percent New York . . .6.4 percent

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ROAD TO SUCCESS: Focus On Education / Training Services

August 2014 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Rockford University PERSPECTIVE

Making your customers repeat customers Michele Mehren Rockford University

Tips to keep them coming back Organizations spend a lot of time trying to attract new customers, but what about keeping current customers in order to create great repeat customers? Taken from the July, 2014, Voice article by Randa Noble, according to the White House Office of Consumer Affairs, “Someone will tell nine to fifteen people if they are unhappy with an organization.” The same source goes on to say: “Happy customers who get their issue resolved tell about four to six people about their experience.”

Don’t we all want our organization to be the one where people tell nine to 15 people about the great experience they had? How do you keep customers coming back? One way is by providing excellent customer service.

Most of my career has been in customer service. I am one of those people that learn best from their mistakes, and I have made some whoppers! One mistake I made was to say the same thing over and over to every customer. While working in retail years ago, I would work the register, and I would ask every customer how they were and tell them to have a good day.

I asked a woman in line how she was, and her answered shocked me.

Thank goodness I haven’t heard the same thing since. She said, “You don’t really care how I am. I just want to buy these, and I don’t want you to talk to me.” I learned, you need to talk to each person as an individual, not like they are on a production line. After that day, I made it a point to treat each customer as an individual.

them know you don’t have an answer

What is Good Customer Service?

If you are waiting for an answer from

Here is a list of tips for providing good customer service.

Acknowledge. Look at someone when they walk into your establishment.

Tell them “hi,” and that “you will be with them in a minute,” if you are busy.

The same thing can be done if someone calls on the phone. Greet them and ask if they mind holding for a moment, or if they want you to take a message and get back to them. Don’t automatically transfer them or stick them in voicemail, as you might even be able to help them right away if you know what the call is about.

Knowledgeable. It is important to know as much as you can about your job AND your customers so you know how to best help them. If you don’t have the answer, or are new, make sure you are honest with the customer and let

but will get one. Take a message or ask the customer if they can wait, and then either find the answer or find the correct person they should talk to. There is nothing more irritating to a customer than being transferred over and over to be told that person cannot help.

Extra

mile.

There

may

be

information and/or forms on the internet your customer needs.

You

could simply provide the URL or you go one step farther and copy and paste the URL in an email so the customer is one step closer to getting what they need. Anything you can do to reduce the steps your customer has to take to get what they need is a huge win today.

Listen. People need to be heard.

Whether they are upset, or looking for information, don’t interrupt until your customer is done; let them finish talking. Some people just need a sympathetic ear.

Remember them. Unfortunately, I don’t have the memory for names I once did. I used to be able to remember people’s name after meeting them once, and it impressed people enough to come back to my business. Not everyone has a good memory for names, but if you remember someone has been to your establishment or website, acknowledge them and thank them for returning.

Follow through. Do exactly what you tell someone you are going to do when you say you are going to do it. someone else and haven’t gotten it yet, contact your customer to let them know.

Then follow up again when you have the answer.

Last and most important – SMILE! In my opinion it is one of the most important things you “wear.” Smiling really is contagious and makes people know you care.

Customer service IS everyone’s job in an organization and with a little effort you and everyone at your firm can be great at it!

Michele Mehren is the assistant director of graduate studies at Rockford University.

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

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

August 2014

ROAD TO SUCCESS: Focus On Education / Training Services

15

Chamber 2014/2015 LEADERSHIP ROCKFORD PROGRAM is open for registration Applications for 2014/2015 Leadership Rockford are now being accepted. This program is very popular for developing leaders as well as professionals who have recently moved to the Rockford area. It is designed for individuals who have already displayed a high level of leadership; participants are selected into the program based on this criterion. Leadership Rockford is also a great program for those who are newly promoted in their place of business or just eager to become more involved in the Rockford Region.

Members of the class represent a wide range of backgrounds: business, government, social services, the arts, and many others. The diversity of the class forms a dynamic cross-section of personal and professional viewpoints and perspectives.

Varied Curriculum Leadership Rockford begins in early-October with an opening reception and retreat. This eighth-month program includes panel and group discussions, business and community tours, networking and teamwork. It enhances awareness of business, government and civic issues and opportunities through an interactive process and motivates direct involvement in business and community leadership. This program is designed to provide access to key leaders and decision makers in the Rockford area and includes introductions to the people and places that make up the very core of our community.

Class Size is Limited The class size is limited to 40 participants. To apply for this upcoming program or to get further details, please contact Vee Jevremovic at vjevremovic@rockfordchamber.com or call 815-316-4337.

Dr. Terese Burch, Saint Anthony College of Nursing, signs a partnership with nurse leaders from the University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan, during their two-week visit to Rockford in July.

College signs international partnership with Japanese nurses Collaboration aims to advance nursing on a global scale Terese Burch, Ph.D, RN, president, Saint Anthony College of Nursing (SACN), signed a partnership with nurse leaders from the University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan, in July. The collaboration aims to facilitate student and faculty scholarship and the advancement of nursing roles in global health. The Japanese educators visited Rockford for two weeks to learn about the role

of clinical nurse leader, a new concept for their country.

University of Tsukuba is one of the top 10 research schools in Japan, and officials are looking to make nursing a cutting edge practice in their country. SACN also recently formed a partnership through the Global Nursing Initiative with the Japanese Red Cross International College of Nursing in Kyushu, Japan.

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August 2014 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

ROAD TO SUCCESS: Focus On Education / Training Services

Majority of STEM college graduates do not work in STEM occupations The U.S. Census Bureau reported that 74 percent of those who have a bachelor’s degree in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM*) -- are not employed in STEM occupations.

Men continue to be overrepresented in STEM, making up about 86 percent of engineers and 74 percent of computer professionals.

Engineering and computer, math and statistics majors had the largest share of graduates going into a STEM field, with about half employed in a STEM occupation. Science majors had fewer of their graduates employed in STEM.

STEM Graduates Employed in STEM Jobs 26 percent of physical science majors 15 percent of biological, environmental and agricultural sciences majors 10 percent of psychology majors 7 percent of social science majors

Women in STEM Fields 14 percent of engineers 45 percent of mathematicians and statisticians

47 percent of life scientists 63 percent of social scientists

Other Highlights Engineering was the major with the highest earnings ($92,900), while visual and performing arts was the major with the lowest earnings ($50,700).

Non-STEM management occupations employed the most male college graduates (3.8 million), while education occupations employed the most female college graduates (4.3 million).

States with the largest percentage of STEM workers: Maryland (18.8 percent), Washington (18.3 percent) and Virginia (16.5 percent). *STEM workers include computer and mathematical occupations, engineers, engineering technicians, life scientists, physical scientists, social scientists, science technicians and STEM managers. STEMrelated occupations consist of architects, health care practitioners, health care managers and health care technicians.

Rockford launches Little Free Libraries project Two Little Free Libraries have sprouted up in the Rockford area, thanks to a community-wide effort this summer. Little Free Libraries, located nationwide, are community boxes where people can pick up and share books with their neighbors for free.

City of Rockford Alderman Tom McNamara and community activist Lauren Collen approached the Northwestern Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council to help create Little Free Libraries in a community effort that included the Rockford Public Library and the United Way Success By 6 program.

The Building Trades worked with the Rock River Valley YMCA as part of its Summer Intern Challenge. Two teams of eight designed and built one Little Free

Little Free Libraries are community boxes for people to leave a book, take a book, for free.

Photo source: littlefreelibrary.org Library each with the use of a building trades instructor at the Carpenters Apprenticeship Training Center, 1117 Tebala Blvd., Rockford. Each team chose the locations for their libraries and sought out resources for their books.

What jobs are the hardest to fill?

The Brookings Institution, with the help of labor market information company Burning Glass, analyzed the skill requirements and the advertisement duration time for millions of job openings, in an effort to find out what jobs are hardest to fill. It looked in particular on the importance of a high level of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills on individual employability. It found: Job openings for STEM positions take longer to fill than openings in other fields.

The median duration of advertising for a STEM vacancy is more than twice as long as for a non-STEM vacancy. Health care and computer openings are advertised 23 and 15 days longer, on average, than openings for non-STEM occupations, like those in office and administrative support. Moreover, professional STEM vacancies take longer to fill now than before the recession, while vacancies for lower-skilled occupations remain much easier to fill. These indicators signal that STEM skills are in short supply in the labor market, relative to demand.

Specific high-value skills requested by employers and common to STEM occupations are particularly scarce relative to demand and yet particularly valuable to employers.

Computer skills are associated with the highest salaries and longest advertisement duration times among all major occupational groups.

The regional supply of workers in a given occupation affects the length of vacancy advertisements.

The typical job opening in an occupation for which the regional unemployment rate was below three percent was advertised for 16 days; most of these occupations are in STEM fields. By contrast, the typical job opening was advertised less than half that duration (seven days) for occupations with regional unemployment rates above 10 percent. These job openings data provide new evidence that, post-recession, STEM skills, particularly those associated with high levels of educational attainment, are in high demand among employers. By contrast, job seekers possessing neither STEM knowledge nor higher education face extraordinary levels of competition for a scarce number of jobs.

Governments at all levels, educators, training organizations, and civic leaders can use job vacancy data to better understand the opportunities available to workers and the specific skills required of them.

Improving educational and training opportunities to acquire STEM knowledge should be part of any strategy to help unemployed or low-wage workers improve their earnings and employability.

For the full report, visit www.brookings.edu/research/ interactives/2014/jobvacancies-and-stem-skills#/ M12580

KEY STATS: Job Vacancies and STEM Skills in Chicago Metro Area First quarter, 2013 Total Number of Ads for Job Openings, Q1 2013......................39,819 Average Ad Duration (Number of Days).....................................40.9 Average Market Value of Advertised Skill Requirements...........$59,727 Share of Ads Requiring STEM Skills..........................................40.4% Share of Ads Requiring STEM Skills and at Least a Bachelor’s Degree......................................................33.4% Share of Ads Requiring STEM Skills and a Sub-Bachelor’s Degree............................................................7.0% Note: Average ad duration is the average number of days a vacancy is posted on the hiring company’s website.

Source: Brookings’ analysis of data supplied by Burning Glass

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

ROAD TO SUCCESS: Focus On Education / Training Services

August 2014

17

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

Making Rockford schools a first choice in region Progress of the A-Teams Bridget French

“You’re the new executive director of Alignment Rockford? What happened to Mike Schablaske?!”

“No, no,” I respond. “You’re thinking of Transform Rockford. I’m with Alignment Rockford. We focus on solution design and connecting the community to Rockford Public Schools in support of their strategic plan.”

This conversation took place too often as I transitioned from volunteer to full-time Alignment Rockford and RPS205 evangelist. Conversations such as these demonstrate how many don’t know what great work AR has done over the last five years. One of my priorities must be public relations, marketing and brand awareness in moving the organization forward.

I am thankful for the opportunity to lead an organization that has had a great leader since its inception in 2009. Laurie Preece, former AR executive director, is a visionary in her own right. She saw the success Metro Nashville Public Schools had in reforming their public schools through a collective impact organization called Alignment Nashville, and she brought the model to Rockford. Preece built the organization from the ground up, developing (with team member Diane Peters) a solid, fiscally responsible organization that has successfully partnered with RPS205.

Alignment Rockford doesn’t provide direct services, and we don’t run programs. We employ a unique collaborative process to design and pilot tactical solutions in areas of greatest strategic need for Rockford Public Schools. Alignment Rockford envisions all students graduating from high school with marketable employment skills and enrolling in post-secondary education. They are eager to live, work, learn, create and play in the Rockford region as contributing adults.

We could not design these solutions without Alignment Rockford’s A-teams (formerly called working committees):

Alignment Rockford A-Teams Healthy Starts: The purpose of the Healthy Starts team is to equip families of children, ages 0 to 5, with the tools needed to excel in school.

Recent success: Secure Attachment Collaborative “Talk2Me” utilized a train-the-trainer tactic to convene community organizations

Alignment Rockford envisions all students graduating from high school with marketable employment skills and enrolling in post-secondary education. They are eager to live, work, learn, create and play in the Rockford region as contributing adults. that provide services to families of children, pre-birth to 12 months, train them to model pro-attachment behaviors, and share a simple, culturally diverse pro-attachment message to target families.

Secure childhood attachments form important physical, social and emotional foundations for kindergarten readiness and literacy success.

Current pilot: Healthy Starts is working on a comprehensive and objective understanding of the current early childhood system in Winnebago County through data synthesis and analysis. The development of an early childhood mapping system is a collaboration between Alignment Rockford, United Way, Winnebago County, RPS205 and the City of Rockford.

Career Awareness: This team’s vision is to create a K-12 system to increase student career awareness.

Recent success: The Academy Expo helps students forge a relevant link between student curriculum and future careers. In 2013, 140 industry experts provided hands-on career demonstrations to approximately 5,000 students at the BMO Harris Bank Center.

Current pilot: The 2014 Academy Expo is scaling up to include Belvidere School District students.

Pathways: The vision of the Pathways team is to increase student engagement, preparation and placement in post-secondary training and employment or education.

Recent success: The Pathways team was instrumental in the implementation of high school academies and the development of Academy Support Teams (ASTs).

AST members serve as industry networkers who connect community organizations with academy coaches, high school faculty and students.

Current pilot: Teacher site visits will link high school staff to work environments associated with an academy pathway theme so teachers

develop new relationships, increase relevance of curriculum, and increase curriculum rigor to improve college and career readiness for all students.

College Readiness: The vision of the College Readiness team is an engaged school and community culture where all students expect to pursue higher education or professional training beyond high school graduation.

Recent Success: This is a new team formed within the last few months.

Current pilot: Pilot program currently under development.

Alignment Rockford Our teams are comprised of school district administration and staff, as well as a wide variety of representatives from local businesses, trades, government, nonprofit organizations and the faith community. Balance on our teams is critical in solution design. RPS205 wants their students and staff to be successful. Businesses want to develop an employable workforce. Everything we do is mutually beneficial.

Alignment Rockford has one of the most important jobs in the community; working in partnership with RPS205 to ensure it becomes the first choice of education in the region.

To get involved in Alignment Rockford, contact bridgetfrench@alignmentrockford. com or visit www.alignmentrockford.com.

Bridget French is executive director of Alignment Rockford.

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

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August 2014 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

ROAD TO SUCCESS: Focus On Education / Training Services

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

Understanding how learning environments impact continuing education outcomes When thunder roars, go indoors!

While in the great outdoors, remember, if you hear thunder, lightning is close enough to put you in danger. The safest place to be during a storm is inside a sturdy building. Stay off corded phones, computers and other electrical equipment that put you in direct contact with electricity.

The National Weather Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency has more tips for when the storm clouds roll in. If you are caught outside with no substantial structures nearby, the following actions may reduce your risk of being struck by lightning: ■■ Move inside a hard-topped metal vehicle with windows closed.

Avoid contact with metal in the vehicle and try to keep away from windows.

■■ Never shelter under an isolated tree, tower or utility pole.

Lightning tends to strike taller objects in an area.

■■ Immediately get off elevated areas such as hills, mountain ridges or peaks, and move to the lowest area you can get to quickly.

■■ Get out and away from ponds, lakes and other bodies of water and avoid metal objects (i.e., wires and fences). Water and metal are excellent conductors of electricity.

■■ Never lie flat on the ground. To minimize your chance of being struck, you have to minimize your height and your body's contact with the earth's surface.

For more information on lightning safety, visit www.ready.gov/ thunderstorms-lightning or www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov.

Consider also downloading the free FEMA app, available for your Android, Apple or Blackberry device, with information at your fingertips to prepare for severe weather.

Education is one of the most critical factors that provides a foundation during the most formative years of our lives. In fact, by the time most individuals reach adulthood, they have spent at least 15 years in a continuous and structured learning environment. Post-secondary learning, often described as continuing education, provides ongoing opportunities for individuals to extend their learning to enhance the skills and knowledge needed within their chosen career path.

While some willingly may choose to engage in these opportunities, it’s becoming increasingly common that regulatory agencies, professional organizations and companies have specific continuing education requirements that must be met and maintained regularly. Many careers, such as architecture, engineering, education, healthcare, mental health, finance, legal, etc., require continuing education credits to maintain active licensing or credentials.

More than an enforced requirement, continuing education provides an opportunity to remain relevant and understand emerging trends and changing requirements. It can be used to reinforce existing knowledge and “even the playing field” when competing in a multi-generational workforce. As secondary education becomes the baseline qualification for employment, this is an important differentiator for professionals to remain competitive in the current economy and job market.

Setting the Environment Equally important, but oft overlooked, considerations are the physical attributes upon which learning environments are created. Whether through the workplace, a local college or university, a community center or an online program being worked on in the comfort of your own home, the seating, sound, lighting, color and technology that surround you are critical elements to ensuring successful educational outcomes.

In traditional class settings, the standard classroom configuration — front-facing rows of seats toward one wall — remains a popular functional option, though not always the most effective. Learning environments are offering increasingly flexible and adaptable configurations to accommodate differing learning styles, teaching techniques, and more active engagement. Seating options may include stackable or folding chairs versus desks to allow for easy modification, or bean bag chairs and sofas to encourage group work and study sessions in a relaxed living room-type setting.

Changing the configuration of a

Stephen M. Nelson Larson & Darby Group

space allows instructors an opportunity to better engage students. Moveable wall space or extended learning areas allow for expanded group discussions and learning opportunities.

Sound, lighting and color also are important considerations. Studies indicate that the colors within a learning environment have a significant impact on retention, morale and behaviors. These visual stimulators can have both positive and negative effects on attention span and perception of time. Colors also change by virtue of the level of educational setting for whom one is designing. In fact, engaging more than six may negatively strain cognitive abilities. The younger the student, the more they want to interact with their surroundings. The older the learner, the more conservative the environment. Color schemes should be considered based on audience and can be helpful in emitting a warm and comfortable setting or an exciting and loud atmosphere. Natural light and a link to nature or the outdoors also allows for a calm and peaceful setting that has proven to assist with learning.

The incorporation of technology in learning environments also plays a significant role. Reliable and consistent 24/7 access to wireless connections and internet is an integral part of successful education at all levels. The internet or online learning continues to play a pivotal role in the educational delivery of “mass customized learning,” allowing students to engage in programming that caters to their preferred learning styles.

Continuing education is an important facet of any professional’s career. Some may be surprised when returning to a classroom that what they once thought was “traditional” has become much more intuitive, engaging and interactive. By understanding and incorporating the environmental elements that fit your unique learning style, continuing education can provide a renewed passion and increased relevancy to your career.

Founded in 1963, Larson & Darby Group is a full service, multidisciplinary architectural, engineering, interiors and technology firm in Rockford. It’s the only local architecture firm approved by the American Institute of Architects to provide Continuing Education Systems (CES) credits. Visit www.larsondarby.com.

Stephen M. Nelson, AIA, LEED AP, is sr. project manager, director of educational architecture, Larson & Darby Group.

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

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

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August 2014

ON DIGITAL Members Caught on Digital

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Amazing Graze

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Ceremonial ribbon donated by SERVPRO of Rockford.

e d R esta u

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The Rockford Chamber launched a new initiative in July in support of its restaurant members. Each week a member restaurant will be featured with a special offer. Consider supporting them. To be featured, contact Diane Navickis, 815-316-4315 or dnavickis@ rockfordchamber.com.

Participants in July were: Old Chicago, 6280 E. State St., Rockford Jersey Mike’s, 1513 West Lane Road, Machesney Park Jersey Mike’s, 6284 E. State St., Rockford Gene’s Place, 4412 Manchester Dr., Rockford Chick-fil-A, 280 N. Perryville Road, Rockford

Janna Becherer, owner of Brynwood Relationship Counseling and co-owner of Pathways EAP, accepts the award for Woman Business Owner of the Year that was announced at the Rockford Chamber’s Women in Business Expo and Luncheon on June 19.

Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers held a grand re-opening on July 9 of its remodeled restaurant at 5965 E. Riverside Blvd., Rockford. Come see the latest in state of art amenities, contemporary design, and many menu and beverage choices!

For your opportunity to be featured in our Amazing Graze Initiative, please contact Diane Navickis at 815-316-4315 or email Diane at dnavickis@rockfordchamber.com.

PTI Packaging (Packaging Tape, Inc.) held an open house and ribbon cutting on July 23 with lunch, noon tours and vendors at 730 Landmark Dr., Belvidere.

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August 2014

Illinois Tollway construction updates

Tips for preventing

foodborne illnesses

Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) Construction is underway throughout the 62-mile-long Jane Addams Memorial Tollway as part of the $2.5 billion I-90 Rebuilding and Widening Project. Between Rockford and Elgin, all traffic is traveling on the eastbound side of the roadway while the westbound lanes are rebuilt. Traffic shifts are in place between the TriState Tollway (I-294) and Elgin for noisewall and retaining wall construction and bridge work. Westbound traffic in the mile-long section of I-90 between I-294 and the Kennedy Expressway is reduced to two lanes for construction.

Elgin O’Hare Western Access (EOWA) Project Work on the Elgin O’Hare Western Access Project continues with rehabilitating and widening the existing Elgin O’Hare Expressway, now known as Illinois Route 390.

Road work is underway from Irving Park Road to Rohlwing Road. At the I-290 Interchange, bridge piers are being erected to build a new flyover ramp bridge to connect westbound I-290 to Illinois Route 390.

Bridge work also is underway at Devon Avenue and Rohlwing Road.

Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) Work to complete the rehabilitation of the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) between the Aurora Toll Plaza and Illinois Route 59 in Naperville is underway and will provide a smoother riding surface for the traveling public.

Oases Parking Lot Construction Underway The tollway is improving the parking lots at all seven oases this summer. The project includes upgrading curbs and sidewalks, as well as rebuilding the commercial truck parking lots and repaving car parking lots. Car parking lots, pavilion buildings and fuel stations will remain open during construction. However, commercial truck parking lots will be closed during construction. All work is scheduled to be complete this fall.

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Cooking Food n Use a meat thermometer to ensure that meat and poultry are cooked to the appropriate temperature for meat (155°F) and poultry (165°F). Be sure to check several spots. n Salmonella, a bacteria that causes food poisoning, can grow inside fresh, unbroken eggs. Be sure to cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm, not runny. Scramble eggs to a firm texture.

Avoid recipes in which eggs remain raw or only partially cooked (for example, mousse, egg drinks, Caesar salad, etc.).

Pasteurized eggs or egg substitute can be used instead.

Memorial Day to Labor Day is considered the busiest time for large outdoor gatherings, which almost always include food. With summer still in full swing, the Winnebago County Health Department wants to remind residents of how to prevent foodborne illnesses.

What some people call the “stomach flu” may actually be a foodborne illness caused by a pathogen (i.e., virus, bacteria or parasite) in contaminated food or drink. The incubation period (the time between exposure to the pathogen and onset of symptoms) can range from several hours to one week. Most often, people get sick within four to 48 hours after eating bad food.

If you develop food poisoning: n Rest and drink plenty of liquids. n Don’t use anti-diarrheal medications as they may slow elimination of bacteria from your system. n Foodborne illness often improves within 48 hours. Call your doctor if you feel ill for longer than two or three days or if blood appears in your stools.

Call 911 or emergency medical assistance if: n You have severe symptoms, such as watery diarrhea that turns very bloody within 24 hours. n You belong to a high-risk group. n You suspect botulism poisoning, a potentially fatal food poisoning that results from the ingestion of a toxin formed by certain spores in food.

Symptoms begin within six hours to 10 days after eating food that contains the toxin. Symptoms include double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth and muscle weakness that moves down the body, usually affecting the shoulders first, then the upper arms, lower arms, thighs, calves, etc. Paralysis of breathing muscles can cause a person to stop breathing and die, unless assistance with breathing (mechanical ventilation) is provided.

Summertime Food Handing Tips Safe food handling and preparation includes separating meats and produce

while preparing foods, cooking meat and poultry to the right temperatures, promptly chilling leftovers, and avoiding unpasteurized milk and cheese and raw oysters.

Selecting Food at the Store If you have a number of errands, make sure to make the grocery store your last stop. If possible, keep a cooler in your car for transporting refrigerated or frozen items. Take food items home immediately and put them in your refrigerator or freezer. n NEVER leave food in a hot vehicle! n Check use-by dates and make sure you can use the food by those dates. n Refrigerated food should be cold to the touch. Frozen foods should be solid.

Canned goods should not be dented, cracked or bulging. Produce should appear fresh. Meat should have a good color and be firm to the touch.

Storing Food at Home n To keep bacteria from rapidly reproducing, be sure your refrigerator is set at the proper temperature: 40°F. The freezer unit should be 0°F. Keep the refrigerator as cold as possible without freezing milk or lettuce. n If you don’t plan to use it within a few days, freeze fresh meat, poultry or fish.

Be sure to place the package on a plate so that their juices do not drip on other food. Raw juices can contain bacteria. n Always keep eggs in the refrigerator.

Preparing Food n Be sure to wash your hands in warm soapy water before preparing food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers and handling pets. n Wash kitchen towels, sponges and cloths often and replace sponges every few weeks. n After cutting up meat or poultry, be sure to wash your hands, the knife and the cutting board in hot soapy water. n Thaw food in the microwave or in the refrigerator, not the kitchen counter, which allows bacteria to grow in the outer layers of the food before the inside thaws.

n If you prepare and cook food ahead of time, divide large portions into small, shallow containers and refrigerate. This ensures rapid, safe cooling.

Safe Microwaving n While microwaves are great time savers, they can leave cold spots in food, where bacteria can survive. Stir and rotate food for even cooking. If your microwave does not have a turntable, rotate the dish by hand. n Be sure to cover food with a lid or plastic wrap so steam can help to promote thorough cooking. Vent plastic wrap and make sure it doesn’t touch the food. n Observe the standing time called for in a recipe or on package directions for the food to finish cooking.

Serving Food n Never leave perishable food unrefrigerated for more than two hours. n Always use clean dishes and utensils to serve food, not those you used to prepare the food. If you grill food, serve it on a clean plate, not on the one that held the raw meat, poultry or fish. n Pack lunches in insulated carriers with a cold pack. Be sure your children know not to leave lunches in direct sunlight or on warm radiators. n Carry picnic food in a cooler with a cold pack and keep the cooler in the shade. Do not open the lid more than is necessary. n At a party, keep cold food on ice or refrigerated until time to replenish platters. If serving hot food, maintain it at 135°F or divide into smaller serving platters, which can be refrigerated until time to warm them up for serving. n Finally, when in doubt, throw it out.

If you suspect a foodborne illness, contact the WCHD at 815-720-4000.

To file a foodborne illness complaint online with the department, visit www. wchd.org.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Illinois Department of Public Health

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

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August 2014

Regional, National Indicators THE ECONOMY U.S. Indicators June 2014 Consumer Price Index



0.3 percent

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

6.1 percent

      

288,000 $0.06 0.4 percent 0.3 percent (first quarter, 2014) 3.2 percent (first quarter, 2014) 0.1 percent 0.4 percent

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Unemployment Rates Region / State / Nation Feb 14

Mar 14

April 14

May 14

Rockford

12.1

10.9

9.2

8.9

Chicago

9.0

8.1

7.4

7.2

Illinois

8.7

8.4

7.9

7.5

United States

6.7

6.7

6.3

6.1

Source: U.S. Department of Employment Security

Population Clock As of July 19, 2014

U.S. 318,477,301

World 7,180,025,059

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

TOP 10 CITIES with Lowest Unemployment May 2014 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Bismarck, N.D. Fargo, N.D.-Minn.

Logan, Utah-Idaho Midland, Texas BurlingtonS. Burlington, Vt.

Rate 2.2 2.5 2.5 2.6 2.7

Rate 6. Ames, Iowa 7. Iowa City, Iowa 8. Billings, Mont.

9. Lincoln, Neb. 10. Grand Forks, N.D.-Minn.

3.0 3.0 3.1 3.1 3.2

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Population ‘gets younger’ in seven U.S. states The median age declined in seven states between 2012 and 2013, according to U.S. Census Bureau. By contrast, the median age for the U.S. as a whole ticked up from 37.5 years to 37.6 years.

“We’re seeing the demographic impact of two booms,” said Census Bureau Director John Thompson. “The population in the Great Plains energy boom states is becoming younger and more male as workers move in seeking employment in the oil and gas industry, while the U.S. as a whole continues to age as the youngest of the baby boomers enters their 50s.”

States with the largest age decline: • North Dakota • Oklahoma • Montana • Alaska • Wyoming • Hawaii • South Dakota

The median age fell in 403 of the nation’s 3,143 counties. Williams, N.D., the center of the Bakken shale energy boom, led the nation with a decline of 1.6 years.

Next to Alaska, North Dakota had a heavier concentration of males (51.1 percent of the total population) than any other state.

The nation as a whole grew older as the oldest baby boomers became seniors.

The nation’s 65-and-older population surged to 44.7 million in 2013, up 3.6 percent from 2012. By comparison, the population younger than 65 grew by only 0.3 percent.

County with highest median age, Sumter, Fla.—65.5 years County with youngest median age, Madison, Idaho—23.1 years

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August 2014

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Business Briefs BUSINESS BRIEFS a community-based program that provides resources and materials to help adults learn to read, write and do basic math.

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

Wesley Willows held a groundbreaking ceremony in June for Willows Suites Phase III; featuring 36 one- and twobedroom apartments, ranging in size from 794 to 1,342 square feet. This is its third major building project in six years.

Discovery Center Museum held a ribbon cutting ceremony in June for the newly renovated Body Shop Gallery with new exhibits exploring healthy choices, nutrition, fitness and exercise; and funded in part by Rockford Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc., was awarded the Innovation Tracker Badge

by BlueTech® Research for its OptiFiber Cloth Media Filtration.

Rockford Park District received $626,806 in grants for 2013, with another $1,643,000 pending. The Rockford Park District Foundation raised $1,218,769 for projects and programs. The economic impact of Sportscore tournaments on the area was $16,371,055, with 72,783 athletes participating.

Chicago Rockford International Airport and Apple Vacations announced its 10th season of flights to destinations in Mexico and the Dominican Republic. The upcoming season’s charter flights will be operated

by Frontier Airlines and begin Dec. 20, 2014. The year is anticipated to mark the 100,000th Apple passenger.

Rockford Health System and First Rockford Group held a groundbreaking ceremony for construction of Rockford Health Physicians’ new Belvidere clinic at the corner of Beloit Road and Henry Luckow Lane on June 23, and with 30 percent more space than the current facility.

The 29th annual Ryan Jury Memorial Golf Outing in June raised $62,000, breaking its record for the most money raised in one golf outing. The total raised in 29 years of outings is

SwedishAmerican Medical Group opened its 20,000-sq.-ft. Stateline clinic at 4282 E. Rockton Road (west of I-90 and east of Dorr Road), Rockton, with a wide range of services.

Bisconti Computers Inc., now is open at 3065 N. Perryville Road, Ste. 117, Rockford.

Volunteers unload papers for recycling at the Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful Recycle Center, 4665 Hydraulic Road, Rockford. $979,858 and benefits the Ryan Jury Child Development Learning Center on the SwedishAmerican Health System campus.

V2 Marketing Communications launched a new website for Montessori Private Academy at montessoriprivateacademy.com to provide lead generation, customer conversion and analysis using inbound marketing activities.

Edward Jones was named a 2014 Most Valuable Employer for Military

by CivilianJobs.com. The financial services firm celebrated the two-year anniversary of its FORCES program, a training and compensation package to transition military veterans to a financial services career.

Rockford Health System and the Rockford Memorial Hospital Auxiliary awarded minority scholarships of $2,000 to 12 African-American and Spanish-speaking Hispanic nursing students for 2014-2015 college expenses.

Wipfli LLP was named a top valueadded reseller on Bob Scott’s Insights Top 100 VARs for 2014.

OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center announced funding has been approved for a 15,000-sq.ft. expansion and 3,000-sq.-ft. renovation to OSF Saint Anthony Center for Cancer Care. Project

cost is roughly $8.5 million. The groundbreaking is expected late this summer.

TDS Telecom (TDS®), with Voice over Internet Protocol services for businesses, achieved Platinum level status in the Polycom Choice Partner program by Polycom, Inc., for the fifth year in a row.

Faculty and staff from Saint Anthony College of Nursing hosted a delegation from Japan in July as a part of its Second International Forum: Advancing Nursing Leadership Through Global Collaboration. The college’s international partnership through the Global Nursing Initiative with the Japanese Red Cross International College of Nursing in Kyushu, Japan, aims to facilitate student and faculty scholarship and advancement of nursing roles in global health.

First National Bank and Trust received the 2013 Million Dollar Lender Award from the USDA Rural Development Guaranteed Rural Housing (GRH) program in Wisconsin. The program recognizes Wisconsin lenders that approved more than $1 million in GRH loans during 2013, which helped more than 3,900 households in Wisconsin purchase a home.

ProLiteracy selected The Literacy Council as one of the 65 organizations to receive a grant as

The Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau announced that 2015 Division III College Championships, U.S. ultimate frisbee, will take place for the first time in the Rockford area, May 16 to 17, 2015, at Sportscore 2. It’s expected to draw more than 800 student-athletes from 32 teams; generate $139,500 and fill 775 hotel rooms between competitors and spectators.

For the fifth consecutive year, UTC Aerospace Systems/Hamilton Sundstrand has received a 2013 Gold Award for its wastewater pretreatment system from the Rock River Water Reclamation District.

The award recognizes industrial users with no violations to the pretreatment standards.

KMK overhauled the Winnebago County Fair website at winnebagocountyfair.com; adding eCommerce and other features.

The Alliance was named a regional partner of Consumer Reports Health.

Its responsibilities include promoting and distributing Consumer Reports Health campaigns, such as Choosing Wisely, which aims to help physicians and patients engage in conversations about the overuse of medical tests, treatments and procedures.

For the sixth consecutive year, Savant Capital Management was recognized as one of the top 50 Registered Investment Advisors firms by Financial Advisor magazine; ranking 49th overall and moving up from ninth to seventh of Illinois firms

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

August 2014

Business Briefs BUSINESS recognized. It also was one of 23 Illinois RIA firms to be named to the inaugural Top 300 list presented by Financial Times.

YWCA received an $8,280 grant by the Barber-Coleman Management Fund of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, “Creating Community Behind Shields.” The program facilitated dialogues between police officers and command staff from multiple agencies, Muslim groups and communities of color to build mutual awareness and understanding.

V2 Marketing Communications completed a tradeshow display for Rock River Valley Tooling and Machining Association for meetings and events throughout the Rockford area.

Hanson Professional Services Inc., ranked 13th out of 32 companies in the multidiscipline category on this year’s “Best Firms to Work For” award list by ZweigWhite, a management consulting and research firm.

Fehr Graham, a leading Midwest engineering and environmental firm, was named a “TOP 100 FIRM” on Zweig Letter’s Hot Firm List.

Placement on the list is based on both percentage revenue growth and dollar revenue growth over a three-year period.

SwedishAmerican Hospital received yet another “3-star” rating (the highest possible) for bypass surgery from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, which maintains a comprehensive system for rating the quality of cardiac surgery among U.S. hospitals.

For the third year in a row, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics was named the best hospital in Wisconsin. The hospital is among the nation’s top 50 hospitals in nine medical specialties and has been ranked in the top 50 since U.S. News & World Report started ranking hospitals in 1990.

Crimson Pointe Senior Living implemented the first Family

Engagement App developed

by Caremerge for senior living communities. The app simplifies communication among community staff, care takers and authorized family members with a HIPPA-compliant, secure, built-in chat. Information is automatically streamed in real-time to authorized family members as staff members capture observations, the services they provide, and track activities attendance.

PR Etc., was retained by the Rockford Area Aerospace Network to develop public relations and marketing strategies for regional, national and international visibility.

For the fourth straight year, Rockford Memorial Hospital made the U.S. News & World Report list of 20142015 Best Regional Hospitals.

Saint Anthony College of Nursing announced all of its May 2014 Master of Science in Nursing graduates passed their Family Nurse Practitioner boards and have secured employment in the region as nurse practitioners.

Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful recycle centers are open as free drop-off sites for many recyclables.

The Rockford Recycle Center at 4665 Hydraulic Road is open 3 to 6 p.m., on Tuesdays, and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. The Roscoe Recycle Center at 13125 N. Second St., is open 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. Exceptions for recycling are pizza boxes, TVs, CRT monitors, appliances with Freon and propane tanks. Visit www.knib.org for more information.

The Mill Foundation donated to nonprofits that help Rockfordarea youth including: Northwest Community Center, Rockford Reachout Jail Ministry, Barbara Olson Center of Hope, Winnebago County CASA, Children’s Home & Aid, Lydia Home-Rockford, Northern Illinois Food BankRockford Branch, Remedies Renewing Lives, Rockford Rescue Mission Ministries and Shelter Care.

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August 2014

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Issues to Watch LEGISLATIVE Illinois bills just signed into law Some bills have been signed into law recently, including an advisory referendum on whether or not Illinois should increase its minimum wage. House Bill 3814 places a non-binding advisory question on the Nov. 4, 2014, ballot asking: “Shall the minimum wage in Illinois for adults over the age of 18 be raised to $10 per hour by January 1, 2015?”

Volunteer Medical Licensures HB 4593/PA 98-0659 Creates a “volunteer” licensure classification for medical professionals. The legislation would benefit recently retired professionals who might want to offer free clinic services or practice part time without receiving compensation.

Farmers’ Market Regulation HB 5657/PA 98-0660 Provides that regulation of farmers’ markets by local authorities may not be more stringent than regulation by the Department of Public Health. This legislation streamlines regulation of local farmers’ markets under one statewide code. Under current law, local governmental units may regulate farmers’ markets as they see fit. This has led to nonuniform regulations across the state.

School Safety Plans HB 5716/PA 98-0661 Provides that when school districts update their school buildings’

emergency and crisis response plans, consideration may be given to making the plans available to first responders, administrators and teachers for use on electronic devices.

Increase Revolving Fire Truck Loan Cap SB 2690/PA 98-0662 Increases the amount of money that can be loaned out to fire departments or fire protection districts for the purchase of a fire or brush truck from $250,000 to $350,000. The cap of $100,000 per truck is kept intact.

Annual Safety Review SB 2710/PA 98-066 Requires an annual safety review at no cost to schools (public and private) and requires non-public schools to hold a minimum of one meeting annually to review safety drill programs. Appropriate first responder organizations must be invited to the meeting. This will bring non-public schools in line with what is required of public schools.

Some laws that went into effect, July 1 Adult Driver’s Tests HB 772/PA 98-0167 Persons aged 18 to 21 must pass an adult driver education course before being issued a license. The course need not have a driving component,

however.

Child Abuse Reporting HB 2245/PA 98-0408 Provides that within one year of initial employment and at least every five years thereafter, school personnel required to report child abuse must complete mandated reporter training.

Compulsory School Age SB 1307/PA 98-0544 Lowers the compulsory school age, beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, from 7 to 6 years old.

Applies to children six years old or older on or before Sept. 1 each year.

Commercial Driving Permit SB 1757/PA 98-0176 Replaces the state’s Commercial Driver Instruction Permit with a Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP). This will bring Illinois into compliance with federal requirements. The permit authorizes persons to operate a commercial motor vehicle (typically large trucks, such as semi-trailers, buses, or vehicles transporting hazardous materials) when accompanied by a holder of a valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) who is providing behind-the wheel-training.

Teacher Certification Process HB 5393/PA 980646 Makes several changes to the Illinois Teaching Excellence

Yes for Independent Maps withdraws redistricting petitions The Rockford Chamber took a position supporting the Yes for Independent Maps campaign to gather petitions to get a referendum on the November, 2014 Illinois ballot on a constitutional amendment to remove politics from the process of drawing legislative district boundary lines. The effort failed under court challenges. The following is an update.

Yes for Independent Maps in June withdrew its petitions seeking a referendum on a constitutional amendment to remove politics from the process of drawing legislative district boundary lines. Deborah Harrington, chair of Yes for Independent Maps, issued the following statement after Cook County Circuit Court Judge Mary Mikva’s ruling prohibiting the State Board of Elections from taking any further actions on the petitions.

In her ruling, Judge Mikva held that the redistricting initiative as written does not fall within the scope of a ballot initiative permitted by Section 3, Article XIV of the Constitution. The good news is that Judge Mikva concluded that “redistricting appears to be fair game for amendment” by a ballot initiative process and specifically upheld many of the components of the redistricting initiative.

We have concluded that we are not going to proceed in this election cycle. Instead, we will put the lessons learned

Program. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) is makings revisions to the National Board Certification Process, and they are trying to align the current law of all states to match those changes.

in this campaign and from the judge’s ruling to good use.

This experience will make us better prepared to win the next campaign to give voters an opportunity to have a voice in the redistricting process.

We built an unprecedented bipartisan statewide coalition of more than 5,000 volunteers and 1,000 contributors, including groups as broad-based as AARP Illinois, the League of Women Voters of Illinois, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and grassroots organizations representing diverse and minority communities. Together, we will continue the fight to reform an issue that once mattered only to politicians but now is on the minds of Illinois citizens.

The reform would not have taken effect until after the 2020 Census. We still have at least two more statewide elections – in 2016 and 2018 – to bring a redistricting amendment before voters and an opportunity to revise the language to address Judge Mikva’s objections.

Redistricting reform elsewhere in America has been just as difficult. For example, California’s recent reform required three attempts before it became reality. We remain committed to changing the status quo and enacting a redistricting process that will give Illinoisans a stronger voice in how their state is governed.

CPR Training HB 3724/PA 98-0632 Requires training on how to properly administer CPR and how to use an Automated External Defibrillator to be included as a basis for curricula in all high schools. Provides that no student shall be required to take or participate in any training on CPR or AED use if his or her parent or guardian submits a written objection.

Early Childhood Grants HB 4440/PA 98-0645 Requires that not less than 14 percent (currently 11 percent) of the Early Childhood Block Grant must be used to fund programs for children ages 0 to 3.

That percentage is to be increased to at least 20 percent by Fiscal Year 16 (currently Fiscal Year 15).

School Reform Modifications HB 5546/PA 98-0648 Makes several changes to school reform legislation passed in 2011 (PA-97-008) including giving limited recall rights to teachers who have been dismissed or removed due to one “Needs Improvement” rating on either of the last two performance evaluations, provided that the other performance evaluation is “Satisfactory,” “Proficient” or “Excellent;” they are qualified to hold the position available; and were removed by honorable dismissal.

For specific language of the laws, visit www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ ilcs.asp.

Source: Ill. Sen. Dave Syverson, e-newsletter

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August 2014

the News IN Members THEin NEWS

1. Don Schreiner

2. Tyler B. Slack

3. Dr. Joel Hellman

4. ArieAnne Whaley

5. Jessica Rhodes

6. Bill Osborne

Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden added new trustees to its board: Sharyn Castrogiovanni, Sherri Rudy and Sam Darby.

Natural Land Institute elected the following board officers for one year: Dan Williams, president; Mark Keister, vice president; Tom Ptacin, treasurer, and Ellwyn Englof, secretary. New trustees are: Bruce Ross-Shannon, Colleen Hoesly, Troy Skwor, Paulette Gilbert and Steve Clark.

Tyler B. Slack (2), attorney, WilliamsMcCarthyLLP, was appointed to serve on the Rock River Valley Pantry board.

NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, RETIREMENTS Dickerson & Nieman Realtors hired Johanna Hendrickson and Derek Sheedy as new agents to its Rockford office.

The Rockford Area Venues and Entertainment Authority board hired Troy Flynn as executive director/ general manager; overseeing BMO Harris Bank Center, Rockford IceHogs, Coronado Performing Arts Center and Davis Park.

Midwest Heart Specialists/AMG at SwedishAmerican welcomed Joel Hellman, M.D. (3), FACC, internal medicine, cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology.

Rockford Mutual Insurance Company hired ArieAnne Whaley (4) as mail clerk, and promoted Jessica Rhodes (5) to adjuster trainee.

Kelly Galluzzo joined 13 WREX as an account executive in the business development/sales & marketing department.

Charles Schwab, Rockford, hired Bill Osborne (6) as a financial consultant.

Dickerson & Nieman Realtors hired Kirk Swanson (7) and Brandon

17. Malcolm Rowland

18. Kate Rosenwinkel

8. Brandon Johnson

her Certified Insurance Service Representative designation.

BOARD APPOINTMENTS

Don Schreiner, MBA (1), chief executive officer, Rockford Orthopedic Associates, Ltd., was elected to serve as board president of the American Association of Orthopaedic Executives.

7. Kirk Swanson

9. Benjamin Slack

13. John Russell

10. Vic Verni

14. Elizabeth Harp

Johnson (8) as two new agents in its Rockford office.

Benjamin Slack (9), was named executive director, Epilepsy Foundation of North/Central IL, IA, NE; replacing Vic Verni (10) who retired after 40 years of service.

The Rural Medical Education program at the University of Illinois at Rockford hired Craig Davenport, M.D., as RMED director; managing one of the nation’s most successful rural medical training programs with more than 70 percent of graduates returning to Illinois after their residency training to practice in a rural area.

SwedishAmerican Medical Group added three new advanced practice nurses: Amanda Huber (11), who joined Dr. Gayle Crays at SAMG/ Stateline; Kelly Logli (12), who joins Dr. Sravanthi Nagavalli at Brookside Specialty Center, and John Russell (13), who joins Dr. David Cheng and Dr. John Myers at SAMG/ Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Elizabeth Harp (14), MA, joined Saint Anthony College of Nursing, as the new institutional effectiveness/ assessment specialist.

EMPLOYEE/COMMUNITY RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS Rockford Health System and the Rockford Memorial Hospital Auxiliary awarded $2,000 Minority Scholarship Awards to nursing students in

19. Bonnie Arrington

20. Laura Pomerene

11. Amanda Huber

15. Dr. Robin Borchardt

12. Kelly Logli

16. Erik Oksnevad

2014: Dulce Kinser, Elizabeth Lambert, Erika Medrano Martinez, Gladys Serrano Martinez, Esdras Medeles, Jasmine Moore, Sidra Moses-Moore, Atiya Roby, Amia Scott, Shemica Taylor, Laquisha Thompson and Rosa Valdez.

Robin Borchardt, M.D. (15), and Erik Oksnevad, PA-C (16), Rockford Orthopedic Associates, completed certification to qualify to perform physical examinations of interstate commercial motor vehicle drivers, as mandated by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requiring only certified examiners with the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners.

Cheryl Church, director of operations, Williams-Manny, obtained certification from the National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research, and Rod Ekburg, sales executive, from the Society of Certified Insurance Counselors.

Malcolm Rowland (17) celebrated 25 years with Rockford Mutual Insurance Company. Kate Rosenwinkel (18) earned the associate in commercial underwriting (AU) designation from the American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters.

Bonnie Arrington (19), Spectrum Insurance Agency, Inc., completed her agency operations exam, towards

21. James Rozinsky

22. Maria Juhre

Gordon Kaye, former executive director/general manager, Rockford IceHogs, was named in July a co-winner of the James C. Hendy Memorial Award, given to outstanding executives by the American Hockey League.

The film, The White Room, directed by mass communication student Tom Doherty, Rock Valley College, won four awards in July at the Prairie State International Film Festival, including Best Director (Tom Doherty), Best Actress (Laura Chernicky), Best Cinematography (Jayson Phommavongsa), and Best Prairie State Film. It will screen at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St., Chicago.

Laura Pomerene (20), vice president and marketing director, First National Bank and Trust Company, was named a 2014 Rising Star in Banking in NorthWestern Financial Review magazine.

OF GENERAL INTEREST James Rozinsky (21), Maria Juhre (22) and Julie Burfoot (23), Spectrum Insurance Agency, Inc., attended a three-hour Ethical Insurance Marketing & Sales class by Flood Pros in Rockford.

Susan M. Smith (24), marketing manager, Comfort Keepers of Northwest Illinois, attended Salesa-palooza at the corporate office in Dayton, Ohio.

Cheryl DeMars, president and CEO, The Alliance, testified before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee in Washington D.C., on July 15 on “Chronic Illness: Addressing Patients’ Unmet Needs.” It featured the QualityPath™ program under development by The Alliance to transform the health care marketplace by designating physicians-andhospital pairings as high quality for selected high-dollar procedures.

Employers who participate in QualityPath receive lower pricing for these procedures if they offer substantial incentives to employees to use QualityPath providers.

23. Julie Burfoot

24. Susan Smith

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Friday, August 1 Discovery Center Museum, 711 N. Main St., Rockford, presents Story Book Science Family Friday, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Choose a character from stories or movies or invent one of your own. Call 815-963-6769 or visit discoverycentermuseum.org.

Friends of Rockford Public Library First Friday Book Sale, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., main library, Patron Lounge, 215 N. Wyman St. Call 815-9662721.

Rockford Mass Transit District presents the 9th annual Terrell Jackson Driving the Dream Golf Classic at Timber Pointe Golf Club.

Shot gun start, 9 a.m. Banquet and giveaways follow golf. Call 815961-2226 to reserve.

Saturday, August 2 Rock Valley College presents “My Future is Bright” Movie Mornings with Monsters University, 10 a.m., at Woodward Technology Center, 3301 N. Mulford Road. For children 10 and under with adult supervision. Free popcorn, juice and snacks. Call 815-921-1100.

August 2014

Community Events COMMUNITY

The First Tee of Greater Rockford presents the sixth-annual First Tee Open at Park Hills Golf Course, 3240 W. Stephenson St., Freeport. Check-in at 7:30 a.m.; shotgun scramble at 8:30 a.m. Call 815-965-5057 or info@ thefirstteegreaterrockford.org.

SwedishAmerican Health System presents the 30th-annual State Street Mile with five individual races including a Masters Competitions for men and women 40 years and older; Ben Newson, Jr., run for both boys and girls K-12; Open Run, and Kids’ Fun Run. To register, visit www.signmeup. com/98439 or download a form at www.rockfordboysandgirlsclub.org.

Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful presents Dog Days of Summer, 9 a.m. to noon, Aug. 2 and 9 at the Roscoe and Rockford recycle centers, and 3 to 6 p.m., Aug. 5 and 12 at the Rockford center.

Accepted are new or “like new” pet equipment and food for donation to PAWS Humane Society. For a wish list of pet items visit www.knib.org.

Thursday, August 7 Rockford Park District presents a free Walking Tour of Public Art,

11 a.m., Aug. 7 and 14 (weather permitting) from the lobby of Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens, 1354 N. Second St., Rockford.

The two-mile walk along the Rock River Recreation Path takes a little over an hour. To reserve a tour time, call 815-987-8858. Visit www. rockfordparkdistrict.org.

Friday, August 8 Discovery Center Museum, 711 N. Main St., Rockford, presents Creepy Crawlie Science Family Friday, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Make friends with live critters you would normally avoid! Call 815-963-6769 or visit discoverycentermuseum. org.

Rock Valley College hosts a benefit for the Barbara Olson Center of Hope with reserved seats to the world premiere of ANGEL-A Musical at Starlight Theatre, 3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford. Book and lyrics by Michael Webb and Michael Mastroianni and music by Jim Chabucos. Tickets with The Center of Hope at 815-964-9275 or visit www.b-olsoncenterofhope.org.

Rock Valley College presents a Registration Event for students’ fall schedules, 2 to 6 p.m., in the student center, 3301 N. Mulford Road, Rockford. Dates are Aug. 8, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Aug. 9, 9 a.m. to noon. For more information call 815-921-4250.

Monday, August 11 Court Street United Methodist Church, 215 N. Court St., Rockford, hosts Fine Arts Camp, Aug. 11 to 15 for Kindergarten to 8th grade; exploring musical, artistic, dramatic and dance skills. Cost is $5 per person. Register at 815-962-6061.

Wednesday, August 13 Mosaic presents its sixth-annual Mosaic by Moonlight fundraiser to benefit adults with intellectual disabilities, 5:30 to 9 p.m., at Prairie Street Brewhouse. Includes silent and fishbowl auction, signature martinis and appetizers, and live music by After5 Jazz. Visit www. mosaicinrockford.org or call 815387-8390.

Comfort Keepers hosts Caregiver Wellness from an Eastern Perspective, 10 a.m., with Heather Vandeburg, acupuncturist, at 4835 Manhattan Dr., Rockford. To reserve, call Susan M. Smith, 815229-9100.

Rockford Public Library presents Financial Recovery, 1 to 3 p.m., Rock River Branch, Program Room, 3128 11th St. Develop a financial recovery plan and rebuild your credit. Taught by Woodforest

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National Bank. Registration not required. Call 815-965-7606 for questions.

Saturday, August 16 Rockford Park District presents Atwood In the Outdoors-Out to the Prairie, 9 to 11 a.m., Atwood Park, 2685 New Milford School Road, Rockford. Visit www. rockfordparkdistrict.org/atwood.

First National Bank and Trust presents a free Electronic Recycling Drive with Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois, 9 a.m. to noon, at 2600 Cranston Road, Beloit, Wis. For a complete list of acceptable items, visit www. goodwillni.org/donate.

The National Council of Negro Women, Rockford Section, presents the 2014 Black Family Reunion at Ellis Elementary School, 222 S. Central Ave., Rockford.

Events on Aug. 16, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Aug. 17, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information visit www. ncnwrockford.org or call 815-3150924.

Monday, August 18 Rockford Health System Ambassadors Golf Play Day takes place at Rockford Country Club, 2500 Oxford St. Registration and lunch, 11 a.m.; shotgun start, noon; dinner reception and prizes, 5:30 p.m. Register at www. rockfordhealthsystem.org/golf or 815-971-4141.

Wednesday, August 20 Comfort Keepers hosts Healthy Eating, 10 a.m., with Heather Vandeburg, acupuncturist, at 4835 Manhattan Dr., Rockford. To reserve, call Susan M. Smith, 815229-9100.

Saturday, August 23 Rockford Public Library presents Fresh and Local: Medicinal Foods, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., East Branch, Friends Community Room, 6685 E. State St. Registration required at 815-965-7606.

Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful presents Kids’ Gym Shoes Dropoff, 9 a.m. to noon, Aug. 23 and 30 at the Roscoe and Rockford recycle centers, and 3 to 6 p.m., Aug. 26 at the Rockford center. Accepting new or “like new” gym shoes, children’s sizes 7 to 13 and 1 to 3. Gym shoes will be displayed in Rockford’s “Walking in Their Shoes” Labyrinth, a Peace Month activity, then distributed in Rockford and Harlem schools. Visit www.knib.org.

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August 2014

Get to Know Your Ambassadors Name: Jamie Lauer Company: Upstream Investment Partners Position: Director of Branch Operations How long have you been an Ambassador?

Nine months

Membership: 101 101 MEMBERSHIP We are happy to annouce a new initiative— we are supporting our Restaurant Members in

ea

Name: Carly Stokstad Company: Holiday Inn Express – Loves Park Position: Director of Sales How long have you been an Ambassador?

10 Months What do you like most about being an Ambassador? My favorite part about being an Ambassador is getting to know our community better. Since I have become part of the group, I have gotten the chance to visit many new businesses, and have met many business people in the Rockford area. The fact that I get to meet new people and get my own name out there is a huge benefit to my job, but as I am doing it, I am helping out our community and learning new things about Rockford, which is something rather priceless. Getting the chance to learn about Rockford and meet so many influential and inspirational people has given me the chance to fall back in love with Rockford and everything we are doing to better ourselves!

F

Get to Know Your Ambassadors

tur

nt

What do you like most about being an Ambassador? I enjoy meeting fellow ambassadors and business owners in Rockford.

I was new to the area so this has been a great opportunity to meet new people and explore what Rockford has to offer.

e d R esta u

ra

Each week we will feature a member restaurant with a special offer. This month: Aug. 4 – 10 Restoration Café 625 W. State St. Rockford, IL rockfordrescue mission.org

RESTORATION CAFE 625 W. State St. (815) 977-4361

ONE

PRESENT THIS COUPON FOR

Signature Pulled Pork Sandwich, chips and drink for $5.

Offer expires August 31, 2014

DER RATHSKELLER 1132 Auburn St. (815) 962-2922

Aug. 11 – 17 Der Rathskeller 1132 Auburn St. Rockford, IL derrathskeller.net

15% OFF

PRESENT THIS COUPON FOR

any entree

Offer good Aug. 11 – Aug. 17, 2014

Aug. 18 – 24 Lucha Cantina 1641 N. Alpine Rd. Rockford, IL luchacantina.com

LUCHA CANTINA 1641 N. Alpine Rd. (815) 977-4319

$5 OFF

PRESENT THIS COUPON FOR

with purchase of $25.

Offer good Aug. 18 – Aug. 24, 2014 Aug. 25 – 31 Giovanni’s / Big Al’s Bar / Alchemy 610 N. Bell School Rd. Rockford, IL giodine.com

GIOVANNI’S / BIG AL’S BAR / ALCHEMY 610 N. Bell School Rd. (815) 398-6411

15% OFF

PRESENT THIS COUPON FOR

your purchase.

Offer good Aug. 25 – 31, 2014

Here’s your opportunity to support your Restaurant Members!

To be featured, please contact Diane Navickis at 815-316-4315 or dnavickis@rockfordchamber.com.

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August 2014

Five tax tips for new businesses The two that are most common are the cash method and the accrual method.

Under the cash method, you normally report income in the year that you receive it and deduct expenses in the year that you pay them. Under the accrual method, you generally report income in the year that you earn it and deduct expenses in 1. Business Structure. As you start the year that you incur them. This is true out, you’ll need to choose the structure even if you receive the income or pay the of your business. Some common types expenses in a future year. include sole proprietorship, partnership and corporation. You may also choose to 5. Employee Health Care. The Small be an S corporation or Limited Liability Business Health Care Tax Credit helps Company. You’ll report your business small businesses and tax-exempt organiactivity using the IRS forms that are right zations pay for health care coverage they for your business type. offer their employees. A small employer is

If you start a business, one key to success is to know about your federal tax obligations. You may need to know not only about income taxes, but also about payroll taxes. Here are five basic tax tips that can help get your business off to a good start.

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August 2014 Member Anniversaries Thank you to the members who celebrate their anniversaries with the Rockford Chamber in August, 2014.

100-YEAR MEMBER

15-YEAR MEMBER

Greenlee Textron

Baymont Inn & Suites

25-YEAR MEMBER

10-YEAR MEMBER

R.K. Dixon Company

C. G. Group Inc.

20-YEAR MEMBERS

5-YEAR MEMBERS

Forest City Gear Co. RBC Wealth Management Wendy’s Old Fashion Hamburgers (K&K Foods Inc.)

CICS Jackson Rockford Charter School Johnny Pamcakes National Cooperative Rx

eligible for the credit if it has fewer than

2. Business Taxes. There are four 25 employees who work full-time, or a

general types of business taxes: income tax, self-employment tax, employment tax and excise tax. The type of taxes your business pays usually depends on which type of business you choose to set up. You may need to pay your taxes by making estimated tax payments.

3. Employer Identification No. You may need to get an EIN for federal tax purposes. Search “do you need an EIN” on IRS.gov to find out if you need this number. If you do need one, you can apply for it online.

4. Accounting Method. An accounting method is a set of rules that determine when to report income and expenses. Your business must use a consistent method.

combination of full-time and part-time.

Beginning in 2014, the maximum credit is 50 percent of premiums paid for small business employers and 35 percent of premiums paid for small tax-exempt employers, such as charities.

For 2015 and after, employers employing at least a certain number of employees (generally 50 full-time employees or a combination of full-time and part-time employees that is equivalent to 50 full-time employees) will be subject to the Employer Shared Responsibility provision.

Get all the tax basics of starting a business on IRS.gov at the Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center.

Source: Internal Revenue Service

Membership Renewals Thank you to members who renewed with the Rockford Chamber of Commerce in June, 2014.

Access Services of Northern Illinois ADT Security Services, Inc. Alpine Inn ARCO Machinery Movers/MRS Industries Inc. ATRONA Test Labs, Inc. B/E Aerospace, Inc. Barrick, Switzer, Long, Balsley, Van Evera Barron Metal Finishing, LLC Beggin Tipp Lamm, LLC Benny & Sons Body Shop

Rehabilitation North American Tool Corporation North Park Rental Service, Inc. Ongena Dental Parker Hannifin Corporation Raymond James & Associates RBC Wealth Management Red Mango - Spring Creek Road Red Mango - West Lane Road Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren P.C. Rock House Kids

Bickford of Rockford

Rock Road Companies, Inc.

Blackhawk Bank CareSource

Rockford Ambulatory Surgery Center

Chuck Brauer Trucking Inc.

Rockford Heat Treaters, Inc.

Cicero & France, Barch & Alexander, P.C. Comprehensive Prosthetics & Orthotics Copperstone Inn Coventry Health Care of Illinois Danfoss Power Electronics Ege WorkSmart Solutions, PC Emery Air, Inc. Fairhaven Christian Retirement Center Fridh Corporation GinestraWatson Co. Hulsebus Rockford Chiropractic Ingenium Aerospace LLC

Rockford Linear Actuation, Inc. Rockford Mutual Insurance Company Rockford Network of Professional Women Rockford Pain Management Rockford Spine Center Rockford Structures Construction Company Shelter Insurance Companies Smeja Foundation Staff Management, Inc. Stateline Staffing Services, Inc. Stateline Youth for Christ

Ingersoll Machine Tools

Summit CPA Group, P.C.

JC Milling Co., Inc. John Morrissey Accountants, Inc.

Sunset Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens

K&J Finishing, Inc.

Terracon, Inc.

Kelce & Company Kinovate Heating, Cooling & Indoor Air Quality Lawn Care by Walter, Inc. LDR Cleaning & Restoration Macianos Pizza (Perryville Pizza, LLC) Mainstreet Financial Group

The Ridge Condominium Association The Terrace Senior Apartments United States Postal Service Universal Feeder, Inc. UPS USANA Health Sciences

Mastercraft Exteriors of Illinois, Inc.

Warner Furniture Refinishing

Midland States Bank Wealth Management

Widmer Interiors Wipfli LLP

Midwest Community Bank

Youth Service Bureau of Illinois Valley

Midwest Mailworks, Inc. Motivate Personal Physical

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August 2014

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

What? I can’t hear you. What did you say?

Are you providing services to clients with hearing loss?

Ever hear this phrase from one of your patients, clients or employees? Did you know as a provider of services, it is your responsibility to provide effective communication?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) assists all individuals with disabilities. This includes individuals with varying levels of hearing loss. The ADA states: Public accommodations are required to provide auxiliary aids and services where necessary to ensure effective communication with individuals with disabilities. 8.C.F.R.sec.36.303 (c ) Individuals in the United States who are born deaf or hard of hearing communicate using American Sign Language (ASL). I say American Sign Language because each country has its own sign language. There isn’t one sign language used by deaf people worldwide.

There is a different word order. Plurals are shown in a different way. Inflections are shown by facial expressions. There is a huge difference in the two languages.

Most people born deaf do not understand written English because it is their second language. This group prefers Sign Language Interpreters for

their communication needs.

The State of Illinois Interpreters for the Deaf Act of 1997 requires American Sign Language Interpreters to pass the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf/National Association for the Deaf Certification test after completing a bachelor’s degree. The written test involves questions about the Code of Professional Conduct and Deaf culture information. After receiving certification, the Illinois Law requires registry with the Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission and a license.

There are four different levels of licenses and restrictions for each level regarding what one can interpret.

For example, someone who interprets in the courtroom must have a Master Level License, which is silver in color.

don’t catch everything. This group needs captioning, like you would see on TV or Real Time Captioning, to understand what is being said. This is provided with technology, computers, microphone and a Captionist. The Captionist has learned an abbreviation system, develops a dictionary, types in the abbreviations, and when the space bar is hit, the full English words are displayed on a computer monitor or other technology. This system is verbatim or can be meaning for meaning. This service can be used at conferences, evaluations, employee meetings, discipline hearings, patient appointments and other situations. The individual with a hearing loss is then included rather than excluded.

Are You Providing Services?

Help from Center for Sight & Hearing

There is also a larger group of individuals who are hard of hearing but not deaf. They may use hearing aids or try to read lips. This group understands English. They don’t hear it very well. Yes, they have hearing aids or cochlear implants but those devices

If you are providing a conference or requiring an employee to attend a meeting, is the communication accessible? When you advertise an event, a speaker, or an informational session, is it accessible?

Do you advertise accommodations? A suggestion is to add on all correspondence

something Ann Gronlund Center for like this: If a Sight & Hearing sign language interpreter/ captionist, braille or large print is needed, please call 815-332-6800 two weeks before the event.

The Center for Sight & Hearing is your local resource. The center has licensed proficient American Sign Language Interpreters and a Captionist for Communication needs. The center also provides Braille for blind individuals who read Braille. We have two audiologists on staff that can assess individuals who may have a hearing loss.

If you have question or would like more information, please contact: Ann Gronlund, Center for Sight & Hearing, 815-332-6800 or agronlund@ centerforsighthearing.org.

Ann Gronlund is communication specialist at Center for Sight & Hearing.

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

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August 2014

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EVENTS

Upcoming Chamber Events AUGUST, 2014 Tuesday, August 5

Business Women’s Council, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Forest Hills Country Club, 5135 Forest Hills Road. Valley Expo will present on the dos and don’ts of exhibiting at an expo. Sponsored by Siena on Brendenwood.

Wednesday, August 6

PYSK Talks, noon to 1 p.m., Rockford University, 5100 E. State St., Rockford. Dr. Ehren Jarrett, superintendent, Rockford Public Schools, presents Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast.

Thursday, August 7

Business After Hours, 5 to 7 p.m., Anderson Toyota/Lexus of Rockford, 4100 N. Perryville Road, Loves Park.

Friday, August 8

Wednesday, August 20

PYSK Talks, noon to 1 p.m., 911 Call Center, 204 S. 1st St., Rockford (Please park in the City Hall lot).

Presenter is Sandy Stansell, division administrator, Rockford Fire Department/911 Division. Sponsored

by Rockford University.

Ribbon Cutting, First Community Credit Union, 10 to 11 a.m., 6079 E. Riverside Blvd., Rockford.

Tuesday, August 26

Advantage Club – Superstars, noon to 1 p.m., Giovanni’s, 610 N. Bell School Road, Rockford. Contact Thomas Conwell, MSI Reverse, tconwell@msiloans.biz.

Wednesday, August 27

Advantage Power Network Club, 11:45 a.m., Franchesco’s, Rockford. Contact Teri Watts, United Commercial Realty, Teriw1214@ gmail.com.

Government Affairs Council Meeting, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., Stockholm Inn, 2420 Charles St., Rockford. To join, contact Heidi Garner at 815-316-4312.

Advantage Club – Originals, 11:45 a.m., various locations. Contact Rachel Thomann, Furst Pros, 815-997-1417, rachel.thomann@ furstpros.com.

Tuesday, August 12

SEPTEMBER, 2014

Advantage Club – Superstars, noon to 1 p.m., Giovanni’s, 610 N. Bell School Road, Rockford. Contact Thomas Conwell, MSI Reverse, tconwell@msiloans.biz.

Wednesday, August 13 7:30 – 9:00 am Rock Valley College Student Center Atrium 3301 N. Mulford Rd., Rockford

Breakfast

BUZZ

Michele Petrie, BMO Harris Bank, presents “I Was Taught to Lead.” Location, Student Center Atrium.

Sponsored by McGladrey.

Wednesday, August 13

Advantage Power Network Club, 11:45 a.m., Franchesco’s, Rockford. Contact Teri Watts, United Commercial Realty, Teriw1214@ gmail.com.

Advantage Club – Originals, 11:45 a.m., various locations. Contact Rachel Thomann, Furst Pros, 815-997-1417, rachel.thomann@ furstpros.com.

Thursday, August 14

August Ambassasdor Luncheon, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., American Red Cross, Rock River Chapter, 727 N. Church St., Rockford.

Tuesday, August 19

Chamber 101 with Speed Networking, 4 to 5:15 p.m., Benson Stone Company, Inc., 1100 11th St., Rockford. Sponsored by MembersAlliance Credit Union.

Thursday, September 4 11:30 am – 1:00 pm Giovanni’s 610 N. Bell School Rd., Rockford

Education Outlook LUNCHEON Dr. Ehren Jarrett, superintendent of Rockford Public Schools, will share the district’s strategies to support system investment, student performance, and workforce growth and development.

Sponsored by BMO Harris Bank (presenting) and SwedishAmerican Health System (gold).

Tuesday, September 9

Advantage Club – Superstars, noon to 1 p.m., Giovanni’s, 610 N. Bell School Road, Rockford. Contact Thomas Conwell, MSI Reverse, tconwell@msiloans.biz.

Wednesday, September 10

Advantage Power Network Club, 11:45 a.m., Franchesco’s, Rockford. Contact Teri Watts, United Commercial Realty, Teriw1214@ gmail.com.

Advantage Club – Originals, 11:45 a.m., various locations. Contact Rachel Thomann, Furst Pros, 815-997-1417, rachel.thomann@ furstpros.com.

Friday, September 12

Government Affairs Council Meeting, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., Stockholm Inn, 2420 Charles St., Rockford. To join, contact Heidi Garner at 815-316-4312.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

31

August 2014

EVENTS

Upcoming Chamber Events Tuesday, September 16

Tuesday, September 23

Ribbon Cutting, Anderson Environmental & Engineering Co., 4 to 5 p.m., 201 N. 6th St., Rockford.

Advantage Club – Superstars, noon to 1 p.m., Giovanni’s, 610 N. Bell School Road, Rockford.

Contact Thomas Conwell, MSI Reverse, tconwell@msiloans.biz.

Thursday, September 18 1 – 5:00 pm BMO Harris Bank Center 300 Elm St., Rockford

Rockford Chamber

Business Expo This premiere business expo draws more than 1,000 business people to meet with exhibitors, establish new business relationships and foster existing ones.

RMTD will provide shuttle service.

Sponsored by TDS (presenting); SwedishAmerican Health System (gold).

Monday, September 22

IGNITE Golf Outing, 1 p.m., The MauhNah-Tee-See Club, 5151 Guilford Road, Rockford. Join us after the outing for complimentary appetizers and cash bar. IGNITE Cup points awarded.

Advertisers Index ADVERTISERS

Alpine Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 BMO Harris Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Brian Thomas Photography . . . . . . . . 23 Broadmoor Agency, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Comcast Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Concordia University Wisconsin . . . . . 16

Rockford Area Economic Development Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Rockford Bank & Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Rockford Chamber of Commerce . . 13, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 Rockford University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Rockford Health System . . . . . . . . . 4, 13

Wednesday, September 24

Fast Mailing Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Rock River Training Corporation. . . . . 16

Advantage Power Network Club, 11:45 a.m., Franchesco’s, Rockford. Contact Teri Watts, United Commercial Realty, Teriw1214@gmail.com.

Fridh Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Rock Valley College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

IGNITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

RVC BPI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

MembersAlliance Credit Union . . . . . . 17

Saint Anthony College of Nursing . . . 14

McGladrey LLP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Stillman Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Orthopedic and Sports Therapy Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Thayer Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Riverside Community Bank . . . . . . . . . 8

Van Galder Bus Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Advantage Club – Originals, 11:45 a.m., various locations.

Contact Rachel Thomann, Furst Pros, 815-997-1417, rachel. thomann@furstpros.com.

Upper Iowa University. . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Thursday, September 25 Ribbon Cutting, Bisconti Computers Inc., 9 to 10 a.m., 3065 N. Perryville Rd. Ste. 117, Rockford.

FIVE REASONS why trade shows still matter

Despite the many ways for reaching your customers instantly via email blasts, social media updates and static sites, here are five reasons why trade shows still are a vital element of your marketing strategy.

1. Networking face to face fixes you firmly in your customers’ minds. No amount of emails can make as much of an impression as a single handshake. The give and take of a real conversation becomes all the more prized because it’s less common. Your customers appreciate your making that extra effort to introduce yourself to them. You can impress them with your latest and greatest innovations.

2. Trade shows are an excellent place to showcase your latest product line or new service, especially if it’s complex. Being able to demonstrate the advantages of a new product firsthand is a tremendously powerful sales tool. When you’re on hand to answer questions immediately, you can overcome objections far more easily than you can through an exchange of emails.

3. Trade shows let you generate more excitement than the boldest virtual campaign. Dramatic marketing statements and intriguing incentives get booth visitors talking. Every time your customers use a clever or helpful promotional item, they’ll fix your name more firmly in mind.

4. Although overall attendance at trade shows in some sectors may be down, the value of the contacts you make has increased.

A higher percentage of those who attend trade shows are decision-makers empowered to take action then and there. If you impress them, you’ve gone a long way toward earning their business and creating a lasting business relationship. Higher-ups still attend trade shows because they know as well as you do how valuable that contact can be.

5. Customers aren’t the only people you’ll meet at a show. A trade show offers you an unrivaled opportunity to meet your competition. Gaining insight into the state of the industry reveals where you can differentiate yourself from competitors, and shows you where your company could stand to grow.

Source: Sales and Marketing Strategy News enewsletter

Do you have news to share?

Chamber Staff / Call 815-987-8100 ............................................. Direct Line Einar K. Forsman, President & CEO ......................................... 815-316-4304 Heidi M. Garner, Executive Assistant to the President ................... 815-316-4312 Doug Hessong, Director of Publications & Technology .................. 815-316-4338 Lynette Jacques, Vice President, Member Investment ................... 815-316-4317 Vee Jevremovic, Manager of Education Programs and Events ......... 815-316-4337 Joy Moriarty, Vice President, Finance ....................................... 815-316-4316 Stacy Mullins, Director of Events ............................................. 815-316-4302 Diane Navickis, Member Relations Manager............................... 815-316-4315 Mary Ann Suprenant, Membership Development Manager ............. 815-316-4336 Joan Sundvall, Membership Contact Coordinator ........................ 815-316-4320

Chamber Board of Directors & Officers EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

DIRECTORS Andrew Benson Benson Stone Company, Inc.

Chairman of the Board Richard Walsh SwedishAmerican Health System

Jan Bowman TLC Construction

Chairman Elect Patti Thayer Thayer Lighting, Inc. Vice Chair Richard Zumwalt OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center Treasurer Larry Bridgeland Mid-City Office Products Immediate Past Chairman Mike Broski Entré Computer Solutions

Paul Callighan ComEd, An Exelon Company Joe Castrogiovanni Giovanni’s, Inc. Dr. Rena Cotsones Northern Illinois University Darlene Furst Furst Staffing Jeff Hultman Riverside Community Bank

Paul McCann Stanley Steemer Pat Morrow Alpine Bank Amy Ott Chicago Rockford International Airport Mark Peterson CBL Associates Cherry Vale Michele Petrie BMO Harris Bank Laura Pigatti Williamson Rockford Park District Timothy Rollins WilliamsMcCarthy

Michael F. Iasparro Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP

Henry Seybold Rockford Health System

Michael Mastroianni Rock Valley College

Pat Shaw McGladrey LLP

Somchan Thatsanaphon K-I Machine Tool & Production Inc. Josh Trust Rockford Register Star Tim White UTC Aerospace Systems Jennifer Wood CPA

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

September 2014 Special Section:

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

Living Well (Healthcare & Wellness Services)

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

For information on advertising, call 815 987-8100

Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding publication.