October Voice 2021 by Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce

the October 2021 | Volume 34 | No. 10

SMART BUILDING FOR SCHOOLS

ENERGY LAWS FIRE UP

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of the rockford business community

SUPPORTING WORKING WOMEN:

A talent retention strategy It could improve your company’s profitability

By Caitlin Pusateri, Rockford Chamber

Looking to increase the profits of your organization? Check your Executive Team. If you see nothing but suits and ties, your organization is likely lacking gender diversity – and the benefits that come with it. According to McKinsey & Company’s January 2018 Delivering Through Diversity, “Companies in the top-quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 21% more likely to outperform on profitability and 27% more likely to have superior value creation. The highest-performing companies on both profitability and diversity had more

women in line (i.e., typically revenuegenerating) roles than in staff roles on their executive teams.” But creating an environment that supports working women is more than just promoting them through the ranks (though that doesn’t hurt). For much of the United States’ corporate history, (continued on page 25)

New Chamber Board Members Slated

THE VOICE IS PUBLISHED BY

The Chamber’s nominating committee, headed by board member Michele Petrie, presented a slate of nominees for the Chamber Board of Directors at its September 28 meeting. In announcing the slate of candidates, Chamber President Einar Forsman noted that there were many qualified candidates for each position on the board. “We’re confident those members nominated will represent the Rockford area business community with distinction.” New Board members are recommended to be nominated for a three-year term to begin January 1, 2022 are: Peter Schmeling, Schmeling Construction Co. Christina Valdez Peacock, Prairie Street Brewing Co./CMM & Associates Brent Scott, Wintrust Financial Carol Freisen, OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center Dustin Vock, Meiborg, Inc.

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Nicole Radford, UW Health Northern Illinois Region For

additional

three-year

terms, the following individuals are recommended for reappointment under our bylaws: Denise Sasse, RSM US LLP Alex Stagnaro-Green, University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford Theresa Sharp, American Precision Supply, Inc. Jean Crosby, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Crosby Starck Real Estate Kris Machajewski, YWCA Northwestern Illinois Don Daniels To be elected as an officer for the coming 1-year term, to begin January 1, 2022 and expire December 31, 2022: Chair Elect, Jean Crosby, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Crosby Starck Real Estate To be elected as an officer for the coming 2-year term, to begin January 1, 2022 and expire December 31, 2023: Treasurer, John Schuster, Rosecrance Health Network Amy Ott will complete her service on the board on December 31, 2021

FUNDS AVAILABLE THROUGH REBUILD ILLINOIS MAIN STREET AND DOWNTOWN The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced the $50 million Rebuild Illinois Main Street and Downtown Capital program to revitalize commercial corridors and main street areas statewide. With the passage of Illinois’ fiscal year 2022 budget, nearly $1.5 billion in American Rescue Plan Act funds will go out to support Illinois’ continued economic recovery, including $250 million in Back to Business grants and $10 million in Tourism Attraction and Festivals Grants. Projects must be located in a commercial center or downtown area. They may include roadways, parking and public way improvements, parks and venues or plazas for public use, sustainability upgrades, structural repairs and mixed-use or transitoriented development. Awards will range from $250,000 to $3 million. Deadline to apply is Jan. 10, 2022. Visit www2.illinois.gov/dceo/ Pages/default.aspx

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

POW(H)ER

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 8:30a-4:30p

Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront & Rockford Conference Center For more information, see page 31 SPONSORED BY

MILLIONS TO GO OUT IN WORKFORCE RECOVERY ACT GRANTS The DCEO invites eligible organizations to apply for the first round of funding for training programs to prepare Illinois residents for future careers. Through the Job Training and Economic Development program, the DCEO will connect the unemployed, underemployed and underrepresented with employers in need of skilled workers. It also will upskill employers’ existing workers with funding for accessible equity-driven services to those in disadvantaged communities. Eligible entities include private nonprofit organizations (including faith-based organizations), Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act administrative entities, community action agencies, industry associations and public or private educational institutions. The schedule for technical assistance sessions related to this funding opportunity is available at illinoisworknet.com/JTEDNOFO2021. Application deadline is 5 p.m., on Oct. 29, 2021.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2021

CHAIRMAN’S PERSPECTIVE

DAN ROSS Rockford Chamber Board Chairman

What’s next? A little personal reﬂection A look at where the Chamber is headed

BC and AC, before COVID and after COVID, is how I have been measuring time over the past 18 months or so. In my mind, until recently, AC was a destination that we had not yet reached … it was life without COVID. I find myself thinking about and talking about all of the things that I would like to do personally and professionally “after COVID.” I absolutely do not want to offer up any theories, medical, religious, political or otherwise, as to when or if we will reach the state of “after COVID” as I just defined it. However, I do feel COVID is going to be a part of our lives for a while and maybe even permanently. If I continue to look at time as I just described it, BC and AC, with BC being in the past and AC being a time we have not yet reached, where does that leave me now? Stuck in the middle! As I look back at my several decades on earth, there have always been uncertainties and challenges, some

bigger than others, but I have always kept moving forward. Now is not the time to abandon this tried-and-true method of living my life. I would encourage each of us to just keep swimming! (My Disney friends will get the reference, but if it is not ringing a bell with you, call me, and we can watch the movie together). But enough personal reflection time. … The Chamber has not been exempted from the uncertainty associated with COVID. Significant efforts have been made to return to the types of activities we were doing BC, before COVID, in the hopes that we will reach the AC state described above at some point. Recently, your Chamber leadership has begun to ask the question: Is what we were doing BC addressing the needs of our members today? The answer to that question is going to need your input. So, here are some of the near-term actions we are taking:

Returning to In-Person Board Meetings

I would encourage each of you to speak up and tell us what the Chamber

This may seem like a small step, but the past 18 months has shown us that in-person meetings, as long as we can do them safely, foster significantly more effective communication. Asking for Your Input The leadership team is working on multiple ways to engage you, our members, to get your feedback regarding how the Chamber can provide the most value to you and your organizations. Be on the lookout for communications soon.

can do to help you and your organization

Focus Groups

and president of the Community Foundation of

There are a couple of topics, like events and communications, that require a deeper dive, and we will be using focus groups to discuss those items.

Short-Term Planning We are fortunate to have several new members joining our board shortly. It is the perfect time to get the board together and do some planning. When I say planning in this context, I am talking about 12 months, not five years.

Strategic Planning As a member of the newly formed Greater Rockford Growth Partnership, the Chamber is excited to be a part of larger, coordinated strategic plan.

today and in the years to come. If one of the formal methods of soliciting your feedback does not work for you, pick up the phone and call me or any other Chamber leader. I would love to chat. Your Chamber has been here for you long before COVID was a blip on the radar, and it will be here long after. Dan Ross is chairman of the Rockford Chamber Northern Illinois.

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

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2021

proﬁle

MEMBER PROFILE

Richard L. Johnson & Associates: DRAWING UP PLANS FOR SUCCESS By Paul Anthony Arco Dick Johnson has always possessed an eye for building design. Scott Johnson thought he wanted to pursue a career in engineering. But the father/son duo eventually came together to form one of the top architectural/interior design firms in the area. Dick started his career with another firm, before deciding to take a chance on opening his own business. “My dad designed a lot of educational buildings – that was his experience,” Scott said. “When he went out on his own, he continued to specialize in education, which is 90 percent of the work we do today.” In 1981, Richard L. Johnson & Associates (RLJA) opened its doors on the corner of Alpine Road and East State Street. The firm operated there for five years before outgrowing the space and moving to its current location on Charles Street. After earning a master’s from the University of Illinois, Scott came home to join his father’s firm in 1990. “I always enjoyed architecture, but I thought I could take a different path,” he said. “Engineering sounded interesting, but

after one semester in college I realized it wasn’t for me.” These days, Dick, Scott, and Terry Carbaugh are the firm’s principals. Dick is 83 and still working daily. RLJA is a family affair. Julie, who is Dick’s wife and Scott’s mom, worked for the company until a year ago, and Scott’s aunt, Char, is the office manager. Scott has learned plenty from his dad. “His passion and ability to listen to the client has really made a difference,” he said. “My ability to work well with our clients is all thanks to my dad.” RLJA serves primarily educational clients in northwest Illinois. The firm is the architect of record for more than 30 school districts, much of which is repeat work. RLJA provides architectural services in several areas – new buildings, additions, remodeling, LEED, ADA accessibility audits, safety surveys, master planning, feasibility studies and interior design services. RLJA’s list of clients include RPS #205, Belvidere CUSD #100, DeKalb CUSD #428, South Beloit CUSD #320, Pecatonica CUSD #321 and Winnebago County. “Our bread and butter are renovations and additions and making it blend or have it stand out for 21st century learning,”

This classroom at Southwest Elementary School in Geneseo, Il., was designed by Richard L. Johnson & Associates. Scott said. “With COVID, however, collaboration has been turned on its head. Classrooms were being designed for students to work closely together. Now the emphasis is to spread furniture out, giving students more space. It changes how we design space moving forward.” Each project varies but can take 10 to 12 months to complete, which includes schematic design, construction documents, bidding out work, consulting with engineering firms and participating in numerous meetings. “Design work is fun, and the bidding process is exciting, but the greatest satisfaction is meeting our clients’ goals,” Scott said. RLJA has a team of seven full- and part-time employees, including CAD technicians and an interior designer. In the 1990s the staff was as many as 24,

but a leaner staff isn’t a bad thing, Scott said. “With our niche in education we can manage a lot of work with what we have. We are small, but every cog in the wheel is pulling their weight.” RLJA has earned many accolades from the Illinois State Board of Education and the American Institute of Architects. But none of that matters to the team. “It’s not our highest priority,” said Scott. “We simply like to make our clients happy.”

RICHARD L. JOHNSON & ASSOCIATES Scott Johnson, principal 4703 Charles St. www.rljarch.com 815-398-1231

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2021

Gov. Pritzker signs legislation with long-term renewable energy goals

■ Creates an up to $4,000 rebate for consumers who purchase an electric vehicle, regardless of where they reside in Illinois.

New Illinois policy to move state towards 100 percent clean energy by 2050 Governor JB Pritzker on Sept. 15 signed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act that preserved the state’s nuclear fleet in the near future and set the state on a path towards 100 percent clean energy by 2050. The bill also directs investment in training a diverse workforce for future jobs, institutes ratepayer and residential customer protections, and prioritizes ethics and transparency reforms. The bill gave Exelon $694 million to keep the state’s nuclear fleet open and save thousands of jobs at the nuclear plants in Byron and Morris, Ill. Representatives from EVgo and ChargePoint, electric vehicle charging networks throughout the United States, praised the bill and its intent to put one million electric vehicles on the roads in Illinois by 2030. That would include the

scaling up of the charging infrastructure necessary to fuel those vehicles. The bill sets into motion a number of actions discussed in energy working group meetings for more than a year among a diverse range of stakeholders, including the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition, the Path to 100 Coalition, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Illinois Environmental Council.

Climate Change, Investments in Renewable Energy The bill gave Exelon $694 million to keep the state’s nuclear ﬂeet open and save thousands of jobs at the nuclear plants in Byron and Morris, Ill.

■ Establishes a goal of adopting 1,000,000 electric vehicles in Illinois by 2030.

of the installation of charging stations and requires recipients to pay prevailing wage on installation projects.

■ Requires electric utilities to file beneficial electrification plans with the ICC to support the rapid deployment of electric vehicles and make-ready infrastructure statewide.

■ Creates an Electric Coordinator within IEPA.

■ Requires IEPA to award rebates to help fund up to 80 percent of the cost

Vehicle

■ Requires the Department of Transportation to conduct a study to consider how the adoption of EVs will adversely affect resources needed for transportation infrastructure.

■ Provides that it is the policy of the state of Illinois to move toward 100 percent clean energy by 2050. ■ Makes changes to the Illinois Power Agency Act to double the state’s investment in renewable energy. ■ Puts the state on a path to 40 percent renewable energy by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040. ■ Ensures that all utility-scale wind and solar projects are built with project labor agreements and that prevailing wages are paid on all non-residential wind and solar projects. ■ Requires renewable industry reporting on diversity and inclusion efforts. (continued on page 23)

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2021

It pays to do your homework BBB study finds job scams surge during Pandemic Employment scams are on the rise in the turbulent job market created by the COVID-19 pandemic, and people ages 25 to 34 are the most common targets, followed by people ages 35 to 44, according to a Better Business Bureau® study released in September. “Millions of people are exposed annually with the median financial loss reported by victims being $1,000,” said Dennis Horton, director, Rockford Regional Office of the Better Business Bureau. “In addition, victims often reported a loss of their time, as 32 percent were never paid for the work they did for an ‘employer’ that turned out to be fraudulent.” “Be especially careful with online job boards,” Horton said. “Many job scams, for example, promise consumers a wellpaying job, often working from home, if they pay upfront for training, materials or equipment.” Identity theft is a common outcome of job scams, as scammers often steal job seekers’ personal information to open bank accounts. BBB found 34 percent of victims provided their driver’s license number, and 25 percent provided their Social Security or Social Insurance number.

Do Your Research The in-depth investigative study, “Job Scams: BBB study finds job scams increased during the pandemic,” warns job seekers to verify employment offers to avoid illegal jobs, identity theft and fake checks. Horton notes, “Fake checks frequently accompany job scams.” The study reports that 36 percent of job scam complaints to the BBB involved phony checks. In the two years since BBB issued an investigative study on fake check fraud, losses absorbed by banks due to fake checks went up 40 percent to reach $1.3 billion. Common fraudulent job offers involving fake reviews include mystery shopping or secret shopper jobs, car wrap jobs, nanny or caregiver jobs, and small business jobs such as photography or painting houses. Employment scam victims frequently become unwitting accomplices in other fraud, used as money mules to mail fake checks, or to participate in reshipping scams, which represent 65 percent of the scam job offers reported to BBB Scam Tracker. Scammers “hire” victims from job boards, Facebook or Craigslist, offering to pay them as much as $2,500 to receive and then send on packages. These fraudsters

use stolen credit card numbers to order laptops, cellphones and high-end goods and have them sent to reshipping victims, instructing them to repackage the goods and provide shipping labels to send the packages to a new address often in Russia. The accomplices hired fraudulently for this work are never paid, and somebody may use their identities to open bank accounts.

Tips to Avoid Job Scams

■ Examine the email address of those offering jobs to see if it matches the company’s and sender’s names. ■ There are no legitimate jobs that involve receiving and reshipping packages. ■ Don’t fall for a fake check scam. BBB is unaware of any legitimate job offers that send checks to applicants and ask them to send money to a third party.

■ Take time to find the job listing on the company’s website directly.

■ Do not click on links in texts and emails or respond to calls from unknown sources

■ Check on businesses offering jobs at BBB.org.

It is vital that victims of job scams report them. File complaints with:

■ If someone wants you to pay for the promise of a job, it’s a “tip-off to the ripoff” that it is almost certainly a scam.

■ Better Business Bureau - local BBB or BBB.org/scamtracker.

■ Complete an internet search with the employer’s name and the word “scam” to see if there are other complaints involving job scams.

■ Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reportfraud.ftc.gov or call 877-FTC-Help. ■ Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) - ic3.gov/complaint.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2021

R O C K F O R D

C H A M B E R

O F

C O M M E R C E

Small Business Enterprise 10 reasons a business plan benefits your next venture SHELBY FLORES Illinois SBDC

The diﬀerence between failing, surviving and thriving

While business plans often seem overwhelming and intimidating, they help create a clear strategy and vision. A business plan does not need to be a 200-page document, it simply needs to give potential partners, supporters and investors an understanding of your business model and financials. Additionally, a business plan helps entrepreneurs set realistic goals, track progress towards those goals and make changes to the plan as they learn more about their market and its current demand. The advantages of creating a business plan are evident but here is a list of 10 reasons why a business plan is essential and could significantly benefit your next business venture. 1. It showcases that you are serious about your business. As previously mentioned, a formal plan will show all interested parties -- employees, investors, partners and even yourself -- that you are committed to building and growing the business. A business plan forces one to think and plan through growth strategies

that will propel you to achieve your goals. 2. It allows you to establish business milestones. A well-written business plan will clearly lay out both short- and longterm milestones that are important to the success of your business. Once these milestones are established, creating a plan to reach them is easier. 3. It allows you to understand your customers. A business plan provides an in-depth customer analysis that is essential to your business. Understanding your customers will not only allow you to create and deliver better products and services, but it also allows you to do it in the most cost-effective way. 4. It allows you to understand your competition. Other than understanding your customers, a plan requires you to analyze your competition. It is critical to understand your company’s competitive advantages and disadvantages. Both direct and indirect competition should be considered when trying to understand your market. 5. To determine your ﬁnancial needs. A plan will help you determine

exactly how much capital is needed, and what you will use it for. This can be used to plan ahead and be prepared in the early months of your business. 6. To plot your course and focus your efforts. A business plan provides a roadmap to those business milestones we discussed earlier. Without a business plan, you may shift your short-term strategies, which will ultimately affect your long-term achievements. By following the business guideline that has been set, you are more likely to reach success. 7. To position your brand. Positioning your brand allows you to define your company’s role in your particular market. This definition provides a clear picture to your customers, investors and partners. 8. To document your marketing plan. A well-documented marketing plan is essential to the growth of a business. It raises several important questions such as “how are you going to reach your customers?” or “how will you retain them?” These marketing strategies evolve over time, so revisiting

your marketing plan at least annually is critical. 9. To reposition your business to deal with changing conditions. During difficult economic conditions, like operating during COVID, if current sales or operational models are not working, you can rewrite or adjust your business plan to define and validate new ideas or strategies. 10. To uncover new opportunities. Through the process of brainstorming and planning, you will likely see your business in a different light. As a result, you will often come up with new ideas for marketing your product/service and running your business. It’s coming up with these ideas and executing them that is often the difference between a business that fails or just survives and one that thrives. Shelby Flores is a business consultant for the Illinois SBDC at the Rockford Chamber of Commerce focusing on the SBDC’s Hispanic entrepreneurs.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October2021

IGNITE: YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

When neighborhood work feels lonely CIRA RICHARDSON IGNITE

You can find help in transforming where you live

One of the things we hear the most when helping people transform their neighborhoods is how overwhelming it feels to try to change something so big. And it’s true. When you think about how big a neighborhood can be, it is intimidating and overwhelming. So how do you change that? How do you make something that seems impossible, possible? Simple. We encourage people by 1) not going into the work alone and 2) helping them focus on what they can change, like completing a smaller project. Our organization, Great Neighborhoods, exists so that people do not have to do the work alone. We walk beside a neighborhood to help them accomplish what they want done. We do not push an ideology or an agenda. Our agenda is what the neighborhood wants. We also help neighborhoods take, what seems like overwhelming work, and organize it into a process that helps identify goals and projects and execute plans to complete their goals successfully. Below are a few of the steps that Great Neighborhoods use to help our neighborhoods around the region: 1. Asset Mapping. A strategy that focuses on the existing assets (strengths) of a neighborhood and then leveraging those strengths to solve a problem, address a need, or seek a new opportunity. It helps us focus the neighborhood on seeing the positive aspects of each neighborhood and seeing the neighborhood from a positive, strengths-based perspective. 2. Strategic Doing. A process that teaches people how to create collaborations, move them to measurable outcomes quickly, and make adjustments along the

way. It is not a top-down approach. It is a strategy that is agile and quick. Putting a strategic plan together takes too long to make and much longer to execute. Strategic Doing allows neighborhoods to get to work now. 3. Marketing, Storytelling and Branding. A process in which we help bring together the assets, goals and action planning into neighborhood marketing, storytelling and branding. This process is especially important because it helps build a positive, lasting image, it unifies and captures neighborhood cultures, and it helps inspire neighborhoods and showcase their strengths. If you are looking for an organization that can help you transform where you live, Great Neighborhoods is a great place to start. Great Neighborhoods is a grassroots program available to help residents understand their neighborhoods and what they have to offer. We transform neighborhoods into what the residents want. Together, we co-create action plans with our neighborhoods, and help connect all the dots and utilize networks and resources to move projects forward. Connect and get involved with Great Neighborhoods to impact the neighborhoods around you by emailing cira@transformrockford.org. You can also visit greatneighborhoods.info and link to the Facebook and Instagram accounts too. Cira Richardson is program director at Transform Rockford-Great Neighborhoods and a member of IGNITE. The views expressed are those of Richardson’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

TIPS FOR PURCHASING USED CARS With recent flooding in the United States, some damaged vehicles are being sold as standard secondhand cars at auto auctions, used car dealerships and in classified and social media ads. The Better Business Bureau has tips to determine if a used car is flood-damaged. Ask to see the title. Check the date and place of transfer verifying where the car came from. If the title is stamped, “salvage,” or arrived from a recently flooddamaged state, ask questions. Carefully check the dashboard. Examine all gauges to make sure they are accurate, and there are no signs of water. Look for indications that the dashboard may have been removed. Check electronic components. Test the lights, windshield wipers, turn signals, cigarette lighter, radio, heater and air conditioner several times to make sure they work. Flex some wires under the dash to see if they bend or crack. Look in the trunk, glove compartment, beneath the

seats and dashboard for signs of mud, rust or water damage. Check for open drainage holes in the bottom of the vehicle. Look for discolored, faded or mildewed upholstery and carpeting., or recently shampooed or replaced carpeting that fits too loosely or mismatches the interior color. Get a vehicle history report. The National Insurance Crime Bureau’s free database states if the car has ever been tagged as “salvage” or “flood-damaged” in any state. Reports are only helpful if the car was insured. Check under the hood. Look for standing water, mud or grit in the spare tire wheel well or around the engine compartment under the hood. Do a smell test. Heavy aroma of cleaners and disinfectants is a sign there may be a mold or odor problem. Visit the dealer’s proﬁle at BBB.org. Bottom line, before buying any used car, consider having a pre-purchase inspection done by a trusted mechanic.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

DR. EHREN JARRETT Superintendent RPS 205

October 2021

Working to grow a diverse workforce

There are no shortcuts to attracting and retaining talent

A labor shortage that forced the Rockford Public Schools to run fewer bus routes at the beginning of the year has lessons for the education system as well as the private sector. The route reduction was a major inconvenience for our families. We offered a $3,000 signing bonus and a $5,500 attendance bonus, which was successful in adding more than 25 new drivers into our training pipeline. That eased the crisis, but training drivers still took four to five weeks. Similar driver shortages played out in school districts nationwide, but that didn’t make it easier. I know many companies are struggling with their own crises, too. We all see it in the number of “now hiring” signs around the community. Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts to attracting and retaining a trained and ready workforce. Fortunately, the district has a long game of varied strategies to attract, retain and grow talent. The first step is listening. We do that every year with surveys gauging both the engagement of our employees and the satisfaction of our families. We gather and analyze results and respond to the data with action plans. For example: the data from the School Quality Survey helped us build a district website that meets our families’ needs while also serving as a recruitment tool for prospective teachers and staff. Focus groups on our Employee Engagement Survey led to a retooling of my superintendent visits to schools, in order to better receive meaningful feedback. We have been building a teacher pipeline for years to address a teacher shortage. To grasp the magnitude of the challenge, consider: In 2013, 51,415 Illinois teacher certification tests were administered. In 2017, only 13,535 tests were given. To attract new teachers, we have partnered with Rockford University on a teaching pathway for high school students that offers scholarships to defer much of the cost of a bachelor’s degree at RU. The program includes possible job placement at RPS 205 and a chance to earn a master’s degree in urban education for free. We put special emphasis on recruiting teachers who are diverse and look like our student population. In past years, we have averaged about half of pathway students who are African-American or Latinx.

You’ve also probably heard about the Rockford Promise location-based scholarship program, which offers a tuition-free education at Rock Valley College, Rockford University or Northern Illinois University for any RPS 205 graduate who lives within the city boundaries and maintains a 3.0 grade point average. We also offer recruitment incentives that rival any school district in the country. We offer rent help for (yearlong student teachers of $750 a month). Other teachers could qualify for $3,000 in relocation assistance, $3,000 in housing assistance, a $3,000 signing bonus and up to $10,000 in assistance on a down payment on a home. Once hired, we help our teachers grow. Our Multi-Classroom Leader program leverages the power of veteran teachers to lead student teachers in a collaborative, data-driven model of instruction. A principal leadership program, in partnership with NIU, provides a pipeline of administrators who learn on the job while getting their master’s degrees. There’s another piece of the puzzle, and it is central to our mission of not just educating students but preparing them for the workforce. We offer career pathways in the high school academies that meet the region’s needs and student interests. We partner with the city’s police and fire departments on public safety pathways. We partner with Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity on an award-winning program to teach construction skills to our high school students while they build homes for families that would not otherwise have them. You see, we’re not waiting for the job market to correct itself. We have strategically positioned ourselves to help students and, in turn, help the community. We are continually improving our ability to attract, retain and grow a diverse workforce of nearly 5,000 employees. In the meantime: If you know anyone who wants to drive a bus, please give us a call. Dr. Ehren Jarrett is superintendent of Rockford Public Schools. The views expressed are those of Dr. Jarrett’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

SPECIAL SECTION Celebration of Manufacturing

October 2021

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

Manufacturing Day returns for regional high school students

Connections will be live and in person for 2021 By Beth Mead, CEANCI

expo. This not only provides the students with a broader scope of what’s available

October is all about manufacturing month, and in the Rock River region, the National Manufacturing Day committee has been working on a rather robust experience for area high school students with an event on Thursday, Oct. 7. And we’re excited to be back in-person! So how does this work? Generally when people think of Manufacturing Day, they think of tours. This year, local manufacturers will be surveyed by committee members, and then assigned logistically to a participating school. Their tour host site representative will visit the participating school/students as a guest speaker to provide information about the company. You may be asking yourself: “Why is this necessary when students could learn these things on the tour?” The answer is quite simple: Students “don’t know what they don’t know.” Historically when surveying students, we’ve learned that many who weren’t planning on attending the event had a change of heart after hearing about the company; piquing their interest level. There also have been situations when the shop floor was loud and not all that was being shared could be heard. When that happened, students could easily rely on some of the content that was shared in the classroom prior to the tour. Committee members also felt there needed to be multiple chances for student/partner engagement, providing a greater opportunity for them to “connect,” and perhaps resulting in an internship or job. What a “win-win” situation for both sides of the aisle! Post-tour, students look forward to attending a business lunch and mini

in the region, but also paves the way for the expo vendors to gain greater exposure to the future workforce! With Rockford having a heavy saturation in the manufacturing market, it’s important to expose students to various job positions. The possibilities range from machining, engineering, logistics, sales, marketing, administration and more! Being enrolled in a Career Technical Education

(CTE)

program

allows

students the hands-on necessary to gain proficient skillsets, as well as the ability to earn certifications; two things vitally important to entering the world of work in manufacturing. This potentially frees up training time on the employer side, not to mention it is cost-efficient. We’re very excited this year to be back in person, and ... in a time when the market is hungry for workforce. In closing, we’d like to thank the many minds, hands, volunteers, school administrators, business stakeholders and donors for their willingness, hard work and generosity to make this awesome event possible! If

you’d

know

about becoming involved in future Manufacturing Day events, please reach out to me at 815-921-8471or b.mead@ ceanci.org. Beth Mead is CEANCI community outreach coordinator. The views expressed are Mead’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2021

GUEST COLUMNIST

Women can help fill a big workforce need JACLYN KOLODZIEJ WOTM

An untapped pool of talent for manufacturing

Much of what we hear today regarding the state of manufacturing is about workforce shortages, overcoming supply chain disruptions and the impacts of a global pandemic. The United States is playing a game of “catch up” while also facing workforce challenges such as a lack of human capital. While the manufacturing industry is recovering and has regained 63 percent of jobs lost during the pandemic, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there are 942,000 current manufacturing job openings remaining to be filled nationwide.

Women in the Workforce According to the U.S. Census Bureau, women make up about 47 percent of the total workforce, but only about 30 percent of the 15.8 million employed in manufacturing industries. Only one in four manufacturing leaders are women. Women have been overlooked for decades, especially on how they can impact manufacturing. When we think about the role women play in manufacturing, it is easy to picture Rosie the Riveter and assume that once women entered the workforce in the 1940s to help with the war effort, that they stayed. This is not the case. Even today, as the number of jobs available in manufacturing increases, the gender gap widens. Yet, women are one of the largest pools of untapped talent in manufacturing. Some factors keeping women away from manufacturing careers include misconceptions of the environment, lack of education regarding the types of roles available and other inequalities and gender biases. Women have been overlooked in hiring, earned lower wages and received lower performance evaluations than their male counterparts. While women cannot single-handedly fix issues out of their control such as a global pandemic, they can positively impact modern manufacturing by joining this labor force. Sounds easy, right? Interestingly, although the ratio of male/female college enrollment is approximately 50/50, the percentage of women in manufacturing is not increasing at the rates the United States needs to keep up with the workforce needs.

What Can We Do About It? There has already been a shift in some very important paradigms to create opportunities for women to learn, engage and benefit from manufacturing careers, but there still is a great deal of work to do. Continued teamwork between

educators and community leaders will change the narrative of the viable career opportunities manufacturing can offer women. Women visible in all positions within manufacturing will influence and encourage women to pursue STEM education and manufacturing careers. Demonstrating how manufacturing is not boring and monotonous, dirty or dangerous is imperative. Open the doors for female students to see that manufacturing consists of technological advancements, innovation and collaboration.

What is WOTM Doing About It Women of Today’s Manufacturing (WOTM) is an organization that supports the creation and advancement of career pathways for women in local manufacturing. We accomplish our mission through three strategies: 1. Hosting educational programs targeted to manufacturing leaders and line workers, providing them with practical knowledge that empowers them to be on the cutting edge of their industry. 2. Providing scholarships to individuals seeking to advance their skills in STEM and manufacturingrelated fields. 3. Connecting with partners throughout the stateline area to communicate and provide clear career pathways to individuals of all ages that want to pursue a meaningful and fulfilling career in manufacturing WOTM has provided $30,000 in scholarships (administered through the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois). The Ruthann Gaston Women in Engineering Scholarship supports women participating in the NIU-RVC Engineering Program. The WOTM Scholarship serves students from Winnebago, Ogle, Boone, Stephenson and Rock counties who plan to attend a college, university, trade/technical school and can demonstrate how their coursework will benefit manufacturing technology in the region. As a community leader, educator or woman in manufacturing, consider getting involved in the mission of WOTM. Visit wotmrockford.com or email wotmrkfd@gmail.com. Jaclyn Kolodziej is president of Women of Today’s Manufacturing. The views expressed are those of Kolodziej’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

SPECIAL SECTION Celebration of Manufacturing

SPECIAL SECTION Improving Health

October 2021

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

legislative

LEGISLATIVE ISSUES

New healthcare legislation for Illinois Preventing underage electronic cigarette sales

Senate Bills 512 and 555 are effective Jan. 1, 2022; prohibiting marketing of electronic cigarettes that targets children and ensuring retailers’ compliance with the state’s minimum purchasing age of 21. In 2019, legislation raised the legal age for purchasing cigarettes, e-cigarettes and other tobacco products in Illinois from 18 to 21. This included vape pens, electronic cigars, electronic cigarillos,

Reforms to prior authorization to speed access to care House Bill 711 creates the Prior Authorization Reform Act eﬀective Jan. 1, 2022 to speed medically necessary and appropriate treatments. Significant reforms to prior authorizations in Illinois include approvals remaining valid for six months and one year for chronic and long-term diseases. Denials need to include reasons as well as instructions on how to appeal. Determinations must be

electronic pipes and electronic hookahs. Specifically, SB 512 prohibits the use of cartoons, video game characters and popular children’s media to promote e-cigarette products or marketing e-cigarettes as a low-risk product. To ensure the buyer is over 21 years of age, it requires online orders be paid by credit card or check in the consumer’s name. E-cigarettes

done by physicians with the same or similar areas of medicine. Insurers must maintain a list of services for which prior authorization is required. The list of medically necessary services subjected to prior authorization requirements is reduced. Decision must be made no later than five calendar days after obtaining the necessary information.

containing specific harmful chemicals and additives also are prohibited. SB 555 amends the Substance Use Disorder Act to include vape shops, allowing the Illinois Department of Human Services to conduct compliance checks on the sale of e-cigarettes in accordance with the minimum purchasing age of 21 years.

Lowering Prices for Prescription Drugs HB 119 and SB 1682, take eﬀect on Jan. 1, 2022, and HB1745, to manage prescription drug costs. HB 119 establishes I-DROP, a prescription drug repository program where unexpired and unopened prescription and over-the-counter medication can be returned to pharmacies and reused for eligible populations.

It prohibits the resale or repackaging of the donated drug, includes detailed record keeping and an immunity provision for the recipient and manufacturer of the donated drugs. “I-DROP opens up another avenue … to help those who are underinsured or unemployed and not able to afford their medication; by enabling pharmacists and other healthcare providers to redispense needed medications that are going unused, especially those from mail order waste,” said Garth K. Reynolds, executive director, Illinois Pharmacists Association. SB 1682 requires pharmacies to provide customers with the retail price of a prescription drug, both in writing and electronically, prior to purchase. HB 1745 limits the total monthly outof-pocket costs for prescription drugs. Insurance companies must offer at least 10 percent of individual plans and one group plan with flat out-of-pocket payments by Jan. 1, 2023. By Jan. 1, 2024, insurance companies must offer at least 25 percent of individual plans and two group plans with that benefit.

MORE HEALTHCARE/ INSURANCE LEGISLATION HB 279. Clarifies that an oral drug is considered to be misbranded if it contains gluten and does not provide a warning on (continued on page 15)

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

SPECIAL SECTION Improving Health

October 2021

Benefits of Telemedicine

GUEST COLUMNIST

Telehealth proves its value during the pandemic CARLENE CARDOSI Rosecrance

infection control protocols with inpatient treatment and shifted most of its outpatient services to telehealth. Telehealth services changed the game for healthcare. We now have the flexibility to deliver services to people when and where they are needed the most, and we are seeing virtual programming create community in exciting ways. This is an excellent addition to face-to-face interaction. Healthcare organizations have discovered telehealth is an effective way to reach clients. A National Institutes of Health study earlier this summer reported that client satisfaction in partial hospitalization treatment programs was as high for telehealth offerings in 2020 as faceto-face the year before. These outcomes are possible because telehealth removes many barriers to treatment. Clients no longer have to worry about

Improved technology has made telemedicine easier, even for those who don’t consider themselves computer savvy. Patients can use telemedicine through the MyChart online platform or mobile app. Telemedicine, also known as telehealth, oﬀers many advantages, including:

Comfort and Convenience

more time at work or making

With telemedicine, you don’t have to drive to the doctor’s oﬃce or clinic, park, walk or sit in a waiting room when you’re sick. Virtual visits can be easier to fit into your busy schedule. With telemedicine, depending on your schedule, you may not even have to take leave time from work or arrange for child care.

childcare arrangements. There also

Control of Infectious Illness

is the benefit of clients feeling more

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, ﬂu and other infectious diseases, doctors can use telehealth appointments to prescreen patients for possible infectious disease. It also saves sick people from having to come in to the oﬃce. Less exposure to other people’s germs helps everyone, especially those who are chronically ill, pregnant, elderly or immunocompromised.

Changing the game for healthcare

Telemedicine lurked for years as a largely untapped opportunity for healthcare providers, until COVID-19 forced a shift in client care. Innovations over the past two years have paved the way for quality virtual services to continue after the pandemic recedes. Prior to the pandemic, only one percent of medical visits were conducted virtually, but now 25 percent of those appointments are virtual. Earlier this summer, Cigna noted that 20 percent of primary care visits and two-thirds of behavioral health visits are happening via telehealth. This includes a 27 percent increase in behavioral health outpatient visits since the pandemic’s beginning. Rosecrance will always value in-person care, however the organization saw an opportunity to embrace virtual services. Rosecrance took advantage of virtual programming to bolster

transportation logistics, missing

comfortable at home. They can call in from anywhere, which means faster access to care. Telehealth is also becoming more viable as states and insurers adapt to the new delivery method. States have provided parity in provider

Better Assessment

the future of these adjustments

Telemedicine can give some specialty practitioners an advantage because they can see you in your home environment. For example, allergists may be able to identify clues in your surroundings that cause allergies.

is uncertain, they have provided

Family Connections

a foundation for Rosecrance and

When consulting with your doctor, it’s always good to have a family member who can help you provide information, ask questions and take note of your doctor’s answers. If that person lives out of town, or even across the country, telemedicine can loop your family member in on the virtual visit if you authorize it.

reimbursements and temporarily waived client cost-sharing. While

other providers to develop robust virtual services for years to come. Carlene Cardosi is regional president, Rosecrance, Inc. The views expressed are those of Cardosi’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

Connect More Quickly Telemedicine makes it easy to connect with a doctor or nurse practitioner. Some systems are set up so that new patients can get an appointment with the next available practitioner, which can save time.

SPECIAL SECTION Improving Health

October 2021

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

13 things mentally strong people don’t do Give up the bad habits that drain your mental strength By Amy Morin As a psychotherapist, I’ve witnessed countless people beating the odds. Despite the tragedies, hardships, and challenges they faced, they persisted. My training taught me to build on people’s existing strengths. But over the years, I’ve realized that helping people “do more” of their good habits was sometimes doing them a disservice. If you sought help from a nutritionist to lose weight and the nutritionist said, “Eat more vegetables,” but never mentioned you should “eat less junk food,” you probably wouldn’t succeed. And you’d likely feel frustrated by your lack of progress. Similarly, building mental strength requires good habits--like practicing gratitude--but you also need to give up bad habits--like giving up after your first failure. Often, people go through life with one foot on the gas and the other foot on the brake. Giving up the things mentally strong people don’t do is like taking your foot off the brake. You’ll move forward with less resistance. Everyone engages in habits that drain them of mental strength from time to time. But being aware of those bad habits is the first step in giving them up. Here are 13 things mentally strong people don’t do:

1. They don’t waste time feeling sorry for themselves. Feeling sad or grieving a loss is critical to your healing process. But self-pity is about magnifying your misfortune and exaggerating your hardship. It causes you to dwell on your problems and stay stuck in your misery.

2. They don’t give away their power. Saying your boss makes you feel bad about yourself gives that person power over your emotions. And declaring you have to go to your mother-in-law’s house for dinner gives her power over your behavior. Retaining your power is about acknowledging that you are in control over how you think, feel, and behave at all times.

3. They don’t shy away from change. Change feels scary, because there is no guarantee doing something different will improve your life. But shying away from change will prevent you from growing stronger and becoming better. The world is changing, and success often depends on your ability to adapt.

4. They don’t focus on things they can’t control. Time and energy are finite resources, so it’s important to devote your efforts to the things that you can control. So while you can’t prevent the storm from happening, you can control how you prepare for it.

5. They don’t worry about pleasing everyone. Other people can’t control your emotions, and you can’t control theirs. It’s not your job to try and make other people happy. In fact, becoming a people-pleaser will cause you to lose sight of your values, and your selfworth will become dependent on other people’s opinions of you.

6. They don’t fear taking calculated risks. Just because something feels scary doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s risky. Balance your emotions with logic so

you can calculate risks wisely. Taking the right risks will challenge you to reach your greatest potential.

7. They don’t dwell on the past. Reflecting on the past is healthy, but dwelling on it keeps you stuck. The only time you can change your behavior is now, so stay present in the moment so you can take action.

8. They don’t make the same mistakes over and over. Put your energy into learning from your mistakes--not covering them up. Acknowledge your missteps and commit to doing better next time.

9. They don’t resent other people’s success. Comparing yourself with other people leads to resentment. And over time, resentment can turn into bitterness. The only person you should compare yourself with is the person you were yesterday.

10. They don’t give up after the first failure. Failure is proof that you’re pushing yourself to your limits. But just because you failed once doesn’t mean you are a failure. Turn failure into an opportunity to try again--with more wisdom than before.

11. They don’t fear alone time. Setting aside time to be alone with

your thoughts every day can be a challenge in today’s fast-paced world. But reflecting on your progress and creating plans to create the kind of life you want to live is key to reaching your greatest potential.

12. They don’t feel the world owes them anything. You’ll never find out how much you have to give if you’re too busy keeping track of what you think you should get. An entitled attitude will cause you to become a passenger, rather than the driver, in your own life.

13. They don’t expect immediate results. Although technology gives us instant gratification in many ways, real change takes time. Expecting to reach your goals overnight will cause you to give up far too soon. Look at your goals as like a marathon, rather than a sprint.

Build Your Mental Muscle Of course, giving up your bad habits is only half the battle. You also need to exercise your mental muscles if you want to grow stronger. But your mental fitness routine will be much more effective once you give up the bad habits that are holding you back. Amy Morin is a psychotherapist and author of “13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do.” Inc.com; April 4, 2017 bit.ly/3mawgAw The views expressed are those of Morin’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2021

legislative LEGISLATIVE ISSUES

HEALTHCARE LEG. Continued from page 12

its packaging stating that it contains gluten. Effective Jan. 1, 2022. SB 147. Allows an individual between the ages of 65 and 75 who has an existing Medicare supplement policy to go through open enrollment lasting 45 days after their birthday. Effective Jan. 1, 2022. SB 109. Removes the witness requirement from Physician Order for Life Sustaining Treatment forms. Also removes a requirement for completion of POLTS form for access to IDPH forms and expands the qualifying definition of health care practitioners that can certify a POLST form. Effective Jan. 1, 2022. SB 471. Enhances mental health and substance abuse treatment standards within Medicaid Managed Care Networks. Effective Jan. 1, 2022. SB 493. Requires all dental health plan carriers and health care providers, by Jan. 1, 2025, to exchange claims and eligibility information electronically under guidance in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act in order to be compensable by the health plan carrier. Effective immediately. SB 500. Makes it illegal to deny a person an organ transplant because of a physical or mental disability. Effective Jan. 1, 2022. SB 567. Allows a licensed optometrist to practice via telehealth. Effective Jan. 1, 2022. SB 579. Requires hospitals and facilities to offer a patient any unused portion of a facility-provided medication upon discharge when it is administered to a patient at the hospital or facility and is required for continuing treatment. Effective July 1, 2021. SB 1087. Dissolves the Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Health Plan. Effective immediately. HB 679. Aligns the power of attorney for healthcare with the declaration of mental health treatment. Effective immediately. HB 704. Allows a surrogate decision maker to use the findings of a licensed out-of-state physician or healthcare provider in end-of-life decisions. Effective immediately.

HB 714. For the examination of health care records, expands the definition of a “health care practitioner” to include any therapist or counselor. Effective Jan. 1, 2022. HB 739. Allows health care professionals to provide prescription antibiotic drugs for the treatment of trichomoniasis to the sexual partner(s) of individuals infected with trichomoniasis without physical examination. Effective Jan. 1, 2022. HB 1776. Requires Department of Children and Family Services to pay a per diem rate for inpatient psychiatric stays at a hospital with pediatric or adolescent impatient psychiatric units beyond medical necessity. Effective immediately. HB 1779. Requires individual and group health plans to cover biomarker testing. Effective Jan. 1, 2022. HB 1805. Permanently establishes the Call4Calm text line to connect individuals to mental health support in their area. Effective immediately. HB 3025. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to provide reimbursement for epilepsy services via telehealth. Effective immediately. SB 1790. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to publish on its website information concerning the process for requesting a rehearing and the process for restoring a license after the successful completion of a term of probation, suspension or revocation of a license for physicians and chiropractors licensed under the Medical Practice Act. Effective Jan. 1, 2022. HB 68. Requires hospitals to include within their quarterly report the number of female patients who have died and the number of female patients admitted to the hospital who died with a COVID-19 diagnosis and at least one underlying condition. Effective Jan. 1, 2022. HB 214. Adds “advanced practice nurses” and “associate physician” to the medical professionals certified to complete death certificates. Effective Jan. 1, 2022.

SPECIAL SECTION Improving Health

October 2021

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2021

Major roads projects in Rockford at year three mark of Rebuild Illinois The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that nearly $29.7 million in road projects is underway in the Rockford area. All six projects are completed or scheduled for completion in 2021. 1. Business U.S. 20 (East State Street) from Buckley Drive to MidAmerican Drive. Installation of storm sewers, bike path, signals, lighting and reconstruction at Perryville Road started in June; scheduled to end in November. Median work and resurfacing will occur next spring. Anticipate overnight and daytime lane closures throughout the project. 2. U.S. 20 at 20th Street. Demolition and replacement of the

20th Street bridge over U.S. 20 with a structure that has two lanes of traffic and a separate multiuse bicycle and pedestrian path. 20th Street traffic has been detoured to Sandy Hollow Road, Illinois 251 (11th Street) and Samuelson Road. Construction began in May, scheduled for completion at the end of October. 3. Illinois 70 from the Pecatonica River in Winnebago County to Safford Road in Rockford. Resurfacing began in June. Daytime lane closures take place to complete the project, scheduled to end in late fall. 4. U.S. 20 from Falconer Road to Simpson. Road pavement patching began Aug. 2 on the 6.5-mile section

of the Rockford Bypass and includes the ramps at the Montague Road and Meridian Road interchanges. Scheduled to end in October. The road will be resurfaced in 2022. 5. U.S. 20 over the Kishwaukee River in Cherry Valley. Expansion joint replacements on both bridges wrapped up in June. 6. Interstate 39/U.S. 51 over Kilbuck Creek in Ogle County. Patching the decks of both bridges, as well as replacing expansion joints, installing a concrete overlay and completing other repairs, finished in June. Visit idot.click/Rebuild-Illinois for details on projects throughout the state.

Over the next six years, IDOT plans to improve more than 3,535 miles of highway and 9 million square feet of bridge deck as a part of the Rebuild Illinois capital program.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2021

R O C K F O R D

C H A M B E R

O F

C O M M E R C E

economic development Key economic indicators of Rockforward20/20 Midwest Aerospace conference postponed to ensure quality connections

The RAEDC regularly provides updates on the region’s progress towards the economic indicators outlined in the Rockforward20/20 strategic plan, which spans from Jan. 1, 2016 to Dec. 31, 2021. The work of economic development is critical to attracting and retaining jobs that are good today, tomorrow and in the future, while ensuring our community remains a place people want to live and conduct business. The RAEDC remains committed to sustainable growth for our region. We are proactive in cultivating opportunities that increase the economic well-being of our region. We remain committed to continuous improvement, always evaluating our priorities to ensure we’re

asking the right questions and pushing for the right solutions. From Jan. 1, 2016 to Sept. 15, 2021, the region has reported the following figures towards the Rockforward20/20 progress towards obtaining our goals. (See Figure 1) We have exceeded the capital investment goal and are closing in on the New and Retained Jobs and New and Renovated Space goals. The daily work of economic development is made possible through the support of our investors, partners and stakeholders. This support is a critical component of creating a business and lifestyle-friendly region that is competitive with our Midwestern neighbors.

Connect With Us

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

opportunities and continued discussion about innovation, cybersecurity and emerging technology. We are excited about your involvement, and if you are already registered, to ensure no additional work is added to your to-do list, we will hold your participation in the event. RegisterforMAC2022andcheckoutthe agenda at MidwestAerospaceConference. com. We can’t wait to see you on March 10, 2022!

ROCKFORD ON REDDIT.COM

Figure 1

MAC2021 creates connections, discusses innovation and strengthens supply chains and opportunities for attendees and exhibitors. One of the primary functions of MAC2021 is matchmaking and networking. Organizers want to ensure this event is successful for all involved. To ensure this happens, MAC2021 has been postponed until March 10, 2022. The event will feature Dr. Ronald Sega as the keynote speaker and Dr. Kevin Michaels, with an aerospace industry update. It will provide matchmaking

Growth & Opportunities Our region has many reasons to locate or expand a business here. The Rockford Region provides an educated and skilled workforce, critical logistics and a low cost of living -- ideal for both business growth and employee satisfaction. When talking to your suppliers or business partners that are considering relocating, these are some of the items to mention. A few of the reasons to expand or relocate here include:

International Airport cargo business is experiencing double digit year-over-year growth; with later drop-off times, faster turnaround time, and lower fees than O’Hare International Airport. This region also has serious advantages for employees:

Speed-to-Market

Recreation

Custom-built facilities meet company needs better than any spec building could. With our speed-to-market approval process, buildings can start producing income much quicker.

We balance hard work with relaxation and world-class recreation facilities, including an award-winning park district.

Workforce Availability The region has established nimble, industry-specific and customized education-to-workforce pipelines, ensuring we have the skilled workforce essential to filling jobs that are good today, tomorrow and in the future. Skilled manufacturing workforce in the Rockford Region outranks the state-wide and national levels.

Logistics & Distribution We are #1 in interstate and railroad connections. Businesses located here can reach Chicago, Cleveland, Kansas City, Milwaukee and St. Louis within one trucking-day. The Chicago Rockford

Aﬀordable Housing The cost of housing is 18 percent lower than the national average.

Commuting If you choose to go to the office, the average commute is 20 minutes, even in rush-hour. The Rockford Region is home to communities, both large and small, providing a wide array of lifestyle options from downtown lofts to quiet tree-lined historic neighborhoods. Live near the river or in a rural home with plenty of space around you. Residents don’t need to leave the area to have fun, but if you want to plan a day trip or even a weekend trip, our close proximity to Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison and the Quad Cities offer diverse choices. Learn more at RockfordIL.com.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2021

SPECIAL SECTION Keeping Your Financial Plans on Track

GUEST COLUMNIST

Plan ahead before joining the “Great Resignation” ERNA COLBORN Edward Jones

Take a look clearly at your financial situation

It’s been called the “Great Resignation” – the large number of Americans voluntarily leaving their jobs. If you plan to be part of it (ideally with another source of employment lined up), you’ll need to make the financial moves necessary to keep making progress toward your long-term goals. Here’s some background: After a year in which the pandemic caused so many people to lose their jobs, the economy is opening back up, but the “quit rate” – the number of jobs people have voluntarily left – has been breaking records. Some economists say this high quit rate is because people are confident of getting better jobs, with higher pay and more flexibility to work at home, or because they are preparing to start their own business or join the gig economy. If you’re thinking of joining this temporary migration from the workforce, how can you help ensure

that you’ll be financially stable and can continue to make progress toward your long-term goals? Your first move is to look clearly at your financial situation. As mentioned above, it’s best to have new employment in hand before you quit your job. Alternatively, perhaps you have a spouse or life partner who earns enough to sustain the two of you, or you’ve built up an emergency fund that gives you a cushion. However, if your short-term income is less than you previously earned or you need to go without a paycheck for a while, could you still pay your bills? If you are strapped for cash, you might be tempted to tap into your 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan. But this move will generally result in taxes and, if you are younger than 59½, a 10 percent penalty as well. Because of this, and because your retirement accounts are designed to be a financial resource after you retire, think twice

Credit card debt rises as people reengage with society After a record-setting year for credit card debt reduction in 2020, U.S. consumers are once again adding new credit card debt by the billion, racking up $45.7 billion during Q2 2021, according to WalletHub’s latest Credit Card Debt Study. That is an all-time record for credit card debt added during the second quarter of a year, and WalletHub now projects that consumers will add a total of $100 billion in debt during 2021. Illinois Debt. The average household in Illinois owes $8,324 in credit card debt, following a $383 Q2 increase. Record Q2 Increase. Credit card debt increased by almost $45.7 billion during Q2 2021, an all-time record for the second quarter of the year. Bigger-Than-Normal Buildup. Consumers’ Q2 2021 credit card debt increase was 2.6 times bigger than the post-Great Recession average for a second quarter. Record Annual Projection. WalletHub projects that consumers will end the year with roughly $100 billion more in credit card debt than they started with, which would be close to an annual record. States with biggest Q2 debt Increase: California, Texas, Florida, New York and Illinois. Smallest Q2 debt Increase: Vermont, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota and Alaska.

Why are credit card debt levels rising again?

Comments by Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub Analyst

Economic uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic has subsided. People are reengaging with society, and they’re making up for lost time

by living life to the fullest, even if they can’t quite aﬀord it. The fact that credit card debt has increased significantly isn’t too much of a surprise, though it is unclear whether this will be a momentary reaction to the unique conditions caused by COVID or the restart of consumers’ long-term slide toward financial instability. Why are debt levels increasing faster now than prior to the pandemic? Debt levels rose 32 percent more in the second quarter of 2021 compared to the same quarter in 2019 because consumer enthusiasm is outpacing the fundamentals. After the pandemic began, consumers reduced credit card debt to levels not seen in decades, and now we’re seeing the pent-up demand in action. Did consumers fail to learn from their pre-pandemic ﬁnancial mistakes? The $45.7 billion increase in credit card debt during Q2 2021 indicates that consumers failed to learn much about sustainable spending from the pandemic. The fear people had of running out of money for food and housing, let alone other bill payments, has been overcome by enthusiasm at the prospect of post-pandemic life. Is rising credit card debt a sign of a healthy or weakening economy? Rising credit card debt can be a sign of a strengthening economy because it indicates increased consumer spending. Credit card debt that rises too fast is worrisome because it indicates cracks in the economy’s foundation that could send it toppling down. It really depends on how quickly and for how long credit card debt levels rise.

before dipping into these funds if you leave your current employer. If your employer allows it, you can leave your money in the 401(k) so you’ll still be accumulating resources for retirement. You also have the option to roll those funds into an individual retirement account (IRA) or a new employer’s retirement plan. And if you plan to work for yourself as a freelancer, consultant or business owner, you’ll still want to save toward retirement. Possible retirement plans for the self-employed include an “owneronly” 401(k), a SEP-IRA or a SIMPLE IRA, all of which may be relatively easy to establish and offer tax benefits. A financial advisor can help you find a retirement plan that’s appropriate for your needs. Here’s something else to keep in mind – an emergency fund. As mentioned above, if you already have one, you’ll have some breathing room if you’re thinking of leaving your job and might have a temporary gap in

income. But as the name suggests, an emergency fund is there to help cover unexpected costs, such as a major home repair, without forcing you to take out a loan, or cash out part of your longer-term investments. So, if you are planning to tap your emergency fund, work to restock it as soon as possible. If you’re participating in the “Great Resignation,” it means you’re feeling positive about your future employment prospects, which is great. But you’ll want to support that optimism with a strong financial foundation. Erna Colborn, AAMS, CRPS is financial advisor at Edward Jones. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones. Member SIPC. The views expressed are those of Colborn’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

SPECIAL SECTION Keeping Your Financial Plans on Track

October 2021

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

GUEST COLUMNIST

KEITH J. AKRE Stillman Bank

Personal financial management: The most important things

Legendary investor Howard Marks summed up 40 years of a successful investing career with a book titled, The Most Important Thing. Aspiring investors flocked to learn what was that most important thing when it came to investing money. The genius was that each chapter outlined a different most important thing.

Investors

must

have

discipline

through volatile markets. Generalized “stay the course” advice is not helpful. Make sure your financial plan can absorb the inevitable market corrections and have a plan for when they come. If reducing risk makes you feel better, than turn the dial back a little. If you are a

■ Chapter 3: The Most Important Thing is Value

long way from retirement, you should

■ Chapter 5: The Most Important Thing is Understanding Risk

increase contributions at a lower price.

■ Chapter 14: The Most Important Thing is Knowing What You Don’t Know The point is that there is not just one most important thing. The same can be said about personal financial management. I have been asked multiple times, “what is the most important thing for me to be doing for my financial plan?” I’ll follow the same format Howard takes in his book.

do and stick to your plan.

The Most Important Thing is Defining Your Goals If you are going to have a financial plan, you have to know what you are planning for. A lot of people, when posed this question, say “Uh, retirement, I guess.” Well, what does retirement look like? How much monthly income will you need? Defining your goals gives your plan a target. How can you plan if you do not have an end point? It would be like putting together a road-map for vacation when you don’t know where you’re going. Also, clearly defining your goals will turn the abstract concept of retirement into a real destination in your mind. This will help you adhere to your financial plan as you have given yourself something real to look forward to.

The Most Important Thing is Discipline One of the biggest risks to financial plans is reactionary trading decisions. When the market starts going down, people see their account values decline and worry that they will continue to lose more. In a desperate feeling of selfpreservation, they sell out of the market -- at exactly the wrong time. Then they have to try to figure out when to buy back in, potentially missing out on a large rebound. By the time they do buy back in, the market drops again. The investor took all the loss, missed all the rebounding gain, and now is looking at more losses. This ‘whipsaw effect’ will decimate a financial plan.

use a correction as an opportunity to Know ahead of time what you need to

The Most Important Thing is Flexibility Plans change, people change, and life changes. You have to build flexibility into your planning process in order to stay on track. A good habit is to evaluate your plan once a year. Are you still on track? What has changed? A few strategies to build flexibility into your plan: Contingency

planning.

What

happens if your dream retirement home goes up in price from $400,000 to $800,000? What would happen if you had unexpected healthcare costs? Stress Testing. Would your financial goals still be attainable if the market dropped 50 percent next week? Goal Ranking. If a need came up that stressed your financial plan, which goals would you lose first. Which are the ‘niceto-haves’ and which are the ‘must-haves’?

The Most Important Things Aren’t Things at All Money gives you options, and a financial plan is simply a tool to optimize your options. But having the money available to buy a dream home and travel every year does not do you any good if you are not healthy enough to enjoy it or if you don’t have people you love to share it with. You want to be set up to enjoy the future without sacrificing the joys of today. As with most things in life, the Most Important Thing is balance. Keith J. Akre, CFA, CFP® is vice president and trust officer at Stillman Bank. The views expressed are those of Akre’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2021

SPECIAL SECTION Keeping Your Financial Plans on Track

GUEST COLUMNIST

ANA MONTOYA RVCU

Serving underserved communities A key to Rockford’s success

In 2020 at the height of the worst economic crisis of this generation, young Latino homebuyers made up half of the Latino homebuying market in the United States. Today, nearly one in three Latinos is currently in the prime home buying years, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. There’s a key to unlocking the Rockford region’s untapped potential and creating a pathway to success. That key is for businesses, organizations and financial leaders to meet the needs of underserved communities in ways that reach them effectively, guide them meaningfully and help fulfill their promise. Historically across the country, underserved communities have not had equal access to education, information and technology. As a result of systemic inequities, communities – especially those of color – have struggled with health disparities, barriers to attending college, limited opportunities in the workforce or difficulties entering the housing markets. As these populations grow, there is a way for businesses and organizations to intercept and prevent potential hardships. As Rock Valley Credit Union (RVCU) team members, we don’t consider ourselves credit union employees. We’re people helping our neighbors and friends navigate their financial landscape. We may put dreams within reach by assisting in loan conditions, deferring payments when appropriate and even waiving fees to ensure members are financially fit. Knowledge is power. We educate and promote financial literacy and have made a concerted effort to do so in our underserved communities. The economic influence and potential of underserved communities is already there, and the next generation is ready to make its impact. For example, in 2020 at the height of the worst economic crisis of this generation, young Latino homebuyers made up half of the Latino homebuying market in the United States. Today, nearly one in three Latinos is currently in the prime home buying years, according to U.S. Census Bureau data cited by CNBC. Right here at home, we have seen a significant increase in the Hispanic and Latino population. So, we must ask ourselves: How can we reach these young people? How can we help more of them become first-time homeowners? The answer is outreach and effective lending efforts, which will result in economically stronger communities, stronger workforces, more informed and capable businesses, a more sound and more inclusive economy, and a thriving

population with access to safer and improved housing. Our society is better and more secure when we’re reaching out to – and connecting with – all contributing members. We want people to feel welcome, safe and comfortable in their investments. Like many credit unions, we do that through education, relationships and advocacy. If we do our job well, we get to watch our neighborhoods grow. RVCU believes in efforts that help improve members’ financial health in the face of the very real challenges facing our economy. We educate and advocate; we prioritize intentional outreach; we help build up our community. In August, we partnered with 13 WREX and Midwest Family Broadcasting for their annual Stuff the Bus campaign to collect school supplies for children in need. The credit union supports Alignment Rockford’s Academy Expo every year, helping to showcase to young students the career opportunities available to them upon graduation. We have helped provide financial education to 1,900 students within the Harlem, Rockford and Rochelle public schools through Banzai, an award-winning financial literacy program. RVCU knows its sponsorship and community outreach efforts will pay off in the long run for our region, and that we benefit from these early investments in people. As a business leader in the Rockford region, I encourage you to join us as we pledge to do our part to level the playing field for all, educate our community so they can see the value of giving back, and support our children so they can grow up safely and confidently. The key to Rockford’s success is in our hands. We just must help unlock the potential of our young people so they can grow up to become happy, successful and productive members of the community. Ana Montoya is the community outreach director at Rock Valley Credit Union. The views expressed are those of Montoya’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

SPECIAL SECTION Keeping Your Financial Plans on Track

Tax benefits for eligible back-to-school expenses With back-to-school time upon us, the Illinois Department of Revenue is reminding taxpayers that they may be able to claim school expenses for their K-12 students on their 2021 Illinois individual income tax returns. Qualified educational expenses include tuition, and book and lab fees in excess of $250 paid to the school where the student is enrolled on a full-time basis. For home-schooled students, book rental and lab fees greater than $250 are eligible when attending a

qualified home school program. The Illinois Education Expense Credit allows parents or legal guardians of a full-time K-12 student under the age of 21 to take a 25 percent tax credit on qualified education expenses over $250. The total credit may not exceed $750 for tax years ending on or after Dec. 31, 2017, regardless of the number of qualifying students. Read Publication 132 and Publication 119 (for home-schooled students) at tax.illinois.gov.

October 2021

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT

WOTC encourages hire of certain employee groups Removing a barrier to employment for some Employers hiring individuals from certain targeted groups who have consistently faced significant barriers to employment might find the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, a federal tax credit, available to them. WOTC joins other workforce programs that incentivize workplace diversity and facilitate access to good jobs for American workers, thanks to the Consolidated Appropriation Act, 2021, which authorized the extension of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit until Dec. 31, 2025.

Empowerment Zones ■ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients ■ Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients ■ Long-term family assistance recipients ■ Long-term unemployment recipients Though the credit is not available to tax-exempt organizations for most groups of new hires, a special rule allows them to claim the WOTC for hiring qualified veterans. These

An employer must obtain

organizations claim the credit against

certification that an

payroll taxes on Form 5884-C, Work

individual is a member of the targeted group, before the employer may claim the credit

Opportunity Credit for Qualified Tax Exempt Organizations.

Pre-screening and Certification An

employer

must

obtain

certification that an individual is a With millions of Americans out of work at one time or another since the pandemic began, the IRS noted that one of these targeted groups is longterm unemployment recipients who have been unemployed for at least 27 consecutive weeks and have received state or federal unemployment benefits during part or all of that time. The other groups include certain veterans and recipients of various kinds of public assistance.

The 10 WOTC Groups: ■ Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients ■ Unemployed veterans, including disabled veterans ■ Formerly incarcerated individuals ■ Designated community residents living in Empowerment Zones or Rural Renewal Counties

member of the targeted group, before the employer may claim the credit; filing

Form

8850,

Pre-Screening

Notice and Certification Request for the Work Opportunity Credit, with their respective state workforce agency within 28 days after the eligible worker begins work.

Limitations on the Credit The credit is limited to the amount of the business income tax liability or Social Security tax owed. A taxable business may apply the credit against its business income tax liability, and the normal carry-back and carry-forward rules apply. For qualified tax-exempt organizations, the credit is limited to the amount of employer Social Security tax owed on wages paid to all employees for the period the credit is claimed. For more information about the

■ Vocational rehabilitation referrals

Work Opportunity Tax Credit, visit

■ Summer youth employees living in

IRS.gov/WOTC.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2021

CLIMATE ACT Continued from page 4

■ Requires all private coal-fired and oil-fired electric generating units to reach zero emissions by Jan. 1, 2030. ■ Requires municipal coal, including Prairie State and CWLP Dallman, to be 100 percent carbon-free by Dec. 31, 2045, with an interim emissions reductions goal of 45 percent from existing emissions by no later than Jan. 1, 2035. If that emissions reduction requirement is not achieved by Dec. 31, 2035, they must retire one or more units or reduce emissions by 45 percent from existing emissions by June 30, 2038. ■ Requires all private natural gas-fired units to reach zero emissions by 2045, prioritizing reductions by those with higher rates of emissions and those in and near environmental justice communities. ■ Requires municipal natural gas-fired units to reach zero emissions by 2045, unless companies convert units to green hydrogen or similar technology that can achieve zero carbon emissions. ■ Requires all units that utilize combined heat and power or cogeneration technology to reach zero emissions by 2045, unless companies convert units to green hydrogen or similar technology that can achieve zero carbon emissions.

■ Creates a coal to solar program to support the transition of coal plants to renewable energy facilities.

two utility-scale solar pilot projects. ■ Permits schools to lease property in excess of 25 years to support renewable energy projects.

■ Authorizes the Governor to create a commission on market-based carbon pricing solutions.

Workforce Development

■ Creates a Nonprofit Electric Generation Task Force to investigate carbon capture and sequestration and debt financing options for Prairie State.

■ Creates the Energy Transition Assistance Fund to allocate funding from ratepayers to support $180 million in state clean energy programs.

■ Requires the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, IPA, and Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) to jointly conduct a study, every five years starting in 2025, on the state’s progress toward its renewable energy resources development goals and the current and projected status of electric resource adequacy and reliability throughout the state.

■ Allows local governments to engage in community energy and climate planning.

■ Requires the ICC to open an investigation to develop and adopt a renewable energy access plan to improve transmission capacity to support renewable energy expansion.

■ Creates a Clean Jobs Workforce Network Hubs Program, establishing 13 program delivery hub sites that leverage community-based organizations to ensure members of equity-focused populations have dedicated and

■ Permits Ameren to establish up to

■ Creates a displaced energy workers bill of rights to provide state support to transitioning energy sector workers, administered by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES).

sustained support to enter and complete the career pipeline for clean energy and related sector jobs. ■ Establishes Energy Transition Navigators to provide education, outreach and recruitment to equityfocused populations to ensure they are aware of workforce development programs. ■ Establishes three Climate Works Hubs throughout the state which will be administered by DCEO and will recruit, prescreen and provide pre-apprenticeship training to equityfocused populations. ■ Creates a clean energy contractor incubator program to provide access to low-cost capital and financial support for small clean energy businesses and contractors. ■ Creates a returning residents clean jobs training program to provide training for careers in the clean energy sector to individuals who are currently incarcerated. (continued on page 24)

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2021

GUEST COLUMNISTS

CHARO CHANEY Keith Country Day School

■ Creates a jobs and environmental justice grant program to provide upfront and seed capital to support community ownership and development of renewable energy projects.

Rockford private schools Expanding options and enhancing access

Financial Considerations Keith School recently again earned its designation as the #1 private high school in the Rockford region and among the best in the state of Illinois with an A+ rating by Niche. Niche is an independent agency that combines rigorous analysis with parent, student and community reviews to highlight the best places to live and go to school. It’s because of those independent rankings that we feel it’s more important than ever to reach students and families who seek the strongest academics with a culture of caring and family, regardless of their socioeconomic situation. At Keith, almost 50 percent of our students benefit from either full-ride scholarships or considerable financial aid. Last spring, one of our honored Keith alum, Hollywood writer/producer Shawn Ryan (’84) and his wife, Cathy, announced five full-tuition scholarships for new students attending Keith all the way through their graduation. As a Keith scholarship student himself, Ryan credited Keith’s smaller school environment, personalized attention, family atmosphere and opportunity to be involved in numerous activities to his success as the writer-producer of hit TV shows “The Shield,” “S.W.A.T.,” and others. In addition to those scholarships,

there

are

plethora

other

opportunities Keith offers to students to help families navigate the sometimesdaunting approach of financing a private school education. If you talk to Keith families, they agree it’s an investment that pays for itself. As an example, 15 Keith graduates last year were offered more than $2.6 million in college scholarships and 90 percent of our students are accepted into their first college of choice, including Ivy League schools. That’s not just a lucky year – it’s a consistent measure of our students’ success we’re proud to share.

Well Rounded Education Strong academics are key, but not the only component of a well-rounded education.

Most

private

schools,

like Keith, are small by design and aim to keep it that way. Personalized instruction, a safe environment, a family-friendly atmosphere, and the highest-quality teachers who – across the board – truly care about their students are a few of our differentiators that larger schools just cannot offer. At private schools, students are taught how to learn versus what they need to learn to pass a test or earn a grade. They’re encouraged to explore and celebrate their unique abilities through a wide range of enrichment programs and opportunities including individual and team sports; strong music and theater arts programs; leadership,

academic

and

special

interest clubs, and more. Our to

Continued from page 23

■ Creates a clean energy primes contractor accelerator program to mentor and support businesses and contractors through business coaching and operational support.

ASHLEIGH VAN THIEL Keith Country Day School

We’re fortunate to have so many school choices in the Rock River Valley. From public and private, Montessori and academy, religious and collegepreparatory, parents can choose the best path for their children. Educational diversity is especially important today as our community works to attract new industry and encourage educated young adults to return and contribute to our local economy. Some local families feel that a private school education is simply out of reach for their economic circumstances, and that they can’t take advantage of some of the options available in our region. It’s true that a private education is an investment but that investment, when well-placed, can earn dividends for years – and generations – to come. It’s also true that most private schools, like Keith Country Day School, offer an abundance of scholarships and financial support for families who otherwise wouldn’t consider the option.

CLIMATE ACT

educational

assure

employers

systems

need

that

future

employees and leaders will have the foundational skills to be valuable and relevant. Each child is different, and every type of school is needed to keep Rockford growing and strong. While strong public schools are essential to the overall health of our community, private schools are equally important to Rockford’s growth and vitality. Charo Chaney and Ashleigh Van Thiel are coheads of school for Keith Country Day School. The views expressed are those of Chaney’s and Van Theil’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

■ Establishes the Energy Workforce Advisory Council within DCEO to make recommendations to the state on clean energy workforce programs.

Transition Programs and Assistance ■ Creates an Energy Transition Workforce Commission to report on anticipated impacts of transitioning to a clean energy economy and recommend changes to the workforce through 2050. ■ Requires DCEO to establish an energy transition barrier reduction program; a grant program to promote economic development in eligible, transitioning communities, and administer a transition scholarship program for youth deterred from attending or completing an educational program at an Illinois institution of higher education because of his or her parent’s layoff from a retiring power plant. ■ Requires DCEO, in collaboration with IDES, to implement a displaced worker bill of rights that provides benefits to displaced energy workers. ■ Requires DCEO to create or commission a report on the energy worker and transition programs. ■ Allows units of local government to establish Community Energy and Climate Plans, to aid in developing a comprehensive approach to combining different energy and climate programs and funding resources. ■ Requires plant owners to notify employees and public officials of a plant closure two years in advance.

Consumer Protections ■ Eliminates the customer deposit requirement and late fees for lowincome utility residential customers. ■ Eliminates the online payment fee for all customers’ utility bills. ■ Requires utility companies to accurately report to the ICC on the number of shutoffs and reconnections on a monthly basis. ■ Provides utility-funded compensation to non-profit representatives of consumer interests that intervene in ICC proceedings in order to increase public engagement and transparency, expand information available to the

ICC, and improve decision-making. ■ Requires the ICC to conduct a comprehensive study to assess whether low-income discount rates for residential customers are appropriate and consider the design and implementation of such rates. ■ Requires the ICC to initiate a docket to provide for the refunding of excess deferred income taxes by the end of 2025. ■ Prevents municipal and cooperative electric providers from imposing discriminatory financial repercussions on customers who self-generate electricity.

Ethics Reforms ■ Expands statement of economic interest requirements to include any spouse or immediate family member employed by a public utility in Illinois. ■ Subjects the Illinois Power Agency to ex-parte communication requirements. ■ Creates a Public Utility Ethics and Compliance Monitor to ensure utility companies are meeting the highest level of ethical standards. ■ Requires the ICC to initiate an investigation into how ratepayer funds were used in connection with the conduct outlined in ComEd’s Deferred Prosecution Agreement, potentially putting refunds back into residential ratepayers’ pockets. ■ Requires each utility to establish the position of a Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer who must submit annual reports to the ICC. ■ Ends Formula Rates ■ Ends formula rates and transitions to performance-based ratemaking. ■ Requires an independent audit of the current state of the grid and expenditures made since 2012. ■ Requires utilities to file a MultiYear Rate Plan where they will be rewarded and penalized based on achievement of ICC-approved performance metrics, which will be based on reliability and resiliency, peak load reductions attributable to demand response programs, supplier diversity expansion, affordability, interconnection response time, and customer service performance. ■ Requires annual performance evaluations to evaluate utilities’ performance on their metric targets during the previous year. ■ Requires utilities to file a MultiYear Integrated Grid Plan to support the state’s clean energy goals and comprehensive grid planning. ■ Creates a new Division of Integrated Distribution Planning at the ICC.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2021

GENDER STRATEGY Continued from front page

women have been fighting for equal pay for equal work; slamming into the glass ceiling from a ladder with a broken rung while simultaneously working against the glass wall and within a leaky pipeline; and statistically doing more unpaid/invisible work both at home and in the office. Unsurprisingly, the rate of burnout and exhaustion mid-pandemic is higher in women than in that of men. According to McKinsey & Company’s 2021 Women in the Workplace report, the gap between men and women who feel overwhelmed has nearly doubled. In a world where stress runs high and the talent pool is shallow, what can local organizations do to attract, retain and support women leaders? While longlasting systemic changes are necessary in many areas, what follows are two small, but impactful, ways organizations can support working women.

Evaluate Organizational Norms For many woman, taking on unpaid leadership roles or additional invisible labor, has been considered a sign of a good leader or a true team player. In reality, these tasks often pull women away from measurable work directly tied to metrics that are frequently used to determine promotions. Right or wrong, these unspoken organizational norms tend to pigeonhole women and saddle them with extra work that is not typically financially compensated or perceived to be of value when considering promotion. When thinking about your own organization, ask yourself: In group meetings, who takes notes/ minutes for the group? Is it typically a male or female employee? When looking at employee appreciation efforts, who typically buys birthday or anniversary cards? Who plans the Christmas party? Who organizes the Zoom Happy Hour? If the break room runs out of creamer or additional coffee packets need to be grabbed from the pantry for the conference room, who usually notices

and completes this task? While often unintentional, assuming that women will fill these roles or allowing men to simply pass on the responsibilities (thus making women feel like they have to pick up the slack) puts women at a disadvantage. Next time your organization is looking for someone to take notes or plan the company Christmas party, assign the task to a male… and don’t let him pass it off to his female counterpart. And if a woman volunteers? Find another special project that is more metric-based for her to lend her talents to. Allowing her to complete tasks that are easily associated with conventional “success” or corporate wins positions her better for a potential promotion.

Check the Schedule Somewhere in the time between prepandemic and wherever we are now, we lost the traditional 9 to 5 schedule. While COVID is not entirely to blame, the everpresent, ever-ready, all-hours on work schedule has become the increasing norm – and women are paying the price. Because women traditionally still hold the majority of the child-rearing and housekeeping duties, they are disproportionately impacted when they must step away from work to attend to family matters. Sadly, women attending to her children or elderly family members is seen as a liability to her organization, while men traditionally are described as heroes (should they be the one who takes time away from work at all). When thinking about your organization, ask yourself: Are the hours at which I am holding meetings (virtual or otherwise) conducive to all members of my team? Early start times may interfere with school or daycare drop off; end of the day meetings that run late could add undue stress or hardship for parents in charge of pick-up duties. Are performance reviews or informal evaluations putting unintentional (or, perhaps even intentional) emphasis on long hours, butts in seats and email response time vs. goal-based outcomes?

Obstacles & Barriers to Women’s Success Defined GLASS CEILING. A metaphorical invisible barrier that prevents certain individuals, i.e., women, from being promoted to managerial -and executive-level positions within an organization or industry. GLASS WALL. The phenomenon of occupational segregation where female managers tend to be concentrated in business support functions, such as HR, finance and administration, where they have limited decision-making power or strategic input, and therefore limited opportunities to rise in the company. BROKEN RUNG. Women continue to face a broken rung at the first step up to manager: For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 86 women are promoted. As a result, men outnumber women significantly at the manager level, which means that there are far fewer women to promote to higher levels. LEAKY PIPELINE. The proportion of women tends to decline as the level of management increases, meaning that men continue to dominate chief executive positions and boards. When women are not present in the highest positions in business, they lack the inﬂuence to alter the workplace culture, and so the cycle of male dominance continues. As long as women are under-represented in decisionmaking roles, the pipeline will continue to leak.

Consider the personal side of people’s lives and how your organization can support women through small changes like moving a 7:30 a.m., meeting to 9 a.m., or pushing back a 4 p.m., that always runs late to 1 p.m. Develop evaluation rubrics that focus on organizational and team member goals and the outcomes achieved by individuals rather than the perceived input it took to get there. Move away from praise of the 2 a.m., email or the race to respond after hours. Model appropriate work-life boundaries and have the conversation

with employees who consistently blur those boundaries. When women succeed, organizations, families and communities succeed. To truly recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations will need to take special care to ensure that women do not lose a decade worth of progress in a short 18 months. Intentionality and attention to small, but meaningful, details can make or break a person’s experience within an organization. In a world of talent shortage, losing women simply is not an option. v

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2021

in the news MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

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

1. Chris Zion

2. Zack Hoppenjan

3. Dr. Giovanni Incadela

4. Melissa Blaser

5. Ryan Beckon

6. James Richardson

7. Shawn Budlong

8. Sarra Reichwald

9. Audrey Moon

10. Geoﬀ Roemerman

11. Shane Stuart

12. Kristin Hamblock

13. Jericka Vega

14. Ken LaRue

15. Ali Friend

16. Brett Nelson

BOARD APPOINTMENTS

surgeon Dr. Giovanni Incadela (3).

The RACVB Charitable Foundation Board elected the following oﬃcers for one-year terms: David Anderson, chair; Jennifer Furst, vice chair; Darrel Snorek, treasurer, and Marco Lenis, secretary. The following will serve for one-year terms: Patrick Tulley and Gina Caruana, and for two-year terms: Mustafa Abdall, Rebecca Francis, Marco Lenis (returning) and Darrel Snorek (returning).

Wipﬂi promoted Melissa Blaser (4), CPA, to partner in its Rockford oﬃce. She leads the regulatory compliance and Bank Secrecy Act practice for the firm.

Chris Zion (1), FNIC-Trusted Insurance Advisors, was named as president of the Rockford Cosmopolitan board for 20212022. Other oﬃcers: Brian Thor, president elect; Larry Lazzerini, secretary; Bill Redig, treasurer, and Francesco Collura, charities board president.

Rosecrance named Sarra Reichwald (8) as vice president of innovation and excellence.

Woodward, Inc., appointed Rajeev Bhalla, to serve on the board and audit committee of the board.

NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, RETIREMENTS Fehr Graham promoted Zack Hoppenjan (2) to senior engineering technician in the Freeport oﬃce. OrthoIllinois welcomed podiatric

Entre’ Computer Solutions hired Ryan Beckon (5) as a network specialist, James Richardson (6) as a network engineer and Shawn Budlong (7) as part of the ENM Team responsible for help desk support.

Chartwell Agency hired Audrey Moon (9) as communications strategist. First National Bank and Trust hired Geoﬀ Roemerman (10) as senior vice president (SVP) director of customer experience and innovation. Shane Stuart (11) joined Anchor Wealth Management as a wealth advisor after completing his Series 7 and Series 66 licensing exams. He was the golf professional at Silver Ridge Golf Course in Oregon.

Jericka Vega (13) was promoted to director of member experience operations at Rock Valley Credit Union. Winnebago County State’s Attorney J. Hanley named Ken LaRue (14), first assistant; Ali Friend, (15) deputy chief, criminal bureau; Savannah Myers, victim service provider, misdemeanor unit; Jessica Klause, administrative assistant, civil unit; Linda Williams, administrative assistant, records unit, and William Pixler, administrative assistant, records unit. Brett Nelson (16) was promoted to VP chief financial oﬃcer at Wesley Willows. Rosecrance named Joan Lodge as grant management administrator and community liaison. Rockford Housing Authority hired Alex Keedi (17), who is overseeing the Jobs Plus Initiative for residents. The program launches in 2022.

EMPLOYEE/COMMUNITY RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS

Rosecrance promoted Kristin Hamblock (12) to vice president of human resources.

Kyle York (18), vice president sales area manager, Illinois Bank & Trust, received the Crusader Community Health Foundation 2021 Spirit of Caring Award.

Donald Duncan, financial advisor, Savant Wealth Management, was recognized as a 2021 Five Star Wealth Manager in Chicago by Five Star Professional. Ana Montoya (19), community outreach director, Rock Valley Credit Union, was honored by the Beloit Daily News as Volunteer of the Month at the 41st annual Volunteer Recognition Luncheon. The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal named Guy Mingo (20), CEO, Marsden Services, as one of its 2021 Most Admired CEOs. Locally, he oversees CleanPower, a Marsden Services Company. University of Illinois Extension named Neva Ramos (21), club leader, Machesney Pilots 4-H club, to the Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame for dedication to the 4-H Youth Development program. Anna Derocher (22), marketing manager, Fehr Graham, earned the designation of Certified Professional Services Marketer from the Society of Marketing Professional Services. Boylan Catholic High School gave alumni recognition awards to Tom Baudhuin (23) (The Veritas-highest honor), Reverend David Beauvais Continued on page 27

17. Alex Keedi

18. Kyle York

19. Ana Montoya

20. Guy Mingo

21. Neva Ramos

22. Anna Derocher

23. Tom Baudhuin

24. Rev. David Beauvais

25. Penny Yurkew

26. Dr. David Corcoran

27. Michael Ziener

28. John J. Phelps

29. Sonia Jass

30. Angelica Meraz

31. Denise M. Noe

32. James Bradley

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2021

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

on digital

MEMBER PICS

(Continued from page 26) (24) (Honorary Alumnus), Penny Yurkew (25) (Outstanding Teacher), and Dr. David Corcoran (26), Michael Ziener (27), John J. Phelps (28) and Sonia Jass (29) (Alumni Excellence). Angelica Meraz (30) received the Young Alumnus award. Alpine Kiwanis Club of Rockford gave Paul Logli its 2021 Touch A Life award. CFRE International named Denise M. Noe (31), chief development oﬃcer, Boys & Girls Club of Rockford, as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE). James Bradley (32), a student at Rockford Christian Schools – International, is a semifinalist for the 67th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Melissa McCormick, MX3 Business Solutions LLC, received the Everything DiSC® Trainer

33. Sarah Greenlee

34. Dr. Jay MacNeal

Certification from Wiley Workplace Learning Solutions. Entre’ Computer Solutions named Sarah Greenlee (33) as Employee of the Quarter.

OF GENERAL INTEREST Dr. Jay MacNeal (34), EMS medical director, Mercyhealth, currently is deployed to Louisiana for medical care in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. MacNeal is part of the OH-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team, a federal response team of the National Disaster Medical System.

Tilted 10 hosted a ribbon cutting on Sept. 9 at 7200 Harrison Ave., Space S-01, Rockford.

aMBaSSaDOR ON THE

MOVE

Jim Lyke, with Lamar Advertising, a Rockford Chamber Ambassador, plays Ms. Pac-Man at the Tilted 10 ribbon cutting on Sept. 9.

Sedona of Rockford held a ribbon cutting on Sept. 22 at 1113 30th St., Rockford.

For the first time since March 12, 2020, the Rockford Chamber Ambassadors were able to meet in person. Ambassadors and Chamber Staff (l to r): Lynette Jacques, Caitlin Pusateri, Melissa McCormick, Diane James, Steve Cunningham, Mary Ann Gaunt, Emily Plumb, Pinky Langdon, Maren Sanders, Karen Smith, Jim Lyke, Pat Casazza, Matt Gugliciello, Jean Ginner and Kristin Muehlfelder.

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

Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding publication

Illinois Institute of Nursing Studies, Inc., hosted a ribbon cutting on Sept. 28 at 2222 E. State St., A104, Rockford.

For Up-to-date Event Information, visit rockfordchamber.com

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2021

business

BUSINESS BRIEFS

BMO Harris Bank Center in September poured a concrete slab for the new ice rink. The slab underwent a 10-day wet cure, followed by 18 more days of dry curing before the ice rink could be cooled.

KMK Media Group was hired by the Winnebago County Health Department to produce a series of videos to go on social media promoting good oral health in children and families in northern Illinois. KMK produced a recruitment video for Fehr Graham. It was hired by Commonwealth Edison and its Chicago consulting partner, AECOM, for strategic marketing services for upcoming community workshops and ideation sessions from September through early 2022. V2 Marketing & Management was hired by Rockford Sexual Assault Counseling to create and produce three PSA videos on consent for adolescents, focused on technology, relationships and sexual harassment. City First Church, through “its initiative, “Pack the Bus,” and the generosity of the community, delivered 2,000 backpacks filled with new school supplies to Constance Lane Elementary, Carlson Elementary, Ellis Elementary, Haskell Elementary and McIntosh Elementary on Aug. 24 and 25. Rockford Rescue Mission encourages people in the community to distribute postcards with information on the comprehensive help available through the Life Recovery Program, a nine- to 12-month residential program. Download at www. rockfordrescuemission.org (latest news section), email info@ rockfordrescuemission.org with name and mailing address or pick cards up at 715 W. State St. Rock House Kids received a $5,000 grant from International Paper for provide hot meals as a part of its evening programming for more than 250 inner-city kids of Rockford, four evenings a week. Savant Wealth Management with GrahamSpencer won two American Advertising Awards from the American Advertising Federation Northern Illinois for its brand campaign (silver) and new website (bronze). Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois was accredited for another three years for its employment programs by CARF International. Rockford Park District opened its new nine-hole disc golf course at Shorewood Park in Loves Park; the third disc golf course in the district. Forest Preserves of Winnebago County and Klehm Arboretum &

Botanic Garden received $10,000 in grant funding from the ComEd Green Region program for the construction of a bioretention area to reduce erosion and enhance stormwater drainage through the use of specific plants tolerant of wet sites. The $10,000 in matching funds came from the Kjellstrom Family Foundation. WATT Global Media acquired Feed & Grain magazine and its associated assets from IDEAg Group LLC, an affiliate of the American Farm Bureau Federation. The flagship publication has been the leading business-to-business information source for the American grain storage, milling and grain handling sector. Barbara Olson Center of Hope received a $2,500 grant from Rockford Cosmopolitan Charities towards expansion of GourMutts Dog Biscuits and a garden with produce to sell throughout the community. It received a $9,000 grant from the William S. Howard Charitable Trust for its Bridges to the Future transitions program to help students with developmental disabilities, starting at age 14, to graduate. One of First National Bank and Trust Company’s customers, Naill G., was surprised with a $1,000 prepaid card from Mastercard® as a part of Mastercard’s Priceless Surprises sweepstakes in July. The customer was a FNBT debit Mastercard cardholder with an automatic entry into the sweepstakes for each signaturebased purchase through Dec. 31, 2021. Rockford Convention & Visitors Bureau announced the completion of the last two mural projects as a part of the 2021 CRE8IV public art initiative. The murals in Loves Park and Pecatonica were painted by Brett Whitacre, a self-taught artist living and working in Rockford. This signaled the completion of all 12 murals for 2021. After six years identified as a division of UW Health, SwedishAmerican has updated its brand and is now identified as UW Health, effective immediately. It has the same physicians in the same locations under their current insurance plans. The name change will not affect the employment status of the 3,700-plus associates. It will bring greater access to medical specialties, research and physicians for patients in northern Illinois. The nonprofit, Come Together Rockford, has as its official name, NORTHERN ILLINOIS INSTITUTE for the HEALING of RACISM, Inc. Both “brands” refer to one organization, NIIHR, Inc.

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

Forest City Gear exhibited at the Motion + Power Technology Expo, Sept. 14 to 16 in St. Louis. The bi-annual expo, formerly known as Gear Expo, is the ﬂagship event of the American Gear Manufacturers Association. Rockford Park District’s Fall/Winter 2021/2022 Program Guide now is available exclusively online at www. rockfordparkdistrict.org/guides. Registration is open for lessons, camps and leagues, September to December, 2021. Rock Valley Credit Union launched Early Pay direct deposit so members can have access to their paychecks up to two days early. Members’ paychecks will be deposited as soon as the money is received. Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois entrepreneurs kicked oﬀ the 2021 Fall Product Program with online sales of gourmet nuts, candies and magazines, including a new product, caramel apples, at www.girlscoutsni. org/buynutscandymags. Rockford Park District hosts Golf Sunday Fun Days every Sunday after 3 p.m., through Oct. 31, at Ingersoll and Sinnissippi golf courses in Rockford. Reserve a tee time at golfrockford.org. Walk-ups are welcome, based on availability. Judson University was featured on Universities.com as having one of the safest college campuses in America for its array of programs such as theft prevention, behavior assessment, self-defense and assault prevention as well as its “Silent Witness” form for anyone to report their concerns anonymously. Rockford Rescue Mission received a $5,471 grant from the Kjellstrom Family Foundation towards new chairs and tables and art supplies for the art room to help residents heal through art therapy. Chartwell Agency received Marketing Association of Credit Unions’ gold award for an employee/ career video highlighting Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union employees and culture and a silver one for its “People Matter Most” video campaign. It received dotCOM awards for the Studio GWA website and Winnebago County Animal Services website (platinum), NI ReACH website, Edgebrook Shops marketing campaign, Chicago Rockford International Airport social media campaign and Great Lakes Grant overview video (gold). Rockford Area Arts Council summer youth program, SPARK! installed its Mosaic Triptych Towers across from Embassy Suites in downtown Rockford. Mosaic artist, Susan Burton, mentored the SPARK! 2021 regional middle school and high school students on the project.

The triptych depicts three themes: The Bee’s Knees, From Sea to the Sun, and Native Elements. Rockford Area Arts Council summer youth program, SPARK!, installed themed treasure boxes for community give-and-take similar to community book lending libraries. The YMCA of Rock River Valley hosts boxes at the former Good Shepherd Lutheran, 1829 N. Rockton Ave. The Fun and Games Box contains board games, puzzles, brain teasers and playing cards; the Vending Machine Box currently contains school supplies, and the All About Art Box contains art supplies. The 200 Y Boulevard location hosts the Pet Shop Box with pet-related supplies and the Fantasy Garden Box with garden-related supplies and plants. University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford received $2.3 million in federal funding to enhance family medicine residents’ training over five years in obstetrical procedures. The goal is to reduce poor maternal and birth outcomes in rural and underserved areas by increasing the number of family medicine physicians with highquality, evidence-based obstetrical skills. Training primarily will happen for the STRETCH-OB residents at UW Health Northern Illinois Region, but also through rural partners in Freeport, Dixon and Gibson City. RockCom communication center located on Mercyhealth’s Javon Bea Hospital–Rockton campus will expand its footprint this fall; increasing its size by more than 350 percent. The highly trained communication specialists provide dispatch and coordination for Mercyhealth patients and area fire/ EMS organizations, 24-hours, 7-days-a-week for the Durand Fire Department, Shirland Fire Department, Metro Ambulance, Pecatonica Fire Department, WinBur-Sew Fire Department, North Park Fire Department, Loves Park Fire Department, Rockton Fire Department and South Beloit Fire Department.

Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding publication

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2021

community

COMMUNITY EVENTS & WEBINARS

OCTOBER 2021 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1 Rockford Area Arts Council, City of Rockford, Rockford Public Library and City of Rockford Poet Laureate and Youth Laureate presents the first biannual ArtScene Poetry Kick-Oﬀ. Applications due Sept. 15. Those chosen 16 and older will read their poems live at Rockford City Hall at 4 p.m. Submit application at artsforeveryone.com/artscene. Northern Illinois University Art Museum’s exhibition Refuge and Refugee and The Art of Surviving: The Journey of the Karen Refugees in Illinois is open at the Altgeld Hall galleries through Nov. 12. Organized by the Center for Burma Studies at NIU. Visit niu.edu/artmuseum.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2 Cider ’N Cinnamon takes place 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Oct. 2 and 3 at Edgebrook, 1639 N. Alpine Road, Rockford.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6 Foreign Trade Zone #176, administered by Zethmayr LLC, hosts its Annual Meeting, 4 to 6 p.m., at the Greater Rockford Airport Authority, 60 Airport Dr. Features a keynote from Harry Moser, founder of the Reshoring Initiative. Register at ftz-176.eventbrite.com.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8 Boz Scaggs performs his new album, Out of the Blues, 7:30 p.m., Coronado Performing Arts Center, 314 N. Main St., Rockford. Tickets at coronadopac.org/events

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9 Rockford Park District presents Fall on the Farm, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Lockwood Park, 5201 Saﬀord Road, on Saturdays, Oct. 9, 16, 23, 30. Advance reservations strongly recommended at www. lockwoodpark.com or 815-987-8809. Heritage Museum Park presents Haunted Rockford: A special presentation, 7 to 9 p.m., at 1129 S. Main St., Rockford. Visit www. hauntedrockford.com or call 815871-4239.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13 NAACP Rockford Branch presents Are You Prepared for Life’s Unexpected Emergencies?, 7 p.m., on Zoom with Solomon Foley, State Farm Insurance. To join, use Meeting ID: 772 6040 1705. Passcode: hgdmZ6 or call 815-570-9231.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14 RAMP hosts its 30th annual Changing Attitudes Breaking Barriers Luncheon, 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Tebala Event Center, 7910 Newburg Road, Rockford. Keynote speaker, Zach Haney, a recent Boylan

High School graduate with plans to attend Illinois State University, shares his personal battle with mental illness. For information call 815-968-7467. For tickets visit give.classy.org/ rampluncheon. Barbara Olson Center of Hope presents Harvest Fest 2021, a virtual event, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Online auction and wine pull, appetizers-to-go from GreenFire and signature drinks. Call 815-964-9275.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16 First National Bank and Trust hosts a free Shred Day, 9 a.m. to noon, at its branch at 300 E. Main St., Rockton. Court Street United Methodist Church hosts a presentation by Jane Rubietta, Worry Less So You Can Live More: Surprising, Simple Ways to Feel More Peace, Joy and Energy, 10 a.m., at 215 N. Court St., Rockford. Handicap accessible. Free-will oﬀering. Grab-and-go snack will be provided. Rockford Park District presents Tree Trunk or Treat, 5 to 7 p.m., at Atwood Center, Seth B. Atwood Park, 2685 New Milford School Road. Register at www.atwoodpark.org/ programs. Greater Rockford Italian American Association (GRIAA) presents Pixar’s, Luca, 2 p.m., at Heritage Museum Park, 1129 S. Main St., Rockford. Free, but limited to 50 people; first-come, first-served. Visit www.haunted rockford.com or call 815-871-4239.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 Rockford Christian Schools International Fair hosts a College Fair. Contact sarah.cernohous@ rockfordchristian.org or 815-3918000, ext. 134 for details.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19 Entré Computer Solutions presents Entré TechX 2021, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Forest Hills Country Club, 5135 Forest Hills Road, Rockford. Contact cathyn@entrerock.com.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20 Alignment Rockford hosts the 10th annual Academy Expo, 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., at Indoor Sports Center MercyHealth Sportscore 2, 8800 E. Riverside Blvd., Loves Park. Guides RPS 205 Freshmen in selecting their College and Career Academy for Sophomore year. Contact Jessica Hayes at jessica@alignmentrockford. com.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21 University of Illinois Extension hosts a virtual workshop, Healthy Behaviors for a Healthy Immune System, 1 to 3 p.m. Register by Oct. 19 to receive the Zoom link at 815-986-4357 or go.illinois.edu/jsw.

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

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22 2021 John Crist: Fresh Cuts Comedy Tour comes to Coronado Performing Arts Center, 314 N. Main St., Rockford, at 7 p.m. Tickets at coronadopac.org/events.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26 Coronado Performing Arts Center and Right Angle Entertainment present FRIENDS! The Musical Parody, a New York City oﬀBroadway hit, 7 p.m., at 314 N. Main St., Rockford. Visit coronadopac. org. University of Illinois Extension presents the Certiﬁed Food Protection Manager Course, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Oct. 26 and 29 at the Winnebago County Farm Bureau, 1925 S. Meridian Road, Rockford. Meets the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Food Service Sanitation Code requirements. Register at 815-986-4357 or go.illinois.edu/jsw.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30 Heritage Museum Park hosts the Most Haunted Tour-2021, 6 to 11 p.m. Will visit three historical locations: Veterans Memorial Hall, Tinker Swiss Cottage and Graham Ginestra House. Must pay in advance at www.hauntedrockford. com or call 815-871-4239.

NOVEMBER 2021 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12 The Rockford branch of the NAACP teams up for an event with GreenTown Rockford, Sustain Rockford and other cosponsors, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Embassy Suites, Rockford. Topics range from water to economic development to the outdoors. Young people are especially invited to attend. Register at www. greentownconference.com.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20 Rockford Park District presents Leafy Masterpieces, 12 to 2 p.m., at Atwood Center, Seth B. Atwood Park, 2685 New Milford School Road. Register at www.atwoodpark.org/ programs.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26 Coronado Performing Arts Center presents country music superstar Martina McBride for her Joy of Christmas Tour, 7:30 p.m. Tickets at Ticketmaster.com, BMO Harris Bank Center and Coronado PAC box oﬃces and 815-968-5222.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27 Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau will host Dasher Dash 5K, noon, on the day of Stroll on State. Register by Nov. 25 at www. strollonstate.com.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2021

NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS ABACUS MANUFACTURING GROUP INC. Manufacturing - CNC Production 516 18th Ave., 61104 Robert Voigtlander 815-654-7050 www.abacusmanufacturing.net

ADNET TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT

As an experienced technology management leader for over 25 years. We can take care of everything! 300 N. McLean Blvd. Elgin, IL 60123 Sam Hiebel 815-489-3910 www.adnet.us

BENNIE’S CLEANERS

Dry cleaning and laundry services; Cleaning, ﬁre & water restoration 126 N. First St., 61101 Bob Blosser 815-509-7043

CIRCLE BORING & MACHINE COMPANY, INC. Precision Machining: Automotive machine rebuilding, oﬀ-road equipment 3161 Forest View Road, 61109 John Ekberg 815-398-4150 www.circleboring.com

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

35-YEAR MEMBERS

10-YEAR MEMBERS

20-YEAR MEMBER

5-YEAR MEMBERS

Phelps Industries, Inc. Wesley Willows

Woodman’s Food Market, Inc. #30

15-YEAR MEMBER

Remedies Renewing Lives

Morgan Stanley The Custer/Meisch Group KFACT Inc. Rockford Systems, LLC Z Resource

MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS Thank you to members who renewed with the Rockford Chamber of Commerce in August 2021 ABC Catering Ltd., A Better Choice Catering Alpine Body Shop, Inc. Ambassador Homes, LLC Amberwood Care Centre Anderson Environmental Co. Baymont by Wyndham Rockford Blake Oil Company Burpee Museum of Natural History Cedar Hill Condominium Association Chartwell Agency Cherry Valley Fire Protection District CliftonLarsonAllen LLP Comprehensive Community Solutions Cremation Society of Illinois Crystal Precision Drilling, Inc. Culver’s Restaurant Estwing Manufacturing Company, Inc. GreenFire Restaurant, Bar & Bakery Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP Holiday Inn Express Holiday Inn Express - Rochelle Honquest Family Funeral Home With Crematory Horizons Inc. Illinois State Credit Union Institute of Languages, Mathematics and Sciences (ILMS) InterActive Safety Solutions Inc. Irontek J. Carlson Growers, Inc. Jersey Mike’s Subs Kiwanis Club of Rockford Luxe Productions M2 Landscaping LLC McMAHON Menta Academy Northwest Midwest Community Bank Natural Land Institute

Nelson Fire Protection Rasmussen University Rockford Association for Minority Management Rockford Carpetland USA, Inc. Rockford Cemetery Association, Greenwood Cemetery & Crematorium Rockford Rigging, Inc. Rockford Structures Construction Company Rockford Symphony Orchestra Roxy Carmichael Boutique Roy Gayle Pony Baseball Softball Samco Sales & Marketing Inc. Security First Title Company Springfield Electric Supply Company Staﬀ On Site Midwest Inc. Stateline Real Estate LLC/Stateline Rental Properties Sunbelt Rentals Tavern on Clark The Anser Group The Pension Specialists, Ltd. The UPS Store Transform Rockford United Association of Plumbers & Pipe Fitters Local Union 23 Vixen Productions WATT Global Media Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers (K & K Foods Inc.) East Riverside Blvd Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers (K & K Foods Inc.) - Downtown State St Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers (K & K Foods Inc.) - East State St WinMan LLC Womanspace, Inc.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

CHaMBER

ADVERTISERS INDEX

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

OCTOBER, 2021 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1 Ribbon Cutting at LADIWORKZ, 2 to 3 p.m., 730 N. Church St., Ste. 101, 102, 103, Rockford.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7 Mayor’s Business Address, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at Radisson Hotel & Conference Center, 200 S. Bell School Road, Rockford. Mayor Tom McNamara will highlight recent city successes and areas for improvement. Sponsors: BMO Harris Bank (community series presenting), AT&T (gold), Comcast Business (community series silver), UW Health (silver), Van Matre Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital (bronze), Woodward (Citizen of the Year).

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

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13 Breakfast Buzz, 8 to 9:30 a.m., PURI School of Business, 5100 E. State St., Rockford. Sponsored by RSM.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21 Business Women’s Council, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Forest Hills Country Club, 5135 Forest Hills Road, Rockford. Sponsored by Associated Bank.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21 Ribbon Cutting at Anchor Wealth Management, 3 to 4 p.m., at 4949 Harrison Ave., Ste. 110, Rockford. Celebrating new building expansions.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22 IGNITE Lunch with a Leader- Luz Ramirez, noon to 1 p.m., YWCA Northwestern Illinois, 4990 E. State St., Rockford. Event also will be streamed via Facebook Live! BYO lunch.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27 Ribbon Cutting at Restore Counseling & Recovery, 1 to 2 p.m., 7399 Forest Hills Road, Loves Park. Celebrating the new oﬃce.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28 Pow(H)er —an expansion of our Women in Business Luncheon, Pow(H)er will oﬀer guests (women and men) the opportunity to dive deeper into topics important to the advancement of women. Participants can choose workshops

October 2021

from three tracks: Balance, Advancement & Legacy. The “Women in Business Luncheon” is included in the Pow(H)er registration. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront & Rockford Conference Center, 416 S. Main St., Rockford, IL 61101. Sponsors: OSF Healthcare (platinum), Quartz (gold), Northwest Bank (Community Award sponsor), Thayer Energy Solutions (Woman Business Owner Award Sponsor), Edward Jones - Erna Colborn (bronze), Savant Wealth Management (corporate).

The Alliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

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

Ameriprise Financial Luminaire Financial Group . . . . . . . . . .19

Northern Public Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Blackhawk Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Obsidian Manufacturing Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

BMO Harris Bank . . . . . . . . . . . 17, 20-21

OrthoIllinois . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Boylan Catholic High School . . . . . . . .10

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

Ege Worksmart Solutions, PC . . . . . . .16

Rick Levin & Association, Inc.. . . . . . . . . 8

Entré Computer Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Rockford Chamber of Commerce

Family Counseling Services . . . . . . . . .15

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2, 14, 22, 23, 29, 30, 32

Illinois Bank & Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Stillman Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

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

Thayer Energy Solutions . . . . . . . . . .9, 11

MercyCare Health Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

VOICE

NOVEMBER, 2021

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront & Rockford Conference Center, 416 S. Main St., Rockford. Features Amy Morin, internationally recognized mental strength expert and bestselling author. Part of the Illinois Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (IACCE) Fall Conference. Sponsored by Rosecrance Health Network.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12 Government Aﬀairs Council, 7:30 to 9 a.m., Stockholm Inn, 2420 Charles St., Rockford. Sponsored by AT&T.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17 Breakfast Buzz, 8 to 9:30 a.m., PURI School of Business, 5100 E. State St., Rockford. Emily Selck, director of cyber liability, M3 Insurance, presents “Cyber Risk: What Executives & Business Owners Need to Know.” Sponsored by RSM.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18 Education Outlook, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Tebala Event Center, 7910 Newburg Rd., Rockford. Join us for an update for the business community on the Rockford Public Schools by superintendent Dr. Ehren Jarrett, followed by a panel focused on The Future of Rockford’s Workforce with area leaders. Sponsors: BMO Harris Bank (Community Series presenting sponsor), Humana, Rockford University (gold), Comcast Business (Community Series silver).

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30 Business Women’s Council, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Forest Hills Country Club, 5135 Forest Hills Road, Rockford. Sponsored by Associated Bank.

Van Matre Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

the

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

CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS & OFFICERS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chair of the Board Dan Ross Community Foundation of Northern Illinois Vice Chair Jean Crosby Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Crosby Starck Real Estate Vice Chair Don Daniels

DIRECTORS LaVonne Brown Savant Wealth Management Samuel J. Castree Staﬀ Management, Inc. Lesly Couper workplace Doug Curry Stenstrom Construction Group Rebecca Epperson Chartwell Agency

Treasurer Amy Ott Boylan Catholic High School

Eric Fulcomer, Ph.D. Rockford University Ira Grimmett Collins Aerospace Tim Honquest Honquest Family Funeral Home with Crematory

Michael F. Iasparro Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP Carly LaMonica LaMonica Beverages, Inc. Kris L. Kieper Machajewski YWCA Northwestern Illinois Mike Paterson Mid-West Family Broadcasting Joel A. Prah Mercyhealth Denise Sasse RSM US LLP John Schuster Rosecrance Health Network

Alex Stagnaro-Green, MD, MHPE, MHA Univ. of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford Karl Swanson Illinois Bank & Trust Robert Young Midwest Packaging and Container

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

Teresa Sharp American Precision Supply, Inc.

NOVEMBER VOICE SPECIAL SECTIONS

Legal Roundup (Legal Issues Aﬀecting Businesses)

Finance (What’s Ahead for 2022?)

For information on advertising, call 815

987-8100

Pow(H)er is a conference for all who support, believe in and champion the advancement of women Platinum Sponsor

October 28, 2021

Gold Sponsor

Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront & Rockford Conference Center 2020 was an extremely difficult year – especially for women. Join us for a conference celebrating women’s achievements, supporting women through COVID recovery, and educating the community on how to advocate for and champion women in the business community. Find information on our Present(H)ers, workshops, conference information and award nominations as well as registration information at PowherRockford.com.

Community Award Sponsor

Woman Business Owner Award Sponsor

Bronze Sponsor

Edward Jones Erna Colborn, AAMS®, CRPS® Corporate Sponsor

Balance Workshops: Managing Change & Defining Purpose • Stress Management Motherhood & Career: A Juggling Act • The "Nice Girl's" Guide to Boundaries Advancement Workshops: Negotiation Tactics & Practice • #Girlboss Hard Conversations for Avoiders • Communicating with Strength & Purpose Legacy Workshops: Executive Presence & Promise • Recognizing, Understanding & Combating Implicit Bias The Future of Women at Work • Mentorship: A Panel

Find your workshops, develop your own track, find your passions at PowherRockford.com.

October Voice 2021

Articles inside

Supporting Working Women - October Voice 2021

MEMBER PROFILE - Richard L. Johnson & Associates

Chairman's Perspective - October 2021

Small Business Enterprise - SBDC October 2021

IGNITE October 2021