December Voice 2012

The Voice is online at rockfordchamber.com

ROCKFORD PROCESS CONTROL

BEHR IRON & METAL

PAGE 4

PAGE 9

December 2012 | Volume 25 | No. 12

Affordable Care Act

The hot topic at the annual chamber luncheon

By Paul Anthony Arco If employers are thinking about doing away with health care benefits for their employees, Ted Nodzenski can give them several reasons why they shouldn’t, including penalty for dropping, impact on employee morale and effect on productivity.

“It sends a bad signal to your workforce and the community,” said Nodzenski, vice president of strategic and business development for the Illinois Hospital Association. “The biggest concern isn’t about coverage, but about productivity.

Employers have to be smart about coverage and think it through.”

Nodzenski spoke to 250 community

Photos by Brian Thomas Photography

Ted Nodzenski challenged the audience with his views regarding the health care industry. leaders about quality, cost and access of health care at the annual Rockford Chamber of Commerce Healthcare Industry Update luncheon, which was held on Nov. 16 at Giovanni’s. The Illinois Hospital Association consists of about 200 hospitals and health systems that advocate on health care issues in the U.S. Congress and federal regulatory agencies.

“I thought he did a great job,” said Dr. Bill Gorski, president and CEO of SwedishAmerican Health System. “He focused on the fact that the private sector will move faster than the government sector. I’m a big fan of reform. We have to do it. The issue is payment penalties to employers for putting their employees into the exchange. Many folks are going to be incentivized to drop coverage and put people into those exchanges. To me that’s troubling.”

Nodzenski compared health care reform to trying to fix a jet engine mid-

flight during turbulence. “His example was a great one,” said Einar Forsman, president and CEO of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce. “You can’t purge the model and start all over and wait for it to fix itself. When 2014 comes around, that’s when all these small businesses are going to have to make a big decision. Are they going to pay a penalty because it’s cheaper than it currently is to provide health care, or are they going to find a model that works?”

Health care is Rebecca Epperson’s number one concern as a small business owner. Epperson is president of PR Etc., an eight-person public relations firm based in Rockford. “His point was right on that if employees don’t get health care, they’re going to be less productive. They’re not going to go to the doctor, go to emergency care, or get their medications,” she said.

“How do we ensure that small businesses more on page 3

Rockford Chamber Annual Dinner to feature small business media expert 2013 Citizen of the Year to be announced Visit us online at: rockfordchamber.com n online registration n keynote speaker video clips n event photos n list of Chamber events Questions? 815-987-8100

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

Join the Rockford Chamber of Commerce for its Annual Dinner on Jan. 24 from 5 to 8 p.m., at Giovanni’s, Inc., 610 N. Bell School Road, Rockford. Jim Blasingame, president and founder of Small Business Network Inc., a media company dedicated to serving small business, will talk about The Age of the Customer.

Blasingame is considered to be one of the world’s foremost experts on small business and entrepreneurship. In 2008, he was recognized by the Association of Small Business Development Centers as a Champion of Small Business Development. Blasingame also is the

creator and award-winning host of The Small Business Advocate® Show, the world’s only weekday radio talk show dedicated to small business, nationally syndicated since 1997.

Find out at the Annual Dinner who will be the Rockford Chamber’s 2013 Citizen of the Year. The event is sponsored by WilliamsMcCarthy LLP (presenting), Humana (Citizen of the Year award), First National Bank and Trust Co., and OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center (gold), AT&T and Leading Lawyers Network (silver), The Alliance (bronze). n

COULD YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW BE THE NEXT CITIZEN OF THE YEAR? The Rockford Chamber will honor one extraordinary individual with its Citizen of the Year Award to be presented at the Chamber’s Annual Dinner on Jan. 24.

Could it be you or someone you know? The person nominated for the award does not need to be a member of the Rockford Chamber.

Previous years winners: Jim Keeling (2011) Barb Berman (2010) Robert Funderburg (2009) Jon Lundin (2008) Mike Dunn (2007) Deadline for submissions is Jan. 11, 2013.

For more information, see the ad on page 22 or visit rockfordchamber.org for more information and nomination rules.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Education Outlook Luncheon December 6 • Cliffbreakers For more info, see page 31

MISMATCH BETWEEN JOBS, WORKER SKILLS According to ManpowerGroup’s 2012 Talent Shortage Survey, one-third of employers globally identify a lack of available skilled talent to their organizations. According to the results, 49 percent of U.S. employers struggle to fill missioncritical positions. Skilled trades, engineering and IT positions continue to place on this list year after year.

U.S. Hardest Jobs to Fill in 2012 1. Skilled Trades 2. Engineers 3. IT Staff 4. Sales Representatives 5. Accounting and Finance Staff 6. Drivers 7. Mechanics 8. Nurses 9. Machinists/Machine Operators 10. Teachers Visit manpowergroup.us.

2

December 2012

President’s Message VIEWPOINT

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Rockford public schools develops positive momentum

Continued business engagement is needed to achieve ultimate success “Positive momentum…heading in the right direction…stability going forward…” Do these phrases sound like familiar statements in our community when talking about our public schools? Maybe not in the past but they sure do right now.

I am proud that I have recently and often made the comment that that I have never seen a period of greater community collaboration and cooperation with the Rockford Public Schools than now. Momentum continues to build and the positive accolades are numerous.

How did that happen?

Let’s look back about 18 months ago. A new school board was seated with much community support.

Alignment Rockford built a collaborative relationship with school leaders in working on key program and curriculum changes, and an

I have never seen a period of greater community collaboration and cooperation with the Rockford Public Schools than now. experience and community-minded Interim Superintendent was selected who leveled off the environment surrounding disagreements inside and outside the district. In addition, organizations such as the Rockford Chamber, the Rockford Area Economic Development Council, and Next Rockford among others, demonstrated that they would bring people to the table for support and have stayed there.

So what is the result?

Let’s go through the quick list: ■■ Readiness Rocks – the flagship strategic plan adopted ■■ Geographic zone based student assignment implemented and beginning to show positive enrollment traction ■■ High school career academies ■■ $16.4 million approved by the school board in a reduced levy to taxpayers

Einar K. Forsman Rockford Chamber of Commerce

■■ $139 million facility plan approved by voters with a 65% margin ■■ The

beginning

succession

model

of

an

internal

for

school

administration leadership that begins with Dr. Ehren Jarrett appointed as our next Superintendent who will officially replace Interim Superintendent Dr. Robert Willis.

What a great track record of success in such a short period of time! As you listen to Dr. Jarrett make his first remarks to the Chamber’s business community at the Chamber’s Education Outlook Luncheon on December 6, think about how you can

KEEP THE BALL ROLLING!

Register for the Chamber’s Education Outlook Luncheon at rocfordchamber.com.

get engaged to as a business leader to keep the ball moving forward! To register, go to www.rockfordchamber. com or call 815-963-8123.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

December 2012

Tom Walsh and Bill Brenner speak with Dr. Bill Gorski.

Health Care

Continued from front page like mine can continue to provide health care on an ongoing basis? It’s how I attract and retain my employees, and how I keep them healthy and productive. I would find a thousand other ways to cut my costs if I had to. Not providing coverage is never going to be an option. I’m going to make sure my employees are taken care of from a health care standpoint.”

Trends Point Toward Consolidations During his presentation, Nodzenski pointed to other trends in health care.

Mental illness is the number one driver of admission to Illinois hospitals; there’s a serious morale issue among many physicians and the increasing health problems among baby boomers are a “medical nightmare.”

He added that mergers and consolidations are a significant trend within the health care industry. Locally, OFS HealthCare attempted to acquire Rockford Health System earlier this year, but called off talks after being challenged by the Federal Trade Commission.

“Consolidations are not going away,” said Gary Kaatz, president and CEO of Rockford Health System. “Since ours was put on the skids by the FTC, there have been five done in Chicago. Rockford is on some island for reasons that I don’t understand. It’s happening around us and around the country.

“This industry is going through the most fundamental change it ever has,” he added. “We haven’t changed our business model for 60 years, and I think it’s time

Dr. Kathleen Kelly and Dr. Eric Benink. for change. I think the way we have siloed ourselves, whether you’re a payer or provider, those days are done. Everyone in this room is a leader of the community and has to realize that we need to work better together as partners.”

“It’s difficult to know how the implications of accountable care (ACO) are going to unfold, except to say it’s inevitable,” said David Schertz, president and CEO of OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center. “That’s why OSF HealthCare is already a year ahead in this process – having initiated the Pioneer ACO last January across central Illinois. OSF Saint Anthony will be part of the Pioneer ACO this January, having postponed joining until our pursuit of a partnership with Rockford Health System was resolved.

This puts us in a better place to deal with the changes and its impact on everyone.”

The presenting sponsor of this year’s luncheon was BMO Harris Bank. Gold sponsors were Humana, Rosecrance Health Network, Rockford Spine Center, and silver sponsor was Employers Coalition on Health with Alpha Controls & Services as a bronze sponsor. n

Deb Otto, Pat Covert and Sharon Opsahl were among the audience to hear Ted Nodzenski’s views.

Let your Voice be heard The Rockford Chamber of Commerce ­elcomes and encourages submissions w for The VOICE of the Rockford Business Community. Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding p ­ublication. 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.

3

4

December 2012

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

PROFILE Member Profile

RPC manufactures and welds parts for ATVs, motorcycles and other power sports equipment, and heavy-duty hinges for institutional-grade cabinets.

Rockford Process Control: Getting Back on Track

By Paul Anthony Arco Pat Derry is starting to breathe a little bit easier these days. That’s because his company, Rockford Process Control, Inc., is back on solid ground after a few extremely difficult years.

RPC manufactures parts for ATVs, motorcycles and other power sports equipment. It also makes heavy-duty hinges used mostly in school, hospital, prison and other institutional cabinets.

Located in the former National Lock building on Rockford’s southeast side, RPC was founded in 1983 by Paul Colloton and Rick Gleichman, senior vice presidents at CAMCAR, who left to start their own business. Derry, who had previously worked at CAMCAR and Barber-Colman Co., purchased RPC in 1996 with Ted Ross, a retired CFO from Sundstrand.

The financial difficulty started in 2007 when RPC acquired Terry Hinge and Hardware, the company’s largest U.S. competitor. “We thought it would be a significant increase in revenue and significant growth opportunity,” Derry said.

But almost immediately the Californiabased company started losing money.

Derry spent a considerable amount of time out west, in hopes of stopping the bleeding, until he decided to move the company to Rockford. “I couldn’t manage it 2,000 miles away,” he says. “It was the right thing to do, but it cost us a lot of money.”

Then in 2008, RPC saw demand for the parts it made for Harley-Davidson, Honda, Yamaha, Polaris and other companies take a nosedive. Derry said every time the phone rang the company lost another order. Sales dropped 44 percent from 2008 to 2009.

“I didn’t sleep well during those years,” said Derry, a former Rockford Chamber of Commerce board member, who helped start the manufacturers council. “It was painful and worrisome. We had just started a new banking relationship with Alpine Bank, and we had them a little concerned. We made commitments to them and kept our commitments — they were great to work with. We had borrowed as much as we could. We had to decide which suppliers we were going to pay each

week. Those are tough decisions that you don’t like making.”

There were other difficult decisions to make. Nearly 45 percent of the 120 employees were laid off; remaining workers suffered wage and benefit reductions. “Our associates knew the economy was tanking and our strategy was just to survive,” Derry said. “We sat down and I told them, ‘We’re going to do everything we can to be on the dance floor when the economic band begins playing again.’”

Remaining employees, who were trained to produce parts for one customer, now had to learn how to make several different parts. “Our associates were extremely flexible,” Derry said. “They had to learn how to work other machines. The bad news was that it made us inefficient, but after a few months it made us more flexible. It was exactly what we needed.”

During that time, Derry and his company stayed active in the community.

Derry serves on several local boards including SwedishAmerican Health System, Catholic Foundation and Community Foundation of Northern Illinois. “We believe in supporting the community we live and work in,” Derry said. “Nothing was going to change that.”

Taking a Turn for the Better These days, business is improving for RPC. Orders are up and customers are in need of parts for new equipment. By the end of the year, the company will have added three new machines and a dozen new jobs. Derry projects revenue this year may reach $16 million. “We may be all the way back by 2014,” he said.

Derry credits the teamwork from his staff for getting the company back on track. “It was heartfelt to see how our associates were willing to stick with us,” he said. “I’m hopeful that if things continue to get better, we’ll be able to pay an annual bonus this year. They deserve it. We wouldn’t be here without them.”

ROCKFORD PROCESS CONTROL, INC. Pat Derry, President and CEO 2020 Seventh St. Rockford, IL 61104 815-966-2000 www.rockfordprocess.com

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

5

December 2012

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

Lifescape Community Services, Napleton Subaru partner to feed seniors

Your future and customer paradigms

Three primary shifts in the Age of the Customer In his book, “Paradigms – The Business of Discovering the Future,” futurist Joel Barker explains that paradigms are filters through which humans view the world and around which we pursue our lives.

Things that align with our paradigms sail right through; otherwise they meet resistance. A favorite color, for example, is a paradigm.

We also establish marketplace paradigms. Perhaps the most interesting paradigm dynamic is between a customer and a business, because a customer’s product paradigm logically becomes a business’s production paradigm.

Product paradigms always work for customers because they can pick and choose at will. But for a business, a production paradigm comes with significant risks, because they can be left with an investment – physically, financially and emotionally – in a newly unviable production paradigm.

When there is a paradigm disruption – like customers’ changing preferences – that’s called a shift. Barker says when a paradigm shifts, everything goes back to zero; what once worked so well becomes unavailable or obsolete.

When a shift occurs – the ability to buy stocks online, for example – customers easily transition to the new thing that likely caused the shift. But for a business with multi-faceted investments in the old paradigm – only stockbrokers can place stock orders – such a shift can be expensive and dangerously disruptive.

In the past I’ve introduced you to several examples of how the marketplace is transitioning from the Age of the Seller to the Age of the Customer. This transformation is creating a number of shifts, which are at once exciting for some and disruptive for others.

Jim Blasingame Small Business Advocate Show

In the new Age, there are three primary shifts a business must now monitor constantly; each associated with a key element of customer relationships.

The Buying Decision Customers have always controlled the buying decision element, but they now need less decision-making help from a business. The paradigm shift question: “How do we prevent our marketing and sales strategy from becoming obsolete?”

The Information Previously controlled by businesses, access to information now is almost completely controlled by the customer.

The paradigm shift question: “How do we maintain a relevant value proposition?”

The Product Once controlled by the business, customers increasingly influence product development. The paradigm shift question: “How do we love what we do without loving how we do it?”

Write this on a rock…Discover the future by monitoring customer paradigms.

Jim Blasingame is creator and host of the Small Business Advocate Show. Copyright 2012, author retains ownership. All Rights Reserved jimb@jbsba.com, SmallBusiness Advocate.com.

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

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! Hear Jim Blasingame live as the keynote speaker for the Rockford Chamber’s upcoming Annual Meeting. Mark your calendars for Thursday, Jan. 24 at Giovanni’s.

Lifescape Community Services and Napleton Subaru, 449 N. Perryville Road, Rockford, have partnered this holiday season to collect canned food to help feed area seniors as a part of the Meals On Wheels Association of America’s (MOWAA) participation in the national Subaru of America, Inc. “Share the Love” Event. The food drive runs from Nov. 21 to Jan. 2, 2013. For every two cans donated, Napleton’s will offer a $5 discount from the service bill.

Lifescape also is acceping $5 cash donations, the actual cost of a homedelivered meal. As one of the five Subaru “Share the Love” Event charitable partners, MOWAA is awarding $200,000

in “Share the Love” grants to local Meals On Wheels programs that partner with Subaru dealerships in the fight to end senior hunger. Lifescape is eligible to win a MOWAA Subaru “Share the Love” grant of up to $35,000 to help provide nutritious meals to homebound seniors in our four-county service area.

Subaru is donating $250 for every new Subaru vehicle sold or leased during “Share the Love” to the customer’s choice of one of five charities, including MOWAA. Over the past four years, proceeds from the Subaru “Share the Love” Event have provided funds to MOWAA to support its vision to end senior hunger by 2020.

6

December 2012

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Woodward Ground Breaking Ceremony

Woodward broke ground on its new Rock Cut Campus, located at 5257 Harlem Road in Loves Park, on Oct. 31. Shown above: Sagar Patel, president Aircraft Turbine Systems, discusses the new campus. Rendering of the campus, scheduled for completion in fall, 2013.

Rockford Area Aerospace Network shares results from annual aviation conference

By Eric Voyles, RAEDC Last month, the Rockford Area Aerospace Network (RAAN) returned from successful participation in the National Business Aviation Association’s (NBAA) 65th Annual Meeting & Convention in Orlando. The effort, organized by RAEDC, is a great opportunity to raise awareness of our region’s aerospace strengths among key industry leaders and companies. The NBAA Annual Meeting & Convention is the fourth largest tradeshow in the United States and the largest focused on business aerospace and aviation.

The main goals for RAAN at the convention were to: ■■ Identify opportunities for Rockford area companies to expand their business through matchmaking, and ■■ Identify companies that can expand their business into the Rockford area for research and development, manufacturing, assembly and/or distribution.

We were able to accomplish these goals by having very productive conversations with multiple aerospace and aviation companies on expansions and relocations into the Rockford area. Among the major companies we met were: B/E Aerospace, Kollmorgen, UBIFrance, GIFAS, Bourgogne Developpement, Japan Business Aviation Association, and the U.S. Trade Development Agency. We also had a walk-up appointment at the RAAN booth, which has become an attractive new business opportunity for our region.

Key Regional Aerospace Strengths Going forward, we are dedicating our time to following up and tracking these

exciting opportunities for our region.

The region has a lot to offer aerospace and aviation companies including:

Rockford Region exports increase sharply Export growth a major driver of area jobs

■■ Five major tier-one aerospace suppliers in the Rockford region.

By Carrie Zethmayr, Illinois SBDC ITC

■■ The bi-state region’s supply chain has more than 200 suppliers, of which more than 90 are in the Rockford MSA.

Exports from the Rockford region rose 19 percent in 2011 -- the largest increase in five years, according to new federal data. The total value of Rockford region exports – $1,562,841,281 – is the highest since the U.S. Department Commerce began tracking it in 2005.

Export growth for the Rockford region was higher than growth for U.S. exports as a whole.

“We are excited to see export growth return to pre-recession levels,” said Carrie Zethmayr, manager of the Illinois SBDC International Trade Center of the Rockford Area.

“Our manufacturers know that the key to success in a global economy is to sell their products around the world. We see more activity and interest all the time.

The Rockford region has identified export growth as a key driver of job creation, with an estimated one in five jobs in the United States attributed to exports, Zethmayr said.

Rockford ranked 114th out of 367 metropolitan areas in 2011. The data was compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau and the International Trade Administration, both segments of the Department of Commerce.

According to a separate report

by IHS Global Insight, exports from the Rockford region are projected to grow 70.5% by 2020 – the 32nd

■■ The Rockford MSA has more than 4,000 engineers -- 1.5 times more than the Illinois average and 1.3 times more than the U.S. average.

■■ The region offers multiple diverse clusters of advanced manufacturing capabilities at twice the national average in manufacturing employment.

■■ The regional workforce is productive and dedicated, with targeted aerospace industry-training programs.

The RAAN booth also is used to build exposure for our members.

Rockford area companies that shared the RAAN sponsored booth were: Ardekin Precision, Chicago Rockford International Airport, Ingenium Technologies, Kaney Aerospace, Kaney Aerospace Repair Station, and Midwest Aero Support. Several other RAAN members that attended the event with their own booths were: B/E Aerospace, Emery Air, Esterline, GE Aviation, United Technologies Aerospace Systems, and Woodward.

RAAN and its members have celebrated many successes in 2012, and we look forward to giving you more updates on wins for the Rockford Region in the near future.

Eric Voyles is vice president for national business development at the Rockford Area Economic Development Council.

highest projected growth rate in the nation.

Companies

looking

to

grow

exports should contact the Illinois SBDC International Trade Center of the Rockford Area to learn about programs to develop effective market penetration strategies, establish costeffective and efficient supply chain management

operations,

ensure

compliance with trade regulations, and access additional resources to elevate their international trade.

The Rockford region export data was analyzed for the Illinois SBDC International Trade Center by the Rockford Region Economic Development

District,

which

provides research assistance for Boone

and

Winnebago

county

economic development initiatives.

ABOUT THE ILLINOIS SBDC INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTER The Illinois SBDC International Trade Center of the Rockford Area, based at the Rockford Area Economic Development Council, offers consulting services, workshops and training seminars to provide companies in the Rockford area resources they need to do business globally. Contact Carrie Zethmayr at czethmayr@rockfordil.com or call 815-969-4263.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

7

December 2012

TEDxRockford focused on High performance teams individual goals, establish mutual ‘Building a Sustainable Community’ Align accountability

TEDxRockford drew more than 100 to the Sullivan Center in downtown Rockford to listen to regional speakers on topics related to “Building a Sustainable Community.”

By Mary Cacioppi, RAEDC On Saturday, Oct. 27, 100 people filled the Sullivan Center in downtown Rockford to listen to regional leaders speak on “Building a Sustainable Community.”

Organizers of TEDxRockford vetted both speakers and attendees according to guidelines set by TED. TEDxRockford started with an idea to tell the stories of the positive momentum building in the Rockford Region. The 15-person TEDxRockford committee volunteered their time and talents to make this idea a reality. Inspired by the Civic Collaboration model created by Ed Morrison, the goal of TEDxRockford is to tell stories around the model’s four main themes: 21st Century Brainpower, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Quality Connected Places, and Branding with New Narratives.

The conference featured some of the region’s leading thinkers and innovators, representing such diverse fields as technology, entertainment, economic development, and education, among others.

Speakers included the following: ■■ Civic Collaboration: Ed Morrison, Purdue University/Center for Regional Development ■■ 21st Century Talent: Laurie Preece, Alignment Rockford ■■ Public Art & Infrastructure: Jodi Carroll, Rockford Park District ■■ Renewable Energy Integrators and the Reality Show: Steve Fleeman, Rock Valley College

■■ Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Dan Cataldi, EIGERlab ■■ Program Simpson

Moderator:

Matthew

Encouraging TED Salon Events The TEDxRockford Committee will continue the spirit of collaboration by hosting an annual TEDx event as well as encouraging other interested parties to host TED Salon Events. A Salon Event is a small weekly or monthly recurring event that keeps a TEDx community engaged between larger annual or biannual events.

TEDxRockford recorded the program and will submit it to TED for the possible broadcast as a TEDTalk on its website, www.ted.com. The videos also will be uploaded to the TEDXRockford Facebook page and at www.TEDxRockford.com.

Not familiar with TED? Visit www.TED. com to learn more.

Mary Cacioppi is director of investor relations at Rockford Area Economic Development Council.

Participant Event Tweets Joshua@josh_binning Highlight of green energy talk is that all grads seeking employment have found it.

Adam Stivers@StiversLegal @EIGERlab innovations are blowing my mind right now. Concept to mass production in days.

Sam Williams@corewarrior #TEDxRockford was pretty amazing today.

It’s just the type of event our town needs to help move its thinking into the 21st century!

A high performance automobile is built to engineering specifications part by part so that when it is cruising down the road it “fires on all cylinders.”

To get that automobile to perform as close to perfection as possible takes an abundant amount of tweaks and adjustments. In the sport of rowing, the goal of the oarsmen is to achieve what’s known as “swing.” It’s the term for nearperfect coordination of movement that results in top speed and performance, according to an article, “Power of Teams,” published by Wharton at Work, University of Pennsylvania.

These two examples are no different from creating a high-performance team in your manufacturing facility.

First let’s understand the definition of “team,” before we explore three principles of a high performance team. According to Crisp Series 2009, Creating a High Performance Team, “a team implies people coming together for a common purpose. They may be from different departments, with different titles and expertise, but they come together to accomplish a specific goal, and they hold themselves mutually accountable.”

to

Working Towards a Shared Goal

teams work towards a shared goal,

High performance teams are built around Shared and Aligned goals.

“Individuals from the team need to focus their attention on short-term results that will contribute to overall goals like reducing costs, generating revenue and increasing customer value,” according to Bill Wilder of the Life Cycle Institute, How Do You Create a High-Performance Team.

According to Wilder, in regards to “Aligned Goals,” it is important to assess individual strengths and aspirations and then match goals and tasks to them. Stay away from making decisions that impact an individual’s ability to achieve their personal goals without their participation.

“Mutual Accountability,” according

help develop aligned goals based

the

2010

article “How to Build a High Performance Team

(HPT)”

by John Spence, “is the fulcrum

Bernie Luecke Rock Valley College, BPI

point between a workgroup team and a true high-performance team. On a successful HPT everyone on the team – regardless of rank, title, seniority, experience – holds each other and themselves 100% mutually accountable for

achieving

the

clear,

specific,

measurable, and binary goals.”

“High performance team members want to be recognized for their individual contributions and their group achievements,” said Bill Wilder of the Life Cycle Institute. This includes financial and nonfinancial recognition.

Communication is one of the most underutilized forms of recognition and this can be easily accomplished by publishing a weekly review of individual achievements and goals, either in print or meetings, or both.

In conclusion, high performance

on the companies desired outcome, have individual authority to impact accountability,

and

should

be

recognized as well as rewarded for individual and team results.

For more information contact the Business and Professional Institute, which offers customized

training,

including

team

building. If you need assistance with Creating a High Performance Team, please contact Bernie at 815-921-2067 or b.luecke@rockvalleycollege.edu.

Bernie

Luecke

is

director,

business

development at Rock Valley College, Business & Professional Institute.

Manufacturing Update is sponsored by Rock Valley College, BPI

8

December 2012

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Government Affairs CHAMBER 2012 PUBLIC POLICY INITIATIVES The Rockford Chamber Board of Directors voted to oppose and support a number of public policies throughout 2012.

Money Smart Week invites businesses to join program in 2013 Over the past five years, Money Smart Week has reached thousands of people in the community, offering hundreds of free educational programs on current financial issues, through the collaboration of more than 80 local businesses and organizations.

We are seeking additional partners for 2013 that believe in the importance of financial literacy in our community and therefore have an interest in making 2013 even better. Anyone interested in being involved with Rockford MSW 2013 is invited to attend the partner meetings held on the second Thursdays of the month through April, 2013.

An MSW partner can participate by: ■■ Providing educational materials, instructors or a seminar.

■■ Providing facilities to host or sponsor events.

■■ Leveraging resources to publicly support or endorse MSW. ■■ Being a corporate sponsor by providing scholarship funds or monies or supplies for a specific MSW event.

Current partners include businesses, financial institutions, schools, libraries, not-for-profits, government agencies, and the media. To learn about Money Smart Week, a program of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, visit www.moneysmartweek.org. Please consider joining us in this growing effort to improve financial literacy in our community!

For information, please email Sue Cram, MSW 2013 co-chairman, at Sue.Cram@lssi.org or Kristen Comer, MSW 2013 co-chairman, at Kristen@ livewithmorningstar.com.

YES TO THE CITY OF ROCKFORD MUNICIPAL ELECTRICAL AGGREGATION During its meeting on Jan. 24, the Board of Directors voted to endorse the City of Rockford municipal electrical aggregation.

Board support was based in part on recommendations by the Government Affairs Council, which heard a presentation by the City of Rockford.

NO TO THE SB 678 TAYLORVILLE ENERGY CENTER “TENASKA BILL” During its meeting on April 24, the Board of Directors voted to oppose the “Tenaska Bill.”

YES TO THE ROCK RIVER ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES ECOROCK CAMPUS During its meeting on June 26, the Board of Directors voted to urge the County of Winnebago to vote for the Proposed EcoRock Environmental Technologies Campus.

YES TO THE RPS SCHOOL DISTRICT 205 SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENDUM The Board of Directors voted at a special board meeting on Sept. 14 to endorse the Ten Year Facility Plan and bond financial structure of $139 million in general obligation funds, and encouraged its members to vote yes for the RPS School District 205 School referendum.

YES TO THE “RECLAIMING FIRST” INITIATIVE The Board of Directors on Oct. 23 voted to support the proposed resolution supporting amendments to the Illinois counties code that will allow the county of Winnebago to impose a hotel tax of up to 2% in the county of Winnebago to provide funding for the recommended investments in the “Reclaiming First!” initiative to enhance amateur sports tournament and recreation venues in the cities of Loves Park, Rockford and other municipalities within Winnebago County.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

December 2012

Member Profile PROFILE

Shown is Behr Iron & Metal’s shredder in Peoria. Behr also has scrap yards in Rockford, South Beloit, and Mason City, Iowa, and a new one opening soon in Rochelle.

Behr Iron & Metal:

Industry leader for more than 100 years

By Paul Anthony Arco One of the most well known scrap metal companies in the country got its start right here, in Rockford, more than 100 years ago.

Behr Iron & Metal, formerly known as Joseph Behr and Sons, Inc., is the 15th largest scrap metal recycler in the United States. Each year, the Rockford-based company processes more than 700,000 tons of material, including iron, steel, aluminum, brass,copper and thousands of other types of material. Behr also processes automobiles, appliances, household items and many other items that are only part metal. Another division of the company manufactures babbitt, the material used in many bearing applications.

Besides buying and selling scrap metal, Behr sets up scrap management programs for Fortune 500 companies, small manufacturers and scrap yard producers. The scrap metal is delivered by truck, rail or barge, based on the needs of the consumer.

“Recycling and caring about the environment are prominent in our culture right now, but Behr has been leading the fight on reclamation for over 100 years,” said Jodi Behr, director of marketing.

“We’re not just providing a service, we’re helping the environment. Some people think it’s a fad, but it’s not. For us, it’s a way of life.”

All Started With a Scrap Truck Behr was founded in 1906, by Jodi’s great grandfather, Joseph Behr, a Russian immigrant. “He got his start peddling pots and pans,” Jodi said. “One winter, a huge storm shut down Rockford, so he bought as much burlap as he could, for packaging.

When people started transporting goods again, they came to him to purchase the burlap. He was able to earn enough money to buy his first scrap truck.”

The business has remained in the Behr family since its inception. I.J. Behr succeeded Joseph Behr, as president.

Jodi’s father, Richard, began by working in the scrap yard. He eventually became the company’s’ third president, in 1964, and today serves as board chairman. The president is William Bremner, the first non-family member to oversee operations.

Behr manages 10 full service scrap operations and two drive through collection

facilities across Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. Its processing equipment includes three automobile shredders, five guillotine shears, cranes, balers and other specialized machines. Behr’s main scrap yards are located in Rockford, Peoria, South Beloit, and Mason City, Iowa. A new yard is opening soon in Rochelle. The company employs about 500 employees and serves large industrial clients, such as Caterpillar and John Deere.

Helping in Recycling Efforts In 2011, the company changed its name to Behr Iron & Metal and adopted the tagline “Recycling since 1906.” “We wanted to remind our customers that recycling is the heart of our company,” Jodi said. “We were buying yards in communities where they had no idea what we do. From an advertising standpoint, the name change made sense.” Behr also has upgraded its website and other marketing tools.

Behr is involved with the community in many ways. One of its largest projects is an annual electronics drive that benefits Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful. Behr also loans recycling trailers, at no charge, to community groups such as schools, churches and scouts. The groups collect aluminum cans and return them to Behr, to collect the money for their recycling efforts. “We also host school field trips, which we’ve nicknamed our ‘Cranes, Trains and Automobiles,’ tours,” said Laura Laumer, creative director. “The students receive science and environmental lessons, while touring the yard in a school bus. Mostly, the kids enjoy watching the huge machines rip apart the scrap.”

At its Rockford location, Behr operates a restaurant named the Behr Den that’s open to the public for breakfast and lunch. It’s one more way Behr connects with the community. “If it weren’t for the community, we wouldn’t have a business,” said Jodi. “Rockford has always been good to us. We try to be involved in every community where we do business.”

BEHR IRON & METAL William Bremner, President & CEO 1100 Seminary St. Rockford, IL 61104 815-987-2755 www.behrim.com

9

10

December 2012

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

IGNITE

Young Professionals

Silent voices go unheard Bringing the next generation to the table I am writing this article solely to draw attention to a limitation in our community that needs immediate awareness and action. Rockford has leaders! What we lack is unity and the willingness to embrace our diversities (age, sex, race, religion, etc).

We are weak in the realm of community collaborations.

We need passionate people with philanthropist spirits lobbying in grassroots efforts for change. We need collaboration in our community and diversity on our non-profit boards and committees.

True community advocacy begins with non-profit organizations and businesses that lend a helping hand because it’s the right thing to do. These agencies rally to guarantee individuals, families and children that suffer from poverty, illness, abuse, lack of education, limited finances, social adversity, etc., and have the means to overcome their hardships. Non-profits are the backbone of our community and the heartbeat of our community members.

Encouraging Volunteerism The current dilemma with our nonprofit boards is that there is little to no diversity represented at the table, specifically young professionals. Pam Clark Reidenbach of the Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence (NICNE) reports that Generation Y wants to spend its time in meaningful and useful ways.

They demand work-life balance. More than half of young workers prefer employment at companies that provide opportunities to get involved in their communities. So from an employer perspective, business should be encouraging their people to volunteer and offer opportunities to do so. Businesses also have much to gain by having their employees volunteer including: ■■ Enhanced employee motivation ■■ Expanded opportunities for employees to practice leadership ■■ Attracting potential employees ■■ Enhancing the companies’ reputation ■■ Strengthening the corporate image These are the benefits of engaging young people from an employer’s perspective. If you have not yet uncovered the reasons your nonprofit can benefit from diversity, especially in the realm of age, let me provide you with a short, but thorough, list of reasons. By bringing on more young professionals to help you make organizational decisions you are: Providing your organization with a vehicle to tap into the world of social media, new marketing strategies, cyber relationship building and all things e-commerce related Bringing in individuals that unselfishly give of their time and talents.

Generation X and Y have the spirit of a philanthropist. We are eager to assist

anytime and Jazz Keyes anywhere that we IGNITE can. We are result driven and thrive on success Enhancing team building. Young professionals embrace group settings and group interaction. We are excellent team players. While we do have strong opinions and valid ideas, we are also thirsty to drink from the well of knowledge, so we respect the life-long commitment that older professionals have made to the community.

Like sponges, we want to soak of as much information as possible.

Expanding diverse ways of thinking and approaching new ideas. We are striving to establish ourselves in a workplace and community that has grown accustom to seeing some of the same face. We take advantage of opportunities to engage in exchange with community leaders, and we labor diligently to establish long-lasting relationships and partnerships Creating the easiest, least expensive and most effective way to stay competitive!

I am not one to call attention to a problem without providing a solution.

So, how do we remedy the issue of board diversity? Take a dose of IGNITE daily!

With a concrete understanding that we are an asset to the community, and a mission to attract and retain our talent, we are striving to introduce programming that calls directly to our mission while addressing community and business needs.

New Next Generation Board Program We are elated to roll out a program in collaboration with NICNE, the Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence, which has been in the works for a while called, the Next Generation Board program. This program provides nonprofit organizations with a direct link to the YP talent pool here in Rockford.

In return we get to place quality and elite young professionals with organizations that match their passion. The end result is stronger community boards, more engaged young professionals, more experienced leaders, more civically minded businesses and corporations, and improved organizational output. All ingredients combined makes for a vibrant city where everyone is afforded equal opportunities.

Take ownership of your city.

Remember, as community leaders it is our responsibility to speak up. Silent voices go unheard!

For more information on the Next Generation Board Program please contact me at jazz@ igniterockford.com or 815-316-4335.

Jazzminne Keyes is director of IGNITE Young Professionals. Visit www.igniterockford.com.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

December 2012

Thank You, Rockford!

Turning schools into 21st century learning environments Nov. 6, 2012, Election Day, brought great news to the Rockford School District. Nearly 65 percent of Rockford voters approved the district’s request for $139 million dollars in bonds to repair our schools and infrastructure.

This vote of approval allows the district to move forward with the largest, most comprehensive, building renovation plan in the district’s history.

Voters’ approval was just the first step in what will be a districtwide movement to transform Rockford schools into 21st century learning environments. Through an extensive analysis of all of our school buildings, the district identified $311 million dollars in needed building improvements. The first phase will tackle $212 million dollars of repairs over the next five years. The voters’ mandate provides the majority of those funds. The rest will come from the district’s reserve cash and other allocated sources.

Our schools will be equipped to help students compete globally and will be vastly different from those built in the past century.

But passing the referendum does much more than just upgrade the physical structure of our schools. It provides a vote of confidence for the district as a whole. It’s no secret that the past 20 years have not been easy for District 205 or the community. With the overwhelming support of voters for the referendum, however, there is once again trust in our school leadership team, our direction and what the future will hold.

District 205 now needs to respond in a first-class fashion, and we intend to do just that! The School Board approved hiring Ragnar Benson Construction as the program manager to oversee the building repairs and upgrades over the next three to five years. They will ensure the funds voters authorized are used wisely and that we get the “most bang for our buck” by purchasing needed construction materials in bulk and at competitive prices, and that the improvements are done in a high-quality manner. The voters, students and staff of District 205 deserve nothing less.

Upgrades in Next Five Years Let’s move forward together, with voter’s approval, and begin to work on the District’s facilities plan that

lays out necessary improvements, maintenance and renovation to turn our 20th Century schools into 21st Century learning environments.

Our schools will be equipped to help students compete globally and will be vastly different from those built in the past century. They will feature: ■■ Smart boards ■■ iPads ■■ Wireless connectivity ■■ Improved science labs ■■ Libraries as media centers ■■ Increased accessibility (ADA) ■■ Functional community spaces ■■ Small-group breakout areas ■■ Infrastructure to support technology ■■ Spaces designed for new resources ■■ Improved energy efficiency ■■ Reduced operating costs And all of this will be accomplished without an increase in the amount collected from taxpayers for the school district’s debt service, and that’s good news for everyone. In addition, the school board chose not to continue taxing local residents for the .58 “Kids Win” levy approved by voters five years ago or to include a 3% inflation increase to the levy going forward that the district would be eligible to collect. The school board and our administration want to be fair to taxpayers and show increased value and success to our community.

Thank you, Rockford. Thank you to the “Better Schools, Brighter Future” committee volunteers who donated countless hours, expertise, and enthusiasm. Thank you to the Rockford Chamber of Commerce board for its endorsement and support. And thank you to our district leadership team and our school board for developing and approving a plan worthy of Rockford’s vote.

I promise we will not disappoint you. We will make our facilities worthy of your investment and, more importantly, worthy of the best investment a community ever makes: an investment in its children.

Dr. Robert Willis is interim superintendent of Rockford Public Schools.

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

11

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

FOCUS ON NON-PROFITS

December 2012

Mike and Jason, Goodwill participants in the Let’s Go to Work Program, stand proudly beside the display of the packages they assemble in their employment program.

Breaking down the barriers to employment Goodwill’s expanding retail ventures support the mission goals

By Barbara Connors Goodwill Industries International recently was named by Forbes magazine as one of “America’s 25 Most Inspiring Companies.”

Goodwill Industries International is comprised of 165 agencies in the United States and Canada.

This puts the community-based not-forprofit organization, which provides job training services to people with barriers to employment, in the company of retail titans like Apple, Target and Johnson & Johnson. In another listing, Forbes also named Goodwill as the #2 not-for-profit in the country.

Over the past few years the local Goodwill (Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois) transitioned from an organization that was struggling financially, to one that has just experienced a banner year, with an overall expense-to-revenue ratio of 89.4 percent.

“Although we are truly honored to be part of an organization that has been named to the Forbes list, we are even more honored that the people throughout our region choose to support the important work that Goodwill does each and every day,” said Sam Schmitz, president of Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois. Schmitz stated that the regional Goodwill, headquartered in Rockford, has helped improve the lives of more than 4,800 people in 2011 through its job training and employment placement programs and services. The organization covers 18 counties and oversees nine retail stores: Rockford, Machesney Park, McHenry, Huntley, Freeport, DeKalb, Sterling, and Ottawa, in Illinois, and Beloit, in Wisconsin.

The Forbes list came as a result of an online survey of 2,175 consumers by consulting firm Performance Inspired, Inc. Customers identified companies they felt to be most inspirational and why.

Recurring themes were companies that stuck to their values, and companies that gave back to their communities. Chickfil-A, a fast-food chain with more than 1,600 locations, earned the No. 7 spot, despite the controversy surrounding it

this year. Target earned the No. 3 spot, as the national retailer for a decade has donated five percent of its pre-tax profits to the cities where it operates.

Small organizations that did well, like Goodwill, had good stories to tell. At the No. 23 spot, Goodwill was a newcomer to the Forbes list. Respondents stated their appreciation for the not-for-profit’s retail stores and the satisfaction they felt in helping their communities by shopping at them.

A New Focus Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois underwent a dramatic change in its organizational focus in 2008, from one of industrial-based businesses to one of donated goods retail, with the hiring of former Rockford City Administrator Sam Schmitz as president. For almost 25 years under the leadership of CEO Jon Lundin, the agency successfully operated several business lines tied to manufacturing, under the identity of the Abilities Center. Lundin passed away suddenly in May 2007.

“It was a completely different organization in name (Abilities Center) and with very little focus on retail,” said Shannon Halverson, PR/marketing manager.

Schmitz and the Goodwill board determined that there was a clear opportunity to focus on the organization’s donated goods retail business. Goals were set to double revenues, to be the employer of choice among not-for-profits, and to serve 10 percent more persons each year. Key strategies included selecting a team of leaders, shedding unprofitable or non-mission-related business units, developing a “working board” with expertise, enhancing employee relations from payroll/benefits to training, and capitalizing on the Goodwill brand.

Shifting the Business Focus to Retail Over the years, the Abilities Center created a variety of business enterprises in its 63,000-square-foot industrial Continued on page 14

13

14

December 2012 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

FOCUS ON NON-PROFITS

Goodwill’s Retail Ventures

MISSION NUMBERS, 2011 ■■$3,263,670 in local wages

Continued from page 13

■■4,848 individuals served

building in the south side of Rockford, including DataTrex (data entry for State of Illinois), Multitrex (audio/video production), TechWorks (computer numerical control (CNC) training), and MetalWORKS (metal fabrication and tooling). It also oversaw residential housing, contract services and ownership of the Elks Club, a 20,000-square-foot historic property in downtown Rockford, which was deteriorating and boarded up for safety.

At its peak the Abilities Center employed as many as 250 to work in contract services for Rockford’s large metal fastener factories. Employees were trained in sorting, inspecting, packaging and material handling.

As the manufacturing economy declined in the 1990s, the Abilities Center’s businesses began to lose their contract work, as companies brought the work in-house or shifted work overseas. In Schmitz’s first year, every non-performing business enterprise was given the chance to improve its financial situation, and non-performance would result in a shutdown.

Some of the businesses also were determined to be incongruent with the Goodwill mission, by providing no real training opportunities. Some were tied to properties that needed to be shed for financial reasons.

■■1,225 individuals and families helped with basic needs, such clothing for interviewing and employment, transportation, and child care ■■1,350 individuals offered financial support services, including financial education and tax preparation

Goodwill’s most recent Clerical and Work Readiness Training graduates with their instructor, Litzka Lucas, on their graduation day.

■■15,829 hours completed of vocational and on the job training ■■7,363,000 pounds diverted from local landfills through recycling of cardboard, shoes, clothing, metals, and computers ■■Items that can’t be sold are recycled for use as wipes for industrial buyers or sold to salvage brokers. www.goodwillni.org

Students in Goodwill’s Good Dollars and Sense Financial Education course, review their materials in class.

Focus on Retail, Mission Services At this time the plan for retail growth developed. Every available dollar was dedicated to improving

the retail experience for customers, including capital improvements and store management changes. By divesting in aging properties and nonperforming business units, Goodwill experienced increased operating cash flow that allowed the agency to make improvements to existing stores and target new store openings.

A big turning point was the opening of the Machesney Park store at 8010 N. 2nd St., which showcased the new store model with a community room dedicated to mission services. These services included the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) tax preparation and financial literacy programs (both programs are partially funded by United Way), which proved successful and congruent with the organization’s mission.

Back on Solid Footing Goodwill determined that three key changes put the organization on a solid foundation for the future.

Creation of a “working board.” The board re-composition and restructuring included recruiting new members with expertise in retail, marketing/public relations and finance.

Evolution of holistic human resources. Human resources took a holistic approach, with an emphasis on training and employee development. A commitment also was made to focus on family strengthening.

Rebranding of the organization.

The organization’s name and branding changes were initiated with a gradual move to its official name, Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois and Wisconsin Stateline Area.

“If we were to expand into untapped

areas of our territory, it became imperative that we capitalize on the Goodwill brand,” Schmitz said.

The rebranding and restructuring worked. Goodwill transformed itself from an organization that struggled to break even year over year into an organization with healthy, balanced financials.

Goodwill was able to expand its retail function, and by 2011, its revenues doubled from when the transition began in 2008. New retail stores were opened in DeKalb, Ottawa, McHenry and Huntley, bringing the total store count to nine by October 2011. Financial stability resulted in exponentially increasing the Mission Services Department’s ability to serve the needs of the community. More than 4,800 persons were served in 2011.

Moving Forward For 2012, Mission Services focused on more intense service levels. It is estimated at least 4,500 persons will be served. Additionally mission services will be expanded into all the communities the organization serves by 2014.

Another key component was measuring employee use of mission services, with an objective for 15 percent of employees to use VITA services and five percent to attend financial education courses.

Dave Morgan served on the board for 18 years, including prior to and during the transition period, and now is in his second term as board chair.

He attributed the quick turnaround to the board support for President Sam Schmitz and his plan for change and building a team. The timing for shedding real estate that was draining the organization also was critical, as was the rebranding with the Goodwill name and logo.

“The current success in retail leads to mission growth and now the agency can pick and choose what it wants to do,” Morgan said. “As new opportunities present themselves, it can make good decisions. One success leads to another.” n

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

FOCUS ON NON-PROFITS

December 2012

15

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

Charitable giving: Leave a legacy For millions of Americans, “charity begins at home.” That’s where they’ve decided to make a difference by donating money to local religious, educational, social or cultural organizations. In addition to the immense satisfaction that comes from giving to others, when done as part of an overall estate plan, charitable giving can provide tax benefits for the donor and his or her estate.

Charitable Gifts of Life Insurance Gifts of life insurance have some unique advantages: ■■ Life insurance is a contract and passes outside the will by beneficiary designation, so it generally cannot be contested in probate proceedings.

■■ Since the payment of a life insurance policy death benefit to a named beneficiary is not part of the probate process, it is private, not a matter of public record like assets passing by will.

■■ Donor is eligible for an income tax charitable deduction when he/she transfers an existing life insurance policy to charity.

■■ Ability to leverage a charitable donation through the death benefit.

■■ There are no probate delays.

■■ Other assets are kept intact for the donor’s family.

Gifts of life insurance can be made essentially in two ways. Under the first, the insured is the owner of the policy and the charity is the BENEFICIARY. This arrangement is used when an insured/ donor desires to retain control over the insurance policy. Under this arrangement, the premiums paid are not eligible for an income tax charitable deduction.

Additionally, since the insured owns the policy at death, the death benefit will be includable in his or her gross estate under IRC Section 2042, but it will be 100 percent deductible from the estate, since it is payable to a charity (IRC Section 2055).

Under the second, the charity is OWNER AND BENEFICIARY. Unlike the situation where the insured retains

ownership, the premium may be income tax-deductible within IRS guidelines. State “insurable interest” laws must be checked to determine if a charity can be the initial applicant of life insurance on the life of a donor.

If the donor gives an existing policy to charity, the lesser of the fair market value of the policy (generally, its cash surrender value plus any unearned premium) or the policyholder’s basis (normally the premiums paid) is eligible for an income tax charitable deduction. (See IRC Section 170(e)(1)(A), Treas. Reg. 25.2512-6(a) and Tuttle v. U.S., 436 F.2d 69 (2d Cir. 1970).

Additionally, future gifts of cash to the charity for premium payment purposes also are eligible for an income tax charitable deduction within IRS guidelines.

Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRTs) If the prospective charitable donor is looking for a way to generate income, reduce estate and income taxes, defer taxes on gains and make a significant charitable contribution without reducing his or her family’s inheritance, a charitable remainder trust and a wealth replacement trust may be the right tools. These trusts can allow an individual to make a gift to a charity while retaining an interest in the gifted asset during his or her lifetime.

CRT Mechanics and Tax Aspects As a general rule, it is best to fund a CRT with an asset that, if sold outside the trust, would produce substantial long-term capital gains tax. After the trust is executed, the donor transfers this appreciated, low or non-income producing asset to the CRT. The CRT sells the asset and gives the donor an income stream for life, for a term of years, or for joint lives.

At the death of the donor (or the donor’s named non-charitable income beneficiary if other than the donor) the remaining trust assets pass to the charity.

Here’s how it works: ■■ Upon creation of the trust, the donor gets a current income tax deduction based

on the present value of the future amount passing to the charity.

■■ No tax on the gain is paid by the trust when it sells the asset, since the trust is exempt from such tax when it sells the asset.

■■ The donor receives an income stream and pays income taxes on the income as received.

■■ At the end of the trust term, the remainder passes to the designated charity and estate taxes may be reduced, since the asset placed in the trust has been removed from the estate.

‘Wealth Replacement’ Trust As indicated, the remaining assets in the trust eventually pass to the charity and not to the donor’s heirs. The income tax savings produced by the charitable donation, combined with the income generated by the trust, can be used to pay premiums on a life insurance policy owned by a properly formed irrevocable life insurance trust, sometimes known as a “wealth replacement” trust. The life insurance policy in this trust replaces the value of the assets that pass to the charity in the CRT. Since the life insurance is purchased and owned by the irrevocable trust, the proceeds should be income and estate tax free. The donor’s family is, therefore, made whole.

The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 (“Act”) impacts the federal gift, estate and generation skipping transfer tax (together referred to as “transfer tax”) through 2012. Among other changes, the act temporarily establishes maximum exemption amounts of $5,000,000 per person for transfer tax purposes, establishes a maximum transfer tax rate of 35% and provides for portability of the estate tax exemption between spouses. These changes, however, are only in effect through Dec. 31, 2012.

Unless Congress enacts new legislation, on Jan. 1, 2013 the transfer tax laws will revert to the laws that were in effect in 2001.

At this time, it is not clear what steps, if any, Jim Reynolds Congress will MetLife Insurance take to revise the Company transfer tax laws for years beyond 2012. Future changes in transfer tax exemption amounts and transfer tax rates may impact the appropriateness of any transfer tax planning strategy or product sale.

Clients need to understand that tax law is always subject to interpretation and legislative change. MetLife and its affiliates do not provide tax advice and therefore clients must speak with their qualified legal and tax counsel regarding their current estate plan and what planning options are available and appropriate.

Jim Reynolds is financial services representative of MetLife Insurance Company, Rockford. Contact 815-721-8120.

Pursuant to IRS Circular 230, MetLife is providing you with the following notification: The information contained in this document is not intended to (and cannot) be used by anyone to avoid IRS penalties. This document supports the promotion and marketing of insurance products. You should seek advice based on your particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.

MetLife, its agents, and representatives may not give legal or tax advice. Any discussion of taxes herein or related to this document is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be complete or cover every situation. Tax law is subject to interpretation and legislative change. Tax results and the appropriateness of any product for any specific taxpayer may vary depending on the facts and circumstances. You should consult with and rely on your own independent legal and tax advisers regarding your particular set of facts and circumstances.

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

16

December 2012

Andrew Kobischka hired at Rockford Chamber Assisting businesses to optimize member benefits Andrew Kobischka recently joined the Rockford Chamber of Commerce as membership development manager. Here’s a little more about him, and his role in serving the membership.

I take pleasure in communicating with business owners and management on a daily basis to discuss strategies that propose a strong marketplace.

What are your responsibilities?

I use a consultative approach to educate business leaders on a wide range of benefits associated with being a Chamber member. The Rockford Chamber helps facilitate a healthy business environment for small, medium and large businesses, and we advocate in support of policies that create a better marketplace.

The Rockford Chamber recently supported the $138 million dollar bond referendum, passed to improve Rockford Public Schools, and we currently are in support of building a rail system to Chicago. We are a very sound Chamber, and our current membership consists of more than 1,300 members. I prospect, qualify and activate new memberships while providing account management services to about 600 memberships.

advanced professional selling. In 2012, I was honored to receive the Commitment to Excellence Award and Outstanding Future Alumni Scholarship. I graduated among the top of my class and remain an active alum and member of the Collegiate Sales Advisory Board.

What does working at the Chamber mean to you?

Working for the Chamber provides the opportunity to offer businesses an array of services developed to support internal and external economic growth. I take pleasure in communicating with business owners and management on a daily basis to discuss strategies that propose a strong marketplace.

Rockford offers so many wonderful attractions and opportunities to connect as a community, and I enjoy taking part in Rockford’s successes.

We simply have a great community.

What trends do you see affecting business?

Businesses are becoming quicker, leaner and more agile. Technology is influencing less paper and more valuable mobile applications.

What subject do you wish you had paid more attention to in school?

History.

If you could be or do anything else—what?

PGA Tour professional.

What goals do you have for your work?

What volunteer work have you done?

To provide quantifiable value to our membership.

I volunteered for a leadership program while serving in the Air Force, and after seven months, I was asked to lead the entire program.

More recently, I have volunteered time and financial contributions to local charities such as the Rockford Rescue Mission, and this year you can find me ringing bells for the Salvation Army in front of Stockholm Inn on Dec. 21.

What’s your business background?

My background is reasonably diverse, which helps stimulate additional value to our current and future members. I have four years of military experience, and five-plus years of professional experience specializing in business development and healthcare. I offer advice and expertise in strategic planning, operations management, business development, sales, account management, customer service, networking, and social media marketing. I consider myself to be competitive, hardworking, detail oriented, result driven, self-assured, and a scratch golfer on the weekends.

I have a bachelor of science in marketing and a certificate in

How do you typically spend your leisure time?

Most of my leisure time is spent doing family activities like the Discovery Center, but I still find time to sneak out on the course with my golf partner Matthew Johnson.

This time of year, you can find me at BMO Harris Bank Center cheering on the Ice Hogs or at various local restaurants eating wings and cheering on the Chicago Bears.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Prepare now for 2014 Keeping the downtown revitalization going The visitor industry, downtown Rockford and the entire Rockford region face an exciting future. If we stay on course, the downtown sports complex called for in the Reclaiming First plan could open as early as the spring of 2014.

The opening of an indoor sports venue at the former riverfront Ingersoll building will transform Rockford from a seasonal sports town to a year-round destination and ensure we maintain our position as a leader in the amateur sports market.

“Downtown Rockford is showing signs of a sustained renaissance.”

It will also bring a few thousand players, coaches, parents and fans downtown more than 30 weekends a year. For the first time, downtown Rockford will be a regular destination for tournaments and groups, and we need to be ready.

When these visitors arrive downtown, how do we want to greet them? What sort of first impression do we want to make?

Assuming we want those impressions to be positive and welcoming, we have much to accomplish over the next 18 months. While we have made great progress in recent years, we have much to accomplish. We can do it!

More Bustle We need to view ourselves through the eyes of our visitors. They will judge our community through the lens of their experiences and expectations.

Downtown Rockford is showing signs of a sustained renaissance. City Market increased attendance by 46 percent this year to 57,000 people. Several of its vendors have, or soon will, open retail storefronts in downtown. The movies at Davis Park welcomed 20,000 people downtown. Dinner on the Dock added life and activity to the riverfront each Thursday night. Specialty festivals like Screw City Beer Fest and BART are creating a sense of excitement. And, iceskating returns to Davis Park this winter.

But visitors – and our residents – expect and deserve more. Downtown needs to feel vibrant and bustling seven days a week, in every season. We need to ensure our experiences are connected, and that we don’t have activity deserts with city blocks, sections of blocks or chunks of time that are vacant and empty.

John Groh Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

One is trying to emerge, but we are not there yet. Other communities like Eau Claire, Wis., and Austin, Texas have been redefined because of their live music scene. Why not Rockford?

Imagine if you could find music at multiple venues, including bars, restaurants, cafes and theaters, seven days a week. Let’s make that happen.

Perhaps we can start with a regular singer/songwriter series.

More Art Charlotte is popular for its Random Acts of Culture. You might happen upon the symphony performing in a public square, a painter in the lobby of city hall or a ballerina dancing on a pedestal at a busy intersection. This doesn’t cost a lot of money.

Rockford lacks consistent public support for arts programming and art installations. Other cities have found innovative, sustainable ways to attack this. We can, too.

More Color Rockford has been known by many names and slogans. For the past decade we’ve been celebrating our City of Gardens. We have amazing, signature gardens. Unfortunately, the vibrancy often stops at the garden gate.

Our public partners – the City of Rockford, Winnebago County, and other units of government – have been constrained in financial and staff resources. Despite their best intentions and efforts, they simply don’t have the resources to maintain our public green spaces to a high standard, and it’s started to show.

Earlier this year, RACVB partnered with the Park District and the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois on a flash-mob style greening project at a key intersection downtown. The results were dramatic and demonstrated what can happen with a few dollars and some hard work.

Spring 2014

More Music

As we look ahead to spring of 2014 and anticipate the opening of a downtown sports complex, there are many tasks to accomplish in order to be ready for the visitors that will come. What we do, and how we get there, is really up to us. But we need to start now or the visitors that come might not be compelled to return.

Rockford has a rich and interesting music history. However, right now, we don’t have a strong live music scene.

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

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

December 2012

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

Find the right financial advisor for you Preparing for retirement can be daunting. Partnering with the right financial advisor to guide you towards your retirement goals can help quell most anxieties and may help give you peace of mind regarding your financial future. The following are the ins and outs of selecting the right financial advisor.

“Beware of the wolf in sheep’s clothing.” –Aesop’s Fables It is critical first to understand some basics about the financial services industry.

There are many types of financial advisors eager to offer you their services; e.g. stockbrokers, bankers, insurance agents, financial planners, and so on. Each type of advisor will be paid differently and offer varying types of advice. How will you know which type of advisor has your best interests in mind?

My colleague Janice Deringer wrote, “The Top 5 Questions to Ask Your Financial Advisor,” which are important questions to begin the process. Asking the right questions will help you determine whether a particular type of advisor is right for you.

Advisor Must Put Your Interests First You want to be careful to work with someone who puts your interests first.

Start by finding out if the advisor you work with, or are considering working with, is a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA).

An RIA is held to the fiduciary standards of conduct outlined in the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. RIAs must act in the best interest of the client. RIAs must disclose any actual or potential conflict of interest they may have with their clients, must adopt a Code of Ethics, and must fully disclose how they are compensated.

In addition to looking for an RIA, you should look for an RIA that is independent and fee-only. There are many in the financial industry that portray themselves as advisors but actually are registered representatives or brokers (and work more along the lines of salespeople than as true investment advisors).

Let’s put this in perspective. Say you go to buy a car at a dealership. The salesperson is there to sell you a car. If the salesperson benefits directly from the make and model you buy, and from the service agreement that comes with the purchase, that salesperson’s interests may be in direct conflict with your interests. For instance, you might get a sexy (expensive) muscle car pushed on you, when in reality it’s the reliability of a cost-effective minivan that is best for you and your family.

When working with a financial advisor, you shouldn’t expect the same type of service that a salesperson would show you -- you should expect the advisor to put your needs first.

In addition, it’s important Lisa Berlage to identify Wipfli Hewins several key characteristics to developing a successful partnership with your advisor.

Traits of a Successful Partnership Listening. It’s vital that the advisor listens to you. It’s also important that you listen and follow through on agreed-upon financial planning advice.

Curiosity. In addition to listening, your advisor should be curious about you and want to know your story. A good advisor knows that they require this level of understanding in order to appreciate your overall goals and help you plan for your future.

Mutual Respect. An effective, professional relationship cannot exist without respect.

Common Values. It’s important to agree on core values, such as your tolerance for risk and your advisor’s investment philosophy.

Communication. It’s critical to communicate regularly. It’s also important to let your advisor know of any important life changes. Small events can trigger bigger changes in your long-term needs.

Trust. Without trust, what is there really?

Remember, taking the time now to put the financial pieces together can make a significant difference for your financial future. The first piece is partnering with the right financial advisor.

Lisa Berlage, MBA, CFP®, is senior associate consultant with Wipfli Hewins Investment Advisors, LLC, and is a financial guide who is passionate about guiding investors towards their financial goals. The views expressed are those of Berlage’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

Hewins Financial Advisors, LLC and Wipfli Hewins Investment Advisors, LLC (together referred to as “Hewins”) are independent, fee-only Investment Advisors registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The views expressed by the author are the author’s alone and do not necessarily represent the views of Hewins or its affiliates.

The information provided in this article is for general educational purposes only and should not be construed as, or used as a substitute for, investment advice. If you have questions regarding your financial situation you should consult your financial planner, investment advisor or other financial professional. Hewins is a proud affiliate of Wipfli LLP. A copy of Hewins’ current written disclosure statement discussing our investment advisory and financial planning services and fees is available for review upon request or at www. adviserinfo.sec.gov.

FOCUS ON FINANCIAL PLANNING

17

18 FOCUS ON FINANCIAL PLANNING

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

Win in the stock market by not losing

You don’t have to have your money in the stock market all the time!

One of the main arguments in support of buy and hold (i.e., investing for the long term or stay the course) is the notion investors cannot afford to miss the best market days. However, what is lost in that logic is the fact that buy-and-hold investors also will never miss any of the bad days. Despite our best wishes, the stock market doesn’t just go up, so losses and bear markets are something every investor must deal with.

If a typical investment horizon is 20 years, a 10-year drought consumes half the available time for making money.

So if in 10 years we are break even (not to mention down 20%), an 8% annual growth assumption for stocks now needs to be bumped up to 16% per year just to stay on track, not including the effects of compounding, which only makes matters worse. While it can be easy to discuss a year like 2008 as a fluke, the fact is, market declines of 20% or more happen more often than we might care to admit.

Jeffrey S. Luedke Stifel, Nivolaus & Company, Inc.

Since 1900,

the S&P 500 index has seen declines of 20% or more 14 times. So on average we can expect some significant market turbulence about every eight years. Once the decline is set in motion, it takes an average of 6.5 years to reach a new equity peak (think of what that means for the recovery from 2008, it could very well be 2015 before we see a new equity peak).

With the benefit of hindsight and a 200-year data set, it might be reasonable to

conclude

that

markets

always

come back within an investor’s frame.

Therefore, it seems worthwhile not only to attempt to capture gains, but also have some mechanism to at least attempt to minimize losses during sustained bear markets. It is my belief that this requires some sort of active management strategy.

A Focus on Downside Protection I am going to introduce you to a style of investing that you may want to consider if you believe there are times that it is not wise to be in the stock market. I was introduced to Tactical Asset Allocation 1½ years ago, and it has made me question my belief of buy-and-hold investing, or at least think there may be a better way. In very simple terms, this style of market-driven information (like relationships between capital markets, interest rates, the economy, elections, fiscal cliffs) is all put into the model, which shows how much exposure you will have in the market to minimize declines. This strategy may give the investor (you) a chance to miss market declines. Therefore, it is my belief that it is more important to be out of the market on bad days than being in the market on the good days.

As we now know when buy-and-hold investment strategies perform poorly, it can take a long time to work back to even.

A Tactical Strategy offers an alternative experience – a strategy designed to give investors a better risk-reward relationship with a focus on downside protection.

Jeffrey S. Luedke is senior vice president/ investments at Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated. Asset Allocation does not ensure a profit or protect against loss.

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

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

December 2012

The following is a letter recently sent to the United States House of Representatives on behalf of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, highlighting the negative impact of the fiscal cliff, especially on our defense installation and contractors.

November 16, 2012 Honorable Peter Roskam United States House of Representatives 227 Cannon Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Congressman Roskam, Chambers of Commerce from across Illinois and our employer members are very concerned about the terrible economic impact of the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA), commonly referred to as the “fiscal cliff.” While we support strong efforts to get our nations’ fiscal house in order, the combination of tax increases and across the board spending cuts required by BCA is likely to undermine our fiscal position, not improve it.

Of the specific actions required under BCA, the undersigned wish to highlight the impact of sequestration on the Department of Defense (DOD). As home to major defense installations and an extensive network of defense contractors, Illinois has much at stake in any additional cuts to DOD. In fact, a study commissioned by the Aerospace Industries Association estimates that Illinois has more than 53,000 jobs at risk if sequestration goes through as planned. More than 23,000 of those jobs are a direct result of DOD cuts. Illinois’ unemployment rate currently stands at 8.8%. The loss of 23,000 jobs would erase months of modest job growth and push Illinois unemployment rate back over 9%.

The Defense sequestration is truly a statewide concern. Scott Air Force base, the 126th Air Refueling Wing, 932nd Airlift Wing and major defense contractors in Southern Illinois; the 182nd Airlift Wing, Camp Lincoln, and the 183rd Fighter Wing in Central Illinois; the Rock Island Arsenal Installation and more than 500 defense contractors in the Quad City Region; a defense contractor cluster in Northern Illinois; and Great Lakes Naval Station and major defense contractors in Northeastern Illinois all produce great economic benefits to our state and all are at risk if sequestration comes to pass.

Sequestration will not only impact the installations directly, but thousands of small businesses that supply and provide vital services to the installations and those that work there.

Finally, all citizens should be greatly troubled about the impact of sequestration on the capabilities of our armed forces to protect our citizens and our interests around the globe. The DOD already faces $450 billion dollars in cuts, a difficult but manageable figure. If maximum sequestration cuts go into effect, the total will amount to $1 trillion. Making things worse, these cuts will be applied across the board, giving the department no discretion to lessen the impact on combat readiness. This state of affairs should alarm every American.

We respectfully urge you to take all actions necessary to avoid the devastating economic and national defense consequences of sequestration. We stand ready to be part of the national dialogue on how our country can restore its fiscal health. However, allowing sequestration to occur is simply the wrong answer to that vital question.

Respectfully, Douglas L. Whitley, President & CEO Illinois Chamber of Commerce

Mindy L. Phillips, Chamber Director Palatine Area Chamber of Commerce

Einar Forsman, President & CEO Rockford Chamber of Commerce

Steward Sandstrom, President & CEO The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce

Tara E. Barney, CEO Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce Roberta Parks, President Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce Jerry Roper, President & CEO Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Linda Liles Ballantine, Executive Director Rolling Meadows Chamber of Commerce Bill Fleming, Executive Director Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce

John Coers, President O’Fallon/Shiloh Chamber of Commerce John L. Lengerman, Executive Director Greater Belleville Chamber of Commerce Marvin K. Bembry, President North Chicago Chamber of Commerce Tom Althoff, President & CEO Lisle Area Chamber of Commerce Tami Andrew, Interim President & CEO Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce

FOCUS ON FINANCIAL PLANNING

19

20

FOCUS ON FINANCIAL PLANNING

December 2012 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

Planning despite the Fiscal Cliff

With 2012 elections behind us, focus on the looming “fiscal cliff” has intensified. As of this writing, there has been an uptick in optimism that both sides of congress will work together in an effort to prevent significant tax increases and scheduled spending cuts as a result of the Budget Control Act of 2011.

Regardless of these uncertainties, now is an opportune time to make sure your financial house is in order. As you begin to address last minute items on your 2012 “to do” list, here are a few areas to review to help you stay on track as you work toward achieving your financial planning goals: Re-evaluate your investment portfolio and make necessary adjustments. Although the capital gains tax rate is uncertain for 2013 and beyond, the current capital gains tax rate of 15% is as low as it has been in years.

And while tax policy shouldn’t dictate all aspects of one’s investment portfolio, now may be the time to capture capital gains if you intend to change your overall investment allocation to better suit your long-term goals.

Determine if you are taking full advantage of 401(k), IRA, or other retirement plans. Reassess your goals and ask your financial planning practitioner to help you determine how to maximize your retirement savings.

Is your portfolio well diversified? At the same time, does your portfolio still reflect your long-term goals? Make sure your investment strategy is based on solid principals and not short-term fears caused by political uncertainty. If you are concerned about any aspect of your portfolio holdings, now is the time to ask your financial consultant, tax and legal advisors for help.

Review all lines of insurance. Has 2012 brought about change within your family? Maybe you’ve welcomed a new child or grandchild, married, or faced the challenges of divorce? Or perhaps you are concerned with the prospect that the current estate tax exemption could decrease if current tax policies expire?

Reviewing life insurance coverage will enable you to determine if you are adequately insured to provide for your loved ones. You should also review medical, disability, long-term care insurance and even property casualty coverage. No matter your personal status, your life should be insured to cover the cost of replacing your talents (income) and overall responsibilities.

Like your investment portfolio, you should re-evaluate insurance coverage at least annually. If you already own life insurance, you should question whether or not you are getting the most out of your life insurance policy. If your lifestyle,

family situation or

personal

and

financial

Ray Schenk Alpine Trust

objectives have changed, it may be time that your life insurance policy changes also.

Revisit your estate plan. Let’s face it; most of us don’t like to think about dying.

However,

should

something

happen to you, are you certain that your spouse, child, or even grandchildren will be taken care of according to your wishes? If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to consult with an estate planning legal professional to establish a will or trust. A thorough estate plan will make clear your desires as to who will benefit from your trust as well as whom you want to handle your personal, financial and/or business affairs. Even if you have a will or trust, much like investments and insurance, your estate plan should be reviewed annually, or when significant events occur. If you have an estate plan, make sure everything is current by reviewing it each time there is a: ■■ birth, adoption or death of a child ■■ marriage, divorce or separation of anyone named in the will ■■ major tax law change ■■ move of the testator (the person for whom the will is made) to a new state ■■ significant change in income or wealth of either the testator or a beneficiary ■■ major

change

in

the

needs,

circumstances or objectives of the testator or beneficiaries As you review your estate plan make sure to retain accurate records.

Inform your executor as to where your will or trust is kept and be sure your executor can gain access to all pertinent documents when necessary. Make a list of the names and phone numbers of your financial, legal and tax/accounting advisors and attach it to your documents.

Finally, whether you use a will, a family trust or a more complicated instrument to define your wishes, be sure that you discuss your plans with your family, before it becomes necessary.

Ray Schenk is vice president & investment officer at Alpine Trust & Investment Group.

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

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

FOCUS ON FINANCIAL PLANNING

December 2012

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

Business diversification vital to area’s economic health A recent consulting study commissioned by the Rockford Area Economic Development Council reported that private firms in Rockford expect to add new jobs at twice the annual growth rate in the next two years, as compared to last year’s one percent rate. This fact reveals business optimism about Rockford’s economy and significant potential for future economic growth throughout the area.

However, the study also identified a challenge in the city’s ability to meet the expected rising demand for highly skilled workers in areas like advanced manufacturing, aerospace engineering and business management. Among the many suggestions, the development of industrial parks and office and retail space in Rockford’s downtown stood out as means of further attracting businesses and highly skilled workers.

The conclusions of this study come at a time when Rockford’s unemployment rate has been decreasing more rapidly than both the Illinois and national rates, and when continued investments in the city’s infrastructure can provide a basis for further development.

But do these changes and the possible implementations of recommendations truly represent potential growth for the Forest City? The question does not have an easy answer, as new developments can take several years to complete and possibly a decade or two to bring concrete benefits to the region.

A Lesson from ‘Rust Belt’ Cities Cities in the Rust Belt have typically experienced prolonged periods of hardship before being able to diversify their economic landscape beyond the manufacturing-based center. Cities like Buffalo, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Columbus and Milwaukee have only recently begun to experience the benefits of efforts to expand into fields like information technology, health care and education.

These cities have been able to increase employment in such areas, and since the last recession, to attract larger numbers of college-educated workers.

Another example is Youngstown, Ohio, which had been highly dependent on steel and auto manufacturing until the 1980s, when globalization drove jobs out of the city and out of the country, only to leave the city in difficult economic times with large waves of out migration. In the 1990s, to jump-start business activity throughout Rust Belt cities, the state of Ohio initiated so-called Business Incubators in suffering towns, with the help of federal, state and local government funding, as well

Dr. Roxana Idu Rockford College

as funding from private donors. The Youngstown Business Incubator, which operates as a nonprofit organization, used funds to rebuild parts of the city’s downtown and help new businesses get off the ground in fields like information technology, biomedical and advanced materials.

The organization also made efforts to market these developments to other regions throughout the state in order to attract skilled workers and potential new businesses. In addition, the city dedicated funds to the building of industrial parks.

One measure of Youngstown’s success is its current unemployment rate, which stands at only 7.6 percent, below the national rate and well below Rockford’s 11 percent rate.

Rockford’s manufacturing success after World War II also had made it vulnerable to intensifying globalization in the 1980s, with prospects of cheaper labor and rising productivity in rapidly developing countries like China. The toll of globalization on Rockford’s economy was considerable, and has left its mark until today. The remedies suggested for Rockford’s economic woes in the aforementioned consulting study resemble the kinds of changes other Rust Belt cities have enacted and which have proven effective. As Rockford’s leaders decide the exact path to embark on, it will be useful to keep in mind the lessons and experiences of cities with similar economic histories.

Dr. Roxana Idu is assistant professor of economics in the economics, business and accounting department at Rockford College.

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

References Rockford Register Star, “Consultant’s study offers remedies for Rockford’s ills,” by Isaac Guerrero, Oct 26, 2012. rrstar.com/businessrockford/x255959052/ Consultants-study-offers-remedies-for-Rockford-s-ills?zc _p=0 Youngstown Business Incubator – History. ybi. org/about/history Bureau of Labor Statistics, Rockford Il – Economy at a Glance. bls.gov/eag/eag.il_rockford_msa.htm Bureau of Labor Statistics, Youngstown-WarrenBoardman, OH-PA – Economy at a Glance. bls.gov/ eag/eag.oh_youngstown_msa.htm Business Insider, “Rust Belt Cities Are Showing Signs of a Rebound,” by Sarah Stodola, Nov. 17, 2011. articles.businessinsider.com/2011-11-17/markets /30409266_1_rust-belt-housing-bubble-health-care The Christian Science Monitor, “A Rust Belt City Tries to Shrink Its Way to Success,” by Jeremy Kutner, May 29, 2009. csmonitor.com/ Business/2009/0529/a-rust-belt-city-tries-to-shrink-itsway-to-success The Wall Street Journal, “Mayor of Illinois City Hopes Against Hope for U.S. Funds,” by Amy Merrick and Roger Thurow, Feb 6, 2009. online.wsj.com/ article/SB123396972602459239.html

21

22

December 2012

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Chamber Member Information Goes Chamber members and the public now can quickly find out information on Rockford Chamber member businesses with the launch of a new mobile app and website, with capabilities to browse the member directory, access chamber events, track news and redeem coupons.

“This new website and mobile app dramatically improves how we promote our members and our organization online,” said Einar Forsman, president & CEO of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce. “We are excited for our members to begin seeing many increased benefits, including more business leads from us.” www.rockfordchamber.com has a search-engine optimized business directory to maximize members’ exposure and drive more visitors to member listings. The WebLink Mobile web app is optimized for mobile devices that support Standards Compatible browsers including: iPhone, iPad, iTouch, Android phones and BlackBerry phones (Version 6 software, and newer only).

WebLink Mobile™ User Guide Users can save the WebLink Mobile App to their home screen for quick access.

All content is updated in real-time from the member database, without exporting/ importing or manually updating the

Mobile

contents of the app.

The mobile app has a number of key menu options, including: Business Directory Menu Item.

Search member businesses and categories, with basic contact information, descriptions and coupons offered.

Event Calendars Menu Item.

View the listing of upcoming events in chronological order with details on date, time, location, description. The menu item links to the full web secure registration page.

Coupons. View the list of active coupons with details.

Top FAQs Wait -- so it’s not a native application? I don’t download it?

You access the mobile web app via a browser at www.rockfordchamber.com.

No need to access an app store.

Can I “install” it on my mobile device?

Yes, many phones allow you to “Add to Home Screen” or “Add a Favorite” from your phone’s browser. iPhones will create an app icon on your home screen.

Other phones have similar functionality.

This allows for quick access later.

There also are opportunities for members to enhance their company’s listings with powerful new marketing opportunities. Call 815-987-8100.

Organizations invited to apply for help with energy-efficiency upgrades Commercial and industrial facilities and large multifamily buildings served

by Nicor Gas are encouraged to apply for technical assistance and financial incentives for energy efficiency upgrades to their existing commercial and industrial facilities through the Nicor Gas Economic Redevelopment Program. The program focuses on serving communities that are in need of economic redevelopment, and businesses and organizations that create jobs, offer social services or provide affordable housing.

Technical Assistance Services ■■ A complete evaluation of the project and design documents.

■■ A report detailing recommended energy efficiency measures, estimated savings and incentives available from Nicor Gas and other programs.

■■ Assistance in applying for incentive programs.

■■ Design review and construction oversight to ensure quality results.

Financial Incentives ■■ Technical consulting, design and engineering assistance (up to $20,000 value) provided at no cost.

■■ Financial incentives up to $100,000 per project (based upon the performance of and energy savings of efficiency measures).

■■ Financial incentives to help cover the cost of design services.

■■ Incentives and technical assistance are based on the scope of the project, the measures implemented and the therms saved.

Qualification Guidelines ■■ Projects should promote economic redevelopment and be located in Enterprise Zones, TIF districts or other economically challenged areas. Projects that create jobs, offer social services or provide affordable housing may qualify, even if not located within these zones.

■■ The facility to be improved must be at least 10,000 square feet.

■■ Projects must be early in both the design process and the process of selecting components and systems to be improved.

(Projects nearing completion may not qualify.)

How to Apply To apply for this program or for more information, visit NicorGasRebates. com/economic or contact the Nicor Gas Economic Redevelopment Program team at 773-328-7040 or ERP@cntenergy.org.

The Nicor Gas Economic Redevelopment Program is a Nicor Gas Energy Efficiency Program offering administered by the Energy Center of Wisconsin and CNT Energy. Availability is on a firstcome, first-served basis, and the offer is subject to change or termination without notice at the discretion of the Economic Redevelopment Program.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

23

December 2012

Regional, National Indicators THE ECONOMY U.S. Indicators

Midwest Manufacturing Output Decreased in September

October, 2012 Consumer Price Index

 0.1 percent

The Chicago Fed Midwest Manufacturing Index (CFMMI) decreased 0.4 percent in September, to a seasonally adjusted level of 93.4 (2007 = 100).

The Federal Reserve Board’s industrial production index for manufacturing (IPMFG) increased 0.2 percent in September. Regional output rose 8.5 percent in September from a year earlier, and national output increased 3.5 percent.

Unemployment Rate 7.9 percent Payroll Employment

 171,000

Average Hourly Earnings

q $0.01

Producer Price Index

 0.2 percent

Employment Cost Index

 0.4 percent (third quarter, 2012)

Productivity

 1.9 percent (third quarter, 2012)

U.S. Import Price Index

 0.5 percent

U.S. Export Price Index

 0.8 percent

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Unemployment Rates—Region, State, Nation

Sep 2012

Aug 2012

Sep 2011

11.0 11.7 13.6 q 0.7

q 2.6

Chicago

8.0 8.8 10.1 q 0.8

q 2.1

Illinois

8.1 8.9 9.8 q 0.8

q 1.7

United States

7.6

q 1.2

Source: U.S. Department of Employment Security

8.8

% Change

Jul 12

Aug 12

Sep 12

Sep 11 -Sep 12

Chicago Mfg. Index

95.5

93.8

93.4

 8.5

CFMMI-Auto

102.0 96.6 94.5

 16.4

CFMMI-Steel

92.2 91.4 91.3

 8.1

CFMMI-Machinery 93.6 93.4 93.1

 8.1

CFMMI-Resource 90.3 90.3 91.1

 2.6

National Index

 3.5

96.0

95.1

95.3

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Updated Oct. 29, 2012

Change/Mo. Change/Yr.

Rockford

8.2

Monthly Index

q 0.6

Population Clocks As of November 18, 2012: U.S.

314,788,783 Source: U.S. Census Bureau

World 7,053,020,374

24

December 2012

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

the News IN Members THEin NEWS

1. Dennis Johnson

2. Matt Armstrong

3. Gordon Eggers, Jr.

4. Kathleen Hughes

5. Susan Geise

6. Lisa Radant

7. Craig Klaas

8. Maleeah Cuevas

9. Stephanie Shields

10. Jean Lopez

11. Daniel Hopkins

12. Brenten Witherby

13. Mike Eliot

14. B.J. Majerus

15. Marc Dickson

16. Dan James

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

BOARD APPOINTMENTS After 24 years of continuous service, Dennis (Denny) Johnson (1) will retire from SwedishAmerican Health System’s board.

Brian F. Soltys, DDS, was named president-elect of the Illinois State Dental Society. He will represent the organization with government, civic, business and professional organizations.

Dan Pecora, COO for Cimco Resources, Rockford, joined the Riverside Community Bank board.

Midway Village Museum added to its board: Jeff Hefty, director of employment and grants at Rock Valley College, and Matt Armstrong (2), financial advisor at Savant Capital Management.

Crusader Community Health CEO Gordon Eggers, Jr. (3), was elected as Illinois Primary Health Care Association board chair.

Kiwanis Club of Rockford installed Phil Davidson as president, Rev. Larry Matthews as president-elect, Amy Prosise as treasurer, Mary Norman as secretary, and Mara Wicklund as immediate past president. Joining the board are Julie Pastore, Joseph Pearson and Paul Werther, and serving are Donald Lavelle, Kim Johnsen, Herb Page, John Johnson, Bryce Russell and Erich Hagenlocher.

17. Todd Kundinger

18. Rev. James E. Swarthout

Winnebago County Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program’s board officers for 2012-2013 are: Fred Muehlfelder, chair; Kathy McCarty, vice chair; Sharon Cooper, secretary; Mary Kay Garganera, treasurer, and Joan Young, CASA advocate representative. Retired educator Michael Groncki joined the board.

NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, RETIREMENTS Healing Pathways - Cancer Resource Center hired Kathleen Hughes (4) as its new executive director.

Entré Computer Solutions hired Ryan Cooper as an inside sales representative. He has a background as a network systems administrator and PC technician.

Rockford IceHogs Head Coach Ted Dent named center Martin St. Pierre the seventh captain in team history.

Shelter Insurance Companies hired Susan Geise (5) as a new agent. She and agent Lisa Radant (6) are Rockford Chamber Ambassadors.

Craig (C.J.) Klaas (7) was named Chief Operating Officer, Maleeah Cuevas (8) as Chief Administrative Officer, and Stephanie Shields (9) was promoted to operations manager for the Klaas Financial inc., Loves Park and Madison offices. Jean Lopez (10) was hired as administrative assistant for the Loves Park location.

Oblique Ideas hired Daniel Hopkins (11) as full-time director of design.

19.Pat Fett

20. Dr. Bruce Peterson

Brenten Witherby (12) joined Alpine Bank as assistant vice president – commercial services, SBA. Outfielder Jimmy Parque will get a shot in the St. Louis Cardinals after having his contract purchased from the Rockford RiverHawks. He joins Mike Lee and Kyle Schepel as RiverHawks signed by a major league organization in 2012.

Mike Elliot (13), B.J. Majerus (14), Marc Dickson (15) and Dan James (16) were hired as Honda sales and leasing associates, and Todd Kundinger (17) as the MercedesBenz sales manager at Napleton Auto Werks.

Two joined the Rosecrance marketing team: Carla M. Chludzinksi as community relations coordinator, and Rev. James E. Swarthout (18) as clergy community relations.

EMPLOYEE/COMMUNITY RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS The Judson University Chapter of Tau Sigma Delta Honor Society, Gamma Xi, welcomed eight new members from the school’s department of architecture: Sarah Dede, Emily Fiedler and Rebecca Noll (undergraduate), and Andrew Gander, Hilary Jackson, Marcus Mayell, Kyle Faulkner and Michael Rabe (graduate).

Rockford Health System presented the 2012 Jack W. Packard Quality Champion Awards to Pat Fett (19), RN, a Clinical Nurse Specialist in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and Bruce

21. Dr. Justin Mao

22. Dr. Susan Feder

Peterson, M.D. (20), a pediatrician at Rockford Health PhysiciansRoscoe.

Dr. Justin Mao (21), an electrophysiologist at Midwest Heart Specialists at SwedishAmerican Health System, is the first in Rockford to treat patients with atrial fibrillation using the Arctic Front Advance™ Cardiac Cryoballoon System, which freezes heart tissue around the pulmonary veins to help stop abnormal electrical activity causing an irregular heartbeat.

Crusader Community Health gave its “Spirit of Caring” awards to: Pastor Troy Hedrick, former Crusader Community Health board chair; Charlotte Hackin, Rockford Park District commissioner and Crusader Community Health Foundation board, and Robert McLaughlin, Family Counseling Services board, Carpenters Place, Hope for Haitians board, and the Rockford Diocese.

Dr. Susan Feder (22), board certified in child, adolescent and adult psychiatry, opened a new practice at Aspen Counseling and Consulting, which specializes in the treatment of mood disorders.

BMO Harris Bank received the award for outstanding corporation by the Association of Fundraising Professionals for support of area nonprofits.

University of Illinois Extension announced that Pecatonica High School agriculture teacher Brendan Schultz received an Illinois Farm to

23. Bob and Barb Lund

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

25

December 2012

Members in the News IN THE NEWS

24. Spencer Monroe

25. Dr. Fred Sweet

26. Matthew Peterson

27. April Wells

28. Jennifer Kieffer

29. Jessica Macklin

30. Phil Triolo

31. Matt Carlson

32. Nicholas Campbell

33. Scott Krowczyk

34. Philip W. Eaton

35. Philip A. Guske

36. Kathy Velasco

37. Ardene Friest

38. Kevin Patrick

39. Steve Peppers

Choice Photography Contest.

40. Mario Enriquez School Teacher of the Year Award for work in establishing a school garden, and in the classroom.

Leda Vogl, staff auditor at Alpine Bank, completed the Certified Community Bank Compliance Officer Program, sponsored by the Independent Community Bankers of America.

University of Illinois ExtensionWinnebago County recognized more than 150 4-H youth members, leaders and volunteers at its annual event at Midway Village Museum. Bob and Barb Lund (23) received the Friends of 4-H award, and Spencer Monroe (24) the Outstanding 4-H Member of the Year.

Dr. Fred Sweet (25), Rockford Spine Center, is listed among 20 Naval Spine Leaders in Becker’s Orthopedic and Spine Review.

Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau announced that area residents won Illinois United States Specialty Sports Association Hall of Fame awards: Paula Oij in the director category and Lori “Pizza” Guinta in the female player category.

McGladrey LLP promoted Matthew Peterson (26) and April Wells (27) to senior associate, Jennifer Kieffer (28), Jessica Macklin (29), Phil Triolo (30) and Matt Carlson (31) to supervisor, and Nicholas Campbell (32) to manager. McGladrey Wealth Management LLC promoted Scott Krowczyk (33) to director.

Winners of Natural Land Institute’s Seasons on the Land Art Show and Benefit art awards were: Tom Linden, Best of Show; Wendy Rouse, First Place 2-D; Janet Flynn, First Place 3-D; Thomas Brain, First Place Photography, and Richard Pearce, First Place Digital Print. Deb Dietz won the People’s

Philip W. Eaton (34), president/ CEO of Rosecrance, was named a “2012 Champion” by Behavioral Healthcare magazine for serving individuals seeking treatment for substance abuse and mental health disorders at the National Conference on Addiction Disorders in Orlando.

The Illinois Psychological Association presented Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) with its Legislator of the Year award for long-time commitment to ensuring that those with mental illness receive access to quality and affordable treatment.

Philip A. Guske (35), Pathfinder Wealth Management, was authorized by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards to use the certification marks CFP®.

OF GENERAL INTEREST Rockford Spine Center was named to the Rockford IceHogs secondary medical network, with Dr. Michael Roh, Dr. Christopher Sliva, Dr. Fred Sweet and Dr. Marie Walker serving as the team’s orthopedic spine specialists.

The Rock Valley College Model United Nations team was chosen one of six outstanding delegations at the national conference in Washington, D.C. Students were: Ashley N. Palin, Evan M. Frisella, Nathan P. Tripp, Thomas Michael Bouril, Cyrene Krey, Yempabou C. Lompo, Badmaagarav Purevjav, Liana Kirillova and Aysha Uddin.

Advisor were faculty Crystal Dinwiddie and Dr. Martin Quirk, and advising intern James Dewitz.

Kathy Velasco (36), president of V2 Marketing Communications, presented “How to Create an Annual Report that People Will Actually Read,” to the Association of Fundraising Professionals Rockford Chapter.

Longtime volunteer Ardene Friest (37) and Carol Swenson, retired SwedishAmerican Regional Cancer Center director and long-time registered nurse, donated a unique quilt to the SwedishAmerican Center for Women.

Kevin Patrick (38), project manager at Pro Com Systems, a division of Ballard Companies, Inc., attended the Nurse Call Sales Training

by Ascom Wireless Solutions in Milwaukee, in October. Steve Peppers (39), operations manager, and Mario Enriquez (30), project estimator-fire alarm, attended the 26th annual Leadership Conference

by Notifier, a fire alarm distributor in Orlando in October.

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

26

December 2012

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Business Briefs BUSINESS BRIEFS

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

Baxter & Woodman, Inc., consulting engineers was selected by the City of Morrison (Ill.) for planning, design engineering and bidding assistance for the new $14 million wastewater treatment plant, with construction expected to begin spring, 2014.

V2 Marketing Communications completed training to become a Hubspot Certified Partner agency.

The marketing software helps companies attract leads and convert them into customers.

Rockford Park District’s Magic Waters received the award for Best Press/Media Kit at the World Waterpark Association Symposium and Trade Show in Las Vegas, for waterparks with 100,000 to 250,000 annual attendance.

Satori Pathway presented Alzheimer’s and dementia education at a lunch and learn at FHN hospital social services department in October and to the Rockford Fire Department paramedics at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in November.

Larson & Darby Group made a $5,000 contribution to the “Better Schools Brighter Future Campaign” for Rockford Public School District 205.

Keith Country Day School and Nicholas Conservatory partnered to provide multi-disciplinary lessons, including Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) concepts, art assignments, and community service projects.

Thousands of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., financial advisors, clients and employees across the country volunteered at Feeding America member food banks and other hunger-relief organizations on Nov. 16 as a part of its third-annual Ameriprise Financial National Day of Service.

Rockford Christian Schools third graders took a Skype virtual field trip to Kenya and second and third graders had a Skype chat with award-winning author/illustrator Graeme Base from Australia, using the Diane Bertrand Science, Technology and Humanities Center Distance Learning Auditorium in October.

KMK Media Group, Inc., was hired

by Glenwood Center Ltd., Rockford, to assist with brand development, brochure design, public relations and website development. It was hired

by Zeman Homes, one of the largest manufactured home operators in the country, to develop an overall

marketing strategy. Downs Law Offices of Chicago hired the firm to design and develop a comprehensive marketing brochure.

Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois seeks short-term volunteers for its income tax assistance program during the upcoming tax filing season, which provides free income tax preparation services to low-to-moderate income residents in Rockford and Machesney Park.

Contact 815-987-6205 or vita@ goodwillni.org.

Children of all ages participated in a Halloween parade at Clock Tower Resort’s CoCo Key as a kick off to its annual food drive “CoCo’s Harvest for the Hungry.” Every child in costume received free admission to CoCo Key with a donation of a non-perishable food item to the Rock River Valley Food Pantry.

Also on Sundays in November, guests bringing non-perishable food donations received $3 off admission to the indoor water park.

Rockford Career College’s paralegal students held a mock trial in November, where the lounge transformed into a courtroom setting. Students from the medical assisting, massage therapy, pharmacy technology and business administration programs took on roles to simulate a trial.

Rockford Park District and the Rock Cut Trail Crew and Valley Trail Riders held a dedication for the opening of Page Park trails, 3102 N. Springfield Ave., with new trails for mountain bike and equestrian use.

Valley Expo & Displays acquired Events Exposition Service, Inc., a trade show general service contractor based in East Dundee, Ill. Staff, operations and equipment will be fully integrated into the Rockford headquarters.

SwedishAmerican Health System released its interactive annual report, a comprehensive two-year summary of 2011 and 2012 accomplishments.

The report describes how the organization is transforming for its next 100 years. Visit www. swedishamerican.org/about/ summary_report/.

Fitzgerald Funeral Home and Crematory was one of only 164 firms in the world to be honored with the 2012 National Funeral Directors Association Pursuit of Excellence Award. It was one of two funeral homes to receive the Best of the Best Award for its Memorial Day Parade Flag Tribute. More than 40 boy and girl scouts held American flags with the name of a deceased veteran at Rockford’s Memorial Day Parade.

Next Rockford began a platform endorsement process to educate public officials on issues relating to the region’s business environment, education, urban development, cultural offerings and civic engagement and to encourage officials to advocate for issues important to the membership. Visit www.nextrockford.org.

Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois kicked off its Let’s Go to Work! program at its retail store at 2030 Galena St., in Freeport, in which employed participants sort and hang clothing on the sales floor.

Barbara Olson Center of Hope received Crusader Community Health’s 2012 Spirit of Caring organization award for volunteering in numerous community walks, fundraisers, cold-water plunges, blood drives, food distributions, park clean-ups, and resale shop stocking.

Rockford Park District’s Sapora Playworld at Carlson Ice Arena is offering “Half-Price Tuesdays and Thursdays” at the three-level indoor soft play structure for ages 5 to 12, and Tiny Tots Playspace for ages 4 and younger.

Eclipse in Rockford announced the release of BV-Pak, its Butterfly Valve Package — an Eclipse Trilogy Series actuator mounted to a standard Eclipse butterfly valve for industrial burner control.

The Spectrum Insurance team won first prize at Shelter Care Ministries’ first Rockford Soup-r-Fest Soup Challenge for its chicken noodle soup. Team Denton came a close second with vegetarian tortilla soup.

Kewanee Hospital, a stand-alone, private not-for-profit hospital, has signed a Letter of Intent to affiliate with OSF HealthCare. During the next few months, each organization will spend time learning more about each other to validate benefits to the community in a process called due diligence. A decision on whether to move forward is expected later next year.

Rockford Park District and Rockford Park District Foundation held a special dedication ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Eclipse Lagoon and Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens Phase II improvements now open to the public.

Rock Valley College dedicated a 1/155 scale replica of the frigate, the USS Constitution, “Old Ironsides,” to be on permanent display at the Estelle M. Black Library, Educational Resource Center, which was donated by Ronald C. Ramlow in gratitude for educating his three children.

Forest City Diagnostic Imaging installed its newest Hi-Field Wide Bore MRI to accommodate larger or claustrophobic patients and for advanced neurological and orthopedic applications.

Rockford Memorial Hospital passed the 1,000-case mark for its da Vinci Robotic Surgery Program, which launched five years ago.

Womanspace opened its holiday art and craft sale to run during business hours, Monday to Thursday, and some evening and weekend hours through Dec. 13. The sale features locally made, hand-crafted gifts in Gallery 1 and the Gallery2Go gift shop.

Rockford Public Schools secondary schools received the first of 3,600 iPads as part of a pilot study to improve student learning. Test results from the I-SAT tests given in March will be used to determine their effectiveness. Rockford teachers were trained in their use and the technology paid for by Title 1 Federal Funding.

The Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau gave two “It’s a Great Day in Rockford!” visitor industry awards. GrahamSpencer Inspired Strategic Communications won for designing and creating the Rick’s Picks: A Lifelong Affair with Guitars and Music exhibit at the Burpee Museum of Natural History, and the Pec Playhouse won for its dedication to quality community theater.

Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity celebrated the reopening of ReStore, located two doors east of its former location at 986 W. Riverside Boulevard in North Towne Mall.

Rockford Data Management was hired by Rockford Pediatric Pulmonology to design custom webbased software and a medical records system.

Oblique Ideas completed a marketing website for Philadelphia-based Wingspan Technology’s new electronic Trial Master File product.

PS Designs & More, Inc., designed and developed a website for Diane Chambers-Bonacquisti, owner of In the Spirit of Health Therapeutic Massage at www.in-the-spirit-ofhealth.com.

Woodward, Inc., reported record financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2012, with net sales for the fourth quarter at $528.7 million — an increase of eight percent from $489.3 million in fourth quarter, 2011.

Rockford Chamber businesses won 25th annual Heart of Rockford Awards by the River District Association: PR Etc., Inc., commercial

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

27

December 2012

Community Events COMMUNITY

Saturday, December 1

Rockford Park District hosts Charles Dickens Film Festival, 3 to 5:30 p.m., in the main library auditorium, 215 N. Wyman St., featuring three films.

Registration not required. Call 815965-7606.

University of Illinois Extension presents Horticulture for the Holidays, 8:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., at Nicholas Conservatory, 1354 N. Second St., Rockford. Features traditional wheat weaving and folkart painting projects, and a demonstration and keynote from Candice Miller on creating holiday centerpieces and arrangements using evergreens and common backyard materials.

Register at web.extension.illinois. edu/jsw or 815-986-4357.

Jean Anderson and Trish Rooney, organ. Call 815-964-9713 or visit www.mendelssohnpac.org.

Sunday, December 9

Midway Village Museum hosts a Holiday Victorian Tea, 2 to 4 p.m., in the Chamberlain Hotel with staff in circa 1900 fashions. Call 815-3979112, ext. 104, or jessica.macdonald@ midwayvillage.com.

Tuesday, December 11

Rockford Park District presents How Will We Pay for College? 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the east branch, Friends of RPL community room, 6685 E. State St. Registration required. Call 815965-7606.

The Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and the River District Association present A Downtown Holiday Celebration, 3 to 6 p.m., with a tree lighting at 5:15 p.m., at the corner of State and Water streets in downtown Rockford, upper parking deck.

QCi restoration hosts an Ethics course to fulfill Illinois continuing education requirements, 9 a.m. to noon at corporate headquarters, 1155 Bowes Road, Elgin. Free. Includes snacks, lunch and a tour of the facility.

To register, contact Angela Falese at angelaf@qcirestoration.com or 847738-1805.

Byron Forest Preserve District hosts a Trip to Chi Art Institute, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Meet at Jarrett Center. Call 815234-8535.

Byron Forest Preserve District hosts a Trip to Sci/Ind Museum, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Meet at Jarrett Center. Call 815234-8535 to register by Dec. 10.

Monday, December 3

Wednesday, December 12

Byron Forest Preserve District hosts a DNR Hunter Education Course, Dec. 3, 5 and 7 from 6 to 9 p.m. (6 to 10 p.m., on Dec. 7). Call 815-2348535.

Saturday, December 22

Tuesday, December 4

Rockford Park District presents Senior Skype, 2 to 4 p.m., on Dec. 4 and 11 at the Rockton Centre branch, 3112 N. Rockton Ave. Registration required. Call 815-965-7606.

Friday, December 7

Discovery Center Museum presents Ugly Christmas Sweater Night, an adults-only evening, 6 to 10 p.m. Register at www. discoverycentermuseum.org or 815972-2839.

Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center, 415 N. Church St., Rockford, presents Sounds of Winter, 7:30 p.m., with Nanette Felix, harp; Mark Baldin, trumpet; Gale Ketteler, soprano; and

Discovery Center Museum presents Dazzling Winter Days, Dec. 22 to 30, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Seasonal hands-on crafts, puzzles, and fun art projects. Register at 815-963-6769 or visit www.discoverycentermuseum.org.

Rockford Symphony Orchestra present its annual Holiday Pops! concert with the Mendelssohn Chorale on Dec. 22 at 7:30 p.m., and Dec. 23, at 3 p.m., at the Coronado Performing Arts Center, 314 N. Main St. Visit www.rockfordsymphony.com or call 815-968-0595.

Monday, December 31

Discovery Center Museum presents Countdown to Fun! 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Crafts, games, music, art and a countdown to midnight -- somewhere in the world! Register at 815-963-6769 or visit www.discoverycentermuseum.org.

Business Briefs renovation; Bella Luna Bakery, new business; WilliamsMcCarthy LLP, commitment by a business; documentary video producer Pablo Korona, commitment by an individual, and Screw City Beer Festival, festival/event.

was recognized for high quality of

The YMCA of Rock River Valley celebrated the five-year anniversary of the Northeast Family YMCA in November.

BMO Harris Bank received the

Rockford Memorial Hospital

nonprofits.

care, receiving numerous awards from HealthGrades in November, including a ranking in the top 10

percent nationally and #1 in Illinois for spine surgery.

award for outstanding corporation by the Association of Fundraising Professionals for support of area

Get to Know Your Ambassadors Name: Elizabeth (Libby) Simms Company: Lutheran Social Services of Illinois/ Senior Services Position: Community Liaison How long have you been an Ambassador?

Since 1991 (21 years) What do you like most about being an Ambassador? The Rockford Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors has afforded me the ability to meet people from other organizations and companies I may not have met. People tend to associate with those of the same industry they work in. The Ambassadors has opened doors I may not have knocked on and given me great relationships that have lasted over the years. The Ambassadors also has allowed me to tell the story of my relationship with Lutheran Social Services of Illinois and to spread the great news of all we do in our organization. I have been with the Ambassadors while working in other companies/agencies and have always kept my ties with them throughout.

28

December 2012

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Caught on Digital MEMBER EVENTS

KMK Media Group, Inc., held an open house on Oct. 25 at 716 N. Church St., in Rockford.

V2 Marketing Communications held a ribbon cutting on Nov. 14 at 220 E. State St., Ste. G, in Rockford. The event celebrated the merger of Velasco & Associates with Argyle Marketing and its office expansion.

Rockford Rescue Mission Thrift Store held a ribbon cutting on Nov. 16 for its new thrift store at 2710 20th St., in Rockford – consolidating the two mission marts at 1405 Kishwaukee St., and 1235 Sandy Hollow Road.

Pandora held a ribbon cutting on Nov. 9 at 7200 Harrison Ave., in the upper level of CherryVale Mall, Rockford.

Children’s Holiday Shoppe held a ribbon cutting on Nov. 21 at 300 N. Mulford Road at Market Place Mall in Rockford.

DO YOU HAVE AN EVENT TO CELEBRATE? Cork Keg & Spirits, specializing in wine, spirits and beers, held a ribbon cutting on Nov. 9 at 1603 N. Alpine Road, Ste. 113 at Edgebrook Center in Rockford.

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

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

New Chamber Members MEMBERS

1ST STEP CHIROPRACTIC, S.C.

HOPE MITIGATION

Spinal Balancing Using the NUCCA Procedure (National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association) 4519 Highcrest Road, 61107 Dr. Philip Schalow 815-398-4500 www.myrockfordchiropractor.com

Hope Mitigation is a Premier Short Sale Loss Mitigation Service Company P.O. Box 8255 Rockford, IL 61126 Kristin Mancuso 815-312-1476 www.hope-mitigation.com

ASCENSION PRO SERVICES BIG DAY DJ Disc Jockey Services Greg Saunders 815-312-1753 www.bigdaydj.com

CALVARY BOOKKEEPING SERVICES, INC. Offering Bookkeeping Payroll & Quickbooks Consulting for the Small to Medium Sized Business Owner 5301 E. State St., Ste. 316B, 61108 Julie Borck 815-246-2110 www.calvarybookkeeping.com

CARZ R’ US General Automotive/Light Truck Repair: Foreign, Domestic, Gas & Diesel. You Know Us, We Know Carz!!!

10208 Smythe Ave. Machesney Park, IL 61115 Matt Aukes 815-877-4277 www.carzrus.net

CENTRAL PRINTING & MEDIA SOLUTIONS

INSPHERE INSURANCE SOLUTIONS Insurance 1400 E. Touhy Ave., Ste. 405 Des Plaines, IL 60018 Lisa Moore 847-400-4247 www.insphereis.com

KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY SIGNATURE Real Estate Brokerage Servicing Residential & Commercial Purchases/ Sales and Property Management 4445 Marsh Hawk Dr. Loves Park, IL 61111 Cheryl Kirschmann 815-315-1111 www.kwrockford.com

MEN’S WEARHOUSE, INC. Complete Men’s Clothing Store, All Sizes & Styles, Extra Long, Tuxedos 6250 Mulford Village Dr., 61107 William Mercurio 815-397-7949 www.menswearhouse.com

NORTHERN ILLINOIS MEDICAL GROUP

Quality Offset and Digital Printing, Design, Fulfillment, and Mailing Services 735 Sugar Creek Road Delavan, WI 53115 Todd Johnson 262-728-4231 www.centralprinting.com

A Holistic Medical Center 5301 E. State St., Ste. 101, 61108 Joseph F. Newman, Jr. 815-392-8500 www.nimedgroup.com

CORRUGATED METALS, INC.

Financial Products, Services and Expertise to Help You Plan for the Future 7025 Rote Road, 61107 M. Beth Thacker 815-398-6636

Sheet Metal Fabricator of Corrugated Roofing and Siding Products 3575 Morreim Dr. Belvidere, IL 61008 Thomas J. Carlton 815-323-1310 www.corrugated-metals.com

ENERGY ALLIANCES Marketer of Natural Gas and Exclusive Agent for Integrys Energy Services 515 Sheridan Road Evanston, IL 60202 Brad Liegel 312-288-6527 www.energyalliances.com

EPILEPSY FOUNDATION Advocate for People with Epilepsy and Their Families.

321 W. State St., Ste. 208, 61101 Benjamin Slack 815-964-2689 www.efncil.org

29

December 2012

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL FINANCIAL NETWORK/ M. BETH THACKER

ORTHOPEDIC REHAB SPECIALISTS A Specialized Physical Therapy Company, with Locations in Rockford, Belvidere, Byron, Dixon and Roscoe 2662 McFarland Road, 61107 Peggy Kruger 815-227-1700 www.orspt.com

PANDORA High End Fashion Jewelry-Charm

by Charm Let’s Make Each Moment Matter 7200 Harrison Ave., Upper Level #74, CherryVale Mall, 61112 Nicole Poffinbarger 815-332-1411 www.pandora.net

PREFERRED ROOFING & SIDING CO. Roofing, Siding, Windows, Doors, Carpentry, Gutters, Snow Plowing, Additions, Remodels, Tile, Slate 2244 Lamar Ave., 61108 Jeff Greenwell 815-980-7112 www.preferredroofingandsiding.com

ROCKFORD NEPHROLOGY ASSOCIATES (RNA OF ROCKFORD LLC) Providing all Facets of Nephrology Care in Northern Illinois 612 Roxbury Road, 61107 John Maynard, M.D. 815-227-8300 www.rockfordnephrology.org

S & R HOME IMPROVEMENT General Contractor, Carpentry, Roofing, Siding 2721 Prial Ave., 61101 Spencer Davies 815-871-1410

SODEXO National Facility Contractor Food Services & Catering 5050 E. State St., 61108 Daniel Papuga 815-394-5277 http://www.sodexousa.com

TRAVLUR MOTEL Reasonable Rates with Kitchnette, Cable, Airconditioning 7125 W. State St., 61102 Rick Patel 815-964-7005

VALIQUETTE RESOURCE GROUP Working with Individuals and Teams to Provide Faciliation and Learning Resources for Personal and Business Success 2808 Spring Creek Road, 61107 Christina Valiquette 603-864-9244

WANLESS-BROWN MOVING & STORAGE CO. LLC Bekins Van Lines Agent Data Storage Center 6201 Material Ave., Ste. 1 Loves Park, IL 61111 Robert F. Wanless, II 815-639-0800 www.Wanless-Brown.com

WELLS FARGO HOME MORTGAGE Nations’ Leading Retail Mortgage Lender: Competitive Interest Rates, Mortgage, Home Equity, Refinance 4001 N. Perryville Road, Ste. 6207 Loves Park, IL 61111 Jay Jacobson 630-319-0151 www.yournewhomemortgage.com

30

December 2012

Holiday Fun Facts

Membership Renewals

According to some estimates, Americans are sitting on

91 percent of Americans

$30 billion worth of

eat turkey on Thanksgiving.

unredeemed gift cards.

U.S. scientists calculated that Santa

would have to visit 822 homes a second to

deliver all the world’s presents on Christmas Eve, travelling at 650 miles a second.

DC Comics©

Boxing Day

is called

boxing day because it was the day the family

The abbreviation

Xmas isn’t irreligious.

opened a gift box for the poor. The Box was often made of clay or wood and was

The letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ.

where people placed gifts. During the age of exploration, a Christmas Box would be placed on a ship for good luck. A priest would often place it there, and crewmen would drop

There are 13 Santas in Iceland, each leaving a gift for children. They come down from the mountain one by one, starting on Dec. 12 and have names

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

money in it to ensure a safe return. If the ship returned safely, the priest would take the box and distribute the contents to the poor.

Spoon Licker, Door Sniffer and Meat Hook.

like

CocaCola©

Coca Cola was the first beverage company to use Santa for a winter promotion. Previous to Coca Cola, Santa usually dressed in green.

Gold-wrapped chocolate coins commemorate St. Nicholas who gave bags of gold coins to the poor.

One town in Indiana is called Santa Claus.

There also is a Santa, Idaho.

221 feet high

The world’s tallest Xmas tree, at , was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.

7.6 million

Christmas trees are sold each year.

Thank you to the members who renewed with the Rockford Chamber in October, 2012.

A.W. Anderson Agency, Inc. A.A.T. Infrared, Inc. Absolute Fire Protection, Inc. Advance Medical Rehabilitation Center Aetna Plywood, Inc. American Cancer Society Anderson Japanese Gardens Androck Hardware Corporation Benson Stone Company, Inc. Bergstrom Inc. Bobcat of Rockford Brian F. Soltys, D.D.S. Briggs Floor Sanding & Refinishing Campbell Science Corporation CBro, Ltd. Center for Sight & Hearing CherryVale Mall Chicagoland Medical Billing Specialists, Inc. CHIP Alumni of Rock River Valley Christofferson Moving & Storage City of Rockford CliftonLarsonAllen LLP Colorwave Graphics, LLC Creative Crane & Rigging, Inc. Credit Union 1 Crimson Ridge Estate Condos North Critter Camp Exotic Pet Sanctuary Cross Creek Condominium Association Crusader Community Health Belvidere Crusader Community Health on Broadway, Uram Building Crusader Community Health on West State Street, Woodward Campus for Community Health Care D & S Marine Inc. DRS Skinners’ Amusements Inc. Fehr-Graham & Associates Forest City Diagnostic Imaging GiGi’s Playhouse/Rockford, LLC Holiday Inn of Rockford Howe Freightways, Inc. Keller Graduate School of Management and DeVry University Malik Eye Institute MAZTEK Calibration, Inc. MembersAlliance Credit Union

MetLife/Premier Wealth Group Morning Star Village NorthPointe Terrace Pella Products, Inc. Peterson Meadows Physicians Immediate Care Piping Industry Council of the Rockford Area Powmet, Inc. Professional Graphics Inc. QPS Employment Group Rabine Paving Regional Office of Education Remedies Renewing Lives Rock River Environmental Services Rock River Water Reclamation District Rock Valley Glass Rockford Association for Minority Management Rockford Bell Credit Union Rockford Education Association Rockford Promise S. J. Carlson Fire Protection Saint Anthony College of Nursing Sandray Precision Grinding, Inc. Satori Pathway Service Security Technologies, Inc. Sexson Orthodontics, Ltd. SmithAmundsen LLC Spider Company Inc. Step Into Weight Loss, a division of Step Into Wellness Target Commercial Interiors The Home Depot Tuffy Auto Repair of Rockford University of Illinois Rockford, A UIC Health Sciences Campus Unlimited Services Van Galder Bus/A Coach USA Co. Village Profile VITAS Innovative Hospice Care Warner Furniture Refinishing Windstar Lines Winnebago County Housing Authority Winnebago County Recorder Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department Winnebago County-River Bluff Nursing Home Woodman’s Food Market, Inc.

December 2012 Member Anniversaries

Electric lights for trees were first used in 1895.

Thank you to the members who celebrate their anniversaries with the Rockford Chamber in December, 2012.

In 1999, residents of the state of Maine in America built the world’s biggest snowman. He stood

113 feet tall.

Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer

was invented for Montgomery Ward’s Christmas promotion in 1938. The author also wrote “Benny the Bunny Liked Beans.”

30-YEAR MEMBER

10-YEAR MEMBERS

Piping Industry Council of the Rockford Area

TLC ... the Learning Center, Inc. Windmill Hill LC

25-YEAR MEMBERS

5-YEAR MEMBERS

Christofferson Moving & Storage The Mauh-Nah-Tee-See Club

Aerotek, Inc. Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP CBro, Ltd. First Benefits Group Granite City Food & Brewery Joseph A. Bank Parks Big & Tall Prorok Law Office, P.C. Village Green Home & Garden XL Academics, Inc.

20-YEAR MEMBERS Merrill Lynch Picha, Salisbury & McCumber, LLC

15-YEAR MEMBERS Arthritis Foundation, Heartland Region – Northwest Illinois Office Winnebago County Clerk of the Circuit Court, 17th Judicial Circuit

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

EVENTS

Upcoming Chamber Events DECEMBER, 2012

Tuesday, December 4 Business Women’s Council, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Forest Hills Country Club, 5135 Forest Hills Road, Rockford. Celebrate the Holidays with lunch, networking and giving back to the community. Donations will be accepted for Rosie’s Birthday Club and the Northern Illinois Food Bank. Money always accepted or visit rockfordchamber.com for a listing of requested items. Sponsored

by AAIM Employers’ Association.

Thursday, Dec. 6 11:30 am - 1:00 pm Cliffbreakers 700 W. Riverside Blvd., Rockford

Education Outlook Luncheon

Riding the wave of momentum by the community’s support of the $139 million referendum, Interim Superintendent Dr. Robert Willis will highlight the Rockford Public School District’s new “Readiness Rocks” initiatives moving forward. Hear about newly appointed Superintendent Dr. Ehren Jarrett’s priorities for 2013, and a brief annual report from Alignment Rockford

by Reverend K. Edward Copeland.

Sponsors: BMO Harris Bank (presenting) Humana (gold)

Thursday, Dec. 6 5:30 - 10:00 pm Hope & Anchor 5040 N. 2nd St., Loves Park

IGNITE Annual Holiday Party Beer, wine and scotch tastings, music and loads of appetizers. Bring a toy for the RHS Ambassadors Toy Drive and be entered into a drawing to receive a $50 Visa gift card from Stillman Bank.

Sponsors: First Northern Credit Union, Hope & Anchor.

Tuesday, December 11 Advantage Club – Superstars, noon to 1 p.m., Sam’s Ristorante, 6075 E. Riverside Blvd., Rockford.

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

Wednesday, December 12

Advantage Power Network Club, 11:45 a.m., Forest Hills Country Club, 5135 Forest Hills Road, Rockford. Contact Teri Watts, Whitehead Inc., Realtors®, tlwatts@ whiteheadcommercial.com or Holly Hanson, The Business Edge Inc., coach@thebizedge.biz.

Advantage Club – Originals, 11:45 a.m., various locations. Contact Stacy Wallace, LDR Construction Services, Inc., 815-874-7066 or swallace@ldr4service.com.

Breakfast Buzz 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. at RVC-WTC ROOM 117-121 How To Maximize Your Chamber Membership by Einar Forsman,

31

December 2012

Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

See website or call 815-987-8100.

Sponsored by McGladrey.

JANUARY, 2013 Monday, January 7 Introducing … IGNITE Professional Development Quarterly Book Club, with a discussion on The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Lonestar Steakhouse, 6690 E. State St., Alamo room, Rockford.

Appetizers and drink specials will be provided. Free to members.

Tuesday, January 8

Advantage Club – Superstars, noon to 1 p.m., Sam’s Ristorante, 6075 E. Riverside Blvd., Rockford.

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

Wednesday, January 9

Breakfast Buzz 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. at RVC-WTC ROOM 117-121 Is It Networking or….NOT Working?

See website or call 815-987-8100.

Advantage Power Network Club, 11:45 a.m., Forest Hills Country Club, 5135 Forest Hills Road, Rockford. Contact Teri Watts, Whitehead Inc., Realtors®, tlwatts@ whiteheadcommercial.com or Holly Hanson, The Business Edge Inc., coach@thebizedge.biz.

Advantage Club – Originals, 11:45 a.m., various locations. Contact Stacy Wallace, LDR Construction Services, Inc., 815-874-7066 or swallace@ldr4service.com.

Friday, January 11

Government Affairs Council Meeting, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., Stockholm Inn, 2420 Charles St., Rockford. The council advocates for a better business climate by influencing economic and social policy. For information on how to join, contact Heidi Garner at 815316-4312.

Tuesday, January 22

Advantage Club – Superstars, noon to 1 p.m., Sam’s Ristorante, 6075 E. Riverside Blvd., Rockford.

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

Wednesday, January 23

Advantage Power Network Club, 11:45 a.m., Forest Hills Country Club, 5135 Forest Hills Road, Rockford. Contact Teri Watts, Whitehead Inc., Realtors®, tlwatts@ whiteheadcommercial.com or Holly Hanson, The Business Edge Inc., coach@thebizedge.biz.

Advantage Club – Originals, 11:45 a.m., various locations. Contact Stacy Wallace, LDR Construction Services, Inc., 815-874-7066 or swallace@ldr4service.com.

Advertisers Index ADVERTISERS

Alignment Rockford . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Alpine Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Alpine Trust & Investment. . . . . . . . . 19 BMO Harris Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Brian Thomas Photography. . . . . . . . 4 Broadmoor Agency. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Comcast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 First National Bank and Trust Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Focus Financial Advisors. . . . . . . . . 18

Goodwill Industries of Northern IL. . 15 Holstrom & Kennedy. . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Klehm Arboretum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 McGladrey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 MembersAlliance Credit Union. . . . . 11

PR Etc., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Riverside Community Bank . . . . . 5, 21 Rockford Bank & Trust. . . . . . . . . . . 17 Rockford College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Rockford Chamber of Commerce . . . . . . . . . . 22, 23, 27, 29 Rockford Health System. . . . . . . . . . . 8 Rock River Valley Blood Center. . . . 13 Rock Valley College BPI. . . . . . . . . . . 7 Stillman Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Thayer Lighting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 United Way. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Upstream. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Midland States Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

USBank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Pathfinder Wealth Management. . . . 17

Widmer Interiors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Midwest Community Bank. . . . . . . . 20

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

Chamber Staff / Call 815-987-8100.............................................. Direct Line Einar K. Forsman, President & CEO.......................................... 815-316-4304 Heidi M. Garner, Executive Assistant to the President.................... 815-316-4312 Doug Hessong, Director of Publications & Technology................... 815-316-4338 Lynette Jacques, Advertising and Sponsorship Executive............... 815-316-4317 Vee Jevremovic, Manager of Education Programs and Events. . ........ 815-316-4337 Jazzminne Keyes, Ignite Director............................................. 815-316-4335 Andrew Kobischka, Membership Development Manager.................... 815-316-4336 Cyndie Landis, Financial Assistant. . .......................................... 815-316-4300 Joy Moriarty, V.P. Finance. . ..................................................... 815-316-4316 Stacy Mullins, Director of Events. . ............................................ 815-316-4302 Diane Navickis, Membership Development Manager..................... 815-316-4315 Joan Sundvall, Membership Contact Coordinator......................... 815-316-4320

Chamber Board of Directors & Officers EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chairman of the Board Mike Broski Entré Computer Solutions Chairman Elect Richard Walsh SwedishAmerican Health System Vice Chair Patti Thayer Thayer Lighting, Inc. Treasurer Larry Bridgeland Mid-City Office Products Immediate Past Chairman Pam Maher KMK Media Group

DIRECTORS

Penelope Lechtenberg Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP

Andrew Benson Benson Stone Company, Inc.

Michael Mastroianni Rock Valley College

Romero Bennett Blue Sky Insurance Agency, Inc.

Ryan Brauns Rockford Consulting & Brokerage

Paul McCann Stanley Steemer Pat Morrow Alpine Bank

Somchan Thatsanaphon K-I Machine Tool & Production Inc. Tim White UTC Aerospace Systems Jennifer Wood Sikich LLP Richard Zumwalt OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center

Paul Callighan ComEd, An Exelon Company

Mark Peterson CBL Associates Cherry Vale

Joe Castrogiovanni Giovanni’s, Inc.

Timothy Rollins WilliamsMcCarthy

J Chapman Maverick Media of Rockford LLC

Daniel Saavedra Saavedra Gehlhausen Einar K. Forsman Architects President & CEO, Rockford Chamber Henry Seybold of Commerce Rockford Health John Groh System Rockford Area Pat Shaw Convention McGladrey LLP & Visitors Bureau

Rena Cotsones Northern Illinois University Darlene Furst Furst Staffing

Thursday, Jan. 24 5:00 - 8:00 pm Giovanni’s 610 N. Bell School Rd., Rockford

Rockford Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner

Keynote speaker is Jim Blasingame, The Small Business Advocate. The Rockford Chamber’s 2013 Citizen of the Year will be announced.

Sponsors: WilliamsMcCarthy LLP (presenting) Humana (Citizen of the Year award) First National Bank and Trust Co., OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center (gold) AT&T, Leading Lawyers Network (silver) The Alliance (bronze)

EX-OFFICIO DIRECTORS Janyce Fadden Rockford Area Economic Development Council

JANUARY 2013 SPECIAL SECTIONS

Accounting & Tax Preparation Services Printing & Graphic Design Services For information on advertising, call

815-987-8100