December Voice 2015

ROCKFORD LEADERSHIP ALLIANCE PAGE 17

PEPPER CREEK GROWS PAGE 4

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December 2015 | Volume 28 | No. 12

College of Medicine:

Rockford’s new baseball team, a part of the Northwoods League, starts play in 2016 and seeks help finding a name. Email nameyourteam@RockfordNWL. com with your suggestions.

Participants will be placed in a drawing for prizes. The Northwoods League has more than 150 alumni, including Chris Sale and Curtis Granderson, in the major leagues.

Putting Rockford on the map

By Paul Anthony Arco Once considered one of Rockford’s best-kept secrets, the College of Medicine is finally getting some well-deserved attention.

That was evident in the message delivered by Dr. Alex Stagnaro-Green, regional dean of the college, to more than 200 business leaders at the Rockford Chamber of Commerce Healthcare Industry Update Luncheon, Nov. 18, at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center.

“I want people to know what the College of Medicine is all about,” he said. “We’re past the point of saying ‘Yes,

HELP NAME ROCKFORD’S BASEBALL TEAM

INTRODUCING UW HEALTH SPORTS FACTORY PHOTOS BY BRIAN THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHY

Dr. Alex Stagnaro-Green, regional dean of the College of Medicine, addresses business leaders at the Rockford Chamber’s Healthcare Industry Update luncheon. there’s a College of Medicine.’ I want them to say ‘Wow, the College of Medicine is graduating top-notch students who are getting involved in community service; students who are working all over the country, and students who are doing world-renown research.’ I want to help build that Rockford pride.”

The College of Medicine was established in Rockford in 1972, as part of the University of Illinois system that includes campuses in Chicago, Peoria and Urbana-Champaign. Today, the Rockford campus is home to the new regional College of Pharmacy program, Rural Medical Education (RMED) program, the UIC College of Nursing advanced degree program, the master’s in medical biotechnology program, a public health certificate and Health Systems Research.

Center for Research Stagnaro-Green spent his entire career on the East Coast until he came to Rockford in March, 2014. In that time, he’s done plenty to increase the medical school’s visibility. He’s reached out to area business leaders, healthcare systems and education institutions. He’s revamped the college’s strategic plan, enhanced programs, created new areas of research and expanded community activities.

In addition to his duties as dean, Stagnaro-Green is internationally known for his work in thyroid disease during pregnancy. He has published a number of peer-review articles and book chapters on the subject, and travels the world, lecturing on his research.

“He’s very approachable and highly Continued on page 3

The Rockford Park District, Winnebago County Regional Tourism Facility Board and City of Rockford announced the new name for Sportscore Downtown, 305 S. Madison St.: UW Health Sports Factory, a facility of the Rockford Park District, per a 10-year agreement with SwedishAmerican, a division of UW Health. The name symbolizes the history of the site, once the former Ingersoll factory. The shell of the former factory remains in place. The 108,000-sq.-ft. facility will include 14 volleyball courts and two championship volleyball courts, seven basketball courts and one championship basketball court, 16 wrestling mats and 42 pickleball courts. It will include seating for up to 3,700 spectators, an event plaza, full-service sports bar/restaurant, meeting rooms, trade show space and riverfront boardwalk.

Plans are to complete construction in May, 2016. Visit www.uwhealthsportsfactory.com.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Leadership/Higher Education Luncheon Dec. 10 • Giovanni’s

SPONSORED BY PHOTO BY GLORIA CARDENAS CUDIA

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

Join the Chamber’s LinkedIn Group

Business owners share ideas at the Small and Minority Business Resource Fair on Nov. 19.

Fair explores doing business with the state Help for minority and small business owners

By Barbara Connors The Small and Minority Business Resource Fair, hosted by the Rockford Chamber of Commerce and Salsa Business Network, drew minority and small business owners from the area to Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden on Nov. 19 to share ideas and explore ways to grow their businesses

using resources offered by the state of Illinois. The group was joined by Office of Illinois Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger.

“Fair visitors commented on how much they enjoyed the convenience of a ‘one-stop shopping’ experience for information, referrals and resources available to start or expand their Continued on page 5

For more info, see page 30

LATEX PAINT NO LONGER ACCEPTED The City of Rockford Household Hazardous Waste site, 3333 Kishwaukee St., no longer will accept latex paint due to its non-hazardous nature. The Illinois EPA recommends that latex paints be allowed to airdry in the can by leaving the lid off or solidified by adding absorbents such as oil dry and cat litter to the remaining contents. Upon rendering the paint into a non-liquid state, it may be disposed of with general household trash.

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December 2015

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Chairman’s Perspective VIEWPOINT

Rockford Chamber of Commerce focused on leadership development in 2016 It’s hard to believe that 2015 is quickly coming to a close. So many exciting things have happened involving the Rockford Chamber of Commerce this past year.

We’ve had the annual dinner, two major expos, and an insightful strategic planning session, not to mention the normal day-to-day activities. We’re seeing more new members join the chamber, and retention among current members is up.

This year has been filled with plenty of challenges and opportunities, but I know the hard work and untiring commitment from staff, board members and members will help the chamber evolve into the chamber we want it to be.

Over the past 12 months, we’ve held many productive meetings with our executive committee, board of directors, staff and past board chairs, who came back to offer their valuable input. From our strategic planning session held this summer, five task forces were created and several specific needs were identified to help move the chamber forward.

We quickly realized that we needed to do some things differently, namely in the area of leadership development.

Two years ago, the chamber staff and board started discussing ways to address leadership. But it wasn’t until Transform Rockford approached the chamber about taking a lead role in this effort, did we realize what our value could really be to this process.

As we welcome 2016, we are thrilled to be launching a robust leadership program. Named the Rockford Chamber Center for Leadership Development, this effort will have multi-faceted leadership programs to engage leaders at all levels.

To help lead the charge, the chamber hired Caitlin Ludwig as the Vice President of Leadership Development. I know Caitlin will accomplish many great things in her new role.

I’m looking forward to working with the newly-created task forces that will be instrumental in shaping the chamber’s future success. Membership Attraction and Retention, chaired by Mike Paterson, general manager of Mid-West Family

Broadcasting, will focus on a concentrated effort to meeting the objectives and priorities for building enhanced value to membership. Governance, chaired

by Rick Zumwalt, executive director of the OSF Saint Anthony Foundation, is working to review our bylaws and bringing them up to appropriate standards. The Human Resource Task Force is chaired

by Darlene Furst, founder and CEO of Furst Staffing; Leadership is chaired by Michele Petrie, Vice President of Business Banking for BMO Harris Bank, and Dan Ross, President of Williams-Manny, is the lead on the Small Business Task Force.

Things are going to happen quickly in 2016. Our annual dinner, held Jan. 21, features Stephen M.R. Covey, a nationallyknown businessman and keynote speaker who will speak on the “Speed of Trust.”

What a coup having Stephen Covey come to Rockford. I know his presentation will help inspire us all.

Soon after the annual dinner, we will be hosting member focus groups to continue to look for ways we can best serve our members. While we as

Patti Thayer Rockford Chamber Board Chairman

a chamber have a strong and loyal membership base that is engaged and supportive, it is always important to measure and evaluate what is most important to the members of the business community.

All of this takes a team effort. I want to thank the entire chamber staff for their time, talents and effort. In addition, we have a dedicated executive committee and board who recognize and support our efforts. Many of our board members attended the strategic planning session or are serving on one of the task forces. It’s all about buyin. If we didn’t have that support, we wouldn’t be where we are today.

Mike Paterson once asked ‘What do we want to be famous for?’ I think we can be known for our leadership. I’m excited about the changes we’re making here at the chamber. We are making an investment for our future.

Happy holidays and peace to you and yours!

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Healthcare

(continued from front page) respected,” said Einar Forsman, president and CEO of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce. “He means a lot to the College of Medicine and the community.”

Stagnaro-Green pointed to several recent college-related developments during his presentation. Recently, assistant dean Dr. Ramaswamy Kalyanasundaram received a $2.34 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to fund research to evaluate a lymphatic filariasis vaccine that he’s been developing for more than a decade. Lymphatic filariasis is the second leading cause of physical disability in the world.

The college has hired two researchers as part of a 2013 donation of $3 million from the Cedric W. Blazer Foundation in Rockford that funds a multidisciplinary center for cell regeneration research. The College of Medicine is also working with all three health care systems, along with Rosecrance and Crusader Community

Health, to bring additional residency programs to Rockford that will include internal medicine, obstetrics, psychiatry, surgery and emergency medicine.

Every year, nearly 50 students graduate from the College of Medicine, who are matched with residency programs in 13 specialties in 18 states.

Involved Students Sonali Khurana is a third-year medical student and president of the University Medical Student Council, which oversees student government for all four campuses.

She came to Rockford from UrbanaChampaign. “I was pleasantly surprised,” she said. “The community has been so engaging. I’m a student here who wanted to be in Chicago, but in retrospect, I can’t imagine being anywhere else. I feel like I’m getting a better clinical experience here than I would at any of the other University of Illinois campuses.”

Others agree that the school is gaining momentum. “The College of Medicine is a real asset for Rockford,” said Jody

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

Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding ­publication. Send news releases and other items of interest to the business community to: The VOICE Rockford Chamber of Commerce 308 W. State St., Ste. 190 Rockford, IL 61101

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December 2015

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.

Perrecone, a facilitator for Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP).

“It’s terrific that Dr. Stagnaro-Green is working to bring national recognition to the college and Rockford. The future of the College of Medicine is just exploding.”

The presenting sponsor of the luncheon was BMO Harris Bank. Gold sponsors were Humana, Rosecrance and SwedishAmerican – A Division of UW Health. Silver sponsors were the Rock River Valley Blood Center and the Employer’s Coalition on Health (ECOH).

Bronze sponsors were Alpha Controls & Services and Schmeling Construction.

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December 2015

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Member Profile PROFILE

The Christmas holiday season is Pepper Creek’s second busiest time of year.

Pepper Creek has grown from two greenhouses to 10. This is the greenhouse across from CherryVale Mall.

Pepper Creek:

A blooming business success

By Paul Anthony Arco Vicki and Larry Hubbard moved to Rockford in the late 1970s, when the couple purchased Fourth Street Greenhouse from longtime owners Roland and Ida Quist. Living in central Illinois, Vicki, a florist and Larry, who worked in a nursery, saw this as an opportunity to return to their northern Illinois roots: Vicki is from Shannon, and Larry grew up in Mendota.

Their new business did well, but over time the Hubbards began to sense a demographic shift as customers began shopping on the east side as opposed to the downtown area.

A change was in order, so in 1994, the Hubbards acquired two acres of land on Harrison Avenue across from CherryVale Mall and built Pepper Creek, a popular flower, plant and gift store. They ran both stores for a while before eventually closing the Fourth Street Greenhouse.

The name Pepper Creek signifies plant and water. “We wanted a name that was easy to remember, showed some vitality and was easier to say than Fourth Street Greenhouse,” said Vicki.

In addition to the mall, Pepper Creek is situated near an auto dealership, sporting goods store, and an RV dealership, all which helps drive traffic.

“We always felt like we wanted to be more regional,” said Vicki. “Being near the mall certainly helps our business.

While we see many local customers, we have many people who come from out of town that will stop on their way home to buy plants, flowers or for something unique they didn’t find at the mall.”

Growth Over the Decades Pepper Creek offers a wide variety of merchandise – silk and fresh floral design, home décor gifts, fashion accessories that include gifts for both men and women. The greenhouses feature bedding plants, perennials and shrubs grown at Pepper Creek, and a

full-service floral department that can create something for all occasions.

“Our business is evenly divided,” Vicki said. “One-third is the flower shop, one-third is the gift shop and the biggest third is the greenhouse. The variety of what we carry makes us unique.”

The Hubbards employ about 20 full- and part-time staff, including their daughter and son-in-law. The spring season is perhaps Pepper Creek’s busiest, with the upcoming Christmas holiday season not far behind. Popular holiday items include poinsettias, serving pieces, ornaments, candles, glassware and decorations. “While customers bring in their holiday shopping list, it’s not uncommon to see them pick up something for themselves,” said Vicki.

Pepper Creek has seen plenty of growth over the past two decades, including a store expansion that added workspace for the floral designers.

The business has also grown from two greenhouses to 10. Other recent projects include improvements to the parking lot and drainage system. The Hubbards say no future expansion is planned at this point.

The staff at Pepper Creek is also committed to the Rockford community.

They are involved with many worthwhile causes, including MELD and PAWS. Operating a successful business comes with plenty of challenges, but the Hubbards say they wouldn’t change a thing.

“Larry and I love this business,” said Vicki. “We’ve been doing this for more than 40 years, and we still enjoy coming to work every day. We can’t imagine doing anything else. It’s in our blood.”

PEPPER CREEK Owners: Larry and Vicki Hubbard 7295 Harrison Ave. Rockford 815-332-2103 www.peppercreek.com

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December 2015

Small Business (continued from front page)

Fire safety tips for holiday season cooking According to the United States Fire Administration (USFA), “an estimated 2,000 Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings occur annually in the United States, resulting in an estimated average of five deaths, 25 injuries and $21 million in property loss each year. The leading cause of all Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings is cooking.”

“On Thanksgiving and throughout the holiday season, many of us spend our day cooking large meals. This means that we have to be even more careful than usual since around 40 percent of structure fires and fire-related injuries are cooking-related,” said Division Chief Matthew Knott. “In many of the fires that extended beyond the cooking area, there were no smoke detectors present.

These fires would have been identified and contained much sooner if the proper precautions were taken.”

The USFA and the Rockford Fire Department recommend some simple tips, so residents can help keep our community safe this holiday season.

Safety Tips • Make sure there are working smoke alarms on every level of your home, outside each sleeping area and in every bedroom. Test smoke alarms monthly and replace them if they are 10 or more years old.

• Keep a close watch when cooking. Never leave cooking food unattended.

• Keep oven food packaging and other combustibles away from burners and heat sources.

• Heat cooking oil slowly and watch it closely; it can ignite quickly.

• Don’t wear loose sleeves while working over hot stove burners -- they can melt, ignite or catch on handles of pots and pans, spilling hot oil and other liquids.

• Have a “kid-free zone” of at least three feet around the stove and in areas where hot foods or drinks are prepared or carried.

• Keep a lid nearby to smother small grease fires. Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cool.

• If you are deep-frying a turkey, make certain that it has been completely thawed prior to placing it in the fryer, and do not perform any outdoor cooking inside the garage.

businesses,” said Gloria Cardenas Cudia, president of Salsa Business Network, Inc. “I really have to commend the staff and representatives that hosted the information booths who were both knowledgeable and friendly. Kudos to the Illinois state employees who, despite the issues surrounding the state, came to southwest Rockford to share the partnerships and opportunities that the state offers.”

Participants

learned

about

opportunities to: ■ Start a business or obtain counseling and mentorship for a current business.

■ Expand business through private and government contracting.

■ Sell goods and services overseas.

■ Secure financing for a business.

Event sponsors were Alpine Bank and Illinois Bank & Trust.

Fostering an Inclusive Environment The BEP Program The State of Illinois oversees the Business Enterprise Program under the Illinois Department of Central Management Services for businesses owned by minorities, women and persons with disabilities in order to foster an inclusive and competitive business environment and to help those businesses to increase their capacity, grow revenue and enhance credentials.

To qualify for the BEP Program, a business must be: ■ at least 51 percent owned and controlled by persons who are minority, women or designated as

disabled; ■ a U.S. citizen or resident alien, and ■ have annual gross sales of less than $75 million. www.sell2.illinois.gov is for BEP certification applicants and vendors seeking to partner with diverse or veteran businesses as well as for those validating certification status for goal development by procuring state agencies and universities. It’s a resource for fiscal reporting of BEP goal achievements and for the establishment of BEP participation in the state’s procurement process through subcontracting utilization.

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December 2015

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Guest Perspective INSIGHT

The importance of arts education

Dorm style living is explained at the Rockford Rescue Mission’s Men’s Crisis Shelter by Mike Hedrick, director.

Business travelers: Supporting the mission

Traveler’s Lending Care — A no-cost option

By Gail Hummel, Camelot World Travel If you haven’t taken the monthly tour of the Rockford Rescue Mission, call and get yourself on the list! We all know the mission is there, but how much do you really know about the services or its strong alliance with businesses and other organizations in our community? I thought I knew a lot. I was wrong.

I coordinated my visit with dropping off donations from Camelot World Travel’s Traveler’s Lending Care (TLC) program, which is free and perfect for business travelers! When our clients come in to pick up their documents, we suggest grabbing all of the personal-sized shampoos, lotions, etc., that they find in their hotel or resort rooms to bring back for donation either to Camelot World Travel, 2627 N. Mulford Road in the Brynwood Shopping Center, or directly to the Rockford Rescue Mission.

Going on a family vacation? Get the kids involved in a way they can understand and feel good about.

Brief Rundown on the Tour The tour of Rockford Rescue Mission begins with a welcome from Executive Director Sherry Pitney. The halls are quiet; everything is spic-and-span clean.

Our first stop is the men’s recovery dorm area. Dennis Fitzpatrick, men’s recovery director, explains the intake, recovery approach and process. This program’s nine- to 12-month process addresses life recovery, and the cost to move an individual through the program is $33,000.

We visit the library and education area, then on to the women’s dorm area.

Again, everything is spotless and quiet.

Where is everyone? In classes, meetings, working, etc. Participants are required to adhere to a schedule, but it is an opendoor policy. They have to want to stay and get the help offered. “We don’t see ourselves as an addiction program, but as life recovery,” explains Rus Howard.

Continuing, we move through the crisis dorm, and then into the kitchen, where again, everything is spotless and

organized. I’m reeling from how it all works. I don’t want to spell out too much.

I want to encourage you to go and see for yourself!

A Few Things That Stood Out: Women are allowed to have their children with them and transportation to school is provided.

Everything is addressed – budgeting, education, exercise, health and dental needs, life skills, interpersonal relationships, substance abuse or emotional issues -- anything that could be a barrier to the success of participants.

The art therapy component provides the Urban Farmgirl with goods for sale in its store under the “Remade” brand.

Partnerships include Rock Valley College, Remedies Renewing Lives, Rosecrance, Saint Anthony College of Nursing, Lenscrafters, etc.

If there have been issues for moms with kids, staff will go to court with them to help get their kids back when certain program goals have been reached.

The kitchen area employs four people and the rest are regular volunteers who put out 450 meals a day. Ninety eight percent of what they serve is donated with Target and Aldi being regular contributors.

The Rockford Rescue Mission’s budget is $5.7 million a year; privately funded by donors -- the generous businesses and people of the Rockford area. No government funding, so as the state budget falters, the only impact felt is through alliances with other agencies losing state funding. So while monetary donations are always welcomed and appreciated, also consider setting aside a spot at your organization for donations of personal-sized toiletries. Sherry Pitney said every bit helps and if enough people do it, it really adds up!

Gail Hummel is a travel consultant with Camelot World Travel.

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

I have been fortunate to have been involved in arts education programs in schools throughout the world. No matter where I have lived, the performing arts community truly understands the importance of arts education in schools.

International studies have shown that there is a correlation between arts instruction and other areas of achievement; how significantly student achievement and quality of life is enhanced in communities with strong arts programs.

A 2012 report by Americans for the Arts found that young people who participate regularly in the arts (three periods a day and three days each week through one full year) are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, to participate in a math and science fair or to win an award for writing an essay or poem than children who do not participate. Data from the College Board in 2014 show that high school students who took four years of music and arts classes scored an average of 96 points higher on SATs than students who took one year or less.

Students in arts classes learn an array of mental habits that include persistence, expression, observing and innovating through exploration. A 2008 Dana Consortium study indicated that children who are motivated in the arts also develop memory and attention skills that can be applied to other subject areas.

Drama instruction, for example, increases reading readiness and word fluency in early grades and continues to improve reading comprehension and writing skills throughout high school.

Practical Ways to Help Corporations and communities can be of great assistance in helping support arts programs. First, gently used orchestra and band instruments can be donated to schools. Many communities and businesses have established partnerships with organizations such as the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation. At Keith School, the Hill and Doar families recently donated grand pianos for use in our pre-kindergarten through grade 12 music programs. One of the pianos is maintained in our commons area, and I am proud to share that students are spontaneously playing throughout the school day. Typically, schools do not have adequate funds to purchase such exquisite instruments. Instrument donations are gifts that can benefit students throughout their school careers.

Displaying student art pieces is another cost-effective strategy for local organizations and businesses to support school programs.

Internationally, it is common for museums, universities and public places to exhibit student artwork. An online art museum, Artsonia, currently houses more than 33,000,000 pieces of student work and

has become an Iris Regev Keith Country international Day School community for exhibition space. Businesses and organizations might consider offering small spaces for display of student work.

Another way to connect school arts programs to community organizations is to request a dance, drama or musical group to perform at a community- or business-related event. Most arts programs have performance standards that require students perform in front of a peer, family or school audience. Students generally enjoy showcasing their accomplishments and feeling the appreciation of an engaged audience. I am continuously amazed at how students are able to create and perform original compositions of varying genres and styles. Community exhibitions and performances build foundations for civic engagement in students.

Link Between Arts, Problem Solving Strong arts education programs contribute to student success in school, work and life. The Arts Education Partnership has studied the connections between strong arts programs and the thinking skills required for the 21st century workforce.

Research indicates that performing arts students show greater flexibility and adaptability in thinking, problem solving and teamwork. The students learn to articulate intentions, receive and offer constructive criticism, and listen actively to others’ ideas. Students experience what it feels like to be active members of a community and to work as a team to determine and achieve common goals when they engage in performances. In quality educational systems, the arts programs are visible, vibrant and valued within the community.

Anecdotally, I can share as a music educator that I have observed students develop leadership skills, strategy building, planning and reflection through their participation in arts courses. I strongly encourage community leaders to support arts programs through instrument donation, viewing gallery exhibits, engaging in student performances or visiting school arts courses. I encourage others to invest and enhance the arts programs that are found within our local schools.

Israeli cellist Iris Regev teaches lower, middle and upper school music at Keith Country Day School, and is a Julliard School graduate and a member of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra since 2007.

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

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December 2015

Nearly 800 business and community leaders celebrated the region’s economic progress and looked ahead to an even brighter future at the recent Rockford Area Economic Development Council’s 2015 Annual Meeting and Dinner.

James M. Schultz, director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, presented the evening’s keynote address. Director Schultz was appointed by Governor Bruce Rauner to the position in February, 2015.

During his address, he spoke regarding today’s challenges; that of our state and its businesses, as well as touching on some key solutions and exciting opportunities.

The State of Illinois’ existing tools and resources, available from the Illinois Department of Commerce, also were highlighted during his address.

Director Schultz provided an update on the state’s strategies to grow the economy, improve its reputation and expand opportunities. All with the goal of retaining and attracting top talent and increased investment to the state.

During his speech Director Schultz discussed the evolution of the state’s marketing strategy by providing a snapshot of its “Transition Branding.”

Sagar Patel, president of Woodward and chairman of the board for the RAEDC, mentioned in his opening remarks, “The RAEDC and its stakeholders have been committed to assist this exciting step in our region’s workforce development initiatives. We are in the midst of a manufacturing renaissance and engineers are at the core of it.

“The Rockford Region will be able to grow our own engineering talent and provide a big boost to our advanced manufacturing companies. This is exciting and historic!” He referred to

(l to r) James M. Schultz, director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, addresses the 800 attendees at the RAEDC Annual Meeting & Dinner.

Sagar Patel, chairman of the board for the RAEDC. Mike Nicholas, president of the RAEDC.

Opportunities to Rockforward!

Rockforward20/20 begins in January the Rock Valley College and Northern Illinois University’s partnership that allows regional students the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or electrical engineering for under $40,000 without leaving the region.

RAEDC President Mike Nicholas mentioned that the RAEDC heard and understands what the community needs, stating, “We listened and implemented many of the suggestions we received. As the steward of this region, we market the region externally for growth and we will not abandon our current efforts…, we will be expanding efforts, we will be a trailblazer.”

One of the many wins for the Rockford Region includes the Rockforward2! initiative. Rockforward2! started in 2013 as a three-year program to measure the three major indicators of economic activity: jobs, capital investment and business growth by square footage.

As of Oct. 31, 2015, two of the three

Rockforward2! goals have been surpassed.

Rockforward2! will be succeeded by Rockford20/20. The RAEDC would like to thank the Rockforward2! Presidents Circle Investors.

Alpine Bank, Building Trades/Project First Rate, City of Loves Park, City of Rockford, Comcast Business, ComEd, Fehr Graham, First Midwest Group, Inc., Greater Rockford Airport Authority, IBEW/NECA, JP Morgan Chase, Larson & Darby Group, MercyRockford Health System, Mid-West Family Broadcasting, Northern Illinois Building Contractors Association, OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center, Rockford Area REALTORS, Rockford Public Schools, Rockford Register Star, SwedishAmerican Health System, Townsquare Media, LLC, UTC Aerospace Systems, Village of Machesney Park, WIFR-TV, Winnebago County, Woodward, Inc., WQRF TV/ WTVO TV, WREX. The RAEDC would like to thank

Rockforward2!

Measurement

Total goal over 3 years (2013-2015)

Progress so far

Percentage achieved

Rockforward20/20 measurement

Number of jobs (new or retained)

4,500

3,966 (415 to go)

88%

Number of jobs 10,500 (new or retained)

Capital investment

$249 million

$395 million (goal achieved)

159%

Capital investment

Square feet of new or renovated space

2.31 million

3.7 million (goal achieved)

163%

Square feet of 38 million new or renovated space

Grow locally by growing globally Lidköping-Skaraborg delegation in Rockford

Delegates from Lidköping-Skaraborg visited the Rockford Region, Nov. 15 to 21, furthering the relationship between the cities; specifically exploring new and expanding projects and partnerships that will help each region grow locally by growing globally.

While in the region, the delegates met with the RAEDC leaders, the City of Rockford’s Mayor Larry Morrissey, Leading Edge Hydraulics and Renewable Energy Park, Freedom Field.

The delegates included: Kjell Hedvall, mayor, City of Lidköping; Kajsa Ezelius, vice mayor, City of Lidköping;

Total goal over five years (2016-2020)

$925 million

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the sponsors for supporting the Annual Meeting and Dinner. Presenting Sponsor: OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center; Principal Sponsor: Alpine Bank; Premier Sponsors: First Northern Credit Union, MercyRockford Health System, Meridian, Nicor Gas, PCI Pharma Services, SwedishAmerican Health System and Woodward, Inc. Supporting Sponsors: Northwestern Illinois Building & Construction Trades Council and ComEd. The mission of Rockforward20/20: The Rockford Area Economic Development Council cultivates opportunities for primary job growth that increase the economic well-being of our region.

The vision for Rockforward20/20: The Rockford Area Economic Development Council propels the region to top 25 status, as the model for impactful economic development in partnership with regional organizations.

The key areas of focus for the Rockforward20/20 initiative include: ■■ Trail-blaze ■■ Inspire Action ■■ Align ■■ Seed ■■ Serve For more Rockforward20/20 information, visit rockfordil.com/homepage/rockforward20-20.

ROCKFORWARD20/20 Rockforward20/20 is a fiveyear program created to measure and contribute towards the three major indicators of economic activity: jobs, capital investment and business growth by square footage. Rockforward20/20 is the successor to Rockforward2!

The Rockforward20/20 initiative begins in January, 2016.

Introduced in September, 2015, the five-year Strategic Plan and Investment Campaign will embrace the many economic opportunities in our region and carry forward the momentum from Rockforward2!

Bertil Jonsson, 2nd vice mayor, City of Lidköping; Jan Fransson, executive director, City of Lidköping; Katarina Jonsson, mayor, City of Skövde and chair, County of Skaraborg; Marie Ekman, 2nd vice mayor, City of Skövde; Per-Olof Hermansson, executive director, County of Skaraborg Association of Local Authorities; Victor Sunnliden, marketing director, City of Skövde; Therese Engdahl, owner and blacksmith Smedja Therese/Blacksmith Therese; Niclas Engdahl, owner and blacksmith, Smedja Therese; Linnea Bengtsson, international business developer, City of Lidköping and County of Skaraborg.

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December 2015

Six Sigma and Lean overview course scheduled Increase customer loyalty, motivate employees

By Allen Softley and Timothy T. Gaffney, RVC BPI Operating your business enterprise in today’s highly competitive environment is challenging. Adding to that headwind is the need to respond to rapidly changing economic, customer and market conditions. So now is the perfect time to consider new ways to improve bottom line cost savings, drive sales growth, improve customer perception of your product or service, and develop the skills of your staff. By implementing Six Sigma and Lean you will be able to accomplish these goals: Improving customer loyalty can be strengthened through Six Sigma and Lean by ensuring consistent and predictable service to your customers.

Your customers want to be assured that they will receive exactly what they have ordered or purchased every time.

Introducing Six Sigma and Lean can motivate and develop employees through their involvement in the improvement process. Active participation promotes

engagement, delivers superior results, and encourages a team approach while building a high level of trust among team members.

Improved efficiency in your business also will be created through Six Sigma’s data-driven process improvement approach.

By identifying and eliminating process waste and reducing variability in your key business processes.

Additional resources, and revenue generated from process improvement efforts can be allocated back into the business for continued growth.

If you are interested in learning more about these methodologies, and if it is applicable to your business, then attending the Six Sigma and Lean Overview Course on Dec. 16 will help you make that decision. The two-hour overview course is designed for all process stakeholders (owners, managers, supervisors, engineers, …) interested in learning: How and why Six Sigma and Lean are among the most effective business

process improvements methodologies in use today.

How the tools and techniques can be used to identify and implement business and manufacturing process improvements that deliver sustainable business value.

The course will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 16 at Rock Valley College, Woodward Technology Center. Registration is 7:30 to 8 a.m.; the overview from 8 to 10 a.m. A continental breakfast will be served.

Dr. Chris Kuehl FMA

Allen Softley, certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt, and Timothy T. Gaffney, certified Six Sigma Black Belt, both are instructors with Rock Valley College, BPI. The views expressed are those of Softley’s and Gaffney’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

Michael Gregory, Deputy Chief Economist & Head of U.S. Economics BMO Capital Markets

Join FMA, BMO Harris Bank for an Economic Preview of 2016

Michael Gregory provides research support for the U.S. and Canadian Fixed Income Business and works with the Global Fixed Income Strategy Team. Within the Economics Research Department, he manages the team responsible for the firm’s forecasts on global interest and exchange rates, along with the North American economies. He also works very closely with the Canadian and U.S. fixed income sales and trading desks, with responsibility for macro-strategic research on central bank policies and credit research on the Canadian government sector.

Join economic experts Michael Gregory, BMO Capital Markets, and Dr. Chris Kuehl, FMA, in a webinar, Economic Forecast 2016, on Thursday, Dec. 3, 10 a.m. (central). They will lead a presentation for business owners, executives and managers on what’s in store for the upcoming year in manufacturing. They’ll dive into: ■■ What to expect in manufacturing as the new year starts.

Dr. Chris Kuehl, Economic Analyst Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Int’l.

■■ The effects of energy consumption and pricing on manufacturing.

Meet the Economists

Michael Gregory BMO Capital Markets

To RSVP for the event or to obtain additional information, please e-mail Dawn Ousley at D.Ousley@ RockValleyCollege.edu.

Chris Kuehl writes an economic e-newsletter for FMA members titled Fabrinomics®, specifically designed to aid business decision-making by management and shop owners in the metal forming and fabricating industry.

He also conducts workshops for FMA at major conferences and trade shows.

Dr. Kuehl also is the managing director of Armada Corporate Intelligence.

Armada’s mission is to combine the traditions of corporate and competitive intelligence with strategic and tactical planning to provide clients with a clear view of the world they exist in and what they can do to advance their goals.

Register at http://fmanet.org.

■■ Which industries will be superstars and which will be laggards.

■■ A snapshot of what the economy will look like on election day.

■■ Address your burning economic questions during the session’s Q&A portion.

Manufacturing News is sponsored by RVC BPI

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November 2015

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

IGNITE

Young Professionals

Young professional turns ‘Dirty Thirty’ Hitting an important life milestone My time has almost come. This month, I fall victim to Dirty Thirty. As my birthday approaches quickly (Dec. 7 – feel free to send treats!), I can’t help but think on what an odd phrase graces so many 30th birthday cards: “DIRTY THIRTY.” I guess it’s pretty much on par with the phrase “Over the Hill” that will greet me in only 10 years, but you really have to wonder if all the marketing brains in the world couldn’t have come up with a better catch phrase than a simple rhyme.

Dirty Thirty. Dirty Thirty. Dirty Thirty. Repeating it over and over in my head leaves a mixed bag of emotions.

It’s kind of a gross phrase on a lot of different levels.

But then I started thinking … maybe Dirty Thirty was something that I could actually lean in to. Maybe there’s more wisdom here than meets the eye. So, in the spirit of leaning in and celebrating every day I’m blessed to have, here are my thoughts on the approaching Dirty Thirty.

Digging in the Dirt I hope my 30s are the dirtiest decade yet. My 20s were youthful and ambitious, emotional and tumultuous. They were beautiful and terrible; formative and destructive. They were a mixed drink that made you cough on the way down and frequently had residual side effects.

My 20s were a lot of things, but I don’t think my 20s were dirty. Perhaps the desire to pick up a shovel and start digging comes after a decade of looking around only to finally realize most of the answers you’ve been looking for have to be earned in the dirt.

As I brace myself for a life in the dirt, I hope I start digging with an open mind and an open heart. Playing in the dirt isn’t for those with predetermined notions or airs of any kind. Playing in the dirt is specifically gifted to those who want to make a difference; after all, making a difference was never a clean art. Playing in the dirt involves real conversations with real people complete with eye contact and hands ready and willing to reach out void

of any sort of device inhibiting real connection.

Shoveling dirt is labor intensive. It’s the kind of work that makes your lungs fill up with air, and your heart realize what it means to be alive. It doesn’t involve immediate gratification but rather stretches the patience muscles – muscles that became quite lethargic in my 20s. Shoveling dirt is best done with friends around you, who can help when it gets too hard or you can help when their shovel breaks and the hole seems endless. Shoveling dirt can be messy and all together chaotic – but there’s beauty in knowing that there’s hope mixed in with the chaos.

I hope my nails are chipped and the dirt lasts for a bit under my fingernails. I hope my hands are sore and my muscles ache, because that will mean I’m doing something worthwhile. I hope the sun dries away tears that are bound to come.

I hope I stop to feel the cool air that whistles across my face and remember that not everyone is as privileged as I to be able to pick up a shovel. Some aren’t here. Some aren’t able. Some will never

realize they Caitlin Ludwig IGNITE Rockford should.

And some just don’t care.

Those who aren’t here, I remember fondly. But those that won’t pick up a shovel? They are not my concern. The only shovel I can control is my own.

There will be days that I can’t shovel one more ounce. On those days, when I’ve reached my limits and just can’t dig any more, I hope I reach out and ask for help from those around me. On the days that I can shovel, I hope that I help those around me I see struggling. After all, a beautiful garden will take many hands to till.

What lies ahead is dirty and that is both exciting and somewhat terrifying at the same time. But, I think my 20s have served me well. Now, during my 30s, I think it’s time to start serving others well. Cheers to the Dirty Thirty!

May my nails never be the same.

Caitlin Ludwig is vice president, leadership development, at the Rockford Chamber of Commerce and IGNITE Reach co-chair.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

December 2015

2015 best cities for wallet wellness Tips to improve yours

WalletHub looked at the correlation between physical, emotional and financial well-being – “wallet wellness.” It considered money, work and the economy as the leading causes of stress, leading to a million people missing work every day at a cost of $600 daily to employers. It cited $62 billion lost in productivity annually due to sleep deprivation and $200 to $300 billion due to stress-related illnesses.

WalletHub compared the 150 largest U.S. cities on 12 key metrics related to managing finances and lifestyles, and factors that promote wealth creation and upward mobility. It considered: highest median household income, highest homeownership rate, lowest average commute time, most affordable housing, best Gallup well-being index, highest average credit score and lowest foreclosure rate.

Best Cities for Wallet Wellness 1. Gilbert, Ariz.

2. Fremont, Calif.

3. Plano, Texas 4. Chandler, Ariz.

5. Overland Park, Kan. 6. Sioux Falls, S.D. 7. Scottsdale, Ariz.

8. Lincoln, Neb. 9. Peoria, Ariz.

10. Austin, Texas

Top Cities in Illinois 29. Aurora, Ill. …106. Chicago, Ill.

WalletHub’s Wellness Tips Set Practical, Realistic Goals.

Commit to a small number of difficult, yet achievable objectives and make specific lifestyle changes.

Build a Budget. Only two in five Americans keep close track of their spending, according to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, which has led to an estimated $918.5 billion in total credit card debt as of August.

A clearly defined budget is the most efficient way to pay down amounts owed and work towards savings goals.

Expand Your Emergency Fund.

With a robust financial safety net, you’ll be less at the mercy of the economy and able to withstand a prolonged period of joblessness. You’ll also benefit from valuable peace of mind.

Get Debt Free. Use a credit card calculator to develop a plan for reaching debt freedom. Then, devote the majority

of your allotted monthly debt payment to the balance with the highest interest rate.

Continue making minimum payments on any other balances until your most expensive debt is gone, then repeat.

Maximize Your Credit Standing.

Your credit score impacts not only the credit card and loan terms for which you qualify, but also things like your insurance premiums, your ability to lease a car or rent an apartment, and your job prospects. Bottom line: the higher your credit score, the more you save. Get a free copy of each of your major credit reports and verify that the information is correct. Submit on-time payments every month to ensure a steady flow of positive information into your credit reports; diluting any negative information or adding to a previously thin file.

Save, Save, Save. There are two strategies in particular that lend themselves to regular savings, according to Steven Fazzari, economics professor at Washington University in St. Louis. First, “take advantage of any retirement saving benefits offered by your employer.”

Also, “save for specific big purchases.

This advice applies especially to college savings, but you could also carve out some part of your savings for a car, a vacation or something similar.”

Make Use of Dead Time. If you face a lengthy daily commute, replace boredom with an educational audio book to help you hone another marketable skill or simply expand your horizons. Apply this to other “dead times” throughout the day.

Automate Everything. For many, if money is there, it will be spent. The best way to account for bad financial habits is to take human error out of the equation.

Ask that your credit limit be lowered to your budgeted spending amount if you need to; set up automatic bill pay; and, perhaps most importantly, establish automatic withdrawals from your paycheck to a hands-off savings vehicle.

Find Your Passion. Some people have “never worked a day in their life.” The workweek doesn’t have to be drudgery; it actually can be fun. Find something you love and leave behind the less important stuff – exorbitant riches, perhaps.

Ultimately, passion is what will help us make it through the tough times that inevitably wait ahead.

Source: www.wallethub.com

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December 2015

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Rockford Public Schools’ special programs Strategic planning in process

One in 10 students in the Rockford Public Schools is enrolled in a special program in the district. Whether it’s Maria Montessori, Creative and Performing Arts (or CAPA), Barbour Two-Way Language Immersion, Haskell YearRound Academy or our gifted program, the popularity of these programs speaks to their quality and the importance of choice in education.

Continuing to strengthen these programs with community input is part of our strategic vision — to be the first choice for all families.

Maybe you have seen the billboards promoting our special programs around town. Since early fall, in all areas of the city, we have advertised opportunities to enroll in CAPA, Montessori and gifted.

The community can be proud of the attributes of these public school programs.

We identify and nurture intellectually gifted students in our academies at Washington, Marshall and Auburn. The curriculum is modified and adapted to meet these students’ unique learning styles, interests, abilities and needs.

Students test into the program, which challenges students to accelerate their learning and practice creative and analytical thinking in core subject areas.

Students in our high school gifted program average a 29 on their ACTs. At Haskell Year-Round Academy, students attend school for nine weeks and then take two weeks off. The calendar structure helps students avoid the “summer slide,” a loss of academic skills that typically occurs during the normal three-month summer break. The program is for elementary students, PreK through grade 5.

Many people do not know that RPS 205 has a dual-language school. In Barbour Two-Way Language Immersion for grades K-8, students begin the program by receiving most of the daily instruction in their native language.

By the fifth grade, their time is evenly balanced between Spanish and English.

By the eighth grade, students leave the program fluent in two languages. In a global economy, we can be encouraged by the approximately 60 eighth graders who leave Barbour fully bilingual every year.

A more in-depth arts experience is possible through our Creative and Performing Arts program. Sixth to 12th graders audition for the program and take part in dance, instrumental music, theater tech and media arts, vocal music and visual arts. CAPA churns out incredible talent every year. One of our most famous graduates is Grammy-

winning singer and actress Michelle Williams, formerly of Destiny’s Child.

There’s a waiting list every year for our Montessori program and no wonder.

In Montessori classrooms in RPS 205, students of multiple ages follow Maria Montessori’s model of self-directed learning. Students in pre-K through eighth grade work with a highly trained Montessori teacher. They remain with the same teacher and classmates for two or three years. Older students serve as role models for younger children.

Strategic Planning Going Forward In each of these special programs, the quality of the curriculum, the rigor of the teaching and the accomplishments of the students speak for themselves. However, we want to build on the success, looking at best practices and national models of excellence.

Beginning now through April 2016, we are undergoing a strategic planning process for our special programs. Aligned to our districtwide strategic plan, the process will be a chance for these programs to refine, reaffirm or reimagine their mission, vision and goals.

The process begins with a site-based peer quality review. Then, groups representing the community, current families and RPS 205 administrators, teachers and School Board members will analyze the data and examine mission/ vision/purpose. Finally, they will address the “big ideas” — how can we make them happen and how can we track and share our progress?

It promises to be a rigorous process over many days. I thank the participants in advance for spending so much time on such a worthy cause for public education.

The review aligns well with our overall strategic plan for the district. It’s part of “living the plan.” We will not stick it on a shelf and forget it.

Through this review, we will find out what makes our special programs truly special. We will take a hard look at where we are now, where we can improve and where we can build on success. If you have a comment -- or would like to be included in the process -- please email Heather Psaltis, our director of special programs, at heather.psaltis@rps205.com.

We’d love to have you involved, and we’ll keep you posted.

Dr. Ehren Jarrett is superintendent of Rockford Public Schools.

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

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

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December 2015

Highlighting region’s unique people Rockford is ‘In Good Company’ We began this new marketing approach in the fall of 2014 to help celebrate the RACVB’s 30th anniversary.

Throughout the past year, the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau’s In Good Company marketing theme has placed an emphasis on the people that make our region special and unique.

We began this new marketing approach in the fall of 2014 to help celebrate the RACVB’s 30th anniversary, and we have extended the theme into our nation-wide advertising, in our brand-new Rockford Region Visitor’s Guide and as part of our new and improved website coming in early 2016.

During this process of highlighting not just the places and attractions that makes Rockford a Real. Original. destination, and shining the spotlight on the people that make those places what they are, we have found that being In Good Company resonates with not just our customers, but with the citizens of Rockford, as well.

Outside of the region, our advertising is seeing tremendous response with pictures of our In Good Company featured citizens leading the way. For instance, an ad featuring Mary Gulbrantson, owner of Urban Farmgirl, piqued the interest of several thousand readers of the travel magazine “American Road,” who requested more information on the Rockford region.

Another ad, featuring Louis and Frank Mateus and local youth soccer players, has not only generated much feedback from our sports tournament customers, but it also prompted one promoter to book an event in Rockford this past summer.

Building from Within Within the region, the In Good Company theme was on display through the great community partnerships that the RACVB forged this year. The RACVB’s Forest City Beautiful (FCB) initiative continued to build and expand its scope and reach in the community, thanks to many generous business sponsors and individuals who helped make our first-ever Paint the Downtown Green fundraiser a success this past spring. And, we saw an expanded reach through the program downtown, as Rockford Sharefest once again brought

John Groh Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

hundreds of volunteers to the community’s core for a weeklong clean-up effort.

Our partnerships continued as we brought in the first FCB Public Art Initiative and worked with numerous art enthusiasts in the community to make it happen. Those same friends and many more have eagerly jumped on board during our latest public art initiative: Rockford River Lights.

And we continue to see magical and overwhelming support for Stroll on State presented by Illinois Bank & Trust from community partners like Heartland Church, Rockford First and the thousands of Rockfordians eager to be a part of something bigger than them by volunteering to help make it all happen.

In addition, we continue to be In Good Company with all the amazing partners involved with the UW Health Sports Factory -- partners that have been involved with development of this state-of-the-art sports complex that will catapult the downtown revitalization efforts. The City of Rockford, the Rockford Park District, and so many others have played a crucial role in this amazing new building that shows progress and ingenuity are alive and well in the Rockford region.

Of course, I would be remiss not to mention all of the dedicated and hardworking tourism professionals (more than 2,700 in Winnebago County) who helped our region host more than 7.5 million visitors this past year; who brought $340 million worth of economic spending to our region.

The In Good Company theme goes far beyond a simple marketing theme, it is truly becoming a way of life at the RACVB and throughout the community. Partnerships and the people who make our communities hum with activity provide the heart and soul of a destination. In 2016, the RACVB will continue to highlight as many of our great citizens as we can, and we will continue to place ourselves In Good Company with community partners that strive to lift Rockford up to new heights.

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

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

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December 2015 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Wrap Up Your Financial Year

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

Rockford University PERSPECTIVE

High-tech fraud over the wires

Year-end financial statements

Profitability, cash flow, liquidity Year end. Financially, it is a time to complete the current year, and a time to look forward to the next year. Both goals, from an organizational perspective, are accomplished with the preparation of year-end financial statements. These statements allow us to review the results of the year just completed, and to begin to predict the expected results of the year to come.

The purpose of financial statements is to provide information to the users of those statements in order for them to make informed decisions. Not all users are financial professionals or are well versed in understanding financial information. These users may not gain the same level of understanding as financial professionals, but they should gain the level of understanding of financial information to be able to “ask the right questions.” If the user isn’t capable of doing this, there can be disastrous results, as can be seen when looking at Ken Lay (CEO Enron) – “It was not my responsibility,” and any client of Bernie Madoff’s – “I trusted him.”

Three questions answered by the information contained within financial statements are: 1. Was the organization profitable?

(Income statement) 2. Did the organization generate positive cash flow? (Statement of cash flows) 3. Can the organization pay its current debts? (Balance sheet)

Was the Organization Profitable?

Profitability is measured by the amount an organization’s revenues/sales exceeds its expenses. Generally, two to three years of income are presented in an income statement, so that trends can be detected and comparisons can be made.

The “bottom line” of this statement shows net income. Start here to see if net income is strong and has been growing over the three years presented.

There are two ways to increase net income – increasing revenues/sales in relation to expenses, or reducing expenses in relation to revenues/sales.

Both approaches work to increasing net income, however, increasing revenues/ sales in relation to expenses is a more sustainable strategy for organizational growth.

Positive Cash Flows?

Whether an organization generated a net increase or decrease in its cash balance for the year can be seen simply by viewing the beginning and ending cash balances on the balance sheet. The cash activity for the year(s) is shown on

William B. Lewis, Jr. Rockford University

the statement of cash flows.

The statement of cash flows presents the cash flows of an organization separated between cash flows from operating activities, cash flows from investing activities, and cash flows from financing activities.

Cash flows from operating activities confirms the net income reported on the income statement. For the two to three years of information presented, look for strong and growing cash flows. The most popular method of presentation (indirect method) shows a reconciliation between net income and cash flows from operating activities. While the individual line items seem difficult to comprehend, focus on the line total “cash flows from operating activities” to see if operating cash flows are strong and have been growing over the three years presented.

Ability to Pay Current Debts?

The liquidity of an organization measures whether an organization is positioned to pay its current obligations.

Assets and liabilities on the balance sheet are separated between current and noncurrent balances. Current assets (cash, accounts receivable, inventories) are the cash or items to be converted to cash within the current operating cycle or next twelve months. Current liabilities (accounts payable, accrued expenses, short term notes payable) are the items due within the current operating cycle or next twelve months, to be paid from current assets.

The comparison of current assets to current liabilities provides a picture of an organization’s liquidity position. Will the organization generate enough current cash to meet its current cash needs?

A consideration is always made to the quality of current assets. Are all of the accounts receivable collectible? Is all of the inventory saleable? In your analysis, the total of current assets may need to be adjusted based on the answers to these questions.

Obviously, year-end financial statements provide a tremendous amount of detail to users of this information.

Users of these statements may not be able to discern the entirety of this detail, but most users should be in a position to “ask the right questions.”

William B. Lewis, Jr., is associate professor of accounting at Rockford University.

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

Affect organizations large and small Have you been a victim of fraud? Are you vulnerable at your place of business?

Wire transfer imposter scams are more sophisticated than ever and Rockford is not exempt from this widespread issue.

The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners’ (ACFE) 2014 Global Fraud Study revealed that companies lose five percent of revenues each year due to fraud. This translates to losses of about $3.7 trillion globally. In addition to lost revenue, there are also indirect costs, such as low employee morale, decreased productivity, ruined reputations and tarnished brand images. Fraudsters are constantly targeting companies posing as executives to request fraudulent wire transfers via e-mail.

…the fraudster poses as the executive to send fraudulent, yet highly plausible, wire transfer instructions to employees that are unaware that the e-mail account has been compromised.

Both large and small organizations fall victim to occupational fraud, but the ACFE found that companies with fewer than 100 employees are particularly vulnerable as they were less likely to have anti-fraud controls to detect fraud sooner. Larger companies were more likely to have anti-fraud practices in place including hotlines, employee fraud training and internal departmental audits, however, nothing replaces being prepared and informed.

Today’s impostors are using high tech methods to hijack e-mail accounts of CEOs, CFOs and other high level executives to monitor the activity of the organization and learn the patterns and behavior unique to the company over an extended period of time. Once they have gathered enough information to sound genuine, the fraudster poses as the executive to send fraudulent, yet highly plausible, wire transfer instructions to employees that are unaware that the e-mail account has been compromised.

These fraudsters have been very successful in their attempts and have defrauded U.S. companies out of millions of dollars.

What’s Happening in Rockford We have seen cases of attacks such as these happening in Rockford that luckily were stopped before the imposter was able to steal funds. In one instance, a CFO received an email that came from

Lori Diaz Rockford Bank & Trust

the CEO’s iPhone asking her to send a wire transfer. The CFO initiated the wire transfer with us. When we reviewed the wire instructions they seemed to be “outside” their normal practices, and we contacted them to verify the wire. Upon further research within the company, it was determined that the iPhone email was, in fact, fraudulent.

In a similar situation, the company CFO received an email from the company CEO providing wire transfer instructions. The CFO initiated the wire transfer with us. We also contacted the company to verify the wire and were instructed to process the wire. Shortly thereafter we received a call from the company asking if we could stop the wire transfer, as the email was, in fact, fraudulent. Fortunately, we were able to work with the receiving bank to retrieve the funds, but that may not always be the case.

Attacks such as these can be thwarted by implementing internal processes for verifying and authenticating wire transfer requests.

As with other types of fraud, there are several variations and ways wire transfer imposter fraud is perpetrated. The best way to protect any business is to: ■ Educate staff about potential fraud situations.

■ Enforce a strong accounts payable policy, wire transfer policy and verification process.

■ Monitor bank accounts for any suspicious activity.

With the proper amount of protection and a healthy perspective on trends, any business can protect themselves from these types of fraud. Research shows that fraud is indiscriminate of employer size, industry or geography, so it’s imperative to take proactive steps to prevent and mitigate the effects of fraudulent activity.

The presence of anti-fraud regulations helps reduce both the duration and monetary losses resulting from fraud schemes. Reducing the duration of fraud is particularly critical, since the longer the fraud lasts, the more financial damage it can cause your organization.

Lori Diaz is senior vice president of treasury management at Rockford Bank & Trust.

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

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Wrap Up Your Financial Year

December 2015

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

Hack-proof your business – large or small Danger over the wires

What do Sony, Home Depot and Target all have in common? These wellknown companies are all victims of largescale data hacks throughout the past few years. Although these three businesses are world renowned, companies of all types and sizes are vulnerable to fraud involving information, wire transfers and other types of payments.

According to a survey by the Association for Financial Professionals, 62 percent of companies experienced payment fraud last year. While check fraud still is the most common method, wire fraud has nearly doubled since 2013 to 27 percent, while credit and debit card fraud is at 34 percent. Many business owners are aware of the risk of identity theft and take appropriate precautions, but often don’t consider the need to protect their business’ banking operations.

Hackers can successfully steal company funds using nothing more than a simple email. This is accomplished by gaining access to the email account of a CEO, CFO or other key executive and sending an email to an accounting employee indicating that money needs to be wired to a specific account. Because the email appears to be authentic and from an executive, transfers are completed before the fraud is detected.

This type of electronic wire or payment fraud is called “spear phishing,” which targets high profile executives

TIPS FOR PREVENTING WIRE FRAUD ■■ Utilize a dual control process for money movement.

■■ Never send money from your account solely based on an electronic request. Confirm the request over the phone or in person, if possible.

■■ Block popups and plugins on computers used to conduct business.

■■ Use separate email addresses for personal and company business.

■■ Log out of online sessions when not in use.

■■ Always type the bank’s Web address into your Internet browser rather than cutting and pasting from a link.

■■ Never provide sensitive information over the phone unless you placed the call or are sure you are speaking with the correct party.

■■ Immediately report suspicious transactions or activity.

Jeff Hultman Illinois Bank & Trust

with malware.

There also are other common methods used in electronic payment fraud such as “phishing,” where emails are used to access sensitive information, and “vishing,” an automated phone call telling the recipient there is a problem with a bank account or debit card. The call directs the recipient to contact his or her bank and provides a phone number or website that is fraudulent, often resulting in loss of funds.

How Can You Stop the Hackers?

There’s no guarantee hacking can be prevented, but these are tactics to be less vulnerable: ■■ Optimize passwords. Don’t reuse them and don’t trust websites to store them securely. To maximize security, set up a two-step process to verify and approve actions and activity for all your online business accounts. Implement password protection and “timeout” functions, which require relogin after a period of inactivity, and require strong passwords that must be changed on a regular basis.

■■ Don’t mix social media with finances.

Use separate devices for financial activity, including online banking and email or social media. Keeping those activities separate will reduce the risk that an infected social site could compromise your banking and business operations.

■■ Secure your computers, systems and data. Stay current with the latest version of your browser and have your IT staff or consultant test its configuration for weakness.

■■ Update all operating systems to take advantage of security improvements.

■■ Make sure your Internet router is secure so data can’t be intercepted.

■■ Enlist your employees’ help by creating a policy about data security and inform what types of information are sensitive or confidential and responsibilities are to protect that data.

Although hacking and wire fraud incidents are unfortunately increasing, they are not inevitable. Your bank’s treasury management team can help you put fraud prevention measures in place. Be aware and take precautions to keep your business, assets and information secure.

Jeff Hultman is vice president, senior treasury management banking officer for Illinois Bank & Trust, Member FDIC. The views expressed are those of Hultman’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

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Wrap Up Your Financial Year

December 2015 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

Check out these end-ofyear investment tips Time to make your financial moves Who knows where the time goes?

Although 2015 is almost in the books, you can still make some year-end investment and financial moves that may help you get off to a good start in 2016.

Here are a few suggestions: Boost your 401(k) contributions.

Ask your employer if you still have time to add more to your 401(k) before the year ends. If not, at least increase your contributions in 2016, especially if your salary goes up.

Consider “tax-loss” selling. We experienced considerable turbulence in the financial markets this past year, so you may own some investments that have lost value. Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to hold these investments if they still meet your needs, but if you do decide to sell them, you can use the loss to offset capital gains taxes on investments you’ve sold that have appreciated.

If the loss from the sale was greater than your combined long- and shortterm capital gains, you can deduct up to $3,000 against other income. And if your losses exceed your capital gains by more than $3,000, you can carry the remaining losses forward to future tax years.

Review your asset allocation. Make sure your asset allocation – that is, your investment mix – still is appropriate for your time horizon and goals. You might consider being a bit more aggressive if you’re not meeting your financial targets, or more conservative if you’re getting closer to retirement.

If you want greater diversification, you might think about adding an asset class that tends to react to market conditions differently from your existing investments. Diversifying your portfolio may help reduce the impact of volatility; however, diversification, by itself, can’t

Steve Danekas Edward Jones

guarantee a profit or protect against loss. If you do need to adjust, or “rebalance,” you can do so fairly easily in tax-deferred accounts, such as your IRA or 401(k) – but for those investments held in a taxable account, you should talk to your tax advisor on how to manage the tax consequences of rebalancing.

Evaluate your insurance situation.

This past year, did you undergo any changes in your personal life, such as marriage, divorce or the addition of a new child? If so, review your life and disability insurance to make sure they are sufficient for your needs, and list the proper beneficiaries on all insurance policies.

Start an emergency fund. If you don’t already have one, start an emergency fund before the year is out.

Ideally, you’d like to have between six and 12 months’ worth of living expenses in such a fund; without it, you might be forced to dip into your long-term investments to pay for unexpected costs, such as a new furnace, a major car repair or a big medical bill. For this fund, you’re less interested in return than in preservation of principal, so put your money in a low-risk, liquid account.

Making these moves can help you close out 2015 on a positive note – and ring in the new year with greater confidence in your financial future.

Steve Danekas is a financial advisor for Edward Jones.

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

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December 2015 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Non-Profit Connections

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

Collaboration is the key to fulfilling mission The Pregnancy Care Center of Rockford At the Pregnancy Care Center of Rockford, we meet nearly 100 new clients every month who come through our doors seeking help and hope when facing their unplanned pregnancy. Fear, confusion and anxiety are the common denominators, regardless of age, race or socio-economic status. We are there to offer a safe place ‌ to tell their story, to express their concerns, and to be loved and supported. Free and confidential pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, STD testing, accurate education, compassionate mentoring and practical resources give women the information they need to make an informed decision.

In addition, we offer free mentoring throughout a woman’s pregnancy, helping her and her partner prepare for childbirth, breastfeeding, parenting or adoption. Each appointment is an opportunity to speak to her life circumstances, and collaboration with other non-profit agencies is critical during this process. We regularly refer clients to other agencies when their situation requires specialized assistance.

Partnering with Remedies, RAASE, Meld, Family Counseling, Crusader, Safe Families for Children and a myriad of others empowers our clients to access the resources needed to move forward in the healthiest and most positive way possible.

Community Partners With three full-time staff and four part-time staff, fulfilling our mission would be nearly impossible without the collaboration of hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals in our community. For starters, 45 to 50 volunteers every week invest their time and energy into our centers. Whether they are mentoring clients, doing ultrasounds, facilitating classes, sorting donated baby clothes, or helping with administrative tasks, they are the lifeblood of our organization. By the end of October, we accumulated more than 5,000 volunteer hours for 2015.

Local businesses are key to our success as well. Because we are funded entirely through private donations and do not receive any state or federal funding, we are grateful for the generous businesses that support our work on a regular basis. Other businesses sponsor events and send teams of people to participate.

Others provide free services, whether it is carpet cleaning, payroll services or needed repairs. We are incredibly humbled to receive such generosity from our community business partners!

Likewise, local churches partner with

Tiffany Staman The Pregnancy Care Center of Rockford

us by raising awareness, donating funds, doing collections of baby items and supporting our events. Regardless of denomination or religious preference, people of diverse faith backgrounds hear our vision and volunteer to partner with us. The diversity makes us richer and allows us to meet clients from a wide range of backgrounds as well. Maybe most importantly, our churches pray for us and encourage us to hang in there on days when it feels like it would be easier to hang it up.

Positive Choices in Schools Finally, local schools are a key partner.

Through our program, Positive Choices, we offer sexual risk avoidance education to teenagers in our communities, encouraging them to make wise, well informed decisions in their sexual and relational life. This highly interactive, participatory program gives young people the honest information they need to make healthy, positive choices.

This program would not be possible without school partners like Kennedy, West, Eisenhower, Belvidere, Rockford Christian, Christian Life and Rockford Lutheran. Reaching young people before they need our centers is critical for progress in our community.

Recently, we announced that we are purchasing a mobile medical unit.

Virtually a clinic on wheels, we will offer pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, STD testing and mentoring all over our community. Already, generous partners in our community are collaborating to fund it, service it, and park it at their location. We have been overwhelmed with the support and provision we have received!

Every now and then, I hear of nonprofits who think they can function almost as an island unto themselves.

However, gone are the days of selfsufficiency and isolation. We need each other. We could not do what we do without the individuals, businesses, churches, schools and other non-profit organizations in our community.

And even if we could do it alone, what fun would that be?

Tiffany Staman is executive director at the Pregnancy Care Center of Rockford.

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

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

December 2015

(Left) Chamber GMR! attendees donated hundreds of rolls of toilet paper and thousands of baby wipes and diapers for a great cause.

(Above) Advantage Club Originals hosts its annual networking event benefitting area nonprofits.

Tower of toilet paper

Rockford Chamber networking event benefits local non-profit Rockford Chamber’s Advantage Club Originals hosted its annual Good Morning Rockford! on Oct. 27 at the Hilton Garden Inn, 7675 Walton St., to benefit women with unplanned pregnancies in need. During the earlymorning event, the group constructed a toilet paper tower and collected baby wipes made from donations by business and nonprofit attendees for the Pregnancy Care Center of Rockford.

“It was a great morning,” said Tiffany Staman, executive director of the center.

“We collected 790 rolls of toilet paper, 2585 baby wipes and 1865 diapers for those facing an unplanned pregnancy.

Thanks to the chamber for your part in that!” The center served almost 1,200 women with unplanned pregnancies in the past year.

Advantage Club Originals is comprised of business owners, decision makers and sales associates dedicated to networking and referring business to one another. It meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month.

Non-Profit Connections

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December 2015

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Partnership to create new mentoring program for ex-inmates

By Alex Gary A group formed more than 40 years ago to tend to the spiritual needs

in jail will now be front and center in trying to keep former inmates from re-offending.

On Nov. 7, at Rockford University, Rockford Reachout Jail Ministry

officials announced that the organization has reached a tentative

agreement with Winnebago County and the City of Rockford. The deal will expand the organization to create a team of mentors and case managers

to work with men, women, boys and girls returning from incarceration

Can Rockford be a land of opportunity for all?

By Alex Gary In 2013, Rockford’s Fred Van Vleet introduced himself to the country when he made a step back 3-pointer with 1:28 left in the NCAA basketball tournament to give the Wichita State Shockers a fivepoint lead in what would end up being a 76-70 win over Gonzaga, a No. 1 seed.

That win spurred Wichita State to a Final Four appearance and cemented the Rockford Auburn graduate’s favorite son status in Rockford.

In the first week of November, Sports Illustrated published a long story on Van Vleet and what drives him. Now a senior, Van Vleet has a good chance of becoming the first player from Rockford to play in the NBA since Boylan’s Chad Gallagher in 1994. The last Rockford public school graduate to play in the NBA was West’s Mark Sibley, who played for the Portland Trailblazers in the 1973-1974 season.

It wasn’t Van Vleet’s talent that sparked the Sports Illustrated spread though, rather it’s the fact that he has come so far from a place such as Rockford. The story’s depiction of this city was brutal.

Transform Rockford Executive Director Mike Schablaske was one of many who read the story and a quote at the end of the piece stuck out to him.

“Every day I hear we have hundreds of jobs that go unfilled because we don’t have enough skilled workers, yet Fred Van Vleet says in this story ‘there’s no opportunity in Rockford,’” Schablaske said at the Rockford Reachout Jail Ministry Faith & Public Safety Summit.

“Whether you agree with that or not, perception becomes reality and if the perception is that there’s no opportunity in Rockford then that opportunity might as well not exist.”

The exact quote?

“There’s no opportunity in Rockford, so if you stay there, you don’t see the world as very big.”

The Sports Illustrated piece talks mostly about basketball and how few black players from Rockford have made an impact nationally. It especially highlights local legend Lee Lampley, who remains

the area’s all-time leading scorer in high school but has spent much of his adult life in and out of jail as part of the drug trade. For those of us who played against or saw Lampley play, it was amazing to see Lampley’s story immortalized in SI. Unfortunately, Lampley is just one of many. In the 1970s, there was John Griffin, an all-state football and basketball player who signed to play football at Illinois only to drop out and be murdered in a domestic dispute in Milwaukee at the age of 28.

More recently, Boylan’s Steve Harris, a three-time, all-conference football player, signed also to play at Illinois. He dropped out as well and fell off the radar until May when he was charged with a plethora of drug charges after a drug raid on South Gardiner Avenue.

In an earlier part of the story, Van Vleet said “my whole mindset growing up was that I was not going to let myself be one of those Rockford people who didn’t pan out. … Their failure is in the back of my head. That is what I’m running from.”

While it was mostly a basketball story, Sports Illustrated pulled out some statistics that show why Rockford was ranked the second worst city for black families by 24/7 Wall Street in September. In 2014, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median family income for white families in Rockford was $51,264; for black families it was $22,651. The city also had the highest unemployment rate for black adults in the nation in 2014; 28.9 percent.

Obviously, it’s not true that there’s no opportunity from Rockford, but looking at the above figures, you understand why a black kid growing up on the west side would feel that way. Transform Rockford’s goal is to make Rockford a top 25 community by 2025. The goal also is to make it a top 25 community for all.

Alex Gary is president of Alex Gary Communications Inc., and a Transform Rockford volunteer.

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

to help them find housing, employment and generally keep them on the correct path.

Among the area’s plethora of problems, crime is perhaps the one that

receives the most attention. According to Law Street Media, Rockford had the second highest crime rate in the nation in 2014 for cities under

200,000 residents. The problem is so pervasive, the city of Rockford

asked the U.S. Department of Justice to study the problem and propose some possible solutions.

Among the depressing statistics released with the report this summer

was the fact that between 2008 and 2010, 63 percent of the people

released in Winnebago County from the Illinois Department of Corrections were re-arrested within three years.

George Hofstetter, the Rockford Reachout executive director, believes

the partnership will improve on efforts already in place, including Rockford Area Violence Elimination Network (RAVEN), which was created in 2013.

“We learned a great deal from the initial effort,” Hofstetter said. “A lot

of groundwork has been done. Now, with the help of Reachout, our 50 church partners and existing ministry services network, we can mobilize

the faith community in a city-wide effort to serve and support our returning

citizens in ways that will connect them to community and reduce the risk of returning to jail or prison.”

The tentative agreement still needed to be approved by the Rockford

City Council and Winnebago County Board as of The Voice deadline.

Rise in low-income students affecting all districts

By Alex Gary The annual school report cards released each fall by the Illinois State Board of Education does more than tally up test scores, it gives an annual snapshot of the changing demographics of an area.

Unfortunately, this year’s report cards showed the continuation of the troubling trend of increasing students having to rely on free and reduced lunches.

In the 2014-2015 school year, for the first time, that percentage in the Rockford School District passed 80 percent. Rockford by far has the most students needing the nutritional help, but all districts in Winnebago County have seen a marked rise in such students.

Percentage of students on free and reduced lunch program Year

Rockford

Harlem

Hononegah*

South Beloit

2004- 60.9% 2005

33.2%

8.9%

2009- 75.3% 2010

43.6%

2014- 82.9% 2015

53.1%

Pecatonica

Winnebago

Durand

54.8% 10.5%

8.3%

19.4%

15.1%

67.2% 20.3%

17.1%

21.0%

25.6%

67.7% 20.1%

31.5%

31.4%

Source: Illinois State Board of Education * Hononegah includes its four elementary school feeder districts.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

21

December 2015

Regional, National Indicators THE ECONOMY U.S. Indicators October 2015 Consumer Price Index



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

0.2 percent 5.0 percent

      

271,000 $0.09 0.4 percent 0.6 percent (third quarter, 2015) 1.6 percent (third quarter, 2015) 0.5 percent 0.2 percent

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Population Clock As of Nov. 19, 2015

U.S. 322,186,965

World 7,286,771,925

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Unemployment Rates Region / State / Nation June 15

July 15

Aug 15

Sep 15

Rockford

6.1

7.1

6.4

6.2

Chicago

6.3

6.1

5.7

4.9

Illinois

5.9

5.8

5.6

5.4

United States

5.3

5.3

5.1

5.0

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

At least 350 languages spoken in U.S. homes The U.S. Census Bureau released new tables detailing hundreds of languages that U.S. residents speak at home. American Community Survey data on languages spoken at home previously was available for only 39 languages; the 2009 to 2013 data has expanded to include 350 languages.

It includes languages spoken less widely in the United States, such as Pennsylvania Dutch, Ukrainian, Turkish, Romanian, Amharic and many others and 150 Native North American languages, collectively spoken by more than 350,000 people, including Yupik, Dakota, Apache, Keres and Cherokee.

“Knowing the number of languages and how many speak these languages in a particular area provides valuable information to policymakers, planners and researchers,” said Erik Vickstrom, a Census Bureau statistician.

CHICAGO METRO AREA ■ At least 153 languages are spoken at home.

■ 29 percent of the metro area population age 5 and over speak a language other than English at home.

■ One of the smaller language groups found there is Serbian, with 17,490 speakers.

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November 2015

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

the News IN Members THEin NEWS

1. Dr. Dacia Pickering

2. Dr. K. Fatima Ali

3. Duke Sims

4. Swapna Samuel

5. Seth Sommer

6. Andre Anthony

7. Lou Ness

8. Eileen M. Liezert

9. Dr. Heather Decker

10. Katie Yagle-Bryant

11. Matt Weber

12. Kristen Comer

13. Jackie de Batista

14. Joyce M. Willemot

15. John Kuehnel

16. Dr. Bill Gorski

17. Dr. Juliette Kalweit

18. Lori Champion

19. Lucas Falco

20. Karen Brown

21. Dr. Roger Greenlaw

22. Dr. Kathleen Kelly

23. Jessica Rielly

24. Shelton Kay

BOARD APPOINTMENTS

Crusader Community Health Foundation announced board members: Eric Abrahamsen, State Farm Insurance; Carmen CoballesVega, Ph.D., Rock Valley College; Lori Frith, Rockford Bank & Trust, and Ivy Sagrado, 1st Family Home Healthcare. Outgoing members recognized were: Anita Papich and Pat Fong, Midland States Bank.

Deryk Hayes, Rockford Housing Authority, expanded his role as community revitalization and development committeeman for the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials.

Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs® (NBT), the charitable foundation of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International®, elected a new slate of officers for one-year terms: David Brown, Affiliations Unlimited, Inc., chair; Warren Long, Oshkosh Corporation, vice chair, and Bruce Benedict, Production Tube Cutting, secretary/ treasurer. New board member for a two-year term: Franklin Maccotan.

Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International® elected current board member Al Zelt, ASKO, Inc., chairman. Other board officers are Vivek Gupta, Texas ProFab Corp, 1st vice chairman; Lyle Menke, Peddinghaus Inc., 2nd vice chairman, and William “Jeff” Jeffery, IRMCO, secretary/ treasurer. Newly elected board members are: Brian Havlovic, Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp., U.S.A.; Jason Hillenbrand, Laser Products Manager, Amada America, Inc., and Pamela Swanson, Airgas North Central.

NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, RETIREMENTS Alpine Bank Trust & Investment Group hired Michael St. John as vice president of retirement plan services.

The Chicago Blackhawks recalled forward Marko Dano, forward Brandon Mashinter and defenseman Erik Gustafsson, Rockford IceHogs. The Blackhawks assigned forward Bryan Bickell to Rockford. The Rockford IceHogs returned defenseman Nick Mattson on loan to the ECHL’s Indy Fuel, and reassigned defenseman Sam Jardine to the Indy Fuel.

General surgeon Dacia Pickering (1), M.D., PhD., joined UW Health Surgery at SwedishAmerican.

Obstetrician & gynecologist, K. Fatima Ali (2), M.D., joined SwedishAmerican’s Rock Valley Clinic.

Forest City Gear hired Duke Sims (3) as general manager.

Chartwell Agency hired Wester Wuori as vice president.

Rockford Park District hired Rhashonda Williams as director of human resources.

First Midwest Group hired Swapna Samuel (4) as legal assistant and Seth Sommer (5) as lead project manager in the construction department.

Mark Van Allen, formerly assistant operations manager for Magic 98, Q106, and day-to-day program director for Hank @ 1550 in Madison, Wis., is the new operations manager for Mid-West Family Broadcasting.

Family Counseling Service of Northern Illinois hired Eileen M. Liezert (8), LCSW, as its new interim director.

Dr. Heather Decker (9) joined the pediatric practice at the Crusader Community Health on BroadwayUram clinic.

Rockford Housing Authority hired Adrienne Head as executive assistant. Bridget Weeks was promoted to human resource manager.

Eckburg Insurance Group hired Katie Yagle-Bryant (10), specializing in auto and home and commercial insurance, and Matt Weber (11), specializing in personal and business insurance.

Williams-Manny Insurance Group hired the following for its Rockford office on South Perryville: Kristen Comer (12), marketing manager; Ian Solomon, commercial lines account manager; Jennifer Zills, assistant customer service representative, and Mindy Dunham, sales executive.

Jake Ghinazzi, American Precision Supply, Inc., was promoted to outside sales - Rockford.

The University of Illinois Extension hired Jackie de Batista (13) as the 4-H Youth Development Educator serving Jo Daviess, Stephenson and Winnebago counties.

YMCA of Rock River Valley hired Andre Anthony (6) as executive director of youth achievement.

CYRS Wealth Advisors, LLC, hired Joyce M. Willemot (14) as an administrative associate

Rockford Police Department hired Chaplain Lou Ness (7) as its chaplain supervisor.

Newly appointed Interim Police Chief Patrick Hoey moved into his new assignment with the Rockford

Police Department after the retirement of his predecessor, Chet Epperson. Assistant Deputy Chief Doug Pann was appointed to the role of public information officer.

EMPLOYEE/COMMUNITY RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS

John Kuehnel, (15) caregiver, Comfort Keepers, Northern Illinois, received the national award Comfort Keeper of the Year during the annual leadership conference in October.

Dr. Bill Gorski (16), president and CEO, SwedishAmerican, a division of UW health, was named on the “100 Physician Leaders to Know 2015” list in Becker’s Hospital Review magazine, which features healthcare industry leaders who also hold medical degrees.

Juliette Kalweit (17), M.D., SwedishAmerican, earned the designation Fellow of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

Lori Champion (18) and Lucas Falco (19), University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, class of 2016, received a $10,000 scholarship from the John A. and Idelle D. Segzda Endowed Medical Scholarship Fund.

Crusader Community Health gave its annual “Spirit of Caring” awards in October to: Karen Brown (20), V.P. and COO, OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center; Dr. Roger Greenlaw (21), founder of Rockford Gastroenterology and the Coronary Healthy Improvement Project; Dr. Kathleen Kelly (22), SwedishAmerican Health System and Crusader Community Health Foundation board; and Jessica Rielly (23), MELD board.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

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December 2015

the News IN Members THEin NEWS

25. Michael Duffy

29. Steve Schou

26. Zoe Nunez

30. Ijeoma Agu

Matilyn Bindl, a second year student at Rock Valley College, was selected to represent the Illinois Community College System as its 2015 Lincoln Academy of Illinois Student Laureate in Springfield on Nov. 7. She’s enrolled in the RVC Running Start Program, which allows high school students to obtain an associate degree and high school diploma simultaneously.

Shelton Kay (24), vice president of community relations, Crusader Community Health, received the Ramona Lopez Community Health Center Employee Award at the Illinois Primary Health Care Associations Annual Leadership Conference in October.

Michael Duffy (25), CEO, Per Mar Security Services, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement award at the annual Honeywell Connect 2015 Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz., in October. He is the second person ever to be given this award.

Kathi Kresol, Rockford Public Library, youth services department, released her latest book, Murder and Mayhem in Rockford, in November.

Keith Country Day School sophomore, Zoe Nunez (26), will be featured in Sports Illustrated’s Faces in the Crowd, Nov. 9 issue, for volleyball and work in the Fusion Club.

Wanda Moucha (27), deposit operations manager, First National Bank and Trust, earned the Accredited ACH Professional designation through the National Automated Clearing House Association Electronic Payments Association.

Theresa M. Radant, commercial credit review specialist, community banking, U.S. Bank, Northern Illinois region, completed BAI’s loan review certificate program and passed the exam in August.

The following individuals received awards from the Association of Fundraising Professionals: Stephen and Dorothy Baits, Rockford University (Outstanding

27. Wanda Moucha

28. Barbara Schultz

Philanthropists); Father David Beauvais, The Pregnancy Care Center of Rockford (Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer); Barb Berman, Rockford Network of Professional Women (Outstanding Community Service Volunteer), and Ted Brolund, Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity (Outstanding Community Service Volunteer).

Barbara Schultz (28), assistant vice president and branch manager, First National Bank and Trust, Janesville, Wis., earned the Wisconsin Bankers Association’s Certificate of Excellence Award for 25 financial education presentations. Thirty-three staff members overall earned recognition for outstanding financial education efforts; making 90 presentations in 2015 to nearly 3,100 area students.

Matilyn Bindl, student, Rock Valley College, received a $1,000 scholarship from Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society as a 2015 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar.

OF GENERAL INTEREST

Steve Schou (29), CFP®, Klaas Financial, attended a Leaders Conference in Vail, Colo., “Keys to Retirement Success,” on managing investment risk through global diversification.

Ijeoma Agu (30), third year medical student, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, presented, “Sickle Cell Patients Experience Delay in Analgesic Administration with Respect to National Guidelines Despite Severity of Presentation,” at the Mediterranean Emergency Medicine Congress in Rome, Italy, in September.

Dr. Philip Schalow, clinic director at the Upper Cervical Care CenterRockford, a division of 1st Step Chiropractic, S.C., presented two observational studies at the International Research and Philosophy Symposium in Spartanburg, S.C., in October: one on the incidence and clinical significance of the arcuate foramen, a structural anomaly of the C1, or atlas, vertebra, and the second on the diagnostic procedures used by chiropractors specializing in upper cervical adjusting techniques.

Larry Larson, founder of Rockfordbased architectural and engineering firm Larson & Darby Group, died on Oct. 28 at 85.

24

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

Tuesday December 1 University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford presents a free seminar, Myths and Facts About Depression, with Kathie Freeburg, LMFT, 5:30 p.m., at 1601 Parkview Ave. Register at 815-395-5920 or prrockford@uic.edu or visit rockford. medicine.uic.edu.

Wednesday, December 2 River District Association hosts Eat, Drink & Be Merry, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Bee’s Knees General Store, 118 N. 1st St., Rockford.

Thursday, December 3 Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International and BMO Harris Bank present an informational webinar: Economic Forecast 2016 at 10 a.m. Economic experts Michael Gregory, BMO Capital Markets, and Dr. Chris Kuehl, FMA, will give insight on the upcoming year in manufacturing.

Register at fmanet.org (click on Event Calendar).

Friday, December 4 Fairhaven Christian Retirement Center presents a free Hollyberry Holiday Bazaar, 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Fairhaven Christian Retirement Center, 3470 N. Alpine Road. Home-baked goods, crafts and vendors. Contact Tinaharper@fairhaven.cc or 815-8771441, ext. 1330.

Barbara Olson Center of Hope presents a Wine Tasting, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Artale’s, 6876 Spring Creek Road, Rockford. Includes more than 30 wines to sample and appetizers from Josef Barbados. Call 815-964-9275, ext. 265.

Saturday, December 5 Rockford Public Library presents Makers: Inspired by Pinterest Holidays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Nordlof Center, large multi-purpose room, 118 N. Main St. Recreate Pinterest holiday crafts. Registration required at 815-965-7606.

December 2015

Community Events COMMUNITY

Rockford Art Museum presents Evergreen Ball XXVII, 6 p.m., at 711 N. Main St. Features menu by Chef Paul Sletten, Abreo; live music by High Society Orchestra; entertainment by RYSO Strings, and silent and wine auctions. Call 815-968-2787.

Monday, December 7

WNIJ presents its 2015 WNIJ Winter Book Series each Monday, 6:50 to 8:50 a.m., in December. On Dec. 7, Dan Klefstad speaks with author Craig Hart, Rockford, on his debut novel, Becoming Moon. On Dec. 14, Joseph Gastiger, DeKalb, speaks about his book of University of Illinois Extension’s annual poetry, If You So Desire. On Dec. 21, Horticulture for the Holidays workshop Christine Sneed, Evanston, talks about takes place 9 a.m. to noon (check-in at Paris, He Said. On Dec. 28, James 8:30 a.m.) at the Winnebago-Boone McManus will discuss The Education of Farm Bureau, 1925 S. Meridian Road, a Poker Player. Visit www.wnij.org.

Rockford. To register, visit web.

Tuesday, December 8 extension.illinois.edu/jsw or call 815Rockford Public Library and the Rock 986-4357 by Dec. 2.

Valley College Foundation present a Sunday, December 6 Community Scholarship Fair, 5 to 7:30 p.m., at Mendelssohn Performing Arts Rockford Health System presents Center, banquet room, 406 N. Main St. Candlelight Vigil and Remembrance Find out about local scholarships, Ceremony, 6 p.m., at the Angel financial aid and more. Registration not Statue of Hope in Waterside Park, required. Call 815-965-7606 for corner of East State and Water streets questions. in downtown Rockford. For more Wednesday, December 9 information call Rockford Memorial Development Foundation, 815-971University of Illinois Extension 4141. presents Livestock Facility Workshop,

GOV. RAUNER’S DEAL WITH SEVERAL LABOR UNIONS Ill. Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration announced in November, a few days before Thanksgiving, that new four-year collective bargaining agreements have been reached with a number of labor unions, including Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 1 Chicago, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Mid-Central Illinois Regional Council of Carpenters, and several others.

Gov. Rauner has negotiated new collective bargaining contracts with 17 different bargaining units, representing more than 5,000 state employees.

Terms of the most recent agreements include: ■■ The state will expand the existing group health insurance program; offering employees a variety of new options.

■■ A new performance incentive program to reward employees

with bonuses for cost-saving measures and meeting or exceeding performance standards.

■■ A new, collaborative managed competition program that allows management and the unions to work together to provide low-cost alternatives to outsourcing.

■■ A reduction in the payout for accumulated unused vacation from 75 to 45 days for employees hired after Jan. 1, 2016.

■■ Continuation of a 40-hour workweek, with overtime earned after 40 hours.

■■ A program to enable the State of Illinois to address minority underutilization in state government.

■■ Increased training and certification opportunities for employees.

■■ Continuation of the prevailing rate system administered by the Illinois Department of Labor.

Source: Sen. Syverson’s Week in Review

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

“Good Ventilation = Good Cattle Performance,” 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., room 201, Highland Community College student conference center, 2998 W. Pearl City Road, Freeport. Register by Dec. 2 at 815-235-4125 or web. extension.illinois.edu/jsw.

Advanced Rockford Eye Care hosts a Pre-Christmas Trunk Show, featuring Tory Burch and Tom Ford, 3 to 7 p.m., at 5915 E. Riverside Blvd. Discounts, drinks, hors d’oeuvers and door prizes.

Thursday, December 10

Rockford Art Museum presents Cork + Canvas, 6 to 8 p.m., at 711 N. Main St. This is a “sip and paint” class for those 21 and older. Call 815-968-2787.

Women of Today’s Manufacturing presents Member Appreciation Dinner, 5:30 to 8 p.m., Forest Ridge Events (formerly Processer’s Chop House) 11189 Forest Hills Road, Machesney Park.

Register at www.wotm-rockford.com.

Next Rockford hosts a General Membership Meeting on Purpose Built Communities with Logli, Anderson and Keeling, 7:30 a.m., at the Jane Addams Park Apartments. Interested Gen X/Y welcome to attend. Contact Scott Anderson, sanderson@rustoleum.com or 815-904-2407.

Friday, December 11

J.R. Sullivan, founder of the former New American Theater, presents Hometown Holiday in the Sullivan Theater of the Nordlof Center, 118 N. Main St., Rockford. Performances are Dec. 11 and 12, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 13, 4 p.m. Tickets at www.ticketmaster.com or 815-968-0595.

Saturday, December 19

Rockford Public Library presents Kwanzaa, 2 to 4 p.m., east branch, Friends of RPL community meeting room, 6685 E. State St. Kwanzaa information and crafts. Registration required at 815-965-7606.

Sunday, December 27

Harlem Globetrotters brings its 90th Anniversary World Tour, 2 p.m., to BMO Harris Bank Center, Rockford. For tickets, visit harlemglobetrotters.com, ticketmaster.com, the box office or call 800-745-3000.

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December 2015

Members Caught on Digital ON DIGITAL Ceremonial ribbon donated by SERVPRO of Rockford.

Advanced Rockford Eye Care held a ribbon cutting on Oct. 28 at 5915 E. Riverside Blvd., Rockford (next door to Rockford Orthopedic).

Mapleglen Care Center held a ribbon cutting on Nov. 20 at 4777 Stenstrom Road, Rockford.

Mapleglengave a $500 donation to the Epilepsy Foundation.

U.S. Cellular held a ribbon cutting on Oct. 29 at 6150 E. State St., Ste. 142, Rockford.

Wesley Willows, Willows Suites III and Town Center held a ribbon cutting on Nov. 24 at 4142 Johns Farm Road, Rockford. On Sept. 1, Wesley Willows opened Willows Suites Phase III, a 36-unit, independent senior living building and added 8,700 square feet to its Town Center.

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December 2015

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Issues to Watch LEGISLATIVE New Illinois Laws for 2015

information to its website, if it maintains a website.

Here are some laws related to local government that have taken affect this year. For specific language of the laws, visit www.ilga.gov.

Fire District Bidding SB 3427/PA 98-0799 Requires a Fire Protection District to use competitive bidding on personal property purchases for LOCAL GOVERNMENT supplies, materials or work Fire Department involving expenditures in Cessation excess of $20,000.

FIRE HB 4418/PA 98-0666 Exempts certain In order to protect types of contracts, full-time firefighter FIRE which by their 25 staff in the event a nature, are not municipality considers adapted to award by transitioning to an rescue competitive bidding. all-volunteer fire Provides a mechanism department, the bill for emergency purchases. provides that municipalities with a Contains details regarding posting population of 500 or more that requirements and bidding owns, operates or maintains any procedures. fire department or departments cannot cease operation of that Fire Protection Districts department unless the cessation is HB 5856/PA 98-1003 submitted to voters by referendum.

Provides for a streamlined Protects the rights of the process to dissolve and employees of the dissolved fire consolidate fire protection department provided in the districts. It would allow fire Personnel Code, any collective protection districts to be bargaining agreements, and any simultaneously dissolved and pension, retirement, or annuity plan consolidated into an adjoining fire of those employees. protection district upon petition, hearing, and a majority vote, provided the board of trustees of an adjoining district agrees - by resolution - to accept the territory of the consolidating district.

F

County Impoundments HB 4743/PA 98-0734 Allows counties to, through an ordinance, set procedures for the release of properly impounded vehicles and charge reasonable fees to cover administrative, processing, impoundment, storage, release costs, and detention and arrest of an offender.

Local Audit Reports HB 5503/PA 98-0738 Provides greater transparency of local audits by issuing copies to each member and requiring a live presentation of the audit. Within 60 days of the close of an annual audit of the county’s funds and accounts, the auditor conducting the audit would be required to provide copies of any management letter and any audited financial statements to each member of the county board.

The auditor would also be required to present the audit findings to the county board either in person or phone or web connection during a public meeting. It would also require the county to post the audit

D

Email Address Access HB 5623/PA 98-0930 Requires that a unit of local government or school district, which maintains a website other than a social media or networking website, post an email address, which members of the public can use to communicate with elected officials of that unit of local government or school district.

The requirement does not apply if such officials have an individual email address for that purpose. The bill exempts units of local government or school districts who serve a population of more than 1,000,000 (Chicago). States that a hyperlink to the email address must be easily accessible from the unit of local government or school district home page.

Revitalizing Vacant Property SB 336/PA 98-0789 Creates the “community stabilization assessment freeze pilot

program,” under which the assessed value of improvements on residential property may be reduced to 10 percent for vacant properties, if an owner-occupier takes possession of the property. This only applies in census tracts in the county where at least 10 percent of the homes have been foreclosed on. For the first seven years, the assessed value of improvements are reduced by 90 percent of the difference between the base year assessed value and the assessed value in the current year. The credit is then gradually reduced the next two years and disappears after that.

Library Procurement SB 3071/PA 98-0952 Allows local libraries and library districts to accept contract bids other than the lowest bid for certain projects when the cost of those projects exceed $20,000 and the lowest bid fails to meet the library’s established specifications, including terms of delivery, quality and other requirements. The bill also identifies the types of contracts not subject to competitive bidding. It exempts emergency expenditures from competitive bidding when the emergency expenditure is approved by three-quarters of the members of the board.

Real Estate Appraisal HB 5709/PA 98-0933 Allows municipal engineers under certain instances to complete valuation waivers, instead of using an appraiser, for property under $10,000. The legislation is an initiative of the Illinois Municipal League.

Counties and Not-For-Profits HB 5812/PA 98-1083 Adds county board members or other county officers to existing state law that allows city council members and other municipal officers to hold a position on the board of a not-for-profit corporation under certain circumstance, even if the not-for-profit has an interest in a contract, work, or business of the public body. This came about when it was discovered that it was a conflict-of-interest for members of the Stephenson County Board to

serve on the board of a regional economic development organization, the Northwest Illinois Development Alliance (NIDA), because the county provides a portion of the funding for the organization.

Local Government Ridesharing HB 5326/PA 98-1074 Allows vehicles owned by counties, townships, or municipal corporations to be issued permanent registration plates. This is an initiative of the suburban bus entity PACE, which would allow them to secure license plates for ridesharing vehicles for a one-time fee instead of annual renewals.

Byron Forest Preserve Debt SB 2975/PA 98-0835 Limits the indebtedness incurred by the Byron Forest Preserve District to a maximum of .6% of the assessed value of the taxable property in the district. It is currently set at .3%.

Municipal Clerk Training SB 3314/PA 98-1118 Reduces the number of members on the Municipal Clerk Training Institute Committee, amends requirements for locations for the programs, and changes the requirements of courses offered by the institute.

Township Meetings SB 2980/PA 98-1108 Provides that the full statement of financial affairs of the township prepared by the township supervisor may be printed and distributed at the annual township meeting rather than being read aloud by the township clerk.

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December 2015

Garner Named Chamber COO Heidi M. Garner has been named the Chief

Membership: 101 101 MEMBERSHIP

Get the Word Out!

Operating Officer for the Rockford Chamber of Commerce. In her expanded role Heidi will oversee all daily operations for the Chamber.

Heidi joined the Chamber of Commerce in February of 2000 where she began her career as a Customer Service Representative. Heidi has had several roles at the Chamber of Commerce including finance, operations and Executive Assistant to the President/CEO At her new current role as Chief Operating Officer she will oversee organizational planning and general management, human resource/ professional services, financial services, facilities management, and information technology management.

“I am very pleased to see Heidi step into this important role,” said Chamber President Einar Forsman, “as our members know we are a busy organization with several activities going on at one time, Heidi will be a great leader in ensuring seamless coordination.”

New Chamber Members MEMBERS ARMOR TECHNOLOGIES

JERSEY MIKE’S

Electronic device repair, custom website development, and SEO and internet marketing 143 E. Lincoln Hwy. DeKalb, IL 60115 David Galica 815-754-0505 www.armortechs.com

Authentic fresh subs served “Mike’s Way” storefront & catering 6284 E. State St., 61108 Sue Tarara 815-226-0118 www.jerseymikes.com

ART VAN FURNITURE ROCKFORD Classic furniture reinvented for modern living 7047 Newburg Road, 61108 Rose Ingrassia 815-332-8989

DES PLAINES OFFICE EQUIPMENT Copier and business solutions sales 1445 Windsor Road Loves Park, IL 61111 Mike Pilkinton/Sam Hiebel 815-654-0200 www.dpoe.com

ELITE GUTTER SERVICE Seamless aluminum gutters Jay Villani 815-397-5933 www.elitegutter.com

INDEV GAUGING SYSTEMS Supplier of non-contract industrial gauging equipment 5235 26th Ave., 61109 Melissa Lee 815-668-4647 www.indevsystems.com

JERSEY MIKE’S Authentic fresh subs served “Mike’s Way” storefront & catering 1513 West Lane Road, Unit C Machesney Park, IL 61115 Sue Tarara 815-633-4200 www.jerseymikes.com

LOUIS BAGEANIS Rental homes located throughout the Rockford area 221 N. Longwood St., 61107 Louis Bageanis 815-964-6270 www.homesnowrockford.com

NATIONAL LABORATORY SALES We are a full-service new and used lab furniture supplier 2501 9th St., 61109 Kyle Johnson 815-670-6400 www.nationallaboratorysales.com

TIPS FOR GETTING YOUR NEWS IN THE VOICE The VOICE is the Rockford Chamber’s award-winning monthly newspaper focused on member news and area business issues. It’s much more interesting with news from you!

Ways to Include Your News

Members only are allowed to submit news.

Submit a Press Release: ■ Include the pertinent details – who, what, when, why, how.

■ Consider including a color photo – action shots are more interesting.

■ Attach photos in full color, at least 180 dpi (300 dpi is preferred), in jpg, Photoshop eps, pdf or tif format.

■ Press releases are sorted by the type of information and included in several locations.

– Networking & Community Events – Business Briefs – Members in the News Submit a Guest Column: ■ Members can submit a guest column in an area of their expertise. We often try to match it with a special section theme.

■ To discuss a topic and space availability, check with bconnors@rockfordchamber.com.

■ Content should be informative, not promotional, and of interest to the business readership.

■ Word count is less than 650 words.

■ Include a color headshot of the author, along with a 15-word tagline.

■ There’s a limit of two guest columns per year per member to give everyone a chance to get into the newspaper.

NORTHWOODS LEAGUE BASEBALL - ROCKFORD 4503 Interstate Blvd.

Loves Park, IL 61111 Chad Bauer 815-240-4159

Submit your news to Barbara Connors at bconnors@ rockfordchamber.com by the 15th of the month for inclusion in the following month’s issue. (If this falls on a weekend, send by the prior Friday.)

PRIDHAM ELECTRONICS, INC.

Call Lynette Jacques, 815-316-4317, for information on advertising or sponsorships.

Business music, sound systems, digital signage, A/V for business, drive-thru systems 3001 Perry St. Madison, WI 53713 Jim Rogers 608-273-3676 www.pridhamelectronics.com

RAHAÜSER MARKETING Marketing, strategic planning, social media /digital media Victor Gordon 815-885-2657 www.rahausermarketing.com

For a copy of The VOICE mailed to your business or home, email your information to Joan Sundvall at jsundvall@ rockfordchamber.com.

Electronic versions of current and previous issues can be found at www.rockfordchamber.com (click Resources, The Voice).

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

Crusader Community Health gave its annual Spirit of Caring organization award in October to Remedies Renewing Lives for 60 years supporting individuals and families with substance abuse, addiction and domestic violence.

Rockford Health System gave the Jack Packard Quality Award in Excellence in Process Improvement to RHS Pain Center for its project “Pain Center Earns its Stripes.” It gave the Jack Packard Quality Award for Clinical Quality Improvement to Clinical Operations for its project “Interdisciplinary Rounds Financial Journey.”

Engineering and environmental firm Fehr Graham acquired landscape architecture and planning firm, Thomas Graceffa and Associates, Inc., Rockford; growing to 25 staff members.

Rockford Memorial Hospital introduced in October two new germzapping robots that disinfect rooms in minutes. The Xenex robots use ultraviolet light, hitting hard-to-reach places to kill the most dangerous pathogens, including Clostridium difficile (C. diff), norovirus, influenza, and staph bacteria, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA. YMCA of Rock River Valley will open the 15,500-sq.-ft. Puri Family YMCA at 1475 S. Perryville Road, serving southeast Rockford and the Cherry Valley region, thanks to a $2.25 million building donation by Sunil Puri and his partner Dan Arnold. It will undergo some renovations and is expected to open in the first quarter of 2016.

Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc., Loves Park, and METAWATER Co., Ltd., Tokyo, announced a merger agreement that will place Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc., including its subsidiary, Mecana Umwelttechnik, (Reichenburg, Switzerland) under METAWATER USA, INC., (hereinafter referred to as MUSA); the company’s U.S. subsidiary with current operations in Rutherford, N.J. The applied engineering company specializing in total water management solutions employs 125 in the Rockford area.

Derry Enterprises, Inc., Machesney Park, announced in November that it has acquired Archetype Joint, LLC, Orion, Mich. Archetype Joint, an engineering services firm that specializes in the design, testing and validation of bolted joints, will be known as Peak Innovations Engineering, LLC. Honeywell awarded the Commercial Outstanding Sales Performance of the Year to Per Mar Security Services at the annual Honeywell Connect 2015 Conference in October in Scottsdale, Ariz., for the most growth year over year with Honeywell’s commercial portfolio of products.

SwedishAmerican launched a new

December 2015

Business Briefs BUSINESS BRIEFS

health blog at www.swedishamerican. org/healthblog with advice from doctors and experts on healthy eating, exercise, heart health, cancer prevention and more.

Twenty-eight nurses and nursing students from Saint Anthony College of Nursing were inducted into the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International. The local chapter, Phi Omicron #493, established in 2011, has more than 100 members and is the only chapter in Rockford.

rebranding and acquisition of La Voz Latina. Boylan Catholic High School hired Chartwell Agency to oversee strategic facilitation and messaging as well as message training and a marketing audit.

WilliamsMcCarthy LLP ranked in the 2016 U.S. News – Best Lawyers© “Best Law Firms” list; receiving the metropolitan tier one ranking in the field of commercial litigation for the Chicago region.

Multi-platinum Irish music sensation, Thayer Lighting completed large-scale Celtic Woman, will perform at the outdoor LED retrofits for clients such as Coronado Performing Arts Center on Valli Produce, JMK Nippon, Alpine Bank Sunday, March 13. Tickets are on sale at the Coronado box office, BMO Harris and North Towne Mall.

Bank Center box office, Ticketmaster.

Rockford Park District welcomed San com or 800-745-3000.

Jose at its new restaurant in the Emery Air, Inc., and the U.S. upper-level Skybox at Indoor Sports Department of Labor Office of Center, 8800 E. Riverside Blvd., Loves Park. It will offer Spanish/Mexican food Apprenticeship signed an agreement establishing a Registered and items different from San Jose’s Apprenticeship program at Emery’s other two locations in Rockford. The facility located at the Chicagopark district has not yet selected a Rockford International Airport. The restaurateur to operate the restaurant program will provide on-the-job training space located in the new downtown for workers interested in earning the Sportscore.

FAA Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) SwedishAmerican, a Division of UW Mechanics license.

Health, was named a Screening Center University of Illinois Extension of Excellence by the Lung Cancer partnered with the Rockford Police Alliance for responsible low dose CT Department’s school liaison unit cancer screening. officers to offer fifth grade students at Brovember, Inc., and the University of Conklin and Lewis Lemon elementary Illinois College of Medicine at schools 4-H Police Academy, an Rockford announced in November an eight-week, hands-on learning endowment from the Brovember US experience on effective communication, Student Research Scholarship Fund, making healthy choices, how to avoid raised by events such as the Brovember peer pressure, career readiness, having Beard-a-Thon. It will provide a smart start in middle school, and scholarships for students conducting respecting self and others. prostate cancer research under the guidance of faculty in the department of Meridian was hired by Rockford Area Economic Development Council to print biomedical sciences. and assemble its tradeshow booth, CCS, Inc., was awarded a grant from display and podium; lit by two LED the Illinois Department of Commerce lights and a removable 20-inch color led and Economic Opportunity/Urban monitor.

Weatherization of $1 million to Rockford Health System held its weatherize 130 homes in the Rockford area; the second such grant awarded to second graduation in November for 11 public housing residents, who the agency. Work will begin in March completed a three-week job training after grant startup. course hosted by seven entities of the Illinois Bank & Trust was presenting Economic Empowerment Initiative: sponsor of Stroll on State on Nov. 28 Improving Lives through Community and collaborated with the Rockford Collaboration. Some of the graduates Area Convention & Visitors Bureau on will receive jobs at Rockford Health new features and activities.

System and will be eligible to rent Santa Claus arrived at CherryVale Mall public housing within walking distance in center court. Visits with Santa are of the health system. If they remain in available through Christmas, Mondays the program for two to three years, they to Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and will be eligible to receive a portion of Sundays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. their rent paid toward a down payment on the house they are renting. Job YWCA Northwestern Illinois will host placement services will be provided for Lilly Ledbetter, fair pay and civil rights other candidates. advocate, as keynote speaker for Leader Luncheon XXXVI, presented by OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center on March 7, 2016. Visit www.ywca.org/ nwil/leader-luncheon.

Chartwell Agency oversaw logistics and managed the news conferences for Rock Valley College’s Aviation Career Education Center, Circles of Learning’s 13,000-sq.-ft. expansion and the YWCA of Northwest Illinois’

Rockford Park District, Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and the City of Rockford announced that the Rockford Hoops youth basketball tournament is coming to Sportscore downtown, 305 S. Madison St., Rockford for the next three years; occupying the facility for a total of 21 weekends in the first year alone.

SwedishAmerican, a division of UW

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Health, and University Hospital in Madison received a grade of “A” in a report just released by The Leapfrog Group. This is the fourth time that SwedishAmerican received an A for safety from Leapfrog, and the fifth consecutive time for UW Hospital.

KMK Media Group launched a new website for the Rockford Board of Election Commissioners, www. voterockford.com, with upgrades including mobile accessibility, changes in voting legislation and an interactive map.

First Midwest Group acquired three more Famous Dave’s locations in the Midwest for a total of six in four states; employing 250.

All of the students at Rockford Public School’s Beyer Elementary School received a brand new winter coat in November, thanks to FBI Chicago Citizens Academy Alumni Association as a part of its second-annual Coats for Kids community outreach project.

Rockford Housing Authority received the Renewable Energy Urban Initiative Award at the Northern Illinois – Summit and Expo at Rock Valley College in November.

13 WREX received a Regional Emmy Award from the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy for Television Arts & Sciences for “Outstanding Achievement for News Programming – Morning Newscast: Smaller Markets (51+)” at the 57th annual Chicago/Midwest Emmy Awards in Chicago in November.

Woodward, Inc., reported financial results for its 2015 fiscal year, with net sales of $2.04 billion, an increase of two percent, compared to $2 billion in the prior year, driven by continued strong aerospace segment growth, partially offset by roughly $65 million of negative foreign currency exchange rate impacts in its energy segment.

WilliamsMcCarthy LLP was honored

by Prairie State Legal Services for pro bono legal services to some of the organization’s low-income clients in 2015. Ten of its attorneys donated their time and expertise to the organization.

Google chose Spectrum Progressive School of Rockford as a pilot school to test-drive the Google Expeditions Pioneer Program in November, with kits for a day of virtual travel. PBS, the American Museum of Natural History, the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Planetary Society and the Palace of Versailles contributed to developing the curriculum.

Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) recognized Alpine Bank as the 2014 No. 1 Lender in Loan Quality based on the quality and completeness of loan files. Currently, 15 percent of Alpine Bank’s loans are closed using IHDA grant programs, which provide assistance for down payment and closing costs.

Ten interpretive signs were installed along the trail at the 525-acre Ferguson

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December 2015

Forest Preserve, currently under development in Shirland, Ill. Color photos and educational information tell the story of the newest of Winnebago County’s 42 forest preserves, including its high conservation value and biodiversity and prime location at the confluence of the Sugar and Pecatonica Rivers. Signage was funded by a grant from the Openlands/ ComEd Green Regions program.

Ringland-Johnson is near completion on the first phase of construction on a remodeling project for North Suburban Library’s Loves Park branch.

Construction is expected to be completed next May, with expanded computer labs and areas for independent study, improved layout and a new teen reading area.

The Heritage Credit Union Richard J. McGrath Endowment Fund awarded more than $3,500 to Emmanuel Lutheran Church and the Junior League of Rockford to purchase food for those in need.

Winnebago County named the winners of its Leadership by Example awards in November. The Chairman’s Energy Conservation Award went to Lena Park District for its outdoor lighting system and Rockford Park District. The Renewable Energy Innovation in Business Award went to Superior Joining Technologies, Inc., Tim Benedict, Greenlee Textron, Bourn and Kock, Inc., and Danfoss Power Electronics. The Renewable Energy Rural or Residential Initiative Award went to Skelton School, Monroe, Wis., and Schexnayder Academy Homeschool for its solar education. The Renewable Energy Urban Initiative Award went to Rockford Housing Authority and Washington School (Belvidere School District). Special awards went to Rockford Register Star, Dr. Joey Holmes, Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, Robert and Sonia Vogl, Linnea Bengtsson (Education and Outreach); Esau Perez, (Freedom Field Intern of the Year), and Phoenix Traders, Chemical Processing and Mighty Vine (Sustainability).

The following organizations received awards from the Association of Fundraising Professionals: Members Alliance Credit Union for Midway Village Museum (Outstanding Corporation), Association of Latin American Students for Rock Valley College (Future Philanthropists Award) and Girl Scout Troop 3223 for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois (Presidential Youth Service Award).

Colorwave Graphics, LLC, produced and installed window, floor and wall graphics plus several large displays and directional signage at Drake University, Iowa for the Yahoo Conference on Technology & Politics event. See photos at facebook.com/ ColorwaveGraphics.

SwedishAmerican Medical Group gave a $12,000 for CPR training, which

Business Briefs BUSINESS BRIEFS

will allow ninth to 12th grade students in the at Harlem School District to learn CPR during the 2015-2016 school year.

The grant was made possible through the SwedishAmerican Foundation and SwedishAmerican Medical Group’s physicians.

MercyRockford Health System announced the expansion in northern Illinois of the MD-1 Physician Response Program, with a medically equipped emergency field vehicle driven by an emergency medicine physician that assists paramedics in the field. Mercy Hospital launched the program three years ago in Rock and Walworth counties.

Rockford MELD is the designated local non-profit agency for the “SHARE THE LOVE” Subaru campaign.

Between Nov. 19 and Jan. 2, Subaru of American, Inc., including the dealership in Rockford at 505 N. Perryville Road, will donate $250 for every new Subaru vehicle sold or leased, when the new owner designates MELD to receive the donation. Visit www. napletonrockfordsubaru.com.

Woodward, Inc., will supply parts for the Gulfstream G500 and G600 business jet programs now in development, including flight deck controls (throttle quadrant assembly, fuel switch module and pedestal), secondary flight controls (speedbrake-, trim- and flap handles) and eMED actuators. The G500 is slated to enter service in 2018, with the G600 following in 2019.

Rock River Development Partnership concluded its annual patron survey on the Rockford City Market. In 2015, $3.5 million was spent at the market and $1.8 million at other downtown businesses. Visits reached 101,860, a 409 percent growth since 2010 when visits were 20,000. Seventy percent of patrons came from outside of Rockford city limits, with 91 percent saying the Rockford City Market was the main reason they came downtown on Friday nights. Half said they discovered a downtown business as a result of their market visit, and 95 percent said their overall experience was good to excellent.

Ignition Studio launched a website at www.harvestcompassioncenter.org for Arizona-based Harvest Compassion Center, a food and clothing bank that serves 500 families each month.

Savant Capital Management was selected to receive the 2015 Best-inBusiness IMPACT Award™, part of Schwab’s annual IMPACT Awards® program, which includes a $15,000 donation to a charity designated by the firm. Savant will match the donation, dollar-for-dollar, for $30,000 to designated non-profits, starting in January, 2016. In conjunction with its 30th anniversary next year, Savant will donate $2,500 each month to a list of pre-selected non-profits. Discovery Center Museum will be the first.

Rock River Valley Pantry received a $2,500 donation from U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer and Chicago Blackhawks television color analyst Eddie Olczyk, who attended a Rockford IceHogs game for Eddie Olczyk Night, where the former NHLer met with fans and dropped the ceremonial first puck.

The 18th-annual Puttin’ on the Glitz fashion show hosted by SwedishAmerican, A Division of UW Health, was a sell-out with more than 560 supporters; raising more than $50,000. This doubled last year’s total of proceeds to benefit SwedishAmerican’s oncology patients and their families.

The Muslim Association of Greater Rockford (MAGR) and YWCA Northwestern Illinois held an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Nov. 13 Paris attacks on Nov. 22 at the Muslim Community Center. The vigil drew multiple local religious communities.

Among those scheduled to speak were Arshad Shaikh, Reverend Rebecca White and Rabbi Binah Wing.

MercyRockford Health System announced that the Illinois Health Facilities Planning and Review Board unanimously approved MercyRockford Health System’s Certificate of Need applications to create “one hospital on two campuses.” The board voted to grant MercyRockford the necessary state approvals to continue operating the hospital campus on North Rockton

Avenue, to build a regional hospital campus for highly specialized and critical care services at East Riverside Boulevard and I-90, and to build a medical office building on the Riverside Boulevard campus. MercyRockford called for an investment of $400 million in facilities, including a commitment to invest at least $50 million in the North Rockton Avenue campus over the next 10 years.

Centre 1 Bancorp, Inc., the holding company of First National Bank and Trust Company, announced an agreement to acquire Walworth State Bank, subject to shareholder approval and the approval of regulatory authorities. This acquisition allows First National the opportunity to enhance and strengthen its footprint in Walworth County, Wis., and the region.

Illinois Department of Public Health approved a pilot Community Paramedic (Mobile Integrated Healthcare) program through SwedishAmerican Hospital’s Emergency Medical Services System in Rockton, Roscoe and Byron.

Paramedics from the fire departments in these communities will visit patients in their homes. Any patient who has been transported to an area hospital or called for an ambulance and then refused transport may receive a follow-up visit. Not all patients who receive a follow-up visit will be enrolled in the program.

December 2015 Member Anniversaries Thank you to the members celebrating their anniversaries with the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

95-YEAR MEMBER

15-YEAR MEMBER

UTC Aerospace Systems

Stanley Steemer of Rockford

35-YEAR MEMBER

5-YEAR MEMBERS

Mrs. Fisher’s, Inc.

AARP Illinois Barron Metal Finishing, LLC CYRS Wealth Advisors LLC Erboe & Associates, CPAs Kelly Services

25-YEAR MEMBERS Lincoln Rent-All & Sales, Inc. RAC Adjustment Company Ringland-Johnson, Inc.

20-YEAR MEMBERS Campos Construction, Inc. Savant Capital Management YWCA Northwestern Illinois

Get to Know Your Ambassadors Name: Ray King, REALTOR

Company: DickersonNieman REALTORS

Position: Representing buyers and sellers of real estate; residential and commercial, retail, industrial and investment How long have you been an Ambassador?

Ambassador since 1997

What do you like most about being an Ambassador? It’s multi-fold: Meeting new people. Assisting people in locating and purchasing the correct property for them both personally and businesswise. Having happy and satisfied clients referring their friends, family and associates to me.

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December 2015

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

EVENTS

Upcoming Chamber Events DECEMBER, 2015 Tuesday, December 1

Business Women’s Council, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Rockford Country Club, 2500 Oxford St., Rockford. Helen Brooks, vice president, communication and regional development, Rockford Health System, and Vicki Benson, administrative assistant, Rock Valley College and founder of Rosie’s Birthday Club, discuss mentorship with Time, Talent and Treasures. Donate money or gift cards from Miejers or Walmart for Rockford Public Schools female students who miss classes due to female issues. Sponsored by Siena on Brendenwood.

Wednesday, December 2

Manufacturing Holiday Mixer,

Calling All Speakers

Ambassador December Monthly Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Burpee Museum of Natural History, Mahlburg Room, 737 N. Main St., Rockford. Includes a tour of the museum. Annual photo will be taken.

Business After Hours, 5 to 7 p.m., at Forest Ridge Events, 11189 Forest Hills Road, Machesney Park.

Thank you to members who renewed with the Rockford Chamber of Commerce in October, 2015.

The Rockford Chamber is seeking professional presenters for key topics of interest to small businesses for the 2016 Breakfast Buzz series. Breakfast Buzz is a series of monthly educational sessions designed by small businesses for small businesses in the Rockford region. If you or your business is interested in being considered as a presenter for the 2016 Breakfast Buzz session, please review this request for proposal and submit your presentation

by Dec. 30, 2015.

2016 Business Topic Categories ■■ Sales & Marketing ■■ Social Media ■■ Leadership ■■ Healthy Lifestyles in the Workplace ■■ Communications

Requirements for Presenters ■■ Must be a Rockford Chamber member in good standing ■■ Provide a high-quality educational workshop for a maximum of 30 minutes for an audience of approximately 50 to 80 individuals.

■■ Demonstrate knowledge expertise in the topic area.

and

■■ Must be available to present on chosen day of session. (Business class is typically held on the second Wednesday of each month.) presentation

Thursday, December 3

Membership Renewals

Request for presenters 2016 Breakfast Buzz Series

■■ Provide

5 to 7 p.m., Forest Hills Country Club, 5135 Forest Hills Road, Rockford.

Come mingle with like-minded professionals and share holiday cheer with your colleagues. Manufacturers only. Register with MaryAnn Suprenant, 815-316-4336 or msuprenant@ rockfordchamber.com. Sponsored by Wipfli LLP.

materials

including slide presentation and other materials or documents (if needed).

Must submit one week prior to scheduled presentation.

■■ Ensure the session is not perceived as a vendor “infomercial;” designed for the express purpose of promoting the presenter business.

■■ Must be an experienced presenter on the topic selected.

Materials Needed for Proposal ■■ Your chosen topic of presentation.

■■ Provide brief description of your presentation (100 to 250 words) that includes learning objectives.

■■ Describe your experience as a practitioner and/or presenter in your proposed topic area(s).

Please submit proposals to hgarner@rockfordchamber.com by Friday, Dec. 30. Make sure to provide the following contact information: first and last name, company name, position/title, phone number and email address.

For questions, contact Heidi Garner, Chief Operating Officer, Rockford Chamber of Commerce at 815-316-4312. The Rockford Chamber’s Business Education Council will review each proposal and select the 2016 Breakfast Buzz presenters, who will be contacted by email.

Absolute Fire Protection, Inc. Aetna Plywood, Inc. Ambassador Homes, LLC Amberwood Care Centre Atmosphere Commercial Interiors Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Crosby Starck Real Estate Brian F. Soltys, D.D.S. Briggs Floor Sanding & Refinishing Campbell Science Corporation Campos Construction, Inc. Carz R’ Us General Automotive & Tire Children’s Home & Aid CMM & Associates Come Together Rockford Cream City Scale LLC Creative Crane & Rigging, Inc. Crimson Ridge Estate Condos North Critter Camp Exotic Pet Sanctuary Cronies Grill Crusader Community Health Auburn Campus Crusader Community Health Loves Park 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. DeVry University and Keller Graduate School of Management Dickerson & Nieman - Jeff Rohl Dodge Lanes, Inc. Forest City Diagnostic Imaging GreenFire Restaurant, Bar & Bakery Greenlee Textron Heartland Hospice Holiday Inn of Rockford Home Environment Center of Rockford, Ltd. HomeStart Jimmy John’s Keller Williams Realty Signature

Ken McEachran Agency, Ltd. Lenox Healthcare for Women Lone Star Steakhouse Lou Bachrodt AutoMall Lou Bachrodt Used Car Center MAZTEK Calibration, Inc. Mid-States Screw Corp.

NLT Title, LLC Nutrition Works, Inc. Olson Funeral & Cremation Services Ltd./Fred C. Olson Chapel Olson Funeral & Cremation Services, Ltd./North Main Chapel & Care Center PANDORA Jewelry Store Powmet, Inc. Radisson Hotel & Conference Center Remedies Renewing Lives Rockford Bank & Trust Co. (Guilford Rd) Rockford Bank & Trust Co. (Stewart Square) Rockford Housing Authority Rockford Promise Rockford Roasting Company Rosie’s Birthday Club S.J. Carlson Fire Protection Skandia, Inc. Summit Radiology Tavern on Clark Taylor Company United Technologies Upper Iowa University Rockford Center USANA Health Sciences Winnebago County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Winnebago County Housing Authority Winnebago County Recorder Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department Woodman’s Food Market, Inc. #30

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

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December 2015

EVENTS

Upcoming Chamber Events Tuesday, December 8

Etiquette Essentials for Improving Your Networking Skills, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Forest Hills Country Club, 5135 Forest Hills Road, Rockford. Finding that your current networking approach isn’t yielding good results? Susan Richardson, Etiquette Essentials, will present on overcoming doubts about networking skills, building confidence and breaking into those networks.

Includes Q&A time.

Wednesday, December 9 7:30 - 9:00 am Rock Valley College, Woodward Technology Center 3301 N. Mulford Rd., Rockford

Breakfast Buzz Einar Forsman will talk about positioning for growth in 2016.

Sponsored by RSM US LLP.

Spring Creek Road, Rockford.

Contact Teri Watts, Key Realty, Commercial & Industrial, Teriw1214@gmail.com.

Advantage Club – Originals, 11:45 a.m., various locations. Contact Deanna Watts, 815-968-9881 or Deanna@rockfordcc.com.

JANUARY, 2016 Wednesday, January 13 7:30 - 9:00 am Rock Valley College, Woodward Technology Center 3301 N. Mulford Rd., Rockford

Breakfast Buzz John E. Busch, protective security advisorChicago district, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, will present on resources the Active Shooter Awareness Program provides to help public- and private-sector security managers train their workforce and enhance their facilities’ preparedness and response to an active shooter scenario.

Advertisers Index ADVERTISERS

Blackhawk Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity. . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

BMO Harris Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Rockford Bank & Trust. . . . . . . . . . . 10

Brian Thomas Photography. . . . . . . 21 Broadmoor Agency, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . 4

Rockford Chamber of Commerce . . 7, 12, 16, 17, 23, 25, 30

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

Rockford Health System. . . . . . . . . . . 3

First National Bank and Trust Co.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Rockford Rescue Mission. . . . . . . . . 19

Alpine Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 15

Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Illinois Bank & Trust. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Keith Country Day School . . . . . . . . 18 Klaas Financial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 MembersAlliance Credit Union. . . . . 13

Rock Valley College / BPI. . . . . . . . . . 9 RSM US LLP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Stillman Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Thayer Lighting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 United Way of Rock River Valley . . . 19

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

UPS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

OSF HealthCare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

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

Sponsored by RSM US LLP.

Wednesday, December 9

Advantage Power Network Club, 11:45 a.m., Franchesco’s, 7128 Spring Creek Road, Rockford. Contact Teri Watts, Key Realty, Commercial & Industrial, Teriw1214@gmail.com.

Advantage Club – Originals, 11:45 a.m., various locations. Contact Deanna Watts, 815-968-9881 or Deanna@rockfordcc.com.

Thursday, December 10

IGNITE Ugly Sweater Party, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Kryptonite, 308 W. State St., Ste. 110, Rockford. Complimentary pizzas and cash bar. Please bring a donation for Goodwill of Northern Illinois.

Ribbon Cutting and Open House, Art Van Furniture Rockford, 7047 Newburg Road. Ribbon cutting at 4:15 p.m.

Thursday, December 10 11:30 am - 1:00 pm Giovanni’s, Inc. 610 N. Bell School Rd., Rockford

Leadership/ Higher Education LUNCHEON

Keynote speaker is Mike Mastroianni, president, Rock Valley College, and lifelong Rockford resident and alumnus of Rock Valley College.

Sponsored by BMO Harris Bank (presenting), Rockford University and Saint Anthony College of Nursing (gold), and Rock River Valley Blood Center (bronze).

Friday, December 11

Ribbon Cutting, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., at Children’s Holiday Workshop at Children’s Home & Aid, 910 2nd Ave., Rockford.

Tuesday, December 15

Ribbon Cutting, 4 to 5 p.m., at Midwest Dental-Rockford, 117 7th St., Rockford.

Wednesday, December 23

Advantage Power Network Club, 11:45 a.m., Franchesco’s, 7128

Wednesday, January 13

Ribbon Cutting, 4 to 5 p.m., at Key Realty, Commercial & IndustrialTeri Watts, broker, 6755 Weaver Road, Rockford.

Advantage Power Network Club, 11:45 a.m., Franchesco’s, 7128 Spring Creek Road, Rockford.

Contact Teri Watts, Key Realty, Commercial & Industrial, Teriw1214@gmail.com.

Advantage Club – Originals, 11:45 a.m., various locations. Contact Deanna Watts, 815-968-9881 or Deanna@rockfordcc.com.

Thursday, January 21 5 - 8:00 pm Giovanni’s, Inc. 610 N. Bell School Rd., Rockford

Rockford Chamber of Commerce

ANNUAL DINNER Announcement of the 2016 Citizen of the Year. Keynote speaker is Stephen M.R. Covey, New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The SPEED of Trust —The One Thing That Changes Everything. Event is open to Chamber members only.

Sponsored by OSF Healthcare (presenting), Associated Bank (gold), Charles Schwab (Citizen of the Year), and The Alliance, RSM US LLP (bronze).

Don’t miss! Friday, January 22 8 - 11:30 am Stephen M.R. Covey Workshop See page 12 for more info!

Wednesday, January 27

Advantage Power Network Club, 11:45 a.m., Franchesco’s, 7128 Spring Creek Road, Rockford.

Contact Teri Watts, Key Realty, Commercial & Industrial, Teriw1214@gmail.com.

Advantage Club – Originals, 11:45 a.m., various locations. Contact Deanna Watts, 815-968-9881 or Deanna@rockfordcc.com.

Chamber Staff / Call 815-987-8100.............................................. Direct Line Einar K. Forsman, President & CEO.......................................... 815-316-4304 Heidi M. Garner, Chief Operating Officer.................................... 815-316-4312 Doug Hessong, Director of Publications & Technology................... 815-316-4338 Lynette Jacques, Vice President, Member Investment.. .................. 815-316-4317 Caitlin Ludwig, Vice President, Leadership Development.................... 815-316-4337 Stacy Mullins, Director of Events.. ............................................ 815-316-4302 Sue Boyer, Member Relations................................................. 815-316-4315 Mary Ann Suprenant, Membership Development Manager.............. 815-316-4336 Joan Sundvall, Membership Contact Coordinator......................... 815-316-4320

Chamber Board of Directors & Officers EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

DIRECTORS

Chairman of the Board Patti Thayer Thayer Lighting, Inc. Vice Chair Richard Zumwalt OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center Vice Chair Michele Petrie BMO Harris Bank Treasurer Larry Bridgeland Mid-City Office Products Immediate Past Chairman Richard Walsh Zimmerman & Walsh, LLP

Andrew Benson Benson Stone Company, Inc. Jan Bowman TLC Construction Joe Castrogiovanni Giovanni’s, Inc. Dr. Rena Cotsones Northern Illinois University Rebecca Epperson Chartwell Agency Darlene Furst FurstStaffing Ira Grimmett UTC Aerospace Systems Dr. Robert Head Rockford University Tim Honquest Honquest Family Funeral Home Jeff Hultman Illinois Bank & Trust

Michael F. Iasparro Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP

Henry Seybold Rockford Health System

Mike Mastroianni Rock Valley College

Patrick Shaw RSM US LLP

Paul McCann Stanley Steemer of Rockford

Laura Pigatti Williamson Rockford Park District

Patrick Morrow Alpine Bank Amy Ott Boylan Catholic High School Mike Paterson Mid-West Family Broadcasting Mark Peterson CBL Associates CherryVale Tim Rollins WilliamsMcCarthy Dan Ross Williams-Manny Insurance Group

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

JANUARY 2016 SPECIAL SECTIONS:

By-the-Numbers (Finance/Taxes) Marketing Channels for Your Business (Social/PR/Media/Graphics/Printing) For information on advertising, call 815

987-8100