December Voice 2021

the December 2021 | Volume 34 | No. 12

SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE FOR RFD

FUTURE GROWTH OF RFD

PAGE 14

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of the rockford business community

Supporting, Championing & Believing in the Advancement of Women:

RECYCLE THOSE REAL CHRISTMAS TREES

Pow(H)er

By Caitlin Pusateri, Rockford Chamber

It has been said that when women gather, great things happen.

In late October, women gathered at Embassy Suites in downtown Rockford… and great things happened.

PHOTOS BY MINDY JOY PHOTOGRAPHY

Women leaders in traditionally male-dominated industries shared their insights as well as hopes for future women leaders during the Women-In-Business Luncheon.

For many, Pow(H)er — a conference for those who support, believe in, and champion the advancement of women — was an opportunity to connect with other professional women in a space that supported their efforts amid a pandemic in which they were disproportionately impacted. Programming specifically met the needs of women and those who support professional women and featured a diverse line-up of local, regional and national speakers.

As part of the event, the Women-InBusiness Luncheon featured a panelist of local female leaders in traditionally male-dominated industries. Moderated by 13-WREX’s Brittany Hardaway, the panelists encouraged women to engage and for organizations to find ways to support professional women. They outlined barriers and obstacles and gave a vision for the future. Panelists included: Michele Beeman, Collins Aerospace Christie Stenstrom Jarrett, Stenstrom Companies

Pastor Rebecca White Newgren, SecondFirst Church Chief Carla Redd, Rockford Police Department Pow(H)er

and

the

Women-In-

Business Luncheon fulfills the Rockford Chamber of Commerce’s mission to Lead Business Growth through the education, connection, empowerment,

but for our organizations and community.

Developing leaders is an important strategy to building a talent pipeline for the Rockford region. Connecting business leaders helps to facilitate business through relationships and referrals. Membership in the Rockford Chamber allows the Chamber to execute opportunities, such as Pow(H)er, for development of leaders and economic growth for businesses. (continued on page 10)

Officer, Northern Region, OSF Carol Friesen

Christina Valdez Peacock

Nicole Radford

Peter Schmeling

Brent Scott

Dustin Vock

Christina Valdez Peacock, CFO, CMM & Associates Nicole Radford, Director of Laboratory Services, UW Health Northern Illinois Region

Estimator, Schmeling Construction Co. Brent Scott, Senior Vice President – Commercial Banking, Wintrust

The Voice is online at rockfordchamber.com

Meiborg, Inc.

SPONSORED BY

women is not only a win for the individual,

Carol Friesen, Chief Executive

Financial

Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford For more information, see page 25

profitable, supporting local professional

three-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2022:

Join the Chamber on Social Media

EXPO & DINNER

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 4 – 8 PM

women leaders are more successful and

the following new board members for

Peter Schmeling, Project Manager/

CELEBRATION OF MANUFACTURING

Because it’s proven that organizations with

The Rockford Chamber welcomes

THE VOICE IS PUBLISHED BY

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

and celebration of professional women.

Rockford Chamber welcomes new board members for 2022

HealthCare

Have a real Christmas tree to dispose of? Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful can recycle it. Drop it off between Jan. 1 to 15 after removing any wires or decorations. Visit www. knib.org for locations and rules for drop off.

Dustin Vock, Vice President,

ALIGNMENT ROCKFORD SEEKS ORGANIZATIONS TO JOIN THE READY TO LEARN MOVEMENT Alignment Rockford’s Ready to Learn Movement seeks organizations interested in supporting the social-emotional health of young children through The Incredible Years program.

The social-emotional, evidencebased training program for parents and caregivers of children, one to five years old, comes as a part of a Community Parenting Support Saturation Grant given to Alignment Rockford by the Illinois Action for Children.

The goal is to prevent and treat young children’s behavior problems and promote their social, emotional and academic competence.

Parents/caregivers of children one to three years old take part in nine to 12 sessions; parents/caregivers of children three to five years old take part in 18 to 20 sessions.

Used worldwide in schools and mental health centers, the program has been shown to work across cultures and socioeconomic groups.

Participating organizations will run The Incredible Years by hosting cohorts, providing individuals to be trained as facilitators and enrolling parents/caregivers in the program.

Alignment Rockford will cover facilitator training and curriculum costs. Visit alignmentrockford.com/ ready-to-learn.

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December 2021

CHAIRMAN’S PERSPECTIVE

Gratitude in the workplace DAN ROSS Rockford Chamber Board Chairman

Showing appreciation for employees, customers pays big dividends

By the time you read this, the turkey and pumpkin pie will be eaten, and Thanksgiving will seem like a distant memory. If you are like my family, the day after Thanksgiving is the official start of our Christmas preparations, and the sprint to year end will be underway. I am writing this, however, about one week before Thanksgiving, so I am asking that you indulge me a bit because Thanksgiving is on my mind.

I could fill this whole article with the things I am grateful for, including the easy ones like my wife and my kids, my friends and my health as well as some of the less obvious ones like gratitude for time spent outdoors and the discovery of a new hobby. But what about gratitude in the workplace?

I am thankful to have a job that provides for our needs and allows me to help others, but when was the last time I expressed gratitude to those I am privileged to work with on a daily basis?

When was the last time I truly made a customer (or in my case a fund holder)

feel appreciated, and when did I last say thanks to one of the many suppliers/ vendors/service providers who help make my business successful?

I think my answers to all these questions is … not recently or often enough. Most of us spend the majority of our waking hours at work, and as such, I am suggesting that focusing on being grateful at work is worth our time.

Measureable Eff ects It is well documented that being grateful can have a very positive impact on the grateful person, including measurable physical and mental health benefits, but there is also a business case for showing gratitude at work.

In a recent Forbes article, they reported the findings of a study by the American Psychological Association noting that “93 percent of employees who ‘reported feeling valued said that they are motivated to do their best at work and 88 percent reported feeling engaged’.” The study went on to show

that only 21 percent of workers feeling valued were likely to look for a new job in the coming year.

The article also describes a spillover effect whereby individuals who feel valued “become more trusting with each other and more likely to help each other out.” In these days of employee shortages, it is more important than ever to let your team know that they are valued.

Showing your customers that you appreciate them can pay huge dividends.

A survey done by the customer experience firm Smile.io shows that 68 percent of businesses have lost a customer because that customer did not feel appreciated. Conversely, the survey shows that 86 percent of shoppers are willing to pay more for a better customer experience, which is often attributed to personalization and gratitude.

Letting customers know that you appreciate them can be a crucial component of a retention strategy, and retaining customers is a whole lot easier (and cheaper) than attracting new customers.

So how do you show gratitude?

Here are few simple tips that have worked for me in the past.

1. Be Genuine. Show gratitude for things you truly appreciate.

2. Be Intentional. Said another way,

make the time to show gratitude.

3. Be Personal. This one is especially important with your co-workers. Find out how they want to be recognized. For some it is a note or a pat on the back, for others it is the gift of time and maybe a small gift card to their favorite coffee house.

4. Be Timely. Express your gratitude while it is fresh on your mind.

I wish each of you a peaceful holiday season filled with gratitude.

Dan Ross is chairman of the Rockford Chamber and president of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois.

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

Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding publication date. Send news releases and other items of interest to the business community to: The VOICE Rockford Chamber of Commerce 308 W. State St., Ste. 190 Rockford, IL 61101 For information about advertising contact Customer Service at 815-987-8100.

The VOICE of the Rockford Business Community (USPS 784-120). ISSN number 1086-0630, is published monthly by the Rockford Chamber of Commerce, 308 W. State St., Ste. 190, Rockford, Illinois 61101.

Periodicals postage paid at Rockford, Ill. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The VOICE of the Rockford Business Community, 308 W. State St., Ste. 190, Rockford, IL 61101.

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“The IOM is a prestigious designation for a chamber executive. I am very proud of Caitlin and her accomplishment.”

Einar Forsman, CEO, GRGP

David Boulay, IMEC

Celebration of Manufacturing Thursday, December 9 Embassy Suites by Hilton Expo: 4-5:45pm Exposition Hall Dinner: 6-8pm Ziock Ballroom Join us as keynote speaker David Boulay, president of IMEC, addresses issues such as global trends, Industry 4.0 and the workforce skills gap.

All of these issues are happening while we are witnessing slower productivity growth in small and mid-sized manufacturers. David will look at the contributing factors leading to this change, and present the best practices to help increase competitiveness and growth in producivity.

Sponsors are Illinois Bank & Trust (presenting), Comcast Business, RSM (gold), Thayer Energy Solutions (silver), and Mindy Joy Photography (photography).

Caitlin’s graduation was celebrated at the November chamber board meeting. Dan Ross, Rockford of Chamber chairman (left) and Einar Forsman, CEO of the Greater Rockford Growth Partnership (right).

Caitlin Pusateri, executive vice president of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce, has received the recognition of IOM. After completing 96 hours of course instruction in nonprofit management, she’s graduated from the Institute for Organization Management, the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

Nearly 1,000 individuals attend the institute annually. Participants can go on to earn credit hours toward the Certified Chamber Executive (CCE) or Certified Association

Caitlin Pusateri achieves Institute for Organization Management recognition

Graduates acknowledged across the country as leaders in their industries

Executive (CAE) certifications.

“Institute graduates are recognized across the country as leaders in their industries and organizations,” said Raymond P. Towle, IOM, CAE, the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s vice president of Institute for Organization Management. “These individuals have the knowledge, skills, and dedication necessary to achieve professional and organizational success in the dynamic association and chamber industries.”

Since its commencement in 1921, the IOM program has educated tens of thousands of association, chamber

and other nonprofit leaders on how to build stronger organizations, better serve their members and become strong business advocates.

The curriculum consists of four weeklong sessions at four different university locations throughout the country, with required courses and electives in areas such as leadership, advocacy, marketing, finance and membership.

Participants enhance their own organizational management skills and add new fuel to their organizations, making them run more efficiently and effectively.

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December 2021

Fun all winter long throughout the Rockford Park District The Rockford Park District has officially kicked off its Winter Flurry initiative. Below are some of the free or low fee Winter Flurry activities, programs and facilities available this winter, conditional on weather.

Winter Activities Skating. Outdoor skating at Eclipse Lagoon in Sinnissippi Gardens. Ice skating and hockey indoors at Carlson Ice Arena and Riverview Ice House.

Sledding. Levings Park, Sinnissippi Golf Course and Twin Sister Hills Park.

Cross Country Skiing and Winter Hiking. Aldeen Golf Club, Atwood Park, Sinnissippi Golf Course will be groomed. A minimum of four inches of snow is required.

Snowmobile Trails. Lockwood Park and Anna Page Park.

Multiple Winter Recreation Opportunities Lockwood Park. Holiday wagon

rides, photos with a holiday horse, Flix on the Farm.

Atwood Park. Outdoor recreation and environmental education programs such as “In the Outdoors,” Birds of Prey feedings and multi-use trails.

Sinnissippi Park/Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens Campus.

All Aglow, Sinnissippi Station Exhibit, Festival of Lights.

Aldeen Golf Club. Bird walks and outdoor igloos to dine in, thanks to Alchemy at Aldeen.

Snow Park at Alpine Hills. Snow tubing, snowboarding and skiing, along with special toddler snow play area.

Making Parks Bright. Beginning Dec. 1, small winter light displays will be lighted, dusk until dawn, through Jan. 9 at the Alpine Park entrance, Brown Park, Sand Park Pool, Wantz Park and Washington Park Community Center.

Updated information at www. rockfordparkdistrict.org/winterfun.

profile

MEMBER PROFILE

Staff at Akerman’s help educate customers about selecting the right pair of shoes.

Akerman’s Shoes:

HAPPY FAMILY, HAPPY FEET

By Paul Anthony Arco It’s no exaggeration to say Gary Akerman followed in his father’s footsteps right into the shoe business.

Edgar Akerman was co-owner of a shoe store in Oskaloosa, Iowa, for 15 years, before moving to Rockford and opening his first store in the downtown Rockford Trust Building. From there, he moved Akerman’s Shoes to South Church Street, then East State Street in 1980, and finally to the current location in Edgebrook Center, the independent store’s home for the past 15 years.

For Edgar, the shoe business was all about providing good customer service – a philosophy that Gary has carried on as the present owner. “He was very passionate and a hard worker,” said Gary. “He kept detailed records and knew most of his customers by name.

He made sure you were happy when you walked out of the store.”

Gary worked as a service representative for 3M Manufacturing before joining his father full-time in 1985. Two brothers – Jeff, who died in an accident in 1982, and Kent, who eventually retired – also worked for the family business at one time.

Akerman’s, a chamber member since 1964, offers a variety of brandnamed shoes and slippers for men and women including SAS, New Balance, Birkenstock, Dansko, Florsheim, Aetrex, Taos and Hush Puppies. The store also carries accessories like socks, purses, scarves, wallets and Canadian-made winter boots by Toe Warmers. While most stores only carry medium widths, Akerman’s offers widths of AAAA to EEEEE and up to size 15.

If the Shoe Fits …

In the early years, Akerman’s success was built mostly on orthopedic shoes that featured padded removable foot beds. “We still have many types of shoes that are podiatrist recommended,” Gary said.

Akerman’s customers range from age 35 and up and nearly 85 percent of them are women. They come from as far away as Janesville, Dixon and Freeport.

Within the past few years, Akerman’s has enhanced its website and added a social media presence, which has increased visibility and sales, especially with outof-state customers.

According to Gary, the biggest change, over the years, has been the customer’s desire for comfortable casual shoes. Leather soles are out, having been replaced by synthetic leather and the demand for dress shoes has declined over the years, especially in the past year due to COVID-19. Slippers were highly sought after during the past year as many people worked from home. Akerman’s closed its door for two months last year during the height of the pandemic.

The shoe business is cyclical.

Spring is a busy time, but sales slow in midsummer. Business picks up again in the fall, when new product lines are released, but slows during the winter months.

Gary and his staff of five try to educate customers about selecting the right pair of shoes. To avoid painful problems, shoes should conform to the shape of your feet; your foot should never be forced to conform to the shape of a shoe. Shoes that are too narrow or too wide can lead to blisters and calluses.

“Proper fit is so important to avoid injury,” said Gary.

Edgar worked up to the day he died at 88. Gary says his father would be proud of what has become of the business he started. Like his father, Gary has no plans to retire any time soon, either. He’s having too much fun.

“I thoroughly enjoy what I do,” he said. “When you’re having fun, you don’t want to quit. I have a fantastic staff and great customers. We’re one big happy family.”

AKERMAN’S SHOES Owner: Gary Akerman 1613 N. Alpine Road 815-397-9706 Akermanshoes.com

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(Left) Dr. Ehren Jarrett joined panelists (above) Paul Nolley, Dr. Eric Fulcomer and Martie Hartfiel with moderator Mimi Murphy as they discussed the long-term approach to education.

Upstream: Community partners in creating a robust talent pipeline When things get hard, business leaders often focus on the problem at hand. In a state of constant “firefighting,” leaders can miss diagnosing the root of the problem and instead focus on side effects that are easily seen and understood. During the 2021 Education Outlook Luncheon, Dr. Ehren Jarrett made the case for “Upstream” work both at the Rockford Public School District as well as in our community amid community partners.

Upstream work focuses on long-term solutions to problems from their core.

In education, this work is reflected in a multitude of ways – from building an internal teacher pipeline from currently RPS schools through a partnership with

Rockford University to focusing efforts on 3rd grade literacy and math scores to improve long-term graduation rates.

While COVID-19 gravely impacted many students throughout the district, Dr. Jarrett is focused on long-term impact by building in solutions that fit the needs of both current students and the future community. With a databased approach Dr. Jarrett has identified key metrics to guide the district’s work to create long-term success.

This success cannot come strictly from inside the classroom. Community partners play a large role in the success of students. Students who are enveloped in support are more likely to succeed. Following the Rockford Public

Schools update, Dr. Jarrett was joined on stage by leaders who play key roles in building a talent pipeline in the local community. Moderator Mimi Murphy (WTVO), and panelists Paul Nolley (Project First Rate), Dr. Eric Fulcomer (Rockford University), and Margie Hartfiel (CEANCI) joined Dr. Jarrett in emphasizing the role the business community can play in the long-term success of students and future workforce.

From internships to mentorships, and so much more, panelists detailed the work their organizations are doing to support students as well as ways for the business community to become engaged in the work.

An “Upstream” approach will benefit

the community for years to come. With the help of the business community, community partners, engaged citizens and parents, the success of local students as well as the community’s future workforce has unlimited potential and promise.

Special thanks to the Education Outlook Sponsors: BMO Harris Bank (Community Priority Series Presenting Sponsor); Humana (Gold); Rockford University (Gold); Comcast Business (Community Priority Series Silver); UW Health (Silver); Alpha Controls & Services (Bronze); and Mindy Joy Photography.

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THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

December 2021

BBB “Shop Safe, Shop Smart” campaign Rockford Chamber hosts Chamber of Commerce Executives Rockford Chamber of Commerce had the pleasure of hosting the Illinois Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives’ (IACCE) Fall Conference at Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront & Rockford Conference Center in early November.

Over 100 Chamber of Commerce Executives from across the state of Illinois attended to connect as well as participate in professional development sessions.

Rockford was originally chosen as the host site for the 2020 event, but, due to COVID-19 pushing the event to a virtual format, was delayed to 2021.

Chamber of Commerce executives participated in various professional development sessions, but also were able to experience a bit of Rockford.

Conference attendees participated in a panel focused on downtown development featuring Rockford leaders Gary Anderson (Studio GWA); Peter Provenzano (SupplyCore); Justin Fern (Urban Equity Properties, LLC), and moderated by John Groh (Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau).

Participants were also able to learn from Rockford leaders during professional development sessions. Local speakers included Mike Mastroianni (MDM Consulting); Einar Forsman (Greater Rockford Growth Partnership);

and Caitlin Pusateri (Rockford Chamber of Commerce).

As part of the Conference, Rockford Chamber of Commerce hosted keynote speaker Amy Morin, editor-in-chief at Verywell Mind, a licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and psychology lecturer at Northeastern University, who spoke on 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do. Presented by Rosecrance Health Network, attendees were challenged to focus on ways to build mental strength and resiliency through easy-to-do small shifts that give impactful results.

Morin is also an international bestselling author and gave one of the most popular Tedx Talks of all time – The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong – with more than 15 million views. She’s a regular contributor to Forbes, Business Insider, and Psychology Today where her articles on mental strength reach more than 2 million readers each month. Her advice for building mental strength has been featured by major media outlets including Fox News, CNN, Oprah.com, Today, Good Morning American, Success, Business Insider, Time and the Hallmark Channel.

IACCE attendees left the conference not only inspired and energized in their work, but well-rested from an enjoyable stay in Rockford, IL.

BBB is launching a holiday campaign, “Shop Safe, Shop Smart,” to help consumers reduce their risk of online shopping scams.

■ Beware of fake websites. Check the URL (web address), watch for bad grammar, research the age of the domain, and search for contact information.

■ Know the advertiser. Some of the best deals are only available online, but be careful. It’s easy for a fake site to mimic a famous retailer’s website, so make sure you are shopping with a legitimate site. If the site is missing contact information, that is a red flag.

■ Make sure the website is secure. Look for the “https” in the URL (the extra “s” is for “secure”) and a small lock icon on the address bar.

Never enter payment or personal information into a website with only “http” – it is NOT secure.

■ Beware of making quick purchases while scrolling through social media. Scammers have access to tools they need to learn about your buying behaviors, offering exactly what you want at enticingly low prices.

■ Protect personal information. Read a site’s privacy policy and understand what personal information is being requested and how it will be used. If a site doesn’t have a privacy policy, that’s a big red flag that it may be a scam.

■ If the deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t shop on price alone. Offers on websites and in unsolicited emails may offer free or very low prices on hard-to-find items. There may be hidden costs, or your purchase may sign you up for a monthly charge. Look for and read the fine print.

■ Be a savvy shopper. When shopping online, be sure to take your time and read the fine print before submitting your order. Look for the return policy; although many online orders can be returned for a full refund, others have restocking fees. Some items cannot be returned; know before you buy.

New Getting Around Illinois road conditions map More focused updates for travelers this winter For snow starting to appear in the forecast, the Illinois Department of Transportation is debuting an improved winter road conditions map on its Getting Around Illinois website.

“Illinois winters are notorious for changing quickly and drastically, sometimes over just a few miles,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “These improvements to Getting Around Illinois will give travelers information that’s more reliable and more local. I urge you to bookmark and regularly check this valuable resource to help you stay safe and prepared throughout the winter.”

Instead of continuing to display conditions by county, the revamped map will show how weather events are impacting roads under the jurisdictions

of the more than 120 snow-and-ice team sections that work out of IDOT facilities throughout the state. Conditions on interstates and U.S. routes, which carry the most traffic in Illinois, will be given priority reporting status and appear more boldly on the map.

Conditions are recorded by plow drivers out in the field and relayed through a cloud-based system. The website includes the ability to identify and zoom in to a location, travel route or destination as well as look up information on current construction projects and others identified for improvement in IDOT’s multiyear program.

Visit GettingAroundIllinois.com for a short video on how to use the map and review conditions on your computer and smartphone.

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THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

December 2021

R O C K F O R D

C H A M B E R

O F

C O M M E R C E

Small Business Enterprise

MICHAEL ROGERS Rockford SBDC

Cyber security in 2021: The threat is real A playbook for small business

We are often asked about cyber security and the actual risk to small business. Small business is not immune to cyber threats: if anything, it is more at risk.

Let us take the RPS 205 ransomware incident that happened in 2019 as an example of relative risk and impact. In this incident, hackers attained control over RPS 205 key computers due to a common and prevalent phishing tactic used to install software to hijack the data stored on them. Hackers were able to do this because someone was tricked into opening an email that appeared to be safe.

After the incident, the school district made changes to how they handle the cyber threats: they ramped up awareness, restructured the IT department, hired ITIS professionals and increased individual security on the computers and other devices to lock down access.

Big business is not immune, either.

A couple of noteworthy examples are Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Exchange Online (cloud).

These mega cloud service providers are becoming a critical part of the business – including small business – infrastructure landscape. Richard Demillo, chair of Georgia Tech School of Cyber Security

and Privacy, stated that cloud services are an essential utility that should require federal regulation.

In 2021, between February and April, some 30,000 systems worldwide were at risk for attack on Exchange Online, making the case that this is a global threat as well. In 2019 alone, the estimation of risk and loss was found to be around $9 billion in recovery and lost productivity for U.S. ransom attacks (Emsisoft, 2019). And this cost will only go up, as cybercrime is a very big business worldwide.

Small businesses have inherent risks to cyber threats: Limitations to resources to handle the threats, limitations in awareness of what the threats are today and not knowing what can be done to protect themselves leaves small business particularly vulnerable.

So what can small business do?

The first step is to recognize that the threat is real and is present today.

Focus on changing information tech practices in the day-to-day activities to run the business and incorporate dealing

with cyber threats into the company operational business strategy as you would for theft, burglary and robbery.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has a playbook for small business with five basic key points. They are: 1. Identify the threat and risk, 2. Protect data and computing systems, 3. Implement Detection of threats, 4. Respond to threats with an organized plan, and 5. Have a Recovery plan to minimize the losses should they occur.

The SBDC in Rockford can assist your business in getting a strategy for defense of your business against cyber threats.

Cyber threats are getting better and better every day, and it is up to every business to have a strategy to fight back.

Visit www.rockfordsbdc.org.

Michael Rogers is cyber security and new emerging technologies consultant with the Rockford SBDC.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

December 2021

As part of the agreement, International Women’s Baseball Center must work to get the ticket booth and steps at Beyer Park added to the National Registry of Historic Places.

Progress made in transforming Beyer Stadium Park

Plans to develop a multi-million dollar museum and activity center Rockford Park District and International Women’s Baseball Center announced plans are underway to transform Beyer Park on 15th Avenue and a property already secured on Seminary Street into a campus-type activity center and International Women’s Baseball Center/Indoor-Outdoor Museum. On Oct. 26, the Rockford Park District board of commissioners approved IWBC’s plan to purchase one acre of land at Beyer Park for $25,000 and lease the remaining three where the Rockford Peaches once played. Zoning approval from the City of Rockford already is granted.

The aim is to honor and preserve Rockford’s sports history and Beyer

Stadium athletes, create a one-of-akind experience for tourists and offer recreational opportunities for residents.

Scott Olson, president of the board of commissioners, said expanding youth sports activities, programs and leadership development opportunities will help ensure youth and teens are active and engaged. “We believe this will have a direct impact on decreasing juvenile crime. The IWBC’s plans will also increase tourism and demand for local businesses, provide more job opportunities, and the campus will be a catalyst for economic development on the south side of Rockford.”

Expanded network of multiuse trails opened at Atwood Park The Rockford Park District opened Atwood Trails Phase II, almost two miles of multi-use natural surface trails at 7074 Rydberg Road along the Kishwaukee River for hiking, mountain biking, trail running, snowshoeing and cross country skiing.

Once completed in all three phases, the entire Atwood Park Trails project will produce 20 miles of interconnecting trails on both the north and south sides of the Kishwaukee River. Community feedback received during the community-led Master Plan process in 2018 showed that the community prioritized expanding and connecting recreational paths and trails.

The Phase II project cost $167,000;

Bikers take the first ride along the recently opened Atwood Trails Phase II. primarily funded by Clyde and Marjorie Anderson, in memory of Marjorie, with additional donors providing the remaining funding. This minimized the district’s reliance on tax dollars.

The Phase 1 $464,000 project resulted in 4.5 miles of natural surface trails for mountain biking, hiking, trail running, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, wildlife exploration and fat biking, and a 24-space asphalt parking lot with a bike repair and bike wash station. Phase 1 was fully funded by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources grant, a donation from the Atwood Foundation and more than 40 individual donors.

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December 2021

POW(H)ER

Continued from front page

Stay tuned for Pow(H)er 2022!

Special thanks to our Pow(H)er sponsors: OSF Healthcare Saint Anthony Medical Center (Platinum); Quartz (Gold); Northwest Bank of Rockford (Community Hero Award); Thayer Energy Solutions (Woman Business Owner of the Year Award); Associated Bank (Emerging Leader of the Year Award); Edward Jones – Erna Colborn (Bronze); Savant Wealth Management (Corporate Sponsor); Mindy Joy Photography, and Pepsi of Rockford. v

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December 2021

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Introducing the 2021 Women-in-Business Honorees The Rockford Chamber of Commerce proudly announced its 2021 Women-in-Business honorees at the Pow(H)er event on Oct. 28 at Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront & Rockford Conference Center. The event celebrated the outstanding female leadership in the area in giving back, leading with grace and passion, and moving their organizations forward.

Congratulations to the 2021 honorees!

WOMAN BUSINESS OWNER OF THE YEAR Honors a female entrepreneur/business-owner (minimum 51 percent female ownership) who exhibits leadership skills, a commitment to her craft, dedicated to her organization, her team and her clients and demonstrated business success.

“More personal is Toni’s focus on the fight again human trafficking,” said nominator Kenneth Redeker, partner of Keller Williams. Another of his points was the multiple committees the firm has fostered, such as a Legacy Group teaching on wealth development in creating and leaving a legacy of giving, and the Equity Committee, which focuses on fostering and creating equality in real estate.

governance. One example was the patient chemo teaching education and processes developed by a multidisciplinary group of providers, leaders, RNs and feedback from patients.

Cline maintains her national oncology certification and oncology nursing membership to keep up with the best practices in oncology. She currently is pursuing her master’s degree in nursing leadership.

EXCELLENCE IN LEADERSHIP

Toni Vanderheyden Owner, Keller Williams Realty Signature According to nominator and realtor Nastasia “Staci” Brown, there are many reasons Vanderheyden deserves Women Business Owner of the Year. She’s built a real estate business from the ground up that in 13 years is #1 in agent count, units sold and volume sold. Her team, Sold on Toni, is the #1 agent within Rockford Area Realtors. She’s one of the few women business owners of a real estate company in the country.

“Toni’s accomplishments in real estate have earned endorsements from Shark Tank personality and leading real estate entrepreneur, Barbara Corcoran,” Brown said.

Not keeping it to herself, she’s given her agents more than one million in profit sharing and created an environment where agents can learn the trade and build a business following a blueprint that has worked. “In three short years, I have gone from being a single agent, to joining a top producing team, to now building my own business and becoming the director and regional co-chair for the Social Equity Committee,” Brown said.

“I am an example of what happens when you empower someone to be what they have the capacity to become.”

“Toni has been extremely supportive and has helped me navigate life lessons which have helped me grow in my career and in my personal life,” said nominator Victoria Winterland.

“A large part of the reason that I decided to join KW in January of 2021 was because of Toni’s compassion and conviction in empowering women,” said nominator Alisa Patterson Orozco. “Her coaching and knowledge lend itself nicely to helping others achieve their dreams no matter how impossible they might seem.”

Julie Cline

Manager of infusion and medical oncology, OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center, Patricia D. Pepe Center for Cancer Care In her first management position, Cline has excelled with strong leadership and managerial skills, a high degree of emotional intelligence, patience, and strong knowledge of human resources, according to nominator Deanna Berg, Patricia D. Pepe Center.

Those skills were tested immediately in August 2020 when she started at OSF during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic for hospitals. She was called on to keep patients safe using quick decisionmaking, and developed processes to adhere to CDC and OSF guidelines and safety measures, while displaying compassion and continuity in addressing patient and mission partner concerns.

Overall, Cline encourages her team to be accountable and to hold each other accountable with pocket-size cards -reminders to be great team players and accountable to each other. She encourages a culture of safety; identifying trends by encouraging employees to report misses and near misses and encouraging the team to be a part of the solution. She’s reignited the Magnet culture of shared

COMMUNITY HERO Honors a woman who serves her community and contributes to community improvement and change through time, talent, treasure or combination -- not directly to benefit herself professionally, but rather, for the betterment of others.

Honors a female professional in a leadership role in her organization who contributes positively to its success, effectively lead teams and continually works to grow personally and professionally.

(Formerly Woman Manager of the Year)

EMERGING LEADER OF THE YEAR Designed to honor a female professional in the early stages of her career, this honoree exhibits leadership skills, a commitment to professional growth and contributes positively to her team and/or organization. This individual is hardworking, passionate and eager to learn. (Formerly Woman Business Leader of Tomorrow)

promotes an accessible model for people with various levels of nature awareness.

She honors innovative ideas and answers many levels of questions from children to seasoned adults.”

Martesha Brown

Director of advancement, Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

Ann Wasser

Director, Severson Dells Nature Center “Ann’s superpower as a leader is taking time to develop relationships and truly care for Severson Dells Nature Center’s stakeholders, but also the community beyond her organization,” said nominator Jessie Crow Mermel, Severson Dells.

The California transplant immediately set to work establishing relationships and embedding herself in the community; attending and supporting local events for a variety of organizations. She initiated, co-created and was the driving force of 815 Outside; encouraging people to explore local, public green spaces and find health and wellness in the outdoors.

Through this, she partnered with local health systems to bring “Park RX,” which encourages medical providers to prescribe time in nature for patients.

She’s created opportunities for AmeriCorps members to gain skills in conservation, restoration and environmental education. She’s worked with Boys and Girls Club of Rockford to promote equity and diversity in the outdoors through environmental education. As a core team member, she’s working to make Rockford a sustainable city as a planner of the GreenTown Conference.

Wasser received the Association of Nature Center Administrators Outstanding New Leader Award in 2019 for her innovative work as director of the nature center and has visited other nature centers to share her knowledge and wisdom.

“Ann Wasser is the ‘real deal!’” said nominator Diane Kuehl, past board president and volunteer nature teacher for 10 years at Severson Dells. “She

When Martesha Brown is not working her day job at the RACVB, you’ll find her out seven days a week giving her time and talent to improve the community.

Brown made local history in October 2020 as the first African-American woman on the Rockford Park District Board of Commissioners. She had worked for the district for many years and supported park district initiatives such as Help Me Play or Winter Flurry to help get young people on the right path at an early age.

Over the last year, she’s focused on advancing Rockford businesses, including minority- and women-owned businesses, and has continued to break down barriers by linking people, projects and passions. She promotes the tough conversations needed on systemic injustice and racism.

As chair of the Mayor’s Rockford Rebounding group focused on arts and culture, she’s led a variety of initiatives and collaborative projects to take the community beyond COVID-19. She’s a mayoral-appointed member of the Rockford Area Venues & Entertainment Authority board.

Brown serves as a facilitator and co-chair of the Transform Rockford Engagement Committee, volunteers with Community Foundation of Northern Illinois as a grant committee member, the Think Big Expo and Festival, Habitat for Humanity, Rockford School District, Stateline Youth for Christ, KFACT, Harkins Community Memorial Foundation and Northwest Community Center.

She was named a 2021 YWCA Women of Achievement award winner in the category of Promise. She was deemed one of Rockford’s 25 Black Leaders to Watch and recognized as a 40 Under 40 leader through the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

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SPECIAL SECTION Nonprofit Matters

MEREDITH MACKAY Crusader Community Health Foundation

December 2021

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

GUEST COLUMNIST

GUEST COLUMNIST

Crusader Community Health celebrates 50 years

It takes many to build the story of home

Building a foundation of trust that we provide high-quality care The countdown is on! 2022 is nearly here, and at Crusader, we couldn’t be more excited because we will be celebrating 50 years of serving the Rockford region with high-quality healthcare. What better time than now to recap all that we do here at Crusader Community Health.

The mission of Crusader is to serve the Rock River Valley area with quality, primary healthcare for all people in need, regardless of their ability to pay.

We are the healthcare safety net of our community, serving one in five people – that’s around 58,000 patients a year.

Crusader provides dental services, pediatrics, women’s health services like prenatal care, behavioral health services, two school-based health centers, and so much more. Our CrusaderNOW! walk-in services provide even more accessible and faster ways to get urgent care.

Our Community Connections department is crucial to our foundation; helping patients with additional barriers to getting medical care, and they work with our community partners to meet our patient’s needs.

Community Connections has programs like Healthcare for the Homeless, which provides rides to

appointments or assistance getting prescription medication. The Living With HIV program provides compassionate, dignified care strategies for patients on their journey with a chronic condition. It offers interpretation services, assistance enrolling in insurance plans, and help in patients finding employment, housing and getting identification, to name a few.

It’s departments like this and many others who give exceptional care, even during an ongoing pandemic. The staff is dedicated and has built the foundation of trust that we provide high-quality care and are willing to go above and beyond for patients.

We are proud of our mission, history and what we have accomplished as a team and community. We will continue to break down barriers to best serve our community. Please join us in celebrating another 50 years!

Meredith MacKay is director at Crusader Community Health Foundation.

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

Crusader Community Health celebrated the opening of its newest clinic with the community, July, 2021. The health group held an open house at its facility on West State Street in Rockford. The facility includes different services like primary medical care, dental care, and a walk-in service.

Crusader Clinic Locations Crusader Community Health Woodward Campus 1200 West State St. Rockford, IL

Crusader Community Health Belvidere 1050 Logan Ave. Belvidere, IL

Crusader Community Health at South Beloit JHS 840 Blackhawk Blvd South Beloit, IL

Crusader Community Health on Broadway Uram Building 1100 Broadway Rockford, IL

Crusader Community Health Loves Park 6115 North 2nd St. Loves Park, IL

Crusader Community Health at South Beloit HS 245 Prairie Hill Rd. South Beloit, IL

Crusader Community Crusader Community Health Health Auburn HS Campus 1002 North Pierpont Ave. on Alpine Rd. Rockford, IL 1215 North Alpine Rd. Rockford, IL

LAUREN MORELLI Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity

One of life’s most valuable resources is time. Especially now, when we are all making up for what can feel like lost time in the midst of a pandemic, we see that how we choose to spend the hours in our day can truly make all the difference.

On a human level, we want our lives to hold significance and purpose, and we want to use our time in a meaningful way, whether it’s our time at work, our time with our families, friends, and community, or our personal time. And though we might sometimes forget it, choosing to dedicate time to empowering others is one of the most profound and impactful decisions that we can make.

At the core of Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity’s mission is the belief that every person deserves a decent place to live. Our goal is to empower individuals and families in Rockford to pursue homeownership, and to increase access to safe, affordable housing. We pursue this goal by providing affordable mortgages to families based on housing need, financial readiness and willingness to partner with us. Habitat homebuyers purchase their homes, and as a result, they experience all of the benefits of homeownership.

However, this process, this vision, this mission — it takes time. It takes a lot of time, and it takes a community.

But here’s the beauty of it: Every hour dedicated to that vision literally brings us one step closer to it. When members of our community choose to show up and raise a wall on one of our construction sites, when ordinary people choose to price donated lamps at our ReStore for one afternoon, when professionals provide accounting services in our office, the outcome is invaluable.

Just a few months later, that wall will enclose a child’s room, or hold photos of the family that purchased that safe, affordable home. Those lamps at the ReStore will generate income that purchases flooring or a window in a new home for a local family. Those hours spent in the office ensure that our operations run smoothly and that more families can apply for homeownership through Habitat.

When members of our community give their precious time to Habitat, they are ultimately walking alongside an incredibly hardworking, deserving

When members of our community give their precious time to Habitat, they are ultimately walking alongside an incredibly hardworking, deserving family in Rockford as they journey toward homeownership. family in Rockford as they journey toward homeownership. The impact of that reality permanently affects the lives of each family member by creating safety, stability and selfreliance. But even beyond that, homeownership through Habitat lays the foundation for future generations of that family to also experience homeownership. It opens doors to educational opportunities.

It builds equity. It weaves hope into the very fabric of our community.

This holiday season, we would love to invite you, your coworkers, your business, your family and your friends to dedicate some of your time to building the story of home for a Habitat homebuyer in Rockford. We recognize that your time is valuable, and we believe you’ll find that this is a profoundly valuable way to spend it. Whether you volunteer for one day or once a week, you are supporting a local family in a way that lasts for a lifetime. Together, we truly can build the story of home.

Thank you as always for your support. Our work would not be possible without community members, businesses and organizations like you.

On behalf of all of us at Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity, we wish you a joyous holiday season.

Lauren Morelli is communications director at Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity.

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

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SPECIAL SECTION Nonprofit Matters

December 2021

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

GUEST COLUMNIST

Sustainable alternative design KERRY LEIGH Natural Land Institute

for Chicago Rockford International Airport

On behalf of all concerned citizens for the protection of an ancient, unique and very special Rockford … and Illinois … habitat, the Natural Land Institute would like to offer a proposal with

creative design solutions for protecting an ancient gravel prairie to the airport’s expansion plans.

As a start, having a collaborative approach to exploring alternative

designs with NLI’s expert design team would allow for creative solutions to be adopted. Additionally, there are a number of creative site design and engineering approaches that could substantially reduce the project’s required footprint, thereby reducing impact on the prairie.

Green infrastructure and innovative site design approaches are broadly referenced in the Kishwaukee River Corridor Green Infrastructure Plan developed for the multi-thousand acre landscape immediately east of the Rockford airport. The plan discusses the economic benefits and tradeoffs in implementing green infrastructure design approaches.

The executive summary and full plan are available at www.naturalland.org/ quick-links. These green infrastructure policies and site design concepts were widely shared with local government officials from Rockford, Winnebago County and neighboring jurisdictions.

We understand that there is significant state taxpayer investment in this expansion through bonds, and that economic development and the jobs created would be an economic boon to the area. We are excited for the economic development of Rockford with this important expansion, but we also believe that the airport expansion doesn’t have to occur at the expense of this ancient and very special fragment of all that is left of the original Illinois.

The old thinking of ‘us’ verses ‘them’, or the environment versus progress, has been replaced with the concept of ‘both, and’. Conservationists recognize that they are no longer just protecting an individual species, or a habitat, but that we are, ultimately, saving us. We are not separate from nature, we are a part of nature and the benefits that nature provides us are valuable. The vast array of ecosystem services for prairie that includes significant carbon sequestration, rainfall and runoff infiltration, erosion

control and nutrient reduction, among others, are valued at several thousand dollars per acre.

We are asking that our governor, senators and representatives facilitate a productive alternative design collaboration with the Greater Rockford Airport Authority, Illinois Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the airport’s engineering consultants, Crawford Murphy Tilley and NLI’s expert design team; looking at the site design, incorporating green infrastructure practices and re-routing the road. The airport authority could be the hero of this story.

Let us consider and discuss ways that this prairie can be protected permanently and managed into the future.

The Mayor of Rockford signed a resolution on Oct. 5 to support the Bird City Illinois Initiative for Rockford, which recognizes municipalities for protecting bird habitat. The Transform Rockford plan is committed to make Rockford one of the top 25 communities by 2025, and the metrics have a significant environmental component, particularly in regard to health and air and water quality.

Tragically, this project is currently participating in the sixth great extinction across the globe. This alternative design approach could change all that to be an incredible win with good public relations for the airport, the City of Rockford and the state of Illinois. We encourage interested citizens to contact the airport commissioners and local and state senators and representatives and to sign the Action Alert at www.savebell bowlprairie.org.

Kerry Leigh is executive director of Natural Land Institute.

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

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

December 2021

SPECIAL SECTION Nonprofit Matters

15

GUEST COLUMNIST

LISA NOVAK Northern Illinois Hospice

Hospice and palliative care meet you where you are

Placing patient goals at the center of medical team decisions

What a precious gift it is for a human to be seen as a unique and special individual, to be deeply listened to, to have needs addressed with attention and intention. While these things may be important throughout life, for someone facing a serious illness, a time of great vulnerability, they’re even more essential.

November was National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. Let’s remember there is a healthcare specialty, one exquisitely designed and available to Americans navigating a life-limiting illness. You will be seen, you will be listened to, your wishes and needs attentively addressed.

A life-limiting illness triggers for many Americans a never-ending series of doctors’ appointments and hospital visits. Is that what you or your loved one would want? Studies have shown that approximately 80 percent of Americans would prefer

to be at home through end of life.

Despite this, 60 percent of Americans die in acute care hospitals, 20 percent in nursing homes, and only 20 percent at home. Using a personcentered approach, hospice and palliative care professionals focus on what individuals want. Patients and families sit firmly in the driver’s seat with their healthcare decision making.

Hospice and palliative care teams, as experts at managing pain and symptoms in personal residences and facility settings and highly skilled in infection prevention best practices, meet you where you are, wherever you call home. With healthcare coming to you, doctors’ office and ER visits can be avoided.

A hospice and palliative care team functions in an interdisciplinary environment, acting as a personcentered council dedicated to patient goals.

In fact, patient goals are the

epicenter Physicians,

of

team

decisions.

advanced

practice

nurses, nurses, CNAs, social workers, chaplains, therapists (music, massage, PT/OT/ST) and trained volunteers serve on this team and are skilled at caring for the “whole person,” mind, body and spirit, as well as supporting family members and caregivers.

Meeting you where you are — at your home and with respect to your unique and important goals — that’s the foundation of hospice and palliative care and its exceptional, person-centered approach.

Lisa Novak is chief executive officer of Northern Illinois Hospice and chair of the National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization

CEO-Executive

Director

steering committee.

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

How hospice works Medicare only covers your hospice care if the hospice provider is Medicare-approved.

To find out if a hospice provider is Medicare-approved, ask one of these: ■ Your doctor ■ The hospice provider ■ Your state hospice organization ■ Your state health department If you’re in a Medicare Advantage Plan (like an HMO or PPO) and want to start hospice care, ask your plan to help find a hospice provider in your area.

Your plan must help you locate a Medicare-approved hospice provider in your area.

If you qualify for hospice care, you and your family will work with your hospice team to set up a plan of care that meets your needs. For more specific information on a hospice plan of care, call your national or state hospice organization. www.medicare.gov

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SPECIAL SECTION Nonprofit Matters

December 2021

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

IGNITE: YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

A huge demand for virtual volunteering SHANE SULLIVAN Holmertz-Parsons, CPAs

Eleven things you can do from home to support your favorite cause

Blame the COVID-19 pandemic or just the hustle and bustle of modern life, but it might feel increasingly difficult to squeeze in volunteering at the end of your already packed daily task list.

While volunteering in person is still possible and needed by area charities, there is a huge demand for virtual volunteering, and you can make an impact from the comfort of your own home.

Post on social media for a worthy cause. Volunteers can promote charities, campaigns and resources for organizations from their own accounts.

The ultra tech-savvy can even volunteer to run the official social media accounts of nonprofits. Why not turn our Instagram accounts into something more than just cute pictures of our pets?

Clean out your closet. Donate your clothes to an organization like the Rockford Rescue Mission, Goodwill or Salvation Army. “Marie Kondo” your gently used professional attire and give joy to programs like Dress for Success and Attire to Hire. Individuals who cannot afford it will get a chance to make a sharp first impression while looking for employment.

Become a mentor. Share your knowledge and experience with a new generation. Youth out there have similar interests and career ambitions as you.

They could use you right now. Being a mentor and encouraging someone is a gratifying opportunity. Whether you want to help at-risk students graduate, or aspiring entrepreneurs break through, your mentorship is possible from home.

Bust out the arts and crafts.

Everyone loves receiving gifts. Children in need, active soldiers, seniors, shelter pets and the terminally ill are no exception. Blanket-making talents will never go out of style. Letter writing is a timeless and beautiful way to bring joy to people who need it very dearly. Find projects that match your creative juices.

Whatever you are good at or love, there is a volunteer opportunity for you.

Fall back on your professional skills. Nonprofits need a range of talents to complete their mission. Marketing, data entry, legal advice, bookkeeping, emailing and translating are common skills needed and actionable from home. Contact local nonprofits to see if any of your proficiencies match their needs. You would be surprised how many would love your virtual support.

Consider joining a local nonprofit board. This one may also require in-person volunteering occasionally, but like businesses found out during the pandemic, charities can hear you

Marketing, data entry, legal advice, bookkeeping, emailing and translating are common skills needed and actionable from home.

Contact local nonprofits to see if any of your proficiencies match their needs. just as clearly in a meeting via Zoom.

Nonprofits are always in need of new board members. Your point of view and energy can bring fresh ideas and life to an organization. If you give to or volunteer for a specific charity, they could be a perfect board match for you.

Pick up the phone. Now more than ever, people need extra love and support. Crisis phone and text lines rely on generous volunteers to listen and problem solve. You may need to go through training but aiding in a crisis is its own reward.

Go shopping. If you buy from Amazon, add your favorite charity to Amazon Smile, and Amazon will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases at no cost to you. Keep a lookout for local drives and donate school supplies, canned goods, toiletries or toys all over the Rockford community.

Plant a Row for the Hungry. This nationwide program is to encourage those with a green thumb to donate extra produce to the disadvantaged.

In Winnebago County, the Master Gardener volunteers run the University of Illinois extension project. Reserve a portion of your garden for those in need this year.

Check out sites like VolunteerMatch.

Join IGNITE! We’re always looking for more young professionals to get involved in the community. We live stream monthly Meet a Nonprofit Events on our Facebook page and would be happy to connect you to nonprofits in the community that require your specific set of skills.

Shane Sullivan is a tax accountant at Holmertz-Parsons, CPAs, and an INVOLVE Co-Chair for IGNITE. The views expressed are those of Sullivan’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

December 2021

Gov. Pritzker delivers keynote speech at COP26 in Glasgow Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker led a gubernatorial mission to the United Kingdom to highlight Illinois’ green energy economy and delivered the keynote address at the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions roundtable at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).

He highlighted Illinois green energy initiatives: Decarbonization. Phasing out coal and natural gas by requiring emissions reductions by mandating zero emissions for private coal by 2030 and municipal coal and natural gas by 2045.

Transportation. Putting one million electric vehicles on the road by 2030, providing a $4,000 electric vehicle rebate for consumers.

Renewable energy. Putting Illinois on the path to 100 percent clean energy by 2050.

Equity. Making equitable investments in Illinois’ new clean energy economy and advancing environmental justice.

During his speech, he referenced his recent signing of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, noting to listeners: ■ Illinois was the first Midwest state to require 100 percent carbon-free energy

by 2045, phasing out private coal by 2030 and ALL coal and natural gas by 2045.

■ The preservation of Illinois’ nuclear fleet with $694 million in assistance for three of Exelon’s struggling nuclear plants — Braidwood, Byron, and Dresden.

■ Doubling of incentives in renewable energy, offering businesses long-term, stable financing.

■ Investments in energy-focused workforce hubs, and a path to prosperity for minority contractors and Illinoisans living in environmental justice communities.

■ Setting historic standards for utility accountability – increasing disclosure requirements, protecting ratepayers and creating a watchdog to ensure the highest level of ethical standards.

In 2019, during his second week in office as governor, Gov. Pritzker signed Illinois up to become a new member of the U.S. Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of 24 U.S. governors (and Puerto Rico) committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

SPECIAL SECTION Nonprofit Matters

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THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

December 2021

R O C K F O R D

C H A M B E R

O F

C O M M E R C E

economic development Aviation mechanic training expands Aviation mechanics are in high demand in our larger region with the presence of AAR’s maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility located at the Chicago Rockford International Airport.

Rock Valley College has been offering one of the best Aviation Maintenance Technology programs in the country at a lower cost than other programs.

The Aviation Career Education Center is located at the Chicago Rockford International Airport.

This faculty features:

Matthew Zarembski is the new director of investor relations for the RAEDC Matthew (Matt) Zarembski has joined the Greater Rockford Growth Partnership (GRGP) as director of investor relations. He began this new position in the later part of November.

In this role, he will use his previous experience to connect and reconnect with investors of the Rockford Area Economic Development Council (RAEDC) to establish meaningful relationships within our community.

Prior to joining the GRGP, Matt spent 10 years with the United Way of Rock River Valley.

Welcome Matt to the team by emailing MZarembski@RockfordIL.com.

■ A combined 150+ years of diverse experience in the field ■ A learning experience that includes both an instruction lab and classroom environment ■ A two-year, FAA-approved degree program and an Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) mechanic certification program This type of training will be expanded thanks to a $2.6 million investment to fast-track workforce

development training for in-demand aviation mechanics, signed by Governor JB Pritzker.

“The message is known throughout the state and especially our state government that Rockford is a place you want to invest in, Gov. Pritzker said. “The people of Rockford are hardworking people who deserve a great future, and we’re trying to deliver that every day.”

With this additional funding, AAR will create 50 new paid apprenticeships, allowing more area residents to enroll in specialized training for aviation mechanics. As part of its recent agreement with United Airlines, AAR plans to hire as many as 250 aviation mechanics over the next year. RVC will use this funding to hire at least 15 new training instructors.

This funding continues to demonstrate the importance of our region’s customized education-toworkforce pipelines that support the primary jobs critical to the economic well-being of our region.

Connect With Us

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

Establishing and reestablishing supply chains at MAC2022 Recently there has been consistent talk of supply chain shortages and disruption due to many reasons, such as too lean of a Just In Time (JIT) methodology, transportation and distribution interruptions and manufacturing facility shutdowns from COVID-19.

This JIT management paradigm, developed by Eiji Toyoda, the CEO of Toyota, relies heavily on the exchange of information: Only when a downstream customer stage or factory communicates its precise orders to its upstream supplier does the latter commence production.

Earlier this year the RAEDC conducted a survey of regional manufacturers and 82 percent of respondents answered that they are experiencing supply chain disruptions; an increase of 19 percentage points over the same time as 2020.

Making Connections This is where MAC2022 allows aerospace-based companies to connect

with potential suppliers, peers and service providers. MAC2022 creates connections, discusses innovation and strengthens supply chains and opportunities for attendees as well as exhibitors.

MAC2022 features workshops, matchmaking, exhibitions and presentations tackling key topics in the aerospace industry from cybersecurity to supply chain development.

It also features Dr. Ronald Sega as the keynote speaker and Dr. Kevin Michaels with an aerospace industry update, provides matchmaking opportunities and continues the discussion about innovation, cybersecurity and emerging technology.

Learn more about registration and the exhibitors attending at MidwestAerospaceConference.com.

We can’t wait to see you on March 10, 2022!

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

19

December 2021

HOME BUYER TRENDS: WHAT’S BEEN LEARNED IN THE LAST YEAR

Remote working, commuting time, life events, all aff ect decisions

The housing market came to a screeching halt in March 2020, when much of the nation shut down in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the summer rebound, when many strict lockdown measures were lifted, was big and fast and revealed new homebuying patterns: Americans, many now used to working remotely, began buying farther away from some cities and traditional job centers.

Real estate firm Zillow paired U.S Census Bureau data, such as the Local Employment Dynamics Webinar offered earlier this year, to reveal the impact of the pandemic on housing market trends.

New for-sale housing inventory improved during the summer of 2020 but failed to keep up with sales growth.

In 2020, there were fewer houses for sale than in 2019, which created a home

buying market with hyper-competitive conditions.

Home Is Where the Work Is Even before the pandemic, 2020 was expected to be a big home-buying year because of the wave of millennials reaching home-buying age. More than 72 million were in their 40s, the prime age to buy a home.

Then COVID-19 happened and many of these millennials found themselves working from home. Zillow found that nearly two million renters unable to afford homes in metro areas could now afford to buy farther out because they no longer had to commute to work.

As a result, many renters became homebuyers and home and rental prices diverged around the time the pandemic hit the United States.

But lower-income households more likely to rent were also more likely to have experienced job loss in hardhit industries, such as retail trade, accommodations and food services.

Those facing financial pressures turned to alternatives, including “doubling up” or moving back in with their families, according to Zillow research. That shift, in turn, added to a decline in rental demand.

Did COVID-19 Change Cities?

Despite some concern that a pandemic-related mass exodus from metro areas was changing U.S. cities, cities are still very much alive and the housing market in some has even grown.

Zillow economists found the pandemic’s impact on where people live varied across regions.

To clearly define urban and suburban, the Zillow Group used a ZIP code classification system for urban, suburban and rural areas. It then combined them with Census Bureau variables, such as

population density, age of housing stock and other variables.

In cities in the Northeast and West regions like New York and San Francisco, home value growth trailed the suburbs but the opposite happened in markets in the Midwest. For example, home values surged the city in the Kansas City and Cleveland metro areas, where urban prices were relatively affordable.

Basically, it appears that people in larger, more expensive metros were not willing to pay premium prices for proximity to amenities that were no longer available during the pandemic, like restaurants, museums and theaters.

But demand boomed in more affordable urban areas.

Connection Between Jobs and Homes “It’s important to call out the relationship between housing and jobs, and how intertwined these things are,” said Nicole Bachaud, a Zillow economic (continued on page 24)

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SPECIAL SECTION Smart Technology

December 2021

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

TECH

TECHNOLOGY BRIEFS

Rock River Valley Blood Center partners with Bio-Linked™ research initiative An estimated 16,000 clinical studies are underway at any given time in the United States. The biggest delay in bringing new drugs and treatments to market is caused by the time required to find willing individuals to participate in research and development.

To help, Rock River Valley Blood Center has partnered with BioLinked™ to offer blood donors a chance to expand their giving by matching them with research studies working on cures for life-threatening diseases. Donors sign up when they stop by to give blood or at RRVBC. Bio-Linked.org. While each research

project is different, some have budgets for paying individuals for their participation.

“From cancer to autoimmune diseases and metabolic disorders, BioLinked™ is a critical tool to match researchers to the people they need to help them advance their studies,” said Dr. John Armitage, president & CEO, Oklahoma Blood Institute, the blood center that developed Bio-Linked™.

Bio-Linked™ will contact potential participants if they’re a match for a study, which may involve blood samples or voluntary participation. All information provided is kept entirely confidential.

State of Illinois investments in eight new wet labs to advance medicine The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced a $15.4 million investment in a Wet Lab Capital program to support eight new wet lab spaces throughout Illinois for advancements in research and medicine. The goal is to generate nearly $90 million in new investment for modern research facilities in communities across Illinois.

Wet labs are where cutting-edge research in life sciences occurs and represent a critical component of research and development for companies in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals/medicines, medical devices and diagnostics, research and manufacturing organizations. Wet lab space is customized with ventilation and other infrastructure needed to handle chemicals and materials commonly associated with biotech research.

The Wet Lab Capital grants will support the development of new public and private wet lab spaces, with projects at state universities and neighborhood incubators, expansions and improvements of existing space and the creation of new lab spaces in all parts of the state.

Funded projects include: ■ Back of the Yards Algae Sciences LLC (Chicago), $250,000 ■ Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago), $1,499,569 ■ Northwestern University (Evanston), $3,000,000

■ NuMat Technologies (Skokie), $3,500,000 ■ Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (North Chicago), $2,007,000 ■ Southern Illinois University Carbondale (Carbondale), $2,734,008 ■ Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (Edwardsville) $1,875,569 ■ University of Illinois Research Park LLC (Champaign), $550,000 A $5 million capital grant also will go to expand the Illinois Institute of Technology’s microgrid to optimize energy at the Bronzeville (Chicago) campus for renewable energy generation. IIT received a Wet Lab Capital Grant towards the development of a Functional Neural Technology Center to grow small businesses, startups, entrepreneurs and university collaborators in the rapidly growing “neurotech” sector of the life science industry, a 2,770-square-feet, multi-tenant laboratory space for research to help manage chronic conditions affecting the brain and nervous system.

Illinois is home to the nation’s second-largest biopharma concentration and ranks in the top five in the nation for chemistry R&D. It’s home to more than 58,000 life sciences companies supporting an estimated 717,000 jobs in the state, with wages 120 percent higher than that of the average Illinois wage.

Photo shows traffic backed up on westbound I-80 due to a crash near Briggs Street in Joliet.

(Bonnie Trafelet / Chicago Tribune)

Six-year plan for $1.2 billion I-80 corridor improvement project The Illinois Department of Transportation announced a sixyear plan to rebuild Interstate 80 in Will County, a $1.2 billion project to replace the more than 50-year-old infrastructure, including transforming 16 miles of I-80, redesigning auxiliary lanes and interchanges to reduce congestion, and rehabilitating more than 30 bridges along the roadway.

As one of the country’s three coast-to-coast interstates, I-80 through Joliet and Will County

carries approximately 80,000 vehicles a day, about 25 percent of which are trucks. The outdated design and capacity restraints, congestion as well as frequent merging and weaving are common.

To ensure I-80 no longer acts as a barrier to local mobility, bicycle and pedestrian connections will be provided through interchanges and at overhead crossings as well as along Chicago Street between Doris and Fifth avenues.

New interactive broadband mapping The Illinois DCEO Office of Broadband announced a new interactive Connect Illinois Broadband Map and creation of the Illinois Broadband Lab. Illinois residents and communities can use the data generated to make judgements on the broadband connectivity in their area.

An online speed test will identify gaps and tailor broadband planning efforts to boost access to high-speed internet service.

For community planners and other stakeholders, the new mapping and speed test tools will provide service level information as well as socioeconomic data and jurisdictional boundaries - information helpful for submitting grant applications, leveraging new federal funding and developing local plans to improve broadband access and adoption.

Unlike other maps before it, the new mapping tool will provide more

timely, granular and accurate data on broadband service, with an ongoing ability for residents to run speed tests that will continue to fuel the accuracy of the maps over time.

The DCEO Office of Broadband will use the interactive mapping to guide its investment of state and federal funds in pursuit of its goal of achieving universal broadband access throughout Illinois.

Integrating broadband speed test results from the general public will help identify areas where the existing maps may overstate available broadband service. In addition, the mapping resources and Illinois Broadband Lab collaboration will support existing programming focused on community planning, capacity building and regional engagement.

Visit the Illinois Broadband Lab, ibl. illinois.edu, developed and housed at the University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign’s Technology Services unit.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

December 2021

SPECIAL SECTION Smart Technology

21

GUEST COLUMNIST

ROBIN SCOTT Illinois Bank & Trust

How to safeguard your business from cybercrime There are broad implications for all businesses

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses across the country moved some or all their operations online. Although this move has resulted in better customer reach and employee safety, it has also led to a rise in criminal activity, including cyber fraud.

Nearly 75 percent of organizations were targets of cyberattacks in 2020. Fraud activity is on the rise, leaving businesses of all sizes at risk. Alleviating fraud should be top-of mind for business leaders, and organizations should actively implement controls and measures to restrict the occurrence of such activity. Not only can cybercrime hurt a company’s bottom line, but when left unchecked, it can limit a company’s growth.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses across the country moved some or all their operations online.

Although this move has resulted in better customer reach and employee safety, it has also led to a rise in criminal activity, including cyber fraud.

Cyber fraud can be difficult to combat because cybercriminals are very tech-savvy and good at posing as legitimate sources.

They seek out victims via email, malware, phone calls and fraudulent websites.

Common Cyber Fraud Schemes Cybercrime can make it more difficult for businesses to grow and achieve their financial goals. To help you and your employees know how to spot cyber fraud, here are some of the most common ways cybercriminals try to access systems and obtain information.

Phishing. Phishing happens when cybercriminals send fraudulent emails or direct business owners to websites that ask for private, sensitive information, including bank account and credit card details or login credentials. To prevent this, users should ensure the source is trustworthy. If anything looks unfamiliar or off-brand, do not click on links or hand over sensitive information because it could be a cybercriminal trying to gain system access.

Identity Theft. This involves cybercriminals breaching firewalls and security systems to steal personal, sensitive information, including credit card numbers, login credentials and a host of other essential data that could leave a company vulnerable. Once the cybercriminal has this information, they

can open accounts in your name or steal money. Businesses are also facing the theft of information such as tax ID for obtaining fraudulent loans.

Merchant Identity Fraud. This occurs when a cybercriminal sets up a merchant account that appears legitimate but charges stolen credit cards. Before credit card holders even learn of the fraudulent payments, the criminals are often long gone. A recent report by Signifyd estimates that, when all is said and done, the total cost of merchant identity fraud on a $100 sale is about $196 once fees are factored in.

Business Email Compromise. BEC was the primary source of payments fraud attacks at organizations in 2020. It’s one of the most financially damaging online crimes. It exploits the fact that so many of us rely on email to conduct business — both personal and professional. In a BEC scam, criminals send an email message that appears to come from a known source, thus making it appear to be a legitimate request.

Checks and Wire Transfers. These continue to be the payment methods most impacted by fraud activity (66 percent and 39 percent, respectively). Positive Pay continues to be most popular method to control check fraud.

How to Fight Back Fortunately, there are steps businesses can take to fight back and protect their businesses from cybercriminals, including: Provide loss prevention training to employees. It’s one thing for a business owner to know the signs of cybercrime or how to identify phishing emails, but what about employees? Educating employees on the threat of BEC and training them to identify spear phishing attempts are important components in controlling BEC. This is critical if employees are working remotely and so have minimal inperson interaction.

Check software and passwords.

Make sure all computer software has been updated to the current version.

Also make sure all passwords are random and use numbers and symbols as well as

Infographic from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) Study, www.acfe.com/ covidreport.aspx. upper- and lower-case characters. A good password manager helps, too.

Search internet addresses and phone numbers you don’t recognize. Even the best phishing emails have web addresses (URLs) that look strange. Search them on the internet. Chances are someone has reported them if they are scams. Do the same with phone numbers you don’t recognize.

Work with your bank. We have products and services that can help you and your employees prevent financial fraud and identity theft: ■ There are effective best practices that organizations can use to mitigate the risks of payments fraud and potential financial loss. These include risk management protocols and procedures, fraud prevention services and digital payment processes.

■ Businesses that adopted fraud mitigation technology were able to eliminate the hours and cost it takes to monitor account activity and re-direct those hours to tasks that focused on generating revenue and reducing costs in other areas of the business.

■ Our fraud tools will monitor accounts for you, significantly reducing the risk of financial loss. When fraud occurs, you simply allow the system to return the

fraudulent transactions, and the funds will be credited back to your account. A new account will not be needed, which avoids potential disruption in business operations.

■ Review your payables strategy. Often times, it’s more cost effective and timely to utilize ACH or a credit card instead of check. Daily reconciliation can be used to safeguard against attacks on security credentials.

■ To safeguard your money and hard work, we recommend both Check and ACH Positive Pay. Both provide protection for their respective payment types by crossreferencing payment details submitted by your company with the payment being made.

With the right systems and protocols in place, businesses can operate with peace of mind knowing customer data and financial information is secure, and focusing on one of the most important things today: Growing your business.

Robin Scott is senior vice president, treasury management banking officer, senior, Illinois Bank & Trust.

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

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THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

December 2021

 Destination

ILLINOIS, USA

ADDING WEALTH TO THE REGION’S ECONOMY BY GROWING TOURISM

JOHN GROH Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

TAX SECURITY TIP:

Get an IP PIN to help stop identity thieves The IRS and its Security Summit partners are urging tax pros — and taxpayers — to step up their efforts to protect client data, using an IP PIN now available to anyone who can verify their identity.

An Identity Protection PIN is six-digit number eligible taxpayers get to help prevent their Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number from being used to file fraudulent federal income tax returns. Obtaining the IP PIN takes place after a rigorous authentication process. For security reasons, tax pros can’t get an IP PIN on behalf of clients.

More things taxpayers should know about the IP PIN:

by the software product or onto a paper return next to the signature line.

■ It’s valid for one calendar year.

■ For security reasons, enrolled participants get a new one each year ■ Spouses and dependents are eligible for an IP PIN if they can verify their identities ■ IP PIN users should never share their number with anyone but the IRS and their trusted tax preparation provider. The IRS will never call, email or text a request for the IP PIN. Currently, taxpayers can get an IP PIN for 2021, which should be used when filing any federal tax returns

■ It’s a six-digit number known only to the taxpayer and the IRS.

during the year including prior year

■ The opt-in program is voluntary.

starting in January 2022.

■ It should be entered onto the electronic tax return when prompted

your-local-irs-office.

returns. New IP PINs will be available Visit www.irs.gov/help/contact-

What you need to provde to get your IP PIN Once you’re eligible, just complete the IRS Secure Access verification process, and then use the “Get an IP PIN” tool. Online verification will require you have an IRS.gov taxpayer account, and you’ll need to provide the IRS with personally identifiable information (PII): ■ A readily available email address; ■ Your Social Security number; ■ Your filing status and address from your last-filed tax return; ■ Your personal account number from a: • credit card, or • student loan, or • home mortgage loan, or • home equity (second mortgage) loan, or • home equity line of credit (HELOC), or • car loan (The IRS does not retain this data) ■ A readily available mobile device. For instant access, your name must be associated with a U.S-based mobile phone capable of receiving text messages. If the mobile phone number cannot be linked to your name, you may opt for a mailed activation code during registration.

The IRS notes that anyone who has used other online IRS tools like “Get Transcript Online” should already have an active IRS.gov account. That said, the process is fairly involved, so it’s a good idea to read through all of the IRS’s tips on the Secure Access page.

Outdoors and more: The rebound of visitor spending

Even as we approach the end of 2021, I can’t help but continue to reflect on 2020. The effects of the pandemic are still very much with us and continue to drive dramatic deviations to everything we thought of as “normal” in our society and our economy.

To help us further understand the effects of 2020 on travel and tourism, we recently received the 2020 Economic Impact of Visitor Spending in Winnebago County. We are still analyzing this information for themes and insights that will help us plan for the future of tourism in our county, however in the interim, a few nuggets of information are worth mentioning.

In 2020, visitors to Winnebago County directly contributed $358.5 million to our economy, representing a decline of -25.8 percent over 2019 spending. However, when comparing us to the top 10 Illinois counties and cities by population, our decline in Winnebago County and Rockford was among the lowest.

In contrast, both Cook County and Chicago — our state’s largest markets —were down the most at more than -58 percent, which is not surprising, due to the inseparable link between major urban centers and visitation.

Cities like Chicago have a broader variety of products — including convention centers, a heavy reliance on business and international travel — and greater inventory of hotel rooms to accommodate visitors.

Among the 10 second-tier Illinois cities most like Rockford, we fared better than all but one (Joliet). As mentioned above, we are still analyzing this information, but believe that one element in our favor is our product mix.

And more specifically, our abundance of outdoor areas, attractions and activities.

Strength in Outdoor Recreation One only needs to visit one of our 40+ forest preserves or stroll along the Rock River Recreation Path to observe walkers, cyclists, kayakers and water skiers, as well as children playing in Shorewood and Martin Parks and families visiting Sinnissippi Gardens and Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens.

Throughout the pandemic, we learned that the poor ventilation of indoor spaces was hazardous to our health, so the whole world fled to the outdoors. Particularly in the United States, consumers spent their COVID-19 Stimulus Checks on everything from

According to the Outdoor Foundation, in 2020, 53 percent of Americans participated in outdoor recreation at least once, the highest participation rate on record. bikes to backpacks, escalating growth in the Outdoor Gear and Equipment Market to new heights.

According to the Outdoor Foundation, in 2020, 53 percent of Americans participated in outdoor recreation at least once, the highest participation rate on record. Not only that, but 7.1 million more Americans participated in outdoor recreation in 2020 than in 2019. I can personally attest that the Groh family contributed to this increase, particularly our local mountain biking trails. If you haven’t had a chance to explore the new trails at Atwood Mountain Bike Park, bundle up and don’t let the cold weather keep you from enjoying this newly expanded attraction!

Growth in “getting outside” bodes well for the Rockford Region’s outdoor recreation assets, an important element in our diverse mix of sites and attractions.

This diversity is another reason our local tourism economy is growing back from the depth of 2020 visitor spending.

In addition to expanded outdoor attractions, we now boast a new downtown Embassy Suites hotel and conference center, recently welcomed Rockford Casino: A Hard Rock Opening Act, and early next year, will be breaking ground on our own internationally recognized Hard Rock Casino.

The diversity of our sites and attractions makes Winnebago County a highly desirable place to live and visit.

As RACVB works day-in and day-out to bring tourists and visitors back to Rockford, we are leveraging all the assets our destination has to offer to move the needle from our -25.8 percent decline in the visitor economy to zero. And from zero, we plan to bounce back to our prepandemic streak of 10 straight years of increases in visitor spending.

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

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

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

DR. EHREN JARRETT Superintendent RPS 205

December 2021

Futures worthy of signifi cant investment

Progress in addressing three core issues: Education, safety, taxes

Building a competitive advantage for a quality workforce is both simple and highly complex. For places like Rockford to gain advantage, they need to focus on three core issues: education, safety and taxes.

I detailed how the Rockford Public Schools fits in this picture at last month’s Chamber Education Outlook Luncheon at the Tebala Event Center.

The best way to visualize it is a Venn diagram, with education, safety and taxes in three circles. At the center is Rockford becoming a Top 25 Community by 2025.

These core issues are not the purview of any one entity. This work is done in partnership with education, government and the private sector.

In one of these core areas - taxes - I believe our district’s success is a wellkept secret. In the 2015 levy year, the district’s tax rate was nearly $8. In the levy year 2022, we estimate the rate will be below $6. In those seven years, we held the line on our tax levy.

We weren’t alone. In this shared commitment and sustained effort, we joined other taxing bodies such as the City of Rockford.

As we were holding the line, the equalized assessed value in Winnebago County plummeted by more than 30 percent. That made our work harder because as the EAV goes down, the tax rate typically goes up.

As successive school boards stayed committed to property tax relief, we redoubled our commitment to a safe school environment. We implemented strategic budgeting so schools with greater needs could have greater resources. We invested $24 million in our 41 buildings, giving principals latitude to implement their own improvement plans while ordering off a menu of district-approved programs, positions and partnerships. They were able to choose from positions including attendance specialists, parent liaisons and trauma therapists.

Investing in these positions also means partnering with other organizations.

Our goal is a safer community by getting at root cause issues.

Investments for the Future The pandemic has presented its share of challenges when it comes to meeting student needs, both academically and emotionally. Fortunately, we have received help from the federal

government in terms of the American Rescue Plan-Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund.

The district will invest $160 million to improve air quality in our schools, including air conditioning in the remainder of our buildings. We will spend $40 million on extended learning opportunities, as time is often the variable when it comes to better results.

The more time with students, the better the results.

Workforce development is the reason our high school academies exist. For 10 years now, we have prepared students for both college and careers. College isn’t for all of our students, though, and that’s why we have direct-to-employment options in our pathways.

Finally, the Rockford Promise is a tangible way to drive progress on all three core issues - education, safety and taxes. The location-based scholarship program offered scholarships to five students in 2016. It has now grown to 193 scholarships, thanks to a partnership between Northern Illinois University and the City of Rockford that provides free tuition at NIU for all students who live in the city and graduate from Rockford Public Schools with a 3.0 grade point average.

It’s powerful inspiration for students.

It’s a message that their futures are worthy of significant investment if only they work hard and make the grade.

Our community will be both better educated and safer now that we’ve made that promise.

The Promise helps on the tax front, too. By attracting people to our community with a guarantee of a free postsecondary education, we add to our tax base and, as a result, drive tax rates down.

All of our community conversations tend to come back to education, safety and taxes. No one entity can address these things. Instead, we’re in this together.

Every day, I’m thankful to have such great partners along for the work of building a great workforce.

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.

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THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

December 2021

HOME BUYING Continued from page 19

data analyst who presented during the Census Bureau webinar. “When an area gets an increase in jobs, people will move there to work, putting pressure on the housing market, which will often result in an increase in prices.”

According to a Zillow survey, most people are willing to commute 30 minutes one way and placed a lot of importance on the proximity of their home to their work.

One surprising finding: Pre-pandemic remote workers were more likely to buy in urban areas.

Even before the pandemic, 2020 was expected to be

the potential to examine teleworking by race. Industries more likely to offer a telework option include information; finance and insurance and real estate and rental and leasing; professional, scientific and technological sector; public administration, and educational services.

a big home-buying year because of the wave of millennials reaching homebuying age. More than 72 million were in their 40s, the prime age to buy a home.

■ Jobs in industries such as health care, transportation, construction and retail cannot typically be performed remotely.

In 20 of the top 35 largest markets, over half of urban workers were reverse commuters. More than 70 percent of urban residents work outside of urban areas in markets like Orlando, Tampa and Riverside, Calif., according to the survey.

Metros that had higher urban growth in 2020 had a bigger share of reverse commuters in 2017. A metro area’s share of reverse commuters can signal how it might fare during a pandemic because it reveals the slice of population willing and able to pay for and keep urban amenities.

Reverse commuters are not specific to one generation. Both the younger and older generation have been staying in metro areas like Charlotte, N.C.; San Jose, Calif., and Washington, D.C. Some people will continue to live in urban areas even without workplace proximity ties, according to Zillow.

In 2019, Zillow surveyed recent homebuyers who worked remotely at least one day a week. The findings: The ability to work from home parttime shaped their housing decisions, including whether to move to a different home or location and/or remodel their home.

■ The number of Asian workers who are renters was higher in the finance and insurance, and real estate, and rental leasing industry.

■ White renters made up a greater share of those who teleworked in industries like the professional, scientific, and technological sector, and public administration.

■ Renters who could qualify to buy a home farther out can’t make a move if they work in jobs that are least likely to allow teleworking.

■ Black renters across metros were consistently more likely to earn enough to qualify for a mortgage if they worked remotely.

Working From Vacation Towns

What Drives Housing Choices?

Most home buyers make the choice of where to buy based on affordability, amenities and major life events such as a new job, growing family or older kids moving out, said Treh Manhertz, a Zillow economist.

The mass shift to remote work — even part-time — is now another factor in homebuyers’ decisions.

A May 2020 Zillow survey found that 75 percent of respondents working from home during the pandemic wanted to continue to telework at least half of the

time, even after workplaces reopen. If long-term remote work were possible, 66 percent of them said they’d consider

tipping point – that is, earned enough to buy the typical U.S. starter home but not in their current metro location.

moving.

Zillow also looked at renters in major U.S. metro areas who could afford to purchase a home outside of the metro areas, if allowed to telework.

Two million renters were on the

Teleworking To estimate who can work remotely by industry and occupation, Zillow combined its data with ACS and BLS data. The combined data also provided

Remote work has offered new housing options and inspired many to dream bigger and rethink where they see themselves living in the future.

Using ACS data, Zillow was able, for example, to identify vacation towns that have drawn teleworkers by looking at page views, favorites, “likes” and the number of times a visitor saved the URL of a vacation town’s website.

Combining page views and “for sale” listings, Zillow found that vacation homes were up 50 percent in August of 2020, compared to the same month in 2019.

Although these metrics do not necessarily confirm that viewers of the websites are moving to vacation towns, they are in line with a 66 percent growth in pending home sales in vacation towns, a sign that some buyers were indeed making their dreams a reality.

For more, visit Zillow.com/research.

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THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

December 2021

in the news MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

Rockford Chamber members appear bolded.

Thank you for your support of your fellow Chamber members.

1. Edgar Lopez

2. Heather Daeger

3. Roberto Vargas

4. Jessica Fagerstrom

5. Britta Wood

6. Tracy Palmer

7. Matthew Montalbano

8. Virgie Taylor

9. Mariela Delgado

10. Keri Benhoff

11. Becky Rydell

12. Jasmine Sklavanitis

13. Jarod Schut

14. Zoe Hart

15. Stacey Sheldon

16. Dr. Brant Hulsebus

BOARD APPOINTMENTS Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden welcomed new board members: Erin Andrews, Rockford Public Schools; David Sidney, Place Foundry; Clark Wangaard, Taylor Freezer (retired), and David Whitehouse, Sundstrand (retired).

NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, RETIREMENTS Rock Valley Credit Union hired Edgar Lopez (1) as Rochelle branch supervisor, Heather Daeger (2) as contact center representative and Roberto Vargas (3) as a member service representative. Jessica Fagerstrom (4) was promoted from a member service representative to a part-time accounting assistant.

Ad Vice Marketing promoted Amy Chatfield to vice president, Maureen Cadie to creative content strategist and Christina Wales to creative client strategist.

OSF HealthCare welcomed Britta Wood (5), APRN, pulmonology, for the OSF Medical Group – Lung & Pulmonology office and Tracy Palmer (6), FNP, primary care, for OSF Medical Group – Primary Care – Byron office.

The Regional Access & Mobilization Project board named Jackie Sundquist, a 24-year veteran, as its new chief executive officer/ executive director.

Matthew Montalbano (7), CFP®, Rock Cut Investment Group of RBC Wealth Management, was promoted to director of the Rockford branch. Virgie Taylor, (8) CFP®, joined as a senior financial associate.

Region 1 Planning Council hired Austin Powell, sustainability project associate; Chelsey Glatz, community impact planner; Jack Tierney, governmental specialist; Dzeneta Dujkovic, community health associate; Pragna Patel, developer/programmer; Dustin

Schreiber, internal services associate; Kayla Gibson, accountant; Gilton Cross, planner; Joseph Vadella, research associate, and Joel Freudenberg, project assistant.

FurstStaffing hired Mariela Delgado (9) as talent navigator.

Keri Benhoff (10), with experience in executive retained and contingency searches, is returning as vice president at FurstExecs, focusing on C-Level/President/VP/ BOD level searches.

Wesley Willows hired Becky Rydell (11), BSN, RN, as assistant director of nursing and Jasmine Sklavanitis (12), RN, as nurse manager, admissions.

EMPLOYEE/COMMUNITY RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS Jarod Schut (13), First National Bank and Trust, trust and investment officer serving the Walworth and Rock County markets, earned the Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) professional certification from the American Bankers Association.

Musicians with the Rockford Symphony Youth Orchestra won first and second place at the Concerto Competition hosted by the RSYO and Rock Valley College: Zoe Hart (14), flutist, and Sebastien Roethle, violinist and co-concertmaster of the RSYO. Stacey Sheldon (15), deposit services team lead, First National Bank and Trust, earned the Accredited ACH Professional (AAP) certification.

New director of local U.S. Commercial Service selected To help local Rockford companies begin exporting or expanding their current exports into new global markets, Adam Shanks was named director of the U.S. Commercial Service’s office in Rockford. The office is part of the International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.

He brings 16 years of international sales experience in the meteorological industry. Between 2005 and 2018, he was the sales manager for Central America, the Caribbean and Mexico for Vaisala Inc. From 2013 to 2018, he managed the region’s operations from Mexico City. In 2018, he moved to Dusseldorf, Germany, to work for Leonardo Germany as regional sales manager for the Americas and South Korea.

Adam received his undergraduate degree in economics from the University of California Irvine and received an MBA in international business from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Arizona.

Email him at adam.shanks@trade.gov.

Association Certified Executive (RCE) designation.

Boylan Catholic High School (17) inducted 14 seniors into the National Honor Society this fall: Isabella Anderson, Hannah Brklacich, Molly Clark, Ma Fatima Domingo, Alexander Easton, Gabriella Fonseca, Zachery Hewett, Kacy Kirnberger, Joslynn Labak, Lauren Marinaro, Natalie Mattson, Taw Meh, Bridget Peterson and Julianna Tully.

Joseph Chan, Rockford Christian Schools, was named as a National Merit Commended student.

Athletes winning at the state level: Emily Kneller, Girls Golf state qualifier (23rd); Ava Reese, Middle

School Cross Country state qualifier (91st); Boys Cross Country team (5th); Ethan Walsh and Weston Forward, All State Honors; Girls Cross Country team, state qualifiers, and Brooke Corrigan, 50-free swim, state qualifier.

OF GENERAL INTEREST Dr. Jon Whitehurst, Dr. Geoffrey Van Thiel, Dr. Scott Trenhaile and Dr. Cort Lawton, orthopedic sports medicine specialists at OrthoIllinois, helped with Chicago Blackhawk preseason player physicals in Chicago as part of the Chicago Blackhawks Medical Network. They will cover the Rockford IceHogs games, as they have since 1999, and for the Blackhawks since 2007.

Dr. Brant Hulsebus (16), Hulsebus Rockford Chiropractic, received the Bright Beacon Award from Palmer College of Chiropractic at its homecoming on Sept. 17 for alumni who support and promote both chiropractic and Palmer College of Chiropractic.

Conor Brown, Rockford Area Realtors, earned the REALOR®

17. Boylan Catholic High School National Honor Society inductees.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

December 2021

27

on digital

MEMBER PICS

2021’s Best Winter Holiday Destinations WalletHub compared nearly 70 of the largest U.S. metro areas grouped by warm and cold weather to determine the best winter holiday destinations, focusing on cost and convenience rather than scenic beauty. Each destination was analyzed based on 39 key metrics, primarily the expense and hassle of traveling to each location but also on other indicators, such as weather forecasts, safety and variety of activities.

Best vs. Worst The average flight to a popular cold winter destination costs $359.92, lasts three hours and 19 minutes and has 0.22 connections. In comparison, the average flight to a popular warm winter destination costs $458.43, lasts five hours, 35 minutes and has 0.48 connections.

Among cold destinations, Chicago has the most restaurants; 6.3 times more than in Bridgeport, Conn. Among warm destinations, Orlando has the most restaurants; 28.7 times more than in Deltona, Fla. See Figure 1.

What is the outlook for the winter travel season?

Travel is definitely picking up in 2021, but the “return to normality” travel professionals are desperately looking forward to, will have to wait until 2022.

U.S. travelers are still more likely to stay home or close to home if you include Hawaii and Mexico as close-to-home destinations.

Expedia is showing that most travelers are looking for sun this holiday season with Mexico and Florida leading the way. There has also been a major uptick in visitors to National Parks this year, and this trend is likely to continue through winter, especially out West.

National parks like Canyonlands have seen visitors increase by 30 percent this year, and this trend seems likely

to continue as families race to tick off nature experiences on their bucket list.

What are the best ways for travelers to save money?

Resorts, hotels and airlines are in a rush to recoup lost income from last year and there are plenty of “package” deals to be had that include great fly-and-stay discounts. But beware of a steep increase in car rentals – cars are hard to find, and rentals are expensive this year.

Vacation home rentals are a great idea for ski or beach resort vacations.

Americans have been in a rush to buy second homes since the pandemic, and many homeowners love to pay the mortgage by renting out their homes.

Check out VRBO and Airbnb for deals.

Homes come with kitchens so if you are traveling as a family you can save a bundle by cooking and eating one meal a day at your rental property or packing a lunch for the ski slopes.

Midweek travel can be significantly cheaper on different days of the week.

Postmaster General and CEO Louis DeJoy, head of the United States Postal Service, makes a stop in Rockford on Nov. 2 to swear in Rebecca A. Kruckenberg as the 34th Postmaster of Rockford. She has more than two decades of postal service experience; working her way from a rural carrier associate through various managerial positions in Wisconsin and Illinois.

Photo source: U.S. Postal Service.

What are some logistical dos and don’ts for winter travel?

If you are planning a ski trip, check which airlines offering free or low-cost baggage fees. Consider renting your ski equipment and avoid the hassle.

If considering a road trip to the coast or mountains, make sure your vehicle is prepared for extreme heat or cold; think about signing up for AAA membership if your car is not covered by an emergency recovery plan.

Try to avoid the day before Christmas or New Year or the day that all the college students in your town are leaving for the holidays.

Spider Sushi Bar, 4415 Harrison Ave., Rockford, held a ribbon cutting on Nov. 16. The local, family-owned and -operated bar and restaurant offers sushi rolls and teriyaki cuisine.

aMBaSSaDOR DOR SPOTLIGHT Michelle Bowman, AAMS®, CRPC®, Financial Advisor, Edward Jones

I was an ambassador for seven years and really loved being “in the know” about what was happening in our city. I became much better

Ian Cross, senior lecturer, marketing and experience design, Bentley University

Best Cold Destinations, Winter Travel

Best Warm Destinations, Winter Travel

1. Atlanta, Ga.

1. Austin, Texas

2. Washington, D.C.

2. Las Vegas, Nev.

3. New York, N.Y.

3. San Diego, Calif.

4. St. Louis, Mo.

4. Dallas, Texas

5. Albuquerque, N.M.

5. Houston, Texas

6. Chicago, Ill.

6. San Antonio, Texas

7. Denver, Colo.

7. Phoenix, Ariz.

8. Cincinnati, Ohio

8. San Francisco, Calif.

9. Kansas City, Mo.

9. Tampa, Fla.

10. Boston, Mass.

10. Orlando, Fla.

Figure 1

informed about our city leaders and business leaders and got to celebrate new businesses and non-profits. We ate some really good food! I was also able to meet people whom I would not ordinarily meet. Through my volunteer hours as a Chamber Ambassador, I have built some relationships that I truly treasure. I’m grateful for the opportunity and privilege to serve.

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

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THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

December 2021

business

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Satori Pathway LLC earned the 2021 Best Practice Award for Illinois at American Planning Association’s annual conference for contributions in developing the City of Woodstock’s Age-Friendly Action Plan, designed in collaboration with NIU’s Center for Governmental Studies.

CARF International announced that RAMP Center for Independent Living was accredited for three years for the second time for its employment programs.

KMK Media Group earned a Silver W3 website award from the Academy of Interactive & Visual arts for its design of Panino’s restaurant website at wwwpaninosofrockford.com. It received a Gold Marcom Award by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals for its production of a recruitment video for Fehr Graham, in partnership with Bright Space Productions, and a Platinum Award for the pandemicrelated branding on its own digital marketing during the past year.

Barbara Olson Center of Hope’s HarvestFest 2021 raised almost $24,000, with net proceeds going towards programs and services for individuals with developmental disabilities who attend the Center of Hope.

RAMP received a $2,309 grant from the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois Community Opportunities Grant Program to repair RAMP’s elevator for its building located at 202 Market St. Chartwell Agency received recognition from the Illinois Society for Healthcare Marketing and Public Relations: the Award of Merit for E-Marketing and Social Media for Rockford Gastroenterology Associates’ No More Excuses Campaign, and the Award of Merit for Special Event for Rockford Gastroenterology Associates’ Colorectal Cancer Awareness campaign.

Softball players ages 50 and up are invited to join drop-in sessions at Rockford Park District’s Indoor Sports Center at Mercyhealth Sportscore Two, Mondays and Thursdays, Nov. 1 to March 31.

Players should bring a glove, turf shoes and bat. Visit mercyhealthsportscore.com/isc to confirm hours and no-session dates.

The Indoor Golf Practice Center at Rockford Park District’s Mercyhealth Sportscore Two is open November to April with a driving range, putting green where golfers can work on their short game during the off-season. Visit www. mercyhealthsportscore.com/indoorgolf for days and operating hours.

Rockford Chamber members appear bolded.

Thank you for your support of your fellow Chamber members.

The Illinois SBDC at Rockford Chamber (Rockford SBDC) has new locations to assist minority small business owners in Arabic, Spanish and English. Visit the Rockford Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce office on Tuesdays, noon to 4 p.m., 4249 E. State St., Ste. 209. Visit the Muslim Association of Greater Rockford on Fridays, noon to 3 p.m., at 5921 Darlene Dr., and Rockford Police Station District 3 on Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 557 S. Newtowne Dr.

redesign the company’s corporate website (www.rrvp.org). The new site features a modern look with easy access to information about the company’s services as well as other educational information and resources.

Rockford Public Library, Studio GWA, Engberg Anderson Architects and Scandroli Construction hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on Oct 20 at 215 N. Wyman St., for construction of Rockford’s new public library.

WilliamsMcCarthy LLC received recognition in its 2022 edition of “Best Law Firms.” It has ranked for the eighth straight year among the “Best Law Firms” from U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers©.

OrthoIllinois presented its JOYNT program, a 12-week weight loss program for patients with osteoarthritis in their hip or knee ineligible for surgical treatment, at the Becker’s ASC Review’s Annual Meeting in October at Hyatt Regency in Chicago. In 2019, OrthoIllinois partnered with the YMCA of Rock River Valley and Judson University to launch the JOYNT program. Thirty six percent of program participants have been able to receive their surgery.

With the reopening of the Rockford IceHogs 2021-2022 season, BMO Harris Bank Center, a ASM Globalmanaged facility, has implemented its VenueShield program, an advanced environmental hygiene and operational protocol. Visit www. thebmoharrisbankcenter.com/safety.

Deuchler Engineering, Aurora, Ill., joined the Fehr Graham family; bringing electrical engineering and ecological services. John Frerich and Mark Halm, Deuchler owners and professional engineers, joined Fehr Graham, as the two firms share the same focus on providing value and innovative solutions.

The Rockford branch of the NAACP is looking for women to join its Women In the NAACP (WIN) committee, which seeks to enhance the leadership role of women, advocate for issues affecting women and children and for the positive development of children.

Chartwell Agency was named as Agency of Record by Diamond Assets, a national Apple technology buyback partner.

Rockford Mass Transit District now starts its first run of the day at 4:15 a.m., rather than 5:15 a.m., on core routes. All six night routes will run until 12:15 a.m., and the latenight shuttle will run until 12:45 a.m.

Rock River Valley Pantry hired V2 Marketing & Management to

YWCA Northwestern Illinois is accepting applications for Bright Future and La Voz Latina Scholarships through Jan. 14, 2022. Apply at www. ywcanwil.org/scholarships. Winners will be announced in March 2022.

Rockford Public Library received a $25,000 grant from Woodward Charitable Trust to support RPL’s Career Online High School with a goal to help adult learners complete their secondary education and earn a high school diploma.

The U.S. Department of Commerce in November awarded Serola Biomechanics, Inc., a manufacturer of orthopedic medical devices to improve the quality of life for those dealing with musculoskeletal pain, the 2020 President’s “E” Award for Exports.

Prairie State Legal Services was one of 30 nonprofit organizations to receive a $10,000 community grant from the Riot Games Social Impact Fund to support its programs and services. Riot invited players from around the world to become a ‘force for good’ and nominate a nonprofit and/or a cause that was important to them.

Wesley Willows received $15,000 from the Russell & Josephine Kott Memorial Charitable Trust to purchase the VSTAlert, a remote monitoring platform that uses artificial intelligence to identify and alert staff of bed and chair exits before they happen to eliminate falls with residents.

Savant Wealth Management announced plans to acquire Filbrandt Wealth Management, a Madison, Wis.-based RIA firm that works exclusively with university leaders and their families and about $1.8 billion in assets. It’s Savant’s largest acquisition to date and the third acquisition this year.

OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center achieved a ‘B’ grade in the new Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades by The Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog organization for patient safety.

Rockford Housing Authority announced its November issue of the RHA InFocus newsletter is now live at www.rockfordha.org/ newsletters.

Rockford Rescue Mission received more than $21,000 from General Mills Foundation to buy a tilt skillet, which can serve as a griddle, fry pan, oven, kettle or food warmer and provides a safer, more efficient and versatile way to cook and serve large quantities of hot food quickly.

Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden received a $6,600 grant from the Thermo Fisher Scientific Community Action Council towards the redevelopment of two parking lot medians, including the installation of an infiltration trench, along with bio-swales and check dams, to slow water flow and prevent future erosion across the median. Survey work and civil-site design will be conducted by Fehr Graham.

RAMP Center for Independent Living earned three-year CARF accreditation. It’s partnering with Tommy Corral Memorial Foundation - Each Breath of Faith to provide mental health training and awareness to the community as part of a grant from the Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board.

Rock River Valley Pantry hired V2 Marketing & Management to redesign its corporate website at www.rrvp.org.

Golden Apple Foundation announced 427 6th to 12th grade teachers in Winnebago and Boone counties were nominated for a 2022 Golden Apple award.

The Rockford Christian High School robotics teams hosted a meet for nine Rockford Area First Tech Challenge robotics teams participating in November at the RCS Performing Arts Center on the Bell School campus.

Are you a Member with News to Share?

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

Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding publication

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

community COMMUNITY EVENTS & WEBINARS

GUEST COLUMNIST

Rockford Chamber members appear bolded.

Thank you for your support of your fellow Chamber members.

DECEMBER 2021 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2 Rockford Christian Schools – International Middle School Band and Choir perform at CherryVale Mall.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3 The Sinnissippi Station Model Garden Railroad Exhibit will be open at Rockford Park District’s Nicholas Conservatory through Jan. 30, 2022. Advance ticket purchase is recommended at nicholasconservatory.com/tickets.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4 Rockford Symphony Orchestra and Rockford Dance Company will perform at 3 p.m., at the Coronado Performing Arts Center, 314 N. Main St., featuring principal dancers, Lucas Segovia and Cary Marie Gary.

Tickets at www.rockfordsymphony. com, 815-965-0049 or the RSO box office.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7 Lindsey Stirling Christmas Program, a futuristic violin-driven electronic music and live show featuring violinist Lindsey Stirling, take place 8 p.m., at Coronado Performing Arts Center, 314 N. Main St., Rockford. Stirling’s single “Carol of the Bells” remains the only instrumental song to reach the Top 10 at AC Radio. It was #1 on Holiday Radio in 2020. Tickets at Ticketmaster.com, the Coronado PAC box office or 815-968-5222.

Midway Village Museum presents The Pearl Harbor Attack: A Lasting Legacy, noon in the Lakeview Rooms. Speaker Bob Carlson will explore the attack, its aftermath in a broad sweep of WWII and its legacy 80 years later.

Advance registration at tinyurl. com/80LecturePearlHarbor.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10 Rockford Art Museum Women’s Art Board luncheon, 11 a.m., silent auction and social hour; luncheon at noon. Festive rendering of the history of Christmas at the White House. Tickets at rockfordartmuseum.org/event/ womensartboardluncheon.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11 Rockford City Market hosts a Holiday Vintage Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 116 N. Madison St. Three floors of vintage apparel and décor.

Visit www.rockfordcitymarket.com.

University of Illinois Extension master gardeners in Winnebago County host its annual Horticulture for the Holidays workshop, 9 a.m.

29

December 2021

to noon, at Lockwood Park in the Cookhouse, 5201 Safford Road, Rockford. Register at go.illinois. edu/jsw or 815-986-4357.

Rockford Park District’s Therapeutic Recreation team will host the 21st annual Jr. Chariots Holiday Tournament, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at UW Health Sports Factory, 305 S. Madison St., Rockford. Visit www.facebook.com/ rockfordjuniorchariots for details.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18 Rockford City Market hosts its final Holiday Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 116 N. Madison St. Holidaythemed market with two floors of local vendors and live music. Visit www.rockfordcitymarket.com.

WWE SuperShow Holiday Tour comes to Rockford for the first time, featuring WWE Raw and WWE Smackdown superstars, 7:30 p.m., at BMO Harris Bank Center, 300 Elm St., Rockford. Tickets at Ticketmaster.com, BMO Harris Bank Center box office or 815-968-5222.

Rockford Symphony Orchestra presents Holiday Pops, 7:30 p.m.; Maestro Steven Larsen’s final concert before retiring after 30 years. Tickets at the Coronado box office, RSO box office and www. rockfordsymphony.com.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 27 Keller Williams Realty Signature hosts a Diversity Meeting, The Importance of Seeing Color, noon to 1 p.m., at 4201 Galleria Dr., Loves Park. Call 815-315-1111.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30 The World-Famous Harlem Globetrotters brings its Spread Game Tour, 7 p.m., to the BMO Harris Bank Center, 300 Elm St., Rockford. Tickets at Ticketmaster. com, BMO Harris Bank Center box office or 815-968-5222.

JANUARY 2022 MONDAY, JANUARY 24 Keller Williams Realty Signature hosts a Diversity Meeting, The History of Race and Systemic Inequality, noon to 1 p.m., at 4201 Galleria Dr., Loves Park. Call 815-315-1111.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26 Coronado Performing Arts Center presents Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS, 7:30 p.m., at 314 N. Main St., Rockford. Tickets at coronadopac. org/Broadway.

PAUL R. CICERO Greater Rockford Airport Authority Board of Commissioners

A thoughtful, committed path for our future

The Chicago Rockford International Airport itself is a jewel – world class runways, extraordinarily competent administration and staff, and our own airspace. Financially, it has run lean at about $10 million per year in total expense on only $3 million of tax revenue. The average homeowner pays about $25 per year in property tax for the Airport.

The Chicago-Rockford International Airport (RFD) is owned and operated by an Independent Governmental Entity known as the Greater Rockford Airport Authority. The Authority has seven Commissioners. I have been honored to be Chairman for the past seven years and speak for the Board.

The overarching goal of this current Board is to create jobs and economic benefit for our entire Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin region, so as to maximize the utilization and benefit of this billion-dollar asset.

For at least 40 years, previous Boards have sought to increase RFD’s economic footprint for the benefit of the entire region. In the 1990s, UPS came to RFD and has consistently expanded operations here, providing millions in investment, taxes and thousands of jobs.

In 2014 and after, RFD aggressively pursued an Aircraft Maintenance and Repair facility and world class AAR Corporation came to Rockford. AAR now employs hundreds of high-tech aircraft maintenance workers.

The Rock Valley College Board had the vision to massively expand RVC’s aviation department at RFD. Rock Valley now graduates 125 Aircraft & Powerplant students, up from 25 per year.

In 2018, Amazon was courted and came to RFD bringing over 1,000 more jobs and millions in investment. Since 2010, private industry employment on the Airport campus has ballooned to over 8,000 jobs, including training and jobs for many in need of further help in employability.

The 40-year plan by the Airport envisioned development use of the North side runway real estate first. It is now full.

The remaining acreage for development is the “Midfield,” located on the South side of the runway.

The Midfield acreage has several physical and regulatory constraints, and the long-term layout was settled long ago after public hearings and required approvals. The Airport has carefully

followed all relevant legal and regulatory requirements in the configuration of this Midfield space. Millions in investment in the Midfield have already been made based upon the development plan. The current $50 million dollar project is already 65% or more complete.

The Airport runway layout was configured and cemented in 40 years ago and hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent in utilization and building based upon the plans. The runways can’t be moved and, let me repeat, the North side of the airport is fully utilized.

Some might suggest that the Airport has done enough. Some might suggest that Rockford has recovered from our rust belt status and 25% unemployment in the 80s. Some might wish to mimic the 70-year-old short sighted political decisions to reject the NIU Main Campus or routing the Tollway away from downtown.

Global forces demolished our industrial dominance in screws, fasteners, machine tools, and Defense Department contracts.

Major corporations moved from our area or downsized. Our citizens want to move beyond being known as #1 in negative lists in national publications. Multiple local economic advocacy groups and organizations, many volunteer groups and others have spent literally thousands of man hours and millions over the last 40 years to try to ignite our local economy. Some have met with success, some have undoubtedly contributed to the success of the Airport, and some have yet to realize their goals.

Some might vote to ignore the present, looming opportunity presented to our region on a platter, and all the economic benefits that come with it, to seize the International Cargo business that expansion in the Midfield at RFD will provide. If we don’t take this opportunity, Cargo Operators will go to places that can accommodate their need, and our opportunity will be gone.

Not one of the seven GRAA Commissioners has chosen to abandon the current project or the substantial additional projects that are in sight. We cannot give up control of the Midfield acreage.

What is the value of one human life saved from unemployment, poverty, drugs and imprisonment? Are solid employment opportunities the solution to these maladies? Most experts and all (continued on page 30)

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THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

December 2021

AIRPORT

The acreage of the Airport was

Continued from page 29

conventional

wisdom

suggest

that

Many of the current critics of the

deeded in 1946 to the Authority for

Midfield

aeronautical purposes. It is not a park or

committed people.

a nature preserve.

project

are

thoughtful,

The Airport Board is also comprised

meaningful employment can help to

The presence and proliferation of

of thoughtful, committed, diverse and

ameliorate these seemingly intractable

deer, geese, coyotes or other fauna on

local people, designated and legally

human problems.

airport grounds are extremely dangerous

authorized to decide these Airport issues.

Could thousands more jobs generated

to airport operations.

There is apparently some difference

by our long-term expansion save a life,

Hinchliffe Forest Preserve adjoins

of opinion regarding the highest and best

perhaps a dozen lives? Maybe hundreds?

RFD to the west across the Kishwaukee

use of your tax dollars and the best way

What to do about these kinds of

River. Atwood Park is a mile to the East.

to leverage our Airport assets to provide

problems are political and moral choices.

Winnebago County is home to over

the greatest benefit to the most people.

Humanists prioritize people. Decades of

18,000 acres of park and preserved

Laws and regulations are used by

previous Board’s decisions underlay our

property. These are appropriate targets

civilized people to arbit and solve

current course.

for protection and preservation.

thorny disagreements between people

NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS CHILDREN’S SAFE HARBOR Supervised visitation and safe child exchange facility 1416 20th St., 61104 Susan Collins 815-316-7772 www.childrenssafeharbor.net

15TH & CHRIS Burger restaurant, ice cream parlor, carry out 201 15th Ave., 61104 James Purifoy 779-423-8797 www.15thandchris.com

K.I.N.D. STAFFING GROUP Nursing agency - Keeping. Inspired.

Nurses. Dedicated.

1437 S. Bell School Road, Ste. 8, 61108 779-256-2154 hwww.kindstaffinggroup.com

SPIDER SUSHI AT HARRISON, LLC Full service restaurant 5590 Einor Ave., 61108 Tina Salazar 815-229-2394 www.thespidersushibar.com/

SEKOYA LLC DBA THE UPS STORE 1898 Shipping and packing store 6260 E. Riverside Blvd., 61111 Lindsay Schultz 815-282-8300 ocations.theupsstore.com/il/ loves-park/6260-e-riversideblvd?utm_source=Yext&utm_ medium=organic&utm_ campaign=Listings

ROOTED Retail shop featuring artisan made goods and gifts, home decor, and vintage furniture 1408 N. Main St., 61103 Elizabeth Schaer 815-494-3649 www.rootedrkfd.com

WALDOM ELECTRONICS Distributor of electronic and electrical components 1801 Morgan St., 61102 Vicki McAlister 815-490-4246 www.waldom.com

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

45-YEAR MEMBER

15-YEAR MEMBERS

40-YEAR MEMBER

City of Rockford - Human Services Department

University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford Winnebago County Health Department

30-YEAR MEMBER City of Loves Park

20-YEAR MEMBERS

Golden Apple Foundation theFranaGroup

Hughes Media Corp.

Winnebago County - River Bluff Nursing Home

10-YEAR MEMBERS

A.W. Anderson Agency, Inc. Absolute Fire Protection, Inc. Ad Vice Marketing AED Essentials, Inc. Aetna Plywood, Inc. Alpine Kiwanis Club Anderson Japanese Gardens Atlas Components Ballard Properties BelRock Asphalt Paving Inc. Belter Machinery Co., Inc. Bobcat of Rockford Briargate Management, LLC Campbell Science Corporation Casey’s General Store Center for Sight & Hearing Chastain & Associates LLC CherryVale Mall Christenson Funeral Home & Cremation City of Loves Park Cloisters of Forest Hills

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

New Zion Missionary Baptist Church Northern Illinois Regional Affordable Community Housing (NIReACH) Panino’s Restaurant - State Panino’s Restaurant - Main Parkside Warehouse, Inc. Peterson Meadows Pines Edge Apartments LLC Piping Industry Council of the Rockford Area Powmet, Inc. Progressive Steel Treating Ray King REALTOR Remedies Renewing Lives Richards Building Supply Ringland-Johnson, Inc. Rockford Fastener Inc. Rockford Rotary Club Saint Anthony College of Nursing Satori Pathway Network

Crusader Community Health Auburn

Satori Pathway Network Anam Memory Care

Crusader Community Health Belvidere

SecondFirst Church

Crusader Community Health Broadway

Siepert & Co., LLP - Roscoe Siepert & Co., LLP -Sycamore

Crusader Community Health Loves Park Crusader Community Health West State CYRS Wealth Advisors LLC D & S Marine Inc. Forest Plaza Four Rivers Sanitation Authority GiGi’s Playhouse Rockford Heritage Credit Union - State Heritage Credit Union - Perryville Holiday Inn of Rockford HomeStart

Michalsen Office Furniture Inc.

Independence Village at Rockford

Nova Painting & Decorating

Michalsen Office Furniture Inc.

VetsRoll.org

Paul R. Cicero is chairman of the Greater Rockford Airport Authority Board of Commissioners.

Thank you to members who renewed with the Rockford Chamber of Commerce in October 2021

Illinois Department of Employment Security

5-YEAR MEMBER

This article was originally published in the Rockford Register Star on November 14, 2021.

MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS

Cloisters of Forest Hills Napleton Honda

of good faith on all sides of an issue.

The Airport has carefully followed the correct legal path in these regards and a difference of opinion about our stewardship is the right of every American.

Inveniam Automation MX3 Business Solutions Napleton Honda

Siepert & Co., LLP - Beloit Special Power, Inc. Stateline Youth for Christ Tebala Event Center Thayer Energy Solutions The Alliance The Brian Boyer Group State Farm Title Underwriters Agency Tovar Snow Professionals Trekk, Inc. Triangle Metals USA Tricoci University of Beauty Culture, LLC Upper Iowa University Rockford Center Winnebago County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Woodman’s Food Market, Inc. #30

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

CHaMBER

ADVERTISERS INDEX

CHAMBER EVENTS & WEBINARS Rockford Chamber members appear bolded.

Thank you for your support of your fellow Chamber members.

DECEMBER, 2021 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1 A Simple Way to Dramatically Improve Your Profitability, 8 to 9:30 a.m., at Prairie Street Brewing Co., 200 Prairie St., Ste. 203, Rockford. This session will help you understand the limitations of your current quoting system and the impact of incorporating all three drivers of profitability into your operation. Sponsored by CliftonLarsonAllen LLP.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2 Ambassador Holiday Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tavern on Clark, 755 Clark Dr., Rockford.

Please wear your red; we are going to take our yearly Ambassador photo.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2 Meagan Semmelroth-State Farm Insurance - Semmelroth Insurance Agency, 2 to 3 p.m., 6551 E. Riverside Blvd., Ste. 114, Rockford.

31

December 2021

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8 Government Affairs Council, 7:30 to 9 a.m., Stockholm Inn, 2420 Charles St., Rockford. Features Chief Carla Redd, Rockford Police Department. Sponsored by AT&T.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9 Celebration of Manufacturing Expo & Dinner, 4 to 8 p.m., Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront & Rockford Conference Center, 416 S. Main St., Rockford.

Sponsored by Illinois Bank & Trust (presenting), Comcast Business and RSM US LLP (gold) and Thayer Energy Solutions (silver).

Bisconti Computers Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Mercyhealth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

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

Natural Land Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

The Broken Wings Club. . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Northern Public Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

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

OSF HealthCare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Community Foundation of Northern Illinois . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity Inc. . . . . . . . . . . .16

Entré Computer Solutions . . . . . . . . . .20

Rockford Chamber of Commerce

Fairhaven Christian Retirement Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23, 25, 31

Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Illinois Bank & Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 The Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) . . . . . . . . . 8

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

Severson Dells Nature Center . . . . . . . 14 Stillman Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Thayer Energy Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 United Way of Rock River Valley . . . . .13

MercyCare Health Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

VOICE

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16

Rosecrance Health Network . . . . . . . . .15

the

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

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

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

Treasurer Amy Ott Boylan Catholic High School

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

Michael F. Iasparro Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP Carly LaMonica LaMonica Beverages, Inc. Kris L. Kieper Machajewski YWCA Northwestern Illinois Joel A. Prah Mercyhealth Denise Sasse RSM US LLP John Schuster Rosecrance Health Network Teresa Sharp American Precision Supply, Inc.

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

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

JANUARY VOICE SPECIAL SECTIONS

Marketing / Communication Cyberspace For information on advertising, call 815

987-8100