October Voice 2019 by Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce

the October 2019 | Volume 32 | No. 10

PRESERVED FOR NEXT GENERATIONS

IMEC PROMOTES U.S.

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of the rockford business community

COVERING A GAMUT OF TOPICS AT THE

EDUCATION OUTLOOK Luncheon

“We want the audience to know there are opportunities not only to help their business, but also help our school district.” SUPERINTENDENT EHREN JARRETT

Rockford Public Schools Superintendent Ehren Jarrett covered a wide range of topics during his recent state of the school address hosted by the Rockford Chamber of Commerce. The annual event, held on Sept. 12 at Giovanni’s, highlighted some of the recent district activities including individual school score cards, the multiclassroom leader program, the STEAM Academy at Haskell, college and career readiness and educational pathways. “This remains an important topic for our members,” said Einar Forsman, chamber president and CEO. “Educational performance, workforce development, skills building, graduation rates are all things that employers are focused on right now.” There were 285 business and community leaders in the audience ranging from health care officials to nonprofit agencies. “We want the audience to know there are opportunities not only to help their business, but also help our school district. For example,

look at the pathways sponsorship and possibility of a pathways scholarship as two ways businesses can get involved,” said Jarrett. “Business professionals can volunteer in our schools, which also helps our high school students gain valuable knowledge and experience. That partnership can create deep, lasting relationships that can ultimately become the future workforce. We see it as a win-win, and we think it’s going to be a competitive advantage for our community.” It all starts with a School Scorecard to address the areas where the most work needs to be done. The scorecard focuses on goals for all public schools. “This is about each school knowing where they are in their own individual journey so they can focus on getting better,” said Jarrett. “Accountability really starts with that scorecard. I don’t know if you can improve if you don’t know where you are as a school.” “I appreciated the planned implementation of scorecards at each Continued on page 3

IWAT event oﬀers insight on the local impact of global trade issues More events will explore economic, cultural topics By Catherine Forslund, P.D., and Don Manzullo, IWAT

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Rockford residents are hungry for insights into global issues and their impact on the stateline. That was made clear by the overwhelming turnout at “Troubled Waters in International Trade: Impact on Northern Illinois Community,” a community discussion that took place on Sept. 10 at the Nordlof Center in Rockford. The free event was hosted by the Institute of World Affairs and Trade at Rockford University (IWAT), a nonpartisan, public policy organization dedicated to thought-provoking and useful exploration of global issues and their impact on local, regional, national and international communities. The discussion featured Mark Tokola, former U.S. senior foreign service officer, minister counselor of political affairs to the U.S. Embassy in the U.K. and current vice president of the Korea Economic Institute of America, and Roxana Idu, Ph.D., associate professor of economics, Puri School of Business, Rockford University.

They shared their insights on how the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union (Brexit) and trade disputes between the United States and China and between Korea and Japan, could significantly impact local businesses, manufacturing, agriculture and investors and even ordinary consumers. For this event, the institute partnered with the Rockford Chamber of Commerce, Rockford Area Economic Development Council, Chartwell Agency, Clinkenbeard, The Morrissey Family Businesses, Ogle County Farm Bureau, Stephenson County Farm Bureau, Stillman Bank, SupplyCore, Voss Metals and Winnebago-Boone County Farm Bureau. The strong attendance demonstrates the importance of these types of conversations in the Rockford region and the need for such insights to help residents, businesspeople, farmers, investors and others understand the local impact of global affairs. Continued on page 8

RFD NAMED FASTEST-GROWING CARGO AIRPORT IN THE WORLD Airports Council International (ACI) named Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) as the fastest-growing airport in the world in 2018 for airports that handled more than 250,000 metric tons of air cargo. ACI’s 646 members operate 1,960 airports in 176 countries. ACI noted in its recent ACI World Airport Traffic Report that RFD has positioned itself as an e-commerce freight hub for online retail giant Amazon, and that the airport’s traffic grew 56.6 percent in 2018. In 2018, more than 2.1 billion pounds of cargo moved through the airport, surpassing the recordbreaking 50 percent increase recorded in 2017 of nearly 1.4 billion pounds. In July, RFD ranked the 19th largest cargo airport in the nation. It noted that RFD was the only Illinois-based airport that grew its cargo operations. Nearby Chicago O’Hare Airport saw a decrease of cargo activity by more than 35 percent. RFD is home to the second largest UPS hub in North America, which continues to increase its daily cargo flights. It also serves ABX Air, ATI and Atlas Air. The airport expects to see 1,000 jobs added throughout 2020.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

The Heartbeat of Healthcare THURSDAY, OCT. 17 RADISSON For more information, see page 31 SPONSORED BY

TAX AMNESTY PROGRAM CREATED TO RECOVER OUTSTANDING TAXES The Illinois Department of Revenue announced a tax amnesty program for delinquent taxpayers. Beginning Oct. 1, individuals with unpaid tax liabilities from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2018 may be eligible for a one-time amnesty from penalties if they make full payments on their outstanding tax debt by Nov. 15, 2019.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

Casino proposals update

Briefs on the three proposals presented at the public hearing (1) that the Applicant has negotiated with the City in good faith; (2) that the Applicant and the City have mutually agreed on the permanent location of the casino;

For more information go to https://rockfordil.gov/casino/

On Monday, September 23, 2019 the City of Rockford hosted a public hearing for the organizations that responded to the City Request for Proposals (RFP) for the proposed casino development for the City of Rockford. The City received three applications for their consideration and review in accordance with the RFP requirements. This is the first opportunity to afford the public to present written and/or oral comments and questions relevant to the applications and proposed casino.

Applications have been submitted for the following locations: ■ 7801 E. State St., Rockford, IL PIN# 12-23-476-005 (AKA: Hard Rock Casino) ■ 650 Race St. Rockford, IL PIN# 1127-230-019 (AKA: Gorman Casino) ■ 8055 Springbrook Rd., Rockford, IL PIN# 12-11-226-001; 12-12-101-003 (AKA: Forest City) The items to be certified by the City are:

(3) that the Applicant and the City have mutually agreed on the temporary location of the casino; (4) that the Applicant and the City have mutually agreed on the percentage of revenues that will be shared with the City; (5) that the Applicant and the City have mutually agreed on any zoning, licensing, public health, or other issues that are within the jurisdiction of the municipality or county; and (6) that the City Council has passed a resolution or ordinance in support of the casino. Each Applicant made a formal presentation of its respective casino proposal. Each Applicant was allotted up to 45 minutes to make its presentation. Immediately following

conclusion of all presentations, representatives of the Applicants as well as the City and its consultants responded to questions from the public. Following is a quick summary of the proposal. For more information go to https://rockfordil.gov/casino/

Forest City Proposal The 136-acre entertainment complex off Lyford Road in northeast Rockford would have two hotels — a free-standing, 250-room Wyndham hotel and a second hotel attached to the 60,000-square-foot casino. Other features include a Luxe Golf Bays golf entertainment complex, a water park, senior housing and an indoor/outdoor entertainment district featuring shufﬂeboard, pickleball, table games, dining, music, an e-sports facility and amphitheater. The Forest City team promised to actively recruit employees from the city’s west side and provide them shuttle service to and from work. Continued on page 8

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

EDUCATION OUTLOOK

Continued from front page

school,” said Forsman. “Hopefully that is something that can help all boats rise.” Jarrett also bragged on the newest addition to the Rockford Public Schools family. Constance Lane Elementary School is a new elementary school in the city’s ORCHiD neighborhood, named after Constance Lane, the district’s first black teacher who served as an educator and administrator for 30 years. She died in 2000. The school is home to students who live in Kishwaukee, Nelson and part of the Beyer elementary school zones. Kishwaukee and Nelson closed last year. Constance Lane is an 86,000 sq.-ft. K-5 school and cost $17.7 million to construct.

“Constance Lane was a really powerful project that’s a combined public/private partnership. We received $1.2 million from the city and county that helped us demolish 49 homes,” Jarrett said. “What’s powerful is not only do we have a 21st century learning environment, but we also did it in a 14-acre campus that was available to use because we improved the neighborhood. That neighborhood and school is now transformed. Those are the kind of win-win partnerships we’re looking for.”

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.

Financial Situation Jarrett also gave the audience an update on the district’s financial situation. District leaders expect nearly $155 million in state funding for fiscal year 2020, more than a 20 percent increase in funding from two years ago. In addition, Jarrett anticipates the district’s property tax rate to fall below 47 per $100 in taxable value next year. He credited the school board for keeping the district’s tax levy ﬂat over the past seven years. The district’s tax rate has gone from $7.93 per $100 in taxable home value in 2015 to an estimated $6.88 for 2019. “The administration and the board have been very focused on educational performance, but not at the expense of taxpayers,” said Forsman. “Their eightyear history of ﬂat levy and now the projected dropping of the tax rate to its lowest in years is commendable.” Another partnership opportunity for chamber business members is becoming a pathway sponsor, that, according to Jarrett, helps academies meet industry needs and developing meaningful

relationships with students. There are currently 14 pathway sponsors. Jarrett also touched on the “elephant in the room,” the ransomware attack that has left the district without internet, email, phones and computer access for most of September. “We focus on making sure the students, employees and community are taken care of. We roll up our sleeves and get to work,” said Jarrett. “We worry about payroll so no one misses a paycheck, making sure our vendors get paid. We make sure students are safe, they are getting on buses and have what they need instructionally; and make sure the community knows we are a competent, professional organization. We are prepared to handle this crisis situation, and we’ll take care of it as quickly as possible.” The luncheon was sponsored by BMO Harris Bank. Gold sponsors were Rockford University, Comcast Business, Hinshaw and SwedishAmerican, A Division of UW Health. v

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

 Destination

ILLINOIS, USA

ADDING WEALTH TO THE REGION’S ECONOMY BY GROWING TOURISM

JOHN GROH Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

Olympic Table Tennis Trials head fall events lineup

As the busy summer season has faded, and we embrace the sights and sounds of fall, we wanted to share some information that highlights the bureau’s role as the lead agency for sports tourism in the region and the tremendous impact these events have on the local economy. Sports tourism is a huge part of the bureau’s mission, and we are serious about our role in creating destination defining events, strategically pursuing opportunities and securing contracts and helping manage and service them in progress. In that vein, we’re thrilled about the upcoming North American Olympic Table Tennis Trials at the BMO Harris Bank Center on Oct. 5. The RACVB has been closely involved every step of the way in bringing an Olympic trials event to Rockford for the first time. We invite the public to experience free events leading up to the grand finale event at the BMO Harris Center and, of course, to watch the finals. More information can be found at rockfordolympictrials.com, including prices for the trials, with all-day passes starting at just $15. Our goal is to provide a positive customer experience at each event. Winning strategies in sports tourism are built on how we play the game, and that means creating great experiences for players and their families, for coaches and for spectators, whether they hail from near or far. We want them to return, and so, we listen to feedback. For the fourth straight year, Tough Mudder was held in August at the Chicago Rockford International Airport. The competition drew some 10,000 participants and pumped an estimated $1.3 million into local businesses. Event Director Evert Sers weighed in after this year’s Tough Mudder. “It’s been an amazingly successful event for us,” he said of the Rockford competition. “The RACVB is fantastic every year. We have a tight relationship with them during the planning stage and, even, on the weekend. They are heavily involved and always willing to lend a helping hand.” RACVB works alongside local organizations such as the Rockford Area Venues & Entertainment Authority, local hotels, the Rockford Park District and many others to build relationships and expand the diversity of events held locally. Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara applauded the synergy of teamwork and great facilities to achieve economic success. “Adult and youth sports continue to drive our regional tourism economy, and we’ve made important infrastructure investments in recent years to support

that. The RACVB continues to lead our efforts in this critical area, with their team developing regional, national and international relationships that keep our city top of mind for planners and decision makers in a variety of sports.” As noted above, we accomplish our mission when we partner with others. This summer, we worked with our counterparts north of the state line, Visit Beloit, in securing and hosting the National Softball Association’s Girls Fastpitch North-Central B & C World Series. In total, 5,000 players, coaches and fans from throughout the nation converged on the region, spending more than $1 million while in town. The tournament took place at four facilities: Mercyhealth Sportscore One (Rockford), Harlem Community Center (Machesney Park), Davis Junction Community Park Softball Fields and the Youth Sports Complex – Stateline Family YMCA (Beloit).

Winning Formula Receiving feedback from our peers on our marketing is always gratifying. The National Association of Sports Commissions has twice named RACVB the nation’s Sports Tourism Organization of the Year (2016 and 2018) and just this year, we received the award for Destination Branding & Marketing Campaign of the Year in our division (regions under 500,000 in population). In recognizing the bureau, the commission cited success in retaining legacy events such as the USA BMX Midwest Nationals, winning six bids with the National Junior College Athletic Association and creating community events with our sports tourism ambassador, Fred VanVleet, such as the FVV FanFest and the watch parties around the NBA finals and FVV homecoming celebration. Success for our region is a team effort, and we could not be successful without our thriving business community. You support our efforts at hotels and restaurants, at retail establishments and at local attractions that benefit from sports tourism by entertaining and providing service to visitors when they’re not playing their games. It all goes together to create great memories that build a positive brand for the Rockford region and keep people coming back here again and again. John Groh is president/CEO of Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. The views expressed are Groh’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

proﬁle

MEMBER PROFILE

Smeja Homestead Foundation, Inc.

PRESERVING HISTORY:

‘Country gentleman’s farm’ restored By Paul Anthony Arco One of Rockford’s best kept secrets is the Indian Hill Manor and Farm, an impressive mansion, farm, woods and gardens located southwest of the Chicago Rockford International Airport. “It was hidden for a long time and the building was in disrepair,” said interim executive director Jerry Paulson. “A lot of time and money has gone into restoring the property.” Today, the 300-acre Indian Hill Manor & Farm Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The property includes a manor house, coach house, dairy farm and 50-acre Indian Hill Forest Preserve, which is operated by the Winnebago County Forest Preserve. The manor once belonged to Chicago paint manufacturer Charles Barrett and his wife, Esta Reed Barrett, a singer who appeared on Broadway. In 1915, the couple bought the property and hired Rockford architect Charles W. Bradley to build the manor house and coach house. The manor has seven bedrooms, seven bathrooms and seven fireplaces. Indian Hill Manor and Farm is a “country gentleman’s farm,” a rural retreat from the city that was popular among

wealthy families during the early 1900s. “These farms were for wealthy people from Chicago who’d come out to put down stakes,” said Paulson. After her husband died, Esta Reed Barrett operated the farm and estate. After she died in 1947, Harry Reed, Esta’s son from her first marriage, took over the manor and farm. Harry’s son, Chuck, inherited the estate after Harry died in 1969. Chuck sold the manor, coach house and 60 acres to William (Bill) and Lucile Smeja in 1971. In 2001, the five living children of the late Bill and Lucile Smeja formed the Smeja Homestead Foundation. The foundation’s first job was to restore the manor and coach house to their original condition, and to develop programs for use of the property. Today, two of the children are still involved, Robert Smeja and sister, Bonnie, who is president and lives in Evanston. “It was the vision of the family to have a way to preserve this historic property,” said Paulson. “We also work with local community groups to help preserve that rural character of the area around the old village of Kishwaukee.” The manor’s gardens were designed by famous landscape architect O.C. Simonds, a founder of the American Society of Landscape Architects. Simonds designed

many Chicago golf courses and was superintendent of Chicago’s Graceland Cemetery. Simonds was part of the new wave of architects that was using native plants and natural landscape, said Paulson. “Not only is the manor a beautiful place overlooking the bluffs along the Kishwaukee River,” said Paulson, “this property represents an era of history that greatly impacted our country.” In 2010, the foundation purchased the farm portion of the estate and began to restore the barns and other buildings with the help of Future Farmers of America members and students from Stillman Valley High School. Twice a year, they do weeklong projects, helping to restore grounds and farm buildings. The foundation has spent more than $100,000 to restore the farm. This summer, the foundation hired an architectural student to do an inventory of local barns. “There are about 30 barns out there and many are in disrepair,” said Paulson. “It’s sad to

The restored Indian Hill Manor & Farm Historic District includes a manor house, coach house, dairy farm and 50-acre Indian Hill Forest Preserve. see these 100-year-old buildings falling apart. We hope to encourage more people to preserve their barns.” The foundation is busy doing lectures, tours and other events to bring awareness to the property. Tours for groups of 8-16 are available. “This is not a museum, it’s an educational center,” said Paulson. “We’re promoting historic preservation, architecture, land conservation, agriculture and the history of the Kishwaukee area.”

SMEJA HOMESTEAD FOUNDATION

Interim Executive Director: Jerry Paulson 6901 Kishwaukee Rd. Indianhillmanor.net 815-964-6464

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

IGNITE: YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

Get your exercise in Rockford LINDSEY GAPEN LUKAS IGNITE ROCKFORD

Soccer, baseball, volleyball, basketball … and now dance

If you’re working a typical “9 to 5” job, you’re probably sacrificing sleep in the morning or social time after work to get a quality workout in. Or, you’re forgoing exercise entirely because work and life make your schedule perpetually busy. (Don’t feel guilty — you’re not alone). Finding the time can be difficult with so many other priorities. If you’re the type of person who hits the gym every day — great! Teach me your ways. But if you’re more on the “I don’t have time for this” train, I totally relate. There’s a million other articles about the importance of exercise, work/life balance and making time for yourself. But what are some Rockford-specific ways to do this?

Exercise + Social

dodgeball and basketball teams — there are even more options.

New All-Adult Dance Company The one thing lacking that I really wished for, however, was an adult dance company. Dance was always my main passion growing up, and taking a beginner Adult Ballet class just doesn’t cut it when you have 18 years of dance experience. I’m so excited that Rockford will now have this available for young professionals. Dance LIFE, an 18+ company, begins its inaugural season this fall housed within Rockford Dance Company. Dance LIFE offers adults the opportunity to perform high-caliber choreography on stage, the opportunity to enter into a community of fellow dancers, and, for non-dancers, the opportunity to see talented members of our community perform. It’s a win for me personally, and I expect it to also be a win for Rockford. Auditions have already been held, but interested dancers can email mary@ rockforddancecompany.com to inquire about a private audition. No matter what your interests, you can exercise in a fun, social way. Visit mercyhealthsportscore.com, uwhealth sportsfactory.com and rockforddance company.com to learn more about teams, classes and schedules for various sports and athletic activities in Rockford.

I’ve found that a great way to start prioritizing exercise is to join a sports team or athletic activity in our community, and Rockford has so many options. When your name is on a roster, there’s a stronger sense of commitment. When I moved to Rockford four years ago, I was impressed with how much there was for young professionals to do in terms of exercise. I discovered adult soccer teams at Mercyhealth Sportscore, where I was able to meet new people while casually sprinting across a field. There were also softball and baseball teams, which I joined despite a lack of experience. I found that by signing up for sports, I was able to double down on exercising and socializing. I made new friends within months of moving to a new city. And now Lindsey Gapen Lukas is managing editor of with the UW Health Sports Factory — Northwest Quarterly Magazine and a member of where you can join volleyball, pickleball, IGNITE. ROCKFORD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND ROCKFORD AREA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

Next Steps in Unification Process The board of directors of the Rockford Area Economic Development Council (RAEDC) and the Rockford Chamber of Commerce (Rockford Chamber) passed a resolution to pursue and develop plans for a “Partnership Umbrella” model as the structure to unify the organizations. A joint task force made up of Rockford Chamber and RAEDC board members concluded a threemonth study to research and evaluate ten national models for unification. They chose and recommended the “Partnership Umbrella” model used in cities like Topeka, Kansas, as the best solution for Rockford. The task force set a goal for completion of the plan for the first quarter of 2020. “We believe this model will work very well for Rockford in allowing the organizations to retain their individual boards and mission while aligning their community agendas for the

betterment of our region,” said Task Force Chairman Jeff Hultman. “They will be unified, but not merged and the existing political action committee will be held outside of this structure.” Outlining the various, advantages of the umbrella partnership model include: ■ Speaking with a stronger, unified voice on behalf of the community. ■ Making it easy for business leaders and site selectors to know who to call for assistance. ■ Align goals for stronger benefits to business and the community. ■ Alignment of volunteer hours and activities. ■ Greater focus and impact on local, state and federal government affairs and advocacy. ■ Accountability and tracking of results.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

DR. EHREN JARRETT Superintendent RPS 205

October 2019

The real magic comes from working together Partnerships can help students – and the community –achieve their dreams

Constance Lane Elementary School, which opened this school year, pays tribute to an inspired educator and public servant. It also is a testament to the genius of “and.” With a public/private partnership, Rockford Public Schools transformed a three-acre site with a 19th century school building and 49 dilapidated homes into a 14-acre place of possibilities. At the school’s ribbon cutting, Principal Aimee Kasper said Lane’s life stands for students as an example of achieving dreams. I think the school stands for our community as an example of what happens when we stop asking, “who goes first?” and start harnessing the power of “and.” The genius of the “and” and the tyranny of the “or” is a concept from Jim Collins’ book “Built to Last.” Constance Lane is a $17.7-million project that happened because voters chose to invest their tax dollars in building referendums. They didn’t default to either/or thinking. The district then leveraged that taxpayer investment with $1.2 million in community funds to build a school where dreams can indeed happen. But that is not the only “and” story in RPS 205.

Incentive to Innovate Lane and all 42 of our schools are getting increased accountability, autonomy and aligned resources. One of our tools is the new School Scorecard, which rates schools as blue (highest performance), green (above average performance), yellow (below average performance) and red (lowest performance). We know all our schools won’t immediately be blue or green. Schools reﬂect our community and neighborhoods, and we know they are not all blue and green. However, by harnessing the power of “and,” we know we can get there. One key is providing schools with the autonomy and resources to do what works to raise student achievement. As part of that effort, we’ve offered $120,000 to schools to innovate. And we’re doing it in partnership with the Rockford Education Association. Already, we’re seeing a payoff. Teachers at the STEAM Academy at Haskell voted to lengthen their school day by 30 minutes to give students the help they need. Teachers knew that along with a new approach to learning — Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math — they needed additional latitude. It’s working: Last year, 99 percent

of second graders met or exceeded their growth targets. The whole school has seen two consecutive years of increased performance on state tests. We’re working on another partnership, too. By the 2021-22 school year, we want to start an International Baccalaureate school that offers the rigor of our successful gifted program with a program open to all families. We are looking at the northwest quadrant for that school, which would cover the primary grades. Stay tuned. Another way we’re helping students is our Multi Classroom Leader project. We’ve allocated additional money at three schools — the new Constance Lane, Washington and Riverdahl — so they can hire a student teacher at designated grade levels. That extra teacher offers ﬂexibility to analyze achievement data and group students, no matter which classroom they are in, for individual help. It’s a laboratory approach with great promise to benefit kids. It also addresses the teacher shortage by developing new talent and incentivizing people to work in our district. We are also focused externally to harness the power of “and.” In our high school academies under the Pathway Sponsorship program, local businesses and organizations can provide opportunities for students while developing talent for their future workforce. They can support Alignment Rockford at a level of $10,000, $5,000 or $2,500 and provide guaranteed experiences for students including site visits, job shadows or apprenticeships/ internships. These experiences are all too rare for many young people, and they can change the course of their lives. We are proud to say 13 businesses and organizations have already become partners. Among them are the Rockford Police Department and the Rockford Fire Department. Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara and I know the real magic in improvement work is doing it together. It’s easy to say “fix the neighborhood and then we’ll fix the schools” or “fix the schools, and then we’ll fix the neighborhood.” That kind of thinking can become a race to see who will go first. We’re finished with that race. Going forward, the district is standing with the community, working as a team. Dr. Ehren Jarrett is superintendent of Rockford Public Schools. The views expressed are those of Dr. Jarrett’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

GUEST COLUMNIST

Reel perspective

STEPHANIE MEIER Blackhawk Bank

Lessons learned while wading in a trout stream

Recently, my family enjoyed one of our favorite vacation spots — a trout stream. Although not for everyone, the appeal of this style of vacation is multifaceted. This particular stream is in a remote area, so there is no cell service or cable. There is plenty of nature, card games, swimming, fishing, good eating and great sleeping. It may come as a surprise to some, but I’ve been a ﬂy fisher for close to 30 years. Many years ago, I came to realize that my fullest enjoyment didn’t come from actually catching fish, but from the solitude and time for reﬂection. Over the years, this style of fishing has also afforded me lessons about life and business. Here are a few. …

The ﬁrst cast is usually the most important. A well-seasoned fisher knows that casting a ﬂy into an undisturbed pool is likely to cause one or more fish to rise. It can be advantageous to wade into waters where others have not. Lesson: The first impression can often expedite the best probability for success and there are opportunities waiting in untouched markets.

Fishing is not the same as catching. I’ve literally hit fish square on the nose with a lure only to have them turn away. Fish have bitten the float indicator and completely ignored the fly. Lesson: Your presentation can be flawless and still not produce the desired outcome. The “catch” must be in the right frame of mind to be part of the equation.

Fish can’t bite on a fly that isn’t in the water. Sure, sometimes luck is a real factor. The luck of being at the right place at the right time, for example. In fly fishing, however, it is only through sheer perseverance and determination that you learn how to cast the line, position the fly, hook, run and safely land the fish. Lesson: We can contribute to our own luck by putting ourselves in circumstances for the best opportunity.

The same lure that was successful today may not catch ﬁsh tomorrow. If one ﬂy pattern doesn’t work, be prepared to try something different. Be willing to move locations or alter your presentation, if need be. Lesson: Nothing is guaranteed. It’s

important to appreciate the value of change.

Know when your tension is too tight. High tension in your line can allow a fish to break off. Too much pressure on your mind can cause you to be distracted and make it harder to get the job done. Lesson: Utilize all of the instruments at your disposal, and take care of yourself.

Appreciate every catch. On the last day of my very first trout expedition, I finally caught a single, small, rather sad little fish. I was somewhat dispirited. My husband’s grandfather winked at me and reminded me that my small fish was better than the tree branch I had caught the day before. Lesson: Celebrate every success, big or small.

Come prepared, but don’t go in past your waders. It’s important to respect your limits — especially that of the water line. However, just because you have chest waders doesn’t mean you need to go stomping into the stream chest-deep; there may be fish at the near edge of the brook that you’ve overlooked. Lesson: It’s good to challenge ourselves while respecting our boundaries, and we won’t need to apply every tool in our arsenal to every situation.

Have your net and stringer ready. While being optimistic isn’t guaranteed to catch you the big one, there are scores of scientific evidence to support the concept that having a positive outlook contributes to good health and can even draw more positive experiences to you. Lesson: Allow optimism to fuel your passion. It’s okay to hope. In fact, it’s good for you. Henry David Thoreau is credited with writing one of my favorite quotes, “Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.” Find the activity or place that inspires your appreciation and offers you the opportunity to gain perspective. Then, pass it on. Stephanie Meier is VP marketing & communications at Blackhawk Bank. The views expressed are those of Meier’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

IWAT EVENT

Continued from front page

facilitators of dialog and conveners of great minds. Rockford University has a long tradition of not only producing

Facilitating Dialogue

thoughtful graduates positioned to lead

This was the second community conversation hosted by the newly formed IWAT, which previously presented “The Truth About Refugees: I Was a Stranger … Now I’m a Neighbor,” in partnership with Rockford Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement Program at Rockford University’s Fisher Chapel in May. That discussion focused on the experience in refugee camps, the process by which refugees get to Illinois, current programs available to help them get acclimated and settled in the community, and the psychological issues typically faced on the path to resettlement. Future programs might include topics like Artificial Intelligence (AI); the effects of the loss of pollinators (bees, butterﬂies, birds, etc.) on worldwide food supply; 3-D printing of human organs, including ethical, medical and industrial factors; U.S./China/Russia relations and global security; diminishing worldwide potable water supplies; impact of world population trends and domestic diminishing birth rates; preserving cultural heritage treasures, and global pollution’s economic and human impact. The benchmark of a successful democracy is an informed citizenry, and institutions of higher learning have the responsibility to serve as

world but also providing its public with a

their organizations, communities and forum to exchange ideas. We

encourage

the

business

community to identify additional topics critical to the stateline to ensure we’re having thoughtful conversations to continue to move our region forward. Ideas and feedback can be sent to us: Catherine Forslund at CForslund@ Rockford.edu or Don Manzullo at donmanzullo@yahoo.com. v Catherine Forslund, P.D., at Rockford University, is the Isabel Ross Abbott professor of history and women’s studies and chair of the department of history, politics and international studies. Forslund is co-founder and director of IWAT. Don Manzullo is a Rockford native and served as the CEO of the Korea Economic Institute of America, a public policy/think tank institute dealing with international trade, sociopolitical and economic issues with the U.S. and other countries. As a member of Congress (1993 to 2013), he served on international relations, financial services and small business committees. Manzullo is co-founder and senior advisor and associate director at IWAT.

CASINO

Continued from page 2

Hard Rock Proposal Hard Rock representatives said that if they get the license, they would open a temporary casino at Giovanni’s Restaurant and Convention Center just down the street from the main casino site at the old Clock Tower property. The temporary casino would operate for 18 to 24 months. Other features include a 1,600-seat Hard Rock Live entertainment venue, 64,000-squarefoot casino, three full-service restaurants and two fast-casual dining options, three standalone bar/lounges and a rock-and-roll themed retail shop. The Hard Rock team said it would give back to the community through its 815 Hard Rock Foundation, which would invest in local organizations.

Gorman Proposal The casino developed by Gorman would feature a rock-and-roll themed restaurant — Rock & Brews — with outdoor seating overlooking the Rock River. The proposed 13-acre site is next to the Hilton Embassy Suites and Rockford Conference Center that Gorman plans to open in April. Other features include a 60-room historic boutique hotel, an aquarium, bowling and indoor bocce.

Tax Revenue According to the casino bill, various taxes and fees generated from the casino will be split: ■ 70 percent to the City of Rockford ■ 20 percent to Winnebago County ■ 5 percent to the City of Loves Park and ■ 5 percent to the Village of Machesney Park.

Next Steps The next steps are as follows: (Note: some of these steps will have taken place prior to The Voice going to print) September 24: Special Zoning Board of Appeals September 30: Evaluation Team Submits Recommendations to City Council No sooner than 7 days after hearing: City Council certifies proposal(s) October 25-26 (No later than 120 days after Public Act 101-0031 enacted): Application(s) filed with Illinois Gaming Board. v

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

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manufacturing news IMEC: 228 years in the making DEAN HARMS IMEC

Advancing competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers

Known for fostering long-term economic and workforce competitiveness for manufacturers, IMEC is a statewide organization headquartered in Peoria with a regional office here in Rockford. IMEC is the Illinois branch of the MEP National Network, also known as the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a unique public-privately funded organization connected to the U.S. Department of Commerce through National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). IMEC is further affiliated with four Illinois universities and several economic development centers, and proud to partner with organizations like the Rockford Chamber of Commerce, the Rockford Area Economic Development Council, the Rockford Area Aerospace Network and The Workforce Connection. Additionally, IMEC supports the Excellence Recognition Program (ilpex. org) and the Made in Illinois Network (www.madeinil.org). IMEC exists to help manufacturing companies drive growth through enterprise excellence that leads to long-term competitiveness, economic and workforce development, and growth within Illinois. Consisting of a team of improvement specialists, they provide relevant tools and techniques that help organizations excel in six key areas: Leadership, Strategy, Customer Engagement, Operations, Workforce and Results. With 50 full-time staff and an extended, fully vetted network of third party resource providers, IMEC delivers the local expertise with statewide support to not only plan and strategize, but to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of client improvements. In short, they are here to help because results matter – locally, regionally and

“There is no purpose, to which public money can be more beneficially applied, than to the acquisition of a new and useful branch of industry; no consideration more valuable than a permanent addition to the general stock of productive labour.”

Alexander Hamilton, Report on Manufactures, Dec. 5, 1791

Helping organizations excel in six key areas: Leadership, Strategy, Customer Engagement, Operations, Workforce and Results. statewide. Navigating the ever-changing landscape is critical to sustaining a competitive business

Helping Hundreds of Companies And the results have been impressive. In 2018, IMEC assisted 763 Illinois companies, generating more than $620 million in economic impact that created more than 6,700 jobs. Client-reported impacts show nearly a 20:1 return on investment – for every $1 spent, working with IMEC can return $20 to your organization. So how is this 228 years in the making? Glad you asked… In 1791, the Secretary of the United States Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, submitted his Report on Manufactures: Communication to the House of Representatives. Hamilton’s report passionately and thoroughly laid out how the United States could gain specific economic advantages by encouraging the growth of manufacturing in the newly formed United States of America. Hamilton asserted that manufacturing would bring the added diversity of employment opportunities with increased productivity. Even then, our government saw the need and related value of supporting manufacturing and the overall impact on the economy with manufacturing as a component of economic strength.

IMEC’s economic impact in Illinois. All from a guy who continues to hang around on the front of a $10 bill. (For more information visit https://www.nist. gov/mep/alexander-hamilton-manufacturingvisionary.)

Substantial Return on Investment Fast forward 197 years. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act (Public Law 100-418). This law addressed the diminishing American trade surplus and increasing deficit driven by tariffs placed on American products by foreign countries, and the lack of similar tariffs on imports into the United States (to say that trade isn’t just a 21st century issue?). Workers,

unions and industry management all called for government action against countries with an unfair advantage. Additional legislation in the bill established the Regional Centers for the Transfer of Manufacturing Technology and the Assistance to State Technology Programs, the precursors to today’s MEP. Originating as Manufacturing Technology Centers (MTCs), the mission supported the transfer of manufacturing technology to improve the productivity and technological capabilities of America’s small manufacturers. By 1996, thanks to additional federal funding, a partnership with the Department of Defense, and a merger with the State Technology Extension Program (STEP), what started as the regional MTC program went national and was re-christened the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). Today the MEP has affiliates in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. It develops service offerings to assist and advance the competitiveness of small- to mediumsized U.S. manufacturers by addressing immediate operational needs, as well as emerging technologies. (For more information visit https://cqrcengage.com/ smallmanufacturers/MEP.) And the results have also been Continued on page 21 Manufacturing News brought to you by IMEC

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

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C O M M E R C E

Small Business Enterprise “We must take into consideration that all the careers, as we know them, are

America’s Skill Gap EDWARD CACERES Rockford SBDC

going to change in a radical

Employers seeking digital skills + soft skills

way due to automatization and artificial intelligence in the next 10 years.”

America’s economy has digitized over the past decade, and our educational institutions and workforce development boards have not come close to keeping up with all these changes. At the beginning of 2019, seven million jobs remained unfilled in the United States, and American employers consistently state that it is harder to find qualified workers. These gaps are made worse by a higher education system that is not preparing graduates for a digitized workforce. Let’s face it, most of these millions of unfilled jobs are the fault of employers, because there are candidates with potential but not experience who are being passed by because many employers are still using outdated hiring processes. I believe the two primary reasons why employers are leaving middle and highskill positions unfilled are: ■ First, employers are failing to find enough candidates with the required

digital skills. It’s not just that there are more digital devices, it’s also the way that businesses and organizations have transformed their internal systems, from informal and manual to formal softwarebased processes. ■ Another reason is that employers are dissatisfied with the “soft skills” presented by candidates, even those with digital skills. One reason for the lack of soft skills among Millennials (and now Generation Z) is that they have less exposure to paid work than prior generations. For example, when baby boomers were in high school, even if they weren’t working during the school years, they probably took summer jobs. Some worked in restaurants or painted houses. These work experiences are important to the development of the soft skills employers are seeking. So why does the skills gap persist? It’s because the skills gap is the product of two distinct points of view between employers and employees (candidates).

On the candidate side, there is what I call “Education Conﬂict,” which means that because of the time, the cost, and most importantly, the uncertainty of a positive employment outcome, many individuals fail to upskill themselves. If we could eliminate education conﬂicts, millions of candidates would immediately equip themselves with the digital skills, industry and business process knowledge, and soft skills that employers are seeking. On the employer side, there’s a growing hesitancy of employers to hire candidates who haven’t already proven they can do the job. This hiring problem helps to explain all the unfilled good jobs, and why employers are increasingly requiring years of relevant experience for positions that should be (and once were) entry level positions.

Rapid Changes in Job Descriptions To overcome the current skill gap challenge in America, we need to involve

public and private sectors to address the following problems: The kind of education that we provide must change to a more modern and current curricula that allow employees to find a good job after graduation. We must take into consideration that all the careers, as we know them, are going to change in a radical way due to automatization and artificial intelligence in the next 10 years. ■ Employers must be clear and realistic in the way they explain their expectations to potential employees (candidates). ■ Human resources practices must improve and modernize across industries to identify competencies gained through valid credential programs and relevant experience. Edward Caceres is a business consultant at the Rockford SBDC.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

R O C K F O R D

CENTER FOR

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Leadership Development

How to be a Great Boss Whitney Johnson | April 27, 2018 “Would I rather be feared or loved? Easy. Both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me.” — MICHAEL SCOTT, THE OFFICE

We are excited to welcome Whitney Johnson as our

Rockford Leadership Alliance Keynote speaker on October

However humorous and charming the Michael Scott’s of the world are, nobody actually wants the Michael Scott boss. As employees, we want to be respectfully

10 at Tebala Event Center. The

guided, trusted, and empowered to

workshop is open to all as a

expand our professional and personal

stand-alone event but is also included in the RLA curriculum. Below is an excerpt from an article written by Whitney – a taste of what’s to come, if you will. To read the entire piece, visit Whitney Johnson’s LinkedIn page.

www.rockfordchamber.com

selves. We want to be seen as unique contributors with infinite potential for growth. And as leaders, we want to see our employees progress and ultimately, thrive. It’s good for them, it’s fulfilling for us, and it’s good for the bottom line. But how do we do that? What makes a great boss? Using my new book Build an A-Team as a guide, here are three tips for expanding and supporting your new hires, seasoned employees,

and

right-hand

women

and men, and to become the boss you dreamed you had.

For People Who Are Just Starting Remember, you’re both in this together. You and your new hire have a mutually beneficial relationship. The more you strategically support, mentor, and guide new employees, the better chance the employee will have of excelling, thriving in their position, and contributing to the team and the company as a whole. When you hired this new team member, you saw potential. The core skills were there; the standard requirements ticked off on the impressive resume. But it was his or hers soft skills that most impressed you and the other leaders: affability, confident problem solving, unique background, or openness and communicativeness that would fit nicely on the team. Remember this potential as you invest, and potentially risk, your own time and energy into the professional development of this new hire. Your new hire is working at the edge of their abilities. Their progress may seem slow and you may even question your hiring decision. But there was a reason you hired them. You just have to bring it out of them. To perform at the highest level, each member of your team must operate from

a position of personal strength. I’m not talking about the strengths of the team in general but of each individual’s distinctive strengths. What does each person do well that other people on the team do not, and what sorts of problems do those strengths equip them to solve? As a manager, your job is to pinpoint what people do uniquely well and pit these abilities against assignments that make their strengths relevant. This powerful combination (abilities + assignments) busts through the challenging low end of the learning curve. Each employee (and each manager) requires an individual curve to climb. In hiring for, or moving an employee to, a new role, skew toward market risk whenever possible. What needs aren’t being met on your team or in your business? Does it make sense to redistribute responsibilities among current team members? Create a new role? Would more high-quality candidates be available if you looked beyond the margins of a currently available job? If you assume market risk and deploy employees where no one else is playing, you will improve the odds of your workers’ (and your own) success. Read the rest at www.linkedin.com/in/ whitneyjohnson

SPECIAL SECTION: Powerful Living | Workplace Wellness

October 2019

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

GUEST COLUMNIST

JEREMY SELSKY Humana

Incentivizing wellness programs results in reduced lifestyle risk factors

In year five, they paid a per member, per month average of $116 less in healthcare than low-engaged members. Humana’s Go365® Five-Year Study showed that incentivized initiatives for wellness programs encouraged healthier eating, exercising, reduced stress and fewer smokers. The risk factor cohort analysis sample included 10,598 Humana associates (98 percent of the eligible population). Data was collected through Go365 Health Assessment and biometric screening completions. Due to missing data, sample sizes varied slightly by risk factor, but on average there were around 10,400 responses per risk factor. Where available, verified data was prioritized over self-reported data for the clinical risk factors findings.

Reducing Lifestyle Risk Factors For associates who were highly engaged in Go365 programs, there was an increase in the percentage of Go365 members who reported healthier lifestyle choices. Between years three and five, members reported eating more fruits and vegetables, exercising more a week, experiencing lower levels of stress and being non-smokers.

Better Nutrition and More Physically Active Members who were actively engaged in the program were more likely to increase the number of servings of fruits and vegetables over the course of five years. During the baseline period, only 16.6 percent of members reported having five or more servings. In the analysis period, 28.3 percent reported five or more servings.

Exercise also increased with 61.6 percent of participants working out at least 150 minutes a week during years three through five. That’s up from 36.2 percent reported during years one and two of the study.

Healthier Members – Even Five Years Older A significant outcome of the study is that engaged members improved or maintained their health despite the fact that they aged five years. Highengaged members were more focused on preventative care, including annual check-ups. In year five, they paid a per member, per month average of $116 less in healthcare than low-engaged members.

Incentivizing Your Employees As the Five-Year Study suggests, longterm health behavior change can make your employees healthier in the long run. Behavior change requires meeting employees where they are on their wellness journey.

Background & Methodology The first two years of the program were defined as a baseline period, and the last three years were defined as the analysis period. This is due to the fact that the first two years saw a lot of changes in engagement in the program as associates familiarized themselves with the program, and the last three years captured the members’ behaviors and health data more accurately. This also helped limit selection bias from early adopters. Jeremy Selsky is director-field sales/Illinois at Humana. The views expressed are those of Selsky’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

SPECIAL SECTION: Powerful Living | Workplace Wellness

Thinking about an assisted living community? Some considerations for you or your loved one

In almost every conversation I have with families, lack of socialization is a major concern. Assisted living communities offer several and varied events and activities for residents to participate in, should they choose to do so. By Mike Barr, Crimson Pointe When the topic of considering assisted living for a senior is discussed, it is more often than not met with extreme resistance. When the senior was younger, and there was discussion of moving a family member to another place to live, the answer was either to move in with a family member or to a nursing home. Assisted living didn’t exist, so without knowledge of what assisted living is, that perception persists. To begin the education process, consider discussing the following with your family member.

Social Engagement In almost every conversation I have with families, lack of socialization is a major concern. Assisted living communities offer several and varied events and activities for residents to participate in, should they choose to do so. Many communities have a life engagement team to encourage and support a resident’s involvement.

Living Environment Living alone at home can present a number of challenges for health and safety. Assisted living offers assistance bars and medical alert devices, to name a couple, that can assist in maintaining mobility, helping to avoid falls and improve overall quality of life.

Supervised Nutrition Another frequent topic of concern with families is the lack of proper nutrition. In assisted living, residents

receive three nutritional meals a day, and the menus are tailored to the changing health needs of older adults. Some communities even offer all day dining.

Housekeeping, Transportation Day-to-day routines like cleaning the house and getting to stores and appointments can be extremely challenging for seniors and families alike. Weekly housekeeping and laundry are part of the monthly rental cost, and most communities have vans for transport to shopping and doctor’s appointments, also included in monthly rent.

Independence Many seniors feel that moving to assisted living will cost them their independence. Assisted living helps seniors care for themselves, while offering access to an active lifestyle. This also can reduce stress levels and improve relationships within families. At the end of the day, family visits become meaningful quality time rather than obligational responsibilities. The best way to overcome perceptions of assisted living is to visit a community, possibly have lunch and participate in an activity. Mike Barr is sales director at Crimson Pointe Senior Living. The views expressed are those of Barr’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

SPECIAL SECTION: Powerful Living | Workplace Wellness

Orlando

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

Tampa

Scottsdale

Miami Charleston Denver 2019 best cities to spend the golden years To help Americans plan an affordable retirement while maintaining the best quality of life, WalletHub compared the retiree-friendliness of more than 180 U.S. cities across 46 key metrics from cost of living to retired taxpayer-friendliness to availability of recreational activities. According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute’s 2019 Retirement Confidence Survey, two in three workers reported feeling at least somewhat confident that they will have enough money to retire comfortably, but only 23 percent said they were “very confident.” What other options provide a pathway to a comfortable retirement? For some, the only solution is to keep working. According to Gallup polling, workers in 2019 plan to retire at age 65 on average, compared to age 60 in 1995. The alternative? Relocate to an area where you can stretch your dollar without sacrificing your lifestyle. See the Table for the rankings.

ADVICE FROM AN EXPERT Stanley R. Ingman, professor, University of North Texas:

What ﬁnancial factors should retirees take into consideration when deciding where to retire? For the majority of retirees, look for places to reduce ﬁnancial demands, where you can handle surprises like medical bills, perhaps where you can avoid home ownership expenses. I see East and West Coast seniors of some means moving to Texas and the Midwest – can be a smart move. More interesting, is the move to senior communities – low, moderate to high cost communities – as a trend that will pick up. We moved

RANKS

Affordability

Activities Quality of Life Health Care

1. Orlando, Fla.

2. Tampa, Fla.

3. Scottsdale, Ariz.

4. Charleston, S.C.

5. Miami, Fla.

105

6. Denver, Colo.

113

7. Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 65

8. Cape Coral, Fla.

9. Minneapolis, Minn.

145

10. Cheyenne, Wy.

142

(0=best, 182=worst) into a Continuing Care Retirement Community in 2018. Seems like it was a smart move for many reasons at age 79/78. We have reduced our ﬁnancial risks from storms, most appliance failures, etc. Involvement in community life is optional, however, isolation is less a risk for many in these communities. Our rate of conversations with others on weekly based has increased signiﬁcantly. Our monthly expense to live in the CCRC is some $1,100. Selling a house and buying our duplex meant it was an even trade. We will lose 30 percent upon the sale of the duplex if we move to an apartment in the main building, or go to assisted living. We still have a long-term nursing home stay as a risk. However, we both have long term care insurance to reduce that risk. We do not have any annuities, but we can do that move if need be to generate more cash at some stage. I am still working 50 percent so that

it is not needed now, nor do I see a likely need in future. I am amazed how well Social Security provides at my age.

What are some tips for living on a ﬁxed income in retirement?

Non-profit communities and city housing authority 56 properties provide some good 109 options for very low income 5 elders in Denton. However, there are not enough available. 33 Tax credit senior housing is an option for some in Texas. I see this as the direction for fixed income elders, e.g., shared housing communities. I have studied seniors who move to Mexico and beyond in retirement. A mixed story. Can be quite challenging. For retirees who become engaged in community life, it can be rewarding. Most, I imagine, are upper-income elders and fewer seem to be fixed-income elders. But this is a small trend internationally. Costa Rica, India, Turkey, all have retirees from abroad.

What is the biggest mistake that people make? I imagine it may be not anticipating future risks based upon health issues and other potential surprises with home ownership, car expenses, etc. Our model was to save some 30 to 50 percent of our monthly income for the future, plus the amount matched by the university. Source: wallethub.com

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

SPECIAL SECTION: Powerful Living | Workplace Wellness

GUEST COLUMNIST

Continuing care retirement communities DEB ADKINS Wesley Willows

Experiences learned from my hardworking mom

In 1975, my mother lost her job as the administrator of a small town hospital that closed. She began working at a community action agency, having received a $10,000 grant to start a homemaker program serving low income seniors in their homes. Thirty years later, when she retired at the age of 80, her program employed more than 100 people and served more than 700 seniors across four counties. During her last 10 years as the program director, she carried a reading device to work with her every day, and her family drove her to work. She used these “tools” because her macular degeneration was too advanced for her to read unaided or to drive. Forward to 2000 when I started my first job serving seniors as a nursing home administrator. From day one, the focus of our team was to provide the best possible experience for the individuals who came for rehabilitation or who lived out their lives there. A nursing home is the last place most people want to go, but it served a purpose supporting individuals when they are most vulnerable and most

dependent. I left that job confident I had made an impact.

Adapting to Changing Lifestyles I was privileged to become the campus administrator of a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) – a home for seniors that includes the nursing home component and so much more – assisted living, independent living and ongoing growth and development – always impacting the lives of seniors. The CCRC campus is alive with possibilities – new developments, new amenities, new programs and options for the residents to make their lives, their activities and their homes just as they want them to be. This is what a CCRC is designed to do. Perhaps the best thing about a CCRC is the peace of mind it offers -- the comforts of your own home, a close knit community, no maintenance, no snow removal or lawn care and an ongoing active lifestyle directed in great part by the individuals who live there. The essence of continuing care is not having to make the decision of where

There is research and evidence that identifies improvements in quality of life, happiness and longevity for those who live in a senior living community.

to move when your needs change – just relocating to another lifestyle. In 2006, my mom, that independent woman, widowed at 44 with four children still at home, who accomplished so much with only a high school education and a strong will, moved to the CCRC where I work. She couldn’t manage on her own, and we couldn’t stay with her. We wanted her to have a great home, care when she needed it, services and amenities galore, and an opportunity to build a life of friendships and fun. The home she moved to offered all of those things. As a family, we knew she was safe and her needs were being met. For my mom, she continued to do all of the things she had always done and when she couldn’t, there were staff to assist her. She played cards daily and bingo every week – two things she had done her entire life. I marveled at how she did it, grateful for the help of her friends. My mom passed away 10 years ago, exactly three years after moving to that senior living community. She had three great years she wouldn’t have had in her home, living life as she chose.

This personal experience exactly describes the purpose of a senior living community. It is not a place to take away the joys and interests of a person’s life – it is a place to support them and all of the changes and needs that occur as we age. Am I an expert? I spent 30 years watching my mom serve seniors. I have spent 16 years managing the day-to-day operations of a senior living community that has served thousands of seniors over the years. But, I am also a daughter whose loved one lived the experience. There is research and evidence that identifies improvements in quality of life, happiness and longevity for those who live in a senior living community. I have had the privilege of making a difference in the lives of seniors and their families – one of them just happened to be my mom. Deb Adkins is chief operating officer at Wesley Willows. The views expressed are those of Adkins’ and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

SPECIAL SECTION: Powerful Living | Workplace Wellness

October 2019

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

GUEST COLUMNIST

ROBERTA GROVE OrthoIllinois Occupational Health Center

Don’t take time oﬀ from workplace injury prevention

Making worker safety a true priority

Still not enough Naloxone where it’s most needed

Examples of these injuries include falls, slips, trips, contact with objects or equipment, overexertion, sprains, strains, tears, cuts, lacerations, punctures,

CDC recommends spreading opioid-reversing drug wider to save lives

soreness and pain, and fractures. For many of us, at least a third of our day is spent working, be that from an office, a manufacturing ﬂoor or the busy halls of a hospital or health care facility. Leaving the comfort of home for the busyness of our jobs should be a relatively easy transition, and the place where we spend so much of our day working should be a safe environment. Workplace safety should be a priority for all employers and, in turn, something employees should seek out independently when considering their choice of employment. More than 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses were reported by private industry employers in 2017 (the most recent year for available data), according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nearly one-third of these injuries were serious in nature and resulted in days away from work. Examples of these injuries include falls, slips, trips, contact with objects or equipment, overexertion, sprains, strains, tears, cuts, lacerations, punctures, soreness and pain, and fractures. A report by The Travelers Companies Inc., the country’s largest workers’ compensation carrier, noted that on average, strains and sprains resulted in 57 missed workdays, followed by cuts and punctures at 24 days. Inﬂammation and fractures caused the most time away from work at 91 and 78 days, respectively.

Workplace Injury Prevention Plan With a focus on workplace safety and injury prevention, many of these types of incidents (even the most minor) can be avoided. And if injuries do occur, proper and timely diagnoses and treatment help employees and employers in the long run. There is some good news in those federal statistics. Nonfatal workplace injuries decreased by more than 45,000 from the previous year, which likely means education about and understanding of injury prevention is more prevalent.

While no one-size-fits-all workplace injury prevention program exists, there are some standards elements that have been identified by groups such as U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA): ■ Find

and

identify

workplace

hazards. ■ Develop a plan for preventing and controlling hazards. ■ Involve management and workers in these processes. ■ Train staff and regularly evaluate staff in these areas. Additionally, the

we’ve

importance

identified high-quality

care, convenience and efficiency, and communication to improve workplace injury prevention and care. ■ Early, accurate medical diagnosis and effective treatment plans. ■ Medically appropriate restrictions to return employees back to work safely and quickly. ■ Partnering with an occupational health

provider

that

offers

comprehensive care. ■ Case management for workers’ compensation cases to better manage injured workers. Investing in workplace injury prevention will protect your people and save you money in the long run. Work-related deaths and injuries cost $151 billion in 2016, according to the National Safety Council. Being

proactive

about

these

issues for your company and your employees creates a safer work environment, which can help with turnover, productivity, lost time and health costs. Roberta Grove is senior account manager for OrthoIllinois Occupational Health Center. The views expressed are those of Grove’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

According to research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, although the overdose-reversing drug naloxone saves lives – it only does so if readily available when an overdose occurs. Despite a huge increase in naloxone (Narcan) prescribing in recent years, the report states that far too little is being dispensed in many areas of the country that need it the most. The CDC’s Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain recommends that doctors prescribe naloxone to patients receiving high-dose opioids or opioids plus benzodiazepines or to those with a substance use disorder, yet too few doctors do so. Research found that nearly 9 million more naloxone prescriptions could have been dispensed in 2018 if every patient with a high-dose opioid prescription were offered naloxone.

Examining Trends in Naloxone Dispensing In 2017, 47,600 people in the United States died as a result of drug overdoses involving opioids. The prescribing and dispensing of naloxone is a critical part of the public health response to the opioid overdose epidemic. Naloxone has been used for many years by emergency medical services, first responders, and community-based overdose prevention programs. Current efforts have focused on expanding access to naloxone through prescribing and pharmacy-based distribution. In 2018, rural counties had the lowest dispensing rates. Primary care providers wrote only 1.5 naloxone prescriptions per 100 high-dose opioid prescriptions – a marker for opioid overdose risk – and over half of naloxone prescriptions required a copay.

Key ﬁndings ■ The number of naloxone prescriptions dispensed doubled from 2017 to 2018. ■ Only one naloxone prescription is

Free Narcan Training

dispensed for every 70 high-dose opioid prescriptions nationwide. ■ Most (71 percent) Medicare prescriptions for naloxone required a copay, compared to 42 percent for commercial insurance. ■ Rural counties were nearly three times more likely to be a low-dispensing county compared to metropolitan counties. ■ Naloxone dispensing is 25 times greater in the highest-dispensing counties than the lowest-dispensing counties.

Working Together to Prevent Opioid Overdoses The CDC recommends that healthcare providers consider offering naloxone to all patients at risk for overdose. Risk factors for prescription opioid overdose include taking high daily dosages of prescription opioid pain relievers, using benzodiazepines concurrently with opioids, and having a history of substance use disorder. HHS guidance and the Surgeon General’s advisory on naloxone reinforce and expand upon the CDC recommendations. There are many opportunities to expand naloxone access. Pharmacists and other healthcare providers have an important role to play by ensuring naloxone is readily available in pharmacies, monitoring patients for overdose risk, prescribing or dispensing naloxone if risk factors for opioid overdose are present, and participating in and offering naloxone training and education. Health insurers can reduce outof-pocket costs for patients and cover naloxone prescriptions without prior approval. States and communities can support healthcare providers by expanding naloxone access and helping to reduce the stigma of prescribing, dispensing and carrying naloxone. Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Drug overdose is the #1 cause of accidental death for adults in Illinois: 80 percent involve heroin. The Winnebago County Health Department and Hope Over Addiction oﬀer free Narcan training classes. Free Narcan kits are provided after completion of the class. Register at www.hopeoveraddiction.net.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

SPECIAL SECTION: Powerful Living | Workplace Wellness

Majority large firms; some small firms offered wellness services in 2018

Incentives, screenings are among the programs offered to employees The Kaiser Family Foundation 2018 Employer Health Benefits Survey released its findings based on a telephone survey of 2,160 randomly selected non-federal public and private employers with three or more workers. It looked at trends in employer-sponsored health coverage, including premiums, employee contributions, cost-sharing provisions, offer rates, wellness programs and employer practices. Researchers at NORC at the University of Chicago and the Kaiser Family Foundation designed and analyzed the survey. National Research, LLC conducted the fieldwork between January and July 2018. According to the survey, firms continued to show considerable interest in programs that helped workers identify health issues and manage chronic conditions, including health risk assessments, biometric screenings and health promotion programs.

assessments. Additionally, among large firms with biometric screening programs, 15 percent rewarded or penalized workers based on achieving specified biometric outcomes (such as meeting a target BMI). The size of these incentives varies considerably. Among large firms offering a reward or penalty for meeting biometric outcomes, the maximum reward was valued at $150 or less in 15 percent of firms and more than $1,000 in 19 percent of firms. Health and Wellness Promotion Programs. A majority of firms offering health benefits offered programs to help workers identify health risks and unhealthy behaviors, and improve their lifestyles. Fifty-three percent of small firms and 82 percent of large firms offered a program in at least one of these areas: smoking cessation, weight management and behavioral or lifestyle coaching. Among large firms offering Health & Wellness Services at least one of these programs, 35 Health Risk Assessments. percent offered workers an incentive to Among firms offering health benefits, participate in or complete the program. 37 percent of small firms and 62 percent of large firms gave workers Sites of Care the opportunity to complete a health Telemedicine. Seventy-four percent risk assessment. This was defined as of large firms offering health benefits questions about a person’s medical covered telemedicine -- the delivery of history, health status and lifestyle. health care services to a patient from a Fifty-one percent of large firms with a provider at a remote location through health risk assessment program offered video chat and remote monitoring. an incentive to encourage workers to Firms with 1,000 or more workers were complete the assessment, such as gift more likely to cover services provided cards, merchandise or similar rewards; through telemedicine than smaller lower premium contributions or cost firms. sharing; and financial rewards, such Retail Health Clinics. Seventy-six as cash, contributions to health-related percent of large firms offering health savings accounts, or avoiding a payroll benefits covered health care services received in retail clinics, such as those fee. Biometric Screenings. Among located in pharmacies, supermarkets firms offering health benefits, 21 and retail stores, in their largest health percent of small firms and 50 percent plan. These clinics were often staffed of large firms provided workers the by nurse practitioners or physician opportunity to complete a biometric assistants, treated minor illnesses and screening. This was defined as an in- provided preventive services. On-Site Health Clinics. Only 10 person health examination measuring risk factors, such as body mass index percent of large firms offering health (BMI), cholesterol, blood pressure, benefits had an on-site health clinic for stress and nutrition. Sixty percent of their employees at one or more of their large firms with biometric screening major locations. A large share of these programs offered workers an incentive firms reported that employees could to complete the screening, similar to the receive treatment for non-work-related incentives for completing health risk illnesses at their on-site clinics.

More Americans are working past 65, according to Pew Research study According to a Pew Research Center analysis of federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, more Americans 65 and older are working than at any time since the turn of the century. The analysis found that 18.8 percent of Americans ages 65 and older reported being employed full- or part-time, continuing a steady increase since 2000 when just 12.8 percent of 65-and-older Americans said they were working. Though the Pew Research analysis only goes back to 2000, an earlier Pew Research report noted that the labor force participation rate (workers and those actively seeking employment as a share of a group’s total population) among older adults began rising in the mid-1980s, after declining for more than three decades. The share of both older men and older women who are working has grown over time, but working during what is commonly thought of as retirement years remains a largely male phenomenon: Although less than 45 percent of the total

65-and-older population are men, they represent more than 55 percent of older workers. Older Asians (20.2 percent) and whites (19 percent) are somewhat more likely to be working than older blacks (16.7 percent). Older Americans work in the various sectors of the U.S. economy in broadly similar patterns as the workforce as a whole, with a few notable exceptions. They’re less likely to work in the accommodations/food

service

sector

(only 3.4 percent did so last year, versus 7.1 percent of all workers). And older workers are more likely to be in management, legal

and

community/social

service

occupations than the overall workforce, and less likely to be in computer and mathematical, food preparation and construction-related occupations. Source: Article by Drew DeSilver, senior writer at Pew Research Center.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

GUEST COLUMNIST

The dangers of vaping among youth MATTHEW QUINN Rosecrance

What are health considerations for this popular practice? humans and proven carcinogens.

Vaping is more powerful and potent than smoking,

In addition to these dangerous e-liquids, many of these vaping devices also contain nicotine and cannabis.

and many individuals are

Vaping is more powerful and potent

experiencing a substance

than smoking, and many individuals

use disorder as a result. The recent headlines in the news regarding vaping are grim, and the state of alarm nationwide is high. Rightfully so. … The Centers for Disease Control has confirmed that there have been seven vaping-related deaths and nearly 400 confirmed cases of lung disease related to vaping. Young people across the country have been admitted to emergency departments or landed themselves in intensive care units due to collapsed lungs, inflammation of lung tissue and lung damage from vaping. Vaping first came to popularity years ago as an alternative to cigarette smoking, and it was often considered a productive way to help people quit cigarettes. When many people think of vaping they think of the word vapor, which elicits the connection to humidifier or diffusers. I hear time and time again the mindset that humidifiers and diffusers are harmless, so the vapor produced from vaping must be harmless too. That’s far from accurate. The term “vaping” describes the process when a substance is heated to the point of releasing vapor (vaporizing) but not combusted (lit on fire). Individuals who vape inhale and exhale the aerosol, often referred to as vapor, which is produced by an e-cigarette or similar device. These devices range in appearance, and the design can resemble traditional pipes, flash drives and even pens or highlighters. Typically, they include a battery and cartridge containing e-juice or e-liquids. The FDA has not evaluated any of the e-liquids currently on the market and does not regulate these products. In other words, they are not deemed safe. The ingredients in these e-liquids contain flavorings and humectant (propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin), which again may sound harmless to the common ear. However, once these ingredients are heated, they produce a variety of chemicals including formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, particulates and toxic metals to name a few, which are directly harmful to

are experiencing a substance use disorder as a result.

Eﬀects on Growing Brains Still, what’s most problematic about this vaping dilemma is its popularity among youth. … Nearly 20 percent of all eighth graders and 40 percent of all 12th graders have tried vaping this year. Vaping has increased 78 percent among high school students and 48 percent among middle school students in the last year alone. Cigarettes and smoking marijuana have long symbolized youth rebellion. Kids often smoke to fit in, appear cool or disregard authority. Now, e-cigarettes and vapes are the most common tobacco product used by teens and more and more kids who would’ve never tried a traditional cigarette or joint have been enticed into trying vaping. Not

only

individuals

does to

vaping

harmful

expose

chemicals

and toxins, but adolescents are at a greater risk for cognitive impairment and hindered brain development, too. We know that nicotine and marijuana can

interfere

with

natural

brain

development in key areas, including the prefrontal cortex, the area responsible for decision making, judgment and planning. The long- and short-term side effects of this vaping trend are proving to be truly scary. That said, education, prevention and intervention services, counseling, navigating initial conversations,

exploring

treatment

options, conducting assessments, and providing an excellent continuum of care, can really help individuals, families, schools and communities at any level they need. Matthew

Quinn,

LCPC,

CADC,

a community relations coordinator at Rosecrance. Call 815-391-1000 or visit rosecrance.org. The views expressed are those of Quinn’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

MEP affiliates in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

IMEC

Continued from page 10

impressive. Since 1988, MEP has worked with 94,033 manufacturers, supported $111.3 billion in sales and $18.8 billion in cost savings, and helped clients create and retain 985,317 jobs, based on data collected since 1998. For every $1.00 of federal investment, the MEP National Network generates $29.50 in new sales growth for manufacturers. For every $1,065 of federal investment, the network creates or retains one manufacturing job. Can I say, “an area where the investment of federal tax dollars has truly provided a substantial ROI for the U.S.” That’s worthy of a “shout out” to our congressional leaders for their continued support. (For more information visit https://www.nist.gov/ mep/about-nist-mep.)

Illinois’ MEP IMEC came into existence in 1996 and has continued the partnership with the MEP Network by sharing the same mission. Illinois actually started with two MEPs - one for Chicago area and the other downstate. There were four regional “Manufacturing Centers,” associated with Illinois universities that came together to form IMEC. Today, IMEC continues to meet the industry needs and support manufacturers from “the front door to

the backdoor.” Areas for improvement are developed by analyzing an organization’s “current state” and discussing the desired “future state.” The work comes in addressing that “gap” and developing programs to fill that gap. It’s a “Plan. Implement. Excel.” strategy delivered by highly skilled and credentialed staff of industry experts and a fully vetted group of third party resources. Over the last 24 years, IMEC has assisted more than 750 Rockford area companies, and over the last 12 months, their services have impacted more than $28mm in revenue, generated more than $1.2mm in investment and created or retained nearly 200 jobs. IMEC’s mission continues in supporting local companies by providing solutions or improvements that create a more competitive future, while engaging with the local community organizations and participating in the area economic development. There is a lot of good things going on in the Rockford Region. There is much work yet to do. IMEC is glad to be a part of that effort. v Dean Harms is regional manager at IMEC. The views expressed are those of Harms’ and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

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 Closing the “middle skills” gap

Meeting the workforce needs for many area employers As unemployment rates fell to their lowest level in more than four decades in late 2018, employers were faced with the challenge of filling open positions. Nowhere is that truer than in the manufacturing sector, where it’s not just a lack of available workers that is causing a shortage. It’s a lack of people with a specific skill set known as “middle skills” – that is, skills requiring more than a high school education, but less than a bachelor’s degree. With its rich manufacturing heritage, the Rockford Region has certainly felt the sting of the middle skill shortage. In 2018, that led the Rockford Area Economic Development Council to commission a study examining the scope of the problem and determining why there are not enough workers available with such skills. The Coordinated Workforce Study was developed from an analysis of regional data and employer surveys. While not surprising, the results were definitely concerning. Nearly one-third of all manufacturing jobs and more than 55 percent of all jobs in the region require middle skills. Yet regional employers consistently rank the lack of middle-skilled talent as their single biggest obstacle to growth. Because it is no longer included in area K-12 curriculums, there is a lack of the requisite skills that serve as the foundation for advanced manufacturing training. The conclusion? The region’s economic development initiatives could suffer dramatic negative consequences if efforts to address the shortage are not undertaken immediately.

Council, The Workforce Connection,

Addressing the Gap

to further grow and enhance such

Determined to tackle the middle skills gap, RAEDC brought together leaders in business, workforce, education and the public sector to implement the report’s three main recommendations: create a Manufacturing Workforce Strategy Team, develop a Critical Core Manufacturing Skills (CCMS) curriculum, and build an Advanced Technology Center (ATC). In less than a year, significant progress has been made on all three recommendations, as laid out in the recently released Coordinated Workforce Report.

programs.

■ The Advanced Manufacturing Workforce Committee has been meeting for the past six months, serving as a steering and evaluation body for middle skills-related programs and opportunities. Consisting of representatives from RAEDC, Rockford Chamber of Commerce, R1 Planning

workers needed to fill current and

the Regional Office of Education, Illinois Bank & Trust and Rock Valley College (RVC), the committee is leading a number of initiatives for middle skills development. ■ Critical Core Manufacturing Skills (CCMS) curriculum is included in an advanced manufacturing training program being rolled out at RVC. Developed

with

input

from

local

manufacturers and higher education partners,

the

CCMS

curriculum

includes advanced manufacturing class programs in 16-credit hour blocks; programs that can be “stacked” in multiple combinations based on an individual’s career goals or industryspecific demands; multiple pathways leading to certification, an associated of applied science, and bachelor’s degree programs; and opportunities for students to “learn while they earn” at Bergstrom and other local manufacturers, putting their new skills to work for immediate benefit. ■ An Advanced Technology Center (ATC) is currently in the development stage, as RVC, the City of Rockford, Winnebago County and others are collaborating around the creation of a

state-of-the-art

numerous

facility.

programs

Currently,

and

classes

are provided at multiple locations throughout the region. When finalized, the ATC will consolidate these offerings, while

providing

the

opportunity

By partnering with public and private sector leaders from across the realms of workforce, business and education, RAEDC has made significant progress towards meeting the goal of developing middle skills within our region. The

Advanced

Manufacturing

Workforce Committee is encouraging other local and regional businesses to join the initiative and use the CCMS curriculum, provide on-site opportunities for students to gain the necessary skills, and develop the future manufacturing jobs. As they take these steps to help their own businesses prosper,

they

will

bolstering

Rockford’s ability to cultivate talent as an economic differentiator for the region.

CARE Seminar: Up in smoke Are new laws causing your drug policies to go up in smoke? What all employers must know Effective Jan. 1, new legislation legalizing recreational cannabis will have an impact on how you operate your business. Join guest speaker David Ritter, Rockford Area Economic Development Council (RAEDC), and Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) at this lunch and learn for a deep dive into these issues and to learn about how to comply with these new laws. This program is a must for business

owners, human resources professionals, chief financial officers and other company officials. The event will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at NIU-Rockford, 8500 E. State St., Rockford. The cost is $30 per person and includes a boxed lunch. For additional information visit RockfordIL.com/ events. This event is presented by the RAEDC and the IMA.

Sign up for RAEDC Connects Keep up to date on the news, events and strategies the RAEDC is undertaking to perform the daily work that is economic development. These monthly newsletters include information impacting the region and our ability to cultivate opportunities for primary job growth that increase the economic well-being of our region. Visit RockfordIL.com to sign-up.

Annual Meeting: Future Tense

How artiﬁcial intelligence, next-gen workforce and the global economy will shape Rockford’s future Fourteen years ago, Rebecca Ryan, futurist, spoke at our annual meeting and shared predictions for the future. We’ll revisit those predictions and identify where she was right, where she was wrong, and where our region EXCEEDED forecasts. Ryan also will make a set of new forecasts: about how artificial intelligence, workforce trends and the global economy will shape the Rockford Region for the next decade. Join the RAEDC’s Board of Directors and staff on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 5 to 8 p.m., at Giovanni’s Restaurant & Convention Center, where we welcome Rebecca

Ryan as keynote speaker. Throughout the year, the RAEDC works

closely

with

stakeholders

and industry partners to cultivate opportunities for primary job growth, which increases the economic wellbeing of our region. The annual meeting provides investors and guests with the opportunity to receive updates on the goals outlined in the Rockforward20/20 strategic plan regarding new or retained jobs, capital investment, and new or renovated space. This is also a great time to connect with our region’s leaders.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

economy

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

U.S. Indicators August 2019



Consumer Price Index Unemployment Rate

0.1 percent 3.7 percent

      

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

130,000 $0.11 0.1 percent 0.6 percent (second quarter, 2019) 2.3 percent (second quarter, 2019) 0.5 percent 0.6 percent

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Unemployment Rates Region / State / Nation May 2019

June 2019

July 2019

August 2019

Rockford

5.2

6.5

---

Chicago

3.5

4.1

---

Illinois

4.4

4.3

4.2

---

United States

3.6

3.7

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

2019’s Best & Worst States for Health Care

In order to determine where Americans receive the highest-quality services at the best prices, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 43 key measures of health care cost, accessibility and outcome. The data set ranges from average monthly insurance premium to physicians per capita to share of insured population.

HEALTH CARE IN ILLINOIS: WHERE WE ARE ON THE LIST (1=Best; 25=Avg.)

31st 17th 13th 16th 12th 21st 6th 35th 29th 18th

Avg. monthly insurance premium Hospital beds per capita Physicians per capita Dentists per capita Physician medicare-acceptance rate Percentage of insured adults Percentage of insured children Percentage of at-risk adults with no routine doctor visit in past two years Percentage of adults with no dental visit in past year Percentage of medical residents retained

For children’s healthcare, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 33 key metrics.

CHILDREN’S HEALTH CARE IN ILLINOIS (1=Best; 25=Avg.)

32nd 6th 29th 45th 16th 35th 40th 32nd 48th

Percentage of children in excellent/very good health Percentage of uninsured children Infant-death rate Percentage of children with unaﬀordable medical bills Pediatricians & family doctors per capita Percentage of overweight children Percentage of obese children Percentage of children with excellent/very good teeth Percentage of children with medical & dental preventive-care visits in past year

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

business

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Alpine Kiwanis AKTION Club, service club for adults with disabilities, hosted the 2019 IllinoisEastern Iowa District Convention at Rockford Christian Fine Arts Center; drawing more than 100 members from northern Illinois.

Payments at Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful for disposal of TVs, monitors and items with freon now are credit or debit card preferred. WATT Global Media’s August issue of Petfood Industry magazine includes the 2019 Reference and Buyer’s Guide, with detailed information on hundreds of global suppliers for the pet food and pet treat manufacturing industry. The SwedishAmerican Regional Cancer Center implemented the Paxman Scalp Cooling System, which combats chemotherapyinduced hair loss. Previously, patients were referred to UW Health in Madison for these treatments. Four manufacturing ﬁrms hired KMK Media Group for new websites and marketing services: Dial Machine, Rockford; Rock Valley Oil & Chemical Company, Loves Park; Swebco Manufacturing, Machesney Park, and Vibration Analysts, Utah. The Rockford Park District Fall/ Winter 2019/2020 Program Guide is available at www.rockfordparkdistrict. org/guides and at park district facilities. Registration now is open for most oﬀerings.

Rockford Park District opened Atwood Park Trails – Phase 1 at Atwood Park, 7074 Rydberg Road, Rockford. The 4.5 miles of natural surface trails for mountain biking, hiking, trail running, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, wildlife exploration and fat biking include a 24-space asphalt parking lot, bike repair station and bike wash station. Funding for the $464,000 project came from a grant by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, a donation by the Atwood Foundation and more than 40 individuals. V2 Marketing Communications recently completed a new website design for the Association of Fundraising Professionals Rockford at afprockford.org. The new site features online grant applications and a responsive design for viewing on desktops, smartphones and tablets. KMK Media Group won a Communicator Award of Distinction for its design of agriculture-focused print ads for Holcomb Bank, Rochelle, Ill.

Illinois Bank & Trust hosted a grand reopening event for its branch at 4048 E. State St., Rockford. PCI Clinical Services had an oﬃcial opening on Sept. 19 for its newly expanded clinical services facility in Rockford with 30,000 square feet of added space for clinical trial packaging and labeling services, and oﬃce and warehousing space. The University of Illinois at Chicago

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

College of Pharmacy welcomed its latest group of student pharmacists to the UIC Health Sciences Campus in Rockford with a White Coat Ceremony on Aug. 22. Rockford Park District hosts family fun days on Saturday afternoons through Oct. 26 at Lockwood Park, 5201 Safford Road. Events include a pony ring, friendly farm animals and horseback trail rides. Visit www. lockwoodpark.com. Byron Forest Preserve District received a $837,600 grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation to expand the Bald Hill Prairie Preserve in Mt. Morris to 380 acres; double its former size. Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois kicked off the 2019 Fall Product Program with online sales offering gourmet nuts, candies, magazines, candles and tumblers. New this year are Thin Mint Almonds, Dark Chocolate Peppermint Pretzels and Barbeque Flavored Snack Mix. Rockford Systems, LLC, attended the National Safety Council Congress & Expo; presenting its growing portfolio of machine safeguarding and combustion safety equipment, such as the next generation of Detect-A-Finger drop-probe devices used on riveters, eyeletters, stakers, staplers, crimpers and fastening machines to help meet changing OSHA/ANSI codes. Rockford Christian Schools formed a joint corporate partnership with SwedishAmerican Hospital and

Athletico Physical Therapy for athletic training services for the school and sponsorship for the next ﬁve years. The Workforce Connection hired KMK Media to produce and design a multi-page annual report. View it at theworkforceconnection.org. Rock House Kids received a donation through the International Paper Company to purchase hot meal items throughout the year and a grant from ALDI Smart Kids. William S. Howard Charitable Trust awarded Barbara Olson Center of Hope a grant for its Bridges to the Future student transition program for teens who have developmental disabilities and families. SwedishAmerican held a community open house for its new, $24-million Creekside Medical Center, which houses 30 providers in OB/GYN, pediatrics, family practice, dermatology and internal medicine. Two theFranaGroup clients: A+ Family Healthcare in Brownsville, Ky., and Western Wayne Family Health Centers, Inkster, Mich., each received $650,000 as a part of $50 million in U.S. Department of Health & Human Services awards to establish Federally Qualiﬁed Health Centers. Hulsebus Chiropractic Clinics celebrates 70 years in the region. Peterson Meadows, a Wesley Willows Community, celebrated the opening of the 6,000-sq.-ft. Dick & Pat Nyquist Family Chapel and Community Room on Sept. 18.

S TA R S New stars in our community galaxy

40 LEADERS UNDER FORTY COME MEET THE 2019 40 LEADERS UNDER FORTY RECIPIENTS AT THIS HIGH-ENERGY EVENT! AN IMPRESSIVE COLLECTION OF YOUNG TALENT THAT WILL LEAD OUR COMMUNITY. PLEASE JOIN US THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2019 | 5-7 PM TEBALA EVENT CENTER | 7910 NEWBURG ROAD, ROCKFORD, IL $50/PERSON INCLUDES HORS D’OEUVRES AND BEVERAGES REGISTER AT ROCKFORDCHAMBER.COM OR CALL 815 987-8100 FOR MORE INFO

SPONSORS

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

legislative

LEGISLATIVE ISSUES types of marijuana businesses in their jurisdictions. Source: Syverson’s Week in Review: Sept. 9 to 13, 2019 SCHOOL VISITATION LAW REMINDER:

Employers Must Provide Leave for Parents

Federal Funds Help City Replace Aging Lead Water Pipes

The City of Rockford has secured a $2 million Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) State Revolving Loan that will accelerate its lead service replacement program. Because the city meets certain median household income requirements, the loan is forgivable once the work is completed. Over the next ﬁve years, Rockford Water plans to replace about 2,500 of its 14,000 known lead service lines, focusing on the highest risk pipes ﬁrst. The $2 million is expected to cover work that started in July and will go through next spring. It plans to apply for another loan to continue the program once the $2 million is used. The IEPA has strict guidelines regarding the amount of lead allowed in the water. While Rockford’s water is well within the safe limits, its system is more than 100 years old. It will take several years to replace all of the lead lines. Source: Fehr Graham

Recreational Cannabis Update

Beginning Jan. 1, 2020, recreational cannabis sales will be legal in Illinois. With less than four months to go before the new law takes effect, cannabis dispensaries will need to receive mandatory health and safety training, among other regulations, before opening their doors. The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation has approved 26 businesses as “Responsible Vendors,” to provide this training. All medical cannabis dispensing agents currently working in Illinois also must receive training from an approved Responsible Vendor by Nov. 30, 2019. Any newly hired dispensary agents must receive training within 90 days of their hiring date. Training includes how to properly check purchaser identification, state laws and rules relating to dispensing cannabis, how to identify signs of impairment, physiological effects of cannabis, security measures, and health concerns related to cannabis consumption. The new state law allows anyone who is at least 21 to consume cannabis privately, but towns have the option of prohibiting legal sales and other

Students are back in school, and parent-teacher conferences are around the corner, which is why the State of Illinois is reminding parents of its school visitation law. Since 1993, Illinois has had a law providing for unpaid leave for employees to attend school conferences or classroom activities of their children when such events cannot be rescheduled during non-work hours. The School Visitation Rights Act stresses the importance of and promotes the involvement of parents in their children’s schooling. A school visitation rights leave form is available on the Illinois Department of Labor’s website. Source: Syverson’s Week in Review: Sept. 9 to 13, 2019

Craft Distilleries Can Self-Distribute, Create “Distill Pubs”

Craft distilleries will now be allowed to deliver and sell their products directly to bars, restaurants and stores, as well as open “distill pubs” under a new law sponsored by State Sen. Dan McConchie. For years, craft breweries and wineries have been able to do limited self-distribution of their product in order to build brand recognition and loyalty, a privilege not granted to distilleries. Under House Bill 2675/Public Act 101-0482, distilleries, who produce no more than 50,000 gallons a year, can sell and deliver up to 5,000 gallons of spirits per year directly to retailers and other vendors. Distilleries, like breweries and wineries, can now also open up “distill pubs,” where customers can sample their house-made spirits as well as other products. Source: Syverson’s Week in Review: Sept. 2 to 6, 2019

Federal Aid Sought for Historic Flooding

On Aug. 29, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker officially requested a federal disaster declaration be issued for Illinois due to the floods that plagued the state since February. He requested Individual Assistance and U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loans for 22 counties and Public Assistance for 32 counties. If approved, a federal disaster declaration would help local governments, residents and businesses affected by this historic flood recover from the disaster by allowing them to apply for grants and loans to assist with storm-related expenses and losses. Winnebago County is included on both lists. Stephenson County is on the Individual Assistance list only. Overall, more than $69 million in

direct losses resulted from this spring’s flooding, including $8.2 million in losses for individuals and $61 million in losses for units of government. More difficult to calculate, are the far-reaching economic ramifications for businesses, individual wages and tax revenue for local governments. The federal disaster declaration request follows a state disaster proclamation by Gov. Pritzker in July and an agricultural disaster declaration from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in early August. More information about the state’s storm response efforts is available at www.Ready.Illinois.gov. Those impacted by flooding can visit www2.illinois.gov/sites/2019Floods. Source: Syverson’s Week in Review: Sept. 2 to 6, 2019

State Report Shows Illinois Deficit Cut in Half

The Comprehensive Annual Financial Report released Aug. 29 by the Illinois Comptroller’s Office shows Illinois cut its general funds deficit by $6.849 billion — from a deficit of $14.612 billion in Fiscal Year 2017 to a deficit of $7.763 billion in Fiscal Year 2018. That is largely because of a refinancing of state debt from highinterest to low-interest repayment. Health and social services expenditures of $29.2 billion comprised the largest expenditure function for

fiscal year 2018, decreasing by $1 billion from fiscal year 2017. The second-largest expenditures, education expenditures, including spending for elementary and secondary education as well as higher education, totaled $25.4 billion, an increase of $3 billion, or 14 percent, from fiscal year 2017. Source: Syverson’s Week in Review: Sept. 2 to 6, 2019

Minimum Salary Increase for Teachers

Teachers will see an increase to their minimum salary under a new Illinois law; the ﬁrst time the state has addressed base wages for educators since 1980. State Sen. Steve Stadelman, who supported House Bill 2078, said it’s one way to confront a serious statewide teacher shortage. House Bill 2078 will raise the minimum salary for teachers to $40,000 over a four-year period. Projected base salaries under the new law are: ■ $32,076 for the 2020-2021 school year; ■ $34,576 for the 2021-2022 school year; ■ $37,076 for the 2022-2023 school year; and ■ $40,000 for the 2023-2024 school year. Source: Senator Stadelman’s Weekly Bulletin: Aug. 29, 2019

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

community COMMUNITY EVENTS

OCTOBER 2019

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3 Barbara Olson Center of Hope presents its HarvestFest 2019 fundraiser, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Midway Village Museum, 6799 Guilford Road, Rockford. Includes hearty appetizers, entertainment, wine and beer pulls, cash bar, raﬄes and more. Visit www.b-olsoncenterofhope.org. Mercyhealth Hospice presents Meaningful Memories, a free bereavement support group, 10 to 11:30 a.m., at Mercyhealth at Home, 4223 E. State St., Rockford, on Thursdays, Oct. 3, 10, 17 and 24.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5 Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau announced the 2019 ITTF North American Olympic Table Tennis Trials, 3 p.m., at the BMO Harris Bank Center, 300 Elm St., Rockford. Features men’s and women’s teams representing Team USA and Team Canada. Winners will qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. RALLY RKFD, a free pre-Trials festival, opens at 11 a.m., on Main Street between Mulberry and Elm Streets. Includes food and beverages, music, table tennis, bounce houses and ceremonial ping pong ball drop. Visit RockfordOlympicTrials.com. Edgebrook presents its Cider ’n‘ Cinnamon Arts & Crafts Fair, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Oct. 5 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Oct. 6. For participating vendors and live music schedule, visit edgebrookshops.com.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6 Rockford Park District Friends of Canine Corners Dog Parks hosts the free “Howl-o-Ween Pawty” beneﬁt, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 4950 Saﬀord Road. Proof of current rabies vaccines and no puppies younger than six months of age. Visit www. rockfordparkdistrict.org/ caninecorners.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8

Application deadline is today for the In Youth We Trust youth philanthropy program of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois. High-school-aged youth from northern Illinois will meet one Saturday morning a month from September to May. Visit cfnil.org/iywt.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10 First Northern Credit Union presents Using Home Equity, 5:30 to 7 p.m., at 104 N. Show Place Dr., Rockford. Register at www.fncu.org/ seminars. YWCA Northwestern Illinois presents Wine, Women & Purses, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Giovanni’s, 610 N. Bell School Road, Rockford. Tickets at www.ywcanwil.org/event/ wine-women-purses or call 815-9689681. Mercyhealth hosts its Nursing Continuing Education Fair for area high school juniors and seniors interested pursuing a career in nursing, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., in the Javon Bea Hospital–Riverside general conference room. Details at MercyNursing.info or contact 262245-2250 or spavich@mhemail.org.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12 Alden Park Strathmoor presents an Octoberfest celebration, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., to beneﬁt the Leukemia Research Foundation. Includes a chili cook-oﬀ and community garage sale. Register by Sept. 27 for garage sale space at 815-901-1590. OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center holds auditions, 10 a.m., for its Animated Assisted Therapy Program. For an application visit www.osfsaintanthony.org or call 815-395-5064. Hulsebus Chiropractic Clinics hosts an 70th Anniversary Open House Celebration, 9 a.m. to noon at 1010 Harlem Road in Machesney Park. Call 815-398-3434 for questions. Rockford Park District presents Pumpkin Fest, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Oct. 12 to 14, rain or shine, at

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

Lockwood Park, 5201 Saﬀord Road. Visit www.lockwoodpark.com/ pumpkinfest for activities and fees.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13 Rockford Park District presents Nine and Wine at Sinnissippi Golf Course, 2004 Arlington Ave. Shotgun start at 2 p.m., for nine-hole course. Wine sponsor is DC Estate Winery & Event Venue, with samples at each hole. Register by Oct. 7 at www. golfrockford.org.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16 NIU presents an All-Majors Internship & Job Fair, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Convocation Center, 1525 W. Lincoln Hwy., DeKalb. Contact 815-753-1641 or CareerServices@niu.edu. Restore Counseling & Recovery hosts a Grand Reopening Open House, 1 to 8 p.m., at 7210 E. State St., Suite 206, Rockford. Ribbon cutting at 4 p.m. Free workshops: Mental Health & Social Media, Trauma & Self-Care, Cannabis-The Facts, and Resisting Happiness? Reserve at 815-RESTORE, 815-708-7392 or accounts@restorerockford.com.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17 Northern Illinois University College of Engineering and Engineering Technology hosts the 2019 Fall Job and Internship Fair, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Holmes Student Center, 340 Carroll Ave., DeKalb. Open to NIU students. Visit go.niu.edu/ FallJobFair2019, 815-753-9961 or ssamuels@niu.edu. First National Bank and Trust presents an Economic Outlook luncheon, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the Eclipse Center, 3 Eclipse Blvd., in Beloit, Wis. Featured speaker is William A. Straus, CBE, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Call 800-667-4401.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19 Rockford Park District presents Tree Trunk-or-Treat, 7 to 9 p.m., at Atwood Center, Seth B. Atwood Park, 2685 New Milford School Road.

Come in costume and collect candy in the woods. Visit www. rockfordparkdistrict.org/atwood or call 815-987-8800.

Hulsebus Rockford Chiropractic presents its 70th Year Celebration, 9 a.m. to noon, at 1877 Daimler Road, Rockford. Call 815-398-3434 for questions. First Northern Credit Union presents its free, annual Fall Festival, 10 a.m. to noon, at 104 North Show Place Drive. Call Zachary at 815-701-6111 or visit www.facebook.com/ﬁrstnortherncu.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 21 Rockford Park District hosts Couples Night Out at Aldeen Golf Club & Practice Centre, 1902 Reid Farm Road. Golf game for all skill levels at 5:30 p.m.; dinner by Graystone Grill at 7:30 p.m. Register with Duncan Geddes, duncangeddes@rockfordparkdistrict. org or 815-987-1673.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22 2019 Rosecrance Launch to Life Beneﬁt, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., JW Marriott Hotel, 151 W. Adams St., Chicago. Features David Sheﬀ, author of the New York Times #1 best seller, “Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction.” Contact events@rosecrance.org for more information.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23 Wesley Willows welcomes speaker and author, Larry Minnix, Top 50 Leader by the Non-Proﬁt Times, and Top 50 Inﬂuencer of Aging, 11 a.m., inside the Castle Town Center.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25 Discovery Center Museum presents Spooky Science, 6 to 9 p.m., inside Riverfront Museum Park, 711 N. Main St., Rockford. Call 815-963-6769 or visit www. discoverycentermuseum.org.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26 Rockford City Market presents The Great Pumpkin Market Pop-Up, 10

Continued on page 27

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October 2019

COMMUNITY EVENTS MEMBER PICS community on digital

(continued from page 26)

a.m. to 2 p.m., at 116 N. Madison St., Rockford. Visit www.rockfordcity market.com/saturdaypopups.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 The Mercyhealth Rockford Memorial Auxiliary hosts its fourth-annual Holiday Market, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., on Oct. 29 and 30 at Javon Bea Hospital-Rockton, 2400 N. Rockton Ave., Rockford, in Café 2400.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30 Mercyhealth hosts a free Atrial Fibrillation Support Group, 6 to 7 p.m., at Javon Bea Hospital-Rockton, 2400 N. Rockton Ave., Rockford, on the last Wednesday of each month. Register at 888-39-MERCY. Alignment Rockford invites local businesses to Job Shadow for RPS 205 high school students, Oct. 30 through April 15. Sign-up by visiting alignmentrockford.com/job-shadow.

NOVEMBER 2019

Center, 610 N. Bell School Road, Rockford. Seating is limited. Buy tickets at www.jlrockford.org.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10 Discovery Center Museum presents Toy Trains!, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., on Nov. 10 and 11, inside Riverfront Museum Park, 711 N. Main St., Rockford. Call 815-963-6769 or visit www.discoverycentermuseum.org.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13 The Mercyhealth Rockford Memorial Auxiliary hosts its fourth-annual Holiday Market, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., on Nov. 13 and 14 at Javon Bea Hospital-Riverside, 8201 E. Riverside Blvd., Rockford, in conference rooms B1 and B2.

Boylan Catholic High School hosts an Open House, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 4000 Saint Francis Dr., Rockford. Last guided tour at 12:30 p.m. Visit boylan. org for details.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9 Rockford City Market presents Pet Market Pop-Up featuring Puppy Yoga (fees apply), 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 116 N. Madison St., Rockford. Visit www.rockfordcitymarket.com/ saturdaypopups. Junior League of Rockford hosts its Trivia Night fundraiser, 7:30 p.m., at Giovanni’s Restaurant & Convention

EBISS held a ribbon cutting on Aug. 29 at 7918 Forest Hills Road, Loves Park.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14 First Northern Credit Union presents Breezing Through the Holidays, 5:30 to 7 p.m., at 104 N. Show Place Dr., Rockford. Register at www.fncu.org/seminars.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3 Discovery Center Museum presents Smashing Pumpkins, 1 to 4 p.m., inside Riverfront Museum Park, 711 N. Main St., Rockford. Call 815-9636769 or visit www.discoverycenter museum.org.

Ceremonial ribbon donated by SERVPRO of Rockford.

Family Counseling Services presents Dancing With The Rockford Stars, 6 p.m., at Giovanni’s, Restaurant & Convention Center, 610 N. Bell School Road, Rockford. Vote for your favorite act and buy tickets at www.dancewith rockfordstars.com or call 815-9625585.

Center for Sight & Hearing held a ribbon cutting on Sept. 12 at 8038 MacIntosh Lane, Rockford, for its Vision Clinic expansion.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30 Rockford City Market presents Small Business Saturday Holiday Market Pop-Up, 2 to 9 p.m. (same hours as Stroll on State), at 116 N. Madison St., Rockford. Visit www. rockfordcitymarket.com/ saturdaypopups. The third-annual Dasher Dash 5K takes place at 8 a.m., at UW Sports Factory. Call Fleet Feet Sports Rockford, 815-978-4643.

aMBaSSaDOR DOR SPOTLIGHT

Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful - Recycling Center held a ribbon cutting on Sept. 18 at 4665 Hydraulic Road, Rockford.

Maren M. Sanders “Being an ambassador helps you to get to know the businesses and business owners in our community,” said Maren M. Sanders, Edward Jones. “It helps you to be more engaged in the world around you. This is a great way to expand your horizons and connect with other like-minded individuals. “I can talk about how great it is to connect with business owners and celebrate with them the opening of the doors on their hard work. I have met incredible hard-working people and made some great friendships. We support each other’s ideas and encourage one another along the way. It is a great way to network with other business owners and learn how we can be an asset to each other.”

PCI held a ribbon cutting of their Clinical Services site expansion and open house tours on September 19 at 4545 Assembly Drive, Rockford.

THEVOICE • rockfordchamber.com

October 2019

in the news MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

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

1. Dr. Maria Gomez

2. Dr. Alexandra Rigo

3. Dr. Michael DeVisser

4. Dr. Prasad Kilaru

5. Dr. Addie B. Spier

6. Dan Ross

7. Dale Falconer

8. Carrie Johnson

9. Andrea Mancuso

10. Nicole Tripp

11. Patricia L. Hall

12. Matt Irsay

13. Brad Marcum

14. Joel Kortemeier

15. Amy Barber

16. Dr. Michael Roh

17. Dr. Christopher Sliva

18. Dr. Fred Sweet

19. Dr. Marie Walker

20. Dr. Brittany Blomberg

21. Erica Moore

22. Lori Johnson

23. Ryan Bausman

24. Dean Lozanovic

BOARD APPOINTMENTS John Groh, president/CEO, Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, was named board chair of the Destinations International Foundation.

NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, RETIREMENTS Mercyhealth welcomed Dr. Maria Gomez (1), Dr. Alexandra Rigo (2) and Dr. Michael DeVisser (3) to emergency medicine and promoted Martha Spataro to director of nursing operations at Javon Bea Hospital–Riverside and Rockton. Prasad Kilaru (4), M.D., FSCAI, FACC, joined Mercyhealth Heart and Vascular Center–Riverside, and Addie B. Spier (5), M.D., infectious disease medicine at Javon Bea Hospital–Riverside and Rockton, and Mercyhealth Physician Clinic– Riverside.

Fehr Graham hired Dan Ross (6) as chief financial officer. First National Bank and Trust promoted Dale Falconer (7) to network administrator and officer. Rockford Art Museum promoted Carrie Johnson (8) to chief curator and interim executive director. Northern Illinois Vein Clinic hired Andrea Mancuso (9) as certified surgical technician and Nicole Tripp (10) as patient account specialist and office coordinator. WilliamsMcCarthy LLP hired Patricia L. Hall (11) as associate in civil litigation, employment and labor law, and appellate advocacy. Integrated Public Resources, LLC (IPR), a McMahon Group affiliate company, hired Jamey Young and Matt Irsay (12) as water/wastewater specialists in Illinois.

Wilson Electric Co., hired Brad Marcum (13) as project manager/ estimator and promoted Joel Kortemeier (14) to president/CFO.

guitarist; Lauren Canitia, violinist; Valerie Blair, music and movement, and Mike Beert, cello.

Rockford Christian School announced its leadership team: Peter Held, principal of curricula and instruction; Drew Popejoy, grades 6-12 principal of student services; Michael Roh (16), M.D., Christopher AmyCarol Bedows, MS principal, and Matt Nyberg, preschool & Sliva (17), M.D., Fred Sweet (18), elementary school principal. M.D., and Marie Walker (19), M.D., Rockford Spine Center, will serve as Erica Moore (21) joined First Rockford IceHogs’ orthopedic spine National Bank, home mortgage specialists for 2019-2020. division, as a mortgage loan originator. Brittany Blomberg (20), D.O., is the Amy Barber, (15) BS, MSN, was named director of cardiovascular services at OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center.

newest fellow in the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford’s Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program.

Market Dimensions, Inc., promoted Lori Johnson (22) to vice president, payroll operations.

Wipﬂi LLP welcomed Ryan Six faculty members joined The Bausman (23) and Dean Lozanovic Music Academy for fall: Nanette Felix, harpist; Grace Cifonie, violinist (24) as staﬀ accountants in Rockford. Continued on page 29 and pianist; David Nelson, classical

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October 2019

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

on digital

MEMBER PICS

Ceremonial ribbon donated by SERVPRO of Rockford.

25. Chasity Kerley

26. Jeﬀ Tratnik

27. Jim Reynolds

28. Kelly Kampmeier

29. Dr. Philip Carlson-Dexter

30. Dr. Kaavya Chivukula

31. Carla Roth

32. Dr. Scott Trenhaile

33. Carlene Cardosi

34. Dr. William Bush

35. Dr. Mark Barba

(continued from page 28) SwedishAmerican welcomed Lisa Larson, APRN, to North Main Clinic; Dr. Aleida Rodriguez, endocrinology, to Brookside Specialty Center; Dr. Alaeddin Maeza to Regional Cancer Center; Dr. Tiphani James, podiatry, to Stateline Clinic; Cassie Alcock, APN, to Valley Clinic, and Catherine Bopp, physician assistant, to UW Health Surgery at SwedishAmerican. TAC Rockford hired Chasity Kerley (25) as technical customer service specialist and Jeﬀ Tratnik (26) as technical applications specialist.

EMPLOYEE/COMMUNITY RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS Michael Roh, M.D., Christopher Sliva, M.D., and Fred Sweet, M.D., Rockford Spine Center, were recognized for the ninth consecutive year by Vitals with the Compassionate Doctor Recognition for 2019 and the Castle Connolly Top Doctors award for the seventh consecutive year. Jim Reynolds (27), vice president business banking, Blackhawk Bank, earned the designation of BEI Certiﬁed Exit Planner (CExP™). Meridian named Kelly Kampmeier (28) as employee of the month for August 2019. The University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford Family Medicine Residency Program chose Philip Carlson-Dexter (29), M.D., and Kaavya Chivukula (30), M.D., as co-chief residents.

OF GENERAL INTEREST Carla Roth (31), recreational therapist, Rosecrance, keynoted

Indoor City Market held a ribbon cutting and open house with tours on Sept. 20 at 116 N. Madison, Rockford.

and presented a breakout session at the annual Horticulture Therapy Symposium at Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville in August. Scott Trenhaile (32), M.D., surgeon, OrthoIllinois, coauthored, “PatientReported Outcomes After Use of a Bioabsorbable Collagen Implant to Treat Partial and Full-Thickness Rotator Cuﬀ Repairs,” appearing in the July 2019 edition of Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery.

Forest City Diagnostic Imaging held a ribbon cutting on Sept. 25 at 735 N. Perryville Road, Ste. 2, Rockford.

Carlene Cardosi (33), regional administrator, Rosecrance, presented a national webinar, “Anxiety and Stress Management for Adolescents,” for Addiction Professionals magazine in September. William Bush (34), DPM, and Mark Barba (35), M.D., OrthoIllinois, performed the practice’s ﬁrst total ankle replacement, the ankle arthroplasty, in August 2019. Since then, Dr. Bush has performed subsequent total ankle replacement procedures.

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

Smokey Bones Restaurant held a VIP event on Sept. 17 at 6690 E. State St., Rockford. Pictured is Einar Forsman, Chamber president and James O’Reilly Chief Executive Officer at Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill. Photo by David Olson Photography

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

35-YEAR MEMBER

20-YEAR MEMBER

30-YEAR MEMBER

15-YEAR MEMBER

25-YEAR MEMBERS

10-YEAR MEMBER

Aetna Plywood, Inc. US Lubricants

Center for Sight & Hearing Keith Country Day School

Campbell Science corporation Rockford Bank & Trust Co. Advanced Rockford Eye Care

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October 2019

NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS CHERRY VALLEY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT Providing ﬁre, emergency, medical and other life safety services to those who reside, work and travel through Village of Cherry Valley and unincorporated areas of Winnebago and Boone Counties 202 E. State St. Cherry Valley, IL 61016 Tracy Renfro 815-332-5382 www.cvfpd.com

EASTERSEALS - THE AUTISM PROGRAM CENTER (TAP) TAP is the largest, comprehensive statewide program in the country dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. 1601 Parkview Ave., 61107 Lorie Davies 815-395-5566 www.easterseals.com/chicago/ connect-locally/service-centerlocations/the-autism-program-taprockford.html

FOREST CITY FLOAT/ NAMASTE STUDIOS A full service spa offering floatation and infrared sauna therapies, yoga and qigong, acupressure and reflexology, singing bowl and be present meditations 223 E. State St., Ste. 202, 61104 Tamara Bogard 815-708-8055 www.forestcityfloat.com and www.namastestudios.co

GSF - USA GSF is a global cleaning services company that delivers clean environments by hiring, developing and leading our staﬀ to empower them to achieve the highest levels of professionalism. 2200 E. Devon Ave., Ste. 283 Des Plaines, IL 60018 David Jackson 815-670-9588 www.gsf-usa.com

LUXE PRODUCTIONS DJ /AV/Production 7300 Edward Dr. Loves Park, IL 61111 Jordan Chance 815-988-5341 www.luxeproductions.com

MO’S COFFEE & CAFE Opening soon 303 Mulberry St. Rockford, IL 61101 Mohammed Saleem 815-516-3189

ONE LOVE CANDLE & BATH Our handcrafted line of soaps, lotions, body butters and soy candles are indulgent yet practical enough for everyday use. 6532 E. Riverside Blvd. Loves Park, IL 61111 Stephanie Franchini 779-774-4200 www.onelovecandleandbath.com

SCHWAN’S HOME SERVICE Our culinary team takes pride in crafting frozen foods for stores, schools, restaurants and home delivery. 9941 N. Alpine Road Machesney Park, IL 61115 Jeremy Harlﬁnger 815-543-3001 www.schwans.com

MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS Thank you to members who renewed with the Rockford Chamber of Commerce in August, 2019 Advanced Rockford Eye Care Al’s Carpet Flooring & Design Center Baymont by Wyndham Rockford Berg Industries, Inc. Blackhawk Bank C & H Design Center Cedar Hill Condominium Association Chartwell Agency Crystal Precision Drilling, Inc. Ethnic Heritage Museum/ Graham-Ginestra House Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International (FMA) First National Bank and Trust Roscoe First National Bank and Trust Rockton Getz Fire Equipment Company Giuseppe Verdi Society/Verdi Club GreenFire Restaurant, Bar & Bakery Greenlee Holiday Inn Express Honquest Family Funeral Home With Crematory Horizons Inc. Hub Printing Inc. HugePrints LLC Humana IP Communications, Inc. Irontek J. Carlson Growers, Inc. Johnny Pamcakes Key Realty, Inc. Maciano’s Pizza Columbia Parkway Midway Village Museum Midwest Rooﬁng Supply Miller Eye Center Modernspace Studio/ Techline-Rockford Morgan Building Maintenance Inc. Movement Fitness Northwestern Mutual Pathﬁnder Wealth Management, Inc. Prairie Street Brewing Co. Premier Technologies

Rock River Tower LLC Rockford Art Museum

Rockford Board of Election Commissioners

Rockford Carpetland USA, Inc.

Rockford Cemetery Association, Greenwood Cemetery & Crematorium Rockford Charter School Organization/Jackson Charter School Rockford Generation

Rockford Lutheran School Rockford OMS

Rockford Rigging, Inc.

Rockford Symphony Orchestra

Roy Gayle Pony Baseball Softball Samco Sales & Marketing Inc. Sam’s Club, A Division of Wal-Mart Stores Satori Pathway Network

Satori Pathway Network Anam Glen

Security First Title Company Springﬁeld Electric Supply Company

Stateline Real Estate LLC/Stateline Rental Properties Tavern on Clark The Alliance

The Anser Group

The Pension Specialists, Ltd. Tree Care Enterprises Inc. Tricoci University of Beauty Culture, LLC

United Association of Plumbers & Pipe Fitters Local Union 23 WATT Global Media

Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers (K & K Foods Inc.) Downtown Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers (K & K Foods Inc.) - East State

Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers (K & K Foods Inc.) Riverside Blvd WinMan LLC

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chamber

UPCOMING CHAMBER EVENTS

OCTOBER, 2019

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1 Business Women’s Council, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Forest Hills Country Club, 5135 Forest Hills Road, Rockford. Matt Giebel, owner, Express Employment Professionals, presents Empathetic Leadership. Sponsored by Associated Bank. IGNITE Lunch with a Leader, noon to 1 p.m., at Rockford UniversityPURI School of Business, room 124, 5050 E. State St., Rockford. Features Judge Lisa Fabiano and Judge Gwyn Gulley, Winnebago Court System. Sponsored by Wintrust Commercial Banking & Mortgage.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2 Ribbon Cutting at Forest City Float/ Namaste Studios, 10 to 11 a.m., at 223 E. State St., Ste. 202, Rockford.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4 Parks Chamber and Rockford Chamber Invite you to a Ribbon Cutting and Open House at Rockford Park District-Mercyhealth Indoor Sports Center, 4 p.m., at 223 8800 E. Riverside Blvd., Loves Park.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9 Breakfast Buzz, 7:30 to 9 a.m., at Rockford University-PURI School of Business, room 124, 5050 E. State St., Rockford. Features Emily Hartzog, Chartwell Agency, on “Presentation Skills.” Sponsored by RSM US LLP.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10 Build An A-Team, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., Tebala Event Center, 7910 Newburg Road, Rockford. Kick-oﬀ for Rockford Leadership Alliance. Workshop features keynote speaker, Whitney Johnson, author of “Build an A-Team: Play to their Strengths & Lead Them Up The Learning Curve.” October Ambassador Lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Midtown District Inc., 703 7th St., Rockford.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11 Government Aﬀairs Council, 7:30 to 8:45 a.m., at Stockholm Inn, 2420 Charles St., Rockford.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15 Chamber 101 with Speed Networking, 4 to 5:30 p.m., RMTD East Side Transfer Center, 725 N. Lyford Road, Rockford. Sponsored by MembersAlliance Credit Union.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16 Ribbon Cutting and Open House at Restore Counseling & Recovery, 4 p.m., at 7210 E. State St., Ste. 206, Rockford. Business After Hours at Anderson Dodge/Gallagher, 5 p.m., at 5711 E. State St., Rockford.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17 The Heartbeat of Healthcare, 11:30

October 2019

a.m. to 1 p.m., at Radisson Hotel & Conference Center, 200 S. Bell School Road, Rockford. Crusader Community Health presents “Building on the Past, Looking Forward to the Future.” Sponsored by BMO Harris Bank (presenting), Humana, Rosecrance and SwedishAmerican, A Division of UW Health (gold), Comcast Business, Northern Illinois Hospice, Quartz and Van Matre Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital (silver), and Wipﬂi LLP (bronze).

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24 Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening at Carz R’ Us, General Automotive & Tire, 4 to 5 p.m., at 10208 Smythe Ave., Machesney Park.

ADVERTISERS INDEX Agrace Hospice & Palliative Care . . .14 Alignment Rockford . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 The Alliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Blackhawk Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 BMO Harris Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Brian Thomas Photography. . . . . . . .23 Comfort Keepers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Crimson Pointe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Ege Worksmart Solutions, PC . . . . . .19 Entré Computer Solutions . . . . . . . . . .4 Fairhaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Humana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Illinois Bank & Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 IMEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 The Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) . . . . . .11 Knopp Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 MercyCare Health Plans . . . . . . . . . . .2

VOICE

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25

Ribbon Cutting at KFACT, Inc., 2 p.m., at 318 N Church St., Rockford.

Mercyhealth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Midland States Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Northern Illinois University. . . . . . . . .20 Northern Illinois Hospice . . . . . . . . . .15 Northern Public Radio . . . . . . . . . . . .30 OSF HealthCare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Quartz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Rockford Bank & Trust. . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Rockford Chamber of Commerce . . . . . . . . 12, 14, 20-21, 24 Rockford University . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Schmeling Construction Co. . . . . . . .21 Stillman Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Thayer Lighting, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Van Matre Encompass Health Rehab Hospital . . . . . . . . . . .6 Wesley Willows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

the

Chamber Staﬀ / Call 815-987-8100 ..........................................Direct Line Carmen Brenz, Program & Event Coordinator ...................................815-316-4302 Einar K. Forsman, President & CEO .......................................... 815-316-4304 Heidi M. Garner, Chief Operating Oﬃcer .................................... 815-316-4312

NOVEMBER, 2019

Olivia Guzman, Administrative Assistant/Customer Service Rep..........815-987-8100

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1

Lynette Jacques, Vice President, Member Investment .................... 815-316-4317

IGNITE Lunch with a Leader, noon to 1 p.m., at Rockford UniversityPURI School of Business, room 124, 5050 E. State St., Rockford. Features Jorge Herrera, Rockford Bank & Trust. Sponsored by Wintrust Commercial Banking & Mortgage.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5 Business Women’s Council, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Forest Hills Country Club, 5135 Forest Hills Road, Rockford. Features Diane Logsdon, The Logsdon Group. Sponsored by Associated Bank.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7 40 Leaders Under 40 Honoree Reception, 5 to 7 p.m., at Tebala Event Center, 7910 Newburg Road, Rockford. Sponsored by Illinois Bank & Trust and OSF HealthCare (hospitality).

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8 Government Aﬀairs Council, 7:30 to 8:45 a.m., at Stockholm Inn, 2420 Charles St., Rockford.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13 Breakfast Buzz, 7:30 to 9 a.m., at Rockford University-PURI School of Business, room 124, 5050 E. State St., Rockford. Features Mike Broski, Entre Computer Solutions, on “Collaboration with Microsoft Teams.” Sponsored by RSM US LLP.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21 Mayor’s Business Address with Mayor Tom McNamara, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Giovanni’s, Inc., 610 N. Bell School Road, Rockford. Sponsored by BMO Harris Bank (presenting), SwedishAmerican, A Division of UW Health (gold), Comcast Business, and Hinshaw (silver), and Van Matre Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital (bronze).

Doug Hessong, Director of Publications & Technology ................... 815-316-4338 Kristin Muehlfelder, Member Relations...................................................815-316-4315 Caitlin Pusateri, Vice President, Leadership Development ....................815-316-4337 Doug Rand, Accounting Manager/Controller ............................... 815-316-4316 Joan Sundvall, Membership Contact Coordinator ......................... 815-316-4320 Mike Mastroianni, Executive Director, Small Business Development Center .....................................................815-987-8100

CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS & OFFICERS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

DIRECTORS Andrew Benson Benson Stone Company, Inc.

Chair of the Board Michele Petrie Wintrust Commercial Banking & Mortgage

Kimberly Blascoe Wipﬂi LLP Jan Bowman TLC Construction

Vice Chair Dan Ross Fehr Graham Vice Chair Jean Crosby Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Crosby Starck Real Estate Treasurer Amy Ott Boylan Catholic High School Immediate Past Chair Richard Zumwalt Z Resource

LaVonne Brown Savant Capital Management Paula Carynski OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center Samuel J. Castree Staﬀ Management, Inc. Doug Curry Stenstrom Companies

Tim Honquest Honquest Family Funeral Home with Crematory

Dr. Alex Stagnaro-Green Univ. of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford

Jeﬀ Hultman Illinois Bank & Trust

Karl Swanson Rockford Bank & Trust Co

Michael F. Iasparro Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP Kris L. Kieper Machajewski YWCA Northwestern Illinois Mike Paterson Mid-West Family Broadcasting Mark Peterson CBL Associates Cherry Vale Denise Sasse RSM US LLP

Sue Schrieber Don Daniels Mercyhealth SwedishAmerican, A Division of UW Health John Schuster Rosecrance Health Rebecca Epperson Network Chartwell Agency Teri Sharp Ira Grimmett American Precision Collins Aerospace Supply, Inc.

Jon Thompson Butitta Brothers Automotive Terry Voskuil Woodward

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

NOVEMBER VOICE SPECIAL SECTIONS Legal Advocate (Legal Leadership & Issues)

Financial Fluidity (Banking & Financial Services) For information on advertising, call 815

987-8100

October Voice 2019

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