May / June 2022 Commerce Connection by Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

MAY / JUNE 2022

Volume 31 | Issue 3

years

A PUBLICATION OF THE CHAMPAIGN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

INSIDE:

PG. 9 First Things First

Permit No. 29 Champaign, IL

PAID

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COMMERCE CONNECTION

PG. 10 Local Experts, Local Economy PG. 13 How Shopping Local Helps the Community 1

Saving Your Business TIME and MONEY!

WE'LL COME TO YOU!

There when you need us, online or face-to-face.

To get started on your own SBA Loan, contact a local First Mid lender. Patrick Pfeifer

Commercial Lending 114 W. Church Street Champaign 217-398-0067 ppfeifer@firstmid.com

Scott Grumish

Commercial Lending 114 W. Church Street Champaign 217-403-4435 sgrumish@firstmid.com

First Mid has been recognized by the Illinois SBA seven years in a row for our commitment to small business. * Based on Illinois SBA Lender Performance Reports and the number of closed SBA 7(a) loans.

Look for us in these area communities:

firstmid.com 2

CHAMPAIGN 398-0067 | URBANA 367-8451 SAVOY 351-3526 | MAHOMET 318-3750 RANTOUL 893-8100

303 West Kirby Avenue Champaign, IL 61820 P 217.359.1791 | F 217.359.1809 www.champaigncounty.org

FY22 TOP INVESTORS TOP INVESTORS SILVER Busey Carle University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign BRONZE A & R Mechanical Contractors BankChampaign, N.A. Christie Clinic First Mid Bank & Trust Fisher National Bank Health Alliance OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center Ramshaw Real Estate

IN-KIND CONTRIBUTORS CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE Illini Radio Group - MIX 94.5, WIXY 100.3, Rewind 92.5, WYXY Classic 99.1, True Oldies 97.9, Extra 92.1, Hits 99.7 Stevie Jay Broadcasting - Q96-96.1FM, US105.9, Christian FM 95.3 & ESPN 93.5 PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE NewsTalk 1400 WDWS, Lite Rock 97.5 WHMS, Classic Hits 107.9 WKIO

CHAMBER STAFF Laura Weis President & CEO LauraW@champaigncounty.org

Madeline Herrman Public Policy Director MadelineH@champaigncounty.org

Matt Bradley Business Growth & Development Director MattB@champaigncounty.org

Kelsie Woelfle Director of Marketing & Events KelsieW@champaigncounty.org Stephanie Smith-Jeffries Office and Accounting Administrator StephanieS@champaigncounty.org

Mindy Cain Director of Workforce Readiness MindyC@champaigncounty.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORS BOARD OFFICERS Rachel Coventry

Curtis Orchard, Ltd.

Deb Reardanz Clark-Lindsey Village

Tonya Horn

Nathan Escue

Dr. Jared Rogers

Kyle Emkes

Hamilton Walker’s

Laura Heiser

RE/MAX Realty Associates R.J. Hynds English Brothers Company

Dr. Pamela Lau Parkland College

Janice McAteer Busey

Chuck McReaken TSM Ventures, Inc.

Justin Overstreet Martin Hood LLC

OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center

Amie Smith

BankChampaign N.A.

Dr. Dalitso Sulamoyo Champaign County Regional Planning Commission

Bill Walter

Chair, Rogards

First Vice Chair, Maatuka Al-Heeti Emkes LLC

Dan Hurley

Second Vice Chair, FedEx Ground

Dan Kirby

Treasurer, CliftonLarsonAllen

Laura Weis

Secretary, Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

A & R Mechanical Contractors

Andrew Weintraub Health Alliance

FINANCIAL SERVICES Provided by CliftonLarsonAllen

All information contained within this publication is property of the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce and cannot be reproduced without prior expressed or written consent. This publication contains paid advertising; the opinions expressed in those advertisements do not reflect the views of the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce. For advertising information, contact Kelsie Woelfle at KelsieW@champaigncounty.org.

WELCOME TO THE CHAMBER > members who joined between March 1 and April 30, 2022 ADP / Aubrey Davis 10475 Crosspoint Blvd. Fishers, IN 46256 217.200.6708 www.adp.com Payroll Service

For more than 70 years, ADP has been a global leader in human capital management and business solutions. From paying your people anywhere to supporting your best talent everywhere, ADP helps businesses rethink work today to have more success tomorrow. We assist employers from hire to retire and all business types and sizes. From 1-1,000+ employees, we aid in the administrative tasks that take employers away from their passion.

Angel Paws Pet Grooming & Pet Sitting 900 S. Mattis Ave. Champaign, IL 61821 217.418.7484 www.angelpawsgroomingandpetsitting.com PetGrooming

Angel Paws grooming has been caring for pets for 23 years and caring for your furry friend in a cage-free, loving environment. It’s your pet’s home away from home. The owner is licensed by the state and has a security system. There is a separate area where cats are boarded. We also groom dogs and cats and do walk-in nail trims. We can usually get you an appointment with four groomers on staff in a few days. Angel Paws has a fantastic team of groomers who love what they do. It’s not a job; it’s our passion.

Collective Pour

340 N. Neil St. Champaign, IL 61820 217.607.5292 www.collectivepour.com Bars & Taverns At Collective Pour, we have over 40 craft beers on draft. Each of our beers has its unique story about the brweweries’ owners, how they named the beers and more. We pride ourselves on offering a wide selection 4

of craft beers, whiskeys, bourbons and other liquorbased drinks. Our fantastic food will complement your craft beer, where friends and family can share some delicious dishes. With your food and craft brew, you’ll also get outstanding service from our team, so you can kick back, relax and share your stories. Want to have a private party at Collective Pour? You can rent the bar and host a fantastic party with plenty of space, craft beer and food for all your guests.

Collison Law Offices Ltd. 3123 Village Office Pl. Champaign, IL 61822 217.751.4878 www.collisonltd.com Attorneys

Collison Law Offices is dedicated to serving seriously injured clients in Champaign, Ford, Iroquois, Kankakee, Vermilion counties and the Chicagoland Area. Muriel Collison, Robert Fink and Jennifer Eldridge are passionate about helping clients with personal injury, wrongful death, social security disability, workplace and catastrophic injuries by assisting them in obtaining the compensation they deserve. We are known for treating our clients with compassion, empathy and transparent communication while being tenacious, prepared and resolute when fighting for our clients’ rights.

Fehr Graham and Associates, LLC 1610 Broadmoor Dr. Champaign, IL 61821 217.352.7688 www.fehrgraham.com Engineers-Civil

Fehr Graham is more than an engineering and environmental consulting firm. We are a team of experts across many disciplines working together to solve problems and improve the quality of life in the communities in which our clients live, work and play. As a premier provider of engineering, environmental and funding solutions for commercial, industrial, institution and government clients, we can help solve some of your toughest challenges.

Our mission is to improve the quality of life for our clients in the communities where they live and work by providing collaborative, insightful, results-driven solutions. Visit fehrgraham.com to see how we’ve helped communities across the United States find effective solutions.

First Student

812 S. Glover Ave. Urbana, IL 61802 217.344.4586 www.firststudentinc.com Buses-Charter & Rental First Student is more than just a service provider— we’re a vital partner in the communities we serve. When you choose us, you choose a company that weaves caring for students into every practice, every day. Our full suite of transportation services includes benefits of contracting, driver recruitment, fleet maintenance, special needs bus transportation routing and early childhood services.

Mike Buscher, The Real Estate Group Inc. 2101 W. Park Ct. Champaign, IL 61820 217.607.2634 www.thegroup.com Real Estate Agents, Brokers & Independent Contractors

The Real Estate Group is a locally-owned, independent real estate brokerage company in Champaign. The company has grown to nearly 200 agents and we are the number one real estate firm in downstate and central Illinois.

Pacifica Champaign, LLC 24 E. Green St. Champaign, IL 61820 630.463.2967 www.windfallusa.com Apartments

28 East Green will bring a chic, contemporary, air-conditioned student apartment housing just a short walk from the Main Quad of the ChampaignUrbana’s University of Illinois. Our community is desirably located on East Green Street and surrounded by dining, shopping and entertainment. Residents will enjoy fabulous amenities including a state-of-the-art fitness center, beautifully appointed outdoor lounge and recreation spaces, modern indoor lounge and leisure spaces and numerous study lounges. Phase I will offer apartments ranging from one to four bedrooms with a total of 402 beds and will be completed in August 2023. Leasing will commence in November 2022. This project is being developed by Pacifica Champaign, LLC, a commercial real estate development company with extensive development experience and will be managed by HH Fund, a prominent student housing management company in the United States.

Stanfield Chiropractic 507 W. Town Center Blvd. Champaign, IL 61822 217.954.0424 www.stanfieldclinic.com Chiropractic Physicians

Stanfield Chiropractic is a welcoming and friendly environment ready to serve the needs of our community, from day-to-day pains and aches to motor vehicle injuries and everything in between. Stanfield Chiropractic is here to help our patients achieve the highest level of health through noninvasive pain management and reach overall wellness.

WELCOME TO THE CHAMBER > members who joined between March 1 and April 30, 2022 T-Mobile Corporate

1 Brickyard Dr. Bloomington, IL 61701 417.388.0898 www.t-mobile.com Telephone Communication Services T-Mobile is powering business in Central Illinois. We bring the nation’s largest, fastest 5G network to the cities and towns that other providers won’t. Our bestin-class offers allow you to take advantage of the best network with the best devices—all with local support.

The Main Scoop Mahomet

With both seasonal and classic flavors available year-round, we’re here to be your one-stop shop for all things ice cream. Proudly serving Capannari Ice Cream, a genuinely gourmet ice cream guaranteeing the freshest, most flavorful, super-premium ice cream. Capannari Ice Cream has been widely recognized and honored for its rich, super-premium taste and texture. Fun facts include that Capannari Ice Cream has been voted “Best In Chicago” by Chicago Magazine, “Top Ten Scoops in America” by Good Morning America, and “Top Pick, Awesome Ice Cream” by Bon Appétit Magazine. The best part is that this deliciousness is right here in Mahomet. Be sure to check out our menu online. We look forward to serving you.

403 E. Main St. Mahomet, IL 61853 217.419.6653 www.TheMainScoopMahomet.com Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts-Retail

CALL US TODAY!

888.616.3195 6

Ribbon Cuttings

>> held between March 31 and May 12, 2022

V.I.D.A Bottega celebrated their grand-opening with a ribbon cutting on March 31.

Stanfield Chiropractic celebrated a ribbon cutting on April 20.

Pacifica Champaign celebrated a groundbreaking on May 4.

Mike Buscher, The Real Estate Group Inc. celebrated a ribbon cutting on May 12.

Interested in hosting a ribbon cutting of groundbreaking? Chamber members have the opportunity to sign up for ribbon cuttings to celebrate a grand opening or groundbreaking. Along with your team, a Chamber representative will be present. We invite ambassadors to attend to help you celebrate. Thousands will see photographs of your event through this publication as well as the Chamber’s social media pages. If your business is interested in hosting a ribbon cutting, contact Mindy Cain at MindyC@champaigncounty.org or call 217.359.1791.

W E’ R E B U I LT F O R PAY M E N T S O LU T I O N S . At Commerce Bank, we bring the tools and talent to help your company prepare for what’s ahead — both the everyday and the unexpected. Just like you, we’re committed to simplifying the payments process that brings efficient enhancements that integrate with your systems. No matter what challenges you face next, together, we’re built for this.

Be there for life’s blessings with help from an OSF care provider. osfhealthcare.org/moments commercebank.com/payments © 2022 Commerce Bancshares, Inc. CommercePayments® solutions are provided by Commerce Bank.

F1213758 Champaign County Chamber of Commerce.indd 1

Your life – our Mission

5/5/2022 7:31:32 AM

LOCAL EXPERIENCE YOU LIVE HERE. WE LEND HERE. Investing in the Champaign area one home at a time. HICKORYPOINTBANK.COM

202 WEST PARK AVENUE, CHAMPAIGN

PUBLIC POLICY UPDATE: Candidates are off to the races. The mailers and advertisements should leave little doubt that election season is here. Before November’s General Election (also known as the Midterm Election as it falls halfway through the president’s term), Illinoisans will head to the polls to vote in the Primary Election. The Illinois Primary election is on June 28. This election will determine which candidates will face off in November from each party. Historically, Illinois’ primaries have been held in March. In 2021, the Illinois Legislature passed a bill that moved the date of the Illinois primary from March 15 to June 28, 2022, and this change only applies to the 2022 election. Primary elections are races between candidates of the same party. These elections aim to narrow down the field of candidates so that each party only has the appropriate number of candidates running for each available seat. For example, a county board district has two representatives per district, and each party may only have two candidates listed for that district come time for the general election. Different states have different rules for their primary elections and who can vote in specific races. There are many types of primaries, but the two most common classifications are open and closed. Open primaries allow voters to choose which party’s ballot to vote on privately. Voting for a specific party does not automatically register the voter with the respective party.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Other states have closed primaries meaning that one must be registered with the party to vote in that specific primary.

Illinois has what is considered a partially open primary. Voters choose their party ballot for each primary and can switch in the next primary. The voter is registered with the party corresponding to their ballot selection in selecting a ballot. The choice is public. With the categories of open and closed primaries, a spectrum of distinctions can make each primary unique. Some states, such as Louisiana and California, have unique primary systems outside of the more common open and closed varieties. State laws govern primary structures, and states are not required to have the same primary form for presidential elections. Illinois’ eligible voters can vote on June 28, but must be registered to vote. Registering to vote is easy and can be done online through the Illinois State Board of Election or the Champaign County Clerk’s website. Illinois also has a unique law allowing seventeen-year-olds to register and vote in the primary election if they are eighteen years old by the general election date, November 8, 2022. Unsure if you have already registered? Visit the Champaign County Clerk’s website to check your registration, view your sample ballot and find your polling place. We encourage you to join our advocacy efforts. To learn more on how you can be involved, email Madeline Herrman, director of public policy, at madelineh@ champaigncounty.org or go to champaigncounty.org/advocacy.

tips for business owners

Local Experts = Successful Business

Small business owners wear many hats, and sometimes it can be overwhelming. Business owners do not start their businesses to be experts in human resources, accounting, insurance, banking and legal issues, but the knowledge is necessary to run a successful enterprise. Here is a pro-tip to work ‘on’ your business and not ‘in’ your business. Start by finding a local subject matter expert and building a long-term relationship. These relationships allow entrepreneurs to leverage the experts’ knowledge base when it is needed. Their services will not come for free, but experts will save you time and money in the long run. Time and money saved will allow you to work on the part of your business that you love. How does this work? Envision a wagon wheel. You are the hub (or the center) and each expert is a spoke. An owner can access the knowledge to keep your business rolling forward when needed. But without the business owner at the center, the entire thing falls apart. Suppose human resources are not in the owner’s wheelhouse. In that case, it makes more sense (financially, legally and time-wise) to contract with an expert

Control your

CASH FLOW. Control your

GROWTH.

Business Banking hbtbank.com 888-897-2276

to produce an employee handbook than try to cobble together one from online resources. Why local experts and not online services? Local experts are not chatbots, and they will be more accessible to answer the question an owner has instead of answering the question based on the algorithm. There is no need to dial 1-800-No-Help and wait on hold or navigate an endless loop of phone commands when you have your local experts on speed dial. Local experts know the local economy and landscape, and they are more likely to be able to help find solutions that fit the need of our business and the local marketplace. Skip the small business owner’s trap of trying to know it all. Owners owe it to themselves to work with local subject matter experts. If you went into business to build a widget, let your experts worry about filing your taxes, doing your marketing, or drafting your employment policies. Then, all you have to do is build the best darn widget. Have questions? Need help making these connections? Contact Matt Bradley, business growth & development director, at mattb@ champaigncounty.org or call 217.359.1791.

Business | Wealth Management | Personal

Nationally Recognized. Locally Invested. Since 1868.

NEW BUSINESS

CONNECTIONS

JOIN OR RENEW TODAY. CHAMPAIGNCOUNTY.ORG • 217.359.1791 11

Shopping Local is Not Just for the Holidays We’ve all done it. We clicked ‘purchase now’ on the internet, and a few days later, the blouse, home gadget, shoes, or impulsively purchased knickknack arrived on the doorstep. That was easy. But then, the shoes didn’t fit, the blouse that said ‘large’ really fits like a small, and the impulsively bought knick-knack is regretted and a waste of money. Now begins trying to return your items to nameless, faceless merchants. Your online purchase landed cash in someone’s cash register, but it didn’t ripple through their community like your local purchases would ripple through Champaign County. Local shopping keeps your money in our community. With the wide variety of local merchants, it is easy to find the products or services you might need. Produce, art, flowers, gifts, drinks, apparel, books, shoes and pharmacies are just some of the merchandise you can find locally. When you shop locally, you support the business, its employees, owners and the local tax base. Sales tax revenue enables better municipal infrastructure throughout the county.

A great example of a small local business that is helping to cultivate other small business owners is the CU Flower House by A. Hunt Design. Owner Andrea Hunt-Shelton provides small business owners with a place to meet, consult, sell and share ideas in a warm and welcoming space. The CU Flower House by A. Hunt Design gives back to the community by donating flowers to local nonprofit organizations. They even started a project called the CU Petal Project. This project is a beautiful initiative in which extra flowers that the florist would toss away are instead designed into an arrangement for children to give away as an act of kindness. See their website for more information on this project. www.ahuntdesign.com/cu-petal-project. Common Ground Food Co-op is a unique local treasure. What began 48-years ago as a national movement to get back to the land and create a more equitable food system, a passionate and dedicated group of community members wanted to provide healthy and affordable food options for their community, and thus, the Common Ground Food Co-op was born. They support local customers, farmers, entrepreneurs and artists within a 100-

Brian Laird, Pharmacy Manager for OSF HealthCare

Andrea Hunt-Shelton, Owner of the CU flowerhouse by A. Hunt Design mile radius of Champaign County. As a staff, they help with many community events and charitable organizations. And they provide meeting places that bring neighbors together. This local institution truly embodies the value and purpose of shopping local. According to Sarah Buckman, the marketing manager for the Common Grounds Food Co-op, “when you shop locally, you get so much joy from knowing the people behind the food or behind the business. It is so much more of a connection. Collectively this helps build a strong community with a unique identity.” OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center is a prominent local business. People may only see it as a hospital. Still, if you scratch the surface, you’ll find that they provide several additional services to the local community and support other local businesses. OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center includes a gift shop with local merchandise and a local pharmacy open to anyone. They support local restaurants by featuring their food in their cafeteria. They also sponsor local little league teams, schools and local nonprofit organizations as investments in the community.

Shopping locally should not happen just during the holiday season. Making your purchases in our community rich in resources, services and merchandise is an investment in our people, infrastructure and economy. The Chamber is making it even easier for residents to shop local with the launch of our new “Shop Champaign County Gift Card.” The new Shop Champaign County gift card is sponsored by Common Ground Food Co-op and supported by CU Flower House by A. Hunt Design and OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center. This card is accepted at any local business that accepts MasterCard. There are no hoops for businesses or the card owner to jump through to keep the money locally. The Shop Champaign County card is a perfect gift for friends and families, an excellent incentive for employees and a way to share the gift of community investment. Support your favorite local businesses today by ordering your Shop Champaign County gift card at www.champaigncounty.org/news. 13

DO YOU

LOCAL?

Shop Champaign County Gift Card Program

The Chamber is making it easier than ever for you to shop local with the launch of our new Shop Champaign County gift card program.

Presented by:

Shop Local Champion Sponsors:

The new Shop Champaign County gift card can be used at any local business that accepts Mastercard. There are no hoops for businesses or the card owner to jump through to keep the money local. Learn more or order your gift card at: www.champaigncounty.org/news/

Featured Business:

Thank You!

With gratitude, we express our thank you to all of the volunteers who participated in the spring iCount Program at Unit 4 Schools. You have made a difference for these young learners.

If you are interested in volunteering, please visit our website for the signup link to provide us with your name and email so we can send you application information once available.

Our volunteers worked in first-grade classrooms at four primary schools helping over 85 students build their math skills.

www.champaigncounty.org/iread-icount

The iRead ● iCount Program will be offered in Champaign and Urbana primary schools this fall. •

•

Volunteers spend one hour a week in K-2 classrooms working one-on-one with early learners, helping build the students’ basic reading and math skills. The volunteers’ weekly, one-hour commitment can make a difference to children with early learning competencies difficulties.

Questions? Contact Mindy Cain, director of workforce readiness at: mindyc@champaigncounty.org; 217.359.1791.

iRead • iCount PARTNERSHIP ORGANIZATIONS

Help is Needed to Scale the Program this fall. Can we (i)Count on You to Make A Difference in A Child’s Life in the Fall? • • • •

We will need a couple of hundred volunteers to assist young students in kindergarten and first grade with their reading and math skills. Volunteers can choose their school preferences and time. Volunteers are fully trained. The reward of helping a child build these skills is immeasurable.

1 15

MEMBER ACCOLADES & NEWS HEARTLAND BANK AND TRUST COMPANY Announce the promotion of Todd Lindsey, CTP, to Vice President, Manager of Treasury Services. Located at the 1101 West Windsor Road office in Champaign. Lindsey is responsible for overseeing Treasury Management client services and relationship growth throughout the bank’s footprint. As a 1987 graduate of Eastern Illinois University who has been with Heartland since 2016, Lindsey earned the Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) designation from the Association of Financial Professionals in 1997 and brings 28 years of banking and financial experience to the bank. Involved in the Champaign-Urbana community, he has been active in booster groups supporting University of Illinois athletics as well as fundraising supporting local non-profits. Originally from Mason City, Illinois, Lindsey makes his home in Urbana with his wife Martha Cooper. ILLINOIS AMERICAN WATER Illinois American Water is celebrating Earth Day by awarding over $14,000 in Environmental Grants for water source protection. Eight innovative community projects will share over $14,000 to help improve, restore or protect watersheds. According to Justin Ladner, Illinois American Water President, including the 2022 commitment more than $290,000 will have been contributed to 90 projects dedicated to water source protection and environmental projects since 2009 via Illinois American Water’s Environmental Grant Program. “These organizations play an important role in environmental stewardship in our communities every day, not just Earth Day. By providing critical funding and collaboration, we can further support environmental and sustainable partnerships to enhance our watersheds.” said Ladner. Projects supported by Illinois American Water’s Environmental Grant Program will be completed by Nov. 30, 2022. One of the 2022 16

Environmental Grant recipients and projects was Urbana Park District. Urbana Park District will receive a full grant request of $920 to support the Weaver Park Wetland Plant Re-establishment project. The Weaver Park Wetland Plant Re-establishment will support the effects of ATV damage to the wetland system, restore habitat, increase plant diversity and educate community members on the importance of wetlands. Urbana Park District will partner with East Central Illinois Master Naturalists and Grand Prairie Friends Land Trust. Urbana Park District will partner with Illinois American Water on educational signage. Urbana Park District was also a 2021 Environmental Grant recipient. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY AND RESTOR Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County and ReStore is officially moving into a home of their own. The organization is purchasing the old ValuCheck space, located at 1914 Glenn Park Drive in Champaign. Habitat has been renting both their current space on University Ave. in Champaign, which houses administrative offices and a retail store, and a separate warehouse near downtown Urbana, for storing construction materials. With the ValuCheck building purchase and subsequent renovation, they will be consolidating all operations under one roof. Habitat plans to move operations in September, with a targeted date of October 1 as the “grand re-opening” of the ReStore, Habitat’s home improvement resale shop raises funds for their local homebuilding efforts. FEHR GRAHAM Fehr Graham, a leading Midwest engineering and environmental firm, is pleased to announce the hiring of Beth Alvis as a Project Assistant. As a project assistant, Alvis handles clerical and administrative work. She helps maintain company data, supports her colleagues on project needs and manages the day-to-day operations of the office. Alvis has an associate

degree in Communications from Jackson State Community College. She has more than 20 years of experience in customer service, finance and office management. Alvis works in the firm’s Champaign, office. HICKORY POINT BANK Hickory Point Bank announced that Curt Vorachek has been named Senior Wealth Management Advisor. “We are pleased to welcome Curt, a veteran investment management professional who brings a holistic approach to wealth management,” said Anthony G. Nestler, President and Chief Executive Officer, “Curt’s expertise will enhance our value proposition for new and existing clients.” In his new role, Vorachek will develop asset allocation strategies, manage a variety of portfolios, develop business succession plans and partner with the bank’s experts to serve a diverse group of clients. CHAMPAIGN URBANA SCHOOLS FOUNDATION (CUSF) Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation (CUSF) will be honoring four teachers in 2022 with the Shining Star Awards. Selected Unit 4 and District 116 teachers are nominated by their peers and have exhibited exemplary service, extra effort, enthusiastic attitudes and innovative ideas that noticeably benefit their students. Unit 4 Schools are represented by Jeniece Mitchell, a 6th-grade reading teacher at Franklin STEAM Academy and Michael Crossin, Unit 4 Young Adult Program special education teacher. Urbana District 116 is represented by Lucy Kebler, a second-grade teacher at Dr. Preston L. Williams Jr. Elementary and Jody Miller, a kindergarten teacher at Leal Elementary School.

DO YOU HAVE UNSKILLED WORKERS?

WE PAY FOR ONBOARDING!

HIRE, TRAIN, AND RETAIN Build a strong workforce with help from East Central Illinois workNet. Find out more at

www.eciwork.net/employers 217-531-8282 | 1307 N. Mattis Avenue, Champaign Additional offices located in Douglas, Ford, Iroquois, and Piatt Counties.

*“Pay” means eligible employers can apply for funding from the WIOA On-theJob Training program, which includes partial reimbursement of wages for up to six months and the provision of support services such as coaching, transportation vouchers, and uniforms. Federally funded, locally driven, we are East Central Illinois’ workforce development agency operating under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

Tell your customers where to find you. Customers and Sales Made Possible with Affordable, Effective Marketing Opportunities These opportunities are exclusive to chamber members. Are you taking advantage of it? Website Banner Ads

A banner ad on our website means that your company name, logo, product or service is seen by 150K unique visitors annually. With pricing starting at just $300, where else can you find this affordable and effective exposure for your business?

Email Blasts

Is there a new product, service or information about your business that you would like the entire Chamber membership to learn about or utilize? Through our email blast program, we’ll send an email on your behalf to our 4,000 email contacts for just $500. We’ll even throw it on our Facebook page at no additional cost. *Only ONE email blast will be sold per month on a first contact, first sold basis.

e-Connection Banner Ads

Every Monday, without fail, over 4,000 decision-makers receive our e-newsletter. People want to know what’s going on, we are a trusted source of information, so they open our e-Newsletter. That is what you want as an advertiser. Purchasing a banner ad to be placed at the top of the e-Connection gets you exposure to thousands for just $100 per week.

Website Directory Enhancements

Our website directory gets hundreds of views each day. We are like the modern-day version of 411 for people trying to find a business, resource or service. An enhanced listing makes you stand out against your competitors. Turn your standard listing into an eye-catching, search engine optimized marketing tool for just $79 annually.

Commerce Connection Ads

Do you know what happens when you add magazine print to your marketing strategy? According to Magazine Networks, you get the multiplier effect. They say, “people are 3.2 times more likely to identify the brand as one they wanted to find out more about and a 43 percent increase in their likelihood to purchase.” Our bi-monthly publication, Commerce Connection, gets mailed to all chamber members (and then some). Those chamber members employ an estimated 59,000 people. Imagine 59,000 people looking at an ad for your competitor? The Commerce Connection is not only your B2B best bet; it is also a strong force for B2C marketing. Do you really want to be seen? There are a variety of ad sizes available starting at just $100. Member businesses can also purchase the magazine’s cover. You get exposure before readers even open the publication.

Mailing Labels

Sometimes, when you are trying to break through the internet noise, it pays to go ‘old-school’ with good old snail mail. We have names, and we will sell them. An exclusive benefit of Chamber membership allows you to purchase mailing lists containing names and physical addresses of Chamber member businesses to enhance your B2B marketing. Two lists are available for purchase: Long list (approx. 2,000 contacts): $195 Short list (approx. 900 contacts): $125

We can help you maximize your businessto-business marketing strategies. We can put your company in front of consumers. Most importantly, we can do it in the most affordable way to meet your budget.

Let’s do this. Contact Kelsie Woelfle at kelsiew@champaigncounty.org or 217.359.1791. 18

calendar of events

Fast Facts

3.8% Champaign County Unemployment Rate in March 2022

Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Wednesday, June 15 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Webinar Business After Hours Thursday, June 16 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Hosted by: Evergreen Place 4114 W. Spring Ave. Champaign, IL

Business After Hours Thursday, July 21 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Hosted by: Express Employment Professionals 1001 N Mattis Ave Champaign, IL The Building Tomorrow Series: Who Will Get Us There? Presented by Clark Dietz, Inc. Wednesday Sep 14, 2022 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Holiday Inn Champaign 101 Trade Center Drive Champaign, IL

For more information or to register for an event, go to www.champaigncounty.org/events/calendar/

@ccounty_chamber

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

Champaign County in April 2022

106.1

March 2022 U of I Flash Index for Illinois

766,766

rides were taken on CUMTD in March 2022

5,905 visits to the Chamber’s website, champaigncounty.org in February 2022

5,620 number of unique searches on the

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce Online Business Directory in April 2022

2014 and 2021 The years that the Champaign County

@ccountychamber

27 business licenses applied for in

Chamber of Commerce was named the Illinois Outstanding Chamber of the Year

@ccountychamber

The Chamber office is open Monday through Thursday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. PLEASE NOTE: The Chamber complies with the state mandate and asks that members follow the CDC guidelines and/or state mandate at Chamber functions. While masking is now optional, please remember that people will have different comfort levels as we return to in-person events. Handshaking and standing close may still make people uneasy. So, we ask that all participants be respectful of this. Bring your best fist bump, reconnect and enjoy.

303 W. Kirby Avenue Champaign, IL 61820 P 217.359.1791 | F 217.359.1809 www.champaigncounty.org 19