Commerce Connection November/December 2014

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

CONNECTION

Gifford Strong, p. 9 this issue is sponsored by First Bank

PAID

Presorted Standard US Postage

C h a m pa i g n C o u n t y ’ s

Annual Meeting recap & 2014 Small Business of the Year, p. 3

Permit No. 29 Champaign, IL

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b u s i n e s s - to - b u s i n e s s

p u b l i c at i o n

Volume 21 | Number 6

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20 than

C O M M E R C E

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A PUBLICATION OF THE CHAMPAIGN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

We’re supporting “Shop Local,” are you? Charlie is back! p. 11 - 12 Your award-winning chamber, p. 12 Exceptional Employees of the Month, p. 15

2014 Chamber Annual Meeting Recap thank you sponsors

The 2014 Champaign County Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting was held on Friday, October 31, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Champaign. The event had five mid-level sponsors, ten table sponsors and nearly 280 members in attendance. The theme of the meeting was Haunted Mansion and it was kicked off with a surprise flash mob performed by member volunteers. To see the video, visit the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce Facebook page. You can also find the annual video that highlights various Chamber members.

Bailey Edward Design was presented with the 2014 Small Business of the Year award at the meeting. They specialize in responsive architecture and engineering for the public. The organization has grown 72 percent in size since 2011 and 43 percent in net income between 2011 and 2013. Bailey Edward has been recognized with over 60 different awards in the past 17 years.

In addition, the 2014 Chamber Champion award was presented to Colleen Hatton of Dish Passionate Cuisine. There were several times this year, that Colleen has gone above and beyond the call of duty to assist the Chamber with providing food for events or activities either at no charge or at such a drastically reduced rate, it might as well have been free. It is gestures like this that allow the Chamber staff to stretch our budget as thin as possible.

BankChampaign, N.A. Birkey’s Farm Store Busey Carle Champaign Park District Champaign Urbana Nursing & Rehab Hilton Garden Inn Martin, Hood, Friese & Associates Midland States Bank The Snyder Companies Wells Fargo Advisors

Outgoing Board Chair, Mike Wozniak, spoke about the past year’s initiatives, including the Trends publication, which was launched last year and is designed to give members demographic information and trends to help them make sound business decisions based on data. He also spoke about the major rebranding that occurred to better reflect the vibrancy of the business community. Mulitple new programs were established; for example, In Your Business tours, Etiquette and Women’s learning series and complimentary online webinars.

FY15 Board Chair, Rod Roberts spoke about what we’re working on for next year, including a brand new economic development initiative called Economic Gardening. We are also kicking off a gift card program that encourages shopping local called the Commerce Card, which will be available in December.

The event concluded with a performance by Chris Carter, mentalist, entertainer, and motivational speaker.

Thank you for your support and investment. We look forward to serving you this next year.

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

FY14 TOP INVESTORS TOP INVESTORS Busey Carle University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Bronze A & R Mechanical Contractors Amdocs BankChampaign, N.A. Christie Clinic First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust Kraft Foods, Inc. Presence Covenant Medical Center Supervalu Inc. Champaign Distribution Center

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

Michelle Luna Membership Sales Director MichelleL@champaigncounty.org

Karly Combest Director of Member Relations & Programming KarlyC@champaigncounty.org

Lynette Lykins Director of First Impressions LynetteL@champaigncounty.org

Samantha Hendon Marketing & PR Director SamanthaH@champaigncounty.org

Mary Murphy Events & Programs Coordinator MaryM@champaigncounty.org

Caryn Isenhower Accounts Receivable & Office Administrator Caryni@champaigncounty.org

Ryan Roth Public Policy Director RyanR@champaigncounty.org

University of Illinois Employees Credit Union IN-KIND CONTRIBUTORS President’s Circle Illini Radio Group - MIX 94.5, WIXY 100.3, 92.5 The Chief, WYXY Classic 99.1, Oldies 97.9, Extra 92.1, Hits 99.7 NewsTalk 1400 WDWS, Lite Rock 97.5 WHMS, Classic Hits 107.9 WKIO Stevie Jay Broadcasting’s - Q96-96.1FM, US105.9, Sunny 95.3 & ESPN 93.5 WCIA-TV / WCIX 49 Business Circle Fox 27 Illinois / WCCU-TV Shatterglass Studios WICD ABC NewsChannel 15 150 PERCENT CLUB Carmike 13 W.K. Cooper II Asset Management Corporation Hyatt Place Crystal Entertainment Awards, Ltd. LongHorn Steakhouse TrophyTime

BOARD OF DIRECTORS BOARD OFFICERS Mike Billimack

Kurt Lenschow

Rod Roberts

Mike DeLorenzo

Chuck McReaken

Jim Lyons

Stephen Flynn

Dennis Riggs

Becky Von Holten

Perry Greene

Diane Ruedi

Carle

University of Illinois

Sleep Inn

Stone Creek Golf Club

Cindy Guthrie

State Farm

Tri Star Marketing, Inc.

FIX-IT, Sidney Dairy Barn

F.E. Moran Security Solutions

Three Degrees of Change Chris Shroyer Busey

Tabatha Helm DSC Logistics

Susan Jepsen

Reynolds Towing Service, Inc. 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 the Chamber at 217.359.1791.

Chair, Thunderstruck Design

First Vice Chair, Birkey’s Farm Store

Second Vice Chair, Midland States Bank

Beth Auterman

Treasurer, CliftonLarsonAllen

Michael Wozniak

Past Chair, Livingston, Barger, Brandt & Schroeder

Laura Weis

Secretary, Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

FINANCIAL SERVICES Provided by CliftonLarsonAllen

WELCOME TO THE CHAMBER >> members who joined between September and October 26, 2014 Aspen Creek of Monticello 1009 S. Irving St. Monticello, IL 61856 217.728.2092 aspencreekliving.com Memory Care

Aspen Creek of Tolono 503 S. Bourne St. Tolono, IL 61880 217.728.2092 aspencreekliving.com Memory Care

Aspen Creek is a memory care residence that specializes in the needs of those affected by Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Residents receive 24-hour supervised care and assistance with tasks in daily living. Aspen Creek has recently expanded into Tolono and Monticello, both of which are expected to open their doors early next year in 2015.

Brownfield Sports

406 N. Lincoln Ave., Suite 1 Urbana, IL 61801 217.367.8321 Screen Printing Brownfield Sports is a locally-owned and community-involved family business that offers custom screen print and embroidery products to

local area businesses, clubs, teams, events, etc.

Brownfield Sports also offers custom high school apparel and works closely with several area booster clubs to provide variety of apparel options for students. They are also an officially licensed manufacturer of University of Illinois apparel.

Brownfield Sports prides themselves on offering high quality products in a timely manner while providing a personal customer service experience to meet and exceed the needs and expectations of all of their clients.

Burgwald Eye Center 417 E. Main St. Mahomet, IL 61853 217.586.1726 burgwaldeyecenter.com Optometrists

The Burgwald Eye Center has opened a new office in Mahomet, IL. The center offers comprehensive eye exams, treatment and management of glaucoma and macular degeneration, dry eye treatment and corneal reshaping therapy. Outside prescriptions are welcome. Visit their website for store hours.

C and G Five-Star Vending 1309 Larkspur Lane Champaign, IL 61821 217.791.0251 Vending Machines

C and G Five-Star Vending, owned by Carolyn

Dr. G’s BrainWorks held a ribbon cutting on Parkland College celebrated the grand opening of September 11, 2014, to celebrate the opening of their brand new Student Union Center with a ribbon their second location (located in Market Place Mall). cutting on Wednesday, September 17.

Martin One Source is celebrated 25 years of business with a ribbon cutting on September 18, 2014.

Randolph, is a private, locally owned vending service that has been in operation since 2001. They are D.B.E. certified and focus on customer satisfaction and customizable service. The company services both small and large businesses, as well as state and federal contracts.

Crystal Entertainment 311 S. Staley Rd., Suite C Champaign, IL 61822 217.355.1200 mycrystaldj.com Disc Jockeys

Dragon Fire Pizza

630.807.9274 dragonfirepizza.net Food Truck

Dragon Fire is a pizza food truck coming soon to the area. They specialize in handcrafting individual artisan pizzas made with local ingredients in under five minutes. Dragon Fire will be the first wood-fired pizza oven in town. Depending on the day, they will be open

On October 6, 2014, Salt & Light held a ribbon cutting to celebrate recent renovations, rebranding and restructuring of their organization.

Applebee’s held a ribbon cutting on September 18, 2014 to celebrate the completion of recent renovations.

for lunch, dinner or late night snacking. Catering will also be available.

Eden’s Rain Salon 501 N. Neil St. Champaign, IL 61820 217.352.3366 edensrainsalon.com Beauty Salons

Eden’s Rain Salon is an organic and green salon located in downtown Champaign. The salon’s team includes Melissa, a hair stylist, Andrea, an esthetician and lash artist and Cathryn, a massage therapist.

Eden’s Rain uses only natural and organic products.

Homefield Energy

1500 Eastport Plaza Dr. Collinsville, IL 62234 888.451.3911 homefieldenergy.com Electric Companies Homefield Energy is a certified retail electric supplier

Hyatt Place held a ribbon cutting on October 8, 2014, to celebrate their grand opening in downtown Champaign.

On September 23, 2014, Ascend CHC held a ribbon cutting to celebrate their grand opening in Urbana.

Xpress Print Plus held a grand opening celebration and a ribbon cutting on October 2, 2014.

servicing homes and businesses across Illinois.

Through its relationships with aggregators, buying groups and consultants, energy professionals and its Customer Care Team, Homefield Energy works directly with its customers to help them save money on their energy purchases. Homefield Energy, a Dynegy company, is located in Collinsville, Illinois, with additional locations in Bartonville, Chicago, Lincoln and Springfield.

on the Illinois campus. The ARI provides the University of Illinois with a formalized conduit for collaborating on open, proprietary or classified projects. With over 25 employees, the ARI is rapidly expanding its ranks to perform specialized research in areas such as advanced materials and manufacturing, communications and cybersecurity, biotech and Big Data. The Illinois Applied Research Institute is based in the University of Illinois Research Park.

Illinois Applied Research Institute

Millikin University

The Illinois Applied Research Institute is the state’s leader in performing translational research and development for commercial and government mission-driven organizations. It is a joint initiative of the UIUC College of Engineering and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research that harnesses the considerable depth of creativity and scientific ability

Founded in 1901, Millikin University is a comprehensive, private, four-year university with traditional undergraduate programs in Arts & Sciences, Business, Fine Arts and Professional Studies as well as non-traditional, adult-degree completion programs (PACE) and graduate programs in business administration and nursing. Millikin’s campus is

2100 S. Oak St., Suite 206 Champaign, IL 61820 217.300.3162 appliedresearch.illinois.edu Research

State Farm Insurance - Brian Hanson Agency held a ribbon cutting on October 13, 2014 to celebrate their grand opening.

1184 W. Main St. Decatur, IL 62522 217.420.6771 millikin.edu Schools

WICD ABC NewsChannel 15 held a ribbon cutting on October 15, 2014 to celebrate the completion of their recent renovations.

located in Decatur, Illinois, and serves approximately 2,200 students with a student/faculty ratio of 11 to one and an average class size of 18. For more than 100 years, Millikin has embraced the philosophy of teaching the “practical” side of learning along with the “literary and classical,” resulting in an education that provides our graduates with the hands-on experiences necessary to succeed.

Residence Inn held a ribbon cutting on October 23, 2014 to celebrate their one year anniversary.

O’Shea Builders

3401 Constitution Dr. Springfield, IL 62711 217.522.2826 osheabuilders.com Construction Management

SC-B Consulting

44 E. Main St., Suite 513 Champaign, IL 61820 877.852.2835 sc-bconsulting.com Business Consultants SC-B Consulting provides business management and consulting services for private businesses and government organizations. Services include energy analysis and environmental management, business management consulting, program evaluation and management and technical consulting, project and/ or program management, training/event planning, information management, statistical analysis and survey services, modeling and simulation, technology transfer and software engineering. SC-B Consulting also assists small businesses on how to contract with the government. This service is provided at no cost to area business owners through the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC).

Xpress Print Plus

510 N. Cunningham Ave., #10 Urbana, IL 61802 217.359.1191 xpressprintplus.com Printers

Young Living Essential Oils – Beth Rehberg Dancing Dog Eatery & Juicery celebrated their grand opening in October 27, 2014 with a ribbon cutting.

1308 S. State St. Champaign, IL 61820 217.419.2890 ylwesite.com/bethrehberg Wellness Programs

Young Living is the World Leader in Essential Oils. They only incorporates the highest purity in therapeutic grade for all of essential oils, nutritional supplements, personal, skin, and hair care products.

Their community of wellness started small in 1993, when Gary Young developed his first organic herb farming and distillation operation. The company also developed the groundbreaking Young Living Therapeutic Grade standard, which preserves the integrity and potency of natural essential oils Young Living is a company built upon trust, integrity and pure therapeutic grade products.

On October 30, 2014, Steigmann Law held a ribbon cutting at their new location in Savoy to celebrate the completion of their renovations.

Business Emergency Relief Program

WHERE THEY ARE NOW In November 2013, a devastating tornado tore through the town of Gifford, Illinois. Many homes and businesses were destroyed. Something had to be done and the Champaign County business community stepped up. The Chamber’s Business Emergency Relief Grant Program raised nearly $17,000 in a mere 20 days. The program was established to help businesses impacted by the storm get back on their feet.

ROBIN’S BODY SHOP & TRUCK SALES

The Gifford business community is bouncing back. The hard work and commitment to their community has not gone unnoticed.

We wanted to share their stories in this issue of the Commerce Connection. Funds from this program were given to nine Gifford businesses that used the money for a variety of things.

Tornado Damage:

Paul Buenting, owner of Pabco Tax Services, said, “The grant funds from the Chamber assisted us with covering some rent costs at our temporary location.” Lenny Sullivan, owner of Lenny’s Ice Cream Gallery, used the money to replace the demolished back patio with a brand new, two-story addition that will house an arcade and themed birthday party space for kids.

After meeting and hearing from business owners, they learned some hard lessons. “Plan ahead. Be diligent in your planning. Test your plan. Then plan some more,” said Buenting.

Maureen Clements of Robin’s Body Shop & Truck Sales talked about being under-insured: “If you’ve ever looked at your insurance coverage and think ‘there’s no way I need that much,’ think again.”

Many people have the mindset that disaster won’t strike them, but you can never be too prepared. Understanding your coverage, planning ahead and keeping records were reoccurring topics.

Buenting experienced a total loss, structurally; Sullivan had roof, awning and back patio damage; and Clements’ business was deemed “unsafe structurally” and was also a total loss. With the grants from the Business Emergency Relief Fund, support from the Gifford residents and countless volunteers they are all open and ready to serve their town and surrounding communities.

After remodel:

RADEMACHER BUILDING CENTER

GIFFORD BUSINESSES THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS TO THE BUSINESS EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND “I went to some of the town meetings for help and when I was asked if I had home damage and said no, they would say ‘Well, we can’t help you.’ So when I heard the Chamber wanted to help the Gifford business community, that was big for me.

At first your insurance checks don’t come right away, so [those funds] were big to help us buy a few things to get started.”

-Maureen Clements, Robin’s Body Shop & Truck Sales

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in the community that has invested in you KEEP YOUR DOLLARS LOCAL: SMALL CHANGE. BIG SHIFT. 89 percent of consumers said they believe that small businesses contribute positively to their local communities.* 93 percent of consumers believe it’s important to support the local small businesses that they value in their community.* Would you agree? We do.

Small business has a big economic impact. As a member of the Champaign County community, you can contribute to that impact.

Shopping local is more than just spending money to support the business community. It means investing in those that have invested in you; that have invested in Champaign County. Locally owned companies recirculate more of its revenue directly to residents and businesses in their community.

Keeping dollars in our community is essential because increased jobs and economic activity leads to greater tax revenue and a stronger economy to support others. Empowering and enabling local companies to capture a bigger share of their local and regional markets can provide significant benefits to the local economies.

As the largest and premier business organization in the area, the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce continually strives to support a pro-business climate advocating for all members.

This includes promoting all members, including members classified as small businesses, which is over 50 percent of our membership base.

As part of our efforts to support the many small businesses in Champaign County, we are launching a brand new program aimed to keep dollars local.

The county-wide program is the only one of its kind. It is the Commerce Card.

The Commerce Card is the gift card that supports shopping local. We all know gift cards are a great gift for those difficult family members, friends, coworkers or even last minute gifts, but what about a gift card that guarantees your dollars stay right here in Champaign County?

The Commerce Card does exactly that. They can be purchased for any denomination from the Chamber and spent at any participating business in the county.

That means the recipient of your gift card has the choice to spend the card at a local participating, boutique, restaurant, salon, retail shop, deli, and more. Feel good about spending your money in your own community and making a positive impact on the local economy.

If you’re a business owner who has invested in the local community, the Commerce Card is a great option for employee gifts and incentive programs.

Thank and/or reward your employees; support other Chamber member businesses and keep your hard earned dollars local.

In addition to the new gift card program, we will be

promoting the “Shop Local” campaign with Charlie Chamber’s second annual Chamber Shopping Trip.

Charlie (see right) will be visiting a handful of member businesses and giving away multiple gift cards. We are looking forward to sharing all the great gift ideas he finds, while also promoting our members.

Be sure to “Like” the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce on Facebook to see how you can get involved in the winning and “Shop Local” movement. It’s a fun and interactive way to be engaged in the Chamber while also learning about all the great products our community has to offer.

Last year, two of the places Charlie visited were Massage Envy in Savoy and Checkered Moon at Old Farm Shops in Champaign. Watch for this year’s clues, guess his location and you could win.

“‘Local Works! Examining the Impact of Local Business on the West Michigan Economy’ —a 2008 study of Kent County commissioned by Local First— determined that just a 10 percent shift in consumer spending toward locally owned businesses would create: $140 million in new economic activity; 1,600 new jobs; $50 million in new wages.” Wouldn’t you like to see the impact shopping local could have on Champaign County? Make the change. See the impact. *Statistics from the American Express OPEN Small Business Saturday Consumer Pulse in 2011.

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: 2014 OUTSTANDING ILLINOIS CHAMBER OF THE YEAR The award recognizes organization excellence in chambers of commerce and provides a unique benchmarking opportunity to assess a chamber’s strengths. The award is based on the US Chamber of Commerce accreditation process for local chambers and highlights accomplishments in the areas of leadership/governance, finance, advocacy and membership development. Entries were judged on innovation, effectiveness and quality of results.

“Success doesn’t happen by accident. It also doesn’t happen in a silo. It takes volunteer leadership to guide the organization and to sometimes go against the grain in order to ensure the health of the local business community; it takes a dedicated, creative staff who are willing to listen to the needs of the members and then do what is necessary to meet those needs; and, it takes the many volunteers who go the extra mile to help the organization achieve its goals. Our chamber is the inaugural recipient of this recognition. Not only have we set the bar for Chambers in the state, but we have set it for ourselves as well. The award is especially significant because it is judged by veteran Chamber executives who understand the challenges that Chambers of Commerce can face and more importantly who understand the importance of a Chamber being of value to its members and its community,” said President & CEO, Laura Weis.

Highlights of the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce application include their “Business Emergency Relief Campaign,” which raised nearly $17,000 in 20 days to support the business community in Gifford, IL after the devastating tornado last fall; their success leading Champaign County First efforts which advocates for economic development projects that will be transformative for the county; retention of 91.9 percent of its members; leading the efforts in the “Yes! For Independent Maps” campaign garnering 4,600+ signatures and mobilizing 130+ volunteers; and rebranding the Chamber to reflect the vibrancy of the local business community.

We hear what you’re saying…

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When you have a doctor who takes the time to listen and understand, it makes all the difference in the world. With more than 145 medical providers covering over 40 specialties, Christie Clinic can take care of virtually every aspect of your family’s health.

Feel free to ask questions. We are here to listen and work as a team to manage your family’s healthcare.

Christie Clinic accepts and most major insurance plans. christieclinic.com

champaigncounty.org/13

PUBLIC POLICY UPDATE

In the realm of public policy, 2014 was another busy year for the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber staff and volunteers worked hard gathering petitions, identifying legislation, promoting our county in both Springfield and Washington all while educating members about issues in the community.

At the start of the year, we asked Chamber members to help us gather petitions for the YES! for Independent Maps Campaign to reform legislative redistricting. When petition gathering ended in mid-April, more than 120 volunteers turned in over 4600 signatures to the Chamber Office. Our efforts were recognized by the YES! Campaign Manager at the Illinois Chamber’s Annual Meeting in Springfield earlier this year. Champaign County led the state volunteer effort by collecting almost 14,000 signatures for the campaign. Unfortunately, due to court challenges, the amendment never made it to the November ballot.

Chamber staff was diligent in identifying legislation that would impact business and notifying the membership when legislation was likely to move. Thanks to the grassroots support by the business community, only one bill in opposition by the Chamber became law. The business community was also successful in supporting legislation to protect workers’ rights from hidden fees on wage debit cards. As always, for the most up-to-date information on legislation and regulations, follow the Public Policy e-Newsletter emailed every Friday.

The Central Illinois Regional Legislative Efforts (CIRCLE) is an coalition of approximately two dozen Chambers (including the Champaign County Chamber) throughout the region that annually selects three to four issues and then lobbies the Illinois Legislature to advance the issues. This year, based on members’ responses from a survey, the CIRCLE actions were to advocate for worker’s compensation reform; allow for the sunset of the temporary income tax; and, oppose an increase in the minimum wage.

A delegation from Champaign County First, a partnership of public and private interests seeking to promote projects that will enhance the economic well-being of Champaign County made its annual trip to Washington, D.C. in April. This year, the projects included increasing the number of daily passenger trains along the I-57 Corridor (a feasibility study is currently underway due to Champaign County First efforts); advocating for a high speed rail line from Chicago to St. Louis via Champaign to be funded by a public-private partnership; federal funding for rebuilding the I-57/74 interchange; and, additional funding to extend Lincoln Avenue to Olympian Drive.

In partnership with WCIA News Channel 3, the Chamber hosted a Republican Gubernatorial Debate at the I-Hotel which was broadcast state-wide. Last month, the Chamber hosted a Meet the Candidates Breakfast co-sponsored by Champaign County’s Business Empowered PAC at the Hawthorn Suites. Chamber Members were able to meet candidates learn why each candidate thought they were the best candidate for office.

Finally, when the Champaign Unit 4 school district placed a $149 million referendum on the ballot in November, the Chamber acted as an independent third party and fact checked information to the best of our ability. Ultimately, following the direction of the membership, the Chamber opted to not endorse nor oppose the referendum.

While the year is coming to a close, the April 2015 election is right around the corner and it is an important one.The school referendum will likely be on the ballot again. There is a mayoral race in Champaign and there are five seats up on the Unit 4 school board. Be engaged, consider running for office or consider volunteering as part of the Chamber’s Public Policy Committee. Your time and talent will make a difference.

s s e n i s u B r u o Y n I

To learn more about area businesses; how the Chamber can help; and to better promote our members to other members, the Chamber staff and ambassadors have been touring member businesses. For more details and photos from the tour, visit www.champaigncounty.org.

ROCKWELL AUTOMATION:

Rockwell Automation is a global company that manufactures small electric items including, but not limited to, small motors and push buttons. Products include anything from controlling an assembly line to powering the rides at Disney World.

Rockwell Automation opened its Champaign distribution center in February of 1996. It is the company’s main distribution center worldwide. Rockwell Leadership states that some of the benefits of being located in Champaign are lower transportation costs, improved customer service and a good labor pool. They have found employees from Champaign County have a high retention rate and, that they are great, quality employees.

The facility is 181,000 square feet. They employ 155 hourly staff and 25 salaried staff. Rockwell runs three shifts per day; 24 hours per day; five days per week. They ship $11 million dollars in product per day.

Rockwell prides themselves on their quality and efficiency with a 99.5 percent on time shipping rate.

When your dream is to expand your business…

Busey has your backing.

Owning a business takes vision and hard work. At Busey, we offer business and cash management solutions tailored to your specific needs. Busey understands the benefits that healthy businesses provide our community — that’s why we take the time to understand your business and make credit and pricing decisions in a timely manner.

Busey. Your Dream. Our Promise.

busey.com 217.365.4500

Member FDIC

MEMBER ACCOLADES First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust recently announced that Barbara Huisinga, Vice President, Senior Trust Administration Officer in First Mid’s Trust & Wealth Management Division, is relocating her office from the main banking center in Mattoon to the Urbana location at 601 South Vine Street. Barbara is a resident of Champaign and is excited for the opportunity to provide wealth management services in her hometown market. Barbara has over 20 years of banking experience and the Certified Trust & Financial Advisor (CTFA) designation, as well as Series 7 Brokerage and Illinois Producers licenses. She has a thorough knowledge of Trust Administration, Estate and Tax Services, Investment Services and Retirement Planning needs.

Paula J. Hancock was recently named SafeWorks Illinois’ Chief Operating Officer (COO). She has 17-years of versatile, hands-on health care executive experience in the health care field and nonprofit industry. “It was clear that Paula was the best of the three candidates to take on this most important role—to be responsible for the day-to-day operations of SafeWorks Illinois—bringing a fresh perspective to help us meet the vision of the future I have imagined,” said Medical Director and CEO, Dr. David Fletcher. Paula will be active in the community, representing SafeWorks Illinois with memberships in the Champaign West Rotary, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and the local Chamber of Commerce.

Paul R. Koerner, President of Koerner Distributor Inc. in Effingham, Carterville, and President of Orange & Blue Distributing Company, Inc. in Champaign, Illinois, was presented with the Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois (ABDI) Public Affairs Award of Excellence at the 76th Annual Convention on September 16 at the Hilton Hotel in Lisle, Illinois, which was attended by over 120 industry professionals. Mr. Koerner was presented with the award for not only his efforts, but also the efforts of his distributorship’s employees’ participation. “Paul Koerner and Koerner Distributor, Inc. exemplify the industry’s efforts to be good community citizens. They have demonstrated unwavering support of ABDI’s underage prevention programs and efforts to promote a better visibility of the beer distribution industry,” stated Bob Myers, ABDI President.

Mattex Service is celebrating 20 years of excellence in the heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical and refrigeration industries. They are ending this milestone year by mounting an approximately, 20’ x 5’ inflatable TRANE air conditioning unit out in front of their business starting on Tuesday, November 11. Mattex is welcoming their customers and community members to go out and visit the inflatable and stop in so they can officially say thank you for your support for the last 20 years. Visitors will also receive a thank you gift as a token of their appreciation. The public is welcome to come and have their picture taken with the inflatable anytime between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

McGladrey Wealth Management LLC was recently ranked

by Accounting Today as number three on the publication’s eighth annual list of Top Billion Dollar Club Firms by Assets Under Management (AUM). Last year, McGladrey Wealth Management was ranked fourth. “We continue to be proactive and thorough when managing the wealth plan for our clients,” said Randy Matz, practice leader for McGladrey Wealth Management. “McGladrey Wealth Management not only understands our clients’ needs, but also how to develop a comprehensive set of solutions to exceed their goals. We are proud to be named three on this important list of wealth managers, as it is an indicator that we are the middle market’s first choice wealth advisor.

First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust announced that Scott Tapley has joined the Trust & Wealth Management Division as Vice President and Senior Trust Investment Officer. Tapley has worked in the financial industry for 20-years, including a background in banking, plus broad experience in portfolio analysis and management. In his new position, Tapley will provide investment services for the Trust & Wealth Management Division based out of Mattoon and will be located in the office at 1317 Charleston Avenue.

Adams Outdoor Advertising was presented with a 2014 Torch Award by the Better Business Bureau. They were given the “Partners In Trust” award. Companies and individuals were nominated for their ethical business practices. The award winners were chosen by a panel of local business men and woman for their willingness and efforts to keep our marketplace fair and honorable.

Dr. Anne Robin--local Habitat for Humanity volunteer extraordinaire was recognized as a 2014 Illinois Habitat Hero for raising over $70,000 for the local Habitat affiliate-from the seat of her bike. Anne rode for 13 consecutive years in the “Habitat 500 Bike Ride Across Minnesota” to raise awareness of poverty housing and to generate funding for the Champaign County Habitat. Without dedicated volunteers like Anne, Habitat would not be able to do the work of providing a hand up to families in the local community.

McGladrey LLP, the nation’s leading provider of assurance, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market, was recently ranked by Consulting® magazine as one of the publication’s Best Firms to Work For in 2014. This was the first year McGladrey made the list. Consulting® magazine’s Best Firms to Work For rankings are based on survey responses in six categories – each measuring a different aspect of employee satisfaction. Categories include client engagement, firm culture, firm leadership, career development, work/life balance, and compensation and benefits.

Have news to share with the local business community?

Tell us about it and get featured in the Chamber’s next Commerce Connection. Send an email with your news to Samantha Hendon, SamanthaH@champaigncounty.org.

Coming soon: upload your accolades straight through our website.

champaigncounty.org/17

Cham ber Sto re Mailing Labels

e-Connection

Long list (approx. 2,500 names and businesses): $175 Short list (approx. 1,000 names and businesses): $125

Recently redesigned, our electronic newsletter is sent to more than 2,200 businesses and businesspeople in Champaign County each week.

Sponsor an e-Connection and get your business seen by thousands.

Contact Caryn Isenhower to order, Caryni@champaigncounty.org or 217.359.1791.

Header sponsorship (one wk.) : $100

An exclusive benefit of Chamber membership, we sell mailing labels containing the names and addresses of Chamber member businesses for the purpose of member-to-member communication. Target the local business community. Two lists are available for purchase:

AFFORDABLE

Email Blast Advertisement Do you have a new product, service or information you would like to share with our entire Chamber membership list? Take advantage of this exclusive offer to send broadcast emails to our entire 4,100+ email list.

Website Marketing With over 7,000 visits/month to the Chamber website, this is where you want to be. Market your business to locals and those looking to move and/or visit here. Want more information?

Contact Samantha Hendon at SamanthaH@champaigncounty. org.

Email Blast Advertisement: $500 Contact Samantha Hendon for more information, SamanthaH@champaigncounty.org or 217.359.1791.

Commerce Connection

This is a bi-monthly publication that is distributed to over 2,500 businesses and businesspeople in Champaign County. Content varies, but is always relevant to local business. There are a variety of ad sizes available.

Ads start at only $90. Ask about the exclusive cover package that allows your business to gain exposure before the reader even opens the publication. Contact Samantha Hendon for more information, SamanthaH@ champaigncounty.org or 217.359.1791.

Email Footer Sponsroship

EXCLUSIVE

Contact Samantha Hendon for more information, SamanthaH@ champaigncounty.org or 217.359.1791.

Event Sponsorship From monthly First Friday Coffee and Business After Hours to our annual Golf Outing, the Chamber hosts a number of events each month. By sponsoring a Chamber event, your business obtains great exposure not only at the event itself, but also within all promotional materials (emails, mailings, e-newsletters, Commerce Connection, website, etc.). We have numerous opportunities throughout the year, here’s what’s coming up: Breakfast Series sponsorship (includes table of 8): $1000 ATHENA Luncheon sponsorship: $1500 SOLD! Additional sponsorship information for events such as Business Success and Solutions Seminars and the ATHENA Award® Luncheon is available upon request. Contact Karly Combest at KarlyC@champaigncounty.org, Mary Murphy at MaryM@champaigncounty.org or call 217.359.1791 with any event sponsorship inquiries.

For a great price, place an ad in every email that is sent out of the Chamber office. That’s an average of over 12,000 emails per week. The best part? Link the footer wherever you would like.

Online Business Directory Enhancements

Footer (one wk.): $75 (Add footer to the e-Connection for an additional $50.)

Basic upgrade: $40/year

Contact Samantha for details at, SamanthaH@champaigncounty. org or 217.359.1791.

Enhance your listing on the Chamber’s online business directory. The directory gets hundreds of thousands of views each day--turn your standard (complimentary) listing into an eye-catching, search engine optimized advertisement.

Value upgrade: $60/year

Deluxe upgrade: $90/year

Contact Samantha Hendon for more information, SamanthaH@champaigncounty.org or 217.359.1791.

complimentary services: rental of laptop computer, conference space and LCD projector; Certificate of Origin; Notary service; information, assistance and resources.

REACH THOUSANDS ON A SMALL BUDGET.

calendar of events Ribbon Cutting Hickory Point Bank

Tuesday, November 18 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

202 W. Park Ave., Champaign

Business Success and Solutions Seminar Social Prospecting with LinkedIn, Part 2 Tuesday, November 18 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. presented by BIGG Success 303 W. Kirby Ave., Champaign

Ribbon Cutting Wireless Stores, Inc.

Business Success and Solutions Seminar The Cost of Accepting CardBased Payments Wednesday, December 10 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. presented by Midland States Bank 303 W. Kirby Ave., Champaign

Business After Hours Thursday, December 11 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Chittick Family Eye Care 8 Dunlap Ct., Savoy

Connect @ Lunch

Thursday, November 20 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

1903 N. Neil St., Ste. G, Champaign

Monday, December 15 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Olive Garden 30 E. Anthony Dr., Champaign

Business After Hours

First Friday Coffee

Thursday, November 20 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Flightstar Corporation 7 Airport Rd., Savoy

First Friday Coffee Friday, December 5 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

A to Z Painting Sherwin-Williams on Mattis

Friday, January 9 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

BJ Grand Salon & Spa 3006 Crossing Ct., Champaign

Business After Hours Thursday, January 15 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Keller Williams TBD

Fast Facts

6.0% Champaign County Unemployment Rate in September 2014

18 business licenses applied for in Champaign County in October 2014

106.5

October 2014 U of I Flash Index for Illinois

1,593,501 rides were taken on CUMTD in October 2014

6,795 visits to the Chamber’s page, champaigncounty.org in October 2014

8,811 average amount of referrals PER DAY the

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce Online Business Directory received via search engines and online sources in October 2014

2014 The year that the Champaign County

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

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

it’s tough to stay focused...

when your conference room feels like the frozen tundra.