December Voice 2014

The Voice is online at rockfordchamber.com

AVOID THE HOLIDAY SPENDING HANGOVER

REDUCING AREA’S PREMATURE BIRTHS

PAGE 10

PAGE 18

NEW GRANT TARGETS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY JOBS

December 2014 | Volume 27 | No. 12

HEALTHCARE LUNCHEON SPOTLIGHTS

This year’s Healthcare Industry Update Luncheon featured a panel of specialists from nationally-recognized practices in the Rockford area.

By Paul Anthony Arco For years, many community leaders have worked toward a day when Rockford was thought of as a regional medical center. For leaders of three of Rockford’s most prominent independent medical groups, that day is already here.

That feeling permeated throughout the room, Nov. 20, during the Rockford Chamber of Commerce annual Healthcare

Rockford’s world-class specialty groups

PHOTOS BY BRIAN THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHY

Industry Update Luncheon. More than 250 business leaders turned out for the luncheon at Giovanni’s.

This year’s event focused on the healthcare industry from the specialty group practitioner’s perspective. A panel of specialists from nationally recognized practices here in Rockford shared their vision and experience about trends and impacts in healthcare.

“The workforce we have in Rockford linked directly to healthcare is some of the highest educated in the community and is responsible for a great deal of income areas that contributes to our overall economy,” said Einar Forsman, president and CEO of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

“There are over 15,000 people in jobs or professions linked to healthcare.”

The panel included Michael Roh, M.D., co-founder of Rockford Spine Center; Brian J. Bear, M.D., Rockford Orthopedic Associates, and Joseph J. Vicari, M.D., Rockford Gastroenterology

Associates. Roh has special expertise in cervical spine surgery and minimally invasive surgery. Bear has been practicing medicine for 23 years and focuses on shoulder, elbow, hand, microvascular, traumatic and reconstructive surgery.

Vicari joined Rockford Gastroenterology Associates in 1997 and is clinical assistant professor of medicine at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Rockford.

“We as a Chamber spend considerable time focusing on the healthcare assets we have in our community,” Forsman said. “I think the physicians who spoke demonstrated that we have cutting edge, high quality care being provided in our region, and our residents can get all of their care needs addressed right here in Rockford.”

The panel discussed a variety of topics during the luncheon – everything from growth within their practice, the impact brought on by the Affordable Care Act and the benefits of being an independent practice.

Continued on page 3

Minority Business Resource Fair a huge success

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

Join the Chamber’s LinkedIn Group www.linkedin.com/e/gis/2544

The Rockford Chamber of Commerce hosted a Small and Minority Business Resource Fair on Nov. 13 in partnership with the Illinois State Comptroller’s Office, Salsa Business Network and The 521 Initiative. Over 200 minority business owners and entrepreneurs came to meet with 25 exhibitors representing state and local resources for businesses, including startup assistance, financing, procurement and contract assistance, and business development services.

“What a fantastic turnout of business owners at our first annual Resource Fair in Rockford! We couldn’t have pulled this off without the hard work and expertise of our lead partners,” said State of Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka. “I also want to thank all of our organizations who brought their resources out from Chicago and Rockford to help our small and minority business owners expand and create jobs.”

Excel Lewis III, a local business owner and leader of the Chamber’s Minority Business Council commented: “I was excited to experience the city of Rockford’s diverse community of business owners and leaders represented at the fair. I am further encouraged by the level of engagement from participants; the energy that has been created assures me that business growth is on the rise!”

Jessica Cardenas of Cardenas Tax Service was very pleased. “As a minority in business and a woman, I had no idea there was so much available to help me grow my business and get assistance with funding from other organizations and agencies. I was also educated about actually being certified as a womanowned business that could get me contracts.”

The group of partners is planning a similar event for next November, 2015.

The Northern Illinois Workforce Alliance received a $288,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to prepare 30 eligible workers for information technology jobs. The grant will help participants earn the certifications necessary to gain employment as computer programmers, system managers, software and web developers, network administrators, security specialists and other technologyrelated positions. According to the state, there were 385 job postings for IT positions in the Rockford area in the third quarter of this year.

Training is available to eligible individuals enrolled in the Dislocated Worker Program through The Workforce Connection. An information session will take place on Friday, Dec. 5, 10 a.m., at the Regional Design Center, 315 N. Main St., Rockford. Call 815-921-2200 or apply at www.theworkforce connection.org.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! The Role of

Higher Education in Regional Transformation Dec. 18 • Radisson SPONSORED BY

For more info, see page 26

DEBATE OVER MINIMUM WAGE

Illinois lawmakers had only 11 vetoes to consider when returning to Springfield on Nov. 19 for the fall veto session, but one of the most prominent and controversial is the minimum wage hike. Legislation (SB 68) is poised to move in the Senate to increase the state’s minimum wage from the current $8.25 to $10.65 per hour by 2016.

Quinn has long-supported passage of an increase, and recently stated a minimum wage hike is his top priority before leaving office in January.

Governor-elect Bruce Rauner also has indicated his support of an increase, though only if coupled with businessfriendly concessions, including tort reform, tax reforms and workers’ compensation reforms.

Proponents point to the results of an advisory referendum on minimum wage that was placed on the Nov. 4 ballot, and which garnered significant support from Illinois voters.

Opponents contend that increasing the minimum wage will hurt Illinois employers, resulting in lay-offs and increased prices on goods and services. Illinois currently has the seventh highest minimum wage in the United States, which is an additional dollar-per-hour more than the standing federal minimum wage.

2

December 2014

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Chairman’s Perspective VIEWPOINT

Many fond memories as Chamber board chairman December marks my last month as the Rockford Chamber of Commerce board chairman. Two years went by quickly but, without question, it’s been a gratifying experience that I won’t soon forget.

I have enjoyed working with a dedicated board of volunteers, an excellent Chamber staff and an enthusiastic group of member businesses who all have the community’s best interest at heart.

The most significant thing I have learned during my tenure is that the Chamber does matter. Anyone who has an issue it wants to bring forth always looks to the Chamber for our input and support. Whether it be a school referendum, a public policy initiative or political support everyone recognizes that the business community’s support is essential and they always turn to the Chamber to garner that support.

More specifically, if you look at what the Chamber has accomplished over the past two years, the list is impressive. We’ve set agendas, worked with schools, addressed issues such as crime, and focused on the community

as a whole. We’ve seen our chamber members become increasingly active in local events and committees that are instrumental in making change, which further illustrates the importance of the Chamber in our community.

Here’s a sample of some of our most recent accomplishments.

■■ Had four people with strong business backgrounds elected to RPS 205 school board (over two elections) ■■ Similarly, we had two people elected to Rock Valley College Board of Trustees ■■ Successfully supported and advocated for two RPS 205 Facilities Referendums with overwhelming community support/passage.

■■ Successfully supported and advocated for municipal aggregation of electricity to lower rates for consumers and small businesses.

■■ Supported the license filing for an extension by Exelon for the Byron Nuclear Reactor to continue to operate in this region, positively impacting jobs and economic impact.

■■ Helped members of the Chamber/

business community get engaged on committees for RPS 205, manufacturing education, public safety and public education to advocate for business interests and/or sound business practices.

■■ Hosted Tri-State Alliance Summit in Rockford for prioritizing key infrastructure investments in the broader region.

■■ Established a Public Safety Council to focus on concerns of business in this area.

Other items of note: ■■ Actively engaged in Transform Rockford and providing chamber assistance and participation in key committees.

■■ Created the Northern Illinois Media Association (NIMA) to balance the interests of local media while supporting sound media business practices and also working together to support common community interests.

■■ Continue to support area manufacturers through special programs including National Manufacturing

Day to expose students and educators to careers in manufacturing.

Rich Walsh Rockford Chamber Board Chairman

■■ Hosted the Small and Minority Business Resource Fair to help minorityowned businesses as well as start-ups to connect with the resources they need to grow their business.

■■ Created Lead 360 Women’s Executive Leadership group to build upon the strong network of women business leaders to foster relationships, get engaged in targeted initiatives, and mentor young women on career development.

All of these accomplishments are significant however I’m just as excited about our prospects for the future.

Our membership base is holding steady. Over the past year, we’ve retained 90 percent of our member businesses.

While we’re proud of that fact, I’d like to see our number of members increase in the future, and I’m confident that can happen.

As mentioned, the Chamber has Continued on page 27

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

3

December 2014

Rockford Specialties (continued from front page)

Medical Specialties in Rockford Rockford Spine Center was founded in 2003 as a practice to diagnose and treat all things spine related so patients would have no reason to leave Rockford for expert medical care. “Our focus on quality can be a slower road, but it’s ultimately a better road for patients,” Roh said.

Rockford Gastroenterology has focused its growth on building a quality staff of experts. “Each person we hire we want to be better than the last person we hire,” Vicari said. “We’ve built a culture of quality that is very important to us.”

Rockford Orthopedic Associate’s vision has been to create a universitylevel medical practice. “There’s a thought in medicine that every seven years, half of what we learn as doctors becomes outdated,” Bear said. “Keeping up on training and developing sub-specialties is critical.”

The panel discussed the pros and cons of the ACA on their practice.

“The biggest challenge has been bureaucratic ‘creep,’” Vicari said. “We’re spending a lot more time on business processes, and it’s a challenge to keep the patients at the forefront of what we’re doing.”

“While the ACA has brought challenges, it’s also had the benefit of allowing us to offer care to many patients who’ve never had access to care in the past,” added Roh. “That’s one positive change of the ACA.”

All agreed that being an independent practice has its advantages. “We’re able to do a variety of research projects because we see a variety of everyday people,” Vicari said. “That allows us to get involved in specialized research and trials.”

Those medical professionals in attendance appreciated the candid insight delivered by the keynote speakers. “All three physicians represent three excellent providers,” said Dr. Bill Gorski, president and CEO of SwedishAmerican Health System.”They bring an extraordinarily high level of quality service to our region and we should be thankful for them.”

“It was clear, for example, when hearing about orthopedics that there’s a vast array of highly-skilled physicians in this area,” said Jennifer Bowman, public relations and marketing manager for the Rock River Valley Blood Center.

“To know that world-class organizations like Rush University Medical Center are sending physicians here to be trained, says a lot about our community. At the end of the day it will provide better patient care and access right here in Rockford.”

The presenting sponsor was BMO Harris Bank. Gold sponsors were SwedishAmerican Health System, Humana and Rosecrance Health Network. Silver sponsors were Employers’ Coalition on Health (ECOH), Reno & Zahm LLP and Comcast Business.

Bronze sponsors were Alpha Controls & Services, Olsson Roofing Company, Inc., and Rock River Valley Blood Center (RRVBC). theVoice

SwedishAmerican, UW Health to merge

Millions to be invested into Rockford market SwedishAmerican Health System and UW Health signed a definitive agreement to merge and make SwedishAmerican an integral part of UW Health. The agreement follows a letter of intent announced in April, 2014. Pending state and federal regulatory approvals, UW Health and SwedishAmerican expect to finalize the transaction in January, 2015. UW Health is an academic health center anchored by the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in partnership with UW Hospital and Clinics and UW Medical Foundation.

According to Tom Walsh, chairman of the Rockford-based SwedishAmerican board, the merger will give Rockford greater access to medical specialties, research and physicians. Already, 19 specialists with academic appointments at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health see patients in Rockford at SwedishAmerican clinics and hospitals.

Walsh said that SwedishAmerican will retain its name and identity as a division of UW Health, presented in its new logo. It also will maintain its local board with responsibility for local governance and policy making.

Management remains local with

responsibility for day-to-day operations and decision making. Dr. Bill Gorski continues as the president and CEO of SwedishAmerican and will report to both the SwedishAmerican board and the board of University Health Care, Inc., the not-for-profit organization that facilitates relationships with health systems on behalf of UW Health.

The agreement includes $255 million in capital over the next five years invested in the Rockford market for information technology, hospital infrastructure and new clinical care locations.

SwedishAmerican is a not-for-profit healthcare system headquartered in Rockford, comprised of two hospitals, 30 clinics, a home health care agency and a foundation. UW Health is an academic health center associated with the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

It includes UW School of Medicine and Public Health, UW Hospital and Clinics (Magnet-designated and rated the #1 hospital in Wisconsin by U.S. News and World Report), the Carbone Cancer Center, the nation’s seventh largest organ transplant program, and UW Medical Foundation, the school’s faculty group practice with about 1,300 physicians in 98 specialties.

4

December 2014

Annual report highlights Graduation rates on the rise Final plan to be revealed next year We were proud last month to issue an annual report for the Rockford Public Schools. We did the report because transparency and accountability are critical to community engagement.

This report is not only another step toward engaging our community, staff and families. It is the story about the leaps we have taken as a district to prepare all students for productive futures and fulfilling lives.

The report is a glimpse at our significant accomplishments in the areas of efficiency, enrichment, improvement and collaboration. It highlights key programs and initiatives across our entire district for the 20132014 academic year.

First released at our Principal for a Day reception, Nov. 13, we plan to distribute the report throughout the community. A link is also available on our website at rps205.com.

Here’s a peek at what’s inside: ■■ We saved almost $1.4 million in

labor and materials because of our commitment to continual process improvement. (Spin forward to this school year, and that number is now around $2 million.)

■■ Graduation rates are on the rise. In 2014, our graduation rate increased by four percent.

■■ RPS 205 athletics continued its mission of professional development and community involvement with the second Basketball Coaches Clinic and the first Wellness Symposium in 2013.

■■ We demonstrated our ongoing commitment to the arts with the Instrument Petting Zoo for fifth grade students, the Bandwagon II partnership with the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, the All-City Art Exhibit Opening and the All-City Music Festival.

■■ We built momentum for better schools with six elementary school additions, new high school classrooms

and renovated libraries, new field houses at East and Guilford and paving projects throughout the district.

All the while, we have received a big assist from community volunteers and community partners. According to the Independent Sector, which sets a value on volunteer time, the help we received from volunteers in 2013-14 was worth $1.17 million – the equivalent of 23 fulltime employees.

Learning That’s More Relevant As more proof of our forward direction, I was delighted in October when we were named a Ford Next Generation Learning Community.

The distinction celebrates our high school redesign and recognizes us as innovators in education. It holds up our businesses and community partners as key drivers of student readiness. We are among only 17 communities in the nation to receive the Ford NGL honor.

Just as Nashville – another Ford NGL community – guided us, we hope to guide others. By 2016, we hope to

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

become a Model Community. Then, Rockford can host visitors from other communities hoping to start career academies in their schools.

It’s all in the service of making learning more relevant and engaging.

We want to leverage the Ford recognition – and our successes as outlined in the Annual Report – to encourage economic development in the region.

As I wrote in the Annual Report: Between the classrooms and teachers lounges, community spaces and work cubicles, I have learned what little separation there is between us in Rockford.

Let us continue to leverage that close connection. Let us help every student be ready for success.

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.

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

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

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.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

December 2014

Member Profile PROFILE

Ignition Studio was born with just two employees – Lee Anderson and GordonBottum – a couple of computers and their cell phones.

The business of marketing Ignition Studio celebrates 10 years

By Paul Anthony Arco When Lee Anderson and his business partner Gordon Bottum launched their marketing agency 10 years ago, they needed a catchy name. “We wanted something with energy behind it,” Anderson said.

“We needed a name that was going to resonate with people.”

Ignition Studio was born with just two employees – Anderson and Bottum – a couple of computers and their cell phones. It worked. They landed their first client almost immediately and within six months secured some big accounts, including Stanley Hardware, National Manufacturing and Greenlee Textron.

“We were fortunate enough to have clients that knew us, were excited for us and wanted to see us succeed,” Anderson said.

After spending eight months working out of Bottum’s basement, the pair moved out and rented a downtown Rockford office. One year ago, they took the plunge and purchased their own building near Der Rathskeller restaurant on the northwest side of town – and with it has expanded to a team of seven including graphic designers, web developers and social media/public relations specialists.

These days most of the firm’s clients are within a few hours driving distance but have global reach. “We do all the things that are required for a company to go to market nationally and internationally, whether it’s creating an identity, building their sales materials, literature, website and all points in between,” Anderson said.

“Anyone can design a website or a brochure,” said Anderson. “The real value is to do all those things and make them work together so they’re cohesive and generate business for our clients.”

The channels of communication have changed since Ignition Studio opened its doors. Still, some things remain the same.

“Fundamentally, marketing challenges are the same today as they were 10 years ago and what they will be 10 years from now,” Anderson said. “Only the tools and technology have changed. There was a time where companies relied heavily on things like printed sales collateral, direct mail and trade advertising because those were to the things that were available. Now we’re in this era of social and mobile marketing, which has added some level of complexity to a marketing program, but the challenges of how to reach and engage a target audience remain.”

In addition to its core clients, Ignition Studio gives back to the community by lending its marketing expertise to nonprofit organizations such as GIGI’s Playhouse and the Alzheimer’s Association.

“Ignition’s success and the success of our clients will be to continue to recognize that every point of customer contact is an opportunity to build a stronger brand,” said Anderson.

“Whether it’s through traditional marketing, social media, or email marketing, we continue to invest in the marketing tactics that produce the best results.”

Ignition Studio has come a long way in the past decade, but some things remain the same. Anderson says, “We believe message dictates design, we don’t miss deadlines and we’re really good collaborators.”

IGNITION STUDIO, INC. Co-owners: Lee Anderson and Gordon Bottum 1444 Myott Ave. www.ignition-studio.com 815-316-1040

5

6

December 2014

Award-winning entrepreneur unveils simple solution to everyday household problem

By Sherry Pritz, EIGERlab Tracie Burress, first place winner of EIGERlab’s 2014 FastPitch Competition, has quickly moved her invention forward since her win mid-June. sockTABs, her American-made product, is an ingenious pairing device for socks, which provides a simple solution to an everyday household problem: the infamous “sock monster!”

Tracie’s goal is to revolutionize the way we do laundry and help households save money and time in the process.

“We’re so impressed with what Tracie has accomplished in five, short months since FastPitch,” said Sherry Pritz, the event organizer. “In June, she competed with only her product prototype to share with the judges; no sales, no contracts.”

Burress is proud to share that she’s completed the second round of ABC’s Shark Tank. To impress the Shark Tank judges — knock their socks off, so to speak — she is now counting on buyers in the Rockford Region to support this

product with great sales volume. She’d love to bring positive, national exposure to Rockford while obtaining capital to grow. sockTABs currently are available for purchase at A1 Dry Cleaners, Ackerman Shoes, b jones Boutique, Crimson Ridge, Porch, The Foot Lodge, Tom Harmer and www.sockTABs.com.

Currently, negotiations are underway with major retailers in the region — expect to announce partnerships in the near future.

Stylish Accessory The tabs not only pair socks but also serve as a stylish fashion accessory, like cufflinks for socks. How do they work?

One tab is placed on one sock and stays on at all times. When the socks are ready for the laundry, they are easily tabbed together and thrown into the laundry, so they come out together as a pair.

The invention came on the heels of the 2011 near-death experience of

Tracie Burress talks at her press conference and sockTABs product launch.

Photo by Sherry Pritz, EIGERlab

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

sockTABs CEO, Tracie Burress. Since then, she attributes her entrepreneurial spirit to her renewed desire to realize her goals and dreams. “I had this idea about a year before my brain aneurysm and never took the time to pursue it. After my health scare, the idea remained fresh in my mind, so my husband and I decided to go for it,” she said. “The idea came after visiting several friends and family and noticing that they all had similar issues of drawers or laundry baskets full of estranged socks waiting to be reunited with their mates. I knew that there had to be a better way.”

Sherry Pritz is marketing coordinator/business development at EIGERlab/Rock Valley College.

RAEDC 2014 Annual Meeting and Dinner

spotlights the technology revolution

By Jennie Broecker, RAEDC More than 750 business and community leaders celebrated the region’s economic progress and looked ahead to an even brighter future in manufacturing at the Rockford Area Economic Development Council’s 2014 Annual Meeting and Dinner on Nov. 19.

Dr. Caralynn Nowinski, executive director & COO of UI Labs, delivered the event’s keynote address, “The Technology Revolution,” at Giovanni’s Restaurant and Convention Center. She spoke about the Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute and how the Rockford Region can plug into this new collaborative model.

DMDII, set to open on Goose Island in Chicago in 2015, is about efficiency and solving real-world problems. It will create a research environment in which companies, academic institutions and civic organizations can pinpoint a vexing technical challenge and then develop an innovative solution and bring it to market.

“UI Labs and its program, DMDII, are committed to pushing the envelope in digital manufacturing in factories throughout Rockford and throughout the country,” Nowinski said. “Our visit to Rockford is a key part of that campaign. The Rockford Region already has a compelling story to tell.”

After the RAEDC meeting, Dr. Nowinski and her staff spent two days here to hear more about that story.

They made multiple visits with business, government and community leaders.

“We believe the next chapter of its success will be driven by innovation, adaptability and collaboration through the adoption of digital manufacturing.

As the nation’s digital manufacturing hub, DMDII is excited to be supporting

Rockford and its businesses on this transformational journey. Our visit here this week is just the beginning and the first of many steps.”

Board Chairman Joel Sjostrom opened the evening by thanking the RAEDC’s public and private partners for their commitment and teamwork.

“Because of a strong collaborative spirit in our board meetings, in the work of our Solutions Teams and Committees, and in the high level of engagement of our investors, the region is moving forward,” he said.

Year to date, the RAEDC and our community’s economic development professionals and elected officials have achieved project commitments that will result in 2,380 new and retained jobs.

The projects also reflect more than $160 million of capital investment and 2,164,000 square feet of new or renovated space.

RAEDC President Mike Nicholas underlined how much the Rockford Region has grown not just this year but since its beginnings in the mid-19th century. Connecting with the DMDII effort is one more example of boldly moving forward. “We are getting in on the ground floor of an industry gamechanger -- together,” he said.

Innovation is not unique to manufacturing, Nicholas noted. “Digital manufacturing is all about improvement: whether it’s deeper analytics or upgraded software or wider stakeholder feedback in your product. Everyone in this room speaks the language of ‘better, faster and smarter.’ We all need to think differently to be competitive.”

Jennie Broecker is communications and marketing coordinator at the RAEDC.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

7

December 2014

Maximizing Microsoft Excel 2013 Software programs generally are not cheap and for the most part simple to manipulate, but if not utilized to their full potential can quickly become a wasted resource. Regarding your manufacturing operations, Excel 2013 can be used to create reports dealing with manufacturing times, per-unit costs, shift productivity, projection variances or any combination that would be beneficial to your operational needs. You might have a need to compare the per-cost unit and productivity of different shifts. Inserting formulas that perform various mathematical applications can help you plan or adjust the current production process.

Being able to see how many units are produced each day or shift along with what your electricity usage is per month or quarter or how many units you produce monthly or annually can be accomplished by creating appropriate categories for your spreadsheet.

Excel 2013 has some new features that will aid in your day-to day-operations. One of these new features allows you to quickly analyze your data.

The new Quick Analysis tool can help both new and experienced users find options for working with selected data. To use it, select the data to analyze, and the Quick Analysis icon appears in the bottom-right corner of

the selected data.

Click that icon, and a dialog appears showing a range of tools for analyzing the data such as Formatting, Charts, Totals, Tables and Bernie Luecke RVC BPI Sparklines.

Click a desired option, and a series of selectable choices appear.

Previewing your choices can be done by moving your mouse over them. Then click the option you like to apply it to your data. This feature speeds up the process of formatting, charting and writing formulas.

If you are interested in learning more about how your manufacturing team can maximize Excel 2013 or other software programs, contact me at Rock Valley College’s Business and Professional Institute, 815921-2067 or B.Luecke@RockValleyCollege.edu.

Note: Contents of this article were compiled from “10 awesome new features in Excel 2013,” PCWorld and Small Business Chronicle.com article written by Sam Ashe-Edmunds of Demand Media.

Bernie Luecke is director, Rock Valley College Business & Professional Institute.

City lauded for pilot entrepreneurship program The Craft Entrepreneurship Program between the City of Rockford and the global online marketplace Etsy was short-listed as one of nine notable achievements and named the Place Marketing Award 2014 laureate for place attractiveness, partnership, and collaborative and responsible marketing at the Place Marketing Forum. The conference on Oct. 16 and 17 in Aix-en-Provence was the largest in France dealing with territorial marketing.

The City of Rockford teamed with the online marketplace Etsy to create a pilot program of entrepreneurship education in two parts to bolster local business.

Etsy brought a team to Rockford in fall, 2012, to help out-of-work public housing residents, who couldn’t find jobs, create their own jobs using skills they already had.

To foster entrepreneurial thinking at the

public high school level, the group added Etsy entrepreneurship elements to the curriculum of a traditional art class.

A Rockford Etsy Team member taught residents in the Rockford Housing Authority how to use their craft skills to build a business and earn income, and a Seller Education team worked with the housing authority to develop a four-week curriculum of topics, from business finance to marketing, using Etsy as a live learning lab. The goal was to have residents use their skills in woodworking, jewelry making, photography, stationery and more to boost personal income, purchasing power and confidence.

One week after the kick-off in Rockford, Etsy rolled out a similar program in New York City to help the underemployed turn their craft skills into personal income.

Remembering Dale Falconer, President of Seward Screw Products Dale E. Falconer, 65, of Winnebago, died Friday, Oct. 17, 2014, in his home, surrounded by his loving family, following a lengthy illness. Dale was an ardent advocate for manufacturing and entrepreneurs in the Rock River Valley Region. He began his career at Seward Screw Products, Inc. immediately upon his discharge from the US Army in 1972.

Instrumental with the company’s growth, he eventually served as president and chairman of the board. Dale actively supported and mentored the Winnebago robotics team, Winnovation; supported WOTM (Women of Today’s Manufacturing), the EIGERlab, along with the Rockford Symphony Orchestra.

Dale was one of the initial board of directors for the Rockford Area Ventures and one of the initial leaders that oversaw the startup of the Eigerlab, helping to develop funding through 16th District Congressman Don Manzullo to establish the Eigerlab. He was an active supporter of manufacturing workforce training as a key TechWorks Advisory board member.

Dale was also part of the creation of the Eigerlab’s FastPitch Competition, an annual event that drew participants from throughout the region. Starting in 2006, this competition has attracted entrepreneurs in all phases of business from pre-startup, just an

idea on a napkin to companies that have been in business or plan to expand with a new service or product. Many new businesses and ideas got their start from this competition. Dale was also a member of Stateline Angels, an organization that provided mentoring and investing for local start-ups.

Dale was also a strong supporter of the Winnovation Robotics team from Winnebago. This team has gone on to winning major tournaments while developing many young people into the robotics field. Many of those graduating high school go on the college majoring in various engineering or related fields.

Dale supported WOTM in many ways — he encouraged his employees to get involved, make time for development and increased their networking opportunities by supporting corporate memberships with WOTM. He also served as a member of the WOTM Board of Directors offering his time, local knowledge, and manufacturing expertise to help shape this group’s vision. He was active in many WOTM events, always contributing time, energy and/or resources to accomplish key fundraising milestones, membership drives and scholarship opportunities.

We are grateful for the contributions of Dale Falconer in supporting so many good things and great ideas for the region.

Manufacturing News is sponsored by RVC BPI

8

December 2014

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Phantom Regiment are world champs and “Rockford’s roving ambassadors” “I was a 14-year-old kid living in Fremont, California the first time I saw the Phantom Regiment compete, and they definitely put Rockford on the map for me,” recalled Rick Valenzuela, executive director of the Phantom Regiment, based in Rockford.

“Rockford” is emblazoned on the trucks and other vehicles that transport the 150 members of the Phantom Regiment, 80 brass instruments (including 16 tubas), 23 drums, 13 marimbas and keyboards plus flags, sabers and more. When they’re announced at competitions across the country, they are introduced as hailing from Rockford, Ill. Rick added, “In the world of drum corps and marching bands, people definitely know Rockford because of the Phantom Regiment.”

Each year the Rockford Region gains more attractions, more events and more buzz, for citizens and visitors to enjoy.

It’s due, in part, to the highly creative people who move the needle forward, like the Phantom Regiment.

In Good Company To throw the spotlight on this talent pool, the RACVB asked Nels Akerlund Photography + Video to create a photograph and video exhibit that shows 40 such people at significant sites.

Each work is exhibited at 30 locations throughout the Rockford Region. For the full list, please visit gorockford.com.

It’s my pleasure to highlight the Phantom Regiment, one of the 40 subjects, for The Voice. They are two-time Drum Corps International (DCI) World Champions. They’re also known as Rockford’s Roving Ambassadors.

John Groh Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

Canada, Japan, Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Last year one person was from Rockford and 15 from the Chicago suburbs.

“The most important thing we do is to provide a life-changing experience for our young people, as they develop lifelong skills, a strong work ethic and incredible teamwork expertise,” Valenzuela said.

The Phantom Regiment travels about 11,000 miles per year, competing in cities across the country. They were world champions in 1996 and 2008.

They are consistently in the top 12, known as the finals.

Each spring, following the tryouts, the members attend spring training at Rockford University and live in the university’s gym for about two weeks. When the group travels for competitions, they sleep in high school gyms all over the country.

Each youngster pays about $3,300, which is one third of the cost for instruction, food, housing, equipment and travel. The balance is covered through fundraising and sponsorships.

The Phantom Regiment is a 501(c) 3 charitable organization.

How Can Chamber Members Help?

Each year the Phantom Regiment presents fundraisers at Boylan Catholic High School and Northern Illinois University. Volunteers for these special events are welcome, as well as in-kind and financial contributions. So, whether you want to help take tickets, write a check or be a spectator, contact Rick Valenzuela at rick@regiment.org or call 815-261-1956. regiment.org

About The Phantom Regiment

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

Founded in 1956, the two-time DCI world champions consist of 150 members, ages 15 to 21, from about 25 states and a half dozen countries such as

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

The Rockford Phantom Regiment, two-time world champions, raises awareness of Rockford as they perform in competitions nationwide. And, when their fans and other visitors come here, they add $320 million to our economy annually.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

9

December 2014

Rockford University PERSPECTIVE

Building your corporate brand All employees deliver a unified message What do Nike, Coca Cola and Apple all have in common? They are some of the most recognizable brands and bring to mind an image and a group of products and services that cause you to react in a certain way. As you read this issue of The Voice, most likely you are surrounded by many, many brands. Perhaps you’re sipping your favorite beverage or hearing your mobile device alert you to yet another new message. In fact, the list of brands with which you’re confronted while you read is probably much longer.

So, why are you sipping that particular beverage? Why do you own that certain mobile device? As we learn throughout our lives, life is about choices. Some choices take a lot of time and research, and others do not. Regardless, we make choices about brands every day; recognizing and trusting a brand helps people make those choices.

I happen to enjoy a certain type of coffee, so I make a point to purchase that type of coffee each morning. I already know I like the way it tastes and smells, but I also like the company and its reputation. In fact, I’m pretty loyal to this company because I like its brand.

Branding is important because it communicates a unique identity and provides customers with a clear value and promise. This “brand promise” highlights the significant overlap between what an organization delivers and what an audience desires. Once met, the promise helps reinforce the choice made by customers and solidifies their support of that brand. Back to my coffee example, this particular brand delivers what I am desiring; therefore, my positive experiences reinforce my decision to purchase this brand over and over again.

A brand is more than a product, name, logo, color or theme. It is more than a mission statement, vision statement, culture or core values. A company’s brand is its essence; it is how the company looks, acts and speaks. It encompasses the name, logo, people, mission, culture, etc., and it reflects what the company stands for, who it aspires to be, and the impression of who it is in people’s minds. The key to a strong brand is clear, unified and consistent messaging. Companies have many stories to tell, distinctions of which to be proud, and services or products to uplift. The connection between these is the company’s brand.

University’s Unified Message At Rockford University, our brand is one of our most valuable assets. It defines who we are, communicates the promise we deliver, and unifies every area of our institution. Ultimately, our goal is to build a powerful brand and positively influence how people feel and respond to the words, “Rockford University.”

As a marketing professional, I enjoy the topic of branding and work with it daily. But my work does not occur in isolation. At Rockford University, as with any organization, no single department or individual owns our brand. We all have the responsibility to continue strengthening our brand. Therefore, we’ve recently developed a helpful tool and resource — a Brand Standards Guide — for those in our campus community. The purpose of this guide is to establish and convey guidelines for how Rockford University positions itself and expresses itself as an institution.

In this guide, we have developed specific sections that speak to the different components of our brand work. These sections include: brand objectives; who we are; our brand creative, including our

brand promise, Nellie Miller message map, Rockford University and Rock Solid image campaign; our visual elements with regards to our logos, etc.; and institutional resources like business cards. Our guide is just one example; there are many different types of guides. Ultimately, it’s important that the guide truly reflect who you are and who you aspire to be, so that all of your employees can understand and contribute to your clear, unified and consistent messaging.

When branding is effective and successful, it uplifts and strengthens a company’s reputation. It also builds brand loyalty among customers. When thinking about your brand, how strong is it and what can you do to enhance it?

Something to consider over that next cup of coffee.

Nellie Miller is director of marketing at Rockford University.

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

10

Personal and Business Finance

December 2014 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

Avoiding the holiday spending hangover Setting a budget, and sticking to it ’Tis the season – a time for family, friends, parties – and overspending.

There are so many ways to overuse our credit cards in December from going all out decorating the house, to hosting parties, to buying sparkly new clothes for holiday parties. It’s a given we’re going to spend more money than normal in the weeks leading up to Christmas, but that doesn’t mean we need to blow our budget or go into debt.

According to Heidi Berardi, director of education and community outreach at Family Credit Management, a credit counseling agency, they typically see a 25 percent increase in the number of people seeking help in January and February, and most of that traffic is propelled to their doors by holiday bills that haunt consumers like the ghost of Christmas past.

So how do you prevent a holiday spending hangover? By putting a holiday budget together, of course. Setting up a budget and pledging to stick to it will help you enjoy the holidays without the looming threat of starting off the New Year in debt.

But before you think I’m putting the bah humbug into the holidays, read on for spending tips that will help you manage your finances so you can enjoy the holiday season.

Create a budget and stick to it. Set a dollar amount based on what you can afford this holiday season, considering your current savings, income and other expenses. Be sure to include a $20 to $100 cushion for unexpected expenses, but if you’ve budgeted for one Olaf doll for little Suzy or Timmy, then stick to it. Don’t leave the store with dolls from the whole cast from Frozen. Suzy and Timmy will be fine!

Make a list. Write down the names

Brenda Nayonis Rockford Bank & Trust

of the people you plan to buy gifts for and how much you can afford to spend on each person. Don’t forget to save some of your budget for expenses other than gifts including wrapping paper, cards and postage.

Bake some cookies. That’s right, if you can’t afford to buy gifts for everyone on your list, bake some holiday goodies and wrap them in cellophane with a holiday bow. Handmade gifts are a special way to say “Happy Holidays” without overspending. Be sure to include these costs in your budget.

Use credit wisely. Your credit card balance shouldn’t be a complete surprise when you open your statement in January. Take only the credit cards you need when holiday shopping and try to use the card with the lowest interest rate.

Save your receipts. Keep track of your expenses and add them up weekly to be sure you’re sticking to your budget. If you’re getting close to your spending limit, reevaluate your list and bake more cookies!

When spreading holiday cheer, keep in mind that January bills are only a couple of months away. If you are not budgeting for holiday purchases, you will find yourself bringing in the New Year with last year’s debt. Holding true to your budget during the busy holiday season is an excellent jumpstart to healthy year-long budgeting habits.

Brenda Nayonis is senior vice president and Chief Operating Officer, Rockford Bank & Trust.

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

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Personal and Business Finance

December 2014

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

Financial focus

Protect your retirement against market volatility

You may not be as vulnerable as you might think. In the first place, given our growing awareness of healthier lifestyles, you could easily spend two, or even three, decades in retirement — so your investment time frame isn’t necessarily going to be that compressed.

As an investor, you’re well aware that, over the short term, the financial markets always move up and down.

During your working years, you may feel that you have time to overcome this volatility. And you’d be basing these feelings on actual evidence: The longer the investment period, the greater the tendency of the markets to “smooth out” their performance. But what happens when you retire? Won’t you be more susceptible to market movements?

You may not be as vulnerable as you might think. In the first place, given our growing awareness of healthier lifestyles, you could easily spend two, or even three, decades in retirement — so your investment time frame isn’t necessarily going to be that compressed.

Nonetheless, it’s still true that time may well be a more important consideration to you during your retirement years, so you may want to be particularly vigilant about taking steps to help smooth out the effects of market volatility.

Toward that end, here are a few suggestions: Allocate your investments among a variety of asset classes. Of course, proper asset allocation is a good investment move at any age, but when you’re retired, you want to be especially careful that you don’t “overconcentrate” your investment dollars among just a few assets. Spreading your money among a range of vehicles — stocks, bonds, certificates of deposit, government securities and so on — can help you avoid taking the full brunt of a downturn that may primarily hit just one type of investment. (Keep in mind,

Shawn Rooney Edward Jones

though, that while diversification can help reduce the effects of volatility, it can’t assure a profit or protect against loss.)

Choose investments that have demonstrated solid performance across many market cycles. As you’ve probably heard, “past performance is no guarantee of future results,” and this is true. Nonetheless, you can help improve your outlook by owning quality investments. So when investing in stocks, choose those that have actual earnings and a track record of earnings growth. If you invest in fixedincome vehicles, pick those that are considered “investment grade.”

Don’t make emotional decisions.

At various times during your retirement, you will, in all likelihood, witness some sharp drops in the market. Try to avoid overreacting to these downturns, which will probably just be normal market “corrections.”

If you can keep your emotions out of investing, you will be less likely to make moves such as selling quality investments merely because their price is temporarily down.

Don’t try to “time” the market.

You may be tempted to “take advantage” of volatility by looking for opportunities to “buy low and sell high.” In theory, this is a fine idea — but, unfortunately, no one can really predict market highs or lows. You’ll probably be better off by consistently investing the same amount of money into the same investments. Over time, this method of investing may result in lower per-share costs. However, as is the case with diversification, this type of “systematic” investing won’t guarantee a profit or protect against loss, and you’ll need to be willing to keep investing when share prices are declining.

It’s probably natural to get somewhat more apprehensive about market volatility during your retirement years. But taking the steps described above can help you navigate the sometimes-choppy waters of the financial world.

Shawn Rooney is a financial advisor for Edward Jones.

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

11

12

December 2014 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Personal and Business Finance

Regional, National Indicators THE ECONOMY U.S. Indicators October 2014 Consumer Price Index



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

0.1 percent 5.8 percent

      

214,000 $0.03 0.2 percent 0.7 percent (third quarter, 2014) 2.0 percent (third quarter, 2014) 1.3 percent 1.0 percent

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Unemployment Rates Region / State / Nation June 14

July 14

Aug 14

Sept 14

Rockford

8.9

9.4

9.4

8.2

Chicago

7.1

6.8

6.3

6.0

Illinois

7.1

6.8

6.7

6.6

United States

6.1

6.2

6.3

5.9

Source: U.S. Department of Employment Security

Population Clock As of Nov. 20, 2014

U.S. 319,295,695 Source: U.S. Census Bureau

World 7,206,200,745

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

December 2014

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

The power of trusts

Successfully conquer estate planning Establishing a trust (or multiple trusts) can provide multiple benefits; including the reduction of your estate tax. And, there are several types of trusts available to choose from. But trusts involve more than simply setting money aside for the future.

Legal Issues Remember, a “trust” is no more than a legal structure governed by the terms of the document that creates it. Your estate planning objectives will determine the specific trust language, but generally, trusts are designed with the beneficiaries’ interests at heart. This means you can draft a trust to give your beneficiaries as much flexibility as possible to maintain their current lifestyles. In fact, flexibility is key to almost all trust planning. The information here primarily focuses on revocable trusts, which by definition can be changed at any time by the grantor and thus provides unlimited flexibility.

Benefits to Consider Trusts could cover a wide range of planning needs. Take a moment to consider the tax and non-tax benefits you could receive through a well drafted trust.

Estate tax benefits: By properly drafting and funding a credit shelter trust, a married couple could significantly reduce their estate tax liability. Language in your grantor trust or will creates a credit-shelter trust at your death. The concept here is to transfer an amount equal to the lifetime tax exemption to a trust, whose primary beneficiary is your surviving spouse.

At your spouse’s death, the assets pass according to your trust’s terms, possibly free of federal estate tax.

Continuity of Management: Transferring assets to a trust requires some initial administration. But once created, the trust provides a convenient way to hold your assets. For instance, if during your lifetime, you become unable to manage your financial matters, the trustee would take over the responsibility. Without the trust, naming someone to act as the guardian of your estate could lead to a time-consuming and public proceeding.

You can also generally change a trust’s terms more easily than you can change your will, because a will’s documentation requirements are more restrictive than a trust’s. While a will calls for witnesses, you can generally change your trust without such formalities by drafting and signing a trust amendment.

At your death, a living trust’s assets avoid the often costly, time-consuming

– and always Chris Perry U.S. Bank public – probate process. So this is a convenient method of transferring your assets quickly and efficiently after your death.

Privacy: Your trust is a private document that, unlike your will, is not filed with a court. Using the trust means that no one can access information about your net worth and how it was distributed.

Asset protection: Trusts can provide protection for trust beneficiaries from creditors.

Although trustees have great latitude in distributing assets to beneficiaries, trustees may be limited in paying beneficiaries’ creditors. Those creditors may include ex-spouses, plaintiffs in civil lawsuits and others.

The intangible benefit of sheltering a potential spendthrift from him or herself may be incalculable. For all these reasons, many people draft trusts without language that requires partial distribution to beneficiaries at a given age. The logic is that the trust can make purchases on behalf of the beneficiary, and still retain ownership of assets that would otherwise be owned by – and subject to the creditors of – the beneficiaries.

Legacy: Yet another appealing feature of a long-term trust is that it’s a great way to leave a legacy to your descendants. Potentially, many generations down the line can “know” you through the trust. It can help you to instill your values in future generations.

At a minimum, you can (up to certain limits) transfer assets to your grandchildren without incurring the generation-skipping transfer tax (GST).

The GST applies to amounts that go to the “skip person” – those who are more than one generation removed from you.

One reason you may wish to create this type of trust during life is that you may be able to use the lifetime exemption prior to your death. For information about exemption limits, please consult with your personal tax advisor to determine the impact on your situation.

With professional help, you can create a trust that will help you meet your goals.

Chris Perry, MBA, CFP®, is assistant vice president, relationship manager, trust officer, U.S. Bank Private Client Group.

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

Personal and Business Finance

13

14

December 2014

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Transformation coming through United Way’s I READ program

Digging into Illinois school report cards

By Alex Gary In November of each year the state releases results of the prior year’s standardized test scores – but it also includes mountains of other data, which is fascinating for number crunchers.

Here are a few random nuggets from the data released by the Illinois State Board of Education.

■ In 2013-2014, For the first time since the 2003-2004 school year when 55.1 percent of Rockford School District students were considered low income, the percentage of students considered low income didn’t increase.

In 2012-2013, 78.8 percent of District 205 students were low income. In 20132014, it dropped to 78.7.

Unfortunately, Harlem, Winnebago County’s second largest district, saw its low-income student percentage soar from 47.1 percent in 2012-2013 to 57.2 percent in 2013-2014.

■ Last year, for the first time, the state began tracking the percentage of school district graduates who are going on to college and how ready those students are for college classes. In Illinois overall, 70 percent of the 2012-2013 graduates had enrolled in a post-secondary institution within 16 months. Only 46 percent of those students though had scored a 22 or higher on the ACT, which is what the state considers a college-ready student.

In the Rock River Vallley, Hononegah had the highest rate of post-secondary enrollees with 79 percent in a program of some kind within 16 months with 67 percent having scored a 22 or better on the ACT. Only 50 percent of Rockford graduates had enrolled within 16 months and just 28 percent had scored a 22 or better on the ACT. The local district with the smallest gap between post-secondary enrollees and college-ready students was Forrestville Valley in Ogle County with 66 percent of its students in postsecondary education within 16 months and 56 percent of them having scored a 22 or better on the ACT.

The district with the widest gap also was in Ogle. Polo had 76 percent of its graduates in post-secondary education within 16 months but only 42 percent had scored a 22 or better on the ACT. ■ If you were to judge Rockford School District solely as a business then it would get the best marks in the Rock River Valley. The state releases each district’s revenue and expenses and in 2012-2013, the most recent data available, District 205 turned an $11.8 million profit.

In fact, District 205 brought in more revenue than it spent in nine out of 10 years from 2003-2004 through 20122013. District 205 revenues outpaced revenues by $155.9 million over that time period.

Of course, District 205 also is the largest property tax recipient in the area and the fact that it has been so successful building reserves may give more ammunition to those who believe the district should lower its annual tax levy while home values continue to fall.

■ While District 205 has been remarkably good at turning a profit, expenses outpaced revenues in seven out of 10 years between 2003-2004 and 20122013 at both the Harlem and Winnebago school districts. Harlem operated at deficits greater than $3 million in 20092010, 2010-2011, 2011-2012 and 2012-2013.

■ Belvidere and North Boone school districts in Boone County continued to struggle with a student boom gone bust.

Both districts grew rapidly in the 1990s and early 2000s and spent millions on new schools. Instead, after the Great Recession hit, enrollments have declined and the districts are paying the costs of maintaining the extra space.

From 2003-2004 to 2012-2013, Belvidere spent $51 million more than it took in, mostly costs from construction in 20052006 and 2006-2007, while North Boone outspent its revenues by $22.7 million in the same 10 years.

Alex Gary is a former business writer who now is a Transform Rockford volunteer.

By Alex Gary ROCKFORD – Ny Bria is an engaging third grader at Lathrop Elementary who is quick to help her classmates struggling with reading assignments.

“When other kids don’t know a word now they ask me, ‘Ny Bria, what is this word?’”

When Guy and Sue Richards met Ny Bria in kindergarten she couldn’t comprehend the words “for” and “the.”

“She couldn’t keep them straight,” Sue Richards said. “You could tell she wasn’t reading at home. To see her now. It’s just … fabulous.”

Ny Bria is one of 32 students at Lathrop receiving weekly tutoring from 14 volunteers of the United Way of the Rock River Valley’s I READ program.

The United Way launched the program during the 2011-2012 school year in the Harlem and Rockford school districts, seeing it as a critical need in an area that was tabbed as the fifth least educated metropolitan area in the United States by WalletHub, a financial literacy site.

Paul Logli, United Way president and CEO, said the program grew from a telephone call from a Rockford teacher asking if they had a program similar to one in Peoria where the United Way gives books to students.

“That call also got us to look at what else we could do to increase our reading scores. You’ve seen them. Education is a serious issue in this community.”

On Nov. 1, the Illinois State Board of Education released its annual state testing results of public schools in Illinois. In Harlem, 52 percent of its students last year met or exceeded state standards in reading and math compared with the state average of 59 percent. In the Rockford School District, it was just 41 percent.

I READ started with a few volunteers at a handful of Rockford schools and Harlem’s Parker Early Education Center committing to visit a student once a week from kindergarten through third grade.

This year, there are 224 volunteers at nine Rockford schools and seven Harlem schools working with 330 students.

Sue and Guy Richards remember why it’s become such a cause for them.

“I remember seeing information that if

a child is not reading at grade level by the second grade they have an eight zero – 80 percent chance – of not graduating high school,” Sue Richards said. “That statistic has locked us in like Rottweilers to this.”

In November, 2015, we’ll see how much the I READ program is helping. When students take the standardized tests this school year, for the first time it will include results from third graders who have gone through four years of the I READ program.

Cathy Martin, Harlem director of stakeholder engagement, said Harlem’s tracking shows the program is working.

Last year, 86 percent of the Harlem kindergartners in the program were hitting reading expectations.

Still, program organizers realize I READ’s influence on state test scores will be limited at first. The I READ program is at Rockford’s Ellis Arts Academy this year for the first time with five volunteers working with eight students. Last year, Ellis, a school of about 450 students, had just 7.9 percent of its third graders meeting or exceeding state standards in reading.

“Every tutor we can bring in to help a student gives us a better chance to have a systemic impact,” Logli said. “We have to convince more employers that this is a program worth giving their employees time to do. I bring this up to every CEO I talk to.”

Retirees, such as the Richards, and former teachers have been the best source of volunteers. The program does have volunteers from companies such as Field Fastener in Machesney Park and Danfoss Drives in Loves Park. UTC Aerospace Systems make up a large portion of the volunteers at Swan Hillman Elementary and Whitehead Elementary in Rockford.

“It’s more than reading,” said Tonya Thayer Meyer, who coordinates the I READ program. “We’re asking them to build relationships, to show these students there is another adult who cares about them.”

Jackie Norem, in communications at UTC Aerospace Systems, is one of at least 15 volunteers from the company.

“They impact my life as much or more than I impact theirs,” Norem said in an email. “Reading with them provides the ‘feel good’ part of my week.”

BRAIN DRAIN The Rock River Valley has been losing students from its largest school districts since the Great Recession began. It is causing budget troubles for schools that invested millions in improved or new space for expected enrollment increases. It also means trouble down the road if the trends aren’t reversed because Rockford University and Rock Valley College will have a shrinking pool of local students to attract to their campuses and employers will have a smaller labor pool.

ENROLLMENT

2004-2005

2005-2006

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012 2012-2013

2013-2014

Rockford School District

27,116

27,287

27,787

27,622

26,990

27,181

27,579

26,980

27,249

27,498

Harlem School District

7,803

7,838

8,005

7,964

7,786

7,704

7,359

7,223

7,139

6,978

Belvidere School District

8,023

8,405

8,728

9,065

9,024

9,001

8,739

8,622

8,503

8,309

Hononegah Area School Districts

5,887

6,187

6,509

6,705

6,689

6,746

6,723

6,622

6,547

6,413

TOTALS

48,829

49,717

51,029

51,356

50,489

50,632

50,400

49,447

49,438

49,198

Bold - when enrollment peaked

Source: Illinois State Board of Education

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Philanthropy/Giving (Non-profits)

December 2014

15

Business Shorts

Spotlighting nonprofit organizations ANY INTERESTING FACT(S) ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION THAT PEOPLE WOULD NOT GENERALLY KNOW?

Rock River Valley Pantry RRVP was founded 40 years ago and during its first year assisted several hundred families with emergency food. Currently it assists more than 2,500 households per month.

■■ In FY14 the RRVP assisted more than 25,000 unduplicated visitors.

■■ RRVP distributed 1,156,000 pounds of food in 2014.

■■ RRVP grew its own vegetables, and last summer raised more than 1,500 pounds of fresh produce for clients.

■■ More than 15,000 hours of volunteer time was donated annually to the RRVP. ■■ RRVP partnered with Junior League of Rockford to assist 100 elementary school age children with backpacks full of food to feed them over the weekend.

■■ 43 percent of RRVP clients are children and adults over the age of 65.

Ethnic Heritage Museum In 1989, a culturally diverse volunteer group worked cohesively to establish a museum of six galleries to represent the cultures that originally settled in southwest Rockford, where the city began: African American, Hispanic, Irish, Italian, Lithuanian and Polish. Today museum volunteers, which include a board, work together to offer educational experiences for families and school groups through workshops, cultural programs and everchanging gallery exhibits.

The museum’s new addition, completed in 2012, offers additional space for entertaining programs and rental for the community. The museum is open Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m.; however, tours are available other days by calling 815-962-7402.

HOW DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION UNIQUELY SERVE THE COMMUNITY?

La Voz Latina La Voz Latina is the largest and oldest Latino community-based organization in the region. We have the trust of and access to the Latino population. We are culturally and linguistically competent and have four decades of experience in providing robust educational programs with very high success rates. Individuals or groups seeking to reach the Latino community come to us since we are the “go to” organization that can provide them the access. As a nonprofit, we support our programs by providing services such as translations and interpretations to companies and businesses that want to expand their reach to the Latino community.

“Through each child you place beauty, integrity and a sense of community in a world that desperately needs these things.”

The Music Academy

It worked for her. It can work for you!

The Music Academy is a not-for-profit community school of music and, since 1985, a full member of the National Guild for Community Arts Education. Emily Herdeman, Music Academy, class of 2001, studied violin for 14 years before earning a The Music Academy bachelor of music and economics at Indiana University and master of music at Rice University. She now is a violinist with the Houston Symphony and Suzuki teacher. She said about her education at The Music Academy, “Through each child you place beauty, integrity and a sense of community in a world that desperately needs these things.”

Stateline Youth For Christ Our Tutoring Clubs provide one-on-one mentoring to at-risk kids in grades K through 5. They meet weekly in local churches, where volunteer tutors focus on academic, social and spiritual areas. Tutors and students bond over a meal. Collaboration between child, tutor, parent and school, plus setting goals, results in transformation. Teachers report increased participation and interest. Parents report improvement in attitude, grades and motivation. Volunteers consistently invest time in a child and even the family. Church sites report outreach opportunities.

And the kids? They just look forward to coming to Tutoring Club and are sad when they outgrow it.

“It is a remarkable place!

It showed me that just because I have a disability doesn’t mean it’s the end of the road for me.”

Center for Sight & Hearing

For more than 50 years, the Center for Sight & Hearing has been helping individuals with vision and/or hearing loss to enhance their quality of life and live independently. In this past year our programs and services made a significant impact on Center for Sight & Hearing more than 6,000 individuals of all ages – as well as their families and loved ones. In the words of one individual who participated in the center’s assistive technology training, “It is a remarkable place! It showed me that just because I have a disability doesn’t mean it’s the end of the road for me.”

Lifescape Community Services At Lifescape Community Services, we believe that aging happens to everyone; together we can do it well. By empowering older adults to remain independent and active members of society as long as possible, we build a stronger Rockford and a stronger northern Illinois. We aid seniors, their families, friends and caregivers in meeting the challenges of aging through a wide variety of services including nutritious meals at area dining sites or delivered right to the door, health and wellness programs, information and assistance, support for grandparents raising grandchildren, and much more.

Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois’ mission is to create opportunities for individuals with barriers to enhance their lives. Goodwill is an 100 percent nonprofit organization that uses the revenue from the sale of gently used clothing and household donations to fund our mission programs that help people in the communities that we reside in. When you donate to Goodwill or shop at Goodwill stores, you are helping to fund programs that teach critical job skills and help provide jobs to those in need. Goodwill believes in the power of work and that jobs change lives.

The Arc of Winnebago, Boone & Ogle Counties Arc organizations started across the country as grassroots parent advocate lead initiatives in the late 1960s to make decisions for their children with an I/DD diagnosis, and this continues. About half of local funding is provided by the State of Illinois Medicaid Waiver program to supply families with home-based support. All other needs-based programming is paid for through fundraising or a nominal fee. Some programs offered are: ProjectArt, Beadware, Open Studio, Make & Take Nights, Life Skill Classes, Rec Nights, Open Gym, Low Cost Guardianship, Representative Payee, Independent Living Support, Future Planning, Parent Nights, Book and Writing Clubs.

Put Your Business on Center Stage Would you like to submit a business short for an upcoming issue of The Voice? Please contact editor@rockfordchamber.com, and we’ll send you a questions or two to answer about your business.

16

Philanthropy/Giving (Non-profits)

December 2014 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

Boost your nonprofit’s endowments Relating with prospective donors

Allowing people to choose from various needs of the organization often leads to a feeling of involvement, and as a result, future donations.

Nonprofits are the lifeline of our community. They enlighten us of the trials and tribulations that drive their organizations, with the hopeful outcome of charity.

Ensuring a nonprofit organization has adequate money, eager volunteers, capable board members, educated staff and a steadfast vision are key components to a successful campaign. Considering there are 795 nonprofits in Winnebago County, making your group stand apart can prove to be difficult.

Identifying and developing donors begins with people you know.

Your organization has a broad reach through the personal and professional connections of employees, volunteers and current donors.

Quickly engaging these individuals in your cause is important because they are already willing to listen.

Invite them to attend an event or listen to a testimonial from someone benefiting from the organization.

A strong mailing list targeting specific demographics is important.

A list compiled of past donors, people who attended past fundraisers or events and those who received the group’s services in the past is a great start. A nonprofit can pursue potential donors by specific donation types and interests. A household can be identified by past financial contributions to a variety of causes. This information is sourced from consumer surveys, online registrations and buying trends.

A few common elements used to isolate a specific donor include animal welfare, art/cultural topics, children’s causes, environmental, health, international aid, religious and veteran’s causes. Age, gender, number of children and/or pets, net worth, interests, etc., are other variables considered when compiling a mailing list. Modeling and profiling a current donor list to locate more possible donors in a target area is also quite effective.

Marc Scordato MS2 Meridian

Fresh Ideas from the Board Maintaining a strong board is challenging but crucial. Sit down periodically with board members individually and ask them their ideas and focuses.

One-on-one conversations may result in unique ideas not otherwise expressed in a group setting.

Involving younger board members will help keep the demographic fresh and secure future support. Organize events where board/committee members and staff are able to socialize but not necessarily about the nonprofit or its goals.

Many people who donate prefer to have a say as to where their money goes. Allowing people to choose from various needs of the organization often leads to a feeling of involvement, and as a result, future donations.

Keep donors in the know regarding how funds are being used and the overall status of the organization by providing a monthly or quarterly newsletter. This is also a great opportunity for “save the date” information on upcoming events.

All donors cannot be approached the same way. If an individual has given in the past, modify your message and response card to reflect past trends. Include information you know inspires that person. It is also important to allow several methods of donating such as traditional reply cards, online giving, calling in or donating in person.

No matter how a person chooses to donate, whether it’s time, money or services, an appropriate thank you is a must.

It is our responsibility to do our part for the community. Choose a charity that really speaks to you and donate your time, money or services and then tell others about your experience.

Marc Scordato is operation manager at MS2 Meridian, a printing, promotional products and fulfillment services provider in Rockford/Loves Park, Janesville, Wis., and Sycamore, Ill. The view expressed are those of Scordato’s and do not necessarily represent those of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Philanthropy/Giving (Non-profits)

December 2014

17

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

Who will speak for you when you cannot?

Initiate the conversation

Kellie Cannon Northern Illinois Hospice

Have you ever asked yourself or your loved ones, “How do you want to live before you die?” Chances are you haven’t.

Research shows that while 90 percent of Americans think it is important to discuss wishes for end of life care, less than 30 percent actually do.

what, vs. quality of life is more important than quantity of life;

Northern Illinois Hospice would be glad to assist you at no charge).

conversation.

■■ Worries about not getting enough care vs. worries about aggressive treatments;

How Can You Help Your Employees?

of talking about initial discomfort. Be proactive and be an

Where to Start

■■ What types of interventions do you want or do not want (i.e., resuscitation if your heart stops, a breathing machine, feeding tube)?

Educate them on the importance of having these discussions and documents in place. Wealth advisors, insurance agents and bankers, retirement planning and estate planning are a regular part of your conversations. Add “end of life” planning to the mix. In your clients’ files of important papers and key advisors and contacts, end of life goals and wishes should be there, in writing.

We see scenarios on a daily basis of families that are torn apart, wracked with guilt and struggling to make decisions for a loved one that can no longer communicate their wants. Should mom have a feeding tube placed? Should we stop treatment and look toward comfort care? Do I place dad in a nursing home or try to take care of him myself? These questions take a toll on employees and families both physically and mentally causing stress, which in turn affects the workplace and productivity.

Those of us in end of life care realize this is a less-than-popular topic for

Discussing how you want to live before you die is one of the most important conversations you can have with your loved ones. By expressing your wishes in advance, a burden will be taken off your loved ones if the time comes when you cannot speak for yourself. What a gift that would be to have your wishes know by those who might have to make decisions for you!

We encourage people to start by thinking about what you want, and then write down your thoughts. Consider: ■■ What is important to you?

■■ What do you value the most?

Also think about where you are at on the spectrum of the following: ■■ Living as long as possible, no matter

■■ Wanting doctors to do what they think is best vs. having a say in every decision;

■■ Where do you want to receive care (i.e., home, nursing home, hospital)?

■■ When would you feel comfortable shifting from curative care to comfort care?

■■ What affairs do you need to get in order? ( i.e., personal finances, property, relationships)?

Once you identify your wishes, initiate the conversation with your loved ones and encourage them to do the same. Then put into place some legal documents such as advanced directives and designate a health care proxy.

There are many resources available for advanced care planning (and the staff at

Yet, the benefits

and planning for end of life exceed the advocate for yourself and your business.

The time for the conversation is NOW, not when you are entrenched in health crisis. Provide a lunch and learn or an Advance Directives Day in which these topics are discussed and forms filled out.

While the importance of this planning may not show in tangible results today, you can be assured when the time comes -and it will come for all of us -- the benefits will be most evident.

For more information on how to provide end of life education for your family or in your business, please 815-398-0500 or kcannon@northernillinoishospice.org.

Kellie Cannon, community education director, Northern Illinois Hospice.

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

18

December 2014 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Philanthropy/Giving (Non-profits)

Guest Perspective INSIGHT

Reducing area’s premature births

Saving on the emotional, financial toll Most babies are born after 39 weeks of their parents happily planning for the birth. But, some babies follow their own timeline and arrive earlier than expected.

March of Dimes works to reduce the rate of premature birth, saving babies and minimizing the emotional and financial toll on families. Babies who survive premature birth often face a lifetime of health challenges, such as breathing problems, cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities and prolonged hospital stays that cost the United States more than $26 billion annually, according to the Institute of Medicine.

Premature birth, birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy, is a leading cause of death the first year of life. In the United States, the premature birth rate increased by 36 percent between 1980 and 2006, giving us the highest prematurity rate of any developed nation.

Deeming this unacceptable, the March of Dimes began its Prematurity Awareness Campaign in 2006. As a result, from 2006 through 2013 the preterm birth rate in Illinois has consistently declined from a high of 13.3 percent of live births to 11.7 percent of live births, according to the just-released March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card.

A leading factor in the seven-year improvement in Illinois’s premature birth rate is a reduced number of pregnant women who smoke. Last year, March of Dimes reported that 18.2 percent of pregnant women in Illinois smoked, but the most recent report lists only 15.6 percent.

Through March of Dimes funding community-based smoking cessation programs, advocating for babies who can’t yet advocate for themselves, and funding scientific research, we are continuing our campaign to ensure that one day, all babies have a healthy start in life.

Worksite Wellness So what does all of this mean for the average Rock River Valley business?

The impact of premature birth on a business is significant. With about one in nine babies born too soon in Illinois, businesses pay more in health care costs for that one premature baby than they do for the remaining eight babies combined.

By the numbers, businesses pay more than $12 billion a year to cover the cost of premature birth. Those billions of dollars break down like this: ■■ Prematurity affects nearly 11 percent of the babies covered by employer health plans.

Michelle DeHaven March of Dimes

■■ The average medical cost of an uncomplicated birth: $4,389.

■■ The average medical cost for a premature birth: $54,194.

■■ This increases health care costs to employers by more than 300 percent, annually.

■■ Additionally, companies lose thousands of dollars annually in absenteeism and lost productivity.

■■ Societal economic costs include $5.7 billion in lost household and labor market activity.

Keeping Mom healthy during her nine months is a priority for the March of Dimes and should be a priority for everyone, including Rock River Valley business and community leaders.

Companies that bring wellness into their workplace find that encouraging healthy attitudes, behaviors and lifestyle choices is beneficial to their employees as well as to their bottom line.

The March of Dimes can assist area businesses in taking that commitment to the next level. Our Healthy Babies Healthy Business is a no-cost, educational worksite wellness program tailored to the needs of your female employees and promotes a pregnancy and a familyfriendly work environment.

Your company also can get involved with the March of Dimes through partnership and leadership opportunities with our annual March for Babies campaigns, Northern Illinois Signature Chefs Auction, Board of Directors, and other activities throughout the Northern Illinois Division.

You may not know it, but if you were born in the United States in the last 76 years, you share something special with millions of Americans. You are already a March of Dimes baby. Founded in 1938 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the March of Dimes was charged with a mission of ending polio. We accomplished our original mission, and by working together, we can tackle this challenge too.

Michelle DeHaven is community director for the March of Dimes, Northern Illinois Division, encompassing Winnebago, Boone, Stephenson, Jo Daviess, Lee, Whiteside, Carroll, Ogle, DeKalb and McHenry counties.

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

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

19

December 2014

IGNITE

Young Professionals

IGNITE Rockford more reenergized than ever Many ways to be involved in 2015 IGNITE Rockford has had an exciting 2014. We kicked-off our first IGNITE Cup, which saw many businesses and young professionals in the Rockford community giving back and striving to be the Cup champions. In the end, Bear vs. Shark vs.

Bigfoot emerged victorious, leaving teams from UTC Aerospace, McGladrey, Wipfli, Blackhawk Bank, Comcast Business, Rockford University, OSF Saint Anthony, and others in their wake. It has been a crazy, fun time for the young professionals (YPs) in Rockford, so let’s recap each subcommittee’s (EDUCATE, INVOLVE and REACH) highlights.

We have a clearer vision today than when I moved to town, and Rockford is a city that I am proud to call home.

EDUCATE focuses on providing educational opportunities related to professional development. The subcommittee hosts a lunch each month during the school year with different guest speakers from our community to speak about different areas, including non-profit leadership, personal wellness and community involvement among many others.

Another area that EDUCATE has been involved is with the professional book club which challenges our YPs to evaluate their role in leadership and how they can positively affect our local community, while discussing books that will motivate us each to be better and do more.

IGNITE re-launched the INVOLVE committee in mid-2014. INVOLVE has a two-pronged approach to educate and engage the community on key outreach areas. The committee has established Quarterly Updates on Topics of Engagement in Rockford (QUOTE Rockford) events that each address a different focus area for the community.

The first event was community building; 15 YPs braved an early Saturday morning in September to meet with Tim Rollins (Rockford Public School board member) and Anita Rumage (executive director of Circles of Learning) about the state of education in Rockford. These YPs then went to Montessori Elementary School and Circles of Learning to help with some much-needed landscaping.

The fourth quarter QUOTE Rockford event took place in early November and was focused on veterans. Sixteen YPs stopped in to the Veterans Drop in Center for an open forum panel discussion on issues facing

Andrew

our veterans.

Hendrickson IGNITE Rockford INVOLVE then coordinated a group to run in the 2nd annual Veterans Drop In Center 5K in support of veterans the following weekend. There has been great feedback on the initiative just a few events in, and INVOLVE is eagerly anticipating 2015 and future QUOTE Rockford events.

REACH had a banner year, but they are far from satisfied. IGNITE Cup was largely a success and many are looking forward to the secondannual IGNITE Cup in 2015. REACH members had a great time networking and meeting new friends at their monthly After 5 happy hour events.

After 5s averaged nearly 40 people.

We would like to take the time to thank our hosting businesses. REACH hosted the second-annual IGNITE golf outing at Mauh-Nah-Tee-See. Last year, we had five teams, limited prizes and scorching heat. This year, we had 11 teams, tons of prizes and immaculate weather. We look to build on the success of this year and keep the momentum going in 2015.

A Clearer Vision I moved back to northern Illinois in late 2012, joined IGNITE in early 2013, and have recently become the vice president of IGNITE. I have seen IGNITE become reenergized and improve in every facet of the organization. We have a clearer vision today than when I moved to town, and Rockford is a city that I am proud to call home. Forbes can put us on any list that they want, but the experience that you have with your community is mainly shaped by the individuals you surround yourself with. I am confident that with time IGNITE will become one of the premier YP organizations in the nation.

Overall, IGNITE is on the right track thanks to some key members, and the contributions of our membership.

YP community involvement and engagement is at a higher level than at any point in recent memory. That said, we are always looking for ways to improve. If your company is looking for ways to attract and retain YPs, let us know how we can help. If you have ideas for ways that we can better serve Rockford, please do not hesitate to speak up and reach out. We are striving to improve each and every day and are hoping to make a real and lasting impression on the community that we each call home.

Visit igniterockford.com.

20

December 2014

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Issues to Watch LEGISLATIVE Veterans Priority Registration

Local Bonds

Local Government Investment

SB 2245/PA 98-0316

HB 983/PA 98-0203

SB 1950/PA 98-0297

This bill would make it easier access for taxpayers to seek backdoor referendums in cases where local governments wish to propose alternative or “double-barreled” bonds. The bill would apply to local governments with less than 500,000 in population. A referendum would be required if sought by 7.5 percent of registered voters or 200 registered voters, whichever is less. Extends the time allotted for taxpayers to secure a backdoor referendum from 30 to 45 days.

This is a proposal of the Illinois Metropolitan Investment Fund, which pools money from local governments and invests them in investments permitted under statute. This would allow IMET to buy local and state government bonds for its pooled investment fund for all types of local governments (currently, just municipalities and counties).

Waives the Commercial Drivers License skills test requirement for an applicant who has military commercial motor vehicle experience and complies with federal rules.

Requires public universities and community colleges to give veterans and service members the earliest possible enrollment opportunity that they offer to any class of students. This benefit must be used within 15 years after leaving military service.

This is to address a problem where the federal government has been slow in reimbursing veterans. The intent is to allow veterans to submit the information to the federal government earlier.

Veterans Employment

Naval Bases

SB 204/PA 98-0054

SB 1953/PA 98-0494

Allows honorably discharged veterans as well as members of the Illinois National Guard or other reserves to substitute some overseas service for the collegiate educational requirements to become a trooper with the Illinois State Police. Applies to persons awarded service medals for Southwest Asia, Kosovo, Korean Defense, Afghanistan, Iraq or Global War on Terrorism.

Affects the U.S. naval bases in northern Illinois. Allows the sunset of the PPV lease classification system on Jan. 1, 2016. A PPV lease is a leasehold interest in U.S. military property that is leased to another. An amendment was adopted so that the measure would not affect Scott Air Force base near St. Louis.

New Laws for 2014

Here are some related to veteran and military affairs and local government that have taken affect this year. For specific language of the laws, visit www.ilga.gov/ legislation/ilcs/ilcs.asp.

VETERANS AND MILITARY AFFAIRS Military Driver Skills Exemption HB 2563/PA 98-0052

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Veterans Probation Program Clarification

Ambulance Service Funds

SB 1497/PA 98-0152

HB 438/PA 98-0199

Clarifies that eligibility for a Veterans and Service members Court program or a mental health court program (probationary programs) is limited only to those defendants whose crime is eligible for probation. Any defendant who is ineligible for probation is not eligible for a Veterans and Service members Court program or a mental health court program.

Allows counties with a population between 8,400 to 9,000 to use funds that come from an ambulance service levy for 911 services if voters approve this use through referendum. Hamilton County currently levies an ambulance tax, but does not provide a countywide ambulance service and would like to use the funds for 911 services.

CMS Data Collection SB 1670/PA 98-0283

Water Infrastructure SB 1869/PA 98-0330

Would require Central Management Services to distribute a spreadsheet to each state agency to facilitate the collection of data on the state’s annual workforce characteristics, workforce compensation, and employee mobility. CMS would be required to annually make the data received from each state agency available on the Illinois Transparency and Accountability Portal or another open data site.

Updates language in the state’s municipal code to allow cities and villages to construct, and maintain storm sewers, detention basins and retention basins (currently drains, ditches, levees, dykes, pumping works and machinery). An amendment allows construction of “green infrastructure” including green roofs, rain gardens, bioswales, tree boxes, porous pavement, porous pipe systems, native plantings, constructed wetlands and cisterns.

Cities and villages may also acquire land to manage runoff by infiltration, evapotranspiration or collection.

Errors by Tax Collectors, Due Dates

Municipal Finance SB 2339/PA 98-0504

SB 1737/PA 98-0286

Designed to protect municipalities that utilize joint insurance pools.

The measure requires joint insurance pools to annually file a certification with the Director of Insurance by an independent actuary, guaranteeing that the pool’s reserves are in accordance with sound loss-reserving standards and are adequate for the payment of claims. Grants the Director of Insurance expanded regulatory oversight of joint self-insurance pools and requires.

Requires that if a county collector sends a separate bill for the arrearages of taxes due, as a result of an administrative error on the part of the county, the bill may be due no sooner than 30 days after the due date for the next installment of taxes.

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Membership Renewals Thank you to members who renewed with the Rockford Chamber of Commerce in October, 2014.

A. W. Anderson Agency, Inc. Abreo Restaurant Absolute Fire Protection, Inc. Aetna Plywood, Inc. Amberwood Care Centre BelRock Asphalt Paving Inc. Bobcat of Rockford Briargate Management, LLC Camelot World Travel Carz R’ Us General Automotive & Tire Center for Sight & Hearing Charles Schwab Children’s Home & Aid CHIP Alumni of Rock River Valley CICS Jackson Rockford Charter School CMM & Associates Courtyard by Marriott/Rockford Creative Crane & Rigging, Inc. Credit Union 1 Crimson Ridge Estate Condos North Cross Creek Condominium Association Crusader Community Health On West State Street, Woodward Campus for Community Health Care Crusader Community Health Loves Park Crusader Community Health Belvidere Crusader Community Health on Broadway, Uram Building Dom’s Printing & Marketing Services, Inc. Eckburg & Bates Insurance Agency Egg Harbor Cafe Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Entre Computer Solutions Epilepsy Foundation Eye Specialist of Rockford (Manhattan Dr.) Eye Specialist of Rockford (Mulford Road) Gallagher Miller Buettner & Parrott GE Aviation GiGi’s Playhouse/Rockford, LLC Gommel Design GreenFire Restaurant, Bar & Bakery Holiday Inn of Rockford HomeStart Honquest Family Funeral Home With Crematory Leland L. Freberg, CPA, LLC Lenox Healthcare for Women Lone Star Steakhouse Lou Bachrodt AutoMall

MAZTEK Calibration, Inc. Muscular Dystrophy Association National Cooperative Rx New Zion Missionary Baptist Church Northern Public Radio (WNIU/WNIJ/NIRIS) Olson Funeral & Cremation Services Ltd./Fred C. Olson Chapel Olson Funeral & Cremation Services, Ltd./North Main Chapel & Care Center Panino’s Restaurant (Main Street) Panino’s Restaurant (State Street) Pathfinder Wealth Management, Inc. Piping Industry Council of the Rockford Area Powmet, Inc. QPS Employment Group Regional Office of Education Remedies Renewing Lives Rock River Environmental Services Rock River Water Reclamation District Rock Valley Apartments Rock Valley Glass Rockford Bell Credit Union Rockford Fastener Inc. Rockford Housing Authority Rockford Promise S. J. Carlson Fire Protection Sam’s Club, A Division of Wal-Mart Stores Sandray Precision Grinding, Inc. Shelter Care Skyward Promotions now powered

by American Solutions for Business SmithAmundsen LLC Summit Radiology T. Pratt & Associates, Ltd. Target Commercial Interiors Title Underwriters Agency Tovar Snow Professionals University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford Unlimited Services Upper Iowa University Rockford Center Upstream Investment Partners Winnebago County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Winnebago County Housing Authority Winnebago County Recorder Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department Winnebago County-River Bluff Nursing Home

December 2014 Member Anniversaries Thank you to the members who celebrate their anniversaries with the Rockford Chamber in December, 2014.

40-YEAR MEMBER

20-YEAR MEMBERS

Northern Illinois Terrazzo & Tile Company

Siena on Brendenwood Skyward Promotions now powered

by American Solutions for Business

35-YEAR MEMBER Regional Office of Education

25-YEAR MEMBERS Holmertz-Parsons, CPA’s MembersAlliance Credit Union Special Power, Inc.

21

December 2014

15-YEAR MEMBERS Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois Hicksgas Belvidere

5-YEAR MEMBER Camp Grant Museum

New Chamber Members MEMBERS

15TH & CHRIS

Burger Restaurant, Ice Cream Parlor, Carry Out 201 15th Ave., 61104 James Purifoy 779-774-4116 www.15thandchris.com

ADVANCED CHIMNEY SYSTEMS INC. Your wood and gas heating specialist with over 30 years of excellence.

3486 Lonergan Dr., 61109 Brad Vander Heyden 815-874-7377 www.advancedchimney.net

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES CROSBY STARK REAL ESTATE Real Estate Brokerage, Residential, Commercial Industrial Leasing & Sales, Property Management, Receivership Services, Land Development 551 N. Mulford Road, 61107 Jean Crosby 815-231-2900 www.starkre.com

CRUSADER COMMUNITY HEALTH AUBURN CAMPUS A not-for-profit community health center providing access to quality primary health care on an affordable sliding fee basis.

1002 N. Pierpont Ave., 61102 Gordon Eggers, Jr. 815-490-1600 www.crusaderhealth.org

DC ESTATE WINERY Quality wine, beautiful scenery, warm hospitality. We are perfect for your special event.

8877 Stateline Road South Beloit, IL 61080 Tia Lasswell 815-871-5667 www.dcestatewinery.com

DODGE LANES, INC. Bowling Center - 24 Lanes, Bar, Banquet Room 1940 N. State St. Belvidere, IL 61008 Harry Speckman 815-547-5363 www.facebook.com/pages/ Dodge-Lanes/124268225495

IAN IRIZARRY INDEPENDENT INSURANCE BROKER Independent Insurance Broker 11017 Station St. Garden Prairie, IL 61038 Ian Irizarry 874-802-2208

JIMMY JOHN’S GOURMET SANDWICHES Gourmet Sandwich Franchise 753 Highgrove Place, 61108 Josh Robertson 815-316-2992 www.jimmyjohns.com

JIMMY JOHN’S GOURMET SANDWICHES Gourmet Sandwich Franchise 3416 S. Alpine Road, 61109 Tony Castiglione 815-874-6900 www.jimmyjohns.com

JIMMY JOHN’S GOURMET SANDWICHES Gourmet Sandwich Franchise 3051 N. Perryville Road, 61107 Alexandra Tomaso 815-316-8282 www.jimmyjohns.com

JIMMY JOHN’S GOURMET SANDWICHES Gourmet Sandwich Franchise 10121 N. 2nd St. Machesney Park, IL 61115 Collin Adams 815-877-6101 www.jimmyjohns.com

JIMMY JOHN’S GOURMET SANDWICHES Gourmet Sandwich Franchise 6112 N. 2nd St. Loves Park, IL 61111 Andrew Manley 815-316-7766 www.jimmyjohns.com

SPARE PART SOLUTIONS, INC. The leading provider of quality replacement parts for your printing equipment, including replacement parts for Autoweb Splicer, and Zero Speed Splicers.

3374 Precision Dr., 61109 Doug Sosnowski 815-637-1490 www.sparepartsolutions.com

TAYLOR COMPANY UNITED TECHNOLOGIES Worldwide industry leader in foodservice equipment manufacturing technologically innovative and versatile foodservice equipment.

750 N. Blackhawk Blvd.

Rockton, IL 61072 Greg McMaster 815-624-8333 www.taylor-company.com

22

December 2014

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

the News IN Members THEin NEWS

1. Jessica Cook

2. Dr. John Haeberlin

3. Robert LaViolette

4. Michelle Spates

5. Ann Kriens

6. Beverly Faerber

7. Doug Slater

8. Patrick Kennedy

9. Dennis Neary

10. Randy Donaldson

11. Jim Lillard

12. Kelli Bryden

13. Barbara Laswell

14. Ben Christiansen

15. Dr. Carmen Coballes-Vega

16. Michael Cyrs

BOARD APPOINTMENTS

RAMP hired Chandra Seal as independent living advocate/youth education advocate for its Stephenson County office.

Jessica Cook (1), Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois, was named chairperson for Disability Mentoring Day 2015 for the Disability Action Coalition.

Comprehensive Community Services welcomed Gweneth Schuyler as its new chief operating officer and Paul Rouhas as its new community service coordinator, managing the YouthBuild Rockford AmeriCorps program.

Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden welcomes new board director Julie Buchanan.

NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, RETIREMENTS SwedishAmerican Health System welcomed its newest general surgeon, Dr. John Haeberlin (2).

Rockford Mutual Insurance Company hired Robert LaViolette (3) as field claims representative, Michelle Spates (4) as data entry specialist, Ann Kriens (5) as field marketing specialist, and Beverly Faerber (6) as agency assistant. Doug Slater (7), Patrick Kennedy (8), Dennis Neary (9) and Randy Donaldson (10) celebrated five years and Jim Lillard (11) 30 years.

Dickerson & Nieman Realtors hired Kelli Bryden (12) for its Rockford office and Barbara Laswell (13) for its Byron office.

Arc Design Resources, Inc., a Rockford civil engineering and land surveying consulting firm, hired Ben Christiansen (14) as survey department manager.

Rock Valley College hired Dr. Carmen Coballes-Vega (15) as the college’s new provost/chief academic officer.

ZION Development Corporation announced that executive director Brad Roos will step down from his position at the end of the year.

Savant Capital Management hired Michael Cyrs (16) as estate and wealth transfer advisor to head the newly formed Family Wealth Transfer service.

Northwestern Mutual welcomed financial representative, Sara Ignace (17).

Martin Trejo (18) joined the Meridian project management team and Mike Lopez (19) the e-commerce team as a media specialist.

Marjorie Czechowicz, RN, BSN, joined The Alliance as patient experience manager.

Nexus Office Systems added Jennifer Bock, Rita Marsala, Michael Rohr and Alex Szymanski as sales representatives.

First National Bank and Trust, Janesville, earned the Certificate of Excellence Award for making 29 financial education presentations this year.

McGladrey Wealth Management LLC welcomed Carl Valerius (20) to its Rockford office as manager in the Retirement Plan Advisory Group.

Bernie Bowersock (23), senior vice president of sales and marketing, North American Tool Corporation, received the Industrial Supply Association Golden Eagle Award for years of service and significant industry contributions.

Rockford Symphony Orchestra appointed Michele McAffee (21) as marketing director.

Williams-Manny Insurance Group hired Karla Heinz as assistant customer service representative, Erica Kielty as commercial account administrator, Katelin Rood as assistant commercial account administrator, Rick Rubner as sales executive and Barbara Warner as claims representative.

EMPLOYEE/COMMUNITY RECOGNITIONS, AWARDS Five Star Professional gave Bradley Gummow (22), managing director – investment officer, Gummow Wealth Advisory Group of Wells Fargo Advisors, for the second time the 2014 Five Star Wealth Manager award in Chicago.

Barbara Schultz, assistant vice president and branch manager,

Comfort Keepers awarded its Caregiver of the Month to Herlinda Gusman (24).

The Association of Fundraising Professionals, Rockford chapter, gave 2014 National Philanthropy Day awards to: Michael V. and Mary LaLoggia, Carpenter’s Place, Outstanding Philanthropists; Kathy Velasco, V2 Marketing Communications, Outstanding Corporation; Lisa Normoyle, Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois, Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer, and Max Freund, Rockford MELD, Presidential Youth Service Award.

Chad E. Henry (25), CFP®, AAMS®, AIF®, senior vice president and financial wealth advisor, Upstream Investment Partners, Rockford,

Continued on page 23

17. Sara Ignace

18. Martin Trejo

19. Mike Lopez

20. Carl Valerius

21. Michele McAffee

22. Bardley Gummow

23. Bernie Bowersock

24. Herlinda Gusman

25. Chad E. Henry

26. Nichole Dickerson

27. Doug Burton

28. Tom Custer

29. Jennifer Halvorsen

30. Bruce Graham

31. Maria Salinas

32. Julie Burfoot

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

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

Business Briefs BUSINESS BRIEFS

SwedishAmerican Medical Group announced a new building to open in fall or winter of 2015 to replace its existing clinic at 220 W. Blackhawk Dr., Byron.

SwedishAmerican is the first in Rockford to offer technology for the treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, using the UroLift System; a permanent implant to relieve low or blocked urine flow in men age 50 or older.

SwedishAmerican earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Lung Cancer and is offering through December free lung scans through Radiology Consultants of Rockford for patients meeting certain criteria.

University of Illinois Extension seeks individuals to participate in its 2015 master gardener training program. The 60-hour horticulture training course will comprise 11 classroom sessions on Tuesdays, Feb. 17 to May 5, at Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden. Visit web.extension.illinois.edu/jsw or call 815-986-4357.

Three of Rockford Park District’s NFL Flag Football teams headed to the 2014 Indianapolis Colts Regional Tournament in November to play at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Larson & Darby Group began construction on a new 16,600-sq.ft public works facility for the Village of Cherry Valley off Van Diver Road, with a trailhead pavilion area and parking for the Swanson bike path.

Jefferson High School students received a six-foot-tall ACT All Star traveling trophy for participation

and an average growth in score of 2.6 points in the 2014 ACT Prep Course. In spring, 2014, 140 RPS 205 students completed the ACT prep courses compared to 89 in 2013. Nearly half were from Jefferson. First Midwest Group gave students who completed the course and raised their scores by three or more points a chance to win cash.

J.L.Clark, A CLARCOR Company won for the third time in the past four years the IL Governor’s Sustainability Award in continuous improvement. Rockford Park District and Thomason Machine Works also won the award.

Rockford Park District was honored with two Best of the Best awards from the Illinois Association of Park Districts in October: the Reclaiming First initiative won for Intergovernmental Cooperation and Sheri White for Outstanding Citizen/Volunteer of the Year.

V2 Marketing completed a corporate website for Prorok Law Office, P.C. at proroklaw.com.

The Rock Valley College Model United Nations team attended the National Model United Nations Conference in Washington, D.C. The RVC team was one of only 11 schools chosen as an Outstanding Delegation. It won this for the fourth year in a row.

Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., expects to pay a record $5.5 billion in dividends next year, exceeding the 2014 dividend payout by $300 million. It has made a dividend payout every year since 1872.

Rock Valley College was one of only three employers from Winnebago County to receive an Illinois Healthy Worksite

the News IN Members THEin NEWS received the AIF® - Accredited Investment Fiduciary® designation.

The Illinois Farm Bureau presented State Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) with the Friend of Agriculture award.

Nichole Dickerson (26), Rockford Mutual Insurance Company, earned the associate in general insurance (AINS) designation from the American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters.

Doug Burton (27) celebrated his 10th anniversary with KMK Media.

23

December 2014

OF GENERAL INTEREST Tom Custer (28), first vice president, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, attended the First Trust Market Insight Forum in November in Chicago.

Jennifer Halvorsen (29), Spectrum Insurance Agency, Durand, completed her Commercial Casualty I course and Ethics course towards her continuing education. Bruce Graham (30), Rockford, attended the Grange Insurance Market Leader Forum. Maria Salinas (31) and Julie Burfoot (32) attended the Employer Health Cost Revolution seminar at University of Illinois in September.

Designation of “gold” from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Salvage Too, Rockford’s ReUse Center is open Thursdays and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with reclaimed lumber, windows and doors, kitchen and bathroom cabinets, and items for “repurposers.” It accepts donations of building materials, used home and office furniture, and sells them at a greatly reduced price.

Aqua-Aerobic Systems earned the Exporter Continuing Excellence Award and was among 15 companies recognized by Governor Pat Quinn for outstanding accomplishments in export of Illinois goods and services.

Forest Preserves of Winnebago County received a grant from the Nature Conservancy’s Volunteer Stewardship Network for supplies for its volunteer stewardship program. Volunteers assist with planting and propagating native plants and trees, seed collection and invasive species control, and wildlife monitoring. Visit the Volunteers page at winnebagoforest.org.

Rockford Health System recognized winners of the 2014 Jack W. Packard Quality Champion Awards. The first Excellence in Process Improvement award was presented to the Six Sigma Scheduling Team for “Six Sigma 48 Hour Scheduling Project MRI/CT Orders.” The Clinical Quality Improvement award was presented to Rockford Health Physicians for “Patient Centered Medical Home: Transforming Primary Care.”

First National Bank and Trust received an award from the Wisconsin Bankers Association for giving time and talent to the community through the Bankers Promoting Financial Literacy program.

Harlem High School won the

inaugural $1,000 High School Challenge in the 30th-annual SwedishAmerican State Street Mile in August in downtown Rockford, with 23 runners participating Satori Pathway Dementia Resources hosted an Acupuncture Group in October at the Brain Health Resource Center with practitioner Heather Vandeburg.

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services awarded $1,000,000 in Affordable Care Act funding to four clients of theFranaGroup from Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan and South Carolina to add or expand access to mental health and substance abuse services.

SwedishAmerican Health System plans to open in late fall a new, 3,000-sq.-ft. Mother/Baby unit on the eighth floor of its hospital, with private rooms for new moms and amenities for patient and family comfort, such as flat screen televisions, large closets and comfortable sleeping options for family members.

Napelton Subaru selected The Literacy Council as its Hometown Charity for the “Share the Love” event through Jan. 2, 2015.

Individuals purchasing a new Subaru can select a nonprofit to receive a $250 donation from the company. The Literacy Council was added to the list of five national organizations as the local nonprofit agency.

First Midwest Group donated land to Remedies Renewing Lives for its new facility. The groundbreaking is scheduled for spring, 2015, at 5011 E. State St. Aqua-Aerobic Systems won Best Overall Ad in the 2014 Water Environment Federation’s Citation of Excellence in Advertising Awards.

Get to Know Your Ambassadors Name: Susan Vierck Company: Keller Williams Realty Signature/ Dream Homes By Susan Position: REALTOR/Licensed Real Estate Broker/ Owner of Dream Homes By Susan How long have you been an Ambassador?

September, 2014 What do you like most about being an

Ambassador? I love being an Ambassador and being able to network with so many diverse people. There are so many great individuals in Rockford who are really making a difference, and so many wonderful things to do in this city that many people seem to either forget about or just don’t know about. So for me, by being an Ambassador I am able to share my own experiences as well as to teach others in the community about all the wonderful things Rockford is doing and has to offer. I’ve always wanted to make a difference in someone’s life, so I love that I am able to volunteer in so many different ways just by being an Ambassador. Being an Ambassador has been an awesome and rewarding experience!

24

December 2014

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

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

15th & Chris held a ribbon cutting on Friday, Nov. 14 at 201 15th Ave., Rockford.

Rosecrance Ware Center held an open house and ribbon cutting on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 2704 N. Main St., Rockford.

Wendy’s held a ribbon cutting on Monday, Nov. 24 at its downtown location at E. State Street and Longwood.

Children’s Holiday Shoppe held a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, Nov. 26 at 5856 E. State St., Rockford (between Valli and Hancock Fabrics).

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

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

Wednesday, December 3

Community Events COMMUNITY

Dec. 6 and 13, 8 to 9:30 a.m., at Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens, 1354 N. Second St., Rockford.

Visit www.rockfordparkdistrict.org/ ncg or call 815-987-8858.

Rock Valley College presents A Christmas Carol at the Studio Theatre, Dec. 3 to 13. For tickets visit the campus box office or rvcstarlight.com or call 815-9212160.

Monday, December 8

Thursday, December 4

Tuesday, December 9

NICNE hosts a Customer Service Workshop, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., on Rockford University campus, 5050 E. State St., Rockford. More details at www.rockford. edu/?NICNEPrograms.

Friday, December 5

Fairhaven Christian Retirement Center hosts the free Hollyberry Holiday Bazaar, 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 3470 N. Alpine Road, Rockford. Includes 25 craft vendors, home-baked goods and BBQ. Lunch in hospitality court for a nominal cost. Visit www. fairhaven.cc or contact Tina Harper, 815-877-1441, ext. 1330, or tinaharper@fairhave.cc.

Rosecrance presents 1-2-3 Magic, a gentle-but-firm approach to managing the behavior of 2 to 12 year olds, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with Emily Gilliam, licensed marriage and family therapist at the Rosecrance Berry Campus, 8616 Northern Ave., Rockford.

To register, visit rosecrance.org/ events.

Saturday, December 6

Rockford Dance Company and Rockford Symphony Orchestra present The Nutcracker Ballet, Dec. 6, 7 p.m., and Dec. 7, 3 p.m., at Coronado Performing Arts Center. For tickets visit www. rockford symphony.com or call 815-965-0049.

Rockford Park District hosts Breakfast with Santa at the Conservatory with Egg Harbor,

25

December 2014

Richard Apple, Alzheimer’s Association, will speak on Early Signs of Memory Loss, 11 a.m., Anam Brain Health Center. Free.

Call 779-537-5249.

Saturday, December 13

Little Big Town will perform, 7:30 p.m., at BMO Harris Bank Center, 300 Elm St., Rockford.

Final show in “The Painkiller Tour,” with openers Brett Eldridge and Brothers Osborne. Tickets at ticketmaster.com or 815-9685222.

Sunday, December 14

Rockford Public Library presents a Community Scholarship Fair, 5 to 8 p.m., at Mendelssohn Hall, 406 N. Main St., with representatives of many Rockfordarea scholarships. Sponsored by the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois. Registration NOT required. Call 815-965-7606.

Honoring Our History, Holiday Happenings, noon to 4 p.m. Step back in time to enjoy cultural holiday decorations and festivities at three locations: Ethnic Heritage Museum, 1129 S. Main St.; The Erlander Home, 404 S. 3rd St., and Tinker Swiss Cottage 411 Kent St. Use one ticket for all three sites with a wagon ride between sites. Visit ethnicheritagemuseum.org.

Wednesday, December 10

Tuesday, December 16

Rockford Public Library presents To Your Credit, 1 to 3 p.m., at the main library, Classroom A, 215 N. Wyman St. Taught by Woodforest National Bank. Registration required at 815-965-7606.

Thursday, December 11

Next Rockford General Membership Meeting, 7:30 a.m.

Asst. Deputy Chief Doug Pann will present a Geo-Policing Update at Katie’s Cup, 502 7th St., Rockford.

Friday, December 12

J. R. Sullivan’s Hometown Holiday returns, Dec. 12 to 14, at The Nordlof Center, 118 N. Main St., Rockford. Performers include Miles Nielsen, bassist Jim McDowell, composer and pianist Shawn Wallace, jazz violinist and multi-instrumentalist Randy Sabien, signers Holland Zander and Megon McDonough, and actors Linda Abronski, Jeff Christian, Marcella Rose Sciotto and Daniel Patrick Sullivan For tickets call 815-968-5222 or visit www.ticketmaster.com or www. coronadopac.org.

Williams Manny Insurance Group, 555 S. Perryville Road, presents a free worksite wellness workshop, Increase Participation With the Right Incentives, 8 to 9 a.m. Register by e-mail, jperrecone@comcast.net, or call 815-975-4523.

Thursday, December 18

Rockford Public Library presents Etsy How-To’s, 6 to 8 p.m., at the East Branch, Friends Community Meeting Room, 6685 E. State St. You MUST be Internet savvy and have an email account.

Registration required at 815-965-7606.

Calling all advertising, PR, marketing and communications pros. Mix it up with your peers, friends and colleagues at the Jingle Mingle, a free holiday mixer hosted by the AAF Northern Illinois. 4:00 p.m. at Tavern on Clark. Info and RSVP at www. niadfed.org.

Saturday, December 20

Rockford Symphony Orchestra presents Holiday Pops!, Dec. 20,

7:30 p.m., and Dec. 21, 3 p.m., at the Coronado Performing Arts Center, 314 N. Main St., Rockford.

For tickets, call 815-965-0049 or visit rockfordsymphony.com.

Friday, December 26

Discovery Center Museum, 711 N. Main St., Rockford, presents Holiday Hoopla, Dec. 26 to 30, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Included with Discovery Center admission.

Call 815-963-6769 or visit www. discoverycenter museum.org.

Saturday, December 27

The Harlem Globetrotters will take its “Washington Generals’ Revenge” Tour to BMO Harris Bank Center, Rockford, 1 p.m. Tickets available at harlemglobetrotters.com, ticketmaster.com or call 815-968-5222.

Wednesday, December 31

Discovery Center Museum, 711 N. Main St., Rockford, presents Countdown to Fun! 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Ring in the New Year with art, and music from Kantorei, the singing boys of Rockford. Included with Discovery Center admission.

Call 815-963-6769 or visit www. discoverycentermuseum.org.

Tutoring Clubs, an outreach of Stateline Youth for Christ, will hold a drawing for its sixth-annual Holiday Fundraiser. Raffle tickets can be purchased in December for $5 each or five for $20 at 10 local credit unions: First Northern, Generations, Heritage, It’s My Credit Union (formerly Winn Cty Schools), MembersAlliance, Rock Valley, Rockford Bell, Rockford Municipal Employees, Rockford Postal Employees and SwedishAmerican Federal Credit Unions. For more information contact Lorna Cote, lcote@membersalliance.org or 815-226-3313.

26

December 2014

Membership: 101 101 MEMBERSHIP Check out the NEW & IMPROVED Web Enhancement Packages Get maximized exposure and reach targeted audiences with your online Chamber listing. Turn your basic business listing on the Chamber’s website into an eye-catching, search engine optimized (SEO) advertisement. An enhanced listing in the Chamber’s online directory is guaranteed to increase the amount of traffic your business receives when people search specific products or services in and around the Rockford area using search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo!.

By being associated with the Chamber’s website, your business automatically gets bumped up in online searches!

The Customizable Platinum option will draw users to your listing(s) with: • Premium placement with other Platinum members at the top of the Chamber website directory • Include your logo for branding and recognition

• A Platinum Member medallion designation – says your business is a committed Chamber member and is taking advantage of business opportunities • Highlighted by a tri-color listing with contrasting BOLD business name

• Add a brief business description highlighting what you specialize in

• Choose to be listed in up to 5 separate categories giving you maximum visibility throughout the directory. Most businesses have diverse functions, products and/or services; additional categories will allow you to highlight each of them without having to choose just one • Include up to 250 words of business description – each word will serve as a key word in a search of the directory which gives your business 250 opportunities to be populated in the result of a search.

If you are very strategic about it, you can include a lot of information and details about your business or organization • Include a List of Products/Services/Events, etc. in bullet format further highlighting what you specialize in – what makes your business different • Embed a video into your listing – perhaps a commercial, informational/educational piece, it’s up to you – you have control • Embed a picture – maybe of your building, an event, an employee of the month – showcase what is important to your business • Submit promotional information and press releases to the Chamber’s Business Direct e-newsletter

The Gold option will: • Have a bi-color listing • A Gold Member medallion designation • Choose to be listed in up to 3 separate categories – giving your business an opportunity to highlight different functions of your organization • Include up to 250 words of business description to share your specialty, mission statement, etc.

• Submit press releases to the Chamber’s Business Direct e-newsletter

Contact Diane Navickis at 815-316-4315 or dnavickis@rockfordchamber.com for details today!

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

EVENTS

Upcoming Chamber Events DECEMBER, 2014

JANUARY, 2015

Tuesday, December 2

Friday, January 9

Business Women’s Council, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Forest Hills Country Club, 5135 Forest Hills Road, Rockford. Rock House Kids will be the council’s annual gift recipient and accept gift cards from Wal-Mart. Dola Gregory, executive director, will give an overview of Rock House services.

Sponsored by Siena on Brendenwood.

Tuesday, December 9

Advantage Club – Superstars, noon to 1 p.m., Giovanni’s, 610 N. Bell School Road, Rockford. Contact Thomas Conwell, MSI Reverse, tconwell@msiloans.biz.

Wednesday, December 10 7:30 – 9:00 am Rock Valley College Woodward Tech Center, 3301 N. Mulford Rd., Rockford

Breakfast

BUZZ

Chamber Membership is an important business strategy A very special Breakfast Buzz featuring two past Chamber Board Chairmen Mike Broski and John Lanpher. They will share their perspectives: how important it is to have an engaged business community for the Rockford region; and, their viewpoint of leading the chamber organization. Join the dialogue!

Sponsored by McGladrey.

Wednesday, December 10

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

Contact Teri Watts, United Commercial Realty, Teriw1214@gmail.com.

Advantage Club – Originals, 11:45 a.m., various locations. Contact Rachel Thomann, Furst Pros, 815-997-1417, rachel.thomann@furstpros.com.

Thursday, December 11

December Ambassador Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum, 411 Kent St., Rockford. We will be taking our annual group photo.

Thursday, December 18 11:30 am – 1:00 pm Radisson Hotel & Conference Center 200 S. Bell School Rd., Rockford

The Role of

Higher Education in Regional Transformation

Dr. Douglas Baker, the 12th president of NIU, will provide his perspective on the evolution of higher education, NIU’s progress toward achieving the goals since his first days of presidency, and current and potential engagement activities to help move the region forward.

Sponsored by BMO Harris Bank (presenting), SwedishAmerican Health System (gold) and Comcast Business (silver).

Government Affairs Council Meeting, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., Stockholm Inn, 2420 Charles St., Rockford. For more information on how to join, contact Heidi Garner at 815-316-4312.

Tuesday, January 13

Advantage Club – Superstars, noon to 1 p.m., Giovanni’s, 610 N. Bell School Road, Rockford. Contact Thomas Conwell, MSI Reverse, tconwell@msiloans.biz.

Wednesday, January 14 7:30 – 9:00 am Rock Valley College Woodward Tech Center, 3301 N. Mulford Rd., Rockford

Breakfast

BUZZ

New Year, New You, New Career Panel of area professionals who have transitioned from one industry to another, including Mike Robinson, VP of marketing and communications, OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center, will give tips on how you can make a change.

Sponsored by McGladrey.

Wednesday, January 14

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

Contact Teri Watts, United Commercial Realty, Teriw1214@ gmail.com.

Advantage Club – Originals, 11:45 a.m., various locations. Contact Rachel Thomann, Furst Pros, 815997-1417, rachel.thomann@ furstpros.com.

Wednesday, January 14

Ribbon Cutting, The Pregnancy Care Center of Rockford, 4 to 5 p.m., 4921 E. State St., Rockford.

Thursday, January 15

Business After Hours sponsored by Rockford MELD, 5 to 7 p.m., Giovanni’s, 610 N. Bell School Road.

Thursday, January 22 5:00 – 8:00 pm Giovanni’s 610 N. Bell School Rd., Rockford

Rockford Chamber

Annual Dinner The keynote speaker is Cali Ressler, CultureRx, co-founder and creator of the Result-Only Work Environment™ (ROWE™).

Announcement of 2015 Citizen of the Year.

Sponsored by OSF Healthcare (presenting), Charles Schwab (Citizen of the Year), First National Bank and Trust Company (gold), WilliamsMcCarthy LLP (silver), WilliamsManny Insurance Group (wine), The Alliance and McGladrey LLP (bronze), and Illinois Bank & Trust and CliftonLarsonAllen (calendar).

theVoice rockfordchamber.com

27

December 2014

Rich Walsh (continued from page 2)

chairman in January. I’ve worked closely with Patti over the years, and I

been instrumental in helping recruit volunteer committee members for Transform Rockford. The Chamber’s participation is going to help assure Transform Rockford’s success in years down the road.

I want to thank Einar Forsman, Chamber president and CEO, and his excellent staff for their unwavering support over the past two years. Without their commitment, nothing you read here could have been accomplished.

I also want to congratulate Patti Thayer, president of Thayer Lighting, Inc., who will be taking over as board

know she will do great things during her term. She has already begun developing

Anderson Toyota/ Lexus of Rockford. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

same support you have given me.

BMO Harris Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Lastly,

I

want

to

thank

our

1,200 chamber members for their commitment. The Chamber has been a solid organization for more than 100 years, thanks, in large part, to the dedication of our members. And that won’t change anytime soon.

Rich Walsh is chairman of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce board of directors.

EVENTS

Brian Thomas Photography. . . . . . . . 24 Broadmoor Agency, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Comcast Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Edward Jones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 First National Bank and Trust. . . . . . . 13 Fridh Corporation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 HolmstromKennedy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Illinos Bank & Trust. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Orthopedic and Sports Therapy Institute. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 The Pregnancy Care Center of Rockford. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity. . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Rockford Bank & Trust. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Rockford Chamber of Commerce. . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 16, 18, 27 Rockford Health System. . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Rockford MELD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Rockford University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Rock Valley College BPI. . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Savant Capital Management . . . . . . . . 9

McGladrey LLP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Sikich LLP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

MembersAlliance Credit Union. . . . . . 10

Stillman Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Nexus Office Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Thayer Lighting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Northwestern Mutual . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

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

Contact Teri Watts, United

Advantage Club – Superstars, noon to 1 p.m., Giovanni’s, 610 N. Bell School Road, Rockford. Contact Thomas Conwell, MSI Reverse, tconwell@msiloans.biz.

Commercial Realty, Teriw1214@

Wednesday, January 28

Rachel Thomann, Furst Pros,

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

Alpine Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 11

her agenda. I ask you to give Patti the

Upcoming Chamber Events (cont.)

Tuesday, January 27

Advertisers Index ADVERTISERS

gmail.com.

Wednesday, January 28 Advantage Club – Originals, 11:45 a.m., various locations. Contact

815-997-1417, rachel.thomann@

furstpros.com.

Chamber Staff / Call 815-987-8100.............................................. Direct Line

Einar K. Forsman, President & CEO.......................................... 815-316-4304 Heidi M. Garner, Executive Assistant to the President.................... 815-316-4312

Doug Hessong, Director of Publications & Technology................... 815-316-4338 Lynette Jacques, Vice President, Member Investment.. .................. 815-316-4317 Vee Jevremovic, Manager of Education Programs and Events.. ........ 815-316-4337 Crystal Larson, Financial Assistant/Administrative Support.. ............ 815-987-8100 Joy Moriarty, Vice President, Finance........................................ 815-316-4316 Stacy Mullins, Director of Events.. ............................................ 815-316-4302 Diane Navickis, Member Relations Manager.. .............................. 815-316-4315 Mary Ann Suprenant, Membership Development Manager.............. 815-316-4336 Joan Sundvall, Membership Contact Coordinator......................... 815-316-4320

Chamber Board of Directors & Officers EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

DIRECTORS

Chairman of the Board Richard Walsh SwedishAmerican Health System Chairman Elect Patti Thayer Thayer Lighting, Inc. Vice Chair Richard Zumwalt OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center Treasurer Larry Bridgeland Mid-City Office Products Immediate Past Chairman Mike Broski Entré Computer Solutions

Andrew Benson Benson Stone Company, Inc. Jan Bowman TLC Construction Paul Callighan ComEd, An Exelon Company Joe Castrogiovanni Giovanni’s, Inc. Dr. Rena Cotsones Northern Illinois University Darlene Furst Furst Staffing Jeff Hultman Illinois Bank & Trust Michael F. Iasparro Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP

Michael Mastroianni Rock Valley College Paul McCann Stanley Steemer Pat Morrow Alpine Bank Amy Ott Chicago Rockford International Airport Mark Peterson CBL Associates Cherry Vale Michele Petrie BMO Harris Bank Laura Pigatti Williamson Rockford Park District Timothy Rollins WilliamsMcCarthy

Tim White UTC Aerospace Systems Jennifer Wood CPA

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

Henry Seybold Rockford Health System Pat Shaw McGladrey LLP

January 2015 Special Sections: Roadmap to Accounting & Income Taxes Marketing & Graphic Design/ Printing Services For information on advertising, call 815 987-8100