July / August 2022 Commerce Connection

JULY 2022 July/ \AUGUST August 2022

Volume 32 32 || Issue Issue 4 Volume

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A PUBLICATION OF THE CHAMPAIGN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

INSIDE:

PG. 8 LEAD Champaign County

Permit No. 29 Champaign, IL

PAID

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C h a m pa i g n C o u n t y ’ s

t ru s t e d

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

p u b l i c at i o n

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COMMERCE CONNECTION

PG. 9 Is it Christmas in July? Nope. It’s Shop Champaign County.

PG. 11 Volunteer 1

When you need a business banking partner who can help you navigate the tough times, First Mid will be there!

Patrick Pfeifer

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

Scott Grumish

Commercial Lending

Count on our team to provide personal attention for: • Cash Flow Solutions • Traditional Financing and Lines of Credit • SBA Financing

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

Johnette Mitchell

VP, Treasury Management Relationship Manager 455 N. Main Street Decatur 217-373-2136 jmitchell@firstmid.com

Look for us in these area communities: CHAMPAIGN 398-0067 | URBANA 367-8451 SAVOY 351-3526 | MAHOMET 318-3750 RANTOUL 893-8100 2

www.firstmid.com

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

FY23 TOP INVESTORS TOP INVESTORS SILVER Busey Carle University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign BRONZE A & R Mechanical Contractors BankChampaign, N.A. Christie Clinic First Mid Bank & Trust Fisher National Bank Health Alliance OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center Ramshaw Real Estate

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

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

Madeline Herrman Public Policy Director MadelineH@champaigncounty.org

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

Kelsie Woelfle Director of Marketing & Events KelsieW@champaigncounty.org Mary Fourtne Bookkeeper / Office Administrator MaryF@champaigncounty.org

Mindy Cain Director of Workforce Readiness MindyC@champaigncounty.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORS BOARD OFFICERS Rachel Coventry

Curtis Orchard, Ltd.

Nathan Escue

Hamilton Walker’s

Laura Heiser

The Real Estate Group

Corrinne Hillard

H3 Manufacturing Group, LLC

Dr. Jared Rogers OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center

Matt Carr First Mid Bank & Trust

Amie Smith

Dr. Pamela Lau

Dr. Dalitso Sulamoyo

Parkland College

Janice McAteer Busey

Chad Schumacher

BankChampaign N.A.

Chair, Maatuka Al-Heeti Emkes LLC

Dan Hurley

First Chair, FedEx Ground R.J. Hynds Second Chair, English Brothers Company

Dan Kirby

Treasurer, CliftonLarsonAllen

Champaign County Regional Planning Commission

Laura Weis

Bill Walter

Tonya Horn

meShare

A & R Mechanical Contractors

Bud Windelborn

Andrew Weintraub

Pavlov Media, Inc.

Kyle Emkes

Secretary, Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

Past Chair, Rogards

Health Alliance

FINANCIAL SERVICES Provided by CliftonLarsonAllen

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

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Welcome to the Chamber

4

>>>members who joined between May 1 - June 30, 2022 Amazon

Davis Electric, Inc.

Beginner Yoga with Esmeralda

Davis Electric is an electrical contractor specializing in design/build for industrial and commercial installation, renovation and maintenance. Davis Electric, the area’s oldest original electrical contractor, continues to enjoy long-standing partnerships with general contractors and can offer expertise in planning, design, engineering, technical needs and maintenance on any project. Tommy Davis founded Davis Electric in 1960 as a one-person shop, and the company has grown to become a premier electrical contractor in Central Illinois. Davis Electric has been delivering the best solutions for over 50 years, from small negotiated and design-build projects to largescale, complex buildings in Central Illinois.

1201 Newton Dr. Champaign, IL 61822 773.983.0881 www.amazon.com Delivery Service

PO Box 575 202 S Urbana, IL 61801 202.779.5474 www.beginneryogawithesmeralda.com Yoga Instruction

Is your body feeling stiff, stagnant, and needing low-impact exercise? I am here to serve. As CEO of Beginner Yoga with Esmeralda, I invite you to get to know me by following my Instagram @ beginneryogawithesmeralda; visiting my website www.beginneryogawithesmeralda.com, or attending one of my free monthly classes. I have designed my beginner yoga program to provide online weekly one-on-one private yoga sessions for six months.

You book sessions in a member login at the times that work best for you. Let’s get moving!

Carmichael Enterprises, LLC

Champaign, IL 61822 217.493.6424 www.vollara.com/HealthCreations Environmental Home and Body Care Products Originating in 1980, Carmichael Enterprises, LLC is owned by Steve and Lori Carmichael. Over the decades, thousands of customers have been served by such entities as Pulmocare Medical Supply, CU Sleep and Eagle Eye Surveillance. In 2020, we became Brand Partners and factorydirect representatives of ActivePure Technologies, distributing patented technology originated at NASA and inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame. We help people create the cleanest air to breathe and the safest surfaces to touch without filters or chemicals—our water filtration devices micro-cluster and hydrogen-infuse water for intense body hydration and natural energy. We have a device that allows you to clean and sanitize your laundry using no soap, softeners, dryer sheets, only cold water. If you are interested in learning how to safely eliminate viruses, bacteria and mold from the air and surfaces in your homes, businesses, churches, schools, vehicles, buses, and more, give us a call.

1212 E. University Ave. Urbana, IL 61802 217.367.0252 www.tdaviselectric.com Electric Contractors

Good Energy, LP

416 Main St. Ste. 420 Peoria, IL 61602 309.369.4566 www.goodenergy.com Energy Management & Conservation Consultants Good Energy is excited to be a member of the Champaign County Chamber and proud to be the Chamber’s new partner for the Champaign County Chamber Energy Program. We look forward to working directly with other members and supporting the Champaign County business community. Good Energy has more than 20 years of experience in deregulated energy markets and can help businesses take control of their energy spending. We can provide electricity, natural gas, demand response and renewable energy services.

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>>>members who joined between May 1 - June 30, 2022 I Heart Mac and Cheese 202 E. University Ave. Ste. E Urbana, IL 61801 217.607.2062 www.iheartmacandcheese.com Restaurants

We feature signature menu items and build your own mac and cheese meals, grilled cheese and more.

Gluten-Free and Vegan (Beyond Meat) options are available.

GTPS Insurance Agency 1311 S. Neil St. Champaign, IL 61820 217.373.6856 www.gtpsinsurance.com Insurance

It’s the mantra we live by: • • • •

Finding the perfect solution for you Guiding you through the options Helping you through a claim Adapting to your evolving needs

Let GTPS be your insurance experts. We know the business, the lingo, the inside scoop, and we love breaking down technical jargon into language everyone understands and providing peace of mind.

We love being the experts, and at GTPS, you’re in expert hands.

Jersey Mike’s Subs 1712 W. Springfield Ave. Champaign, IL 61821 217.903.0062 www.jerseymikes.com Restaurants

At Jersey Mike’s, we offer a sub above—one that’s measured in more than inches or seconds ‘til served.

We carefully consider every aspect of what we do—every slice, every sandwich, and every store— and provide our customers with sustenance and substance. Red wine vinegar and an olive oil blend are how a Jersey Mike’s sub gets its exquisite zing.

It’s how bites get boosted, and a great sub becomes even better. The juice adds that certain something extra. An exclamation. The kind of exclamation you can eat. Our produce is grown, packed and shipped 6

locally (where available) and then handled with the utmost care in our stores. When you eat one of our subs Mike’s Way, you can be sure that your veggies were prepped by hand earlier that day for the highest freshness and flavor. When it comes to quality, refusing to compromise has been an essential part of our heritage. We choose only the leanest, tastiest cuts of meats and fine, aged cheeses. We wouldn’t settle for any other way.

Olive Garden

30 E. Anthony Dr. Champaign, IL 61820 217.351.6339 www.olivegarden.com Restaurants-Italian Italian generosity is always on the table. At Olive Garden, we know that life is better together and everyone is happiest when they’re with family. From never-ending servings of our freshly baked bread sticks and iconic garden salad to our homemade soups and sauces, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

ToyotaLift, Div. of Bahrns Equip. Inc. 1693 County Rd. 2200 E. St. Joseph, IL 61873 217.469.9520 www.bahrns.com Industrial Equipment & Supplies

Bahrns ToyotaLift is a full-service Toyota Forklift Dealer serving the industry with over 45 years of experience and focusing on customer service. We have everything you can expect for a dealership with new Toyota Forklifts, used and reconditioned forklifts (sales, service, parts, rental), and so much more.

ToyotaLift has thousands of industrial supplies and equipment covering a broad spectrum of business and industrial needs. Customers can find most of these products on Bahrns.com. Some of the products and services can only be explored using our staff to help customize your needs at your location. Our team can assist you with any unique applications or issues you may have. We offer operator and safety training, parts, forklift and equipment rentals, and a complete material handling catalog that includes, but is not limited to: • • • •

packaging supplies storage solutions warehouse and dock equipment janitorial and maintenance equipment

• • • •

Welcome to the

shop equipment safety products outdoor items office products

VitalSkin Dermatology: ChampaignUrbana 1111 W. Kenyon Rd. Ste. B Urbana, IL 61801 217.290.0223 www.vitalskinderm.com Medical Service Organizations

Chamber

We also have a full line of aerial and personnel lifts and every piece of new equipment and product is from the most trusted manufacturers in the industry. Contact us for information on any product or service information. Bahrns ToyotaLift of Illinois is here to serve you.

U-Haul Moving & Storage at Southgate 2010 S. Philo Rd. Urbana, IL 61802 217.903.4803 www.uhaul.com Storage-Household & Commercial

U-Haul offers more for you, including self-storage, moving supplies, U-box® containers, trailer hitches, propane, moving labor and college moving.

At VitalSkin Dermatology of Champaign-Urbana, all your skin care needs are covered. Dr. Jeremy Youse and his world-class team treat various medical skin issues such as acne, rosacea, psoriasis and more.

They also offer cosmetic options like Juvederm® and Restylane®, wrinkle relaxers like Botox® and Dysport®, Narrowband UVB phototherapy, chemical peels, laser hair removal and premium-grade skin care products. In addition, as a fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon through the American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS), Dr. Youse provides Mohs surgery to treat and eliminate skin cancer. This surgery has the highest success rate of all skin cancer treatments— up to 99 percent. In most cases, Mohs surgery can also be completed in one office visit for patient convenience and cost-effectiveness. To learn more about VitalSkin’s skin care services or to schedule an appointment, please visit vitalskinderm.com or call 217.819.3376.

Ribbon Cuttings

>> held between May 13, 2022 and July 15, 2022 Interested in hosting a ribbon cutting of groundbreaking?

I Heart Mac & Cheese celebrated their grand opening on June 15.

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

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lead Champaign

County

Invest in Your Emerging Leaders

OPENING RECEPTION - Papa Del’s Pizza Thursday, August 25, 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

ALLERTON CHALLENGE COURSE Allerton 4H Camp, Monticello

Thursday, September 1, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

LEAD Champaign County aims to mold young professionals into strong local leaders.

GRAFTON STRENGTH FINDER TEST

Participants will gain confidence, knowledge, professionalism and strong leadership skills they can bring back to their place of employment. The program is a great way to connect young professionals with their peers and build strong business relationships.

HONORABLE LEADERSHIP: BEING A GREAT ROLE MODEL

OUR MISSION: Attract and identify the next generation of community leaders in order to grow Champaign County.

Thursday, September 29, 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Captain Anthony Corapi, Chief Operating Officer, High School of St. Thomas More

Connect young professionals with the surrounding community through unique opportunities in the areas of service, leadership and advocacy.

Engage young professionals to have a vested interest in the success of our community.

Thursday, September 8, 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Gayle Spencer, Illinois Leadership Center Thursday, October 6, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Lynne Barnes, Certified Professional Coach

LEADERSHIP PANEL

Thursday, September 22, 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Local business leaders from various industries and business sizes

LEADERSHIP VS. MANAGEMENT

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN THE WORKPLACE Thursday, September 15, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Jerris Duncan, Business Coach

BOOK DISCUSSION - Facilitated Conversation Thursday, October 13, 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

ETIQUETTE LUNCHEON AND GRADUATION I Hotel and Illinois Conference Center

Thursday, October 20, 11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Patricia Simpson, Game Changing Etiquette *Unless otherwise stated, events are held at the Chamber office.

Ready to lead ? Register Today!

Email Kelsie Woelfle at KelsieW@champaigncounty.org to register or for more information.

Registration includes complimentary passes to all Business After Hours and First Friday Coffees for the months of September and October so participants can strengthen their networking skills.

Cost to participate in this program is $525 for early bird special (until August 11) then $625 until the day of the event.

This fee includes the Grafton Strength Finders Test & Allerton Challenge Course fees as well as all meals.

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Is it Christmas in July? Nope. It’s Shop Champaign County.

By Laura Weis Reprinted from the June/July 2022 issue of the News-Gazette’s Central Illinois Business Magazine Understandably, you may immediately think of the holiday season when you see or hear the message ‘shop local.’

Why? Because when the holidays approach, retailers, business associations, media outlets and municipalities all seem to unite around that common theme and push it to the public. And that can be a very good thing. It’s a message that can benefit businesses and hometowns while being a valuable reminder for consumers as they gear up to shop and spend for the holidays.

As we enter the endemic phase of COVID-19, just like symptoms of an illness, we are enduring the lingering symptoms of a halted economy. Costs have risen, supply chains are struggling, and the workforce is stressed.

Locally, by the chamber’s tracking, Champaign County has lost 45 companies to pandemic-related closures.

There is no magic wand that will erase the economic impact of the pandemic. So, we must apply all the tools available to help combat the impact of these lingering symptoms on our local economy. One small way is to adopt the ‘shop local’ message year-round and create a community culture that embraces it.

In reality, e-Commerce has made our lives easier, especially if you don’t particularly enjoy in-person shopping. The idea of not fighting crowds, clicking a button from the warmth of your home, and having a package arrive at your doorstep (sometimes within hours of the purchase) can be very appealing. That appeal can evaporate quickly, though. If your merchandise arrives damaged, doesn’t fit, or just isn’t “as advertised,” it’s up to you to pack it back up and figure out how to return it.

A shop-local-first culture can provide value back to the community that goes far beyond any one shopper. For every $100 spent, $73 stays in the community. Local purchasing stimulates the economy. Plus, it can reduce the environmental impact, create and retain new jobs, and improve both infrastructure and in-person customer service.

community with many big-box options. Some will argue that residents should only support small businesses rather than the big box stores. Still, big-box retailers also employ our residents, and they remit the sales tax necessary to fund our infrastructure. What is vital is that we continue to spend our money here, in Champaign County.

To help make local shopping easier for residents, the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce has launched the Shop Champaign County MasterCard gift card. This initiative is presented by Common Ground Food Co-op and supported by OSF Healthcare Heart of Mary Medical Center and CU Flower House by A. Hunt Design. The Shop Champaign County gift card is the first of its kind in our community. Consumers can use it anywhere in Champaign County that takes MasterCard debit cards.

There are no hurdles for consumers to use the card or for merchants and restaurants to accept it. Making a purchase is as simple as a swipe.

Other communities that have launched their local version of this card report that 91 percent of the total dollars spent stay local. By giving the Shop Champaign County gift card to your family, friends, or co-workers, you are helping to invest in the community. Employers interested in helping support their business peers can purchase the card in bulk and receive a discount. They can then distribute the cards as employee incentives or to their clients. To purchase your cards, go to thecommunitygiftcard.com/ shopchampaigncounty.

It is easy to give a generic gift card, but by gifting the Shop Champaign County card, you reinforce the ‘shop local’ message and support our local economy.

Remember, your favorite retailer and restaurant are counting on it.

As a business association, the chamber helps to facilitate business growth and improve the quality of life in Champaign County. As we look forward, we understand that we cannot just support our community by merely repeating the ‘shop local’ mantra during the holidays.

Instead, we must help local businesses thrive using our wallets. Many one-of-a-kind restaurants and retailers enrich our community, and they are the very fabric that makes Champaign County unique. We are also a 9

Business | Wealth Management | Personal

Building Business.

Growing Wealth.

Since 1868.

NEW BUSINESS

CONNECTIONS

JOIN OR RENEW TODAY. CHAMPAIGNCOUNTY.ORG • 217.359.1791 10

tips for business owners Volunteer

While this word undoubtedly conjures up specific thoughts, volunteerism comes in all shapes, sizes and opportunities. Examples of varying volunteer opportunities include: • Serving as a disaster relief worker with the American Red Cross.

• Spending time at a nursing home with a lonely elderly resident.

• Picking up litter in a public space.

Serving on a committee or board of directors at a non-profit or working with a child through the Chamber’s iRead iCount program are also unique ways to give back through volunteerism.

members. It is also a great chance to learn new skills in a low-cost, low-pressure environment.

It is undeniable that volunteers have an enormous impact on our local and national economies. In 2018, according to Leaningtogive.org nearly 63 million volunteers contributed $297.5 billion to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

If you choose to volunteer, it can change your life and the lives of others while helping the community thrive. If you do not know where to start, contact your favorite local organization to ask if they have any needs. There is an excellent resource for finding local volunteer opportunities at unitedwaychampaign.org/ volunteer, or you can search the chamber membership directory and seek out chamber member not-for-profit organizations at champaigncounty.org/list/.

Volunteering contributes to the GDP, but what is the value to you personally, your community, state or nation? Volunteering provides multiple benefits to the volunteer and organization-some tangible and others intangible. It’s an opportunity to directly impact your local community while helping a cause that holds a deeply personal space in your life. You expand your personal and professional network when you work with other volunteers or staff

Charities.org makes the business case for employers to encourage their employees to volunteer or to establish formal volunteer programs in their place of business. Ninety-two percent of human resource experts surveyed for a Deloitte Volunteer Impact Study stated that employee volunteerism with not-for-profit organizations helps to build leadership skills and create a broader set of skills that benefit the employer outside of training.

Have questions? Need help making these connections? Contact Matt Bradley, business growth & development director, at mattb@champaigncounty.org or call 217.359.1791.

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BOARD OF

DIRECTORS

Thank you: Outgoing board members We would like to extend a very special thank you to these individuals who served on your board of directors. As their terms come to an end, we thank them for their dedication to the members, Champaign County and to developing an economically thriving community.

Debra Reardanz Clark-Lindsey Village

Justin Overstreet Martin Hood LLC

Chuck McReaken TSM Ventures, Inc.

Help us welcome: Incoming board members As terms end, we also welcome our newest board members. The following indviduals begin their term serving on the board of directors. Please help us welcome them.

Corrinne Hillard H3 Manufacturing Group, LLC

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Matt Carr First Mid Bank & Trust

Chad Schumacher meShare

Bud Windelborn Pavlov Media, Inc.

2021 State Test Data Champaign Unit 4 3rd Grade State Test

Help Make a Difference in Our Community by Becoming an iRead ● iCount Volunteer!

•

Program Dates: October 10 – December 2, 2022

•

This program helps kindergarten and first grade students who are struggling with literacy and math competencies in Champaign and Urbana primary schools. We need hundreds of volunteers in the classrooms this fall to work one-on-one with these students.

Urbana Unit 116 3rd Grade State Test

Why is This Volunteer Program so Important?

•

We have an achievement gap in our schools that has widened over the past couple of years. If we do not address it now, we will never close this gap.

•

Why This Matters: • •

Reading and math are our most basic workforce skills.

Workforce development is an economic development tool and an anti-poverty, anti-violence strategy for our community.

We Can Do Better for Our Community.

We Have to Do Better for Our Community.

25.6 percent of students can meet or exceed in reading 31 percent of students can meet or exceed in math

5.6 percent of students can meet or exceed in reading 14.9 percent of students can meet or exceed in math

Partner Organizations

Here are Some Quick Facts about Volunteering: • • • • •

Volunteers submit applications by August 19 for processing.

Approved volunteers will go online and sign up for school choice, day and time preference, and training session.

Volunteers will attend one training session and one orientation session at their school.

Volunteers spend one hour a week in the classrooms working one-on-one with early learners, helping build the students’ basic reading and math skills.

The reward of helping a child build these skills is immeasurable.

We have the responsibility and ability to help the future workforce generation succeed by strengthening the foundation for literacy and math education for our youngest, most vulnerable students now.

For more information and to sign up to volunteer:

www.champaigncounty.org/iread-icount Questions?

Mindy Cain, Director of Workforce Readiness Champaign County Chamber of Commerce mindyc@champaigncounty.org • 217.359.1791 13

Follow us for exclusive content and updates:

@ccountychamber

@ccounty_chamber

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce

@ccountychamber

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

HICKORYPOINTBANK.COM

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202 WEST PARK AVENUE, CHAMPAIGN

thank you sponsors & Golfers!

The 2022 Chamber Golf Outing presented by Barcom Security was held at Lincolnshire Fields Country Club on Thursday, June 2.

We had a sold out event and a great turn out for hole sponsors. Thank you to Commerce Bank for providing the golfers with lunch and dinner. Beverages on the course were provided by Skeff Distributing. Thank you to Clark-Dietz, Inc. for providing golf balls for each player and English Brothers Company for providing golf towels for all attendees. Thank you to the hospitality tent sponsor Insurance Risk Managers, golf cart sponsor Heartland Bank, putting green sponsor Martin Hood, driving range sponsor Illinois American Water, golf bag sponsor OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center, hole-in-one sponsor BluSky Restoration Contractors and raffle prize sponsor Merrill Lynch.

This event is made possible in part, by your sponsors. Thank you.

A very special thank you to all individuals who were involved in making the 2022 Chamber Golf Outing a huge success. Hope to see you all again next year.

PRESENTED BY:

ENGLISH BROTHERS COMPANY

HOLE SPONSORS:

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MEMBER ACCOLADES & NEWS CLARK DIETZ, INC.

Clark Dietz, Inc. is pleased to accept the 2022 Institute of Transportation Engineers Great Lakes District Transportation Achievement Award. The Multimodal Corridor Enhancement (MCORE) Project had the overarching goal to improve mobility choices, increase public safety and provide increased access to jobs, healthcare, and services in the corridors that connect the downtown centers of Champaign and Urbana with the University of Illinois campus.

“The project required a complete street design approach to modernize the urban landscape,” says Clark Dietz Vice President Sean Widener, PE, PTOE. “The MCORE improvements resulted in a transportation network that is safe, efficient and equitable for all modes of travel.”

MCORE was a unified effort of the City of Champaign, City of Urbana, ChampaignUrbana Mass Transit District (CUMTD), and the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign to create a transformative infrastructure that will support and enhance access and promote quality of life. The MCORE improvements were funded with help of a Federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Grant with the goal of creating safe and efficient travel opportunities for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders and vehicles. The Clark Dietz / Hanson Team is proud to have assisted our clients and the community to realize these goals.

REGENCY MULTIFAMILY

Regency Multifamily has earned national recognition for customer service excellence as the 2021 A-List Award Winner for Category III. The A-List Award for Real Estate Excellence is presented by CEL & 16

Associates, Inc. and recognizes companies whose management performance and commitment to the highest level of quality of service are considered to be the “Best in the Industry.” “I couldn’t be more proud of our employees for this incredible accomplishment,” said Teresa Kelnhofer, President and CEO of Regency Multifamily.

“The impact they make on the lives of our residents is what makes our communities a great place to live.”

A-List Award winners are selected based on results from resident surveys conducted

by CEL & Associates. Surveys are sent to residents at all Regency-owned and managed apartment communities. CEL & Associates compiles its “Best in the Industry” list of companies whose scores indicate the “ability to perform at a higher standard in providing quality customer service” compared to their peer groups across the country. The feedback received from the surveys are reviewed thoroughly in order to address residents’ concerns or implement new ideas.

FEHR GRAHAM

A leading Midwest engineering and environmental firm, is proud to announce being named to the Engineering NewsRecord (ENR) Top 500 Design Firms list.

ENR’s ranking is widely considered the industry benchmark for excellence.

The comprehensive survey ranks engineering firms based on revenue for engineering design services provided the previous year. Fehr Graham made the list for the first time in the firm’s 49-year history, ranking No. 494. The list includes the 500 largest engineering, architectural and environmental consulting firms in the United States.

“As Fehr Graham continues to grow, our talented and dedicated staff continue to demonstrate our daily commitment to customer service. The personal connection we make with our clients ensuring we preserve that small firm feel our team and our clients appreciate and our deep bench of highly experienced people enabling us to provide big-firm capabilities is the driving force behind making the ENR Top 500 list,” said Mick Gronewold, board chairman and one of the firm’s owners, “Earning this spot also shows how our experience, diverse backgrounds and teamwork are really something special. Our commitment continues to create constructive shifts for the company and positive experiences for our clients.”

HICKORY POINT BANK

Hickory Point Bank announced that Charles (Charlie) Osborne has been named Senior Vice President, Trust & Wealth Management. “Charlie is a distinguished trust and investment professional. He brings strong leadership skills and financial insights to our growing Trust and Wealth Management team,” said Anthony G. Nestler, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Charlie’s investment expertise complements our existing Trust services and stands to provide significant value for new and existing clients.” Mr. Osborne will lead the Bank’s trust and investment business.

We want to help you share your company’s accomplishments, recent hires, and good news. Email it to KelsieW@champaigncounty.org. Then look for it on our website AND in our bi-monthly publication. There is no fee to do so, it’s an added feature of your membership.

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Tell your customers where to find you.

Customers and Sales Made Possible with Affordable, Effective Marketing Opportunities These opportunities are exclusive to chamber members.

Are you taking advantage of it?

Website Banner Ads

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

Email Blasts

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

e-Connection Banner Ads

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

Website Directory Enhancements

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

Commerce Connection Ads

Do you know what happens when you add magazine print to your marketing strategy? According to Magazine Networks, you get the multiplier effect.

They say, “people are 3.2 times more likely to identify the brand as one they wanted to find out more about and a 43 percent increase in their likelihood to purchase.” Our bi-monthly publication, Commerce Connection, gets mailed to all chamber members (and then some). Those chamber members employ an estimated 59,000 people.

Imagine 59,000 people looking at an ad for your competitor? The Commerce Connection is not only your B2B best bet; it is also a strong force for B2C marketing.

Do you really want to be seen? There are a variety of ad sizes available starting at just $100. Member businesses can also purchase the magazine’s cover.

You get exposure before readers even open the publication.

Mailing Labels

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

We can help you maximize your businessto-business marketing strategies. We can put your company in front of consumers.

Most importantly, we can do it in the most affordable way to meet your budget.

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

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calendar of events

Business After Hours Thursday, August 18 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Hosted by: Serra Champaign 100 W. Burwash Ave. Champaign, IL Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Thursday, August 25 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Webinar

LEAD Champaign County: Kick-Off Event Thursday, August 25 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Papa Del’s 1201 S. Neil St. Champaign, IL First Friday Coffee* Firday, September 9 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

Hosted by: ServPro 3813 N. Cunningham Ave. Urbana, IL

Business After Hours* Wednesday, September 14 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Hosted by: Iroquois Federal 2237 S. Neil St. Champaign, IL *Please note September’s Business After Hours will be held on the Wednesday instead of Thursday

The Building Tomorrow Series: Who Will Get Us There?

2022 Congressional Candidate Breakfast Presented by Clark Dietz, Inc. Wednesday, September 14 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Holiday Inn Champaign 101 Trade Center Dr. Champaign, IL

*Please note September’s First Friday Coffee will be held on the second Friday due to Labor Day weekend.

Fast Facts

4.4% Champaign County Unemployment Rate in May 2022

17 business licenses applied for in Champaign County in June 2022

105.5

June 2022 U of I Flash Index for Illinois

485,172

rides were taken on CUMTD in May 2022

5,796 visits to the Chamber’s website, champaigncounty.org in June 2022

5,749 number of unique searches on the

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce Online Business Directory in June 2022

2014 and 2021 The years that the Champaign County

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

For more information or to register for an event, go to www.champaigncounty.org/events/calendar/ The Chamber office is open Monday through Thursday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

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

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

THAT MOMENT WHEN THE A/C IS FINALLY WORKING AGAIN.

CALL US FOR EMERGENCY A/C REPAIRS

217-367-4227

AR-MECH.com 711 E Kettering Park Drive Urbana, IL 61801 20