Business Images McLean County, IL 2010-11

business

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What’s Online

Hear from the neXt generation of McLean County community leaders

McLean County, illinois

Fertile Ground

Region’s technology base breeds innovation

Premium Position

Insurance industry remains a powerhouse

Sponsored by the

An All-Weather Economy Diversification breeds success

| 2010-11

McLean County in action

Don’t just take our word for it – see for yourself how great McLean County is in our quick videos at imagesmclean.com, highlighting a little bit of everything that McLean County has to offer.

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business

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Workstyle An All-Weather Economy

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McLean County’s corporations reflect a culture of diversity and inclusion.

Premium Position

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McLean County makes a claim as an insurance industry mecca.

Next Generation Friendly

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Programs help young professionals build careers and the community.

Insight

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Overview

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Business Almanac

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Business Climate

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Energy/Technology: Fertile Ground

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Economic Profile

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Livability

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Transportation

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Health

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Education

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Livability: Hitting New Highs

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On the Cover The Twin Groves Wind Farm in McLean County Photo by Antony Boshier

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All or part of this magazine is printed with soy ink on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

Please recycle this magazine

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business

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M c L ea n C o u n t y, i ll i n o i s

Mclean county, illinois 2010-1 1 Edition , volum e 1 1 Content Director/Business Publications Bill McMeekin

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Copy Editors Lisa Battles, Joyce Caruthers, Jill Wyatt Contributing writers Kelli Levey, Bill Lewis, Emily McMackin, Betsy Williams

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Media Technology Director Christina Carden

What’s Online

Hear from the neXt generation of McLean County community leaders

Senior Graphic Designers Laura Gallagher, Jessica Manner, Janine Maryland, Kris Sexton, Candice Sweet, Vikki Williams

McLEAn COunty, iLLinOis

Media Technology Analysts Chandra Bradshaw, lance conzett, Marcus Snyder Photography Director Jeffrey S. Otto Senior Photographers Jeff Adkins, Brian McCord Staff Photographers Todd Bennett, Antony Boshier

Fertile Ground

Web Content Managers John Hood, Kim Madlom

Region’s technology base breeds innovation

Web Design Director Franco Scaramuzza Web Designer Leigh Guarin Web Developer i Yamel Hall Ad Production Manager Katie Middendorf Ad Traffic Assistant Patricia Moisan I.T. Director Yancey Bond

Premium Position

Insurance industry remains a powerhouse

Lifestyle Find out what it’s like to live here and what makes the community such a special place to be.

I.T. Service Technician Ryan Sweeney Regional Sales Manager Charles Sweeney Sales Support/Community, Business, Custom Rachael Goldsberry Senior Accountant Lisa Owens

An All-Weather Economy Diversification breeds success

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Accounts Payable Coordinator Maria McFarland Accounts Receivable Coordinator Diana Guzman Office Manager/Accounts Receivable Coordinator Shelly Miller

News and Notes >>

executive Integrated Media Manager Suzi McGruder

Our editors give you the

color imaging technician Alison Hunter

Inside Scoop on the latest

Chairman Greg Thurman

development and trends in

President/Publisher Bob Schwartzman Executive Vice President Ray Langen

the community.

Senior V.P./Sales Todd Potter, Carla Thurman Senior V.P./Operations Casey Hester Senior V.P./Client Development Jeff Heefner V.P./Content Development Teree Caruthers V.P./Custom Publishing Kim Newsom V.P./Visual Content Mark Forester V.P./Content Operations Natasha Lorens V.P. Sales Charles Fitzgibbon, Herb Harper, Jarek Swekosky

Workstyle A spotlight on the region’s innovative companies

success breeds success >> Meet the people who set the pace for business innovation.

Controller Chris Dudley Content Director/Travel Publications Susan Chappell

Dig Deeper >>

Marketing Creative Director Keith Harris Distribution Director Gary Smith

Plug into the community with

Recruiting/Training Director Suzy Simpson Executive Secretary Kristy Duncan

links to local Web sites and

Human Resources Manager Peggy Blake

resources to give you a big

Receptionist Linda Bishop

picture of the region.

Data Central >>

Business Images McLean County, Illinois is published annually

by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the McLean County Chamber of Commerce. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 7710080 or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com.

A wealth of demographic and statistical information puts the community at

For more information, contact: McLean County Chamber of Commerce 210 S. East Street • Bloomington, IL 61701 Phone: (309) 829-6344 • Fax: (309) 827-3940 www.mcleancochamber.org

Visit Business Images McLean County, Illinois online at imagesmclean.com ©Copyright 2010 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

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your fingertips.

See the Video Our award-winning photographers give you a virtual tour of unique spaces, places and faces.

guide to services >> Links to a cross section of goods and services special to the community

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LLIN NOW G !

Overview

The Perfect Place To Live and Work McLean County offers diversity in industries, workforce, lifestyle Anchored by the twin cities of Bloomington and Normal, the 165,000-population McLean County, Ill., has built on its agricultural heritage to create a diversified economy that includes major centers of insurance and financial services, higher education and manufacturing.

The region’s largest employer, State Farm, was founded in Bloomington in 1922 and employs some 15,000 people. Country Financial, a staple of the region since the 1960s, employs more than 2,000 people. And Mitsubishi’s Normal operations, the company’s only facility in the United States, is among the most technologically advanced auto manufacturing plants in the world.

At the intersection of interstates I-55, I-39 and I-74, McLean County has a well-connected transportation grid. Central Illinois Regional Airport is one of the fastest-growing airports in the nation. Two runways were added in the past two years and the airport served more passengers in 2009 than any other airport in the region. Construction of an uptown transportation center in Normal, a $40 million project, will streamline several modes of transportation, including high-speed passenger rail, and intercity and local bus service.

Just as diverse as its industry mix is McLean County’s workforce. The region’s corporate citizens are continually implementing initiatives to support diversity in workforce and culture, with several employers cited with national awards for their efforts.

Supplying a highly skilled workforce are a roster of high-quality higher education institutions including Illinois State University, Illinois Wesleyan University and Lincoln College-Normal and Heartland Community College.

McLean County provides a gamut

of recreation, arts, historic and cultural offerings including a zoo, children’s museum and a bevy of parks and trails. Normal and Bloomington boast active, vibrant and revitalized downtowns.

Downtown Bloomington, which includes the historic Farmers Market, is fast becoming a destination of choice for entertainment, speciality shopping and living. Uptown Normal revitalization efforts created a $75 million project that included a Marriott Hotel and Conference Center and a

500-space parking deck.

Family appeal, innovative companies and a business friendly environment make McLean County a winning place to live and work.

For more on doing business and investing in McLean County, contact: McLean County Chamber of Commerce 210 S. East St. Bloomington, IL 61701 P.O. Box 1586, Bloomington, IL 61702 Phone: (309) 829-6344 Fax: (309) 827-3940 www.mcleancochamber.org

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Lexington

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Hudson

Anchor

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Cookesville

Towanda

Normal

MCLEAN

Bloomington

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Ellsworth

Stanford Downs 51

Saybrook

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McLean 136

Arrowsmith

Heyworth

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LeRoy

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McLean County

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Almanac Evidence of His Work is Everywhere In McLean County, you can’t miss the architecture of A.L. Pillsbury.

Schools, churches, businesses and homes he designed in the early 20th century remain some of the best examples of architecture in central Illinois and beyond.

The McLean County Museum of History’s exhibit, A Passion for Details: The Architectural Legacy of A.L. Pillsbury, explores Pillsbury’s style and techniques.

The exhibit runs from Nov. 13, 2010, to Aug. 30, 2011. Go to www.mchistory.org for more.

Roadmap for Downtown Success After more than 18 months of public input, research and planning, the Bloomington Planning Commission has settled on a vision and framework for downtown revitalization known as the Downtown Bloomington Strategy.

The six-pronged plan highlights key redevelopment opportunities, and retail and residential growth strategies, makes recommendations for beautifying the area through zoning and land use, offers solutions for better management of downtown parking, suggests ideas for improved accessibility and walkability downtown and includes time frames and funding options.

For more on the plan, go to www.downtownbloomington.org.

Market Puts Down Roots Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market & Artists’ Alley averages 40 vendors a week through its May-October season, and its location surrounding the McLean County Museum of History makes it a popular spot for residents and visitors.

Market organizers and city officials had considered moving the market because of road and budget issues, but when a suitable new site couldn’t be found, they decided to stay put.

The market will continue to operate on three city blocks surrounding the museum and will extend to the intersection of Center and Jefferson streets, where organizers will set up cafe tables so attendees can enjoy ready-to-eat foods and cooking demonstrations.

An expanded community area will feature master gardeners, community organizations, the Downtown Bloomington Association merchant booth and featured animals from the local zoo. For more, go to www.downtownbloomington.org/index.php?id=6.

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An Economic Engine Mitsubishi Mid-America in Normal is the company’s only U.S. manufacturing plant, one that has a big economic impact on the region. The plant, established in 1985, employs 1,300 people.

Home of the Fall Classics There’s always plenty to see and do in McLean County, and fall brings an abundance of events for Uptown Normal and downtown Bloomington.

First Friday events sponsored by the Downtown Bloomington Association let visitors snack on brats and vie for honors in a cornhole bag tossing competition in October and peruse the handiwork of local artists during a November art walk.

The Bloomington Farmers’ Market reopens for a day in November at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum to help residents with holiday meal planning.

The Uptown Normal Business Association hosts a Holiday Open House the weekend before Thanksgiving, inviting guests to explore retail stores, dine uptown and take a free horse-drawn carriage ride.

One of the most technologically advanced automotive manufacturing facilities in the world, the complex is designed to accommodate the production of several different models intermixed on one assembly line.

Currently, it assembles the Eclipse sports coupe, Eclipse Spyder convertible, Galant midsize sedan and Endeavor crossover utility vehicle, which together account for approximately half of MMNA’s passenger car sales in the United States. The plant, which has a global environmental quality process standard certification, was one of the first U.S. plants to introduce a lead-free EDP base coat for automobile bodies.

Glass Acts Got trash? Jason Mack will turn it into treasure.

Mack, owner of Mack Glass Co. in Bloomington, scours the town looking for recycled glass bottles to turn into art, placing collection bins at any bar and restaurant that will participate.

In addition to creating artwork, he has developed a line of architectural lighting systems using steel and recycled glass. In 2009, he used 1,000 pounds of beer and wine bottles to fashion a 20-foot Christmas tree of melted and spun glass. Catch a glimpse of the tree going up at www.mackglass.com/videos.shtml.

Enjoy the Summer Game The Normal CornBelters, part of the West Division of the Independent Frontier League, kicked off their inaugural season in summer 2010 in the newly constructed Corn Crib near Heartland Community College.

Comprised of 12 teams in the Midwest, the league brings baseball to areas that would never have a professional team otherwise, and gives players, who live with host families in the area, the opportunity to develop and showcase their skills. The season runs from June to September. Go to www.normalbaseball.com for more.

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Business Climate

An All-Weather Economy Diversified industry base helps McLean County stay on course

Story by Bill Lewis

Antony Boshier

C

ommerce Bank President Bob Lakin smiles when he hears the question.

Is McLean County so economically successful because of the two medical centers and four colleges and universities located here? Or is it because two of the nation’s largest insurers have their headquarters here?

Or is it because the county is home to both a world-class automobile manufacturing facility and a remarkably productive agricultural sector that exports farm products around the world?

“Yes,” says Lakin. “All of the above. We have

an amazingly diverse economy.”

That economic diversity, which generated a Gross Metropolitan Product of $8.3 billion in 2009, helped McLean County weather the recession better than many communities.

Today, the county is poised to lead the nation’s economic recovery, he says. (The Gross Metropolitan Product is the market value of all final goods and services produced within a metropolitan area within a certain time period.)

“We are not recession-proof,” says Charlie Moore, McLean County Chamber of Commerce

McLean County Population Projections • 2010: 168,611 • 2015: 177,700 • 2020: 187,086 • 2025: 194,836 • 2030: 199,102 Source: Economic Development Council of the BloomingtonNorma Area

Left: Health-care providers, such as OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, are major McLean County employers.

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McLean County By the Numbers 168,611

Population estimate in 2010

90,147

Total labor force

$8.3B

Gross Metropolitan Product of the Bloomington-Normal MSA in 2009

$75,550

Median family income in the BloomingtonNormal MSA

president. “But we are home to sectors that are recession-resistant, particularly insurance, health care and education.”

During a recession, individuals and families buy insurance for the security it provides. At the same time, many workers return to school to learn new skills. And even during a downturn, people need health care. Those sectors should stay strong as the economy improves, says Moore.

“Those three sectors are a huge part of our economy,” he says.

State Farm Insurance employs more than 15,000 people at its national headquarters.

Country Financial, a provider of insurance and financial products, has 2,174 employees, according to the Economic Development Council of the Bloomington-Normal Area.

McLean County’s universities and colleges – Illinois State University, Illinois Wesleyan University, Heartland Community College and Lincoln College-Normal – have a combined enrollment of more than 41,000 students.

Two medical centers, Advocate BroMenn and OSF St. Joseph, together employ about 3,000 people and provide state-of-the-art health services close to home for the people of McLean County.

A rebounding economy will benefit McLean County’s sixth-largest employer, he says.

Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing employs 1,300 people at its vehicle assembly facility in Normal. McLean County’s highly productive agricultural sector also contributes greatly to the economy.

“If McLean County was a state, we’d be the 13th-largest in corn production. Our farm products are exported as far as China,” says Moore.

Another indication of McLean County’s economic strength is the number of young college graduates who return to the area to start their families, says Ken Springer, research director for the Economic Development Council of the BloomingtonNormal Area.

“They graduate from one of our colleges and universities, go to Chicago or St. Louis to start their careers, but come back to start their family. They may become entrepreneurs and spin off their own company after working for one of our large employers,” says Springer.

That’s one reason why the county is rated so highly by economist Richard Florida, author of “Rise of the Creative Class.” Florida, who compares communities across the nation,

Diversity

Educated

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S ta f f P h o t o

ranked Bloomington-Normal No. 1 in one of his talent rankings, says Springer.

“We’re highly educated; a place people return to,” says Springer.

Jason Sweeney, a commercial property appraiser, says economic success can be measured in another way – the support provided to the county’s nonprofit community.

“The people I know are always giving back. Successful business means strong nonprofits. That’s indicative of how the community is doing. I believe we are doing very well,” says Sweeney.

Right: State Farm Insurance, founded in Bloomington in 1922, is the region’s largest employer.

Innovative

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A World of Difference McLean County’s corporations reflect a culture of diversity and inclusion

Story by Betsy Williams Photography by Antony Boshier

T

he working world has gone through universal change since the days when the majority of employees were white males. Today, the workplace reflects our global environment, and McLean County’s flagship corporations, such as State Farm and Advocate BroMenn Medical Center, are continually implementing initiatives that support the diversity of

the area’s workforce and culture.

“At State Farm, we define diversity as any difference that is a difference,” says Naveen Miller, manager of State Farm’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. “We recognize that diversity and inclusion is critical to our success, and we integrate our diversity and inclusion strategy into a framework made up of four areas: workplace, marketplace, community

and supplier diversity.”

That dedication to diversity is backed up by an array of awards and recognition for the company, which is headquartered in Bloomington.

Consistent inclusions on lists such as one of the 20 Best Companies for Multicultural Women (Working Women magazine), the National Association of Female Executives Top 50 Companies

Left: State Farm is one of many McLean County employers recognized for active diversity initiatives.

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and 10 Nonprofits for Executive Women, Top 50 Best Companies for Latinas to Work and Asian MBA’s Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans, show the company puts its commitment into action.

“We make it our commitment to be like a good neighbor, helping to improve the quality of life in the communities where our associates live and work,” Miller says. “In McLean County, that translates to our support of schools, Midwest Food Bank and McLean County Urban League. We also support the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation’s Multicultural Leadership Program and the Minority Achievement Recognition Program at Illinois Wesleyan University, located here in McLean County.”

State Farm’s support of programs enabling home ownership and teaching financial literacy help ensure long-term growth and sustainability in multicultural communities, creating an economic spinoff of ethnic restaurants and grocery stores in the area.

State Farm isn’t alone in the insurance industry in terms of being recognized for policies and practices encouraging women’s advancement.

Barb Baurer, Bloomington-based COUNTRY Financial’s chief operating officer, was tapped by the National Diversity Council as one of

Illinois’ Most Powerful and Influential Women, reflecting a culture of diversity and inclusion in this company employing more than 2,200 people in McLean County.

For Advocate BroMenn Medical Center in Normal, the commitment to diversity is reflected in both employee and patient makeup. “All of our facilities voluntarily complete an affirmative action plan,” says Al Lewis, chief diversity officer. “We feel that if you don’t know what your numbers look like in terms of employment, you have no way of knowing if you’re successful in engaging the community and making the workforce look like the community.”

Patients are more comfortable with people who are like them and who understand the culture, Lewis says; language classes ranging from Spanish to Russian are commonplace.

“We also engage our department managers on a continuous basis in training them around diversity issues,” he says. “Whether you are looking at diversity from an ethnic, cultural or religious point of view, it’s important for us to know and educate people about it.”

The key is getting people to think, talk and listen, Lewis maintains. “When we do that, we learn. We encourage our managers and employees to get out and talk to our patients.

It can be complex and very enlightening.”

First-Rate State Farm, McLean County’s largest employer, has been a champion of diversity efforts in its workforce, supplier network and community endeavors. The company’s efforts have been recognized on several fronts, including 20 Best Companies for Multicultural Women by Working Women magazine, the National Association of Female Executives Top 50 Companies, Top 50 Best Companies for Latinas to Work and Asian MBA’s Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans.

Naveen Miller is manager of State Farm’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. State Farm promotes diversity and inclusion in the workplace, marketplace, community and supplier network.

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Premium Position McLean County makes claim as insurance capital

Story by Betsy Williams • Photography by Antony Boshier

W

hen G.J. Mecherle sold his first insurance policy in 1922 from his Bloomington office, no one could have imagined the impact the insurance industry would have on McLean County.

Since then, McLean County has evolved into an insurance magnet, serving as the headquarters for two of the nation’s largest insurance companies, State Farm and COUNTRY Financial. The county is also home to firms such as Snyder Companies that have major insurance operations, and Afni, a contact solutions and receivables

management company whose clients include insurance providers.

“One word describes the impact the insurance industry has had on McLean County: huge,” says Ken Springer, project and data analyst for the Economic Development Council of the Bloomington-Normal area.

“Approximately 20 percent of our workforce in this community is attributable to insurance, finance and real estate, which is the way the federal government classifies it. It’s massive.”

More than 15,000 employees work in Bloomington’s State Farm

The Snyder Cos. is a family-owned and operated business that was founded in 1906.

Right: Afni provides a number of services for insurance companies and other businesses.

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headquarters, creating an economic engine purring with a power that has made the insurance giant the nation’s No. 1 insurer of automobiles since 1942 and homes since 1964.

“The reason is because we’re really good at listening to our customers and finding out their wants, which have changed over the 88 years we’ve been in business,” says State Farm spokesman Dick Luedke. “We have a couple of things going for us that help us listen. One is our agents. We have 17,000-plus of them living in the same neighborhoods as our customers.

They’re members of the community. The other thing is our mutual status. We are not a stock company, so we do not have to worry about the short-term interest of people who have purchased our stock; we can focus on the long-term interest of our customers.”

Country Financial, which employs almost 2,200 people at its Bloomington headquarters, serves about 1 million households and businesses throughout the country, offering a full range of financial and insurance products.

It and State Farm are Bloomington-Normal’s largest private employers.

“The business environment here is very good,” says Stephen Snyder, president and co-owner of The Snyder Cos., an insurance and real estate development company founded in 1906 that currently employs 327 workers and 100 full-time real estate agents. “With the workforce that is in place here, I think it’s the

insurance center of the nation. Transportation is so critical to a community’s success, and we have three major interstates that intersect right here.”

In addition to its insurance offerings, Snyder is also a major developer of residential/ golf communities, hotels and commercial developments, with an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course to its claim. “And every time we do a subdivision development, we donate park land for several parks,” Snyder says.

Also adding to McLean County’s attraction is the quality of its higher education offerings.

“This means that our workforce is very educated and has higher rates of advanced degrees than other communities,” the EDC’s Springer says. “As a result of the insurance, education and health-care industries, we have very high median incomes and high rates of disposable income in our community. In fact, Bloomington-Normal spends more per capita on restaurants than any other Midwest city.”

The twin cities rank in the top 1 percent among national creative workforces, according to www.creativeclass.org, thanks in large part to contributions made by the insurance giants’ support of the arts, education and recreation.

“We’ve grown considerably and carefully considered whether we wanted to stay here, and we’ve decided that we wanted to,” says State Farm’s Luedke. “This community has served our organization and employees well.”

Major Insurance Employers in McLean County 15,359

State Farm Insurance Cos.

2,174

Country Financial

427

Snyder Cos.

Country Financial employs about 2,200 people at its Bloomington headquarters and offers various financial and insurance products.

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Next Generation Friendly Programs help young professionals build careers, community

Story by Kevin Litwin Photography by Antony Boshier

N

ick Moran says that ever since he helped establish neXt Professionals in 2006, he has gotten several million dollars worth of new business, thanks to his involvement with the group.

The neXt Professionals organization, a division of the McLean County Chamber of Commerce, is a business networking and social interaction club that is open to anyone between the ages of 22-35. The group currently has about 80 paid members, with dues costing $60 a year.

The X in neXt Professionals stands for Generation X. “From a selfish standpoint, the group has been great for me because of all the business I’ve been able to attract for my banking career,” says Moran, an assistant vice president with Commerce Bank in Bloomington. “I’ve gotten to know several accountants and attorneys who refer business to me, and I refer business back to them. Professionally, the organization has bolstered my career, but it’s much more than that.”

The group involves itself with a quarterly service project that not only helps neXt members get to know each other better, but assists those in need in the community. Past service projects have included working with Habitat for

The neXt Professionals group includes, front row from left, Nick Moran, Abby Walsh, Mitch Stebel and John Schirano; back row from left, John Wohlwend and Lee Getchius Left: Shops and restaurants help draw young professionals to Uptown Normal. i mage s mclea n . com

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Humanity, Boys & Girls Club Toy Box Build, Midwest Food Bank and several clothing drives.

“The overall goal of the group is to help build personal and professional relationships that will hopefully last a lifetime,” says Dawn Smiley, membership director with the McLean County Chamber of Commerce.

“The organization is also starting to get some good recognition throughout the community from established business owners and organizations.

They see the value of the group and are sending their younger employees to neXt Professionals functions and monthly meetings.”

Monthly speakers include entrepreneurs, successful business owners, CEOs and decision makers involved with timely community issues, Moran says. “Once a year, we host the Bloomington and Normal

mayors on the same night to speak on issues that affect our neXt Professionals membership.”

Moran credits John Wohlwend, owner of Jack Lewis Fine Jewelry and a well-known businessman in McLean County, for his efforts in scheduling influential speakers for the monthly meetings.

Abby Walsh, the 2010 neXt Professionals president, has been with the group since 2008 and says she enjoys several aspects of the activities offered.

“I especially like the fact that the monthly meetings are casual and social, but yet we always seem to have the most dynamic professional-based speakers,” Walsh says.

“I’ve learned quite a bit from the sessions. And then, giving back to the community where we all live, work and play is an aspect of the group that I not only enjoy, but find rewarding.”

3.3% 1.5% 3.2%

4.9%

6.6% 6.3%

5.1% 15.5% 12.9%

13.3%

27.1%

McLean County Population by Age Under 5 years 5 to 9 years 10 to 19 years 20 to 34 years 35 to 44 years 45 to 54 years 55 to 59 years 60 to 64 years 65 to 74 years 75 to 84 years 85 years and over Median age: 31

P h o t o C o u r t e s y o f D aw n Sm i l e y

more at imagesmclean.com

Brock Westbrook, left, a financial consultant with First Farmers State Bank, and Lacey MacLeod, human resources director for the YWCA of McLean County, take part in a speed networking at a meeting of neXt Professionals.

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Transportation

High-Speed Prospects Multimodal center, rail shrink commuting distances

Story by Bill Lewis

Brian McCord

I

High-speed rail could soon shorten commute times from McLean County to Chicago.

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magine commuting at 110 miles per hour from your office in downtown Chicago to Normal’s redeveloping Uptown district, where you enjoy dinner with friends at a unique, locally owned restaurant before strolling to your nearby urban condominium.

Thanks to the $40 million multimodal transportation center being developed in the heart of the city, and the high-speed Amtrak rail service that should soon follow, that dream is about to become a reality for growing numbers of Normal’s citizens, says Mayor Chris Koos.

“It’s already happening a bit, so it’s not hard to imagine that it will grow. People want the economic

transportation modes under one roof,” says Hannig.

Brian Simpson, president of the Uptown Normal Business Association, is excited by the fact that the transportation center is located next to Constitution Trail, the recreational trail that runs for miles through Normal. He predicts that will encourage day trippers from Chicago.

“You could put your bike on the train in Chicago and an hour-anda-half later be on the trail,” says Simpson. “Or, if you want to play golf, it’s cheaper here than in Chicago.”

The transportation center will help Uptown solidify the gains represented by construction of the Marriott Hotel & Conference Center and investments made by business owners in the district, he says.

It’s not a stretch of the imagination that the multimodal center will instantly be an essential part of the region’s transportation infrastructure.

Normal’s Amtrak station already is the second busiest in Illinois and the fourth busiest in the Midwest. Each year, 182,000 passengers get on or off a train in Normal.

With high-speed rail on a corridor between Chicago and St. Louis, and a convenient multimodal facility in Normal, the number of passengers will only grow and Uptown will prosper, says Koos.

“It’s our field of dreams. If you build it, everything will follow,” he says.

A High Flier Fare structure keeps Central Illinois Regional Airport hopping

Antony Boshier

opportunities that a big city offers and the convenience of living in a smaller community.”

The multimodal transportation center will put Amtrak service, city buses, taxis, airport shuttles and inter-city bus service under one roof, making it possible to travel effortlessly throughout Normal or the entire region without having to drive a car. That convenience should boost efforts to make Uptown an attractive business, residential and entertainment district, says Koos.

“We want to create an environment where people can work, live and play in a five- or six-block area,” he says.

“This is a keystone to what’s been a 10-year project.”

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who announced that the project has qualified for a $22 million federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant, says it will create a “transportation hub in the heart of Illinois.”

“Normal is poised to become a showcase for the potential of highspeed rail in America,” says Durbin.

The four-story building, which will include space for city offices, is expected to be finished as early as June 2012. It will create 290 construction jobs and 30 to 50 permanent jobs, says Gary Hannig, Illinois Department of Transportation secretary.

“The community has done a wonderful job of thinking outside the box and trying to put all

A $40 million transit center in Normal will bring rail and bus service under one roof.

The Central Illinois Regional Airport is one of the fastest growing airports in the nation.

The airport handled nearly 500,000 passengers in 2009, and set records for passenger traffic in the three previous years. In April 2010, the airport set a record for the month, handling more than 44,000 passengers, up more than 16 percent from April 2009, which airport officials attributed in part to the airport’s fares, the lowest on average of any airport in the region.

Located at the crossroads of Interstates 74, 55 and 39, the airport is a major draw for business and leisure fliers. The three airlines that serve the airport – AirTran Airways, American Eagle and Delta – offer service to hub airports including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Detroit, Fort Myers and Minneapolis.

The airport, which opened a new $14 million terminal in 2001, includes 2,900 parking spaces, and parking is free. The airport has two runways – 8,000 feet and 6,500 feet – both of which were upgraded as part of a $26.7 million project in the mid-2000s.

The airport offers a number of amenities for travelers and the community. A conference center on the upper level includes two rooms totaling more than 800 square feet and seating for up to 45 people. A business center next to the conference rooms provides travelers with access to individual workstations, copy/fax machine and high-speed Internet connection. i mage s mclea n . com

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Health

H

For a Growing Population Birthing centers lead capital projects at two hospitals

Story by Kevin Litwin

O

h, baby. Advocate BroMenn Medical Center and OSF St. Joseph Medical Center are both constructing new birthing centers.

Advocate BroMenn broke ground in April 2010 on a $53 million, threestory patient tower that will be constructed on the west side of the hospital’s existing building. It is the first expansion project since Advocate Health Care and BroMenn Healthcare System partnered in January 2010 to jointly operate Advocate BroMenn Medical Center.

“Our new birthing center will have a 12-bed intensive care unit along with an extensive research library and

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M c L ea n C o u n t y

meeting rooms,” says Elyse Forkosh Cutler, vice president of strategic planning for Advocate Health Care.

“There will also be 18 private LDRP (labor, delivery, recovery, postpartum) rooms where all aspects of birthing will take place. When a mother is first admitted, she won’t need to move from room to room. She’ll be in the same room throughout her entire stay.”

The proposed timetable to open the new center is early 2012. Meanwhile, Advocate BroMenn is also making news with a second construction project – a $20 million endeavor – that will occur near Central Illinois

Regional Airport at BloomingtonNormal. A new Advocate BroMenn medical office building will break ground in late 2010 on the site and house mammography, X-ray, immediate care, physical therapy and physician offices. “It’s a busy time construction-wise at Advocate BroMenn,” Cutler says.

That’s also the case at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center. The hospital, run by the Order of St. Francis, has embarked on construction of a $17.3 million, two-story birthing center connected to the north side of the existing Bloomington campus.

“All births will occur on the second

S ta f f P h o t o

floor, where 12 LDRP suites and three triage rooms will be,” says Mary Beth Ettien, nursing manager for the birthing center at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center. “There will also be a spacious nursery and an operating room on site. Plans are for everything to be ready by mid-2011.”

St. Joseph’s is home to 800 births each year, and Ettien says nurses were on the planning committee for the new center.

“We actually built a mock room so our nurses could see if everything was set up correctly,” she says. “A few good changes were made, thanks to input from St. Joseph’s nurses.”

Ettien says other details will include a glass sculpture of a mother and baby that visitors will see as soon as elevator doors open to the second floor.

“St. Joseph’s has a great birthing center right now, but it was time to construct a new one that is amazing,” she says. “From all drawings I’ve seen and people I’ve talked to, the new center will be amazing.”

Advocate BroMenn Medical Center

FoR your continued good health Hospitals provide quality care Advocate BroMenn Regional Medical Center www.advocatehealth.com/bromenn Beds: 200 Total discharges: 9,237 Employees: 2,006

OSF Saint Joseph Medical Center www.osfstjoseph.org Beds: 156 Total discharges: 5,762 Employees: 1,096

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Education

A Link to Business and Community McLean County colleges, universities create a highly skilled workforce

Story by Kelli Levey Photography by Antony Boshier

McLean County Educational Attainment Population 25 years and over

93.4%

High school graduate

39.5%

Bachelor’s degree or higher

6.9%

Associate’s degree

27.9%

Bachelor’s degree

11.6%

Graduate or professional degree

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M c L ea n C o u n t y

M

cLean County leaders are stretching the concept of town and gown by initiating collaborations and pilot programs that also target some of their youngest constituents.

Secondary students from the BloomingtonNormal Area Schools have several opportunities to learn from – and with – students from the county’s two universities, one college and one community college, which provide a gateway to higher education, career selection and ongoing training.

Both Illinois State University and Illinois Wesleyan help sponsor Global Youth Service Day, an annual campaign that celebrates and mobilizes thousands of youth to improve their communities. Support for the program also comes from Youth Service America and State Farm Companies Foundation.

The two universities are also joining forces with three community centers to offer Blank Canvas, a year-long program that introduces college as an option to underrepresented youth and potential first-generation college students,

while providing them with mentoring from college students and exposing them to careers in graphic design and arts technology. The students are developing marketing materials that target their peers.

Though the State Farm Youth Advisory Board grant funding is for one year, co-creator Dick Folse has high hopes for a longer lifespan.

“This is a model that could be replicated in other places and eventually, nationwide,” he says. “Part of the goal is to be a model for other communities.”

State Farm Insurance, the area’s largest employer, partners with schools at all levels.

Illinois State University is teaching the area’s future leaders by collaborating with State Farm to offer training in civic engagement and social leadership.

Illinois State is the first public higher education institution in Illinois to create a Civic Engagement & Responsibility minor, where students must complete 21 hours.

Students will prepare to participate in social change, as well as develop an awareness of

personal social responsibility, according to the course description.

Additionally, Illinois State University has collaborated with the McLean County Chamber of Commerce to form a corporate MBA program, in which about 30 adults complete MBA coursework in just over two years. ISU also works closely with employers to generate a workforce suited for employment in the central Illinois region.

State Farm also supports, via grants, Illinois Wesleyan’s Action Research Center (ARC), which provides research and assistance to area not-for-profit organizations. The program has sponsored a westside redevelopment program and a Radio Latino program produced on campus to reach out to the community’s growing Spanish-speaking population.

“We are very engaged in the

community,” says Carl Teichman, government and community relations director at Illinois Wesleyan. “We’re very fortunate that we have a good working relationship with the Bloomington-Normal community and have for a long time. We each know we can reach out and count on the other.”

Lincoln College-Normal offers an accelerated bachelor’s degree program for working adults that allows completion of a semester-long class in five weeks of intensive study. Students can earn up to 27 credit hours in one calendar year. The Hart Career Center at Illinois Wesleyan University helps match skill sets with employers’ needs, while a workforce development center at Heartland Community College provides students with professional skills and assists employers with employee training and development programs.

Connected to the Community Innovative programs at Lincoln College-Normal boost McLean business Lincoln College-Normal has been a fixture in McLean County since 1979, when the private liberal arts college based in Lincoln, Ill., established its Normal campus.

The college offers professional certification, associate’s degree and bachelor’s degree programs across a spectrum of professions, including bachelor’s programs in business, health services administration, liberal arts, theater, criminal justice, tourism, sports and hospitality.

With an enrollment of about 500 students, many of whom are already in the workforce, the college offers full-time and parttime course options and day, evening, hybrid and online classes.

The college’s accelerated degree completion program allows students to attend class one night a week for five weeks and earn up to 27 credit hours in a calendar year toward a bachelor’s degree in business, liberal arts or health services administration. The program, which numbers about 150 students, is housed at the college’s Center for Adult Learning, a 2,100-square-foot facility that includes state-of-theart classroom and meeting space.

The center opened in April 2009.

The college has a deep reach into the community and supports the local business sector in a number of ways. It launched a bachelor’s degree program in logistics and supply chain management – the first bachelor’s program it is offering completely online. The program is a partnership with Illinois Central College, which allows its students with associate’s degrees in materials and logistics management into its bachelor’s degree program. i mage s mclea n . com

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Energy/Technology

Fertile Ground McLean County is poised to be the next center of innovation

Story by Bill Lewis Photography by Antony Boshier

W

hen most people think of high-tech innovation and job creation, California’s Silicon Valley, not central Illinois, comes to mind. That’s about to change, says Tim Norman, president of Bloomington-based STL, a provider of technology and staffing services.

“McLean County is poised for an information technology revolution, with the right spark,” says Norman, whose company provides cloud computing and other technology services, as well as recruitment services for hard-to-find professionals.

The technology industry in McLean County is a rich mixture of graduates of the standout colleges and

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universities in the region, and technology workers at State Farm and other large employers who are ready to spin off their own companies.

“We’re second or third in the nation, behind San Jose and Silicon Valley, in the number of IT workers per capita, thanks to State Farm. There is a ton of IT knowledge in Bloomington-Normal,” Norman says.

The coming IT revolution will have a huge impact on the local economy, he adds. Tech companies collect dollars from customers across the country and around the world, but they spend their money right here at home.

STL is a good example of that phenomenon. When the

company opened its tier-three data center, a hardy facility designed to withstand a direct hit by a tornado, its first customer was in California.

“It allows us to pull dollars in from outside rather than recycling dollars from inside the county. This is new money for the local community, and it has a powerful multiplier effect,” says Norman.

High-tech companies not only create jobs, they can help other businesses thrive and encourage entrepreneurial activity, says Harlan Geiser, founder of Integrity Technology Solutions. The Bloomington-based company provides outsourced services to customers that want to avoid the expense of maintaining their own IT department.

ITS provides everything from website design to network and database services.

“Smaller businesses have technology needs similar to big businesses, but they can’t afford an entire department,” says Geiser. “We essentially bring in a technology department. You can have a company with 10 employees and have the benefit of a complete technology department.”

ITS is an example of the innovation and forward thinking taking place in McLean County’s business community. After operating a successful business since 1993, Geiser decided to shake things up and adopted openbook management in 2009.

A lot of businesses share financial results at the end of each quarter, but that’s not what Geiser had in mind. Openbook, described in author Jack Stack’s The Great Game of Business, is a management style that allows employees to receive information about revenue, profit, cash flow and expenses to help them do their jobs effectively and understand how the company is doing.

Geiser decided to fully commit to open-book management, even going so far as revealing the amount of his own salary. Employees wrote their own “playbooks” describing how each individual could maximize results.

Geiser believes open-book management not only helped ITS bounce back from the economic downturn, but the company is much more successful than it would have been otherwise.

“Everybody feels like an owner,” says Geiser.

Meeting the Need for Speed Consortium backs creation of low-cost broadband access A collaboration of education, health-care, public safety, government, not-for-profit and business entities has come together to provide high-speed, low-cost connectivity to McLean County.

The Central Illinois Regional Broadband Network is part of a consortium that received federal stimulus money and state funds for a high-speed broadband network in 55 counties in the east central region of the state.

A $62 million federal stimulus grant announced in September 2010 will be coupled with $26 million in state matching funds and $8 million in private partner money to build 1,000 miles of high-speed fiber optic line and upgrade another 1,000 miles of existing wiring beginning in 2011.

The grant was to the Illinois Broadband Opportunity Partnership, which included a proposal from the Central Illinois Regional Broadband Network to offer high-speed services in 19 communities in six different counties and interconnect with more than 250 facilities in education, public safety, health, government, business, libraries, not-for-profits and service providers.

Illinois State University is a lead partner in the effort, joined by 48 other organizations in the region, ranging from local governments to hospital systems to school districts to the McLean County Chamber of Commerce and YWCA. Proponents say the network would be more cost effective than commercial alternatives because it would carry no debt and deliver low-cost Internet bandwidth from the Chicago market where it is less expensive. Backers see the network creating numerous economic opportunities by affordably offering substantially greater Internet access for organizations and citizens. The network, they say, would create economic opportunities, deliver broadband service to underserved areas, help attract and retain businesses and create opportunities for collaboration that were previously not feasible. i mage s mclea n . com

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Livability

Hitting New Highs Merchants play a starring role in helping revitalize Uptown Normal and Downtown Bloomington districts Story by Emily McMackin Photography by Antony Boshier

B

rian Simpson, owner of Babbitt’s Books, has been doing business in Uptown Normal for 25 years. He has witnessed many changes in the district since then, but some things remain the same.

“Business ebbs and flows, but overall there is a strong sense of place here that people enjoy,” Simpson says.

“When you come down here, you feel like part of the community.”

As president of the Uptown Normal Business Association, Simpson’s goal is to preserve and celebrate that sense of place – and get others excited about exploring it.

Revitalization has been part of Uptown Normal’s landscape for years, starting with the development of the 24-mile Constitution Trail and the construction of the interactive Children’s Discovery Museum.

Since fall 2009’s opening of the $75 million crown jewel of the redevelopment efforts – the Marriott Hotel & Conference Center and a 500space parking deck – Uptown Normal, which is in the final stages of lighting, landscaping and streetscape improvements, is already showing renewed exuberance. From coffee shops and sidewalk cafes to comic book shops and vintage record stores, downtown businesses have been growing more profitable and diverse, and not one has closed since the renewal began, Simpson says.

“If there is the right event at the Marriott or the theater, the streets can be crowded, but we also do well on the

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sleepy days when people want to sit outside with a cup of coffee or window shop,” he says. “The people who are the most excited about the revitalization are out-of-town visitors who say, ‘Why can’t we have this where I live?’”

That sentiment is also sweeping through downtown Bloomington, where residential real estate is on the rise.

“We get lots of calls from people wanting to live downtown,” says Erika Kubsch, Downtown Bloomington Association’s executive director. “The number of people interested in the urban lifestyle is growing, and it’s a diverse group, from college graduates to empty nesters.”

Downtown businesses have taken notice, and many are restoring upper floors – formerly used for storage – to refurbish into condos, lofts and apartments. Recently, the association hosted a Tour de Metro event to give residents a taste of downtown living.

“Downtown is eclectic, but it’s a place where everyone can find something they enjoy,” Kubsch says.

“We’re continually bringing in new restaurants and businesses.”

Part of Bloomington’s 30-year plan to redevelop the city’s 48block downtown district includes adding new sidewalks, trees, benches and bike racks. And investors are renovating the Castle Theater.

The Normal Theater is a fully restored art deco movie theater in the heart of Uptown.

Getting To Know McLean County Culture Region showcases bounty of arts, historic offerings McLean County includes a rich cultural heritage, from art to theater to music to museums. Here’s just a small sample:

Illinois Shakespeare Festival www.thefestival.org From its beginning in 1978 as a partnership between the Illinois State University School of Theatre and College of Fine Arts, the festival has grown to a widely regarded summer tradition. An internationally recognized company stages 36 performances of works authored by the Bard each season in a state-of-the-art, Elizabethan-style theater on the 6.5-acre grounds of Ewing Manor in Bloomington. The manor, built in 1929, includes the Ewing Cultural Center and Genevieve Green Gardens.

Illinois Symphony Orchestra

Prairie Aviation Museum

www.ilsymphony.org The symphony has been making beautiful music since 1993 when the Springfield Symphony Orchestra Association and the BloomingtonNormal Symphony Society consolidated into one entity. Under musical direction of Karen Lynne Deal, the symphony performs at multiple venues including the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, Second Presbyterian Church in Bloomington and First Presbyterian Church in Normal, as well as several venues in Springfield.

The symphony has a strong reach into the community, offering educational concerts for elementary school students, free public parks concerts and the award-winning Step-by-Step in-school program for K-6 students.

www.prairieaviationmuseum.org The museum features a collection of preserved aircraft, revolving aviation exhibits and memorabilia, and a mini-theater, highlighting the region’s contributions to the aviation industry. Exhibit highlights include a Bell Sea Cobra, Huey Helicopter and F-14 Tomcat.

Sugar Grove Nature Center www.sugargrovenaturecenter.org Located on more than 1,000 acres in Funks Grove, the center includes the largest remaining intact prairie grove in Illinois, four dedicated nature preserves, and five miles of trails through prairie, forest and riverine habitats. A designated National Natural Landmark, the center features interpretive exhibits, sensory displays and live animals.

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economic profile Business snapshot Historically an agricultural community, McLean County has diversified its economy and is a major center of insurance and financial services, higher education and health care. It is home to such heavy-hitters as State Farm Insurance and Country Financial.

Population (2009) 2009: 167,699

Major industry sectors

2000: 150,433

(% of total employment)

% Change: +11.5

Professional and Business Services, 19.9% Government, 16.9% Financial Activities, 13.3% Leisure & Hospitality, 10.8% Education and Health, 10.4% Manufacturing and Durable Goods, 8.8% Other Services, 3.6% Natural Resources, Mining & Construction, 3.2% Transportation & Utilities, 2.4% Information, 1.0%

Total Households: 17,352 Median age: 31 years

Major MSA Population Centers (2008) Bloomington, 73,026 Normal, 52,056

Major Employers State Farm Insurance Cos., 15,359 Illinois State University, 3,542 Country Financial, 2,174 Unit 5 Schools, 2,037 Advocate BroMenn Healthcare, 2,006 Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing, 1,303

Workforce (2008) Nonagricultural employment, 90,147 Service producing, 82,700 Goods producing, 8,400 Unemployment Rate, 6.9%

McLean County, 806

Median Household Income

Afni Inc., 750

Bloomington-Normal MSA $75,550

OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, 1,096

District 87 Schools, 699 City of Bloomington, 600 Illinois Wesleyan University, 470 Growmark Inc., 412 Nestle USA, 400

504 guido circle Bloomington, il (309) 664-0684 toll-free: (866) 664-0684 Hours: tue.-sat.

7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Cost of Living Bloomington MSA Overall, 91 Food, 98 Housing, 67 Utilities, 107 Transportation, 103 Health, 99 Miscellaneous, 111 U.S. Average=100 Source: Spealing’s Best Places

Transportation Airports

Central Illinois Regional Airport www.cira.com

Highways

The region is served by several major highways, including northsouth routes Interstate 55 and I-39, as well as east-west route Interstate 74.

Railroads

Amtrak, www.amtrak.com Norfolk Southern www.nscorp.com Union Pacific, www.up.com Sources: quickfacts.census.gov, www.bnbiz.org

For more in-depth demographic, statistical and community information on McLean County, go to imagesmclean.com and click on Economic Profile.

Janet Kletz, Owner

M c L ea n C o u n t y

Average Selling Price, $166,533 Single-family home building permits, 167

What’s Online

Janet’s Cakes and Catering

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Housing Market (2009)

AccelerAte

Your Success at Lincoln College – Normal!

Accelerated degrees or professional certificates for busy adults. Classes offered on-campus or online.

Visit us online at abe.lincolncollege.edu or call an ABE admissions counselor at 800.569.0558 for information on enrollment, financial aid and degree programs.

Lincoln College – Normal 715 W. Raab Rd. Normal, IL 61761

visit our

advertisers Advocate BroMenn Healthcare www.advocatehealth.com/ bromenn Afni Inc. www.afni.com Allied Waste Services www.disposal.com CEFCU www.cefcu.com Central Illinois Regional Airport www.cira.com Children’s Hospital of Illinois www.childrenshospitalofil.org Coldwell Banker HOA www.hansajaggi.com Commerce Bank www.commercebank.com Country Insurance & Financial Services www.countryfinancial.com Eastland Suites Hotel & Conference Center www.eastlandsuites.com Health Alliance www.healthalliance.org Horizon Wind Energy www.horizonwind.com Illinois State University www.illinoisstate.edu Janet’s Cakes & Catering Lincoln College at Normal www.lincolncollege.edu Little Jewels Learning Center www.littlejewelslearningcenter.com OSF St. Josephs Medical Center www.osfstjoseph.org State Farm Insurance Companies www.statefarm.com

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