By Barbara Connors

In a nod to the growinginterest in sustainability, theRockford Chamber of Commercethis year has added aGreen Expo aspart of the Regional Business Expo2011 on Sept. 22 at 1515 E. RiversideBlvd. “The Green Expo is a way tofurther promote the growth in thisparticular industry as well as thosebusinesses with products and servicesthat have adapted to meet this demand,”said Einar Forsman, president & CEO ofthe Rockford Chamber. “Manycompanies now only do business withothers that have engaged in greenpractices. Others have been doing sopurely for the long-term economic benefit

to their company, as well as protecting theenvironment.”

In the Rockford area, a number oforganizations have ventured into goinggreen by incorporating more energy-efficient production processes andpractices, by establishing their ownenvironmental programs, by launchingprograms to help others in the community,

By Paul Anthony Arco

Rockford Mayor Larry Morrisseypulled no punches during his messageto business leaders at the Mayor’sBusiness Luncheon, Aug. 10 at theClock Tower Resort and ConferenceCenter. A crowd of 430 turned out forthe annual event, hosted by theRockford Chamber of Commerce.

“You elect people to tell you like it is,

Visit us online at:rockfordchamber.com� online registration� keynote speaker

video clips� event photos� list of Chamber events

Questions? 815-987-8100

Join the Chamber’sLinkedIn Groupwww.linkedin.com/e/gis/2544

UPDATE ON ATTRACTINGNEW EMBRY-RIDDLECAMPUSA news conference took place on

Tuesday, Aug. 16 in the ChicagoRockford International Airportauditorium to update the Rockford-areacommunity on the project to attractEmbry-Riddle Aeronautical University(ERAU) to choose Rockford for its thirdresidential campus. Melissa Barbee,Embry-Riddle’s campus director ofacademic support, announced that ithas applied to the State of Illinois toadd three new programs, doublingthe institution’s curriculum. Abachelor of science in aviationmaintenance, master of science inproject management, and master ofscience in systems engineering couldbe added to the bachelor of sciencein professional aeronautics (intechnical management) and master’sof aeronautical science programs.Janyce Fadden, president of the

Rockford Area Economic DevelopmentCouncil, reminded press conferenceattendees that the process to attract abusiness or institution typically is verylong and that the successful efforts toattract UPS and the Lowes DistributionCenter took four years each.The Community Foundation of

Northern Illinois announced a grandtotal of $2.8 million in scholarshipendowments has been gathered forprospective Embry-Riddle students.

September 2011 | Volume 24 | No. 9

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

2011 RegionalBusiness Expo

Former SearsEssentials/Kmart LocationThursday, September 22

Turn to pull-out section for more

Members speak on thegrowingsustainabilitymovement

The Voice is online at rockfordchamber.com

KARL J. JACOBSCENTERUNVEILED

PAGE 3

Morrissey names city’schallenges for futureNew direction of Rockford Public Schoolsamong the success storiesat Mayor’s Business Luncheon

the good news and bad news,” said MikeDunn, Rockford Area Venues andEntertainment Authority Chairman. “Ithink the message was very clear today.There are economic problems all aroundthe country, and Rockford is clearly oneof the epicenters.”

Morrissey spelled out severalchallenges facing the city, includingbudget concerns and staffing issues. Thecity is down more than 100 employeessince 2008 and is at the lowest level ofstaffing per resident since 1980. The cityis looking at a $6.6 million deficit nextyear if the City Council decides to fullyfund its public safety pensions.

In addition, Rockford’s unemploymentrate remains the highest metro in the stateat 11.6 percent, and the city lost $73.8million in Equalized Assessed Valuefrom 2009 to 2010 — a 3.5 percentdecrease. The projected loss this year isestimated at nearly $100 million.

“The Mayor had a very soberingtone,” said Einar Forsman, president &CEO of the Rockford Chamber ofCommerce. “The budget is a concernand the declining Assessed Value is aconcern. He was very frank.”

Flexibility in Labor Bargaining

The source ofMorrissey’s frustrationis the Illinois State Labor Relations Actthat was passed in 1986, which he said,limitsmanagement rights when it comesto public safety unions, especially policeand fire unions. “The systemwe have inIllinois is broken,” he said. “Statelawmakers have continuously interferedin the bargaining process and dispute

more on page 4

SHINE A LIGHTON ‘PEOPLE YOUSHOULD KNOW’The Rockford

Chamber is rollingout a new series toshine a light on

business leaders in theRockford Region and asks,“Who, from your perspective, arebusiness leaders who make animpact in their business orindustry, or who positively impactthe local business environment, orwho seem to be involved in

many success stories?”In October, the

Rockford Chamber kicksoff its inaugural “People YouShould Know” at a specialreception and in a unique

publication. Please nominatesomeone today by visiting www.rockfordchamber.com. The finaldate for accepting nominations isFriday, Sept. 9 at noon.

Mayor Morrissey shares his frankperspectives with the business audience.

Special RegionalExpo pullout inside!

Rockford Chamber launchesits first Green Expo

2 September 2011 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

As members of the businesscommunity, we know how importanthaving a strong education is todevelop our future workforce as wellas grow and attract business.

We also know that there is a needfor certain levels of reform in thepublic education system in order tohave relevant curriculum to engagethe students and meet the needs ofrapid technology advancement in ourdaily lives and in the workplace. Thebusiness community has both aresponsibility and an opportunity tobe part of the solution in improvingour education system.

When we reached out to you over ayear ago with regard to the publiceducation system, you made us awareof the qualities and abilities neededfor employees joining yourorganization.

You shared with us the kinds of“job readiness” skills that wereimportant as well as the technicalskills that would be needed as part of

the foundation for people to join your

organization.

One of the more common technical

needs was a growth in the skills of

science, technology, engineering and

math for students coming out of high

school.

You also told us that you thought

the business community had much to

offer to help support the public school

system and was willing to volunteer

time to provide such support.

While there will be many

opportunities for private sector

support in the public schools, I want

to make you aware of one initiative

currently underway that needs the

help of the business community

right now.

Consider Volunteeringto Tutor a Child

Alignment Rockford’s Grades 9-12Pathways Committee is in need oflocal businesses and communityorganizations to participate in acareer mentoring/math tutoringprogram with 9th grade mathstudents at East High School.Volunteers will meet once each weekwith one or two students.

Mentoring programs that focus oncertain specialties such as math havebeen shown to dramatically improvestudent test scores as well as increasestudent engagement. The tactic is toengage students in small groups toincrease math comprehension andmentor students to show how math

concepts and education in generalapply to life and work.

The vision of the PathwaysCommittee is that “all students will beengaged and prepared for placementin post-secondary education ortraining for employment.” This is thekind of vision that has beeninformally discussed over many yearsin the business community.

VIEWPOINTPresident’s Message

Einar K. ForsmanRockford Chamber

of Commerce

Rockford business can advance our public school systemEast High School needs math tutoring and mentoring

Mentoring programs that focus in certain specialties such asmath have been shown to dramatically improve student testscores as well as increased engagement from the students

as a result of the mentor relationship.

YOUR SKILLS ARE NEEDED!

Your help is needed to beginachieving this vision. If youbelieve you have the skills orbackground to be a mentor,please contact AlignmentRockford to learn more aboutthe “Invitation to Participate” at815-654-4267. For moreinformation or to volunteerplease visit www.alignmentrockford.com.

The deadline to apply as avolunteer is Sept. 9, 2011.

rockfordchamber.com theVoice September 2011 3

The Rockford Chamber of Commerce welcomes and encourages submissions forThe VOICE of the Rockford Business Community. Deadline is the 15th of the monthpreceding publication. Send news releases and other items of interest to the businesscommunity to:

The VOICERockford Chamber of Commerce308 W. State St., Ste. 190Rockford, IL 61101For information about advertising contact Customer Service at 815-987-8100.The VOICE of the Rockford Business Community (USPS 784-120). ISSN number 1086-0630, is published monthly by the Rockford Chamber of Commerce, 308 W. State St.,Ste. 190, Rockford, Illinois 61101. Periodicals postage paid at Rockford, Ill.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The VOICE of the Rockford BusinessCommunity, 308 W. State St., Ste. 190, Rockford, IL 61101.

Let your Voice be heard

The Karl J. Jacobs Center for Science and Math is the second building on Rock Valley Collegecampus to earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold Level Certification forsustainable and green design.

Rock Valley College unveilsKarl J. Jacobs CenterBy Paul Anthony Arco

Hundreds of community membersand well wishers turned out to tour thenew Karl J. Jacobs Center for Science andMath on the Rock Valley College campus,and pay tribute to the man for whom thebuilding is named.

Former Rock Valley President KarlJacobs along with family and collegeofficials marked the opening of the state-of-the-art facility with a ribbon cuttingceremony and open house on Aug. 16. “It’soverwhelming,” he said. “I didn’t realize Imade this enormous contribution. I’mhappy for my family and children; I knowthey’re proud of their father.”

“This is a tremendous honor for myfather,” added Erik Jacobs. “He’s had somuch support from the community.”

The building has state-of-the-arttechnology and equipment, including sixphysical science labs, six life science labs,12 classrooms, faculty offices, math labspace and student resource areas, andstudent study and lounge spaces. There isa large plaque bearing Jacobs’ likeness inthe main lobby.

Jacobs served as president of RockValley College from 1969 to 1997. Heworked to create many academic programsand building projects to serve the college aswell as the region. “There are very fewpeople who spend 28 years as a collegepresident,” said Rock Valley President JackBecherer. “He’s probably one of a dozenpeople in the nation who have done that.

While he was here, he made the collegeprogressively stronger and stronger andstronger. He did that with humility, andwithout pretense and ego. He was the rightperson for the right time, and it was time forus to honor him.”

Focus on Technology, Science,Math, Going Green

The $28.6 million project brokeground in May, 2010, and was completedon time and on budget, according to DanSaavedra, a partner with SaavedraGehlhausen, the lead architect on theproject. “I’m still amazed we have such afantastic jewel in our community,” he said.“Working with the college has been a realpleasure. The administration and facultywas great to work with throughout theentire process. Overall, the project hasbeen a tremendous success, somethingthat our community should be proud of.We’re proud to be a part of it.”

The Karl J. Jacobs Center for Scienceand Math uses green technology, andwill be the second building on campusto earn Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design Gold LevelCertification for sustainable and greendesign from the United States GreenBuilding Council. The PhysicalEducation Center is the other.

“We’re thrilled with the results,” saidGuy Gehlhausen, a partner withSaavedra Gehlhausen. “This is huge forthe community. There is plenty of

more on page 4

capacity for students. It will be atremendous learning facility.”

The Karl Jacobs is completely heatedand cooled by a geothermal system with 160wells around the building that are 375 feetdeep. The building has a greenhouse,outdoor rain gardens and green roofs thatcontain plant material to absorb heat.Fritted windows regulate light and heat intothe building based on the direction of the

sun. There’s also a large pendulum thathangs from the third floor and serves as aneducational tool to demonstrate the earth’srotation.

“Apart from the aesthetics andfunctionality of the building, which areextraordinary, I couldn’t help but reflect onhow much on target they are here at RockValley, in terms of the national priorities –technology, science and math,” Jacobs said.“Here in our community, with all thefinancial difficulties, we are meeting thatchallenge. It’s a tremendous move on thepart of our board.”

resolution process. I have great respect forthe men and women who work for thepolice and fire departments, but I would bedoing a disservice to our entire communityif I wasn’t honest and I wasn’t direct.

“Since we can’t save money by reducingfire staffing, since we are bound to themanning levels in their contract, then,under our deficit allocation formula, wewould be looking at a reduction of 49 full-time Rockford Police Departmentpersonnel on top of the 23 sworn officerswe’re already down. This is not somethingthat I intend to see happen.

“My biggest concern is sticking ourheads collectively in the sand and doingnothing. I don’t think we’ll do that, becausethere are people like me raising the issues.We need to be willing to have toughconversations, because the problems aretough. If we ignore the problems they won’tgo away, they’ll get worse.”

Ald. Tim Durkee, R-1, agreed. “Theselegacy costs are really a stranglehold on theeconomy,” he said. “Even as councilmembers, our inability to properly staff thecity as far as our public safety — it’s goofy.That’s the best word I can come up with.When the city council works with thepolice, fire and city services department, wewant to adopt a best practice approach. Wewant to do the right thing. I don’t think

there’s anyone in government that doesn’thave that opinion. But in order to do thatefficiently, we have to have flexibility.”

There’s a Silver Lining

Not all was doom and gloom, however.Morrissey highlighted many positives,including the work done by the RAVEBoard and SMG, the growth of CityMarket, the continued pursuit of Embry-Riddle University, and the new direction ofthe Rockford Public Schools.

“We’re excited for the opportunity topartner with the city and the county,” saidEarl Dotson, RPS’s executive director ofcommunication and communityempowerment. “We owe it to ourcommunity to show them we’re workingtogether to make good things happen, notjust for the kids, but for the community atlarge.”

Many in the audience were supportiveof Morrissey’s message. “I think allgovernment has to get a handle on theseissues — pensions, spending, as well asaddressing new revenue,” said Gary Love,vice president, The Love JohnsonGroup/Robert W. Baird & Co. “It makes alot of sense to have intergovernmentalcollaboration. If you get a number ofagencies going in the same direction, it willresult in good things for the city and theregion.”

The Mayor’s Business Luncheon waspresented by BMO Harris Bank. Bronzesponsors were Clifton Gunderson LLP andAT&T.

4 September 2011 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONSAmerican Red Cross,Rock River ChapterCritter Camp Exotic Pet SanctuaryGolden Apple FoundationSmeja FoundationUnited Way of Rock River Valley

CHILD DEVELOPMENTAND DAY CAREBlackhawk Area Council ofBoy Scouts of AmericaYMCA of Rock River ValleyKids Club Playcare

COMMUNITY SERVICEA A R P IllinoisAlpine Kiwanis ClubBooker Washington CenterCommunity Foundationof Northern IllinoisGirl Scouts of Northern IllinoisKiwanis Club of RockfordLa Voz Latina HispanicResource Development Center

Northwest Community CenterRock River Valley PantryRockford PromiseRotary Club of RockfordEast/Cherry ValleyYouth Services Network

EDUCATION, PROGRAMS,PRESCHOOLS, SCHOOLS,COLLEGESBenedictine UniversityByron Forest Preserve/PrairieViewGolf Club/Stone QuarryRecreation ParkCICS Rockford Charter SchoolOrganizationColumbia CollegeConcordia University of WisconsinEmbry Riddle Aeronautical UniversityGalapagos Rockford Charter SchoolJudson UniversityKeith Country Day SchoolKeller Graduate School ofManagement and DeVry UniversityKumon Math & Reading CenterLegacy AcademyLydia Home - RockfordMontessori Private AcademyNorthern Illinois University

OSF Saint Anthony Medical CenterRX Tech Prep SchoolRasmussen CollegeRegional Learning AcademyRegional Office of EducationRock Valley CollegeRockford Career CollegeRockford Christian SchoolsRockford CollegeRockford Lutheran SchoolRockford Public Schools, District #205Saint Anthony College of NursingUniversity of Illinois ExtensionWinnebago CountyUniversity of Illinois, Rockford, A UICHealth Sciences CampusUpper Iowa University -Rockford Center

HUMAN SERVICESAccess Services of Northern IllinoisBarbara Olson Center of HopeCenter for Sight & HearingComprehensive CommunitySolutions/YouthBuild RockfordGiGi's Playhouse/Rockford, LLCHarlem Community CenterThe Haven NetworkLifescape CommunityServices/Community Kitchen, Inc.Lydia Home - RockfordMosaicN A M I - Northern IllinoisNorthern Illinois Food Bank -Rockford BranchOur Childrens HomesteadRockford Area PregnancyCare CentersRockford MELDRockford Rescue Mission MinistriesRockford Youth InitiativeThe Salvation ArmyShelter CareStateline Youth for ChristTransitional Living ServicesY W C A of Rockford

YOUTH EDUCATIONBoys and Girls Club of RockfordMendelssohn Performing Arts CenterPhantom Regiment

ADDITIONAL SECURITY,PRODUCTS, SYSTEMS, ALARMSPer Mar Security

MEMBERSHIPMember Category of the Month

The following is a listing of Rockford Chamber membershighlighted in a specific industry.

EXECUTIVECOMMITTEE

Chairman of theBoardMike BroskiEntré ComputerSolutions

Vice ChairmanRich WalshSwedishAmericanHealth System

TreasurerLarry BridgelandMid-City OfficeProducts

Immediate PastChairmanPam MaherKMK Media Group

DIRECTORS

TeresaBeach-ShelowSuperior JoiningTechnologies, Inc.

Romero BennettBlue SkyInsurance Agency

Andrew BensonBenson StoneCompany, Inc.

Walt BootheHarris Bank, N.A.

Ryan BraunsRockford Consulting& Brokerage

Paul CallighanComEd

Joe CastrogiovanniGiovanni’s, Inc.

J. ChapmanMaverick Media

Rena CotsonesNorthern IllinoisUniversity

Darlene FurstFurst Staffing

Penny LechtenbergHinshaw &Culbertson

Mike MastroianniRock Valley College

Paul McCannStanley Steemer ofRockford

Patrick MorrowAlpine Bank

John OllerPBC Linear, A PacificBearing Company

Mark PetersonCBL AssociatesCherryVale

Dee PremoWhitehead, Inc.Realtors

Peter RickerRockford RegisterStar

Tim RollinsWilliamsMcCarthyLLP

Dan SaavedraSaavedra GehlhausenArchitects

Henry SeyboldRockford HealthSystem

Patrick ShawRSM McGladrey, Inc.

Patti ThayerThayer Lighting, Inc.

Jennifer WoodSikich LLP

Richard ZumwaltOSF Saint AnthonyMedical Center

EX-OFFICIODIRECTORS

Janyce FaddenRockford AreaEconomicDevelopment Council

Einar K. ForsmanPresident & CEO,Rockford Chamberof Commerce

John GrohRockford AreaConvention& Visitors BureauPresident/CEO

Chamber Board of Directors & Officers

Member-to-member Loyalty CardCut out and write your company name on the card below.

Give it to the member you are doing business withto show your support of member-to-member business.

Challengesfor futurecont from front page

Jacobs Centercont from page 3

rockfordchamber.com theVoice September 2011 5

By Colleen Carroll, Hamilton Sundstrand

Hamilton Sundstrand hostedLockheed Martin and its F-35 CockpitDemonstrator, Aug. 8 to 10. The companyis one of 49 Rockford- and Chicago-areasuppliers to the F-35 fighter.

FromRockford, Hamilton Sundstrandsupplies the Electrical Power Generationand Conversion System, a variety ofpumps and the F135 Engine Gearbox.Other Hamilton Sundstrand locationssupply the F-35 Engine Control Systems,Fire Protection and Overheat DetectionSystem, and the Flight ActuationControlElectronics Module and Gun SystemControl Unit.

According to Rockford Site ExecutiveAndreas Schell, president of HamiltonSundstrand Electric Systems, thedemonstrator visits only a limited numberof locations each year. “We were honoredthat Lockheed Martin chose HamiltonSundstrand to stage this demonstrator sothat we could invite other suppliers,elected officials and community leadersto our facility to see, first-hand, the multi-role capabilities of this critical aircraft.

“The F-35 is not only important toHamilton Sundstrand, Lockheed and oursuppliers, but is critical to the braveservicemen and women defending ourcountry. The F-35 has the stealth,maneuverability, and superior technology– much of it made right here in Illinois —to support those who are keeping us safe,and I would urge everyone to become asupporter of continuing this vitalprogram, in the face of Congressionaldefense budget discussions.”

F-35’s Critical Role inNation’s Defense

Lockheed Martin Vice President of F-35 Program Integration and BusinessDevelopment StephenO’Bryan explainedthat, today, the services are flying aircraftthat were designed during the NixonAdministration. The average age of a U.S.Air Force fighter is more than 20 yearsold. “In the commercial airline industry,they are reducing the types of aircraft intheir fleets to simplify training, supplychain and maintenance, and to reducecosts,” said O’Bryan. “The F-35accomplishes this for the military, whilealso transitioning its war-fightingcapability to the next generation ofaerospace technology.”

The F-35 is designed to replace anumber of aging flight inventories,including the U.S. Air Force A-10s andF-16s, U.S. Navy V/A-18s, U.S. MarineCorps AV-8B Harriers and F/A-18s, aswell as U.K. Harrier GR.7s and SeaHarriers.

In addition to a media conferenceand evening reception, HamiltonSundstrand and Lockheed held fivebriefings for supplier companies andseven employee briefings so that eachcould try their hand at “flying” theaircraft that they help build.

Among those attending wereCongressmen Don Manzullo (R-IL) andBobby Schilling (R-IL), who spoke of theF-35’s critical role in our nation’s defense.“The number oneConstitutional functionis defense of the American people,”Manzullo said. “The decisions that we’regoing to be making in the next severalmonths are obviously going to show thepre-eminence and importance of ouraerospacemanufacturing in this country.”

Schilling also emphasized the need forcontinued funding of the F-35 program asa means of defense for our nation, saying“If we can’t defend this great nation,nothing else will matter.”

The F-35 will be manufactured inthree versions: a conventional takeoff andlanding (CTOL) variable for the U.S. AirForce, an aircraft-carrier version (CV) forthe U.S. Navy, and a short-takeoff/verticallanding (STOVL) version for the U.S.Marine Corps and U.K. Royal Air Forceand Royal Navy.

Colleen Carroll is manager, HamiltonSundstrand Communications, Rockford.

F-35 Lightning II ‘flies’at Hamilton Sundstrand

Congressman Don Manzullo takes his turn in the F-35 cockpit.

ROCKFORD SUPPLIERS TOTHE F-35 LIGHTING II

Visit www.f35.com to learnmore about the F-35’s capabilitiesand to sign up for updates on theprogram’s status.

Bearing Headquarters Co.ClinkenbeardExcelsiorHamilton SundstrandJefco Screw Machine ProductsLittlestar PlasticsMakerite Mfg. Co.Precision MastersRockford BurrallRockford Electric EquipmentWilson Tool Corp.

Rockford Chamber endorsesTollway Plan

During its meeting on Aug. 23, theRockfordChamber of Commerce Boardof Directors voted overwhelmingly toendorse the proposed Illinois TollwayCongestion Relief and CapitalImprovement Plan and associated tollincreases to finance the improvements.The vote followed the board’s review of arecommendation from the Chamber’sGovernment Affairs Council to endorsethe proposal after a recap of the IllinoisTollway’s Public Hearing hosted at theClock Tower Resort and ConferenceCenter on Aug. 22.

The proposed improvements includelane expansion from two to three lanesin each direction between Cherry Valleyand Elgin. From Elgin to the KennedyExpressway the improvements includelane expansion to four lanes, with thefourth lane being dedicated to masstransit to facilitate greater movement oftravelers. The project will be financed bya 35 cent increase in passenger rates forI-Pass customers as well as increases inpassenger rates for non-pass holders.Rates for trucking/freight are notimpacted by this proposal.

“The Toll Authority has madesignificant investment in the road systemthat both directly and indirectly affectRockford, and we support their strongtrack record,” said Rockford ChamberPresident & CEO Einar Forsman. “Thisis about transportation and congestion

improvements that help our region, butalso generates much needed jobs for theconstruction industry.”

The comprehensive 15-year capitalplan will complete the rebuilding of the52-year-old system and commit nearly$12 billion in transportation funding toimprove mobility, relieve congestion,reduce pollution and link economiesacross northern Illinois. The newcapital plan for the Illinois Tollway willcreate jobs, stimulate local economiesand provide the congestion reliefcustomers want and need.

The Illinois Tollway is committed toensuring that this region remainscompetitive with other major cities inthe United States and around the worldand unlocking the economic potentialof the region for years to come. It isestimated that the construction projectswill produce 120,000 permanent jobsfor Illinois.

“The Chamber’s GovernmentAffairs Council takes very seriously itsrole in representing the interests ofbusiness in this region,” said RyanBrauns, chair of the Chamber’sGovernment Affairs Council. “Wereviewed the Tollway Proposalthoroughly and felt that the proposedtoll increase was fair, user based, andwill go directly into infrastructureimprovements that will help ourbroader region grow its economy.”

6 September 2011 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

By Sherry Pritz, EIGERlab

The 2011 Technical Center for theArts (TCFA) student residency atEIGERlab (E-L) resulted incollaborative partnerships andpositive outcomes. The residency isan outgrowth of work completed at E-L in 2010 by artistic collaboratorsBrian Gillis, assistant professor of artat the University of Oregon, and MikeMiller, chair and associate professorof visual arts at the University ofIllinois-Springfield.

This year Matt Kennedy, a productdesign student at the University ofOregon, and Joel Walter, a sculpturestudent at the University of Illinois-Springfield, were the first students toparticipate in the residency, and werechosen from a select group of talentedstudents who applied for the program.

Invigorate the Dialogue

The TCFA was created in 2010 toinvigorate the dialogue betweenartists and technology professionalsincluding programmers, machinistsand rapid prototyping specialists.Gillis and Miller were so impressedwith the facilities and innovative spiritat E-L that, following meetings in thespring of 2011, they agreed that a newstudent residency program would be

launched in an effort to make

industry collaborations available to

emerging students in the arts. This

was the initial offering of what will be

an ongoing program.

Art Research MeetsEngineering, Product Design

The student residency program is

a highly collaborative effort involving

the two aforementioned colleges, E-L,

the TCFA and Art Casting of Illinois

(ACI). From the E-L, students

received assistance from mentors and

technology professionals, office space,

rapid prototyping time and materials,

in addition to time and materials for

casting a bronze or aluminum

sculpture offered as a grant from ACI.

Harry Spell, director of TCFA

said, “To create a macrocosm, it is

often much more cost effective to

begin with a microcosm as a test of

effective design. So it has been with

the first residency at the E-L of the

TCFA. From the feedback received

from all levels, including professorial,

graduate and undergraduate, this

primordial, microcosmic burst of

energy has been resoundingly

successful. The next step will be the

test of scalability. This is as true in

artistic research as it is with

engineering and product design.”

Regarding desired outcomes, Gills

said, “We hope that students take

advantage of a period of dedicated

research and development time to

fully realize a project outside of

institutional confines and within an

environment that supports a similar

ethos and is focused on the creation

of new knowledge.”

Sherry D. Pritz is technical specialist atEIGERlab.

Thomas V. Bona joined the Rockford Region EconomicDevelopment District as client solutions coordinator. Bonawill assist the RREDD and partner agencies – the RAEDCand Growth Dimensions for Belvidere-Boone County – withwriting, research and marketing resources to attract andretain businesses in the region.

Bona has more than 10 years of experience as anewspaper reporter in Indiana and Illinois, coveringgovernment, transportation and business topics. He workedfor three-and-a-half years as a business reporter for the

Rockford Register Star. Recently he served as marketing, communications and publicrelations specialist for Chicago Rockford International Airport. Bona is a graduate ofGoshen (Ind.) College, with a bachelor’s degree in communications.

New LinkedIn group an ideaexchange for area manufacturersBy Matthew Simpson, RAEDC

The RAEDC has taken to theprofessional networking site LinkedIn toconnect with the regional manufacturingcommunity. Occasionally, the RAEDCgets requests from organizations tosuggest a company that can supply a partto strict specifications, or provide certainmanufacturing services. Instead ofattempting to sift through companynames and trying to recall who has whatcapabilities, we would like to presentthese opportunities directly to you as theycome to us.

The Rockford Area Manufacturersgroup (RAM) will provide the perfectplatform to share these opportunities. RAMis a professional networking platformavailable through LinkedIn that will allowRAEDC to communicate directly to area

manufacturers quickly and effectively,thereby streamlining access to opportunitiesand information. The group is a peer-to-peerchannel, as well, allowing manufacturers toexchange ideas, requests for services, andsuggestions amongst themselves. This willaid in creating a more robust businessclimate in our region.

RAM Member Criteria

� Have an account on the LinkedInprofessional networking site.

� Engage in manufacturing processes.� Operate your business in the

greater Rockford area.For more information, please contact me

at 815-969-4258 or MSimpson@RockfordIL.com.

Matthew Simpson is business development specialistat the RAEDC.

Photo by Joel Walter

Technical Center for the ArtsArt students develop intechnology environment

Thomas V. Bona, RREDDclient solutions coordinator

RREDD addsnew staff member

…students receivedassistance from mentorsand technologyprofessionals, office space,rapid prototyping time andmaterials, in addition totime and materials forcasting a bronze oraluminum sculpture…

rockfordchamber.com theVoice September 2011 7

By Roger Shrum, IMEC

Like other small manufacturers fightingto adapt to the economic downturn, AlphaStar Tool and Mold, Crystal Lake (Ill.),knew diversifying its customer base waskey to survival. But the family-ownedmanufacturer of high-end precision toolingand molds quickly learned getting in thedoor with large companies required thecredibility only ISO 9001:2008 registrationcould bring. So when trusted advisorsrecommended IMEC’s help, Alpha Star(www.alphastartoolandmold.com) took theplunge — and emerged with ISO9001:2008 certification in hand just fivemonths later.

According to Vice President Matt

Thurow, Alpha Star is a “well-oiledmachine” that’s highly respected in itsindustry. He credits his parents, whostarted the company in 1988, for aforward-thinking approach to running thebusiness and for building a customer basethat spans various markets — fromconsumer goods to laboratory equipmentto products for aerospace and energy.

Still, the recession was a harshreminder of the need to keep improvingand diversifying — and it led Thurow toapproach a local elected official forsupport. He invited U.S. Rep. DonManzullo to speak at a meeting of theAmerican Mold Builders Association,then to Alpha Star for a site visit.Impressed with what he saw at thecompany’s Crystal Lake facility, thecongressman introduced Thurow toPam Cumpata, president of theMcHenry County EconomicDevelopment Council, and offered tohelp make introductions to several largecompanies with operations in the area.

“Representative Manzullo is a friendof manufacturing, and he wanted to helpus,” Thurow said. “He tried to get us inthe door with some potential newcustomers, including GE Aviation andBoeing, but he had a hard time becausewe weren’t ISO registered. So he and Pamencouraged us to talk to IMEC.”

Road to ISO Certification

The relationship began with a pre-investigation audit, in which IMECdetermined Alpha Star’s ISO-readiness.Confident the company had the rightprocesses and procedures in place,IMEC began searching for financialassistance that would enable Alpha Starto move forward with the project. Grant

money was available through SouthernIllinois University, but it had to be usedby June 30.

“This was in February,” Thurow said.“IMEC told us they’d never completedan ISO 9001:2008 registration project infive months, but they were willing togive it a try. It seemed daunting butpossible at the same time.”

Grant money in hand, the twoorganizations worked together to fast-track the registration process, with afocus on updating Alpha Star’spaperwork to conform with ISO9001:2008 procedures and mandatesand teaching company leaders how toconduct internal auditing effectively.

“IMEC told us we were the mostISO-ready company they’d ever workedwith,” Thurow said. “We were doingabout 95 percent of what ISO 9001:2008required already and just needed totweak it to be in compliance.”

As part of the project, IMECconducted an all-employee meeting with

Alpha Star’s 17 employees, walkingthem through what to expect andanswering their questions. Thurowbelieves this meeting helped put histeam at ease about the process and wasa key step in gaining buy-in.

“We appreciated that IMEC didn’tcome in and throw out what we’d beendoing successfully for 20 years,” he says.“Some consultants want to change whoyou are. IMEC took the time tounderstand our business and adapt theirprocesses to us. They helped us do whatwe’re already doing even better.”

With IMEC’s help, Alpha Star

received its ISO 9001:2008 certification inearly July — and Thurow is anticipating itwill lead to significant new businessopportunities within the next 18 months.He’s also planning to turn to IMEC againin the next year or two to pursue ISOregistration for the aerospace industry.

“We’re thinking long term andlooking forward to working withCongressman Manzullo and others toreach out to larger companies,” he says.“We know ISO 9001:2008 certificationmakes us look more professional in theireyes, and we have IMEC to thank forhelping us achieve it so quickly.”

IMEC Success Story: Alpha Star Tool and Mold, Inc.Family business gains professionalism with ISO certification

“We appreciated that IMEC didn’t come in and throw out whatwe’d been doing successfully for 20 years. Some consultantswant to change who you are. IMEC took the time tounderstand our business and adapt their processes to us.They helped us do what we’re already doing even better.”

– Matt Thurow, vice president, Alpha Star Tool and Mold

An Alpha Star Tool and Mold employee at work.

Alpha Star Tool and Mold's leadership team meets with Congressman Don Manzullo and IMECstaff Roger Shrum and Eric Danielson.

Manufacturing News is sponsored by IMEC

http://www.deltadental.com

rockfordchamber.com theVoice September 2011 9

John GrohRACVB

Let’s get togetherFlexible networks aid economicdevelopment

Coming together is easy. Stayingtogether is hard.

Thinking about what’s happening inour community and economicdevelopment circles lately, I’d say – as acommunity – we are getting increasinglybetter at staying together.More andmore,local organizations, in many cases withlittle in common, are breaking downbarriers and forming new alliances toensure our region’s future.

In most cases these are loosely knitnetworks that come together for a singlepurpose and then disband once the task isaccomplished. In some instances, thealliances are more long lasting. In justabout every case, the final objectiveresults in an improved community.

Rockford Casino Coalition

The Rockford region is the closest ithas ever been to landing a casino, and thejobs that would comewith it. A bill beforeIllinois Governor Pat Quinn would grantthe region a casino license. In June,RACVB worked with others to launchthe Rockford Casino Coalition. Thecoalition exists to urge the governor tosign SB 0744. Supporters, ranging fromarts to agriculture to building and tradeorganizations, have publicly shown theirsupport at news conferences, via newsreleases and resolutions. All total, morethan 30 groups and thousands ofcitizens have proclaimed, “We’re all in,Governor Quinn!” and that numbercontinues to grow.

Joining together as part of theRockford Casino Coalition has helpedthese groups communicate the strengthand determination of the Rockford regionregarding this issue. While, at the time ofthis writing, we don’t know what actionthe governor will take, we do know he’sreceiving the message that Rockfordwants and needs a casino.

While the casino coalition is the latestexample of how our region is usingflexible networks to spur community andeconomic development, it is not the firstor only. A quick look at the last coupleyears shows several instances where ourregion has rallied and worked together tobring about growth.

Flexible Networks asAgents of Change

When leaders learned Embry RiddleAeronautical University was consideringopening a residential campus in Rockford,the community rallied to pursue theopportunity. More than 150 public andprivate organizations displayed theirsupport for the project. Businesses andindividuals pledged a total ofmore than $1

million for a scholarship endowment.

Community leaders chartered a flight to

Florida to take their message directly to

the university’s president. ERAUhas yet to

make a decision, but the community

already has rolled out the red carpet.

The Rockford CityMarket is one of the

region’s most recent collaboration success

stories. Less than 18 months ago, the

market consisted of about a half-dozen

people, from several diverse organizations,

gathered around a table with a hope and a

dream. Now in its second season, the

market draws nearly 3,000 people to

downtown Rockford every Friday night,

increasing business at current

establishments and serving as an incubator

for others.

The rumble of passenger trains draws

closer thanks to the success of the

Blackhawk Express Rail Coalition. More

than 100 entities from throughout

northwest Illinois, including construction

companies, social service organizations,

bankers, lawyers, realtors andmore, united

to show support for passenger rail service

between Dubuque and Chicago through

Rockford. Their collective voice was loud

enough to encourage Governor Quinn to

designate $60 million toward the return of

passenger service. The Illinois Department

of Transportation has selected a route, and

service is projected to begin in 2013.

TheRockford SchoolDistrict has a new

feel this year as elementary students begin

attending zoned schools, a departure from

the prior “controlled choice” system. The

Rockford Chamber of Commerce and

Next Rockford led a coalition of business

and community leaders in a push for a new

student assignment plan. The Zones Now

Coalition brought the issue to the center of

public attention and charted a new course

for the future.

Growing Stronger

Building a coalition doesn’t guarantee

a win, but it makes our voice stronger.

Each time we join together, we learn a

little more and do a little better. We’ve

understood for years that together we’re

greater than the sum of our parts. Now

we’re putting that to practice.

John Groh is the president/CEO of the Rockford

Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, the

region’s chief ambassador and the agency

charged with growing our economy by growing

visitation to the region.

With a continued challenging

economy, there is no shortage of

applicants to choose from for almost any

given position. The applicant pool is filled

with qualified potential hires; however, it

also has individuals with potential

criminal records.

According to the Justice Department

Bureau of Justice Statistics, more than

572,000 nonfatal violent crimes (including

rape, robbery or assault) occurred against

individuals age 16 or older while at work

in 2009.

If a crime of this nature were to occur

at your organization, the ramifications

could mean the end of your business.

In addition to protecting your

workforce, an Aberdeen Group study

finds that organizations utilizing

background checks showed a 60 percent

improvement in quality of hires.

Increasing the quality of a hire helps

decrease turnover and saves money on

training as well.

Basic Rules forBackground Checks

Regardless of the type of informationgathered, employers should follow somebasic rules regarding background checks.

� Information sought in a backgroundcheck should be job-related (i.e., theemployer does not necessarily need adriving record for an employee who willbe working as a data-entry operator at acomputer all day).

� Information obtained during abackground investigation must be keptconfidential and should only bedistributed to the appropriate HRmanager or hiring manager.

� Keep all records under lock and keyat all times.

� To avoid claims of discrimination,background checksmust not be done on aselective basis. If background checks areconducted for a particular position, thenall final candidates for that position shouldbe subjected to a background check.

Employers must avoid conducting checksonly on those applicants who havesomething they consider suspicious ontheir applications.

Steps to Follow

When conducting the actualbackground check, most organizationsbegin with a core background check. Thisincludes a Social Security Trace, a state orcounty criminal search, and a federalcriminal search.

The Social Security Trace will validatethe applicant’s Social Security numberand provide an address history, whichwillhelp you search any state in which theapplicant has previously lived.

The state or county criminal searchcan be conducted by either running adatabase search or by ordering a physicalsearch of criminal records. County recordswill be searched at the appropriate countycourthouse and state records will besearched through the appropriate party,usually the state highway patrol.

The federal criminal search is a search

of all U.S.Federal Courts,as federal and state crimes are chargedand reported independently of each other.

The final step is to supplement the corecheck with any role or job-specificsearches. Some examples are: motorvehicle reports for anyone driving for yourorganization; credit reports for anyone inan accounting function or with fiduciaryresponsibility; and educational verifica-tions for any role which requires a degree.

Conducting background checks is aneconomical and easy way to help ensurethe safety of yourworkforce and to provideyour organizationwith a competitive edge.

Chris Cluney is AAIMCheck practice leader.AAIMCheck provides background and referencechecking and drug testing services. Contact him at314-754-0219 or chris.cluney@aaimea.org.Locally, contact Kathy Siedenburg at 815-262-8058 or kathy.siedenburg@aaimea.org.

The views expressed are those of Cluney’s and donot necessarily represent those of the RockfordChamber of Commerce.

10 September 2011 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

INSIGHTGuest Perspective

Chris CluneyAAIM Employers’

Association

Improve quality of hires with background checksKnow who you bring into your organization

Help available for local businesses hiring new workersBy John Strandin, Boone & Winnebago

Counties Workforce Investment Board

Businesses considering plans to hire

and train new employees don’t have to go

it alone. The Boone and Winnebago

Counties Workforce Investment Board has

received a grant from the state to help

train currently unemployed individuals in

new positions. The On-The-Job Training

program pays at least half of the wages

(and sometimes a lot more, depending on

the size of your company) for up to six

months for newly hired workers. This is a

win-win initiative for all involved.

We have heard for months that

businesses are having a difficult time findingworkers with the skills needed to fill availablepositions. The great thing about thisprogram is that new employees can get on-the-job training that is specific to the positionthey are filling.

“Workers receive the training mostappropriate for the available jobs, andemployers receive a subsidy to help cover thecost of the new employee during that timewhen he/she is least productive,” said JohnPhelps, Rockford Local DevelopmentCorporation — a huge supporter of on-the-job training. “The reticent employer nowhasa strong incentive to hire that full-timeemployee knowing that the training cost willbe shared by the OJT grant.”

Training at Minimal Employer Cost

This is not just another governmentprogram with lots of red tape andpaperwork. There is some follow-upinvolved, but most of the busy work is doneby our business representatives at TheWorkforce Connection. There is a catch — ifyou’re interested in the program, talk to usfirst. The OJT agreement has to be workedout before an eligible employee starts his orher new job. We can also help connect youwith potential workers with a wide rangeof education and experience who aremotivated to learn new skills.

This is not a new program. Numerousbusinesses have taken advantage of our on-

the-job training program over the years withgreat success.

“Ford Tool &Machining took advantageof the OJT program for the first time inMarch of 2011,” said Ginger Elsasser, HRspecialist at Ford Tool & Machining, LLC.“Our first encounter has been very successfulfor both Ford Tool and our employee. Thisprogram allows the employee the ability togain the experience and knowledge theyneed to perform the job, at minimal cost toour company.”

If you are interested in adding toyour workforce using this program,contact Robert Jones, businessaccount manager, The WorkforceConnection, at 815-395-6619.

rockfordchamber.com theVoice September 2011 FOCUS ON HEALTHCARE & WELLNESS 11

We all are especially aware during thesedifficult economic times that medical carecosts are rising beyond the reach of ourpresent and future resources. Over the nextnine yearsmedical costs are projected to goup — from $2.6 trillion to $4.6 trillion.Corporations and other payers face yearlydouble-digit increases in medical care costsand insurance premiums. Unions bargainfor less increases in premiums and co-pays,while providers argue that the cost ofdelivering care is not keeping up withreimbursement. This system is broken inmany ways, but unsustainable financialforecasts are driving opportunity that offersan immediate way forward; focused on self-insured corporate payers.

Research documents that atherapeutic lifestyle change can prevent,arrest and often reverse commonmedicalconditions. The same lifestyle canprevent, stabilize and often reverse TypeII diabetes, elevated cholesterol, highblood pressure, overweight and loss ofenergy. This research has resulted inMedicare’s approval of the Ornishprogram for payment as of January, 2010.

Recent Ornish publications have shownarrest and reversal of early prostate cancerwith the same lifestyle. These sameprinciples are now taught by the RockfordCHIP program (Coronary HealthImprovement Project), the PritikinLongevity Center, and many othertherapeutic lifestyle change programsthroughout the country.

Healthy Employees Mean Savings

The newhealthcare laws allow corporatepayers to offer HRA (health risk assess-ment) results-based premiums, co-pays andincentives (rewards and/or penalties), ratherthan the usual rewards for voluntaryparticipation in wellness programs.Research shows chronic disease accountsfor 75 percent of our nation’s medical carebill. Furthermore, 20 percent of employeeshave 80 percent of the claims, and theseseldom are the people who voluntarilyparticipate in thewellness programs offeredby the company. Yet these few claims raisethe premiums for all employees.

Asking High-Risk Employeesto Pay More

Recent Wall Street Journal/HarrisInteractive Poll surveys show that 53percent of Americans now think it is fair toask those with unhealthy lifestyles to paymore for their health insurance (up from 37percent only three years ago) — much likedrivers with poor driving records can expectto pay more for auto insurance. The newlaws allow a 20 percent premiumdifferential for high-risk profiles until 2014,when it goes to 30 percent. Companiesexperience even higher indirect costs from

their unhealthyemployees interms of absenteeism or decreasedproductivity and creativity of employees.

Formerly, voluntary participationwellness programs offered an average ROI(return on investment) of $1.50 to $2.50 foreach dollar invested.

The New York Academy of Medicinehas published a Compendium ofCommunity Health Programs that workand identified theRockfordCHIPProgramas one of the best, predicting that suchprograms can offer ROIs of $5.60 for eachdollar invested. WELCOA, WellnessCouncils of America, has endorsed theRockford CHIP program as a turnkeyhealthy lifestyle intervention for companieswanting to offer the newHRA results-basedhealthcare financing option.

New estimates for these programs showROI approaching $5 to $10 per dollarinvested, with results in a few months,rather than a few years.

Wellness:A Win-Win for All

Wenowhave our best opportunity yet tochange the paradigm. People want to behealthy, contribute to their workplace, servethe community and live to see their familiesgrow and prosper. The programs describedabove can be a win-win for all stakeholders.

The really good news is that research hasproven that it is never too late to take chargeof your health, and as we take advantage ofthese opportunities, the City of Rockfordbecomes a model for improving quality oflife while controlling and reducing medicalcare costs. This could be a big factor inattracting businesses to our city. This is theyear to initiate changes and returncompanies and people to health and vitality.

Roger L. Greenlaw, M.D., is a gastroenterologistand holistic integrative medicine doctor who teacheslifestyle change to prevent, arrest and reverse manycommon medical conditions.

The views expressed are those of Dr. Greenlaw’sand do not necessarily represent those of theRockford Chamber of Commerce.

INSIGHTGuest Perspective

Roger L. Greenlaw,M.D.CHIP

Reducing corporatemedical care costs

RESOURCES TO CUTHEALTHCARE COSTS

For more information onreducing your company’s expensesthrough CHIP educational programsand how to encourage employeehealthier lifestyles, please contact:

Dr. Roger Greenlaw atrgreen97@aol.com

Jody Perrecone atjperrecone@CHIPhealth.com

815-316-6361 (Rockford CHIPprogram office)

CHIPHealth.com

WELCOA.com (Wellness Councilof America)

12 FOCUS ON HEALTHCARE & WELLNESS September 2011 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Many of us will experience some form ofback pain in our lifetime. Some cases aremore severe than others, and there are avariety of causes. A well known trigger toback pain can be your work environment.The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports195,150 cases involving work-related injuriesto the back in 2009. While many of theseinjuries are related to lifting and pulling,some could be the result of poor posture anda lack of ergonomics in your work space.

Take a look at your office space. Doyou or your employees look comfortable?Are desks and chairs at the right height?Are you slouched in your chair orhunched over? A few small changes in thework space can go a long way towardshelping you and your employees avoidexcessive back and neck strain.

Here are the top things you should knowto make sure your office set-up is good foryour spine.

Workspace Ergonomics

Chair Essentials. Use a well-constructedergonomic chair to help reduce fatigue anddiscomfort, increase your blood flow, andreduce the risk of injury to your neck andspine. Make sure your office chair has agood backrest that provides lumbar support,is not too high, and that you can rest yourfeet on the ground, can rotate and swivel,and recline -- sitting at a 100 to 110 degreeangle is better.

Desk Details. Make sure your desk isstable and at a good height — 28 to 30 inchesabove the floor is suitable for most adults.You also will want it to be large enough toaccommodate your computer and a separatespace for writing and other tasks.

Computer Set-Up. Since so much officework is done on computers, where yourequipment is placed can make a differencein how your back feels when you are at work.Try tilting the keyboard down and slightlyaway for better wrist posture. Make sureyour mouse is close enough that you can useit with your arms relaxed. Place the monitor

directly in frontof you at eyelevel. If using a laptop, consider getting anexternal monitor and/or keyboard. Thiswill allow you to move each of thesecomponents separately to create acomfortable arrangement.

Posture is Key

You could have all of the latest technologyand equipment, but if you’re not sittingproperly, your spine will suffer. To avoidback pain, make sure to do the following:

� Sit upright with your back andshoulders against the back of the chair.

� Avoid holding your phone betweenyour head and shoulder.

� Don’t slouch.

� Arms should rest lightly on the armreststo avoid circulatory problems or nervepressure.

� Keep your feet flat on the floor and tryto avoid crossing your legs.

� Relax your shoulders while typing.

Take Breaks

Taking occasional spine breaks canhelp you avoid excessive strain. Stretch,take a short walk, get the blood flowing.When you are at your desk, avoid stayingin one position for a long time. Tryswitching between sitting and standing.

We can’t always prevent injuries andaccidents in the workplace, but reducingsome of the risk factors certainly can help.Protecting your spine when you can willhelp keep you and your employees happyand healthy on the job.

Dr. Christopher Sliva is a fellowship-trained spinesurgeon with Rockford Spine Center, 2902McFarland Road in Rockford.

The views expressed are those of Dr. Sliva’s and donot necessarily represent those of the RockfordChamber of Commerce.

INSIGHTGuest Perspective

Dr. Christopher SlivaRockford Spine

Center

Is your work spacespine friendly?

Social Security announced 12 newCompassionate Allowances conditions —diseases and other medical conditions that,by definition, meet Social Security’sstandards for disability benefits. The 12severe heart diseases added bring the totalnumber of conditions in the expediteddisability process to 100. Overall, conditionsprimarily include certain cancers, adultbrain disorders, and a number of raredisorders that affect children.

The Compassionate Allowancesinitiative is one of two parts of the agency’sfast-track system for certain disability claims.When combined with the Quick DisabilityDetermination process, Social Securityexpects to fast-track nearly 150,000 cases.

New Conditions

Aortic AtresiaLeft Ventricular Assist Device

(LVAD) RecipientEisenmenger SyndromeMitral Valve AtresiaEndomyocardial FibrosisPrimary Cardiac AmyloidosisHeart Transplant Graft FailurePulmonary AtresiaHeart Transplant Wait List - 1A/1BSingle VentricleHypoplastic Left Heart SyndromeTricuspid Atresia

For more information, visit www.ssa.gov/compassionateallowances.

Social Security adds newCompassionate Allowances conditions

http://www.swedishamerican.org

14 FOCUS ON HEALTHCARE & WELLNESS September 2011 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

How healthy is your company? I don’tmean the health of your balance sheet. I’mtalking about the health of your employees.

Unfortunately, the cost of health care fororganizations continues to be on the rise.While provisions related to health carereform are responsible for some of theincreases we see in premiums, there areseveral other contributing factors.

Nationally, there’s been an increase inutilization of health services.While the causeis not certain, studies suggest that during adown economy, we buy more health carebecause of additional stress. Increasedunemployment and fewer hours at workhave given peoplemore time to finallymakethat doctor visit. Heightened awareness ofthe cost of health care creates a consumerperception that since they pay for insurance,they should make sure they’re using it.

Regardless of the reason, high healthcare costs will likely be another “newnormal” for business owners. Asdiscouraging as this may be, there areoptions available to help control and limitthese increases.

Rocked by ‘Sticker Shock’

After health care reform passed just overa year ago,many business owners likely had‘sticker shock’ when they received quotes fortheir 2011 health care plans. When facedwith these increases, it’s important toremember that there are many choices outthere. It pays to shop around for the bestinsurance carrier and plan-design for youremployee population.

In addition, don’t underestimate thepower of education. Admittedly, most of uspurchasemedical care differently thanwe doany other product or service. For example,when purchasing items like a car or newcomputer, most people will research andreview differentmodels andwork to find thebest deal. But when it comes to our healthcare, we seldom do this. In fact, most of usdon’t even think that we can!

Most health insurance providers nowhave online tools and trained customerservice representatives that can assist incomparing the costs of medical care andprocedures among area physicians. Thistransparency of medical costs and providerquality is becoming easier to use and morerobust with each passing year. Now all weneed to do is get used to using it!

ImplementWellness Programs

Another way employers can help addressthese costs is to implement a functionalworkplace wellness program. Workplacewellness programs can take many forms,from hosting simple activities related tohealthy lifestyle choices to formal health riskassessments with programs and goalsspecific to employee health risks.

A few things to keep in mind relative towellness in the workplace: Good health isn’t

a switch we canturn on forovernight success. Good health is achievedby consistently making smart choices aboutwhat goes into ourmouth and howmuchwemove. Changing poor habits into good onestakes time to develop and produce results. Agood rule of thumb for seeing real change isthree years. A good wellness programcannot protect your claim experience fromhealth misfortune, such as a serious illnessor accident. Even with a great wellnessprogram, there will be years when your costsincrease.

Not all employees will embrace wellnessprograms. A good wellness programincludes incentives and goals that encourageemployees to willingly participate. Successof fellow employees increases participationover time. Be sure to celebrate individualsuccess as appropriate. Such celebrationwillpromote additional participation.

Pinpoint Key Employee Health Issues

To help make sure your dedicatedresources and wellness programs areeffective, first identify the greatest healthissues among your employee base. Start withencouraging optional health risk assess-ments so you can recognize key issues as wellas establish a benchmark to measure thesuccess of your program against. You caneven reward employees for participating inthe assessment. Then, design education andactivities specific to those health areas whereyour employees are challenged. Each personis different: Some need to achieve a healthyweight, others needmore physical activity orto stop smoking.

Rising health care costs obviously affectyour employees as well. You can help themsave money by offering a high deductibleplan in conjunction with a Health SavingsAccount option. The popularity of HSAshas continued to grow in recent years. Thenew limits for Flexible Spending Accounts(FSA) make contributing to an HSA evenmore attractive. Starting in 2013, the reformwill cap annual FSA contributions at $2,500per year, when there previously was nomaximum. HSAs are another option thatcan help employees get involved in theirhealth care decisions.

Helping to improve the health of youremployees not only reduces your bottom lineby lowering health care costs; it also helpscut down on lost productivity from workersbeing out for health-related reasons. Healthcare should be approached as a partnershipwith employees. The more you can worktogether to improve and support healthylifestyles, the less the cost will be for all.

Terri Burdick is senior vice president,administration & operations, at Blackhawk Bank.The views expressed are those of Burdick’s and donot necessarily represent those of the RockfordChamber of Commerce.

Terri BurdickBlackhawk Bank

Workplace wellness thatbenefits your bottom line

PERSPECTIVEGuest Perspective

rockfordchamber.com theVoice September 2011 SPECIAL INSERT: REGIONAL EXPO A

September 22, 1 to 7 pm | Former Sears Essentials Building | 1515 E. Riverside Blvd., Loves Park

and bymanufacturing or selling energy-efficient products. Below are storiesfrom just a few.

Corporate CouncilExplores Green Practices

The Natural Land Institute inRockford formed two years ago aCorporate Council of regionalbusinesses that explore green businesspractices, including energy-savingtechniques, natural landscaping forcorporate campuses, and new methodsof conservation design. Participants ofthe Corporate Council meet quarterly todiscuss topics ranging from improve-ments to public transportation systems,energy-efficient building design andconstruction, waste reduction andrecycling, “paperless” office practices,and the use of native plants in landscapedesign.“Companies that use natural

landscaping, reduce waste, and recycle,save money by reducing labor, loweringenergy costs, and lowering waste disposalcosts,” said Jerry Paulson, executivedirector of the Natural Land Institute.“Turning a business’ vacant lot into aprairie may cost more than planting atraditional bluegrass lawn, but it costsalmost nothing to maintain the area oncethe prairie has been established. Nativeplants also absorb more rainfall, therebyreducing the risk of flooding. A green roofretains rainwater, helps to cool thebuilding, and reduces wear and tear onthe roof itself.”

Corporate Council on Tour

The Corporate Council tours areabusinesses and buildings that haveincorporated sustainable features intotheir day-to-day business practices.Tours have traveled to locations likeSpecialty Screw Corporation, theMcGladrey building built by CBros, theKarl J. Jacobs Center for Science and

Math at Rock Valley College (designedby Saavedra Gehlhausen Architects),Lantow Lofts and Katie’s Cup coffeeshop, and Freedom Field RenewableEnergy.The Natural Land Institute is a

nonprofit organization that has lead inpreserving and restoring more than16,000 acres of natural land in northernIllinois since 1952. For moreinformation and a list of CorporateCouncil member businesses, visitwww.NaturalLand.org.

Rebates for LightingSystem Retro-Fits

Thayer Lighting, Inc., a full servicelighting distributor in Machesney Parkand a ComEd Trade Ally, has partneredwith the ComEd Smart Ideas program,which provides rebates for companiesthat retro-fit old lighting systems to newhighly energy-efficient lighting systems.Mark Carlson, facilities engineer at

First Evangelical Free Church, inRockford, led his church through theretro-fit process with Thayer. “When we

realized the products we were using werebeing discontinued, we contactedThayer Lighting, Inc., which did anenergy audit of our existing lightingsystem and prepared a proposal thatincorporated the changes needed tomeet the new standards, reduce ourenergy costs and qualify for the ComEdSmart Ideas rebates. We were soimpressed with the numbers, we decidedto move ahead on the entire project.Through Thayer Lighting and WilsonElectric’s workmanship, the project wascompleted as scheduled and qualifiedfor four additional rebates.”To date, Thayer Lighting has retro-fit

more than 15,000,000 square feet withenergy-saving lighting.

Leading the‘Donate Movement’

For 75 years, Goodwill Industries ofNorthern Illinois has been anentrepreneurial leader of the “reduce,reuse, repurpose” practice.To combat electronic waste (or e-

waste), Goodwill recycles computersand components through the Dell-Reconnect partnership. Dell-Reconnectis a free drop-off program forconsumers who want to recycle anybrand of unwanted computer andcomputer accessories. Donatedelectronic equipment is broken downinto parts, such as metals, plastics andglass to be recycled by Dell partners.Last year, Goodwill kept more than300,000 pounds of computers andcomputer equipment out of arealandfills.“Goodwill has a decades-long

history of recycling and repurposingunwanted household items andclothing,” said Sam Schmitz, presidentof Goodwill Industries of NorthernIllinois. “These unwanted items mightotherwise end up in municipal landfills,thus reducing the life of the landfill andcosting the tax payers higher fees. Notonly does our model provide jobs andjob training for those in need, our

Going Greencont from front page

Benson Stone Company, Inc., showroom after a lighting retro-fit using LED par lamps. BensonStone went from 75 to 14 watts with brighter lighting and an 81 percent savings in electricconsumption per bulb. more on page B

“green” model helps reduce costsfor municipalities and individuals,who are able to save on dailyconsumer products.”

To promote being sociallyresponsible and green, the Goodwillsnationwide have joined to launch the“Donate Movement,” a publicawareness movement that focuses onthe positive impact that donating hason people and the planet. Goodwill’svision is for the “D” icon ultimately tobecome a universally recognizedsymbol stamped on donate-able items– similar to the recycling symbol.“Goodwill is actively pursuing partnersthat will organically align with theDonate Movement,” Schmitz said.“Just like there are items you recycle,there are items you ‘Donate’.”

In 2010, Goodwill diverted morethan 5.5 million pounds of clothing,shoes, books and household items fromarea landfills by recovering the value inpeople’s unwanted material goods. Formore information on Dell-Reconnectand the Donate Movement visitwww.dell reconnect.com, donate.goodwill.org or call 815-987-6237.

Eco-Superior,Eco-Easy

Trendwatching.com, a leadingtrend firm that scans the globe for

emerging consumer trends, describesthe green movement/sustainability as a

top trend for 2011. Termed “Eco-Superior,” the trend is for governments,

consumers and businesses to pursue moreenvironmentally sustainable societies and

economies. Conversely, the number ofconsumers actively seeking out “green” products

appears to be reaching a plateau and mainstreamconsumers are questioning the value and efficiency of going green.

Eco-Superior describes organizations’ realization that it’s notenough just to say your product is green. To boost the value of greenproducts in consumers’ eyes, products must be not only eco-friendly, but superior in every way to their “polluting” incumbents,such as superior in functionality, design and savings.

Trendwatching.com also identified the “Eco-Easy” trend, statingthat serious eco-results will depend on products and processesbecoming more sustainable without consumers even noticing it, and,if necessary, not leaving much room for consumers and companiesto opt for less sustainable alternatives to begin with. This mightmean forceful, if not painful, government intervention, or someserious corporate guts, or brilliantly smart design and thinking, if notall of those combined. Examples included thoroughly greenbuildings, complete bans on plastic bags and bottles and super-strict bluefin tuna quotas.

B SPECIAL INSERT: REGIONAL EXPO September 2011 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Going Greencont from page A

Rockford Regional Business ExpoSeptember 22, 2011 • Former Sears Essentials Building

rockfordchamber.com theVoice September 2011 SPECIAL INSERT: REGIONAL EXPO C

Wayne Breitbarth, author of “ThePower Formula for LinkedIn Success”will be the luncheon keynote/workshop

prior to the opening of the RegionalBusiness Expo on September 22. Once askeptic and now an outspoken proponentof LinkedIn, Wayne Breitbarth ispassionate about helping businessprofessionals—from entry level to CEO—learn how to combine their previousexperience and relationships with thisinnovative tool in order to moresuccessfully brand and marketthemselves and their businesses. Someof the topics of the workshop will include:

� Use your unique experience andexisting relationships to harness the fullpower of LinkedIn

� Begin developing a strategy for howyou can most effectively use LinkedIn toaccomplish your goals

� Create a profile that will allow peopleto find you

� Successfully search for potentialcustomers, contacts, etc.

� Use groups to generate businessopportunities

� Effectively manage your time spent onLinkedIn

Registration is $25 and space islimited. Please register at www.rockfordchamber.com. Registration includes lunchand a copy of Wayne’s book. For moreinformation about Wayne, go towww.powerformula.net.

Don’t miss this opportunity atthe Regional Business Expo

Thursday, September 22

Regional Expoto featureLinkedIn expertfor openingkeynote/workshopChamber also to featurespecial educational breakoutsessions throughout expo

Breakout Sessions for Regional Expo 20111:30 pm Using Incentives to Motivate Healthy Behaviors

HumanaStuart Slutzky – Chief, Product Innovation at HumanaVitalityThis program will explore the financial implications of unhealthy lifestylechoices and give attendees the tools to improve the health of theiremployees and their constituents' employees. Attendees will learn theimportance of both corporate culture and incentives in driving employeehealthy behaviors.

2:00 pm It’s Not Who You Know; It’s Who Knows YOU.Rockford Area Convention & Visitors BureauMonica Krysztopa – Vice PresidentNetworking allows you to continually meet new people and buildrelationships. Confidently expand your sphere of influence and grow yourprofessional database of contacts with a simple and easy plan that youdevelop yourself.

2:30 Cloud Computing and Unified CommunicationsTDSWayne Taylor – Account Executive“Doing more with less” has become a necessity in today’s businessenvironment. Today, small business can operate with all of the technologyand resources of Fortune 500 companies at a fraction of the cost. In thissession you will learn how to build efficiencies and leverage resources thatwill help your business run lean and grow quickly.

3:00 Are Your Media Relations Hot? If Not, Turn Up The Heat!KMK Media Group, Inc.Pam Maher – CEOAre you in a relationship with the Media (or wish you were)? Discover the

secrets of good media relations at this session.

3:30 401K for Small BusinessesSavant Capital Management, Inc.Scott Laue – Financial AdvisorJoin us for this session and learn how to setup the ideal 401(k) plan design

and find out how to encourage employees to take full advantage of all their

retirement benefits.

4:00 Social Media in theWorkplaceStaff Management, Inc.Samuel J. Castree, Jr. – Sr. VP & General CounselThe use of social media in the workplace raises a number of very different

issues. From an employment law perspective, what uses are permissible or

impermissible? This presentation will explore legal and HR best practices

surrounding this rapidly developing and changing subject.

D SPECIAL INSERT: REGIONAL EXPO September 2011 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

What is in a title? As a business you arebeing bombarded with advertisements,technologies and seminar opportunities thatsay you should “go green.” So what does itmean, andhowcan you take continuous stepsin your business to go green?Many, if not all, are familiar with the

documentation and procedural standards ofISO certification and the continuous quality

improvements that Six Sigma can bring toyour business. So why not apply these samepractices and principles to your go greeninitiatives?

Step 1: Get Intelligent About Energy

In order to be able to make effectivedecisions on improving your energy andutility usage you must have benchmarking

data to know where you are starting.Benchmarking involves knowing what yourutility utilization is and where it is beingconsumed in your facility.With the knowledge of where you are

today with utility usages (electrical, gas/fuel,water and waste), you can take the next stepin the go green process. To accomplish thisstep, you will want to contact a localprofessional engineering organization thatcan provide a facility assessment.

Step 2:What Does ItMean to “Go Green”?

The government and industry haveseveral options for helping organizationsunderstand what it means to go green. Thegovernment has a rating system that manyof us have seen on consumer products wealready have purchased called Energy Star.Did you know that you can also get an

Energy Star rating for your facility? ThisEnergy Star rating is a positive confirmationof efforts that your organization has taken inthe go greenprocess. It provides internal andexternal recognition of your organization’scommitment to the environment andnaturalresources. For more information visitwww.energy star.gov.Also, industry has established an

internationally recognized council, the U.S.Green Building Council (USGBC). USGBChas, in turn, has created an internationallyrecognized rating system for business andgovernment facilities called LEED (Leader-ship in Energy and Environmental Design).By following LEED guidelines and prin-ciples, existing andnew facilities can employsustainable practices that allow the entirebusiness operation to go green. For moreinformation visit www.usgbc .org/LEED.

Step 3:Where In My FacilityCan I “Go Green?”

Virtually every area of your business hasthe opportunity to go green, such as:

� HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and AirConditioning)� Lighting

� Newconstructionpractices that meet LEED guidelines� Renovation practices that meet LEEDguidelines� Supply chain partners that employ gogreen principles and practices� Waste management/recycling/watermanagement

Step 4:What ResultsCan I Expect?

There are numerous benefits that youroperation will realize from go greeninitiatives, both to your bottom line andsustainability, including:� Improved work environment� Improved productivity of personnel� Improved process productivity� Healthier work environment� The information you need to makeeffective investment decisions� Employees feel better about theiremployer� Customers feel better about their serviceor product supplier� Reduced consumption of our naturalresources� Less pollution through reduced wastegeneration� Thorough understanding of where yourenergy dollars are being spent� Reduced utility costs immediately andgoing forwardNow is the time to go green. There are

many incentives and one of the mostimportant is “rebate dollars” that utilities andthe government are offering to organizationstaking responsible steps. Join us as we all “gogreen” for our businesses, communities,environment, and most importantly, forfuture generations.

Brent S. Bernardi is president at Alpha Controls &Services LLC. Visit www.alphaACS.com or call815-227-4000.

The views expressed are those of Bernardi’s and donot necessarily represent those of the RockfordChamber of Commerce.

INSIGHTGuest Perspective

Brent S. BernardiAlpha Controls &

Services LLC

Get bottom line benefits in your business by ‘going green’Applying Six Sigma principles to your initiatives can save some green

http://www.humana.com/specialtybenefits

By Paul Anthony Arco

To those who knew him, SylvesterBeishir is best described as a trendsetter.

“He owned the first electric golf cart intown,” said his grandson, Steve Beishir.“He saw one in California, so he boughtit, put it on the train and brought it hometo Rockford. He also had the very first in-ground sprinkling system, central air andthe first automatic garage door opener.He was quite the innovator.”

Beishir also was a leader in business.He was working as amotor repairman for

General Electric in St. Louis, when hedecided to move to Rockford and openhis repair shop on SouthWyman Street in1932. Eventually, he retired and sold thebusiness to his son, Don, who built a newfacility on Harrison Avenue, where thecompany remains today. Don and hiswife, Betty, who served as secretary, ranthe operation until 1985, when they soldit to their two sons. “Grandpa was a veryproud man,” Steve said. “He was proudthat his son and grandkids went into thebusiness. To break away from GeneralElectric was a huge risk.”

Four-Generation Family Business

REEC sells and repairs commercial andindustrial electric motors. “There aremotors all around us – in elevators,factories, food processing plants, hospitals,shopping malls, water parks, restaurants,supermarkets, you name it,” said Steve,who co-owns the business with hisbrother, Bernie. “Motors come fromeverywhere. Often we work on a motorbut we’re not sure of its application.Motors are motors. We’ll fix it.”

Plenty has changed since thecompany’s early days. Today, REEC has acomplete machine shop with state-of-the-art equipment, such as a 100-tonhydraulic press, and 80-ton hydraulicpullers. The warehouse is stocked withnew and rebuilt motors, from fractionalto 150 horse power motors. Larger motorscan be ordered and delivered the sameday from Chicago and Milwaukee.

“When I started in 1964, we didn’t havethe equipment we have now,” Steve said.“We have cutoff machines, burn off ovens,stripping and winding machines. So muchof it was done by hand before. We do ourownwelding, sandblasting, andmetalizing.It’s still hard work, but it’s much easier.”

REEC has a staff of seven, including afourth-generation Beishir: Bernie’s son,Kent, 22, also works in the shop. Thecompany serves a 60-mile radius, butoccasionally receives orders from the EastCoast. There are no service calls; all workis performed in-house. “We don’t repairwindow fans and washing machines, butwe can work on anything that can fitthrough our doors,” Steve said.

Keeping the Motorsof Industry Running

New business comes mostly fromword of mouth. There is no socialmedia, advertising, not even a Web site.Even the company’s retiring salesmanwasn’t replaced. “Our work speaks foritself,” Steve said.

Over the years, there have been acouple lean times, including 9/11 whenthe phones stopped ringing for severalmonths. “That was a frightening time,”he said. But the Beishirs persevered andhave been on solid ground ever since.

Steve said there is tremendoussatisfaction in helping another business gettheir machines up and running again.“The president of the company will call usand can’t thank us enough,” he said. “Toget that call makes it all worthwhile.”

And certainly Sylvester Beishir wouldbe proud. His grandsons pay tribute totheir late grandfather with a large portraitdisplayed in the lobby. “The day we hunghis picture, we brought him down to see it.There were tears in his eyes,” Steve said.“He would be very happy with what we’redoing, and we’re proud to be a part of theRockford community.”

16 September 2011 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

PROFILEMember Company Profile

ROCKFORD ELECTRICEQUIPMENT CO.Bernie and Steve Beishir, owners

2010 Harrison Ave.

Rockford, IL, 61104

815-398-4096

Putting down rootsRockford Electric Equipment looks forward tocelebrating 80 years in business

Staff of family-run Rockford Electric Equipment include (left to right) Rob Wandell, Kent Beishir,Bernie Beishir, Steve Beishir, Don Beishir and Jeannette Hale.

rockfordchamber.com theVoice September 2011 17

What does the word “safety” mean toyou when you think of your retirement?Is it more important to you to seek safetyof principal or safety of income? Do youplace more value on a stable dollaramount on your monthly accountstatement or on receiving an incomecheck every month for the rest of yourlife? Will you be able to maintain yourlifestyle if you never get a raise over thenext 20 or 30 years?

The answers to these questions have aprofound impact on how your retirementportfolio should be designed.Traditionally, investors have considered a“safe” portfolio as one that does not loseprincipal over time. However, manyretirees are coming to realize that whatthey mean by “safety” is a portfolio thatwill provide an income stream inretirement that will allow them tomaintain their standard of living for aslong as they live.

The transition fromgrowing a portfolioover your working career to generatingenough money from that nest egg toprovide the lifestyle you desire inretirement could be the single mostimportant financial issue of the babyboomer generation.

In this article, the ideas we discuss aredesigned to address both the need forinvestment growth in retirement, whileacknowledging the potential risks ofvolatilemarkets to a distribution portfolio.We believe that a disciplined wealthmanagement process is the key to yoursuccess in overcoming these challenges.We also assert that following your plan canhelp eliminate the emotional componentof investment decision making and helpyou make better decisions.

Life Expectancy,Inflation Increases

A lot has changed in the last 80 yearsas life expectancy has gone from about 60years to almost 78 years as of 2007. Thegeneration that now is entering retirement

will spend more time in their retirementyears than any other group in history. Bothlongevity and increased activity will placemore stress on the resources of theseretirees to provide income throughouttheir lives. It is important to recognize thatas these people retire, they still need toplan for a long-term investment horizon of20 or 30 years — perhaps longer. This, inconjunction with fewer pensions and thequestions facing Social Security, increasesthe significance of propermanagement oftheir retirement assets.

The second factor that will have aninfluence on the ability of baby boomersto enjoy their retirement years isinflation. Simply put, inflation is therate of increase in the price of goods andservices over time.

The rate of inflation over the past 100years has averaged about 3 percent peryear. However, with the recent actions ofthe Federal Reserve to increase the moneysupply and the increase in governmentdebt, there is growing concern that theU.S.may experience a period where inflationrates exceed the historical average. The lasttime we faced out-of-control inflation overan extended period of time was the 1970s.In fact, from 1970 to 1982, the average rateof inflation exceeded 8 percent, whichmore than doubled the cost of living in just12 short years.

Should this happen again, it could havea dramatic impact on a retiree’s standardof living due to the inverse relationship ofinflation with purchasing power. So, aportfolio designed for safety of principalonly could have serious consequences inmaintaining buying power and thestandard of living throughout retirement.

On the other hand, many investorsfacing retirement do not realize that it is thesequence of their portfolio returns, not theiraverage rate of return that could have thegreatest impact on their ability to generateincome over a long retirement period.

The mathematical reality is that if aretiree is taking distributions from a

portfolio that experiencesextensive downturns at thebeginning of the distributionperiod (i.e., soon after retirement) theportfolio may never have a chance to catchup. This is due to the fact that the retireemust sell a greater number of shares atdiscounted prices in a down market tocreate their needed income, and the sharesthat are sold will never have a chance torecover when the market eventually doescome back up.

No one can control how theirinvestments will perform within the firstfive years of retirement. But because this issuch an important time frame in the life ofa distribution portfolio, we recommendthat retirees seek adequate protection fortheir necessary income. A portfolio strategythatmeets these requirements can help theinvestor have the confidence that nomatter what happens to the markets theirneeded income will be availablethroughout their retirement years.

Fighting Fear, Greed

In order to have this confidence wemust deal with two of the greatest obstacleswe have observed to investor success. Theyare fear and greed — and they are equallydestructive to long-term effectiveness.

Because of fear, some investors willnever have a fighting chance to maintaintheir buying power because they will notaccept a decrease in their account value.They believe that safety of principal is themost important ingredient to success inretirement. These investors haveexperienced a dramatic decrease ininterest rates and thus income, but still areunwilling to acceptmarket risks. Over timethey will be faced with the fact that theirbuying power has eroded, and they mustinvade principal to keep up. Unfortunately,this cycle may deplete their portfolioduring their lifetimes.

On the other hand, some investors willdisregard market risks and base theirretirement income only upon expected

average returns. They may not see theneed to properly diversify their portfolio.Some of these investors will guess rightand may have a long and prosperousretirement because their early marketexperience is positive. However, some ofthese investors will experience such asignificant drop in their portfolio value atthe beginning of their retirement that theymay find themselves in the same positionas the fearful investor with their portfoliorunning out of life before they do.

The reality is that there is no singleinvestment or asset class that is perfect forproviding a retirement income that willlast. So, developing a dynamic financialplan that takes into account newinvestment opportunities, changingmarket conditions, appropriate diversi-fication and your own personal risktolerances is the best way to combat bothfear and greed and help create an incomestream that can go the distance.

We believe that a disciplined wealthmanagement process provides thefoundation for successful retirementinvesting. Overcoming fear, along with afocus on generating an income that willmeet your needs not only today, butthroughout your retirement years, is theapproach that will best serve today’s babyboomers.

Gary Love, CFP® and Scott Johnson, CFP®,CPWA®, are in Private Wealth Managementat The Love Johnson Group. Call 815-636-5229 or visit www.thelovejohnsongroup.com.

The opinions expressed are Love’s and Johnson’sand not necessarily of Robert W. Baird andCompany. Robert W. Baird and Company doesnot provide tax advice.

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

INSIGHTGuest Perspective

Safety in retirement:What does ‘safe’ really mean?Gary Love

The Love JohnsonGroup

Scott JohnsonThe Love Johnson

Group

The importance of having a soundinvestment management strategy is nevermore apparent than in turbulent economictimes, such as the present. Once the nerve-racking shadowof stockmarket volatility hasbeen cast, I hearmany people express utmostdespair in their struggle to steer their“financial ship” to a safe haven.

TwoApproaches to Investing

Along these lines, the most fundamentalyet surprisingly underrated factors for successin the financial markets are having asystematic investment approach andexercising investing discipline. This impliesembracing a multi-step approach consistingof a series of questions that need to beanswered rationally.

First, one needs to decide whether to actas a trader or as an investor. These two rolesdiffer fundamentally on their time horizon –the former being short-term oriented, thelatter – long-term-focused. Approaching themarket as a trader also is much less likely tobe effective because it involves competingwith powerful, technologically advancedproprietary trading firms, hedge funds andinvestment banks for very small and usuallyextremely brief opportunities for arbitrageandmomentum gains.

It is not difficult to conclude that onestands a much greater chance of succeeding

in the financial markets as a long-terminvestor. Once this has been established,there is another important question thatmustbe answered: Should one hire a professionalinvestment counsel or tackle the market onone’s own? Iwould strongly recommend thatpeople without financial background seekthe services of a licensed financial advisor.

A Sound Long-Term Strategy

In either case, the investmentmanagementmethodology should follow theexact same progression of logical steps inorder to be effective.

First, before investing any “risk capital” inthe market, one needs to set aside sufficientfunds for: a six-to-12 month emergencycushion; property, health and life insurance;and other fundamental needs such as ahome, education and transportation. All ofthese provisions, along with detailsconcerning family size and age, householdincome, debt, and inheritance, constitute thebasics of a family financial plan, which is thestarting point for a sound investment strategy.

Once a comprehensive financial plan hasbeen drafted, the next step is to specify theinvestment objective for the portfolio. Whatis the primary financial goal andwithinwhattime frame does it need to be accomplished?Themost common investment goals includegener- ating sufficient funds for retirement,

for children’s college education, and for realestate purchases or renovations. The timehorizon can range from a couple of years to30+ years.

It is the investment time frame, alongwiththe investor’s risk tolerance level, that willdetermine the choice of the investmentportfolio’s asset allocation. This is animportant step, as it is widely regarded thatmore than 90 percent of portfolio returnvolatility results directly from the selectedasset allocation. The asset allocation simplystands for the distribution of portfolio capitalamong various assets classes – equity, fixedincome, real estate, commodities, etc. Theconvention goes that the younger the investorand the longer the investment goal’s timehorizon, the greater the exposure to riskierasset classes should be since, in case of a loss,there is ample time for capital recuperation.

Selecting Your Investment Vehicles

Once the asset allocation has beendetermined, the next step is to select theinvestment vehicles for the portfolio. Theexperience from the last decades has revealedthat passive, index-based mutual funds bestserve the needs of long-term investors.Investing in index mutual funds also is cost-effective, as these instruments have very lowexpense ratios. An additional benefit of thistype of investment vehicle is the diversifica-

tion of risk it pro-vides, as it con-tains hundreds ofsecurities. Thisensures that the portfolio return is achieved atthe lowest possible level of risk for its nature.

Finally yet importantly, once the portfoliohas been constructed, it needs to be trackedand rebalanced at least yearly, if not semi-annually or quarterly. Portfolio rebalancingis of paramount importance for maximizinginvestment returns. It promotes the highlyeffective practice of “selling securities highandbuying them low,”while at the same timeensuring that all portfolio asset classes andsub-classes remain within their pre-established target ranges.

Adopting and vigorously following theabovementioned investment approachwouldnot guarantee investors against losses butwould maximize their chances of financialsuccess, aswell as provide themwith the ever-elusive peace of mind and sense of controlduring chaotic market intervals.

Dimitar Tanchev has a bachelor of arts inbusiness management and French, and an MBAwith a finance concentration from RockfordCollege. His private sector experience includesworking as a portfolio management specialistand as a trader.

The views expressed are those of Tanchev’s anddo not necessarily represent those of the RockfordChamber of Commerce.

18 September 2011 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

The importance of a sound investment management strategy

PERSPECTIVERockford College

Dimitar TanchevRockford College

rockfordchamber.com theVoice September 2011 19

Jim Collins, author of “Good to Great,”coined the phrase “get the right people onthe bus.” Sure, his actual quote is a bitlonger, but that’s the general idea. To be asuccessful organization, you have tosurround yourself with the right peopledoing the right task to best utilize their timeand talents.

Every time I hear this simple phrase,“get the right people on the bus,” I can’thelp but think of the adorable little nurseryrhyme we all grew up with. “The wheels onthe bus go round and round … all throughthe town.” How many times have we sangthat ourselves or with the tiny people in ourlives? But, what if we apply Jim Collins’phrase to our nursery rhyme?Whoa.We’vegot a whole new reason to sing!

The Right Peoplein the Right Seats

If we combine the two, we suddenly geta new catch phrase: “Get the right people onthe bus so the wheels can go round andround… all through the town.”Now, I knowyou’ll want to take amoment to really relishin that brilliant new combination, but stickwith me and read on.

I think Rockford should make this newsong our new motto. It’s really all aboutthe people. Sure, we’ve got problems.We’ve got plenty of them. But I think themajority of our problems could be solvedif we got the right people on the bus in theright seats. Our bus would be moving allthrough this town in no time!

Perhaps we can start with ourindividual organizations. Is yourorganization utilizing the talents of yourpeople in the best way possible, or is therea better way for everyone to be on thebus? Perhaps there’s a way to thinkoutside the box and switch up who haswhat seat on the bus. Maximizing em-ployees’ talents not only will improve yourorganization but also increase employees’happiness! Talk about a smooth ride!

After we address the issues in our ownorganization, perhaps we can go farther.What about the board positions that youmay hold? Are you really utilizing yourtalents or are you really just taking upspace and a name plate? If you are goingto commit the time to an organization,make sure it’s one that you’re passionateabout and utilizes all the great talents you

offer. To reevaluate every now and thenreally is a win-win for all those on the bus.

Once we are able to get all the rightpeople in the right seats on the bus, we canfinally start cruising through this town.There are so many great projects that havetaken off as of late because the rightpeople were in the right seats at the righttime. City projects are taking off andbecoming reality. Expansions arehappening in our own backyard. What agreat time to be on the Rockford bus!

So I beg of you … take a look at the busyou sit on. Are you being utilized in the

best possibleway? We all have something to offer butsometimes we have to make a few tweekshere or there before we finally find thatperfect seat.

Explore what small changes you canmake to your life to ensure that you’re inthe right seat on the right bus. After all,nothing beats a smooth ride with thewindows down, the music up andeveryone a happy bus rider.

Caitlin Ludwig is director of IGNITE. Learnmore at igniterockford.com.

Caitlin LudwigIGNITE

IGNITEYoung Professionals

The wheels on the bus go ’round and ’round…Looking at a nursery rhyme favorite in a new way

MEET THE PROFESSIONALS IN THE CORNER OFFICEDon’t miss our new event this September! On Sept. 22, IGNITE hosts

its C-Suite Meet & Greet. This speed networking opportunity of sortspairs young professionals with local C-Suites (CEOs/CFOs/ COOs aswell as executive directors and presidents) from our community for afantastic session on leadership.

The event takes place at the Hilton Garden Inn, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.– right before the Chamber’s Regional Expo! Come and have your 10minutes with the boss – an opportunity to chat with 20 area leaders insmall groups. Registration is $25 for IGNITE members/$35 for non-IGNITE members (includes lunch). For more information or to register,visit www.igniterockford.com and click C-Suite Meet & Greet.

20 September 2011 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

BOARD APPOINTMENTS

Heather Kelley, owner andmarketing strategist of ArgyleMarketing, was appointed to theCommunity Foundation ofNorthern Illinois’ In Youth We TrustProgram Committee.

Audra Moncur (1), Wipfli LLP;Adam Lied (2),WilliamsMcCarthy LLP, and RitaWeber (3), Rockford PublicSchools #205, were appointed tothe Mendelssohn PerformingArts Center board of directors.

Rock River Valley Pantryappointed Michelle Murphy, U.S.Cellular, and G. Colin Hurka, MCProducts, to its board for three-yearterms. Officers elected were: KenWalker, president; Diane Salas,1st vice president; Amy Maavich,2nd vice president; G. Colin Hurka,treasurer, and Beth Binger-Dunaway, secretary.

Reinhart Boerner Van Deurens.c. shareholder Jeffery J.Makeever (4) was named secondvice president of theWinnebagoCounty Bar Association. He willbecome president after two years.

Barbara Olson Center of Hopevoted for the following board officersfor 2011-2012: Kevin Rudy,president; Dr. Bradley Johnson,vice president; Joan OlsonGreenberg, secretary, and SherriNoel, treasurer. Other boardmembers are: Dr. Kendall Boone,Nancy D’Angelo, Scott Dimke,Mike Hayes, Ryan Kralka, LuellaLaBrant, Joe Licari, MelissaMiller and Mike Tolliver. Attorney

Pete Savitski served two terms aspresident, and remains ex-officio.

NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS,RETIREMENTS

Rosecrance Health Network hiredveteran healthcare financialexecutive John F. Schuster (5) asChief Financial Officer.

Orthopedic Rehab Specialistshired Lindsay Augustine (6), MS,ATC, a new certified athletic trainer

supporting Winnebago High Schoolathletes.

RAMP promoted Becky Maggio (7)to Boone County manager, andHeather Foulker (8), to DeKalbCounty manager.

Jon Skorburg was appointed vicepresident and general manager forWQRF-TV, and community webportal Mystateline.com.

Jennifer E. Wood, CPA (9), was

named director of international taxservices, and Sheila A. Mathre,CPA (10), director of state and localtax services, at Sikich LLP.

LDR Construction Services, Inc.,hired Brian Morelock as projectsuperintendent.

Ipsen, Inc., promotedMaryGrimborg (11) to marketingmanager, and Nancy Kolar (12) todirector of human resources.

Five associates were promoted atWipfli LLP, Rockford office: EricaSchau, Kalah Carson, KrisGarnhart and Kathy Sutherlandwere promoted to manager, andSara Larson to senior accountant.David Wagner joinedWipfli LLP, aCPA and consulting firm, as part ofits insurance practice.

Dan Raasch (13) was named vicepresident and elected to the board ofdirectors in June and StevePeppers (14) as operationsmanager for Ballard Companies,Inc.

Jack Pilcher joined Trekk Inc., astechnical developer.

Board-certified psychiatrist Dr.Shahina Jafry (15) opened a newoffice at Aspen Counseling &Consulting, an affiliate ofRosecrance, to treat womenexperiencing emotional challengesdue to pregnancy and menopause.

Riverside Community Bankadded Kathy Roos (16) to its realestate financing team.

Erik Valenza (17) joined the

1. AudraMoncur

2. Adam Lied 3. Rita Weber 4. Jeffery J.Makeever

5. John F.Schuster

6. LindsayAugustine

7. BeckyMaggio

8. HeatherFoulker

IN THE NEWSMember in the News

9. Jennifer E.Wood

10. Sheila A.Mathre

11. MaryGrimborg

12. Nancy Kolar 13. Dan Raasch 14. StevePeppers

15. Dr. ShahinaJafry

16. Kathy Roos

17. Erik Valenza 18. KarlArvidson

19. RebeccaMartinez

20. TanyaPeterson

21. Paulette St.John

22. Sarah Jeske 23. Dr. AnthonySorkin

24. Dr. Brian J.Bear

SwedishAmerican Health System announces recipients of the Employees’ Children ScholarshipProgram: Sharmine Berry, Alexa Devita, Matthew Friberg, Emily Gorman, Kailyn Miller,Catherine Norman, James Tammen, Samantha Thompson, Ariel Triplett and Megan Woodrow.

Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) receives the Friend of Agriculture Award at the Boone CountyFair for 20 years of service in the General Assembly to the agricultural community.

rockfordchamber.com theVoice September 2011 21

Rockford practice of Kevin M.Heideman, CFP®, a financial advisorypractice of Ameriprise FinancialServices, Inc., as a financialadvisor.

Ralph Monge joined RockfordRescue Mission as director ofphysical operations.

Thayer Lighting, Inc., hired KarlArvidson (18) as an assistantproject manager and RebeccaMartinez (19) as bookkeeper.

Tanya Peterson (20) waspromoted to customer servicemanager atMeridian. Paulette St.John (21) and Sarah Jeske (22)joined the customer service team.

Jerry B. Cain, Judson Universitypresident since 1998, announced hisretirement effective June 30, 2012.

EMPLOYEE/COMMUNITYRECOGNITIONS, AWARDS

Scot Dobbs, a manager ofWipfliLLP’s tax practice, was awarded theDistinguished Media Service Awardby the Illinois Certified PublicAccountant Society.

Recipients of the Technical Centerfor the Arts at EIGERlab studentresidency for 2011 are:MattKennedy, University of Oregonproduct design student, and JoelWalter, University of Illinois-Springfield sculpture student.

Anthony Sorkin, M.D. (23), ofRockford Orthopedic Associates,Ltd., was accepted for membershipin the Foundation for OrthopedicTrauma.

Melissa Villanueva Garcia, M.D.,was named Resident of the Year bythe University of Illinois Collegeof Medicine at Rockford.Amandeep Kaur, M.D., receivedthe Society of Teachers of FamilyMedicine Resident Teaching Award.

Reinhart Boerner Van DeurenP.C., legal secretary and officemanager Tauna Billups was namedLegal Secretary of the Year by theWinnebago County Association ofLegal Secretaries.

Christine Russo, was honored withthe Ames Leadership Award at thespecial commencement ceremony

for Judson University’s Master ofArts in Organizational LeadershipProgram graduates.

Fabricators & ManufacturersAssociation editors KateBachman and Eric Lundin wonawards by American Society ofBusiness Publication Editors:Bachman for Green Manufacturermagazine, Best New Publication;and Lundin for Best Technical Article,“Pulsed GTAW for Stainless Steel.”Editors Dan Davis and Tim Hestonwon regional awards for best casehistory feature and best column.

OF GENERAL INTEREST

John Groh, president/CEO,Rockford Area Convention &Visitors Bureau, discussed thesuccess of the social mediacampaign “Hideaway in Rockford” atDestination Marketing AssociationInternational’s 97th AnnualConvention in New Orleans, in July.

Brian J. Bear, M.D. (24),Rockford Orthopedic Associates,Ltd., instructed hand surgeons andother medical professionals in thetreatment of hand and upperextremity conditions at theAdvanced Techniques inReconstructive Elbow SurgeryConference by the American Societyfor Surgery of the Hand inRosemont, (Ill.) in July.

Renea Ranguette (25), vicepresident of finance and collegefacilities, andMegan Ostrowsky(26), Beloit Center, Wingspan andEvent Start coordinator, graduatedfrom the Blackhawk TechnicalCollege Academy for Leadership andDevelopment.

Michael Goldberg, executivedirector of the CoronadoPerforming Arts Center, willconduct a workshop, “Working WithCommercial Promoters,” at the 24thannual Midwest Arts Conference inMinneapolis.

Julie Carlson, MSN, RN, APN,AOCNS, oncology clinical nursespecialist at the OSF SaintAnthony Center for Cancer Care,presented an oncology nursingworkshop in Tegucigalpa, Hondurasto oncology nurses and staff at threedifferent hospitals.

Thayer Lighting, Inc., staffmembers Karl Arvidson, assistantproject manager; RebeccaMartinez, bookkeeping, and RyanKelly, office manager, attended aone-day training on the Smart Ideasfor Your Business program forComEd Smart Ideas Trade Allies.

IN THE NEWSMember in the News

25. ReneaRanguette

26. MeganOstrowsky

22 September 2011 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

Chicago Fed Midwest Manufacturing Index

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

The Chicago Fed Midwest Manufacturing Index (CFMMI) wasessentially unchanged in June, at a seasonally adjustedlevel of 84 (2007 = 100). Regional output in June rose 7.1percent from a year earlier, and national output increased 4.1percent. Updated July 27, 2011

June 2011 May 2011 June 10 Change/Mo. Change/Yr.

Rockford 11.6 10.7 14.6 � 0.9 � 3.0

Chicago 10.4 9.8 10.6 � 0.6 � 0.2

Illinois 9.7 9.0 10.5 � 0.7 � 0.8

United States 9.3 8.7 9.6 � 0.6 � 0.3

Unemployment Rates—Region, State, Nation

Source: U.S. Department of Employment Security, July 28, 2011

THE ECONOMYRegional, National Indicators

July, 2011Consumer Price Index� 0.5 percent

Unemployment Rate9.1 percent

Payroll Employment� 117,000

Average Hourly Earnings� $0.10

Producer Price Index� 0.2 percent

Employment Cost Index� 0.7 percent (second quarter, 2011)

Productivity� 0.3 percent (second quarter, 2011)

U.S. Import Price Index� 0.3 percent

U.S. Export Price Index� 0.4 percent

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

U.S.Indicators

Monthly Index % Change

Mar 11 Apr 11 May11 May 10 - May 11

Chicago Mfg. Index 83.7 84.0 84.0 � 7.1

CFMMI-Auto 75.5 76.3 75.3 � 7.0

CFMMI-Steel 79.7 81.2 82.6 � 17.3

CFMMI-Machinery 81.9 82.7 83.5 � 12.4

CFMMI-Resource 91.9 90.8 90.3 � 0.4

National Index 90.7 90.8 90.8 � 4.1

In this country we treat being a boardmember much like many other fields ofendeavor such as parenting and leadership.We assume that if you have the desire to beone, andwe know how to become one, thenwe will know how to be a good one.Unfortunately, all around us we seeexamples of how this theory fails. Seldomhave I ever met or worked with a boardmember who didn’t really care about theorganization. Theywant to be a good boardmember. They just don’t know how.

Board Basics

All involved in nonprofit board serviceshould understand this basic information.

Boards exist to represent theownership of the organization. Thissounds like an easy concept, but look at anyof your local nonprofit organizations. Whoowns them? The people served by theagency, the donors and contributors, theboard of directors? Determining ownershipis not always as easy as it sounds.

The board has authority to direct theorganization only when acting as agroup. Many board members believe thatthey have a special power because they area director. That is not true. An individualdirector has absolutely no power whenacting on his/her own, unless that power isgiven to him in the bylaws. Therefore, anaction is not a board action unless the boardhas decided that action in a boardmeeting.

Board members must supportdecisions made by the board. During thedebate on the motion before the board, aboardmember can and should express anyand all objections to the proposed actionthat the board is about to take. Once theboard has made a decision, the boardmember is responsible for supporting thatdecision. Therefore, boardmembers shouldnot, outside of ameeting, talk against actiontaken by the board during a meeting.

The board’s function is to focus onvision.The job of the board is to be lookingout at the horizon. The board should befocusing on where the organization shouldbe in the future and set the path for how toget there.

The board oversees the executivedirector/CEO.One of themost importantjobs of the board is to oversee the executivedirector, who in turn is charged withrunning the headquarters. The board’s jobis not to micro-manage the staff andheadquarters. In overseeing the executivedirector, the board only acts as a group anddoes not individually tell the executivedirector how to do his/her job.

The board must follow rules set bygovernment, ownership and the board.There are many sources of rules that theboardmust follow. They include the federalregulations that are placed on the boardbecause of non-profit status, the statestatutes of the state in which the

organization isincorporated, thebylaws and othergoverning documents. The board usuallysets up its own set of rules on how it is goingto conduct business.

The board must understand itsrelationship with staff. The subject ofboard functions verses staff functions andboard/staff relationship is a hot topic formany boards. While a local associationboard may not have a staff, many of themembers of that board may serve on othercommunity boards that do have a staff. It iscritical that boardmembers understand theappropriate board/staff relationship.

Training Is Available and Affordable

Anyone can learn the essential skills forgood board governance, but no one shouldassume that because they serve onmultipleboards or have served for several years thatthey are asking the right questions andmaking appropriate decisions.

Trained board members make for well-governed nonprofits. Well-governednonprofitsmake for exceptional, sustainableorganizations – organizations capable ofadapting to funding shifts, staff transitionsand changing environmental factors.

The Northern Illinois Center forNonprofit Excellence (NICNE) at RockfordCollege offers an excellent BoardGovernance Training series every fall. Thissix-part series includes:� Basic Roles and Responsibilities� Ethics� Effective & Efficient Meetings� Fundraising Responsibilities� Reading & Understanding

Financial Statements and Audits� Strategic Thinking and Planning

This year NICNE’s EffectiveGovernance series will culminate withBoardSource, a national organization basedinWashington, D.C., dedicated to buildingeffective nonprofits boards, offering a full-day workshop.

This is an extraordinary opportunity forall nonprofit boards and staff to invest in thefuture of their organizations and obtain thecritical training to ensure effectivegovernance, strong leadership and long-term sustainability.

Become a better boardmember. Get thetraining to ask the right questions andmakethe best decisions in support of yourorganization’s mission and future.

Nancy Sylvester is a professional registeredparliamentarian, certified professionalparliamentarian, professional speaker/trainer/mentor and author of “The Complete Idiot’sGuide to Robert’s Rules” and “The GuerrillaGuide to Robert’s Rules.”

The views expressed are those of Sylvester’s anddo not necessarily represent those of the RockfordChamber of Commerce.

Nancy SylvesterSylvester Enterprises

Want to be an effectiveboard member?

PERSPECTIVEGuest Perspective

rockfordchamber.com theVoice September 2011 23

THURSDAY,SEPTEMBER 1Northern Illinois Center for NonprofitExcellence at Rockford College kicksoff its 2011 Leadership CertificateProgram from 1:30 to 4 p.m., atRockford College, 5100 E. State St.,building. Visit www.rockford.edu/?NICNE or contact 815-394-4384 orKReam@rockford.edu.

Rockford Public Library hosts LatinoFilm Festival on Thursdays inSeptember from 6 to 8 p.m., in the mainlibrary auditorium, 215 N. Wyman St.Registration not required. Call 815-987-6633 for information.

Clifton Gunderson LLP and Willispresent a Webcast, PracticalApplications of Health Care Reform,at 1 p.m. Registration required atwww.cliftoncpa.com/Resources/Events/Details/316. Forquestions contact 608-662-8679 orKathy.Kiedrowski @cliftoncpa.com.

SUNDAY,SEPTEMBER 3Ethnic Heritage Museum presentsEthnic Quilts of SouthwestRockford - Sesquicentennial CivilWar Circa Quilts on Sundays (orspecial prearranged tours) from 2 to 4p.m., through Sept. 30. Call 815-962-7402 or visit www.ethnicheritagemuseum.org.

TUESDAY,SEPTEMBER 6Northern Illinois Center for NonprofitExcellence at Rockford College kicksoff a Faith-Based LeadershipCertificate Program on Tuesdaysfrom 1:30 to 4 p.m., at RockfordCollege, 5100 E. State St., building. Visitwww.rockford.edu/?NICNE or contact815-394-4384 or KReam@rockford.edu.

WEDNESDAY,SEPTEMBER 7The Barbara Olson Center of Hopehosts its sixth-annual Blood Drive forRock River Valley Blood Centerwiththe bloodmobile at the Center of Hopeparking lot, 3206 N. Central Ave., inRockford, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Appointments encouraged at 815-964-9275.

THURSDAY,SEPTEMBER 8“Curtain Up!” – Rockford Arts &Entertainment 2011-2012 SeasonKickoff Event takes place from 4:30 to6:30 p.m., at Coronado Performing ArtsCenter, 314 N. Main St., Rockford.Admission is free. Call the RockfordArea Arts Council at 815-963-6765.

Savant Capital Management, Inc.,hosts a Health and WellnessRoundtable: How to AchieveHappiness in Retirement at 6:45p.m., at NIU-Rockford Campus, 8500 E.State St. RSVP to Linda Abramowicz at815-227-0300 or rsvpRockford@savantcapital.com by Sept. 5.

Judson University hosts its first-ever Architectural Symposium,featuring experts on architecture andurbanism in China on Sept. 8 and 9.The event kicks off at 7 p.m., with akeynote from Gordon Gill, AdrianSmith + Gordon Gill Architects,Chicago. To register visitarch.judsonu.edu/symposium.

SATURDAY,SEPTEMBER 10The first Screw City Beer Festivaltakes place from 1 to 6 p.m., at theintersection of State and Main streets indowntown Rockford, featuring morethan 100 craft beers from 30 local,regional and national breweries. Ticketsat www.screwscitybeerfest.com.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11Casey’s Pub, 7307 N. Alpine Road,and the Barbara Olson Center ofHope host an afternoon of fun, foodand friends with food, games, pool,darts and raffles to support the Centerof Hope from 2 to 5 p.m. Tickets at3206 N. Central Ave., Rockford, or call815-964-9275.

BART (Bike For The Arts)fundraiser kicks off with a five-milefamily fun ride, 10:30 a.m.; 35-mileride, 8:30 a.m.; and 64-mile ride, 7:30a.m., at Riverfront Museum Park, 711N. Main St., Rockford. Visitwww.bikefor thearts.com forregistration and information.

MONDAY,SEPTEMBER 12Mendelssohn Performing ArtsCenter presents a Music On Mainconcert, Belles in the Back, from 5:30to 6:30 p.m., at Emerson House, 420 N.Main St., Rockford. Call 815-964-9713or visit www.mendelssohn pac.org.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13Caraotta ChiropracticOrthopedics, 4921 E. State St.,offers all services for a $10 donationper person ($15 per family) at its 18thannual Better Health 4 Lifespecial event for the Rockford AreaPregnancy Care Center, 9 a.m. to 7p.m. Appointments must be schedulein advance at 815-398-4004 orwww.orthochiro.com.

AAIM Employers’ AssociationEducation Center presentsLeadership Assessment:The Critical First Step toTransformation, part of itsLeadership Webinar Series, from 1 to2 p.m. Register at 800-948-5700 orwww.eaconnect.com.

WEDNESDAY,SEPTEMBER 14Girl Scouts of Northern Illinoishosts a Girl Scout AlumnaeGarden Party from 1 to 4 p.m., atKlehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden,2715 S. Main St., Rockford. Registerat girlscoutsni.org/alumnae.html orcall 800-242-5591, ext. 7210.

THURSDAY,SEPTEMBER 15Rosie’s Birthday Club hosts itssecond-annual birthday party, HaveYour Cake and Eat it 2, a fundraiser,from 5 to 8 p.m., at CliffbreakersRiverside Resort, Rockford. Register bySept. 10 at www.rosiebirthdayclub.orgor 815-543-7700.

Rockford Park District Foundationpresents Sip and Sail, a Cruisin’ onthe Rock event on the Forest CityQueen along the Rock River, with wineby Artale Wine Company and horsd’oeuvres. Social hour at 5 p.m.; boardat 6 p.m.; dock at 7:30 p.m. Reserva-tions by Sept. 12 at 815-987-1632.

OSF Saint Anthony Medical Centerpresents Consciously Nurturing theHeart of Healing, the NursingEthics Fall Conference, at 5 p.m., atNorthern Illinois University Center, 8500E. State St., Rockford. Tom Zubapresents “Consciously Nurturing theHeart of Healing,” at 6 p.m. Paneldiscussion, “Consciously CreatingBalance,” at 7 p.m. Register by Sept. 7.Call 815-227-2504 or visitwww.osfsaintanthony.org.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16Rockford Public Library presentsBlack Cinema Discussion Series:Waiting for Superman from 6:30 to8:30 p.m., in the Montague BranchConnie Lane Room, 1238 S. WinnebagoSt., and featuring speaker GeoffreyCanada, founder of the HarlemChildren’s Zone. Registration notrequired. Call 815-965-7606.

SATURDAY,SEPTEMBER 17The Rockford Art MuseumGreenwich Village Art Fair takesplace at 711 N. Main St., on Sept. 17, 18with 120 artists from across the nation,live music, children’s art activities, andgourmet marketplace. Visitwww.rockfordartmuseum.org.

Rockford Park District hosts aFamily Fun Day for the military andfamilies at Lockwood Park, 5201Safford Road, from noon to 5 p.m.Space limited. Registration required at815-987-8809 by Sept. 9. Visitwww.rockfordparkdistrict.org/operationrecreation.

Rockford Spine Center, 2902McFarland Road, Suite 300, presents afree Community Health Care Talk ontreating several common spinaldisorders with Dr. Christopher Sliva from9 to 11 a.m. Please RSVP to Krystal at815-316-6873.

OSF Saint Anthony Medical Centerpresents the 10th annual Children’sHealth and Safety Safari from 10a.m. to 3 p.m. Free to the community.Child safety car seat inspection from 10a.m. to 2 p.m., State & Roxbury Center;free cholesterol and glucose screeningsfor adults. Call 815-227-2055.

WEDNESDAY,SEPTEMBER 21Klehm Arboretum & BotanicGarden, 2715 S. Main St., presents anOvernight Tour to Frederik MeijerGardens & Sculpture Park. Depart at8 a.m., Sept. 21; return 5 p.m., Sept. 22.Register at www.klehm.org or call 815-965-8146.

Veterans Memorial Hall presents TheAmerican Civil War, a lecture by TerryDyer, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 211 N.Main St., Rockford. Dyer will touch onthe veteran group formed after the CivilWar, the Grand Army of the Republic,the modern day Veterans Administrationand the local Veterans Memorial Hall.Call 815-969-1999.

Barbara Olson Center of Hope, 3206N. Central Ave., Rockford, presents aSensory Processing & the Effectson Learning & Behavior workshopwith sessions on Sept. 21, Oct. 19 andNov. 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.Lunch included. Register at 815-964-9275, ext. 233.

SATURDAY,SEPTEMBER 24Rockford Public Library presentsParanormal Night at Camp GrantMuseum and Restaurant, 1004Samuelson Road, 7 to 9 p.m. Specialguest, Mark Dorsett and full turkeydinner. Call Kathi Kresol at 815-965-7606, ext. 682, or kkresol@rockfordpubliclibrary.org.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25The Leukemia & Lymphoma Societypresents the Light the Night Walk atDavis Park. Registration at 5:30 p.m.;walk at 7 p.m. (or sundown). Registeryourself or a team at www.lightthenight.org/il or call Jennifer Ratkovic, Jennifer.Ratkovic@lls.org or 224-356-4115.

Alabet Craft Show, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,Tebala Shrine Center, 7910 NewburgRoad. Free to public. Food andhandmade items for sale. Call 815-970-1592.

THURSDAY,SEPTEMBER 29Black Belt Sales Skills Seminarswith Joe Rosner, Best Defense USA, atRock Valley College five Tuesdaymornings at 8 a.m., starting Sept. 29.Topics include cold-calling, salespresentation skills, closing skills, andhandling objections. Register at 815-921-3900 or visit www.rockvalleycollege.edu/cpe.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30TheMendelssohn Performing ArtsCenter presents Valentina Lisitsa,piano, part of its 2011-2012 concertseason, at 7:30 p.m., at Court StreetUnited Methodist Church, 215 N. CourtSt., Rockford. Call 815-964-9713 or visitwww.mendelssohnpac.org.

EVENTSCommunity Events

24 September 2011 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

ON DIGITALMembers Caught on Digital

Lakeshore Title Agency, 4053 N. Perryville Road, Loves Park, held an afternoon ribboncutting on Aug. 18.

Get to Know Your AmbassadorsName: Kathy Siedenburg

Company: AAIM Employers’ Association

Position: Regional Manager

How long have you been an Ambassador?Five months

What do you like most about being anAmbassador? It is a pleasure welcoming newbusinesses at ribbon cutting events andgreeting current and prospective members at

Chamber-sponsored events, which could include Good Morning!Rockford; Business After Hours; expos, and other special occasions.The opportunities will be invaluable to learn more about members’core businesses, the services members bring to the Rockford area, aswell as the long-range networking advantages as an Ambassador toexpand my business base.

Networking with current Rockford Chamber members and prospects,enjoying great conversations, laughing, and strategizing about currentbusiness initiatives, and future endeavors at these events also is vitallyimportant to me. On behalf of AAIM Employers’ Association, thank youfor the opportunity to represent the Rockford Chamber of Commerce asan Ambassador. I proudly wear the “red jacket.”

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rockfordchamber.com theVoice September 2011 25

Woodward, Inc., announced that itsBoard of Directors has approved aquarterly cash dividend of $0.07 pershare for shareholders of record as ofAug. 18, 2011. Woodward reportedfinancial results for its third quarter offiscal year 2011 including net sales of$438.5 million; an increase of 23percent from $356.4 million in the thirdquarter of last year.

The Mendelssohn Performing ArtsCenter launched its MendelssohnMusic Network, a community for localmusic performers, teachers, studentsand music lovers with networking,education and performanceopportunities.

KMK Media Group, Inc., completed abrochure, including a digital version,targeted to African Americans for theWinnebago County HealthDepartment which highlights thebenefits of the health department’sworkplace wellness screenings andimmunization programs. KMKdeveloped a marketing brochure for theRockford Police Department on itscommunity policing initiative.

The American College of Radiologydesignated OSF Saint AnthonyMedical Center as a Breast ImagingCenter of Excellence.

Discovery Center Museum formed apartnership to launch an innovativeafter-school and family-focused scienceand literacy educational effort, LEAPInto Science. The pilot program is partof the 21st Century CommunityLearning Center After SchoolAchievement Program in 10 RockfordPublic Schools and is funded as part ofa $1.176 million dollar National ScienceFoundation grant nationwide.

Wipfli LLP ranked fifth nationwide intotal assets under management in asurvey of 186 CPA firms offeringfinancial planning and investmentadvisory services and conducted by TopFirms by AUM, a supplement to theindustry magazine, Accounting Today.

Northern Illinois Center for NonprofitExcellence at Rockford College nowoffers a Faith-Based LeadershipCertificate Program, a non-denominational offering for faith-basedleaders and laity interested in buildingtheir management and leadership skills.

YouthBuild Rockford, a yearlongcomprehensive youth and communitydevelopment program for out-of-school,unemployed 16 to 28 year olds,celebrated the graduation of its 16thclass in August.

Several organizations with localemergency food and shelter programs inWinnebago County will share a$201,084 federal grant through theEmergency Food and Shelter Programof the Federal Emergency ManagementAgency. The United Way of Rock

River Valley will administer funding andreporting. Last year, the grant was$303,109.

Judson University celebrated thegraduation of more than 60 from itsmaster of arts in organizationalleadership program in August. Theprogram for working professionalsmeets one night per week for six weeks,and can be completed in 16 months.

The Barbara Olson Center of Hopelaunched Project Leisure in August, aprogram geared towards helpingfamilies without day services for theirteens and adults with disabilities, andproviding a social outlet for skill-buildingand socializing with peers.

Sikich LLP introduced a subscription-based human resource and consultingservice matching the client with ahuman resources professional with morethan 12 years experience, who becomespart of the client’s HR team.

PR Etc., oversaw the ribbon cuttingactivities for the GFS Marketplace storeopening in Racine, Wis., in June.

Blackhawk Bank awarded four‘A Team’ $1,000 scholarships tostudents who achieved academicexcellence in one or more subjects inMachesney Park/Roscoe, Beloit,Belvidere and Rockford.

The Rockford Area Convention &Visitors Bureau announced that after atwo-year absence, the U.S. YouthSoccer Region II Olympic DevelopmentProgram Boys’ Camps will return toRockford in July, 2012 and 2013, at

Sportscore Two. The camps will draw1,900 players and coaches to the areaeach year from 13 Midwestern states;generating an estimated $1.4 millionannually for area businesses.

Rockford MELD hired ArgyleMarketing to develop a corporate Website and social media strategy for itsbranding and fundraising efforts.

KMK Media Group, Inc., developedand designed a newsletter, Smiles, to besent to volunteers, donors and friends ofGiGi’s Playhouse/Rockford, LLC,and a newWebsite for InfrastructureDefense Technologies atwww.infrastructure-defense.com.

Technology specialist and softwarereseller Ticomix, Inc., based inRockford, opened its newest regionaloffice in White Plains, NY, focused on ITService Management software productsHEAT® and ITSM®, by FrontRangeSolutions.

Healing Pathways-Cancer ResourceCenter started a new, free supportgroup for caregivers, “Caring for theCaregiver,” meeting weekly on Tuesdaysat 10 a.m., at Westminster PresbyterianChurch, 2821 N. Bell School Road,Rockford. Caregivers of cancersurvivors are welcome.

The Rockford Park District Board ofCommissioners chose RockfordStructures Construction Company,Machesney Park, to install a new speedslide and repair and replace items on theoriginal body slides at Magic WatersWaterpark. In November, 2010, theboard approved proceeding with a bond

issue which included $3,050,000 forpark improvements.

Woodward, Inc., signed an agreementwith General Electric Company, throughits GE Aviation business unit, to developand supply the fuel system, air manage-ment, and actuation hardware for theGE Passport 20 engine and NG34technology development program.

Danfoss Power Electronics hosted agroundbreaking for a new logisticsfacility, in cooperation with developerVenture One Real Estate and designbuild contractor Meridian Design Build.Danfoss logistics operations are beingmoved offsite to create moremanufacturing capacity at the current4401 N. Bell School Road facility.

Thayer Lighting, Inc., completedmore than 15,000,000 square feet ofenergy-saving retrofit conversions for allsizes. As a ComEd Trade Ally Partner,Thayer educates businesses on energy-efficiency initiatives and can handleretrofit conversions from initial energyaudits through design, installation,disposal management of replacedproducts and all necessary paperwork.

Morning Star Village employeesparticipated in The Salvation ArmyPaint-A-Thon for the second year.

Ethnic Heritage Museum, 1129 S.Main St., hosts exhibits through Nov. 9:Garibaldi Guard Part I SesquicentennialCivil War; The Secret Life of Sarah E?;Made in Africa, and NI Quilt Fest. OpenSundays 2 to 4 p.m. Call 815-962-7402to arrange group tours.

theFranaGroup, a national healthcareconsulting firm, secured a $650,000federal grant for GraceMed, a federallyqualified health center in Wichita, Kan.

Eventus was selected to overseeplanning and implementation of thePreview Celebration for the NicholasConservatory & Garden on behalf of theRockford Park District Foundation.

Rockford Christian Schools, 1401 N.Bell School Road, held a groundbreaking ceremony on Aug. 19 on a $4million, 25,000-square-foot LEED-certified Science, Technology andHumanities Center. It will house a 178-seat distance learning auditorium,technology labs and advanced scienceand physical science laboratories, amultimedia center with green room,additional art studios, and a roof topenvironmental studies classroom andwind turbines for supplying power andstudying alternate sources of power.

Crusader Community Health held aribbon cutting to celebrate the opening ofits fourth location, Crusader CommunityHealth Loves Park, 6115 N. Second St. A$4 million American Recovery andReinvestment Act grant supported thebuilding of the 13,660-square-foot, LEEDSilver clinic with 18 exam rooms, fourdental operatories, dental lab, twoprocedure rooms, children’s play areaand patient learning center.

BUSINESS BRIEFSBusiness Briefs

A ribbon cutting ceremony in July marked the opening of Rockford Park District’s third skatepark, free to ages 5 to 18 enrolled in programs at Washington Park Community RecreationCenter, 3617 Delaware St., and offering hands-on training.

For a second year, Stillman Bank employees and friends took part in a Rockford Area Habitat forHumanity build on two neighboring houses in northwest Rockford, including getting roofs in place.

26 September 2011 theVoice rockfordchamber.com

MEMBERSNew Chamber Members

ATI Physical TherapyAuto Body Specialist Inc.Best Western Clock Tower Resort &Conference Center, Home ofCoCo Key Water ResortBlackhawk BankBoys and Girls Club of RockfordC. G. Group Inc.CICS Rockford CharterSchool OrganizationCommunity Foundation ofNorthern IllinoisConcordia University of WisconsinCool-Heat Supply, Inc.Corporate Services, IncCourt Street United MethodistDale Carnegie TrainingEmery Air, Inc.Employee Benefit Associationof Northern IllinoisEnergy Dynamics, Inc.Ethnic Heritage MuseumFirst Northern Credit UnionFirst Rockford GroupForest City Gear Co.Gleason Cutting Tools CorporationGordon Flesch Company, Inc.Greenlee TextronHair Cuttery - Perryville RoadHair Cuttery - Mulford RoadHelen Hill CommunicationHeritage Woods of RockfordHistoric Auto AttractionsHonest Pest Control Inc.HR Capital ManagementConsultantsIngersoll Machine ToolsInteriors LLCJ & M Plating, Inc.JMB Business FundingJohnny PamcakesKelce & CompanyKiwanis Club of RockfordKlehm Arboretum & Botanic GardenLLL SocietyLynde ConsultingManpowerMary Kay Cosmetics

Midway Village MuseumMontessori Private AcademyMorgan Building Maintenance Inc.MP Heating & Cooling Inc.National Cooperative RxNorthern Illinois Hospiceand Grief CenterNorthern Illinois Metal FinishingNyClo Screw Machine ProductsParker Hannifin CorporationPassages HospicePaul Davis Restoration(JRD Construction)PIP Printing/Mencarini EnterprisesR.K. Dixon CompanyRAC Adjustment CompanyRaymond James & AssociatesReel Pro VideoRock River Valley Tooling &Machining AssociationRockford Association forMinority ManagementRockford Electric EquipmentCompanyRockford ETTCORockford Heating & Air ConditioningRockford Linear Actuation, Inc.Rockford Local DevelopmentCorporationRockford MELDRockford Nursing & RehabRockford UrologicalAssociates, Ltd.Rogers Brothers GalvanizingShade Aire DecoratingSpectrum Insurance Agency, Inc.State Farm Insurance—Solomon FoleyThe Leukemia & LymphomaSociety, Illinois ChapterTovar Snow ProfessionalsTri-B Hardware & SupplyUnlimited ServicesValue Plus Auto Rental and LeasingVision Mortgage GroupWestminster Presbyterian ChurchWineShop at HomeWomanspace, Inc.

Membership Renewals

Thank you to the members who renewed with the Rockford Chamber in July.

ALPINE HOME AIRPRODUCTSProviding Residential, Heating,Air Conditioning & Indoor Air QualityProducts1002 22nd St., 61108800-865-5931www.alpinehomeair.com

ALPINE INNA Value Hotel/Motel OfferingClean & Comfortable Lodging forVisitors to the Region, Workers& Extended Stay4404 E. State St., 61108Kathryn Haun815-399-1890www.alpineinnrockford.com

BLAKE OIL COMPANYPetroleum/Lubricant Marketor &Distributor Serving North-CentralIllinois Offering High QualityProducts that Allow ourCustomers to Profit MoreP.O. Box 309Kirkland, IL 60146Michael Glendenning815-522-3521www.blakeoil.com

GFI METAL TREATING INC.Heat Treating1531 Preston St.Rockford, IL 61102Jason Breuer815-968-0094www.gfimetaltreating.com

LR HARRIS& ASSOCIATESProperty Preservation,Maintaining Vacant,Foreclosed andAbandoned PropertiesP.O. Box 4541, 61110Laurenzo Harris815-997-6431

OCTOPUSCAR WASHCar Wash and Car Detailing Services3708 E. State St., 61108Matt Bethune815-399-0219www.octopuscarwashes.com

OCTOPUSCAR WASHCar Wash and Car Detailing Services602 Kishwaukee St., 61104Jason Bethune815-964-7466www.octopuscarwashes.com

POPCORNPARLOR, INC.Offering Dozens of Varieties ofHandmade Gourmet Popcorn,24 Flavors of Soft Serve Ice Cream,Candy, Gifts and More1641 N. Alpine Road.,Ste. 101, 61107Brian Wolf815-543-8828www.thepopcornparlor.com

RADISSON HOTEL &CONFERENCE CENTERHotel with Conference Centerand Restaurant200 S. Bell School Road, 61108Mark Stefanic815-226-2100www.radisson.com/rockfordil

ROCKFORDAPARTMENTASSOCIATIONAn Organization that ProvidesEducation and Advocacy forOwners of ResidentialRental PropertyP.O. Box 2502Loves Park, IL 61132Paul Arena800-722-6676www.rockfordapartmentassociation.org

SINNISSIPPIAPARTMENTS INC.Association815-227-0928

THE JIM FELTSAGENCY (ALLSTATE)Allstate Offers a Full Lineof Insurance, Auto, Home, Life,Business Insurance5801 Columbia Pkwy.,Ste. 121, 61109Jim Felts815-397-6050

USA LASERIMAGING INC.Copiers5155 Torque Dr., Unit 2Loves Park, IL 61111Ross Boyer815-316-8000www.usalaserimaging.com

VITAS INNOVATIVEHOSPICE CAREProviding End-of-Life Care forAdult and Pediatric Patientswith Life-Limiting Illnesses580 Waters Edge,Ste. 100Lombard, IL 60148Steve Linder630-495-8484www.vitas.com/illinois

W. W. GRAINGER, INC.Leading Broad Line Supplier ofFacilities Maintenance Products,Helps Local BusinessesMaintain, Repair and OperateTheir Facilities5862 Harrison Ave., 61108Robert Gatz815-229-0313www.grainger.com

25-YEAR MEMBERProvena St. Anne Center

15-YEAR MEMBERSThe Pension Specialists, Ltd.Thayer Lighting, Inc.

10-YEAR MEMBERNelson Fire Protection

5-YEAR MEMBERAshley Furniture Homestore

September 2011 Member Anniversaries

Thank you to the following members who celebrate their anniversarieswith the Rockford Chamber in September, 2011.

October Focus on

Insurance Companies to Serve YouLaw Firms to Serve You

For information on advertising,call 815-987-8100

rockfordchamber.com theVoice September 2011 27

SEPTEMBER, 2011Tuesday, September 6IGNITE Breakfast & Business:Entrepreneur Edition - FromThe Pros (Non Profit), 7:30 to8:30 a.m., Radisson Hotel &Conference Center, 200 S. BellSchool Road. Dan Hinz, founder ofGrassroots Church, will talk aboutbeginning a non profit and theimportance of work/life balance.Breakfast included. Sponsored byMcGladrey.

Friday, September 9Rockford Chamber GovernmentAffairs Council Meeting, 7:30 to8:30 a.m., Stockholm Inn, 2420Charles St. Dr. Robert Willis,superintendent of District 205 andcabinet leaders will outline actions todate and discuss the beginning of theschool year, 2011-2012.

Tuesday, September 13Advantage Club – Superstars,Giovanni’s, 610 N. Bell School Road.Contact Anthony Mencarini, PIPPrinting, anthony@piprockford.com.

Wednesday, September 14Breakfast Buzz: Top Sales Secrets,7:30 to 9 a.m., Rock Valley College,3301 N. Mulford Road. Sponsored byMcGladrey.

Advantage Power Network Club,Franchesco’s Ristorante, 7128 PerryCreek Pkwy. Contact Teri Watts,Whitehead Inc., Realtors®,tlwatts@whiteheadcommercial.com orHolly Hanson, The Business Edge Inc.,coach@thebizedge.biz.

Advantage Club – Originals,alternate locations. Contact KarlaFernet, Healthy Balance Reflexology,Kfernet555@hotmail.com.

Thursday, September 15Ribbon Cutting/Open House,Ameriprise Financial, 6735Vistagreen Way, 4:30 to 7 p.m.Ribbon cutting at 4:30 p.m.; liveremote with Aaron Wilson, WROK,from 5 to 6 p.m. Please bringdonations (peanut butter, cereal, tuna,veggies, pasta, etc.) for a “Fruit forKids” food drive for the Rock RiverValley Food Pantry.

Monday, September 19Java Jive: CommunityDevelopment: The Tough Spots,5:30 to 7 p.m., Katie’s Cup, 502 7th St.Facilitator Brad Roos, ZionDevelopment Corporation, will lead adiscussion on tough local issues.Sponsored by Rockford College.Presented in part by Katie’s Cup.

Tuesday, September 20Chamber 101 with SpeedNetworking, 7:15 to 8:30 a.m.,Whitehead Inc., Realtors®, 839 N.Perryville Road. A quarterly orientationfor new members – and newemployees of existing membercompanies. Sponsored byMembersAlliance Credit Union.

Wednesday, September 21IGNITE LOTB: What DISC ProfileAre U? noon to 1 p.m., CliffbreakersRiverside Resort, 700 W. RiversideBlvd. DISC is like a Cosmo quiz for yourprofessional life. Sponsored byMcGladrey.

Thursday, September 22IGNITE C Suite Meet & Greet,11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Hilton GardenInn, 7675 Walton St. Join localleaders for a speed networking eventincluding CEOs, CFOs, COOs,executive directors and presidents.Lunch included.

Tuesday, September 27Advantage Club – Superstars,Giovanni’s, 610 N. Bell School Road.Contact Anthony Mencarini, PIPPrinting, anthony@piprockford.com.

Ribbon Cutting/Grand Opening,Pizza Hut, 3329 S. 11th St., 10 a.m.

Wednesday, September 28Advantage Club – Originals,alternate locations. Contact KarlaFernet, Healthy Balance Reflexology,Kfernet555@hotmail.com.

Advantage Power Network Club,Franchesco’s Ristorante, 7128 PerryCreek Pkwy. Contact Teri Watts,Whitehead Inc., Realtors®,tlwatts@whiteheadcommercial.comor Holly Hanson, The Business EdgeInc., coach@thebizedge.biz.

OCTOBER, 2011Tuesday, October 4Business Women’s Councilmeetsmonthly to foster networking andeducation for women in business.Meetings are designed to help womenshape their dreams, achieveprofessional goals and generate positiveresults in their lives. Council meets 1stTuesday of the month.”

Alpine Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Blackhawk Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Broadmoor Agency, Inc. . . . . . . . . .24Brian Thomas Photography, Inc. . . 16Delta Dental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Disabiltyworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Goodwill . . . . . . .Special Section DHumana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15IGNITE . . . . . . . .Special Section DIMEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Leading Lawyers Network . . . . .28McGladrey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Northwest Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . .18OSF Center forHealth–Rock Cut . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Peterson Meadows . . . . . . . . . . .11Riverside Community Bank . .10, 17Rockford Area EconomicDevelopment Council . . . . . . . . .6

Rockford Chamberof Commerce . . . . . . . . . . .21, 24,. . . . . . . . . . .Special Section C, D

Rockford Health System . . . . . . .22Rockford Health SystemThe Women’s Center . . . . . . . . .19

Rock Valley College . . . . . . . .7, 12Rosecrance Ware Center . . . . . .12Stillman Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21SwedishAmerican Health System .13Thayer Lighting . . .Special Section CVan Galder BusA Coach USA Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Van Matre HealthSouth . . . . . . . . .14Widmer Interiors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Williams-Manny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Williams McCarthy . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Winnebago County HealthDepartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

EVENTSUpcoming Chamber Events ADVERTISERSAdvertisers Index

Chamber Staff / Call 815-987-8100 Direct LineEinar K. Forsman, President & CEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .815-316-4304Heidi Garner, Executive Assistant to the President . . . . . . . . . .815-316-4312Doug Hessong, Director of Publications & Technology . . . . . . .815-316-4338Lynette Jacques, Advertising and Sponsorship Executive . . . .815-316-4317Vee Jevremovic, Manager of Education Programs and Events . .815-316-4337Cyndie Landis, Financial Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .815-316-4300Caitlin Ludwig, Director of Ignite! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .815-316-4335Joy Moriarty, V.P. Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .815-316-4316Stacy Mullins, Director of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .815-316-4302Diane Navickis, Membership Development Manager . . . . . . . .815-316-4315Joan Sundvall, Membership Contact Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . .815-316-4320Valerie Tippitt, Membership Development Manager . . . . . . . . .815-316-4336

Tuesday, October 4IGNITE Breakfast & Business:Entrepreneur Edition - Planning,7:30 to 8:30 a.m., Radisson Hotel &Conference Center, 200 S. Bell SchoolRoad. SCORE, Counselors toAmerica’s Small Businesses, talksabout programs on planning yourbusiness. Breakfast included.Sponsored by McGladrey.

Tuesday, October 11Advantage Club – Superstars,Giovanni’s, 610 N. Bell School Road.Contact Anthony Mencarini, PIPPrinting, anthony@piprockford.com.

Wednesday, October 12Breakfast Buzz: EffectiveMarketing Campaigns, 7:30 to 9a.m., Rock Valley College, 3301 N.Mulford Road. Sponsored byMcGladrey.

Advantage Power Network Club,Franchesco’s Ristorante, 7128 PerryCreek Pkwy. Contact Teri Watts,Whitehead Inc., Realtors®,tlwatts@whiteheadcommercial.com orHolly Hanson, The Business Edge Inc.,coach@thebizedge.biz.

Advantage Club – Originals,alternate locations. Contact KarlaFernet, Healthy Balance Reflexology,Kfernet555@hotmail.com.

Friday, October 14Rockford Chamber GovernmentAffairs Council Meeting, 7:30 to8:30 a.m., Stockholm Inn, 2420 Charles

St. For more information on how to joinGovernment Affairs Council, contactHeidi Garner at 815-316-4312.

Tuesday, October 25Advantage Club – Superstars,Giovanni’s, 610 N. Bell School Road.Contact Anthony Mencarini, PIPPrinting, anthony@piprockford.com.

Wednesday, October 26Advantage Club – Originals,alternate locations. Contact KarlaFernet, Healthy Balance Reflexology,Kfernet555@hotmail.com.

Advantage Power Network Club,Franchesco’s Ristorante, 7128 PerryCreek Pkwy. Contact Teri Watts,Whitehead Inc., Realtors®,tlwatts@whiteheadcommercial.com orHolly Hanson, The Business Edge Inc.,coach@thebizedge.biz.

Thursday, September 221:00 to 7:00 pmFormer Sears Essentials/Kmart location in Loves Park1515 E. Riverside Blvd.

RegionalBusinessExpo 2011This premiere networking eventand business expo kicks offwith Wayne Breitbarth, author ofthe new book, “The PowerFormula for LinkedIn, Success:Kick Start Your Business,Brand and Job Search.”

New this year is the green expocorridor and educational seminars,and returning favorites are regionaltaste and a speed networkingsession.

Presenting sponsor is TDSGold sponsor is Humana

Thursday, October 205 to 7 pmRock Valley CollegeKarl J. Jacobs Science& Math Center2201 N. Mulford Rd.Rockford, Illinois

People YouShould KnowIn October, we will recognize ourinaugural “People You Should Know”at a special reception and in a uniquepublication.

Supporting sponsor is McGladreyPresenting sponsor is Reno & Zahm LLP

http://www.leadinglawyers.com