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ECIDC would like to welcome its newest members: Crawford County Development Association Shelby County Economic Development Corporation Arthur Area Economic Development Corporation Illinois Printing Services, Inc.
Julie Bounds, City of Marshall Economic Development, nominated Gerald Forsythe for the 2009 BESI Awards.
The Kitchen Seed Company accepted their BESI Award the night of the Annual Banquet.
Ken Vogt was nominated to receive a 2009 BESI Award by Dan Woods, St. Anthony's Hospital.
Gary Kuhns was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by Bill Steichmann, ECIDC President.
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East Central Illinois June Development Update ECIDC FEATURED MEMBER Through 2009 ECIDC will feature one of its members in each newsletter... Agri-Fab This is the story of Agri-Fab, Inc., a thriving company located in Sullivan, Illinois. A company that exists today solely because a few people had the faith to believe a miracle could happen.
Building a Better Lawn SweeperThe success of the manufacturing business launched in 1975 exceeded the founders’ wildest expectations. The story began with the idea of developing a new and improved lawn sweeper. Soon, Agri-Fab went on to redesign and manufacture a product that outperformed any lawn sweeper on the market. The result attracted the attention of a major retailer and, ultimately, catapulted Agri-Fab into the position of an industry leader of lawn and garden attachments. ExpansionAgri-Fab expanded its manufacturing facilities to meet its customers’ potential needs, with the addition of a 12,500-square-foot building. The building was finished early in 1987, just in time for the lawn and garden season. That year orders for the new lawn sweeper poured in, and overall company sales doubled. The success story was followed by others. The objective was to serve all of Agri-Fab’s customers’ needs in the lawn and garden attachment market. Agri-Fab’s business model included the development of a complete product line, ranging from lawn carts, lawn sweepers, aerators, fertilizer sprayers and spreaders to snowblades.
The company’s key to success lay in its talented and loyal people, superior products, sound operating principles and a leap of faith. Building a better product may have been an old-fashioned notion, but Agri-Fab always took the approach that its products would not only endure, but also would bring value to the customer. Agri-Fab TodayAlthough Agri-Fab does not resemble the original business founded in the 1930s, its management and employees still adhere to the founders’ philosophy of giving back to the community. At peak season, the company employs nearly 400 employees in a town of 4,700 and the surrounding 40-mile area, while Hydro-Gear, a division of AF Holding, employs nearly 700.
COMMUNITY UPDATES Christian County Update Pana, IL On Wednesday, March 25th, Pana City Council approved the low bid of Cloyd Builders, New Berlin, Illinois of $366,961.68 for the rebuilding of the Kitchell Park Chautauqua Pavilion Stage and Back Stage. The Illinois Department of Transportation Enhancement program made this possible by adding an additional $127,638.67 in the Grant. The 20% portion will be covered from a public fund gathered by Tom Philips, Pana News, in the amount of $31,909.67. With the balance of $207,413.34 in the original enhancement grant this will give the Pana Community enough funds to complete the project. The Pavilion will be the only one of its kind in the Nation to be completely rebuilt in its original condition. Construction could be completed as early as the 4th of July-2009. During the height of the Chautauqua era there were thought to be near 300 Chautauqua Pavilions and auditoriums in the Country and now less than a dozen remain. Central Illinois has three....Pana, Shelbyville, and Taylorville. To be born soon.....the Central Illinois Chautauqua Event Series.
Edgar County Update Paris, IL Edgar County committees are in the process of developing a CEDS (Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy) study to place the county and its various governmental agencies in position to seek assistance through the Economic Development Agency of the U. S. Department of Commerce. Approximately 25 county residents, representing various economic and political constituencies, have been meeting since April. They are identifying county and regional strengths and weaknesses, a vision to improve the future economic health of the community, and potential action plans to achieve the consensus vision. The CEDS effort was initiated by the Edgar County Board, with the assistance of the City of Paris and the city’s economic development specialist. Also assisting is PEDCO, the non-profit economic development organization representing the city and county area. Once the CEDS process is complete, expected by this August, its report will be presented to the Economic Development Agency for review and adoption. It will also be incorporated into the larger multi-county CEDS documentation expected to be developed within the coming year. Concurrently, the EdPlex project to convert the former Paris Work Camp site and facility into an adult education/vocational education center is progressing. Architectural and pre-engineering design work has been completed for both a “phase one” conversion of the current buildings for educational use, and a future “phase two” development to include a new cooperative high school. A marketing study by the Chicago firm of Gruen & Gruen was completed in June to forecast the optimum programming for the EdPlex facilities.
Douglas County Update Arcola, IL May 29th marked the annual rite of passage as the Class of 2009 commencement was held at the Arcola High School. Senior award night was held the week prior to commencement and it was another banner year for Arcola students. Thanks to the Arcola Foundation nearly $50,000 in scholarships were awarded to the graduating seniors. The community Foundation, with $5.4 million in assets, has annually awarded scholarships to Arcola students seeking to continue their education. The Foundation’s commitment to the local community is not just limited to student scholarships, but to the benefit of the City of Arcola. The Foundation recently fulfilled their commitment to the Arcola Public Library with a final grant installment as part of a multi-year commitment. In all, the foundation provided $400,000 to support the expansion of the public library. In addition, the Foundation has committed $1 million to help the Arcola School District. Annual installments are contributed to the District to pay down bonds from recent building expansions at the school. In the past, the Foundation has been a key partner to the City of Arcola with Economic Development. Most recently in 2008, the Foundation provided grant funds to the City to aid in reopening the City’s grocery store and provides an annual grant to support the Chamber of Commerce. The Arcola Foundation, with a strong commitment to serve our community, is another small piece of the equation that makes our town Amazing.
REGIONAL EVENTS Community Funding & Resources Forum September 8, 2009 ECIDC is hosting a Community Funding Forum on September 8th beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Lake Land College Workforce Development Center, 305 Richmond Avenue East, Mattoon, Ill. The Forum was coordinated to aid communities and organizations in finding the resources available to assist in funding and development of projects. Anyone is invited to participate and would be beneficial for those in municipal or county positions, education, economic development, local planning, parks and recreation or business and industry to come. All attendees will be given a Community Resource Guide, meet with various agency representatives, and network with leaders from throughout East Central Illinois and beyond. Some of the agencies that will be represented are: Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, USDA Rural Development, Coles County Regional Planning, Illinois Treasurer’s Office, Rural Partners, Illinois Finance Authority, Il Small Business Development Center, USDA Resource Conservation & Development, and the Business Solutions Center. Seats can be reserved for $15 per person. Individuals may contact the ECIDC office at (217) 540-3517 to make reservations. Please act fast for seating is limited.
ECIDC Annual Boat Outing August 20, 2009 ECIDC is hosting their annual Boat Outing on Lake Shelbyville on August 20th beginning at 5:00 p.m. with a reception at the Lithia Springs Marina followed by the boat launch at 5:30 p.m. Each year ECIDC invites legislators, many local, regional, and state agency representatives, as well as local community and economic development leaders to attend. Dinner and other refreshments will be served. If you are interested in attending this year's event, please contact Trisha Mason. Cost of attendance is $10.00.
Wanted: Investors, Inventors, Start-ups & Expanding Businesses for the Prairie Spark Investment Forum Sept. 3rd The first Prairie Spark Investment Forum will highlight 3-4 potential growth companies and new products that are looking for regional investment. They will present their proposal on Thursday, September 3, 2009 from 7:30-9:30 am at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center on Rte. 16 between Mattoon and Charleston. We are looking for the strongest projects, so please help us identify businesses or start-ups in your area that may be candidates for angel investment. Please also spread the word about this forum to potential investors in your town. The Business Solutions Center will be working with the businesses prior to the meeting to help strengthen their business plan and presentation. There is no pressure to invest if you attend. We won’t identify the potential investors by name, however, we have already made sure that there will be “money in the room” to make it worthwhile for the businesses. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call Jeanne Dau at 217-581-2913 or email her at jcdau@eiu.edu.
ECIDC Market Analysis Services ECIDC launched its GIS powered Market Analysis Services a couple of months ago and since then has been utilized by communities and organizations to aid in their data-driven needs. Through utilizing these services ECIDC can help you gain access to detailed analysis of your market and market potential. We have access to the many tools that consultants currently use to perform these same functions and are able to do so at a cost that is significantly less! If you are trying to make a decision in relation to economic development or business, please contact us to see if we can help. Trisha Mason continues to be trained in utilizing ESRI products and software to be able to expand on the previous service offerings. To view a few case studies or to see our online brochure please visit the Market Analysis Services page on our website. Recently, the information gathered has been utilized by the City of Marshall to aid in their recruitment of a new Mexican restaurant that is due to open next month near I-70!
ECIDC Annual Banquet Update On May 14th, we hosted the 25th Anniversary Annual Banquet and BESI Awards Celebration at the Thelma Keller Convention Center in Effingham, Ill. We more than doubled our attendance from last year, greeting nearly 200 people as they entered the doors. Four deserving individuals were honored that evening and attendees enjoyed the bidding wars during the silent auction. Mike Mortell from the Milwaukee 7 WIRED region spoke on regional collaboration and many laughs and good conversations were shared amongst all guests. BESI AWARD WINNERS Gerald Forsythe Clark County is proud to call Gerald Forsythe one of their most successful entrepreneurs. He is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Indeck Power Equipment Company and Indeck Energy Services Inc. located in Wheeling, Illinois. The Indeck Group has grown into North America's largest supplier of emergency and back-up steam generation while expanding into the design and fabrication of water treatment equipment and renting generator sets, chillers, and compressors. He also owns Forsythe Family Farms in Clark and Edgar Counties, Canyata Golf Club in Marshall and Iron Horse Golf Club in Tuscola. Canyata holds the distinction of being voted the #2 Best New Private Club in the January 2006 edition of Golf Digest Magazine. While he resides in the Chicago area, Gerald has not forgotten the area where he was born and raised. He returns to the family home in Marshall on a regular basis. His countless contributions have touched the lives of many people in Clark County and the surrounding area. One of the largest benefactors of Gerald’s generosity has been the youth of Clark County. Gerald and his wife, Jean are the founders of the Marshall Educational Trust Fund, which provides no-interest loans to students needing financial assistance to further their education. Some of the other contributions Gerald has made are: the donation of the lease payments for the Lake Land College Eastern Region Center in Marshall, the Performing Arts Center at the Marshall Junior High School, 10 acres of cropland to the Marshall Ag Department, donation to the Future Farmers of America programs at Casey, Kansas, Marshall, Martinsville and Paris from the sale of his tractors, donation of used trucks to Marshall Schools, Mill Creek Park, the local Boy Scout Organization, Wabash Township and Saint Mary of the Woods College, new bleachers for the Marshall Girls Softball Diamond, donations well over the normal amounts bid at the Clark County 4-H Auction, donations to various local programs such as baseball, after-prom and other school organizations, paid for new boilers for the Marshall High School, paid for new boilers for Martinsville School, and paid 50% of the cost of the Marshall High School Greenhouse. One of Gerald’s most selfless acts to those in need came about one hot, humid day in August of 2007. The air conditioner had gone out at Burnsides Community Health Center and without a quick solution the only alternative was to evacuate the residents of the nursing home to a different location. To do this would be a logistical nightmare. Gerald got wind of the situation and sent generators from Chicago that night to get the air conditioner running again until it could be replaced. In fact, they used it the rest of the season at absolutely no expense to the nursing home. Mr. Forsythe’s life demonstrates a continuous spirit of generosity that positively affects the lives of the individuals, organizations and communities he touches.
Kitchen Seed Company Since the company's inception in 1974, Kitchen Seed has steadily grown over the past 35 years to become the "Premier Independent Seed Company" in east central Illinois. After it's first year in business, they achieved $600,000 in annual sales. Today the company records sales in the multi-million dollar range. Their current and past customers include such countries as Turkey, France, Switzerland, Russia and most recently the country of Ukraine. Because of their longtime association with the government of Ukraine, the Kitchen Seed Company logo is registered brand within that country. Over the years, the owner Phil Kitchen has encouraged and promoted that his employees be involved within the communities that they work in and/or reside within. Various community positions that his 15 employees currently hold or have recently held are an Arthur School Board Director, a past Arthur School Board President, two current Arthur Park District Directors, a volunteer fire fighter who also served as the Assistant Arthur Fire Chief for several years. Other organizations that employees have been or are currently involved with are the Arthur Area Association of Commerce, the Arthur Village Board, Farm Bureau Young Leaders Organization, volunteer coaches and other various civic activities. Kitchen Seed Company has been looked to over the years as a "Leader" within the community. They have provided and/or sponsored numerous events in Arthur and the surrounding area. Because of their sound and honest business practices, they have quietly amassed a loyal army of supporters and customers that are generally within a 100 mile radius of Arthur. I believe that this becomes visually evident when they host a seed meeting and have an attendance over 400 people from that 100 mile radius. In a business that is not necessarily known for its customer loyalty, Kitchen Seed Company has worked to earn mutual respect and loyalty from it's customers in the United State and overseas.
Ken Vogt For over 20 years, Ken has contributed a great deal to his community through his professional and social involvements. Professionally, Ken is a certified public accountant and partner of West & Co., LLC in Effingham. His profession has allowed him to consult with area individuals and businesses in regards to real estate planning and tax related issues. However, his contributions as a business leader and his social involvements with various community organizations have led to his receipt of the BESI Award. From 1987 to 1990 Ken served on the Board of the Greater Effingham Chamber of Commerce. During his tenure he held the office of Vice President of Operations and in 1990 served as Chairman of the Board. While Ken served on the Board, he helped to create the ExCEL Awards Program (Excellence in Community & Economic Leadership). He also initiated the Effingham Business Report which is now distributed nationwide and is one of the Chamber’s best known publications. Ken also helped to create the Chamber of Commerce’s resume service. This service is unique to our Chamber and is one of the first of its kind in the country. It allows job applicants the opportunity to complete a resume online free of charge and, in turn, allows Chamber businesses to view these resumes and select candidates from a large pool of applicants. Ken also serves in a leadership role at St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital as an active member of the Friends of St. Anthony’s Board of Directors, the fundraising “arm” of the hospital. In addition, Ken serves on the Planned Giving committee and is an active participant in developing the education process regarding planned giving opportunities. Ken is also a member of numerous other community organizations and is currently serving on the Effingham Catholic Charities Advisory Board. Ken and his family are members of St. Anthony of Padua Church in Effingham where he has served as past member of the Board of Education. Ken is currently a member of the Stewardship Committee. Although new to this position, Ken has already spearheaded the development of a Christian Stewardship program and taken part in its leadership training. Because of his interest in stewardship (giving back to God a percentage of our time, talents, and treasures), Ken has recently been appointed to the St. Anthony Church Finance Council and is also a Trustee. Ken and his wife Marilyn are the parents of four children, Kevin, Sara, Andy and Theresa. They have two grandchildren. These examples of professional leadership and commitment to community reflect Ken’s ability and willingness to serve the needs of his community.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER Gary Kuhns Gary Kuhns has served First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust for more than 32 years in the Mattoon, Sullivan and Neoga communities. He is currently a Vice-President with the Wealth Management Department in the Mattoon facility. He has also served East Central Illinois and is an advocate for economic and community development in the area. He has served two terms on the Lake Land College Board of Trustees from 1985 until 1997, serving as President during the second term. He sat on the Lincoln Sargent Board from 1992 until 1994. Kuhns served on the Cumberland County Development Corporation board from 1990 until 2005, leading the group as their President in 1994 and 1995. He also received the Citizen of the Year Award in Cumberland County in 1995. Kuhns worked with the Kellogg’s Foundation and Rural Partners to develop the Cumberland County Strategic Plan for Community and Economic Development and was elected the Plan Champion in 1994. During this time he spent much time assisting in writing for Community Development Assistant Program (CDAP) grants from the State of Illinois. He served on the East Central Illinois Development Corporation Board of Directors from 1996 to 2005. He was the secretary of this group from 1998 until 2004. Kuhns also serves as a Coles County Soil and Water Conservation District Director and is the co-founder of the Neoga’s Children’s Christmas Shopping Spree. Kuhns resides near Mattoon with his wife Sharon and has two sons, Andrew and Nicholas. He has spent a lifetime making a positive difference in the communities in which he lives, works, and serves. If you have any questions regarding ECIDC, the upcoming events or joining the organization please contact Trisha Mason at (217) 238-8233 or by email.
ECIDC Upcoming Events... July 9th 5:30 p.m. Community Funding & Resource Forum, Lake Land College Workforce Development Center, Mattoon, Ill. August 20th 3:00 p.m. ECIDC Board of Directors Meeting, Shelbyville City Hall, Shelbyville, Ill. 5:00 p.m. ECIDC Annual Boat Outing, Lithia Springs Marina, Shelbyville, Ill. November 19th 11:00 a.m. ECIDC Board of Directors Meeting, LLC Workforce Development Center, Mattoon, Ill.
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East Central Illinois Development Corporation (ECIDC) was established in 1984 to assist economic development in an eleven county region consisting of Christian, Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Jasper, Moultrie and Shelby counties. ECIDC was one of the first regional economic development organizations in the state and has continued to assist in meeting the economic development needs of east central Illinois. |
