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THE BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS FORUM

VOLUME 5 ISSUE 5 JULY 2008

The Green Edition 2008

Sustainability Practices That Can


Boost Your Bottom Line
A Possible and Sustainable Future PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID

Green is Everyone’s Favorite Color


PERMIT #565
KANKAKEE, IL

Joliet Job Market Among


Strongest in Nation
Features Regulars
4 From the Editor | Andrew Wheeler
Cover Story
10 5 Around the County | Ed Piatt
Seeing Green: News and programs from the Illinois Department
of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
Publication Director
Ken Munjoy
Sustainability Practices that Can 6 From the Desk Of Rep. Dugan | Lisa Dugan
Editor
Boost Your Bottom Line 6 Ask SCORE | Michael Holtzman
Life’s lessons learned from the Service Corps of
Andrew Wheeler

by Lisa Wogan | B2B Illinois takes a look at sustainability Retired Executives. Art Director
efforts and technologies from around the world, and right 16 Organize It! | Karen McGregor Kim Carpenter
outside your back door. Suggestions on how to get out from under the
clutter and into productivity. Advertising Manager
On the cover: Ron Romano of Connected Community with Jeff Egbert
26 Tech Corner | Wade LeBeau
Mark Johnson and Bill Bonner of Rhapsody Cove. Photo by Tips on utilizing your Internet broadband con- Copy Editor and Direct Connections Coordinator
Melissa Gaug. nection to the fullest. Vickie St. Louis
27 Innovative Management Solutions |
7 Manpower Releases Third Quarter Employment Patrick Seaton Distribution Manager
Outlook Survey Results Operational advice from an industry professional. Terry LaVoie
submitted by Beth Brosseau | Local employers relay hiring plans. 30 Spanish Language Training | Distribution Coordinator
Dr. Héctor López Becky Blackwell
9 A Possible and Sustainable Future Tips for businesses wanting to access the explod-
by Jerry Weber | KCC President Dr. Jerry Weber discusses his institution’s commit- ing Hispanic consumer market. Press Foreman
ment to sustainable practices and technologies. 33 How’s Business | Bill Guertin Dave Grams
Branding advice from an industry professional.
14 Wal-Mart Illinois Embraces Local Green Vendors 28 Out & About
Composing
Ross Bertrand and Marcus Jackson
by Andrew Wheeler | Sell or market a sustainable product? If so, Wal-Mart wants to
talk to you. 31 Out & About
Advertising Coordinator
34 Direct Connections Janet Jones
15 Green is Everyone’s Favorite Color
by Lindsay Gladstone | Governors State University’s commitment to our environment. 37 Direct Connections, Will Co. Information Systems
Mike Steele and Jennifer Hudson
16 Zip-Pak Research Findings
Staff Photographer
Manteno manufacturer part of the solution.
thanks to our Melissa Gaug

17 Arctic Snow and Ice Chooses Bradley Manufacturing Location independent Advertising Consultants
B2B staff report | Economic Alliance of Kankakee County lands Frankfort manufac-
turer.
contributors: Terry Atkins
Jo Ann Bachar
Marcia Hellmuth
Myrdis Hines
Beth Brosseau y Manpower y 815.939.7070 Sandy Behrends Blake Naylor
17 Back Power and Brain Power: Both Jobs Need Education Joanie Copenhaver Monte Parsons
Lisa Dugan y State representative, 79 th district y
Amy Eichholz Lisa Sunn
by Nancy J. Ruda | A B2B Illinois report from the “Public Agenda for Higher Educa- 815.939.1983
Thomas Goodrich Cary Turner
tion Summit” held at KCC in June. Joe Giunta y Joliet Junior College y 815.280.1555 Gina Harpin Lyle Turro
y jgiunta@jjc.edu y www.trainingupdate.org
18 Green…It’s the New Corporate Color
by Nancy J. Ruda | A B2B Illinois report from the June “Go Green and Learn How to Lindsay Gladstone y Governors State University y upcoming b2b ILLINOIS deadlines
708.534.7090 y l-gladstone@govst.edu
Make it Happen” event held at Moraine Valley Community College. August 1, 2008 Publication:
Bill Guertin y The 800-Pound Gorilla y
22 Pay Attention to Parents’ Investment Strategies 815.932.5878 y bill@The800PoundGorilla.com Ad space reservation / article submission
deadline: 7/11/2008
by Bob Meyers | Financial advice from industry expert Bob Meyers. Michael Holtzman y SCORE Chapter 0674 y
815.427.9818 Ad approval deadline: 7/21/2008
22 Hiring a Business Consultant Wade LeBeau y The Daily Journal y 815.937.3332 To advertise, contact your advertising
by Reneé Perry | What to look for in a consultant. consultant at The Daily Journal: 815.939.6642
Dr. Héctor López y BEST Solutions, Inc. y
23 Acres of Diamonds at Work 630.910.4509 y hector.lopez@bestsolutionsinc.
com
by Ron Price | According to author/consultant Ron Price, great managers look for ways How to Reach Us
to develop each employee’s strengths rather than trying to fix weaknesses. Bob Meyers y Edward Jones y 815.939.1175 n To
receive this publication or change an
Karen McGregor y Organize It! Professional address, log onto our website:
24 Joliet Job Market Expected to be Among Strongest in Nation Organizing Services y 815.936.1108 y www. www.b2billinois.com
Joliet area manufacturers predict their hiring needs for Q3 2008. organizeitillinois.com n Editorial,
Andrew Wheeler: phone
Dorcilla C. Schoolman y Options Center for 815.791.3129; e-mail awheeler@b2billinois.com
25 Going Green in Will County Top Priority Independent Living y 815.936.0100 x 229 n Send announcements, press releases, etc. to:
by Lawrence Walsh | Green news from Will County Executive Larry Walsh.
Reneé Perry y Small Business Consultant and fax 815.935.0192; e-mail pr@b2billinois.com
Coach y 815.722.0041
29 The Home Energy Tipping Point (Or, How Can I Save Money?) n Direct
Connections, Vickie St. Louis: fax
by Tom Goodberlet | Tom Goodberlet discusses when it is cost effective to go with Edward Piatt y N.E. Senior Account Manager, 815.937.3362; e-mail vstlouis@b2billinois.com
green HVAC technology in your home, and in your business. Illinois DCEO y 312.636.0739 n Toll Free: 1.866.509.4B2B (4222)
Ron Price y 866.442.0556 y www.Price-Associates. n Mailingaddress: B2B Illinois, 8 Dearborn
31 Green Marketing: The Same Old Principles Still Apply com Square, Kankakee, IL 60901
B2B Illinois Staff Report | B2B looks at the latest in Green marketing efforts and the
Patrick Seaton y Innovative Management Tools,
balance between effective branding and ecological stewardship.
LLC y 715.340.9606 y pjseaton@tds.net y www.
B2B Illinois is a free publication of the Small Newspaper
innovativemanagementtools.com
32 Illinois Accessible Parking Group. Information published in B2B Illinois is the
responsibility of the author and may not reflect the
by Dorci Schoolman | Is your business compliant with handicap parking laws? Lawrence Walsh y Will County Executive y 815.
opinions of the B2B Illinois staff. All editorial content
774.7480 and advertising published is the property of the Small
38 What Do Gas Prices and Elder Care Have in Common? Jerry Weber y Kankakee Community College y Newspaper Group dba B2B Illinois.

by Joe Giunta | According to JJC training director Joe Giunta, telecommuting can be a 815.802.8100 y jweber@kcc.edu
great way to go green, if done under a few key parameters.
Real Estate makes $ense,
Let us help you turn it
into Dollars!

www.nugentcurtis.com
Joe Nugent, Broker
Cell 815.509.9005
Chris Curtis, Broker
Cell 815.693.4949
COMMERCIAL
PRICE REDUCED!

Kankakee. 52,225 SF industrial facility on 5 acres. Kankakee. 2,994 SF office/service facility for sale. 1575 SF Kankakee. 7,075 SF facility. 5,000 SF clear span showroom w/ Kankakee. 9,300 sq ft cinder block building located on cor-
Features include 6 interior docks, 17’ + clear height, 4,560 finished office w/ track lighting. Large, open 1395 SF area w/ vaulted wood beam ceiling. 2,025 shop area w/ 10'x12' drive-in ner lot. Over 1.8 acres for expansion or storage. Zoned
SF office. Can be leased 25,000-52,225 SF. MLS 190516 12' ceiling and air conditioned. MLS 190847 door. 100% sprinklered. 750 SF mezzanine office area. MLS 190887 Industrial. Many uses possible. Call Joe Nugent. MLS 190516
$1,750,000 $275,000 $265,000 $248,500 $375,000

Grant Park. 5,500 sq ft facility. Multiple overhead doors for Kankakee. 18,000 - 80,000 SF for lease. 22' to 24' ceiling Bourbonnais. Low new construction rates. Suites available Bourbonnais. For sale or lease. 4,680 SF brick & block bldg.
ease of use. High ceilings. Ideal for operation of business or heights, up to 8 docks w/ levelers and 4 drive-in doors. 1,500 SF and larger. High visibility with large 2-story atrium Great location on busy Rt. 45 in the path of progress w/ add’l
storage. On slightly over 1 acre. MLS 191837 480/277 volt/400 amp/3 phase power. MLS 191837 lobby entrance. Suites available for sale also. MLS 191837 land for expansion. Many uses. MLS 191837
$255,000 $4.50 PSF gross $8.00 PSF NNN $700,000
LOTS AND LAND:
Manteno: 80 +/- Acres, $11,000 per acre • Manteno: 224 +/- Acres, $17,500 per acre • Bourbonnais: 75 Acres w/ Preliminary Plat, $50,000 per acre • Bourbonnais: .80 Acre lot on Rt. 45, $300,000

Real Estate makes $ense,


Let us help you turn it
into Dollars!

www.nugentcurtis.com
Pamela Baron Sandy Wurster Paul Walsh Nate Henrichs
Cell 815.955.2392 Cell 815.274.2535 Cell 815.955.2457 Cell 815.739.9859
RESIDENTIAL
PRICE REDUCED!

Kankakee. Custom built ranch w/ full lookout bsmt. Near Bourbonnais. Spacious 3BR, 2BA brick ranch w/ open floor Bourbonnais. Ranch w/open floor plan. Kit w/stone back- Mokena. Wooded land located in city limits. Close to all
Kankakee St. Pk. 4 BR, 3 BA. Kit w/brfst nook/sun rm, granite. plan. Kitchen updated. Good size utility/mud room off garage splash, granite counters, maple cabs. Bsmt w/home thea. sys., amenities. 2BR, 2BA, 2 car garage. Borders Hickory Creek
Mstr Suite w/ Jacuzzi, double sinks, skylight, ceram. shower. with new ceramic tile. Fireplace. Shed. MLS 191616 poss 4th BR, rec/family rm. Fenced backyard. MLS 191975 Forest Preserve. Call Pamela Baron. MLS 191843
$379,900 $179,900 $279,900 $409,000

Bourbonnais, Prarie Chase Subd. New 2-story w/ 4 BR, 2.5 Bourbonnais, Prarie Chase Subd. New brick ranch w/ split floor Bourbonnais. Neutral colors & lots of space. Partial unfinished Kankakee. Well maintained 2 BR, 2 BA condo. Outside park-
BA, 3 car gar & full bsmt. HW flooring. Kit w/ custom cabinets. plan. 3 BR, 2 BA, 2 car gar, full bsmt. HW floors. Kit w/ custom bsmt. Completely remodeled incl: new flooring, fixtures, doors ing & 1 car det. garage with storage & electric opener. Updated
Master Suite w/Jacuzzi, shower & WIC. MLS 192304 cabs, isl., pantry. Master Suite w/Jacuzzi, sep shower. MLS 192303 & trim. New Maple cabinets, ceramic tile in kit. MLS 192597 kitchen. Condo fee Includes water/sewage. MLS 192579
$299,900 $299,900 $239,900 $88,900
LOTS AND LAND:
Limestone: .70 Acre lot in River Crossing, $145,000 • Limestone: .70 Acre lot in River Crossing, $145,000 • Limestone: .78 Acre lot in River Crossing, $145,000

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063008217101136

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815-929-9095 office .DQNDNHH,OOLQRLV 815-929-9085 fax
From The Editor | by Andrew Wheeler

Lessons from Kermit


“It’s not easy being available. I was shocked to find that B2B Il-
green.” linois is printed on bright white paper that
Kermit didn’t know uses no recycled stock. I can find no mill
how right he was. Al- that produces the ideal product, so I have
though his lamentation begun the process of finding a mill that
was centered on the vari- manufactures the type of paper I need,
ous problems a frog pup- switching to lower-end newsprint, and
pet can encounter, and the trials and tribu- exploring more dramatic options.
GET YOUR POINT ACROSS lations associated with being a pork lover,
Kermit’s words ring true for businesspeople
There aren’t a lot of easy answers here.
The best, long-term decision has to bal-
Throughout the year, The Daily Journal publishes Special in today’s economy…and ecology. ance the constraints of economics and
Sections and Feature Pages of the newspaper. These annual Becoming “green” in your operations is no the accountability to our planets’ ecology.
longer a matter of if; it’s a matter of how. Hopefully this edition of B2B Illinois
sections target lifestyles, address specific consumer needs The only real way to address your com- provides some ideas for both your office,
and/or feature event information of national and local mitment to sound, environmentally-sus- and your home.
importance. tainable practices is to take a hard look at On another note:
what you do, and how you do it. Is an in- During the Chicago Bears training
Special Sections and Feature Pages can be a cost-effective vestment in green technology ever going to Camp in 2007, a group of local economic
turn black dollars for my company? Is this development leaders, spearheaded by
way to reach thousands of readers with a particular interest. development in tune with our village’s com- Bradley Mayor Gael Kent and the Illinois
Plus, these sections generally have a longer shelf-life than prehensive plan, and more importantly, does Department of Commerce and Economic
the daily newspaper allowing your business' message to be my village’s plan address sustainability and Opportunity, hosted the first Internation-
seen again and again! green space? Are we going down the right al Trade Summit in Kankakee County.
road with all of this intermodal growth in Trade commissioners from around the
SPECIAL SECTIONS globe spent the
day visiting indus-
Month Section Publication Date try in the region,
July County Fairs Monday, July 14 and spent an af-
ternoon at Bears
Bears Extra Thursday, July 24* Camp. This year’s
The Answer Book Thursday, July 31 event, spearheaded
NEW! Regional Restaurant by Mayors Kent,
& Delivery Directory July 2008 Green, and Schore,
along with the
August Fall Home & Yard Thursday, Sept. 4 DCEO and Ben-
nett Commercial,
Sept. NEW! Constitution is set for the end of
July. The Tri-Cities
Day Section Thursday, Sept. 11
Trade Summit is a
Fifty Plus Thursday, Sept. 18 unique opportunity
Weijia Wang, from China, listens as Peddinghaus Corporation owner Anton Ped-
Weddings (Fall Edition) Thursday, Oct. 9 dinghaus greets the group of foreign business leaders and speaks briefly about for local industry to
his company during the 2007 International Trade Summit. initiate international
Photo by Nicholas Holstein/The Daily Journal
FEATURE PAGES business opportuni-
our area, or should we be focused on reduc- ties, and is a much-anticipated event for the
July Childcare Directory Sunday, July 27
ing the number of trucks on our roads and trade commissioners themselves. Kudos to
Hire-a-Pro Thursday, July 31 invest in low emission train transportation? the mayors, Jeff Bennett, Ed Piatt, and all
These are all questions we, as business- of the summit partners for taking advantage
August Pick the Pros Tuesday, Sept. 2 people, must ask of our industries and our of a tremendous marketing opportunity for
Fall Home & Yard Directory Thursday, Sept. 4 communities. our community and its employers.
*Publication dates are subject to change. While researching this edition, I took
a hard look at the sustainable practices of Best,
my operation, and the practices of our daily
For more information about any newspaper as well. With regard to our daily
of these Special Sections, contact paper, all in-house paper waste is recycled
your Advertising Consultant or into insulation. Our newsprint is made Andrew H. Wheeler
call 815.939.6642. from 30-40 percent post consumer recycled B2B Illinois Editor
paper, and we use sustainable inks where
06300820196389
Around the County with the State of Illinois | by Edward S. Piatt

Opportunity Returns:
DCEO’s “Green” Grants Opportunity, are for businesses using the
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Envi-
ronmental Design) building rating system.  
the program brings benefits in both energy
conservation and solid waste reduction, the
program is funded through both sources.
LEED is a voluntary rating system pro- “The Illinois Clean Energy Commu-
This month I would like to highlight the design assistance grants for “green” com- moted by the U.S. Green Building Council nity Foundation has had a very successful
Department of Commerce & Economic mercial buildings. These design assistance to allow building owners and developers to program for the past five years to support
Opportunity’s clean energy and environ- grants, available through the Illinois De- benchmark the environmental performance the design and commissioning of LEED
mentally-friendly business practices and partment of Commerce and Economic of their building relative to others. The projects to not-for-profits and government
LEED system considers environmental agencies. The Foundation is very pleased
factors such as the energy efficiency of the now to help Gov. Blagojevich make fund-
building, the use of renewable energy and ing available to the private sector,” said Phil
the use of recycled content building materi- Novak, chair of the Foundation. “With the
als, among other factors. For more informa- new DCEO program and the Foundation
tion on LEED, see www.usgbc.org. program, funding for LEED projects will
Under the new pilot program, businesses be available to all sectors as an incentive to
with commercial building construction develop state-of-the-art green buildings.”
and renovation projects will be eligible to  Prior Foundation grants have resulted in
apply for awards of up to $100,000 if they 60 successful green schools, college build-
meet the LEED Gold level of performance, ings, museums and affordable housing
achieve an energy performance of at least 20 models in communities across Illinois.
percent beyond the minimum energy code, I would also like to take this opportunity
and incorporate best practices in solid waste for anyone interested in the Opportunity
management. Returns program or seeking business assis-
“Green buildings are a high growth area, tance to contact me at 312.636.0739 or e-
and when Gov. Blagojevich puts his seal mail me directly at Ed.Piatt@illinois.gov.
of approval on green building practices by Until next month, see you around the
announcing this program, it helps make county…
the industry real and moves us another big
step forward,” said Lois Vitt Sale of Phoe- Edward Piatt is NE senior
account manager for the
nix Architects and the chair of the Chi-
Illinois Department of
cago Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Commerce & Economic
Council. “This funding will be very helpful Opportunity, covering
to move more green building projects for- Kankakee, Grundy and
ward.” southern Cook counties.
Green design incorporates design prac-
tices that significantly reduce or eliminate Iroquois County:
Paul Faraci, east-central manager
the negative impact of buildings on the en-
217.278.5851
vironment and the building occupants. E-mail: Paul.Faraci@Illinois.gov
Funding for the program is made available
from two sources. Half of the funding is a Will County:
grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Com- Beth May, NE senior account manager
munity Foundation; the other half comes 815.721.3543
from the Illinois Solid Waste Management E-mail: Beth.May@illinois.gov
Fund as administered by DCEO. Because

Solid, Experienced, Trustworthy…


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From the Desk of Representative Dugan | by Lisa Dugan

Community Service Brittanny Spangler—Manteno High


School
Richard Reyes—Bradley-Bourbonnais
Community High School

Scholarship Recipients
Cameron Ohlendorf—Beecher High
I am proud of these young people and
School
their commitment to our community. They
Cornell Jones—Kankakee High School are shining examples of our bright future
Dane Langellier—Donovan High School and I hope their efforts encourage other
Community service is essential to the the $500 scholarship, students must reside students to become more involved in their
Eric Cavender—Momence High School schools and communities.
progress of our neighborhoods. I believe it in the 79th Representative District, plan to
Erin Williams—Grant Park High School I would also like to remind you that I
is important that we teach the significance attend an Illinois college or trade school
have moved my local district office to:
of community service to children at an early in the fall, possess a record of community Heather McKenna—Herscher High Heritage Executive Centre
age to help foster a genuine love and concern service beyond that required of their high School 200 E. Court St., Suite 710
for the advancement of their communities. school, and submit an essay describing how
Jenna Simmons—St. Anne Community Kankakee, IL. 60901
That is why I established my Community they have served their communities and Phone: 815.939.1983
High School
Service Scholarship, which provides finan- how they plan to continue their efforts. I Fax: 815.939.0081
cial assistance to community-minded high am pleased to announce that this year I was Megan Quigley – Wilmington High E-mail: lisadugan@sbcglobal.net
school seniors. able to award $7,500 in Community Service School Please feel free to contact me anytime I
It is important that I not only encourage Scholarships to local students. Nathan VanHoff—Kankakee Trinity can be of service.
community service but that I am also an ex- This year’s scholarship recipients are as Academy
ample. Each year, I donate a portion of my follows: Lisa Dugan, state representa-
legislative salary to provide a scholarship Tiffany Frugia—Crete-Monee High tive, 79th district.
Amber Olbrot—Peotone High School School
to one senior in each of the high schools
in my district. Since 2004, I have awarded Ariana Dymerski—Marion Catholic High Katelin Wilfinger—Bishop McNamara
over $19,000 in scholarships. To qualify for School High School

Ask SCORE | by Michael Holtzman

Put a Value on Try to match the person or method you


use for a valuation with the reason you are
professional valuators in cities and towns
nationwide. Look for the “Find a Valuator

Your Business
doing it. If the valuation is for loan pur- Directory” at the Web site, www.nacva.
poses, for example, look for someone who’s com.
done small business valuations for that pur- PriceYourBusiness.com offers simple
pose. small business valuation software you can
The National Association of Certified access online 24/7. Results are quick and
There are many reasons why you might mal valuation, according to the National Valuation Analysts (NACVA) offers a free available anytime.
want to place a value on your business. Per- Association of Certified Valuation Ana- service online to help you find a business To learn more about valuing your small
haps you’re thinking about taking on a part- lysts. valuation expert in your area. NACVA pro- business, contact SCORE “Counselors to
ner who will buy into the business. Before You can determine the value of a busi- vides training, certification and support for America’s Small Business.” SCORE is a
that can happen, you both need to know ness in many different nonprofit organization of more than 10,500
what the business is worth. ways, from quick and volunteer business counselors who provide
And you’ll certainly need a valuation or cheap software-based free, confidential business counseling and
appraisal if you want to sell the business. calculations you do training workshops to small business own-
Other reasons you might need a valuation yourself, to full-scale, ers. Call 1.800.634.0245 for the SCORE
include divorce, spin-offs, business disputes certified valuations chapter nearest you, or find a counselor on-
and liquidation. Or how about this: You by professionals. The line at www.score.org.
might simply want know. price range is enor-
Accurately valuing a small business, mous, from as little Michael Holtzman is chairman
however, can be complicated. Most entre- as $15 for the simplest of the Kankakee Valley
software, to thousands Chapter of SCORE.
preneurs are capable of boosting the value
of their businesses by 40 percent simply by of dollars for a detailed
paying attention to the things that make a analysis performed by
business valuable. certified pros. Busi-
Too often, business owners brush aside ness brokers, hoping
valuations, believing them necessary only if to sell your business,
they decide to sell. As a result, only about may even do them for
one in 20 small businesses have done a for- free.
Manpower Releases
Third Quarter
Employment Outlook
Survey Results
submitted by Beth Brosseau

Kankakee County employers expect to


hire at a respectable pace during the third Employment Outlook Survey Summary Of Results For The State Of Illinois
quarter of 2008, according to the Manpow- 3rd Quarter - 2008 (July/August/September)
er Employment Outlook Survey. From July
to September, 20 percent of the companies The following table shows the percentage of employers in the state of ILLINOIS who plan to change or maintain the size of their
interviewed plan to hire more employees, workforce during the indicated time period.
while none expect to reduce their payrolls,
according to Manpower spokesperson Beth NET INCREASE/
Brosseau. Another 80 percent expect to INCREASE NO CHANGE DECREASE DON’T KNOW DECREASE
maintain their current staff levels. AURORA 23% 70% 7% 0% 16%
“Employer sentiment about hiring ap-
BLOOMINGTON 20% 57% 20% 3% 0%
pears to be less encouraging than in the
second quarter of 2008 when 30 percent CARBONDALE/MARION 20% 57% 20% 3% 0%
of companies interviewed intended to add CHAMPAIGN AREA (GREATER) 19% 77% 0% 4% 19%
employees, and none planned to reduce staff
CHICAGO-CITY 30% 44% 26% 0% 4%
levels,” said Brosseau. “Hiring activity is
expected to be stronger than one year ago CHICAGO METRO AREA 26% 48% 23% 3% 3%
when 13 percent of companies surveyed CHICAGO-NORTH SUBURBAN AREA 33% 20% 37% 10% -4%
planned to increase staff levels and 3 per-
cent expected to cut payrolls.” CHICAGO-NORTHWEST SUBURBAN AREA 8% 65% 27% 0% -19%
For the coming quarter, job prospects CHICAGO-SOUTHWEST SUBURBAN AREA 27% 43% 13% 17% 14%
appear best in Construction, Non-Du- CHICAGO-WEST SUBURBAN AREA 37% 63% 0% 0% 37%
rable Goods Manufacturing, Transporta-
tion/Public Utilities and Wholesale/Retail CHICAGO SOUTH 27% 43% 13% 17% 14%
Trade. Hiring in Durable Goods Manu- CHICAGO-O’HARE 3% 90% 7% 0% -4%
facturing, Finance/Insurance/Real Estate,
DANVILLE 57% 23% 10% 10% 47%
Education, Services and Public Adminis-
tration is expected to remain unchanged. DE KALB/SYCAMORE AREA 30% 63% 7% 0% 23%
Nationally, U.S. employers are project- DECATUR 20% 77% 3% 0% 17%
ing a slight decline in hiring for Quarter 3
EDGAR COUNTY 17% 73% 3% 7% 14%
2008, according to the seasonally adjusted
survey results. Of the 14,000 U.S. employ- ELGIN 23% 63% 7% 7% 16%
ers surveyed, 26 percent expect to increase ILLINOIS QUAD CITIES 27% 66% 7% 0% 20%
their workforces during the July-Septem-
ber period, while 10 percent expect to scale ILLINOIS VALLEY 17% 63% 3% 17% 14%
back their payrolls for a net employment JOLIET 50% 40% 10% 0% 40%
outlook of 16 percent (seasonally adjusted KANKAKEE COUNTY 20% 80% 0% 0% 20%
12 percent). Fifty-eight percent expect no
change in the hiring pace, and 6 percent are LAKE COUNTY AREA 23% 77% 0% 0% 23%
undecided about their hiring plans. LIVINGSTON COUNTY AREA 10% 87% 3% 0% 7%

Beth Brosseau is branch


MC HENRY COUNTY AREA 30% 70% 0% 0% 30%
manager of Manpower’s NORTHBROOK 33% 20% 37% 10% -4%
Bourbonnais office.
OAKBROOK 37% 63% 0% 0% 37%
PEORIA 27% 70% 3% 0% 24%
QUINCY 30% 63% 7% 0% 23%
ROCKFORD 30% 57% 13% 0% 17%
SCHAUMBURG 14% 38% 48% 0% -34%
SPRINGFIELD AREA 27% 46% 7% 20% 20%
STATE AVERAGE: ILLINOIS 26% 60% 11% 3% 15%
A Possible and
Sustainable Future
from its inception. have the entire document reviewed college-
These first steps and pilot projects have wide and approved this fall by our Board of
given way to our current approach of plan- Trustees, after which our college sustain-
ning and systematic commitment. The col- ability committee will then move this plan
by Dr. Jerry Weber, B2B Illinois correspondent
lege’s most ambitious hopes are now being forward and continue to find new and cre-
We are very fortunate in our region be- out pilot projects with solar energy and new set forth in a long-term sustainability plan. ative ways to conserve energy.
cause much of the growth is yet to come. electronic and biofuel technology. For one The plan will have measurable outcomes for Our final sustainability plan will assur-
We can watch it happen, or we can push or project, the students constructed a working annual, multi-year and long range goals to edly include a process to audit our green-
drive development and growth in a way that electric vehicle. In our newest facility, the move the campus facilities and its program house gas emissions and then take steps to
will make this area economically thriving Arts and Science building, we received grant offerings towards sustainability. While the gradually reduce those emissions as close to
while still maintaining its natural appeal. funds to create a solar array using photovol- plan is still in draft form, our intention is to zero as possible over a time frame that may
As energy costs rise and concerns about taic cells that are integrated into a large glass extend as long as 15 to 20 years. A side ef-
environmental degradation increase, we structure on the south side of the building fect of reducing our greenhouse gasses and
need to either adjust our ways of doing The documentation of this project is tracked institutional carbon footprint will be greater
business or find new approaches. One new and recorded on a website at http://www. energy efficiency. Our intention is to reduce
approach has been called sustainable devel- sunnyportal.com/Templates/PublicPage- our energy cost and redirect those savings
opment. The guiding principles of sustain- O ver v iew.aspx?plant=e38eeed6-f 986- to programs and instruction.
able development are as useful in this region 4157-8b13-07c2686f9fbb&splang=en-us. As one of our speakers for Sustainability
as they are throughout the whole Chicago Two years ago, we conducted an energy Week pointed out, the first thing you want
regional area. In this area, as in all areas of audit of the college facilities and have be- to do is reduce your own personal usage
education and training, Kankakee Com- gun a multi-year process of making energy as much as possible. Second, you want to
munity College is ready to assist residents, efficiency changes throughout the campus. reuse as much as possible, and then third,
businesses and corporations. For two years now the college has hosted whatever you cannot reuse, you should try
Because the term ‘sustainability’ is some- a Sustainability Week bringing together to recycle.
what new, it may need some definition. area residents and students with KCC fac- While being carbon-free may sound like
Sustainability is a term used by colleges, ulty and students to look at all aspects of an ambitious goal, there are already col-
universities, government agencies and many sustainability. Local, regional and state pre- leges and universities that are making great
corporations to encompass energy conser- senters joined our faculty in discussions of strides and a few have plans to be carbon
vation, alternative energy, environmental corporate actions to the science of climate. neutral within 10 years. The good thing
issues and almost everything commonly Because sustainability is very much about about being powered by alternative sources
called “going green.” the future, students have a natural inter- is that the savings are long term. Solar ar-
Sustainable development is an approach est, and last year our Business Club created Cor Hershbach, Deputy Consul General rays that have been put in place 30 years ago
that recognizes the need for strong and con- a process to expand the college’s recycling from The Netherlands, and Barry Matchett, have shown minimal need for maintenance
tinuous economic growth and development system. from the Environmental Law and Policy Cen- while providing a continuous supply of elec-
while respecting the needs of future genera- The college is now completing the reno- ter, were the featured speakers at Kankakee tricity over that cycle.
vation of a 30,000 square foot area that will Community College’s Sustainability Week Replacing traditional sources of electric-
tions. In its simplest description, it means
in late April. Hershbach discussed how the
designing houses, growing businesses, and house our health careers programs. An ap- ity with solar makes sense for institutions
Netherlands became a leader, by necessity,
establishing policies and practices with plication seeking certification at the silver in the reduction of landfill waste and Match- that expect to be in the same place for quite
the needs of future generations in mind. level in Leadership in Energy and Environ- ett focused on the current environmental a few years. One strategy we have discussed
It means minimizing waste, efficiently us- mental Design (LEED) to the US Green policies in Illinois, along with environmental would be to have our students install solar
ing energy, and, wherever possible, reusing Build Association was part of this project legislation currently in Springfield. panels each year as part of a program on re-
materials or using renewable resources. Sus- newable energy.
tainable development may also mean a new
entrepreneurialism. KCC Sustainability Center:
At Kankakee Community College, we Resources for the Region
intend to be both an example for sustainabil- While taking care of our own house is
ity and going green and a partner to assist important, more important is our mission
others. The college will continue to promote to serve the needs of our customers, the
sustainability and sustainable development district residents, through education, train-
in three ways: first, by being a model of sus- ing and services. We have expressed this for
tainability on our campus and in our facili- over a decade by stating that our mission
ties through energy conservation, recycling, is “enhancing the quality of life through
and environmentally-friendly practices; learning.”
second, by creating resources to assist resi- By this fall, Kankakee Community Col-
dents, small businesses, and corporations lege will be starting a Sustainability Center
in understanding the latest technology for that will provide resources and information
energy efficiency and in using all available on energy conservation, energy incentives
incentives for alternative energy and energy and alternative energy options for local ho-
conservation; and third, by offering educa- meowners, builders, small businesses and
tional programs and training to produce the corporations within the region. Through
workforce to move the new energy economy seminars, workshops and individual con-
forward. sultations, the center staff will demon-
strate how energy efficiency can mean dol-
Walking the Walk: lars saved. For those who wonder whether
Sustainability at KCC wind power or solar energy could be use-
The college started down this road with a KCC glazed the South wall of its new greenhouse with building-integrated photovoltaics ful at their home or business, this will be
number of small steps that go back over five panels from Atlantis Solar. The greenhouse is located at the far West end of KCC’s Fine Arts one place to get answers. For someone who
years. Our faculty and students have carried and Applied Technology Building. Continued on page 39
COVER STORY

Seeing I
t seems one cannot pick up a single sentiments dictate that businesses become
publication these days without see- more socially aware. In an effort to meet
ing numerous references to “go- that demand, Tesco has established a £100
ing green.” A hot concept that has million fund (equivalent to US$200 mil-
practically spawned its own business sector, lion) earmarked for its stores’ green conver-
the green scene and its related media buzz- sion.
words, nonetheless, cause some skeptics to Tesco’s multifaceted green plan is ambi-

Green
groan, “Are we talking about this again? tious. Direct investment includes the incor-
How does this affect me?” Regardless of poration of wind turbines, solar panels and
one’s personal views on climate change and geothermal power. The company also hopes
related subjects, sustainable business prac- to introduce gasification, which produces
tices are proving beneficial to corporate im- energy from waste material. Additionally,
age as well as the bottom line. Tesco also has converted all of its bags to
As forecasted in a benchmark 2006 re- degradable material to prevent landfi ll
port entitled “Green Perspective from Cor- waste and pollution. Attendant initiatives
porate America," green and green build- include a commitment to clearer food label-
ing are emerging as a prominent corporate ing practices to encourage consumer health.
trend. The study, commissioned by Siemens Tesco campaigns for increased physical
Building Technologies and Siemens USA, activity for both proprietors and custom-
found that a majority of large U.S. corpora- ers. It also has invested in both advertise-
tions are embracing green as a part of the ments and the localization of its stores to
foundation of their corporate philosophy. promote running, bicycling and walking.
Among those polled, 40 percent consid- Finally, Tesco is seeing a benefit in blend-
ered green and green building to be of high ing with the surrounding community. Th is
importance to their organization, while is achieved by designing stores that comple-
almost 60 percent agreed that green and ment, not compete with, the style and de-
green building would lower operating costs. sign of the neighborhood. They have even
And, three-quarters of the survey’s respon- coordinated truck schedules and customer
dents cited the escalating cost of energy as orders to reduce home deliveries and the
a key driver of interest in green and green traffic congestion.
building.
Sustainability Practices That A Good Neighbor
Showcase of Green innovation
Wal-Mart is also renovating its stores
Tesco Corp. is one of the foremost super- with green-geared innovation. In 2005, the
Can Boost Your Bottom Line market powers in the business world today.
In 2006, however, Tesco disclosed plans to
corporation set a goal to improve efficiency
in its existing stores by 20 percent by the
improve its image, due to growing public year 2009. To put this in perspective, Wal-
by Lisa Wogan, B2B Illinois correspondent concern over its methods of doing business. Mart currently operates 3,900 stores in the
Specifically, Tesco wanted to be seen as United States alone, with 2,700 operating
more “neighborhood friendly.” Revamping stores abroad. The corporation’s green ini-
operations in order to conduct business with tiative is focused on three key sustainabil-
greater regard for the environment would be ity goals for change:
a means to that end. n Achieving a level of 100 percent renew-
Today, Tesco able energy
British retail giant tesCo offers green Clubcard Points to aims to conserve
its customers who reuse bags rather than taking new ones. energy, encourage n Attaining a level of zero percent waste
healthier living output
among consumers n Producing products that are both sus-
and support local tainable and affordable
providers of pro-
duce to stimulate In order to meet these goals, Wal-Mart
the local econ- has opened several prototype “high effi-
omy. CEO Sir ciency” (HE) stores. The Western climate-
Terry Leahy re- specific HE.5 is the latest prototype. Ac-
cently was quoted cording to spokesperson Kory Lundberg,
in UK-based The the site “features advancements in heating,
Guardian, say- cooling, refrigeration and lighting to con-
ing that he made serve energy and reduce greenhouse gas
these modifica- emission.” The clincher: It reportedly uses
tions as “the result of changing attitudes 45 percent less energy than the baseline
among shoppers, who want businesses to Wal-Mart super center.
be responsible, fair and honest, and good What makes this prototype unique is
neighbors.” Tesco is finding that it is not the way it adapts to a particular climate.
enough to care for its own interests; public Introduced in March 2008 in Las Vegas,
Wal-Mart’s HE.5 prototype store in Las Vegas, Nevada. contractor Frederic S. Berger has comment-
ed that “The TerraBrick concept will not
only allow rapid development of urgently
needed, high quality residential facilities
for our faculty and staff, but also reflects
the long-term environmental responsibil-
ity the university must communicate to its
students.”
Yukiko Omura, executive vice president
of the World Bank Multilateral Invest-
ment Guarantee Agency adds, “Attracting
foreign direct investment is critical to the
reconstruction efforts and sustainable long-
term economic growth of Afghanistan.”

Local Green Outlook


A recent open house hosted by Kanka-
kee-based Connected Community high-
lighted the green movement. A few in
attendance shared their, sometimes humor-
ous, thoughts on the history of the green
concept. One speaker, for instance, recalled
the presidency of Jimmy Carter, who advo-
cated driving no faster than 50 mph as well
as reducing total vehicles on the road, in an
effort to create safer travel and lower emis-
sion output. Another admitted that, in her
youth, “they talked about recycling, but we
the store incorporates evaporative cooling reportedly 90 percent recycled content, pro- never did it.” Yet, most of the businesspeo-
and radiant flooring techniques, utilizing tecting the environment through the use of ple at the event expressed a genuine inter-
the natural surroundings to regulate the by-products rather than raw materials. Not est in understanding how preserving their
internal environment, conserving energy only is this building method environmen-
and resources. The evaporative cooling pro- tally friendly, but it is often economically
cess first pumps water into rooftop cool- practical as well. The cement/fly ash com-
ing structures, then cycles it to the ground position uses fewer natural resources and
floor. The cooled and circulated water is said ages better than traditional options, requir-
to provide climate control on par with tradi- ing less frequent replacement.
tional cooling systems. While Wal-Mart is making significant
ecological advancements, its HE
stores are still only prototypes.
The corporation maintains a
green orientation through its HE composite, exact
stores by researching new meth- tongue-and-groove,
ods of conservation, assessing the condensed earth
data to see what works and what blocks known as
does not, and using that informa- TerraBricks. Com- Energy-conserving electronics, like these offered by Connected
tion to make its business more posed of subsoil and Community, can be integrated into homes and businesses to control
lighting, temperature, humidity and more.
environmentally friendly. The small amounts of ei-
result is “a win-win situation,” ther cement or lime,
explains Lundberg. “It’s environ- these blocks do not require mortar and their natural surroundings and saving money can
mentally responsible and lowers production cost is said to be half that of tra- go hand in hand.
operating costs. Lesser costs are ditional kiln-fired bricks. The innovation Connected Community specializes in
GBT’s GreenMachine producing TerraBricks. then passed on to customers.” has proven to be a sound source of efficiency custom design and construction of home
considering the production, installation and entertainment systems. Founder Ron Ro-
Other ecologically-minded technolo- Advancing Green Mideast maintenance costs of other building materi- mano calls conservation the motivating fac-
gies incorporated into the prototype stores Reconstruction als. And, the bricks’ largely carbon-neutral tor in how he conducts his business. “It’s in
include white roofs, daylight harvesting Green technologies are expanding well composition adds to their earth-friendly the little things,” explains Romano, “trying
mechanisms, motion-sensitive light emit- beyond our borders. Virginia-based Geo- image. to consolidate and route vehicles to be more
ting diodes (LEDs) in grocery and jewelry Building Technologies is utilizing green GBT’s TerraBricks have found numer- fuel efficient, consecutively, instead of many
cases, and efficient bathroom fixtures. The technology in order to improve the con- ous applications in Afghanistan, includ- little runs.
corporation also uses recycled construction struction industry in Afghanistan as well ing a Kabul housing complex comprising a “We take what we can and make it as
materials, requiring as much as 20 percent as in other developing countries. The firm gymnasium, an orphanage and a vocational eco-friendly as possible so as to be respon-
fly ash or 25 percent slag in its cement mix- has created a self-powered system known training institute. American University of sible in our sales and as a company.” This is
es. The steel used for structural building is as “The GreenMachine,” which produces Afghanistan Vice Chairman and building Continued on next page
COVER STORY Continued from page 11

have a very positive effect on the environ-


ment,” says Connected Community partner
Amanda Romano. She explains that the
fi rm does not use “going green” as a mere
marketing ploy. Connected Community
seeks to provide real benefit to the region;
that is part of how the business thrives.

Commitment to open Space


Rhapsody Cove is a new housing develop-
ment located at the northeast corner of 6000
During an april presentation for the Will economic network, legat architects President/Ceo Patrick N. and 4150 W. Roads, adjacent to both
Brosnan stated that one of the most effective ways for municipalities to address green development Bourbonnais and Manteno. Here, develop-
is to adopt mixed-use developmental planning into their communities’ comprehensive plan.
ers aim to provide the best of both worlds—
nature and community. The site is five to 10
minutes from the Kankakee State Park, the
post office, the newly built Jewel store, I-57,
evidenced in Romano’s practice of recycling Electronics as its primary product provider. dinated into a single device, meeting com- Olivet Nazarene University, and countless
wire as well as in his company’s specialized Founded 40 years ago, Crestron is a lead- fort requirements while conserving time restaurants, churches and shopping venues.
lighting, heating and air control systems. ing proponent of control system design. Its and energy. Th is technology also provides At the heart of Rhapsody Cove, however, is
Green concepts are also employed in the control systems are said to significantly al- for remote access and control, allowing an its connection to the landscape.
office. The company’s personal lighting re- ter the way electronics perform, integrating individual to return to a lighted home with Cove developers Bill Bonner and Mark
portedly has been decreased by 6 percent, sub-system control and scheduling seam- the click of a remote control. Johnson told B2B Illinois that they aspire
performing efficiently at an undetectable lessly into the design of any building. Issues “From lighting and shading control to to design and engineer “one of the most
lower level, thereby conserving energy. of ambient light levels, season, time, occu- heating and air conditioning control, we’re beautiful, functional and sellable land
Connected Community uses Crestron pancy, temperature and humidity are coor- [showing] just how much electronics can plans.” The development consists of 243

Green Guide for Business Owners n Step 6: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Wastes
Most businesses can save a substantial amount of money by reducing waste. In
Source: U.S. Small Business Administration addition to lower removal costs, waste-reduction measures help cut costs on raw
Adopting environmentally friendly and energy-efficient business practices can benefit materials, office supplies and equipment. Streamlining operations to reduce waste
business owners looking to control costs, attract customers and become socially re- may also enhance a company’s overall efficiency, productivity and public image.
sponsible. Following are steps that may be taken to implement an effective environ- Operational procedures may include the use of post-consumer, recycled prod-
mental strategy in order to become energy efficient, compliant with environmental ucts; elimination of excessive product packaging materials; optimizing the
regulations and a recognized “green business.” use of paper products; and participating in recycling programs.
n Step 1: Comply with Environmental Regulations n Step 7: Conserve Water
Green businesses should comply with all relevant environmental By implementing a water efficiency program, businesses can not
regulations. Compliance not only protects the environment, it only help conserve a precious resource, but also cut costs associ-
protects businesses from government fines and legal ated with buying, heating, treating and disposing of it. An initial water
action. audit may be conducted by a local water agency. Thereafter,
business owners may choose to conserve water by upgrad-
n Step 2: Develop an Environmental Management Plan
ing to newer technologies and using water-saving equipment
Running a green business means creating an environ-
utilities. A related initiative involves minimizing discharges to
mentally friendly, energy-efficient workplace. A sound
sewer/wastewater systems.
environmental plan can help minimize a company’s eco-
footprint and encourage green business practices throughout n Step 8: Prevent Pollution
the organization. All businesses pay to handle waste, regardless of the type or volume.
Companies actually pay twice for what they use—once when they
n Step 3: Build Green
purchase raw materials and then when they rid themselves of any by-products. Re-
Those opening businesses in new or remodeled buildings may
ducing waste and finding new uses for by-products will save money and improve
consider building green and installing energy-efficient heating
the environment.
and air conditioning systems, appliances, equipment and lighting.
n Step 9: Create a Green Marketing Strategy
n Step 4: Buy Green Products
Those starting a green business should properly market themselves. Adding
Consider buying green products that are made from post-consumer, recycled
“green” claims and eco-labels to a marketing strategy will enhance brand im-
materials as well as those that are bio-based, non-toxic, energy-efficient rated
age and secure market share among the growing number of environmentally
products, such as those with the ENERGY STAR® logo. Consider renewable and
concerned consumers.
recyclable options in addition to locally-produced variations.
n Step 10: Join industry Partnership and Stewardship Programs
n Step 5: Adopt Energy-Efficient Practices
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sponsors a number of
The prudent and conservative use of energy, says the U.S. Small Business Admin-
industry partnership and stewardship programs that aim to reduce the impact
istration, is a proven way to cut costs, increase profitability and create shareholder
of industrial activities on the environment. These partnerships can be a way for
value. Given the potentially high returns and minimal risk, implementing energy-ef-
companies to forge relationships with other green business owners, as well as build
ficiency practices is at the core of most environmental management strategies. An
a brand that is credible.
energy audit is recommended in order to identify energy-saving options for those
opening a home-based business or moving into an existing commercial building.
“Rhapsody Cove is a lot more involved
than the final profit margin; it is about
the heritage of our country and the
preservation of our land.”
—Bill Bonner, developer, Rhapsody Cove

acres, enough
space to ac-
commodate 107
single-acre home
development sites
along with 153 acres
earmarked for fishing
and boating lakes, wild-
life and pure open space.
The balance is to be reserved Local foreseeable future. And, going forward, a
for future expansion. applications company’s ability to harness the potential of
Bonner and Johnson were par- of the GeoComfort the green movement will likely contribute
ticular in hiring design profession- system include the City of to its overall success. Legat Architects, a
als for the Cove project. They say Kankakee’s Willow Street Ar- presenter at a recent Will County Economic
that only the best conservation devel- mory building, which houses fire de- Network luncheon said it quite succinctly:
opers, wetland and prairie experts, and partment officials. The site also serves as a “Our businesses, prospects and clients are
specialized contracting architects were public exhibit of the technology. Home Ap- learning about sustainability.”
consulted. energy costs re- pliance also will install a geothermal system “Are you prepared?”
“Rhapsody Cove is a lot more involved duced to an average in an earth home application in the Minne
than the final profit margin,” notes Bonner. of $100 per month. Monesse area. Olivet Nazarene University intern Ashley
Green is here to stay, at least for the DeArmond contributed to this feature.
“It is about the heritage of our country and Unlike changing air tempera-
the preservation of our land.” By promot- tures, ground temperatures four feet to six
ing the green development, Rhapsody Cove feet below the earth's surface remain rela- Announcing Speckman Commercial
not only accomplishes its primary goal of tively moderate and consistent all year. That
preservation, restoration, enhancement is because the earth absorbs 47 percent of
and stewardship of Illinois’ native prairies all the heat energy that reaches its surface
and wetlands for future generations. It also from the sun. Geothermal technologies es-
achieves what developers view as a better sentially tap the energy stored in the earth,
way of conducting business, one that ben- and according to industry representatives,
efits both the proprietors and the surround- totally eliminate the reliance on fossil fu-
ing community. els. Geothermal systems are said to save an
estimated 30 percent to 70 percent on users’
Seeking Energy Alternatives monthly utility bills as well.
Though geothermal technologies have Home Appliance carries EnerTech’s
been around GeoComfor t A division of
since the 1970s, systems. Com-
explains Bill pany literature Speckman Realty, GMAC
Batkiewicz of claims that a
K a nk a kee’s single piece of
Home Appli- equipment has
ance, they are the ability to
seeing increased heat and cool
use today as peo- a home, while
ple seek reliable providing some
energy alterna- or all of its hot
tives. The appeal water as well. 2195 S. Kensington Ave, Kankakee 609 E. Court, Kankakee 323 W. Broadway, Bradley
is twofold—the Batkiewicz $1,100,000 - GREAT INVESTMENT $339,900 - Huge former automobile $107,000 - COMMERCIAL PROPERTY in
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notes that the 168 rentable units which features grav- Street/Route 17. Large showroom w/ Store front and 2 efficiency apartments
thermal reduces ground as a heat source to warm buildings in winters and as a heat extracted el drive, security fence & touch pad slid- offices and conference room. Call today above and one 1BR apartment. Call for
reliance on fos- heat sink to cool them in summer. These diagrams demonstrate from the house ing gate. Lg building w/offices. #192437 for more details! #192476 more details today! #192674
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in the summer
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Toll-Free: 1-800-698-4370
063008216101241

overall energy can be put to


cost savings, which Batkiewicz calls “pretty use in fueling the air conditioning system. Manteno: 815-468-2880 | Bourbonnais: 815-937-4370
dramatic.” He tells of one residential cus- He adds that geothermal units can com- Kankakee: 815-932-7448 | Momence: 815-472-2428
tomer from Peotone who, after installing pletely replace or merely supplement tradi- Watseka: 815-432-1200
a geothermal system, has seen his total tional heating/cooling systems.
Wal-Mart Illinois
Embraces Local
Green Vendors
by Andrew Wheeler
Wal-Mart Illinois is calling for local items
vendors to supply sustainable products and “Wal-Mart has made strides to imple-
services to Wal-Mart stores across the state ment environmentally friendly products and
and in Illinois. The program was announced practices in our stores, and we want to work
in April at the Greater Northwest Chicago with more local companies to take sustain-
Development Corporation Annual Meet- ability to the next level,” said Todd Libbra,
ing & Environmental Panel. Wal-Mart Regional General Manager.
Whether it’s selling products made from “Our call to vendors will not only help us
recycled materials or using energy-efficient support our commitment to protecting the
technologies, Wal-Mart is searching for earth, but also support our local businesses
more ways to enhance its dedication to en- and economies.”
vironmental stewardship. Some examples of Wal-Mart already has identified and is
vendors’ “green” products and services could working with local Chicagoland vendors vendor’s proposal, they provide it to the a streamlined design of the water-source
include: corporate Wal-Mart office heating, cooling and refrigeration system,
and looks forward to expanding those re-
A farmer who sells organic goods lationships. coupled with the new secondary refrigera-
n
n The corporate office reviews the proposal
How the process works: tion loop. This is the first time secondary
n A company that pressure-washes side- and makes the final decision
loop technology has been paired with a
walks using technology that captures the n A vendor contacts his or her local Wal- If approved, the vendor provides his or
n water-source system. The store components
water for reuse Mart store manager to set up a meeting her products and services during a 6-12 include:
n A landscaper who uses innovative tech- The vendor meets with the store manager month trial period; vendors may continue
n
n 100 percent integrated water-source for-
niques to conserve water and/or market manager to pitch his or her to sell their goods past this time if suc-
mat heating, cooling and refrigeration
product or service cessful.
n A recycling company that collects paint, system, where water is used to heat and
aerosol cans, old electronics, or other If the Wal-Mart managers approve the cool the building
n Building Green
Wal-Mart also is stepping up their com- n State-of-the-art secondary refrigeration
mitment to green building technologies. In loop that reduces refrigerant by 90 per-
January, the retail giant opened their new cent

WE UNDERSTAND
High-Efficiency prototype (HE.2) store in n Motion-activated light-emitting diodes
Romeoville, Ill. Designed to significantly (LEDs) in refrigerated and freezer cases,
reduce greenhouse gas emissions and use 25

COMMITMENT.
plus additional glass doors on deli and
percent less energy than a typical Wal-Mart dairy cases
Supercenter, the Romeoville HE.2 Super-
center is the first of four expected to open n Optimized pump package that is 50 per-
this year. cent smaller than the HE.1 store's and
The HE.2 will use many of the energy uses even less copper piping
For decades, Edward Jones has been committed to providing personal-
ized investment service to individuals. improvements from the first generation n Industry-leading daylight harvesting
High-Efficiency (HE.1) series as well as technology
You can rely on us for: introduce new and improved technologies,
Reflective white membrane roof
❙ Convenience such as a state-of-the art secondary loop re-
n

Face-to-face meetings, when and where you’re available frigeration system. n Recycled construction materials such as
“We’ve taken the most efficient prototype fly-ash, slag, integrally colored concrete
❙ Timely Information floors, and plastic baseboards and chair
in the retail industry and made it even bet-
Technology that gives you instant access to information on your account ter by incorporating some of the most inno- rails
and other investments vative products in building today,” said Eric n Sensor-activated low-flow bathroom fau-
❙ Personal Service Zorn, president, Wal-Mart Realty. “We cets and waterless urinals
Investment guidance for your personal needs hope to continue making our stores even
more efficient and sharing our learnings Andrew Wheeler is the editor
with the world, as we work toward a more of B2B Illinois.
sustainable future for our company and our
customers.”
The 5 percent improvement in energy ef-
ficiency over the HE.1 stores comes from
Tom Vaccaro David Robinson, AAMS Bob Meyers, AAMS
815/937-5674 815/932-8484 815/939-1175
Bourbonnais Kankakee Bradley
063008219101088

www.edwardjones.com Member SIPC


Green is Everyone’s Foundation, the university replaced high
wattage lamps with energy efficient lamps
environment.
Within the science programs, there are

Favorite Color
that consume 154,000 less watts per year. numerous opportunities to study the effects
“This upgrade in light fixtures represents of pollution; environmental chemistry, biol-
a sizable amount of energy and financial ogy, physiology, and toxicology; as well as
savings,” explained Charles DeBrizzio, population ecology. In addition to classes,
by Lindsay Gladstone
chief engineer at GSU. “We removed all of there are also many research opportunities
The growing awareness of global warm- university also recycles copper, aluminum, the old lights, broke them down into their in and around the GSU campus, using the
ing and the environmental dangers it poses oil, batteries, and construction materials as component parts, and sold the scraps. Very variety of natural environments that provide
have ignited action on many levels, from in- upgrades and renovations occur. The house- little ended up in the landfill. We recycle an ideal laboratory. Environmental study
dustry regulation to community action, and keeping staff uses earth-friendly cleansers everything we can and use recycled materi- opportunities are also offered in Michigan,
from coordinated institutional response to and products throughout the facility. als wherever possible. Our goal is to reduce Belize and China.
individual initiatives. Responsible citizens In 2006, the university installed one of our production of waste products and our Public Administration and Social Sci-
of the world, be they governments, busi- the largest solar-thermal systems in Illinois. use of energy.” ences programs include a focus on urban
nesses, or single families, are striving to go The system pre-heats water for GSU's swim- In addition to the institutional response growth and planning, with an emphasis on
green, preserve green and restore green in ming pool and provides domestic hot water to environmental issues, the university the environmental impact. Within the Col-
our lifestyle and to our environment. for portions of the university. Through grants has also responded academically, with in- lege of Health Professions, courses and re-
“As an educational institution, Governors from the Illinois Clean Energy Community creased coursework and research on the search opportunities investigate the effects
State University has a responsibility to our of environmental issues on health and ac-
students and the community to make our Solar thermal collectors on the roof of GSU’s gymnasium.
cess to healthcare. Additionally, GSU also
environmental impact as positive as pos- provides environmental education opportu-
sible,” said Susan Rakstang, associate vice nities for students learning to be teachers so
president for Facilities Development and they can better teach about environmental
Management. “We believe we have to lead issues when they graduate.
by example.” “While these actions are very effective
With more than 6,000 students and 900 and we are very proud of everything we do
employees, Governors State University rec- here at GSU, we recognize that preserving
ognizes the need to be a model global citi- and protecting the environment is a con-
zen. It has been environmentally responsible tinuous process,” adds Rakstang. “We are
for many years. A long-standing, university- always looking to take positive steps toward
wide recycling program elicits the partici- energy conservation.”
pation and support of students, faculty and
staff. More than 75 tons of recyclable mate- Lindsay Gladstone is the assistant coordi-
rials are collected annually. Additionally, the nator of Public Affairs for Governors State
University.

Workplace Wellness Programs Pay Off


THE PROBLEM THE SOLUTION

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Call CIBC—your solutions specialists. 063008209101154

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Phone 815.936.3580 Fax 815.936.3583 Toll-Free 877.936.3580 www.cibcinc.com
Organize It! | by Karen McGregor

Ask The Organizer rection on the hanging rod. Once you wear
an item, “flip” the hanger around the other
way on the rod. At the end of the season,
I do?
A: First, know that EVERY person has
one area of his/her life that IS organized.
all of the “unflipped” items are those that Take some time to think about what yours
Thank you to everyone who submitted A: Treat your car like any other “office” didn’t get worn (and probably won’t next is. Your recipes? Your music collection?
questions for me to answer in my column space, creating zones and containerizing summer, either!). Get rid of those items. Your car care products in the garage? Once
this month! Here is what was on your where necessary. There are many organiz- Separate casual from dress clothes. you identify this thing, ask yourself, "why
minds, along with my responses. ing products made specifically for vehicles: Group like clothing together: short-sleeved it is so?" Often times you can transfer that
portable hanging file bins, back-of-the seat blouses, long-sleeved blouses, sweaters, knowledge to other areas of your life. Start
Q: Getting out of the house in the hanging organizers and passenger seat blazers, slacks, skirts and dresses. It is also small, in a high impact area, set a timer,
morning on time (and intact) is a chal- mini-desks are a few examples. Accessibil- helpful within those categories to further and see what you can accomplish in a set
lenge! I can never find what I need. Any ity is key—keep safety while driving in the sort by color. Hang clothes shortest to lon- amount of time. Disorganization causes
suggestions? forefront when choosing these products. gest, so that other items can be easily stored clutter to accumulate over time. Don’t ex-
A: Organize your “landing/launching Portability may also be essential if you fre- under the short-hanging items. pect things to reverse overnight and enlist
pad”—the space in your home where every- quently alternate between working in your Containerize where appropriate. Get help if you just don’t have the focus or mo-
thing gets thrown when you “land” at home car and a stationary office. a belt rack or hanger and use decorative tivation to stay with it on your own.
and later “launch” yourself into the world. boxes or hanging organizers for items like
Put up hooks for keys, purses, umbrellas, Q: I hate my closet! Getting ready for socks, pantyhose and jewelry. NEXT MONTH: Organizing Students
backpacks and coats; provide racks or bins work in the morning is no fun. I can’t find Consider redesigning your closet system for Back-to-School.
for shoes; hang slots for incoming/outgoing matching clothes quickly and always end to maximize the space and make things
paperwork; add a mirror for final appear- up frazzled. I’m tired of starting my day more accessible. Include in this plan good Karen McGregor is a
professional home and
ance checks; and keep a basket or tote there this way! Something needs to give! lighting, especially in the bottom of the
business organizer and
for things to take with you when you leave. A: Here are a few tips specific to closets closet where shoes usually get stored. public speaker for Organize
that may help. It!
Q: I work out of my car a lot and it’s a Start by sorting and purging your clothes Q: So much of my life is disorganized
disaster. I lost some mail the other day first. Use the hanger “flip trick” to find the that I don’t know where to start. I’m just
when I opened the door and it blew away items you don’t ever wear. Start a season no good at organizing, even though I des-
down the street. Yikes! What can I do? with all clothes hangers facing the same di- perately see the need to change. What can

Zip-Pak
Research Findings Zip-Pak has become a more educated re-
source in sustainability so we may help our
customers reduce their own environmental
About Zip-Pak
Zip-Pak, celebrating over 20 years of
resealable packaging innovations, offers
Sustainability of Flexible Packaging for footprint,” says Bob Hogan, director of
international sales and marketing of Zip-
seven distinct technologies that provide the
framework for more than 200 patented zip-
Deli Meat and Cereal Applications Pak. “The conclusions of the Franklin As-
sociates study further encourage Zip-Pak to
per profiles. A global leader for resealable
packaging solutions, Zip-Pak is an Illinois
aggressively pursue future developments to Tool Works (ITW) Company. World head-
from press release
help reduce the environmental footprint of quarters are located in Manteno, Ill., USA.
Zip-Pak, a world leader in differentiating sions than the rigid systems included in the packaging, including packaging that incor- Zip-Pak is a proud member of the Sustain-
brands with resealable packaging technolo- analysis. Further, although transportation porates next generation materials, films and able Packaging Coalition.
gy, announces its latest research findings on energy accounted for less than 17 percent of closures.”
the relationship between flexible packaging total energy for all systems, the results show
and sustainability. The life cycle inventory that transportation energy requirements for
(LCI), conducted by Franklin Associates, the reusable rigid containers are higher than
an independent third party research firm, those for the flexible packaging systems.
demonstrates the smaller environmental The study concluded that resealable flex- Shredding on-site provides high
footprint of flexible resealable packaging as ible packaging is a more sustainable option security, convenience and cost
compared to rigid alternatives. when compared to rigid packaging. This efficiency. Flexible programs will
The study included eight packaging conclusion is bolstered by the superior prod- fit any size office’s needs.
systems consisting of six deli meat pack- uct-to-package ratio, lower energy foot-
ages and two breakfast cereal packages. The print, lower solid waste footprint and lower
packages included both flexible packaging greenhouse gas emissions throughout the
formats with resealable closures as well as life-cycle of resealable flexible packages.
rigid packaging formats. Key findings of “Inspired by the packaging industry’s Serving you since 1987.
the LCI include that products packaged commitment to a greener future, Zip-Pak 815-932-3889
in flexible pouches with resealable clo- is likewise dedicated to the issue of sustain-
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waste generation and greenhouse gas emis- mental footprint. Through this research, 063008209101153
Arctic Snow and Ice
Chooses Bradley ic Alliance President Mike Van Mill. “The
move clearly illustrates that our community
pied by now defunct furniture manufacturer
Abitare, Inc. The Kankakee County Eco-

Manufacturing Location
is a desirable manufacturing locale. And, nomic Development Association, a private
considering Arctic Snow’s innovative snow economic development organization which
plow design, the company’s growth poten- supplies seven members to the board of the
tial is truly limitless.” Economic Alliance of Kankakee County,
B2B staff report
Part of the manufacturing space Arctic manages the Ken Hayes Industrial Park.
At a May press conference, area econom- of manufacturing space in the Ken Hayes intends on occupying is the space formerly
ic development leaders formally welcomed Industrial Park. occupied by the Three Source order fulfill-
Arctic Snow & Ice Control to the Kanka- According to The Alliance, the operation ment center, and the space formerly occu-
kee River Valley. The Economic Alliance is expected to produce a $4 million invest-
of Kankakee County announced the intent ment at the site, and Arctic Snow and Ice
of the Frankfort-based snowplow manufac- will manufacture their plow on-site. Owner
turer to occupy nearly 60,000 square feet Randy Strait anticipates that approximately
40 new employees will be required once the “(Arctic’s) move clearly illustrates
operation is running at full capacity, 15 to that our community is a desirable
20 of which will be hired in the start-up
phase. manufacturing locale.”
“We are very pleased that Arctic Snow — Mike Van Mill, Economic Alliance president
has chosen the Ken Hayes Industrial Park
to expand its business,” remarked Econom-

Back Power and nesses and industries looking for employees


with higher educations. The result is lack of
economic development.”
n

n
Special Education
Computer Systems

Brain Power: Both Jobs He used the following information for the
Northeast Region to demonstrate his point.
The cost of higher education in Illinois
certainly contributes to the spiral. The na-

Need Education Top 5 Occupations with the Most Aver-


age Annual Openings
tional percentage of income needed to pay
for four-year college expenses is 31 percent.
In Illinois, higher education requires 35
by Nancy J. Ruda, B2B Illinois correspondent n Retail Salespersons percent of one’s income.
Nationally, students borrow $3,619 each
The message at the Public Agenda for growth: n Laborers/Stock Movers
year for college expenses. In Illinois, they
Illinois Higher Education summit held at Cashiers
• Adults, age 65+ n borrow $3,770—almost 10 percent more
KCC in June was loud and clear: If you
Waiters/Waitresses annually.
build an educated workforce, businesses • Latinos n
McGuinness drew these conclusions.
and industries that offer high-paying jobs n Food Prep/Fast Food
will come to the state. A fact that explains “The success rate of the current popu- n While the Northeast Region has the fast-
the education/economic development di- lation faces a major challenge,” Aims But, there are sectors of higher-education est growing population in the state over-
lemma in Illinois: an increase in the num- McGuinness Jr., NCHEMS, said. “It has a employment across the state that are expe- all, it is attributed to individuals without
ber of individuals without high school large number of individuals entering the job riencing the opposite—more demand than higher educations.
diplomas and in jobs that do not require market without high school diplomas who supply. n The state needs to produce the educated
higher education. are taking lower-paying jobs. But, this is population that business and industry are
How can the state increase its education where they are staying. Nursing looking for today.
potential so that it is more appealing to the “To earn a living wage in Illinois, you
must have the minimum of a high school n Secondary/Vocational Education
businesses and industries that can jumpstart
its economy? education and some college. This is not hap- n Computer Engineering
The National Center for Higher Educa- pening; hence, the lack of significant busi-
tion Management Systems is on a fact-find-
ing mission to study the state’s challenges/ Experienced Legris & Associates

063008210101116
opportunities facing higher education,
workforce needs, demographic trends and Knowledgeable Susan D. Legris, C.P.A.
funding, and to develop a plan that will Competent Specializing in QuickBooks®
allocate government resources to address No matter what your insurance needs, Individual & Business Income Tax Preparation
these needs. your COUNTRY agent is ready to help. Accounting and Payroll Processing
NCHEMS divided the state into 10 Eco-
nomic Development Regions. Kankakee, Certified QuickBooks® ProAdvisor
Randy Van Fossan
Will and Grundy Counties are grouped in Consulting (Both on-site and in our office)
815-932-3000
the Northeast Region. 1307 N. Convent., Ste. 1 FOR ALL YOUR SMALL BUSINESS
Bourbonnais, IL 60914 AND PERSONAL NEEDS
Northeast Region
(815) 935-8088
n The largest and most diverse economic 16A Briarcliff Professional Center,
area in the state Insurance & Financial Services Bourbonnais, IL
n Two levels of dramatic population www.countryfinancial.com www.legriscpa.com
0208-068
Green…It’s the
New Corporate Color
green’ reduces the overall costs of employee While the University of Chicago Medi-
absenteeism, maintenance, site longevity, cal Center is “at the forefront of medicine,”
and operations. The return on investment Robinson says that it is “at the forefront of
can be as high as 25 to 45 percent with a being green” in the healthcare industry as
by Nancy J. Ruda, B2B Illinois correspondent
three- to five-year payback in increased well. In the past three years, the system has
It doesn’t matter if you’re responsible for Tony Holub, AIA LEED AP, Demonica productivity and sales.” upped the amount of its recyclables from 2
the heating and air conditioning system, for Del Muro Associates, LLC Buildings and construction are responsi- to 25 percent and has targeted 40 percent
office supplies, for information technology, “Environmental conscientiousness is not ble for almost half of all the greenhouse gas as its goal.
or for just getting to work on time, you’d have a new concept. It is simply re-understand- emissions and energy that is consumed in “It’s one thing to ‘think green.’ It’s anoth-
to be living under your desk if you haven’t ing and relearning how to be good stewards the U.S. each year. This figure includes the er thing to actually do it. Without a doubt,
heard about the importance of “going green” of our health and of our world.” energy that is used in the production and going green saves green.” Here are some of
in the workplace. Across America, employ- Holub called special emphasis to the im- transportation of materials to work sites and the endeavors that Robinson initiated at the
ers and business owners are looking earnest- portance of the words “re-understanding what is used to operate the building itself. medical center and in other buildings on its
ly at the external and internal make-ups of and relearning” because while the corpo- “The importance of designing sustain- campus.
their buildings and work sites for innovative rate world knows what it should be doing able, high-performance or LEED®-based
n Replaced chemical-heavy cleaning prod-
solutions through sustainable practices. to conserve energy and to curb pollution is green buildings cannot be overstated in
And, it’s a commitment that everyone in not necessarily what it is doing. “No mat- their ability to reduce overall energy use and ucts with clean-air ones wherever pos-
the boardroom to the mailroom takes seri- ter when, the focus is always on the bottom to improve indoor air quality and comfort.” sible. In one instance, Robinson nixed six
ously. Guided by principles of integrity and line. The difference between then and now He concluded, “The question shouldn’t be commercial cleaning products with a sin-
compliance, operations are being managed is how safely we get there.” how much will it cost to build green…but gle earth-friendly alternative. “The new
with a trained eye on environmental pro- He refers to today’s spreadsheet number how much will it cost not to build green? green product is all six of the old products
tection, social responsibility, and economi- as a “triple bottom line” or as a reinforc- It’s important for builders to lead in sustain- in one healthy cleaner. It’s an all-around
cal soundness. In other words, protecting ing combination of people, the planet, and ability—not to wait for others to act and winner for our patients, our workers, and
the environment and the health and safety prosperity that are guided and mentored by then to follow.” the atmosphere.”
of employees, customers, contractors, and nature. The core of these three components n Began buying green. “Green purchasing”
the public by learning how to make green is sustainability or finding a better way to Stan Robinson, Executive Director of means using recycled-content products,
happen. “build green.” Environmental Services, University of environmentally preferable products and
Several leaders in environmental services In construction, he says, the key is to Chicago Medical Center services, bio-based products, energy- and
gathered on April 17 for a panel discussion start early—to “think green” from the out- “Waste is a measure of inefficiency. If you water-efficient products, alternate-fuel
on the business of going green. Here is a set. “Conservation should not be an af- are not reducing, reusing, and recycling, you vehicles, and alternatives to hazardous or
synopsis of the topics that were presented. terthought because the price of ‘building are operating inefficiently at all levels.” toxic chemicals.
n Invested in a baler to recycle all corrugat-
ed cardboard. Rather than incur the cost
of disposal and the discomfort of sending
its cardboard to landfills, the healthcare
center is now sending $2,000 in savings
per month to its bottom line thanks to
corrugated recycling.
n Recycling plastics, construction prod-
ucts, metals, aluminum, and electronics
for scrap.
n Sending old furniture to third world
countries in need

Robinson believes that companies and


businesses should make sure that their com-
munities and government leaders are aware
of what they’re doing to protect the environ-
ment. He said it shows that you care about
the future and that you value their support.
“When we take care of the environment,
we take care of our patients. It has been and
always will be the right thing to do.”

William Haas, Energy Division Repre-


sentative, Illinois Department of Com-
merce and Economic Opportunity
“A holistic energy plan that identifies op-
portunities for saving money should be part
of every corporate strategy.”
While Illinois’ new Energy Efficiency
programs were not available until June,
Haas pointed out that there are plenty of
steps that every business can take to become
Panelists at the “Go Green and How to Make It Happen” program listen to remarks from Mary Beth Hearn, 1st vice president, EDCSS. From left to right: Stan Rob- more energy efficient and to prepare for par-
inson, executive director of Environmental Services, University of Chicago Medical Center; Tony Holub, AIA LEED AP, Demonica Del Muro Associates, LLC; and
William Haas, Energy Division representative, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Photo by Nancy J. Ruda. ticipation in the programs.
n Review past energy audits. Green Building Initiative
n Assess performance with these tools. The mission of the Green Building Initia-
tive is to accelerate the adoption of practices
n ComEd Building Energy Analysis Tool: that result in energy-efficient, healthier,
ComEdCARE.com helps participants and environmentally sustainable buildings
understand how they use energy to run by promotion credible and practical green-
their businesses, and it provides tips for building approaches for commercial and
better management usage. residential construction.
n Energy Star Benchmarking and Portfolio
Manager: energystar.gov/buildings Green Seal
Products like cleaners, paints, and paper
n DCEO-LEAP Program: This Depart-
earn a Green Seal certification if they have
ment of Commerce and Economic Op-
portunity program targets clients that a low impact on the environment through-
have energy costs greater than $500,000 out their life cycles, from manufacturing to
per year and provides rebates of 50 per- disposal.
cent (up to $10,000 each) for the cost of
developing an energy-efficiency action GreenSpec® Listed
plan and for a technical assessment. This database includes over 2,100 green
building products, specifications, and prac-
n Consult a technical expert. tices for use by architects and construc-
n Find an “energy engineer” at energystar. tion professionals. It was developed by the
gov/index.cfm or research the Smart En- editors of Environmental Building News,
ergy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC) an independently published and advertise-
at sedac.org. ment-free newsletter.
n Learn about available energy efficiency
grants from the Illinois Clean En- LEED®
ergy Community Foundation at illi- The Leadership in Energy and Environ-
noiscleanenergy.org. mental Design (LEED®) Green building
Rating system™ is a nationally accepted
n Learn about best practices. benchmark for the design, construction,
n Building Operator Certification: boccen- and operations of high-performance green
tral.org buildings. LEED was developed by the
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC),
n Federal Energy Management Program:
a nonprofit organization working to trans-
eere.energy.gov/femp
form the building industry to sustainable
n American Council for an Energy Effi- practices. It is the industry standard for
cient Economy: aceee.org green building specifications.
n ComEd Energy Essentials: ComE-
dCARE.com Oikos Product Directory
This directory is the most comprehen-
n Smart Returns Program: A “load re-
sive listing of products and services for en-
sponse” program from ComEd that pays
ergy-efficient, environmentally responsible
financial incentives to business customers
building construction.
for reducing their electricity usage during
times when ComEd’s distribution system
Sustainable Buildings Industry Council
is experiencing high levels of demand.
SBIC members and partners share the
Label-Watching common goal of delivering buildings that
Watch for building and maintenance provide long-term value and performance;
products and companies that bear these that reduce operating costs; that keep oc-
certified earth-friendly labels. cupants safe, comfortable, and healthy; and
that protect the natural environment.
Energy Star
Established by the Environmental Pro- The “Go Green and Learn How to Make
tection Agency, Energy Star products per- It Happen” program was presented and
form as well as their traditional counterparts sponsored by the Economic Development
while using up to 75 percent less energy. Council for the Southwest Suburbs (EDC-
Products include appliances, electronics, SS), Moraine Valley Community College,
and light bulbs. Great Lakes Bank of Choice, Workforce
Development and Community Services,
FSC the Illinois Department of Commerce and
The FSC logo signifies that paper and Economic Opportunity, the Southwest
wood products (such as furniture and floor- Conference of Mayors, and the Economic
ing) have been harvested using certified Development Council for the Southwest
sustainable standards. It was developed by Suburbs. More than 200 persons from a di-
the Forest Stewardship Council. verse range of companies attended.
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*OOPWBUPSTJO)PNF5FDIOPMPHZBOE&OUFSUBJONFOU4ZTUFNT4JODF

815-935-9960
www.connectedcommunityonline.com
“Man shapes himself through decisions that shape his environment.”
—René Dubos

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GBNJMZTDPNGPSU

Rhapsody Cove and Connected Community: Providing Sustainable Solutions for Chicago’s Southland.

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Pay Attention to
Parents’ Investment more than $144,000 per year just to main-
tain the same standard of living that they
income—it’s not always easy to determine
the appropriate amount.

Strategies
enjoy today. You might not have the expertise to help
So, given the possibility of a long retire- your parents address these two issues—
ment combined with the cumulative effects choosing the right investments during their
of inflation, your parents will likely need at retirement years and taking out the right
by Bob Meyers least some growth potential in their invest- amounts from their 401(k) and IRA. And
If your parents are getting older, you may conservatively, they might not be able to ment portfolio. A reasonable percentage of that’s why you may want to encourage your
have to assist them in various aspects of afford the lifestyle they’ve chosen, given the quality stocks may be able to provide them parents to work with a professional financial
daily life—one of which may be their in- importance of two factors: longevity and with that potential, but their mix of invest- advisor, if they don’t already have one. At
vestment strategies. And by being “proac- inflation. ments really depends on their individual their stage of life, they really need to make
tive,” you may be able to make things much Let’s consider longevity first. The aver- needs, lifestyle choices and risk tolerance. the right moves.
easier for Mom and Dad in their retirement age 65-year-old man is expected to live 16.5 Here’s one other investment-related ques-
years. more years, while the average 65-year-old tion you may want to raise with your par- Bob Meyers is a financial
ents: How much should they take out each advisor with Edward Jones in
One of the best things you can do for your woman has 19.1 more years of life expec-
year from their 401(k) and IRA? It’s essen- Kankakee.
parents is to find out if they are investing in tancy, according to the Social Security Ad-
a way that’s appropriate for their situation. ministration. And these figures, as noted, tial that they neither withdraw so much that
When many people get older, they tend to are averages, which means that half of all they deplete their accounts nor so little that
get more financially conservative, choosing men and half of all women can expect to they can’t afford the things they enjoy. Yet,
investments that offer significant preser- live longer than 81.5 years and 84.1 years, because the ideal withdrawal rate depends
vation of principal, such as certificates of respectively. on several factors—investment mix, risk
Consequently, your parents could easily tolerance, life expectancy, other sources of
deposit (CDs) and U.S. Treasury securi-
ties. And of course, this is understandable, spend two or three decades in retirement.
because your parents, like many people at And if they’re investing predominantly in
their stage of life, probably don’t want to fixed-income vehicles, their returns may not
take too many financial risks. And yet, by even keep up with inflation. For example,
“taking no chances” with their money, they
could actually be taking on more risk than
they think.
suppose your parents’ total cost of living
is currently $80,000 per year. If inflation
were to average 3 percent annually over the
Hiring a Business
Why? Because by investing too next 20 years, your parents would then need
Consultant
by Reneé Perry

Why use motorsports


When I was starting my consulting/ should they. You should build your busi-
coaching business, I struggled to call myself ness with your vision and ideas. No stranger
a consultant. Business consultants are not is going to have that magic formula that

for advertising? created equal. It seems as if everyone likes would allow you to miraculously make tons
to call themselves a consultant these days. of money and have the business of your
Some consultants are very good, while oth- dreams. It’s important to be true to your
ers just know the right things to say. If you passion, to your mission, and to be aligned
Because at the Power Boat Nationals & River Fest are thinking of hiring one, I would suggest with your values, which is what business
you’ll reach a cross-section of ages, education and talking to them about their background and coaching helps you develop.
income levels. Plus, you’ll receive the following: their services offered to see if it’s a great There is definitely a place for a good busi-
match with you and your business, and se- ness consultant to help business owners/
• Product Display Space at the Event riously consider the amount of money they entrepreneurs get through issues they just
• Demonstration, Sampling and Couponing Opportunities are charging. I have met really good consul- seem unable to overcome by themselves in
tants who do not charge an arm and a leg or an efficient manner. Business consultants
• Name Recognition Over the Public Address System
insist on taking your first born child. should have at least owned their own suc-
• Build Brand Awareness for your Business! Quite a few years ago, when we were ex- cessful business at some point. I person-
periencing some major growing pains, we ally believe there’s more to being successful
2008 Sponsorship Levels: had a big consulting firm contact us. I had than just the mechanics of a business. It’s
• $100 Drivers Promo Pack Sponsorship heard of some bigger companies in our area important to run your business well and to
• $700 Race Boat Sponsorship using this firm, so I thought I’d at least en- maintain balance in three parts: 1) physical-
tertain the idea. They sent a fellow who was ly—the processes of your business, 2) emo-
• $1,000 Race Sponsorship very bright and said things that made me tionally—having your values in place, and
063008201101526

• $2,500 Sport C Marathon Sponsorship feel as if he could “fix” our business. He was 3) spiritually—having a vision statement.
basically sent to analyze our business and Finally, don’t ask a banker about how to
To become a sponsor, call 815-939-1311. then they would send two others to actually run your business, unless it relates to actual
show us how to bring in a lot more profit. banking issues. You wouldn’t ask an accoun-
He was a great salesman. I agreed to hire tant for legal advice, and so on. You need to
this company with the knowledge that I rely on your instincts when taking advice,
could only fire them in the first four hours. and to consider the source of information,
Needless to say, we fired them within the as well as the possible agenda of others.
four hour period.
August 29 through September 1, 2008 My biggest lesson learned is that no one
knows your business better than you do, nor
Reneé Perry is a small business consultant
and coach in Joliet.
Acres of Diamonds
at Work
tifying, hiring, developing and optimizing brings, there will always be a struggle
talent? to perform at a superior level. This is the
There isn’t a retina scan that measures hard work of managing others—to un-
potential and illuminates the most effective derstand and leverage the strengths and
by Ron Price
pathway to success. But it’s getting closer. to work around or neutralize the weak-
There is an old story about a fellow in the people doing the right things is the most The convergence of psychometrics with job nesses.
ancient world who, upon learning about di- important differentiator in any successful benchmarking is opening up new methods
n What is the most effective way to de-
amonds, sold his successful farm and spent business. How they understand and manage to identify deeper reservoirs of potential
velop and focus each person’s talent for
his fortune traveling the world in search of people should come before thinking about in people. Exceptional leaders have expe-
success based on the alignment between
the gems. Several years after he died, hav- how they will effectively compete in the rienced breakthroughs in performance by
the job and the person? Diagnosis is 90
ing never found the diamonds he sought; marketplace. For most business leaders, this asking three simple questions:
percent of the cure. If business leaders
others discovered the largest diamond mine is a difficult shift in mindset to make. After
n What talent patterns is this job asking can develop a laser-like focus of what a
ever found in Africa—on the farm he sold all, business leaders are normally measured
for in order to achieve superior per- job is asking for and how natural talent
to begin his quest. by annual revenue,
formance? There are specific activities, patterns relate to the job, then learn how
Just for a moment, let’s pretend there was stock value,
rewards and evaluative judgment to apply this knowledge to leveraging
a special machine that took a retina scan of earnings, or
patterns that result in superior strengths and neutralizing weaknesses,
every employee in your business and, based performance for every job. they will begin to understand that their
on this scan, it could tell you exactly what By defining these in detail, people represent one of the greatest unde-
each employee was capable of becoming in business leaders can de- rutilized resources in the organization.
the future. You could then create a custom- velop a profound clarity
ized development program that resulted in that will lead to su- Most leaders think they are effective at
the most profitable and fulfilling use of ev- perior performance. identifying opportunities. They pride them-
ery employee in your business. Would you This picture of what selves in their ability to understand the dy-
use such a machine, if it were available? the job wants can be namics of the marketplace, to develop prod-
Business leaders often discover an internal used to improve the ucts and services that create future wealth,
conflict between taking care of the immedi- hiring process, cre- to build a loyal customer base, and to man-
ate concerns of the business and a longing to ate highly custom- age the financial statements for increased
“do it right” and manage more strategically ized training and net worth and cash flow. As savvy as these
for long-term success. Beleaguered execu- development strate- leaders may be when it comes to markets,
tives often confess that even if they did have gies, and pinpoint products, customers and assets, they con-
a perfectly clear picture of the best way to the most important tinually miss the greatest treasure of all.
develop and manage their people, current performance manage- As a result, they forfeit their own “acres of
circumstances wouldn’t allow it. ment issues for continu- diamonds.”
Research has revealed that mediocre su- ous improvement.
pervisors work under the assumptions that, Ron Price is the founder and
n What natural talent CEO of Price Associates, a
everyone should be able to learn how to do
patterns does this person bring company dedicated to
a job with training; and the greatest em-
the organiza- to the job and how should we lever- helping business leaders and
ployee growth is realized by focusing on the
tion’s credit rating—all age this talent? Every individual brings entrepreneurs solve problems,
employee’s areas of weakness.
“hard” financial measures of success. These a unique combination of behavioral ten- identify solutions and
In contrast, exceptional supervisors as- dencies, motivational biases and evalua- implement change in strategy and
“hard metrics” are easy for business leaders
sume that, everyone has unique and endur- tive judgment inclinations to their work. performance. Ron is also the author of
to think they can control and manipulate
ing talents; and, a person’s greatest potential When these fall in relative alignment “Finding Hidden Treasures,” a series of
through decision-making and the priori-
lies in developing their areas of strength. with what the job is asking for, superior
essays with action steps to aid readers in
ties they establish for their organizations. mining their own inner talents. As the
Great managers constantly look for ways performance is practically inevitable (we
On the other hand, understanding and de- former president of the AIM Companies,
to develop and leverage each employee’s call them, “a natural for the position”).
ploying talent is much more difficult and Ron directed the strategic, marketing,
strengths rather than getting trapped in When there is mis-alignment between
it requires more humility—it doesn’t fit compensation and incentive planning, as
trying to fix weaknesses. these talent patterns and what the job is
the “alpha male” concept of many leaders. well as field training and operations.
Business leaders serious about identify- asking for, it doesn’t matter what edu-
How can we balance the scales by creating
ing, developing and deploying talent under- cation or past experience the employee
equally compelling measurements for iden-
stand that in today’s world getting the right

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Joliet Job Market
Expected to be Among
Strongest in Nation
from press release
Joliet area employers expect to hire at a pear best in Durable Goods Manufacturing,
brisk pace during the third quarter of 2008, Transportation/Public Utilities, Services
according to the Manpower Employment and Public Administration. Employers in
Outlook Survey. Among survey partici- Construction plan to reduce staffing levels,
pants, the Joliet area employment outlook while those in Non-Durable Goods Manu-
is the tenth best in the nation. From July facturing and Wholesale/Retail Trade voice
to September, 50 percent of the companies mixed hiring intentions. Hiring in Finance/
interviewed plans to hire more employees, Insurance/Real Estate and Education is ex-
while 10 percent expect to reduce their pay- pected to remain unchanged.
rolls, according to Manpower spokesperson Nationally, U.S. employers are project-
Suzanne Cosme. Another 40 percent expect ing a slight decline in hiring for Quarter 3
to maintain their current staff levels. 2008, according to the seasonally adjusted
“Employer sentiment about hiring ap- survey results. Of the 14,000 U.S. employ-
pears to be more encouraging than in the ers surveyed, 26 percent expect to increase
second quarter of 2008 when 34 percent of their workforces during the July-September
companies interviewed intended to add em- period, while 10 percent expect to scale back
ployees, and 10 percent planned to reduce their payrolls for a net employment outlook
staff levels,” said Cosme. “Hiring activity is of 16 percent (seasonally adjusted 12 per-
expected to be stronger than one year ago cent). Fifty-eight percent expect no change
when 23 percent of companies surveyed in the hiring pace, and 6 percent are unde-
planned to increase staff levels and none ex- cided about their hiring plans.
pected to cut payrolls.” (See page 7 for a summary of all Illinois
For the coming quarter, job prospects ap- Survey Results.)

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Going Green in
Will County Top Priority
by Lawrence Walsh
With greater awareness to environmen- medical items to local pharmacies. Last
tal issues, Will County is committed to year, the County established Take-Back
continuing the dialogue and efforts for a partnerships at all four Basinger Pharmacy
healthier environment throughout the year. locations in Joliet. This month, the Waste
Recently, the Will County Waste Services Services group held grand-openings for
Division of the Land Use Department five new partnerships with Doc’s Drugs in
made a big difference in the environment by Beecher, Braidwood, Peotone, Monee and
hosting various recycling and waste collec- Wilmington.
tion events, along with educating hundreds “I’m so pleased that this new program is
of school children and members of the com- clearly making a difference—and it’s im-
munity on how to Go Green. portant to thank both pharmacies for their
interest in and dedication to the environ-
Environmental Awards for ment,” said Marta Keane, Will County
Local Schools Recycle Program specialist. “It is estimated
At their recent annual Environmental that over 4,600 tons of pharmaceuticals With the help of local schoolchildren, a county-wide shoe collection effort yielded nearly 8,000 shoes.
Awards program, the County group hosted and personal care products enter the waste
35 local schools and recognized students for stream yearly—and many pharmaceuticals Townships, and Washington Township/ ous waste facility for Will County residents.
their contributions to the environment. Held are making their way into the drinking wa- Village of Beecher for electronics and/or Household hazardous waste includes clean-
at Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park, the ter. So these partnerships are very impor- traditional recycling materials. And more ers, chemicals, old gasoline, solvents and
students were heralded for collecting over tant to have.” partnerships are being developed. Dean other potentially harmful items such as oil-
716 tons of paper for recycling. Former coun- Olson, Waste Services manager, estimates based paint and batteries. The Division has
ty environmental educator, Joan O’Keefe of Shoe Collection and that over $57,000 has been spent for recy- had contracts with the City of Naperville
Lockport was also honored for being Will Special Events cling through these local partnerships over for seven years to partner with the Naper-
County’s first environmental educator, as Another recent event included a county- the past 10 months, collecting over 330,000 ville Fire Station HHW to dispose of haz-
well as for her numerous contributions. wide shoe collection bringing in nearly 8,000 pounds of electronics and an estimated ardous waste for area residents, mostly from
“I am so proud of what we have done in shoes for recycling or reuse. The County also 98,000 lbs of other recyclables. DuPage, Kane and Will County residents.
Will County to not only educate others on held household hazardous waste (HHW) The County also expects to receive as The last one contract was in 2006.
the importance of a healthy environment, events in Romeoville and Beecher and an much $146,000 in grants for its enforce- “While the Naperville site is important to
but to actually walk the walk as well,” said electronic collection event in Manhattan. ment program with the Illinois Environ- the proper disposal of household hazardous
Will County Executive Larry Walsh, who Over 49,000 pounds of hazardous waste mental Protection Agency (IEPA), a re- waste in the area, a new Will County fa-
personally handed out the awards to the were collected at the Romeoville HHW imbursement of $137,000 from the IEPA cility would be a huge benefit to even more
schools. “We have come a long way in the event, nearly 300 participated at Beecher, for cleanup of the Brownfield site in Crete County residents—however cost estimates
last few years when it comes to going green and over 58,000 pounds of electronics were Township, and a reimbursement grant of aren’t in yet.” added Olson.
as a County. It is a top priority.” recycled from the Manhattan event. as much as $51,000 from the Department The proposed Will County Household
of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Hazardous Waste site will be located near
Medication Take-Back Electronics Recycling (DCEO) for the expansion of the Will Route 52 and Laraway -Road just south of
Program Will County and Waste Services staff County Offices recycling program. In 2007, the County’s Highway Department.
A healthy environment also means pro- also continue an aggressive approach to over 22,000 tires were collected at an event
tecting water resources, while reducing recycling and the environment throughout with the IEPA, saving the County thou- Upcoming Events
materials going into local landfills. The the year with programs and events, includ- sands of dollars. HHW collections are also held through-
County’s Medication Take-Back Program ing the appropriate disposal of tires, house- out the County, including the one set at Jo-
is one way to stop the flushing of unwanted hold hazardous waste, books and electron- Household Hazardous Waste liet Junior College. Residents can also look
medications down the drain. With this new ics. In the past year, the County established One future project that the Waste Servic- forward to a Waste Tire Collection with the
program, residents can drop-off medica- partnerships with the Village of Boling- es Division hopes to accomplish is the build- IEPA on September 19 and 20 in Univer-
tions, personal care products and other brook, Channahon, Plainfield and Troy ing of a new permanent household hazard- sity Park, a Book Collection on September
12, 13 and 14, at Pilcher Park in Joliet, and
a Household Hazardous Waste collection
event in New Lenox on September 13.
“Residents can be assured that a main
focus of Will County is the environment,
including recycling – and we continue to do
all we can do to make life better and health-
ier for them,” said Olson. “We’ve not only
received great support from County Execu-
tive Walsh, but by so many countywide. We
are certainly proud of all we’ve done and all
we hope to do.”

Lawrence Walsh is the Will


County Executive.

The Medication Take-Back Program, here being implemented at Doc’s Drugs in The Village of Bolingbrook recently began its electronic recycling program with a
Peotone, keeps unwanted or expired medications out of our drinking water. ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Tech Corner | by Wade LeBeau

Leveling Your
Business Network
changes to match our network using the web connection.
(browser) interface, connected the unit, and The NetEqualizer is a nice tool to add
right away traffic shaping started, about 10- to any network of any size. Businesses can
minutes total setup time. The unit has two see how important the Internet is and how
Ethernet ports as shown above, one port hungry users can be for information. In local
Today’s business networks are compli- your investment in technology is by utiliz- toward your user network, the other ports networks, there are congestion issues and, at
cated. There are data packets flying around, ing your Internet broadband connection to toward your broadband connection/server times, issues with the utilization of network
cables, routers, switches, and of course, the the fullest. With the evolution of higher if applicable. A couple of simple clicks and resources. By using this unit, network ad-
Internet. Businesses now demand more broadband standards, we see the need for you can see reporting live as it happens. In ministrators now have tools to manage all of
bandwidth for daily operations. To ensure more consumption for both data and voice testing, we ran our unit for 30-days and saw these network issues. IPTables adds firewall
even bandwidth distribution and stabilizing information. Recently, we have found a our broadband reports stabilize and our us- capacities to the NetEqualizer, which is yet
users, business owners need a simple tool: product that is plug-and-play and desig- ers receiving the same slices of broadband another option with these types of units.
bandwidth management. nates utilization of broadband evenly: the access. With the NetEqualizer, there is no One last word on firewalls and protecting
This is a long-run process that can help NetEqualizer. burden of extensive policies to manage. your network—the NetEqualizer has con-
you save money, better plan for future net- As shown below in our network evalu- nection limits which can help protect your
work upgrades, and help determine future ation, the NetEqualizer NE2000 is a 1U How the unit works network from malicious activities like vi-
bandwidth needs and costs. On a wider (14 inches deep) unit that connects to your The NetEqualizer is based in your broad- ruses, trojan horses and worms.
scale, bandwidth management can help network. The basic functions are tracking band connection. The unit is rule based
with remote locations, warehouses and of- bandwidth and equalizing the network so (similar to IPTables in Linux) to dynami- Unit specifics
fices anywhere in the world. In some cases, all sessions are equal, thus improving speed cally control traffic by user on the network Of course, bandwidth limiting and dis-
bandwidth management has saved com- and efficient use of your company’s data in- and then fairly distribute the available band- tribution top the list of desired unit capa-
panies significant dollars by determining frastructure. width. Installation requires no network bilities. The equal bandwidth distribution
problems, acting as a stop agent, and pro- NetEqualizer is one of the most cost-ef- changes, and the unit runs in transparent process includes those that are regulated for
viding resolutions based on reports and sta- fective management units on the market, mode. For you techie’s out there, you will more bandwidth usage based on Host, Sub-
tistics. and we found the unit easy to install—right notice the command line interface (shell) is net, MAC Address, port or VLAN.
One of the key elements in maximizing out of the box. We made three setting Unix. You can also access it using an SSH The NetEqualizer is available in a
range of configurations from 2Mbps up to
300Mbps. It provides a host of reporting
features based on your needs. The reports
are browser-based in real-time and can be
saved and kept as log files.
More information about the NetEqual-
izer can be found at http://netequalizer.
com.

Wade LeBeau is the network


operations director for The
Daily Journal and a WiFi
Kankakee, LLC board member.
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Innovative Management Solutions | by Patrick Seaton

Going Lean, Part 6:


Avoiding Implementation to the company. It also frees up their time
to consider the larger change projects that
improvements that will drive other results.

Setbacks
management might have in mind. Too Much Management-
Centric Focus
Lack of Empowerment, As we saw in the plastics company story,
Responsibility, Accountability, it is important to keep a perspective on what
Expectations and Recognition the employees feel is important to change.
Similar to last month’s column, I’d like To get more glue takes up to five days, so Alright, I know I threw many items in They have their challenges to overcome and
to focus this month’s message to those who they put everything back and wait for the this group, but they are all so important and are looking for somebody to help them re-
have already launched their lean efforts in glue to arrive. closely related. If employees are empow- solve their problems. The company could
the last two years. To some people, making I wanted to share this story with you be- ered to make decisions and changes, lean have pushed forward with robots, but they
any forward progress with lean or moving cause having a disconnect between what initiatives will flourish. Lean is top down would still run out of glue—only at a faster
into a more proactive mode is considered a management believes is important, and in vision and direction and bottom up in pace potentially. Management could have
success. To others, making small advance- what employees believe to be important, is changes and behaviors. It takes both to get continually measured and cracked down
ments isn’t enough, so they consider the one of the top five drivers of lean implemen- long-term, world-class results. on reducing set-up times, but as long as the
progress as a failure. tation setbacks. The top five list follows. However, before you can empower em- scheduling problem existed, set-up times
By reducing implementation “setbacks” ployees, they need to know their area(s) of would suffer. The morale of the plastics
you will reduce the pool of naysayers. Lack of Management Support responsibility and how they will be held ac- company story is to have management-cen-
Here’s a great example of what not to do: It starts at the top. If management isn’t countable for their decisions and action. If tric ideas (big picture, strategically-moti-
I was asked into a small (35 employees) fully on board with lean, it will show in the you allow lean to be everybody’s job implic- vated ideas) in mind, but first address the
plastic injection-molding manufacturer to areas under that person. Management needs itly and nobody’s job explicitly, your lean employees’ day-to-day challenges. Employ-
do some “Lean Kick-Off” work. They had to eat, live and breathe the lean principles initiatives will have setbacks down the road. ees will have little to no time to devote to
been talking about lean for about four years, and show the employees that everybody will And please don’t forget to set clear expecta- big projects/changes as long as their daily
but never got anything going. The company be expected to embrace lean, be held to the tions for people. routines pose challenges to them.
is privately held. The general manager and same standards, and make decisions in the Last, but not least, make sure there is a
the plant manager are brothers-in-law. lean spirit. recognition program in place to show your Final Thoughts on Lean
During my first meeting with the general If there is no Lean Champion in the appreciation for the work that people do. Lean is 20 percent equipment and tech-
manager, he told me that he had two priori- company to help guide, train and measure, People will repeat those actions that get nology and 80 percent people. Getting peo-
ties—reduce set-up time and install robots implementation will stagnate down the positive attention. ple to change old habits, behaviors and ac-
on the production lines. I asked if I could road because nobody is watching the prog- tions is not easy. Employees will be cynical,
interview the employees in groups to hear ress and holding people accountable. Too Much at Once mistrusting and scared at first. That's why
what their priorities were. He agreed and I If management doesn’t recognize efforts The big ideas are great, but remember that management needs to really step up to the
took a few hours to interview the people. at all levels of the organization, or allow su- people have daily tasks and responsibilities. plate and build trust through actions, not
One priority that came through in each pervisors and managers to recognize people, When companies try to do too much all at speech. If you can identify your “people”
group was a revamp of their scheduling pro- there will be less and less effort put into lean once, it’s just too much for the people to people, tap into them to help drive lean.
cess. The line supervisors and set-up people initiatives. manage on top of their daily responsibili-
were extremely frustrated with a schedule Patrick Seaton, Innovative
ties. Very often the same key people become
Management Tools LLC.
that changes daily, sometimes hourly. Even Lack of Management Focus overloaded with too many projects at the
more frustrating to them was that the sched- If your management team doesn’t have same time and not enough time to get ev-
ule was changed in the computer, but not a vision or direction for the company, how erything done. This is especially common in
all affected employees receive the changes. can the employees move the company for- smaller companies where the resource pool
They spent many hours a week setting up ward toward its goals? Management needs is limited. Instead, focus on smaller, key
a mold and the production run only to find to be very clear on what is to be accom-
out that the schedule had just been changed plished and why.
and they needed to change the set-up. Don’t create activity just for the sake of
Another priority that came up related to being able to say that you are “doing lean.”
materials management in a small five-per- Have a purpose and goals. I heard of one Serving Kankakee and Will Counties

063008212101209
son department. Their biggest challenge is company that was in their third year of 5S
that they run out of glue. Yes, I said glue.
They use a costly glue that affixes labels
(cleaning and organizing work areas). They
had no clue why they were doing 5S be-
Smith, Koelling,
extremely well, and it needs to be refriger-
ated until use. Amazingly, the refrigerator
cause it wasn’t tied to their strategic busi-
ness plan. In fact, they didn’t even have a
Dykstra & Ohm, P.C.
is not in their department. It is in the plant business plan. They wanted to be able to say Certified Public Accountants and Advisors
manger’s office and the employees don’t like that they were “going lean” and 5S seemed
to bother him, so they wait until he is out of like an easy place to start. That is true, but Professional Accounting
his office and then go in and get the glue. activity needs to have a purpose. & Business Advisory Services
Sometimes they go in to get glue and they Waste reduction is a process that will 1605 N. Convent, Bourbonnais • 815-937-1997
are out of stock because they didn’t tell the positively impact the bottom line, it pro- www.skdocpa.com
manager to order more the last time. They vides a clear focus to team members, and it 446 W. Indiana Ave., 161 S. Main St. 103 E. Main St. 220 W. Main, Ste. 308 104 South Water
have pulled the parts, collected the labels, will send a very clear message to the em- Beecher, IL Herscher, IL Peotone, IL Morris, IL Wilmington, IL
set the jigs, and then went to get the glue. ployees that they and their time are valuable (708) 946-3232 (815) 426-9808 (708) 258-0300 (815) 942-2554 (815) 476-4477
ouT & ABouT
KANKAKEE COUNTY

2008 Community Foundation of Kankakee River Valley Grant recipients, from left to
right: sandra Knight, success by six ®; Beth Kohn, KCC Parent education Programs; amy
allers, Kankakee river valley Forest Preserve District; Mary self & Josie Barnett, Bradley
elementary school District Make a Difference Program; Pam Debono, Chair of the Com-
munity Foundation of the Kankakee river valley; amy emerson, Child Care resource &
referral; norm strasma, executive Director of the Community Foundation of the Kanka-
kee river valley; Karl Kruse, riverfront trail initiative/greenways; Kathy Marquis, Kankakee
school District #111 First taste Program; Cathy gagnon, Bourbonnais township Park Dis-
trict. (submitted photo)

Joe Franco, Kankakee County economic alliance board chairman; Greg Leutloff, Bennett left to right: Sandy Boyer, vice-president of iroquois-Ford association of realtors; Sandy
Commercial real estate; Jerry Balthazor, City of Bradley trustee; Lucas and Randy Strait, Workman, president of KCar; Connie Legris, executive officer for both Kankakee and
arctic snow & ice Control; state representative Lisa Dugan; Mike Van Mill, economic alli- iroquois associations; and Sarah Powers, president-elect of KCar, in Washington, D.C.
ance president; Jeff Bennett, Bennett Commercial real estate at the Ken Hayes industrial during their visit with congressional legislators in June. (submitted photo)
Park in Bradley. (submitted photo)

BBrCC Business after Hours at Quality Concepts

vicki and greg yates of Quality Concepts. (Photo by Cary turner) left to right: Kathy Henricks of Bennett Commercial; Bill Menard of Pied Piper; and Char
Blanchette of Homestar Bank. (Photo by Cary turner)

n Send B2B illinois your press releases, business briefs, event photos (with individual identifications), and business-related events. E-mail to pr@b2billinois.com or fax to
815.935.0192.
The Home Energy
Tipping Point
(Or, How Can I Save Money?)
by Tom Goodberlet
Going Green: these words have infiltrat- system is right for your home or business are
ed our culture like wildfire. Energy has been crucial, and a wrong decision can consume
and always will be a major issue, especially more energy than what your current system
when we deal with non-renewable natural
resources. What is good for us? What can
uses. Go to www.energystar.gov and it will Sick & Tired of Being Understaffed?
guide you through what to look for in a
we do to save money? And what can we do heating and cooling contractor.
to decrease our energy bills in our home and Many homeowners are now purchasing a
businesses? geo-thermal system to heat and cool their
With so many options, ideas, and higher
homes. These systems are use ground wa-
costs involved, what is the right answer for
ter or a ground loop for heating and cooling
you? As an energy and indoor comfort con-
and, mainly run by electricity, these systems
sultant, let me make this statement first:
Our energy and gas prices will continue to have a slightly higher price to install than
rise. Our only choices today include higher
efficiency systems, using renewable resourc-
conventional systems. However, ROI or en-
ergy payback is very quick. With the new YOU NEED
es and reducing usage. A natural by-prod-
uct of these practices and technologies is a
technology, these systems are gaining pop-
ularity with many consumers and are being
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at 815-802-3888
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air conditioners, but energy use and cost can tractive supplemental system if your home
be lowered in other areas of your “system.” or business is positioned to attract enough

Your Partners Within


Electrically, look at your lights. Changing
sunlight.
to fluorescents and low-voltage lighting will
Going green and saving energy is also
make a big difference in electrical cost. In-
stalling a programmable thermostat saves
on both gas and electricity, while adding
related to indoor air quality. Open any
magazine, newspaper, or listen to a radio the Supply Chain
insulation or upgrading windows reduces talk show and everyone is talking about air
quality. Who do you believe? Consumers
air infiltration and keeps the drafts and the
should believe in the people who deal with
Integrated Supply Chain Solutions
amount of energy you use inside the home
instead of allowing for its escape. Sealing air filtration, air conditioning and ventila-
•FDA Food-Grade Facility •U.S. Customs Bonded
and insulating forced air duct work is a tion every day. Quality heating and cooling
•Silliker Food Safety Quality & Container Freight Station
big energy saver. Insulating your hot water contractors are experts in indoor air and
pipes, turning your hot water heater down, are trained to give you the proper answers Solutions Certified “Gold •Inter-modal Drayage
along with upgrading your home appliances regarding your home’s problems. A typical
Recognition” •Truckload
with newer models will all make your home home will produce about 40 pounds of dust •Pick Pack Order Fulfillment •Less-than Truckload
more efficient. a year and up to 72 trillion allergens will •Flat Bed Heavy Haul
The biggest energy and money saver is find their way into your home. Currently •Time Definite Transport (JIT)
avoiding energy scams. Spending money indoor air is 80 percent more polluted than
on things that don’t work is probably the outdoor air. We are what we breathe, so by
biggest form of energy waste. Every energy cleaning and filtering our air and generat-
contractor should be able to provide you
ing controls over humidity, our families will
with a ROI (Return on Investment).
stay healthier and our homes cleaner and
At today’s prices of gas and electricity,
more comfortable. For more information
purchasing new energy saving systems will
give you an average ROI that surpasses any on indoor air qualities go to www.health- 3424 W. Mound Rd., Joliet, IL 60436
stock fund or bond on the market. So what house.org or the American Lung Associa-
tion at www.lungusa.org.
866-460-1677
do we look for and what should we be pur- www.pathwaylogistics.com
chasing? Going green and saving energy dollars
The answer is the highest efficient system is not always inexpensive, but it is the right
that you can afford and that will give you thing to do. If everyone does just a little at C-TPAT Participant
the best ROI. a time, we can reduce our carbon footprint Women Owned & Operated
Heating and cooling systems allow for both at home and in the office. Member, U.S. Women’s
063008217101201

numerous choices. The biggest key in pur- Chamber of Commerce


chasing a system is getting the right size. Tom Goodberlet is president of Goodberlet
Proper installation and making sure the Heating & Air Conditioning.
Spanish Language Training | by Dr. Héctor López

Medical Interpretation
for Health Care Providers
Spanish, Polish is very popular, followed by
several dialects of Chinese and eastern Eu-
ropean languages. The interpreter is paged
and reports to the hospital when requested.
The interpreter greets that patient and in-
Hospitals, medical centers, doctor’s visits Medical Interpretation forms him of his/her services and proceeds
and other healthcare providers are requiring Telephone Line Services to interpret the whole conversation, while
more and more use of competent Spanish Some medical centers opt for a interacting with the patient. Doctors and
interpreters (other languages are less in de- telephone language service that nurses report feeling very comfortable with
mand). These non-English speaking patients offers a plethora of language- this procedure, as the
are insurance card holders, citizens and legal trained interpreters. This service patient and fam-
residents, too. Often times this patient pop- provides language assistance to ily are always
ulation are the spouses and extended family hospitals that have a minimal and/ kept informed
members who require a variety of services. or occasional need for a second lan- and patients can add
These services range from hospital care, guage interpreter. Using a sensitive information as needed
surgery and childbirth to treatment for oc- speaker phone, the health care team to help the medical staff ad-
cupational injuries. As recent arrivals, many communicates with the patient via dress the needs of the patient.
of these non-English speaking residents the phone service. For minor patient A competent medical interpreter
hold dangerous jobs and suffer occupational services this works fine and both the can help the medical staff make a treat-
injuries to their limbs. They suffer from medical staff and patient are usually satis- ment plan that helps the patient through
back problems fied. However, this emergency and or treatment. The flow
in dispropor- The interpreter greets that this type of of the conversation is quick and efficient.
tionate num- service does The interpreter can help clarify any confu-
bers when patient and informs him of his/ have its obvi- sion immediately by simply saying, for ex-
compared to ample, “The patient appears to want to add
similar work
her services and proceeds to ous drawbacks
something...” Physicians report that this
and limita-
groups in the interpret the whole conversation, tions. The first helps them administer proper care, speeds
U.S. drawback is up the process, and keeps the patient in-
An inter-
while interacting with the that the tele- formed as to what’s going on.
preter is of- patient. phone line An additional benefit of having a person
ten required must be made conduct the interpretation is the “people
to help medical personnel communicate available throughout the whole patient/doc- interaction.” Visual contact aids the inter-
with their patients. The questions asked tor visit. Secondly, the phone interpreter pretation process and helps medical staff
by the nurses and doctors require medical cannot see or more importantly hear what is and patients communicate more efficiently
knowledge both in English and in Spanish. being said by secondary sources if the phone and effectively. Interpreters are not permit-
Common everyday language is used, but speaker is not sensitive enough to pick up ted to help patients fill out forms directly,
additional healthcare-specific vocabulary other conversations that may aid the medi- however. Family members can help their
demands that the interpreter understands cal staff. Even if the microphone is sensi- language-challenged family member com-
the subtleties in language usage. Thus the tive, the interpreter may only hear gibberish plete the required forms.
interpreter serves as a vital link between the or garbled speech and not be able to inter- as the telephone interpreter is required
healthcare provider and the patient. pret the language being spoken. Even more to interpret only what is said directly into Training for Medical
importantly, the phone interpreter may the microphone. As long as this is not the Interpreters
ignore this background “noise” altogether, case, both the medical team and patient are Several local and Chicago area colleges
served. However, sometimes patients may offer extensive oral interpretation pro-
minimize their illness, making it necessary grams. All program participants must be
for the spouse or another family member to completely bilingual in both languages. The
inform the medical staff of any other ill- usual length of each training program var-
nesses the patient has. This additional in- ies from 100 to 160 hours of direct instruc-
formation may be important for the medical tion. To learn more about healthcare/medi-
staff to be aware of as part of the patient’s cal interpretation training, visit your local
treatment. college, or you may also contact me for more
information.
Medical Interpreter on Staff at
Hospitals Dr. Héctor D. López, BEST
Solutions, Inc.
Most of the major hospitals in large ur-
ban centers have full-time interpreters on
staff and on-call 24 hours a day, seven days
a week. These hospitals usually have access
to language services via phone as well and
offer a variety of language services. Next to
Green Marketing:
ouT & ABouT the same old Principles still apply
KANKAKEE COUNTY
B2B illinois staff report

Positive growth leadership Breakfast Marketing a business can be a challenge. ment that contractors and designs be LEED
How about marketing a green business? A certified, at a minimum.
green business is one that believes in main- Green media is primarily based online,
taining the quality of our natural environ- but many traditional print media providers
ment, while also providing their products utilize sustainable practices in the materials
and services. When a business begins to they use. Green media is focused on sus-
go green, the philosophy is incorporated tainable lifestyles, including what we eat,
into their daily habits. It may start with en- drive, wear and take when we are ill. Until
couraging employees to recycle within your people evolve from their documented pref-
office, using solar energy to power the top erence to a tactile approach in consuming
floor of your office building, finding ways the written word, rather than reading from
to reduce your carbon footprint, or even a screen, there will always be printed books,
serving organic produce to your employees magazines and newspapers. Interestingly,
for breakfast or lunch. Externally, there there have been rumblings about a potential
are many effective practices that can help “Do Not Mail” list, notably in New York,
a green business utilize media to promote citing wasted paper and ink in landfi lls as a
their brand, and their image. major reasoning behind the legislation. Di-
Accessing the media to promote your rect marketers are quite fearful of this type
business is best when using some funda- of shift in policy, and are taking the legisla-
the Positive growth leadership Breakfast was held on May 29, 2008 and sponsored by
HBaK, KCar, Kankakee regional Chamber of Commerce, Bradley Bourbonnais regional mental guidelines. Targeted advertising is tion head-on.
Chamber of Commerce and Manteno Chamber of Commerce. left to right: andy Czako, always a great way to reach potential cus- One of the most interesting ways of ac-
sarah Powers and Cherie schmidt. (Photo by Cary turner) tomers. Just make sure that the media you cessing Internet media is the blog. The blog
utilize best reflects the demographic you are is a fairly recent creation on the Internet and
looking to address. Publicity is also a major is a major communication tool. A blog is in-
proven method of marketing a business. As teractive, which is ALWAYS better than
long as it is “good” press, having an article static web pages. The blog writers also add
published about you and your business is a videos, photos, links, podcasts and more.
good thing. When trying to capture the at- These are all great ways to generate a buzz
tention of the gatekeepers, it is important about your business. Sending a press release
to have something newsworthy. Newswor- to one, or being interviewed by one will at-
thiness is the major determining factor in tract the attention that you are looking for.
whether an editor or station manager will Here’s the rub: the consumer has to be
give your business the attention you de- local. If the blog is national, there
sire. A good example of newsworthy are maybe only 100 individuals
information could be a green business within your area that potentially
receiving a certification, and sending could take advantage of what you
a press release to their local paper. are offering. The key to all mar-
Sending in a press release about your keting, especially in a local mar-
new showroom hours is a bad example ket, is reaching as many potential
of newsworthiness. consumers as possible with
Bill yohnka, Connie legris and Jaclyn Dugan-roof. (Photo by Cary turner)
LEED (Leadership a recognizable and posi-
in Energy and Envi- tive brand. If you just
ronmental Design) invented a car that
is a program created runs on water, a blog
by the U.S. Green may be the way to
Building Council. go. But if you are
Their online bro- “Hometown Oil
chure reads that Change, Inc.” and
LEED “encourag- you want to pub-
es and accelerates licize your recla-
global adoption mation and disposal
of sustainable green program, you should
building and development probably focus on media
practices”. Receiving and that penetrates deep into
publicizing this certification the consumer segment.
will attract the attention of Sometimes “free” is good,
other business owners and but targeted marketing is
consumers who admire and ALWAYS best.
sandy Workman, Melissa Cunha and sally schmidt. (Photo by Cary turner)
search out green businesses
to spend money with. As Johnny Coleman, II con-
the result of a 2007 Illinois tributed to this article.
n Send B2B illinois your press releases, business briefs, event photos (with individual law, all state construction
identifications), and business-related events. E-mail to pr@b2billinois.com or fax to
815.935.0192.
grants now include a require-
Illinois
Accessible Parking: must be 16 feet wide includ-
ing the access aisle.) The ac-
cess aisle can be located on
Let’s Make 2008 the Year We Work to either side of the vehicle
portion of the parking place.
Make Our Community More Accessible The law also calls for the use
of high quality yellow paint
designated by the manufac-
by Dorci Schoolman
turer to be used for pavement
You may have heard that people with dis- important to note that the entire parking striping. Finally, accessible
abilities are the single largest minority in space must be kept clear of obstructions at parking spaces should be
the United States today. According to the all times, including ice, snow, shopping cart level with the surface slopes
U.S. Bureau of Census, 51.2 million people* corrals, trash cans, seasonal garden displays not exceeding 1:50 (2 percent
living in the United States report having and bicycle racks. grade) in all directions. We
some level of disability. These persons with should also note here that the
disabilities would like to shop, eat, seek en- Where should accessible Illinois Accessibility Code
tertainment, do business and see medical parking be located? prohibits the use of curb
professionals—all locally. The Illinois Accessibility Code requires ramps that protrude into or
Stated simply: Your business will not be that accessible parking spaces serving a interfere with the diagonally
able to access the largest buying minority in particular building shall be located on the striped access aisle of acces-
the nation if they cannot access your busi- shortest accessible route of travel from adja- sible parking.
ness. cent parking to an accessible entrance.
The following addresses the most com- What are the
mon questions surrounding accessible park- What are the sizes and required signs for
ing laws in Illinois: markings required for accessible parking?
accessible parking spaces? A United States Depart-
Who is required to provide The Illinois Accessibility Code requires ment of Transportation
accessible parking? that each accessible space, except on street R7-8 and an R7-I101 ($250
Any facility offering parking for employ- spaces, shall be 16 feet wide, with either fine) must be permanently
ees or visitors must provide accessible park- an 8-foot or a 5-foot accessible aisle. (This mounted in the center of the
ing spaces for people with disabilities. It is means the total width of the parking place 16-foot wide accessible park-
ing space. The signs must
be placed no more than five feet from the What constitutes improper
front of the parking space and must be high use of Disabled License plates
enough so that they are visible over a parked or placards?
car. At minimum the bottom of the fine sign Under Illinois law disabled license plates,
Let us put together a must be four feet from the pavement. disabled veterans plates, and placards are not
custom package designed transferable. The authorized holder must be
for your organization. How many spaces are present in the motor vehicle and must enter
businesses required to or exit the vehicle at the time parking privi-
■ Group health, dental and life insurance
coverage through some of the industry’s leading
provide for people with leges are being used. Unauthorized use of
insurance companies disabilities? plates and/or a placard can result in a $500
Number of fine, driver’s license suspension and suspen-
■ Pre-tax and premium-only plans to provide tax
Accessible Parking sion or revocation of the plate or placard by
incentives to you and your employees
Total of Parking Spaces Required by the Illinois Secretary of State.
■ Health savings accounts, using pre-tax money It’s in the best interests of each and ev-
Spaces Provided Law
in interest-bearing accounts to save for medical
1-25 1 ery employer, landlord and business owner
expenses
to take the time to do a self-evaluation of
Let us share with you some money-saving 26-50 2
their parking to make certain that it is in
ideas for maintaining quality health 51-75 3 compliance with Illinois law. Parking that is
insurance benefits for your organization.
76-100 4 in compliance with Illinois law will help to
SUPPORT SERVICES: 101-150 5 assure that the largest minority population
• Sales & Consulting 151-200 6 can gain access to your facility to do busi-
• Employee Counseling ness with you.
201-300 7
• Enrollment Support *(See http://www.census.gov/Press-Re-
• Claim Assistance 301-400 8 lease/www/releases/archives/facts_for_fea-
• COBRA & Change Support 401-500 9 tures_special_editions/010102.html for
• Timely Renewal Services
501-1000 2 percent of total more details)
Over 1000 20 plus 1 for each
Dorcilla Schoolman is operations manager
100 over 1000 for Options Center for Independent Living.

Medical Facilities specializing in treat-


ment of persons with mobility impair-
698 Armour Rd., Bourbonnais
ments: 20 percent of total parking
063008212101208

Toll-free: 888-935-2220
(815) 935-7977 • Fax: (815) 935-7974
E-mail: securecare@comcast.net Outpatient Medical Facilities: 10 percent
Web Site: www.securecareusa.com of total parking
How’s Business? | by Bill Guertin

The Most Important


Sale You’ll Ever Make have very different lifestyles than those they
serve. By making sure your people see and
hear all of your advertising messages, they
n
those products
Reviewing the performance of the staff
since your last session
can deliver the promises the ads are mak-
Brian walks into a deli at 11:15 a.m. and why people should be excited about it, the ing, whether they see them in the market- n Rewarding that performance
orders the lunch special he heard advertised ads would have paid off many times over for place or not. n Setting a new short-term goal
on the radio just a few moments ago. The them. Employees don’t like to feel stupid. In
n Conducting a brief training session on
young girl behind the counter has no idea The most important sale you’ll ever make our deli example above, the girl behind the
a fundamental service skill, such as eye
what he’s talking about. is inside your own building. The key is know- counter probably feels under-educated, out
contact, greeting or handling upset cus-
“We don’t have a special on the Italian ing what to do and how to get it done. of touch and frustrated because she doesn’t
tomers.
Hero,” she says. Selling The Inside™ is a process Andrew know about the special of the day. Employ-
“Yes, you do,” he insists. “I just heard it Corbus and I developed and detailed in our ees who feel like they’re up to speed on the
When done properly, Selling The In-
on 101.3” book, Reality Sells. It’s a regular system of latest information about their work are gen-
side™ delivers a higher return on invest-
“Well, nobody told ME about any spe- communicating important details to your erally more satisfied, more engaged and de- ment from your advertising, because it clos-
cial!” she snaps back. “I can’t do that unless staff that goes beyond traditional training; liver more value to your customers. es the knowledge gap between management
my boss tells me, and he won’t be here until it actually helps them to be an active part of Customer expectations are higher than and front-line staff, which allows everyone
11:30.” the company’s success. ever. We are the fussiest, most demand- to serve customers best—and close more
The advertising did its job. Brian’s there, It’s important for a number of reasons: ing generation of consumers in history. At business.
mouth watering, money in hand. Only one Poor service is everywhere, and training the same time, every business category now In today’s challenging economic climate,
thing stands between the deli owner and is expensive. People are quick to say it’s the has several competitors fighting to be king it’s more important than ever.
success: the person behind the counter. younger generation that’s at fault, but we of the hill. Service has become one of the
If only someone in charge had told the find that the problem is often a simple lack most important differentiators in the battle Bill Guertin is an in-demand
young lady what was being advertised, there of applied focus on the part of the business for business, and having a system in place speaker, author, and chief
would be a seamless and positive experience. owner to excite the employee about deliver- allows you to compete with much bigger enthusiasm officer (CEO) of
Instead, Brian’s probably going to leave an- players. The 800-Pound Gorilla,
ing value to each customer. It’s a different
gry, the young lady still doesn’t know the helping companies develop
story when each team member knows ex- In a nutshell, the Selling The Inside™
leaders in sales performance,
special, and someone else is bound to come actly what each is contributing to the suc- system involves seven distinct steps: service excellence and creative marketing
in five minutes later and ask for the same cess of the organization. techniques. He is the co-author of “Reality
n Showcasing your current advertising to
thing. Your staff may not see or hear the ads you Sells: How To Bring Customers Back Again
your staff
Where’s the knowledge gap? Where does run. Many business owners and managers and Again By Marketing Your Genuine
it start, and what happened along the way? assume that their employees read, watch n Discussing the features and benefits of Story.” Bill travels to deliver many work-
Advertising does work. It’s the commu- and listen to the same things as their cus- the advertised products shops, seminars, retreats and keynote
nication dysfunction inside a business that presentations each year.
tomers. The problem is that employees often n Giving your staff some talking points on
can kill off a great ad campaign, slowly and
silently.
As an advertising rep in the Joliet area
many years ago, I worked with a local fire-
place and gas grill store to create a Father’s
Day grill campaign. The ads were good, he
ran them in several local media, and I was
looking forward to hearing about the results
he was bound to receive.
After the ads ran, he told me it was a flop.
“I didn’t sell nearly the number of grills I
had projected. Those ads you created didn’t
work.” It wasn’t until days later that I learned
of four separate people that had come into
the store during the campaign. Three of them
waited several minutes, and walked out be-
cause no one had bothered to help them. The
fourth left because the poor young salesper-
son on the floor didn’t know anything about
the products and their features.
If four people that I knew walked out
without a grill (and felt like they wasted
their time!), how many others had the very
same experience? We’ll never know.
If only the deli and the grill store would
have clued their people in as to what was
on sale, how it was being advertised, and
B2B illinois DIRECT CONNECTIONS
and over $1 billion in assets. shall’s). The store will have cats avail-
KANKAKEE COUNTY able for adoption at all times.
n McColly Real Estate is proud to
aWarDs become a performance track member, announce that it has once again been n MainSource Bank in Kankakee
companies must work toward reduc- named to RISMedia’s 20th Annual has opened a financial services office at
n Steve Lemner of Lemner’s Soo ing their environmental footprint and Power Broker Report & survey. Mc- 1521 N. Convent St., Suite 300, Bour-
Bahk Do Studio in Bradley recently demonstrate environmental steward- Colly Real Estate ranked 87th in the bonnais. The office will house Jerry
was named Region Five’s presidents vi- ship, according to the EPA. nation in closed transaction sides in the Alessi, commercial lending; Mimi
sion team regional chairman and now Power Broker Report, which identifies Barnes, mortgage lending; and Janet
oversees the Midwest region. Master Joe Armenise Jr., and ranks America’s largest residen- Lundy, mortgage underwriting.
instructor David Cooper, of Bourbon- district sales repre- tial real estate brokerage companies
nais, has been made regional treasurer, sentative, was rec- by transaction sides and sales volume. n Annalee Moutrey has opened a new
and is now also a certified master in- ognized with the McColly Real Estate was the only fi rm photo studio, Photographic Memo-
structor. Performance Food headquartered in Northwest Indiana to ries, in Bradley. Moutrey specializes
Group Chairman’s rank among the Top 100 and ranked in maternity, babies, children, families,
Debbie Bond re- Award for his out- 4th in the state of Indiana, only behind engagement, pets and special events.
ceived the River- standing achieve- three large companies based in India-
side Medical Cen- Joe armenise, Jr.
ments in sales with napolis. McColly’s ranking position n Hogan Walker, a John Deere dealer
ter “Volunteer of Thoms Proestler improved from number 95 in 2006. with stores in Dwight, Manteno, So-
the Year Award” at Company, according to a company monauk, Morris and Watseka, has
press release. purchased the John Deere dealership,
Riverside’s Volun- Business Ehlers Lawn & Recreation, in Elburn.
teer Appreciation
Dinner April 29. n Coach House Garages, a garage The transition date was June 10. Hogan
n The Ashkum branch of Centrue
President and CEO manufacturer, bestowed the Chairman’s Walker LLC was formed in December
Debbie Bond Bank closed June 27, Thomas A.
Phil Kambic, Vice Award on Matt Foster, Coach House 1997 after the merger of Hogan Imple-
Daiber, Centrue Financial Corp., an-
President for Human Resources Becky of Dwight, recently. The achievement ment Company and Walker Sales Inc.
nounced in the company’s fi rst quarter
Hinrichs and Debbie’s husband, Harry was based on sales volume and excel- Both of the former companies were
earnings statement recently. The bank,
Bond, presented the award. Bond has lence in customer service in the Dwight founded in 1973.
located at Main Street and U.S. Route
served more than 700 volunteer hours area for the year 2007, according to a
45, is one of eight offices the company
at Riverside and continues to devote company press release. Dr. Rosemary Er-
sold or closed by the end of June, reduc-
her time. Her primary role is in River- ickson Johnsen, as-
ing the total number of bank branches
side’s Central Waiting and at the Pavil- Jody Meyer is the sistant professor of
to 28. The Ashkum branch has three
ion information desk. 2008 recipient of English in the Col-
employees who have been offered posi-
the Virginia M. lege of Arts and
tions at other Centrue locations, Daiber
n Rick Otto, sales manager for Coach Long Scholarship. Sciences at Gover-
said. The closest Centrue branch for
House Garages of Dwight presented Jody currently at- nors State Univer-
Ashkum residents is in Kankakee.
salesman Matt Foster with the Cop- tends Kankakee sity, was appointed
per Award for excellence in sales. Community Col- recently to the
n ComEd is nearing completion of Dr. rosemary Johnsen
lege and works as Modern Language
more than $3.4 million in improve-
n Manpower has been named to the an LPN at Provena Association’s Committee on the Status
Jody Meyer ments in Bourbonnais, according to
second World’s Most Ethical Com- St. Mary’s Hospi- of Women in the Profession. Johnsen, of
a company press release. The work in-
panies list by the Ethisphere Institute, tal. Scholarship recipients must em- Steger, was appointed to the nine-mem-
cludes installation of a new 40-mega-
a think tank dedicated to the research body Mrs. Long’s character qualities of ber committee for a three-year term.
watt transformer at the Bourbonnais
and promotion of profitable best prac- integrity, knowledge, strength and
substation on 6000N Road, west of
compassion. They must also be enrolled
tices in global governance, business
in the Kankakee Community College
U.S. Route 45. The new transformer PeoPle
ethics and corporate responsibility, will increase the available local capacity
according to Beth Brosseau, Bourbon- (KCC) registered nurse or LPN transi-
by 10 percent, or the equivalent needed n Angela Haggard will chair the
nais branch manager for Manpower. tion program, must be returning to
to serve more than 8,000 additional development committee at Provena
The organization reviewed more than school for a second career in nursing,
residential customers. Intergenerational Center. Th is com-
10,000 companies around the world to and must commit to two years of em-
mittee is responsible for all fundrais-
prepare its 2008 list. ployment at Provena St. Mary’s.
n Printec Press, Crouse Printing and ing activities for Provena Fortin Villa
Custom Color Graphics, all commer- Child Care Learning Center and
n The U.S. Environmental Protec- n Freddie Mac named HomeStar cial printers based in Champaign, have Provena Adult Center.
tion Agency has honored Rohm and Bank a 2007 Tier One Gold Servicer.
merged to form Premier Print Group.
Haas of Kankakee—a manufacturer The Tier One Platinum & Gold re-
The new organization will operate as Agente Staffing
of specialty chemicals—with an En- cipients represent the top two percent
three divisions totaling more than $12 announces the ad-
vironmental Performances Award, ac- of all Freddie Mac service providers.
million in annual sales. Jeff Ruff ner dition of Tammy
cording to an EPA press release. Rohm Servicers are ranked against monthly
has represented Printec Press in the Lambert to the or-
and Haas was one of four companies performance benchmarks for investor
Kankakee area for over a year. ganization. Her ex-
to receive the award that recognizes reporting, minimizing credit losses,
perience includes
“progress toward achieving environ- and helping delinquent borrowers
n In early June, PetSmart held a the areas of occupa-
mental performance goals.” Rohm and avoid foreclosure. HomeStar Bank is a
grand opening celebration at its new tional health and
Haas belongs to the agency’s National state-chartered community bank head-
store in the Water Tower Plaza, Route tammy lambert
safety and human
Environmental Performance Track. To quartered in Manteno, Illinois, with six
50 North in Bourbonnais (near Mar-
offices in Kankakee and Will Counties Continued on page 36
*MNWZM IVL )N\MZ ;KPWWT 8ZWOZIU
at Riverside Health Fitness Center’s Fitness Island
A fun, safe and stimulating environment for your children.

❖ Homework Assistance ❖ Game Bikes


❖ Games and Crafts ❖ Gymnastics
❖ Fitness Activities ❖ Dance Dance Revolution
❖ and More!

The Bourbonnais school district will provide transportation by bus


to Riverside Health Fitness Center.

:M[MZ^MaW]Z[XW\\WLIaNWZ\PM ![KPWWTaMIZ
063008210101146

$60/week Member • $65/week Non-Member


Call 815-929-1200, ext. 234

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Clean and Safe: No burning of fossil fuels,
no fumes and no flue.

815-933-8211
Flexibility: Fit any home—new
063008214101325

construction or existing, large or small.


Smart: Cuts down on the use of foreign oil.
B2B illinois DIRECT CONNECTIONS

KANKAKEE COUNTY ContinueD FroM Page 34 n Carle Clinic in Champaign-Ur- the Illinois Association of Realtors.
bana named registered nurse Nikia
Thomas
omas, of Bourbonnais, an “exem- Coldwell Banker
resources. Her responsibilities as an ac- n Frito-Lay North America sales plary nurse” recently because “she Residential Bro-
count executive include working with representative Raymond Tovo, of manages to instill a sense of confi- kerage and Mary
existing client employers to meet their Manteno, will be honored this week as dence in those who work with her,” Jane Cleeland,
staffing and recruitment needs, as well one of PepsiCo’s top salesmen world- according to a company press release. managing broker
as establishing new client employers. wide with induction into the compa- are pleased to an-
ny’s “President’s Ring of Honor.” Tovo n Claudiu Dumitrescu, Psy.D., is nounce that
n The medical office of Dr. Misba- was chosen from among more than now providing clinical and consult- Frank Tripodi
huddin Ahmed has met all criteria for 85,000 global sales reps for the honor, ing services in neuropsychology at has recently re-
Frank tripodi
laboratory accreditation by COLA, according to a company press release. Provena St. Mary’s Hospital. Dr. ceived his broker-
a national healthcare accreditation or- Dumitrescu is a fellowship-trained age license after completing 75 hours
ganization. Accreditation is given to n Chris and Kelly Knobloch, of neuropsychologist with extensive ex- of courses. Tripodi has been in real
laboratories that apply rigid standards Herscher, have joined the American perience in assessing general medical, estate sales for over 16 years and is a
of quality in day-to-day operations, Angus Association, according to neurological and psychiatric disorders. consistent top producer.
demonstrate continued accuracy in John Crouch, chief executive officer of He received his postdoctoral training
the performance of proficiency testing the national breed registry organiza- at Northwestern University Hospital n Jessica Houde and J. R. Deuel
and pass a rigorous on-site survey. tion in St. Joseph, Mo. in Chicago, where he provided con- of the Coldwell Banker Residential
sultation to the departments of inter- Brokerage Bradley office recently
Coldwell Banker nal medicine, neurology, neurosur- completed the company’s “Fast Start”
Residential Bro- gery and psychiatry. Dr. Dumitrescu program. Fast Start is a two-week
kerage and Mary completed his internship at the VA program offered by Coldwell Banker
Jane Cleeland Medical Center/University of Michi- Residential Brokerage’s full-time ed-
announce the top gan Medical Center with an emphasis ucation department that includes ex-
producers for in geropsychology-neuropsychology. tensive coverage of the preparation of
April 2008: Su- He fulfi lled his practicum training at contracts, review of real estate law and
san Fisher, Mar- the University of Chicago Hospital, other education that is covered in the
steve Freeman Marilyn graf susan Fisher
lena Tharnish, specializing in pediatric/developmen- basic license training class. These two
Michelle Roth, tal and adult neuropsychology. agents also completed the fi rst course
Cognis Corp. has named its May and Sarah Powers, Jerry Kern, Frank toward (GRI) Graduate REALTOR
June employees of the month. Steve Tripodi, Cindy Schimmel, Randy Bennett Homes Institution designation.
Freeman is May employee of the McCurry, Tonya Woods and Sandy announced its top
month for his “strong work ethic,” ac- Lackey. producers for the TrisTara Diaz of
cording to a company press release. month of May Kankakee recent-
Marilyn Graf was named June em- Roland Rosen- 2008 in the resi- ly became an in-
ployee of the month for her “dedica- boom of Rosen- dential division. dependent con-
tion to controlling inventory,” accord- boom Realty re- Tina Franklin sultant with
ing to a press release. cently announced was the top Agent Usborne Books
the agency’s top for the month at Home, a na-
tina Franklin
The Daily Journal producers for with over $1.8 tional direct-sales
and the Small April: Berry Mc- million in total transactions. Other company featur-
tristara Diaz
Newspaper Cracken, Mary top producers were Dawn Olson, Su- ing high quality,
Group Internet Murphy, Pam san Schreffler, Debra Foulks and educational children’s books that
Berry McCracken
Innovations an- Cordes, Rich Andy Czako. All five agents are make reading and learning FUN. As
nounced that Mo- Hansen, Sandy Girard, Jennifer members of the Kankakee County a consultant, TrisTara markets books
nique B. Howery Bilthuis, Francis Ciaccio, Lil Girard, Association of Realtors, the National to schools, libraries, individuals, on
has accepted the Mary Lou Knecht and Maria Pia- Association of Realtors, and the Illi- the web and by conducting home
Monique Howery
position of online centi. He also recently announced the nois Association of Realtors. bookstores, as well as coordinating a
sales consultant agency’s top producers for May: Berry variety of fundraisers.
for The Daily Journal. Her fi rst day at McCracken, broker, GRI; Mary Bennett Com-
The Daily Journal was June 9. Murphy; Pam Cordes-Redding, mercial an- McColly Real
ABR; Leah Henrichs; Betty Hofbau- nounced its top Estate recently
n The Illinois Department of Em- er; Rich Hansen, broker, ABR; Sue producer for the recognized Azza
ployment Security announced the Miller; Jennifer Bilthuis; Mary Lou month of May Tawfik of their
addition of Evelina Tainer Loescher Knecht, broker, gen. mgr; Fran Mar- 2008 in the com- Bourbonnais of-
to the agency as the division manager tin, broker; and Stephen Schroeder. mercial division. fice for having
for economic information and analy- These realtors are all members of either Greg Leutloff achieved top list-
sis. The division is responsible for the the Kankakee County Association of was the top agent ing and top sales
greg leutloff
collection, analysis, compilation, pub- Realtors or the Iroquois Ford Associa- of the month with status for the
azza tawfik
lication and distribution of Illinois tion of Realtors, as well as the Illinois over $2.6 million in transactions. months of April
workforce, career resource and labor and National Associations, the North- Greg is a member of the Kankakee and May 2008. Vern Hanvey and
market information. Loescher began ern MLSNI and the Kankakee Iro- County Association of Realtors, Na- Bob Kuta each had over one-half mil-
her position on June 2. quois Ford Multiple Listing Service. tional Association of Realtors, and lion dollars in production for the
B2B illinois DIRECT CONNECTIONS

KANKAKEE COUNTY ContinueD WILL COUNTY

month of May. These agents are all SRMM, Banner: Over 1 million; PeoPle to pandemic influenza. Pillard holds
members of both the Kankakee-Iro- Lisa Sanford, ABR, BKR, CRS, a Bachelor of Science degree from
quois-Ford Multiple Listing Service GRI, SRMM, Banner: Over 1 mil- Will County the University of Iowa and a Master
and the Northern Illinois Multiple lion; Amanda Fedrow, ABR, GRI, State’s Attorney of Science degree from Northern Il-
Listing Service. SRMM; Marilyn Roy, ABR, GRI, James Glasgow linois University. She also holds cer-
SRMM; Tressie Clemans, ABR; has been named tificates in incident management and
n Realtor Sandy Workman, presi- Brian Hoots, BKR, ECO; Rose State’s Attorney emergency planning from the Federal
dent of the Kankakee County As- Mary Alberts, ABR, GRI, RMM; of the Year. He Emergency Management Agency and
sociation of Realtors, President-elect Keith Lewis, GRI; Dusty Contreras; was honored in has lectured extensively across the
Sarah Powers, Realtor Sandy Boyer, and Brenda Dirks. June at the orga- County and the State.
president-elect of the Iroquois Ford nization’s 12th an-
James glasgow
Association of Realtors, and KCAR n Will County Executive Larry
Executive Officer Connie Legris
events nual awards din-
Walsh restructured EMA last year,
ner. Th is is the second time in his
were among the more than 9,000 real- career as Will County’s top prosecutor promoting Harold Damron, long
7/5/2008
tors attending the National Associa- that Glasgow has received the honor time emergency management agency
Member Appreciation/4th of July
tion of Realtors’ midyear legislative from the Illinois State Crime Com- staff member, to director (October
1st Annual “Ice Cream Social”
meetings and trade expo in May. Th is mission, the fi rst time being in 1996. 2007). With over 23 years of emergen-
BBRCC Office, 6 p.m.
year’s meetings marked 100 years of In naming him State’s Attorney of the cy management credentials, Damron
RSVP required.
NAR’s presence and influence in the Year for 2008, the Crime Commis- created the Homeland Security Pro-
BBRCC: 815.932.2222
real estate industry. The Association sion acknowledged Glasgow’s long gram. With the integration of the new
was founded in May 1908. KCAR and distinguished career, during Homeland Security efforts into the
7/9/2008
leadership visited Capitol Hill to meet which he has implemented initiatives mission, Damron continues to grow
Chamber Meeting
with their senators and representa- to investigate, prosecute and prevent the agency and its services. The core
First Community Bank & Trust,
tives and to press their concerns on a crime. Glasgow received his Juris mission of the agency is to coordinate
8:30 a.m.
variety of issues affecting homeown- Doctor from the Northern Illinois emergency and disaster mitigation,
Peotone Chamber: 708.258.9450
ers, potential homebuyers and real es- University Law School and has been preparedness, response and recovery
tate in general. Among top concerns practicing law since 1981. efforts of the County. Damron has a
7/15/2008
are mortgage reform, homebuyer tax Bachelor of Arts degree from Gover-
Business After Hours
credits, affordable and accessible prop- Braidwood Sta- nors State University and is currently
Office Depot, 5 - 8 p.m.
erty, casualty and flood insurance, and tion site vice pres- pursuing a Master of Arts degree
BBRCC: 815.932.2222
small business health insurance. ident Bryan Han- from American Military University.
son was elected to He holds certifications as an Illinois
7/17/2008
Provena St. the board of di- Professional Emergency Manager,
Mayor’s Panel Breakfast
Mary’s Hospital rectors of the Will Certified Floodplain Manager and
Quality Inn & Suites, 8 - 9:30 a.m.
is pleased to wel- County Center Emergency Number Professional.
Connie Legris: 815.937.5551
come Hal Th in- for Economic Damron has also attended training at
glum as the new Development. the Federal Emergency Management
7/17/2008 Bryan Hanson
Speech-Lan- The center is a Agency’s Emergency Management
Ribbon Cutting &
guage Patholo- nonprofit organization whose purpose Institute and was awarded the Inter-
Business After Hours
gist. He attended is to attract and retain jobs and busi- national Association of Emergency
Dinner by Design: 5 - 7 p.m.
the University of nesses in the county. Managers’ Certified Emergency
Hal thinglum BBRCC: 815.932.2222
Illinois in Urbana Manager designation in 1993.
Champaign and obtained his Ph.D. n Deon Pillard of Joliet has been
7/24/2008
He received his undergraduate and hired as the new homeland secu- Governors State
Business After Hours
graduate level degrees from Northern rity manager for Will County’s University re-
Vernon & Maz, Inc., 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Michigan University in Marquette. Emergency Management Agency cently announced
BBRCC: 815.932.2222
Hal is celebrating his 36th year as a (EMA). In this position, Pillard will the appointment
Speech-Language Pathologist. be responsible for the implementa- of Dr. Ellen Fos-
7/28/2008
tion, maintenance and monitoring of ter Curtis as dean
Herscher Chamber Meeting
Speckman Real- homeland security-related prepared- of the university’s
Herscher Legion Community Cen-
ty, GMAC, an- ness activities for Will County. The College of Busi-
ter, 7 p.m.
nounced their top new position helps to insure that ness and Public
Herscher Chamber of Commerce: Dr. ellen Foster Curtis
producers for the Will County is prepared for and can Administration,
815.426.2131
month of May: adequately respond to incidents of effective July 1. Curtis most recently
Amanda Armer- terrorism. Pillard came to EMA af- served as academic division head for
Irps, Banner: ter leading the County’s Health De- the management division at the Penn
Over 2.3 million; partment Emergency Preparedness State Great Valley School of Graduate
amanda armer-irps Sandy Boyer, and Response Program since 2002. Professional Studies. In that
ABR, ASP, In that position, she developed pub- position, she led in the university’s ac-
RMM, QSC, Banner: Over 2.3 mil- lic health emergency plans which en- creditation from The Association for
lion; Lori Naese, GRI, QSC, compassed bioterrorism preparedness the Advancement of Collegiate
Continued on page 39
What Do Gas Prices
and Elder Care Have
in Common? would save 625 million barrels of oil, reduce
greenhouse gas pollution by 107 million
tons of CO2, and save almost $43 billion
“A key benefit commonly associated with
telework,” said the report, “is its potential
for assisting employees with a disabled
by Joseph P. Giunta at the pumps. spouse on a regular medication routine, or
I would like you to meet Fran. She is org) that the biggest obstacle to continued It is apparent that the positive benefits of providing a presence for an elder. Yet, many
about 50 years old and has a mother who expansion is that most managers have only telecommuting should be a strong incentive organizations do not support the use of tele-
lives alone and requires moderate medical been trained to work with employees who for employers. Perhaps rising gas prices will work to assist employees with dependent
attention. Unfortunately, Fran cannot af- are physically present. be the catalyst for change. care. However reasonable this exclusion
ford to pay for in-home nursing care. “Managers may have to learn how,” said may seem at face value, the reality is that it
Now I would like you to picture gas pric- Challenger, “because telecommuting may What about Fran? is based on out-dated opinion as opposed to
es at $6 a gallon. Many people will be forced not only prove to be the most effective way Surprisingly, Congress may help her. empirically tested fact and practice.”
to leave their jobs to work at places
closer to home. This could create Is Telecommuting a Real
major problems for employers. Solution?
What do gas prices and Fran have Yes. The trick is knowing which
in common? They could both benefit jobs to convert to telecommuting
from telecommuting. While that and how to supervise those workers.
may be true, many employers are Up until now, managers had few re-
not comfortable with the telework sources to turn to.
option. One of those resources is Debra
In a recent survey of 100 human A. Dinnocenzo’s excellent book on
resource executives conducted by telecommuting called 101 Tips for
the global outplacement consultan- Telecommuters. Dinnocenzo is presi-
cy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, dent of ALLearnatives®, a company
Inc., more than 57 percent said their specializing in the development of
companies offered some type of re- resources for telecommuters, tele-
lief to ease the financial burden of managers, and other home-based
higher gas prices to employees. Only workers.
fourteen percent, however, said they Another more recent resource
were expanding their telecommut- is coming this fall at Joliet Junior
ing opportunities. College in Joliet and Illinois Val-
“Telecommuting may be the best ley Community College in Oglesby.
solution, but it is going to be a tough Both schools are offering courses to
sell when business conditions are as help teleworkers and telemanagers
weak as they are now,” said Chief prepare for the virtual workplace.
Executive Officer John A. Chal- Look for them in their fall catalogs.
lenger. While the push to conserve en-
According to WorldatWork, an associa- to attract and retain the best talent, but it Since the passage of the Telework En- ergy and the need for workers to care for a
tion of human resource professionals, more may be the key to reducing our dependency hancement Act of 2007, Congress has been disabled or elder family member is coming
than 28 million Americans work at least on foreign oil.” looking at all the potential benefits of tele- together to drive business to expand tele-
one day per month from home. They esti- Another study by independent research- commuting for both workers and federal commuting opportunities, it is important to
mate that 100 million will be teleworking ers Kate Lister and Tom Harnish reported agencies. remember that not all jobs lend themselves
by 2010. that 40 percent of Americans have jobs that The General Service Administration to telecommuting. Some require workers to
In spite of these numbers, however, the can be done at home, yet only four percent (GSA) highlighted one of those benefits in be at the job site. Nevertheless, millions of
organization noted in a recent article posted of the workforce telecommute. If that 40 a 2006 report that linked telecommuting jobs can be done at home—even one or two
on its website (www.workingfromanywhere. percent worked at home, they concluded, it with dependent care. days a week. Each business should explore
the telework option to determine what is
best for them.

Joe Giunta is a contract


training manager for Joliet
Junior College’s Corporate
and Community Services
division.

Meetings & Events


Full Service Event Planning
PEGGY MAYER
063008209101155

1100 W. Calista, Kankakee, IL 60901


ph: 815-932-7092 • fax: 815-932-7094
peggymayer@sbcglobal.net
B2B illinois DIRECT CONNECTIONS

WILL COUNTY ContinueD ing, Crete; Don- A Possible and


na Hanrahan—
Sustainable Future
top sales, Crete; Continued from page 9
Schools of Business (AACSB), the Nancy McCa-
premier accrediting agency for degree be—top listings, wants help calculating the pay back period
programs in business administration Shorewood; Mike for extra insulation or energy star applianc-
and accounting. Curtis’ experience Roche top sales, es, we will be able to assist or show how to
also includes faculty positions at Shorewood; Don find the answer. And, as ComEd creates its
Northeastern University’s College of Michelle Boicken Moore—top list- portfolio of energy conservation incentives,
Business Administration and the Col- ing, Tinley Park; the center will provide resources to explain
lege of Management at the University and Kelly Ryan—top sales, Tinley how to access these incentives.
of Massachusetts Lowell, where she Park. McCOLLY Real Estate was es- As we develop this concept we plan to
Paul Pawlak, president and Ceo of silver Cross
served concurrently as associate pro- Hospital; 45-year service awardee Joann schi- tablished in 1974 and has grown to be have more information on just how the cen-
fessor of management and director of fler, surgery recovery room; 40-year service the largest residential real estate fi rm ter will operate and what parts will be vir-
awardee gwen ulmer, community relations; tual and what parts physical.
graduate programs. Prior to joining and Mary Bakken, chief operating officer of in Northwest Indiana and the Chi-
Penn State, Curtis was a performance silver Cross. cago Southland with over 800 sales
consultant specializing in manage- During National Hospital Week, Sil- professionals. Educational Programs and
ment and leadership development for ver Cross Hospital honored employ-
Training to Produce a New
the financial services, operations and ees who reached milestones of 5 to 45
Energy Workforce
systems division of Merrill Lynch. years of service. Over 85 employees
events One of the benefits of sustainability and
alternative energy will be the increased jobs
Curtis earned her bachelor’s degree in with 10 or more years were honored at
7/8/2008 related to the new ways we produce and dis-
French and Germanic Studies from a special dinner held in May. Employ-
Monthly Membership Luncheon tribute energy and bring conservation and
Indiana University, graduating Phi ees with five years of service received a
Prairie Bluff Golf Club, Crest Hill sustainability to business practices. While
Beta Kappa. She holds a Master of gift of their choice. we are not exactly sure what these future
11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Business Administration degree, green jobs will look like, studies indicate
Romeoville Chamber: 815.886.2076
graduating Beta Gamma Sigma, and n Andrea Ramirez-Justin was re- that the number of workers in green energy
a Doctor of Business Administration cently promoted to vice president at jobs may double over our current conven-
7/15/2008
degree from the Kelley School of Old Plank Trail Community Bank in tional carbon-based systems that rely on
Business AFTER 5
Business at Indiana University. Mokena. Justin served as the assistant coal, oil, and natural gas.
Back to Basics Health Center,
vice president since joining the bank To provide opportunities in this emerg-
5 - 7 p.m.
in March 2007 and has more than 25 ing employment market, this fall we plan to
Romeoville Chamber: 815.886.2076
years of banking experience. She also add courses to our electronics curricula that
serves on the executive board of the will train technicians for the new energy
7/18/2008 systems. These green jobs are likely to in-
Frankfort Chamber of Commerce and
Manhattan Chamber Annual Golf volve skilled technicians who are well com-
the ambassador board of the Cancer
Outing pensated. In our region and the Chicago
Support Center in Mokena.
Woodbine Golf Course, Homer Glen area, there will be local employment in the
Manhattan Chamber: 815.478.3811 installation of solar energy and both in the
n Bobbie Reed, “Mrs. Bobbie,” has
installation and maintenance of wind gen-
Drs. Crossan and griffin recently retired from Bobbie Noon-
7/19/2008 erators. Likewise, the ability to do energy
an’s Child Care in Homer Glen after
1st Annual Romeoville Job Fair audits and retro commissioning of HVAC
Paul D. Crossan, MD, and Vivian 27 years.
Romeoville Recreation Center, systems as well as a host of other jobs and
Griffin, MD, will be joining the phy-
9 a.m. - 2 p.m. skills are likely to emerge.
sicians currently on staff at Provena Daniel Gutierr-
Doris Mann: 815.886.7209
Saint Joseph Medical Center. Dr. ez, M.D., an in- Working Together
Crossan attended Loyola University ternal medicine
7/23/2008 KCC continually strives to support eco-
Stritch School of Medicine and served physician and for- nomic growth and provide education and
Society of Human Resource Man-
his residency at the school’s Depart- mer medical di- training for area business and industry
agers meeting
ment of Radiation Oncology. He rector of the Will workforce needs. The college also stands
JJC Business and Technology Center,
served elective rotations at the Uni- County Commu- ready to bring new technology and new ef-
8 - 9 a.m.
versity of Washington and the Puget nity Health Cen- ficiency to give our companies the competi-
Derek Wright: 815.744.0111
Sound Veterans Administration Hos- ter, has joined the tive edge. There will be a number of oppor-
Dr. Daniel gutierrez
pital in Prostate Brachytherapy. He Sanitas Medical tunities to lower operating energy costs, as
7/24/2008
also served at St. Jude’s Children’s Group in Joliet. Partnering with Drs. KCC itself plans to do. However, the long
Business After Hours
Hospital in the Radiation Oncology Jose Penaherrera and Diana Jaime, Dr. range opportunity of sustainable develop-
City of Joliet, 5 - 7 p.m. ment will be to operate our economy so that
Department. Dr. Crossan is a board Gutierrez is now seeing patients in the
Joliet Region Chamber: 815.727.5371 we maintain the attractive features of this
certified Radiologist and is currently Hershman Medical Arts Building on
involved in a research project involv- the Silver Cross Hospital campus on region for decades from now.
7/25/2008
ing CT-based 3D evaluation of inter- Monday and Thursday afternoons.
Annual Golf Outing to benefit Jerry Weber, president,
fraction organ variation in HDR
Lamb’s Fold Center for Women and Kankakee Community College
brachytherapy of the cervix. He is a n McColly Real Estate recently rec- Children
member of several organizations in- ognized sales professionals who have
Green Garden Country Club.
cluding the American Society for achieved top listing and/or sales status
7:30 a.m. registration; 9:30 a.m. shot-
Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, for the month of April 2008: Michelle
gun
the Illinois Radiological Society and Boicken—top listings and top sales,
Lindsey Savant: 815.723.5262
the Chicago Radiological Society. Beecher; Sharon Patrick—top list-

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