Miche Independent Representative Manda Brown
Pekin, IL 61554
309-620-4149
Manda Brown, Independent Representative
browny00.miche.com
MICHE began in 2007 with a clear vision—to give a woman the opportunity to enjoy the latest fashion styles beautifully and affordably anytime she wants, in 3 seconds or less, with just one handbag. Our innovative magnetic handbags with interchangeable exterior Shells created a strong foundation for our company as we continue expanding our fashion brand. Today, MICHE is a social selling company offering a wide variety of high-quality fashion specialty bags, wallets and even jewelry—and it’s only the beginning! MICHE is fashion at the speed of life, with options for style as unique as you are.
Our Vision: To be the trusted partner for the Pekin business community. Our Mission: To foster and promote a vibrant business environment for the benefit of our members.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Pekin Insurance Birdies for St. Jude

Pekin Insurance is teaming up with D.A. Points, PGA TOUR professional, for a Birdies for St. Jude fundraiser. Sponsoring Birdies for St. Jude will transform your dollars into the reality of supporting the heroic efforts of St. Jude. With D.A.’s 2015 PGA TOUR season in full swing, this is the perfect opportunitee to make a difference in the lives of children with cancer or other life-threatening diseases.
CLICK HERE TO DONATE
ABOUT ST. JUDE
St. Jude is unlike any other pediatric treatment and research facility. Discoveries made here have completely changed how the world treats children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. With research and patient care under one roof, St. Jude is where some of today’s most gifted researchers are able to do science more quickly.The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of our founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family’s ability to pay.
Here’s how Birdies for St. Jude works:
You choose how much you want to sponsor for every Birdie and Eagle that D.A. makes during his 2014 PGA TOUR season. Thus, you will be choosing the amount of money you will be giving to help children fight the battle of their young lives. At the end of the golf season, we will tally up D.A.’s totals and inform you of your sponsorship commitment.D.A. POINTS’ 2015 BIRDIES & EAGLES: BIRDIES – 65, EAGLES – 2 (as of 2-15-15)
In 2014, these were D.A.’s stats:
221 Birdies
1 Eagles

“Every day I watch my children play, sleep, eat, laugh, and do all the things that a normal children would do. I know I take it for granted, but when I hear about the children of St. Jude who fight for their lives every day, I realize how thankful I am that my children are healthy. However, we never know when the tide may turn, and I would want St. Jude taking care of my children should they fall victim to a devastating disease. I am proud to be teamed up with Pekin Insurance for this worthwhile event. Please help with the life-saving work of St. Jude.”
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Monday, February 23, 2015
McDaniels Marketing Receives Two Illinois Excellence in Tourism Awards
McDaniels Marketing recently
received two Excellence in Tourism awards for work developed on behalf of the Galena/Jo Daviess Convention &
Visitors Bureau. The agency won awards for “Best Leisure Collateral” and
“Best Marketing Campaign” as part of the 2015 Illinois Governors Conference on
Tourism in Chicago.
Each
year, Illinois tourism businesses and related organizations are invited to
submit entries for the Excellence in
Tourism Awards, which honor innovative tourism marketing initiatives that
promote destinations, attractions and events throughout the State of Illinois.
“We’re
proud of the creative campaigns we developed to promote Galena and Jo Daviess
County,” Randall McDaniels, president and CEO, said. “More than that, we’re
proud of the results that were achieved for this destination.”
Both
the awards were achieved in the Budget A category (total annual operating and
marketing budgets over $700,000) and focused on motivating visitors to connect
with activities in Galena/Jo Daviess and to boost inquiries and visitors to the
CVB’s website.
Best
Marketing Campaign – “Where”
Created
to position Galena/Jo Daviess County as a destination where visitors can do
everything they dream about and more, marketing pieces included impactful,
high-quality photography to help paint a picture for potential visitors.
“The ‘Where’ campaign was intended to help potential visitors to visualize themselves doing the same activities as in the advertising,” McDaniels explained. “We were excited to exceed our expectations for the campaign.”
Marketing
Campaign Impact/Results
- Measurements
for the “Where” campaign showed:
- A
25 percent increase in unique visitors to the website
- A
23 percent increase in requests for Activity Guides
- More
than 10 million online impressions
- 104,182
clicks for online ads
- 3,037
contest registrations
- Hotel/motel
tax receipts (through October 2014) were up 4.95 percent!
Best
Leisure Collateral – Knot Magazine
This
piece was created to position Galena/Jo Daviess County as a premier location
for a destination wedding. A magazine insert was developed for The Knot, which
reaches 8 in 10 brides across the country. Utilizing a fairy tale approach, the
insert pictured what brides and grooms can experience by choosing Galena for
their wedding day. Professional photos from a Galena photographer further
helped couples visualize the backdrop that Galena and Jo Daviess County can
provide, highlighting the area as an ideal location for both lavish and
intimate celebrations.
Impact/Results
of the Knot Insert
- Wedding
licenses in the county increased 7.4 percent – the highest total in five
years!
- Plus,
there were 11,481 unique page views to galena.org/weddings
BANKING VETERAN AND PEKIN RESIDENT DENNIS SHORT JOINS PEKIN COMMUNITY BANK TO PROVIDE LENDING/CASH MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR CONSUMER AND BUSINESS CUSTOMERS
Banking veteran and Pekin resident Dennis Short has joined
Pekin Community Bank to provide lending and cash management services for business
and consumer customers. Until recently, Short was a Vice President at Herget
Bank.
“Dennis is a great fit for our Bank because he understands
the needs of local businesses and consumers,” said Andrew J. Sparks, Executive
Vice President of Pekin Community Bank. “As a resident of Pekin, as a Board
Committee Member for the City of Pekin, as a Past President of the Pekin
AMBUCS, as a past Board Chairman of Tazewell County Resource Center, and as past
Treasurer for the Knights of Columbus, Dennis truly knows the Pekin Community,”
said Sparks.
Short’s prior responsibilities include business development,
strategic planning, and product development/ implementation, to list a few.
Prior to Herget, Short was a Branch Manager for South Side Bank & Trust in Peoria
and Wells Fargo Financial in Louisville, KY. He graduated from the University
of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management.
Pekin Community Bank is a division of Morton Community Bank that
has 32 branches throughout Central Illinois. The third largest privately-owned
bank in Illinois, with $2.9 billion in assets, offers comprehensive banking
services for both business and personal clients, including electronic and
online banking services. For more information, visit www.hometownbanks.com.
Friday, February 20, 2015
Martin Named Chairman of the Board of Directors

Scott began his insurance career with Pekin Insurance as an underwriter trainee in the Life Underwriting Department in September 1976. He advanced to various positions within the department before being promoted to vice president - administration and assistant secretary in May 1994. In January 2003, Scott was promoted to senior vice president of all Pekin Insurance companies and chief operating officer of Pekin Life Insurance Company.
In 2006, he was promoted to president and chief operating officer of Pekin Life Insurance Company, and in 2008, he was given the additional responsibility of chief operating officer of the property/Casualty companies. In 2010, he became President of all Pekin Insurance companies. He has served on the Pekin Insurance Board of Directors since 2004.
Scott was promoted to his current position of President and Chief Executive Officer in February 2014. He will continue to serve in this role. Scott commented, “It is an honor and privilege to be given the opportunity to lead this great organization. I look forward to working with our awesome
employees to continue on our journey of making this a better company. I also want to thank the agents who support Pekin Insurance in many ways. The company wouldn’t exist without their
efforts.”
A graduate of Bradley University, Scott holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business management and administration. Pursuing excellence in the life insurance industry, he earned the Fellow, Life Management Institute (FLMI) Designation in 1987.
Scott has always taken a very active role in industry and community involvement. He is currently on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Life Insurance Council, the Illinois Insurance Association, and the Pekin Police Foundation. For many years now, Scott has demonstrated a passion and allegiance to the St. Jude Midwest Affiliate. Devoting many hours to the fund-raising efforts of this highly respected organization, he serves on their Board of Directors and is Co-Chairman of the St. Jude Tazewell County Golf Classic.
Scott and his wife, Joan, reside in Peoria. They are the parents of two children, Megan and Andrew, and the grandparents of one grandson, Joshua.
Leadership: The Media
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Pekin Chamber Releases Voter's Guide
The Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce believes it is important that Chamber members exercise their right to vote. The chamber also believes it is important that chamber members be informed voters, particularly when it comes to issues that can affect the local business environment. With that in mind, the chamber sent a questionnaire to candidates for the City of Pekin races. The candidates' answers to those questions are available online at: http://www.pekinchamber.com/Candidates2015/candidates.html
The City of Pekin will elect a Mayor and three City Councilpersons this spring. The April 7th ballot will also include candidates for the Pekin Park District Board of Commissioners and the District 108 and 303 School Boards.
Information about voter registration, absentee ballots, early voting, polling locations, etc., is available from the Tazewell County Voter Registration department at 477-2267.
The City of Pekin will elect a Mayor and three City Councilpersons this spring. The April 7th ballot will also include candidates for the Pekin Park District Board of Commissioners and the District 108 and 303 School Boards.
Information about voter registration, absentee ballots, early voting, polling locations, etc., is available from the Tazewell County Voter Registration department at 477-2267.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Champion Fitness Updates
2015 has gotten off to a flying
start here at Champion Fitness Physical Therapy---lots going on and much more
to follow. What's inside this issue:
- Two New Clinics Added to
Champion Family
- Streator Patient Recovers from
Lawn-mower Accident
- How Long Should I Go to my
Therapy?
- Meet New Champion Personnel
- A Few Health/Fitness Tidbits
You May Not Know
- And....an Irish recipe Just in
time for St. Patrick's Day
Something for
everybody!
Did You Hear the Story
About the Lady and the Lawn Mower?
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It's not everyday that
someone gets run over by a lawn mower. Even rarer that the person gets
run over twice. And still even rarer that the individual doesn't
lose a foot or maybe even a leg in the incident.
Follow Julie Ramza's
unique story from last fall in Streator and how the Champion team
helped her in her rehab.
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Art's Ads Deals!
While it is too cold to be outside, now is a great time to plan
and work on upcoming promotions!
It is still winter, which means winter jackets,
hats & sweatshirts for clients & employees are still
important, but it is also time to prepare for spring apparel (t-shirts,
hats, windbreakers, etc.), spring & summer tradeshow and exhibits, and of
course items to keep your customers thinking of you.
A visit to my website at www.Arts-Ads.com will afford you an opportunity to browse
about 250,000 items for ideas, from the comfort of your office or favorite
chair in front of the fire!
I encourage you to visit my web site today,
and bookmark the page to make future product searches just a click
away.
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with your logo right on top!
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desktop, long message exposure, and to be a talked-about promotion!
The soft
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Colors:
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March Madness Experience
The
March Madness Experience is held at the Peoria Civic Center and gives local
residents as well as visiting basketball fans from throughout the state a place
to have some fun while at the State basketball tournament. It consists of games
such as a Slam Dunk Contest, Three Point Shooting Contest, Long Shot Contest,
as well as a Kid's Zone for some of our younger fans. Since 1996 schools, local
civic organizations and churches have helped us by providing volunteers to help
run the games at this event. This year volunteers are needed on the mornings on
Friday March 13th and Friday March 20th. For more information please
visit the Peoria Park District Volunteer webpage
http://www.peoriaparks.org/join-our-team/volunteer-opportunities/volunteer-sign-up/
Or contact Drew Eilts here in Pekin at 346-2827 or drew.eilts@edwardjones.com
http://www.peoriaparks.org/join-our-team/volunteer-opportunities/volunteer-sign-up/
Or contact Drew Eilts here in Pekin at 346-2827 or drew.eilts@edwardjones.com
Kiwanis Club of Pekin 3 year Mission
Beginning in 2015, the 3 year Mission of the
Kiwanis Club of Pekin is to "Help Improve the Wellness of Children". Each year has a different focus and
the grants will be given out based on that years focus.
- Year 1
(2015): Focus on children’s physical health
- Year 2
(2016): Focus on children’s mental health
- Year 3
(2017): Focus on maintaining wellness throughout the life of the child and
building a healthy family environment.
On February 24th, 2015 The Kiwanis Club of
Pekin will be donating nearly $6,000 to 8 different local organizations. The
organizations include the Boys and Girls Club of Pekin, The Center for
Prevention of Abuse, YWCA of Pekin, Crittendon Centers, Shade Park, Pekin Main
Street, TCRC and Tazewell County Children's Advocacy Center. All of these
organizations will have representatives at the meeting and will be honored with
lunch and then a check presentation.
The General public is welcome (and encouraged) to attend the
lunch and we would like to invite the local media to the event as well, to
highlight the great work that these organizations are doing for our
community....More importantly our children.
Lunch will begin at 11:45am at the Pekin Country
Club and the check presentations should start around 12:20. There will be
time for photos and interviews as each of the organizations receive their
checks.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our
Vice President, Leon Edwards, at 309-224-9389.
Thank You,
Kiwanis Club of Pekin Board Members
Tazewell Museum Opens Annex
Friday, February 13, 2015
February Puttin' On Pekin
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Welcome to our Newest Member
Costco Wholesale
301 W. Washington St.
East Peoria, IL 61611
309-427-2930
Karla Anderson, Marketing Manager
www.costco.com
We are a membership warehouse club, dedicated to bringing our members the best possible prices on quality brand-name merchandise. With hundreds of locations worldwide, Costco provides a wide selection of merchandise, plus the convenience of specialty departments and exclusive member services, all designed to make your shopping experience a pleasurable one.
301 W. Washington St.
East Peoria, IL 61611
309-427-2930
Karla Anderson, Marketing Manager
www.costco.com
We are a membership warehouse club, dedicated to bringing our members the best possible prices on quality brand-name merchandise. With hundreds of locations worldwide, Costco provides a wide selection of merchandise, plus the convenience of specialty departments and exclusive member services, all designed to make your shopping experience a pleasurable one.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Leadership and the Courts
The R. David Tebben Community Leadership Academy learned about the court system this morning. In addition to hearing from Tazewell County States Attorney Stewart Umholtz and Judge Paul Gilfallin, the class participated in a mock trial, as Wylie E. Coyote sued the Acme corporation for injuries sustained using their products. You can see more pictures from this and other chamber events at: http://picasaweb.google.com/PekinChamber
Mary Ann Ladendorf Named Realtor® of the Year for 2015.
The
Peoria Area Association of Realtors® (PAAR) has named Coldwell
Banker Honig-Bell’s Mary Ann Ladendorf as 2015 Realtor® of the Year at an
awards banquet that took place February 5, 2015. Since 1970, this award has
been given to a PAAR member that has made outstanding contributions to the real
estate associations and profession.
Ladendorf’s
journey as a Realtor® started in 1984, when she joined the Pekin Board of
Realtors® / Pekin Association of Realtors® where she was involved on many
committees and served as President. She became a member of PAAR in 1997 and
also served on or chaired many committees including the Contracts/Forms
Committee, the Governmental Affairs Committee, RPAC Awareness, Building
Fundraising Task Force, Professional Standards Committee, the MLS Committee,
the Finance Committee, and has been a valued member of the Board Of Directors
(several times).
In
addition to her real estate involvements, Ladendorf has been very committed to
her community and has made time to volunteer for many local organizations, from
the YWCA to the Chamber of Commerce, also serving on various Banking Boards.
She is also devoted to and very involved with St. Vincent de Paul. In addition
to all of these, Ladendorf is a top sales producer.
When
asked for the secret to her success, she said, “I believe that I must keep my
life in ‘balance.’ I believe that the physical, emotional and spiritual must be
in balance to maximize satisfaction with life and the gifts life has given me.
Staying organized and balanced is my key to enjoying a very successful career
in real estate for over 30 years, enjoying my family and friends and serving my
community.”
The
Industry Achievement Award was bestowed posthumously on Mary Ann Knell, The
Knell Group | Peoria Home Office. This
award recognizes an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the
Peoria area real estate industry and the on-going promotion of private property
rights. Through their efforts they have been instrumental in the
advancement of residential and/or commercial sales and development, and served
as a role model for other real estate professionals.
Mary
Ann Knell demonstrated a truly great professional dedication; was a proven real
estate professional and made outstanding contributions to the Greater Peoria
Area real estate industry. Entering the real estate professional in 1985, Knell
is recognized by other Realtors® and developers as a true visionary who was
always looking to improve and challenge herself, and eventually would do the
same for her team, as she strived to be innovative and a first class force in
the real estate industry.
Diane
Cullinan Oberhelman, founding partner and current chairman of Cullinan
Properties Ltd, said, “Mary Ann Knell was a founding partner with Cullinan
Properties and she was involved in the development of Weaver Ridge, Thousand
Oaks and the Shoppes of Grand Prairie. She was always willing to go above and
beyond in her field to accomplish what was best for the community and the real
estate industry. Mary Ann was not only instrumental in the advancement of real
estate; she also helped to mentor and develop many agents and was an inspiring
role model to so many of the area’s most successful agents. Her professional
accomplishments are many and are not limited to the real estate industry”.
In
addition to real estate, Knell demonstrated leadership in many volunteer
activities, including serving on the WTVP Channel 47 Board of Directors, OSF
School of Nursing Board of Directors, Junior League of Peoria, St. Jude Midwest
Affiliate Member, the Peoria Art Guild, Lakeview Museum and Bradley University
Chief’s Club.
Mary
Ann’s son, Peter Knell, and her husband, Denny Knell, accepted the award, with
gratitude on behalf of Mary Ann and the entire Knell group and family.
The
Distinguished Member for Community Service Award was given to Mike Van Cleve,
Realtor® at Traders Realty. The award recognizes an individual for
exceptional volunteer contributions to the community. Van Cleve has only been a
member of PAAR for a couple of years, but has already established a successful
real estate career. In addition to work, he is a tireless volunteer for the
Heart of Illinois Special Recreation Association, helping HISRA in numerous
areas including a Special Olympics volunteer and as the Peoria Wildcats
basketball head coach. He volunteers nearly 1000 hours each years and has been
honored by HISRA with a Presidential Volunteer Service award several times.
Van
Cleve also is a volunteer for the Illinois Valley Striders and serves on the
Steering Committee for the Steamboat Classic, playing a large role in
developing the Access Steam Program that provides training for people with
disabilities. Van Cleve is the Vice Chair of the Advocates for Access Board of
Directors. Advocates for Access is the local center for independent living,
serving people with disabilities with housing, home repair, personal
assistance, ramps, hard of hearing support, youth transition services,
amplified phone program and community re-integration. He serves on, and is the
past chair of, the city of Peoria Mayor’s Advisory Committee for the Disabled.
He is currently working with a committee to develop a Good Deeds Day in Peoria.
The
Affiliate of the Year Award
was given to Cindy Woods, Loan Consultant with Caliber Home Loans. The
award recognizes an individual who is actively involved in the real estate
industry and who provides valuable services and support to members of the
Peoria Area Association of Realtors®. Woods is known for her
enthusiasm, her hard work and her relentless dedication to her customers. A
long term PAAR Affiliate member, Woods has been providing lending services in
some capacity for 30 years; processing assistant, loan processor, an
underwriter, compliance oversight and is certified in VA underwriting. Ms Woods
is trained in – and has trained others – in FHA, Rural Development, VA and
Commercial Loan regulations. Most recently, she was awarded the 2014 Circle of
Excellence — which is reserved for the top 10 percent of loan officers in the
nation — in her position as loan consultant with Caliber Loans. When Woods is
not helping people with loans, she has participated in several PAAR planning
committees and is involved in the community by volunteering to teach high
school students how to manage money and the value of investing in real estate.
Nash FM 97.3 to deliver Teddy Bear Drive donations to Children’s Hospital of Illinois
Nash FM 97.3 has finished collecting teddy bears for this
year’s Teddy Bear Drive with the Children’s Hospital of Illinois sponsored by
Bob Lindsay Acura. We would like to thank everyone who helped by donating.
Teddy bears will be delivered to the Children’s Hospital of
Illinois this Wednesday, February 11th at 9:40 A.M. That day,
children will receive an early Valentine’s Day presents. The rest of the
bears will be stored and given out the rest of the year.
Friday, February 6, 2015
Governor Rauner Visit
February Business After Hours
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Speakeasy Art Center Upcoming Events
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Comcast Business Technology Investment Contest
Would $30,000
help take your business to the next level?
Comcast
Business believes that smart, strategic use of technology can catapult a
business to an entirely new level.
Connecting in innovative ways with customers, managing back office
operations more efficiently, and even creating a whole new line of business
enabled by technology – we want to know what your business would do with a
$30,000 investment in technology.
Our
judges will select two winners in each of the 16 Comcast Business Regions: one
Startup (in business for less than two years) and one Entrepreneur (in business
for more than two years). Each winner
will be awarded $10,000 in cash to help their business get to the next level.
From
these 32 winners, six will be named as GRAND PRIZE Winners and will receive an
additional $20,000 and a special trip to Comcast headquarters in Philadelphia –
where they will meet with Business Innovation Experts to discuss how to put
their technology plan into action!
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