Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce

Dale Kuntz, local historian and long time member of our society, will speak to us about How Lt. Campbell Lost His Flagship - a maritime battle in Illinois during the War of 1812. Dale has given many presentations in recent years on various historical events and facts about our illustrious county. The meeting, which is open to the general public, will be held on Tuesday September 14, 210 at the Society’s Erlicher Library, located at 719 N Eleventh St, Pekin, IL. The program will begin promptly at 7:00 PM, with a business meeting immediately following. The building is handicapped accessible with ample parking available.

Professional Therapy Services, Inc. is pleased to announce that Maureen Sylvester, PT, MS, CLT, is the first in the organization to attain the status of Advanced Senior Clinician. To gain this recognition several criteria must be met including advanced education and training, a minimum of seven years of clinical experience, demonstrated skill level, service as a mentor and preceptor for student clinicians, provider of community education and awareness, membership in professional organizations, and peer recognition of her individual accomplishments. Congratulations, Maureen!

Join us for a fun and exciting evening as the Chamber Ambassadors present the 6th annual Chamber Challenge Trivia Night. Click here for the full details and flyer. 

Pekin’s sales tax receipts in August were 2.8% higher than the August 2009 receipts according to information from the Illinois Department of Revenue. However, the running total of sales tax receipts for the 12-month period ending in August were 3.3% lower than the previous year. The Peoria Area Association of Realtors reports that home sales in the Pekin area for the first seven months of 2010 are 8.5% greater than the same period in 2009. The 2010 average sales price in Pekin is 6.5% greater than the average price for the first seven months of 2009.

Thanks to the following businesses, organizations, and individuals who recently renewed their membership in the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce: Blue Ridge Construction ~ Busey Bank ~ George Carver ~ Cranwill's Drive In ~ Illinois Centers for Pain and Rehab ~ JPG Commercial Real Estate ~ Liberation Software ~ Little Ade's Bicycle ~ Methodist at Pekin ~ Midwest Eye Care ~ Viola Musgrave ~ Newman & Ullman ~ Pepsi Cola ~ SBSi Semonis Insurance Group ~ SJB Promotions ~ State Representative Mike Smith ~ The Grand Victorian of Pekin ~ United Workforce Development Board ~ Jimmy Williams ~ WMBD TV

The 2010 Launch Business Creation Competition will include a preliminary round and culminate in a final round where the best business concept will be selected. All contestants who present their plans in the preliminary rounds will receive feedback and suggestions from the panel of judges. Those advancing to the final round will be eligible for the grand prize of a $5,000 cash award plus free consultancy services from a variety of professional areas of importance to start up businesses. Applications are due by September 7th. You can get more information and enter online at: http://www.launchnewbiz.com/

Peoria, IL- The Community Foundation of Central Illinois (CFCI) is pleased to announce that it awarded over $5.1 million in grants and scholarships to support charitable causes during the 2009-2010 fiscal year. Mark Roberts, CFCI’s CEO, stated “at a time when every charitable dollar is critically important, the Community Foundation of Central Illinois is pleased to be able to positively impact the quality of life in our community. Above all else, we are grateful to our generous fund holders and other donors who work with CFCI to accomplish their philanthropic goals.” The $5.1 million figure includes over $1.5 million granted from CFCI’s unrestricted, field of interest, and donor-advised funds, as well as more than $3.5 million distributed from The Depository. The Depository, commonly described as a “charitable checking account”, enables donors to easily make charitable gifts by donating appreciated securities. The mission of the Community Foundation of Central Illinois is to serv...

Bard Optical is taking the World Sight Day Challenge to help give sight to people in developing countries. On World Sight Day, Thursday, October 14, 2010 Bard Optical will make a donation to help provide eye exams and glasses to children in developing countries who can’t see well enough to learn at school, as well as adults who don’t see well enough to provide for their families. Optometry Giving Sight, the organizer of the World Sight Day Challenge, funds programs that: 1) provide eye exams and glasses, 2) trains local eye care professionals, and 3) develops vision centers that provide long-term vision care to people in desperate need. There are 670 million people who are blind or vision impaired simply because they don’t have access to an eye examination and glasses. “I am proud to support such a worthwhile cause,” said Diana Hall, President of Bard Optical . “It’s easy to take good vision for granted so taking the World Sight Day Challenge is a great way to raise funds to help p...

The Tazewell County Jaycees delivered 15 backpacks and a check for $225 to Dirksen Primary School Friday. These funds will be used to purchase school supplies for 15 students. The Tazewell County Jaycees provides individuals between the ages of 18 – 40 the opportunity to develop personal and leadership skills while serving their community. http://www.tazcojaycees.org/ Tazewell County Jaycees President Kimberly Weeks and Vice President Dustin Weeks present $225 check to Dirksen Primary School principal Linda Seth.

Pekin Hospital’s Women’s Diagnostic Center has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in Digital Mammography as the result of a recent survey by the American College of Radiology (ACR). The ACR, headquartered in Reston, Virginia, awards accreditation to facilities for the achievement of high practice standards after a peer-review evaluation of the practice. Evaluations are conducted by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. They assess the qualifications of the personnel and the adequacy of facility equipment. The surveyors report their findings to the ACR’s Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report.  The ACR is a national organization serving more than 32,000 diagnostic and interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, and nuclear medicine and medical physicists with programs focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology and the delivery of compre...

Pekin Hospital will offer free screenings to help you learn your risk of cardiovascular disease on September 2 from 7 – 10 a.m. at the Delavan United Methodist Church located at 417 S. Locust in Delavan, Illinois. Screenings offered at the event are: cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, blood pressure, and body mass index. Information will also be shared on exercise, smoking cessation, and stress. To register for the free screenings, please call Pekin Hospital’s Wellness Center at (309) 353-0334. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is responsible for nearly twice as many deaths in women as compared to all forms of cancer. You could be the one in three women who have some form of CVD. The good news is that HeartCaring can help you understand and reduce your risk of having a heart attack, stroke, or blood clot. HeartCaring hospitals all over the U.S. and in your community are conducting screenings for these and other cardiovascular risks. Pekin Hospital’s participation is part of its ongo...

Representatives from the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce congratulated Principal Ralph Mickley and the board of Good Shepherd Lutheran School with a ribbon cutting on the first day of school. Good Shepherd Lutheran School purchased the former Leath Furniture building and completed their remodeling this summer, just in time for the first day of classes. Ryan Fairchild, who was in the first preschool class of Good Shepherd Lutheran School in 1981 held at the former Roosevelt School, and his son Davin, who is in the first preschool class to enter the new facility, along with brother Gabe, a 1st grader, cut the ribbon as Good Shepherd opened their new doors to Christian education in the Pekin community.  You can see more pictures from this and other chamber events at:  http://picasaweb.google.com/PekinChamber

The American Heart Association’s Start! Heart Walk needs your support! On Saturday, October 9, 2010, the American Heart Association will hold its annual Start! Heart Walk for the area. This year's walk will be held at the Laura Bradley Park in Peoria. The Start! Heart Walk is a healthy, fun, family and community event. It promotes exercise as part of a heart-healthy lifestyle and raises funds for research and programs to fight cardiovascular disease. It is estimated that 80 million Americans (1 in 3 people) are affected by cardiovascular disease. It is our nation’s #1 killer and cardiovascular disease is the cause of 31% of the deaths in McLean County. It is the mission of the American Heart Association to build healthier lives free of cardiovascular disease and stroke and the Start! Heart Walk is our first step in doing that. You probably know someone suffering from heart disease, stroke or other cardiovascular disease. Most of us do. To help these people — and to help protect...

WASHINGTON — Consistent with a Financial Management Service initiative announced in April of this year, the IRS today issued proposed regulations to significantly increase the number of electronic transactions between taxpayers and the federal government. The proposed regulations (REG 153340-09) would eliminate the rules for making federal tax deposits by paper coupon because the paper coupon system will no longer be maintained by the Treasury Department after Dec. 31, 2010. The proposed regulations generally maintain existing rules for depositing federal taxes through the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS). Using EFTPS to make federal tax deposits provides substantial benefits to both taxpayers and the government. EFTPS users can make tax payments 24 hours a day, seven days a week from home or the office. Deposits can be made online with a computer or by telephone. EFTPS also significantly reduces payment-related errors that could result in a penalty. The system helps...

Representatives of the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the newly remodeled Family Health Center of Pekin at 19 Olt Avenue. Renovations to the Family Health Center began in early 2009 to offer expanded space for physician practice exam rooms, a surgical suite for in-office procedures, improved patient privacy areas, and community health education programs. Physicians practicing at the center include Sarosh Ahmed, M.D., John Lindell, M.D., Kiran Multani, D.O., and Sunny Multani, M.D., as well as Nurse Practitioner Ginger Denney. For more information about the Family Health Center of Pekin or to schedule an appointment, call 353-6301.  You can see more pictures of this and other chamber events at:  http://picasaweb.google.com/PekinChamber

Just over 50 business and community leaders attended an August 19th luncheon sponsored by the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce. Held at the Avanti's Dome, and coordinated by the chamber's Business Advocacy and Member Services Committees, the program focused on the changes employers will deal with in the coming years due to the recent healthcare reform legislation passed by Congress. Three "local experts" presented the program: Kevin Andrews, CEO, Pekin Hospital; Peggy Collins, VP, Group & Claims Service, Pekin Insurance; and, Aindrea Balagna, CPA, Partner, Wolf Tesar & Company.  You can see more pictures from this and other chamber events at:  http://picasaweb.google.com/PekinChamber

Ron Hale, TCRC President and CEO for the past fourteen years, announced his retirement to the agency’s Board of Directors at their July 19th meeting. His last day directing the agency will be April 30, 2011. Under Mr. Hale’s leadership, Tazewell County Resource Centers, Inc. has evolved into one of the finest providers of social services to people with developmental disabilities and visual impairments in the state. Dan Walters, Chairman of the TCRC Board of Directors, is pleased that Mr. Hale has provided the Board with nine months to make a transition to a new leader. “We appreciate that Ron has provided us so much time to select a successor and put in place a transition plan. It’s typical of the planning and leadership he’s provided for fourteen years.” Also announced …The Board of Directors voted at its August 16th meeting to promote Mr. Jamie Durdel from TCRC’s Senior Vice-President of Program Services to the position of President and CEO, succeeding Mr. Hale. Mr. Durdel holds a ...

Ameren Illinois is hosting a series of webinars to present content from the You Can Act On Energy Symposiums break-out sessions. This is the same information that was presented at the You Can Act On Energy Symposiums, however not everyone could attend that event. These sessions highlight industry best practices along with what equipment businesses should target to get the greatest return on their investment. In addition, we’ll also cover: · Cost of waiting · How to get started with energy-efficiency · Incentives available from Act On Energy · How the Act On Energy Program can help Webinars will begin at 8:00 AM and will last for one hour. We’ll discuss important topics such as T12s and motors which are facing drastic changes due to Federal changes in standards. There will be a total of 4 webinars offered covering different business sectors. · Grocery/Convenience Store August 31st · Healthcare September 2nd · Small Business/Non-profit September 7th · Industrial September...

Volunteers are needed to help perform practice employment interviews to federal inmates. While experience in interviewing is helpful, it is not required. Upon arrival at the institution, we will help prepare you for the day. In the past, most employers have found this to be a very rewarding experience. They appreciate any support you can give in helping to prepare the inmates for future release into the community. To confirm your attendance, please download the form  and fax it to the number provided on the form.

Over 80 chamber members and their guests attended the August 13th Puttin' on Pekin breakfast held at the Knights of Columbus Hall. Carol Shields won the early prize, while Ruby Cunefare won the late prize. The Spotlight on Business was presented to Suzi Davis Travel and accepted by Rita Rittenhouse and Teresa Sayles. The Blue Ribbon award was given to Jim Kouri from Kouri's Pub, and the Sunshine Award was presented to Debbie Davison for the Dreams for Seniors organization. Dianne Gresham presented a program on the improvements made at The Club at Sunset Hills.

Join YWCA supporters at Culver’s in Pekin on August 18th from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. to raise funds for this year’s Paint the Town Red campaign. Culver’s will donate 10 percent of all sales to the YWCA, so grab your friends and family, enjoy a dinner out, and help the YWCA of Pekin! Information on the YWCA’s Run the Town Red 5K Race/Walk and Bobber raffle on August 28th will be available at the event. The YWCA of Pekin is holding its Eighth Annual Paint the Town Red campaign to raise funds for its programs and services offered throughout Tazewell County. For more information, visit www.ywca.org/pekin or call 347-9922.

Small businesses that create new jobs between now and June 30, 2011, may be able to take advantage of a $2,500 tax credit for new hires through the Illinois Small Business Job Creation Tax Credit. The new tax credit, proposed and signed into law by Governor Pat Quinn earlier this year, targets the foundation of Illinois' economy – the 500,000 small businesses across the state. The $2,500 credit is available to businesses with 50 or fewer employees (including all locations) as of June 30, 2010. Ninety-five percent of Illinois businesses have fewer than 50 employees. New small businesses hiring their first Illinois employee(s) may also qualify for the credit. The Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity created a simple, easy-to-use online registration system for busy, small business owners at http://jobstaxcredit.illinois.gov/ . Eligible companies should register new positions online as soon as a new, full-time Illinois employee is hired and begins providing se...

● IR 10-84 IRS has a dedicated phone line for Gulf Oil Spill Victims; Publication 4873 is on The Gulf Oil Spill and Your Taxes flyer and the Publication 4873-A is a Gulf Oil Spill Questions and Answers handout. ● The Affordable Care Act contains some tax provisions that may affect a business. Find timely tips, fact sheets, news releases and legal guidance on IRS.gov. ● IR 10-83 The National Taxpayer Advocate mid-year report to Congress expresses concern about the new information reporting burdens facing small businesses and certain IRS collection practices. ● Small Business Virtual Workshop www.irsvideos.gov/virtualworkshop ● Your Guide to an IRS Audit www.irsvideos.gov/audit ● The IRS.gov Small Business Resources section offers links to a broad range of information from federal and state agencies. ● Summertime Tax Tip 10-0 5 offers six tips for new business owners. ● Checklists provide the basic steps to follow when: · Starting a business · Closing a Busin...

The Community Foundation of Central Illinois (CFCI) is currently accepting grant proposals from non-profit organizations within a 50-mile radius of Peoria. Newly revised grant guidelines may be downloaded from the CFCI website at http://www.communityfoundationci.org/ and are available at the office, 331 Fulton Street, Suite 310, Peoria, Illinois 61602. Proposals must be received at the Community Foundation of Central Illinois office by: 4:30 PM, Wednesday, September 15, 2010. Proposals received after this date will not be accepted. The Community Foundation’s purpose is to assist projects in the fields of education, arts, health, human services, community service or community development and advance ONE OR MORE of the following objectives: 1. Address and help resolve important existing or emerging community issues. 2. Support new and creative projects and organizations offering the greatest opportunity for positive and significant change. 3. Promote cooperation and collabora...

City of Pekin August 10, 2010 16th ANNUAL CITY OF PEKIN COMMUNITY UPDATE – GOLF OUTING – DINNER Since 1994, the City of Pekin has conducted an annual Community Update meeting. A golf outing and dinner completed the day’s events. All previous events have been very well attended and the feedback has been valuable. We are planning our 16th annual event for Thursday, September 16, 2010. A Community Update will be held starting at 8:00 A.M. at Pekin Insurance Lodge, 2505 Court Street, Pekin. Current and proposed citywide improvements will be discussed. The City coordinates its activities with the other intergovernmental bodies and agencies. The first half of the meeting will consist of what is going on and what will be going on in the City of Pekin. The second half of the meeting is intended to discuss new slogans promoting Pekin. In an effort to continue the interaction among those participating, we are scheduling a golf outing with a rolling shotgun starting at 12:00 P.M. at Pekin...

Mon, 08/16/2010 - 3:00pm Growing Jobs Across America : Opportunities in Illinois Featuring Ambassador Han Duk-soo, Korean Ambassador to the United States and Congressman Aaron Schock (IL-18). The Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce, along with the US Chamber is hosting an event for the The Honorable Korean Ambassador Han Duk-soo and Congressman Schock on August 16th from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. at the Hotel Pere Marquette in Peoria. The Ambassador is doing a Midwestern tour promoting the Korean Free Trade Agreement. The event will feature presentations by both the Ambassador Han Duk-soo and Congressman Schock as well as other community representatives. Cost to attend: $25 for members and $35 for non-members. Contact:  Heather Inselmann at:   hinselmann@chamber.h-p.org   with questions.

Attend a free Wireless Workshop for a personal, hands-on demonstration and instructions on a variety of topics.  You'll get tips and tricks on using your Droid, Blackberry, Palm or Windows phone. People with multimedia and basic phones are also welcome.  This free one-hour workshop will be held on Saturday, August 21 at 7:30 a.m. at Verizon Wireless, 3578 Court Street in East Court Village.  To register for the workshop go to www.verizonwireless.com/wirelessworkshops

Val Springborn has always lived in Pekin and has great memories of the Marigold Festival. Every year, her parents brought her to the festival, where they spent most of the weekend enjoying all of the family oriented events. She now brings her husband, Greg, and daughter, Norah, to take pleasure in the same festival she is so fond of. Read more of the article published by Pekin Daily Times at the following link: Love of the Marigold Festival spurs woman to volunteer - Pekin, IL - Pekin Daily Times

2010 Pekin's Next Top Dog, Preliminaries were held Tuesday August 3rd, at the Pekin Park Arena. 2010 Little Miss & Mr Marigold Pageant was held Sunday, August 1st, at the Avanti’s Dome in Pekin. Lip Sync Applications are now available . Friday Night Family Fest Lip Sync Contest , A Pekin Main Street Event Friday, September 10th, 2010 7:00 pm - Downtown Pekin (Intersection of Capitol & Elizabeth) The application is available on the Pekin Area Chamber Website. For more information, call Pekin Main Street at 353-3100. For more details, visit the Pekin Marigold Festival Blog

Apollo Cleaning Center, 312 Derby St, Pekin IL 61554; phone: 309-472-5309; Gil Johnson, Owner; Cindy Meyer, Manager.  Business Hours: 4am - Midnight. They offer a full service Laundromat and dry cleaning services.

Giant Scoop & Coffee Company, 312 Derby St, Pekin IL 61554; phone: 309-472-5309; Gil Johnson, Owner; Cindy Meyer, Manager. Business hours: 6am - 9pm.  Treat your sweet tooth to ice cream while you visit the adjoining laundromat. They also serve sandwiches, salads and coffee.

Country Financial-Kim Springer , 1505 Valle Vista, Pekin IL 61554; phone: 309-346-4168; fax: 309-346-1772; Kim Springer, Financial Representative; e-mail: KimSpringer@countyfinancial.com ; Office Hours: 8am - 5pm M-F. Kim Springer is a financial representative for Country Financial in Pekin. Kim works with clients to help provide proper insurance for their auto and home. She also provides proper guidance for individuals to create their financial security plan. This includes: Life Insurance, Roth IRA's, Long Term Care, Group and Individual Health to name a few. 

The Hallmark House Nursing Center was the host of the August 5th Business After Hours. Chamber members and their guests enjoyed great food and refreshments from their catering department, went on tours of the facility, and took advantage of the networking opportunities. Lynn Brady and her staff also updated the group on some recent developments at their facility before drawing for door prizes.

Pekin Chamber Members: As your State Representative, I would like to thank you for the services you provide to the community as a small business owner. It is important to me that your business thrive and flourish even in the difficult economic downturn. In the past few months, I have worked to help spur job growth by supporting the creation of a tax credit for businesses that hire new workers and by backing the first statewide jobs bill in a decade. I firmly believe that small businesses form the backbone of our economy, and there is no doubt that the vitality of such businesses is key to our economic recovery. Your insight as a small business owner is vital in helping me understand the needs of the district’s entrepreneurs. I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to a meeting with me and other business owners in the area to discuss the important issues facing our communities and the State of Illinois. To make sure I can effectively fight for you, I am hosting a sma...

Business After Hours August 5th 4:30 - 6:00pm Hallmark House Nursing Center Allentown Rd - Pekin Plan to join us!  Network with your fellow chamber members and community leaders.  Call the chamber @ 346-2106

Financial publications release rankings of RIA Firms Peoria, IL Savant Capital Management, a nationally recognized fee-only wealth management firm headquartered in Rockford with an office in Peoria, has been recognized by InvestmentNews as the fifth largest Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) firm in the Midwest, ranked by discretionary assets under management. Savant was also named a top RIA firm by Financial Advisor magazine and Accounting Today magazine. InvestmentNews recently released the results of its rankings of RIA Giants, naming Savant as #5 in the Midwest and #32 out of 50 nationally. All firms named on the Giants list manage more than $1 billion in assets. To be named to the list, a firm must not receive commissions or conduct business as a broker-dealer, and provides wealth management services to clients. This is the third year Savant has been named to the RIA Giants list. Financial Advisor magazine also recently released their rankings of RIA firms, and Savant was d...

Pekin Marigold Festival: Boys & Girls Club Wiffle Ball Tournament : "Last year's inaugural tournament was a real success and the Boys and Girls Club of Pekin Wiffle Ball Classic is back! This year's tourney back! This year's tourney will again guarantee $500 to the first place team with additional payouts to the top teams. The tourney will be held on Sunday, September 12th at Mineral Springs Park, Diamond #1. The first round begins at 9:00am so arrive early. Team applications are available now. Download your copy today from the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce website or pick one up at the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce office, the Boys and Girls Club or the Pekin Park District. Sign up now because the field is limited to the first 16 teams. Entry Deadline is September 3, 2010. Wiffle Ball Homerun Derby will be held as well. This is open to the public as well as the tournament players. For $2.00 you get 10 outs. Try as many times as you want and compete for c...

Thursday -  August  26th,   5:30-7:30pm Grumpy Pete’s Steakhouse 1440 N. 8 th St.     ( hwy  29) Ladies Night ! Everyone needs a night out? Come join us for fun, fashion, and a fabulous time Tupperware- storage & serving Stylist Nicole from The Happening. Tips and Toes To Go- manicures, pedicures, more  Lia Sophia - Affordable jewelry Scentsy Wickless Candles Stress Busters- Massage & Reflexology Pampered Chef Tastefully Simple Taste some new & wonderful wines We always have drawings & giveaways                         ASK WHO MIGHT BE HERE NEXT MONTH. Grumpy Pete’s  477-8325  OR  202-2302

Representatives from the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce recently congratulated Covenant Heating & Air on their relocation to a new building. This growing local business recently completed their renovations and move to 412 Broadway. Owners Frank and Pam Shearer were joined by their employees for the ribbon cutting.

  The Get Motivated Seminar featuring legendary motivator Zig Ziglar, America’s Mayor Rudy Giuliani, world famous soldier-statesman General Colin Powell and former First Lady Laura Bush is coming to the Peoria Civic Center Arena. The day-long presentation will take place on Tuesday, August 31, 2010 from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Additional speakers will include the greatest quarterback in NFL history Terry Bradshaw, legendary president of Microsoft Rick Belluzzo, America’s top Authority on Selling Brian Tracy, America’s most inspirational speaker Dr. Robert Schuller and other renowned teachers and motivators. Among the speakers' topics will be "How to Stay Motivated" (Ziglar); “Take Charge Leadership” (Powell); “The Tenacity to Persevere: How to Make it Through Any Crisis” (Giuliani); “How to Survive and Thrive in Times of Transition” (Bush); “How to Lead Your Team to Victory” (Bradshaw); “How to Manage, Lead and Succeed” (Belluzzo); “How to Strengthen Your Sales and Nego...

The Tazewell County Genealogical and Historical Society will present their eighth annual Harvest Time for Genealogists on Saturday October 9, 2010, from 9 am to 3 pm. at the society’s Erlicher Library, 719 N Eleventh St, Pekin IL. Registration begins at 8:00 am. Speaker at this year’s event will be Jeffrey Bockman. Mr. Bockman is a Genealogy Lecturer & Writer. He was a contributing editor for the former Everton's Genealogical Helper and a feature writer for the former Heritage Quest Magazine. His articles have also appeared in various other publications. He is the author of Give Your Family A Gift That Money Can't Buy, a book that encourages people to record and preserve their family's history. His topics for the day will include a look at passenger lists, immigration records, emigration records, printed indexes and other sources to find the ships that carried your ancestors; he will explore a wide variety of primary and secondary sources to determine when a person wa...

Ray Dennison Chevrolet announced that Drew Shepherdson, Internet Sales Manager, recently qualified for the Chevy Bow Tie Club as a result of his sales leadership. A very elite inaugural group, the Bow Tie Club includes some of the nation’s top New Vehicle Salespeople. Shepherdson was recognized for his top sales performance during a ceremony on Friday, July 23, 2010 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “We congratulate Drew on this great award,” Brian Dennison, Owner and Manager, said. “He is extremely knowledgeable about Chevrolet products and is very conscientious about ensuring each customer has the best possible experience. As a result, the majority of Drew’s business comes from repeat and referral customers.” Ranked among the top 10% of the nation’s Chevrolet dealers, Ray Dennison Chevrolet has been serving Central Illinois for over 36 years. The dealer is proud to offer today’s Chevrolet vehicles, which are recognized for their safety, performance and technology.

Let’s Applaud Champions of Free Enterprise in Illinois President’s Message - July 30, 2010 By Doug Whitley President & CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce The Illinois Chamber is recognizing 37 Illinois legislators – 12 senators and 25 representatives – who have courageously and consistently supported legislative issues that are critical to business and job creation in Illinois – despite a hostile environment in Springfield. The Chamber has named these legislators winners of the Illinois Chamber Champion of Free Enterprise Award for their exceptional records in defending free enterprise and furthering economic opportunity. We thank those legislators who have consistently voted in line with a pro-business, pro-growth, pro-jobs agenda. Our Free Enterprise Awards go to legislators with the best voting records, according to the Illinois Chamber’s annual Legislative Ratings report, released earlier this month. Ideally, every member of the Illinois General Assembly would rea...