Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce

Do you know the risks of Cyber Liability? Attend our free workshop and find out how to protect yourself. June 22 • 10 a.m.-2:15 p.m. Fondulac Bank Building, Levee District 201 ClockTower Drive • East Peoria RSVP by June 20 More Information at:  http://www.unland.com/whats-new/cyber-liability-e2e

Junior Golf Events at Sunset Hills Golf Club SWING INTO SUMMER! If you haven't signed up for the Jr. Golf Academy it is not too late.  Lesson's start next week! June 7th.  Questions?  Call 309.347.7553

Barb, from Godfathers Catering, will be hosting Informational Luncheons to learn about the many fundraising opportunities Godfathers Catering has to offer. June 6 th and 9 th @ Noon - Proactive Education and Extra-Curricular Programs : Focusing on academic, athletic, choral, band, and all the other clubs, PTO and boosters, etc. June 7 th  @ Noon - Enhance Church Ministries and Fundraising : Focusing on utilizing catering opportunities to serve your congregants in ministry capacities and fundraising opportunities. June 8 th  @ 11:30am Catering Specials and Advertising Opportunities : Business Partnering with Godfathers for PR Opportunities and Catering Specials for your clients and employees.

   

Linda Reader, assistant director for Pekin Hospital’s navigator program, was recently invited to present at conferences in Chicago and Washington, D.C., in recognition of her team’s achievements in health care education and health insurance enrollment. In the fall of 2015, Reader’s department received a navigator grant to help educate Central Illinois communities about options for medical coverage. Since that time, her staff has worked closely with businesses and residents throughout the region to assist with their education and enrollment needs. Navigator grants are awarded to qualifying organizations each year from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Pekin Hospital is one of 100 organizations across the United States to receive a navigator grant. “We’re proud to have Pekin Hospital as a health care education and health insurance resource for the people we serve,” said Reader. “The navigator program is another way we can live the hospital’s mission to improve the ...

Financial Planning & Tax Specialists, Jacob Taylor and Krystal Fortner, earn rights to use CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER TM designation.  The Busey Wealth Management team congratulates Financial Planning & Tax Specialists, Jacob Taylor and Krystal Fortner, on earning their CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER TM designations by the CFP Board of Standards. The CFP ® designation is one of the most prestigious in the financial industry and is widely recognized as a symbol of professional expertise and integrity. Taylor and Fortnerassist financial and wealth advisors in engaging clients through the financial planning process. Their responsibilities include compiling data, creating personal financial statements, performing analysis and aiding in the development of recommendations and strategies to strengthen clients’ financial health. Taylor graduated with honors from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in Agriculture and Consumer Economics. Fortner gr...

The Hopedale Medical Complex recently opened their new Candy Striper Gift Shop.  Mark Rossi, President and COO of HMC, congratulated the volunteers and staff on their accomplishment.  The volunteers joined Mr. Rossi for the ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the new gift shop.  It is located just inside the main entrance to the hospital.

Bard Optical will be hosting a 75 th Anniversary Designer Eyewear Show and open house on June 23, 2016 from 3-5 p.m.  Bard will be taking 25% OFF frame and lens purchases during the event. Brands like Ray-Ban, Armani, Coach, Prada and Versace will be featured. We will be offering drawings for prizes from Ray-Ban. A percentage of the event’s proceeds will go to the Heart of Illinois United Way.

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Pawn King, 2307 Court Street, held their grand opening on May 21st.  Representatives from the City of Pekin and the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce were on hand to welcome them to Pekin with a ribbon cutting. Pawn King is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm and Saturday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.  They can be reached at 620-8472 or  www.pawnkingloansmore.com

Representatives from the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce, the City of Pekin, neighboring businesses, and family and friends all gathered to congratulate Lelonie and Mark Luft on the official grand opening of their ice cream and coffee shop.  The newly remodeled room is adjacent to Maurie's Fine Candies of Pekin, 522 Court Street.  You can reach Maurie's at 346-5174 or www.mauriescandyandcoffee.com or find them on Facebook.  They are open until 7pm on Monday and Tuesday and 8pm Wednesday through Saturday.  Sunday hours coming soon!  You can see a few more pictures from this event at http://picasaweb.google.com/PekinChamber

The Amazing Account, an exciting new concept in rewards checking, is available now at all Hometown COmmunity Bank locations throughout Central and Western Illinois. "Unlike an ordinary checking account, a customer with The Amazing Account will be paid interest in rewards points each month, rather than a routine cash deposit into their account." said Bruce Hubner, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer for Morton Community Bank. "With the Amazing Account our customers can earn up to 5.01% annual percentage yield on up to $5000 in their account, the highest interest checking rate in the nation at this time." Along with interest paid in points, The Amazing Account also allows customers to earn points each time they make a debit card purchase, applicable to the first 10 purchases each month. In addition, the customers recieves monthly credit for up to $10 of 'convenience fees' when using a domestic ATM, Mobile Deposit or PopMoney that is a...

               In action tonight, the Illinois Central College Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve Dr. Sheila Quirk-Bailey’s employment contract, the final step in a year-long process to select the College’s fifth president. She will begin her new role at ICC on July 1.                “ The Board and Dr. Quirk-Bailey negotiated in good faith, and we feel that the contract is fair and appropriate for the College and the community,” said Board chair Don Brennan. “We are pleased the agreement meets the interests of both ICC and its president and are confident that Dr. Quirk-Bailey will energize the College and continue its successes.”                        “I am grateful to the Board for their careful deliberation and consideration in structuring a fair con...

Father's Day Afternoon Special   Golf with Cart & Range Balls for Just $30.00!!! If you are a Dad or have a Dad, you can play golf with cart and range balls for just $30.00 on Father's Day, after 12:00 p.m. Call 309-347-7553 to book your tee time. Valid up to four people with email addresses After Golf stop by Mashie's for food & drink SPECIALS!!    

Thanks to our friends at The Unland Companies for providing this information that should be very useful to all business owners and managers: On May 18, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a final rule regarding overtime wage payment qualifications for the “white collar exemptions” under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The final rule increases the salary an employee must be paid in order to qualify for a white collar exemption. The required salary level is increased to $47,476 per year and will be automatically updated every three years. The final rule does not modify the duties test employees must meet to qualify for a white collar exemption. Employers will need to comply with this rule by Dec. 1, 2016.  But there are steps that should be taken well in advance of the December 1st deadline. Click here to download a summary .   

Kristofer Goergen - Country Financial  1505 Valle Vista Blvd  Pekin, IL 61555 309-346-4167  8:00am-5:00pm Monday through Friday and by appointment Website Kristofer Goergen , Financial Representative Kristofer Goergen specializes in: Annuities, Auto, Commercial, Disability Income, Farm, Health, Home, Life, Long Term Care, Retirement Planning.

Pekin Hospital, the Pekin Hospital Foundation, ProHealth Medical Group and Progressive Health Systems will host the fourth annual Dash at Dusk on July 15, 2016. The event promotes community wellness and raises funds for Pekin Hospital’s mission trip to provide medical assistance to underserved countries. Held on the hospital’s campus at 600 South 13 th Street in Pekin, Dash at Dusk includes a 5K run, a one-mile walk and a kids’ fun run. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. and concludes with a family friendly after party. Prices are $30 for the 5K run, $30 for the one-mile walk and $15 for the kids’ fun run. All proceeds benefit this year’s mission trip to the Dominican Republic. The annual mission trip is part of Pekin Hospital’s Seasons of Sharing Campaign. “Dash at Dusk is a family friendly outing that promotes healthy lifestyles and raises money for a great cause,” said Marcy Becker, Dash at Dusk co-coordinator. “Thank you to everyone who supports this annual community event. Last...

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The American Public Works Association’s (APWA) Illinois Chapter recognized Hanson Professional Services Inc. for its work on two public works projects during the chapter’s annual awards banquet May 6 in Peoria. Hanson received the Public Works Project of the Year Award in the environment category, under the division for projects that cost less than $5 million, for its work on the Springfield public works stormwater project. The city faced problems with stormwater runoff at its public works garage. Runoff — particularly from around the city’s salt dome — introduced pollutants into the sewer system, and runoff from rain caused sewer backups. The city teamed with Hanson to create a bioswale and reuse solution to improve the sewer system and provide a new water resource. The bioswale captures and detains stormwater from the western half of the 5-acre site and filters it using engineered soil planted with salt-resistant grass. The stormwater from the site’s east half is pretreated before...

Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois will hold its annual job fair on Thursday, June 2nd and Friday, June 3, 2016. The job fair will be held at Goodwill Commons, 2319 E. War Memorial Drive, Peoria. Job fair hours are June 2, 8:00am - 12:00pm and June 3, 9:00am - 10am for Veterans Only and 10:00am - 12:30pm for the public. On June 2, many staffing agencies will be present, but attendees can also get assistance from Goodwill staff on their resumes, online applications and tips on professionalism in the workplace. There will also be drawings for Goodwill vouchers for clothing and accessories. Free haircuts will also be available. On June 3, these businesses will be in attendance: ADT Alpha & Omega Transit Aramark ATS Avantis CEFCU Cian City of Peoria HGS Hy-Vee Marcone Peoria Fire Department Peoria Police Department Southside Bank Two Men and a Truck For more information contact Johanna Wagner at 309-683-1113, ext. 2117 or visit www.goodwillpeo.org.

Pekin Life Insurance Company held its annual meeting on Tuesday, May 10, 2016, at the Company's Home Office in Pekin, Illinois. The Company reported net loss of $1.3 million. Premium income increased by 4.6 percent to $215.7 million. Life Insurance is force exceeded $16.2 billion in the year 2015. At the meeting, shareholders elected directors Thomas C. Hornstein, Pekin, Illinois; Scott A. Martin, Peoria, Illinois; and Christine A. Schwartz, Pekin, Illinois, to three year terms to expire in May 2019. Other directors whose terms continue are: Steven R. Anderson, Loves Park, Illinois; Craig W. Conklin, Hinsdale, Illinois; Daniel V. Connell, Tremont, Illinois; Byron A. Dodd, Anna, Illinois; A. Richard Kriegsman, Pekin, Illinois; and Gordon M. Walker, Groveland, Illinois. Pekin Life Insurance Company is an integral part of the Pekin Insurance group of companies. Pekin Life Insurance Comapny stock trades under the symbol "PKIN" and is listed on the OTC Pink Marketpla...

This Lady right here is a ROCKSTAR on and off the stage! Julie is the first Coach on my Team of ‪#‎CrushingCoaches to hit the 700 Club Leaderboard! This doesn’t happen by accident. This is what happens when someone is dedicated to helping others. Julie has dedicated her life to just that, and it shows. She is a 6th Grade School Teacher who is loved and admired by her students. She is a True Rockstar in the local band, “Backstreet”, sharing her love of music with the world. And she is a Success Club All-Star (well on her way to Success Club All-Star Legend) as a Beachbody Coach. This woman never ceases to amaze me. She is my Confidant, my Friend, and my Team Mate, and I am so proud of her that I could burst! Congratulations Julie!

Summer is near and Pekin Park District is here to help!   We offer camps for children ages 5 – 13 at three different camps.   You will love these camps designed to keep your children’s imaginations fueled while they are outdoors and in and around the Parks.   Swim at Dragon Land; play Putt Putt golf; go on field trips and scavenger hunts; experience sports, arts and crafts; build forts in the woods; explore nature; and, much more for one low price! The Summer Camp at the Arena is for children ages 5 – 10 years and is open Monday – Friday from 6:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. beginning May 25, 2016 (with the exception of May 30 and July 4). The Salvation Army Camp is a neighborhood camp for children ages 5 – 10 years at the Salvation Army Facilities on Derby Street and is open Monday – Friday from 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (with the exception of May 30 and July 4). Camp Soldwedel is for children ages 10 – 13 years and is open Monday – Friday from 6:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. beginni...

Bring your family and lawn chairs and come downtown Pekin to The Tazewell County Courthouse Lawn for entertainment on The Courthouse Square each Third Thursday of the month this summer. Music starts at 6:30 each Third Thursday of the month May through September. As our season grows we will have food and art vendors as well. Interested vendors can email info@speakeasyartcenter.com for more information. Music is sponsored by The Pekin Academy of Fine Arts. Please come and enjoy our beautiful downtown! This month's artist is Barry Cloyd!

The gitm Foundation's Mobile Fresh Food Van serves the Tri County area in bringing fresh local produce to all residents and particularly those families living in food deserts.  If you are a home gardener, you can donate extra produce to help those in need in our community.  To learn more, contact The gitm Foundation's Tri County Fresh Food Hub at 966-3790 or visit www.believegitm.com .  Donations are accepted mid-May through mid-October at various locations throughout the Tri County area.

Experiment will study the impact of awarding the Federal Pell Grant to low income high school students and increasing their access to a college education.                 Thanks to the U.S. Department of Education’s selection of Illinois Central College to participate in an experimental study on dual enrollment, more area high school students will have the opportunity to get an affordable jump-start on their college education. The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) this morning announced that it has selected ICC as one of 44 post-secondary institutions in 23 states nationwide to take part in an experiment that for the first time will allow students taking college level courses to access the Federal Pell Grant as early as high school. Nearly 80% of the participants are community colleges. “Dual enrollment programs are powerful ways to introduce rigorous coursework to students and show these students that they a...

The Peoria International Airport is meeting with carriers that could result in additional direct flights.  Your input will be critical in helping them determine the flight needs of regional companies and residents.  Please take a few moments to complete this short survey.  http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07eceaovx0ilqt2sz8/start

Pekin Hospital, ProHealth Medical Group and Progressive Health Systems recently honored employees and volunteers at two events that celebrate outstanding service. The 57 th Annual Employee Awards Banquet recognized 75 employees with more than 1,100 combined years of service. Individual recipients of the Trust Builder Awards were Dr. Reggie Bowman, Dr. Gordon Cross, Dr. Ben Hanshaw, Dr. Nani Moazzam, Dr. Paul Siebert, Cora Hamilton, Dawn Klaasen, Kelli Severns, Emily Sosey and Shannon Stubbs. Department and practice recipients were Food Services, Materials Management, Patient Financial Services, ProHealth Pediatrics and the Women’s Diagnostic Center. More than 130 volunteers were honored at the 2016 Volunteer Luncheon. Recognition was given for 19,465 combined hours donated over the last year to Courier Services, Lobby and Information Desk Services, Pharmacy, Radiology and Surgical Waiting. The volunteer with the most hours donated over the past year was Beulah Snyder with 1,3...

Illinois Central College’s Professional Development Institute (PDI) will host several workshops aimed at providing parents the tools they need to parent children in specific age groups. “Your Parenting Tool Kit” workshops are facilitated by Lisa Gentry, a public school teacher and private practice counselor with more than 20 years of experience working with children and families. The following workshops are scheduled for May and June with specific age groups in mind: ·         For parents of young children (up to age 5): Saturday, May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 am ·         For parents of children aged 6 to 9 years: Saturday, May 21 from 11 am to 1 pm ·         For parents of children aged 10 to 12 years:  Saturday, June 4 from 8:30 to 10:30 am ·         For parents of children aged 13 to 17 years:  Saturday, June 4 from 11 am to 1 p...

 

    Junior Golf Lessons at Sunset Hills Golf Club Introduce your children to the game of golf while helping them build confidence and make new friends. For further details, call us at 309-347-7553. VISIT US ONLINE AT www.Sunset Hills Golf Club.com    

The May 5 Business After Hours was held at Pekin Glass & Mirror, 332 Derby Street.  Dan Sullivan and his family provided great hospitality, serving delicious food, drinks, and door prizes.  Several chamber members took the opportunity to shop at the recently opened gift shop.  You can see more pictures from this and other chamber events at:  http://picasaweb.google.com/PekinChamber

TCRC has a Beer, Wine and Spirit Tasting on Friday, May 13th at the Par-A-Dice Ballroom.  This is a great deal for chamber members if they purchase 10 corporate tickets... a table of ten is $400 but if you purchase the 10 in advance through your company it's just $350.00 and they will be delivered to you. The Fundraiser is being held Friday, May 13th from 6pm-Midnight at the Par-A-Dice Hotel & Ballroom. The tasting is from 6-8pm. Live music starts at 8pm by Biscuits N' Gravy ( www.biscuitsngravyband.com ). Beverage sponsors include J.K. Williams Distilling, Mackinaw Valley Vineyard, RJ Distributing and Brewers Distributing. The tickets are $40 each in advance or $50 at the door. Tickets are for unlimited tastings, food, live music, souvenir glass, casino slot bucks, door prizes and more. Visit Beer, Wine and Spirits Tasting to Benefit TCRC FAQs Are there ID requirements or an age limit to enter the event? Must be 21 years or older. Where can I contac...

Representatives from the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Pekin were present to congratulate Niemann Foods on their newest concept grocery store ValuCheck. It is located in the same space as the recently remodeled Food Depot. ValuCheck is cost plus food, meaning everything is priced at or below cost on the shelf with just a 10% fee added at checkout.  The store held their grand opening on May 1st.   You can see a more pictures from this and other chamber events at:   http://picasaweb.google.com/PekinChamber

Thompson Brothers Inc. PO Box 313  Pekin, IL 61555 309-613-0254 thompsonbrothersconstruction.com info@tbrosinc.com Todd Thompson , President Thompson Brothers Inc. covers all commercial construction needs. This includes, but is not limited to: new construction, emergency repairs, new project development, facility maintenance, interior remodel, facade and exterior repair. 

- Hopedale Medical Complex (HMC) is pleased to announce the addition to its medical staff, board certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert Seidl of Bloomington.  Dr. Seidl will see patients and perform all of his surgeries in HMC’s modern operating room where patients also enjoy new private surgical suites which opened last spring. Dr. Seidl has over 18 years’ experience in general and sports medicine orthopedics. He is a graduate of Rush Medical College in Chicago, Illinois, and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota.  His Sports Medicine fellowship was completed at the Orthopedic Institute in Lake Tahoe, California. Dr. Seidl is the team physician for the Illinois State University Athletic Department in Normal, Illinois. He has performed hundreds of procedures in his career, including treatment and repairs of hip, shoulder and knee joints, as well as outpatient orthoscopic procedures. HMC uses a multidisc...

Ladies Best Ball is an annual golf tournament held at Sunset Hills Golf Club.  Our tournament is generously supported by local business through donations and hole sponsorships.  Those hole sponsorship donations allowed us to launch our new scholarship program along with making our tournament a continued success.  This year at our parings dinner on Thursday, August 11 th we will be announcing our first scholarship winner.  Our winner will be from the same local communities our tournament players come from, and a female graduate on the ladies golf team.  We would like to ask for your support in continuing to keep this tournament going for the ladies of our community – this will be our 38 th year!  We offer different sponsorship or donation options that will fit most budgets. EAGLE SPONSORSHIP: $200.00 or more -A “thank you” announcement to our sponsors at each day of events at the clubhouse -A written “thank you” to our sponsors in the local ne...

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The Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce held their annual meeting on April 18 at the Pekin Country Club.  140 attendees representing 42 businesses and organizations enjoyed the reception and short business meeting.  The keynote speaker was Todd Maisch, President and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.  Three members of the Board of Directors completed their terms and were recognized for their service.  The retiring members were:  Larry Crouch, Monge Crouch & Mahoney; Zak Ehrmantraut, Springleaf Financial Services; and Frank Shearer, Covenant Heating & Air.  Also recognized was Aindrea Balagna who completed her service on the board as Past President.  New board members elected by the chamber membership in March were introduced:  Becky Eubanks, Sound Choice Hearing Clinic; Dan Pfeifer, Dan Pfeifer State Farm; and Dennis Short, Pekin Community Bank.   Becky Eubanks, Sound Choice Hearing Clinic        ...