Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce

Illini Stock and Supply 107 W. Cass St. Peoria, IL 61602  Website Eric Clark , Sales Manager John Franks , COO Serving Central Illinois businesses with OSHA approved First Aid and Safety Supply Kits.

Illinois Central College will offer a non-credit class in Conversational Arabic, Middle Eastern and Islamic Cultures with a Focus on North Africa and Mauritania. This program is offered to the community through the ICC Corporate and Community Education department on Monday evenings, March 5 to May 23, from 6 to 7:30 pm in Hickory Hall on the ICC Peoria Campus, located at 5407 N. University St., Peoria. The series will be taught by ICC’s visiting Fulbright Scholar from Mauritania, Mohamed Mahmoud. The focus of this class will be conversational Arabic, Middle Eastern and Islamic cultures, especially Mauritania, and the relationship between language and culture. Mahmoud has been awarded a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program grant to serve as a teaching assistant in Arabic and take courses at ICC for academic year 2017-2018. He holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree.  While in the United States, Mahmoud will share his language and culture wi...

Illinois Central College will culminate a year-long celebration of its 50 th anniversary with a black-tie optional event, “Past Success Drives the Future,” on Sat., April 7, 2018, at the Embassy Suites Riverfront Grand Ballroom in East Peoria, Ill. The cocktail hour begins at 5:30 pm, with dinner and dancing to follow at 6:30 pm. “The evening is an opportunity for the community to celebrate all the College has accomplished for our students and for Central Illinois these past 50 years,” said ICC President Dr. Sheila Quirk-Bailey. “It also serves to energize us as we align our efforts to create expanding opportunities for higher educational and workforce outcomes for our region.” Tickets are $150 per person or $1500 to underwrite a table. There also will be both a silent auction and a live auction. All proceeds will benefit the ICC Excellence Fund, which allows the Educational Foundation to purchase equipment, supplies, and materials for the College and its programs. ...

REALTORS® are primarily known for helping people buy and sell homes. They are also property owners biggest political advocates. The Peoria Area Association of REALTORS® (PAAR) advocates for policy initiatives at the local, state and federal level that promote and protect a fundamentally sound and dynamic local real estate market. Members are constantly monitoring issues related to homeownership, real estate tax policies, regulations & ordinances, credit & lending policies, insurance and other policies. “PAAR members maintain relationships with policymakers on all levels—local, state and federal; monitoring issues impacting property owners,” states Dallas Hancock, CEO, Peoria Area Association of REALTORS®. “This includes advocating for laws and regulations that protect our private property rights as well as conducting studies & legal analysis, public opinion surveys and data analysis on issues impacting our communities.” With over 700 REALTOR® members and approximately 14...

March is National Athletic Training Month, so Hopedale Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine is celebrating by recognizing the contribution of local athletic trainers. For five local high schools, athletic trainers from Hopedale Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine provide compassionate care to student athletes at practices and key games. Athletic trainers are skilled medical professionals prepared to provide both preventative care and treatment for athletic injuries.             Athletes at Dee-Mack, Delavan, Hartem, Olympia, and Tremont receive compassionate care on site at select school sponsored practices and games. Hopedale also offers training through its No-Off-Season program during non-competitive seasons. By developing strength, endurance, and flexibility athletes come into their competitive season stronger, less prone to injury, and ready to compete. For athletes of all ages, Hopedale offers comprehensive sports and athleti...

KONE, Inc. 6106 W. Plank Rd.  Peoria, IL 61604 1-309-697-9011 Website Dawn Shipman , Business Developer KONE services more than one million elevators and escalators from both KONE and other manufacturers. KONE provides innovative and eco-efficicent solutions for elevators, escalators and the systems that integrate them. KONE supports our customers every step of the way; from design, manufacturing and installation to maintenance and modernization.

Tazewell County Genealogical & Historical Society 719 N. 11th St.  Pekin, IL 61554 1-309-477-3044 Website Charlotte Jibben The Tazewell County Genealogical & Historical Society is a nonpartisan, non profit, educational research institution whose mission is to stimulate interest to collect, preserve and safeguard records, and to provide related educational services for the purpose of increasing and enriching public knowledge of our heritage.

New Vision Theatres 1124 Edgewater Dr.  North Pekin, IL 61554 1-309-353-3962 Website Maggie Berry , General Manager A whole New Vision for your Neighborhood Theatre!

In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month this April, The Center for Prevention of Abuse is hosting its inaugural 5K run/1 mile walk, I Run With Survivors, on 4/14 at the Levee District at 8:00 AM. Online registration is now open here . The general admission fee is $30.  The registration fee for participants ages 17 and under is $15 and registration is free for children younger than three years old. All participants will receive a race day t-shirt and teal shoelaces, the color of sexual assault awareness, and are encouraged to wear both at the event. New merchandise from The Center for Prevention of Abuse is available for purchase on the registration website and on race day. “We are very proud to host our first 5K in honor of survivors of sexual assault this April,” said Carol Merna, Executive Director of The Center for Prevention of Abuse. “We want all survivors – ones who have come forward to disclose and ones who keep their abuse private – to know that our commun...

The Peoria Chiefs partner with non-profit organizations of all types to raise money for their worthy causes. Your level of involvement and commitment is the only limit to how much your group could make! Also great for team building and increasing public awareness of your group. We supply everything you need! Call or email today for more details. Don't wait, opening day is April 7th!!! Call or email Nate Weindruch at 309-680-4027 or nweindruch@prosportscatering.com for more information. 

Mark your calendar for this special event! Our outing will be held, Wednesday, June 20, 2018. Look for more information around March 15th. The communities continued support of this event is always appreciated!

               Nitin Kukkar, M.D. will begin spine surgery at Hopedale Medical Complex on Wednesday, February 20, 2018. Dr. Kukkar joined HMC’s practice during the fall of 2017. Dr. Kukkar specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery and orthopedic surgery.                 Dr. Kukkar and Hopedale Medical Complex are an excellent pairing because both focus on providing state-of-the-art medical treatment in a relational atmosphere. Growing up in India, Dr. Kukkar experienced firsthand the necessity for rural orthopedic surgeons; Dr. Kukkar’s father suffered a severe knee injury that brought him near death. Due to a lack of orthopedic care near their farm it was nearly two years before Dr. Kukkar’s father could walk unaided by crutches. This shaping experience was part of the reason Dr. Kukkar became an orthopedic surgeon. Similarly, Hopeda...

Congress just passed the most comprehensive tax reform in over 30 years. And with that comes more risk and opportunity for small businesses than any time in the last three decades. In this session, CPA and tax consultant Micah Fraim will explain: Major changes to corporate taxes Adjustments to business deductions and credits The expansion of some individual deductions and elimination of others Little-known changes with major long-term ramifications Learn how to use all of these changes to your advantage!

A unique performance portraying events as recalled by survivors of the Holocaust opens for six performances when the Illinois Central College Theatre Program presents And Then They Came for Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank in the mainstage theatre of the ICC Performing Arts Center, located on the East Peoria Campus. And Then They Came for Me is a unique theatrical experience – a multimedia play that combines videotaped interviews with Holocaust survivors Ed Silverberg and Eva Schloss with live actors recreating scenes from their lives during World War II. Silverberg was Anne Frank's first boyfriend, and she wrote about him in the beginning of her now-famous diary. Schloss was the same age as Anne Frank and lived in the same apartment building in Amsterdam. Eva’s family went into hiding the same day as the Frank family, and like the Frank family, they were betrayed. On Eva’s 15th birthday, the Schloss family was arrested by the Nazis and sent to concentration camps. Ev...

The Peoria Ballet, ICC Vocal Jazz and Hard Bop Band, the Penguin Project, Heartland Festival Orchestra, the family of former Peoria Mayor Jim Maloof, and others will join forces and talents for “ICC Presents: Jim Maloof’s Legacy of Love for the Arts in Central Illinois” to raise money for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This one-of-a-kind showcase of entertainment, now in its sixth year, will be held Mon., April 16 at 6 pm, at the Performing Arts Center on the ICC East Peoria Campus. This one-night only event is a family-friendly showcase of the performing arts in the area and is designed to raise money and highlight former Mayor Maloof’s local and national legacy for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The entire event is planned and executed by Illinois Central College students each year.                Tickets are required for admission and cost $7 for all ages. Tickets can be purchased in ...

Dive, splash, and hunt for prizes at Hopedale Wellness Center’s Eggstravaganza! Children are invited to a unique Easter egg hunt in the pool on the evening of Thursday, March 22 nd . Kids will find prize filled eggs throughout the Wellness Center’s spacious 25-yard indoor pool. Every child will go home with the eggs and prizes they collected as well as an Easter goody bag. Be sure to bring a basket or pail to collect eggs. The first wave of swimmers will be children age 3-6 from 5:30pm - 6:15pm and a parent or guardian must accompany these children in the pool. Children age 7-10 will compete in the second hunt from 6:15pm - 7:00pm. Cost is only $10 per child. Register in person, online at http://www.hopedalewc.com or by calling the Hopedale Wellness Center at (309) 449-4500 by March 12 th . Families are encouraged to register early as space is limited. The Hopedale Wellness Center Aquatics area features a 25-yard junior Olympic pool with lap lanes, a warm-water therapy pool, and...

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs recently recognized Illinois Central College in its ranking of U.S. colleges and universities that produced the most 2017-2018 Fulbright U.S. Scholars. The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. Top-producing institutions are highlighted annually in The Chronicle of Higher Education. “ICC is honored to share this designation among the top-producing institutions nationwide,” said ICC President Dr. Sheila Quirk-Bailey. “The Fulbright Program has provided a vibrant, reciprocal exchange of knowledge and culture between the participants, and the faculty, staff and the students at ICC for more than 10 years.” In the last five years, ICC has hosted six Fulbright-sponsored scholars. ICC Director of International Education Dr. Barbara Burton also was awarded a Fulbright grant for 2017-2018 and participated in the Community College Administrator Seminar (CC...

February 27 @ 1 p.m EST Congress just passed the most comprehensive tax reform in more than 30 years. How can you be prepared for the changes? In this session, CPA and tax consultant Micah Fraim will explain how these changes affect you and how to use them to your advantage. Register Here! 

Young athletes are invited to a volleyball clinic conducted by Bradley University coaches and players. Hopedale Wellness Center will be hosting the clinic on Sunday, March 4 th in the afternoon. There will be two sessions broken down by grade level; 3 rd -5 th grade from 1-3pm and 6 th -8 th grade from 3-5pm. This one day clinic is perfect for student-athletes of all skill levels. Athletes will receive hands on instruction in the fundamentals of volleyball. Beginning players will benefit from skills breakdowns and practice of key elements of the game. For experienced team members, the elite coaching will strengthen integral skills for improved performance. Register by calling (309) 449-4500 by February 26, 2018. Cost is $35 per person. Hopedale Wellness Center is located in Hopedale, IL. They offer programing for youth and adults throughout the year in a state-of-the art 34,000 foot wellness facility.             ...

            Gary Viviano, an adjunct faculty member of art at Illinois Central College, will have paintings and mixed media works displayed in an art show opening February 21 in the ICC Performing Arts Center Gallery, located in the lobby of the facility on the East Peoria Campus.             A free, public reception and artist talk will take place in the gallery on February 21 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.             Viviano received his bachelor of fine art degree from the University of Arizona-Tuscon and a master of fine arts degree from the University of California-Davis. He previously taught at numerous institutions in California, including Sierra College, American River College, Sacramento City College and the California Department of Corrections . He has taught beginning and advanced courses in oil painting,...

McDaniels Marketing is proud to welcome Lisa Marovec to its team. In her role as Marketing Consultant, Marovec works out of a newly established South Haven, Mich. office, and serves travel, food and hospitality clients nationwide for McDaniels Marketing and its interactive division, McD Digital . A professional with 25 years’ experience, Marovec is originally from Pekin, Ill., where the agency is headquartered. One of her goals is to help the agency expand its client base. She is skilled in hospitality training and has worked with the Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers for more than 15 years. Marovec’s extensive experience also includes work with the South Haven/Van Buren County Convention & Visitors Bureau and National Restaurant Association. “We are excited to offer our clients a marketing consultant with so much travel, hospitality and tourism experience,” Randy McDaniels, President of McDaniels Marketing, said. “Lisa is known for her passion in this industry. ...

At The Farmers Automobile Insurance Association Annual Subscribers Meeting held on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, John Heller was elected to the companies’ Board of Directors. A graduate of Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, Heller served as the Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Caterpillar Inc. until his retirement in February 2012. The majority of his 37-year career with the company focused on information technology, including support for finance, manufacturing, marketing, and dealer systems. Heller spent three years as a division information systems manager in Geneva, Switzerland, before returning to the U.S. in technology management assignments with Caterpillar's Corporate Services and Engine Products divisions. In 2001, Heller was named director of Caterpillar's Global Information Technology Solutions, the then-largest department of the company's Systems + Processes Division. The ...

The Farmers Automobile Insurance Association held its annual meeting on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, at their Home Office in Pekin, Illinois. The following directors were elected for three year terms: Craig W. Concklin Hinsdale, Illinois; Daniel V. Connell, Tremont, Illinois; and John S. Heller, East Peoria, Illinois. Subscribers elected, Craig W. Concklin Hinsdale, Illinois; and John S. Heller, East Peoria, Illinois, to the Advisory Committee. Pekin Insurance officers elected included: Scott A. Martin, Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer; Steven R. Anderson, Vice Chairman of the Board; Daniel V. Connell, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Secretary; Todd A. Clark, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer - Property/Casualty; Brian K. Lee, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer - Life; Curtis A. Eeten, Vice President - Claims; Gregory L. Feller, Vice President - Sales; Joel M. Jackson, Vice President - Marketing; Subha...

On February 28 th ,  HMC Tremont Medical Arts physician Dr. Trent Proehl will be presenting from a patient focused perspective on healthy living at Seasons Gastropub in Morton.  The community is invited to come and enjoy appetizers and refreshments during the evening presentation. Dr. Proehl has well established local ties, and he recently returned to Tazewell County to practice at the HMC Tremont Medical Arts alongside his wife Dr. Rebecca Proehl and Dr. Matthew Rossi. Their office is characterized by a patient focused, physician directed approach. Patients see their doctor and receive state-of-the-art quality provided in a private, family atmosphere.  Dr. Trent Proehl will be sharing expert insights from physician perspective on healthy living. Please RSVP by February 21 st at (309) 449-4500 to meet the physician and enjoy an evening focused on your health. HMC Tremont Medical Arts is part of the Hopedale Medical Complex. HMC includes our hospital, a state of t...

How can individuals suffering from painful reflux and heartburn find relief and comfort? Matthew B. Rossi, MD, FACS, will be discussing information, treatment, and diet concerns for those suffering from GERD at Jack’s Café in Tremont on Monday, February 19 th at 6:30pm.  Dr. Rossi has been studying and treating reflux, also known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), for over 30 years, and he will eagerly help sufferers of the disease be informed and find relief through appropriate treatment. For patients with severe GERD, one option is the minimally-invasive Linx® outpatient surgery. Dr. Rossi says, “ I have been following the Linx® technology for nearly 10 years now. With over 10,000 implants worldwide, I feel this device is extremely safe and effective, a real game changer in our approach to acid reflux and regurgitation.  I believe in properly selected patients, that the Linx® device has become the preferred method of treating severe GERD.” Joining Dr. Rossi will ...

Illinois Central College is hosting an informational session for home educators and their high-school-aged students on Thurs., March 8 from 8:30 am to noon, on the ICC East Peoria Campus. The event is aimed at providing an overview of ICC as well as discussing ways in which ICC can partner with home educators to supplement and/or extend their home school curriculum. Topics will include information on financial aid and admission, including ICC’s home school admission policies, an overview of student activities and other ways of getting involved on campus. Students also will have the chance to fill out surveys at the Career Center to see how their interests align with career options. The event is free, but space is limited. Reservations are required, as breakfast will be provided. For more information or to make a reservation, contact Mandy Hidden at (309) 694-5228 by Fri., Feb. 23.

Employee Retention It costs nearly 20 percent of an employee’s annual salary to replace a current employee. If you are experiencing high turnover, chances are you are experiencing high losses as well. The costs of reviewing applications, processing candidates, conducting interviews, training and purchasing equipment for new hires aren’t only monetary—they also cost time and lost productivity. Given the high cost of losing an employee, retention should be a top priority for every organization. If you do not already have a retention strategy, now is the time to make one. The first step in curbing turnover is figuring out why employees are leaving. Why Employees Leave Employees leave organizations for a variety of reasons, depending on their unique circumstances. However, there are some common reasons that may help determine the best retention strategy for your organization. Below are some of the most common reasons employees leave: Stagnation —Employees are often looking for ...

This workshop will cover the 5 C's of business credit and the information needed before you apply.  Attendees can expect to gain some real practical takeaways and be able to apply what they learn to most financial institutions. Brandon Carlson, Business Credit Analyst and Russell Edelman, Business Loan officer - both of CEFCU - will be presenting. This workshop is free, but registration is required.  Reserve your place today by clicking here . 

Join Illinois Central College’s “Between the Lines” program to explore the historical novel The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish on Tues., March 6 from 7 to 8 pm in Arbor 112 on the Peoria Campus. Catharine Schaidle will offer a presentation on the book and lead the discussion. “There was life in London .  There was life in her. And desire. A flame leapt in her ,  defiant of the bounds in which she 'd   imprisoned   it.” – Weight of Ink, Rachel Kadish You might be thinking this is just a line from another bodice-ripper throwaway paperback. In Kadish’s book, the desire alluded to is a deep burning quest for knowledge and understanding denied by the mere fact of a Jewish woman’s gender in 17 th century London. In this sweeping historical novel, readers go back and forth from the 17th century when Ester Velasquez arrived in England as an immigrant and was permitted to scribe for a blind rabbi to the travails of the young postgraduate student and his ail...

The February 9th Puttin' on Pekin breakfast drew a large crowd of 97 chamber members and  guests.  Manda Brown from Perfectly Planned Events presented Dave Osborn (Trouble Free Heating and Cooling) with the early prize and Lloyd Davis (Federal Companies) with the late prize.  Michael Seeman (NRG Energy - Powerton) presented the Spotlight on Business award to Earl Riley and First Pekin Savings Bank.  Debbie Fornoff (Debbie Fornoff Interior Design and Draperies) presented the Blue Ribbon award to Pat Taphorn and Bill Schock representing the Unland Companies in recognition of their remodeling project.  Jeff Brooks (Pekin Public Library) presented Jake Jones with  the Sunshine Award for  Pekin Villas of Holly Brook and Reflections.  Katy Schackelford, the city planner for the City of Pekin, was the program.  She updated the crowd on a few of the City's projects, and then presented the "Best of Pekin" awards. You can see more pictures from this ...

How can you make every customer interaction meaningful? Customer experience isn’t confined to what happens in your store. Every interaction customers have with your business can impact the way they feel about you. So how can you make every interaction meaningful?   During this SCORE webinar, Nina Hoy, Senior Content Strategist at Deluxe will show you:   What customer experience really is Why customer experience is important for your business  What is journey mapping, and how it can help you create a cohesive, positive customer experience   Register Here

Local artist Anita Tuccillo, a professor of art at Illinois Central College, will have works displayed in an art show entitled The Shadow opening February 14 in Gallery 336B, located in the Academic Building on the East Peoria Campus.             A free, public reception will take place in the gallery on February 14 from noon to 2 pm, with an artist talk scheduled for 12:30 pm.             Tuccillo is an educator, designer and painter. She received her bachelor of fine arts degree from Indiana University in Bloomington and her master of fine arts degree from the University of Notre Dame. After graduate school, she moved to New Mexico and taught at The University of New Mexico, worked for The Harwood Museum, and designed for Lo Fino. After moving to Peoria, Tuccillo taught art at Peoria Notre Dame High School, Bradley University and currently teaches full time in the Arts ...

Steger's Furniture hosted the February 1st Business After Hours.  About 60 chamber members and guests enjoyed the refreshments and networking and saw the details of Steger's recent remodeling project. You can see more pictures from this event at:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/TTtFyDMXP6kybAjr2

Facet Technologies would like to congratulate Michael Gillespie, Software Analyst, on receiving the 2017 FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award. Sean M. Cox, special agent in charge of the FBI Springfield Division, announced that Michael Gillespie, creator of ID Ransomware and Malwarehunters.com of Bloomington, Illinois, has been selected as the recipient of the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award for 2017. This special award, presented on behalf of the Director of the FBI, was formally created in 1990 as a way to honor individuals and organizations for their efforts in combating terrorism, cybercrime, illegal drugs, gangs, and other crimes leading to violence in America. Michael Gillespie is one of 56 individuals or organizations around the United States who received this award this year. Mr. Gillespie is being recognized for his public service, devotion and assistance to victims of ransomware in the United States and Internationally. Michael first authored the website http...

Do you speak Accounting?  PDI can help. Our Accounting Crash Course can teach you the language of accounting, how to record transactions, prepare and analyze financial statements and budgets, establish internal controls, and use accounting information for decision making. Follow that with our QuickBooks classes to get a handle on your finances. We can also help with spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, databases - and more. Check out our current workshop schedule below. Un-complicate your day...  Accounting Crash Course   February 13, 20 & 27 QuickBooks Level 1 March 6, 13 & 20 QuickBooks Level 2   March 27, April 3 & 10   MS Excel 2016 Part 1 April 2 & 3 MS Excel 2016 Part 2 April 12 & 13 MS Excel 2016 Part 3 ...