Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce

    Please join us at the  Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette  for a digital marketing seminar  presented by Google , along with free breakfast and networking. WHEN Tuesday, June 18, 2019 8:30 AM EST WHERE Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette 501 Main Street Peoria, IL 61602 RSVP As a small business owner, find out how you can:  ...

On May 29th the Pekin Post Office was officially renamed in honor of Lance Corporal Jordan S. Bastean.  The Pekin native was killed in action in Afghanistan on October 23, 2011.  Representative Cheri Bustos, Congresswoman from the 17th Congressional District of Illinois, was instrumental in getting the public law passed to allow for post office name change.  She spoke to the crowd, along with several of the U.S. Marines that served with Bastean. Also speaking were Jerry Becker, Bastean's JROTC instructor at PCHS, Pekin Postmaster Eric Anske, and Kathy Bastean (Jordan's mother).  You can see more pictures from this event at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/LAwgjz3YyA8JXHdeA

– The Center for Prevention of Abuse (CFPA) is pleased to welcome Kevin Nowlan to the position of Chief Operating Officer. Nowlan previously worked at CFPA in a variety of capacities over a 15-year period, most recently serving as Associate Executive Director. He returns as Chief Operating Officer (COO). “We are very excited to welcome Kevin Nowlan back at the Center for Prevention of Abuse,” said Carol Merna, Chief Executive Officer at CFPA. “It’s always bittersweet when staff make the decision to retire and our agency is saddened to see Joyce DeRenzy step back from the position of Chief Operating Officer after more than 20 years of service. However, Kevin’s return is serendipitous, as he was previously in this role and is familiar with our mission, our vision, and our philosophy. It is a natural fit and we know he will be incredibly successful in position as he helps to lead our agency.” Nowlan joined CFPA in 2002 where he served as a Prevention Educator and then was p...

Goodwill of Central Illinois will host its annual job fair on Friday, June 7, 2019 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. More than 30 employers are expected to attend, including OSF, FedEX, Kroger and G&D. “Goodwill exists to support the people of Central Illinois and this is one of the ways we do that,” said Don Johnson, Goodwill president and CEO. “Events like this are important to the community and our local employers. A job means not only a paycheck, but a sense of pride. This is just one of the many services that we can offer, because people donate to Goodwill.” Interviews will be held onsite. Attendees should bring copies of their resume and dress accordingly. Goodwill’s computer lab will be open for use in applying online and assistance will be available. Goodwill’s free programs are possible through the sale of your donated items. Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois serves 21 counties within Central Illinois. Goodwill offers employment services, veterans’ support services, opera...

               Illinois Central College is seeking interested individuals to fill select career and technical programs with openings for summer and fall enrollment. Programs with openings for additional students include the Industrial Maintenance and Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machining apprenticeship programs, as well as a Pre-Apprenticeship/Workforce Ready Program. Potential students who are currently unemployed or under-employed are encouraged to apply. Apprenticeship programs                ICC’s apprenticeship programs provide a mix of 300-450 hours of coursework per year, in addition to on-the-job training with local companies, to train for a specific career. The partnering companies hire the apprentices and pay their tuition/fees and books plus a salary while they learn. Successful students can complete the apprenticeship program with an associate degree debt-f...

At the W. D. Boyce Council Board Meeting on May 22nd at the Country Club of Peoria, three deserving young men were awarded the Matthew Thomas Stevenson Scholarship. The mission of the Matthew Thomas Stevenson Scholarship Fund is to provide higher education assistance to deserving Eagle Scouts in the W. D. Boyce Council in the form of computer and related technology. Awards are given in memory of Matt Stevenson. Matt Stevenson was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout on Feb 25, 1993 in Mossville, IL. Matt continued to demonstrate the elements of the Scout Law as he proceeded through high school and college. He attended Illinois State University, where he majored in Computer Science. At the age of 23, Matt passed away as the result of leukemia, which he bravely fought for nearly two years. Close friends provided a lasting tribute to Matt's memory through the development and funding of this scholarship fund. It is an exceptional tribute that combines Matt's love of Scouting, compute...

MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH Millions of people in the United States deal with mental health disorders each year, with one in 5 people being affected by a disorder at some point in their life. Yet less than half receive help. Though the stigma surrounding mental health has improved, it still prevents people from getting the treatment they need today. According to recent studies, adults between the ages of 18 to 25 make up the highest percentage of people struggling with mental illness, but compared to other age groups, they also report the lowest rates of seeking treatment. Many people feel their men...

i3 Broadband is Pleased to be Recognized with Four Residential Awards and Two Business Awards from Online Consumer-Based Internet Search Service i3 Broadband, the only independent and local provider of fiber optic Gigabit high speed internet service in Peoria, Champaign, and Urbana, IL, has proudly received numerous 2019 Internet Provider Awards from consumer internet search service, BroadbandNow. i3’s Residential and Business Services both received winning rankings and recognition in the following categories for “Mid-Sized” service providers: 1.        Top 2 Fastest Internet Providers Nationwide 2.        Top 3 Fastest Fiber Providers Nationwide 3.        Top 3 Customer-Rated Fiber Service Nationwide 4.        Top 3 Customer-Rated Business Fiber Service Nationwide 5.        Top 5 Customer Approval Rating Nationwide 6. ...

Illinois Central College recently was named one of the  “ 2019 Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges”   by the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) and the publication Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. The designation recognizes ICC and 18 other institutions from among all NISOD two-year community and technical colleges nationwide for their commitment to “Promising Practices” in the areas of workplace diversity, staffing practices and work environment. A web-based survey approach was used to examine categories such as family friendliness, salary and benefits, and professional development opportunities, to name a few. Profiles of the winning institutions were released in the May 16, 2019, edition of the publication and are available online at   diverseeducation.com . For more information about ICC and its programs, visit icc.edu .

               Illinois Central College Board of Trustees has determined the process it will follow to fill the seat formerly held by Frank Mackaman and is now seeking interested candidates.                Mackaman was elected to the Board in 2015. His current term would have expired in April 2021. The College owes Trustee Mackaman a debt of gratitude for his exemplary service over the last four years and is saddened by his need to step down due to personal and scheduling conflicts.                   Those interested in applying for the position must be a U.S. citizen aged 18 years of age or older and a resident of Illinois and of Illinois Community College District #514 for at least one year immediately preceding the appointment.     ...

Pekin Life Insurance Company held its annual meeting on Tuesday, May 14, 2019, at the Company’s Home Office in Pekin, Illinois. The Company reported net income of $3.4 million. Premium income decreased by 7.4 percent to $184.5 million. Life Insurance in force exceeded $18.2 billion in the year 2018. At the meeting, shareholders elected directors Thomas C. Hornstein, Pekin, Illinois; Scott A. Martin, Chillicothe, Illinois; and Christine A. Schwartz, Pekin, Illinois, to three year terms to expire in May 2022. Other directors whose terms continue are: Steven R. Anderson, Loves Park, Illinois; Craig W. Concklin, Hinsdale, Illinois; Daniel V. Connell, Tremont, Illinois; Byron A. Dodd, Anna, Illinois; John S. Heller, East Peoria, Illinois; and Brian K. Lee, Pekin, Illinois. Pekin Life Insurance Company is an integral part of the Pekin Insurance® group of companies. Pekin Life Insurance Company stock trades under the symbol “PKIN” and is listed on the OTC Pink Marketplace. A multi-li...

BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU® NEWS RELEASE Peoria, IL (May 14 2019) An in-depth investigative study by Better Business Bureau (BBB) finds that fraudulent consumer goods are ubiquitous, difficult to tell apart from the legitimate products they are counterfeiting, and stem from a large network of organized criminals and credit card processing mechanisms that are willing to support them.                 Research shows that eight in 10 Americans shop online, and the dominance of online retail means nearly anything can be bought online, sometimes at discounts that seem too good to be true. However, nearly anything available online can be counterfeited, and research also shows that one in four people have bought something online that turned out to be counterfeit.             ...