Webinar Series
Hometown Holiday Happenings
Celebrate and shop local this December! Register for Dec. 1 @ noon to learn about the hometown holiday events planned across our Business Navigators region – and plan to attend to get your chance to win free tickets to some of the biggest events!
Register here
National Women’s Small Business Month
Michelle Lura White with the Office of Minority Economic Empowerment (OMEE) set the stage for our panel discussion with women business owners from across our Business Navigators region. Guest panelists included: Resa Shaner, Leslie Tarble, Robin Trapp and Cathrine Craig. This webinar was held Thursday, Oct. 27 @ 2 p.m.
See the full recording here
See the panel discussion recording here
Learn more about the State of Illinois Business Enterprise Program that helps foster an inclusive, equitable and competitive business environment supporting underrepresented businesses.
See the certification process here.
Energy Webinar
Increases in energy prices have been top of mind for businesses and residents alike across Southcentral and Southeastern Illinois.
The Business Navigator Alliance of Southcentral and Southeastern Illinois hosted a webinar to dive into this topic on September 29th at 2 p.m.
Mark Pruitt, Principal of the Power Bureau, consulting firm that provides energy commodity procurement and planning services to small and mid-sized organizations, guided us through a macro view of the energy sector from a global standpoint down to a state and regional perspective.
Brian Bradley with North American Lighting, Scott Eyman and Jeff Alvey with AGCO shared their insights into how businesses best adjust to the increased energy costs as well.
Attendees also learned possible short-term and long-term energy solutions as well as new tax available credits through the Inflation Reduction Act.
See the recording here
Materials shared:
Mark Pruitt presentation – the Power Bureau
Brian Bradley presentation – North American Lighting
Scott Eyman and Jeff Alvey presentation – AGCO
State of the Region
The Business Navigator Alliance of Southcentral and Southeastern Illinois is hosting a State of the Region webinar on August 25th. We have assembled a panel of experts to guide us through this regional outlook. Attendees will hear presentations on economic indicators and the real estate market from a national to regional level. Then we will dive into a review of state awarded grants, throughout the region, over the past 18-months.
The webinar was held Thursday, August 25th @ 10:30 a.m. with the following presenters: Rick Parks, President of the First National Bank of Waterloo; Matt Forcum with Shelby Realty and Kala Lambert with Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
See the recording here
Materials shared:
State of the Region Follow Up Document – Matt Forcum, Shelby Realty
www.illinois.gov/dceo & www.illinois.grant.gov – Kala Lambert, Southeast Regional Manager, Regional Economic Development, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
Local Business Resilience
The Business Navigator Alliance of Southcentral and Southeastern Illinois is hosting a three-part webinar series on Business Resiliency. During this series we will connect with local businesses to learn about the changes and pivots that were implemented during the pandemic.
The first webinar in the series focuses on increased customer engagement through exceptional customer service.
Directors from Effingham Performance Center, the Marshall Gaslight Art Colony and Paris Center of the Fine Arts will share how exceptional customer service played a critical role in maintaining engagement during the pandemic and its ever-increasing importance overall.
Customer Service Expert and Trainer Dawn Mushill will also share best customer services practices.
This free webinar was Thursday, July 28 at 2 p.m.
See recording here
Materials shared:
Local Apprenticeships
The sixth webinar in the series will feature Nate Carlson, the new Apprenticeship Navigator serving southcentral and southeastern Illinois and Jamie Corda-Hadjaoui, Director of Workforce Development Investment for the Local Workforce Investment Area 23.
Attendees learned how Mr. Carlson works with local companies to establish apprenticeships. He also detailed responsibilities and benefits of pre-apprenticeship, youth apprenticeship, and registered apprenticeship programs.
Ms. Corda-Hadjaoui reviewed training assistance programs offered by the State through the Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) and how they can work with apprenticeships. Programs covered will include On-the-Job Training, Incumbent Worker Training, and Youth Work Experience.
See the recording here
Regional Childcare Initiatives
Thursday, May 26 @ 10:30 a.m.
Hear from local business Stevens Industries as they prepare to launch on-site childcare services for their employees. Jeff Andrews, President of Business of Childcare, will discuss the current state of childcare in our region and share how he helps communities act toward addressing challenges. Matt Cekander, CPA, Doehring, Winders & Co. LLP will review potential childcare tax credits available to business and their employees.
See the recording here
See Matt Cekander’s Presentation – Child Care Tax Credits
Online Webinar – Housing Development
Thursday, Apr. 28 @ 10:30 a.m.
Learn about incentive programs offered through the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity and the Illinois Housing Development Authority. The Mayor of Paris, Illinois, and a representative from Laborer’s Home Development Corporation will give insights into their recent housing development projects.
See the recording here
Apprenticeships Webinar
Thursday, Mar. 31 @ 10:30 a.m.
Attendees learned more about Apprenticeship Navigator Service provided by Lake Land College, Apprenticeships 101 with a local employer’s experience, LIFT – Leaders Innovating for Tomorrow and ERCA – Effingham Regional Career Academy.
See the recording here
Introduction to Illinois Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) and
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO)
Thurs. Feb. 24 @ 2 p.m.
See the recording here
Panelists included: Don Elmore with Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC and Kala Lambert with DCEO.
Materials shared: SBDC Presentation Handout – 2.24.22 and DCEO Presentation Handout – 2.24.22
For further information:
Don Elmore, Director at Champaign County EDC
don@cusbdc.org or 217-378-8535
Mariel Huasanga, Director – International Trade Center, IL SBDC at Champaign County EDC
mariel@cusbdc.org or 217-378-8535
Partners of SBDC:
ITC – International Trade Center https://www.intracen.org/
SBA – Small Business Administration https://www.sba.gov/
DCEO – Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity https://www.illinois.gov/dceo
PTAC – Procurement Technical Assistance Center https://www2.illinois.gov/dceo/SmallBizAssistance/BeginHere/Pages/PTAC.aspx
IL SBDC at Champaign County EDC www.cusbdc.org
Bridge Virtual Incubator www.bridgeincubator.com
Kala L. Lambert, Southeast Region Manager, Regional Economic Development
Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity
203 East 3rd Street, Suite 2
Centralia, IL 62801
C: (217) 836-8376
kala.lambert@illinois.gov
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity www.illinois.gov/dceo
Illinois Apprenticeship Education Expense Tax Credit
Illinois Research & Development Tax Credit
- EDGE
- CDBG Economic Development
- Enterprise Zone
- Blue Collar Jobs Act- more to come on this, see the 5 year summary https://www2.illinois.gov/dceo/Documents/IllinoisEconomicPlan2019.10.9.2019.pdf#search=blue%20collar%20job%20act
- Fund for Advancement of Minority Enterprises (FAME)
- WIOA Programs
- Apprenticeship Educational Expense Program
- Angel Tax Incentive Program
- Minority-Owned Business Capital Grants
Access Capital for Your Business
Thurs. Jan. 27 @ 10:30 a.m.
See the recording here
Panelists included: Lora Bergfeld and John Vitale with the SBA Department at Midland States Bank, Mary Warren with the USDA Office of Rural Development and John Hill and Mark Schultz with Office of Business Development at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
Materials shared included: Small Business Presentation with Midland (slides), Small Business Association – Midland Flyer, Advantage Illinois Presentation (slides), Advantage Illinois FAME, Advantage Illinois – Approved Lenders 12.10.21, USDA RD Presentation (slides),
Further resources shared in the webinar:
Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)
Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)
Women’s Business Centers (WBC)
Veteran’s Business Outreach Center (VBOC)
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