June | July 2021 centralillinoisbusiness.com Dream home Once a student usher, John Marquardt is now running State Farm Center DO YOU HAVE UNSKILLED WORKERS? WE PAY FOR * ONBOARDING! HIRE, TRAIN, AND RETAIN Build a strong workforce with help from East Central Illinois workNet. Find out more at www.eciwork.net/employers 217-531-8282 | 1307 N. Mattis Avenue, Champaign Additional offices located in Douglas, Ford, Iroquois, and Piatt Counties. *“Pay” means eligible employers can apply for funding from the WIOA On-the-Job Training program, which includes partial reimbursement of wages for up to six months and the provision of support services such as coaching, transportation vouchers, and uniforms. Federally funded, locally driven, we are East Central Illinois’ workforce development agency operating under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. 3004652 At CIBM Bank you'll find that we have a strong commitment of collaboration in providing financial services that help you achieve your financial goals. We understand that whether you are just opening your first business account or looking for a better loan option, you want a bank you can trust to deliver the best solutions for your needs, not the best solutions for the bank. It's your business. We just help. cibmbank.com Member FDIC 3004518 EDITOR'S NOTE AND TABLE OF CONTENTS 6 SPOTLIGHT: DANVILLE Up and running again A conversation with Tim Dudley, president and CEO of As vaccines roll out to more of the Vermilion Advantage. community, business is starting to 8 SPOTLIGHT: RANTOUL bounce back in a big way. Checking in on the first month of the new Rantoul Family Sports Perhaps no one is more excited Complex and the economic boost it has provided. than John Marquardt, the interim director of the State Farm Center, 10 SPOTLIGHT: URBANA which is finally able to put on City Administrator Carol Mitten fills us in on Urbana’s post- shows again. Sweetcorn Festival plans, among other things. Kevin Barlow interviewed 16 ASK THE EXPERTS Marquardt about the return of Three questions for three area farmers about the summer season in-person entertainment, as well as his own inspiring story and fall harvest. – from student usher while at the University of Illinois to running the arena. 18 BEYOND THE BOARDROOM We also got an update on how the Carle at the Fields A question and answer session with Jim Greenfield, owner of development was impacted by COVID-19 and the post- Spritz Jewelers. pandemic prognosis for the Curtis Road interchange. 20 FAMILIAR TERRITORY We interviewed three area city leaders about what’s He went to the University of Illinois, was a student usher and has driving business in their towns. I interviewed Urbana worked all the way to the top. Interim director John Marquardt is City Administrator Carol Mitten, and Barlow interviewed bringing business back to the once-bustling State Farm Center. Amanda Vickery, executive director of the Rantoul Area Chamber of Commerce, and Tim Dudley, president and 28 STILL A FIELD OF DREAMS? CEO of Vermilion Advantage. What’s next for Carle at the Fields – for businesses both current and We also checked in with three area farmers about how planned? The pandemic has changed a lot of plans regardless. planting went and what could affect this year’s crop. And finally, it’s almost time to submit Forty Under 40 nominations. This will be our 14th class of movers and shakers, and we’ll need your nominations for our panel to select from. Visit news-gazette.com to nominate someone. - Ben Ben Zigterman covers business for The News-Gazette. Reach him by email at [email protected] or by phone at 217-393-8264. One of the new baseball fields at the new Rantoul Family Sports Complex. Photo by Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette. On our cover: John Marquardt. Photo by Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette. 12 Indicators Our highly sought-after facts and figures for the greater central Illinois area. 24 Hope Wheeler Meet this year’s Athena Award and Athena Young Professional Award winners. 26 Guest column CIB contributor Laura Weis on the importance of spending locally. 29 Fine Print Building permits in the area. June | July 2021 3 MARK YOUR CALENDAR respective fields will teach you everything from June 7 legal considerations to best practices in digital The Business of Podcasting advertising; brand identity to effective sales 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm centralillinoisbusiness.com techniques; actionable advice on marketing and https://champaign.org/event/the-business-of- communication best practices to help your busi- podcasting-4991594 ness succeed in 2021 and beyond. EXECUTIVE VICE Join “the Erins”, the hosts from the hit podcast, PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER “This Podcast Will Kill You” and learn about June 17 Paul M. Barrett the benefits of creating a podcast for you or your Start & Grow Your Side Hustle [email protected] business. 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Why should businesses start a podcast? What’s https://champaign.org/event/start-grow-your- the benefit? How could it work out for you finan- side-hustle-4991672 VICE PRESIDENT OF cially? If you don’t have a business, is podcasting Join us for this virtual workshop, where we’ll talk ADVERTISING a viable venture? about strategies for turning your skills and abilities The New York Times posted on March 6, Nancy C. Sims into money-making enterprises. 618-924-0843 2019, stating that “More than half of the people In this workshop, we’ll cover what a “side [email protected] in the United States have listened to one, and hustle” is, how it works, and some of the op- nearly one out of three people listen to at least portunities made possible by the gig economy. one podcast every month.” There are many We’ll give you some tips and tricks for making DIRECTOR OF benefits to business owners creating an informa- the most of your side gig, and share some of the tive and engaging podcast. It allows you to reach BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT pitfalls to look out for. Jackie Martin a larger audience, make meaningful connections, About the Presenter: This workshop will be led 217-351-5275 increase your web traffic by providing inexpen- by Madeleine Wolske, Business Librarian. sive marketing, and more! Starting a podcast Registration is required. Sign up to get the [email protected] about something you’re passionate about can also Zoom link. be a great way to make money through sponsor- ship and ads. The Art of Visual Storytelling: SBDC Webinar EDITOR The Erins are co-creators and co-hosts of 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Ben Zigterman the podcast, “This Podcast Will Kill You,” an https://www.cusbdc.org/event/sbdc-webinar- 217-393-8264 award-winning podcast that explores topics in the-art-of-visual-storytelling/ [email protected] public health and dives into the history, biology Your brand has a story to tell. Your team, prod- and current status of different infectious diseases. ucts, services, mission statement, work style, and They will discuss how they found success, com- community involvement – all of these aspects have ART DIRECTOR munity, and monetary gains through podcasting a story to share with your audience and set you Eric Bartell while providing some amazing tips and tricks for apart from other businesses. In this webinar, we’ll [email protected] those interested in podcasting. discuss tips and best practices for developing your own set of graphics, photos, and videos to entice June 16 followers to learn more and connect with you. The Central Illinois Business Rebuild, Reenergize: A Webinar Series for Elevate your online presence with storytelling, and magazine is published bimonthly Business Leaders In a Post-COVID-19 World learn more about simple photo and video storytell- by Champaign Multimedia 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM ing options from Clanin Marketing’s photogra- Group, LLC., 201 Devonshire Dr., https://www.champaigncounty.org/events/ pher and videographer, that you can incorporate Champaign, IL 61820. The Central details/rebuild-reenergize-a-webinar-series- Illinois Business magazine is today to best reach your audience. published 6 times per year and for-business-leaders-in-a-post-covid-19- The webinar will be approximately 45 minutes world-06-16-2021-4340 mailed to businesses, community of presentation time followed by Q&A. Partici- development leaders, chambers Crucial Business Components to Success pants will be able to ask questions in the chat box, of commerce members and other Small Business Revolution which will be addressed at the end of the presenta- professionals in Central Illinois. Amanda will share the lessons learned in working tion, moderated by a member of our team. Free subscriptions may be obtained with small businesses across the country, offering at centralillinoisbusiness.com, the audience actionable advice on marketing June 24 by calling 217-351-5252, emailing and communication best practices. Often small Lunchtime Learning: The Benefits of Disability [email protected] or by businesses feel they can’t afford the time or fiscal Inclusive Employment visiting our offices at 201 Devonshire investment in marketing, but Amanda is often 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Dr. Postmaster: Send address quoted saying small businesses can’t afford to https://www.champaigncounty.org/events/de- changes to Central Illinois Business NOT to invest in marketing. tails/lunchtime-learning-the-benefits-of-dis- magazine, P.O. Box 677, Champaign, IL 61824-0677. ©2021 by Champaign She will share insights of the most important ability-inclusive-employment-06-24-2021-4326 Multimedia Group, LLC, all rights focus areas of your brand and digital footprint, Presented by DSC and Community Choices, reserved.