From soda Bella New Plans to jerk to the Milano of- legisla- launch Sangamo fers some- tion, new Source Club, Ang- thing for develope- Sangamon ie Keefner- everyone, ments and Challenge Grieser including new tech- at 2013 talks hos- our Lent- nology. Business PERSONALITY pitality. BUSINESS en eaters. REAL ESTATE & BUSINESS Expo. PROFILE P. 12 LUNCH P. 14 HOME BUILDERS P. 16-29 CONNECTIONS P. 30-34 MARCH 2013 www.springfieldbusinessjournal.com (217) 726-6600 Springfield [email protected] business .journal BUSINESS. NEWS. PAPER. Communities focus on economic growth PACE offers Q5 not for everyone; man are taking the initiative to make capital investment.’ pursues economic development energy savings Chatham and Sherman make it happen. The city of Springfield is the on its own as a problem [for Q5]; In 2007, the Quantum only municipality that is invest- we want to see economic devel- Mall manager promotes work on their own Growth Partnership (Q5) de- ing in Q5. According to Steward opment in the entire county.” financing program initiatives buted as the economic develop- Sandstrom, Springfield Cham- But some area villages have ber president, there is no formal opted out of Q5. The village By Joe Natale, By Betsy Butler, ment function of The Greater plan to solicit investments from of Chatham will soon have its Associate Editor Senior Correspondent Springfield Chamber of Com- merce. The ultimate goal of neighboring areas. “We under- own marketing plan for fueling Spurring economic develop- Q5, as stated on the Chamber’s stand that there is a long list of economic growth. The village Maureen Bluhm is on pace to ment in the midst of a recession website is ‘to grow Sangamon initiatives and a much shorter improve energy efficiency in the is not an easy task but commu- County by improving our ability list of resources,” Sandstrom said. Continued on Page 10, Capital City. nities like Chatham and Sher- to create jobs, attract talent and “We don’t see a community that Communities The general manager of White Oaks Mall is advocating the adoption of a Property As- sessed Clean Energy (PACE) pro- Difficult time for employers and job seekers gram in Springfield. “PACE is an innovative pro- Local employers and can- gram that focuses on energy ef- didates talk job market ficiency,” Bluhm said. “It is an alternative way of funding large By Gabriel House, projects.” Correspondent PACE is a voluntary program for property owners to make en- The recent recession is over ergy efficiency improvements – or at least very nearly so – de- to existing buildings. Interested pending on one’s point of view. owners opt-in to PACE in order The masses who found them- to receive private market financ- selves under or wholly unem- ing for improvements that is re- ployed are joining fresh-faced paid with an assessment on their college graduates all clamoring property taxes. for the jobs that will act as rungs PACE spreads cost of im- on a precariously perched career provements, such as weather ladder. sealing, insulation, heating and In addition, baby boomers cooling systems. are turning 65 at a rate of 10,000 Upon transfer or sale of the per day and will do so at a simi- property, the assessments are lar rate for the next 19 years, linked to the property and trans- according to the Pew Research fer to a new owner upon sale. Center. As they begin to retire “The loan is paid over 15 to en masse, their exodus may cre- 20 years,” Bluhm said. “The tax ate sizeable holes that are often is on the property, not the in- simply unable to be filled due to dividual. The tax goes with the a dearth of experience and prac- property when it is sold.” tical knowledge. While PACE was added to the It all combined to create a Illinois Municipal Code in 2009, perfect storm for Niki Kersey, 26, a specific PACE program has yet of Springfield. Kersey graduated to be established in Illinois. “I from the University of Illinois Niki Kersey of Springfield graduated from the University of Illinois Springfield in May of 2011 with a Continued on Page 11, bachelor’s degree in business administration. She just recently found full-time with benefits employment to Continued on Page 9, Jobs launch her professional career. PACE COMING NEXT MONTH ... TWO SPECIAL SECTIONS EDUCATION • The April issue will feature local news and information Fairways about educational institu- CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED SERVICE CHANGE PERMIT NO 209 NO PERMIT tions and opportunities in SPRINGFIELD IL SPRINGFIELD Springfield. CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED SERVICE CHANGE & Greens PERMIT NO 209 NO PERMIT Springfield, Ill. 62791 Ill. Springfield, PAID SPRINGFIELD IL SPRINGFIELD The April issue will also feature U.S. POSTAGE U.S. The lists will include: P.O. Box 9798 Box P.O. PAID Springfield, Ill. 62791 Ill. Springfield, a special feature section on Golf and related U.S. POSTAGE U.S. - Colleges & Universities PRSRT STD PRSRT P.O. Box 9798 Box P.O. SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL BUSINESS SPRINGFIELD industries in central Illinois PRSRT STD PRSRT SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL BUSINESS SPRINGFIELD - Independent Private Schools Public Golf Courses • Local Golf Outings 2 • March 2013 • Springfield Business Journal Springfield Business Journal • March 2013 • 3 • the rookery BNI hits 7 million referrals chairing a committee of developers, en- Business Network International has gineers and public sector officials seeking revealed that in 2012 BNI members in- to streamline the development process to ternationally passed 7.1 million referrals, make Springfield a more welcoming place generating more than $3.3 billion dollars to do business. of business for its members. In the central Barb Weatherford of Town and County Illinois area, BNI chapters passed over 3,000 Bank was also honored for the fourth time referrals, resulting in $15.4 million worth as Ambassador of the Year, having accumu- of business done by BNI members. lated the most points toward Ambassador BNI held an introductory meeting of a duties. Ambassadors serve as Chamber new Springfield chapter in February. Local representatives in the community. businesses interested in attending a BNI Incoming 2013 Board Chair Jeff Ball chapter can find a list of all Springfield of Hanson Professional Services Inc. rec- chapters’ meeting times and locations at: ognized the service of seven outgoing http://www.bni-il.com/chapters.asp. members of The Chamber board: Mike BNI has more than 6,200 chapters Pence, Maureen Bluhm, Doug Rahn, Sean worldwide in 49 countries. BNI is a driver Grant, Lugene Finley, Greg Lutchka, and of success for its member companies. Dan Sale. In 2012, more than 3,000 referrals were passed by the Central Illinois BNI chapters’ Chamber supports infrastructure 400 members. These referrals represented investment $15,440,975 worth of business done by The Greater Springfield Chamber of BNI members in 2012. $5.6 million of that Commerce reaffirmed its support for in- business was generated by the Springfield vestment in infrastructure for the city of BNI chapters. The value of this business Springfield at a meeting of the Board of averaged $38,602 per member. Membership Directors in February. Sound infrastruc- in BNI costs $465 the first year and $365 ture including streets, sidewalks and sew- each year after that. ers, is a critical foundation of economic Each BNI chapter allows only one growth, promotes a good quality of life person per professional classification, but and improves public safety for our citi- the Springfield introductory meetings zens and families and new chapter meetings are open to Mayor J. Michael Houston met with all interested business professionals. The The Chamber’s Board of Directors to dis- average BNI chapter has 23 members and cuss the city’s infrastructure needs and passes business leads between members, detailed a three-year $86.6 million im- for sales opportunities both inside and provement plan that would bring our outside the group. roads, sidewalks, storm sewers and traffic lights up to a good state of repair. Kerber, Eck & Braeckel LLP and The mayor then discussed a $22.5 mil- Pritchard Osborne LLC merge lion annual maintenance program that Kerber, Eck & Braeckel LLP announced would maintain our city’s infrastructure that as of Jan.1, the operations of Pritchard and also unveiled a 10-year $55 million Osborne LLC have merged into KEB. As a plan to address the backlog of repairs result of the merger, David Pritchard, Paul needed to our city’s sewer system. Osborne and Steve Dumstorff have been In 2009, The Chamber supported the admitted as partners with KEB. Build Springfield Initiative that more than Pritchard Osborne was founded in Li- doubled the infrastructure investment in tchfield, Ill. in 1981 and opened an office our community. Unfortunately, we knew in St. Louis in 1993. Pritchard Osborne’s St. at the time it would not keep up with fu- Louis office has been combined with KEB’s ture infrastructure needs and additional St. Louis office and is now located at One investment was needed to maintain our S. Memorial Drive, Suite 950. Pritchard roads, sidewalks and sewers. Osborne’s Litchfield office will remain at its current location. NFIB: wage increase would hurt KEB, founded in Springfield in 1931, small business now has 25 partners and more than 150 Kim Clarke Maisch, state director of the other employees. KEB now has a total of National Federation of Independent Busi- eight offices in the Midwest, with five loca- ness, released a statement in response to tions in Illinois, two in Missouri and one Gov. Pat Quinn’s State of the State address in Wisconsin. and his call for a minimum wage hike: “Our members had hoped Governor Chamber marks 144 years at Quinn would use his State of the State ad- gala dress to talk about how Illinois can once Before an audience of 700 members of again become a premier state to do business Sangamon County’s business community, in.