Business Assistance, Retention & Expansion

The Circles of 7 business mentoring program has been in full swing for six months. We are holding separate evaluation sessions with the mentors and protégés in February and March. From these evaluation sessions, we will modify and improve the program for future participants. We will begin recruiting for the next round in July. For more information on C7, visit www.bnbiz.org/C7.asp.

The business retention and expansion program, BizBAM, is also in progress. In this program, a BizBAM outreach specialist meets with local companies to discuss issues affecting their operations and creates a custom response to short-term growth obstacles. This input helps the EDC develop strategies for the long-term health of the Bloomington-Normal business environment.

BizBAM outreach specialists are a link to a virtual response team of local not-for-profit, municipal, county and state economic development service providers. If you would like to schedule a meeting, or if you know of someone who may benefit from this program, please contact Chad Carson at (309) 452-8437 or chad@bnbiz.org.

New Business Recruitment & Development

Work continues on the EDC’s Technology Master Plan. The EDC Technology Task Force was established in 2007 to help guide the formation of the Technology Master Plan. The Task Force is comprised of representatives of many local organizations and businesses. Its goal is to develop a master plan that will provide recommendations to the public and private sectors in developing and implementing the highest level of technology in the community to achieve the following goals:

• Use technology capacity and infrastructure as a tool to attract innovative and technology-oriented companies to the area
• Use technological capacity to improve the competitiveness and capacity of local existing businesses to grow and expand, thereby creating new jobs and capital investment
• Provide technology and Internet access to those portions of the community that do not have access or where access is limited These include areas of the community that have low-income demographics and/or rural or remote areas with small populations
• Provide technology to the businesses of the area at the lowest possible cost
• Provide technology and Internet access that will enhance our community’s security and well-being by providing enhanced capabilities to first responders
• Provide guidance for technology enhancement as the community grows and expands

The completion of this study and implementation of all or part of the goals will increase our capacity to compete for new companies in the area. If you are interested in being part of this task force, please contact Marty Vanags at (309) 452-8437 or mvanags@bnbiz.org.

Community Improvement

One Voice
Next month, 38 community leaders will travel to Washington, D.C. to advocate for federal funds for the One Voice priority projects. In December, the EDC board of directors voted to approve the 2008 projects which include the Normal Multi-Modal Transportation Center, the Bloomington Cultural District Regional Creativity Center, the Lexington wastewater treatment project, and the McLean County Business Incubator. While in D.C., the group will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with our local Congressional delegation, key appropriation staff and economic development experts. 

For more information relating to the fly-in and the One Voice priority projects, go to www.1community1voice.org.

West Bloomington Redevelopment
The first meeting of the West Bloomington Redevelopment Task Force was held on February 12th.  Representatives from the City of Bloomington, Teska and Associates, State Farm, State Farm Bank, Afni, Inc.,, COUNTRY Insurance and Financial Services, the Prairie Foundation, Illinois State University, the Gridley Allen Pricket (GAP) Neighborhood Association, Mid Central Community Action and the EDC were in attendance.  This effort brought together key stakeholders in revitalization efforts who are committed to the health and reinvestment of the area.  After several months of planning and many individual and small group meetings, we heard unanimous support and commitment toward working together to revitalize West Bloomington. At the meeting, the group reviewed background work that has been conducted to date and worked through interactive exercises to frame the scope of the project.

This project will take an asset-based approach – building on the inherent strengths of the area.  The area is strategically located between downtown and I-74, is home to historic housing and has long-standing churches, non-profits and small businesses.  While there are barriers to overcome, this initiative will seek consensus for projects that add up to more than the sum of their parts.  Each individual and organization, working in a coordinated way, will be able to achieve positive change for the community.  A community-wide meeting is planned for early May. 

Program Oversight & Investor Relations
by Marty Vanags, CEO

I recently attended the International Economic Development Council’s leadership conference. Maury Forman, director of education and training for Washington state’s Department of Community, Trade & Economic Development, was the opening keynote speaker. Forman, a best-selling author on economic development, drew on his latest book, The Ten Commandments of Economic Development, a collection of anecdotes that can help leaders realize a vision for sustainable communities. I thought what he had to say reaffirmed some of the things the EDC is doing. (The following article is taken from the IEDC’s Economic Development Now newsletter.) See if you agree:

Reminding leaders of the basics of economic development, Forman stated that one of economic developers’ most important jobs is making people aware of what they do in the community. Quoting one of his ‘commandments’ – “Thou shalt create a vision for the future” – Forman explained that to compete globally, a sustainable and long-lasting strategic plan must be established, and the plan needs to be fluid and flexible, changing with the times in order to have a positive impact and create wealth.

Forman stressed the need for patience. “There are no instant results in economic development, and it’s up to leadership to convey this message to the wider community,” he reminded participants. “Programs must follow evolutions and transitions to keep a community vibrant,” he said.
Click here to read more...

Finance Information

If you seek financing for your project, the EDC may be able to help. The EDC can facilitate financing with private banking sources, public financial funds such as the McLean County Revolving Loan Fund, Community Development Assistance Program funding through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Illinois Finance Authority, as well as venture funds and other programs. For certain projects, the EDC is the local point of contact for obtaining specialized state and local tax and financial incentives, including the local enterprise zone. 

To improve your project's chances of obtaining funding through one of the above programs, please contact the EDC as early as possible in your project's lifecycle. Several of the financing options become inaccessible as the project gets underway. For details and criteria for any of the above programs, please contact the EDC at
(309) 452-8437.

12-office building, well-constructed and nicely finished. High-traffic area. Building sits on a ½ -acre lot with ample parking available.  Many uses possible. Asking $585,000, call John Albee, Prudential Snyder, (309) 665-0787.

Learn more about our building and sites locator.

Call for Book Reviewers

You may have noticed a new feature last month - the "Book of the Month." Marty Vanags, CEO of the EDC, reviewed the business book Getting Things Done by David Allen. He discussed how he had changed his organization methods by implementing the practices laid out in the book.

The EDC would like to extend the invitation to others in the community to review business books for our future newsletters. If you are an avid reader, like to write or have read a book that has helped you further your personal or business development, please contact us. The book reviews will also be featured on our Web site, which is in the process of being redesigned. Furthermore, if you have any suggestions of books for future reviews, please let us know.

For more information, contact Brooke Weishaupt at (309) 452-8437 or brooke@bnbiz.org.

Farnsworth Group
by Chad Carson

The market for building and construction design in the U.S. and around the world is as fluid as it has ever been. Challenges are promising to bring significant changes to the industry as firms struggle to cope with staffing issues, new client demands and a shift toward a more sustainable/energy-efficient building model.

Farnsworth Group, a full-service engineering and architectural design firm of both public and private sector construction projects throughout Bloomington-Normal, has built a solid reputation of adapting services to meet industry change. Their roots extend back more than a century when land surveying was their only line of business and have morphed into one of the nation’s expert firms on energy conscious “Green Building” construction.  Today, Farnsworth Group has more than 300 employees in five states, including six Illinois offices. They have applied some of the most cutting edge design and architectural techniques right here in Bloomington-Normal. 

When it comes to the successful design of “Green Buildings,” Farnsworth Group literally helped write the book on the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building rating system certification standards. The firm is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council’s subcommittee, which helped establish LEED guidelines.

Farnsworth Group is a Bloomington-Normal company that is on the edge of its industry, not only building and designing some of the most innovative structures in the U.S., but also setting standards for others to follow. 

Michelle Spicer, Finance Manager

Michelle Spicer, finance manager and the newest member of the EDC team, performs various duties at the EDC.  Her primary responsibility is to manage all of the EDC’s financial data.  She is our friendly receptionist who will greet you when you enter our office and also answer your telephone calls. Additionally, Michelle dutifully assists the other members of our staff in completing projects and anything else that is requested. At home, Michelle is a single mother of two children, Travis, who is almost 17 (going on 25) and Ashlee, who is 13 (and knows it all and is never wrong). Currently, Michelle and her fiancé Dave are in the process of buying a new home and packing up two houses to combine into one. Let’s hope she doesn’t lose her mind in the process!

Uptown Toastmasters

Do you have trouble speaking in front of a room full of people? Would you like to find out how to better express your ideas? Are you interested in learning how to run meetings more effectively? Toastmasters can help you become a better speaker AND leader!

The EDC has started a Toastmasters International chapter, the "Uptown Toastmasters." At Toastmasters, members learn better communication skills by speaking to groups and working with others in a supportive environment. At each meeting, members give impromptu and prepared speeches and receive constructive evaluation from their peers.

Toastmasters helps employees give better sales presentations, improve their management skills, work better with other employees, effectively develop and present ideas, offer constructive criticism and accept criticism more objectively.

If you are interested in joining the group, please contact Brooke Weishaupt at (309) 452-8437 or brooke@bnbiz.org. Meetings are held the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the Bank of Illinois Community Room, 200 W. College Ave., Normal. To learn more about Toastmasters, visit www.toastmasters.org.