EDC Board

Kristen Barnlund - Business Development Specialist, OSF HealthCare

BNEDC Board Treasurer Kristen Barnlund has worked in the healthcare industry for over ten years. She started working in the marketing field, then moved on to an Admissions Director, to now working as a Business Development Specialist. She is an Illinois State University graduate where she earned her Bachelors degree in Elementary Education and Teaching.

Catherine Metsker - District 1 Representative, McLean County Board Member

Catherine Metsker currently serves on the McLean County Board. She is also a Relationship Manager - Technology Vendor Management Office - Labor Governance Insurance at State Farm. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Vocational High School and Secondary Business/Vocational-Industrial/Occupational Diploma Program, and a Master’s degree in Workforce Development and Training from the University of Illinois Champaign from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Pam Reece - City Manager, Town of Normal

Pamela Reece has served as City Manager for the Town of Normal since 2018. As City Manager, Reece is the Chief Administrative Officer of the Town, responsible for daily operations, capital projects and personnel for the municipality’s 16 departments. Prior to being named city manager, Reece was Deputy City Manager from 2010 to 2018. Currently, she is a member of the International City/County Management Association, Illinois City/County Management Association (ILCMA) and League of Women in Government. She has previously served as president of the Downstate City Managers Association under ILCMA and currently serves on the Illinois Municipal League Managers Committee and the ILCMA Committee on Professional Conduct. Reece serves on the board of directors for the Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal. She is a past member of boards of directors for the United Way of McLean County, McLean County Chamber of Commerce, The Baby Fold and the Heartland Healthcare Coalition. Reece holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a Master of Public Administration, both from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Mich.

Keith Cornille, President, Heartland Community College

Dr. Keith Cornille (Ed.D. Educational Leadership, Edgewood College) has held various positions in higher education over the past 30 plus years, before becoming the fourth President at Heartland Community College in July 2018. Dr. Cornille is responsible for the administration, operation and development of the College.

Janice Bonneville, Chief Human Resources Officer, Illinois State University

Ryan Gammelgard - Leadership Development Associate/Counsel, State Farm

Ryan Gammelgard has over 15 years of legal experience with a track record of success in a wide variety of areas ranging from litigation, public policy, employment law, corporate political activity, and more. He has traveled all over the country to testify or speak on legal and public policy issues, including being asked to testify before Congress on self-driving cars and insurance. He enjoys being involved in the profession and the community, serving as President of the local bar association and in other leadership roles for state and national organizations. He also served as a volunteer attorney for Prairie State Legal Services, helped put together free legal advice clinics, and was past chair of the State Farm Pro Bono Committee. He earned a BA, Speech Communication, from Eastern Illinois University and a Juris Doctor of Law from the University of Illinois College of Law.

Mboka Mwilambwe - Mayor, City of Bloomington

Mboka Mwilambwe has been employed at Illinois State University since 1997 and absolutely loves the City of Bloomington. Mwilambwe was first appointed to the Bloomington City Council in March of 2011 to serve out the term of the previous City Councilmember for Ward 3. Mwilambwe was then elected to the position on April 9, 2013. After a successful campaign, Mwilambwe was elected as Mayor on April 6, 2021. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics in 1994 from Illinois State University. Mwilambwe and his wife Stacey are the parents of 4 beautiful children who keep them hopping with their many activities: Maya, Mariama, Amelie and Jonah. Mwilambwe is fluent in three other languages (French, Swahili and Lingala) and also studied Spanish in High School.

Cassy Taylor - County Administrator, McLean County

Cassy Taylor has worked in McLean County government for six years and has worked in county government for more than 20 years. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, and a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati.

Meghan O'Neal-Rogozinski - Owner and Commercial Real Estate Broker, Axis 360

Meghan is an Owner and Commercial Real Estate Broker at AXIS 360. In 2018, after years of financial analysis classes and submission of a portfolio, Meghan was honored with the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation. She is the only commercial broker in McLean County to hold this prestigious designation.

Rodney Francis, Director of the People, Rivian Automotive

Tim Gleason - City Manager, City of Bloomington

Tim Gleason, a U.S. Army veteran, spent more than 20 years in law enforcement and later served as a deputy director in the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. He was also CEO of Illinois Correctional Industries. Before becoming City Manager in Bloomington, Gleason held the same position in Decatur and before that, Washington, IL. He earned a BA in Business Administration and Management and a Master’s degree of Public Administration, both from University of Illinois - Springfield.

John Penn - Trustee, Great Plains Laborers District Council

In addition to his many union roles, Penn is also Co-Chair for the Children’s Christmas Party for Unemployed Families. He has re-established the Bloomington Labor Day Parade after a forty-year absence and founded the McLean County Union News. Penn volunteers for the Illinois Special Olympics and is currently on the statewide board. In 1986 Penn was honored by Governor Thompson and presented the Illinois Partner in Building Better Communities award for taking a leading role in his community and “bringing jobs to the jobless.” In 2003, Penn received the Presidential Points of Light Award from President Clinton. Penn is a 1979 graduate of the Harvard University Trade Union Program and a Bloomington High School graduate. He served in the United States Air Force, with assignments in South Korea and Vietnam. John and his wife, Mary, reside in Bloomington, Illinois and have one daughter, three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Ryan Whitehouse - Associate Director of Local Government & Political Engagement, Illinois Farm Bureau

BNEDC Board Chairperson Ryan Whitehouse has extensive experience working in the public sector, starting his career working for the McLean County Chamber of Commerce. He is the current Chairperson for the Connect Transit Board of Trustees, representing Bloomington. He also serves on the St. Jude ALSAC Board-Central Illinois and Iowa, is the Chairperson for the St. Jude Run/Walk Committee, and a Board member of St. Jude Runs-Bloomington to Peoria. Whitehouse earned a BS in Politics and Government from Illinois State University.

Diane Cote - Chief Executive Officer, Mid-Illinois Realtors Association

Chris Koos - Mayor, Town of Normal

Chris Koos has been the mayor of Normal, Illinois since 2003 and his current term is 2021-2025. He is the owner of Vitesse Cycle Shop and Often Running, retail specialty stores located in Uptown Normal. Koos is active in the local community and has served on many boards and committees, including serving as Chairman of the Town of Normal Historic Preservation Commission for eight years. He is a member of the Uptown Normal Business Association and served four years as President. During the restoration of the Normal Theater, Mr. Koos served as Chair of the Restoration Advisory Committee and went on to serve on the Normal Theater Advisory Board. Mr. Koos has been very involved with the Bloomington-Normal Japanese Sister Cities Committee, Town of Normal 2025 Committee: Physical Environment Sub-Committee and McLean County Comprehensive Plan 2000 Committee, where he chaired the Urban Revitalization/Historic Preservation Sub-Committee. Mr. Koos has served as Vice Chair of the Selective Service Board of Appeals since 1983. Koos is a Bloomington-Normal native and attended Central Catholic High School and Illinois State University.

J. Phillips - President, Bloomington-Normal Commerce Bank

BNEDC Past Board Chairperson. J. Phillips, a native of the Bloomington-Normal area, leads the Bloomington-Normal market in growing and retaining clients for Commerce Bank. His over 15-year career spans all areas of the bank including retail banking, wealth management, private banking and commercial banking. Phillips has a history of recognition for exceptional work and has been awarded several Commerce Bank and community awards including 40 Leaders Under 40 by InterBusiness Issues (iBi). Recently, J. served on the board of directors for Illinois State University College of Business, Illinois Wesleyan Associates Board of Directors, Bloomington-Normal College of Business Board of Directors, Carle Cancer Institute of Normal Board of Directors, Unit 5 Foundation Board of Directors, and is a member of The CEO Council of Bloomington-Normal. J. graduated from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with a Bachelor of Science in aviation management, with a specialty in airport management and planning. J. also is a certified commercial pilot and part-time flight instructor. J. and his wife Crystal live in Bloomington-Normal and have 2 children, Liam and Piper.

Seth Zeller - President/CEO, Co-Owner, Zeller Electric

Seth Zeller has served in his current role as President/CEO of Zeller Electric for over 20 years. He attended Illinois Wesleyan University and Illinois State University, where he studied Business Administration and Management.

Chad Frankeberger - Architectural Manager, Farnsworth Group, Inc.

EDC Board

The EDC board of directors is comprised of professionals from the Bloomington-Normal business community, educational institutions, municipalities, organized labor, and the non-profit sector. Board members meet on a bi-monthly basis to guide and govern the Economic Development Council.

Economic Development Council