AgTech Summit: Innovation and Ecosystem at its best! Kathie attended the 10th Annual AgTech Summit last week. She was among 600 participants in the event hosted by University of Illinois Research Park. The Greater Peoria Region was well represented with members of our Small Business Development Center at Bradley University, Peoria NEXT Innovation Center, along with several local startup companies such as Cedar Bluff Technologies, Farmland Stock Exchange, Midwest Bioprocessing Center, and DigiFarmz Smart Agriculture. We greatly appreciate the contributions from our partners at University of Illinois, supporting the growth of agriculture throughout Illinois and beyond. Save the date for the 2026 AgTech Summit on Tuesday, March 10, 2026. (Pictured on either side of Kathie, L-R, are Eric Sampson, Bradley SBDC; Alex Chequim, DigiFarmz; Dave Demirjian, Midwest Bioprocessing Center; and Chris Youngmark, Peoria NEXT.)
We Are Hiring!: We are looking for a dynamic and passionate professional to join our team as our Director of Workforce Solutions. The quality of the region’s workforce is one of its most important strengths, and the Director of Workforce Solutions plays a key role in improving outcomes for individuals and businesses. The Director will spearhead GPEDC’s efforts to develop a more resilient, robust, and equitable talent pipeline in Greater Peoria by troubleshooting systemic gaps and challenges to connect regional organizations to critical resources. The position leads the Workforce Solutions team and shapes the strategies that will drive the overall efforts and alignment of workforce initiatives with the GPEDC’s efforts – as well as supporting multi-agency organizations and collaboratives in driving efforts to maintain a strong regional workforce. The position also serves as the director of the Regional Workforce Alliance (RWA) and takes direction and drives actions to coordinate that important regional effort. An understanding of and experience in human resources, education and/or employment services is highly desired. A full job description can be found here. Interested candidates can drop their email and cover letter in an email to moliveri@greaterpeoriaedc.org.
The Big Table: Planning is underway for The Big Table Greater Peoria 2025, happening October 17-18! Hosted by Greater Peoria EDC in collaboration with local chambers, EDCs, and community stakeholders, this event is designed to foster collaboration, spark innovation, and drive long-term economic growth. Stay updated by visiting www.thebigtablegp.com and following us on Facebook. More details will be shared as planning progresses—mark your calendars and get ready to engage with leaders and changemakers across the region!
Vote!: It’s not too late to vote in the first round of IMA’s Makers Madness: The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois. A total of 21 nominees are made right here in Greater Peoria. You can vote for Butch’s Pizza of Morton or the Autogate tailgate made by Philippi-Hagenbuch of Peoria County. You can vote for your five favorites each day from each device through the end of the first round (March 16).
Upcoming Events:
- Regional Fresh Food Council: Join us for a cooking demo and discussion on ways to enhance the connection between local foods and institutions. The meeting will be April 4 from 8:30 to 10 am in the commissary kitchen at Distillery Labs (201 SW Adams, Peoria). Register for free here.
- IT Job Fair: Illinois Central College Career Services is hosting the IT Workforce Accelerator Job Fair on Tuesday, April 1 from 3:30 – 5:30 pm at ICC’s East Peoria Campus. More information and registration here.
Have a great weekend.
Chris