Liberty Steel: Sally, Cynthia and Sara attended “Peoria Day” at Liberty Steel on Thursday to help celebrate the restart of the Peoria Steelworks operation. Executive Chairman Sanjeev Gupta was on hand, along with local and state leadership, employees and their families. The event included an update on the future of the facility and Liberty’s commitment to growth, lunch, and a tour of the wire plant. Liberty Steel is one of the region’s largest employers and we are excited to assist them as they work to modernize their plant and grow jobs in Greater Peoria.
Big Table: This is your last chance to register for next week’s Big Table. We are really excited about this event. On Friday, October 17 a few hundred folks will gather at the Four Points Sheraton to engage in community building and a discussion about what is working in Greater Peoria and what still needs work. The day is broken into four sections, each covering a different, important topic. We are also excited to have Victor Hwang, the founder of Right to Start, give a keynote address at lunch about the importance of entrepreneurship in local economic development. While we would love to have you for the whole day, you can also just sign up for the sessions that interest you or fit your schedule. The whole day, including lunch, is free because of our generous sponsors and partners. Please register ASAP here.
GPMN Quarterly Meeting: Dick Peplow organized an excellent Manufacturing Network quarterly meeting on Thursday. Dubbed “Learning from Your Peers,” the session was packed with opportunities to hear from members on what they do best. Jeremy from Quality Metal Products discussed their approach to quality that earned them the recent distinction of being one of Caterpillar’s top 25 suppliers. Danette of Philippi Hagenbuch talked about leveraging trade shows and memberships in professional associations to build business and find customers. Steve and David from Morton Industries presented on building an employee culture based on communication and appreciation. The team from TADA discussed use of technology and software to manage supply chain issues that impact manufacturing operations. Group learning is a hallmark of the Network, and while there are plenty of outside “experts” that we can learn from, there is also a ton of knowledge already in the room.
Leveraging AI for Small Business Growth: America’s Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), including the Turner Center for Entrepreneurship at Bradley, has received funding from Google.org to establish America’s SBDC AI U, a national small business program dedicated to providing foundational Artificial Intelligence (AI) training and 1:1 coaching to small businesses seeking to leverage AI’s potential. Bradley’s AI U program is designed to help small business owners, entrepreneurs and organizations leverage artificial intelligence to streamline operations, enhance marketing, and solve real-world business challenges. Whether companies are just curious about AI or ready to implement it across their business, their program offers personalized, hands-on support through one-on-one advising, group workshops, and student-led innovation projects. Bradley’s AI U Certified advisers and their AI Student team will help companies explore solutions and implement tools that make your day-to-day easier, faster, and more efficient. More information here.
Upcoming Events: Mark your calendars and RSVP for some great opportunities:
- Trade Tariffs in 30 Minutes Webinar (October 16, 2 pm, virtual): The Illinois SBDC International Trade Center at The Turner Center for Entrepreneurship is hosting a 30-minute webinar covering the basics of international trade tariffs, how to find the tariffs, and what you can do to lower your tariffs. They will review both U.S. import tariffs and tariffs applied by other countries to U.S. exports. Register here.
- Elevate Together (October 16, 8 am – 4 pm, ICC North Peoria): Illinois Central College’s Corporate Education and Training program is hosting a free, one day summit on leadership called “Elevate Together: Empowering Leadership at All Levels.” Register here.
- River Cities and Towns Annual Meeting: The Illinois River Cities & Towns Initiative (IRCTI) unites over 15 Mayor-led communities along the Illinois River. Their mission is to advocate for the region’s economic, infrastructure, and environmental interests at both state and national levels. IRCTI is hosting their first annual meeting of member communities and stakeholders on November 5-6 in downtown Peoria. Watch a welcome video here and RSVP here.
Have a great weekend.
Chris