Oh, Canada! Of all the cool things about my job, I particularly enjoy hosting foreign visitors to Greater Peoria. And while this week’s guests were technically from Chicago, they are French-Canadians (well, two Canadians and an American) who work for the Quebec Government Office. Their Chicago office manages economic relationships and handles trade promotion for 12 Midwest states. The province of Quebec has a lot of industrial similarities to Central Illinois, with strengths in advanced manufacturing and particularly with off-highway machinery and vehicles. The three-person delegation visited us to learn more about our key manufacturing sector and to explore potential partnerships. Over the course of two days, we were able to take them on factory tours of Case New Holland in Goodfield, Komatsu and Philippi-Hagenbuch in Peoria, and Precision Planting in Morton. We also organized a roundtable conversation with representatives from some of Illinois’ most prominent manufacturing organizations, including the Illinois Manufacturers Association, the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Bradley’s International Trade Center, and the Illinois Economic Development Corporation. And no visit is complete without a stop at the Peoria Riverfront Museum. They were impressed with what they saw, but more importantly with who they met. We had great conversations about how we could shorten supply chains, reduce cost for our manufacturers, improve business relationships, and increase trade. I will actually get to see this same group when I’m in Chicago next week and hope this is the start of a mutually beneficial relationship.
David and Dorsey in Detroit:
This week, David and Dorsey were in Detroit to attend the International Economic Development Council’s (IEDC) Annual Conference, one of the nation’s premier gatherings for economic development professionals. In addition, David was selected to participate in the Economic Partnership Alliance training, an accelerated two-day course designed to strengthen collaboration between Economic Development Organizations (EDOs) and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs). Normally delivered as a five-week course, the training in Detroit was an accelerated version, spread across two immersive days.
The sessions provided a deep dive into building trust, addressing power dynamics, and creating partnership structures that can sustain long-term, inclusive economic growth. For our region, the training was particularly valuable because it reinforced many of the practices we already employ successfully while also highlighting new opportunities for growth through the shared experiences of national trainers and peer participants. As part of the program, the group did a site visit with Live6 Alliance, a Detroit nonprofit focused on revitalizing the Livernois and McNichols corridors. Their approach to small business support, placemaking, and corridor revitalization offered practical lessons that can be adapted in other communities.
A highlight of the trip was how quickly Greater Peoria connections surfaced. Many participants immediately asked about Dorsey, our Economic Recovery Corps fellow serving through an IEDC fellowship. Dorsey’s presence in the national network reflects both the impact of her work in our region and the recognition it has earned. During the main conference, David also reconnected with Joshua Gunn, former President of the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce and now CEO of the Durham Chamber of Commerce—an unexpected but welcome surprise that underscored the strength of Greater Peoria’s national relationships.
To share these insights more broadly, David also prepared a quick takeaway document summarizing lessons from the two-day training and site visit, which colleagues and partners can review for ideas applicable to our region.
Career Spark Volunteers Needed: Career Spark is around the corner! Greater Peoria EDC and Junior Achievement of Central Illinois host the state’s premier youth career exploration event and this year’s sessions are on October 1 and 2 at the Peoria Civic Center. We are still looking for volunteers: you can help as a greeter, tour guide, crowd control or a host of other roles. No experience required. Each day has a morning (8 – 11 am) and afternoon (11 am – 2 pm) shift. You can sign up for one shift or more than one. And it’s a great way for employee groups or social clubs to give back to the community. You can register here.
Did You Know? There are six Class 1 railroads in the United States (defined as having more than a billion dollars in annual revenue). These are the “big guys” that crisscross America, hauling millions of pounds of goods. All six have tracks in Illinois and four are present in greater Peoria (Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, BNSF, and Canadian Pacific). Did you know that only one “shortline” railroad connects all six of them? That shortline is Iowa Interstate Railroad, and we are fortunate to have them helping out farmers and industries right here in our region. In Greater Peoria the Iowa Interstate starts on the northside of the City of Peoria, heads north to Henry, and joins up with their main track that runs all the way to Omaha. I recently had the opportunity to meet with Jim Bowman, their Economic Development Director, to begin exploring how we could develop industrial properties along their system. We often talk about our utility partners as the “shadow economic developers” in a community, but just as important are our friends in the railroad industry. We are happy to have Iowa Interstate in our region.
Have a great weekend.
Chris