As you are going to see in the newsletter items below, October was a big (!!) month for Greater Peoria EDC and its collaborative partners. Over the course of three consecutive weeks we co-hosted CareerSpark for over 4,000 students, organized a “familiarization tour” of the region for three site selectors, and helped to put on […]
Some GPEDC updates to end your week: Good Jobs Challenge: Last week we got some amazing news! Illinois Central College, leading a coalition that includes Bradley University, Eureka College and a host of social service agencies, were notified by our friends at the US Economic Development Administration that they are being awarded a “Good Jobs […]
One thing that has always impressed me about Greater Peoria is the breadth and depth of our caring community. As a small- to midsize city and region, I feel that we punch above our weight when it comes to creating and maintaining a social safety net. Our human service providers provide housing, education, job training, […]
Writing this newsletter article might just be my last official act in 2021. Christmas is drawing near, and like many of you reading this, the combination of paid holidays and unused vacation days means my time in the office is limited. I’m actually expecting dozens and dozens of “out of office” notifications from recipients as […]
It was such a joy to join so many of you at the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Thanksgiving Luncheon last week. It has always been one of my favorite events, but I think I join many of you in feeling that this year’s luncheon was more special than usual. Maybe it is because […]
Last week, the State of Illinois began accepting applications for the Back to Business grant — a $250 million pot of money available for small businesses who were financially impacted by COVID. Grant sizes range from $5,000 to $150,000, depending on the size of loss between 2019 and 2020. You can actually read all about […]
I typically use this space in our monthly newsletter to discuss a broad topic regarding our regional economy, whether that has been about talent attraction, the importance of manufacturing or the rise of the healthcare industry. But this month I just have to brag a bit about the great work GPEDC has been doing. Witnessing […]
In our January newsletter, I used this space to discuss the finalization of the region’s five year plan, the Big Table Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). We used the newsletter as part of the launch of a 30-day public comment window, a time that yielded some really great input from a variety of stakeholders and […]
Over the past five months of this public health crisis turned economic catastrophe, one of the central roles Greater Peoria EDC has played has been connecting businesses with resources. While businesses of all types and sizes have been impacted by COVID, we’ve been particularly focussed on small businesses. These are the hometown, mom-and-pop, independent establishments […]
I’m a little worried that my last few newsletter articles have all referenced whiskey in one way or the other. While I’ve been known to enjoy a good bourbon from time to time, my interest in whiskey has less to do with consumption and more to do with our history. That is why I was […]