The Voice

Thriving innovation ecosystems What Rockford can learn from other mid-sized cities By TC Bell, EIGERlab When people talk about innovation, the spotlight often shines on places like Silicon Valley, Austin, or Boston. But in recent years, mid-sized regional cities have quietly transformed themselves into thriving innovation hubs. Their stories hold powerful lessons for the Rockford…

Modern manufacturing careers Not your grandfather’s machine shop By Kika Young, Forest City Gear The Rock River Valley has always been a place where hard work and craftsmanship thrive. Industry was already booming when my grandparents, Stetler & Evelyn, founded Forest City Gear in 1955. Since then, manufacturing has waxed and waned. But one truth…

Business retention and expansion visits The unsung hero of economic development By Terrance Hall, Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce What’s harder than explaining what I do as an economic development professional? Explaining how important business retention and expansion (BRE) visits are to the whole effort. So what is a BRE visit exactly? To answer that,…

Hidden IP risks for local manufacturers Supply chain shifts can trigger legal concerns By JP Kale, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. Amid ongoing supply chain disruptions, local manufacturers and business leaders are innovating how and where goods are produced. But these changes carry significant legal risks that must be addressed before relocating operations or suppliers.…

Protecting what matters A quick guide to trade secrets law for manufacturers and innovators By Joel Huotari, WilliamsMcCarthy LLP In today’s competitive business world, ideas, processes, and know-how are often more valuable than physical assets. For manufacturers, engineers, and innovators, trade secrets—like proprietary formulas, customer lists, or manufacturing techniques—can be the key to long-term success.…

Good news for our region Local tourism economy continues to grow By John Groh, GoRockford Tourism isn’t just about visitors coming and going. It is about opportunity, pride, and momentum for our community. That’s why the latest report on visitor spending is such good news for Rockford and Winnebago County. While many parts of Illinois…

Recruitment and retention in the Rockford Region Meeting the moment with strategy, partnership, and purpose By Nicole Koblesky, Rockford Area SHRM I’ve been in the HR profession for over 20 years, and while I don’t love aging myself in print, I think we’d all agree that the past five years have been the most dramatic…

A best friend at work That seemingly silly, yet critical, employee metric By Angela Kay Larson, Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce Throughout my career, at nearly every place I’ve worked, I commissioned, orchestrated, or completed some sort of employee engagement survey. It’s well documented that employees are a company’s greatest investment and that engaged employees…

Leadership succession planning Turning today’s talent into tomorrow’s leaders By Lesly Couper, Workplace Staffing & Search What would happen if your CFO stepped down tomorrow? Would you have a clear, confident answer about who steps in next? Or would your organization scramble to respond? Leadership succession planning is one of the most critical, yet most…

More than professional development How Leadership Rockford builds community—and retains talent By Heather Metcalf, Hughes Recruiting & Consulting When I joined the Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce (GRCC) in May 2024, I didn’t expect that a few months later I’d be part of something truly special. That September, Carolyn Mitchell, our VP of sales and…