The Voice

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…

From inmate to industry Rebuilding lives and supporting local workforce needs By Rick Ciganek, Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office Walk into the Winnebago County Jail today, and you might be surprised to hear the sound of precision machining tools, not just cell doors. In partnership with Rock Valley College, the Sheriff’s Office offers a computer numerical…

Placemaking Strengthening Rockford’s identity and vitality By John Groh, GoRockford You may not be familiar with the term “placemaking,” but you’ve certainly felt its effects. Whenever you return from a trip to see Symbol on the riverfront and think, “It’s good to be home,” or when you pass the Rockford Peaches mural in Midtown and…

The employer brand Your secret (and most powerful) recruiting tool By Mercedes Brain, Geronimo Hospitality Group & Hendricks Commercial Properties When searching for their next career opportunity, today’s job seekers are looking for purpose, belonging, and alignment. They want to work at a place where they can show up as themselves, do meaningful work, and…

A culture of agriculture The 815’s summer romance with farms, fairs, and farmers markets By Christine Hand, managing editor There’s no better time to celebrate the 815 than summer. Not only does the calendar give us that clever hook for 815 Day, but the warmer weather also draws our attention to the nucleus (and genesis)…