The VOICE

GRCC Government Affairs Committee Supports TIF District on Rockford’s South side Recent new and amended Illinois leave laws By Samuel J. Castree, Staff Management, Inc. Over 15 state and federal laws provide employees with protected leave and time off from work. Illinois employers will soon need to navigate new and expanded employee leave rights, most…

GRCC Government Affairs Committee Supports TIF District on Rockford’s South side Don’t gamble with your organization’s future By Lesly Couper, Workplace Whether you operate a small family business or lead a mid-sized organization, leadership transitions are inevitable. Yet many local companies admit they haven’t formally prepared for who will take the reins when key leaders…

GRCC Government Affairs Committee Supports TIF District on Rockford’s South side The Chamber accelerated progress in 2025, and there’s even more on the horizon By Christine Hand, managing editor The Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce (GRCC) is on a roll and gaining momentum. Under the direction of its new(ish) CEO, Angela Kay Larson, an engaged…

GRCC Government Affairs Committee Supports TIF District on Rockford’s South side A strategic marketing approach By Rebecca Francis, Ignite Change Solutions In an increasingly crowded philanthropic landscape, nonprofits must do more than simply exist. They must stand out. Effective marketing isn’t about selling a product; it’s about selling a vision, a mission, and an opportunity…

GRCC Government Affairs Committee Supports TIF District on Rockford’s South side The power of partnership By Brittany Freiberg, Rock Valley College Foundation At a quick glance, the relationship between businesses and nonprofits could be viewed as one-sided. The nonprofit makes the ask, the business supports the cause, and both move on to the next meeting,…

GRCC Government Affairs Committee Supports TIF District on Rockford’s South side Solving our most significant social issues together By Pam Clark Reidenbach, Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence Talk without action is a waste of time and resources. Isolated activities or interventions result in more and more programs and more and more money needed to…

GRCC Government Affairs Committee Supports TIF District on Rockford’s South side Build your own app to upgrade processes By Sam Kirker, SJK Enterprises Sales run through Stacey’s spreadsheet, customer service runs through Carl’s Post-it Notes, and the warehouse runs through Willie’s brain. Every small business has a version of this duct-taped system that keeps the…

GRCC Government Affairs Committee Supports TIF District on Rockford’s South side The time is right for renewed regional investment in economic development By Terrance Hall, Eight Fifteen Impact In March 2024, the Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce (GRCC) engaged Eight Fifteen Impact to develop a new strategy and tactical plan for the organization’s newly chartered…

GRCC Government Affairs Committee Supports TIF District on Rockford’s South side Our rights, duties, and privileges as citizens By Angela Kay Larson, Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce On my desk, you’ll find a small textbook, “First Lessons in Civics,” published in 1898. The book is a relic, yet I find many of its lessons enlightening,…