The VOICE

Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce Announces Class of 40 over 40 Honorees The story of resurgence in the Village of Durand By Village of Durand Mayor Sheila Hoffman As elected officials in local government, we step up to tackle the challenge to leave things a little better than we found them. That’s exactly what the…

Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce Announces Class of 40 over 40 Honorees Earlier this year, the GRCC Board of Directors assembled a task force comprised of members from the Government Affairs and Talent Committees with the objective of capturing the voice of business in relation to the RPS205 Board of Education’s efforts to recruit a…

Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce Announces Class of 40 over 40 Honorees Illinois needs to reclaim the nuclear energy leadership it held decades ago By Michael Dunn Jr., Region 1 Planning Council Our local elected leaders have spent the past two years working closely with ComEd and state and federal officials to develop a strategy…

Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce Announces Class of 40 over 40 Honorees Tips on how businesses can work effectively with local government By Christine Hand, managing editor At the annual Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce (GRCC) Pow(H)er conference on Nov. 13, a panel of local elected officials—Dawn Granath, 9th Ward alderwoman, Rockford City Council; Christina…

Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce Announces Class of 40 over 40 Honorees 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…

Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce Announces Class of 40 over 40 Honorees 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…

Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce Announces Class of 40 over 40 Honorees 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…

Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce Announces Class of 40 over 40 Honorees 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…

Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce Announces Class of 40 over 40 Honorees 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,…

Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce Announces Class of 40 over 40 Honorees 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…