March - Riverbend Growth Association

A monthly publication of the RiverBend Growth Association...
Your Regional Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Agency
MARCH 2016
Volume 14 | Issue 3
IN THIS ISSUE
Small Business of the
Month
• Loading Dock
Meet Your Ambassadors
• Sarah Bolyard
• Mary Boulds
• Mitch Cannell
Ribbon Cuttings
• Boys and Girls Club of
Bethalto
• Golden Road Organics
Mayor Report
• Bethalto
Welcome our newest
members
• Crown of Thorns Customs
• DanMar Enterprises, Inc.
• IMG USA, Inc.
• Jackson Lewis P.C.
• Little Caesars
• MJ Stover Accounting &
Income Tax Preparation
• Sherer Chiropractic
Center
Business After Hours held at ApexNetwork Physical
Therapy
On March 17, 2016, the
RBGA joined ApexNetwork
Physical Therapy at its
Bethalto location at 412 W.
Bethalto Drive, Bethalto IL.
John and Kristy have
three locations: Bethalto,
O’Fallon Il, and Wood River.
ApexNetwork Physical
Therapy offers a wide range
of services. On site they
have certified hand and
occupational therapists
that offer thorough
rehabilitation services to
maximize healing. Their
staff specializes and offers
preventative programs
and cares for patients
that may have foreseen a
work-related injury. Both
physical therapy and sports
rehabilitation services are
offered on site.
To help celebrate
the night, franchise
owners, John and Kristy
Hettenhausen, provided
attendees with food catered
by Chef Bob and drinks.
They raffled two door prizes
that included a gift card, a
t-shirt, and a travel mug.
Both John and Kristy had
the opportunity to network
throughout the night
recapping the evening by
speaking to the crowd about
all that is offered in their
cozy, professional facilities.
Business After Hours
is held every month. The
purpose it so gather,
unwind, network, and to
build business relationships
in a relaxed atmosphere
while expanding your
contacts to help you and or
your business grow.
Please join us and RSVP
to the next BAH on April
21, 2016, when RE/MAX
Riverbend will host at 2375
B Homer Adams Parkway in
Alton IL.
Catered by Chef Bob
Ambassador volunteers Martha
Shultz of First Clover Leaf Bank,
Michelle Blackwood of Challenge
Unlimited, Kathy Weaver of
Investment Planners, and Lindsey
Kahl of Shell Community Federal
Credit Union
Door prize winner owner of
Mystical Journeys and franchise
owners Kristy and John
Door prize winner Sarah Bolyard of
Bee Noticed Marketing Solutions
and franchise owners Kristy and
John
50/50 winner Kayla
5800 Godfrey Road - BGM | Godfrey, Illinois 62035
Phone 618-467-2280 | info@growthassociation.com | www.growthassociation.com
RiverBend Growth Association
March 2016 | page 2
The Loading Dock named March 2016 Small Business of the Month
Congratulations to The
Loading Dock on being
named the March 2016
Small Business of the
Month. The Loading Dock is
located at 400 Front Street
in Grafton, IL.
Take a ride up the River
Road and stop by The
Loading Dock to enjoy not
only the beautiful view of
the Mississippi River, but
also indoor and outdoor
dining accommodations.
Come and enjoy a variety of
menu items including their
signature Dock Salsa, fish
tacos, beef & turkey burgers,
chicken wraps, along with
other food options including
desserts.
During the summer
months, stop by and check
out some of St. Louis’s
best music entertainers.
Go to http://www.
graftonloadingdock.com/
music-entertainment for a
schedule of events.
The Loading Dock also
attracts many wedding
receptions and class
reunions. Looking for a
place to hold your next
event? Visit http://www.
graftonloadingdock.
com/the-tent for rental
information and pricing.
If you’re looking for
something relaxing to do
during the weekend or
looking for a place to hold
an event, The Loading Dock
is there to meet your needs.
Visit The Loading
Dock or contact them at
618.786.3494 today. You can
also like them on Facebook
and keep up with all the
events and promotions they
have going on.
Congratulations to The
Loading Dock on the award
of March 2016 Small
Business of the Month!
The Loading Dock staff joined with community leaders and Riverbend
Growth Association Ambassadors Matt Kotzamanis of TheBANK of
Edwardsville-Alton, David Knowles of Atrium Hotel, Martha Schultz of
First Clover Leaf Bank-Wood River, Josh Ruyle of 1st Mid America Credit
Union-Bethalto, and Kathy Weaver of Investment Planners. Riverbend
Growth Association President Monica Bristow, Grafton Mayor Tom
Thompson, and Small Business of the Month Award Committee member
Jamie Ruyle of C.J. Schlosser & Co, L.L.C joined the celebration as well.
Pete Allen of Loading
Dock, March Small
Business of the Month
winner, accepting his
plaque at the Total
Networking Luncheon.
Duck Race
RiverBend Golf Classic
Thursday, June 2 at
Raging Rivers Water Park
Friday, June 17th at
Woodlands Golf Club
Sponsorship information can
be found on page 9.
Sponsorship information can
be found on page 10.
Business Edge
page 3 | March 2016
Welcome our newest members to the RiverBend Growth Association
Crown of Thorns
Customs
Jason West Owner
P.O. Box 34, 2115 College Ave
Alton IL 62002
(314) 690-1808
crownofthornscustoms.com
Crown
Of Thorns
Customs
is excited
to offer
a wide
array of services to meet the
needs of our prospective business
customers, as well as providing
design solutions for personal
needs as well. Our services include
Hydro-Graphics, Cerakote Firearm
Coating, Custom Vinyl Decals and
Lettering, Powder Coating, and
Glass Etching. We are determined
to give quality results that won’t
break the bank. We are a small
business with low overhead so
we don’t need to charge you an
arm and a leg to make a profit.
We are a Christian family ran
company that thrives on repeat
business and “word of mouth”
advertisement. We love what we
do and we look forward to doing
business with you.
DanMar Enterprises, Inc.
D. Jeannine Kelly President
617 State St.
Alton IL 62002
(618) 465-0123
Formed in 1998, DanMar
Enterprises, Inc. is a real estate
investment company with its
principal place of business in
Alton, IL. Its primary focus over
the years has been on restoring
and rehabilitating historic
properties in Alton. Some of
these properties have included
the Haagen Haus, a guesthouse
located at 617 State Street, and
the World’s Fair Building located at
322 E. Broadway, which was sold in
2014 to acquire two more historic
properties - the Talbert Law Office
building (630 E. Broadway) and
the old Alton Pawn Shop building
(601 - 611 E. Broadway). These
two properties, along with the
Wedge Bank building at 620 E.
Broadway, are currently being
renovated and rehabilitated in
an effort to revitalize that area of
the Broadway corridor in hopes
of creating a vibrant retail area
with boutique shops. DanMar also
owns Alton Plaza (1800 - 1848 E.
Broadway) which has undergone
an extensive facelift in the past
year. The company is working to
secure a grocery store tenant for
that location.
IMG USA Inc.
Angela Kruse HR Specialist
1450 Discovery Pkwy
Alton IL 62002-6504
(618) 465-3133
imperialgroup.ca
Imperial Manufacturing Group
is a North American manufacturer
of heating, ventilation, air
condition and building products.
Imperial started its US business in
Hamel, IL in 1996. The US business
began with three employees and
expanded quickly, eventually
outgrowing that facility and
moving to Alton Center Business
Park in 2007. Since 2007 Imperial
has expanded the Alton facility
three times currently occupying
over 220,000 square feet. Imperial
now has over 200 employees in its
Alton facility manufacturing and
supplying products to customers
throughout the US. Imperial
credits its success in the US to
its Alton employees, who have
made it possible to continue to
grow despite a tough economic
downturn in its industry.
Jackson Lewis P.C.
Thomas Berry, Jr. Principal
7733 Forsyth Blvd., Suite 600
St. Louis MO 63105
(314) 827-3939
jacksonlewis.com
Founded in 1958, Jackson Lewis
is dedicated to representing
management exclusively in
workplace law. With 800 attorneys
practicing in major locations
throughout the U.S. and Puerto
Rico, Jackson Lewis is included in
the AmLaw 100 and Global 100
rankings of law firms. The firm’s
wide range of specialized areas of
practice provides the resources
to address every aspect of the
employer/employee relationship.
Jackson Lewis is a leader in
educating employers about the
laws of equal opportunity and, as a
firm, understands the importance
of having a workforce that reflects
the various communities it serves.
Jackson Lewis is a founding
member of L&E Global Employers’
Counsel Worldwide, an alliance of
premier employment law firms and
practices in Europe, North America
and the Asia Pacific Region.
Little Caesars - Godfrey
Doyle Beck Owner
5216 Godfrey Road
Godfrey IL 62035
(618) 466-7979
We are a locally owned
franchise
serving
the
community hot and ready pizzas
for 14 years. Starting out with little
success trying to raise a family of
six, I always knew how important
it was to give the community the
best product for the best price. It
took a few years, but being value
oriented, a friendly atmosphere,
and eating a lot of pizza, we finally
went from being in the red, to
being in a little black! We recently
relocated to our new location at
5216 Godfrey Road. We are excited
about the move, now offering a
drive thru window for our hot and
ready products, or you can still
come inside the lobby and see the
new look for Little Caesars. Little Caesars has been voted
America’s best value for eight
years in a row and we are happy
to be a part of a great franchise,
and to continue offering what we
are known for: A hot and ready
large pepperoni, sausage, or
cheese pizza for only $5.00. But
don’t forget about all of the side
products: eight warm sticks of our
famous crazy bread, Italian cheese
bread, five choices of wings, and
now salads! Maybe try a thin crust
or our new product: deep deep
dish bacon wrap pizza!
MJStover Accounting
& Income Tax
Preparation
Mary Stover Founding
Member
200 W Third St. Ste. 505
Alton IL 62002
(618) 798-1234
mjstoveraccounting.com
MJStover Accounting offers
accounting, bookkeeping, and
income tax preparation and
planning for individuals and
businesses. We offer customized
accounting services ranging from
complete accounting or software
set-up and training. We provide
financial statement analysis,
internal control analysis, and fraud
prevention recommendations.
Small businesses are more
frequently the targets of fraud
and we help with establishing
internal controls to prevent fraud.
MJStover Accounting offers
pick-up and drop-off services!
Can you really settle your tax
debt for pennies on the dollar?
Companies that make these
offers do nothing more than fill
out an Offer-In Compromise for
you and charge you ridiculous fees.
These forms are free on the IRS
website. We help you complete
the form as part of us bringing you
current on your back taxes.
Sherer Chiropractic
Center
Dr. Jacob Sherer Owner
321 E Carpenter St
Jerseyville IL 62052-1861
(618) 498-6444
shererchiropractic.com
At Sherer
Chiropractic
Center, we strive
for excellence
by providing
our patients
with affordable health care at
an elite level with quick results.
Office hours: 12pm-6pm Email:
shererchiropractic@gmail.com
RiverBend Growth Association
Board of Directors
March 2016 | page 4
Mayor Report - Alan Winslow, Village of Bethalto
Karen Wilson, Chairman
2015 was
another
busy year
Illinois American Water
Augie Wuellner, Chairman Elect in Bethalto
Alton Securities & Asset Advisors
and 2016 is
Mike Fitzgerald, Treasurer
shaping up
Scheffel Boyle
to be even
Jeff Allsman
more so.
Village of Bethalto
In 2015 we
Tom Berry
Jackson Lewis P.C.
saw the appointments of a new
Dale Blachford
Public Works Director, Zoning
Liberty Bank
Administrator, Occupancy
Jake Bodi
Inspector, and Fire Chief. The
Ameren
replacement of the intersection
David Braasch
Alton Memorial Hospital
of N. Prairie & Central Ave was
Greg Caffey
completed and has been the
City of Alton
source of many compliments by
Stephanie Dykstra
residents. We also completed
Imaging Center
storm water projects behind
Melissa Erker
the Heatherland subdivision,
Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery
on Fifth Street, and behind
Mike Farrell
Helmkamp Construction Co.
Ridgeway.
Brandon Fergurson
Early this summer, we will
Baxter Distributing
begin smoke testing and
Kevin Hamilton
Camera Inspections of sewer
Carpenters Local 664
lines in the Southeast section
Pam Heepke
of the Village. This area is
Raifort Commerce Park
Jennifer Jacobsen
believed to be the source of
Argosy Casino Alton
significant infiltration of storm
John Keller
water into the sewer system
Charles Linnemeyer
which results in flooding
Alton Steel Inc.
and sewer backups. At the
Alan Meyer
1st MidAmerica Credit Union
same time we will be making
Scott Reichmann
upgrades to the Fairway lift
BarberMurphy Group
station and we expect this work
John Roberts
to create a major improvement
Roberts Motors
Ed Ryrie
State Farm Insurance
Karen Cooper, Past Chairman
Regions Private Wealth Mgt.
to the system in this part of
town.
Play will begin at the new
sports complex this year. We
already have 13 weekend
tournaments scheduled and
loads of weekday games, so
baseball and softball fans will
have plenty of opportunities
to root for their favorites.
Later this summer and fall,
flag football and soccer will
also be on the agenda at the
Sports Complex on Stadium
Drive. We expect the influx of
people coming to town for the
tournaments to have a very
positive impact on our local
businesses.
After an unexpected delay
last year, we expect work
on the proposed splash pad
to pick up again this year,
providing families with a
unique summertime water
experience.
Grant funding has been
approved for phase III of the
Central Ave improvements.
This project will take place
in 2017 and will include road
widening, curb & gutter, and
an additional lane for parents
use near Parkside Elementary
School. Also coming in 2017
is the replacement of the
single lane concrete bridge at
Albers & Culp. The location of
the bridge will be moved to
the west which will allow for
the straightening of Albers Ln.
where it will intersect Culp Ln.
at the new bridge site. Roads
improvements are included
in this project. The second
phase of this project which is
expected to occur in 2019 will
be the removal of the hill on
Culp Lane near Stadium Drive.
Behind the scenes work for
the proposed Bethalto Landings
commercial development on
Rte. 111 is continuing, with
the Developer anticipating
a formal announcement
regarding the project later this
year. Additionally, St. Louis
Regional Airport is working on
a development plan to make
additional ground available for
commercial use.
The Village Board has
been diligently working on
streamlining our budget, and
we were very pleased to be
able to reduce our property tax
levy by 8.2 % for the coming
year, with hopes of another
reduction next year. We look
forward to the opportunities
ahead of us in 2016.
Kent Scheffel
Thanks to our renewing members for 2016.
Diane Schuette
(paying Feb. 23-29, 2016)
Rob Schwartz
Acropolis Technology Group
Addus Evergreen Club
Alton Memorial Sales Inc.
Alton Motorboat Club
Alton Steel, Inc.
American Water
Arrow Signs & Outdoor
Advertising
AT & T
BARBERMurphy Group, Inc.
Bemis, Dr. Frank C., & Associates,
Chiropractor
Berkshire Hathaway Home
Services Elite Properties
Bethalto Comm. Unit School Dist.
#8
Bethalto, Village of
Lewis and Clark Comm. College
OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Ctr.
TheBANK of Edwardsville
Jim Shrader
The Telegraph
Cindy Smalley
Cope Plastics
Sam Stemm
WBGZ/AltonDailyNews.com
Dave Stevenson
Quality Buick GMC Cadillac
Steve Thompson
Carrollton Bank
Martha Warford
Beverly Farm
Dwight Werts
Werts Welding & Tank Service
Charlie Yancey
IBEW Local 649
Boots on the Green
CJD E-Cycling
Claywell Asset Management
Contegra Construction Company
Cookie Factory Bakery & Café
Country Meadows
Don’s Outdoor Property
Maintenance
Factory Connection
Good Energy LP
GreensKeeper Lawn Service
Hunter & Johnson P.C. Attorneys
at Law
Inlandesign
Jeni J’s
King Air Conditioning and Heating
Kiwanis Club of Alton-Godfrey
Lyons Glass Company
Madison Co. Catholic Charities
Madison Co. Urban League
Midwest Occupational Medicine
Mississippi Valley Reg. Blood
Center
Morrissey Construction Company
New York Life Insurance Company
RD Ball Inspections
SIUE Foundation
State Street Market
Stltoday
The Telegraph
United Community Bank
Wirtz Beverage Illinois Belleville
Wood River Hardware
YWCA
Business Edge
page 5 | March 2016
Ambassador Spotlight
Sarah Bolyard
Mary Boulds
Mitch Cannell
Sarah Bolyard is
the owner of Bee
Noticed Marketing
Solutions. Sarah
specializes in helping
small businesses
who would love to
hire a full-time marketing director,
but simply do not have it in their
budget. She customizes each
marketing plan to each client. She
can help manage social media,
public relations, e-newsletters, event
planning, promotions or even just
brainstorming on new ways to reach
customers. Sarah has over ten years
of experience in marketing, public
relations and event planning.
Sarah is also a board member for
the 5A’s Humane Society. She is a
member of the Salem United Church
of Christ in Alhambra, where she
serves on the Evangelism & Worship
Committee and is a member of the
Edwardsville Glen Carbon Junior
Service Club. Sarah was honored
in 2011 as one of the 20 Under 40,
selected by the Telegraph and the
RiverBend Growth Association.
Sarah grew up in Edwardsville and
is a graduate of Southeast Missouri
State University. She is married to
Joe Bolyard, a mechanical engineer
for BRiC Partnership in Belleville.
They live in Edwardsville with their
four-year-old daughter, Caroline and
their rat terriers Eleanor and Cora.
They own and operate a wedding
DJ business, Platinum Sound &
Entertainment.
Sarah has been an Ambassador for
a little over seven years and enjoys
volunteering her time with the
Growth Association at networking
events and values the opportunity
to meet new people and learn more
about this wonderful community.
Mary Boulds has
been employed
with the City of
Alton since April
1983, serving as
Secretary/Deputy
Clerk before
assuming her current position
of City Clerk in 1992. During this
past sustaining period she has
completed IIMC-approved Academy
Programs and classes conducted
by the Institute of Government
and Public Affairs, University of
Illinois, Center for Governmental
Studies, Northern Illinois University,
DeKalb, Municipal Clerks of Illinois,
Illinois Women in Government,
Southwestern Illinois Municipal
Clerks Association, and has taught
classes for the Municipal Clerks
of Illinois and Illinois Municipal
League. She currently serves on
the Professional Status/Mentor
Committee and Redistricting
Committee for the Municipal Clerks
of Illinois. She enjoys her profession
and finds it very rewarding and
enjoys serving the Citizens of Alton.
She has served many years as
an Ambassador for the RiverBend
Growth Association. It has kept
her involved in her Community and
the businesses as well as serving
on the many subcommittees of
the Growth Association. She feels
privileged and honored to be a
part of the Growth Association and
serving with such energetic board
members who promote and also
volunteer their time and talents to
the RiverBend Area.
Mitch Cannell was
born and raised near
Rockford IL. In 2003
he married Karen
and relocated to
Godfrey with her son
Brogan. Becoming a
stepdad was huge but has been
very rewarding in so many ways
following Brogan though school
and sports and now into college.
When he relocated he brought
with him his business Cannell
Sportswear (custom screen printing
& embroidery) and started over.
While getting started, he worked
part time at White’s Greenhouse.
An opportunity came along to
join the team at Logo it in 2007 so
he jumped at the chance to open
more doors. Mitch wanted to get
more involved with the community
and started volunteering at
Tree House Wildlife Center four
years ago, joined Alton Godfrey
Rotary five years ago and has
belonged to BNI Extreme Business
Builders for five years, serving as
President for two years. Mitch
has been an Ambassador for the
Growth Association for two years
and enjoys being involved in the
community.
Bee Noticed Marketing Solutions
City of Alton
LogoIt
RiverBend
G R O W T H A S S O C I AT I O N
Serving Business, Encouraging Growth in Southwestern Illinois
www.GrowthAssociation.com
RiverBend Growth Association
March 2016 | page 6
Boys and Girls Club of Bethalto showcases remodel of Teen Room and Art Room
On March 15, 2016 the Riverbend
Growth Association joined the Boys &
Girls Club of Bethalto for a ribbon cutting
showcasing their new remodel and
updates made to the Teen Room and the
Art Room.
Many hours were spent painting and
arranging these rooms in order to keep
the attention of teens that attend the
club. Teens of the club also were able to
contribute to the new look. They came
up with wording on the walls and the
colors of the paints in the decision making
process. Sherwin Williams donated
paint and Ashley Furniture donated new
furniture pieces throughout the new
rooms that bring a cozy feel to the space.
Director Kathleen Wilson spoke at the
ceremony to update RBGA Ambassadors,
Mayor Alan Winslow, other fellow Board
members, and
community
leaders about
the progress at
the Club. The
makeover of
both rooms was
made possible by a Boys & Girls Clubs of
America team that collaborated with the
Bethalto team to help plan, fund, and gain
donations.
Director
Wilson hopes
to encourage
teens to utilize
the rooms and
to continue to
make the Boys
& Girls Club a
positive place for
kids.
To gain and
retain the
attention of
the teens,
new workout
equipment has been added to the
transformation of the Teen Room. Both
young men and young women are
encourage to utilize the equipment station
in hope of becoming more active but also
having fun.
For more information on the Boys &
Girls Club of Bethalto, please contact their
staff at 618.377.6030 or stop by and visit
them at 324 E. Central St, Bethalto IL.
Also, like them on Facebook https://www.
facebook.com/Boys-Girls-Club-BethaltoIL-318618494998061/ for updates or visit
their site at http://bgcbethalto.com/ to
learn how to connect, donate, and be
informed about their mission.
RBGA Ambassadors Matt Kotzamanis of
TheBANK of Edwardsville-Alton, Michelle
Blackwood of Challenge Unlimited,
Sarah Bolyard of Bee Noticed Marketing
Solutions, Therese Kuddes of Kuddes
Advertising Specialties, Tom Hoechst of
CNB Bank & Trust, and Martha Schultz of
First Clover Leaf Bank-Wood River joined
in the ribbon cutting. Also in attendance
were Mayor Alan Winslow of Village of
Bethalto, Alton Boys & Girls Club Director
Al Womack, Allied Waste representative
Joell Aguirre, community members, and
Ashley Furniture representative to help
celebrate.
Golden Road Organics celebrates new location with ribbon cutting
RBGA joined Golden Road Organics
on March 22, 2016 to celebrate new
membership, new location, and a name
change.
Please visit owner Kevin Buel and his
staff at 624 E. Broadway, Alton Il and
learn all about techniques and benefits of
organic gardening. Golden Road Organics
offers a wide range of gardening products
such as gardening tools, plant nutrients,
pest control, soil amendments, and
indoor lighting and hydroponic gardening
systems.
Want to learn how to brew your own
beer and wine? Well, stop by and talk to
Kevin and his staff to find out how. They
are equipped with fermenting and brewing
kits to get you started.
We welcome Golden Road Organics
to the Riverbend
Growth Association
and congratulate
them on a new
location.
Visit and like them
on Facebook https://
www.facebook.com/
GoldenRO1977. Or,
you can give them
a call at 433.1554
if you have any
questions.
RBGA Ambassadors joined Golden Road Organics and staff for a ribbon
cutting: Lee McRaven of OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center, Tom Hoechst
of CNB Bank & Trust, Pat Schwarte of Riverbender.com, Dick Propes, and
David Knowles of Atrium Hotel. Also pictured are Martha Morse of 1st
MidAmerica Credit Union-Bethalto, Matt Asselmeier with City of Alton,
and Alton Mayor Brant Walker.
Business Edge
page 7 | March 2016
Young Adults Committee organizes games and activities for Kreative
Kids Learning Center
The members of the RBGA
Young Adults Committee
had a great time on March
10, 2016 organizing a time
of exercise and fun for some
very enthusiastic toddlers.
The members ran stations of
games and activities based
off the Olympics to show the
young boys and girls of Kreative
Kids Learning Center how fun
and exercise make a great
partnership. The Young Adults
created an obstacle course
and walked the young children
through games created by the
staff of Kreative Kids.
Kreative Kids Learning Center,
located in Alton, is a nonprofit
organization that is dedicated
to early childhood care and
education in the Greater
Riverbend Region. They offer a
staff that cares for the welfare
of the children and wants
to empower the children to
become the best they can be.
They want the children to have
a passion for learning, a respect
for themselves and others, and
the abilities to succeed in their
next level of school. Kreative
Kids wants to graduate wellrounded children into their
elementary school journey.
The RiverBend Growth
Association’s Young Adults
Committee has two high school
students from each of the five
Riverbend area schools: Alton
High School, Civic Memorial
High School, East Alton-Wood
River High School, Marquette
Catholic High School, and
Roxana High School. The Young
Adults meet one a month to
volunteer at a local non-profit.
Recently, the committee held
a trivia night at Civic Memorial
High School. Half of the
proceeds from the trivia night
will go to a local non-profit that
is paired with the group and
the other half will go in the
form of a scholarship to one of
the students.
Senior representative
Jack Walker and Junior
representative Allie Troeckler,
from Civic Memorial, decided
to partner with Kreative Kids
Learning Center because of the
impact they have on the kids
in the area. Both students are
very involved outside of the
committee. Jack is a senior that
played football and is currently
playing baseball. Along with
the Young Adults Committee,
he is a member of the Civic
Memorial National Honors
Society and the Mu Alpha
Theta Math Honor Society.
Allie plays basketball and runs
track for Civic Memorial. She
is also a member of Fellowship
of Christian Athletes and of the
Bluestar AAU basketball team.
Together, they would like to
thank Kreative Kids Learning
Center for a fun time and a
great experience.
Students organizing an obstacle course for children at Kreative Kids
Junior Alex Cousley instructing
how to balance on the beam
Juniors Haley of EA-WR and
Annie of AHS take turns at “play
stations” to engage Kreative
Kids children in physical moving
activities.
Kreative Kids children and staff joined by Young Adults Committee
members share in the non-profit experience led by Civic Memorial
students Jack Walker & Allie Troeckler.
The RBGA has a section on its website with Employment
Opportunities.
It’s located at http://www.growthassociation.com/page/employment-opportunities/.
It can also be accessed from the header of any page throughout the site.
Members can post their job openings on this page.
Here’s the link: http://www.growthassociation.com/page/create-employment-ad/
RiverBend Growth Association
Young Adults Committee holds trivia fundraiser
The Young Adults
Committee held their
annual fundraiser on
March 12, 2016 at Civic
Memorial High School. This
was the fifth ‘Battle of the
Schools Trivia Night’ held
by the committee for their
fundraising project and it
was a huge success.
The Young Adults
Committee of the
RiverBend Growth
Association is comprised
of volunteers from the
Growth Association’s
membership and two
representatives from RBGA
member high schools. The
goal of this committee
is to teach students to
work collaboratively
with the common goal of
benefiting the community
at large. Students
learn organizational,
management and
leadership skills through
the process. Each year
these students volunteer
time with RBGA nonprofit
organizations and
organize and implement a
fundraiser.
The representatives
from the local high schools
are Jake Bohn and Annie
Maynard from Alton High
School, Jack Walker and
Allie Troeckler from Civic
Memorial High School,
Cameron Foust and Haley
Shewmake from East
Alton-Wood River High
School, Tommy Morrissey
and Alex Cousley from
Marquette Catholic High
School, and Kara Meyer
and Taylor Antoine from
Roxana High School.
The RBGA members
who volunteer with these
students are Lindsey
Kahl of Shell Community
Federal Credit Union,
Amber Scott of 1st
MidAmerica Credit Union,
Cindy Smalley of Cope
Plastics, and Alexandra
Cope of WellSpring
Resources.
The five RBGA nonprofit
organizations we are
partnering with are
Beverly Farm, Kreative Kids
Learning Center, Madison
County Child Advocacy
Center, Community Hope
March 2016 | page 8
Center and Riverbend
Head Start & Family
Services.
The RBGA, students,
and mentors would like to
thank everyone for their
support. There were 30
tables that participated
at the event and more
30 tables participated at the event
than 60 sponsors that
either gave a financial
donation or helped with a
contribution with one of
the 24 raffle baskets.
Also, a special thanks
to Jeff Maynard of Cope
Plastics for donating his
time and efforts being the
Master of Ceremonies
for the night and Civic
Awesome turnout at Civic Memorial High
Memorial High School for School for Battle of Schools Trivia
hosting the event.
Due to great community
involvement, the proceeds
from this fundraiser allow
this committee to award
a scholarship to one of
the 10 students on this
committee and to donate
to a RBGA nonprofit
organization and we
cannot thank you enough.
Finalist for Head to Toe game
America’s Central Port Recognized For Achievement In Logistics
Madison, IL: America’s
Central Port District was
recognized at the Arcus Awards
3 ceremony on February 25th,
held by the St. Louis Regional
Chamber, as the winner of
Achievement in Logistics. A
total of six finalists, including
several logistics firms, were
finalists for the award.
“Arcus” is Latin for “arch”
and illustrates the St. Louis
Regional Chamber’s regional
plan designed to leverage the
St. Louis area strengths and to
champion a better tomorrow.
Twelve awards were presented
in many categories, including
logistics, in front of
800 attendees.
The Achievement
in Logistics award
is presented to a company
or organization for creating
an innovative product or
service; achieving revenue or
employment growth; raising
investment capital; designing
or constructing a significant
building or infrastructure
project; and/or providing other
leadership to champion the bistate St. Louis region’s worldclass excellence in multimodal
logistics and advanced
manufacturing.
With the
completion and
opening of its
new Madison
Harbor in January, the Port
is positioning itself to create
more jobs and transportation
opportunities for the St. Louis
region. The $50 million lock
and ice-free harbor, located
on the Mississippi River,
increases the onloading and
offloading capabilities of
the Port’s operators, while
also positioning the Port for
the future of containerized
shipping.
“This is a great honor for
both the Port District and the
City of Madison,” said John
Hamm, Mayor of Madison, IL
and current board chairman of
America’s Central Port.
“Job growth and
transportation development
have been our top priorities
since the Port began 1959,”
said Hamm, “and with
continued collaboration
and team work, we plan to
continue that mission and to
provide more transportunities
in the years to come.”
www.americascentralport.com
Business Edge
page 9 | March 2016
Join our Host Sponsors
for the RBGA Duck Race.
RiverBend
G R O W T H A S S O C I AT I O N
Serving Business, Encouraging Growth in Southwestern Illinois
Thursday, June 2, 2016 | 5:00pm-7:00pm | Raging Rivers WaterPark, Grafton IL
What is the RBGA
Duck Race?
• The largest networking event
of the summer, with endless
opportunities to learn about
new and existing businesses/
organizations in the community
• An evening of tasty food/
appetizers from Alton Sports
Tap, Argosy featuring Hop House
menu items, Atrium Hotel &
Conference Center, Loading
Dock, and Raging Rivers
• Tropical drinks will be available
and are sponsored by Raifort
Properties.
• An evening of delicious
beverages compliments of
Donnewald Distributing, Grafton
Winery & Brewhaus and Robert
“Chick” Fritz
• A duck race where more than
2,000 plastic ducks are placed in
the Lazy River water attraction
and float to the finish line where
150 are deemed the winners.
Winners win fabulous prizes
donated from the Riverbend
community businesses and
organizations.
Be Part of the Fun!
Participate in one of the three
sponsorships and get your
business/organization noticed:
Corporate Sponsorship
• 1 table with 8 chairs, guaranteed,
with your logo on reserved sign
• 16 ducks entered in the duck race
• Your logo on RBGA website
• Your company name on three signs
at event
• Recognition in Business Edge
newsletter from April through June
Booth Sponsorship
• 1 display table to promote your
business
• 2 admissions into the event
• 2 ducks entered in the duck race
• Your name on RBGA website
• Recognition in Business Edge
newsletter from April through June
Payment Form
q Corporate Sponsorship $300
q Booth Sponsorship $150
PAYMENT IS DUE PRIOR TO EVENT
Company________________________________
Address_________________________________
City, State, Zip____________________________
Contact_________________________________
Phone__________________________________
�����Check enclosed (payable to RBGA)
�����Please charge my Visa/MasterCard/
Discover/American Express
Payment can be made online at
www.growthassociation.com.
Cardholder______________________________
Account #_______________________________
Exp. Date________________________________
CV V ____________________________________
Signature________________________________
Prize Donator
• Your name on RBGA website
• Recognition at event
Amount_________________________________
Prize Donation Form
Company Name_________________________
Contact_______________________________
Phone________________________________
Description of donation (minimum $20 value)
__________________________________________
q Please pick up my prize
Fax to Trish at 618-466-8289 or mail to RiverBend Growth Association
Attn: Duck Race | 5800 Godfrey Road - BGM | Godfrey IL 62035
q I will deliver to the RBGA office by May 21
$1800
in Cash Pay Outs 1st, 2nd & 3rd
place in 3 flights
win cash
RiverBend
Golf Classic
March 2016 | page 10
THE
RiverBend Growth Association
WOODLANDS
Friday, June 17, 2016 | 11:00 registration | 12:00 shotgun start
EXCLUSIVE SPONSOR
BEVERAGE CART SPONSORSHIP
EAGLE SPONSORSHIP
Includes one foursome, company name on 144
attendance gifts, hole sponsor sign
CLUBHOUSE SPONSORSHIP
$1,200
$800
Includes one foursome, recognition at lunch
and dinner via table signs, hole sponsor sign
CART SPONSORSHIP
Your name on reusable static clings on every golf
cart the day of tournament. After tournament,
these clings will be yours to reuse at other
tournaments.
$700
(limit 1)
Includes company name listed on all beverage
carts and on signs on the course
$350
(limit 5)
PRIVATE CONCIERGE SPONSORSHIP
Includes a personalized beverage cart for your team
equipped with volunteer, beverages and snacks.
This cart with volunteer follows you throughout
your game and provides you with whatever you
need to make your day of golf relaxing & fun.
$300
HOLE SIGN SPONSORSHIP
Includes hole sponsor sign
$150
IT’S IN THE HOLE SPONSORSHIP
Your name on 18 durable, plastic
ad discs in every hole. After
tournament, these discs will be
yours to reuse as you see fit.
$600
(limit 1)
e
m
co. na
OWN YOUR OWN HOLE SPONSORSHIP
Own a hole or the putting green and promote your
business! You “man” the hole and showcase your
business however you want. Put up your signs/
banners. Distribute your promotional products.
Visit with every golfer...you make the call.
PUTTING GREEN SPONSORSHIP
$100 plus a prize valued at $50
Includes sponsorship sign on putting green
listing you as an official sponsor of “The Putting
Challenge”
$100
(limit 3)
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER
$400
(Subject to committee approval)
* Sponsorship registration deadline is April 22, 2016 *
Green fees, Cart, Putting contest, Attendance
prizes, Hole-in-One prizes, Lunch, Dinner,
Refreshments all day, Opportunity to network
with other Riverbend business leaders
$125
*All sponsorship levels receive these promotions - company
name in Business Edge, golf program, RBGA website
Registration with payment can be made online at growthassociation.com.
Business Edge
page 11 | March 2016
RBGA holds monthly networking
meetings
On March 16, 2016, the
RBGA held one of its monthly
networking events. Total
Networking Luncheon is held
every other month in the odd
months of the year. The events
vary from month to month as
far as agenda. Some months
there are speakers from the
community speaking on a
variety of topics related to the
workforce and other months,
activities are held that give
members the opportunity to
spotlight their business or
place of employment. There is
always time before and after
to network with others in
attendance. Members are also
encouraged to bring literature
about the products and
services they offer and or flyers
for any upcoming events they
may have.
This month an activity
was enjoyed among the
participants at Julia’s Banquet
Center. The activity this
month was “Name That
Business.” Similar to “Name
that Tune”, teams were asked
to identify a business that
was represented at the event
in the amount of clues they
wanted. Team building and
conversations stuck up during
the games as facts were given
out to the entire group about
businesses and organizations
in attendance. Once the
organization or business was
identified, the representative
was then able to give a one
minute commercial to further
spread awareness about their
products and services.
This event was fun, timely,
and very informative to
everyone in attendance
Please mark your calendar
and network with us on April
20th for the next Breakfast
Connections at Atrium Hotel.
Hope to see you there.
Winning
team of
Name that
Business
Casual
networking
Ambassadors receive updates from
Boys and Girls Club of Alton
The Ambassadors
Committee met on March 8,
2016 at Alton Sports Tap in
Alton, IL for their monthly
meeting. The RBGA’s
Ambassador Committee
consists of 32 individuals
whose main focus is to aid
the Growth Association in
maintaining visibility by
Director Al Womack speaks to RBGA
volunteering their time to
attend ribbon cuttings, ground Ambassadors giving updates on the
Alton Boys & Girls Club.
breakings, open houses, and
others.
working Business After Hour
Many other programs
events. This committee also
continue at the club weekly.
assists with the Membership
Power Hour is a major program
Committee in recruiting and
where the youth take an hour
retaining membership for
and focus on any homework
RBGA.
or extra tutoring needs. The
Director of Alton Boys &
club hires Honor Roll high
Girls Club, Al Womack, was
this month’s guest speaker. Mr. school students to help mentor
the youth in this manner.
Womack presented interesting
Volunteers are always needed.
data and facts about the club
Mr. Womack talked about
and updated everyone about
the importance of snacks at
programs, facts, statistics, and
upcoming events with the club. the club. Snacks are the most
important and most fun thing
The club is opened five days
a week and has many programs among most of the youth at
the club. They look forward to
to offer the youth from school
snack time for enjoyment and
ages 6-18. The Passport to
also help aid in social time.
Manhood program started last
The Boys & Girls Club of
year and was a huge success.
Alton will be hosting their
It was made up of 26 young
Annual Dinner April 12 at
men that are members of the
LCCC. Mark your calendar for
club and emphasized on both
August 19, 2016 when they
earning respect and giving
respect. Mr. Womack and other will be hosting their Annual
Golf Tournament. All proceeds
men of the club meet with the
go to the club to make for a
youth twice a week and do
better future for our youth.
exercises such as role playing,
Please stop by or call the Boys
essay writing, and learning to
tie ties. The youth are required & Girls Club at 618-462-6249
to find out ways to help or get
to dress up in business casual
involved with the Boys & Girls
attire once a week to school
Club or visit their website at
with their tie. The hope and
http://bgcalton.org/ for more
goals are to show young men
information and upcoming
how to dress for success and
events.
teach them how to show
respect to themselves and