View the Newsletter - Vermilion Advantage

Inside this Issue:
Page 2:
Vermilion County Workforce
Development Recognized
Nationally
Page 4:
Member Profiles
Page 11:
Events
Page 15:
Welcome Home, Welcome Here
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N E W S
&
V I E W S
Vermilion Advantage, through membership value,
provides strategic leadership on critical business issues -
leading economic & workforce development, anticipating
and responding to members’ needs, addressing quality of
life issues and providing a network of information &
business contacts – advocating the pursuit of
opportunities to strengthen the local economy and
Vicki L. Haugen
business environment.
President & CEO
Tinisha Shade-Spain
Economic Development Director
Machelle Dykes
Director, Membership Services
Jo Doggett
Data and Finance Manager
Rachel Haun
Administrative Assistant
Kim Kuchenbrod
Workforce Development
Consultant
Logan Cronk
Rural Community Development
Coordinator
Phone 217.442.6201
Fax 217.442.6228
contact@vermilionadvantage.com
www.vermilionadvantage.com
www.vermilionadvantage.com/job-board
ON THE COVER:
Kickapoo State Park Hiking Trails
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APRIL 2016
V E R M I L I O N
Vermilion County
Workforce
Development
Efforts
Recognized as
one of the Most
Progressive in the
Country
Vicki Haugen and a team of business and
workforce development leaders recently
traveled to Washington, D.C. to share our
area’s industry-leading work to address the
skills gap. The innovative initiatives, which
have been occurring in Vermilion County for
nearly the last 20 years, have been recognized as some of the most effective in the
country.
We recently caught up with Vicki Haugen
and some of the business leaders who attended. Their insights shed a unique light on
this important community work.
You recently attended the National Workforce Conference. What is it? This was the
second conference held by the United States
Chamber of Commerce Foundation to address the skills gap challenge. This year’s
conference brought together and underscored the work of the 7 Learning Network
locations, of which Vermilion County is one,
to determine next steps needed. The goal is
to expand this initiative across the nation
into other employer-led efforts.
Where was it held? Who else attended
from our area? It was held in the Hall of
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A D V A N T A G E
L to R: Moderator: Jason A. Tyszko, Executive Director, US Chamber of Commerce Foundation
Center for Education and Workforce; Vicki Haugen, President and CEO, Vermilion Advantage; Sara
J. Dunnigan, Executive Director, Virginia Board of Workforce Development; and David
Adkisson, President and CEO, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
The National Workforce Conference was hosted in the Hall of Flags in the US Chamber of
Commerce Building in Washington, DC.
Flags at the US Chamber of Commerce
building in Washington DC. Not a bad address – looks directly at the White House!
Others that joined Kim Kuchenbrod,
from our office, and me were: Donnie
Robinson, thyssenkrupp Presta; AnnMarie
Cross, Watchfire; Brian Hensgen, Local
Workforce Investment office; Mike Baker,
Illinois Dept. of Commerce & Economic
Opportunity; Stepheny McMahon, an eco-
N E W S
nomic development counterpart from Sullivan, IL, one of the regions with whom we
have been working; and two individuals
from Northern Illinois University who have
been a part of the State piece of our partnership.
How did Vermilion Advantage get involved? After the first conference, the state
of Illinois basically begged us to apply to be
considered as one of the Learning Network
sites. In reality two of the key persons involved in the process through the USCCF Jason Tyszko and Professor Bob Sheets –
are both from Illinois and had been aware of
what we were doing with our Business
Clusters in the area of Jobs Projection Surveys. Our long-time work mirrors the TPM
priorities of working with Employer Collaboratives and Demand Planning. So we applied and were selected. Interestingly, we
were the smallest location selected. Others
were (1) State of Arizona; (2) State of
Kansas; (3) Northern Kentucky; (4) State of
Michigan Utilities; (5) State of Virginia; and
(6) the greater Houston area.
&
V I E W S
of the pilot sites and the desire to replicate
the skills and practices in the pilot communities all across the country. This can have
bold implications for communities in Illinois and Indiana.
What does this mean for Vermilion
County? Well, first of all, we have been
recognized as a national leader in this effort
and have authors, academicians and businesses looking at us to understand and emulate the process. That puts our County in a
very positive light.
It has also given us a Network to continue to learn from, as well. This year, as an
example, as we put out our annual Jobs Projection Survey, we have been asked by the
National Manufacturing Institute and the
NIMS Credentialing organization to be their
beta site for gathering information from our
local manufacturers about required or desired competencies in Machining areas.
There is a national movement to place more
emphasis on common competencies and
then to align credentialing and shorten the
learning curve as much as possible.
What comments/questions did you get
from attendees about what is happening
in Vermilion County? There is a lot of
amazement about the fact that we have been
doing this for 18 years and have such a
strong partnership with our education institutions, the Workforce Investment Board
and our employers – long before it was a
national hot-button topic.
You were a presenter at this national conference. Tell us about the session. I was
on a panel with the representatives from the
State of Virginia and the State of Kentucky.
Our role was to talk about how to take what
we have each done at our own “local” levels
and grow it.
What will come next for Vermilion
County? The funder of this initial project is
a group called USA Funds. At the conference, USA Funds announced another round
of funding to continue to grow this effort.
One of the key objectives of the next
phase is for the USCCF to create an “Academy” that will basically provide curriculum
and other tools, taught by experts in the
field, to grow this initiative of developing
employer-led solutions. We have been
asked to be a part of that Academy development.
Jason Tyszko reminded us recently that
the Academy will be built on the experience
L to R: Antonio Soave, Kansas Secretary of Commerce; Maurice Jones, Virginia Secretary of
Commerce and Trade; Jim Schultz, Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce; and
Moderator: Cheryl A. Oldham, Senior Vice President US Chamber of Commerce Foundation
Center for Education and Workforce
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V E R M I L I O N
A D V A N T A G E
Insights from Area Business Leaders who Attended The National Workforce Conference
AnnMarie Cross, Director of Human
Resources, Watchfire Signs
On leading the way – “I was astounded to
learn that none of the other organizations
were even remotely as far along in the
TPM process as Vermilion Advantage. I
knew we were ahead of most places in the
country, but did not realize we were so far
ahead even of the other 6 that were selected as fellow national leaders on this
critical topic.
“We are the template, the leaders, the
path others are seeking to follow. No other
presenter was remotely close to what
we’ve done here, and all were hanging on
Vicki’s every word about the lessons we
have already learned.”
On the next step – “It is so critical to
get all of us to the table, working on this
challenge together. Vermilion Advantage is
ahead of the entire country- by about 5-6
years ahead of 2nd in line behind us! – but
getting all employers of more than 100
people to the table working together on this
challenge would catapult us so much farther. Many of our fellow employers have
NO idea how incredibly lucky we are to be
so far along, or the benefits they are receiving from these astounding programs
whether they are members or not of this
great organization.”
Donnie Robinson, Global Training Manager, thyssenkrupp Camshafts
On the national skills gap issue – “The
burden of a depleted or poorly-skilled
workforce is a national issue and not
unique to only certain communities. Addressing the so-called ‘skills gap’ is only
possible with an extensive collaboration to
identify root cause, systemic problems.
Time and time again, individual companies, economic development corporations
or educational institutes who try to address
symptomatic problems are not successful
in sustainable solutions.”
On what will make our community
successful – “A common theme at the
event was the necessity of inclusion of all
stakeholders around a common goal that is
to develop our communities through workforce development. A mature and objective
community will be leaps ahead of the next
community if a common, agreed-upon goal
is established that does not promote the
success of one organization, group or institute but rather the common good of our
community as a whole.”
For more information: www.uschamberfoundation.org/talent-pipeline-management
Member Profiles
Morgan Stanley’s Dean Crandall
Dean Crandall, a Financial Advisor in Morgan Stanley Wealth Management’s Danville
office, has seen it all in the securities industry, guiding clients through the highs and
low of the financial markets.
After 30 years in the securities industry,
the last 7 with Morgan Stanley, Crandall
knows the market can be unpredictable and
to be successful you need to place your
trust with the right people.
“The past ten years have battered investors, with recovery from the Great Recession to fears of global terrorism and
unprecedented central bank intervention,”
he says. “Clients, more than ever, need disciplined investment strategies to reduce risk
4
and minimize taxes.”
Crandall, CFP(r), CRPC(r), advises
clients as a Morgan Stanley Portfolio Management Director, First Vice President, and
Family Wealth Advisor from his Danville
and Champaign offices.
“Morgan Stanley is a leading global financial services firm,” says Crandall, “providing investment banking, securities,
wealth management and investment management services. With offices in more than
43 countries, the Firm's employees serve
clients worldwide including corporations,
governments, institutions and individuals. I
divide my time between the office in
Danville at 2832 North Vermilion and my
N E W S
office in Champaign.”
Crandall attributes his success to the support and infrastructure of Morgan Stanley.
“Managing capital on the scale we do
today simply was not possible fifteen years
ago,” Crandall says. “We are able to deliver
sophisticated solutions to help families
manage significant wealth. Whether it's financial planning, trading, research or online capabilities, Morgan Stanley is an
industry leader in technology.”
Amidst the volatility of the financial industry, Morgan Stanley and Crandall’s staying power is a sign of good standing with
clients and the communities they serve.
“People may be surprised how high a failure rate we have in this industry,” he says.
The basic questions to be answered
by a personal financial plan are:
1. Do I have enough to retire?
2. Do I have any blind spots?
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V I E W S
“It is very competitive and very volatile. It
takes decades to build trust.”
Crandall’s commitment to the Danville
area spans nearly the length of his career in
the securities industry.
“We are able to deliver
sophisticated solutions to
help families manage
significant wealth.”
“I've been involved in just about everything for the past 27 years in Danville,” he
says. “DACC Foundation, Danville Symphony Foundation, Rotary to name a few.
But my passion is having the privilege of
serving as an elder at Second Church of
Christ for the past 25 years.”
He brings his personal values with him
to work, placing a priority on building trust
with his clients. Crandall’s goal is to work
with each client’s family as a trusted advisor for generations to come.
“The privilege of advising the matriarch/patriarch, their children and their
grandchildren through a well-coordinated
financial plan is the most gratifying experience in my career,” he says. “Helping families have meaningful conversations about
their wealth and managing their family enterprise is the pinnacle of a well-seasoned
financial advisor.”
Crandall’s 5 recommendations when selecting a financial advisor:
1. Seek an advisor who is competent and well-credentialed.
2. Require a few decades of experience.
3. Check out their background on the FINRA web site.
4. Work with someone your personality meshes with.
5. Hire an advisor who is not afraid to ask clients difficult questions.
Restored Counseling in Catlin
Offers Hope to Individuals who
have Experienced Trauma
Melaine Easton is here to help. Whether
you’re a survivor of sexual assault or suffer
from depression, the owner of Restored
Counseling in Catlin is ready to offer counseling services to begin your healing process.
“Restored Counseling is a place for individuals who have experienced trauma,” says Easton, “It is a place for people who live with
depression, anxiety, or relationship difficulties to come to explore these issues in a safe
environment and begin to find healing and
restoration through those experiences.”
Comfortable Space
Easton, a National Certified Counselor and
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor,
values creating a comfortable space for her
clients. She recognizes the importance of
feeling safe when beginning the healing
process.
“It is important to me to create an environment where people can feel safe and secure,” she says. “A place where they can
share and challenge themselves. My hope is
that the individuals and families I come in
contact with will find wholeness in the midst
of their brokenness.”
In keeping pace with an ever-changing
social landscape, she incorporates up-to-date
technology into her services. Easton says she
works to provides services that work in
today’s mobile environment. That includes
things like using technology for scheduling
and for session reminders.
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APRIL 2016
V E R M I L I O N
Hope after Trauma
Easton provides services for a range of issues but focuses on survivors of sexual assault and trauma.
“While I have experience working with
individuals across the age spectrum and
many diagnoses,” she says, “I specialize in
working with those who have experienced
trauma. My post graduate training and specialty is sexual wholeness, overcoming barriers for those who have been sexually abused
or who have unhealthy views of sexuality
that negatively affect their relationships with
others. It is possible for victims of sexual
abuse to move forward and find wholeness
A D V A N T A G E
again. It is my privilege to join them on this
journey.”
Easton does not expect clients to immediately open up to her and works to build trust.
As part of creating a comfortable environment, she remains patient and respectful of
her clients’ healing process.
“I think people would be surprised how
easy it is to talk about their struggles and
work towards their goals in a warm and
inviting environment,” she says. “I know that
opening up to a stranger can be awkward and
it is never expected that people bare their
deepest, darkest secrets upon meeting me
day one.”
Melanie Easton on the Benefits of Counseling:
In a world where a lot of people talk, sometimes all that is needed is a quiet listener.
Counseling is a place that is non-judgmental. Counseling is a place where it is safe to
be who you are. Where you can journey together with your counselor and become
who you want to be.
The first session is an opportunity for the individual and the counselor to get to
know one another and decide if they are a good fit for one another. If the individual
does not feel comfortable, they do not need to return, but if they feel like they may
be able to begin this journey with their counselor they can return and work toward
the goals they have for themselves.
Counseling Help For Anyone
Despite focusing on trauma, Easton believes
counseling can be for anyone, regardless of
life experience.
“I find that people of all walks of life, all
ages may need counseling at some point in
their lives,” Easton says. “It may not be a severe mental illness or a significant traumatic
event like death or abuse, but we all go
through difficult periods. The advantage of
talking to a counselor is having a non-biased
ear to listen and give a new perspective or to
suggest some tools that may help during that
time.”
The public is invited to an
Open House
May 6 at 5:30 PM
at the Restored
Counseling office
106 E Davis St. in Catlin.
Slumberland to
Open at the Village Mall
Shoppers at the new Slumberland store may
be surprised by what they find. The, familyowned and operated Midwest retailer will
offer a wide variety of furniture for the living and dining room, bedroom, and home
office.
Andrew Daily, the Store Manager, says
there are unique aspects of the business.
“People will notice our ability to customize
many of the items we sell. We’re all about
providing you with choice at a price you
can afford. I think people will see that comfort and appealing design, whether through
color, finish, size, construction or configu-
6
ration, is well within any budget when you
shop at Slumberland.”
The Company
Slumberland opened its first store in 1967.
Corporate offices are located in Little
Canada, Minnesota, in the Twin Cities area.
The company has expanded to 12 states
with over 120 locations. The Danville store
is one of about one-third of the corporatelyowned locations.
Customer convenience is one of the
main reasons the company decided to open
a location in the former Sears location at the
Village Mall. “We sincerely appreciate our
customers who travel from Danville to shop
our other locations,” he says. “One of our
aims as a retailer and community partner is
to be a convenient place to shop. The Village Mall provided the right location for us
and we’re excited to become part of the surrounding community.”
Daily explains that the company tagline,
“It’s a Good Life,” gives a glimpse into
what the company stands for. “Merchandise
purchased from us will be a big part of the
quality of life people enjoy in their homes,”
he says. “Consider, for instance, the com-
N E W S
plexities a consumer faces when buying a
mattress. Offering a positive mattress buying experience is a critical point of differentiation for us. We absolutely consider
ourselves experts in getting a good night’s
sleep. As we’ve grown, our buying power
as a bedding retailer is a benefit that we
happily pass along to our shoppers. We buy
and sell enough volume from major mattress brands to offer excellent discounts and
value added elements to our bedding shoppers.”
The company doesn’t just focus on sleep.
“We’re proud to have a long history as one
of the nation’s largest La-Z-Boy retailers,
with our La-Z-Boy gallery being a core element to our locations,” he says. “Finally, an
emerging area of differentiation is our concept of ‘Your Choice, Your Way.’ We work
with a number of suppliers to offer cus-
&
V I E W S
tomizable furniture, particularly for the living room. We have a growing number of
choices for fabric colors and patterns - and
even sizes and configurations for certain
pieces - that will make your furniture purchase the perfect match for your home.”
Daily says everyone should visit the
company’s website. “Our website and
YouTube channel feature our two video series, Design Clips and The Re-Arranger. We
also have a room planning tool. We very
much enjoy sharing decorating and room
configuration ideas with viewers who want
to maximize the comfort and enjoyment of
their homes.”
something we don’t brag about, but it’s an
important part of who we are,” Daily says.
“Since 1993, Slumberland has been helping
children get the restful sleep they require by
giving new beds to families in need.
Through our 40 Winks Foundation and our
Homes for the Holidays donation event,
we've given more than 20,000 beds to children who would otherwise be sleeping on
the floor.”
Daily relocated to Danville in mid-April
from Grand Forks, North Dakota. He is a
graduate of the University of North Dakota
with a BBA in Marketing. He says he has
always found sales, marketing and consumer behavior fascinating. After graduating from college and learning of an opening
at Slumberland, he researched the com-
pany’s core values and mission and knew it
was a fit for his career path.
His role at Slumberland will be varied.
“Managing a retail store is an all-compassing occupation,” he says. “I have store associates to manage in terms of scheduling and
performance; overseeing back room operations and home delivery excellence; operat-
Giving Back
Slumberland has a long legacy of giving
back. “Our commitment to charitable giving
in the communities where we do business is
Slumberland Furniture’s Grand
Opening event will run from June 5th
-July 2nd. The Grand Opening event
will include special purchases on select products, discounts unique to
Danville shoppers and a 5-year
financing option.
Slumberland’s
Andrew
Daily
Andrew Daily, the store manager for the
new Slumberland store, sees himself as
much more than the person in charge of
running the operation. “I am the local ambassador of the Slumberland brand,” he explains. “So it’s my name that’s attached –
along with Slumberland as a company – to
our reputation as a good neighbor and
citizen.”
“By listening to our customers, we make the process
of choosing the right bed a
very positive experience.”
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APRIL 2016
V E R M I L I O N
ing a clean, safe and welcoming store environment; understanding how all the systems
and equipment works, and so much more. I
basically have to understand every detail of
the business to ensure that our guests have
the positive, personal experience that we
promise.”
Daily’s favorite part of the job will be invaluable to the sleep-deprived in Vermilion
County and the surrounding areas. “The
A D V A N T A G E
thing I love most is being able to help customers get a quality night’s sleep with a new
mattress,” he says. “Sleep effects our entire
day and having a mattress which allows you
to sleep soundly throughout the night has a
profound effect on our lives. Most people
rely on sleep aids at night or caffeine in the
morning when all they really need is a mattress that provides the proper support. I
think shoppers will also be impressed that
mattress shopping needn’t be an ordeal. By
listening to our customers, we make the
process of choosing the right bed a very
positive experience.”
In his free time, he looks forward to taking advantage of some of the county’s greatest assets as he enjoys hiking, biking,
kayaking, reading, and play board games
with friends.
First Institute Training & Management
As Director of First Institute Training
& Management (FITM), Ariel Nievas
sees his role as helping shape the next
generation of Danville’s workforce.
He explains it this way. “First Institute Training & Management, Inc.
meets the needs of its customers, employers, and the community at-large
by combining education, industryrecognized credentials, and the support to build self-sufficient
independence.”
FITM, located on 407 North
Franklin in Danville, opened in 2005
and serves clients ages 16-24. The
company prepares its clients to enter
the workforce through a range of
services that are applicable to both
specialized and unskilled positions.
“FITM offers job readiness training, career exploration in a variety of
fields, paid/unpaid work experience,
educational support, and customized
occupational skill trainings in healthcare, manufacturing, and computer
applications,” Nievas says.
8
If a client is willing to work,
Nievas and the FITM team are happy
to put in the extra effort to ensure
every person succeeds.
“FITM will go above and beyond
to see a customer succeed in his or
her desire to be better than when we
found him or her,” says Nievas.
“FITM is able to provide the aforementioned services for free for those
individuals that meet certain eligibility criteria.”
FITM partners with public, private,
and faith-based organizations that
support youth workforce development
such as Vermilion County Works, the
YMCA as some examples.
Nievas believes the entire Danville
community benefits from their services.
“Some of the benefits of working
with FITM,” he says, “are to tap into
a wealth of experience working with
youth and adults in the areas of workforce and skill attainment and resources, assistance with hard-to-serve
youth — ex-offenders, parenting
and/or pregnant teens, basic skills deficient youth, etc.”
The passion for serving Danville’s
youth extends throughout the entire
organization. Nievas sees FITM’s
mission reflected by his staff.
“FITM staff is a group of individuals who love youth and understand
their challenges,” says Nievas. “Although there is a fun and welcoming
learning environment, the staff is also
focused, intentional, and caring towards seeing customers achieving
their planned goals.”
The commitment to local youth development allows Nievas and FITM
to work towards a better community,
by educating and training the next
generation of Vermilion County’s
workforce. Their vision is to have a
labor force equipped for high
skill/high wage employment that
meets the needs of employers competing in the global marketplace.
N E W S
&
V I E W S
Career Corner
Brock Gale
wasted no time
in pursuing his
manufacturing
career.
The Research and Development Manager at Towne Machine and
Tool laid the foundation for his career path as a student at Danville
High School. Gale was part of a career-readiness program focused
on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) related
fields.
“DHS MERIT set me on the right track to head into Electrical
Engineering in college and gave me a small taste of what manufacturing in Danville was like,” Gale says. “I had fantastic teachers at
Danville High School and I really credit them with helping to get
me to this point in my life. I use what I leaned in the Cad Cam class
daily and have for the entirety of my career. I also distinctly remember the monthly mentoring lunch where members of the community (Manufacturing Cluster) would come in, have lunch and
talk to us one on one.”
Gale received support from the Vermilion Advantage Manufacturing Cluster while in the program. The Manufacturing Cluster is a
collective of Danville area professionals who work with students
interested in STEM careers.
“The Manufacturing Cluster was always supportive of MERIT
at Danville High School,” says Gale, “and that support continued
on to the Engineering program at DACC. I got the honor of an internship with Aqua Illinois through DACC. It was not only a fantastic learning experience but I believe that work experience gave me
a springboard into my future career after I graduated college. Right
now I am also a member of the Leadership Tomorrow Class
through Vermilion Advantage and I cannot recommend it highly
enough.”
Founded in 1947, Towne Machine and Tool, a machine manufacturing company headquartered in Danville, is still family-run.
Gale believes that working for Towne requires flexibility and a constant desire to learn.
“The Towne family is a great family to work for and interact with,”
says Gale. “They truly care about their employees and want the best
for them. At our facility we look for someone with a High School
or a technical degree, such as the ones offered through DACC, for
our most common positions. Most importantly we are looking for
someone with the ability and willingness to learn. Being a selfstarter is a huge plus.”
Gale’s path from the MERIT program at DHS to a full-time position at Towne illustrates the growing career opportunities in
Danville. From first-hand experience, he knows the area has plenty
to offer for those willing to put in the work.
“The great thing about manufacturing in Danville is there is
something for everyone,” says Gale. “There are so many wildly
varying paths and careers that everyone can find their niche. Vermilion County is a great area full of fantastic opportunities.”
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APRIL 2016
V E R M I L I O N
A D V A N T A G E
WELCOME NEW VERMILION ADVANTAGE MEMBERS
JOINING IN APRIL, 2016!
FIRST INSTITUTE TRAINING
& MANAGEMENT, INC.
Contact: Ariel Nievas
790 McHenry Ave.
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
773-344-7435
www.firstinstitute.com
Product/Service: First Institute provides youth workforce development services coupled with occupational skills training in industry recognized credentials.
MIDWEST PRINT & SIGN
SPECIALISTS, LLC
Contact: Leon Odendaal
3410 E. University Ave.
Urbana, IL 61802
217-714-8425
www.midwestspecialists.com
Product/Service: They offer the highest quality digital printing
and specialize in rush delivery of printing projects. Whether it’s
brochures or business cards; posters or postcards; signs or banners or anything in between, they will get it printed on time and
on budget. They also offer the newest technology in apparel
printing.
MORGAN STANLEY
Contact: Dean Crandall, CFP®, CRPC®
2832 N. Vermilion St.
Danville, IL 61834
217-477-0025
www.morganstanleyfa.com/thecregroup
Product/Service: Offering wealth management, financial planning, retirement planning, and corporate retirement plans.
10
JOHN SPEZIA’S REACH 1 COACH 1
Contact: John Spezia
2510 E. Main St.
Danville, IL 61832
217-274-8898
www.facebook.com/coachspeziainc
Product/Service: Coach John Spezia hosts 3 basketball camps
during the months of May and June. He provides instruction on
the fundamentals of the game of basketball, individual workout
programs, videos on fundamentals, and history of the game. In
addition, the camps also include prizes and speakers.
TODD LEE
Contact:
9994 E 2150 North Rd
Danville, IL 61834
217-474-4626
Product/Service: Retired individual
JIM PICILLO
Contact:
3295 E. Main St.
PO Box 827
Danville, IL 61834-0827
217-477-9271
Product/Service: Individual Professional
N E W S
&
V I E W S
Events
Friendly Town
Needs Your Help
Friendly Town, the long-time safety education
project located in Danville’s historic Lincoln Park,
is in need of a makeover. The Danville Police Department is looking for local businesses and individuals to lend a hand.
“Friendly Town has been around in Lincoln
Park since 1970,” says Chad Turner, one of four
Danville Police Officers overseeing Friendly
Town. “It is open to all children of Danville and
Vermilion County, grades 1-3. It is hard to find
someone in Danville who hasn’t either been
through it or their children have been through it. It
helps demonstrate to the community and the public in general the genuine concern the police have
for the safety of our young people. It lets children
interact with officers, firemen, and paramedics and
learn that we are all here to help. It also helps kids
learn how to be safe in an increasingly unsafe
world. We are just trying to make the community
better one child at a time.”
Officer Wasson with students
Alexsa Foley and Bella Salinas
11
APRIL 2016
V E R M I L I O N
A D V A N T A G E
Officer Turner, along with Officers Amy
Wasson, Beth Damilano, and Josh Long are
School Resources Officers (SRO) in District
118 during the regular school year. During
the summer, each SRO is assigned to
Friendly Town as an instructor on a rotating
schedule.
The Program
The program serves between 250-300 kids
from May to August each year. Students attend for one week, from 8:30-11:30am or
12:30-3:30 PM, Monday through Thursday.
During the course of the week students
learn about traffic and pedestrian safety,
cyber safety, fire safety, stranger danger,
bully resistance, and calling 911.
A few of the concepts are recent additions to serve the needs of kids in today’s
world.
“The addition of cyber safety, as well as
stranger danger and calling 911, are especially important in today’s society,” explains Turner. “All too often children are
left at home alone with access to the internet, but no instruction as to its dangers.”
Officer Wasson handing Connor
Smith his graduation certificate.
12
In Need of Repair
The iconic location includes a classroom,
garage, Police station, Fire station, house,
barn, church, railroad car, and train station,
and a D118 building. There are working
traffic and railroad signals as well as regulatory signs. The roads are paved, with both
sidewalks and crosswalks. Turner says all of
the buildings are in need of repair and upgrades, with a couple in need of total replacement. Currently, the students ride
around on pedal cars when learning and
practicing traffic safety.
Turner says 2020 will mark the 50th anniversary of Friendly Town. The vision is to
have at least two more buildings and a fleet
of electric cars. They plan to host a celebration and invite “alumni” back to Friendly
Town to see the changes and share their
memories.
N E W S
&
V I E W S
How You Can Help
Sponsor an Electric Car
“When it was established, there were electric cars that were modeled after 1960’s Ford Mustangs,” says Turner. “Unfortunately,
those were phased out and replaced with pedal cars. The goal is to
purchase a fleet of electric cars for Friendly Town.” The actual cost
for each of the new go-cart style cars, which include seat belts, is
$420 plus additional costs for replacement parts to have on hand to
keep the fleet running.
“Anyone can sponsor a car. The cost to sponsor is $500. With
that sponsorship donation, the sponsor gets their name, logo, or slogan on both sides of the car. We have a donation form that the
sponsor can fill out.”
Make a Donation
Turner says Friendly Town operates on a modest budget, with half
going to alarm services. Donations for classroom supplies such as:
handouts, pencils, crayons, activities, snacks, and giveaways would
be greatly appreciated. They are also seeking financial gifts to be
used towards repair of the facilities. Danville Township, Lowe’s,
Meijer and Wal-Mart are among the businesses that have already
made a gift.
If you would like more information about how to become a
“Friend of Friendly Town” and sponsor a car or donate to this community treasure, please “like” Friendly Town on Facebook or contact the Danville Police Department.
• Powerful 350-watt electric motor
• 8-inch knobby pneumatic tires
• Durable tubular steel frame; padded
bucket seat with seatbelt
• Hand throttle and brake controls; requires
no fuel to run
• Supports up to 120 pounds driver weight
• Unit price $419.99
• Replacement parts available
• Sponsorship signs can be placed on both
sides of the vehicle
13
APRIL 2016
V E R M I L I O N
A D V A N T A G E
Registration Now
Open for Global
Leadership Summit
After an overwhelmingly successful first year, this August 11th and
12th the Global Leadership Summit will again be offered in
Danville at Second Church on Lynch Road.
“The Global Leadership Summit is a two-day, world-class leadership event experienced by more than 260,000 leaders from around
the world,” explains Dale DeNeal, Executive Pastor, Second
Church. “Each August, the event occurs at Willow Creek Church
near Chicago and is simulcast in many different host locations.”
The 2016 Event
The topics presented at the GLS impact leaders in all of areas of
life. Some of the topics that will be presented this year include: executing ideas that matter most, virtues that accelerate teamwork, navigating effectively through cultural differences, harnessing the
power of emotional intelligence, ingredients of successful turnarounds, and building cultures that value efficiencies.
Among the speakers confirmed for 2016 are: Melinda Gates, CoChair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Alan Mulally, President and CEO of the Ford Motor Co.; Horst Schulze, CEO of
Capella Hotel Group; Patrick Lencioni, bestselling author; and John
Maxwell, leadership expert.
This year, multiple Summit Partners have signed on for the 2016
GLS: Chittick Family Eye Care, DND Witzel Enterprises, Inc., First
Church of the Nazarene, Greenwood Inc., International Greenhouse
Co., and Presence Health.
How Businesses and Organizations can Benefit
Linda Darby Dowers of Greenwood Inc., a Summit partner, says,
“This is some of the best time and money you can spend on your
people and your business,” she says. “Your business is only as good
as the leaders in the organization. The access to speakers of this
quality without having to pay travel expenses for our entire management team is a steal of a deal!”
Second Church’s leadership team has been involved with GLS
for over twelve years, and according to Pastor DeNeal, their leader-
14
More than an event, the Summit is a resource to be leveraged for community
transformation. Leaders are discovering that by attending the Summit and utilizing
its content and tools, their teams are increasing their impact. In fact, independent
research shows that 83% of leaders who attended the Summit in consecutive
years feel improved teamwork increased job satisfaction and productivity.
REGISTER TODAY AT WILLOWCREEK.COM/SUMMIT
ship ability has grown significantly, which in turn has impacted the
growth and vision of the church.
“In 2014, we were presented with the opportunity to be a host
site, and we envisioned two positive outcomes from bringing the
GLS to Second Church. First, we believed that more of our people
from the church could be exposed to this catalytic event. Second, we
believed the GLS could also positively impact our community.”
They were right.
“2015 was our first year to host the GLS, and we were told that a
first year site in our size of community might have a hundred people. We were delighted that our first year saw an attendance of 220
people. Based on the 2015 attendance, it has been suggested that we
could expect 400 in 2016.”
Bring Your Team
While anyone can attend this event for $189, groups of ten or more
have a discounted rate of $149 per person to encourage entire working teams to attend. There is a special discounted rate of $89 for students, educators, and military personnel.
“Experiencing the GLS as a team is a big plus,” adds DeNeal.
“The team comes back from the GLS equally inspired and often
N E W S
possessing a shared vision. It’s much easier
for the entire team to get energized than for
a leader who experiences the GLS alone to
try to ignite his/her team.”
&
V I E W S
If you or your team are interested in attending, registration is now open at
http://www.willowcreek.com/summit. If
you have questions or would like more in-
formation in Danville, call (217) 442-7306
or email inquiries to
GLS@secondchurch.com.
Welcome Home, Welcome Here
Frank Farrelly
is trading the
airways for
the roadways.
For as long as he can remember, Farrelly
was fascinated with airplanes. He graduated
from the School of Aeronautics at Florida
Institute of Technology in 1981, and then
began his career at American Airlines, followed by over ten years at an aeronautical
manufacturing firm.
And now, after three decades spent working for aeronautical companies, Farrelly is
changing paths. In March, he was hired as
the Purchasing Manager at thyssenkrupp
Presta Camshafts, a leading automotive
manufacturing supplier located in Danville.
“I started my career with American Airlines in 1986 and held several positions before I retired in 2005,” he says. “Thereafter,
I was hired by the Purdy Corporation in
2005, which was bought by the Timken
Company in October 2007. The name was
then changed to Timken Aerospace, one of
the largest manufacturers of gear components for the Black Hawk and Apache Helicopter fleets to US Government and Boeing.
I started from the ground up holding several
positions which was essential for me as I
learned the manufacturing process.”
While his background is in aeronautical
manufacturing, Farrelly had a positive impression of thyssenkrupp Presta Camshafts
during his first visit.
“When I walked through the doors for my
interview,” Farrelly says. “I had a good feeling about the atmosphere. Every person I
met was open with a greeting. I was impressed by how engaged and transparent the
“Being from the northeast, it’s
a hustle, hurry-up
environment. Everyone I meet
here takes the time to wave
and say, ‘Hi.’ It's a great
hometown feeling and I am
humbled to be part of it.”
management team was. When I returned
home and spoke to my wife, she could hear
it in my voice. The offer came and I accepted.”
He arrived in Danville four days before
starting work.
“I arrived in town February 27th, 2016
and began my new position on March 1st,”
Farrelly says. “I am currently looking for
real estate within the community and eagerly
waiting for my family to join me after my
daughter graduates in early June.”
Farrelly’s role is to oversee the Purchasing Department and work with the Global
team.
“My position has overall responsibility
for the Purchasing Department and the personnel within,” says Farrelly. “I am a member of the Staff/Management Team. I work
closely with all departments at the Danville
campus and the thyssenkrupp Global team in
Germany to support the organization’s requirements.”
His position also extends beyond the purchasing department, which allows Farrelly to
get a better sense of the organization as a
whole.
“I am not just involved in purchasing activities,” says Farrelly. “I am involved and
15
APRIL 2016
V E R M I L I O N
interested in all aspects of the business.
thyssenkrupp Presta offers growth opportunities to those who seek to be challenged and
desire to be the best.”
Building on several decades of manufacturing experience and his personal mantra,
A D V A N T A G E
Farrelly knows how he’ll operate in this new
position. “A saying taught to me at a very
young age that I still use is, ‘If this is was
your business how would you run it, if it
were your money how would you spend it?
Farrelly adds that growing up in a family-
owned, auto repair shop business gave him
two perspectives that he has used all of his
life - what it takes to run a business and the
meaning of Integrity.
All A’s
Harry Brockus has accepted the position
of Vice President of Regional Health, in addition to his current role as CEO of Carle
Hoopeston Regional Health Center.
McDonald's brand, their local community
and their customers.
Harry currently serves as CEO of Carle
Hoopeston Regional Health Center and
its five clinic locations. Harry’s administrative responsibilities also include the
Danville clinic locations and the MattoonCharleston locations. As the new Vice
President of Regional Health, Harry will
add the remaining regional clinics (Rantoul,
Tuscola, Monticello) to his leadership
scope.
In recognition of his efforts to promote economic growth and tourism in Central Illinois, State Representative Chad Hays
(R-Catlin) received the Legislator of the
Year Award at the Illinois Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Springfield.
Hays was nominated for the award by leaders from the Champaign County Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Danville
Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Schomburg & Schomburg Construction
Incorporated was recently selected as one
of 22 US winners of the prestigious 2015
Best of the United States. US Builders Review recognizes construction and building
companies from across the country that
have committed their enterprises to success,
satisfied employees, and superior products
and services through the annual Best of the
United States awards. This year, the 22 winners were selected from nearly 500 eligible
featured companies, due in large part to
their industry contributions and forwardthinking nature.
Bill Jenkins with Classic Homes Realty
was named 2016 REALTOR® of the Year
by Danville Area Board of REALTORS®.
He will receive special recognition during
the Illinois Association REALTORS®
Business meetings and Realtor of Year in
June.
Don and Deanna Witzel, Owner/Operators
of the Vermilion County McDonald’s received the 2016 McDonald’s Ronald Award
for the Chicago Region. They were given
the award at the corporate meeting in Florence, IN. The Ronald Award is one of the
highest honors for owner/operators in a region, as it is presented to individuals who
have made outstanding contributions to the
Bill began his career as a REALTOR in
1996 and in 2014 opened Classic Homes
16
Realty with Heather Cunningham-Jenkins.
Bill is married to Heather CunninghamJenkins and they have three sons and two
grandchildren.
The REALTOR® of the Year award is
given annually to one member of the Association who best exemplifies the professional qualities of a REALTOR®. It is
based on a person’s service and leadership
in the community and civic affairs as well
as activities in the Association.
The Vermilion County War Museum has
recently completed several projects: the
World War 2 area expanded dramatically
with additional displays, the Civil War area
has a major change in its displays with
many new items added, and a new permanent display of Trench Art was built. The
museum also added additional display cases
and changes to the lighting. The museum is
a member of the family of Blue Star museums. This program is collaboration among
the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue
Star Families, the Department of Defense
and thousands of museums across the country. Leadership support is provided by the
MetLife Foundation through Blue Star
Families.
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Talented, tech-trained individuals encouraged to apply online.
Visit watchfiresigns.com/careers for more information.