Inspire Works kick off and press conference was held Wednesday, September 14, at 8:30a in the Oakley Lindsay Center – 300 Civic Center Plaza.

Adams County, IL – Workforce development partners on the Inspire Works Team held a press conference on Wednesday, September 14 at 8:30a in the Oakley Lindsay Center to kick off the launch of the Inspire Works program in Adams County, IL.

Inspire Works is an online resource designed to increase communication between students, job seekers, educators and employers. The goal of Inspire Works is to bring those aforementioned groups together to help individuals achieve their career goals and address the workforce development needs of our community. The Inspire Works program was made possible through a number of generous partnerships and grants.

We are excited to be launching this program through our schools, with our partners and with local participating businesses of all sizes. Having programs like Inspire Works strengthens our regional advancement in workforce development, providing important strategies and solutions.

Information regarding Inspire Works, along with participating partners and businesses, will be available at the press conference. For more information, contact Joi Cuartero Austin at GREDF (217) 223-4313.

Great River Economic Development Foundation is a 501(c)6 not-for-profit organization with a mission to maintain and improve the economic vitality of Quincy and Adams County, IL through the retention and expansion of existing businesses and the attraction of new businesses to our communities.

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Opportunities Ahead

January 14, 2015
Oakley-Lindsay Center
Dan Henke, Chairman of the Board

[Click here to view the Prezi, including videos, that accompanied this speech.]

This has been a year of action for GREDF and our region. Last year at this meeting, we introduced our new strategic plan to you. The plan was designed as a road map for our economic development activities. It guides our organization’s investment of time and money in initiatives, and projects, and provides direction by anticipating and responding to changes in the local and national economy.

Our mission at GREDF is to maintain and improve the economic vitality of the Quincy and Adams County, Illinois, region through the retention and expansion of existing businesses and the attraction of new businesses to our entire region. To that end, we focus on six goals, which we will highlight this evening: Business Retention and Expansion, Workforce Development, Business Attraction, Marketing/Branding, Entrepreneurship Development and Membership.

We are pleased with the progress our region has made over the last year. Many of our area companies are growing, our logistics capabilities are increasing and we are investing in our future workforce. We believe our area is poised for growth. So let’s take a look back at the businesses, people and activities that have laid the groundwork for the opportunities ahead… starting with a quick video…

[Business Retention & Expansion]

What a wonderful success story. By becoming GatesAir, the company has incorporated its Quincy legacy while looking to the future of over-the-air TV and radio technology. As they continue to expand operations at their state-of-the-art manufacturing, supply chain and fulfillment center in Quincy, GatesAir is just one of our area companies hanging the “Now Hiring” sign on their front door.

Let’s take a look at some of the more notable stories of business expansion and investment from the past year. I have a lot to cover here so I’ll move fast.

Rack Builders completed a 20,000 square-foot addition to its Quincy factory this summer which allows it to increase capacity, grow the workforce, improve productivity and better serve its customers.

Prince Agri Products opened another new plant in March to expand production of its Animate Nutritional Specialty product. The 12,000 square-foot facility is supporting a five-fold increase in production.

Trinity Containers LLC, a subsidiary of Trinity Industries, doubled its workforce in 2013 growing to over 100 employees at their Quincy operations. The international manufacturer of pressure vessels added additional jobs in 2014 which precipitated the need for a new parking lot on Gardner Expressway.

Gardner Denver completed the final portion of a flood wall that wraps around their property. CEO Peter Wallace joined local dignitaries in October to celebrate the $1.65 million dollar investment. The company added 50 employees in the last year in Quincy and now employs 400 people locally.  

One of the region’s largest employers announced plans in June to take its foodservice redistribution concept abroad. Dot Foods and Mexico-based RJ Alimentos formed a joint venture redistribution company named RD Amerimex. With two major Mt. Sterling warehouse expansions in 2014 and 2015, the company’s extraordinary growth close to home also continues.

Hollister-Whitney Elevator Company has expanded into the former Glenarye building across the street from the company’s headquarters in the Schneidman Industrial Park. They have added about 50 new jobs over the past year and are poised for continued growth.

Local development company, ASL Properties, purchased the Quincy Regional Airport Spec Building this summer from Baldwin Partners, LLC, of which GREDF was a partner. ASL is leasing the building to Air USA, a U.S. Government Contractor based in Quincy that provides tactical services to the U.S. Defense Agencies, Defense Contractors and Foreign Governments. Air USA employs a team of more than a dozen former U.S. military fighter pilots, aircraft maintenance personnel and logistics specialists.    

Blessing Hospital officials expect the $70 million dollar patient addition named the Moorman Pavilion to be open by spring. Up to 150 workers have been on the job at times during construction.

Quincy Salvation Army officials plan to open their new Family Thrift Store on Broadway by July 1st. The 25,000 square-foot store will replace and double the space of the current thrift store on Maine.

Peoples Prosperity Bank broke ground on a new 9,000 square-foot banking center located at 3215 Maine Street during a ceremony on October 22nd. It is expected to be open by the fall.

Quincy Newspapers, Inc., is adding nine stations to its broadcasting portfolio pending regulatory approval. As a result of the acquisition, QNI will own and/or operate 23 stations in 14 television markets.

Our strategic goal in 2014 was to make one official business retention and expansion visit per week to our area companies. I am happy to report that our staff exceeded this goal and participated in over 70 retention visits last year. Because of these visits, we are able to identify and respond to opportunities and threats facing our area businesses. Thank you to those of you who opened your doors to us in 2014 and we look forward to sitting down with many more of you in 2015.

[Workforce Development]

In October, Mason and over 300 Adams County high school students toured area manufacturing facilities to learn about career opportunities available right here in their own backyard. The students also participated in the Manufacturing Expo at the John Wood Workforce Development Center and got up close and personal with state-of-the-art training equipment and products made by some of the nearly 100 manufacturers in the region.

The availability of skilled labor is a key factor in site selection and expansion decisions. Because GREDF is committed to meaningful and measurable workforce development initiatives, we welcomed Angela Caldwell to our team this summer. Angela’s focus is to facilitate workforce initiatives in the region and she has hit the ground running.

Since the initial Adams County Workforce Summit in April 2013, three workforce teams have been actively addressing the most pressing workforce issues. Plans for a second Workforce Summit are in the works for 2015.

The Career Guidance Team has been working toward its mission to encourage and foster awareness of careers; educate youth and job seekers about area career opportunities; and build connections between families and local employers.

In August, the Work Readiness Team unveiled its Essential Workplace Skills which is a list of pre-employment, foundational and high performance skills. The Team went on to validate the skills by obtaining employer and agency endorsements. The list is being shared with area agencies to ensure prospective employees get the tools they need to develop these skills and find employment. 

Many of our area companies will be facing a shortage of workers in the coming years due to retirements. To address this challenge, the Workforce Transition Planning Team is identifying and nurturing current younger employees to help advance their leadership skills.

An important partner in our workforce activities, John Wood Community College, celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2014. According to a study, JWCC is a $22 million dollar economic engine annually for the area, adds skills to the region’s workforce, boosts the competitiveness of businesses and increases earnings for students who graduate from College.

Quincy University announced plans in December to renovate historic QU Stadium with a $4 million dollar investment by a California-based developer. The renovations have already begun and are slated for completion by fall 2015. The improved facilities will benefit the entire region.

The biggest education-related news of 2014 was the passing of the Quincy Public Schools Building Referendum in November. The GREDF Board of Directors came out in unanimous support of the referendum because the presence of high quality schools and facilities is essential to a strong economic development program.

In addition to providing our students modern and safe learning environments, the $89 million dollar project will sustain a construction industry that has been going strong for several years. Work on the schools, which will be staggered over the next four to five years, should create and retain over 700 construction jobs and even more indirect jobs.

[Business Attraction]

Attracting new business is arguably one of the most challenging parts of an economic development program. It’s a good thing we like a challenge. 

The GREDF team spent 2014 cultivating personal relationships with businesses and site consultants outside the region as part of our business attraction efforts. We exceeded our goal to meet one-on-one with 40 site consultants by attending Industry Week Expansion Management’s Roundtable in the Rockies, an Ameren-sponsored Consultants Forum in Ohio, the International Economic Development Council annual conference in Ft. Worth, Texas, and two Community Venture Network meetings in Minneapolis.

These meetings allow us to promote our region’s assets and meet with top-level consultants who are actively working with companies that are making location and expansion decisions.

One of the region’s most promising assets is one step closer to reality. In October, the Mid-America Intermodal Port received $1.1 million dollars from the Illinois Jobs Now capital construction program. The investment will help complete the planning and design phase for the estimated $80 million dollar intermodal port project, which will be developed as a public-private partnership. 

The Mid-America Port is planned to be fully intermodal and is an ideal logistics location. The investment translates to economic growth and jobs for Quincy and the entire Tri-state region and will not only help our current businesses grow, but also help us attract new businesses to our communities.

Modernizing and strengthening our nation’s inland waterways system is critical to our long-term success and business attraction efforts which is why we were pleased to see two additional major announcements on this front in 2014.

The Upper Mississippi stretching from St. Louis to St. Paul, was officially designated the M-35 Waterway of the Saints Marine Highway. This designation will boost efforts to upgrade locks, build ports and ship freight along the waterway.

Congressman Aaron Schock highlighted congressional action to improve inland waterway infrastructure at a press conference at Quincy’s Lock and Dam 21 in December. A 9-cent increase in fuel used by barges and other river craft passed by both the House and Senate will generate around $80 million dollars a year for the Inland Waterways Trust Fund. The industry-sought user fee increase will allow additional money to flow to priority navigation projects.

In other infrastructure news, Adams Networks and the City of Quincy announced plans to bring ultra-high-speed internet access to homes in Quincy. Adams broke ground in their pilot “Fiberhood” in mid-July. Becoming a Fiber City is a selling point for Quincy. Reliable, state-of-the-art infrastructure provides more value to our residents and encourages entrepreneurship.

GREDF staff spent 2014 working on preserving an essential tool in our economic development toolbox. Together with the City of Quincy’s Planning and Development staff, we prepared the application for re-authorization of the Adams and Brown County Enterprise Zone. The process included collecting the necessary data and obtaining approval from taxing bodies in order to submit the final application by December 31st. The Enterprise Zone is the single best tool our communities can use to stimulate capital investment and job creation.

There were a lot of positives in 2014, but that doesn’t mean we were immune to the challenges, most recently the announcement of the closing of J.C. Penney’s in the Quincy Mall. It is never a good thing to lose a major retailer, but we, along with our partners, are hopeful that another retailor will take the anchor position in our strong, regional commercial center. GREDF staff will assist Quincy Mall and Cullinan Properties in any way we can as they work diligently to replace the store and continue to invest in the mall’s future.

A significant blow to our region came when Quincy Compressor officials announced they would be closing their facility in Quincy and consolidating operations at their headquarters in Alabama. A task force comprised of City and DCEO officials, workforce leaders and GREDF staff presented company officials with two different incentive packages to keep and even expand their operations in Quincy, but we were ultimately turned down. The task force has remained active behind the scenes, assisting employees with retraining opportunities and finding new positions in the Quincy area, as well as showing the building to potential buyers.

On a positive note, we are pleased to welcome Lehigh Fluid Power to Quincy. Just announced yesterday, the New Jersey-based manufacturer of hydraulic and other cylinders, has entered into an agreement with Quincy Compressor to purchase Ortman Fluid Power. GREDF has assisted Lehigh Fluid Power throughout the process including locating manufacturing space in the Quincy Development Center. The purchase, which will be finalized next month, means 15 jobs will be retained in Quincy.

[Marketing/Branding]

This branding initiative is an effort involving several key area organizations working together to: establish a marketable and recognizable brand which captures the essence and value of Quincy and Adams County and develop an effective and comprehensive marketing and public relations campaign based on this brand.

The potential impact and benefits of this project include retention and recruitment of talent, attractiveness to new businesses, increased tourism and a sense of pride and satisfaction for current residents. Thanks to monetary commitments from each participating organization, work will begin soon to connect the soul of our community with the heart of our consumers.

An event that has earned brand recognition over the years, the Tri-State Development Summit, took place on May 7th in Hannibal. Since its inception in 1996, the Summit has achieved success in a number of important regional projects, including the completion of more than 1,300 miles of priority highways.

The 2014 Summit kept waterways, transportation and regionalism at the forefront with a lineup of speakers that included Governor Terry Branstad, Colonel Mark Deschenes and Jeff Finkle, president and CEO of the International Economic Development Council, who praised the Summit for being “a partnership of the highest order”.

One of the most significant achievements of the Tri-State Summit Transportation Task Force has been the Macomb bypass. In October former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn announced that $35 million dollars in capital investment was to be released to pave two of the planned four lanes of the bypass. The Macomb bypass has long been a regional transportation priority because it will attract traffic and economic development along the 584-mile Chicago-Kansas City Expressway. 

By communicating our brand and these stories of collaboration, investment and success, we will continue to preserve and enhance the economic vitality of the Quincy and Adams County region.

[Entrepreneurship]

There’s a concept in economic development called economic gardening. It’s an entrepreneurial approach that seeks to grow the local economy from within. Its premise is that local entrepreneurs create the companies that bring wealth and economic growth to a region in the form of jobs, increased revenues and a vibrant local business sector.

Roger Leenerts embodies economic gardening at its finest. He and his wife Julie purchased H&B Quality Tooling, Inc. in 2001 and currently have 16 full time employees providing customers with tooling, machined parts and services that exceed expectations. 

Serial entrepreneurs Eric and Kathryn Thomas opened Vervocity Interactive, a full-service interactive solutions development company last year. The couple also own and operate ETC ComputerLand and in July purchased Media Development to serve the marketing needs of many area companies. Among the three companies, there are 44 employees.

The GREDF team, under the leadership of Quincy Entrepreneurship Center director, Charles Bell, assisted dozens of entrepreneurs and small business owners in 2014. Assistance has included 40 start-up and financing meetings, 2 business acquisition meetings, 14 business expansion meetings and 8 meetings related to new markets and export opportunities.

These numbers do not include the dozens more meetings, calls and emails GREDF staff attend to during a typical month. Along with our partners, we also hosted the 2nd Annual Entrepreneurship Expo in August to provide a one-stop learning experience for entrepreneurs at any stage of the process.

All of these activities take time and time is money, so we were pleased to have applied for and received a USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant in order to continue to provide technical assistance services to small businesses in the region. These services include business counseling and assistance with business plans, financial analysis, planning and site selection, developing and coordinating business education and training opportunities with regional education and economic development partners, introductions to investors, industry contacts and potential service providers and networking regionally between businesses.

Entrepreneurship development remains a key component of our overall economic development program.

According to a presentation by Federal Reserve Business Economist Kevin Kliesen, key indicators suggest that the Quincy-area economy has outperformed many other areas of the state. Midwest manufacturing activity has grown faster than the nation the past few years and Quincy has seen healthy growth of real per capita income compared to other areas. While our demographics present both opportunities and challenges, we’re ready to face the challenges head on and cultivate the opportunities ahead. Thank you.

Closing Remarks

Marcel W. Wagner, Jr., President 

Good evening… And thank you, Dan. Your leadership as Board Chair has enabled GREDF to more effectively meet our goals and objectives. My thanks also to the GREDF Board of Directors and Executive Committee for your guidance and support. It has been my privilege to serve you, our partners and staff in 2014.

The past year has been one of action for GREDF. Our strategic plan helped us better align our goals and strategies with our annual budget and work plan. Results of the 2014 Work Plan, including performance measurements, were reported to the GREDF Board in December, and the 2015 Work Plan has been approved to meet the changing needs of our region.

The 2015 Work Plan outlines our clear-cut Vision, defines our Mission and substantiates the Value of GREDF’s work in our region. Performance, accountability and seizing new opportunities will be at the heart of our 2015 activities.  We will continue to provide value-added service to both our private and public sector partners by implementing new, strategic and out-of-the-box ideas.

Several new initiatives have already been implemented, including a CEO Roundtable and Freight Council. Leaders from a select group of non-competing companies participated in a pilot CEO Roundtable last month. The goal of the roundtable, which is a result of a partnership among John Wood Community College, the Workforce Investment Board of Western Illinois and GREDF, is to encourage collaboration and an exchange of information. The first group intends to meet regularly in 2015 and plans for additional roundtable groups are in the works. 

Logistics professionals representing several area companies took part in the first meeting of the Freight Council also in December. Dr. Bart Jennings, Professor of Supply Chain Management at WIU facilitated the meeting. GREDF staff will be working with Dr. Jennings to gather area logistics data and develop a course of action before the next Freight Council meeting this year. The objective of this initiative is to address logistics, supply chain and freight issues in the region.  

Please know that we appreciate your involvement in these and other initiatives that help us build a strong foundation upon which our regional economy may thrive.

In the spring we introduced the new Investor Program to help grow private investment in GREDF. We asked what value you place on supporting economic development activities that maintain and improve economic stability and a high quality of life for our region. You answered.

Thank you to ADM, Adams Networks, Blessing Health System, Knapheide Manufacturing Company, Quincy Medical Group and Quincy Newspapers, Inc. for becoming our inaugural Chairman’s Club members, investing $10,000 dollars annually in the mission and activities of GREDF. And thank you to the nearly 200 more businesses, organizations and individuals that increased or maintained your membership in 2014.  Our goal in 2015 is to continue to grow our membership base, so if you are not currently a member, please consider making an investment in the economic future of our region.

We need financial support from both our private and public partners to sustain GREDF’s growing operations and balance our budget, which is why we are pleased that the Adams County Board of Commissioners has committed additional funding for 2015. I look forward to working closely with the City Council to do the same. 

At my first GREDF annual meeting last January I said that “I believe leader’s inspire their people, giving them the confidence they need to step up to challenges and become leaders themselves.” That has certainly been the case this year with changes to the GREDF staff.  Maggie Strong, in her new role as Vice President, has successfully led initiatives in membership growth, business retention and the much anticipated branding project.  Angela Caldwell joined our staff in June as Workforce Development Coordinator and has done an excellent job in leading GREDF’s workforce activities. 

I’d also like to recognize Pete Pohlman, Nikki Albright and Charles Bell for their contributions in 2014. Charles in particular has been instrumental in one of the most important projects on our horizon, moving the Mid-America Port from concept to reality.

At a recent meeting with a national site consultant I reviewed the proposed Port facilities and its multi-modal capabilities.  His comment was that “these facilities will appeal to the top 10% of my client base.”  Supply chain and logistics management are key drivers of site selection projects and GREDF has to get our message out that we are an ideal unique location for these types of projects.

It’s not unreasonable to imagine millions of dollars in new capital investment and new employment opportunities driven by our strategic location and the development of the proposed Port facilities.  Think of the opportunities ahead.  The construction of new schools, growth of area companies and public and private capital investment in the Port… this all leads to jobs and improvement in the quality of life for our region.

To all of our partners, I commit my energy to working with the staff and Board of Directors to accomplish and exceed the goals and objectives we have set forth, and I challenge you to join us. Together we will seize the opportunities ahead. Thank you and good night.

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The Board of Directors and Staff of the Great River Economic Development Foundation

Invite you to attend our 2015 Annual Meeting

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Oakley-Lindsay Center
300 Civic Center Plaza, Quincy, Illinois

Cash Bar 5:00 p.m.

Program 5:45 p.m.

No charge to attend. No RSVP required.

The Great River Economic Development Foundation’s 2015 Annual Meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 14th in Kent Hall at the Oakley-Lindsay Center, 300 Civic Center Plaza in Quincy. Doors open and a cash bar will be available at 5:00 p.m. with the meeting beginning at 5:45 p.m.

No RSVP is required and there is no charge to attend the meeting. Members of the business community and the general public are encouraged to attend.

Current Chairman of the GREDF Board, Dan Henke, will give the 2015 Annual Meeting presentation which includes highlights from the past year. This year’s theme is “Opportunities Ahead”. GREDF president Marcel Wagner, Jr. will share an update on GREDF’s Strategic Plan which was adopted by the Board of Directors last year.

Additional speakers for the evening include Mayor Kyle Moore and Les Post, Chairman of the Adams County Board.

The Great River Economic Development Foundation exists to maintain and improve the economic vitality of the Quincy and Adams County, Illinois, region through the retention and expansion of existing businesses and the attraction of new businesses to our entire region. For more information, call 217.223.4313.

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The Adams County Workforce Initiative began in April 2013 when more than 40 area leaders gathered to discuss workforce issues and create a platform for continued collaboration. Several key issues were identified during the April meeting and three teams were established to address the most critical of those issues.

Career Guidance Team: Working with businesses to convey to individuals the career opportunities and earning potential available in the Adams County region
Work Readiness Team: Developing work-ready citizens to become successful, productive members of the regional workforce
Succession Planning Team: Ensuring that as workers retire, the knowledge of those retirees stays with local companies and within the community

All three groups have been meeting regularly and as a result of those meetings have developed missions and goals specific to their area of workforce development. In this installment, let’s focus on Career Guidance.

Career Guidance Team

MISSION: Encourage, Educate & Connect
Encourage and foster awareness of careers; educate youth and job seekers about area career opportunities; build connections between families and local employers

Activities of the Career Guidance Team include:

• Conducted survey of junior high and high school principals to assess career guidance opportunities and gaps in Adams County schools
• Conducted “Career Roadshow” pilot project at Central (Camp Point) Freshmen Orientation night, March 13, 2014
• Planning a second Career Roadshow for Spring 2015
• Conducted a meeting with Adams County school counselors to develop an implementation plan for career guidance activities 
• Hosted a joint meeting with the Work Readiness team to share both teams’ plans

The Adams County Workforce Initiative is being guided by a steering committee consisting of representatives from the Workforce Investment Board of Western Illinois, John Wood Community College, United Way of Adams County, Quincy University, West Central Region Education for Employment System #240, Quincy Public Schools, Vatterott College and the Great River Economic Development Foundation. Individuals interested in becoming a member of one of the workforce teams should contact Angela Caldwell at 217.223.4313 or caldwella@gredf.org. 

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LEGAL NOTICE 

Request for Proposals
400 Maine St., Quincy, IL
Great Downtown Site for Retail, Office or Residential Building

 The City of Quincy is accepting redevelopment proposals for 400 Maine St. in Downtown Quincy, IL.  The 198-ft. by 99-ft. property is located at the southeast corner of 4th & Maine Streets, across the street from Washington Park.  The property has access to a public alley at the rear.  Zoning is D3, Downtown Riverfront, allowing for a wide range of residential and commercial uses. Proposals are to be submitted in a sealed envelope to:  Interim Director of Purchasing, 730 Maine Street, Quincy, IL  62301.  The outside of the envelope must be clearly marked, “400 Maine St. Redevelopment Proposal.” 

Proposals will be accepted no later than 4:00 p.m., June 30, 2014.  RFP specifications can be found online at: http://www.quincyil.gov/bids. The City of Quincy reserves the right to waive technicalities and to reject any and all proposals.  The City of Quincy reserves the right to accept the most advantageous proposal for the city.

By order of:
James Murphy
Interim Director of Purchasing

[share]Thanks to all who joined us for the 2014 GREDF Annual Meeting on January 8th. We had a great crowd and were excited to share economic development and business highlights from 2013, as well as unveil our 2014 Strategic Plan. In case you missed the evening, or would like to take a closer look, here’s the feature presentation given by outgoing Chairman of the Board, Mr. Tim Finlay.

Great River Economic Development Foundation
2014 Annual Meeting Presentation

January 8, 2014
Presented by: Tim Finlay, Chairman of the Board of Directors

This has been an exciting year at GREDF. A year ago, we celebrated the retirement of Jim Mentesti and thanked him for his 27 years of service to our region. In March, we welcomed new GREDF President, Marcel Wagner, who has hit the ground running.

Many people have commented to me that they like to come to the GREDF Annual Meeting because this is the place they can receive an overview of the activities helping to drive positive economic growth.

Tonight, we’ll do just that, but my comments will be brief so that Marcel can introduce the new GREDF Strategic Plan to you. The Strategic Plan is the roadmap for growth for our city, county and region.  We believe tonight’s theme, “Growing from Here”, captures the spirit of this plan and the economic development activities it entails.

Our region has been blessed with a great foundation, a platform if you will, for economic growth. The river, a robust highway transportation system and homegrown manufacturing and agricultural base are just a few of the assets that make us strong. Combine these with the greatest asset we have – our people – the people that live and work here, who have vision, determination and good old-fashioned work ethic, – and we believe that our area is poised for continued growth.

Let’s take a look back at the businesses, people and activities that have laid the groundwork for the possibilities ahead, starting with business retention and expansion.

Business Retention & Expansion

Prince Agri Products is growing again. The company took advantage of the City’s Economic Development Loan Program to extend a sewer line to its $3.5 million dollar, 12,000 square-foot addition on its South Quincy Development District campus. Expecting to hire six new employees, company officials now say they’re currently looking to fill two to three times that number to keep up with demand. Prince Agri officials cited a good working relationship with City and economic development officials, and an accessible workforce among the reasons for their continued investment in the Quincy area.

Trinity Containers L.L.C., a subsidiary of Trinity Industries Inc., has doubled its workforce in Quincy over the past year. Trinity Industries Inc. is a diversified industrial company that owns a variety of market-leading businesses which provide products and services to the industrial, energy, transportation and construction sectors. Trinity Containers is a leading international manufacturer of pressure vessels that currently employs more than 100 people in their Quincy manufacturing and logistics operations.

Gardner Denver has invested heavily in their Quincy manufacturing operations over the past year. The company has made significant capital investments including the purchase of new equipment and transformation of their manufacturing footprint. In 2014, the company plans to invest over $4 million dollars locally which includes the installation of a flood wall and gates.

Titan International is on pace to set record global revenue over $2 billion dollars in 2013 thanks in part to their continuing international growth strategy. The company, which was started and is headquartered in Quincy, employs over 8,000 people worldwide including approximately 1,000 in Quincy. Titan completed construction of a new building at the former site of Huck’s Corporation in 2013 to house their state-of-the-art Powder Coat Painting System. Along with their local investments into their business and people, Titan, as with many of the companies we mention tonight, is involved in the community.

The Knapheide Manufacturing Company proudly calls Quincy home and employs over 1200 team members throughout the Great River region. As the nation’s leading manufacturer of utility body and work solutions for commercial vehicles, Knapheide witnessed tremendous growth in 2013 requiring over 150 new manufacturing associates in Quincy alone. As a result, Knapheide achieved industry-leading market share and continues to foresee robust demand and growth for 2014 and beyond. To support future growth and product demand, Knapheide continues its longstanding partnership with John Wood Community College to develop vocational training programs in order to equip its workforce with world-class manufacturing skills for today and the future.

Archer Daniels Midland Company opened an intermodal container freight shipping and receiving facility in Decatur this past fall. This means there are more shipping and logistics opportunities available to companies in the Quincy area. GREDF and ADM Alliance Nutrition hosted ADM’s Managing Director of Intermodal and Container Freight in October to speak with area businesses about these opportunities.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois hired 169 new staff members for their Quincy office in 2013, bringing local employment numbers up to 836. The company has had a number of internal promotional opportunities and continues to hire and assess needs based on anticipated growth due to the Healthcare Exchange environment.

Timewell Tile has experienced growth in the last year which is continuing into 2014. The company currently employs 260 employees compared to 215 at this time last year. Timewell opened a new manufacturing facility in Iowa, began production of a new product line at its headquarters in Timewell and added a new crew and trencher to their ADI Field Installation Division based out of Golden.

Inc. Magazine recently included major regional employer, Dot Foods, on its list of the 5,000 Fastest Growing Private Companies for 2013. The ranking is based on 2012 revenues of $4.5 billion dollars and a three-year growth rate in excess of 34 percent. When a new 110,000-square-foot cooler warehouse is completed in the next few months, the company will have the capacity to add 50 new jobs in Mount Sterling. 487 of Dot’s 2,100 employees reside in Adams County.

It’s been another groundbreaking year for Blessing Hospital and the Blessing Health System. Quincy’s largest employer is on track to complete a $70 million dollar patient care addition in January 2015. Meanwhile, the third medical office building in the Blessing Health Center was completed in June. These brick and mortar investments are joined by Blessing Health System’s biggest news of the year, its agreement with the BJC Collaborative, a partnership among health care systems throughout Illinois, Missouri and Eastern Kansas. Blessing joined the Collaborative with the goal to improve the quality and efficiency of health care in the region.

Despite the loss of the former Newcomb Hotel to fire this past fall, lots of great things are happening in the Historic Quincy Business District – new businesses, 93% occupancy, parking lots, Main Street awards and recent major announcements including the former Carson Apartments purchase by Austin Properties and the City Center Hotel purchase by Tracy Holdings which just last week signed a franchise agreement with Choice Hotels to renovate and brand the property as a new Quality Inn and Suites. Thanks to the vision of business and property owners, both small and large, downtown is growing and its future is bright.

Because business retention and expansion efforts are at the top of our priorities, GREDF partnered with the City and County to conduct a Business Survey in June of last year. Thank you to all who participated. Your feedback helped us identify the issues most important to our business community, and it gives us a platform for addressing those issues. We plan to conduct this survey annually and I would personally like to encourage all of you to participate.

Workforce Development

As identified in the survey, workforce development is both a threat and opportunity for area employers. The availability of skilled labor is a key factor in site selection and expansion decisions and our ability to retain and attract businesses directly impacts the capacity of our families to grow financially.

This is why GREDF is committed to meaningful and measurable workforce development initiatives. In April, more than 40 leaders came together to discuss workforce issues in Adams County and to develop a shared vision for long-term change.

Participants in this Mini Summit included representatives from secondary and post-secondary education, staffing services and a number of community-based agencies. The United Way of Adams County, the Workforce Investment Board of Western Illinois, John Wood Community College and GREDF hosted the event.

As a result of this meeting, a steering committee of community leaders has been assembled and teams have been established to address the three most critical issues identified.

First, the Career Guidance Team is working with businesses to help identify and share career opportunities and earning potential available in the Adams County region. Second, the Work Readiness Team helps individuals understand what qualities they will need to be successful, productive employees and citizens. And third, the Succession Planning Team is helping to ensure that as workers retire, the knowledge of those retirees stays with local companies and within our communities.

All three teams have met and are in the process of developing missions and measurable goals.

More than 300 high school students toured local manufacturing facilities in October before attending a Manufacturing Expo at the John Wood Workforce Development Center. The tours and expo were part of a day-long event coordinated by John Wood and GREDF to show students manufacturing career opportunities available right here in their own backyard.

Manufacturing jobs in Adams County represent good careers and head-of-household salaries. There were over 5,000 people employed in manufacturing in Adams County with an average salary of over $49,000 dollars according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Manufacturing represents 17.5% of the total employment in Adams County as compared to 12% in the State of Illinois and just under 11% in the country as a whole.

Our local post-secondary educational institutions are focused on preparing students to enter the 21^st century regional workforce.

John Wood has been awarded a $2.1 million dollar grant to help create and expand innovative partnerships with businesses to educate and train workers with skills employers need in today’s marketplace.

An anonymous donor gifted $2 million dollars to Quincy University to renovate and expand the QU Center for Science at the university’s North Campus. And in November, QU received a $436,000 dollar grant from an anonymous local foundation to create an Academic Success Center on campus that will provide enhanced academic and career services to all QU students.

Area employers will benefit from the commitment of our educational institutions to prepare students for successful careers.

Business Attraction

When it comes to business attraction, personal relationships make all the difference. That’s why the GREDF team has spent much of 2013 cultivating those personal relationships with businesses and site consultants and leveraging Marcel’s experience and contacts to promote our region’s assets.

In June, GREDF project manager, Megan Backs attended Industry Week’s Expansion Management Roundtable in Florida. She met with eight site consultants and attended a number of presentations on the site selection process, project financing and workforce issues.

In October, Marcel attended the Annual Conference of the International Economic Development Council as well as Industry Week’s Expansion Management Roundtable where he met with top-level consultants that actively work with companies making location and expansion decisions.

In addition to these industry-sponsored events, Marcel has met face-to-face with key site selection contacts in Chicago, Indianapolis and St. Paul, as well as sent hundreds of personal emails to site consultants and corporate real estate executives. While business attraction doesn’t happen overnight, we’re confident in the potential for future investment as a result of our efforts.

Marketing/Branding

GREDF will be leading the effort to enhance and develop a brand for Quincy and Adams County that captures the essence and value of our region. Part of this new branding effort will emphasize our commitment to regionalism.

In November, the Tri-State Development Summit and its 35 counties was designated a Great Region by the USDA. The Summit has long recognized and worked to accomplish the task of assessing regional needs and identifying resources to meet those needs. The Great Regions designation will be another tool in our marketing toolbox.

The Summit’s Transportation Task Force held a meeting in Macomb in November to discuss transportation and highway issues. Task Force members think in terms of highway systems such as the CKC and Avenue of the Saints, rather than point-to-point roads. While these area leaders can point to decades of transportation successes, the challenge they face moving forward is a general lack of funding.

In addition to the work we do on behalf of the Tri-State Summit, GREDF has been involved in efforts that share the issues, assets and opportunities of the Quincy and Adams County region with the outside world.

Marcel took part in Congressman Aaron Schock’s Washington, D.C. Fly-In along with Mayor Moore and Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Amy Looten. While there, Marcel presented an overview of critical issues facing the Quincy and Adams County Region.

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is a vital rural economic development strategy. Small enterprises are responsible for a large portion of the job growth and innovation in a rural region like ours.

We are able to make entrepreneurship development part of our overall strategy because of the experience and work of Charles Bell. As Director of the Entrepreneurship Center, Charles worked with over 50 clients in 2013, assisting with start-up, expansion and succession planning, site selection and financing. As a result, over a dozen entrepreneurs have started or expanded their business.

Several Quincy area organizations including GREDF, hosted an informational event for aspiring entrepreneurs in August. The event included a presentation by the Small Business Development Center and opportunities to speak one-on-one with experts about financing a small business, marketing and sales, legal and tax issues and human resources.

Membership

Economic development is not an endeavor of a single person or single organization. You’re here this evening because you understand successful economic development is a partnership and an intentional process.

For our city, county and region to grow, we need to be aggressive and we need to have focused goals. You are an important part of our efforts to grow this region. Thank you for what you do to support economic development in our area and for your support of GREDF.

What you are going to see from Marcel this evening is that GREDF has an aggressive plan to promote economic growth and is committed to executing this plan. Together, we, all of us, will continue to develop and grow this region to be the best it can be.

Thank you.

Funding for Local Workforce Programs

[share]The Workforce Investment Act should be reauthorized to ensure funding is available for local workforce training.

The availability of skilled labor has become a key factor in site selection and expansion decisions, and our ability to retain and attract businesses directly impacts the well-being of our region and the ability of our families to be financially self-sufficient. In a recent survey conducted by Area Development Magazine detailing top site selection factors, labor costs and availability of skilled labor ranked number one and number three respectively. That is why funding for local workforce initiatives in part through the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act is critical. Local Workforce Investment Boards and funding through the Workforce Investment Act are helping dislocated workers and disadvantaged youth receive the training they need to secure family sustaining careers and help fill the local and national skills gap.

Tri-State Highway Priorities

Elected officials should support the increase in funding to accelerate construction of the Macomb bypass, US 67 Corridor upgrade and US 34 upgrade.

Macomb Bypass Completion

The Macomb West Bypass is an essential link that connects the Tri-State network via the Chicago-Kansas City Expressway. The CKC allows drivers to avoid the very slow and congested I-55 segment between Chicago and Joliet, and the equally difficult over-crowded piece of I-70 from St. Louis to Kansas City, both of which are on a route that has been taken by most traffic in the past. Upon completion, the CKC will be a major force for economic growth and job creation. Officials from Illinois and Missouri have agreed to work jointly across the corridor to build traffic and promote this new four-lane connection between our two major Midwest commercial centers, and to promote the communities located on the new corridor. However, it is going to be very difficult to promote the corridor prior to the completion of the Macomb Bypass. $70 million was secured in the 2009 Illinois Jobs Now capital bill to begin work on this vital project. The Tri-State Development Transportation Task Force is now working with IDOT, state lawmakers, legislative leaders, federal transportation officials and members of Congress to implement accelerated construction of the bypass. Efforts are under way to secure $32.5 million in additional state funding to complete construction of two lanes of the four-lane bypass by 2015, with the other lanes completed as funding becomes available.

US 67 Corridor Upgrade

Upgrading the US 67 Corridor from the Quad Cities south to Alton is a key priority in the region’s transportation agenda. Ultimately, US 67 south from Macomb should be connected to US 67 north of Macomb by a four-lane bypass east of the city, which also will serve as a gateway to extend Ill 336 east from Macomb to Peoria.

US 34 Upgrade

Upgrading US 34 in Illinois to four lanes from Monmouth to Burlington, and through Iowa to Des Moines to complete the Trans Iowa-Illinois Freight Corridor from Galesburg to Des Moines is of central importance. The Tri-State Summit group was successful in securing $73 million from the governor and legislature in the 2009 Illinois Jobs Now capital bill to being work on the Monmouth-Burlington segment.

TIGER 5 Grant and Mid America Intermodal Authority Port District

The U.S. Department of Transportation should award a TIGER 5 grant to the Mid America Intermodal Authority Port District.

Funding from a TIGER 5 grant will aid in the development of new port facilities under the Mid America Intermodal Authority Port District and will benefit the retention and expansion of existing industries, provide opportunity for new investment and job creation and establish the tri-state region as a significant Midwest transportation hub. It has been determined that the TIGER 5 grant would enable the first phase of the proposed new port facilities in Quincy to be constructed. This new facility location has tri-state support of 26 counties in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri whose representatives make up the Board of the Mid America Port Commission and will benefit the entire region.  Significant private and public investment has been made in the 5000 acre, 500 year levee district. The new facilities will increase the number of barges that can be serviced in the region, will reduce the congestion on regional highway infrastructure and will reduce shipping costs for regional companies, driving new investment and new job creation. This facility will interface with the Chicago-Kansas City Expressway and the Avenue of the Saints to improve overall regional freight movement.

The location was chosen by the US Army Corp of Engineers as the preferred site and will improve the safety and efficiency of barge traffic in the region allowing for greater volume of river freight traffic. Barge traffic is an environmentally sound way to move freight and by reducing rail and truck traffic lowers maintenance costs for land based infrastructure.

USDA Great Region Designation

The USDA should consider the ongoing and collaborative economic development efforts of the Tri-State Summit and officially recognize the geographical area of Northeast Missouri, Southeast Iowa and Western Illinois as a Great Region. 

In 1993, flooding on the Mississippi River wreaked havoc in the Midwest. As rising water closed bridges, highways, railways and barge traffic, the tri-state area of Northeast Missouri, Southeast Iowa and Western Illinois learned that a common partnership was critical to each of their economies. The tri-state region shares a common workforce, area educational and healthcare facilities and business community. It was with these common threads that the first Tri-State Development Summit was held in 1996 and 8 subsequent summits have followed. It is a unique partnership of 35 counties in 3 states that share the resources of the largest inland waterway in the United States.

Early in fiscal year 2011, USDA identified seven regional projects as good opportunities for USDA partnership, calling them Great Regions. USDA chose the term Great Regions to encourage these regions and their current and potential partners in the community to broaden their thinking to a regional scale. Given the long history of collaboration created by the Summit, this regional focus already exists in the tri-states. Having the 35 Summit counties designated as a Great Region would spur economic, social and environmental benefits and establish this region, with the support of the USDA, as a central hub for the Midwest.

USDA directors from Missouri and Iowa along with Illinois Director Colleen Callahan will be in Quincy this fall to meet with key representatives of the Tri-State Summit to begin the process of naming our 35-county region a USDA Great Region with the goal of having that designation announced at the May 7, 2013 Summit.

M-94 Corridor (Upper Mississippi Connector) Marine Highway Designation

The Upper Mississippi Connector (M-94 Corridor), stretching from St. Louis to St. Paul, should be designated a Marine Highway.

The America’s Marine Highway Program is designed to focus on the integration of Marine Highways into the nation’s surface transportation system, providing seamless transition across all modes by leveraging marine services to complement land-side surface transportation routes. The Mississippi River has demonstrated the ability to provide additional capacity to relieve congested land routes serving freight and passenger movement. Every barge that moves up and down the Mississippi River would require 70 trucks to accomplish the same freight movement. Cost savings average nearly $11 per ton.

Officials in the Quincy and Adams County region are working in partnership with Department of Transportation officials in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin and Minnesota to achieve this designation. When achieved, the designation will help these states gain access to much needed funds for the maintenance and improvement of the river system. It will be an economic development tool, benefiting both business and tourism. The City of Quincy and Adams County region will see new opportunities in the retention and expansion of our existing businesses as well as the attraction of new industries.

Water Resources Development Act of 2013 Passage & Funding

The House of Representatives should follow the lead of the Senate and pass the 2013 WRDA bill that recommends higher investment and recapitalization of our inland waterways infrastructure. Furthermore, the amount of user fee should be increased as an investment in the future of the system. Investments in water resources infrastructure are investments in the long-term strength and security of the nation.

WRDA legislation should contain provisions that prioritize the completion of navigation projects across the entire waterways system; improve the Corps of Engineers’ project management, improve flood protection and processes to better deliver projects on time and on budget, in order to realize $8 billion in job creation; reform project cost allocations; recommend an affordable – and increased – user fee funding mechanism to meet the system’s needs; and realize a sustainable annual appropriation of $380 million, of which a significant portion is paid for by commercial users of the system.

Critical components related to the lock and dam infrastructure that need to be included in the final version of WRDA 2013:

• Removing the Olmsted Lock & Dam project from Inland Waterways Trust Fund and move it to U.S. Treasury General Fund for completion.
• Increase the threshold for major rehab projects from $14 million to $20 million.
• Update prioritization and delivery process to ensure on-time and on-budget, as well as funding availability to complete projects.
• The House of Representatives should add the 45% increase ($0.09 per gallon) fuel tax for the barge industry. This was supported by the industry if safeguards are put in place to see that the funds are used for system-wide prioritized projects (not Olmsted).

Modern lock and dam infrastructure is critical to U.S. competitiveness in the world market, to environmental protection, to energy efficiency, to sustaining well-paying American jobs and to traffic congestion relief. The Senate’s passage of a WRDA bill that contains a comprehensive package of recommendations to improve the continued vitality of the critically important inland waterways system is commendable. Now, it is the House of Representatives turn.

In addition to modern lock and dam infrastructure, developing a Levee Safety Program is important to the future of the inland waterways system and the industries it supports. Levees serve an important role in the energy industry, the petrochemical industry and the agricultural industry which represents a major component of our economy and includes such companies as Archer Daniels Midland and Prince Agri Products. The WRDA legislation should address the following issues:

1. Support improved clarification of Federal and non-Federal roles, such that:
   • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) project involvement is driven by Regional Economic Return (RED Benefits) for job creation and economic growth
   • Public Health and Safety, to assist with levee improvements to prevent catastrophic failures and increase factor of safety
   • Provide federal planning and technical assistance to Local Levee Districts, Counties and States with high RED and safety improvement needs, but low National Economic Return (NED)
   • State and local actors maintain plenary responsibility for landside risk reduction measures such as evacuation, land use practices, building codes and risk communications
2. Oppose new top-down national levee safety standards and related unfunded Federal regulatory mandates.
3. Support authorization for a one-time USACE Inventory and Inspection of non-Federal levees.
4. Support efforts to address USACE Vegetation Management Policy that compel the agency to account for peer-reviewed scientific findings, project-specific variables and multi-purpose demands in its VFZ variance procedures.

The National Waterways Conference estimates that having robust systems on the Mississippi River and connecting waterways provide a $44 return for every dollar invested. A safe, well-maintained and enhanced water transportation system is a primary goal for our region. Passage and funding of the 2013 WRDA bill is an absolute priority for our Tri-State future.

Download a PDF of this document here: Critical Issues for the Quincy and Adams County, Illinois Region 

A collaboration of GREDF, the City of Quincy and Adams County

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Economic development is not an endeavor of a single person or even a single organization. Successful economic development is a collaborative and aggressive process. That’s why GREDF, in partnership with the City of Quincy and Adams County, has developed a business survey to help gauge the current business environment in our region.

By filling out our short, 13-question survey, you are providing feedback we will use to improve the economic vitality of our region, resulting in an environment that benefits our communities as well as the businesses that call our communities home.

Take the Survey

Thank you for filling out our survey. We value your feedback. For more information about how GREDF can assist with your business, please contact us at 217.223.4313 or gredf@gredf.org.

Marcel W. Wagner, Jr., CEcD
President, Great River Economic Development Foundation

Kyle Moore
Mayor, City of Quincy

Les Post
Chairman, Adams County Board

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I want to take this opportunity to introduce myself to the members, partners and residents in the Quincy region as I become part of this wonderful community. I am pleased and privileged to serve as the new President of the Great River Economic Development Foundation.

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The public is invited to a press conference to meet Marcel Wagner on Wednesday, March 13, 2013, at 9:00 am in the Lobby of the Oakley-Lindsay Center.

The Board of Directors of the Great River Economic Development Foundation, announced the hiring of Marcel W. Wagner, Jr. as the new President of the organization. An eleven-member committee consisting of community leaders and GREDF board members recommended Wagner after a 6-month-long nationwide search. Wagner was unanimously approved by GREDF Board of Directors members attending a special meeting on March 5, 2013.

“Marcel’s years of experience as an economic development professional and proven track record in a region with similar characteristics to our tri-state region made him stand out among the pool of strong local and national candidates we interviewed,” said Tim Finlay, Chairman of the GREDF Board of Directors and a member of the Search Committee. “The level of interest in the position indicated to us that GREDF and our region have a reputation for being pro-economic growth,” Finlay added.

“I’m ready to hit the ground running. The presence of such a qualified staff and committed GREDF Board were very important to me as I went through the selection process” said Marcel Wagner. “My wife and I are eager to make the tri-state region our home and have already experienced what a special and welcoming community Quincy is,” Wagner added.

Mr. Wagner’s first official day with GREDF was Monday. “Thanks to the diligent work of the members of the Search Committee, we were able to meet the timeline we originally established for a spring hiring,” said Finlay.

Jim Mentesti announced his retirement after 27 years of service to GREDF and the Tri-State area in August. Phil Conover had been serving as interim President while Jim Mentesti served as a consultant during the transitional period. Conover will continue serving the organization through the end of March. Mentesti concluded his service as a consultant at the end of February.

Who is Marcel Wagner?

Marcel Wagner has spent the past 21 years with the Allen Economic Development Group in Lima, Ohio, the last 19 of those years as its President and CEO before retiring from that position in January. Wagner is a Certified Economic Developer and former Chair of the International Economic Development Council Certification and Education Committee. He was an Executive Committee Member of Team Ohio through the Ohio Economic Development Council as well as former chair of the Allen County Workforce Investment Act Board and Allen County Revolving Loan Fund.

During his tenure with the AEDG, Wagner developed and implemented a regional marketing plan and targeted industries marketing program, established a Foreign Trade Zone, oversaw the development and sale of 5 spec buildings, participated in the start up of two entrepreneurship centers and administrated a private loan fund, among other activities. He was also involved as a pilot user in the development of business retention software now widely used in the economic development world. During his time at AEDG, the organization assisted in over 105 industrial and commercial projects creating 6,300 jobs, retaining 3,500 at-risk jobs and representing $3.2 billion in new capital investment. One example of Wagner’s contributions is his involvement in the development and construction of the 1.2 million square foot Proctor and Gamble Distribution Center, one of the largest fully automated logistics center in the world.