April 17, 2017

Ronda Sauget

The Leadership Council wishes to send a big THANK YOU to everyone who attended  and supported our Annual Dinner on April 6! We appreciated and valued
your participation in this important event attended by over 400 people! Based on last year's  feedback, we changed our format to provide greater networking time and provided  more attention for our speakers and awardees, resulting in many positive comments by  attendees! While we understand spring is growing as a time for many events, we want you  to know how much we thank you for your continued support and look forward to seeing you  next year at this important event!
 
As you review this edition of the Good NewsLink, it is clear that spring is a time for many
construction projects to start, while other longer timeline projects are being completed. West Star
Aviation continues its growth with a new paint hangar planned for St. Louis  Regional Airport in Bethalto and a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for the Villas in East  Alton. HSHS St. Elizabeth's Hospital is finalizing its plans for a big move into its new facility in only  7 months in O'Fallon.  Ameren Illinois announced its $9M investment in East St. Louis. Many of the  region's construction firms are announcing projects, so please read on to see all of the positive  momentum driving our area forward!
 
 

Ronda Sauget, D. Mgmt, MBA
Executive Director
Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois
  
West Star Aviation announces plans to open another Bethalto hangar
(Alton Telegraph, 3/25/17)
West Star Aviation, a major regional employer with significant operations at St. Louis Regional Airport, has announced intentions to build another hanger at the site. According to David Miller, manager of the airport, the facility would be used for painting aircraft. ( Read More)

Area unemployment rates drop, state rate at lowest since 2007
(Alton Telegraph, 4/1/17)
After a jump in January as seasonal holiday workers were let go, the area's unemployment rate dropped to 5.2 percent in February, according to figures released this week by the Illinois Department of Employment Security. ( Read More)

Hospital preps for move on several fronts
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/10/17)
Seven months from the biggest move in its history, HSHS St. Elizabeth's is actively working through the logistics of shifting patients and services to its new O'Fallon hospital. ( Read More)

Ground breaking planned for Villas in East Alton
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/4/17)
The RiverBend Growth Association is planning a ground-breaking event at 1 p.m. Friday, April 7, for the newest location of The Villas of Holly Brook and Reflections Memory Care. ( Read More)

Esse Health opens newest area location in Shiloh
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/3/17)
The O'Fallon-Shiloh Chamber of Commerce helped cut the ribbon on the new home of Esse Health Shiloh Internal Medicine, 1167 Fortune Blvd., Shiloh. ( Read More)

Council approves Montclaire Business District
(Edwardsville Intelligencer, 3/28/17)
Redevelopment within the Montclaire Business District was approved with a 5-2 vote at last week's Edwardsville City Council meeting. ( Read More)

Enterprise, startups to benefit from fast-growing fleet management industry
(St. Louis Business Journal, 3/24/17)
Increasing maintenance costs, fuel consumption and government regulations are driving a boom in the global fleet management market, which according to MarketsandMarkets is expected to grow to a $27.9 billion industry by 2021. ( Read More)

Construction Underway to transform former hospice home in Edwardsville into memory care community
(Riverbender, 3/28/17)
IMPACT Strategies is underway with a renovation project that will transform the former Relais Bonne Eau Hospice Home in Edwardsville into a new memory care community for Cedarhurst Assisted Living. ( Read More)

First Clover Leaf Bank becomes First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust
(Belleville News Democrat, 4/3/17)
First Clover Leaf Bank has officially converted to First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust. ( Read More)

Ameren Illinois to invest $9 million in East St. Louis facility
(St. Louis Business Journal, 4/3/17)
Ameren Illinois announced plans Monday to invest $9 million in updating its East St. Louis operating center. ( Read More)

Ameren launches energy startup accelerator
(St. Louis Business Journal, 4/3/17)
Ameren Corp. (NYSE: AEE) has launched a new startup accelerator that will invest in early-stage energy technology companies. The accelerator is part of Ameren's focus on innovative technologies that make the energy grid smarter and more reliable. ( Read More)

Leadership Council releases latest investment update
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/10/17)
This year's edition of the Leadership Council's Market Review provides an overview of the critical business investments and projects that continue to grow and strengthen the economy of Southwestern Illinois. ( Read More)

Businesses, others asked to support Godfrey legacy effort
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/10/17)
compared to the long list of famous people who have emerged from the region, Capt. Benjamin Godfrey never quite got his due.  ( Read More)

Q&A with Chief Executive Officer Donna Richter and board member Cyril "Pete" Korte, Southern Illinois Builders Association
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/10/17)
IBJ: What's the state of the construction business in Southern Illinois? ( Read More)

Contegra Construction Co., Knapheide Truck Equipment Center, Wentzville, Mo.
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/10/17)
when clients know what they want, a job can go smoother for a builder. Such was the case with Contegra Construction Co.'s recent project for Knapheide Truck Equipment Co. ( Read More)

Poettker Construction, Continental Tire Plant Expansion, Mount Vernon
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/10/17)
Continental Tire Plant in Mount Vernon is investing more than $20 million in a new expansion project that is scheduled for completion in July. Construction began in November 2016. ( Read More)

Korte & Luitjohan, Inc. St. Clair County Event Center, Belleville
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/10/17)
Korte & Luitjohan Contractors, Inc. in Highland broke ground for the St. Clair County Event Center located on Route 15 in Belleville in August last year. Project manager Chris Wernle said work will be completed by the end of April. ( Read More)

Plocher Construction Co., Donco Electric Headquarters, Edwardsville
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/10/17)
Some of the biggest beneficiaries of the unseasonably mild winter in the region have been construction companies. ( Read More)

Holland Construction Services, Memorial Hospital East and Medical Office Building, Shiloh
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/10/17)
The completion of Memorial Hospital East and the ongoing construction of an associated Medical Office Building in Shiloh continue to transform the health-care marketplace in the region. ( Read More)

IMPACT Strategies, Public Safety Facility, Edwardsville
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/10/17)
Construction-management firm IMPACT Strategies says work underway on the new Edwardsville Public Safety Facility should be completed in late fall. ( Read More)

TIF helped turn blighted Owens-Illinois Glass plant into gleaming Alton Center Business Park
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/10/17)
In the late 1990s I was the executive director of the Southwestern Illinois Development Authority, a regional economic development agency that assisted development across Madison and St. Clair counties. ( Read More)

Downtown revitalization continuing in Alton with help of TIF
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/10/17)
Downtown revitalization remains a top priority for the city of Alton. Although it has received more than $100 million dollars of investment since the TIF district was created in 1994, it's still an area in transition. ( Read More)

Collinsville creates new TIF district to revitalize Southwest corridor
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/10/17)
Last year Collinsville added its newest TIF district, the Southwest Corridors TIF which encompasses land along Collinsville, Bluff and St. Louis Roads. ( Read More)

Moran Economic Development utilizing full tool box to help cities grow
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/10/17)
New life is being breathed into the long-dormant Discovery Business Park in Dupo, according to Keith Moran, president of Moran Economic Development. ( Read More)

Memorial Hospital East to celebrate first anniversary
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/7/17)
Memorial Hospital East will celebrate its first birthday with a party on Wednesday, April 12, from 1:30 to 4 p.m. in the hospital's Main Lobby. ( Read More)

Bi-State Development gets new Madison County member on board
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/7/17)
The Madison County Board and Chairman Kurt Prenzler have approved the appointment of Justin Zimmerman to the Bi-State Development Board of Commissioners. ( Read More)

Anderson Hospital, AndersonMercy Cancer Center join in cancer donation
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/7/17)
Anderson Hospital and Anderson Mercy Cancer recently presented the local American Cancer Society with a check for $6,000 in support of two of the local Relay for Life events being held in Juner. ( Read More)

Edwardsville butcher shop changes hands but not its style
(Belleville News Democrat, 4/9/17)
Herbie the Hereford is staying as a Main Street icon in Edwardsville, while the butcher shop beneath him is changing hands. ( Read More)

IBJ Newsmakers: Collinsville Economic Development Commission holds annual development event
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/10/17)
The Collinsville Economic Development Commission held its ninth annual, "An Evening with the EDC" event on March 23 at the Gateway Center. ( Read More)

Yoga studio opens in Swansea; Pitcher's replacement planned
(Belleville News Democrat, 4/9/17)
A new yoga studio is operating in Swansea. ( Read More)

Walker talks of plans to possibly divide old Kmart for 3 to 4 businesses
(Riverbender, 4/6/17)
The Sierra Group out of New York City apparently has some big plans for the old Alton Kmart on Homer Adams Parkway, Alton Mayor Brant Walker said Thursday. ( Read More)

Fifty Metro East businesses aid effort for BackStoppers organization
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/7/17)
Operation Community Blue, a Metro East area campaign involving 50 local companies, netted $14,721.71 for the BackStoppers Inc. organization in St. Louis. ( Read More)

McKendree, SWIC form 2+2 agreements
(Edwardsville Intelligencer, 3/24/17)
A cooperative relationship between McKendree University and Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) ensures a seamless transfer process for students seeking a bachelor's degree. ( Read More)

Holland Construction starts construction work on fourth new store at Decatur mall
(Illinois Business Journal, 3/28/17)
Holland Construction Services, of Swansea, has begun construction for Accent Construction Services and CBL Properties on the new 22,000-square-foot T.J. Maxx tenant space at Hickory Point Mall in Decatur. ( Read More)

Boeing's defense unit wins $26.6 million NASA contract
(St. Louis Business Journal, 3/27/17)
The Boeing Co.'s Defense, Space and Security unit, which is based in Hazelwood, has been selected by NASA to develop a prototype High Performance Spaceflight Computing Processor. ( Read More)

SIUE awarded NSF MRI Grant for instrument development
(Riverbender, 3/29/17)
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded Southern Illinois University Edwardsville a $204,565 grant through its Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program for a project under the direction of principal investigator George Engel. ( Read More)

Ameren Illinois partnering with Madison County Community Development to provide bill payment assistance to Collinsville-area customers
(Riverbender, 3/28/17)
Ameren Illinois and Madison County Community Development are hosting a customer assistance event on Wednesday, March 29, at the Collinsville Senior Citizens Center. ( Read More)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar highlights lifelong success at Mannie Jackson Center for the Humanities fundraiser
(Riverbender, 3/30/17)
Legendary UCLA and Los Angeles Lakers' player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar received a warm welcome to the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. ( Read More)

Emerson becomes first Premie Corporate Member of Edwardsville-based Fab Lab
(Illinois Business Journal, 3/30/17)
Emerson, a global technology and engineering company headquartered in St. Louis, sees Lewis and Clark Community College's St. Louis Confluence Fab Lab as a resource for its innovative research and development divisions. ( Read More)

Nursing job fair at Alton Memorial on April 11(Illinois Business Journal, 4/6/17)
Alton Memorial Hospital will have a nursing job fair for prospective nurses from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 11. ( Read More)

HSHS St. Elizabeth's Hospital to hold Nursing Career Fair on April 19
(Illinois Business Journal, 4/5/17)
HSHS St. Elizabeth's Hospital will host a Nursing Career Fair to fill various clinical positions on Wednesday, April 19, from 3 to 8:00 p.m. at the Regency Conference Center at 400 Regency Park in O'Fallon. ( Read More)

______________
 
Thank you to the 2017 Leadership Council Annual Dinner Sponsors!

_________________

Presentation and Awards 

Holland Logo










------------------------

Program
    
Ameren IL Logo


McKendree Logo


Memorial Hospital







 
Korte logo

----------------------------

Centerpiece 



------------------------------
Wine 





----------------------------
Welcome Table



---------------------------

Appetizer 


 




Ittner Logo

JF Electric




 

 
 


------------------------------

Music 





------------------------------  
 
Military Sponsors 
America's Central Port
Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors
First National Bank of Troy
Illinois State Senator William R. Haine
Jerry and Mary Kane
Phillips 66
Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis
The Hauser Group
TheBANK of Edwardsville
 

Contact Information

Ronda Sauget, Executive Director, Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois

618-692-9745

Is Metro East Good NewsLink being sent directly to you?  If not, please sign-up for these twice-a-month mailings, by clicking the link below:  

     

Note: Availability of the full stories can be subject to registration requirements or posting expiration, based on the policies of the news organization originating the content