NEWSLETTER                                               January 2020
Bedford Park - Clearing Industrial Association
5101 West 67th Street
Bedford Park, IL.  60638
708-496-0336
President's Message

Happy New Year to all! I hope everyone had enjoyable holidays while spending time with friends and family. It is hard to believe it is 2020! While 2020 marks a new year with different elected officials, it also starts off with new fees and taxes enacted by our legislature, with a record of 20 tax and fee hikes passed to support a record $40 billion state budget and $45 billion infrastructure plan. Some key new fees and taxes are as follows:
  • Licensing for legalized recreational cannabis - $55 million
  • New tax on legalized recreational cannabis - $80 million
  • Expansion of on-line sales taxes: $80 million
  • Increased sales tax for remote retailers: $104 million
  • $50 increase in vehicle registration fees: $441 million
  • $2375 increase in electrical vehicle registration fee: $4 million
  • $100 trucking registration fee increase: $49 million
  • Parking garage tax: $60 million
  • Trade in vehicle tax: $60 million (trade in > $10k)
 
BPCIA Board of Directors encourages all members to participate in the various activities throughout the year. These engagement opportunities afford members the ability to connect with other businesses in the community. If you have any questions about becoming a BPCIA member please contact Donna Smith at (708) 496-0336.


Have a healthy and prosperous new year!
Rob Mead
BPCIA President 
job_fair_chalkboard.jpg
We Need Your Help!

The BPCIA Board of Directors would like to survey our members to see if your company could benefit from a job fair, and if you'd be interested in participating?  

Please email donna@bpcia.org with your reply
Cyber Security discussed at the January Quarterly Luncheon 

J ohn Connell from Fortress Data Management discussed
" The Cyber Attack:  How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Computer"
Ransomware... Phishing... Hacking... Insider threat

Why Do I Need a Cybersecurity Risk Assessment?

Every business which stores or process Personal Protected Information (PII) credit card (PCI) or medical (HIPAA) is required b y law to protect that information

With the ever increasing financial and personal liability risks associated with their information systems, a Cybersecurity Risk Assessment Audit is necessary to protect their citizens and their information assets.   

Why NIST?  The US Government created the
National Institute of Standards & Technology to protect critical information systems including the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security.  

Why FORTRESS?  Fortress's 25 years of IT information systems experience enables us to properly implement the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and their family of Polices and Controls to protect DOD contractors, governments and businesses who require the highest standard in information systems and data protection.

What Are the Threats?  This YEAR...

LaPorte County Indiana Government offices were forced to pay $132,000 to hackers
plus over $45,000 in associated costs after a ransomware attack shut down part of the county's computer system.

Lake City Florida, paid nearly $500,000
 to get its data unlocked plus over $1.5 million in IT equipment and software upgrades after an attack on their police department.  

Atlanta, Georgia - Did not pay $51,000 ransom but ended up costing the city over $17 million
to get the IT systems running again.  Some of the data is lost forever.

Baltimore, Maryland - City refused to pay the $76,280 ransom and have spent over $18 million so far in IT related costs.  

What is the Solution?   In every case, inadequate or non-existing Cybersecurity Policies and Procedures were to blame.  For example, had any of these municipalities followed the proper NIST and Fortress designed data backup and recovery policies and procedures their data would have been recoverable without paying the ransom.  
In some cases, the attack may have been prevented in the first place.

WHY AUDIT?  The Private Sector needs an IT Risk Audit for the same reason they need a Financial Audit - TO PROVIDE INDEPENDENT ASSURANCE THAT THEIR ASSETS ARE PROPERLY MANAGED AND PROTECTED.  



For more information contact John Connell (Fortress Data Management) 630-920-0153.

Midway Central Station at Bedford Park


Illinois' Newest Mixed-Use Sports and Events Center in the Village of Bedford Park Announces Partnership with Industry-leading Firm, Sports Facilities Management (SFM)

Opening in Summer 2020, this state-of-the-art indoor center will be the premier destination for sports tourism in Chicagoland and beyond.   The sports & events center will be located at 65th & Central.
The Station will feature:
  • 3 Indoor Turf Fields
  • 8 High School Hardwood Basketball Courts
  • 16 NCAA Volleyball Courts
  • Fitness Center & Group Training Rooms
  • Indoor Climbing Area
  • Ninja Performance Course
  • Meeting & Event Spaces
  • Cafe with Full Kitchen Service & 2 Bars
  • Child Care Services
Mayor  Dave Brady  has led the process for Village of Bedford Park in finding the right fit for the operations of the sports and events center. "SFM has proven to be leaders and stood out from the pack in our RFI process," Mayor remarked. "SFM has already been incredibly helpful in our development process beginning with financial forecast tools to help us make informed decisions on the scale and amenities of the facility. We are excited to bring them on for operations including support for FF&E procurement. We are eager to embark on this new partnership."

2020 Small Business Outlook Survey Results

The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and BMO Harris Bank released the results of their  2020 Small Business Outlook Survey.
 
The full report is available here , but below are some of the highlights:
 
Concerns among small business owners
  • 86% of business owners have concerns over taxes, up 5% from the previous year
  • 75% of small businesses express lack of confidence in managing cash flow
  • 74% of respondents are concerned about regulations, a 6% increase
  • Access to capital remains a concern for 63% of respondents, also an increase from the year before
  • Concerns over healthcare costs, surprisingly, dropped to 77% this year (down 11% from the previous year)
 

Small business needs

  • 67% of small businesses reported that they lacked expertise in conducting market research, an increase of 4% from the previous year
  • A higher percentage this year (41%) need greater access to capital
  • Dealing with local government remains a concern amount 35% of respondents
 
Workforce
  • Fewer small businesses (27%) expect to add full-time workers in 2020, compared to 41% in the prior year
  • The same holds true for part-time employees, with only 33% of respondents indicating they would hire part-time staff
  • More than half (56%) of employers feel challenged in finding qualified candidates
 
Outlook
  • 57% of small business owners still expect to expand their business in Illinois (down 4% from the previous year)
  • Expectations of expanding into other states stayed relatively flat at 31% vs. 32% the previous year and owners expecting to expand internationally were at 17% vs. 18% the prior year
  • A full three quarters of businesses still expect to grow this year and 58% are expecting to increase their revenues

 

You can download the full report here. For questions about the Chicagoland Chamber's small business services and offerings, please contact Stacey Pitts Caldwell at scladwell@chicagolandchamber.org.  
 

Marijuana ~ Corporate Policies & Procedures
What Employers Need to Know 

On January 1, 2020, Illinois has legalized recreational/adult-use marijuana.  Is your company prepared?  This topic was discussed at our Quarterly Luncheon held on November 25th at the Marriott Chicago Midway.  Noah Frank shared timely and insightful information and resources. 

Click on the link below for the PowerPoint Presentation:


Bedford Park - Clearing Industrial Association 
Welcomes New Member


Ricardo Duran   
Power Plus Products




Bedford Park Last Mile Resource Update

The Village of Bedford Park has published a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for transportation service and technology providers. You are receiving this notification because you have participated in Bedford Park's Last Mile Resource Group, the 2019 Last Mile Demo Day, or related last mile planning activities, and we thought you may be interested in hearing about the next phase of this effort. The RFQ can be accessed  


Upcoming Events

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March 31, 2020
Quarterly Luncheon 
Cook County Assessor F ritz Kaegi
Hilton Oak Lawn

May 12, 2020
Annual Meeting & Election of Officers
  DoubleTree by Hilton Chicago Midway Airport 

June 11, 2020
Golf Outing at Cog Hill

August 6, 2020
Golf Outing at Cog Hill

Reservations:  Call 708-496-0336 or email  donna@bpcia.org



SPONSORS 




Bedford Park - Clearing Industrial Association
5101 West 67th Street, Bedford Park, IL.  60638

Phone: 708-496-0336   -   Email: donna@bpcia.org   -   Website:  www.bpcia.org
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