Illinois Valley Chamber of Commerce Monthly News Letter
March 25th 2022
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Message From The Director |
It is hard to believe that we are to the last Friday in March already! I hope you all have enjoyed reading about our strong female leaders as much as I have enjoyed collecting their stories this month. It is amazing to see and share all the talent this area has to offer, and we hardly scratched the surface.
Deputy Chief Sarah Kinkin, who is featured this week, hit the nail on the head as she said "I look forward to the day that it is no longer considered an exception or a unique circumstance to be a female business owner or leader. The strong foundation of women in professional leadership positions in the Illinois Valley is indicative that this time is coming sooner than later."
I think that time is here, as we start to see the list "firsts" for our female leaders accomplish shrinking, it is only a matter of time before there are no more firsts and it is just the norm. I am proud to be in an area that shares these values and I hope you all are too!
All The Best,
Bill
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Upcoming Events | March/April
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State of the Cities 2022 @ Grand Bear Lodge 11:00-2:00
We have brought back our annual event that allows our community to hear from our local municipal leaders. For $30 you will be provided a plated lunch, the opportunity to hear about the vision for growth in our communities as well as get some questions answered.
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Business Breakfast Seminar
Murder by Hybrid Meeting
7:15am Stone Jug BBBQ
This is one you wont want to miss! Join us as Marie- Genevieve Pawlak talks reviews the nine ways people whave tried to murder each other in meetings and how to stop them. You will laugh, cry, and admit that you have attempted to "kill" your co-workers in meetings. In the end, you will walk out with an action plan on how to make your next Hybrid, Virtual or In-Person Meeting a great meeting. Learn ways to foster an environment of trust, loyalty, and collaboration in all meeting worlds. This session is really about how to create a productive engaging meeting.
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After Hours Block Party
Peru Airport
We will do another block party afterhours similar to years past. This one will feature our partners from Peru, Mendota, Lamoille, Spring Valley, and Princeton.
If you'd like a spot at this event send Penny or Bill an email.
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Meet Sarah Kinkin- Deputy Chief with Spring Valley Police Department |
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Sarah Kinkin was recently promoted to Deputy Chief of the Spring Valley Police Department on March 21, 2022. Sarah was hired as a part-time officer in January of 2011. In December of 2013, she was appointed to a full-time patrol position. In February of 2021, Sarah was promoted to Sergeant.
Sarah is a Spring Valley native, graduate of Hall High School, and a graduate of Bradley University. She has previous employment experience in the mental health and elder abuse sectors.
Sarah has completed a variety of training while with the department. Some of her notable certifications are Lead Homicide Investigator, Sexual Assault Investigator, Crisis Intervention Team member, and Juvenile Officer. Sarah has been instrumental in community relations events such as National Night Out, John F. Kennedy School’s PBIS event, and the SVPD Holiday Shop with a Cop program. Sarah is the first female Sergeant and Deputy Chief of the Spring Valley Police Department.
Sarah says:
“The Illinois Valley is home to a strong community of women-owned businesses and leaders that I am proud to be a part of. It is inspiring to see that many profitable and long-lasting businesses in the area are owned and operated by women. I look forward to the day that it is no longer considered an exception or a unique circumstance to be a female business owner or leader. The strong foundation of women in professional leadership positions in the Illinois Valley is indicative that this time is coming sooner than later. I was raised in a household that valued equality for all and had expectations that were not gender specific and I am proud to be part of a law enforcement agency that has the same values.”
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Meet Melinda Studstill- Co-Owner at Studstill Media |
My name is Melinda Studstill. My family and I own Studstill Media, which operates radio stations and offers advertising marketing solutions in La Salle, Bureau and Putnam Counties. I grew up on a dairy farm in Georgia and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science & Mathematics from Georgia Southern University. I worked at BellSouth Telephone Company in Atlanta as a computer scientist before I married my husband, Lee, and started working in the radio business.
In 1988, the family decided to buy our first station in the Illinois Valley. My husband and I loved the station and the community and decided to move to LaSalle County. From the beginning I enjoyed working with my husband and family running the stations and serving our listeners and local businesses. Throughout our 40 years in the radio business, I’ve done every job from on-air announcing to cleaning the offices to selling the advertising.
When not at work, I love being with for my animals. I have two awesome dogs, Butterbean and Juno. As a child, I grew up riding horses. I currently have two horses that I moved here from Georgia and two new additions to the family, my Icelandic horses, Sveppi and Bolti. I also enjoy running, a hobby I picked up from my late husband, and you may see me running on the streets of LaSalle and Peru several days a week with my close friends.
I live just north of Peru, and am fortunate that my daughter, Summer, a LaSalle-Peru High School and Bradley University graduate, works along with me and my brother-in-law, Cole Studstill, in our family business.
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Meet Tammy Humpage Vice President and Trust Officer at Hometown National Bank |
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Tammy brings 25 years of experience to Hometown National Bank, Investment Management and Trust Department with the title of Vice President & Trust Officer – Manager of Trust Services. Prior to Hometown, Tammy worked at both large and small financial institutions in sales, personal trust and retirement plan administration. She began her career in the financial industry in Springfield with First National Bank of Springfield. A graduate of the University of Illinois in Springfield, Tammy resides with her husband and children in Utica, Illinois. Tammy has been active with the Bureau County Red Cross, Illinois Valley United Way, IV Lead, Board Member for the Illinois Valley YMCA, and an active member of the LP to Peoria St. Jude Run, North Central Illinois Estate Planning Council, and LaSalle Business Association. |
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Meet Clare Bennett- Production Coordinator at Starved Rock Media |
“You have a nice voice; you should try this.” That’s what my first Program Director, JC Hall, at WIVQ in Peru told me in 1980. My name is Clare Bennett and you never forget that first job or that person that lit a spark. After JC told me that, he trained me and I started doing 8 to midnights at WIVQ and I took that ball and I ran with it. I worked a year or so at WIVQ but in radio to move up you need to move on, preferably to a larger market. From there, I worked in Bay City, Michigan; Iowa City, Iowa; Rapid City, South Dakota; Rochester, New York and Cocoa Beach, Florida. I’ve done a little bit of everything in radio. Overnights, mornings, mid-days, afternoons, program director, assistant program director, music director, live remotes and appearances. In Florida, I was fortunate enough to get to do broadcasts from Kennedy Space Center for shuttle launches. I met my husband, Mike, in Florida and when our first child was born, we moved back home to LaSalle to raise our family. As luck would have it, I met a salesperson from WLPO at a bridal show in 1997 and since then have been with Miller Group Media and now Starved Rock Media in some capacity for more than 25 years. I have been on the air on all 3 stations, WLPO, WAJK and WLWF and have worn many hats here including music director, promotions director and production coordinator. Today Mike and I have 3 mostly-adult children, Sophie, Samuel and Eva; and when I'm not raising Monarch butterflies in my garden or picking up garbage in one of our beautiful parks, you'll hear me talking about life middays on WLPO and afternoons on 96.5 the Wolf. |
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Meet Penny Volkert- Chamber Operations and Membership at Illinois Valley Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development |
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Penny Volkert started her career at the Illinois Valley Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development in 2014. From the beginning Penny has worked closely with the Executive Director, our Members, and the community.
When Penny is not at the Chamber she serves on several committees at the Community United Methodist Church in LaMoille, where she has been a member since 2002.
You will also see her helping at multiple community fundraisers and events as she admittedly "has a hard time" saying no to helping out people and organizations in need.
She is the mother of 5 wonderful children and grandmother of 1 prefect little boy.
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Thank You Platinum Sponsors! |
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