Intersect Illinois

#Illinois is home to 50+ of the BEST large and mid-sized businesses to work for in the U.S., according to a recent Forbes list. 🎉 Part of what makes the state so special in doing business is its tremendous diversity of people and industry, as exemplified by the list's Illinois representatives. From medicine to financial services to #TDL, the state boasts numerous leaders in their respective industries. #BeInIllinois A big shout-out to the companies who made the list, including those on our board and EAC: ✈️ United Airlines, Brett Hart (board) and Daniel Lynch (EAC) 👏 Zurich North America, Kristof Terryn (board) and Deirdre Manna (EAC) ➡️ Full list here: https://bit.ly/3CTKcvi

In recognition of the great achievements and contributions of #Illinois' Black community, this #BlackHistoryMonth, we're highlighting some of #Illinois Black leaders, including our #TeamIllinois partners on our board of directors and EAC. ⭐ 🎉 Z Scott, JD president of Chicago State University and on our board. A noted advocate for equity in higher education, President Scott has overseen the development and advancement of the CSU Strategic Plan 2020-2025 and supervised the launch of a historic re-brand of the university. 🎉 Wendell Dallas is on our board and is president and CEO of Nicor Gas, one of the nation's leading natural gas distributors and serving 650+ #Illinois communities. He has deep institutional knowledge gained from 30+ years of leadership, operations, and engineering experience. 🎉 Rashod R. Johnson, PE is president and CEO of Ardmore Roderick, one of the largest Black-owned infrastructure firms in the U.S., and on our board. With Rashod at the helm, he's transformed the firm from a local leader into a multi-state powerhouse. 🎉 Cherryl Thomas is Ardmore Roderick's chief strategic officer and a member of our EAC. A skilled leader, she has decades of experience directing, managing, maintaining, and administering high-profile projects and budgets. 🎉 Dwayne Pickett is Constellation's VP of clean hydrogen market development and a member of our EAC. A champion of #cleanenergy in #Illinois, Dwayne is a key player in the state's clean hydrogen momentum. Join us in celebrating these leaders, and stay tuned for more highlights!

The #Chicago City Council gave final approval on the $7B 1901 Project, a historic plan to transform the 55 acres surrounding the United Center into a mixed-use district, including housing, retail, and entertainment spaces. 🥳👏 “This project is more than just development. It’s a bold and unprecedented commitment to the future of our community," Chicago Bulls President and CEO (and a member of our board) Michael Reinsdorf said. #BeInIllinois A BIG congrats to Michael and all involved in this extraordinary project! More here: https://bit.ly/43aMGQN

Our actively growing #VettedSites tool showcases the best sites for industrial development across #Illinois and is one way we're attracting companies to #BeInIllinois. One of our premier sites is the I-55 Commerce Center in #LitchfieldIL. The site's advantages include: ✅ Ideal for light #manufacturing and assembly ✅ Access to the South Central Illinois Regional Training & Innovation Center provides career and technical training for the local workforce ✅ The community allows for phased and expedited permitting ➡️ Go here to learn more about the site and our robust Vetted Sites program: https://bit.ly/3ExGTdM Breann Vazquez | Belynda F. Allen, MCED

Southern Illinois University, Carbondale is one of the nation's top research universities, as recently designated by the Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education. 👏 👏 👏 SIU-Carbondale is among 5% of ~4K institutions designated R1: Very High Spending and Doctorate Production, joining #Illinois universities Loyola University Chicago, Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and University of Illinois Chicago. Congratulations to the university, our board member Daniel Mahony, president of the SIU System; and EAC member Austin A. Lane, chancellor of SIU-Carbondale, on this tremendous accomplishment! Positioning Illinois at the center of #innovation and fueling the state's robust talent pipeline, our world-class universities are one of the many reasons people choose to #BeInIllinois. More here: https://bit.ly/3QnJzx7

#Illinois is open for (even more) business! Governor Pritzker’s historic proposal to develop more properties across the state into shovel-ready sites is a major incentive for companies considering Illinois as the place to locate or expand their business. Illinois saw unprecedented private sector investment in 2024. Building on this momentum with our #TeamIllinois partners, including the Governor's office and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, we’re excited to grow our existing #VettedSites program to drive long-term economic growth. Governor Pritzker’s two-pronged plan includes: 🏗️ Surplus to Success: This initiative will develop unused, state-owned sites into areas for economic development, supporting community revitalization and saving taxpayers millions of dollars. 🦺 Project-Ready Sites in Key Regions: This investment will support comprehensive site readiness programs to ensure Illinois stays globally competitive and meets goals outlined in the state’s 5-Year Economic Growth Plan. All the more reason to #BeInIllinois! Learn more from Crain's Chicago Business: https://bit.ly/4gPIN6G

Kudos to Rashod R. Johnson, PE, president and CEO of Ardmore Roderick and one of our board members, for hosting and chairing the successful Black Creativity Gala at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry this weekend. 🥳 Celebrating Black artistry and #innovation, the gala raised $700K+ for a variety of #STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) education programming. 🎨 We are fortunate to have a board comprised of leaders, such as Rashod, advocating for positive change in #Illinois. #BeInIllinois

Tune into the latest DuPage Business Beat podcast, featuring our President and CEO Christy George and Chairman John Atkinson. Joining Choose DuPage President and CEO Greg Bedalov, they discussed: 🎙️Inside #TeamIllinois' deeply collaborative business attraction strategy, including spreading the #WhyIllinois message across the world 🎙️How #Illinois is making significant strides in its industries of focus, such as #quantum computing and #cleanenergy 🎙️Intersect and #TeamIllinois' plans for 2025 Listen here to learn why your company should #BeInIllinois ➡️ https://bit.ly/4hXWgu8

#Illinois is one of the BEST states to raise a family — one of the many reasons people choose to #BeInIllinois. The state placed No. 2 for family fun and No. 7 overall in a recent WalletHub ranking based on safety and job prospects, quality of education, healthcare and entertainment. More here: https://bit.ly/3a1hl76 📸: Illinois Office of Tourism

From beloved Black-owned restaurants to historic landmarks and cultural institutions celebrating Black heritage, there are many ways to celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth in #Chicago. Choose Chicago provides a few ways you can explore Black culture and history: https://bit.ly/3b9vjXx