MCHENRY COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
CORPORATION 2015 BUSINES CHAMPIONS
The McHenry County Economic Development Corporation is
one of the City of McHenry’s many partners when it comes to business retention,
attraction and expansion. On Tuesday
night October 27 the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation held their
annual dinner and awards banquet. Each
year they recognize Business Champions throughout McHenry County. These are businesses nominated and evaluated
by an independent taskforce in areas including: excellence in service, business operations and
commitment to the community and giving back!
The City of McHenry was extremely fortunate to have several companies
recognized as Business Champion finalists including: JA Nationwide Inc.; Black Diamond Plumbing
and Mechanical Inc.; Charles Herdrich & Sons; Jessup Manufacturing and Home
State Bank (headquartered in Crystal Lake but with two locations in the City of
McHenry). Congratulations to Black
Diamond Plumbing & Mechanical which was chosen as Business Champion in the
category of businesses with 25-100 employees!
REAL ESTATE BROKER OPEN HOUSE
On October 9 I hosted a commercial real estate
brokers’ open house. This was the second
open house held here at the Municipal Center in 2015. The purpose of these open houses is to
exchange ideas and interact with people with “boots on the ground” about
commercial real estate and business in the City of McHenry, McHenry County and
surrounding region. Approximately
thirteen people from ten different companies attended the open house on October
9, which was an increase from the first open house held in February of this year. I think everyone who attended found it
interesting, insightful and another excellent opportunity to network for
economic development-related purposes.
It is my goal to hold an open house quarterly. I maintain a working list of over 50 people, primarily
commercial real estate brokers but also others involved with economic
development including: representatives
from Nicor Gas and Commonwealth Edison, McHenry Area Chamber, McHenry County
Economic Development Corporation and McHenry County Workforce Network. With each open house it is my goal to invite someone
to attend to speak about a topic related to economic development. Thank you to all who attended and I look
forwarded!
COMMUNITY DISCUSSION ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
As part of the City of McHenry’s ongoing community
outreach efforts to promote, educate and facilitate an open dialogue on
economic development-related issues I will be hosting the first of hopefully
many community discussions for anyone interested in coming to listen and/or
share ideas how the City of McHenry can further its efforts to attract, retain
and promote business expansion. The
first discussion will be held at the McHenry Public Library, 809 Front Street,
on November 12, 2015, from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
The is a free event, and I want to thank the McHenry
Public Library Board and James Scholtz, Executive Director of the McHenry
Public Library District for opening their doors and allowing the City of
McHenry to utilize its facilities. It is
my hope and intent to host many of these discussion groups. To register please go to http://mchenrylibrary.org/.
THIRD ANNUAL SUMMIT ON REGIONAL COMPETITIVNESSS
On October 23 I attended an event entitled: THIRD
ANNUAL SUMMIT ON REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS:
A WAY FORWARD: STAKEHOLDER
LEADERSHIP UNLOCKING THE ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF THE TRI-STATE REGION. The event was sponsored by many
organizations but hosted and organized by the Alliance for Regional Development
and was held at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
“The Alliance for
Regional Development is a groundbreaking coalition of high-level leaders in
business, government, and academia working together to strengthen the economic
competitiveness of Chicago’s tri-state region, including northeast Illinois,
northwest Indiana, and southeast Wisconsin.
Our common goal is to provide a cross-jurisdictional, multi-sector
response to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s
Territorial Review of the tri-state region that recommended specific and
coordinated improvements in four key areas–workforce development, innovation,
transportation and logistics, and green growth–to overcome growth and
job-creation rates well below national and international averages for large
metropolitan areas similar to our own.”
The event consisted of many presenters which spoke
about the importance of regional cooperation in planning and developing
infrastructure and water resource projects as well as coordinated economic
development efforts. Numerous federal
agencies representing Region V were present including: United States Environmental Protection
Agency; United States Department of Housing and Urban Development; United
States Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, United
States Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration and the
United States Department of Labor. This
is a great regional cooperative effort which includes 21 counties in three
states. For more information please
visit their website, http://alliancerd.org/.
HAVE A SAFE AND ENJOYABLE HALLOWEEN!!!
OCTOBER
31, 2015
TRICK OR
TREAT HOURS 3:00 PM
UNTIL 7:00 PM!!!!!!
LAST WEEKEND FOR MCHENRY AREA JAYCEES HAUNTED
HOUSE
This is the 30th year the Jaycees have been hosting the
haunted house in the barn. For more
information please visit: http://www.mchenryareajaycees.org/. Listed below are hours of
operation and pricing information.
DATES: October 30, 31, & Nov 1st
HOURS: 7:30 pm - !!!!!!!!!!!!!
PRICES: Friday and Saturday $10, Thursday and Sunday $8. Save a dollar when you bring a canned food item… donation.
HOURS: 7:30 pm - !!!!!!!!!!!!!
PRICES: Friday and Saturday $10, Thursday and Sunday $8. Save a dollar when you bring a canned food item… donation.
OPENING
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2015!!!!!!!!!!
CVS COMING SOON!!!!!!!!!!
Please help us keep our community vibrant and strong to the
greatest extent practical for businesses, residents and visitors alike! The City Council is
continually evaluating ways to assist in promoting business, tourism, community
events and service! Economic development
is an ongoing effort the City is committed to and is a community-wide effort. At the end of the day the entire community
and everyone who is a part of it benefits!
OCTOBER 31, 2015 TRICK OR TREAT HOURS 3:00 PM UNTIL 7:00 PM!!!!!!
NOVEMBER 21, 2015 CHRISTMAS WALK AND TREE
LIGHTING
NOVEMBER 28, 2015 IS SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY
Coming in future blog posts:
- What
factors do non-retail businesses consider when thinking about relocating?
- Small
Business Saturday…November 28, 2015
- Free
Business Resources
- Exploring
New Marketing Opportunities to promote business attraction, retention and
expansion…
- 2015
Year in Review….
- International
Council of Shopping Centers Conference
- How do
brick and mortar businesses remain competitive with on-line businesses?
- What
are Class A, B and C spaces?
- Franchising? What is it? What companies offer it and what
challenges are associated with attracting a retailer which operates
exclusively using franchising?
- Future
trends in economic development:
“market segmentation;“ “pop-up” stores; “placemaking/third places”
- Challenges
associated with economic development…
Douglas P. Martin
Director of Economic Development
City of McHenry
333 S Green Street
McHenry, IL 60050
815.363.2110 (d)
815.363.2173 (f)
815.790.4752 (c)
Great plumbing for houses in the area is a necessity! Nice to see your city is taking the initiative.
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