Monday, August 23, 2010

Innovative Illinois Competition

Small Businesses Encouraged to Pitch Entrepreneurial Ideas in 2010 Innovate Illinois Competition


State Joins Chicagoland Chamber to Reward Projects with Market Potential

CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today launched the sixth annual Innovate Illinois competition. Innovate Illinois is designed to recognize high-growth businesses in Illinois that have launched or plan to launch an innovative product or service. The four top companies will win a total of $80,000 in cash prizes. The Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center (CEC), an affiliate of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, will be facilitating this year’s program. Applications for the program are due on Friday, September 10.

“Small businesses play a vital role in Illinois’ economy by creating jobs and supporting their local communities,” said DCEO Director Warren Ribley. “The Innovate Illinois competition gives entrepreneurs a leg up in bringing new products and services to market while further promoting innovation in the state.”

Companies interested in applying for the competition must fill out and complete the online application at www.innovateillinois.org. Each application will be reviewed by the Innovate Illinois application committee, and the 16 top scoring companies in each of the three competition areas will be invited to participate in the area semifinals. Applicants will be notified by October 1, 2010 whether or not they are selected as area semifinalists.

The area semifinals competitions will be half day long events held in Carbondale, Peoria, and Chicago. Each semifinalist company will have seven minutes to present their businesses and innovations to a panel of judges in a fast pitch format. The winners of the semifinals will be announced the same day as the pitches. Four companies in each area, two for the early stage and two for the later stage, will move on to the statewide finals which will be held in Chicago in December 2010.

The area semifinals will occur on the following days:

Southern Area Competition– Carbondale, October 13, 2010

Central Area Competition – Peoria, October 20, 2010

Northern Area Competition – Chicago, October 27, 2010

Companies selected for the finals will present for seven minutes before a new panel of judges representing both the entrepreneurial and investment communities at a competition on December 16, 2010. The winners will be announced that evening at the closing reception. There will be one winner and one runner-up awarded for each track. The winners will each be awarded a $30,000 cash prize, while the runner-ups will each be awarded $10,000 cash prizes.

The application deadline for Innovate Illinois is Friday, September 10, 2010. Applicants that move to the semifinals round will be notified by October 1, 2010. For more information about the program, or to access an application, visit www.innovateillinois.org.


Friday, August 20, 2010

SBA Disaster Loans

WASHINGTON – How do you apply for a U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loan? What are the loan limits? Can the SBA disaster loan help with those losses not covered by your insurance?

Get answers to those and other questions during a webinar on Understanding Disaster Assistance Funding with the SBA hosted by Agility Recovery Solutions on Tuesday, August 24 at 2 p.m., EDT. During the live, interactive webinar James Rivera, SBA’s associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Assistance will explain how the loan program works, how a disaster declaration is made, and the steps to take to apply for a loan.

SBA has partnered with Agility Recovery Solutions to offer business continuity strategies for small business owners via their “PrepareMyBusiness” website (www.preparemybusiness.org). Visit the website to access previous webinars, and to learn more about disaster preparedness.

Since 1953, the SBA has provided more than $48 billion in disaster recovery assistance to 1.9 million homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes in the form of long-term, low-interest loans.

WHO: James Rivera, SBA Associate Administrator, Office of Disaster Assistance

WHAT: The Understanding Disaster Assistance Funding with the SBA webinar will begin with a presentation by Rivera on SBA’s disaster assistance program, to be followed by an online question and answer session.

WHEN: 2:00—3:00 p.m. EDT

HOW: Register in advance for Understanding Disaster Assistance Funding with

the SBA by visiting Agility’s “Prepare My Business” website at

www.preparemybusiness.org/education.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Tom and Eddie's puts out the welcome mat for 'Dressed to the Nines'








One lucky person will win a weekly burger meal (entrée, side and drink) for the rest of his or her life, and 80 people will win the same for one year at Tom & Eddie’s Grand Opening titled, “Dressed to the Nines.” Doors open to the public at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 27, at 348 Yorktown Shopping Center (The Shops on Butterfield) in Lombard, IL.

Every nine minutes, beginning at 10 a.m. on opening day, a name will be drawn to win a free weekly burger meal for one year. There will be great excitement when, at 9 p.m., the one winner of the free weekly burger meals for life will be announced.

Winners need not be present to win, and they will be notified by Tom & Eddie’s. In addition, winners will be posted on the website, Facebook and Twitter.

The “Dressed to the Nines” theme recognizes Tom & Eddie’s nine signature burgers which are “dressed” indeed with an amazing array of toppings, cheeses and sauces.

For Tom & Eddie’s’ first nine days of operation, any guest who is “dressed to the nines” in formal wear - a tuxedo or evening gown - will receive a free meal (entrée, side and drink). Business attire is not eligible.


Ribbon Cutting

Another proud moment on opening day will be the official ribbon cutting. At 10 a.m., students from the culinary arts program at College of DuPage will do the honors. Tom & Eddie’s salutes and supports these students – the “chefs of tomorrow” - who are first place winners of the American Culinary Federation’s Windy City Chapter Burger Throwdown held in June.

“We serve a terrific burger, and we hope tons of people will try us out on our first day,” said Tom Dentice, executive vice president and co-founder of Tom & Eddie’s. The title on Dentice’s business card is “Chief Fry Guy (Preeminent)”.

That sense of fun is part of every aspect of Tom & Eddie’s. It’s a happy restaurant that serves delectable burgers. The nine signature burgers will be featured, one a day, for nine days of promotions.

As the Boys Scouts’ say, ‘Be prepared’

It’s doubtful whether any restaurant has undergone the rigorous preparation and taste-testing that Tom & Eddie’s put itself through. During the winter, Tom & Eddie’s set up kitchens at the Culinary and Hospitality Center at College of DuPage.

In the space of two months, more than 1,200 friends, relatives, students and members of clubs and organizations were invited to dine free in exchange for filling out a questionnaire. Tweaks and changes were made accordingly. Tom Dentice and Ed Rensi, founders of Tom & Eddie’s, assigned themselves bus-boy duties.

The three days (Aug. 24, 25, 26) prior to the grand opening are titled, “Sneak Peek & Eat.” Construction workers who helped build Tom & Eddie’s and their families are invited to eat for free as are friends and families of the management team, neighbors at Yorktown Mall and others who will attend the “by invitation only” days.

The three days will provide the wait staff time to polish service skills. Rensi and Dentice want everything perfect for the Grand Opening for the public on Friday, Aug. 27.

Between the Sneak Peek & Eat and the winter taste testing days, a grand total of 2,000 people will have eaten Tom & Eddie’s gourmet burgers, and each has provided valuable feedback.

“After a year of meticulous planning and taste-testing, we are proud to welcome our hungry customers,” said Ed Rensi, president and co- founder of Tom & Eddie’s. “Now it’s time to fire up the grill.”

For more information, call 630-960-5900 or visit http://www.tomandeddies.com/

Above photo
features The Blue Chip: Fresh 100% Natural Angus burger, ripe avocado slices, Tom & Eddie's roasted garlic aioli, vine ripened tomato & crumbled blue cheese topped with homemade potato chips.


Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TomandEddies
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TomandEddies
Yelp: http://yelp.com/biz/tom-and-eddies-lombard

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Illinois Chamber Endorsement for Governor




By Mary Crego, Chairman of the Board, Illinois Chamber of Commerce

The relationship between government and business is a key focal point in this year’s race for Illinois governor. An environment conducive to the success of private enterprise must be restored to put Illinois on a path to recovery. Illinois government desperately needs a dose of fiscal discipline. Illinois employers and citizens desire political leadership that restores confidence, stability and the sound economic policies necessary to put the state on a positive trajectory that supports business investment and job growth.


Recently, the Chamber board hosted Governor Pat Quinn and Senator Bill Brady, individually, to discuss the state’s future. Both candidates made presentations and fielded questions from Chamber board members as we contemplated which candidate offers the right solutions for Illinois. The Chamber’s fact-finding process also included an extensive questionnaire answered by both candidates.

The Illinois Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors is pleased to report that both major party candidates for governor in the Nov. 2 election recognize how important business and job growth is to Illinois. Both candidates emphasized job creation and economic growth as their highest priorities.


The endorsement process was fair, civil, and thorough. We took care to give both candidates the time they needed and gave appropriate consideration to their policy positions.
The Chamber board – a diverse group that represents businesses large and small from across the state – believes that Bill Brady, the Republican from Bloomington, is the best choice for governor. The Illinois Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors endorses Senator Brady for Governor in 2010. We appreciate the time both candidates devoted to our discussion and the frank dialogue on the critical issues facing the State of Illinois.


Senator BradySenator Brady, a business owner, would bring a much-needed change and a new direction to Illinois government. Perhaps now more than ever before, employers and business owners desire a stable, responsible state government that understands what it takes to retain, create and attract jobs.


Senator Brady’s voting record on business issues has been exemplary. While serving in the Illinois Senate he has earned the Chamber’s Champion of Free Enterprise Award by ranking at the top of the Chamber’s legislative scorecard each of the last eight years. We believe his past performance is the most reliable indicator he will retain an interest in the issues so important to assuring the growth of free enterprise. His top priorities for the state align with the Chamber’s own – create jobs, eliminate excessive taxes and fees and reform the workers’ compensation system. As Senator Brady pointed out during his presentation, it costs much more to start a business and keep it operating in Illinois than it does in neighboring Indiana and many other states. It is but just one of many barriers to job creation in Illinois that he intends to remove.Senator Brady knows we must reduce the cost of doing business in Illinois and make it a priority to restore as many as possible of the almost 450,000 jobs that have left the state in the last 10 years (according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security). The future health of our economy depends upon this growth, as do the citizens of this great state. Without a healthy business environment, Illinois will not create new jobs and the economic vitality of the state will continue to suffer.


Senator Brady is also determined to reform the overly litigious legal environment in Illinois. We applaud Senator Brady for his plans to revamp the state’s archaic tax code and for recommending spending cuts that will force this state to live within its means. We’re impressed that he wants to install administrators with business experience to run state agencies. The Chamber is ready to embrace change because continuing down the same path is unacceptable. We believe Senator Brady understands our state’s challenges and will best serve the interests of our members – the employers – who provide the jobs with incomes that support the well being of Illinois residents and their families.



Governor Quinn We appreciate the Quinn administration has been a welcome relief from the experience Illinois had with the previous governor. The Chamber and its members likewise have appreciated Governor Quinn’s willingness to engage with business leaders, as well as his willingness to serve during a difficult period in Illinois history.


The Chamber board’s endorsement of Senator Brady does not reflect negatively on Governor Quinn’s good intentions or dedication. However, Chamber board members believe that the current challenges facing state government and the Illinois economy call for a significant change. Illinois needs leadership that will champion a new course for job growth while imposing the fiscal discipline that is required today. It is in that context the Illinois Chamber of Commerce fully endorses Senator Brady to be the next Governor of the State of Illinois.