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2016 Innovation Celebration Finalists Announced

IC LogoThe Champaign County Economic Development Corporation is pleased to announce finalists for the 11th Annual Innovation Celebration in recognition of those individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions, taken risks, and provided leadership to ensure the continuing economic success of Champaign County, the ongoing success of the University’s economic development mission, and the growth of entrepreneurial talent and energy in the community.

Innovation Celebration is not merely an award for accomplishment, but a benchmark of success for those outstanding individuals, organizations and corporations who are nominated and selected to receive this prestigious award. Additionally, Innovation Celebration serves as a tangible collaboration between the Champaign County EDC, University of Illinois, Parkland College and the community.

The winner of each award category will be announced at Innovation Celebration 2016, held at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, January 22, 2016 from 5:30 – 8:30 pm. To RSVP and learn more about the event, visit www.innovationcelebration.com.

Award Finalists

Entrepreneurial Excellence: Social Venture Award
PSYONIC
Pens to Lens
MakerGirl

Entrepreneurial Excellence: Student Startup Award
Blink Technologies
FlipWord
BioAnalytics

Entrepreneurial Excellence: New Venture Award
Inprentus
Quicket Solutions
RINGR

Entrepreneurial Excellence: Advocacy Award
iVenture Accelerator
Stephanie Larson
Paul Magelli

Innovation: Economic Development Impact Award
Carle Illinois College of Medicine
State Farm Research & Development Center
The Pygmalion Festival

Entrepreneurial Excellence: Management Award
John Busbee
Mike Folk
John-Paul Buzard

Innovation: Longevity Award
Wolfram
Pixo
R Systems NA, Inc.

2016 Innovation Transfer Award Recipient – University of Illinois
Dr. Paul Hergenrother

Innovation in Engagement Award – Parkland College
Award recipient will be announced at the event.

The EDC is pleased to work with the following sponsors of Innovation Celebration 2016: the University of Illinois’ Technology Entrepreneur Center, Research Park, Office of Corporate Relations, and Office of Technology Management, along with Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Parkland College, Singleton Law Firm, Serra Ventures, Pavlov Media, BRG Sports, City of Champaign, Village of Rantoul, Martin Hood Friese & Associates, EpiWorks, Illinois Applied Research Institute, Fox Development Corporation, Ramshaw Real Estate, Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC, U of I Employees Credit Union, Surface 51, M2 on Neil, and McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff.

 

 

 

Innovation Celebration 2016: Save the Date + Nominations Open

We are pleased to announce the 11th Annual Innovation Celebration in recognition of those individuals and IC Logoorganizations that have made significant contributions, taken risks, and provided leadership to ensure the continuing economic success of Champaign County, the ongoing success of the University’s economic development mission, and the growth of entrepreneurial talent and energy in our community.

January 22, 2016
5:30-8:30 pm
Krannert Center for the Performing Arts Lobby

The awards have been established to recognize the various ways in which individuals and organizations have utilized innovation, creativity, and leadership for entrepreneurial endeavors and economic development in the community. Please nominate as many people/organizations as you would like. Nominations will be viewed and judged in early December 2015 by a panel of past winners, sponsors and community & university leaders. Finalists will be announced soon after.

To learn more about the event, nominate someone, view past award winners, watch our videos, and RSVP, visit our event website.

#INNCEL

Interested in sponsoring the 2016 event? Email Liz Kellner (Innovation Celebration Committee Chair) for more information.

Nominations are open to the public and will be accepted through November 27, 2015.

Capital One Opens the Illinois Digital Campus Lab at University of Illinois Research Park

From the UI Research Park:

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Oct. 23, 2015) – The University of Illinois and Capital One (DOW: COF), today announced the grand opening of the Capital One Illinois Digital Campus Lab in Research Park. The Digital Campus Lab is Capital One’s newest lab and the company’s first partnership with a university.

The Lab will focus on research and experimentation in data science and data technologies as well as on infrastructure automation and use of the most modern programming frameworks and technologies such as Open Source, Big Data, Cloud, DevOps, among others. University of Illinois students, both undergraduate and graduate, will work year-round in the Lab.

“Engineering is a critical focus for Capital One and we’re attracting top talent – designers, software engineers, data scientists and product managers – and empowering them with the technologies they need to rapidly innovate based on what consumers want today,” said George Brady, Executive Vice President of Technology Operations at Capital One.

The new Lab extends Capital One’s presence in Illinois, where it has a large facility in the Chicago area. The Digital Campus Lab will leverage the strength of data analytics research and education at the University of Illinois, which crosses many disciplines including computer science, math and statistics, finance, and information science.

“With the opening of this Lab, Capital One has shown a commitment to providing real-world opportunities to our students as they apply in real time what they are learning in the classroom,” said interim Chancellor Barbara Wilson. “Adding a customer-facing corporation to the Research Park broadens the experiences our students may tap, enriching their Illinois education.”

The University of Illinois Research Park is home to innovation centers for multinational corporations and publicly traded firms including ADM, Dow Chemical, John Deere, Yahoo!, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Caterpillar, State Farm, Citrix, Raytheon, and Abbott.

About Capital One
Capital One Financial Corporation (www.capitalone.com) is a financial holding company whose subsidiaries, which include Capital One, N.A., and Capital One Bank (USA), N.A., had $208.8 billion in deposits and $310.5 billion in total assets as of June 30, 2015. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Capital One offers a broad spectrum of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients through a variety of channels. Capital One, N.A. has branches located primarily in New York, New Jersey, Texas, Louisiana, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. A Fortune 500 company, Capital One trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “COF” and is included in the S&P 100 index.

Press:

Capital One opens digital lab at University of Illinois, Blue Sky Innovation (Chicago Tribune)
What’s in your laboratory? UI and Capital One open facility on campus, The News-Gazette

University of Illinois Appoints New Willard Airport Executive Director

From the U of I News Bureau:

The new executive director of the U. of I.’s Willard Airport has more than 25 years airport management experience.

David “Gene” Cossey (COO-zee) was named the airport’s executive director Oct. 20 following a national search led by a university-appointed committee. He will start Dec. 7.

“Gene stood out very early in the process as someone who was not only capable of managing Willard Airport, but one who could improve its operations and take it successfully into the future,” said Associate Chancellor Michael DeLorenzo

Cossey is the director of operations at Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids.

Prior to that, he was the senior manager of airside operations at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, the airport director at Newport Municipal Airport in Oregon and the airport operations manager at Southwest Oregon Regional Airport.

Cossey has a bachelor’s degree in business management and information systems. He is an Accredited Airport Executive through the American Association of Airport Executives, and an International Airport Professional through the Airports Council International.

Cossey’s experience includes airport and economic development, intergovernmental affairs, grant writing, budgeting and negotiation, and community outreach.

National Manufacturing Day – BRG Sports Tour

To celebrate National Manufacturing Day, we toured BRG Sports in Rantoul this morning with our Board members & the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity. Some fun facts about the Rantoul facility:

> Over 4.3 million helmets are produced each year – the first “Made in the USA” helmet rolled out in June 2014.
> The building is LEED designed – 813,126 sf building footprint.IMG_6378
> The Rantoul facility is the Global Distribution, Transportation and Logistics base for BRG Sports.
> Current employee headcount is 445.

To learn about other products/innovation Made in Champaign County, click here.

About BRG Sports:

BRG Sports is a leading designer, developer and marketer of branded sports equipment, protective products and related accessories. The company markets and licenses products under well-known brands such as Bell, Riddell, Giro, Blackburn, Raskullz, Krash! and BULT. Their products incorporate leading technology and designs, and are used by professional athletes and sports enthusiasts alike. They are headquartered in Scotts Valley, California and have 27 facilities worldwide including their North American distribution hub in Rantoul, Illinois.

http://www.brgsports.com/

About National Manufacturing Day:

MFG DAY addresses common misperceptions about manufacturing by giving manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show, in a coordinated effort, what manufacturing is — and what it isn’t. By working together during and after MFG DAY, manufacturers will begin to address the skilled labor shortage they face, connect with future generations, take charge of the public image of manufacturing, and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the whole industry.

http://www.mfgday.com/

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