BusinessArchive for the ‘’ Category

Gill Athletics 6th Annual Pole Vault!

The sixth annual Gill Factory Vault! pole vault competition was held at Gill Athletics Factory in Champaign, Illinois on July 2, 2011. 86 athletes competed in the open vault and 31 attended the symposium. Among the athletes were Olympians, Derek Miles (2004 & 2008) and Erica Bartolina (2008), and Olympic trainee, Becky Holliday. Gill Athletics is the largest producer of track and field equipment in the world and has been for more than 90 years. They are headquartered, here, in Champaign, Illinois.

EnterpriseWorks recognized by Inc.com

EnterpriseWorks at the University of Illinois has been named to Inc.com’s “Ten Start-up Incubators to Watch”. More than 65 companies have had their start-up in EnterpriseWorks since it opened in 2003. Being a resident of EnterpriseWorks provides office and lab space, consultations with three of the incubator’s experienced entrepreneurs-in-residence and availability of student interns from the University of Illinois.

Champaign-Urbana ACCRA Cost of Living Index Report

Champaign,IL– The American Chamber of Commerce Research Association (ACCRA) Cost of Living Index has been released for the first quarter of 2011. The following chart shows how Champaign-Urbana compares to other cities in theUnited States, with 100 being the federal average in each category.

The information is gathered by Economic Development Corporation (EDC) employees in various cities across theUnited Statesby interviewing supermarkets, gas stations, doctor offices, etc. There are strict stipulations for the product, item or service; thereby insuring consistent results. This information is then reported toACCRAand then distributed back to the various organizations.

For additional information, please visit www.coli.org or www.champaigncountyedc.org.

* Composite Index Grocery Items Housing Utilities Transportation Health Care Misc. Goods & Services
Champaign-Urbana 96.1 93.8 87.6 110.7 96.2 102.6 99.0
Chicago 115.3 112.5 133.4 96.6 118.4 107.1 106.3
Peoria 92.5 88.7 85.7 103.1 102.5 93.8 93.8
Rockford 90.2 91.2 75.4 86.8 106.7 104.1 97.2
Springfield 86.2 89.0 71.6 80.3 107.0 100.3 91.7
Boston,MA 137.6 120.5 157.6 146.4 107.1 121.9 135.2
Denver,CO 106.4 103.5 112.5 90.3 96.4 107.6 110.1
San Jose,CA 150.0 110.0 238.1 137.9 118.7 116.3 105.6
Austin,TX 93.4 83.6 79.2 101.9 101.3 96.9 104.6

*Information provided by COLI.

Herff Jones Creates Jobs in Champaign County

Champaign, IL– Herff Jones has announced plans to consolidate various product lines and brand identity at their North Market Streetlocation in Champaign. This project will help to retain local jobs and potentially create additional employment in Champaign County. This announcement came last night whenDonald Agin, Vice President/General Manager, Cap & Gown Division of Herff Jones, spoke in front of the Champaign City Council.

“Herff Jones/Collegiate Cap and Gown has been proud to be part of the Champaign community since 1926. We remain committed to providing life-enriching experiences for our customers, our employees and the communities where we conduct our businesses. We are excited about this opportunity and the ongoing growth opportunities here in Champaign,” Agin said.

This project has been in the works for a few years and with the help of the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation it will finally begin. The EDC had a significant role in bringing the appropriate parties together and identifying the necessary resources to assist the company in this endeavor.

In addition to Agin, the local project team included John Dimit of the Champaign County EDC, Craig Rost of the City of Champaign, Seamus Reilly and Triss Henderson of Parkland College, Al Anderson of Champaign Consortium, Paul Faraci of the State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Mark Dixon of The Atkins Group, State Senator Mike Frerichs, and U.S. Representative Tim Johnson’s office.

Approximately $50,000 in State ETIP funding will be provided through Parkland College’s “On the Job” training programs to both retrain existing employees and to train new employees. Herff Jones will spend $2 million on building improvements and additional equipment.

Expansion will take place within the current facility; however, additional parking will be needed due to the expected increase in employees. Herff Jones will rent an adjacent parking lot from the City of Champaign for $1 per year as long as Herff Jones employs a minimum of 250 people. If the project is successful, Herff Jones’ Champaign County workforce will grow to over 300 people.

Herff Jones, headquartered in Indianapolis, IN, was founded in 1920.  While Herff Jones started out manufacturing class rings, medals and pins, over the years the company has added yearbooks, caps and gowns, graduation announcements, diplomas, frames and educational learning materials to the list of products it manufactures.  The company employs approximately 3,100 workers around the country and has been 100% employee owned since 1996.

EpiWorks Expansion

A locally grown company that has experienced recent growth into its 5000 SF “class 1000” clean-room equipped with the latest Aixtron 2600 MOCVD growth systems, characterization and test equipment.   Further growth has been supported by IL State grants for investment in renewable energy technologies and this company’s investment into solar cell technology.  The company develops and manufactures compound semiconductor epitaxial wafers for application in optical components, wireless devices, high-speed communication systems and high output/area PV solar cells.

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