We celebrated two big milestones with Litania Sports Group yesterday – 100 years for Gill Athletics & 150 years for Porter Athletic. Champaign Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen read a proclamation declaring April 18, 2018 as Litania Sports Group Day.
Gill Athletics, founded in 1918, is the official Track Equipment Corporate Partner of the NFHS and the Official Equipment Supplier of the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Gill equipment is used all over the world including all levels of competition from colleges to high schools to masters’ competitions.
Porter Athletic, founded in 1868, is recognized by coaches, architects, contractors and school administrators as the leader in the gymnasium equipment market. Porter equipment is featured in more award-winning athletic facility construction projects than any other brand.
Fun facts about the company:
• Gill Athletics founder, Harry Gill, helped organize the NCAA, and then won the very first NCAA championship as coach of the University of Illinois track & field team.
• Porter Athletic was the originator of the first fan shaped basketball backboard and first glass basketball backboard.
• Men’s and Women’s javelin world records were set with Gill manufactured implements.
• Gill Athletics is the largest pole-vaulting pole manufacturer in the world.
Litania Sports Group is the parent company of two market-leading brands in the sports facility market, Gill Athletics and Porter Athletic. Learn more at http://www.litaniasports.com/.
CHAMPAIGN, IL, March 30, 2018 – Over 300 people gathered at Parkland College for the 13th Annual Innovation Celebration on the evening of Thursday, March 29th to recognize 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 our 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.
Innovation Celebration is hosted by the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation in partnership with the University of Illinois, Parkland College, and community sponsors. For more information, visit www.innovationcelebration.com.
Entrepreneurial Excellence: Social Venture Award Serve as change agents by creating and implementing sustainable solutions to reshape society, benefit humanity, and address social concerns.
Salt & Light
Entrepreneurial Excellence: Student Startup Award Formed by students in the last three years and demonstrates a commitment to continuing success through entrepreneurial talent, creativity and energy.
Mesh++
Entrepreneurial Excellence: New Venture Award Formed in the last three years, and demonstrates a commitment to continuing success through entrepreneurial talent, creativity and energy.
SNOOZ
Entrepreneurial Excellence: Paul Magelli Advocacy Award Actively engage, encourage, coach and mentor entrepreneurs in the community, and provide extensive support to help them achieve success.
Stephanie Larson
Carly McCrory
Entrepreneurial Excellence: Management Award Demonstrates expertise in assembling resources, creating an organization, and working to build and implement effective action plans.
Cindy Somers – Spherion Staffing
Innovation: Economic Development Impact Award Has made a significant economic development impact in the community and continues to demonstrate their commitment to Champaign County.
Busey
2018 Innovation Transfer Award—University of Illinois Recognizes an individual or group from the University of Illinois whose research has resulted in either a discovery or a work with the potential for significant societal impact.
Dr. Donna Cox – Advanced Visualization Lab at National Center for Supercomputing Applications
2018 Alexis Wernsing Innovation Award—University of Illinois Recognizes an individual or team from the University of Illinois that has channeled their experience living with a disability into positive change through the creation of new products, environments, or protocols that enhance quality of life.
Mark McCarthy – Access Illinois
2018 Innovation in Engagement Award—Parkland College Recognizes an individual or group at Parkland College who has shown support of the college’s community engagement mission.
Adam Porter – Perimeter Road Sound Recordings
The EDC was pleased to work with the following sponsors of our 13th annual Innovation Celebration: the University of Illinois’ Technology Entrepreneur Center, Research Park, Office of Corporate Relations, and Office of Technology Management, along with Parkland College, Lodgic Everyday Community, Carle, Serra Ventures, Surface 51, Singleton Law Firm, City of Champaign, Ramshaw Real Estate, Litania Sports Group, Pixo, Hatch Ag Group, IllinoisVENTURES, Huawei R&D USA, Aqueous Solutions LLC, Personify, AARP, Hanson Financial, Community Solutions Incubator at the Community Foundation of East Central Illinois, II-VI EpiWorks, Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC, and Busey.
CHAMPAIGN, IL, February 23, 2018 – The Champaign County Economic Development Corporation is pleased to announce finalists for the 13th 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 our 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 2018, held at Parkland College on Thursday, March 29, 2018 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 Serve as change agents by creating and implementing sustainable solutions to reshape society, benefit humanity, and address social concerns.
Entrepreneurial Excellence: Student Startup Award Formed by students in the last three years and demonstrates a commitment to continuing success through entrepreneurial talent, creativity and energy.
Entrepreneurial Excellence: New Venture Award Formed in the last three years, and demonstrates a commitment to continuing success through entrepreneurial talent, creativity and energy.
Entrepreneurial Excellence: Advocacy Award Actively engage, encourage, coach and mentor entrepreneurs in the community, and provide extensive support to help them achieve success.
Ken Taylor
Stephanie Larson
Kathie Cravens
Entrepreneurial Excellence: Management Award Demonstrates expertise in assembling resources, creating an organization, and working to build and implement effective action plans.
Innovation: Economic Development Impact Award Has made a significant economic development impact in the community and continues to demonstrate their commitment to Champaign County.
2018 Innovation Transfer Award—University of Illinois Recognizes an individual or group from the University of Illinois whose research has resulted in either a discovery or a work with the potential for significant societal impact.
2018 Alexis Wernsing Innovation Award—University of Illinois Recognizes an individual or team from the University of Illinois that has channeled their experience living with a disability into positive change through the creation of new products, environments, or protocols that enhance quality of life.
2018 Innovation in Engagement Award—Parkland College Recognizes an individual or group at Parkland College who has shown support of the college’s community engagement mission.
The EDC is pleased to work with the following sponsors of our 13th Annual Innovation Celebration: the University of Illinois’ Technology Entrepreneur Center, Research Park, Office of Corporate Relations, and Office of Technology Management, along with Parkland College, Lodgic, Carle, Serra Ventures, Surface 51, Singleton Law Firm, City of Champaign, Ramshaw Real Estate, Litania Sports Group, Pixo, Hatch Ag Group, IllinoisVENTURES, Huawei R&D USA, Aqueous Solutions LLC, Personify, AARP, Hanson Financial, Community Solutions Incubator at the Community Foundation of East Central Illinois, II-VI EpiWorks, Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC, and Busey.
Champaign, Illinois (February 1, 2018) – The University of Illinois today announced that Monsanto (NYSE: MON), a global agriculture company headquartered in St. Louis, and The Climate Corporation, a subsidiary of Monsanto, have opened the Monsanto Innovation Center at the University of Illinois Research Park.
When fully staffed, the Monsanto Innovation Center will employ more than two dozen students who will enhance and augment a robust agricultural innovation portfolio with additional enabling capabilities like IT, data science and engineering. Students will focus on cutting-edge, real-world, social, scientific challenges in areas like advanced analytics, operations research, phenomics, genomics, plant science and precision breeding technologies. The center will employ students who are studying disciplines such as electrical engineering, UX design, mechanical engineering, software engineering and imaging sensor science.
The Center will use digital tools and data to drive agricultural innovations which increase efficiency and reduce the amount of water, land, and energy necessary to meet the world’s food, fuel and fiber needs.
We are pleased to announce the 13th 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 our community.
Thursday, March 29, 2018 5:30 – 8:30 pm
Parkland College – Student Union 2400 West Bradley Avenue Champaign, IL 61821
#INNCEL
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 are open to the public and will be accepted through 5 PM on January 24, 2018. Submit your nomination(s) here.
Nominations will be viewed and judged by a panel of past winners, sponsors and community & university leaders. Finalists will be announced in early February 2018.
Innovation Transfer Award-University of Illinois
Recognizes an individual or group from the University of Illinois whose research has resulted in either a discovery or a work with the potential for significant societal impact.
Alexis Wernsing Innovation Award-University of Illinois
Recognizes an individual or team from the University of Illinois that has channeled their experience living with a disability into positive change through the creation of new products, environments, or protocols that enhance quality of life.
Entrepreneurial Excellence: Social Venture Award
Serve as change agents by creating and implementing sustainable solutions to reshape society, benefit humanity, and address social concerns.
Entrepreneurial Excellence: Student Startup Award
Formed by students in the last three years and demonstrates a commitment to continuing success through entrepreneurial talent, creativity and energy.
Entrepreneurial Excellence: New Venture Award
Formed in the last three years, and demonstrates a commitment to continuing success through entrepreneurial talent, creativity and energy.
Entrepreneurial Excellence: Advocacy Award
Actively engage, encourage, coach and mentor entrepreneurs in the community, and provide extensive support to help them achieve success.
Entrepreneurial Excellence: Management Award
Demonstrates expertise in assembling resources, creating an organization, and working to build and implement effective action plans.
Innovation: Economic Development Impact Award
Has made a significant economic development impact in the community and continues to demonstrate their commitment to Champaign County.
Champaign County, home to the University of Illinois, features world-class technological resources and superb location and transportation benefits that make it a strategic hub for technology and industrial development.
Founded in 1991, Taylor Studios, Inc. began as a mail-order business creating museum-quality artifacts, fossil reproductions, and exhibits for museums and other clients. Quickly recognized for the passion and expertise brought to each project, the company initially carved out a niche in the paleontology, archaeology, and natural history fields. Today, Taylor Studios is recognized as an industry leader in exhibit planning, design, fabrication, and installation, serving a diversity of clients throughout the country and internationally. Their 3D storytelling now reaches beyond natural history to cultural history, history walls, and immersive environments of all kinds. Read More »
Frasca International manufactures flight simulators for all aircraft types, fixed and rotary wing, used for pilot training for airlines, flight schools, colleges and universities, military, law enforcement, air evac and commercial organizations. Since its founding in 1958, over 3,000 Frasca simulators have been delivered worldwide. Read More »
