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2017 Innovation Celebration Winners Announced

CHAMPAIGN, IL, March 6, 2017 – Over 350 people gathered at Parkland College for the 12th Annual Innovation Celebration on the evening of Friday, March 3rd 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.

Award Winners

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. Frederic Kolb

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.

Arielle Rausin

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.

Jenni Fridgen

Entrepreneurial Excellence: Social Venture Award
Serve as change agents by creating and implementing sustainable solutions to reshape society, benefit humanity, and address social concerns.

 Young Entrepreneurship Program (YEP) – Champaign Unit 4 Schools

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.

 Cast21

Entrepreneurial Excellence: New Venture Award
Formed in the last three years, and demonstrates a commitment to continuing success through entrepreneurial talent, creativity and energy.

PhotoniCare, Inc.

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.

 Jed Taylor

Innovation: Economic Development Impact Award
Has successfully commercialized innovations while demonstrating a commitment to positive, local, economic impact.

 II-VI EpiWorks

Entrepreneurial Excellence: Management Award
Demonstrates expertise in assembling resources, creating an organization, and working to build and implement effective action plans.

 Laura Bleill – chambanamoms.com & University of Illinois Research Park

Innovation: Longevity Award
Recognizes those enterprises whose sustained success is the direct result of continued innovation over many years.

Litania Sports Group

The EDC was pleased to work with the following sponsors of Innovation Celebration 2017: the University of Illinois’ Technology Entrepreneur Center, Research Park, Office of Corporate Relations, and Office of Technology Management, along with Parkland College, Singleton Law Firm, Serra Ventures, City of Champaign, Village of Rantoul, Bridge – Champaign County’s Virtual Incubator, Martin Hood Friese & Associates, Fox Development Corporation, Ramshaw Real Estate, Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC, Hanson Financial, AARP, Surface 51, Guth & Associates, Pixo, Carle, IllinoisVENTURES, Huawei, II-VI EpiWorks, Adjacency, and Frasca International, Inc.

A special thanks to Five Foot Productions for producing the videos.

 

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Event recap video, created by ADJACENCY.

Click here to view event photos, courtesy of Darrell Hoemann.

Download the event program here.

View opening & closing remarks from the event. Award acceptance speeches can be viewed at the links below.

– Dr. Frederic Kolb
– Arielle Rausin
– Jenni Fridgen
– Young Entrepreneurship Program (YEP)
– Cast21
– PhotoniCare, Inc. 
– Jed Taylor
– II-VI EpiWorks
– Laura Bleill
– Litania Sports Group

Press:

Entrepreneurs recognized at Innovation Celebration, The News-Gazette

New Videos Highlight ECCA Program at Parkland College

CHAMPAIGN, IL, February 13, 2017 – Together with the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce, we are pleased to release three new videos highlighting the Early College and Career Academy (ECCA) at Parkland College.

ECCA is a joint effort of Education for Employment System #330 (a K-12 Career and Technical Education cooperative) and Parkland College. Through the program, area high school juniors and seniors earn credits that count toward a high school diploma and college, all while gaining skills in six different Parkland College degree programs: Manufacturing, Automotive Technology, Computer Networking, Certified Nursing Assistant, Emergency Medical Services, and Criminal Justice.

The first video provides an overview of the program from Nick Elder, Director of ECCA & EFE #330, and Parkland instructors Billy Wirth and J.R. Schultz.

The second video features five students currently enrolled in the Manufacturing program of ECCA, representing Paxton-Buckley-Loda CUSD #10, Rantoul Township High School #193, and Villa Grove CUSD #302.

The third video features HL Precision Manufacturing, Inc., Frasca International, Inc., and Litania Sports Group – all companies who have partnered with ECCA to not only sponsor students in the manufacturing program, but offer positions for students through internships and part-time work. The video also highlights Ben Perkinson, a Champaign Unit 4 grad who successfully completed the ECCA program with support from HL Precision Manufacturing, Inc., and now works for their company.

The idea for these videos – created by Five Foot Productions – was a direct result of feedback from a round table co-hosted by the Champaign County EDC and Champaign County Chamber of Commerce on National Manufacturing Day in 2016.

To learn more about ECCA, visit their website at http://www.parkland.edu/ecca.

 

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2017 Innovation Celebration Finalists Announced

CHAMPAIGN, IL, January 17, 2017 – The Champaign County Economic Development Corporation is pleased to announce finalists for the 12th 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 2017, held at Parkland College on Friday, March 3, 2017 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
Young Entrepreneurship Program (YEP) – Champaign Unit 4 Schools
The Art of Science – Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
AWARE (Accelerating Women And underRepresented Entrepreneurs)

Entrepreneurial Excellence: Student Startup Award
Therapalz
Amber Agriculture
Cast21

Entrepreneurial Excellence: New Venture Award
Reconstruct Inc.
Petronics (Sprite Robotics)
PhotoniCare, Inc.

Entrepreneurial Excellence: Advocacy Award
BIGG Success
Coattails, LLC
Jed Taylor

Innovation: Economic Development Impact Award
II-VI EpiWorks
SuperValu
Flightstar Corporation

Entrepreneurial Excellence: Management Award
Sanjay Patel – Personify
Beth Ladd – Caterpillar Data Innovation Lab
Laura Bleill – chambanamoms.com & University of Illinois Research Park

Innovation: Longevity Award
APL Engineered Materials, Inc.
Litania Sports Group
Surface 51

2017 Innovation Transfer Award Recipient – University of Illinois
Dr. Frederic Kolb

2017 Alexis Wernsing Innovation Award Recipient – University of Illinois
Arielle Rausin

2017 Innovation in Engagement Award Recipient – Parkland College
Jenni Fridgen

The EDC is pleased to work with the following sponsors of Innovation Celebration 2017: the University of Illinois’ Technology Entrepreneur Center, Research Park, Office of Corporate Relations, and Office of Technology Management, along with Parkland College, Singleton Law Firm, Serra Ventures, City of Champaign, Village of Rantoul, Bridge – Champaign County’s Virtual Incubator, Martin Hood Friese & Associates, Fox Development Corporation, Ramshaw Real Estate, Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC, Hanson Financial, AARP, Surface 51, Guth & Associates, Pixo, Carle, IllinoisVENTURES, Huawei, II-VI EpiWorks, Adjacency, and Frasca International, Inc.

 

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Press:

Agriculture Instructor Wins Community Innovation Award, Parkland College

Professor recognized for ag work, WCIA 3 News

Innovation Celebration 2017: Save the Date + Nominations Open

We are pleased to announce the 12th 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.

Friday, March 3, 2017
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 4 pm on December 9, 2016.

– Nomination link: http://go.illinois.edu/2017ICNominations
– RSVP link: http://go.illinois.edu/2017ICAwardRSVP

Nominations will be viewed and judged in early December 2016 by a panel of past winners, sponsors and community & university leaders. Finalists will be announced in early 2017.

Innovation Celebration is hosted by the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation in partnership with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Parkland College, and community sponsors.

For more information, visit http://innovationcelebration.com/.

Manufacturing Roundtable: Early College and Career Academy (ECCA)

img_9683To celebrate National Manufacturing Day & Manufacturing Month (as determined by the Illinois Department of Commerce), we teamed up with the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce to host a Manufacturing Roundtable on Tuesday, October 4th at Parkland College.

The discussion focused on the Early College and Career Academy (ECCA), a joint effort of Education for Employment System #330 and Parkland College. ECCA is a program for high school juniors and seniors to earn credits that count toward a high school diploma and college, all while gaining skills in six different Parkland College degree programs, including Manufacturing.

We had representatives from Parkland & EFE #330 in attendance, along with local companies + students enrolled in the program.

Frasca International, Inc. was in attendance to share their experience of partnering with ECCA to sponsor a student.

Download a PDF overview of ECCA here. Download a PDF of the current ECCA – Manufacturing courses being offered here.

To learn more about ECCA, visit: http://www.parkland.edu/ecca

Photos from the EDC: https://www.facebook.com/ChampaignCountyEDC/posts/10154078875187807

Photos from the Chamber: https://www.facebook.com/ccountychamber/posts/10157575924370008

 

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