After more than 50 years in architecture, Ralls Melotte has retired and returned to his roots in Wisconsin, where he recently purchased a home in Kewaunee. Melotte was born in Wisconsin and graduated from University of Illinois in 1970 with a degree in architecture. Along with Richard Morse, he co-founded the firm now known as [...]
The Land of Lincoln Economic Development Corporation has a new name and a new location, although the mission remains the same. LLEDC was created in 2018 as a public-private partnership focused on economic development efforts throughout Sangamon County and originally operated out of a single office in the Innovate Springfield incubator in downtown Springfield. “Everything [...]
Brad Reach is the new vice president and chief financial officer for Springfield Clinic. Reach most recently served as CFO of Arkansas Heart Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Illinois Valley Community Hospital in Peru, Illinois. Prior to that, Reach served in various finance roles at OSF St. Francis Medical Center and Heartland Regional Medical [...]
ARTICLES AND PHOTOS BY DAVID BLANCHETTE For 99 years, MJ Kellner Foodservice has been a respected family-owned Springfield business. As the company enters its 100th year in operation, it is positioned to continue its growth and success, according to owner Bill Kellner, who is also the CEO and president. Vice president and COO Dave [...]
BY KAREN ACKERMAN WITTER Inspiring better health was the motivation for Rusty Jones and business partner Tom Bushkie to create a high-quality beverage as an alternative to sugary drinks. They founded hellowater in 2017 in response to their research, which revealed that nearly 40% of Americans are obese, affecting over 18 million children, and 97% [...]
BY CINDA ACKERMAN KLICKNA It is 7:20 a.m. and 45 high school seniors file into a training room at Sikich. Some of the students razz each other about an upcoming soccer game; others grab a bottle of water or Pop Tart, laughing and engaging with each other. Their strong connection to each other [...]
Great House BBQ has opened at 4233 W. Wabash in the former Tasty City Seafood & Trio space that went dark in June after less than a year in business. Kurtis Mitchell, who co-owns Great House BBQ along with his sister, Dianna Mitchell, said it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. “The [...]
Mark Birtch has started a new position as a licensed Realtor with Keller Williams Realty, Inc. “I’ll be doing primarily residential real estate, representing both buyers and sellers,” Birtch said. “I’m working with Jim Skeeters and his team.” Birtch spent the past eight years with Midwest Family Broadcasting, most recently as the director of sales, [...]
Krista Appenzeller, who is currently the senior assistant corporation counsel for the City of Springfield, has accepted a position as staff counsel with the Illinois State Bar Association. “I think it’s going to be quite the change,” she said, noting that while she will still be providing in-house counsel, “it will cover the whole gambit, [...]
Elevation Financial Group has acquired its first two properties in Illinois, Homestead at Montvale and Homestead Place. The company, based out of Orlando, Florida, owns and manages seven senior living complexes nationwide and provides management services for an additional three senior properties, according to Jennifer Morrill, vice president of senior portfolio and operations. In addition, [...]
