2022 Women of Influence
Click link below to view the 2022 Women of Influence WOI_2022
It’s not about the money
By Holly A. Whisler There has been a shift in workforce dynamics since the pandemic shook life up a couple years ago. Job seekers have a renewed sense of confidence -- they know their priorities and the value they bring to the table. Surveys conducted in 2021 show that those actively seeking employment are looking [...]
Blackburn and beyond
College increases opportunities for students with diverse abilities By Carey Smith “According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, as of 2021, only 19% of Americans with a disability are even employed,” states Brianna Sutton, director of Blackburn College's Blackburn and Beyond program. “Disability does not mean inability.” Born from a partnership with Carlinville High [...]
Sportman’s Lounge and Restaurant
By Thomas C. Pavlik I used to be a regular at Sportsman’s in its former iteration, before it got a little long in the tooth and rundown. And then it went dark. Recently, however, a group of friends bought the building and decided to resurrect Sportsman’s, and in doing so, they’ve managed to preserve all [...]
Q and A with Marne Fauser
By David Blanchette What was your first job after graduating from college? I grew up in Peoria, and my first job after college was working at Illini Bluffs High School as a high school teacher and middle school volleyball and basketball coach. I became interested in the nonprofit world after years of working with people [...]
A Q&A with Dana Lyons
By David Blanchette Dana Lyons is a lifelong resident of the Springfield area. When she was a senior at Riverton High School, an employment agency placed her in a receptionist position with Lincoln Land Title and Abstract Company. She later worked for Lexis Document Services and Zelle Title Company before opening The Illinois Real Estate [...]
New strategies for home buyers and sellers
Hot housing market upends traditional advice By Carey Smith “I would love to sell your home, but I have to ask, do you have a place to go? Because I will make you homeless.” That is the first conversation Randy Aldrich, a broker associate with The Real Estate Group, has with potential sellers. The [...]
Best Places to Work 2022
Best Places to Work 2022
Standing on solid ground
William Bishop helps minorities get started in the construction industry By Carey Smith “Believe. Strive. Achieve.” William Bishop IV’s motto has taken him from his roots on Springfield’s east side to where he is today: CEO of Solid Ground Solutions, Inc. A Springfield native, Bishop graduated from Lanphier High School before earning his bachelor’s degree [...]
Many downtown redevelopment projects in the works
By Catherine O’Connor There is plenty of vacant, multistory space available in Springfield’s downtown and a program that utilizes tax increment financing (TIF) to reimburse owners for a portion of the cost to acquire property, stabilize buildings, redesign and renovate interiors and upgrade exteriors. But developers are experiencing a shortage of contractors available to undertake [...]