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The Greater Springfield Chamber of
Commerce would like to salute the following sponsors:
Small Business Network
The Chamber’s Small Business Network is a group focused on identifying and meeting the needs of small businesses and providing opportunities to interact and network with each other. Some of the Network’s programs targeted to small businesses include:
·
Chamber University
·
Speed Networking
·
Connect For Lunch
·
Small Business Network events
·
Small Business Person of the Year
Awards
The Network has started a Small Business Network Group on LinkedIn for small business owners and their key decision-makers. It provides an effective way to communicate with other business people and also receive helpful business information. To learn more CLICK HERE.
The Small Business Network is led by an Advisory Committee that provides guidance, input and organization for all Chamber Small Business Network programs. This group meets six times a year and is comprised of business owners and decision-makers representing a diverse group of the Chamber’s small business members. For more information, email David Earhart or call (217) 525-1173 x215.
Below is information which Small Businesses may find useful and will include current news relevant to The Network and a Small Business Toolkit.
The Chamber’s Small Business Toolkit
provides
resources on one online site for small businesses where they can
find valuable information about service providers and assistance
that might be available for their business.
Connect with Service Providers
Many organizations in Springfield and Sangamon County are either fully dedicated or have specific programs to encourage the development of small businesses. The link above provides a list of service providers who offer programs or services for the benefit of small business owners.
When establishing or expanding a small
business, the more accurate statistical and demographic research you
have, the greater probability you have for success.
The Chamber has access and knowledge of local, regional and
national demographics.
Not all incentives go to new companies. Existing businesses may qualify for targeted business incentives based on criteria such as: location, industry, and the number of high wage and high skill jobs in each company. The Chamber has the expertise and relationships with state and local offices to help businesses identify and take advantage of any incentives for which they qualify.
Springfield and Sangamon County is regulated by numerous governing bodies, each of which monitor specific development activities through various levels of permitting, zoning and licensing. The agencies below can help with specific questions.
Site
Selection Assistance
When it’s time to expand or relocate your existing
facility, our staff can help you find a site that will suit your
company’s needs.
The Chamber keeps
an inventory of
large buildings and
properties/sites and can perform customized, anonymous site
searches to find the best location for your business.
This link provides a list of Chamber member businesses that provide business to business services.
Illinois
Small Business Development Center at Lincoln Land
Kevin
Lust, Director – (217) 544-7232,
www.llcc.edu/sbdc
The SBDC offers a variety of services--from a
growing catalog of information-packed seminars to an extensive
library of business and personal resources--or visit with anyone
from our impressive roster of counselors.
U.S.
Small Business Administration
Valerie
Ross, Branch Manager - (217) 793-5020,
www.sba.gov
The SBA was created as an independent agency of
the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the
interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive
enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our
nation.
Service
Core of Retired Executives
Sam Poe,
Chairman – (217) 793-5020 x105,
www.score.org
SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business"
is a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and
the formation, growth and success of small business nationwide with
389 chapters throughout the United States and 10,500 volunteers
nationwide.
Illinois Manufacturing Extension Center (IMEC)
Jim
Browning, Business Development Specialist – (309) 726-1104,
www.imec.org
IMEC is a team of specialists who work with
Illinois companies to be more productive and globally competitive.
IMEC solutions help companies develop profitable business
strategies, meet customer quality requirements, contain operating
costs, increase capacity and on-time delivery, and solve technical
operating problems such as product defects or process bottlenecks.
Illinois
Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC)
Mary
Turner, Director – (217) 223-5636,
mr-turner@wiu.edu
Illinois Procurement Technical Assistance Centers
provide one-on-one counseling, technical information, marketing
assistance and training to existing businesses that are interested
in selling their products and/or services to local, state, or
federal government agencies.
International Trade Center, (ITC)
Jim Foley,
Director – (309) 677-3075,
itc@bradley.edu
The Illinois SBDC International Trade Center at Bradley University has helped hundreds of Illinois companies take advantage of the potential of the international marketplace. The ITC expanded in 1994 to include the NAFTA Opportunity Center - one of only two in the state with a focus on Canada and Mexico. Working together, more than 500 companies have expanded their export sales by more than $80 million.
Business Resources
Sangamon
County: Department of Community Resources
Sharmin Doering, Executive Director, (217)
535-3288,
www.co.sangamon.il.us
City of
Springfield – Office of Planning & Economic Development
Mike Farmer, Director, (217) 789-2377,
www.springfield.il.us/oped
Illinois
Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity – Small Business
Development Center
DCEO
Entrepreneurship Center toll-free number, (800) 252-2923,
www.ilsbdc.biz
Illinois
Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity – Small Business
Development Center
Mark Petrilli, State Director, (217) 524-5700,
www.ilsbdc.biz
Internal
Revenue Service – Tax Center
Katie Beard, Senior Stakeholder Liaison, (217) 862-6237, www.irs.gov
