More Money for Regional Entrepreneurs!

ROCK ISLAND - Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich’s top economic development official visited Rock Island today to announce $300,000 in new funding for the Northwest Region Entrepreneurship Center (NWREC) and to highlight the Center’s work to help local entrepreneurs and their promising ventures develop into successes in the marketplace.

“By bringing in new companies, making strategic investments to help small businesses grow and taking innovative steps to open new markets, we are offering more people better jobs across Northwest Illinois. One of the most important ways we have been expanding our economy over the last several years is by encouraging entrepreneurship. The Northwest Region Entrepreneurship Center is helping us turn promising ideas into promising companies that are putting more people to work,” Gov. Blagojevich said.

The NWREC has previously received $600,000 to act as a regional hub to coordinate all small business development, entrepreneurship training and development activity in Northwest Illinois since opening in 2004.

The NWREC is one of 19 entrepreneurship centers Gov. Blagojevich has opened. The entrepreneurship centers make up one vital component of the Illinois Entrepreneurship Network (IEN), a comprehensive network of resources designed to strengthen the state’s capacity to develop small businesses into market successes and help entrepreneurship act as a more dynamic engine of growth. Gov. Blagojevich launched the IEN Web site, www.ienconnect.com, which features a free business needs assessment and a referral within 24 hours for personalized, face-to-face assistance. Entrepreneurs can also call toll-free 1-800-252-2923.

The NWREC offers challenge grants and a number of other specialized resources for its clients. The awards assist entrepreneurs or small businesses with obtaining professional services for comprehensive business plan assistance, evaluation of a proposed start-up or expansion or other accelerated support purposes. Award funding is determined based on the potential for successful achievement of a significant business milestone for client firms. The NWREC has awarded 39 challenge grants awards to date totaling $250,000.

Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Director Lavin also announced $40,000 in new challenge grants being awarded by the Northwest Region Entrepreneurship Center (NWREC) successes:

Cocoon Corp. (Quad Cities) has developed an all-weather protective package for aircrafts on the ground. The package also can be modified for use on other items, such as vehicles that require security or protection from environmental hazards. The company worked closely with the NWREC and is providing a new $5,000 challenge grant to obtain international patent protection, develop a proof of the concept package to be used to present to potential investors or government agencies and to create a prototype. The company will create 20 jobs by 2008. Contact: James Orr, 563/386.2965

Didoughs Twisted Pretzel Company (DTPC) (Peru) develops and franchises restaurants that supply soft pretzels and pretzel sandwiches. The company has opened stores in Peru, Peoria and Texas. DTPC is in the process of developing more company-owned stores and franchising them. The company is using a new $10,000 challenge grant to help create franchising information brochures and other materials for prospective franchisees, recruitment vehicles and training needs. The owners are being approached by prospective franchisees and the company has been invited to build stores in several regional malls. The company will create 32 jobs by 2008. Contact: Sandra Begly, 815/646.4233

Dinners from the Heart, LLC (Mendota) develops and operates meal preparation establishments in the North Central and Northwest regions of Illinois. The company lets customers review more than 10 entrée choices and then come to the company’s commercial kitchen and spend two hours assembling the meals. The company is currently completing the details for its first establishment in Mendota. The company is using a new $10,000 challenge grant for the development of marketing materials and a marketing program. The company will create 2 jobs. Contact: Catherine Sondgeroth, 309/645.1609

Illinois River Winery (Utica) offers a full range of wine, including high-end, award-winning grape wines. The company is operating and developing multiple vineyards in Central Illinois. It is currently adding a new segment to the business through the addition of large distributors, restaurants and shops. As a result of its new $10,000 challenge grant, the company developed a distributor section for its Web site, as well as the “artist in residence” program, a regional marketing tool. The company will create 12 jobs by 2008. Contact: Gregory Kane, 815/667.4012

Winstead Pallet Salvage, Inc. (Sterling) manufactures, reconditions and salvages wood and plastic pellets for customers across the Midwest. The company is certified to produce pallets for international trade. It is currently developing new machines and processes to convert the scrap from its manufacturing operation into new products for the growing landscaping market. A $5,000 challenge grant helped the company fund the manufacture of a custom machine to produce the landscape chips, as well as set up a marketing program to develop the product into a new market segment for the company. The company will create 35 jobs by 2008. Contact: Daniel Winstead, 815/626.9545

Director Lavin also highlighted other companies helped by the e-center:

JTM Concepts, Inc. (Rock Island) provides technical services that support commercial, education and government customers who are involved in converting training materials from paper to computer based technology. The company’s Classroom 3TM promotes the use of 3D applications to enhance learning by providing students with a clear visualization of difficult concepts and subjects. It has used a $10,000 challenge grant to prepare a marketing plan for the company’s new software program, as well as engage legal services to provide copyright and intellectual property protection for its Virtual Reality products. The company has created 27 jobs. Contact: Tracey Masamoto, 309/794.1057

ePower Synergies, Inc. (North Cordova) develops and operates “e” enabled multi-modal transportation systems for communities utilizing clean, sustainable energy . It used a $5,000 challenge grant to put together a business plan. Contact: Bruce Wood, 309/654.9299

Honsa Ergonomic Technologies, Inc. (Moline) manufactures and distributes ergonomically designed pneumatic powered industrial tools. The company has patented elastomeric isolation technology that reduces arm and hand vibration in the industrial tools it produces. It used a $10,000 challenge grant for a direct marketing campaign and advertising program to attract new customers in the industrial product market. Contact: Thomas Honsa, 309/736.0200

"Our regional economy continues to grow and create more jobs because Gov. Blagojevich and I have been providing our entrepreneurs with the resources they need to create better opportunities. I want to thank the Governor for his continued support of the Illinois Entrepreneurship Network and the Northwest Region Entrepreneurship Center, which is going to continue helping create new companies and jobs," State Senator Mike Jacobs (D-East Moline) said.

“Gov. Blagojevich and I believe that we must provide our entrepreneurs and small businesses with all of the financial tools and the support they need to help them create more good jobs. And that is exactly what has been happening for the last several years at the Northwest Region Entrepreneurship Center, and I am certain that success will continue,” State Representative Patrick Verschoore (D-Rock Island) said.

"We have created a business climate that is encouraging innovation and investment, and the Northwest Region Entrepreneurship Center is a great example of that in action. I want to thank Gov. Blagojevich for this additional important investment that will help our entrepreneurs and put more people to work," State Representative Mike Boland (D-Moline) said

“The Northwest Region Entrepreneurship Center has played a critical role in helping young firms with high growth potential develop into economically viable and sustainable companies that will grow and create Northwest Illinois jobs. We’ve done our homework in studying the strengths and challenges of growing a small business, and this center is designed to offer targeted services most in need by local entrepreneurs, including access to capital, markets, networks and technology,” DCEO Director Jack Lavin said.

Gov. Blagojevich recently announced that Illinois added more new jobs than any other state in July. In July, Illinois led the nation in monthly job growth by creating 31,100 new jobs. This is the second time this year Illinois has created more new jobs than any other state, which has never happened before in recorded history. Illinois also led the nation in job growth in April. The total number of new jobs created this year is 76,400, which is the best start to a year since 1998, best in the Midwest and fifth in the nation. Since January 2004, Illinois has gained more than 151,000 new jobs, which is also best in the Midwest. The Quad Cities area has added 11,200 new jobs since January 2004.

Last week, it was announced the Illinois unemployment rate dropped to 4.4 percent, which is its lowest level since October 2000. It has remained at or below the national rate for five consecutive months, which is the first time this has happened in seven years. The state has dropped below the national unemployment rate for the third time this year, which is the first time this has occurred in eight years. The unemployment rate in the Quad Cities has dropped from 6.7 percent in January 2004 to 4 percent for August 2006. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Illinois Department of Employment Security compiled these statistics.

Site Selection Magazine also ranked Illinois third in the nation for attracting new and expanded corporate facilities in 2005, and Business Facilities Magazine named Illinois the top state for biotech growth last year.
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