CHICAGO – Continuing to deliver on his Opportunity Returns pledge to promote entrepreneurship and innovation in the West Central region, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today announced that the Western Illinois Entrepreneurship Center in Galesburg has awarded seven new challenge grants to area companies that will create nearly 100 new jobs. The challenge grants are $5,000 awards designed to help accelerate the achievement of a critical milestone for young business ventures using the e-center’s services. Grants are being awarded to Derby Industries, a turn-key assembly maker for durable good manufacturers in Galesburg; Midstate Manufacturing, a metal-components manufacturing firm in Galesburg; R-Cube Technologies, a software development firm in Galesburg; The Burt-Coyote Company, a maker of advanced archery products located in Yates City; the UPS Store, which is providing complete United Parcel services for the Galesburg area; Cedar Creek Illinois Inc., a patio furniture maker in Galesburg; and The Mavens of Manners™, an etiquette-teaching business in Galesburg.
“At the very heart of the Opportunity Returns strategy is a belief that entrepreneurs and small business drive our economy and are critical to creating more good jobs across this state. By investing in young firms with high growth potential and giving them the resources they need to take their ventures to the next level, we’re not only fostering their individual success, but fueling more vigorous economic growth in their communities,” Gov. Blagojevich said.
The challenge grants are one of a number of specialized resources the entrepreneurship center offers 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. Applications are awarded based on their display of project viability, growth potential, public purpose or other merit-based factors.
Derby Industries lost its major business client when the Maytag facility in Galesburg closed its doors last year. The company is using its challenge grant award to partner with the Illinois Manufacturing Extension Center in Galesburg to identify new business opportunities. The company expects to create 25 jobs over the next three to five years.
Midstate Manufacturing is using its grant award to train and retrain its existing workforce in welding skills to meet the specifications of its major client, Caterpillar. The company expects to create 45 new jobs over the next three to five years.
R Cube Technologies in Galesburg is using its challenge grant award to conduct a marketing campaign to identify markets for its line of hardware and software. The growing company hopes to expand its workforce by 20 employees over the next three to five years.
Burt-Coyote designs, manufactures and markets the Lumenok,™ a lighted arrowhead for use in archery. The Lumenok,™ allows the archer to be able to follow the path of his lighted arrow to his target. In the case of an errant shot, the lighted nock will make recovery of the arrow much easier, saving time and money. The award is being used toward the redesigning and upgrading of the Lumenok’s marketing program. The company expects to add 15 new employees over the next three to five years.
The UPS Store in The Cornerstone in Galesburg is providing complete United Parcel services for this area. The UPS Store rents private boxes for receipt of UPS and postal letters and parcels allowing customers to have a secure receipt address for convenience or while they are in transit. The award is being used toward market research and start-up marketing of the new store. The franchise is creating at least two new jobs.
Cedar Creek Illinois Inc. designs, manufactures and markets a full line of high quality clear western red cedar furniture and accessories for the lawn and patio. It is using the challenge grant award to complete final production and marketing on a new line of red cedar ottomans with casters and weather resistant cushions.
The Mavens of Manners™ specializes in teaching etiquette, such as dining skills and common courtesy. The company, run by two business partners, provides training to adults, teens and children, as well as for social services and businesses. The challenge grant award is assisting in the company’s marketing campaign to promote its business.
“Gov. Blagojevich and I strongly believe that the talents and ingenuity of small firms are worth investing in. These challenge grants are often a key difference maker in helping small or start-up companies clear some of the tough hurdles they face at critical stages. By helping these young companies compete and prosper, we are fostering more widespread economic growth and job creation across this region,” State Rep. Donald Moffitt (R-Galesburg) said.
“Each of these businesses is an exciting citizen of our local economy. Start-up and expanding businesses like these will generate new jobs and revenue, and the services they provide will enhance the business climate of our community. This is a perfect example of private enterprise and investment being assisted by Gov. Blagojevich’s Opportunity Returns program,” said Dick Johnson, Manager of the Galesburg Entrepreneurship Center.
The Western Illinois Entrepreneurship Center Network (WIECN), composed of three entrepreneurship centers located in Galesburg, Macomb, and Quincy, is designed to act as a regional hub that coordinates all small business development, entrepreneurship training and development activity in the Western Illinois region, and provides entrepreneurs with the tools they need to make their ventures successful. The center builds on the existing infrastructure of the Small Business Development Center Network, the Illinois Technology Enterprise Center Network and the Manufacturing Extension Center Network.
Gov. Blagojevich has opened 14 entrepreneurship centers across the state, reflecting his priority to strengthen the state’s capacity to develop promising young businesses into market successes and help entrepreneurship act as a more dynamic engine of growth. Since its opening, the Galesburg Entrepreneurship Center has awarded ten challenge grants totaling nearly $50,000.
“The entrepreneurship centers and the challenge grants they are providing through Opportunity Returns are really a wonderful representation of the new model for economic development in Illinois. That model dedicates resources at the community level where they are needed most and works to create more genuine economic opportunity one person at a time, one business at a time and one job at a time,” DCEO Director Jack Lavin said.
Gov. Blagojevich’s Opportunity Returns regional economic development strategy is the most comprehensive approach to creating jobs in Illinois’ history. Since a one-size-fits-all approach to economic development just doesn’t work, the Governor has divided the state into 10 regions – each with a regional team that is empowered and expected to rapidly respond to opportunities and challenges. Opportunity Returns is about tangible, specific actions to make each region more accessible, more marketable, more entrepreneurial and more attractive to businesses. It is about upgrading the skills of the local workforce, increasing the access to capital, opening new markets, improving infrastructure, and creating and retaining jobs. Opportunity Returns is about successfully partnering with companies and communities, both large and small, to help all of Illinois reach its economic potential.