Hoffman Estates

Q. What signs of economic turnaround do you see in the community your chamber serves?A: Drive down I-90 and you will see corporate campus locations that have built during this economy, like Mori Seiki and Big Kaiser. Consolidating their operations allows many businesses to operate with a streamlined approach. Many of the newly built corporate campus settings are taking advantage of the initiatives to build green - giving them access to federal grants and saving them in energy efficiencies in the long run.Q. Identify one project that is an example of that turnaround.A: JCL Bioassay is a prime example of a company building a consolidated corporate campus using the latest in "green" technology.Q. What type of new development will be most prevalent? Retail, residential, industrial, office or something else?A: There are planned residential developments that have been stalled waiting for low-interest money to become more available. Retail has slowed, and we anticipate a couple of years before we see large-scale retail developments. Our chamber has been on a mission to provide answers to troubled businesses that have felt the squeeze of the recession. We host "survival sessions" that bring answers to their most prevalent concerns.We found there are Small Business Association express loan programs, small business tax incentives, green energy/efficiency grants, work force development assistance through the Department of Labor, and a big push to bring manufacturing back to the state of Illinois to rebuild the economy with jobs and opportunities. Many entrepreneurs see this as their time to open the business they have always dreamed of. While our village draws large corporate campuses, along with that comes the need for affordable housing and retail opportunities so one campus becomes the catalyst for additional developments.Q. How optimistic are you that vacant storefronts and office buildings will be filled during this turnaround? A: We are seeing a quicker turnaround in our smaller vacancies with strip centers welcoming new restaurants and unique shops and independent business owners taking advantage of available space for modest growth. We work with our property owners to bring them the latest recruitment tactics and help to expedite their requests for additional signage or lighting to enhance curb appeal and customer awareness.We work with the business owners to stay current in trends through our "Survival Sessions," such as electronic marketing, giving them the skills to stay current in today's marketplace. We constantly monitor their customers' footpath to ensure that as they eliminate staff positions or streamline hours they have not damaged the quality of their guest's experience. Too many times a business will blame the economy when in fact they have neglected to keep asking for the next customer by providing an affordable and memorable experience. We are still dining out, maybe not as often, so the quality of the experience is even more important.Q. What do you think local, state and/or national government leaders could do to enhance the recovery?A: We have been fortunate that our state representative, Fred Crespo, has remained as involved in our village as when he was a trustee by hosting frequent town hall meetings to hear concerns firsthand. Fred is active in our chamber, tours our businesses, brings in key decision makers and informative speakers to address topics of concern. Congresswoman Melissa Bean has hosted two sessions bringing in representatives from the banking industry, Small Business Association, Illinois Revenue Service, Department of Energy, Labor Department, Service Corp of Retired Executives (SCORE) and Northern Illinois University Manufacturing Assistance programs.What makes these sessions invaluable was the follow-up to be sure that when attendees attempted to access these programs they did not hit a brick wall. Several business owners who attended these sessions are moving forward on their new businesses thanks to learning about these opportunities.Q. Is there any pending legislation at those levels you particularly support? Any you oppose?A: The Hoffman Estates Chamber of Commerce supports the continuance or re-enactment of tax credits, exemptions, legislation and regulations adopted to enhance the business climate and encourage economic development and job creation.