We celebrated two big milestones with Litania Sports Group yesterday – 100 years for Gill Athletics & 150 years for Porter Athletic. Champaign Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen read a proclamation declaring April 18, 2018 as Litania Sports Group Day.
Gill Athletics, founded in 1918, is the official Track Equipment Corporate Partner of the NFHS and the Official Equipment Supplier of the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Gill equipment is used all over the world including all levels of competition from colleges to high schools to masters’ competitions.
Porter Athletic, founded in 1868, is recognized by coaches, architects, contractors and school administrators as the leader in the gymnasium equipment market. Porter equipment is featured in more award-winning athletic facility construction projects than any other brand.
Fun facts about the company:
• Gill Athletics founder, Harry Gill, helped organize the NCAA, and then won the very first NCAA championship as coach of the University of Illinois track & field team.
• Porter Athletic was the originator of the first fan shaped basketball backboard and first glass basketball backboard.
• Men’s and Women’s javelin world records were set with Gill manufactured implements.
• Gill Athletics is the largest pole-vaulting pole manufacturer in the world.
Litania Sports Group is the parent company of two market-leading brands in the sports facility market, Gill Athletics and Porter Athletic. Learn more at http://www.litaniasports.com/.
CHAMPAIGN, IL, March 30, 2018 – Over 300 people gathered at Parkland College for the 13th Annual Innovation Celebration on the evening of Thursday, March 29th to recognize those individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions, taken risks, and provided leadership to ensure the continuing economic success of Champaign County, the ongoing success of the University’s economic development mission, and the growth of entrepreneurial talent and energy in our community.
Innovation Celebration is not merely an award for accomplishment, but a benchmark of success for those outstanding individuals, organizations and corporations who are nominated and selected to receive this prestigious award.
Innovation Celebration is hosted by the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation in partnership with the University of Illinois, Parkland College, and community sponsors. For more information, visit www.innovationcelebration.com.
Entrepreneurial Excellence: Social Venture Award Serve as change agents by creating and implementing sustainable solutions to reshape society, benefit humanity, and address social concerns.
Salt & Light
Entrepreneurial Excellence: Student Startup Award Formed by students in the last three years and demonstrates a commitment to continuing success through entrepreneurial talent, creativity and energy.
Mesh++
Entrepreneurial Excellence: New Venture Award Formed in the last three years, and demonstrates a commitment to continuing success through entrepreneurial talent, creativity and energy.
SNOOZ
Entrepreneurial Excellence: Paul Magelli Advocacy Award Actively engage, encourage, coach and mentor entrepreneurs in the community, and provide extensive support to help them achieve success.
Stephanie Larson
Carly McCrory
Entrepreneurial Excellence: Management Award Demonstrates expertise in assembling resources, creating an organization, and working to build and implement effective action plans.
Cindy Somers – Spherion Staffing
Innovation: Economic Development Impact Award Has made a significant economic development impact in the community and continues to demonstrate their commitment to Champaign County.
Busey
2018 Innovation Transfer Award—University of Illinois Recognizes an individual or group from the University of Illinois whose research has resulted in either a discovery or a work with the potential for significant societal impact.
Dr. Donna Cox – Advanced Visualization Lab at National Center for Supercomputing Applications
2018 Alexis Wernsing Innovation Award—University of Illinois Recognizes an individual or team from the University of Illinois that has channeled their experience living with a disability into positive change through the creation of new products, environments, or protocols that enhance quality of life.
Mark McCarthy – Access Illinois
2018 Innovation in Engagement Award—Parkland College Recognizes an individual or group at Parkland College who has shown support of the college’s community engagement mission.
Adam Porter – Perimeter Road Sound Recordings
The EDC was pleased to work with the following sponsors of our 13th annual Innovation Celebration: the University of Illinois’ Technology Entrepreneur Center, Research Park, Office of Corporate Relations, and Office of Technology Management, along with Parkland College, Lodgic Everyday Community, Carle, Serra Ventures, Surface 51, Singleton Law Firm, City of Champaign, Ramshaw Real Estate, Litania Sports Group, Pixo, Hatch Ag Group, IllinoisVENTURES, Huawei R&D USA, Aqueous Solutions LLC, Personify, AARP, Hanson Financial, Community Solutions Incubator at the Community Foundation of East Central Illinois, II-VI EpiWorks, Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC, and Busey.
CHAMPAIGN, IL, February 23, 2018 – The Champaign County Economic Development Corporation is pleased to announce finalists for the 13th Annual Innovation Celebration in recognition of those individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions, taken risks, and provided leadership to ensure the continuing economic success of Champaign County, the ongoing success of the University’s economic development mission, and the growth of entrepreneurial talent and energy in our community.
Innovation Celebration is not merely an award for accomplishment, but a benchmark of success for those outstanding individuals, organizations and corporations who are nominated and selected to receive this prestigious award. Additionally, Innovation Celebration serves as a tangible collaboration between the Champaign County EDC, University of Illinois, Parkland College, and the community.
The winner of each award category will be announced at Innovation Celebration 2018, held at Parkland College on Thursday, March 29, 2018 from 5:30 – 8:30 pm. To RSVP and learn more about the event, visit www.innovationcelebration.com.
Award Finalists
Entrepreneurial Excellence: Social Venture Award Serve as change agents by creating and implementing sustainable solutions to reshape society, benefit humanity, and address social concerns.
Entrepreneurial Excellence: Student Startup Award Formed by students in the last three years and demonstrates a commitment to continuing success through entrepreneurial talent, creativity and energy.
Entrepreneurial Excellence: New Venture Award Formed in the last three years, and demonstrates a commitment to continuing success through entrepreneurial talent, creativity and energy.
Entrepreneurial Excellence: Advocacy Award Actively engage, encourage, coach and mentor entrepreneurs in the community, and provide extensive support to help them achieve success.
Ken Taylor
Stephanie Larson
Kathie Cravens
Entrepreneurial Excellence: Management Award Demonstrates expertise in assembling resources, creating an organization, and working to build and implement effective action plans.
Innovation: Economic Development Impact Award Has made a significant economic development impact in the community and continues to demonstrate their commitment to Champaign County.
2018 Innovation Transfer Award—University of Illinois Recognizes an individual or group from the University of Illinois whose research has resulted in either a discovery or a work with the potential for significant societal impact.
2018 Alexis Wernsing Innovation Award—University of Illinois Recognizes an individual or team from the University of Illinois that has channeled their experience living with a disability into positive change through the creation of new products, environments, or protocols that enhance quality of life.
2018 Innovation in Engagement Award—Parkland College Recognizes an individual or group at Parkland College who has shown support of the college’s community engagement mission.
The EDC is pleased to work with the following sponsors of our 13th Annual Innovation Celebration: the University of Illinois’ Technology Entrepreneur Center, Research Park, Office of Corporate Relations, and Office of Technology Management, along with Parkland College, Lodgic, Carle, Serra Ventures, Surface 51, Singleton Law Firm, City of Champaign, Ramshaw Real Estate, Litania Sports Group, Pixo, Hatch Ag Group, IllinoisVENTURES, Huawei R&D USA, Aqueous Solutions LLC, Personify, AARP, Hanson Financial, Community Solutions Incubator at the Community Foundation of East Central Illinois, II-VI EpiWorks, Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC, and Busey.
For the first time in ten years, the University of Illinois hosted over 100,000 departing passengers through Willard Airport leading to more than 200,000 total passengers traveling to and from the Champaign-Urbana region through the airport.
The increase in passenger traffic is accredited to American Airlines increasing the number of flights in and out of the airport as well as United Airlines which began service between Champaign-Urbana (CMI) and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) on June 8, 2017.
“With the increase in American Airlines flights and the new service from United Airlines, Willard Airport saw almost 50,000 additional seats available for all departing and arriving passengers in 2017. This growth in service is a boon for everyone in our community,” said Gene Cossey, Executive Director of Willard Airport.
Including all airline operations and charter operations, Willard Airport enplaned 104,596 passengers in 2017 which is highest number of enplaned passengers since 2007.
The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) recently announced receipt of an Employer Training Investment Program grant (ETIP) for fiscal year 2018 through the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO). The grant term will be July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018. All training that occurs during this time period may qualify for reimbursement based on eligibility requirements.
Participating companies must have a physical location in the state of Illinois and agree to train only their full-time Illinois based employees. Each participating company must complete a company profile identifying the company location from which their employees will be participating and schedules detailing all training each company has completed. The schedules must include number of participants, dates of training, and cost of training. These reports for the first two quarters (July 1 to December 31, 2017) must be forwarded by email only to Janie Stanley, Revenue & Grant Administrator at jstanley@ima-net.org, no later than Monday, February 19, 2018.
Grant funds may be used to cover no more than 50% of actual approved expenses related to the training for a company’s full-time employees. Participating companies are required to fund a match amount of the remaining 50 percent. Eligible expenditures must fall within the following budget categories:
Internal (employee) trainer costs (wages)
External vendor/trainer or tuition expense (copies of paid invoices must also be submitted)
A few important notes:
The IMA will work with companies to collect and submit the proper forms. DCEO has the sole discretion in determining the final approved funding level for ETIP grants.
New for this grant, leadership training is included as an eligible expenditure.
Champaign County, home to the University of Illinois, features world-class technological resources and superb location and transportation benefits that make it a strategic hub for technology and industrial development.
Founded in 1991, Taylor Studios, Inc. began as a mail-order business creating museum-quality artifacts, fossil reproductions, and exhibits for museums and other clients. Quickly recognized for the passion and expertise brought to each project, the company initially carved out a niche in the paleontology, archaeology, and natural history fields. Today, Taylor Studios is recognized as an industry leader in exhibit planning, design, fabrication, and installation, serving a diversity of clients throughout the country and internationally. Their 3D storytelling now reaches beyond natural history to cultural history, history walls, and immersive environments of all kinds. Read More »
Frasca International manufactures flight simulators for all aircraft types, fixed and rotary wing, used for pilot training for airlines, flight schools, colleges and universities, military, law enforcement, air evac and commercial organizations. Since its founding in 1958, over 3,000 Frasca simulators have been delivered worldwide. Read More »
