Nami Poke
Maybe you’re wondering: What the heck is “poke”? It wasn’t that long ago I asked the same question. That seems surprising now because I like sushi, tuna, rice and spicy food. So, perhaps unsurprisingly, I like poke. But until Nami Poke opened in Springfield, I’m not sure I could have told you exactly what poke…
The workplace has a maybe problem
I recently had the opportunity to learn about the Entrepreneurial Operating System and incorporate several EOS concepts into a leadership development program. If you’re unfamiliar, EOS is a business operating framework designed to help organizations gain clarity, accountability and traction by identifying issues, making decisions and focusing on what matters most. One EOS concept immediately…
New building for Mini O’Beirne Crisis Nursery
The Mini O’Beirne Crisis Nursery sits behind a white picket fence in a quiet, historic neighborhood on North Seventh Street. For nearly four decades the nonprofit has worked to prevent child abuse and neglect by providing free 24-hour emergency childcare to families in need. The nursery has been a neighbor to Fletcher Farrar and his…
50/50 Ownership
You and your bestie decide to start a business together. One of you has the idea and the other has the expertise to make it work. You’re both going to devote time and money to the new venture. So, how should you divide the company? Fifty-50 seems fair. And sometimes it is – until you…
New lab brings Wall Street trading to UIS students
Financial research for University of Illinois Springfield graduate assistant Michael Ese used to include seeing what experts posted on YouTube. Now Ese, who is earning his Master of Business Administration with a focus in marketing, uses real-time data to conduct market research thanks to a new trading lab at UIS that features Bloomberg Terminals. The…
New bank names, branches for Springfield market
A nationwide uptick in mergers and acquisitions in the banking industry is having a visible effect on the Springfield market – with banks changing names and new players coming to town. According to national reports, merger and acquisitions activity rebounded in the U.S. banking market in 2025 after a slowdown in the previous two years,…
Q&A With Aaron Rios
In March, Heartland Credit Union selected Aaron Rios to serve as its new chief executive, succeeding longtime CEO Tom Lex. Rios brings more than 26 years of leadership experience in the financial services industry to the position, having served in key executive roles at Citigroup, Midland States Bank, QCR Holdings and most recently as chief…
