New tenants coming to West Iles Business Center
BY MICHELLE OWNBEY Two new businesses are preparing to open and a third is adding an additional location in a newly constructed strip center on the west side of Springfield. Long-time local business Primo Designs is expanding, having recently signed a lease for a second location in the newly built West Iles Business Center, which…
Toby Dean opens new Farmers Insurance agency on Springfield’s west side
On Dec. 1, Toby Dean opened a new Farmers Insurance agency at 3330 Ginger Creek Dr., Suite B, in Springfield. The office is located in same building as Denmar Builders and SCORE. Farmers Insurance, one of the largest personal line insurers in the U.S., offers a full line of products for both businesses and consumers.…
Innovate Springfield to host a “Deep Dive Strategic Planning” session Jan 18
Want your business to start off the new year on the right foot? Innovate Springfield is holding a “Deep Dive Strategic Planning” session on Thursday, Jan. 18, from 5:15-6:15 p.m. The session will be led by Nikki Baker, founder of Recycled Cottage. Aimed at helping you plan for the future and learning to expect the…
O’Shea Builders recognized for service and commitment to small, rural hospitals
O’Shea Builders was granted the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network’s highest award for service and commitment to the betterment of small and rural hospitals and their communities during ceremonies held at ICAHN’s annual conference, Nov. 14-15, at the I Hotel and Conference Center, in Champaign. ICAHN is a network of 55 small, rural hospitals dedicated…
Stacey Vincent named assistant VP for mortgage lending at Town and Country Bank
Stacey Vincent, who has been working with area homebuyers for the past 20 years, recently became an assistant vice president for mortgage lending at Town and Country Bank. Vincent previously held similar positions with Hickory Point Bank & Trust and Illinois National Bank. “Town and Country Bank has a good reputation in the community and…
Jim Kent named new general manager of Evandy’s Boatel
Jim Kent is the new general manager of Evandy’s Boatel in Naples. “It’s a stunning place on the Illinois River,” he said. “A good friend of mine, Eric Van Gundy, is the owner and I agreed to help him out with the place. My background is in business consulting, and I decided to take him…
Building permit roundup — Dec 13
The following building and zoning permits were approved by the city of Springfield between Dec. 4, 2017 and Dec. 10, 2017: US Bank Real Estate Corp has obtained a commercial demolition permit for 205 S. Fifth St. The permit covers the interior demolition of existing walls, ceiling and flooring on the ninth and tenth floors.…
Building permit roundup – Dec. 6
The following building and zoning permits were approved by the City of Springfield between Nov. 27, 2017 and Dec. 3, 2017: St. John’s Hospital has obtained a commercial foundation permit for 500 N. Ninth St. The permit covers the Madison Street parking ramp at St. John’s Hospital. The contractor is Springfield-based O’Shea Builders, and the…
James A. Lesniak & Co. to close after 36 years of business
On Dec. 1, local title company James A. Lesniak & Co. announced that they would be closing at the end of this year. An announcement was emailed to clients: “After 36 years of helping Springfield to buy, sell and refinance real estate, we have made the difficult decision to close the business. We will cease…
Local manufacturing company donates to Simmons Cancer Institute
Springfield Plastics launched its Fourth Annual Drain for the Cure campaign in October, which has resulted in a donation of $73,236 for the Simmons Cancer Institute at Southern Illinois University in Springfield. “When we first started four years ago, we had a couple of employees and a couple more family members close to the company…
HSHS St. John’s Hospital offers new assisted total knee replacement procedures
HSHS St. John’s Hospital is the first hospital in Sangamon County to offer Stryker’s Mako Robotic-Arm assisted total knee replacement procedures. This latest advancement in joint replacement surgery is transforming the way joint replacement procedures are performed. Robotic-arm assisted surgery is a new approach to joint replacement that offers the potential for a higher level…
Daphne Carter is now a financial advisor at Benjamin F. Edwards
Daphne Carter has joined the firm of Benjamin F. Edwards as a financial advisor. She previously worked with Edward Jones for more than nine years and at A.G. Edwards prior to that. “I’ve been in the industry about 20 years,” Carter said. “Long story short, I put quite a bit of thought into this move.…
Engrained releases Christmas cookie beer
Many people enjoy a cold beer from time to time, and during the holiday season, Christmas cookies are a popular treat. Brent Schwoerer of Engrained Brewery & Restaurant has found a way to combine the best of both worlds with a Christmas cookie beer. “I wanted to do a cookie-style beer, and I’m happy with…
Citizens Club book group discussion Nov 29
The Citizens Club of Springfield has been encouraging community members to read The Coming Jobs War by Jim Clifton, CEO and chairman of Gallup. Clifton argues that leaders of cities and countries should focus on creating good jobs, which will lead to prosperity, peace and human development. The Citizens Club has made copies of the…
Bret Benham and Matthew Sharpe promoted at Horace Mann
Horace Mann Educators Corporation has named Bret Benham to the position of Executive Vice President, Life and Retirement. Benham has more than 30 years of experience in the insurance and financial services industries, most recently as Senior Vice President, Retirement at Ameritas, a position he has held since August 2013. Prior to that, he held…
Alexander Raw accepting new patients at Passavant OB/GYN
Alexander Raw, MD, a faculty member at SIU OB/GYN, is accepting new patients at Passavant OB/GYN. Raw, an obstetrician/gynecologist, recently completed his residency in obstetrics/gynecology at the SIU School of Medicine in Springfield. He earned his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 2013. He holds undergraduate degrees in chemistry and…
Building permit roundup — Nov 29
The following building and zoning permits were approved by the City of Springfield between Nov. 20, 2017 and Nov. 26, 2017: Denise Ferro has obtained a commercial remodeling permit for 414 E. Monroe St. The permit covers the subdividing of the first floor of the building into two tenant spaces. The contractor is unknown, and…
Second location added for Eye Candy Boutique, now featuring salon services
Eye Candy Boutique has opened a second location, along with the addition of salon services. The original store, Eye Candy Boutique, will remain at 2404 W. Jefferson Suite B, in Springfield. The new boutique, plus Eye Candy Salon & Spa, will be located at 3001 W. White Oaks Dr. Suite C, in Springfield. Owner Alinda…
ALBERT O. ECK, JR. (July 16, 1936-Nov. 4, 2017)
A life of laughter and service to others BY MICHELLE OWNBEY Albert Eck always loved to make people laugh, and he was no different in death than in life. At the wake, the spray of flowers on his casket was adorned with a sign that read “Good Riddance.” Instead of his hands clasped together in…
Building permit roundup – Nov 22
The following building and zoning permits were approved by the City of Springfield between Nov. 13, 2017 and Nov. 19, 2017: Springfield Mass Transit has obtained a permit for a commercial building addition at 1110 S. Ninth St. The permit covers the demolition of the existing block building, the rebuilding of the north-end wall on…
New retail holiday pop-up The Toy Shop opens in downtown Springfield
The latest retail holiday pop-up is The Toy Shop, at 407 E. Adams St., located next to Café Moxo in a space that was formerly home to the law office of Cavanagh & O’Hara. Two Springfield moms, Sharon Havey and Nancy Peterson, had both independently thought about such a venture and felt there was a…
Do you love where you work?
Nominate your company for “Best Places to Work,” sponsored by United Community Bank and Springfield Business Journal, for a chance to win a $100 gift card for yourself and recognition for your company. Everyone who makes a nomination before Dec. 31 will be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift card. The winning companies…
Niccole Clements takes on new position at PNC Bank
Niccole Clements has recently taken on a new position with PNC as vice president of community development banking. While she still lives in Springfield, she now covers a much larger territory in her new role. Clements said, “I’m still working with community development groups, but now it’s throughout central Illinois as well as St. Louis.…
Michael Curtis promoted at Memorial Health System
Michael Curtis has been promoted to administrator of business development and strategic planning for Memorial Health System. He began his new duties on October 1. In his new role, Curtis will assume service line responsibility for business development, strategic planning, market outreach, volunteers, community service and community benefit. He will continue to provide support and…
AmerisourceBergen signs agreement to purchase H.D. Smith
On Nov. 20, H.D. Smith and AmerisourceBergen announced that the companies have signed a definitive agreement under which AmerisourceBergen will purchase H.D. Smith, the largest independent pharmaceutical wholesaler in the U.S., for $815 million in cash. AmerisourceBergen plans to fund the acquisition through the issuance of new long-term debt. The transaction is subject to regulatory…
New Business Listings – December 2017
Some Assembly Required, 23 Ramblewood Dr., Chatham. 414-5576. Dale R. Logerquist The Glass Pros, 23 Ramblewood Dr., Chatham. 414-5576. Dale R. Logerquist The Shipping Pros, 23 Ramblewood Dr., Chatham. 414-5576. Dale R. Logerquist Attig Farm Lawn Care, 8999 Rhea Park Road, Loami. 502-3658. Jacob D. Attig R Skyy Loans, 1917 S. First St. 224-800-4911. Amanda…
Technology won’t replace customer service at area lenders
BY EMILY JANKAUSKI Home to 21 banks and six credit unions, the capital city is well acquainted with financial service offerings from both national and local financial institutions. In terms of growth, however, local banks appear more prosperous than national competitors. In 2016, Chase Bank closed its North Grand Avenue branch, while Illinois-based Citizens Equity…
County Market parent company celebrates its centennial
BY DAVID BLANCHETTE Quincy-based Niemann Foods turned 100 this year, and although nearly half of its 6,000 employees are associate owners, for the past century everyone at the company has known who the real bosses are. “Our boss is every customer that we either have in the stores or we are trying to attract,” said…
Aviation program is flying high
Lincoln Land now has better facilities for training aircraft mechanics, who are in demand BY SCOTT FAINGOLD “As a young person, you aren’t thinking about being an aircraft mechanic – it doesn’t even come onto your radar,” said Dave Pietrzak, program director of Lincoln Land Community College’s aviation department which, despite Pietrzak’s concerns, has recently…
2018 – Best Places To Work
Do you love where you work? Nominate your company for Best Places to Work, sponsored by United Community Bank and Springfield Business Journal, for a chance to win a $100 gift card for yourself and recognition for your company. Everyone who makes a nomination before December 31 will be entered into a drawing for a…
Local toy store opens downtown
The latest retail holiday pop-up is The Toy Shop at 407 East Adams Street, located next to Café Moxo in a space that was formerly home to the law office of Cavanagh & O’Hara. Two Springfield moms, Sharon Havey and Nancy Peterson, had both independently thought about such a venture and felt there was…
