As the workforce shifts in response to changing trends, Springfield staffing agencies are navigating these changes across a variety of industries. Changing government regulations, remote work, artificial intelligence, immigration and diversity, equity and inclusion are forces prompting change in local agencies this year. New legislation for temporary workers Temporary staffing agencies are regulated by the […]
Holly Whisler
Holly Whisler is the associate editor for Springfield Business Journal and a freelance writer who lives in Springfield.
Posted inSpecial Issues
Kayla Edwards
Kayla Edwards, managing partner at Express Employment Professionals, credits her parents for instilling in her the drive to succeed. “My parents had high expectations of what I did in school, sports and how I practiced. My mother emphasized academic excellence and my dad encouraged me in sports,” she said. Edwards now encourages other people to […]
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Association management trends for 2024
Springfield is home to 125 trade and professional associations, and you may belong to one or more of them. Association management companies offer the full array of resources and expertise needed to run the daily operations of an association, even those without any paid staff. As in many industries, technology, artificial intelligence and the human […]
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Homes are selling quickly and cash is king
Whether you’re the homebuyer or the seller, the current housing market requires you to be prepared, decisive and ready to move forward swiftly. That was the message emphasized at the Chatham Area Chamber of Commerce’s February luncheon, held at Illinois Realtors, which focused on the area housing market. The panel discussion included Jane Hay of […]
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Commercial real estate: the year ahead
The National Association of REALTORS® annual Real Estate Forecast Summit, The Year Ahead, predicted general contractors will continue to struggle with supply chain issues and labor shortages, while developers will be hampered by rising interest rates and insurance costs. The virtual event, held Dec. 12, 2023, highlighted aspects of the economy and how residential and […]
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Best Places to Work alumni spotlight: B&B Electric
Named one of the Best Places to Work in 2020, B&B Electric, a licensed electrical contractor that delivers electrical solutions to commercial, institutional or industrial projects, is unique in that it has been a family-owned and operated business for four generations. Tim Brinkman, partner and executive vice president, is a member of the fourth generation […]
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Generational wealth: How to build a legacy
It’s being called the great wealth transfer – the amount of generational wealth being passed from the baby boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964, to the millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996. According to a 2022 study conducted by Cerulli Associates, a research firm that provides data for the financial services industry, $84.4 […]
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When crisis reveals the best life has to offer
By Holly A. Whisler Chris Schmulbach has been a competitor since he was a boy racing motocross. He liked it so much he turned pro and raced Supercross. After years of risk-taking and sustaining numerous broken bones, he decided to retire from racing and play it safe, especially since he was now a husband and […]
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Quencie Thomas: From Springfield to Hollywood
By Holly A. Whisler Quencie Thomas, a celebrity interviewer and founder of Studio Q media services, is a Springfield native who is making her dreams come true. Thomas describes herself as the loud kid in school who sang Whitney Houston songs, was self-driven and marched to the beat of her own drum. She later made […]
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A demand-constrained commercial real estate market in store for 2023
By Holly A. Whisler Uncertainty about the economy and inflation concerns are tamping down what had previously been a red-hot real estate market, and companies that have moved to hybrid work models are adjusting their office space needs accordingly, according to a panel of commercial real estate experts. Lawrence Yun, National Association of REALTORS chief […]
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It’s not about the money
By Holly A. Whisler There has been a shift in workforce dynamics since the pandemic shook life up a couple years ago. Job seekers have a renewed sense of confidence — they know their priorities and the value they bring to the table. Surveys conducted in 2021 show that those actively seeking employment are looking […]
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Companies adapt to a remote workforce
By Holly Whisler Only one year ago, unless your job was deemed essential, you were working from home and doing the best you could with the technology you had on hand. On the flip side, employers were doing their best to support their remote workforces, often scrambling to put additional technology in place to allow […]