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BRIEFLY:
IRS 2009 Illinois Tax Practitioner Symposium
Don't miss your opportunity to interact one on one with the Internal Revenue Service, Illinois and Missouri Departments of Revenue and the Illinois Department of Employment Security. You will hear important messages on hot topics that impact your business as a tax practitioner. You will hear a brief summary of some of the key tax provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and how they may impact you and/or your organization. Because there will not be any IRS sponsored Efile Seminars in 2009, register early. Seating is limited.
Come and hear about ways you can strengthen your relationship with the Internal Revenue Service and the other departments. While you are attending the symposium, schedule an appointment to visit the IRS case resolution room which will be staffed with Taxpayer Advocate employees from the Springfield, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri offices ready to help resolve some or all of your case related issues.
For more information and registration information please visit,
http://tax.illinois.gov/TaxProfessionals/2009-Tax-Symposium-Marketing.pdf.
Save the date . . .
IMA's Young Leaders Council Fall Conference
October 2-4, 2009
Eagle Ridge Resort * Galena
Obama administration's new initiative to aid American businesses
On June 16th, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced a new Obama administration initiative designed to streamline government bureaucracy and bring services and solutions directly to businesses and entrepreneurs creating and sustaining jobs. Locke made his announcement at the Detroit Economic Club's National Summit. The new initiative will be launched this summer in the Detroit area.
Responding both to President Obama's call to make government more responsive and a once-in-a-generation economic crisis, Locke initiated the effort after seeing how complicated it can be to navigate the alphabet soup of Commerce agencies and programs.
In the coming weeks, the department will dispatch a team of Commerce experts to begin preparing the launch of the initiative. The team will consist of representatives who have been cross trained on the wide breadth of programs and activities that the Commerce Department and its bureaus have to offer, programs that can assist a business at nearly every point of its life cycle, whether just getting off the ground or looking to expand into overseas markets.
"The Department of Commerce is singularly equipped to help American businesses grow and create jobs." Locke said. "This new initiative will provide a single point of contact for every Commerce program available to business owners and will work with state and local agencies, academia, labor and other key stakeholders to provide a unified, integrated resource to grow and sustain jobs."
Locke tapped the director of the Department's successful Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Roger Kilmer, to lead the effort. Kilmer will be responsible for staffing the new initiative with an interdisciplinary team from across Commerce's varied agencies. (In fiscal year 2007 alone, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership helped create over $5 billion in new sales for partner businesses.)
Kilmer's goal is to unveil by the end of the summer a brick and mortar "one-stop" office in the Detroit area, making more accessible services offered by Commerce's Patent and Trademark Office, Minority Business Development Administration, National Institute of Standards and Technology and International Trade Administration, among others.
"Main Street businesses shouldn't have to hire their own consultant to navigate the federal bureaucracy to get them the very assistance their tax dollars help support," Locke said. "The Commerce Department has tools to help companies. It's long past time we made it easier for them to access those resources."
The on-the-ground experts will be responsible for assessing a business' full spectrum of needs, whether it's access to capital, intellectual property protection, export promotion or guidance on how to make operations more efficient. They will be a partner for Detroit area business owners, allowing them to leverage several different federal programs at once to help companies grow and create jobs.
Locke also said he would look to partner with additional federal agencies as the initiative progresses and look for new opportunities to cut red tape.
"If the Detroit pilot program is successful — and we are confident it will be —then Commerce will begin opening other "one-stop" offices throughout the Midwest and across the country," Locke said.
Rehearing denied on recent Nolan v. Weil-McLain opinion
By: Carolyn Husmann, Attorney
As reported in previous issues of HB's Midwest Toxic Release, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the decades old "Lipke Rule" in its opinion in Nolan v. Weil-McLain, Docket No. 103137 (Ill. April 16, 2009). In this recent opinion, the Illinois Supreme Court holds that evidence of other exposures to asbestos-containing products is admissible to establish that the other exposures are the sole cause of plaintiff's injury. Prior to this opinion, Illinois courts through the "Lipke Rule" prohibited defendants from presenting evidence to the jury of exposures to non-parties' asbestos-containing products.
After the Illinois Supreme Court issued its opinion, Plaintiff Sally Nolan filed her Petition for Rehearing on May 21, 2009. Traditionally, it has been difficult to get a petition for rehearing granted in Illinois and on June 11, 2009, the Illinois Supreme Court denied her request. HeplerBroom wrote the Amicus Brief for the Illinois Association of Defense Counsel, and will continue to monitor the impact this important decision will have on litigation in Illinois.
Source: Law firm Heplerbroom's Midwest Toxic Release, Issue 9, June, 2009
Illinois Regulatory & Legislative Webinar
Presented by Constellation NewEnergy
Thursday, July 16, 2009 • 10:00–11:00 am CST
Understand the recent Illinois regulatory and policy updates as they relate to the energy industry.
Topics Covered:
- Energy-Related Matters Garner Significant Consideration and Debate During Spring Session
- Overview of Key Legislation Affecting IMA Members and Competition
- Outlook on Future Energy-Related Legislative Initiatives for 2009-10
- Update on Federal Climate Change Legislation and What it means for IMA Members
Featured Speaker: David Fein, Vice President of Energy Policy, Constellation Energy
Register now! Space is limited so register today to reserve your complimentary spot! Sign up today to learn more about Constellation Energy and the ideas we have to help you and the needs of your business. Register online at:
https://constellationenergy.webex.com/constellationenergy/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=666500258
Apply Now for ISM R. Gene Richter Awards
For the past four years, Institute for Supply Management™ (ISM) has recognized innovative supply organizations that, through strong leadership, have dramatically increased their contribution to organizational success. ISM is now accepting entries for the fifth annual ISM R. Gene Richter Awards for Leadership and Innovation in Supply Management. The award competition was created to honor the vast professional contributions of R. Gene Richter, who was a pioneer in the field of supply management.
The ISM R. Gene Richter Awards for Leadership and Innovation in Supply Management are open to supply management departments of all sizes and geographic locations, both domestic and international. ISM is accepting entries through an online submission process from July 1 to September 18, 2009. Entries should address big challenges for which new solutions have had wide organizational and/or supply chain impact. Multiple entries are welcomed in one or more of the following categories: Process, People, Organization/ Structure, Technology and Sustainability.
The fifth category — Sustainability — is new for the 2010 competition. For full category descriptions and information on how to apply for the 2010 awards, visit the ISM Web site at
www.ism.ws/richterawards.
Questions regarding the awards may be directed to Terri Tracey, CAE, at 800-888-6276, extension 3071 (or, for callers outside the United States, +1 480-752-6276, extension 3071), or by e-mail at
richterawards@ism.ws.
DATES OF NOTE:
More information/events may be found at http://www.ima-net.org/calendar.cfm and
http://www.ima-net.org/MIT/open.cfm
July 30, 2009
IMA EVENT: H1N1 Flu: Education & Awareness
NIU-Naperville Campus, 1120 E. Diehl Rd., Naperville — 9:00–11:30 am
Emergency Preparedness, Response & Recovery – Presented by Jim Brachmann, Emergency Preparedness Specialist, 3M Occupational Health & Environmental Safety Division. COST: $65 IMA members; $85 Non-members. Contact: Kimberly McNamara, 800-482-0462, Ext. 2109, email:
kmcnamara@ima-net.org.
August 7, 2009
IMA's Small Manufacturers Council — Oak Brook
The Small Manufacturers Council provides a forum for key representatives of small manufacturers to discuss industry trends from a governmental standpoint as well as innovations that can effect day to day efforts. Join us in Oak Brook. Contact: Kimberly McNamara, 800-482-0462, Ext. 2109, email:
kmcnamara@ima-net.org.
August 11, 2009
IMA-MIT Event: Essential Internal Training Skills and Techniques, DePaul University O'Hare Campus, 3166 S. River Rd, Des Plaines
This program introduces the new internal trainer or subject matter expert to the skills necessary for them to be successful. Essential Internal Training Skills and Techniques covers core skills such as how to create rapport with your learner, how to communicate learning objectives, how to introduce a learning activity, how to ask the right question, and how to engage and re-engage the adult learner.
August 20, 2009
IMA-MIT Event: Customer Service Skills and Excellence, DePaul University O'Hare Campus, 3166 River Rd, Des Plaines
It's not just you. It's a fact. Customers are more demanding today than ever before! Complaints to Better Business Bureaus and state regulatory agencies are at an all time high, and growing! The words "may I speak to your supervisor?" are heard with increased regularity, urgency and intensity. Rather than just responding to the customer's request or demand, the most effective customer service professionals strategically gain control of the inquiry. Remember, it is not just telephone calls anymore, accurately predicting the customer's position and proactively providing the desired results in advance is the goal.
August 25, 2009
IMA-MIT Event: Effective Presentation Skills, DePaul University O'Hare Campus, 3166 River Rd, Des Plaines
Today's business presenter must know how to create and articulate a clear and concise message, respond to questions in an effective and logical manner, and create and use compelling visual aids. This interactive, energetic workshop will provide the business presenter with all of the necessary skills required to deliver a winning presentation. The workshop will introduce and reinforce these skills by having the participant deliver three videotaped presentations.
September 16, 2009
IMA EVENT: OSHA Recordkeeping —NIU-Naperville Campus,
1120 E. Diehl Rd., Naperville
8:30 am–Noon, Presenter: Jeff Risch, Partner, SmithAmundsen, LLC Cost: $125 IMA members; each additional attendee $100; $150 Non-members. Contact: Kimberly McNamara, 800-482-0462, Ext. 2109, email:
kmcnamara@ima-net.org.
November 5, 2009
IMA EVENT: Sales & Use Tax Seminar
NIU-Naperville Campus, 1120 E. Diehl Rd., Naperville, IL
Join your peers for an update on Illinois Sales & Use Tax presented by Joe Bigane, Wolf & Co. 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Cost: $125 IMA members; $100 each additional attendee; $200 Non-members. Contact Kimberly McNamara, 800-482-0462, ext. 2109, email
kmcnamara@ima-net.org.
Sign-up online for IMA publications
The IMA communicates weekly with IMA members, policy-makers and others interested in IMA activities. IMA publications include: Executive Memo, Human Resources Memo, Healthcare Memo, Tax Policy Memo, Sustainable Memo and The Illinois Manufacturer magazine. All are published electronically with the exception of the magazine, which is published quarterly and mailed through the USPS. Take a moment to visit
http://www.ima-net.org/membership/preferences.cfm
to sign up for the IMA publications that are right for you.
Introducing FedEx Advantage® for IMA members . . .
IMA and FedEx are proud to announce a new member benefit. As an IMA member, you are now eligible to receive valuable discounts of up to 29% on select FedEx® shipping services and can also take advantage of additional savings on FedEx Freight® and FedEx National LTLSM services:
- FedEx Express®: from 19% to 29% on select services
- FedEx Ground®: from 5% to 20% on select services
- Additional savings on FedEx Freight® and FedEx National LTLSM services
Visit https://advantagemember.visionary.com/4533
and enter passcode [VM6MXK] for more information or to enroll. If you have additional questions, please call 1-800-MEMBERS (1-800-636-2377, 7:00 a.m.– 5 p.m. CST, M-F) to speak to a dedicated member service representative.
Join the IMA Energy Program . . .
IMA members looking to compare their electric supply options can go to http://www.newenergy.com/ima
and receive a free, no obligation rate quote.
OfficeMax Advantage can save you 30% or more on your office supplies . . .
IMA members and OfficeMax — a first-class partnership
Go to: http://www.ima-net.org/membership/programs.cfm
to download your OfficeMax Retail Connect Card and start saving today!
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