Janice Christiansen, president of J.C. Schultz, The Flag Source in Batavia, Illinois, has been elected Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Illinois Manufacturers' Association (IMA). Christiansen is the first woman to be elected chairman of the venerable 116-year old organization. She succeeds Ron Bullock of Bison Gear and Engineering of St. Charles, Illinois who chaired the IMA in 2008 and 2009. "The election of Janice Christianse

The two-year term of Illinois Manufacturers' Association Board Chairman Ron Bullock of St. Charles, Illinois will come to a close on December 31, 2009 making way for Janice Christiansen of Batavia, Illinois to succeed him as the first female Board Chairman in the 116-year history of the association. Bullock leaves as one of the most active leaders of the IMA Board of Directors. "At a time when the US has undergone significant changes in

Constellation NewEnergy, a subsidiary of Constellation Energy (NYSE: CEG), said today the retail electricity market in Illinois, celebrating its 10-year anniversary this month, is among the most robust nationwide, delivering millions in savings to energy consumers annually and estimated customers savings in excess of $1 billion the past 10 years. A market participant since the opening of retail competition Oct. 1, 1999, Constellation NewE

Manufacturing remains a vital part of the Illinois economy and the need for high skilled workers continues. Experts say some 30,000 new manufacturing workers will be needed each year for the next ten years to replace the retiring baby-boomer generation. "Despite the current recession, we are facing a 'pipeline' crisis," says Ron Bullock, Chairman of the Illinois Manufacturers Association Board of Directors. In response to this challeng

In his role as business owner, Chairman of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association (IMA) and a Director of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), Ron Bullock and 12 other business leaders met with President George W. Bush at the White House last week to personally discuss the state of the economy and the vital importance of the passage of the Economic Rescue Package by the House. Bullock, owner and Chairman of gearmotor manufa

A new report on Illinois' economic outlook was released recently by the Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. The report was prepared by Moody's for the bipartisan economic forecasting service agency of the General Assembly. According to the report, the state's manufacturing will continue to occupy a greater than average position in the Illinois economy but Illinois will have to fight to maintain its manufactu

Tech Tigers from Austin Polytechnical Academy win Rookie Inspiration Award CHICAGO – A team of nine freshmen students from Austin Polytechnical Academy, Chicago's only high school dedicated to careers in modern manufacturing, finished 9th out of 42 teams at the FIRST Robotics Midwest Regional Competition, held Feb. 28-March 1 at the UIC Pavilion. The Tech Tigers, as the students deemed themselves, were the recipients of this year's Roo

As we begin our 115th year as the voice for manufacturers in Illinois, consider the impact IMA members have had on Illinois' history. From a small group of manufacturers who formed the IMA in Chicago in 1893, to the large, influential group we are today, things have changed, yet stayed the same. We're still the voice for Illinois manufacturers, and we still work diligently to ensure that Illinois remains a business-friendly environment. This

Following two months of static activity, Illinois manufacturers put an additional 1,600 workers on the line in July. The increase marks the highest employment level since November 2006. "After eight months of disappointing jobs numbers, there is finally some good news for Illinois manufacturers," said Gregory W. Baise, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association. "Job growth and increased production numbers are always

There is widespread agreement that one of the key issues in Washington DC and Springfield in 2007 will be expanding health care to every person. Indeed, both the National Council of State Legislatures and Governing Magazine listed health care in their top-ten lists of issues confronting policymakers this year. And why shouldn't they? According to the Census Bureau, there are an estimated 46.6 million of us nationally who are not covered

By Paul Merrion, Crain's Chicago News--February 18, 2007. Bert Miller makes 2.5 billion plastic bottle caps a year in Iowa, Tennessee and at company headquarters in Naperville. But he can't see any future expansion or new jobs in Illinois for Phoenix Closures Inc. if the state replaces its tax on corporate profits with a levy on total sales. Mr. Miller figures his tax bill would almost quadruple if Illinois supplants its corporate

By Anna Marie Kukec Daily Herald Business Writer When her chief executive husband died and her brother-in-law left the family business in 1989, Janice M. Christiansen suddenly found herself leading a major flag manufacturer. J.C. Schultz Enterprises Inc., parent company of Batavia-based FlagSource, was floundering in debt and Christiansen had to find a way to keep it afloat. "I was thinking survival," she said. "We had a good na

Illinois' industrial sector grew by 500 workers statewide in December and helped the state's unemployment rate remain at 4.1 percent. However, over the last 12 months, the state Department of Employment Security recorded an overall loss of 8,500 manufacturing jobs. "Although the growth rate in manufacturing has been fractional in the fourth quarter, any growth is good news," said Gregory W. Baise, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufa

Recent news articles report that pressure is building in Springfield for legislators to increase taxes in 2007. Many believe that Illinois, faced with a massive debt surpassing $100 billion, has very little choice but to go forward and increase state revenues. However I believe that a combination of restraining expenditures, imposing a moratorium on new spending and—most importantly--creating the type of business climate that expands our t

The IMA's efforts protect current industry and encourage new employers to set up business in Illinois. Every day the IMA fights for creating and keeping the right conditions for job creation and economic growth. In 2007, there a many initiatives the IMA will pursue, including: Enhanced R&D tax credits for manufacturers: · Increased credit and an expanded definition of research and development will lead companies to create good jobs i