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iBi: Focus on FinanceFeatured in this issue.... Central Illinois Angels: The Double Bottom Line Formed earlier this year, the Central Illinois Angels investment group is officially open for business. There are currently 46 members of the group who are looking to invest in new companies in the Peoria area and beyond. The Angels will bring expertise, experience, contacts and capital to help emerging and growing businesses. Riding Out the Storm by Jan Wright, Publisher The end of the year has arrived—-thank goodness! No doubt about it, 2009 was a challenging year, and 2010 will be as well. But thankfully, the fear that the world economy would come crashing down—-a common notion just a year ago—did not come to fruition. Navigating the Great Recession: Area Bankers Assess Economic Impact iBi asked seven area bankers for their perspectives on the Great Recession, TARP and other federal programs, new and proposed regulations, and the outlook for next year. The World Economy: Pulling Back From the Brink by Don Johnson, Caterpillar Inc. During the past year, the world economy faced its greatest crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s, with a repeat of that unfortunate experience uncomfortably close. Roth IRA Conversion: A Roundtable Discussion To gain a better understanding of the issues surrounding the conversion of an IRA into a Roth IRA, we have brought together a roundtable of tax, estate planning and investment professionals to provide their insights on this topic. Show Me the Money! by Ken Klotz, Turner Center for Entrepreneurship at Bradley University Borrowing money is usually the last thing a business owner or aspiring entrepreneur wants to do. But sometimes a business owner must borrow money to grow a business, start a new venture or simply survive hard times. Recession Rewind: What happened to our economy, and what should investors do now? by Jeff Secord and Jeff Huizenga, Clifton Gunderson Wealth Management If the U.S. economy were a medical patient, the attending doctor might conclude that some of its vitals are strong, and some are definitely improving. Business and Government: What Can We Learn from One Another? by Erik Bush, Peoria County One of the more popular witticisms has been “government should be run like a business.” Very rarely does one see a similar claim that business should be run like government. Financing the Developing World: Microcredit Spurs Entrepreneurship by Jon Kindseth & Tim Crawford, Ekkekko Microfinance Association Thanks to a chance meeting between an ambitious Peruvian woman and an ISU student, Ekkekko will soon be providing microcredit to entrepreneurs who would otherwise have no chance of receiving financial services from the formal banking sector. Tracking the Housing Market by Cathi Hawkinson, Peoria Area Association of Realtors The Peoria area has not followed the national trend at any point in the downturn, and there is some doubt that we will follow it in the recovery. Navigating the Financing Matrix with EDC as Your GPS! by Vickie Clark, Economic Development Council for Central Illinois TIF, EDA, SBA, IFA, IFF, GAP, RLF, BDF, HCDC…Are you feeling a bit lost in the alphabet soup? Proud to Be a Credit Deadbeat by Morgan Gee, Chestnut Credit Counseling Services On a daily basis, I listen to and counsel individuals carrying the burden of credit card debt. |
EventsThursday, December 3 @ Chateau on the Lake, PekinTransPORT holds “Wind Energy and Illinois,” its 2009 Fall Stakeholder Luncheon from 11:45am to 1:15pm. Featured speaker is Bill Whitlock of Horizon Wind Energy, with opening presentation by Pekin Mayor Rusty Dunn. Call 495-5970. Thursday, December 3 @ Enchanted Florist, Shoppes at Grand Prairie Enchanted Florist will host a VIP shopping night to benefit the Girl Scouts of Central Illinois from 5pm to 7:30pm at the newly expanded Enchanted Florist at the Shoppes at Grand Prairie. Shoppers can enjoy special wine, appetizers and special discounts on select merchandise. A portion of the proceeds from the sales will benefit the Girl Scouts of Central Illinois. Thursday, December 3, thru Sunday, December 6 @ Exposition Gardens Crittenton Centers’ Festival of Trees begins Thursday with “Jingle and Mingle”, a cocktail party open to Crittenton supporters with advance ticket purchase. Events are open to the public on Friday and Saturday from 10am to 8pm. Highlights include a variety of trees and wreaths on display and for bid, kids pajama party, raffle tree, out-and-about gift certificate tree, cookie shop, ongoing entertainment and more. On Sunday, the event is open to the public 10am to 5pm, with a special family luncheon at 11am. Admission to the trees exhibit is $5, but many of the events are available at no charge. Call 674-0105 for more information. Saturday, December 5 @ Ballance-Herschel House The Junior League of Peoria will host its 2nd annual Victorian Christmas Celebration featuring home tours, Christmas teas and a Christmas marketplace featuring unique gifts from local artisans and merchants. Home tours run from 5 to 7pm; tea times are 11am and 2pm. Call 685-9312 for more information. Saturday, December 5 @ Luthy Botanical Garden Luthy Botanical Garden will present “Jinglin’ Jazz”, an annual holiday celebration from 6:30 to 9pm. Enjoy a festive evening of jazzy tunes by Joe Metzka & Friends, delicious hors d’oeuvres and an outstanding selection of auction items. Advance tickets are $20/members and $25/non-members and $30 at the door. Call 686-3362. Monday, December 7 @ Five Points Performing Arts Center The Peoria POPS Orchestra presents "Christmas with the POPS", an evening of fun and musical entertainment, at 7pm at Five Points, 104 S Elm Street in Washington. Tickets are $12/seniors and youth and $15/adults. Call 444-8222. Tuesday, December 8 @ Bradley University The Peoria Area World Affairs Council presents a webcast featuring Dr. Kurt M. Campbell, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, discussing U.S.-China relations, followed by a local presentation by Dr. James Schopf, professor of International Studies at Bradley. Webcast begins at 7pm in the Marty Theatre, Bob Michel Student Center at Bradley. The event is free and open to the public. Call 677-2454 or visit pawac.org.
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NOVEMBER 10The Commission on Sustainability and Green Technology will present their reports to Mayor Ardis and the City Council at the Peoria Sustainability Forum. The meeting will be held Monday, December 7, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. at the Gateway Building. Read More
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