Chicagoland’s Weekly Business Update
MEMBER NEWS
Grow Your Company with a Grant for Diverse Small Businesses
PRESENTED BY FOUNDERS FIRST CDC
Founders First CDC and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce are excited to announce the $100,000 Chicago Job Creators Grant Application for Businesses in Illinois.! The $100,000 fund will make investments to 25 diverse-led businesses in the state of Illinois. The deadline to apply is February 8, 2023.
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MEMBER NEWS
Sweet Feature on Blommer Chocolate and VP Robert W. Karr Jr.
PRESENTED BY BLOMMER CHOCOLATE CO.
For cocoa farmers in the Ivory Coast, the day begins early. They work plots averaging 10 acres while producing more than two-thirds of the world’s cocoa supply. Many of the beans they grow and harvest, then dry and ferment, will be made into chocolate half a world away each year in Chicago’s West Town. The neighborhood is home to Blommer Chocolate Co.’s original production plant, where millions of pounds of chocolate are made annually for hundreds of brands, from start-ups to industry giants.
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MEMBER NEWS
The Business Sector Role in Solving the Child Care Crisis
PRESENTED BY READYNATION
Child care has come to the forefront of major concerns for employers as their workforce faces the challenges of insufficient child care availability and lack of affordability. This impacts both hiring and retention. Join ReadyNation on January 18 for a webinar that will explore how businesses can respond, concrete opportunities for businesses, and some of the limitations and challenges involved.
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EMERGING LEADERS
Develop Your Young Professionals with The Circuit powered by Microsoft
PRESENTED BY THE CHICAGOLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Powered by Microsoft, The Circuit: Emerging Leaders Toolkit Series is a three-session professional development series focusing on communication, strategy, and professional branding to provide emerging leaders with the skills and resources necessary to enhance their careers. The first session is on January 26 and will include three topics-of-choice, Powerful Presenter, Career Mapping & Upward Mobility, and Leveling Up Your LinkedIn.
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MEMBER NEWS
How Employers Can Navigate the New Illinois 401(k) Law
PRESENTED BY MESIROW
The law, called Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program Act, applies to Illinois employers who have more than five employees and do not currently offer a retirement plan. It requires employers to either create a plan or enroll in the state-run plan. Mesirow and the Chicagoland Chamber have partnered to answer questions and offer an alternative to the state plan. A recorded presentation is now available to watch.
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