Business Leadership Award Winners

Consumers Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative offering banking services like loans, mortgages, and investment options. They focus on personalized financial solutions and community involvement. CCU stands out as a leader in workforce and economic development, consistently demonstrating innovation, collaboration, and a deep commitment to the community.

Ultrasonic Power Corporation (UPC), located in Freeport, Illinois, is on the cutting edge of the Industrial Ultrasonic Cleaner industry. Founded in 1972, UPC is a leading global ultrasonic cleaning company. They operate in an historic former railroad depot on eight acres and all products are “Made in the USA”, durable, industrial-grade precision cleaning equipment. UPC designs, develops, manufactures, distributes and supports our products from this single, technologically robust location.

Success at HYDAC starts with a company culture that empowers employees to collaborate and make positive changes in their workplace. We believe in developing well rounded employees. Like many manufacturing companies in Illinois, we are faced with finding workers in skilled trades as many skilled trade workers are approaching retirement age. Through our partnership with workNet DuPage, we have gained access to multiple funding streams to develop apprenticeships and have successfully developed new professionals for careers in the manufacturing industry.

For 30 years Dutch American Foods (DAF) has been proving that mid-sized American manufacturers can compete and thrive on a global scale. Despite its humble beginnings, the company has grown to be the largest employer in Beecher, Illinois and one of the largest employers in Crete, Illinois. With a combined workforce of over 250 employees staffing their two state of the art facilities, you could say that DAF is here to stay!

Knapheide Manufacturing Company produces truck beds and bodies that help companies of all sizes operate at maximum efficiency. Serving industries such as utility companies, construction businesses, telecommunications, municipalities, and more, Knapheide plays a key role in keeping the economy moving day in and day out.

Watershed Foods is recognized for their commitment to growth in both their overall business endeavors and knowledge of their employees as a whole. In their own words, “Watershed Foods is a solution-oriented company that utilizes our talents to provide value to clients, careers for employees, and support for our causes/people we care about. We are founded to serve and are guided by important values that help to define our brand.”

ClarkLindsey in Urbana stands as East Central Illinois’ first and only nonprofit Life Plan Community, a tribute to the legacy of Ethel Lindsey Clark and Maud Lindsey. These two visionary women generously left bequests with the directive “to establish, construct, and maintain a home for elderly persons”. Today, ClarkLindsey’s 28-acre campus serves 316 residents and employs 290 community members.

LWIA 20 recognizes Mel-O-Cream Donuts International for their demonstration of leadership in the areas of workforce and economic development. Following expansion of production to serve the emerging growth segment of in-store bakeries in supermarkets, Mel-O-Cream designed, built and opened a new facility in Springfield, Illinois, in 1997. The twenty-seven acre location provided room to continue to grow.

In August 2023, Ronk Electrical Industries, located in Nokomis, Illinois, was referred to West Central Development Council by the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC). Founded originally in 1950 as Systems Analyzer Corporation, the company designs, manufactures and assembles various types of electrical equipment. With 41 employees, the company continues to be family owned and is led by the company’s president, Caitlin Simhauser.

Americas Central Port, in Granite City, Illinois, is located at the heart of the US transportation network, with access to railroads, multi-modal harbors and four US interstates. The Central Port is home to over 75 businesses. The businesses and services located at the port range from agri-businesses, fabricated construction, chemical manufacturing, warehousing, non-profits, and residential housing.

Lansdowne Up began in 2008 as the East St. Louis Wrestling Club, establishing a children’s wrestling program at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center (JJK) located in the Lansdowne neighborhood of East St. Louis. Beyond the JJK Center was a decaying neighborhood riddled with overgrown properties, abandoned houses, and sparsely populated streets plagued by illegal trash dumping. Even as the JJK Center was a haven of resources and opportunities for children and families, the need for hope clearly continued beyond the campus boundaries.

In 2013, Shawnee Health developed a “grow your own” program addressing the need for more healthcare staff to serve the community in their Clinical Behavioral Health (Counseling) department. Shawnee hired individuals with a Master’s degree in Social Work or Psychology, requiring at least two (2) years of supervised experience to sit for a licensing exam.