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InterBusiness Issues - April 2007
John Ginder
Maximizing the Real Estate Market

The chief operating officer and president of RE/MAX Unlimited, John Ginder understands the power of the Internet in the housing market, but he also knows the importance of personal service. In this interview, Ginder forecasts the commercial real estate market in central Illinois in the next five years. The father of three was raised on a farm near Jacksonville, remaining there until he began college at Bradley University in 1963. While there, he met his wife Cyndi, now a physical therapist, and they were married in 1969. The couple has three children—Alyssa, Rex and Zachary—who are now living on their own. Alyssa is a speech pathologist, Rex is a jet pilot and Zachary is pursuing his master’s degree in social work at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Ginder and his wife currently live in Peoria.

Features

Business Profile
Firefly Energy
Firefly Energy is one of the Peoria area’s great success stories of recent years. The company's work is helping to revolutionize the industry of lead-acid batteries.
Employee Stock
An Attractive Option for Owners and Employees
Glen E. Birnbaum
Heinold-Banwart, Ltd.
Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) offer many attractive benefits to corporations and their owners. At the same time, ESOPs are strictly regulated to protect employees.
Government Profile
West Peoria Mayor James R. Dillon
The Mayor of West Peoria discusses various municipal issues and the need for regional collaboration in this month's issue.
Hydropower
Clean, Renewable Energy Technology for the 21st Century
Richard J. Anderson, P.E.
STS Consultants, Ltd.
With 80,000 megawatts of generating capacity, hydroelectric power, or hydropower, is by far the nation’s largest renewable energy source.
Mild Job Market Expected for Peoria
Peoria area employers expect to hire at a modest pace during the second quarter of 2007, according to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.
Publisher's Note
Election Will Determine Future Direction
by Jan Wright, Publisher
And then there were 10. That would be 10 candidates for the upcoming Peoria City Council race, whittled down from the group of 14 who ran in the February 27th primary.

Also in this issue...

Are You Green?
Duffy Armstrong
Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois
Whether you believe in global warming or not, we human beings produce and leave an imprint on the earth that is not particularly attractive.
Put Your SOX On
Fontaine Chapman
RSM McGladrey
While compliance with the new standards from the Sarbanes- Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) continues to be neither cheap nor easy, experts say savvy growing businesses should consider how various SOX provisions might serve as a springboard for substantial business improvements.
My Word!
Edith Barnard
Words have power. Speaking gives us an opportunity to dip a bucket into our creative well and haul out the perfect life-giving words for that moment.
The Final Frontier
Becky Wood
The Service Station
In medicine, "Prescription without diagnosis is malpractice." The same is true in advertising.

Columns

Agricultural Issues
The Dirt on the Gross Receipts Tax
Patrick Kirchhofer - Peoria County Farm Bureau
County Issues
Nurturing Tomorrow's Leaders
William Prather, Peoria County Board
Healthcare Issues
The Rewards of Volunteering
Keith Steffen, OSF Saint Francis Medical Center
Insurance Issues
Driver’s Education Changes
JR Runkel - Fortner Insurance Agency, Inc.
Manufacturing Issues
Technology and Small Manufacturers
Tucker Kennedy, IMEC
Social Issues
Celebrating Volunteers
Michael Stephan, Heart of Illinois United Way
Workforce Issues
Tough Choices or Tough Times, Part Three
Bashir Ali - Central Illinois Workforce Network
Airport Issues
More Vegas, More Fun and More Sun!
Ken Spirito, Greater Peoria Regional Airport
Education Issues
The Peoria Promise: A Valuable Opportunity
Dr. John Erwin, Illinois Central College
Heartland Issues
Progressive Peoria PAC Endorsements
Mike Wiesehan, Progressive Peoria PAC
Investment Issues
The Barbell: A Weighty Strategy
Scott Elger, Robert W. Baird & Co.
Occupational Health Issues
Workplace Drug Testing: What Am I Testing For?
Michael Davis - IWIRC Corp.
Staffing Issues
The War for Professional Talent
David Smith, Manpower Professional
City Issues
A Wish List for World-Class Education
Mayor Jim Ardis - City of Peoria
Ethical Issues
Ethics of Public Office
Dr. John Throop, The Summit Group
HR Issues
Teens and Summer Employment
Mary Pille, Employers' Association
Legislative Issues
Gross Receipts Tax: A Fatal Blow
State Rep. Aaron Schock, 92nd District
Public Issues
Give Iraq Policy Time to Work
Congressman Ray LaHood - U.S. Congress
Tourism Issues
Tournaments a Boon to Peoria Economy
Brent Lonteen, Peoria Area Convention & Visitors Bureau