About Us
The Economic Alliance of Kankakee County is a 501c6 public/private partnership dedicated to fostering and facilitating new investment in Kankakee County, Illinois, within the Greater Chicago area. Our mission is driven by a spirit of collaboration, with a focus on advancing sustainable and equitable progress across the interconnected sectors of business, workforce, and community development.
Businesses of all sizes, from Fortune 500 companies to startups, thrive in our community, benefiting from a low cost of doing busess, responsive educational institutions, workforce training programs, robust utility infrastructure, and access to a skilled labor force of 2.8 million within a 45-minute radius. Our cooperative leadership is committed to enhancing livability, and we boast a top-tier transportation network, featuring direct access to Interstate 57, three Class 1 rail lines, and the Chicago Southland’s largest regional airport.
Key industries in Kankakee County include life sciences, food processing, healthcare, business services, metals and machining, renewable energy, hospitality, and transportation and logistics.
To attract new investment, commercial, industrial and residential developers can take advantage of a range of financial incentives. The Alliance also offers access to comprehensive business intelligence tools, providing up-to-date property availability, market data, and other valuable information on demand.
The Economic Alliance holds regular meetings of its board of directors, generally on the second Thursdays of the scheduled months at 7:30 a.m.; locations TBD. Meetings are open to the public.
Click to access recent Alliance Board reports:
2024
- Q1 2024 Economic Alliance Board Report, February 8, 2024
- Additional remarks by Rob Sumter, Market EVP, Chief Operating Officer, Ascension Illinois. View the Ascension presentation here.
- Q2 2024 Economic Alliance Board Report, April 11, 2024
- Additional presentation by Mayor Chris Curtis, City of Kankakee. View the City of Kankakee Report here.
- Economic Alliance of Kankakee County IMPACT Award recipient Francis J. Smith announced.
- June 2024 Economic Alliance Board Report, June 13, 2024
- Additional remarks by Village of Bourbonnais Mayor Paul Schore regarding the Community Campus. View the Village of Bourbonnais Report here.
- Watch the Community Campus Progression Video here.
- Q3 2024 Economic Alliance 2024 Board Report, September 12, 2024
- Remarks by Dr. Matt Vosberg, Superintendent of Bradley Bourbonnais Community High School. View Dr. Vosberg’s report here.
- Kankakee County Labor Shed Market Analysis is available. For more information contact Ladonna Russell, Executive Director of the Grundy Livingston Kankakee Workforce Board at lrussell@glkwb.com.
- Q4 2024 Economic Alliance Board Report, November 14, 2024
- Remarks by Ross Bruni, Executive Director of the Kankakee Valley Park District. View Mr. Bruni’s report here.
2023
- Q1 2023 Economic Alliance Board Report, February 9, 2023
- Remarks by:
- Illinois Rep. Jackie Haas (79th District) honoring Joe Franco with a proclamation from the Illinois House of Representatives for his work in community and economic development in Kankakee County and across the region.
- Nick Allen on behalf of Illinois Senator Patrick Joyce (40th District) honoring Joe Franco with a proclamation from the Illinois Senate for his work in community and economic development in Kankakee County and across the region.
- Erik Doersching, President & CEO of Tracy Cross & Associates, Inc. regarding the residential market analysis performed for Kankakee County.
- Remarks by:
- Q2 2023 Economic Alliance Board Report, April 13, 2023
- Additional remarks by:
- Matthew Kelley, Executive Director, Kankakee Area Career Center
- Lesley Cooper, Director, Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment, HLC Accreditation Liaison, Kankakee Community College
- Additional remarks by:
- June 2023 Economic Alliance Board Report, June 8, 2023
- Additional remarks by:
- Abner Garcia-Delgado, VP Manufacturing & Site Head, CSL Behring, Kankakee
- Amanda Kitchen, Division Director of New Center Operations, CSL Plasma
- Additional remarks by:
- Q3 2023 Economic Alliance Board Report, September 14, 2023
- Additional remarks by:
- State Attorney Jim Rowe, Kankakee County
- Sheriff Mike Downey, Kankakee County
- Additional remarks by:
- Q4 2023 Economic Alliance Board Report, November 9, 2023
- Additional remarks by:
- Phil Kambic, President / CEO, Riverside Healthcare shared about the history of the Hoover building and growth of Riverside Healtchare. The Hoover building is one of the first manufacturing sites in Kankakee County, and at one time the largest manufacturing site in the nation, employing more than 4,000 people. Built in 1907, the building served as the headquarters for the Hoover Brothers and Company, which was a manufacturer of automobiles and later vacuum cleaners. Today, Riverside Healthcare houses various services and departments at the site. See the Riverside Healthcare report here.
- Additional remarks by:
Contact:
Tim Nugent, President / CEO, tnugent@kankakeecountyed.org
Angela Morrey, Vice President, Business Development, amorrey@kankakeecountyed.org
Ben Wilson, Special Projects, bwilson@kankakeecountyed.org