Illinois chamber leader upbeat at Schaumburg breakfast

Despite the economic and political problems facing the state, the CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce struck an upbeat note at a business breakfast Tuesday where the new president of the Schaumburg Business Association also was introduced.

Before chamber CEO Douglas Whitley spoke at the June Good Morning Schaumburg meeting sponsored by the business group, Kaili Harding was introduced as the group's new executive at the meeting at Chandler's Banquet, with around 100 in attendance, which was more than usual.

“I hope this is a sign of things to come,” said Harding, who formerly worked for Whole Foods in Schaumburg, which is a part of SBA.

Harding, whose appointment was announced Friday, will discuss her vision at the association's July 10 meeting, but on Tuesday she took the time to introduce herself to and get to know SBA members before Whitley's speech.

Whitley said he's “generally upbeat” about how Illinois is after the struggles the state has had, but he urged SBA members to talk with legislators and government officials about the challenges of how to be an entrepreneur or business person so they understand what it's like to be in business.

“You need a partnership between the public sector and private sector,” he said. The public sector should adopt policies that encourage people in business so there's a desire to invest in Illinois business. This will help rid the reputation that Illinois is unfriendly to businesses, he said.

Workforce development and international trade are two themes businesses can focus on that will help them grow, Whitley said.

“I believe right now today there are thousands of jobs going vacant,” he said, pointing to a mismatch between workforce job skills and what employers are looking for.

Whitley said high schools and community colleges should connect with employers to figure out if there's a gap in acquired skills and employers' needs and how to fix it. And with the growth in international trade, businesses need to be asking questions and learning how to take advantage of foreign markets.

Whitley also brought up the state's underfunded pension programs, calling the situation “a dark shadow over our state.”

“Even the newest members of the General Assembly know this is a big issue.”

He criticized state government for not solving the issue this spring, but said there are adjustments he thinks legislators will make in the near future to resolve the problem.

Whitley told SBA members its important to forge connections with government officials. “We've got to as a state set some targets and go at it, and the best way to do that is to grow jobs,” he said