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| MUTI is an INC 500 Fastest growing company |
Derek Woods of Midwest Underground Technology, Inc. - MUTI as it is called shares the story of how his company was started here in the fair fields of Champaign County.
Founded in 2000 and starting with two employees, MUTI is headquartered in Champaign, IL and now employees over 140 people through 4 locations. In addition to wind energy, MUTI specializes in communications tower erection, multi-site maintenance, full site construction, and horizontal directional drilling, with extensive experience in the installation of tower foundations both mat and drilled shaft types, installation of access roads and site clearing, all types of excavation, tower erection, multi-site tower maintenance/inspection, installation of full grounding systems, and underground directional drilling. MUTI is also proud to be recognized by INC 5000 Fastest Growing Private companies over the past 5 years and is currently on track for continued success this year and beyond.
Mr. Woods has over 25 years of project management, construction & marketing/sales experience spanning a variety of industries including the pharmaceutical, medical devices, real estate development, & telecommunications fields. In 2009, Mr. Woods joined the MUTI team & is currently Vice President of the Renewable Energy Division & is responsible for all aspects of the division’s development, operations & expansion within the renewable energy markets, with the main emphasis in the distributed wind energy segment. To watch the full TV interview with Derek Woods CLICK HERE
Mark Scifres is Chairman, CEO and President of Pavlov Media, which he started while working on his engineering degree at the University of Illinois in Champaign. Mark comes from a family with a strong engineering background.
While at the U of I, Mark had an idea that off-campus and private certified housing could be networked together. These were the early days of data—Netscape didn’t even exist. Mark’s vision was a network that provided data throughout the off-campus housing area. That project was right in line with Mark’s engineering studies. Long story short, Mark designed a network, built it and things took off from there!
That was more than 17 years ago and Pavlov Media has grown into a multi-million dollar operation, providing television, broadband and telephone services in more than 140 markets in 34 states.
The company has grown to more than 90 employees and has deployed network facilities to more than 70,000 registered users. Along the way, Pavlov Media has acquired Wavelength Broadband—a major player in the emerging broadband industry—and made other acquisitions, as well.
In addition, Mark is a patent holder on specialized network processes.
As part of Mark’s work as CEO, he led the construction and deployment of a network that provides television, broadband and other services to tens of thousands of apartments, hotels and other MDU’s (Multi-Dwelling Units). He also led the wireless mesh deployments in Champaign, Illinois and New York City, which includes the free downtown wireless project in Champaign.
Under Mark’s leadership, Pavlov Media has become an industry leader in serving MDU’s and private cable operators. To watch the entire TV interview with Mark Scifries CLICK HERE.
Since 1980, Mark Rubel has made about a thousand recordings at his Pogo Studio in downtown Champaign IL for many wonderful artists including Hum, Alison Krauss, Rascal Flatts, Fallout Boy, Adrian Belew, Luther Allison, Ian Hobson and Henry Butler, for such clients as RCA, Capitol, Warner, Jive/Zomba, Volition Games, Electronic Arts, The BBC, Smithsonian, and many more.
Mr. Rubel is on the national board of SPARS (the Society of Professional Recording Services) and belongs to the AES, NARAS, ASCAP, MEIEA, EARS, and numerous other acronyms. Having taught audio to thousands of students since 1985, Prof. Rubel teaches recording, music business, music technology and the history of rock, and is the Audio Director at Eastern Illinois University’s $65 million Doudna Arts Center.
Mark writes for recording magazines, especially Tape Op Magazine for whom he interviewed Les Paul, Terry Manning and others. He works as a panelist, consultant, beta tester and legal expert witness. Mark has been in the thrash oldies rock band Captain Rat and the Blind Rivets for over thirty years. He plays many instruments badly and sings worse, and is ridiculously happy cultivating songs, students and cats along with his saintly wife, Nancy.
To watch the entire interview with Mark Rubel CLICK HERE
Gary Olsen received his Bachelor's Degree in Architecture in 1969 and Master’s degree with Highest Honors in Architecture from the U of I in 1976. After graduation, Gary served two years in the US Army as an officer in the Corps of Engineers with tours of duty at Ft. Belvoir, Va., Ft. Benning, Ga. He was also deployed overseas to the Republic of Vietnam in 1970 where he was the Depot Engineer and Facilities Chief in Danang, RVN, with quarters on China Beach. Before and after his military service, Gary worked for the Champaign Architectural Firm, Laz, Edwards and Dankert.Gary was licensed as an Architect in 1974 and started his architectural firm, now Olsen + Associates Architects, in 1976. Gary's firm has completed over 2,000 projects involving Historic Preservation,Church, Library, Commercial, Residential and Adaptive Reuse Architecture. He has served in many leadership capacities throughout east central Illinois including Chair of the City of Champaign, Historic Preservation Commission, CCDC (Champaign County Design and Conservation Corporation) and President of the Central Illinois Chapter of the AIA (American Institute of Architects).
In the last few years he has become a promoter (disciple) of "Modular" Architecture. He completed his first Modular building, an apartment project that houses 96 students, last year in Champaign. His design for a Modular Fraternity House is currently underway in Urbana. He is currently involved in the design of a 48 unit housing project located on the site of a former private swimming pool on Windsor Road in Urbana.
ShelterBox Mission:
The mission of ShelterBox is to provide safety and dignity to families who lose everything when disasters strike. While many aid organizations provide food, water and medical care, Shelterbox gives immediate assistance in the form of proper shelter during the critical period following an earthquake, tsunami, landslide flood or other natural and man-made disasters. Each ShelterBox supplies an extended family with a tent and life-saving equipment to use while they are displaced or homeless. The contents are tailored depending on the nature and location of the disaster.
History of ShelterBox
ShelterBox began as an idea of one man, Tom Henderson, for a Millennium (year 2000) project for his Rotary Club in Cornwall, England. After buying a big Green PVC Box at a hardware store in his local village, he set out to fill it with things that he felt would be useful when a family faced a natural or man- made disaster. After several weeks of gathering and discarding things for the Box at his home, Tom felt he had the right combination of disaster relief equipment and supplies in the Box to bring it to his Club for their approval as the Millenium Project that would last forever. He began finding manufacturers for the equipment and supplies, finding volunteers to fill the boxes and arranged transport to the nearest airport. Tom also arranged for volunteers of first responders to accompany the ShelterBoxes to the disaster area.
Shelterbox Deployment Around the World
About 150 ShelterBoxes were deployed with volunteers forming the first ShelterBox Response Teams ((SRTs) in 2002. That number more than doubled to 350 in the third year. The great Tsunami of 2004 quickly exhausted our supplies, but we reached tens of thousands of people by purchasing more tents, and equipment worldwide. We answered the call when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, and we still have 330,000 earthquake survivors living in SB designed tents in Haiti today because there is still no better place for them to live.
America became the first affiliate country to join the ShelterBox Trust in 2002 and now 25 affiliate countries throughout the world have joined to form ShelterBox International . ShelterBox USA has emerged as the worldwide leader and largest affiliate, training volunteers to become Ambassadors, sponsoring partnerships, and has become the most prolific fundraiser for disaster relief of all the affiliates. Since 2000 ShelterBox has provided more than 111,000 ShelterBoxes to over 900,000 of the world’s most vulnerable people.
Purchasing a ShelterBox www.shelterboxusa.org
Each ShelterBox costs $1000 which includes all equipment, transportation to the disaster site and a team of volunteers who implement the aid. Smaller donations are combined to purchase a box, and each donor is supplied a tracking number so that they can see where their Shelterbox is being sent.
To watch the interview with Gary Olsen CLICK HERE
For the past 13 years, Alan Gleghorn has been the CEO of Christie Clinic, one of the largest physician-owned, multi-specialty group medical practices in Illinois. Faced with a challenging economic environment and fierce competition upon his arrival, he quickly sought to guide the organization to a stronger financial and strategic position by empowering his team members to focus on continual organizational improvement. In moving the organization from a command-control leadership to a dispersed/consensus style model, he implemented Lean Healthcare and created a true cultural transformation at Christie. As Systems Manager, Stephanie Van Vreede is responsible for network coordination at ThedaCare Center for Healthcare Value. She handles the organization of Gemba visits for attendees of the 53 organization-strong healthcare organization. The HVN is a consortium of like-minded healthcare organizations from North America that come together to share and learn, while leveraging their unique perspectives to accomplish a shared goal of fundamentally improving healthcare delivery through lean thinking.
Change is bearing down fast on healthcare in the United States. The
good news is that competitive, choice-driven care is still possible, as
long as we focus on three essential elements:
The ThedaCare Center for Healthcare Value is a resource hub
that brings together in one place the important insights, examples and
worthy experiments from across health care. We provide the framework and
tools needed to unite leaders behind an integrated approach focused on
better patient value.
Gemba has several different meanings, so to start let’s use the literal Japanese translation and define gemba as meaning ‘the real place’.
In traditional (i.e. manufacturing) Lean, gemba is frequently used synonymously with ‘shop floor.’ (You may hear the term genba-with an ‘N’-used interchangeably with gemba. Lean is funny that way. There are many ways to say the same thing.)
But as Lean has migrated to the office, gemba has a new
meaning. This ‘real place’ can be in an engineering cubicle, at a cash
register in a retail store, or in front of a computer where orders are
entered.
It is not as common to hear the term gemba specifically used in the Lean office, but the principle behind ‘going to gemba’ (meaning the real place where the work is being done) is just as strong.
Alan has incorporated GEMBA principles in his Lean Management at Christie Clinic with such success that many health care groups have come to look at Christie Clinic as an example to follow. In this interview Alan and Stephanie Van Vreed discuss Lean Management and its applications in the healthcare industry. To watch the entire interview with Alan Gleghorn and Stephanie Van Vreed CLICK HERE
Carolyn has long had a passion for the arts. Her interests in sculpture, architecture and the visual arts have manifested themselves in a variety of ways much to our benefit here in the community.
She and her husband Norman have renovated historic buildings and currently own three commercial buildings in downtown Urbana and three Victorians in West Urbana that house foreign exchange students attending the University of Illinois.
Carolyn Baxley has been the owner of Cinema Gallery in downtown Urbana since January 2001. Thanks to her pioneering efforts and those of likeminded creative businesspeople downtown Urbana has become a hub of the arts for the Urbana-Champaign community. To view the entire interview with Carolyn Baxley CLICK HERE
Ploughman Analytics is a team of specialists who are devoted to helping businesses transform their data resources into practical decision-making tools. Their experts design and integrate customized packages of analytical tools to give clients greater control of their marketing, distribution, production, communications and other business functions.
Employing such advanced tools and technologies as:
•Geographic information systems (GIS)
•Business intelligence and data warehousing
•Operations research techniques and •Knowledge management tools
Ploughman's services can benefit a wide range of industries and organizations. Their team also has specialized expertise in the support of the agriculture and energy industries. Charlie Linville is an amazing talent. To view the entire TV interview with Charles Linville CLICK HERE
Volition makes videogames. Making videogames is often thought of as a dream job but the reality is a bit different. Games can take more than 2 years to create with thousands of hours of programming, art and design effort that often culminates in a roll of the dice…. The hope is the audience will choose your game in the midst of hundreds of high quality products that are released each year. Very few games are a hit and normally only the top 10 games in a year will sell enough to be profitable. Volition has been fortunate enough to create one of those franchises with Saints Row. Volition was founded by Mike Kulas and Matt Toschlog in 1993 as Parallax Software. In 2004 Volition moved to its current location at One Main Plaza and began creating games for the next generation of consoles (the XBox 360 and PS3). In 2006 Volition shipped Saints Row which has become a highly regarded game garnering millions of sales from the original and two sequels. In May of 2011 Mike Kulas retired and Dan Cermak moved into the GM role. Dan joined Volition in 2003 as the VP of Product Development and has over 26 years of experience as a producer, manager, and developer of interactive entertainment. In his role at Volition, Cermak works with a very experienced staff of 200+ people to create games for the consoles and the PC. Volition’s current projects include InSane (in conjunction with Director Guillermo Del Toro) and other to be announced projects. Dan Cermak joined THQ in 2003 as the Vice President of Product Development for Volition, responsible for production and management of next-generation titles. In May of 2011 the founder of Volition, Mike Kulas, retired and Cermak moved into the GM role. Dan has over 26 years of experience as a producer, manager, and developer of interactive entertainment. Before joining THQ, Cermak was an Executive Producer for Westwood Studios and also held key positions at Strategic Simulations Inc, including Senior Vice President of R&D and has been responsible for various genres including sports, strategy and war games. In his role at Volition, Cermak works with a very experienced staff of 200+ people to create games for the XBox 360, PS3 and PC. Volition’s current projects include InSane (in conjunction with Director Guillermo Del Toro) and Saints Row (now in its third iteration).
To watch the entire interview with Dan Cermak CLICK HERE
Bill Giannetti grew up in Chicago and attended Chicago Public Schools before graduating from St. John’s Military Academy in Delafield, WI, eventually landing at the University of Illinois where he studied aviation and marketing. He began flight instructing at the old Illini Airport in Urbana while still in school. It was there that he met Chip Hussey a flight student he taught. The two became fast friends. At the time the owner of Illini Aviation was trying to sell his business and the two friends made a play to buy the operation. When negotiations fell through they decided to try to open their own business at Willard Airport instead. They got their first operating agreement with the airport in December 1978 starting as Midstate Aviation Center, primarily a flight training business. From there they gradually expanded and grew the business in size and scope. Flightstar has been profitable for 20 straight years and now employs over 100 people.To view the TV interview with Bill Giannetti CLICK HERE
 Chris and Anne have worked in video production in Champaign-Urbana for over 6 years. As Railsplitter Media, they are passionate about using the medium of video to tell the stories of their clients, and strive to make it an option for businesses of every size. As Kill Vampire Lincoln Productions, they focus on creating narrative films that, above all, entertain. Their short films have been featured on VH1, The Big Ten Network, multiple PBS affiliates, and in film festival programs. Their projects have accrued over 250,000 views on YouTube. To watch the entire TV interview with Chris and Anne CLICK HERE
Kristie and Niall Campbell of the Firefly Grill in Effingham are two of the most dynamic people I know. Firefly Grill is a dream that became a journey. Billed as a modern roadhouse situated in America’s Heartland. Their approach to food is simple-source the best ingredients possible and stay out of the way. Besides getting rave reviews from customers across the country the restaurant has a special sense of place all its own. The menu features seasonal fare including produce from local farmers, foragers and their own garden right out side the restaurant! A visit to the Firefly is more of an experience than just ordering a meal. Weather its a table on the deck a stroll past the koi pond or a show at the professional theatre across the way the Firefly offers so much more than just dinner. While the Firefly is a dream come true it was a national nightmare that started Kristie Samuels on a path that would lead her away from Wall Street and to her roots in central Illinois. After the events of 9/11 Kristie (who was a young wiz at a Wallstreet type firm) decided to re-evaluate her life and focus on what was really important. After an extended vacation on a tropical island she rediscovered her passion for life. A chance meeting with a brash young chef, Niall Campbell changed her life forever. Before long the two were planning a life together and a new adventure in the restaurant business. To make a long story short they came to central Illinois with the idea of opening a new restaurant dedicated to creating an atmosphere and a sense of place. Anyone who has been to Firefly Grill would agree they have succeeded! To watch the TV interview with Niall and Kristie CLICK HERE
Dr. Donna J. Cox is a Professor in the the School of Art and Design, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the first Michael Aiken Chair. She is also the Director of the Advanced Visualization Laboratory (AVL) at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications and the Director of the Illinois Emerging Digital Research and Education in Arts Media (eDream) Institute.
Professor Cox is a recognized pioneer in scientific visualization for public outreach and has published on the importance of interdisciplinary Renaissance Teams and cinematic science. Her NCSA team and scientific collaborators have inspired millions with artistic virtual tours through data in astrophysics, atmospheric, and ocean science. She will tell us about her AVL research group, eDream, and the projects they create for IMAX movies and digital dome museums. To view the TV interview with Dr. Cox CLICK HERE
I had the privilege of interviewing the new CEO of Provena Health for the TV show "One on One" Click HERE to Watch the Show.
Mike Brown is President/Chief Executive Officer
of Provena Covenant Medical Center and Provena United Samaritans Medical Center. Mike Brown was recently promoted to Regional President and CEO with oversight responsibility for both PUSMC and PCMC. A key aspect of Mike's new regional duties will be leading PUSMC and PCMC through the opportunities and challenges that will come about with Health Reform, including optimizing the synergies between the Urbana and Danville physician relationships and the clinical offerings. An accomplished healthcare executive, Mike joined Provena in 2005 as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nurse Executive at PUSMC before being promoted to President and CEO in 2008. Prior to that, he served as the Chief Executive Officer at Hoopeston Regional Health Center, Hoopeston Illinois. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, and an MBA in Organizational Leadership and Management from Franklin University in Columbus, OH.
The mission of Human Kinetics is to produce innovative, informative products in all areas of physical activity that help people worldwide lead healthier, more active lives.
Through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) the company is largely owned by its employees!
Human Kinetics’ aggressive product output demands a productive staff, but the corporate mission of helping people lead healthier, more active lives also permeates the atmosphere at the Champaign headquarters. Fitness classes and exercise equipment draw employees to the workout room throughout the day, and rain-free days ensure pick-up basketball or tennis games in the courtyard. Other employees frequently join together to walk, and most take advantage of healthy subsidized meals in the acclaimed HK Café. Employees are empowered to run committees that address community service, wellness, and social aspects of the company. Brian Holding is the CEO of Human Kinetics, the world’s leading source of information on physical activity and based here in Champaign. Brian has been the CEO at Human Kinetics for the past 13 years after joining Human Kinetics in 1987. Throughout his career at HK, Brian has been involved with consumer product acquisitions, sales and marketing, and the development of international operations in England, Canada, and Australia. Before joining Human Kinetics, Brian was an acquisitions editor with Prentice Hall based in the New York City area. Brian is a journalism graduate of the University of Illinois and spent 7 years as a journalist before getting involved with book publishing.
To watch the entire TV interview with Brian Holding click here: WATCH TV INTERVIEW
Dennis Coleman was raised in northern Wisconsin and received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He completed an M.S. degree at the University of Arizona in Tucson and a Ph.D. at the University of Illinois. From 1970 until 1995 he was on the staff at the Illinois State Geological Survey where he held various research and administrative positions. While at the ISGS he established a stable-isotope laboratory and conducted numerous research projects on the geochemistry of natural gas. Dr. Coleman pioneered the use of stable isotope analysis to identify natural gas that had leaked from underground gas storage reservoirs and in the early 80’s developed an active consulting business applying that technique. To provide analytical support for that business, he and three colleagues founded Isotech Laboratories, Inc. in 1985. Since that time Isotech has grown to a staff of 42 scientists and support personnel. In 1995, Dr. Coleman retired from the Illinois State Geological Survey to devote full time to the operation of Isotech. Isotech has become the primary laboratory utilized by the oil and gas industry for the isotope analysis of natural gas because of its reputation for high quality data and because of its development of IsoTubes® for collection and shipment of gas samples collected during the drilling of oil and gas wells. IsoTubes®, which are produced exclusively be Isotech, have become an industry standard throughout the world, simplifying the collection of samples and increasing the application of isotope geochemistry to oil and gas exploration. In 2007 Isotech opened the first of its three Satellite Laboratories in Cairo Egypt, followed by Rio de Janeiro in 2008, and Perth Australia in 2009. The instrumentation installed in these satellite facilities is actually operated via the internet by scientists in Champaign. Isotech has thus been able to export its services without exporting jobs. A fourth Satellite Laboratory is scheduled to open in Oman later this summer, with plans for several more expansions in the near future. Isotech became the largest privately owned stable isotope laboratory in the world and on June 6 of this year was acquired by Weatherford International, a company with over 50,000 employees in over 100 countries, and the fourth largest service company in the oil and gas industry. Isotech provides Weatherford with unique analytical capabilities not offered by any of its competitors. And Weatherford provides Isotech with a large network for the expansion of its Satellite Laboratory concept. Dennis Coleman is also the founder of CU Woodshop Supply, Inc., a unique new business that supports his hobby of woodworking. This business offers a retail store that sells woodworking tools, machinery, and supplies as well as both domestic and exotic hardwoods. In addition, half of the 15,000 foot facility on Parkland Court in Champaign is The DreamShop, a state-of-the-art workshop. Working somewhat like a cross between a timeshare and a country club for woodworkers, stockholders in CU Woodshop Supply have access to the DreamShop for their personal use. To watch the entire interview with Dennis Coleman click the following link: WATCH DENNIS
Doug Wilson is the quintessential showman of the hit TV show Trading Spaces'. Armed with expertise gleaned from years of working with such luminary clients as Barbara Walters and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Doug's design choices purposefully push the edge of creativity. His engaging television persona has garnered Doug a place in modern media and in the hearts of fans across the country. Despite living in New York and being on TV, Doug couldn't have come from a less show-biz background. Doug would like to say that he's from a small town in Illinois, but that's an understatement. The Wilson family resides outside the town limits of Broadlands, Illinois, population 350. Doug was raised on a farm that has been in his family for 150 years, giving him a strong foundation for his self-made success. Doug relishes his Midwest upbringing and uses the purity and serenity of his boyhood home as inspiration for his signature design style. To watch the entire interview with Doug click here WATCH DOUG WILSON INTERVIEW
Leon J. Holschbach serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the bank and its holding company Midland States Bancorp, Inc. and is Vice Chairman of both the bank and holding company boards. He serves on the bank’s Asset / Liability Committee, Trust, and Loan Committees. Mr. Holschbach shares his vision and values in this unique and interesting interview. Since taking the helm at Midland he has overseen the growth of the bank from assest of just under 400 million to aproximately 1.7 Billion. Not a bad record considering that it all happened in less than three years! Prior to joining Midland States Bank in August 2007, Mr. Holschbach held the positions of: Regional Market President, Community Bank Group at AMCORE Bank from 2000-2007; President/CEO/Director AMCORE Bank North Central N.A. from 1997-2000; and President/Director Citizen’s State Bank from 1979-1997. He received his B.A. in Economics from University of Wisconsin in 1975. To watch the entire TV interview with Leon J. Holschbach CLICK HERE
Lauren and Annie Murray, the "L" and "A" of L. A. Gourmet Catering are sisters born and raised in the heartland of Central Illinois. Often referred to simply as the Murray girls. The sisters have always been challenged by their entrepreneurial spirits. The daughters of a hard working business couple, they realized the importance of integrity and outstanding customer service at a young age. Entering College, Lauren dreamt of a fast-track career in corporate finance and Annie aspired to be the Chef of her own gourmet restaurant. In the spring of 2003, there was a change in plans when the sisters realized that Annie's love for cooking and flair for presentation and Lauren's attention to detail and panache for event planning could be united to create the premier catering company in Central Illinois. Lauren graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she earned a degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition with a concentration in Hospitality Management and a minor in Business Administration. Lauren represented the University of Illinois at the 2006 National Restaurant Association's Salute to Excellence Gala as a future leader in the hospitality industry. Annie also received her Bachelor's degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with a concentration in Hospitality Management. Annie was an active member of many student organizations while at the U of I, including three years as the President of Illinois' Culinary Club and three years in the University of Illinois' Student Alumni Association. Since l.a. Gourmet’s kitchen opened in September of 2006, the sisters have been honored to play part in the special events of Champaign and Urbana. After only two years of service, Lauren and Annie were honored by the University of Illinois' College of ACES as 2008 recipients of the Outstanding Young Alumni Award. Each year, the staff at L.A. Gourmet has executed countless unique events from cocktail receptions to bar mitzvah’s and hundreds of custom designed weddings with a modern twist on the traditional dish. Serving meals from fifteen guests to five thousand, the kitchen and wait staff is well prepared for an evening as simple or elaborate as your needs require. Lauren and Annie's passion for food and entertaining is evident in their motto- "Eat well.Entertain often. Impress always." To watch the entire TV interview with Lauren and Annie CLICK HERE
After an early career in educational publishing, Rick entered the hobby industry in 1980 working for a company that sold high end hobby products to U.S. retailers. He worked there for five years, learning the hobby industry while helping that company grow to become one of the largest distributors in North America. In 1985 the company was sold and soon after, Rick left to start Horizon Hobby, Inc. He and 3 other industry veterans started Horizon from the basement of Rick’s home.
Today Horizon is a world leader in the design, manufacture, marketing, and distribution of hobby products. Major categories of product include radio control airplanes, helicopters, cars, trucks, and boats; model railroad equipment; plastic model kits; and general hobby items. Horizon has developed many of its own brands over the years including JR, Spektrum, Team Losi, Hangar 9, EFlite, Evolution, Saito, Hobbyzone, ParkZone and many others.
Horizon sells to 2500 retailers in North America and 700 in Europe as well as consumers via the internet, and has distributors throughout the rest of the world. The company employs 650 people and has facilities in Champaign, IL; Ontario, CA; Harlow, England; Elmshorn, Germany; and Paris, France.
Stephens’ passion for excellence in both corporate and non-profit environments and desire to teach leaders to become better leaders have been driving forces in his life for many years.
Rick and Jeanene have been married for 38 years and have 3 married daughters and 5 grandchildren. He enjoys leading small group Bible studies, traveling, golfing, hiking, snowboarding and motorcycling.
To Watch my interview with Rick CLICK HERE
Tom Ramage joined Parkland College in July of 1998 as Chair of the newly created Distance & Virtual Learning Department, responsible for developing and administering Parkland’s online course delivery systems and policies. In 2001, he was named Associate Vice President for Academic Services and later, Information Services. In July of 2003, Tom was named Vice President and Chief Academic Officer. He received his Masters Degree in Education and Human Development with a specialization in Educational Technology Leadership from The George Washington University in 1998, and a Doctorate in Education with a specialization in Instructional Technology and Distance Education from Nova Southeastern University. His research focused on cost-efficiency and return on investment of online programs. Since June of 2007, Tom served as the Interim President of Parkland College. The Board of Trustees appointed Dr. Ramage as Parkland’s 5th President in January, 2008. He serves on the following boards: United Way Board, University of Illinois Employee Credit Union Board, and Champaign County Chamber of Commerce. To watch my interview with Dr Tom Ramage CLICK HERE
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