A New Generation of Leaders-Meet Laura Frerichs

Laura Frerichs is Associate Director of Research Park and Incubation Facilities. She is responsible for managing incubation services at EnterpriseWorks, marketing the Research Park and supporting the University’s economic development efforts. The EnterpriseWorks incubator has 35 startup companies and offer labs, offices, and support services for entrepreneurs. Laura manages programming of events and services to support entrepreneurs and businesses in the Research Park.

Prior to her current role, Laura was Vice President of Business Development & Marketing at Fox Development Corporation. Laura was responsible for marketing the Research Park and supervised the leasing and marketing staff. She interacted with University of Illinois faculty and administration to attract companies to the Research Park. Laura worked with company officials to finalize lease terms and establish new research and development operations within the Research Park. Her business development accomplishments in the Research Park include new offices in Champaign for Yahoo, Qualcomm, John Deere, ADM, and Abbott as examples.

Prior to working for FDC, Laura was the Senior Account Manager of the East Central Illinois Region for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. She worked with small businesses, local economic development organizations, and local government on increasing job opportunities in the region. Prior to joining DCEO, Laura was a Media Supervisor for five years at Starcom, a division of the Leo Burnett Company in Chicago. She was responsible for national media strategy for Allstate and Pilsbury brands while working at Starcom.

Laura is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Communications and served as Student Body President at the Urbana-Champaign campus. Laura Frerichs was named “Woman of the Year” by Central Illinois Business Magazine for the Forty Under Forty business awards. She is active in the community and serves on the Board of Directors of the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation and Tech Advisory Board, Executive Club of Champaign County, University of Illinois Campus Alumni Advisory Board, Junior League of Champaign-Urbana, Parkland College Foundation Technology Division Head, Korean Culture Center Board of Directors, and volunteers in the community.

Laura and her husband State Senator Mike Frerichs live in Champaign, Illinois. They are proud parents of one year old daughter, Ella Frerichs. To watch the entire interview with Laura click here: WATCH LAURA'S TV INTERVIEW

Bringing His Success Home

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

Lori Patterson-A Profile of One of Today's Top Leaders

Lori Gold Patterson has helped to set the bar for Champaign-Urbana’s growing tech sector. OJC’s success stems from Lori’s ability to identify and nurture top notch talent, challenge clients to expand their vision, and structure a company that can turn on a dime, thriving in the best and worst of economic climates. That’s why in the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, OJC has added new full time staff and is growing again this year.

Lori sees her own success as intrinsically tied to the success of every single OJC employee. She created a flexible, empowering workplace where every employee has a decision-making role in the company and is positioned to grow and thrive. As a result, there has been nearly zero turn-over of staff in 13 years. In 2011, Lori continues to innovate by leading OJC's launch of the "App Center", or Applicable Programming Center. Because the IT economy has again caused a shortage of skilled IT professionals and programmers, OJC is investing in training and skill-building in the C-U community to help people get a jump-start in a real-world high-tech career.

In its 13 years of operation, OJC’s employees have contributed hundreds of thousands of volunteer and civic hours to their community, their country, and the world at large. A winner of the 2011 Athena Award and Innovation Celebrations Excellence in Management Award Lori truly is one of today's top leaders. The see the entire TV interview with this outstanding leader click on the following link: WATCH LORI PATTERSON'S INTERVIEW

Maing A Difference-Gail Glende Rost

Gail moved to Champaign as a young child with her family of 5. After graduating from Central High School, she went on to the U of I and received her Bachelors of Landscape Architecture. After a short stint in the Chicago area, Gail returned to the University of Illinois to complete her MFA in Graphic Design. It was while having small children that she became certified in pre-school education and taught at the Creative Discovery School, moved into the volunteer world and served in the Junior League and did freelance work as a graphic designer. In League, Gail served primarily in the project area where she served as the State SPAC Chair for the Junior Leagues of Illinois, on the Board of Directors for many years and as JLCU President for 2 years. As Gail's children became independent, she went back to work part-time as the Foundation Administrator for the Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation. Today, 11 years later, she serves full-time as the Executive Director of the Foundation and the General Manager of The I.D.E.A. Store. Under her leadership, the Foundation has grown to provide a menu of options for the community to become financially involved with their public schools. From Master and SPLASH Grants, CUScholars, Scholarships, the Basic Emergency Services Fund and The I.D.E.A. Store, the Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation provides support for excellence in education and creative initiatives. Gail currently serves on the Provena Covenant Hospital Foundation Board, the Urbana Rotary Board as Incoming President, the Unit 4 Facilities Committee, the United Way Executive Directors Committee, and the Maker Faire Steering Committee. She is married to Craig Rost, has 3 children: Anna 26, John 24 and Christopher, 18. Gail loves to travel and is passionate about equal access to quality education.

To watch the entire interview with Gail Glende Rost CLICK HERE