Join Mailing List
- to receive our weekly e-newsletter
KEEP US GROWING
Make a Secure
Donation to the Illinois Channel through Click & Pledge
The Illinois Channel is a proud
member of the National Association of Public Affairs Networks (NAPAN).
|
|
Business & Economic
Development Members
The Illinois Channel Advisory
Council consists of civic-minded individuals from communities across
Illinois, who are committed to helping the Illinois Channel continue its
commercial-free coverage of Illinois government and public affairs. By
fundraising and sharing their expertise with the Illinois Channel, they
keep us informed of issues in their fields and in their communities.
Advisory Council membership is
by invitation only, based upon previous civic and societal
accomplishments. We recognize them here for their service to the
Illinois Channel and the state of Illinois.
|
 |
Mark Biel:
Springfield
Chemical Industry
Council of Illinois
Advisory
Council Business & Economic Development Committee
Mark A. Biel, CAE is Executive
Director for the Chemical Industry Council of Illinois (CICI), a
statewide trade association based in Des Plaines. Mark is located in
the Springfield office which closely monitors legislative and
regulatory activity, with particular emphasis on environmental,
energy and tort reform issues. Prior to becoming Executive Director
in 1999, Biel served as Director of Government Affairs for six
years. In 2005, Biel also served as President of the Illinois
Society of Association Executives (ISAE).
Before joining CICI, Mark served for
four years as Director of Government Affairs for the Illinois
Manufacturers' Association (IMA). During that time, the American
Society of Association Executives ranked the IMA’s lobbying program
as the best in the nation.
Founded in 1951, CICI represents over
110 chemical firms which manufacture, blend, distribute and sell
beneficial chemicals. These companies employ over 50,000 people
statewide.
110101 |
 |
Darcy Davidsmeyer: Naperville
Lincoln
Foundation for Performance Excellence
Advisory
Council Business & Econ Development Cmte
Darcy Davidsmeyer
brings a wealth of legislative and corporate experience to the
Lincoln Foundation since joining it in 2011. Prior to joining the
Lincoln Foundation for Performance Excellence, Darcy served as
Director of State & Local Government Relations for Motorola, a
global leader in wireless and broadband communications technologies.
She served with Motorola for over 20 years.
Some of the major
legislative issues that Darcy has professionally worked to impact
are: North America Free Trade Agreement; permanent status of the
Normal Trade Relations for China; and federal
homeland security funding for local and state governments’
interoperable communications.
|
 |
Katherine Lawrence:
Granite City
United States Steel
Corporation
Advisory
Council Business & Econ Development Cmte
Katherine Lawrence
serves as manager of state governmental affairs for U.S. Steel,
representing their interests before state and local government in
Illinois and Minnesota.
Ms. Lawrence brings
more than 15 years of governmental affairs experience to this
position. Prior to joining the company, she was president and
owner of KML Consulting, a governmental relations firm based in
Springfield, Illinois. From 1994 to 2002, she served as the
director of government affairs for the Illinois Manufacturers'
Association. She also served as the legislative liaison for the
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency under former Governor Jim
Edgar.
Ms. Lawrence earned a
bachelor's degree in communications with a minor in political
science from Eastern Illinois University. |
|
William Olson:
Springfield
Executive
Director
Associated Beer Distributors of
Illinois
Advisory Council Business & Econ Development Cmte
Bill Olson is President of the
Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois (ABDI). He began his
career with ABDI in January 1985. As Chief Staff Officer, he is
responsible for all association programs and activities, including
its government relations activities.
ABDI advocates for state-based
regulation of alcohol as delegated to the states by the 21st
Amendment, which repealed Prohibition, to the U.S. Constitution.
ABDI is a business trade association representing the interests of
beer distributors who are licensed by the State of Illinois, as part
of the state’s alcohol regulatory system, to bring beer into
Illinois and distribute to licensed retailers.
Mr. Olson became involved in government
affairs and associations after he completed management training
with Household Finance Corporation in Chicago and was promoted to
their government relations department with responsibility for
Illinois. He also was elected vice president of the Illinois
Consumer Finance Association. Next, Mr. Olson joined the
Association of Modern Banking in Illinois (AMBI) as the Director
of Government Relations where he directed the association’s
advocacy efforts which included passing legislation that
authorized multi-office banking, after over 150 years of Illinois'
unit banking system.
|
|
Click Photo
for Video |
Kevin Riggs:
O'Fallon
St. Louis
Regional Chamber & Growth Assn.
Advisory
Council Business & Econ Development Cmte
Kevin Riggs was
recruited by the St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Association as
Director of Illinois Government Affairs to lead their lobbying and
public policy initiatives in Springfield, Illinois.
An Illinois
resident, Kevin brings varied public policy and governmental affairs
experience to his position, including serving as a Senior
Appropriations Budget Analyst for the Illinois General Assembly;
working for the Census Bureau as a Regional Supervisor in Special
Population Counts and Decennial Counts for Illinois, Indiana, and
Wisconsin, and previously he serving as Manager of Community
Development for the East-West Gateway Council of Governments.
Kevin holds a Bachelor’s
Degree in Political Science from Southern Illinois University at
Carbondale and a Master's Degree in Public Administration from
Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. Currently, Kevin
resides in O’Fallon, Illinois with his wife and family. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
