the
DURAND RESURGENCE
CLEAN ENERGY DOMINANCE
SHEILA HOFFMAN
MICHAEL DUNN JR.
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November 2025 | Volume 38 | No. 11 of the greater rockford business community
The intersection of public and private
STELLANTIS TO ADD MORE THAN 3,000 JOBS AT BELVIDERE ASSEMBLY PLANT IN 2027
Tips on how businesses can work
On Oct. 14, Stellantis announced
effectively with local government
plans to invest $13 billion over the next four years to grow its
By Christine Hand, managing editor At the annual Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce (GRCC) Pow(H)er conference on Nov. 13, a panel of local elected officials—Dawn Granath, 9th Ward alderwoman, Rockford City Council; Christina Valdez, 16th Ward councilwoman, Winnebago County Board; and Nicole Bennett, vice president, Rockford Public Schools Board of Education—will speak about their experiences running for public office. For this article, we asked those same panelists to share their insights on how local businesses can work successfully
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business in the critical United States market and to increase its domestic manufacturing footprint. The investment is the largest in the company’s 100-year U.S. history with elected officials to build valuable relationships that benefit their companies and the community.
Communication is key Most business owners and managers are far too familiar with the common interactions between business and government, such as permits, inspections, and other compliance issues. But there are a number of situations when direct communication with local elected officials is beneficial to both parties. “Businesses should have conversations early about new ideas or new business ventures,” Granath said. “We’re a big city with small town connections. There’s probably some sort of government entity that can help. And your alderman is someone in your neighborhood who can help you identify the right combination of officials, nonprofits, and economic development organizations.”
Bennett agrees: “I always appreciate it when the community reaches out to me, because I want to be engaged and know what the needs are. That way, I can help elevate those requests by sending them on to the appropriate people.” Valdez says getting to know your elected officials is essential to facilitating two-way communication: “There are a lot of things that we can help with and areas where we can provide clarity. We’re here to uplift the businesses in our districts. And we can’t do that to the best of our abilities if we’re not aware of what’s going on.”
Shared concerns and priorities Overly burdensome bureaucracy is a common complaint among business leaders everywhere. (Just look at the responses to that question in GRCC’s (continued on page 6)
and will support the introduction of five new vehicles across the brand portfolio in key segments; production of the all-new fourcylinder engine; and the addition of more than 5,000 jobs at plants in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Indiana. As part of this plan, Stellantis intends to invest more than $600 million to reopen the Belvidere Assembly Plant to expand production of the Jeep® Cherokee and Jeep Compass for the U.S. market. With an initial production launch expected in 2027, these actions are anticipated to create around 3,300 new jobs. The $13 billion investment
Seize the moment
plan includes research and
The time is right for renewed regional investment in economic development
to execute the company’s full
By Terrance Hall, Eight Fifteen Impact
years as well as investments in its
In March 2024, the Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce (GRCC) engaged Eight Fifteen Impact to develop a new strategy and tactical plan for the organization’s newly chartered economic development work. At the time, I was coming off a three-year tenure as a site selection consultant— evaluating communities across the U.S. for their potential to attract corporate investment and partnering with local leaders to build strategies that unlock that potential. The chance to apply that same disciplined approach to assessing opportunities and challenges here in Rockford, a community where I started
development and supplier costs product strategy over the next four
my career and have grown to love, was simply too good to pass up. Together, GRCC and Eight Fifteen Impact set out with three primary goals:
manufacturing operations. “As we begin our next 100 years, we are putting the customer at the center of our strategy, expanding
• Develop a strategic roadmap to guide economic development efforts with clear, actionable tasks and measurable outcomes.
our vehicle offerings and giving
• Strengthen GRCC’s strategic capability by rolling out real, handson initiatives and creating practical tools and processes that support longterm growth.
North America COO. “Accelerating
them the freedom to choose the products they want and love,” said Antonio Filosa, Stellantis CEO and growth in the U.S. has been a top priority since my first day. Success in America is not just good for Stellantis in the U.S.—it makes us
(continued on page 4)
stronger everywhere.”