Small Business Set-Aside 

Small and mid-market business owners remain frustrated because larger corporations are able to procure special considerations from the government. We all recognize this is a money and numbers game. We are optimistic however, that through the power of critical mass, we can level the playing field for our members.

Last week, the Senate State Government Administration Committee unanimously approved SBAC legislation which will set a goal for small businesses to win 10% of all state procurement. This legislation has already passed the Illinois house and is headed to the Senate floor. A special thank you to Senator Mattie who has carried the bill.

This bill will require all state departments to create a plan for hitting the 10% goal and if the goal is not met, explain how that will be remedied. We are talking about real money for small businesses when this bill passes the Senate, to the tune of over two billion dollars.

Health Insurance

The SBAC continues to fight to bring down health insurance costs. We all hear a great deal about the health insurance debate. Our question for you small and mid-market business owners, how have your rates been looking this past year? Our rates continue to rise.

The SBAC strongly backs HB 3236, a bill which has been picked up bySenator Jeff Schoenberg. This bill would authorize health insurance co-ops and stablize the cost of health insurance. This legislation is consistent with the SBAC's attempts procure a health insurance pool for its members. This bill has been assigned to the Senate Insurance Committee and may be heard in committee shortly.

Action Items

Please strongly consider contacting your state legislators to express your support for these bills. You can contact our office, or visit Illinois State Board of Elections Search to find the name and contact information for your State Representative or Senator. We also stand ready to help you reach your legislators as well.

We have not moved into California . . .. yet. However, the SBAC's message continues to resonate and our members continue to cultivate business through the organization. Because so many businesses in the western suburbs have recently joined the SBAC, events are now being scheduled there.  

We had our initial west suburban breakfast at Juicy-O, in Downers Grove, this past Monday. These breakfasts have proven to be fantastic ways for our members to network and get to know each other.

A special thank you to the folks on our membership committee leading the charge out west. They include: 

• Joe DeMarco of DeMarco Sciaccotta, LLP 
• Caroyln Hanna of Corkill Insurance Agency Inc. 
• Larry Minutillo of Harris Bank 
• Matthew Gennusso of Gennuso Financial Group 
• Jeff Rosset of MidwestHR, LLC 

We hope to see you at breakfast, or at a cocktail hour, soon. For more information about these events, contact Blanca at (847) 990-7909 or at blanca@bacil.org.  

SBAC One-Year Celebration Flyer

We have had a great inaugural year. Indeed, over 250 diverse businesses have joined the SBAC. We have aggressively pushed forward the agenda of small and mid-market businesses. The SBAC has inked several contracts with service providers to bring down the cost of doing business for our members. Finally, a remarkable amount of business is being done among our SBAC members.

We will be celebrating these successes at the Aqua Tower, located in downtown Chicago, on June 16th. At the event, you will enjoy food from five of Chicago's premier restaurants and cocktails. We will also be honoring the legislators who have taken a stand for small and mid-market businesses.

Above is a link to a flyer which highlights our fantastic sponsors for this event. To order tickets, go to:

SBAC One-Year Anniversary Fundraiser Tickets. 

For additional details contact Blanca Campos at (847) 990-7909 or at Blanca@SBACIL.org.

Mark Wimmer Of UBS Wealth Management Becomes A Silver Marketing Sponsor Of The SBAC

Mark Wimmer

The SBAC would like to thank Mark Wimmer of UBS Wealth Management 

for becoming a Silver Sponsor of the SBAC. Through his generous sponsorship the SBAC is able to continue to offer great networking opportunities, educational forums, discount programs and work to pass legislation that will benefit small business owners.

As a dedicated Financial Advisor, Mark understands that each client is different - from a new investor to one with years of experience - and he appreciates your individual circumstances. His goal for his clients is to be their primary source of wealth management advice. Please contact Mark for your Financial needs at (847) 498-7756 or mark.wimmer@ubs.com.

 

SBAC Monthly Happy Hour Taking Place on May 26th at Harris Bank in Northbrook!

Come join SBAC members on Thursday, May 26th, for our monthly Happy Hour. The event will take place at Harris Bank in Northbrook, starting at 6 p.m. Harris Bank is located at 500 Skokie Boulevard.

As always, our members and guests will have the opportunity to meet and talk business with other business owners and professionals from throughout the area. We encourage you to come and bring guests to this monthly networking event that has been proven to generate many new business opportunities.

We would like to thank Anna Gutin, Assistant Vice President and Bank Manager, at Harris Bank for sponsoring our May Happy Hour. To RSVP ahead of time contact Blanca Campos at

Blanca@SBACIL.org or at (847) 990-7909.

GPS Alliance Presents "Will You Leave Your Business By Default Or By Design?" 

The GPS Alliance would like to invite business owners to join them as they explore, "Will you leave your business by default or by design?" This educational forum is hosted by Ted Thomas of E-myth Worldwide, Phil Gafka of L.E.A.P. Associates, and Patty Loris of Libertyville Financial Group. 

Topics will also include Business Building, Attaining Goals, Achieving Your Dreams, and Leaving a Lasting Legacy. The event will take place on Wednesday, June 8th, from 8-9:30am. The location will be at Two First National Plaza at 20 S. Clark St. on the 14th floor in downtown Chicago. To RSVP contact Kathy@YourFlexibleOffice.com or (847) 548-5949.

Maribeth Kuzmeski Lands Keynote Address At The Women Advisors Forum

Maribeth Kuzmeski

Congratulations to SBAC member Maribeth Kuzmeski of Red Zone Marketing, Inc. 

for being named the Keynote Speaker at the

Women Advisors Forum taking place on June 20th at the Renaissance Blackstone Chicago.

Maribeth and her firm personally consult some of the nation's top financial advisors managing from $250 million to over $1 billion in client assets. They also work with broker dealers and insurance companies on strategic marketing planning, recruiting, and business growth. To learn more about this event and to register go to Women Advisors Forum.