Forgottonia lives! West-Central Illinois left out of statewide economic development summit

No representation from Quincy, Macomb, Jacksonville or Springfield at state meeting with global companies

SPRINGFIELD – The State of Illinois has announced that a delegation from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Intersect Illinois and 17 economic development partners will represent Illinois at the 2021 virtual SelectUSA Investment Summit hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce. These representatives will meet with global companies attending the summit, running this week, to highlight the state’s advantages for foreign direct investment (FDI).  

Team Illinois aims to facilitate job-creating investment by recruiting global companies to the state. An estimated 3,000 attendees from over 75 countries will be present at this year’s summit, offering the State and its partners an ideal opportunity to network with companies and create new pathways to investment opportunities. 

“Illinois continues to be a leader in attracting international company investments, thanks to our talented workforce, diverse and growing economy, and the ingenuity and innovation of businesses that call our state home,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “FDI is crucial to our local economy, with over 2,000 foreign based companies propelling hundreds of thousands of jobs for communities across the state and making Illinois a leader in FDI employment. In spite of the pandemic, we’ve welcomed hundreds of new FDI investments in the past year, and we continue to support our global partners with making investments here.” 

The 8th annual SelectUSA Investment Summit will convene Governors and state delegations from across the country, to promote the United States as the world’s premier investment destination, connecting qualified foreign firms with U.S. economic development organizations (EDOs) to facilitate business investment and job creation.

While several communities from around the state were not included such as Quincy, Jacksonville, Macomb, Springfield or Danville, corporations Ameren and ComEd were. ComEd is the subject of a federal corruption probe where several executives have already resigned and the company has paid $200 million in fines. ComEd is accused of attempting to buy influence with former Illinois House Speaker Micheal Madigan and several of his associates.

Those attending this year’s summit representing Illinois include: 

• Illinois Office of Trade and Investment 
• Intersect Illinois 
• Alliance STL 
• Ameren       
• Bloomington-Normal EDC 
• Champaign County EDC  
• Chicago Southland EDC  
• Choose DuPage 
• ComEd 
• Economic Development Corporation of Decatur- Macon County 
• Greater Peoria EDC  
• Growth Dimensions (Belvidere-Boone County) 
• Invest Aurora 
• Lake County Partners  
• Leadership Council of Southwestern Illinois 
• North Central Illinois EDC 
• Quad Cities Chamber  
• Rockford Area EDC 
• Will County Center for Economic Development  

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is crucial to the state’s economy, with over 2,000 foreign based companies representing over 74 countries directly supporting over 375,000 jobs. This makes Illinois the 5th in the nation for FDI employment. Last year alone, Illinois welcomed 329 new investments, powering major projects in the fields of software and IT services, business and financial services, and industrial equipment, among others. Illinois’ sprawling global presence includes strong relationships with top FDI countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Canada, and France. 

Delegates will promote a wide variety of Illinois communities for business investment, while highlighting the state’s assets including its modern transportation infrastructure, talented and diverse workforce, easy access to key suppliers, markets and customers, as well as its supportive business climate and vibrant geography.  

“SelectUSA is one of the highest profile events dedicated to foreign direct investment in the United States, a powerful and effective way for us to show global companies all that Illinois has to offer,” said Alya Adamany Woods, acting CEO and COO of Intersect Illinois. “We are showcasing the diverse industries and communities that make Illinois unique and what makes the state an ideal location for a wide variety of investment.”  

While events require pre-registration, a livestream of the Investment Summit will be available at www.selectusa.gov/newsroom. Learn more about the Investment Summit at www.selectusasummit.us