Where do you go for the
goods and services you want?

[MAY 14, 2002]  In the know…

You finally discover where the best chai in town is and you’re ecstatic! Then you discover it’s been there a year or so and no one told you about it. You’re exasperated! Local businesses change hands, move, increase their stock or services, do all sorts of things you’d really like to know about, and somehow you don’t get in on it.

Beginning today, Tuesday, May 14, you can be "in the know" too! LogOn Production’s Channel 15 premieres the show you have been waiting for, "Chamber Chat." It airs from 5:30 to 6 p.m.

The Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce will host the weekly half-hour LIVE talk show. "Chamber Chat" will feature an update on local business activity, interviews with volunteers and committee chairpersons of special programs taking place in the community, issues, and community events. There are plans to occasionally film segments on location in local businesses to add to the perspective and content of the show. There will also be opportunity for viewers to call in with live questions. The show will air several additional times each week, but Tuesday night will be the LIVE show. [Click here to hear it!]

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Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bobbi Abbott thinks, "A focus on our GOOD NEWS will hopefully provide a domino effect in positive attitudes and opinions about our community."

Abbott invites, "If you have business activity, please e-mail to me any news about your place of business — expansions, new employees, new products or services, changes in location or management, etc."

Bobbi Abbott, Executive Director

303 S. Kickapoo Street

Lincoln, IL 62656

(217) 735-2385

chamber@lincolnillinois.com

www.lincolnillinois.com

[LDN]

Sporting a new name and
a new warehouse, box plant’s
ready for more business

[MAY 13, 2002]  As a result of Weyerhaeuser Company’s takeover of Willamette Industries and a nearly complete addition to the Lincoln facility, Joe Nemith, general manager of the corrugated container plant, expects an increase in business.

Nemith said the Lincoln plant has already picked up some business from the Weyerhaeuser factory in Belleville. In line with a companywide push for plants in close proximity to work together to avoid duplication, the two facilities have been cooperating to identify overlaps. Nemith reported few conflicts and only four mutual contracts, which have been allocated in such a way that neither plant loses business. For example, both had contracts with Holton Meats near St. Louis but supplied different products. At a meeting on April 30 it was agreed that though just one Weyerhaeuser sales representative will call on Holton, each plant will continue supplying the products it did before.

Nemith reported the takeover has caused virtually no change to the local operation so far. The phone is now answered in the name of Weyerhaeuser and a temporary sign by the entrance identifies that company, but the awning and permanent sign still say Willamette Industries. Boxes are still marked Willamette as well, and Nemith said the practice will continue until the printing plates wear out.

Beyond the local scene a number of senior managers from Willamette have retired, two plants have been closed and more plant closings are expected. Plants must meet two criteria, Nemith said: Make money and provide a safe operating environment. The closed plants in Virginia and Tennessee were unsafe and unprofitable. "We don’t fit either one of those categories," Nemith was happy to report, so he expects operations to remain similar but busier.

Meanwhile, he expects to occupy the 70,000-square-foot warehouse, currently under construction, during the third week of May. H & H Construction Services of Carlinville is general contractor for the roughly triangular addition located on the south side of the building. Nemith said there would be one more concrete pour, on May 4. Some equipment will not be moved until Memorial Day weekend.

The addition was approved under the Willamette watch. All told, Nemith said, that company invested $6 million in the Lincoln facility during the last five years and $50 million in the three Illinois plants in the same period. Asked if he would have built the addition if he had known about the coming takeover, Nemith answered: "I would have. I don’t know if Weyerhaeuser would have approved it."

However, Weyerhaeuser has already approved three equipment purchases for the Lincoln plant: a pre-feeder for automatically feeding existing machinery, a unitizer for banding large units and a die-cut section for the largest of three flexo-folder-gluers, which print, fold and glue the boxes. Purchase of a fourth flexo-folder-gluer has been deferred until business has increased.

Although no employees will be added as a direct result of the new warehouse, Nemith said the added space will make growth in business possible, and increased business is the reason for hiring employees.

In response to the anticipated increase in business, he does expect to add three new permanent employees to the work force of approximately 100 by fall. He noted that employment at the Lincoln facility is stable. Of two workers expected to retire in July, one has worked here about 20 years and the other for 44.

Nemith praised local employees’ positive attitude and said it results in a work environment such that new hires learn the same attitude and also become long-term employees. "All our people are responsive to customers," he said.

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The Weyerhaeuser-Willamette takeover is unique in two respects, Nemith claimed. First, the predator company is adopting some of the ways of its prey. Because Willamette led the industry in profit on boxes, Weyerhaeuser, though three times larger, is seeking to learn from its former competitor.

Second, the Weyerhaeuser chairman was formerly the CEO of Willamette. Steven R. Rogel took over at Weyerhaeuser in 1995 after heading Willamette for the previous two years. Lured by the bigger company, he set about buying the smaller one. Part of the reason, Nemith said, was that if Weyerhaeuser had not bought Willamette, they themselves might have been subject to a buyout. For several years Willamette resisted the takeover, preferring to remain independent. It took 14 months of negotiations to reach the $6.1 billion merger agreement.

Despite numerous closings there are still over 2,000 box factories in the United States, and consolidation is common in the container industry, Nemith noted. In fact, "this is the fourth name on this building," he said. Built by U.S. Corrugated in 1946, it was bought by Boise Cascade in 1984 and Willamette in 1992. Despite the changes in parent company, much remains the same. "Every facility has a personality" that doesn’t change, he said.

Nemith himself worked for Weyerhaeuser from 1979 to 1981, after they bought the company he was with. "I really thought the world of them then," he said. "They are the only large company in the industry I would want to buy us," because they treat their people well. One dramatic event that occurred during Nemith’s earlier tenure was the eruption of Mount St. Helens. Weyerhaeuser owned much of the mountain.

The combined Weyerhaeuser Company, based in Federal Way, Wash., is among the top three companies in the world in lumber, pulp, boxes and fine paper. Before the merger Weyerhaeuser was No. 4 in corrugated containers in the United States and Willamette was No. 11; together they are No. 2 internationally.

A committee made up of representatives of the two companies will recommend ways to merge them. Although none of the recommendations has yet been announced, Nemith expects one of them to reconfigure the regions of the combined company. Currently, the Lincoln plant is in a region stretching from New Jersey to Minnesota, and he expects that to be split into at least two.

One change that won’t occur until Jan. 1, 2003, is for local employees to go on the Weyerhaeuser benefit plan. Nemith said the plan is comparable to or better than the Willamette one, so he does not foresee problems despite the fact that people are understandably wary of changes.

Recent research showed Nemith that of the Lincoln plant’s 181 customers, 80 percent are in towns the size of Lincoln or smaller.

He is an advocate of the Logan County Economic Development Council’s proposed industrial park north of town. "It will be good for Lincoln," he said, noting the town’s excellent location.

Nemith is optimistic about the future of the Weyerhaeuser plant in Lincoln. "I really expect to be a lot busier," he says. "We’ll have a good, strong future."

[Lynn Shearer Spellman]

Three short blocks -- three times as many people

[MAY 9, 2002]  Coffee With Einstein CoffeeHouse and FranzExpress in downtown Lincoln will be moving soon. May 24 is the target date. The businesses will move three blocks to accommodate three times as much seating capacity.

[Click map to enlarge]

[MAY 7, 2002]  ST. LOUIS — Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE) recently announced the signing of a definitive agreement for the purchase of CILCORP, Inc., from The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES). CILCORP is the parent company of Peoria-based Central Illinois Light Co., known as CILCO.

In a transaction valued at $1.4 billion, Ameren will assume CILCORP debt at closing and pay the balance in cash to purchase the common stock of CILCORP, along with certain other assets. The purchase includes CILCORP’s natural gas and electric businesses, including 1,200 megawatts of largely coal-fired generating capacity. Upon completion of the acquisition, expected within 12 months, CILCO would become an Ameren subsidiary, but would remain a separate utility company, known as AmerenCILCO.

With this acquisition, Ameren will rank as Illinois’ second-largest electric utility, based on the number of customers, total assets and operating revenues.

"This acquisition is a natural fit with our core energy growth strategy," says Charles W. Mueller, chairman and chief executive officer of Ameren Corporation. "CILCORP’s operations are in a service territory and market where we already operate very effectively. In addition, CILCORP’s base-load generation assets, strong customer base and low-cost operations complement Ameren’s existing Illinois operations extremely well. Synergies from the acquisition will make this transaction immediately accretive to earnings and will drive strong long-term growth for our company."

"This acquisition brings impressive benefits to customers and communities in Illinois," says Gary L. Rainwater, president and chief operating officer of Ameren Corporation. "We will expand our commitment of bringing high-quality, reliable electric and natural gas services to CILCORP’s approximately 200,000 electric and 200,000 gas customers. We take this commitment seriously, as evidenced by our top ratings on customer service in a recent Illinois Commerce Commission survey."

The transaction was unanimously approved by both companies’ boards of directors but is subject to the approval of the Illinois Commerce Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the expiration of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act. No approval is required from shareholders of either company.

Following are key components of the transaction:

•  The headquarters of AmerenCILCO will remain in Peoria, where Ameren anticipates maintaining the existing operations center, customer call center, business-to-business and retail marketing groups, plus other support functions.

•  The transaction also includes AES-Medina Valley Cogen, LLC — a 40-megawatt, gas-fired electric generation plant. The plant produces electricity, steam and chilled water, which is sold to CILCO. CILCO resells plant output to Caterpillar, CILCO’s largest industrial customer.

•  Electric rates will remain frozen at current levels at least until 2004, and existing generation and energy services contracts with nonresidential customers will remain in force.

•  With the addition of CILCO, Ameren expects to make very limited staff reductions overall, and those reductions would be made primarily through attrition. Existing labor contracts will be honored.

•  Ameren plans to increase CILCO’s annual civic, charitable and social service contribution levels to at least $1 million to be used in the Peoria area and other locations now served by CILCO. That level will allow for continued support of such activities and for the expansion of three Ameren programs into the former CILCO service territory. They are:

•  Dollar More, a low-income energy assistance program.

•  Power Player, a program to support youth sports teams.

•  SmartLights, which provides installation of energy-efficient lighting in public areas.

•  Ameren plans to commit additional funds annually in continued support for economic development organizations and to support special marketing programs aimed at attracting new jobs to the Peoria area.

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"Together, Ameren and CILCORP will continue a heritage of providing strong support to hundreds of Illinois communities with a combined customer base of nearly 600,000 electric and nearly 400,000 natural gas customers in Illinois," added Rainwater.

Ameren was advised on the transaction by Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Ameren Corporation: A $10 billion-asset company based in St. Louis, Mo., Ameren Corporation provides energy services to 1.5 million electric and 300,000 natural gas customers over 44,500 square miles in Illinois and Missouri. Among the nation’s top utility companies in size and sales, Ameren’s regulated companies — AmerenUE and AmerenCIPS — were founded a century ago as Union Electric Company and Central Illinois Public Service Company, respectively. On May 1, 2000, AmerenCIPS generating facilities became part of a newly created nonregulated company, AmerenEnergy Generating Company; this power is marketed by a nonregulated affilate, AmerenEnergy Marketing Company. Ameren subsidiaries also include AmerenEnergy, Inc., a nonregulated energy trading company, and AmerenEnergy Fuels and Services, a fuels marketing, trading and management services organization. Approximately 92 percent of the corporation’s $4.5 billion in revenues flows from electric sales, with the remainder primarily from sales of natural gas.

CILCORP: With $1.8 billion in assets and 2001 revenues of $815 million, CILCORP, formed in 1985 and headquartered in Peoria, is an energy services company. CILCORP’s largest subsidiary, CILCO, serves 200,000 electric and more than 200,000 natural gas customers, and includes a regulated electric and natural gas delivery unit, power generation facilities, and a retail energy business. CILCO has been providing electricity and natural gas to customers in central Illinois since 1915. The company has four generating units primarily fueled by coal, with a total capacity of over 1,200 megawatts.

Statements made in this release, which are not based on historical facts, are "forward-looking" and, accordingly, involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed. Although such "forward-looking" statements have been made in good faith and are based on reasonable assumptions, there is no assurance that the expected results will be achieved. These statements include (without limitation) statements as to future expectations, beliefs, plans, strategies, objectives, events, conditions, and financial performance. In connection with the "Safe Harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Ameren is providing this cautionary statement to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. The following factors, in addition to those discussed elsewhere in this release and in Ameren’s annual report on SEC Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2001, and subsequent securities filings, could cause results to differ materially from management expectations as suggested by such "forward-looking" statements: delays in receipt of regulatory approvals for the acquisition of CILCORP or unexpected adverse conditions or terms of those approvals; difficulties in integrating CILCO with Ameren’s other businesses; changes in the coal markets, environmental laws or regulations or other factors adversely impacting synergy assumptions; and disruptions of the capital markets or other events making Ameren’s access to necessary capital more difficult or costly.

[Ameren news release]

[MAY 4, 2002]  You will find lots of taste-tempting delights throughout the spacious new store.   Delicious cookies, candies and ice cream await you.

[Click here for original LDN story on Russell Stover]

[Photos by Jan Youngquist]

Russell Stover is ready with beautifully packaged sweet things just right for Mother's Day.

FIX 96's Jim Ash eats free food
and gives away prizes.

Customers sign up for free gift baskets.

Friendly staff are ready to help you find your favorite sweet or choose from an array of gift packaged for that special someone.

[APRIL 30, 2002]  Citing a "remarkable reception from the people of Lincoln" to their delivery business, Glenn Brunk Stationers of Springfield will open a store at 511 Broadway about June 1.

The company, run by the Stanfield family who bought it from the founder’s widow in 1997, specializes in personal service to the point of delivering a single item.

Ed Stanfield Jr., a sales representative who began calling on local merchants about a year ago, said he was "ecstatic" when he discovered that Lincoln was without an office supply store for the first time in 60 years. At that time Staples had already left and BAT (formerly Lincoln Office Supply) had closed the week before.

The Lincoln store will be the second Glenn Brunk location. Stanfield said he chose the downtown area because of all the small businesses located there and because he really likes downtown Lincoln.

The location at 511 Broadway is across from State Bank of Lincoln and was formerly occupied by Heights Finance. Stanfield said remodeling will consist of creating offices for himself and a store manager. In addition, shelving units must be put in place and stock brought in.

The Lincoln store will carry commonly used office supplies, such as file folders, paper and computer cartridges, plus whatever customers ask for. "The people of Lincoln will run the store," Stanfield said, in the sense that their needs will decide the stock. Paper from the former Willamette company, now known as Weyerhaeuser, will be regularly stocked, and Stanfield said Glenn Brunk uses boxes from the same company whenever possible.

At first there will be one new employee in Lincoln, the store manager. Later, again as need demands, Stanfield envisions hiring an additional office person and a delivery driver. To this point deliveries have been made every Tuesday and as needed, but once the store opens he expects them to be daily. Orders will be delivered next day for the most part, except for occasional items that must be back ordered.

The Glenn Brunk Stationers motto is "Providing the best customer service for 43 years," and the company provides a number of services in addition to free delivery and placement wherever the product is needed. Customers may buy products in bulk, commonly paper by the pallet, and have it stored at the Springfield store, then delivered as needed. A representative will go to a client’s office to measure and design a furniture layout, and furnishings will then be installed for free. Glenn Brunk also offers refurbished scratch-and-dent furniture on a limited basis, depending on what the supplier has available. Much of it shows little damage to begin with, Stanfield noted, adding that repaired HON brand chairs come at reduced price with a lifetime warranty.

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Stanfield is excited about his reception in Lincoln. Though it is typical for a sales representative to get 5-10 percent of orders from cold calls, he said, he gets 60-70 percent in Lincoln. "People really want a local office supply store," he explained.

Ribbon-cutting and grand opening ceremonies have not yet been scheduled, but Stanfield is hoping they can be held on June 1. That is a Saturday when the whole company can attend, including president Ed Stanfield Sr. and secretary-treasurer Malinda Stanfield, his wife.

Glenn Brunk Stationers belongs to the chamber of commerce in both Springfield and Lincoln, and Ed Jr. is a chamber ambassador in both cities.

He says of the founder of his company, "There are two types of people in Springfield: those who knew and loved Glenn Brunk and those who never met him." A World War II combat medic, Brunk began selling and installing billing machine ribbons from his garage in 1955. He and his wife, Mary, moved the business first to Fifth Street and then to its current location at 2222 S. Sixth St. in Springfield, next to Gallagher’s steakhouse.

Mary Brunk ran the business from Glenn’s death in 1972 until 1997, when she sold it to the Stanfields. Malinda Stanfield had been hired in 1988 as bookkeeper, then promoted to office manager. Ed Stanfield Jr. said Brunk had other offers but did not want the name associated with a big company.

All three Stanfield sons work in the business. Ed Jr. is a sales representative; Joe is a delivery driver; and Bill, a Champaign resident, works on his day off.

[Lynn Shearer Spellman]

[APRIL 30, 2002]  SPRINGFIELD — Bob Jeckel of Frontier Mutual Insurance Company in Lincoln has recently returned from a trip designed to facilitate communication between state legislators and the insurance industry. The Legislative Day is sponsored by the Illinois Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, or IAMIC.

IAMIC’s Legislative Day program is an opportunity for mutual insurance companies throughout Illinois to better communicate with legislators the needs and concerns of their policyholders. It provides a more personal connection to legislators by taking issues important to the insurance industry inside the Capitol.

During his visit, Bob Jeckel was able to discuss such issues as the state’s ability to enforce privacy protection provisions of the Gramm-Leach Bliley Act and how those issues will impact central Illinois.

The Illinois Association of Mutual Insurance Companies is a trade association comprised of farm mutual insurance companies. Mutual insurance, like the farming industry, has been working for the educational opportunities, professional development, legislative support and industry recognition they need to move forward.

[News release]

[APRIL 23, 2002]  The former Lincoln Office Supply store at 500 Broadway is being completely remodeled as the new home of RE/MAX Hometown Realty, scheduled to open by May 1.

[Greg Brinner, owner of RE/MAX Hometown Realty, in his new office]

RE/MAX owner Greg Brinner of Lincoln said he chose to move from his former location at 1310 Fifth St. because he needed room to expand, the building became available and interest rates were favorable. "I felt it was time to grow my business," he said, and the new site "allows space to build up from bottom to top and integrate higher level technology than I would be able to in my existing place."

Another motive was "to help rejuvenate the downtown area," Brinner said. He added that traffic on Fifth Street and on the west side moves past the door at 35 mph, but in the downtown area vehicles move slower and there is more foot traffic.

After experimenting with five or six plans, Brinner chose one that has entirely reconfigured the space and changed the look, using cherry woodwork and furniture and replacing walls, flooring and some ceiling tiles. French doors distinguish otherwise windowless interior offices. Furnishings are also new. As remodeled, the office consists of a reception area, Brinner’s office with room for an assistant, four offices for agents, a conference room, break room and areas for equipment and supplies.

At present RE/MAX Hometown Realty employs two agents, Doris Oltmanns and Cynthia Pagel, receptionist Joyce Hyde, and Patty Brinner, who does bookkeeping and secretarial work.

Greg Brinner said the former store originally comprised three buildings. The rear section has been divided into one or two separate office suites, with the address of 102 N. Chicago St. The space totals three rooms and a reception area, with access to the RE/MAX break room.

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A special feature of the remodeled real estate office is a new PC-based, database-driven telephone system. Because it is PC-based, the system can be updated with new software. Brinner explained, "In today’s fast-moving technology I feel it is necessary to go with a system where we can upgrade software systems as they become available."

Only one other RE/MAX office, located in Washington state, has the phone system, which has been adapted from its usual application in the medical field. Brinner said he expects it to improve customer service but was silent about its precise capabilities.

RE/MAX, which stands for real estate maximums, is the only real estate franchise in Logan County. Being part of a franchise permits networking with other offices and agent training through a satellite network, Brinner said. World headquarters for the firm is in Denver and regional headquarters in St. Louis.

Brinner said his office has the highest productivity per agent among the Logan County Board of Realtors. "We provide world-class service with hometown people," he claimed.

For some listings, computerized virtual tours are available on the firm’s website at www.remax-hometown.com. Brinner said the website is being rebuilt to include links for the virtual tours. At present, information on locating them is available at the specific properties and on Multiple Listing Service sheets offered by members of the Logan County Board of Realtors.

Work on remodeling the property began in mid-December, and RE/MAX Hometown Realty is scheduled to move into it by May 1. A grand opening with ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place in the near future, but no date has been set.

[Lynn Shearer Spellman]

[APRIL 22, 2002]  Eagle Discount Foods reopened its doors 8 a.m. sharp Saturday morning with a ribbon-cutting.

The store was closed all day Friday as last-minute rearrangements took place. There was live entertainment inside and outside, and lots of giveaways and bargains highlighted the day. Maps of the store were handed out to help regular patrons find their favorite products in the new store layout.

[LDN]

[Photo by Bob Frank]

[APRIL 18, 2002]  Mount Pulaski has its very own brand-new Subway Sandwich Shop. City officials and employees came out and joined owners Bill McKinney and Scott McKinney in the official grand opening and ribbon cut Wednesday morning. The shop actually opened for business and began serving food at 6 a.m. Thursday morning.

Now some might ask, "What do you get at a Subway for breakfast?" Breakfast fare includes breakfast sandwiches, bagels and Mel-O-Cream doughnuts in addition to the regular lunch menu. Rounding out the day’s culinary desires, hand-dipped ice cream will soon be offered as well.

Located at 513 E. Chestnut St., the new Subway is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

[LDN]

[Front row, left to right: Alderman John Holmes, co-owner Bill McKinney, Mayor Bill Glaze, co-owner Scott McKinney, Alderman John Poffenbarger.
Back row, left to right: city collector Cindy Cyrulik, office manager Sharon Gerdes, Alderman John Bates, city employees Meredith Parish, Jim Montgomery, Jerry McCain.]

Announcements

The Chamber Report

The chamber of commerce is a catalyst for community progress, bringing business and professional people together to work for the common good of Lincoln and Logan County.

Bobbi Abbott, Executive Director

Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce

303 S. Kickapoo St.

Lincoln, IL 62656

(217) 735-2385

chamber@lincolnillinois.com
www.lincolnillinois.com

Honors & Awards

Main Street Corner News

Main Street Lincoln hires new program director

[MARCH 29, 2002]  Cindy McLaughlin has been named the new program manager for Main Street Lincoln. She will begin her position April 8.

McLaughlin, a program service coordinator for Easter Seals Society in Bloomington, has done public relations work for the Art Institute in Chicago and is a former admissions counselor at Lincoln College.

Originally from Benton in southern Illinois, McLaughlin is a graduate of Lincoln College and Eastern Illinois University. She operates Logan County Starlites, a baton group for young girls, and has appeared in theatrical productions at the Lincoln Community Theatre and the Maple Club.

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"I’m very excited to work with Lincoln’s business owners and the community to ensure our future success," McLaughlin said. She and her husband, Tom, make their home in Lincoln.

"We are looking forward to having someone with Cindy’s enthusiasm and love for small towns carry out the programs for Main Street," noted Main Street President Jan Schumacher. "She is a hard worker who can oversee our many projects to continue to improve downtown Lincoln.

McLaughlin replaces Wendy Bell, who recently accepted a position with Illinois Main Street.

[Main Street Lincoln news release]

Main Street Lincoln

303 S. Kickapoo

Lincoln, IL 62656

Phone: (217) 732-2929

Fax: (217) 735-9205

E-mail: manager@mainstreetlincoln.com