Celebrating our team during Economic Development Week
May 6 - 10 marks Economic Development Week, a time dedicated to recognizing the pivotal role of economic progress in shaping communities. Created by the International Economic Development Council, we celebrate not only the significance of this week, but also the exemplary leadership of the Chamber's team of experts who spearhead our economic development initiatives.
From attracting new businesses and investments to nurturing entrepreneurship and supporting workforce development, the collective expertise of our team shows their deep-rooted passion for advancing the economic well-being of our community.
Meet the talented team leading the way:
Peter Tokar III, MBA, MEDP, President & CEO
Peter has 20 years of experience serving economic development organizations, as well as working closely with chambers, state and local economic development practitioners, site selectors and elected officials. He has worked on a variety of economic development projects from billion-dollar, mixed-use developments and corporate headquarters recruitments to landing campuses for education and training, and downtown redevelopment projects. Additionally, Peter has worked on projects both domestically and internationally, spanning multiple sectors and sites including corporate office, advanced manufacturing, data centers, greenfield development, brownfield development, land development and redevelopment. Peter has earned a Master Economic Development Practitioner (MEDP) designation.
"Innovation is key to forward progress, and I challenge myself and our team to be innovators," he said. "The vision for both the Quad Cities Chamber and the Quad Cities region will look to the future for success, building upon on the successes of the past. I want the growth and development of our region to be responsible and strategic based on what best benefits the community while protecting the identity and character of our communities. Momentum is building right now - the team is hard at work making the right connections and finding the right resources. I'm excited about where these efforts will take us."
Julie Forsythe, Senior Vice President, Business & Economic Growth
Julie has been instrumental in the growth of the Economic Development team for the last four years. She has served the Chamber in various roles since 2013, and helped develop Ignite Quad Cities, a Chamber initiative to grow the entrepreneurial culture in the region. She also played an active role in the Quad Cities Manufacturing Innovation Hub, connecting local small and medium manufacturing firms to growth resources.
"I have the pleasure of leading our talented and very experienced team. Economic development is helping businesses whether they are currently in the region or looking to expand into our region. We assist with the resources and connections they need to build their businesses, and that will ultimately drive economic growth in our region. We can’t do it without our economic development partners at our counties and municipalities and we celebrate them this week as well."
Chris Caves, MS, Vice President, Business & Economic Growth
In 2023, Chris was recognized by Consultant Connect as one of North America's Top 50 Economic Developers and has an ACCE certificate in Workforce Development. She is a member of the Illinois Defense Network, State of Illinois Workforce Board, Local Illinois Workforce Board #13, the Mississippi Valley Workforce Board Business Committee and the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Board.
About her role, Chris says, "I support business retention, business expansion and workforce development activities for the Chamber. Most days, I am traveling with our community economic development partners and our manufacturing extension partners to meetings with local industry leaders. We discuss manufacturing processes, business markets, economics, supply chain, business growth, capital investment, workforce and community services."
Chris says having the privilege to meet directly with industry executives to discuss challenges and opportunities, and to provide them with financial support, technical assistance, training grants and key introductions is what drives her passion for her work in this industry.
Samantha Jackson, BEDC, Manager, Business and Economic Growth Services
Samantha has been in her role as the Project Manager for the Economic Growth team for nearly a year, and has earned her BEDC (Basic Economic Development Course) certificate. She works with a wide range of state and local partners, as well as brokers, developers, and businesses in the region.
"Together with our partners, we shine a light on all the Quad Cities has to offer for existing and prospective businesses. The efforts put forth by our team on a daily basis result in significant growth, retention and expansion. We consistently work to bring new business, and keep our existing businesses satisfied and thriving in the Quad Cities."
Tami Petsche, Vice President, Business & Economic Growth
In 2023, Tami was recognized by Consultant Connect as one of North America's Top 50 Economic Developers. She has spent 16 year in Economic Development, and the past 9 at the Chamber.
Tami helps market the bi-state, six-county Quad Cities region to external stakeholders, including targeting companies and site consultants whose clients are looking to expand into new markets. Additionally, Tami consults and advises companies and consultants considering expansion and doing business in the Quad Cities region. She collaborates daily with state and local community partners to support them in their business growth activities.
"I have the pleasure of leading the regional business attraction efforts for the Quad Cities Chamber," Tami said. "I am fortunate to be surrounded by professional economic development colleagues who love this community as much as I do and have a strong desire to grow regional economic prosperity."
Bill Polley, Ph.D., Economics, Director of Business Intelligence
Bill came to the Chamber in early 2023, after spending over twenty years in higher education as an economics professor. He has published numerous articles in such publications as The American Economist, Economics Bulletin and the International Journal of Sport Finance.
"Because I have an extensive background in using economic data, my role as Director of Business Intelligence is a great fit," said Bill. "My daily work includes doing company and industry research for business attraction, as well as research on the local economy and workforce for business expansion and retention." BilI also works with other areas of the Chamber to assist with data needs, and is available to member businesses for consultation on market research.
"Economic development is a rewarding field, and our Chamber team has a full agenda that is moving the Quad Cities forward," he said.
Jenelle Wolber, EDFP, Director, Business & Economic Growth
Jenelle is an Economic Development Financial Professional (EDFP), a credential that is awarded through Grow America (formerly the National Development Council). She leads the Project Management team at the Chamber, which responds to inquiries from the States of Illinois and Iowa, companies and site consultants. Jenelle helps identify and refer companies to financial assistance programs that help their expansion efforts. She has over 10 years of experience in Economic Development, and has been with the Chamber for 6 years.
Jenelle says she enjoys assisting with the Chamber's site readiness work. "It's fulfilling to see projects come to fruition with help from our team. With every win, we know we're making a difference in our region."
Join us in honoring the remarkable contributions of our Quad Cities Chamber team as we commemorate Economic Development Week and reaffirm our commitment to building a brighter future for all residents of the Quad Cities region.
