Community News
Updates, announcements, and insights from the Chamber and local business community.
President’s Message for April 2021
The April 6 Consolidated Elections will determine the City of Elmhurst’s new mayor and who will represent our municipality on the Elmhurst City Council, as City Treasurer and as City Clerk, along with various school board, park district board and library board seats.
IACCE Small Business Webinar Series Offers ‘Tools for Success’
The Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in partnership with the Illinois Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (IACCE), will stage “Tools for Success: Navigating the New Normal,” a five-part Small Business Webinar Series via Zoom video conferencing once a month on a Wednesday morning in the months of April through August.
U.S. Congress Extends PPP Application Deadline by 2 Months
United States President Joseph R. Biden today is expected to sign into law the PPP Extension Act of 2021 (House Resolution 1799) to extend the deadline for qualifying businesses and not-for-profits organizations to apply for forgiveness-eligible Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) federal loan funding by two months from March 31 to May 31.
ECCI Endorses Push to Go BIG on Small Business Relief
Endorsed by the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Chicago-area chambers, the Small Business Advocacy Council (SBAC) is urging Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and state lawmakers to refund the Business Interruption Grant (BIG) Program using 25 percent of the state’s projected $7.549 billion in American Rescue Plan Act federal relief monies.
Gov. Pritzker Sets Restore Illinois Metrics Towards Phase 5
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike today (March 18) announced a metrics-based, vaccination-informed framework for Illinois to advance to Phase 5 (Illinois Restored) of the state’s five-phase Restore Illinois Plan.
Rotary Hosts Virtual Elmhurst Mayoral Forum
The Governmental Affairs Committee of the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce and Industry is sharing information on the Elmhurst Rotary Club’s virtual Elmhurst Mayoral Forum for the three candidates seeking office in the April 6 Consolidated General Election, as follows:
SBAC RISEes in Favor of New Employee Tax Incentive
The Small Business Advocacy Council (SBAC) is seeking support for the RISE Act (House Bill 0801 and Senate Bill 2490) to provide a tax incentive to Illinois businesses that retain and hire new employees.
SBA Defers COVID-19 EIDL Repayments to 2022
Following United States President Joseph R. Biden’s signing the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 into law on March 12, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced extended deferment periods for all Coronavirus (COVID-19) federal disaster loans until 2022.
New U.S. Chamber President/CEO Shares Her Vision
In her March 11 speech to the United States Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors, new U.S. Chamber President and CEO Suzanne Clark laid out her vision to advance the Chamber’s mission to create jobs and stimulate economic growth.
American Rescue Plan Allocates $50B in Small Business Relief
United States President Joseph R. Biden on March 12 is scheduled to sign into law the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan federal relief package for individual, businesses and governmental bodies suffering the negative economic impact from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemics, including $14 billion to distribute vaccines.
Economic Outlook for 2021 Expected to Rebound
More than 150 business leaders representing 29 suburban chambers of commerce and industry, along with local government officials, participated in the 19th Annual Multi-Chamber Economic Outlook via Zoom video conferencing from Westmont Village Hall on March 3, featuring Anna Paulson of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago as a first-time Keynote Speaker.
ECCI President/CEO Pledges to RESPECT ELMHURST
Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce and Industry President and CEO John Quigley today (March 5) joined RESPECT ELMHURST, a friends group formed for the purpose of promoting kindness, respect, and civility in all forms of Elmhurst’s interpersonal communication.