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SCAM ALERT: DCEO has been made aware of organizations receiving fraudulent “notice of award” letters claiming to be from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. These are not legitimate notices from DCEO. If your organization receives a notice, please report it to the Federal Trade Commission and/or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Illinois Central Region

Regional Hubs

  • Springfield 
  • Decatur 
  • Jacksonville 
  • Lincoln 
  • Taylorville 
  • Litchfield
  • Carlinville

Counties

  • Sangamon 
  • Macon 
  • Macoupin 
  • Morgan 
  • Christian 
  • Logan 
  • Montgomery 
  • Shelby 
  • Greene 
  • Menard 
  • Cass 
  • Scott

Industries

  • Agricultural Inputs and Services
  • Livestock Processing
  • Paper and Packaging 
  • Business Services 
  • Food Processing and Manufacturing 
  • Hospitality 
  • Medical Devices and Healthcare 
  • Mining (Coal and Nonmetal) 
  • Production Technology and Heavy Machinery 
  • Water Transportation

Major Employers and Headquarters

Large Employers

Corporate HQ

Higher Education

Unique Facts

  • Springfield, Illinois' State Capital, is located in the Central Region
  • Population 550,000+; Labor force of almost 270,000
  • Access to 90 million people within a day's drive
  • Located in the heart of the agricultural belt of Illinois and the country's corn belt
  • Paper manufacturing and printing and related support activities are 20% more concentrated than U.S. average
  • Over 10,000 jobs in food manufacturing and fabricated metal manufacturing
  • Hospitality, marketing & sales, and tourism employ 124,000
  • Healthcare employs 55,000 and Springfield is home to the Mid Illinois Medical District
  • Multiple airports (including Decatur Airport; one of four components of the Midwest Inland Port

Region Specific Assistance

Belynda Allen
Central Senior Region Manager
217-986-0803
Belynda.Allen@Illinois.gov

Faith Ritchie
Central Region Manager
217-494-2956
Faith.Ritchie@illinois.gov

The Illinois Department of Commerce is Your One-Stop Resource

  • Site Selection
  • Customized Workforce Training
  • Regional & Local Collaboration
  • Expedited Permitting, Licensing & Other Approvals
  • Connection to Key Stakeholders and Civic & Business Partners
  • Potential Financial Support
  • And More!