Illinois North Central Region

Major Employers and Headquarters

Higher Education

• Bradley University
• Eureka College
• Heartland Community College
• Illinois Central College
• Illinois State University
• Illinois Wesleyan University
• Lincoln College
• Robert Morris University-Peoria
• Spoon River College
• University of Illinois Medical School

Unique Facts

• Population 650,000+; Workforce 300,000+
• Peoria is home to a thriving and innovative health care industry with numerous partners
• The Peoria NEXT Innovation Center is a 48,000 square foot technology incubator for entrepreneurial businesses looking to make their mark on the world
• The Amtrak station in Bloomington-Normal is frequently ranked as one of the busiest Amtrak stations in the midwest (229,894 passengers in 2019) and provides service to Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Louis
• Central Illinois Regional Airport (BMI) in Bloomington features an 8,000 foot primary runway and 6,500 foot crosswind runway with three Instrument Landing Systems including a CAT II, providing for reliable operations during inclement weather conditions. FedEx operates a daily air cargo flight and a sorting and distribution facility at BMI and many corporate and private aircraft are based at BMI along with service from Delta, American Airlines, Frontier, and Allegiant.
• Morton is known as the Pumpkin Capital of the World because 85% of the world’s canned pumpkin is packed there

Region Specific Assistance

Lauren Gibson, AICP
North Central Region Manager
217-986-0062
lauren.gibson@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!