Illinois’ extensive business leadership perseveres with top rankings highlighted by CNBC’s 2023 Top States for Business publication. Business and educational opportunities continue to increase as Illinois surpasses the rankings of their neighbors and its own previous ranks. Based on 10 categories of competitiveness, Illinois is reported at top 10 in the nation for four categories and top 20 in six categories. Overall, Illinois is named the 17th best state for business, which is ahead by two places in their 2022 ranking and up from 30th in 2019.

Highlights of Illinois’ rankings:

• #2 in the nation for infrastructure
• #2 in the nation for education
• #6 in the nation for access to capital
• #9 in the nation for cost of living

Through the $45 billion Rebuild Illinois initiative, Illinois stimulates economic movement across the state with the completion of more than 5,300 miles of highway and nearly 500 bridges, as well as over 750 accessibility and safety improvements. Additionally, the initiative invests into Illinois’ educational foundation by passing Smart Start Illinois and increasing funding through the MAP Grant and AIM High.

Improved infrastructure, state-wide access to affordable education, and economic growth, combine to create higher quality of life for Illinoisans. Among its positive rankings in infrastructure and education, Illinois is a part of the top 20 states for life, health, and inclusion, which includes healthcare, worker protection, and voting rights.

In 2008, the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA) launched the Pork Power: Partnering to Fight Hunger in Illinois campaign to provide pork products to food banks throughout Illinois.

Farmweld, a hog raising equipment manufacturer and strong supporter of both the Pork Power Program and IPPA, donated $1,000 to Pork Power to feed struggling families during the COVID-19 crisis. The company’s president, Frank Brummer, matched Farmweld’s contribution.

With face mask and shields running low across the state, local businesses and organizations are doing what they can to help first responders and health care workers in the Western Suburbs. In one example, the STEM-education company TinkRworks donated 100 3D-printed face shields to firefighters and paramedics at the Aurora Central Fire Station.

On National Coffee Day, we’d like to shine a spotlight on Chicago-based coffee roaster Intelligentsia. Intelligentsia pioneered the Direct Trade purchasing model in which they source directly from coffee roasters and incentivize high-quality cups.

Doug Zell and Emily Manage first opened Intelligentsia Coffee’s doors on Broadway Avenue on Chicago’s North Side in October of 1995. Since then they have expanded from coast to coast, opening shops in LA and New York City.

They have earned several awards for their work and in 2016 were recognized on Thrillist’s list of best coffee roasters in the country.
Intelligentsia works with farmers and coffee producers in 20 countries to develop high quality beans.

Illinois is home to 33 Fortune 500 companies - the fourth most in the nation. These companies include famous names like McDonald's, Walgreens and Kraft.