The Illinois Waterway (ILWW) Ports Commission Annual Meeting.  The ILWW Port Commission applies its powers and authorities to support regional port operations and garner regional multi-modal transportation and other investment from a variety of sources (federal, state, nonprofit and industry) for improvement of public and private infrastructure, facilities and operations. 

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NOTE: A link to the presenters’ (PRESENTATION) and (COMMENTS) are provided below as appropriate. 

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Purpose: The purpose of the meeting was to share information amongst stakeholders, network and help build a common unified regional vision for the Illinois Waterway Ports Commission inclusive of the five port operating organizations.

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– Congressman Eric Sorensen, U.S. House of Representatives (IL-17)  (VIDEO)

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8:30-9:00 Registration

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9:00-9:05 Administrative Remarks – Heart of Illinois Regional Port District Staff (Host)

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9:05-9:10 Welcome, Travis McGlasson, Illinois Waterway Ports Commission Chair (Host)

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9:10-9:20 Welcome and IRCTI Update – Rita Ali, Mayor, Peoria, Illinois (Host)

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9:20-9:25 Welcome – John Kahl, Mayor, East Peoria, Illinois (Host)

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9:25-9:45 Keynote Speaker Illinois State Senator David Koehler, Assistant Majority Leader, 46^th Senate District  (COMMENTS)

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9:45-10:00 ILWW Ports Commission, Corn Belt Ports and Green Marine Highway Initiative Update – (PRESENTATION)

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10:00-10:15 Rodney Knittel, Associate Director of Transportation, Illinois Farm Bureau –  (COMMENTS)

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10:15-10:30 Jim Tarmann, Field Services Director, Illinois Corn Marketing Board / Illinois Corn Growers Association – (PRESENTATION)

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10:30-10:45 Networking Break

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10:45-11:45 Panel 1 (Leveraging our Ports as Economic Enablers)

– Moderator Dr. Chris Merrett (IIRA)

– Greater Peoria Economic Development [Chris Setti CEO];

– North Central Illinois Council of Governments [Kevin Lindeman Executive Director];

– Western Illinois Regional Council [Stacy Nimo CEO];

– Grundy County Economic Development [Aindrea Hogan VP of Development],

– Tri-County Regional Planning Commission [Eric Miller Executive Director];

– Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs [Dr. Chris Merrett, Dean of Innovation and Economic Development and Director of Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs]  –  (COMMENTS)

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11:45-12:05 Holly Bieneman, Director of the Office of Planning and Programming, Illinois Department of Transportation – (PRESENTATION)

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12:05-1:05 Networking Lunch

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12:35 – 12:50 Leah Thill, Director Midwest Regional Office, CALSTART, Update: Illinois EPA Clean Ports Grant – (PRESENTATION)

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12:50-1:00  Paul Rohde, Vice President – Midwest Area, Waterways Council Inc.  – (PRESENTATION)

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1:05-1:35 Panel 2 (Public Private Partnership)

– Moderator Bob Brettell

– Havana Regional Port District [Bob Martin Chair],

– Heart of Illinois Regional Port District [Dan Silverthorn Chair],

– GROWMARK [Kirby Wagner Manager GROWMARK]; 

– Prosody Consulting [Bob Brettell Managing Partner] – (PRESENTATION)

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1:35-1:55 Julie Ufner, President and CEO, National Waterways Conference – (PRESENTATION)

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1:55-2:25 Deb Barnett, Executive Director, Update on SI Now and Overview on Southern Illinois Regional Port Commission, Southern Illinois Now – (PRESENTATION)

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2:25-2:40 Dr. Honey Zimmerman, Regional Ports as Business Clusters Update, Western Illinois University – (PRESENTATION)

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2:40-2:55 Networking Break

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State Update

2:55-3:10 Brian McCoy, Transportation Program Planning Specialist, Marine Transportation Program Planning, Illinois Department of Transportation, Office of Planning & Programming – (PRESENTATION)

Purpose: The Illinois Waterway Ports initial meeting after State recognition was to share information amongst stakeholders, network and help build a common unified vision for the ILWW Ports.

Date: 31 August 2023

Location: Peoria Illinois

• Illinois Waterway Ports Annual Agenda 31 Aug 23 (LINK)
• Illinois Waterway Ports Commission Update 31 Aug 23 (LINK)
• Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP) Update 31 Aug 23 (LINK)
• Illinois Waterway 2023 Closures Update 31 Aug 23 (LINK)
• Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program Update 31 Aug 23 (LINK)
• Maritime Administration Update on Grants and Financing Opportunities for Ports 31 Aug 23 (LINK)
• Upper Mississippi River Basin Association (UMRBA) 31 Aug 23 (LINK)
• Illinois Department of Transportation Update 31 Aug 23 (LINK)
• Illinois DNR State Water Plan and Its Next Steps 31 Aug 23 (LINK)
• Heart of Illinois Regional Port District Port Master Plan and Implementation Strategy Update 31 Aug 23 (LINK)
• North Central Illinois Council of Governments (NCICG) Update 31 Aug 23 (LINK)
• Western Illinois University National Science Foundation Advancing Smart Logistics Update 31 Aug 23 (LINK)