--- title: LCP Celebrates Belle Aire Expansion, New Jobs --- Business has never been better in Lake County, Illinois. Get the latest economic development news in our monthly newsletter. | View in browser     Leading Lake County Forward The Business News You Need to Know     Lake County Partners Wins IEDC Excellence in Economic Development Award    Lake County Partners is proud to accept an Excellence in Economic Development Award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) for our new website and business outreach program. This recognition would not be possible without the support of our Workforce Ecosystem partners at the College of Lake County, Lake County Workforce Development and Lake County Tech Campus. Learn more about how we can help your company grow in Lake County here.  Read About the Award Here       Belle Aire Creations Celebrates New Round Lake Park Facility & Plans for Future Expansion Advanced manufacturer Belle Aire Creations celebrated the latest expansion of the company’s operations at a ribbon cutting for a sustainable Round Lake Park facility that quadrupled the company's manufacturing footprint. Planning is currently underway for a new global headquarters and creative center in Libertyville, set to open early next year. Meanwhile, The Chicago Tribune and the Daily Herald are taking note of Belle Aire Creations' sweet smell of success.  Read About Belle Aire Creations' Expansion Here       Producing Top Talent RFUMS Wins $2M Wet Lab Grant Local Schools Get Top Honors Horizon Invests in Healthcare Talent Rosalind Franklin’s Innovation and Research Park continues to gain momentum. The university received a $2 million matching grant through Illinois' Wet Lab Capital program to complete its buildout of the facility’s industry space. The latest U.S. News & World Report’s school rankings show that Illinois shines when it comes to public education. Lake County is the proud home of many of the top-ranked K-8 and high schools in the nation. Congrats to our world-class educators. Horizon Therapeutics has funded 3 full-tuition scholarships at Lake Forest College for students pursuing careers in healthcare. The College’s Health Professions Program is an innovative approach that is reinforcing Lake County's strong talent pipeline. READ MORE READ MORE READ MORE       Join Us for A State of the Market Summit!   We are excited to partner with REjournal to host an in-person discussion dedicated to the latest trends in real estate. LCP president and CEO Kevin Considine will moderate a discussion among Lake County mayors to dig into the latest in retail, industrial, office and residential development. Later panels will take a close look at healthcare, hospitality, infrastructure, investment and more. Don’t miss this opportunity to network with real estate professionals and get answers to big questions about Lake County’s future growth. Register to Attend on November 18th       Opportunities to Plug In See What We're Thinking in Our Latest Blog Posts Share Your Thoughts on the County's Economic Development Strategy Explore Manufacturing Careers Through the College of Lake County Pursue a Job with 80 Local Employers at the Hire Lake County Fair       Meet a Member Gordon Lamphere Director of Sales and Leasing Van Vlissingen and Co.   Congratulations on receiving recognition as one of the top LinkedIn influencers in commercial real estate. What role does social media play in the industry? I was proud to be named one of the top 30 LinkedIn Influencers in Commercial Real Estate. As social media is a growing part of our business lives, it provides a wonderful opportunity to share best practices and ideas with colleagues around the globe. Moreover, it has provided a voice to promote my brokerage practice, my company and our Lake County developments to a wide range of industry leaders. Furthermore, as a millennial professional, it has been an incredible platform to build relationships and educate local leaders in the Lake County community about the rapid changes occurring in the industry. Follow Gordon on LinkedIn here.    Right after receiving your J.D. from Tulane University, you began building your career in Lake County. What advice can you offer to young leaders looking to professionally grow?   For younger Millennial and Gen Z professionals, it is our time to roll up our sleeves and lead. Right now, Lake County is experiencing a boom in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and logistics. As older generations age and begin to phase out of the workforce, leadership opportunities are opening up in major growth industries and the local community. I have found that Lake County businesses and government are consistently seeking to evolve to meet the needs of younger generations and new and younger voices are wanted at the table. The important thing is to be willing to step up and volunteer to help!   Lake County is enjoying a huge boom in manufacturing. What trends are you seeing in industrial space?   Industrial and manufacturing space demand continues to be red hot. While there has been a significant expansion in the inventory of big box distribution space in Lake County in the past two years, this inventory is being briskly absorbed. For smaller distribution and manufacturing spaces, there has been very limited increase in supply resulting in an exceedingly tight market for freestanding buildings under 50,000 sq. ft. and multi-tenant spaces under 25,000 sq. ft. Combined with rising costs for new construction, the hot market has pushed prices for quality industrial buildings well over $100 per sq. ft.   Nationally, there is a massive shortage of labor in the skilled trades, STEM and manufacturing, which is curtailing growth. Fortunately, Lake County continues to be competitive because of its access to broad network of skilled employees.    How do you enjoy Lake County in your free time?   You’ll catch me kayaking on the Des Plains River, sailing off of Lake Forest Beach, or hiking the trails of Lake Country’s many forest preserves with my wife. I enjoy experiencing the area’s natural beauty. Lake County is extremely unique in the sense that there are so many open spaces in such a dense metro area. After a long day outside we also enjoy quenching our thirst on the Lake County Libations Trail.   Thanks to you and Van Vlissingen for being long-time supporters of LCP and economic development in the county.  My clients expect to be located in a robust, diverse and growing community. Lake County Partners does amazing work facilitating economic growth and community development.  As a commercial real estate broker and developer, my career is fueled by local economic success. Lake County Partners continues to drive major site locations and strategic growth that makes my job placing happy clients in Lake County significantly easier. Learn more about Van Vlissingen and Co. here.        Our work to drive economic development in Lake County would not be possible without the leadership of our Board of Directors & the support of our investors. Get Involved or Request our Support Here                 Lake County Partners, One Overlook Point, Suite 280, Lincolnshire, Illinois 60069, 847-597-1220 Unsubscribe Manage preferences | | --- |