Illinois Business Journal

By Melissa Crockett Meske Managing Editor (July 2022-July 2026) Illinois Business Journal Better Newspapers Inc. has made the decision to cease its operations of the Illinois Business Journal as of July 31, 2026. The publisher and president of Better Newspapers has shared with me that it was a difficult decision to make, but that it was necessary due to ongoing declines in revenues across the board.

Greater St. Louis Inc. is putting out a call to St. Louis small businesses looking to scale up. The organization’s Supplier Readiness Accelerator – a 12-week, cohort-based program designed to prepare locally owned small businesses for growth and integration into corporate supply chains – is now accepting applications for its Fall 2026 cohort.

As families across the area prepare for the new school year, many are feeling the financial strain of back-to-school shopping. To help ease that financial burden, Park North Golf Club is partnering with Madison County Child Advocacy Center to support local families by hosting a school supply drive through Aug. 7, 2026.

The Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC) will host its popular “Supplier Matchmaking Program” at the second annual Global Aerospace Summit on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, in O’Fallon, Ill. The program, scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m., facilitates targeted one-on-one networking opportunities connecting manufacturers from across the bi-state St. Louis region with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) actively seeking new suppliers.

Shown from left are Coroner Nick Novacich and State Senator Erica Harriss. Illinois coroners and medical examiners will soon have access to critical mental health counseling services thanks to legislation sponsored by State Senator Erica Harriss (R-56th-Glen Carbon) that was signed into law Friday, July 24, 2026. Senate Bill 2770 expands Illinois’ first responder mental health coverage to include coroners, deputy coroners, medical examiners, and deputy medical examiners.

(Photo credit: Miranda Munguia, mirandamunguia.com) Gateway Arch Park Foundation’s Winterfest, presented by Bank of America and World Wide Technology, will return to Kiener Plaza from Nov. 21, 2026 through Jan. 3, 2027, once again transforming downtown St. Louis into a festive winter destination against the backdrop of the iconic Gateway Arch.

Construction employment increased in fewer than half—165 out of 360—of metro areas between June 2025 and June 2026, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Association officials noted that construction is either stagnant or declining in more than half of the nation’s metro areas amid uncertainties about materials prices, data center approvals, labor availability and future transportation funding.

IMPACT Strategies joined Home Turf Sports Complex ownership, community leaders and project partners in early July to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new indoor athletic facility designed to provide year-round training, competition and community opportunities for athletes throughout the Metro East.

Family members, veterans, local officials, and community members gathered on Saturday, July 25, 2026 as State Representative Amy Elik (R-111th-Alton) and State Senator Erica Harriss (R-56th-Glen Carbon) officially dedicated the “Cpl. Tommy N. Miller Memorial Highway” along Illinois Route 140 through Meadowbrook, ensuring the sacrifice of a local Marine who gave his life in Vietnam will never be forgotten.

Homeless and at-risk animals in the community will benefit from a $1,455 donation made possible through Revity Credit Union employees’ participation in the credit union’s Jeans for Generations program. Revity Credit Union’s Jeans for Generations program reflects the credit union philosophy of People Helping People, empowering employees to support organizations that make a meaningful impact in the lives of others.