WBC Congratulates Two Recent Chicago Decisions

World Business Chicago welcomes two recent additions to Chicago's community -- Veolia Environnement and Tempel Steel. Veolia Environnement Selects Chicago for North American Headquarters...

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Local companies Interface, Caterpillar and Exelon are among the over 50 top companies sharing their climate strategies at Navy Pier on September 22-23. All will be participating in the second annual Corporate Climate Response event which aims to help companies share best practices on climate response.

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WBC Congratulates Two Recent Chicago Decisions

World Business Chicago welcomes two recent additions to Chicago's community -- Veolia Environnement and Tempel Steel.

Veolia Environnement Selects Chicago for North American Headquarters
Veolia Environnement (NYSE:VE and Paris Euronext:VIE), the world's largest environmental services company, has selected Chicago as its new North American headquarters. The company has signed a 34,500-sq.-ft. lease in Aon Center (200 East Randolph Street) and will occupy one floor overlooking Lake Michigan, downtown, the Gold Coast and Millennium Park in early October 2008. 

Veolia Environnement's North American headquarters will house approximately 60 executive managers and administrative personnel from four operational groups focused on water services and technologies, waste services, energy and facility management, and passenger transportation.  The four groups have combined North American revenues of approximately $4.5 billion and employ approximately 31,000 people. 

"We are pleased that Veolia has selected Chicago for its North American headquarters," said Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. "Chicago is often praised for its innovative environmental initiatives so it makes sense that the world's largest environmental services company would make our world-class city its home. Chicago offers an ideal location for connecting with the world, a thriving business climate and a great quality of life."

Michel Gourvennec, chief executive of the Veolia Environnement group in North America, said the new headquarters builds on a base of approximately 1,000 local employees and combined annual revenues of approximately $240 million in the greater Chicago area.

"In addition to being a truly world-class city, Chicago offers a perfect, centralized location for managing our North America operations and for consolidating our business leadership," Gourvennec said. "The City of Chicago's many environmental initiatives mirror our focus on sustainable development and our interest in providing leading-edge environmental programs for our municipal, industrial and commercial customers. Chicago's renowned universities and diverse culture present a tremendous source of workforce talent that is important as we grow and consider our future leaders."  

The new space will meet sustainable development standards for the U.S. Green Building Council's "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" (LEED) program. 

"We are delighted to add Veolia to our highly engaged corporate community," said Rita Athas, executive director of the city's economic development office, World Business Chicago. "Chicago's tremendous talent pool, peerless infrastructure and access to the world, along with its incomparable quality of life, will contribute to a great home for Veolia."

For more information on Veolia, visit www.veoliaenvironnement.com/ or its North American Web site www.veolianorthamerica.com/.

Tempel Steel and Mayor Richard M. Daley Announce Expansion of Chicago Manufacturing Facility
Mayor Richard M. Daley and officials from Tempel Steel, one of the north side's largest companies, recently announced that the company will expand and renovate its current manufacturing plant in Chicago and bring more than 350 jobs to the city.

The Chicago-based company, which manufactures steel laminations used in electric motors and transformers, will close its Libertyville location, and bring those jobs to an expanded Chicago location, rather than another existing plant in Monterrey, Mexico. The renovated plant will house more than 800 jobs.

"Tempel Steel Company has deep roots in Chicago since it was founded here in 1945 by Tempel Smith; our recent expansion into international markets has not hampered our ties to the city or the importance of our headquarters and manufacturing operations here," said Vincent Buonanno, Chairman and CEO of Tempel Steel. "Although we have an investment in manufacturing in Monterrey, Mexico, our decision to keep important manufacturing operations in Chicago reflects on the City's ability to provide Tempel with the talent to fill nearly 800 premium manufacturing jobs in an expanded, advanced, centrally located facility, so we can best meet the needs of our customers around the world."

"When a company such as Tempel makes a commitment like this one, it sends a strong message to the business community that our leaders work together and that Chicago can meet the needs of any company in the world -- from the largest to the smallest," said Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, at a press conference at Tempel Steel's Chicago plant. 

Tempel Steel has approximately 2,000 employees worldwide, with operations in Canada, Mexico, India and China. The company will soon begin construction for the expansion of its facility at 5500 N. Wolcott, with plans for completion by July 2009.

The city of Chicago, state of Illinois and World Business Chicago are working closely to provide Tempel Steel with assistance to expand its Chicago operations. The company is deemed eligible for the New Markets Tax Credit, Enterprise Zone program, Class 6b Real Estate Tax Classification incentives and the EDGE Tax Credit program.  
 
"With more than 483,500 manufacturing jobs in the Chicago metro area, totaling more than $58.1 billion in goods produced here last year, Chicago remains a leader in manufacturing," said Rita Athas, executive director of World Business Chicago. "Chicago's dedication to keeping these manufacturing jobs -- and growing them -- is evident in Tempel Steel's decision to expand its operations here. ' 

For more information on Tempel Steel visit www.tempel.com/.


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August CEO Spotlight: Cary D. McMillan

World Business Chicago continues to interview the city's business leaders on why they chose Chicago and what they love about the city. This month the spotlight is on Cary D. McMillan, CEO of True Partners Consulting LLC.

How long have you lived in Chicago?
Twenty-eight years. After graduating from the University of Illinois, I followed my girlfriend and college fraternity brothers here. It was scary for someone from downstate Illinois! But I was particularly helped by my colleagues at Arthur Andersen. At that time they seemed to be omnipresent in everything good about Chicago.

What is your favorite place to visit in Chicago?
Well it has certainly changed over the years, Rush Street, Lincoln Park, the neighborhoods. Those would be some of my past favorites. Today, without question, my favorite place is Millennium Park. You can find spots with peaceful, beautiful views. Or you can stand on the Promenade and watch all the kids enjoying the Crown Fountain. You can smile as thousands of people flock to the Bean (Cloud Gate). A mostly desolate railroad yard has been magically transformed into a world-class wonderland with awesome views of Michigan Avenue and the Art Institute. And it is all free!

What is the best thing about running a business in Chicago?
Businesses -- all businesses -- are about people. Attracting, retaining and developing people. We started True Partners two and one half years ago. We intentionally located the headquarters here in Chicago.

Why? The ability to recruit top tax professionals both experienced and right out of college is better here than anywhere in the U.S. We are surrounded by world-class universities: U of I, Notre Dame, Loyola, DePaul, Indiana, etc. And those graduating students overwhelmingly desire to begin their professional careers here. And about half of them were not originally from the Chicagoland area.

And experienced professionals love the great client base here. When companies like Boeing and MillerCoors select Chicago that just supports our client base. They also love the great mass transportation, two world-class airports and school choices for their children. The work ethic of people in the Midwest is well-known. Professional services firms succeed or fail in part based on that work ethic. No one works harder than people in Chicago.

What do you think the city could do to enhance the business environment?
We are the best place for business. So we should have the highest goals and standards.

First: mass transportation. We have a wonderful collection of systems. We need significant investment to improve and expand them. All I read about is insignificant investment to maintain what we have. Standing still, accepting what we have as good enough is surely a recipe for being passed by.

Second: airports. As good as O'Hare and Midway are they are also arguably the most valuable assets a city in the center of the country has. Especially in the age of the knowledge worker. At True Partners we can serve clients easily on either coast. That is something New York and California will never, ever have. Let's not blow that remarkable advantage!

Finally, we need to invest in our youth -- our future workforce and citizens. You can't have a company without great employees. And you can't have a great city when a large portion sits, economically, on the outside looking in.

How would you describe Chicago's business community?
A great partner with the city. Enthusiastic about our future. And proven leaders in putting their money and time behind improving the cultural, educational and economic lives of all the people who live here. The two best examples of this are Arthur Andersen and John Bryan.

I worked at Andersen for 19 years. From the first day on the payroll, when we all enrolled in giving our fair share to the United Way to the last day I was there, you always knew of Andersen's incredible support for the civic institutions of Chicago.

I learned that from the great senior partners I worked for there -- Jim Kackley, Bob Allgyer, Deb DeHaas and many more. You not only were expected to give your time and money, you were expected to provide leadership.

What would an ideal Saturday afternoon in the city be for you?
I would be with family or friends who don't know the city. Perhaps we start in Lakeview for breakfast at Ann Sather. Then we would bike through Roscoe Village and over to Bucktown and Wicker Park.

Grab lunch in West Town at Wishbone. Be amazed by all the people and activity in the newly booming west and near south loop developments.

Head over to the Museum Campus. Check out the Aquarium. Enjoy the lakefront. Bike back to Millennium Park for a free concert at the Pritzker Pavilion. End the night at Navy Pier with the best view anywhere and fireworks to boot.

And we never even visited Michigan Avenue, the Gold Coast or Lincoln Park!

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For more information, contact Victoria Adair, Conference Coordinator by email at: victoria.adair@greenpowerconferences.co.uk, or log on to www.greenpowerconferences.com.


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