Janyce Fadden

President

As President of the Rockford Area Economic Development Council, Janyce is responsible for managing all the organization’s efforts, including business retention and expansion, new business recruitment, and improving the business climate of our region. In her role for the RAEDC, Janyce serves on the boards of the Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Rockford Chamber of Commerce, Rockford Local Development Corporation, Rockford Regional Economic Development District, and Stateline Angels. She also serves on the City of Rockford Sister City Advisory Commission, the executive committee of Northern Illinois Commuter Transportation Initiative, and the steering committees of Go Global the Tri-State Alliance. Janyce also serves as Executive Director of the I-39 Logistics Corridor Association.

Prior to joining the RAEDC in June, 2004, Janyce served in various capacities as President, Vice President, and General Manager for Honeywell, General Signal, Applied Power, Pacific Scientific, and Danaher. 

Janyce earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering and Management from Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, and she earned her Master of Business Administration degree from Northern Illinois University.

Janyce currently serves on the Board of Rockford Sexual Assault Counseling and NIU Rockford Club Board. She has been privileged with receiving the Rockford Chamber of Commerce "Women Business Manager of the Year" Award, the YWCA Betty Ann Keegan Award, the  Dr. Mildred Freeburg Berry Award from the League of Women Voters for outstanding civic leadership, named the North Western Illinois Building Trades Council Person of the Year in 2009, and in 2011 an award for serving as the keynote speaker at the Hamilton Sundstrand Rockford Leadership Club annual dinner.

Email: jfadden@rockfordil.com

815.969.4264

Mark Podemski

Vice President for Development

As Vice President for Development for the Rockford Area Economic Development Council (RAEDC), Mark is responsible for assisting clients with business expansion and retention efforts. 

Prior to joining the RAEDC staff in February of 2005, Mark held several leadership positions during his 19-year career at Honeywell International in product and engineering management, factory operations, sales, and business development. In 2004, Mark established a management-consulting company focused on assisting clients with performance-improvement approaches.

Mark serves on the Boone and Winnebago Workforce Investment Board and chairs the Business Relations Committee. Mark is also the current Chairman of the Chicago chapter of the Swedish American Chambers of Commerce (SACC) and he serves on the SACC USA Board and Executive Committee.

Mark holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and a Master of Business Administration degree from Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Email: mpodemski@rockfordil.com

815.969.4254

Eric Voyles

Vice President of National Business Development

Eric joined the staff of Rockford Area Economic Development Council (RAEDC) in February of 2006. Eric leads the region’s business attraction outreach efforts. He serves as the liaison between the Rockford Region and national real estate community, global site selectors and private companies considering first time investment in the Rockford Region.

Eric has over 17 years of experience in economic development with expertise in foreign investment attraction (China), business park planning and development, government and ally partnership development, and airport and rail-related logistics. He is also experienced in labor market assessment, strategic planning, existing business development, and entrepreneurship and incubator development.

Eric graduated from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, specializing in Finance and Economics, and a master’s degree in Public Administration with a specialization in Economic Development. Most recently Eric was the founding President and CEO of the Galesburg Regional Economic Development Association and prior to that he was the Vice President of Economic Development for the River Bend Growth Association; the third largest Chamber Of Commerce in the greater St. Louis area. Eric serves on the Board of Director’s of the Mid-American Economic Development Council (MAEDC) and the Illinois Development Council (IDC). He is a member of the International Economic Development Council, Industrial Asset Management Council, the Chicago Traffic Club, Intermodal Association of North America, The International Air Cargo Association, among other organizations.

Email: evoyles@rockfordil.com

815.969.4256

Mary Cacioppi

Director of Investor Relations

As Director of Investor Relations for the Rockford Area Economic Development Council, Mary Cacioppi coordinates the efforts of investors, board members, and staff to increase and sustain private and public-sector investments in support of the RAEDC. Mary is responsible for a $7.5 Million capital campaign in support of the RAEDC’s five-year strategic plan for 2008-2012, called Rockforward! Mary also serves as staff liaison for the Rockforward! President’s Circle and Rockforward! Leadership Council, and the Business & Community RElations Solutions Team; she also chairs the Attracting and Retaining Talent to the Rockford Area Steering Committee.

Mary is an active member of Next Rockford and serves on its Strategy Team and co-chairs the Business Environment Team. She is also a member of IGNITE, and is the chairperson of Boylan High School Alumni's Business & Professional Network.

Mary has completed three years of the Community Development Institute and is now eligible for certification as a Community and Economic Development Professional through the CDI.

She holds a B.A. in business administration from Madison University and graduated with Honors Cum Laude. Mary was a recipient of the Rockford Chambers '40 Leaders Under 40' award in 2008; and was honored with the Woman Business Leader of Tomorrow award through the Rockford Chamber in 2009.

Email: mcacioppi@rockfordil.com

815.969.4259

Leilani Hillis

Manager of Operations

As Manager of Operations for the Rockford Area Economic Development Council, Leilani is responsible coordinating the daily operations of the organization including the finance and HR duties. She provides support to the President and RAEDC management staff, as well as supporting events and various marketing projects. Leilani acts as staff liaison to the RAEDC Board of Directors, including Audit and Nominating Committees. 

Leilani joined the RAEDC in October of 2000, with several years of customer service experience. She represents the organization as a Certified Notary Public.

Email: lhillis@rockfordil.com

815.969.4253 

Carrie Zethmayr

Manager of International Trade

Joining the staff in 2008, Carrie supports business attraction initiatives, focusing on attracting investment into our region from international partners. Carrie develops and manages relationships with Chinese government and business contacts both in China and in the United States. She also manages the organization’s Global Relations newsletter, a newsletter directed to our Chinese contacts that keeps them updated on developments in the Rockford area’s business community, particularly as it relates to Chinese investment in our region.

Carrie assists in developing international marketing strategies based on the Rockford Area’s industry clusters. As clients are interested in investing in the Rockford Area, she provides support to the Vice President of National Business Development in responding to these clients’ needs. Additionally, Carrie provides support to initiatives that promote export growth from our region, serving to connect local companies to trade organizations, international consulates and government export promotion agencies.

Collaborating with local public and private partners, Carrie also organizes international trade missions from the Rockford Area to promote our region as a location for foreign direct investment and to assist local companies in connecting with foreign markets.

Carrie is a 2008 Beloit College graduate who majored in languages and Asian Studies. In 2006 and 2007 she lived in Jinan, China where she studied Chinese language and culture. Carrie speaks both Mandarin and French.

Email: czethmayr@rockfordil.com

815.969.4263

Alison Lakey

Administrative Services Coordinator

As Administrative Services Coordinator for the Rockford Area Economic Development Council (RAEDC), Alison serves as the receptionist for the organization, being the first point of contact for investors, clients, and partners. She maintains a central contact database which supports the comprehensive network that is utilized for the work of the RAEDC.

Alison is from the Rockford community, graduated from Auburn High School and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Beloit College. She joined the staff in June of 2008 with several years of customer service and human resource experience. She is involved in several community organizations that support sustainability and social justice.

Email: alakey@rockfordil.com

815.969.4260

Teri Johnson

Investor Relations Coordinator

As Investor Relations Coordinator, Teri is responsible for scheduling investor meetings, corrdinating quarterly events, managing communications with new and prospective investors, maintaining accounts receivable and updating the organization's investor database and online directory.  She also provides support to the Rockforward! Leadership Council and Business & Community Relations Solutions Team.

Prior to joining the RAEDC staff in January 2010, Teri held marketing and management positions in sales and financial services in Texas, New York, and West Virginia.

Teri earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from West Virginia University. She and her husband, a native of this region, relocated to the Rockford area from Texas in 2009, demonstrating the boomerang effect.

Email: tjohnson@rockfordil.com

815.969.4261

Matthew Simpson

Business Development Specialist

Simpson joined the organization in 2010.  As Business Development Specialist, he is engaging the community in business retention and expansion efforts.

Matthew is a graduate of Southern Illinois University-Carbondate (SIUC) with a Bachelor of Science in Business Economics and Finance. A Rockford native, Simpson graduated  from Auburn High School and Rock Valley College. Before leaving SIUC, he received honors such as Outstanding Business Economics Senior from the Department of Finance and 25 Most Distinguished Seniors Award from the SIUC Alumni Association.

Email:  msimpson@rockfordil.com

815.969.4258

Beatrice Miller

Business Development Assistant

As Business Development Assistant, Bea supports the Vice President for Development and the Business Development Specialist. Her primary focus is on Voice of the Customer surveys and the Business Retention & Expansion Solutions Team. Bea also coordinates the quarterly Coffee Talk Program and assists with other key events.

Bea is a native of Rockford and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from Northern Illinois University.

Email:  bmiller@rockfordil.com

815.969.4255

Yulia Sophina

National Business Development Assistant

As National Business Development Assistant, Yulia supports the Vice President of National Business Development and the Manager of International Relations & Client Solutions. Prior to joining hte RAEDC staff in July 2011, Yulia was the Global Sourcing Manager at a Dutch Chemical Ingredients Distributor.

Yulia supports the RAEDC business attractions initiatives and the Illinois SBDC International Trade Center. Specializing in Eastern Europe, she assists Rockford Area companies with export growth and identification of Global Trade opportunities.

Yulia graduated for the National Agriculture University in the Ukraine with a bachelor's degree in Economics, specializing in Economic Development, and a master's degree in Business Administration. Yulia speaks both Ukrainian and Russian.

Email:  ysophina@rockfordil.com

815.969.4267