ICNC's 2019 Impact

ICNC supports and strengthens the West Side community and its businesses and community members through incubation, business advising, workforce development, and neighborhood planning.
From opening the new food and beverage incubator, The Hatchery, to creating a new culinary program offered for young adults on the West Side, to upholding the Kinzie Corridor Planned Manufacturing District - 2019 was a year of growth and exciting achievements for all of us at ICNC.

Workforce Development

The Workforce Development Department provides HR and personnel management support to small businesses and helps local people find local jobs, along with two job training programs - a women's EMT training program and Impact Culinary Training.

Economic Development

The Economic Development Department advocates to the City of Chicago’s decision makers on behalf of small businesses in the Kinzie Industrial Corridor Planned Manufacturing District.

Illinois Small Business Development Center International Trade Center

The Illinois Small Business Development Center International Trade Center at ICNC provides no-cost business advising to small businesses, support to businesses interested in exporting their products, and a variety of educational workshops. The Illinois Small Busines Development Center International Trade Center is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, and the Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago (ICNC).

Incubation

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Photography courtesy of Wight & Company. © 2019 James Steinkamp Photography
The Hatchery, a new food and beverage incubator built in East Garfield Park in partnership with Accion Chicago, includes 54 private kitchen spaces, a shared kitchen, event space, training kitchen, and more exciting features.
Housing more than 100 small businesses in a wide variety of industries including food and beverage, apparel and textiles, hair and body products, and creative services.

3 Major Successes of 2019
The Hatchery Celebrated One Year!
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Photography courtesy of Wight & Company. © 2019 James Steinkamp Photography
The Hatchery, a food and beverage incubator created through a joint venture with Accion, officially opened for business in early 2019. The Hatchery focuses on helping food businesses grow through a robust entrepreneurship curriculum and ready-to-use kitchen facilities, creating local jobs for community members, and accelerating inclusive local economic growth.
Kinzie Corridor PMD Was Upheld!
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Photography courtesy of Helios Visions.
After extensive advocacy efforts, the  Kinzie Framework Plan was passed, upholding and modernizing the Kinzie Industrial Corridor's planned manufacturing district (PMD) zoning. The Corridor remains an economic engine for Chicagoans of diverse backgrounds and education levels.
Impact Culinary Training Launched!
Impact Culinary Training is for young adults ages 16-24 on Chicago's West Side launched in Summer 2019 in partnership with Chef Rick Bayless. 13 students graduated from the first cohort and there are 15 students currently in the program's second cohort.

Staff + Board of Directors

ICNC Staff
Administration and Finance
Steve DeBretto, Executive Director
​Shaquetta McToy, Office Administrator at The Hatchery
Joshua Punchur, Finance Manager
Veronica Robles, Office Administrator

Business Advising and Entrepreneurship Education
Enrique Rubio, Director, Illinois SBDC International Trade Center
Merly Thomas, Director, Illinois Small Business Development Center

Economic Development
Hannah Jones, Director, Economic Development

Fund Development and Marketing
Michelle Collett, Marketing Associate
Ashley-Marie Sutherland, Grant Writer and Donor Relations Manager
ICNC's Board of Directors
President: Robert Carmody, Diana's Bananas
Vice-President: Unah Choi, Choi Brands, Inc.
Secretary: Heather Egan, Rickard Circular Folding
Treasurer: Tim Garcia
Vice-Secretary: Marcia Hundt, S.N. Peck Builder
Vice-Treasurer: Everett Bell, Midwest Fence Corporation
Incubator Property Management
Bob Climack, Property Manager 
Erasmo Velazquez, Assistant Property Manager
Noemi Alvarado, Custodian
Rosa Castruita, Custodian
Courtney Ford, Custodian
Victor Leon, Building Maintenance
Jorge Ortiz, Building Maintenance
Adan Perez, Building Construction
Hugo Viramontes, Building Maintenance
Darius Williams, Building Maintenance

Workforce Development
Priscilla Torrence, Director, Workforce Development
Nancy Kramer, Community Engagement Coordinator
Mattie Young-Burns, Culinary Program Manager
Andy Bizub, Midwest Performance Cars
Harvey Camins, CTK Chicago Partners
Kelly Deady, Kunz Glove Company, Inc.
Craig Faust, @Properties
Calvin Gin, Helios Visions
Amy Liss
Simone Mitchell-Peterson, Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly
Andrew Wielgus, Aztec Plastic

ICNC + KIDC Financials
The Kinzie Industrial Development Corporation is the 501(c)(3) charitable organization of the Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago. 
All financial numbers are unaudited.