INA, Ill. (July 24, 2025) — Rend Lake College was proud to host SI Now's 3rd Annual Economic Development Day in the Event Center on the Ina campus.
SI Now serves as a "regional economic development hub and unified voice for the 17 southern counties of Illinois," according to southernillinoisnow.org. Their mission is advance the Southern Illinois region by promoting the life, culture, workforce, and businesses of the region.
SI Now Executive Director Deb Barnett giving her welcoming remarks.
"Southern Illinois Now focuses on economic development for the entire Southern Illinois region," said Deb Barnett, SI Now Executive Director. "We bring together business leaders, community leaders, city leaders, and more to focus on ways to build our communities and improve the quality of life of the people in these communities."
The Economic Development Day featured four speaker panels of community leaders, economic developers, workforce partners, and key community leaders. The event aimed to foster a sense of pride in Southern Illinois and provide attendees with information and resources to advance the region's economic development.
The Power of Place: Building Community Pride panel, featuring Moderator Jennifer Olson (Business Developer, City of Marion), Dena Haun (Tourism and Special Events, City of Carbondale), Brooke Gutman (Manager, Egyptian Electric Cooperative) Mayor Allison Madison (Mound City), and Brian Harland (Executive Director, Jefferson County Development Corporation).
"We want to thank S.I. Now for choosing Rend Lake College as the site for this year's regional economic development meeting," said RLC President Lori Ragland. "I thought they did a very good job of bringing together leaders, businesses, and organizations from the area. Attending the event and listening to the panels, the commitment to serving Southern Illinois was very apparent. I think it was a good collaboration and will help move the needle on education and growth in our communities."
"It's often difficult to find a central location for all 17 counties," said Barnett. "Rend Lake College and its event center facility provided the perfect venue and location for our event. This location followed one of our key messages, which was workforce and education... The hospitality of Rend Lake College and President Lori Ragland has made this the perfect location for our event."
For more information about SI Now and their mission, visit southernillinoisnow.org.
Interested in hosting an event at the RLC Event Center? Visit rlc.edu/event-center or contact Event Coordinator Sydney Clayton at events@rlc.edu.
