Chicago City Treasurer News & Announcements

Alumni Club of Business Plan Finalists Announced

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:12:00 GMT

Chicago City Treasurer, Stephanie D. Neely, has announced a new Small Business Alumni Club to provide the public updates on all top 10 finalists in the annual business plan competition. The Club, will feature updates on our current and former winners on the growth - success - and media coverage of their businesses.

Treasurer Neely says, " Helping Chicago small businesses is a top priority of my Office. The Small Business Alumi Club is just one more way to connect - stay in touch - and help our top 10 as well as all Chicago small businesses excel."

ALUMNI CLUB UPDATE - 12/2/2009

Congratulations to our best "Elevator Speech Contest Winner" Chicago Chocolate Tours just celebrated its 4-year anniversary. They provide guided walking and tasting tours to unique Chicago chocolate shops and cafes, for public and private groups. We've helped a lot of people enjoy a lot of chocolate in the past 4 years, and we're just warming up!We're opening our 5th route this Saturday 12/5/09, in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood. Our current routes are the Magnificent Mile, Downtown Loop, South Loop, Lincoln Park, and now Lakeview. Details are at www.chicagochocolatetours.com.

ALUMNI CLUB UPDATE - 11/30/2009

An update on one of our most inventive members the Alumni Club- Business Plan top 10 finalists. (Formerly Noonsolar – now “Noon”

Noon - has created a new website www.noonstyle.com. Noon is a Chicago based company that designs and makes eco products. They makes bags for men and women which incorporate flexible solar panels to keep cell phones and iPods charged. We also make non-technology based bags and baby clothing. All products are made from organic materials that have been naturally dyed, and all are made in Chicago or NYC. Congratulations on your success and new website.

ALUMNI CLUB UPDATE 11/15/2009
Congratulations to Angela Keaveny and ROWDYDOW bbq, LLC, one of our Top 10 finalists in the 2009 Small Business Plan Competition on their appearance on CBS 2 Chicago.Chicago Bear fans also enjoyed ROWDYDOW Bar B Q at Soldier Field.

http://cbs2chicago.com/local/accion.chicago.small.2.1306644.html

City Treasurer’s Business plan competition begins in February, 2010

Small Business Expo (FREE) is July 16^th, 2010

Treasurer Neely launches College Credit Program to protect students from excessive credit card debt

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:46:00 GMT

View WGN-TV Midday News Special

June 18th is the Deadline to be a Small Business Expo Exhibitor

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 23:25:00 GMT

June 18th is deadline to be a Small Business Expo Exhibitor.

Find out more about becoming an exhibitor here.

Set a New Year Resolution to keep a monthly budget.

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:53:00 GMT

Citing research from two recent surveys which indicate Americans spend about the same amount of time preparing Thanksgiving Dinner each year as they do for their retirement planning…and less than 3 minutes a day on their finances, Chicago City Treasurer Stephanie Neely hopes Chicagoan’s will include keeping a monthly budget as a part of their New Years resolution.

You will find a sample budget that is printable on our website and I hope you can participate in our FREE Financial Wealth Fitness for Adults classes at all seven City Colleges of Chicago. Happy New Year!

2008 holidays a great time to talk to family about money and budgets

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:36:00 GMT

Citing research from two recent surveys which indicate Americans spend about the same amount of time preparing Thanksgiving Dinner each year as they do for their retirement planning…and less than 3 minutes a day on their finances, Chicago City Treasurer Stephanie Neely hopes Chicagoan’s will include finances as a topic of their family holiday gatherings this year.

Following a series of financial summits with top economic and financial experts which helped citizens get direct expert advice, “we learned it is very difficult for people to talk to strangers about financial problems and often wait until they are in real trouble before they seek help with their mortgages and finances. We ask that families will use this holiday time leading up to the biggest spending period of the year to check in with their loved ones.”

The Treasurer also advises “We are living in a country of “dissavings” with record high debt – and record low savings and to recommends a monthly budget to learn the skills to save and invest before you spend. Sample printable budgets and schedules for FREE citywide money management courses have been posted at www.chicagocitytreasurer.com

Following a series of effective Economic Summits, the Treasurer quotes American educator and writer Peter Drucker, “Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action.” The Treasurer adds, “As we reflect and plan more summits for 2009, we hope families will discuss finances over the holidays, and give my Office any suggestions on how we can further help them with our summits.”

Neighborhood Economic Summit

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:35:00 GMT

Chicago City Treasurer Stephanie Neely will be joined by financial expert Terry Savage and Susan Beacham national expert on youth and family financial education as a series of Chicago neighborhood economic summits will begin next Monday, October 27th from 5:15-6:30 at the South Shore Cultural Center, 7059 South Shore Drive. Other dates are being planned.

Here is what will be offered:

Terry Savage will discuss personal finances and getting out of credit card debt.

Treasurer Neely will discuss budgeting elements of her free financial skills classes “Wealth Fitness for Adults.”

Susan Beacham will cover talking about tight economic times with your children.

30-35 minutes of questions and answers.

Treasurer Neely emphasizes “I have made economic literacy a top priority of my Office, and our economic conditions reinforce the great importance to manage a budget and control debt in difficult financial times.” Schedule of free money classes - www.chicagocitytreasurer.com

MONEY MONDAY live

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:06:00 GMT

MONEY MONDAY live - 10/20/2008 - at 4:30 PM, 5:00 PM, 6:00 PM

NBC- 5 Chicago will feature City Treasurer Stephanie D. Neely and other money experts on MONEY MONDAY live this afternoon at 4:30 PM, 5:00 PM, 6:00 PM.

The City Treasurer will also team up for a live financial summit with Financial Expert Terry Savage next Monday, from 5:30 - 6:30 PM.

From NBC-5

Struggling with your bills
Confused about the economy
This Monday on NBC-5 Chicago, 7 financial experts will give you advice you can take to the bank - live calls and e-mails will be a part of all 3 afternoon and evening newscasts.

Join us for Money Monday

Another big day for Chicago small businesses - Treasurer Neely Announces Small Business Loan Deposit

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:36:00 GMT

$3 million deposit to spur neighborhood economic growth

On Tuesday, September 16th, at 10:00 a.m., City Treasurer Stephanie Neely visited the Illinois Service Federal at 4619 South King Drive, to announce a $3 million deposit in the City Treasurer’s Small Business Loan Program.

The Small Business Loan Program is designed to spur economic growth in Chicago’s neighborhoods by encouraging financial institutions to make loans available to small businesses through the deposit of City funds. The Illinois Service Federal deposit is part of an overall Small Business Loan Program that has put over $65 million mark in neighborhood banks.

Treasurer Neely has made the growth of the Small Business Loan Program a top priority of her office.

Neely says “This program is important because it accomplishes so much for communities on so many levels. It strengthens a community-oriented bank. It helps minority-owned businesses grow and prosper. And, most of all, it helps create jobs and economic development in every Chicago neighborhood.”

“We view the small business loan program as an excellent catalyst for economic development in Chicago’s neighborhoods,” added Treasurer Neely. “Small businesses are often dependent on loans for growth or even survival, and the Small Business Loan Program creates a favorable environment for the financial institution to make the loan.”

Only banks that are City of Chicago Municipal Depositories qualify for the program.