People In Business

East Alton-based Helmkamp Construction has begun construction of Illinois American Water’s new operations center in Jerseyville. The 16,000-square-foot center will consolidate field operations, administrative and operations support staff in a single location at 501 Mound St. Kyle Ogden, project director at Helmkamp, welcomed attendees at a groundbreaking event this month. “Thank you to the entire…

Debbie Syano, RN, has been honored with The DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s programs to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day. Syano is a staff nurse in Memorial’s Family Care Birthing Center in Shiloh and has been employed at Memorial for three years but has…

All proceeds from Neighbors Bakeshop to benefit District 7 residents Edwardsville Neighbors, which has raised more than $1 million to ease the financial burdens of local families, is opening a nonprofit bakeshop to further its charitable efforts. The first of its kind bakery/community kitchen is called Neighbors Bakeshop. All proceeds generated from the store will…

Michael  McCuskey has begun his role as legislature’s watchdog. By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Michael McCuskey assumed his role of Legislative Inspector General this week, bringing 32 years of judicial experience to the position charged with investigating lawmaker misconduct. “I want them to be a little scared of me,” McCuskey, in…

Five employees at United States Steel Corp.’s Illinois and Indiana facilities, including one from Granite City, have been named Volunteer Service Champions, as part of the company’s “United by Service” campaign honoring community service efforts. The company honored the winners with $5,000 in donations to charitable organizations of their choice. The United by Service campaign…

First Mid Bancshares Inc. appointed Gisele A. Marcus to the company’s board of directors, effective Jan. 25. Marcus (shown) will also serve on the board of directors of First Mid Bank & Trust, which is a subsidiary of the company. Marcus currently serves as a professor of Practice at Washington University in St. Louis, where…

Carlyle-based The Maschhoffs, one of the largest family-owned hog producer networks in North America, has announced that Acuity Ag Solutions, a subsidiary company of Maschhoff Family Foods, has been acquired by Fast Genetics, a subsidiary of STgenetics. SDR Ventures served as the exclusive sell-side advisor to Acuity and Maschhoff Family Foods throughout the transaction process.…

Gabe Angieri has been appointed by the Arch Grants Board of Directors to serve as the interim executive director for the organization as the board continues its national search for a new head. Angieri has served as Arch Grants’ director of Development and Strategy. The appointed was announced in a letter to the community on…

Jim Pipkin, a financial advisor with Edward Jones, has earned designation as a Certified Financial Planner, a trademarked role granted by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc., a nonprofit board based in Washington, D.C. The certification is awarded to individuals who meet the CFP Board’s stringent requirements. To gain certification, a financial advisor…

The Southwestern Illinois College Police Academy recently celebrated the graduation of Session 145. The SWIC Police Academy is an intensive academic and physical training program designed to prepare recruits to enter a career in law enforcement. It is one of only seven police academies in Illinois. Graduates in alphabetical order include: Benjamin M. Abney of…