Ford The Rock

If you need a loan to start or expand a small business, you want to meet our guest on this episode of Ford the Rock Podcast . John Phelps is the Executive Director of the Rockford Local Development Corporation in Rockford. John and the RLDC historically have specialized in SBA loans. Now, they’re expanding into the housing market. Their housing loans target developers willing to take on single-fam...

Rockford boomerang definition: Individual or couple returning to Rockford for family support while raising a family. Meet Josiah (Joe) Vander Heyden: family man, engineer, developer, realtor, excellent guy, and Rockford boomerang. Joe graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in civil engineering and moved to Houston, Texas to work in the oil and gas industry. We talk with Joe about...

A unique entrepreneur, creative stylist and advocate for women’s health - her holistic salon and boutique, Lucette is located on East State St. in Downtown Rockford. Kate Wirth is a joy to talk with because she is positive, uplifting, and knows her stuff. Kate pays her employees by the hour so they may help run the business and be paid for the work. Holistic health is a concept that leaves some pe...

“Live in downtown Rockford. Are you crazy?” “Rent an apartment downtown. You’re out of your mind. Who would do that?” Well, all the naysayers have been wrong over the years. Many folks will not only live in downtown Rockford but will love it. Justin Fern, our guest today, knows. He’s the founder and owner of Urban Equity Properties, UEP.  UEP has developed more than 500 apartments in and...

Snow removal, water from your faucets, potholes in your street, and sidewalks—whose responsibility are they? How about major street projects such as Charles St., Harrison Avenue, 9th St., and the Whitman St. interchange? Who handles these large-scale projects? Sit back and listen to the man responsible for leading all these efforts daily, Mr. Kyle Saunders, Director of Public Works for the city of...

Lynn Stainbrook is the Executive Director of the Rockford Public Library, one of our city’s most challenging roles. Lynn came to Rockford from Brown County, Wisconsin, where she was the library’s executive director. In this episode, we discuss the opportunities facing the Rockford Public Library as the world of information changes around us. Lynn discusses the library’s increasing role in educatio...

Singer/songwriter Miles Nielsen is a bandleader, father, husband, and Rockford native. He established his band, The Rusted Hearts, 10 years ago. He and the band have toured America and Europe and produced numerous recordings. Miles brought along his guitar, so you’ll also hear some original songs today. We’re talking to Miles because he lives in Rockford and is a great example of an independent sp...

If you looked in the dictionary for the definition of a community leader, you might find Mike Schablaske’s picture. Mike’s professional background is in corporate business. At his last suit and tie job, he worked in finance at Woodward, an aerospace corporation founded in the Rockford region. After leaving Woodward, he helped to establish the not-for-profit group, Transform Rockford, created to ma...

We’re talking with Amy Chatfield, Vice President of Ad Vice Marketing. Amy is a businesswoman, mom, and community activist. Ad Vice Marketing is a boutique marketing agency serving the Rockford market and beyond. We’ll talk about marketing in this world of seemingly infinite communication platforms, with a special focus on storytelling and the toll ineffective marketing can take. Please join us as...

Dr. Carlson-Dexter has been practicing family medicine in Rockford for five years.  He is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Rockford, which is just one of the reasons we’re talking with him today. A primary care physician, Dr. Carlson-Dexter is working on becoming board-certified in addiction treatment. We are interested in talking to Dr. Carlson-Dexter about how...

In this episode, you’ll be introduced to Greg Watt, one of the founders of The Element of Rockford. He is president of WATT Global Media. Although an international company, WATT Global Media operates a results-only work environment that allows its employees to work remotely at all times. Greg is a strong advocate for Rockford’s downtown, choosing to locate here several years ago. We invite you to...