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COIL FIRST CHAIRMAN’S AWARD RECIPIENT  | SPRINGFIELD, IL – Craig Coil, of Decatur, recently was honored by the Illinois Development Council (IDC) as the group’s first Chairman’s Award recipient. This award goes to a person whom the Chairman of the Board feels went above and beyond the call of duty for the organization, and, in doing so, allowed the Chairman to be more effective. The 2007 award is unusual not only because it is the first year the award was given but also because instead of the recipient being chosen by out-going Chairman Coil, the Board of Directors unanimously voted him the award winner.
| | “Craig exemplifies the intent of the award, as is shown by the overwhelming support of the Board of Directors which he chaired,” said current IDC Board Chairman, Janet Mathis, of Geneseo. “Craig was a leader both in word and deed. During the past 18 months as IDC went through growing pains, he bore criticisms from both internal and external sources while keeping the organization on track toward building the relationship with the new management team, better fiscal stability and more member-oriented activities. He was always there providing guidance, expertise, financial support or any number of a myriad of activities the general membership does not usually see.” Coil is the President of the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) of Decatur and Macon County (Illinois) where he also serves as Administrator of both the Decatur-Macon County Enterprise Zone and the Decatur Foreign Trade Zone. In the last three years alone, the EDC has worked with local, state and federal partners to access nearly $40 million in assistance to local employers. The EDC has also facilitated projects which have resulted in the creation and/or retention of over 3,000 jobs and private sector capital investments of more than $100 million. These efforts have resulted in the Decatur
Metropolitan Statistical Area seeing one of the largest decreases in unemployment rates of any area in the state. Coil has more than 20 years of economic development experience which including both managing the Illinois Department of Commerce & Community Affairs Business
Development staff and serving as statewide senior project manager. Throughout his career, Coil has coordinated projects resulting in more than $10 billion in capital investment and 15,000 jobs created or retained. The Illinois Development Council is an association of economic development professionals and allies. These individuals are employed by municipalities; not-for-profit economic development councils or community development corporations; utilities; railroads; planning commissions; state government; and other partners interested in retaining and growing businesses in Illinois. Members of the organization participate in mutually beneficial public policy, marketing and educational efforts. |
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