This page is meant to be viewed on a mobile device.
IRMA Business Day 2025 Digital Program
Welcome
Welcome to Business Day 2025!
The Illinois Retail Merchants Association is proud to welcome you to Business Day 2025! We are thrilled to have you with us today and hope that you find today’s event worthwhile and enjoyable.
Retail is an economic anchor for the State of Illinois and the local governments within it. Illinois’ retail industry is the second largest source of revenue for the state and the largest for units of local government, making it the single most significant economic engine in Illinois. Retail is central to the services state and local governments are able to provide for the public. Additionally, retail employs one out of every four Illinoisans and accounts for 16 percent of the state’s labor income.
Beyond the economic numbers, retailers are an integral part of our communities, and they provide the essential goods and services needed to live and thrive. The breadth and depth of retail is vast; it includes but is not limited to hardware stores, pharmacies, grocery stores, restaurants, convenience stores, entertainment facilities and lodging. If you buy any type of good or service, chances are it came from a retailer, large or small.
Furthermore, retailers generously support local charities, teams, parks, food banks, schools, and countless other programs, and continually engage their local communities. Retailers are the first to fill needs during natural disasters and at other times of need, often starting to provide aid well before government assistance arrives. Retailers are the cornerstones of every community they serve.
If you have any questions throughout the day, please look for any of the IRMA staff members to assist you. Thank you and enjoy the day!
Agenda
- 12:00pm – Opening Remarks & Introduction of Board Chairs
- Rob Karr, President & CEO, IRMA, & Amanda Puck, VP of Communications & Brand Development, Mariano’s
- Mark Denzler, President & CEO, IMA, & Renee Togher, President, Azteca Foods, Inc.
- 12:15pm – Lunch
- See section below for full menu
- 12:30pm – Keynote Address
- Andy Manar, Deputy Governor of Budget & Economy
- 1:00pm – Democrat Leadership Panel
- Senate President Don Harmon
- House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch
- Moderated by Rob Karr & Mark Denzler
- 1:30pm – Republican Leadership Panel
- Senate Republican Leader John Curran
- House Republican Leader Tony McCombie
- Moderated by Rob Karr & Mark Denzler
- 2:00pm – Closing Remarks
- Mark Denzler, President & CEO, IMA
- 2:05pm – Break
- 2:15pm – Breakout Session – Energy Landscape in Illinois
- Hosted by Patrick Evans, President, Illinois Energy Association
- Featured Panelists:
- Kristol Simms, Vice President, Clean Energy Transition, Economic, Community and Business Development, Ameren
- Michael Guerra, Vice President of External Affairs, Nicor Gas
- Tom Aridas, Director of Regulatory Affairs, Peoples Gas
- Scott Vogt, Vice President of Strategy and Energy Policy, ComEd
- Lincoln Room (1st Floor)
- 3:00pm – Breakout Session – Data Privacy
- Hosted by Rob Karr, President & CEO, IRMA, & Patrick Schweska, General Counsel, IMA
- Lincoln Room (1st Floor)
- 5:00-8:00pm – Gala Reception/Tent Party
- IMA Parking Lot – Corner of 2nd & Adams Streets
Today's Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors who made Business Day 2025 possible!
Breakout Session: Energy Landscape in Illinois
This breakout session will cover the energy landscape in Illinois. Patrick Evans, President of the Illinois Energy Association, will moderate a panel of the following company representatives:
- Kristol Simms (top left), Vice President Clean Energy Transition, Economic, Community and Business Development – Ameren
- Michael Guerra (top right), Vice President of External Affairs – Nicor Gas
- Tom Aridas (bottom left), Director of Regulatory Affairs – Peoples Gas
- Scott Vogt (bottom right), Vice President of Strategy and Energy Policy – ComEd
Breakout Session: Data Privacy
Join Rob Karr (left), President & CEO of IRMA, and Patrick Schweska (right), General Counsel for IMA, for this breakout session to hear how the Health Data Privacy Act (House Bill 3494) will apply to you if passed and signed into law, even if you think it doesn’t or you don’t collect information. You will be surprised to learn – you do.
Click on the button below to view the definitions within House Bill 3494, such as health data and consent.
About Keynote Speaker Andy Manar
Andy Manar joined the administration of Governor JB Pritzker in January 2021 and serves as Deputy Governor for Budget and Economy, bringing with him over twenty years of experience in municipal, county and state government in Illinois. Prior to joining the Pritzker Administration, Manar was elected to three terms in the Illinois Senate, where he represented communities across central and southwest Illinois. During this tenure, he chaired the Senate Appropriations Committee and served as the Senate Democrats’ chief budget negotiator, playing a key role in bringing fiscal stability to Illinois. Manar championed and passed landmark, bi-partisan legislation in 2017 to transform the State’s public school funding system to address deep inequities among school districts, something that hadn’t been achieved in nearly three decades.
Prior to his tenure in the Illinois Senate, Manar has held several elected offices including Mayor of his hometown of Bunker Hill and Chairman of Macoupin County Board. He was also appointed Chief of Staff for Illinois Senate President John Cullerton before being elected to the Senate.
As Deputy Governor, Manar’s portfolio of work includes management of nearly two dozen state departments, agencies, and commissions. Manar leads the administration’s efforts on budget management and fiscal accountability which includes budget development, passage, and implementation, revenue policy, management of public pension funds, oversight of state property and assets, as well as labor negotiations with the state workforce. Governor Pritzker has tasked Manar with the continuous improvement of the state’s fiscal health and efficient government operations. Manar’s efforts have produced annual balanced budgets with surpluses and numerous credit upgrades.
In addition to budget and fiscal responsibilities, Manar leads a team from the Governor’s office focused on fostering job creation, business development and economic growth. His tenure as Deputy Governor has led to the passage and implementation of new tax incentives focuses on business attraction and expansion, streamlining of permitting processes, the launching of tailored workforce development initiatives focused on employers’ needs, and the development of ready sites to support companies re-locating to and expanding in Illinois.
Manar received his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and is a licensed teacher.
Luncheon Menu
Luncheon Menu
- Garden salad, shredded carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes
- Italian vinaigrette
- Ranch
- Roast beef with rosemary au jus
- Roasted garlic mashed potatoes
- Chef’s selection of seasonal fresh veggies
- Strawberry cheesecake
- Freshly brewed ice tea
- Water
Tent Party Vendors
Thank you to these vendors who have provided food and drinks at tonight’s Gala Reception/Tent Party.
We Are Retail Campaign
Every retailer has a story to tell. From family businesses stretching generations to budding entrepreneurs, neighborhood staples and new pop-up ventures, retailers are the faces we see repeatedly, the answers to our everyday needs and the trusted contributors to life’s moments – big and small. The We Are Retail campaign shares the stories of independent Illinois retailers through videos, photos and blogs, and is designed to raise awareness of the impact retailers have on our lives and in our communities. We invite you to learn more about what motivates retailers, as they share how the profession can be challenging but also incredibly rewarding. Nominate a retailer to become part of the We Are Retail campaign by tapping on the button below.
ILORCA
The Illinois Organized Retail Crime Association (ILORCA) administers and oversees a statewide intelligence-sharing platform for improved coordination between retailers, law enforcement agencies, loss prevention specialists, and other stakeholders to combat criminal enterprises. Membership in ILORCA is completely free.
Retail Perspective
Retail Perspective is a retail-focused guide to policy, providing updates on legislation moving through the Statehouse and current issues facing Illinois retailers.
