UIS to host a free public webinar on “Reopening: What You Need to Know”

The University of Illinois Springfield Office of Economic Development and Innovation, College of Business and Management, College of Public Affairs and Administration and Innovate Springfield will host a free public webinar on “Reopening: What You Need to Know” exploring state guidelines for businesses and consumer demand during COVID-19.

The webinar will be offered 12-1 p.m. Friday, May 29, and will be led by Bruce Sommer, UIS director of economic development and innovation.

Many Illinois businesses, organizations and recreational spaces plan to reopen to customers next week under phase two of Gov. J.B. Pritzker's Restore Illinois plan. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity recently released a phase three business toolkit. Understanding these guidelines will be essential for safe operations.

Jonathan McGee, acting deputy director of regional economic development at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, will speak about the Restore Illinois plan’s phase three guidelines for reopening businesses.

Kevin Lust, director of Illinois Small Business Development Center at Lincoln Land Community College, will present on “Back to Business: What Not to Miss.”

Finally, Innovate Springfield Executive Director Katie Davison will analyze data from a new survey of local consumers that asked to what level they plan to start patronizing local businesses, and the safety measures they want in place that would give them confidence to return to more normal shopping patterns.

Participants are encouraged to register for the event at go.uis.edu/COVIDwebinar, however registration is not required. Zoom and call in connection information can be found on the registration page.

This webinar is part of a series aimed at providing the local community with expert information and quality resources to navigate these challenging times.

For more information, contact Bruce Sommer at bsomm2@uis.edu.