Lake County Partners

09/01/2026

The latest Inc. Magazine 5000 list offers another compelling snapshot of why Lake County is a place where businesses grow. 📈

Local companies like Hatch Product Development & Contract Manufacturing in the Village of Wauconda, Zion Cloud Solutions in the Village of Deerfield, Setna IO in the Village of Lincolnshire - Government, Clear Armor in the Village of Grayslake, IL, Averus Fire Services in the Village of Gurnee, and Paragon Micro, Inc. in the Village of Buffalo Grove are among the fast-growing businesses in the U.S. - and all of them are leveraging their Lake County location to build on their momentum.

Lake County offers businesses access to a deep and diverse talent pool, proximity to Chicago and major transportation networks, outstanding communities, and an ecosystem that supports companies as they scale. That combination creates something powerful: a competitive advantage that gives business leaders an edge.

Congrats to these local leaders on their nationally-recognized entrepreneurship and success! Get to know them here: https://hubs.li/Q04w4GGM0

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The 2026 Inc. 5000 list honors the fastest-growing private companies in America.

08/31/2026

Great leaders don’t just lead organizations, they strengthen communities, and this is your chance to do just that. 💪

Local professionals are invited to attend the Nonprofit Board Expo, presented in partnership with the The Lake County Community Foundation and Givenkindorg:

📅 Wednesday, September 16, 2026

⏰ 6:00–8:00 PM

📍 Vernon Area Public Library, Village of Lincolnshire - Government

🎟️ Free — registration required

This annual event is a unique opportunity to explore nonprofit board service, meet mission-driven organizations, and discover where your skills, experience, and passion can make a difference. Whether you’re an experienced executive, emerging leader, subject-matter expert, or simply looking for a meaningful way to give back, there’s a nonprofit board opportunity waiting for your perspective.

Register here: https://hubs.li/Q04vX_Rp0

Give back to your community by serving on a board. Learn what nonprofit mission-based organizations are looking for in potential board members.

08/28/2026

We're excited to celebrate a new chapter of agriculture and education in Lake County, with the grand opening of the Urban Farm Center at the College of Lake County’s Lakeshore Campus in the City of Waukegan.

Join us on Saturday, October 17, from 2–6 p.m. for a free community celebration showcasing this innovative new facility and the opportunities it will bring to our region, with:
🌾 Tours of the new Urban Farm Center
🍎 Food samples from local farmers and vendors
🎨 Art and music
🤝 Community connections
🌱 An opportunity to see this exciting new space firsthand

The Urban Farm Center represents an important investment in education, hands-on learning and local agriculture. It creates new opportunities to connect students and residents with the people, practices, and possibilities shaping the future of food in Chicagoland.

👉 Register for the free event: https://hubs.li/Q04vJdt40

Join us for this free community event on Saturday, October 17 from 2- 6 pm for the Urban Farm Center Grand Opening at Lakeshore Campus. The day will be filled with tours of the innovative facility, food samples from local farmers and vendors, as well as art, music and community. All are welcome!

08/27/2026

Calling all Lake County businesses: Help shape the future of our workforce!

On October 20, Career Navig8 Lake County will give hundreds of students an exciting, hands-on career exploration experience. This is a unique opportunity for local businesses, organizations, and community partners to get involved and help students discover the many career pathways available here in Lake County.

🎯 What does participation look like?
Businesses will host a booth with a hands-on activity that gives students a real-world glimpse into key industries. Students will explore career pathways across areas including:
🔹 Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
🔹 Arts & Communication
🔹 Finance & Business Services
🔹 Health & Public Services
🔹 Information Technology
🔹 Manufacturing, Engineering, Trades & Technology
🔹 Military & other community partnerships

The event will feature 5 sessions during the school day, with light breakfast and lunch provided.

And there’s an added opportunity: participating businesses can also learn about hosting paid interns for Spring 2027 through a Lake County Regional Office of Education #34 grant for qualifying students.

Learn more and see how your business can help a student see a career they never knew existed: https://hubs.li/Q04vzK-P0

Career Navig8 Lake County is set to be a large-scale event hosted at the Lake County Fairgrounds on October 20, 2026. This event will be open to all 8th graders and select groups of high schoolers in Lake County and is designed to motivate students to continue exploring and planning their careers in...

08/26/2026

Lundbeck US, which has its U.S. HQ in the Village of Deerfield, is expanding its partnership with Eversana to bring AI-powered commercialization capabilities across its entire U.S. commercial organization.

Lundbeck CEO Charl van Zyl recently told Fierce Pharma Marketing that the company is building on its momentum, with sales growth of 16% over the first half of the year.

This expansion strengthens Lake County’s position in the life sciences economy and demonstrates the power of local talent and innovation.

From global pharmaceutical companies and advanced healthcare institutions to startups, research and a highly skilled workforce, Lake County has the ingredients to compete at the highest level.

https://hubs.li/Q04vp-Sb0

A year after unveiling its AI Agency platform, Eversana has reeled in its first publicly named pharma partner with brain disease specialist Lundbeck signing on to use the AI commercialization digs | The partnership builds on previous work and will expand Lundbeck's use of Eversana's AI Agency platfo...

08/21/2026

The latest Green Region Grant awards are a great example of investment that promotes economic development, strengthens our communities, protects natural assets and enhances quality of life. 🌱

In Lake County, funding will support a new 3-acre pollinator prairie at Henry Pfau Callahan Park and outdoor learning spaces at John R. Lewis Middle School in the City of Waukegan, as well as natural habitat restoration at three Westfork Nature Preserves in the Village of Lincolnshire - Government.

We're excited to watch these projects strengthen our community for all to enjoy. Learn more about them here:
https://hubs.li/Q04tRBsM0

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The grants will help fund projects that restore prairies, wetlands and woodlands, expand pollinator habitats, plant trees and create healthier, more resilient communities.

08/20/2026

Great schools help build great talent and great businesses.

As the latest U.S. News and World Report high school rankings show, Lake County has a powerful asset that goes beyond its beautiful communities and strong quality of life: a deep pipeline of educated, talented students.

A whopping 7 Lake County high schools are among the top 100 in Illinois, and 5 of them are in the national top 500. Schools such as Stevenson High School, Lake Forest High School (LFHS), Community High School District 128, Deerfield High School and Grayslake CHSD 127 give students access to nationally recognized educational opportunities.

That matters for business.

Strong education systems develop the skills businesses need: critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, creativity, and the ability to adapt. Over time, those students pursue professions that power the regional economy.

For businesses considering where to locate, expand, or invest, the availability of exceptional schools is more than a quality-of-life benefit. It is part of the talent equation.

https://hubs.li/Q04tMzBy0

See how U.S. News ranks the best high schools in Illinois.

08/19/2026

Why are leading companies choosing to grow in Lake County?

The story of Hand2mind is a perfect example. The education-focused company, known globally for hands-on learning solutions, has chosen to expand its presence in Lake County with a new 700,000 sq. ft. facility on 35 acres in the Village of Vernon Hills - Government —a decision that says something important about the community's business environment, talent and long-term potential.

Lake County is home to many well-known brands including Abbott, AbbVie, Baxter, Walgreens, and others, and it also has a thriving ecosystem of startups and growing companies.

There are many reasons businesses continue to choose Lake County:
📍 Strategic location and connectivity
🎓 Exceptional schools and an educated talent pipeline
🧬 One of the Midwest's strongest clusters of Fortune 500 HQs
💡 Proximity to research institutions and innovation
🏢 A business environment that supports companies as they grow

hand2mind has found all that and more in Lake County, which is why its continuing to invest locally and build for the future. Congratulations to the company on its tremendous success - we're looking forward to building on this momentum.

Get the full project details here: https://hubs.li/Q04tDxH50

This business expansion will create jobs and expand the company's long-term investment in Lake County and Illinois.

08/18/2026

We’re pleased to spotlight Steve Whitehill, Market President at Huntington National Bank, in our latest Meet a Member Q&A.

Steve shares insights on his professional journey, Huntington’s growing presence across Chicagoland and Lake County, and why he sees tremendous opportunity in the region.

With Huntington expanding its footprint through a second full-service branch and corporate office, Steve discusses the bank’s long-term commitment to Lake County and broader strategy to support individuals, families and businesses across the region.

His recent appointment to our Board of Governors was a natural fit. See how we'll work with him and our other members to shape Lake County's future:
https://hubs.li/Q04tq4nx0

08/17/2026

🚨 Expansion alert 🚨 Hatch Product Development & Contract Manufacturing has officially relocated its headquarters to a new 32K sq ft facility in the Village of Wauconda.

Hatch provides product development and contract manufacturing services for companies ranging from startups to Fortune 500 and organizations across medical devices, industrial equipment, defense, consumer products, and fitness tech.

The company has rapidly grown since its founding in 2021, earning recognition on the Inc. 5000 list of America's Fastest-Growing Private Companies.

"This facility positions us to continue helping innovators bring complex products to market while creating new opportunities for engineering and manufacturing talent here in ," said CEO Mark Schwartz.

More here: https://bit.ly/4weqVua

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