Noon Business Lunch

Nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage joins John Williams to talk about the market swings the last few days, the damage that has been done to America’s standing in the world, and what this could mean for the markets and the economy overall. And as always, Terry answers all of your financial questions.

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute.

United Airlines is moving forward with an air taxi service that’ll connect major airports with their surrounding host cities. Archer Aviation says it’s ready to launch the service in New York and the air taxi would connect Manhattan with that area’s three major airports using vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. It’s unclear when the service might begin, as the company says it’s still waiting on approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. Crain’s reports Chicago will eventually be one of the company’s top markets. The service would take passengers from the Medical District campus west of downtown to O’Hare Airport. 

Also, Illinois saw strong job growth in the first quarter of the year. Listen for more below:

Segment 1: Tom Gimbel, job expert and founder of LaSalle Network, joins John to talk about if you should be working while watching TV in the office and why it is important to say thank you.

Segment 2: Adam Johnson, Partner, Just Rite IT, joins John to talk about the creation of Just Rite IT and what they offer businesses.

Segment 3: Michael Edwards, President and CEO, Chicago Loop Alliance, talks to John about Chicago Loop Alliance’s State of the Loop quarterly report details for the 1st quarter of 2025.

Segment 1: Jim Dallke, Director of Communications at TechNexus Venture Collaborative, joins John Williams to talk about DoorDash’s new robot delivery system, the Trala app that uses AI to teach the violin, and Chicago-based 11 Tribes Ventures.

Segment 2: Brad Lajoie, General Manager of Lincolnshire Marriott Resort, chats with John about the resort’s 50th anniversary and the experiences being offered throughout the summer. Guests can choose to attend performances in the Marriott Theatre, play golf at the Ralph-Fazio designed PGA course, explore the Des Plaines River Trail, and do so much more.

Segments 3 and 4: Tom Fortino, Founder and Principal of Alpha Wealth Group and host of “The Alpha Wealth Hour” Sundays at 7 am on WGN Radio, talks with John about the stock market downtrend and the uncertainty of when it will turn around. Then, nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage chimes in on the market and how long it can take for it to breakeven.

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute.

Rainbow Cone is planning for a new location in the Loop. The ice cream chain has a sign posted on the door at 163 N. Michigan. That area has been given the nickname “Street of Treats” because two other brands are also moving in soon, including an Auntie Anne’s pretzels and Cinnabon. There’s also Nutella and Stan’s Donuts nearby. Rainbow Cone is set to open in June. 

Also, the Mag Mile’s getting a new fashion brand. Listen for more below:

Segment 1: Faron Daugs, CFP, Founder and CEO, Harrison Wallace Financial Group, joins John to talk about Fed Chairman Powell’s policy remarks earlier this week, President Trump’s response to Fed Powell, if he believes the Fed needs to cut interest rates, his thoughts on the strength of the economy overall, and what he’s telling his clients right now.

Segment 2: Greg Glass, CEO, Fanstake, joins John to talk about their mission to create an environment where fans are more involved in a school’s recruiting process. Greg explains how the platform works, and the latest on the future of NIL.

Segment 3: Katie Hill, Founder and CEO, Unlisted, joins John to talk about the way Unlisted works, and their focus on connecting homeowners and buyers before a house goes on sale.

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute.

Barnes and Noble bookstores are making a comeback, and the Chicago area is included in the company’s expansion plans. Barnes and Nobles will open dozens of stores nationwide, including one in Naperville slated for opening next Wednesday. The company says it opened more bookstores last year than at any time in the past decade. The Barnes and Noble comeback is credited partly to the popularly of social media accounts featuring books, including TikTok’s hashtag “Booktok.”

Also, there’s a new snack food collaboration in the works. Listen for more below:

Segment 1: Jason Turner, Chief Investment Strategist for Wintrust Wealth Management, joins John to talk about Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s comments about inflation and tariffs yesterday in Chicago, what the Fed will likely do with rates in the coming months, the importance of consumer spending and this week’s retail sales data, and if we are staring at another market downturn.

Segment 2: Bree Fowler, Senior Writer, CNET, joins John to talk about Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasizing in federal court that he bought Instagram and WhatsApp because he saw value in the companies and not to take out competitors, Nvidia saying that the U.S. government had blocked the sale of some of its artificial intelligence chips to China, and the State Department shutting down its office that sought to deal with misinformation and disinformation that Russia, China and Iran have been accused of spreading.

Segment 3: Emily Stewart, Senior Correspondent, Business Insider, tells John about Americans worried about international travel because President Trump has heightened hostility with some allies.

Segment 4: Lou Rubin, co-founder of Hometown Coffee & Juice, joins John Williams to talk about why they started their business, the expansion plans they have this year, the types of items they serve, what separates their business from other places, why they focus on an experience rather than a transaction, the debut of Hometown Grab & Go, how their business has been impacted by economic uncertainty, and the importance of creating an atmosphere where people are comfortable staying.

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute.

Suburban-based Abbott Laboratories says it will spend $500 million on two manufacturing facilities, including one in Illinois. The investments come despite new and threatened tariffs, including some on medical devices and diagnostics. Abbott says the investments will help the company boost U.S. research and development for its transfusion business. Abbott will hire as many as 200 people in Illinois. The second plant project is in Texas.

United Airlines is planning to cut flights this summer as domestic travel demand falls. Listen for more below:

Nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage joins John Williams to talk about gold prices hitting a record high, and what you need to know about Social Security right now. Terry also answers all of your financial questions.