Noon Business Lunch

Segment 1: Ilyce Glink, owner of Think Glink Media and Best Money Moves, joins John Williams to talk about a new study that shows 51% of Americans believe buying a home is realistic, the cost of owning a home, real estate commissions being relatively unchanged, and the best President’s Day deals.

Segment 2: Shannon Martin, Insurance Analyst, Bankrate, joins John to break down Bankrate’s 2025 Cost of Insurance report.

Segment 3: Loryn Huff, National Program Director of Midtown Palatine, gives John some advice for picking a successful workout regimen, what you need to know if you are recovering from an injury or if you are just starting out, and the programs they offer at Midtown Athletic Clubs.

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

Fabio Viviani is reportedly eyeing Lake Zurich for another new restaurant. According to Crain’s, the 2008 “Top Chef” and a partner have bought vacant space but the planning is still in the early stages. Viviani is said to be doing due diligence on feasibility and the vision for the restaurant hasn’t been decided yet. The location is 377 N. Rand Road in Lake Zurich. A timeline for the new restaurant hasn’t been disclosed. This location would be across the street from his first restaurant in Lake Zurich, Lago. You can hear Viviani with our own Kevin Powell and Michael Piff talk about opening Lago in Lake Zurich on the Chicago’s Very Own Eats Podcast.

Also, a new Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers is about to open in Chicago, this one in Fulton Market. Listen for more below:

Segment 1:  Faron Daugs, CFP, Founder and CEO, Harrison Wallace Financial Group, joins John to talk about the market taking a little breath today, his thoughts on inflation data released earlier this week, if we should get used to inflation being a little high, and the latest on the Trump administration’s implementation of tariffs.

Segment 2: Chip Lupo, Writer and Analyst, WalletHub, tells John the results of a new survey that shows the impact of household debt.

Segment 4: Jason Lesniewicz, Senior Director of Cultural Tourism, Choose Chicago, tells John all about the Choose Chicago 2025 Visitors Guide.

Segment 1: Steven Esposito, President of Yellowstone Wealth Management in Lake Forest, talks to John about the market rally despite higher than expected inflation, why some of Trump’s policies are resonating with investors, if he believes the Fed might even raise rates, and why it’s a good time to invest right now.

Segment 2: Bree Fowler, Senior Writer, CNET, joins John Williams to talk about Elon Musk saying he will abandon his $97.4 billion offer to buy the nonprofit behind OpenAI if the ChatGPT maker drops its plan to convert into a for-profit company, SpaceX wanting to create a company town in Texas, and English soccer using semi-automated offside technology for the first time.

Segment 3: Aki Ito, Chief Correspondent at Business Insider, joins John to talk about why Gen Z is more fed up with their jobs than Gen X and Baby Boomers.

Segment 4: Giovanni Labbate, owner of Tievoli Pizza Bar in Palatine, and a nationally-recognized pizzaiolo, joins John Williams to talk about their special heart-shaped pizza in honor of Valentine’s Day and their second anniversary. Giovanni also gives us an update on some of the pizza competitions they will be participating in this year.

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

A bill’s been proposed in Springfield that would eliminate Illinois property taxes. Democratic State Representative Thaddeus Jones of Calumet City introduced the legislation to research the feasibility of eliminating property taxes no later than January 1, 2030. The bill would shift revenue generation to income taxes and/or mandate more spending cuts. A bill signed last year by the governor required the Department of Revenue to conduct a comprehensive review of the property tax system but this legislation is more specific. 

A bill’s been proposed in Springfield that would eliminate Illinois property taxes. Listen for more below:

Nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage joins John Williams to talk about today’s disappointing inflation data, how the market reacted to the inflation report, and her recent column about tax season. What do you need to know? And as always, Terry answers all of your financial questions.

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

Housing inventory in the Chicago area could increase this year after homebuilders started construction on additional new-home communities. Homebuilding firms began 40 new communities in the final quarter of last year. That’s above the typical 10-15 new projects. Suburban areas like Plainfield, Tinley Park and Kenosha will be among the cities to see more inventory later this year. New home sales fell last year compared to 2023 and the lack of inventory was one of the reasons why. 

Also, rent in downtown Chicago is on the rise. Listen for more below:

Segment 1: Tom Gimbel, job expert and founder of LaSalle Network, joins John to talk about his thoughts on the Super Bowl and how he appreciates sustained greatness, if bosses should be friends with their employees, why he’s an advocate of returning to the office, and his recent LinkedIn post about the benefits of staying at your job.

Segment 2: Dennis Rodkin, residential real estate reporter for Crain’s, joins John to talk about the housing market in the Chicago area, Mike Ditka selling his Florida house, housing inventory being tight, and Illinois Realtors unveiling legislation aimed at easing the housing shortage.

Segment 1: Ilyce Glink, owner of Think Glink Media and Best Money Moves, joins John Williams to talk about Chicago seeing a 28% increase in office-to-residential conversions, President Trump saying he will impose a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, and the economic policies of the Trump administration that she is most concerned about.

Segment 2: Jim Dallke, Director of Communications, TechNexus Venture Collaborative, tells John about TechNexus Venture Collaborative’s Electrification 50.

Segment 3: Matt Schultz, LendingTree chief credit analyst, joins John Williams to talk about a new Lending Tree survey that shows Americans plan to spend $179 on average this Valentine’s Day.

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

Chicago-based Hyatt Hotels is buying Playa Hotels & Resorts for $2.6 billion. The acquisition enables Hyatt to expand into the all-inclusive resort market in countries like Mexico and Jamaica. Hyatt had previously been an investor in Playa. It joins Marriott and Hilton in expanding its hotel network. The Hyatt deal is expected to close later this year. 

Also, improving international sales helped McDonald’s overcome weakness in the U.S. in the fourth quarter. Listen for more below: