Noon Business Lunch

Segment 1: Best-selling financial author Jared Dillian joins John to talk about what he expects from the Trump administration and the impact new policies will have on the economy.

Segment 2: Bill McHenry, member of the IHA (International Housewares Association) Board of Directors and long-time exhibitor at The Inspired Home Show, talks about the upcoming show (March 2nd-4th), the economic impact of the show, the types of things that will be at the show, and the current trends in the industry.

Segment 3: Kara Demirjian Huss, Senior Vice President at TCCI Manufacturing, tells John about the International Day of Clean Energy, what clean energy means to TCCI, how business has been going, the trends she sees in the industry, her thoughts on the policies of the new administration and how that will impact manufacturing, and how they are continuing to grow their footprint in Illinois.

Segment 4: Michael Muser, co-owner of two-Michelin-starred Ever and Jean Banchet Awards director, joins John to talk about the upcoming Banchet Awards, Chicago’s great culinary scene, and how restaurants are the heart of many communities.

Dave Schwan has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute.

Do you have an iPhone with TikTok installed?  They’re fetching a lot of money on eBay.  After the TikTok ban last weekend in the U.S., those who deleted or never downloaded TikTok are in the dark, since it’s not available on Apple and Google app stores in this country.  Some iPhone owners who kept TikTok downloaded are selling used or brand new phones.  One eBay user listed a phone with TikTok for $10,000.  Other listings range from $500 to $25,000.

Also, the Stellantis Plant at Belvidere near Rockford will be reopening. Listen for more below:

Segment 1: Jason Turner, Chief Investment Strategist for Wintrust Wealth Management, joins John to talk about the healthy trend in the markets, Trump ‘demanding’ lower interest rates, the Fed removing itself from politics, what he expects from the Fed and rate policy, and what will happen if tariffs eventually get put in place.

Segment 2: Bree Fowler, Senior Writer, CNET, joins John Williams to talk about the future of TikTok, Samsung’s latest phones coming with new AI features.

Segment 3: Mark Hamrick, Washington Bureau Chief and Senior Economic Analyst for Bankrate.com, joins John to breakdown Bankrate’s 2025 Emergency Savings Report. Mark says we are now living in a ‘paycheck-to-paycheck’ nation.

Segment 4: Mark Steber, Chief Tax Information Officer, Jackson Hewitt, tells John what taxpayers should know before filing this year.

Nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage joins John Williams to talk about President Trump’s ambitious AI infrastructure investment, the S&P hitting all-time highs, and why she recommends Quicken’s new product called LifeHub. Terry also answers all of your financial questions.

Segment 1: Tom Gimbel, job expert and founder of LaSalle Network, joins John to talk about how companies are cutting the bottom 10 percent of workers based on performance.

2nd Segment:  Phillippe Weiss, President at Work Right Solutions, joins John to talk about President Trump’s proposed budget and job cuts along with hiring freezes in the federal government and how that is affecting other work forces.

3rd Segment:  Jack Ablin, Chief Investment Officer, Cresset Capital, talks to John about how the markets have faired since election day. And how a Trump presidency will affect them

4th Segment: Lou Manfredini joins John to talk about how the cold is affecting your pipes and the precautions you should take to prevent them from bursting.

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

Layoffs are being considered by Endeavor Health, the third largest hospital operator in the Chicago area. Crain’s reports the health system is also considering other personnel changes as it deals with budget constraints and economic headwinds. It’s unclear how many of Endeavor’s 27,000 employees might be affected. A spokesperson says the number would be limited. Endeavor operates nine hospitals and 300 care sites in the Chicago area. 

Also, Walgreens shares are falling again after the company was sued by the U.S Justice Department in a case involving prescriptions. Listen for more below:

Segment 1: Steven Esposito, President of Yellowstone Wealth Management in Lake Forest, talks to John about the positive market this week, why he’s bullish on the market this year, why it’s likely you will see substantial mergers and acquisitions in 2025, how the new administration will implement tariffs, if he believes the Fed will continue to cut rates, and

Segment 2: Aki Ito, Chief Correspondent at Business Insider, joins John to talk about the future of remote work and why it’s here to stay.

Segment 3: Rosé Hernandez, Finance and Operations Coordinator, Hyde Park Art Center, tells John about all the events they have planned for MLK Day.

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

Time Out magazine is out with its list of the 50 best cities in the world and Chicago ranks 11th. The city is still among just a handful of U.S. cities in the top 20. In 2022, Chicago was ranked the second best city in the world on the same list and was the only American city in the top ten. The magazine says Chicago is a hub of renowned restaurants and iconic cultural institutions. The city received high marks for its nightlife, music scene and overall beauty. Time Out says Chicago is the third-best city in the U.S. in its annual ranking. 

The Food and Drug Administration has found issues at the McDonald’s supplier linked to last year’s E.coli outbreak. Listen for more below:

Segment 1: Christiana Trapani, Owner, Door County Candle Company, tells John about their new Golden State California Wildfire Relief candle.

Segment 2: Bree Fowler, Senior Writer, CNET, joins John Williams to talk about the latest on a potential TikTok ban, President Joe Biden issuing an executive order aimed at strengthening the nation’s cybersecurity, and the Biden administration proposing a new framework for the exporting of advanced computer chips used to develop artificial intelligence.

Segment 3: Michael Miller, Economics Professor, Western Washington University and Professor Emeritus at DePaul University, chats with John about a study on how effective federal dollars spent on pre-K education are in leading to long-run, child-centered benefits, an interesting study on Medicare, and his thoughts on U.S. healthcare and Medicare, Medicaid, and Medicare Advantage.

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

Charlie Trotter’s restaurant is reopening in Chicago, 11 years after the chef’s death. Dylan Trotter, Charlie Trotter’s son, tells Block Club Chicago that the location at 816 W. Armitage will open for two weeks starting today. Diners will get to sample a special tribute menu, and it’s completely booked. Charlie Trotter’s is expected to open permanently sometime this year and this pop up was designed to be a teaser. The restaurant first opened in Chicago in 1987 and became of the best eateries in the world. It closed in 2012.

Also, Chicago’s credit rating has been downgraded. Listen for more below: