Wintrust Business Lunch

Segment 1:  Jared Dillian, Best selling financial author of the new book, “No Worries: How to Live a Stress-Free Financial Life,” talks about stock servitude and how to make the best decisions when deciding on buying popular stock options.

Segment 2: Segment 3: Carl Prouty, “The Technologist” at Abt Electronics in Glenview, talks to John about the best televisions to buy during the black Friday season, the best selling electronics this year, and some of the many services Abt offers.

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

A Dallas-based developer is planning a new business park in Merrillville that could create up to 800 new jobs. It’s the same developer that brought a giant Amazon distribution center to town. the 63-acre business park site is located at the southwest corner of East 73rd Avenue and Mississippi Street. The project would include three buildings with a price tag of about $70 million for construction. Depending on the tenants who move it, the business park could create between 240 and 800 jobs. 

Also, a new report says Northfield-based Medline Industries could raise more than $5 billion in an initial public offering expected next year. Listen for more below:

1st Segment: Ron Onesti, CEO of Onesti Entertainment, joins Wendy Snyder, filling in for John Williams, to talk about his entry into his business and how his business can help people see the musical acts that people may not have been unable to see.

2nd Segment: Bree Fowler, Senior writer from CNET, joins Wendy to talk about the Justice Department calling for Google to split up.

3rd Segment: Attorney Rae Kaplan of Kaplan Law Firm joins Wendy to talk about the latest questions and concerns about student loans with a new administration coming in January. Kaplan then breakdown how to approach forbearance.

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

The Goddess & Grocer is moving its Gold Coast Chicago location to a larger space and Crain’s reports the market will have more food options. The new location is 845 N. State and is expected to be open in mid-January. The Goddess & Grocer’s current location is at 1127 N. State and will close at the end of December. The new location will include an all-day cafe and the owner says the new space is bigger and brighter, allowing a significant expansion of offerings. It’ll have a full kitchen and wood-fire oven. The Goddess & Grocer also has locations in Bucktown, Fulton Market and at O’Hare Airport.

Also, there’s a report that McDonald’s is about to launch a new value meal lineup in the U.S. Bloomberg reports the new lineup will include a buy one item get another for $1 feature. Listen for more below:

Nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage joins John Williams to talk about what you need to know about Medicare Part D, how I-Bond rates have fluctuated since 2022, and how she feels the economy will perform under the next administration. And as always, Terry answers all of your financial questions.

Segment 1: Tom Gimbel, job expert and founder of LaSalle Network, joins John to talk about what companies need to do in order to retain employees, the rise of people jumping off the corporate ladder, the risks of declining a promotion, and tips for getting your best employees to stay.

Segment 2: Philippe Weiss, President, Seyfarth at Work, joins John to talk about the costs and benefits when you make the decision to promote employees with experience gaps.

Segment 3: Bob Habeeb, Founder, Maverick Hotels and Restaurants, joins John to talk about the new Hampton Inn & Suites Chicago Medical District UIC on the west side.

Segment 4: Lucy Brennan, Director, TechRise by P33, tells John about the upcoming TechRise Finale, where underrepresented tech founders compete for a chance to win $100,000 in non-dilutive capital to grow their business.

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

The chef behind Chicago’s Italian-Croatian eatery Rose Mary is planning a new restaurant in Fulton Market District. Chef Joe Flamm and restaurant company Day Off Group have selected space in Flora tower, the new apartment building at Carroll Avenue and May Street. Crain’s reports there’s no name or concept yet but the restaurant will utilize about 5,100 square feet in the ground floor retail space of the building. Opening is set for next year. BLVD Steakhouse and Il Carciofo are the team’s other restaurants. 

Also, Chicago steakhouse Maple & Ash is planning a national expansion. Listen for more below:

Segment 1: Ilyce Glink, owner of Think Glink Media and Best Money Moves, joins John Williams to talk about the cars that people keep for more than 15 years, a new survey that shows 40% of young adults get their news from social media influencers, and a new Redfin survey showing that people that earn under $50,000 a year struggle to avoid housing.

Segment 2: Jim Dallke, Director of Communications, TechNexus Venture Collaborative, tells John about Grubhub being sold at a major discount, a Chicago health-tech startup aimed at keeping senior citizens more independent raising $20M, and a local VC firm, Chicago Ventures, raising $80M for its latest fund.

Segment 3: Beth Swanson, CEO, A Better Chicago, tells John about the mission of A Better Chicago to fight poverty, how they use a venture capital approach to fund opportunity, the organizations that they help fund, and what was learned from a recent survey conducted of Chicago’s youth.

Segment 1: Faron Daugs, CFP, Founder and CEO, Harrison Wallace Financial Group, joins John to talk about why the market has been volatile since the election, what sectors of the market will do well under a new administration, how tariffs could impact the economy, the likelihood the Fed cuts rates again in December, and his market outlook for 2025.

Segment 2: Mike Long, Owner of LightQuest Outdoor Illumination, joins John to talk about why he made the decision to rename his company, how the rebrand has worked for the business, the typical client for what they do, the time he’s spent learning how to properly design lighting, the benefits of having lighting on your property, how business has been going, and the special offer they have right now for WGN listeners!

Segment 3: Rich Gentile, Founder, Santa for a Day, tells John about the mission of Santa for a Day, what sets Santa for a Day apart from other charities, and their second annual Christmas Tree Sale. Click here to order.

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

Two Chicago area powerhouses in science and medicine are teaming up to use artificial intelligence to find new treatments for drug-resistant cancer. UChicago Medicine and Argonne National Laboratory will work together on the project. Researchers at University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center will use Argonne’s artificial intelligence and high-performance computing to screen billions of molecules in the search for new treatments. UChicago Medicine says the goal is to find a treatment that slows or stops the growth of tumors that don’t respond to current medications. They’re hoping AI accelerates discovery.

Also, an update on the E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s. Listen for more below: