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

Chicago tavern-style pizza is going national. Pizza Hut is rolling out a new menu item called Chicago Tavern-Style Pizza and claims the chain is the only global pizza brand to offer the local favorite. Several choices will be available including a pesto Margherita, the Ultimate with pepperoni and sausage, spicy chicken sausage and double pepperoni. Pizza Hut says its newest offering pays homage to Chicago and a pizza style created 100 years ago. Tavern-style pizza first appeared in Chicago in the 1930’s. Taverns served up the thin crust pizza to entice patrons to stay longer drink more. 

Also, the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission has fined Chicago-based R.R. Donnelly & Sons $2.1 million for the company’s handling of a ransomware attack. Listen for more below:

Segment 1: Tom Gimbel, job expert and founder of LaSalle Network, joins John to talk about a new study that showed the success of having a hybrid work week. What are Tom’s takeaways from the study.

Segment 2: Philippe Weiss, President, Seyfarth at Work, joins John to talk about the benefits of profit sharing. Philippe discusses a growing recognition among businesses (including many smaller employers) of the benefits of aligning employee incentives with the company’s success.

Segment 3: Longtime Chicago radio veteran Harvey Wells, Founder, Lower Tech Bills, talks to John about how he helps customers lower their internet, cell phone, and television costs. Want Harvey to help you lower your tech bills? You can email him at [email protected] or phone / text him at 312-307-1700.

Segment 1: Phillip Shaw, CFP, Senior Advisor, Goldstone Financial Group, tells John about last week’s Fed meeting, interest rates staying steady, how many interest rate cuts does he expect this year, the driving force behind stubborn inflation, energy prices coming down, why he’s bullish on the overall market, and how people can keep their finances in check right now.

Segment 2: Jim Dallke, Director of Communications, TechNexus Venture Collaborative, tells John about Chicago being ranked a top 6 startup hub in the US, new Bears QB Caleb Williams launching an investment firm, and an IPO launching for Chicago AI health tech firm Tempus.

Segment 3: Trisha Prabhu, Founder, Rethink Citizens, tells John about their mission of tackling cyberbullying and online harassment. Trisha talks about how the ReThink technology stops cyberbullying before damage is done, how the technology works, and her participation in the inaugural Young Futures Innovators Cohort.

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

The company that owns Megabus has filed for bankruptcy protection. Coach USA made the filing in Delaware and says it owes creditors between $100 and $500 million. Megabus has commuter lines connecting Chicago to dozens of Midwest cities. The filing says the company has been unable to recover from a decline in ridership that started during the COVID pandemic. Ridership recovered last year to just 45% of pre-pandemic levels. The company is borrowing money to keep operating during bankruptcy. Megabus has been serving Chicago since 2006.

Also, a new report says the typical black household in the Chicago area has zero net worth. The study was conducted by the Institute on Race, Power & Political Economy at the New School in New York. Listen for more below:

Segment 1: John Bever, Financial Advisor, Phase 3 Advisory Services, joins John to talk about what we should know about trillion dollar companies, if the stock market is overheated, what he expects the Fed to do in the ongoing fight against inflation, why he expects one rate cut this year (after the election), the economy still doing quite well, and how we should be structuring our portfolios right now.

Segment 2: Nicole Flores, Partner, Chicago’s Pizza, tells John about the three family-run restaurants they have in the city of Chicago, how long they have been in business, how they differ from other pizza places in Chicago, why they have their own set of delivery drivers, their plans for growth, and the various types of pizza they offer.

Segment 3: Jeff Ostrowski, Analyst, Bankrate, joins John to talk about a new Bankrate study that shows the typical single-family home costs over $18,000 per year in hidden expenses.

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

You and your pooch can travel together in style on a new airline catering to dogs and their owners. Bark Air launched in May and will expand later this year to include Chicago’s Midway Airport. The airline uses Gulfstream G5 aircraft and a first-class ticket comes with calming treats, scented towels, music and beverages, including chicken broth for your dog. Dogs can roam freely on the planes. The airline launched with flights connecting New York and Los Angeles but has expanded to other cities. In October, Bark Air will launch at Midway with flights to and from Miami, New York, Phoenix and San Jose. A single ticket includes travel for one dog and one human and costs $6,000. Bark Air says the price will come down as it expands. 

Also, the Chicago Tribune is moving its newsroom to the West Loop. Listen for more below:

Segment 1:  Jason Turner, Chief Investment Strategist for Wintrust Wealth Management, joins John to talk about the Fed’s ongoing effort to fight inflation, when we are likely to get an interest rate cut, and how many rate cuts are expected this year. And what will all of this mean for the market and the economy?

Segment 2: Bree Fowler, Senior Writer, CNET, joins John to talk about Tesla shareholders considering whether to approve an all-stock compensation package for CEO Elon Musk, and the latest news on competitive hot dog-eating contests.

Segment 3: Dale Buss, Contributing Editor of Chief Executive Magazine and Founder/Executive Director of The Flyover Coalition, joins John to talk about consumer hesitation over EV’s and autonomous vehicles, and the challenge for automakers to decide on where they should be investing their money.

Segment 4: Emily Stewart, Senior Correspondent, Business Insider, tells John about about the rise of ‘friendly credit card fraud.’

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

There’s some good news on the office vacancy rate in the suburbs. Wheels Inc., has signed a lease for more than a quarter of the Zurich North America building in Schaumburg. The fleet management and mobility solutions firm will lease 200,000 square feet in the building, which sits along the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. The building is near the former Motorola campus and a planned entertainment district around the Schaumburg Renaissance Hotel & Convention Center. Wheels will bring hundreds of employees to the building. 

Also, a lawsuit’s been filed against Chicago-based Conagra Brands over the ingredients of its fish products. Listen for more below:

Nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage joins John Williams to talk about today’s good inflation report, what the inflation data means for interest rates cuts later this year, and how sticky high prices are impacting the economy. 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 a recent survey that shows 25% of Gen Zers brought their parents to job interviews. And how will AI impact the future of work?

Segment 2: Dennis Rodkin, residential real estate reporter for Crain’s, joins John to talk about how the real estate market is doing this Spring, inventory being low, a Gold Coast penthouse up for auction, and the ‘Home Alone’ house finding a buyer.