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

A Chicago-area medical waste disposal company is being purchased by a powerhouse trash hauler. Waste Management is buying Bannockburn-based Stericycle for $7.2 billion and will acquire all of its outstanding shares and $1.4 billion in debt. It’s one of the biggest-ever acquisitions in the waste management sector. The deal comes after reports last month that Stericyle was considering a sale. Waste Management was founded in Chicago but moved to Houston in 1998 when it merged with USA Waste Services. This deal is expected to close in the 4th quarter of the year but needs regulatory approval and the approval of Stericycle’s investors. 

Also, Deere & Co. says it will cut employees in global production and salaried workforce. Listen for more below:

Segment 1: Craig Bolanos, Co-Founder and CEO of Wealth Management Group, joins Jon to talk about today’s down market, the market moving faster than it ever has, why he believes the economy and market are doing fine, the expectations of a Fed rate cut, and what the upcoming election means for the market and your investments.

Segment 2:  Jim Dallke, National Editor, American Inno, talks to Jon about how people with AI skills are earning more money than their coworkers who aren’t specialized in artificial intelligence, FreshX, a supply chain software startup, winning first place at the 2024 New Venture Challenge, and two Chicago companies landing on Time’s most influential list.

Segment 3: Jonathan Webb, director of workplace and healthcare markets at global furniture manufacturer KI, tells Jon how employers are creating offices that appeal to employees as in-person office policies ramp back up. What are the design solutions for the hybrid workplace?

Segment 1: Paul Nolte, Senior Wealth Advisor and Market Strategist, Murphy & Sylvest, joins Jon Hansen to break down today’s inflation data, how inflation’s impact hits people differently, what he expects from the markets this summer, and what people should know about their portfolio right now.

Segment 2: Tom Appel, Publisher, Consumer Guide Automotive, and host of the Consumer Guide Car Stuff podcast, joins Jon to explain why Tesla sales are tanking. Tom also answers all of your auto questions!

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

Civic boosters have launched a new campaign to promote coworking spaces in iconic locations in an effort to attract workers back to downtown Chicago. Crain’s reports World Business Chicago and  Penny Pritzker’s nonprofit P33 have launched the “Work from Summertime Chi” initiative. The goal is to attract remote workers to coworking spaces at place like Navy Pier, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Chicago Cultural Center. It’s hoped the initiative will bring $10 million in economic impact to the Loop and surrounding areas by reminding remote workers of the charms of downtown Chicago. The initiative comes as the downtown Chicago office vacancy rate rises to 25%. 

Also, subscriptions to Chicago-based Grubhub will be included with Amazon Prime membership moving forward. Listen for more below:

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

Oberweis Dairy could soon have a new owner. A private equity firm based in Winnetka won the bidding for the assets of Oberweis. The dairy declared bankruptcy in April. The Hoffman Family of Companies is behind the winning bid via its investment arm, Osprey Capital. The bankruptcy court must give final approval. The investment firm owns more than 100 brands in 30 countries, with a portfolio that includes wineries, charter cruise ships and a minor league hockey team.

Also, Walgreens is lowering prices on more than 1,300 items for what it’s calling a “Summer of Savings” promotion. Listen for more below:

Segment 1: Sam Um, Supervisor at the Bensenville McDonald’s, tells Jon Hansen about how many years he has worked at McDonald’s, the way McDonald’s supports career growth, his plans to become an owner / operator, how McDonald’s empowers the crew, and his go-to meal from McDonald’s.

Segment 2: Bree Fowler, Senior Writer, CNET, joins Jon Hansen to talk about the annual AI for Good conference, an international law enforcement team has arrested a Chinese national and disrupted a major botnet, and a group of investors that will put up $6 billion to fund development of artificial intelligence by Elon Musk’s xAI.

Segment 3: Bob Hutchinson, CEO of Wheaton Bank & Trust and Wheaton Mayor Phil Suess, join Jon to talk about the diverse business community in Wheaton, how Wheaton Bank supports small business, how the bank is relationship driven, the many resources available for small business, the importance of the bank being involved in the community, what you should know about SBA loans, and why you should invest your money in a local bank.

Nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage joins Jon Hansen to talk about the market this week, why she thinks the Fed will not do anything with interest rates, and a creative way to pay for long term care insurance. And as always, Terry answers all of your financial questions.

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

The Original Rainbow Cone is expanding again, this time into Michigan. The Chicago company has opened a location in New Buffalo inside Sonny D’s bar and grill. This is Rainbow Cone’s first location in Michigan. The company has expanded now to three states outside of Illinois. The famed ice cream brand was born in Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood 98 years ago. Until recently, it only had a few locations around Chicago. One of the new spots in Chicago is Wicker Park. It’s also in Valparaiso along with Pleasant Prairie and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. 

Also, Gatorade has a new ad campaign that features iconic athletes. Listen for more below:

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

Chicago based U.S. Cellular is selling its wireless operation and certain spectrum assets to T-Mobile for $4.4 billion. In addition to wireless operations, T-Mobile will get about 30% of U.S. Cellular’s spectrum assets across several spectrum bands. U.S. Cellular is one of a few remaining large regional wireless carriers and serves more than 4.6 million customers in 21 states. The company sold of Chicago-area operations to Sprint in 2012.

Also, A suburban company that removes hazardous medical waste from hospitals, care centers and veterinary clinics is exploring a potential sale. Listen for more below:

Segment 1: Tom Gimbel, founder and CEO of LaSalle Network, joins Jon Hansen to talk about how meditation can help you be a stronger business leader, and how employees can talk about mental health with managers and ways managers can create a mentally healthy workplace.

Segment 2: Jim Dallke, National Editor, American Inno, talks to Jon about the salaries of startup founders, and why Chicago business leaders see Lake Michigan as a ‘massive opportunity’ to draw new investment.

Segment 3: David Grossman, CEO, Epic Burger,  joins Jon Hansen on National Burger Day to talk about the history of their business, the type of products they serve, the high quality ingredients that are used, how they were able to get through COVID, the popularity of their chicken products, how they separate themselves from competition, and their plans for growth in the Chicago area.