SIU Chamber Tells Du Quoin Chamber 'Tell me what you need!"

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[It was a simple challenge from the determined head of SIU's entrepreneur program to members of the Du Quoin Chamber of Commerce Wednesday.

"Tell me what you need!"

And, they did.

Robyn Laur--Russell was the keynote speaker at Wednesday's chamber meeting, hosted by Red Hawk golf course. She and program assistant Sandy Green spoke to chamber members for about 20 minutes. Members were not bashful during the candid discussions.

Robyn said Du Quoin has more to offer than many of the communities where SIU and Carbondale health care employees reside but, frankly, Du Quoin needs a heightened marketing program. The same goes for events at the Du Quoin State Fair, an asset she calls Southern Illinois' gem. "I can't believe that I talk to people at SIU who have never been to the Du Quoin State Fair."

Robyn is head of several high quality business and job development programs coordinated by her office, the most familiar being the "Bootstrap" project which provides training to Southern Illinois entrepreneurs who want to start their own business. About 35 are expected to enroll in the current course offering and of those 20 will receive $3,000 startup business grants.

The meeting evolved with Robyn promising to package a day-long business fair in Du Quoin which can provide help to both retailers and commercial and professional businesses.

Chamber president Chuck Novak thanked his board for their hard work as the meeting adjourned.