PEORIA MAGAZINE September 2023

the leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel electric locomotives. City leaders saw the need to diversify the local economy, said Second District City Council member Chuck Grayeb.

whole lot of money, so he became the first affiliate member of Peoria NEXT. As an affiliate member, he pays only $75 a month to lease a co-working space instead of his own private office. Meanwhile, he still gets the benefit of free internet, a business mailing address, and a 50% discount on conference room use, among other amenities. ‘YOU HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERTS IN BUSINESS’

Solitude Ministries, which allows him to do outreach ministry with the homeless. He said Peoria NEXT has been his springboard. “You have access to all these people who are experts in business, and there’s also a community here of different people that you meet,” said the 46-year old Snook. He credits Stubbs and the team at Peoria NEXT with equipping him with the tools and knowledge to help others and to create inspirational products, programs and services. NOTABLE SUCCESS STORIES Stubbs dismisses critics who say Peoria NEXT is not succeeding. Given the success of many startups, it’s not unusual for companies to move out of Peoria NEXT, he said. ‘VELOXITY LABS THAT’S HERE NOW GREW FROM TWO EMPLOYEES TWO YEARS AGO TO OVER 20 EMPLOYEES NOW’ “Most recently, Natural Fiber Welding graduated out,” Stubbs said of the biotech startup that now has five facilities in Peoria. “They’re still here, growing and have over 300 employees. “Veloxity Labs that’s here now grew from two employees two years ago to over 20 employees now. They’ve had people move here from Philadelphia, St. Louis, Canada and other locations to work specifically with them here in Peoria. So, from an economic de velopment standpoint, the ability to get funding from outside sources into the Peoria area has been established through the use of Peoria NEXT to launch those companies.” — Michael Stubbs

— Steven Snook

Snook said the partnership with Peoria NEXT was his crash course in technology.

Chuck Grayeb, 2nd District Peoria City Councilman

“In the mid-‘90s, the leadership de termined that we were going to have to rely less on heavy manufacturing and more on technical professional indus try,” recalled Grayeb. “We could see the handwriting on the wall.” Specifically, there was a shared vision among the late Mayor David Ransburg and City Council members to make Peo ria a world-class medical and research healing center, said Grayeb. “It was important to bring smart minds together and the ground was laid for the creation of Peoria NEXT Inno vation Center,” he said. CAN WE GET AN ‘AMEN’? Steven Snook took advantage. He discovered Peoria NEXT nearly two years ago when he was looking to expand an idea he said God gave to him. Snook’s company, Jesus Speaks LLC, produces picture frames that contain inspirational messages from Scripture. Like many startup entrepreneurs, Snook was not looking to spend a

Steven Snook at Jesus Speaks LLC, affiliate member of Peoria NEXT

“I was so new to the world. I had just spent 19 years in federal prison for trafficking cocaine, so I was new to technology. I had never seen a smart phone. I really had no idea,” said Snook. “I started working here with no office and just stayed in the atrium and used the internet access and things that this place offered. Mike (Stubbs) would come down and work with me and teach me to send an email.” In the year and a half since he joined, Snook has expanded his business to include the nonprofit Extraordinary

Denise Jackson is a native Peoria South Sider and former television journalist who now represents District 1 on the Peoria City Council

20 SEPTEMBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE