JJC Entrepreneur and Business Center Celebrates $800,000 Federal Grant, Client Successes

Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees Meeting | April 15, 2026

Article Summary: The Joliet Junior College Entrepreneur and Business Center highlighted its recent community impact and rapid growth during a presentation celebrating an $800,000 federal grant secured by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin.

JJC Entrepreneur and Business Center Key Points:

• Senator Dick Durbin recently allocated $800,000 to the EBC to expand its programming into underserved communities and Grundy County.

• The center plans to use the grant funds to hire two new advisors and an administrative assistant.

• The EBC assisted over 30 businesses last year and has already helped at least six clients secure commercial funding this year.

• Business owners utilizing the center receive high-level consulting and education completely free of charge.

The Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, celebrated the expansion of the college’s Entrepreneur and Business Center (EBC) following a major infusion of federal funding aimed at supporting local startups.

During the communications segment of the meeting, Kelly Rohder-Tonelli announced that U.S. Senator Dick Durbin had allocated $800,000 to the EBC in February. The funds are earmarked to enhance the center’s reach and provide greater resources to community members trying to launch or scale their own businesses.

Tran Newman, the Chicago Office Director for Senator Durbin, attended the meeting virtually to represent the senator, who is retiring at the end of his current term.

“The EBC at Joliet Junior College is providing aspiring entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs with the tools and the skill sets to take their dreams and passion from concept to execution and reality,” Newman said, noting the senator’s long history of supporting the nation’s first public community college.

Brian Kincaid, an EBC business advisor, outlined the direct impact the center has had on the regional economy. Kincaid reported that the EBC impacted over 30 businesses last year and has already helped at least six clients successfully navigate the complex process of securing commercial funding this year.

“Going into a bank for a commercial loan is a lot of prep, and we’ve got the right team to really help move that,” Kincaid said. He added that the $800,000 grant will allow the center to hire two new advisors and a new administrator to continue growing its reach, particularly in underserved communities and in Grundy County.

The EBC provides comprehensive coursework through an “academia” class led by Jen, a full-time employee for WinTrust with 27 years of business lending experience. The four-week class, which meets twice a week, guides aspiring business owners through the basics of registering a business, opening bank accounts, calculating startup costs, managing personal finances for lending, and marketing.

Jen reported that the class size has exploded from five to 10 students when she started to 40 students currently enrolled. By the end of the course, students complete a rough draft of their business plan and an elevator pitch.

Several successful EBC clients attended the meeting to share their stories. Hansel Whitehurst, owner of PCM Solutions—a construction consulting and owner’s representation firm—praised the center for providing resources that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive for a startup.

“I just went through and added up what the real cost of what they provide, and it’s close to $50,000 that I would have had to come out of pocket or get a line of credit to deal with,” Whitehurst told the board. “It’s just been immeasurable.”

Becky Murphy, owner of Agillal Treats, shared how the EBC helped her pivot her existing cottage bakery business into a mobile “dirty soda” shop. Murphy explained that dirty soda—soda mixed with extra flavors and coffee creamer—is a new trend in the Midwest. With the EBC’s guidance, she was able to focus her business plan, secure the necessary licensing last June, and purchase a mobile trailer by October. Murphy noted she has already raised over $2,000 this year for local schools in District 202 through mobile fundraising pop-ups.