Choose DuPage

Choose DuPage

Choose DuPage is an economic development nonprofit based in Wheaton, Illinois serving DuPage County, Illinois and the Chicago metropolitan area. Founded in 2011, the organization engages with municipal leaders, corporate executives, and regional institutions to promote business retention and business attraction while coordinating workforce, real estate, and marketing initiatives across suburban Cook County, Illinois borders. It operates within a network that includes civic actors from Naperville, Illinois, Oak Brook, Illinois, Bloomingdale, Illinois, and other municipalities in northeastern Illinois.

History

Established in response to post-2008 recession restructuring, Choose DuPage emerged alongside regional entities like the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, World Business Chicago, and JLL-affiliated real estate stakeholders. Early collaborations involved county boards, municipal economic development offices in Wheaton, Illinois and Lisle, Illinois, and institutional partners such as College of DuPage, Northwestern Medicine, and Elmhurst University. The organization has navigated policy environments shaped by state actors including the Illinois General Assembly and statewide initiatives from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (Illinois). Major milestones included coordinated campaigns to retain headquarters from relocation proposals linked to corporations comparable to Caterpillar Inc., Navistar International, and McDonald’s Corporation in the broader Chicago region.

Mission and Organization

The mission centers on business attraction, retention, and expansion across DuPage County, Illinois, aligning municipal priorities from suburbs like Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Itasca, Illinois, and Warrenville, Illinois with private sector objectives from firms similar to AbbVie, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Motorola Solutions, and Discover Financial Services. Organizational governance has involved civic leaders, county executives, and boards that have interacted with elected officials from Illinois Governor's Office, state legislators, and county-level commissioners. Leadership and staff have convened advisory councils including stakeholders from North Central College, Rush University, Advocate Aurora Health, and real estate developers associated with CBRE Group and Cushman & Wakefield.

Programs and Services

Programs include site selection assistance, workforce development coordination, and incentive navigation used by companies exploring locations in municipalities such as Addison, Illinois, Bensenville, Illinois, and Schaumburg, Illinois. Services have been delivered alongside workforce partners like Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act providers, community colleges such as College of DuPage, and training institutions akin to Harper College. Choose DuPage has provided market intelligence reports, business retention visits, and marketing campaigns that reference transportation assets such as Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Metra (Chicago commuter rail system), and the Interstate 88 (Illinois). The organization has also coordinated with chambers of commerce including the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce and developer groups linked to DuPage Convention & Visitors Bureau initiatives.

Economic Impact and Outcomes

Measured outcomes point to job commitments, retained headquarters, and leveraged private investment in facilities across corporate campuses comparable to those of Kraft Heinz and Medline Industries. Impact assessments have considered regional metrics tracked by entities like the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and state economic reports from the Illinois Department of Employment Security. Results have influenced municipal revenue bases in suburbs including Wheaton, Illinois and Naperville, Illinois and affected commercial real estate trends monitored by firms such as JLL and CBRE Group. Casework addressing expansions and relocations has intersected with national supply-chain shifts tied to firms like Amazon (company) and manufacturing employers akin to John Deere.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding streams combine membership dues from municipal and corporate partners, project-specific grants from state authorities including the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and private-sector sponsorships from corporations and real estate firms similar to Sterling Bay and Prologis. Partnerships extend to educational institutions such as College of DuPage, healthcare systems including Advocate Aurora Health, and regional planning organizations like the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. Collaborative grantmaking and incentive packaging have involved coordination with county offices, municipal administrations in Naperville, Illinois and Aurora, Illinois, and financial institutions comparable to BMO Harris Bank and Wintrust Financial Corporation.

Category:Organizations based in Illinois