Fifth Annual Workforce Summit held at John A. Logan College on October 1, 2026. | Southern Illinois Workforce Development Board

The Southern Illinois Workforce Development Board and Man-Tra-Con Corporation would like to thank everyone who attended the 2026 Workforce Summit: Employer-Driven Solutions. The all-day summit was held at John A. Logan College in Carterville, Illinois, on Thursday, October 1, 2026. Our fifth annual workforce summit featured national speakers, panel discussions, and sessions that included representatives from education, employment, government, healthcare, and manufacturing. Over 120 people attended the event. Photos shown at right highlight the event. Presentations included the following:

MASTER OF CEREMONIES: Dr. Steve O’Keefe, Vice President of Marketing, John A. Logan College
WELCOME ADDRESS: Dr. Kirk Overstreet, President, John A. Logan College
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: “Your Experience Shapes Your Perspective” presented by Daniel Booth, Ed.D., Superintendent, Carbondale Community High School
PANEL DISCUSSION: “Mental Health & Employer Partner as Success Story” presented by Aaron Foster, Executive Director of Operations, Marketplace Chaplains; Stephanie Shouse, Chaplain & Coach, Marketplace Chaplains; Terry Gwaltney, Owner, Integrity Roofing and Author of “Culture-neer: Building a Team That Beats the Odds”
BREAKOUT SESSION 1: “Pivot to Artificial Intelligence” presented by Tobias Merriman, Assistant Director of Center for Virtual Expression, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
BREAKOUT SESSION 2: “LEADING WITH EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE: Building Stronger Teams and Workplace Relationships” presented by Amy Murphy, Technical Specialist, Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC)
BREAKOUT SESSION 3: “State of Illinois Employer Resources” presented by Freddie Buckingham, Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES)
AFTERNOON SESSION: “Employment Law & ICE” Presented by Scott Cruz, Partner, UB Greensfelder, LLP

Special Thanks to our Sponsors who helped make this event possible:

AISIN Illinois
Banterra Bank
Deaconess Illinois
Illinois Manufacturers’ Association
Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC)
Intermountain Electronics, Inc.
Intertape Polymer Group (IPG)
John A. Logan College
Liberty Village of Carbondale
Man-Tra-Con Corporation
Moss Enterprises
Pepsi MidAmerica
Prysmian
Shawnee Health
Southern Illinois Healthcare
Southern Illinois Now

Everyone settles in as the Workforce Summit begins.

Attendees settle in as the Workforce Summit begins.

Over 120 people attended the workforce summit.

Man-Tra-Con staff welcome attendees to the workforce summit. Left to right: HR & Office Coordinator Robyn Pritchett, CEO Staphanie Robinson, Program Manager Dana Marlow, and Administrative Coordinator/EO Officer Tammy Kirk.

HR & Office Coordinator Robyn Pritchett (left) and Administrative Coordinator/EO Officer Tammy Kirk welcome attendees to the workforce summit.

John A. Logan College President Dr. Kirk Overstreet gives the welcome address.

JALC Vice President of Marketing Dr. Steve O’Keefe serves as Master of Ceremonies uring the summit.

JALC Vice President of Marketing Dr. Steve O’Keefe serves as Master of Ceremonies during the summit.

Keynote Speaker Daniel Booth, Ed.D., Superintendent, Carbondale Community High School District 165ale Community High School, presents “Your Experience Shapes Your Perspective.”

Breakfast and coffee bar was sponsored by Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC), Intermountain Electronics, Inc., Liberty Village of Carbondale, Southern Illinois Healthcare, and Southern Illinois Now.

Aaron Foster, Executive Director of Operations, Marketplace Chaplains, speaks during the "Mental Health & Employer Partner as Success Story” panel discussion.

Terry Gwaltney, Owner, Integrity Roofing, speaks during the "Mental Health & Employer Partner as Success Story” panel discussion.

Stephanie Shouse, Chaplain & Coach at Marketplace Chaplains, speaks during the “Mental Health & Employer Partner as Success Story” panel discussion.

Tobias Merriman, Assistant Director of Center for Virtual Expression, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, presents “Pivot to Artificial Intelligence.”

Amy Murphy, Technical Specialist, Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC), presents “LEADING WITH EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE: Building Stronger Teams and Workplace Relationships.”

Freddie Buckingham, Illinois Department of Employment Security - IDES, presents “State of Illinois Employer Resources.”

Scott Cruz, Partner, UB Greensfelder, presents “Employment Law & ICE.“

Employer Services Coordinator Abby Russell (left) and Employer Services & Special Grants Director Emily Perks at the Man-Tra-Con table.

Erin Kopec (left) and Lacee Breeden from HireLevel.

Becky Cross greets attendees at the Illinois Department of Human Services: Division of Rehabilitation Services table.

Staff from Deaconess Clinic welcome attendees to their table.

Emily Stroud from Centerstone welcomes attendees at the summit.

Staff from the Illinois Department of Corrections Re-Entry program attended the summit.

Staff from Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice attended the summit.

Jonathan Reed from Liberty Village of Carbondale welcomes attendees at the summit.

Presenters Stephanie Shouse and Aaron Foster at the Marketplace Chaplains table.

Mark Kelly from Quality Health Partners of Southern Illinois attended the summit.

Staff from Shawnee Health attended the summit.

Tricia Edwards hold down the fort at the Southern Illinois Now table.

Left to right: Dylan Chrostoski, Kacey Chamness, and Chelsea Lukens greet attendees at the Southern Illinois Healthcare table.

Left to right: Concha Lirer, Danielle Cruzan, and Robyn Lewis from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign greet attendees.

Employees from StaffQuick welcome attendees to their table.

View the Agenda and PPT files.

Submit the Workforce Summit Survey.