Fourth Annual Workforce Summit held at John A. Logan College on October 1, 2025. | Southern Illinois Workforce Development Board

The Southern Illinois Workforce Development Board and Man-Tra-Con Corporation would like thank everyone who attended the 2025 Workforce Summit: Employer-Driven Solutions. The all-day summit was held at John A. Logan College in Carterville, Illinois, on Wednesday, October 1, 2025. Our fourth annual workforce summit featured national speakers, local employer panel discussions, plus 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: “Teamwork and Leadership”
presented by Kerry Martin, Teacher & Former Head Football Coach
Panel Discussion: “NO TURNING BACK: AI’s Role in Business Survival“
Moderator: Erin Kopec, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, HireLevel
Panel Members: Cohen Barnes, President & CEO, Sundog; Tom Harness, SIU COBA Marketing Instructor, Owner of Harness Digital Marketing; Dr. Mark Korte, Ambulatory Informatics Officer, Southern Illinois Healthcare
Breakout Session 1: “Apprenticeship Program Successes”
presented by Emily Perks, Employer Services Manager, Man-Tra-Con; Abby Russell, Employer Services Coordinator, Man-Tra-Con; Amy Murphy, Technical Specialist, IMEC; Scott Wernsman, MBA, Dean of Career & Technical Education and Workforce Training, John A. Logan College; Maggie Ervin, Director of Workforce Development, Rend Lake College; and Brody Wilson, Coordinator of Industry and Apprenticeship, Rend Lake College
Breakout Session 2: “Prison Re-entry and Work Release Programs”
Moderator: Freddie Buckingham, Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES)
Panel Members: Josh Doerner, Project Coordinator, Marron Institute of Urban Management, New York University; Kim Larson, CEO, Illinois Correctional Industries; Greg Runyan, Assistant CEO, Illinois Correctional Industries; Jessica Mayhew, LCSW, CRADC, Southern Region Reentry Manager, Illinois Department of Corrections; and Ronda Pryor, Special Population Coordinator, Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES)
Breakout Session 3: “Workforce Topics”
Moderator: Randy Prince, Senior Business Development Manager, Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA)
Panel Members: Terri Bryant, Illinois State Senator; David Friess, Illinois State Representative; and Patrick Windhorst, Illinois State Representative
Afternoon Session: “SI NOW – Regional Overview”
Presented by Dr. Deb Barnett, Executive Director, Southern Illinois Now and Nick Holdinghausen, Coordinator of Regional Development & Marketing, Southern Illinois Now

Special thanks to our sponsors who helped make this event possible!

Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA)
Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC)
John A. Logan College
Man-Tra-Con Corporation
Moss Enterprises
Pepsi Mid-America
Prysmian
Southern Illinois Healthcare

Participants settle in as the Workforce Summit begins.

Attendees settle in as the Workforce Summit begins.

Vice President of Marketing at JALC Dr. Steve O'Keefe served as Master of Ceremonies for the Workforce Summit.

John A. Logan College President Dr. Kirk Overstreet welcomes attendees to the Workforce Summit with an opening address.

Keynote Speaker Coach Kerry Martin talks about leadership, best practices, and how to build a winning team.

Keynote Speaker Coach Kerry Martin talks about leadership, best practices, and how to build a winning team.

Attendees settle in as the Workforce Summit begins.

Attendees listen to Keynote Speaker Kerry Martin give a presentation on leadership.

Attendees listen to Keynote Speaker Kerry Martin give a presentation on leadership.

Man-Tra-Con WIOA Adult & Dislocated Worker Program Coordinator Dana Marlow (left) and American Job Center SI Manager Karla Tabing welcome attendees to the Workforce Summit.

Breakfast Buffet and Coffee Bar were sponsored by IMEC, Southern Illinois Healthcare, and Moss Enterprises.

Breakfast Buffet and Coffee Bar were sponsored by IMEC, Southern Illinois Healthcare, and Moss Enterprises. Pepsi MidAmerica and Prysmian North America sponsored the lunch buffet.

Dr. Steve O'Keefe introduces the panel for "NO TURNING BACK: AI’s Role in Business Survival."

Vice President of Sales & Marketing at HireLevel Erin Kopec (left) moderates the panel discussion for "NO TURNING BACK: AI’s Role in Business Survival."

Panel members for "NO TURNING BACK: AI’s Role in Business Survival" discuss the benefits of Artificial Intelligence. Left to right: Dr. Mark Korte, Ambulatory Informatics Officer, Southern Illinois Healthcare; Tom Harness, SIU COBA Marketing Instructor, Owner of Harness Digital Marketing; and Cohen Barnes, President & CEO, Sundog.

Panel members for "NO TURNING BACK: AI’s Role in Business Survival" discuss the benefits of Artificial Intelligence. Left to right: Dr. Mark Korte, Ambulatory Informatics Officer, Southern Illinois Healthcare; Tom Harness, SIU COBA Marketing Instructor, Owner of Harness Digital Marketing; and Cohen Barnes, President & CEO, Sundog.

Panel members for "NO TURNING BACK: AI’s Role in Business Survival" discuss the benefits of Artificial Intelligence. Left to right: Dr. Mark Korte, Ambulatory Informatics Officer, Southern Illinois Healthcare; Tom Harness, SIU COBA Marketing Instructor, Owner of Harness Digital Marketing; and Cohen Barnes, President & CEO, Sundog.

Attendees listen to the "NO TURNING BACK: AI’s Role in Business Survival" presentation.

Man-Tra-Con Employer Services Coordinator Abby Russell (center) gives a presentation on Apprenticeship Illinois and its benefits to employers.

Man-Tra-Con Employer Services Coordinator Abby Russell (center) gives a presentation on Apprenticeship Illinois and its benefits to employers.

Attendees listen to the Apprenticeship Illinois Breakout session.

Greg Runyan, Assistant CEO, Illinois Correctional Industries and Kim Larson, CEO, Illinois Correctional Industries discuss “Prison Re-entry and Work Release Programs.”

Greg Runyan, Assistant CEO, Illinois Correctional Industries and Kim Larson, CEO, Illinois Correctional Industries discuss “Prison Re-entry and Work Release Programs.”

Left to right: Josh Doerner, Project Coordinator, Marron Institute of Urban Management, New York University; Jessica Mayhew, LCSW, CRADC, Southern Region Reentry Manager, Illinois Department of Corrections; Freddie Buckingham, Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES); and Ronda Pryor, Special Population Coordinator, Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) at the panel discussion on “Prison Re-entry and Work Release Programs.

Randy Prince, Senior Business Development Manager, Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (right) moderates the "Workforce Topics" discussion. Left to right: David Friess, Illinois State Representative; Patrick Windhorst, Illinois State Representative; Terri Bryant, Illinois State Senator; and Randy Prince, Senior Business Development Manager, Illinois Manufacturers’ Association.

In the "Workforce Topics" breakout session, Illinois state legislators discuss the energy crisis facing Illinois and the nation, including the need for nuclear power plants to help manage the demand.

In the "Workforce Topics" breakout session, Illinois state legislators discuss the energy crisis facing Illinois and the nation, including the need for nuclear power plants to help manage the demand.

In the "Workforce Topics" breakout session, Illinois state legislators discuss the energy crisis facing Illinois and the nation, including the need for nuclear power plants to help manage the demand.

Dr. Deb Barnett, Executive Director, Southern Illinois Now and Nick Holdinghausen, Coordinator of Regional Development & Marketing, Southern Illinois Now present a regional overview for Southern Illinois.

Dr. Deb Barnett, Executive Director, Southern Illinois Now and Nick Holdinghausen, Coordinator of Regional Development & Marketing, Southern Illinois Now present a regional overview for Southern Illinois.

Nick Holdinghausen, Coordinator of Regional Development & Marketing, Southern Illinois Now discusses employment data for the Southern Illinois region.

Nick Holdinghausen, Coordinator of Regional Development & Marketing, Southern Illinois Now discusses employment data for the Southern Illinois region.

Emily Stroud and Cristina Waddell at the vendor booth for Centerstone.

Cassi Igert welcomes attendees to the IMEC table.

Erin Kopec greets attendees at the HireLevel table.

Vice President of Sales & Marketing at HireLevel Erin Kopec (left) and her twin sister Man-Tra-Con Employer Services Manager Emily Perks.

The SI NOW team welcomes attendees to the Workforce Summit. Left to right: Nick Holdinghausen, Dr. Deb Barnett, and Tricia Edwards.

Freddie Buckingham greets attendees at the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) table.

Staff from Southern Illinois Healthcare (SIH) greets attendees to the Workforce Summit.

Shane Yackle from the John A. Logan College Applied Tech department greets attendees at the Workforce Summit.

Staff from John A. Logan's Nursing Program welcome attendees to the Workforce Summit.

Mary Beth Quarta from Priority Staffing Group chats with Man-Tra-Con Career Specialist Darien Daniel at the Workforce Summit.

Moss Enterprises was one of several top-level sponsors that helped make the Workforce Summit possible.

Man-Tra-Con Employer Services Coordinator and Man-Tra-Con Employer Services Emily Perks (right) helped make the Workforce Summit a huge success!

The Man-Tra-Con Team at the Workforce Summit! Left to right: Interim CEO, Stephanie Robinson; Employer Services Coordinator Abby Russell, WIOA Adult & Dislocated Worker Program Coordinator Dana Marlow, Employer Services Manager Emily Perks, and Community Outreach Coordinator/Grant Writer Greg Bouhl.

View a List of Attendees