Case Studies
Businesses of all sizes thrive in Lincoln, Illinois. Here are a few of them.
Eaton
Veronica Ohler, Plant Controller at Eaton Corporation, Lincoln, IL
Eaton is a global power management company with 60+ years of manufacturing excellence in the Heartland. Eaton’s connection to the area began in 1958, when former electrical company Cutler-Hammer opened a greenfield operation in Lincoln, Illinois. Eaton subsequently acquired Cutler-Hammer, and has been here ever since.
Today the Eaton Lincoln plant employs more than 750 employees including production, product development, design, purchasing, planning, manufacturing engineers, and accounting. The Lincoln plant currently produces electrical equipment including load centers, metering devices, meterbreakers and air conditioning disconnects, as well as components utilized in the solar and generator industries. Products produced in Lincoln are sold across the United States, in Canada and Costa Rica.
TJK Fabricators, LLC
Mike Siltman and his daughter Whitney weld plates for a project - TJK Fabricators, LLC, Lincoln, IL
Mike Siltman, owner of TJK Fabricators, LLC, moved his metal fabrication business to Lincoln in September 2020. Mike is a 30-year veteran of the trade but grew tired of commuting from his home in Middletown to Peoria every day.
With the help of LEAD board members Patrick Doolin and Eric Burwell, Mike found the ideal location for his business in Lincoln. TJK Fabricators, LLC, is family owned and family run: Mike’s wife, son, and daughter all work in the business.
Mike enjoys the small town setting while access to the interstate makes it easy to get raw materials and ship out finished projects. And local vendors like Ace Hardware, Big R, Sherwin Williams, and Lincoln Iron and Metal keep Mike’s business stocked with the supplies he needs. “I love working here,” says Mike.
Guest House Coffee and Pastries
Ethan Hoinacki at his coffee bean roaster - Guest House Coffee and Pastries, Lincoln, IL
When did Ethan Hoinacki’s fascination with coffee begin? “I’ve loved coffee since I was a kid,” he’ll tell you.
Ethan’s enduring love affair with all things java looks like a veritable Hero’s Journey through coffee culture:
Stealing sips of his mom’s cappuccinos
Visiting a local coffee shop while in grade school—sometimes two or three times a day
Buying his first espresso machine in high school
Developing a taste for good black coffee while in college
Discovering the art of roasting his own coffee beans
In 2017, Ethan and his wife Nicole seized the opportunity to buy an existing coffee shop business on Lincoln’s square and christened it “Guest House.” They’ve since built it into a thriving Lincoln landmark by focusing on outstanding quality and customer service. “We don’t want coffee to be pretentious,” he says. “We want people to have a remarkable experience here.”
With strong family roots in Lincoln—his grandparents also had businesses on the square—Ethan loves being downtown. Stop in and you’ll find him roasting coffee beans, chatting with customers, and working hard to ensure you have a great visit at Guest House.
Porter Electric
Greg Porter and the Porter Electric team in Lincoln, IL
Porter Electric, a full-service electrical contractor serving central Illinois since 2016, initially came to Lincoln to work on the expansion at Cresco Labs.
During the project, a number of tradespeople were trying to finish their work in a limited space. Greg Porter, owner and region manager, connected with LEAD board members Eric Burwell and Patrick Doolin to find some temporary, local space where materials could be prefabricated before being taken to the jobsite for installation.
Over the course of the project, though, Greg and his business partner, Stephanie Grigsby, began to see a unique opportunity in front of them—a permanent expansion into the Lincoln market.
The move gives Porter two strategic advantages:
Opportunity to work under Springfield’s Union Hall
A vantage point to establish an additional satellite location in Bloomington within the next five years
The company plans to triple their service footprint in central Illinois, a move made possible because of their new location “hub” in Lincoln.
When entertaining business associates from Chicago, Greg loves to bring them to Lincoln. “There’s a charm about Lincoln that they can’t find in Chicago,” says Porter. “When we take our customers out to dinner or for a cup of coffee in Lincoln, they love it! It is an entirely new experience that we love to share with them.”
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