St. Clair County Economic Development

06/04/2026

05/27/2026

The Southwestern Illinois Metropolitan and Regional Planning Commission (SIMAPC) held their annual full commission meeting this morning. SIMAPC’s mission is to support economic diversification and resilience in both urban and rural areas, fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, and job creation while leveraging the strengths of our urban centers and rural landscapes to promote sustainable and equitable growth for all residents. SIMAPC represents the seven-county Southwestern Illinois region of Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair, and Washington Counties. Executive Director Wendy Pfeil briefed the membership on the progress made the past year as the organization began a rebuilding process. Wendy and her team, Thomas Miller, and Linda Tragesser, along with their Executive Board, are doing a wonderful job restoring this valuable economic development driver to the region.

05/13/2026

Incredible event tonight at the Anthem at the Wharf in Washington DC celebrating the Association of Defense Communities 50th anniversary. ADC did a spectacular job highlighting the importance defense communities play in our nations safety. You may recall that St. Clair County was named a Great American Defense Community in 2020. Congratulations to St. Clair County Director of Military Affairs and ADC board member, Kimberly Huth, and all that organized this event. Pictured below are 1st Lt Nicole Keyser, Mr. Matthew Brusch of Congresswoman Niki Budzinski’s staff, Ms. Kimberly Huth, General (Retired) Duncan McNabb, Mr. Rick Stubblefield, and Brigadier General (Retired) Darren James.

05/12/2026

Kicking off day two. Great event so far. Always looking for ways to expand our support of SAFB .

05/11/2026

The U.S. Navy and The Boeing Company's uncrewed (and !) MQ-25A Stingray recently completed its first flight—a milestone for naval aviation. 🛩️

Taking off from the MidAmerica St. Louis Airport (BLV) in , the "MQ-25A is the most complex autonomous system ever developed for the carrier environment."

Learn more about the Navy and Boeing's historic achievement here: https://bit.ly/4faVVWV

for defense manufacturing?
➡️ The state is home to 8 military installations, including Scott Air Force Base, Naval Station Great Lakes, and Rock Island Arsenal
➡️ Illinois has a powerful and productive defense and security cluster, boasting ~240K workers, ~19K firms, and the region's highest economic output
➡️ The state provides unmatched logistical advantages thanks to its central location and robust infrastructure

05/11/2026

Day one of the Association of Defense Communities National Summit kicked off this morning in Washington DC. Along with personnel from Scott Air Force Base, St. Clair County Economic Development, Military Affairs, and Mid America Airport are all represented at this year’s event. Director of St. Clair County Military Affairs, Kimberly Huth, kicked off the morning as moderator of the Airforce and Space Force Community Council.

05/04/2026

May is National Military Appreciation Month! We support our military every day. But in the month of May we especially honor and recognize their ongoing commitment and sacrifice; both those currently serving and our veterans. Remember Honor Support. 🇺🇸

St. Clair County is proud to be an Association of Defense Communities designated “Great American Defense Community” (Class of 2020).

04/27/2026

Happy birthday St. Clair County