In the wake of Caterpillar Inc. moving its headquarters to Chicago, Peoria County Board Chairman Andrew A. Rand urged the region to focus on being a welcoming, diverse and resilient community.
"While I am stunned by (the) news, it is still Tuesday, not doomsday, in Peoria," Rand said in an announcement. "Our community has done remarkably well, considering the manufacturing losses over the last 30 years, as a more diverse set of economic interests decided to make Peoria their 'home.'”
Over the past three decades, Peoria County has seen an increased presence of health care, banking and higher education industries, as well as others, that have cushioned the community against decreased involvement from other industries. Caterpillar will still maintain approximately 12,000 employees in the greater Peoria area, and the Peoria County Board expressed its continued commitment to growth for all businesses in the area.
“The loss of Caterpillar’s world headquarters must be measured against the on-going presence of the remaining jobs and business operations in central Illinois,” Rand said. “We must work harder than before to position Peoria to be the best Midwestern city in the United States to live, work and raise a family."
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