Is there anything more heartwarming than companies announcing a move to Chicago in February? You see us at our worst and you choose to love us anyway. The romance! The optimism! The tax incentives (probably)!
LanzaJet will make it more sustainable to GTFO of Illinois, with plans for a huge new plant in downstate Illinois capable of producing 120 million gallons of ethanol-based jet fuel per year. For reference, a flight from O’Hare to Miami uses roughly 2,350 gallons of fuel.
Nothing will keep the new money away. BasicBlock, which offers financing options to truck drivers, is planning to bring its latest $78 million funding round to The Logistics Capital of the World™. Though even in the dead of winter we have to concede Chicago is a step up from literally anywhere in Nebraska, the company’s current home.
Much more baffling is California-based project control software ARES PRISM moving from California to … Naperville. Especially because the founders are from Naperville. They know what it’s like! Still, they are hiring for about 20 jobs.
Freight broker Loadsmart moved its headquarters to Chicago last year, and already it’s paying off. The company just raised $200 million at a $1.3 billion valuation, with plans to hire another 100 to 150 employees this year.
Toronto-based League is also hiring in Chicago, after raising $95 million to grow its HIPAA-compliant platform, which health insurers and providers can use to engage patients.
The newly nonprofit Chicago Sun-Times hasn’t announced any big plans to hire with the $61 million it’s raised, but honestly we’ll take no plans to fire as a step in the right direction.
That’s not the only win we’re celebrating though. Chicago-area Amazon delivery station workers managed a $2.20/hour pay raise by staging walkouts at the Gage Park and Cicero warehouses. Just think what they could accomplish with a union. Starbucks employees definitely are. Workers in Logan Square and the Loop have filed the initial paperwork to recognize a union, asking for truly wild things, like COVID-19 tests and cost-of-living raises.
Jobs, Glorious Jobs
Executive Editor at WBEZ Chicago
All keyed up about that Sun-Times news? This is an opportunity to lead the newsroom at its newly minted owner, Chicago’s NPR affiliate, working directly with the Sun-Times executive editor to find ways the teams can work together.
Director of Digital Content Strategy at Edelman
Or, go the opposite direction and take a job managing content marketing. You can always become a WBEZ member.
Communications Manager at the American Egg Board
If you love eggs (ugh that song), here's your chance to spread the word through a range of written communications, media outreach, industry partnerships and egg influencers — as mentioned several times in the job post.
Inspiration of the week
“If you are doing it at all, please know that you are succeeding and doing it right.”
—Death doula Erica Reid Gerdes in the always excellent Evil Witches newsletter (Hi new friends!)
While the above quote is specifically about being stuck between caretaking parents and caretaking children, we like to think of it as emotionally about doing literally anything in the third February of pandemic dread. It’s been so long since anything felt OK that even acknowledging that feels boring. Which is all the more reason to say: There is no right way to do this. And as long as you’re doing it, you’re doing great.
Forward this email to anyone who’s doing it. They can sign up here to get twice-monthly reminders that they’re doing it right.
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