The Future
47
thePeorian.com
Like Weeks, Cundiff believes
YPGP will be able to keep its
membership engaged. “Some
not-for-profit agencies reach out
to us and we’ve become a highly
sought-out group. We have a
waiting list of places that want to
host our monthly social. People
love our energy and our pas-
sion and because they know of
our commitment to giving back
to the community, they see our
members as the future leaders of
Peoria. That’s a huge responsibil-
ity, but we’re ready for it. We love
it,” he said.
YPGP counts among its mem-
bership several civic leaders,
including Peoria City Council-
man Ryan Spain and his wife
Ashley. Other members are being
appointed to various boards and
community action groups around
the area, including the Communi-
ty Foundation and the Emerging
Philanthropists of Central Illinois.
“
We’ve been asked to recom-
mend our members to serve with
groups and that’s great because it
gives our members a taste of how
to get involved in the commu-
nity. We are helping develop the
leaders of the future,” he said.
That was not envisioned when
the Young Professionals found-
ers approached the Peoria Area
Chamber of Commerce about
being affiliated, said Roberta
Parks, chamber president at
that time and now head of the
Methodist Foundation.
“
They came to us at first
so they could have a loose
affiliation that still had some
institutional credibility. I rec-
ommended to our board that
we give it a shot and see what
happens. I never foresaw what
it has become. I don’t think
anybody did,” she said.
Parks said most all-volunteer
groups are difficult to sustain
because of a lack of support more
than anything else. “They were
struggling. The options were they
could be a subsidiary affiliate,
a program of the chamber of a
committee of the chamber. We
modified the chamber bylaws so
that the YPGP chairman sits on
the chamber board. And because
they needed to grow and develop
we gave them staff support,” she
said.
One reason the chamber board
felt it important to help the
YPGPs was because it had heard
from its own members that it was
becoming increasingly difficult to
attract talented young profession-
als to Peoria, largely because of
the perception there is little here.
It also heard that that generation
is not one of joiners because they
don’t stay in one job or one place
very long.
“
Again, the board agreed to
give it a shot. It has been worth
every minute and every penny
we’ve spent. They have made the
Chamber of Commerce a better
organization. And they have
helped Peoria be an All-America
City,” Parks said.
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Tim Cunduff and Mayor Jim Ardis
present the new welcome signage
