Reaffirms administration’s efforts to change broken system
CHAMPAIGN – Governor Bruce Rauner today toured II-VI EpiWorks and reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to fostering innovation and technology in Illinois.
“EpiWorks started at the University of Illinois, and stayed here. Thank you for investing in Illinois, for believing in Illinois and for showing others what can happen here. You are the future and a model for Illinois’ economic recovery,” said Governor Rauner. “Illinois has every resource to be an economic power and lead the nation—except good government. We have got to advocate for real change that fosters innovation and creates good paying jobs.”
As part of his tour, Governor Rauner discussed the administration’s plans to change the broken system in Illinois. The administration is committed to increasing job growth and creating high quality jobs across all sectors to Illinois by making Illinois competitive. One goal is to improve the schools in Illinois including expanding alternative options like apprenticeship programs. The administration has also created the Illinois Competitiveness Council to assist businesses who want to start, expand or stay in Illinois.
EpiWorks is a successful high-tech company founded by Quesnell Hartmann and David Ahmari, along with their University of Illinois faculty advisor, Gregory Stillman in 1997. Hartmann and Ahmari are world renowned experts who have successfully parlayed their expertise to create a thriving semiconductor fabrication company. EpiWorks has maintained a goal to help build a critical mass so UIUC would be a hub for not just semiconductor research, but also for commercialization and production.
Video of the event can be found here.
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