Businesses Mean Business Throughout McLean County
They mean business in McLean County, with several sectors represented.
Agriculture is its top industry, with McLean being the top-producing county in the United States for both corn and soybeans. But the business climate here is diverse, and here are three other industries that provide a major economic impact on this region:
Insurance
Interesting statistic: One of every seven people in McLean County works for State Farm Insurance Companies. In fact, more than 15,000 people are employed by State Farm, compared to the No. 2 employer in the county – Illinois State University, with 3,400 employees. Meanwhile, the fourth largest employer in the county is also involved with insurance. Country Financial has a workforce of 2,100 people in McLean County.
Since 1922‚ Bloomington has been home to State Farm‚ the nation’s leading auto and home insurer. As it grew and prospered‚ the company expanded its horizons and now also offers property and life insurance‚ banking services and mutual funds. Its 15,000 employees – or associates – work for the corporate office‚ State Farm Bank and the Illinois zone office in three locations downtown and one on the east side.
Wind Energy
If Chicago is known as the Windy City‚ perhaps McLean should be called the Windy County – but for altogether different reasons.
McLean County is home to Twin Groves Wind Farm‚ a collection of 240 towering wind turbines that stand on private farm properties. The overall wind farm spans 22,000 acres in the eastern part of the county near the rural townships of Arrowsmith‚ Ellsworth and Saybrook, and the turbines generate enough clean electrical power for 120,000 homes.
Economic benefits include $1 million in annual royalties paid to area landowners, and property tax revenues that support local school districts to the tune of about $550,000 a year. By the way, in some of the same fields where the turbines are located‚ McLean County farmers are growing corn and soybeans – also sources for renewable energy.
Candy and Nuts
Mmm: Some of the most successful businesses in McLean County are sweet success stories.
Nestle USA Chocolate has a manufacturing plant in Bloomington that produces candy and confectionary products, while Boylan's Candy has an annual revenue of $3 million – with only five employees who produce bulk chocolate, lollipops and taffy.
The Chocolatier Inc. features a number of delicious products that include cookies, pretzels, caramels, brittles, fruits and nuts. And speaking of nuts, Beer Nuts Brand Snacks has been a confectioner in McLean County since 1937, and today manufactures a line of 14 tasty items.
