Check out our winter newsletter! Complete with client success stories, historical interest rates, and our recently hired staff! www.ibfs.org http://www.ibfs.org/sba-504.html http://bopi.com/

1. Strive to Survive
“If you look at the evolution of the
computer, and what it’s done to print, it can
blow your mind! The printing
industry started with a camera and a picture
taken in negative....now it’s all computerized
and digitized”
Over the years, Bloomington Offset
Process, Inc. (BOPI) has grown from an old
fashioned printing company into an innova-
tive and tech-savvy operation. Tom Mercier,
president at BOPI, took over the company
in 1993 from his father, and during this time,
the company has worked with clients includ-
ing Illinois State University, Western Illinois
University, Caterpillar, State Farm Insurance,
among many others, large and small.
The printing industry can be volatile, and a
few years ago when Mercier was faced with
the decision to either sell the company, merge
with another, or find a way to survive.
Mercier chose to survive by working togeth-
er with Illinois Business Financial Services
(IBFS), to secure financing through the SBA
504 Loan Program. This SBA program gave
the company the benefit of purchasing a new
printing press with a low down payment, low
interest rate, and a fixed year term, allowing
BOPI to stay competitive and increasing
production.
The new printing press (pictured above) is
a German made model known as the KBA
Rapida 106, the first printing press of its
speed sold, and the first of its kind in North
America. The press can print five sheets per
second, equaling about 18,000 sheets per
hour, front and back. It’s a 4 color (CMYK)
offset process printing press, which means
it’s based off the idea that oil and water
don’t mix. KBA Group (Koenig & Bauer)
have printing presses all over the world, and
their presses print 90% of the world’s paper
currency.
Currently, BOPI is doing projects ranging
from small business brochures to thousands
of pocket folders for large firms such as State
Farm Insurance. Using the SBA 504 to pur-
chase this printing press was a turning point
for BOPI by “doing exactly what it’s sup-
posed to do - lowering costs and labor, and
making us more competitive in the market”,
as explained by Mercier.
The 504 loan program has been
utilized nationwide, with SBA Certified
Development Companies like IBFS to
stimulate economic development and
keeping businesses like BOPI thriving.
Illinois Business Financial Services Peoria: 411 Hamilton Blvd. Suite 1330 (309) 495-5976
www.ibfs.org | info@ibfs.org | @IL_BizServices | www.linkedin.com/ilbizfinancialservices Chicago: 1016 W Jackson Blvd. (312) 375-8288
Illinois Business Financial Services
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
5.25
5.00
4.75
4.50
4.25
4.00
3.75
3.50
3.25
201520142013
5.27
5.05
5.02
4.93
4.82 4.81
4.70 4.71
4.75
4.57
4.63
4.54
4.36 4.30
4.56
4.60
4.80
4.68
4.35
3.98
4.06 4.07
3.94 3.93
4.30
4.98 4.99
5.44
5.20 5.21 5.20
IBFS Historical Interest Rates
Winter Newsletter - December 2015
4.654.65
4.53 4.53
4.87
Client Success Stories
The KBA Rapida 106
Check Out Our New Website!
IBFS has made the move to redo and update
our website. Complete with all of our new
employees, including their backgrounds in
different fields of business. We are proud to
announce these new additions to the team. On
the website, we now offer information for our
borrowers on our rates, how we work
together with our partner lenders, our reviews,
and past projects. Click here or go to
www.ibfs.org to check us out!
Click here for more info on the SBA
504 Loan!
Click here to check out Bopi’s Website!

2. Meet our New Staff!
In the past year we have hired new employees in our Peoria office.
Illinois Business Financial Services Peoria: 411 Hamilton Blvd. Suite 1330 (309) 495-5976
www.ibfs.org | info@ibfs.org | @IL_BizServices | www.linkedin.com/ilbizfinancialservices Chicago: 1016 W Jackson Blvd. (312) 375-8288
A note from the President at Illinois Business Financial Services
In reflection, it has always been an honor to serve my entire professional career as an advocate of
economic development in Illinois. We are often struck by comments heard from different people we
encounter regarding the existence of Illinois Business Financial Services (IBFS), a U. S. Small Business
Administration Certified Development Company (CDC) in the state. Some individuals have
commented that the services provided by IBFS are the best untold story in Illinois.
As a former college instructor and long-time administrator of Economic Development at Illinois Central
College, I would eagerly seize the opportunity, or often facilitate an opportunity, as I frequently continue to
do today, to discuss the most needed community economic development program in the nation, that at its
core has as the primary mission of helping support small businesses. That program is the 504 Loan
Program.
Moreover, some individuals, as well as businesses and other lending institutions are most surprised to learn
that this $7.5 billion a year SBA 504 lender program is self–funded from government-backed
guaranteed bonds offered to investors for a return on their investment.
Individuals who saw the need and conceptualized this program, along with the now some 270 plus
Certified Development Companies in the country who utilize the 504 Loan Program, are to be applauded
because this concept has helped to create new businesses, expand and grow existing small businesses,
and has helped to retain jobs for millions in communities across the country.
Lenders who have participated with IBFS in the SBA 504 program are pleased because of the
government’s guarantee that helps mitigate risks often involved with financing business projects.
The most challenging and yet rewarding experiences we have encountered as an economic development
company have been adapting to the ever-changing economy. Embracing these changes and having an
understanding of the environmental culture and climate of the Community has enabled IBFS to realize its
full potential as a critical key role player for community economic development. IBFS has also had to
realize and adjust to what other lending institutions were experiencing in order to meet regulatory standards
for credit, bond ratings and global derivatives-related problems.
Remember, the near depression of 2008 to 2010, or “the great recession”. During each of this period,
IBFS was out front creating new opportunities with programs and alternative funding initiatives to help
sustain and grow the economy. Despite adverse situations that arise within the economy that often affect
small business operations, as well as family households and communities, IBFS will remain a strong advocate
for small businesses in our community by meeting challenges head on.
Charles Randle
New Business Finance Credit
Analyst -- Jerry Nutt
From Chillicothe, IL, Jerry joined
IBFS in the spring of 2015. With
a background in commercial
lending. Jerry is working on improving
IBFS’ internal efficiencies, loan
servicing, and client experience.
New Marketing Management
Intern -- Sarah Smith
From Rock Island, IL, Sarah joined
IBFS in the Spring of 2015. She is
studying Business Marketing at
Bradley University and will be
assisting with marketing plans, and all
marketing activities for the company.