2025 Business Summit Agenda

Jim Derry, Field’s CEO since 1990, drives its long-term strategy and world-class culture, aiming to improve lives for employees, customers, suppliers, and communities. A Six Sigma Black Belt and lean advocate, he holds a mechanical engineering degree and has led the NFDA, earning its Fastener Professional of the Year award in 2021.

“In 1990, Field had 12 people and revenues of $800,000. Twenty-nine years later, we exceeded $190 million in revenue with over 350 team members. We challenge all Team Members to bring new ideas and innovations to the table. Our Team is the reason for all of our success and our best days are ahead of us!” – Jim Derry

Angela Larson is a strategic leader known for aligning vision with execution through communication, coaching, and facilitation. With deep marketing and leadership expertise across industries and nonprofits, she leads the Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce. Angela also serves on multiple boards, has held senior marketing roles, and holds credentials from Kellogg and Illinois State University.

“’Availability of skilled workers’ is the biggest barrier to growth in our region. That’s why GRCC is working hard to understand and expand our workforce development ecosystem.”  – Angela Larson

Mary Gaffey serves as the Vice President of Human Resources and Strategy Execution at Etnyre International, where she leads with a vision rooted in people, performance, and progress. With a foundation in human resources and a newly expanded executive role, Mary now also oversees the company’s enterprise-wide strategy execution—most notably steering the digital transformation across all six Etnyre International locations. Her leadership is helping shape Etnyre International into a smart, efficient, and forward-thinking manufacturing organization built for the future. Mary brings experience from a career spent in large-scale manufacturing, where she held HR leadership roles and built a reputation for implementing industry-best practices. Her early background in sales, operations, and purchasing gives her a holistic perspective on workforce development and organizational success.

A passionate advocate for inclusive workplaces, Mary is particularly committed to making manufacturing a more welcoming and supportive environment for women. She has led several internal campaigns focused on representation, retention, and empowerment for women in the industry.

Mary holds a Master of Science in Human Resource Management from Colorado State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Truman State University.

Outside of work, Mary enjoys camping and spending time with her teenage children, who keep her on her toes with sports, dance, and band schedules.

Jay Sandine, a lifelong parks professional, began working for the Park District at 19 and has served in numerous roles across its facilities. A third-generation professional in the field, he became the Executive Director of Rockford Park District in 2017. Jay holds degrees from NIU and Rockford University and is passionate about serving the community.

“We can’t do externally, what we don’t do internally.” – Jay Sandine

Lesly Couper leads workplace Staffing’s operations, strategy, and performance while fostering an inclusive culture and strong stakeholder relationships. She also oversees marketing and communications. Lesly holds an MBA from NIU and a BS from Bradley University. A dedicated community leader, she serves on several boards and has received multiple leadership honors.

“The strength of our workforce ecosystem relies on collaboration. By working together—businesses, education, and government—we can create innovative solutions to address our community’s workforce challenges and build a sustainable future for Rockford.” – Lesly Couper