From healthcare and innovation to professional sports and entrepreneurs, Greater Peoria has it all.
The “River City” – located in central Illinois along the Illinois River and established in 1691, boasts a rich history. The Choose Greater Peoria initiative looks to build upon that history and secure a strong future.
The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis first called Peoria home in 1877, growing to a 15-hospital system across Illinois and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. As one of the leading employers in Peoria, OSF HealthCare attracts talent from around the world. Employing over 23,000 Mission Partners across the Ministry, around 10,000 are based in the Peoria area.
One Peoria transplant is Dave Fergus, the senior vice president (SVP) and Chief Supply Chain Officer at OSF HealthCare. Fergus and his family came to Peoria from Milwaukee, Wisconsin in March of 2023, where they had been for over 25 years. Fergus says the innovative spirit OSF has really attracted him to Peoria.
“OSF HealthCare is a system I’ve known about for decades; I’ve watched them closely. And understanding the leadership they’ve brought in and when you see innovations that are happening here and the size of this organization, it has a unique advantage,” Fergus says.
Before OSF, Fergus served in several leadership roles for another health system. He says the collaborative model OSF runs on sets it apart from others.
Fergus says before coming to Peoria, he didn’t know much about the city. But since moving from Wisconsin to Illinois, he says the area has been extremely welcoming.
“As we came down and started looking, the first thing that jumped out at us was how incredibly friendly the people are,” Fergus says. “The amount of engineering and brain talent that is in this market blew me away. Then once we arrived here, the park system has been something we’ve really come to enjoy.”
Fergus says from an employee standpoint, the atmosphere inside the workplace has been very welcoming.
“I see it in almost every meeting that I have. It’s tough not to see it here,” Fergus says.
He says it’s very similar for the entire Peoria community.
“It’s a community that’s open to people coming from outside. It’s not a closed community where you’re really trying to find your way into cliques. In our short months here, I feel like I’ve connected to the community and community leaders quickly,” Fergus adds.
Choose Greater Peoria is a regional talent attraction initiative for the Greater Peoria area. You can find out more information at choosegreaterpeoria.org. You can enter your professional information underneath the “Connect” tab, where it could then be shared with local employers.