MILAN, IL — The Deputy Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity visited Group O on Tuesday, Oct. 20 to salute the company for its role in boosting the Illinois economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deputy Director Jonathan McGee and other state officials presented a proclamation to Group O Supply Chain VP Jeremy Womack as part of the state’s celebration of Manufacturing Month. The proclamation serves to recognize Group O as one of the thousands of manufacturers in the state that have made “essential economic contributions” despite the 2020 pandemic.

“Illinois manufacturers have a proud history of ingenuity, innovation, and resilience,” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said earlier in October at the outset of Manufacturing Month. “Despite the extraordinary challenges presented by COVID-19, they continue to persevere by adapting operations and offering life-saving solutions to this crisis. During this year’s National Manufacturing Month, we must give special thanks to the hardworking men and women who have gone above and beyond to create new products and devices and to put their communities first so that we can deploy the level of health response that this crisis has demanded from all of us.”

Because of its designation as an “essential service,” Group O has remained up and running throughout the duration of the pandemic. Even as it shifted most of its workforce from in-office to at-home work, the company has hired 272 employees in 2020 to date with many new positions being added. It has also continued to provide essential supplies and services to other Illinois manufacturers, such as Caterpillar as well as providing call center services for the Illinois Department of Health’s COVID-19 Hotline.