WHO WE ARE

Born at the corner of collaboration and opportunity, MCBT is the result of inclusive leadership and a strategic vision. In the mid 2010's, new opportunities for community and economic development were presented to the Mercer County area, prompting the formation of a core leadership team to explore development of a countywide entity to foster these opportunities. A steering committee was built that included representation from all parts of Mercer County and formalized MCBT as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. With an objective to reach 'missing voices' - or those often left out of community planning - the newly-formed MCBT engaged residents, community champions and subject matter experts to learn what people loved (and didn't) about Mercer County, why they chose Mercer County and ways to make the Mercer County community the best version of itself. Conducted over 18 months, this process revealed shared priorities and built an organizational 'roadmap' that guides MCBT to this day.

MCBT has grown over the years to implement successful programs serving businesses, organizations, local governments and individuals in Mercer County. Our team is driven to serve and devoted to improving the strength, sustainability and vibrancy of the Mercer County community.

Meet the Team

The MCBT team is small but mighty. Each staff member brings their own unique skills and points of view that benefit the organization and the work we do in our community.

Executive Director
kyle@mcbettertogether.org
Born and raised in Mercer County, Kyle was taught early on that 'success' meant leaving home to make a life somewhere else. He never believed that narrative. As a child, Kyle developed a love for his community and a passion for helping others. Kyle joined MCBT during its infancy (creation?) and has served as Executive Director since September 2016. He leads daily operations of MCBT, overseeing projects and programs ranging from business support and homeless response to career assistance and children's literacy.
Beyond MCBT, Kyle can be heard on-air at WRMJ Radio, broadcasting local sports or hosting his Alternative Country show “The Edge of Country”. A husband and dad of three (plus a Mini Dachshund named Rocky), Kyle can be found behind his acoustic guitar, at a Turnpike Troubadours show, nerding out on stock car racing history or teaching homeschool math.

Creative Director
tara@mcbettertogether.org
Since hitting the MCBT scene in August 2022, Tara has been slinging digital designs and taking MCBT’s online presence to the next level. As Creative Director, she oversees everything from our website's look and feel to the promotional materials that keep our organization buzzing. She is also passionate about helping area nonprofits level up their online presence.
When not busy designing websites and logos, doing voiceovers, or brainstorming marketing campaigns, you can usually find her with her nose in a cookbook, crooning Christmas tunes, working out, or watching old movies. She is a wife and mother, and deeply devoted to her 3 furry family members: Burl Ives, the puppy, and Frank and Egg, her cats.
If you’re a nonprofit or business in need of a creative spark, just remember, Tara loves a good lunch meeting and is always up for tacos!

Program Director
programs@mcbettertogether.org
Elijah joined MCBT in June 2024 to head up our Business Retention and Expansion efforts. He provides businesses with valuable guidance on finance and employment matters. Additionally, his services are available through our career center, offering comprehensive job seeker assistance from beginning to end.
Outside of his work at MCBT, Elijah enjoys spending time with friends and family, playing video games and board games, or watching the latest TV shows. While he is new to the role of husband, he is an experienced dog dad to his three-year-old Beagle mix, Eevee.
Local businesses and job seekers are encouraged to contact Elijah for a variety of services. He's eager to help in any way possible.

Administrative Assistant
admin@mcbettertogether.org
Katelyn joined MCBT in August of 2024, doing administrative work. Each week, she assists our Creative Director by putting together the jobs list and she is quick to offer a hand with various tasks around the office.
In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with friends and family. Katelyn is the second youngest of three sisters. She has a niece and nephew that she absolutely adores and you will always find her interacting with children, often holding a baby!
Katelyn’s dream is to work at St. Jude one day as a pediatric nurse! She is a recent Sherrard High School graduate, Class of 2024, and plans to start college in Fall of 2025.

President
kirk.doonan@nutrien.com
Vice President
mavj75@gmail.com
Secretary
steph73muske@outlook.com
Treasurer
lileb1996@gmail.com
Laurie Epperly, Bev Gray, Roger Grundstrom, Ted Rogalski, Rusty Ruggles, Tarah Sipes, Bob Springer, Darren Winsor

MEET THE board

OUR IMPACT

Since 2016, MCBT has made an economic impact in Mercer County of over $17.6 million, including over $225,000 thus far in 2024.

We've achieved this by taking a comprehensive approach to economic development. We meet businesses, organizations, local governments and individuals where they are to ensure they get the support they need.

We secured $67,420 in grant funds for local businesses.
Our Mercer County Career Center provides support to job seekers, including a weekly newsletter, personalized one-to-one job search assistance and a detailed list of current jobs available in (and near) Mercer County. We've promoted over 2,145 jobs through this list during 2024.

We piloted 'The Launchpad' during 2024, providing six area high school students with immersive paid internship experiences with local employers.
Through a partnership with a private funder, we facilitated a process to bring $100,935 in grant funds to support local creative arts projects in local music, visual arts, movement and dance, drama and storytelling.
Our emergency housing team is committed to tackling rural housing insecurity. We established a fund to aid those facing housing insecurity in Mercer County and developed a homeless response process to navigate those in need to critical services. During 2024, our team housed 17 families and provided $5,021.68 in assistance.
We facilitate Dolly Parton's Imagination Library children's literacy program, which served 400 Mercer County children during 2024. Since launching the program in December 2019, MCBT has sent more than 15,250 books to over 674 children aged 0-5 throughout Mercer County.

We also extend our assistance to local towns by sourcing funding to support local projects, devising solutions to enhance town services and facilitating reporting compliance.
With an overall economic impact on Mercer County of over $17,6 million, our comprehensive approach to economic development is making a difference in Mercer County.

MCBT FINANCIAL contributors

City of Aledo - City of Keithsburg - City of New Boston - Village of Joy - Village of Matherville - Village of New Windsor - Village of North Henderson - Village of Reynolds - Village of Seaton - Village of Sherrard - Village of Viola - Abington Township - Millersburg Township - New Boston Township - Preemption Township - Richland Grove Township - Rivoli Township - Mercer Market - Aledo Happy Joe's/Subway - Aledo Veterinary Clinic - Blackhawk Bank & Trust - Brozovich Chiropractic - Columbia Auto Repair & Sales - Diamond Ag - Farmers-Merchants Bank - Fippinger Funeral Home - Hank's Power & Equipment 0 Hamlet Mutual Insurance - Headquarters & Alley Outback Spa - John Waugh Insurance Agency, Inc - Mercer County Family Eyecare, LTD - New Windsor Telephone - NOVA Cablevision, Inc. - Re/Max Country Crossroads - Rex McWhorter-Yarger Machinery Sales -Reynolds Telephone Company - Smith's Custom Meat Processing - Taylor Maid In-Home Services - The Bean Field Coffee House - Copperas Creek Cattle/Wyffels Hybrids - Genesis Health System - Mercer County Farm Bureau - Fidelity Charitable (Landry's Helping Heart Foundation) - Walmart Aledo -

MCBT Project PARTNERS

University of Illinois Extension - Village of Viola - Mercer County Mental Health Action Program - Bi-State Regional Commission - QC Chamber - IIRA - Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity - Illinois Public Health Association - Dolly Parton's Imagination Library - Regional Office of Education (ROE) #33 - Birth to Five Illinois - Quad Cities Community Foundation - America's SBDC - Community Heart & Soul - Augustana College Web Guild - Monmouth College - Windborn Group - Mercer County Family Crisis Center - Mercer County Health Department - Mercer County Housing Authority - Project NOW - Mercer County Senior Center - Mercer County Sheriff's Department - Mercer County Probation - Mercer County CUSD #404 - City of Aledo - City of Keithsburg - City of New Boston - Eliza Township - Mercer County Agricultural Society - Mercer County Family YMCA - Village of Joy - Village of Matherville - Village of New Windsor - Village of North Henderson - Village of Seaton - Village of Sherrard - The Moline Foundation - Mercer County Board - American Job Center - Mercer Foundation For Health - General Grind & Machine - Aledo Rehabilitation & Health Care - Mercer County Mental Health Action Program - Black Hawk College - IL Institute for Rural Affairs - RTAC -

WHO WE ARE

Meet the Team

Kyle McEwen

Tara McFarland

Elijah Lind

Katelyn Bleuer

MEET THE board

OUR IMPACT

MCBT FINANCIAL contributors

MCBT Project PARTNERS