As published on 9/16/26, the special election for the open Member at Large Officer position on the Executive Committee is now open. All members have been sent an email notification and instructions from the chapter email system that the election is now open and it closes on 11/4/26 at 12:01am. Members, check your email for the chapter email notification and vote now!

The Central Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) invites you to join us for a lunch meeting and exclusive factory tour at Caterpillar Building SS in East Peoria, Illinois. This is the final assembly location of Caterpillar’s largest Track Type Tractor models!

Date: October 30, 2026 Location: Caterpillar Building SS, East Peoria, IL

Schedule

• 11:00 AM – 11:15 AM Central: Arrivals
• 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM Central: Lunch & Chapter Meeting (Lunch Provided)
• 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM Central: Guided Tour of the Caterpillar Track Type Tractor Final Assembly Facility

This is a great opportunity to network with fellow safety professionals and experience a behind-the-scenes look at Caterpillar’s bulldozer final assembly operations.

Important Registration Information

• Attendance is limited to 30 participants, so be on the lookout for RSVP and registration details. Registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.  A waitlist will be available if the registration fills up.  Registration is required for attendance. Registration closes on Monday, October 12, 2026 at 5:00pm Central Time, to allow for conflict of interest checks and approvals.  
• As part of the preregistration process, attendees will be required to provide their first and last name and current employer/company, business address and home address. This information will be submitted to the Caterpillar Corporate Tours Group for a conflict-of-interest review and attendance approval, prior to to the tour. 

IMPORTANT DIRECTIONS AND SAFETY INFORMATION:
If this is your first time to the East Peoria Facility, specifically building SS, we have included a map that will
help you to find the Visitor Entrance. The address for building SS is 450 Tractor Dr. however, when you pin
the location on your phone you sometimes end up on the Cedar Street Bridge.

Safety & Visitor Guidelines:
Required: Sturdy-soled shoes that provide complete foot coverage and have less than a 1” heel.
– No sandals, open-toed or open-heeled shoes.
– Hearing and eye protection will be provided and must always be worn while on the tour path.
– Rings, neck ties and dangling jewelry and clothing are not allowed on tour.
– Shorts and skirts are not allowed on tours. Legs must be fully covered.
– No fanny packs, across the body bags, computer bags or bags of any kind are allowed in the manufacturing
facilities. We ask that you lock them in your vehicle while you’re on a tour.
– Groups are required to stay within the marked tour routes in each facility.

Visitors must be at least 12-years old to tour Caterpillar manufacturing and logistics facilities.

Photography is not allowed in Caterpillar manufacturing facilities. There may be certain areas where photography is allowed in some facilities, these areas, if permitted, will be identified and communicated by your tour guides. 

Additional directions and details are attached at this link:Caterpillar Bldg SS Visitors Guidance

We look forward to seeing you on October 30.  Register Today on the Events Page of cil.assp.org: https://cil.assp.org/event/ Registration closes on Monday, October 12, 2026 at 5:00pm Central Time, to allow for conflict of interest checks and approvals.  

It is with great sadness to report that Patrick Costello, a current Member at Large Officer of the Chapter passed away on April 25, 2026. Patrick was a 16 year member of ASSP and served in several different leadership roles for the Central Illinois Chapter and ASSP Region V. Patrick’s many volunteer service commitments included Chapter President for two terms from 2018-2020, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Nominations Committee, Region V Nominations Committee and most recently Member at Large Officer 2020-2024 and 2025-2027. Patrick’s obituary can be found at: https://www.paynicfh.com/obituary/patrick-costello

Patrick will be missed, he always provided positive and engaging encouragement to our chapter and chapter leaders. His passing leaves a current vacancy in the Executive Committee, which will need to be filled with a Special Election.

In following our bylaws, the Chapter Nominations Committee has presented Dr. Chris Grieshaber as a candidate for this open Executive Committee position. Chris has held numerous leadership positions over the years with our Chapter. A Special Election will be held starting 30 days after this notice, which will open in electronic form on October 19, 2026. Chapter Members may submit a signed petition nominating one or more individuals for elective office. The petition will require 10 signatures to be valid. The petition shall be accompanied by a written acceptance by the nominee(s) and shall be submitted to the Chairperson of the Nominations and Elections Committee 15 days in advance of the election. The names and qualifications of such nominees shall be published and distributed to the membership at least 7 days prior to the election. Petition information and inquiries to the Nominations and Elections Committee can be submitted through our Contact Us page on cil.assp.org at https://cil.assp.org/contact-us/. The Special Election will be open for a minimum of 15 days and we must receive at least 40 returned ballots for the election to be validated.

Please watch your email inbox for the Special Election information on October 19, 2026.