DCEOs Did You Know

              Microsoft’s Internet Explorer is based upon NCSA Mosaic, which was developed by the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois. Explorer is distributed under a licensing agreement with Spyglass, Inc. University of Illinois alum, who had previously worked at the NCSA, launched another very popular Internet navigation system, Netscape.
Illinois' gross state product was an estimated $589.6 billion in 2006, accounting for 4.5 percent of US total gross product. If Illinois were a country it would rank 23rd in the world.
According to data provided with the most recent Annual Survey of Manufacturers, Illinois is the top state in machinery manufacturing. The state is number two in a number of industries including agriculture, construction, and mining machinery manufacturing; grain and oilseed milling; nonferrous metal production; hardware; engine, turbine, and power transmission equipment; and, electrical equipment.
Illinois ranked fourth as the headquarters to 32 of the nation’s largest companies on the 2006 Fortune 500 list.
Illinois has 17 companies listed on Inc. Magazine's Inc. 500 in 2007, a listing of the fastest growing privately held companies in the U.S based on revenue growth over the last five years.
There are an estimated 343,331 women-owned firms in Illinois, accounting for 31.6% of all privately held firms. They employ more than 316,217 people and generate $51 billion in sales. Nationally, Illinois ranks fifth in the number of women-owned firms, employment, and sales.
Illinois’ $42.1 billion in exports ranked fifth among U.S. states in 2006. The top export sector was Machinery Manufacturing (excluding electrical) at $11.8 billion. Other sectors with exports of at least $1 billion include: Chemicals ($5.8 billion); Computer and Electronic Products ($5.4 billion); Transportation Equipment ($3.4 billion); Electronic Equipment, Appliances, and Components ($2.9 billion); Food and Kindred Products ($1.5 billion); Fabricated Metal Products ($1.7 billion) and Miscellaneous commodities ($1.6 billion)
Illinois is home to 19 companies on Fortune magazine’s list of most admired companies. Six Illinois companies made Fortune’s list of the Fastest Growing 100 companies. Another three are in the best companies to work for list.
Chicago’s O’Hare Airport handled over 958,643 flights in 2006, making it the worlds second busiest. It served 76.3 million passengers in 2006 – 64.6 million domestic and 11.7 million international.
Four Illinois communities ranked in the top fifty among 215 housing markets nationwide in housing affordability during the second quarter of 2006: Quad Cities (6th), Peoria-Pekin (20th), Rockford (31st) and Champaign/Urbana (42nd). Housing affordability is determined by the relationship between median family income and median home prices.
Illinois coal producers mine over 32 million tons of coal per year, accounting for 3% percent of U.S. production. More than 75% of Illinois coal is sold to out-of-state utilities. Illinois has a 250-year supply of coal. Illinois has the largest reported bituminous coal resource of any state in the United States.
Updated: September 2007
DCEO’s Did You Know