By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – One of the business leaders who spent the last few years deriding Illinois as unfriendly to business is singing a different tune. For now, anyway.

Mark Denzler, president of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, chose the headquarters of Springfield’s Mel-O-Cream Donuts – which produces a million donuts a week for stores near and far – for his promotion of “Manufacturing Matters,” a report his group has put out bragging about the numbers.

Denzler says in the ten years since the recession ended, Illinois manufacturing has added 30,000 jobs and – were it a country – would have the 63rd most productive economy in the world

And, even though he and his group backed the wrong side in last fall’s election, this spring was a success.

“We were able to get a five-year extension of the research-and-development tax credit this year and reinstatement of the manufacturers’ purchase credit. There were some positive strides that were made in this last session, but we still have a lot of challenges we have to address.”

Denzler and people like him tried to get Bruce Rauner re-elected as governor. Now Denzler’s on the same stage as Gov. JB Pritzker, celebrating the $45 billion infrastructure bill.

Why the 180? Why couldn’t Rauner get those things done?

“We’re looking ahead,” Denzler responded. “IMA works with governors of both stripes; we work with Republicans and Democrats.”

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected].