Illinois Valley Times

Illinois State Senate District 37 candidate, Li Arellano, has extended his congratulations to the creators of the Coolest Thing Made in Illinois. Arellano, who is set to appear on the ballot for the general election, disseminated a link to an article published by the Peoria Journal-Star.

"Made in Peoria, Illinois—Komatsu's massive mining truck is 2024's “Coolest Thing Made In Illinois," said Arellano, Candiate, according to Facebook. "The contest is hosted annually by the Illinois Manufacturers' Association. Congrats, and very cool!"

The Journal-Star article centered on the Komatsu Mining Truck and reported that the ceremony for awarding the title of Coolest Thing Made in Illinois was held on April 10. The event saw Governor J.B. Pritzker in attendance and also featured a quote from Mark Denzler, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturing Association (IMA), which sponsors this annual contest. "This magnificent construction and mining vehicle is a shining example of the innovation and creativity that drives the manufacturing sector, where big ideas become products that can change the world," Denzler stated.

Screenshot of Li Arellano for State Senate's April 11 Facebook post | Li Arellano for Senate Facebook page

According to information from the Makers Madness website, this title was conferred following their 2024 competition. The contest commenced with nominations being accepted from February 14. Voting began on March 5 and by April 2, the top 16 nominees had been narrowed down to four finalists. Voting concluded on April 7 and subsequently, on April 10, the winner was announced.

A representative from Komatsu also attended this ceremony as per reports by Journal-Star. Dan Funcannon, Komatsu’s vice president of North America Engineering and Development expressed his gratitude stating: "Komatsu is honored to receive this incredible recognition, which is a testament to the talent and skill of our team, who are among the best in business. We are proud of our contributions to Illinois’ strong legacy of manufacturing, where human ingenuity transforms raw materials into modern marvels."

Arellano's political career includes serving as mayor of Dixon after he successfully ran for office in 2015 amidst revelations of extensive fraud within city government. During his term as mayor, Arellano prioritized restoring fiscal integrity, enhancing local infrastructure, and fostering economic development. Having achieved the objectives he set out to accomplish as mayor, Arellano adhered to the term limits he had pledged and chose not to seek reelection for a third term. Instead, he decided to reenter the private sector, according to his website. Currently, Arellano is a small business owner who operates two Jimmy John’s franchises, a frozen yogurt shop named the Frosted Spoon, and a commercial property leasing company. In addition to his business ventures, Arellano serves as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserves and is presently a squad leader with the 317th Engineer Construction Company based in Homewood, IL.