BY DARCY EVON SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST

The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce says it's time for radical change. If the tech community is serious about creating jobs in an ailing economy, we collectively need to focus on new technologies, cut red tape and bureaucracy, and build customer relationships and strategic partnerships between companies of all sizes, from tiny upstarts to industry giants.

The chamber is poised to unveil a special tech program at the Entrepreneurial Center in partnership with the Mayor's Council of Technology Advisors and the Illinois Coalition that will make a bold move to unify the tech community while serving as a one-stop center for information on funding, grant-development resources and securing new customers.

In an era of a proliferation of government programs and private associations that compete to do exactly the same thing, the center may benefit from the good luck of a bad economy, and actually succeed.

"This is the Chamber reinventing itself," said Chamber President and CEO Jerry Roper. "I believe that we can do it, that we can deliver."

As part of the new initiative (code-named "VentureTech"), a high-level community organizer will be named this week to spearhead the partnerships and collaborations that are critical for its success. As part of the partnership process, the person will be funded by the Illinois Coalition, have an office at the center, and work closely with coalition and center heads Tom Thornton and David Weinstein.

"The local tech community doesn't do itself any good when it just networks among itself," Weinstein said. "We want to connect people [as customers and clients] across the board. What organization is better able to do that than the Chamber?

When the Entrepreneurial Center was first launched several years ago, tech entrepreneurs had little use for it, preferring to visit the VC well for seemingly endless cash flow. After the Internet era came to an end, entrepreneurs were left scrambling trying to figure out alternative sources of funding, like loans, angel investments, strategic investors and good old-fashioned revenues from paying customers. The end result is that far fewer companies are starting up, and the state continues to lose jobs instead of creating them.

Added Roper, "We are very focused on the endgame."

Roper wants to turn around the bleak landscape with positive change. "I see the Entrepreneurial Center defining the Chamber of the future."

The new agenda has everyone awash with anticipation. "There's so much electricity at the Chamber now we could be Commonwealth Edison," Roper said.

Not bad for an organization that turns 100 years old next year.

Mid-market hiring foreseen

Grant Thornton, the accounting and business advisory firm, came out with some research this month that is surprisingly upbeat if you are looking for a job: Half of middle-market companies the firm surveyed expect to bring on new employees within the next six months because they are growing in their markets.

"This is not all that surprising," said Ted Martin, founder and CEO of Chicago-based Martin Partners. "The mid market is the first to come back in a bad economy. Big companies are still doing layoffs and small companies can't afford to bring on new people yet."

Martin has taught a popular course on researching middle- market companies to help candidates land new positions. Some of the top secrets: Get a hold of a chamber list for the city you want to work in, since most mid-market companies belong. Study their Web sites, and design a compelling cover letter that explains how you will be able to propel their business forward.

"Don't just send your resume, make it very targeted and thoughtful. Send it right to the CEO. Most of these CEOs don't get that much mail, and your letter has a pretty good chance of actually being read by the CEO," said Martin.

Michael Ahern, a financial wizard who recently moved back to Chicago from Silicon Valley and is looking for a job, said the strategy sounded challenging but was likely to succeed. "That's really good advice and I will try some of those suggestions," he said.

Cal Stuart also is looking for a CFO-type position after being laid off from Motorola last year. "I am seeing some activity now [in the middle market] and I am very optimistic. It's pretty exciting to think about a fresh start in a new position."

Darcy Evon is editor of I-Street magazine, a monthly publication for the technology industry, and the I-Street Reporter, an independent free online newsletter.