Clean Fuels Champion

Kara Demirjian Huss led the development of the new EV Innovation Hub in Decatur this year, securing state funding for a first-of-its-kind $45 million training and research facility. The project strengthens the North American EV supply chain by onshoring key components and expanding workforce and R&D capacity. TCCI Manufacturing, of which Kara is Senior Vice President, invested more than $20 million to upgrade its Decatur facility, creating 50 new jobs and becoming the first recipient of the state’s REV Illinois incentive program.

The 260,000-square-foot Clean Energy Innovation Hub includes an EV compressor production line, the Clean Energy Workforce Academy, and the Climatic Center for Innovation & Research (CCIR). The Academy, launching fall 2026 with Richland Community College, introduces a hands-on clean-energy training model that builds pathways from high school to industry certifications. The CCIR will be one of the nation’s most advanced testing facilities for natural refrigerants and next-generation thermal management systems, supported by a $650,000 Illinois EPA grant.

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Kara Demirjian Huss is a nationally recognized manufacturing and economic-development leader and the current Board President of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. She is an Owner and Senior Vice President at TCCI Manufacturing, leading work in onshoring, clean-tech development, supply-chain resilience, and workforce innovation. She is also the Founder and President of DCC Marketing, a WBENC-certified agency serving government, industry coalitions, and Fortune 500 companies.

Kara serves on the Illinois Workforce Innovation Board, where she chairs the Communications & Stakeholder Engagement Committee. A frequent commentator on U.S. competitiveness and industrial innovation, she has been featured in Politico, Bloomberg, Axios, Crain’s, and IndustryWeek. She was named a 2025 Crain’s Notable Leader in Sustainability and a Chicago Business Journal Top 10 Executives to Watch.

Powering Chicago, a labor-management partnership between IBEW Local 134 and the Electrical Contractors Association of Chicago and Cook County, has strongly exemplified these qualities. It promotes responsible practices for a healthier, more sustainable environment, benefiting workers and the community through advanced electrical technologies, innovative training and inclusive community programs.

Powering Chicago’s rigorous training program for electrical workers equips them with advanced skills in clean energy and energy-efficient technologies, while partnerships with local governments, environmental groups and educational institutions help expand its impact. These projects all foster a healthier, more sustainable Chicago.