“We are a city where ideas and ingenuity come together with infrastructure, talent, and opportunity. We are a community where things are not just imagined. They are made,” Wehrli said.
That idea of what’s ‘Made in Naperville’ was the very theme of this year’s State of the City address, delivered Thursday by Mayor Scott Wehrli at the Embassy Suites Chicago-Naperville.
He highlighted businesses, products, and medical advancements that have sprung from Naperville, and the innovators who make it all possible, featuring many in video segments throughout the speech.
Bringing business on I-88 corridor
The mayor spoke of the significance of the I-88 corridor to Naperville’s future development, looking at businesses that led the way to its transformation…like Nicor Gas, Bell Labs, and Amoco.
They’ll soon be joined by others, the mayor said, noting that last year, the Naperville Development Partnership compiled a report with plans to bring more to that region.
“We’re excited to attract more companies in these sectors to our borders, because companies know that when they say yes to Naperville, they’re saying yes to a place where growth is always on our mind,” Wehrli said.
A thriving downtown Naperville
Another spot where businesses are booming, the mayor said, is downtown Naperville, where more than 15 opened up in 2025, a record year.
He applauded several that have already opened in 2026, like Lilly Pulitzer and Free People, and shared that at least seven other retailers and restaurants are planned for the rest of the year, including newly announced Brandy Melville.
The ebb and flow from old businesses to new, the mayor said, is part of a “healthy downtown.”
“So a living, thriving downtown, it’s not a moment in time. It’s a living, changing place, and the steady rhythm of new arrivals is what keeps customers coming through those doors,” Wehrli said.
Community innovators start in Naperville
And behind those businesses are entrepreneurs…with a solid crop grown right here in town, the mayor said.
He spotlighted the baby products company Itzy Ritzy and Joe Chura of non-alcoholic brewery Go Brewing, and noted the importance of supporting those to come.
“All of you will play a role in helping the next generation make their mark, and to that I say thank you,” Wehrli said.
‘Responsible stewardship’ of Naperville budget
Wehrli shared that Naperville’s 2026 budget was balanced, with the lowest property tax rate in 56 years…and he marked the efficiency that reflected.
“When we compare the number of city employees last year with that of almost two decades ago, we are serving 6% more residents with about 100 fewer employees,” Wehrli said.
Medical advancements hit home for Naperville mayor
The speech took a tender turn when the mayor started discussing the medical strides being made in the city, like through research at CellCarta, where work is being done to slow the impact of diseases like Alzheimers.
He remarked on his dad’s own struggles with cognitive decline and how critical these advances are.
“Now, just outside this back door, there are people working to find the cure. Right here. In our hometown. I don’t know if my dad would have believed it, but I know he would have been proud,” Wehrli said.
A call to be an ambassador
To close, Wehrli implored residents to be an “ambassador for this city we all love.”
“We cannot simply sit back and hope the next dreamer, doer, innovator, or entrepreneur finds us. We have to go out and tell our Naperville story,” Wehrli said.
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