A metro-east business professionals group is forming its fifth chapter.

People In Business is establishing the new chapter in Belleville and is looking for interested professionals to join. Financial advisor Doug Wilks, of Wilks & Associates in Belleville, franchise of Ameriprise Financial, is coordinating the new chapter. Wilks' administrative assistant Dianna Stogner said the new group can help local professionals network and get to know other professionals in the community.

"We're hoping to get it started and have it take off," Stogner said. "We do business with each other and refer other people to different members."

The first chapter was founded in Edwardsville a decade ago. Accountant Susan Young said she was looking for an opportunity to create a group of professionals that could support one another.

"We're trying to help businesses," Young said. "It's all we do. We're trying to help businesses support people running small businesses. That's the whole idea."

Today, People In Business has more than 300 members with chapters in Edwardsville, Collinsville, Alton and O'Fallon-Shiloh. Another chapter has formed in Springfield. Young said the new chapter will help meet Belleville-based professionals' needs.

"Doug Wilks is going to do a good job," Young said. "He realized that small businesses need some way to communicate and that we provide that communication and provide way to help people resolve problems."

The Belleville Chapter of People In Business will hold its inaugural meeting from noon to 1 p.m. March 7 at Fischer's Restaurant at 2100 W. Main St. in Belleville.

Those interested in attending can contact Stogner at 355-7897 or Dianna.L.Stogner@ampf.com.

For further information about People In Business, visit online at peopleinbusiness.ning.com.

Contact reporter Will Buss at wbuss@bnd.com or 239-2526.