Minnesota Valley Business

Julie Stevermer Community Based Services Supervisor. Photo by Pat Christman

Jon Hammerschmidt, who competed in pole vaulting when he attended New Ulm High School, recently launched Twin Valley Pole Vault.

10

The Mankato area has many mental health care providers, but a big increase in demand following the pandemic leaves providers strained.

Joyce (DeWitz) Barnard’s Rejoyce Bridal in Amboy sells bridal dresses to “normal-sized” women, in sizes 14 to 30 from popular gown designers.

Businesses from Mankato Magazine’s “Best Of” competition are featured: Inspire Health & Wellness, Big Dog Sports Bar and Vetter Stone Amphitheater

MAGAZINE EDITOR Tim Krohn

DESIGNER Christina Sankey

COPY EDITOR Kathy Vos

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tim Krohn Kent Thiesse Dean Swanson Jane Turpin Moore Dan Greenwood

PHOTOGRAPHER Pat Christman

COVER PHOTO Pat Christman

ADVERTISING Sales Danny Creel Jennifer Flowers Jordan Greer-Friesz Josh Zimmerman Theresa Haefner Tim Keech

ADVERTISING ASSISTANT Barb Wass

ADVERTISING DESIGNERS Christina Sankey

Justin Niles

PUBLISHER Steve Jameson

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Joe Spear

By Joe Spear

Mental health treatment and business

Mental health business is anunusualstoryfora businessmagazine,but readingthismonth’sfeature shows it to be one of the most important business stories we can do.

Mankato has a good variety of providers, but they are almost all bookedupwithwaitinglists sometimes three months out for evenaninitialdiagnosis.For children who need acute care and a facility, in one case, a patient hadtogoto a facilityin Massachusetts.Waitsfor placement at a care facility can be six months.

The pandemic increased mental health caseloads by double digits insomecases.Providersare doing their best to expand and addstaff,butlikeother businesses,they’refindingthat difficulttodowithlabor shortages.

Andtherearesomegapsin service.Foryouthunder16, Mankato has no inpatient facility, so children have to be transported all over the state or to other states that have openings.

BlueEarthCountycurrently has a youth and children mental caseloadof165patients.They haveeightcasemanagersand thereare26referralspending, whereaspre-COVIDtheremay havebeen10referralsatany given time.

And clients appear to be getting younger with some 5 and 6-year oldsneedingservices.Experts can only assume that is due to lackofsocializationduringthe pandemic.

Ofcourse, for businesses, employees who sufferfrom mentalhealthissuescannotbe productive and need care just as muchastheyneedcarefora physical illness.

TheFreePresspublishedan in-depththree-partseriesover thelastyearwiththelast installment earlier this year. One installment covered the shortage of beds and why that is occurring. Here were some of the findings of that report:

n Manybedsareeither constantly in use or are taken offlinebymentalhealth providers who can’t afford to keep them running. State and federalregulationsmakeit difficult to add more beds in the system. And wait times to get into psychiatric treatment programs keep growing.

n Minnesota has a moratorium onaddinghospitalbedsand the exemption process is very difficult.

n TheMinnesotaLegislature approved50morebeds statewidein2021.Thirtyof thosewenttoPrairieCare, whichhas a locationin Mankato.Thegroup’s Brooklyn Park pediatric facility has grown five-fold since 2011, going from 20 beds to 100 with a recent expansion.

n A r eportfromthefederal CentersforDiseaseControl and Prevention shows mental health-relatedemergency room visits increased by 31% in 2020 for U.S. adolescents ages 12-17.ERvisitsforchildren ages5-11increasedby24% compared to the previous year.

n For patients in crisis seeking help,thereare about 1,000 beds in Minnesota available — just over 600 for adults, and 200 to 300 or more for children.

n Mentalhealthservicesare reimbursed at 80% of the rate otherservicesgetfrom insurance companies.

n For other medical staff, it could take about an hour each week

to address insurance questions.

For mental health staff, it could take about 10 hours because the system is so complicated. n Mentalhealthproviders sometimeshavetocall insurancecompaniesevery day to verify care progress.

n Otherssayfederalactionis neededtoendMedicaid’s exclusionofmentalhealth treatment facility services.

n Beds are banked by hospitals, instead of put in use due to lackofemployees,low reimbursement rates.

Plentyofproblemstotackle here.Mentalhealthandthe system affect business as it affects employees who are so valuable to making business successful.

Joe Spear is executive editor of Minnesota Valley Business. Contact him at jspear@mankatofreepress.com or 344-6382. Follow on Twitter @jfspear.

■ Local Business People/Company News

Paap honored by Farm Bureau KevinPaap has received the Minnesota Farm Bureau Distinguished Serviceto Agriculture Award. A lifelong FarmBureau member,Paap servedasvice president from 1999-2005 before being elected the organization’s 13th president in 2005, a role he held for 16 years.

In addition to leading the state organization, Paap also held key positions on the national level at theAmericanFarmBureau Federation, including as an AFBF Board Member from 2012-21 and servingontheTradeAdvisory Committeefrom2013-17, including being named Chairman from 2015-17.

Outside of Farm Bureau, Paap servedaspresidentofthe MinnesotaSoybeanGrowers Association, and played a role on many boardsand committees includingtheMinnesota FFA Foundation,CenterforRural Policy and Development, National Children’sCenterforRural Health & Safety, and Farm Safety 4 Just Kids.

Pathstone honored Ecumen Pathstone in Mankato hasreceived a “BestNursing Home Short-Term Rehabilitation” ratingforitsshort-term rehabilitation center by U.S. News & World Report magazine.

The magazine evaluated more than 15,000 facilities throughout

the country, rating most of them intheareasofshort-term rehabilitation and long-term care. EcumenPathstonereceived a “high performance” rating -- the highest designation possible –in short-term rehabilitation.

CreditSupportSpecialistsand managingthebank’sCredit Operationsdepartmentatthe Mankato Adams Street location. ■

Kimm, Olsen recognized Marvin Kimm, presidentat PioneerBank Mapleton,and Dean Olsen, presidentat Pioneer Bank St. James,were recognizedwith special designationsto honortheir careerswith Pioneer Bank. Withtheir promotions, theywillboth continuewith the bank in the role of senior ag banker, president emeritus.

PioneerBankhaspromoted five officers to new roles within their bank.

JeffBarretthasbeennamed vice president and will continue his role as a business banker at the St. James location.

Three of the bank’s residential mortgagelenders,Heather Eischen,JenniferWiensand CarissaLutterman,havebeen promoted to vice president.

Andrea Mattes has been named vice president and will continue her role supervising the bank’s

Kimmbegan workingwiththebankin1986 andhasbeeninstrumentalin developingtheresidential mortgagelendingandFarmer Mac ag lending programs in the Mapletonmarket.Olsenalso began with the bank in 1986, left in1996butreturnedin2013 servingasthefirstmarket president in St. James.

Travis Elg has been named the newMarketPresidentinSt. James.

Pioneer Bank promotes 5

Kevin Paap

Heather Eischen

Jeff Barrett

Andrea Mattes

Jennifer Wiens

Marvin Kimm

Dean Olsen

■ Business Commentary

By Dean Swanson

Be aware of and prevent common risks to your business

You have a lot of time and financial investment in your business. Unfortunately, my experience with CEOs is that many have not spent much timeplanning to protectit. I willprovidesome suggestions on being aware of common risks and how to prevent them.

Fire, injuries, theft and cyber security are some of themostcommonrisksyourbusinessshouldbe prepared to handle.

Preventing fires

Many businesses find it helpful to appoint someone to be the person in charge of fire safety and prevention. This person is responsible for reading up on and ensuring your business is up to date on all municipal fire codes.

Mostofthosecodeswillprobablyincludebest practices you know already. For example:

n Have a regular routine to take out the trash daily.

n If you’re going to allow smoking outside, create a designated space with smoking receptacles.

n Put your fire extinguisher in a visible place.

n Invest in a fire alarm system.

n Conduct routine fire drills and train employees on the appropriate evacuation routes.

In general, fire extinguishers should be inspected once a year, and smoke detectors once every 10 years. Check smoke detector batteries regularly.

Avoiding injuries

Making safety a priority at your business is key to avoiding injuries that can result in costly lawsuits. Hereareafewthingsyoucandotokeepyour employees and your customers safe:

n Maintain and inspect all equipment regularly.

n Keep things like goggles, gloves and first-aid kits on hand.

n Post signs with safety reminders for employees.

n Make sure you run criminal background checks on employees, and, if relevant, ensure employees have safe driving records.

Also, remember to seek expert help. OSHA can help small businesses by supplying compliance guides for their rules and respond to small business owners who have questions about compliance. The agency has regional offices throughout the U.S. and includes small businesses in their process for creating rules and regulations.

Preventing theft

Thethreatoftheftcancomefromcriminals, customers and your employees, which is why it’s vital

to take the proper precautions to protect your business from commercial theft.

Fromapropertystandpoint,someofthesame practices you’d use to secure your home applies to your business. For example:

n Lock your doors when you leave and make sure they’re secure.

n Make sure your business is well lit, both inside and outside.

n When shopping for an alarm system, consider one with motion detection that will automatically alert police.

n Install fencing, if needed.

Foremployees,conductpre-employment background checks and make sure controls are in place to track inventory and cashflow. Install video cameras at all entrances and exits, along with any sensitive areas, like the cash register. Limit access to sensitiveareas,suchasthesaferoom,toonly employees who need it.

Further, keep a second set of records for all critical operations,suchasaccountsreceivable,inventory and insurance plans. It’s a good idea to keep those recordsinadifferentlocationfromyourprimary place of business.

Cyber security and data loss prevention

While major cyber attacks in the news might make it seem like they only happen to large corporations, no business is immune to data security breaches. When you keep customer information on hand, a breach can severelyhamperyouroperationsandstrain relationshipswithcustomers,nottomention potentially leave you liable for a lawsuit.

Fortunately, having a solid plan in place to guard againstcyberthreats,combinedwiththeright software and a cyber insurance policy, can provide protection and give you peace of mind.

Formulate and automate a backup plan in the form of people and practices, as well as software. If a system you’re using shuts down, is there an alternative way for employees and customers to gain access to systems necessary to doing business?

If you’re a one- or two-person operation, is there someone else trained to do basic business operating tasks?

When it comes to software and data protection, back up your work in more than one place, even work saved remotely on an external hard drive or in the cloud.

Secure your passwords, and if possible, consider using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) for internet access.

Train and teach your employees the importance of practicing good online habits and cyber security. Thiscanincludefrequently changingpasswordsandbeing aware of phishing emails.

A good software program can also help you ensure that your network hardware, critical data, documents and other information aresafefromcybertheftor damage. When choosing software, consider whether it can: Identifydatathatcouldbe compromised or vulnerable, like customer credit card numbers or addresses.

n Detectandpreventdata intrusion and hacking.

n Generate audits and reports ofthehealthandcurrent state of your systems. MV

Dean L. Swanson is a volunteer certified SCORE mentor and former SCORE chapter chair, district director, and regional vice president for the north west region. For information on the local Mankato area SCORE chapter: scmnscore.org

Joey’s Actions Speak Volumes on the Job

For someone who is nonverbal, Joey certainly has a lot to say these days. He has found a way to express his thoughts through his hard work.

“Joey is nonverbal for the most part and with that comes a few challenges,” explains MRCI Employment Specialist Lisa Lobe. “But nothing was going to stand in his way once he decided he was ready to work. I was meeting with his family and they mentioned that they frequent a restaurant named Boonies, and that after dinner Joey loved to clean up the table. Not only his own table, but others as well. They mentioned that this might be a great job opportunity for him. “

she

Lisa left the meeting and immediately went to Boonies where spoke to a supervisor on duty and left a packet of information about MRCI.

“My intention was just to plant a seed, let them know what our company was about and that we were interested in partnering with them to allow our client the opportunity to see what the restaurant industry was like,” Lisa says. “Right as I was about to leave, the supervisor had tears in her eyes and said, ‘We would love to work with Joey! I have two brothers that have disabilities, and this program sounds incredibly beneficial to not only all of us staff but to Joey! She passed my number along to the owner of Boonies.”

A couple of days later, Lisa got the call, Boonies wanted to offer Joey a job.

“I got the opportunity to job coach Joey his first week. His duties ranged from clearing tables and wiping them down, to wiping off menus, seating guests, to filling ranch cups in the kitchen, filling water cups for guests, and filling the ice behind the bar,” explains Lisa. “Although he is nonverbal, we all found a way to communicate and teach him! By the second day Joey was bussing tables withoutbeingaskedorshownwhattodo.Joeygaineda confidence that was clearly shown by his smile and through his He kept pointing to his work shirt saying proudly, “BOONIES!” Every time I have checked in on him they have had nothing but positive things to say, and through natural supports, Joey doesn’t have just a job, he is a part of the team!”

actions. He

Joey is just one example of how MRCI employment programs help individuals achieve their goals. For more information, visit mymrci.org or call 507-386-5600.

About MRCI

MRCIprovidesgenuine opportunitiesforpeoplewith disabilities and disadvantages at home,atworkandinthe community. To becomean employmentpartner,orfor moreinformation,pleasecall 507-386-5600.

Workplace Wellness:

Do you have an ergonomic work station?

An occupational health nurse, Claire’s services include ergonomic worksite evaluations. To learn more about Occupational Medicine, visit mankatoclinic.com/specialties/ occupational-medicine.

We spend about 40 or more hours per week at work. For office workers with desk jobs, here are some good places to start when looking at ways to make your work station more ergonomic and efficient. These tips can help reduce or prevent pain and repetitive use injuries.

Healthy Computing

The proper position of a keyboard is just above the level of your lap. This is lower than most people normally place their keyboard, but it lets your arms tilt downwards leaving your elbows at a comfortable open angle. When our wrists are bent upward for long periods of time, we are at risk for carpal tunnel symptoms. A keyboard tray can be a simple fix.

The top third of your monitor should be at eye level. Sometimes raising the height of a desk chair works. Since many of us work on laptops, try placing your laptop on a riser or even a few reams of paper and connecting a keyboard. Looking down at a laptop screen can lead to neck pain and headaches so it is important to have your screen at the right height.

Printers

If you use your printer a lot, where is it located? Are you twisting or turning to get your documents? Make sure your

printer is in a place where you can easily grab documents. If you’re not using your printer as often, place it where you have to get up from your chair to get your copies.

Supplies & Tools

Are the supplies, tools, files and manuals you use most often within easy reach? You may have items on your desk within easy reach that you no longer use or use infrequently. Take a look around and see if it’s time to rearrange.

Home Office

If you are working from home, take time to set up a proper work station. Request a desk chair with lumbar support, a keyboard tray and riser for your laptop if that would be helpful. If you are working at a table, try placing a small pillow between your low back and the chair for added support.

Standing desks

A sit-to-stand desk can lessen strain on the spine. If you have a sit-stand station, aim to stand 50 percent of your day. If you work eight hours, four should be standing. Some people sit one hour and then stand one hour. Others stand in the morning and sit in the afternoon. Some tasks are easier to do sitting or standing. Plan your day accordingly and do what works best for you.

When standing, wear supportive shoes. Keep a pair of sneakers at your work station. Another idea would be to add an anti-fatigue mat in front of your standing station to help reduce

By Claire Patterson RN Occupational Medicine Mankato Clinic

discomfort if you are standing for periods of time.

Movement breaks

Prolonged sitting causes muscle imbalance. Stand up every hour. Get up to use the copy machine, stand while on the phone or walk to someone’s cube instead of sending an email. Take quick stretching breaks in the morning or every four hours such as midmorning and mid-afternoon. Get up and take a walk on your breaks – even if it’s just five to ten minutes.

Eye breaks

The American Optometric Association recommends resting the eyes for 15 minutes after two hours of computer use. For every 20 minutes of computer viewing, look into the distance for 20 seconds to give the eyes a chance to refocus.

Stay healthy at work!

Many hurting

Mental health services strained

By Tim Krohn | Photos by Pat Christman

Becauseofitslargersize,Mankato-North Mankato is home to a wide array of mental health services for adults and children.

But an ongoing increase in need meansthereareoftenwaiting lists and a lack of some services, particularly for youth.

Cover Story

“Fortunately, because of the size of Mankato, we do have a good array of mental health providers that are community based,” said Julie Stevermer, community-basedservicessupervisorforBlue Earth County.

“So from that perspective, yes, we’re fortunate. But COVID kind of exacerbated needs for families and children. So our staff is backed up for doing diagnoses.Sometimesittakes uptothreemonthsbefore a youth or child can get in for a diagnosis. There’s such a high neednowsothat’sourbiggestchallenge,” Stevermer said.

Matt Petersen, business development director at PrairieCare, said in spite of the number of services available here, there is a shortage of some services.

Jessica Smith, senior clinical director at Christian Family Solutions

“We doverywellonsome thingsandwe’relackingin others. For youth under 16 we don’t have an inpatient facility, so they end up having to go all over the state or out of state.”

“But I’m impressed. Since we came to Mankato in 2017, the acuity of providers here keeps rising.Buttherearewaiting lists constantly. You’d like to be able to do more,” he said.

NadiaHoffman,site supervisoratPrairieCarein Mankato,saidtherearealso some big gaps locally.

“Some of our specialty therapy sex abuse, eating disorders and autism — those are areas thatreallyneedmorework here,” Hoffman said.

Jessica Smith, senior clinical directoratChristianFamily Solutions on Good Counsel hill, said the pandemic, as well as possibly other reasons,have increaseddemandforadults and especially children.

“Thereare a lotofpeople hurting.Ourphonesringoff thehook. We trytohelpas manypeopleaswecan,but there are just a lot of people whoneedhelprightnow,” Smith said.

County at the center Blue Earth County is a critical

core of mental health services, particularlyforyouthwith serious and complex needs.

Stevermersaidthatwhen kids are diagnosed with severe emotionaldisturbances,the county works to help families accesscommunity-based services whenever possible.

“Theyhavesuicide(risks), issues at home, issues in school, inthecommunity.Theyare severe cases.”

She said the county currently providesmentalhealthcare managementto165children and youth.

“Ihaveeightstaffthatare children’smentalhealthcase managers. We have 26 referrals pending right now. The (waiting list) norm before COVID was probably 10.”

Shesaidthatforcasesof complex youth needs, there are notresidential,psychiatric facilities locally to place them,

PrairieCare in City Center Mankato has been expanding its services for youth and adults.

“They have suicide (risks), issues at home, issues in school, in the community. They are severe cases.”

and there is a long waiting list for beds elsewhere in the state or in other states.

“The waiting list can be six monthsout,”Stevermersaid. She said the county has been working with one youth since January with severe needs. The only residential program is in Massachusetts. The youth was scheduled to finally be placed there last month.

Whileyouthswithcomplex needs are waiting to be placed, thecountyandcommunitybased providers try to provide the help they need. That can includedaytreatmentlocally, individualtherapyandusing themobilecrisisunit,which can come to someone’s home if there is an emergency.

She said more schools have been adding behavioral health

services,whichhelpsmany students. “Kids can leave class anddotherapy.Butnotall schools have it.” The services aren’t paid for by the school, but instead by health insurance or other sources.

Expanding services

Whensomeoneneedshelp, PrairieCareandChristian Family Solutions are often the go-to providers for the county, areadoctors,familiesand others.

“Ifyouthinkofpsychiatric care on a spectrum, on one side youhavethemostacute inpatient locked facility. On the otherside,youhavethe traditional therapy or clinic or medication management where you see someone maybe weekly. Where we land is as a partial hospitalizationprogram,” Petersen said of PraireCare.

Theyseefairlyacuteadult and child cases.

Young clients spend weekdays from 9 a.m. to about 3:30 p.m. at PrairieCare, similar to a school day. “We teamupwiththe schooldistrictsoacoupleof hours they provide schooling, then our nurses and therapists and medication managers take over,” Petersen said.

Hoffmansaidthatadults spend 9 a.m.to 2 p.m.at PrairieCare, without the school aspect.

“It’s team-based, full-program therapy as a group and there is alsoindividualtherapy,”she said. “We also bring in family support for adults and children.”

Hoffman said that since the pandemic they’ve been seeing moreyoungerclients,5or6 years old. “We assume there is a correlation with the pandemic and them not being in school and delays in that social piece.”

Petersen said PrairieCare has 20 employees in Mankato and has expanded its services and wants to do more. But he and others say they face the same workershortagesasother employers.

Smith said Christian Family Solutions focuses on outpatient programs. “We havedifferent levelsofcare. We have outpatientandalsointensive outpatient programs for adults and teens.”

Outpatientforteensoften includesin-personvisitsand online resources where clients cantalkwithotherproviders from around the state.

Smith said adult clients often

Nadia Hoffman, site supervisor at PrairieCare in Mankato.

“We have different levels of care. We have outpatient and also intensive outpatient programs for adults and teens.”

have both mental health issues aswellasalcoholordrug dependence.

“One service we added about a yearand a halfagois Behavioral Health Home where weoffercasemanagement anywhere in the state and help people find jobs, get legal help, child care, housing. People can use that whether they’re getting other services from us or not,” Smith said. MV

Jadyn Klein, a senior at New Prague High School, hoists herself in the air using a pole at a meet at New Ulm’s Twin Valley Pole Vault in November.

Lifting off

By Dan Greenwood

JonHammerschmidtstillremembers the day he told his dad he wanted to try pole vaulting. When he was a freshman atNewUlmHigh School a decadeago, the school reintroduced the sport after about a 10-year hiatus.

“I remember walking pasttheFinishLine store in Mankato in the mall, and I told my dad going into my first year oftrackeverthat I wantedtotrypole vaulting,” said the now lead coach and owner of Twin Valley Pole Vault in New Ulm, a facility for athletes to hone their skills for all seasons.

“I’ve had this internal need to keep doing it. There is a huge learning curve, and it

never stops. That’s what I like about it.”

Hammerschmidt pole vaulted for New Ulm’s team throughout high school and was so dedicated to the sportthathe immediately accepted a coaching position about an hour away right after he graduated from high school.

AftertheCOVID-19 pandemic hit, he began coachingbackinNew Ulm, working with a new generationofathletes dedicated to the sport.

“It’s all physics based – how much energy canyoucreateandhowwellcanyou transfer that energy and use it,” he said. “Your brain doesn’t want you to do that because it wants to keep you safe, so you

have to manually override that. That’s the hardest part. There is a level of athleticism you need of course, but your mind obviously holds you back 80% of the way.”

Outside of school, he created a makeshiftpole-vaultingareain his own backyard for students to practice on.

“We hadpolesinthegarage andtherunwaystayedinmy backyard, covered up,” he said. “I’d uncover it, pull the poles out and then put them back away.”

During the off season, he found many athletes wanted to continue practicingtheirskillsduring winter. That’s when he found an indoorfacilityperfectforpolevaulting for all seasons at 1221 North Front Street in New Ulm, renting out a space from Viking LandTransportation.Thespot was formerly used by the New Ulm Area Gymnastics Academy beforetheymovedtoanother location.

A mecca

Due to the lack of other facilities in the region, Twin Valley Pole Vaulthasbecomeameccafor studentsthroughoutsouthern Minnesotawhohadfewifany options for pole vaulting during the winter. While he has students fromNewUlmandMankato, most of the 100 or so pole vaulters who have taken lessons this past year come from at least an hour away to participate.

“I have one girl who signed up for a punch card of eight practices and she has to drive three hours togethere,”Hammerschmidt said.

The need to keep practicing in thewinterledJadynKlein, a senioratNewPragueHigh School, to make the hour drive from New Prague to keep building on her technique in pole vaulting. She comes to New Ulm to practice at least every two weeks. She met Hammerschmidtwhenhewas visiting New Prague High School for a meetandsomefriends encouraged her to give it a try.

She found that she was good at it and said the facility in New Ulm is the closest option during the off season. Along with enjoying the sport, she’s found a family in the pole-vaulting community here.

“The people I’ve met along the

Athletes gather for a meet at Twin Valley Pole Vault about once a month. The facility also offers group and private lessons, as well as camps for people of all ages and all skill levels.

way – the pole vault community is super welcoming and willing to help each other out,” Klein said. “It’s a positive environment and it feels like a family.”

Hammerschmidt said weekends arethemostpopulartimefor group lessons and meets because so many people need to drive a distance to get there. In addition to group and private lessons, as well as camps, he tries to organize ameetatleastonceamonth, whereathletesworktobreak theirpreviousrecords.During theholidayseason,hehas organizedeverythingfrom Halloween-themedmeetswhere athletes dress up in costumes, to a “Vaultsgiving” meet where all participants enjoy a Thanksgiving dinnertogetherafterthey compete.

Hehaspaidoutofhisown pocket to cover food expenses for eventslikethis,leaving registration fees for the purpose of buying new equipment.

“Registration money then goes backintobuyingmorepoles, becausepolesareexpensive,” Hammerschmidt said. “I’ve given hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars to this and it goes right backintokeepingthisplace alive.”

Hammerschmidt also supports athletes who want to take their skills to the next level and enter statewide competitions.

“I’mthankfulforallthe coachingandtheconnections he’s given me since then,” said EmilyPearson,anathletefrom NewUlm,whosaidhewas instrumentalingettingher connectedtonational competitions.

“He’s given me opportunities to go to meets that I wouldn’t have knownaboutliketheUSATF meetsandtheGrandHaven Beach Vault,” Pearson said. “I am grateful that he wants to help me become a better pole vaulter and puts in beyond the effort that he needs to help me reach my goals.”

Hammerschmidtsays promotingtheprogramand recruitingnewathletesisvery hands-on – going to track meets andnetworkingwithschools’ track and field programs. If he sees some results from a track meet,he’lllookupwhoisn’t graduating and reach out to them.

“Iwillgotothestatehigh school league and collect an email fromeachpersonfromeach schoolandmakeconnections with coaches,” he said.

RenaeSater, a parentwhose daughterattendspracticesand meets at Twin Valley Pole Vault, said her daughter was approached by her school’s athletic director in Le Sueur, who encouraged her to give it a try.

“Having a coach like Jon with a passionforthesport,itshows through with every conversation he has and sparks enthusiasm for the sport in these young athletes,” Sater said.

Hammerschmidtsaidhis dream goal down the road is to acquiretheequipmentand additionalcoachestoinstruct athletes in other track and field sports,likehurdling,running, and weightlifting.

“Inmydreamworld,mygoal would be to have a facility that can encompassgeneralathleticism strictly based on track and field,” he said. “That’s the vision.”

He said pole-vaulting is a skill whereyoukeeplearning,no matterhowlongapersonhas developedtheirtechniques.He aimstoinstillthatmodeof thinking for the athletes he works with. While most of the athletes here are kids and teenagers, he offerslessonstopeopleofany age.

“Iwentthroughhighschool having many people help me and I’m thankful for all of them,” he said. “My goal is to be the most effectiveresourcepossible.” MV

Rejoyce Bridal in Amboy is the brainchild of Joyce (DeWitz) Barnard.

Here comes Rejoyce

Amboy bridal shop embraces larger sizes

By Jane Turpin Moore Photos by Pat Christman

Whilemakingasilkpursefroma sow’searisanimpossibility, watching a femalepigfarmer establishaclassybridal shop is a reality.

RejoyceBridal,the brainchild of Joyce (DeWitz)Barnard, opened with a flourish on Amboy’sEastMaine StreetinlateAugust. Barnard’sbusiness instinctswere immediately verified; she

hadscarcelyturnedonthelightswhen customers began inquiring.

“I put out a ‘Coming soon’ sign and had a call 15 minutes later,” said Barnard, a graduateof Maple River High School andresidentofrural Good Thunder.

“The first three weeks werecrazywith appointments.”

Selling bridal dresses to “normal-sized”womenis Barnard’saim;Rejoyce

Bridal carries sample sizes 14 to 30 from popular gown designers MadisonJamesbyAllureand Justin Alexander.

“I’vehadexcellentfeedback, witheveryonewho’scomein being really excited that I have dressestofitnormal-sized people,” said Barnard.

“It’s shocking to me that other shopsdon’tcarrylargersizes. Not everyone is tiny, and I want to helpeverywomanhavetheir dream day in their dream dress.”

Putting the “girls” in (Am)boy

Barnard is the oldest of Ann andDaveDeWitz’sthree offspring. She’s been immersed in farm life, primarily grain and hogs, “since I could walk,” and for the past several years has worked full-time for her dad at DeWitz Farms.

“I’m his right-hand farm hand,” said DeWitz. “I do hog chores, drivetrucks/trailers/semis, check feed, mark pigs, sell pigs—I can do everything.”

But don’t put Barnard in an ag box; she’s an intelligent, fashionminded, college-educated mother

of two who’s been happily married to her husband, Joe Barnard, for 12 years and has a romantic love story of her own.

A 2007GustavusAdolphus College alumna who majored in historyandcoaching,Barnard played softball (she’s a crackerjack pitcher)atthecollegiatelevel before going on to play a year of professionalsoftballinNew Zealand.

She left for New Zealand just over a month after meeting her futurehusband,sotheir relationshipwasforcedto blossom via long-distance means.

”We probablytalkedmore during my time in New Zealand thanwedonow,”laughed Barnard, citing a busy life that includes Joe’s job selling feed for DevenishNutritionandhis volunteer service with the Amboy fire department, two busy boys (currently 6 and 8) and her farm work—withRejoyceBridal topping the family cake.

“We’dtalkeverydayforan hour, usually around midnight my time,whichwas 5 a.m.the precedingdayforhim,”she explainedoftheircourtship

period.

WhenJoetookhisfirst-ever planeridetovisitherDown Under, Barnard had a feeling he wasprobablyTheOne.Once Barnard was again stateside, the two were engaged for 18 months before marrying at Christ Chapel on the Gustavus campus.

Barnard’sownwedding preparations, made over a dozen years ago, never quite faded from her memory and contributed at least in part to Rejoyce Bridal’s inception.

“I’m 5’11 1/2 and was technically ‘plus-sized’ when I got married,” saidBarnard,sayingthat designationbefellherprimarily becausesheistallandofan athletic build.

“My [wedding] dress was a size 14, but I was only able to try on a few gowns when I was shopping because the stores carried hardly anything in that size or above.

“It wasn’t fun to not be able to try on everything I liked, so with Rejoyce Bridal I want to be more inclusiveforallthoseother average women. I mean, if you are actually a size 30, how do you buy a wedding dress? I have no

idea.”

Correction:Barnardhasnot only an idea but can now readily accommodate women of varying sizes at Rejoyce Bridal.

HerfirstbuyerwasTheresa Claeys, a 30-year-oldfromthe Winnebago area whose wedding is scheduled for next fall.

“My schedule is pretty chaotic so I didn’t know how it [wedding planning] would all play out,” said Claeys,whowithherfiancé manages a 150 cow/calf operation thatspecializesinraisingshow heifers and project animals. She also works full-time in drug safety for Merck Animal Health.

Claeyswaspleasedtofind “somethinglocallikeRejoyce” when she searched for options on Facebook and the Internet.

“It’s only about 10 to 12 miles fromhomeforme,andwhat reallydrewmeinwasthatI’d been to another bridal shop that had a morelimitedrangeof sample sizes,” Claeys observed.

“I’m a farm girl, so there’s some

meat on my bones—I mean, I had abridesmaiddressthatwasa 14—but Joyce had samples that are bigger than those at the other shop.”

Barnard also made it convenient forClaeystocheckoutthe selections at Rejoyce Bridal.

“I was able to text her and set up a Sundayafternoon appointment,” said Claeys. “It’s a small, intimate shop, and Joyce

met me when it was good for me so I could try on the dresses.

“I don’t have a lot of patience for girly things, but Joyce took my tasteintoaccount,aswellas listening to what I thought would flatter me—but I ended up with a dressthatwastheoppositeof what I originallythought I wanted.”

Claeys credits Barnard’s keen eyeandfashionsensewith helping her choose an ivory fitand-flare gown that is sleeveless though not strapless; she’d been gearing up for something “Boho, with lace and sleeves,” but loves thedresssheselectedwith Barnard’s guidance.

“And I alsobought a veil,” Claeys said.

Setting up shop

RetailexperienceBarnard gainedduringcollegewhile workingatNutterClothing CompanyinSt.Peterandat Kohl’s for a year contributed to her confidence in starting Rejoyce

Joyce (DeWitz) Barnard focuses on larger size bridal dresses at her Amboy shop.

“We’re all very excited about the addition of Rejoyce Bridal to Maine Street,”

Bridal.

“I also know how to sew,” said Barnard. “I’m a true country girl; I sewed a lot with my grandma when I was growing up, and I’ve always been interested in fashion, how things are put together and how to make things.”

Barnardhas an alterations specialist on call but is currently in the process of learning the fine pointsofperformingwedding dress alterations herself.

Were it not for Barnard’s years in the male-dominated ag world, Rejoyce Bridal might never have been brought to life.

“I was getting tired of working with men all the time,” said the good-natured Barnard.

“It just gets really old, and I wanted to do something that was mine—but I didn’t want to be tied toashopthathadtobeopen every single day, and I wanted to offersomethingpeoplewere willing to travel to buy.”

While casting about for ideas, Barnard’spastexperiences pointedhertothewedding industry.

“Joesaid,‘Well,showme a business plan,’ and I wrote one,” said Barnard.

Barnardsayshertimingwas fortuitous in locating a space for Rejoyce Bridal.

“TheformergiftshopSweet Cicely had closed, so I sent an email [to the owners] to ask about rentingthecommercialspace,” said Barnard.

“We met—and six months later, I opened a bridal dress shop.”

With Joe’s help, the space was renovated for Rejoyce Bridal; the coupleaddedadressingroom, installednewflooringandtook fulladvantageofthebuilding’s vintage brick walls and high tin ceiling appeal to create an upscale private bridal boutique.

Meanwhile,Barnard thoroughly researched the bridal dressindustry,becomingwellequipped to guide her customers through the dress-buying process.

“I can advise a newly engaged woman that shopping for a dress isoneofthefirstthingsyou shoulddobecause,between supplychainissuesanddress manufacturing, the whole process can take five and a half to nine months,” said Barnard.

“If you’re not picky you can get a dress faster than that, but if you wantsomethingspecific,it’s going to take awhile.”

Besidessellingdresses, Barnard’s shop also offers veils fromJLJohnsonBridals, necessary accessories like “boob tape”(ifyouhavetoask,you don’t want to know) and tuxedo rentalsthroughJim’sFormal Wear.

It isn’t only area brides who are pleased with Rejoyce Bridal; the Amboybusinesscommunityis similarly thrilled.

“We’reallveryexcitedabout the addition of Rejoyce Bridal to Maine Street,” said Kate Grover ofGroverFarmTruckingin Amboy, located about 30 minutes southwest of Mankato.

“It brings new life to town and helpsmakeAmboy a day-trip destination. We alreadyhave visitorsenjoyingtheCottage Cafe,andnowbrideswhoare lookingforthatpersonalized experience can come to Rejoyce andexperienceAmboy’ssmalltown charm.”

Grovernotesthereisjoyat seeing a local woman succeed.

“Joycegrewupinthisarea; we’re proud to see her take on this adventure,” said Grover. “The town is really rooting for her, and with her determination, positive attitudeandspunk,we’resure Rejoyce Bridal will be a success.”

Barnard keeps dropping in-themoment tips for dress-shopping brides—Wearunderwear!Keep anopenmind!—evenasshe contemplates a long-term future helping women have a wedding day they’ll always treasure.

“My ultimate goal? I hope one of my sons will marry someone whowillwanttotakeitover,” laughed Barnard.

“In the short term, I want to offer a service to the community and help every bride, no matter hersize,bebeautifulonher special day.”

As Barnard’s first client Claeys putit,“I’monlygoingtoget married once, so I want to find a dress I really like.” MV

“Best of 2022”

businesses and people

featured in Mankato Magazine.

The winners of the annual awards are chosen by Free Press Media readers. The complete list of winners was in the July issue of Mankato Magazine.

BEST LIVE MUSIC VENUE: VETTER STONE AMPHITHEATER

Amphitheater still a hit V

etter Stone Amphitheater opened as a venue for live music and festivals in 2010. Because there was no 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Co-Director of the Mayo Clinic Civic Center Eric Jones, under whose umbrella the Amphitheater falls, said the venue will be starting its 10th season, or 11th or 12th, depending on how you look at it.

“It’s become a great place to see a live band,” Jones said. “It’s really made a name for itself.”

BEST SPORTS BAR: BIG DOG SPORTS CAFE

When it comes to sports, Big Dog is the big dog

At Big Dog Sports Cafe, the recipe has always been a simple one: Excellent employees equals an excellent customer experience.

Isaac Becker, the manager at Big Dog who has been there for 12 years, says almost all of the restaurant’s staff has been there a long time. Loyal employees, he said, create an atmosphere of positivity that spreads to the customers.

“It seems like every year that this award is available, we’re right up in there with the top of the competition. And I’d have to say that’s because of our atmosphere here,” he said.

“Big Dog is known for its great service, great food and cold beer. And also it just is a

Big Dog Sports Cafe’s Mel Bishop delivers lunch to a pair of customers.

The Vetter Stone Amphitheater.

The Vetter Stone Amphitheater has attracted many local, regional and even national acts. In addition, it hosts festivals such as RibFest in August, which also features concerts.

Although Jones said Vetter Stone donated all the original, beautiful stones that created seating, that was not workable to put chairs in for seating. Concrete risers have replaced those stones. It provides lighting and handrails, which is better for disability access and easier to create designated seating, Jones said.

The next push for improvements at the park will include a roof for the stage. Right now, a roof is rented for every separate event, which Jones said gets costly. Another hope for the park is to create more storage, so equipment doesn’t need to be hauled in and out for each event.

Improvements for the concessions area are also on the list.

Jones said a goal for the Amphitheater is to have it used every week for local, regional and national acts. He said there is also the hope more festivals will use the park.

place that’s kind of like Cheers as well, where you come in and you get to meet everyone, especially around the bar. And then with our 18 Different TVs on, it’s pretty hard to come in and not have the game or channel that you want to have on.”

Being a sports bar, obviously having televised sports on various screens is key. And when the Vikings are playing — especially a prime time game — the place is packed.

“Vikings games are always huge,” Becker said, noting they usually tie food and drink specials to game times.

But just because they consistently win Best of Mankato awards doesn’t mean they’re resting on their laurels. Big Dog is in the middle of a paving a new parking lot, something Becker said needed attention.

BEST NUTRITION/ WEIGHT MANAGEMENT: INSPIRE HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Inspire Health and Wellness proud of exceptional service

Tina Gaffer goes the extra mile.

Owner of Inspire Health and Wellness, Gaffer gets on the phone with clients who are out for dinner, Googles their restaurant menu and advises them on what to order. This, along with other attributes, is why she’s done so well in business.

She has about 50 clients a week, with more than 400 people helped since 2016. She advises on diet and wellness, is a life coach, and sells grab-and-bake healthy meals. She also offers cooking classes.

New this year is her 30-foot food trailer, with vendor events all summer. There she features a “healthier version of fast food,” she said.

“I think people need to learn balance and still be able to enjoy your life and have fun,” Gaffer said. “Enjoy life without all of the calories and carbs that American society consumes.”

She has one trio of clients, two

sisters and their best friend, who are together down 150 pounds since October. “They’re doing amazing,” Gaffer said. “They’ve still gone on vacations, worked, gone out with friends. And they’ve learned how to get a good balance and a healthier lifestyle for them.”

She responds to clients in the evening or on weekends when they’re struggling to eat right. If they’re at a restaurant and wondering what to order to stay on their healthy meal plan, she’ll help them order. She said she doesn’t give anybody a hard time.

“Everyone’s journey is different with healthy living,” she said. “The big part of it is the accountability piece. Coming in every week and weighing in and measuring in and having a support system.”

Gaffer lost 110 pounds 11 years ago and has kept it off.

“What I always tell people is I’m a real person, and I know losing weight and getting healthy is hard.”

Left to right: Tina, Caleb, Noah, Brianna & Sophia

Business and Industry Trends

capacityfactor.Nationally, between January 2016 and August 2022, wind plant capacity factors peaked in March and April and were at their lowest in July and August.

Unlikefossilfuel-firedpower plants, such as coal or natural gas plants, wind plants don’t incur any fuel costs to generate electricity, so the electricity they produce is almostentirelydeterminedby availablewindresources.Wind plant performance is influenced not just by wind speed, but also by wind direction, wind constancy, and turbine height.

EnergyWind power falls into regional patterns

Wind plant performance—how muchelectricity a windplant generatescomparedwithits maximum possible generation— dependsalmostentirelyonthe

availabilityofwindresources, whichvarydependingonboth thetimeofyearandthe geographic region, according to theEnergyInformation Administration.

Theperformanceofapower plant is often characterized as a percentageofthemaximum possiblegenerationin a given time period, a metric known as

Becauseofgeographic differencesinwindresource potential, wind generation varies acrossregions.EIAgrouped states into regional groups that have similar wind capacity factor patterns. The Lower Plains region of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and New Mexico has the largest share of U.S. wind capacity, at 44% as of August 2022. The Upper Plains

Join us in celebrating 50 years of making a difference in the Greater Mankato area. As your skyline and community continues to grow, we look forward to serving as your trusted architecture, engineering, environmental, and planning partner.

Cheers to the next 50 years!

ISGInc.com

regionhasthesecond-largestshareofU.S.wind capacity, at 29%. The Interior East region (13% of U.S. capacity) follows that same pattern but with a steeper decline in the summer months than the Lower and Upper Plains.

Oil production falls

OPEC+producersagreedtoreducecrudeoil production targets by 2.0 million barrels per day from their previously stated targets beginning in November 2022.

Total OPEC crude oil production will fall from an average of 29.2 million b/d in the third quarter of 2022 (3Q22) to 28.6 million b/d in 4Q22.

OPEC crude oil production in the forecast averages 28.9 million b/d in 2023.

Global inventories will decline by 1.2 million b/d in 1Q23.

Crude prices to hold

Brent crude oil spot price averaged $93 per barre in October.Brentpriceswillaveragenearthatprice through the first quarter of 2023. Weakening global economic conditions, which could limit oil demand growth, create the potential for oil prices to end up lower than forecast.

Higher-than-forecastoilpricescouldstemfrom supply disruptions resulting from the EU’s impending bans on the seaborne import of crude oil and petroleum products from Russia.

Despiteincreasingconcernsaroundweakening global economic conditions, global oil consumption will outpaceglobaloilproduction in 2023,whichwill contribute to increasing oil prices in the second quarter.

Brent crude oil price will rise to an average of $98/b in the fourth quarter.

CO2 emissions falling slightly

We forecast CO2 emissions will decrease slightly in 2023 compared with 2022, driven by less U.S. energy consumptionresultingfromtheforecastdeclinein economic activity.

We expect consumption of (and therefore emissions from) coal, petroleum, and natural gas to decline in 2023. Weather: Based on forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, we expect a colderwinter(October–March),with7%more population-weightedHDDsintheUnitedStates compared with last winter and 2% more HDDs than the ten-year average.

■ Agricultural Outlook

By Kent Thiesse

New Farm Bill on congressional agenda

The 2023 crop year will be the final year for the current Farm Bill, which is set to expire on September30,2023,unlessthereisan extension. A FarmBillisoneofthemost comprehensive pieces of legislation that is passed by Congress. Passage of a new Farm Bill is very complex,withprogramsrangingfromfarm commodityprogramstofoodandnutrition programs,fromconservationprogramstorural development programs, and several more. In many cases, finalizing a Farm Bill in Congress can be quitecontroversial,andnotnecessarilyjustby politicalpartylines.TheFarmBillprograms becomequitegeographical,withmembersof Congresswantingtoprotectthefarm,food, conservation, and economic interests of their State or Congressional district.

Following are a few insights on the 12 Titles included in the current Farm Bill:

n Title I --- Commodities

TheCommodityTitleincludesallcommodity farmprogrampayments,marketingassistance loans (MAL), and other crop subsidy payments. In the past two Farm Bills, crop producers have had the option to choose between the price-only “Price Loss Coverage” (PLC) and county yield revenuebased“AgRiskCoverage”(ARC-CO)program, which has been an annual choice since the 2020 crop year. Some farm organizations would like to see increased crop reference prices and MAL loan rates, as well as to make some adjustments to the ARC-CO program payment formula. The “Dairy MarginCoverage”(DMC)program,whichhas proved to be quite beneficial for small to medium sized dairy herds (under 300 cows), was enhanced in the 2018 Farm Bill.

n

Title II --- Conservation

ThecurrentFarmBillsetthemaximum Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres at 27 million acres, with additional focus on the Grassland ReserveProgram.TheFarmBillalsosetthe maximum CRP rental rates at 90 percent (90%) of theaverageFSA“prevailing”rentalratesfor Continuous CRP contracts and at 85 percent (85%) for General CRP. There will likely be considerable support for expansion of the maximum CRP acres, as well as for increasing the maximum annual CRP rental rates to incentivize enrollment into the CRP

program. The large 2022 “Inflation Reduction Act” contained several provisions that provided added funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), which are part of the Conservation Title.

n Title III --- Trade

ThisT itleincludesfundingforimportant agricultural trade promotion programs, such as the Market Access Program (MAP), the Foreign Market Development Program (FMDP), and the Emerging MarketsProgram(EMP).Thesetraderelated programsareveryimportantforopeningnew markets and maintaining existing markets for U.S. ag exports.

n

Title IV --- Nutrition

TheNutritionTitle,whichincludestheSNAP program (food stamps), the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program, and school lunch program, will probably be debated more than any other Title during Farm Bill hearings in 2023. The NutritionTitlewilllikelyaccountfornearly85 percent of annual federal spending allocated under the next Farm Bill, as opposed to 75 percent in the 2018 Farm Bill. Several billion dollars were added to the Nutrition Title budget base as part of COVID relief legislation and the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.SomemembersofCongresswouldliketo separate the Nutrition Title from the Farm Bill; however, ag policy experts warn that funding for ag commodityprogramscouldbecomemuchmore difficult if SNAP and the other nutrition programs are removed.

n Title V --- Credit

This Title sets parameters and provides funding for the FSA direct and guaranteed loan programs, whichhavebecomequiteimportanttofarm operatorsandaglenders.ThedirectFSAfarm ownership loans are especially important to provide beginning farmers low interest loans to purchase farmland. Recently, there have been greater efforts to reach underserved farmers and ranchers with the FSA loan programs.

n

Title VI --- Rural Development

ThisTitlereauthorizesfundingforrural development loans to communities and businesses,

from emergency serviceproviders,fireprotection,wastewater treatment programs, and more. Special emphasis in the2018FarmBillwasprovidedforexpanding broadband service in rural areas of the U.S. n Title VII --- Research, Extension & Related Matters

USDAfundingforagresearch,extension programs, and other food research and education programs through the nation’s Land Grant University system are provided under this Title. Funding for research and education efforts related to organic production and urban agriculture also fall under this Title.

n Title VIII --- Forestry

ThisTitlereauthorizesandexpandsUSDA collaborative efforts with states for battling forest fires, forestry research and development, insect and disease control, timber management, etc.

n

Title IX --- Energy

This Title provides funding for USDA programs thatsupportthedevelopmentofbiofuelsand renewable energy. There may be efforts to expand this Title to include other types of “green energy” programs.

n

Title X --- Horticulture

USDAfundingforfarmersmarketsandother local food programs, as well as for the national organic certification program, are provided under this Title. The last Farm Bill legitimized industrial hemp as an agricultural commodity, thus making hemp eligible for crop insurance and other USDA programs;however,thisdidnotaffectfederal regulationsforhempraisedformarijuana production.

n

Title IX --- Crop Insurance

Most crop producers and ag lenders will highlight a sound working crop insurance program through the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) as the “centerpiece” for a solid risk management plan in a farm operation. Over 95 percent of the corn and soybean acres in the Upper Midwest are typically insured by some type of crop insurance coverage, which are subsidized at a rate of 60-65 percent by the federal government. The RMA also offers some insuranceproductsthedairyandlivestock producers. Some members of Congress are calling for some changes and modifications to the current programsunderthisTittle,whilemostfarm organizationsarelobbyingtokeepthecurrent program intact. Some livestock organizations would like to see enhancements to RMA programs for livestock production.

n

Agriculture/ Agribusiness

Title XII --- Miscellaneous

This Title covers provisions and funding for any other USDA programs, such as the provision in the last Farm Bill to provide funding for a foot-andmouth disease (FMD) vaccine bank.

Both the U.S. Senate and U.S. HouseAgCommitteesheld hearingsonanewFarmBill during 2022 and more hearings will likely be planned early in the new Congressional session in2023.TheCongressional leadershiphasbeenvery committed with plans to have a newFarmBillcompletedby September 30, 2023, with very little talk of an extension to the currentFarmBill.Ultimately, there will likely be a compromise reached, and a new 5-year Farm Billwillbepassed;however, given the political division that currently exists in Congress, a one-yearextensionofthe current Farm Bill is certainly a possibility by the end of 2023.

Kent Thiesse is farm management analyst and senior vice president, MinnStar Bank, Lake Crystal. 507-381-7960); kent.thiesse@ minnstarbank.com

Minnesota Business Updates

■ Target eyes larger stores

After years of building small stores that fit into large cities where real estate is more expensive, Target is launching a newstoreconceptthat’slarge –150,000 square feet. The first of the new stores opened outside Houston.

The bigger stores will offer consumers a wide assortment of products while supporting the retailer’s same-day fulfillment services. The stores will also deliver on Target’s stores-as-hubs strategy for digital fulfillment.

The stores will also bring more open layouts and local products in the new stores and in future remodels.

The stores are about 20,000 square feet larger than typical Targets and have large backroom fulfillment spaces.

■ Consolidated reports quarterly results

Consolidated Communications’ latest quarterly report said the company added another 12,100 fiber subscribers and are on track to complete at least 400,000 fiber location upgrades this year and reach 1 million total fiber locations.

Bob Udell, chief executive officer, said fiber is the company’s future. The company invested in$490 million to fund fiber expansion.Consolidated had revenue of $296.6 million for the quarter, generating adjusted EBITDA of $97.2 million. Consumer fiber revenue grew approximately 40%.

Fastenal grows e-commerce

Fastenalforthe first time has reached $1billionin e-commerce revenue within a calendar year.

Fastenal’s e-commerce platform officially launched more than 20 years ago, but historically it represented a relatively small share of the overall business. That changed about 5 years ago with a strategy positioning e-commerce as a critical component of the company’s service model.

Five years ago the company’s e-commerce sales were $245 million, representing 5.5% of total company sales. After hitting the $1 billion milestone, Fastenal’s e-commerce sales represent 17.4% of total company year-to-date sales.

■ 3M agrees to PFAS treatment

3M Company agreed to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ordertosampleandprovide treatmenttoaddress contaminationfromper-and polyfluoroakyl substances (PFAS) found in drinking water in the vicinity of 3M’s Cordova, IL facility. Recent sampling results provided by 3M indicate the widespread presence of a mixture of at least 19 different PFAS chemicals in drinking

within a 3-mile radius of the Cordova facility. Given the unique circumstances affecting this community, including more than five decades of PFAS discharges and the many types of PFAS chemicals found, EPA has concluded that the situationconstitutesanimminentandsubstantial endangerment under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

As part of this settlement, 3M is required to offer treatment to all private well owners within 3 miles of the facility and to the Camanche Water Supply in Iowa, in an effort to remove PFAS from the drinking water. 3M is also required to offer drinking water sampling out to 4 miles from the facility for private well owners and out to 10 miles from the facility for public water systems as well as to the Quad Cities’ public water systems, using EPA protocols and conducted under EPA oversight.

■ Xcel moves on ending coal

XcelEnergyis proposingtostop producing electricity with coal in its eight-state service area by 2030 as another plant – Tolk Station in Texas plans on retiring its coal-fueled units earlier than originally planned.

The plan will further accelerate Xcel’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2030 according to Xcel senior media relations representative Wes Reeves.

The two coal-fueled units at Tolk had been scheduled for retirement in the 2032 to 2034 timeframe because of a growing shortage of underground water resources for their boilers and cooling towers, according to a news release from Reeves.

For the past two years Xcel reduced the operating hours of the Tolk units to extend those water resources into the next decade.

■ Buffet sells US Bank

stocks

WarrenBuffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has cashed in about $4 billion of US Bancorp, slashing its stake in the banking group by more than 60% in the space of four months.

The investor’s conglomerate has sold 84 million shares of the US Bank’s parent company since June 30.

Buffett’s company has counted US Bancorp among its largest holdings since 2007, and owned 145 million shares worth $8.1 billion at the start of January. Now it holds just 53 million shares valued at $2.4 billion, reflecting its stock sales and the 22% drop in US Bancorp stock this year.

How to prepare for taking a career break

By Liz Weston | NerdWallet

Backin2016,JamieClarkofSeattlewas a software engineer who planned to take a year offofworktofinish a master’sdegreein computational linguistics. One year turned into three and a career change into financial planning.

Nowadays, Clark, who uses they/them pronouns, believes the experience makes them a better advisor particularly since their career break didn’t turn out as originally planned.

“Part of our job as financial planners is to help peoplebeprepared,”saysClark,now a certified financial planner who recently launched their own firm, Ruby Pebble Financial Planning. “And I want to help people build that flexibility.”

Careerbreaksareextendedandusuallyunpaid stretchesoftimeoffwork.Suchbreakscanbe aspirational — giving you time to travel, pursue a degree, change careers or launch a business. Or, they can be prompted by life events, such as caring for a child, nursing a family member or dealing with an illness or burnout.

Whatever the cause, some planning can help you make the most of your break.

Save and budget diligently

CFPHenryHoangofIrvine,California,doesn’t believe most people need detailed budgets, as long as they’re saving adequately for their goals. But career breaks are an exception, he says. When your paychecks stop, you’ll want to have enough savings to sustain you. That starts with knowing precisely what you’re spending today and estimating what your expenses will be during your break. Some costs might decline, such as commuting or child care. But you also might have new costs, including higher health insurance premiumsifyourcurrentcoverageisemployersubsidized.

Once you calculate how much you need to save, consider adding a fudge factor equal to two or three months’ worth of expenses in case it takes longer than expected to land your next job, Hoang suggests. One ofHoang’sfriendsdidn’tdothat,andwoundup raiding his 401(k) to pay the bills.

And speaking of retirement: Extended breaks could mean you’ll need to work past normal retirement age or increase your savings rate significantly to retire on time. If you’re planning to take more than two years off, use a retirement calculator or consult a financial planner to see how that might affect your plans to retire, Hoang says.

Clark saved enough from a high-paying job to cover living expenses for two years, and was able to stretch

that to three years after getting married. Their spouse paid the bills as Clark used remaining savings to pay tuition and other costs to get their financial planning credential.

Clark says that careful tracking of expenses and thoughtfulbudgetingnotonlyhelpedmaketheir savings last, but it also alleviated some of the stress of Clark being without a paycheck.

“There are always surprises, but it’s good to try and minimize them, or at least minimize impact on your finances,” Clark says.

Make a plan for your time

You may feel you need a break from strict schedules, buthavingnoplanmeansyoucouldwastethis precious time you prepared and saved for.

Hoang has another cautionary tale from a client who startedhisbreakwithastrongdesiretochange careers and spend more time with his young children. His days quickly filled up with parenting duties, and he never made time to explore other jobs, Hoang says. When his savings ran out, he ended up going back into his same field.

“Having clarity on what you really want out of this career break could make a tremendous difference in experience overall,” Hoang says.

The details of your plan will depend on your career break goals, but consider scheduling lunch with a professional colleague every month or so to maintain your network and stay abreast of developments in your field. If you’re considering a career change, make a timeline for when you’ll accomplish certain steps, suchasmeetingwith a careercounselorand determiningwhateducationorcertificationsyou’ll need.

Building credit important for stay-at-home spouses

By Sara Rathner | NerdWallet

Spouses share a lot, but no matteryourrelationship status,yourcreditscore belongs to you and you alone. Even if you’re 100% supported financiallybyyourspouseor partner,establishingand building your own credit score is essential.

It can benefit you both as you navigatefinancialdecisions together. But should you divorce or your spouse pass away, having good or excellent credit can help you as you begin to makefinancialdecisionson your own.

Besides,maintainingsome money independence can keep youbothonequalfootingin your relationship.

“Ahousehold’sfinancial dependenceononeincome earnercanfosterunhealthy relationship control dynamics,” said Katherine Fox, a certified financialplanner,founderand advisor at Sunnybranch Wealth in Portland, Oregon, in an email. “Stay-at-home spouses who take stepstopr otecttheircredit score and financial literacy are doing their part to maintain a healthymoneyattitudeand dynamicwithintheir relationship.”

Your credit score equally important

Any time you and your spouse applyfor a jointloan,like a mortgage, both of your credit scoresgetevaluatedbythe lender.Lenders may usethe person’s score that falls on the lowerendtodetermineyour eligibility.Ideally,eventhe lowest score between you both is still in good shape because this can affect what loan terms, like interest rates, you’d qualify fortogether. A lowercredit

scorecanmakeborrowing money more expensive.

Your credit score also comes into play when you apply for a credit card in your own name, which you can do even if you don’t earn an income. So long as you’re 21 or older, you can includeyourspouse’sincome on the card application.

Moreover,unexpectedly becomingsingleagainisthe mostdifficultreasonnon working spouses need to build their credit.

“Having a solidfoundation will help you if you end up alone and need capital to get started,” says Brittany Davis, a Memphis, Tennessee-basedaccredited financialcounselorwhoisan associatefinancialplannerfor Brunch & Budget, a registered investmentadvisor.“Iknow some people are leery of credit and debt, but there are so many things credit can be used for.”

Davis likens credit access to insurance it’ssomething that’s good to have, whether or not you need it at the moment.

Build credit without an income

Besidesapplyingforyour owncreditcardusingyour spouse’sincomeinyour application,thereareother ways to build your credit.

You can become an authorized useronyourspouse’scredit card. They’d be responsible for makingpayments,butifthey payontimeeachmonthand you both avoid charging more than 30% of the credit limit, over time this can build your credit score. Applying for loans under both of your names, like an auto loan or mortgage, can also be helpful as on-time payments will bereflectedonbothofyour

credit reports.

“Atthe veryleast,stay-athome spouses should be a joint account holder or added to their partner’screditcardtohelp them build and maintain their own credit score,” Fox says.

Besuretoalsopayother householdbillsontime, including utility bills and rent payments. In some cases, those arealsoreportedtocredit bureaus.

Howyoucanaffecteach other’s credit scores

Though you each have your own credit scores, your money habitscanhelporhurteach other,particularlywhenyou have joint loans or share credit cards.

Asacreditcardauthorized user, you’re at the mercy of the primary cardholder’s behaviors. Ifyourspousemakeslate payments,thatcannegatively impact your credit. You’ll want to set a budget with each other, becausewhenmorethanone person uses the same card, it’s that much easier to overspend. Becoming an authorized user is anexerciseintrustand communication.

Where you live can also be a factor in how you can each affect each other. According to Fox, in communitypropertystates, you’re generally not responsible for any debts your spouse took on before you got married, but you’reresponsibleforeach other’sdebtsaftermarriage. But in non-community property states,youonlyshare responsibility for joint accounts and debts.

M thly

netw king events

2023

JAN 10* FEB 7 MAR 14* APR 4 MAY 2 JUN 6 JUL 11* AUG 1 SEP 12* OCT 3 NOV 7 DEC 5

ACTIVEPT & SPORTS 1681 Commerce Drive, North Mankato

SKY ONE ELEVEN 111 South Second Street, 7th Floor, Mankato

FUN.COM 2080 Lookout Drive, North Mankato

TRAVERSE DES SIOUX REGIONAL LIBRARY SYSTEM 1400 Madison Avenue, Suite 628, Mankato

THE BEAST 422 Belgrade Avenue, Suite 103, North Mankato

BIRKHOLZ & ASSOCIATES, LLC 121 St. Andrews Court, Mankato

CARLSON-TILLISCH EYE CLINIC 120 North Broad Street, Mankato

PEPSI-COLA OF MANKATO INC. 1970 James Drive, North Mankato

COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT HOTEL & EVENT CENTER 901 Raintree Road, Mankato

EIDE BAILLY 111 South Second Street, Suite 300, Mankato

BETHANY LUTHERAN COLLEGE ACTIVITY & WELLNESS CENTER 923 Marsh Street, Mankato

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SOUTH CENTRAL MN HABITAT FOR HUMANITY RESTORE 1730 Bassett Drive, Mankato

2023 BUSINESS AFTER HOURS SERIES

PRESENTED BY

Photo credit: Casey Ek

great meetings.

» GREAT GOLF, great meetings.

GOLF DIGEST EXECUTIVES KNOW GREAT GOLF and have named Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa and Auburn Marriott Opelika Hotel at Grand National two of their newest Editors' Choice Winners, along with Pebble Beach, The Greenbrier, Pinehurst and 65 other North American locations. When you need to step away from the office for a great golf getaway or an off-site meeting, plan your visit to Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. The best part about the Trail is you don’t have to break the bank to play world-class golf. »»

»» Play where the champions play on Alabama's Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. To book your next outing, call 800.949.4444 today and visit rtjgolf.com to learn more.

MAV MONEY

An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity University. This document is available in alternative format to individuals with disabilities by calling the College of Business at 507-389-5420 (V), 800-627-3529 or 711 (MRS/TTY). BUSC594AD_01-2020