March/April 2012 by St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce

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IN EVERY ISSUE 8

6 President’s Letter

Editor’s Note

Business Calendar

Network Central

Top Hats

CONTENTS

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Business Tools

22 Entrepreneurism

Building Investor Confidence

Spend the time, effort and money to communicate realistic financial statements clearly and convincingly. It can be the key to successfully finding an investor.

24 TechStrategies Talent.me

This new professional networking app on Facebook helps professionals leverage their friend network to advance their careers and showcase their skills.

32 Cover Story Home Work

For Dianne Tuff and Murdoch Johnson, working from home – together – is the perfect blend of business and pleasure. N E T WOR K

Upfront 10 News Reel

What’s happening and who’s moving. Business news from

around Central Minnesota.

10 Book Review

The 3rd Alternative: Solving Life’s Most Difficult Problems by Stephen R. Covey

12 Your Voice In Government Just a Shell Game? In 2011

the Legislature replaced the Market Value Homestead Credit program with a Homestead Market Value Exclusion. So what changed?

15 People to Know 16 The Trouble with Business Profit Killer The cost of

employee turnover isn’t just time and training. There are also hard costs that can hurt your bottom line.

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March/April 2012

G ROW

Profit

PROFIT

R END

•

NETWORK

•

GROW

P ROFIT

This Issue 38 Feature

Changing Faces

Ignoring one out of every 10 potential customers is not a good recipe for business success.

42 Special Focus Preparing Your Business for Sale

46 Business Spotlight

Beth Huber, The Quick Fix Massage Shop

25 Tech News 26 Going Green 28 Economy Central

presented by Falcon Bank

profit

Special Section 43

Commercial Construction, Real Estate and Leasing

ONLY ONLINE •• Maximizing Twitter

•• Creating a business plan

•• Six key trends for innovation

•• Great business ideas to start today

www.BusinessCentralMagazine.com

Outstanding physicians Recruiting outstanding physicians who provide the most advanced care for you â&#x20AC;&#x201D; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s part of our commitment to quality care.

www.centracare.com

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

NETWORK

Are We There Yet?

ecently I attended a presentation about Minnesota’s recovery

from “The Great Recession of 2009.” The question was asked,

Our Chamber is having our best membership year since 2008. Our volunteers and members are optimistic, energetic and excited.

‘when will we get there?’ The presenter patiently

Teresa Bohnen President

•• Have you noticed that people

Edge Convention Center is booking

seem more light-hearted? They are

reminded him of a similar inquiry

conferences that we have never

walking with more spring in their

from his preschooler as they pulled

before been able to accommodate.

steps.

onto 35E in St. Paul on their way

We just booked the Republican

Our Chamber is having our

to a family cabin along the North

State Convention for May. That

best membership year since 2008.

Shore, “Dad, are we there yet?”

means the downtown businesses,

Our volunteers and members

This may be a long journey.

hotels and parking meters will be

are optimistic, energetic and

humming with activity.

excited. Attendance at Chamber

Depending on where you think “there” is, we may never arrive.

Employers are talking about

Connection has increased to an

However, reason for optimism is all

investment, capital expenditures

average of 130 people per week.

around us. Consider the evidence

and expansion opportunities. The

We have 340 Farm Show

of economic recovery.

unemployment rate (depending

booths this year, compared to

upon which one you believe),

190 last year (partly due to more

were closed and vacant have

is dropping. At the time of this

space in the Convention Center).

reopened, and new options

writing, the stock market closed up

And the farmers who will visit

have joined their ranks. Texas

four weeks in a row.

have lots of money to spend after a

Area restaurant facilities that

Roadhouse is a year old, and

The newly expanded River’s

explained that the question

Then there are the “soft”

successful growing season.

you still cannot get in the door

indicators that the economy is

on Friday and Saturday nights.

good. These are more personal in

we are on our way. It’s a fun,

Boulder Tap House recently

nature:

exciting and ever more profitable

opened, and the craft beer

•• My shoe size is already gone at

time to do business in Central

selections are incredible. That new

all the end-of-season boot sales.

Minnesota!

western-themed place downtown

••Caribou Coffee is bursting at the

that isn’t a Chamber member

seams every morning and I have to

yet has renovated two historic

wait longer for my skinny latte.

downtown buildings and created

••More people are talking about

a new venue for residents and

their spring vacations to warm

visitors alike.

places.

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M AR C H / APRIL 2 0 1 2

We may not be there yet, but

Teresa Bohnen President

Main Phone | 320-251-2940

Behind Every Good Business is a Womanâ&#x20AC;Śor Two.

Automated Reservation Line | 320-251-2940, ext. 126 Program Hotline | 320-251-2940, ext. 125 www.StCloudAreaChamber.com email: information@StCloudAreaChamber.com ST. CLOUD AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE STAFF President | Teresa Bohnen, ext. 104 Vice President | Gail Ivers, ext. 109 Director of Administration | Judy Zetterlund, ext. 106 Special Events Coordinator | Virginia Kroll, ext. 105 Communications & Workforce Development Coordinator | Whitney Bina Membership Sales Specialist | Wendy Franzwa, ext. 134 Administrative Assistant | Vicki Lenneman, ext. 122 Administrative Assistant | Cindy Swarthout , ext. 100

omen small business owners are playing an incredibly important part in job creation. In fact, American female-owned businesses today account for nearly $3 trillion in total economic impact and our influence is expected to continue surging. We can help grow your female-owned business through smart, integrated marketing initiatives. Call us today for a free consultation.

Administrative Assistant | Sharon Henry, ext. 124 CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU STAFF Executive Director | Julie Lunning, ext. 111 Sales Manager | Lori Cates, ext. 113 Director of Sales & Marketing | Judy Okerstrom, ext. 112

320.257.2242 | GaslightCreative.com

Co-owners Jodie Pundsack & Kelly Zaske specialize in developing kick-ass marketing campaigns for male- and female-owned businesses alike.

Director of Sports &â&#x20AC;&#x2C6;Special Events | Kelly Sayre, ext. 128 Director of Visitor Services | Jean Robbins , ext. 129 Receptionist | Nikki Fisher, ext. 100

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2011-12 BOARD MEMBERS Jim Beck | Minnesota School of Business Gary Berg | G.L. Berg Entertainment, Performing Artists & Speakers Craig Broman | St. Cloud Hospital/ CentraCare Health System, Board Vice Chair

The non-surgical laser procedure for varicose veins.

Linda Feuling | Westside Liquor Neil Franz | Neils-Franz-Chirhart, Attorneys at Law Todd Fritz | InteleCONNECT, Inc. Jayne Greeney Schill | St. Cloud Area School District #742

Ask about our cosmetic treatments.

Call The Vein Center today for your Complimentary Consultation.

Rick Poganski | Principal Financial Group Dr. Earl Potter, III | St. Cloud State University Jodi Speicher | The Good Shepherd Community Bill Winter | St. Cloud Federal Credit Union, Board Chair

320-257-VEIN (8346)

www.beautifulresults.com

1990 connecticut avenue south sartell, mn 56377

EDITOR’S NOTE

NETWORK

Office Work It’s good to have a dedicated space that serves as the office and only as the office; if you’re an extrovert make sure you build in people-time.

For her, it was an office. She worked out at the YMCA first thing

Don’t forget the coffee break,

in the morning, came home and

Dianne said. Every day at 9 a.m.

ach time I arrive at a Business

showered, walked into her home

Murdoch commutes from his office

Central deadline I am

office and went to work.

in a converted shed just outside

reminded that I do not have

the house to the kitchen where he

the constitution to work from home.

because eventually I do settle down

makes coffee for the two of them.

Frankly, I am astounded at how

to work and, uninterrupted, I can

While they wait for the water to boil,

interesting laundry becomes when

cut hours off the time spent writing

Murdoch plays his guitar. “I just love

I should be sitting at the computer

and editing Business Central. It’s that

it when Murdoch plays his guitar in

writing my Editor’s Note. And

“settling down to work” piece that

the morning,” Dianne said.

dusting? If you’re a regular reader

I struggle with.

of this column (with a particularly

Spouses Dianne Tuff and

Now there’s a thought. Maybe I would do better at home if I had a

good memory), you know that my

Murdoch Johnson, owners of

coffee break like that. Listening to

theory on dusting is that if you don’t

UpFront Consulting, (see the cover

the guitar and drinking fresh coffee

move it no one will notice. But put

story on page 32) say they love

beats vacuuming any day.

me in front of our home computer

working from home. I asked if they

and dust-bunnies beware! I’m a

had a few suggestions for anyone

cleaning machine.

contemplating a move to a home-

My friend, Diane Hageman, the

Not me. But I keep trying,

based business. They pointed out

director of media relations for the

the usual things: a married couple

College of Saint Benedict, owned

should feel financially secure before

her own communications consulting

they both give up the office job; it’s

firm for seven years. A few years

good to have a dedicated space that

ago I asked her how she managed

serves as the office and only as the

to be so disciplined at home. She

office; if you’re an extrovert make

couldn’t understand the question.

sure you build in people-time.

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M AR C H / APRIL 2 0 1 2

Until next issue,

Gail Ivers

Vice President

Editor

Photo by Joel Butkowksi/BDI

Editor Dianne Tuff and Murdoch Johnson teach Editor Gail Ivers the finer points of working from home.

Then there’s the coffee break.

Publisher Teresa Bohnen Managing Editor Gail Ivers Associate Editor Dawn Zimmerman CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Whitney Bina St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce

Kelley Burfeind Doherty Staffing Solutions Mary E. Edwards retired, St. Cloud State University Fred Hill St. Cloud State University Lisa Gambrino sbaSTRATEGIES Patti Gartland City of Sartell Gail Ivers St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Sharon Henry St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Mike Schmitt Coldwell Banker Commercial-Orion Larry Schumacher Wordbender Communications, LLC Dawn Zimmerman The Write Advantage

Prepared for

ADVERTISING Associate Publisher/Sales Wendy Hendricks, Hendricks Marketing Ad Traffic & Circulation Yola Hartmann, Hazel Tree Media ART Design & Production Yola Hartmann, Hazel Tree Media Cover Photo Joel Butkowski, BDI Photography ACCOUNTING Accountant Judy Zetterlund WEBSITE Vicki Lenneman

110 Sixth Avenue South P.O. Box 487, St. Cloud, MN 56302-0487 Phone (320) 251-2940 • Fax (320) 251-0081 www.BusinessCentralMagazine.com For advertising information contact Wendy Hendricks, (320) 656-3808, 110 S. 6th Ave., P.O. Box 487, St. Cloud, MN 56302-0487.

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Editorial suggestions can be made in writing to: Editor, Business Central, P.O. Box 487, St. Cloud, MN 56302-0487. Submission of materials does not guarantee publication. Unsolicited materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, selfaddressed envelope. © Copyright 2012 Business Central LLC Business Central is published six times a year by the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce, 110 Sixth Avenue South P.O. Box 487, St. Cloud, MN 56302-0487 Phone (320) 251-2940 • Fax (320) 251-0081 Subscription rate: $18 for 1 year.

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Book Review

Point of View

Your Voice in Government

It Happened When?

Business Calendar

People to Know

The Trouble with Business

UPFRONT

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He calls the 3rd Alternative our way, saying that it is the highest and most important insight he has garnered from his studies.

S APP

Helgeson featured as “Economy Builder”

The 3rd Alternative is not just about compromise. It’s about breaking through to new and amazing results. Reviewed by Fred E. Hill

In any conflict, the 1st Alternative is my way and the 2nd Alternative is your way. The fight usually boils down to a question of whose way is better. There are many methods of ‘conflict resolution,’ but most involve compromise, a low-level accommodation that stops the fight without breaking through to amazing new results. The 3rd Alternative is about more than just an armistice – it’s about creating a new and improved reality. – From the dust cover of The 3rd Alternative

N E WS R E E L

New and Improved

by Stephen R. Covey, Free Press, New York, 2011 ISBN 978-1-4516-2626-1

News & people that make up the chamber network

BOOK REVIEW

The 3rd Alternative: Solving Life’s Most Difficult Problems

PR O F I T

N E T W OR K

GROW

tephen Covey has spent almost a lifetime studying those people who lead truly effective lives. He calls the 3rd Alternative our way, saying that it is the highest and most important insight he has garnered from his studies. The 3rd Alternative has separate chapters addressing the benefits of using 3rd Alternative strategies at work, home, school, the law, in society, and in the world. One of the concluding chapters addresses a 3rd Alternative Life. If one is at a point of being able to keep working (1st Alternative) or retire to leisure (2nd Alternative) why not choose a 3rd Alternative, Covey asks, of making a meaningful contribution to family and society. There are opportunities and needs for doing so. The final chapter, Inside Out, provides a list of 20 things Dr. Covey has found to be helpful in developing the inner

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M AR C H / APRIL 2 0 1 2

strength and security to create 3rd Alternative solutions. In brief, they are: •• Beware of pride •• Learn to say I’m sorry •• Forgive perceived slights •• Make and keep small promises •• Spend time in nature •• Read widely •• Exercise often •• Get enough sleep •• Study inspiring or sacred literature •• Express love and appreciation •• Practice being generous with others •• Avoid comparing yourself to others •• Be grateful and express it •• Discover how to create great wins for others •• Smile a lot Dr. Fred E. Hill is a professor of Learning Resources and Technology Services at St. Cloud State University.

Mike Helgeson, CEO of GNP Company, was featured in the December issue of Twin Cities Business as one of the “200 Minnesotans You Should Know” under the category “Builder of the Outstate Economy.”

Rice Building Systems adds project manager Dave Panek has joined the Rice Building Systems team as a project manager and safety director. Panek has over 33 years experience in commercial construction and a Building Official Certification.

Patton honored for 50 years in union Mal Patton, Sartell, one of the founders of Heartland Glass in 1980, recently retired from glazing. Patton was recognized by his co-workers and members of Local 1324 Glaziers, Glassworkers and Architectural Metals in a small ceremony where he was presented with a gold watch, a gold union card and a plaque recognizing his 50 years of membership in the Glaziers Union.

Zaffiro’s Pizza opens Zaffiro’s Pizzeria & Bar opened in January at the Parkwood Cinema in Waite Park. In addition to pizza, there is a full-service bar, patio seating and carryout service.

POINT OF View

Business Central asked readers: What is your favorite memory from your first professional job?

“ “

”

I was hired in sporting goods at K-Mart which was right up my alley because I loved fishing. It was fun to have old timers come in to ask questions when I should have been the one asking them.”

Dean Fladmo Vacuum Center & Sewing Room

“ Mike Johnson Conway, Deuth & Schmiesing

I’ve always been in accounting. I guess the best first memory was when I reached the point that somebody would come in and thank me for helping them out.”

“

The best part was the excitement of completing school, getting a paycheck and doing things in the work Gary Berg force. I also met my G. L. Berg wife. And I worked with Entertainment, Performing Artists good people – I had & Speakers some great mentors.”

“ Polly Piotrowski Townsquare Media

I won an award for top sales my first year at Fingerhut. I worked in telemarketing. I was awarded rookie of the year and top seller of the year.”

“ Carin Bzdok Mastey Financial Group

My first job was at the Chamber of Commerce. My favorite memories are when we were all in the conference room before a banquet working on name tags or getting the programs put together. Banquets were always fun.”

If you’re looking for a financial partner who’s tuned into your business, count us in. We take the time to know you – and your needs – and find the best ways to help you get where you want to go. There’s a Bremer banker near you with the financial resources to help, and the power to say “yes.” Talk to a Bremer business banker today.

Downtown St. Cloud • 251-3300 West St. Cloud • 656-3300 Sauk Rapids • 252-1938 Sartell • 255-7121 Rice • 393-2600 1-800-908-BANK (2265) Bremer.com

COUNT US IN.

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UPFRONT

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NETWORK

N E WS R E E L Alf joins Charter Media Eric Alf joined Charter Media Mather as an account executive for the St. Cloud area and the surrounding communities. He will work closely with clients for their television, internet and mobile advertising campaigns.

YOUR VOICe IN GOVERNMENT

Just a Shell Game? In 2011 the Minn. legislature replaced the Market Value Homestead Credit program with a Homestead Market Value Exclusion. So what changed? By Patti Gartland

Bina hired at Chamber of Commerce Whitney Bina joined the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce as the communications and workforce development coordinator. She graduated from St. Cloud State University in May 2011 with a degree in public relations. Bina

Schueller elected managing partner Schueller Steven J. Schueller,

CPA, has been elected as the managing partner of Schlenner Wenner & Co. Schueller, a graduate of St. Cloud State University, joined the firm in 1988 and became a partner in 1998.

Roth completes certification Mike Roth, owner of Northland Business Development Network, recently completed Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) training. Roth is now an EOS Implementer.

Ameriprise practice honored Johnson, Carriar, Kruchten, Anderson & Associates has been included in the NABCAP Premier Advisors list in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. To qualify, the practice was reviewed against a long list of peers from all industry channels and firms.

hen Minnesota property taxpayers received their “Proposed Property Tax Statements” several weeks ago, the full effect of ending last summer’s government shutdown became more apparent. Unfortunately, part of the state’s budget solution included a property tax change that received little public discussion. Initially it sounded pretty painless, but it turned out to be anything but. To understand the changes made in 2011 one needs to look at the past. In 2001 the state made changes to the property tax system, including lowering the class rate (the percentage of value actually taxed) on some types of properties. This change would have increased taxes on lower valued homes, so the state

created the MVHC program to reduce property taxes for these homeowners. Under MVHC, the state reduced the amount certain properties would actually pay after local units of government adopted their levies. The state was buying down the cost of local government for certain homestead properties and then reimbursing the local units of government to keep them whole. At least that was the intent. But, in all but one year of the program’s existence, the state provided the credit to homeowners but reneged on fully reimbursing at least some local units of government. In 2011, in order to help balance the state’s budget, the state converted MVHC from a state – paid credit to an exclusion program. Homeowners

About the writer Patti Gartland is the city administrator for the City of Sartell, Minn.

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previously receiving the credit would now have part of their home value excluded from taxation, thus simulating the impact of the credit. However, unlike the state-paid credit that actually reduced property taxes, the market-value exclusion shifts tax burdens away from lowervalued homes to businesses, apartments and all other properties, regardless of local levy changes. The exclusion also lowers the total tax base of a jurisdiction which forces tax rates up, even if local levies are not increased. With higher tax rates, even some homeowners receiving the value exclusion may see property tax increases, but they will be less than properties without the benefit of the value exclusion. In other words, the results of removing $260 million in property tax credits are simple: Property taxes have to rise to make up the difference. The use of a value exclusion simply pushes more of the pain onto businesses, apartments and higher-valued homes in order to limit taxes on lower-valued homes, and the impact is twice as hard on greater Minnesota businesses as those in the metro. When you couple it with the repeated cuts to the Local Government Aid program over the past decade, the burden being shouldered in greater Minnesota only grows. BC

Images (from left to right) Courtesy of Bernick’s Beverages & Vending & Times Media; St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce; Bernick’s Beverages & Vending.

IT HAPPENED WHEN?

February 11, 1942 Over 70 Years in the Making

1937

On February 11, 1942, Francis J. Bernick became Chairperson of the Francis J. Bernick St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce, leading the local business community for the next 12 months. Francis Bernick was the son of Charles A. Bernick and wife Elizabeth, who bought Granite City Bottling Works in 1916. Today, Bernick’s is still a family-owned company. Now operated by third, fourth and fifth generation family members, the company’s owners and employees remain active in the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce. (Pictured above are: Ray W. Halstead, handing gavel to Francis J. Bernick. Secretary Edward Stockinger is in the center. Left to right are W. Elmer Pothen, Dr. W.T. Wenner, William Bohmer, George Meinz, Harold Froeling, N.M. Ahles, and Lloyd Pelley

TIMELINE 1933-1934: Became one of the first distributors of legal beer in Central Minnesota with The Jacob Schmidt Brewing Company 1940s: Growth Continues •• Dr. Pepper and Orange Crush franchises acquired •• Carbonation of beverages became automated •• Expansion and production increased throughout World War II 1950: Over 1,300 accounts serviced

reflex Bend without breaking General Orthopedics • Sports Medicine • Joint Replacement • Trauma Knee & Shoulder • Hand Center • Spine Center • Foot & Ankle APR Bus Central_HWANG.indd 1

StCloudOrthopedics.com 320.259.4100 4/11/11 2:55 PM M AR C H / APRIL 2 0 1 2 • • w w w. B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e . c o m 13

UPFRONT

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NETWORK

N E WS R E E L Pawn America recognized for success Pawn America is recognized by Twin Cities Business Magazine as a top 2011 “Small-Business Success Story” honoree. Pawn America was one of 10 companies featured in the January issue.

Doherty Staffing receives top ranking Doherty Staffing was ranked the No. 1 Temporary Employment Firm in Minnesota in the MinneapolisSt. Paul Business Book of Lists for 2012.

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BUSINESS CALENDAR March - April 2012 •• Visit events.StCloudAreaChamber.com for a detailed calendar.

Can’t-miss opportunities to influence, promote, and learn MARCH 13

St. Cloud Area Evening at the Capitol

Get to know your legislators in a comfortable, relaxed setting.

Bremer promotes Peterson Jim Peterson, a Raymond James Investments Advisor for Bremer Investment Services, was recently promoted to vice president. Peterson has been part of the St. Cloud Bremer Bank for 17 years, all in the investment services business.

Peterson

11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

is provided by the host when you register at least two days in advance.

5-7 p.m. Tuesday, March 13 at the St. Paul Hotel. Registration is $50 per person call Sharon Henry at (320) 656-3824.

MARCH 7 & APRIL 4

Lunchtime Learning Noon-1 p.m. Educational networking events that give busy professionals a chance to stay on the cutting edge. March 7: “Generations in the Workplace” by Melanie Hartman, High Impact Training, sponsored by Synergy Chiropractic and Wellness. April 4: “Developing a Social Media Policy for your Workplace” by Melinda Sanders, Quinlivan and Hughes, sponsored by Super Consulting Services. Location: Chamber office, 110 S 6th Ave. Registration is required: $15 for Chamber members, $22 for the general public.

MARCH 21, APRIL 18 & 26

Waite Park Chamber 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

For businesses interested in doing business in Waite Park. Lunch is provided by the host when you register at least two days in advance.

March 21: hosted by Premier Real Estate Services, Moose Family Center April 18: hosted by Marcus Theaters on-site, 1533 Frontage Road N, Waite Park April 26: Waite Park Chamber After Hours at LaCasita, 314 Division St., Waite Park.

March 22: hosted by PineCone Vision Center with guest speaker Brent Fair, “CB Drug & Gang Task Force.” Location: Good Shepherd Fellowship Hall, 1115 4th Ave. N, Sauk Rapids

MARCH 22 & APRIL 10

Business After Hours

4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

A complimentary open house for Chamber members and guests. Bring lots of business cards and prepare to grow your network!

March 22: hosted by Country Inn & Suites St. Cloud East, 120 7th Ave. SE. April 10: Business After HoursEXTRA!, hosted by St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce and co-sponsored by over 50 businesses, Kelly Inn, 100 4th Ave. S.

APRIL 26

Sauk Rapids Citizen of the Year 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

For information on these or other business events, call 320-251-2940.

Sauk Rapids Chamber For businesses interested in doing business in Sauk Rapids. Lunch

Berg receives certification Gary Berg, owner and CEO of G. L. Berg Berg Entertainment, Performing Artists & Speakers, received a Certificate in Festival & Event Management (CFEM) from the University of Minnesota Tourism Center and the Minnesota Festival and Events Association in January. To successfully complete the requirements for the certificate, Berg had to complete about 40 hours of formal classroom work and a 10-page paper looking at all aspects of a festival.

MARCH 22

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Sauk Rapids-Rice Middle School. Cost: $15, open to the public.

PEOPLE to KNOW Pam McIntosh Rasmussen College (320) 251-5600 pamm@rasmussen.edu Chair: St. Cloud Area Leadership

This nine-month adult leadership program is designed to help current and emerging leaders understand the dynamics of the community and the role leadership shares in building healthy communities.

Jessica Filiaggi

Todd Fritz

AIS Planning (320) 252-6552 jessica@aisplanning.com Chair: NEXT-St. Cloud

InteleCONNECT, Inc. (320) 257-1701 todd@inteleconnect.net Chair: Top Hatters Club

Designed for the “Next” generation of Central Minnesota business leaders, Next-St. Cloud members meet monthly for personal and professional development, training and networking opportunities.

The Top Hatters are the Chamber’s ambassadors, welcoming new members, congratulating members who have expanded or relocated, and serving as greeters and hosts at Chamber events.

Scott W. Anderson

Jim Schroeder

Statewide Property Inspections (320) 761-2100 scott@statewidepropertyinspections.com Chair, Chamber Connection

Gray Plant Mooty Mooty & Bennett, P.A. (320) 252-4414 jim.schroeder@gpmlaw.com Chair: Business Development Council

The purpose of the Business Development Council is to provide training and education for Chamber members and their employees to help their businesses survive and thrive. Programs include Executive Dialogue Groups and a variety of seminars, workshops, and certificate programs.

Chamber Connection is the premier networking event for businesses in Central Minnesota. Hosted by a different Chamber member every Friday morning, Chamber Connection attracts 120 -150 people each week to network and share information about their businesses, all for the price of $1 at the door.

Because Community Still Counts… Genuinely local, genuinely committed. At Farmers and Merchants State Bank, we care about this area because it’s our home, too. Locally owned for over 100 years, our community involvement runs deep — in banking relationships that span generations, and in our participation in organizations that make this community strong and vibrant. From full-service personal and business banking, to proven lending power with fast, local decision-making, we’re known for friendly service and for greeting you by name. And with us, your money is safe, secure, and kept working right here at home for the good of our communities. If that’s the kind of local commitment you’re looking for, let’s talk.

Serving Sauk Rapids since 1995, and a part of Pierz since 1908.

Sauk Rapids Pierz 1301 2nd St N. 320.252.5121

80 Main St. 320.468.6422

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UPFRONT

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NETWORK

N E WS R E E L CentraCare receives training funds The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) awarded CentraCare Health System - Long Prairie a $178,406 grant under the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership to train 279 workers.

The Trouble With Business

Profit Killer

The cost of employee turnover isn’t just time and training. There are also hard costs that can hurt your bottom line. By Kelley Burfeind

Engelbrektson, Hoffman, Neu join HealthPartners Kara Engelbrektson, Doctor of Dental Surgery; Ruth Hoffman, certified physician’s assistant; and Anna Neu, certified nurse practitioner, joined the staff of HealthPartners Central Minnesota Clinics. Engelbrektson graduated from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks Engelbrektson and completed her doctorate degree at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. Hoffman graduated from Boston University and has a Masters Hoffman of Medical Science from Midwestern University in Downers Grove, IL. Neu is a graduate of Concordia College, Moorhead, and received her Family Nurse Neu Practitioner Certification from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. She also has a Master’s of Science as a Family Nurse Practitioner from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. Compiled by Whitney Bina For consideration in Business Central’s News Reel, please send press releases to Gail Ivers, Editor at givers@ StCloudAreaChamber.com

our Executive Assistant, Margaret, leaves voluntarily, and suddenly the company is missing $28,000. But you can’t yell “Thief!” and you can’t call the police – because that $28,000 you lost is simply the cost of Margaret’s departure.* Studies by the American Management Association estimate the cost of employee turnover to be between 25 percent and 250 percent of the annual salary per exiting employee, depending on the type of position. Employee turnover is a profit killer, and it’s especially lethal when you’re not aware of the hard and soft costs associated with replacing an employee. For instance, hard costs can include: •• Advertising the job opening •• Wages and benefits paid to the departing employee •• Wages to the administrative staff helping with termination paperwork •• Wages for coworkers or temporary workers who will cover the work •• Time spent interviewing •• Time spent on orientation and for training •• Cost of creating and/or printing forms or manuals •• Screening/testing fees Soft costs are usually a bit harder to quantify, but shouldn’t be ignored. These mainly include losses in productivity that occur during and after the transition – whether

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it be an exiting employee not working as diligently as he or she did before, or coworkers or managers putting their own work aside in order to cover the impending absence. Now that you’re aware of how much saying “So long!” to Margaret can cost – how can you prevent it from happening again?

1 Get the right people. It sounds easy enough, but even though millions of Americans are without a job, it has been widely publicized that employers are having a tough time finding qualified candidates. •• Start by defining the skills and qualities you want in an employee for the position, and make sure the job description is up to date. Once you’ve identified the ideal candidate, use resources like social media or referral programs to find the right person. •• Consider outsourcing your search. A staffing agency that offers temp-to-hire solutions lets you observe the work of an employee before making the commitment to fill the opening. This trial period is a great way to make sure a candidate has the right skills and personality for the job.

2 Give them good reasons to stay. For many people, a steady income isn’t enough to make them stay put, and rightfully so. Policies and programs that improve job

Calendar OUTINGs

quality “lead to improved employee loyalty and morale, and can make a significant difference for workers and for businesses,” according to Andrea Lindemann, analyst at the Center for Law and Social Policy. Paid Time Off (PTO), benefits, competitive wages, new hire onboarding, career development – these things matter to employees, and are a fundamental part of retaining them. The bottom line is that voluntary employee turnover ruins your bottom line. To find the best employees, make sure you carefully consider how their

skills and job goals fit the position, and your company as a whole. To keep them, remember to make sure the pros of staying override the cons of leaving. In the end, you’ll have happier employees – and be saving money. BC Kelley Burfeind is the marketing communications specialist at Doherty Staffing Solutions.

*Figures are according to the CLASP-CEPR Turnover Calculator, based on an annual salary of $52,000.

St. Cloud goes to Washington D.C. April 16-19: Join us as St. Cloud goes to Washington D.C. Meet with Minnesota senators and representatives, receive business briefings from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and sight-see in historic Washington D.C. For details, contact Chamber President Teresa Bohnen, 320-656-3804.

M AR C H / APRIL 2 0 1 2 • • w w w. B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e . c o m

UPFRONT

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NETWORK CENTRAL

Network Central

Network!

Business After Hours hosted by Williams Integracare Clinic

(From left) Marty Mahowald, Mahowald Insurance; Gary Osberg, Minnesota Public Radio; Diane Larson, St. Cloud Camera & Photo; Rick Wildtraut, Country Financial Services; Chad Houg, Transport Graphics; Inese Mehr

Patti Gartland, City of Sartell (L); Teresa Bohnen, St. Cloud Area Chamber; Tom Wolke, Sunray Printing

Grow!

NEXT-St. Cloud

Hayden Creque discusses the legal aspects of social media in the workplace at NEXT-St. Cloud.

(L) Hailey Harren, Gray Plant Mooty; Betsey Lund, Neils-Franz-Chirhart Attorneys at Law; Hayden Creque, Creque Law, LLC.

Network!

Business After Hours hosted by Stride Academy

Michelle Williams, Williams Integracare Clinic (L) and Kristin Darnall, Catholic Charities

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M AR C H / APRIL 2 0 1 2

(From left) Sheri Moran, Jessica Filiaggi, AIS Planning, Ashley Hahn, United Way, and Tirzah Van Sloten, Schlenner Wenner & Co.

Chamber Top Hatters at work Shannon Templin, Minnesota School of Business (L); Dolora Musech, Batteries Plus; Rich Gallus, Servicemaster Professional Services; Rick Poganski, Principal Financial Group

Network!

Chamber Connection

Tami Lubowitz, TJ Enterprises (L) and Rachel Lolmasteymaugh, Central Minnesota Wellness Expo

College of Saint Benedict/St. John’s University; College of Saint Scholastica, Minnesota School of Business, Rasmussen College, St. Cloud Technical & Community College, and St. Cloud State University teamed up to host Chamber Connection in December.

Carrie Tripp, Birthline (L) and Karen Miller, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann’s office

Pam McIntosh, Rasmussen College, led a challenge game to learn who knew the most about the hosts.

Greg Theis, Greg E. Theis Remodeling (L) talked with Addie Turkowski, SCSU before the meeting started.

M AR C H / APRIL 2 0 1 2 • • w w w. B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e . c o m

We are here when you need us!

TOP HATS | New Locations, New Ownerships & Expansions

Continuing to Make a Difference! Super Smokes, has a second location at 108 E Saint Germain St., St. Cloud. Pictured: Inese Mehr, Nate Zirbes and Diane Ohmann.

Viking Land Harley Davidson, Harley-Davidson motorcycle dealership, full line of parts, motorcycles, motor clothes and service, 3555 Shadowwood Drive NE, Sauk Rapids. Pictured: Jill Magelssen, Seth Walton, Dan Walton, Inese Mehr and Kris Hellickson.

TOP HATS | New Businesses

Celebrating 40 Years of Excellence in Caring for You! Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, fast casual dining, 2956 W Division, St. Cloud. Pictured: Rich Gallus, Dan Stuttgen, Sheila Tepley and Chris Panek.

Accredited by Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, Inc.

Saint Jude Hospice, a Medicare/Medicaid certified care provider for individuals and families facing life-limiting illnesses, 2330 Troop Drive, Suite 102, Sartell. Pictured: Inese Mehr, Julie Schaefer, Nathan Grove and Shannon Templin.

St. Cloud Surgical Center 1526 Northway Drive • St. Cloud • 251-8385 • 800-349-7272 www.stcsurgicalcenter.com

HARNESSING TECHNOLOGY. UNLEASHING

YOUR POTENTIAL.

C a l l t o d a y for all your IT nee ds: • Web Site Design and Development • Content Management Systems (CMS) • Search Engine Optimization (SEO) • E-commerce

• Custom Applications Development • Dashboards and Reporting • Project Management • Network Design and Support

866.374.9066 www.jdb.com

Featured Project Arise Home Health Care

Highlights: Fresh New Design On-Line Application Forms Content Management Solution www.arisecares.com

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M AR C H / APRIL 2 0 1 2

Marty Czech, Realtor, 1926 W Division St., St. Cloud. Pictured: Bob Lien, Marty Czech and Owen Peterson.

Ness Plastic Surgery, plastic surgeon and medical spa, 2805 Connecticut Ave. S, Sartell. Pictured: Tauna Quimby, Kristin Storm, Dr. John Ness and Luke Cesnik.

FaceTime Business Resources, a single source for many business solutions, 811 10th Ave. N, Unit 7, St. Cloud. Pictured: Bob Lien, Christopher Dolney and Roger Schleper.

Tully Tube Network, indoor video advertising, PO Box 7262, St. Cloud. Pictured: Diane Ohmann, Christine Tollefson and Tauna Quimby.

McCann’s Food & Brew, 3320 3rd St. N, St. Cloud. Pictured: Shannon Templin, Matt Indieke and Dolora Musech.

Not a Chamber member yet? Call Wendy Franzwa, Membership Sales Specialist at (320) 656-3834 for more information.

TOP HATS | New Members

Cold Spring Brewing Co., a leader in making and selling high quality beer and non-alcoholic beverages. 219 Red River Ave. N, Cold Spring. Pictured: Inese Mehr, Mike Feldhege and Shannon Templin.

Quiet Oaks Hospice House, a non-profit home for residents and families facing terminal illness, 5537 Galaxy Road, St. Augusta. Pictured: Jason Bernick, Joe Bauer and Owen Peterson.

Midwest Compliance Inc., helping businesses operating commercial motor vehicles comply with Department of Transportation regulations. 100 2nd Ave. S, Suite 104, Sauk Rapids. Pictured: Inese Mehr, Sandra Brakstad, Billy Woolsey, and Jason Bernick.

ePromos Promotional Products, promotional products, custom apparel and corporate gifts to help increase brand recognition, 916 St. Germain, St. Cloud. Pictured: Inese Mehr, Sheila Johnshoy, Jeanette Lucciola, Jason Robbins, Cyd Reuter and Jill Magelssen.

Short-term sales training is good for one thing. Short-term results. Sandler Training® utilizes continual reinforcement through ongoing training and individual coaching sessions not only to help you learn but also to ensure your success. With over 200 training centers worldwide to provide support, you won’t fail…because we won’t let you.

Brian Hart 220 Park Avenue South, Suite 100 St. Cloud, MN • 320-224-2121 www.brianhart.sandler.com S Sandler Training Finding Power In Reinforcement (with design) and Sandler Training are registered service marks of Sandler Systems, Inc. © 2012 Sandler Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

ARRO Land Surveying, locally owned land surveying company that does boundary, construction, GPS, land subdivisions, elevation certificates and topographic surveys, 217 1st Ave. N, Waite Park. Pictured: Tauna Quimby, Mark Downing and Diane Ohmann.

Cartridge World St. Cloud, ink and toner refill and recycling, 655 2nd St. S, Waite Park. Pictured: Diane Ohmann, Corey Boe and Jayne Greeney Schill.

Star of India, restaurant and catering, 2812 W Division, St. Cloud. Pictured: Jayne Greeney Schill, Jagjit Singh, Tajinder Singh, Karanjit Sidhu and Tauna Quimby.

American Family Insurance District Office, 3315 Roosevelt Road, Suite 500D, St. Cloud. Pictured: Mike Quesnel, Jennifer Roche and Jill Magelssen.

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Grand Casino Mille Lacs Events & Convention Center

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INFORMATION

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Entrepreneurism

Tech Strategies

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BUSINESS TOOLS

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N E T W O RK

PR O F I T

RESOURCES THAT HELP YOUR BUSINESS GROW

Entrepreneurism

Building Investor Confidence Spend the time, effort and money to communicate realistic financial statements clearly and convincingly. It can be the key to successfully finding an investor. By Lisa Gambrino assets into cash quickly if the business runs into trouble. A venture capitalist is interested in how quickly your business can grow, the future cash flow it can generate, and the potential for cashing out at an amount much higher than the initial investment. Present only the key numbers and measures in the body of your business plan. Save the detailed financial statements for the appendix and due diligence stage. It is important to have detailed financial statements and projections to support your business plan, but you don’t need to share it upfront.

or most business owners and entrepreneurs, preparing and communicating the financial statement section of your business is difficult. Preparing business plan financial statements often requires expert knowledge of double-entry accounting, taxes, merger and acquisition accounting, and finance. These are skills most entrepreneurs don’t possess. Presenting the numbers will require that you understand how your plan translates into cash, what the potential financial risks for the business are, and how you’ll minimize them. If you can’t

demonstrate this to investors, they will quickly lose interest. Get help early. Hire a qualified CPA or accountant. If you can’t afford to hire someone, reach out to your local Small Business Development Center or college. Experienced financial advisors can assist you in putting together the required financial statements and help you understand the numbers. Know what kind of investor you are seeking. A banker puts more weight on the business’ liquidity, collateral and ability to converts

About the writer

Lisa Gambrino is the owner of sbaStrategies, a Certified SBA Lender Service Provider and a business consultant at the Central Minnesota Small Business Development Center.

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M AR C H / APRIL 2 0 1 2

Limit the number of graphs and tables. Graphs are great for presenting trends and comparisons, but keep them simple. Only use graphs and tables for key information providing a quick and clear message. Double check your numbers. Just like typos, a wrong number can ruin your credibility instantly. Verify that the numbers in your business plan agree with all supporting documents. Include a statement of sources and uses of cash. The statement of “Sources and Uses” tells investors how you plan to use their money. The “Sources” accounts for all the money coming into the project, whether it is a bank loan, a note from the seller, personal cash, cash proceeds from sale of stock, etc. The “Uses” tells the investor how you intend to

use the money, whether it is to buy an existing business, buy assets, payoff existing debts, purchase inventory, or pay start-up liabilities, fees and expenses. Include all three fundamental financial statements. You should provide an income statement, balance sheet and statement of cash flow. You will want to include at least three years of actual historical financial statement information, if available, and at least three years of projected financial statements. Projections provide insight into your thought process, assumptions, and understanding of the business. Use footnotes and descriptions to explain the numbers. Keep footnotes and descriptions short and to the point. Footnote only key numbers and unusual items. BC

www.scr-mn.com

By the Numbers

VC funding hits 10-year high $7.6 billion

venture capital funding in the last quarter of 2011

$30.6 billion

total VC funding world-wide in 2011

3,000

the number of deals receiving VC funding in 2011

$23.7 billion

Source: CNET News

total VC funding world-wide in 2010

$30.1 billion

total VC funding in 2007, the second highest in the last 10 years

Formerly St. Cloud Refrigeration

RefRigeRation HVaC SeRViCe Building automation food SeRViCe

CentRal | metRo diViSion noRtHeRn diViSion St. Cloud 320-251-6861 BaxteR 800-273-9071 MetRo 800-827-1642 1 1/25/2012 12:21:33 PM Dan_Deavel_Ad_012512.ai

SoutHeRn diViSion RoCheSteR 877-399-4546 Mankato 800-447-3259

Stop searching for talent. Start finding it. Manpower can find it for you faster. With unmatched know-how, perfected processes and access to qualified candidates, we can find the talented people you need. For temporary, temporary-to-permanent or permanent placements. We’ll deliver what you’re searching for. 425 E Saint Germain St, Suite 103 St. Cloud MN 56304 320-251-1924 us.manpower.com

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BUSINESS TOOLS

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G R OW

TECH STRATEGIES

Talent.me

This new professional networking app on Facebook helps professionals leverage their friend network to advance their careers, and showcase their skills. By Dawn Zimmerman allowing you to communicate your education, professional experience, certifications and contact information. The real value of this app comes from the time you take to identify your talents (social media), your proficiency (beginner, intermediate, advanced, expert) and years of experience. The features include: •• Search jobs that require your talents, and then apply or share the job opportunity on Facebook or Twitter with a click.

a professional photo just as you would on LinkedIn. Then, claim your URL before someone else does. BC EDITOR’s NOTE: We’d like to hear from you! If you have a question about social media please email it to editor Gail Ivers at givers@ StCloudAreaChamber.com and we’ll plan to discuss it in a future issue of Business Central. Please put “Social Media Q” in the subject line.

•• Send private messages to your Talent.me connections. •• Suggest talents to your friends and help them update their profiles. •• Give or get endorsements for specific talents.

o you know which companies your Facebook friends have worked for? Do you know if any of your friends work at a company where you would like to get a job? What are the talents that make you stand out in the working world? Those are the questions Talent.me, a new (free) professional networking app on Facebook, aims to answer. While the concept is similar to LinkedIn at the surface, it focuses more on talents and networking with friends and family. It is quickly gaining momentum because of its ability to allow members to tap into their Facebook friend network. Features Talent.me provides another place you can build an electronic resume of sorts,

•• Post status updates from your Talent.me account.

Who’s Behind It

•• Share your professional profile with your network using Facebook and Twitter share buttons on your profile page.

Although the app integrates with Facebook, it was not created by Facebook. Talent.me was developed by Sidd Pagidipati and Lewis Howes, both self-described serial entrepreneurs with notable professional accomplishments. They developed the app on the premise that during transitional phases of a career, professionals most often lean on their friends and family to land a job or promotion. They are focused on developing a platform where members can connect, interact and grow professionally.

•• Register and send your unique Talent.me URL Getting Started Creating a profile takes just a few moments because the app incorporates the information you already have on your personal Facebook page. You are able to have two separate profile pictures so feel free to keep the casual picture on your personal Facebook page and then upload

About the writer Dawn Zimmerman is CEO of The Write Advantage, a St. Cloud-based communications company that specializes in social media.

KNOW The SOURCE

•• Find people you know from your current and previous employers.

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M AR C H / APRIL 2 0 1 2

TECH NEWS

Source: SmartBrief on Entrepreneurs

Source: Essential Dynamics, Inc.

I want one!

TECH NEWS

The 3D printer that creates three-dimensional items out of plastic is old news. Enter — the 3D printer that allows any material that can be extruded from a syringe to be “printed.” Essential Dynamics’ Imagine 3D Printer uses its unique syringe-based design to print using a variety of materials including silicone, epoxy, and our personal favorite, chocolate.

Worth the wait If the typical worker in 1982 wanted to purchase something with the computing power of an iPad2, it would have cost more than 360 years worth of wages.

ONLINE Now Check out the video at BusinessCentralMagazine.com

2-3 times 9.07%

BY THE NUMBERS

Only 10?

When asked how many times a day they checked their email, 70 percent of Smart Brief on Entrepreneurs’ readers said 10 or more times. Despite the fact that experts say electronic interruptions are shortening our attention span and making it harder to get anything done we can’t seem to stay away from the siren’s song. How many times a day do you check your e-mail?

WORKING WITH PEOPLE, NOT JUST NUMB3RS

MIKE WENNER, Partner, C.P.A. and SHELLEY GAETZ, C.P.A. with Jeff and Barb Larson of Guardian School Bus

“Working with Schlenner Wenner & Co. has been a long-term commitment for us. For the past 20 years, Mike, Shelley, and their team have made us feel comfortable and always put things in terms we can understand. In this complicated world, it’s nice to have a relationship that is easy.” -Barb & Jeff Larson St. Cloud 630 Roosevelt Rd. Ste. 201 P.O. Box 1496 St. Cloud, MN 56302 320.251.0286

www.swcocpas.com An Independently Owned Member, McGladrey Alliance

“

There’s a

4-9 times 18.58%

1 time 2.43%

10 times or more 69.91%

comfort level

&trust

”

when working with Dennis and the Credit Union.

–Steve Anderson, The Apothecary

When Steve Anderson, owner of The Apothecary in Sartell, needed to build a new facility, one of the first steps he took was to contact CMCU Senior Business Lender Dennis Waldvogel. “There’s a comfort level and trust when working with Dennis and the Credit Union.”

Get customized solutions tailored for your business! Talk to one of our lending experts today–888.330.8482

myCMCU.org | facebook.com/mycmcu Federally Insured by NCUA

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Helps Drivers Stay B

Ford will introduce in early 2012 an innovative Lane Ke to help drivers stay in control behind the wheel, includ it detects signs of drowsiness. In this case, a coffee cup cluster to suggest the driver take a break.

BUSINESS TOOLS

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G R OW

Driver Alert System

GOING GREEN

TECH NEWS

A starting point Renewable energy is expected to be the fastest growing source of primary energy over the next 25 years, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The upshot? Even though renewable energy consumption will rise 2.8 percent per year, its share of total energy use will only be 15 percent by 2035. Source: Smart Planet

Text this Ford Motor Company has developed a new lanekeeping technology. The system “looks” down the Driver Alert System is designed to road, monitoring lane lines toThe determine that the car is on course. Drowsy help alert drowsy drivers by monitoring – or distracted – drivers will experience a steeringcompared wheel vibration if the the vehicle’s movement to lane that are tracked by a camera vehicle drifts too close to lanemarkings markings. If that doesn’t work, the system will mounted on the windshield. If the system actually apply pressure on thedetects steering to help bring the car back a driving pattern consistent with a into proper drowsy driver, a first-level chime will sound lane position. It isn’t perfect, but watch for it this year in the Ford Fusion. and a coffee cup warning will appear on the Source: Ford Motor Company

Money-saver

dashboard instrument cluster to recommend the driver take a break.

If the driver does not respond to this alert and the system continues to sense the driver is fatigued, another warning and chime will be issued. Drivers can monitor their condition on the dashboard at any time.

You’d be surprised how much energy can be saved simply by reviewing efficiency steps you’ve taken in the past. Check your computer power settings and thermostat to make sure they’re set where you want. Are the signs still posted by light switches encouraging people to turn off lights when they exit? Are there reminders on your 2012 calendar to change the System Energy Keeping Smart filter in your furnace during cold months? You’ll find these really add up! Source:Lane When the system detects the vehicle drifting close to lane markings, the Lane Keeping Alert will notify drivers through a vibration in the steering wheel to correct their course. The Lane Keeping Aid takes this technology even further by providing steering torque to steer back toward the center of the lane.

11/2011 Featuring: Learning to lead • Face of Leadership Profiles • Work-based learning

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Business Education, Training & Consultants Receive a FREE Listing (an $800 value) with purchase of 1/3 square ad or larger

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for mo

GOING GREEN

Source: Energy Smart, a program run through Minnesota Waste Wise, a nonprofit affiliate of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. Services are provided at no charge.

Failure is not an option …except in the world of technology.

Here the need for constant innovation breeds an environment where failures can occur – some more spectacularly than others. Remember the PlayStation network hacking that breached Sony security and shut down the site for a month? How about 3D TV – hyped by the industry while watchers yawned and directed their money elsewhere. PC World has 13 more for anyone who wants to gloat. Source: PC World ONLINE Now The entire list can be found at

BusinessCentralMagazine.com

MN native & author DaviD

Horsager presents:

The Trust Edge: Gain Faster Results, Deeper Relationships, and a Stronger Bottom Line

Calvary Community Church www.scsutraining.com/Trust

T12 fluorescents, the thicker, less-efficient fluorescent tube lights, are being phased out by the federal government and will become harder to purchase by mid-2012. Businesses and organizations should replace any T12s in their facilities before that happens. Already, some Minnesota utilities are planning to discontinue rebates for replacing T12s with the more-efficient T8 or T5 fluorescents. If you have T12 lights at your business, contact Energy Smart at (651) 292-4652 or info@mnenergysmart.com for information on how to take advantage of utility rebates before they disappear.

TECH NEWS

May 10, 2012 • 8 - 10 am • $25

Good-bye T12

CEO

Corporate Education & Outreach

M AR C H / APRIL 2 0 1 2 • • w w w. B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e . c o m

ECONOMY CENTRAL

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PRESENTED BY FALCON BANK

TOP HONORS

Expanding an Economy

St. Cloud has been named one

Regions with a reliable infrastructure and strong labor supply have a competitive advantage. By Mary E. Edwards

Sound infrastructure and reliable public services in a locality create the capacity for the economy to grow faster than those in areas that cut such amenities. Local schools, from pre-kindergarten through high school must be top quality. Districts rightfully worry that an investment in quality schools causes a local brain drain if no employers are willing to meet the wages necessary to hire their graduates. Taxpayers of such school districts subsidize growth in larger metropolitan areas. However, municipalities that do not support

Livability.com, a national website

schools’ quest for excellence create workers who cannot find acceptable employment.

that highlights more than 500

Regions with four-year colleges and universities add a potential to benefit from the diffusion of technology, possibly without divulging trade secrets. Universities not only provide professional expertise but also interns who both solidify linkages between professors and the business community and become dynamic, innovative contributors to their team.

Editors looked at cities that adapt

Expanding local economies does not mean less government. Alternatively, it means government investing in local goods and services designed to decrease the cost of doing business in the area or create an advantage accessible primarily for firms that locate nearby. Cost decreases come from reliable infrastructure and a strong supply of quality labor, even at competitive wages. Benefits come from a sustainable culture that promotes collective learning by partnerships between colleges and universities and local businesses. BC

opportunities, arts and cultural

Mary E. Edwards, PhD., is Professor Emeritus, Economics Department, St. Cloud State University

Find the entire story at BusinessCentralMagazine.com

of America’s best places to live. well to wintry weather, embrace the cold and even view it as a valuable commodity. St. Cloud was chosen because it also ranks high for other livability factors, such as ample outdoor recreational offerings, affordable housing and unemployment rates lower than the national average.

Now online

Minnesota’s manufacturing industry is optimistic for 2012 • 2.9% the percent increase in manufacturing employment in Minnesota during the first half of 2011 • 30% the percent of manufacturers that experienced an increase in profits in 2011 Source: Manufacturing Business Conditions Survey, Minnesota Office of Employment and Economic Development.

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M AR C H / APRIL 2 0 1 2

Economy Central presented by

Source: Livability.com

rowing a region is like growing a firm. For an individual firm, using more capital or labor expands output. To be more productive, firms can hire more workers or increase productivity by investing in more equipment or incorporating cuttingedge technology. Firms enhance technology not only by updating their equipment and upgrading the software (once the bugs are pretty much out), but also by promoting lifelong employee training. Regions also grow by investing in capital, labor and technology. For example:

of the Top 10 Winter Cities by

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M AR C H / APRIL 2 0 1 2 • • w w w. B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e . c o m

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Median Housing Prices Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions 1.8% MINNESOTA

JN J

Minnesota Nonfarm Jobs Minnesota Nonfarm$20,000 Jobs

J J F AM S A OM N J D J

$120,000

$200,000

MO $0

$4,430

ST. CLOUD

10%

MINNESOTA - MONTHLY % CHANGE - MONTHLY % CHANGE MINNESOTA

Local Nonfarm Jobs Local Nonfarm Jobs

MINNESOTA - MONTHLY % CHANGE- MONTHLY % CHANGE MINNESOTA 2.0

COUNTRY WIDE

J Quarter J A 1st

Minnesota Nonfarm Jobs Minnesota Nonfarm Jobs

$20,000 1.0

10 $0

St. Cloud Source: $50,000 www.positivelyminnesota.com 10 4% $0 Minneapolis/St. Paul $0 J F M A M J J J F A MS J J J F AM S A OM N J D J A S O N D Minnesota 0.4% BENTON AND STEARNS COUNTY MONTHLY % CHANGE - MONTHLY 5 BENTON AND -STEARNS COUNTY % CHANGE United States

15 $900

2.8%

-1.0% $150,000 4% M JJ JF A M SA O M NJ 0.5 N D 0.4% 0.0-2.0%

Unemployment Rates Food & Beverage Tax Collections 0.5 0.5

-0.5%

-1.5%

$20,000

A S O N D J $0 A M J J J F A M S A O M N J D J 5 0$40,000 1 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 0 0 13 4 4 1 6 No.0 of permits

1.0

5 0

D J 1.8% 5

1.0%

1.0

10 4%

1.5

J $20,000 J15 10 $0

Median Housing Prices Median Housing Prices0.5 JN

2.0

2.8%

$.5M $80,000

3.0

-0.4

10%

$1M

2nd Quarter

2.5

Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions Gross Domestic Product

$100,000

0.0 -0.2 $900 -0.4

0.4% A

O M

0.0

uctions oreclosure Auctions 0.4% 0.5

0.0

S A

$120,000

$1M

$20,000

XXXX

O0.4 N D $0 M J JF A M 0.2 0 0 1 0 0 0 No. of permits 0 0 A

ST. CLOUD

$120,000

1.8% 25 STEARNS COUNTY2011 QUARTERLY % CHANGE IN REAL GDP 0.2

1.3%

$900

1.0

0.6

$1.5M

ST. CLOUD

0.4

$40,000

$20,000

0.8

$1M 90 6%

$1.5M

$1M

XXXX XXXX XXXX 3.0 1.5%

2.8%

8% Food & Beverage Tax Tax Collections Lodging Dollars

0.8

2.5

150 8%

$80,000

$3,105,391

3.0

$4M

$80,000 odging TaxHome Dollars Sales Closed - Total

30 $60,000

Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Gross Domestic Auctions Product $3,105,391

arm Jobs

$.5M

$60,000

$40,000 No. of permits

-1.0 J F 3rd Quarter

2nd Quarter

$1.5M

$900

Unemployment Rates Unemployment $20,000 Non Farm JobsRates$20,000

QUARTERLY % CHANGE IN REAL GDP STEARNS COUNTY2011 $100,000 $100,000 3.0 40 $4M

$120,000

$60,000

JJ-0.6 FJ

$1M

CLOUD

XXXX

0.0

$.5M $1M

$8,990

$1.5M

ST. CLOUD

1.8%

1.0

$1.5M $.5M

Gross Domestic Product Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions

$2M

0.4 $0 A DM JJ JF AM SA A J S F OM N60 0.2 $100,000 $2M $40,000 No.147 0 00 00 50 27of permits 7 0 44 17 450 440 50 0No. 27of0 permits 71 O M

Lodging Dollars Food & Beverage Tax Tax Collections St. Joe St. Augu ST. CLOUD ST. CLOUD

Food2.8% & Beverage Tax Tax Collections $80,000 Lodging Dollars

0.8 $1M

St. Joe

COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, BUILDING CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED $120,000 $120,000

COUNTRY WIDE COUNTRY WIDE 2011 COUNTRY WIDE - % CHANGE COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED $120,000 10% $120,000 10% 0 $0 $0 0 0 $0 $5M $2M J F M A M $5M J J JA FS MO AN MD J J F M A M $2M J F M A M J J A S O N D JJ FJ MA AS MO JN JD A S O N D 10% 2.0% NGE 2011 QUARTERLY % $100,000 CHANGE UNITED IN REAL STATES GDP - MONTHLY % CHANGE STEARNS COUNTY2011 QUARTERLY % CHANGE IN REAL GDP $100,000 $4M

S O N D J $0 J J J F A M S A O MN J D J

1.5

30 & Beverage Tax Collections ax Dollars UnemploymentFood Food & Beverage Tax Collections $20,000 Rates St. AugustaCOUNTRY St. Joe ST. CLOUD ST. CLOUD St. Augusta St. Joe WIDE 30

$80,000$.5M

Employment A

1.3% 30 $.5M $80,000 $80,000$.5M $20,000Sartell, Waite Park, St. -0.2 -0.2 Building departments for the following cities: St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids, Sources: Augusta,$1M and St. Joseph. $8,990 $8,990 90

$1M

2.5

-0.4

ST. CLOUD

XXXX

0.0

$.5M

No. of permits 2

$1.5M $.5M

ST. CLOUD $120,000

D J

= exceeds chart scale

MO AN $0

Lodging TaxHome Dollars $80,000 Sales Closed - Total

$.5M

0.6

60 N J

O M

31of permits 11 30 7 01 3 13 No. o. 120 4 73of10permits 5 1119 3 19 7 0 12 3 1 23 4 7 27 10 $.5M

UNITED STATES 2011 QUARTERLY % CHANGE IN REAL GDP - MONTHLY % CHANGE $2M $100,000 $2M 120 1.0 3.0 $4M

150 10 0.4 $1M $0 $0 $0 $0$1M JJ JF AM SA JOM FNJ MDJ AA MS JJO FJN M AD A S A J S F O MN A D M 0.2 $100,000 65 of permits 55 11 14 124 19 76 120 17 4 of permits 6 17 54 No. 0 16 13 11 5 4411 147 14 11 12 45 No. of22permits 19 No. 19 12 23 5 27 5 17 5No. 4 of0 permits 6 13 16 197 44 22

20 AM

$5M

UNITED STATES - MONTHLY % CHANGE 120

A 45

COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDA 0 $0$2M $2M

Gross Domestic United ProductStates Nonfarm Jobs

$1M$2M

D J 717

$1M $0 $0 $0 60 J J J F A M S AJO MFN JMD JA AM SJ J OJ NA DM $2M 1112 3197No.322 44 147 13 4 2No. 6 of 1 permits 5 5 11 016 14 1 11 3 7 0173 of permits 45 No. 80 of permits 2

St. Joe

$3M COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED $3M COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED 150 $120,000

20 $1M

N J 27 147

$20,000

$1.5M

United States Nonfarm Jobs

$2M $1M

CLOUD

37 8

$2M $1M S O

O M 50 44

$3M

$8,990

44 22

$.5M

$60,000

St. Augusta St. Augusta

$2M J F $0 M J J F J MA A S MO J N J D A

D M

$5M $1M A S M A 45 19

$.5M

$1M $0 $0 JO J JN F AD M S A O M N J D J

Home Sales Closed Sheriff - Total ’s Foreclosure Auctions Lodging TaxHome Dollars Sales Closed - Total Waite Park Sauk Rapids ST. CLOUD St. Augusta Waite Park ST. CLOUD BENTON COUNTY ST. CLOUD

$1.5M

$2M $1M

J F 17 11

$1M $0 $0 DM J J F J M A A S JM O FJ N MJ D AA

$4M

e Auctions Sauk Rapids Sartell $1.5M

19 22permits 44 147 No.120 of 16

permits 19 4 of5 permits 6 3 permits 1 No. 0 37 1 7 3 No. 9 3of10 11 5 3 7 5 0 3 1 1 43 No. 7 108of permits 28 19 315 124 5 238 3 27 0 17$40,000 5 55 525 of 27 6No. 2

$.5M

St. Joe

$8,990 10

$0$1M M J

$1.5M

COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMIT COMMERCIA

5 $.5M

$100,000

ITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMITSBUILDING PERMITS RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMITSBUILDING PERMITS AL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED RESIDENTIAL RESIDENTIAL 0 0 0 $5M $2M $2M $2M $2M $5M $0

$1.5M

$1.5M $.5M

$4M

$.5M

$1M

Waite Park Waite Park St. Joe

$1M

$1.5M

No. of permits 7 120

5 $.5M

$1.5M

$1.5M $.5M

St. Augusta St. Augusta apids

$3,425,316

$1.5M $.5M

$3M 10 $1M $1M $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 60 J D J AJ M J J F J M A A S M O J N J D AJ J JJ FA MS AO J MN F JD M J A A M S J OJ J NF A DMS A O MN SF OM NA DM $2M 23 44 1239 1040 1443 3855 44 52 of 0 45 6 41 5 425 3 316 2 41134 234 44 8 of 2 40 43 No. permits permits No. 4113 of permits 7 152 9 141 10 No. 5 1 273 No. 328of permits 5128 30315 404 5 418 3 35No. 2 No. of permits 3727 4137 121 595 of42 39permits DM

$2M

$3,105,391

$2M

$1M$2M

Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions Sales Closed - Total Home Sales Closed - Total Lodging TaxHome Dollars Waite Park Sauk Rapids St. Augusta Waite P

$3,425,316

$1.5M

$2M $1M

$2M

BENTON COUNTY ST. CLOUD ST. CLOUD ST. CLOUD COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED 20 COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED 150 150 $120,000

$23,294,590

$2M $1M AM SA

$1.5M

$10,914,217

$.5M

$23,294,590

$1.5M $.5M

COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED$3M

55 23

$5,434,857

$4M

Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions Sauk Rapids Sartell BENTON COUNTY

$2M

$2M $1M

$2M

$3,425,316

$1.5M

St. Cloud

$10,914,217

$23,294,590

$5,434,857

$1.5M

Sartell

$2M

$5M $1M

$5,173,500

$2M $1M

$2M

$23,240,100

$2M

4% M

JJ F J M

J $8,990 No. of$60,000 permits 43

$100,000

60,000

10%

$80,000

$1M $.5M

$80,000 $0

ECONOMY CENTRAL

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$60,000

$0 J F M A BY M FALCON J J A S BANK O N D PRESENTED

20,000

No. of permits 7 $40,000

$40,000

No. of permits 5

$20,000

XXXX F

N $8,990 D

RESIDENTIAL RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMITSBUILDING PERMITS $0

$200,000 $3M

60 $20,000 M A

No. 10 of permits 12

of permits 14No. 38 44 375

$100,000 30$0 J

$50,000 M JJ JF

A M

$60,000 $80,000

$0 M

J60 A

-1.0

JMinneapolis/St. A S O N D Paul

-1.5

No. of permits 5

6Minnesota 5 11 14

M N J D-1.0 J A

$2M

$120,000

$1M

0.8

St. 30 Cloud

St. Cloud Minneapolis/St. Paul Rochester

$.5M J J $2M

-1.0%

-1.5% O N

-2.0% 27 -0.6 17 4

J 0.2

$0 M

$1M $0

4% $20,000 J

Mpls/St.Paul

M Minnesota A M J

United States

M 2006

M J 2007

-0.2

A 2008

O 2009

O M

0.0

D 2010

$0 M

$1.5M

$1M

Unemplo

COUNTRY 1.5 WIDE 10% 1.0

0.5

1.8% = exceeds chart scale $.5M $.5M

0.0 8% -0.5

1.3%

-1.0 S

44 0.4%

1st Quarter

2.0

$1.5M

2.8%

1924 2248 444 1478 172 45 55 No. 31 of permits 03 68 16528 11St. 3 Cloud 31 0.5

0.0

MINNESOTA -

1.0

Minneso

$2M

3.0

RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PE COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, O

1.5

FM MJ $40,000

$4, 4

Augusta SaukSt. Rapids S

$.5M

= exceeds chart $0 scale AJ MA J JS F JO MAN ASD MO

6 of permits No. No. 7 of9permits 10 5 5

-2.5%

No. of permits 3

-2.0

No. of permits 0

2.5

6% $60,000

0.4

-0.4

$0 St. Cloud $0 J J F M Minneapolis/St. Paul 7Minnesota No. of2 permits No. of permits 75 1 United States D

2nd Quarter

3rd Quarter

F A

M 6% AJ

-1.5

M J

4 1

10 3

19 3

-2.0

4th Quarter

Sources: Minnesota Compass led by Wilder Research; Bureau of Economic Analysis - www.BEA .gov.

0.0

$80,000

$.5M

St. Cloud -0.8 A S O N-3.0% D Minneapolis/St. Paul Rochester -1.0 J

F M A M J$0 J J A F S M O A N MD J12 J

2.0

-0.5%

United States 0

$1M

8% $100,000

0.6

-0.2

-0.5

0.5J

XXX

No. of permits 0.0 5

COUNTRY WIDE

0.5%

0.6 $0 A J MAJ J SF J OM ANA SDM O J N J D A

$20,000

$0 $20,000

0.00.0%

0.8

J A $40,000 FM MJ

$2M

0.2

$.5M

$40,000 $60,000

No.13 of 2No.$50,000 7 39 3 40 10 5541 19 5219 2712 3723 permits of permits No. 2335 4445 27 of32 51 530 640 41permits 41 424 43 31 0.4

1.0%

O M

0.6

$900

No. of permits 0

Gross Domestic Product Unemployment Rates

2.5%

4 N

St. Cloud -1.5 Minneapolis/St. Paul Minnesota RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMITS RESIDENTIAL PERMITS COMMERCIAL BUILDING BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED United States -2.0

3.0%

2 O

0.8

415 1213 1520 1416 595 423 S

$1.5M

1.0

-0.5

1.03.5%

121 152 141

$1.5M $1.5M COUNTRY WIDE BENTON AND STEARNS COUNTY - MONTHLY % CHANGE ST. CLOUD

10% United States Nonfarm Gross Domestic Product Annual change inNonfarm realJobs GDP Local FoodJobs & Beverage Tax Collections UNITED STATES - MONTHLY % CHANGE 2011 QUARTERLY % CHANGE IN REAL GDP

J A $1M

0.41.5%

0.2 0

OM NJ

0.5 $0

SartellWaite ParkSt. Joe

BENTON AND STEARNS COUNTY - MONTHLY2.0% % CHANGE

$1M

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX

$1M

$100,000

$0 M JJ

$80,000Local Nonfarm Jobs $100,000

$.5M

90 $40,000 $150,000 J

$1.5M

$2M $150,000

$.5M

ST. CLOUD $100,000 $120,000

$1M

MINNESOTA 120 $200,000 $60,000

$1.5M

$1M

$5,173,500

MINNESOTA

Median Housing Prices $80,000

$1M

$23,240,100

TEARNS COUNTY ST. CLOUD $100,000 40 150 35

$120,000 Median Housing PricesTax Dollars Lodging

$1.5M

ST. CLOUD

$4M

Food & Beverage Tax Collections

ST. CLOUD

$120,000 heriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions Home Sales Closed - Total

RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMITS RESIDENTIAL PERMITS COMMERCIAL BUILDINGBUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED 4% F M A M J J A $2M J $2M $5M

Housing/Real Estate

Lodging Tax Dollars $2M

$2M

0.0

$23,294,590

1.5

$.5M $0

No. of permits 6% 2

$5,434,857 $10,914,217

XXXX XXXX $1M

No. of permits 12

Economic Indicators & Trends $20,000 Waite Park St. Augusta Sartell Sauk Rapids St. Cloud J

D 62

1.0

120

2.0

8% $0

$.5M 8% $0

136 224 200 233 256 241 206 106

$.5M

40,000

$1M $.5M J J

$3,425,316

$120,000

80,000

-0.2

F M A M J J A S O N D J12 Sheriff ’sJ Foreclosure Auctions Median Housing Local Nonfarm Jobs Sheriff ’s Foreclosure AuctionsPrices Home Sales Closed - Total Lodging Tax Dollars Waite Park St. Augusta St. Joe Sartell STEARNS Sauk Rapids Waite Park COUNTY MINNESOTA BENTON AND STEARNS COUNTY - MONTHLY % CHANGE ST. CLOUD St. Augusta BENTON COUNTY ST. CLOUD COMMERCIAL PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS,BUILDING CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PE $200,000 150 $120,000 Gross Domestic Product Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions Median Housing Prices Local No 40

$200,000

$1.5M

$4M

XXXX

$60,000 $40,000 $20,000 $0

$20,000

OM NJ

$60,000

Washington, D.C. 0.5 0.0

$200,000 30

St. Cloud $20,000 Minneapolis/St. Paul Minnesota United States

F J MA A S MO J N J D A

Now online 30

0.6

1.8%

$100,000

1.5

1.3% 0 Oct-06

1.0

Oct-07

Oct-08

Oct-09

Oct-10

Oct-11

$50,000

0.0

0.8

2.0

0.4% 1st Quarter

O N D J12

95.6

4th Quarter

6% J

103.9

78.5

102.2 101.1 103.3 102.4

103.2 110.6 Local Nonfarm Job

St. Paul, MN $200,000

110.5

107.1

115.4 101.3 107.6

104.0 112.5

Rochester, MN

104.7

93.3

103.1 114.6 107.9

108.7 105.9

$150,000 Cedar Rapids, IA

93.6

97.3

78.7

101.3 96.6

94.7

Eau Claire, WI

90.2

96.9

84.1

79.9

105.9 90.6

96.2

100.5

87.5

106.1 98.1

MINNESOTA

= exceeds chart scale

$100,000

Wausau, WI

101.0

BENTON AND STEARNS COUN

0.8

101.6

103.5 97.3

XXX

0.6

0.4

0.2

$50,000

F3rd Quarter M A M4thJQuarter J A

Minneapolis,Median MN 110.6 108.1 Housing Prices118.7 100.7 104.8

XXXX

0.4 20 Visit www.BusinessCentral 15 Magazine.com 0.2

St. Cloud Sources: Tax Collections – City of St. Cloud Minneapolis/St. Paul Incorporations - MN Secretary of State, Graph courtesy of SCSU5 Rochester

J 2nd Quarter

XXX

-1.5

Al l It em s 40

$150,000

10%

-2.0 Cities of Comparable Size to St. Cloud $0 Upper Midwest and other O Minnesota N D A S O N D J F M A M JJ JF AM SA OM NJ DJ

STEARNS COUNTY BENTON AND STEARNS COUNTY - MONTHLY % CHANGE

2.5

3rd Quarter

COUNTRY WIDE

-1.0 2nd Quarter

Unemployment Rat

Annual Average Data - 2011

Local Nonfarm Jobs Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions

2.8%

0.0

142.7

1st Quarter

St. Cloud, MN

3.0

XXXX

0.5

-0.5

2011 QUARTERLY %MINNESOTA CHANGE IN REAL GDP

143.3

0.4%

ST. CLOUD AREA

Median Housing Prices Gross Domestic Product

1.0

Truckee-Nevada Cty CA 145.5 1.0

Number of Incorporations

150.3

$40,000 Nassau County NY J

1.5 1.8%

1.5

6% F

Stamford CT $80,000 1.3% 147.4

-0.8 $40,000 -1.0

San Jose CA $100,000

2.0

153.9

2.0

$60,000

-0.6

G Se ood rv s/ ice s

-0.4

MINNESOTA - MONTHLY % CHANGE 162.7

H Ca ealt re h

$120,000

XXXX XXXX

$80,000

-0.2

T po ran rta stio n

$80,000

STEARNS COUNTY

Minnesota Nonfarm Jobs Food & Beverage Tax Collections

New York (Queens) NY

0.2 $100,000 0.0

Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auc

2.8%

167.8

ST. CLOUD 2.5 San Francisco CA

10%

$120,000

$100,000

COUNTRY WIDE

ST. CLOUD

0.4

120

Honolulu HI

Unemployment Rates Lodging Tax Dollars

0.6

$120,000

150

3.0

250

ST. CLOUD

218.8

Gross Domestic Product

% CHANGE GDP New2011 YorkQUARTERLY (Brooklyn) NY IN REAL 182.7

1.0 0.8

200

New York (Manhattan) NY

UNITED STATES - MONTHLY % CHANGE

& -Beverage Home Sales Food Closed Total Tax Collections

150

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STEARNS COUNTY

he St. Cloud area experienced an average cost of living during $4M $1.5M $1.5M 0.6 scale $80,000 2011, according to the ACCRA Cost of Living Index. The index = exceeds chart 0.8 90 30 $150,000 $3M $3M measures regional differences in the cost of consumer $60,000 goods and 20 0.4 $100,000 10 0.6 2.0 $1M $1M $1M $1M 1.8% 25 services,60excluding taxes and non-consumer expenditures, for 15 $2M $2M 0.2 $40,000 1.5 20 0.4 $100,000 professional and managerial households in the top income quintile. 1.3% 10 $50,000 5 $.5M $.5M $.5M $.5M 15 St.30 Cloud 0.0 $20,000 It is based on more than 50,000 prices covering almost 60 different $1M $1M 0.2 1.0 5 Minneapolis/St. Paul $8,990 $900 $4,430 Rochester 10 $50,000 items for0 which prices are collected quarterly by the St. Cloud Area 0 $0 -0.2 0 $0 St. Cloud J F M A M J 0.0 0.5 0.4% M NJ JD A S O N D J12 J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J J F AM SA O J F M A M J J A J S F O MN A D M J A S $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 5 Minneapolis/St. Paul$0 J F M A M A S O N D S Chamber O N D F J MA A S MO JN should JD A S not O N be D F M A M J J J F AM SA OM NJ D J J F M Small A M J J differences J F M A MJ J F JM A A SM O J N J DA of Commerce. interpreted Rochester 5 280 3113 St. 5 11 Association 14 12 7 of Realtors, 0 0 4 1 7 10 9 11 No. ofhttp://stcloudrealtors.com/pages/statistics; permits 2 No. of permits 5 No. of permits 0 9 Housing/Real 10No. of 5 permits 5 15Estate 35 8sources: 4 4Cloud 86 1 No. 5of permits 0 1 0 3 0 3 0 11 0 3 1 0 0 1 0 7 0 5 No. 5 of permits 0 13 3 4 3 6 2 5 311 1214 2312 5 7 10 0 0 0 1 Area 0.0 0 $0 -0.2 showing any measurable J Fdifference, M A M J J according A S O N D to J12 ACCRA. J F M A M J J A S O as N D J F Quarter 2nd Quarter Quarter 4th Quarter Benton1stCounty Sheriff’s Civil3rd Process; Stearn’s County Sheriff’s Office; http://thething.mplsrealtor.com/ 30

$1.5M

Cost of Living - Minnesota

$5M

$2M

2011 QUARTERLY % CHANGE IN REAL GDP 35 3.0

$2M

Source: C2ER - The Council for Community and Economic Research.

0.0

-0.2 M JJ

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M AR C H / APRIL 2 0 1 2

*Includes single-family and multi-unit residential housing JF

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St. Cloud Minneapolis/St. Paul Rochester

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Economy Central presented by

0.0

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Home work

For Dianne Tuff and Murdoch Johnson, working from home – together – is the perfect blend of business and pleasure. By Gail Ivers / / Photos by Joel Butkowski / BDI

Dianne Tuff is a nurse. Murdoch Johnson is a musician. Together they have created a consulting firm that is in demand – not just in Minnesota … not just in the Midwest… but as far away as California. What do healthcare and music have in common with organizational development and business consulting? Nothing.

HIS

By the time Johnson was a junior in college he knew he would not be a music teacher. “I realized pretty early on that I was studying my hobby,” he said. All the same, he has drawn on his liberal arts background throughout his work life. Entering the business world through sales, Johnson developed an interest in demographics and decision-making as part of his sales technique. At the time, he worked for Meyer Marketing, an advertising agency run by long-time St. Cloud business owner Peggy Meyer. “Peg saw I was interested in the research and analytical part of the business,”

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Johnson said. “The agency had a need so I sort of worked my way into a job.” That was in the 1980s. Most of the research at that time was quantitative – surveys and number crunching. “As that part of the business grew, we did get into qualitative work, too,” he said. “We had a focus group facility in our building – complete with a two-way mirror so clients could watch. Companies from the Twin Cities would come here and use it.” An introvert by nature, Johnson admits sales wasn’t really his strong suit. “I was an account executive at Meyer when I first started. I’m pretty good at working with people one-on-one. I think if I’d had a techy job right out of college I might have been one of those guys who couldn’t come out from behind a computer.”

Hers

Dianne Tuff spent 10 years working as a registered nurse and adult nurse practitioner in the Twin Cities and in Long Prairie. Her path eventually led her to St. Cloud Hospital where she was a

business Profile

UpFront Organization Development Consulting address: 9752 380th St

St. Joseph, MN 56374-9732 phone: (320) 255-9657 web:

upfrontconsultingmn.com Owners: Dianne Tuff and

Murdoch Johnson opened:

1985

Business Description:

UpFront provides services to help organizations be more effective, including planning, team and work group building, research and program evaluation. The company focuses primarily on working with not-for-profit organizations, education and government. Number of employees: None Why “UpFront?”: UpFront is committed to helping clients do the up-front work that drives effective planning and change.

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community health education coordinator, then to St. Cloud State University Health Services in 1979. In 1984, she moved to California to pursue a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management at Pepperdine University. A year later, she returned to St. Cloud, degree in hand, and started UpFront Consulting. Her hope was to be an independent consultant, but she felt she needed to work for someone else to help her get started.

TIMELINE 1976-77 Dianne Tuff comes to St. Cloud as the Community Health Education Coordinator at St. Cloud Hospital

1979 Tuff moves to St. Cloud State University as an adult nurse practitioner

1984 • Tuff receives her Master’s Degree in Organizational Development from Pepperdine University in California • Johnson begins working at Meyer Marketing

1985 • Tuff starts UpFront Consulting • Tuff and Murdoch Johnson meet. They marry within six months.

1986 Tuff begins work on her first evaluation program for the Minnesota State Arts Board.

1992 Tuff begins regularly hiring Johnson as a subcontractor to work on research and evaluation projects

Jan. 2001 Johnson joins Tuff as a full partner in UpFront Organizational Development Consulting

2006 Johnson receives an Advanced Certificate in Program Evaluation from Claremont Graduate University

She taught part time at St. Cloud State and the College of Saint Benedict and St. John’s University. The rest of the time she worked with consultant Kenzie Phelps, who owned Learnex Consulting in St. Cloud. “I did that for about six months,” Tuff said, “and then I decided to go on my own.” Phelps did more than help Tuff get her start as a consultant. He also recognized a good team when he saw one. Phelps had an office in the Meyer building. “Kenzie was consulting with Meyer,” Tuff said. “He said, ‘You’ve got to meet Doc.’ That’s what they called Murdoch in those days – Doc. One day I was in the office and I heard his name at the front desk, so I went out and introduced myself.” Johnson suggested they go to lunch sometime. “But nothing happened,” Tuff said, “so I called him and said let’s go to lunch.” Their first date was at the OK Café in downtown St. Cloud. Johnson, a country western singer at heart, ate a high-fat, highsodium lunch and was a two-pack a day smoker. Tuff, a missionary’s daughter, ate healthy and decided to overlook the smoking. There were married within six months. Tuff continued to work as an independent consultant, building UpFront Consulting. It was hard at first to get into organizational development companies, she said, “or, honestly, companies run by men. Believe me, it started slow.” Johnson laughed. “My first present for Dianne was four tires for her car. They were so worn the fabric was showing.” Tuff’s years in health care and health education had given her many contacts in the not-for-profit communities. It wasn’t long before she discovered that was where her real interests lay. “I made the assumption that I’d have to work with business clients,” she said. “I was beating my head against the wall to get business clients, and I did get some, but it didn’t feel right. Then I started to get health care clients. Working with the United Way, St. Cloud Hospital, St. Benedict’s Center – these fit my values so much better.” As she developed her client base, she also shifted her approach. “I used to spend most

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“I started to get health care clients. Working with the United Way, St. Cloud Hospital, St. Benedict’s Center – these fit my values so much better.” –dianne tuff of my time in strategic planning and team building work,” Tuff said. “But that shifted awhile back to research and evaluation. It’s quite different. I’m not in front of groups as often and when I am it’s more about processes, planning, and change efforts – are we accomplishing what we want to accomplish and how can we tell.” Johnson stayed on at Meyer Marketing. “We hired Dianne to do our focus groups,” he said. Tuff, in turn, hired Johnson as a sub-contractor to help with her research. “Dianne did her first evaluation in 1986. It was for the State Arts Board,” Johnson said. “We did more and more work together until 30 to 40 percent of my work at Meyer was for Dianne.”

theirs

In January 2001, Peg Meyer sold her advertising business to some of her employees. Tuff had encouraged Johnson for several years to join her in UpFront Consulting. Now seemed like the time. “The business was transitioning, the opportunity was there, it just made sense,” Johnson said. “We still do a lot of work with Meyer – or Agency 128 now.” Working so closely together – day in and day out, in the same house, on the same projects – never concerned the couple. “We went on a four-month trip before we started working together,” Johnson said. “People said, ‘It will ruin your marriage.’ We traveled around the U.S. in a tiny popup camper. It was the best time of our lives.” “I wish we could do it again,” Tuff agreed.

“We built our house together. People said ‘It will ruin your marriage.’ We did all the planning. We did all the physical work. We hired the contractors we needed. We never had a problem. We weren’t worried at all about working together.” “Working together really appealed to me,” Tuff said. What they did worry about was having enough work. “That was Murdoch,” Tuff said. “I wasn’t ever worried about that.” “It’s never been a problem,” Johnson admitted. “But I worry. Even this spring I thought we wouldn’t have enough, but the number of projects is phenomenal.” Tuff shakes her head with regret. “We even turned one down that I really wanted to do. It was such a good project. But Murdoch made me look at it realistically and he was right, we just don’t have the time to devote to it.” Such giveand-take has turned out to be a hallmark of their business relationship. Decisions are made together and both defer to the other based on whose expertise is most relevant to the decision. “It’s nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of,” Tuff said. “We edit each other’s reports. I can check in with Murdoch and say ‘I know nothing about …’ and he can help. He has smarts about these things.” Johnson agrees. “We have different skills, a different way of looking at things. I’ll be talking about a project and Dianne will say, ‘Have you thought about the human side of things?’” Tuff laughed. “I’ll ask, ‘Do you want to ask their opinions on this?’” Warming to the subject of working together, Johnson admits that he may have stayed at Meyer too long. “I might have jumped over to UpFront earlier,” he said. “I’m just so security conscious. I maybe stayed longer than I should have. I really like working from home.” “I think one of the reasons you waited is because you were worried you wouldn’t be able to concentrate,” Tuff said. Johnson agreed. “I can’t concentrate if there’s lots going on. I always had to close my door at Meyer. That’s just not a problem

personal profiles

Dianne Tuff title: Partner, UpFront Organizational

Development Consulting age: 60 Hometown: “When I was 10, we moved from St. Paul to the other side of the world, to Papua New Guinea, a beautiful country on the equator, north of Australia. Culture shock? Yes, but for a 10 year old, an exciting, eyeopening exposure to another culture. I learned to value differences and knew I wanted to help people as my parents did. And the beauty of New Guinea’s mountains, tropical rain-forests, birds, and flowers helped me appreciate the natural world and to want to help in its preservation in small ways. I lived in PNG for six years, attending boarding school there and in Brisbane Australia.”

age: 58

Education: Master’s Degree in Organization Development, Pepperdine University, California; Bachelor’s in Elective StudiesCommunication & Management, St. Cloud State University; Associate Degree in Nursing, Metropolitan State, Minneapolis, and Adult/Geriatric Nurse Practitioner Certificate, University of Minn.

Hometown: Hot Springs, SD

Work History: UpFront since 1985; SCSU

Murdoch Johnson title: Partner, UpFront Organizational

Development Consulting

Education: BA, in Music Education,

St. Olaf College, 1975; Advanced Certificate in Program Evaluation, Claremont Graduate University, 2006 Work History: Cook/chef 5 years; truck

driver 2 years; variety of sales jobs 8 years; magazine editor part-time 4 years; researcher part-time 5 years, full-time 8 years (Meyer Marketing); partner at UpFront 11 years Family: Dianne, father, one sister and one

brother/spouse, one niece. Family reunions can be held comfortably in a mini-van. Hobbies: Music, outdoors (hiking, camping,

birding, travel), aerobic exercise (run, bike, cross country ski, kayak, swim, etc.), reading Advice to a would-be entrepreneur:

Find a great entrepreneurial partner like Dianne, who is always positive and amazingly optimistic! Best advice: My favorite boss, the

head chef in the dining room at Mt. Rushmore National Park, a Swedish immigrant, said (many times), “Murdoch, you’ve got to use your head!” Sometimes with added expletives.

Health Service; St. Cloud Hospital Community Health Education, and various hospital and public health positions. Family: Murdoch! Mom and Dad and four

siblings, three living; nieces and nephews plus a grand-nephew who is three and a perfect, curious, funny boy. Hobbies: Gardening and making jam and jelly, birding, cross-country skiing, reading (some professional and self-improvement, but mostly mysteries!) Advice to a would-be entrepreneur:

Have a clear vision of your business, especially of how you want to make a difference in the world through your service or product. Stay flexible as you move forward – be aware of your business environment, including your clients’ changing needs, and be ready to change as the situation around you changes. Best advice: Sam Miller, a friend and colleague first in St. Cloud and later in California during the Master’s program said: “Don’t SHOULD on yourself.” I still tell myself I SHOULD do this or that — but not nearly as often as I used to!

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“I like my commute. I walk about 10 yards out the door, coffee cup in hand, to my office.” –Murdoch Johnson

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here. I like my commute. I walk about 10 yards out the door, coffee cup in hand, to my office.” “I like our coffee breaks,” Tuff said. “Murdoch comes in from his office every day at 9 a.m. and fixes coffee for us and plays the guitar. I love listening to Murdoch play his guitar.” While those are the perks of a home-based business, it is not without challenges. “It’s awful easy to spend all your time working,” Johnson said. “You don’t pick up a book after dinner. You

Evaluation is Not Research Ask Dianne Tuff and Murdoch Johnson to define evaluation and you’ll hear words like “formative,” “summative,” constructivists,” and “positivists.” Pay attention and you’ll learn that evaluation uses research to help determine whether or not a business or organization is reaching their desired outcomes. “It’s not just about the number of people served or the number of programs you offer,” according to Tuff, who along with Johnson, own UpFront Organizational Development Consulting. “It’s about the number of people who became self-sufficient or the improvement in reading scores that matters.” Research, according to Johnson, has a fairly narrowly Evaluation looks at all defined audience. Evaluation looks at all the stakeholders the stakeholders and and tries to get as many as possible involved in the process. Research is always a tool of evaluation. In fact, multiple tries to get as many forms of research are often used during a comprehensive as possible involved evaluation. Evaluation is not always part of research. in the process. Research makes no judgments. Evaluation makes Research is always a judgments of value or worth. “We’re currently working with two arts groups that tool of evaluation. are providing arts programming in the schools,” Tuff said. “They want to know if they are reaching the students in the right way. They’re asking if the students are learning what the groups intend them to learn and can they legitimately tie it to the Minnesota State Arts Standards.” Quantitative research is preferred by positivists. For them, the world is yes and no. Quantitative data and hard numbers are what they look for when making a decision. “White European males are often positivists,” Johnson said. “Think politicians spouting data.” Constructivists, those who believe that we are ever-changing and that new information can cause us to change, prefer the qualitative data that is so much a part of evaluation. “Some cultures are totally constructivist,” according to Johnson. “If you want to inform people in a culture with an oral, story-telling tradition you should use the communications tool that they would use themselves.” Meaning, you can do quantitative research, he said, but the trouble is getting them to understand the findings when it may be very alien to their way of thinking. “For all the quantitative data I see and the quantitative research I do, the more I do this work the more constructivist I become,” Johnson said.

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go out and turn on the computer and answer your email or wrap up a report.” Finding a place to meet with clients can be a challenge as well, especially for this couple who live on 55 acres of wooded property south of St. Stephen. “But our kind of work doesn’t require lots of client meetings,” Tuff pointed out. “We prefer to go to the clients anyway. We like to see where people work, see them in their own environment.” “And technology has helped,” Johnson added.

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Walking the Talk Following are some examples of how UpFront Consulting has helped organizations evaluate their programs and apply what they’ve learned:

“I’m not sure we could do this from home if we didn’t have the access to technology A residential program that we do.” found, through focus groups As their business has and surveys, that clients evolved, it has become more were having a hard time the mission driven. They refer first few days understanding to their logo of a pine tree as the program and what was expected of them. The program a symbol of their values of expanded its intake/orientation social responsibility. Tuff says process. Almost immediately, attention to values comes clients started reporting an to her naturally because of easier transition. her family background. For Johnson, it has been A youth intervention an evolution. program was able, through research-based intake surveys “I was a late bloomer,” he and interviews to determine said. “I think lots of adults a course of action with the develop a social conscious child “on the fly.” This made later in life.” As a result, no maximum use of the minimal conversation with the two – time they had with the youth. whether together or separately – can end without multiple A consortium of three organizations was able to references to their clients. improve the way partners “We work with the best worked together. Although the clients and on all sorts of evaluation measured client projects – robotics, chemical outcomes, it also used a couple dependency, mental health, of tools to measure how well nursing, the arts,” Johnson the partnership worked. This said. The two have helped was important both to the partners and to the funder. evaluate a program that shows efforts to increase the number of nursing students interested in geriatric nursing in Central Minnesota is working. One of their clients is an agency that’s helping women who are pregnant stay sober. “They have great stories about women who stay sober and become self-sufficient in truly horrendous circumstances,” Johnson said. “These not-for-profit organizations are working with people and really trying to make a difference,” Tuff said. “They are trying to change people’s lives. They do it day-to-day and we get to step in and help in a small way.” “We are extremely lucky, we say that all the time,” Johnson said, as Tuff nodded in agreement. “We have a wonderful job. We get paid to do what we love. But our clients are the real heroes.” BC Gail Ivers is the vice president of the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce and managing editor of Business Central Magazine.

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FEATURE

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DEMOGRAPHICS

Changing Faces

Ignoring one out of every 10 potential customers is not a good recipe for business success.

also offer the key to meeting the next generation of labor needs, Lawson said. “While the population as a whole is aging, and the Boomer generation is nearing retirement, the diversifying population is very young and will be an increasingly important part of the workforce in coming years,” she said. “It’s going to be increasingly important that these groups build the necessary skills in school and in the workplace to succeed here, if the larger community is to succeed.”

Reaching customers

By Lawrence Schumacher

t. Cloud-area businesses are looking at the area’s growing ethnic and racial diversity and finding that a new approach is needed to attract customers and find employees from the surging populations of Latino, Asian, African-American and African immigrant communities.

“As the community has changed, providers are learning to be aware of different groups and their cultures so we can provide culturally appropriate care,” said Rosemond Sarpong Owens, CentraCare Health System’s health literacy and cultural competency specialist. “Recruiting employees from these communities furthers that effort.” Owens, an immigrant from Ghana, was hired by CentraCare in 2008 to help the nonprofit health provider make inroads among the area’s growing nonwhite communities. “We believe that diversity leads to a multiplicity of talent. Why wouldn’t we want to increase the pool we draw from?” she added.

Census figures paint a picture of a St. Cloud area that is becoming less ethnically and racially homogenous. Almost one in 10 of the area’s residents in the 2010 Census was nonwhite, with growing Latino and Somali communities transforming everyday life in an area historically settled by German immigrants. What that means for businesses in the St. Cloud area is that there are new, untapped markets that offer growth possibilities. But they require a deeper understanding of other cultures in order to be effectively tapped, said Dr. Diana Lawson, Dean of the Herberger Business School at St. Cloud State University. These markets

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At the Waite Park Cash Wise, a growing international foods section now offers roughly 500 food products targeted toward Latino cuisine, 450 Asian cuisine products and 60 Indian cuisine offerings. Other Coborn’s Inc.-owned grocery stores now feature fresh-made sushi as well. Growth in the variety of food products offered at the grocery chain has been gradual and steady, said Emily Coborn, manager of communications. It reflects a realization that the store’s customer base is changing as the area diversifies. “Food is central to everyone’s lives,” she said. “It brings everyone together, regardless of heritage. But the different heritages we’re seeing in our customer base now encouraged us to work with our gourmet and ethnic food supplier to look at opportunities to expand our offerings.” Each Coborn’s store accepts cuisine requests to stock particular new products, whether they are ethnic specialties such as Coca-Cola sweetened with cane sugar instead of corn syrup (popular in Mexico) or the newest variety of gourmet bratwurst. The store will be making extra efforts in 2012 to broaden and diversify its food stocks to satisfy growing ethnic communities, Coborn said. “We want to make sure we have the products on our shelves that our customers want to buy, including staples and brandname items.”

Almost one in 10 of the area’s residents in the 2010 Census was nonwhite, with growing Latino and Somali communities transforming everyday life in an area historically settled by German immigrants.

At CentraCare, where patients have requested interpretive services for more than 60 languages, English, Somali, Spanish, Vietnamese and Hmong are the most common languages, with Chinese, American Sign Language and French also in the running. CentraCare has worked to make its health and procedure handouts available in several of those most-requested languages, and is also working on providing information and services on the web in a way non-native English speakers can benefit, said Shannon Dunham, a registered nurse and education specialist for the Women’s and Children’s program. “It really does take some extra effort to reach out to a diverse population,” she said. “It takes a commitment to build a relationship with a population.”

Staffing and recruitment Part of reaching out to those new populations meant creating new positions at CentraCare for cultural outreach specialists for the Somali and Spanish-speaking communities, Dunham said. Those positions – funded by grants from the CentraCare Health System Foundation – are tasked with contacting key leaders and organizers within those communities to find out what their needs and concerns are. “One change as a result of the outreach specialists is that now we provide Somali and Spanishlanguage DVDs for patients to take home and play while they’re on bed rest or in recovery that helps with follow-up care guidance,” she said. But initial connections with diverse communities don’t deepen and strengthen unless patients interact with staff that can relate to their needs, said David Waage, CentraCare’s director of employment. While CentraCare recruits many international doctors, recruitment efforts to hire

professional staff – nurses, technicians and other support positions – have not been as successful, he said. The nonprofit hopes to remedy that by partnering with the St. Cloud School District to recruit students from the local population, mentor them, and encourage an interest in health care careers. The program has mentored more than 100 students in the past two years, Waage said. “We want to match the population of the local community, and the only way we’re going to do that is by getting people who might not consider careers with us to give us a look.” Businesses in the area are starting to realize they need more diversity in their workforce, too, but it may be difficult for them to know where to start, Lawson said. Recruiting interns from diverse cultures is one way to ease into it, offering a low-cost way to see what steps need to be taken to integrate people from different cultures into a particular business culture. “It’s the businesses that have an educated workforce that have the hardest challenge in this regard,” she said. “Integration and recruiting at the professional level – medical, legal, accounting, banking – those are moving slower right now than manufacturing, retail, and other less-skilled industries.”

Entrepreneur class Many business-minded members of immigrant communities are starting up their own businesses to fill a void created by the growth of those communities and the relatively slow adaptation by established businesses to the new demographics, Lawson said. “You see it in the number of ethnic grocery stores, the new restaurants, and in people who provide business services to those communities in a way that they are more accustomed to,” she said.

Many immigrant entrepreneurs start their businesses with little or no funding from traditional sources of capital, keeping their debts within an extended family, said Barry Kirchoff, director of the Central Minnesota Small Business Development Center. “They may not have a formal balance sheet or practice formal accounting methods, but they know how to make a profit and leverage family ties to keep their costs down,” he said. “It just presents an extra challenge for them to access typical routes of assistance that other small business owners have available to them.” Nonprofits based in the Twin Cities such as the Latino Economic Development Corporation and the African Development Center provide some tailored counseling and resources, but there are few formal sources of help for this new wave of entrepreneurs in the St. Cloud area, Kirchoff said. “But there are a ton of cottage industries out there already, and many of them are going to be successful and grow and eventually become the new establishment,” he added. “From daycare to medical transportation, food, retail, you name it, the demand is there and someone is going to figure out how to fill it. BC Larry Schumacher is the creator and owner of Wordbender Communications LLC, a communications consulting and freelance writing firm. He lives in St. Cloud with his wife and two children.

Now online

For the sources and contacts used it this story, visit Business CentralMagazine.com

M AR C H / APRIL 2 0 1 2 • • w w w. B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e . c o m

“He went from being very limited in his activities to having no limitations.” —Dr. Mark Thibault

Police Officer Returns to Duty

rk Thibault, M.D.

Sgt. Jim Feeny and Ma

or Police Sgt. Jim Feeny, there is little time in his life to slow down. Duty calls. He has an intense police patrol regimen and sometimes an even more physically demanding schedule as a father of active kids. But last year, intense back pain left him almost immobile. He was unable to work on patrol or even perform some of the simplest daily activities. Even watching his kids participate in their activities became difficult. “The pain took my breath away,” Jim remembers. He feared the worst: surgery. He had watched his partner face an uncertain prognosis with surgery and experience the reduced mobility that followed. He wanted a better outcome. After a weekend of lying flat on the floor, Jim visited his primary care provider. An MRI scan revealed two herniated discs and a nerve impingement, likely stemming from his recurrent back condition. He tried physical therapy, but a lack of results left him searching for a better solution. A referral to Physicians Neck and Back Clinics in Sartell from a sports medicine physician gave him what he was looking for.

He intensively strengthened his back during a six-week therapy program that included specialized core spinal conditioning at the clinic. Jim achieved results in half the recovery time of a patient who undergoes traditional treatment. “He went from being incapacitated by his pain to having no pain and no limitations,” said Dr. Mark Thibault, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at PNBC who treated Jim. The results did not stop at providing pain relief. After completing his rehabilitation sessions, Jim learned how to maintain his gains through a simple home program that gave way to a healthier lifestyle. “I’ve even been able to lose a few pounds and my energy level has improved,” Jim said. Each morning, he spends about 10 to 15 minutes completing a series of stretching and strengthening exercises that allow his body to better handle the day’s activities and help prevent any recurrence of injury. A few times a week, he supplements his regimen with more intense weight lifting and stretching. “I have a much better knowledge of my back now,” Jim said. “I learned how to exercise and strengthen my back.”

Mark J. Thibault, M.D. | Thomas J. Balfanz, M.D. 158 19th St. S. | Sartell, MN 56377 | pnbcstcloud.com | (320) 253-5385 40

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Northwestern Mutual fast tracks leader Josh Longnecker, Managing Director

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years ago. “Josh has a unique combination of integrity, work ethic, and personal charisma that is a natural attraction for clients and professional colleagues.” Longnecker learned from his father to respect professionals like Tamm, who’ve earned positions of authority and to benefit from their wisdom. In addition, Longnecker has an innate, relentless desire to succeed in any position. In fact, in his second year with Northwestern, he attained “Million Dollar Round Table” status, an industry wide designation exclusive to top leaders in the life insurance and financial service fields, based on sales production. As Managing Director, Longnecker will continue to serve clients in his personal practice. However, his primary focus will be to recruit, develop, and retain top sales talent in Minnesota. “I’m grateful for the mentorship I’ve received,” said Longnecker. “To see individuals realize more than they thought possible in their careers and in their personal and financial lives is what gets me up in the morning.” Of course, some mornings he and his wife Missy are awakened by Josie, age one, and Nolan, age three. It is for the wellbeing of the family, and his own personal achievement, that Josh Longnecker goes to work everyday at Northwestern Mutual – securing futures, enhancing lives, and creating legacies. — mary macdonell belisle

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SPECIAL FOCUS

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C O N S T R U CT I O N

For Sale

When preparing to sell your business, careful planning will help ensure a smooth sale and a good price.

By Mike Schmitt

f you have decided the timing is right to sell your business, one of the first things you should do is make sure all the equipment included in the sale works. A buyer will require you to warrant that all of the equipment is in good working order when he or she takes over. If you are leasing your building, be sure your lease is in good standing with the landlord in every respect. If the lease is about to expire, try to negotiate a longer term lease with the landlord so the buyer has a

secure location for at least five years, preferably with options to renew. If the real estate is included in the sale, be sure the property meets all existing zoning and environmental codes. Be sure to address any problems before the business is advertised. Buyers don’t like surprises and hidden problems are certain to derail a sale. The most important item is to keep good financial records. The first thing a potential buyer will request is the financial statements for the past three

years. You can require the buyer to sign a Letter of Confidentiality before providing any information. If you have incomplete or inaccurate records, the chance of selling your business decreases dramatically. A business buyer is not looking to buy a collection of used equipment. He or she is looking to buy a business that generates income. The higher the income, the higher the value of your business. Be prepared to answer questions about income and expenses. Most buyers are sophisticated and will scrutinize the information you provide. They may have an accountant help them analyze the information. If you are able to provide accurate financial information you will be able to maximize the value of your business and increase the chances of selling it. Assemble a team of professionals to help you with the selling process. This team should include an accountant, an attorney and an experienced business broker. Each of these

PROGRESS REPORT

A rebound…of sorts Aided by warm, dry weather in October, construction employment increased 1,700 for the month. The vast majority of the gain came in specialty trade contractors. The warm weather didn’t hold and as the cold of November finally arrived, construction employment was off by 1,600. This counterbalanced October’s gain. On the plus side, October’s strong performance and the warm-weather delay in seasonal lay-offs helped push annual growth into positive territory for the first time since April 2006, with an estimated total gain over the past year of 400 jobs.

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M AR C H / APRIL 2 0 1 2

By the NUMBERs

Minnesota construction companies speak out about the economy. 45 percent say the market conditions in Minnesota are neither helping nor hurting their companies

17 percent say they plan some hiring in 2012, compared to 10 percent who planned to hire in 2011

54 percent say they were somewhat affected by the government shutdown in July; 15 percent say they experienced a significant impact. Source: Construction Industry Assessment 2011-2012 conducted by the Associated General Contractors of Minnesota.

COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION

professionals will lend expertise to the transaction so that all issues are covered. For instance, determining the allocation of the purchase price can have significant tax implications and is an important element of the transaction. You will need to allocate values for different components of the sale for tax purposes. If your business sold for $500,000, how much of that value is tangible asset value, how much is goodwill or blue sky value, what value is the covenant not to compete, etc. You will need professional input from your accountant to handle this properly.

Your attorney will need to prepare contracts and other legal documents. The purchase agreement sets the terms and conditions of the sale and needs to be drafted by an experienced business attorney. Your business broker will help you determine value, establish a marketing

program and negotiate the sale on your behalf. With the proper people in place, you can expect a smooth sale at a price that meets your expectations. BC

Strack Companies

River’s Edge Convention Center Mike Schmitt is broker/ owner of Coldwell Banker Commercial Orion Real Estate in Waite Park, Minn.

COMMErCIAL CONSTRUCTION

Good things are happening in Central Minnesota’s construction industry! Find out more on the following pages.

Location Downtown St. Cloud GENERAL CONTRACTOR Strack Companies ARCHITECT Hagemeister & Mack Architects PROJECT COMPLETION December 2011 WEBSITE www.strackcompanies.com Description 80,000 square foot expansion to the existing River’s Edge Convention Center to include new entrance, pre-function area and exhibit halls.

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BC MarApril Ad_Layout 1 1/30/12 4:47 PM Page 1

COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION

Miller Architects & Builders Stearns Electric Association Location St. Joseph, MN GENERAL CONTRACTOR Miller Architects & Builders ARCHITECT Miller Architects & Builders

Single source. Superior service. Remarkable results.

PROJECT COMPLETION October 2011 WEBSITE/Email www.millerab.com/mktg@millerab.com Description 35,032 sf. with 23,771 sf. of warehouse and vehicle storage, 2,821 sf. equipment and lineman space, and 8,440 sf. office, meeting rooms and space for future growth.

Rice Building Systems, Inc.

5th Avenue LIVE! 200 West Redevelopment Location 211 - 5th Avenue South, Downtown St. Cloud GENERAL CONTRACTOR Rice Building Systems, Inc.

A Tradition of Building Success for Almost 60 Years You can depend on Rice Building Systems to handle everything from concept and design all the way through the completion of your project. When you choose Rice Building Systems, you also have the peace of mind that comes with knowing your project is guaranteed for years to come. We call it The Rice Difference. Building Relationships Since 1953 1019 Industrial Drive South, Sauk Rapids, MN 56379 • 320.252.0404 www.ricebuildingsystems.com BB-9836_Rice_Marco_BusCent_Ad_km_SQ.indd 1

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12/5/11 1:40:00 PM

ARCHITECT Rice Building Systems, Inc. PROJECT COMPLETION February 2012 WEBSITE www.ricebuildingsystems.com Description 9,300 SF Redevelopment of the Tenvoorde Ford Building on the corner of 5th Ave & Division Street downtown St. Cloud. Tenants include: Chipotle, Noodles & Co., and others.

COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION

Hagemeister Mack Architects Sauk Rapids Government Center Location Sauk Rapids, MN Construction Manager RA Morton ARCHITECT Hagemeister Mack Architects PROJECT COMPLETION Spring 2012 WEBSITE www.hmarch.com Description $6M, 32,000 SF New Government Center including: Police Department, City Staff Offices, Council Chambers & Community Center.

nesota Clinics HealthPartners, Central Min w J. Vinson, Executive Director

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ORION REAL ESTATE Serving Central MN & the Twin Cities Call us today at 320.251.1177 | www.cbcorion.com Land | Buildings | Investment Properties | Business Brokerage M AR C H / APRIL 2 0 1 2 • • w w w. B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e . c o m

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

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PROFIT

BIG NEWS

Huber has licensed the concept of The Quick Fix Massage Shop and helped open a new location on February 6, 2012 in Fargo

No Fear

AT A GLANCE

Self-described serial entrepreneur Beth Huber has found the perfect mix: a business that lets her stretch her entrepreneurial muscles and still be home when her kids get off the bus.

The Quick Fix Massage Shop 28482nd St. S, suite 135 St. Cloud, MN 56301 320-253-8244 thequickfixmassage.com President: Beth Huber

By Gail Ivers

Business Central: Why did you move back to Minnesota from New York? Beth Huber: I came back for a summer because I had 11 weddings to attend. I met a man at DeSoda’s [a bar in Midtown Square that is now closed] who is now my husband. That’s it. I fell in love and I knew I didn’t want to raise children in New York. BC: How did you get the idea for Quick Fix? Huber: I’d had a massage at the Minnesota School of Business from someone who was graduating the next day. She said she didn’t have a job because there was no place to work. At the time there were three local schools training therapists and they had no place to work. I had this thought that I could build a place where massage therapists could rent space and

Personal Profile Beth Huber Hometown: Albany, MN Education: Moved to NY after high school to attend theater school at the Herbert Berghof Studio in Greenwich Village; studied method acting.

Work History: A self-described serial entrepreneur • started a website development company with a friend • started a company called Scentlets with another friend. Scentlets are plastic bracelets infused with scented oil. They patented the process, manufactured and sold 20,000+

build their own businesses. I asked Denise (Molesky) if she thought it would work and she said not only will it work, but I’ll be your first therapist. BC: What’s next for the serial entrepreneur? Huber: It’s so cool now because we’re a chain! We just opened our first licensed Quick Fix in Fargo. I don’t have any ownership, but it

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M AR C H / APRIL 2 0 1 2

Family: Husband Ryan who works at Heartland Glass and children Harrison, age 10 and Lily age 8 Hobbies: “I create businesses.” Scrapbooking, attending concerts, drinking wine with friends. “I’d like to do some acting, but it’s all about time.”

lets us experiment and figure out what works and what doesn’t. I’m not afraid about whether it will work – I know it will work. And if it doesn’t, we’ll have learned something for the next try. I have no fear. That’s really my story – no fear. I’d like to have three more Quick Fixes. I’d like to do that through licensing, or maybe have some ownership. BC

Ownership: 60% Beth Huber 25% Huber’s husband Ryan 15% massage therapist Denise Molesky Started: September 2006 Business Description: Massage therapy facility. Independent massage therapists rent the rooms; Huber provides all the necessary infrastructure and amenities. Number of massage therapists: 13 Number of rooms: 5 Average number of clients per day: 30 Chamber member since 2006

Be Seen and Heard

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Find out how Marco can help you get the people at your multiple locations connected like never before, call Clay Ostlund, Senior Systems Engineer, at 320.529.1010 marconet.com

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