Wib 2017

REVERSING THE TREND: A.L. native brings female perspective to finance sector Lumber company manager builds on family foundation New Legion manager hopes to give club new life

Monday, October 30, 2017

WOMEN BUSINESS IN

PAGE 2 | WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2017 | MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2017

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amily recipes for the holidays take on new life for Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen founder.

November/December issue available now!

ALBERT LEA magazine

MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2017 | WOMEN INMONDAY, BUSINESSOCTOBER 2017 | PAGE 3 30, 2017 |

ARENDS Continued from Page 3

The name change was made after Alerus Financial purchased the employee benefit administration and record-keeping of Alliance Benefit Group North Central States in 2015.

Abbey Arends said she enjoys working for intellicents.

“I love what I do,” she said. “This is a great company with so many great people, and there’s so many people that were just born and raised in Albert Lea that work here, as well. I mean, we have employees who have been here for 20 years, over 20 years, so it’s a great culture.”

Arends hopes to one day have a leadership role in the company. She remembered attending a conference with a significant majority of men.

“One of my future goals is to be a financial consultant, be one of the few financial consultants in the industry that is mostly of men, that is a huge goal of mine,” she said. “And I believe that there is something missing in this industry, and it’s having a female presence, it truly is. There isn’t one.”

Arends lives in the Twin Cities but commutes on a weekly basis to Albert Lea. She also works out of intellicents’ Eden Prairie office.

“I love being home and staying with my family,” she said. “And I do, I love Albert Lea.” Arends enjoys boating and attending concerts and sporting events, especially

basketball games. Her other hobbies include eating at different restaurants, and she hopes to enter a half-marathon next year before possibly attempting to finish a full marathon.

“I believe that there is something missing in this industry, and it’s having a female presence, it truly is.”

— Abbey Arends, business and development person for intellicents

A number of renovations and restorations were done to the building Intellicents now occupies at 100 N. Broadway in downtown Albert Lea.

‘I LOVE WHAT I DO’

Albert Lea native Abbey Arends hopes to one day COLLEEN HARRISON/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

NICHOLSON

McK In bery Albert Lea native Abbey Arends is in charge of business and development at intellicents. COLLEEN HARRISON/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE Continued from Page 5 she s time she’s in it, she’s learned very fast,” comm “Pr Schutz said. “It’s sort of amazing to me how fast she’s picked it up. I’ve been throu business) for 13, 14said. years and

By Sam Wilmes ning consulting and group insurancein (the “It’s been a ride,” she “It’s beenwe w — br she,super she picked sam.wilmes@albertleatribune.com consulting,” she said. fun.” it up fast.”

Additionally, Schutz said McKensie Arends, who has red hair, also serves Arends’ family has played a leadinginto very organized a goodser-said.

According to the Center for Amerias the mascot of intellicents, “Ginger.”Nicholson role in isproviding local and financial communicator with both him and the fathe can Progress, women consist of 54 The idea was hatched when she re- vices for decades.

Th percent of the labor force at financial turned to the company 2 1/2 years ago.customers.

Her grandfather, Al Arends, was a and w “She’s been very good with people, service industry S&P 500 companies The firm worked with The Marketing leader at Alliance Benefit Group, and a very Brad handyArends, asset in this busi- ness, herisfather, is president but are only 29 percent of executivePlant to develop the plan based on mas-which able ness,” Schutz said. and senior-level managers and 2 percots representing leading firms across and CEO of intellicents. Alliance BenIn addition to working with custom- begin cent of CEOs. the country. efit Group became intellicents late last ers, McKensie Nicholson’s role also comp An Albert Lea native who works in Although she acknowledged she had year, and the company focuses on em“W sees her handing online marketing, a local financial firm is hoping to help reservations about the plan initially, ployee benefits consulting, investmentplans billing and sales, ordering supplies and reverse that trend. she said she now enjoys the role. advisory and personal wealth manageworking with her father on estimates see t “Once I started doing it, it was fun, ment.

Abbey Arends, 26, is in charge of and blueprints. It’s not a position she that’ — Abbey Arends, business and and it did open doors that were really Her sister, Amanda Arends, is a re-Nich business and development at intellisees herself leaving soon. surprising,” she said. lationship at the firm me and isjust b cents and is involved with marketing development person for intellicents “As long asmanager the success keeps at the company.

Arends recalled attending introducto-here involved in marketing. with the business, I mean, I’m some “I try to open up doors for consul- door to generate more business for the ry meetings and introducing herself asgoing to stay here for as long as I can excit tants to hopefully get their foot in theMcKensie company in terms of retirement “Ginger,” soliciting smilesLEA from people.and build it up to what See Nicholson checks on suppliesplanfor a customer.

SARAH KOCHER/ALBERT TRIBUNE itsARENDS, potential Page is,” 7gethe

Company mascot at intellicents hopes to climb career ladder “This is a great company with so many great people, and there’s so many people that were just born and raised in Albert Lea that work here, as well.”

PAGE 4 | WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2017 | MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2017

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Dawn Swalve has worked as a realtor in Albert Lea for 18 years. She works now as a broker associate at Coldwell Banker Home Connections. TYLER JULSON/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

From beginning to end: Real estate is about flexibility and follow-through

By Tyler Julson tyler.julson@albertleatribune.com

Dawn Swalve has been involved in the real estate community in Albert Lea for 18 years. After spending some time in banking and acquiring a real estate license through a job in new construction, she decided to join a company to start selling real estate.

Swalve now works as a broker associate at Coldwell Banker Home Connection.

She said her favorite part about being in the real estate industry is all of the people that she gets to meet and interact with.

“You meet a variety of different people,” she said. “It can be very challenging at times, but then again it is also very rewarding.

“One thing about real estate is that when you have a client that wants to buy a home, you really walk them through a lot of steps from beginning to end. You work with their lender if they are getting a loan, you go through appraisals, you go through title work and you counsel them all the way to the very end, until they hopefully get the home of their dreams.”

Working as a realtor, she doesn’t have any set hours that she has to be at work.

She usually tries to put her phone on silent at night, but she’s always ready to answer her clients’ calls.

“I’ll get calls at all times and you just have to be available to your customers because things do come up at all times,” Swalve said. “You just have to be very flexible to work with your clients.”

She said that it’s nice to be a self-employed independent contractor because she is able to control her own destiny, but she also said it’s great to work under a brokerage and have colleagues that she can talk with about ideas and experiences.

As a woman in the industry, Swalve said there are many positive aspects that she can bring to the work she does.

“... you counsel them all the way to the very end, until they hopefully get the home of their dreams.”

— Realtor Dawn Swalve

She is also a member of many different community organizations, something she credits for giving her the ability to effectively communicate with both men and women.

“Sometimes, as a woman, you might have a different flair for helping a client get their home staged and ready,” Swalve said. “Another thing that I think is a positive being a woman is getting involved in the community.

“I’m currently the president of the Noon Kiwanis Club and I’m on the Chamber Ambassadors also, so that really helps to interact and reach out to both men and women in the business fields.”

MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2017 | WOMEN IN MONDAY, BUSINESS OCTOBER 2017 | PAGE 30, 52017 |

Lumber company Lumber manager company builds manager on family builds foundation on family

By Sarah Kocher

sarah.kocher@albertleatribune.com

By Sarah Kocher

sarah.kocher@albertleatribune.com

NORTHWOOD — It’s not that she NORTHWOOD — It’s not that she didn’t try other things. She did, in highdidn’t try other things. She did, in high school. Nevertheless, the general man-school. Nevertheless, the general manager of a lumberyard in Northwood saidager of a lumberyard in Northwood said joining the family construction businessjoining the family construction business was just what fit. was just what fit.

“Nothing stuck like construction did,” “Nothing stuck like construction did,” Worth Lumber Company general man-Worth Lumber Company general manager McKensie Nicholson said. “There’sager McKensie Nicholson said. “There’s so many options you can go with it. It’sso many options you can go with it. It’s just exciting that way.” just exciting that way.”

Worth Lumber Company opened its Worth Lumber Company opened its doors in September 2016, the productdoors in September 2016, the product of a co-ownership between two contrac-of a co-ownership between two contractors. Nicholson was already planningtors. Nicholson was already planning to take over a construction businessesto take over a construction businesses after she graduated, but with the startafter she graduated, but with the start of Worth Lumber, she shifted gears.of Worth Lumber, she shifted gears. aAfter all, it was her dad’s constructionAfter all, it was her dad’s construction E company she was planning to work with,company she was planning to work with, and he was one of the two contractorsand he was one of the two contractors to start the lumberyard. to start the lumberyard.

“It just fell into place,” McKensie’s “It just fell into place,” McKensie’s dad and Worth Lumber Company co-dad and Worth Lumber Company coowner Bill Nicholson said. “The timingowner Bill Nicholson said. “The timing was perfect.” was perfect.”

- McKensie Nicholson and her dad have McKensie Nicholson and her dad have been sharing an appreciation for thebeen sharingNicholson an appreciation the manager McKensie has beenfor general forNicholson the Worthhas Lumber Company in Northwood fatherCompany started the McKensie been general manager for the since Worthher Lumber in busiNorthwoo construction and contracting field sinceconstruction contracting field ness with and another contractor insince 2016. SARAH nessKOCHER/ALBERT with anotherLEA contractor TRIBUNE in 2016. SARAH KOCHER/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE long before Worth Lumber was born. long before Worth Lumber was born. e “I guess when I was little, I was “I guess She also when notices I was the male little,presence I was in She also notices the male presence in .always in his plans,” McKensie Nich-always the industry in his plans,” in conversations McKensie Nichshe hasthe industry in conversations she has olson said. She would go into his officeolson with said. some Shecustomers. would go into his office with some customers. eand dig into the blueprints he broughtand dig into thetimes, blueprints hecome brought “Multiple people in and “Multiple times, people come in and home from his contracting business,home they from may his not want contracting to talk tobusiness, me,” McKen-they may not want to talk to me,” McKenUniversal Contractors, Inc. Universal sie Nicholson Contractors, said. “They Inc. don’t want to asksie Nicholson said. “They don’t want to ask “It was not only, you know, something “It me was their notquestions only, youbecause know, something I am female.”me their questions because I am female.” he loved, but something that we kindhe loved, but something that we kind of enjoyed together, too,” McKensieof enjoyed together, too,” McKensie Nicholson said.

Nicholson said.

Additionally, Worth Lumber Company Additionally, Worth Lumber Company is only one year in, and she sees poten-is only one year in, and she sees potential for the future in that. tial for the future in that.

“It’s nice to be a part of a brand- “It’s nice to be a part of a brandnew business because you can take itnew business because you can take it wherever you want to go,” McKensiewherever you want to go,” McKensie Growing up, McKensie Nicholson would dig Growing through up,blueprints McKensieher Nicholson dad brought wouldhome. dig throug Nicholson said.

Nicholson said.

But while she enjoys working with But— while sheLumber enjoys Company working with Worth gen— Worth Lumber Company gen-her dad and appreciates her coworkers,her dad We’re Your Local Partner We’re Your Local Partner and appreciates her eral manager McKensiecoworkers, Nicholson eral manager McKensie Nicholson they have one thing in common that shethey have one thing in common that she In Business In Business odoes not share: gender. does not share: gender.

Providing financial Providing financial n “Easily probably the biggest chal- “Easily And while probably she the saidbiggest the owners chal-and And while she said the owners and forbehind business owners solutions for business owners isemployees just working,” McKensie lenge is just working,” McKensielenge other are behind her, it’s stillothersolutions employees are her, it’s still said.

“I mean, in a a process Nicholson said. “I mean, I work in aNicholson a process in the field asIawork whole. in the field-aswith a whole. since 1906 the local since 1906 - with the local male-dominated industry.” male-dominated “I have to prove industry.” myself over and over “I have to prove myself over and over decision process you deserve. decision process you deserve.

McKensie Nicholson attended the McKensie again,” McKensie Nicholson Nicholson attended said. the “Butagain,” McKensie Nicholson said. “But -University of Northern Iowa until sheUniversity … in theofend, Northern that’s only Iowasatisfying until she for… in the end, that’s only satisfying for myself.” graduated last spring. She said she wasgraduated last spring. She said she was myself.” the only female in all the industry’sthe only McKensie female Nicholson in all the industry’s has already McKensie Nicholson has already proved herself to her yard foreman,provedwww.securitybankmn.com herself to her yard foreman, classes. classes. www.securitybankmn.com opened my eyes a little bit more, Brian Schutz.

“It opened my eyes a little bit more, “It Brian Schutz.

Albert Lea • 437 Bridge • 373-1481 Albert Lea • 437 Bridge • 373-1481 and I started to understand kind of whatand I started “For the to most understand part … kind forofthe what short “For the most part … for the short Member Member Emmons • 201 Main St. • 297-5461 FDIC Emmons • 201 Main St. • 297-5461 FDIC I was going to be stepping into,” McK-I was going to be stepping into,” McKAlden • 195 N. Broadway • 874-3368 Alden • 195 N. Broadway • 874-3368 See NICHOLSON, Page 6 See NICHOLSON, Page 6 ensie Nicholson said. ensie Nicholson said.

“It’s nice to be a part of“It’s nice to be a part of a brand-new business a brand-new business because you can take itbecause you can take it wherever you want to wherever you want to go.” go.”

| MONDAY, PAGE OCTOBER 6 | WOMEN 30,IN2017 BUSINESS 2017 | MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2017

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GIVING A CLUB

NEW LIFE Marcia Ranum is the events coordinator and manager of the Albert Lea American Legion. COLLEEN HARRISON/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

American Legion manager hopes to change misconceptions about club

By Colleen Harrison

colleen.harrison@albertleatribune.com

Marcia Ranum started volunteering for the Albert Lea American Legion about two years ago. Now, she’s the manager event coordinator. cember issueand available now!

The previous post commander, Robert Friday, hired Ranum on as an events manager to get more events going in the Legion’s back room. She said he wanted the club to get a bit of “a woman’s touch” as well, she said.

Help was needed in other areas of the

ERT LEA magazine

Legion, and eventually Ranum was approached about becoming the manager.

At the time, she told them she’d give it three months. Ranum said she wanted to see how things like cooking, bartending and serving were handled at the club, as she had never worked in those kinds of industries before. That was back in May, and in the months since, Ranum has become more situated in her managerial role.

Ranum first started volunteering at the Legion because she wanted to help out veterans and was familiar with the

Legion thanks to her husband, Troy. She had also had a traumatic experience in her previous job, and was looking for more of a safe work environment.

Previously, Ranum worked as a process server through her own business she had started after working in process serving for Freeborn County. At one point, Ranum said, she had a gun pulled on her while serving an individual who had gotten into trouble with credit card debt. After that incident, it was time for a change.

“After what I had been through in the

last year, I just wanted a safe place,” she said.

Working for the Albert Lea American Legion has been a welcome change for Ranum, and she’s now making it her mission to change some of the misconceptions people have about the club.

For one, she stressed that people do not have to be members to participate in events at the Legion; the public is welcome to attend. Groups like Sons of the American Legion and American Legion

See LEGION, Page 8

MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2017 | WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2017 | PAGE 7

ARENDS Continued from Page 3

The name change was made after Alerus Financial purchased the employee benefit administration and record-keeping of Alliance Benefit Group North Central States in 2015.

Abbey Arends said she enjoys working for intellicents.

“I love what I do,” she said. “This is a great company with so many great people, and there’s so many people that were just born and raised in Albert Lea that work here, as well. I mean, we have employees who have been here for 20 years, over 20 years, so it’s a great culture.”

Arends hopes to one day have a leadership role in the company. She remembered attending a conference with a significant majority of men.

“One of my future goals is to be a financial consultant, be one of the few financial consultants in the industry that is mostly of men, that is a huge goal of mine,” she said. “And I believe that there is something missing in this industry, and it’s having a female presence, it truly is. There isn’t one.”

Arends lives in the Twin Cities but commutes on a weekly basis to Albert Lea. She also works out of intellicents’ Eden Prairie office.

“I love being home and staying with my family,” she said. “And I do, I love Albert Lea.” Arends enjoys boating and attending concerts and sporting events, especially

basketball games. Her other hobbies include eating at different restaurants, and she hopes to enter a half-marathon next year before possibly attempting to finish a full marathon.

“I believe that there is something missing in this industry, and it’s having a female presence, it truly is.”

— Abbey Arends, business and development person for intellicents

A number of renovations and restorations were done to the building Intellicents now occupies at 100 N. Broadway in downtown Albert Lea.

Albert Lea native Abbey Arends hopes to one day have a leadership role in intellicents.

COLLEEN HARRISON/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

NICHOLSON Continued from Page 5

McKensie Nicholson checks on supplies for a customer. SARAH KOCHER/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

time she’s in it, she’s learned very fast,” Schutz said. “It’s sort of amazing to me how fast she’s picked it up. I’ve been in (the business) for 13, 14 years and she, she picked it up fast.”

Additionally, Schutz said McKensie Nicholson is very organized and a good communicator with both him and the customers.

“She’s been very good with people, which is a very handy asset in this business,” Schutz said.

In addition to working with customers, McKensie Nicholson’s role also sees her handing online marketing, billing and sales, ordering supplies and working with her father on estimates and blueprints. It’s not a position she sees herself leaving soon.

“As long as the success keeps me here with the business, I mean, I’m going to stay here for as long as I can and build it up to what its potential is,”

McKensie Nicholson said.

In addition, working for the lumberyard has been rewarding because she sees the way it has impacted the community.

“Probably the biggest reward is, through the lumberyard, knowing that we were able to bring this business — bring this type of business — back into the area,” McKensie Nicholson said. (She considers working with her father a bonus.)

Through her work at the lumberyard and with her dad’s contracting business, McKensie Nicholson said she is able to watch something take shape, beginning to end. It’s something that is compelling to her about construction.

“With my dad, I get to see … the plans from the start and then I get to see the finished product, and I think that’s my favorite part,” McKensie Nicholson said. “I mean, you’re not just building a house. You’re building somebody’s home, and it’s just really exciting to see everything come together in the end.”

PAGE 8 | WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2017 | MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2017

Woman says she has always dreamed of owning a boutique

By Sarah Stultz

sarah.stultz@albertleatribune.com

As far back as she can remember, Austin woman Katelyn Kehret has always wanted to own a boutique.

That dream became a reality when she became owner of a consignment store — Gypsy K — after the former owner had it for 1 1/2 years in Austin.

About three years ago in November, Kehret said she found out that Hy-Vee purchased the Oak Park Mall in Austin where the store was based and she would have to relocate.

She had about a month to move.

She said she looked for buildings in Austin, but was unable to find one that suited her needs that she would not have to get a loan to fix up. Some of the amenities she wanted in the store were hardwood floors and black ceiling tiles.

Kehret said people in Albert Lea had asked her to consider bringing her store to the city. The first store she looked at — the former Copper Kitchen — had her exact vision already completed.

The rest was history.

After taking three days to move in, she opened up her shop in Albert Lea’s Northbridge Mall on Black Friday 2014.

Gypsy K offers 50/50 consignment of new or gently used women’s clothing of all sizes.

Kehret, now 27, also works with two boutiques in Clear Lake who consign with her. In addition to new and gently used clothing, the store offers new accessories such as jewelry and scarves.

For the upcoming winter season, she said she hopes to have leg warmers and headbands.

She said she has customers from all over the area who shop there,

LEGION Continued from Front Page

Riders are active groups connected to the Legion. The Legion has burger nights every Tuesday, bingo on Wednesdays and karaoke on Fridays, among other events. It also hosts Halloween parties, weddings, receptions and city and township events, as well as other festivities. The Legion just started opening up for lunch, Ranum said, and has fun activities like pool and bean bags available.

Ranum hopes to get other community members involved with the Legion and wants everyone to feel a part of the club.

“Just because they didn’t serve in the military doesn’t mean they can’t be involved with the Legion,” Ranum said. “Anyone is welcome.”

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Katelyn Kehret, owner of Gypsy K, has commuted to Albert Lea for almost three years to run her consignment boutique in Northbridge Mall. SARAH STULTZ/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE including Fairmont, Owatonna and some cities in Iowa. With four consignment stores in Albert Lea, she said she thinks the city is a destination for people who like to shop at stores like hers.

Kehret said the women who consign their clothes with Gypsy K can get instore credit or cash from the proceeds of their sales.

“It’s definitely a unique experience when you stop in,” she said. “It’s fun to see what people pair together.”

She noted she enjoys coming to work, as there is always something new and exciting happening. She enjoys getting to know her customers and seeing new faces, too.

The store is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. It is closed Sundays and Mondays.

Kehret said she offers weekly deals in the store, as well as a VIP text club where shoppers can also receive special deals.

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