Sept oct 2014 bc web linked

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Business success isn’t something you just hope for. You build it with a solid financial plan. Start with a Northwestern Mutual Financial Representative. Together, we’ll design a personalized plan to help your business achieve its full potential, including risk management and business succession.

Who’s helping you build your financial future?

Josh Longnecker Managing Director Saint Cloud (320) 223-6639 joshualongnecker.com

05-3077 © 2014 Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI (NM) (life and disability insurance, annuities) and its subsidiaries. Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) (securities), a subsidiary of NM, broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, and member of FINRA and SIPC. Joshua Alan Longnecker, District Agent(s) of NM. Managing Directors are not in legal partnership with each other, NM or its affiliates. Joshua Alan Longnecker, Registered Representative(s) of NMIS.

WE’RE GOING THROUGH A

GROWTH

SPURT. BUT WE’LL NEVER OUTGROW GIVING.

In the last three years, Marco’s gone through quite a growth spurt. We’ve doubled our workforce and expanded from 11 locations to 34. That’s good news for the communities we serve. We give at least 5% of our pretax profits to local programs that make our communities stronger.

Because growing is better when we’re doing it together.

marconet.com

IN EVERY ISSUE 22

28

Business Calendar

Top Hats

Network Central C

When done properly, performance reviews become benchmarks for efficiency and goal fulfillment.

16 Your Voice In Government

Business news from around Central Minnesota.

20 Regional Round-Up

12 Getting Going

There’s plenty happening in Sauk Rapids, and you don’t have to look far to see it.

What’s happening and who’s moving.

A Worthy Business Model

World-Class Transportation

Sauk Rapids

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46 Feature

DO BE R Untapped Resource M S A

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If you haven’t considered employing persons with physical, mental, or developmental challenges, it’s time to reconsider.

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50 Special Focus How’s Business?

Many areas of commercial construction are showing good growth potential.

54 Business Spotlight Marty Heine, All Star Trophy & Awards

Sales Navigator

LinkedIn’s new business model may help sales professionals and recruiters be more successful.

35 Tech News 36 Economy Central

The Land of Opportunity

10 News Reel

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33 Going Green 34 TechStrategies

presented by Falcon Bank

Jon Ruis, United Way of Central Minn.

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Book Review The Happiness Hypothesis; Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom, by Jonathan Haidt

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This Issue

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In Praise of Performance Reviews

14 People to Know 15 New at the Top

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32 Management Tool Kit

Upfront

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Entrepreneurism

Recent creation of the Public Benefit Corporation gives Minnesota entrepreneurs a new choice.

N E T WOR K

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P ROFIT

Make a Profit and Make a Difference

Drawing on their roots, Midwest Machinery’s second generation is putting people first while embracing a contemporary growth strategy.

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Next Gen

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September/october 2014

Business Tools

40 Cover Story

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Profit

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GROW • NETWORK • PROFIT

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CONTENTS

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Editor’s Note

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6 President’s Letter

St. Cloud has what it takes to give everyone a leg-up.

38 1st Quarter Cost of

Special Section 51

Central Minnesota Growth Guide

Living Survey

ONLY ONLINE •• Avoiding a Bad Hire •• Is the Landline Dead?

•• Business Plan Essentials •• Making Blogging Work

www.BusinessCentralMagazine.com

EmployEE HEaltH for a HEaltHiEr BusinEss

Well@Work

Options to help improve employee health and lower medical costs:

Well Being Services •

Biometric Screening at your location with same day results.

• Health

and Nutrition Sessions presented at your worksite.

Worksite Wellness An onsite wellness coach provides screenings and well-being education to employees.

Clinic—Onsite or Shared Site Lower medical costs and time away from work with an onsite clinic at your business or at a shared site.

BEnEfits includE •

Help reduce overall corporate medical expenditures • Build health awareness • Give employees the tools for a healthy lifestyle • Address chronic illnesses with early detection and treatment

for morE information, contact Greg Bockrath

320-203-2405 worksitehealth@hpcmc.com | hpcmc.com

These services are available to all companies. HealthPartners insurance is not needed.

PRESIDENT’S LETTER NETWORK Main Phone 320-251-2940 Automated Reservation Line 320-251-2940, ext. 126

Renewal S

eptember is a month of renewal.

School begins. The first fall chill hits the evening air. And your Chamber begins a new fiscal year. We elect Board members and committee leadership, and sadly say farewell to those fine volunteers who have completed their terms.

This year’s departures are particularly poignant. Board members become friends through the years, and this year our retiring members have served a lot of years. They have shown great commitment, served hundreds of volunteer hours, provided counsel at critical times, and built camaraderie among other volunteers and staff.

Jim Beck, campus director for the Minnesota School of Business, has served in almost every volunteer role imaginable. He supports his staff members who participate with our Chamber, encouraging them to lead committees and provide training programs. Jim has traveled to Washington, D.C. with us, advocating issues for private universities and adding to the interesting conversations that happen in D.C. Jim revamped our Technology and Education Conference, and his college regularly supports the Chamber’s special events.

Jim is the first to say he volunteers and supports the Chamber because it’s good for his business. He’s also never shy about selling our Chamber to others who will benefit from membership.

Gary Berg, G.L. Berg Entertainment, Performing Artists & Speakers was a member of our Chamber Board before my tenure here began. He was encouraged to join us a second time as a Board member as our advocacy for the River’s Edge Convention Center intensified. Gary has a keen interest in our Convention and Visitors Bureau and holds membership in many local chambers of commerce. (Of course, he admits our 5-Star Chamber is pretty darn special!) He is a valuable asset serving on the River’s Edge Advisory Council and the CVB Advisory Board. It’s especially great to see Gary’s son, Nate,

Program Hotline 320-251-2940, ext. 125

working with him in the business.

Craig Broman, St. Cloud Hospital, has served one term on the Chamber’s Board and is completing his year as Past Chair of the Board. I enjoyed getting to know Craig and benefitted from his big picture perspective. His professional, confident leadership made a mark on our Chamber and on me personally. He helped strengthen our internal processes, and always brought great treats to our Board meetings. The man knows his way around a good chocolate chip cookie.

Jodi Speicher, The Good Shepherd Community, has served as our Board representative for Sauk Rapids for six years. She is an excellent community representative and has worked year after year to strengthen our Sauk Rapids Chamber. Attendance is now between 100-125 members every month. When I started at this Chamber, we were lucky to get a half dozen people to attend. The growth and health of the Sauk Rapids Chamber is directly attributable to Jodi’s guidance and participative leadership style. She has also honed my interest in long-term care and all the challenges we face in that industry.

I will miss the advice and support of all these great community leaders. They may rest assured that they have shaped and molded one of the best Chambers in the country! For that, I thank them all.

Until next time,

email: information@StCloudAreaChamber.com www.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, ext.130 Membership Sales Specialist Jaime Buley, ext. 134 Administrative Assistant Vicki Lenneman, ext. 122 Administrative Assistant Cindy Swarthout , ext. 100 Administrative Assistant Sharon Henry, ext. 124 CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU STAFF Main Phone: 320-251-4170 Executive Director Julie Lunning, ext. 111 Director of Convention Sales Lori Cates, ext. 113 Director of Sports & Special Events Kelly Sayre, ext. 128 Director of Visitor Services Jean Robbins , ext. 129 Sales Manager Nikki Fisher, 112 Sales & Marketing Coordinator Dana Randt, 110 Administrative Assistant Carrie Zwack,, ext. 100 2014-15 BOARD MEMBERS Jason Bernick, Bernick’s, Board Vice Chair Dan Bittman, Sauk Rapids-Rice School District Dave Borgert, CentraCare Health Neil Franz, Franz Hultgren Evenson, Professional Association

Teresa Bohnen President

Jayne Greeney Schill, St. Cloud Area School District #742 Jim Gruenke, Mark J. Traut Wells Jason Hallonquist, AIS Planning

IN MEMORY OF: It is with deep sadness that we report the passing of Minnesota Chamber President David Olson. David was a friend to business, to the St. Cloud Area Chamber, and to Business Central. He was a frequent contributor to the magazine and an expert source on many topics we have addressed over the years. He died in July at age 57 from cancer.

John Herges, Falcon National Bank, Past Board Chair Dennis Host, Coborn’s Inc. Diane Mendel, Playhouse Child Care Dolora Musech, Batteries Plus Bulbs Kris Nelson, Custom Accents, Inc., Board Chair Mark Osendorf, Xcel Energy Dr. Earl Potter, III, St. Cloud State University Roger Schleper, Premier Real Estate Services Melinda Vonderahe, Times Media Bea Winkler, Pine Cone Pet Hospital Chriss Wohlleber, Le St. Germain Suite Hotel

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B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4

EDITOR’S NOTE NETWORK

Publisher Teresa Bohnen Managing Editor Gail Ivers Associate Editor Dawn Zimmerman

Sweet Smells of Summer Editor Gail Ivers checking out the latest in farming technology.

E

arlier this summer I woke up in the middle of the night to see a tiny beacon of light drifting across my bedroom.

Slowly turning on and off, it came to rest on my bookcase.

What, I wondered as I returned to sleep, is Tinker Bell doing in my bedroom?

It turned out that it wasn’t a visit from Tinker Bell, but a firefly that slipped into the house unobserved and couldn’t find its way out.

I love fireflies. Growing up in Willmar we lived a short distance out of town. In those days, much of the surrounding area was active farm fields, including the lots next door to our house. On muggy summer nights I would lean my chin on my bedroom windowsill and watch the alfalfa fields next door light up with fireflies. Sometimes we would chase them and catch them in our hands or a jar and watch them blink on and off.

I also remember the smell of alfalfa. We didn’t have air conditioning for many years so my summer memories include open windows, the sound of fans, and the smell of freshly cut alfalfa coming in through billowing curtains.

Farming has changed a lot since I was a little girl. In 1968, 90 percent of all farms had telephones. Today the tractors have telephones. There were about 2.8 million farms in the U.S. in 1970. Today that number is closer to 2.1 million. Between 1980 and 2007, farm output increased by nearly 50 percent, while the use of hired labor dropped 30 percent.

You can account for the increases in productivity in part from the adoption of new technologies. For the average person, this can be seen in the changes to equipment moving on our roads.

The most obvious, of course, is the size.

When I watched from my bedroom as the alfalfa was cut, farmer Leon Olson’s tractor was tiny by today’s standards. Some of the tractors I saw at Midwest Machinery (see the story on page 40) wouldn’t have been able to turn around in the Willmar alfalfa field. I remember Mr. Olson plowing corn fields a mile away with the radio playing so loud I could hear it at home. Today the cabs are insulated, sound-proofed, and air conditioned.

Of course, some things haven’t changed.

Most farms are still operated by families... alfalfa still smells sweet…and fireflies are still really cool.

Until next issue,

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Whitney Bina, St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Teresa Bohnen St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Julie L. Fisk and Peter Postma Quinlivan & Hughes, P.A. Cindy Fitzthum St. Cloud State University Sharon Henry St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Dr. Fred E. Hill St. Cloud State University Gail Ivers St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Tracy Knofla High Impact Training Mary MacDonell Belisle mary macdonell belisle - wordingforyou Donniel Robinson Robinson Writes Greg Vandal Vox Liberi Dawn Zimmerman The Write Advantage ADVERTISING Associate Publisher/Sales Wendy Hendricks, Hendricks Marketing Marketing & Communications Specialist Abigail Vidmar Ad Traffic & Circulation Yola Hartmann, Hazel Tree Media ART Design & Production Yola Hartmann, Hazel Tree Media Sarah Sucansky Cover Photo Joel Butkowski, BDI Photography ACCOUNTING Judy Zetterlund WEBSITE Vicki Lenneman CORPORATE SPONSOR

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

Gail Ivers

Vice President

Editor

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, self-addressed envelope. © Copyright 2014 Business Central LLC

PS: For those who are interested in such things, my farm facts came from the USDA and the American Farm Bureau Federation.

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.

Health – It’s Our Focus

Ann B. - Clear Lake

For years, Ann suffered from multiple health conditions which kept her from working. After meeting regularly with Joanna, her Health Care Home coordinator at CentraCare Clinic, Ann is back to work full-time, taking fewer medications and completed her first 5K run in June. Ann is healthier and enjoying life.

CentraCare Health — a sharper focus on your health.

centracare.com

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16

Book Review

Getting Going

People to Know

New at the Top

Your Voice in Government

18 Business Calendar

20 Regional Roundup

UPFRONT

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News & people that make up the chamber network

N E WS R E E L

BOOK REVIEW

Great Ideas

Savoring ideas from ancient civilizations may transform our lives.

Reviewed by Fred E. Hill

His book is about ten great ideas in history’s attempt to deal with moral emotions and actions.

The Happiness Hypothesis; Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom

by Jonathan Haidt, Basic Books, New York, 2006, ISBN-13: 978-0-46502802-3

A

uthor Jonathan Haidt suggests that many of us, in asking such questions as “What should I do, how should I live, and whom shall I become,” do not have to go far to find answers.

He states, “Wisdom is now so cheap and abundant that it floods over us from calendar pages, tea bags, bottle caps, and mass email messages forwarded by well-meaning friends.”

Because there is so much readily available information, no one person can ever read more than a tiny fraction. “We face the paradox of abundance:

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Quantity undermines the quality of our searching.” We often skim books or read just the reviews. Indeed, “we might already have encountered the Greatest Idea, the insight that would have transformed us had we savored it, taken it to heart, and worked it into our lives.”

Haidt researches and teaches one aspect of human social life - morality and moral emotions.

His book is about ten great ideas in history’s attempt to deal with moral emotions and actions. Each idea chapter is an attempt to savor one idea that has been discovered by several of the world’s civilizations.

Examined in light of what we know from continuing scientific research, we can extract lessons that still apply in our modern lives.

5. The Pursuit of Happiness 6. Love and Attachments 7. The Uses of Adversity 8. The Felicity of Virtue 9. Divinity With or Without God 10. Happiness Comes from Between Haidt is a contributing force in the new field of Positive Psychology. Positive Psychology attempts to show us how to diagnose and develop our own strengths and virtues. Here are three idea chapter examples that are developed in the book: 1. “If passion drives, let reason hold the reins.” (B. Franklin), 7. “What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.” (Nietszche), and 8. “Set your heart on doing good.” (Buddha).

Good book, good read, great ideas! BC

The ten Idea chapters are: 1. The Divided Self 2. Changing Your mind 3. Reciprocity with a Vengeance 4. The Fault of Others

Dr. Fred E. Hill is an emeritus professor from St. Cloud State University.

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4

Weirens

Peine

Executive Express hires, grows Catrice Weirens joined Executive Express as an in-house reservationist and Bill Peine was promoted to MN assistant branch manager. Executive Express also added two new stop locations and scheduled daily ground transportation service to the St. Cloud Airport and the Brainerd Lakes Area Welcome Center.

St. Cloud Floral acquires Blooming Creations St. Cloud Floral recently purchased Blooming Creations Floral and Gifts in Waite Park. The design team at Blooming Creations joined St. Cloud Floral staff at their downtown location in July.

Both businesses have earned recognition for their awardwinning arrangements.

Stommes joins Initiative Foundation Eric Stommes joined the Stommes Initiative Foundation as vice president for external relations.

Originally from Sauk Rapids, Stommes most recently served as vice president for development at the American Heart Association in Louisville, KY. He brings nearly 10 years of community relations and development experience to the Initiative Foundation.

UPFRONT NETWORK

N E WS R E E L Kleis receives recognition St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis received the League of Kleis Minnesota Cities C.C. Ludwig Award, the highest honor for elected officials from the organization.

Every year, the award is given for demonstrating outstanding service. Recipients are chosen for their vision, statesmanship and commitment to the public good.

GETTING GOING

A Worthy Business Model Which has the most staying power, a specialty shop or a general store?

Time – and market forces – will tell. By Greg Vandal

Initiative Foundation awards over $500,000 in grants The Initiative Foundation awarded 49 grants totaling $502,895 in the first quarter of 2014 to support local projects.

Among the recipients, the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation received $7,500 to enhance and expand greater St. Cloud area opportunities.

Metro Bus receives award The Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA) named St. Cloud Metro Bus the 2014 Urban Transportation System of the Year. This is the first time a Minnesota system has received this honor. The award is available to transportation systems that provide service to an area of at least 50,000 people. Criteria for the award include providing innovative and creative services in the community, being responsive to its customers’ and community needs, and providing accessible transportation services.

Maxwell appointed director of McNeely Center The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University have appointed Pat Maxwell as the director of the Donald McNeely Center for Entrepreneurship at CSB/ SJU. Maxwell will succeed recently retired founding director Terri Barreiro, who served from 2004-14.

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I

t was at a mercantile store in a small North Dakota town where I had my first real brush with commerce.

Clarence and Lyd, my uncle and aunt, had run the shop for years and they regularly employed teenagers to cater to customer needs. The Merc, as it was called, sold everything from cowboy boots to gingham fabric. And, I did everything from sweeping the floors to selling “lady things.” The latter inevitably brought a touch of red to that adolescent boy’s cheeks for he didn’t feel comfortable in the occasional venture to the women’s side of the store…

The Merc stands vacant on Main Street some five decades later. The display windows have been filled for more than 30 years with public service pieces placed there by

town boosters rather than by the former owners who are long since gone. The business model of one-stop shopping, especially in an establishment limited by space and the economics of inventory, was challenged by specialty shops and clothing boutiques. Boots were found in stores selling only footwear and fabric from quilting retailers. Ironically, there soon grew up in those same small towns the big-box equivalents of the old general stores. Today companies like Amazon are cyber-Mercs. Both have scale on their side.

Long after the original clerking experience, I have returned to a different kind of commerce as a consultant.

Time is what I sell, but it is packaged around a line of “products” that have to fit a new marketplace. And the

classic argument is still at play. Am I a mercantile or a specialty shop? Can I offer a broad base of general services in a field crowded by specialists or should I focus on a unique slice of the market instead?

“Define your brand,” my marketing friend Pam counseled, and she has helped me with that definition. “Focus your energies on what you do best,” said David who has led successful enterprises his whole life. “Do what you really like to do,” is the nagging notion running through my own head. I enjoyed selling boots one moment and fabric the next. I appreciated the variety, the differences in the client-base…

So I’ve tried to blend all three: Brand a scope of services I really enjoy delivering around a set of skills most closely linked to things I know I can do. This “shop” has been open for only four years, and time will tell where the approach will lead.

I’m determined I won’t go the way of the Merc, at least until I choose to “close the doors.” Alas, the market will determine, as it always does, whether that business model will prevail. BC

About the writer Greg Vandal is the sole proprietor of Vox Liberi, a consulting business that delivers planning and project management services to clients in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. He can be reached at greg.vandal@voxliberi.com.

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4

TOM EMMER

MINNESOTA VALUES. CONSERVATIVE RESULTS. Endorsed By

From his experience as a small business owner, Tom knows how high taxes and government regulations can stifle economic growth. He’ll fight to balance the budget, cut wasteful spending, and allow the private sector to thrive and create jobs. He knows that private enterprise, not big government, can get our country back on the right track.

Emmer on the Issues CUT TAXES ON BUSINESSES TO SPUR INVESTMENT FUND INVESTMENT IN OUR CRITICAL TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS ELIMINATE BURDENSOME REGULATIONS BALANCE THE BUDGET AND CUT WASTEFUL GOVERNMENT SPENDING STOP OBAMACARE

www.EMMERFORCONGRESS.com

PAID FOR BY EMMER FOR CONGRESS

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

UPFRONT NETWORK

N E WS R E E L Laraway Financial hires, expands Kimberly Foster Foster joined Laraway Financial Advisors, Inc. as a financial advisor and senior administrator.

She is currently working toward a Chartered Financial Consultant – ChFC® designation.

Laraway Financial acquired the financial practice of David Miller, registered representative with Cambridge Investment Research Inc. in Alexandria.

For 14 years, Laraway Financial served as principal and compliance supervisor for Miller’s practices. Miller’s upcoming retirement led to a merge of the two organizations.

Brenny recognized as top workplace

The Star Tribune named Brenny Transportation, Inc. one of its 2014 Top 100 Workplaces in Minnesota.

Brenny was ranked 25th on the small company list.

This award recognizes the most progressive companies in Minnesota based on employee opinions measuring engagement, organizational health, and satisfaction. The analysis is determined on responses from over 58,000 employees at Minnesota public, private and nonprofit organizations.

PineCone Vision Center awards scholarships PineCone Vision Center in Sartell awards three health education scholarships each year. Students are selected based on academic excellence, volunteerism and their desire to pursue a degree in medicine.

This year’s recipients are: Samantha Lindeman, Sauk Rapids Rice High School; Katelyn Nelson, Apollo High School; and Grace Kuhl, Sartell-St. Stephen High School.

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People to know

Value Helping members see and feel the value of their membership is a major goal for new Chamber Board Chair Kris Nelson.

Kris Nelson Custom Accents, Inc. 734 1st St S, Waite Park, MN 56387-1315 (320) 654-9600 www.customaccentsinc.com

Chamber Connection.

Volunteer Committee.

Top Hatters.

Membership Division.

Board member.

Kris Nelson, Custom Accents, has a history of involvement and leadership at the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce. Stepping into the role of chair of the board felt like a natural progression for her. “I’m passionate about the Chamber of Commerce,” she said. “It’s important to my business to be in the Chamber. It directly helps

me with client retention and client development.” Over the last year family matters took Nelson out of her day-to-day involvement. “I saw a change,” she said. “I was less connected.

There is big business to be had at the Chamber. You just need to work at it.”

That experience helped Nelson form her goals for her year as chair of the board of directors, which started Sept. 1.

“I would like to see increased Board member engagement with the Chamber’s overall goals,” she said. “I’d like them connecting with members, finding out what the members need, what they’re dealing with, and what we can do better.” Nelson believes that can be done when Board members attend Chamber functions and start talking with the members and listening to their needs.

“The members may not be going to Chamber Connection and they think that’s all there is to the Chamber. Board members can play a role in educating members about the breadth of services and opportunities the Chamber has to offer,” Nelson said.

Part of the Board’s role is to make policy decisions on behalf of the members, Nelson added. “If we’re talking to the members, then we’re able to make those decisions based on what we’re hearing.”

Another major focus for Nelson is building and defining a stronger value statement for large businesses, those with 50 or more employees. “We’re A+ when it comes to small business and networking and connecting,” she said. “Big businesses are not as engaged. We need stronger communication with the staff of those large companies, not just the owners or CEOs.” Nelson believes that connecting with people at all levels in the large companies will help them understand what the Chamber has to offer and give them reasons to participate.

“I’m excited about the future of the Chamber,” Nelson said. “We have a lot of fun things going on this year. We’re seeing growth and changes that will help us keep getting better and better.”

— GMI

2013-14 Board of Directors’ Special Initiatives Chamber Board Chair Kris Nelson, Custom Accents, has defined the following initiatives for the Chamber’s 2014-15 fiscal year: Develop and begin implementation of a future relocation strategy for our Chamber of Commerce office and staff.

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4

Define and build a stronger value statement for big businesses. (50 or more employees)

Increase Board member engagement with the Chamber’s Wildly Important Goals (WIGS) through the work, programs and events of our Chamber.

new AT The TOP

Jon Ruis, 40

President and CEO – United Way of Central Minnesota

Previous employer:

Saint John’s University Institutional Advancement office What will you miss most about your previous position?

As a Johnnie myself, the SJU campus and Abbey church have a special place in my heart. There was something very special about driving onto campus and seeing the Abbey bell banner looming larger than life. I will also miss the great connections that I made

with SJU graduates of all ages and hearing their stories.

When did you start in your current position? October 2013 What are you looking forward to the most in your new position?

Working hard to accelerate solutions for some of our communities’ biggest needs.

This includes building relationships with a new group of very committed donors and

Fun fact about yourself: I spent three years in Thailand as a Peace Corps volunteer

companies and others in our nonprofit sector that have been working hard for many years.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up on our family farm that sits directly between Princeton, Milaca, and Foley. Growing up consisted of my grandparents/ family in Milaca, the public pool in Foley and high school years in Princeton.

What are your hobbies? Golf and travel (When I can combine them, I am in heaven). BC

working for Peace Corps Thailand. This means I can cook up a mean Thai dinner.

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UPFRONT NETWORK

N E WS R E E L Freightliner named finalist; Miller earns recognition Freightliner of St. Cloud was named a top five finalist for the Successful Dealer Award.

The award, given by the publication Successful Dealer, recognizes a dealership or group of dealerships in the nation for exceptional sales and service performance, investment in employee performance and training, and engagement in the community.

Pat Miller, chief financial officer, Freightliner of St. Cloud, earned induction into the CIC Summit Club of Daimler Trucks North America. He is one of two individuals inducted this year. The CIC Summit Club recognizes individuals throughout North America who exemplify the nine lean principles of Daimler’s Elite Support Certification. Daimler Trucks is the parent brand of Freightliner Trucks.

WSB receives recognition, celebrates anniversary

Star Tribune named WSB & Associates one of the Top 100 Workplaces in Minnesota.

WSB jumped two spots up the list from last year, ranking 6th on the midsize company list for 2014. WSB also received the Innovation Encouragement Award recognizing the company’s efforts to encourage new ideas and spur innovation.

WSB & Associates’ St. Cloud office recently celebrated 15 years in business. The company also has offices in St. Paul, Rochester, Northfield and Bismarck, and headquarters in Minneapolis.

Marco VP receives Young Alumni Achievement Award

POINT OF View | Business Central asked readers:

“What motivates you in your career?”

“ “

Doing a really good job and helping people.”

—Amanda Kvamme,

Falcon National Bank

When we get that phone call or email thanking us for a job well done, especially something that was complex or on a tight production turn around.” —Julie Zniewski, Image Builders

“

Knowing that I’m selling a product that makes everyone’s life a little better.”

—John Wolak,

Arvig

YOUR VOICe IN GOVERNMENT

World-Class Transportation Moving people and commerce where they want and need to go is critical to Minnesota’s prosperity. By Fritz Knaak and Amy Roberts

M

innesota can and must support and build a worldclass transportation system that provides a foundation for economic prosperity and personal fulfillment for all Minnesotans. Doing so is mostly a matter of making transportation a higher priority.

Transportation policy should embrace the philosophy that Minnesotans and Minnesota employers know where they want to go and how they want to get there. Instead of trying to impose other policy objectives on our transportation dollars, such as encouraging people to drive less, state transportation policy should focus on supporting this demand as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.

A healthy infrastructure moves people and products efficiently, reliably, and safely.

Deficient transportation systems

The University of North Dakota awarded Jonathan Warrey, vice president of sales at Marco, Inc. with the 2014 Young Alumni Achievement Award.

16

“

Helping others and imagining myself in their situations.”

—Sara Wolf, Birthline Inc.

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4

result in diminished prospects for growth and a lower quality of life.

Minnesota roads, however, are projected to grow more congested and offer poorer ride quality. At the same time, Minnesota’s transit system (trains and buses) focuses limited resources on trains for narrow, fixed corridors—the most expensive and least flexible way to connect people to jobs. Looking to the future, congestion, bumpy roads, and empty trains can be avoided with the right policies and the right priorities.

THE PROBLEM Efficient road traffic fuels Minnesota’s economic engine and is essential to job creation and improving the quality of life for all Minnesotans. Trucks carry the majority of the freight traveling to and from Minnesota destinations—66 percent of total tonnage (386 million tons) and

About the writers

60 percent of total value ($297 billion). Safe, efficient movement of this freight is critical for Minnesota’s manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers, and farmers. Together, these businesses account for 32 percent of Minnesota workers.

Of course, Minnesotans also need to get to work and they primarily depend on roads, too.

Over 87 percent of workers in the Twin Cities commute to work by car, and nearly everyone else gets to work on roads by way of a transit bus.

Despite enthusiasm surrounding trains and other transportation alternatives, the reality is Minnesota’s businesses and workers use roads and bridges to make the economy run. BC This is an excerpt from a report on transportation in Minnesota.

For the complete report, visit www.BusinessCentralMagazine.com.

Fritz Knaak, a former Minnesota state senator, is an attorney at Holdstad and Knaak PLC. Amy Roberts is vice president and general counsel at Connolly Kuhl Group.

IT HAPPENED WHEN?

Fall 2001: Lunchtime Learning

Larry Logeman, owner of Executive Express, presents “Networking” on October 15, 1992

I

n 2001, the Chamber created Lunchtime Learning to provide opportunities for Chamber members to meet with other area business professionals and learn about relevant business topics.

The program took place once a month at the Chamber office.

The Chamber’s Business Development Council continues to host Lunchtime Learning today (visit www.StCloudAreaChamber. com to see the new schedule of topics.)

Lunch is provided at the Chamber office on the first Wednesday of every month from September through June. Cost is $15 for Chamber members, which includes lunch and programming.

The idea for Lunchtime Learning, however, was established before the new millennium. In the late 1980s,

“Small Business Seminars,” presented by the Chamber’s Small Business Council, were offered from September through April at the Sunwood Inn in St Cloud.

Originally held in the morning, sessions included topics like “Access to Capital,” “Managing Conflict in the Workplace,” and “Lessons in Leadership.”

In September 1991, the program was renamed. The new “Business Enhancement Seminars” were also offered in the morning and continued to provide information on business topics. In 2001 the

Fun fact Chamber President Teresa Bohnen presented at the Small Business Seminar in 1989, long before joining the Chamber staff. program was moved to the noon hour and renamed “Lunchtime Learning.” BC

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UPFRONT NETWORK

N E WS R E E L Kramer recognized as a “Top Financial Advisor” James Kramer III, an LPL financial advisor with Kramer Financial, was recently recognized as a top advisor and named to the Financial Chairman’s Club. The top advisor distinction is based on an annual production of all registered advisors supported

by LPL Financial and is awarded to less than 6 percent of the approximately 13,500 advisors who are affiliated with LPL Financial nationwide.

Foster

St. Cloud Hospital receives recognition St. Cloud Hospital ranked fifth among Minnesota’s approximately 150 hospitals, behind Mayo Clinic in Rochester and three facilities in the Twin Cities.

Doherty recognized Doherty, a local contract and temporary staffing agency, received a 2014 Minnesota Business Ethics Award (MBEA). This award recognizes Minnesota companies that exemplify the highest standards of ethical behavior and practices.

Doherty was also recognized as a 2014 Top Workplace by the Star Tribune.

CentraCare adds Hospitalists CentraCare Health hired two new hospitalists: Sherri Erickson-Birkedahl, MD, and Federica Fromm, DO. Erickson-Birkedahl, received her medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis. Fromm received her medical degree from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in Old Westbury.

Compiled by Whitney Bina.

For consideration in News Reel send your news release to givers@ BusinessCentralMagazine.com

BUSINESS CALENDAR SEPTEMBER -October 2014 •• Visit events.StCloudAreaChamber.com for a detailed calendar.

Can’t-miss opportunities to influence, promote and learn Sept. 10 & Oct.1 This formal event honors the many contributions of Chamber volunteers who make the St. Cloud area a better place to live and work. The event is open to all Chamber members and their guests. Cost is $25 and registration is required at www.

StCloudAreaChamber.com.

Educational networking events that give busy professionals a chance to stay on the cutting edge. Meets the first Wednesday of the month (except September), noon-1 p.m. at the Chamber office, 110 6th Ave. S. Registration is required: $15 for Chamber members, $22 for the general public.

September 10: Sponsored by St. Cloud State University Welcome Center with Jewelie Grape, Stinson Leonard Street, presenting “Impacts of the Affordable Care Act.” October 1: Sponsored by Manpower with Pat Thielman, St. Cloud State University, presenting “What Color is Your Personality.”

Sept. 11, 25 & Oct. 14

Business After Hours A complimentary open house for Chamber members and guests.

Bring lots of business cards and prepare to grow your network!

4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

September 11: Hosted by Schlenner Wenner & Co., 630 Roosevelt Rd., St. Cloud September 25: Hosted by Waite Park Chamber and co-sponsored by Frozen Yogurt Creations and St. Cloud Overhead Door, at St. Cloud Overhead Door, 2150 Frontage Rd. S, Waite Park October 14: Hosted by Boser Construction Inc. and Quinlivan & Hughes, at 1740 W St. Germain St., St. Cloud

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Star Celebration

Lunchtime Learning

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4

October 2, 5-8 p.m.

Le St-Germain Suite Hotel, 404 W Saint Germain St., Saint Cloud

Sept. 9 & Oct. 14

NEXT-St. Cloud

Programming for the NEXT generation of business leaders. Meets the second Tuesday of the month, noon-1 p.m. at different locations throughout St. Cloud. Registration required: $195 for one year or $20 for first meeting.

September 9: “Greater St. Cloud” presented by Mayor Dave Kleis at Cowboy Jacks October 14: “2014 Minnesota Legislative preview”

Sept. 12 & Oct. 10

Government Affairs A discussion of local government issues on the second Friday of the month, 7:30 - 9 a.m. at the Chamber office, 110 6th Ave. S.

September 12: Local option sales tax extension October 10: Candidates’ Forum

Sept. 17 & Oct. 15

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

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

September 17: Hosted by Bernick’s Beverages and Vending, 801 Sundial Dr., Waite Park, with a presentation on “How Businesses Can Benefit from Interns,” by Shannon Templin, Minnesota School of Business.

October 15: Hosted Rejuv Medical at the Waite Park City Hall, 19 13th Ave. N, with a presentation

by Kristen Berreau, St. Cloud Overhead Door Co., on “Using

Facebook as Part of Your Overall Marketing Strategy.”

Sept. 25 & Oct. 23

Sauk Rapids Chamber For businesses interested in Sauk Rapids issues. Lunch is provided by the host when you register at least two days in advance. 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

September 25: Host and location to be determined. Matt Foster, Fostering LLC, will speak about “Why Should We Manage Our Contacts.”

October 23: Hosted by the Legends at Heritage Place at the Sauk Rapids Government Center, 115 2nd Ave. N, Sauk Rapids, with a candidates forum facilitated by Teresa Bohnen, St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce president.

Oct. 28

Technology & Education Conference

A half-day education and professional development conference available free to people in Central Minnesota.

Topics range from health care reform to iPad tips, using the cloud to employment law. Registration is required. Learn more at www.

StCloudAreaChamber.com, select “Special Events” from the right hand menu, then “Technology and Education Conference.”

8 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

October 28: Holiday Inn & Suites, 37th Ave and Division Street, St. Cloud MN 56301 For information on these or other business events, call 320-251-2940.

IN THE NEWS

St. Cloud Hospital receives recognition The St. Cloud Hospital was verified as a Level II Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons.

St. Cloud Hospital has maintained this status since 1998 when it was first earned.

Becker’s Hospital Review, a monthly publication for hospitals and health systems, named St. Cloud Hospital one of the nations 100 Great Community Hospitals. The list is based on hospital accolades, quality of care, and services provided.

U.S. News & World Report ranked St. Cloud Hospital as high performing in 10 specialties: Cardiology and heart surgery; Diabetes and endocrinology; Gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery; Geriatrics; Gynecology; Nephrology; Neurology and neurosurgery; Orthopedics; Pulmonology; and Urology.

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C Jo P S A D

UPFRONT NETWORK

REGIONAL ROUNDUP

Sauk Rapids Sauk Rapids Chamber Leadership

Rachael Bonn Peters Body Shop, Inc. Volunteer chair, Sauk Rapids Chamber

Liz Kellner Odor Eliminators LLC Volunteer vice chair, Sauk Rapids Chamber

Profit!

From new roads to new businesses, Sauk Rapids is growing and changing. Longtime Sauk Rapids business, W.F. Scarince is experiencing a renaissance of sorts, with a change in ownership that is intended to keep the company local. Now called C4 Welding, the business is partnering with the St. Cloud Technical and Community College to provide customized welding training for its expanding workforce.

Did you KNOW?

20

There’s plenty happening in Sauk Rapids, and you don’t have to look far to see it.

NETWORK!

Jen Novak, PineCone Vision Center and Chad Houg, FaceTime Business Resources.

Both Novak and Houg have served as chair of the Sauk Rapids Chamber.

Standing from left: Mary Krippner and Jessica Houle, United Way, discuss volunteer opportunities during the 2014 Volunteer Showcase.

The recent hire of COO Tom Becker, positions the business for additional growth.

Urban Moose Brew Pub is scheduled to open in April, offering a view of the river, casual dining, and much needed meeting space.

Grow!

Sales tax renewal vote coming At the November general election, Sauk Rapids voters will be asked if they wish to continue being one of the

$45,800,000

Jodi Speicher, The Good Shepherd Community and Dan Bittman, Sauk Rapids-Rice superintendent of schools

James Gammell (L), JM Gammell Ushers and Bob Plombon, Miller Companies

From Left: Jason Miller, Premier Real Estate; Jason Krueger, Closet Logic; Dr. Tom Johnson, Infinite Eye Care

From left: Shannon Kennedy, Rapids Alterations; Nikki Anderson, D&B Auto Body; and Caryn Stadther, Falcon National Bank

From left: Berni Halaas, New Century Real Estate; Jason Tangen, Shrewd Real Estate; Sara DraxlerGainsforth, Bremer; and Lisa Braun, City of St. Cloud Retired and Senior Volunteer Program

St. Cloud Regional Sales Tax Communities where an extra 0.5 cent sales tax is collected.

Currently Sartell, Waite Park, St. Augusta, St. Joseph, and St. Cloud, along with Sauk Rapids, all participate in the Local Option Sales tax. This mean shoppers in these communities pay 7.375 percent sales tax; 6.875 percent goes to the State of Minnesota and 0.5 percent is designated for use in the communities participating in the tax.

Kendra Berger, Falcon National Bank and Kevin Johnson, Indigo Signworks

In Sauk Rapids, the money that has been collected since the tax was enacted has been put toward a number of projects, including: •• Purchasing three properties along the river to expand the city’s riverfront park system.

•• Enhancements related to the bridge project •• The downtown streetscaping (decorative lighting, sidewalk pavers, etc.)

•• A portion of the Benton

was the total wages paid to people employed in Education and Health Services in Sauk Rapids

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4

Drive reconstruction •• Construction of the log building/community shelter by the river in the park •• The community center in the new city hall building •• Lights and fencing for baseball and softball fields Because the majority of retail stores and restaurants in the area are in the cities of St. Cloud and Waite Park, Sauk Rapids’ residents will be charged the extra 0.5 cent sales tax when shopping or eating in those communities that pass the option, regardless of whether or not the tax is approved in Sauk Rapids.

In order to collect and benefit from the tax, Sauk

Rapids residents must pass a referendum on Nov. 4, 2014, approving the sales tax for 2019-2038.

It’s Roundabout Time!

Everyone’s favorite season, road construction is well underway, with the completion of the Summit Avenue improvements and the much anticipated, soonto-be-finished, Golden Spike Road roundabouts.

The project includes reconstruction of Golden Spike Road from the west ramp of US Highway 10 to the intersection of Mayhew Lake Road. When it’s all over you’ll find roundabouts at the west

ramp of US 10, the east ramp of US10/County Road 57, the 10th Ave. NE intersection, and the Mayhew Lake Road intersection. Also included are trail construction, lighting, landscaping, and modifications to the US 10 bridge. The project should be completed by the end of October.

You can follow the various phases of the Golden Spike reconstruction on the Benton County or City of Sauk Rapids’ websites. BC Sources: City of Sauk Rapids; 2013 economic census, Minn.

Department of Employment and Economic Developmeny

BY THE NUMBERS

Things to know around the area

39,214

Population estimate for Benton County

5,156

Number of people employed in Sauk Rapids

331

Combined total of public and private establishments in Sauk Rapids

Professional

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TOP HATS | New Members

New Member - Riverwood Mall, a unique family owned shopping mall, 2077 Frontage Road N, Waite Park.

St. Cloud Karamel, LLC, retail store and restaurant, 3429 3rd St. N, St. Cloud. Pictured: Inese Mehr, Fauzia Warsame, Mohamud Warsame, Ali Susow and Brenda Eisenschenk.

Grouchy’s Motorcycle Garage, LLC, 7285 County Road 75, St. Cloud. Pictured: Diane Diego Ohmann, Lance Kiley and Roger Schleper.

Aggressive Sealcoating, residential and commercial sealcoating services, 10721 7th St. SE, St. Cloud.

Pictured: Diane Diego Ohmann, Ken Elwood, Dominic Wright and Shannon Templin.

Isagenix, whole-body nutritional cleansing, cellular replenishing and youthful aging, 2528 Ocarina Dr., Sauk Rapids. Pictured: Chris Panek, Nancy Smith and Dave Borgert.

B & B Heating, AC & Sheet Metal, 150 Highway 10 N, #805, St. Cloud. Pictured: Tauna Quimby, Brian Baker, Bill Baker and Shannon Templin.

Dale Carnegie Training, programs that offer people the knowledge, skills and practices they need to add value to their businesses, 1748 7th St. S, Brainerd. Pictured: Brenda Eisenschenk, Rick Cole and Julie Forsberg.

New Member - Camco Construction, Inc., mason and foundation contractor, concrete, block, stone masons, 3201 Bent Tree Dr., St. Cloud.

Arnold’s, agricultural, construction and consumer market products and service, Case IH, Case, Kubota, equipment, tractors, lawn mowers, 2995 Quail Road NE, Sauk Rapids. Pictured: Pat Arnold and Diane Diego Ohmann.

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B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4

Alive Signage, affordable and easy ways to get messages out in real time with in-house custom content digital screens or through the 2000+ Ad Network screens, 803 2nd St. SE, Staples. Pictured: Tad Schoeppner, Todd Tollefson, Christine Tollefson, Nicoll Blanchette and Julie Forsberg.

Heartland Hospice, addressing the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of patients who have been diagnosed with advanced illness, and their loved ones, 1257 2nd St. N, Sauk Rapids. Pictured: Diane Diego Ohmann, Amy Manuel, Heidi Hagen and Kim Johnson.

TOP HATS | New Members

Interstate All Battery Center, over 16,000 batteries for phones, laptops, vehicle, marine, commercial, medical and more, 101 County Road 120, Suite 200, St. Cloud. Pictured: Greg E. Theis, Christine Samuelson, Lloyd Samuelson and Roger Schleper.

Red Technologies, website development, mobile application development, social media, online marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), and search engine marketing (SEM), 417 11 St. NW, Buffalo. Pictured: Greg E. Theis, Suzie Meier and Roger Schleper.

By Hand Artisan Gift Shop, featuring one of a kind, unique, hand-made specialty items, 2077 Frontage Road, Suite 12, Waite Park.

Pictured: Shannon Templin, LeAnn Wilson and Diane Diego Ohmann.

Waite Park American Legion, 17 2nd Ave. N, Waite Park.

Pictured: Inese Mehr, Bob Mace, Kurt Borresch, Dennis Schiffler and Kris Hellickson.

St. Cloud Fireworks Committee, 1010 W Saint Germain St., Suite 500, St. Cloud. Pictured: Greg E. Theis, Tom Richardson, Jason Bernick and Roger Schleper.

Angushire Golf Club, 224 Waite Ave. S., Waite Park.

Pictured: Julie Forsberg, Terra O’Neil, Lynn Richert and Inese Mehr.

Tom Emmer for Congress, 9175 Quaday Ave. NE, Otsego.

Pictured: Jayne Greeney Schill, Tom Emmer, Jason Bernick and Teresa Bohnen.

Building a World of Love, parent coaching, C.M. therapy, student advocate, parent advocate, 1030 4th St. SE, Suite 114, St. Cloud.

Pictured: Shannon Templin, Jerry Sparby and Beth Putz.

Upper Lakes Foods, Inc., wholesale food service, 801 Industry Ave., Cloquet.

Pictured: Roger Schleper, Larry Zimmerman and Greg E. Theis.

Bulldog Contractors, LLC, construction and insurance restoration, 21663 Cedar Ave., Lakeville. Pictured: Beth Putz, Rob Murphy and Shannon Templin.

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

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TOP HATS | New Members Electrolux North America, Inc., a leading global appliance manufacturer, 701 33rd Ave. N, St. Cloud.

Pictured: Chris Panek, John McAlister, Lynn Moseley, Dhamo Srinivasan, Teresa Bohnen and Jill Magelssen.

Exterior Pro, Inc., exterior renovation professionals, 3622 30th St. SE, Suite 2, St. Cloud. Pictured: Julie Forsberg, Steven Dulski, Erik Ziesemer, Josh Helberg and Jill Magelssen.

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B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4

Liberty Insurance Agency, commercial and personal insurance coverage for businesses, home, and auto, 818 2nd St. S, Suite 120, Waite Park. Pictured: Roger Schleper, Ron Mumm and Julie Forsberg.

New Century Real Estate, 1694 Perennial Court NE, Sauk Rapids. Pictured: Julie Forsberg, Berni Halaas and Kris Hellickson.

Granite Logistics Services, LLC/ Trinity Logistics, third party logistics provider, your local source for freight transportation and logistics services, 1401 1st St. NE, Sartell.

Pictured: Jill Magelssen, Pat Lynch, Jeff Smiens and Diane Diego Ohmann.

RoadRite Truck Sales, used truck sales and service, mobile and complete diesel service, 3759 31st St. SE, St. Cloud.

Pictured: Shannon Templin, Brad Meyer and Beth Putz.

TOP HATS | New Members

TOP HATS | New Businesses

Carlson Law Firm, P.A., family law, estate planning and mediation, 1420 W St. Germain, Suite 103, St. Cloud.

Pictured: Heather Kammerer, April Carlson and Brian Jarl.

Woodland Chiropractic, 1521 Northway Dr., Suite 110, St. Cloud. Pictured: Julie Forsberg, Dr. Chad Harrison, Dr. Michael Belfanz and Brenda Eisenschenk.

Cream City Tattoo, tattoo, body piercing, art gallery, 11 6th Ave. N, St. Cloud.

Pictured: Beth Putz, Ryan Schepp and Tiana Otto.

Apricot Lane Boutique, quality clothing with an edge, Crossroads Center, 4101W Division St., Suite 20, St. Cloud. Pictured: Tauna Quimby, Laura Vogel, Jayson Vogel and Julie Forsberg.

Edward Jones – Ashley Dooner, financial planning, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, retirement, education, investments, insurance, 24 Birch St. W, St. Joseph.

Pictured: Diane Diego Ohmann, Ashley Dooner and Tauna Quimby.

Rise & Shine Blinds, full service cleaning of window treatments, installation and repair of blinds and window treatments, 311 Park Meadows Dr., #308, Waite Park. Pictured: Diane Diego Ohmann, Todd McKee and Tauna Quimby.

Kenning Outsource, Inc./ Sweetened Reality, LLC, providing cutting-edge technology called Augmented Reality to bring your print to life along with very creative finishing services like foil stamping, embossing, die cutting and 3D UV coating, 7242 Old Highway 52, St. Cloud. Pictured: Dave Borgert, Sherri Pelzer, Darren Kenning and Tauna Quimby.

Lund Sauter, P. A., legal consultation and representation to businesses and individuals in the areas of business, employment, and family law, real estate and estate planning, 14 7th Ave. N, St. Cloud.

Pictured: Betsey Lund, Amy Sauter and Brian Jarl.

Mantra Salon and Spa, 812 W St. Germain St., St. Cloud. Pictured: Monica Voth and Beth Putz.

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SCSU Welcome Center 355 5th Ave S, St. Cloud Classroom Prep Course: $749 Mondays & Wednesdays | 6 - 9 p.m.

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TOP HATS | New Businesses

TOP HATS | New Locations, Ownership & Expansions

Profile by Sanford, comprehensive weight management program, 384 3rd St. NE, Waite Park.

Pictured: Tauna Quimby, Brady DeGagne, Walter Forney and Julie Forsberg.

Coldwell Banker Burnet, residential real estate sales, home loans, title and closing services, 2680 W Saint Germain St., St. Cloud.

Pictured: Inese Mehr, Russ Portele and Beth Putz.

R. Preusser Construction, general contractor, 544 24th Ave. N, St. Cloud. Pictured: Jill Magelssen, Ryan Preusser and Inese Mehr.

Amdahl Hearing, 2848 2nd St. S, Suite 185, St. Cloud.

Pictured: Roger Schleper, Kevin Amdahl and Diane Diego Ohmann.

Accurate Home Care, LLC, provides comprehensive home health care services to patients of all ages and care requirements, 436 Great Oak Drive, Waite Park. Pictured: Diane Diego Ohmann, Heather Goblirsch, Sheli Hrubetz and Julie Forsberg.

Gaslight Creative, full service advertising, marketing and communications agency, 713 W Saint Germain St., Suite 200, St. Cloud.

Pictured: Kris Hellickson, Jodie Pundsack, Kelly Zaske, Jill Magelssen and Inese Mehr.

Tactical Advantage, LLC, a full service range with range and gun rental, retail sales, limited gunsmith service and training, 521 10th Ave. S, Waite Park. Pictured: Julie Forsberg, Jason Falconer and Diane Diego Ohmann.

Hughes Mathews Greer, P.A., legal services for businesses and corporations, 622 Roosevelt Road, Suite 280, St. Cloud. Pictured: Diane Diego Ohmann, John L. Greer, John F. Mathews, Thomas E. Mathews, James P.A. Morrighan, Kevin J. Hughes and Beth Putz.

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Complete business solutions for phone systems, security, Internet and more.

Arvig has the technology services and experience to help your business succeed.

888.99.ARVIG arvig.com/business 26

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Don Farleo Advertising, full service advertising and design company, logo design, websites, corporate, communications, email marketing, social media, 24562 County Road 75, St. Augusta. Pictured: Roger Schleper, Don Farleo and Kris Hellickson.

Insight Insurance Services, 110 2nd St. S, Suite 220, Waite Park. Pictured: Dave Borgert, Dave Toeben and Tauna Quimby.

ANN IVE

Y AR

Y AR RS

–––––––––––––––––––––––– American National Bank, 3210 W Division St., St. Cloud.

–––––––––––––––––––––––– Pictured: Roger Schleper, Richard Remer, Joy Schafer, Tammy Reis and Tauna Quimby.

25 years in business and as a Chamber member –––––––––––––––––––––––– G. L. Berg Entertainment, Performing Artists & Speakers, 325 33rd Ave. N, Suite 106, St. Cloud.

–––––––––––––––––––––––– Pictured: Julie Forsberg, Ryan Meints, Gary Berg and Roger Schleper.

AN NI

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30 years in business and as a Chamber member

ARY RS VE

TA SO

A OT ES

MIN NE

–––––––––––––––––––––––– Mathew Hall Lumber Co. 127 6th Ave. N, St. Cloud.

–––––––––––––––––––––––– Pictured: Beth Putz, John Hall, Dan Hall, Loran Hall and Brian Jarl.

TA SO NE

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QuarterTon Productions, creating high-quality electronic presentations for marketing, advertising, business communication, education and entertainment, 439 33rd Ave. N, St. Cloud. Pictured: Julie Forsberg, Greg Kolbjornsen, Roni Richter and Brenda Eisenschenk.

125 years in business and as a Chamber member

ANN IVE RS

Thrivent Financial, a faith-based, not-for-profit membership organization providing financial services, 2835 W Saint Germain St., Suite 550, St. Cloud. Pictured: Diane Diego Ohmann, Dave Wenner, Erik Hanson, Debbie Clausen, Keith Sowada, Steve Raetz and Roger Schleper.

TOP HATS | Milestones

RY RSA VE NI

TOP HATS | New Locations, Ownership & Expansions

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UPFRONT NETWORK

Network Central

Network!

Business After Hours – Extra!

JJ Helm, Indigo Sign Works

Brenda Eisenschenk, InteleCONNECT & Brian Jarl, Stearns Insurance

Bella Rose Photography

Andria (L) and Lynn Schurman, Cold Spring Bakery

Diane Lewis, Marsden Building Maintenance

Kevin Oslin, Grand Casino Mille Lacs (R). Grand Casino was the sponsor of Business After Hours – Extra! in April.

Kim Wenner-Roth (L), Mike Roth, Reventus, and Tanja Goering, Pro Staff

Mindy Vande Brake, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit

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Steve Moeller (L) and Hoobie Eskuri, TriMark

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4

Marc Anderson, 360 Chiropractic

Network Central

Network! Business After Hours hosted by Minnwest Bank

Chriss Wohlleber, Le St-Germain Suite Hotel (L) and Mary Dingmann, Alphay International

Kristin Hannon (L) and Linda Novak, Minnwest Bank

Wendy Franzwa, Bernick’s and Herman Roerick, Central Landscape Supply

Business After Hours hosted by the businesses at the Northwest Professional Building

Chad Hess, Central Minn. Federal Credit Union and Tauna Quimby, Girl Scouts of MN & WI Lakes & Pines

Karen Miller, the Office of Representative Michele Bachmann, and Dave Eickhoff, Plaza Park Bank

Business After Hours hosted by CentraCare Health BLEND

Terri Heinen, The Village (L) and Theresa Doll, Reach-Up (Head Start)

Bill Kemp, Great St. Cloud Development Corp. (L) and Jim Gruenke, Mark J. Traut Wells

S E P t E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4 • • 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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Entreprenuerism

Management Toolkit

Going Green

Tech Strategies

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Tech News

Economy Central

BUSINESS TOOLS

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RESOURCES THAT HELP YOUR BUSINESS GROW

Entreprenuerism

Make a Profit and Make a Difference

W

ith the stroke of Governor Dayton’s pen on April 29, 2014, the benefit corporation became the newest corporate form available in Minnesota beginning January 1, 2015. The benefit corporation combines characteristics of both for-profit and nonprofit corporations, and Minnesota joins almost two dozen other states already recognizing benefit corporations.

Recent creation of the Public Benefit Corporation gives Minnesota entrepreneurs a new choice By Julie L. Fisk and Peter B. Postma

What is a benefit corporation?

A benefit corporation is an entity election allowing a new or existing company to voluntarily meet higher standards of accountability and transparency related to a public purpose in exchange for identifying itself as a benefit corporation. Benefit corporations: 1 Have a dual purpose of making a profit and creating

About the writers

a societal benefit (without one purpose being more important than the other).

2 Must consider the impact of decisions on shareholders, workers, the community, and the environment.

3 Have annual public reporting requirements assessing their societal impact.

Becoming a benefit corporation does not affect a company’s tax status nor does it affect a company’s underlying corporate structure.

Minnesota’s statute is unique in that it allows a company to designate itself as either a general or a specific benefit corporation. A specific benefit corporation may designate a specific societal impact upon which to focus and has less rigorous annual reporting requirements. For example, a coffee shop may choose to focus on sustainable farming practices as its specific benefit, and then positively impact that cause by integrating into its business plan product sourcing that uses sustainable farming practices.

Why become a benefit corporation?

There are several reasons why the benefit corporation is an interesting new opportunity for both new and existing businesses in Minnesota. First, the combination of profit and societal benefit may boost capital investment as increasingly savvy investors are seeking out investment opportunities that also generate positive social outcomes. Second, a benefit corporation is identified as such and has unique marketing and branding potential that can be used to more effectively reach target audiences and promote products and services. Third, benefit corporations in other states have seen increased and sustained profit margins over their traditional competitors because of their dual purpose, even during the recent recession.

Additionally, conversion to a benefit corporation allows Minnesota businesses that are already serving their communities to ensure that

Julie L. Fisk is an attorney at Quinlivan & Hughes, P.A. in St. Cloud. She practices in the areas of employment law and business law. Peter B. Postma is a law clerk at Quinlivan & Hughes. He is a 2014 graduate of the University of St. Thomas School of Law.

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their societal impact remains an integral part of the business model well into the future. By making societal impact part of a company’s articles of incorporation, a benefit corporation ensures that the vision continues long after the current directors have retired. This corporate form could be an integral part of business succession planning, and such a corporate conversion may create a legacy of socially-conscience business practices while maintaining profitability.

The Minnesota Public Benefit Corporation Act affords a viable and advantageous new choice for Minnesota businesses, and Minnesota companies would be wise to consider this new corporate form as part of their choice of entity analysis. BC

Working Well

New Leadership Employer wellness programs part of new medical director’s focus.

Family Medicine Physician Janet Handrigan, MD, is the new Health and Wellness medical director for CentraCare Health.

As medical director, Handrigan will have a leadership role in establishing CentraCare Health’s wellness strategies by collaborating with internal and external partners to build on past efforts, including BLEND, NuVal and Crave the Change. She also will be involved

Lisa Koster

in CentraCare Health’s efforts to improve individual monitoring and coaching of healthy behaviors, support preventive care with patients, develop employer wellness programs, and advocate for community-wide policies that create or improve access to healthier diet, exercise or tobacco avoidance/cessation.

She started the part-time (.25) position July 1 and continues to see patients at CentraCare Clinic – Northway, 1555 Northway Drive.

Ashley Ohlemann

Joy Schafer Linda DooleyBauer

Melissa Theisen Rich Remer, President

Tammy Reis, Vice President, Lending Simply Free Business Checking Call us today for a consultation.

(320) 253-0142 · 800-821-6326 · anbmn.com 3210 W Division St · St. Cloud

A strong team for business.

Bank on it.

AMERICANNATIONALBANK OF MINNESOTA

MEMBER FDIC | EQUAL HOUSING LENDER

Where it pays to bank.

S E P t E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4 • • 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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BUSINESS TOOLS G R OW

Management TOOLKIT

In Praise of Performance Reviews

When done properly, performance reviews become benchmarks for efficiency and goal fulfillment.

By Tracy Knofla

N

o management topic elicits more negative commentary than performance reviews. Dreaded by managers and employees alike, apparently few people enjoy examining their work performance. While there is no shortage of people who freely discuss how hard they work, or how over-loaded they are, somehow discussing their attitude, work patterns or goal attainment is completely distasteful. And yet, as management tasks go, no task is more important to the overall

health of your organization than assessing the performance of your most valuable asset — your people.

Change the Perception Employees and managers often resent the performance review process when it is not connected in a meaningful way with everyday work. Also, if there is no direct connection to compensation, the review process seems meaningless to all involved. However, when performance reviews are an ongoing and integral component of the management process, they

fit seamlessly into the culture of the organization, becoming benchmarks for efficiency and goal fulfillment.

To change negative perceptions of the performance review process, you need to ensure that the reviews are not just a once-a-year exercise.

Supervisors should be familiar with their employees’ latest review and coach them on desired behaviors. Performance reviews should not be used to discipline or terminate employees. Nor should they be filed away and never seen again. If after the review is completed, some improvements need to be made, the supervisor and the employee should engage in ongoing dialogue and training until the desired behavior has been demonstrated.

Find a Great Tool A quick online search will net you hundreds of sample performance review tools. These will give you a good idea of what is available.

However, the key to selecting the proper assessment instrument for your industry begins with your company’s position descriptions.

Take some time to review your descriptions in order to identify core traits, skills, attitudes, or styles that are essential to your organization’s success. Once

these are in place you can find a tool that will accurately assess these within your workforce.

Be mindful of the workload of your management staff as you select the tool. Too often busy supervisors do not have time to complete performance reviews that are overly complicated, particularly if they are responsible for many employees.

Train and Practice When you select an assessment tool, it’s imperative that you train employees and supervisors to use the instrument properly.

Provide examples of completed assessments and a list of comments covering a wide range of employee behaviors.

If your assessment includes employee feedback, they should also be given sample assessments and phrases to use, as often employees don’t feel confident in their ability to assess their own work.

Once the paperwork segment of the training is complete, you might begin role-playing several different types of performance reviews. Demonstrate both “easy” and “difficult” reviews.

Video tape the demonstrations for future use. Give participants many different scenarios to observe and lots of coaching

About the writer Tracy Knofla is the co-owner and featured consultant of High Impact Training. She has been presenting to audiences across the country for more than 25 years.

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to successfully conduct all kinds of performance reviews.

Make it Matter All positions throughout the organization should receive a performance review.

It serves not only as a way to change behavior, but also as a way to tap into employee motivation. People want to hear that they are doing a good job and that they are important to the company.

And, when the review is handled in a professional manner, most employees will accept critical feedback and coaching to help them be more successful. The performance review can, and should, be an opportunity for your company to strengthen its resources. Make it matter in your workplace. BC

GOING GREEN

Curb phantom electricity.

Many appliances still consume energy even when turned off. Items left plugged into the wall, such as a cell phone charger or laptop adapter, can leak more than 20 watts of power. In the United States alone, “phantom electricity” emits roughly 12 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere.

Avoid this by plugging office equipment into a power strip and turning it off at night and on weekends. Source: Conservation International

Caring at a Moment’s Notice We’re right here when you need us.

There are things in life that require waiting.

Responsive health care at a moment’s notice shouldn’t be one of them. When the unexpected happens, St. Cloud Medical Group offers affordable after-hours Express Care at both St. Cloud campuses seven days a week.

Express Care Hours: Monday – Friday: 2:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Saturday – Sunday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Northwest Campus

South Campus

320-529-4741

320-240-2170

Family Medicine + OB/GYN + Pediatrics + Express Care + Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation + Occupational Medicine + Surgery

StCloudMedical.com BC7.5x4.875ExpressCareAD.indd 1

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BUSINESS TOOLS G R OW

TECH STRATEGIES

Sales Navigator

LinkedIn’s new business model may help sales professionals and recruiters be more successful. as Sales Navigator, to use as a prospecting tool.

So what is the investment getting you? Here’s a look at four of the features:

By Dawn Zimmerman

H

ave you checked out LinkedIn lately?

It’s moving beyond just staking its claim as the professional profile of record to providing business services designed to help professionals be savvy and more successful.

Since it first launched in May 2003, LinkedIn has grown to 300 million registered members in 200 countries and territories. About 100 million of those users are in the United States. The shift started in

2011 when LinkedIn became publicly traded. But the changes really were not seen until 2013 when the company stepped up its efforts to become more professionally relevant and socially active.

Recently, LinkedIn began promoting a more diverse business model with paid memberships targeted most specifically at sales professionals and recruiters. Each offers three plans that range from about $25 a month to about $75 a month.

LinkedIn designed the plan for sales professionals, known

1 Get advanced search capabilities.

LinkedIn is as much a search engine as it is a professional networking tool. Through LinkedIn, users have access to a massive database. Any user can search using core categories such as name, company and location.

With the paid options, users can drill down further with eight additional filters, such as company size, seniority and years of experience. A move to the $50 plan provides users five times the search results, according to LinkedIn. The paid options also open up the view of connections beyond to third degree connections. That can increase the profiles users see by 35 times.

2 Privately message people you are not connected to.

Under the free account, users may only send a private InMail message to people they are connected with. With the paid accounts, users can send up to 10 messages a month to people

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

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outside their connections.

That increases to 25 a month under the $75 plan. These messages can prove valuable for sales professionals or business owners looking to connect with prospects.

3 Build and save lists.

Think of LinkedIn as a modernday rolodex. It’s broader than the traditional rolodex, offers more information about contacts, and remains dynamic.

That means users can continue to virtually connect with key individuals. Users can create lists based on their desired search criteria and save those lists for ongoing use.

4 Receive search alerts and lead recommendations.

The $50 and $75 plans help users discover more leads.

Using preset search criteria, LinkedIn searches for potential leads and sends up to 10 email notifications a day with matches.

Then, users can take the results to the next level through InMail, requests for introductions from a connection, or offline methods.

Under the free plan, users can request up to five introductions a month. That increases to 15-35 a month under the paid plans.

The best way to know if a paid LinkedIn plan will work for you is to try it. Check out a demonstration and sign up for a free trial at LinkedIn.com. BC

TECH News

Bird’s Eye View

Google’s aerial imagery is now available for purchase. Businesses and governments can use it to map public service projects, study the environmental impact of a project, or evaluate a property. Google’s aerial and satellite imagery was already available, but users could only view the images. They didn’t get access to the images directly and couldn’t manipulate them. Google’s customers will now be able to use the Google Maps Engine to get access to these images. But be aware — this new program doesn’t make Google’s satellite imagery available for purchase — only its aerial imagery. Source: TechCrunch

DID you KNOW?

2nd

In a June 2014 report, KPMG International, the accounting and analysis firm, announced that the Twin Cities has a very competitive overall tax structure for business, ranking it second in the United States and eighth in the world for companies that do a lot of research and development, such as medical and technology concerns.

TECH News

Quirky Tech Nail art, that is, fingernail art, is enjoying the benefits of technology.

Tat’z Nail’z prints miniature images on fingernails in seven to 10 seconds. Users can select from thousands of artistic images and photos already pre-loaded into the machine, or they can choose a personal photo from their phone. Tat’z Nail’z images will last on the nails from one to two weeks. Source: Tatznailz.com

Greater Outcomes JOINED AT THE HIP We use the most advanced techniques and technologies to perform nearly 1,000 joint replacements each year. Like muscle sparing direct anterior hip surgery with computer assisted navigation. It gives our board certified orthopedic surgeons amazing control and accuracy during surgery. Which means a better outcome, quicker recovery, and faster return to the things you love to do.

StCloudOrthopedics.com 320.259.4100 1901 Connecticut Ave S, Sartell

Knee & Shoulder • Joint Replacement • Sports Medicine • Hand Center • Trauma • Spine Center • Foot & Ankle • Physical & Occupational Therapy BCGreaterOutcomes7.5x4.875.indd 1

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ECONOMY CENTRAL PRESENTED BY FALCON BANK

The Land of Opportunity St. Cloud has what it takes to give everyone a leg-up. By Cindy Fitzthum

D

oes a child living in Charlotte, North Carolina have the same opportunities as a child living in St. Cloud, Minnesota?

Raj Chetty, an economics professor from Harvard, has tried to answer this question by analyzing 12 million income records of parents and their children born between 1980 and 1982. The short answer is no. However, the larger question is “Why?” When income mobility is discussed, America is divided into quintiles of the poorest (fifth quintile) to the wealthiest (first quintile). To give one perspective, according to the Tax Policy Center, the mean of household income of the fifth quintile in 2011 was $11,239

and the mean of household income of the first quintile was $178,020. Is it possible, and if so how, for a child to move from the bottom quintile to the top?

To promote high income mobility, Chetty explains that an area must have low residential segregation, good schools, greater social capital, low inequality (size of the middle class) and stable families. Minneapolis, for example, seems to be doing something right with these five items. It is currently ranked eighth of major cities in upward income mobility in the United States. In fact, the entire state of Minnesota is ranked above average compared to the rest of the nation on all measures of income inequality.

(Overall, Charlotte has the worst upward income mobility ranking at 4.4 percent and Salt Lake City has the best at 12.9 percent.)

What makes Minnesota, specifically St. Cloud, the land of opportunity? We are near average on residential racial segregation. We invest in social capital, which means we believe our community benefits from social contact and networking to promote productivity. (A great example of this is the after-hours gatherings the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce hosts!)

We have low high school dropout rates and low numbers of single parent households compared to the national average. Children growing up in the St. Cloud area have a 13 percent chance of moving from the bottom quintile to the top quintile, which is one of the best percentages in the nation.

What can we learn from this? Chetty explains that we must look at states and cities with high upward mobility rates to create models to help the other states and cities.

He stresses that the United States needs to improve the quality of their education

system. For example, teacher quality has a significant impact on educational outcomes (such as student test scores).

Chetty argues that attracting top quality teachers is more important than class sizes in some cases. Controlling for other factors, he estimates that replacing the bottom 5 percent of teachers in the United States will increase student lifetime earnings by an additional $50,000. This translates into about $1.4 million for a classroom of 28 students!

So, congratulations St. Cloud!

As long as we continue to promote these ideals and values, we will continue to live up to our reputation as an area in which those who start life with limited resources have the opportunity to substantially improve their economic well being. BC Cindy Fitzthum is the director of the Center for Economic Education at St. Cloud State University

ONLINE NOW

For income data and a link to Dr. Raj Chetty’s article on income mobility, visit www.BusinessCentral Magazine.com

BY THE NUMBERS: A notable ranking for Minnesota.

5th

In a 2014 survey evaluating the business climate in every state, Minnesota scored as a “top place” to start or grow a small business.

Minnesota earned a “B” for its friendliness for small businesses. Overall Minnesota rated 5th when it came to ease of starting a business, but received a “C” or “C+” for its regulations, including health and safety, labor, licensing, regulations and the friendliness of the tax code. Thumbtack.com, a San Francisco-based service that links individuals to small businesses, conducted the survey in partnership with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

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Economy Central presented by

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28

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$1,025,737

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$438,745

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$200K

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

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8

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$90,578

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No. of $400k permits 7

$12,840,741

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24 27 31 10 44 11 5711 408 5213 48

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44

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COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED $600k 12 JJ

$200K

$19,854,821

31

$50K

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24

$17,172,684

J

$2,550,400

M

$8,024,900

$2,750,900

A

St. Cloud

$90,578

$5M

Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions Sartell BENTON COUNTY Sauk Rapids

$1M

$1M

$1M

$2M

$100K

$800k

$3,325,100

$2,021,194

NM DJ

$1.5M

$901,692

78

$4,080,908

$9,790,410

OA

Sartell

$100K

$2,359,750

$9,976,366

$1.5M

$250K

$6M

$486,300 $4,080,908

$1M

$2M

$1,170,900

$2M

37

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8 J

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St. Cloud Minneapolis/St. Paul Minnesota United States

N/A

$0

1.5

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0.5

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$0 J J A S BY O PRESENTED FALCON BANK $60k $0 No. of permits 141 3 1 S O N D J F

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XXXX

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J

$.5M

$.5M

1.0

$400K

150

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-0.5 $200k $100k $21,733 $200k 0.5 $0 $06% $0 $0 $0 J J A S O N $200k D J F M A M J J J A S O N D J $0 $0 J F M A M J 4A S O $0N J D J JJ A FJ SMA OAS NMO D JN J D$100k $21,733 F M A M J F M A M J J J A S O N J D J J A F S M O A NM D J J J J A S O JN JD AJ SF OM NA DM JJ F M J J $0 $0No. of permits 143 170 181 167 140 69 23 20 27 58 104 160 154 -1.0 19 57 40 52 48 27$100k No. of permits 65 49 50 47 45 No. of permits 7 8 70.0 13 19 31 38 75 10 11 50permits 19 57 No. of permits of permits 1 2 10 16 28 8 1 No. of permits 143 170 181No. No. of permits 65 49 50No.47 No. of 167 140 69 19 2357 2040 27 5258 4810427160 1015411 8 13 24 31 44 45 7 7 8 8 7 5 131519 1131 7 38 3 75 1 40of permits 52 48 9 27 2110 8 11 158 18 13 424 231 044 2 $30k St. Cloud $0 $0 $0 N/A N D J F M A M J J J A S O N D Minneapolis/St. J F M A Paul M J J J J A S O N D J F M 2A M J -1.5 $0 $0 $0 -0.5 J A S O N D Minnesota O6 N1 D2 J1 F46 M3 A50 M66 J No. of permits No. of permits 3J No. of permits 2J 8 8 7 8 16 10 J3 F3 M6 A8 M 11 J3 6% J141 J 3 A1 S1 O 2 N 1 D 3 J 0 F 1 M1 A 3 M5 J 0

$0

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$

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$200k

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8

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1

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No. of permits 1 A M J J

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St.Rapids Cloud Sartell Sauk Rapids Waite Park St. Augusta St. Cloud Sauk Sartell Sauk Rapids COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, United States Nonfarm Jobs Gross Domestic Product Product Creation AL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOL COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS,BUILDING CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED heriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions Median Housing Prices Local Nonfarm Jobs Home Sales Closed Total Lodging Tax Dollars Unemplo Food & Beverage Tax Collections UNITED STATES 2013-14 QUARTERLY % CHANGE IN REAL GDP BUSINESSES CREATING IN LAST YEAR TEARNS COUNTY ST.Lodging MINNESOTA BENTON NEW ANDPRODUCTS STEARNS COUNTY - MONTHLY % CHANGE CLOUD ST. CLOUD COUNTRY WIDE ST. CLOUD Tax Dollars Unemployment Rates Minneso Food & Beverage Tax Collections 5 0.8%

A

0

6

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$0 St. Cloud $0 -3 $0 $0 4th Quarter J 1st F M A M J J Quarter A S O N D J $0 Quarter M ACentral M J MN J J J A A S S O ON ND D J 2nd 3rd Quarter Minnesota F M A M J SF OM NA DM J-1.5 S O N J D J J A F SM OA NM D J J J J A S Minneapolis/St. O JN JD AJ Paul J F M No. of permits -0.2 No. of permits 141 3 1 7 5 6 0 2 6 $01 2 1 46 3 50 66 1 24%1 3 0 Minnesota J F M A M J J A S O N D No. of permits No. of permits 3 8 8 7 8 16 10 3 3 6 8 11 3 No. of permits 6 0 2 6 1 2 1 46 3 50 66 141 3 1 1 2 2 1 1 3 3 0 5 1 01 03 05 0 0 2J 1F A M M J J A S O N D J F M A M United States

J

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4

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0.8

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0.2

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$800k

$800k

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.71%

$2,475,200

$8,024,900

$1,170,900

$9,790,410

$9,976,366

$12,840,741

$9,790,410 $19,854,821

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J

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0.7%

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0.8

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$1M

0.8

Local Nonfarm Jobs

$90k $90k

$60k $0

J

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$3M

$400k

MONTHLY % CHANGE $1M

1.0

CHANGE $120kBENTON AND STEARNS COUNTY - MONTHLY %0.6% 0.4 $120k

100k

50100k

5

5

$9,976,366

$600k

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10

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$3M

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20

$4M

$19,854,821

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$5M $800k

$17,172,684

$8,024,900

$5M

$1M

$1M

ST. CLOUD $150k $150k

200k

Median Housing Prices

25

$6M

$1M

$6M

ST. 200CLOUD $150k

30

A

Sources: Minnesota Compass led4%

by Wilder Research; Bureau of Economic Analysis - www.BEA .gov.

S

J

M

F

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Gross Domestic Product Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions Median Housing Prices Local No QUARTERLY % CHANGE IN REAL GDP STEARNS COUNTY MINNESOTA BENTON AND ’s Foreclosure Auctions Median Housing Local Nonfarm Jobs Sheriff ’s Foreclosure AuctionsPrices Home Sales Closed - Total Lodging TaxRates Dollars les Closed 2013-14 - Sheriff Total Lodging Tax Dollars Unemployment Food & Beverage Tax Collections Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions Home Sales Closed Total Lodging Tax Dollars STEARNS COUNTY MINNESOTA BENTON AND STEARNS COUNTY MONTHLY % CHANGE BENTON COUNTY ST. CLOUD ST. CLOUD 5 30 200k ST. CLOUD BENTON COUNTY

30 4

4.1%

20

2nd Quarter

0 D

J

F

M

J A

J A M J

3rd Quarter S

O

N

10

4th Quarter D

J

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50k

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A J

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5

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0 OM

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50 $30k St. Cloud

50

0 J A

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JJ M

AF A

S M M

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United States ’s Foreclosure Auctions Jobs United States Nonfarm Jobs Nonfarm Cost of Living -Sheriff Minnesota

ERLY % CHANGE IN REAL GDP

F

M J

M

J

A A

M A

30

0.2

O

1.0

St. Cloud $30k Minneapolis/St. Paul Rochester

$30k

N/A

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Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auc Local Nonfarm Jobs Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions STEARNS COUNTY

MINNESOTA 2013-14 QUARTERLY % CHANGE IN REAL GDP 5 5 200k

STEARNS COUNTY BENTON AND STEARNS COUNTY - MONTHLY % C 30 30

0.8

0.8

0.6

XXXX XXXX 0.4

0.6

0.2

15

0.0

0.0

T po ran rta stio n He Ca alt re h

Ut ili tie s

Ho us ing

Al l It em s

G Ite roc m ery s M

-1.0 J F M A M J F M A J M J J A J S A O SN OD NJ D

0

St. Cloud, MN

95.7

105.5

78.2

83.1

Minneapolis, MN

108.2

104.5

115.0 96.5

J A

A M

S J

O

N

D

-3

0%

2nd Quarter

99.9

111.8 105.2

108.4

98.3

New York (Manhattan) NY

-2

Honolulu HI

-3

San Francisco CA 4th Quarter F

M

Hilo HI

110.1

114.4 94.3

109.0

99.9

Mankato, MN

94.9

105.8

77.6

91.4

103.6

100.5 100.8

Cedar Rapids, IA

93.3

93.4

86.9

98.3

93.3

220.3 163.9

M

1st Quarter J

163.4

0

J

XXXX

15 10

0.0

J

A

S

O

-0.2 N JD

5 0

J J FJ MF

A A M

148.3 139.6

Oakland CA

137.6

105.2 95.0

Fairbanks AK

136.4

Among the 288 urban areas participating in the first quarter report, the after-tax cost for a professional/managerial standard of living ranged from more than twice the national average in Manhattan, NY to almost 19 percent below the national average in Norman, OK.

93.9

99.7

81.8

98.3

112.5 97.5

Milwaukee WI

101.9

99.7

107.4 114.3 98.3

115.0 94.2

O MJ

143.9

Washington DC

Eau Claire, WI

S M A

150.6

Orange County CA

105.0

A

New York (Brooklyn) NY San Jose CA

108.3

0.2

-2.9% Rochester

-2.9%

2nd Quarter 3rd Quarter J4th Quarter A S O 1stNQuarter D J

10

St. Cloud 5 175.1 Minneapolis/St. Paul

109.3

St. Paul, MN

91.5

3rd QuarterJ

-1

0.4

250

F

200

J

150

-1.0

-2

50k

100

1st Quarter

-0.8

-1

50

4th Quarter

-0.8

-0.6

15

ACCRA Index

0

-2.9%

5

1 0

0

-0.4 -0.6

100k

1

First Quarter 2014 -0.2 -0.2 Minnesota and other Upper Midwest 10 Cities -0.4

3rd Quarter

J

0.0

Sources: Tax Collections – City of St. Cloud Incorporations - MN Secretary of State, Graph courtesy of SCSU

G Se ood rv s/ ice s

0.6 0.4

%

J

S

0.2

6%

4 4 The St. Cloud area experienced a below average cost of living during the first quarter of4.1% 2014. The “all items”25index for 25 25 4.1% 3 150k 3 St. Cloud was 95.7, or 4.3 percent below the national average of 100 for the quarter.

That compares to an “all items” index 20 2.6% 20 20 2 2.6% 2.5% 2.6% 2 of 95.0 in the same quarter a year ago.

2.5% 0.8

4.1%

M

Minneapolis/St. Paul Rochester

0.4

$60k

$60k

0.2

Gross Domestic Product Median Housing Prices Gross Domestic Product 2013-14 QUARTERLY % CHANGE IN REAL GDP

UNITED STATES - MONTHLY % CHANGE STEARNS COUNTY UNITED STATES - MONTHLY % CHANGE 1.0

50k

$90k

$90k

0.4

$60k

2

1st Quarter

0M

XXXX XXXX X 0.6

= exceeds chart scale

8%

100k

100

4

$120k

$120k

$90k 100

Housing/Real Estate sources: St. Cloud Area Association of Realtors, http://stcloudrealtors.com/pages/statistics; Benton County Sheriff’s Civil Process; Stearn’s County Sheriff’s Office; http://thething.mplsrealtor.com/

mestic Product

er

15

$60k

2

150

100k

6

4

5

20

0.8

$120k 150 0.6

$90k

-3 N

$150k

0.8

8

6

-110

O

150k

8

15

S

COUNTRY WIDE $150k 10%

ST. CLOUD

150k

$120k

2.6%

2.5%

0

-2

200

10

10

1

A

200k

25

325 2

ST. CLOUD 200 $150k

ST. CLOUD

12

$150k

12

The Cost of Living index measures regional differences in the cost of consumer goods and services, excluding taxes and non-consumer expenditures, for professional and managerial households in the top income quintile. It is based on more than 90,000 prices covering almost 60 different items for which prices are collected quarterly by the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce. Small differences should not be interpreted as showing any measurable difference, according to ACCRA.

38

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4

Economy Central presented by

N JJ

D A

J S

F M O

x

Paula Capes Commercial and SBA Lender

x

John Herges President and CEO

x

Dennis Miller Commercial and SBA Lender

A LOCAL BANK UNMATCHED BUSINESS BANKING That’s Reality.

Every business is different. That’s why Falcon National Bank has a variety of financial solutions for businesses both big and small that are designed to fit a wide variety of needs from SBA Preferred lending and capital loans to merchant credit card services and remote deposit. Our products allow your business the flexibility to grow and thrive while our expert staff handles all the rest.

Member FDIC

www.FalconNational.com

From left to right: Adam Weber, Ben Swenson, Brian Weber, Paul Seipel, Andrew Swenson and Corey Weber

40

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4

next gen

Drawing on their roots, Midwest Machinery’s second generation is putting people first while embracing a contemporary growth strategy.

Written by gail ivers Photos by Joel Butkowski, BDI Photography

business profile

Combines. Forage harvesters. Utility tractors. Sprayers.

Sounds like pretty boring stuff for the average person, right? Maybe not.

That combine has an mp3 player with BlueTooth and lumbar support in the seat, with a heated cushion.

The sprayer has a touch screen display in the cab that includes service diagnostics, mapping, and video.

Those tractors? They text the service department when they’re ready for an oil change.

Farming is one of the oldest industries in the world…and it’s on the sharpest edge of technology. No wonder it’s attracting young people, like the owners of Midwest Machinery, who are anxious to try their hands at running a

Midwest Machinery Co. 1035 35th Ave NE Sauk Rapids, MN 56379-9654 Phone: (320) 252-2010 Fax: (320) 252-1933 midwestmachineryco.com Email: info@mmcjd.com

complex business while staying close to their rural roots.

“I always knew I wanted to get in the business,” said Brian Weber, one of the company’s six second-generation owners. Weber’s father, Curt, was one of the original owners of Midwest Machinery. “Even growing up I liked being involved – putting parts away, cleaning up the combines, all that kind of thing. I knew it was special to be part of a family business and I wanted to get into it right out of college.”

Brian’s brother, Corey wasn’t so sure.

The corporate world held more appeal to him. “After college, I went to work for Best Buy,” Corey said. “About two years into it I started talking to my brother, Brian, who was at Midwest Machinery.

Leadership team: Ben and Andrew Swenson; Corey, Brian, and Adam Weber; and Paul Seipel.

Ownership: The leadership team, plus Charlie Swenson, Curt Weber and Gene Seipel.

Number of employees: 25 in Sauk Rapids; 300 company-wide Business Description: John Deere equipment dealer, sales and service

It was a smaller business, family-owned, and it seemed like we would have an opportunity to get in, make some changes, and really impact people’s lives.”

Andrew Swenson, the first of the second-generation owners to enter the business, was drawn in by his father.

Charlie Swenson and Curt Weber became partners in 1988 when they purchased Glenwood Equipment, a John Deere Dealership in Glenwood, Minn.

Between 1988 and 2001 the partners added five additional dealerships, bringing in Gene Seipel as a third partner in 2001.

“I was working at a bank after college,” Andrew said. “Dad called about a business that was for sale in Stewart, Minnesota. I didn’t know if I wanted

Locations: Aitkin, Alexandria, Baxter, Glencoe, Glenwood, Howard Lake, Little Falls, Paynesville, Princeton, Sauk Centre, St. Cloud (Sauk Rapids), Stewart, and Wadena Mission: We provide progressive solutions by delivering the best products and aftermarket support through employees who commit themselves to customers that demand the highest value.

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to get into a John Deere business. He said he’d only get into it if I’d participate.

So I traveled down there and I liked it right away.” Andrew was able to borrow enough money to buy into the business and immediately took over running the store. “That was prior to John Deere’s consolidation efforts,” he said, “so a single store was still viable at the time.”

Midwest machinery currently has 13 locations in Minnesota.

But not for long. Within two years, John Deere was pushing small stores to consolidate into regional dealerships.

The Swenson/Weber/Seipel group was well positioned to take advantage of the changes. They merged their Glencoe, Howard Lake, and Stewart stores into one group and purchased the dealership in Sauk Rapids, forming Minnesota Ag Power, Inc. “I’m lucky that I was in the generation that got to experience the customer interaction and then got to transition to this larger corporate structure,” Andrew said.

“I kind of feel bad for the next generation, when we get there, that they may not get to experience some of that small business feel that I was able to experience.”

After a year at CHS-Grain Marketing, Ben Swenson joined the family business,

starting out in sales and eventually taking over as general manager. “When I graduated from college, I really wanted to work in a large ag business,” Ben said.

“Midwest Machinery was a lot smaller company then and I didn’t think that’s what I wanted. But after I got involved and saw we could make this more than it is today, that we could grow it and that there was opportunity for us, then it really appealed to me.”

Midwest Machinery is currently owned by six second-generation owners and three first-generation owners. One member of the first generation continues to work part-time in sales, the other two sit on the board of directors. All six of the second generation currently work full time in management positions. The final

leadership transition occurred in January 2013.

“The first-generation owners have been great with helping us determine key result areas, defining what our culture should be, and understanding which operational items we need to focus on,” Ben said. “But they set up a pretty autonomous organization and gave us lots of freedom to make our own decisions.”

“We’re unique as second-generation owners because we’re pretty young,” Corey Weber said, referring to the fact that all six of the owner/managers are 35 or younger.

“We’re pretty blessed because we have great first-generation owners who allowed us to make decisions, have some failures and figure out what’s the best way to do things.

It gives you confidence.”

personal profiles Andrew Swenson

Sales Manager/Used Equipment Manager

General Manager

Paul Seipel

Marketing Manager

Age: 35 Hometown: Tyler, MN

Age: 33

Age: 30 Hometown: Tracy, MN

Education: B.A. Ag-Business from Southwest Minnesota State University

Hometown: Tyler, MN

Education: South Dakota State University, B.A. Business Economics, B.A. Ag Business

Work History: Worked at Minnwest Bank in Montevideo and Slayton as an ag loan officer after college. Started in the John Deere business in 2003 when I moved to Hutchinson and operated the Stewart location. In 2005, I moved to Sauk Rapids to run the newly acquired store, and have changed positions through our growth, but have remained in the St. Cloud location.

Family: Married for four years to my wife, Erin.

We have 3 children: Jade and Jackson–2 year old twins, and Lauren–5 months.

Hobbies: The mountains (snowmobiling and bow hunting), spending time with family and friends.

Best business advice you’ve received: “There is no such thing as luck…you make your own.” – My dad Charlie Swenson.

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Ben Swenson

Education: B.S. Applied Economics – University of Minnesota Twin Cities Work History: CHS – Grain Marketing (2003-2004), Midwest Machinery Co. – Sales, Sales Manager, General Manager (2005-present) Family: None Hobbies: Hunting, snowmobiling, golfing Best business advice you’ve received: “Focus your business on supporting the customer after the sale and surround yourself with great people.” – My dad

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4

Work History: Army National Guard (6 years) Deployment to Iraq- OIF3/4; Glencoe/Cokato Implement – Sales intern; Schuneman Implement – Parts; Midwest Machinery Co. – sales lead in Alexandria Family: Wife Alissa - expecting our first baby in November Hobbies: Outdoors - camping, fishing, 4-wheeling, anything outside…

Best business advice you’ve received: If you put the time in, you will see results. If you don’t put any effort into anything, don’t expect to gain anything. – My dad, Gene Seipel

Ownership vs. Management Being an owner does not guarantee a seat on the management team, according to Ben. “We’ve been very deliberate in separating ownership of the business from management of the business,” he said. As a team they looked at the skill sets of the second-generation owners and determined what role they would play in the company.

“When we sat down to figure out who would do what, we tried to take the ownership out of the picture. We agreed we needed to build a really, really strong management team for Midwest Machinery,” he said. With 13 locations, additional plans for growth, and a leadership and ownership transition in the works, it was not the time to fit the job to the person.

“We looked at the skill sets of our current owners. If they wanted to be in a position that fit their skill set, great. If they wanted to be in a different position, we would try to develop them into that role, or we’ll bring in someone from the outside who has the necessary skills,” Ben explained. “If your ownership responsibilities are to attend board meetings and travel to some of the

Adam Weber

Location Manager, Little Falls

Midwest Machinery Honored

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he St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with Gilleland Chevrolet Cadillac, introduced a new award this year. The Business Central Mark of ExcellenceEmerging Entrepreneur Award honors a company whose ownership/leadership has been in place for less than 10 years, has shown a profit for at least the last three years, and has demonstrated growth since the current leadership assumed control.

The inaugural recipient, Midwest Machinery Co., is managed by six second-generation owners, all under the age of 40.

Midwest Machinery has its roots in a John Deere dealership in Glenwood, Minn., purchased by Curt Weber and Charlie Swenson in the mid-1980s. In 2003 Andrew Swenson bought into the business, followed by Ben Swenson in 2005, and additional second-generation family members in 2006. In 2008, the partners merged their eight John Deere locations into one company known as Midwest Machinery.

The transition from first-generation leadership to second generation was fully realized in January 2013 when Ben Swenson was named general manager. Up to that point each store had run somewhat independently. “We realized we needed a team to look at the company as a whole, not just at individual stores,” Swenson said.

This became particularly apparent as the company added four new stores in 2013, bringing the total to 13.

As a team, the six members of the second generation have discussed their skill sets, and the difference between ownership and leadership. “We agree that we need to build a strong management team for Midwest Machinery,” Swenson said “Creating a separation between owning the business and managing the business is something we’ve really tried to manage correctly.”

Brian Weber

Corey Weber

Regional Sales Manager

Sales Manager

Age: 24

Age: 28

Age: 31 Hometown: Glenwood

Hometown: Glenwood

Hometown: Glenwood, MN

Education: Saint John’s University, B.A. in Biology and Theology

Education: Saint John’s University – B.A. in Business Management

Education: B.A. from Saint John’s University

Work History: Started at Midwest Machinery – Sauk Rapids in Lawn and Garden Sales. Moved to location manager position in Little Falls in the fall of 2013.

Family: Mother, Angie. Father, Curt.

Older brothers, Brian and Corey.

Hobbies: Spending time with family and friends. Anything on the lake.

Reading. Cooking.

Best business advice you’ve received: “Always see the best in people and always give people the benefit of the doubt” – My dad

Work History: Midwest Machinery for seven years – Started out as a salesman at our St. Cloud location for a year, then was a location manager at our newly acquired Princeton location for three years, and in my current role for the last three years.

Family: Engaged to Kirsten; I also have a 7-year-old son named Carson Hobbies: Traveling, sports, summers at the cabin Best business advice you’ve received: “We have a great responsibility to find the best people and provide a work environment that they can flourish in.” – My dad

Work History: Worked at the Best Buy corporate headquarters as a buyer analyst for two years right out of college. Left Best Buy for Midwest Machinery 6.5 years ago.

Family: Wife Christy, daughter Cami (2 ½), son Cooper (7 months) Hobbies: Travel, golf, spending time with family and friends Best business advice you’ve received: My dad.

He said employees are the most important part of business. I specifically remember him saying that people won’t follow and trust you as a leader until they fully know that you care and respect them as a person. He said if you continually focus on putting the right people in the right position to succeed, then everything else will take care of itself.

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TIMELINE 1988 – Charlie Swenson and Curt Weber buy Glenwood Equipment, Inc. in Glenwood 1993 – Glenwood Equipment purchases the John Deere dealership in Sauk Centre 1996 – Glenwood Equipment purchases the John Deere dealership in Alexandria 1999 – Glenwood Equipment purchases the John Deere dealership in Paynesville 2001 – Swenson and Weber purchase two dealerships in Glencoe and Cokato (now Howard Lake) and form Glencoe Equipment, Inc. Gene Seipel becomes a partner and manages the two new locations.

2003 – Swenson contacts his son, Andrew, and invites him to become a partner in a dealership in Stewart.

The two Swensons, Weber and Seipel purchase the dealership and form Stewart Equipment Inc. 2005 – Glencoe Equipment and Stewart Equipment merge and purchase the dealership in Sauk Rapids, forming Minnesota Ag Power, Inc. Ben Swenson joins the company in sales. Andrew Swenson moves to Sauk Rapids to run the newly acquired store.

2007 – Brian Weber joins the company in sales at the Sauk Rapids store.

2008 – Glenwood Equipment and Minnesota Ag Power, each with four locations, merge to create the eightlocation company Midwest Machinery.

The company rebrands all of their sites as Midwest Machinery. Corey Weber joins the business in sales.

2009 – Midwest Machinery purchases the dealership in Princeton; Brian Weber becomes location manager of the Princeton store; Paul Seipel joins the company as sales lead in the Alexandria office.

2012 – Adam Weber joins the business at the Sauk Rapids location doing lawn and garden sales.

2013 – Midwest Machinery purchases the dealerships in Little Falls, Wadena, Baxter, and Aitkin, bringing their total number of locations to 13. Adam Weber becomes manager of the Little Falls store.

2014 – Midwest Machinery receives the 2014 Business Central Mark of Excellence – Emerging Entrepreneurs award

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Internet sales are a growing part of the company’s retail store operations.

locations and be seen as the owners, that’s great and we can do that. But when it comes to managing the business, we have to look at it based on skills.”

That’s not to say there aren’t disagreements. “Sure we have had our challenges determining what the roles and responsibilities are,” Ben said. “But I think we’re fortunate because all the owners, representing three different families, all get along very well and are aligned in where we see the business going.”

“Certainly as we continue to grow and expand, problems could arise,” Brian Weber said. “But I have so much confidence in our partners. We’ll be able to work through it and do what’s best for the business.”

Company growth is definitely on the charts, though the challenges may be different going forward. John Deere has significant influence over mergers and acquisitions and discourages one dealership from owning too many locations.

“Our growth opportunities are a little more limited if we want to grow in Minnesota,” Ben said. “We may have to look at a different type of dealership if we want to continue to grow – which we do.

But first, we need to make sure that we are operationally and financially strong at our current size. That’s the only way growing the business makes sense. ”

Culture Culture is a word that comes up frequently when talking to the Midwest Machinery team. “When I started in the business, there was a certain culture that I could feel when I went into our store locations,” Ben said. Ensuring that the culture stays consistent across all 13 locations, without losing the unique

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4

nature of each store, is one of the company’s challenges.

“As long as the mission, vision and values are common across the company and everyone is living those,” he said, “we seem to have a lot of alignment around what the things are that we’re going to work on for operations, for customers, and for our employees.”

“We’ve been saying for 10 years that our culture is empowerment,” Andrew Swenson said. “That’s what we’re all about is empowering people.”

But letting go is never easy. “Now that we have some scale as a company we’re able to attract talent we couldn’t get in the past. We need to trust the HR people to make the right decision about employee benefits for 300 people,” he explained.

“That’s something in the past that I would really want to know because that’s a huge deal. I need to get over that. Ten years from now it’ll be even scarier because they’ll be making bigger decisions, but if we want to grow we have to empower those people and trust them.”

If it’s hard for the new generation of owners to let go, it’s really tough on their fathers. “Probably one of the biggest things we’re doing differently from the first-generation of owners is empowering our leaders to make really big decisions,” Andrew said. “When we communicate to our board of directors who’s making some of those decisions, they still struggle with that more than we do.” But it has to continue, he added, if the company is going to grow.

That’s one of the few differences the young entrepreneurs could define as they talked about taking over the company.

“Really, we learned from and rely on the expertise taught to us by our fathers,”

Ben Swenson said. “The biggest difference between the first and second-generation of owners is that the first generation had their fingers throughout the business.

That worked when we were smaller.” The second generation will focus on their areas of expertise, Ben said, but only because the business is larger and growth demands a separation of duties.

Another minor difference is the use of technology. “We use more technology than our fathers did,” Ben said, “but that’s only because we have more technology available to us.”

On the other hand, technology is now a player in the ag economy, according to Corey. “How well we, as a dealership, can embrace technology and figure out how to provide solutions that are easy for our customers to implement will impact how well we can grow the company.”

“When it comes to technology, our customers are getting more sophisticated and we need to make sure we can keep up

Coming next issue

Employees are another area of focus that all the partners agree is important. “The people side of the business is what we’ve been taught by the first generation of ownership – that’s your most important asset. Everyone knows that,” Ben said. “But it’s also about how do you develop a really good work environment and a community everybody loves to work in.”

“We have great employees,” Brian Weber said. “The relationships I’ve built and developed over the last several years have been incredible. We’re able to work with the individuals, get to know them, know their families, and provide them with growth opportunities because we’re a bigger company now. That’s really rewarding.”

Gail Ivers is vice president of the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce and managing editor of Business Central Magazine.

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“We’re really focused on trying to develop leaders,” Corey Weber said. “We’re building our leadership teams and leadership at the direct store level. One of my biggest challenges is making sure employees feel they’re getting the right amount of training, that they feel like they have the right path to grow with the company.”

Communication is key. “That’s one of the areas we try to measure ourselves on,” Corey said. “How well are we communicating the message company-wide and how well are we recognizing our top performers. I think one of the greatest things we get to be part of is helping someone grow in a new position and succeed. We can be proud of how they’re impacting the company, the community, and all the employees who work with them and report to them.” BC

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FEATURE

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PROFIT

UNTAPPED RESOURCE

If you haven’t considered employing persons with physical, mental, or developmental challenges, it’s time to reconsider. By Mary MacDonell Belisle

A

re you aware of the other-abled?

These are the differently-abled individuals in the community who represent an under-tapped well of talent, willing to prove their worth to business. Hiring workers with disabilities may be easier––and far more satisfying––than you ever imagined.

One hard spill away Imagine a popular 20-something, at the peak of health, gainfully employed as a restaurant manager. One hard spill on an icy slope causes a traumatic brain injury (TBI), which nearly kills him. Happily, he recovers, but is … different. He can’t perform some mental tasks; emotionally, he’s like a teen. Well, today he busses tables at one restaurant and works in the dish room of another. He is happy to do so. This young

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man needs an accommodation in the form of transportation, yet he remains driven to perform, contribute, and earn a paycheck.

Nothing Satisfies Like A Paycheck Persons with disabilities enjoy a paycheck as much as anyone. They prefer to have no label, though, and their difficulties should not be a barrier. These may include a seeing or hearing impairment, physical/motor restriction, developmental and cognitive limitation, or emotional consideration. Many local organizations have realized this, finding ways and means for these individuals to be trained, mentored, and mainstreamed into the business community.

Organizations such as Opportunity Services, WACOSA, Rise, Inc., Independence

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4

Center, Independent Lifestyles, to name a few, often provide various types of work/hire opportunities. One is training and employment at an organization-run enterprise like WACOSA’s, which offers document shredding, or assembling, packaging, fulfillment, and quality control for manufacturers. Another consists of supervised janitorial or outdoor work teams at a business. An organization is paid by the business for the services, and the organization issues the paycheck as the “employer of record.” Another option is for individuals to work for a business — sorting and pricing products, stocking shelves, cashiering, etc. — with the help of a coach. Workers are hired and paid by the business at market rate (if high-functioning) or at a commensurate wage, determined by productivity.

Here’s an example from the U.S. Department of Labor: “If an experienced nondisabled worker makes boxes and can produce 40 boxes in an hour, but a worker with a disability can only produce 10 boxes an hour, the worker with a disability is considered 25 percent as productive as the experienced nondisabled worker and should receive at least 25 percent of the prevailing wage rate for such work.”

Untapped resource The Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, noted in 2011 that the labor force in the U.S. contained 21 percent people with disabilities and 69 percent people without disabilities. Also 13.2 percent of people with disabilities were unemployed as compared to 8.3 percent of people without disabilities who were unemployed. Both the country and the state are underusing this employment pool. Why might that be?

“There are stereotypes out there and misunderstandings that persons with disabilities can’t do the job,” said Steven Howard, executive director, WACOSA. “What’s needed is education and awareness.”

There’s also a misconception that persons with disabilities are more prone to injury or accidents, noted Craig Zack, vice-president of Opportunity Services. “We haven’t found this to be true.”

People focus on differences and potential accommodations, explained Tom Herges,

manager of Sexton Dining and the Refectory at Saint John’s University. “Don’t think of it as a daunting task,” said Herges, who made a person with disabilities from WACOSA his first hire at the university 20 years ago and now oversees 30 persons with disabilities.

Benefits for both Hiring persons with disabilities may be easier than you think and with some unforeseen benefits, according to Herges. He discovered techniques used to simplify training for his employees with disabilities––such as putting pictures of utensils on kitchen drawers––were extremely effective with his 70 college student trainees. Herges also found that replacing departing workers is seamless when the partnering organization is there with ready, willing, and able candidates.

Talahi Senior Campus, St. Cloud, wanted consistency in its staffing at Rosewood Memory

Care, according to Zack. A second cleaning crew was hired, bringing the numbers to 15 adults with disabilities and two supervisors now cleaning six days a week.

“Our residents and employees consider the crew part of our Talahi family, and we’re excited to expand our partnership,” said Amy Comstock, admissions and marketing coordinator for Talahi.

Theresa is a 53-year-old member of the Talahi work crew who, when given extra responsibility, transformed from a disengaged employee to a proud, energetic, contributing member of the crew. Her performance and attitude improved when her skillset was matched to the need.

“They don’t want charity. They just want to be included,” WACOSA’s Howard said.

“Everyday, these motivated individuals are at the door, wanting to contribute.”

Persons with disabilities are employed by a number of area businesses. WACOSA’s “Can

People helping people.

It’s a simple concept that over 50,000 of your friends and neighbors in Central Minnesota have already discovered. We invite you to see how we can make a difference with your personal or business finances.

not a daunting task Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires companies with more than 15 employees to “not discriminate against individuals with disabilities in all aspects of employment from recruitment to dismissal.” There are guidelines available to help businesses comply with this act. However, businesses still have the right to hire the best candidate. And if the best candidate needs an accommodation because of a disability, the ADA suggests the business contact the Job Accommodation Network at www.askjan.org to identify an effective and reasonable accommodation.

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...we’re so confident in our agents, we know we can find a FEATURE PROFIT buyer/tenant for any property...even THIS ONE!

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Commercial Brokerage · Property Management · Residential 320-253-0003 · 58 10th Avenue S · Waite Park, MN

Do” cleaning crews are used at Bernicks, Cashwise/Coborns, TriCAP, Catholic Charities, and Coleman. Individuals have been placed with Saint John’s, Cashwise/ Coborn’s, City of Sartell, Panera Bread, Teal’s Market in Cold Spring, and at senior centers, such as Whitney. Opportunity Services supervises 130 individuals on 16 work teams––including St. Cloud State University, Metropolitan Transit Commission, Wal-Mart––and 100 individuals in supported employment.

Tax incentives, too

www.scr-mn.com

Formerly St. Cloud Refrigeration CentRal | metRo diViSion St. Cloud 320-251-6861 MetRo 800-827-1642

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RefRigeRation HVaC SeRViCe Building automation food SeRViCe

noRtHeRn diViSion BaxteR 800-273-9071

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4

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

There are tax incentives for hiring people with disabilities, according to Arnold A. Kahara, CPA.“The Disabled Access Credit is available for employers earning less than $1 million or employing less than 30 individuals in a year,” he said. They may receive credit for removing barriers, providing interpreters, providing readers and texts for the visually impaired, and buying/modifying equipment or devices.

A Barrier Removal Tax Deduction of up to $15,000 is also available. These two credits may qualify to be used together.

The Work Opportunity Tax Credit allowed employers to hire individuals from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and many persons with disabilities met the criteria. The program expired in December 2013. However, in the past, Congress has retroactively reauthorized the program back to the date of expiration, so it might still be advantageous to submit WOTC applications.

Finally, the Welfare-to-Work Tax Credit allows an employer to receive federal tax credit for up to $8,500 per individual with disabilities hired while also being a recipient of Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) at the time of hire. BC Mary MacDonell Belisle is a freelance copy and content writer with mary macdonell belisle - wordingforyou. She specializes in business articles and profiles, web content, and book editing.

ONLINE NOW

For more information and a complete list of the sources used in this story, visit www.BusinessCentralMagazine.com

SMART BUSINESS: Hughes Mathews Greer, P.A.

Hughes Mathews Greer, P.A. A Business Community staple hangs a new shingle.

Thomas E. Mathews, John L. Greer – Shareholders Kevin J. Hughes – Of Counsel John F. Mathews, James P.A. Morringhan – Associates

A

s a “businessperson’s Law Firm,” we know the importance of hanging out a “shingle.” Our shingle on Roosevelt Road now reads: HUGHES MATHEWS GREER, ATTORNEYS. We want you to be aware of our new location.

RELOCATION Our law firm––originally located on St. Germain and since 1986 on Sixth Avenue South in downtown St. Cloud––moved to District Square, 622 Roosevelt Road, Suite 280, on April 1. We are very pleased to be located in the midst of professional advisors and practitioners in

District Square Office Park.

The new building gives us an upgraded facility and additional space in which to grow our practice. Its greater accessibility also signals that our doors are always open to your business’s legal needs. We welcome your visit, whether existing, or new, client.

RENEWED COMMITMENT This move has inspired us to renew our commitment to clients. Following a tradition begun by Fred Hughes in 1934, our firm serves large entities–– such as the CentraCare Health System and its affiliates–– modest family businesses, sole

proprietorships, and start-ups.

Together, we’ve matured, and we continue our professional legacy: dedication to integrity, professionalism, and this community’s trust.

All manner of clients trust us with their legal needs–– nonprofits, entrepreneurs, manufacturers, contractors, commercial property developers, property owners, hospitals, clinics, and care

“Providing exceptional legal

counsel isn’t just our objective, it’s our history.

––Thomas E. Mathews

HUGHES MATHEWS GREER, P.A. 622 Roosevelt Road, Suite 280, St. Cloud, MN 56301-6365

SPONSORED PROFILE

facilities. Because we know our clients, have developed valued “partnerships” over the years, and are invested in their success, we can identify potential areas of concern and pro-actively advise them on a wide range of matters to minimize risk––business, healthcare, real estate, employment, construction, estate planning, estate administration, intellectual property. If civil litigation occurs, clients can expect expert advocacy. We respond promptly when time is critical, conduct research, and keep crucial stakeholder conversations moving. And although the majority of our clients still hail from the St. Cloud area, technology helps us reach out and serve new clients from the Twin Cities, greater Minnesota, and throughout the U.S. We welcome your business.

”

Phone: 320.251.4399 Email: attorneys@hughesmathews.com www.hughesmathews.com

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SPECIAL FOCUS G R OW T H

How’s Business?

Slow and steady is the name of the game as many areas of commercial construction show good potential for growth in the next few years. will soon be home to HMA Architects. Talk about getting into your work.

By Donniel Robinson

T

he worst is over for local commercial builders and designers who survived the recession. The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics shows a steady increase in spending on new nonresidential building construction. This is good news for the industry.

Bob Strack of Strack Companies has been seeing steady growth and is proceeding with “cautious optimism.” He is encouraged by what appears to be an upturn in the food and beverage processing industry.

Mike Gohman of W. Gohman Construction Co.

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agrees. “Business has really been picking up in the last two years,” he said.

While Strack is finding more opportunity in greater Minnesota, Gohman is finding that their jobs are increasingly in the St. Cloud area. Shorter commutes are a perk for Gohman’s employees.

Murray Mack of HMA Architects says the firm has more projects in process than he has seen in the last seven to ten years. There is “a nice mix” of projects from both the public and private sectors, Mack said, as well as an increase in renovation projects. The newly renovated American Heritage National Bank building

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Getting Greener “Clients are going towards more sustainable and energy efficient buildings,” according to Gohman. Going green can be as simple as using energy efficient light bulbs or as complicated as the design of an entire structure. Green building methods also include using building materials that are recycled or can be recycled.

Geothermal technology is one of the green upgrades that local builders and designers are seeing in the industry. This technology uses the consistent air and water temperatures that exist underground to heat and cool buildings. The return on investment can be prohibitive for some clients, but for others it’s a great fit.

Strack points out that some green technologies are not always as viable in our harsh climate. New technologies may work in Minnesota, but at a much greater cost than continuing to use more established options like natural gas.

Structures that are built using bond funding from the State of Minnesota must adhere to the Sustainable Building Guidelines, also referred to as the B3 guidelines.

These guidelines state that

By The Numbers

ENERGY FORWARD “Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design [LEED] is a green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices.” Minnesota ranked in the List of Top 10 States for LEED Green Buildings in 2011 and 2013.

LEED-Certified Space 2011

9.6 million square feet 2013

8.2 million square feet Source: The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)

Going green can be as simple as using energy efficient light bulbs or as complicated as the design of an entire structure. buildings must “… exceed the state energy code, as established in Minnesota Rules, chapter 7676, by at least 30 percent.”

The funding available for these projects makes using sustainable practices and green technology more feasible for state funded projects than for private developers.

Builders and designers need to minimize operating costs for their clients while balancing

the benefits of new and green building options. Many clients are retrofitting existing buildings to be more energy efficient, Gohman said.

Going Forward Construction companies are finding that the skilled workers, who were plentiful before the recession, are now somewhat scarce. The average trade worker in the field for W.

Gohman Construction is over 50 years old. He said many people left the industry during the recession.

Strack has found that the large projects in North Dakota have had an impact on the pool of available talent in Central Minnesota. Finding qualified staff will continue to be an issue for local builders.

Slow and steady is the name of the game in the near future,

but many areas of commercial construction are showing good potential for growth in the next few years. Strack credits the progressive actions of the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation, the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce, and other local supports for the economic strength, positive culture, and the great sense of community in the St. Cloud area. BC Donniel Robinson is the owner of Robinson Writes, a St. Cloud based commercial copywriting company.

She can be reached at info@ robinsonwrites.net.

Central Minn. Growth Guide CENTRAL MINN GROWTH GUIDE

W Gohman Construction Co.

Becker High School Pool and Diving Becker High School LOCATION Becker, MN

Gorecki Guest House expansion Location St. Cloud Hospital Gorecki Guest House 1309 6TH Ave, N. OWNER St. Cloud Hospital

OWNER Becker High School Size of location - sqft 57,000 SF Addition

Central Minnesota continues to thrive.

Here is a glimpse of some area businesses that are growing.

St. Cloud Hospital

Cost 12.2 Million

Size of location - sqft Existing square footage 8,760, expansion 2,850

WEBSITE www.wgohman.com

EMAIL goreckiguesthouse@centracare.com

EMAIL telness@wgohman.com

WEBSITE centracare.com

PROJECT DESCRIPTION New 57,000 SF addition to Becker High School which includes a pool and auditorium with new building entries. The pool addition includes an 8 lane – 195,000 gallon, lap pool and a 128,000 gallon dive pool.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION A generous gift by Benedict and Dorothy Gorecki of Milaca paves the way to expand the St. Cloud Hospital Gorecki Guest House and welcome more families who are receiving medical care in the St. Cloud area.

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Central Minn. Growth Guide

By The Numbers

Making the rank Top 10 States for Business 1) Georgia 2) Texas 3) Utah

4) Nebraska 5) North Carolina 6) Minnesota 7) Washington 8) Colorado

9) Virginia 10) North Dakota Source: CNBC

6th +

YEARS IN BUSI NESS

Minnesota ranked sixth in CNBC’s eighth annual “America’s Top States for Business,” climbing from 15th place in the same rankings a year ago. The business news TV network ranks states on 56 measures of competitiveness. Those 56 measures are then separated into 10 broad categories that are used to determine the rankings.

Minnesota’s top rankings were fifth in economy and infrastructure, fourth in quality of life, and 11th in access to capital and technology and innovation.

2nd

Minnesota ranked second for its talent pipeline in a 2014 U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation report. Minnesota is strengthening workforce skills and economic growth by bringing multiple stakeholders to the table to work in partnership, according to the report. It specifically called out the state’s Governor’s Workforce Development Council (GWDC) and the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership training grants.

Rice Building Systems, Inc. St. Cloud Regional Airport Location St. Cloud, Minnesota General Contractor Rice Building Systems, Inc. Architect Rice Building Systems, Inc. Website ricebuildingsystems.com Completion Date July 18, 2014 Project Description New 12,000 sq. ft. Hangar for the St. Cloud Airport.

52

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Marco, Inc.

Corporate Headquarters Location 4510 Heatherwood Road, St. Cloud, MN 56301 Name of Owner Jeff Gau, CEO Size of location 80,000 sq. ft. building off I-94 is a professional gateway to south St. Cloud.

7.2 acre property with 37,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space and outside walking track.

Website www.marconet.com What Sets Marco Apart A leadership culture where employees enjoy coming to work and are empowered to not only think like an owner, but also like a customer.

Central Minn. Growth Guide

Miller Architects & Builders

Preferred Credit Location St. Cloud, MN

GENERAL CONTRACTOR Miller Architects & Builders ARCHITECT Miller Architects & Builders PROJECT COMPLETION March 2015 WEBSITE www.millerab.com PROJECT DESCRIPTION New 43,000 sq.ft., two-story office building with 21,279 sq.ft. underground parking garage for 40.

PROUD OF

YEARS

FOCUSED ONTHE FUTURE

Strack Companies

Tactical Advantage, Waite Park, MN Architect Negen Associates Project Completion May, 2014 Website www.strackcompanies.com Project Description This 8,100-square-foot facility, located in Waite Park features a live fire range along with over 3,000 square feet of retail, service, tactical training and other class room training facilities.

There are eight indoor firing range lanes that can be used as a standard or tactical range. The state-of-the-art range has a computer controlled target retrieval system and top of the line indoor air quality equipment to ensure both a clean and safe shooting experience.

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT PROFIT

A Winning Combination

At a Glance All Star Trophy & Awards, Inc.

Working with good people – employees and customers – is an award winning combination for All Star Trophy’s Marty Heine.

Fun Fact

All Star Trophy produces 6,000 wrestling trophies per year

By Gail Ivers

Business Central: How did you get into this business?

Heine: I sold advertising for Tri-County Yellow Pages for three years. I worked in the hotel industry for a few years.

Then I sold cars for Tom Miller.

That was a very educational job. Tom Miller is a great businessman and I learned a lot from him. But that business owns you. If someone you’ve been working with comes in at noon on Sunday, you need to be there to make the sale or you don’t get paid. I did that for five years. I decided I didn’t want to raise my family that way. I wanted to coach baseball.

54

BC: Owning your own business gives you more free time?

Heine: (Chuckle.) It gives you more flexibility, I guess. There were a lot of years when I’d work until 5 p.m., go home and play with the kids, put them to bed, and come back and work until 1 a.m. But I got to decide when to work and when to go home.

BC: Is your primary service area St. Cloud?

Heine: Central Minnesota, but we actually go all over the world. We’ve done work for a cattle show in Colorado. We’ve sent trophies to Japan. We do wrestling trophies all over the state. We have relationships that develop locally, they like what we do, and they bring me

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to the regional people. Most of our Twin Cities business happens that way. It’s all about people trusting you to get the job done right and on time.

That’s where [All Star Trophy’s employees] Lori and Derek come in. They make sure it happens.

BC: What are some of your biggest challenges?

Heine: The recession was tough for my customers. We added more customers during that time, but people ordered less.

We never had a down year, but we had a flat year.

The Internet is our biggest competition. People want to order their awards over the Internet. I don’t like the Internet—there’s nothing personal about it. I like talking to people when they order their awards. Sometimes I can make it so much easier for them. People are creatures of habit—they order the same thing all the time. We can do something different, look at

13 24th Ave. N, St. Cloud, MN 56303-4341 (320) 259-6347 Fax: (320) 203-9507 Email: awards@ allstartrophy.net Owner: Marty Heine, 54 Business Description: Awards, trophies, and plaques for business, sports, and all occasions; sand carving; plastic signs Product Mix: 35 percent trophies; 35 percent plaques; 20 percent crystal and glass; 10 percent miscellaneous plastics and engraving Opened: 1992 as a part-time business; became full-time in 1994; 1999 bought current building Number of Employees: 5: 3 full-time, including Heine; 2-4 part-time, depending on the season Joined the Chamber: 1994

new technology and formats, and maybe save them some money.

BC: What do you like best about business ownership?

Heine: Working with our customers. The satisfaction they have when they buy our product. How happy they are to give people an award for doing something well.

I like coming to work. I’ll never be a millionaire, but I like what I do. I have good employees and good, loyal customers. It’s a winning combination. BC

wgohman.com

the

Highest Standards

With our innovative approach to building and construction management, W. Gohman Construction is committed to working for you. Our extensive experience in commercial, industrial, and institutional building and remodeling assures you will receive the highest quality craftsmanship with long-lasting results.

DESIGN/BUILD CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

St. Joseph, MN • 320.363.7781 • info@wgohman.com

GENERAL CONTRACTING

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Take your business to new places

If you’ve got a vision, an SBA loan can help you get there. Our longer terms and lower down payments can help your business grow and keep our communities strong and vibrant.

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An SBA loan can help you: • Purchase commercial real estate • Acquire a business • Expand your business • Buy equipment • Build inventory

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All financing is subject to credit approval and SBA eligibility. © 2014 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. (1202368_12595)

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