Columbia Business Times November 2018

A BUSINESS TIMES COMPANY PUBLICATION NOVEMBER 2018 EMPLOYMENT & CULTURE

CAROLYN SULLIVAN CEO & President New Chapter Coaching

A TRENDING WORKFORCE

The majority of American workers will be classified as freelancers by 2027. PG. 62

POP CULTURE PG . 74

2 NOVEMBER 2018

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Bud and Sharon lived in their multi-level home for 43 years. After developing heath issues, they needed to make a change to one level living. Making improvements to get their property market ready was a big concern. They were restricted on funds which made things even more challenging. We had sellers who were relocating internationally and hosted an open house at their property. Bud and Sharon arrived to tour the home. They fell in love with it, but were disappointed that they had to sell their home first, believing the process to be too cumbersome, and take too long. We informed them of our “MOVE UP” program. A full price offer was presented and accepted, for the purchase of their new home, because I paid cash for their old home. “MOVE UP” made it possible for Bud and Sharon to make the necessary move with ease - taking the stress out of the process. Both contracts successfully closed only 3 weeks later! All parties involved were thrilled.” – Heath Higgins

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TEST DRIVE: Part 4

2018 VW Passat V6 GT If you’ve been following along with this story at all, you know that this is the fourth part in a five-part series. You also know that THIS is the month that I get to test drive the Passat that I’ve been waiting for all year. Since I was dead set on a V6, Murali Narendran and Mikey Glasgow (GM and my sales guy) went above and beyond to find me one to drive as they didn’t have one on the lot at the time. The wait was worth it. As soon as I got to the dealership to pick this car up for a test drive, they both came out to greet me smiling. “You’re going to love this one! She has all you’ve been looking for.” Does she, now? Let’s find out. VOLKSWAGEN: Check. (I think you’ve picked up on that part so far. There’s a theme here.) 5 PARKABILITY: I give it a 5. Easy peezy. I’ve been driving a Passat for 5 years

Volkswagen

now so not only was I used to the body size, but I also had the back up camera to help. No more relying on the reflection in the store windows to help me out. SASS: I give it a 4.9. This Passat GT was made for a girl like me looking for sass. In fact, it maybe even had more than I could handle. It, of course, has the 3.6 V6 that I neeeeeeeded. The pep and responsiveness of this car was exactly what I’ve been looking for. The GT model also comes with two tone leatherette seats (grey inlaid on black on the one I drove) and a modern black interior replacing the wood grain found in the SEL Premium. There’s a slick red accent piece all across the front of the grill which matches the red brake calipers (I called them brake thingies initially. You learn something new every day.) The infotainment system was fabulous too.

GAS MILEAGE: I give it a 5. For what I’m looking for in a car, this is about as good as one can expect. I drove this for a couple of days back and forth to Columbia. (I live in Boonville.) The factory stated gas mileage for highway is 28 mpg. I actually got right at that, which is a bit surprising as I put her through her paces a bit on I-70. (Shh! Don’t tell Murali!) The interesting thing about this process is that by taking my time and driving everything, I have noticed more items that are important to me than I originally thought. I’m not making a quick decision, so I get to ponder on and compare all of the great cars I’ve driven this year. And, I’ve come to my decision. It might not be exactly what you think either. I can’t wait to show you in the next issue.

Parkability

Sass

Gas Mileage

Overall

5/5

4.9/5

5/5

4.9

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here do you see yourself in five or ten years? To me, that’s the most dreaded question in any job interview or annual review. In five or ten years, I have no idea where I’ll be or what my job opportunities will look like, whether that’s within the company I’m working for or externally. Ten years ago, we weren’t worrying about robots taking over our jobs. The “gig economy” wasn’t a commonplace term used to refer to the growing freelance workforce, and Alexa wasn’t reading us the news headlines — we were reading a newspaper. But those things are a reality now, and we have no choice but to face them head-on. It’s estimated that the majority of the U.S. workforce will be made up of freelancers by 2027. Robots ON THE COVER CEO and president of New Chapter could replace a third of the American workforce by Coaching Carolyn Sullivan is 2030. In 2011, there were 1,452 daily newspapers; that this month's cover model. She number dropped to 1,286 by 2016. passionately cares for the nonprofits Employment issues, trends, and problems exist in our community. throughout the nation, but in this Employment and Photography by Anthony Jinson. Culture Issue of CBT, we sought to localize the issues we see across the U.S. and focus them in on Columbia. One issue affecting multiple industries in Columbia is the low unemployment rate, which hit its lowest point since 2000 earlier this year. At first glance, one might assume that a low unemployment rate is a good thing — it means many people in the community are employed. And that is a good thing! However, there are always two sides to every coin. The low unemployment rate also means that business owners are often struggling to find people to fill open positions. Cale Kliethermes, owner of Kliethermes Homes & Remodeling, tells his story on page 69 of how the low unemployment rate has affected his business. In the same article, Nickie Davis, the director of outreach for The District, shares information on a new program she’s working on with MU to help supply businesses downtown with interns and employees. A solution to a low unemployment rate — and a growing business trend — is to hire freelancers. Former CBT editor Brenna McDermott wrote an article for this issue that looks into how one local company works with freelancers and what projections are being made about the freelance workforce. The article is quite fitting for her to write, given that she’s one of the freelancers we work with on a regular basis. Check it out on page 62. As Nikki McGruder wrote in our August issue, the Inclusive Impact Institute, in partnership with MU, met with companies across Columbia to encourage them to sign a pledge stating their intentions to be more inclusive. It’s been a few months since many of the companies signed the pledge, so we wanted to check in with them to see how the pledge has changed their company (page 57). We also wanted to spotlight a young plant director, Cole Knudsen, who runs Columbia’s Quaker Oats Plant. Check out his story on page 74!

@ Co l u m b i a B i z

CBT staff members share their favorite quotes.

“I am learning everyday to allow the space bet ween where I am and where I want to be to inspire me and not terrify me.”

- Tracee Ellis Ross Jordan Watts, lead designer

“A mistake that makes you humble is better than an achievement that makes you arrogant.”

- Anony mous sultant

Deb Valvo, marketing con

“Everyone talks, but few connect. Those who connect take their relationships, their work, and their lives to another level.”

- John C. Maxwell

Emma Bentley, Editor Emma@businesstimescompany.com

/Co l u m b i a B u s i n e ss Ti m e s

STICKY NOTE MOTIVATION

Beth Bramstedt, editorial director

Co l u m b i a B u s i n e ss Ti m e s .co m

Ed i to r @ B u s i n e ss Ti m e s Co m p a ny.co m

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EDITORIAL Emma Bentley, Editor Emma@BusinessTimesCompany.com Megan Whitehead, Managing Editor MWhitehead@BusinessTimesCompany.com Tiffany Schmidt, Editorial Assistant Tiffany@BusinessTimesCompany.com

Inside the Issue Behind the Scenes

DESIGN/CREATIVE SERVICES Jordan Watts, Senior Designer Jordan@BusinessTimesCompany.com Kate Morrow, Graphic Designer Kate@BusinessTimesCompany.com Cassidy Shearrer, Graphic Designer Cassidy@BusinessTimesCompany.com Sadie Thibodeaux, Graphic Designer Sadie@BusinessTimesCompany.com MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES Deb Valvo, Marketing Consultant Deb@BusinessTimesCompany.com Bonnie Hudson, Marketing Consultant Bonnie@BusinessTimesCompany.com MANAGEMENT Erica Pefferman, President Erica@BusinessTimesCompany.com Renea Sapp, Vice President ReneaS@BusinessTimesCompany.com Amy Ferrari, Operations Manager Amy@BusinessTimesCompany.com Beth Bramstedt, Editorial Director Beth@BusinessTimesCompany.com CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Anthony Jinson, Sadie Thibodeaux CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kacen J. Bayless, Mark Farnen, Al Germond, Elizabeth Loboa, Brenna McDermott, Kermit Miller, Jordan Milne, David Morrison, Robert Overmann, Loreli Wilson

CBT’s photographer, Anthony Jinson, takes a close up of Cole Knudsen, Columbia plant director for Quaker Oats. Ask him about Katfish Katy’s the next time you see him!

Twitter Chatter Teri Walden @TeriWalden Thank you, @ColumbiaBiz, for putting us “in the news” in your excellent Oct. issue! @EnCircleTech @Woodhaventeam. Good things are a-brewin’! #workforcedevelopment #MO #diversityintech

INTERNS Jordyn Miller SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscription rate is $19.95 for 12 issues for 1 year or $34.95 for 24 issues for 2 years. Subscribe at columbiabusinesstimes.com or by phone. The Columbia Business Times is published every month by The Business Times Co., Copyright The Business Times Co., 2008. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of any editorial or graphic content without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited. OUR MISSION STATEMENT The Columbia Business Times and columbiabusinesstimes.com strive to be Columbia’s leading source for timely and comprehensive news coverage of the local business community. This publication is dedicated to being the most relevant and useful vehicle for the exchange of information and ideas among Columbia’s business professionals. CONTACT The Business Times Co., 2001 Corporate Place, Suite 100 Columbia, MO, 65202 (573-499-1830) • columbiabusinesstimes.com

MU News Bureau @MizzouNews "MU supports more than 46,000 jobs and has a $3.9 billion impact across Missouri. And we have plans to increase that contribution." Chancellor Cartwright explains @Mizzou's economic impact in @ColumbiaBiz

Contributors

Kermit Miller, KRCG 13

David Morrison

Brenna McDermott

Kacen J. Bayless

@DavidCMorrison

@_BrennaMcD

@KAC3N

Robert Overmann

Write to CBT editor Emma Bentley at Emma@BusinessTimesCompany.com COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 21

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NOVE MBE R 2018 VOL . 2 5 / ISSUE 5

TA B LE OF CON T EN TS

The Employment & Culture Issue 19 FROM THE EDITOR 21 INSIDE THE ISSUE 25 CLOSER LOOK 26 BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS 29 BUSINESS UPDATE

RADaR

32 NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT COMO Youth Works

34 CELEBRATIONS PWArchitects, Inc.

37 MOVERS & SHAKERS 39 P.Y.S.K. Carolyn Sullivan, New Chapter Coaching

43 10 QUESTIONS Jeff Guinn, LGI Business Brokers

45 A CAPITOL CONVERSATION November's Ballot Issues

47 LOCAL PERSPECTIVE: Mark Farnen

51 LOCAL PERSPECTIVE: Elizabeth Loboa

51 LOCAL PERSPECTIVE: Loreli Wilson

53 OPINION: AL GERMOND Scooting Around

A Trending Workforce It's projected that the majority of American workers will work as freelancers by 2027 — here’s how to prepare for, hire, and keep them.

93 DEEDS OF TRUST 94 NEW BUSINESS LICENSES 95 ECONOMIC INDEX 97 BY THE NUMBERS 98 THIS OR THAT Kevin McDonald, University of Missouri

Many Paths, One Journey

Needle in a Haystack

Pop Culture

In Focus: A Laboring Problem

Championing diversity through MU’s Inclusive Excellence Framework.

Small businesses hunt for workers as the unemployment rate dips.

Newcomer Cole Knudsen uses his leadership to maximize the Quaker Oats team.

Diving into Columbia’s low unemployment rate and workforce readiness.

24 NOVEMBER 2018

BUSINE SS • P EOP L E • VOIC ES • F YI

C LOSER LOOK

Closer Look

COMO Estate Sales

BabyQuip

COMO Fence, LLC

When homeowners are ready to declutter their homes or downsize to a smaller home, one of the options for selling possessions is to go through an estate sale company. Shari Margheim and a couple other women recently began COMO Estate Sales to help home owners sell their items. But the process is more in-depth than merely putting everything out for a garage sale. COMO Estate Sales helps sell the items by packing and organizing the items before the sale happens. They also handle all of the advertising for the event, take care of pricing, and stage the products so that they look their best. Margheim says she finds her work interesting and fun. “I love to see what treasures we unearth that may have not been seen for many years,” she says. “It is so fulfilling to see treasures get purchased at our sales and go home to be used and enjoyed by someone new!” The women pride themselves on helping clients make their estate sales the best and least stressful they can be.

Many parents know the stress of traveling with children, especially if the children are young and need baby gear. A local company wants to lessen this hassle for parents. BabyQuip is a national baby gear rental service that loans out clean, quality baby gear like cribs, high chairs, and car seats to families visiting Mid-Missouri. Rachel Clark, a mother of three, joined the BabyQuip team as an independent provider for central Missouri earlier this year. “I clean and prepare all equipment ordered and deliver it right to their door. I set up most equipment, let the family know how everything works, and provide instruction manuals,” says Clark. “Later, I pick up the equipment at an agreed upon time, bring it home for a thorough cleaning, and then it’s back in storage and ready for the next order.” Through BabyQuip, Clark hopes to raise awareness of baby equipment rentals to allow more families with young children to enjoy a hassle-free travel experience when visiting Columbia.

The entire vibe of a property can be determined by its fencing. COMO Fence works to ensure customers get exactly the fencing they need for their property to have the right feel. COMO Fence specializes in fences and decks, and they work with aluminum, steel, and wood. Owners Sean Gallop and Michael Crocker opened COMO Fence after experiencing poor business ownership while working with other fencing companies. COMO Fence strives to ensure that customers are knowledgeable about the work being done on their property. Gallop wants the customers to know in advance about any obstacles the team will face, such as utilities, irrigation, and rocky digging. Gallop and Crocker currently run all the business operations themselves. “We’ve been in business for 10 months,” says Gallop. “After the winter season, we’d like to start looking for employees.” COMO Fence provides one-year warranties on construction and craftsmanship of fencing and strives to provide reliable and quality service to all their customers.

Email: comoestatesales@gmail.com Website: comoestatesales.com Contact: 573-673-7191

Email: rclark@babyquip.com Website: babyquip.com/partners/view/569 Contact: 573-575-6835

Location: 3305 Clark Ln., PMB 136 Website: comofence.pro Contact: 573-529-9086

Are you an entrepreneur? Are you sprouting a new business? Tell us about it at Editor@BusinessTimesCompany.com COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 25

BUSINE SS • P EOP L E • VOIC ES • F YI

Briefly in the News NOVEMBER 2018

C OM M U N I T Y

HY-VEE AWARDS GRANT TO COLUMBIA CENTER FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE Hy-Vee Inc. presented a check for $12,000 to the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture community garden project as part of the Hy-Vee One Step program. The One Step Garden Grants are used to purchase seeds, plants, garden tools, and food preservation equipment for community gardens. Hy-Vee’s One Step program uses a portion of the proceeds from the sale of earth-friendly, everyday products to benefit local and worldwide charitable causes.

EDUC AT ION

CONSTRUCTION MILESTONE FOR RESEARCH FACILITY MU’s plant science research department celebrated a key phase in the construction of a new facility that will expand resources for researchers across campus. The $28.2 million facility will enhance the campus’s plant biology programs through a major expansion of state-of-the-art research greenhouse and plant growth chamber facilities with controlled lighting, temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide environments. The project is expected to be completed by April 2019.

“MU is already well known throughout the world for its plant science research, and this facility will further expand our cutting-edge resources that are helping our scientists address global hunger issues.” — Mun Choi, UM System President

26 NOVEMBER 2018

BR I EFLY I N T H E N EWS

E DUC AT ION

COLUMBIA COLLEGE NAMES NEW SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Columbia College announced that, in recognition of a gift to the school, the new business school will be named the Robert W. Plaster School of Business. The facility will include state-of-the-art classrooms and an event space on the first floor as well as three floors of residential living area for 150 students. The mission of the Robert W. Plaster Foundation is to promote expanded educational opportunities, pride in America, and belief in the free enterprise system for the benefit of America’s youth through named capital projects.

B US INES S

JOBFINDERS EMPLOYMENT SERVICES RECOGNIZED JobFinders Employment Services was ranked No. 4569 on Inc. magazine’s Inc. 5000, a prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastestgrowing companies. The list represents a unique look at successful companies within the American economy’s independent small business segment. JobFinders is one of the most recognized names in staffing throughout Missouri. They provide cost-effective staffing services to clients while also providing career opportunities to job candidates.

C OM M U N I T Y

COLUMBIA CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU WINS AWARD The Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau won the statewide Hospitality Award during the annual Missouri Governor’s Conference on Tourism. Columbia received the honor for its Certified Tourism Ambassador Program. The award is presented annually to a business or organization that supports and promotes Missouri tourism. This can include involvement in the Division of Tourism’s projects, providing publicity for Missouri attractions and events, or making an extra effort to ensure travelers enjoy their time in the state.

C OMMUNIT Y

OATS GRANT OATS, a Missouri-based nonprofit transportation provider, announced that it has received a grant from Boone Electric Community Trust totaling $20,000. OATS will be using these funds as the local match toward the purchase of two new mini-buses for Boone County residents. Seniors and people with disabilities use these buses to get rides to work, medical appointments, and other places to meet their daily living needs.

“We are grateful that organizations like the Boone Electric Community Trust are dedicated to giving back to the communities they serve. Last year, we provided 1.5 million trips and covered 15.6 million miles.” — Dorothy Yeager, Executive Director, OATS

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 27

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BUSINE SS • P EOP L E • VOIC ES • F YI

BU SI N ESS U PDAT E

Understand the 'Why' RADaR, the newest company to come from True Media, aims to help clients comprehend their data.

BY EMMA BENTL EY | P HOTOG R A P HY BY SAD I E TH I B O D E AUX

Candice Rotter, president of RADaR COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 29

B USINE SS • P EOP L E • VOIC ES • F YI

NEXT YEAR, there will be a new business off the Loop behind media and interactive agency True Media. The new company, RADaR, has been housed inside True Media’s office for almost two years. What was created as a service for True Media’s clients has grown into its own business, and it now needs its own building. Jack Miller, CEO of True Media and RADaR, is hoping to create a campus-like atmosphere for his employees by adding the new building behind True Media’s current headquarters. The new building will be built on a vacant lot owned by Miller on the corner of Orange Street and Madison Street and will house RADaR and his other digital company, Coegi. Miller says: “We created RADaR a couple of years ago, and we realized that there’s so much more that RADaR can do besides just continu-

Candice Rotter and Jack Miller 30 NOVEMBER 2018

ing to serve True Media clients, which it still will. The technology and everything RADaR is doing is so great and so needed among businesses today. It just makes sense for them to exist as a separate company.” So what exactly is RADaR doing, and what does the name stand for?

OVERWHELMING DATA IS OVERWHELMING COMPANIES RADaR stands for Research Analytics Data and Results. It’s a mouthful — hence the acronym. Miller and Candice Rotter, RADaR’s president, explain that the need for RADaR’s existence came from what they were seeing with True Media’s clients, and the problem was twofold. First, clients often had data housed in multiple platforms and software, which made it difficult for them to make decisions for their

company. Second, once they had the data, they didn’t understand how to visualize or utilize the data effectively. Miller says it’s important for business owners to “understand that good data can help influence and drive future decision making.” He admits that most business owners probably wouldn’t argue with that statement, but he finds that they also don’t know how to easily aggregate data from multiple sources without creating lots of manual spreadsheets or reports. Business owners certainly don’t have a lack of data, but when that data is coming from numerous external and internal sources, how do you cull through it all to find the good stuff? The stuff that will actually tell you what you need to know in order to move your business forward in the right direction?

BU SI N ESS U PDAT E

RADaR building rendering provided by Simon Oswald Architecture.

One RADaR feature was built to solve that problem: the dashboard. Each client’s dashboard will be personalized to show the data that they care most about and that can impact their business. “Whether it’s marketing data or business data or any form of information, if it comes from multiple sources, we’ve figured out a way to aggregate that data electronically to pull it into a central hub and then to help businesses tell a story with their data,” says Miller.

WHAT’S YOUR DATA STORY? Telling a story with the data, or visualizing it, is the second part of what RADaR does for clients. Rotter explains that True Media originally saw the need for a company like RADaR when they noticed their clients struggling to understand the data they had access to and how to gather it and learn anything from it. The lack of understanding led to inaction and poor decisions. “Over time, we’ve noticed just how important data is in general and just the pure amount of data that everyone has, whether that be internal or external, but it’s really hard to know what to do with it,” she says. RADaR “is a way for us to specialize in [data] and help people aggregate it all from all these different sources and different outlets, put it together, and then show [our clients], ‘Here is what you can take from this information, and

this is how you can move your business to the next level,’” she says. Rotter emphasizes that RADaR isn’t just providing data to a client; they’re helping the client understand what the data is saying so that they can make smarter, better, more educated decisions for their company. And that starts with asking their clients a series of questions: What keeps you up at night? What are you looking for from the data? What do you want to learn? What are the next steps for you and how can we help? “We’ve learned a lot since we’ve started doing this,” says Rotter. “For the past year and a half or so, we’ve been doing this internally and externally for the clients we have, but one of the main things that we’ve learned over time is that if you don’t ask that ‘why’ at the beginning, then you just have a bunch of data, a bunch of graphs, and there’s still nothing you can do with it. What we really want to concentrate on as data scientists is to sit down and really figure out what is that ‘why’ and how can we help them answer those questions?” Once the data scientists and analysts know what the client is looking for, they can tailor the data story to meet that request. They can also help educate the client on how to understand the data, making RADaR a partner, not just another service provider. “We want to make data digestible. We want to make it relatable. We want people to not feel overwhelmed by it,” says Rotter.

AHEAD OF THE CURVE It’s simple. RADaR seeks to help companies understand the mountain of data they have access to from all their internal and external sources by aggregating the information into a personalized dashboard for each client. “It’s all about taking client’s research and their data and their analytics and then giving them a tool that helps them produce results that allow their company to operate more efficiently,” says Miller. And while RADaR may not be the only analytics company out there, Miller is quick to point out that RADaR isn’t a brand new company. They’ve been able to test their tools and methods over the past two years under the umbrella of True Media. “I think we’re very far ahead of the curve in terms of people and companies who are trying to do this type of data and analytical work,” Miller says. “We’ve already been doing it for a couple of years. We have great case studies. We know how to start. We have data scientists on board. We know how to interpret data. We know how to coach customers. We’re just much farther down that road in helping companies figure this out then if we were starting today from scratch.” Rotter adds, “We have an incredible team of data scientists and analysts — very smart people — to start this, and we’re looking forward to the chance to dig in.” CBT COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 31

BUSINE SS • P EOP L E • VOIC ES • F YI

New Name for a Proven Community Presence COMO Youth Works is helping youth and young adults secure their best life.

BY JORDA N MILNE | P HOTOG R A P HY P R OV I D E D BY CO MO YO U TH WO R KS

IN AN AUGUST BOARD MEETING this year, it was decided that the nonprofit formerly known as Youth Empowerment Zone would be renamed COMO Youth Works in an effort to re-energize the brand and reinforce the organization’s mission. “We are proud to be a grassroots nonprofit, born out of a need first identified by Almeta Crayton when she served as councilwoman for Columbia’s First Ward,” says Executive Director Loretta Schouten. Crayton found that the youth in her ward were often unemployed, even if they wanted jobs. “After 14 32 NOVEMBER 2018

years and a recent change in leadership, we felt it was an opportunity to re-dedicate ourselves to our core mission of building educational outcomes, job readiness skills, and employment opportunities for the youth and young adults in greatest need in our community,” Schouten says. The nine staff members of COMO Youth Works work with other organizations, businesses, and individuals all across the community to serve more than 350 youth and young adults each year who face what Schouten calls “the greatest barriers to self-sufficiency.”

“Our participants live in poverty, come from single-parent homes, became parents at a young age, have a parent or close family member incarcerated, or have been victims of trauma,” says Schouten. “Many will be the first generation in their families to graduate high school, go to college or technical school, or to pursue a vocation. Our youth and young adults are also some of the most motivated, kind, and hardworking people.” COMO Youth Works recruits its participants by maintaining a presence in the Boone County high schools and middle schools, as well as at

N ON PR OFI T

COMO Youth Works FOUNDED 2004

MISSION STATEMENT To proactively reach underserved, easily neglected, at-risk youth, engage them in empowering activities and ideas, and provide them with resources for success.

KIDS SERVED LAST YEAR 362

FULL-TIME STAFF MEMBERS 9

BOARD MEMBERS • Ann Merrifield • Nick Orscheln • Deb Valvo • Kathy Green • Frank Green • Jesse Walters • Megan Walters • Anthony Conway • Chris Bush • John French

community events and in neighborhoods. They also receive referrals. The organization provides a broad spectrum of educational support to make sure the youth they serve graduate high school with as many opportunities as possible. “This may include attending meetings with guidance counselors to make sure our youth get enrolled in the classes they need or advocating for our youth when they’re involved in disciplinary matters to ensure an equitable outcome that won’t close doors to future opportunities,” says Schouten. “However, perhaps more importantly, we provide constant encouragement for them to keep progressing,” she adds. “Life in poverty is hard. Crime happens outside their front door, and many times our youth lack an adult who will walk beside them and be a source of strength and encouragement on those days when life threatens to overwhelm and derail their plans.” The organization also provides job readiness training and employment assistance, including mentored employment. “We teach our youth how to build strong resumes that showcase their skills and to write cover letters that will help employers see past a lack of experience or prior involvement with the justice system,” says Schouten. “Our board of directors conducts mock interviews with our youth so they have the skills and confidence to land the job.” Additional resources include a network of more than 90 employers who are committed to employing the organization’s youth and help-

ing them develop on-the-job skills so they can progress in their careers. “We also provide career awareness opportunities that open doors to new experiences and new careers our youth may not have been aware of,” says Schouten. The COMO Youth Works programs are broken down into four areas: education, employment, empowerment, entrepreneurship. The focus areas of education and employment are complemented with offerings in empowerment and entrepreneurship to create an all-encompassing curriculum. The main COMO Youth Works facility, which serves high schoolers and young adults and houses the administrative offices, is located on Fay Street. An additional child care center is located on Thornberry Drive. The center cares for many children whose parents are enrolled in the COMO Youth Works programs. Schouten thinks the biggest misconception people have is not about the organization but about the youth and young adults they serve. “Our youth are labeled by their teachers, schools, and our community,” says Schouten. “The words we use to describe our youth aren’t just idle placeholders — they determine what we see and how we interpret their potential. Labels form a lens we see through and can make us incapable of perceiving a person independent of the label. Tell a child they’re smart and a high achiever and they’ll act accordingly. Tell a child they’re poor and destined to struggle and that will be the lens through which they view their life. Words are powerful.” Schouten believes COMO Youth Works’ programs are successful because the staff is passionate about the work they do and builds a strong relationship with every single person. “We know their friends and family members — we’ve been to their homes, we attend their school events and their graduations, we learn their goals and dreams and their challenges, and we work alongside them to change the trajectory of their lives,” says Schouten. “We never stop supporting. Years after our kids have graduated, secured good jobs, and are doing well, they stop in or we check in. We want them to know we will always be there when they need us.” CBT COMO Youth Works 1002 Fay St. 573-256-1896 yezemail@gmail.com comoyouthworks.org COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 33

Chris Davis, Heidi Hyland, Kiah Stephens, Erik Miller, Kim Trabue

1978

1983

1996

Nick Peckham and Brad Wright found PWArchitects.

PWArchitects and Boone County Fire Protection District work together for the first time.

PWArchitects makes their first website live on the web.

34 NOVEMBER 2018

BUSINE SS • P EO P L E • VOIC ES • F YI

C ELEBRAT I ON S

A Design for Success PWArchitects celebrates 40 years in business.

BY TIFFANY SCH M IDT | P HOTOG R A P HY P R OV I D E D BY PWA R C H I TE C TS

BIGGER ISN’T ALWAYS BETTER. In the world of architecture, this may seem like a contradictory notion, but for PWArchitects, it makes sense. In fact, the firm itself mirrors this belief. PWArchitects is as a full-service firm with 12 employees that work with clients from the beginning to the end of a project. They specialize in sustainable design and architectural planning, yet the firm’s repertoire includes a variety of services including interior design, LEED design (an eco-friendly certification given for building design), management, and landscape design. Nick Peckham and Brad Wright founded PWArchitects in 1978. The pair had met for the first time the previous summer. They created the firm because Peckham was in a bind: He had contracted multiple jobs, but he didn’t have anyone to work them. Wright, who had a background in architecture, was unemployed when he met Peckham. Hearing that Wright had just quit his job, Peckham approached him about working together, and they formed PWArchitects — the P and W standing for their last names. Their partnership lasted more than 35 years until they decided it was time to retire. The company began a transition of ownership in 2005 to current president Chris Davis and current vice president Erik Miller. Davis and Miller were already minority owners in the company. With expertise in both public and private building, the architects at PWArchitects specialize in everything from educational building to multifamily housing, often pivoting between multiple projects at a time. “As architects, we’re natural born multitaskers, so we lend ourselves to being able to jump from one project to the next,” says Davis.

BUILDING BLOCKS

CONSTRUCTING COMMUNITY

Process is important at PWArchitects. Though each project is different, the longevity of the firm has allowed them to create a collaborative system between clients and project managers. This ensures that projects are delivered on budget, on time, and ready to achieve the goals laid out by the client. PWArchitects places a heavy emphasis on external communication with clients and partners. “We are client-centered; listening is the most important thing. We try to make sure to instill in ourselves and our employees that this is the client’s project, it’s not our project. We’re a part of it,” says Miller. This focus on client communication drives PWArchitects’ design. “We need to know a lot about what their goals are, their mission, what they need, and then we help fill in the blanks,” says Davis. “Our client-centered approach provides solutions that are user-driven, as if the client were the designer.” When beginning a project, the team meets with everyone involved in the project, from contractors to clients, in order to establish deliverables and direction. Once a clear vision has been realized from the client, the design process begins. Designing the project goes beyond just drawing up schematics: The firm estimates building costs, verifies zoning requirements, and prepares any necessary documents for construction. Incorporating sustainable design is an important factor in this process, as it increases efficiency and cuts costs for clients in the long run. PWArchitects also handles the bid process, which includes acquiring contractors and facilitating contracts. During construction, the firm remains available to clients for any other service needs that may be required.

Company relations extend past the physical buildings the firm constructs. “One of the things we have done pretty consistently, no matter who was in ownership, was to find ways to give back to the community,” says Miller. “Being a part of the community, being a leader, is important to us.” It was fitting, then, that PWArchitects celebrated its 40-year anniversary in August with an event benefitting three youth-based organizations in the Columbia area: Cradle to Career Alliance, Great Circle, and the Columbia Public Schools Foundation. “Instead of just celebrating us and patting ourselves on the back, we thought, let’s celebrate 40 years of giving, and let’s give to these organizations,” says Miller. In 40 years, PWArchitects has completed a total of 1,500 projects and has an 80 percent rate of repeat or referred clients. But the company’s success extends beyond these numerical values. “There are a lot of different ways to measure success,” says Miller. Davis adds, “The fact that we have a majority of our business every year from repeat or referrals confirms to us that our business model is successful.” Today, the ultimate goal for PWArchitects is not growth, but continuity. Both Davis and Miller agree that the firm should only be expanded to encourage the quality of projects. “We’ll go where opportunities lead us,” Davis says. “Right now, we’re focusing on our mission and our clients’ mission.” CBT PWArchitects, Inc. 2120 Forum Blvd., Ste. 101 573-499-2683 info@pwarchitects.com pwarchitects.com

2009

2010

2016

2017

PWArchitects wins the Green Building of America award for work done at Grant Elementary.

Nick Peckham retires his shares from the company.

PWArchitects moves their office to 2120 Forum Blvd.

Brad Wright retires from the company.

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 35

We sell more businesses than anyone in the world. You’re only going to sell your business once, so it’s important to choose a solid broker who knows how to accurately price and confidentially market it for maximum value. O U R S E R V I C E S I N C LU D E : S E L L- S I D E S E R V I C E F O R M A I N S T R E E T A N D M I D D L E M A R K E T

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Memorable Event Bleu Events Opens New Venue

Bleu Events offers amazing culinary creations and craft cocktails with impeccable service. They required a spectacular entertainment experience for their new state-of-the-art venue. Our solution includes professional-grade laser projectors utilizing auto-connect to wired or wireless computers, wireless mics with professional feedback suppressors, a hi-tech music server, and rock-out sound with subwoofers built in the wall. Elan control systems let staff touch-control everything.

36 NOVEMBER 2018

B U SINESS • PEOP LE • VOIC ES • F YI

M OVER S & SH AKER S

Movers & Shakers NOVEMBER 2018

Andrea Plain Weichert, Realtors - First Tier announced that Andrea Plain would be joining their Columbia office. Weichert, Realtors - First Tier is an independently owned and operated affiliate of Weichert Real Estate Affiliates. Plain joins a dedicated team of knowledgeable agents who bring many years of combined real estate expertise to their clients.

Heather Silvey The ACA International Education Foundation announced its 2018 scholarship winners and awarded 36 high school and college students with a total of $55,000 in Loomer-Mortenson Scholarships for the upcoming school year. MU student Heather Silvey was one of the winners. The winners are selected based on their cumulative grade-point average and an essay. All scholarship applicants must be employees of a company affiliated with the accounts receivable management industry or the child of an employee.

Leslie Mills DeSpain Cayce Dermatology Center and Medical Spa has added Dr. Leslie Mills to their practice. Mills attended medical school at UMKC. Afterward, she completed both an internal medicine residency and a dermatology residency at JFK Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. Mills chose to join this practice because of the family feel and her experience in small businesses.

Visionworks Marketing Group Visionsworks Marketing Group, a Columbia-based advertising agency, announced the addition of two new team members: Abby Warner and Hailey Hauldren. Prior to joining Visionworks, Warner worked as a graphic design intern for Bur Oak Brewing Company. Hauldren honed her skills through internships at MU and Hunter Public Relations in New York City.

John Stansfield Convergence Financial announced the addition of John Stansfield to the team. Stansfield has spent the past 18 years as an associate professor of finance at MU and director of the CFA Institute’s University Affiliation Program for the Trulaske College of Business. Stansfield will serve as the director of investments for Convergence Financial, where he will assist affiliate advisors with investment research and model portfolio management.

SILVEY

Scott Dalrymple Dr. Scott Dalrymple, president of Columbia College, has been selected to serve as chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee for the Missouri Department of Higher Education. The advisory committee’s role is to advise the Coordinating Board for Higher Education on the views of the institutions on matters within the purview of the coordinating board. Dalrymple will serve as chairman for the 2018 to 2020 term, representing the PAC in communication with the coordinating board.

MILLS

LONG

Hilary Wilson Integrity Home Care and Hospice announced the promotion of Hilary Wilson to executive director of Home Health. Wilson has more than 10 years of home health experience, with eight of those in a leadership role. Wilson’s primary emphasis will be to lead Integrity’s home health operations across the organization’s footprint.

Emily Long

Garima Singh

Central Bank of Boone County has named Emily Long fraud and deposit operations manager, BSA, and security officer. Prior to her new position, Long served as a customer service representative, customer service team leader, and operations assistant. Long has worked in financial services for 10 years and graduated from New York University with a bachelor’s in drama and design.

Burrell Behavioral Health announced the hiring of Dr. Garima Singh as medical director for central Missouri. Singh specializes in child psychiatry, in particular the care of those with special needs, autism, and developmental delays, and is passionate about bullying prevention. Singh also serves as adjunct faculty in the department of psychiatry at MU. CBT

DALRYMPLE

WILSON

SINGH

Are you or your employees making waves in the Columbia business community? Send us your news at Editor@BusinessTimesCompany.com COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 37

38 NOVEMBER 2018

B U SINESS • PEOP LE • VOIC ES • F YI

P E R S ON YO U SH OU LD KN OW

CAROLYN SULLIVAN PR ES I DE N T & C E O | N E W C H A P T E R C OAC H ING | AG E : 5 8 Years lived in Columbia/Mid-Missouri: I moved from Boston to Columbia when my partner accepted a job at the University of Missouri. We thought we’d be here for a year, but we fell in love with this community, and here we are nearly 20 years later. Original hometown: I grew up in Holmdel, New Jersey, 30 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean. Education: Bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology from Mount Holyoke College and juris doctorate from Suffolk University Law School. Favorite volunteer/community activity: The most impactful volunteering I ever did was for Missouri Mission of Mercy, a large-scale dental clinic that provides free oral health care to patients of all ages who cannot afford or access care. Professional background: I’ve taken two big risks in my life. The first was when I left my legal career and the firm where I’d earned partnership to make a difference in the nonprofit sector. The second big risk I took was when I started my own business at the height of the recession. A favorite recent project: I was recently hired by a nonprofit to navigate the departure of a beloved, longtime CEO and search for her successor. They hired an extremely competent executive and were able to continue — without any interruption caused by the executive transition — to deliver critical basic needs to a marginalized part of our population. A Columbia businessperson I admire and why: Karen Miller, who served as county commissioner for over two decades. Karen focused on doing what was right rather than what was popular. I admire Karen’s

Photography by Anthony Jinson

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 39

B U SINESS • PEOPLE • VOIC ES • F YI

P E R S ON YO U SH OU LD KN OW

commitment to promoting, supporting, and connecting women in leadership roles. And I admire how Karen supports our nonprofit sector, hosting “parties with a purpose” to help them raise the funds they need to succeed. Why I’m passionate about my job: I want to live in a country and community where everyone is thriving, not just a small percentage of the population. I don’t want to live in a community where seniors live in isolation, children go to school hungry, or veterans live on the street. Government can’t achieve these social equity goals on its own; it needs the help of our nonprofit sector. When New Chapter Coaching supports the work of nonprofits in Mid-Missouri and beyond, we’re investing in the health and wealth of our communities and their people. If I weren’t doing this for a living, I would: Probably be a social worker. Social workers are some of my favorite people and that career came up repeatedly in career assessments when I was younger. The next challenge facing my industry: Nonprofits face increasing pressures to do more and more with less and less. Every leader has a long wish list: develop a thoughtful plan for their future, enhance their own leadership, improve team dynamics. But most leaders feel like they don’t have either the time or money they need to achieve their goals. Recruiting folks for our nonprofit roundtables, we often hear leaders say they can’t afford to spend even three hours a month on strengthening themselves and their organization. Our job is to convince these leaders their organization’s future depends on them making these investments. My next professional goal: We now provide nonprofit consulting, coaching, and training services in eight different states. My next goal is to build the infrastructure and curricula — particularly engaging and effective online learning — to serve more nonprofits across the country. Biggest lesson learned in business: During my 35 years in business, I’ve learned that everything begins and ends with trust. Trust is an amazing accelerator of business relationships and growth. I attribute my 40 NOVEMBER 2018

success to trust in myself, in others, and in my ability to cultivate trust-based relationships. Greatest strength: My work ethic. When I take on a commitment, I’m wired to give it my all. A project for a recent client presented more challenges than any we’d ever undertaken, including board dysfunction and expectations that far exceeded the contract. To make matters worse, about halfway through the project, I learned a few members of the nonprofit didn’t want to work with my company because I’m openly gay. As you might imagine, I was tempted to quit just about every time I worked on the project, but I didn’t. I set personal feelings aside and delivered the highest quality service I could. Greatest weakness: There’s a fine line between a strong work ethic and workaholism. I love what I do, so it’s not uncommon for me to work past what I know is the bedtime that will enable me to do my best work the following day. What I do for fun: Most of my free time is spent with my 92-year-old mother. Because of her age and dementia, I choose to spend much of my recreational time with mom.

Family: My spouse, Elisa Glick, is the love of my life. We’ve been together for more than 25 years and married last October. We live with two pooches: Cleo, our 70-pound lap dog, and Samantha, my mom’s 8-pound watch dog. Favorite place in Columbia: While some folks flock to coffee shops to escape their office and get work done, I prefer the third floor reading room at the library. Accomplishment I’m most proud of: Starting my business when the financial market had just crashed. I had no clients or partners, only a dream to help improve lives and transform communities by strengthening nonprofits. Most people don’t know that I: Sometimes people think I’m all work and no play, in part because I wear a suit (and bow tie!) nearly every workday. But what people don’t know — or often see — is that I have a lighter, more relaxed side. I love to laugh, be silly, and have fun. Just ask me about the ugly Christmas sweater I made. Co-workers have told me it’s hideous, but I break it out every year to make people smile and to remind me not to take myself too seriously. CBT

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 41

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B U SINESS • PEOP LE • VOIC ES • F YI

1 0 QU EST I ON S

businesses in a professional, confidential manner. We put packages together to streamline the process of selling and valuing business. LGI Business Brokers has brokered over 300 businesses and valued over 2,000 businesses discreetly and confidentially since opening almost 27 years ago. 3. What does your typical day look like? My typical day includes meeting with clients, both buyers and sellers; working with CPAs and attorneys on contracts; and finding financing for buyers.

Q&A JEFF GUINN Owner, LGI Business Brokers

1. What’s your background? I attended the University of Central Missouri from 1975 to 1978. After graduation, I managed my family’s lumber yard in Mexico, Missouri. Through the next few years, I held progressively larger leadership roles: salesman for MidCity Lumber and manager for a True Value hardware store. In 1983, I opened two stores, a tanning salon and a video store in Monroe City, Missouri. I later sold both in 1986. I opened my first business in Columbia in 1995, Signs Now, which I sold in 2001. In 1986, I began working for a business broker. That lasted until 1990. I took a break from being a business broker to become the general manager for an ice company in Columbia. Then in 1992, I started working at LGI Business Brokers as a broker and then president. From 2001 up until earlier this year, I bought one Sport Clips franchise and opened three more in Columbia. I sold all four stores earlier this year. 2. Tell us about your job: I assist clients that wish to value their businesses or sell their

4. What drew you to your position? I found out at the young age of 29 how hard it is to work directly with sellers of their businesses. The businesses are typically the owner’s largest asset, so the owners are usually emotionally attached to the business, which makes the selling process a challenge.

“There are very few business brokers — less than 6,000 offices in the U.S. — and many brokers are sole practitioners

5. What don’t people know about the business broker industry that they should? There are very few business brokers — less than 6,000 offices in the U.S. — and many brokers are sole practitioners like myself. For comparison, at last check, there were 45,000 real estate agents in Missouri alone.

like myself. For

6. What would people be surprised to know about your job? Many people assume that I do business all over the state; however, I primarily work on transactions within 40 miles of my office in Columbia. But I do complete business valuations all over Missouri.

were 45,000 real

7. What are some challenges you face in your job? My biggest challenges are probably confidentiality, getting sellers to understand the real value their business has to someone else, and to find businesses that have solid cash flow. 8. Describe a success you’re most proud of: The success that I am most proud of is that nearly 80 percent of the businesses I have brokered the sale of are still in operation after at least 10 years, including businesses that we personally sold. I spend an inordinate amount of time educating everyone in the process of business transactions, sometimes to a fault.

comparison, at last check, there estate agents in Missouri alone.” 9. What inspires you to get up each day and make a difference? To see buyers that get excited about their new business purchase and to see sellers who are retiring or are burned out with the business be able to do the things they want to do after selling their business. 10. Tell us something about you that we wouldn’t learn from your resume: Probably the fact that I enjoy assisting clients with marketing almost as much as I do selling and valuing businesses. CBT

Check out more questions and answers online at ColumbiaBusinessTimes.com. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 43

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BU SI N ESS • PEO P LE • VOIC ES • F YI

A CA P I TO L CON VER SAT I ON

An Overview of the Issues on November’s Ballot BY KRCG 13’ S K ER M I T M IL L ER

THE SUMMER OF OUR POLITICAL discontent is over, and Missouri voters will soon decide who sits in the U.S. Senate and who audits the state’s books. They will also decide a number of public policy issues that generally had to fight their way onto the November ballot. Those issues include three measures pertaining to the legalization of marijuana for medical use: Amendment 2, Amendment 3, and Proposition C. Amendment 2 is a constitutional question that would impose a four percent tax on the retail sale of marijuana. The tax revenue would go towards providing health care to veterans. Amendment 3 would impose a 15 percent retail tax on marijuana sales and a wholesale tax on the unprocessed marijuana plants for the research of cancer and other incurable diseases. Proposition C would impose a two percent tax on marijuana sales, using the tax revenue for early childhood education and veteran services among other areas. Voters will also decide on Proposition B, a proposed increase to the state’s minimum wage from its current rate of $7.85 an hour to $12 an hour by 2023. They will also vote on Amendment 4, a proposal from the General Assembly to correct a constitutional problem with the bingo law. For a while, it was an open question whether voters would get to decide the so-called “Clean Missouri” question. Amendment 1 would take control of legislative redistricting away from state lawmakers in an effort to thwart gerrymandering. It would also set new limits on campaign contributions, restrict gifts to lawmakers from lobbyists, and extend the “cooling off” period before a former lawmaker could become

a lobbyist. The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry sued over the ballot language and won a favorable decision at the trial court level. The Missouri Supreme Court ruled in favor of the amendment in late September, meaning it will indeed appear on the ballot. Proposition D will likely draw the greatest public interest, as it’s seeking to increase the state’s motor fuel tax by 2.5 cents per gallon each year for four years to a total of 27 cents. Missouri has not increased the motor fuel tax in 22 years, and advocates say inflation has left the purchasing power of the 17-cent fuel tax at less than half of what it was in 1996, the last time the fuel tax changed. According to its ballot title, Proposition D, when fully implemented, would generate $288 million for the state road fund and $123 million for local governments to use for road construction and maintenance. The tax revenue would go to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, which would free up Missouri Department of Transportation dollars now used for law enforcement to be used for roads and bridges. Advocates say a failure to generate new transportation funding at the state level now could jeopardize federal transportation dollars down the road, which are based on the state’s ability to match. Four years ago, by a margin of three to two, Missouri voters rejected Amendment 7, a proposal put on the ballot by lawmakers for a 3/4cent general sales tax to fund transportation needs. That plan had many critics, including then governor Jay Nixon, who did not want to increase taxes on people who do not drive. Fuel taxes are user fees, an approach Nixon and others had considered to be more fair.

Transportation experts have warned for years that a reliance on fuel taxes is risky because that funding diminishes as cars become more fuel-efficient and as motorists turn to electric or hybrid vehicles, thus reducing fuel consumption. But it was grassroots critics (and the editorial boards of the state’s two largest daily newspapers) who proved to be more than enough to kick Amendment 7 to the curb. Two years ago, a bill that would have raised Missouri’s fuel tax to 23 cents per gallon passed the Missouri Senate, but died in the house, where the Republican majority drew a line against any tax increase in that election year. This year has seen a softening. Groups generally on opposite sides of taxation have held hands for Proposition D. The state’s Republican governor and Republican lieutenant governor got on board early. A Republican lawmaker in the Missouri House generated the resolution that created the ballot proposal. And the list of special interest supporters, including the chamber and the Missouri Farm Bureau, is long and solid. A court challenge to Proposition D filed over the summer failed to keep it off the ballot. The real question might be whether voter attitudes about the depth of need and their responsibility toward that need have changed. If the roads and traffic flow between where they live and where they work or play are good, the problems elsewhere can become invisible — and so can the obligation to solve them. CBT Kermit is an award-winning 45-year veteran journalist and one of the longest serving members of the Missouri Statehouse press corps.

Kermit Miller anchors the 6 and 10 p.m. news for KRCG 13. You can reach Kermit at kmiller@krcg.com COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 45

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B USINESS • PEOP LE • VOIC ES • F YI

LOCA L P E R S P EC T I VE: M AR K FAR N EN

Following The Money Into The Future BY MA RK FA RN EN

AFTER MONTHS OF REPORTS, public hearings, and community debate, Columbia's City Council adopted a $453 million budget for fiscal year 2019, which took effect October 1. People hailed that the budget addressed inadequate pay issues for city employees, held the line on excessive increases in city fees and utility rates, and, with the exception of public transit, funded a robust array of public services. To find room in the budget to implement those pay raises and other program improvements, the council relied on various creative budgeting techniques: departmental cuts and enforcing cost-saving measures, deferring major expenditures, and tapping budget reserves. They also changed the forecast for sales tax revenue the city would receive next year from a two percent decline to a more optimistic one percent decline in income. That created a higher spending cap in the 2019 budget, allowing the council more flexibility in funding choices. But what about the long-term implications and sustainability of the budget that just passed and the financial pressures we will continue to feel as the community grows?

In his July budget message, City Manager Mike Matthes wrote, “This budget is defined primarily by a lack of revenue. Your ability to balance the expectations of a ‘full-service city’ with our ability to pay for those services has reached the tipping point.” In plain talk, that means this coming year will be critical — and we have to get it right. Some individuals seem to believe that there are only two ways to achieve balanced budget nirvana: Find more money or spend less money. That’s too simplistic. Here are a few more rational approaches that the city council is exploring in anticipation of next year’s budget discussions.

COLLECT SALES TAX ON ONLINE PURCHASES It's estimated that the City of Columbia misses out on up to $10 million dollars in sales tax revenue each year because we do not have a reliable way to collect sales taxes on online transactions. That number may be high, but it points to a new source of income that would make a world of difference to city finances. This idea has been kicked around for several years, but recent court rulings, including the

Supreme Court’s Quill Corp. v. North Dakota decision that allows states to require online retailers to collect sales taxes, seem to have opened the door to communities that have seen traditional sales tax bases erode. The Columbia Chamber of Commerce and many city representatives have expressed an interest in crafting legislation that can pass muster with the Missouri legislature. Some members of legislature believe that the state may need to join the national Streamlined Sales Tax Agreement to address the issue. Alternatively, the state could enact legislation that enables the collection of the sales tax either statewide or by local option. It may also be incumbent upon local voters to allow such a tax to be imposed. Columbia can be a thought leader in drafting a bill that will be fair and beneficial to communities statewide. This could be a chance for Columbia to join with other communities to collect a tax for online purchases. Whether such legislation could be enacted, perfected, and implemented in time for the adoption of next year’s budget is an open question. But it’s worth our time to investigate, and advocate, for a fair solution to clear this tax law loophole. Our local legislative delegation can be of immense help in this regard.

CONSIDER A PRIORITY-BASED APPROACH TO BUDGETING A priority-based budgeting process suggests that communities can make financial choices based on the efficacy, value, importance, and necessity of the programs and services it offers. It allows for new programs to be introduced into a community budget, but it doesn't always protect services that have existed in the past. In essence, priority-based budgeting allows for broad stakeholder input earlier in the process; identifies core services that are critical to the operation of a community; identifies the funding source of the services and programs offered; looks for places where services are duplicated by other providers; attempts to identify potential collaborative budgeting solutions; allows for the elimination or privatization of some elements; and considers how budgets reflect necessary changes in the economics, needs, or priorities of a city. This approach explores areas where existing resources can be freed up or reallocated, looks for new partnerships with other public and priCOLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 47

LO CAL P E R S P EC T I V E : M A R K FA R N E N

vate service providers, and looks for new sources of revenue for the city that have been untapped in the past. “New sources of revenue for the city” is often understood as code for plans to increase fees or taxes. In a presentation prepared by Resource X, a national budget consulting firm, a priority-based approach distinguishes between fees and taxes. New fees, however, are clearly within the realm of options considered under this budgeting model. It should also be noted that in the last round of budget action, the council did authorize the expenditure of $75,000 to study the actual costs of new development in terms of service provision and infrastructure. Each city utility also conducts regular cost-of-service studies to justify their service charges. Presumably, that information may be used during this process to justify increases in new development or impact fees, or alternatively, keep the fee structure at existing levels. New taxes, however, seem to be a less likely option. The report describes increases in both taxes and rates as a last resort and seems to steer decision makers away from generating new revenues from current tax and rate payers. Nonetheless, utility rate increases are projected for the next three to five years and the latest draft report on community policing suggested that language for a new property tax proposal could be prepared in time for inclusion on the April 2019 ballot. That idea has met political resistance from council members and the general public and would presumably be a topic for community input if the priority-based system were to be adopted. This system is supposed to be data-driven and is designed to provide a more dispassionate way for decision makers to evaluate the value, necessity, and importance of each service or program area. It will require some investment in computer modeling of the budget and a higher level of documentation. In theory, that sounds great, but there could be at least one unintended consequence. In many communities where priority-based budgeting has been implemented, it’s fairly easy to identify about 40 percent

of everything the city does as critical or a “core” program that you can’t mess with, must fund, and must protect from cuts or elimination. If that same percentage were to hold true in Columbia, that would leave about 60 percent of the budget in a more discretionary category where the various programs might be pitted against each other to demonstrate funding worthiness. That scenario could lead to even more politicization of the budgeting process with winners and losers determined as much by emotion and single-issue advocacy as by data-driven decision-making. The first official meeting on this topic took place October 1, and the meeting agenda clearly stated that council work sessions scheduled for October 2018 through April 2019 will focus on priority-based budgeting unless otherwise noted. Will this process put an end to discussion about new property tax hikes in Columbia? No. This process will allow for discussion of such revenue generating possibilities. However, consider two significant factors. First, in the recent past, with the exception of public school funding tax initiatives, tax and fee increases have not performed well at the ballot box in this city. Maybe the time is right for the internet sales tax idea to gain acceptance, but a major property tax hike or general sales tax increase during the coming year is likely to be met with a large dose of skepticism and possible rejection. Secondly, proceeds from new ballot issues cannot be incorporated into a legitimate city budget unless and until they are ratified by the voters. It would seem unlikely that any major tax increase could be placed on the ballot in time for the April municipal elections, or even presented as an August election question. Anything after that would be too late for consideration as we craft the fiscal year 2020 budget. For now, the city council is leaning in the direction of priority-based budgeting and advocacy for an internet sales tax. That seems to be a prudent choice and worth a try. Maybe better planning rather than better politics is the best choice at this time. CBT

Mark Farnen is co-founder of Strategies LLC and publisher of City Watch. 48 NOVEMBER 2018

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50 NOVEMBER 2018

B USINESS • PEOPLE • VOIC ES • F YI

LOCA L P E R S P EC T I V E : ELI Z ABET H LOBOA

Precision Medicine at MU: An Economic Driver for Columbia BY ELIZA BETH LOBOA

AT MU ENGINEERING, we have a slogan: “Get in.” It all stems from the fact that engineers have a hand in everything — our food, our roads, our water, our electronic devices, and much more. Engineers are also critical in the development of the medicine and medical devices that keep us healthy. As dean of the college of engineering, my focus is engineering. But in my new, additional role as vice chancellor for strategic partnerships, my perspective also extends to how all of our schools and the entire UM System can best utilize our resources to continue improving quality of life and boosting the economy of Columbia and the state. The planned Translational Precision Medicine Complex is a fine example of how MU’s schools and colleges are enhancing their shared work in finding cures to diseases that affect millions,

while also creating a potential economic boost to the state. The medicine complex, which will place interdisciplinary research and industry partners in the same building, will place MU in a position as a national and international player in precision medicine and research for the ensuing decades of the 21st century. It also will attract new students, faculty, and staff and create jobs, which will grow our economy. In fact, a recent study by MU’s Department of Economics has found that among the four metro areas in the state — Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, and Columbia — it is Columbia that has led the way in economic growth during the past decade. The researchers attribute it, in part, to MU’s research strengths that have encouraged a wide variety of industries to blossom in the region.

We want to nurture biomedical research here in Columbia, helping every citizen with their individual medical needs. The medicine complex planning leaders also want to create centers to enable greater collaboration in precision medicine and general technology among universities, public organizations, and private industry, leading to additional opportunities for technology commercialization. There is unprecedented momentum behind this effort. With the promise of solving grand challenges in health care, precision medicine is a revolutionary approach to disease treatment. The “bench-to-bedside” model the medicine complex will employ will move innovations made in the lab to customized patient care based on one’s individual biology. The UM System and the UM Board of Curators have recognized the complex’s importance and designated it as the top capital and philanthropic priority. To that end, we already have many researchers working specifically in the precision medicine realm. By the time of the complex’s estimated completion, we will have approximately 60 researchers. These researchers will work together with industry partners and scientists around the globe to solve the unsolvable in precision medicine. MU scientists are already making tremendous strides in this area, efforts that will be amplified upon the completion of the complex, slated for 2021. For a hint at the potential, consider the recent development of Lutathera. This new drug was recently approved by the FDA to treat certain types of tumors that can occur in the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas. The radioisotope used in Lutathera was created right here at the MU Research Reactor, one of our most powerful tools for our research in precision medicine. At MU, we’re always on the lookout for the next great breakthrough, the next tremendous biomedical innovation, the next innovative prescription medication. The recent Nobel Prize in chemistry won by our own George P. Smith speaks to that tradition. Dr. Smith’s work led to world-changing breakthroughs in the fight against cancer and other diseases. Precision medicine is part of our future, and MU is leading the way. CBT

Elizabeth Loboa is the dean of the College of Engineering and vice chancellor for strategic partnerships at MU. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 51

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B USINESS • PEOPLE • VOIC ES • F YI

LOCA L P E R S P EC T I V E: LOR ELI WI LSON

An Immersion Internship Program BY LORELI W ILSON PH OTOGRAP HY PR OV ID ED BY V ET ER A N S U N I TE D H O ME LOA N S

FOR MANY MARGINALIZED communities, success in specific professions appear more obtainable if they see someone who looks like them succeeding in that profession. The mortgage industry isn’t very racially diverse, which leads to challenges in recruiting professionals of color to work in the industry. Veterans United Home Loans launched an immersion internship program in May 2018 with 12 interns from across the country. The intent of this nationally-sourced diversity internship was to immerse students of color in the mortgage industry, the Columbia community, and Veterans United’s company culture. We worked towards introducing the interns to a vision of belonging; we showed them how they can fit into the mortgage industry and why Columbia is a great place to call home. The interns were placed in departments across the company where they worked on executive projects and a new nonprofit, the Inclusive Impact Institute.

The Inclusive Impact Institute launched earlier this year with the support of a group of local organizations, including Veterans United, to provide support to diversity and inclusion efforts in central Missouri. Developing projects for the institute with the interns provided fresh ideas and a youthful perspective on the nonprofit. Titus Ziegler, one of the interns, had never given central Missouri any thought until he attended a career fair in Tallahassee, Florida, where he met Secily Devese, a culture diversity and inclusion coordinator at Veterans United. Soon after, Ziegler, his fiancée, and their child packed their bags for Columbia. “I wasn’t familiar with the company or the area at all,” Ziegler says. “So it was kind of a leap of faith coming for the internship. Once we got here, [Veterans United] showed us that we were welcome like family and everyone wanted to make sure we were successful and we were comfortable in the city.”

In addition to the hands-on experience of working in a fast-paced corporate environment, the interns also tapped into the philanthropic spirit of Veterans United and volunteered at local nonprofits. The program also offered team building and personal growth opportunities like a culinary tour, introductions to public speaking and golf, and time to more deeply experience Columbia’s culture. Ziegler says the opportunities the Immersion Program provided and the doors it could open were too good to pass up. During the internship, Ziegler’s fiancée also found an opportunity to work with Veterans United. The experience had such an impact on the Ziegler family that Ziegler currently works remotely for Veterans United in Tallahassee while his fiancé finishes school. After graduation, the family plans to relocate to Columbia. Marcus Borthwick, another intern, had no idea what to expect when he came to Columbia for the program. “At the beginning of the program, I thought Columbia and Veterans United would just be a pit stop toward my goal of finding a longterm job surrounded by a group of people I enjoy interacting with daily,” Borthwick says. “Instead, I had found just what I was looking for, and I continue to enjoy life in Columbia.” At the end of the program, Borthwick canceled his return flight home and moved in with a co-worker to work full-time for Veterans United. “There were several reasons I stayed in Columbia,” he says. “One was that I had made a good group of friends that I could rely on during the summer I was here. These were people that I could go to for advice whenever I wanted and would be there for me whatever the reason. Through a series of events that I did not expect to happen, I found myself drawn to Columbia and the people who make it up, which eventually led to my decision of staying here and making this my home.” Veterans United plans to continue the Immersion Internship Program next summer, and they were recently recognized by the Mortgage Bankers Association as a 2018 Residential Diversity and Inclusion Leadership award winner. CBT

Loreli Wilson is the director of diversity and inclusion programs at Veterans United Home Loans. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 53

54 NOVEMBER 2018

B U SINESS • P EOP L E • VO ICE S • F YI

OP I N I ON : AL GER M ON D

“The scooters have added still another level of activity on the city’s already stressfully crowded streets and sidewalks.”

Scooting Around Columbia BY A L GERMON D

ALL OF THE SUDDEN THEY WERE HERE — hundreds of battery-operated scooters. The scooters arrived in Columbia in August, right around the time students headed back to school. Manufactured by Ninebot Tech Co. Ltd. — a China-based company — and carrying the moniker Bird, the overnight arrival of the city's latest transportation option has ginned up a surfeit of talk from all quarters. There is something new and disruptive here. The marketing method behind the scooters seems to be flooding the market with something guaranteed to obtain instantaneous popularity

with a certain part of the population and worry about the legalities later when other parts of the community make a fuss. The scooter company has ignored legalities like getting a business license, which would allow them to legally operate in Columbia. By not taking this step and for other legal reasons, the scooters offer those who make their living practicing in professions like law and medicine a new stream of activity and potential income. The scooters have added still another level of activity on the city’s already stressfully crowded streets and sidewalks. The scooters

also require that drivers and pedestrians have a heightened sense of awareness of their surroundings while navigating. Cruising at speeds of up to 15 miles per hour, how long will it be before someone, whether it be the rider or a bystander, is injured by this latest iteration of motorized transportation? Which brings us to Columbia’s flourishing central business district. Built on a grid of substandard business blocks by length and dimension, downtown Columbia teems with activity most other cities can only dream of replicating. But the growth carries with it considerable concern for the future of the business district. Parking is at a premium, and it’s only going to get worse. First order of business: the city needs to build a super-sized parking structure at the corner of north Eighth Street and Ash just east of the Armory. Some of us worry about personal safety, especially at night. Ongoing concerns about parking, traffic, and congestion leads some of us to spurn going downtown at all. The Bird scooters have landed. And soon, perhaps, Lyft and others. Or you can buy your own battery-operated scooter with prices starting at $129. Our streets belong to all of us, so why not? CBT COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 55

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MANY PATHS, ONE JOURNEY The biggest names in Columbia are championing diversity through MUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inclusive Excellence Framework. BY ROBERT OVERMANN

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 57

Thanks to Columbia’s colleges and universities, the city has had its fair share of “firsts.” The first college for women west of the Mississippi was founded here, as was the first state university west of the river. The first journalism school in the world calls Columbia home. This time, according to Kevin McDonald, MU’s vice chancellor for inclusion, diversity, and equity and the UM System’s chief diversity officer, it’s the Columbia business community’s turn to claim a first: the first in the nation to embrace a university-originated inclusion initiative.

FROM CAMPUS TO CITY Although McDonald points out that MU’s Inclusive Excellence Framework is similar to those of other universities who subscribe to the original inclusion framework developed in 2005 by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, he argues that the off-campus adoption aspect of MU’s program is unique. “This is my fifth higher-ed stop,” he says. “I’ve worked in a number of metro communities. The level of receptivity and action is stronger in this community than in any of the others.” A few months after his arrival in June 2016, McDonald met with community leaders to discuss broadening the initiative to public and private city institutions. “They 58 NOVEMBER 2018

didn’t laugh me out of the room,” he jokes. “In fact, most all of them asked me to start working with point people in their organizations.” McDonald then enlisted Nikki McGruder, now director of the Inclusive Impact Institute, whom he knew to be a respected voice in the community. Together with community leaders, McDonald and McGruder put together a program titled “The Journey Toward Inclusive Excellence” to bring the inclusive excellence framework to local businesses and nonprofit organizations. Organizations participating in the program were asked to develop their own inclusive excellence plans and to consider signing a document containing five “principles of community,” which are aspirational statements that declare signing organizations’ commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. When the Inclusive Impact Institute debuted the principles this past January, many of the contributing organizations signed on immediately. Now a few months removed, we took a look at how signers are making good on their commitment.

ONE MISSION, MANY APPROACHES According to Stacye Smith, director of human resources at Shelter Insurance, Shelter’s push for diversity and inclusion began not with the Journey Toward Inclusive Excellence, but with a diversity internship program it started in 1988. Smith says that Shelter’s diversity work after signing the pledge in late August has focused on categorizing existing programs according to the framework’s five dimensions. Smith points out that the first dimension is access and success. Therefore, she says, Shelter is thinking carefully about how and where it recruits. Although Shelter has in the past employed a manager of diversity and inclusion who connects with historically black colleges and universities as well as diverse student organizations, Smith says Shelter is now expanding the program. For instance, it recently sponsored the regional conference of a traditionally black fraternity that included chapters from six states within its operating area. Her colleague, Paul LaRose, vice president of human resources, says these changes are grounded in Shelter’s culture as well as its business strategy. “One thing that jumped out at me in the principles was, ‘We affirm the inherent dignity and value of every person and strive to maintain a climate for work and learning based on mutual respect and understanding,’” LaRose recalls. “That’s something [Shelter] has been about for as long as I’ve been here.” LaRose says the business case, which he and Smith view as twofold, wasn’t a hard sell at Shelter. “We realized that, if we’re going to reach parts of our communities we haven’t touched before, then our organization needed to look more like the communities we serve.” Smith quickly chimes in with the other piece of the puzzle. Beyond boosting marketing and sales, she argues, diversity drives innovation. “The research is clear: You need people from different backgrounds,” she says. “Ultimately, COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 59

As of this writing, these are some of the organizations that have signed the pledge:

• Central Bank of Boone County

• City of Columbia

• Columbia Chamber of Commerce

• Daniel Boone Regional Library

• Heart of Missouri United Way

• Influence & Co.

• New Chapter Coaching

• Shelter Insurance 60 NOVEMBER 2018

when we’re making decisions, whether it’s about hiring, products, or customer service, listening to all perspectives makes us a better company.” Smith and LaRose’s explanation of why their company adopted the framework aligns remarkably well with that of Loreli Wilson, director of diversity and inclusion programs at Veterans United Home Loans. Wilson views inclusion and diversity as beneficial to Veterans United’s external and internal functions. “The veteran and active military community we serve is diverse,” Wilson shared in an email. “Having veterans on our team has been instrumental in knowing how to best serve our borrowers.” She points specifically to Veterans United’s production and customer service functions, where she says veteran employees have helped educate their co-workers on military issues like post-traumatic stress disorder, veteran-specific resources, and more. Since Veterans United signed on to the initiative, Wilson says, it has focused primarily on two principles: community engagement and organizational climate and intergroup relations. She says employees are encouraged to attend the Journey Toward Inclusive Excellence events, and Veterans United has internally adapted certain other programs, such as Central Missouri Community Action’s poverty simulation, to help provide context for the inclusion framework. While Veterans United and Shelter have historically focused on different types of diversity in different ways, Wilson emphasizes that Veterans United views the initiative as an important part of its inclusion toolkit: “We work toward fostering an environment of respectful and open dialogue with diversity-related small groups. . . . This project adds even more options to accommodate varying interests and the culture of our organization.” Joe Henderson, president of Central Bank of Boone County, also made clear that he views his organization’s sign-on as an extension of its existing diversity and inclusion efforts, which he says are a moral obligation the bank holds. “It had nothing to do with business,” Henderson says. “We live this on a day-to-day basis. We felt strongly that it’s important to put [this initiative] forward.” Noting that Central Bank serves 35 to 40 percent of Columbia residents, he says that Central Bank’s Board of Directors chose to support the initiative to encourage other individuals and organizations to step up for an important issue in central Missouri. But it’s not just for-profit companies that have embraced the Journey Toward Inclusive

Excellence. In fact, of all the signing organizations, Heart of Missouri United Way may be making the most of the program so far. Andrew Grabau, executive director of Heart of Missouri United Way, points to seven projects supported by United Way in 2018 that each address one or more of the inclusive excellence framework’s five dimensions. According to Grabau, United Way has awarded $25,085 for the projects, which include a child development assistance program, professional development activities, hiring of a part-time parent involvement manager, board development activities, data management improvements, an organizational culture review, and the development of a minority- and women-owned business roundtable. In 2019, Grabau plans to update the criteria by which United Way awards its "Impact Grants" to reflect the principles. He also expects United Way to distribute an additional $25,000 in inclusion, diversity, and equity grants, which will fund other community projects. Although he is grateful for the grants, Grabau views non-funded projects like the business roundtable as just as critical for starting a community conversation around economic inclusion. For example, in mid-September, United Way and the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, another signer of the initiative, met with local nonprofits to learn what transportation barriers their clients face.

COLUMBIA’S INCLUSIVE FUTURE Despite the Journey Toward Inclusive Excellence’s first-year successes, Nikki McGruder makes clear the journey is not over. This upcoming January, McGruder, in conjunction with McDonald’s office, will present the principles to a wider crop of businesses at the Columbia Values Diversity Celebration. “We want businesses to see this as an opportunity to be the community we all want to be,” McGruder explains. “We need everyone to understand that they have a place in this work.” McGruder is optimistic. The pledge is scalable, she says, and organizations are free to amend it according to their values and needs. In the coming year, she would like to see more small- and medium-sized businesses sign on. McGruder says she has yet to hear any pushback on the initiative. But for companies that don’t see a need to promote diversity and inclusion, she has a message: “The world is changing. Good luck.” CBT

#FIGHTFORGOOD

DEB VALVO Publisher, COMO Living

LOVE HAS AN ARMY… And to provide love and care to those in need in our community, it also takes an army. ERICA PEFFERMAN President, The Business Times Company

Change DOES make change. We agreed to co-chair The Salvation Army’s Christmas Campaign this year because we both feel very strongly about the work they do in our community. In spite of all the great things about Columbia, we have some serious issues that require boots on the ground, laser focus attention. The kind of attention that only the Salvation Army can provide… and only with the support of people like you. We’re asking you to dig a little deeper in your pockets and wallets this year each time you pass their red kettles. And we’re grateful that you, too, want to see a positive change in our community.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING!

The numbers are daunting. In • • •

2017, The Salvation Army’s Harbor House served over 500 individuals provided over 16,500 nights of shelter served over 33,000 meals

In addition, they also served over 2,700 through their food pantry. These much needed services are only made possible by the generous donations made to their infamous Red Kettles. And those kettles need bell ringers! Please consider volunteering this season because an unmanned kettle gets easily ignored. Monies put in the kettles in Columbia stay in Boone County!

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RockTheRedKettleCOMO.org/bell-ringing TEXT TO DONATE

KETTLE2018 TO 91999

N E W WO RK FO RC E The majority of American workers will be freelancers by 2027 — here’s how to prepare for, hire, and keep them. BY BR EN N A M c D ER M OTT | P H OTO G R A P H Y BY A N TH O N Y J I N S O N 62 NOVEMBER 2018

Diane Kielhofner

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 63

WE’RE WORKING IN A GIG WORLD. According to a LinkedIn study published in August, 70 percent of small businesses have hired a freelancer and 81 percent of those businesses planned to hire freelancers in the future. Fifty-two percent of small business hiring managers said they would hire more freelancers in the next five years. According to a 2017 study by Upwork and the Freelancers Union, which studied 6,000 U.S. freelancers, 57.3 million people freelanced in 2017, and the freelance workforce has grown three times faster than the overall U.S. workforce since 2014. And businesses are reporting results with freelancers — in the same study, 83 percent of managers said freelancers “greatly help their business get the job done.” And according to another study released by Upwork, in 2018, small businesses are now 40 percent of the organizations hiring freelancers. So who are these people?

INDEPENDENT & GROWING For starters, they’re soon to be the majority. A study by Upwork estimates the majority of U.S. workers will be freelance by 2027. Here’s how one local business has built a format for working with freelancers to get the job done. Content marketing company Influence & Co. works with freelancers on an independent, contract basis, says managing editor Diane Kielhofner. She manages Influence & Co.’s team of freelance writers and designers who are based around the country. Influence & Co. freelancers usually fall into one of two groups — either they’re self-employed and write 10 to 15 articles per week or they have full-time jobs and enjoy occasional projects. Good freelancers are flexible, want to deliver good work, and are eager for feedback, she says. A good fit will have a similar outlook on payment expectations and will understand your business model, who your clients are, and what they need. Managers hire freelancers for many reasons, according to the LinkedIn study. Six64 NOVEMBER 2018

ty-two percent of the managers surveyed said they lacked the needed experience on their team to complete a project, and 47 percent indicated the less expensive cost of hiring a freelancer as a reason. The industries that indicated they were currently hiring freelancers were art and design (66 percent), education (67 percent), technology (64 percent), consumer goods (58 percent), and consulting (57 percent). According to the study, the most in-demand skill for freelancers was website design, followed by accounting, web development, marketing, and graphic design. Forty-seven percent of working Millennials freelance, more than any other generation. On average, full-time freelancers are working 36 hours per week. Freelancers are also more up to date with skills than a standard full-time employee. The Upwork study indicated 65 percent of fulltime freelancers update their skills as their jobs evolve; only 45 percent of full-time employees said the same.

WORKING WITH FREELANCERS Influence & Co. does have a recruitment and onboarding process for all freelancers, much like they do for full-time employees. Kielhofner suggests that each freelancer you’re interviewing should submit a formal application and resume. Ask them to include past experience in their field, the kind of projects they would want to work on, references, and previous examples of work. Don’t be afraid to administer a test yourself, Kielhofner says. Influence & Co. will ask freelancers to write a test article based on an interview from past clients. The work is not published anywhere, but it’s a useful tool for internal evaluation. “It’s good to have that test article there to make sure that it’s a good fit for both of us,” she says. Once you make a hire and collect that first completed project, provide in-depth feedback on every project, Kielhofner says. Outline best practices and explain what was done well, what

wasn’t, and why certain things were changed. Hopefully the freelancer will apply those practices to the next article and align it more closely with expectations. Ninety-five percent of the time, freelancers are willing to collaborate and re-do work to get the project where an employer wants it to be, Kielhofner says. And that process can build trust.

“It’s really about open lines of communication and giving the freelance writers as much instruction and context and ingredients as they’ll need to essentially succeed in writing that article,” she says. Assign projects well in advance, as scheduling can be a barrier to working with freelancers, many of whom have other projects in the works and may not be able to fit yours in.

“Freelancers aren’t just there to complete assignments at your beck and call,” Kielhofner says. The gig economy is a great innovation in the workforce, but freelancers depend on fulltime employees to advocate for them — your freelancers should be treated with as much dignity and respect as full-time employees. “Just because you’re not seeing this person in

the office everyday doesn’t mean they’re not delivering a huge value to your business,” Kielhofner says. And, even if a freelancer is well integrated into the company, there is still a barrier between them and the staff. Often, freelancers are based all over the country or the world, and it’s difficult for them to feel a connection to the company culture. They also might not grasp the COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 65

“FREELANCERS AREN’T JUST THERE TO COMPLETE ASSIGNMENTS AT YOUR BECK AND CALL.” DIANE KIELHOFNER

66 NOVEMBER 2018

nuances of your company’s processes and procedures. Even though their freelancers are not often connected with the fulltime staff, Influence & Co. works to try to create a freelancer culture. Each year they give out freelancer superlatives, awarding writers things like “most creative” or “most consistent.” These don’t just make freelancers feel good; they can also add authority to their resumes. Surveying freelancers on occasion is also a good practice, Kielhofner says. Influence & Co. uses surveys to determine time spent on projects, how their processes compare with other companies the freelancers work for, and whether compensation models are in line. Kielhofner suggests making sure your company creates a framework so freelancers view you as a reliable employer. Create a consistent payment structure that is outlined in a contract. Showing consistency with the little things, like paying freelancers on the same day every month, helps build the relationship. A contract should also lay out how they can use work they’re doing in a resume or portfolio — especially if they're creating content that will not bear their name. Line out how raises and bonuses will work, expectations for delivery of product, and so on. Influence & Co. pays its freelancers by assignment and will sometimes give bonuses in addition to the base fee for additional research or a quick turnaround. Writers typically have 48 hours to craft a standard article. And, should you decide to let a freelancer go, handle it like any other firing, Kielhofner says: provide specific reasons why the relationship isn’t working out, whether it’s evidence of work not delivered on time or the freelancer ignoring instructions. Across many industries, freelancers are becoming the backbone of business, so it’s important to set up the framework for utilizing them. “I don’t see a need for freelancer workers in the marketing world slowing down anytime soon,” Kielhofner says.

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR VS. EMPLOYEE Want to utilize freelancers? Start by doing your research. Does the freelancer live elsewhere? In some states, they’ll need to register as an LLC before you can legally pay them, Kielhofner says. “Freelancers” are independent contractors, from an accounting standpoint, says Jessica Lehmen, CPA at Williams Keepers LLC. Evaluate your business agreements with freelancers to make sure they’re not actually performing duties as an employee. “Make sure that the relationship between the business and the freelancer is one of an independent contractor type relationship and not an employee relationship,” Lehmen says. For example, if a contractor is working almost full-time hours for one company, they might not technically be a contractor if it’s limiting their ability to work for other companies. It’s a gray area, says Lehmen. The IRS has a guide to help small businesses determine whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor. It asks questions like whether the company controls how the worker does her work, whether expenses are reimbursed, who provides tools or supplies to do the work, and whether the worker receives any “employee-type benefits.” Other questions to consider include “will the relationship continue and is the work performed a key aspect of the business?” There is not a set formula to determine if a worker is an employee or an independent contractor, and there is no one factor that is the final determiner. Instead, the guide says to look at the whole relationship. “While there is a factor that’s based off of how much time or money is spent, it has more to do with control, usually, than it has to do with the amount,” Lehmen says. CBT COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 67

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With the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unemployment sitting at its lowest rate in 18 years, some small businesses are on the hunt for workers. BY KACEN J. BAYLESS COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 69

THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE in Columbia is the lowest it’s been since 2000. This year it has ranged from 2.9 percent to 2.3 percent. Statewide, unemployment has consistently dipped below the national average over the past three years. Although these numbers are obviously a positive for the city and state, a smaller pool of unemployed workers in Columbia has led some local businesses to work on attracting talent from a larger geographic area in Mid-Missouri. Cale Kliethermes, the owner of Kliethermes Homes & Remodeling, says the trouble of hiring new workers is “something we’re dealing with a lot right now.” Kliethermes was born and raised in Columbia before moving to Colorado to earn a double major in business administration and finance at Regis University. After college, he served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps before eventually moving back to his hometown to work with his father, Dan, at Kliethermes Homes & Remodeling. About two and a half years ago he purchased the business from his father and has since been trying to grow the company — a task that, obviously, involves hiring workers. “Right now, I really need two project managers, and we’ve gotten some decent applicants in, but most of them are untrained, so we would have to train them, which we have done in the past, but we’ve also found that without some construction knowledge, it just really doesn’t work too well,” he says. “It’s something that you just kind of have to have an understanding of to really excel at the profession.” He says the most important part of hiring new workers is making sure it’s the right person for the job instead of someone you’re hiring to meet a deadline you set for yourself. Right now, Kliethermes Homes & Remodeling has 14 full-time and three part-time workers. Kliethermes says he wants to hire someone who would fit in with the rest of his team — he would rather work 100 hours a week than hire the wrong person. “We will hire when it’s the person that’s right for the job,” he says. “We have tried to do the, ‘let’s get someone hired by next month’ thing, and what good does that do you? You get somebody that’s in there and they’re not a good fit for the company.” Kliethermes says that with the small pool of available workers in Columbia, he’s 70 NOVEMBER 2018

“I THINK WE’RE GOING TO SEE THIS CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE KIDS START TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE’S A HUGE SHORTAGE AND SAY ‘NOW I CAN MAKE SOME MONEY DOING THIS.’” – CALE KLIETHERMES posted his job listings throughout Kansas City and St. Louis and says that workers are moving to Columbia for a mix of reasons, including job opportunities. “What we’re finding out is that people who aren’t from Columbia are coming from competitors, and that’s a difficult place for me to be in,” he says. “We’re a small community of builders, so you have to respect everybody.” Although the city’s low unemployment rate may be to blame for the shortage of workers in the area, Kliethermes says the lack of workers in the building trade is a “nationwide epidemic.” He says that schools haven’t been focusing on attracting students to the profession, and that’s caused people to look down on it. “I think we’re going to see this continue for the next several years before kids start to recognize that there’s a huge shortage and say, ‘Now I can make some money doing this,’” he says.

WHO WE WANT TO WORK WITH Anne Williams is the owner and founder of JobFinders, an employment service in Columbia that has a staff of about 650 workers and a nationwide reach. The company’s main goal is to get as many people to work

as possible in industries including industrial fields and clerical and call center work. The prerequisites for JobFinders hires are based on the needs of their clients, and each client has their own set of requirements. To find potential hires, Williams’ company does a lot of advertising and has a database with over 16,000 people. “We use every piece of technology imaginable to contact people,” she says. Williams says that 60 to 70 percent of the potential hires her company contacts end up working for her clients. Although she admitted that the low unemployment rate in Columbia does have its challenges, she doesn’t think the number of workers she’s hired for clients has changed that much. “We don’t really watch the unemployment rate because the way we do business, we want to go looking for people who want to work for us,” she says. It doesn’t matter what the unemployment rate is because we’re only going to choose people that we want to work with, so it really doesn’t make a difference on that end.” Williams says about 85 percent of the workers she hires live within 20 miles of Columbia and they choose to live in the area because, “it’s a good place to live, good schools, cost of living is not horrific, wages are fair, those

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 71

types of things. And then our jobs — I probably have 30 jobs today if anybody wants to come work.”

MU’S INFLUENCE The MU Career Outcomes Survey collects data that shows information about what jobs recent graduates have been hired for. Information is still being collected for this past year, but according to data from MU’s Class of 2017 (which included fall 2016, spring 2017, and summer 2017 graduates), Columbia was the second most frequently cited destination (behind St. Louis) with 18 percent of the class’s fulltime employee graduates staying in Columbia upon graduation. HireMizzouTigers.com, a website that recently upgraded to the Handshake student recruitment software platform, allows for MU students and alumni as well as potential employers to have access to job postings, interview schedules, and career events. A few months ago, Nickie Davis, the director of outreach for The District, recognized the need for downtown businesses to attract workers and immediately thought of a potential partnership between The District and MU’s Career Center. “It’s something new that we just started,” Davis says. “I know that a lot of businesses down here need help and a lot of times we turn to 72 NOVEMBER 2018

interns, either paid or for school credit, to help fill that void for small businesses. It came to my attention that Mizzou had an awesome program where they had tried to place their interns in a place that also allowed school credit, so we’ve been working towards that with them.” The way the partnership works is that small businesses downtown will send The District what job requirements they’re looking for and The District will work with MU to post the job on HireMizzouTigers for students to access. Amanda Nell, senior student service coordinator at MU’s Career Center, says the partnership is in its initial stages, and right now, the goal is to provide businesses in The District with information on how they can promote their internships on the HireMizzouTigers.com website and how they can reach out to individual candidates. “If you’re a local business, you don’t always have tons of time to post those things, so we talked about how we can post them on their behalf,” she says. Davis says she hopes to reach out to Stephens College, Columbia College, and possibly Columbia high schools for potential interns. “Here downtown, we’re a little different than the rest of the city because we have such great access to the students,” Davis says. “Students are always looking for something different, and we have so many different ways to attract people downtown.” CBT

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Culture Newcomer Cole Knudsen maximizes the contribution of his Quaker Oats team.

BY B E T H B RAMST E DT P H OTO GRAPH Y BY ANT H O NY J INS O N

74 NOVEMBER 2018

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 75

ole Knudsen is as genuine and engaging as they come. On this late Friday afternoon, he is particularly excited about grabbing his family, jumping in their Jeep, and heading to Katfish Katy’s for Katfish Tacos and a craft beer. His eyes are bright and his smile wide. For a newcomer to Columbia, he seems to be acclimating well, becoming familiar with the vibrant business and cultural scene the city has to offer. And that enthusiasm carries over to the culture he’s creating as director of Columbia’s Quaker Oats plant.

THE DECISION TO LEAD Knudsen, 35, hails from Kansas, holds a degree in industrial engineering from Kansas State University, and joined Quaker Oats in 2006 at their Cedar Rapids location. He moved to Columbia in the summer of 2017 to oversee the Columbia plant, the only one of Quaker’s four plants to produce 18 flavors of large and mini rice cakes — a task that keeps them operating on a 24/7 schedule. “Ever since school, I’ve worked within a manufacturing environment, and food manufacturing brings its own level of complexities,” says Knudsen. “My degree was a good fit because I tend to gravitate towards seeking out and improving inefficiency through process. I’m a very technical person and love getting my hands dirty and using data to drive decisions. Even when I was growing up hauling hay during the summers, I would find a way to increase how many bales we were averaging per hour.” After being a supervisor his first four years at Quaker, which has been owned by PepsiCo since 2001, there was a point where he needed to pick a career path. Did he want to pursue a more technical role, such as a process improvement engineer, or did he want to pursue something within management? “As I reflect back, I recognize that decision as a very defining time for me,” Knudsen says. “When I sat down to think about it then, I realized how much I loved leading a team, working with people on a common goal, and being a positive influence to other people also looking to grow within their career.” Knudsen chose the managerial path and quickly worked his way up through a business unit leader role managing other supervisors, then through two different department manager roles with responsibility over all operations. “I am not one to take on a role and quickly move into another for self-gain,” he explains. 76 NOVEMBER 2018

“

I am a very technical person and love getting my hands dirty and using data to drive decisions. Even when I was growing up hauling hay during the summers, I would find a way to increase how many bales we were averaging per hour.”

“My ultimate goal is to take a position where I can grow while also making that role and department better than it was when I came into it. When the director position opened at the Columbia facility, I gladly accepted the opportunity.” Knudsen describes his leadership philosophy as centering on five attributes: integrity, empowering others, confidence through adversity, teamwork, and empathy. And he is excited to use his values and experience to build a team that can take on challenging projects, navigate difficult situations, and learn from their mistakes.

A SKILLED TEAM Quaker has been in oat production for more than 140 years, committed to combining science, scale, passion, and expertise to support a robust product portfolio. They have four manufacturing plants throughout the Midwest, including the Columbia facility, which broke ground in 1994 and was in full swing by 1995. “After the plant had been open for a while, we partnered with MU to help optimize the popping process. To produce rice cakes at the volume we do, there are a lot of automation and continuous workflow systems,” Knudsen says. “Essentially, we take grain, condition it, and pop it in machines under high temperature and pressure for a certain amount of time. After it’s popped, we apply flavoring and bake it. Then we package the product into what you see on the shelf.” To get the job done, Quaker offers jobs in areas such as employee safety, quality, and sanitation; high-speed equipment operation; maintenance; and warehousing. Under the roof, the Columbia plant employs 260 people, including 17 different families with more than one family member working at their site. These families include spouses, siblings, and father–son teams. “We are extremely proud of the workforce we’ve built. It’s an engaged community of passionate, hardworking individuals,” Knudsen shares. “I especially enjoy seeing family members of current employees join our team. We try to think of ourselves as a big family, one that is always willing to help others out in a time of need and come together when the business calls.” Building a solid team does not come without its share of challenges, especially recruiting talent for the breadth of manufacturing needs at the facility. Knudsen says the ideal candidate has experience within a manufacturing environment, can work safely, is comfortable around high-speed equipment, and can work within a standard set of policies. “I’ve been nothing but impressed with the ambition and motivation of our employees, no matter

their previous experience. I absolutely love working with someone who has the desire to be successful and is willing to work for it,” he says. To set their employees up for success, Quaker has invested in a skills training program. Their maintenance group also partners with Moberly Area Community College’s Mechatronics Program. With this partnership, Quaker provides insights on the skills their maintenance group needs today, then MACC adapts their training program to ensure they’re providing the right talent to the local market. “We’ve hosted three interns as part of the program, after which all three have accepted full-time roles at our site,” Knudsen says.

AN EMPOWERING CULTURE Knudsen is proud to work for a company that highlights diversity and engagement within its core values. For their site to be successful, he believes they need to leverage the talents, experiences, ideas, and creativity of all their team members. To support this, they have several initiatives that not only show their appreciation and value for their employees, but also give those employees an opportunity to participate in a wide array of business initiatives, site projects, company programs, and community outreach activities. “All of the Quaker employees are very passionate people, and I’m glad to work side-by-side with them,” Knudsen says. “I have been nothing but impressed with Columbia’s hospitable, friendly, and hardworking community. It’s also important for a business to have a culture that models its ideal identity.” And Knudsen’s goal is clear: for the Quaker site to be recognized within the community as the manufacturing employer of choice. “My ultimate goal is for people to feel confident in saying, ‘Oh, you need to go work for Quaker!’” Knudsen says. “We reflect that in the values we honor, the benefits we offer, and, most importantly, how we work with and treat our employees.” Turning a technical mind to managerial practices has paid dividends for Knudsen and his manufacturing team, helping to create an environment that helps employees feel useful and satisfied in their work. “Every single employee we have has a unique background and work experience, a different set of values and skills, and ultimately wants to feel valued when they come to work. We all feel this way,” he continues. “The culture I strive to create at our Quaker site is one that respects and leverages the diversity of others, accomplishes goals through team work, and is always striving to be the best.” CBT COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 77

Christian Fellowship School presents the 20/20 Vision Award to the following businesses for helping us Build the Future Together by sponsoring at the Partner Level for our Sporting Clay Fundraiser!

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Hubbell Power Systems in Centralia, Mo is Hiring

American Outdoor Brands, a leading provider of quality products in the shooting, hunting, and rugged outdoor markets, is now hiring at our new facility in Columbia, Missouri. Many positions in Logistics, Order Management, Marketing, eCommerce, Engineering and Security are open.

For current job listings, visit: aob.com/careers 2501 Lemone Industrial Blvd. â&#x20AC;˘ Columbia, MO 65201 (573) 777-7639 American Outdoor Brands is an equal opportunity employer.

80 NOVEMBER 2018

Positions in various fields such as Operations, Sourcing, Engineering, and Customer Service are currently available. We are currently also hiring Welders, Assemblers, Warehouse, Galvanizers, and other production positions. Hubbell Power Systems offers competitive pay and benefits.

Hubbell Incorporated, its subsidiaries and affiliates, is an EO Employer AA: M/F/Veteran/Disability. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other protected class

VISIT HUBBELL.COM TO APPLY

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Accepting applications online for: Production Operator #R00937351 • Starting pay range: $16.92/hr - 19.96/hr • 1 year pay range: $18.02/hr - 21.06/hr

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Columbia is the best place for everyone to live, work, learn, and play! Visit our website at gocomojobs.com to explore our selection of job opportunities. We have jobs from entry level to Director level positions available. Our permanent positions start at a minimum of $15 an hour. EOE M/F/D/V

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86 NOVEMBER 2018

IN FOCUS

A LABORING PROBLEM

An in-depth look at Columbiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s low unemployment rate and what that means for workforce readiness. BY DAVID MORRISON

IN FOCUS

hen companies are considering a relocation to Columbia, Chamber of Commerce President Matt McCormick wants the city to be sending them a very clear message. “We’re open for business,” McCormick says. “We want your company here. We want you to be able to thrive and grow here and be successful here.” There’s a potential problem with that. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data from July, Columbia has an unemployment rate of just 2.9 percent. That’s lower than the 3.4 percent the state of Missouri posted as a whole and also comes in under the state’s other major labor markets: Kansas City (3.9 percent), St. Louis (3.8 percent), Springfield (3.1 percent), and St. Joseph (3.4 percent). Sure, low unemployment is one of those “good” problems to have, but it can be a problem nonetheless for companies hoping to potentially draw from the pool of available labor in Columbia. It’s not a very big pool. “We’ve seen a mix of companies bringing some people with them, but also not just looking at Columbia as far as their employment base,” McCormick says. “They look at the region, the area, the county, a multicounty region where they can recruit people from, with that drivability and people being able to get to their jobs. . . . With that growth comes, ‘How do we make sure we do have the skilled labor to be able to fill those jobs?’” So “workforce readiness” is more than just a catchy phrase for McCormick and Columbia’s other business leaders. For the purposes of Columbia employers — current and potential — the operative part of workforce readiness is the ready availability of laborers in the market that have the necessary knowledge, training, and skills to work in their specific industries. If you’re a health center moving into an area with a scarcity of nurse training programs, for example, you might want to reconsider. If you’re a large manufacturer moving into an area that has made its living off of retail for the past four or five decades, you might be hurting for available employees capable of operating your machinery. Columbia already has a number of things going for it as a destination for new business, McCormick says. The schools and hospitals are top-notch, the quality of living is high, and the cost of living is about seven percent below the national average. The city has a diverse economy, McCormick says, so its employees have skills that translate to a myriad of industries. “We’re not just relying on one type of business. We have a multitude of types of businesses,” McCormick says. “We’re not just relying on retail or education or manufacturing.” Still, there are some sectors that seemingly always need more trained applicants: nursing, for example. And new development opportunities also mean new demands on a region’s workforce. American Outdoor Brands is expected to finish its 500,000-square-foot distribution center on Route Z this month, bringing more than 300 jobs to Boone County. Aurora Organic Dairy expects its Columbia milk processing plant to be

88 NOVEMBER 2018

QUICK NUMBERS 2.9%

Columbia’s unemployment rate as of July 2018.

3.4%

Missouri’s unemployment rate as of July 2018.

4.1%

United States’ unemployment rate as of July 2018.

Columbia’s cost of living is seven percent below the national average.

2014

The year Moberly Area Community College began offering a mechatronics degree, which was designed to address the need for more workers skilled in manufacturing.

Number of MACC graduates with a mechatronics degree.

Wo r k fo rce R e a d i n e ss operational by early next year, meaning more than 100 new jobs. The demand for manufacturing is rather high. “That’s probably one of the areas we were a little lighter in: manufacturing, light manufacturing, and the distribution centers,” McCormick says. 3M anticipated this need about five years ago. In 2013, the manufacturing company went to REDI with a desire for more area workers trained in the industry. In turn, REDI approached Moberly Area Community College to see if it had any degree programs aimed at that sector. It didn’t, so the three entities set about creating the “mechatronics” course of study, housed at the Columbia Higher Education Center at Parkade Center. MACC began offering the Associate of Applied Science in Mechatronics degree in January 2014, which teaches the electrical, mechanical, and computer skills needed for manufacturing plant technicians. Since then, demand for the degree has grown so much that MACC has expanded it into another, similar offering called advanced manufacturing technology. It has the same first year of courses as mechatronics, but branches more into machining, welding, and other related skills in the second year. “Mechatronics was the first program that was built and designed for Columbia employers,” says Jo Fey, the MACC dean of workforce development and technical education. “We convened a large group of Columbia manufacturers who then designed the degree. They designed the degree, came up with the skills needed and then, through collaboration, we came up with the title and used plant managers and people who actually are hands-on in the maintenance jobs to design the courses that we have.” MACC currently offers 34 career and technical education courses at its Columbia campus. They cover subjects such as information technology, business administration, early childhood education, surgical technology, and phlebotomy. The trend, Fey says, has moved toward offering supplemental options in addition to the prescribed course of study — specialized certi-

“We have been developing our partnerships with employers and asking them what they need and then designing the programs around what employers need.” — Jo Fey, MACC dean of workforce development and technical education

fication and training courses that aren’t necessarily for college credit, but that attendees need for joining or advancing in the workforce. It’s a common occurrence for Fey to get a call from a distribution center saying it needs a customized skills training course for its employees. MACC is happy to oblige. MACC is also part of a group of Missouri community colleges called MoSTEMWINs that focuses on career readiness education and training in manufacturing, information technology, health sciences, and science support. The program is funded by grant money from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. “We all work together to design those programs and make them available to students

to work with employers directly,” Fey says. “That’s probably as important as anything — that we have been developing our partnerships with employers and asking them what they need and then designing the programs around what employers need.” After all, who knows more about the immediate needs of area employers than the companies doing the hiring? “We’ve got more jobs than we have qualified people for certain jobs, sometimes,” McCormick says. “So it’s being creative on how do we find people, how do we bring people in, how do we work with different entities to train people to get them to the skill set so that they can take advantage of the great job opportunities that are out there?” CBT

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 89

red we Po

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We do more than just find jobs at JobFinders. O F T HWe E build rewarding careers, TOWN one at a time. 201 8

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Providing cost effective staffing

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st 1Mexico, Place:Sedalia Centraland BankColumbia. of Boone County 2nd Place: Landmark Bank

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TOP IT COMPANY 1st Place: Midwest Computech 2nd Place: Delta Systems

TOP HR FIRM

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90 NOVEMBER 2018

1st Place: Valerie Zumwalt 2nd Place: Kim Becking

TOP BUSINESS COACH 1st Place: Carolyn Paris Consulting Performance Consultant & Coach 573-819-6705, CarolynParis.com

TOP COFFEE MEETING LOCATION 1st Place: The Grind Coffe House 2nd Place: Kaldi’s Coffee

TOP PLACE FOR A BUSINESS LUNCH 1st Place: D. Rowe’s 2nd Place: Sycamore

TOP ARCHITECT

1st Place: Simon Oswald Architecture 2801 Woodward Dr. #103 573-443-1407, SOA-Inc.com

2nd Place: Tom Trabue

TOP BUSINESS ATTORNEY 1st Place: Nathan Jones 2nd Place: Daniel Beckett

TOP VIDEOGRAPHER 1st Place: Cosmic Sauce 2nd Place: Thom Baker

TOP ENTREPRENEUR 1st Place: Amanda Quick 2nd Place: Cara Owings

TOP COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPER

1st Place: Chris Rosskopf 2nd Place: Jason Ramsey

1st Place: Columbia EDP 1816 Vandiver Drive 573-474-8431, ColumbiaEDP.com

1st Place: Central Bank 2nd Place: 44 Canteen

TOP BUSINESS SPEAKER

1st Place: Jesse Walters 2nd Place: Wendy Moore

TOP COMMERCIAL LENDER

1st Place: Paint the Town 2703 East Broadway, #127 573-777-7795 PaintTheTownColumbia.com

1st Place: Connection Exchange 2nd Place: GFI Digital

1st Place: COMO Smoke and Fire 2nd Place: Room 38

1st Place: Anne Williams 2nd Place: Steve Erdel

TOP LOCAL TEAM BUILDING EXPERIENCE

TOP B2B PRODUCT OR SERVICE

TOP CATERER

TOP CEO

TOP SALESPERSON

TOP ADVERTISING AGENCY

1st Place: Stephanie Wilmsmeyer 2nd Place: Columbia Insurance Group

TOP COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER TOP OFFICE DIGS

1st Place: Crockett Engineering 2nd Place: Timberlake Engineering 1st Place: Hoot Design Company 2nd Place: Visionworks Marketing Group

1st Place: Equipment Share 2nd Place: Las Margaritas

TOP PLACE TO WORK (51+ EMPLOYEES)

TOP ENGINEER

1st Place: Ann Merrifield 2nd Place: Allie Marrone Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Drain Services 573-474-2370, RotoRooter.com

2nd Place: PWArchitects

TOP NATIONAL PRESENCE

1st Place: Lanier Landscaping info@lanierlandscapingllc.com 573-795-5820 LanierLandscapingLLC.com

1st Place: Veterans United 2nd Place: CARFAX

TOP EVENT LOCATION

1st Place: Logboat Brewing Co. 2nd Place: The Roof

2nd Place: Columbia Landcare

TOP HAPPY HOUR LOCATION

TOP COMMERCIAL INTERIOR DESIGNER

1st Place: Room 38 2nd Place: Las Margaritas

1st Place: Inside the Lines 2nd Place: Scout and Nimble

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COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 91

What people are saying ... Providing temporary staffing, career counseling, training and more for central Missouri businesses and organizations.

“I have full mobility now. No limitations!” - DAN

WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU

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Columbia, Jefferson City, Mexico, Moberly, Sedalia –

Gina Mauller, Financial Advisor

Springfield coming soon! 573.446.4250 JobFindersusa.com

92 NOVEMBER 2018

Member FDIC

2509 Bernadette Drive | Columbia, MO Gina.Mauller@EdwardJones.com (573) 445-7671  

B USIN ESS • P EOP L E • VOIC ES • FY I

DEEDS

Deeds of Trust WORTH MORE THAN $275,525

$9,000,000

$1,180,000

$550,000

$320,000

C O G Leasing Company LLP Central Bank of Boone County LT 1B WW-63 Subdivision Amended

Coyle, Kristen L Revocable Living Trust Landmark Bank STR 22-47-13 // SE

Dickerson, Charles Craig & Kimberly Landmark Bank STR 4-51-13//SW SUR BK/PG: 1153/202 AC 17.85 FF TRACT 1

Midway of Columbia Inc. The Missouri Bank II LT 1-A NORCO SUBDIVISION Plat NO 1-A $301,781

$1,000,000 $3,500,000

Maly, Otto & Stella Central Bank of Boone County LT8BB Highlands Plat 7-A

Stine, Gregory L & Anna Landmark Bank STR 10-47-12 // S SUR BK/PG: 3901/74 AC 11.42 FF TRACT 4 $987,275

$2,700,000

JQB Construction Inc. Landmark Bank STRA 32-48-13 // SE SUR BK/PG: 881/902 AC 38.87 FF Tract 1 $1,750,000

JQB Construction Inc. Central Bank of Boone County LT 140 Brooks Plat NO 1 $1,640,000

Monarch Exchange Holding LLC Landmark Bank LT 3A Hyde Park South Plat 3 $1,625,000

Troy Miller Properties LLC Mid America Mortgage Services Inc. LT 3-A BG 3 Wellington Manor Condos

Walkenbach, Craig & Billie The Central Trust Bank LT 120A Copperstone Plat 7 $750,000

220 S. Eighth LLC Landmark Bank LT 25 PT Columbia $700,000

Thornburg, James L Revocable Trust Hawthorn Bank LT 201 Graystone Plat 2

R O S Family Revocable Living Trust The Callaway Bank STR 13-47-12 /E/NE SUR BK/PG: 937/403 FF TRACT 1

$500,000

$285,000

N H P Petroleum LLC The Missouri Bank II LT 5 PT Gateway Subdivision $490,537

Ritter, Douglas & Kimberly Veterans United Home Loans LT 312 Gates Plat NO 2 & 3 $454,000

$625,000

$406,215

Wittenberger, Darren & Crystal Landmark Bank LT 833 PT Highlands Plat 8-B

New Haven Custom Homes LLC Central Bank of Boone County LT 117 Brooks Plat NO 1

Lin, Dan & Jiang, Wei U.S. Bank LT 502 Copperstone Plat 5

$325,000

Stampehl, Mark R & Kristen Central Bank of Boone County LT 226A Copperstone Plat 7

$300,000

Wilson, Eric & Loreli Landmark Bank LT 15 Rokes Bend Plat NO 1

$504,200

Wietholder, John & Trisha Veterans United Home Loans STR 26-47-13//W SUR BK/PG: 4755/229 AC 31.73 FF TRACT 22

$580,776

MWJ Properties LLC Central Bank of Boone County LT 208A VINEYARDS PLAT NO 2-A

Blair, Jerry Ray & Lori Hall Revocable Trust Central Bank of Boone County STR 33-48-11 SUR BK/PG: 4764/70 AC 10 FF TRACT 3

$630,394

$1,400,000

Columbia Mall LLC U.S. Bank LT 1 PT Columbia Mall Plat 2

$535,000

Max Investments LLC The Bank of Missouri LT 4H BG 4 Smithton Condos Survey 4

Stuart, Ronald L & Pulls, Lori Providence Bank STR 16-49-11 /E/NE SUR BK/PG: 1756/546 AC 82.28 $280,500

RAI 5-Star Properties LLC Landmark Bank LT 22 Middleton Extension Subdivision $280,000

Huff, Harold E & Monica A Commerce Bank STR 24-46-12 /SE/SW $277,525

New Haven Custom Homes LLC Central Bank of Boone County LT 181 Brooks Plat No 1

556 deeds of trust were issued between 8/10 and 9/14 CBT COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 93

B U S I N E SS • P E O P L E • VO I C E S • F Y I

N E W BU SI N ESS LI C EN SES

New Business Licenses OCTOBER 2018

MidMoTix.com

Get on the guest list.

The Big Cheese

Forbidden Ink

5695 E. Clark Ln.

1809 Ammonette St.

573-808-3696

573-499-4655

Mobile food truck

Tattoo service

Castle Custom Homes

Form & Function:

2606 E. Buffalo Dr.

Massage by Ma

573-424-6262

19 E. Walnut St.

New residential construction

573-673-5018

and remodeling

Massage therapy, holistic care

Art of Fadez Studio

David Lancaster Photography

1204 Rogers St.

106 Orr St.

573-607-9124

573-418-9834

Barber shop

Photography

The Work Center

The Social Room “Cart”

4004 Peach Ct.

222 N. Eighth St.

573-256-8100

573-397-6442

Physical therapy provider

Mobile food cart

2018 CORN MAZE AT KATFISH KATY’S Sep 14, 2018 - Nov 4, 2018 The Station House At Katfish Katy’s

FALL WORKSHOP SERIES Sep 27, 2018 - Dec 13, 2018 Heart of MO United Way

IMPACT COMO Nov 29, 2018 Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center

COMO 2 TUSCANY

presented by St. James Winery and COMO Living Magazine

March 15 - 23, 2019 Tuscany, Italy

midmo TIX FOLLOW US: Interested in learning more? Contact us at info@MidMoTix.com

94 NOVEMBER 2018

CBT

BUSINESS • P EOPL E • VOIC ES • FY I

Economic Index LABOR

HOUSING

AUGUST 2018

United States

Single-family home sales: 217

Labor force: 161,909,000

Existing single-family home

Employment: 155,539,000

sales per month: 192

Unemployment: 6,370,000

New construction single-

Rate: 3.9 percent

family home sales

What’s most important to you? I use an established process to build personalized strategies to help you reach your goals.

per month: 25 Missouri

Single-family active

Labor force: 3,041,588

listings on the market: 775

Employment: 2,935,969

Single-family homes average

Unemployment: 105,619

sold price: $245,083

Rate: 3.5 percent

Single-family homes median

Setting goals is always the first step to any successful strategy. If you believe yours deserve more attention, we should talk. Call today for your consultation.

sold price: $209,900 Boone County Labor force: 95,750 Employment: 93,227 Unemployment: 2,523

Single-family homes average days on market: 46 Single-family pending listings on market: 164

Rate: 2.6 percent Columbia Labor force: 65,452

UTILITIES SEPTEMBER 2018

Employment: 63,705 Unemployment: 1,747

Water

Rate: 2.7 percent

September 2018: 49,416 September 2017: 49,204 Change #: 212

CONSTRUCTION SEPTEMBER 2018 Residential building permits: 41

Change %: 0.431 Number of customers receiving service on

Mark Richardson, CFP® Financial Advisor

September 1, 2018: 49,402

$3,968,832

Electric

Commercial building permits:

September 2018: 50,329

September 2017: 50,137

Value of commercial building

Change #: 192

permits: $2,334,551

Change %: 0.383

Commercial additions/

Number of customers

alterations: 13

receiving service on

Value of commercial additions/

September 1, 2018:

alterations: $2,307,551

50,327 CBT

Member SIPC

Value of residential permits:

Mark Richardson ,CFP® 2415 Carter Ln Suite #104 • Columbia, MO 65201 573.442.1276 • mark.richardson@edwardjones.com

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 95

ADVERTISER INDEX 3M....................................................................................................................................... 82 ACCOUNTING PLUS.................................................................................................... 99 ACHIEVE BALANCE.................................................................................................... 92 AMERICAN OUTDOOR BRANDS (BATTENFELD)........................................... 80 ANTHONY JINSON PHOTOGRAPHY.................................................................... 86 ATKINS, INC.................................................................................................................... 42 BMW OF COLUMBIA...................................................................................................... 7 BURGERS' SMOKEHOUSE......................................................................................... 41 CARSON & COIL............................................................................................................. 18 CENTRAL MISSOURI AUTO BODY.........................................................................78 CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP SCHOOL.......................................................................78 CITY OF COLUMBIA - HUMAN RESOURCES..................................................... 84 CITY OF COLUMBIA WATER & LIGHT.....................................................................8 CITY WATCH COLUMBIA........................................................................................... 48 COIL CONSTRUCTION................................................................................................ 46 COLUMBIA EDP............................................................................................................. 56 COLUMBIA MARKETING GROUP................................................................... 12 & 13 COMMERCE BANK............................................................................................... 41 & 81 COMPASS CHIROPRACTIC....................................................................................... 46 CONVERGEONE............................................................................................................ 84 D & M SOUND................................................................................................................. 36 DR. LETRISHA THOMAS............................................................................................ 44 EDWARD JONES - GINA MAULLER...................................................................... 92 EDWARD JONES - KATHY LOU NEALE.............................................................. 49 EDWARD JONES - MARK RICHARDSON............................................................ 95 ESI COMMUNICATIONS.............................................................................................. 38 EXPRESS EMPLOYMENT PROFESSIONALS...................................................... 83 FIRST MIDWEST BANK.............................................................................................. 28 FIRST STATE COMMUNITY BANK...........................................................................78 FULTON STATE HOSPITAL........................................................................................ 82 GFI DIGITAL.............................................................................................................3 & 85 GREAT CIRCLE.............................................................................................................. 54 HAWTHORN BANK.................................................................................................... 100 HEART OF MISSOURI UNITED WAY................................................................ 4 & 5 HUBBELL POWER SYSTEMS.................................................................................... 80

96 NOVEMBER 2018

I-70 CONTAINER............................................................................................................22 IMKO................................................................................................................................... 83 JENNING'S PREMIUM MEATS.................................................................................. 28 JOBFINDERS.................................................................................................................. 92 JOE MACHENS - VOLKSWAGEN.................................................................... 16 & 17 LANDMARK BANK.......................................................................................................... 2 LAZER LANES........................................................................................................ 14 & 15 MERCEDES OF COLUMBIA....................................................................................... 50 MIDMOTIX........................................................................................................................ 94 MISSOURI EMPLOYERS MUTUAL..............................................................................11 MODERN LITHO/BROWN PRINTING..................................................................... 81 NATHAN JONES LAW................................................................................................. 85 NAUGHT NAUGHT INSURANCE AGENCY.......................................................... 56 ORGANIZE THAT SPACE............................................................................................ 91 PARISI SPEED SCHOOL OF COMO........................................................................52 PROVIDENCE BANK..................................................................................................... 18 PWARCHITECTS, INC...................................................................................................22 QUANTUM WIRELESS INTERNET.......................................................................... 56 REALTY EXECUTIVES - HEATH HIGGINS..............................................................9 RESTORATION EYECARE......................................................................................... 49 SALVATION ARMY......................................................................................................... 61 SEPTAGON CONSTRUCTION....................................................................................52 SHELTER INSURANCE COMPANIES...................................................................... 83 SILVERBALL.......................................................................................................................6 SOCKET.................................................................................................................. 24 & 82 SOLSTICE SENIOR LIVING........................................................................................ 68 SPECKLED FROG........................................................................................................... 91 STANGE LAW FIRM...................................................................................................... 96 SUN SOLAR..................................................................................................................... 44 SUNBELT BUSINESS BROKERS.............................................................................. 36 SUPERIOR GARDEN CENTER/ROST LANDSCAPE........................................ 20 THE BROADWAY HOTEL........................................................................................... 20 TRUE FALSE FILM FEST............................................................................................. 10 UNIVERSITY CLUB........................................................................................................73 WILSON'S FITNESS..................................................................................................... 68

B U SINESS • P EOP L E • VOIC ES • FY I

$59,200 Average male salary in Columbia Source: Data USA

$47,260 Average female salary in Columbia Source: Data USA

BY T H E N U M BER S

$7.58

62,776

Missouri’s minimum wage

Employees in Columbia as of 2016

Source: labor.mo.gov

Source: Data USA

9.7%

21.7%

Percentage of people in Columbia who speak a non-English language

Percentage of MU undergraduate students who are non-white

Source: Data USA

Source: collegefactual.com

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 97

T H I S OR T H AT

B U SINESS • P EOP L E • VOIC ES • FY I

KEVIN MCDONALD Vice Chancellor for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity, University of Missouri

Mac

Big Picture

Cursive

Early Bird Cinema Michael Jackson Firefox 9-5 Learn At Your Desk

Chrome Flexibility Teach In a Meeting Cake

City

Planner Traditional Certain Country

Save

Spend

Summer

Winter

Cat Passenger Car Ocean Optimistic Business

Dog Driver Plane Mountains Realistic Casual

Solo

Team

For Here

To-go

DISC Books

StrengthsFinder Magazines

Reading

Writing

Creative

Analytical

Introvert

Extrovert

Podcast Cluttered Card Game Concept Fiction Text Soup

98 NOVEMBER 2018

The Beatles

Pie

Skeptical

1. Ha! Neither. I don’t drink, so I’m not in a position to assess alcohol.

Netflix

Beer

Modern

A M E N DME N TS A N D CONDI TI ONS

Night Owl

Wine Improviser

Photography provided by MU

Details

Playlist Minimalist Board Game Execute Nonfiction Call Sandwich

Back Row: Nicole Diehl, Ashley Mathews, Kathy Cowan, Katie Maupin, Irene DeVore Front Row: Margie Nevins, Beig Robinson, Heather Baumgartner

Powerful Payroll Solutions Leave it all to us! AccountingPlusInc.com

Payroll Questions? We have answers. Call Today!

573.445.3805

1604B Business Loop 70W | Columbia, MO COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 99

COLUMBIA BUSINESS TIMES \ 2001 CORPORATE PLACE, STE. 100 \ COLUMBIA, MO 65202