impact of Amazon and other online retailers. The university’s report notes $1 in $10 retail dollars now go to online retailers outside the state, a figure that is expected to grow to $1 in $6 by 2021. This trend has broad implications for main street retailers. The U of M report shows Minnesota lost 12 percent of its main street retailers in 2015, or 5,270 retail businesses. On the “bright” side, Mankato lost fewer retail stories than other regional centers. From 2009 to 2016, the number of stores declined by 4.6 percent in Mankato while Duluth declined by 6.4 percent, Rochester by 9.6 percent and St. Cloud by 11.6 percent. Mankato has grown in the last decade as a regional retail mecca of sorts. It looks like the trend might be waning a bit.
Local Business People/Company News ■
Gag Sheet Metal honored
New Ulm-based Gag Sheet Metal was named to the 2019 Circle of Champions by Bryant Heating & Cooling Systems, a part of Carrier. The 114 Bryant dealers in North America recognized as members of the Circle of Champions are selected on overall growth of Bryant-branded product purchases, highefficiency and indoor air quality equipment purchases, customer satisfaction and participation in various dealer programs and promotions. ■■■
Farrish ad series honored Joe Spear is executive editor of Minnesota Valley Business. Contact him at jspear@mankatofreepress.com or 344-6382. Follow on Twitter @jfspear.
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The Farrish Johnson Law Office “Witness to History” ad series has received a gold award as part of the 2018 Service Industry Advertising Awards. It is a national competition that recognizes creative and communication excellence in the service industry. This year judges reviewed more than 1,800 entries from more than 600 agencies. The 52 ads that comprised the series were created by Lime Valley Advertising. In celebration of the firm’s 125th anniversary, the law office chose to reflect on and share events from its own history along with local, national and world events that paralleled them. Once a week for 52 weeks, “Witness to History” ads appeared in color on the front page of the Mankato Free Press. Lime Valley also received silver awards for work on the Greater Mankato Growth Inc., logo and the Midwest Dairy Association, Bringing Dairy to Life Event. They received four merit awards, including for work on the River’s Edge Hospital, OrthoEdge ad series and Martin Luther College, Advent Devotions booklet
Drummer joins RE/MAX
Deb Drummer has joined the RE/MAX Dynamic Agents group. She has lived in Mankato for 30 years and has almost a decade’s worth of experience as a licensed Realtor. She was formerly with Coldwell Banker Welcome Realty. ■■■
Olson named to board
Steve Olson has been appointed to the board of directors of First National Bank. Olson began his banking career in 1988 working for First Bank in Brainerd before moving on to their Mankato location. After his tenure at First Bank, Olson became president & CEO of MinnStar Bank in Mankato and Lake Crystal. In April 2018 he retired. Olson has served at the local, state, and national levels for a number of banking associations including the Independent Community Bankers of Minnesota and the Independent Community Bankers of America. ■■■
Fisher Group is top office
Coldwell Banker Commercial Fisher Group has been named the 2018 #1 Office in the state of Minnesota for Coldwell Banker Commercial. The designation is based on closed adjusted gross commission income. President, broker and owner, David Schooff also holds the No. 1 salesperson spot in Minnesota. Schooff has earned the Circle of Excellence honor for the past four consecutive years, placing him in the top 2 percent of Coldwell Banker Commercial sales professionals nationwide.
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MN Valley Business • APRIL 2019 • 5