BusinessLink June 2020

BUSINESS LINK THE HILL COUNTRY’S PREMIER BUSINESS PUBLICATION

Vol. 8, Issue 6 • June 2020

Profit Innovation || COVER STORY || PAGE 6>>

With plenty of charm, wit and some helpful advice, one Kerrville shop has stayed ahead of the coronavirus crush

Business Link KERRVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 1700 Sidney Baker St., Suite 100, Kerrville, TX 78028 PHONE: 830-896-1155 | FAX: 830-896-1175 | kerrvilletx.com

CHAMBER LEADERSHIP CHAMBER STAFF Tim Rye | Chair Peterson Medical Associates Lisa Winters | Past Board Chair Peterson Health Allison Bueche | Leadership Kerr County Kerrville Public Utility Board Tricia Byrom | Secretary Guadalupe Bank Mike Wittler | Chair Elect, Policy & Governance Kerrville Public Utility Board Justin Foster | Treasurer Community First National Bank Brian Bowers | 1st Vice Chair Government Affairs Centennial Bank Michael Anglin | Communications ARTIFEX42 Summer West | Events and Fundraising Alegria Barn E Kerry Sutton | Membership HCTC Shawna Fahrenthold | Education Alamo Colleges Sue Tiemann Brinkman Preferred Properties David Reast Schreiner University Rose Bradshaw So Fast Printing Clint Fiore Texas Business Buyers, LLC Colby Johle Brookdale Guadalupe River Plaza

Kristan Weaver|Interim-President and CEO Penni Coggins | Director of Finance penni@kerrvilletx.com Angela North | Director of Membership angela@kerrvilletx.com Jennifer Lord | Receptionist info@kerrvilletx.com

BUSINESS LINK STAFF Carlina Villalpando, Publisher Louis Amestoy, Managing Editor Jeanette Nash, Asst. anaging Editor Tom Holden, Photographer John Doran, Advertising Director Advertising: Brandon Baldwin, Valerie Tucker and Luly Bliss Composing: Manager Dean Heep and Johanna Rangel

A PUBLICATION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Creations may be one of Kerrville’s best kept secrets, but not if you’re in the quilting community. Despite, the shutdowns related to the coronavirus, the store will continue to operate and thrive. PAGE 10

2 BusinessLink • June 2020

Chamber leader search nears end; golf tourney set

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reetings and warm wishes!

I hope this message finds you all well. Our business community has been steadily recovering from closures, and folks are starting to get more mobile. Businesses are adapting to COVID realities and showing great resiliency and creativity in response to the Governor’s orders on how to best protect their clientele.

Now is a time to stay vigilant, optimistic and engaged. Your Chamber is here to help. If any of you need Tim Rye is the chairman of help with how to best comply with best the Kerrville Area Chamber practice guidance, or anything related to of Commerce and works for optimizing your business, please don’t Peterson Medical Associates. hesitate to reach out!

With the departure of Walt Koenig in March, the Chamber Board has been diligently looking for our next leader to continue our success. We have evaluated over 80 resumes, and have winnowed the candidates down to four finalists in the final phase of the interview process.

We hope to make an announcement by the end of the month introducing our new President/CEO. We are confident you will be impressed, as we have four very strong leaders to choose from!

Finally, I would like to invite all of you out to our 25th annual Golf Tournament on June 22 at Scott Schreiner Municipal Golf Course. Given the past few months, I’m sure we are all ready for a day of recreation and fellowship. It would be great to see everyone back in a social setting and get caught up. I hope to see you there!

Best, Tim

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NEW MEMBERS AND RENEWALS

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New Members Individual SponOn, Jeffry Larson - 830-477-0773 Bronze Ruth Hinkle CPA, 830-896-4153 Gold Helping Hands of the Heart, Anita Aguirre - 830-377-0295 Renewals Individual Eychner, George Murr, Andy Reeves, Bob Bronze AACOG Aaron Plumbing Company, Inc. Alpine Terrace Assisted Living & Nursing Animal Welfare Society of Kerr County TX Arnold III, A. William, & Associates Barbs Flower Barn Bending Branch Winery Buck N’ Bull Club, Inc. Butler, Carroll, DDS C&M Concrete, Precast & Construction Carlson Law Firm Classic’s Burgers & “Moore” Collum, Wofford & Associates Creations Creative Awards Crocker Real Estate Dacy, Tony, DDS, MS Destination CycleSports, Inc. Dietert Center Double L Ranch & Wildlife Feed Executive Womens Club E-Z Self Storage Co., LLP Family Auto Sales Ford Eye Care Center Foster Tourism Marketing Gibson’s Discount Center Guadalupe Investment & Advisory Services Hester Window Coverings Hill Country Classics, Inc. Hillcrest Inn Hometown Crafts and Gifts Hunt United Methodist Church Impact Christian Fellowship Ingram Readymix, Inc. JCGraphix Jimmy’s Towing Service, LLC KLRN-TV (Alamo Public Telecommunications) MacDonald Companies Mattress World of Kerrville Peter Lewis Architect & Associates, PLLC Reichenau, Jerry Construction Co., Inc. Renewal by Anderson Snowflake Donut & Kolaches Shop Summer Dreams

4 BusinessLink • June 2020

The Home Depot Tivy High School Booster Club Troy Faust Motor Company Vick Insurance Voo Voo Vintage Western Hills Baptist Church Wicks Studio Ziegler, Thad Glass, Inc. Silver Bella Sera of Kerrville Camp Honey Creek for Girls Emerald Cottages of Kerrville Exotic Wildlife Association First Choice Reproductive Health Hill Country Christian Counseling Center Ingram I.S.D. Lowes San Antonio AirLIFE Texas Farm Bureau Insurance-Bennett Woodr Tri-County Roofing & Remodeling Gold Bosworth Company, The Diamond Alamo Colleges All-Plastics, LLC Century 21 The Hills Realty-Kerrville Community First National Bank Kerrville Plumbing Plus Precision Dermatology, PA Texas Hill Country Bank Kerrville Wells Fargo Bank - Main

All-Plastics, LLC, which has played an instrumental role in providing medical component parts during the coronavirus pandemic, has renewed its Diamond level membership.

CHAMBER NEWS

25th annual golf tournament set for June 22 Staff report

news@dailytimes.com The 25th annual Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament is set to tee up June 22 at Scott Schreiner Golf Course.

This annual tournament will be one of the first big community events to be held in Kerrville as the coronavirus pandemic quarantine eases across the Hill Country.

The tourament is expected to start at 10 a.m. with check-in. A shotgun start will begin at noon.

The cost per foursome is $550 or $150 per player Players are accepted first come, first served.

In the age of social distancing as a result of coronavirus, some of the details are still being worked out, including lunch arrangements.

However, the tournament is expected to bring together some of the region’s best players for a chance to win a wide range of prizes that are offered throughout the tournament.

For more information, please visit the Chamber website at kerrvilletx.com.

Here’s to Fathers everywhere…

Builders of

Dreams, memories,

resPeCT and

CharaCTer

SHOP WHERE THE PROS BUY!

2202 Memorial Blvd • Kerrville, TX 78028 830-257-2300 • www.mgbuildingmaterials.com

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COVER STORY

Innovating charm Kerrville’s Natalee Fitch-Peppitt has found a way to drive profits through hard work, innovative software and a charming smile to attract customers Louis Amestoy

louis.amestoy@dailytimes.com

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pstairs at the Gold Cup Pawn Shop, something magical is happening, especially when considering the time that we’re all in — where coronavirus has disrupted the daily life of small business owners in Kerrville and beyond.

In front of an iPhone, which is housed in the middle of a ring light, Natalie Fitch-Peppitt is displaying one piece of

6 BusinessLink • June 2020

Natalee Fitch-Peppitt has drawn thousands of viewers in just a few short weeks to her five Facebook Live webcasts a week, but more importantly, it has helped realize an unexpected revenue and profit stream for Gold Cup Pawnshop in Kerrville.

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Madison Von Gunten monitors the live stream of Natalee Fitch-Peppitt’s Facebook Live sale of James Avery jewelry — much of it vintage.

UGRA

17th Annual River Clean Up July 25, 2020

ucation Family Fun & Ed

8am - Noon

Flat Rock Park, Kerrville

Community Involvement

Keeping Ou

r River Clea

n

The UGRA River Clean Up provides a creative solution to the litter problem by offering fun, family-oriented activities while accomplishing the dual goals of raising public awareness and removing trash from our waterways.

Free T-Shirts • Prizes • Food! *In order to protect public health, UGRA will comply with state and local recommendations for public gatherings at the time of the event.

For more information or to Pre-Register, visit www.ugra.org 7

COVER STORY

Natalee Fitch-Peppitt, right, talks into an iPhone that’s being used as a camera for her live stream. To her left, is an iPad that allows her to interact with those watching one of her five daily shows on Facebook Live. Also to her left is Mary Katherine Potter, who is monitoring the inventory that’s being sold and the transactions that are happening in realtime.

James Avery jewelry after another. With a healthy dose of charm and wit, she makes sure to say hello to all who are watching live on Facebook.

“I want to show y’all this retired charm,” Fitch-Peppitt says.

She’s the mistress of ceremonies, sales woman and technical guru who has helped power one of Kerrville’s best coronavirus success stories. In less than two months, FitchPeppitt has blossomed into a social media charmer whose authoritative knowledge of the James Avery jewelry catalog and passion for her job has suddenly unlocked a scalable customer-base beyond the Hill Country — and Texas, for that matter.

“It’s really gone great,” said Fitch-Peppitt, who is now producing five Facebook Live shows a week focused on jewelry and handbags. “We definitely captured lightning in a bottle.”

What’s happening upstairs at the Junction Highway shop, owned by local estate sales magnate Rachel Fitch, is something that few small businesses were able to do during the pandemic — innovate in a way that has turned a profit beyond expectations. While others have been forced to lay

8 BusinessLink • June 2020

“It’s really gone great. We definitely captured lightning in a bottle.”

Natalee Fitch-Peppitt

off employees, Gold Cup Pawn Shop is thriving because of turning their business into a niche version of the Home Shopping Network.

Fitch-Peppitt, 25, is the daughter of the store’s owner, and she didn’t want to just sit around as coronavirus closed retail stores and other businesses. While pawnshops were allowed to remain open — because they’re considered a financial institution — Fitch-Peppitt said she was a little bored by the slow business.

Since Fitch acquired Gold Cup, along with another Kerrville pawnshop, three years ago, Fitch-Peppitt has paid close attention to her mother’s work in acquiring and selling jewelry from estate sales. She’s been a quick study and a

connoisseur of the finer things, especially jewelry.

She started experimenting with a Facebook Live video to show off some of the jewelry that was available at the pawnshop. In fact, Gold Cup has an extensive inventory of James Avery pieces, including many that are valued by collectors from around the country.

Immediately, Fitch Peppitt began selling things, and the audience numbers were taking off — with as many as 1,000 people stopping by to watch.

In their first week, they had 75 invoices for people who had purchased something, but much of what they were doing was wrangling information manually to make a sale.

“I was taking no days off,” Fitch-Peppitt said. “All I was doing was invoicing and shipping.”

While it was almost immediately profitable, the sheer amount of work was overwhelming and probably not sustainable. So they turned to a mentor for help, and he directed them to an e-commerce solution called Comments Sold. That move has changed everything.

Comments Sold interfaces with Facebook Live to allow those watching to purchase items they are seeing in the video, but it handles the most important elements — from securely processing credit card transactions to managing the inventory and providing a strong snapshot of who is watching the show. There’s also a service that can provide financing for products that may just be a bit out of budget for some.

In order to fulfill the show’s growing demand, Fitch-Peppitt was able to hire two assistants to help her manage the volume of sales, the shipping and the technical aspects of the new software.

Converting a space above the shop, Fitch-Peppitt hired Madison Von Gunten and Mary Katherine Potter to help continue the momentum. The show has now grown to five days per week, and even Rachel Fitch has joined in on the livestreaming. Fitch now hosts a fine jewelry show on Fridays.

Fitch-Peppitt hosts a show that features handbags, one on Southwestern-themed jewelry and two dedicated just to James Avery products.

During a livestream on a Saturday morning, Fitch-Peppitt navigates the show’s growing audience with a friendly and authentic appreciation for all who watch.

They also appreciate Fitch-Peppitt’s knowledge when it comes to the James Avery product lines. During her Saturday show, FitchPeppitt powers through more than 100 items of all sorts from charms to bracelets. She explains if the product is retired or what makes it unique.

With a deep knowledge of the James Avery catalog, Natalee FitchPeppitt displays a Star of David charm during one of her recent live Kerrville Print Ad 5-20.pdf 1 5/19/20 3:19 PM shows on Facebook.

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G E T AC C R E D I T E D Mary Katherine Potter monitors the livestream and comments.

bbb.org/buildbetter

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OPERATING IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS

Tom Holden/Times Photo Editor, photo@dailytimes.com Cynthia Compton measures fabric that will be cut and sent to a customer.

Creations A Focused

Emily Guevara

news@dailytimes.com fter 42 years in business, sisters Kathy Thompson and Julie Milam wanted to retire on their own terms, and a pandemic was not going to be the reason, if they could help it.

Thompson and Milam own Creations, the Kerrville quilting and sewing store that draws customers from around the country to shop, talk, quilt and enjoy each other’s company.

When the pandemic hit, the store closed to walk-in traffic, and the owners and their peers were left longing for what could be described as the good old days.

10 BusinessLink • June 2020

“It was just magic,” Thompson, 69, said of the pre-pandemic days in the shop. “People loved to come.”

Despite the more than two-month closure to in-store shopping, the store continued to sell through its website and by phone.

The store shipped orders nationally and offered items for curbside pickup three days a week.

“Our business has survived for internet orders,” Thompson said. “We have an active online store, and that has been our lifeline.”

After 42 years in business, Creations is a staple in Kerrville and beyond. People come to stay at The Main House, which is the Creations’ retreat center equipped with a studio for quilting or sewing, lodging rooms for up to 24 guests and dining facilities.

The shop routinely books nationally and internationally known speakers to present classes at The Main House, but has had to cancel those through October.

“We’re blessed that we own this piece of property,” Thompson said.

“We aren’t thinking about how to pay rent.”

That said, revenue has taken a hit. In late May, Thompson estimated a decline of 75% to 80% because of the closure.

Kerr County resident Carol Moravec is one of the customers who stopped by to pick up items curbside during the temporary closure. A customer for at least 15 years, she bought material to make a quilt top.

“They have great fabrics and merchandise and all other things, and they’re just all so knowledgeable and friendly,” she said.

The target date to reopen Creations for in-person shopping was June 3, See CREATIONS, page 17

Employee Corine Baerwald straightens up a display at Creations.

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TOURISM

Damage to tourism continues to mount While occupancy is down more than 80%, leaders here say Kerr County is better positioned than other places to recover Sean Batura

sean.batura@dailytimes.com According to local officials, hotel occupancy is down — like just about everywhere else — but the city’s tourism industry is better off here than many places.

Charlie McIlvain, executive director of the Kerrville Convention & Visitors Bureau, took to the internet May 28 along with other local leaders to give good news and bad news. The bad news is probably familiar to everyone — record-high unemployment, decreased business income, low sales tax revenues, empty hotel rooms — but there were rays of hope.

“As of yesterday, hotel occupancy for Kerrville hotels is down 83.79%,” McIlvain said. “At this point, all but one hotel is open. The Inn of the Hills, our largest convention hotel remains closed because the convention market is currently non-existent.”

It all started mid-March, when the pandemic hit and “the economy tanked,” McIlvain said.

“Visitors stopped traveling,” MIlvain said. “Hotels were almost empty, special events and attractions were eliminated, and most of the convention and group activities that Kerrville was scheduled to host were canceled.”

He added that between mid-March and late April, 105 convention or meeting groups canceled, eliminating 10,976 planned hotel room nights. Kerrville hotels lost $1,076,911 in hotel room revenue, and the city of Kerrville lost $139,998.43 in hotel occupancy tax collections, he said.

“Add the leisure market, and those numbers increase dramatically,” McIlvain said.

To give people an idea of how important the hospitality industry is to the area, McIlvain said visitors contributed $11.6 million in tax revenue for Kerrville and Kerr County last year.

“Put another way, this is an $11.6 million tax reduction provided to the residents of Kerrville and Kerr County paid by visitors to our community,” McIlvain said. “This $11.6 million in tax revenue helps provide fire and law enforcement protection, street repairs, park improvements and other governmental goods and services available to residents of our community.”

But the good news is that “we will probably recover quicker than a lot of the larger cities,” McIlvain said.

He noted the motorcycle groups and RVers that were in town last

12 BusinessLink • June 2020

Tom Holden/Times Photo Editor, photo@dailytimes.com At the Hill Country Shooting Sports Center, athletes from around the state and nation came out for training events in May. week were signs of hope. Summer camps, although planning to reduce operations, will open for business shortly. Summer camps in Kerr County have typically helped generate $32 million in economic activity annually, he said.

McIlvain encouraged people to spread their love for Kerrville on social media, whether it’s comments, photos or videos, using the hashtags #kerrvilletx, #mykerville, #kerrvilletogether and #spiritofkerrville.

Gilberto Salinas, executive director of the Kerr Economic Development Corporation, took part in the livestream and hinted unemployment could decrease from here on out.

“We believe that April — which for Kerrville our unemployment rate was recorded at 11.3 percent — will be the worst month during this pandemic,” Salinas said. “Hence, we would have hit rock bottom.

That’s according to experts and economists nationally, so that’s yet to be determined. We are still below the state and the national average.”

Sixty-percent of business executives who participated in a recent national survey of Fortune 1,000 companies agreed that they won’t be at full operations until 2012, Salinas said.

Tom Holden/Times Photo Editor, photo@dailytimes.com Heart O’ the Hills staff members Kendall Ribes and Rachel Rannell plan activities for campers. Heart O’ the Hills will open on June 19.

Camps prep for return Emily Guevara

news@dailytimes.com Hill Country camps are getting a vision of what this summer could look like after the governor authorized their opening and state and national agencies released guidance for them.

While some local camps have decided to open, others have opted to cancel activities this summer, with others still evaluating the information.

“We want to see this back into operation, and we know the camp management is excited to get back too,” said Charlie McIlvain,

executive director of the Kerrville Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Kerr County summer camps traditionally have created a $32 million annual economic impact for the city.

McIlvain said one factor that has delayed the start of camp includes the labor force — many staffers are international students, and it’s been a challenge to get those individuals here.

The virus certainly has played havoc with the schedules, but the pandemic itself is keeping activities at bay, he said.

Camps got a green light of sorts when Gov. Greg Abbott announced day and overnight camps could open May 31.

At the same time, the state released Minimum Standard Health

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TOURISM Protocols to guide day and residential camp operators as well as families of participants.

Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released camp guidelines, and the American Camp Association, in cooperation with the YMCA of the USA, released a Camp Operations Guide.

All these documents specifically address operating in the COVID-19 pandemic, and local camp officials are using this guidance as they form their plans.

“We’re doing our due diligence,” Hermann Sons Life Camp Executive Camp Director Ian Brassett said.

Brassett said after reviewing the standards he is letting his supervisors know what camp would look like, and together they will determine if it’s viable to run their program this summer.

The camp typically serves between 2,000 and 3,000 children and has up to 70 staff members.

Camp La Junta in Hunt plans to offer two 20-day sessions and two 10-day sessions concurrently.

Those replace the usual 26-day and 13-day sessions, respectively.

The camp is offering refunds or rollover options for those families that do not want to send their children to camp.

Camp La Junta Director Scott Fineske said the camp will adjust its programming to encourage social distancing, and leaders will evaluate each activity to make sure it complies with standards.

“For us, it’s very exciting to be able to have camp,” Fineske said.

“Now, in this uncertain time, in this crazy time that our kids have just been going through, it’s going to provide a little bit of normalcy to their summertime.”

Camp Mystic in Hunt plans to have three 13-day sessions as opposed to the usual 30-day sessions. The camp’s new location on Cypress Lake will offer two 13-day sessions.

Camp Mystic co-owner and co-director Dick Eastland said the goal is to operate in the best interests of the health and safety of the girls.

Guidelines related to opening day, camp precautions and staff restrictions are posted on the website. Eastland said they are moving forward in a cautious and careful manner. “(We’re) going to have a blast this summer, hopefully, with no cases,” he said.

The H.E. Butt Foundation on May 14 announced it will cancel all traditional summer programs in the Frio River Canyon. This includes the Laity Lodge Retreat Center, youth camp and family camp. All foundation camps are closed through the end of July.

“As you can imagine, we’ve agonized over this decision,” David Rogers, president of H.E. Butt Foundation and Laity Lodge programs, said in a video statement on the foundation’s website. “We have erred on the side of caution and safety. We are making a decision that we believe helps protect our campers, our staff and our families and communities.”

Rogers said the protocols for hosting large groups at this time compromise “so much of what makes camp camp and what makes the Canyon a place of restoration.”

Although the organization won’t have a typical summer, its teams are working on ideas to bring people together as soon as possible and will be in touch with the community about updates, Rogers said.

“Our mission is to serve God by cultivating wholeness in people and institutions for the transformation of communities,” he said. “We are not shrinking from our mission at all. It’s just going to be different this summer.”

For those camps choosing to open this year, the state’s minimum health standards outline protocols related to drop-off and pickup; visitors; hygiene in cabins and dining facilities; activity plans; health screenings; and sick staff or campers.

14 BusinessLink • June 2020

Tom Holden/Times Photo Editor, photo@dailytimes.com Jonathan Mikeal, Scott Short and Authur Gretkowski work on a stage in preparation of the Heart O’ the Hills opening on June 19.

Jane Ragsdale, owner/director of Heart O’ the Hills Summer Camp for Girls, said they will have two three-week terms instead of the usual four-week terms.

She said camp officials are reviewing the guidance from the state and American Camp Association and will strive for best practices in their operation. They will ask staffers and campers to monitor their temperatures for 14 days prior to coming onsite. And camp personnel will take the temperature of everyone who comes through the gate at the Hunt camp and ask screening questions about COVID-19 symptoms.

Ragsdale also said Kerrville Pediatrics and Peterson Health are offering telemedicine, so if a camper or staff member gets sick, they can consult with a doctor remotely.

In addition to relying on guidance from the state and federal governments and the American Camp Association, camp directors have worked together through this process.

Sandra “Schmitty” Schmitt, director at Camp Honey Creek for Girls in Hunt, said since March area camp directors have gathered weekly through videoconference calls to talk about summer plans in light of the pandemic. The calls grew to include representatives from more than 20 camps statewide.

“It was pretty neat to hear everybody working together and to be able to create a good experience for young people all over Texas,” Schmitt said.

Honey Creek plans to offer two 18-day camp terms. Protocols will include regular sanitizing, social distancing and drive-thru drop-off.

Schmitt expects about 100 girls per term this year, down from the usual 175 to 200.

EDUCATION

Schreiner students will be coming back to Kerrville for fall semester Louis Amestoy

louis.amestoy@dailytimes.com Schreiner University is definitely reopening for the fall semester, but it’s also prepared for a pivot if needed by the constraints of the coronavirus pandemic.

On June 1, Schreiner University President Dr. Charlie McCormick was a guest on The Kerrville Daily Times’ weekday Facebook Live show — KDT Live — and said the document that will guide the reopening of the Kerrville campus is “a living document” and that it will be updated as they move through the summer heading toward the start of the school year.

“For a huge number of colleges and universities across the country, we are residential colleges and so our entire learning experience is not just embedded in the courses the students take but in their experience they have while on campus,” McCormick said. “It’s been a big adjustment for us.”

What has been a normal year for Schreiner would be a return in late August and the semester ending at Christmas. Now, the university will make that pivot toward two quarters — about seven weeks each — before adjourning for the semester at Thanksgiving. The start of school hasn’t been announced yet, but it’s expected to be in early August. In December, students will be offered a chance to take an online course during the winter break for free.

The other change is that every student will be tested for the virus, there will also be rigorous temperature checks and tuition will not be increased. On campus, masks are required to be worn and there’s regular health checks for the faculty and staff.

While these opportunities are coming, the university is still trying to manage the fallout from the spring semester that wasn’t. The university’s graduation was pushed back to August.

All of these challenges are being felt by campuses across the country, and McCormick said he’s in contact with his peers at other universities, but there’s still a lot of unknowns when it comes to how to manage coronavirus.

“We are going to consider it a living document,” McCormick said of the university’s plan to reopen for the fall. “We will continue to update it and adjust it as we move through the summer and we get better information about what is happening as far as spikes or surges or repeat waves.”

In order to ensure safety, the university will be giving on-campus residents their own rooms in the dormitories — that in itself is a major change.

“That’s going to help de-intensify those living arrangements and not encourage the virus to spread,” McCormick said.

One of McCormick’s biggest concerns is whether or not coronavirus has impacted student enrollment — not just at Schreiner but at other institutes of higher learning.

“I feel like we’re in a good place,” said McCormick, adding that he

Schreiner University President Charlie McCormick was a guest on The Kerrville Daily Times livestreamed webcast — KDT Live, which can be viewed weekdays at 10 a.m. on Facebook. Interested in joining us? Email louis.amestoy@dailytimes.com for more information.

See SCHREINER, page 18

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MIXERS/CHAMBER EVENTS MAJOR EVENTS June 22 Chamber Annual Golf Tournament – Comerica Bank & Robert Glossop Jr. Aug 7-8 Business Expo & 1st Friday Wine Share – Peterson Health & James Avery Oct. 29 The 98th Annual Chamber Awards Banquet – Kerrville Hills Winery

Hurry...JulyIssue Deadlines on June 12, 2020

BUSINESS LINK THE HILL COUNTRY’S PREMIER BUSINESS PUBLICATION

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MIXERS JUNE 11 Luncheon Sponsored: Ranch Radio, At Comanche Trace 2801 Comanche Trace Dr. JUNE 18 Sponsored by the Dietert Center, 415 Guadalupe St JULY 16 Sponsored by Kerrville Hills Winery, 3600 Fredericksburg Rd AUGUST 20 Sponsored by Riverpoint of Kerrville, 1441 Bandera Hwy SEPTEMBER 17 Sponsored by Broadway Bank, 500 Main St OCTOBER 15 Sponsored by Ken Stoepel Ford, 400 Sidney Baker St. S NOVEMBER 19 Sponsored by Amber Thomason, 221 Thompson Dr DECEMBER 10 Before Hours Breakfast Sponsored by: Peterson Medical, Location: TBD DECEMBER 17 Sponsored by Centennial Bank, 1145 Junction Hwy

Full Page 8.375” wide x 10.875” tall • Half Page 3.564” wide x 9.833” tall or 7.375” wide x 4.793” tall Quarter page 3.564” wide x 4.793” tall • Eighth Page 3.564” wide x 2.273” tall

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16 BusinessLink • June 2020

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CHAMBER NEWS

Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers was the primary sponsor of the Chamber’s recent shred day event, which helped Kerrville residents get rid of unneeded documents that may contain sensitive information.

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Diamond Investors • Jam Broadcasting 94.3 • Martin Marietta • Adapting Online, LLC • Mo-Ranch • Alamo Colleges • Moore’s Home Furnishings • Alara Strategic and Creative • Nationwide Insurance • Ashley HOMESTORE Joe Cook & Associates, Inc. • Brookdale Senior Living • Palate Thyme • Calvary Temple Church • Peterson Health • Centennial Bank • Precision Dentistry and • Century 21 The Hills Realty Implants of Kerrville • Comerica Bank • Ragsdale Family Camps • Community First National Bank • Randolph Brooks Federal • Cypress Roofing Credit Union • Frost Bank • Sam’s Club • Ronnie Gesell Construction • Schreiner University • Robert Glossop Jr. • Security State Bank & Trust • Gravity Check Saloon & Arena • Texas Lions Camp • HCTC • Texas State Optical • H.E.B. Foods-Drug Store • United Hunting • Hill Country MHDD Centers Heritage International • Inn of the Hills Resort & • UTSA Small Business Conference Center Development Center • James Avery Artisan Jewelry • Wal-Mart Store, Inc. #508 • Ken Stoepel Ford • Wells Fargo Bank • Kerr County Federal Credit Union • Wine-O-Bout It • Kerrville Public Utility Board

Platinum Investors

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Thank You to Our Diamond & Platinum Investors

Leadership Kerr County helped raise $21,652 for the Kids’ Advocacy Place.

Creations Continued from Page 11 but Thompson was approaching that cautiously.

A big reason for that caution was because everyone who works at the shop and the vast majority of customers fall in the high-risk category for severe illness associated with COVID-19, she said.

Because of that, her plan for reopening Creations for inperson shopping included limited hours and a limited number of customers, at least initially.

Staff will wear masks and customers will be required to as well, Thompson said.

“I think it will take a long time for our customers, for our age group, to feel comfortable,” she said.

Although the pandemic has been challenging for Thompson and Milam, 71, as it has for all business owners, they had no plans to close their business and were fortunate they could continue.

“I have a different retirement plan, and it was not a pandemic,” Thompson said.

• 72 Degrees Air Conditioning & Heating • Airtech A/C & Heating • All-Plastics • Broadway Bank • Douville, Goldman & Associates, PLLC • Guadalupe Bank • Hilco Federal Credit Union • Hill Country Memorial • Hill Country Youth Event Center • Home Simple Goods • Kerrville Hills Winery • Laity Lodge Youth Camp H E Butt Family Foundation • LeMeilleur’s RV, Truck & Equipment Repair Co. • Precision Dermatology, PA Kerrville Dermatologist

• Prime Capital Investment Advisors • Safeguard Business Systems • San Carlos Ranch • State Farm Insurance Justin Hamilton • Superior Services Tree Care • Talarico and Associates, A Wealth Management Firm • Texas Hill Country Bank - Kerrville • Turtle Creek Olive & Vines • Volunteer Services Council for Kerrville State Hospital • Windstream Communications • Y.O. Ranch Resort Hotel and Conference Center • Y.O. Ranch Headquarters

Your Membership Is An Investment In Your Business The Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce 1700 Sidney Baker St., Suite 100 • Kerrville, TX 78028 Phone 830-896-1155 / Fax 830-896-1175

www.kerrvilletx.com

17

Please join us in extending a word of “Thanks!” to these businesses for sponsoring the major events being held in 2020 by the Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Because of their generosity and support, we will be able to continue to educate and serve our membership and community about shared opportunities, issues and challenges.

25TH ANNUAL CHAMBER GOLF CLASSIC Monday, June 22, 2020

ROBERT GLOSSOP JR. - INDIVIDUAL SPONSOR SCOTT SCHREINER MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE

BUSINESS EXPO WITH FRIDAY NIGHT WINE SHARE August 7-8, 2020

HILL COUNTRY YOUTH EVENT CENTER

98TH ANNUAL CHAMBER CHOICE AWARDS BANQUET Thursday, October 22, 2020 • Location TBA

4TH ANNUAL HILL COUNTRY ECONOMIC SUMMIT Thursday, February 13, 2020

HILL COUNTRY YOUTH EVENT CENTER

1700 Sidney Baker St.,Suite 100 • Kerrville (830) 896-1155 • www.kerrvilletx.com

18 BusinessLink • June 2020

Precinct 2 effort is dealt a setback on petition drive Sean Batura

sean.batura@dailytimes.com The effort to normalize alcoholic beverage sales in Precinct 2 hit another obstacle, but those involved are still pushing forward.

In recent months, local businesses and individuals have been working to gather signatures to trigger a vote on the “partly dry” law in Precinct 2. If they can get just over 2,000 signatures, the question of whether to keep the law will be on the November ballot.

Businesses in Precinct 2 can’t sell beer stronger than 5%, nor can they sell liquor without going through costly legal hoops. Even with a current legal loophole, wine sales are prohibited. This means entrepreneurs can’t get on

board the winery and distillery train that’s been chugging away in the Hill Country for awhile.

The Precinct 2 Prosperity Project, which is lobbying in favor of normalizing alcohol law in that part of the county, filed suit to request the 216th District Court to allow petitions signatures to be gathered over the internet. Their request was denied, said Claudia Richards, program director, who appeared before county commissioners during a recent meeting.

She told them the group will continue to gather signatures in person and hold drive-thru signing events.

“We’ll be at the annual golf tournament and almost every chamber event we can attend,” Richards said. “Again, this is just to get this on the ballot.”

Schreiner Continued from Page 15 believes Schreiner is poised to grow enrollment for 2020-21.

On the heels of coronavirus, McCormick said the university is seeing an opportunity to bolster some of its offerings to make it a stronger partner in the community. Already armed with a top-flight nursing program, Schreiner is expected to ramp up certification programs and the nursing school.

“That connection (to the community) is absolutely critical for how we see our future,” McCormick said. “We believe that Kerrville’s success is Schreiner’s success. We think Kerrville is so well positioned for a bright and brilliant future that we want to be able to take advantage of that.

We think we have a role to play. For instance, as a result of some of the things that happened this spring, along with our own thinking about what needs to happen in the future, we’re launching some new programs in the fall semester both some certification programs in the health care industry, as well as a new very affordable basic business administration degree that’s offered virtually. People in this community will have the opportunity to get new credentials and new skills.”

When it comes to the financial burden the university took when the university shifted its students to remote learning in March, McCormick said Schreiner has been able to weather it better than most and it’s also been helped by the federal CARES act, which provided assistance to students and the university.

“We are not struggling hard to make things work, but we are in a good position I think compared to some of the others I’ve talked to around the country,” McCormick said. “For one thing, we’ve had some very strong alumni and community support, not just over the last couple of weeks, which has been extraordinary, but over the last several years. We have a little bit of a rainy day fund that we can lean on.”

CHAMBER MEMBERS ONLY have your business listing seen by over 25,000 people every month

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