Business Profile 2011

BusinessProfile A supplement to the March 9, 2011 Tribune

Business Profile 2011

Personal Banking | Business Banking | Online Services | Mortgage Loans

Where you bank does make a difference!

Personal Banking

Business Banking

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Mortgage Loans

Let our professionals create a banking plan that meets your needs.

Free Business Checking Accounts.

Try out First Security’s Internet Banking today with no obligation.

We make the mortgage process easy. Call Debbie Haugen at 847-3041.

Rod Einerson President

Debbie Haugen Vice President Real Estate

Cara Frank

Vice President Consumer/Comercial

First Security Bank 611 Summit Avenue • Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 • 218-847-3041

www.firstsecuritybanks.com

Business Profile 2011

1

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Digital TV

• Networking Services & Support • T1s & Private Circuits • Ethernet Connections

• DVR (Digital Video Recorder) • HD (High-DeďŹ nition) • CD-Quality Music for Your Business

Communication Systems

Construction Services

• Telephone Systems • Wireless Phone Integration • Communication Wiring

• Fiber to the Home • Directional Boring • Locating underground gas, electric and communication lines

Complete Call Center • 24/7 Live Answering Service • Customer Service Centers • Emergency Response

Directory Publishing Group

Telephone • Voice Mail • Long Distance • Verizon Wireless

• Effective Local Advertising • Online Directories

Security Solutions • 24/7 Alarm Monitoring Systems • Access Control • Video Surveillance

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Business Profile 2011

2

Advertiser Index

ACS-Arvig Communication Systems...........................1 Aire Serv Heating & Air Conditioning .........................1 Andy Francis Landscaping & Construction .................3 Bremer Bank .............................................................5 Catholic United Financial ........................................11 Cenex Community Co-ops .......................................11

Thursday, March 24th 8:00AM - 12:00 Noon

Central Floral ..........................................................13 Frazee Event Center/Frazee Liquor Store .................13 Community Development Insurance Services, LLC.........................................................3 Consolidated Abstract Company/ Becker County Title Services ................................19

M State Conference Center (C-101) on the campus of MSCTC (Detroit Lakes) For more information call 218.847.9202. Pre-Registration is required.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER Entrepreneurs are Good for the Economy

Pamela Slim is a seasoned business coach, author and professional speaker who helps frustrated employees in corporate jobs break out and start their own business.

“Entrepreneurship at its heart is aligning your purpose for being on earth with a business idea so compelling that you simply must do it, despite the fears that hold you back,” says Pam.

Country Financial ....................................... Back Cover D&D Repair & Appliance ...........................................1 Detroit Lakes Development Authority .......................13 Detroit Lakes Newspapers ..............................18 & 19 Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce ........................................................2 Detroit Paint & Glass...............................................11 Emmanuel Community ..............................................7 First Security Bank ...........................Inside Front Cover Foltz Buildings...........................................................7 Here’s My Card........................................................20 Lake Region Builders Association ..................... 9 & 17 Laker Prep Preschool.................................................9 Lakes Shoe Repair ....................................................3 Mahube Community Council, Inc. ............................11 Marco .....................................................................16 DENNIS WINSKOWSKI

MMCDC ...........................................Inside Back Cover

publisher

Modern Heating & Plumbing .....................................3

NATHAN BOWE

Morrison Eye Care .....................................................5

editor

MARY BRENK

Olaf Anderson General Contractors ..........................15

advertising manager

Precision Printing of Minnesota, Inc .........................15

VIOLA ANDERSON

Price’s Fine Jewelry ...................................................7

circulation manager

DETROIT LAKES NEWSPAPERS

511 Washington Avenue Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 218.847.3151 www.dl-online.com

Sanford Health..........................................................9 SJE Rhombus ............................................................5 Ulteig ........................................................................1 Union Central Senior Living .....................................19

ENTREPRENEUR SPEAKERS • Live. Love. Laugh. Lake.

Beth Schupp, Fair Hills Resort

• Life's Short. Be Silly!

Hans Gilsdorf, Gilly Art

• Connections

Brent Stomme, Webcast America

SPONSORS: • SJE Rhombus • M State Business & Entrepreneurial Services • Wells Fargo Bank • Mosaic Consulting, Inc. • Bremer Bank • Midwest Bank • Marco, Inc. • First Security Bank

Business Profile 2011

Complete Insurance Services

With dozens of companies to choose from, let me shop for the company that provides maximum value and the most competitive rate for you! Auto, Home, Life, Health, Farm, Personal or Business Give me a call today.

3

Visit Your KOHLER® Registered Showroom Dealer Name LOCATION 1 | 555-555-5555 | www.123kitchenbath.com

Brent Gerber

Community Development Insurance Services, LLC Phone: 218-983-3008 • Fax: 218-983-3243 • cdis@arvig.net • Ogema, MN 56569

Visit Your KOHLER Registered Showroom "For Your Family's Comfort" ®

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1040 Randolph Rd. •® Detroit Lakes, MN | 218-847-7459 Dealer Name www.modernheatingandplumbing.com LOCATION 1 | 555-555-5555 | www.123kitchenbath.com DETROIT LAKES

Andy & Cristy Francis, Owners

Home:

Dealer Name

218-439-3320

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Lakes shoe RepaiR Where You Can Expect Quality, Honest & Friendly Service

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922 Washington Ave. • Detroit Lakes • 218-847-3303

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Business Profile 2011

Working her way up to regional director of Ecumen, Emmanuel Community’s parent company, Janet Green enjoys providing good care for the residents in the nursing homes she oversees.

Loving people and learning, Green finds healthcare is never boring STORY BY VICKI GERDES vgerdes@dlnewspapers.com PHOTO SUBMITTED

It’s been 17 years since Janet Green started working at Emmanuel Nursing Home.

During that time, she has advanced from assistant administrator, to administrator, and is now the regional director of operations for Ecumen, Emmanuel’s parent organization.

But even though her duties have expanded to include overseeing nursing homes in Alexandria, Pelican Rapids, Lake Park and Park Rapids, Green still considers Emmanuel her home base.

And she still finds the time to visit with the residents of Emmanuel Community, which besides the 130bed nursing home, also includes The Cottages, a memory care assisted living facility, as well as Lamplighter Manor and The Madison, which both offer senior housing with services.

“I make time,” Green says of her interactions with those who make Emmanuel their home. “I always learn something from the residents, and the decisions I make are better because I’m knowing what’s important to them, their needs, what their concerns are.

“Plus, I just enjoy it. And sometimes you learn more over a cup of coffee with a resident than you do at a formal meeting.”

Green says she feels a strong sense of pride in the level of care offered at Emmanuel, which despite its size is rated quite highly for the quality of service it offers to residents.

In fact, not only does it boast a five-star government rating, but Emmanuel was ranked No. 12

among the “top 50 nursing homes in Minnesota,” as rated by U.S. News & World Report in a recent evaluation of nursing home facilities across the U.S. “I’m very proud — it’s because we have the best people working here.

Good people providing great service,” Green said.

“The larger you are, the harder it is to accomplish” that level of care, she added. “It’s just a more complex environment.”

But Green credits Emmanuel’s staff of 260 employees with making her job a lot easier.

“I work with really good people, and that’s important,” she says.

“Because of the scope of my responsibilities (as a regional director), I have to have good people working with me to be successful.”

Emmanuel Community, and Bethany Community in Alexandria, both have the distinction of being owned by Ecumen, while the other nursing home facilities in this region — Pelican Valley in Pelican Rapids, Sunnyside Care Center in Lake Park, and Heritage Living Center in Park Rapids — are government-owned facilities, managed by Ecumen.

Altogether, these facilities employ upwards of 600 people — and Green is responsible for overseeing operations at all of them.

Yet she never loses sight of the fact that there are even more people who call these facilities home.

“It’s all about the people,” she says.

“The people we serve are why we’re here — to make their lives the best that they can be.”

Green, who is also a registered nurse, has called Detroit Lakes home for 31 years. She moved to the community after marrying her husband, Brad Green, who is the public works director for the City of Detroit Lakes.

They have two grown children, Jackie and Tony, who are now pursuing careers of their own.

Before coming to work at Emmanuel, she held various jobs in the community, from being a public health nurse for Becker County, to a nursing instructor at the Detroit Lakes technical college (now M State), to an intensive care nurse and supervisor at St. Mary’s Hospital, to being a worker’s compensation case manager.

A graduate of the nursing program at Gustavus Adolpus College in St. Peter, Minn., Green worked in the transplant unit at the University of Minnesota Hospital in the Twin Cities, where she saw the first heart, liver and pancreatic transplants in the state being performed.

“I think all of these jobs prepared me for an administrative role (at Emmanuel),” Green says. “I use all of those skills and knowledge in my work here.

“Nursing is a great profession. You learn every day — you’re constantly learning and trying new things, in nursing, and in health care. There are lots of opportunities to learn, and that’s what I love about it. That, and working with great people. It’s never boring.

“We do good work, and take good care of people. What more could you ask for?”

Business Profile 2011

Keep an eye on the best trained staff in the area.

5

Our actions make a difference, right here, every day It’s a pleasure to work with someone who enjoys what they do.

That’s why it’s a pleasure to work–and bank–at Bremer. We know that everyone who comes through our doors comes in for a different reason. And we’re determined to help everyone in the

Dr. Larry Morrison

Dr. Michael Morrison

best possible way. By taking action and making a difference.

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1244 Washington Ave. Detroit Lakes, MN 218.847.2020 800.441.2020

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Manitok Mall Mahnomen, MN 218.936.2020 800.696.2312

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115 Homles Street Street East 115 Holmes Detroit Lakes • 847-9292 24-hour banking: 1-800-908-BANK Bremer.com Member FDIC Business Profile DL.indd 1

2/22/10 3:21 PM

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Business Profile 2011

Working for Mahube Community Council since 1978, Leah Pigatti is now executive director of the tri-county agency. She said she enjoys her work too much to retire anytime soon.

Mahube is here to lend a helping hand to those in need STORY and photo BY PIPPI MAYFIELD pmayfield@dlnewspapers.com

“I’m really proud of what we do here at Mahube,” Executive Director Leah Pigatti said.

That statement, which Pigatti reiterates regularly, sums up her passion behind Mahube Community Council and the good it does for those in need.

“We take very seriously the programs we offer to low-income and elderly people. We give a helping hand.”

That helping hand has served people from Mahnomen, Hubbard and Becker counties — hence the name Mahube, the first letters of each county — for the last 45 years. Pigatti has been involved for more than 30 of those years, starting as a home visitor with Head Start in 1978.

After working with home visits for about five years, she became a teacher, then moved to Head Start director and education coordinator. In June 2000, she became executive director.

“People need a helping hand at times,” she said, adding that everyone does at one point in time but some people have family to fall back on.

“Fortunately, I have family to reach out to.” Some people don’t though.

“Our agency is that safety net for people.”

Pigatti said that during her high school years, she’d taken aptitude tests that said she’d be fit for teacher or social worker. Mahube was a way

to combine those two focuses.

Mahube offers programs and services including Community Services Block Grant, child care resources and referral, emergency assistance, energy programs, family development, Head Start, housing assistance and senior programs.

“I love the community service part of it,” she said. “That’s an important piece.”

These days, as it has for years in the past, the biggest challenge is budgets.

About 3 percent of Mahube’s funds are local, private donations, but they are mainly funded through state and federal grant money. Pigatti said the board will struggle to provide the same number of services, for the same number of people with the same number of staff.

And with budget cuts, that likely won’t be able to happen in the near future.

“We’re just like a business on Main Street or your family, we all go through hard times,” she said of working within budget. But, she added, she likes the challenge of making it work, as well.

Last year, Mahube operated at its highest level because of federal stimulus money. Unfortunately, that stimulus money ends. Much of it was used for home weatherization for those cold Minnesota winters. Last year 205 units were weatherized.

“That’s good government spending

in my opinion,” she said.

Weatherized homes save about 25 percent in heating costs. Mahube also provides an average of about $500 a year in fuel assistance per family it serves under the assistance program.

The services they fund goes on and on, the same as Pigatti’s love for her job and the people Mahube serves.

“I’m not ready,” she said of retiring and leaving her job behind.

Pigatti and her husband, Tim, who is retired, live in Park Rapids. They have a daughter, Tina, and her and her husband, who is a contractor for the federal government, live in Virginia. They have a son, Teddy, 6, she flies out to see every four to six weeks.

Pigatti is also the primary caregiver for her 88-year-old mother, Angie.

“She’s a sweet little gal,” Pigatti said.

Asked her favorite part of her job, it doesn’t take Pigatti long to start listing those who work close to her.

“I love working with my board. I have the greatest board,” she said.

She added that her staff is also great, and that she really enjoys writing grants.

“I like just the everyday work we get to do. I love what we do.

“I think we’re respected in the community. I hope we never let anyone down.”

Business Profile 2011

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Our Values • service • people • innovation • spirituality • wellness • colaboration • stewardship Janet Green, Regional Director "Janet is an outstanding leader among all of Minnesota, none the less, at the national level; and we are able to have her lead the top senior services community at Emmanuel.

Detroit Lakes is lucky to have such a guiding force here in our hometown. The seniors of Detroit Lakes will be well taken care of for years to come with her behind us."

Janet was nominated as an Outstanding Business Person by a coworker.

Price’s Fine Jewelry Diamonds of Distinction 218-847-5309 American Gem Society Member

We envision a world in which aging is viewed and understood in radically different ways.

805 Washington Avenue • Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 www.prices-finejewelry.com

www.emmanueldl.org 218-847-4486

1415 Madison Avenue • Detroit Lakes

~ A Member of the Ecumen Family ~

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Business Profile 2011

Sanford’s behavioral health clinic in Detroit Lakes stays running smoothly thanks to jack-of-alltrades receptionist Liza McCaslin.

She works with a lot of people throughout the day and can put out fires even over the phone.

Everyone needs a good ear to hear them once in a while STORY BY NATHAN BOWE nbowe@dlnewspapers.com PHOTO BY mikaela martin

Liza McCaslin loves working with people, and she has a bachelor’s degree in psychology, so it’s not surprising that she enjoys her job as receptionist and Jack-of-all-trades at the Sanford Behavioral Health Clinic in Detroit Lakes.

She was nominated to this newspaper as an Outstanding Business Person.

“Liza does it all at Sanford Behavior Health,” the nomination form states, “from answering phones, making appointments, deadline with insurance and being the all-out sidekick of the others that work there.

“Most of all, Liza is that friend, that voice on the other end of the phone when you feel like you can’t take anymore. She is all-out amazing to deal with all the issues that she does in the behavioral health field, but to do it with such grace, compassion and true friendship makes her stand above all else!”

McCaslin, 37, works with six mental health care providers (and two student resident providers) and other support staff to keep Sanford’s small Detroit Lakes behavioral health clinic humming. The clinic is located just a few buildings north of the main Sanford Clinic on Washington Avenue.

“I’ve always really liked people — I’ve always been a people person,” she said. “I was going to be a teacher,

then a social workers, then I decided on psychology. I’m glad I went that route.”

Although she is not a provider herself (and prefers doing what she’s doing), she is on the front lines at the clinic, since she needs to be able to handle all sorts of situations that may arise.

“I do get phone calls that are quite serious … you never know what’s going to come across the phone line.

It could be someone having a great day, in a great mood and just making an appointment (for a routine maintenance visit), or it could be someone falling apart, sobbing. You need to be able to address it professionally no matter what, and you need to be really resourceful to get them into the right hands to deal with their problem … I put out a lot of fires.”

McCaslin (her maiden name is Newman) grew up and graduated from high school in Detroit Lakes.

She and her husband, Scott, have a 9-month-old boy, Nash. They live on her husband’s family farm near Callaway, raising beef cattle and a variety of crops.

She loves the outdoors in general and horseback riding in particular, and keeps her 15-year-old paint quarter horse, Spot, on her parent’s farm near Osage.

McCaslin started at Sanford (then

Meritcare) in Fargo in 2000, worked there for two years, then transferred to Detroit Lakes.

While her official title is registration person/service area assistant, she is trained in a lot of areas.

“I consider myself a Jack of all trades, master of none,” she joked. “I probably do more than I should. I just know how to do it, so I do it.”

She’s especially happy with the work environment at the cozy woodframe building in Detroit Lakes.

“I’m always telling my boss how lucky I am to work over here,” she said. “The providers over here are just phenomenal — we all get along really good. We’re just a tight-knit group of co-workers.”

The clinic serves clients from ages 3-4 to the 90s, “everything from really young kids to people in nursing homes,” she said.

She understands that there can still be a stigma attached to mental health care, and is careful not to break confidentiality. She’ll say “hi” back if a patient greets her outside the clinic setting, but does not initiate conversation herself.

“It’s all about being a people person and working with confidentiality,” she said. “I think everybody needs to have a mental health professional in their life to keep their thoughts and emotions organized — everybody needs a good therapist on the side.”

Business Profile 2011

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Sanford Pelican Rapids Clinic 211 E. Mill Pelican Rapids

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Business Profile 2011

Teacher and daycare provider Mary Rotter plans to open Laker Prep Preschool, a preschool with after school daycare services, this fall in Detroit Lakes. She said it will be the first in the area that provides both services under one roof.

Big dreams for small minds STORY BY PAULA QUAM pquam@dlnewspapers.com PHOTO BY NICK OMBERG

“Big success starts small.” That’s the mantra Mary Rotter will go by when she opens up the very first Prep Preschool in Detroit Lakes.

Rotter is a graduate of Detroit Lakes High School, and has been a kindergarten teacher and reading specialist for the past 10 years in St. Paul.

“But now that we’re starting a family, we wanted to be an area that’s good for raising children.”

So, she is packing up her husband and 1-year-old son, and heading back home with a big idea.

Rotter plans to open Laker Prep Preschool in the fall in a facility located in the Industrial Park, near BTD and Snappy.

So what exactly is a Prep Preschool?

“It’s an all day, every day preschool, which also offers after school care. So, it’s a preschool/daycare all in one,” says Rotter.

This one-stop-shop will be privately owned, but its schedule will closely follow the Detroit Lakes school’s.

“We will concentrate on giving

children the tools they need to succeed in school in a good, safe, high quality preschool.”

Laker Prep Preschool will have a playground outside and one inside the 2,500 square feet facility. T h e cost of enrollment is $170 per student, per week.

The price includes meals, snacks, field trips, daily literacy and math lessons.

Although Rotter says she is not closed to the idea of half-time students, she hopes to have as many fulltimers as possible.

“I really believe in consistency for these children. It helps us to be able to give them everything they need so that they can grow to their full potential and be ready and confident entering kindergarten,” she says.

The school will be open to preschoolers who are one year away from being eligible for kindergarten.

Rotter hopes she will have around 20 students, which is a typical preschool class size.

She will be the certified teacher, and once she gets over 10 students,

she will then hire an aid to help out.

Rotter says she is the only licensed daycare center registered in all of Becker County, and she believes she is filling a real need in the community.

“I think a lot of parents really need this one-stop-shop because it isn’t always easy getting off work to bring your child to pre-school, picking them up, bring them to daycare, and then getting back to work.”

Rotter says academics at a young age is so important, not only for the children, but for our society.

“Statistics say if every child were actually ready for kindergarten when they entered school, it would save the state of Minnesota millions of dollars every year. I think we can help that.”

Rotter is taking enrollments now, and she will be holding an open house May 20 and 21.

Her plan is to open the week after Labor Day. If you are interested in finding out more, you can log on to her website at www.lakerprepschool.com.

Business Profile 2011

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Business Profile 2011

The team that makes up Aire Serv of Lakes Country in Detroit Lakes are (l-r) Chris Fingalson, HVAC Installer; Kelly Fingalson, New Construction and Replacement Expert; Blake Finglason, HVAC Installer; Scott McKenzie, New Construction, Replacement and Service Expert and Corey Hinrichs, HVAC Installer.

Aire Serv takes pride in customer service, quality product STORY BY BRIAN BASHAM bbasham@dlnewspapers.com PHOTO submitted

Aire Serv of the Lakes Country prides themselves on customer satisfaction, quality of work and the character of their employees.

“The Aire Serv philosophy is number one, we want to treat the customer better,” said owner Joe Esser, Sr. The locally owned and operated heating and air conditioning company is part of the Esser Family of Companies, which was established in 1955 by Esser in Perham.

Aire Serv’s great customer treatment includes keeping in contact so the customer knows exactly when Aire Serv will arrive, clean uniforms on their employees and shoe covers when they make a home call.

“About ten percent of our time is spent on education of our people both in customer service and technology,” Esser said.

Aire Serv opened a Detroit Lakes office in December of 2009. The Detroit Lakes office employs five people, and the Esser family as a whole employs 44. The Detroit Lakes branch is one of three in the Esser family.

“We had a fairly significant customer base in Detroit Lakes already. So when we decided to open up a shop there, that was justified by what we’ve been doing already in the area,” Esser said.

Two key Detroit Lakes Aire Serve

employees — Scott McKenzie and Kelly Fingalson — both brought the customer base from their own heating companies to Aire Serv when they were hired, Esser said.

“We didn’t just come in and open a blind store without having a plan,” he said. “We hired really good people that were already in the industry in that area.”

Esser said the company has grown nearly 20 percent every year the past several years — even through the current recession.

“That isn’t anything special other than hiring really good people and treating people well,” he said.

Aire Serv offers HVAC for new construction and replacement, in residential and commercial structures, carrying the leading brands of furnaces, air conditioners and geothermal systems.

The company boasts to be the area leader in super-efficient geothermal technology, having started installing the systems in 1985. Geothermal technology uses the heat retained in the earth to heat and cool a building.

“Geothermal is over 300 percent efficient,” Esser said. “It makes your $1,000 heat bill $330.”

He said geothermal is usually done using off-peak electricity, cutting

more off the bill.

“That reduces (the $1,000 heat bill) again to $170,” Esser said.

The government is also pushing the use of geothermal technology. The economic stimulus package of several years ago has a 30 percent tax credit for the installation of a geothermal system, according to Esser.

“If somebody’s building a new house, and they’re going to put in a conventional system, the tax credit generally pays for the difference between the conventional system and the geo system,” he said.

That tax break is in effect until 2016.

Houses today are built much differently than just 30 to 40 years ago, Esser said.

“Those houses back in the ’70s and ’80s pretty much had natural ventilation through natural air movement through the house,” he said. “Energy in the ’80s went way up (in cost), and they basically started wrapping houses in a plastic bag.”

This house wrap helped in saving energy, but made air quality poor, according to Esser.

“The big changes in the HVAC industry would be how we handle humidity and air quality and air purification,” he said.

Business Profile 2011

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Business Profile 2011

Jeanne Mercer, right, started the Family Resource Center, Inc., with Vicki Bedford joining her a couple months later, to help families with mediation concerns. Mercer says that one of the advantages to being your own boss is you can donate your time and resources to a variety of projects; she and Bedford received an award from the Boys and Girls Club of Detroit Lakes for re-upholstering some chairs with animal prints (seen in background).

Ladies provide neutral environment for struggling families STORY BY VICKI GERDES vgerdes@dlnewspapers.com SUBMITTED PHOTO

When Jeanne Mercer left her job as assistant director of the Lakes Crisis & Resource Center in Detroit Lakes, it was mainly because she needed more time to spend with her family.

With a job that required her to work between 50 and 60 hours a week, it left her little time to deal with her increasing responsibilities as a caretaker for her parents.

“I was going to work part-time,” she said.

So it’s somewhat ironic that, as a partner in the Family Resource Center, Inc., Mercer often finds herself working as many hours in a week as she did at the crisis center.

The difference, Mercer noted, is that she and partner Vicki Bedford are able to set their own schedule.

“I really do work about 50 hours a week,” she said.

But because much of that work can be done at home, or after hours, “I can arrange my schedule to go to school programs and go to doctor’s appointments with my dad,” Mercer added.

A wife and mother of two grown children, she and her husband Jim also have eight grandchildren.

“I’m really family oriented,” she said. “That’s what makes this job so fun — it’s all about families.

“It’s wonderful. I feel blessed.”

When she started the Family Resource Center almost six years ago — they will celebrate their sixth anniversary in May — Mercer said her initial goal “was to be able to provide affordable mediation services for families having conflict.”

She knew the need was there, both through her work at the crisis center and through conversations with local attorneys, who said such a service was much needed.

“There were a lot of families that really just needed mediation (to resolve their conflicts), but it was so expensive they wouldn’t do it,” Mercer said. “After working at the crisis center and seeing all these families in crisis, I thought, this is crazy.”

So she went through the training to be what is known as a “qualified neutral,” and set up her business by charging an initial mediation fee of $60 an hour, that could be split between the parties involved.

“We felt most mediations are two or three hours at the most,” she explained, and most parties involved in those conflicts could afford a rate of $30 an hour, or less depending on the number of family members involved.

That rate has only increased about $10 an hour, or $35 for each party, since the business started six years ago, Mercer added.

Some of the mediation work the center has done includes divorces where the parents were having difficulty resolving custody issues; and situations where families with aging parents, whose health needs made it impossible for them to continue to care for themselves, could not reach a mutual agreement on what would be the best caretaking solution for their parents.

Mercer found a kindred spirit in Bedford, who became her partner in

the Family Resource Center about three months after she started. The two of them, along with one more staff support person, gradually began to expand their services as well.

“Becker County asked us if we would be interested in contracting with them to do the family group decision making program,” Mercer said.

“That’s where children who are at risk of being placed outside the home.

We bring the service providers and families together to create a family friendly plan.”

If the child is not going to be able to go back to the parents eventually, the goal is to try to place them with another family member, she explained.

Through this program, Mercer added, “We work with Becker, Otter Tail, Wadena, Norman and Todd counties, under one grant managed by Becker County.”

After taking on this program, Mercer and Bedford were eventually asked to contract with Becker County for two additional programs as well — the relative search program, and the foster-to-adopt program.

“As soon as kids are pulled from their homes, we begin a relative search, so they can be placed with family as soon as possible,” said Mercer, explaining one of the programs that the center handles for Becker County.

The other is the foster-to-adopt program, which aims “to find permanent homes for children in foster care,” she said.

Continued on page 16

Business Profile 2011

15

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16

Business Profile 2011 Continued from page 14

The offices of the Family Resource Center, Inc., are located at 620 W. Main St. in Detroit Lakes.

The grant funding they received for administering the foster-to-adopt program also allows them to help license families who want to become foster parents, but need some simple home repairs or other minor improvements to the home environment.

“We can help the family with some of those expenses, so it’s not a barrier for them being licensed,” Mercer explained.

“Then Vicki and I both took the training to be parenting time expediters,” she continued.

What that means is that she or Bedford is able to act as a neutral party in situations where the court has ordered mediation for parents “who have a huge challenge communicating with each other regarding visitation issues,” she added.

After adding all these services to their repertoire, “that part-time (job) wasn’t in the cards for me,” Mercer said a little ruefully.

Though they do some of their work from home, the Family Resource Center also has an office that includes two mediation rooms, and a larger group room that can handle larger meetings. Their work also occasionally involves trips to the Twin Cities to facilitate meetings, Mercer added.

Mediation meetings are often scheduled after hours, or on weekends. “Our goal is to make these meetings work around the families’ schedules,” she said. “We really try to

focus everything on the family and meeting their needs.”

Meetings are also held “in a non-blaming, non-shaming, non-judging atmosphere,” Mercer added.

Some families will bring along a minister, or a tribal elder to assist with their spiritual needs as well.

“Family culture is very important to us,” Mercer said.

What does she find most fulfilling about her work?

“It’s all about the kids,” she said. What she tells the parents involved in these mediation meetings is, “I don’t care if you like me or not, I’m going to advocate for your kids.”

It’s definitely more than an occupation, it’s an avocation as well.

“It keeps us really busy,” Mercer said. “We have a support staff person who helps a lot, but Vicki and I stay on the go.”

But it also has its perks, she added.

“I feel so blessed every day, to be able to get up and go do this kind of work,” she said.

And it also leaves her plenty of time to be a caretaker for her father — who takes an active interest in her work as well, Mercer said.

“It’s wonderful. There are frustrations, as there is in everything, but… these people are really going through a lot. They’re challenged in so many ways. Being able to build trust and maybe take some of those challenges away, it’s pretty rewarding. I haven’t had a day when I really didn’t want to go to work.”

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Business Profile 2011

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Business Profile 2011

18

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First Place: Advertising Excellence What the Judges said: This paper is chock full of promotional features. If there was a week, day or month dedicated to something, they had a promotion. Their color was very well used for the most part, and it was obvious the people involved with advertising have a flair for it. I’m sure the staff is small, but leadership, salesmanship, graphic talent and teamwork were all evident from the volume, the quality of ads and the nifty promotions they produced. Overall, I guess the word for this newspaper is enthusiastic. I’d like to meet the ad people at this newspaper; they’re doing a lot of things right. As for classifieds, like many papers, this section is almost non-existent. But it comes with attractive classification headings and type that’s easily large enough to read.

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Informing Becker County for over 100 years

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www.dl-online.com 551711

Business Profile 2011

19

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Dale Wilde

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• 26 yEArS •

• 25 yEArS •

• 25 yEArS •

• 24 yEArS •

• 19 yEArS •

• 19 yEArS •

As you know it has been a difficult past couple of years in the real estate market. We here at Consolidated Abstract Company feel very fortunate that we have been able to keep all of our employees employed through the down market. Both sales and refinances have contributed. In 2009, the ratio between sales and refinances were about equal.

In the year 2010, we saw a slight increase in the number of sales, and are anticipating another increase in the sales market again for 2011. According to what we see and hear there are currently some excellent opportunities in the residential real estate market.

We have a great number of excellent lenders and realtors in our area. They all do a fantastic job serving their customers and bringing these transactions to a close.

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20

Business Profile 2011

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Business Profile 2011

MMCDC

A Rich History And A Strong Future Midwest Minnesota Community Development Corporation is celebrating four decades. To all of our customers, partners and advocates, past and present, we express our thanks. Whether it is preserving historic landmarks or building new, we look forward to 40 more years of investing in growth and prosperity.

MMCDC empowers Minnesota communities by providing capital, training and assistance for the development of housing, commercial and community facilities.

Above: The Graystone Hotel, completed in 1917, was purchased in 1998 by MMCDC and remodeled. It now serves as our headquarters at the corner of Highway 10 and Washington Avenue in Detroit Lakes.

(218) 847-3191 www.mmcdc.com

Business Profile 2011

a new location

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Visit us at our new location, and meet our newest financial representative, Mandi Hoffman.

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