Business Journal Spring 2021 by Fox Press

Young Entrepreneurs Spotlight on wabash county: lagro revitalization eye on north manchester: bit computers pickers paradisE nature’s remedy

SPrING 2021

The Paper of Wabash County PO Box 603 Wabash, IN 46992

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID WABASH, IN PERMIT NO. 233

Featured in this Issue

From the Office of Grow Wabash County: Collaboration Encourages Young Entrepreneurs

Spotlight on Wabash County Lagro Revitalization

Grant Creek Mercentile Grand Opening

Housing Projects Bringing more housing to Wabash

Cover Story: Young Entrepreneurs

News & Notes Business briefs around Wabash County

Eye on North Manchester BIT Computer

Nature’s Remedy New business in North Manchester

The Business Journal is a joint effort between The Paper of Wabash County and Grow Wabash County.

Published by / The Paper of Wabash County A Hometown Media, Inc. Publication

This quarterly publication is designed for businesses in Wabash County to share their news with other businesses in and around Northeast Indiana. It is our goal to share information on promotions, awards, new products or other items that may be of interest to business people and industrialists in the highlighting of local businesses and industry, looking at their history, products, employees and more.

Publisher / Don Hurd

We welcome you to submit items for publication or suggest story ideas to business@thepaperofwabash.com Don Hurd Hometown Media President

Editor / Joseph Slacian, Jr. Reporters / Mandy Mahan, Eric Christiansen Sales Representatives / Julie Loehmer, Arlene Long Photographers / Harold V. Chatlosh, Eric Christiansen, Joseph Slacian Jr., Mandy Mahan Editorial Office 606 N. State Road 13, Wabash, IN 46992 (260) 563-8326 business@thepaperofwabash.com https://issuu.com/thepaperofwabashcounty Wabash Journal | SPRING 2021 3

From the office of Grow Wabash County

COLLABORATION ENCOURAGES YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS If there is one thing we have learned over the past year, it’s that sometimes the way things have always been are not necessarily the way things have to be. We have found new ways to go about our daily lives, new perspectives on the way we do business and new ways to show we care about our friends and neighbors.

BY KEITH GILLENWATER President and CEO Grow Wabash County

4 Wabash Journal | SPRING 2021

the Indiana Economic Development Corporation to kickstart student entrepreneurship efforts. Maybe most importantly, we have partnered with our local school districts to start students on the path to creating their own business. Over the past few years, we have upped the ante with our students entrepreneurship programs from helping to Wabash County students develop entrepreneurship have been way ahead curriculum for our local of the rest of us on this high schools to launching examination of the “new.” the INnovate Wabash For years they have been County Student Pitch asking the questions of Competition to allow for “Why things are the way those enterprising students they are?” and “Are there to take center stage with better ways to do things?” the next great innovation. And let me tell you, the answers these students In 2021, we are taking have come up with for those these efforts a step further. questions are remarkable. Grow Wabash County, in partnership with Grow Wabash County Manchester Community has been a champion Schools, MSD of Wabash for entrepreneurship in County, Wabash City Wabash County ever since Schools and Heartland its establishment. We’ve Career Center, as well created partnerships as the 80/20 Foundation with area businesses Trust, has established like INGUARD to create a the Wabash County High state of the art co-working School Entrepreneurship space, organizations like Collaborative.

This new collaborative will include all of the great things Grow Wabash County and the schools have done to promote entrepreneurship in the classroom and amplify those impacts with new programs to energize our students even more. Our schools will now all be on the same page with a streamlined curriculum through the CO.STARTERS Generator program that will break down the process of starting a business into its essential parts.

Wabash County schools have established themselves as the county to watch for during the state competition. Over the past two years, Wabash County students have snagged seven out of the ten spots in the regional round of the Innovate WithIN State Pitch Competition, and this year’s batch of students intend to earn their own spots on the stage in 2021 with ideas for apps and products and services that would help the greater good and make life better in its entirety.

As students work to synchronize all of the moving parts to propel their business ideas forward, they will have the opportunity to bounce ideas off fellow student entrepreneurs and refine their skills through a Wabash County chapter of the StartED Up Foundation to challenge students to take what they have learned as well as their entrepreneurial instincts to address challenges and needs posed by actual companies and businesses.

Ultimately, the goal is to have these bright young minds become the architects of Wabash County’s future, bringing something new to the table and challenging us to find new ways in our own lives and businesses to make profound change. The next great idea is brewing right now within our local classrooms, and we can’t wait to see what happens next for them, and for all of us.

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Grant Creek Mercantile Grand Opening By Mandy Mahan On Thursday, Dec. 3, Pam and Jerry Whitener were joined by LaFontaine officials for the grand opening of their shop, Grant Creek Mercantile, which specializes in supplies for quilting, cross stitch and punch needle as well as primitive home décor. Grant Creek Mercantile was previously open under the same name in the Parker Building on the same street. “This building became available for sale and we wanted to purchase the building because we were just renting

The ribbon is cut by Grant Street Mercantile owner Pam Whitener at the grand opening of the store. Also pictured are (from left) Council President Jay Gillespie, Council Member Lori Brane, Clerk-Treasurer Diana Heath, Mrs. Whitener and co-owner Jerry Whitener.

previously,” said Mrs. Whitener. “This building is just full of history. It was the old drug store and it was here for many years. I remember as a kid coming in here. There are a few little things that are still here. Those little steps over there,” she said as she pointed to a spot near the front door. “That’s where they kept the newspapers.” Grant Creek Mercantile is located at 17 W. Branson Street, LaFontaine and is open Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Wabash Journal | SPRING 2021 7

YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

of Wabash Coun ty Cherish Givens, owner of White Raine Salon shows off her storefront. In the U.S., there are 30.2 million small businesses, making up 99.9 percent of all U.S. businesses. Out of those 30.2 million, 15.79 percent are started and run by millennials, people aged 20-34. Some of those young small business owners reside here, in Wabash County. Many young locals have opted for a less traditional route when it comes to their careers. Rather than becoming a teacher, nurse, lawyer, or any of the other traditional career options, they have worked hard to become their own boss. For example, three Wabash County native 20-somethings are among the many young entrepreneurs in the county. Twenty-four-year-old, Cherish Givens recently opened the doors to her business, White Raine Salon, Wabash, on Jan. 5,

Cherish Givens, owner of White Raine Salon, Wabash styles a client’s hair.

By Mandy Mahan

2021, where she is not only owner, but one of two hair stylists and one of two nail technicians. She said that although the beginning steps of starting her own business was overwhelming, she was able to push through to meet her goal of owning her own salon. “I had no clue where to start or what needed to be done,” she said. “Something that I found helpful was putting together a list and working to get things checked off. At first the list kept growing, and many times more things were being added to the list then taken off. After many long evenings and weekends at the building, that list started to shrink and eventually got completed.” Givens also said although she has not noticed any challenges due to her age as a business owner, being a business owner brings many more responsibilities. “(There are) behind the scenes responsibilities as a business owner, but one of the perks is that I have the flexibility of

Bailey Sewell, owner of Bailey’s Pizza Parlor, prepares an order for a customer.

8 Wabash Journal | SPRING 2021

Wilson Nettleton stands in front of his storefront for The Wander Brand, located in North Manchester.

controlling my own schedule. That way, in the future, if I wanted to raise a family, I would be able to do so,” she said. Givens feels very encouraged and supported in her endeavors by the community, which she credits to the fact that she grew up in Wabash and has deep roots here. White Raine Salon is located at 396 Manchester Ave., Wabash. Also feeling encouraged by her community is Bailey Sewell, owner of Bailey’s Pizza Parlor, 190 N. Chippewa St., Roann. A North Manchester native, Sewell, 21, said she has always wanted to own a restaurant or bakery. “When this opportunity arose, I decided to take a chance.” She opened the pizza joint in September of 2019. Like Givens, Sewell also pointed out the amount of work and responsibility that comes with opening a business. “I had a lot of people who supported and helped me which I think was extremely beneficial,” she said. She also pointed out that her age has not hindered her in reaching her goals because she believes the community wants to aid young people in succeeding. Wilson Nettleton, a 21-year-old North Manchester native, launched his brand a little over a year ago, which has recently expanded into a brick and mortar business. The Wander Brand is an apparel brand with themes of adventure and nature. “I am a huge lover of anything and everything outdoors,” Nettleton said. “And with a world filled with distractions, there’s nothing better than wandering through nature. This is why I decided to start a clothing brand with a sole purpose of inspiring people to always chase curiosity, whether with body(wander) or mind(wonder).”

Nettleton began working on the idea for The Wander Brand in December 2019 and his website officially launched on Feb. 11, 2020. His retail store opened in October 2020. “Starting any business brings with it many stresses, but there truly is nothing like watching your vision become a reality. And I would do it over again any day.,” said Nettleton. Nettleton has discovered pros and cons of being a young entrepreneur. “The biggest pro being, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. This kind of ambition can skyrocket small startups. A con would be that with young age normally comes no capital. Starting any business without capital is a hard and difficult path. But I am a true believer that ambition and a concrete vision are way more powerful than any amount of startup capital.” Nettleton has experienced a lot of support on his journey of creating and maintaining The Wander Brand. “This county has been so much more than supportive, especially with a year like 2020,” he said. “From my experiences vending at the Wabash Farmers Market to the day I opened my retail store in North Manchester, the overwhelming support of this community has been the driving factor for my brands success.” Nettleton is excited to continue to expand the Wander Brand. Plans include the Wander Bus and expanding the size and offerings of his store. “I am currently working on converting a school bus into a home and traveling boutique,” he said. “This will allow for the brand to reach new people all over the United States. Another big future plan is that we’re expanding our Manchester retail store to double its size. This new half of our shop will offer outdoor equipment and recreational equipment. We will sell new and rent out everything from kayaks, bikes, backpacks, and much more. Whatever your next adventure is, stop by The Wander Brand, and we’ll set you on your way.” The Wander Brand is located at 106 W. Main St., North Manchester.

Wilson Nettleton, owner of The Wander Brand, North Manchester, works on restocking shelves with apparel that he designed. Wabash Journal | SPRING 2021 9

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BIT owner Brady Burgess offers a variety of computer and networking products, either on-site or through special-order, at 703 S.R. 114, North Manchester.

GROWING AS TECHNOLOGY GROWS

BURGESS CARRIES ON FAMILY LEGACY

By Eric Christiansen To say the computer industry has evolved in the past 30 years would be an understatement. Brady Burgess, owner of BIT Computers in North Manchester, has been around, trained, and worked in the computer business since 1991, when his uncle, Dan Burgess, started the company. Brady Burgess, 11 years old at the time, had no idea he would be where he is today. “When I got into high school I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life,” Burgess said. “Dan said I should check out something at the vocational school. I didn’t think they’d have anything like that. I didn’t even know what that was.” Burgess said when he went back to school the next day he found out that the Heartland Career Center in Wabash was in its first year offering a computer networking and data networking program. “I convinced my buddy Eric Wiley to go there with me because I didn’t want to go there by myself,” Burgess said. “[I thought] that’s where you go if you want to be a carpenter or a mechanic – that’s not true. I went and I got hooked.” After he graduated from Heartland and Manchester High School in 2000, Burgess attended Indiana Wesleyan University in Fort Wayne in a program where he worked for his father’s company in Fort Wayne doing what he called “light IT support work,” then started working for his uncle in 2002 during the day, and took classes at night. “I slowly got more experience,” he said. “At that time, it was more computer repairs and computer installation, which was not really my main interest. I was more interested in the networking side.”

BIT COMPUTERS – THE EARLY DAYS Burgess explained that his Uncle Dan cut his teeth in the computer business as a programmer with a degree from then 12 Wabash Journal | SPRING 2021

Manchester College in business and data base system. “He got into this build-your-own computer-type fad when it really started taking off, basically, under protest. He didn’t even want to do it,” Burgess said. “The customers were needing it and they really didn’t have a place or someone they could trust to help them set it up, so he basically taught himself and started doing it. “It was really popular to custom-build computers back when I graduated high school, but it was a slow decline after that.” Burgess said things started to change when he started with the business. “It was kind of a shift,” he said. “You could go buy a computer anywhere at any price with better warranties. But what those places couldn’t compete with was service.” He said BIT started naturally progressing towards areas like networking, running data lines, installing cameras, wireless access points, servers, routers, switches, and the back-end infrastructure needed to do the job. “As people got more educated and grew up with computers and technology more and more, it’s a natural attrition where they don’t need guys like us for that residential side,” Burgess said. “Nobody who is 30 years old is going to be calling our business for help. They’ll either figure it out on their own or they just won’t, and they’ll throw it away and buy another one. “[However,] I don’t care what it is, but chances are it has to connect to something – it has to connect online – and that’s where we come in.”

THE JOB NOW With technology constantly changing and evolving, so must those who work in the technology industry. “What makes it scary, unique, rewarding, and frustrating

all at the same time is you have to be willing to regularly go far away from your hometown, from your office location, and you have to wear a lot of different hats,” he said. “That means getting into areas that you didn’t do before but really isn’t out of your knowledge-base. I may have a hard drive malfunction in a server in a municipality that I have to go repair one morning and then it’s 15 cameras at a manufacturing plant in the next breath. “We also use a lot of remote support tools so we can try to fix things as quickly as possible, but also efficiently, so we don’t have to live in our vehicle – but it allows us to be in a lot of places at once,” Burgess said. “Which is why I’ve invested a lot in technology with the tools that we use, and that’s allowed us to become – and everything is relative – but become bigger than just two people. If we didn’t have all those tools, it would be a lot harder to service all those clients that we have.” Travis Frye has been with BIT for 15 years with Burgess and has always been an asset to the business. “It was getting harder, even before COVID, as we started growing our customer base,” Burgess said. “If a customer calls and is having a problem, and I’m in another town fixing another problem, Travis drops what he is doing, locks the door, and goes and fixes that problem. It’s hard to always have someone at our office for walk-in counter sales, and that’s not where our focus is.” Burgess said with the way the market and industry are, it isn’t feasible to have someone at the office five days a week. “But for over 20 years,” he said, “we’ve established really good, loyal customers. They will call and we’ll make appointments. We try to bend over backwards to get them all and help everybody.”

people would dread. “Everybody has seen that wiring closet that is just wires going everywhere, and it’s just a terrible rats nest,” he said. “I love that. I want to figure out how we’re going to make it look nice and de-cluster this. I just love that stuff.”

THE FUTURE As the industry has grown and will continue to evolve, Burgess knows he will have to continue to grow with it. “As far as my profession staying relevant, it’s going to be helping those clients and customers through the woods with all the different options and what makes the most sense for us,” he said. “The bottom line is things are still going to have to connect and talk to each other, and we need to find the best, easiest, and most efficient way to do that. There are still going to be some wires, phones – whether they are hosted locally or in a cloud – there’s always going to be that connectivity piece. And the best part, for us so far, is it’s still man-made. It will break, so there is a need for people with some analytical skillset to be able to figure out why the thing is broken” Burgess, who lives in North Manchester with his wife Ada and their three children, Delaney, Miller, and Rowan, said he loves what he does, which he says is a good thing. “I don’t know anything else. I literally don’t know how to do anything else,” he said. For more information about BIT Computers, 703 State Road 114 East, North Manchester, visit their website at www. bittechs.com, email info@bittechs.com, or call 260-982-1493.

ANYTHING FOR THE CUSTOMER Burgess said no two jobs are the same when he helps his clients, and he said one such situation sticks out in his head. “One of the things I got myself into – and I opened my big mouth – was with MPS Eggs. They have the feed mill facility and they have two or three farms and a couple of places around the area. They don’t have the fastest internet in some of those remote locations,” he said. “I told them I bet we could figure out a way to get it to shoot from their 150-foot grain leg up there on the feed mill all the way over to the farm, and they told me to go ahead. “I had to climb up the grain leg, which was cool, but as soon as I got one of them to work I realized that if this thing breaks I would have got get back up there – which happened once. “They had a star that you put up around Christmas time, and one year we had a really bad ice and wind storm. It broke off and swung over and broke two of our radios and cut a couple of our data lines off,” Burgess continued. “I had to climb up there in the middle of a storm and hang out for five or six hours trying to repair it. That’s all because of my big mouth that got me into that.” Burgess said he also has walked into situations that most

Brady Burgess works in any indoor or outdoor conditions to get the job done for BIT customers.

Wabash Journal | SPRING 2021 13

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Volunteers work on the front exterior of the former Lagro Masonic Lodge. Photo provided by the Lagro Canal Foundation

Lagro

Revitalization

By Joseph Slacian

Since 2017, a group of volunteers in Lagro have been working to revitalize a group of buildings and with that, hopefully, the community’s downtown area.

The Lagro Canal Foundation has been working for nearly four years to restore the buildings that once housed the Citizens State Bank, the Masonic Lodge and the Improved Order of the Red Men (IORM) lodge. Organizers hope that one day there will be new retail shops on the ground floor of the buildings, with the upper level serving as two or three apartments. The work has been long, hard, costly at times, but it is something that the volunteers are getting it done, slowly but surely. “Things are going pretty well,” said Art Strange, a Lagro Canal Foundation member who is overseeing the volunteer’s work. “Our biggest goal to start out was to get the building

water tight.”

To do that, they have added new roofs and gutters in 2019. But there was more work than that. “Our biggest challenge was in the back where water was getting in,” Strange said. With the help of Scott Eads of Eads and Son Bulldozing, the group was able to place a drainage system from behind its buildings and the neighboring Lagro American Legion Post out to Dover Street. “(The Legion) had the same problem, so we thought, ‘Well, let’s just fix it all,’” Strange said. “They worked with us. They’re good neighbors. They’ve helped out quite a bit.” In addition to the drainage work, the bank and Masonic Lodge buildings and the front of the IORM building were tuck pointed. Wabash Journal | SPRING 2021 15

Volunteers toss debris from the International Order of the Red Man building into a trash trailer.

Workers ran into a slight problem with the IORM building during the tuck pointing. “When we first started out we thought it won’t be hard to find bricks to match this,” Strange said. “We found out it is. They were made locally, so the size is just enough difference.” Try as they might, the group couldn’t find bricks to fit.

“What we ended up doing is taking some (from the side of the building),” he said. “Since most of this is going to be hidden, we had to rob some bricks, so you can see different places where we’ve patched along the way. We want the front to look as original as possible.” Andy Eads, who served as the Foundation president in 2020, noted that the back side of the building and an open area behind the bank still have to have brick work done. “The main thing,” he said, “is that all of the buildings are very close to being totally protected from the elements. Without that, moving forward is not very fruitful to be completing many internal projects. “We have accomplished a ton with volunteers cleaning and preparing the internal areas for the next steps.” The front of the IORM building will include two arch windows, which volunteers discovered the building once had. “You would think this would be a big picture window,” Strange said. “These (bottom windows) will be similar to those up there. There will be two of them side by side. The whole thing is a window. That’s surprising because that’s a big window.” While work on the exterior of the IORM building continues, crews also are working on the interior of all the buildings.

Volunteers use a lift to work on tuckpointing the upper part of the International Order of the Red Man building. Photo provided by the Lagro Canal Foundation

16 Wabash Journal | SPRING 2021

“We want to get the subfloor in and get it to the point where we can show it to people and say, ‘Here’s the space,” Strange said. “We’d love to begin showing it to people who can put some of their own money in the interior.” The Foundation operates on grants and donations. In December, the buildings were named to the National Register of Historic Places, qualifying the sites for various new grants. However, to do so the sites must follow various regulations to make them as historically accurate as possible.

An artist’s conception of what the Lagro Canal Foundation buildings could look like. Photo provided by the Lagro Canal Foundation Eads said the designation “is an exciting opportunity for us to draw attention to our little slice of heaven.” Strange said the group has also benefited from grants through the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs.

at least once or twice a month. Last month … we had a nice turnout to clean the bottom of the IORM building out. Scott Eads was even able to get a mini excavator in the basement to make some quick work.”

“They’ve paid for the exterior on this, pretty much,” he said. “Everything we’re doing is either donation or grants. Everybody is volunteering their time. There’s no paid staff. We’re at the mercy of the public. But what we’ve found is as we’re moving along the people see we are making progress. We’re getting donations in the mail that we didn’t even ask for.” Wabash County Commissioners also have been helpful, he added, noting, “They can’t give us a lot, but a little bit each year helps out.” And while the process has been hard work and time consuming, Strange is quick to admit the workers are having fun. “We’re very fortunate to have the mix of talent that we have,” he said. “It’s really worked out very well. We are having fun. Some work days we may have 25 people down here helping us.” Eads also praised the work of the volunteers. “When we say we are going to have a work day, we have an army show up,” he said. “The board is phenomenal and many people from the community have helped in unimaginable ways. “When it is nice out we are out there on Saturday mornings

A volunteer scrapes paint from the wall of the former Citizens State Bank building. Wabash Journal | SPRING 2021 17

While it has been a long process, Eads believes work is progressing well. “We have had extremely generous donors,” he said. “We are not setting any land speed records with the rehabilitation of the buildings, but we are being very good stewards of the donors’ money, government grants and volunteer time. This is a very important factor when it comes to the long term stability of these buildings. “We want to help foster the economic growth of the area. We want to help grow business in these particular locations. Ideally, we will have a nice restaurant, a solid retail-online business, a market, some apartments and maybe even a corporate headquarters. The back pavilion has tons of possibilities for events and a possible concert area. We are very excited about the potential and current progress.” Some of that potential is already coming to fruition.

New lights were placed on the front exterior of the former Citizens State Bank building. Photo provided by the Lagro Canal Foundation

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“Positive forward thinking multiplies,” Eads said. “I believe that the original improvements that the town board made have spring-boarded all of this activity. Improvements along the Wabash River Trail, which include a pavilion, ramp, firepit area and restrooms, also have helped bring attention to the community.

Other improvements include the opening of the Riperian House Air BnB, and the 950 Speakeasy restaurant is not too far from opening, Eads noted. In addition, White Rock Recreation has a launch area east of the town, and there have been many private individuals buy properties or land in town that are currently being improved.

Heavy equipment was used to clear out parts of the International Order of the Red Man building. Photo provided by the Lagro Canal Foundation

“The (Foundation) has acquired the big house on the hill just north of the pavilion,” Eads said. “We also purchased land to the north of the Legion and we were able to get rid of a blighted property and house. This will provide more parking and better access to the back of our buildings. We also have acquired some land by the church and railroad track. “Our main goal is to be good stewards, preserve history as much as possible and promote economic growth any way that we can.”

Justin Gillespie works to remove old wood from the International Order of the Red Man building.

Wabash Journal | SPRING 2021 19

Work continues on Wabash housing projects By Joseph Slacian

20 Wabash Journal | SPRING 2021

The City of Wabash, along with Grow Wabash County, is working to find a solution to a housing shortage facing the community. There are currently three active projects designed to bring new housing to various sites in the city. One site is located at the east end of Market Street, while a second is at the Parkview Wabash Hospital legacy site on East Street, and the third is the former location of the GenCorp, Inc., plant on Stitt Street. “We’re still in the planning phases on all three of them, actually,” Mayor Scott Long said. Work on the Market Street site began late last year when several homes were purchased and razed. Two buildings consisting of three homes remain to be demolished by Wabash Street Department crews. “We’re trying to get the paperwork done on one house that was purchased at the tax sale,” Long said. “(The other home) is a common wall home. We already own half of it. The other half, every time we try to close a deal on it, another lien pops up from somewhere. It’s frustrating, to say the least. Once we get those two secured, we’ll go ahead and get them demolished.” Plans tentatively call for placing up to 12 homes at the site, ranging in size from 1,300 square feet to 1,700 square feet. Each would be a two-story structure with two or three bedrooms. “Hopefully we may have multiple people interested in trying to develop that block,” Long said. A housing developer recently met with the mayor and Keith Gillenwater, President and CEO of Grow Wabash County, to discuss the site. The pair also was working to set up a meeting with a developer for the Parkview Legacy site.

The overall goal is to build workforce and executive housing at the sites. As for the GenCorp site, negotiations on cleaning up the former plant location are underway. “The law firm our developer hired … they’re working with Aerojet Rocketdyne, or their attorneys, to try to get this remediated to a level that we can build housing,” Long said. Aerojet Rocketdyne, formerly GenCorp, closed the Wabash plant in 2007. It opened here in 1939 and most recently made sealing systems and glass encapsulation products for the auto industry. In 2010, officials with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management informed the city that traces of trichloroethylene were found in testing spots near the former building, which was razed in August 2010. The TCE traces were found in several spots in Wabash City Park. Testing was done on land surrounding the former plant because the then-owners, One General Street LLC, refused access to the site. “Clean-up may start sooner than later,” Long said of the site. “They’re chomping at the bit to get it cleaned up. But, they only want to take it to a commercial and industrial standard, which is less cleanup than we need for housing. “We’re trying to hold their feet to the fire.” In addition, the lone building that remains at the site from GenCorp days will have to be razed. “It’s in bad shape, really bad shape,” the mayor said. “There’s holes in the roof. It’s been sitting empty. People have gotten in there and busted glass and windows.” Once work begins on the housing development there, plans call for a combination of apartments and single family residences.

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News & Notes Baer joins Edward Jones A second financial advisor has joined the Wabash office of Edward Jones Financial Advisor Steve Weir. “I’m very impressed with Troy, and I’m sure my clients will be, too,” Weir said. “Edward Jones prides itself on providing the best service possible to those investors who choose to do business with us. Troy will help provide the high level of service investors in Wabash have

come to expect from us as well as extend our services to new investors.” Baer will work alongside Weir for two years then will continue serving investors throughout the area from his branch office. Edward Jones, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in St. Louis, provides financial services in the U.S. and, through its affiliate, in Canada.

McKee named Crossroads’ Investment Center president Jarrod McKee is the new president of the Investment Center at Crossroads Bank. Crossroads officials announced the promotion on Thursday, Jan. 28. McKee has been an advisor with the Investment Center since 2010. He resides in Wabash County with his wife, Heather, and three children. He holds a degree in finance from the IU Kelley School of Business along with an AAMS designation. McKee has also been recognized for his volunteer efforts in the Cystic Fibrosis

community. He is a native of Wabash County who enjoys volunteering his time with youth sports and community efforts. Through this promotion, Tony Pulley will continue to serve as a full-time Investment Advisor Representative. “Jarrod has done an outstanding job in cultivating and growing a great client base, while caring for them greatly,” Pulley said. “He has a great vision and possesses the enthusiasm and financial knowledge to lead this business forward. This planned transition will also give me added time to concentrate on my clients.”

Whetstone named Crossroad’s Consumer Lending Officer Jennifer Whetstone has been promoted to Consumer Lending Officer at Crossroads Bank, Wabash. In 2019, Whetstone started as a Consumer Lender in Wabash. She graduated from LaPorte High School and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology from Ball State University. She is a certified Financial Coach. Whetstone worked at Kerlin Motor 22 Wabash Journal | SPRING 2021

Company as Finance and Insurance Manager. She has previous experience at another financial institution as a Mortgage and Consumer Lender, Underwriter, & Trainer. She is a current member of the Tri-Kappa Sorority and past member of Open Table. She and her husband reside in Wabash with their daughter.

News & Notes Arts United honors Honeywell Foundation The Honeywell Foundation was selected along with eight other Northeast Indiana recipients for a 2021 Arts United Award for demonstrating resilience and adaptiveness. Arts United Awards are presented annually to celebrate individuals and organizations that make significant contributions to arts and culture in Northeast Indiana. “It’s with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude that The Honeywell Foundation accepts this 2021 Arts United Award. Our organization faced many challenges in 2020 but it’s because of our team of dedicated, hard-working individuals that we were able to innovate and pivot our operations so that we could continue to deliver arts opportunities,” said Tod Minnich, Honeywell Foundation CEO. The Honeywell Foundation’s mission is to provide artistic, social, recreational, and

cultural opportunities for all. The Foundation provides opportunities for self-expression, creativity, and enrichment through its artsbased programming serving people of all ages, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic backgrounds throughout the Northeast Indiana. region. Each year, the Foundation engages and enriches the lives of more than 280,000 individuals through its worldrenowned touring performances, visual art offerings, expansive historic and cultural opportunities, and innovative educational outreach. The Foundation owns and operates several unique venues in Wabash County including the Honeywell Center, Eagles Theatre, Honeywell House, Dr. James Ford Historic Home, and Charley Creek Gardens. In addition to these five venues, the Foundation operates the 13-24 Drive In.

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News & Notes Callahan resigns Wabash City Schools post Wabash City Schools Superintendent Jason Callahan has resigned.

have meant a lot to me during this time, so I want to avoid that.

The Wabash school board approved his resignation at its Jan. 4 meeting, pending his appointment to the position of Assistant Secretary of Pathways and Opportunities with the Indiana Department of Education.

“People have said really nice things about me, and at the end of the day, I think I’ve always kept kids’ focus first.”

Callahan has been with the Wabash City Schools for 16 years, first as Wabash High School assistant principal, then as principal and eventually as superintendent. “There’s no way I can sit here and thank every person who I’ve been able to connect with over the last 16 years,” he said. “There’s a lot, a lot people that

To help with the search for Callahan’s replacement, the board voted to hire Dr. Michael Adamson of the Indiana School Board Association to assist in the process. He will receive $2,500. In the interim, Callahan’s responsibility will be divided between Matt Stone and Emily Tracy, WCS’ business manager and director of curriculum and instruction, respectively.

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News & Notes Mahan joins South Side Barber Shop Spencer Mahan, a Wabash native and Southwood graduate, has joined Ned Vandegrift as a barber at the South Side Barber Shop, 504 Columbus St., Wabash. Mahan recently graduated from Ravenscroft Beauty College and has obtained his barber license by passing the state board exams. He began schooling in May of 2019 and graduated in November 2020. “Due to the pandemic, it took a few months longer than expected to graduate,” he said. “We had a few months of online classes which made me appreciate being able to go back and work with clients in person.”

Mahan said that he was first drawn to barbering after going to a barber shop for the first time. “I loved the atmosphere of being in a barber shop and the feeling of community between barbers and clients.” Spencer resides in Wabash with his wife, Mandy. He is currently accepting new clients and appointments can be made by calling 260-563-4963. He is available for appointments Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Starting Jan. 2, he will also be accepting clients from from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. “I am excited to be working alongside Ned at the South Side Barber Shop and look forward to serving the community and building up my clientele,” said Mahan. “It is slow building a clientele, and I’m very thankful for everyone who has sat in my chair. I look forward to serving the community for many years to come.

Wabash Steel Supply’s Evans back from active duty Wabash Steel Supply Account Manager, Layne Evans, has recently returned from service in Afghanistan. Evans is a Corporal in the Indiana Army National Guard. Evans Stated, “I received orders to go to Afghanistan on a law and order mission with our unit the 38th Military Police Company. We left for Afghanistan in January and arrived back in Indiana in October. Our primary mission was to perform law and order operations on the bases located throughout the country, another large part of our job was to train and advise our Romanian counterparts on how to do the police tasks and counter terror operations.”

26 Wabash Journal | SPRING 2021

Wabash Steel Supply has employed Evans since 2018. Steven Siders, Wabash Steel Supply President, said, “We’re glad to have Layne back safely and grateful for his service to our country. He’s an excellent team member here at Wabash Steel Supply.” “I personally enjoyed my time overseas and made many lifelong friendships! I am so grateful for the opportunity to go and the experiences it gave me. I’m now glad to be back and back to ‘normal,’” Evans added. “Wabash Steel Supply has grown so much since I left and the transition back into the team here has been seamless.” Wabash Steel Supply, an entity of Gebhart Holdings, has been in business since 2015 and is pleased to offer the widest and most comprehensive selection of steel and industrial supplies available to its customers. To learn more about product lines offered visit the store at 1945 S Wabash Street, Wabash, or go to www. wabashsteelsupply.com.

News & Notes Boardman to serve on Indiana Bankers Association board Emily Boardman, Senior Vice President and Chief Operation Officer of Crossroads Bank, is a member of the Indiana Bankers Association Board of Directors for 2021. Boardman is one of four Constituent Directors for the organization. Michael S. Zahn, president and CEO of

First Federal Savings Bank, Huntington, has been elected 2021 chairman of the Board of Directors of the Indiana Bankers Association. The election took place Nov. 18 during the virtual IBA Mega Reimagined Conference and Annual Convention.

Rotary’s ‘No Outing Golf Outing’ helps United Fund For the 29th consecutive year, the Wabash Rotary Club contributed to the Wabash County United Fund annual fundraising campaign by hosting a benefit golf outing. This year’s event was modified due to the coronavirus pandemic. Wabash Rotary created the No Outing Golf Outing to raise $3,500 for the United Fund 2020 Campaign. Wabash Rotary presented the check during its regular meeting on Monday, January 11. Accepting the check on behalf of the United Fund was Steve Johnson, Executive Director. The annual golf outing traditionally signals the start of the new campaign season.

This year’s event was turned into a “no-outing” event, providing sponsors with several ways to support the project. Companies participating at the “Holein-One” level included David Mann/ Northwestern Mutual, Mike Beauchamp/ Modoc’s, Metropolitan School Corporation of Wabash County, and Ford Meter Box. Poet Biorefining participated at the “Birdie” level. Companies participating at the “Par” level included Dorais Chevrolet, Crossroads Bank, Halderman Real Estate and Farm Management, Rea Logan, Inc, and Estep Burkey Simmons. The Wabash Rotary Club also added funds to the total donation amount.

Wabash Portable adds Billy Goat line Wabash Portable Equipment has recently become a Billy Goat dealer. Just over a year after coming into new ownership, they have added a new line of products to offer to their customers. Billy Goat is a premier manufacturer of specialty turf products, and features a complete line of product so-

lutions for residential, commercial, & municipal needs. Wabash Portable is a certified dealer of Billy Goat products such as lawn and litter vacuums, aerators and sod cutters, brushcutters, debris loaders, and more! Wabash Portable Equipment is located at 1830 S. Wabash St., Wabash. Wabash Journal | SPRING 2021 27

News & Notes Vineyard honored by Visit Wabash County board Carrie Vineyard was honored on during Visit Wabash County’s 2020 end of the year board celebration. Vineyard, who served as Visit Wabash County’s board president during 2020, was presented with a Distinguished Leadership Award for her level of service and dedication to the organization. Presenting the award on behalf of the full board of directors and staff was Beverly Vanderpool, incoming 2021 Board President for Visit Wabash County. “On behalf of Visit Wabash County, we would like to honor your service as President amidst one of the most difficult and unprecedented times to lead an organization,” said Vanderpool. “During your tenure you have represented Visit Wabash County with professionalism, positive leadership, and strength. You

28 Wabash Journal | SPRING 2021

have led the board and staff with vision, dedication, and care. We thank you so much for your service to this board and to all of Wabash County.” In addition, Christine Flohr, director of tourism for Visit Wabash County, was honored during the end of the year meeting for her 10 years of service to the organization. The board of directors and staff presented Flohr with a tribute video thanking her for serving Wabash County diligently for the last decade. In addition to Vanderpool, other officers for 2021 are Vice President Carrie Vineyard (Marketing Director for Gebhart Holdings), Secretary Adam Stakeman (Industrial Sales Manager for J.M. Reynolds Oil Company), Treasurer Howard Kaler (General Manager for the Charley Creek Inn), Past President Brady Burgess (CEO of BIT Computers), Brittany Rager (Marketing & Special Event Director for Brandt’s Harley-Davidson), Jeremy Markham (Business Manager for Manchester Community Schools), Nate Fansher (Senior Vice President at Crossroads Bank), and Jennifer Bailey, (owner of Salamonie Bridle Stalls & Carriage House and The Sanctuary).

News & Notes Women open Pop Up Boutique A group of four women who all have small businesses have started a pop-up shop to sell their items due to lack of opportunity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pop Up Boutique is located at 180 W. Harrison Ave. in Wabash and offers products from Paparazzi, nickel and lead-free jewelry; Thirty-One, bag, totes, purses and other storage items; Scentsy, scented wax cubes, wax warmers, and cleaning supplies; and Pink Zebra, scented wax sprinkles and other scented home and

body products. The shop was started by Kristie Bone, Angie Grier, Tiffany Smith and Laura Knable. The women met at popup shop for small businesses in Lagro, where they all reside. “With COVID happening, we all had events that were booked and we all had a bunch of products on hand because we had intended on going to a bunch of events and they got canceled,” said Bone. “So, we thought ‘How can we get our product to our customers and still be in compliance since everything keeps getting canceled?’” After some brainstorming, the four women decided to find a space where they could all chip in and sell their products while staying in compliance with safety measures. The shop is open Thursday from 4-8 p.m., Friday from 9-11 a.m. and 4-8 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. All payments are accepted.

Production company eyes county as possible film location Connor Noble, Wabash native and CEO of Falling Star Pictures, a film company based out of Muncie, has announced the beginning stages of his upcoming film, “Night of the Living Dead,” which he hopes to partly film in Wabash County. Falling Stars Pictures got its start in 2017 by Noble, who has had a

lifetime passion for filmmaking. “We have had success making several short films through our publishing title ‘Falling Star Cinema,’” said Noble. “We have a 16-minute film on Amazon Prime which

was our first, called ‘Infection Containment,’ filmed in January of 2020 starring Leanne Johnson, Joshua Neal Lamon, Kaitlyn Naillon, and Montez Lafayette. It was supposed to have two sequels which have been postponed until next year, but we were able to make a nine-minute prequel for it that’s out on YouTube. More recently, Falling Stars Pictures filmed a 30-minute short film completely shot in Wabash at local places along Market Street, inside Charley Creek Inn, and a couple alley ways. The film, ‘Windy City Nights,’ a 1930’s film noir detective and Humphrey Bogart style film, is currently in post-production and is estimated to be released this coming summer. The familiarly named feature film that Noble and his colleagues are currently planning, which will have a run time of an hour to an hour and a half, will be based on the 1968 cult classic film by George A. Romero ‘Night of the Living Dead.’ The company is able to use the same title because the original film never had a copyright on it, which caused it to be in the public domain since its release. Wabash Journal | SPRING 2021 29

News & Notes Wabash resident included in new video series A Wabash resident is among those included in the first installment of a new statewide video series. Chelsea Boulrisse is one of four individuals in the series, “Hoosiers by Choice,” launched last week by the Indiana Destination Development Corp. The program was announced Tuesday, Jan. 26, by Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and IDDC officials. The campaign features people who have moved to Indiana and chosen to make the Hoosier State their permanent home. The campaign will run throughout 2021, showcasing what makes Indiana a great place to live and why people from other places have chosen to stay. “Hoosiers By Choice” and its accompanying website will display authentic Hoosier stories of people living in northern, central and southern Indiana in the form of short videos. The videos will explain why these individuals chose to move and, ultimately, stay in Indiana.

A Massachusetts native, Boulrisse is the Project Manager – Marketing & Events for Grow Wabash County. “We got word through the Grow Wabash County office last summer that the Indiana Destination Development Corporation was developing this new campaign to attract people from out of state to consider Indiana when thinking about moving or settling down by collecting videos and stories from Indiana ‘transplants’ that have ultimately decided to call Indiana home,” she told The Paper of Wabash County. GWC Executive Director Keith Gillenwater and Vice President Tenille Zartman encouraged her to submit a video. “I am a proud Hoosier by Choice for over four years now,” Boulrisse said, adding that Gillenwater and Zartman “thought it would be a great way to celebrate that as well as showcase everything to love about Wabash County living.”

MU names Department of Physical Therapy director Bhupinder Singh has been named founding program director of the Department of Physical Therapy at Manchester University in northeast Indiana. He begins March 1. As part of its Charting the Future initiative, Lilly Endowment Inc. this fall selected Manchester for a $1 million grant to help launch a Doctor of Physical Therapy program. The grant allowed Manchester to move forward with hiring a director, faculty and staff in order to pursue accreditation. The program start date depends on when accreditation is approved. “We are excited to take this next step

30 Wabash Journal | SPRING 2021

in establishing Manchester’s signature program in the rehabilitation sciences,” said President Dave McFadden. “Dr. Singh is a perfect fit for Manchester, and he is the right person to lead this program. He has a track record of interdisciplinary collaboration and building service into the student experience, both hallmarks of health science education at Manchester.” Singh comes to Manchester from the Department of Physical Therapy at California State University, Fresno. He completed his doctoral work in physical therapy and rehabilitation sciences at the Carver School of Medicine at the University of Iowa.

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Nature’s Remedy offers massages, other therapeutics

By Eric Christiansen NORTH MANCHESTER -- Krystal Presl’s son Korbin asked her one day, “Mom, is that all you do is hurt people all day long?” She answered, “Yeah. But they like me, they pay me, and they come back.” The massage therapist said she loves what she does and loves helping people to feel better. “It’s been my calling since school,” Presl said. “I love being able to manipulate the muscle tissue, get in deep, and see people get up and look at me like I’m a witch doctor. They ask, ‘why can’t I move? I don’t understand.’” 32 Wabash Journal | SPRING 2021

Presl has been practicing massage therapy for 12 years, the past two years out of her home, and opened Nature’s Remedy at 113 N. Walnut St., North Manchester, in January.

Massage Therapy in Las Vegas, Nev., and said that is where she found her passion.

“I was working for myself out of my house,” she said. “I was tired of keeping the house clean and the kids quiet. I wanted to carry product and have walkins. You can’t have people just walking up to your front door asking for a massage.”

But Presl’s interest in message therapy started when she was much younger playing sports.

“After working in spas and the chiropractic field, I decided to combine the best of both worlds,” she said.

Nature’s Remedy offers Swedish massage, prenatal massage, medical massage, with other focuses such as deep tissue, back, neck, and shoulder, and full-body exfoliation.

“I was an athlete for a long time growing up,” she said. “I played softball from a young age. I wasn’t even in high school yet and I was already in physical therapy for my knees. I was a catcher for so long and my ligaments were so stretched out – I could move my kneecap around.

Presl graduated from Nevada School of

“Between getting physical therapy

and getting worked on, it led me to figure out that I love the human body, but I don’t want to deal with the red tape in the medical field,” Presl added. Presl said her issue with the medical red tape is the difference between fixing the pain but not dealing with the issue causing the pain. “I hate how we chop a person into bits and pieces and treat them separately when a person is a whole person,” she said. “It’s all interconnected and we shouldn’t be tearing people apart. Sometimes their physical is intertwined with their emotional state and you need to deal with both of them. You can’t just medicate their emotions and then give them a pain killer for their body hurting – I’d rather help people heal themselves. “I have clients tell me their doctor wants them to go have carpel tunnel surgery [but] what’s going on is your forearms are too tight and your tendons are rubbing on your carpel tunnel sheath, and all they do is cut that sheath so it quits rubbing on it,” Presl added. “But they didn’t deal with the fact that your muscles are still tight and it’s still going to cause arthritis in your wrist – so why not deal with the actual problem and not just a quick solution? “It’s the best and healthiest way to heal. Every time you get cut open your body leaves scar tissue. Why not do things naturally and the right way?” And Presl said that is what she tries to do with her clients.

“I try to educate people so people feel like they are in control of their own lives and their own health and their own status,” she said. “Giving people body awareness is huge so you know when something is not right and you deal with it rather than ignoring it. People change their oil and their tires and do regular checkups on their cars – why not their body? “Cars can be traded in. You can’t trade your body in.” Presl said she is excited to have her space on Walnut Street and is putting the finishing touches on her office. “We just got a massage chair in this week – a rocker recliner glider,” she said. “A foot tub is coming in this week, so I can do foot services. I’ve got bath bombs so people can soak their feet, along with hot towels and scrubs. It’s like a miniature pedicure.” She added that she is adding men’s products to her line of products, a line that includes essential oils. And whether she is hurting people all day or helping them to more understand their own bodies, Presl said she knows this is where she belongs. “I love it,” she said. “I can’t imagine doing anything else.” Nature’s Remedy is located at 113 North Walnut Street. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call Krystal at 260-306-3057 or text 260-440-4155.

Pickers Paradise has something for everyone By Eric Christiansen Kerrie and Mike Walton enjoy antiques. So much so they opened their own businesses. KM Pickers Paradise opened on 114 East Main Street in North Manchester with a slew of antiques and homemade items, with a little bit of something for anyone. “We’ve always been pickers and finding things, recycling things,” Mike Walton said. The couple previously set up stop with a booth in an antique

34 Wabash Journal | SPRING 2021

mall in Warsaw but now call North Manchester the home of their business. “We notice a lot of antique places are closing,” Kerrie said. “I think it’s people getting older, retiring … Covid did not help.” But the Waltons feel this is the time, and North Manchester is the place, to open KM Pickers Paradise. “People ask ‘why this year?’ I ask ‘why not?’ People are wanting to sell and refresh,” Kerrie said. “We’re hoping this is the bottom and it goes up from here. It’s a good time to start.”

Mike grew up in North Manchester while Kerrie’s family is from South Whitley, and both have the business bug.

along Highway 40 that runs through Indiana from St. Louis to Baltimore.

“We both are the entrepreneur types,” Mike said. “We like the freedom that comes with it.”

“We never made it out of Indiana this year,” Kerrie said. “We got a trailer full and we had to go home.”

Kerrie’s father owned a family-run business of over 100 years in South Whitley.

Mike said they will price their finds, sometimes having to fix a few items, but they try to that a minimal practice.

“My mom supported my dad and she was an avid antiquer,” Kerrie said. “She loved her antiques. My parents were my inspiration.”

“We like to keep them historically correct,” he said. “Leave their dents and dings if we can – it shows their history.

Mike’s grandmother was also an entrepreneur who owned a gas station/convenience store in Packerton until the late 1970s when it burned. “She was my inspiration as far as being an entrepreneur,” he said. “They grew produce when they got there. Making the product and serving the community, getting to know the people, making or growing something they needed was what she did.”

Now they carry on the family traditions. “North Manchester has changed so much since I was a kid,” Mike said. “I remember the cigar shop and the arcade in the back, getting shoes at Wible’s, and this [building] was Hire’s, and Louie’s Sport Shop was next door.” Kerrie said they wanted to continue and add to the downtown North Manchester small business legacy. “We wanted to do some investing in this town,” she said. “We would like to see the town prosper and come back to when it used to be when all the stores were filled with places to stop. We were thinking we are in this community, we want to see it grow, [and] this is one way we can do that.” “A lot of [Kerrie’s family is around here, and this is my hometown, so we might as well put down some roots,” Mike added. Kerrie has worked for Home Health until earlier this year. She also is and EMT and a volunteer at Pleasant Township Fire Dept. Mike also works at Precision Medical Technologies in North Manchester.

Getting started The Waltons started going to the 127 Garage Sale, the longest garage sale in the U.S. three years ago. The sale stretches from Alabama through Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and Michigan, followed by another stretch

“We talk to a lot of people at the auctions,” Mike said. “A lot of times they have things in their barns or garage and we get finds like that.” With the COVID pandemic, the Waltons have been focused on online auctions. “We started searching auctions,” Kerrie said. “You take a chance and might not get what you’re expecting but I look at it this way, you might get a lot of other goodies that you aren’t expecting. It’s like Christmas every day.” KM Pickers Paradise will also have consigners as part of the business. “I’m at my max right now but we’ll look at everybody,” Kerrie said. “I want to keep away from the Tupperware and homebased businesses. We want to find makers – people who actually make the stuff. As long as it isn’t competing with what we do with our other consigners. “We’re trying to keep away from other businesses, especially the current new ones,” she said. “We aren’t going to have a soap maker knowing we have a new soap business two doors down.” “We’re giving people and outlet for people who don’t have an outlet,” Mike added. Another feature that KM Pickers Paradise will experiment with is Facebook Facetime shopping. “People can browse as we walk around for them on Facetime,” Mike said. “We can keep a delivery area and actually deliver, or if they wanted curbside pick-up, we can incorporate that into it. That way we aren’t restricting anybody.” Both Kerrie and Mike are looking forward to their new adventure and doing it in North Manchester. “It’s gonna be fun,” Mike said. KM Pickers Paradise, 114 East Main Street, is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. They can be reached at 260-306-3097. Follow the business on Facebook @ProperPicks.

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