Business
GREATER OWENSBORO
First Quarter 2013
PRST STD. U.S. POSTAGE PAID OWENSBORO, KY PERMIT #412
Raines has stood test of time downtown
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Greater Owensboro Business
First Quarter 2013
From the Chamber of Commerce
In This Issue
Business
GREATER OWENSBORO
First Quarter 2013 Vol. 9 • Number 4
Marching on
4
Raines Shoe Hospital has stood the test of time downtown
Amy Jackson
President Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce
Happy New Year! 2013 is going to be quite a year as the Chamber celebrates its Centennial. For 100 years, businesses have been working together as a Chamber of Commerce to grow the Greater Owensboro community. On January 19, 2013 and throughout the year, we will find ways to celebrate our past, present and future in Owensboro. As we dug into the archives to learn more about the long history of the Chamber, we found recurring themes and priorities brought forward by our members and leadership. How interesting is it that in 1914 we had a concern about the lack of hotel rooms available for an Agricultural Expo? And here we are today, working together with public and private dollars to bring more conventions and hotels to our community. Or, in a January 26, 1958 special insert in the Messenger Inquirer – a seven point program was launched by the Chamber to focus on main street improvement, transportation by rail, highway goals, aviation, industrial relations and development and a legislative program to grow Owensboro. All still timely and critical topics – 55 years later, but with new leaders, new opportunities and continued investment. In 2013, in addition to focusing on celebrating our members and the investments made in our community, we will continue to push forward with issues critical to our future success … including the support for I-67 as an interstate through Owensboro, assistance to our members in tackling the changing health care environment, and tactics and tools to improve your business. I look forward to our future, as we collaborate, communicate, innovate and create our own success … Owensboro is On the Move!
Growing business
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Bryant Engineering continues growth at Frederica location
Sweet Success
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Coldstone Creamery and The Cupcakery to offer sweets in downtown location
Milestone
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The Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce celebrates 100 years.
Studio Slant
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Studio thrives downtown, finds niche in festival
Young Professional
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Amanda Owen and Nicholas Knapp discuss being a young professional in Owensboro
5 Reasons
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Missy Gant discusses the benefits of chamber membership
Amy Jackson President and CEO Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce
On the Move
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Local business leaders on the move in their industry and in the community
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Greater Owensboro Business
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Cobbler Don Raines trims the excess leather while repairing the sole on a customer’s Wingtip dress shoe at Raines Shoe Hospital at 333 Frederica St. “I’ve been blessed,” Raines said. “My cup runneth over.” He has collected various old items throughout the store. “It’s dirty, but I love this old place,” he said. “I’ve done this all my whole life.”
Marching on:
Raines practices a lost trade at Shoe Hospital By Libby Johnson The view from the shoeshine bench in Raines’ Shoe Hospital, on the corner of 4th and Fred4
erica, is the perfect perch for obser ving the pace of downtown Owensboro. While you get the grit off your shoes, you can get the nitty gritty on the histor y of Greater Owensboro Business
downtown. After all, the shoe hospital has been in the same location since 1939. And what Don Raines didn’t see or hear firsthand, his parents did. First Quarter 2013
Don Raines holds a picture that shows his grandfather, William Auzie Raines, buffing and polishing a shoe on a finishing machine at the store in 1939. Raines said his father owned the store and named it in 1939. “The store hasn’t changed much since my dad bought the place,” Raines said.
“My granddad started the business and it has not changed since 1952, when my dad put in the covered drive-in,” says owner and third generation proprietor Don Raines. The drive-in was the first covered drive-in in America, according to Raines, who laughs saying, “I told my dad- you shoulda’ gotten a patent on it; we’d be on South Beach smoking Havanas by now.” Don Raines started training in the store at age thirteen and has been working at the shop full time since 1978. At one time, there were nine employees in the shop, and it offered a range of ser vices that included dyeing First Quarter 2013
and a full time shoe shine person. (Raines’ father also owned a shoe repair shop on the base of Fort Campbell, about 90 minutes from Owensboro.) As the decades passed, the numbers dwindled, and now Don Raines mans his shop alone, most days from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. He never takes a lunch break. The flow of customers is constant and he knows many of them by name. The customers know him too; most of his business is repeat, and as his friend (and local merchant) David Epling told him recently, the shoe hospital is “a destination.” While many business owners depend on Greater Owensboro Business
passers by to drop in and shop, Raines’ customers drive in from miles around to seek his ser vices. Downtown Owensboro is a destination now too, thanks to the riverfront revitalization. “I am thrilled they’re building a hotel on the river—it’s our jewel of the Nile,” says Raines, who says that although his business has never really changed he has definitely noticed the ebb and flow of people and commerce in downtown Owensboro through the years. “The low point really started when they built the mall,” says Raines, who can tell you practically ever y business that has occupied 5
Don Raines sits briefly while talking about his blessings at Raines Shoe Hospital. “This is a dying trade, and it’s really a lost art,” he said. “This is my family farm. Nobody will build anything like it.”
any building standing between his and the river. A born stor yteller who has the low-down on all things downtown, from long gone topless bars to fortunes made on basement roulette wheels, Raines says that the district has come a long way from the time when his father advised that there was “no need for a lady to go north of Fourth Street after dark.” As a lifelong Owensboro resident, he says he is “glad for the investment of the city and county both” and lists Smothers Park as his personal favorite upgrade, saying “it’s the real draw.” Raines knows that though his business has stood the test of time it can’t last forever. “If my father hadn’t bought up ten shops (for the equipment) I’d be out of business already,” he says noting that the equipment he uses hasn’t been manufactured since 1939. The number of shoe repair shops in the U.S. has dropped drastically, and “there are no more craftsmen,” he says. Nontheless, he plans to “keep on keeping on.” And when the last car has cruised through America’s first covered drive in, it could well be that the soles on the shoes of those walking on the riverfront were once mended by a soul who loved his hometown. 6
Greater Owensboro Business
First Quarter 2013
A Special Publication of the
Messenger-Inquirer Jacqueline Jordan, Special Publications Editor 270.691.7233, jjordan@messenger-inquirer.com
Jenny Sevcik, Photography Editor 270.691.7294, jsevcik@messenger-inquirer.com John Shelton, Graphic Designer Staff Writer Joy Campbell Staff Photographers
John Dunham Gary Emord-Netzley Contributors Kristi McCabe Tina Forrest
To Advertise: Faye D. Murry, Advertising Director
270.691.7240, fmurry@messenger-inquirer.com
“If my father hadn’t bought up ten shops (for the equipment) I’d be out of business already.”
— Don Raines
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Greater Owensboro Business
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Bryant Engineering has recently revamped the historic building at 1535 Frederica Street.
Growing business: Bryant Engineering continues growth in historic Frederica Street home By Joy Campbell When the trees and brush that used to camouflage the building at 1535 Frederica St. were removed last year --a striking structure marked by Spanish architec8
ture popped into view. Br yant Engineering Inc. is the new owner of the two-stor y, historic building that was constructed in about 1900. That exterior improvement is just one change the growing firm has made to its Greater Owensboro Business
new offices that now blend the unique features of the old building and a two-stor y addition on the back. The office building signals another transition that has occurred in ownership at the 21-year-old First Quarter 2013
Jason Baker and David Weaver sit at the table in the conference room at Bryant Engineering on Dec. 4. Weaver said he wanted to find older “engineering related photos” from Owensboro to help add character to the room. Included on the wall are photos from the 1937 flood, a sewer collapse downtown, and an old Ames automobile parked in front of an Owensboro plant.
firm in recent years. Jason Baker and David Weaver now own the company founded by Don Br yant in 1991, and they now are leaving their mark on various public, private and utility projects. They work primarily in Owensboro, Bowling Green and the surrounding counties, but also have worked all across Kentucky. Br yant retired last year -- coinciding with the company’s move from its Benttree Drive location to the new Frederica Street offices. “We purchased the company from Don and developed a transition plan of three to five years,” Baker said. The two owners said they are highly motivated and had envisioned running their own comFirst Quarter 2013
pany one day. Baker said he had always wanted to provide consulting ser vices. “You can do a lot of things with an engineering degree. Some of them involve entrepreneurship. I’ve always had a desire to get into that side,” he said. An Owensboro native and a Daviess County High School graduate, Baker earned his engineering degree from the University of Kentucky in 1996. He joined Br yant Engineering in 2003 and received his professional engineer’s license in 2004. He is 40 years old. Weaver, 46, is an Owensboro Catholic High School graduate. He also earned his degree from UK -- in 1990. He received his professional engineer’s license in1996 and his land sur veyor’s Greater Owensboro Business
license in 1999. He worked for Br yant from 1994 to 2001 and returned to the firm in 2005. Both owners like to tell the stor y of how Br yant was started. In founding the company, Don Br yant, in league with agribusinessman Billy Joe Miles, set up his offices in a farmhouse on Wrights Landing Road, sharing space with a Realtor and construction company. The site would eventually become The Summit Countr y Club. “Summit Golf Course founded our company,” Baker said. On the company’s website, www.br yant-eng.com, Br yant credits Miles with the encouragement and support he needed to realize his dream of opening a private practice as a professional civil engineer and licensed land 9
Steve Weaver, project manager at Bryant Engineering, works at his desk on Dec. 4, 2012.
sur veyor. At the Frederica Street location, Baker and Weaver have assembled a staff of 20 that includes four professional engineers, three land surveyors (including dual licensees); one engineer in training; a support staff of engineering and computer assisted design technicians and office manager; three survey crews offering both conventional and PS surveying services, soil and concrete testing services and state of the art graphics reproduction services. “One of the secrets of being able to grow our company is diversity,” Weaver said. The staff continuously works to become a full-service civil engineering and land surveying firm. Services include design, surveying, construction services and inspection, and other services. A major area of growth has been in material testing with expansion into a full range of those services. Another growth area is in construction services. Bryant has brought in staff with 10
additional skills in highway design, an emerging market. The company expects to vie for upcoming regional road projects with the Kentucky Department of Transportation. The company has been involved in a number of high-profile projects over the years. “My crowning jewel at this point is the new hospital project,” Baker said. “We provided the civil engineering and land surveying work for that. Being involved in that large project is an honor and something to be proud of.” Owensboro Medical Health System is building a nine-story, $385 million hospital on Pleasant Valley Road, which is on track to open in June of 2013. Weaver said his role in the city’s downtown revitalization efforts -Smothers Park, the signature riverfront project, and the streetscapes -- has been rewarding. One of the main reasons for the company’s move to Frederica Street was to more fully support the downtown projects, the ownGreater Owensboro Business
ers said. “In our business, we’re fortunate to have a lot of diversity,” Baker said. “The projects that keep us going are the return customers and clientele who continue to invest their own money. We’re a means of making their projects happen.” Weaver said the firm also tries to be civic-minded and help various local organizations, such as the Lions Club, with its Soap Box Derby track at Ben Hawes Park. The owners also like to sponsor various sports teams -- notably hockey. “It’s important to be involved in the community,” Weaver said. Br yant Engineering was named Consultant of the Year in 2011 by the Kentucky Chapter of the American Public Works Association. The same year, the company earned the APWA’s Project of the Year Award for its work on the city’s Harsh Ditch Storm Drainage Project. First Quarter 2013
Jason Baker’s office at the new location.
Above: David Weaver has a large saltwater fish tank which adds color to his office at Bryant Engineering. Right: Jason Baker shows the upstairs balcony that is accessible from staff engineer Lee Mills’ office.
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Greater Owensboro Business
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Sweet success: Duo poised to open downtown By Libby Johnson
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Greater Owensboro Business
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By the time the winds off the Ohio turn back into a warm breeze, Owensboro’s downtown will boast a one stop shop for gourmet cupcakes and ice cream. Two existing local businesses, The Cup Caker y and Coldstone Creamer y plan to share space and expand their operations from a base on the street level of the Bates Building, which is being renovated into condominiums on the upper floors. According to their respective owners, both of the businesses plan to be operating on a catering concept. The catering concept is one that Coldstone has been using for a while, according to Gayla Singh, local Coldstone franchise owner, but “the Owensboro park setting may be a first.” Both Singh and Lisa Haynes, the owner of The Cupcaker y (located in Buckland Square, formerly Lavalls and Three Sisters) will keep their base of operations in
their e x isting storefronts and continue to make their desserts in those locations. “We’ll play it by ear based on what the customers’ needs and desires are, says Singh, who plans on of-
feri n g a few select flavors of ice cream and a selection of “Signature Creations,” which boast combinations of ice cream and mix-ins with names like
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Greater Owensboro Business
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“Cookie Minster,” “Mud Pie Mojo,” and “The Pie Who Loved Me.” Haynes, who learned the art of cupcakes from her grandmother “and a lot of trial and error,” plans to stock her side of the store with customer favorites such as Wedding Cake, Strawberries and Cream, Red Velvet and Chocolate Midnight, as well as a smattering of cookies and other pastries. Additionally, she plans to offer gluten-free cupcakes and muffins. Both entrepreneurs are operating on a “wait and see” approach. They know the location will have indoor and outdoor seating, but as for the rest of the details, “We’ll play it by ear based on the customers’ needs and desires,” says Singh. Haynes, who plans to hire three new employees says that even the hours of the shop are “up in the air. If there are people out on the riverfront ‘til ten on the riverfront, then by all means, 14
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First Quarter 2013
we’ll be open.” Haynes mentions the possibility of cakes available for purchase onsite, to accommodate downtown businesses or people throwing a last minute parkside party. Singh and Hayes doubly delight in taking part in the downtown revival. “Personally, I’m so excited about all the events that crowds to enjoy downtown, says Haynes. Singh echoes her enthusiasm, “I think it’s exciting that downtown is a place to gather. It’s great for families,” she says, noting that she is delighted to get to take part in downtown’s resurgence with a business she’s already established. The opportunities downtown are new, but families, fun, and cupcakes and ice cream never get old.
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Greater Owensboro Business
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The Chamber staff outside the 4th and Frederica office in 1997. L-R: Cristy Ellis, Fred Reeves, Becky McGubbins, Dave Adkinson, Judy Potect, Susan high, Waitman Taylor, Esther Jonsing, Sandy Moore, Mary Hillard and Michelle Harris.
100 years:
Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce celebrates a milestone By Joy Campbell The Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce will replace its traditional annual dinner with a Centennial Celebration at 6 p.m. Jan. 13, 2013 that includes 16
a retrospective as well as a focus on the business group’s current and future plans.The event will be held at the RiverPark Center. “We’re hosting this event as a reunion for past board chairs and as a celebration for our 974 current Greater Owensboro Business
members,” Chamber President and CEO Amy Jackson said. “We hope the board chairs take great pride at this milestone and want to celebrate. They have a lot to be proud of.” Jackson said the Chamber staff First Quarter 2013
has been doing its homework for the 100-year event — researching the organization’s histor y. It started as the Businessman’s Association in 1893 and became the Owensboro Chamber of Commerce in 1913. The Chamber is working with a local vendor to create a commemorative video to debut at the celebration and to use after ward “to tell our stor y.” “We have a lot of boxes containing pictures and newspaper clippings of milestone events such as kicking off the International BarB-Que Festival in 1979, the first Go Vote Campaign, getting the “Blue Law” changed, and other topics, including current ones,” Jackson said.”The minutes of the first meeting are stored in the Kentucky Room.” The Chamber’s signature event — the Rooster Booster Breakfast — routinely attracts from 250 to 300 business people at 7:30 a.m.
on the first Thursday of each month. For 35 years, Kirk Kirkpatrick has emceed the popular morning meeting. He introduced his audiences to “The Good News Phone,” as well as The Top Five — both still standard fare at the meetings. The white retro phone that sets atop the podium actually continues to bring Chamber members announcements of new businesses, national recognitions and more, with Kirkpatrick always saying to the caller, “Well, that IS good news.” He also concludes the breakfast meetings with The Top Five that keys on a current topic in a manner similar to late-night talk show host David Letterman’s Top 10 List. “Kirk is responsible for making Rooster Booster the popular venue it is today,” Jackson said. Kirkpatrick started attending
Chamber of commerce meetings when he was in his 20s. The group met in the basement of Gabe’s Tower, and its members were “almost all old bankers,” he said. “I felt out of place, but I represented Owensboro On the Air, and I wanted to make those connections.” He recently recalled how he came to be the Rooster Booster master of ceremonies and how The Good News Phone was introduced. In the mid-1970s, Dr. Don Neel and Martel Wightman co-hosted the breakfast meetings and tried to make them entertaining, Kirkpatrick said. “When Dr. Neel was elected board chairman in 1976, he couldn’t continue as the emcee, so he asked me to do it. Next month I’ll end 35 years — ser ving out my contract,” Kirkpatrick quipped. “But we’re negotiating for an extension.”
Classes begin in January.
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Greater Owensboro Business
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Kirk Kirkpatrick, left, and the Good News Phone at an early Rooster Booster meeting.
Records show that in 1978, the Owensboro-Daviess County Chamber of Commerce advocated for a toll road from Owensboro to Lafayette, Ind., opposed the Federal Aviation Administration’s closing of the control tower at the airport, successfully lobbied for a KET transmitter in Daviess County, successfully fought the Illinois Central Railroad closing, and spoke out for changes in the first land use plan for Owensboro, Daviess County and Whitesville. Chamber leaders moved the organization into its new role as “a voice for business and a voice on issues that affect the community.” And its leaders acknowledged that the Chamber likely would continue to change. That same year, the Chamber issued its 1977 Progress Report and 1978 Statement of Goals. And for the first time, the organization 18
attracted more than 500 members. Some amazing things have happened under Chamber leadership, Kirkpatrick said. He credits Jane Haase and Dave Adkisson —two past presidents from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s — for their work to make the organization more professional. “At that time, we were facing some difficult situations with 12 to 13 percent interest rates and a crippling downtown,” Kirkpatrick said. “We had the Executive Inn, but downtown was on its way to becoming embarrassing.” GOOD NEWS PHONE DEBUTS IN 1981 Kirkpatrick introduced The Good News Phone at the Chamber’s annual dinner in 1981. He recalled brainstorming with Adkisson about how to find someGreater Owensboro Business
thing positive to say during those bleak times. He suggested having someone phone in and deliver some good news. That was supposed to be a one-time device, but it has become an anticipated interruption each month — often garnering snickers when the ring continues after Kirkpatrick picks it up. The Top Five List was introduced at the end of the meeting as a way to keep the audience. “Ever yone was leaving, and it was embarrassing for the speakers,” Kirkpatrick said. Kirkpatrick underplays his contributions of “two hours per month” as a volunteer and gives full credit to the professional Chamber staffs over the years and the members themselves. Adkisson, he said, placed a big emphasis on speakers and membership. First Quarter 2013
Waitman Taylor speaks at the opening of the MidAmerica Airpark in 1996.
“If you think about the value of the Chamber, it’s directly proportional to the members’ willingness to come and participate,” he said. “They can thank themselves for that. It’s sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy.” Both Jackson and Kirkpatrick list several projects the Chamber has supported over the years that are now visible in the region such as the Natcher Bridge and Interstate spurs, and getting the tolls removed from the Natcher Parkway. “These were just pipe dreams. I never thought I’d see them in my lifetime,” Kirkpatrick said. The airport and riverport both went through periods when they were losing viability. Now, they are both thriving, he said. And the RiverPark Center was a key project for the city. “Where Owensboro is sitting now, compared to where it was, is truly remarkable,” Kirkpatrick said.”If you took a snapshot of First Quarter 2013
the late ‘70s and fast-for warded, I still would not have envisioned this.” He credits Mayor Ron Payne with following though on the vision for downtown Owensboro. He also sees the Chamber’s leadership on the convention center now under construction — lobbying for greater transparency on its scope and cost — as a pivotal point on that project. “The staff and members — they are why the Chamber works,” Kirkpatrick said.”It has a ver y active group of members. And they make a loud noise when they talk together.” CHAMBER’S INFLUENCE SEEN IN SPINOFF GROUPS Adkisson, who is the current executive director of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, went to work for the Chamber at age 22. His interest in the organization’s histor y led to the collection of pictures of the past ChamGreater Owensboro Business
ber board chairpersons. He was able to find all but three. The Chamber went dormant from 1917 to 1920 in large part because so many young men were in ser vice during World War I, “but it came roaring back in the ‘20s,” he said. Adkisson became the Chamber’s leader in 1976. “In remembering the Owensboro Chamber, what comes to mind are so many organizations that got their start from that group,” he said. “It was in many ways a catalyst and a shepherd for groups.” The International Bar-B-Que Festival started with the Chamber. The first steps for RiverPark Center’s came from a Chamber civic center committee. Leadership Owensboro also got its start with the group with Bob Darrell’s lead. The tourist commission evolved from the Chamber’s efforts to start a bed tax. Downtown Owensboro was a Chamber initiative. 19
Chamber members attend the ribbon cutting of Packages Plus.
The Industrial Foundation — also a Chamber offshoot — recruited a number of industries to Owensboro, Adkisson said. “Some of those groups became completely independent, and others still have an affiliation,” he said. The Chamber’s histor y goes back to business people sitting around a table discussing how to make their community better, the former president said. “The Chamber offers a platform on which business leaders can organize the community and get something done.” Adkisson’s tenure was marked by a strong emphasis in recruiting industr y and supporting community development projects. The Ohio River Bridge project, which led to the Natcher Bridge completion, was started in 1976 when 20
Adkisson invited Bill Koch, the Holiday World president, to come to talk about a four-lane road through southern Indiana. Collaboration, including strong relationships with mayors and judge-executives, is another way the Chamber makes a difference, Jackson said.. She learned of the importance of true collaboration as soon as she was hired, she said. “I met the mayor and judge first — even before I met the entire Chamber board.” Adkisson gives Chamber leaders after him credit for developing “better and stronger public policy and advocacy positions.” The community has a unified agenda for state legislators and speaks with one voice, he said. The Chamber’s membership list of nearly 1,000 names includes retail, small and large Greater Owensboro Business
businesses, manufacturers, nonprofit groups and churches. “All of them are finding value, and that says a lot for the role we play in the community,” the president said. The Centennial Celebration is a big project, Jackson said. “We’re working hard to make it a wonderful celebration that will include some new awards,” she said. “And then we’ll have “The Dance of the Decades” featuring the Second Street Big Band. She also has a message for new businesses and industries and other entities in the community. “It’s never too late to become a part of the histor y of the Chamber,” Jackson said. “You can join any day and help to create the voice and be the face of Owensboro business.” First Quarter 2013
Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce Board Chairpersons — 1913 to 2013 1913 — J.A. Manning 1914 — E.W. Smith 1915 — John S. Wright, Sr. 1919 — L. Freeman Little 1920 — Marc Stuart 1921 — D.C. Stinson 1922 — B.F. Siler 1923 — Dr. Robert Brodie 1924 — S. R. Ewing 1925 — C. E. Field 1926 — J. D. Russell 1928 — O. H. Williams 1929 — W. D. Haley 1930 — Sam C. Coots 1931-32 — E. Kelley Short 1933-1942 — A. S. Griffin 1934 — Onis L. Greer 1936 — Sam Levy 1937 — W. T. Stevenson 1938 — Harry Bottorf 1939 — Gleeson Murphy, Jr. 1940 — Harry Holder 1943 — Milford Purdy 1944 — Walter Gannane 1945 — V. E. Anderson 1946 — John Polkinghorn 1947 — R. L. Lyon 1948 — Allen W. Haley 1949 — Berkley Davis 1950 — Henry Wilson
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1951 — Dr. Haynes Barr 1952-53 — Ralph Wible 1954 — John Kirtley 1955 — Clyde Watson 1956 — E. Ray Jones 1957 — J. R. Miller 1958, 1966-67 — J. L. Bugg 1959 — S. J. Clark 1960 — James O. Mathews 1961 — C. J. “Chuck” Ehresman 1962 — W. E. Kennedy 1963 — Irvine Daniels 1964 — A. L. Roberts 1965 — J. R. Connell 1968 — C. Waitman Taylor 1969 — George O. Willis 1970 — James C. Zimmerman 1971 — Dwight L. Nelson 1972 — Robert T. Maddox 1973 — John R. Gregory 1974 — Thomas Gaffey 1975 — Robert H. Combs 1976 — Dr. Donald R. Neel 1977 — Carl R. Whitehouse 1978 — Roger F. McCormick 1979 — Edward C. Wathen 1980 — Richard Edwards 1981 — William Kurtz 1982 — Joe Hancock 1983 — Carl Weller
Greater Owensboro Business
1984 — Alvin Rickard 1985 — Jerry H. Haase 1986 — Glenn Taylor 1987 — David York 1988 — Bob Carper 1989 — Alan Braden 1990 — Cheryl King 1991 — Keith Luedke 1992 — Don P. Moore, III 1993 — L. Stuart Augenstein 1994 — Frank Stainback 1995 — Gary Sisk 1996 — Jeffrey Ebelhar, CPA 1997 — Larry Mayfield 1998 — Deborah Nunley 1999 — Larry Maglinger 2000 — Tom Watson 2001 — Dean Rodney 2002 — Sim Davenport 2003 — John Ray 2004 — Mike Sullivan 2005 — Gary Smith 2006 — J. Todd Inman 2007 — Nick Cambron 2008 — Tish Correa-Osborne 2009 — Wayne Foster 2010 — Suzanne Northern Blazar 2011 — Shirley Cecil 2012 — Michael F. Beckwith 2013 — Gavin Roberts
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Local jewelry artist Paula Myers Canant, left, prepares a pedestal for a piece of ceramic art held by Katherine Taylor as they ready Studio Slant, 412 East Second St., for an opening.
Studio Slant thrives By Tina Forrest It was just two years ago when Studio Slant first opened its doors. Owned by Travis Chaney, the 22
CEO of Dynamic Directions; part owner of a local Ameriprise Financial office and his wife Christy Taylor Chaney, vice president of Glenn Funeral Homes, Studio Greater Owensboro Business
Slant is described as a handmade boutique and art galler y located in downtown Owensboro. “Ever ything at Studio Slant is 100 percent handmade,� said First Quarter 2013
Katherine Taylor, curator of the galler y. “It’s all different and you won’t find at any other store.” Taylor said they pride themselves on keeping up with what’s trending in other places and then presenting them to the area. “The handmade movement is huge in ver y big cities such as New York, Atlanta and Los Angeles,” said Taylor. “So we’re exposing the arts to Owensboro.” she added. But exhibiting great works is not all Studio Slant is about. They have also been working hard to stay involved with the community. Studio Slant represents by volunteering their time with face painting booths at different local events and by hosting painting classes at their studio. Taylor said the painting classes are “something that’s different, fun and unique” and classes can be booked for private parties Tuesday through Friday. They also hold public events monthly. Another well-known event hosted by Studio Slant is the East Bridge Art and Music Festival. The inaugural event was held in August 2011 and it brought in more than 1,900 people. The East Bridge Art and Music Festival is a one day event held downtown in Owensboro that showcases local as well as national artists and musicians to anyone curious about the arts. Local restaurants downtown as well as food vendors are also there to offer food and drinks. This year, the festival was combined with Bridge Day and more than 10,000 people participated in the walk over the bridge and enjoyed the music, food and art vendors at the festival. Bridge Day, in its second year, is when the bridge that connects Owensboro and Indiana, closes to traffic for several hours for people enjoy a leisurely walk or bike ride. This year, people were able to take pleasure in viewing the newly opened Smothers Park, while walking the bridge First Quarter 2013
between Kentucky and Indiana. Taylor said Owensboro city officials asked Studio Slant if they’d be willing to do their festival on the same day as Bridge Day. Combining the two events gives residents and participants who chose to walk the blue bridge something else to do besides just walk to Indiana and back. It’s also something ever y member of the family can enjoy. “This is just another way to promote the arts with a bunch of tri-state artists, live music and local food vendors,” said Taylor of the East Bridge Art and Music Festival. Taylor also said combining the two events got great feedback from the community. “I did not hear one complaint.” Taylor recalled about the day of the festival. Taylor also said now that the event had a successful run this year, getting new artist, vendors and entertainment has been a lot easier.
Greater Owensboro Business
“The ver y first year I was begging for vendors and artists,” said Taylor with a laugh. “But this year the word spread about how good last year was and people are coming to me asking how to apply.” With 2013’s festival being scheduled for September 7, Taylor has less than a year to plan, but she said she’s already hard at work. She said the 2013 chalk contest will be much larger and they are looking into the festival lasting a little bit longer into the night. So instead of closing at 10 p.m., it would last until possibly 11 p.m. With the construction of Smothers Park now complete, Taylor said Studio Slant is proud to be a part of the downtown scene. “We were down here before it was anything,” said Taylor. “But when we moved down here we trusted that it would be amazing.”
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Young Professional
Amanda Owen Age: 28
Executive Director of Puzzle Pieces 24
Greater Owensboro Business
First Quarter 2013
Hometown
What’s the best part about your position?
Owensboro, KY
Civic or Volunteer Activities Growing up I supported and was involved with the Special Olympics due to my brother’s involvement, however over the last year my life has been consumed with supporting and hosting events for Puzzle Pieces. In the year of 2009, I helped create and organize a new nonprofit called Team Karlie centered around an individual with Cerebral Palsy in my classroom, Karlie Hempel. I am ser ving a Co-Vice Chair on Team Karlie, and have volunteered my time to host 2 Team Karlie 5Ks, and cheering on the team members at events. In the couple of months, since the opening of Puzzle Pieces, I have became involved in the Rob Lodgson’s Non-profit committee group, We are Downtown, Inc., and Chamber of young professionals. Currently, I’m helping to support a larger fundraiser event coming in March of 2013 to Owensboro to benefit Wendell Foster Center, Buddy Ball, Green River Area Down Syndrome Association, Dream Riders of Ky, Team Karlie and Puzzle Pieces.
How long have you served in your current position? I have officially been the Executive Director of Puzzle Pieces since August of 2012, and we opened our doors Sept. 4, 2012. However, I worked for at least one and a half years prior to our opening to organize, write a business plan, and gather resources needed prior to our opening date.
What does your position entail? My position entails a little of ever ything. As the Executive Director/Founder I pretty much do ever ything but Payroll and Billing, because I’m fortunate to have a great partner that deals with that part. I present concerns/decisions/etc. to our Board to be discussed and voted on, I organize ever yday routines/activities at center, on some days I’m actually one-on-one with clients, hire and train staff, collaborate with business manager on budget, communicate to parents, met with ever y parent to decide on goals for their child, make business decisions to further our mission, and most importantly I share with the community about “ability” awareness by connecting with business/individuals to spread the positive impact we are having on the lives of individuals with special needs.
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The best part about my position would definitely be obser ving the impact and difference our ser vices are making not only with the individuals we are ser ving, but the families. With only 2 months of being in operation I become over whelmed with the amount of positive feedback from the clients, families, and staff. The difference to some may be small, but sometimes the littlest things are what makes the greatest impact on a life. Not to mention I’m living my dream and giving back to our community a ser vice that was needed and being able to provide families what I wish my parents had with my brother who has special needs years ago.
Why do you choose to live and work in the greater Owensboro area? Owensboro is where I was born and raised, and there is nothing more rewarding than giving back and know your supporting families who might know you, heard of you, or know someone that you are ser ving. Such a small town feel in such a growing and diverse city, is what I love the most about Owensboro.
What are other young professionals saying about the Owensboro area? Owensboro is growing and so much is available now for people to do and get involved in, so more and more are staying here or moving back here. Owensboro is a new and improved city, which continues to surprise ever yone with what it has to offer!
Greater Owensboro Business
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Young Professional
Nicholas Knapp Age: 25
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Business Development at VE Creative Greater Owensboro Business
First Quarter 2013
Hometown Xenia, IL
Civic or Volunteer Activities 2013 CYLO (former CYP), Communications Vice Chair; Junior Achievement, Chamber Ambassador, Member of We Are Downtown, Inc.
How long have you served in your current position? Two and a half years.
What does your position entail? My role on our team is to work directly with our clients to better understand their organization and create key wins for them on the web. This can be anything from creating a new strategy for a new website or mobile app to adding pages or features to an existing website. It is my responsibility to make sure the work my team completes adds value to each client’s business.
What’s the best part about your position? The combination of working with the latest in technology and seeing my clients have success because of my ser vices is what gets me up in the morning. There are several jobs that work with technology, and on the other hand, many jobs that offer businesses value. But it is special to be able to use cutting edge technology to assist businesses in better marketing their companies to the world. Not to mention that it is constantly changing and I learn something new ever yday!
Why do you choose to live and work in the greater Owensboro area? Nowadays, especially in my business, you can work
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with anyone in the world from anywhere in the world. You just have to decide where would be a good place to set up shop. We chose Owensboro because it was a community that was actively welcoming new business. Even in this rough economy, businesses want to grow and when we saw a community that was not playing it safe, but investing money and effort into local commerce, we could not pass it up. And of course, it is a great place to raise a family and we love the downtown area.
What are other young professionals saying about the Owensboro area? I believe actions speak louder than words. In this case, young professionals in this community are playing an active role in moving Owensboro for ward. I see many young professionals ser ving on boards, joining committees, and volunteering their time in the community. This is partly because the local government and community leaders have encouraged this younger generation to get involved, instead of sitting on the sidelines. My peers have stepped up to the plate and are now taking responsibility for Owensboro’s future.
“In this case, young professionals in this community are playing an active role in moving Owensboro forward. I see many young professionals serving on boards, joining committees, and volunteering their time in the community. This is partly because the local government and community leaders have encouraged this younger generation to get involved, instead of sitting on the sidelines.”
Greater Owensboro Business
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On the 28
Move Greater Owensboro Business
First Quarter 2013
Christopher L. Rhoads, attorney at Rhoads and Rhoads, P.S.C., has been elected to serve as second district vice president and on the board of governors for the Kentucky Justice Association. Rhoads has been practicing law since 1996, focusing his practice on auto injuries, personal injury, wrongful death, social security disability and defective products. Todd Stocksdale, a longtime employee of Neace Lukens insurance, has been promoted to southern region leader. In this new role, he will be responsible for overseeing the growth and expansion of Neace Lukens’ southern Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and South Carolina offices that include locations in Owensboro and Hartford. He will continue in his role as managing director for Neace Lukens’ office in New Albany, Ind. Stocksdale has extensive work in property and casualty insurance, specializing in education, construction, manufacturing and workers’ compensation. His first job after graduating from Indiana University Southeast in 1991 was with Neace Lukens and he has remained with the company ever since. He started as a property and casualty producer in September 1991 and remained in that role until being promoted to managing director for the company’s Sellersburg, Ind., office in 1998. He also ser ved as managing director for the Indianapolis office for more than five years before returning to New Albany in 2007 to serve in the same role. Larry Brown recently returned to Ohio Valley 2-Way Radio as president / manager after a brief /retirement. He has owned the company for 35 years. Ohio Valley 2-Way Radio is an authorized Motorola Communications Dealer serving a six county area of western Kentucky and southern Indiana. Cher Eaves has left the Kentucky Department of Workers’ Claims to join Caslin & Cecil Law Office as an associate. An attorney for 20 years, Eaves graduated from John Marshall Law School in Chicago. She speaks Spanish, French and German and studies Hindi, Arabic and Urdu. She recently was published in the Kentucky Bar Association Journal and was sworn into practice before the United States First Quarter 2013
Supreme Court. Jennifer Rhinerson has been appointed a human resource generalist for First Security Bank of Owensboro. Rhinerson worked at Daymar Colleges Group in Owensboro starting in 2010. While at Daymar she served as an human resource specialist and was later promoted to human resource management system and recruiting specialist. A graduate of Brescia University, Rhinerson received her bachelor of science degree in business with an emphasis in human resources. She has professional affiliations with the Society for Human Resource Management, Owensboro Society for Human Resource Management and College and University Professional Association of Human Resources. Lois Decker, Owensboro Small Business Development Center director, has been inducted into the 2012 Million Dollar Loan Club of the Kentucky Small Business Development Center (KSBDC). The Million Dollar Loan Club is exclusive to KSBDC management consultants who help small business clients secure more than a million dollars of loans to start, purchase and expand their businesses. Across the state, KSBDC consultants helped small businesses secure $24.8 million in loans during fiscal year 2011-12. Including Decker, 12 consultants were inducted. The Owensboro SBDC ser ves Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, McLean, Ohio, Union and Webster counties. The KSBDC is a network of 15 service centers throughout Kentucky that help start-up and existing businesses succeed by offering handson services. Visit www.ksbdc.org for more information. Eric Fulkerson of Owensboro has been named assistant director of facilities at St. Mary’s Health, Evansville. In this role, he will oversee the engineering department, including power plant operations, maintenance, construction and renovation. Most recently, Fulkerson served as a maintenance manager at Owensboro Medical Health System. Prior to that, he was a project engineer for BroerenRusso Construction in Champaign, Ill. Fulkerson earned his bachelor of science degree in construction management from Illinois State University and his master of science degree in management from Brescia University. Greater Owensboro Business
Realtors Mark Critchelow and Robbie Philhower have joined Century 21 Partners. A native of Hancock County, Critchelow is a graduate of the University of Kentucky where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in economics. He served in the Army National Guard for eight years, including a 12-month deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Critchelow earned his real estate sales associate license in Kentucky. Philhower is a longtime Owensboro resident who was born in Rockport, Ind. He attended Brescia University and Kentucky Wesleyan College before returning to Indiana. He worked as an Indiana State Department of Corrections officer and truck driver before returning to work in Owensboro. He has owned and operated a construction business and acquired his Kentucky real estate license from the Ward Elliott Institute of Real Estate in 2012. Bruce (Duke) E. Brubaker, III has been promoted to general manager of Champion Ford Lincoln Mercury
Owensboro’s Leading Limousine Company Since 1998 29
Mazda, Inc. Brubaker has been with Champion since he graduated from The E. Claiborne Robins School of Business at the University of Richmond in 1992. Over the past 20 years, he has been the company’s finance and insurance manager and sales manager, and in 2004 became the general sales manager. Michelle L. Love was installed as the vice-chair of the Independent Insurance Agents of Kentucky (IIAK), the state’s leading insurance trade association, at the association’s 116th Annual Convention on Nov. 8. Love is a commercial producer with E.M. Ford & Company in Owensboro, and has been with the company for 10 years. Her insurance specialties include municipalities, schools, health care and nonprofits. She began her insurance career in 1994 with Gardner Insurance in Owensboro as office manager and commercial agent. In 2002 she joined E.M. Ford & Company. Love is a member of the Independent Insurance Agents of Owensboro, a local chapter of the state association, for which she has served as president, vice president and secretar y-treasurer. She first joined the IIAK Board of Directors in 2010 and currently chairs the IIAK Industry Partners Committee and is a member of the Convention, Education and InVEST committees. In 2007, she was named the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce Director of the Year. She is a 1994 graduate of Brescia College with a bachelor of science in accounting. In 2005 she completed the Leadership Owensboro program. Richard Payne of Owensboro, one of three district managers at Kenergy Corp, retired Oct. 31 after 44 years on the job. Payne super vised operations for the cooperative’s Henderson district. He was hired by Green River Electric — one of Kenergy’s predecessors — in 1968 as an apprentice lineman and continued to work at the cooperative when Kenergy was formed. Besides lineman, Payne worked as a meter man and super visor for consumer services and metering. In 2006, he was selected as Hender30
son’s district manager. Constr uction Manager Mike Church will serve as acting district manager until a new Henderson district manager is selected. Laura Alexander has been promoted to director of sales and marketing for the Owensboro Convention Center, and Brandy Dant and Doris Sparks have joined the sales staff, the center’s management company, Global Spectrum, announced. Alexander was hired in March of 2012 as the sales manager for the convention center. As director, she will oversee all sales and marketing aspects of the convention center as well as focus on booking state and national conferences, conventions and events. Dant, of Owensboro, has been hired as the sales manager of the convention center. Her primary focus will be to work with local businesses to accommodate their banquet, meeting, and conferencing needs. She also will work with brides and grooms to create their wedding day at the center. She has more than seven years of sales experience with three years
dedicated to corporate accounts. Sparks, also a native of Owensboro, is the center’s event and sponsorship manager. Her responsibilities will include creating and promoting special events, managing trade shows and various other events, as well as soliciting sponsorships for events. She has more than 11 years of experience in both trade show development as well as business marketing in the Owensboro and Evansville areas. She is a previous downtown business owner and previously ser ved on the board of Downtown Owensboro Inc. The new facility is cur rently under construction and scheduled to open early 2014. The multi-purpose facility will feature a 45,000-plussquare-foot exhibit hall and an additional 47,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space which includes two ballrooms. The Owensboro Convention Center plans to hire several more fulltime positions throughout 2013, according to Dean Dennis, Owensboro Convention Center General Manager.
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Greater Owensboro Business
First Quarter 2013
5 Reasons to Participate in Your Local Chamber of Commerce When you own your own business, you can never discount the value of networking with others. Your business will grow by leaps and bounds when you connect with others in your field and in your local area. A lot of attention has been paid in recent years to networking online, but you shouldn’t limit your networking activities to your web browser. Branching out to your local community and meeting with business owners in real life can help you in several different ways. 1. Being listed in the Chamber’s directory can help bring in new business. 2. The Chamber opens you
up to a wider variety of business contacts. 3. The Chamber offers education opportunities. 4. The Chamber offers you an opportunity for spreading your message. 5. The Chamber provides representation for your company and others. The Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce is a voice for business. When you add your voice to your Chamber of Commerce, you find a place where your opinion makes a difference in the way the organization operates.
By Missy Gant
International
BAR-B-Q FESTIVAL
2nd Saturday Every May
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If you have a scanner downloaded on your smart phone, scan the QR code. ‐OR‐ Search GOChamber2Go in the ITunes App Store or Android Market. ‐OR‐ If you have a BlackBerry or
Scan the above QR Code to download the GOChamber2Go App!
Windows Phone you can visit www.moblico.com/ gochamber2go.
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www.bbqfest.com Greater Owensboro Business
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