Idaho State Business Journal Sep/Oct 2017

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 BIZ. IDAHOSTATEJOURNAL.COM

IDAHO’S RACE AGAINST STAGNATION TaSk FORCe ReLeaSeS PLaN TO gROW STaTe’S WORkFORCe. page 4

more InsIde n Idaho losIng nurses to other states, more competItIve pay n Isu students help communIty busIness n resume lIes on the rIse

2 Se p t e mb e r /O c tO b e r 2 017 I d aho State Business Journa l

In thIs Issue Idaho’s race agaInst stagnatIon Page 4 Idaho losIng nurses to other states, more competItIve pay Page 6 student loans In amerIca: the next debt crIsIs? Page 8 debt Is a war! do you want to wIn? Page 8 sba head sees busInesses held back by lack of loans, workers Page 9 tIps to prevent yourself froms scams Page 10 Idaho’s July unemployment rate declInes to 3 percent Page 10 It’s harvest tIme Page 11 why a wInnIng fInancIal plan Is multIgeneratIonal Page 11 Isu students help communIty busIness Page 12 employers must redefIne stem to attract future talent Page 12 busIness spotlIght: eagle tennIs club Page 14 study: federally Impacted schools need $4.2 bIllIon In Infrastructure updates Page 14 resume lIes on the rIse Page 15 september and october marketIng holIdays Page 15

Idaho St ate B u s in e ss J ou rnal Se p te mber/October 2017 3

let ter from the editor

The ‘why’ in the what you do

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d

t is 12:06 a.m. The Times, Detroit News cursor is flashing and Baltimore Evening mercilessly on a (so Sun he took up teachfar) blank Word docuing at the university ment. level. He wasn’t done It’s been a long day. chasing stories until, But there is work to in his 50s, the ambudo and, dagummit, lance could finally out SARAH I’m going to do it. So run him.

GLENN without further ado, I His green students, pop the top of a Diet however, were no Coke, turn on my R&B match for the merciless soundtrack and hunker slash of his red pen. We down. would sit at computers Bring it on, flashing curand pound out spot news, sor. a short feature, obituarPart of tonight’s to-do ies, you name it — all while list involves writing a short Jake sat with an old egg timer at the front of the remembrance to be read room literally counting at the funeral of an old down the seconds until journalism professor who recently passed away. Jake deadline. We were expected to produce perfection.

Highton was 86 and died Nothing less would do. It of a heart attack. The man was in the crucible of that was the stereotype of the classroom that I had to grumpy old editor — hard face the looming question as nails and no-nonsense we all must when decidwith a furrowed brow.

When he was done chasing ing a career: Am I tough stories for the Los Angeles enough for this?

Among other people and experiences, Jake Highton is the reason why I am up past midnight doing this thing called journalism.

And although he taught me to be tough, others taught me that everyone has a “why” to what they do. Sometimes that “why” is as simple as needing to put food on the table.

Sometimes it’s a hunger for prestige or appreciation.

Others have a person they want to honor or a passion ingrown deep in their soul.

Understanding that “why” can lead to a rewarding career — something that the Workforce Development Task Force (see Page 4) hopes young people can achieve in Idaho.

Whatever your “why,” keep it fresh in your mind.

It will cary you farther than a cup of caffeine and a good playlist ever can.

The Idaho State Business Journal is published by the Idaho State Journal.

Our mailing address is: 305 S. Arthur Pocatello, ID 83204 Main number: 208.232.4161 | Subscriber Services: 208.232.6150 Copyright © 2016 Pioneer News Group, All rights reserved.

Idaho State Journal Publisher: Andy Pennington | APennington@journalnet.com Idaho State Business Journal Editor: Sarah Glenn | SGlenn@journalnet. com Contributors: Mountain America Credit Union | arosenkrantz@macu.com Janna Graham/Pocatello Co-op | outreach@PocatelloCoop.Com Jennifer Landon/Journey Financial Services | www.JourneyRetirement.

Com Robert Spendlove, Economic and Public Policy Officer/Zion’s Bank | Robert.Spendlove@zionsbank.com Emily Valla/Better Business Bureau, Northwest Region | www.BBB.Org/ Northwest

4 Sep t e m b e r /O c tO b e r 2 017 I d ah o State Business Journa l

IDAHO’S RACE AGAINST STAGNATION TaSk FORCe ReLeaSeS PLaN TO gROW STaTe’S WORkFORCe by sarah glenn For the Journal BOISE — Idaho’s economy has a problem: companies want to both relocate and grow here, but can’t find the right skilled employees. Nurses sprint from one room to another, doing the work of two. Tech pioneers envision cutting-edge campuses, but the talent isn’t around. The Department of Labor projects that by 2022, Idaho’s workforce will be short at least 49,000 workers. And although the Gem State’s population is booming, most people are coming here to retire rather than build their careers. The Department of Labor says Idaho’s labor force participation rate dropped to 63.4 percent, the lowest it’s been since July 1976.

The availability of skilled labor has become the No. 2 factor in site decisions following highway accessibility, according to the latest survey of company executives by Area Development magazine.

“This is a clear-and-present danger,” said David Hill, who serves on the Idaho State Board of Education and is a retired senior executive at Idaho National Laboratory and co-chair of the Governor’s Workforce Development Task Force.

The task force released its final report in July.

“We wanted our findings to carry a sense of urgency,” Hill said. “We need to move strongly and quickly on this issue. Other states have been making strong moves on workforce development for 10 years now, including most of our neighboring states.”

In a spattering of meetings spread over six months, 17 people on the task force put their heads together and came up with a 28-page solution. The report is long and detailed, but has one overarching first step: give the existing Workforce Development Council (WDC) some real teeth.

With Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter’s blessing, the state hopes to hire a Workforce Development

the Idaho state board of education published a report on the gender gap in the gem state’s go-on rates. the paper shows that female students are much more likely than male students to go on to college, regardless of region or decade. by scanning this Qr code, you can read the ninepage report.

Council executive director and other relevant staff. The report is also asking to prioritize a $2.5 million appropriation out of the state’s general fund to tackle a hefty to-do list.

With a bolstered budget and a new staff, the WDC will work through a nine-part to-do list.

“The business leaders, education experts, legislators and staff who contributed their time and energies to this effort deserve our thanks for thoroughly examining our existing programs and processes, pulling together information on best practices from around the nation, and developing a game plan for real progress,” Otter said. “We already are moving forward on these recommendations, but we will need the continuing commitment of

everyone involved to make the changes necessary for sustaining Idaho’s economic growth.”

As a result of the task force’s work, the state government is suggesting that the WDC: Maximize the effectiveness of the HiLL Workforce Development Training Fund to address gaps and, second, direct federal workforce investments to meet industry needs.

The task force identified four major areas of focus for its research and recommendations: industry, education and government partnerships; capacity building; career advising; and communications. The nine recommendations grew from those four major focus areas. n Increase the role and responsibilities of an industry-driven Workforce Development Council to champion the development and implementation of a statewide, strategic workforce development plan that meets industries’ needs today and tomorrow. n Establish a sustainable funding mechanism for the Workforce Development Training Fund. n Develop and implement a comprehensive statewide public engagement initiative utilizing technology and other engagement strategies to increase awareness of career opportunities for all Idahoans. n Idaho’s K-through-Career education system should value and support all pathways for students to achieve education, training and workforce skills that align to their career aspirations. n Enhance support for Idaho’s six Workforce Training Centers and the individuals they serve with short-term, industry-focused training. n Ensure that there is equity and access for all Idaho students to occupational pathways

by establishing stronger requirements for the secondary education system in deploying college and career advising. n Incentivize Idaho school districts to incorporate workforce readiness skills throughout secondary curricula. n Continue the development of apprenticeship programs throughout the state. n Strengthen Idaho’s talent pipeline by expanding CTE (career and technical education) programs at the secondary and postsecondary levels.

“Because there is a sense of urgency around this, we tried to make this report as punchy and pointed as possible,” Hill said. “At the same time, we tried hard to provide recommendations that are not so grandiose as to be impossible to achieve.”

Hill added that the task force also tried to give recommendations in such a way that the different state agencies asked to participate have latitude in how they implement things.

Each of these nine broad directives have been broken down into short and longterm steps and each little item has an entity responsible for it - be it the state government or a local university. The task force hopes the short-term steps can be accomplished in the next fiscal year. two groups to blame for Idaho’s economIc stagnatIon: the old and the young Idaho’s population is aging faster than the nation’s according to June estimates by the Census Bureau. Idaho seniors — people age 65 and older — increased by 30 percent from mid-2010 to mid-2016 compared with 22 percent for the nation. This group — which includes the oldest four years of the Baby Boomer generation (born between 1946 and 1964) — accounts for 15 percent of the state’s population.

And although Idaho’s general population

Idaho St ate B u s in e ss J ournal Se p te mber/OctOber 2017 5 continues to grow, the 2016 data shows that the 65 and older age group grew nearly 5 percent from mid-2015. Essentially, people in Idaho are aging and retiring faster than young workers can replace them.

Bannock County experienced the largest numeric loss in the 20 to 39 age group, according to the report. Bannock County hemorrhaged more 100 Millennials from its workforce. Idaho and Lemhi counties had the largest decrease in 40- to 64-year-olds with more than 100. No counties experienced a loss in the 65-and-older age group.

At the same time, relatively few young people in Idaho have post-secondary training or advanced degrees. As of 2015, less than half (42 percent) of Idahoans between the ages of 25 and 34 attained a post-secondary credential, including certificates and degrees.

This begs the question, do most jobs require a formal education? The short answer is, yes. By 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor projects that nearly 67 percent of jobs in the United States will require some post-secondary training or education beyond high school.

“You can’t bring the jobs if you don’t have the workforce,” Hill said. “One always comes first … and technical skills are going to be increasingly important.”

In its recommendations, the task force doubled down on the Department of Education’s previously set goal — get 60 percent of Idahoans under the age of 34 to pursue postsecondary education.

“The State Board of Education has set the 60 percent goal and I believe it is often misinterpreted,” Hill said. “There is an assumption that we are always talking about a four-year degree. However, technical skills are increasingly important.”

As such, the task force suggested expanding the definition of post-secondary education to include certificates as well. These could include anything from a welding certificate to a Java coding certificate.

The task force identified another problem with Idaho’s youth: they need to grow up and behave professionally.

According to the report, “The Task Force listened to industry representatives about workforce challenges they face within their respective companies and across their industries. Overwhelmingly, industry members expressed challenges with a lack of qualified candidates, citing a lack of professional skills (i.e., personal appearance, time management, communication and collaboration skills, adaptability).”

Finally, another culprit the task force identified was the slow speed in which training and educational programs are delivered currently versus the speed at which industry needs trained individuals. the wdc has a hefty Job ahead Since its inception in 1996, the Workforce Development Council has provided strategic leadership and oversight of Idaho’s workforce development system. However, that system is, according to the Task Force’s report, akin to herding cats. The infrastructure and entities exist that can help solve Idaho’s workforce challenges. However, they are incredibly disjointed and decentralized.

“Partnerships between employers, educational institutions, and workforce and economic development groups exist to try to solve these workforce issues, but many of these efforts take place independently throughout the state,” the task force’s report said. “Few partnerships transcend geographical, institutional and agency boundaries.

Many programs rely on federal funding which is inherently limited. Industry members are asked to participate in these disconnected efforts, resulting in fatigue and disengagement. Taken together, these workforce efforts concentrate on meeting immediate needs and miss out developing and implementing a comprehensive strategy that will meet the needs of industry today and tomorrow.”

Into this melee comes the Workforce Development Council.

On the Task Force’s summary of recommendations, the first item is: “Increase the role and responsibilities of an industry-driven Workforce Development Council to champion the development and implementation of a statewide, strategic workforce development plan that meets industries’ needs today and tomorrow.”

More information on the council, it’s mandate and its meetings can be found at https:// labor.idaho.gov/dnn/wioa/StateCouncil.aspx a samplIng of the to-do lIst The task force’s final report breaks down tasks into long-term and short-term to-do lists, built around its nine guiding principles.

Identifying funding and installing leadership is task No. 1. However, as time rolls on, the task force has a few more things they’d like to get done — including a major public information campaign. To do that, the legislature will need to change some rules regarding how workforce development funds can be used — currently they can not be used for advertising or marketing-like activities.

Every state agency dealing with education will be asked to coordinate existing resources that could be directed to this effort.

“At a minimum,” the report says “existing resources should be accessible through a single sign on portal until a more comprehensive platform is available.”

That more comprehensive platform will eventually provide youth a single-source,

comprehensive place for career and education planning.

The task force’s report also suggests a small shakeup to the state’s education goals. In 2010, the State Board of Education set a lofty goal: get 60 percent of Idaho’s workforce ages 25 to 34 equipped with post-high school certificates or degrees by 2020. When the goal was first created in 2010, Idaho’s rate was 38 percent.

Since then, it has crept up just 4 percentage points to about 42 percent.

However, the task force suggests that shortterm industry certifications should now be included in the definition of “post-secondary credential” with respect to Idaho’s 60 percent goal. These short-term certifications number in the hundreds and are as diverse as the industries they can be applied to. Common certificate fields of study include health care, cosmetology, auto mechanics, and computer and information services, according to a report from the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University.

According to U.S. News and World Report, postsecondary certificates are awarded by educational institutions, but usually do not

take as long to earn as a degree. Certificates can take anywhere from a few months to several years to complete, depending on the program.

Other short-term initiatives will focus on getting college and technical schools to engage better with middle school students.

The task force also suggests developing a scholarship program for short-term training, tied to in-demand occupations, for adult Idaho workers to improve their career opportunities.

They also ask that Idaho’s six technical colleges expand or start in-demand programs.

“If I have any disappointment with this report it is that we did not convey the urgency effectively enough,” Hill said. “It is easy to look at the unemployment rate and say we are fine.

However, our population is aging. We need to recognize that we are in a race and we are starting from behind.”

The task force’s full report is available at http://labor.idaho.gov/publications/workforce_taskforce_final_report.pdf Or visit the online version of this story at biz.IdahoStateJournal.Com.

6 Sep t e mb e r /O c tob e r 2 017 I d ah o State Business Journa l

Doug Lindley/Idaho State Journal

Professor Elizabeth Damstrom instructs Idaho State University nursing students from left Alyson Bergeson, Danny Piranfar, Amber Walker and Megan Hochstein during their labs.

Idaho losing nurses to other states, more competitive pay “This report is a snapshot of where we are at.

We’re not only seeing significant shortages in parts of our states, but it’s also interesting that we’re seeing a drop in how many people are teaching nursing students.”

By Kimberlee Kruesi and DOL Reports Associated Press BOISE (AP) — Idaho continues to experience pockets of severe nursing shortages while better paying jobs in surrounding states are attracting Idaho’s nursing graduates, according to a report released this summer from the Idaho Department of Labor.

The report found that southwestern Idaho faces the biggest challenge of finding enough nurses because it’s nestled in the state’s fastest-growing region with the highest aging population. Meanwhile, the competition over health care workers has also tightened in northern Idaho because of its proximity to the Washington border, a state concurrently facing a nursing workforce deficit.

In contrast, south-central Idaho is seeing a surplus of nurses who provide basic medical care in hospitals and nursing homes because of the College of Southern Idaho’s program that produces licensed practical and vocational nurses. For example, the college produced 47 licensed practical nurses in 2016 when the projected demand was only 13.

In Eastern Idaho, Brigham Young University-Idaho produces more than 230 registered nurses each year when the demand is around 70. However, the region is in need of more advanced nurses with more expertise.

“This report is a snapshot of where we are at,” said Jessica Beaver-Nelson, senior research analyst with the labor agency.

“We’re not only seeing significant shortages in parts of our states, but it’s also interesting

— Jessica BeaverNelson, senior research analyst

that we’re seeing a drop in how many people are teaching nursing students.”

The report found that Idaho had 18 unfilled faculty positions as of October and additional 17 faculty members are expected to return to the workforce or retire over the next year.

Beaver-Nelson added that nursing instructors are required to have a master’s degree to teach. However, nurses can earn more money with higher degrees, so the temptation to continue working at a higher pay rather than launch a less-lucrative career in education can be too big of a draw for many, she said.

Idaho’s median wage for nurse practitio-

ners ranked last among its six other surrounding states and ranked second to last for registered nurses, coming in higher only to Utah. Idaho’s nurse anesthetists have the fourth highest median wage compared with neighboring states.

Nursing continues to be a “hot job” in Idaho, with RNs ranking 11th according to Idaho Labor’s 2014-2024 long-term occupations projections, dropping from second in the 2012-2022 projections. The ranking is based on fastest growing, most abundant and highest paying occupations.

For the 2015-2016 academic year, the 11 Idaho institutions offering nursing degrees admitted 1,238 students, down from

1,331 admissions to 12 institutions for the 2013-2014 academic year as reported in the 2015 Idaho Nursing Review.

Idaho continues to have unfilled faculty positions, reporting 18 unfilled among all the nursing programs. Retirees and faculty returning to a practice setting will likely be difficult to replace. Faculty who educate practicing and future RNs must have a master’s degree to teach.

Next year’s report on Idaho’s nursing supply will have more detailed information on how many Idaho students are leaving for jobs outside the state, Beaver-Nelson said.

Find the full report at labor.idaho.gov/ publications/NursingOverview2017.

8 Sep t e m b e r /O c tob e r 2 017 I d aho State Business Journa l

Student Loans in America: The Next Debt Crisis?

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ousehold debt is on the rise strong right now and with starting in America. According to the wages for college graduates averagFederal Reserve Bank of New ing just under $50,000 per year, York, household debt has risen steadiborrowers should be able to handle ly for 11 consecutive quarters. Total these payments. household debt is now approaching However, what if recent gradu$13 trillion, and has surpassed the ates are not able to find jobs that previous peak of $12.68 trillion in pay well enough to cover the cost of 2008. The largest, and quickest rising their student loans? Or, even worse, ROBERT household debt is for student loans.

SPENDLOVE what if a student drops out of colThe increasing amount of student lege? He or she must still repay the loan debt is alarming, especially since loans, even without the benefit of a student debt delinquency is also rising. diploma. And often the burden of paying these outstanding debts falls to the parents How Did We Get Here? of those in debt.

As the U.S. transitions away from a manuIdaho is not immune from these student facturing and goods-based economy to a debt struggles. According to The Institute service and technology-based one, the need for College Access and Success, college for higher education has increased. It has students in the Gem State have an average become more important for students to get student debt load of $26,091, which ranks post-secondary education to remain competi- 30th in the country. However, Idaho has tive in the modern workforce. the second highest percent of students However, as demand for higher education who incur debt to finance a college educahas increased, so have the costs. In 1973, the tion, with 72 percent having at least some average one-year tuition at a private univereducation-related debt. sity was just under $10,000 and an in-state As student loan debt has doubled in the public university averaged around $2,000 in past decade to $1.3 trillion, the default today’s dollars. The average one-year tuition rate on student loans has also increased. for a private college is now over $33,000 while Today, more than one in 10 borrowers it is just under $10,000 for an in-state student are at least 90 days delinquent on their attending a public college. student debt. The delinquency rate for student loans is now much larger than for Increasing Student Loan other forms of debt, such as mortgages, Debt and Defaults autos and credit cards. And this high debt The dramatic increase in higher educais dampening home ownership rates as tion costs has resulted in a steep rise in borrowers struggle to manage their high student borrowing. The average college debt loads. student now owes more than $37,000 for student loans. These borrowers should The Impending Student Loan expect to pay around $450 per month on Crisis a 10-year loan. And many graduates face Compared to other forms of debt, it daunting loan balances of over $100,000, is much more difficult to erase student with monthly payments of more than loans in bankruptcy. They can hang over $1,000. Luckily, the U.S. job market is the heads of borrowers for years, or even

Policymakers need to increase awareness about the seriousness of the crisis. Colleges must be given better tools to limit student loan debt, including allowing them to identify students with excessive debt and proactively reach out to them with help. It will take a concerted effort at all levels to address the crisis.

Meanwhile, every day the problem becomes worse. decades. Student loan borrowers have said that the weight of their loans delayed other life events, such as getting married or having children. Others have said that their debt impacted employment plans, causing them to work in jobs outside their field, work extra hours or work more than one job. Many have said that their undergraduate education was not worth the financial cost.

Just as with the housing crisis of 2009, if borrowers become unable to keep up with their mounting student debt, the overall health of the economy could be severely affected. This is especially true since borrowers will not be able to easily rid themselves of the debt they are incurring. And if they are able to dismiss the debt through bankruptcy or forgiveness programs, the American people will be left holding the bag for this debt.

Addressing the Crisis It is imperative for borrowers, universities and policy makers to address the impending student loan crisis before it grows

out of control. At the individual level, students need to be more responsible about the debt they incur and not borrow more than is necessary. Colleges and universities must be more proactive in helping students understand the debt load and future cost to pay off loans after graduation.

Policymakers need to increase awareness about the seriousness of the crisis.

Colleges must be given better tools to limit student loan debt, including allowing them to identify students with excessive debt and proactively reach out to them with help. It will take a concerted effort at all levels to address the crisis. Meanwhile, every day the problem becomes worse.

Additional economic insights, including state and national economic trends highlighting indicators such as employment, demographics, housing, and more can be found online at www.zionsbank. com/economy.

Robert Spendlove is Economic and Public Policy Officer for Zions Bank. To contact Robert, email Robert.Spendlove@zionsbank. com.

Debt is a war! Do you want to win?

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hen you’re paying back gages and student loans. Bad debts debts, a little strategy include credit cards, store cards can make a difference of and car loans. As a rule, good debts hundreds to thousands of dollars. are for a fixed amount of time and The best strategy is simple, but allow you to buy something valueffective. Write down your debts in able that you cannot afford. Bad detail: What, how much, what’s the debts are “revolving” and are just interest rate? You should have no used instead of cash. trouble finding this information; it Prioritize, prioritize, prioriHolly should be right on the bottom of tize: Cross your good debts off Peterson your monthly statements. Rememyour list for now — you shouldn’t ber, you can’t manage your situathink about paying them off until tion strategically if you don’t even know you’ve got your bad debts paid off. Now, it. Remember to include your credit cards arrange your debts in order of interest (with the different rates and balances rate, with the highest interest rate at the for purchases and cash advances), other top. (Chances are that the debt at the top cards, loans, mortgages and even money will be a credit card. Try to transfer as you’ve borrowed from friends and family. much money as you can from the highEvery bit of debt counts and you’re trying interest cards down the list to the lower to get it down to absolute zero. interest ones.) Once you’ve done that, Bad debt versus good debt: Go focus all your energy on repaying the through your debts and mark them new top debt. Pay the minimum on ev“good” or “bad.” You might think this is erything else, and throw as much money odd, but some kinds of debt are not as as you can find at the problem. bad as others. A mortgage, for example, Get a budget: Try keeping track of is an investment in a house, paid over a where your money goes for a month fixed term — there’s no real risk of paying — you might find that you’re spending a ridiculous amount of interest or never loads on something you don’t even want getting it paid off, like you could with a or need. You’ll be shocked how fast your credit card. Good debts include mortdebts can go down if you put the money

you’d usually spend on “stuff ” and put that towards your debts.

Do the math: 1 trip to McDonalds cost the average person $10. Four times per month equals $40. 12 months a year = $480. You have to be aggressive against that top debt and determined to defeat it. Consistency is key. Don’t get discouraged. This is a war. You’re on the attack, and you want to win against your debt.

Don’t you?

Do I really need life insurance? What would happen to your family without you? What type of legacy you would like to leave behind? Does your spouse rely on your income? Can they survive without it? Do you want to ensure that your children’s college expenses will be taken care of if you’re not here? Would you like to leave a sizable donation to your favorite charity? Do you want to ensure that the funds will be sufficient to pay off the mortgage as well as achieve other goals? Life insurance can enable you to meet these objectives and give you the peace of mind that your family will be taken care of financially. It can be affordable and customized to meet your needs, without breaking your bank.

We’ve all heard about the importance

of having life insurance but, is it really necessary? Usually, the answer is “yes,” but it depends on your specific situation. If you have a family who relies on your income, then it is imperative to have life insurance protection. If you’re single and have no children and have no major assets to protect then you probably don’t need it. But if you are planning on those things in the future it may be wise to go ahead and get it. As the younger you are, the cheaper it is.

In the event of your untimely death, your family can use funds from a life insurance policy for funeral and burial expenses, probate, estate taxes, day care, and any number of everyday expenses. Funds can be used to pay for your children’s college education and take care of debts or a mortgage that hasn’t been paid off. Life insurance funds can be used to give your spouse additional income, when you pass, as well as adding to their retirement savings.

Holly Peterson is the owner of Elite Life Services and radio of Safe Money Radio.

She is a professionally licensed insurance producer specializing in retirement planning and safe money solutions. Holly serves all of Southeast Idaho. You can find her online at elitelifeservices.org or 99.9safemoneyradio.com.

Idaho St ate B u s in e ss J ournal Se p te mber/October 2017 9 WikiCommons Photo

Linda McMahon, the head of the Small Business Administration

SBA head sees businesses held back by lack of loans, workers

By JOYCE M. ROSENBERG AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Six months into her tenure as head of the Small Business Administration, Linda McMahon sees a split among small business owners — they are increasingly optimistic, she says, but many are held back by their inability to get loans or find the right workers for jobs that are staying open. ”Entrepreneurs are willing again to be bigger risk-takers than they have been over the past eight years,” McMahon said in a phone interview this week with The Associated Press. But, she said, there are also lingering effects of the Great Recession, and “I think there is still a caution.”

McMahon’s observations matched owners’ self-assessments in surveys including ones released by Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business and Management and Dun & Bradstreet Corp. and by the National Federation of Independent Business. She also named some of the stumbling blocks that many owners have cited in addition to a scarcity of loans and workers: regulations, taxes and the cost of health care, all issues President Donald Trump has pledged to address.

McMahon has spent the past six months traveling around the country, meeting owners at their companies and events like forums and roundtables. She came to the SBA after being a big donor to the Republican Party and two unsuccessful runs for the Senate from Connecticut. She has a background in business; she and her husband, Vince, founded and built World Wrestling Entertainment Inc., now a publicly traded sports entertainment company. She resigned as CEO in 2009 and last year cofounded Women’s Leadership LIVE, which promotes opportunities for women in business and public service.

WHAT’S HOLDING UP HIRING? Although small businesses are

hiring more now than during the recession, many are conservative, not wanting to add staffers unless they have enough new business to justify expanding their payrolls.

But some owners want to hire, and can’t. McMahon echoed the feeling of many: They can’t find workers with the skills to match their companies’ needs.

Jobs for skilled workers like carpenters, electricians and welders are going unfilled, as are technology positions like computer code writers, McMahon said.

Companies that provide services like heating, ventilation and air conditioning are struggling to find workers to install and repair equipment. ”There’s a lack of interest, or there is not a trained workforce to come in,” McMahon said, adding that at many companies, skilled workers are age 50 to 55. Owners are telling her, “I don’t have that next group that’s going to take over these jobs.”

Another factor in the worker shortage is an unemployment rate that’s at a 16-year-low of 4.3 percent — there are fewer people looking for jobs. Workers may also be harder to come by if legislation to restrict immigration, a bill backed by Trump, becomes law.

A study released by the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School projected that if the bill becomes law, domestic workers won’t fill all the jobs that have been held by immigrants who would no longer be allowed in the U.S. Some solutions are coming from companies ranging from large ones like Boeing to small manufacturers that have been donating money, equipment or expertise to community college and high school students to train them for such jobs, McMahon says. This continues a trend in place for decades, though. In 1988 the Commission on the Future of Community Colleges recommended that community colleges work with companies to train students with the aim of their getting jobs upon graduation, and schools

across the country subsequently began working with employers on training programs.

McMahon believes that training will lead to entrepreneurship: “When you get those skills, you can start your own business.”

She pointed to an executive order Trump signed in June that roughly doubled to $200 million the taxpayer money allocated to learn-and-earn programs under a grant system called ApprenticeshipUSA. The money was to come from existing job training programs rather than a new line in the proposed federal budget, which would slash funding for the Labor Department’s job training programs by a third.

SMALL BUSINESS LENDING Small businesses, particularly the youngest, tiniest and those owned by women and minorities, have historically had a hard time getting loans. Trump’s steps to roll back parts of the financial regulation law known as Dodd-Frank would help banks lend more to small businesses, McMahon said.

A report issued by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in June proposed relaxing some of Dodd-Frank’s requirements, including those on smaller banks. The community banking industry and some small busi-

ness advocates have said that the law, enacted in response to the 2008 financial crisis, has imposed regulations on small banks that make it harder for them to lend to small companies, and to stay in business themselves. Supporters of Dodd-Frank want to keep the law on the books to ensure that banks cannot engage in the lending and investing practices that led to the collapse of hundreds of financial institutions including big investment banks Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns.

Lending to small businesses has improved since the worst days of the recession; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. counted $331 billion in commercial and industrial bank loans under $1 million as of Dec. 31, the most recent figures available. Lending dropped to a low of $279 billion at the end of September 2012. However, the Pepperdine-Dun & Bradstreet survey found that only about a third of companies with revenue under $5 million were successful in getting bank loans in the first four months of the year.

McMahon acknowledged that banks need to better serve the needs of women and minority business owners. The administration is “making sure that our lenders understand what our expectations are relative to having women and minorities on equal footing

when they come in” to apply for loans, she said. Women business owners need to be better advocates for themselves, McMahon said. ”We’ve found that women aren’t as aggressive at promoting themselves and putting themselves forward as men, although more women are starting businesses and having a better success rate,” she said.

Many owners including women need help in developing their business plans, and McMahon noted they can look for help from SBA-sponsored programs including Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers and SCORE, the organization that gives free counseling to small companies.

Trump’s proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1 cuts the SBA’s appropriation by nearly 5 percent from the current level. But McMahon said that won’t affect the agency’s ability to help small businesses. ”We’ve looked at our programs across the board and we found that had some duplication in our programs. We also have some workforce positions that had not been filled and we’re not going to fill,” she said. “It won’t impact the effectiveness of the SBA to be doing the programs it should be doing.”

10 Sep t em b er /Oc tob e r 2 017 I d aho State Business Journa l

TIPS TO PREVENT YOURSELF FROMS SCAMS

By Emily Valla BBB Northwest You’re on the Do Not Call list. You are careful where you give out your phone number. Yet, it seems like no matter what you try, scam calls just won’t stop! There are a few reasons it could seem like scammers are targetting you.

Consider that the Do Not Call list is for legitimate telemarketers. Scammers, however, are already trying to attempt something illegal in stealing your money or identity; they aren’t likely to care about the registry.

We like to compare it to asking a bank robber to drive the speed limit in the getaway car. However, registering your phone number at donotcall.gov would slow down other sales calls, making it that much more likely unwanted calls are scam calls.

Bad guys try many tactics on their imposter calls, claiming to be from the IRS, the court system (claiming you missed jury duty or owe fines), your credit card company or bank, or from ‘Microsoft’ calling to ‘fix’ the virus on your computer. In virtually all cases, the scammers are attempting to obtain personal information or convince you to send money by wiring cash or purchasing a prepaid card and giving them the activation number on the back.

To protect yourself from phone scams,

keep in mind a few tips from Better Business Bureau.

Never give personal or financial information out on unsolicited phone calls. It’s best just to hang up the phone. These scammers are professionals, and if they get you talking, even if one scheme doesn’t work, they will call back with a different scam in the future.

Answering a scam call can trigger more calls: bad guys make note of who will pick up the phone and engage with them.

Do not take calls from numbers you do not recognize. If it’s a legitimate contact, they will leave a message. If the voicemail is from a scammer, this will give you time to think about what is being asked of you.

Be cautious of automated messages asking you to “Press a Button” to be taken off of their call list. It’s best just to hang up. Pressing your keypad is another way to alert the caller that they have reached an active number, and they will continue to call and may sell your number to other scammers as well.

Be aware that scammers are calling and impersonating legitimate businesses, organizations, and charities. The best thing you can do to prevent yourself from falling victim is to hang up, find the appropriate phone number, and call them directly to speak to a representative.

And, it doesn’t hurt to sign up for the Do Not Call list (donotcall.gov) to at least slow telemarketing calls.

Idaho’s July unemployment rate declines to 3 percent Press Release Idaho’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for July fell to its lowest levels since mid-2008 while businesses led the nation in over-the-month job growth at 0.6 percent.

According to department analysts, July’s unemployment rate decrease to 3 percent is due to the combined effect of people exiting and entering the workforce and the number of unemployed dropping by 745 to 24,598.

Month over month, Idaho’s labor force remained steady at 818,310 with a slight labor force loss of 335 people. Total employment climbed 410 to 793,712.

Nonfarm jobs grew by 4,300 – pushing Idaho’s total payrolls to 713,100. Eight of the state’s 11 industry sectors shared the increase.

Trade, transportation and utilities added the most jobs in July at 1,700, while leisure and

hospitality jobs grew the fastest at 1.4 percent.

Idaho’s nonfarm jobs have shown steady annual growth for nearly eight years since the trough of the past recession in January 2010. Year over year, the state’s nonfarm payroll jobs were up 2.3 percent with a net gain of 15,700 jobs. Education and health care services grew the fastest at 4.2 percent.

Strong job gains also occurred in construction, information, manufacturing and leisure and hospitality.

The state’s labor force participation rate — the percentage of people 16 years and older with jobs or looking for work — has steadily declined since February of this year, dropping to 63 percent, the lowest participation rate since May of 1976.

Department analysts classified 5,344 of Idaho’s 23,500 online job postings for July as hard-to-fill. Health care jobs — physicians,

surgeons, psychiatrists, occupational and physical therapists and support positions — accounted for 27 percent of all hard-to-fill jobs. Ads for registered nurses, retail salespersons and tractor-trailer drivers were the most numerous at 914 combined.

Nationally, unemployment fell to 4.3 percent — down one tenth of a percent from June — as the country’s labor force increased by 0.2 percent and the participation rate rose slightly to 63 percent.

Annually, unemployment insurance benefit payments were down nearly 16 percent — from $1.4 million a year ago to $1.2 million in July 2017. The number of claimants decreased by nearly 15 percent from a weekly average of 4,900 a year ago to 4,200.

The Lewiston Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) showed the strongest seasonally adjusted over-the-year percentage nonfarm

employment growth of all MSAs at 4.6 percent in July, or 1,300 jobs, followed by the Boise metro area with a 3.7 percent increase, or 11,300 jobs.

Month over month, four of Idaho’s MSAs saw nonfarm job increases. Lewiston (up 1 percent) experienced the largest percentage job increase, followed closely by Idaho Falls (up 0.9 percent), Coeur d’Alene (up 0.8 percent) and Boise (up 0.6 percent). Pocatello saw no change in job level.

Twenty-three of Idaho’s 44 counties had unemployment rates at or above the state rate in July. Of these, three counties were at or above 6 percent: Lewis at 6.4 percent, Shoshone at 6.3 percent and Clearwater at 6.2 percent. Madison County’s unemployment rate remained the lowest at 1.8 percent.

For more information on Idaho’s unemployment picture please visit lmi.Idaho.gov.

Idaho St ate B u s in e ss J ournal Se p te mber/October 2017 11

It’s Harvest Time

T

he fall season has traditionally marked a shift from the hard work of summer into the more reflective and restful Janna winter months.

Graham In the past, people focused on enjoying fall’s abundance, as well as harvesting and preserving the plentiful supply of vegetables, fruits, and game that characterize the season. The work of cultivation waned a bit (or would soon), and friends and family gathered to celebrate, reflect, and prepare for the cold winter ahead. This was a necessary step on the seasonal path. Without careful food cultivation and preservation during the warmer months, there wouldn’t be enough to eat during the winter.

Over time, food production has become the business of specialists, and much less visible to the rest of us. Of course, supporting businesses that produce good, healthy food in a sustainable way should be a top priority.

We want such businesses to stay vital and contribute to a robust local economy. That’s why now is a great time to learn about the people in our area who are in the business of making food.

The best places to start are the Portneuf Valley Farmers Market and the Pocatello Co-op. The Farmers Market will continue to meet through October, and it offers a wonderful chance to shop for vegetables, fruits, and cottage foods (like breads and pies) grown or made in our area.

Talk to the salespeople, and find out more about their operation. At the Co-op, you will find vegetables from local farmers, as well as meat, milk, butter, ice cream, honey, eggs, mustard, and other foods produced right here in Idaho. The staff are knowledgeable and happy to answer questions or offer suggestions.

You will likely walk away with a much broader picture of what our local and regional food producers are doing.

Most of us now rely on professional food producers (local or not), but we can still experience a rather old-fashioned sense of excitement and urgency when our garden plot is suddenly overrun with zucchini or the plums on a neighbor’s tree ripen all at once.

Like our ancestors, we can take a break from our regular routine to marvel at – and deal with – the influx of fresh, seasonal food this time of year. It may not be the life-and-death matter that it was for earlier generations, but what if we treated it as a serious commitment in our schedule? What if hanging out with friends, talking and eating and cooking and preserving food for the winter, was just as important as the next staff meeting or school function?

Traditional skills such as canning produce allow us to practice a measure of self-reliance and mindfulness. We have control over the ingredients we use and how they are processed. We connect ourselves to previous genera-

tions. We also create a chance to step away from the screen and do something hands-on and worthwhile: feeding ourselves and our families wholesome food.

Putting up the harvest, even on the smallest of scales, requires planning and effort. Why not make it a joyous occasion as well?

Gather a group of like-minded friends to help each other make jam or prepare vegetables for freezing. Celebrate the unique array of foods supported by our climate and landscape by organizing a “harvest dinner” focused on local, seasonal foods. Invite friends and family to contribute dishes made from food grown or gathered in our area. Show off the salsa you made or the eggplants you grew. While it may seem small, taking a few moments off from the whirlwind of daily life to connect with people and place is one of the best stress relievers around, and it can provide the basis for a truly meaningful reflection on what we have.

Janna Graham is outreach coordinator for the Pocatello Co-op.

She’s at outreach@pocatellocoop. com.

Why a Winning Financial Plan is Multigenerational

A

great financial plan might to involve your loved ones. You can begin with an individual or a either include them in meetings with couple, but it doesn’t end there. financial professionals and estate A great financial plan also takes into attorneys or keep them apprised of account a spouse, children, grandyour plans for your estate. If you are children or anyone else that might be wavering on whether or not to include included in your legacy. Currently, we family members in these meetings, are in the midst of the greatest wealth think about it this way: A professional transfer in our history. Over the next can help answer questions, facilitate Jennifer 30 to 40 years, the baby boomers will the meeting, and keep the discussion Landon pass some $30 trillion in assets to their on task and goal-oriented. heirs.

I’ve found that communicating For these aging boomers, as well as those your intentions also serves a second, vital from other generations looking to pass on purpose—it cuts down on any confusion their wealth, this is a critical time, with critical or infighting over assets by the beneficiaries decisions to make. Let’s take a look at what down the road. Let’s take a look at some of the you can do to provide for those you care options available to you. about the most.

Annual Gifting Communication Since 2014, the annual gift tax exclusion First and foremost, you need to commustands at $14,000. Under this rule, you can nicate. Transferring wealth can seem like a give up to $14,000 each year to as many heirs daunting challenge if you don’t have a plan in as you wish. Married couples can gift as much place. During the planning process, you will as $28,000 annually to their heirs. This is a face a number of questions, including: What great strategy for multigenerational wealth and where are my assets? How do I want to transfer and can result in a large amount over distribute them? What will go to my benefitime. Consider, for instance, maxing out that ciaries and what will go to charities or other gift over 20 years: $28,000 x 20 = $560,000. In philanthropic organizations? that scenario, you’d be able to gift more than As you begin your discovery phase of how half a million dollars to an heir without them to answer those questions, you will want having to pay a penny in taxes.

Life Insurance Life insurance is another great way to transfer wealth. These policies offer tax-free benefits to your beneficiaries, and, in some cases, may cover your estate taxes as well.

Review your policies with a financial professional to find out what options are available to you and your beneficiaries.

Trusts Having a trust in place can help you prevent legal issues or challenges to your estate.

A trust will also allow you to minimize tax liability and offers control over the distributions you plan to make.

Stretch IRAs An IRA is a great way for you to grow wealth; if you turn it into a stretch IRA, it can serve as a great way to transfer that wealth. The process is simple: Designate a beneficiary who is significantly younger than the account owner. That beneficiary could be a spouse in cases where there’s a large age difference, but is more often a child or grandchild. By using this strategy, the IRA can pass from generation to generation on a tax-deferred or even a tax-free basis while experiencing compounding growth. It’s important to note that not all IRAs allow the stretch strategy. In fact, I’ve

talked with many people who believe they have a stretch IRA when in fact their IRA is a traditional one.

Legacy Remember, you’ve worked hard to grow you retirement assets. You don’t want all that effort wasted by not planning your legacy.

By working with financial professionals and communicating with your beneficiaries, you’ll be able to develop the strategy that works best for you—a strategy that maximizes your wealth transfer and limits the taxes on your estate.

Jennifer Landon, founder and president of Journey Financial Services, is an accomplished advisor, educator and presenter on financial topics. Landon has spent the last decade advising Idaho Falls residents on the wealth and retirement planning strategies needed to help them achieve peace of mind on their retirement journey. She is an Investment Advisor Representative and a licensed life and health insurance professional in the state of Idaho.

Landon is a member of Ed Slott’s Master Elite IRA Advisor Group, the National Ethics Association (NEA) and the Better Business Bureau. For more information about Jennifer Landon and Journey Financial Services, please call (208) 552-9169 or visit www.JourneyRetirement.com.

12 Se pt e m b er /Oc tob e r 2 017 I d aho State Business Journa l

ISU students help community business

By Kendra Evensen kevensen@journalnet.com POCATELLO — A master’s of business administration course at Idaho State University is giving students an opportunity to use their skills by helping operating businesses.

Neil Tocher, a professor and the department chair for the College of Business’ Marketing and Management department, said students take MBA 6628 “Applied Business Solutions” during the last semester before they graduate.

“The class allows students to demonstrate their skills in a comprehensive final capstone project which is critical to a real world client,” he said. “The class is unique because it combines classroom learning with real business problems, which is beneficial for both students and clients.”

Tocher asks clients for projects they want to complete but don’t have the employee time to accomplish. Nearly all thriving businesses have many such projects, he noted. MBA student teams then take on the projects during the 16week course.

Tocher said the students have worked with many organizations over the years, including Idaho Central Credit Union, Citizens Community Bank, Idaho National Laboratory, Smith Auto Group, ON Semiconductor, Dome Technology, Pearlhill Technologies and many others.

While the projects vary, they typically include some market research, competitive benchmarking, strategic and financial analyses and business planning, Tocher said.

At the beginning, the students are given a basic summary about the clients and their possible needs. They then prepare for an initial consultation by conducting extensive background research on the client, industry, competitors, success factors and market trends over the next few weeks, Tocher said. They also develop a list of questions to help them identify the client’s key needs.

“The students then have twelve weeks to complete the project,” Tocher said. “Students provide clients with a midterm and a final report as well as weekly progress reports.”

In addition to large area businesses, the ISU program also helps the health care industry.

“We have, over the years, also worked extensively with health care organizations, especially Portneuf Health Partners, because ISU has the state health care mission, and sound business decision making is critical in today’s health care industry,” Tocher said.

Tocher said the students’ projects can make a big difference for their clients.

For instance, students recently helped Pearlhill Technologies, a small business in Idaho Falls.

Pearlhill aim to create a cleaner world by recycling fluorine molecules from hazardous waste from nuclear power generation into high quality products.

One of Pearlhill’s main technologies is a powder coating resin. Powder coating is mainly used for coating of metals, such as household appliances, aluminum extrusions, drum hardware, and automobile and bicycle parts. The resin goes on as a powder, but when cured under extreme heat it forms a hard shell - more durable than paint.

First, the MBA students performed

a market and segment analysis on the powder coating industry.

“The results of the analysis found that Pearlhill Technologies was in a prime place for forward momentum in the industry and that the particular resin that they used was ‘a game changer,’” a news release stated.

The business subsequently created a partnership with Dome Technology in Idaho Falls and Matrix Powder Technology in Columbus, Ohio. Pearlhill then used information provided by the students to seek grants.

“On June 20, Bamidele Omotowa, president of Pearlhill Technologies, sent a letter to Idaho Senator James E. Risch, in which he expressed thanks to the Idaho Falls Small Business Development Center (SBDC), ISU College of Business Management Department Chair, Dr. Neil Tocher and students in Dr. Tocher’s MBA 6628 Applied Business Solutions course for the assistance they gave which resulted in over $1 million of grant money being awarded to Pearlhill

Technologies,” according to the news release.

The students have helped many other clients as well. They completed a market analysis for a company called Iuveni Alchemy, which developed a revolutionary product in the haircare industry, Tocher said.

“The research done by the students for Iuveni Alchemy helped the founders win an award at the statewide Idaho Entrepreneur Challenge competition last spring in Boise,” he said. “At that competition, Iuveni Alchemy also gained support of a large institutional investor and is expected to do great things.”

Tocher said the MBA 6628 course is creating valuable partnerships between ISU’s College of Business, its students and the thriving business community in Southeastern Idaho.

“I enjoy facilitating the course and treasure the many outstanding relationships I have built with clients and students throughout the years,” he said.

Employers must redefine STEM to attract future talent, according to new Randstad US data Press Release ATLANTA — In the face of an ongoing STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) talent shortage, Rndstad US conducted a study to uncover key motivations, beliefs and perspectives of STEM-related topics among kids aged 11 to 17. The research shows that despite high interest in STEM studies and confidence in STEM skills at a younger age, interest dwindles as children grow older. Students 11 to 14 years old are 18 percent more likely than students aged 15 to 17 to consider math one of their favorite subjects. Fifty-six percent of young people also said knowing how STEM skills relate to the real world would make STEM classes more interesting.

"The term 'STEM' needs a rebrand and awareness campaign to get the next generation of talent excited about pursuing these careers," said Alan Stukalsky, chief digital officer for Randstad North America.

"Young people are self-selecting out of higher STEM education classes because they can't see how these skills apply to different professions and employers they're excited about. It's a misperception and a serious economic problem, as a rapidly growing number of jobs now require STEM competencies. If we don't find a way to guide and prepare the future workforce for these positions, we run the risk of the need for these skills escalating and the hiring gap expanding."

Practical uses of STEM skills are difficult for students to see. The study revealed not only a lack of students' awareness of what types of STEM jobs exist, but also a lack of personal connection to STEM professionals and how STEM jobs are defined. n 52 percent of students say they don't know anyone with a job in STEM, and more than 1 in 4 students (27 say they haven't talked to anyone about jobs in STEM. n Almost half (49 of respondents say

they don't know what kind of math jobs exist and 76 percent report not knowing a lot about what engineers do. n 87 percent think people who study STEM work at companies like NASA; far fewer associate them with mainstream consumer brands like Instagram (40 and Coca-Cola (26 percent).

Students interpret STEM too literally.

Young people reported high enthusiasm for careers not explicitly defined as STEM but requiring related skills, suggesting the need for broader education as to how STEM skills can be applied in fields beyond math and science. n 64 percent of students rate creating video games for a living as very fun, while 90 percent rate it somewhat fun. n 54 percent of respondents think it would be very fun to earn a living working with marine life, with 89 percent rating it as at least somewhat fun. n 47 percent think it would be very fun to make websites for a living, with 86

percent saying it would be at least somewhat fun.

There is a lack of confidence in STEMrelated skills among young women.

Despite significant progress over the past several decades in young women's participation and performance in= STEM subjects, a major gender gap still exists. n Girls are 34 percent more likely than boys to say that STEM jobs are hard to understand. n Only 22 percent of young women name technology as one of their favorite subjects in school, compared to 46 percent of boys.

Technology has become a crucial component in our everyday lives and the future is bright for STEM professionals. As employers, educational institutions, parents and stakeholders in the future talent pool, we need to encourage young people into STEM disciplines and ignite a passion for STEM in the next generation of talent," says Stukalsky.

14 Se pt e m b er /Oc tob e r 2 017 I d aho State Business Journa l

Business Spotlight: Eagle Tennis Club

By Mountain America Credit Union Being an entrepreneur is more than just having a great idea. It’s about having the passion to see it through to fruition. Kara Hoge has that passion.

About eight years ago, after a bout with breast cancer, Kara was looking for a new way to be active.

She decided to take up tennis and fell in love with it. As she became stronger, healthier and put cancer in her rearview mirror, she began to think about giving back to her community. This is when the idea to open Eagle Tennis Club (ETC) was born.

“I’m always looking for ways to make people’s lives better,” said Kara. “I wanted to provide a place that had excellent customer service and a focus on health, family and community fun.”

Kara says when the doors opened in 2016, it was the most satisfying day in her professional life. She appreciates the members’ support and the fact that her staff believes in her vision 100 percent.

They all do everything in their power to ensure each member thoroughly enjoys their club experience.

As an entrepreneur, there’s always a new challenge on your path. The goal is to see past these obstacles and find solutions. Kara is tenacious when it comes to getting things done and is always looking for ways to make things better than when she found them. She says she probably learned this from her parents who, although they always worked for employers, were constantly innovating everyday tasks and processes.

With this kind of example, there was no question Kara was going to succeed. “I know there will be obstacles during my projects. I believe each one offers a valuable lesson,” she says. “I’m an optimistic person who believes there’s always a solution. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll seek out people that can help me figure it out.”

To Kara, the community of Eagle is everything. She wants to see it thrive and is excited when new businesses open and want to make her community better. Kara believes the most valuable things

Study: Federally impacted schools need $4.2 billion in infrastructure updates Press Release

an entrepreneur can possess are: • Excellent organizational and execution skills—someone’s got to keep the project on track.

• Flexibility—plans are constantly changing and adjusting.

• Vision—Keep your business dream at the forefront of everything you do.

• Ability to take risks—It’s scary, buy you’ll have to risk to achieve.

• Belief—Be confident that your idea will be a success.

Aside from Kara herself, what makes ETC so special to Eagle, and all the club members, is everything it offers. There are 12 stateof-the-art indoor tennis courts (air-conditioned!), an online court reservation system, certified tennis pros, an on-site café, fitness classes, tennis programs for both adults and juniors and the best customer service around.

Kara’s not stopping there. Phase two of the project includes a spa, competitive swimming pool and more! ETC, in addition to already hosting their own tournaments and member socials, is on-track to become a destination for premiere tennis events.

Mountain America Credit Union has been a part of Kara’s vision from the very beginning.

We couldn’t be prouder to have her and ETC as a business member and we wish her continued success. Find out more about Mountain America’s business services at

www.macu.com or contact us at 888-845-1850.

Social Facebook: Find out why @EagleTennisClub is the best new kid on the block! Hint: It has a lot to do with its founder, Kara Hoge. Get the details from @MountainAmericaCreditUnion.

Instagram: Tennis anyone? @mountainamericacu has the scoop on the new @eagletennisclub and why it’s got the best courts around!

Twitter: Tennis in Eagle has recently been upgraded. See what @eagletennisclub is all about with this inside look from @MountainAmerica.

Looking for a new place to chase the tennis ball? @MountainAmerica has the inside story on the new @eagletennisclub.

Wondering what the @eagletennisclub is all about? Get the scoop from @MountainAmerica.

Tennis anyone? Kara Hoge, founder of @eagletennisclub, talks with @MountainAmerica about why the sport means so much to her.

If tennis is your game, you should check out @eagletennisclub—@MountainAmerica gets all the info!

WASHINGTON, DC – A new survey, conducted by the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS), identifies more than $4.2 billion in pressing construction needs at federally impacted school districts nationwide.

These school districts encompass nontaxable Federal property, such as military installations, Indian lands, low-rent housing, and other Federal properties.

School construction is financed primarily at the local level, usually through bonds. Federally impacted school districts often have minimal assessed land value — and thereby minimal bonding capacity — because of the presence of nontaxable federal property. These school districts lack the local resources to address urgent facility needs, not to mention modernize facilities.

“The condition of facilities at many federally impacted school districts is dire,” said NAFIS Executive Director Hilary Goldmann. “We are talking about emergency repairs for health and safety – like roof and foundation maintenance, technology upgrades, asbestos abatement, and more. The Federal Government must meet its responsibility to federally impacted schools and pay its share so school facilities are modernized and safe.”

NAFIS surveyed its member school districts about the status of their school facilities. Respondents – 218 school districts from 37 states – reported compelling facility needs.

Twenty-six percent of respondents cited school district facilities that are more than 80 years old,

and 65-percent said the overall condition of facilities in their school districts are either fair or poor. Respondents named a variety of essential construction projects, including health and safety related issues such as lead and mold, outdated electrical, HVAC and plumbing systems, leaky roofs, expired boilers, aging technology, and building capacity due to growth in student enrollment.

The total estimated cost to address pressing construction needs in these school districts exceeds $4.2 billion, with the estimated cost of all capital construction needs topping $13 billion. Yet Congress only appropriated $17.4 million in construction funding for the Impact Aid Construction line item in Fiscal Year 2017. What’s more, 82-percent of respondents cited lack of funds as a reason to defer capital construction projects, and 83-percent of respondents said they could start their most pressing capital project within a year if funds were available.

“The importance of a safe learning environment for students is clear, and there is no way this backlog of urgent needs will be met without a significant investment in Federal funding,” said NAFIS Director of Policy & Advocacy Jocelyn Bissonnette. “Federally impacted schools and the students they educate deserve more.”

NAFIS is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association of school districts located across the United States.

Founded more than 40 years ago, the association works to ensure the needs of federally impacted school districts, and the children they educate, are met through adequate Federal funds.

Sept e mb e r/Oc to b e r 2 01 7 1 5

Idaho St ate B u s in e ss J ournal

Resume Lies On The Rise Nearly half of workers know someone who was dishonest on resume Press Release MENLO PARK, California — What’s the truth about lying on resumes? Almost half of workers (46 percent) polled by staffing firm OfficeTeam said they know someone who included false information on a resume, a 25-point jump from a 2011 survey.

Job experience (76 percent) and duties (55 percent) were cited as the areas that are most frequently embellished.

Fifty-three percent of senior managers suspect candidates often stretch the truth on resumes, and 38 percent said their company has removed an applicant from consideration for a position after discovering he or she lied.

Workers were asked, “Do you know anyone who misrepresented or exaggerated information on his or her resume?” Forty-six percent said yes and 54 percent responded no.

”It may be tempting to stretch the truth on a resume to stand out, but even small misrepresentations can remove an applicant from consideration for a position,” said Brandi Britton, a district president for OfficeTeam.

“To verify information and avoid costly hiring mistakes, employ-

ers should conduct thorough interviews, reference checks and skills testing with the help of a staffing firm.”

OfficeTeam identifies five signs a job seeker may be lying on a resume — and offers tips for confirming details: • Skills have vague descrip-

tions. Using ambiguous phrases like “familiar with” or “involved in” could mean the candidate is trying to cover up a lack of direct experience. To assess a worker’s abilities, conduct skills testing or hire the person on a temporary basis before making a full-time offer.

• There are questionable or missing dates. Having large gaps between positions or listing stints by year without months can be red flags. Inquire about the applicant’s employment history during initial discussions and ask references to validate timelines.

• You get negative cues during the interview. A lack of eye contact or constant fidgeting may suggest dishonesty, but don’t eliminate a promising candidate by making a judgment based solely on body language. Consider the individual’s responses to your questions and feedback from other staff members who met him or her.

• References offer conflicting details. Ask initial contacts about additional people you can speak to about the prospective hire. Also check if there are connections in your network who can provide insight about the candidate.

• Online information doesn’t match. Don’t always take what you find on the internet at face value. There may be multiple professionals with the same name or legal issues with how the information can be used.

Verify facts during the interview and reference check processes.

The surveys of workers and senior managers were developed

by OfficeTeam. They were conducted by independent research firms and include responses from more than 1,000 U.S. workers 18 years of age or older and employed in office environments, and more than 300 senior managers at U.S. companies with 20 or more employees.

September and October marketing holidays Sometimes, it just takes one day to clear up the marketing doldrums. There is a wealth of officially declared days out there to bring a smile to your face, or catch your customer’s eyes. Many are created by the United Nations or other organizations to raise awareness of a certain topic. However, each of these has been celebrated more than one year in a row. And most have been officially recognized by some city or municipality.

• •

SEPTember MONTHLY HOLIDAYS AND OBSERVANCES • Baby Safety Month • Hispanic Heritage Month – September 15-Oct. 15 • National Courtesy Month • National Learning and Development Month • National Mortgage Professional Month • National Preparedness Month • National Suicide Prevention Month

SEPT. 10 • World Suicide Prevention Day • National Grandparents Day #NationalGrandparentsDay – Sunday after Labor Day

SEPTember WEEKLY HOLIDAYS AND OBSERVANCES • National Payroll Week, Sept. 4-8 (First Week) • Substitute Teacher Appreciation Week, Sept. 3-9 (First Full Week) • International Housekeepers Week, Sept. 10-16 (Second Full Week) • National Security Officer Appreciation Week, Sept. 17-23 (Third Full Week) • Pollution Prevention Week, Sept. 1723 (Third Full Week) • National Clean Hands Week, Sept.

17-23 (Third Full Week) • National Farm and Ranch Safety and Health Week, Sept. 17-23 (Third Full Week) • International Interpreters and Translators Week, Sept. 24-30 (Last Full Week) - • Banned Books Week, Sept. 24-30 (Last Week) SEPTember NATIONAL DAYS SEPT. 4 • National Labor Day – First Monday in September • National Wildlife Day • National Newspaper Carrier Day SEPT. 5 • International Day of Charity SEPT. 6

National Coffee Ice Cream Day National Read a Book Day #ReadABookDay

SEPT. 8 • International Literacy Day • National Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses Day • Stand Up To Cancer Day – Second Friday in September

SEPT. 11 • Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance • National Boss/Employee Exchange Day – Monday after Labor Day SEPT. 13 • National Programmers Day – 256th Day of the Year SEPT. 15 • International Day of Democracy • Google.com Day • National Tradesmen Day – Third Friday in September • National POW/MIA Recognition Day – Third Friday in September SEPT. 16 • National Working Parents Day SEPT. 17 • Constitution Day and Citizenship Day • Wife Appreciation Day – Third Sunday in September SEPT. 19 • Talk Like a Pirate Day • National IT Professionals Day – Third Tuesday in September SEPT. 21 International Day of Peace SEPT. 22 • American Business Women’s Day • Autumnal Equinox – Changes annually SEPT. 24 • National Gold Star Mother’s Day –

Last Sunday in September SEPT. 25 • National Research Administrator Day SEPT. 29 • National Coffee Day • VFW Day OCTOBER MONTHLY HOLIDAYS AND OBSERVANCES • AIDS Awareness Month (President Reagan) • Breast Cancer Awareness Month • Caffeine Addiction Recovery Month • Celiac Disease Awareness Month • Co-op Awareness Month • Down Syndrome Awareness Month • Employee Ownership Month • Financial Planning Month • International Walk To School Month • LGBT History Month • National Cyber Security Awareness Month • National Disability Employment Awareness Month • National Ergonomics Month • National Fair Trade Month • National Sarcastic Awareness Month • National Work and Family Month • Photographer Appreciation Month • Workplace Politics Awareness Month OCTOBER WEEKLY HOLIDAYS AND OBSERVANCES • National Midwifery Week, Oct. 1-7 (First Full Week) • National Work From Home Week, Oct. 1-7 (First Full Week) • Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Week, Oct. 1-7 (First Full Week) • Customer Service Week, Oct. 2-6 (First Mon-Fri Week) • Drive Safely Work Week, Oct. 2-6 (Monday to Friday of First Full Week) • Financial Planning Week, Oct. 2-8 (First Monday to Sunday Week) • World Dairy Expo, Oct. 3-8 (First Tuesday to Sunday) • Veterinary Technicians Week, Oct. 8-14 (Second Week) • Medical Assistants Recognition Week, Oct. 15-21 (Third Full Week) • National Business Women’s Week, Oct. 15-21 (Third Full Week) • National Save For Retirement Week, Oct. 15-21 (Third Full Week)

OCTOBER NATIONAL DAYS OCT. 3 • National Techies Day OCT. 4 • National Taco Day #NationalTacoDay • National Walk to School Day – First Wednesday in Oct. OCT. 5 • World Teachers Day OCT. 6 • National Manufacturing Day – First Friday in Oct. OCT. 9 • Columbus Day – Second Monday in Oct. OCT. 10 • World Mental Health Day OCT. 11 • National Coming Out Day OCT. 12 • National Farmer’s Day OCT. 16 • Department Store Day • Boss’s Day (or National Boss’s Day) – Annually Oct. 16 unless it falls on a weekend. Then it’s the closest workday.

• National Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day – Third Monday in Oct. OCT. 17 • National Pharmacy Technician Day – Third Tuesday in Oct. OCT. 18 • Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce – Third Wednesday in October.

• Medical Assistants Recognition Day – Wednesday of Third Full Week in October.

OCT. 24 • United Nations Day OCT. 26 • National Pumpkin Day OCT. 31 • Girl Scout Founder’s Day • Halloween