Hamilton County Business Magazine December 2009/January 2010 by Mike Corbett

December 2009 • January 2010

The New Plan for Fishers Town Center

www.hamiltoncountybusiness.com

Plus… Local Liquor Stores vs Big Retail Westfield’s Acorn Farm HC’s First Industry

Jodi Dickey Fishers Senior Planner

Wesley Bucher Fishers Planning Director

December 09 â&#x20AC;˘ January 10/Hamilton County Business Magazine

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Hamilton County Business Magazine/December 09 • January 10

December/January

’09/’10

Features

Envisioning Fishers Future

18 Liquor Laws 22 Acorn Farm

8 Entrepreneur 10 Marketing 14 Management 21 Dining Out 23 News 26 Chamber 32 History 33 Calendar 35 Business Resource Directory

Cover photo by Jennifer Marshall, MG Photography

December 09 • January 10/Hamilton County Business Magazine

FAP-5324-A-FL AUG 2009

THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE TODAY

www.hamiltoncountybusiness.com

CAN HAVE A LASTING IMPACT ON YOUR FUTURE.

Published six times per year by the Hamilton County Media Group PO Box 502, Noblesville, IN 46061 • 317-774-7747

Editor/Publisher Mike Corbett ~ mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com Creative Director Melanie Malone ~ malinsky58@sbcglobal.net Correspondents Shari Held ~ sharih@comcast.net Deb Buehler ~ deb@thesweetestwords.com Scott Tyree ~ styree@financialformsandsystems.com William Fouts ~ wfouts@mac.com Photo Credits ~ Bobbie Sutton, Jennifer Marshall

Contributors Laina Molaski MBA PhD ~ lmolaski@candsconsulting.biz David Heighway ~ heighwayd@earthlink.net Emmett Dulaney DBA ~ eadulaney@anderson.edu Troy Renbarger ~ troy@consultwithprostar.com Scott Eckart ~ seckart@westpointfinancialgroup.com Raquel Richardson ~ raquel@silversquareinc.com Michelle Sybesma ~ jms@skillsconsulting.com Robby Slaughter ~ rslaughter@slaughterdevelopment.com Kyle Lacy ~ kyle@getbrandswag.com Please send news items and photos to news@hamiltoncountybusiness.com Submission does not guarantee publication For advertising information contact Mike Corbett at mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com

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Sarah and Vickie Reynolds, Owners-ITEX in Indiana Hamilton County Business Magazine/December 09 • January 10

Letter from the Editor/December 09 • January 10 This is an exciting time to be living in Hamilton County. Each of our cities and towns is in a different state of development, but all are in the process of reinventing themselves to some degree. Decisions made in the next few years will impact the character of this county and its municipalities for generations. Carmel’s ambitions have been well-documented (including in these pages) as it sets new standards for suburban development. Westfield is just starting its initiative around the Grand Junction, Noblesville is seeking to preserve its unique historical character while rediscovering the river and expanding its notion of downtown, and the northern Hamilton County communities are using their small town infrastructures as a foundation for their next generation of businesses. None of these is working from as blank a canvas as Fishers. Its recent residential growth has been so phenomenal that it never really had a chance to develop a traditional center of town. Recently a committee of volunteers and town planners designed a blueprint for Fishers’ future and we take a look at some of their ideas in this edition. I am delighted to be reading words like placemaking, livability, connecting and interactivity in their plans. Those terms may seem a little touchy feely for some, but this nation has an abundance of new and expensive developments that ignore those concepts and fail to create the elusive “sense of place” that makes a community special. I’m in favor of reining in the engineers and turning the designers loose. Here’s the perfect opportunity to create wonderful, inspiring places in Fishers. Go for it!

Conflicting Liquor Laws

The mission of this magazine is to support and encourage entrepreneurship here in Hamilton County, so in any battle between national chains and local retailers there’s little doubt where we stand. But, the lines are fuzzy when it comes to our liquor laws. The Hoosier culture, well-intentioned but antiquated laws and, of course, politics all play a part in the way we handle liquor sales here in Indiana. That dawns on many of us the first time we encounter the roped off liquor aisle in the grocery store. What’s up with that? Reasonable people hold impassioned views on both sides of the issue, and Bill Fouts does a terrific job of illuminating them in his story. We welcome another new columnist, Robby Slaughter, along with the stimulating writing of our returning regulars, and profiles of two terrific Hamilton County businesses: Acorn Farm and Mangia. Thanks for all the encouragement from you, our readers. Happy New Year! Have you heard? The recession is over; 2010 is the year of the recovery. Let’s do business. We can’t wait. Mike Corbett

Editor and Publisher

December 09 • January 10/Hamilton County Business Magazine

Mike Corbett/Editor and Publisher

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Hamilton County Business Magazine/December 09 • January 10

Entrepreneur Emmett Dulaney

IT Marketing for the Small Business As soon as you tell someone you’ve started a business, they will likely tell you that you need to be on the Internet. Not just a web site, mind you, but on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and a dozen other virtual places. Before you invest any time or energy in an undertaking of this sort you need to ask the question: “How will this help my business?” The goal of any marketing campaign should be to strengthen the company through increased revenues, whether by finding new customers or developing loyalty among existing customers. If the venues used in an IT marketing campaign do not help you toward that goal, then your time and efforts are better spent elsewhere. Online marketing often

generates buzz rather than revenues – these two words are not synonymous and one does not always lead to the other. Let’s walk through an example. I will purchase a van and the equipment needed to start Dulaney Carpet Cleaning, servicing both residential and commercial clients. While there are others out there now cleaning carpets, I am convinced – and want to convince you - that I will be the best. What’s my differentiation? My equipment is all new and can operate more efficiently than the older equipment others use. Equally important: since the business consists solely of me, I have low overhead and can price my services just

under my competition. With this double punch of better service and a lower price, let’s evaluate some of the IT possibilities before me:

right of the natural search results returned from the query. I am charged only if someone clicks on the ad, and the payment can be as low as $0.01.

Website: Even with a business this small,

Blog: A decade ago, every company had

a website offers too much promise to pass it up. Just having a domain (that can also be used for my email, avoiding @ gmail, @hotmail, and so on) adds a layer of credibility. But the primary purpose for this site must be discovery, serving two distinct groups: prospects looking for contact information, and search engines scanning to determine where in the listing of natural results this site will fall. While those two are related, the way each looks at the data differs drastically. Since my business is cleaning carpets as

opposed to search engine optimization and server administration, that is where my time needs to be spent. The site can be hosted (administered) reasonably cheaply these days, and a third-party that specializes in web design and SEO can take care of creating a site to serve the two audiences. I will want to purchase phrases with the larger search engines and deliver ads to customers doing a search on them. With Google, for example, I could register “carpet cleaning” as AdWords only for searches done within a 20 mile radius of my business and have an ad appear to the

December 09 • January 10/Hamilton County Business Magazine

to have a website and it had to be dynamic – visitors didn’t like coming there and seeing what they had already seen. Today, websites have become static and it is the blogs that provide the dynamic content –allowing the visitor to see only the new posting and view old ones only if they choose to look through the archive. In this business, a blog can be a great tool since they are also scanned by the search engines and included in the results returned. I could create one blog entry for each unique type of stain encountered (how to get the ink from exploding money out of shag carpeting, how to remove squid ink from draperies, and so on) and those blog entries could be found in Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and other search engines the same way web pages would.

YouTube: Just as the blog entries can detail how to get tough stains out, videos created for YouTube can demonstrate in a way that other media can’t. Accept the fact that your short videos will never have as many viewers as those posted by the Ting Tings, but those who view them will have searched for them because they are interested in the topic and thus each needs to end with some kind of contact info. If you post videos in YouTube, you have the ability to see demographics of those viewing them, which spots are “hot spots (are viewers rewinding a particular section, exiting out when they get to ten seconds in, etc.), and collect other data (such as search words used to find them) that can be invaluable to a marketing campaign.

Twitter: While those who own Twitter have yet to figure out a way to make money from it, those companies that send out coupon codes through it have. DCC can set up an account in less than ten minutes, include the link on business cards and encourage customers to become a follower in order to take advantage of specials and promotions. While the list of those who choose to become followers may be very small, it can be a great way to drum up business during slow months with a special offer only for those who schedule this week or to send out a 140-character reminder at the start of fall that walnut stains don’t come out if they aren’t professionally cleaned quickly. If you identify key customers using it (such as the office manager who sends out tweets regularly), you can choose to follow them on Twitter. Social Networking: For this business, I would discourage the use of Facebook and MySpace since it is difficult to build a community around a local carpet cleaner (a discouragement that may not exist with

another type of company). I would, however, embrace LinkedIn which differs from the other two in that its purpose is more professional in nature. So much of this social networking site is based on recommendations and connections and it makes sense to include a link to the DCC profile in the email signature.

Online Listings: Given the nature of this business, both Angie’s List and craigslist should be considered. While the latter is free for both posting and viewing, the former is based on references, subscription-based, and one that you get added to only through references; so while you can’t advertise there per se, you can encourage clients who are subscribers to talk about you. Again, the type of company – and the target market it is pursuing - should always determine which forms of IT marketing to employ. There are some companies which should have no web presence at all (a prison provider, for example), and others

that exist only as pure plays (Amazon). Most companies fall between these two extremes and as each technology is evaluated for use, the question always remains: how can we benefit from it? Once you’ve picked the mediums, pick your messages carefully, allow your customers to choose to hear them (opt-in instead of opt-out), and don’t overdo it.

Worth Skimming:

One of the problems with tools that are easy to use is that it is easy to overlook their full potential, and LinkedIn is a good example. I would recommend that you spend a little time searching the web to look for good tips on developing a strong LinkedIn profile. Things like choosing a professional picture are important to helping develop a quality page and an example of one site that has some suggestions is: http://www. cio.com/article/468067/LinkedIn_Etiquette_Five_Dos_and_Don_ts. Emmett Dulaney teaches entrepreneurship and business at Anderson University.

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Hamilton County Business Magazine/December 09 • January 10

Marketing Raquel G. Richardson

Making Sure Your Content Counts 6 tips for creating an editorial calendar You know it’s important to have relevant and desirable content on your website as a key tactic for today’s marketing message. The actual writing of that content is the hardest part. Getting an editorial calendar in place is one easy way to make sure your next few months of content is solid, valuable information that’s ready to go when you need it. Here are some tips to help you create your editorial calendar

1. Think about your industry’s calendar. Are there big tradeshows that

your prospects will be searching for and/or attending? Is there a peak season for a certain product? Put these events on your calendar. They are easy ways to grab traffic from search terms to your blog or website by the sheer fact that these are hot topics people will search for via those key words. Then make sure you use that tradeshow name and peak product information in your posts during that time of the year.

2. Find the right key words. There are lots of ways to identify key words to write about. Hold brainstorming sessions with your client and/or employees. Looking to Google is one of our favorite ways to build a key word list. Google Trends allows you to see what trends are shaping right now. At publishing deadline on this article, Halloween was a week away. I placed the word Halloween in Google Trends to learn Halloween Safety is the number one trend. So if I want to attract people to my website based on Halloween, I would also use the word safety. Google Insights allows you to

see what the world is searching for, or you can filter your search based on your specific needs. Twitter is another great tool for monitoring trends and hot topics/words that are happening right now.

3. Decide how often you need to release new content. If you’re creating

your editorial calendar just for your blog, determine how often you plan to post. If you’re looking for content for a blog, newsletter, case studies, etc., determine how often to update and how much content each will need.

4. Consider adding a theme to a day or week. Think of in terms of a grocery

store experience. Let’s say the weekly circular of coupons comes out each Thursday and you write a summary each Thursday for that promotion. You may want to consider touching base with your audience twice a week, so on Mondays you always post recipes for dinner ideas with a reminder that the ingredient for the recipe is on sale – watch for Thursday’s circular.

5. Use your content as a promotional tool. Once you have your calendar in

place, you can attract followers and subscribers to your social media platform or blog by telling them what they can expect next. You can send out a Tweet on Twitter about the topic of your next newsletter with a link to sign up for the newsletter. This usually attracts at least a few new subscribers based on the fact they want what you will deliver. Building excitement for your content becomes a valuable marketing tactic.

December 09 • January 10/Hamilton County Business Magazine

6. Figure out where you can repurpose. This is still an area that trips

people up a bit. You can take your themes and content and repurpose them; maybe in a different medium or maybe during different times of the year with a slightly different twist. Think about topics and shaping them to evolve throughout the year and place this on your calendar. When you’re done building a year’s worth of topics that make sense together, compile the whole thing in to a white paper or study that you can promote, and use as a lead generator on your website. Don’t put all that hard work in to just one source! Planning your editorial calendar may take you a few hours your first time. If you make this small investment in planning, though, you’ll find the quality and consistency of your content improve greatly. If thinking about a year is overwhelming, chunk it down to the next three months. You will still benefit from knowing what to say when you sit down to write, and your marketing team will appreciate the tactical approach of creating promotions around content. This will get easier as you continue building future editorial calendars. Raquel Richardson is the owner of Silver Square, a Fishers-based marketing firm working with companies who want to go to that next level. You can follow her on Twitter @SilverSquare or learn more at www.silversquareinc.com.

A Vibrant, Cultural, Hometown Destination Fishers Launches Town Center Project to Steer Development

by Mike Corbett

en years from now Fishers will look much different than it does today. New businesses and new families will continue to migrate for the same exceptional quality of life its 70,000 current residents find so appealing. They will build new homes, retail shops, factories and offices. How that building progresses in the Town Center will be determined by a process that began earlier this year in the town’s Development Department. Director Wes Bucher and Senior Planner Jodi Dickey organized the Town Center Redevelopment Committee, which went to the public to find out what they wanted the center of Fishers to look like

in the future. After hours of discussion and idea exchanging, the committee developed a set of Key Concepts and Design Guidelines, which were recently presented to the Town Council and made available to the public. According to the report, town center residents expressed a desire to see a mix of uses, and embraced the idea of being able to live, work, shop and play in the downtown area. They said it should accommodate all age ranges. Dickey tells the story of how, when she asked teenagers what they wanted downtown to be like, they said they just wanted a place to hang with friends. When an elderly

women heard that, she piped up, “That’s the same thing I want!” In keeping with the principles of “placemaking,” an idea that’s been gaining popularity nationwide, the committee tried to envision how people would use the new spaces in terms of transportation, open space and infrastructure. They found that residents like the current home town feel, want to add to the town’s green space and want to encourage diversity of uses and users. In the end the committee recommended five distinct districts, each with its own character and architectural standards.

Hamilton County Business Magazine/December 09 • January 10

Civic District

The Municipal Complex, residential areas north and west of the complex and Holland Park. This part of Town Center should serve as one of the vital spots for public engagement. Public open space should be preserved and enhanced. Buildings should be limited to two stories and existing buildings and green areas should be showcased. Fairs and festivals should be held here and this would be the logical place for a train station if the light rail line is launched.

Nickel Plate District

Either side of 116th St. between the railroad and I-69 and the retail and residential areas south of 116th and west of the railroad. This should continue to serve as the hub of retail development. Connections to other districts are crucial. Buildings should be taller, 4-5 stories, and have mixed uses (retail first floor, commercial second floor and residential above that). This district would look like a “new urban” downtown. Could have a hotel, conference center, or museum. Buildings would be close to the streets but encourage walking. A pedestrian connection across I-69 is important.

Northeast Technology District

North of the Nickel Plate District between the railroad and I-69. This would continue to house manufacturing and light industrial businesses and could become a sports hub. A hotel could be added and could become a popular destination for sports tournaments. Buildings could have a variety of styles, sizes, stories and textures. Connectivity must be improved as it is nearly impossible to walk or bike here and isn’t even that easy to get to by car.

December 09 • January 10/Hamilton County Business Magazine

Village District

South of the Nickel Plate District between the railroad and I-69. Currently this area is exclusively residential and would retain that character, with the addition of specialty shops, offices and live-work homes. Buildings should be a maximum of three stories and remain residential. On street parking is encouraged and people would be able to walk to a number of different destinations. Pedestrian amenities, open spaces and places to gather and participate in social activities are important. Streets and sidewalks would receive special attention: streets would be narrow and walkable. Access to the railroad is important.

Prairie Commons District

North of 106th St. and south of the Village District between the railroad and I-69. This area currently contains apartments, new office buildings and a park which should be better connected to each other. Prairie style architecture should be employed in new office buildings and the district should take advantage of good visibility to I-69. Buildings would be limited mostly to two story, though taller multi-family would be permitted. Pedestrian and bicycle connections within the district and to other districts should be improved and Lantern Road should be upgraded.

This is the fourth plan for downtown Fishers since the early 90’s and each one has had its merits and problems. The most recent was the Fairmount plan, launched by a private developer more than two years ago, which eventually succumbed to the pressures of the recession. This brings the planning back into the public sector and is the most ambitious plan so far.

Jack Wolf, who runs Wolf Insurance from an office he owns on Lantern Road just north of 116th St., likes what he’s seen so far. “I like what they’re proposing. I like the idea of connecting everything and having a defined center of town and I like that they’re setting a direction.” But, Wolf needs some specifics so he knows how to plan for the future of his building and his business.

The public will have the opportunity to comment further on the proposal. The Plan Commission will hold a public hearing, likely in early 2010. Once the town council approves, the real work begins. Phase Two gets into the details of changing ordinances, creating a capital investment plan, crafting the framework for publicprivate partnerships and marketing.v

Hamilton County Business Magazine/December 09 • January 10

Management J. Michelle Sybesma

Is The Economy Really the Biggest Factor in The Health of Your Business? It may be time for a business check up Without question, downturns in the economy have a direct bearing on your business. Consumers have less money to spend, which changes their spending habits. However, they are still spending. It is important to recognize the “viral emotional effects” of this economy. If the economy has hurt your sales and all you ever talk about is how business is down, it is distinctly possible you are actually contributing to the downward trend. A natural desire to relate to others often leaves people afflicted by “economic group think.” For example, when radio stations suggest everyone is buying a

do business with your organization. People at every turn are ready to start relationships with trustworthy people who truly appreciate the value of their money. Yes, the economy is challenging and people are more careful than ever about spending money. However, you can strike deals and find success.

product, a potential spender is more likely to consider its merits. Therefore, by telling people that fewer people are buying your products or services, you are directly impacting the likelihood that they will consider buying from you.

edge-required-to-navigate prompts? Are the messages welcoming and full of incentive to do business with your company?

If you are stuck in a negative social cycle and not interacting with your colleagues and associates with a smile, you might miss more than the next social event; you might miss the next sale. Stop telling yourself “business is down and no one is buying.” Get out and meet new people! Ask them to educate you on what they need to

Do you ever evaluate how easy it is to do business with your organization? Start by calling the number on your website. Call during the day. Does anyone answer, or do you get lost in an endless string of knowl-

Sales Down?

Sales are not exclusively about the health of your sales staff. That is why sales training does not vaccinate your business against failure. Do not be fooled; if your sales staff is tired and bitter your sales will be also. If your inside staff is rude or annoyed with having to take a prospect’s or customer’s calls, they will dial again and the next dial will be to your competitors. When your project management

December 09 • January 10/Hamilton County Business Magazine

team puts more creativity into their excuses for being late than into the project itself, rest assured their creativity will be recognized. NEVER make excuses for business failures. You are only wasting the client’s time. By getting your internal business health together and treating the customer as if their time is valuable, you will ward off the virus of business failure in most instances.

Take Action

Engage a series of “healthy” team meetings focused on taking a fresh look at the top 10 things that you

want your customers and prospects to remember about your organization. Discuss with your teams what barriers exist toward achieving these. A word of caution, these meetings are not to be about blaming people for failure. They are about taking a fresh look at your priorities. After all, being easy to do business with is essential to the health of your organization. J. Michelle Sybesma is a business consultant specializing in solving professional challenges that keep businesses from excelling. Find her on the web at www.SkillsConsulting.com.

Management Robby Slaughter

Making Meetings Work for You and Your Business Chances are pretty good you went to a meeting this week. And, you probably felt that at least part of that meeting was a waste of your time. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. According to effectivemeetings.com, the typical professional attends more than sixty meetings a month and reports that half of meeting time is wasted. With 11 million meetings occurring in the

U.S. every day, we are losing hours of productivity sitting in offices and conference rooms. It’s tempting to abandon meetings altogether, but there are reasons to meet. People can achieve more by working as a team. Companies, nonprofits and community organizations should be meeting. What we need is a better model.

Meeting Types

There are two kinds of meetings: those which are routine and those which are called in response to a crisis. We can’t do much about the latter because we cannot predict the future. However, regular meetings can be improved tremendously by making them more effective, more engaging, and more productive. Let’s acknowledge that there are really only two possible reasons to have a routine meeting: to brainstorm ideas or to

make a decision. There used to be a third reason to hold a recurring meeting: to make announcements. This function is now obsolete thanks to a 4,000 year-old invention called writing. Verbal announcements at routine meetings are the single largest source of wasted time. An announcement isn’t the start of a discussion, it’s not up for debate, nor is it meant to inspire or

educate. Announcements are just facts. Send them in an email so they can actually be tracked by the recipient—instead of speaking aloud and hoping people remember the details. By eliminating routine announcements from meetings, we can focus just on the two categories of tasks: brainstorming ideas or making decisions. But to do this, meeting organizers should document what will occur and what was completed. This first is called an agenda and the second is called a summary.

Getting Organized

Without an agenda, meetings are basically social engagements. There’s no reason to show up except to see people you know, there’s no knowing what will actually happen and there’s no clear start or end. A written agenda allows participants to prepare for a meeting and to decide if they even need to be involved. A written agenda also ensures that meetings have a clear purpose. Never hold a

routine meeting without an agenda. Secondly, the meeting must have a written summary. The other reason meetings waste our time is a lack of accountability. An old adage maintains “talk is cheap.” A summary captures all of the ideas and decisions made during the meeting. Assigned tasks or next steps are distributed to the appropriate stakeholders. People who were not at the meeting can read

the summary to find out what happened. A meeting summary document helps to ensure that the meeting has real value and people carry out assigned work. If meetings are taking up too much time in your business, volunteer organization or elsewhere in your professional life, make these changes. Require that meetings have agendas and that they be documented with a meeting summary. Eliminate announcements from meetings and move them to email or other publications. And if you’re just someone attending meetings, not organizing them, ask if you can help make meetings better. Call a meeting to discuss ideas, and use that meeting to demonstrate to others a smarter way to work. Robby Slaughter is a principal with Slaughter Development, an Indianapolis-based business process and workflow consulting company. More information is at www.slaughterdevelopment.com

Hamilton County Business Magazine/December 09 • January 10

Management Laina Molaski

Tips for the downsized: Here’s how to get back in after a job loss Many people have been asking me this year to help them find jobs. In my capacity as a consultant I spend a lot of time looking for just that right person for my business clients when they are in need. It has been fairly easy recently because there are so many talented and experienced people on the market. While this has been a good thing for business owners, it is not necessarily a good thing for the currently unemployed because there is a very large pool of available talent and the competi-

Follow people in your industry, follow companies in which you are interested. This is a great way to learn and get exposure. You can use Twellow to find people with certain key words in their bio to follow. Strategic usage can really expand your reach. c. Many of your friends on Facebook may be just that, friends. However using your status updates to keep people up to date on what you are doing is a good way to stay on the forefront of people’s mind.

4. Always follow up. Don’t be a pest but follow up at least twice if you have not heard anything. Just to inquire about the status.

tion is much fiercer. People often ask what they can do to market themselves. Fortunately, in this day and age of technology and social media there are many opportunities.

Resumes and Cover Letters

(which is why research is important). The old rule of thumb of dressing for the job above the one you want is still a good rule to follow.

Finding Job Leads

1. There is always the traditional way. Look in the newspaper, on CareerBuilder, and Monster. 2. Use social media tools a. Linked In is a great tool for keeping in touch with business connections and making new ones. Have previous employers write you a recommendation, use the status update feature to let folks know you are on the market and what you are doing, actively look for connections to the industry or company in which you are seeking employment. b. Twitter is a great way to grow your “friend” base outside the norms of your everyday life.

1. Create the most compelling resume you can, free of flowery language, spelling and grammar errors, and typos. 2. There is more than one way to write a resume and the format can be depend on the job you are seeking and your professional and educational experience fit for that particular job. You may want a skills based resume for some jobs and an experience based resume for others. Do not cookie cutter. Make sure each resume is tailored specifically for the job. 3. While many job ads ask for an electronic resume I recommend always following up with a mailed or dropped off hard copy. This shows a higher level of commitment. Sending an email is easy. It takes a little more effort to do it the old fashioned way but it will put your name in front of them twice and that can be a good thing.

December 09 • January 10/Hamilton County Business Magazine

The Interview

1. Prepare thoroughly. Research the company and have a list of questions ready to ask about the company, the culture, where they are headed etc. 2. Dress professionally and within the guidelines of what is appropriate for the company

Post Interview

1. Follow up is important. After the interview, even if you decided it probably wasn’t the job for you, send a follow up thank you note thanking them for their time. 2. If it is a job you are interested in follow up at least three times. You want to convey how interested you are and this extra effort may help you get an edge over someone else with similar qualifications but less persistence. These are just a very few tips to get started on an effective job search. Your main goal is to be the one who stands out, in a good way. Laina Molaski is the president of C&S Consulting LLC in Fishers

Management Kyle Lacy

The Future of Selling Is Mobile The future of marketing is about two things: portability and experiences. I am not trying to be a futurist or wave a magic wand, but it is the truth. The world of marketing and communication has already changed and will continue to change dramatically in the coming years because of mobile devices, which give people the ability to share their experiences in seconds. Whether you are in a bank or in a restaurant, walking your dog, or hanging with friends outside a slushy store, you have the ability to send a comment within a millisecond, and that has enormous consequences in the marketing world. People can choose to use Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIN, Flickr, Plaxo, Myspace, or any other site online right from their phone. Pick your poison.

Portability

Portability is mobility. And what does mobility mean to the marketing and public relations industries? Everything. Your marketing department (even if you’re a department of one) should be focusing on the portable lives of your consumers. Have you been focusing on where your customers are digesting content? Mobile phone domination will grow even larger in the next couple of years and social media will be right behind it. There is no better way (other than text messaging) to utilize the iPhone or Palm Pre than to take advantage of applications that can be used to strengthen relationships with customers. The concept of social media won’t die because of the surge of the

mobile device; instead it will grow with it. Customer service is going to be dependent on using social media because of people’s ability to share an experience with the world in real time. This is powerful stuff.

Experiences

Selling in today’s environment is almost completely dependent on the customers’ experience. Peer recommendations have always been a staple... referral and word of mouth marketing are directly connected to success. Social media have made experiential marketing and referral marketing even more powerful because of the ease of sharing a mes-

sage. Social media are strengthened by the experiences that customers share online. It is extremely important for a business to understand the potential as well as the importance of using social media to empower your customers to share your message. There are other reasons to join, research, and implement social media but the future of the tool is in the ability to leverage portability and customer experiences. Kyle Lacy is founder and CEO of Brandswag, a social media design, strategy, and education firm.

“7 solid leads and they’re still coming in” The owners of the Mill Top Banquet Hall and Conference Center knew there was a demand for conference space in Noblesville but the response they got from their single ad in the last Hamilton County Business Magazine was much better than expected.“It’s the only place we advertised so we know where the leads are coming from,” says Rocky Shanehsaz. And, the magazine circulates for two full months so it continues to deliver even after the initial mailing. “We’re still getting calls six weeks later.”

Let us help you reach more customers: 774-7747 | mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com

We are Hamilton County’s best business to business marketing medium Hamilton County Business Magazine/December 09 • January 10

The Fight for the Right to Sell

Sunday sales also on the table as local liquor stores aim to preserve their market niche Story and photos by William Fouts

rad Rider learned the package liquor business from the ground up. Starting as a part-time store clerk for United Package Liquors, he worked his way up through the company to become President and CEO of the Indianapolis-based liquor chain in 2002. The 40-year-old executive oversees 24 stores, including three in Fishers and one in Carmel. Last year, United Package raked in revenues of $25 million, and Rider has plans to add or acquire more stores.

However, proposed legislation before the Indiana General Assembly could change those plans. Grocery and convenience store chains and big box general retailers like Wal-Mart and Meijer are lobbying to end Indiana’s 76-year ban on Sunday carryout liquor sales and to extend cold beer sales beyond the exclusive reach of package liquor stores. Should a bill pass the legislature, Rider says Sunday sales alone would force him to make serious cutbacks.

December 09 • January 10/Hamilton County Business Magazine

“I’m probably going to have to consolidate two or three stores just to survive Sunday sales,” Rider said. Randy Zion has been in the package liquor game for 36 years. He owns two Vintage Spirits liquor stores in Noblesville and another five Liquor Barn outlets in Indianapolis. Zion says independent owners are already losing ground to big retail. He offers an even grimmer assessment.

it will continue its legislative efforts, and at least one legislator is willing to take up their cause. Testifying before the study committee at its hearing in September, Sen. Phil Boots, Brad Rider, president and CEO of United Package Liquor, is a leader R-Crawfordsville, in the effort to defeat Sunday carryout sales in Indiana. said he plans to introduce a bill “With six-days a week we may be in during the next legislative session. Delong-term trouble. With seven-day a spite the study committee vote, he says week sales, we may be toast,” he said. those plans haven’t changed.

Contradictory Laws

Rider and Zion, along with the Indiana Association of Beverage Retailers, which represents 8,000 package liquor store employees and roughly half of the approximately 1,000 package liquor stores in Indiana, are leaders in the fight against Sunday carryout and cold beer sales. For the time being, they have the upper hand. After two years of examining the issues, the Interim Study Committee on Alcoholic Beverage Issues, a bipartisan panel of state lawmakers, voted not to recommend changing the state’s Sunday carryout and cold beer sales laws.

“I think it is something that needs to be done. The laws need to be updated,” Boots said. Boots is co-owner of Boots Brothers Oil Company, which owns four convenience stores. He and the big retailers argue Indiana’s liquor laws are antiquated and contradictory. In testimony before the study committee, he said 14 states prohibit the sale of alcohol on Sundays. However, Indiana is one of only three that permit alcohol sales by the drink in bars and restaurants on Sundays, and Indiana is the only state that allows grocery, drug and convenience stores to sell warm beer but not cold beer.

Proponents say allowing Sunday alcohol sales would be more convenient for consumers, promote greater competition and, of course, boost the bottom line for retailers on the second busiest shopping day of the week. On one key point, Zion agrees with critics of the state’s current liquor laws: they are contradictory. While access to package liquor stores is restricted to customers who are at least 21 years old, alcoholic beverage sections of grocery and convenience stores are accessible to anyone of any age. By law, liquor stores can carry only alcoholic beverages and a highly limited number of ancillary items such as tobacco products, corkscrews, bottle openers, ice, etc. Clerks in package stores must also be at least 21 and receive training through the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission. In addition, just to own a liquor store in Indiana, an owner must be a resident of the state for at least five years, and the store must be located within the corporate limits of a city or town. “We’ve made all these covenants with the state, but the grocery stores haven’t had to,” Zion said. “I don’t think it’s right. I don’t think it’s fair, and I don’t think is good for the state of Indiana.”

However, Hoosiers for Beverage Choices, the lobby group representing grocery and big box retail interests, says

Package liquor store owners say lifting Indiana’s ban on Sunday carryout sales will raise overhead and force job cuts. Hamilton County Business Magazine/December 09 • January 10

manager for grocery giant Kroger, said restricting cold beer sales to package liquor stores amounts to an unfair statemandated monopoly. He said liquor stores charge a premium of as much as $4 per case for cold beer. Beer accounts for 49 percent of sales in United Package Liquor stores and cold beer accounts for 80 percent of that. Rider says adding another 2,300 grocery and convenience stores as sales points for cold beer could be devastating to package liquor stores. Clerks in grocery and convenience stores can sell liquor at only 19 and do not require special training. The big retail lobby argues walling off their liquor sections and adding trained staff would be cost prohibitive, prevent shoppers with children from making alcohol purchases and limit cross merchandising opportunities. Grocers and big box stores routinely scatter liquor displays throughout their

stores, pairing them with food items, party supplies and other merchandise. “If they want seven-day a week sales, let’s tell them they have to have the same controls we have,” Zion said. But Boots said his bill would not call for new controls for groceries and big boxes. His bill would add a special Sunday sales and cold beer fee for retailers other than liquor stores. Revenues from those fees would be used for increased enforcement and alcohol awareness education.

Unfair monopoly?

Proponents say adding Sunday sales would recapture tax revenues lost to outof-state Sunday sales. According to an estimate from the Indiana Retail Council, the state loses as much as $9 million a year in sales taxes from Hoosiers who cross state lines on Sundays to buy liquor. Rider dismisses that notion, arguing alcohol sales flow both ways over Indiana’s

borders. He says while some Hoosiers may go out of state to buy liquor on Sundays, residents from neighboring states come to Indiana daily to take advantage of lower sales tax rates.

“I could sell cold beer at cost and still not be able to compete with that,” Rider said. The next move is up to the General Assembly. Rider says he expects Boots’ bill to get a hearing in the Senate Public Policy Committee, chaired by Sen. Ron Alting, R-Lafayette, who was one of the four Interim Study Committee members who voted against maintaining the state’s Sunday carryout sales ban.

Still, he remains optimisic the legislature will follow the recommendations of the commitee. In conversations Rider has had with both Democratic and Republican leadership, top lawmakers have indicated there may be little will in the General Sunday sales would almost certainly Assembly to pass legislation against the boost revenues for groceries and wishes of a taxpayer funded study or one convenience stores, which are generally that would weaken liquor regulations open on Sundays anyway. Rider estimates and/or cost Hoosiers their jobs. United Package Liquor’s labor costs alone will increase by $70,000 per store. He “What gets me about this is not a single does not project enough sales growth on Wal-Mart or Meijer or grocery store will Sundays to cover those expenses. close because of Sunday sales,” Rider said. Retailers want to sell cold beer as well. “They’ll be just fine.” v Speaking before the Interim Study Committee, John Elliott, public affairs

December 09 • January 10/Hamilton County Business Magazine

Dining Out

Not Just Italian…Northern Italian

Carmel restaurant features unexpected delights from the mountains of Italy Story and photos by Scott Tyree

later Gino sold the restaurant to current owner Lee Tyler so he could focus on Ambrosia. Lee left his career in computer science to pursue his dream of owning a restaurant. No stranger to the kitchen, Lee was helping out in his family’s restaurant as soon as he was able to peel a potato. His parents owned and operated the Evergreen Café in downtown Rochester, Indiana from 1971 to 2002, when they decided to sell the business and retire. Their success taught him that a high quality product coupled with excellent service is the key to longevity in the industry. Over the last decade chefs like Mario Batali have brought Northern Italian cuisine into the mainstream. While Hamilton County enjoys several excellent Italian choices, Carmel’s only locally owned and operated Italian restaurant is

Mangia, started in 1997 by local legend Gino Pizzi, owner of Ambrosia Italian Restaurant in Broad Ripple. Six years

Tucked into a shopping center on the southwest corner of 116th St. and Rangeline Road, Mangia is unassuming upon first glance. However, don’t be fooled by its location. Mangia is a fine Italian eatery serving food based on 50 to 100 year old recipes. Each night they

mary. Fresh steaks, veal and chicken are also featured throughout the menu. Winters in the mountains of Northern Italy are a stark contrast to the moderate Mediterranean climate in the south. When winter strikes, people find comfort in rich, hearty soups. Mangia’s Chef Raul has seven classic soup recipes served in rotation. Also comforting during a cold winter is a glass of fine wine. Mangia’s wine list is comprised of 40 labels, over half of which are imported from Northern Italy. Upon entering the restaurant, you will find a wall covered in neatly framed pictures. A local “celebrity” recently asked to have his picture placed on the wall and owner Lee Tyler responded by saying “Come back each month for the next 3 or 4 months and we will talk about it.”

entertain a host of regulars, with some transient business from the Meridian St. corridor. The food is authentically prepared using the freshest possible ingredients. If you were to arrive before the 5:00 opening as I did, you would hear the line cooks anxiously prepping the ingredients for the night’s service. The valleys of northern Italy are ideally suited for raising cattle and hogs, so beef, veal and pork are important staples in any northern Italian diet. Mangia’s Rosticciana is an elegant example of the role pork plays in the cuisine. Pork loin is stuffed with pancetta (think of it as Italian bacon) and mushrooms, topped with a marsala wine sauce and roasted. It is finished with a dusting of fresh rose-

Pleasing his loyal customers is what Lee enjoys most about owning the business and this philosophy has produced a fiercely loyal following in Hamilton County. Stop by and find out why people keep coming back to this unique northern Italian eatery.

Hamilton County Business Magazine/December 09 • January 10

Profile

Acorn Farm Antiques By Deb Buehler Photos by Bobbie Sutton

gether they were a force of nature in their own right.

What started in 1933 as an adventure trek called “Little Acorn” grew to a fullfledged summer camp, and today is a charming Westfield antique shop.

photo courtesy Jill Mead

Herb and Dee Sweet had just graduated from Butler University with a strong desire to engage children in nature. Their first day camp programs were conducted from the back of a red station wagon traveling to parks throughout the state. Together the Sweets grew their interest in children and nature to the point of purchasing 40 acres along the banks of Cool Creek on Oak Road, just north of 161st Street. The property they dubbed Acorn Farm Camp became one of the premier private summer day camps in the country.

Dee and Herb Sweet in the original Acorn Country Store – Herb passed away in 2000 and Dee in 2007. Both were 92 at the time of their deaths.

From 1933 until 1977, Acorn Camp served hundreds of Indianapolis-area children under the generous and gentle guidance of Herb Sweet. Herb was an Eagle Scout, taught at the Orchard School in Indianapolis and led Boy Scout troops, teaching his love of the natural world. Behind the scenes, Dee’s leadership and management approach kept the camp running smoothly – to-

Their daughters, Judee Sweet and Jill Sweet Mead, caught the spirit of their entrepreneurial parents. “They worked hard continuing to reinvent themselves,” Judee said. “They loved and listened to children, were mentors for many of the counselors and showed everyone that the best way to learn was by doing.” Everything at camp was interactive. If you were fishing for crawdads, Herb was teaching about the life cycle of a crawdad. Children could choose their activities and counselors. From sand lot ball to hiking trails to pony rides to swimming to fishing the creek, there was something for everyone. Herb and Dee were behind it all with creativity and enthusiasm. “Mom and Dad were committed, worked hard and brought integrity to all of it,” Judee said. “There were hardly ever discipline problems because everything that fascinated Dad fascinated kids too. Children were allowed to make mistakes and learn from them.”

From Camp to Antiques

Herb and Dee were curious adults and life-long learners. As an adult, Dee continued taking courses at Butler. They both read extensively and liked to talk about many different things. From a desire to teach history grew the Acorn Country Store. The building for the store was dismantled and moved to the farm from its original location on State Road 32.

December 09 • January 10/Hamilton County Business Magazine

Mic and Jill Mead

“As kids began learning about the country store,” Judee explained, “they wanted to be able to buy things there.” That’s how the antique business began. In 1959 the Sweets built a new structure on the property to serve as Acorn Farm Antiques. Complete with a kitchen, two bathrooms and what could be three bedrooms, the building beautifully shows off the antiques still sold there today. As an adult, Jill’s life had taken her and her family to California. Fifteen years ago they returned to Indiana. “We were fortunate to be able to buy the farm when it became too much for Dad to care for. They closed the store and moved to Carmel. Not long after we moved to the farm, we re-opened the store under our own management.” Jill, her husband Mic, and daughter Becky operate the Acorn Farm Antiques today. Because of the store, Jill and Judee often see former campers and counselors. “People come back to the camp with tears in their eyes,” Jill said. “They relive their childhood memories and share the

News Senior Housing Apartments Open in Noblesville and Sheridan Low-income seniors have new, Creek and from $305 to affordable options in Nobles$550 at Spicewood. All ville and Sheridan. Hamilton six Noblesville apartCounty Area Neighborhood ments are already rented Development, Inc. (HAND) to approved tenants. The has opened Plum Tree Garmajority of the units at dens – a six unit duplex comSpicewood are already munity at South and Sixth rented as well. Plum Tree Gardens Spicewood Gardens Streets in Noblesville and Spicewood Gardens, a 25 unit apartment community west of State Both developments are funded through a combination of federal, Road 38 and just north of 2nd Street in Sheridan. Both communi- state and county affordable housing program funds. The City ties consist of two-bedroom duplexes with covered front porches. of Noblesville waived park, road and sanitary sewer impact fees along with building permits and other fees. Both are candidates for Independent living communities for seniors 55 and older, Plum LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, containTree Gardens and Spicewood Gardens are HAND’s first affordable ing environmentally friendly features like native plants in the rental housing option in the county. Both apartment complexes landscaping and energy efficient fixtures and materials. have many details enabling residents to age in place, including accessibility for those who cannot walk HAND was formed as a nonprofit organization in 2003 in easily, washers and dryers, walk-in clos- response to a housing needs assessment by the Hamilton County ets and two emergency call buttons in Board of Commissioners, which identified a substantial need each apartment. Rents are determined for housing in the county that is affordable for working families, based upon resident income with a seniors and those with disabilities. For more information visit range from $400-$450 monthly at Plum www.handincorporated.org.

Jaros Receives State Award

Janet S. Jaros, Clerk-Treasurer for the City of Noblesville, was awarded the 2009 Financial Management Award from the Indiana Association of Cities and Janet S. Jaros Towns. The award recognizes outstanding achievements in fiscal management, financial recording, and leadership in public office. Jaros is now in her fourth term as clerk-treasurer and has received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting every year since 1999.

Developer Buys Sheridan School

A Noblesville developer plans to renovate Sheridan’s Adams Elementary school into offices and a conference center. Rocky Shanehsaz submitted the high bid of $85,000 for the school, which is still being used for classes this year. Shanehsaz will begin work in August. He has been remodeling Noblesville’s Model Mill building into office space and a banquet center. Sheridan’s new elementary school opens this fall.

Fohrer promoted at Community Health

Jon Fohrer has been promoted to CEO of ambulatory services for the Community Health Network. He had served as network vice president of ambulatory services since 2002 and led the orthopedic service line since 2006. Jon Fohrer

Hamilton County Business Magazine/December 09 • January 10

News tel,” said Paul O’Conner, General Manager. Peterson’s Restaurant, Fishers was honored in the business category for their outstanding service.

Carmel Offers Alternative Transportation System The Carmel Access Bikeway System (CAB) is completed and will provide safer alternative transportation for cyclists. The CAB network uses city streets, multi-use paths, and bike lanes in a system of loops and express routes for cyclists to use. Five CAB loops are geared toward recreational rides, range from seven to fourteen miles, and navigate riders throughout the city.

City Hall and then “take the CAB”! For more information and examples of signage, visit www.bikecarmel.com.

Convention and Visitors Bureau Awards Tourism STAR

Britni Stephens of Renaissance Indianapolis/North, Carmel was named Tourism Star for the third quarter. “Britni is one of the most dependable, consistent and friendly associates at the Renaissance Ho-

Express Routes are more direct and are intended to help cyclists, especially commuters, get from one side of Clay Township to the other more efficiently and safely. There are two north/south and six east/west express routes. Cyclists are able to travel anywhere within Carmel on the CAB system. Signs and pavement inlays help cyclists of all skill levels navigate. The pavement inlays are simply arrows color coded according to the bike route or loop and show the direction that cyclists should travel.

Paul O’Conner and Britni Stephens

Ron Carter, City Council member and bicycling advocate, noted that Carmel has well over 100 miles of new bicycling infrastructure. “This is another indication of why Carmel has been chosen by the League of American Bicyclists as a Bicycle Friendly City”. He urges Carmel residents to pick up one of the new route maps at

December 09 • January 10/Hamilton County Business Magazine

Peterson’s staff

Nominees included: Rachel Merrill, Westfield Historical Society; Cheresa Williams, Hilton Garden Inn-Carmel; Robert Brown, Springhill Suites-Carmel; the 2009 U.S. Senior Open Championship Committee and Kelties Restaurant and Catering Staff.

Ted Allen to Serve as Hamilton County’s “Foodie”

Carmel High School and Purdue University grad Ted Allen, writer and star of the shows “Chopped” and “Food Detectives,” will star in a 2010 web and print promotional campaign in key HC target travel markets. “His reputation as a smart yet approachable food expert, and his close ties to Hamilton County make him an appealing spokesperson,” says Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Brenda Myers.

News Healthcare Campus Opens in Noblesville

Ted Allen

“I’m delighted to serve as Hamilton County’s official Foodie for this campaign, for lots of reasons.” Allen said. “It reflects the fact that the delicious, seasonal, localoriented cooking is sweeping the country and that’s exciting. There are so many delicious and ambitious restaurants in the area now, as well as great farmer’s markets and other food and wine attractions. I’m proud of my home town for that, and I’m happy to help them tell that story.”

Jackson Commercial Real Estate and Community Health Network opened Hamilton Healthcare Campus on the southwest corner of 146th Street and Cumberland Road in Noblesville. Initially, Community Health Network will occupy 40,000 square feet of the 122,000-square-foot, three-story building. The medical facility will include primary care services, physician specialists, a MedChek, imaging services, rehab and sports medicine, and a community conference center for patient education and use by community groups.

Members of Community Health Network cutting the ribbon at the Hamilton Healthcare Campus grand opening event include (from left to right) Nichole Wilson, director, Community Rehab & Sport Medicine Center; Jeff Beatty, director, Community Imaging Center; Gary Erskine, regional practice director, Community Physicians of Indiana; Jon Fohrer, vice president, Ambulatory Division, Community Health Network; Steven Wilk, MD, Community Physicians of Noblesville, Community Physicians of Indiana; David Bolin, MD, Community Physicians of Noblesville, Community Physicians of Indiana.

Hamilton County Business Magazine/December 09 • January 10

December 09 â&#x20AC;˘ January 10/Hamilton County Business Magazine

Hamilton County Business Magazine/December 09 â&#x20AC;˘ January 10

www.hamiltonnorthchamber.com

HAMILTON NORTH

Hamilton North Chamber 70 N. Byron Street Cicero, IN 46034 317-984-4079

Upcoming Events! DECEMBER 2009

Tuesday, December 8 Hamilton North Holiday Celebration ~ 11:30 am Red Bridge Park Community Building, Special Holiday Meal and Entertainment by Indiana Academy Bell Choir

JANUARY 2010

Tuesday, January 5 Hamilton North Chamber Luncheon ~ 11:30 am Cicero United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, Speaker: Pat Fox, CEO of Riverview Hospital

Monday, January 11 Legislative Breakfast ~ 7:30 am

The Mansion at Oak Hill

4th Quarter Winner: Debbie Beaudin, Ambassador Committee Chair, awards the Bell of Recognition to Lindsey Lawson, owner of Power Teamwear. New Members: Electronic Telephone Systems Jackson Township Trustee Heartland Teas & Herbs

Sherri Dawson, Autumnwood Village, presented the Business Spotlight at the October luncheon

Shawn Neal, Anderson Creative Solutions, was the October luncheon speaker providing members with tips on using social networking sites. Dr. Richard Hayes/ Clarian Health Cicero prepares for a massage from Vickie Rodgers/ Hamilton County Chiropractic

First Merchants showed their Team Spirit with Mary Ann Uberto and Charlie Horse; First Merchants shared the People’s Choice award with Alexander’s Catering

Pauleeta Browning/Hamilton Heights Educational Foundation and Gwen Hunter/ Hamiliton Heights School Board talk at the Business Showcase

December 09 • January 10/Hamilton County Business Magazine

Steve LaFollette and Tom LaFollette, Electronic Telephone Systems, joined the Chamber in October

Brett Morrow of H&R Block Tax & Business Services attempts to get the artichoke dip recipe from Cathy from Alexander’s Catering

Corey Sylvester/Edward Jones talks business and football with Jenna Majors/Meridian Title

Betsy Townsend/ All About Brides in Tipton showcased her business

UPCoMiNg EvENTS! DECEMBER 2009

December 2 – 11:30 a.m. Holiday Membership Luncheon

JANUARY 2010

Purgatory Golf Club 12160 E. 216th Street

December 3 – 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Holiday Business After Hours

January 11 – 7:30 a.m. Legislative Breakfast

Hamilton County Legislative Task Force The Mansion at Oak Hill 5801 E. 116th Street

January 14 – 8:00 a.m. NetWORKS!

Mr. G’s Liquors 2209 E. Conner Street

Paradise Bakery - Hamilton Town Center 13230 Harrell Parkway, Suite 400

January 21 – 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Business After Hours

Work-Life Balance Chamber Office 601 E. Conner Street

Sura Spa - Hamilton Town Center 14297 Bergen Boulevard, Suite 100

January 27 – 11:30 a.m. Membership Luncheon

December 10 – 8:00 a.m. NetWORKS!

Hamilton County Commissioner Steve Dillinger’s State of the County Address Purgatory Golf Club 12160 E. 216th Street

NEW MEMBERS

Liz Funk & Ryan Matthies GreenCycle of Noblesville

Gerri & Jim DeBruin Slide-Lok of Indianapolis

Tammy Sollenberger Hamilton County Spay/Neuter Clinic

Stephen Mirante, Lowe’s Home Improvement Rebecca Clark, Advanced Property Services

Angie & Bill Labinowicz, Hamilton County Lawn Care, Hoosier Gardener, Hoosier LawnChem, Holiday Bright Lights

Chris Owens Window Makeover

NEWSMAKERS

Len Finchum, Street Commissioner for the Noblesville Street Department, was honored for his service to the community at the Chamber’s September membership luncheon. Mayor Ditslear presented the certificate.

www.noblesvillechamber.com

Mudsocks Grill 14741 Hazel Dell Crossing, Suite 1000

NOBLESVILLE

December 9 – 8:00 a.m. Chamber University

Cambria Suites receives the Community Pride Award for September. Lou Anne Willis and Mark Kuiper accepted the award presented by the Chamber. Cambria is located at 13500 Tegler Drive across from Hamilton Town Center.

Noblesville Chamber 601 Conner Street Noblesville, IN 46060 317-773-0086

Mayor John Ditslear cut the ribbon to welcome Dr. Steve Salkeld, Incredible Changes Dentistry to Noblesville. Joining in the celebration were Dr. Salkeld’s wife, Erin (far right), friends, staff and Chamber Ambassadors. The office is located at 14139 Town Center Blvd., Suite 200 in Hamilton Town Center.

Hamilton County Business Magazine/December 09 • January 10

www.sheridanchamber.org

SHERIDAN

Sheridan Chamber 407 S. Main Street P.O. Box 202 Sheridan, IN 46069 317-758-1311

Upcoming Chamber Luncheons

New Business in Sheridan

December 3, 2009 - Holiday Luncheon Derek Arrowood, Sheridan Community Schools – “State of the School” Address 11:30-12:30p.m.

The Sheridan Chamber of Commerce would like to welcome a new business to Sheridan.

Sheridan Community Center 300 E. 6th St., Sheridan

Sheridan Mercantile 301 S. Main Street Sheridan, IN

New Chamber Members

January 28, 2010 David Thornberry-VP Sales/Marketing - The Times 11:30-12:30p.m

Hoosier Pet Shop Claudette Breen 317/758-5778 1924 W.SR 38 Sheridan, IN

Shady’s Place 401 S. Main Street, Sheridan

New Chamber Assistant The Chamber began an Internship this year with students. Acacia Scott, the first intern, graduated in May and is now attending Ball State University. Our second intern is Ashley Gibson. Ashley is a freshman at Sheridan High School and began her duties at the Chamber in August this year. Ashley is in the office Monday thru Friday from 3:15 to 5:15p.m. Please stop in and say welcome her to the Chamber. For those who know Doug Gibson, our friendly UPS Representative, Ashley is his daughter. Ashley is doing a wonderful job!

The Sheridan Chamber of Commerce wishes everyone a very Happy Holiday!

At the Holiday Luncheon on December 3, the Chamber is collecting Canned Food donations to benefit MAMA’s Cupboard! Please bring a can or two to Help For The Holidays!

Mark The Date! Sheridan Sesquicentennial June 25 - July 4, 2010 The Sheridan Chamber is looking for guest speakers for 2010! If you or you know someone who would like to speak, please contact the chamber office at 758-1311!

Be sure to visit the Sheridan Chamber Website, www.sheridanchamber.org for information on all upcoming events! December 09 • January 10/Hamilton County Business Magazine

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

DECEMBER 2009 JANUARY 2010

Westfield & Carmel Chamber Joint Networking Breakfast Thursday, December 3rd ~ 7:30 - 9:00 a.m.

Charleston’s, 14636 North Meridian, Westfield Reservations required by November 30th RSVP to 804-3030 ~ events@westfield-chamber.org

Economic Development Meeting Monday, December 7th ~ 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Membership Luncheon Thursday, December 17th ~ 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Economic Development Meeting Monday, January 11th ~ 11:30 a.m.

Old Country Buffet, Village Park Plaza – Westfield Reservations: 317-804-3030 or info@westfield-chamber.org

Membership Luncheon January 21st ~ 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

“Westfield Chamber 2010” Meet new board members and hear about plans and projects for the upcoming year. The Bridgewater Club 161st and Carey Road ~ Westfield Reservations: 317-804-3030 or info@westfield-chamber.org

WESTFIELD CHAMBER’S HAPPENINGS FROM OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER 2009

Gerry Dick, President, and Managing Editor of Grow INdiana Media Ventures, addressed the state of the Indiana economy with the Westfield Chamber of Commerce membership.

Members of all six Hamilton County Chambers came together for a countywide networking breakfast at the Mansion at Oak Hill.

Bolden’s Cleaning and Restoration staff along with Mayor Ditslear cut the ribbon celebrating the opening of their new location at 112 Park 32 West Drive in Noblesville.

Laurie Damalak & Michael Kilpatrick, Palomino Ballroom Business After Hours

Troy Buchanan and his staff, along with the City of Westfield Police and Fire Departments hosted a Patriot Day ceremony at Chic-fil-A at Westfield.

www.westfield-chamber.org

Wood Wind Golf Club, 2302 W 161st St Annual State of the Schools Address Presented by Superintendent, Dr. Mark Keen Catered by Kelties RSVP by Friday, December 11th 317-804-3030 or events@westfield-chamber.org

This is the first in the 2010 Legislative Breakfast Series. - Sponsored by Krieg DeVault The Mansion at Oak Hill 116th Street & Hazel Dell Parkway Reservations: 317-804-3030 or info@westfield-chamber.org

WESTFIELD

Old Country Buffet Village Park Plaza – Westfield Reservations: 804-3030 or info@westfield-chamber.org

Legislative Breakfast January 11th ~ 7:30 a.m.

Westfield Chamber 130 Penn Street P.O. Box 534 Westfield, IN 46074 317-804-3030

The Westfield Chamber can be seen each month on Comcast Channel 19. Hometown Television produces the show and Sanders Glen Senior Apartment Community in Westfield is the host location.

Hamilton County Business Magazine/December 09 • January 10

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Hamilton County History David Heighway

The Fur Trade – Hamilton County’s First Industry When it comes to business models, the simple exchange of one item for another is about as basic as it gets. For close to a century, from around 1717 to around 1820, this kind of activity is what powered the economy of the area that would become Hamilton County. The fur trade was the first known business and the root of all that came afterward. The aboriginal residents and the first European traders both came to the area in the same way – via the trail from the Ohio River to the Wabash River that was later known by the name of the Lafayette Trace. The first European traders in the area that we know of were probably from Vincennes. The Brouilettes were a French family that received a license in 1801 to trade with the Miami Indians. This apparently included the Delaware Indians who had obtained permission from the Miamis in the late 1700’s to settle in the area after being pushed from their homes in the east. The Brouilettes, (also spelled Bruett, Bullett, Bennett, etc.), established a trading post at the Delaware village on the site of present-day Strawtown. This was a prime spot, as it was the largest village in the area. The family also established a post at what was known as Lower Delaware Village, which was roughly where 96th Street crosses White River today (you could say they were the first Castleton merchants). Members of the family – John Brouilette and his halfDelaware wife, Barbara – stayed in the county until the 1820’s and owned property in the area that would become Carmel.

William Conner arrives

The best known trader in the area was William Conner. He arrived in 1802 and established his post on a ford in the river where Conner Prairie is today. Conner had established his credibility with the Indians by marrying a Delaware woman named Mekinges who was related to several tribal leaders. He was quite successful in his trading business. The only other trader that we know lived in the area was Pete Smith – an AfricanAmerican who lived with Indians at the spot on White River where it is joined by Stoney Creek. We don’t know when he arrived, but it was sometime before 1819.

In the archeological work at Strawtown Koteewi Park, a piece of trade silver was found. This was a silver pin that could be worn on the clothing as an ornament and could be traded again later. The Indians in return had pelts from nearly every kind of animal in the area – the most valuable being beaver. The Indians were very shrewd in their trading. Since most bundles of pelts were sold by weight, they would often not scrape all of the animal tissue from the skin side. This would sometimes be discovered when the pelts were inspected for quality. A key sign of quality was the color of the skin side. If the animal was killed in the proper season, a skin would be yellow – out of season, the skin would be blue. Generally, though, the skins prepared by the Indians were considered to be of superior quality to those prepared by Europeans. We have some idea of prices from William Conner’s dealings with later trappers. In 1800’s values, beaver skins were worth $1.00 to $1.25 a pound, while an entire deerskin was $1.00 for a buck and 67 to 75 cents for a doe. A bearskin could be worth anywhere from $1.25 to $5.00, depending on quality. Fox, mink, and wildcat were 50 to 67 cents. Raccoons were very plentiful and were worth 37 ½ to 40 cents, but a good skin could bring $1.00. Muskrats were 25 cents, and weasels, ground hogs, and opossums, while used by the Indians in their clothing, had no trade value.

Price Points

The fur trade in Hamilton County could be considered to have ended with Treaty of St. Mary’s in 1818, when the Indians agreed to move farther west and the area was opened to white settlement. The Delaware were gone by 1822, removing one of the key sources of pelts. Mekinges went with them and Conner married a white woman settler about three months after she left. The Brouilettes had already returned to Vincennes. Pete Smith was taken away by a man who claimed that Smith was his runaway slave and was never seen again. Pioneers moved into the area and began clearing the forest for farming. The animal population dropped rapidly, with most of the larger animals gone by the 1860’s. There was still some interest in hides and pelts. The first industry in Noblesville was Cogswell’s tannery, which was started in 1825. However, a changing economic base signaled the end of the opening chapter in the county’s history.

All of these people exchanged various manufactured items with the Indians for animal pelts. The traders would offer utensils, cloth, metal knives and other things. David Heighway is the Hamilton County historian.

December 09 • January 10/Hamilton County Business Magazine

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Calendar This information is accurate as of press time. Please check chamber websites for updates.

DECEMBER Wednesday, 2nd 11:30 Noblesville Holiday Luncheon Purgatory Golf Club Thursday, 3rd 7:30-9 am Westfield & Carmel Joint Networking Breakfast Charleston’s Thursday, 3rd 11:30 Sheridan Holiday Luncheon State of the Schools Sheridan Community Center Thursday, 3rd 4:30-6:30 Noblesville Business After Hours Mr. G’s Liquors Monday, 7th 11:30- 1 Westfield Economic Development Meeting Old Country Buffet Tuesday, 8th 11:30 Hamilton North Holiday Celebration Red Bridge Park Community Building Wednesday, 9th Noon-1:30 Carmel Images of Excellence Awards Luncheon Ritz Charles Wednesday 9th 4:30-6:30 Fishers Business After Hours Lifestyle Family Fitness Thursday, 10th 8am Noblesville NetWORKS! Mudsocks Grill Thursday, 10th 5-6:30 Carmel Business Roundabout Hamilton Beverage Fine Wine & Spirits

Wednesday, 16th 11:30 Fishers Holiday Luncheon Forum Conference Center Thursday, 17th 11-1 Westfield Holiday Luncheon Wood Wind Golf Club

JANUARY ‘10 Tuesday, 5th 11:30 Hamilton North Luncheon Cicero United Methodist Church Monday, 11th 7:30 am Legislative Breakfast The Mansion at Oak Hill Monday, 11th 11:30-1 Westfield Economic Development Meeting Old Country Buffet Wednesday, 13th, noon-1:30 Carmel Luncheon Location TBA Thursday, 14th 8am Noblesville NetWORKS! Paradise Bakery Hamilton Town Center Wednesday 20th 11:30-1 Fishers Luncheon Forum Conference Center Thursday, 21st 11-1 Westfield Luncheon The Bridgewater Club Thursday, 21st 4:30-7 Carmel Taste of the Chamber Ritz Charles Thursday, 21st 4:30-6:30 Noblesville Business After Hours Sura Spa Hamilton Town Center

Wednesday, 27th 11:30 Noblesville Luncheon State of the County Address Purgatory Golf Club Wednesday, 27th 4:30-6:30 Fishers Business After Hours Location TBD Thursday, 28th 11:30 Sheridan Luncheon Shady’s Place, 401 S. Main Street

For more information on these events please contact the chambers at these numbers: Carmel Chamber of Commerce 846-1049 www.carmelchamber.com Fishers Chamber of Commerce 578-0700 www.fisherschamber.com Hamilton North Chamber of Commerce 984-4079 www.hamiltonnorthchamber.com Noblesville Chamber of Commerce 773-0086 www.noblesvillechamber.com Sheridan Chamber of Commerce 758-1311 www.sheridanchamber.org Westfield Chamber of Commerce 804-3030 www.westfield-chamber.org

Hamilton County Business Magazine/December 09 • January 10

BUSINESS RESOURCE DIRECTORY Commercial Lease Space

Signs and Banners

River Edge Professional Center and River Edge Market Place Noblesville, IN Call John Landy at 317-289-7662 jcl@roamermaritime.com

Logan Street Signs & Banners 1720 South 10th Street, Noblesville, IN 317-773-7200 Open M-F 7-5 www.loganstreetsigns.com www.noblesvilletrophies.com www.noblesville.com

65,000 square feet of flexible floor plans. Design and build to your specifications. Time Share space available. Retail space also available from 1,600 square feet up. Easy access and abundant parking! High speed internet. 3 minutes from Riverview Hospital.

Commercial Lease Space Majestic Plaza Office Park Carmel, IN 46032 (317) 876-1555 www.majesticplaza.com

Digitally printed signs and banners of any size, vehicle wraps and graphics, T-shirt printing, laser engraving. Great customer service, fast turn-around. Family Owned and Operated. Serving Noblesville and Hamilton County since 1992. Also home of Noblesville Trophies 773-7391 Open M-F 9-6 Sat. 10-2

Community Resources Hamilton County Autism Support Group 19215 Morrison Way Noblesville, IN 46060

Medical, Professional, and Non Profits welcome. Custom spaces 600 to 20,000 sq ft in campus setting Just off I-465 & Michigan Rd US 421 Ramp. On site Owner/Management team, conference/fitness center, ample parking. Unmatched access to Carmel, Indianapolis & Zionsville. Attractive Rates, net or full service, you choose. “Come grow with us, Make it yours.”

Holiday Gifts Uncle Henry’s Candies Cicero, Indiana 1-888-757-8099 www.unclehenryscandies.com

The Hamilton County Autism Support Group provides community awareness and helps support families where lives are challenged by Autism, a disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects social interaction and communication skills. HCASG provides Support Meetings, Autism Siblings Program, Young Adults Social Group, Girls on the Spectrum and more. For more information, contact Jane Grimes at 317-403-6705

Or visit www.hcasg.org

Computer Consulting

Confectioner Carl Harvey carries on the tradition begun by his Uncle Henry years ago by producing chocolates with the old family recipe. You can experience the tradition by placing an order today. Visit the website and select from the wonderful turtles, milk and dark chocolate bark with pecans, m&m bark, bark with peppermint, peanut clusters and pecan logs produced locally in Hamilton County.

Compumed 802 Mulberry Street Noblesville, IN Suite BB3 317.340.4802 Rocky@compumed-indy.com

• Business Computer Hardware and Software Installation • Custom Application Development • On-Site Support and Service

Service Club Rotary International

The Noblesville Midday Rotary Club is one of 32,000 local Rotary clubs throughout the world and six in Hamilton County. Open to all persons regardless of race, color, creed or political preference, Rotary brings together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Each club meets weekly. For more information on the Noblesville Midday Rotary Club Call Gloria Davis 317-877-0051

Senior Apartments

Independent & Assisted Living 334 S. Cherry Street Westfield, IN 46074 (317) 867-0212 debbi@sandersglen.com www.exceptionallivingcenters.com Independent and State-licensed Assisted Living apartments for seniors age 55 and over. All meals, utilities except telephone, free use of washers/ dryers, and housekeeping two times per month included in rent. Planned activities and weekly transportation for shopping. MOVE IN SPECIAL for INDEPENDENT LIVING: Move in by February 2010 and receive first month’s rent FREE! Call Debbi to schedule a tour today!

Freelance Graphic Design Mezign Design 11505 River Drive East Carmel, IN Call Melanie at 317-846-5379 malinsky58@sbcglobal.net Mezign Design offers graphic design services for anything from business cards to billboards, specializing in print and web advertising. Reasonable rates, modern design and fast turnaround. Give Mezign Design a try. You’ll be glad you did.

Hamilton County Business Magazine/December 09 • January 10

“Old school’s great for some things. Kidney surgery isn’t on the list.”

After ten years of being free of thyroid cancer, a routine scan detected a lesion on Scot’s kidney. It was time for Scot to be as stubborn as the cancer. Upon learning his usual hospital didn’t offer the expertise to do a less invasive procedure, he turned researcher and found the ideal team at Community Hospital North. A specially trained surgeon and a robot. A robot named daVinci to be precise. An amazing piece of technology in the hands of a highly skilled expert. “When you’re having part of your kidney removed”, explains Scot, “the first thing you want removed is any doubt about the surgery or where to have it done.” All went well. Scot’s primary physician and the Community surgeon were both on the same page and Scot was back on his field construction job much sooner than if he had elected to go with the standard laparoscopic technique. It was the perfect blend of man and machine. “I’m not very old-fashioned,” says Scot, “until it comes to happy endings.”