December 2008/January 2009
Churches Follow Their Members to Carmel Plus‌ IMMI Leads the World in Safety Seats Fishers and Noblesville Bestow Annual Awards Hamilton County’s Original Mass Transit System
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December 08 • January 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
December/January
‘08 ’09
Features
10 6 16 22
A New Home for the Holidays
Churches build in Carmel Westfield’s IMMI Finds Lucrative Niche Spirit of Entrepreneurship
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Local Dining
13
Awards
15
Entrepreneur
19
Management
21
Technology
24
News
25
Networking
26
Chamber
32
Calendar
33
History
34
Bookmark
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Business Resource Directory
On the cover, the Rev. Anastasios Gournaris, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Carmel Hamilton County Business Magazine /December 08 • January 09
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Letter from the Editor/December 08 - January 09 Did it ever strike you as a little odd that cars are required to have seat belts but school buses aren’t? No doubt there is sound reasoning somewhere behind that paradox but ultimately we need to do a better job of protecting our children as they ride to school. In fact, a federal regulation is requiring that we start fitting school buses with seat belts and a long time Westfield company is perfectly positioned to fill the need. Martha Yoder takes us inside IMMI’s state of the art facility in this edition to see how they are making buses and trucks safer. The holiday season has us thinking spiritually these days and Mike Magan looks at why three churches have moved north from Indianapolis to Hamilton County. We’ve added two more columnists in this edition: Troy Renbarger offers his advice on monitoring your numbers and Ed Gill contributes the book review. They join regulars Laina, Emmett and David. News releases are also starting to come in and we offer up some of the highlights of the past two months. Don’t forget to send your news and photos to news@hamiltoncountybusiness.com. We’ve also added a dining feature with a twist: each month we will take you to a locally owned restaurant to give you a sampling of what’s on the menu here in Hamilton County. This month, it’s the newly renovated Uptown Café in Noblesville. Finally, we experienced some growing pains last time. We have to issue our first correction in this edition and it’s a big one. A layout mistake covered up some very important quotes in the Healthcare Boom story. We have corrected them on page 5 and have instituted safeguards to keep that from happening again. We apologize to those whose words were left out, to the writer, and to those who had to wait until now to read the rest of the story. All that and lots more in this edition. A special year-end thanks to everyone who contributed to this endeavor so far and for all those good wishes we’ve received over the past few months. A special thanks to our advertisers, without whom this magazine would not be possible. We are off to a great start and looking forward to an exciting new year. Happy Holidays!
Editor and Publisher
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December 08 • January 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Mike Corbett/Editor and Publisher
Corrections: We mistakenly omitted a portion of the Healthcare Boom in Hamilton County story in our October/ November edition. Under the headline “Development is clustered at Exit 10”, the story should have read like this:
www.hamiltoncountybusiness.com Published six times per year by the Hamilton County Media Group PO Box 502, Noblesville, IN 46061 • 317-774-7747
Scheduled to open in October, St. Vincent Hospital is introducing Indiana’s first freestanding emergency department. St. Vincent Medical Center Northeast, located at St. Rd. 238/Olio Road in Fishers, will include a 15-bed emergency department. It will be able to screen and stabilize adult and pediatric patients and will be staffed by board-certified emergency medicine physicians. It will also feature a helipad for air medical transportation. This $42 million, 120,000-square-foot outpatient development will feature an ambulatory surgery center and a medical office building.
Editor/Publisher Mike Corbett mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com Creative Director Melanie Malone malinsky58@sbcglobal.net Correspondents Shari Held sharih@comcast.net KO Jackson kirvenjackson@yahoo.com Mike Magan mike@penpointonline.com Martha Yoder klmyoder@sbcglobal.net
Contributors Laina Molaski MBA PhD lmolaski@candsconsulting.biz David Heighway heighwayd@earthlink.net Emmett Dulaney MBA eadulaney@anderson.edu Troy Renbarger troy@consultwithprostar.com Ed Gill gill@bpbizcoach.com
Growth is the main reason St. Vincent Hospital says it is building in Fishers.
Photo Credits Bobbie Sutton, Leah Severson, Mike Corbett, Steve Furlow Please send news items and photos to news@hamiltoncountybusiness.com Submission does not guarantee publication For advertising information contact Mike Corbett mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com Copyright 2008 Hamilton County Media Group. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without written consent.
“Our research indicated there was a portion of the rapidly growing community without immediate access to emergency care. For instance, if you have a bleeding toddler in the Geist area, it is still a 10-15 minute drive to get to the nearest hospital. In situations like that, just a few minutes can make a difference in the outcome of the patient,” Kimberly Nealon, R.N., B.S.N., site director, St. Vincent Medical Northeast, said. Mark Dixon, president, CEO of Community Hospitals of Indiana, says it was the first to respond to the community’s needs by building Community Health Pavilion at Saxony in 2005. The 50,000-square-foot facility houses primary care and specialty physicians, as well as diagnostic, outpatient and ambulatory services. The practice has been a success. “We’re thriving at Saxony, and we are adding more physicians. There is the potential for a sister building in the future,” said Dixon. “Our outpatient ambulatory investment has served and met the needs of the community.” The article also includes the following quote: “We designed a full-service hospital because we feel it is important to offer all the services in one building at a convenient location. We’ve studied our market and found that this area is the fastest growing in the state,” Jonathan Goble, CEO, Clarian North, explained. “Full-service care, such as a robust neonatal unit staffed by Riley Hospital neonatologists, is important to our consumers.” The quote is referring to Clarian Health North. We are committed to accuracy and regret these mistakes.
Hamilton County Business Magazine /December 08 • January 09
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Following the Flock
Three Indianapolis faith congregations explain why they uprooted and settled in Carmel
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By Mike Magan
patch of Southwest Carmel is looking less like a suburb and more like a Jerusalem. Within the borders of Michigan Road, 116th St, Towne Rd. and 106th St., three religious congregations are working on, or have completed new sanctuaries. While the congregations represent different faiths, they are united by a common bond -- all are leaving their central Indianapolis locations. The reasons for their departure, and how they acquired their land are all very different. Holy Trinity Greek
Shaarey Tefilla just completed its synagogue, the first-ever in Hamilton County. Like Holy Trinity, it, too, moved from its central Indianapolis location. And Pilgrim Lutheran Church, currently located near at Meridian and I-465, purchased its land in 2000, but has yet to begin construction. So why these congregations? Why Carmel. Why now? Are the congregations moving with the buildings, or are the churches moving closer to their congregations? What’s driving these transplantations?
While we will continue to have members travel to our sanctuary from all parts of central Indiana, we located here to be closer to the bulk of our membership. – Rev. Anastasios Gournaris Orthodox Church, home of the popular Greek Festival, is in the process of uprooting from its current location at 49th and Central Ave. in Indianapolis, to its new location at 106th and Shelbourne. Ten blocks due north, Congregation
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A Community Resource
Since it’s inception in downtown Indianapolis 90 years ago, Holy Trinity has been a parish on the move. Founded by immigrants who left Europe for America, Holy Trinity left
December 08 • January 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
its downtown location for a new sanctuary, its soon-to-bevacated location at 40th and Pennsylvania Streets. As the parish grew, membership migrated to southern Hamilton County. By 1998, not only was it outgrowing its facilities, but most of Holy Trinity’s members now lived miles away from its sanctuary.
members of the Carmel Symphony Orchestra in a sort of musical open house. Strauss’ wife Cathy, Public Relations director for the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, cited additional health and wellness programs that target the congregation’s neighbors surrounding the synagogue just north of Holy Trinity off 116th Street.
“Holy Trinity has always served all of central Indiana,” said the Rev. Anastasios Gournaris, the parish’s head clergy. “So there’s always been a fair percentage of members who come from the far east side or south of here. But with a membership of 500 families, most live in a crescent pattern from west to east, north of Marion county.”
The congregation’s spiritual leader, Rabbi Arnold L. Bienstock, said the Shaarey Tefilla’s outreach to neighbors is a reflection of the membership’s vibrancy.
Gournaris added that a mere five to seven families live within walking distance of the church’s present location. “Since the 1960s, our congregation has been moving north, but it wasn’t until the late 1990s that we found some land that could serve as a better location and that we could actually afford,” Gournaris said. “While we will continue to have members travel to our new sanctuary from all parts of central Indiana, we located here to be closer to the bulk of our membership.” Holy Trinity purchased 20 acres at the northeast corner of 106th Shaarey Tefilla Synagogue and Shelbourne in 2001. The property is surrounded by neighborhoods and a Carmel Fire Department Station across the street. Gournaris lives in a neighborhood within view of the new structure. “Carmel and the neighborhoods around us have welcomed us and we plan on opening our doors to our neighbors,” Gournaris added. “We hope to become a community resource and see many residents interacting with us even though they may never attend a service here.”
Serving the Jewish Community
Hamilton County’s first Jewish congregation, Shaarey Tefilla, has already begun to engage the surrounding community with music outreach programs. In December, the congregation’s music director Michael Strauss, who is also principal violinist for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, will join
“Shaary Tefilla was formed out of the ashes, if you will, of a congregation created by Eastern European immigrants to Indianapolis in the first part of the 20th Century. As that congregation’s members grew older and passed away, the current congregation saw the opportunity to begin a new effort.” Many of the 175 member families were in their mid-30s when the now defunct United Orthodox Hebrew Congregation was acquired by Shaarey Tefilla in 1992. The new congregation had moved out of its old location, members’ living rooms, and into an inherited structure in the Meridian Kessler neighborhood of Indianapolis. But the Jewish community was among many Indianapolis families who moved north to Hamilton County. Bienstock said the bulk of the congregation’s membership now lives just below the southwestern border of Hamilton County in the North Willow neighborhood. At the same time, Jill Pearlman, an active Indianapolis philanthropist, was looking to sell the land the congregation would eventually purchase for well-below market value. Bienstock said Pearlman wanted the land used for something that would enhance Carmel and not “another housing development.” The congregation’s new next-door neighbor, University High School, also built on the former Pearlman land. “With that opportunity, we saw a way to come into a space that is truly our structure and set up for community interaction and growth,” Bienstock added. He estimated that half
Hamilton County Business Magazine /December 08 • January 09
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rent location just off US-31 in southern Hamilton County was a quiet place when the church was chartered in 1955. But with the construction of Interstate-465 in the 1960s and 70s, office buildings such as Meridian Tower, rather than neighborhoods, now surround Pilgrim. Despite the congestion, the church’s membership grew and a popular pre-school was developed as a ministry. The church reached a crossroads in 2000, however.
of central Indiana’s 10,000-12,000 Jews live north of Marion County, so the outlook for a Jewish temple in Hamilton County is extremely healthy when compared with other metropolitan areas. “I have visited congregations in Evansville and Toledo in the last year, and they are dying on the vine; their membership is aging and no one new is joining,” Bienstock said. “In the 1990s, Shaarey Tefilla’s founders were in their 30s and now they are in their early 50s. We continue to add new members and see our location as attracting new families and growth. Outside of Chicago, Indianapolis is one of the vibrant communities in the midwest.”
An Uncertain Future
As Holy Trinity and Shaarey Tefilla spread their wings, the fate of Pilgrim Lutheran is more tenuous. The church’s cur-
Currently the church’s driveway is the last access road from southbound U.S. 31 before entering west-bound I-465. The Indiana Department of Transportation approached leadership with plans to upgrade US-31 from northern to central Indiana and it included an expansion of the northern I-465 intersection. “That will run right through our sanctuary,” said The Rev. Alan Goertemiller, Pilgrim’s pastor. While the pastor appreciated INDOT’s initial effort to work closely with the church, he has seen three governors and several INDOT directors since. Unsure of the timing of the project, the church found a suitable site for a new structure within view of Holy Trinity’s golden dome. Unfortunately it was 4 miles west of their current location. “We lost some members once we purchased the land on 106th St. (between Shelbourne and Michigan Road) since some were already driving past two or three churches to get here.” Goertemiller said. “At the same time, the church
Relying on centuries-old Byzantine blueprints, Holy Trinity constructed a new facility that features a golden, anodized aluminum, dome topped with a gold-leaf cross.
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won’t begin building a new structure since one of the newer construction blueprints shows the upgrade will bypass the sanctuary. Goertemiller said he expects the state will choose a plan before the end of the year, and from that plan, the church will likely decide upon its future location. “We respect the state’s need to upgrade its infrastructure and we appreciate how they have approached it with us, but as you would expect some of our older, charter members don’t like it,” Goertemiller said. “If we move, most will come with us, and our younger members see this as an opportunity for change and welcome it.” Whatever the decision, Rev. Goertemiller welcomes finality. He could not predict, however, what would happen to the 106th St. land should they decide to stay in the northwest corner of Meridian and I-465. “We have been in limbo, some people have a whole set of additional questions before sending their kids to a preschool they wonder will still be there.” Goertemiller said. “Even if the state breaks ground on the US-31 project tomorrow, it is supposed to start in the north. How long will it take to get from Kokomo to here? Some wonder why we need to leave if we are not even affected for another four or five years.” v
FREE advertising for your business through our “WELCOME HOME” program. For more information, go to www.GodsHolinessChurch.org You’re invited to worship with us. You’ll be refreshed by inspiring Bible preaching and teaching, godly music, fervent praying, encouraging testimonies and friendly people. The church temporarily meets at
The White Chapel
5155 E.116th St., Carmel, IN Sunday’s at 6 p.m. & Thursdays at 7 p.m. Pastor Michael A. Frausto
317.525.2220
DeanofStudents@ubca . o r g Hamilton County Business Magazine /December 08 • January 09
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Habitat for Humanity Builds its 50th Home
The Saldivar family will spend this holiday season in their new home, constructed in Noblesville in nine weeks by Habitat for Humanity of Hamilton County. The home was dedicated in November.
Dozens of volunteers showed up on a crisp October morning to help Josefina Saldivar realize a dream come true. Her new home is Habitat for Humanity of Hamilton County’s 50th home project since the organization was incorporated 18 years ago. Located on Hague Road, across the street from the Noblesville Intermediate School, Saldivar’s new home is in a great location for raising her three kids, one of whom attends school there. Her family is moving from a two bedroom apartment to this four bedroom, two bath home with lower monthly payments than their apartment rent. Josefina attends classes and contributes community service work along with helping to build her own home.
Josefina Saldivar helps build her new home
College Students Give Back
Beck’s Hybrid Seeds, Atlanta, contributed $25,000 to the effort. Pictured are: (left to right) Josefina Saldivar, Homeowner, Scott Beck, Beck’s Seeds, Paul Wood, Director of Church Relations, Habitat for Humanity, Barry Keisel, Habitat Board Chair, Todd Marchand, Beck’s Seeds
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Hamilton County Habitat for Humanity recently received a call that a truck load of pre-built walls for houses was available. With the walls arriving in two days and no one to unload them, Paul Wood, Habitat’s Director of Church relations called the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity at IUPUI. The group of ambitious young men unloaded the entire truck in less than an hour.
When you walk into the Uptown Café, you can taste the aroma of freshly baked cookies or homemade soups, all cooked on a shiny new open grill. This holiday, cookies, cupcakes, pies and other goodies can be made to order for your special occasions. When it reopened in August under new ownership, the café was greeted by large crowds. Since then, Uptown Café, 809 Conner St., in downtown Noblesville, has reestablished itself as a local hot spot serving good coffee, bakery goods and daily breakfast and lunch specials.
By Martha Yoder
Kristie Whitesell, the new owner, brought her ideas for a small town café to Noblesville from a culinary school in Chicago. “When I was growing up, Starbucks was the place to go for coffee and conversation. I designed the Uptown Café with Internet access and more healthy entrees,” she explained. By Martha Yoder
The new décor features bright colors, giving the café a modern, yet hometown feel. “I redesigned the café with an open grill, making more healthy menu choices that don’t include french fries,” she went on to say. Some of the favorites on the breakfast menu include biscuits and gravy, brown sugar and buttermilk pancakes, omelets and eggs to order. Lunchtime features daily specials with a variety of sandwiches, salads and homemade soups, such as ham and bean, baked potato, roasted red pepper and tomato and cream of mushroom. “One of the popular sandwiches for lunch is bacon, lettuce and tomato. We offer all the comfort foods that people love,” Whitesell noted. The baked-daily sweets are popular. Choices include custard apple pie, chocolate chip banana bread, a variety of muffins and large rice crispy squares with a dark chocolate topping. The café seats 40 and is open 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the weekends. Private parties can be scheduled on request. Call Uptown Café at (317) 674-8668. Hamilton County Business Magazine /December 08 • January 09
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December 08 • January 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Awards Hamilton County CVB Announces Third Quarter Tourism “STAR”
For applications and more information on the final quarter nominations process call the Hamilton County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 317-848-3181 or email jerner@hamiltoncountytowns.com.
Noblesville Named Indiana Chamber’s Community of the Year
“Noblesville is a shining example of dedicated city and business leaders working together to preserve their past and enhance their future,” states Andre Lacy, 2008 chairman of the Indiana Chamber board of directors. “We’re pleased to recognize a city that has aggressively pursued new opportunities, while not forgetting its heritage and its people who have made the successes possible.” Noblesville is the first Hamilton County community to receive the honor, which has been awarded annually since 1990.
Emily DiRosa of Matteo’s Ristorante Italiano, Noblesville, has been named Hamilton County’s Hospitality STAR for the third quarter by the Hamilton County Convention and Visitors Bureau. DiRosa, an event coordinator, hostess, server and co-owner of Matteo’s, has been with the restaurant for five years. “Emily is not only a stellar business owner and operator, but she is also a merchant that is truly engaged and interested in seeing the entire downtown prosper,” said Joe Arrowood, nominator. “She is creative, highly communicative and an all around positive influence on the hospitality of Downtown Noblesville.”
Fishers Recognizes Pillar Award Winners The winners of the Fishers Chamber of Commerce seventh annual Pillar Awards: Celebrating Business Excellence were announced at the annual meeting in October.
The Indiana Chamber of Commerce recognized Noblesville as its 2008 Community of the Year at its annual awards dinner in November. Among the reasons cited for the honor: • Noblesville’s effort to maintain a high quality of life while experiencing record population growth • Diversifying its tax base and providThe Hamilton County Convention and ing job opportunities by developing Visitors Bureau recognizes the extraorthe Corporate Campus, the Noblesdinary works of the county’s hospitalville Business Park and Cumberland ity through this quarterly recognition Point Marketplace program. • Emphasizing the importance of a thriving downtown business district The bureau received two other excellent while also encouraging new nominees for this quarter: Angie Carter, development Fionn MacCool’s Irish Pub and Restau• The success of Simon’s new rant in Fishers and Aaron Smith, Laser Hamilton Town Center Flash, Inc. in Carmel. shopping center.
The purpose of these awards is to celebrate success, to share best practices and to encourage increased commercial and industrial activity.
The winners are: • Business of the Year
Meyer Najem,
• Small Business of the Year
Fishers Dental Care,
• Emerging Growth
Fionn MacCool’s Irish Pub,
• Design Appeal
National Catastrophe Adjusters (NCA).
Hamilton County Business Magazine /December 08 • January 09
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Awards The judges included some of the most prominent and successful professionals in central Indiana. This year’s judges included Gerry Dick of Inside Indiana Business, Secretary of State Todd Rokita, Fishers Town Council President Scott Faultless, Wendell Seaborne of Seaborne Leadership and Steve Dillinger, County Commissioner District 2.
Meyer Najem Executive Vice President Sam Mishelow receives the Business of the Year Pillar Award from emcee Angela Buchman
Noblesville Recognizes Enterprize Award Winners The City of Noblesville and the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce announced their annual Enterprise Awards at a banquet in November.
The winners are: • Business of the Year
Warner Bodies,
• Small Business of the Year
Gordon Marketing,
• Businessperson of the Year
Cindy White, First Merchants Bank,
• Streetscape Award
Hamilton Town Center,
• Best New Construction
Pebble Brook Village
Warner Bodies, the Noblesville Chamber’s Business of the Year, has been building utility bodies and custom trucks for over half a century.
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Entrepreneur Emmett Dulaney
Are “Business Owner” and “Inventor” Synonymous with Entrepreneur? The word “entrepreneur” is one of those that can be easier to recognize than define. If you were to ask a dozen different people on the street, the odds are good that you’d get a dozen different answers about what it means to be an entrepreneur ranging from “anyone who owns a business” to “someone who has started a lot of companies” and lines that begin with “the guy who created …”. It would quickly become apparent that two synonyms for entrepreneur regularly crop up in discussions and are often used interchangeably without much contemplation: “business owner” and “inventor.” Alas, these are weak synonyms at best and it is worth exploring why. While one person can function in multiple roles - business owners can be entrepreneurs and either can be inventors - there are important distinctions between the three functions. The first difference is between “entrepreneur” and “business owner.” A business owner is easy to locate - just ask the guy behind the counter who it is. Entrepreneurs, though, can be more difficult to identify - they may be the doctor you just got a check up from, or the stay-at-home parent in front of you at the grocery checkout. While both are accountable for their actions, an entrepreneur is one that is willing to take large risks on untested ventures that can be followed by great rewards or great failures. Entrepreneurs don’t fear risk, they embrace it and it is a part of their personality. Not all business owners need to have those characteristics to run an existing business. Some businesses are started by entrepreneurs, but once the business is rolling, it is not un-
common to then embrace a non-entrepreneur attitude for the rest of its existence in favor of a steady and proven income. Inventors, on the other hand, are driven by the vision of the product and not necessarily the profitability of the product. While both, hopefully, are able to discern a need and desire within a market, only an entrepreneur has the determination to connect a solution to its problem. An entrepreneur tests the waters, listens to feedback, and is not afraid to scrap an idea in lieu of a new one. An inventor may see this single piece of work as too much of an investment of their time and money, and refuse to listen to what the market says. Simply put, inventors gave us the MP3 player, entrepreneurs gave us the iPod. By looking at the definitions of entrepreneur, business owner, and inventor, it is apparent that they are not synonyms at all. An entrepreneur is someone who starts a new business venture in which they not only have ownership, but also assume accountability and significant risk. Using that definition, it is possible to differentiate between an entrepreneur and a business owner (not all businesses involve significant risk, and not all owners start new ventures), or an inventor (not all inventors pursue full business ventures). Focusing on this definition allows us to look beyond the stereotypes about entrepreneurs being wild risk takers and freely gambling everything on that one big idea. Most entrepreneurs believe strongly in their companies and take calculated risks for which they are willing to accept full responsibility.
For the Bookshelf: Three books highly recommended for those interested in entrepreneurship and topics related to it:
Good Capitalism, Bad Capitalism, and the Economics of Growth and Prosperity by William J. Baumol, Robert E. Litan, and Carl J. Schramm (Yale University Press, 2007, ISBN: 978-0-300-10941-2). This offers a great macro view of how capitalism is affected by the economic, social, and political environment.
The Illusions of Entrepreneurship by Scott A. Shane
(Yale University Press, 2008, ISBN: 978-0300-11331-0). This book takes a hard look at who the true entrepreneur is and the (often costly) myths that we have erected over time. Instead of resting on stereotypes, substantial research is used to define such things as the characteristics of the typical entrepreneur, what industries are popular for startups, and how many jobs most new businesses actually create.
The Speed of Trust by Stephen M. R. Covey
(Free Press, 2006, ISBN: 978-0-7432-97301). When looking for a way to differentiate yourself from all others, the creation of trust can not only make you stand out, but can also further profitability. Emmett Dulaney teaches entrepreneurship and business at Anderson University
Hamilton County Business Magazine /December 08 • January 09
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IMMI world leader in child
and adult safety seats
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By Martha Yoder
recently passed government rule mandating lap-and-shoulder seat belts on small school buses and higher seat backs in large school buses is due, in part, to the forward thinking of engineers at locally owned company IMMI. IMMI is the largest child seating safety products manufacturer in the world. Its introduction of the innovative SafeGuard FlexSeat, designed with three lap-shoulder belts, has turned a vision by school transportation districts and parents into reality. “The FlexSeat technology, introduced in 2007, allows safe transport of three elementary school children or two high school students on a standard 39-inch school bus seat,” James Johnson, IMMI SafeGuard director, said. “The design
resolves school bus capacity issues with a unique approach to compartmentalization.” Bus seats made by SafeGuard undergo the most rigorous testing in the school transportation industry. IMMI’s crashtesting facility – the Center for Advanced Product Evaluation (CAPE) – performed more than 11 crash tests on both large and small school buses. The data, shared with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), demonstrates that injuries and fatalities were significantly reduced when students wore lap and shoulder belts on school buses. The new NHSTA ruling regarding seat belts is welcomed by parents and other advocates who lobbied for the belts, despite the extra costs involved.
Manufacturing facility at IMMI, Westfield
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vehicles, emergency vehicles and outdoor industries. SafeGuard, an IMMI division, has been a leader in child passenger protection for more than 25 years. The 650-employee company, now located in Westfield, manufactures safety systems that benefit millions of people daily. It also has facilities in Mexico and the United Kingdom. Steve Wallen says the company is proactive in identifying the latest and safest technology to protect children and adults. “Studies show that four out of five parents felt that all school buses should be equipped with lap and shoulder belts,” Johnson explained. The cost of installing the safety belt system is about $3,000 per bus for small buses. Johnson also says that large school bus lap and shoulder belts may be the next step in safety, adding about $12,000 more per bus for the safety system.
The NHSTA ruling will become fully effective in 2011. It will help reinforce a lifelong habit of buckling up, according to Steve Wallen, IMMI director of operations. “We spend the first few years of children’s lives teaching them to buckle up. Then we put them on a school bus where there are no seat belts,” Wallen said. “When our children grow up, we hand them the car keys and tell them to buckle up again.”
“We began manufacturing and distributing seat belts for automotive applications before they were even required. As soon as seat belts were mandated, our focus has been on finding a unique market and improving it,” said Wallen. “Our emphasis is on ‘birth to car keys’ safety technology. That has provided us with a niche market no one else has been able to duplicate,” Wallen went on to say.
Unique crash-testing facility
IMMI operates a unique crash-testing facility to bring together technology and specialized engineering expertise. Its CAPE provides customers with analytical information to support complex decisions.
History of safety
With humble beginnings, IMMI started in downtown Indianapolis as Indiana Mills and Manufacturing, a familyowned operation in a one-room office. With four employees and two sewing machines, the company manufactured and distributed 80 seat belts for automotive applications daily. Today, IMMI has been known for 47 years as a world leader in developing and manufacturing safety systems for child seating, heavy trucks, off highway (construction, agriculture)
Hamilton County Business Magazine /December 08 • January 09
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a day because they can be cumbersome and lock up. We designed an easy-to-wear belt that keeps them safe and comfortable,” Wallen said. LifeGuard technology brings truck drivers some of the same advanced protection found on passenger vehicles. This includes seat belt systems, bunk restraints, frontal collision protection, and rollover protection systems. The Outdoor division of IMMI designs, manufactures and supplies tie-downs, straps and safety systems. It also designs products that protect boaters, professional fishermen, pets and cargo. For instance, the PetBuckle seat belt harness is the industry’s only automotive quality pet travel product designed to provide crash-tested safety.
Operations Director Steven Wallen and The Safeguard Booster Seat
The only one of its kind, Johnson says the innovative test facility has given IMMI opportunities to stay ahead of the competition, especially in rollover impact tests. “Because crash rollovers cause more injuries and deaths than any other type of accident, IMMI focuses on testing that uses a 90-degree dynamic rollover impact machine that accommodates large vehicles,” said Johnson. “Our competitors don’t have access to such advanced testing capabilities.”
Into the future, IMMI will continue to focus on sophisticated technology for heavy truck protection as well as child safety seats. Its main focus will remain injury prevention for drivers and finding the most qualified people to engineer new product development. “Safety and quality come first. That requires hiring the best people for the job,” Wallen added. “Our Christian mission includes treating everyone with respect, including employees and customers. This makes it easy to recruit the top people in our field.” v
All of the testing is performed with high-speed digital imagers, sophisticated test dummies and specialized data acquisition systems. Test events are recorded by still cameras so multiple views of crash tests can be observed. Customers have the opportunity to see firsthand how a product performs, and they can report the data results to their own companies immediately.
Heavy truck protection
LifeGuard, another vital IMMI division, protects nine out of ten truck drivers on the road by manufacturing hundreds of thousands of seat belt systems for heavy trucks yearly. The company began making seat belts for heavy trucks in the 1970s. Although drivers are not required to wear shoulder belts, IMMI designed a three-point lap and shoulder belt to keep them safe. “People who make their living driving trucks don’t like to wear shoulder and lap belts for 8- to 12-hours
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The PetBuckle
Management Laina Molaski
Rewarding Employees for a Job Well Done Are you giving bonuses or gifts? The difference is important.
This is the time of year when business owners may look to reward employees with some type of gift or bonus. This may be a yearly bonus, Christmas bonus, or simply a token of appreciation in the spirit of holiday giving. While this is a nice sentiment and possibly a great way to motivate your team, you need to keep a few things in mind before giving out these gifts and/or bonuses. The main goal of any type of incentive is to show appreciation to your employee for a job well done and, in turn, gain buy-in and loyalty. When giving a bonus there must be a clear tie between employee performance and the bonus given. This is even more important if there are multiple employees because each employee needs to be rewarded on their own merit to avoid potential discriminatory issues. Secondly, rewarding a group of employees the same exact way will demotivate top performers and marginal employees will feel they are doing a great job since they are all being rewarded the same. This will send the wrong message and
when performance issues come up at a later date, they may be more difficult to address. To get the most out of your bonus structure create an action plan that is specific and measurable. Make sure employees clearly understand what the desired outcome is. Coach them to succeed and praise them when they reach their goals. Celebrate with your people; make it a big deal so they are proud of their accomplishment. Reward them publicly so all their colleagues can also recognize them and want to achieve the same accomplishments.
➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢
Flowers Gift basket Movie passes Free lunch…with you Half day off
Whatever you choose just keep in mind that your employees mean a lot to your business and you need to recognize them as such. If you do, your employees will remember that sentiment and always do their best.
Laina Molaski is the president of C&S Consulting LLC in Fishers
If you just want to celebrate the season of giving with your employees and show them your appreciation then gifts are a good way to go. You still want to make sure you are fair and equitable with all your employees to not have your gift giving turn into a fiasco. Here are some low cost ideas for gifts….
Martin Deafenbaugh, MD Orthopedic Surgery Specializing in Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine and General Orthopedics & Medical Director of
3 Convenient Locations: 1160 S. Peru St., SR 19, Cicero, IN | Tipton Hospital, 1000 S. Main St., Tipton, IN | 514 E. SR 32, Westfield, IN
Call toll free: (877) 366-BONE (2663) Hamilton County Business Magazine /December 08 • January 09
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Management Troy Renbarger
Learn to love your numbers Businesses are founded upon great ideas and innovation. The entrepreneurial spirit evokes feelings of excitement, triumph, and success. In fact, growing businesses often treat these emotions as the barometer for measuring their achievement and continued momentum.
Back to the Basics
But what happens when we only focus on the business activities that are enjoyable and exciting? Anything that stands in the way of a new sale, a new promotion, or enhanced marketing usually gets pushed to the side. Accounting is easily neglected.
A good place to start is to take a look at your company’s financial statements, including the Balance Sheet, Income Statement, and Statement of Cash Flows. These three reports are the foundation of business reporting and can help guide your business, but if they are improperly filled out they are worthless.
It may not increase your revenue or free up your time, but accounting does provide you with wisdom, clarity and peace of mind. We study history to understand the past in an effort to improve our futures. In a similar fashion, accounting offers your business a future structure and road-map based on your past. Proper accounting can help you manage sales, improve cash collections, and enhance your vendor relationships – all by evaluating historic trends and anticipating the future.
Sometimes the best way to grow is to go back to the basics. Spend the time to understand the fundamentals of what makes your business tick, and you will be in a better position to manage your future.
An Income Statement reports money earned versus money spent. It should be concise and prepared in a fashion that tells a story of how the money was earned, and on what segments the money was spent. Vagueness in revenue recognition reporting will prevent you from analyzing key revenue centers. For example, a business with five distinct revenue streams would not gain any benefit from having one “Sales” account on the Income Statement. The same goes
for over detailing a business’s revenue stream; it is better to classify income into related groups. Expenses presented in their simplest form fall into two categories: money spent for projects (Cost of Good Sold) and money spent on doing business (Overhead Expenses). It is best to classify these in order to see the differences between profitability with the project or service provided and profitability as it fits with the entire picture of your business. By breaking the information down, you can see the inefficiencies in your business. Why did we spend this much on office supplies this month compared to last month? How much have project inefficiencies affected our bottom line? Is our new service profitable? All these questions can be answered easily when fundamental accounting is implemented and relied upon for guidance.
Troy Renbarger is the founder of ProStar Consulting Inc. in Cicero
Reach thousands of influential decision makers with your advertising message Hamilton County’s Only Locally Owned Bank 830 Logan Street • Noblesville • 773-0800 5 Convenient Hamilton County Locations cbindianaonline.com
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December 08 • January 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Is mailed to every chamber of commerce member in Hamilton County. December/January issue will be mailed the week of December 26. Advertising Deadline is Friday, January 26. Call Mike Corbett, 774-7747 or e-mail mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com to reserve your space.
Charity Auctions Go High Tech
Technology
Bidders get a picture and description of each item, bid, track their bids, receive alerts and find out if they’ve won by handheld device
The silent auction at Shaken Not Stirred, a Martini Party fund-raiser for the Hamilton Centers Youth Service Bureau, had a distinctively high tech aspect to it this year. The soft click of stylus on touch screen replaced the usual pen and paper bidding method. The cutting edge technology is called BidPal, developed by a company of the same name based at Keystone at the Crossing. It works like this: Photos and details of the auction items are loaded into the database beforehand. Bidders each receive their own handheld device as
Bid Pal CEO Scott Webber (right) keeps an eye on the bidding with an on-site assistant.
they enter. They bid electronically and the system lets them monitor the status of the item, alerting them if they’ve been outbid. When the auction closes there is no mad dash to collect bidding sheets…the system shuts off the bidding and alerts the winners. Checkout is streamlined as well.
On site wireless routers make the system work
Hamilton Centers Executive Director Stephanie Lyons says the electronic system seems to stimulate bidding. Although the number of auction items was down this year, the average bid was up and silent auction revenue exceeded last year by 20%.
Attendees monitor their bids as the auction progresses
Hamilton County Business Magazine /December 08 • January 09
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Education Panel of Experts Kicks Off Spirit of Entrepreneurship Series By Shari Held
On October 30th, the Hamilton County Alliance and the Hamilton County Chambers of Commerce launched the premier event in their Spirit of Entrepreneurship Series, in celebration of Indiana Entrepreneurship Week, at The Mansion at Oak Hill. Attendees enjoyed a view of Autumn-colored trees, drinks and hors d-oeuvres, a packet of helpful tools and networking opportunities after listening to the panel discuss issues pertinent to entrepreneurs. Jeff Burt, president of the Hamilton County Alliance, spoke briefly of the importance of entrepreneurs to the economic development of the community, followed by the informal discussion. Mark Wright, partner with Baker & Daniels, LLP who specializes in real estate, served as moderator. Sharing their expertise and experiences were • Jake Doll, president of Sandol & Associates, an advisor to small and mid-sized businesses • Nick Mathioudakis, partner with Baker & Daniels LLP who Mark Wright specializes in business and technology • Charles Kennedy, executive vice president with Cambridge Capital Management Corp., a manager of non-traditional financing sources • Toby Reeves, Founder, Rescott, LLC, a specialist in marketing and technology. Here are some of the highlights. The leading question, and one foremost on everyone’s minds these days, was what the current state of the economy means for entrepreneurs.
Mathioudakis:
Business owners need to be “industrious” in finding ways to save money. This economy represents more risks for small risks, such as having one company represent a large amount of their revenue. Don’t be afraid to ask
new customers to pay money down for products or services.
Kennedy:
“Cut through the noise” of the media hype and focus on “business at hand.” According to Kennedy, most Indiana companies are doing very well and a business can still be a success in this economic environment if it delivers quality products or services in a timely fashion. He suggested asking customers to pay a price increase to stay profitable, if the costs of materials/services have gone up, reasoning that people are well aware that commodities are going up. His final words on the question: “This too will pass.”
Reeves: He noted the number one economy-related question business owners ask him is, “Should I spend more or less on marketing now?” Of course, the answer varies with each company and its particular situation, but two things to remember are: Business owners can likely negotiate more favorable pricing now, and a shotgun approach to marketing doesn’t work. The most effective tool and the easiest way a company can market itself continues to be the Toby Reeves use of client referrals, while the least effective is cold list advertising.
Nick Mathioudakis
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December 08 • January 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Getting your business off to a good start is more important than ever. Here are some important strategies to consider.
Doll: You need a business plan
and you need to follow it. Ninety percent of entrepreneurs don’t have one, and those who do, often don’t use it. A business plan gives you a target line so you aren’t constantly putting out fires. If your plan is done and you know what your vision is, start networking and talking to people about it, even if you Jake Doll haven’t started your business yet. Once you do start your business, you will have a full list of contacts to start calling on right away who already know you. Farm out accounting and human resource functions if you are too busy to do them yourself, so you can focus on growing the business. It isn’t necessary to put them on the payroll.
Kennedy: You can’t start a business without capital. Whatever you think you’ll need, double that. Likewise, if you project you’ll make money within three years, double that.
Charles Kennedy
Finding financial funding in this environment, not surprisingly, is tough, but there are several creative ways to approach it.
Kennedy: See if vendors and suppliers will give you extend-
ed terms so you have two months or so of free financing. Ask customers for deposits or to pay up-front. Try non-traditional financing—mezzanine financing and capital financing.
Mathioudakis:
Stage your requests for money. Instead of asking for financing for a year, scale back your needs and ask for enough for four months. Then, prove you can do it. Your next request will be easier to fund. This strategy also makes it easier on the financer. v
About the Spirit of Entrepreneurship Series The Hamilton County Alliance and the Hamilton County Chambers of Commerce launched the Spirit of Entrepreneurship Series the last week of October in celebration of the 2008 Indiana Entrepreneurship Week, which featured events around the state focused on the theme of “Celebrate. Inspire. Inform.” It is about a new way to think, learn, and succeed in today’s business environment. It is designed for entrepreneurs and small business owners at various stages of business ownership including those who are thinking about starting a business to those who are ready to grow their businesses. The Spirit of Entrepreneurship Series will continue with quarterly events in 2009.
Hamilton County Business Magazine /December 08 • January 09
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News Ten Organizations receive $89,500 in grants to serve Hamilton County The Town of Arcadia Incorporation, in partnership with Hamilton County Convention and Visitors Bureau, recently received $20,000 from Legacy Fund, the community foundation serving Hamilton County, to support a revitalization of downtown Arcadia into an artisan area. It was one of ten local organizations selected by Legacy Fund in the third quarter grant round. “We have great expectations and a lot of excitement about Arcadia,” said Ronald Adamson, Vice President of Town of Arcadia Incorporation. The Town of Arcadia Incorporation plans to rejuvenate the town by repainting many of its buildings with the help of its residents. “This will invigorate residents since they will be involved with it,” said Adamson. In addition, Arcadia will welcome a culinary arts school, a professional dance school and a new restaurant this spring.
Downtown Arcadia
The following local organizations also received grants from Legacy fund, totaling $69,500: Agape Therapeutic Riding Resources, Inc. received $5,000 to pilot an equine assisted program for at-risk teens attending Options Charter School in Noblesville and Carmel. Anderson Symphony Orchestra received $18,000 to support its affiliate, the Noblesville Symphony Orchestra. BABE and Beyond Store received $5,000 to support the BABE Store, a program that promotes well-check medical visits and healthy baby development. Family Development Services received $3,000 to increase the library holdings at the Hamilton County Head Start site, located on Conner St. in Noblesville. Fishers Arts Council received a $5,000 1:1 match grant to support the creation of a public art installation that will be a focal gateway to the Town of Fishers. Hamilton County Artists’ Association received $12,000 to support the hiring of a part-time Art Center Director.
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Hamilton County Parenting Coalition received $4,000 to provide low cost parenting educational classes for families referred by local agencies or self-selected at a low cost.
Linden Tree Reopens
Hamilton County Urban Conservation Association, Inc. received $5,000 to support the creation of demonstration sites in the county for the purpose of educating residents on environmental issues. S.P.O.R.T.S. received $12,500 to support the purchase of computers and software for its relocation to offices at Billericay Park. Legacy Fund is an affiliate of Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF). Since 1991, Legacy Fund has awarded over $10 million in grants to benefit Hamilton County. Legacy Fund and CICF are public charities that administer charitable funds, foundations and organizational endowments for individuals, families and not-for-profit entities. For more information about applying for a grant or making a contribution to the Legacy Fund Community Endowment, call Liz Tate 317.843.2479 or visit www.cicf.org.
December 08 • January 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
A long time downtown Noblesville gift store has reopened under new ownership. Rori Anderson of Westfield is the Linden Tree’s fourth owner in 25 years. A former teacher and real estate agent, this is Anderson’s first retail venture. The Linden Tree features home accessories and gifts, specialty foods, candles, clothing, locally crafted jewelry, a unique greeting card collection and more.
Networking Members of all six Hamilton County Chambers of Commerce got together at the first ever all-county chamber networking breakfast
Breakfast at Oak Hill Mansion
More than 125 chamber members attended.
Mary Pat McKee speaks to (left to right) Brian Koning, BTK Associates, Susan with Storage Solutions
Natalie Harris with Carmel Symphony Orchestra
Alan Young
Don Cobb with Lake City Bank
Hamilton County Business Magazine /December 08 • January 09
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December 08 • January 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Hamilton County Business Magazine /December 08 • January 09
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www.hamiltonnorthchamber.com
HAMILTON NORTH
Hamilton North Chamber 70 N. Byron Street Cicero, IN 46034 317-984-4079
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Business Spotlight
Bo Embry of Embry’s Market accepts the Bell of Recognition from Debbie Beaudin, chair of the Chamber Ambassador Committee
Clarian North Medical presented the Business Spotlight at the October luncheon.
New Members
Lone Callahan, Forum Credit Union
Dr. Richard Hayes, Clarian Health, Cicero
Sue Baker, Comcast Spotlight
Business Showcase
Lora Rich
Upcoming Events: Tuesday, December 2 Holiday Celebration Luncheon 11:30 am, Red Bridge Park Community Building Holiday Meal, Entertainment from Hamilton Heights Swing Choir
Jonathan Hunt, aka Vampire Elvis, works the First Merchant Bank booth. First Merchants Bank was the Presenting Sponsor of the 3rd Annual Business Showcase.
Nancy Rich, The Lodge, ready to speak to attendees about the Assisted Living facility in Noblesville
Sandol & Associates Jake Doll Holliday Hydroelectric Restoration Mark Reuter Jesse’s Sports Grille Jesse Poveromo Lora Rich Clarian Health Cicero Dr. Richard Hayes Sheridan Healthcare & Rehab Bobbie Sutton
Pauleeta Browning and Karen Jones representing the Hamilton Heights Educational Foundation talk with Keith Ecker, Principal of Hamilton Heights Primary School.
Paul Freeland, Freeland & Associates Remodeling Specialist and Kris Freeland, Freeland Painting & Drywall at their booth which was voted the Best Booth by attendees
December 08 • January 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Comcast Spotlight Sue Baker Baker Contracting & Consulting, LLC Brad Baker
Mayor Ditslear celebrated the grand opening of Indiana Carpet One with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Joining owners Marvin, Mike & Tony Jackson were store employees and Noblesville Chamber ambassadors. The store is located at 15887 Cumberland Road, Suite 107.
Anthony Padgett and Heather Rayka joined Mayor John Ditslear and Noblesville Chamber board members and ambassadors at the ribbon-cutting for the Anthony J. Padgett Gallery on October 21. The gallery is located at 940 Logan Street.
Primrose School celebrated its Grand Opening. While touring the school, many local children and families had fun having their faces painted, playing in the bounce house, and enjoying a magic show. (from left) Mascot Percy the Rooster, Mayor Ditslear, Tom Bell, Jackie Bell, Randy Brown, Ryan Brown and Emily Warner.
NEW MEMBERS
Melissa McCoy and Kelli Allen, Headcase Salon
James Hill, Bold Core Response
www.noblesvillechamber.com
Afterwards the crowd will gather around the tree next to the Sheriff’s residence as it is lighted to the sounds of Silent Night.
NOBLESVILLE
The traditional Community Tree Lighting ceremony will take place Friday, November 28 at 7PM in the lobby of the Hamilton County Judicial Center on the square in downtown Noblesville. Everyone is invited to hear area choirs perform and Noblesville Mayor John Ditslear read The Night Before Christmas.
Get in the Holiday spirit!
Noblesville Chamber 601 Conner Street Noblesville, IN 46060 317-773-0086
John West and Christine Pruett, AYWON Consulting. LLC Hamilton County Business Magazine /December 08 • January 09
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The Churches of Sheridan Sheridan, Indiana is blessed with places of worship for all denominations. Residents have eight churches in Sheridan to attend and a few others in surrounding towns. For more information
www.sheridanchamber.org
SHERIDAN
on services, please call the individual church or the chamber office for assistance.
Sheridan Church of God
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Sheridan First Baptist Church
Sheridan Wesleyan Church
Sheridan Friends Meeting
Prostar
Faith Family Church
Church can not be spelled without “U”! Greater Life Bible Church
Sheridan First Christian Church
Neighboring Churches
Hortonville Friends
Sheridan Chamber 407 S. Main Street P.O. Box 202 Sheridan, IN 46069 317-758-1311
First United Methodist Church
Hortonville United Methodist
Bakers Corner Wesleyan
Christ Covenant
Boxley United Methodist
December 08 • January 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Terhune United Methodist
Christ Community Church of Lamong
Busby Eye Care ~ Jones Chiropractic Business After Hours
DECEMBER EVENTS
Economic Development Committee December 1st ~ 11:30 a.m. Old Country Buffet, Village Park Plaza ~ Westfield Westfield & Carmel Chamber Joint networking breakfast December 4th ~ 7:30 a.m. Charleston’s, 14636 North Meridian ~ Westfield
Chamber Board members join Juan & Carmen Lopez as they cut the ribbon to their new Petland Store in Village Park.
Join us for our Holiday Luncheon
Membership Luncheon Thursday, December 18th ~ 11:30 a.m. Bridgewater Club, 3535 East 161st St. ~ Westfield
JANUARY EVENTS
Economic Development Meeting January 5th ~ 11:30 a.m. Old Country Buffet, Village Park Plaza ~ Westfield Legislative breakfast January 12th ~ 7:30 a.m. The Mansion at Oak Hill
WESTFIELD
Dr. Mark Jones, Jones Chiropractic and Maximum Health uses a special technique that relieves muscle tension for Dean Ballenger, Dean Ballenger Agency, Inc.
www.westfield-chamber.org
Dr. Kathleen Busby, Busby Eye Care pulls the name of a lucky door prize winner while Don Graves with Riverwalk Commons looks on. Kathy Kostecka, Chamber, attends the registration table.
Membership Luncheon January 15th ~ 11:00 a.m. The Bridgewater Club, 161st and Carey Rd.. ~ Westfield
WESTFIELD CHAMBER RELOCATES Thursday, December 18, 11:30-1 Bridgewater Club 3535 East 161st St., Westfield Program will feature a special presentation by Mr. Jim Anderson presenting the results of this past year’s planning by the Downtown Westfield Grand Junction Task Force.
The Westfield Chamber has moved its office to Westfield City Hall, where back in 1981 it served as the first home of the Chamber! This move will allow the Chamber to be in close proximity to Westfield’s Economic Development Department. The Chamber and the Economic Development Department hope to collaborate on several projects and this move will help to facilitate such activity.
Our new street address is 130 Penn Street. Our Post Office Box remains #534.
However, after the first of the year the Chamber will have new emails and phones numbers.
317-867-8066
Hamilton County Business Magazine /December 08 • January 09
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Calendar This information is accurate as of press time. Please check chamber websites for updates.
DECEMBER Monday, 1st 11:30 a.m.
Westfield Economic Development Committee Old Country Buffet, Westfield
Tuesday, 2nd 11:30 a.m. -1 p.m. Hamilton North Holiday Luncheon Red Bridge Park, Cicero
Wednesday, 3rd 11:30 a.m. -1 p.m. Noblesville Holiday Luncheon Purgatory Golf Club
Saturday, 13th 9 a.m. -10:30 a.m.
Wednesday, 14th Noon-1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, 17th 11:30 a.m. -1 p.m.
Thursday, 15th 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Breakfast at the North Pole Fishers Town Hall
Fishers Holiday Luncheon Forum Conference Center
Thursday, 18th 11:30 a.m. -1 p.m. Westfield Holiday Luncheon Bridgewater Club
Thursday, 18th 5-7 p.m.
Thursday, 4th 7:30-9 a.m.
Carmel and Westfield Networking Breakfast Charlestons, Carmel
Thursday, 4th 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
Thursday, 15th 5-7 p.m.
Noblesville Business After Hours Hamilton 16 IMAX
Friday, 16th 8-9 a.m.
Coffee and Conversation with Christi Wolf Chamber Conference Room, Fishers
JANUARY
Wednesday, 21st 11:30 a.m. -1 p.m.
Monday, 5th 11:30 a.m.
Westfield Economic Development Committee Old Country Buffet, Westfield
Tuesday, 9th 5-7 p.m.
Tuesday, 6th 11:30 a.m.
Wednesday, 10th 8-9 a.m.
Westfield Luncheon Bridgewater Club
Carmel Business After Hours Hamilton Beverage
Sheridan Holiday Luncheon and State of the Schools Address Sheridan Community Center
Carmel Young Professionals, Arrows 101 Series Carmel City Hall
Carmel Luncheon The Mansion at Oak Hill
Hamilton North Luncheon Red Bridge Park, Cicero
Wednesday, 7th 8-9:30 a.m.
Fishers Luncheon Forum Conference Center, Fishers
Thursday, 22nd 1 1:30 a.m. -1 p.m. Sheridan Luncheon Scotty’s Restaurant & Sports Pub
Thursday, 22nd 5-7 p.m. Carmel Taste of the Chamber Ritz Charles
Fishers Navigating the Chamber Fishers Train Station
FishNET Networking (members only) Keller Williams, Fishers
Wednesday, 10th Noon-1:30 p.m.
Thursday, 8th 8-9:30 a.m.
Noblesville “State of the County” Luncheon Mansion at Oak Hill
Monday, 12th 7:30-9 a.m.
For more information on these events please contact the chambers at these numbers:
Carmel Annual Awards Luncheon Ritz Charles
Wednesday, 10th 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Fishers Holiday After Hours at The Hawthorns The Hawthorns Golf & Country Club
Noblesville NetWorks! Golden Corral, Noblesville
Legislative Breakfast Series Mansion At Oak Hill
The 2009 edition of the Welcome to Hamilton County Visitors Guide will be published next Spring. Reach thousands of visitors who stay at our hotels, stop at visitors’ centers and visit other local businesses every year. They want to know what you have to offer! Now taking advance orders for advertising.
Call or email Mike Corbett, Publisher 774-7747 or mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com
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December 08 • January 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Wednesday, 28th 11:30 a.m. -1 p.m.
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 896-8066 - www.westfield-chamber.org
Hamilton County History
David Heighway
Hamilton County’s Original Mass Transit System What year was it when a key transportation corridor was created and the population of Carmel increased exponentially – 1965? Try 1882 or 1903. The Monon Railroad and the Interurban system both added economic vitality to the small farming community in the southern part of Hamilton County and helped to sustain growth in an otherwise quiet area. Because of the peculiar fact that Hamilton County’s first settlements
In the pre-automobile era, the Interurban was probably the most important transportation system in Indiana. Electrically powered railroad cars traveling all over the state, from Chicago to Louisville and Terre Haute to Richmond, proved to be enormously popular with the public. Clean, fast and efficient, these cars ran between 1903 and 1938 in Hamilton County – Broad Ripple to Carmel, then to Noblesville and straight north.
were in the northern part of the county and spread south, Carmel was one of the more sparsely populated communities for many years. In fact, at the height of the natural gas boom in 1900, Clay Township had the lowest population of any township in the county. This was exacerbated by the fact that Carmel was split in half, with Rangeline Road being the dividing line between Clay and Delaware townships. The situation did not change until 1955 when Clay Township annexed all of Delaware Township to the White River. This division can make studying the censuses to get the proper statistics a bit tricky.
The Interurban probably had an impact on the fact that Carmel did not lose population when the gas boom failed after 1900. Carmel’s population increased to 626 in 1910, the only area in Hamilton County (besides Noblesville) that gained rather than lost. However, in the 1920 census, because of the devastating fire in 1913 and the gas failure, the Carmel population made its only twentieth-century drop – down to 598.
In the 1870 census, the town of Carmel wasn’t even differentiated from the township population, unlike larger towns like Westfield and Cicero. In 1880, the towns of Carmel in Clay Township and “New Carmel” in Delaware Township had a total population of 258, which increased to 471 in 1890 due to the arrive of the Monon Railroad in 1882 and the discovery of natural gas in 1887. In 1900, the number went up to 498, but this amount still couldn’t compete with the economic powerhouse of Atlanta, Indiana, which had a population of 1,413 – nearly three times the size of Carmel. Something else was required to give it a boost.
The population of Carmel has done nothing but increase since 1920. Even though it has lost the railroad and the Interurban, the coming of the Interstate highways in the 1960s gave a new impetus to the growth of the area. Now, with mass transit once again a part of the discussion on growth, Carmel may once again have to consider a new transportation system. It will be interesting to see if it works out as well as the others have over the last 125 years.
David Heighway is the Hamilton County historian.
Hamilton County Business Magazine /December 08 • January 09
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BookMark Putting PINin your sales approach S SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham Review by Ed Gill
Everyone is looking for the perfect system to sell more of their products and services. Face it, in business nothing happens until something is sold. The shelves of book stores are full of books telling us they have found the secret to sales, and many of them are very good. (I should know; I have read most of them!) Unfortunately, they, just like some of the most popular sales training out today, have often left me feeling empty in two main areas. First, I have found little difference in their approach for large ticket sales versus smaller ticket items, and secondly, there is no appreciation for the different personalities of the buyer. I have found that many have a one-size-fits-all approach to selling, and real life just doesn’t work that way. SPIN Selling, by Neil Rackham, is a great read. Implementing Rackham’s methodology has helped me and countless others I have coached. Rackham’s book outlines a defined system for the reader to take. If we as the seller don’t have a system, we will be prey to the system of the buyer. The main difference in this method is that it was not founded by a sales person turned teacher or author; it was built after evaluating more than 35,000 sales presentations. This book is the result of those findings, leaving personal feelings and bias out.
even realize a $90 mistake. If the second and more expensive transaction turned out to be a bad choice, everyone, including his clients, would know and be caused pain. These examples are the premise of the book and demonstrate why the-onesize-fits-all approach doesn’t work. SPIN is an acronym for Situation, Problem, Implication, and Need Payoff. The author takes the reader through this model in a very detailed way, but in a way that makes each part of the method valid, driving the reader to apply the teaching. This book helps us remember that no matter what you have to sell, it all really comes down to people – your customer. Knowing what they need, how those things are measured in their performance, and how you can support them in their goals. SPIN Selling will also challenge you greatly if you have been trained in a more traditional selling program, as so many of us have. I recommend all my clients read this book if they want to increase their effectiveness in sales, and I encourage you to do the same.
SPIN Selling is most powerful for those businesses that sell large or expensive items. The book demonstrates how these sales require a different approach for two main reasons: • the buyer’s fear of making a mistake • the continued contact with the sales person that’s required The author compares two sales transactions he personally encountered. One was for a new overhead projector he was buying and the second for a new accounting software package for his company. In the first case, he states that he didn’t need to like or even trust the sales person because the item was inexpensive and if it was a bad purchase, no one would
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December 08 • January 09/Hamilton County Business Magazine
Ed Gill is a Licensed Professional Business Coach and founder of Bestpath Business Coaching in Noblesville.
Have you read a good business book lately? Share your thoughts with others and help spread good advice. Send your book review to news@hamiltoncountybusiness.com and we may run it in a future edition.
BUSINESS RESOURCE DIRECTORY Commercial Lease Space
Signs and Banners
Accounting & Bookkeeping Services
River Edge Professional Center and River Edge Market Place Call John Landy at 317-289-7662 jcl@roamermaritime.com
Logan Street Signs & Banners 1720 South 10th Street, Noblesville, Indiana 317-773-7200 Open M-F 7-5 www.loganstreetsigns.com www.noblesvilletrophies.com www.noblesville.com
ProStar Consulting, Inc. 130 W. Jackson Street, Cicero, Indiana 317-984-4141 www.consultwithprostar.com
65,000 square feet of available flex space. 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.
Holiday Gifts Uncle Henry’s Candies Cicero, Indiana 1-888-757-8099 www.unclehenryscandies.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
Contracted Chief Information Officer or VP of MIS
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.
Digital Nervous Systems, LLC David L. Smith 764 Princeton Lane Westfield, IN 46074 317-574-9811 www.digitalnervoussystems.net Do you need a Chief Information Officer or VP of MIS? Can’t afford a full time position? Why not contract the position or hire an expert with 35 years of experience. My past experience includes managing the Information technology needs of a health care company while assisting it to increase sales from 10 to 100 million per year.
ProStar Consulting, Inc. offers all of the services that you would expect from a Bookkeeper or Controller/ CFO of an organization. We provide cost-effective, outsourced accounting and financial consulting services that profitably satisfy your daily accounting demands while aligning with the specific goals and missions of your business. Our passion is accounting. Our services are your financial gain.
Event and Party Planning Black Tie Events Indianapolis, Indiana 317-915-7565 www.IndyBlackTie.com Office Hrs: Mon-Fri 9am-7pm; Saturday By Appointment Only
Event and Party planning for any special occasion! We are known for our great customer service! Our services can be customized to most needs and budgets. We offer services for Corporate Events, Weddings, Charity Fundraisers, Holiday Parties, Birthday Parties, and many other events. We work to create the memories of a lifetime!
To Advertise in the Business Resource Directory call Mike Corbett at 774-7747 or e-mail mcorbett@hamiltoncountybusiness.com Hamilton County Business Magazine /December 08 • January 09
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