Progress 2020 Economic Opportunity

Progress

Economic Opportunity

Albert Lea Tribune

Saturday, February 29, 2020

Reggie Bauer started as the operations manager of Albert Lea’s Power 96 in January 2019. His morning show started in January of this year. Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune

Radio station has new leader at

THE HELM Power 96 operations manager got start in radio in eighth grade after a career day presentation at school

By Colleen Harrison

colleen.harrison@albertleatribune.com

The Power 96 office is at 109 E. Clark St. in downtown Albert Lea.

W

hile Reggie Bauer is eventually ran the board during Wild newer to Albert Lea, games — transitioning the regional he’s not new to radio. signal to local commercials and anBauer, 23, started nouncements during game breaks, as Power 96’s opera- something that is now largely done tions manager in January 2019. Orig- by computer software — and read off some news at the inally from Hastings, station as well.

Bauer said radio had Eventually Bauer fascinated him from quit to go to college, a young age. When attending the Minnehis eighth-grade class apolis Media Institute had a career day and in Edina for audio Dan Massman, a engineering, which Hastings radio station said was forowner, came in, Bauer — Reggie Bauer Bauer merly the old Flight said he ended up folTime studio. lowing Massman into Bauer ended up getting hired right the hallway after his presentation to ask him if there was anything Bauer out of school by iHeartRadio in Des Moines, where he ran the board could do at the station.

So, at age 14, Bauer started read- during the morning show for about ing off items for a shopping show at nine months. After that he went back Massman’s station. After about seven to Hastings, where he said radio months of that, Bauer was running See RADIO, Page 7 his own three-hour music show, and

“I’ve always kind of been fascinated with radio. ”

What’s inside?

Expanding its footprint

A strategic plan for the area

Century farm a labor of love

Construction positions Riverland Community College to become training hub. Page 2

ALEDA director shares ideas about moving economic development forward. Page 3

A family tree of business owners

Owner of farm shares ins and outs of farming over his lifetime. Page 4

An entrepreneurial spirit runs in the Thompson family’s genes. Page 5

Page 2 | AlbertLeaTribune.com | Progress 2020 | ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY | saturday, February 29, 2020

Expanding

its footprint in the region

Once the construction at the Riverland Community College Albert Lea campus is complete, the truck driving and collision programs will be moved from Austin to Albert Lea. Existing classrooms and lab spaces will also be updated. This is the first time in about four decades for the campus to see construction on this scale. Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune

Construction positions Riverland to become a major training hub By the numbers

By Sarah Stultz

sarah.stultz@albertleatribune.com

With the start of construction this past fall, Riverland Community College in Albert Lea is on track to become the main hub in the region for students seeking a transportation-related career.

The $10.12 million project will relocate the college’s truck driving and collision programs, previously at the Austin campus, to Albert Lea, modernize existing classroom and lab spaces, demolish an obsolete building and address deferred maintenance, among other changes.

“Our intention is to capture enrollment from southern Minnesota, northern Iowa, and make Albert Lea the training and education center for that region,” said Riverland Community College President Adenuga Atewologun.

Construction is slated to be complete by September or October, in time for fall classes, Atewologun said.

In addition to adding the truck driving and collision programs, the college will expand its diesel technology program to include ag diesel and more heavy equipment related to the agriculture and food industry, he said.

It will also expand its sustainable energy programs related to electric vehicles.

Already in Albert Lea are programs for construction electricians, industrial

$10.2 Cost in millions of the construction at Riverland’s campus in Albert Lea

6.4 Percent increase in the last year in enrollment on the Albert Lea campus

12 Percent concurrent enrollment is up at the Albert Lea campus The former Gateway building at the Riverland Community College Albert Lea campus will be torn down during the construction at the campus. maintenance, automation, automotive technology and welding, he said.

“We’re also going to make the campus more student-friendly in terms of having more gathering spaces for students — engagement spaces for students so they can interact,” he said.

In three to five years, the college hopes to construct student housing in Albert Lea for 75 to 100 students.

Though it has not selected the location, it is considering building on Riverland property near the college

or on Northbridge Mall property, where it would be close enough to the college for students to walk.

“We are optimistic that one of those locations will work,” Atewologun said.

The changes come as the college is already making a name for itself across the state.

While most other colleges across the nation are experiencing an enrollment drop because of the cost of education, a lower birth rate and the economy, Riverland has embarked on bucking that

trend — and is succeeding.

Atewologun said the college had a 6.4% increase this fall over last year’s fall enrollment — the lead figure out of all other Minnesota State colleges,.

The college is working hard to recruit students and improve the aesthetics of the campus.

“We have really focused attention on recruiting for the programs that are highwage, high-demand in the area, such as carpentry, construction electrician, industrial maintenance and health care,” he said.

While many colleges experiencing declining enrollment shrink staff, Riverland is doing the opposite to ensure student success: It has hired a recruiter and has increased the number of advisers.

It is also working diligently to innovate, such as when some of the deans at the college came up with the idea of a mobile training lab that can be taken to various industries for students to learn and practice skills.

In addition, the college has increased its online footprint and has ramped

up its online recruiting.

Riverland has an online program for working adults, and has reached out to area school districts.

Atewologun said concurrent enrollment is up by about 12%.

“We really want to position the Albert Lea campus as the hub for industrial trades and transportation programs,” he said. “We know we need partners in the industry, we need citizens, we need the city — and I think together in a few years, we will be renowned to be the training and educational center for southern Minnesota and northern Iowa.”

saturday, February 29, 2020 | ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY | Progress 2020 | AlbertLeaTribune.com | Page 3

A strategic plan for the

A.L. area

ALEDA executive director answers questions about ideas to move Economic development forward

By Sarah Stultz

sarah.stultz@albertleatribune.com

Q: What led to the decision to conduct a strategic plan?

What is the hope for the plan?

list of participants involved in the first stakeholder event will be printed within the final draft of the plan.

Q: What have been the major take-aways (areas the community should focus on) from the process?

A: The ALEDA board decided that the best way to move our organization and economic developA: The overarchment in Albert Lea Phillip ing goals identified and Freeborn County Johnson were: forward was to have • Leverage the a comprehensive road map multiple organizations that detailing our main priori- have a stake in Albert Lea ties for the next five years. and Freeborn County’s The hope for the plan is economic development to create a comprehensive success to create a strong road map with our partner economic development agencies and the community ecosystem. that will outline and guide • Help connect K-12/ our priorities going forward. higher education and employers to strengthen the Q: What has been the talent pipeline.

• Enhance and promote process? What groups quality of life amenities to of people/organizahelp attract talent, retain tions were met with?

A: The process through residents and increase Ady Advantage, the firm levels of community hired to organize and devel- engagement.

• Prioritize activities op the plan, has been a 12phase program designed to to ensure Albert Lea and gather critical data, engage Freeborn County are prestakeholders, and to devel- pared for business growth op priorities amongst the opportunities.

Each of these goals have core team (ALEDA, CVB, city, county, chamber) for several strategies laid out in the implementation map the next five years.

Besides the core team, detailing how we aim to between the two communi- achieve each goal. ty and stakeholder events Q: What were identhere were over 100 people from over 65 different or- tified as Albert Lea/ ganizations, businesses and Freeborn County’s groups that were engaged. A strengths? What were

areas that could be improved on?

A: Albert Lea/Freeborn County have many strengths laid out in the plan, here are a few that were highlighted: • Diversity of businesses • Cost of living • Riverland and our strong K-12 school system • Location • Our lakes and other recreation Areas that can be improved are ‘all the above’.

From our strengths to our weaknesses this plan looks to enhance and redevelop our strategies moving forward with the understanding that economic development today takes a more comprehensive approach.

Q: What will the Albert Lea Economic Development Agency/ city/county be doing differently than in previous years when it comes to business recruitment/retention as a result of this process?

A: Our agencies will be looking into all of our processes and programs to see where there is room for improvement and utilizing new programs and strategies, as well as looking into the underlying issues that have affected our area negatively in terms of recruitment and retention — the overall goal being to make Albert Lea and Freeborn

County as business-friendly as possible.

Q: How will this plan be used moving forward?

A: This plan will be used as a five-year road map for the agencies involved on economic development. It will serve as a guide, focusing our agencies on the goals we have prioritized.

Specifically, laying out how each one of those goals can be achieved with different strategies, what agency is leading, what other agencies are involved and the timeframe in which it should be accomplished.

Q: What other parts of this process would be beneficial for the community to know?

A: The important piece

for the community to know is that developing this plan would not have been possible without their input and years of experience in working and living in Albert Lea/Freeborn County. The more involvement that Albert Lea and Freeborn County have between its various stakeholders now and going forward will ultimately lead to success.

Page 4 | AlbertLeaTribune.com | Progress 2020 | ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY | saturday, February 29, 2020

Area century farm a labor of love

By the numbers

By Tyler Julson

tyler.julson@albertleatribune.com

Alton Krikava, a lifetime resident of the Albert Lea area, has spent his life dedicated to the farmstead he was born on. From watching and helping his father as a young boy to raising his own family of five children with his wife, Marie, Krikava has seen a lot on the now-registered century farm.

Krikava’s grandfather, Josef Krikava, immigrated to the United States from what is now the Czech Republic in search of a better life for his family. He settled in Minnesota, where he bought three parcels of land in 1877.

Alton Krikava said he’s grateful his grandfather decided to come to America because he was not sure how many of his relatives would have survived had they stayed there.

It was a rough go at the farm through the beginning years. The Krikavas were forced to give up two of their parcels early on, but luckily, Josef Krikava put one of the parcels in his wife, Mary’s name, allowing them to keep the property.

After living in a sod house for many years, Josef Krikava built a house in 1905 where it stood until a new home was built in 1968.

Alton Kirklava was born on the farm in 1928 and graduated from high school in 1946. He helped with work on the farm his whole life, but officially took ownership of the 160 acres from his father in 1949 for $12,000.

Farming life continued on, and in 1950, Alton Krikava said he “hit the jackpot,” but it had nothing to do with farming.

“I married a terrific wife,” he said. “She was a real sweetheart. She lived in Albert Lea where her dad owned a shoe repair shop. She wasn’t a farm girl, but we survived.”

1877 Year Josef Krikava purchased land in Freeborn County for his farm

1928 Year Alton Krikava was born on the farm

$12,000 Price Alton Krikava paid in 1949 for the 160 acres of the farm

Alton Krikava stands with his daughter, Joan, in front of the Krikava family home with their certificate and plaque recognizing the land as a century farm. Krikava bought the land from his father in 1949 for $12,000 for 160 acres of land. Provided He and his wife, Marie, lived on the property and ran the day-to-day business of the farm. He said he once had about 600 total acres of farmland.

However, it wasn’t only crops; the Krikava farm was home to about 3,000 laying hens before the couple got out of the egg industry.

In all those years of farming, Alton Krikava said the biggest changes came when electricity became a common commodity in many

households and the county put a ditch next to their land, making it more prosperous.

“There were two things that happened that were

unbelievably good,” he said. “What people like the most was the electricity, and up until I was 18 years old we didn’t have electricity. Plus, the ditch went through by the county commissioners. We could tile into the ditch with clay pipes and we could produce more.

Both came in the same year. (The year) 1946 was a banner year for us.”

Alton Krikava also raised his five children on the farm, all of whom have grown to become professionals in a variety of fields, he said.

Alton Krikava retired from actively farming the land in 1990, and the couple lived on the farm together for nearly 70 years, before Marie passed away after a battle with cancer in 2018.

Although he said it was not always easy, he had no complaints about his life on the farm.

“I’ve got to say that we’ve had a pretty good life,” he said. “I can’t complain about my life. Sure, I worked really hard, long hours and low pay, but I won’t complain about that either. Most of it was a labor of love.”

Telling your stories for over 120 years!

Thank you to our readers!

saturday, February 29, 2020 | ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY | Progress 2020 | AlbertLeaTribune.com | Page 5

A family tree full of business owners By the numbers

By Tyler Julson

tyler.julson@albertleatribune.com

For the Thompson family, being a small business owner runs in the family. From the grocery store and ice cream shop owned by their grandparents and great-grandparents, to the oil company, sanitation company and electrician company some of them own now, business owners are all over the Thompson family tree.

Growing up in a family of nine brothers and sisters, Roger, Eugene and Everett Thompson each went on to start business ventures of their own.

The first to do so was Eugene Thompson, the oldest sibling, who bought out Rutherford Electric in Albert Lea in 1971. The business went by many names over the years before becoming Thompson Electric in 2004, when Eugene sold the business to his son, Mike.

Everett Thompson bought what was then Hollandale Oil Co. in 1979 after having leased it for a year. Everett changed the name to Thompson Oil and worked as the company’s only employee for about five years before hiring one other person. He has grown the company from about 75 customers when he started to about 450, where it stands today.

Roger Thompson started Thompson Sanitation in 1982, when he acquired the contracts for Ellendale and Geneva. In 1992, his son, Frank Thompson, took over the business and has been steadily growing it ever since.

Frank Thompson said he always knew he wanted to take over the sanitation business from his father, even from a young age.

“The garbage business is what I’ve had my eye on ever since I was a kid,” he said. “I wanted to get as big as I could by myself, but I guess about 22 years ago that went by the wayside.

Now we’ve got 25 employees here.”

While Eugene Thompson was the first of the siblings to start a business, starting a business had always been on the others’ minds, too.

128 Cumulative years the Thompson family has owned and operated their businesses

9 Brothers and sisters in the Thompson family

3 Thompson brothers who started their own business

Everett, Eugene, Mike and Frank Thompson are all either first- or second-generation owners of their respective companies. Everett Thompson owns and operates Thompson Oil. Eugene Thompson started Thompson Electric before selling to his son, Mike Thompson, and Frank Thompson now owns Thompson Sanitation after taking over for his father. Tyler Julson/Albert Lea Tribune

Thompson Oil is in Hollandale and is run by Everett Thompson.

“I always wanted to have a business, I wanted to have a small business of my own,” Everett Thompson said. “I don’t know that it had anything to do with

the fact that Gene was in business or any of the other small businesses.”

While all three businesses offer vastly different goods and services,

Thompson Sanitation in Clarks Grove is owned and operated by Frank Thompson, who had it passed on to him by his father, Roger.

it doesn’t stop the three owners from being able to bounce ideas off one another or from having similar goals.

“There’s a lot of rewards

to owning a business,” Mike Thompson said. “The flexibility, especially with family life. Also seeing a project come in under budget and the customer

happy is always a great thing. One of the other small things for me is when I see my employees doing well — when they buy a camper or go on a nice camping or hunting trip.”

While they all enjoy having their own businesses and the perks that come along with that, they said there are still challenges they have to face, as well as long hours and late nights. Everett Thompson talked about all the work that goes on behind the scenes.

“There’s so many things the general public doesn’t see,” Everett Thompson said. “But there’s so many things we do behind the scenes to make it all click.

It can be frustrating sometimes because when people don’t see it, they don’t think you’re doing anything.

There’s so many things that go into it that people don’t see.”

Mike, Frank and Everett Thompson were all confident in the future of their businesses and hope to see their businesses grow.

“The economy is what dictates that, but we’re going to keep moving forward,” Mike Thompson said. “For us, technology has come a long way and we can do more work with five people now than we could do with eight people 10 years ago. You’re constantly going to school, you’re learning about new products to help keep that competitive edge.”

Thompson Electric, once owned by Eugene Thompson, is now owned by his son, Mike Thompson, and is located in Albert Lea.

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Page 6 | AlbertLeaTribune.com | Progress 2020 | ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY | saturday, February 29, 2020

New businesses boost city of Albert Lea during the last year

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Thirsty Fox Pub & Grill opened in August at 1105 S. Broadway Ave. in Albert Lea. Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune

Jason Hoiseth and James Hagen opened Bleachers Sports Bar and Grill in September in the former Knights of Columbus building.

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Leah and Naim “Nate” Vrangalla opened Main Street Family Restaurant in May in the former Big Island Grille & Bar location.

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Ellen & Jane Boutique owner Kellie Steele named the boutique after the middle names of her two daughters. The boutique opened in September. See more on Page 7.

saturday, February 29, 2020 | ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY | Progress 2020 | AlbertLeaTribune.com | Page 7

Angela Moller owns Homestead Design and its brick-and-mortar store, The Homestead Boutique, with her husband, Matt. It debuted in September. Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune

The Skyline Liquor store opened its doors for business in November in the former Cheers Liquor location.

Ryan Evenson opened Steel Rhino Tattoo Studio on Oct. 31 in downtown Albert Lea.

Radio Continued from Front Page

was on the back burner for him for a while, until he heard from Massman.

In summer 2018, Massman called Bauer to tell him he was purchasing a radio station in Albert Lea, and he wanted to offer Bauer a job.

Bauer said Hastings and Albert Lea are about the same size, but with different feels to them. Hastings has a somewhat big-city feel to it with being close to the Twin Cities, he said, whereas Albert Lea is more locally-oriented. Despite the contrast, Bauer said he has enjoyed making Albert Lea his home for the past year.

“I thought it was cool as hell there’s a lake in the middle of town,” he said.

Bauer said he has made it his mission to understand how the radio station plays a role in the community, as he said Massman wanted the station to serve its community more and to be more community-oriented.

With that mindset came some changes to the station, such as covering more local sports live, giving local news updates more often and moving the station’s discography from classic hard rock to “classic hits with a focus on rock.” With those changes came some listener pushback, according to Bauer.

“You can’t please everybody,” he said.

8

Now that there’s been some time for the changes to the station to become routine, Bauer said 95% of the station’s feedback is positive. People have thanked them for their sports coverage and Bauer believes they’ve gained listeners because of it, he said, and they have news updates running hourly for about 18 hours each day.

Bauer started his own morning show at the station in January of this year, which runs from about 6:40 to 9 a.m., which he hopes to continuously grow.

Having grown up on a farm, Bauer said his father was always playing the radio in the tractor or the shop, and it was how Bauer connected with the world, especially when he changed schools. As he got older, the technology side peaked his interest as well.

“I’ve always kind of been fascinated with radio,” Bauer said. “There’s just something about the idea of getting to instantaneously share something with a large audience.”

While Bauer said he leans toward doing a Top 40 format personally, he doesn’t know if that’s the way Power 96 will go or not. Still, the freedom the station has with having Massman for an owner as opposed to a corporation is refreshing. Bauer said some corporation-owned stations can be so micromanaged that it’s like having a short, strict list

Why does Reggie Bauer like managing a radio station in Albert Lea? “Being at the Albert Lea station is being able to run a radio station kind of independently from what a corporate office wants you to do. The relatively free reign here is a blessing in radio.” of music that can be played.

“Being at the Albert Lea station is being able to run a radio station kind of independently from what a corporate office wants you to do,” he said. “The relatively free reign here is a blessing in radio.”

With technology always changing how people get their information, radio has had to adapt as well.

With streaming capabilities and online radio apps such as Spotify, Bauer said he still has friends and sees people on social media talking about hearing something on the radio regularly enough. The competition pushes the station to produce more local content, and to give listeners something they can’t get by listening to an app or online service. It all boils down to his boss’s mindset and vision for the station, Bauer said.

“Radio will survive by serving the local community.”

By the numbers

Grade Reggie Bauer was in when he first started working at a radio station

1

How many years Bauer has been at Power 96 in Albert Lea

23 Bauer’s age

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Page 8 | AlbertLeaTribune.com | Progress 2020 | ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY | saturday, February 29, 2020

New name, same services

Albert Lea towing business operating under new ownership

By Colleen Harrison

colleen.harrison@albertleatribune.com

One local business has a new name, but its services within the community are staying the same.

What used to be Allen’s Tow N Travel became Virgil’s Tow N Travel on Dec. 1. Virgil’s also has locations in Rochester, Austin, St. Paul and in the Duluth and Superior, Wisconsin, area.

While ownership transitions can be tough at first, Virgil’s Heavy Duty Manager Thaddeus Ellenbecker credited the Albert Lea employees with making the transition go as smoothly as possible.

“These guys in Albert Lea are phenomenal,” he said.

“They’re keeping hometown business alive.”

The Virgil’s Albert Lea location had seven operators as of mid-January, with plans to possibly add more.

Three of those drivers have been at the location since it was under the Allen’s name — all Allen’s employees were offered jobs under the new ownership, according to Albert Lea Manager Justin Iverson.

Iverson has been at the Albert Lea location for about 15 years. He said being at the cross section of interstates 90 and 35 keep the business plenty busy, in addition to the contract Virgil’s has with the city, meaning it’s called upon by law enforcement when vehicles need to be moved off the road following accidents or need to be impounded. The business also does its fair share of work with farmers when their vehicles or equipment get bogged down in the fields.

Winter is always their busiest season, Iverson said, and the winter of early 2019 was the busiest he has ever seen, especially when the interstates were closed — multiple times.

Even when law enforcement puts a towing ban out when weather is too

hazardous, Iverson said they will go out to pick up stranded drivers to get them someplace safe, and will then go retrieve cars once the towing ban is lifted and bring them to where the motorists waited out the storm. Unpredictable weather and other situations can make for some odd hours.

“We’re on call even when we’re not on call,” Iverson said.

What customers might not understand about the towing business is how expensive it is to operate, according to Ellenbecker. The overhead cost of a towing business is extreme, he said, with some trucks costing up to half a million dollars, on top of the cost of insurance/liability and employing good operators while keeping them safe.

Ellenbecker said being a tow truck operator is one of the five deadliest jobs. He said distracted driving is a big factor in the danger of the job, and the fact that operators don’t have much control over their environment. They have to pull over wherever vehicles are stranded or left, no matter how blind a turn may be or how tight the shoulder is on a highway.

Ellenbecker said operators often put themselves in dangerous situations because they’re putting their customers first.

“Our guys are there to help, to provide a service and to get people to a safe place,” he said. “It’s an extremely dangerous industry.”

While the career path they’ve chosen can be dangerous, Iverson said they’re exactly where they want to be.

“Helping people is what we do,” he said.

“It’s a lifestyle, it’s not just a job,” added light-duty tow truck operator Roger Norris.

While Virgil’s in Albert Lea continues to offer all

Virgil’s Tow N Travel bought and has been operating what was formerly Allen’s Tow N Travel in Albert Lea since Dec. 1. Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune the services Allen’s did, it will also expand on those services. According to Virgil’s Communications and Dispatch Manager Jon Douglas, the Albert Lea business will now be a full-service hub for AAA. Part of that full-service will include battery service, which Dougls said is about 40% of AAA’s business. All Virgil’s trucks will have new batteries on them to replace batteries on scene for vehicles that need them, if their battery testing determines that to be the case.

Douglas credited how smoothly the transition has been in Albert Lea to how familiar and connected the employees are to the area.

They always know where to go, he said, most of the time without addresses and just using cross streets. They fit well into the community focus the company strives for, Douglas said, and Virgil’s hopes to be a community ally when it comes to

Virgil’s Tow N Travel is at 128 Garfield Ave. in Albert Lea. fundraisers and other local efforts.

Ellenbecker added that Virgil’s always welcomes customer and community

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