Abm 05 2018

AB AMES BUSINESS

MONTHLY MAY 2018

SAPORI ITALIANI

ONLY CERTIFIED ITALIAN MASTER CHEF IN NORTH AMERICA TO OPEN PIZZERIA IN AMES SEE PAGE 2

May Chamber Update

SWEET MINI’S SHARING SPACE WITH ORANGE LEAF SEE PAGE 4

AB

2 | A M E S B U S I N E S S M O N T H L Y | MAY 2018

AMES BUSINESS

MONTHLY MAY 2018 Vol. 11, No. 5 AMES TRIBUNE Ames Business Monthly is a publication of the Ames Tribune, 317 Fifth St., Ames, IA, 50010; (515) 232-2160.

3 Fort Dodge car dealership opens second location in Ames

Only certifi ed Italian master chef in North America to open pizzeria in Ames

4 Sweet Mini’s opens in Ames

By Dan Mika, Staff Writer

5 Ames Chamber of Commerce 17 Local woman diversifies family farm with crickets 18 Rick Brimeyer 18 Great Harvest Bread Company targets May for downtown opening 19 Nate Brammer

dmika@amestrib.com

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he ovens formerly owned by Vesuvius Wood-Fired Pizza are set to burn again, with one of most prestigious Italian chefs in the world at the helm.

Rino Baglio, owner of Sapori Italiani, said his new restaurant was slated to open April 18. Baglio said much of the kitchen equipment, including the ovens, were left intact and the majority of the work will be remodeling.

Baglio described the restaurant as a European-style pizzeria concept, complete with ingredients imported from Italy. He also intends to serve Italian staple dishes

like stromboli, sandwiches and salads, which he said aren’t often found at authentic pizzerias in his home country of Italy.

“We’re trying to introduce the real European pizzeria concept here, it’s completely different of what American people think,” he said.

“Like cannoli and lasagna, you find them only in pizzerias, you don’t find them in Italian restaurants. They’re two distinguished businesses, practically. That’s what I’m trying to introduce, what a pizzeria means versus a restaurant.”

Baglio said he hasn’t set prices for the menu yet, but intends to keep it affordable because of Ames’ college town status.

Sapori Italiani will be located at 1620 S. Kellogg Ave., in the former Vesuvius location. Vesuvius closed suddenly last year.

Baglio, 63, studied at the Cordon Bleu culinary school in Paris and was named a master chef by the Federation of Italian Chefs at 23, the youngest person to do so. He has worked several culinary jobs, from serving as the personal chef to Princess Caroline of Monaco and once cooking dinner for Pope John Paul II in Toronto, to owning and operating several restaurants in New York, San Francisco and most recently in Indianapolis.

See BAGLIO on page 3

MAY 2018 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | 3

BAGLIO: ‘I came in, looked at it and said why not?’

Continued from page 2

Italian Master Chef Rino Baglio stands next to a pizza oven in the future site of Sapori Italiani. Baglio is opening the eatery as an authentic Europeanstyle pizzeria.

In 2013, he was certified as a Master Chef in Italian cuisine by the World Association of Chefs Society and is currently the only person holding that title in North America.

“I think my experience is long like an uncut spaghetti,” he said.

So why does a world-class chef want to sling pizza in Ames?

Baglio said he was introduced to the area after doing consulting work for Tic Toc Ristorante’s reopening in Boone last year. The owners there introduced him to the central Iowa region and told him about the Vesuvius building’s opening.

“I came in, looked at it and said why not?” he said.

When asked why he would open a new restaurant when most people his age are planning to retire, Baglio figured if he can still keep up in a kitchen, he should keep cooking.

“If God gave me the health now, I would not stop to work,” he said. “I believe I still got something to give to what I can.”

Baglio is also working on securing a lease for a fine-dining restaurant in West Des Moines. He hopes to open it sometime in August or September.

PHOTO BY DAN MIKA/AMES TRIBUNE

Fort Dodge car dealership opens second location in Ames

By Dan Mika, Staff Writer dmika@amestrib.com

A

Fort Dodge used car dealership recently opened a second location at the former Fenders Honda lot at the corner of South Duff Avenue and South 16th Street.

Andy Prestis, owner of Fort Dodge Motors and Drive Ames, said he saw the lot available as he was driving around town with his wife before an Iowa State basketball game. He had been looking at Ames as possible expansion market because he believes there’s plenty of competition among the new car dealers

in town, but not as much among the used dealers.

“I think there’s a huge gap in the market here,” he said.

The lot was formerly home to motorcycle and powersports shop Fenders Honda, which moved to a new building on East Lincoln Way last November.

It also is the former home to Benson Motors and later as a temporary site for Deery Brothers before that dealership moved to its permanent location on Southeast 16th Street.

Manager David Wise said Drive Ames is adding to its inventory and intends to remodel its showroom

space. He also plans to reopen the building’s garage for general service repairs, but said it won’t be reopened until the dealership fills its lots with other vehicles to sell.

He expects being near one of city’s busiest intersections will prove beneficial for attracting potential customers, particularly due to the traffic in the area.

“There’s a lot of clients that drive by here every day,” he said. “When you’re stopping three blocks down almost because the road is backed up so much, you need something to look at, and guess what? You’re looking at these cars.”

4 | A M E S B U S I N E S S M O N T H L Y | MAY 2018 Employees David Sternquis, left, and Kaley Kuehl fry doughnuts at the Sweet Mini’s Donut Company in Ames.

PHOTO BY NIRMALENDU MAJUMDAR/ AMES TRIBUNE

SWEET MINI’S OPENS IN AMES Mini doughnut business sharing space with Orange Leaf

By Dan Mika, Staff Writer dmika@amestrib.com

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weet Mini’s Donut Company started selling its tiny treats in March after moving into the Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt shop on Lincoln Way near the Grand Avenue intersection.

The frozen yogurt shop recently completed a renovation

to add a Sweet Mini’s doughnutmaking station without removing any of the yogurt machines from the store, located at 637 Lincoln Way. John Shelton, co-owner of Sweet Mini’s and franchisee of the Ames Orange Leaf, said the plan was to originally remove three of the machines, but the restaurant was able to keep all of the yogurt

stations intact by removing some seating and installing the doughnut station in its place.

The shop fries all of its small cake doughnuts behind the counter before decorating them with an array of frostings and toppings, from cookies to cereals to bacon crumbles. The entire process is visible from the customer’s point of view.

“Kids love to watch, everyone loves to watch us decorate,” he said.

Customers can choose from a menu of previously-built topping combinations or build their own.

The Ames location is the second Sweet Mini’s in the country behind the original in Oklahoma City, and is considered a testing ground for the company as it considers expansion offers from other business owners in the Midwest and Florida.

Shelton hopes to open between six and eight Sweet Mini’s locations in the U.S. before he considers making the brand available for large-scale licensing or franchising as either standalone locations or with other restaurant chains.

The Sweet Mini’s addition is part of a strategy to diversify

sales at the frozen yogurt shop in the winter, when sales tend to slow. The shop also added coffee options to the store and opens at 7 a.m., while Orange Leaf opens at 11 a.m., in a bid to bring in revenue from early-morning customers on their way to work or school.

“In Oklahoma City, we sell the doughnuts all day long, it’s not just a traditional morning product,” he said. “It’s more of a all-day type of product.”

The store is planning to hire between eight and 10 more employees in the coming weeks due to the longer hours.

Shelton said the store may add other foods such as quiches and breakfast bowls to the morning menu in the coming months, along with gluten-free doughnuts.

MAY 2018 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | 5

MAY 2018

ChamberUpdate AMES MAIN STREET FARMERS’ MARKET

AEDC

Economic Ames Main Street Farmers’ Market Kicks Off its Eighth Season on May 5 Development

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he Ames Main Street Farmers’ Market is here!

The eighth year of the market will kick off Saturday May 5. The market will run every Saturday through October 27 from 8:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in historic downtown Ames. In October market hours will change to 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Stop down to the 300 and 400 blocks of Main Street and check out all of the fresh local produce, meats, cheeses, wine, cut ÀRZHUV SHUHQQLDOV EHGding plants, honey, jelly and jams, crafts, artwork, and delicious prepared foods the Market has to offer!

The Market is expanding again this year with 12 new full time and occasional vendors joining us. The Ames Main Street Farmers’ Market will also feature live music, local entertainment, educational opportunities and much more!

Make sure to save the dates of these special Farmers’ Market events in May: May 5 – Food Truck Showdown & Free Face Painting by Joyful Colorz May 12 – Free Meyer’s Pony Rides May 26 – Free Hovick Petting Zoo Led by the Ames Chamber of Commerce, the Ames Main Street Farmers’ Market continues to grow and provides a showcase for consumers to buy directly

Week is May 7-12

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from local producers in the heart of downtown Ames.

To keep up-to-date on weekly vendors, kids’ activities and special events at the Market, please bookmark www.

AmesMainStreetFarmersMarket.com and become a fan on Facebook (Ames Main Street Farmers’ Market) or follow the Market on Twitter (AmesFarmersMkt) and Instagram (AmesFarmersMarket).

See you at the Market!

he Ames Economic Development Commission (AEDC), in partnership with the International Economic Development Council, will celebrate National Economic Development Week May 7-12.

The weeklong celebration will emphasize the importance of economic development and showcase the efforts and initiatives improving business retention, job growth and quality of life for residents of Story County.

The AEDC has made a commitment to celebrate Economic Development Week in order to emphasize the importance of economic development for Ames, Story County and the state of Iowa. The week is designed to increase an understanding of economic development’s contribution to the State’s business climate, job retention and growth, the tax base and the overall quality of life in our community.

Follow the AEDC on Twitter and Facebook (@AmesEDC) to learn more and get updates on Economic Development Week activities.

Supported by the Ames Convention & Visitors Bureau Community Grant Program visitames.com q 515.232.4032

The mission of the Ames Chamber of Commerce is to provide our members services that strengthen the economic vitality in Ames and enhance the quality of life in our community.

6 | A M E S B U S I N E S S M O N T H L Y | MAY 2018

AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | MAY 2018

LEADERSHIP SERIES 2018 BOARD OF DIRECTORS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Luke Jensen, Chair Real Estate Service Group, Inc. Andrew Perry, Vice Chair McFarland Clinic Stacy Dreyer, Second Vice Chair, First National Bank Vanessa Baker-Latimer, Divisional Chair, Community Development City of Ames Scott Blum, Treasurer, Accord Architecture / Henkel Construction Matt Converse, Divisional Chair, Government Affairs Converse Conditioned Air Nate Easter, Divisional Chair, Membership Iowa State University Research Park Casey Johnson, Immediate Past Chair Ames Ford Lincoln Dan Culhane, President / CEO Ames Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Commission BOARD MEMBERS Lindsey Beecher, Gilbert Community School District Ben Conway, HyVee West Ames Lawrence Cunningham, Iowa State Daily Media Group Kathy Dubansky, CAA Representative Workiva Sara Hunter, Vermeer Corporation Jeff Janes, Des Moines Area Community College Nikki Kyle, Central Iowa Air Service Paul Livingston, MSCD Representative, Hunziker & Associates, Realtors Jessica Mortvedt,YPA Representative Haverkamp Properties, Inc. Nate Rippke, Rippke Design Dr. Sonya Stoltze Newstrom, Stoltze and Stoltze Family Dentistry Jason Schwenneker, Renewable Energy Group Randy Woodbeck, Atlantic Bottling, Inc. The Chamber Update newsletter is published by the Ames Chamber of Commerce 304 Main Street | Ames, IA, 50010 phone: (515) 232-2310 | www.ameschamber.com

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MAY 2018 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | 7

AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | MAY 2018

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

Ames Chamber of Commerce Delegation Preparing for 2018 Washington, D.C. Fly-In

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he 2018 Ames Chamber of Commerce Washington, D.C. Fly-In is right around the corner, as our 2018 delegation will head to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, May 15 and return Thursday, May 17.

During the Fly-In, the delegation will present the Ames Chamber of Commerce 2018 Federal Priorities and other key policy considerations to our federal elected RIÂżFLDOV WKHLU VWDIIVÂś WKH 7UXPS $GPLQistration, the United States Department

of Agriculture, and the United States Department of Transportation.

Along with Chamber staff, the Ames delegation will include business, community, and institutional leaders of Ames and Story County. The Chamber’s federal priorities will highlight the issues of agriculture and bioscience, animal health, education and workforce development, infrastructure, energy and the environment, research and development, immigration, and trade.

With well-articulated priorities and a strong delegation representing the broad interests of Ames and Story County, the trip will provide an excellent opportunity to share success stories and continue to build on the strong relationships with our IHGHUDO HOHFWHG RIÂżFLDOV DQG WKHLU VWDIIVÂś The Ames Chamber of Commerce thanks our 2018 Washington, D.C. Sponsors, including Des Moines Area Community College and Midland Power Cooperative.

We also appreciate the assistance of Converse Conditioned Air, First National Bank, Renewable Energy Group, and Workiva for their support as 2018 Taking Leadership Legislative Sponsors.

Without their strong and continued support the Ames Chamber of Commerce could not provide the advocacy and educational efforts we do at the local, state, and federal level.

LEADERSHIP AMES

Leadership Ames Class XXXI Update Agriculture Industry Day sponsored by Landus Cooperative

A

griculture Industry Day was held on March 22. The class started at Todd & Sargent, where they heard from Jon Sargent, DSM Nutritional Products, a community ag involvement panel, and a professional farmer panel.

Next the class traveled to Landus Cooperative where they learned more about the day’s sponsor Landus Cooperative, as well as Global VetLink and food

safety.

The day concluded with tours of several ISU farms including dairy, beef, swine and sheep barns.

Thank you to session coordinators Erin Greazel (HyVee Lincoln Center) and Tanner Winterhof (VisionBank), both graduates of Leadership Ames Class XXX, as well as Ames Class XXXI Sponsor Mary Greeley Medical Center.

A working lunch with host and Agriculture Industry Day sponsor Landus Cooperative.

Panel featuring 4-H/ISU Extension and Outreach, ISU CALS, Ames Main Street Farmers’ Market and Onion Creek Farm.

The class listens as Leadership Ames alum Jon Sargent kicks off the day with a presentation at Todd & Sargent.

It was a brisk March day, but the class had a great time learning about the various Iowa State University research farms and how ISU is preparing the next generation of farmers and agriculture professionals.

8 | A M E S B U S I N E S S M O N T H LY | M AY 2 018

AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | MAY 2018

LEADERSHIP SERIES

Thank You for Attending the Leadership Series Launch Event Featuring Jess Ekstrom

W

e had a great evening as Jess provided an empowering message on how failure is a part of success, and how she came to start her company, Headbands of Hope.

But don’t just take it from us, read what attendees said about her!

“Jess’ story was amazing and authentic...and she was willing to be vulnerable.” -Amy Sue Alesch, Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa

“I admire Jess’ indomitable spirit and her unwillingness to quit in the midst of such adversity! I hope I can say one day that this was a pivot point for me in my journey!” -Becky Gehling, Deery of Ames Thank you to our Sponsors for making this event possible!

Presenting Sponsor: Deery of Ames Gift Sponsor: Great Western Bank Food Sponsor: Real Estate Service Group, Inc.

AMES CHAMBER AND AFFILIATE STAFF • Dan Culhane, President and CEO

• Brenda Dryer, Director, Workforce Solutions

• Sarah Buss, Director, Sponsorship and Membership Events

• John Hall, Director, Business Development and Marketing

• Karin Chitty, Campustown Action Association Executive Director

• Ron Hallenbeck, Executive Vice President

• Edana Delagardelle, Client Services Coordinator

• Andrea Hammes Dodge, Director, Public Relations

• Cindy Hicks, Main Street Cultural District Executive Director

• Brandon Mumm, Director, External Business Relations

• Amy Howard, Vice President, Finance and Operations

• Lojean Petersen, Ames Main Street Farmers’ Market Manager

• Drew Kamp, Director, Business Retention/Expansion and Government Relations

• Calli Sandahl, Director, Program Management

MAY 2018 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | 9

AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | MAY 2018

May Calendar Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

1

2

Leadership Ames Quality of Life Day

NextHome Journey (R/C)

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

3

4

5

10

11

12

Iowa Heart Center (R/C)

6

7

8

9

Leadercast Foodies & Brew (MSCD)

13

20

14

15

Leadership Ames Graduation

Story ConstructionSmall Projects Group (R/C)

21

22

16

17

28

29

Office Closed for Memorial Day

Iowa State Center (R/C)

19 Tree Planting (TAF)

23

24

Chamber Board Meeting

27

18

25

26

AEDC Board Meeting

30

31 Outdoor Envisions, Inc. (R/C)

AEDC: Ames Economic Development Commission • BAH: Business After Hours • CAA: Campustown Action Association • C: Chamber Office • MSCD: Main Street Cultural District • R/C: Ribbon Cutting • TAF: The Ames Foundation • YPA: Young Professionals of Ames

THANK YOU TO OUR INNER CIRCLE SPONSORS

10 | A M E S B U S I N E S S M O N T H L Y | MAY 2018

AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | MAY 2018

RIBBON CUTTINGS

Congratulations to these Chamber members who celebrated

QC Supply

Time Out

205 E. Lincoln Way

120 Kellogg Ave.

McFarland Express Care

Bolton & Menk

640 Lincoln Way

519 Baltimore Dr.

M A Y 2 0 1 8 | A M E S B U S I N E S S M O N T H L Y | 11

AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | MAY 2018

milestones with Ribbon Cuttings!

Olde Main Brewing Co. 316 Main Street

Welcome, new Ames Chamber members!

Join the Chamber!

University West 515-292-9790 www.university-west.com Joined: 3/2/18

Make new connections, promote your business, take advantage of professional development programs and more when you join the Ames Chamber of Commerce.

Whatcha Smokin’ BBQ 515-257-7490 Joined: 3/7/18 Bike World 515-232-3669 www.bikeworldiowa.com Joined: 3/12/18

Community and Family Resources 515-232-5811 www.cfrhelps.org Joined: 3/12/18 Vibe Nutrition 515-320-4435 Joined: 3/19/18 Wingstop 515-663-9464 www.wingstop.com Joined: 3/27/18

Contact Brandon Mumm at (515) 232-2310 for more information.

Cindy Albin, Hunziker & Associates Tess Ashley,Global State Mortgage Alli Azbill, Global State Mortgage Steve Bock, RE/MAX Real Estate Center Don Borcherding, Greater Iowa Credit Union Bonnie Brown, Global State Mortgage Adam Brungardt, AmericInn and Country Inn & Suites|Ames Nathan Buss, VisionBank Buffy Clatt, First National Bank John Coder, VisionBank Lisa Downs, Hunziker & Associates Stacy Dreyer, First National Bank Amy Engstrom, 2Men and Adame Cleaning Paula Feltner, Thisday Photography Marci Ferguson, RE/MAX Real Estate Pam Fleener, First National Bank Teresa Garman, Individual Member Shelley Goecke, McFarland Clinic Colette Gunhus, Keeling Wealth Advisors Tom Haggas, Cheshire Moon Films Jeff Harrison, Midwest Heritage Bank Sherry Hosteng, RE/MAX Real Estate Ashley Howe, Xpanxion Sharon Johnson, RE/MAX Real Estate Jeff Louang, Holiday Inn Conference Center Michelle King, The Krell Institute Carol Kisling, iHeart Media Matt Koehler, Greater Iowa Credit Union Tony LaRosa, Individual Member Paul Livingston, Hunziker & Associates, Realtors Danielle Minde, EXIT Realty Amanda Moorman, Morgan Stanley David Orth, Spirited Giving Matthew Pacha, Hy-Vee Lincoln Center Michele Partridge, Hunziker & Associates, Realtors Mike Peckis, Sam’s Club Sarah Powers, RE/MAX Real Estate Tom Randall, Tom Randall Real Estate Team at Keller Williams Tim Rasmussen, Flooring America Matt Roghair, Exchange State Bank Dorothy Schumer, Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau Tim Tryon, U.S. Bank Daryle Vegge, Story County Community Foundation Barb Vincent, Ames Christian School Allyson Walter, Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau Jan Williams, First National Bank

12 | A M E S B U S I N E S S M O N T H L Y | MAY 2018

AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | MAY 2018

YOUTH LEADERSHIP AMES

C HA M B E R

Youth Leadership Ames Update Business & Industry Day sponsored by Kreg Tool

MEMBERS

Y

outh Leadership Ames class VIII enjoyed visiting and touring a variety of businesses and hearing their story on March 28 when Business & Industry

Day was hosted, sponsored by Kreg Tool. They visited McDonalds, Alpha Copies, Campus Cycle, Kreg Tool, Deery of Ames, Workiva and Sigler Companies.

THANK YOU to those businesses who gave their time to tell their story to our Youth Leadership Ames class.

Thank you to the following members who have donated ten percent more than their annual dues for Chamber projects.

Ames Spine & Sport, PLLC Clouser Plumbing First United Methodist Church Goodwill Industries of Central Iowa Hallett Materials

Jim Baker, ower of six area McDonalds, spoke to YLA about how he got started and worked his way up in the company.

Lyndsey Fennelly spoke about how she started her small business, CampusCycle.

ISU Memorial Union Merck Animal Health Moorman Clothiers Union PaciďŹ c Railroad Walmart Supercenter Wingstop Because of contributions from members like these, the Ames Chamber can maintain a level of excellence in the services we provide. Please note: This represents only a portion of the Chamber’s Gold members.

Chris Eggert with Sigler Companies gave the group the behind-the-scenes tour.

Students listening to a presentation at Kreg Tool in Huxley.

M A Y 2 0 1 8 | A M E S B U S I N E S S M O N T H L Y | 13

AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | MAY2018

WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS

Announcing:

“North, South, East, West, See Yourself in Ames” Summer Intern Program Dates!

June 5 & 26, July 10 & 31 5:00 - 7:30 p.m.

More information to follow!

INTER-CITY VISIT

Save the Date!

P

lanning has begun on this year’s annual Inter-City Visit.

This year the Ames Chamber of Commerce will travel October 2-4 to Bloomington, Indiana.

Contact Amy Howard at 515-2322310 or amy@ameschamber.com for more information.

Inter-City Visit

2018 Bloomington, IN October 2-4, 2018

THE AMES FOUNDATION

Did You Know?

The Ames Foundation is the catalyst for public projects that enhance the quality of life in Ames, including...

• Downtown beautifiction with street level plantings and ornamental containers • Welcome to Ames signage • Bandshell Park restoration and beautification To learn more or make a tax deductible donation, visit

www.amesfoundation.org

14 | A M E S B U S I N E S S M O N T H L Y | MAY 2018

AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | MAY 2018

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS OF AMES

Join Young Profesionals of Ames!

G

et involved with Young Professionals of Ames for opportunities to build and foster relationships through:

• Leadership development • Professional development • Community outreach • Cultural and social opportunities Visit www.ypames.com to learn more and join us!

7 Reasons to Join Young Professionals of Ames 1. Networking in real life still matters 2. Practice makes perfect – work on your business skills with other YPs 3. Gain knowledge of the business community 4. Create partnerships – you never know who you’ll meet 5. Contribute to the Ames community

Connect with YPA Visit www.ypames.com for upcoming events, committee openings and volunteer opportunities.

6. Learn about new professions and career paths 7. Have fun and meet some like-minded friends

Thursday after Work Social at Torrent Brewing Company A sincere thank you to Torrent Brewing Company for hosting March’s ThAW and to everyone who came out!

YPA’s Thursday After Work (ThAW) events provide a great opportunity for networking and socializing with other young professionals.

Join us for our next ThAW event.

No registration is required! Find more details at www.ypames.com.

MAY 2018 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | 15

AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | MAY 2018

Presented By:

Fly in to:

Tickets: $30 Advance $35 Day of Event 21 & older event!

Buy online@ amesdowntown.org

FRIDAY, May 11TH

Ames Municipal Airport Hangar, 2520 Airport Road

6:00 6:00--9:00 PM Come enjoy samples of local cuisine and and regional regional craft craft beer! beer!

Foodies & Brew Participating Businesses Alluvial Brewery Boone Valley Brewing Olde Main Brewing Co. Torrent Brewing Co. Arcadia Café Chef Kevin Terrell & Those Guys Cornbred BBQ Dublin Bay/Wallaby's Jethros BBQ The Filling Station Whatcha Smokin' BBQ

Sponsored by: Supporting Sponsors: Sponsors: Supporting

Wheatsfield Grocery Whiskey River

16 | A M E S B U S I N E S S M O N T H L Y | MAY 2018

AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | MAY 2018

CAMPUSTOWN ACTION ASSOCIATION

Summerfest in Campustown is Saturday, June 2

S

aturday, June 2 will mark the 8th year of Summerfest in Campustown. Planned and hosted by the Campustown Action Association, Summerfest is a free, familyfriendly event that is open to the public.

The festivities will be held in the 200 block of Welch Avenue, City parking lots Y and T, and a portion of Chamberlain Avenue.

From 3:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. members of the Campustown Action Association will host a variety of activities for all ages.

There will be some returning favorites as well as new surprises. Featured activities will include face painting, balloons, portraits, henna and air brush tattoos, root beer garden and a petting zoo.

Summerfest will also feature a beer garden and live music from 3:00 p.m.9:00 p.m. Courtney Krause will kick off the music beginning at 3:00 p.m. Krause is a singer/songwriter based out of Des Moines. Her music has been described as a blend of country, blues and rock. The

second musical act, Hawk McIntyre will take the stage at 6:00 p.m.. A returning favorite to Campustown, McIntyre covers country, blues, pop and rock. “We couldn’t be more excited about the music at this year’s Summerfest”, said Karin Chitty, Executive Director of the Campustown Action Association. “Both these artists put on an amazing live show. We anticipate there will be people who attend solely for the music.”

Through a partnership with the Ames Bicycle Coalition, the “active” area of Summerfest will be held on ChamberODLQ +HUH \RX ZLOO ¿QG D ELNH WKHPHG craft, giant trikes, and a big wheel obstaFOH FRXUVH 7KHUH ZLOO DOVR EH LQÀDWDEOHV located in the adjacent city parking Lot Y. Special thanks to the following Campustown Action Association members for their sponsorship of this year’s Summerfest: Arcadia Café, Campustown Spirit, Chitty Garbage Service, Dogtown University, ISU Student Wellness, the Iowa State Memorial Union and Welch Ave. Station. Summerfest in Campustown is also supported by the Ames Convention & Visitors Bureau Community Grant Program.

Last year’s Summerfest brought nearly 2000 people to Campustown. Mark your calendar for Saturday, June 2 and plan to join in the fun. Whether you try out every activity, a select few, or just sit and enjoy the music – there is something for everyone. Come see all that Campustown Ames has to offer!

M A Y 2 0 1 8 | A M E S B U S I N E S S M O N T H L Y | 17

Corn, beans, crickets: Local woman diversifies family farm with crickets

By Dan Mika, Staff Writer dmika@amestrib.com

I

n a garage on a farm just a mile east of Ames, there’s a set of plastic blue storage bins stacked onto a metal shelf in a break room. Inside those boxes, tens of thousands of crickets are growing, chirping and reproducing into tens of thousands more.

These crickets are products of a novel farming idea, and in about a month, you’ll be able to buy them at the Main Street Farmers’ Market.

Shelby Smith, owner of Gymn-Eat Crickets (a pun on the name of the cricket character in “Pinocchio”,) has run the operation since January out of the small side room in her parent’s equipment garage. Currently, she has about 50,000 crickets in her possession.

Smith spent her early career working in finance, something she said didn’t fulfill her personally. She returned to her parent’s farm last October to help with the harvest and decided she wanted to get into farming, but didn’t want to get into the crowded market of corn and soybean producers.

After listening to several podcasts where the hosts spoke about the health benefits of crickets, Smith decided to go all in on the bug in the middle of January.

“My dad encouraged me to look at other options other than the traditional corn and soybeans kind of thing,” Smith said. “He said if you can find a niche, by all means do that.”

Smith purchased about 10,000 crickets to begin and set up their nests in the bins.

Empty egg cartons are laid vertically in the bins to add enough surface space for the crickets

to grow. If they’re too crowded, she said, crickets will become cannibalistic.

On top of the cartons is some chicken feed for the bugs to eat and a watering system that gets the crickets water without putting them in danger of drowning. Once they’re a few weeks old, Smith puts a plate of wet peat moss in the box to allow the females to plant their eggs. She then moves the plates to a separate bin and they’re left until the eggs, ranging in the thousands, hatch and release larvae the size of pinheads.

The larvae are then placed in another bin, and the process begins again.

“I’ll have hundreds of thousands of little babies out of each of those,” she said.

Smith estimates she has room for about 200,000 crickets in her current space, so she expects to move the operation into a larger building at some point in the future.

Scale is key for cricket farmers as about 3,000 crickets are needed to produce one pound of dry-roasted crickets for consumption.

If she maximizes production in her current room, Smith can yield about 11 pounds of crickets per week.

To turn the raw crickets into food, Smith freezes the crickets until they die, then dry-roasts them in her parent’s ovens or grinds them into flour to use for cookies or protein bars.

“I have yet to get my mom to eat one of the whole-roasted crickets, but my dad eats them like popcorn,” she said.

Although eating crickets sounds unappetizing, much of the world’s population already eats bugs as a cheap protein source. The United Nations

considers insects to be a cheap and sustainable way to feed the world’s growing population without the need for large amounts of pasture or fertile cropland.

However, the largest problem Smith and the entire cricket farm industry faces, however, is that much of the western world gets a bad taste in its mouth just thinking about eating bugs.

Currently, Smith is marketing her products to her friends in the CrossFit and ultramarathon community as a cheap source of protein and other nutrients. She acknowledges getting people to consciously eat crickets is hard, but she’s betting her operation on the idea that enough people will be bold enough to add crickets as a small part of their diet.

“Ultimately, this is not going to replace a steak,” she said.

“People who are going to eat a steak are going to eat steak.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how sustainable and good for you these are. If it doesn’t taste good in whatever you put it in, I’m not going to eat it, so nobody else is going to eat it.

That’s kind of been my goal.”

Smith plans to keep, cook and sell all her products herself for the time being, as becoming a small-level supplier would cut her margins razor thin. She’ll sell the products at the Ames Main Street Farmers’ Market in the coming season, betting that Ames will have enough adventurous eaters and progressives to try eating the bugs shredded into flour, tossed in seasonings or mixed into peanut butter and chocolate bites.

“There’s going to be a lot of sampling, there will have to be,” she said with a laugh.

Gym-n-Eat Crickets owner Shelby Smith in her cricket farm. Smith is raising tens of thousands of crickets at her family farm as an alternative to traditional farming products. PHOTO BY DAN MIKA/AMES TRIBUNE

18 | A M E S B U S I N E S S M O N T H L Y | MAY 2018

The case for data-based decisions S

pring is in full bloom and with it comes the return of baseball. As a lifelong baseball fan and numbers geek, I’ve watched with particular interest over the past decade as this tradition-laden game has evolved thanks to improved, data-driven decision making.

“Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game” by Michael Lewis tells the story of how the low-budget Oakland Athletics first utilized analytics to temporarily gain an advantage on their deeper pocketed rivals.

Decades of collected data and the accessibility of computing power provided an untapped resource which the Athletics leveraged.

The book provides insights into some of baseball’s strategic myths and sacred statistics that were debunked as well as the struggles to overcome the deeply inbred traditions which protected them. As a former player with limited natural ability, I earned what little playing time I received through my knowledge of the

Rick Brimeyer game and ability to do the little things.

So it was fascinating to read, contemplate and conclude that a significant portion of the baseball dogma that I had embraced as a player and later as a fan was invalid. The new rules were not grounded in the opinions of a new or louder boss or coach, but rather in statistically proven facts.

The Athletics’ advantage was real but short-lived as today every Major League team employees a small staff of geeks. Ironically,

some of the richest teams now have the deepest analytical staffs.

Watch any game today and you will see seemingly crazy defensive shifts and strategies that must have Casey Stengel rolling over in his grave, all driven by verifiable data. Moneyball is baseball’s story of overcoming the seven deadly words, “But we’ve always done it that way!”

There are perhaps three levels of competency when using data within your organization. The beginner level is to start using data to make objective, quantifiable observations. Stating that our customer support team “usually” answers the phone by the third ring means very different things to different people. To prove the point, independently survey team members on what percent various qualitative terms (never, rarely, occasionally, sometimes, typically, usually, often, quite often, almost always, always, etc.) mean to them. On the other hand, stating that our customer support team answers the phone by the third

ring 73 percent of the time means the same thing to everyone.

The intermediate level is using data to make decisions. Encouraging team members to put together a simple business case, even for a relatively small outlay of a few hundred dollars, can encourage employees to think like an owner: What is the proposed outlay?

What is the estimated annual value of the expected improvement?

What is the expected payback period or return?

The expert level is effectively using statistics with your data to really understand your business.

Just because a sample taken from Process A has a defect rate of 1.8 percent and a sample from process B has a defect rate of 1.6 percent doesn’t mean that Process A is truly better (although someone who prefers Process A from an intermediate level organization will almost certainly use the data to argue accordingly).

A skilled statistician can explain (in plain English) what the

Great Harvest Bread Company targets May for downtown opening

By Dan Mika, Staff Writer dmika@amestrib.com

G

reat Harvest Bread Company is remodeling a building near downtown in advance of an expected May opening.

The cafe, located at 502 Burnett Ave., is in the midst of construction as the owners are renovating it from its former use as an auto shop. Its opening date is tentatively scheduled for May 11.

Co-manager Amanda Cook said the restaurant will bake fresh bread daily without using preservatives and offers soups, salads and sandwiches, along with sweets like brownies and scones. The

restaurant also intends to source some of its ingredients from local producers.

The restaurant is still in the process of setting its menu and prices, but Cook estimates the average cost of a sandwich will be around $6 or $7.

Cook said the location just off Main Street made sense as it’s relatively close to Mary Greeley Medical Center, McFarland Clinic and medical providers that have health-conscious employees. She also believes it will attract younger Ames residents looking for a healthy dining option.

“The younger generation likes the healthier foods and they care about what goes into their foods,”

she said. “Knowing that there’s no preservatives and no artificial anything that’s going into these products, that will be a big draw for us.”

Co-manager David Flatt said the company also donates all of its leftover food at the end of the day to local food banks and people in need instead of throwing it away.

The company, based in Montana, has more than 220 locations in the U.S. The Ames location is the second in Iowa behind a location in Cedar Rapids.

Flatt said the location will have online ordering and dine-in areas, along with a private conference room that customers can reserve to study or meet in.

chances are that Process A is actually better versus the difference in the samples resulting merely from random variation. Six Sigma is the common toolbox used for effectively applying statistics to workplace problems.

Like a Major League Baseball team, only a very small number of people need to possess the skills to actually perform the statistics. What’s critical is that they can effectively communicate their conclusions and that the rest of the organization can identify opportunities for analysis and, most importantly, accept the conclusions when they differ from tradition.

Like any change, there will no doubt be inertia that will require leadership to overcome. Rest assured, if Major League Baseball can overcome its sacred traditions, your organization can as well.

RICK BRIMEYER is the president of Brimeyer LLC, an independent management consulting firm located in Ames which guides organizations to higher performance by focusing on process improvement and leadership development. Further information is available at www.brimeyerllc.com or by calling (515) 450-8855.

Great Harvest Bread Company co-managers David Flatt and Amanda Cook.

Great Harvest, which has more than 220 locations in the U.S., is set to open an Ames location in May. PHOTO BY DAN MIKA/ AMES TRIBUNE

He said the restaurant’s atmosphere will be relaxed, following the ethos of the company he learned after going to training in Montana.

“There were times when it got kind of stressful, and the guy said,

‘it’s just bread. Just think of it as bread,’” he said. “So hopefully, it’ll be a fun place to hang out in a laid back atmosphere.”

The bakery is expected to hire between 16 and 20 part- and fulltime employees.

MAY 2018 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | 19

Cultivate long-term thinking when it comes to investing

I

f you were a member of the press, you’d probably be happy with 2018’s first-quarter performance. At last, some volatility-fueling news in February and March, with plenty of enticing “largest,” “fastest,” and “worst” market superlatives to savor after a long, languid lull.

There were plenty of potential culprits to point to among current events: global trade wars heating up, the arrival of quantitative tightening (rising interest rates), troubles in techland over data privacy concerns (Facebook,) ongoing Brexit talks, and some interesting events over in the Koreas.

At quarter-end, one hopeful journalist asked, “Is the Bear Market Here Yet?” Another observed: “The number of (Dow Jones Industrial Average) sessions with a 1 percent move so far in 2018 are more than double 2017’s tally, and it isn’t even April.”

Has the news coverage left you wondering about your investments? Most markets have been steaming ahead so well for so long, even a modest misstep may have you questioning whether you should “do something,” in case the ride gets rougher still and not just sit there. Remember, if there were never any market volatility, you couldn’t expect extra returns for the risk you are taking.

That said, you may have forgotten — or never experienced — how awful the last round of extreme volatility felt during the Great Recession. Insights from behavioral finance tell us that our brain’s ingrained biases cause us to gloss over those painful times, and panic all over again when they recur, long before our rational resolve has time to kick in.

A constructive way to think about recent market performance is as a telling preview of what the next, worse market downturn might feel like. How are you doing so far, and what changes if any have you made to your portfolio? Are you well diversified among companies, countries and asset classes?

If you noticed the news, but you’re OK with where you’re at, that’s great.

If the volatility is bothering you, ease your angst by reviewing your longterm financial goals. Take inventory of your financial assets and fully

Nate Brammer understand your cash flow needs. If you continue to struggle with whether you made the right decisions during quieter markets, plan a rational shift to better reflect your real risk tolerances and cash-flow requirements.

Your peace of mind is as important as the dollars in your account. You could end up worse off if you’ve taken on more risk than you can bear in pursuit of higher expected returns. Chances are you will sell your positions in the stock market at its low if your portfolio has too much risk. Selling Low and Buying High is never good idea.

As Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Zweig said during the February dip: “A happy few investors … may have long-term thinking built into them by nature. The rest of us have to cultivate it by nurture.”

I couldn’t agree more.

Consciously, nurture your ability to ride out the market waves. One sign that you may be on edge is the need to check your account balances frequently. Long-term investors are not bothered by the short-term market noise.

NATHAN D. BRAMMER MBA, CIMA®, AIF® is a principal and investment advisor at Marrs Wealth Management. He can be reached at Nate@ marrswealth.com

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