AB AMES BUSINESS
MONTHLY N O V E M B E R 2016
NEWLINK AWARDED $25M CONTRACT FOR EBOLA ZAIRE VACCINE SEE PAGE 3
November Chamber Update
THE FEEL OF THE GRAIN
BLIND WOODWORKER FEELS HIS WAY THROUGH HIS CRAFT SEE PAGE 2
AB
2 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2016 Clay Gurganus prepares to cut a piece of wood in his workshop. He owns Blind Guy Woodworking, a one-man operation making pieces from coasters to standing shelves without sight.
AMES BUSINESS
MONTHLY NOVEMBER 2016
PHOTO BY DAN MIKA/AMES TRIBUNE
Vol. 9, No. 11 AMES TRIBUNE Ames Business Monthly is a publication of the Ames Tribune, 317 Fifth St., Ames, IA, 50010; (515) 232-2160.
3
NewLink awarded $25 million contract
4
Exciting find at Sheldon Munn
5
A little of Silicon Valley brought to Iowa
5
Branstad gives volunteer award to Worldly Goods
6
‘Wheels for Work’ helps special needs boy
6
ISU presidential initiative takes on large societal issues
7
Ames Chamber of Commerce
19 Businesses asked to offer students Wi-Fi 20 Ames Lab workers may receive compensation 21 Latest college rankings a mixed bag for ISU 22 Rick Brimeyer 23 Nate Brammer
Blind woodworker feels his way through his craft By Dan Mika, Staff Writer dmika@amestrib.com
Clay Gurganus is blind. He feels his way around his garage slowly, using his hands to keep from bumping into the various tables and tools strewn about. But even without sight, Gurganus is sure of one thing: he is less likely to cut off his fingers woodworking than you are. Gurganus is the owner of Blind Guy Woodworking, a one-man operation based out of his home in north Ames. His wares range from wood coasters and chess boards alternating each space with maple and yellow wood, to a marble-tiled coffee table and a full-size display cabinet with glass shelves. He uses power tools like other
woodworkers would, and he’s just as proud of what he does as other craftsman would be with their eyesight intact. “It’s my work, and other people can’t do my work,” he said, letting out a devious laugh. “I put my name on everything I make.” Gurganus began woodworking in the seventh grade, and continued until diabetes took his eyesight shortly after he graduated from high school. He began rehabilitation work with the Iowa Department for the Blind, which trains Iowans skills, such as woodworking, cooking among others. But Gurganus believes the department aimed to teach him something more important than woodworking.
“They’re not teaching you to be a woodworker,” he said. “They’re teaching you to think positive. The notion is if you can run a power saw and be successful in that, your mind starts to think, ‘Oh, if I can do this, what else can I do with my life?’” Gurganus went on to graduate from Iowa State University and work in its veterinary medical school for 23 years as a financial aid coordinator, dabbling into his craft every once in a while when time permitted. When Ames suffered a massive flood in 2010, the Gurganus home was among those whose basement furniture was destroyed in the deluge. He told his wife that he could replace the furniture himself if he had a table saw. Several years later, his
tool collection grew into a complete woodworking shop with a custom dust collection and temperature control system. When he retired from the university, he opened Blind Guy Woodworking to keep himself busy doing something to spread a little joy. “This is a lot for myself and for people I know,” he said. “It’s to make people happy.” Gurganus uses special tools, like a talking tape measure and turning rods that help him count how much he’s cutting on the table with each turn. But other than that, he said the same rules of woodworking with sight are the same as those woodworking blind. See WOOD on page 3
NOVEMBER 2016 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | 3
WOOD
Continued from page 2
“The main precaution: don’t be dumb,” he said. “I don’t do anything differently than anyone else.” Gurganus claimed his method of working is just as safe, or even more so, than others because he meticulously checks his hand positioning to the (nonrotating) sawblade before running anything through it. As long as he knows where his hands are, Gurganus is said he’s confident he wouldn’t accidentally put himself in harm’s way. Blind Guy Woodworking is not exactly a family business. Gurganus occasionally brings his daughter into the workshop to help him assemble a large object, but his wife, who is also blind, won’t step foot in the shop for fear of getting hurt. But Gurganus said he doesn’t think she worries for his safety too much, saying the rate of injury to sighted workers is around the same as to blind workers. “I honestly think I’m probably safer than the sighted people, I honestly believe that,” he said. “Usually the people who cut their fingers off do one thing: they get in a hurry.”
MEDICINE
NewLink awarded $25 million contract for Ebola Zaire vaccine By Grayson Schmidt, Staff Writer gschmidt@amestrib.com
After successful initial trials, Amesbased NewLink Genetics will continue development on the Ebola Zaire vaccine (designated V920), thanks to a $25 million contract from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. According to a release issued by NewLink, BARDA has previously awarded $76.8 million in contracts for development of the vaccine, and the new award includes an additional $51 million of contract options. The release also said that the new funding will go towards “manufacturing
facility readiness, manufacturing process qualification activities, and additional clinical trials to support regulatory approval of the V920 vaccine.” In July 2016, the NewLink and Merck and Co. reported on two key regulatory milestones for the vaccine, as the U.S Food and Drug Administration granted the V920 vaccine, “Breakthrough Therapy Designation,” and the European Medicines Agency, PRIME status, according to the release. NewLink Infectious Disease Division Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Operating Officer Thomas P. Monath, MD, said in the release, that this new contract will help accelerate production of the vaccine. “This new contract issued by BARDA
will enable accelerated full-scale production of V920, once it is approved, and is a critical step in helping to make this vaccine available to the health care community as they work to control epidemics and protect medical workers and others at high risk,” Monath said. The release also said that the Ebola Zaire vaccine candidate was originally engineered by scientists at the Public Health Agency of Canada and was subsequently licensed to NewLink Genetics. Then in late 2014, Merck licensed the vaccine from NewLink Genetics to apply Merck’s vaccine expertise to help accelerate the development of this vaccine candidate. Clinical studies of the vaccine candidate are ongoing.
4 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2016
CONSTRUCTION
Renovation of Sheldon Munn uncovers exciting fi nd The Sheldon Munn was built in 1915. The fourstory building had 72 guest rooms the day it opened. Crews working to demolIt included a ballroom, a ish storefront facades on dining room, a four-chair the Sheldon Munn earlier barbershop and a large this fall uncovered what is kitchen with six full-time believed to be a historical chefs. Over the years it find linked to famed archichanged ownership and tect Frank Lloyd Wright. underwent renovations The pieces are glazed several times, eventually panes by the American being converted into lowLuxfer Prism Company and income apartments. were designed by Frank Jon Lott, principal archiLloyd Wright, according to tect at Benjamin Design Judy Gilger, chairwoman Collaborative in Ames, took of the Main Street Cultural District’s Design Committee. ownership of the building in 2014, and is in the process According to the Frank of renovations that include Lloyd Wright Trust website, stabilizing the foundation, Wright designed and patfacade improvements and ented 45 “variants” for the renovation of the building’s American Luxfer Prism 56 apartments. Company in 1895. The Total improvements are website described them as “ribbed, 4-inch square sheets estimated at $4.5 million, including a $75,000 Facade of glass” used to refract Improvement Grant from natural light into “large, the Iowa Economic Developdeep spaces.” They were ment Authority. typically installed in the Gilger said she hoped the upper registers of windows glass would be protected in commercial and indusand preserved in some way. trial spaces, according to the Gilger said the same website. Luxfer Prism glass can be The designs for Luxfer seen at the Octagon for the Prisms are distinguished by Arts on Douglas Avenue. their geometric patterns, She said she has used her featuring abstract compoposition on the Main Street sition of beading, squares, Cultural District’s Design circles and ovals, according Committee to learn about to the website. the history of downtown For Gilger, it’s an exciting buildings, and she described discovery. the discovery of the Luxfer “It’s pretty impressive,” glass panels as an example Gilger said. “of the jewels that are Gilger said the reason for out there and part of our “prism glass” was because there wasn’t electricity at the history. “These are things that time, and the glass prisms are not replicated today, would bounce natural light into a building to bring more and we need to preserve it,” Gilger said. light into the area.
By Michael Crumb Editor
A worker removes a glazed pane of glass from the Sheldon-Munn building on Wednesday morning. The panes are believed to have been designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and were made by Luxfer Prism Company near the turn of the 20th century. PHOTO BY MEGAN WOLFF/AMES TRIBUNE
NOVEMBER 2016 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | 5
WEST COAST EXPERIENCE
VOLUNTEERS
Adamowski brings a little Governor gives volunteer award Silicon Valley to Iowa Bill Adamowski returned to Iowa to run Iowa State’s Startup Factory after spending years building technology companies on the West Coast.
Dan Mika, Staff Writer
dmika@amestrib.com
Bill Adamowski has spent the last three decades or so leading multi-million dollar companies, but he’s making his next big startup play right here in Ames. Adamowski, a selfdescribed Air Force brat, moved around a lot as a child and went to high school in Okinawa, Japan. After graduating from Syracuse University, he bounced around Fortune 500 companies as a software engineer with defense contractors and in management positions with accounting firm Deloitte, GMAC Financial services and, eventually, chief technology officer at Wells Fargo Home Financial in Des Moines. When the dot-com days began booming, Adamowski started creating short-term companies and selling them off a rapid pace. As the tech industry changed, he worked on bringing mortgage company Ellie Mae to the stock markets and CoreLogic, a real estate data analytics provider. But last year, he walked away from Silicon Valley to return to Iowa and lead the Startup Factory, Iowa State University’s year-long startup incubator. Adamowski said Startup Factory is designed to take the best elements of other startup incubators, like the “lean startup” ideology from Stanford University, which forces prototypical ideas to have some interest from customers before developing forward, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s focus
PHOTO BY DAN MIKA/ AMES TRIBUNE
on mentorship. In particular, Adamowski wants to bring the breakneck pace of business development from the west coast to Iowa, saying he rarely looks at companies for investment for more than three years at a time. He expects ideas to reach the prototype stage in days or weeks to reach target markets as soon as possible. “If you think you have 10 years to build a company, you pace yourself to that 10-year journey,” he said. “But if you think there’s going to be an exit in three years, and you start going back from there, you’re not going to have much time.” Adamowski said growing startups in the area will create new jobs, and not only in the tech industry. He believes talented entrepreneurs only have one thing on their mind when they decide to relocate: job opportunities. If the Iowa State University Research Park and other startups create strong opportunities to develop new products and make some money doing so, he said, they will come and spend income driving other amenities to come to town. “You can Google where all net new jobs come from,
but census data and the Kaufmann Foundation say almost all net new jobs come from startups,” he said. He also said the average Ames resident can get in on the action without leaving their day jobs to form a startup. The Startup Factory cohort is comprised primarily of scientists and developers, a group that build products but might not have the skills to market them, Adamowski said. Startup Factory accepts volunteers to help develop its startups, whether it be in advertising, finance or some other skill useful to a business because more often than not, the startups produced at ISU are solo or smallgroup researchers whose specialty lies in engineering or science. He emphasized that the Startup Factory doesn’t require its mentors or volunteers to make long-term commitments, and can help out based on when it’s convenient for them. “Almost anyone can help out if they really wanted to,” he said. “We’re not looking for people to make large commitments. We’re hoping serendipity occurs and you want to in the end.”
to Worldly Goods By Dan Mika, Staff Writer dmika@amestrib.com
Gov. Terry Branstad stopped in Ames earlier this fall to present a statewide volunteering award to Worldly Goods on Main Street. Worldly Goods won the small business category in the 2016 “Give Back Iowa Challenge,” a statewide competition sponsored by the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service. The challenge counts volunteer hours produced by employees in different-sized company categories from
the beginning of April to the end of May each year. Worldly Goods won the same award last year by recording 252 volunteer hours in other community groups among its employees and volunteers. This year, Worldly Goods staff gave more than 300 hours to other charitable causes in the area. Manager Andrea Gronau said the awards were announced in June, but Branstad wasn’t able to come to Ames to present the award until now due to scheduling conflicts. She said it was
an honor to receive the award again, and reinforces the store’s goals of promoting better lives for everyone. “This represents our mission of making the community a better place, no matter where it is in the world,” she said during the governor’s visit in late September. Branstad echoed that sentiment, saying company-sponsored volunteering makes employees happier, more productive and improves profits. “Of course, this is a non-profit, so you’re really not after profitability,” he said. “The benefit, in this case … is to the community, and the people that you’re serving.” This year, 26,000 employees from 40 companies in the state produced 19,000 volunteer hours during the Give Back challenge.
6 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2016
SPECIAL WHEELS
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
ISU presidential initiative takes on large societal issues
LaKaren Humanes, left, talks with Ames Ford owner Casey Johnson before driving off in her new minivan from the “Wheels to Work” program. Humanes needs reliable transportation to take her youngest son, who suffers from a rare skin condition, to specialists in Iowa City each week. PHOTO BY DAN
By Austin Harrington
Staff Writer aharrington@amestrib.com
MIKA/AMES TRIBUNE
‘Wheels for Work’ helps Ames woman care for special needs son By Dan Mika, Staff Writer dmika@amestrib.com
A local mother can now make her weekly trek across the state to care for her special needs son thanks to a local partnership between the United Way of Story County and Ames Lincoln Ford. LaKaren Humanes works in town as a babysitter, but her main job is caring for her youngest son, who has epidermolysis bullosa, a rare skin condition where almost any amount of friction causes his skin to blister and rub off. Humanes said there have only been five cases recorded in the state. She has to take her son to the University of Iowa’s burn center in Iowa City for specialized treatment each week to treat his condition. “We’re down there from 10 o’clock in the morning to four or five, sometimes seven o’clock at night,” she said. Humanes’ car broke down earlier this fall as
she was driving on Duff Avenue. She heard from a friend about the “Wheels for Work” program, a joint partnership between the United Way of Story County and Ames Ford Lincoln to provide cars to people in need who don’t have reliable transportation. She filled out the application the next day, and was quickly approved. “I was very grateful,” she said. “It benefits me to where I can do what I need to take care of my family more efficiently.” Shannon Bardole, community impact director for the United Way of Story County, said applicants usually wait several weeks or months as their application is reviewed by them and other agencies. But the organization, she said, found it important to get Humanes transportation as soon as possible for her son’s sake. Ames Ford owner Casey Johnson said Humanes’ car was the 67th vehicle he’s donated from his locations
in Fort Dodge and Ames locations to “Wheels for Work” recipients, partly donated from local families or sometimes from his own stock of cars. The dealership has given 12 vehicles to families in Story County since Johnson purchased the Ames dealership in 2012. Johnson’s dealerships do complete inspections of the vehicles, including putting on new tires and filling up the gas tank. He also covers state tax and title fees before recipients drive the car off the lot. “We want to make it a turn-key experience because these people truly deserve an opportunity to improve their quality of life for themselves and their children,” he said. “It’s a helping hand, not a handout.” Johnson said he is preparing three more vehicles for donation at the moment, and the United Way is planning to donate one every month to a someone in the county.
The third round of funding has been awarded for an Iowa State University program that is designed to tackle some of the largest challenges that stand between researchers and their goals. The ISU presidential initiative was started in 2012 by ISU President Steven Leath to provide seed funding for research teams from ISU to take on emerging societal challenges. The goal is to help the teams grow into wellfunded, cross-disciplinary research groups, according to a press release from ISU. The projects will use big data to benefit human and animal health, improve cities and build new tools for researchers, according to Leath. “We launched this initiative four years ago with the intent of creating a new culture of collaborative research at Iowa State, a culture of thinking big,” Leath said in the press release. “These latest projects in big-data science are great examples of that. We’ll have teams of researchers from across campus taking on brain disease and swine flu while others develop cyber infrastructures and
sustainable cities. Thinking big like this is how we’ll live up to our mission of creating, sharing and applying knowledge to improve our state and world.” The last two rounds of the initiative focused on building teams to develop big-data tools and techniques to tackle major research problems in agriculture, health, communities, access to research and other areas. The term big data refers to extremely large data sets that the researchers will analyze to search for patterns, trends and associations that could aid in their research. According to Sarah Nusser, vice president for research at ISU, big data collection will help researchers break through walls that may have left them blocked from their results in the past. “Part of the focus of the program was really to develop strong, meaningful and lasting connections with partner institutions, so they’re really large scale opportunities and also to seek sponsored funding that would support these kinds of collaborations,” Nusser said. This year the four teams will focus on developing new treatments for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, invention
and refinement of shared data-science infrastructures, developing new bioinformatics tools for real-time tracking of flu in swine and decision making for sustainable cities. All four projects are set to last three years, with two of the projects being funded at $375,000 and two being funded at $450,000. Nusser said the goal is to make sure that ISU is contributing to the large issues facing the world. “We have an obligation under data-driven science to really look at what are the impacts of the discoveries. So it might be ethical, it might be legal, economic and so on, but we can’t just blindly go forward,” Nusser said. Because of that concern, Nusser added ISU tries to focus on how its research impacts society and the people affected. “So we have these three dimensions when we think about data-driven science at Iowa State; the application that is driving the sciences underneath it, that drives the research, the methodology for data science that comes underneath it to help extract the information and then societal and ethical impacts of using the information,” Nusser said.
NOVEMBER 2016 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | 7
Chamber Update NOVEMBER 2016
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
Make your voice heard at the polls November 8
T
he November 8th General Election is rapidly approaching, and the Ames Chamber of Commerce reminds you that your vote matters and asks you to make your voice heard at the polls on Election Day. Polls will be open from 7:00am9:00pm on Election Day and votHUV FDQ ¿QG WKHLU SROOLQJ SODFH and other critical General Election information, such as Candidate Lists, Voter Registration Forms, Absentee Ballot Request Forms, and General Election Calendars, on the Story County Auditor’s website. If you are not registered to vote, you can now do so online via the Iowa Secretary of State’s website, as well as the Secretary of State’s mobile app. The pre-registration deadline to register to vote is Saturday, October 29th by 5pm, and WKH $XGLWRU¶V 2I¿FH ZLOO EH RSHQ from 8am-5pm that day. Iowa law also allows you to register to vote on Election Day at your respective polling place via Iowa’s Same Day Registration Law, but you will be required to show proof of residence and proof of identity to do so. Absentee Ballots are now available and will be through Monday, November WK DW WKH 6WRU\ &RXQW\ $XGLWRU¶V 2I¿FH (900 6th Street, Nevada, IA 50201) during their regular business hours of 8am-
5pm. Voters can also request an Absentee Ballot by mail through Friday, November 4th by submitting an Absentee Ballot Request Form. Once your completed form is submitted and received, a ballot will be mailed to the address provided. Completed
ballots can be submitted by any of the following methods: By mail: mail the ballot to the AudiWRU¶V 2I¿FH LQ WKH HQYHORSH SURYLGHG ZLWK a postmark no later than Monday, November 7th.
In person: ballots may be GHOLYHUHG WR WKH $XGLWRU V 2I¿FH until 8:00pm on November 8th. By designee: an individual may designate someone to mail or deliver their ballot. The instructions included in the Absentee Ballot packet include a receipt for this method. Designees must adhere to the same requirements listed above for returning the ballot by mail or in person. With the 2016 General Election only a few days away, please be sure to exercise your right to vote in what promises to be a critically important election. The Ames Chamber of Commerce thanks our 2016 Taking Leadership Sponsors for their continued support of our Government Affairs Program and Get-Out-the-Vote efforts: Converse Conditioned Air, Des Moines Area Community College, First National Bank, Renewable Energy Group, Workiva. The Ames Chamber of Commerce also thanks our 2016 Get Out the Vote Sponsor for their support of our General Election coverage and resources: Greater Iowa Credit Union
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.
8 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2016
AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | NOVEMBER 2016
Young Professionals of Ames 2016 YPA Board
Join the more than 150 fascinating, involved, diverse individuals who make up the Young Professionals of Ames membership!
Joining online is quick and easy! YPA is a dues-based organization and dues help support: t .POUIMZ -VODI -FBSOT t "OOVBM -FBEFSTIJQ 4ZNQPTJVN t 3FBE XJUI .F 1SPHSBN t .POUIMZ "GUFS 8PSL 4PDJBM &WFOUT t "OE NBOZ FWFOUT BOE BDUJWJUJFT UISPVHIPVU UIF ZFBS Young Professionals of Ames by the numbers: t CPPLT EPOBUFE GPS i3FBE XJUI .Fw FWFOUT t :1" WPUFE UP DPOUJOVF PSHBOJ[JOH "NFT öSFXPSLT GPS UIF OFYU ZFBST t OFUXPSLJOH BOE TPDJBM FWFOUT t NFNCFST MPHHFE WPMVOUFFS IPVST Visit www.ypames.com to learn more and join us!
Lunch & Learns
Young Professionals of Ames has a long-standing history of quality lunch and learn sessions for members to take part in. Combining networking time with a topic of interest means members can maximize their lunch hour. Be sure to check our calendar and sign up for upcoming sessions!
Join a YPA committee!
Members are encouraged to assist in planning one the many events we host each year or to join one of our ongoing committees. While event volunteers assist members of the YPA Board in planning a single activity, committee volunteers have the opportunity to join board members in
planning special long-term initiatives or ongoing activities. Committees are open to any YPA member interested in getting involved. &RPPXQLW\ 2XWUHDFK 3DUWQHUVKLSV &RPPLWWHH The YPA Community Outreach & Partnerships Committee is dedicated to giving back to the community in which we live, work and play. Committee members help plan volunteer events, encourage YP’s to MRLQ D QRQ SUR¿W ERDUG RU &LW\ FRPPLVVLRQ and much more! /HDGHUVKLS 3URIHVVLRQDO 'HYHORSPHQW &RPPLWWHH Members of this committee help coor-
dinate educational programming and leadership development opportunities for YPA members. Activities include monthly Lunch & Learns and an annual Leadership Symposium. 0DUNHWLQJ &RPPLWWHH Help us spread the word about all the great things YPA does in our community! Members of this committee help promote YPA events and opportunities by managing the YPA website, social media, press releases, email updates, and more. 6RFLDO &RPPLWWHH The YPA Social Committee coordinates events and provides opportunities for YPA members and guests to come together to network and socialize.
President: Nathan Buss, VisionBank Past-President: Haley Cook, Iowa State University President Elect: Jessica Mortvedt, Haverkamp Properties Megan Vollstedt, Workiva Megan Filipi, Ames Convention & Visitors Bureau Jake Talbott,Workiva Justin Moorman, Moorman Clothiers Brianne Anderson, Ames Public Library Heather Johnson, Octagon Center for the Arts Jason Mortvedt, Kinzler Construction Services Lindsey Long, Iowa State University Athletics Chamber Liaison/Staff: Sarah Buss, Ames Chamber of Commerce
Thank you to our 2016 YPA sponsors
Ames Ford Lincoln First National Bank Global Reach Internet Productions Hunziker & Associates, Realtors ISU MBA Kingland Systems Mary Greeley Medical Center Munn Lumber North Grand Mall Story Construction VisionBank Hy-Vee Converse Conditioned Air
Connect with YPA Visit www.ypames.com for upcoming events, committee openings and volunteer opportunities.
NOVEMBER 2016 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | 9
AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | NOVEMBER 2016
EDUCATION CONNECTIONS 2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE DAVID TUCKER, Chair Workiva JOHN CRAWFORD, Vice Chair, Alpha Copies Print Center CASEY JOHNSON, 2nd Vice Chair, Ames Ford Lincoln BRET BARTHOLOMEW, Divisional Chair, Community Development Bartholomew Chiropractic STACY DREYER, Divisional Chair, Government Affairs First National Bank LUKE JENSEN, Divisional Chair, Membership Real Estate Service Group, Inc. KIM BEHRENDT, Treasurer Wells Fargo PAM ELLIOTT CAIN, Immediate Past Chair Iowa State University DAN CULHANE, President / CEO Ames Chamber & Economic Development Commission BOARD MEMBERS Vanessa Baker-Latimer, City of Ames Bret Bartholomew, Bartholomew Chiropractic Lindsey Beecher, Gilbert Community School District Kim Behrendt, Wells Fargo Scott Blum, Accord Architecture/Henkel Construction Jess Clyde - MSCD Past President, Individual Member Haley Cook - YPA Past President, Iowa State University John Crawford, Alpha Copies Print Center Stacy Dreyer, First National Bank Kathy Dubansky - CAA President Elect, Workiva Nate Easter, ISU Research Park Pam Elliott Cain, Iowa State University John Haila, Haila Architecture Luke Jensen, Real Estate Service Group, Inc. Casey Johnson, Ames Ford Lincoln Andrew Perry, McFarland Clinic, PC Dave Tucker,Workiva The Chamber Update newsletter is published by the Ames Chamber of Commerce 304 Main Street,Ames, IA, 50010; phone: (515) 232-2310; fax: (515) 233-3203; www.ameschamber.com.
Scenes from Youth Leadership Ames
Y
outh Leadership Ames is a program developed by the Ames Chamber of Commerce and Young Professionals of Ames to develop the community leadership potential of area high school juniors in the Chamber member school districts. It is the goal of the Ames Chamber of Commerce to provide area youth with an unique opportunity to interact with community leaders and institutions, to explore educational and career options and broaden their perspectives on community issues. Thank you to Renewable Energy Group, McDonald’s and Young Professionals of Ames for sponsoring our Youth Leadership Ames Program.
10 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2016
AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | NOVEMBER 2016
LEADERSHIP AMES
Update from Leadership Ames Class 30
T
he Chamber of Commerce premier leadership series, Leadership Ames, is designed to develop informed, involved and concerned community leaders in the Ames Community. Class XXX is well on its way to learning, engaging and developing skills for personal growth and ultimately, community gain! Special thanks to Mary Greeley Medical Center for its corporate sponsorship of the Class! Under the Co-Chair facilitation of Andy Bates (The Weitz Company) and Kelsey Carper (Re/Max Real Estate Center), Leadership Development and NonSUR¿W OHDUQLQJ KDYH EHHQ DFFRPplished. All Alumni of Leadership Ames are invited to attend the 30th Anniversary reunion Thursday November 17th. Visit www.ameschamber. com to learn more!
N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6 | A M E S B U S I N E S S M O N T H L Y | 11
AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | NOVEMBER 2016
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
John Kirchner, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Regional Director, to address Ames Chamber Members
O
n Wednesday, December 7th, please join your fellow Ames Chamber of Commerce members and their guest for a presentation by John Kirchner, Executive Director of the Midwest Region of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Congressional and Public Affairs 2IÂżFH IURP DP SP DW WKH Ames Chamber of Commerce, located at 304 Main Street. John will discuss federal policy issues to be addressed follow-
ing the Election during the Lame Duck Session and look ahead to the key policy issues awaiting the new Presidential Administration in 2017. Per usual, the event is open to Ames Chamber of Commerce members and their guest. The cost of attendance is $10.00 and includes lunch. If you have questions regarding the event, are interested in attending, or wish to submit a question, please contact Drew Kamp at 515-817-6311 or drew@
ameschamber.com. The Ames Chamber of Commerce thanks Converse Conditioned Air, Des Moines Area Community College, First National Bank, Renewable Energy Group, and Workiva for their support as 2016 Taking Leadership Sponsors. Without their generosity, the Ames Chamber of Commerce would not be able to provide great educational opportunities such as this.
$PHV &KDPEHU RI &RPPHUFH VWDII ZDV SURXG WR SDUWLFLSDWH LQ 8QLWHG :D\ RI 6WRU\ &RXQW\Ĺ”V 'D\ RI &DULQJ Ames Chamber and AfďŹ liate staff ‡ Dan Culhane, President and CEO ‡ Peter Ampe, Director, Project Management ‡ Sarah Buss, Director, Sponsorship and Membership Events ‡ Karin Chitty, Campustown Action Association Executive Director
‡ Edana Delagardelle, Event Coordinator, Main Street Cultural District ‡ $QJLH 'RUHQNDPS Director, Workforce Solutions ‡ Lauren Frandsen, Director, Communications & Marketing
‡ -RKQ +DOO, Director, Business Development & Marketing ‡ 5RQ +DOOHQEHFN, Executive Vice President, Existing Business and Industry ‡.HOO\ +HQGULFN Client Services Coordinator ‡ &LQG\ +LFNV, Main Street Cultural District Executive Director
‡ $P\ +RZDUG Vice President, Finance & Operations ‡ 'UHZ .DPS, Director, Story County Community Outreach and Government Affairs ‡/RMHDQ 3HWHUVHQ, Ames Main Street Farmers’ Market Manager ‡Jan Williams, Director, External Business Relations
12 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6
AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | NOVEMBER 2016
November calendar Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
1
2
3 8:30 a.m.: Business Builder (C)
6
7
8
9 4:30 p.m.: Sports Page Bar and Grill (R/C)
Daylight Savings Ends
13
Thursday
4
5
11
12
12noon: Atlantic Bottling Co., Coca Cola (R/C)
Veterans Day
Election Day
14
15
Saturday
12 noon: McFly’s (R/C)
10 4:30 p.m.: Story Construction (BAH)
Friday
16
17
18
19
25
26
12noon: Ames Christian School (R/C) 5:30 p.m.: Leaders & Legacy Leadership Ames
Chamber Board Meeting
20
21
22
23
24
Thanksgiving Day
27
28
29
Chamber Office Closed
30
AEDC !MES %CONOMIC $EVELOPMENT #OMMISSION s BAH "USINESS !FTER (OURS s CAA #AMPUSTOWN !CTION !SSOCIATION s C #HAMBER /FlCE s FAW: Friday After Work s L&L: ,UNCH ,EARN s R/C 2IBBON #UTTING s YPA 9OUNG 0ROFESSIONALS OF !MES s YLA: Youth Leadership Ames
N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6 | A M E S B U S I N E S S M O N T H L Y | 13
AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | NOVEMBER 2016
RIBBON CUTTINGS
Celebrate with a ribbon cutting If your business has completed a major remodeling project, moved to a new location, changed ownership, or reached a milestone, you need to take advantage of the Chamber’s Ribbon Cutting service that brings members and the media to you. With each Ribbon Cutting, your business will be exposed to the Ames community and Story County. Event photos of your Ribbon Cutting will be published in the Chamber’s Weekly E-mail Update and the Ames Business Monthly. A Ribbon Cutting is a great way to invite people to your location and showcase your business.
Ames Community School District 2005 24th Street
Not only does this opportunity get people to your place of business, but it offers a unique networking environment in addition to some great marketing. So what are you waiting for? Contact Jan Williams at jan@ameschamber.com or call 232-2310, to schedule your Ribbon Cutting today!
✂ RE/MAX Real Estate Concepts 2714 Aspen Road Suite 101
14 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6
AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | NOVEMBER 2016
AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AMBASSADORS Tess Ashley,Global State Mortgage Alli Azbill, Global State Mortgage Kim Behrendt, Wells Fargo Don Borcherding, Greater Iowa Credit Union Steve Bock, RE/MAX Real Estate Center Laura Brassell, Bank of the West Nathan Buss, VisionBank Tara Carlson, Tom Randall Real Estate Team Kelsey Carper, Re/Max Real Estate Center John Coder, VisionBank Zack Cregeen, Re/Max Real Estate Center Lisa Downs, EXIT Realty Stacy Dreyer, First National Bank Pam Fleener, First National Bank Laura Freeman, Hanger Clinic Teresa Garman, Individual Member Leslie Ginder, ISU LAS Career Services Ashlee Goetsch, Waterford at Ames Chris Helland, George White Chevrolet Sherry Hosteng, RE/MAX Real Estate Ashley Howe, Xpanxion Jamie Hudson, Great Southern Bank Linda Jennings, Ames Living Magazine Sharon Johnson, RE/MAX Real Estate Michelle King, The Krell Institute Greg King, South Duff Matt Koehler, Greater Iowa Credit Union Paul Livingston, Hunziker & Associates, Realtors Brandon Mumm, Ames Tribune David Orth, Spirited Giving Mike Peckis, Sam’s Club Sarah Powers, RE/MAX Real Estate Tom Randall, Tom Randall Real Estate Team Tim Rasmussen, Alfred’s Carpet & Decorating Molly Redenbaugh, Danfoss Power Solutions Matt Roghair, Integrity Construction Dorothy Schumer, Ames Convention & Visitors Bureau Mary Beth Scott, The Ames Tribune Shane Torres, RE/Max Real Estate Concepts Tim Tryon, First National Bank Daryle Vegge, Ames Morning Rotary Allyson Walter, Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau Cherie Wandling, Wilson Toyota of Ames Michelle Wild, Ames Convention & Visitors Bureau Keathen Winter,Northridge Village
CellOnly - Verizon Wireless 2801 Grand Ave #1190
Xpanxion 1315 South Bell Ave #101
NOVEMBER 2016 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | 15
AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | NOVEMBER 2016
C HA M B E R
Welcome, new Ames Chamber members Cycle Force Group, the premier bicycle and OEM sup-
MEMBERS Thank you to the following members who have donated 10 percent more than their annual dues for Chamber projects:
American National Insurance, Rick Reger Ames Family Dental Ames Pet Resort Amy Mellies - Individual member Barefoot Campus Outfitters Brick City Grill
plier geared exclusively to the Independent Bicycle Dealer. They also carry a variety of bike brands, styles and sizes from all over the globe. Our goal is simple; deliver excellent service while providing superior value. For more information, contact them at 515.232.0277 or cyclefg.com.
Cycle Truck & Auto Repair is located at 310 SE 16th St. Stop in for all your automotive, medium duty and heavy truck needs. Custom and performance upgrades also available. Call to schedule your repairs and performance upgrades today at 515.232.0035.
Bottlesode Films, Inc. located at 208 5th St., serves all types of businesses and clients. They create their own films and digital media while providing the opportunity for people to have access to professional cinematographers and editors. We tell stories in unique/creative ways because that's our passion. Call 515.735.6039 for more information.
Copyworks Danfoss Dupont Energy Transfer Partners, LLC Habitat for Humanity
Weber Accounting Services is a full service accounting firm offering Payroll, Income Tax and Bookkeeping Services as well as full service QuickBooks Support. We can provide QuickBooks training, troubleshooting and setup by phone or on-site. Stop in at 319 Lincoln Way, Ste 3 or call 515.292.2177 to make an appointment. Visit www.WASiowa.com for more information.
Join the Chamber. Make new connections, promote your business, take advantage of professional development programs and more when you join the Ames Chamber of Commerce. Contact Jan Williams at (515) 232-2310 for more information on how you or your organization can become a Chamber member. When you join, here are some of the many benefits you can take advantage of right away. s 0OST COUPONS on our Web site for FREE. s!TTEND MONTHLY Business After Hours, First Shot Sessions, Legislative Luncheons and more for FREE.
Indian Creek Country Club Midwest Heritage Bank Roto Rooter Sleep Inn & Suites Wilson Toyota Scion Zylstra Cycle Company 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. All Gold members will be listed one time during the year.
s 4AKE ADVANTAGE of reasonably priced ways to promote your business such as ribbon cuttings and mailing labels, just to name a few. s $ISCOUNTED 9OUNG Professionals of Ames membership (ages 21 to 40).
16 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2016
AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | NOVEMBER 2016
CHAMBER PROGRAMMING
Corporate Buddy program helps local nonprofits gain benefits of Chamber Membership
T
he Ames Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce details of their new Corporate Buddy program. )RU D QRQ SURÂżW RUJDQL]DWLRQ ZLWK OLPited budget, Chamber membership may be out of reach. The Corporate Buddy program establishes a partnership between D ORFDO EXVLQHVV DQG D ORFDO QRQ SURÂżW DLPHG DW KHOSLQJ QRQ SURÂżWV UHDOL]H KRZ the Ames Chamber of Commerce can be a conduit for increased exposure and involvement. With this agreement, the Ames Chamber business member offers to pay half the QRQ SURÂżW OHYHO GXHV ZKLOH WKH 1RQ 3URÂżW SD\V WKH RWKHU KDOI RI GXHV IXOÂżOOPHQW
This partnership increases the visibility DQG HQJDJHPHQW IRU WKH ERWK QRQ SURÂżW and the businesses offering to “pay it forward.â€? Habitat for Humanity of Central Iowa LV WKH ÂżUVW QRQ SURÂżW WR WDNH SDUW LQ WKH program and is partnered with Ames Ford Lincoln. Âł:H DUH WKULOOHG WR EH WKH ÂżUVW PHPber of the Ames Chamber of Commerce Corporate Buddies,â€? said Sandi Risdal, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity. “We are so grateful to Casey Johnson and Ames Ford Lincoln for sponsoring our membership, this kind and generRXV RSSRUWXQLW\ ZLOO DOORZ RXU DIÂżOLDWH WR become more involved in the community
and strengthen our outreach. It will give us a venue to share our mission and vision regarding the families we serve in the Ames and surrounding communities. We are looking forward to making new friendships and giving back to the community.� The two-year commitment, billed in two annual installments, allows non-profits, their staff, board members, volunteers, etc. to attend Ames Chamber of Commerce meetings, events, programs, etc. and take advantage of various resources over 24 months. Casey Johnson of Ames Ford Lincoln (and also a Chamber Board member) started the conversation about creating a “buddy program� and is excited to see it in
action. "I think Corporate Buddies is a great opportunity for the Ames Chamber business community to partner with and menWRU ORFDO QRQ SUR¿WV ´ -RKQVRQ VDLG ³7KH added value and visibility for the non-profLWV EHQH¿WV DOO SDUWLHV LQYROYHG DQG HQKDQFes the quality of life and services offered in the city of Ames and Story County. As our community and chamber grow and evolve, it is very important that we recognize and DVVLVW WKH QRQ SUR¿WV ZLWK WKHLU YLVLRQ LQ helping others." To learn more about the Corporate Buddies program, please contact Jan Williams, Director of External Business Relations at jan@ameschamber.com or 515-232-2310.
N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6 | A M E S B U S I N E S S M O N T H L Y | 17
AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | NOVEMBER 2016
MAIN STREET CULTURAL DISTRICT
Main Street Cultural District selects Livingston as 2017 President, names Board Members
T
he Ames Main Street Cultural District (MSCD) is pleased to announce Paul Livingston has been selected as the 2017 Board President. Livingston, who has lived in Ames most of his life, is excited about the opportunity to serve the heart of his community. “I truly believe the MSCD really belongs to all of us,â€? Livingston said. “As a Real Estate Broker, it is with great pride that I have the opportunity to share our downtown with prospective newcomers to our area.â€? Livingston will be joined on the 2017 Board of Directors by a variety of people from, not only downtown businesses, but all over the community. Like Livingston, they see the value in keeping the downtown district vibrant and lively. “We have been blessed to have capable and committed individuals who have graciously agreed to share their time and talents with us,â€? Livingston said. In 2017, Livingston says he plans to concentrate on implementing a concerted and focused effort between the City of Ames, private investors, and landownHUV WR ÂżQG D WKRXJKWIXO LQWHOOLJHQW DQG manageable way to increase new housing options in the area. This could include the GHYHORSPHQW RI XSSHU Ă€RRU ORIW DSDUWPHQWV in currently underutilized space and new, mixed-use development. “There is an increasing demand from people who wish to live in the vibrant and eclectic urban core neighborhoods,â€? Livingston said. “I would love to see downtown Ames respond to this demand with an increase supply of available housing.â€? Other plans include completing the nomination to put downtown Ames on the National Historic Register which would make tax credit and grant opportunities more readily available to downtown property owners. Livingston says he will also continue to build on the successes of current Board President, Cliff Smith. Smith will serve as Past President on the 2017 Board. “I will continue to lean into his strong organizational skills, as we challenge
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Paul Livingston, 2017 Main Street Cultural District Board President
our organization to identify ways to systematize some processes that will lead to greater consistency and continuity for the Main Street Cultural District for years to come,� Livingston said. Accomplishments by the program in 2016, under the leadership of Smith, include the completion of an $80,000 lighting project, reaching a program total of 30,000 volunteer hours, achieving national accreditation for the sixth straight year, partnering with Iowa State University and other community entities to explore expansion of housing options in downtown, hiring an event coordinator, planting $6,000
LQ ÀRZHUV IRU GRZQWRZQ EHDXWL¿FDWLRQ and implementing a historic plaque walking tour. The Main Street Cultural District was established on January 1, 2004. Its mission is to advance and promote downtown as the destination district in the heart of our community. To keep updated on MSCD happenings, become a fan of the Main Street Cultural District on Facebook, bookmark www.AmesDowntown.org, or FRQWDFW RXU RI¿FH DW 06&' LV DQ DI¿OLDWH RUJDQL]DWLRQ RI WKH $PHV Chamber of Commerce.
,68 5HS Ĺ? 6XVDQ %UDGEXU\ Ĺ? 3URIHVVRU &RPPXQLW\ 5HJLRQDO 3ODQQLQJ ,68 1RQ 5HWDLO DW /DUJH Ĺ? 6FRWW $QGHUVRQ Ĺ? 3XEOLVKHU $PHV 7ULEXQH &RPPXQLW\ 5HS Ĺ? 6WHSKDQLH 0DUVDX Ĺ? 0DUNHWLQJ 0DU\ *UHHOH\ 0HGLFDO &HQWHU 9ROXQWHHU &RRUGLQDWRU Ĺ? (ULQ *UHD]HO Ĺ? 3UHVLGHQW $PHV -D\FHHV $PHV &KDPEHU RI &RPPHUFH 5HS Ĺ? -RKQ +DOOĹ? %XVLQHVV 'HYHORSPHQW &LW\ RI $PHV 5HS Ĺ? &KDUOLH .XHVWHU Ĺ? +RXVLQJ DQG 3ODQQLQJ
18 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2016
AMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | NOVEMBER 2016
CAMPUSTOWN ACTION ASSOCIATION
Campustown Façade Grant Program
Work in progress at new Arcadia CafĂŠ location
C
ampustown has seen many changes over the years. Recent development has rendered parts of Campustown unrecognizable to Iowa State alumni and many Ames residents. In the past 3 years, unprecedented development has brought new businesses and many new residents to the district. As this renaissance continues, it is also important to promote investment in the buildings that remain in the district. These older EXLOGLQJV KHOS DGG WR WKH FKDUDFWHU DQG Ă€Dvor of Campustown. Balanced with new development, the district will continue to PDLQWDLQ LWV GLVWLQFWLYH HFOHFWLF Ă€DLU One way the Campustown Action Association hopes to accomplish this is through the Campustown Façade Grant Program. The Campustown Idea Book states, “The goal of the program is to encourage and maintain the diverse culture and ‘uniqueness’ of Campustown, to create a vibrant and walkable Campustown, and to increase safety, security, and investment by property and business owners and to add to the vitality of Campustown.â€? The Façade Grant Program, funded and administered by the City of Ames, strives to provide incentive to enhance the appearance of existing buildings for commercial use. Projects awarded a façade grant are eligible for up to $15,000 in matching funds with the possibility of an additional $2000 for professional design
fees. Commercial property and business owners who are interested in enhancing the street-facing sides of commercial buildings are encouraged to apply. To be considered eligible, buildings must be located within the Campustown boundaries and incorporate one or more of these design concepts: Transparent Campustown. Increase transparency and access at the ground level to blend public and private spaces. Social Campustown. Improve outdoor spaces that welcome public access with well lit, park-like gathering spaces. Diverse Campustown. Create a more eclectic environment with vibrant, interesting design elements and integrated art. ,GHQWL¿DEOH &DPSXVWRZQ ,PSURYH WKH identity and recognition of businesses with design elements that express the business brand identity or with distinct features that work cohesively within the greater context of Campustown. Historic Campustown. Restore or preserve historic character of buildings that contribute to the historic character of the district. Two grants were awarded during the program’s pilot year in 2015: West Street Deli and The Cranford Building. Both projects and the program were a success and work is currently underway on the projects chosen as 2016 recipients. The
Work begins on Stanton Avenue façade of The Cranford Building
Cranford Building, which also houses Jeff’s Pizza, completed the Lincoln Way façade during their 2015 project; this year the Cranford Apartments are being detailed with new brick on the Stanton Avenue frontage. Together these two projects showcase one of the most historic buildings located in Campustown. The second grant awarded for 2016 was to Arcadia CafÊ. Arcadia is moving to a new location at 116 Welch Avenue. Their SODQQHG IDoDGH ZLOO DGG VLJQL¿FDQW FKDUacter to the new space through the use of natural materials and should provide a much more transparent feel. The Campustown Action Association is proud to help facilitate this City of Ames program. CAA’s vision is to create and foster a vibrant Campustown that is a destination district. The façade grant SURJUDP KRSHV WR ¿QG DSSOLFDQWV ZLOOLQJ to enrich the character and individuality of these buildings within the context of a pedestrian oriented commercial area. The Campustown Action Association will continue to work closely with both the City of Ames and Iowa State University to make the Campustown Business District a place of pride in our community. To learn more about the Campustown Façade Grant Program, please visit the City of Ames website or contact the Campustown Action Association at 515-2924568.
Completed Lincoln Way facade of The Cranford Building
Completed West Street Deli façade project
N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | 19
INTERNET
ACSD board member asks businesses to offer students Wi-Fi By Dan Mika, Staff Writer dmika@amestrib.com
An Ames school board member is calling for businesses to welcome students without Internet access at home to use their Wi-Fi after school. Ames school board member Lewis Rosser said the district initially reached out to businesses and Ames Public Library when it began rolling out laptop computers to high school students four years ago and to middle school students two years ago. The district aimed to secure business partnerships where students didn’t have to worry about being kicked out for loitering if they didn’t purchase a meal while studying. Rosser said that point was brought up in particular for students in the district who do not have Internet access at home. “If a (family or neighbor) doesn’t have internet, then really, those students have to rely on the good graces of free Wi-Fi at a local business,” he said. “There’s really no way we can provide it another way.” At that time, the school district found partners in the Burgie’s Coffee location on Airport Road, Cafe Diem on Main Street, Ames Public Library, Staples, Boy’s and Girl’s Club of Story County and the Lincoln Center Hy-Vee. But since that first push years ago, Rosser said, the district hasn’t made concerted efforts to recruit more businesses into the partnership. This includes newer businesses which opened in the past several years, a group Rosser said could be a prime partnership demographic. Rosser’s main concern with the free Wi-Fi partnership is that most of the participating groups close their doors “relatively early.” So,
A map of Ames showing businesses which are “Wi-Fi friendly” to middle and high school students. ACSD board member Lewis Rosser said he would like more businesses in Ames to partner with the district to provide free Wi-Fi to students, especially if they don’t have internet access at home. GRAPHIC BY DAN MIKA/AMES TRIBUNE
Rosser said, if a student has a parttime job or extracurricular activities after school, they may be out of luck if they try to find free Wi-Fi later in the evening. There are also concerns about the business locations around Ames, as Rosser said the majority of the participants are concentrated downtown. For example, if a student without internet lives near Ames High School and doesn’t have time to use the high school’s
after-school library hours due to other commitments, the nearest locations open after 9 p.m. are almost 20 blocks south from the high school, on Main Street and Lincoln Way. The trip could be even longer if a student were to live in west Ames. Rosser also said students could benefit from having locations available after school hours where they can gather to work on group projects.
“Maybe they’re working on a small group project and need to get together with their laptops and have that small group meeting to do it,” he said. “And they might come in and buy some lattes. It’s a positive thing for the business.” The district’s own surveys show about 2 percent of middle and high school students do not have reliable internet access at home, or 44 students. That number may or may not include the 36 students
in the district who have been identified as homeless. However, that number tends to change throughout the year but is accurate as of print time. The school district’s technology director, Karl Hehr, said the district works with teachers to design study programs which can be used when the laptops are offline, allowing students to access their homework at home. However, he said the district hasn’t looked at actively partnering with businesses since the first drive, mainly because the amount of students who have internet at home is high. “We haven’t really taken the time go look for more,” he said. Hehr said the district isn’t opposed to making partnerships with businesses if they come forward, but it is not a particular priority. Ames is not alone in struggling to bridge the digital divide between low-income students and their peers. According to a 2013 Pew Research Center poll, 54 percent of middle and high school teachers nationwide said their students have all the digital tools they need to succeed at school, but only 18 percent said the same is true when students are at home. A 2015 study by the Federal Communications Commission estimated about 17 percent of Americans don’t have access to broadband internet, and the number rises to 53 percent among rural Americans. Rosser said students in Ames aren’t quite that bad off, but that isn’t a reason for the district to stop forming partnerships in the city. “We’re feel positive about the number of students who have internet at home,” he said. “But we can’t forget about those that don’t.”
20 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2016
AMES LABORATORY
Ames Lab workers may receive compensation for work on nuclear weapons By Austin Harrington
Staff Writer aharrington@amestrib.com
Tom Hinders, of Ames, owns a local painting company and remembers doing work at a nuclear reactor at the Ames Laboratory as clean-up was taking place. “When it was functioning, I did some paint work in there,” Hinders said. “It was running, I looked down in the eye of that thing and saw it glowing down there.” Hinders was among those attending a meeting earlier this fall at the Gateway Hotel in Ames for nuclear workers and surviving family members of those who worked on nuclear projects with the Ames Laboratory. The meeting was one of four that took place across Iowa this week in which Hinders and others like him were told they may qualify for benefits offered by the U.S. Department of Labor, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and other federal agencies as part of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act. Ames was included in the conversation due to its work for the Manhattan project, along with several years of work that followed which exposed workers to nuclear materials. Rachel Leiton, director of the division of energy employees occupational illness compensation for the U.S. Department of Labor, said that the meetings are designed to inform people about the program that can assist them in getting the
Malcolm Nelson, left, a Labor Department ombudsman, looks over documents from Tom Hinders, an Ames resident who may have been exposed to nuclear materials at Ames Laboratory. PHOTO BY AUSTIN HARRINGTON/AMES TRIBUNE
help they deserve. “It provides compensation, both monetary and medical compensation, to individuals who worked as contractors and subcontractors for the Department of Energy in the production of nuclear weapons,” Leiton said. According to the Atomic Heritage Foundation, the Ames Project provided about one-third, or around two tons, of the uranium used in the first-self-sustaining nuclear reaction at the University of Chicago in
December 1942. The Ames Project also produced more than 1,000 tons of uranium for the Manhattan Project between 1942 and 1945. Leiton said that Ames workers from that time, and for several decades after World War II ended, were found to have medical conditions such as cancer, chronic silicosis and other conditions related to toxic substances. “So we’re here today to talk about what benefits we provide (and) who might be eligible for those benefits,” Leiton said.
According to her, the Department of Energy also funds a screening program for former workers as well. According to Leiton, Hinders’ situation is not a rare case. She said that many records from that time period no longer exist, adding that there is still hope of finding the records through other avenues, such as Social Security records and other government agencies that may keep longterm records. Because of that chance, all the agencies involved in
the event are encouraging members of the public to look into the program and see what benefits they may qualify for. After the reactor had been shut down, Hinders and his team was hired again to help clean up the nuclear reactor. Hinders said he doesn’t remember what years he worked on the site, but judging by when the cleanup efforts were completed, it was likely in the late 1970s or early 1980s. During that time, Hinders said he remembers dust
from the nuclear materials that were created there had been piling up on the rafters and ledges for several years. It was his job to clean those areas. “We’re washing this stuff 25 feet high. We’re drowning in it, we’re drinking it, we’re swallowing it, we’re breathing it,” Hinders said. Since that time, Hinders has experienced several health issues that may be directly related to that work. “I can’t taste or smell anymore, I’ve had six cancer surgeries, I’ve got vertigo, I can’t hardly walk,” Hinders said. However, when he has tried to receive compensation in the past he has been denied because he was working as a subcontractor and the Ames Lab has no record of his employment, which is a requirement in order to receive benefits. After speaking with Hinders, people involved with the program encouraged him to file a claim for benefits with the Department of Labor. They said that it’s possible that there are other ways to find records of his employment. Leiton said that her main mission during these meetings was to provide as much information as possible, since she knows there are still many workers who have no idea that the program is available. “We thought it would be a good opportunity for us to come for those who aren’t familiar with the program to kind of give them an idea of what the benefits are,” Leiton said.
N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | 21
AMES LABORATORY
Latest college rankings a mixed bag for ISU By Dan Mika, Staff Writer dmika@amestrib.com
Iowa State University is tied for the best agricultural engineering program in the country, but fell in the overall standings in the newest U.S. News and World Report college rankings released in September. The 2017 edition of the weekly news magazine’s college rankings put ISU’s agricultural engineering program on par with Purdue University in Indiana among
universities offering doctorates. ISU was ranked second in last year’s list. Steve Mickelson, chair of ISU’s agricultural and biosystems engineering department, attributed the new ranking with the recently-constructed Elings and Sukup Halls. The buildings and equipment, he said, were instrumental in attracting faculty and students, pointing to a 45 percent increase in students at the department in the past five years.
“This is a goal we’ve been striving for a long time,” he said. U.S. News gave ISU an overall score of 45 out of 100 in its national rank, bringing it down three spots from 108th last year to 111th this year. It tied the University of Dayton in Ohio, University of Missouri, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Oklahoma, University of the Pacific in California and the University of Utah for the 111th spot. ISU has also fallen in U.S.
News’ national rankings since the beginning of the decade. The university was ranked the 88thbest university in the country in 2010, but has dropped 23 spots since then. ISU spokesman John McCarroll said the rankings may not be as definitive as they seem, as U.S. News regularly changes its methodology to weigh different factors they deem important. “You’re not comparing the same questions from 2010 to 2016,” he said. “Nothing is static.” He also said some characteristics of the usual top colleges, most of which are private, benefit from being highly selective. For example, ISU’s mission requires it to generally accept every qualified applicant. Because of that, McCarroll said, the university suffers in the rankings. He also argues the school doesn’t benefit in the rankings for having achieved rapid student
growth over the past decade. McCarroll said the university’s institutional research service is still preparing an in-depth report to determine where ISU benefited and lost ground in the rankings. In a statement, ISU president Steven Leath expressed his pleasure at seeing the university compete nationally in certain departments, but warned the university’s rankings would be unsustainable without more financial support from the Legislature to hire faculty. “One of our most significant needs is to hire additional faculty in response to our dramatic enrollment growth in recent years,” he said. According to its methodology report, U.S. News based its rankings on graduation and retention rates, academic reputation, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and performance in graduate school and the workplace.
22 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2016
BRIMEYER
A recipe for continuous improvement F
or the past year I’ve been very intrigued by the concept of creating an organization where a majority of the employees are motivated and confident in making frequent small improvements within their respective areas of expertise. Termed Managing for Daily Improvement (MDI), this is generally considered to be the “secret sauce” for a true Lean culture. Like most things associated with cooking up a great culture, the majority of the key ingredients for establishing successful MDI must be supplied by management. The most important management behavior is to be intentional about improvement. This means ensuring regular, specific blocks of time are scheduled for all employees — including all levels of management — to work on improvements. This sends
a clear message that improvement is “part of the job” as opposed to “someRICK thing BRIMEYER we do in our free time.” Besides, who has free time? Being deliberate about spending time with employees during or immediately after their scheduled improvement time provides an opportunity to become familiar with new improvements, recognize successes, and address barriers. It also sends a clear expectation that improvement time is to be used wisely since employees know they will have to make an account for themselves. Emphasize small
improvements that are within each employee’s sphere of influence. Sure, occasionally a big project requiring multi-disciplinary support and perhaps special funding will surface, but that isn’t where we want the primary focus. The goal is daily sustainable improvements. Examples of some of my recent, simple improvements include: Unsubscribing from an unwanted email list that sent monthly updates Removing infrequently used and obsolete keys from my keychain Clearly distinguishing metric tools from their English counterparts in my toolbox Relocating a frequently used utensil to a more convenient location in the kitchen Tweaking a spreadsheet to make it more user-friendly Finally, another
KREG TOOL
Branstad visits Huxley tool company By Dan Mika
Staff Writer dmika@amestrib.com
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad visited Huxley-based tool company Kreg Tool recently as part of a statewide swing to celebrate National Manufacturing Day. Branstad toured the plant’s factory floor, which builds woodworking equipment, repeatedly noting the relative cleanliness of the plant. He also built a pocket hole joint, a specialty using
a drill with the help of an employee. Branstad applauded Kreg Tool’s use of employee stock ownership plans, where a company gives its employees small shares of the business when they’re hired. “(Employee stock ownership plans) are a way to keep family-owned businesses from getting bought out and staying in the state,” Branstad said. Kreg Tools CEO Tony Hogan said the company has grown rapidly since he took over, expanding from about
140 employees in 2012 to more than 200 today. About half of those workers create tools and equipment, while the other half are involved in marketing and distribution, especially to home improvement stores Lowe’s and Home Depot, which are Kreg Tool’s largest customers. Hogan said he was honored by Branstad’s visit, noting his company was one of three he visited during the day. “To us, it’s a reflection on how much we’ve grown and our success,” he said.
leadership behavior to promote continuous improvement is to religiously share success stories. This accomplishes two things. First, it recognizes those individuals that are doing the right thing. Second, it provides improvement ideas for others. My keychain improvement above came from another leader sharing this idea. Employees also must bring some vital ingredients to the daily improvement mix. They should be able to identify waste in their work … those steps in the process which take time and consume resources, but don’t positively impact the customer’s experience with the product or service. Often, waste can be found by simply being attuned to what bugs you. (“Why do I grab the wrong wrench 90 percent of the time, when there are only two choices? I’m going to mark
the metric wrench so it’s obvious.”) Once waste is identified, employees need to be inquisitive and not simply accept that’s the way it is. They should be willing to ask, “Why?” or “What if …?” This requires that they possess an appropriate balance of an inner drive to challenge the status quo with an ability to recognize their sphere of influence. It also means they should possess a basic problem solving process. How does one go about hiring those qualities? By making them part of the selection criteria during the hiring process. Example interview questions might include: Tell me about a problem that you recently solved or a process you improved? How did you become aware of the opportunity? How do you go about trying to solve a problem?
What is a small problem or issue that you are currently working on? How do you react when a small problem within your control frustrates you? Establishing a healthy continuous improvement culture isn’t rocket science. It’s actually simple common sense. The test is having the confidence, trust and discipline to set aside time regularly for your organization to improve. Based on the rarity of organizations that have mastered continuous improvement, it’s safe to say that’s not easy. 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.
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, left, operates a drill while Kreg Tool CEO Tony Hogan watches. Branstad visited the Huxley-based company during a statewide tour of manufacturing plants. PHOTO BY DAN MIKA/AMES TRIBUNE
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BRAMMER
Income in retirement I
wrote an article recently titled “How Much is Enough?” when it comes to retirement savings. My conclusion was that the vast majority of Americans need to drive as much of their financial resources towards retirement as their budget will allow. Not a lot of retirees are saying, “We saved way too much for retirement.” It is often the opposite. They are most concerned about running out of money in retirement and becoming a burden to their families. After the article was published, some questions about retirement income needs came up. As we think about retirement, most people do not want to reduce their standard of living in retirement. In fact, most have a
“Bucket List” of sorts of places they want to go and things they want to see or experience. So as a baseline, I recommend to use your current spending/ NATE BRAMMER budget as the income needed in retirement. Some others have suggested a lower income replacement rate such as 70 percent of current budget because you will no longer be saving for retirement or commuting to work etc. so your expenses might be lower. However, as those expenses diminish or cease, other
expenses increase such as health care expenses, entertainment expenses and travel. My dad calls it six Saturdays and a Sunday. With 100 pecent of a monthly budget in mind, what might a typical Iowa household, The Browns, look like in retirement? Let’s assume both spouses are working and each earning $45,000 in annual salary; $90,000 of household income or $7,500 per month. From the Social Security Administration, the estimated average Social Security benefit received by a married couple in 2016 is $2,212 per month. The Browns are a little above average in their household income, so using a Social Security calculator, they may qualify for $2,818 per month
in benefit or 37.5 percent of their income need of $7,500 per month. So, The Browns have income gap of $4,682 per month or $56,184 per year that will need to come from savings, a retirement plan, part-time work or a pension. Let’s assume like most Americans, the Brown’s do not have a pension plan. A very simplistic “back of the napkin” calculation, if your retirement plan is invested properly in a globally diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds, retirees can withdraw 4 percent of their portfolio on annual basis and increase their withdrawal every year by the rate of inflation. With that in mind, let us do the math for The Brown’s income gap; $56,184 ÷ 4.0 percent = $1,404,600 in needed retirement savings. Using the 70 percent of current budget school of thought, the math is $29,182 ÷ 4.0 percent = $729,550 in
needed retirement savings. So significant retirement savings needed in both calculations. Unfortunately, as we are all aware, the savings rate in the United States has been anemic for decades. According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute, families with a head of household between 55 and 64 years in age who have a retirement account, the median balance is $104,000. Back to my original conclusion, families need to save aggressively for retirement just to maintain their standard of living. Working with a financial advisor can increase your likelihood of financial success. NATHAN D. BRAMMER MBA, AIF is a Principal and Investment Advisor at Marrs Wealth Management. He can be reached at Nate@ marrswealthmanagement.com or www.MarrsWealthManagement. com.
24 | AMES BUSINESS MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2016