Women in Business 2015

For the love of learning Volunteers continue tradition at Philomathian

By Jenae Hackensmith

jenae.hackensmith@austindailyherald.com

In 1907, a group of ladies got together to better themselves intellectually.

A century later, the organization is still going and has turned into much more.

The Philomathian Book Store in Austin, located on 310 N. Main St. in Austin, is run by a group of about 20 to 30 volunteers. The store

Philomathian co-manager Judy Gerlach stands in the middle of the store. The Philomathian provides faith-based and ecumenical items for Austin and the surrounding area.

Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

sells cards, Bibles, jewelry, gifts for baptisms and baby dedications, and more to fit a variety of faiths.

“We want to be ecumenical with the Bibles, and cards and baby gifts and things like that,” co-manager of the store Judy Gerlach said. “And we try to do it faith-oriented, but we do have some other items as well.”

Gerlach works alongside co-manager Sharon Wagner, and although the group welcomes men volunteers, women have made up volunteer base over the years. The women range from age 55 to 80.

“We’re always looking for new volunteers,” Gerlach said.

There are two volunteers per shift, and with 10 shifts per week each volunteer works about four hours.

The original 11 members of the group, who’s motto was “Not for ones-self but for all,” quickly turned into 65 the next year, and in 1920 the group’s name was changed to the Philomathian — or lover of learning — and was devoted to book reports.

“It started way back in the early 1900s as a study club,” Gerlach said.

See STORE, Page 2

Pumping up her business Total Fitness Gym thriving with 24-hour service, CrossFit classes Story by By Rocky Hulne, Photos by Eric Johnson

J

ennifer Jenkins never has a slow day at work.

After opening Total Fitness Gym in Austin in June of 2014, she’s brought forth classes like Cross Fit and Metabolic Conditioning, which include high intensity exercises mixed with short breaks. Jenkins gets plenty of workouts in as she’s teaching classes, but she also gets plenty of mental workouts as she runs the gym.

“There’s always something that’s coming up that’s changing,” Jenkins said. “A big reason I wanted to do this is to be my own boss and answer only to me. I can do it my own way.”

W h e n Je n k i n s f i r s t

Madison Maxfield Circulation

Jennifer Jenkins helps Kristin Aakre during a personal workout at Total Fitness, owned by Jenkins. opened Total Fitness, Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com she wanted to offer many types of programs, along with a 24-hour access to the gym. She said her favorite part of running the gym is helping members find what works out best for them.

“My favorite part is helping people change their fitness and health,” Jenkins said. “In these CrossFit classes I see the biggest change in my members fitness and I love being part of that change.”

CrossFit classes can be physically daunting, but Jenkins said it offers a great workout. She said that running is great for the heart and is still a solid form of exercise, but short bursts can be very effective as well.

“My favorite part is helping people change their fitness and health.”

— Jennifer Jenkins

See FIT, Page 3

Trina Miller

Home Delivery Manager

Sherri Thissen Classifieds

Heather Ryks

Advertising Director

Jenae Hackensmith Reporter

Brenda Landherr Marketing Consultant

Susan Downey Graphic Design

Merry Petersen

Marketing Consultant

LeAnn Fischer

Marketing Consultant

Jana Gray Publisher

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Women in Business

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015

A Special Supplement to the AUSTIN DAILY HERALD

Store: Leaders Work barriers persist for looking for breast-feeding, U study finds volunteers

By Jeremy Olson Minneapolis Star Tribune

From Page 1 In 1946, the members opened a store and library in a room rented from Donavan Furniture, and were open one day a week. The store started with 85 books and accumulated up to 4,000 books by having rummage and food sales. The next year the store started selling a line of religious articles and gifts, which was started when an area Catholic church donated religious items members had been selling for special occasions.

“That was a real big business for them,” he said.

After moving spaces several times, the store finally settled in its current location in 2010. Profits from the store have been donated to many local religious and civic organizations in the past, but because of declining sales the store hasn’t been able to donate the last several years.

Gerlach said the store still donates items to auctions, silent auctions and more.

The Philomathian — which means lover of learning — is open six days a week and also on special occasions when there are events on Main Street. The store’s present mission statement is “… to promote a place with Christian ideals, offering to our customers books, cards and gifts for all occasions. We welcome all religious faiths.”

The store offers many versions of the Bible, as well as books in Spanish and other languages at request.

More than half of working mothers lack proper breaks and facilities to pump breast milk at work — even though it’s required by federal law for large employers — according to the first national look at breast-feeding support in the workplace since the Affordable Care Act took effect.

The new study by the University of Minnesota surveyed more than 1,000 working mothers who gave birth in 2011 and 2012 and found that 60 percent lacked the required breaks or secluded spaces.

Given the well-documented health benefits for breast-fed babies, “it’s a shame when the reason that women decide they can’t is because it’s too hard at work,” said Katy Kozhimannil, the lead researcher. “That shouldn’t be the case anymore.”

Workplace support is important, she said, as women with adequate breaks and space for pumping breast milk were more than twice as likely to rely exclusively on breast-feeding their babies for six months.

That is the minimum duration recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for the infant health benefits.

Emily Whebbe, a Twin Cities lactation consultant, said relaxation can

“A lot of people, they don’t even have a specific religion, but they want something thats religious oriented,” Gerlach said. “So we want to get that message [out].”

Gerlach, who has volunteered at the store for about 17 years, said members are always looking for more volunteers, welcome from any church and any faith.

“It used to be easier to get volunteers because women weren’t working,” she said.

The other problem is there are many good organizations that need volunteers, and the store is a smaller, lesser-known organization that needs volunteers.

“We’re having a harder time getting volunteers,” she added.

Yet Gerlach said many of the volunteers have become friends after working side by side for so long and enjoy the relationships they’ve built.

Gerlach has had many people tell her they hope the store remains open in the future, because there is a lack of religious stores still open in many communities. She noted several of the stores in other communities have closed, leaving only one or none in that community, such as Owatonna. She said many people come to the Philomathian to purchase religious items and gifts, and said the store has a good baby and memorial department.

“It’s a small store with personal care, personal attention,” she said.

help maximize milk production, but that isn’t possible if women need to pump in a bathroom stall or hunker down in a cubicle and hope nobody peeks over the wall.

“A couple weeks after retur ning to work, it’s wrecking their supply because they don’t have the break time or don’t want to ask their bosses to create space because it’s embarrassing,” she said. Many women quit as a result and feed formula to their babies, she said.

Federal requirements contained in the Affordable Care Act took effect in 2010, but apply only to businesses with 50 or more workers and to “nonexempt” employees — generally those who are not in management ranks.

Minnesota has had a comparable law since 1998, and it applies to all businesses and workers.

The state’s rules were toughened in 2014 to clarify that private space for pumping breast milk couldn’t be in a bathroom and must be secluded and near an electrical outlet.

Flexibility helps

The emphasis on breast-feeding wasn’t as strong seven years ago, when Kristin McKelvey gave birth to her first child. She was taking college courses part-time and gave up because there was no place for pumping milk

at the pet hospital where she worked.

Now McKelvey is an administrative assistant in the midwifery department at Hennepin County Medical Center, and receives so much support for breast-feeding her second child that co-workers sometimes make her take breaks to pump.

“I had come in to work in tears one day because my supply was almost gone,” she said, “and they told me exactly what to do, and I got it back up.”

Kozhimannil said she was surprised by the number of women lacking the required facilities, but attributed it to the difficulty of renovating offices, factories, restaurants or other workplaces.

“I wouldn’t want to assume that it’s just angry employers who hate Obamacare,” said Kozhimannil. “I think it’s just a tough problem.”

The study, published in the journal Women’s Health Issues, found that lower-income women had less access to breaks and space for pumping.

Whebbe said she tries to take the burden off clients, who sometimes fear retribution if they complain to their employer. She has written notes to employers explaining the laws or indicating the number of times new mothers should pump milk.

Flexibility on the part

of the employee can help — “ ‘I won’t take a lunch, but I’ll take three breaks’ “ she said.

Federal and state laws require employers only to make “reasonable” efforts to accommodate working mothers. But Minnesota last year gave women recourse if they run into problems, requiring the state Department of Labor and Industry to investigate their complaints within 10 days.

Six investigations so far have resulted in workable solutions for mothers.

In one instance, a factory line worker was fired when a pumping break lasted 30 minutes instead of the usual 15. She was rehired after the state looked into her case.

“Employers really want to figure out ways to comply with this law,” said Jessica Looman, the department’s deputy commissioner.

McKelvey, 28, is twothirds of the way toward her goal of breast-feeding her second child for one year. The cost savings and bonding with her daughter have been significant, and she doesn’t think they would have happened without workplace support.

“I never thought I would make it this far,” she said, “put it that way.”

—Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.-

Area woman serves as Legion auxiliary leader

By Sarah Stultz Albert Lea Tribune

Glenville woman Sandy Fredrickson believes strongly in the value of the younger generations in area veterans groups.

As the new department president for the American Legion Auxiliary — serving the entire state — Fredrickson said it is one of her main goals to help bring in more young people to the American Legion family.

She said as members age, there must be more younger members to join for the organizations to survive.

“If we ever lose it, we’ll

never get it back,” Fredrickson said.

Fredrickson, herself, joined the American Legion Auxiliary Glenville post in 1980.

Her father was a World War II veteran, her brothers served in Vietnam and Germany, and her husband, Dennis, served in Vietnam.

Her husband’s family was also in the Air Force.

“I have always believed very strongly in support for veterans,” she said.

In 1999, she said her sister asked her if she would help be the district secretary. With so much going on

in her life at that time, she initially said she was too busy, but ultimately agreed to serve for one year.

The service grew from there.

Over the years she served in many positions, and five years ago she was asked to consider running for the department president. Before serving as president, leaders first serve as second vice president and then first vice president.

She said in her position as president she will travel to other units across the state as she is invited.

“It’s an honor to serve

We are fortunate to have such a talented, driven and enthusiastic team of professional women committed to fulfilling The Cedars mission and dedicated to serving our residents.

Lisa Nelson

Director of Sales and Marketing

Candice Adams RN

Amber Sanvick RN, Director of Healthcare

Diane Maxwell LPN

Cathy Ehley

Recreation/Wellness Director and Director of Memory Care

Leesa Katiepolt LPN

Michelle Maxwell LPN

Carol Weber Business Office Manager

Leslie Kuiper

Marketing Assistant

them in this way,” she said.

“We women need to realize when it comes to veterans’ rights, our numbers count.”

She hopes to educate the public on the needs of veterans and how the Ameri-

can Legion addresses those needs. She said the American Legion is the largest patriotic organization in the nation.

Statewide, there are 80,000 Legionnaires and 38,000 auxiliary members,

she said. In Glenville, there are 112 Legionnaires and 102 auxiliary members.

“I really feel privileged to be a member because not everybody can be,” she said. “There has to be that veteran connection.”

A Special Supplement to the AUSTIN DAILY HERALD

How women can plan for their financial futures Brand Point

Are women more diligent savers than men?

A 2014 study conducted

by Fidelity Investments seems to suggest so. Fidelity’s research found that women saved more than men in their 401(k) plans, as of the year ending Sept. 30, 2014. This stems from the fact that women joined their employer’s retirement plans in greater numbers than their male counterparts.

Yet women still aren’t without their own financial hurdles. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that women are 33 percent more likely to earn a Bachelor’s Degree than men, they still earn 77 cents for every dollar their male colleagues take home, and that wage gap has been difficult to close.

This is a key reason why it’s important to make every dollar count.

Regions Bank, one of the largest U.S. banks with 1,650 branches across 16 states, recently launched a Women and Wealth program dedicated to helping women learn more about personal finance and investing - particularly women in their 20s and 30s, given that they have decades of work and saving ahead of them.

It all begins with developing good savings habits.

A general rule of thumb is to save 10 percent of your income, specifically in a tax-advantaged retirement account such as an employer’s 401(k) plan.

Simplified Employee Pension (SEP-IRA) plans are available for the self-employed and come with a tax deduction that will help you owe less to Uncle Sam each year.

O f c o u r s e, n o o n e knows what the future will bring, which is why it’s important to have at least three months’ worth of savings in the event of

AVC

an emergency. This will allow you to cover key expenses such as rent or mortgage, food and car payments, and more. It’s true that creating this nest egg takes time, so give yourself a solid eight to 12 months to accumulate this cash, and keep it somewhere safe such as a savings account or money market account.

Now, is it possible to be too concerned with safety? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. While some may be tempted to avoid the stock market due to fears of volatility or the threat of a bear market, doing so could leave you at risk of falling short of your investment goals and not accumulating enough assets for a comfortable retirement. Investment vehicles such as your employer’s 401(k) plan or an IRA account can be great options, but your choices don’t end there.

For the savvier investor comfortable with a higher amount of risk, alternative investments such as real estate investment trusts (REITs) or private equity (PE) offer the opportunity for handsome retur ns and a level of diversification that can serve as a buffer from any momentary fluctuations in the stock market. That said, REITs and PE are somewhat more complex than traditional retirement accounts, which makes seeking the help of a professional all the more important.

The growth of women’s saving habits is important because, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, nearly half (47 percent) of the U.S. labor force is comprised of women, and that percentage will likely climb higher in the years to come. By developing positive saving habits now, these women not only benefit themselves but the economy as a whole.

Women in Business

By David Unze St. Cloud Times

ST. CLOUD — An affinity for robust argument drew a young Ann Cofell to a law career.

She still enjoys a good debate. But she relishes more the challenge of looking beyond conflicts and to the underlying issues that create problems for her clients at Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid. For 35 years in St. Cloud she has helped thousands of people who are victims of domestic violence or who face problems with employment, housing and child custody. Her clients are those who can’t afford a lawyer, who often have nowhere else to turn for help.

They often come to her -and her staff of 35 in the St. Cloud and Willmar officers -- ready to argue, because they think they have to in order to resolve their problems. It’s at that moment that the arguer-turned-problem solver gets the most satisfaction from her job.

“I tell clients ‘Let’s look at it instead about what problems you have, and let’s see if we can work together to solve some of those problems.’ It kind of changes the whole dynamic of why people are here to see a lawyer and about where this problem fits in their life,” Cofell said.

Athena Award winner

Cofell’s tireless work on behalf of those less fortunate recently earned her the 2015 Athena Award from the Women’s Fund of the Central Minnesota Community Foundation.

The prestigious award recognizes someone who has achieved career excellence by helping improve the lives of others in their community and helping assist women in realizing their full leadership potential.

It’s an honor that Cofell accepted, albeit somewhat

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uncomfortably. She’s rather talk about the work her staff does to help immigrant families get housing, domestic violence victims see their kids, disabled clients keep their housing.

She’s quick to point out her own faults and equally quick to credit her co-workers. She cringed when a reporter called and suggested an article about her.

Make no mistake, Ann Cofell would rather not have this article in the newspaper.

You can imagine what she said when she was told that a photographer was coming to her office to take her picture.

“She’s inspiring. She really humble and one of the more modest people that works in the legal field, I think,” said Sarah Hennesy, who worked with Cofell before becoming a district court judge in Mille Lacs County. “She just cares deeply about the people that work for her and that she is serving in the community.

She doesn’t seem to do it because she wants recognition.”

Well, Ann, here goes.

Growing up in an idyllic world

Cofell grew up in a house near St. John’s University, where her father taught child and adolescent development and her mother worked at the library. She attended mostly Benedictine schools, including graduating from College of St. Benedict.

She described her childhood as “an idyllic world where the neighbors told on you.” It was a world in which her parents were the center and vice versa.

People who were told they couldn’t go to college, but did. People who were models for seeking out what others needed and being involved in the community around them, giving back.

“The only time I can think of them telling me they were disappointed in me was when I treated another student poorly. Now, I think the nuns called and told them,” she said with a chuckle. “But I’ll never forget that day they sat me down in the living room and said out loud ‘I’m disappointed in you.’ It crushed me and it’s words I never wanted to hear again, because they are wonderful people and I didn’t want to disappoint them ever again.”

She went to law school

in Cleveland, and as a student helped represent a client in an employment discrimination action. It was a client she never got the chance to meet. That non-meeting was the one thing she didn’t like about that case, and she said so when she applied for a job at legal aid in Cleveland.

And the people at legal aid assured her that she would definitely be talking to her clients if she worked there.

A legal aid job opened in Minnesota and she transferred home, eventually becoming deputy director of Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid in 1983. She manages a budget for the St. Cloud office that is about $2 million.

Benedictine values

Legal Aid provides a wide array of services for clients who can’t afford attorneys. Their clients’ problems can range from being evicted, not having their heat turned on by their landlord, family and child custody issues and getting disability benefits.

It’s people worried about not having enough food for their kids, people already strapped for cash who are getting garnishment notices.

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Women in Business

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015

A Special Supplement to the AUSTIN DAILY HERALD

Fit: Gym owner helps ‘Find Your Fitness’ From Page 1 “It’s more time ef ficient,” she said. “That’s where science is taking us right now and that is where you’re going to get more bang for your buck.

There’s a place for the long runs, but if you really want to get in shape and burn fat, it’s the high intensity training.”

While she thrives when leading a workout, Jenkins said her biggest challenge rises when she has to make a decision about something new the gym is going to do. She wants to please all of her members, but Jenkins has to make the final decision when it comes to the gym.

“It’s for the clients and I want to do what’s best for them,” she said. “You’ve got lots of opinions out there and I’m a people pleaser and I want to make everybody happy. That’s the tough part for me is doing what makes the majority of people happy.”

Jenkins said that Total Fitness’s motto is “Find Your Fitness” and she wants her members to find out what exercise is best for them, whether it be waling on a treadmill, lifting weights or joining a class.

To promote trying different forms of exercise Total Fitness is running a 30 day challenge for its members in October. The idea of the challenge is for members to try new things that Total Fitness has to offer and receive prizes for participation.

To contact Jenkins, call Total Fitness at 507-3962036.

New studio opens in downtown Albert Lea

ALBERT LEA — Piece by piece, a dream is coming true for one area woman.

After a few months of renovating 115 N. Newton Ave., Holly Karsjens will open The Meraki Studios today for dance classes.

Karsjens and her husband, Brian, purchased the building, which overlooks Fountain Lake, in July. The building was erected in the 1920s and formerly housed The Star Tribune, Coca Cola and the YMCA. Called The Meraki Studios, the space will offer more than simply dance classes.

Karsjens said the space is meant to represent love, creativity and soul. It will house

Jennifer Jenkins, owner of Total Fitness, works with Kristin Aakre during an invitational workout.

dance lessons for all ages and levels, musical instruction, artistry fairs, workshops for various crafts and talents, and photography services.

Other dance instructors are Albert Lean Luis Cardenas and Northwood resident Sammy Duckert.

Music instructors are Donavon Skinner, who will teach guitar, bass and general music theory, and Jennifer Ordalen, who will teach voice lessons and piano lessons.

Canvas & Co. owner Des Kuipers will house art parties at the studio, and Alden resident Jane Haukoos of Flowers Jane will teach other workshops.

Karsjens said though renovations on the main level are complete, work is still

ongoing in the basement, where the music classes will be. The dance classes begin today, and the music classes will begin in late November or early December.

She hopes to have a grand opening when the entire building is complete.

“I think I’ve had little winces of what’s really go-

ing on, but I haven’t fully comprehended it yet,” Karsjens said.

On Friday, she invited her new dance students and their families to check out the space in a meet-andgreet and received a positive response.

— Sarah Stultz, Albert Lea Tribune