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e are happy to partner with the St. Cloud Area YMCA and begin construction on this 105,000 SF facility in early 2016. Members and visitors will be greeted by significant areas of glass and open space that will immediately reveal the various activities within the space.
SAINT CLOUD AREA
YMCA & COMMUNITY
Unique to the project is the inclusion of the CentraCare Bariatrics Clinic; other spaces in this state-of-the-art facility include:
AQUATIC CENTER
fAMILy RECREATIONAL pOOL EIGHT-LANE LAp pOOL LOCkER/SHOWER ROOMS kIDS ZONE THREE GyMNASIUMS TWO RACqUETBALL COURTS CLIMBING WALL pERSONAL TRAINING AREAS STAGED SpIN ROOM yOGA ROOM RUNNING/WALkING TRACk fREE WEIGHTS AREA MULTI-GENERATIONAL ZONE MULTI-pURpOSE SpACES vARIOUS ADMINISTRATIvE AND SUppORT SpACES
St. Joseph, MN | 320.363.7781 | info@wgohman.com GENERAL CONTRACTOR
| DESIGN/BUILD | CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT | BUILDING + REMODELING
WGOHMAN.COM
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JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2016
6 President’s Letter 8 Editor’s Note 20 Business Calendar 24 Network Central
CONTENTS
GROW | NETWORK | PROFIT
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C E L E B R AT I N G 1 6 Y E A R S I N B U S I N E S S
PROFIT
36 Cover Story JUMP RIGHT IN
It took Gary Berg, G.L. Berg Entertainment, a few tries before committing to a career in the entertainment industry. But once he did, he was all in.
Features 42 REDEFINING MEDIA Incorporating traditional and new media into the marketing mix may be the most effective way to keep your message in front of customers.
46 WORKFORCE WORRIES Local business leaders are optimistic about 2016, but concerned about a growing shortage of employees.
48 Special Focus
PERSPECTIVE CHANGE True to its purpose, healthcare administrators agree more individuals have insurance coverage because of the ACA.
Special Section 52 A1
HEALTH & WELLNESS
CENTRAL MN FARM SHOW EVENT PROGRAM & MAP
36 10 UPFRONT Valuable and important information designed to guide and educate.
26 BUSINESS TOOLS Marketplace intelligence and useful tips on how to continue to grow your business.
54 BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Mark Geller and partner Tracy Knofla, High Impact Training.
Only Online // www.BusinessCentralMagazine.com
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Stand
Tall.
WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK Whatever your orthopedic need, St. Cloud Orthopedics strives to bring you the very best solution. That’s why we have recently expanded our spine and back care offerings with additional specialists in this essential area of care. For 60 years, we have continued to support our community by providing advanced orthopedic treatment and therapy options, and spinal care is no exception. So, to get your back on track, you can stay right here at home.
StCloudOrthopedics.com 320.259.4100 1901 Connecticut Ave S, Sartell
Knee & Shoulder • Joint Replacement • Sports Medicine • Hand Center • Trauma • Spine Center Foot & Ankle • Physical & Occupational Therapy
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President’s Letter MAIN PHONE
|
320-251-2940
AUTOMATED RESERVATION LINE 320-656-3826 PROGRAM HOTLINE 320-656-3825 information@StCloudAreaChamber.com WWW.STCLOUDAREACHAMBER.COM ST. CLOUD AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE STAFF
Ciao!
Nicolini sampling (l) Debbie Duncan, Liquid Assets with Paola Meats. a’s Mane g Tourin (r) ; ccino an American cappu
VICE PRESIDENT Gail Ivers, ext. 109
T
wo years ago, Chamber Vice President Gail Ivers and I were invited to accompany St. Cloud State University’s Dr. Christine Imbra and Dean Diana Lawson on an economic fact finding mission to Macerata, Italy. Dr. Imbra and Vice-Rector Paola Nicolini of the University of Macerata had established a robust educational and cultural exchange program, and were interested in exploring internships and business exchanges on which we might partner. Gail and I were excited to explore new relationships, opportunities and the educational and business cultures of Italy. We both came home with new perspectives and a great love for everything Italian. Paola was a spectacular host, arranging for interesting tours and interviews with business owners, and even a cooking class and social evening with her friends. When I recently learned Paola was accompanying a group of Italian students to SCSU, I invited her to our Chamber. We set up a group of members to discuss their businesses and industry in our area, and several business tours. It was a treat to watch our members explain their businesses and work to someone who lives halfway around the world. Paola told me she greatly appreciated the time and perspectives of the group. I have to admit, I even saw these members my friends and colleagues - from a fresh, international perspective. As we drove to our next appointment, Paola said, “Tell me about this.” I found myself in the familiar role of tour guide for our area – only this time the visitor was from the other side of the world. I took great pleasure in talking about our health care facilities, retail establishments, parks, even our busy roadways. We enjoyed a cappuccino at Liquid Assets and met with manager Debbie Duncan. Debbie talked about crafting her delicious soups and scrumptious treats. Not so different from the Italian coffee shops we had visited. The barista told me she took extra care making the specialty coffee for our visitor because, “She must know what great cappuccino tastes like!” Our final visit was with Don Manea at Manea Meats in Sauk Rapids. We had to sample the goods, and I sent Paola home with a package of Wisconsin cheese curds. As we crossed the river, Paola said, “What river is this?” I told her, “It’s the Mississippi.” She looked at me with surprise and said, “THE MEE-ssa-ssee-ppee??? You see the Mississippi River every day?!” Yes, we see the Mississippi every day, but from now on I will pronounce it with an Italian accent. It sounds so much more appreciated, exciting and international. Ciao!
Teresa Bohnen Publisher
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Business Central Magazine // J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6
PRESIDENT Teresa Bohnen, ext. 104
DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION Judy Zetterlund, ext. 106 COMMUNICATIONS & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR Whitney Bina, ext.130
SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR Sheri Wegner, ext. 131 ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Sharon Henry, ext. 124 ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Vicki Lenneman, ext. 122 ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Shelly Imdieke, ext. 100
CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU STAFF MAIN PHONE | 320-251-4170 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Julie Lunning, ext. 111
SALES MANAGER Nikki Fisher, ext. 112
DIRECTOR OF CONVENTION SALES Lori Cates, ext. 113
SALES & MARKETING COORDINATOR Rachel Granzow, ext. 128
DIRECTOR OF SPORTS & SPECIAL EVENTS Dana Randt, ext. 110
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Carrie Zwack, ext. 100
DIRECTOR OF VISITOR SERVICES Jean Robbins, ext. 129 2015-16 BOARD MEMBERS Jason Bernick, Bernick’s, Board Chair
Diane Mendel, Playhouse Child Care
Dan Bittman, Sauk Rapids-Rice School District
Dolora Musech, Batteries Plus Bulbs
David Borgert, CentraCare Health Neil Franz, Franz Hultgren Evenson, Professional Association Jim Gruenke, Mark J. Traut Wells, Inc. Jason Hallonquist, AIS Planning John Herges, Falcon National Bank Dennis Host, Coborn’s, Inc.
Kris Nelson, Custom Accents, Inc., Past Board Chair Bernie Omann, St. Cloud State University Mark Osendorf, Xcel Energy Roger Schleper, Premier Real Estate Services, Board Vice Chair Melinda Vonderahe, Times Media Dr. Bea Winkler, retired business owner Chriss Wohlleber, Courtyard by Marriott-St.Cloud
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Editor’s Note PUBLISHER Teresa Bohnen MANAGING EDITOR Gail Ivers Yep! That’s me.
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Dawn Zimmerman CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Craig R. Arends, CliftonLarson Allen LLP.
l Editor Gail Ivers with the Willmar High Schoo in 1976. Marching Band headed to Washington, D.C.,
Mom was right.
P
laying in the band was a requirement in my family. My mom attended five high schools between 9th and 12th grade. She was in the band and said “You’ll always have someone to eat lunch with if you’re in the band.” I have played the clarinet since I was in the 5th grade. I distinctly remember the first time I saw a clarinet. I was in 3rd grade and my parents took my brother to The Music Store in Willmar to look at instruments. The clerk opened a clarinet case and there were these wonderful long black sticks with shiny silver decorations all over them. I was in love. Except for a few brief weeks where I was distracted by the trumpet, I never really considered any other instrument. There was a time when I thought I might be good enough to become a professional musician. I practiced. I took private lessons. I practiced. I played in jazz band and orchestra. I practiced. But unlike Gary Berg, (see the cover story on page 36), I never quite made it to the clarinet equivalent of a coffee house. The gift that separates a professional musician from an above average one eluded me. But the gifts of music remain mine. Except for one year, I have played in a band since I was in the 6th grade, including over 30 years in the St. Cloud Municipal Band. Through band I traveled to Disneyland, Washington, D.C., and Mexico. I learned leadership skills. I made lifelong friends. Of my four closest friends, three play the clarinet. Of those three, I would never have had cause to meet two of them if we had not both played the clarinet. One was a few years younger than me in high school and without band we would have had no reason to associate. The other I met in college. We were pursuing different degrees with no common classes, but we sat next to each other in band on our first day in college and have been friends ever since. I’m currently making vacation plans with one of these friends. With another I attended a Christmas music pageant in December. Meeting my non-clarinet friend had nothing to do with band or music. BUT she played the flute in her high school band, which allows me to grandfather her in because the flute (while not nearly as cool as the clarinet) is still a woodwind instrument. She is further redeemed because her daughter played the clarinet all through high school. Not just any clarinet, but my original clarinet. This honorary clarinet friend and I eat lunch together on a regular basis, proving that “You’ll always have someone to eat lunch with if you’re in the band.” As is usually the case, Mom was right. Until next issue,
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Whitney Bina, St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Teresa Bohnen, St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Heidi L. Everett, Watab Communications Sharon Henry, St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Dr. Fred E. Hill, St. Cloud State University
Gail Ivers, St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Tracy Knofla, High Impact Training Mary MacDonell Belisle, mary macdonell belisle– wordingforyou John Pepper, freelance writer Roger Strom, Strom Communications Greg Vandal, Vox Liberi Dawn Zimmerman, The Write Advantage
ADVERTISING ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/SALES Wendy Hendricks, Hendricks Marketing AD TRAFFIC & CIRCULATION Yola Hartmann, Hazel Tree Media ART DESIGN & PRODUCTION Yola Hartmann, Hazel Tree Media COVER PHOTO Joel Butkowski, BDI Photography ACCOUNTING Judy Zetterlund WEBSITE Vicki Lenneman CORPORATE SPONSOR
1411 West St. Germain Street, Suite 101, P.O. Box 487, St. Cloud, MN 56302-0487 Phone (320) 251-2940 Fax (320) 251-0081 www.BusinessCentralMagazine.com FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION CONTACT Wendy Hendricks, (320) 656-3808 EDITORIAL SUGGESTIONS CAN BE MADE IN WRITING TO: Editor, Business Central, P.O. Box 487, St. Cloud, MN 56302-0487. Submission of materials does not guarantee publication. Unsolicited materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope.
Reaching the TOP
so you can too
Deb Bemboom, 44 s, 44 Sauk Rapids, MN Boston Marathon Qualifier
At St. Cloud Hospital, we help set national benchmarks for quality care and patient satisfaction — to better serve you!
The 100 Top HospitalsÂŽ program is a registered trademark of Truven Health Analytics.TM
centracare.com
UPFRONT GROW | NETWORK | PROFIT
12 16
13 People to Know 14 Getting Going 20 Business Calendar 22 The Trouble with Business
Your Voice in Government New at the Top
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NEWS & PEOPLE THAT MAKE UP THE CHAMBER NETWORK
BOOK REVIEW
The Income Gap We’re hearing about the income gap between high, middle, and low wage workers. But it’s not just about the workers, it’s about their kids. By Dr. Fred Hill
W
hat has happened to the Land of Opportunity? The promise of the American Dream is that anyone, regardless of his or her origins, can have a fair start in life. If we work hard, we can get a good education and achieve success. But over the last several decades a disturbing ‘opportunity gap’ has unexpectedly emerged between kids from ‘have’ and ‘havenot’ backgrounds. The central tenet of the American Dream – that all children, regardless of their family and social background, should have a decent chance to improve their lot in life – is no longer ‘self-evident’. —From the dust jacket of Our Kids; The American Dream in Crisis Author Robert Putnam says that his book presents a “series of portraits of the contrasting lives of American young people from more and less privileged backgrounds, alongside more rigorous evidence that those personal portraits represent national realities.” His research “examined the concentric circles of influence --families, schools, and com-
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Our Kids; The American Dream in Crisis, by Robert D. Putnam, Simon & Schuster, New York, 2015, ISBN 978-14767-6989-9
munities --- within which today’s youth are growing up…” The research provides clear and ample evidence that in recent decades challenges and opportunities facing both rich and poor youth are growing more disparate. Evidence from previous researchers showed that the 20th Century opened with economic inequality being high, but from about 1910 – 1970 the distribution of income became more equal. Special factors contributed to this flattening, including two world wars and the Great Depression. The equal-
Business Central Magazine // J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6
izing trend continued during the three postwar decades. The rising economic trend helped everyone. In the early 1970s, the decades-long equalizing trend began to reverse. Even within major racial and ethnic groups, income inequality rose at the same substantial rate between 1967 and 2011. There is much discussion and debate regarding the causes of the inequality increase. But, in short, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The economic gap has resulted in more separation and segregation among us, in us, and to us. What can be done to help poor kids begin to catch up with rich kids? The problem is not simple and does not have a simple solution. Putnam’s book provides promising ideas that may help change our current course. Dr. Fred E. Hill is an emeritus professor from St. Cloud State University
NEWS REEL BITTMAN NAMED SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR The Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) named Dr. Daniel Bittman, superintendent, Sauk RapidsRice Public Schools (ISD 47), the 2016 Minnesota Superintendent of the Year. Annual state winners are selected for their leadership for learning, communication skills, professionalism and community involvement. Dr. Bittman, who joined ISD 47 in 2010, automatically qualifies for the National Superintendent of the Year, which will be announced in February.
PLEASURELAND RV EARNS RECOGNITION RVBusiness magazine named PleasureLand RV Center one of its 2015 Top RV Dealers in North America. PleasureLand is one of only 13 dealers nationwide to receive this award each year since its inception.
RICE BUILDING PROMOTES STAFF Rice Building has promoted the following employees: Travis Lund as senior project manager, Rian Demarais as project manager, Jennifer Rice (top left) as project coordinator, and Joe Gubbels (above) as production manager.
POINT OF VIEW
Business Central asks readers: “What is one business-related New Year’s Resolution you made for 2016?”
“
I plan to publish my first book!”
Kelly Radi • Radi To Write, LLC
“
I would like to see our Midnight Run grow even better in 2016!”
REDESIGNING THE CHAMBER WEBSITE WAS NO SMALL FEAT.
Jessica Houle • United Way of Central Minnesota
Thelen kept us thinking like users and focused on crafting a great experience for any device. The result is everything a 5-star chamber site should be — fresh, intuitive and member focused.
“
To continue to provide excellence to our clients.”
Mike Forsberg • Forsberg Investments & Insurance, LLC
Gail Ivers
VICE PRESIDENT
St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce
“
Start a workplace wellness initiative in our company.”
Francisco and Jan Almarza • The Bridge – World Language Center, Inc.
“
Establish my own business and transform it into my own over the next year.”
Margaret Kotula • Direct Insurance Services
Building brands that mean business. thelen.com
Strategy and design by Thelen. Programming by JDB IT.
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UpFront YOUR VOICE IN GOVERNMENT
NEWS REEL EXECUTIVE EXPRESS GROWS, HIRES Executive Express increased the number of daily shuttle trips offered to MSP Airport to 16 times a day. The company also promoted Tracy Patchen (top left) to finance director and Colette Vandergon (above) to driver team leader and hired the following individuals:
Be Heard!
If you’ve never been active with government affairs, this is the year to dip in your toe and participate.
Legislative Wrap-up Representatives Jeff Howe (L), Jim Knoblach, and Tim O’Driscoll share their views on the results of the 2015 legislative session.
voices that speak more loudly than any one voice. (from left to right) Jeannetta Janssen, private charter specialist; Tami Mortenson, office administrator/HR coordinator; Michael Oaks, training and development coordinator
FREIGHTLINER NAMED DEALER OF THE YEAR Automann USA named Freightliner of St. Cloud the 2015 Successful Dealer of the Year. The award recognizes one dealership annually for exceptional sales and service in addition to performance and excellence in community and civic engagement.
TROBEC JOINS GRANITE FINANCIAL Pam Trobec joined Granite Financial as office coordinator. Beth Thielman, client service coordinator, passed her General Securities Series 7 Licensing Exam. She joined the financial services industry in 2008.
COBORN’S EXPANDS Coborn’s Inc. plans to open a new Coborn’s grocery store in Isanti, Minn. The new supermarket features a significant amount of the store dedicated to fresh offerings. The location also includes a full-service Caribou Coffee, outdoor seating and a drive-through pharmacy. Construction began in November.
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Session Priorities dinner Rep. Tim O’Driscoll (center) joins Jennifer Bestick, Balance Chiropractic and Jason Bernick, Bernick’s, for a little pre-dinner networking.
T
he St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce offers multiple opportunities for businesses to interact with elected officials. Our programming has three areas of focus:
Helping members build relationships with government officials, as well as other Chamber members. Chamber events provide critical access, resources and support to help you connect with the key decisionmakers. Providing influence and advocacy for issues that affect your operations. When you join the Chamber, you join more than a thousand
Providing education and information about important issues that impact your ability to chart the most successful future course for your company or organization. Even if you’re not interested in government, those running the government have a lot of interest in you and the tax dollars your business brings to the table. If you’ve never participated in public discourse before, note at least one of these 2016 dates in your calendar and give it a try. February 12, 2016 7:30-9:00 am – Legislative Session Kick-off Breakfast – Area legislators come together with Chamber members to discuss anticipated topics for the coming session. March 8, 2016 4:00 – 9:00 pm – Session Priorities – This annual networking reception and banquet happens the first day of the session. We join chambers across the state,
Evening at the Capital Dave Borgert, CentraCare Health (L), Pam Raden, The Johnson Group Marketing, and Rep. Jeff Howe.
and all of our state elected officials, for a celebratory kickoff. The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce hosts a discussion among Senate and House leaders regarding expectations for the year. April 20, 2016 5:00 – 7:00 pm – St. Cloud Area Evening at the Capital – Join us for a “Business After Hours” in St. Paul with elected leaders. Coach buses are available, so you can park in St. Cloud and skip the traffic. June 10, 2016 7:30 – 9:00 am – Legislative Session Wrap-up Breakfast – Area legislators come together with Chamber members to discuss outcomes of their work. The 2016 legislative session is only weeks away – what issues impact your business? The St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce makes it easy for our members to be heard. Make this the year you become involved with your state government.
PEOPLE TO KNOW
Roxanne Ryan
John Bieringer
Marilyn Birkland
Tanja Goering
Mark Osendorf
(320) 257-5192 rryan@wacosa.org Chair, Membership & Workforce Development Division
(320) 352-3987 john@dairylandsupply.com Chair, Central Minnesota Farm Show Committee
(320) 255-8794 mbirkland@stcloud. gannett.com Chair, Marketing Committee
(320) 656-9777 tanja.goering@prostaff.com Chair, Business Development Council
–––––––––––––––– This committee is responsible for planning and organizing the Central Minnesota Farm Show. The annual three-day show starts the last Tuesday in February at the River’s Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud. For more information on the Farm Show, see the insert in this issue of Business Central.
–––––––––––––––– The Marketing Committee is responsible for the overall marketing efforts of the Chamber of Commerce, including communication materials, advertising, publications, the website, promotional programs, and organizational research.
–––––––––––––––– The purpose of the Business Development Council is to provide training and education for Chamber members and their employees to help their businesses survive and thrive. Programs include Lunchtime Learning, and a variety of seminars, workshops, and certificate programs.
(320) 255-8610 mark.f.osendorf@ xcelenergy.com Chair, Government Affairs Committee
WACOSA ––––––––––––––––
–––––––––––––––– The Membership Division is responsible for all marketing and membership activities, including workforce development, networking programs and all of the Chamber’s special events.
Dairyland Supply ––––––––––––––––
Times Media ––––––––––––––––
Pro Staff ––––––––––––––––
Xcel Energy ––––––––––––––––
–––––––––––––––– The Government Affairs Committee researches legislative issues, makes recommendations regarding legislative policy positions, organizes trips to the Capitol and legislative updates during the session, and maintains contact with area legislators and other elected officials throughout the year.
J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6 //
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UpFront GETTING GOING
NEWS REEL
METRO BUS RECEIVES AWARDS, DANIEL HONORED Minnesota Public Transit Association (MPTA) named St. Cloud Metro Bus the 2015 Minnesota Transit System of the Year, an award that recognizes organizations that demonstrate efficiency and effectiveness. Metro Bus also received the Management Innovation Award for its Mobility Training Center project. Ryan Daniel, executive director of Metro Bus, was included in Mass Transit’s Top 40 Under 40 list, honoring those professionals who have made significant contributions to the public transit industry. Honorees were nominated by their peers and judged on criteria that included job commitment, industry involvement and contribution, achievement, and innovation.
COMMUNITYGIVING IS NEW PHILANTHROPY PARTNERSHIP The Central Minnesota Community Foundation, along with its partners – the Alexandria Area, the Brainerd Lakes Area, and the Willmar Area community foundations – announce a new partnership in philanthropy called CommunityGiving. CommunityGiving is the new name of the corporate structure that supports community foundations in the Alexandria, Brainerd, Willmar and St. Cloud areas. Steve Joul has been named the first president/ CEO of CommunityGiving. A new executive director of the Central Minnesota Community Foundation, the largest of the foundation partners, will be hired to focus on growing assets and community leadership in the St. Cloud area.
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The Power of Association Just because you’re a sole proprietor doesn’t mean you have to go it alone. By Greg Vandal
J
ohn Donne reminded humankind back in the 1600s that “no man is an island.” I can’t attest to the number of sole proprietors at work in England four centuries ago, but I suspect there were a few. After all, it could be argued that consultation might be, like Reagan suggested about politics, the world’s second oldest profession. (Now, behave yourself with the obvious jokes here!) Admittedly, most of the consultant contracts I’ve held over the years have been “solo gigs.” But, there have been several occasions when the needs of the client and/or the demands of the work simply required a different approach. An “island” mindset wouldn’t have sufficed. Then, I sought out – or conversely was sought by others – to work in association. Properly framed, and with a genuine spirit of trust and fair play, it can be a great experience. Quite recently, I decided to pass on responding to an RFP issued through the Central Minnesota Community Foundation to provide leadership support to the Community Pillars project. Ironically,
this decision was made at about the same time I wrote the last Business Central piece on how to determine whether or not to chase an opportunity. Then my phone rang, and Diane Hageman of Hageman Communications, asked if I would be interested in a cooperative response to that request. Diane suggested that we could co-lead the initiative and split both time and responsibilities in accordance with our complementary skill sets. We were awarded the project and it has been a delight! A school district not too long ago requested assistance with a planning initiative that involved a deep dive into that organization’s marketing and communications efforts. They wanted to create a strategic plan that both retooled their “brand” and also addressed a host of more strictly educational needs. Nothing in my professional preparation – or in my practical experience – has made me particularly expert in branding, but the work sounded intriguing so I sought out help. Pam Raden from The Johnson Group Marketing, a person
I first got to know through my Chamber connections, became an associate, and our supplementary talents were surely beneficial to the overall project. Sometimes, these associations have seemed almost contradictory in nature. On at least two occasions, I’ve joined with a competitor to work on projects that neither of us, individually, would have had any chance of securing. We had developed positive connections over the years and, with minimal effort, we were able to find a way to blend our respective business approaches and perform as a high-functioning, though ad hoc, team. And then we reverted to the normal condition. While I’ll continue to chase most work on my own, these three approaches to association – complementary, supplementary, and (seemingly) contradictory – have provided me employment opportunities and helped me grow in powerful ways. As a practical matter, the entrepreneur, completely alone on that “island,” simply has less chance to survive in the marketplace.
contributor Greg Vandal is the sole proprietor of Vox Liberi, a consulting business that delivers planning and project management services to clients in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. He can be reached at greg.vandal@ voxliberi.com.
IT HAPPENED WHEN?
JANUARY 31, 1990 | ST. CLOUD IS CAPITAL FOR THE DAY (center): Rep. Jerry Bauerly meets with St. Cloud community members – March 1989 (left): U.S. Senator Dave Durenburger speaks at Legislative Affairs Division – Feb. 1989
O (above): Gary Pestello, Legislative Affairs Division Chair, and U.S. Congressman Arlan Stangeland - April 1984
n Jan. 31, 1990, the City of St. Cloud served as the state capital for the day. Then Minnesota Governor, Rudy Perpich, and several state commissioners spent the day learning about local communities and meeting with area business representatives. While the governor met with city officials to discuss
higher education, Industry Commissioner Ken Peterson spent the day touring local manufacturing facilities with lead Chamber volunteers. A reception and award ceremony concluded the day. The Government Affairs Division of the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce boasts a rich history of legislative
involvement. Created by the Chamber to focus on governmental issues, the division still hosts annual legislative wrap-up sessions and schedules frequent meetings with state senators and representatives. The photos show the history of some of the division’s special events.
J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6 //
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UpFront NEW AT THE TOP
NEWS REEL PETERS BODY SHOP EARNS CERTIFICATION Peters Body Shop has been officially certified by Assured Performance, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization. To become certified and officially recognized by the various automakers, Peters Body Shop passed the rigorous certification process essential to help ensure a proper and safe repair of the new generation of advanced vehicles. Less than 5 percent of body shops across the nation are able to meet the requirements to become officially certified and recognized.
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Darren Heying, 36 President/CEO of Sentry Bank Previous Employer: I have been with Sentry Bank for seven years, previously as a commercial lender. Prior to this, I was a commercial lender at Stearns Bank.
Fun fact: I played amateur baseball with the Cold Spring Springers for 16 years.
What will you miss most about your previous position: Having the daily interaction with customers to find solutions to their financial challenges that allow them to achieve their goals. It’s very gratifying to be a small
TOP HATS : MILESTONES
part our customers’ success. When did you start in your current position: My official start date as President/CEO was Jan. 1, 2015, but I worked closely with retiring President/CEO, Greg Reinhart, for the last few months of 2014. What are you looking forward to the most in your new position: Continuing Sentry Bank’s long history of customer relationship-based banking
and involvement within the community. I am also excited about leading the talented and hardworking team of employees.
25 year Chamber member Kelm and Reuter Law office, 1287 2nd St. N Ste 101 Sauk Rapids. Pictured: Diane Diego Ohmann, Timothy Reuter, Chris Panek
Where did you grow up: I was born and raised in Richmond, Minn. I attended ROCORI High School.
25 year Chamber member Granite City Moving and Storage, record, household and commercial storage, warehousing, household and commercial moving, relocation, 207 14th Ave. E, Sartell. Pictured: Inez Mehr, Dustin Lampert, Chris Panek
What are your hobbies: Enjoying family time with my wife and three young boys, attending their sporting events and watching the Minnesota Twins.
25 year Chamber member Capital One, direct banking, 30 7th Ave. S, St. Cloud. Pictured: Inez Mehr, Krista Lofgren, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Andrea Swenson, Shaun Rowley, Chris Panek.
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UpFront TOP HATS : NEW MEMBERS
Minnesota Kettlebell, a result-proven training program, 80 33rd Ave. S, St. Cloud. Pictured: Inese Mehr and Crystal Williams.
Pebble Creek Golf Club, 14000 Clubhouse Lane, Becker. Pictured: Tauna Quimby, Troy Malo and Sheri Moran.
Old Capital Tavern, restaurant, bar and catering, 2 North Benton Dr., Sauk Rapids. Pictured: Bob Lien, Zachary Dorholt, Bobby McGee, Desi Hall and Inese Mehr.
Fred’s Heating and Air Conditioning, 30 Lincoln Ave. NE, St. Cloud. Pictured: Peg Imholte, Paul Frederickson and Julie Forsberg.
Hemker Park and Zoo, 26715 County Road 39, Freeport. Pictured: Diane Diego Ohmann, Marcus Hemker, Jacqueline Poepping, Heidi Roering, Anne Blenker and Sheri Moran.
Alliance Auction-Keller Williams Realty Integrity NW, auction company, 4300 School Boulevard, Suite 200, Monticello. Pictured: Dave Borgert, Janice Price, Shelly Weinzetl and Sheri Moran.
Remedy Beauty & Body, skin therapies, waxing, make-up, cupping, detoxification, 1400 St. Germain Street, Suite 101, St. Cloud. Pictured: Sheri Moran, Amanda LaFrance and Luke Cesnik.
Radi To Write, LLC, creative, concise, professionally-written business materials, 228 Sierra Loop, Sartell. Pictured: Peg Imholte, Kelly Radi and Julie Forsberg.
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TOP HATS : NEW MEMBERS
Adventure Advertising, providing creative and marketing services, 819 W St. Germain Street, St. Cloud. Pictured: Jill Magelssen, Scott Mitchell and Peg Imholte.
GLM Displays, LLC, offers a wide variety of portable trade show displays, 7890 Front St., Clear Lake. Pictured: Chris Panek, Matthew Lunser and Diane Diego Ohmann.
Comfort Keepers, home care and respite care, personal care assistance, 50 10th Ave. S, Waite Park. Pictured: Chris Panek, Niki Ohlenkamp, Sue Thorson, Angie Wirth, Brenda Hemming, Leah Henke, Shannon Haws and Beth Putz.
Inventure Properties, LLC, full-service real estate acquisition and development services, 7135 5th Ave. NE, Sauk Rapids. Pictured: Jill Magelssen, Jim Schleper, Doug Boser, Lee Stevens and Peg Imholte.
4 Seasons Window & Carpet Cleaning, air duct, carpet, upholstery, rug cleaning, and dryer vent cleaning, power washing 421 8th Ave. N, Sartell. Pictured: Beth Putz, Matt Berscheid, Carolyn Berscheid and Chris Panek.
Livewire Entertainment Media Services, LLC, provides audio, video, lighting, staging, and scenery for corporate meetings, and theatrical events, 1701 1st Ave. N, Unit C, Fargo, ND. Pictured: Diane Diego Ohmann, Kent Kolstad and Beth Putz.
Star Publications – Sauk Rapids Herald, community news for Sauk Rapids and Rice, 7 2nd Ave. S, Sauk Rapids. Pictured: Shannon Templin, Joyce Frericks, Natasha Barber and Brian Jarl.
Management Compensation Resources, helping companies of all sizes design plans to keep their best employees committed to staying and growing the company over the long-term, 3600 Minnesota Drive, Suite 375, Edina. Pictured: Jill Magelssen, Scott Rollin and Dave Borgert.
J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6 //
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UpFront
NEWS REEL
BCCalendar GROW | NETWORK | PROFIT
HUMPHREY, HINDS RECEIVE RECOGNITION CLS Investments named Laurie Humphrey and Pat Hinds, Granite Financial, to its 2015 President’s Council, which recognizes representatives who do business with CLS. Only the top 100 revenue generating advisors are invited to the President’s Council annually.
LEIGHTON EARNS RECOGNITION HubSpot named Leighton Interactive the 2015 Client Growth Story of the Year for work on a campaign for Bernick’s. The annual HubSpot Impact Awards recognize work in design, marketing, and development from HubSpot partner agencies worldwide.
HILL MUSEUM RECEIVES GRANT The Hill Museum & Manuscript Library (HMML) at Saint John’s University received a $4 million grant from Arcadia Fund. This is the single-largest gift to the organization in its 50-year history. The gift will support HMML’s digitization, archiving and cataloging of endangered manuscript collections through 2021. In addition, Arcadia’s funding will make these digitized materials freely available to worldwide users through HMML’s online Reading Room, which will launch in early 2016.
BRANSON JOINS CARLSON ADVISORS Mike Branson, CPA, joined Carlson Advisors in St. Cloud as tax manager. He provides business and tax consulting to small business clients primarily in the manufacturing, construction and professional service industries. Compiled by Whitney Bina. For consideration in News Reel send your news release to givers@ BusinessCentralMagazine.com
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CAN’ T M IS S O PPO RT U NIT IES TO INF LU E NC E , PRO M OT E , A ND L E AR N . Visit events.StCloudAreaChamber.com for a detailed calendar. SPOTLIGHT
FEBRUARY 23-25
Central Minnesota Farm Show The largest show of its kind in the Upper Midwest! Meet exhibitors from all areas of the agriculture industry. Free and open to the public from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the River’s Edge Convention Center on February 23-25. See The Central Minnesota Farm Show Guide in this issue for more information on 2016 Farm Show.
JAN. 6 & FEB. 3
JAN. 14 & FEB. 18
January 8
Lunchtime Learning
Business After Hours
Educational networking events that give busy professionals a chance to stay on the cutting edge. Meets the first Wednesday of the month, noon - 1 p.m., at the Chamber office, 1411 W St. Germain Street, Ste 101. Registration is required: $15 for Chamber members, $22 for the general public.
A complimentary open house for Chamber members and guests. Bring lots of business cards and prepare to grow your network! 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
February 12: Legislatie session kick-off breakfast; Cafe Renaissance
January 6: Sponsored by Image Builders with Brian Hart, Sandler Training, presenting “J is for January… and Journaling.” February 3: “Don’t Fight the Whitewater: Leadership Lessons from Turbulent Times,” presented by Joan Schatz, Park Industries, sponsored by Park Industries.
January 14: Hosted by Buffalo Wild Wings, 3701 W Division St., St. Cloud February 18: Hosted by Sentry Bank, 120 4th Ave. S, St. Cloud
JAN. 8 & FEB. 12
Government Affairs A discussion of local government issues on the second Friday of the month, 7:30 - 9 a.m. at the Chamber office, 1411 W St. Germain St., Ste 101.
JAN. 20 & FEB. 18
Waite Park Chamber For businesses interested in Waite Park issues. Lunch is provided by the host when you register at least two days in advance. 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. January 20: Hosted by the Minnesota School of Business on-site at 1201 2nd St. S, Waite Park. Includes a presentation on “Health Trends and Tips” by Brady DeGagne, Profile by Sanford. February 17: “Waite Park State of the City Address” by Waite Park Mayor Rick
www.scr-mn.com
Miller, hosted by Falcon National Bank at the Waite Park American Legion, 17 2nd Ave. N, Waite Park.
JAN 28 - APRIL
Supervisor Development Certificate Program Training for new supervisors or those who want to strengthen their leadership skills. Courses begin January 28 and run through April at the Chamber office, 1411 W St. Germain Street, Ste 101.Cost is $325 for Chamber members, $525 for the general public and includes five core courses and one elective.
JAN. 28 & FEB. 25
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Central | Metro
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Brainerd • Baxter 1-800-273-9071
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Duluth | Superior
SERVICE
1-800-827-1642
BUILDING AUTOMATION FOOD SERVICE
Southern
Rochester 1-877-399-4546 Mankato 1-800-447-3259
Sauk Rapids Chamber For businesses interested in Sauk Rapids issues. Lunch is provided by the host when you register at least two days in advance. 11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m. January 28 February 25
FEB. 10 - 11
Winter Institute Annual economic summit outlining the economic outlook for Central and greater Minnesota. This year’s Winter Institute focuses on “Community Wellness.” Cost is $60 for both days.
Your EQUIPMENT FINANCE AND LEASING EXPERTS!
Agriculture Specialty Vehicles Healthcare Construction u
u
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Call 1.800.247.1922
Feb. 10: Annual Economic Outlook, 5-6:30 p.m. at the Best Western Kelly Inn. Feb. 11: St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Business Panel, 12:30 -1:45 p.m., Atwood Memorial Center, St. Cloud State University. For information on these or other business events, call 320-251-2940.
J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6 //
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UpFront THE TROUBLE WITH BUSINESS
Managing People
C
You’ve just been promoted! Congratulations are in order – or are they? By Tracy Knafla
ongratulations! You have just been hired as the manager of a struggling work team. You are committed to increasing the productivity of this group, but have never been in a managerial position before. If only there was a resource to guide your way. Well, you’re in luck! Here is a checklist to help you lead your team to success. to take a “listening class!” Every great communication begins with excellent listening -- listening for both content and intent. A strong communicator understands what information needs to be shared and with whom. Make it your habit to over-communicate with folks until they tell you it’s too much. Become as skilled in delivering bad news as you are at giving good news.
New Managers’ Checklist for Success w You are not the Boss Defined as a noun (on google. com), a boss is “someone in charge of a person or organization.” Defined as verb, to boss is “to give orders in a domineering manner.” Nobody likes to be bossed around. People want direction and leadership. They want their supervisors to provide clear direction and correction when necessary. They want someone they can look up to, learn from, and respect. Not simply someone who wants to give orders
w Know the Mission of the Organization Be able to articulate the mission and vision of your company. Know how the work of your team connects to it and reference it frequently. Use this information to help motivate others during times of chaos or stress.
w Know Your People Every employee brings unique skills and experiences to the team. Effective managers seek to know their employees’ strengths and weaknesses. They work with each employee to maximize their contributions and provide resources to help them work on their deficits.
w Manage Up Many new supervisors believe that they need only concern themselves with their subordinates. On the contrary, it is vital that managers gain the confidence of their supervisors by providing accurate and timely information, anticipating future needs, asking good questions, and providing solutions to organizational problems.
w Trust Your Team Members Give your employees the
benefit of the doubt that they can handle their positions and are doing good work - unless or until they prove otherwise. Trust them to make sound decisions for the good of the company. Deal swiftly with those who let you down.
w Acknowledge Differing Work Styles An employee can think and act very differently from you and still be wildly successful. Learn as much as you can about the psychology of personality styles so that you can identify and appreciate the unique contribution of each member and not always be frustrated by your differences.
w Become a Great Communicator No need to take a speech class to become a great communicator. It would actually be better
contributor Tracy Knofla is the co-owner and featured consultant of High Impact Training. She has been presenting to audiences across the country for more than 25 years.
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w Embrace and Encourage Change No matter the industry, change is a key element in its success. However, change is not easy for many people, particularly when they don’t understand its purpose. Educate your employees on the need for continuous change and provide them a voice in the changes as often as possible. Remember, people support what they help to create.
w Acknowledge Team Members’ Accomplishments Nothing makes employees work harder than recognition of their efforts. If you are able to offer monetary rewards, by all means spread it around! However, most employees are motivated to excel by a well-placed acknowledgement of their special contribution to the team’s success. Recognition should be specific to the individual’s role and given as soon as is practical. Do not wait until the end of the year to tell your employees how they are doing. Make recognition an ongoing initiative.
w Make Peace with Conflict Managers and supervisors seldom win popularity contests. The very nature of their positions means that the buck stops with them – often putting them in the hot seat. When they are not making tough decisions, they are mediating conflicts between other employees or advocating for their staff with the higher-ups. Learn to control your emotions as well as other techniques to confidently resolve conflicts. The more of these boxes you check off, the stronger your team will be. Good Luck!
ST. CLOUD EYE CLINIC | SAINT CLOUD, MN
FOCUSED ONTHE FUTURE
COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT REAL ESTATE SERVICES 320.251.5933 | 888.678.7225 | StrackCompanies.com
Supporting Supervisors Effective supervisors must possess many different qualities such as flexibility, adaptability, strong leadership skills and commitment to each goal at hand. Supervisors are often seen as teachers, counselors and mentors. The Supervisor Development Certificate, offered by the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce beginning in January, offers seven courses that give supervisors the necessary tools to become more effective: Conflict Management Supervising Others – A Team Approach Employment Law – Keeping You and Your Employer out of Trouble Hiring for Retention Helping Employees Achieve Peak Performance Leadership in the Workplace Interpersonal Communication Skills for Managers For details on the 2016 series, contact Whitney Bina, 320-656-3830 or visit BusinessCentralMagazine.com
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UpFront
NetworkCentral GROW | NETWORK | PROFIT
u
E V E N T S A R O U N D T H E S T. C LO U D A R E A
NETWORK
The St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated their volunteers at the annual Star Celebration in October. Photos by Jeff Yapuncich, YuppyPhoto
Roger Schleper, Premier Real Estate Services (L), and Jeff Yapuncich, YuppyPhoto
Top Hatters from left: Tammy Buttweiler, Country Inn & Suites – East; Luke Cesnik, Dijital Majik; Kris Hellickson, Rengel Printing; and Shawn Brannan, All Elements, Inc.
Sharon Henry, St. Cloud Area Chamber, (L) and Liz Kellner, Odor Eliminators
Teresa Bohnen, Chamber President
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Michelle Daggett (L) and Jen Albright, Stinson Leonard Street
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Dan Bullert, Initiative Foundation, (L) and David Miller, Minnwest Bank
Grow! Network! Profit! At the Sauk Rapids Chamber Promoting your business to others in the business community is one of the benefits of participating in the Sauk Rapids Chamber. To find out how you can put your business in front of 80-100 business leaders, contact Sharon at 320-656-3824.
Sue Carlson, The Legends at Heritage Place, shares details about her business with Chamber members.
Zach Dorholt (L) and Desi Hall, Old Capital Tavern, demonstrate their new catering services as host to the Sauk Rapids Chamber.
Dave Blue, Granite City Tire; Carol Rupar, Coldwell Banker; Lisa Braun, St. Cloud Retired & Senior Volunteer Program; and Kalie Schuster, Leighton Enterprises
Brenda Spain, Independent Senior Sales Director, and Al Gully, Summit Direct Carpet
Linda Snowburg and James Turner, Sauk Rapids-Rice Schools, share tips on creating a welcoming work environment.
Ashley Nieland, Txt4Life, and Erik Hanson, Thrivent Financial
Sarah Condon, Edina Realty, (L) and Katie Hennen, Mantra Salon & Spa
J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6 //
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BUSINESS TOOLS GROW | NETWORK | PROFIT
u
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Tech Strategies Insight
28 30
Doing Good Entreprenuerism
Economy Central by Falcon Bank
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RESOURCES THAT HELP YOUR BUSINESS GROW
TECH STRATEGIES
Advertising Upgrades
Seventy-two percent of U.S. adults online have a Facebook account. Nearly three quarters of them are online daily. It’s safe to say that your business’ demographic is on Facebook. So how do you reach them? By Dawn Zimmerman
specific action such as sign up for a newsletter or offer. 4 Boost a Facebook post:
F
acebook is continuing to make it easier and more effective for businesses to advertise. The social media powerhouse recently rolled out advertising upgrades. Here’s a look at seven objectives you can achieve through some of Facebook’s advertising features: 1 Create a sign-up form: Generate leads Now you can integrate a lead generation form directly into Facebook without the user ever leaving Facebook. Once a user clicks on an ad, a pre-populated form appears with the user’s
information, which can be edited before submitting. This is designed for newsletter sign-ups, promotions, white paper downloads and other offers. Early results show it significantly increases submissions compared to driving users to an external landing page. You choose the type of information you want to ask for and then download the information on the leads from Facebook. 2 Drive people to your website: Increase website traffic Direct people to the features
of a new product, case study or blog post with this ad. You choose the URL and it will automatically pull a graphic and the header from the page. This type of ad typically costs more that the post boost or page promotion. 3 Increase website conversions: Increase user actions Calls to action play a powerful role in marketing, allowing businesses to turn website viewers into leads. This type of Facebook ad enables businesses to lead a key demographic to take a
contributor Dawn Zimmerman is CEO of The Write Advantage, a St. Cloud-based communications company that specializes in social media.
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Reach more people This enables you to increase the visibility, and typically the engagement, of a particular post you have published on your timeline. You can choose for it to appear on the news feeds of your fans and friends or a specific demographic. This is particularly useful when posting about promotions or focusing on getting post comments, likes or shares. This can be done by simply clicking “Boost” on the specific post and is the most commonly used ad on Facebook. 5 Promote your page: Gain more followers This “sponsored ad” pushes out an ad about your page to the news feed of a target audience. The call to action will be to “like” your page. It includes an image for your page, the name of your page and just a line of text. Use that text wisely and clearly communicate why people should follow your page.
6 Reach people near your business: Increase store traffic These local awareness ads are less expensive than traditional channels like a newspaper ad and allow advertisers to further target their audiences. You enter in your business address and then choose the mile radius in which you want to reach users. Facebook then targets people who live within that radius or were recently near your business. These are often used for new store openings, daily specials and other offers. 7 Create Instagram ads: Expand reach outside Facebook Last fall Facebook added the ability to create Instagram ads within Facebook’s robust
advertising platform to reach an often younger demographic. Facebook currently limits the options to website clicks, website conversion, app installs, and video views. This allows you to expand a current Facebook campaign or create a new audience and objective focused on Instagram. In either case, change the ad size to better fit the Instagram platform (1080x1080 pixels). Facebook also recently added detailed targeting. This new logic search engine allows advertisers to expand and narrow demographic characteristics and overlap multiple interests to reach a target audience.
TECH NEWS
Bricks and Clicks Every retailer will be expected to have an online identity as well as a brick and mortar presence by 2020, according to one trend watcher. Nearly 19 percent of global B2C retail will happen online, with online retail sales expected to reach $4.3 trillion by 2025, resulting in the emergence of virtual stores, virtual hypermarkets, interactive stores, and “Click and Collect” retailing models. Source: Forbes.com
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BusinessTools DOING GOOD
Community Day
St. Cloud Federal Credit Union gives back through volunteering.
Courtesy of St. Cloud Federal Credit Union
T
he St. Cloud Federal Credit Union closed its offices a few months back so staff could spend time volunteering. The credit union asked its members for ideas on how the 50+ employees could volunteer for a day. A member of the credit union, Pastor Carol Jean responded that her organization, Place of Hope, had a need. “When we heard that Place of Hope needed to update their second
floor wing for women and children, we knew it would be a great match for our Community Day,” said Jed Meyer, president and CEO of St. Cloud Federal Credit Union. “Our Community Day was established as part of our commitment to making a meaningful difference in our community. Helping an organization like Place of Hope was a great fit.” The credit union volunteers painted all
the rooms for women and children, the gathering spaces, bathrooms, and hallways. They also donated $500 and brought in lunch for the community. St. Cloud Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative with over 15,000 members and over $120 million in assets. They have branches in St. Cloud and Sartell.
Please join us for the
54th Annual Winter Institute Wednesday, February 10th 5 - 6:30 pm 6:30 - 8 pm
Economic Outlook Reception & Entertainment
Thursday, February 11th 8:30 - 9 am 9 - 10:30 am 10:30 - 11:00 am 11- 12:15 pm 12:30- 1:45 pm 2 - 3:15 pm
Registration Keynote Speaker: Dr. Robert Putnam Hospitality Break Session I Lunch and Chamber Panel Session II
Registration and Additional Information:
stcloudstate.edu/winterinstitute SCSU Economics Department
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WELCOME TO THE CENTRAL MINNESOTA FARM SHOW!! JOHN BIERINGER
Dairyland Supply Volunteer Chair, Central Minn. Farm Show
ANDY NOBLE
Advantage 1 Insurance Agency Volunteer Vice Chair, Central Minn. Farm Show
GINNY KROLL
2016 Farm Show Coordinator St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce
he Central Minnesota Farm Show, commitment to agriculture and education, each brought to you by the St. Cloud year the Chamber dedicates a portion of the Area Chamber of Commerce, is the proceeds from the Farm Show to high school largest show if its kind in the Upper Midwest. scholarships. Why does such a show exist in this growing High school seniors apply for the metropolitan area? Because agriculture is still scholarships, which are awarded based on one of the area’s leading industries! merit and a stated intent to continue their Since opening its doors over four decades education by studying some area of agriculture. Beacon/Enterprise ago, the Farm Show has been a popular Since the program started in 1982, the community event for Central Minnesota. Chamber has awarded over 200 scholarships The show offers something for everyone with for a total of $70,000. an interest in agriculture. When you turn to the Volunteers have worked hard to put center of this brochure you’ll find a complete together a show that you will find both map of the show and a list of vendors to help valuable and fun. Enjoy your visit with us and you make the most of your visit. if you have questions or suggestions, please The St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce stop by the information booth. We’d like to is committed to helping area farmers through hear from you. AGRICULTURE • COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL organization and sponsorship of the Central John or Bob Arnzen Minnesota Farm Show. And there’s something Sincerely, Beacon/Enterprise 888-276-1751 • Shop: 320-836-2284 else we’d like you to know. As part of our John Bieringer, Andy Noble & Ginny Kroll
T
CONSTRUCTION, INC.
Fax: 320-836-2050 Beacon/Enterprise 29033 County Road 17 • Freeport, MN 56331 www.strosalumber.com
CONSTRUCTION, INC.
AGRICULTURE • COMMERCIAL • INC. RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION, AGRICULTURE COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL John•or Bob Arnzen
John or Bob Arnzen
888-276-1751 • Shop: 320-836-2284 888-276-1751 • Shop: 320-836-2284 Fax: 320-836-2050 Arnzen Construction, Inc. Fax: 320-836-2050 Arnzen Construction Inc., 29033 County Rd. 17, Freeport (St. Rosa), has been 29033 Road 17 Freeport, MN 56331 selling Berg29033 barn County equipment for more and is the largest Berg dealership County Roadthan 1760•• years Freeport, MN 56331
in the Unitedwww.strosalumber.com States and Canada. www.strosalumber.com Besides dealing in Berg equipment, Arnzen also builds homes, dairy barns, commercial buildings, steel frame buildings and pole buildings. They also sell Jiffy, Dynavent, and J&D barn equipment. They also sell WIC Feed Carts, straw choppers, Agromatic Straw Choppers, mats, cow comfort cushion waterbeds, and much more. Arnzen caters to the small dairy farmer, as well as meeting the needs of the larger dairy farmer. In the past year, there has been lots of interest in free-stall barns with milking parlors. The free-stall barns with milking parlors make it easier to milk more cows in less time. The business has grown over the past 60 years. Several years ago they built a new shop and showroom complete offices that are shared with St. Rosa Lumber. The Arnzen Construction, Inc. with Arnzen Construction, Inc. show room displays the products Arnzen Construction, Inc. sells. Arnzen Construction Arnzen Construction Inc., 29033 CountyInc., Rd. 29033 17, Freeport (St. Rd. Rosa), been selling Berg barn Arnzen Construction County 17,has Freeport (St. Rosa), hasequipment been forrepairs employs 44 full-time workers. In addition, theUnited company is Canada. now offering welding more thanselling 60 yearsBerg and barn is the equipment largest Berg for dealership in the60 States more than years and and is the largest Berg dealership to be Besides done or,equipment, forand theCanada. customer’s convenience, portable welding. ACI Arnzen Construction Inc., 29033 Rd. 17, (St. Rosa), hasThe been in in-house the United States dealing in Berg Arnzen alsoCounty builds homes, dairyFreeport barns, commercial buildings, steel frame Welding loader attachments include: material rock forks and bale forks. Besides dealing Berg Arnzen alsobuckets, builds dairy barns, sellingskid Berg barn equipment forequipment, more than 60 years and ishomes, the largest Berg dealership buildings and pole buildings. Theyinalso sell Jiffy, Dynavent, and J&D barn equipment. They also sellJiffy, WIC Feed commercial buildings, steel frame buildings and pole buildings. They also sell inArnzen the United States and Canada. Construction is owned by John cow Arnzen and Robert Arnzen. ACI Welding is Carts, straw choppers,and Agromatic Straw Choppers, mats, cushion andchoppers, much more. Arnzen Dynavent, J&D barn equipment. They alsocomfort sell WIC Feed waterbeds, Carts, straw Besides dealing in Berg equipment, Arnzen also builds homes, dairy barns, managed by Mike Arnzen. Agromatic Straw Choppers, cow comfort cushion waterbeds, and much more. Construction is owned by John Arnzenframe andmats, Robert Arnzen. ACI Welding is managed by Mike Arnzen. commercial buildings, steel buildings and pole buildings. They also sell Jiffy, The owners and employees of Arnzen Construction would like to all the Arnzen caters toofthe small dairy farmer, aslike welltoas meeting the needs ofthank the larger The owners and J&D employees Arnzen Construction would thank all the Carts, people for their support in the Dynavent, and equipment. They also sellof WIC Feed straw choppers, people for their support the past years. Arnzen Construction, Inc., hours dairy farmer. Inbarn thein past year, there has been lots interest in free-stall barns with are Monday past years.milking Arnzen Construction, Inc., hours barns are Monday through Friday 7 waterbeds, a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday 7 a.m. to Agromatic Straw Choppers, mats, cow comfort cushion and much more. parlors. The free-stall with milking parlors make it easier to milk more through Friday 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday 7 a.m. to noon. The telephone noon. The telephone are 320-836-2284 or 1-888-276-1751. Arnzen to the small farmer, as well as meeting the needs of the larger cows incaters less numbers time. numbers are 320-836-2284 ordairy 1-888-276-1751. The business has grown over the past 60 years. Several years ago they built a new
Arnzen Construction, Inc.
dairy farmer. In the past year, there has been lots of interest in free-stall barns with and showroom complete withwith offices that areparlors shared with St.itRosa Lumber. Themore milkingshop parlors. The free-stall barns milking make easier to milk the products Arnzen Inc. sells. Arnzen Construction You Name It,Construction, We Weld It... cows inshow lessroom time.displays employs 44 full-time workers. In addition, the company is now offering welding repairs • Free Stalls • Barn Equipment • Repairs • Custom Parlors The business has grown over the past 60 years. Several years ago they built a to be done in-house or, for the customer’s convenience, portable welding. The ACI new shop and showroom complete with include: offices that are buckets, shared withforks St. Rosa Lumber. • Latches & Gates • Iron Railing • Ornaments Welding skid loader attachments material rock and bale forks. The show roomArnzen displays the products Arnzen Construction, Inc. sells. Arnzen Construction Construction is owned by John Arnzen and Robert Arnzen. ACI Welding is managed by Mikeworkers. Arnzen. In addition, the company is now offering welding repairs employs 44QUALITY full-time CONSTRUCTION &like REPAIRS ownersor, andfor employees of Arnzen Construction would to thank allThe the ACI to be doneThe in-house the customer’s convenience, portable welding. people their attachments support in the include: past years.material Arnzen Construction, Inc., hoursand are bale Monday • Residental Welding skid for loader buckets, rock forks forks. through Friday 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday 7 a.m. to noon. The telephone • Stainless Steel Commercial Arnzen Construction is owned• by John Arnzen and Robert Arnzen. ACI Welding is numbers are 320-836-2284 or 1-888-276-1751. • Aluminum managed by Mike Arnzen. • Agricultural •The Galvanized owners and employees of ArnzenIt, Construction You Name Weldwould It... like to thank all the • past Welding &We Repairs B/E-38-2B people for their •support in the years. Arnzen Construction, hours are Monday Free Stalls • Barn Equipment • Repairs • CustomInc., Parlors through Friday 7 a.m. •toLatches 5:30 p.m. and Saturday 7 a.m. to noon. The telephone & Gates • Iron Railing • Ornaments numbers are 320-836-2284 or 1-888-276-1751.
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2016 CENTRAL MINNESOTA FARM SHOW • ST. CLOUD AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
QUALITY CONSTRUCTION & REPAIRS • Residental You Name It, We Weld It...
• Stainless Steel • Commercial • Free Stalls • Barn Equipment • Repairs • Custom Parlors • Aluminum • Agricultural
• Latches & Gates • Iron Railing • Ornaments
A HISTORY OF SERVICE AFTER 50 YEARS, THE CHAMBER’S GINNY KROLL RETIRES
he 2016 Central Minnesota Farm Show is a special one. It marks the last show that will be managed by long time event coordinator Ginny Kroll. Kroll started at the Chamber on Feb. 1, 1965 as a secretary. “I didn’t know anything when I started. I didn’t know anything about business, anything about St. Cloud. I had no idea what a chamber of commerce was. I was scared to death to
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talk to people,” Kroll said. Regular Farm Show attendees know that Kroll has overcome her shyness and can now be found greeting, helping, and trouble-shooting throughout the three-day show. “This is such an important event,” Kroll said. “It’s important to the Chamber because it’s the biggest event we put on. But it’s also important because agriculture is so critical to Central Minnesota. It’s a big part of our economy. We know that and that’s why the Chamber continues to be committed to putting on the best show possible.” Under Kroll’s guidance, the Farm Show moved out of Crossroads Shopping Center almost 30 years ago and into what was then the newly built St. Cloud Civic Center. Since then, the show has continued to grow, welcoming the civic center expansion into the River’s Edge Convention
Center. Even with the expansion the Farm Show still fills the halls. “We put on a great show,” Kroll said. “The volunteers are wonderful and our vendors make money. Why wouldn’t you want to be part of this?” Kroll will be available during the 2016 show – still greeting, helping and trouble-shooting. Please be sure to shake her hand and thank her for her many years of service to the Central Minnesota business community and her long-time support of agriculture and the Central Minnesota Farm Show. “When I think of where I was at when I started – I didn’t know anything! And now I’m the historian,” Kroll said, “the go-to person when people have questions. If people don’t belong to the Chamber, they should. Where else are you going to make these kinds of connections?”
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2016 CENTRAL MINNESOTA FARM SHOW • ST. CLOUD AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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WEDNESDAY, FEB. 24 Topic: Grain & Livestock Market Outlook Description: Hear the outlook for commodity markets, crop inputs, and discuss marketing plan strategies. Speaker: James Emter, Van Ahn & Co., Inc. ----------------------Topic: It All Starts in the Dirt Description: How healthy is your soil? Learn what it will take to get the optimum nutrients to achieve maximize yield. Speaker: Glen Borgerding, AgResources Consulting
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49th Annual MADE IN RURAL AMERICA The USDA’s new investment program provides funding for rural businesses. griculture-related small America” export and investment businesses in rural areas have a initiative, this investment fund is new source of funding now that expected to help propel the growth of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has small businesses across rural America. introduced a $150 million investment The RBIC program allows USDA to program. The first for-profit Rural facilitate private equity investments Business Investment Company in agriculture-related businesses. (RBIC) was established in 2014, Currently, USDA programs exist to and the department plans to accept help provide loans or loan guarantees applications through July 2016. “This to help rural businesses grow, but partnership will allow us to facilitate many small cutting-edge businesses private investment in businesses also need equity support in addition to working in bio-manufacturing, or instead of borrowed funds. advanced energy production, local Detailed information including www.CentralMNFarmShow.com and regional food systems, improved application materials and instructions #FarmShow farming technologies and other cuttingcan be found at the USDA website. #FarmShowedge fields,” Secretary of Agriculture Or visit BusinessCentralMagazine.com Tom Vilsack said. for a link to the site. As part of the Obama Administration’s “Made in Rural
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2016 CENTRAL MINNESOTA FARM SHOW • ST. CLOUD AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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TUESDAY, FEB. 23 Topic: Carrying the Load: Is your equipment fit for the road? Description: Information on the latest rules and regulations on load securement, transporting hazardous materials, road safety with farm equipment, federal farm exemptions, and state statutes. Speaker: Steve Krueger, Minnesota State Patrol ----------------------Topic: Biosecurity on the Farm: Keeping a healthy and safe environment Description: Panel members will share insights on providing a healthy and safe environment for those working on the farm, including setting preventive protocols to limit health and safety risks to livestock while continuing to produce safe food and feed. Panel members: Dr. Carrie Illies, GNP Company and Robert Orsten, turkey/crop/beef farmer, Dr. Carl Larson, Watkins Veterinary Clinic
Bleacher Seating
All speakers will appear twice in the same day – once at 10:30 a.m. and again at 1:30 p.m. – for their one-hour talks. Signs will be posted to direct attendees to the presentation rooms.
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The following banks support the Farm Show with cash donations: AgStar Financial Services BankVista Bremer Bank Central Minnesota Credit Union Falcon National Bank Farmers & Merchants State Bank Frandsen Bank & Trust Harvest Bank 10 South 4th Avenue MidCountry Bank Minnwest Bank, M.V. Stearns Bank Wells Fargo Bank Arnold’s Midwest Machinery
7 - 10’ x 8’ Booths
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Planning Your Legacy
There is no cost to attend any of the a successful farm presentations and reservations are not required.
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Jim Emter, CEO of Van Ahn and Com
THURSDAY, FEB. 25 will share an outlook for commodity m Topic: Planning Your Legacy inputs,Discuss and discuss marketing plan s Description: key steps, tax strategies, and insights on developing and implementing a successful farm transition plan. Panel presentation by Cathy Olson- Sr Panel members: Cathy Olson, AgCounseling Star Financial Services; Gary Specialist, AgStar Financia Hachfeld, University ofUniversity Minnesota of Minnesot Gary Hachfeld, Extension Education; Brian J. Educator and Brian J. Schoenborn, attorn Schoenborn, Stinson Leonard Leonard Street will speak on key steps, t Street
and insights on developing and imple transition pla
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All speakers will appear twice in the same day – once at 10:30 a.m. and again at 1:30 p.m. – for their one-hour Yield - More Profi talks. Signs More will be posted to direct attendees to the Jim Emter Speaker: presentation rooms. Grain and Livestock Market Out
FREE Seminars
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PRESENTATION Free milk, coffee and donuts from SCHEDULE
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THANK YOU TO P.O. BOX 487 OUR CONTRIBUTOR
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Glenn Carlson Exhibit Hall 87 - 10x10 Booths
A special thank you to ST. CLOUD, MN 56302-048 Jodie (Woeste) Pundsack - Gaslight Creative 320-251-2940 for designing the cover for the e-mail: vkroll@stcloudareachambe 2016 Central Minnesota Farm Show Guide. Her family has owned the Woeste Century Farm in Greenwald since 1881.
2016 CENTRAL MINNESOTA FARM SHOW • ST. CLOUD AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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VENDOR BOOTH LIST 21st Century Ag....................104 ABC Seamless.......................400 ABS Global............................925 Ag Tech Drainage.....................5 Agri King Nutrition................926 Agri Plastics & Silo Repair.........6 Agri-Systems.........................829 AgStar Financial............ 801-900 Aldrich Tractor...........5003-5017
Frandsen Bank & Trust.........824
Central MN ................................ Corn Growers........................822
Central Minnesota...................... Renewables...........................809 Centra-Sota Coop....................... ...............4001-4013; 5000-5012 Champion Milking................401 CHS Prairie Lakes Co-op......204 Clear Lake.................................... Farmers Elevator...................805
Allied Distribution.................516
Cleary Building......................831
Alternative................................... Energy Systems...................4010
Complete ................................... Grain Systems........804-806-808
American Door Works..........835
CowKuhlerz...............3013-4012
American National ..................... Insurance...............................217
Cutco.......................................12
Kleen Test..............................713 Kuhn North America................... ................ 300-302-304-306-308 Land O’Lakes.........313-315-317 Lange Ag Systems....1007-1009
Central Minnesota...................... Credit Union..........................908
Alforex Seeds........................110
Leedstone...................... 921-923 Legend Seeds.................... 3 & 4 www.freeportstatebank.com MEMBER FDIC
For more than 107 years, Freeport State Bank has served Freeport and surrounding areas with trusted banking services - from farm and business loans to personal savings and checking. www.freeportstatebank.com BOOTH # 807
Freeport State Bank..........807
LG Seeds...............................810 Lifestyle Lumber....................719 Lumber One........................1005 Mark J. Traut Wells...............816 McKay’s Dodge......................... ...............3001-3005; 4000-4004 MEDA............................ 505-507 Messer Repair........103-105-107
G3 Power Systems, LLC Generators for the Third Millennium Contact: Jim Schulzetenberg 32666 State Hwy 4 || Melrose, MN 56352 320.256.3575 || BOOTH # 503
Midsota Mfg................................ ................ 412-414-416-418-420 Midwest Machinery.................... ....................... 519-521; 618-620
American Pressure................311
Cy Pfannenstein.......................... Music Service......................1015
AMPI....................................6004
Dairy Farmers of America...1001
AMPS.....................................818
Dairyland Pest Control........1043 Dairyland Seed......................602
Genex Farm Systems.................. ................1017-1019-1021-1023
Mies Outland........................101
Animart................................6002 API Garage Door Stoe.........819
Dairyland Supply......................... ....................... 601-621, 700-720
Gilleland Chevrolet....... 203-205
Minnesota Farm Guide.........202
Gilman Coop............................... Creamery....................... 913-919
Minnesota Farmers Union....402
Dan’s Custom ........................ Welding.................1012-1014
Gold Country Seed.............1026
Minnesota Home........................ Improvement.........................116
Design Workings......................... ......................... 1029-1031-1033
Grassland Solutions................11
Arnold’s of .................................. St. Cloud....901-907, 1000-1006 Arnzen Const......................... ........... 2001-2005, 3000-3004 Automotive Parts........................ Headquarters............6001-6003 Automation Plus..................6013
Dan Waytashek........................... Seed Sales.............................828
Avon Ag Lime...........................2
Diamond Industrial .................... Cleaning................................910
Barron Built................1050-1052
Dick Meyer Co......................912
Bazooka Farm Star...................... .....305, 307, 309, 404, 406, 408
Easy Fix Rubber Products.....604
Benton County............................ Ag Society.................1022-1024
Edward Jones............................. Investments.........................1011
Big Iron Stock Auction..........826
Fairchild....................................... Equipment.................1025-1027
Bongards Creameries.........1020
Falls Silo Service....................833
Boot Shack............................506
Farm Bureau ............................... Financial Services..................904
Boss Supply...............6005-6007
G3 Power Systems............503
Midwest Sales............................. & Service........................ 319-321
Gateway...................................... Building Systems...................109
Midwestern BioAg................820
Granite Electronics................200
Green Energy Products........513 Growers Chemical Corp.......612 Hanson Silo................................. ...............2007-2013, 3006-3012 High Plains Industries..........6011 Hodgman Drainage..............616 Hotsy Equipment..................707
Mimbach Fleet.............. 120-122
Minnesota Industrial Builders.......... 112-114 Minnesota Pneumatic................. ....................... 821-825; 920-924 Minnesota Spray......................... Foam Insulation.....................927 Minnwest Bank..................814 MN Pro Fence............... 509-511 Mobile Washer......................928
Hubbard Feeds.....................709
Modern Farm Equipment ......... ....... 832-838;837-843;936-1038
Hutton, Inc...........................6009
Morton Buildings..................614
Hydro Engineering...............827
Mulching Mania....................111
Ickler Co.................................803
NAPA Central MN................830
Byron Seeds..........................606
Farm Rite .................................... Equipment of St. Cloud........410
Carlson Wholesale...................... ...............1039-1041; 2002-2004
Feed Stuff Bagging...............815
Innovative Basement.................. Systems......................1016-1018
National Farmers......................... Organization........................5001
Finken Water.......................6000
Joe’s Supplies............... 932-934
Nelson Agri Structures..........906
Form A Feed.........................219
K & S Millwrights.................1048
Nextire.......................3009-3011
Central Petroleum.................508 Central McGowan...............2006
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Forward Farm Lines.................... .........407-409-411-413-415-417
2016 CENTRAL MINNESOTA FARM SHOW • ST. CLOUD AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
KASM/KDDG............................1
Northern Tool............................. & Equipment................. 512-514 Northland Buildings..............914
Quality Sales..........................930 R & S Tire....................... 608-610
Northland Farm Systems......817
RDO Equipment......................... ....................... 115-121, 214-220
O’Reilly Auto Parts..............4006
Real-Tuff........................ 715-717
Osakis Silo...........................4008
Redfield.................................213
PAI Insurance.....................812
Retrogreen Energy...............100
Patz Sales Corp........................... ...............1045-1049, 2008-2012
Rice Building Systems...........209
Paul Mueller Co.......................... ........................6008, 6010, 6012 Paul’s Welding......................102 Peterson Farms Seed............510 Pluto Legal.............................303 Powerhouse Outdoor................. ...................909-911; 1008-1010 Prairie Brand Seed................118 Producers Hybrids................705 QC Supply.............................215 Quality Forklift............... 811-813
River Power ................................ & Equipment................. 500-502
St. Cloud VA ............................... Health Care System..............916
Transportation Cr. ...................... For Excellence.......................207
Star Publications........................7
Tri-County ................................... Foam Insulation...................1013
Stearns Bank......................405 Stearns County ........................... Farm Bureau..........................902
University of Wisconsin.........504 Usborne Books & More......6017
Stearns Electric......................501
Weigh-Rite Scale...................113
Steffes Group........................210
Wells Fargo Bank..................600
Stine Seed.............................208
Wieser Concrete...................201
Stor-Loc......................... 800-802
Wingert Sales.........221-318-320
Royalton Lumber...................515
Strawbale Farm................. 13-15
Woller Eqipment........... 310-312
Sam’s Club............................301
Structural Buildings...............403
WVAL/WHMH...........................8
Schlenner Wenner................918
Sunrise Ag.............................711
Your Home Improvement....517
Show-Me Shortline Co............... ....................... 419-421; 518-520
The Land..................................10
Ziegler Cat................................... .............. 1040, 1042,1044, 1046
Silver Stream Shelters...........212 Simonson Installation..........2000 St. Cloud State University.....206 St. Cloud Times Media.......3007
Thunder Seed.....................6006 Titan Pro................................211 Tracy Seeds.........................1003 Trans Agra.................................9
Zip’s Diesel Injection...........6015 Zoske’s........929-935-1028-1034 *Booth list current as of 11/24/15.
Visit us at the Farm Show - Booth #405 for customized equipment finance & lease options.
Call 1.800.247.1922 Craig Kern, Jim Peach, and Chad Primus
Visit us at booths 1012-1014
We get the job done! 2016 CENTRAL MINNESOTA FARM SHOW • ST. CLOUD AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
A7
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F&M IN THE FIELD
Improving their stock.
More of the Blaines’ story: FMPierz.com/The-Blaines
A quick walk around the Bartchelle Dairy reveals a pretty typical Central Minnesota farm — until you reach the barn and chat with owners Greg and Michelle Blaine. There you’ll discover a visionary couple who took their farm, the health of their herd, and their commitment to community to the next level thanks to high-tech robotic milking technology. Between their farm, full time work, and community commitments the Blaines are always on the go. So when they were looking to expand, they researched
the up-and-coming technology of robotic milking systems. They also turned to Famers & Merchants, where they found a bank with an equally strong sense of community and the hands-on approach they needed to finance the hands-off business plan they’d envisioned. Today the Blaines enjoy the success of healthier, more productive cows and a flexible milking system that fits their schedule. If you’ve got a unique business plan that needs a hand, we’re eager to listen.
Sauk Rapids 1301 2nd St. N. 320.252.5121 8
Business Central Magazine // J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6
Pierz 80 Main St. N. 320.468.6422
FMPierz.com
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BusinessTools INSIGHT
This Business of Farming Agricultural jobs are there, the demand is there, the wages are there. But where are the workers? By Roger Strom
I
had an interesting conversation with a college graduate who is working for a major world-wide agriculture company, in a position that requires working directly with farmers and helping them market their crops. Ironically, she has no farm background. She says she got the job because there is such a shortage of students in the ag colleges, the agriculture related companies are recruiting students with degrees in other disciplines such as business and marketing. She says the opportunities are unlimited
for jobs in the U.S. as well as overseas and if a student is willing to relocate, there are plenty of ag related jobs. With the small number of students studying agriculture, many of the big ag companies are actively recruiting teachers as well, especially agricultural scientists. There are some estimates that close to half the graduates who have the credentials to teach end up working for ag companies. There’s a real concern the big ag companies including Monsanto, Bayer Crop Science and Dow Agro Services
won’t be able to find enough ag scientists to fill the new positions they plan to create over the next few years. According to the Coalition for a Sustainable Agricultural Workforce, companies have an immediate need to hire at least 1,000 trained ag scientists. The biggest demand is for specialists in the areas of plant breeding genetics, plant protection and plant sciences with close to half the jobs requiring doctoral degrees and 27 percent a master’s degree. With a competitive demand for students and teachers specializing in agriculture, Eric Welsh, of the American Society of Agronomy, says there is a shortage of at least 2,000 to 3,000 graduates specializing in agriculture every year. As result of fewer graduates and companies tapping into the teacher pool, there is now a national program to recruit ag teachers. The “State Teach Ag Results Program” or STAR, is working with 11 states, including Minnesota, to recruit and retain agriculture teachers. As for the students, there’s a long list of career opportunities in agricultural engineering, plant sciences, food sciences, agribusiness, animal sciences, entomology, agricultural education and agricultural communication. There’s also
a very long list of scholarship money available to those students. By 2050, it’s estimated there will be 9 billion people and we will have to produce as much food as we have in the last 8,000 years. It’s going to take a lot of quality teachers and graduates that know how to use the science and technologies involved to increase production. The graduate I talked to said she would never have guessed how interesting and exciting it is to work for an agriculture company with the many opportunities to advance in her career. The jobs are there, the demand is there along with the higher wages and benefits. We need to get the message to students that farming isn’t all about learning to drive a tractor or milking cows. It’s about being part of a much bigger effort to improve lives through better nutrition in a sustainable way. jus-sayn.
This column was reprinted with permission from Roger Strom, Strom Communications. For information on this and other articles on agriculture, contact Roger Strom at jussayn@ live.com. Copyright 2014 Strom Communications; All Rights Reserved.
contributor Roger Strom is owner of Strom Communications and part of the Morning Show on KASM Radio, Albany. He has over 30 years of broadcast experience and writes a syndicated weekly newspaper column covering agricultural topics.
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BusinessTools ENTREPRENEURISM
Growth Through Acquisition Is expansion through acquisition right for your business, right now?
F
By Craig R. Arends
or the owner of a closely held business, one of the most important decisions to be made is how to best grow your business. But growth can be a complicated proposition. How quickly do you want to grow? And how can you best achieve your desired growth goals? Is it more clients? More staff? New product or service offerings? Expanding into new verticals or geographic markets? For a closely held business, growth is often achieved through all of the above. And while organic growth is usually part of the plan, if your growth goals are more aggressive, a strategic
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How acquisitions generally work With the most common acquisition strategy, a company buys another company with cash, stock or a combination of the two. Through the strategic acquisition of another company, the purchasing company can achieve economies of scale, efficiencies, and enhanced market visibility. The acquisition can also increase the company’s client base, add new markets, and help increase shareholder value, among a variety of other benefits.
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acquisition strategy might be the right path for your company.
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Business Central Magazine // J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6
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This strategic path to growth is attractive to owners of closely held businesses whose companies are strong and thriving. It allows them to expand capabilities and external offerings. And for some, it provides access to additional talent, which is especially important for talent-strapped industries. Positioning is everything For your company to be well positioned to acquire another, there are four important criteria for you to consider: 1 Your company needs to be prosperous –Your company must be doing well now and be well
positioned for the future with a solid, strategic growth plan.
borrowing capacity needed to complete your acquisition.
2 You must have a solid business model – A solid business model should be reflected in a strategic plan that identifies acquisition needs.
Get guidance along the way Throughout the acquisition process, it’s important to work with a trusted advisor for strategic guidance. Careful planning with acquisition professionals makes strategic decisions easier and helps you avoid pitfalls. If you are looking to grow through acquisition, an advisor should explain the economics and help you understand the financial consequences of your acquisition options. In addition to discussing the risk factors, an advisor should also explain the potential enhancements to your company.
3 You must have a strong corporate management team – Having the right executives in place – and in the right roles within your company – will help smooth the transition during and following an acquisition. 4 You must have access to capital – Unless you already have the cash, you’ll need to make sure you have access to capital and the
Strong companies with good management teams, a good business model, and access to capital can take advantage of acquisition opportunities, even in a volatile market. No matter the structure, an acquisition can create synergy that makes the value of the resulting company greater than the sum of its original parts.
contributor Craig R. Arends, CPA, is a principal with CliftonLarsonAllen LLP.
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31
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BusinessTools
Economy Central presented by
ECONOMY CENTRAL
Still Affordable C
Central Minnesota’s cost of living remains well below the Twin Cities metro area. entral Minnesota ended the year the way it began, with a cost of living well below that of the Twin Cities and on-par with other regional communities. Housing and transportation costs were consistently lower than other regions during all of 2015. Utilities ranged from 107.6 in second quarter to 89.4 and 81.3 in first and third quarters respectively. Combined, these numbers
offset the region’s above average costs of groceries and health care, providing a third quarter composite result of 95.3 or 4.7 percent below the national average of 100.0. The composite index is based on six components: housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, health care, and miscellaneous goods and services. Three times a year the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce
gathers prices on 60 different items following strict guidelines provided by The Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The results are then compiled by C2ER, along with over 250 other urban areas, and published quarterly in the ACCRA Cost of Living Index. The fourth quarter report is an annual compilation based on the previous months’ research.
COST OF LIVING
Accra Index
MINNESOTA AND OTHER UPPER MIDWEST CITIES OF COMPARABLE SIZE TO ST. CLOUD
Among the 265 urban areas participating in the first quarter of 2015, the after-tax cost for
COST OF LIVING INDEX
professional/managerial standard of living ranged from more than twice the national average
CITY
All Items
in New York (Manhattan) NY to just over 20 percent below the national average in McAllen, TX.
St. Cloud, MN 3rd Qtr
95.3 112.1 79.4 81.3 97.6 116.9 102.5
St. Cloud, MN 2nd Qtr
98.0 110.7 77.2 107.6 97.0 115.0 105.7
St. Cloud, MN 1st Qtr
Grocery Housing Utilities Transpo- Health Misc. Goods Items rtation Care & Services
95.1 113.7 76.4 89.4 92.2 114.3 103.6
Minneapolis, MN 105.9 108.6 108.1 93.5 102.5 105.9 108.2 St. Paul, MN
105.7
106.1
107.4
92.0
102.5
106.0
109.7
Mankato, MN 94.0 105.1 74.0 76.6 92.9 113.8 100.2 Kalamazoo, MI 85.4 83.0 69.0 104.6 94.8 95.3 89.8 Eau Claire, WI
96.3
104.0
81.2
96.3
108.3
109.6
99.8
Pierre SD
106.3
108.3
120.2
91.2
113.3
99.9
96.2
Least Expensive U.S. Cities in Which to Live
Most Expensive U.S. Cities in Which to Live New York (Manhattan) NY
236.1
Ashland OH
81.9
Honolulu HI
188.6
Norman OK
80.3
San Francisco CA
178.1
Richmond IN
80.1
New York (Brooklyn) NY
171.4
Harlingen TX
79.3
Orange County CA
152.4
McAllen TX
77.8
The Cost of Living index measures regional differences in the cost of consumer goods and services, excluding taxes and non-consumer expenditures, for professional and managerial households in the top income quintile. It is based on more than 90,000 prices covering almost 60 different items for which prices are collected three times a year by the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce. Small differences should not be interpreted as showing any measurable difference, according to ACCRA.
Immigrant Entrepreneurs More than 40 percent of the Fortune 500 companies in 2010 were founded by an immigrant or the child of an immigrant. Yet, despite their vast economic contributions, U.S. law provides no dedicated means for immigrant entrepreneurs to launch innovative companies in the United States. Research suggests a visa for entrepreneurial immigrants could boost U.S. economic growth and create American jobs. For instance: • Immigrant-founded engineering and technology firms employed about 560,000 workers and generated $63 billion in sales in 2012.
32
Business Central Magazine // J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6
• Immigrant founders from top venture-backed firms have created an average of approximately 150 jobs per company in the United States.
• 24 of the top 50 venturebacked companies in America in 2011 had at least one foreign-born founder. Source: The Kauffman Foundation
What’s in store for Central Minnesota in 2016? See the feature on page 46 to hear what some of our local business leaders are anticipating. Here’s a hint: They were all smiles during our interviews!
834,534
$60M
$70M
$80M
December
$50M
November
September BUILDING PERMITS BY COMMUNITY
Home Sales C
2014 October
September
August
July
June
May
April
$40M
March
$30M
October April March
TOTAL:$54,834,534 $20M
February
January
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
TOTAL: $54,435,063
TOTAL: $62,358,547
6 COMMUNITIES - ST. C ST. AUGUSTA, ST. JOSE
Residential 2013 2014 2015 2013 August #/$ #/$ #/$ February
St. Cloud 1227 1209 1,021 July $18,425,316 $26,145,498 $19,435,943 2015 January
0
300
Sauk Rapids 382 447 282 June $18,539,531 $19,206,069 $12,425,850
St. Augusta
March
99 100 70 $3,327,830 $4,437,367 $4,592,246
2013
St. Joseph 128 176 136 February $1,702,322 $1,353,832 $2,016,791
$60M
$70M
$80M
December 0 Total as of 12/12/15.January *2015 totals are cumulative up-to-the-month data. November
Commercial Building Permits
October
BUILDING PERMITS BY COMMUNITY
600
$600k
6 COMMUNITIES - ST. CLOUD, SAUK RAPIDS, SARTELL, WAITE PARK, ST. AUGUSTA, ST. JOSEPH
1200
TOTAL: 1447*
2013
St. Joseph 78 82 95 August Feb $3,102,294 $3,783,078 $7,457,845
2015
July $0 Total as of 12/12/15.Jan *2015 totals are cumulative up-to-the-month data.
1500
$120M
Food and Bev
11 7 4 September $6,945,494 $202,027 $71,000 Mar
TOTAL: 1429
St. Augusta
TOTAL: $129,679,988.00* $90M
475
Waite Park 90 84 118 ST. CLOUD October $4,377,148 $7,151,019 $15,946,205 Apr
TOTAL: $117,060,554.11
$60M
409
December $12,027,944 $7,465,381 $16,428,139 June
TOTAL: 1411
TOTAL: $1,215,182.00*
$1.5M
TOTAL: $1,333,423.25
TOTAL: $1,326,730.36
$1.2M
$30M
ST. CLOUD
Sartell 174 30 21 November $3,531,780 $3,600,047 $10,969,832 May 2014
6 COMMUNITIES - ST. CLOUD, SAUK RAPIDS, SARTELL, WAITE PARK, ST. AUGUSTA, ST. JOSEPH
$0M
48
900
$900k
Sauk Rapids
Commercial Building Permits
2013
Food and Be
St. Cloud 425 397 372 2015 $87,075,891 $57,715,070 $78,806,968 July
TOTAL: $79,916,621.69
2014
September
300
Commercial 2013 2014 2015* August #/$ #/$ #/$
TOTAL: $129,679,988.00*
2015
111
Home Sales Closed in St.Cloud
$50M
116
6 COMMUNITIES - ST. CLOUD, SAUK RAPIDS, SARTELL, WAITE PARK, ST. AUGUSTA, ST. JOSEPH
$40M
2015
$30M
April $879,943 $1,803,560 $1,530,926
300
$20M
80
2014
Waite Park
0
$10M
Food and Beverage Tax Collection
$300k
$0M
ST. CLOUD
2013
2014
2015
2014
2013
$0
TOTAL: $54,435,063
2013
Sartell 438 291 302 May $11,560,121 $8,129,708 $14,432,779
2014
2015
Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
6 COMMUNITIES - ST. CLOUD, SAUK RAPIDS, SARTELL, WAITE PARK, ST. AUGUSTA, ST. JOSEPH
$10M
2015
July December June
November May
Residential Building Permits
$0M
358,547
COLOR KEY:
Compiled by Sharon Henry, data current as of 12/12/15
2013 2015
6 COMMUNITIES - ST. C ST. AUGUSTA, ST. JOSE
Economy Central presented by August
TOTAL: $62,358,547 2014
Home Sales C
September
TOTAL:$54,834,534
ECONOMIC INDICATORS & TRENDS 2015
October
$80M
$150M
6 COMMUNITIES - ST. CLOUD, SAUK RAPIDS, SARTELL, WAITE PARK, ST. AUGUSTA, ST. JOSEPH
435,063
0M
988.00*
,621.69
,554.11
Residential Building Permits
$150M
$300k
June
$79,916,621.69 Sources: Building departments for the following cities:TOTAL: St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids, Sartell, Waite Park, St. Augusta, and St. Joseph. 2014
May
2014
Unemployment Rates 2014-2015
2013
Apr
TOTAL: $117,060,554.11
Non FarmMarJobs
Source: www.positivelyminnesota.com
September
October
M
J
J
0.5%
December
August
A
Jan
November
July
June
1.0%
May
$150M
Feb
April
$120M
March
December
$90M
November
October
September
$60M
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
$30M
February
1.5%
January
8%
7% $0M
Source: www.positivelyminnesota.com 2013
2014-2015 % CHANGE
$300k
A
S
O
$0
6% 0.0%
5%
-0.5% -1.0%
4%
-1.5%
3% -2.0%
2% O
N
D
J
F
M
A
J
J
A
S
O
-2.5% O
N
D
J
F
M
St. Cloud Minneapolis/St. Paul Minnesota United States
St. Cloud, MN MetroSA Minnesota United States
J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6 //
www.businesscentralmagazine.com
33
34,534
BusinessTools
58,547
$80M
35,063
M
88.00*
21.69
54.11
$150M
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COLOR KEY: December
ECONOMIC INDICATORS & TRENDS
November
Home Sales Closed in St.Cloud
Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
December
October
December
November
October
August
September
August
July
June
May
TOTAL: 1447*
April
September
ST. CLOUD
October
March
February
January
Food and Beverage Tax Collection
December
November
October
September
D, SAUK RAPIDS, SARTELL, WAITE PARK,
August
July
June
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
lding Permits
May
6 COMMUNITIES - ST. CLOUD, SAUK RAPIDS, SARTELL, WAITE PARK, November ST. AUGUSTA, ST. JOSEPH
September
2015
August July
TOTAL: 1429
TOTAL: 1411
600
$600k
300
350
Residential 2013 2014 2015* TOTAL: $1,326,730.36
Total as of 12/12/15. *2015 totals are cumulative up-to-the-month data.
#2
57,274
January
Economy Central presented by
December
The St. John’s Arboretum was recently ranked among the 10 most beautiful in the country, according to Best College Review. Ranked third overall, it came in ahead of number four ranked Carleton College and the University of Minnesota, which was sixth. Source: DEED
Total as of 12/12/15. *2015 totals are cumulative up-to-the-month data.
Business Central Magazine // J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6
November
Most Beautiful
Sources: Tax Collections – City of St. Cloud
34
October
September
$1.5M
August
$1.2M
Source: LifeScience Alley July
$900k
The number of patents granted to United States entities June
2013
May
TOTAL: $1,336,559.26
April
2014
March
TOTAL: $1,454,373.86
February
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
TOTAL: $1,292,631.45
January
ST. CLOUD
$600k
$1.5M
––––––––––––––––––––––––
Minnesota rank in the country for the number of approved patents; California was No. 1.
Lodging Tax Dollars
$300k
The rate at which medical device patent approvals grew nationwide from 2009-2014
––––––––––––––––––February ––––––
Benton County Sheriff’s Civil Process; Stearn’s County Sheriff’s Office $0 $300k $600k $900k $1.2M
$0
167%
June
1500
$1.5M
Stearns Co. 246 168 148 2013 Benton Co. 70 53 49
8,147
The number of patents May granted to Minnesota April companies from 2009 to 2014 March
TOTAL: 1447*
TOTAL: $1,333,423.25
TOTAL: 1429
250
TOTAL: 1411
200
December
July
1200
2014 SHERIFF’S FORECLOSURE AUCTIONS
TOTAL: $1,215,182.00*
TOTAL: $1,333,423.25
TOTAL: $1,326,730.36
$1.2M
150
$1.5M
Many people in high technology industries view the number ofNovember patents granted as a surrogate marker for innovation in any given field. If so, the U.S. medical device October industry is healthy and poised for growth. Following are September number related to medical device patents granted between August 2009 and 2014. 900
$900k
100
Home Sales Closed in St.Cloud
300
$300k
50
$1.2M
Innovation
TOTAL: 316
0
$900k
BY THE NUMBERS
TOTAL: $1,215,182.00*
2015 2013
$600k
Total as of 12/12/15. *2015 totals are cumulative up-to-the-month data.
Food and Beverage Tax Collection TOTAL: 221 ST. CLOUD
$300k
Sources: Tax Collections – City of St. Cloud
TOTAL: 197*
2014
January
$0
Sheriff’s Foreclosure Auctions STEARNS AND BENTON COUNTIES
2013
6 COMMUNITIES - ST. CLOUD, SAUK RAPIDS, SARTELL, WAITE PARK, ST. AUGUSTA, ST. JOSEPH
1500
2015
1200
Feb
TOTAL: $1,326,730.36
0
Food and Beverage Tax Collection
900
ST. CLOUD
$0
600
Housing/Real Estate St. Cloud Area AssociationJan of Realtors, $90M $120Msources:$150M http://stcloudrealtors.com/pages/statistics. Total as of 12/12/15.
2015
2014
2013
February Mar
300
2014
Apr
TOTAL: $117,060,554.11
0
April March
2015
2014
2013
2013
TOTAL: $1,333,423.25
June
TOTAL: $79,916,621.69
May
2015
June
2015
May
2014
$60M
TOTAL: $1,215,182.00*
July
TOTAL: $129,679,988.00*
Troy Cameron Senior Vice President of Lending
BUILDING OUR BENCH STRENGTH TO HELP YOUR BUSINESS GROW At Falcon National Bank, we’re continuing to grow the best professional banking team in town. As we welcome our new Senior Vice President of Lending, Troy Cameron, we’re even better equipped to help your commercial or agricultural business thrive. With local decision making, Preferred SBA Lending, and customized financing options, our expert staff has the strength to help your business prosper. That’s Reality Banking!
Member FDIC
www.FalconNational.com • 320-223-6300
Gary Berg, G.L. Berg Entertainment, believes his success comes from homegrown talent and performers who provide great family entertainment.
36
Business Central Magazine // J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6
Jump
RIGHT
IN
It took Gary Berg, G.L. Berg Entertainment, a few tries before committing to a career in the entertainment industry. But once he did, he was all in. BY JOHN PEPPER / PHOTOS BY JOEL BUTKOWSKI
G
ary Berg has the height and frame of an NBA coach. Tall and well groomed, wearing a sharp blazer and blue jeans, he generates the kind of energy and presence you’d expect in a corporate boardroom. He is the owner of G.L. Berg Entertainment, the company he founded July 1, 1989. Since then his business has written more than 25,000 performance contracts for more than $46 million, and it has booked events for 680 acts including stars like Keith Urban, the Lovin’ Spoonful and Weird Al Yankovic. At this time, Berg believes, his is the biggest booking agency in the Upper Midwest. But it isn’t big names that got him there. The bread and butter of his success comes from homegrown talent and a collection of performers who provide great family entertainment in venues that most booking agents overlook. His business is built on performers like juggler Sean Emery, comedian Mary Mack, and jazz pianist George Maurer. He’s booking them into corporate sales meetings, high school graduation parties, libraries, county fairs and colleges. Berg and his staff work with full-time professional entertainers who may never be household names, but who have high quality performing skills they can adapt to various markets. They can work the corporate market throughout the year. They can work in colleges or theaters in the fall. They can work side stages in state and county fairs and festivals in the summer. They can perform at high school proms in the spring. By working these different markets, they stay busy. And by booking in markets that many agents ignore, Berg has been successful.
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37
Personal Profile
Gary Berg CEO/Founder of G. L. Berg Entertainment, Performing Artists & Speakers Age: 58 Hometown: Menomonie, WI Education: BA from UW-Eau Claire (English liberal arts); MA from Truman State University, Kirksville, MO (Higher Education Administration) Work History: Worked in higher education at UW-River Falls, UW-Green Bay, Hamline University School of Law, and at the College of Saint Benedict. Worked as the personal manager for The Memories. Started G.L. Berg Entertainment on July 1, 1989. Family: Wife Judy Berg is the payroll coordinator at Good Shepherd in Sauk Rapids; son Nate, 28, works for the company. Four sisters: Karen, Judy, Clare and Sue, who live in MN, WI, IL and FL respectively. Hobbies: Following my favorite teams: Twins, Packers, Wolves, Gophers; running, golfing, traveling, reading, movies, dreaming! Advice to a would-be entrepreneur: Be passionate enough about your idea/business to do all the hard work that has to be done to be successful at it. Also, be smart enough to know you will need help from others to be successful. Best advice you’ve received and who gave it to you: “There simply is no substitute for doing the work and putting in the time if you want to be successful.” John Wooden, legendary UCLA basketball coach
38
Business Central Magazine // J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6
EARLY INSPIRATIONS
H
e was born in Menomonie, Wis., home of the Victorian Mabel Tainter Memorial Theater, named by CNN Travel as one of the 15 most spectacular theaters in the world. (Imagine the Paramount on steroids!) “If you really go back, my first influence that I can remember is being awestruck as a first grader when the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan,” Berg says. “I remember it completely. We had just bought a phonograph and the first album we got in our house was Meet the Beatles. I wore that out as a first grader.” He had four sisters, and a mother who insisted they all learn an instrument. The four sisters chose piano. Berg chose guitar. Although his mother didn’t act or perform, she urged him to be involved in community theater when he was a child. He didn’t appreciate it at the time, but her insight and encouragement helped shape his life. “I wasn’t really into it. I was more into sports,” Berg admits. But he met people he liked, and he got an appreciation for how much fun it is when people get together to enjoy a live performance. He attended college in Eau Claire, Wis., where he received a degree in English and was selected as “Outstanding Senior.” He also played guitar in bands and “did the solo, coffee house, James Taylor kind of thing.” From Eau Claire, he went to graduate school in Missouri for a degree in Higher Education Administration. More importantly, in terms of his long-term career, he took a graduate assistant position as a residence hall advisor that left his summers open. “I had some good friends who were professional entertainers and musicians, and they asked me to come along with them because they were busy doing fairs,” Berg said. “They were called The Memories. I basically served as a road manager for them, and I loved it.” That relationship never ended, and The Memories are one of the acts G.L. Berg still represents today. Berg worked another year in higher education as assistant director of housing at the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay, but he was being tugged back to the
entertainment industry. The Memories were doing well enough by then to commit full time to their entertainment careers and hire Berg as their manager. That role was a great learning experience and a successful one. But when the band was booked as far out into the future as they wanted to be, Berg got bored. His fallback option at that point was to go back to higher ed. He transitioned through a position at Hamline University in St. Paul before landing at the College of Saint Benedict where, after being hired as the communications coordinator, he became the assistant to the president and director of planning. It was a position with plenty to keep a busy mind occupied. But he still had the bug to do entertainment as a profession. So, with the support of his wife, he left higher education and committed to the entertainment industry in 1989, starting his company from scratch. It was a leap of faith for a young family with a 3-year-old son. “I heard later from my mother-in-law that my father-in-law said, ‘The kids are going to starve,’” Berg said. “Bless his soul. I never figured I’d starve because I’ve always had a lot of confidence in myself. If it didn’t work, I’d have just found something else that did. I’m responsible by nature. I take care of people. I always have. And so I just figured I was passionate enough, smart enough, and had enough of an understanding from my work with The Memories that I could make the math work on this.” Being in St. Cloud was happenstance, but it was a perfect location for Berg’s business plan and his value system.
BUILDING ON PRINCIPLES
“T
h e very first thing I did when I started the business was to join the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce to connect with people and market to the St. Cloud business community about the service I could provide,” Berg said. That first year he booked about $30,000 worth of shows. Since then, the business has enjoyed steady growth and it now books around $3 million a year. It has provided entertainment for shows in every U.S. state except Vermont, as well as shows in China,
“We try to make it work so these ridiculously talented individuals are paired up with audiences that can appreciate and have fun and understand those talents, and together we have this really great experience.
Business Profile G.L. Berg Entertainment
Sean Emery preforms at an outdoor event.
825 Nicollet Mall, Suite 801, Minneapolis, MN 55402 Phone: 888-654-6901
India, Japan and U.S. neighbors Canada and Mexico. Berg based his business on fundamental principles taken from what he felt passionate about and what he learned through working with The Memories and others he encountered along the way. “We try to make it work so these ridiculously talented individuals are paired up with audiences that can appreciate and have fun and understand those talents, and together we have this really great experience. I named this program, that everyone who works for me is trained on, ‘Entertainment That Works.’ It works for the client, it works for the act, and it works for us. If it doesn’t work for any one of those three, we don’t do it.” Ninety-eight percent of what Berg and his staff do is work with clients who are seeking performers, he said. “And the whole ‘Entertainment That Works’ program is about asking: what is the date; what is your audience makeup; what are you trying to accomplish; what is your budget range; and what do you think you might like? We take all this and look for something that will meet your need.”
A BOOKING AGENCY WITH HEART
G
.L. Berg Entertainment acts officially as a booking agency, not as a management agency. Theoretically, they are solely involved in putting entertainers on stages, and ensuring they are paid to do their shows. However, the agency has a personal connection with its entertainers, and does provide a supporting role for artists who cannot afford a manager full time. In that way, they do a lot more career development than a typical booking agency. “A manager would in essence take care of everything for an act; take care of their finances, their insurance, their promotional materials, and probably their travel arrangements, and their planning and goals. And if they’re doing recording contracts and television or movies, a good manager would be involved in all those aspects of their careers,” Berg said. “We are not responsible for getting their promotional photography set up, scheduled, and shot and paid for like a manager would be. But we can help them find a photographer, and tell them what we’d like and what we need to sell the
info@glberg.com • www.glberg.com Ownership: Gary Berg Business Description: Professional entertainment agency serving clients nationwide and throughout the world. We exclusively represent a wide variety of talented professional performers including comedians, musicians, variety artists (magicians, jugglers, ventriloquists, hypnotists, etc.), specialty acts, and keynote speakers. St. Cloud based employees: 1 Total number of employees: 4 full-time, 3 sub-contracted part-time Previous year sales: $3.1 million Current year projected sales: $3.3 million Total dollars of shows played to-date: $46.3 million Total number of contracts written: 24,914
Fun Fact: Currently exclusively
represent 42 professional acts, 14 of them for over 15 years!
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Team G.L. Berg Entertainment From left: Nate Berg, Gary Berg, Ryan Meints. Missing: Tim Stevens.
show.” His business also helps educate and develop performers by providing seminars on topics such as insurance, or obtaining high quality promotional videos, or sound and lighting. They also have what Gary calls an informal mentoring program of pairing older acts with younger acts to help younger performers learn what it takes to become truly professional. At times he takes an active role in bringing performers together to fill gaps in the regional entertainment offerings. He created the concept for Divas Through the Decades, three female vocalists who perform to music tracks from songs recorded by acts like the Supremes and Aretha Franklin. Twenty years ago he had a part in bringing together the voices of Tonic Sol-fa, who
were recruited from St. John’s University and today perform nationwide as a crowd-pleasing, a cappella group. Shaun Johnson, one of the Tonic Sol-Fa performers, describes Berg as a business owner who is extremely cognizant of his market and who keeps a focus on serving the needs of his market’s clientele. He understands how to emphasize those activities that create value, and how to eliminate activities that don’t, Johnson said.
A CULTURE OF ABUNDANCE
T
he culture at G.L. Berg Entertainment is one of abundance, Berg said. Acts are not competing with one another for the same date. Instead, everybody is expected to focus on providing a great show wherever they perform. If everybody is successful
doing that, the opportsunities will increase and the business grows. “We specifically make sure everybody understands that,” Berg said. “If they don’t, we’re not going to sign them exclusively. We’re kind of a family, and with a sense of abundance, there is a belief that there’s enough opportunity for good people doing good work. And if we nurture each other, and help each other get better, and hold each other accountable, everybody will win.” The world of entertainment has quite a bit of back biting and insecurity, he said, and he has no tolerance for that. They are a large enough agency they don’t need to work with performers who don’t meet their expectations or standards. Berg’s is a niche business. They don’t put bands in bars. They don’t have people doing children’s birthday parties. They
Timeline 1980 – Gary Berg completes graduate school and begins work at UW-River Falls. 1982 – Berg works at UW-Green Bay as assistant director of housing. 1983 – Berg enters the entertainment industry full time as the personal manager for The Memories.
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1985 – Berg returns to higher education as assistant director of admissions at Hamline University School of Law. 1987 – Berg joins the staff at the College of Saint Benedict as communications coordinator and assistant to the president. July 1, 1989 – Berg starts G.L. Berg & Associates with
an office in the Marketplace office building and exclusively representing The Memories with a handshake deal that is still in place today. He contracts about $30,000 worth of entertainment during the first year of operation. 1990 – Berg signs the St. Cloud-based family act ‘The Zuchinis’ to an exclusive representation contract.
1991 – Berg hires his first parttime employee; comic juggler Sean Emery signs an exclusive representation contract. 1992 – Local jazz performer George Maurer signs an exclusive representation contract with G.L. Berg.
‘Entertainment That Works.’
It works for the client, it works for the act, and it works for us. If it doesn’t work for any one of those three, we don’t do it.” don’t often do weddings. And they don’t put comedians in comedy clubs, because those comedians tend to work blue and that’s not what G.L. Berg Entertainment does. “All of our acts are non-offensive so they can strategically work all the markets we serve without being a problem at any of them,” Berg said. “As simple as that sounds, it’s not simple. We use well defined comedians who can do family shows, and adult shows, and not offend anybody, but be really funny. That’s a personal and corporate value system. Way back, when I began working with The Memories, they could entertain anybody, and I thought that was so impressive. Those are the types of entertainers I want to represent -- the ones who work hard, and are so talented they can entertain anybody and not offend people. That makes it better for us and it’s our reputation. Anybody who works with us knows that’s what they’re getting, and that’s been great for our growth.” Theirs isn’t a business insulated from larger economic pressures. The economic downturn of the Great Recession took a toll. It’s hard to plan parties when you’re laying people off, Berg said. They dropped from booking entertainment at 400
1993 – Berg helps create the a cappella group Tonic Sol-fa. He hosts the company’s first entertainment showcase with attendance of 77. Today, G.L. Berg entertainment showcases draw 500-600 people to the Paramount Theater annually. 1995 – Berg hires a full-time and a part-time sales person.
corporate parties a year to 220. (They are now back up to 500.) The diversity in their business plan helped them weather the storm. He was still able to book acts into summer fairs and graduations. And when the economy goes bad, Berg said, people go back to college, so there is more funding for college events. “I have a wonderful finance person who could forecast and see what was coming. We didn’t pretend it wasn’t happening. We all took pay cuts so we didn’t have to let anyone go. We had to explain it to our acts as well, because they weren’t going to make as much money. It was tough on our industry and our people. But we never disappeared. We still marketed. So when things improved we were still visible.”
MAKING CONNECTIONS
G
.L. Berg showcases their acts by attending various state conventions such as the Minnesota Federation of County Fairs, the Minnesota Society of Association Executives, and members of the International Association of Administrative Professionals, the top administrative assistants in organizations. “They may not be paying the bill or signing the contract, but they are likely given the
1997 – Gross sales break $1 million, reaching $1.5 million; staff grows to three full-time and one part-time employee. 1999 – G.L. Berg moves to a new office near downtown St. Cloud.
challenge or the opportunity to plan the party and book the entertainment,” Berg said. The hardest clients for them to reach are the moving targets such as volunteers running school events, because kids and parents move on every year. “Sometimes it’s frustrating, because I still get the question occasionally ‘What do you do for your other job?’ Berg said. “Entertainers get the same question, ‘That must be fun. What do you do for your other job?’ And it’s like, ‘Well, no, this is truly what I do. Around the country.’” One of the reasons G.L. Berg gets into so many states is his work with Minnesotabased companies. “We’ve done shows for 3M in maybe 12 states. We’ve done shows for General Mills in five states, and for Schwan’s in multiple states. They’ll say ‘We’re having a sales manager meeting in Phoenix, can you work with us?’ And of course, we can,” Berg said. “I’m very fortunate. I really love what I do. I started this because I had a passion, and I still have it today. I’m going to watch one of our acts tonight, and people are going to love it, and I’m going to feel wonderful.” John Pepper is a freelance writer in St. Cloud.
Octagon Professional Building and signs comedian C. Willi Myles to an exclusive contract. 2008 – Sales dip 22 percent as the recession hits, the impact is felt through 2010.
2002 – Gross sales exceed $2 million.
2010 – Berg helps create a new act, Divas Through the Decades.
2003 – G.L. Berg moves to a new office condo in the
2012 – Berg’s son, Nate, joins the staff as a full-time sales
consultant focusing on the Twin Cities metro area. 2014 – Gross sales reach $3 million; the recession is over for G.L. Berg. 2015 – G.L. Berg sells his St. Cloud office condo, moves the main office to downtown Minneapolis and operates a satellite office in St. Cloud.
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Feature
Redefining Media Incorporating traditional and new media into the marketing mix may be the most effective way to keep your message in front of customers. By Heidi L. Everett Inc., is to have solid data on how customers engage with your brand. That data is key to understanding how to best reach those you are trying to attract -- to meet them where they are.
R
adio is no stranger to competition. Just ask David Engberg, market president and chief revenue officer at Townsquare Media. “Competition to radio has been trying to write it off since we first got TVs,” he said. “Then came the eight tracks, cassettes, CDs, iPods, satellite radio, Pandora--and whatever comes after that.” Despite the competition, traditional AM/FM radio continued to reach 91 percent of the American public ages 12 and older in 2013 and 2014, according to the Pew Research Center. Posting stats like that suggests radio is an attractive marketing choice for reaching a large audience. While over the years people may have traded in radio consoles and boom boxes for live streaming on computers and mobile devices, the reach of radio is impressive. The same can be said of print and its impact.
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Since the first publication appeared in Boston in 1690, community newspapers have been serving the information needs of individuals who have a shared sense of belonging. For more than 150 years, the St. Cloud Times has been this community’s newspaper, and today the daily publication reaches more than 90,000 adults in Central Minnesota. “There is a substantial difference between a metro market and a community market like the St. Cloud area,” said Marilyn Birkland, advertising director at Times Media. “Most community market newspapers are strong and still offer one of the best mass media approaches within the market. This is where community members go for local news, local events and local advertising.” And, according to a survey by the National Newspaper Association, more than 65 percent of community newspaper readers say
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newspaper ads influence their purchase decisions. But these messages get lost in today’s buzz about new media. In fact, there’s no shortage of training events, blogs and e-books on how to ramp up marketing efforts using SEO, Google AdWords, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and <<insert the latest social media platform here>>. The same cannot be said for print and radio. Think about it. When was the last time you could sign up for a workshop on building your brand through these channels? It’s no wonder business owners and marketing teams are feeling the push and pull between old and new media as they sort out marketing plans and budgets. The best way to overcome the uncertainty, according to Dennis Host, vice president of marketing for Coborn’s,
Find the sweet spot for customers For Coborn’s, Host said they use an “omni-channel” approach that blends the best of both traditional and new media. Specifically, print, radio, outdoor advertising, events, and direct mail (like the highly anticipated Penny Pinchers coupon books) are used in concert with new media that includes smartphone apps, blogs, and social media. Even in this vast allencompassing approach, though, traditional media gets top billing for Coborn’s. “Print is still a central piece of our marketing puzzle,” Host said. In fact, his marketing research shows 70 to 85 percent of Coborn’s guests still rely heavily on the weekly print ad. Host also pointed out the most visited page on their website is a digital copy of the weekly print ad. There’s a lesson to be learned here. “Don’t get caught up in the latest, trendiest new shiny thing,” Host said. “Not everyone reads the newspaper and not everyone is on Twitter. Identify the sweet spot of your target audience. Focus on what works best and put the most effort into those channels.”
CUT THROUGH THE CLUTTER 7 Questions to identify the media that is right for you 1. Goal – What is the most important thing you are trying to accomplish? 2. Target – Who is the audience you are trying to reach? 3. Data – What do you know about the best way to reach this audience? 4. Message – What will resonate with this audience?
Leighton Broadcasting, Times Media, and Townsquare Media have ample channels to consider. All have expanded to include an array of digital and mobile products as well as marketing services. These services include everything from social media content development and promotion, targeted display advertising, search engine optimization, Google AdWords, email blasts, and website development. Despite these amplified services, the old favorites still stand out as great options for business owners, including print (as Host mentioned), radio, and special events. Traditional media has a personal touch. “Radio is word-of-mouth advertising on steroids,” said Stephanie Theisen, general sales manager at Leighton Broadcasting. “Every business has a story to tell, and you can control how that story gets told on radio.” Theisen said business owners shouldn’t stop at radio to tell the story. Special events get business owners face-to-face with customers and new leads. “Businesses can integrate
5. Budget – What resources do you have to reach the audience through these channels? 6. Measures – What does success look like? 7. Timeframe – What is the optimal duration for your campaign to achieve the success you want?
their brand throughout our community with one-on-one interaction at trade shows or local festivals and concerts.”
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Hit the target New media offers everchanging algorithms that allow business owners to electronically target specific audiences based on location, online connections, key words, or web search history. However, traditional media allows business owners to target audiences the good old-fashioned way: with builtin audiences of readers and listeners. “The various products we offer at Times Media allow a business to target different potential customers,” Birkland explained. “For example, a business could choose to place ads within our main section of the St. Cloud Times for mass audience or perhaps within our D’lish section to attract an audience with an interest in food or cooking.” Times Media also offers magazine options that help to attract a particular audience, like the Whitney Times for the “Boomers-plus”
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NEW YEAR
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THE MEASURE OF ROI Let data help drive your marketing decisions.
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W
hether considering traditional or new media, budget is always a primary factor when deciding where—and if—to invest advertising dollars. That’s where return on investment (ROI) comes into play. “Never invest a dollar with media that doesn’t include your goal for ROI,” said Stephanie Theisen, general sales manager at Leighton Broadcasting. ROI can be measured in a variety of ways and depends entirely on business goals. These goals can include immediate, short-term returns, such as new revenue from purchases or new attendance at an event. A single marketing campaign that generates response with a special coupon or increased traffic at an event is easy to track. Ongoing marketing campaigns to build brand awareness and engagement usually require more effort—and patience. These campaigns track a much longer relationship cycle that identifies the point of new lead generation as well as the conversion rate to new lifelong customers. The conversion point may be months following the initial campaign launch. Tracking long-term ROI might start with simply having all employees get in the habit to ask, “How did you hear about us?” Having a mechanism to log this information is essential.
Tying a new lead to future transactions will help business owners better understand their unique customer life cycle as well as marketing investment return. Tracking short- and long-term returns helps business owners make informed marketing decisions based on data rather than anecdotes or gut instincts. Marilyn Birkland, advertising director at Times Media, shared two recent stories about ROI with long-term Times Media customers, and how data shaped their decision making process. “Just recently a longterm business under new ownership started a print campaign,” she said. “They were able to identify that they were getting a 10-to-1 response from their St. Cloud Times ads versus the other advertising media they tried.” This information will help shape their planning and budgeting for future promotions. In another instance, the success of prior campaigns raised questions of capacity and service. “Another business was planning an event and expressed concern for being able to handle the response from a print campaign,” Birkland said. By understanding previous ROI, businesses are able to scale their investment accordingly. – HLE
“Don’t get caught up in the latest, trendiest new shiny thing. Focus on what works best for your customer and put the most effort there.” – Dennis Host, vice president of marketing, Coborn’s, Inc.
demographic or the Style magazines that cater to a female demographic. Regardless of the publication, Birkland said, the readership is a “strong, engaged audience.” Likewise, every radio station has a clear audience demographic and identified peak listening hours. From talk radio to news and sports radio as well as country, light rock, classic rock, new rock, and hot hits—target audiences are tuned in throughout the day. As Townsquare Media’s Engberg put it, “What else can entertain, inform, and keep you up to date
on current events while keeping your eyes on the road or you working in the shop or whatever it might be.” Not an either-or decision Incorporating traditional and new media into the marketing mix is not a question of using one or the other. Instead, the question is about the best way to reach your target audience. Cross-media integration is an important consideration for keeping a marketing message in front of consumers. “All marketing gets results,” Engberg said. “The sign on a
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business building stands alone and gets results.” But studies show that audience ad recall increases by using the same message across different media, he said. To that end, Leighton Broadcasting, Times Media, and Townsquare Media offer packages that span both traditional and new media to maximize reach. They also offer teams who help business owners make sense of all the options. To be honest, they’ve had a steep learning curve with new media the last few years themselves. Part of that learning curve has been learning to be resilient
with technology. “The biggest challenge is the constantly changing environment that new media represents,” Birkland said. “What we know today is only the basis for what we will have to learn tomorrow.” And they are not the only ones adapting. Consumers are too. “Today’s consumers are more time-starved than ever before,” Host said. “People are busy with multiple distractions and are hit with thousands and thousands of media messages every day. The challenge is cutting through all that clutter.” Heidi L. Everett is owner of Watab Communications and adjunct professor of marketing communications at SCSU. She has more than 20 years experience in strategic and tactical communications, reach her at watabcomm@gmail.com.
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Feature
WORKFORCE WORRIES Local business leaders are optimistic about 2016, but concerned about a growing shortage of employees. By Whitney Bina
INDUSTRY LEADERS Bill Worzala, administrator, St. Cloud Orthopedics
Joan Schatz, co-leader, Park Industries
Mike Schlough, co-leader, Park Industries
Business Central met with local industry leaders in healthcare, technology, manufacturing, finance and construction to hear their predictions for 2016. This is what we learned:
HEALTHCARE Bill Worzala, administrator, St. Cloud Orthopedics The ever-changing healthcare industry faced many changes and new growth over the last year. In 2015, the industry witnessed consolidation of independent operations, new technology, less invasive procedures, and increases in oversight of general healthcare practices, Worzala said. Last year was a strong year for St. Cloud Orthopedics. The clinic added three new physicians, the most ever in one year, bringing the total physician count to 21, the highest number in the clinic’s history, he said. Worzala predicts many of the same trends will continue in 2016. Increased administration requirements because of the Affordable Care Act and new insurance regulations will lead to more consolidation
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of smaller clinics and practices, he said. Continued patient growth and care needs will also increase throughout the next year. “I don’t see any slowdowns in the coming years,” Worzala said. “By 2025, the nation will be short 40,000 to 90,000 physicians.” This shortage is due to two reasons: retiring physicians and an increasing number of patients. People are living longer and staying active, which naturally leads to more patients. In fact, industry estimations predict that the number of knee and hip replacements will double in the next ten years, he said. New technology helps physicians complete minimally invasive procedures, which leads to less time spent overnight in hospitals, Worzala said. To keep up with improving technology and patient care needs, in late 2015 St. Cloud Orthopedics purchased two new digital X-ray machines and a new anti-gravity Ultra G Treadmill.
MANUFACTURING Joan Schatz and Mike Schlough, co-leaders, Park Industries Locally and nationwide, the manufacturing industry remains healthy. “At Park Industries, the demand for our products
Mike Schoenecker, vice president, Winkelman Building Corporation
Stefan Freeman, president and CEO, BankVista
John Koshiol, owner, Now IT Connects
is high and we’ve been seeing healthy growth,” Schatz said. In 2015, the company hired 30 new employees, increased facility space and added new equipment. In 2016 the company is planning two new product launches and an office space remodel. Finding enough qualified employees proves challenging. “Sixty percent of
manufacturing positions go unfilled,” Schlough said. “High quality labor is hard to find.” At the same time, employers are looking for trained employees to run new, automated equipment. Schatz and Schlough remain optimistic though. “In the past few years, there are more partnerships between schools and manufacturers, leading to an increased awareness of the manufacturing industry,” Schlough said. Despite an overall healthy industry, the agriculture and energy sectors struggled over the past year, Schatz said. Lower prices in these sectors provide unique challenges which continue into 2016. For other sectors in the industry, no major changes are predicted for the next year. “2016 is pretty much ‘steady as she goes’ for manufacturing at this time,” Schatz said.
CONSTRUCTION Mike Schoenecker, vice president, Winkelman Building Corporation Hit hardest during the Great Recession, the construction industry finally appears to have recovered and is enjoying economic growth. “Demand for construction projects has increased significantly in the last year and every contractor is busy,” Schoenecker said. In the next year, the construction industry continues to boom. Significant projects for schools, churches, apartments, manufacturing, and healthcare facilities are planned for 2016, he said. As interest rates stay low, project planning remains popular and steady in the new year. Due to a skyrocketing online shopping trend, area residents can also expect to see an increase in the construction of distribution centers over the next few years, especially along I-94. Despite the growth, the construction industry faces a few major challenges: labor shortages, supply availability, and materials cost. “Every contractor is short of help,” Schoenecker said. “During the recession, many contractors were forced to find work in other industries and have not returned to the construction trades.” Other employees went on pensions during the recession, not
knowing if there would be work after the economy recovered. “Costs for supplies and labor continue to increase, driving up project prices, as well as increasing the time it takes for project completion,” Shoenecker said. For instance, in 2016, wallboard products (drywall, sheetrock, etc.) will increase by about 10 percent at the start of the year and another 10 percent throughout the year. Overall, 2016 appears steady for the industry, but Schoenecker suggests individuals and businesses plan far ahead for future construction projects and recommends factoring in higher material and labor costs and increasing material shortages.
FINANCE Stefan Freeman, president and CEO, BankVista “The economy, although still fragile, showed significant improvement over the last year,” Freeman said. “Businesses are more willing to start reinvesting in equipment, buildings and people.” In response, banks have grown to accommodate and finance business growth. The financial industry will continue to see healthy progress in 2016. There will be no slowdowns, but as always, a new year will bring new changes in financial regulations, he said. The industry also faces accelerated advances in technology as electronic banking and online bill payment options become more popular. “Despite all of the changes, community banking is still a relationship business,” Freeman said. “The best banks will be those that never lose sight of the customers.” Freeman predicts interest rates will finally begin to increase in 2016. Higher employment rates and improving employee wages will benefit consumer spending in the new year as people spend money on new cars and home improvement projects. Savings rates will continue to increase as individuals are able to save more money monthly, he said. Business loans are also on the rise. “Last year was a record year for the Small
Business Administration (SBA) and for BankVista,” he said. “SBA is projecting unprecedented loan demand in 2016.”
TECHNOLOGY John Koshiol, owner, Now IT Connects Technology continues to see significant growth year over year. In 2015, consumers saw a migration to the cloud and cloudbased computing. Internet speeds and choices faced steady growth over the last year as internet providers added new fiber and internet speed options, Koshiol said. Growth of the cloud continues into 2016. “We will continue to see more options for the cloud and internet-based application platforms,” Koshiol said. “Twenty-five percent of applications people use today are now internet-based instead of computer-based.” Internet-based programs will continue to become more popular in the new year. Koshiol predicts an increase in data-storage from the traditional server to the cloud. “Data and hosting centers will see some big changes in 2016,” he said. “A lot of commonly used applications are already written to work in internet browsers.” Internet security concerns continue to grow as well. Service providers need to keep clients safe from phishing and suspicious websites. Providers can use new technology to become more aware of their clients’ security status. “Security advances allow us to receive direct notifications in our office for each client’s security warning messages,” he said. The PC market remains strong despite a significant increase in tablet purchases, Koshiol said. He predicts the new year will bring better WiFi options and faster internet speeds and an increase in tablet computers and smart phones. “I don’t see any slowdowns with current technologies,” he said. “As they are improved and introduced to businesses, the consumers want to have new products.” Whitney Bina is the communications and workforce development coordinator at the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce.
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Special Focus HEALTHCARE
PERSPECTIVE CHANGE True to its purpose, healthcare administrators agree more individuals have insurance coverage because of the ACA. By Whitney Bina
B
y now you are familiar with the terms Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Obamacare, both names for a new law signed into effect in March 2010 with the intent to provide affordable health insurance for all Americans. “Patients have more coverage now than they did before,” according to Greg Klugherz, vice president and chief financial officer, CentraCare Health. “They receive better care because they can get it at any time, not just when they need it.” Initially, however, local healthcare administrators faced a shift in overall mentality when the ACA was introduced. When the ACA was first implemented, insurance companies shifted from a patient-based reimbursement structure, where reimbursement amounts depended on the total number of patients seen, to a value-based structure, where reimbursements favor low costs and appropriate patient care. “For many years, the more work providers did, the more they earned,”
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Klugherz said. “Now it’s a whole new mind change. We are learning how to do that, while still making sure we do what’s best for every patient.” Donna Zimmerman, vice president government and community relations, HealthPartners, attests to the major insurance changes. “As a facility that provides both healthcare and health insurance, we have been impacted in different ways,” she said. “Most of the ACA regulations have impacted us in the areas of insurance reform.” Positive Outcomes Insurance coverage for more individuals serves as the best outcome of the ACA. “We have a shared goal to get more people covered,” Zimmerman said. “Ninety-five percent of Minnesota residents have insurance today.” A reinforced focus on prevention has also been a positive outcome of the ACA. This preventive focus benefits the entire community, including patients,
In The Know Greg Klugherz, vice president and chief financial officer, CentraCare Health. Donna Zimmerman, vice president government and community relations, HealthPartners.
Diana White, administrator at St. Cloud Medical Group
Kathy Parsons, system director, revenue cycle, CentraCare Health.
employers and providers. “Focusing on prevention teaches patients to take steps to stay healthy, avoid falls, manage diabetes, lower high blood pressure, and avoid the emergency room,” said Diana White, administrator at St. Cloud Medical Group. “We do the best we can to reach out to patients, work with them, and help them get the appropriate care needed.” “Healthcare has changed its focus to helping people stay healthier,” according to Kathy Parsons, system director, revenue cycle, CentraCare Health. “Physicians are now rewarded for treating patients with the right care and teaching them how to stay out of the hospital. We are also learning how we can reach out to employers to help keep their employees healthy and working.”
“Healthcare has changed its focus to helping people stay healthier, Physicians are now rewarded for treating patients with the right care and teaching them how to stay out of the hospital.” —Kathy Parsons, system director, revenue cycle, CentraCare Health.
Continuing Challenges “Despite its name, the Affordable Care Act does not address affordability of care,” Zimmerman said. “We still face an affordability challenge.” The St. Cloud Medical Group’s White echoes this. “As regulations increase and insurance companies implement value-based care, we need to hire more employees and physicians in our facilities
to care for and reach out to more patients,” she said. Another challenge lies in patient knowledge. “The Affordable Care Act is very confusing. It’s hard to explain the ACA and describe the available options,” White said. Other challenges exist for healthcare facilities that work directly with newly insured individuals.
MANAGING YOUR DRY EYE IS OUR SPECIALTY. Insight Eye Care now offers a DRY EYE SPECIALTY CLINIC led by Dr. Anna Malikowski, our dry eye expert, to help diagnose and treat patients who have not found relief in the past. We are passionate about improving our patients’ quality of life through the correct treatment of your DRY EYE.
“IT'S TIME FOR YOUR EYES TO FEEL BETTER” Dr. Anna C. Malikowski
CALL INSIGHT EYE CARE TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. insighteyecare.us Waite Park Becker 320-253-0365
763-261-5444
Our specialized instruments and techniques help properly dianose the individual causes for each DRY EYE patient and offers unique and customized treatment programs designed to treat each patients’ specific problems.
Paynesville 320-243-3566
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Special Focus
Photo courtesy of St. Cloud Hospital.
Group continue to provide education to these new patients to direct them to primary care physicians.
“Statewide, we’ve seen an upswing in the use of Emergency Rooms,” Klugherz said. “Certain populations don’t have experience with health insurance or established relationships with primary care doctors, so when they need care, they turn to what they know: The ER.”
As providers and healthcare facilities are rewarded for low costs and preventive care, costly ER visits can counteract the results when value-based insurance policies depend on the type of care patients need. St. Cloud Hospital, HealthPartners, and St. Cloud Medical
Business Advice Constant industry and ACA changes make it challenging for healthcare administrators to stay completely upto-date, but they do their best to help employers find the information needed. “We make a sincere effort to work with business owners to improve the overall care for their employees,” Klugherz said. “We are happy to engage in learning how to work together in this effort.” “Business owners don’t need to go it alone. They can rely on insurance providers and insurance brokers to go over the best options for their businesses,” HealthPartners’ Zimmerman said. continued on page 52.
“I have more energy at day’s end and I’m not self-conscious about what I’m wearing.” LYNN
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COMING IN MARCH 2016
Understanding the ACA
COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION, MANUFACTURING, REAL ESTATE & LEASING
IRS webinars help employers better understand the impact of the health care law.
E
mployers and health coverage providers now have access to recorded webinars from the IRS about the Affordable Care Act’s employer provisions and related tax requirements. If you are a business owner, tax manager, employee benefits manager, or health coverage provider, you can access and review these 40-minute videos anytime to better understand how the health care law may affect your organization. Topics include: Employer-Sponsored Health Coverage Information Reporting Requirements for Applicable Large Employers
Employer Shared Responsibility Provision Learn about determining applicable large employer status, payments, and transition relief for 2015.
Information Reporting Requirements for Providers of Minimum Essential Coverage For a link to the IRS video portal, visit BusinessCentral Magazine.com
For more information call Wendy Hendricks at 320.656.3808 or whendricks@BusinessCentralMagazine.com Deadline: January 29, 2016 www.BusinessCentralMagazine.com
Profile: OB/GYN When you think of women’s healthcare, do you think of prevention? We do. At St. Cloud Medical Group, we keep longevity in mind. Routine visits to our OB/GYN providers keep you moving in the right direction for a healthy lifestyle. Whether you’re planning a family or keeping family history in check, we’re here to guide you. That’s what personalized healthcare is all about. It’s the genuine care and respect we have for our patients that makes all the difference.
South Campus
Northwest Campus
320-251-8181
320-202-8949
Clearwater Clinic
Cold Spring Clinic
320-558-2293
320-685-8641
Family Medicine + OB/GYN + Pediatrics + Express Care + Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation + Occupational Medicine + Surgery
StCloudMedical.com J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6 //
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Our Vision. Your Health. Fellowship trained Radiologists in Cross Sectional Body Imaging, Neuroradiology, Musculoskeletal Radiology, Interventional Radiology and Diagnostic Radiology
24 HOURS A DAY, 365 DAYS A YEAR Jody Bolton Smith, MD Bryan Brindley, MD Nathan Danielson, DO Bonnie Fines, MD Leslie Hartman, MD Brad Hilger, MD Roman Keller, DO Francis Kigozi, MD Stephen Kuehne, MD Danielle Leighton, MD Chadd McMahon, MD Nicole Mercer Bolton, MD Tracy Napp, MD Hoang Nguyen, MD, MMM, CPE Kevin Smith, MD Darrin Spoden, DO Rochelle Wolfe, MD
Serving Communities Across Minnesota for Over 40 Years • Cuyuna Regional Medical Center, Crosby • St. Gabriel’s Hospital, Little Falls • Albany Area Health, Albany • Riverwood Health Center, Aitkin • CentraCare Hospitals and Clinics including: St. Cloud, Paynesville, Sauk Centre, Long Prairie, Melrose
320.257.5595 • 866.305.5595
Meet all of the physicians of RDR at
www.rdradiology.com
1990 Connecticut Avenue South, Sartell, MN 56377
between hospital home
Whitney Bina is the communications and workforce development coordinator at the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce.
Health & Wellness Continue reading to learn more about the variety of Health & Wellness Services available in Central Minnesota.
SHORT STAY SUITES INPATIENT & OUTPATIENT THERAPY SERVICES: PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, SPEECH
320.654.2355
Business Central Magazine // J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6
What’s Next? Despite its challenges, the ACA most likely will remain in place. “The overall framework is here to stay,” Zimmerman said, “but we need to work to improve it.” E-clinics and virtual care will be more popular in the coming years. All three healthcare facilities mentioned an increase in e-care, coinciding with our cultural trends toward mobile communications and efficiency, and to counteract physician shortages. “Healthcare is constantly changing,” White said. “It’s going to be a wild ride!”
Special Focus:
St. Benedict’s Senior Community is here to help transition you home. We believe the key to success is meeting a patient’s needs. It’s not just the amount of treatment, but the focus and quality of treatment that makes the difference.
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Business owners should be mindful of mandatory reporting requirements outlined by the IRS, White said.
More information can be found on the IRS website: irs.gov/AffordableCare-Act/Employers
your bridge
MEMORY CARE | LONG TERM CARE | RESPITE CARE
Special Focus
CENTRACARE.COM
properly dianose the individual causes for each DRY EYE patient and offers unique and customized treatment programs designed to treat each patients’ specific problems.
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Jody Bolton Smith, M.D. Insight Eye Care Doctors (l-r) Dr. Ben Nelson, Dr. Anna C. Malikowski, Dr Greg Friederichs, Dr. Burt Dubow 320-253-0365 insighteyecare.us
W
e provide comprehensive eye care for all ages via diagnosis, treatment and management of eye conditions.We are equipped to handle eye trauma and most eye injuries as well as treatment for more common aiiments such as red, itchy, allergen related symptoms or pink eye. We offer three convenient locations, St. Cloud, Paynesville and Becker. For over 30 years we have delivered top quality eye care to our patients. Thank you for trusting us.
CentraCare Diabetes Center
Imaging Specialist; Member of the American College of Phlebology 320-257-VEIN (8346) www.beautifulresults.com
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r. Jody Bolton Smith from The Vein Center, along with her colleagues Dr. Rochelle Wolfe, Dr. Danielle Leighton, and Dr. Chadd McMahon are interventional radiologists with Regional Diagnostic Radiology specializing in imaging and minimally invasive procedures. They will treat your veins using proven laser technology. These non-surgical procedures are quick, safe, effective and require no down time. Trust the experts in vascular and vein treatments. Goodbye veins...hello confidence. Call today for a complimentary, no obligation consultation.
St. Cloud Medical Group Family Medicine St. Cloud Medical Group- South
P
ut down your shovel and pick up your social life with outings, happy hours, shopping trips and musical entertainment. Let the staff at Benedict Village and Benedict Court take care of the cooking, cleaning and shoveling! Personal care delivered to your individual apartment is among one of the many community highlights. We invite you and your loved ones to come in for a complimentary lunch, take a tour, meet our friendly staff and see what makes our campus a wonderful place to call home. Every day. Every way. We’ve got you covered! 1810 Minnesota Boulevard SE, St. Cloud, MN 56304 (320) 203-2747 • centracare.com email:SBSCInformation Registry@centracare.com
St.Cloud Orthopedics Spine Surgery
1900 CentraCare Circle St. Cloud, MN 56303
C
entraCare Health provides a full range of diabetes care for patients and families in our region through education, leadership, health promotion and preventive services. We help you manage your diabetes so you can maintain the best possible health and quality of life. Ask your provider for a referral. Our team of experts include: • Endocrinologists (specialist who care for patients with diabetes) • Certified Diabetes Educators (registered nurses, registered dietitians) • Pharmacists • Internal Medicine • Family Practice
Jason P. Kelly, MD
Dr. Bart Mueller, M.D.
320-202-7759 centracare.com
B
320-251-8181 www.stcloudmedical.com
artley Mueller, M.D. has been a part of the Family Medicine team at St. Cloud Medical Group- South since 2011. Dr. Mueller completed his residency at Clarkson Family Medicine in Omaha, NE and is board certified in Family Medicine and by The National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners; DOT. Dr. Mueller is a member of the American Academy of Family Medicine and is the new Medical Director for St. Cloud Medical Group. Dr. Mueller is married with three children, and enjoys being involved in sporting activities, his church and spending quality time with his family.
320-259-4100 www.stcloudorthopedics.com
J
ason P. Kelly, MD is a recent addition to St. Cloud Orthopedics specializing in spine surgery. Dr. Kelly received his medical degree at Creighton University School of Medicine, and post-graduate education from the San Francisco Orthopedic Residency Program. Most recently he completed a fellowship program with Twin Cities Spine Center. Dr. Kelly is a resident member of North American Spine Society, AO Spine, and American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6 //
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Business Spotlight
Live and In-Person
Mark Geller and partner Tracy Knofla have turned a weekend hobby into responsive, customized, personalized High Impact Training.
Personal Profile Mark Geller, 58 Hometown: Born and raised in Fargo, ND Education: Undergraduate degree from Minnesota State University – Moorhead in Arts and Entertainment Management; Master’s Degree in Information Media from St. Cloud State University Family: Wife, Mary, is the vice president of Student Life at the College of Saint Benedict; two children, Julia, 15 and Sam, 12; two dogs Hobbies: Driving my kids around, hanging out on the deck, boating, some travel – Mary and I like to go to Mexico.
At A Glance High Impact Training PO Box 833, St. Cloud, MN 56302 • (320) 259-8222; fax: (320) 259-8501 highimpacttraining.net info@hit4you.net Owners: Mark Geller and Tracy Knofla Business Description: High Impact Training offers customized learning experiences for higher education, corporate and notfor-profit organizations. Number of Trainers: Seven speakers and a theater company that has two troupes. All but the lead speaker and company co-owner, Tracy Knofla, are independent contractors. Types of Training: Primarily soft skills: supervision, team building, conflict management, customer service, sexual assault prevention, team building, communication, dealing with chaos, working through change, racism, etc. Will customize to what the client needs. Opened as High Impact Training in 1996 Number of Employees: 3 full-time, 2 part-time Joined the Chamber: 1996
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By Gail Ivers
Business Central: Your partner, Tracy Knofla, lives in Connecticut. How did you two ever start a business together? ______________ Geller: We both worked on college campuses – primarily training students. I brought in trainers who had specialized knowledge. I met Tracy through our professional association. BC: How do you divide the responsibilities? ______________ Geller: Tracy is a great trainer, but she can’t stand talking about the money, paperwork, logistics, contracts, any of that. She was doing all sorts of training for people and she finally said “I can’t keep doing this for free.” I don’t mind talking about the money. So we started up this informal,
weekend-type business. It was strictly a hobby to earn a few bucks and because it was fun. BC: How did you make the transition to a full-time business? ______________ Geller: Mary and I moved to St. Cloud in 1994. I did project work while I finished up my Master’s Degree. Tracy was working full-time in a senior care facility. We had a third partner who was doing project work in training and had multiple long-term contracts. We all decided it made sense to give it a try. Tracy and I bought out the other partner in 1995 and in 1996 we became High Impact Training. BC: What do you like best about business ownership? ______________ Geller: We run the company the way we want to run the
company. I would say 99.7 percent of the time I like being here. I like most of the customers. Some folks contact us because they have some pretty serious stuff going on. They put a lot of trust in us. We do a review after every single service. It’s pretty neat to hear “You did a good job for us, the logistics and the details went smoothly, the content was perfect.” BC: What has been your biggest challenge? ______________ Geller: The recession was quite extraordinary. The first thing to go was anything someone considered discretionary – training was close to the top. 2015 was the recession-ending year for our company. If 2016 is as good, I’ll know we’re done with the recession.
NOW OPEN! NEW CLEARWATER BANK BRANCH Located 800 Nelson Drive (next to Nelson Bros.)
New! Clearwater 800 Nelson Drive (320) 558-2021
St. Cloud West 2915 2nd St. South (320) 654-9555
St. Cloud East 525 Hwy 10 South (320) 257-5000
Bank offices also in Long Prairie and Browerville Visit us at www.LogBank.com
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It works for taking your next step
We’re here to help you reach your goals At Wells Fargo you’ll find all the products and resources you need to move your business forward, along with the support and guidance of a banker from your community. That’s what Wells Fargo Works for Small Business℠ is all about. It’s our commitment to helping small business owners in more ways than ever before. Visit wellsfargoworks.com to: • Learn how Wells Fargo works for you and your business by providing innovative products, services, and programs that can meet your business needs. • Explore videos, articles, and other resources covering a wide range of business topics including credit, cash flow management, real estate, and marketing. Stop by or call and speak to a local banker today.
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