MEET A REIKI HEALER PAGE 65
HARD HATS AT THE VA PAGE 54
OB E R D L E A D S H E A LT H C A R E D ATA C O L L E C T I O N
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DR. ALI HUSSAM OBERD
GFI allows us to concentrate on what’s important...” -Columbia Orthopaedic Group
Chris McCullough,
Sales Manager for GFI Digital
Gene Austin,
CEO of the Columbia Orthopaedic Group
Andrea Paul,
Executive Account Manager for GFI Digital
DOCUMENT COLLABORATION IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR DAILY OPERATIONS. The ability to efficiently and effectively communicate within and outside of our medical group is paramount to our ability to take care of our patients. GFI Digital supports our print management program and allows us to concentrate on what’s important, providing state of the art orthopaedic solutions and superior patient care.“
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14 FEBRUARY 2017
MANAGING
O
ne of my favorite parts of every CBT is our organizational health column from Clear Vision Development founder and president Tony Richards. I first met Tony through the Chamber’s Leadership Columbia program and enjoyed hearing his talks about professional development. From DISC profiles to communication styles, each week we had engaging discussions about better understanding yourself and the people in your organization. I’m so happy that we get to share those insights each month with the CBT readership. Sometimes it’s easy to set aside “development” as we navigate the day-to-day responsibilities of our careers. But each month, when Tony sends me his column, I set aside time to absorb his words. From breaking the mulON THE COVER titasking myth (a personal rant topic of mine!) to giving We found this vibrant citron wall hidden and getting good feedback, Tony always opens a window behind a door in OBERD’s downtown office. Our photographer squeezed to understanding people, including yourself. himself, along with all of his equipment In the June 2016 issue, Tony wrote about the relationand lighting, between a wall and the ship between growth of talent and growth of business. conference room table. It was a tight fit, but Dr. Hussam’s warm smile and easy“Too many companies (not my clients) are not taking going personality made it an effortless action at the CEO and senior executive level, and talent shoot. Photography by Keith Borgmeyer. management and development are not a core competency of senior executives. They do not see how this competency is linked to their overall responsibility of growing the business. Not only is it linked — it’s inseparable. If you ask winning coaches what the main ingredient of their success is, most will answer that they had the best players.” Our leadership team has been reading “Multipliers” by Liz Wiseman, which challenges leaders to be multipliers, genius-makers who bring out the intelligence and potential in the people around them, and not diminishers, leaders focused on their own skills who stifle their team’s intelligence and capacity. Wiseman writes: “It isn’t how much you know that matters. What matters is how much access you have to what other people know. It isn’t just how intelligent your team members are; it is how much of that intelligence you can draw out and put to use.” You probably can’t get where you want to go alone. You definitely can’t get beyond your wildest dreams without a strong team. I’m fortunate to work at a company that values this mindset, and fortunate to be on a team full of creative, insightful, and hardworking individuals. Editorial designer Jordan Watts connects written and visual ideas to make a beautiful and cohesively designed magazine; managing editor Matt Patston crafts sentences and stories with intent and intelligence. CBT is an amalgam of their creative insights combined with publisher Erica Pefferman’s world-class relationship building skills. Wiseman’s research revealed multipliers get 1.97 times more capability out of their team. Take five minutes to think about the talents and insights that the people around you possess. Now imagine getting almost two times more out of them. Exciting, right? MEET A REIKI HEALER PAGE 65
HARD HATS AT THE VA PAGE 54
OBERD
EDITOR'S PICKS Last month, I covered my picks for favorite office supplies. That inspired our managing editor and resident pencil aficionado Matt Patston to put together this list of his three favorite pencils. Apparently, pencil fans are pretty intense.
L E A D S H E A LT H C A R E D ATA C O L L E C T I O N
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DR. ALI HUSSAM OBERD
Matt's Top Pick!
Palomino Blackwing Simply the best pencil out there for speed and endurance. Perfect weight distribution and graphite strength. For fast notetakers, it’s the only thing that can keep up. Steinbeck used this pencil.
Pencils.com • $21.95 for a box of 12
Palomino Golden Bear #2 A reliable and affordable backup to my Blackwings. The Golden Bear has a strong cedar barrel, which allows it to hold up over time. I prefer the orange and blue model, in honor of my hometown Denver Broncos.
Pencils.com / $2.95 for a box of 12
Thanks for reading,
Caran d’Ache Grafik Not great for my purposes (I like erasers), but this is a quality pencil with lots of design options to choose from. Perfect for artsy types who like sketching out ideas.
Brenna McDermott, Editor brenna@businesstimescompany.com
/Co l u m b i a B u s i n e ss Ti m e s
@ Co l u m b i a B i z
Pencils.com / $1.35 per pencil
Co l u m b i a B u s i n e ss Ti m e s .co m
Ed i to r @ B u s i n e ss Ti m e s Co m p a ny.co m COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 15
16 FEBRUARY 2017
EDITORIAL Erica Pefferman, Publisher Erica@BusinessTimesCompany.com Brenna McDermott, Editor Brenna@BusinessTimesCompany.com Matthew Patston, Managing Editor Matt@BusinessTimesCompany.com Libby Wall, Editorial Assistant Libby@BusinessTimesCompany.com DESIGN/CREATIVE SERVICES Jordan Watts, Editorial Designer Jordan@BusinessTimesCompany.com Keith Borgmeyer, Art Director Keith@BusinessTimesCompany.com Kate Morrow, Graphic Designer Kate@BusinessTimesCompany.com Cassidy Shearrer, Graphic Designer Cassidy@BusinessTimesCompany.com MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES Deb Valvo, Marketing Consultant Deb@BusinessTimesCompany.com Tami Turner, Marketing Consultant Tami@BusinessTimesCompany.com Janelle Wilbers Haley, Marketing Consultant Janelle@BusinessTimesCompany.com Cassi Cody, Marketing Consultant Cassi@BusinessTimesCompany.com Crystal Richardson, Digital Marketing Manager Crystal@BusinessTimesCompany.com Fran Patrick, Account Manager Fran@BusinessTimesCompany.com Emily Brehe, Digital Account Manager Emily@BusinessTimesCompany.com MANAGEMENT Erica Pefferman, President Erica@BusinessTimesCompany.com Renea Sapp, Vice President ReneaS@BusinessTimesCompany.com Amy Ferrari, Operations Manager Amy@BusinessTimesCompany.com Jamie Patterson, Digital Services Director Jamie@BusinessTimesCompany.com J.J. Carlson, Web Services Director JJ@BusinessTimesCompany.com
Inside the Issue Twitter Chatter Simon Oswald Arch. @SOArchitecture @SOArchitecture wishes Mr. Beverley great success @columbiabancshares and looks for their continuing growth in the community. United Way Heart MO @UWHeartMO Awesome = our pal Billy Polansky of @ColumbiaUrbanAg being named to @ColumbiaBiz’s 2017 20 Under 40! Congrats! Joe Ritter @josephritter Incredibly honored to receive this recognition. Thanks to @ColumbiaBiz and all who have supported me throughout my career. Lauren Whitney-Karr @LaurenWhitK So excited to have @veteransunited’s @loreli_wilson as one of @ColumbiaBiz 20 Under 40! Her work in Diversity & Inclusion is pretty great.
Around the Office
20/40 20 40
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Keith Borgmeyer, Anthony Jinson, Alexanderia Rinehart CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Al Germond, Brandon Hoops, David Morrison, Jordan Milne, Monica Pitts, Tony Richards, Jim Robertson, Sean Spence, Lili Vianello, Anne Williams SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscription rate is $19.95 for 12 issues for 1 year or $34.95 for 24 issues for 2 years. Subscribe at columbiabusinesstimes.com or by phone. The Columbia Business Times is published every month by The Business Times Co., Copyright The Business Times Co., 2008. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of any editorial or graphic content without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited. OUR MISSION STATEMENT The Columbia Business Times and columbiabusinesstimes.com strive to be Columbia’s leading source for timely and comprehensive news coverage of the local business community. This publication is dedicated to being the most relevant and useful vehicle for the exchange of information and ideas among Columbia’s business professionals. CONTACT The Business Times Co., 2001 Corporate Place, Suite 100 Columbia, MO, 65202 (573-499-1830) • columbiabusinesstimes.com
PRESENTED BY Check out CBT’s Facebook for photos from the 20 Under 40 gala, presented by Joe Machens Dealerships. It was a fantastic event and we can’t wait for next year!
Contributors
David Morrison @DavidCMorrison
Jordan Milne
Brandon Hoops
Emily Brehe
@CourtsideHoops
@EmilyBrehe
Write to CBT editor Brenna McDermott at Brenna@BusinessTimesCompany.com COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 17
THE FUTURE OF LEAD GENERATION IS HERE
MOBILE CONQUESTING Cutting-edge mobile advertising for your business.
BusinessTimesInteractive.com/mobile 18 FEBRUARY 2017
FEBR UARY 2017 VOL . 2 3 / ISSUE 8
TA B LE OF CON T EN TS
Health Issue 15 FROM THE EDITOR 17 INSIDE THE ISSUE 21 CLOSER LOOK 22 BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS 24 NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT Family Health Center
26 CELEBRATIONS Columbia Surgical Associates
29 MOVERS & SHAKERS 30 P.Y.S.K. Dr. Siamac Vahabzadeh
33 11 QUESTIONS Dr. Tim McGarity
35 OPINION 76 ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH Eight Steps to Quality Hiring
77 MARKETING Putting Your Website to Work
78 ASK ANNE Coverage, COBRA, and Communication
80 BUSINESS SMARTS
36
Small Business Scams
Boone at the Cutting Edge Boone Hospital uses a careful system of checks and balances to maintain their high-end health care technology — and it will only get bigger from here.
46
OBERD is Soaring The MU-born health care data company OBERD was ahead of its time. Now, the industry is finally catching up.
54
Serving Those Who Served Amid a flurry of new construction projects at Truman Veterans’ Hospital, employees reflect on big changes in VA care.
82 DEEDS OF TRUST 83 NEW BUSINESS LICENSES 85 ECONOMIC INDEX 86 BY THE NUMBERS 88 THIS OR THAT Beth G. Shoyer, Ph.D.
90 FLASHBACK The Walton Building
65
Body, Mind, and Spirit Sometimes you want to explore ways of taking care of yourself beyond the mainstream. Meet three alternative medicine practitioners who can help.
72
Put Your Best Booth Forward Just in time for the chamber’s Business Showcase, Lili Vianello gives you some pointers on acing a business expo.
20 FEBRUARY 2017
BUSINE SS • P EOP L E • IM P R OV EM EN T • F YI
C LOSER LOOK
Closer Look
M&B Fine Automotive Detailing M&B Automotive Detailing offers a wide range of vehicle upkeep services using top-ofthe-line products and practices — its website says M&B is “an automotive spa.” Owner and operator Derrick Bundy understands the level of care vehicles require, especially the high-end vehicles that M&B specializes in. He and his team provide everything from quick washes, carpet reconditioning, and simple scratch removal to mirror-finish paint restoration and ceramic coatings. “I pamper vehicles with an exhaustive eye for detail, as opposed to an assemblyline, volume-based shop,” Bundy says. His focus is on providing quality services to every customer, and M&B’s business model tries to make the detailing process as convenient as possible. “We'll come to your place of employment for service, pick it up and take it back to our shop for heavier servicing, or come to your residence,” Bundy says. “People spend a great deal of time in their car,” he adds. “I want my clients happy and excited to be in their vehicle and able create memories in them for years to come.”
Contact: 573-521-7235 Address: 478 N. Grace Ln. Website: mandbdetailing.com
Buzz Well Media
Jubilee Planning Studio
Founded in the summer of 2015, Buzz Well Media’s goal is to help small businesses build their online presence — their buzz, if you will. “We believe in the flavor of small, independent businesses and want to help them have a voice on social media and online,” says the founder and “Queen Poohbah” of Buzz Well, Laura FlacksNarrol. “The current marketing reality can be an opportunity for small companies to build their business and reach customers as never before.” Flacks-Narrol taught social media marketing at Stephens College for five years, and Buzz Well focuses on using social media to create strong community connections for a business’s marketing plan. Buzz Well offers a flexible range of services to custom-fit the needs of their small business clients — the flexibility also allows room for businesses to change and evolve, reacting to challenges and opportunities. Buzz Well’s services include marketing strategy consulting, social media training, event campaign creation and management, and website development, to name a few.
Anne Churchill thinks events are easiest to plan when you can get people in one place, and she should know — Churchill is the owner and lead planner at AnnaBelle Events, an event planning company based in Columbia. Churchill’s newest project is Jubilee Planning Studio, which she bills as mid-Missouri’s “first and only collaborative work space dedicated to event and wedding creatives.” The studio will be the new permanent home for AnnaBelle Events, but Jubilee also provides a one-stop shop for planning help of any kind: by visiting the Jubilee studio, you can meet with vendors for flowers, invitations and signage, furniture, electronics, and about anything else you might need for a successful event. And you can do all that while enjoying a complimentary glass of champagne. Flexibility figures to be Jubilee’s hallmark. All consultations are complimentary, and vendors can use the space for as much or as little work as they need. By collaborating in one space, Churchill hopes, vendors can all succeed while making life easier for their clients.
Contact: 573-529-9578 Website: buzzwellmedia.com
Contact: 573-445-0569 Address: 2501 W. Ash St., Suite A Website: jubileeplanningstudio.com
Are you an entrepreneur? Are you sprouting a new business? Tell us about it at Editor@BusinessTimesCompany.com COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 21
BUSINE SS • P EOP L E • IM P R OV EM EN T • F YI
Briefly in the News FEBRUARY 2017
St. James Stewardship St. James Winery, home of the largest vineyards in Missouri, received an Agriculture Stewardship Assurance Program certificate from the Missouri Department of Agriculture. The ASAP certification recognizes crop growers who use responsible, science-based methods in their production. St. James was the first to receive the certificate in the new specialty crop category. Other ASAP categories include cropland, grassland, forestry, energy, and livestock.
County Officials Sworn In The winners of November’s county elections were sworn into office before the new year. Sonja Boone, the county’s new public administrator and a longtime county employee, took the oath for the first time, as did the new Southern District commissioner, Fred Parry. Treasurer Tom Darrough and Judge Jeff Harris were sworn in, having won their first elections after being appointed to their positions. Sherriff Dwayne Carey and Northern District Commissioner Janet Thompson were also sworn in, having won re-election. 22 FEBRUARY 2017
Chancellor Search
MEM Safety Grants
The UM System has spent the first part of 2017 on the hunt for a permanent chancellor at the Columbia campus. A 22-person search committee, convened at the end of December, began the process with stakeholder meetings and public forums in January. Hank Foley, the interim chancellor since R. Bowen Loftin resigned the position in November 2015, has publicly expressed interest in staying on, but the committee is still committed to a nationwide search. Incoming system president Mun Choi will consult the committee; Choi himself was selected by a similar committee search that took nearly a year.
Columbia-based Missouri Employers Mutual, a worker’s compensation provider, awarded the company’s first ever safety grants to 16 MEM policyholders. The grants are one-toone matching grants up to $20,000 to be used toward worker safety initiatives developed by grant winners. Woodhaven, a nonprofit, was the only fellow Columbia organization to receive one of the grants. Woodhaven will use their grant to purchase new patient lifts for their facility.
BR I EFLY I N T H E N EWS
City Council Race Candidates for the First Ward and Fifth Ward seats on Columbia city council finished filing for office in January, setting up contested races for both seats. First Ward incumbent Clyde Ruffin, who won a special election following the resignation of former councilwoman Ginny Chadwick, will run against Pat Kelley, president of the Ridgeway Neighborhood Association, and Andrew Hutchinson, an MU student. In the Fifth Ward, MU business professor Art Jago and Shelter Insurance portfolio manager Matt Pitzer will vie for the seat being vacated by Laura Nauser, who served three non-consecutive terms on council. Nauser announced last fall that she would not seek re-election, citing family and health reasons.
City Adds Officers At its first meeting of the new year, city council authorized acceptance of a $500,000 grant for the Columbia Police Department from the Department of Justice. CPD will use the grant to hire four new officers in the Community Outreach Unit, which is the department’s primary unit focused on community-oriented policing. The police department has advocated for more officers to staff the COU, and they applied for the grant in June 2016. The City of Columbia will pay $353,606 in matching funds over the three-year duration of the grant.
Break Time Updates Break Time, a chain of 74 convenience stores owned by Columbia-based MFA Oil, unveiled a fresh look at a Lee’s Summit location that may foretell brand-wide changes. The Lee’s Summit Break Time includes Break Time’s new logo, a new floor layout, and a carryout food option featuring local barbecue.
Best Small Town Vacation The TripAdvisor blog Flipkey included Columbia on its list of “6 Amazing Small Cities for a Family Vacation.” The list included fellow college towns Fayetteville, Arkansas and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Flipkey suggested COMO visitors check out Andy’s Frozen Custard, the Missouri Contemporary Ballet, the Runge conservation area, and the Boone County Historical Museum. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 23
BUSINE SS • P EOP L E • IM P R OV EM EN T • F YI
Columbia’s Safety Net Family Health Center provides care to those who need it.
BY EMILY BREHE
Photo by Alexanderia Rinehart
YOUR HEALTH CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT on your quality of life — bigger, even, than you might think. From maintaining a job to forging personal relationships to governing your day-to-day attitude, feeling good can alter who you are. Having a doctor who knows you and your body well is the first step in the right direction. It sounds simple, but for those who slip through the cracks of the complex health care system, finding a doctor is one of many challenges. For these people, Family Health Center serves as a safety net, providing services for the uninsured, under-insured, and their families. “The uninsured — people who are homeless or jobless — they’ve had a hard time finding a doctor to call their own,” says Dr. 24 FEBRUARY 2017
Andrew Quint, medical director of FHC and assistant professor of clinical medicine at MU. “We provide the same high quality level of care to anybody, regardless of their income level or economic status.” With a network of resources in the area, including the Columbia–Boone County Health and Human Services Department and MU, FHC stretches beyond what is normally expected from a health care provider. With the help of behavioral health consultants, interpreters, clinical social workers, and other community organizations, the clinics provide care beyond a doctor’s visit when someone is in need. “A lot of what we do is problem solving and finding these little fixes to get patients through until they get paid again or are in
a better place,” Quint says. “Here, it isn’t enough to just write the prescription.”
THE FULL SPECTRUM Although the organization’s mission is to provide for the medically underserved, FHC provides for the entire spectrum of patients in the Columbia community. In 2015, 27 percent of Family Health Center’s patients were uninsured, meaning that the majority of patients have some type of health insurance. Chief Executive Officer Gloria Crull has been with Family Health Center since 1995. Over the years, she has watched the program grow into a teaching collaboration between the clinics and MU. The organization has expanded to provide dental and mental health services, and she’s seen the clinic develop
N ON PR OFI T
Family Health Center ADDRESS 1001 W. Worley St. MAIN FUNCTION To provide access to primary medical, dental, and mental health services, with emphasis on the medically underserved STAFF 162 CEO Gloria Crull BOARD MEMBERS • Lynn Barnett • Rebecca Roesslet • Diana Morris • Karen Lumley • Gary Carlson • Marketta Hayes • Nolan Hollingsworth • Holly Keiser • Carol Klingsmith • Jessica Macy • Lori Osborne • Sharon-Frances Reynolds • Shelia Shaffer PEOPLE SERVED ANNUALLY 17,714 NUMBER OF LOCATIONS 5
strong partnerships within NEVER GIVING UP the community. As a pediatric dentist, Dr. “[The community health Sujatha Sivaraman has a center model] really is a strong influence on a child’s comprehensive model,” perception of dental care Crull says. “We also don’t and overall health. “I have try to replicate what is the opportunity to make already readily available their experience good, and in the community. That’s that way, when they grow where our partnerships up, they’re not afraid to go come into place.” to the dentist,” Sivaraman Dr. Andrew Quint Beyond medical services, says. “If we put in all of those FHC helps patients overgood preventative measures, come social barriers that maybe that kid will have make it difficult to receive good oral health and better care, like a lack of transquality of life.” portation. FHC sets aside Crull and Cates both say the funds for transportation Family Health Center attracts and works to make sure medical professionals who that patients with severe or deeply care about the people chronic illness can make it they serve. The organization back to see their doctor. The holds high expectations for its clinics also collaborate with residents, doctors, and staff to local pharmacies and phardo everything they can to promaceutical programs to provide the best care. This often vide affordable medicine to means going to great lengths patients. FHC requires clinto help those in need. Dr. Megan Cates ics to be located in areas of “We really are a mishigh poverty, for easy access sion-driven organization,” to those populations. (The Crull said. “Our work is so organization also has two complex and hard. If you don’t rural locations, in Salisbury believe in it, you’re probably and Marceline, Missouri.) not going to stay.” “The thing that makes me Sivaraman often works so glad that I work at a place with children and teenagers like this is when I see people who have been denied care that think they’ve run out of from private practitioners options,” Dr. Megan Cates due to insurance or behavsays. “I can say with confiioral issues. This can make her dence that we will figure this work more difficult, but she’s out, one way or another.” no less committed to it. “We do treat a very chalCates is a board-certilenging population as far fied family health physiDr. Sujatha Sivaraman as the amount of disease cian who sees patients of or their background is conall ages (and also prenacerned,” Sivaraman says. tal patients). Her patients “But I don’t think I could ever afford to give up range from immigrants to the homeless to on them when I’m the safety net.” CBT business professionals. “Because we see a lot of people with social complexity, we are realistic caregivers,” Cates says. “We are very collaborative with our Family Health Center patients. We’ll ask, ‘What can we handle? What 1001 W. Worley St. kind of service do you prefer?’ And I think that 573-214-2314 all patients appreciate that, not just the uninfhcmo.org sured or under-insured.” COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 25
From left: Dr. James B. Pitt | Dr. Kimberly C. Suppes | Dr. Nicole C. Nelson | Dr. Nicole M. Spencer | Dr. Erik M. Grossmann Photography by LG Patterson
1961
1980
1990
Dr. E.J. “Jack� Schewe Jr. opens the practice in a building on Broadway. Initially, he is the only physician.
CSA establishes the first mobile, noninvasive vascular laboratory in mid-Missouri.
The practice announces it will focus on the development of noninvasive surgeries for CSA patients.
26 FEBRUARY 2017
BUSINE SS • P EO P L E • IM P R OV EM EN T • F YI
C ELEBRAT I ON S
Surgically Removed A new model at Columbia Surgical Associates reduces wait times and cancellations.
BY JIM ROBERTS ON
RECEIVING A DIAGNOSIS THAT REQUIRES surgery is traumatic enough for most people. Interruptions or cancellations of a scheduled surgery or consultation only enhances a patient’s anxiety with added frustration. One local surgical group — Columbia Surgical Associates — has removed what they believe to be a significant obstruction to top-notch, quality care. In December of 2016, the general surgeons of CSA decided to transition to an expanded elective model of surgical care, a hybrid approach combining elective and acute surgeries. CSA surgeons now only perform elective, non-emergency surgeries that are planned in advance. Acute, or emergency, surgeries that would have been performed at CSA will be performed in an inpatient hospital setting. Going forward, CSA general surgery patients will also be able to choose to have their elective surgical care performed at CSA’s nearby outpatient surgical center or at any of the MU Health Care inpatient surgical facilities in Columbia, thanks to an affiliation with the university. The decision on location, made by the patient and surgeon together, is based on a number of individual factors. The new model increases availability for clinic visits and consults while decreasing wait times for elective surgical procedures.
A MODERN MODEL Columbia Surgical Associates has represented thousands of patients since first opening in 1961 with just one physician, Dr. E.J. “Jack” Schewe Jr. The group now includes more than two dozen board-certified specialists. CSA has treated a variety of health problems, including diseases of the breast, gallbladder, and intestinal tract; benign and malignant tumors; hernias; and weight loss. CSA also houses the Vein Center of
Mid-Missouri, which performs vascular procedures, including surgery. CSA opened an adjoining outpatient surgical center in 2014, allowing their patients to skip a hospital visit if they were having an elective surgery. In 2015, CSA became affiliated with MU Health Care, giving the surgeons the ability to treat patients at any MU surgical facility. The group also values the working relationship they’ve had with the staff at Boone Hospital for several years, where CSA vascular surgeons will retain active privileges. Traditionally, many surgical groups, including CSA, were made up of two parts: elective surgery and acute surgery. As hospitals make improvements to acute surgery practices, the shift to a hybrid model is a growing trend among private surgical practices across the United States. Many hospitals are now utilizing acute medical care teams — surgeons who specialize in acute care of patients and only work in a hospital setting, usually seeing no other patients outside of the emergency room. General surgeons, with acute surgeries being taken care of elsewhere, are able to better focus on the needs of elective surgery patients. General surgeons, like those at CSA, can then better focus on the non-emergency needs of elective surgery patients. “We made the decision to move our inpatient surgical cases to the university system in order to improve our availability to see patients in our office, to make sure we can see those patients promptly, and to get their surgeries performed in a timely manner,” says CSA physician Erik Grossmann.
ment of high-quality surgeons in varied specialty areas. The model also allows for more flexibility from CSA surgeons, who were previously required to take emergency room on-call hours and treat acute cases for non-existing patients. These interruptions, at times, hindered their ability to provide top-notch service to existing patients. (CSA continues to have a surgeon on call 24/7 for existing patients or referrals.) MU Health Care has a dedicated team of surgeons to handle traumas, burns, and emergencies, which has allowed CSA to be more available for clinic appointments in their offices on Grindstone Parkway. “It was simply a matter of finding out where the CSA surgeons could be able to provide the best care to the patients and the best service to referring physicians who rely on CSA to provide surgical care,” Grossmann says. CSA physicians also believe this transition to elective surgeries will make those services more available to people in and around Boone County, and patients will be less likely to experience delays or cancellations. The group looks forward to continuing to offer patients the option of outpatient surgical care at the CSA clinic or inpatient care at one of the MU Health Care facilities. The ultimate goal was to create a more sustainable model for surgical care in Columbia that immediately improves access to care for patients. Grossmann says, “We will, of course, always keep ourselves available to take care of emergency problems experienced by our patients.” CBT
THE UPSIDE
Columbia Surgical Associates 3220 Bluff Creek Dr #100 573-443-8773 • columbiasurgical.com
The hybrid model reduces the risk of surgeon burnout and enhances the retention and recruit-
2014
2015
2016
CSA opens an adjoining surgical center, allowing their elective surgery patients to skip a hospital stay.
CSA formally affiliates with MU Health Care.
CSA transitions to a hybrid elective care model to allow more flexibility for surgeons and easier scheduling for patients. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 27
Professional Excellence We deliver custom technology solutions.
We have worked with JES Holdings and Fairway Construction on many projects. Our solution for Bedford Walk includes music and TVs inside and out, plus a stunning theater for their residents, all using simple touch-panel controls. Residents can plug their mobile devices into the system and play their own music through the speakers in each room. JES Holdings Executive Vice President Will Markel says “We hold people to very high professional standards and D&M Sound consistently upholds those standards. Our communities provide an alternative to the traditional notion of retirement villages, and the D&M Sound music system is a perk that most of our guests have never seen before, and overwhelmingly enjoy using.”
Conference Rooms • Workplace Music Systems • Surveillance Cameras Automation & Control • Energy Management • Digital Signage Restaurant & Bar Systems • Video Walls
28 FEBRUARY 2017
8th and Locust • Downtown Columbia • 573-449-3933 • www.DandMSound.Net
B U SINESS • PEOP LE • IM P R OV EM EN T • F YI
M OVER S & SH AKER S
Movers & Shakers FEBRUARY 2017 BRUEGENHEMKE
Hawthorn Bank
Dr. Dawn Cornelison
Atkins Inc.
Kathleen Bruegenhemke has been named chief operating officer, in addition to serving as chief risk officer. She joined Hawthorn Bank in 1992 and has more than 30 years of experience in the banking industry. In addition, Todd Hoien has been named market president for the Columbia area. He joined the bank in 2010 and most recently served as senior vice president and senior commercial lender for the Columbia market.
Cornelison, associate professor of biological sciences and an investigator at the Bond Life Sciences Center, recently was awarded the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor given by the federal government to science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their research careers. Cornelison, an expert in the field of satellite cells, is the only researcher from Missouri to receive the award this year.
Dale Spry has been named the new chief operating officer for Atkins. He brings 35 years of management experience to the position. Also, Lee Holt has been promoted to contract and corporate director of building services for Atkins. Lee has served as regional manager and has overseen the Jefferson City branch.
Columbia Public Schools
Gabe Lee
Van Vanatta has been hired as the Rock Bridge High School head football coach. Vanatta has been a coach at Hazelwood Central High School in Florissant since 2007. Trevor Rubly has been hired as the Hickman High School head football coach. Rubly has more than 13 years of coaching experience, most recently as defensive coordinator and assistant head football coach at Enid High School in Enid, Oklahoma. Both Vanatta and Rubly will teach full-time at their respective schools.
Lee has been named manager of building products distributor ABC Supply Co.’s Columbia location. He began his career with ABC Supply in 1999 and most recently managed the Farmington location.
Brianna Lennon Lennon has joined the Law Office of Mike Campbell and will focus her practice on personal injury, business disputes, and consumer protection matters. Lennon recently ran unsuccessfully for Boone County commissioner, and she has worked as assistant attorney general in the consumer protection unit of the Missouri Attorney General’s office and was the first elections integrity coordinator for the Missouri Secretary of State’s office.
Columbia Hospitality Association The CHA membership, which represents the majority of Columbia’s hotels and bed-and-breakfast entities, has named its officers for 2017. Steve Bales, general manager of Wingate by Wyndham, will serve as president; Brandon Boyer, general manager of Courtyard by Marriott, will serve as president-elect; Stephanie Hall, director of sales at Residence Inn, will serve as secretary– treasurer; Nadia Ryakhmyatullov, general manager of Candlewood Suites will serve as vice president of membership; Susan Bell, general manager of Hampton Inn & Suites at Stadium, will serve as vice president of education; Glyn Laverick, owner of the Tiger Hotel, will serve as past president.
HOIEN
VANATTA
Jennifer Archuleta Archuleta, operations manager at Columbia Credit Union, has been selected for the 2017 CUlead class, the Heartland Credit Union Association’s leadership development program. It is a one year, interactive program for Kansas and Missouri credit union employees who possess leadership potential.
RUBLY
LENNON
Jordan Dillender Dillender has become an associate at Brown Willbrand P.C. He’ll practice in business and commercial law. Dillender joined the firm in 2014 and gained experience in the employment, real estate, and construction industries. He received his J.D. from the MU School of Law in 2012.
LEE
ARCHULETA
Megan Hecht Hecht, a family nurse practitioner, has joined the Boone Medical Group – North practice. Hecht will provide primary care services by appointment. She received her Master of Science in nursing degree from Southeast Missouri State University in 2016. Before that, Hecht practiced as a registered nurse for five years.
DILLENDER
HECHT
Are you or your employees making waves in the Columbia business community? Send us your news at Editor@BusinessTimesCompany.com COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 29
BU SINESS • PEOPLE • IM P R OV EM EN T • F YI
DR. SIAMAC VAHABZADEH M E DIC A L P H Y S IC I A N | C OLU M B I A FA M I LY M E DIC A L G R O U P | AG E : 4 3
Photography by Anthony Jinson
30 FEBRUARY 2017
P E R S ON YO U SH OU LD KN OW
Job description: Evaluation, diagnosis, and management of acute and chronic medical and psychiatric conditions. Years lived in Columbia /mid-Missouri: 10 years. Original hometown: Beaumont, Texas. Education: University of Kansas, Bachelor of Science in biology; SABA University School of Medicine; UMKC for family medicine residency training. Favorite volunteer/community activity: My favorites are Boys and Girls Club, The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri, and church-sponsored homeless shelters. A Columbia businessperson I admire and why: I respect and admire any business person who builds a company from the ground up and continues to appreciate the staff and community during the process — no matter how large the company becomes. Why I’m passionate about my job: I enjoy making people feel better even in the worst of times. Why I’m passionate about my company: I enjoy working with my medical colleagues, and I have a supportive, caring staff. If I weren’t doing this for a living, I would: Be a poor comedian (I love making people laugh). What people should know about this profession: It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to take care of thousands of patients. The hardest part of this job is to remember that we are human and mistakes can be made. The next challenge facing my industry: The growing cost of health care and medications, which sometimes interferes with the best medical management. My next professional goal: To remain respected by my peers and patients in the community.
Biggest lesson learned in business: Making sure the decisions I make involve what’s best for the majority and not just for a few. Greatest strength: Being a perfectionist. Greatest weakness: Being a perfectionist. What I do for fun: Spending time with my family.
“I enjoy making people feel
Favorite place in Columbia: The Penguin Piano Bar. All of us are singers at heart.
better even
Accomplishment I’m most proud of: Being a good husband, father, son, brother, and physician.
in the worst
Most people don’t know that I: Like to remain private — so this interview was the hardest thing I have ever done. CBT
of times.” COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 31
32 FEBRUARY 2017
B U SINESS • PEOP LE • IM P R OV EM EN T • F YI
This past year, we also introduced our Ocular Surface Center of Excellence, which utilizes cutting edge therapies to treat dry eye and other ocular surface conditions. 3. What about ophthalmology first interested you? The importance of people’s vision to their daily living and the ability to impact patient’s lives positively by providing a service to them. It sounds obvious, but people have no idea how much they depend on their vision until they start to lose it. The opportunity to help people regain freedom through vision was very attractive to me.
Q&A TIMOTHY D. McGARITY, MD Restoration Eye Care, Physician and CEO
1. Restoration Eye Care recently moved into the new Forum Medical Park, which you also own. Tell us about the new digs: We designed our new facility to be a place that’s wonderful to come to as a patient and an efficient place to provide high-quality care. People from all over mid-Missouri come to Columbia to receive medical care, and we believe that our world-class facilities and treatments make Restoration Eye Care the center of advanced vision care in the area. 2. What services do you offer there? We’re very proud of the treatments that we offer in our facility, and we’ve introduced some of the most cutting edge vision treatment technologies available to Columbia. Through our advanced testing cataract surgery, we’re able to offer patients a wide range of options for cataract treatment, including options that can lessen dependency on glasses in everyday life. For patients who are interested in permanent vision correction, we’re the only practice in 90 miles to offer iLasik, an all-laser, blade-free custom vision correction procedure.
4. What drew you into private practice? I saw the opportunity to invest in the community here and make a positive impact while being the captain of my own ship, so to speak. While there are definite benefits to being a part of a large medical organization, I’ve found that the freedom and flexibility of a private practice can allow you to care for patients more effectively — whenever we see a need or opportunity to better care for a patient, we’re able to act immediately. My family and I love all that Columbia has to offer and have found Columbia to be a great environment for a small business owner. 5. Did owning a business come naturally to you? How to own a practice, and all that comes with that, is not something that is necessarily covered in medical school, so there was a bit of a learning curve. Fortunately, I’ve had great employees and great mentors that helped with the transition. Having said that, while owning a practice has come fairly naturally to me, I’ve definitely had to work hard to become someone who’s good to work for. 6. Before Restoration Eye Care, you worked at the MU Medical School. How did your career develop there? One of the best ways to learn is by teaching, and I was blessed with the opportunity to teach a number of residents how to be both skilled surgeons and compassionate physicians. I was also able to see the demand for great ophthalmic care here in mid-Missouri and identify what I could do to better help people as a physician. 7. How has the business changed since you took over? We’ve rapidly grown over the past few years, and the
1 1 QU EST I ON S
medical field is always changing due to constantly shifting regulations and medical advancements. But even with all of these constant changes, our mission is always the same: to provide our patients with world-class care. As long as that stays at the forefront of our business, we’ll be able to navigate the constant change in our industry. 8. What made you want to move Restoration Eye Care to a new facility? We had reached a point in our old space where we were unable to take care of our patients in a timely manner, so we had to make a decision. After taking a look at all the needs of our patients and what we wanted our practice to become, it just made sense to develop our own clinical and surgical facility. We’ve been in our new location for 18 months now, and it has been amazing to see how our practice has grown in that time. 9. In a 2015 interview with CBT, you said a patient’s fear was one of the biggest obstacles in ophthalmology. How do you overcome that? One of our primary goals with all of our patients is to educate them and give them the resources they need to make informed decisions about their vision. This education helps build a trusting and respectful relationship between us and our patients, and that can go a long way to help overcome any fear a patient may be experiencing. 10. What’s your industry’s biggest challenge in mid-Missouri? As midMissouri’s population ages, we’re constantly looking for new ways to educate patients about what to expect. Many ophthalmic issues can be either prevented or managed through early detection by an eye care professional. Once you get into mid-Missouri’s more sparsely populated areas, it can be difficult to get that educational message out. 11. What do you wish the community knew about your business? When you come to Restoration Eye Care, every member of our staff is going to work very hard to make sure that you receive the treatment that you deserve. We’re truly appreciative that we get to be involved in so many mid-Missourians’ vision care, and we want to earn every patient’s trust. CBT
Check out past Q&A sessions with your favorite Columbia businesspeople online at ColumbiaBusinessTimes.com. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 33
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B U SINESS • PEOP LE • IM P R OV EM EN T • F YI
Time to Get Serious BY A L GERMON D
TRANSITIONING INTO A NEW YEAR is always a time of economic stress while considering budgets, taxation, income and expense, profit and loss, and the realities of life in general. The holidays weren’t so full of cheer for some retailers as notes are taken about store closings and the surge in online sales while sales tax revenues continue to spiral downward. Stir this with the surprising upset in administrations at both state and federal levels and there’s the recipe for uneasiness about the future in many sectors. Cash-strapped entities on all levels, which have delighted for years at the manna from sales tax receipts, will have to get creative from now on because it will be a cold day in Hades before online sales — unless the business has a physical presence in a given state — are ever taxed. Then there’s this: a so-called “right to work” law for Missouri. Republicans and the new GOP governor Eric Greitens, with veto-proof majorities in both houses of the legislature, are marching full speed — maybe by the time you read this — to
pass a right to work law designed to invoke Section 14(b) of the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947, better known as the Taft-Hartley Act, that went into effect over President Truman’s veto on June 23, 1947. Section 14(b) always shocks organized labor because in states where it is the law, Section 14(b) outlaws closed-shop labor agreements that were first legally recognized by the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 (Wagner Act) ordering employers to collectively bargain with a union and its members and requiring employees to join and pay dues to the union regardless of their personal inclination. The Taft-Hartley law was the legislative reaction to months of labor strife after World War II, marked by crippling strikes in industry, transportation, and raw material production that brought the country to its economic knees through much of 1946. The GOP took control of the House and Senate after the November 5 general election, and Representative Fred Hartley (R-N.J.) and Senator Robert Taft (R-Ohio) led the charge for this eponymous bill.
OPI N I ON
Illinois is alone among Missouri’s eight contiguous states in not having the 14(b) exemption, and, with passage anticipated here, Illinois will be surrounded. Right to work laws are now found in 27 states, with Michigan, Iowa, Indiana, and Wisconsin the most recent additions to the club. Right to work law proponents believe that Missouri will benefit after it joins this club because the 14(b) exemption will enhance our attractiveness for economic development and job creation while providing for a sturdier, more reliable tax base. We’ll see. Many of us believe the state’s economic problems are more deep-seated. While the 14(b) exemption may prove to be the magical elixir that will stabilize and secure various enterprises that are already here, we should caution ourselves that there won’t be that many companies housed in other states that are ready to take a powder from where they are now and come to us because Missouri can offer the purported benefits of right to work law. Taxes, climate, workforce availability, education, including vocational training, and accessibility to markets are of greater importance in determining corporate relocations. Then there’s transportation and infrastructure. Potential employers need to be assured that Missouri is ready to tackle infrastructure issues. That means, for starters, getting serious about highway and transportation funding. What is so difficult, so diffuse, so arcane about increasing motor fuel taxes? Are we so weak that the legislature and voters fall for the strident propaganda gushing from a cabal of gas station owners and operators who bleat their hatred against keeping the highway network in shape? Of course this directly benefits them. Time to move Missouri to the front of the transportation line; want to bet the legislature will do nothing this session to get us out of this mess relative to roads and bridges? Missouri now has its arms full with greater fiscal challenges than we’ve seen for a while in an otherwise fiscally prudent, no-deficit, balanced-budget state. Aren’t we glad we don’t live in Illinois with all of its problems? CBT
Al Germond is the host of the Columbia Business Times Sunday Morning Roundtable at 8:15 a.m. Sundays on KFRU. He can be reached at algermond@businesstimescompany.com. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 35
H E L LO FR OM TH E
CUTTING 36 FEBRUARY 2017
At Boone Hospital,
EDGE
there’s a constant drive to find the newest and the best treatment, with one caveat: make sure it’s worth it. By Matt Patston Photography by Anthony Jinson COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 37
D
DIABETES AND OBESITY ARE BOTH risk factors for uterine cancer — women with both conditions are more than six times more likely to develop the disease than women with neither. Diabetes and obesity are also risk factors for surgery. For affected women, a traditional hysterectomy isn’t an option, and the patients who are candidates for surgery at all can only have minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures. Even those can be unpredictable. “We would have patients who were morbidly obese and would have big laparotomy wounds, two to four inches deep, that would open up post-op,” says Dr. Sara Crowder, a gynecologic oncologist affiliated with Boone Hospital. When that happens, she says, patients are forced to pack the wound with gauze, essentially leaving it open until it heals from the inside out. That’s a one- to two-month process: one to two months of replacing the gauze inside your open surgical wounds, going to your doctor every week or two to maintain the treatment. It’s hard to hold down a job like that; it’s essentially impossible to do any work that involves movement. If you need further cancer treatment, like chemotherapy, that could be delayed too. But, if you have uterine cancer, Crowder is a good person to see. She is the state’s most accomplished robotic surgeon. Using the da Vinci surgical system, Crowder controls robotic arms that she uses to perform surgeries that would be physically impossible for a surgeon limited by his or her own human arms. Crowder can now do a minimally invasive robotic surgery easier than she can do a standard laparoscopy. Patients with all kinds of risk factors — obesity, prior surgery, pre-existing conditions — become less risky. She can operate on more people and save more lives. She started on the 38 FEBRUARY 2017
The da Vinci surgical system, which uses robotic arms to perform surgery, at work.
da Vinci in 2011, and she performed her 1,000th robotic surgery over the summer. “That’s what robotics had: it was a possibility of overcoming those limitations for all patients, or for most patients,” Crowder says. “Robotics allows almost everybody to be a candidate for a minimally invasive approach.” Around the time that Crowder and Boone adopted the da Vinci system, surgeons and hospitals around the country were wrestling with a question that always accompanies health care technology: Is it all worth it? The robot costs somewhere between $1.5 million and $2 million, and surgeons have to go through a monthslong and arduous training process before they can use it. Some laparoscopy purists have criticized robotics as unnecessary. Doctors who’ve botched surgeries using the da Vinci, which is only a little more than a decade old, have been the subject of malpractice lawsuits. It was a
risky buy for Boone Hospital. Medical technology demands dedication. “I’m an all or nothing kind of person,” Crowder says. “I either want to do something totally or not at all.”
WEIGHING THE VISION Boone Hospital takes patients from 25 counties; for many living in rural Missouri, it’s the only referral option for advanced care or hightech equipment. Columbia may be flooded with health care options, that’s not the case for a lot of cities in Boone’s jurisdiction. The hospital opened in 1921 and stayed under control of Boone County until 1988, when the hospital’s board of trustees agreed to lease the hospital to Christian Health Services, which would later become part of BJC HealthCare, based in St. Louis. The U.S. News and World Report hospital rankings list Boone as the third-
best hospital in the state, just two spots behind BJC’s flagship hospital, Barnes-Jewish. Boone’s board of trustees is now considering proposals for who will manage the hospital when BJC’s current lease ends in 2020. Regardless of who they choose (BJC is still a strong contender, as is MU Health Care), the board seems proud of the technological infrastructure that BJC has built. Brian Neuner, acting chairman of Boone’s board of trustees, declined to be interviewed for this article, but in an email, he said: “Keeping Boone Hospital Center at the forefront of health care technology has always been a top priority of the trustees.” Boone does indeed boast impressive technology: among other things, the hospital has two da Vinci systems, a hybrid surgical suite (where surgeons can use internal imaging, like an X-ray, on a patient during surgery), high-end heart monitoring and life support devices, and
mid-Missouri’s only silent MRI machine, at the Boone campus on Nifong. In his email, Neuner also referred to the hospital’s smaller, experience-focused technology, like air diffusers in operating rooms. He said, “Our investment in technology is not limited to medical equipment — it’s built into our facilities.” Jim Sinek is Boone’s president; BJC hired him in 2013, pulling him from his previous job as president and CEO of Faith Regional Health Services in Norfolk, Nebraska. “Medical technology changes on almost a daily basis,” Sinek says. “For the good, I think. Vendors are always trying to compete with one another, improve on what they put out there last year, and a lot of it either provides better patient safety, or the ability to provide better patient outcomes, or it allows you to work more efficiently.” Sinek is right about medical technology constantly upgrading, and that can be a quandary
for hospital administrators. For example, take the tiny hardware used in one of the signature procedures that Boone’s surgeons can now perform in the hybrid operating room: a transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR. The surgery replaces a faulty heart valve with an artificial one, which is supported by a cage of wires and a paper-thin balloon. Once in place, the TAVR valve is hardly bigger than a cubic inch — but it costs more than $32,500 for the hospital to buy one. Investing in cutting-edge technology is a good way to grab headlines and make physicians happy, but buying technology for it’s own sake is also good way for a hospital to go broke. That’s something Sinek is keenly aware of. He takes the da Vinci as an example. “We think there are some studies that have shown it improves recovery time, and sometimes patients just say, for whatever reason, ‘Hey, I COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 39
want one incision instead of three.’ And they might make their decision about where to get surgery based on that,” Sinek says. “So when you talk about return on investment, think, ‘OK, can we improve patient safety? Can we improve clinical outcomes? Can we improve patient choice and patient-driven selection? And what do the finances look like?’ Because there’s always a business plan behind this.”
MUTUAL TRUST Dr. Joss Fernandez is a vascular surgeon at Missouri Heart Center — he’s one of the doctors who performs TAVR procedures in the hybrid OR. He took me on a tour of the room one day in January. The dominant feature is the looming, roaming imaging machine. It’s groundbased (meaning it sits on wheels), and Fernandez can move it anywhere around the operating table using remote controls. The machine’s huge, round head hovers just above where the patient would be, and it sends signals to a bigscreen, high-definition monitor a few feet away (one of Fernandez’s favorite upgrades). In a TAVR operation, Fernandez makes a cut in a patient’s thigh, inserts a tube carrying the valve, and snakes it through the vascular system all the way to the aorta. He’s watching the patient’s X-ray on the TV real time. Once he gets close to where the stent will go in, he shoots an imaging dye into the tube; on the screen, the stent device will light up, inside the patient, and Fernandez can adjust its position as he sees fit. Then he pops the balloon, makes sure the stent is in place, and pulls everything else back out through the thigh. Presto. “I think Missouri Heart and Boone do a good job of staying at the forefront, but not too advanced — like TAVR was out just long enough to tell where it was going, then we got it,” Fernandez says. “I think that patients in other parts of the country, maybe on the East Coast, if it came out yesterday, they want it today. But I think our patients here are more practical, just because of the mentality. They’re farmers. They get it.” The hybrid OR allows Boone’s surgeons to perform procedures, like TAVR, that are technologically impressive, but also expected of high-level hospitals in 2017. More importantly, the hospital built the room as a commitment to whatever new procedures are coming down the line. Marlene Lyon, director of surgical services for the hospital, says: “[Procedures] get a little bit more complicated, but we’re already set up, equipment wise, to go that next step. So we designed the room to enhance what we have 40 FEBRUARY 2017
and go the next five to ten years so we can be on the cutting edge already.” To a doctor like Fernandez, in a tech-heavy field like vascular surgery, that’s a signal that the hospital is willing to listen. But Boone purchases technology in a checks-and-balances system: the hospital relies on its private doctors, which Sinek says make up 90 percent of their physician staff, to push for the latest and greatest technology, but the hospital also forces doctors to make a strong case for their investment. The data — in clinical outcomes, patient choice, or efficiency — must justify the expense. “[Boone] trusts you if you say, ‘OK, we’ve seen enough and we know this is good,” Fernandez says, but he adds there has to be accountability on both sides. “In our field, it’s a lot like being in the state house, where we’re being lobbied. We are lobbied by medical device compa-
nies that want to get you to do things that aren’t necessarily perfect. They will convince you it’s perfect, and you have to be smart enough not to buy into that. You have to have a higher threshold. And I think Boone does a good job at looking at the data — and they’re not holding back just because they want to.” “There was a period of time of having to keep going and requesting more resources, requesting more resources, requesting more resources,” Crowder says, talking about making the case for a second da Vinci robot at the hospital. Eventually, Crowder and her fellow robotic surgeons had meetings to talk about where they could share equipment and cut procedural costs if the hospital bought a second robot. That pitch worked. “You know, clinical people and administrative people think about things differently, and they look at things dif-
A surgical team working on a laparoscopic procedure. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 41
ferently,” she says. “Which is probably good, because we have the push and the pull for a while, but we were able to secure a second system, and right now I’m very happy.” There’s been much talk, in the last half-year, about Columbia’s capacity to use its health care to attract tourism and business development; if a hospital in Columbia were to invest in some groundbreaking technology that wasn’t available anywhere else in the Midwest, and if they could develop a reputation of national excellence, would people come to Columbia to get health care and spend their money? 42 FEBRUARY 2017
Sinek, while not refuting the idea outright, seems skeptical. “You can call yourself what you want to call yourself, but you can’t hide the fact that if you don’t have excellent outcomes, you can’t hide it,” he says. “You can’t — what is it? — you can’t put lipstick on a pig. So the key is: can you drive high clinical outcomes, and can you be a safe hospital that doesn’t have adverse patient incidents, and is your patient satisfaction good — do people want to come here, and do they feel like they’re taken care of not as a number but as a human being? . . . You’re going to have to demonstrate the qual-
ity care first. The marketing plan ain’t gonna get you there.” Boone’s system of demanding justification for technology fits that strategy, and it fits the larger shift in health care administration toward outcome-driven decision making. But Boone is in a different position than the Mayo Clinics of the world — hospitals that are beholden to fewer stakeholders. Boone has an obligation to its existing network, not only of patients and doctors, but also to BJC as a whole, and to the trustees, who control the lease. Growth for the hospital works best when
BUILDING UP
Dr. Sara Crowder, a gynecologic oncologist, in front of the da Vinci robot. Crowder has performed more than 1,000 robotic surgeries at Boone Hospital.
it comes slowly, steadily, and empirically, which is what the checks-and-balances system now in place promotes. Doctors will always keep looking for the next best thing; the hospital will keep pushing them to make it efficient. In the hybrid OR, I ask Fernandez if he sees any ceiling in medical technology — if there’s any possible technological leap in vascular surgery that would make things as efficient and effective as they could possibly be. He doesn’t hesitate. “No,” he says. “There will always be something new.”
At the BJC Medical Group facility in Ashland, which is affiliated with Boone Hospital, patients often turn down flu shots. “In rural medicine, we’re just trying to catch up on basics,” says Dr. Nathaniel Murphey, the practice’s MD. “To get primary care the way that it’s supposed to be done in the modern world, I have a hard time talking people into it. They say, ‘If I’m not broke, don’t fix it.’” Murphey always wanted to be a family physician — he’s a people person, and an easy conversationalist. He came to Ashland originally as part of a partnership between Boone and MU Health Care to establish satellite clinics in rural Boone County. When MU decided to go another direction, Boone stayed, which Murphey was fine with. Patients like his are involved with Boone to a greater degree than they are with MU Health, or the VA Hospital, or anyone else, for that matter. When Murphey can talk his patients into more-than-routine treatment, it’s easy to set them up. “Boone Hospital has made access to specialty care down here very easy, and I’m very pleased with Boone Hospital that way,” he says. For much of Boone’s service area, tech upgrades are more about making sure computers work than about multimillion-dollar surgery equipment. Murphey is excited about the BJCwide switch, this year, to a medical computer records system called Epic (“It is the least hated in the country,” he says), which will allow him to share and compare records not only with Boone, but with anyone else in the BJC network. “That’s why it’s kind of a unique system,” Sinek says, talking about BJC. “You get the opportunity to take advantage of not only those academic physicians who have the ability to research and track that technology, but then you also have physicians in a rural community, and what’s going to work for them and what do they need? They may not need all the bells and whistles.” That network is part of the value proposition for something like the da Vinci robot. Crowder is one of only a handful of gynecologic oncologists in the state, so she draws patients from all over. To those people, a quicker hospital stay, less follow-up care, and a lower chance of recovery complications can mean a lot, and that’s what Crowder can offer with her robot. “Even though I got into it to do really complex cases, I now do even straightforward cases robotically,” Crowder says. “And I’ve also pushed the envelope on patients who initially I would have thought weren’t even
a laparoscopic candidate at all, and then, as I moved forward, I got to the point of saying, ‘Well, OK, maybe we’ll start off robotically and there’s a 50/50 chance we’ll get it done entirely with the robot.’ And when you’re able to do that successfully, you just kind of keep pushing the envelope a little bit further and further, trying out more complex things, figuring out ways to overcome obstacles, figuring out better ways to do things.” A lot of today’s medical technology has an inherent coolness factor. Robotic surgery and live X-rays and tiny artificial valves that you could insert into a heart by making a tiny incision in the leg — all of these things were science fiction just half a generation ago. The pace at which medical technology is developing, as Fernandez pointed out, won’t slow down, and doctors will keep finding new ways to apply it, as Crowder has done. It’ll also keep getting more expensive. Boone will have to make investments to ride the tide of technology, and the cooperation and prudence of their staff and physicians will only become more important as the checks get bigger. “And that’s why what we need,” Sinek says, “and what we feel we have is a system that allows our physicians and our surgeons to have a seat at the table and help us understand what we’re paying, why it’s important that we’re controlling our costs. Because everything that we, as a not-for-profit hospital, generate in terms of profits, we invest back in. And as a surgeon or another physician, you’re going to want to keep that bar of excellence where we need it to be.” In 2011, Crowder took her kids and her 80-year-old father-in-law to a display of the da Vinci. It was hooked up to a game of Operation, the surgery board game — anyone could use the robot to try carefully removing, say, the “funny bone.” Crowder’s father-in-law, who used to be a medical device salesman, struggled, but her kids, who were well-practiced in video gaming, picked it up instantly. To a young doctor today — one who grew up controlling figures on a screen for fun — a robotic surgery seems like a pretty common-sense procedure to have at a hospital. “Kids nowadays, like my 15-year-old: What will that mind come up with to do with this technology?” Crowder asks. “Where else will they think to apply it?” CBT COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 43
44 FEBRUARY 2017
Thank you to the staff of the Boone Family Birthplace and the physicians of Women’s Health Associates who have worked together to make Boone Hospital Center one of America’s best hospitals for obstetrics.
COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 45
46 FEBRUARY 2017
Andrea Wood, Ali Hussam, and Andrew Clement
POSI IVE OUTCOME O B E R D l e a d s t h e g row i n g m a r ke t o f h e a l t h c a re d at a co l l e c t i o n .
BY DAV I D MORRI SON | PHOTOGRA PHY BY KEITH BORGM EYER
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ENTHUSIASM IS AN INFINITELY renewable resource for Dr. Ali Hussam. Through 21 years of working at MU, his enthusiasm drove him to delve into human-computer interaction in the health care world: the ways in which technology and humanity could combine to provide more information for physicians who, in turn, could provide better care for the patients. “We believe that every patient is a research patient,” Hussam says. That passion turned into a pet project, which eventually — with the help of a team of programmers and physicians and the encouragement of his co-workers at the MU School of Medicine — turned into a company that predicted the rise of big data in the health care industry: OBERD, or Outcome Based Electronic Research Database, which he and co-founder Dr. Bill Plummer started in 2010. The Columbia-born and -based venture is growing exponentially, nearly seven years after its launch, and is in prime position to factor into quality health care in the future nationally and internationally. OBERD has more than 70 clients that utilize its suite of products, including new clients that are now in the implementation process. Chief Client Officer Andrea Wood says they range in size from one- or two-person practices to health systems with more than 100 doctors. The typical client is a clinic with around 30 to 50 doctors, Wood says, about the size of the Missouri Orthopaedic Institute. Through its medical partners, OBERD has catalogued more than four million outcome forms from nearly 1.8 million patients. The goal is to create a system where a physician can call upon a cohort of millions of patients with similar characteristics — age, height and weight, health history, lifestyle, current ailment, etc. — to cross-reference against a new patient in order to chart a course of treatment and see how that patient progresses. Last year, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, or MACRA, set the goal for Medicare to make half its payments to providers based on patient outcomes rather than patient volume by the end of 2018. OBERD had been shopping its outcome collection database to investors since 2009. “For almost three years, we were almost speaking a foreign language when we’d go to a health care provider — ‘What do you mean by outcomes?’” Hussam says. “And now, hopefully, it’s going to become the norm.”
A ‘CINDERELLA STORY’ The early days of OBERD were all arrivals, departures, airport food, rental cars, and hotel rooms. Colleagues at the MU School of Medicine saw potential in OBERD and encouraged Hussam to make it a reality. Hussam and some of his students developed some prototypes for the company with the aid of the university’s licensing office, then they hit the road to find some seed money. “There was really nothing at that time, when we left. It was just an idea,” Hussam says. “When we hit the real world, that’s when it was an awakening call for us. . . . We were really in the trenches, and we didn’t feel anything. We were so driven with excitement and we were way ahead of the ballgame.” The OBERD team — Hussam, Wood, and developers Matt Allen, Nathan Bleigh, Ben Griffith, and Sowjanya Paladugu — flew up to Philadelphia weekly for nine months, cultivating the business with investors from the Rothman Institute, a high-end orthopedic group there. Hussam says OBERD would not be here today without Rothman — the institute provided funding, software development help, and early outcomes to help build the database. Now, Rothman’s founder and CEO both sit on the OBERD board. “People were energized and excited, but they all seemed to have different aspirations for it, different ideas, which was challenging,” Wood says. “At that point, when we were so young, we were kind of trying to please everyone to a certain extent. We ended up having to change our road map quite a bit as far as what the original system was designed to do. It was kind of like the people who were energized were the people trying to set the pace and be ahead of the game, the industry leaders. “Ali often describes it as a ‘Cinderella story,’” she goes on, “because it just so happened that, with what we were doing, we were able to morph the system to propel us into the new era where all this is required.” After Hussam and Plummer, Wood was part of the second “wave” of people who joined the company — “Wave meaning three,” she says with a laugh. OBERD added a handful of employees each year for the first three or four years. Now, it has blossomed to a staff of more than 60. Wood is getting used to the fact that she no longer knows everybody who works at OBERD. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 49
THE “MARY” STORY The name has been changed, but the story is true. The “Mary” story tells the tale of a 56-year-old woman with chronic knee pain — OBERD uses her to demonstrate how its system is supposed to work. Mary goes to one physician after feeling pain in her right knee and undergoes two procedures — a total knee arthroplasty, or TKA, and an arthroscopic surgery, to remove scar tissue — that initially solve the problem. But the pain returns. Mary goes to another hospital, one that uses OBERD, where her doctors use data collection and patient-reported outcomes. After two more surgeries — another TKA on her right knee and one on the left, after pain crops up there — Mary gets back to normal on a more permanent basis. If her first physician had the capability to match Mary’s case with the patient population and use that data to set a predictive course of recovery, OBERD argues, it could have saved her some time, pain, and two more surgeries. “It’s a partnership between the providers and the patients,” OBERD chief executive officer and co-founder Dr. Ali Hussam says. “We need the physician to focus on patient care versus focusing on data collection and data analysis. Our goal is that the patient fills the form on time with these other reminders, we process the data, we benchmark them, trend them, and present them to the physician at the right time. “We’re caring about what the patient cares about: reducing pain, increasing functions, and getting them back to work or their normal daily activities. And we get them engaged with us.” 50 FEBRUARY 50 FEBRUARY 2017 2017
“It’s been rapid,” she says. “Two or three years go by, and then you reflect: very fast-paced, adventurous, for sure. Innovative. I’ve never once come to work and left feeling like I was caught up. Never once came to work and felt like I didn’t have anything to do.” After starting with a list of four or five clients, OBERD is now a vendor for such heavy hitters as the University of Oxford, in England, and Northwestern University, in Illinois. Hussam says the company has a large client base on the East Coast and in Chicago, and they’re expanding to locations on the West Coast and in Colorado and Texas. Next year, OBERD is going live in Australia and New Zealand. The capabilities of the company’s software have expanded along with its client list. OBERD’s software suite started as a simple research tool, then they added layers and layers of in-clinic data from the physicians and reported outcome tracking from patients. The more the company grew, the more useful it became. Director of Operations Andrew Clement says the company’s strength comes from how flexible it can be to the needs of clients. “It’s talking to them about what they need from the technology, what’s coming up,” he says. “How can we give you the tools you need to make better data, better decisions for better outcomes? You’ve got to be intimate with the customer to find out what they need, and then you build software to meet their needs.”
POSITIONING FOR THE FUTURE OBERD’s office takes up a nearly 8,000-squarefoot space atop Bank of America at the corner of Cherry and Eighth streets. Hussam wants the company to stay downtown, but he also feels as if he needs nearly twice the space to accommodate OBERD as its grows. Energy radiates from Hussam’s corner office. Even though he’s taken to delegating more than he did in the early days, OBERD takes on the characteristics of its CEO. “We’re beyond startup, but that startup energy is still very much a part of the culture here,” Clement says. “[Hussam] is connecting the vision of the future to what we’re doing today and making sure we’re on track.” Hussam expects 2017 to be a banner year for OBERD, with MACRA and the Merit-based Incentive Payment System, or MIPS, an outcome-based grading system, starting to affect more and more physicians. “The Affordable Care Act, when it started, was almost like putting the burden on all institutions to become the new IT experts on the block,” Hussam says. “We believe that with our system get-
“We’re the people between the computer and the human, utilizing the best of both.”
ting adopted by prestigious health care institutions and physicians, we’ve resolved many of these obstacles.” Hussam still sees some very logical avenues for the company to pursue. Right now, almost all of OBERD’s clients are in orthopedics. There are plenty of other specialties to which OBERD’s suite of software can apply. Hussam says the company can also focus more on public health systems and smaller practices. He has an acute sense that OBERD has just scratched the surface when it comes to data mining and synthesis. The next step is automated collection: having patients continually record data without even thinking about it, using “embedded devices” such as smart phones. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 51
Doctors should be able to access reams of self-reported data from their patients before, during, and after treatment. Patients should be able to consult with a doctor, backed by OBERD analysis, about the progress and course of their treatments — based upon a seemingly endless supply of other similar cases from around the world. That’s the thinking behind OBERD Mountain, a product set to launch in the first quarter of 2017. Mountain will be able to use aggregated data to help plot out a potential course of recovery for a patient in real time, based on his or her individual health profile. “We’re the people between the computer and the human, utilizing the best of both,” Hussam says. “The computer is an immensely wonderful computation machine, and the human cognitive– visual perception is just absolutely unmatched. We looked at both and saw how we can align them into this amazing software.” One note of uncertainty hangs over the proceedings of OBERD and pretty much all other health care companies: newly elected President Donald Trump and a Republican-majority Congress have placed a premium on rolling back health care changes enacted over the past eight years under President Barack Obama. But OBERD feels its business model is immune to any possible alterations — value-based health care has become an almost universally accepted new standard. Private insurance companies are starting to require the same data as the government. The MACRA legislation, encouraging a focus on the type of data OBERD collects, enjoyed broad bipartisan support and passed easily in both houses of Congress. Clement, who joined OBERD in September 2014, said it was a conversation that had already started in his native United Kingdom before he moved to the United States four years ago. “I don’t think that value-based care as a concept is going to go away, because it’s happening worldwide,” says Clement. “We’re at this prime spot, this great window of opportunity where the value-based care transition in health care is demanding that physicians collect patient quality outcomes. That’s what we’ve been doing for the past six years.” So the OBERD team will keep coming up with new, more efficient ways to bend big data to the benefit of both physicians and patients. And they’ll be doing it from their cozy abode on the second floor of 800 Cherry St. That is, until the next round of expansion. “My goal is that we thrive by the people of Columbia, the university, the Missourians who really have been the backbone of my company,” Hussam says. “It’s the people, the city, the university. They’ve been wonderful for us.” CBT 52 FEBRUARY 2017
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54 FEBRUARY 2017
SERVING THOSE WHO SERVED Harry S Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital completes major construction projects in a changing political climate.
BY BRANDON HOOPS PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANTHONY JINSON
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IN HIS 39 1/2 YEARS AT TRUMAN Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Stephen Gaither has seen a lot of change, but nothing quite at the pace that has transformed the facility during the past decade. Driving down Stadium Boulevard today, you can see that the level of activity has not relented. The large yellow crane tucked into the middle of the facility moves with the precision of a ticking clock. The chutes sticking out windows take away old materials and make way for renovations on the inside. The front entrance wears a tarp like a Band-Aid. The impression of a new parking garage can be imagined in the shadow of its $9.4 million predecessor. “I like to joke that you almost need to wear a hard hat when you’re around here,” Gaither says. “For the past 10 years, it’s been one big project after another to enhance our infrastructure and increase our space.” Gaither, the public affairs officer for the hospital, can rattle off the history of Truman VA with encyclopedic accuracy. But, even for him, keeping track of the list of current construction projects can be a bit more difficult. Gaither consults a PowerPoint presentation he shares frequently at town hall meetings in the hospital’s 43-county footprint across the state. The list highlights eight projects, including a handful of the ones scheduled to be completed in 2017, among which are the new dental clinic, the new patient education center, and the relocation of the intensive care unit. Clay Atherton, chief of facilities management service, estimates that $30 million to $35 million in construction is currently underway. A lot of the improvements across the 19-acre facility (originally completed in 1972 for $15 million) are designed to meet current standards and ensure that the ever-increasing number of veterans gets the best care possible. Since the late 1990s, the number of veterans receiving care at Truman VA has grown from 15,000 to more than 38,000. “We’re here to solve problems and take on challenges, and, for me and engineering staff, it’s fun,” says Atherton, 45, who has worked at the hospital for eight years. “No matter how careful you are, there is an impact on patients because it’s noisy and creates inconveniences. But when we finish a project and get positive feedback, it validates what we do.” 56 FEBRUARY 2017
THINKING INSIDE THE BOX The extent of the planning and construction carrying Truman VA forward are part of what drew David Isaacks back to the Midwest from sunny St. Petersburg, Florida. After a year working as chief operating officer for the VA Sunshine Healthcare Network, he arrived in July 2016 to take over as medical director at Truman VA. For the 37-yearold, the move was a return to the VA Heartland Network, where he had spent nearly a decade working in the Kansas City and Topeka areas. Isaacks had always looked at Truman VA as a model facility in the region. He appreciated the
medical center’s strong relationship with MU, its robust research program, the longevity of the core leadership team, and its recognition as the sixth best place to work in the VA health care system, according to national surveys of all VA employees. The commitment to master planning supplemented these qualities. “I was excited about this opportunity,” Isaacks says. “Coming somewhere new and pursuing my first permanent position as a medical director — a lot of those things weigh as very stable things, especially in an industry that can often be unstable and has a lot of risk associated with it.”
VA facilities nationwide are undergoing similar transformations to improve outdated infrastructures. Gaither says this emphasis started late in President George W. Bush’s tenure and increased under the Obama administration, especially with the scrutiny cast upon the Veterans Health Administration in 2014 following a series of scandals related to negligence in veterans’ medical care. Total VA funding has grown by nearly 86 percent since 2009, according to President Obama’s 2017 VA budget request. But the political environment can always create volatility. At Truman VA, about 90 percent of the operating budget comes from congressional allocations (the rest comes from third-party reimbursements). Every project undergoes a different approval process, with the major construction projects requiring congressional approval. In some cases, the laws,
which set limits on expenditures, haven’t kept up with increasing construction costs. “A lot of times in the VA, we have to think inside the box because we have constraints,” Isaacks says. “Our facility management team is the best I’ve ever seen.” The VA Heartland Network is the funding agent for Truman VA and other facilities in the region, taking money from the government’s allocation and distributing it to facilities. If there’s money available that another Heartland facility can’t use for construction, Truman VA can step in and say, “We’ve got a project you can fund.” Since it can be difficult to know when money will become available and how much, the engineers at Truman VA have to be proactive at keeping improvement projects on the shelf and ready to go.
Pictured: Workers at a construction site inside the Truman VA hospital. The number of veterans served at Truman has more than doubled since the 1990s, which has spurred investments in facility improvements. Between $30 and $35 million in construction is currently underway at Truman. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 57
‘‘The more empowered our employees feel, the happier they are. That leads to better productivity, better retention, and a better product _ which is customer care.’’ 58 FEBRUARY 2017
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Right: David Isaacks, Truman’s medical director, and Dr. Lana Zerrer, the chief of staff at the hospital.
“Whatever the rule or regulation is, or even if there are unknowns, we try to work through that,” Atherton says. “Our commitment is to getting the work done.” What will happen to VA funding over the next four years is unknown. It’s unclear if funds will be trimmed back or if the voices calling for a major shift in VA administration — such as privatization — will get louder. Whatever happens, Isaacks is focused; he’s confident his dedicated engineering staff will keep the hospital on top of its expansion and renovation goals. For 2017, this means checking a few projects off his list and sending four to six more out for bids to contractors. The dental clinic and patient education center were completed in January, while the ICU relocation and inpatient surgery unit are on track to finish in the following months. The projects currently out for bids include a second parking garage on Monk Drive and the third phase of the ambulatory care addition. “You get here and there’s a ton of construction — some of it is a headache for visitors, but we are still on track with our plans for this facility,” Isaacks says.
MAKING IT PERSONAL Brick and mortar only tells part of the story at Truman VA. When Cheryl Hemme, 57, the chief of behavioral health services, walks around the second floor, she can’t help but glance at the posters sharing wall space with framed pictures of landmarks around Columbia. These “Portraits of Recovery,” as they’re known at the
Improving interior design and workspace efficiency has been a priority in Truman’s renovations.
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hospital, highlight individuals who have overcome hardships through services at Truman VA. What’s particularly impactful are the quotes from each patient, revealing small details of their journey and offering encouragement to those who come after them. “The heart of this hospital is truly veterans-first,” Hemme says. Expanding the ICU from 12 to 14 beds accommodates increased inpatient activity. Moving the inpatient surgery unit, now on the sixth floor, to the third floor, adjacent to ICU, means patients will have single rooms with adequate sizing and amenities during their stay. Placing the ICU directly above the operating room suites, with a dedicated, properly sized elevator, means that veterans will no longer have to be transported down a common hallway after surgery to an elevator that takes them up five floors.
This focus on patients matters to Isaacks because he is one. “I have a vested interest in making it better because I’m using it,” says Isaacks, who has leaned on the VA health care system since leaving U.S. Marine Corps in 2005. Another point of emphasis for Isaacks in 2017 is improving patient safety. Truman VA is the only pilot site in the VA for the Hospital of the Future and High Reliability Organization Project. This three-year initiative, modeled after similar projects in the aviation industry, aims to solve health care’s most critical safety and quality problems. “[Issacks] has pushed us to find ways to improve our care and efficiency, even if it means taking a risk,” says Dr. Lana Zerrer, 44, the chief of staff at Truman VA. “He is a huge advocate for veterans.”
Employees are engaged in the process and are helping facilitate many of the changes. Zerrer appreciates their readiness and their input on improving work areas and patient care. One recent example came from the hospital’s medical clerks, who requested a second computer monitor at their work stations to help with workflow management and scheduling processes. “We’re listening to our employees and giving them the tools to do a good job,” Zerrer says. “The more empowered our employees feel, the happier they are. That leads to better productivity, better retention, and a better product — which is customer care.” Although the salaries of VA physicians don’t always rise to the level of certain specialists in the private sector, the current enhancements are intended to create opportunities for Truman VA to recruit more health care professionals. The hospital hopes to see the current staff of 1,400 grow to 1,510 employees once all vacant positions are filled. “When you have all the bells and whistles, it shows how committed you are,” Isaacks says. “And it brings in the best doctors, nurses, and administrative staff because they want to be proud of the care they can deliver.”
LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE Every week, when Zerrer takes time away from administrative duties to be with her patients, she notices more children in the waiting rooms, and even more in her office during appointments. The hospital seems livelier. “Things are a lot different now than they used to be,” Zerrer says. “It’s nice to hear kids laughing in the hospital. The VA has definitely changed, but the veterans are changing it more than us.” Today, the VA system is more successful in reaching the youngest returning combat veterans than any other time in history. Since 9/11, almost 58 percent of those who served during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, or Operation New Dawn have received VA health care services nationally. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 61
“I see our employees do that every single day. They’re in trenches, dealing with that one veteran, trying to make their life better.”
Joshua Rudderforth, 35, is one of those veterans. He served with the Air Force from 2000 to 2008, including three tours in Iraq, before joining the Navy Reserve from 2009 to 2015. When he moved to Columbia last January, he decided to stop running from the dark residue of his military service. “I knew I had a lot of issues that I wasn’t addressing,” says Rudderforth, whose PTSD contributed to volatile mood swings, terrible nightmares, and two divorces. “Pre-Iraq Josh was fun, but post-Iraq Josh was angry and couldn’t find his place in the world.” The stigma related to mental health issues kept Rudderforth from going to visit a VA medical center. But once he found the Green Team, more formally known as the Behavioral Health Service Line, at Truman VA, things changed. He calmed down, learned to identify his emotions, and improved his relationship with his 62 FEBRUARY 2017
five kids. He even turned to Truman VA for his primary care. “I didn’t realize all they offered,” Rudderforth says. “I thought the VA was only there to help veterans when they got really sick. It didn’t know it was such an all-encompassing health facility.” Zerrer feels a special bond with veterans like Rudderforth, having been stationed in Kyrgyzstan in 2004 as part of her service with the U.S. Air Force. “I served with that group and saw them come in and out of war,” Zerrer says. “So when they come into the VA, I feel a deep connection with them.” Women are also reshaping the VA health care system, since they are serving in the U.S. Armed Forces more than ever. Truman VA has about 2,700 women enrolled, 51 percent of whom are between the ages of 21 and 49.
In the counties Truman VA serves, 33 percent of the eligible female veterans are enrolled to receive care, compared to 40 percent of males. Cindy Stivers, the Women Veterans Program Manager, helps ensure that women across Missouri are aware of services they can receive, including primary care, mammograms, cancer screenings, and more. She enjoys telling the story of Helen Grahl, a Columbia resident who enrolled for health care services at Truman VA at 90 years old. Grahl served in Marine Corps Women’s Reserves in WWII, but didn’t consider herself a veteran and didn’t realize she was eligible to use the VA hospital. Even Stivers, who was in the Marine Corps from 1990 to 1994, waited almost 20 years before turning to the VA health care system. “A lot of women veterans don’t realize the whole scope of all the different services we offer, which is a vast amount,” Stivers says. Zerrer is excited about the future of Truman VA, and not just because of the fancy renovations and modern expansions, but because the foundation that’s been there all along provides the best opportunity to reach more veterans. “We always strive to do what’s best for the veteran,” Zerrer says. “I see our employees do that every single day. They’re in trenches, dealing with that one veteran, trying to make their life better.” CBT
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Mind, Body, & Spirit In alternative medicine, it can be difficult to navigate what’s available and what actually works. But as insurance premiums rise, more people are opening up to methods outside the scope of mainstream health care, and these wellness entrepreneurs are helping that shift. They’re changing Columbia’s perceptions by taking modern approaches to ancient medicine. By Jordan Milne
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Acupuncture of Columbia Inc. Gina Butler “The difference between Chinese and Western medicines is that Chinese medicine looks at the physical, mental, and emotional state of a person, since the body, mind, and spirit are inseparable,” explains licensed acupuncturist Gina Butler. “It’s a whole body approach with a customized treatment plan depending on the person.” Butler had her first exposure to acupuncture at 19, when she was dealing with chronic pain. Her mother made her an appointment. “I did not want to go,” Butler says. “I was scared of needles and thought my mom was crazy, but Western medicine only had medication to offer me.” The treatments had such a profound effect on Butler, who was pursing her pre-medical school education at the time, that she changed her path and went into Chinese medicine instead. Upon graduating from the Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine, she found herself working as an associate at the same clinic where her affinity for acupuncture began. A native of Washington state, Butler has had her practice, Acupuncture of Columbia Inc., for five and a half years. She is licensed by the Missouri Acupuncture Association and is nationally certified in both acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. 66 FEBRUARY 2017
Photography by Anthony Jinson
“When I came to Missouri from the West Coast six years ago, I thought, ‘There is no way this community is going to embrace this,’” Butler says. “I have been shocked at the response, and not only from the Columbia community, but also from the surrounding areas. Patients drive from Jefferson City, Moberly, and the Lake to see me.” When a patient visits, Butler determines which method to use based upon their symptoms. “Acupuncture is fantastic for pain,” says Butler. “Most of the acupuncture I do is for chronic and acute pain management. I use Chinese herbal medicine for internal issues such as sinus congestion, allergies, stomach problems, depression, and anxiety.” Most new patients come in with multiple complaints. Using Chinese medicine, acupuncture, or a combination of the two, Butler can address many of their medical issues in the same visit. Several of Butler’s patients use her treatments to complement conventional medicine practices, and others come to see her as a last resort after trying physical therapy, massage, medication, and injections. The number one complaint she treats is pain, followed by stress, fatigue, insomnia, and even infertility. “Instead of chasing after symptoms, we look at the root cause,” says Butler. “For example, if someone comes in with allergies, they won’t get a generic form of an allergy formula. The medicine is very customized. A patient will come in and say, ‘I just want something for my cold,’ and I will say, ‘No. It depends upon what type of cold you have.’” Most insurance policies in Missouri currently do not cover acupuncture. That forces Butler to maintain a cash-based practice, which is a huge disadvantage to her patients. “It involves needles, it’s alternative medicine, and insurance doesn’t cover it. So basically, it is not a recipe for success,” Butler says with a laugh. But people keep coming back. “Patients say, ‘I can’t believe I enjoy you sticking needles in me!’” Butler says. “The number one thing patients tell me is that they wish they would have come to see me sooner.” COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 67
Photography by Keith Borgmeyer 68 FEBRUARY 2017
New Village Wellness LLC Kim James “I think the value to exploring any kind of ‘alternative medicine’ is that it generally offers a gentle, holistic approach,” says midwife Kim James. “It often either replaces costly mainstream medical care or complements it, at the very least.” James has been a certified professional midwife since 1995 and has attended over 600 births. She is the owner of New Village Wellness. James and two other midwives comprise the Columbia Area Midwives collective. The midwives’ business model is unusual in that they each have their own business, and clients hire them as individuals. But they meet regularly, share resources, and team up to assist each other at births. James’ scope of midwife care includes home birth services, childbirth classes, prenatal care, postpartum care, and prenatal massage therapy. “I don’t really view midwifery care as alternative medicine, although I know it has been labeled as such,” James says. “It’s one of the oldest occupations in human history.” James was attracted to midwifery towards the end of high school. She was accepted into a midwifery program at the New Life School of Midwifery, in Austin, Texas, and began her studies and apprenticeship in the early ’80s.
“My mother reports that I was 11 years old when I told her that I wanted to deliver babies when I grew up,” says James. “I have been a midwife my entire adult life, and this is what I was born to do.” James, who only assists in home births, says that some maternity care patients think birth centers are a safer or more socially acceptable place to have a baby outside of the hospital. “This day and age, it’s easier for people to wrap their minds around giving birth in a designated place,” she says. James and her partners bring all of the supplies and equipment that would be found in a freestanding birth center to the patient’s home when they arrive for the birth. James packs everything she needs into a suitcase, including sterile instruments, oxygen, anti-hemorrhagic medicine, and resuscitation equipment, in the case of an emergency. “The focus is on maximizing the health and wellness of the mother–baby duo,” says James. “Midwives are trained to identify medical problems early on and to make appropriate referrals when problems fall outside of the midwifery scope of practice.” Midwives recognize and attend to the emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of pregnancy. “I welcome low-risk mothers who are drawn to a model of care that honors their participation in decision-making and informed consent,” says James. “We spend a lot of time building a relationship of trust and mutual respect, which allows me to serve each woman as an individual.” Though midwifery in Missouri was decriminalized in 2007, James believes that the biggest challenges to providing out-of-hospital midwifery care continue to be political. “Home birth midwives have been systematically discouraged and criminalized since the rise of organized medicine in the early 20th century,” says James. “We’re an endangered species.” But mainstream acceptance of the midwifery model of practice continues to be on the rise. The MU Women and Children’s Hospital now employs two in-house midwives. “In my ideal world, there would be a relationship of mutual respect and collaboration between midwives and doctors,” says James. “I think that’s the key to improving maternity care, and it’s what we see in countries like Japan, Great Britain, and Holland, and these countries have statistically superior outcomes to the U.S. I feel fortunate to have found a handful of open-minded doctors in Columbia who share this perspective.” COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 69
Reiki Integrative Healing Jill Allen “The key to healing is returning to a calm state,” says reiki master practitioner Jill Allen. “When the body is in a truly relaxed state, it’s given the opportunity to rest, restore, and open itself to healing.” Reiki is a hands-on Japanese system of energy medicine that supports healing of the body, mind, and spirit. The practitioner lays his or her hands upon (or just above) the patient and holds stillness and space, a simple technique often resulting in an overall sense of well-being. “Reiki is a deep source of nourishment that works on a subtle yet profound level,” Allen says. “It releases blockages that steal our precious life force. It opens the channels to regenerate, renew, and restore this flow of energy, naturally helping the body’s own innate ability to rediscover wellness.” Allen was led to reiki through her own journey in healing trauma, injury, PTSD, and anxiety. Her 10 years of guiding others in nutrition, yoga, and ayurveda (a traditional Indian healing method) also gave her support, but she discovered that reiki amplified her practice in these other fields. “Receiving reiki was a game changer,” says Allen. “It provided me with restoration and healing on profound new levels.” Allen began her Reiki training in 2010, receiving her level one training (there are three training levels) from Dr. Matthew Cowan, a naturopathic doctor in Columbia. She contin70 FEBRUARY 2017
Photography by Keith Borgmeyer
ued her training through 2016, receiving reiki master certification through the Whole Life Center in Kansas City. “Reiki is an integrated approach,” says Allen, “meaning it treats the person as a whole, compared to Western medicine, which treats the individual body systems and symptoms.” Reiki is rarely covered by insurance. And, due to the subtlety of the technique, patients are sometimes left uncertain, wondering if it’s working or how it’s working. “While receiving regular treatments of reiki can leave you feeling better, it can take time for the deeper healing and restoration to occur, depending upon the individual,” says Allen. “Patience and trust is needed, which can be difficult in our culture of instant relief and gratification. There is a high expectation of ‘I need or want to see this condition fixed now.’” Reiki is a unique treatment in that it requires no medications or extra tools and produces no side effects. Reiki patients report improvement of sleep, digestion, focus, mood, and memory, as well as reduced anxiety, pain, stress, and depression. “In reiki, the experience is everything,” says Allen. “You understand the power of it during treatment. I have found that most often when people come for a reiki treatment, they feel a ‘shift.’ It’s usually a relaxed state, and here’s where the healing happens with continued treatments. Confidence builds as they see and feel the layers of healing occurring.” The practice is also gaining popularity in hospitals, cancer centers, and other medical facilities across the country. It’s even used in sports medicine and in the treatment of animals. “Quite honestly, reiki fits in everywhere,” says Allen. “Just like traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and massage are now being implemented as supportive medical therapy. I believe the Midwest will soon be embracing more of reiki’s energy medicine.” She offers Reiki practice at Regeneration Salon and Spa and Serenity Therapeutic. CBT COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 71
YOUR BEST BOOTH, NOW MADE BETTER With the Columbia Chamber of Commerce’s Business Showcase around the corner, be sure you know how to rock a trade show.
By Lili Vianello 72 FEBRUARY 2017
COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 73
T R A D E S H OWS A R E T R I C K Y. Yes, a trade show can be a great place to get your name out. True, it can also be a great environment to launch a new product or introduce a new advertising campaign. If you have a bold, direct message that is easy to communicate to booth visitors, you’re a step ahead of the competition. But the expo itself is only a fraction of the total experience. What happens before and after your expo appearance is just as important as the work you put in on the day of the show, and maybe more so. Essentially, you should be implementing a mini marketing plan for your business, with your presence at the expo sandwiched between other marketing and promotional activities that happen in the months leading up to and following the event.
BEFORE THE EVENT You’ve registered for your booth. Now you need to brainstorm and build it. Start by knowing your audience: Who will attend the event, and what other businesses are exhibiting? (Don’t forget that exhibitors can be prospects too.) Will you have individuals in the room who are already your customers? Will the event offer an opportunity to re-visit prospects you’ve approached previously? Will the majority of people in the room be prospects, or just a select few? Different tactics can be employed to reach your most likely customers. Based on the anticipated audience, you can establish your goals. What are you trying to accomplish through your participa-
tion? Are you trying to establish credibility? Launch a new product or introduce a new co-worker? Educate? Is showing customer appreciation important? Setting goals and communicating them to everyone working the booth is critical for a successful show. Keep in mind that goals are best when they are SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. Not every expo offers an on-the-spot selling opportunity; many merely set the stage for future transactions. However, if generating leads is the targeted activity, make sure everyone understands the profile of a good lead for your business. It’s also good to identify a minimum number of leads you’d like to get from the event. Push your
A TRADE SHOW SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR FIRST-TIME BOOTHS (& Seasoned Pros)
01.
COMFORT
Don’t wear new shoes. Select a pair you’ve already broken in that have good arch support. You’re going to be on your feet all day, and, if your feet are tired and sore, you’re probably not going to be projecting your sunniest disposition to potential clients. It’s also not a bad idea to bring an extra comfortable second pair to change into — it will give your dogs a cool respite.
05.
RECHARGE
06. 02.
HYDRATE
03.
APPEARANCE
04.
REST UP
Make sure you bring water to keep yourself hydrated. A facility’s dry air, combined with the use of your voice all day, can dehydrate you and strain your voice. Keep water bottles hidden in your booth to keep it uncluttered.
You need to be comfortable, but you also need to present yourself professionally. Your appearance reflects your business, which influences how a client thinks you’ll handle their business. Select sensible clothing you have worn previously. Dress in layers if possible, as the exhibition floor tends to be cool in the morning and then, by late afternoon, excessively warm. Also consider having your team dress alike to present a unified group.
With an exhausting day ahead of you, plan on getting a decent amount of sleep the night before so you arrive wide-awake and ready to sell.
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TEAM UP
07.
REFRESH
08.
NETWORK
Leaving the booth every once in a while will recharge your energy. Spend your break times visiting other vendors. The change in scenery while walking the floor will increase blood flow and bring your energy level up.
Plan your staffing so that at least two sales people are in the booth at all times. During peak times, try to have three people scheduled. The overlap will allow you time to talk to each prospect without ignoring new visitors to the booth. If it gets slow, send your extra staff out to talk to other exhibitors, but have them check back often.
Hours of talking, drinking water, and being on your feet can leave you with not-so-fresh breath and sapped energy. Bring enough mints for the entire sales team; the sugar in them can also help boost everyone’s energy.
Every trade show traffic pattern has peaks and valleys. Take advantage of the valleys to network with other exhibitors and let your team members take breaks.
team to gather as many quality leads as possible in order to recoup on your booth investment. If you decide to have a theme, it should fit your corporate image and perhaps even correspond with your current advertising campaign. Select two or three primary messages and keep the booth simple. Make sure you have adequate signage that will be easy to see and understand. People shouldn’t have to guess what your business name is or what you do. Also, have you updated your website lately? Chances are that booth visitors will check you out online after the show. They don’t need to be reading about the event you sponsored two years ago or staff members who now work for your competition. Refreshing your content will convey company health and success. Trade shows are a great opportunity to meet up with clients and vendors. Invite them to the showcase to visit your booth. Have your sales team share complimentary tickets with prospects. This will allow them to learn more about your organization in a relaxed, non-threatening arena.
DURING THE EVENT It’s showcase day, so get your business cards out, slap on a nametag, and commit to meeting some people. Because trade shows are such prime opportunities to gather prospects and leads, put your best sales team in your booth. The showcase might be someone’s first exposure to your business, so you definitely want to put your best foot forward. Everyone in the booth should be coached on expectations for the day and on your objectives. Contests and giveaways can help bring people into your booth, but, if you employ these tactics, make sure the contest has something to do with your business. You will be able to convert giveaway entries into a database of prospects. You shouldn’t feel compelled to have literature or goodies to hand out. Instead, engage visitors in conversations and question them about their needs and challenges. Make notes on business cards you receive. This will make you better prepared to follow up with prospects after the event.
AFTER THE EVENT Follow up with all of your leads. Eighty percent of exhibitors don’t follow up with their leads at all, which essentially makes trade show participation a colossal waste of time and money. Sending direct mail or emails to your leads can be a good way to follow up, but a personal interaction is even better. If you made a commitment to answer a question or complete an action, honoring that pledge is essential. After the contact is made, you may also choose to add them to your database so they will receive regular newsletters, emails, or mailed communications about your business. Remember: Most sales don’t occur with just one interaction. A long-term drip campaign will keep your message front and center long after the expo. Keeping track of observations and revenues resulting from a show should be part of your process to plan for the future. Measure your revenue gained for at least one year. You can see what worked and what didn’t. You might find things to improve upon the following year, or you might find out that another show or medium might be a better match for your objectives. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your expo experience is limited to the days your booth is on display. Businesses that commit to their trade show as just one part of an extended marketing plan realize a much better return on investment. CBT
PREPARING YOUR 30-SECOND COMMERCIAL If you could boil your company down to a few bullet points, what would you focus on? Often, the window of opportunity to make a favorable impression on a potential customer or client closes quickly — assume you’ve got 30 seconds to convey the essence of your brand and why you’re worth knowing. A good investment of your time is to dream up a 30-second commercial about you and your business. Sound easy? It’s much harder than you probably think. When you start to map it out, keep six important elements in mind.
YOU Who are you?
SERVICE What business or industry are you in?
CLIENT Who do you serve (demographics, consumers, businesses, etc.)?
NEEDS What are the needs of the clients you serve?
DIFFERENTIATION What makes you stand apart from your competition?
BENEFITS What are the core benefits a client receives from your product or service?
Put it all together and you’re halfway home. It’s important to have the speech practiced but not so polished that it sounds memorized and passionless. Your 30-second commercial needs to be conversational, natural, and sincere. Keep eye contact and be ready to wrap it up earlier than anticipated if your audience isn’t engaged. Be warm and friendly, but don’t focus too much on yourself; make it about the product or service. Talk about competitive advantages and why your company is uniquely positioned for success. Take your time and don’t rush through the information. Stay on track and be ready to seal the deal with a confident handshake.
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OR G A N I ZAT I ON AL H EALT H
set, and requisite education and training. Also, the description should list any additional education or training that needs to be executed once the person is on board. 4. Develop the key performance indicators. These are the performance metrics for the position and should match the key accountabilities and desired goal-setting framework for this job. Everyone needs a scoreboard to measure his or her performance.
ORGA N I Z AT IONAL H E ALTH
Eight Steps to Making Quality Hiring Decisions BY TON Y RICHA R DS | Fou n de r of C le ar Visio n Deve l o p m e n t G ro u p
YOUR ORGANIZATION WILL CONTINUE to grow its leaders and the people who will become the next leaders. So many organizations are capped in growth because of the caliber of the people they hire. They believe they’re getting by with cheap labor when it’s actually costing them far more than they realize — sometimes as much as three times the individual’s annual salary and any benefits. Research also tells us that less than 25 percent of hires turn out to be superior performers. So, if less than one-fourth of your hires are going to work out long-term, there must be a way to swing the odds more in your favor. Executive and employee screening services are in high demand. Since we are early in the year and you’ll surely make a few hires into your company this year, here are some of best practices we have our clients put in place to help them gain an advantage when replacing someone or adding to their staff. 1. Identify the stakeholders. These are individuals who have a direct interest in the 76 FEBRUARY 2017
5. Develop a data benchmark for the position. The benchmark is assembled from data we collect from the stakeholders in the position. In this data, we identify the desired communication styles, behavioral characteristics, motivational rewards, personal skills, and acumen metrics to achieve superior performance in this spot on the team. 6. Narrow your candidates to your top three. In your interviewing process, we recommend you narrow your candidates down to three prior to assessing them. This is also a good time to review your hiring and interviewing process. We recommend at least three interviews for top candidates, as almost anyone can interview well once.
position, understand the position intimately, manage or directly report to the position, or have done or currently are performing well in the position. Where in the structure does this position fit and how does it tie into the organization’s strategy? This is the all-important identification of the empty seat on the bus that is your company.
7. Get data on all candidates to compare with the benchmark. When we have our top three for consideration, we then go to the assessment process. We have a proprietary talent algorithm we use as part of our process; there are many types of assessments out there depending on what you’re trying to measure. Once we have the assessment data, we compare it to our benchmark to see which candidate matches the desired position the best.
2. Develop clarity for the position with key accountabilities. These should focus on the five or six main results for which the position is responsible. This is the big picture vision for what the person sitting in the seat on the bus is going to produce.
8. Review the data and make your choice. After completing this process and reviewing the qualitative data from the interviews and the quantitative data from the benchmark match, it’s time to make the big call on who gets the job.
3. Develop a job description. This is also a big picture exercise, but it needs as much detail as possible. When candidates and employees understand what is and what is not required of their position, companies will receive a much higher level of performance. The job description should include the desired experience level, skill
People are a company’s greatest asset. Don’t allow this aspect of business growth to become a last-minute exercise where decisions are made just to get someone in the door. Take the time to create an intentional and scientific approach to getting the right people in the right seats on the bus. CBT
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M AR KET I N G
to work can eat a whole day before you know it. Instead, use your website to offer up answers to frequently asked questions. Direct people to those answers on your invoices, on-hold message, and marketing materials. You may miss out on the gratification of answering a question personally, but your prospects and clients can get the answers they need when they need them.
M ARKET I NG
Putting Your Website to Work BY MON ICA P ITTS | C h ie f C re at ive D ire ctor o f Maye C re ate D e s i g n
THE DAYS OF A STAGNANT, brochure-style website are gone. A rockin’ website is not just for fun anymore. And, at the current price for developing a site, you can’t just have a website that’s fluffy and pretty — you need a website you can put to work. Here’s how to start. 1. Do the thing you always hear from me: assess your target market. Who are they? What does your target really need to make the decision to work with you? What would make it easier for them to do business with you? 2. Then, do something I almost never tell you to do: think about yourself. What menial tasks are taking up your time? How could you change your business by changing your website? How can your website make your business easier for you to run and easier for your clients or prospects to engage with you? 3. Do those things over and over again. Even if it seems hard or expensive or undoable, it may be the thing that makes your business great. After going through those three illuminating steps, “putting your site to work” can still seem a
little vague. Use these concrete examples to kickstart your brainstorming. Customize your lead intake forms. This means more than an email form. So ask yourself, “What do I need to know to have an effective conversation with a lead? Their address? Square footage? Budget?” Ask, and don’t be bashful. If you can’t work on a project under a certain budget, give viewers a range of prices, starting at your lowest amount. Sync your blog and email newsletter. If you’re blogging, stop manually creating your email newsletters. That’s right — a blog post can trigger an email software, like MailChimp, to format that post and automatically deliver it in an email for you. It’ll take a while to figure out, and you may have to give up some flexibility, but this was a huge time-saver for my staff when I finally set it up. Post FAQs. As a know-it-all and an oldest child, I love answering questions — it’s my forte. But fielding redundant phone calls while trying
Make an online estimator. One question I get asked all the time is “How much does a website cost?” So you know what I did? I made an online website estimator. If you punch your website development criteria into the form, the estimator tells you a price. It’s magic, and you can do the same thing. I know you want to have a conversation with people so you can close the deal. But sometimes people don’t care about what you have to say until they know how much it’s going to cost. That’s the answer they want, so give it to them. Tell them who to contact. It’s not hard to put extensions on your employees’ phone numbers and list those commonly called employees and their extensions on your website. Also list specific contact information throughout your site. Then visitors can find who they want and call them directly without jumping through hoops. Make a members-only section. You can use a password-protected area of your site to house compliance information or keep everyone informed about the company. Share meeting minutes, agendas, user guides, a video of your secret handshake — whatever it is that your constituents need to access. Keep in mind that implementing a protected section is a culture shift, so you need buy-in from employees. Consider starting small and building over time. Online appointment setting. Give visitors all the tools they need to make an appointment with you on your website — again, that means more than an email form. Start by having them select a service, and then have them search for dates and times. Some people are good with just a phone number, but for many younger professionals, that’s a barrier to entry. I’m sure you’re getting the picture. You can use your website to save you time, and that makes you money. Make your website a team player, not just reading material. CBT COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 77
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ASK AN N E
4. Know your policy in regards to the health care premiums that you, the employer, have paid out during the employee leave. Read regulation 825.213 of the FMLA. 5. The termination of employment and subsequent loss of health care coverage is a COBRA-qualifying event. The employers have the obligation to offer COBRA and provide the required notice within 14 days of the qualifying event.
Q A SK A N N E
Coverage, COBRA, and Communication BY A N N E W ILLIAM S | P re side n t of JobF in der s E m p l oy m e n t S e r vi ce s
Q Rules and regulations are getting the best of me! They seem to always be changing, and I’ve found another thing I don’t know how to handle. I have an employee who has been out, utilizing the Federal Medical Leave Act, for about six weeks. I was hoping she would be back in two more weeks, but she just called me and resigned. What are my obligations, and do I have any options I might not know about?
As the employer, your obligation and options for job reinstatement and continuation of benefits for that employee on medical leave change when you receive a resignation letter (best case scenario) or another formal notice of intent not to return to work. Consider FMLA Regulation 825.311(b): “If an employee gives unequivocal notice of intent not to return to work, the employer’s obligations under FMLA to maintain health benefits (subject to COBRA requirements) and to restore the 78 FEBRUARY 2017
employee cease. However, these obligations continue if an employee indicates he or she may be unable to return to work but expresses a continuing desire to do so.” There are a couple of things you should make sure are included in your FMLA notice communications to make sure the provision is effective. It’s kind of boring, but everyone should do it. 1. Make sure the notice of rights and responsibilities clearly advises the employee that they are required to periodically report on their status and intent to return to work. This is required. 2. The notice should clearly outline any requirements to make premium payments during the leave. It should also outline the potential liability of premiums paid by the employer if the employee fails to return to work at the end of the leave. When this info is included by the employer, it establishes an expectation of ongoing communications. 3. When an employee quits during FMLA leave, it’s good to require that it be submitted in a letter of resignation or other formal document (email) before terminating employment or benefits. You do not want anyone coming back to you three days later saying they want their job back.
I was just terminated from my job. I know I’m marketable and it won’t be long until I have a position, but, in the meantime, I need insurance. Should I pay the exorbitant price of COBRA or are there other options I can consider?
Insurance is not my forte — I leave it to the pros. But the first thing I will counsel you to do is gather all your COBRA (a government insurance continuation program that takes its acronym from a too-long-to-mention bill) information, including coverage and pricing. Secondly, run, don’t walk, to your insurance agent’s office! Your insurance agent will be able to educate you on the COBRA coverage and costs versus your other alternatives. I learned a few things while talking to April Melvin at The Insurance Shop about insurance between jobs. One of the best alternatives I’ve seen in action is the short-term medical plan. Sometimes these are referred to as catastrophic insurance plans. They’re generally not used for routine doctor visits or preventative health care or prescriptions, but they are very inexpensive. If you are a healthy person who doesn’t take expensive medications, this could be the answer for you. One last thing I learned from April: You can opt to do without insurance for 60 days. So, if you know you will be employed within that timeframe, you may consider that. At 55 days, you probably want to start hunting for insurance so you are ACA compliant, lest you have to pay a penalty on your taxes. CBT Anne Williams is not an attorney. All content in this column is not guaranteed for accuracy and legality and is not to be construed as legal advice.
PROVIDING UNPRECEDENTED SERVICE AND SUPPORT WITH AN EXCEPTIONAL TEAM OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS. Whether your facility needs supplemental, temporary or permanent professional staff, or you are a nurse, physician or other professional looking to feel the difference, Pulse Medical Staffing is ready to serve you.
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CBT’s
OF THE
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PulseMedicalStaffing.com 620 N. Trade Winds Pkwy. Columbia, MO
Telephone: +1-877-883-8677
E-mail: dan.l@pulsemedicalstaffing.com COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 79
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BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THESE AND OTHER SCAMS:
“BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES” Many small business owners are approached to invest in other business opportunities. Promoters may claim that the venture will increase customer traffic or that little effort will be required to earn high profits.
PHONY INVOICES
B U SI N ESS S MARTS
Small Business Scams BY SEAN SP ENCE | Re gion al D ire ctor of Be tte r B u s i n e ss B u re a u Co l u m b i a
MANY OF US THINK SCAMS TARGET individuals, but businesses are all too often the victims. One Columbia business I know of learned this lesson the hard way. Today, they’re out $11,300. One afternoon, one of two company owners — a smart, successful, self-made business leader in our community — received an e-mail that looked like it came from his business partner, asking that he immediately wire $11,300 to a client. The message said the business partner was stuck in a meeting and that he was e-mailing from his phone, so any typos should be forgiven. It stressed that the money had to be sent quickly. The person receiving the email wanted to help his partner. He wired money for the company a few times a year, so this request wasn’t completely out of the ordinary. 80 FEBRUARY 2017
He quickly drove to the bank and wired the money to an account in another state. He didn’t think about it again until his business partner called, two days later, asking why the money had been wired. We know the rest of the story. That money is gone. It was moved as soon as it hit the new account. The company will almost certainly never recover it. This is a fairly common scam that has cost U.S. businesses billions of dollars over the last decade or so. Thousands of small businesses deal with fraudulent or deceptive practices every year. Protecting your business is often just a matter of identifying suspicious situations and asking questions. By teaching employees how to identify common tricks, you can help defend your business against scammers.
Scammers know businesses sometimes make mistakes or can be careless in accounting. They prey on these weaknesses. Lifting names from mailing lists, business directories, the web, or published advertisements, scammers send invoices for directory listings or advertising. The invoice may seem genuine to the company’s accounting department, and may even include the name of a company executive as the “authorizing agent.” However, this invoice is a solicitation in disguise and, in very fine print, it probably contains a disclaimer like this one: “This is a solicitation. You are under no obligation to pay unless you accept this offer.” It’s technically illegal to use inconspicuous print like that, but there are those who flout these regulations. Don’t be surprised if these vendors send multiple invoices.
COUPON BOOKS Small businesses are often approached to participate in coupon books. Scams occur when the promoters change the terms of the coupons to make them more attractive to buyers, when the books are oversold, or when the books are not distributed.
OVERPAYMENT SCAMS Sometimes an advance call is made to find out what brand of supplies or equipment a business uses. On a return call, the caller claims to represent a reputable company with which the firm often does business. The caller may state that surplus merchandise is available at a reduced price due to a cancellation or over-order. Accepting this “opportunity” may mean you’re accepting other obligations as well, leaving you with demands for payment and
BU SIN E SS SM ARTS
threats to turn your account over to a collection agency or attorney.
VANITY PITCH “Dear Business Executive,” begins the letter. “We would like to include you in our next edition of ‘Top Professionals in the (fill in the blank).’” All too frequently, pitches for “elite professional” publications, or nominations for awards or special memberships, have a catch. The executive, flattered into providing the details of his or her career, may be stuck with a subscription fee, a charge for the listing, or an inflated price for buying a publication that does not receive the widespread distribution implied in the initial offer.
The good news is that all of these scams are avoidable. The Better Business Bureau has a few tips to scam-proof your business: •
•
•
•
•
Get everything in writing. Require that all sales pitches for advertising, charity appeals, or requests for your personal information be made in writing. Refuse to make commitments with the unknown. Refuse deals with unknown sellers, especially over the phone or internet, if you can’t verify the reliability and complaint history of the seller’s business with BBB or other consumer protection agencies. Institute strict accounting controls. Processing of invoices and billing should be centralized and authorizations should be confirmed. Comparison shop. Compare product prices, quality, and service with other suppliers when offered a deal from an unknown salesperson or company. Keep a list of regularly used publications or vendors. Knowing this list will protect your business against scammers who try to take your money by claiming that your company previously used their publication or service. CBT
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$11,809,000
MS Columbia MO LLC Commerce Bank Keene Estates #6
$4,400,000
Pear Tree Investments LLC Bank21 LT 26A Longwood Sub Pl 2
$8,100,000
Discovery Office Park North LLC Landmark Bank LT 1 Discovery Park Subdivision Plat 2-B
$2,890,000
Southside Ventures LLC Mid America Bank LT 101 Stevens Ridge Subdivision Plat 1
$8,000,000
Oak Towers Housing Development Group LP UMB Bank Trustee LT 1 John A Stewart Sub
$2,400,000
$7,010,000
$2,400,000
Bristol Care Inc. Simmons Bank STR 10-51-11 N/NW/SE SUR BK/ PG: 400/613 FF W/EXCEPTIONS
Southside Ventures LLC Mid America Bank LT 1 PT Chalet Sub
Southside Ventures LLC First State Community Bank LT 6 PT Chalet Sub
Fr Augustine Tolton Regional Catholic High School Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City LT 1 Regional Catholic High School Plat 1
Salladay, Brandon & Amy; Rogers Street LLC FCS Financial STR 36-50-13 /NW/SW FF W/ EXCEPTIONS $1,800,000
$7,000,000
Fr Augustine Tolton Regional Catholic High School Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City LT 1 Regional Catholic High School Plat 1 $7,000,000
Fr Augustine Tolton Regional Catholic High School UMB Bank Bond Trustee LT 1 Regional Catholic High School Plat 1 82 FEBRUARY 2017
$1,360,000
Southside Ventures LLC Mid America Bank Lt 104 Parkside Estates Plat No 1 $1,000,000
Southside Ventures LLC Browning, Jonathan C LT 33 Bearfield Meadows $993,902
North Grassland Properties LLC Central Bank of Boone County STR 13-48-13 //SW SUR BK/PG: 392/899 FF Tract A $951,000
Troy Miller Properties LLC Mid America Mortgage Services Inc. Lt A BG 13 Wellington Manor Condos $760,000
$1,910,000 $7,000,000
STR 30-49-12 //SW SUR BK/PG: 414/115 FF PT Lots 1,2 And All Lot 7
DRS Park LLC Central Bank of Boone County LT 3 FF Garths Addition $1,700,000
Deerfield Apartments LLC Fischer, Bonnie L & Sooter, Sharon K Lt 1 PT Politte Sub FF & ESMT $1,500,000
Burlington Vandiver LLC The Callaway Bank
Jose, Shibu & Sheena Mid America Mortgage Services Inc. LT 1E Village of Cherry Hill Plat 3 The $750,000
Haker Property Management LLC Landmark Bank Lt 1A Rockbridge Estates Block 3-A $750,000
Roberts, Marilyn A & Stephen R CMG Mortgage Inc. STR 8-47-12 /E/SE SUR BK/PG: 2372/83 AC 16.75 FF LOT 4 $700,000
On the 9th LLC Central Bank of Boone County LT D3 On the Ninth at Old Hawthorne Plat No 1
$698,000
Mousadakos, Zoi Revocable Inter Vivos Trust Central Bank of Boone County Lt 27B Longwood Sub PL 2 $650,000
Onwezen, Ronaldus E & Kathy L The Callaway Bank STR 10-47-12 //S SUR BK/PG: 3982/28 AC 21.68 FF Tract 9-A $626,250
Winn, Hung N & Lee N US Bank STR 2-47-13 //W SUR BK/PG: 1097/917 FF Tract 7 $615,000
Kleopfer, Charla A & Lynn L Gershman Mortgage Lt 112 West Lawn Subdivision Plat 2 $600,000
Ries, David R & Jennifer L Central Bank of Boone County LT 116A Copperstone Plat 7 $600,000
Hargrove, Charles Travis & Hiemstra, Jessica Hawthorn Bank LT 718 Old Hawthorne Plat No 7 $600,000
Providence Green Meadows LLC The Missouri Bank II Lt 2 Backus Sub Plat 1 $560,000
Zara, Robert & Whitney Landmark Bank STR 29-49-13 /E/NE FF W/ EXCEPTIONS CBT
778 deeds of trust were issued between 11/28 and 12/30.
BU SI N ESS • P EO P L E • IM P R OV EM EN T • FY I
New Business Licenses FEBRUARY 2017
Shwe Market LLC
Warranty Logistics LLC
800 Vandiver Dr.
2101 W. Broadway
573-673-0998
573-446-6998
Asian food market - dry goods
Repair of mobile devices
and refrigerated
in existing sprint store
Escape Plan
Jackson Hewitt Tax
314 Nebraska Ave.
3001 W. Broadway
573-489-2890
415 Conley Rd.
Entertainment, team building,
1201 Grindstone Pkwy.
corporate events
609 N. Providence Rd. 870-910-5900
AI Painting Plus LLC
Seasonal income tax
573-289-2198 Painting – no permits Brady Brothers Glass & Aluminum
1307 N. Seventh St. 573-442-7239 Commercial/Residential glass replacement shower doors Above Board Home Inspections LLC
FEATURED LISTING
404 Portland Street 14,700 sq ft office building +/- 6 Acres
ZONING
Copper Run Designs
811 E. Green Meadows Rd. 636-373-1699 Event production, audio – visual American Reflexology
2024 Cherry Hill Dr. 573-819-5991 Reflexology of feet, hand, head
Zoned O-1
PRICE
Two separate parcels that can be divided or sold as one. Overall asking price of $3,300,000 +/- 14,700 sq ft office building available in highly desirable Keene Medical Corridor. Building sits on a total of 6 acres that is already platted as two parcels and can accommodate additional future development. Site is zoned O-1 (Office District) and is ready for development. Call Mel Zelenak for additional detail.
4305 Champlain Ct. 573-886-9724 Certified home inspections
Barker Editing
101 Orr St. 417-872-1174
Glass Solutionz
Editing, proof reading,
573-424-7391
freelance services
Auto glass installation and sales A.R.G. Eat Your Lawns
3002 Ballard Mill Dr.
816-616-7769
573-356-3186
Landscaping company based
Construction; masonry
on permaculture principle
and plastering CBT
MEL ZELENAK
573-999-3131 mel@malyrealty.com
COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 83
84 FEBRUARY 2017
B U SINESS • P EOP L E • IM P R OV EM EN T • FY I
Economic Index LABOR
Value of commercial additions
November 2016 – Columbia, Missouri
and alterations: $982,992
Labor Force: 69,693 Employment: 67,813 Unemployment: 1,880 Rate: 2.7 percent
HOUSING November 2016
November 2016 - Boone County
Single-family home sales: 126
Labor Force: 102,793
Existing single-family
Employment: 100,137
home sales per month: 117
Unemployment: 2,656
New construction single
Rate: 2.6 percent
FEATURED LISTING
family home sales per month: 9 Single-family active listings market: 618
November 2016 - Missouri
Labor Force: 3,120,209 Employment: 3,003,701 Unemployment: 116,508 Rate: 3.7 percent November 2016 - United States
Labor Force: 159,451,000
Single-family homes average sold price: $204,127 Single-family homes median sold price: $181,000 Single-family homes average days on market: 62 Single-family home pending listings on market: 127
Employment: 152,385,000 Unemployment: 7,066,000 Rate: 4.4 percent
UTILITIES
1711 West Worley PRICE: TYPE: ZONING: SQ. FT.: ACREAGE:
$450,000 Building & Land O-1 4,819 +/.97
Opportunity in desirable location near the Columbia Mall & Shelter Gardens Previously Coldwell Banker Tatie Payne office building. Listing includes building plus 2 adjoining lots 506 and 510 Claudell. Ideal for Day Care or Child Education Center, Doctor or Administrative Offices
Water
December 2016: 48,595
CONSTRUCTION December 2016
Residential building permits: 54 Value of residential
December 2015: 47,875 Change #: 720 Change %: 1.504 Number of customers receiving service on January 1, 2017: 48,609
building permits: $12,785,167 Detached single-family homes: 28
Electric
Value of detached
December 2016: 49,055
single-family homes: $6,898,403
December 2015: 48,622
Commercial building permits: 12
Change #: 433
Value of commercial
Change %: 0.891
building permits: $11,339,625
Number of customers receiving service on
Commercial additions and alterations: 9
January 1, 2017: 49,046 CBT
GINA RENDE
314-477-4462 gina@malyrealty.com
COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 85
B U SINESS • P EOP L E • IM P R OV EM EN T • FY I
20,513 Immunizations given by Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services in 2015
BY T H E N U M BER S
1,161 Medical students at MU Source: MU Health
Source: City of Columbia
1,407
1,213
Nursing students at MU
Patients who received insurance counseling and enrollment assistance at Boone Hospital in 2015
Source: MU Health
Source: Boone Hospital
7,635 Birth certificates issued by Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services in 2015 Source: City of Columbia 86 FEBRUARY 2017
8.3% Columbia population without health insurance Source: U.S. Census
TOP B2B PRODUCT OR SERVICE
TOP COFFEE MEETING LOCATION
TOP JANITORIAL SERVICES
TOP ENGINEER
First Place: CoMo Connection Exchange Second Place: Influence & Co.
First Place: Kaldi’s Coffee Second Place: Dunn Bros. Coffee
First Place: Atkins Second Place: City of Refuge
TOP BUSINESS WITH A COMMITMENT TO PHILANTHROPY
TOP BUSINESS ROOKIE
First Place: Crockett Engineering 2608 N Stadium Blvd., Columbia crockettengineering.com 573-447-0292
TOP ADVERTISING AGENCY First Place: Caledon Virtual 1906 Corona Rd. #200, Columbia, 573-446-7777, caledonvirtual.com
Second Place: Word Marketing
TOP PLACE TO WORK First Place: Veterans United Second Place: Fresh Ideas
TOP LOCAL TEAM-BUILDING EXPERIENCE
First Place: Veterans United Second Place: The Bank of Missouri
TOP BUSINESS INSURANCE First Place: Columbia Insurance Group Second Place: Mike Messer – Shelter Insurance® Agent 908 Rain Forest Parkway, Columbia, 573-442-5291, shelterinsurance.com/ CA/agent/mikemesser
TOP HAPPY HOUR First Place: Logboat Brewing Co. Second Place: Houlihan’s
TOP CHAMBER VOLUNTEER First Place: Wally Pfeffer Second Place: Michele Spry
TOP FACE OF BUSINESS First Place: Bill Costello Second Place: Kit Stolen
First Place: Logboat Brewing Co. Second Place: Paint the Town
TOP COMMERCIAL LENDER
TOP NATIONAL IMPACT
First Place: Logboat Brewing Co. Second Place: Stoney Creek
TOP PLACE TO CLOSE A DEAL
TOP ACCOUNTING SERVICE
First Place: Logboat Brewing Co. Second Place: Boone Central Title Co.
First Place: Williams-Keepers Second Place: Accounting Plus
First Place: Lift Division 308 S 9th St., Columbia 573-445-0658, liftdivision.com
TOP IT COMPANY
First Place: Flat Branch Second Place: 44 Stone
First Place: Midwest Computech Second Place: 43Tc 1000 W Nifong Blvd., Ste. 220, Bldg. 6, Columbia, 855-647-43TC, 43tc.com
TOP COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER First Place: L.G. Patterson Second Place: Casey Buckman
TOP CATERER First Place: D. Rowe’s Second Place: Hoss’s
TOP HR FIRM First Place: Moresource Inc. 401 Vandiver Dr., Columbia 573-443-1234, moresource-inc.com
First Place: Veterans United Second Place: True Media
First Place: John Keller, The Bank of Missouri Second Place: Todd Hoien, Hawthorn Bank
TOP EVENT LOCATION
Second Place: THHinc McClure Engineering
TOP FAST-GROWING COMPANY
TOP CULTURE First Place: Veterans United Second Place: Delta Systems Group
First Place: Kaitlin Warner Second Place: Lydia Melton
First Place: CARFAX Second Place: Veterans United
TOP WEB DEVELOPER
TOP PLACE FOR BUSINESS LUNCH TOP REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER First Place: Mike Tompkins, Tompkins Homes & Development Second Place: John Ott, Alley A Realty
TOP BANK First Place: Central Bank of Boone County Second Place: The Bank of Missouri
Second Place: Caledon Virtual 1906 Corona Rd. #200, Columbia, 573-446-7777, caledonvirtual.com
TOP COMMERCIAL BUILDER
Second Place: Accounting Plus
TOP OFFICE DIGS First Place: Veterans United Second Place: Delta Systems Group
TOP COMMERCIAL VIDEOGRAPHER First Place: Chimaeric Second Place: The Evoke Group
TOP STAFFING COMPANY First Place: JobFinders Second Place: Pulse Medical Staffing
TOP ARCHITECT
First Place: Coil Construction Second Place: Little Dixie
First Place: Simon Oswald Architecture Second Place: Peckham Architecture
TOP SEASONED PRO
TOP OFFSITE MEETING LOCATION
First Place: Mary Ropp Second Place: Kat Cunningham
First Place: Logboat Brewing Co. Second Place: Stoney Creek COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 87
B U SINESS • P EOP L E • IM P R OV EM EN T • FY I
T H I S OR T H AT
BETH G. SHOYER, Ph.D. Clinical Director, McCallum Place Columbia Eating Disorder Treatment Center
Mac Reading
Writing
Business
Casual
Today
Tomorrow
Learn
Teach
Phone
Head First
Magazines
Coffee
Tea
DIY
Buy
Handwritten
Typed
Digital
Quiet
Lively
Big Picture Early Bird Behind the Scenes Gel Pen
Night Owl In the Spotlight Ball-point
Solo Sitting Desk
Cluttered Donate Team Standing Desk
Outlook
Gmail
Lunch in
Lunch out
Drive to Work Donut
88 FEBRUARY 2017
Details
Letters
Volunteer
1. I prefer face-to-face. // 2. Both can be fun! // 3. It depends!
Numbers
Clean
AM E N DME N TS A N D CONDI TI ONS
Feet First
Books
Cursive
Photography by Keith Borgmeyer
PC
Public Transportation Bagel
Creative
Analytical
Introvert
Extrovert
Laptop
Desktop
Optimistic
Realistic
Travel Happy Hour
Staycation Home
ADVERTISER INDEX ACCOUNTING PLUS............................................................................................91
LANDMARK BANK................................................................................................ 2
ANTHONY JINSON PHOTOGRAPHY............................................................13
MAHER COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE.........................................................53
BIG CEDAR LODGE...............................................................................................11
MALY COMMERCIAL REALTY........................................................ 81, 83 & 85
BOONE HOSPITAL...................................................................................44 & 45
MASSAGE ENVY....................................................................................................14
CARPET ONE.........................................................................................................53
MEDIACOM............................................................................................................... 6
CENTURYLINK.......................................................................................................12
MIDWEST COMPUTECH....................................................................................63
CITY OF COLUMBIA WATER & LIGHT......................................................... 10
NATHAN JONES LAW....................................................................................... 64
CONNECTION EXCHANGE..............................................................................63
NAUGHT NAUGHT INSURANCE AGENCY................................................ 64
CULLIGAN............................................................................................................. 20
PROVIDENCE BANK...................................................................................8 & 84
D & M SOUND........................................................................................................28
PULSE MEDICAL STAFFING............................................................................79
DR. LETRISHA THOMAS...................................................................................53
RESTORATION EYECARE.................................................................................14
EDWARD JONES................................................................................................. 34
SOCKET...................................................................................................................89
FIRST STATE COMMUNITY BANK................................................................ 64
STANGE LAW FIRM............................................................................................ 84
GFI DIGITAL............................................................................................................. 5
STARR PROPERTIES.......................................................................................... 34
HAWTHORN BANK.............................................................................................92
STATE FARM INSURANCE - STEPHANIE WILMSMEYER.....................63
JOE MACHENS.COM.............................................................................................4
THE VILLAGE OF BEDFORD WALK............................................................... 7
JOE MACHENS VOLKSWAGON......................................................................16
TONY RICHARDS.................................................................................................79
JOHNSTON PAINT & DECORATING DIRECT.............................................81
UNIVERSITY OF MO HEALTH CARE.............................................................. 3
LAMMTECH.............................................................................................................. 9
WILSON’S FITNESS............................................................................................32
COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 89
B U SINESS • P EOP L E • IM P R OV EM EN T • FY I
FLASH BAC K
Walton Building STORY A N D P HOTOG R A P HY BY M AT T PATSTO N
THE WALTON BUILDING, HOME TO the Columbia Chamber of Commerce as well as the City’s Convention and Visitors Bureau and Office of Cultural Affairs, looks like a small, unassuming office building: one-story, dark, located in a tranquil spot along Flat Branch Creek, across the street from MU’s campus. It’s the sort of building you might expect to attract a quiet, independent professional, like maybe a dentist who mostly works on clients with already-excellent oral health. But when it was originally built, the Walton Building represented an important, and unlikely, success for Columbia’s business community and city government. The Walton Building opened in 1986 as a new home for the chamber. The years leading up to that point were not good for the Columbia economy (nor, it would follow, were they good for the chamber). Writing for CBT in 2006, former city manager Ray Beck recounted how the City, in an effort to keep the chamber afloat in
the 1970s, bought memberships and budgeted $20,000 (later reduced to $10,000 by city council) for the chamber to use in economic development in Columbia; the recession that followed in the early ’80s further hampered the health of area business. The chamber began looking for ways to finance a new headquarters in the middle of that decade — it was then housed in the basement of the Guitar Building — but knew that it would take a generous cash infusion to make it happen. The chamber turned to Charlie Digges, longtime partner at The Insurance Group, for help. Digges was a childhood friend of Walmart founder Sam Walton (the two played together on the state championship-winning 1929 Hickman Kewpies basketball team), and the chamber asked if Digges could see how Sam and his brother, Bud, would feel about making a donation to the building in the name of their father, Thomas, who had recently passed away. As Dig-
ges told CBT in 2011, he showed Sam Walton the potential site for the building — 300 S. Providence Rd., the current location — and gingerly asked about a sizable donation. According to Digges, Walton said, “So you want me to write the check now?” And, in 1986, the Thomas G. Walton Building opened. The building has always been jointly owned by the chamber and the city government. The building was also the original home of REDI, the private–public economic development group founded in 1988. The building underwent renovations in 2008, to modernize the interior, and again this past year, to reinforce the exterior. The building continues to stand as an example of mutually beneficial collaboration between Columbia’s private and public spheres — even if it does look a little unassuming. CBT
Walton Building 300 S Providence Rd
We love Columbia business history. If you have any interesting photos and stories, please send them to Editor@BusinessTimesCompany.com 90 FEBRUARY 2017
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COLUMBIA BUSINESS TIMES \ 2001 CORPORATE PLACE, STE. 100 \ COLUMBIA, MO 65202
“Hawthorn Bank helps us get the right equipment, when we need it.” – Scott & Natalie Ratliff Arthur Ratliff Tree & Stump Removal “It takes a lot of equipment to deal with trees. Todd at Hawthorn has been quick to respond so we can get what we need. But he also helps me think about the goal for that new equipment, will it increase efficiency, help us do more jobs…” “And if we need something from them, we just email them and it’s done. You really feel like you’re dealing with family.”
Call Todd Hoien at 573-449-3051.
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