Columbia Business Times - January 2017 by The COMO Companies Magazines | COMO Magazine

JESSIE YANKEE EasyPC

JOE MILLER First State Community Bank PAGE 34

ANDREW BEVERLEY MAKES HIS MOVE PAGE 60

C LASS OF 2017

TWENTY UNDER FORTY

Total Joint Replacement Join James Keeney, MD and Benjamin Hansen, MD as they discuss techniques used at the Missouri Orthopaedic Institute for total joint replacement. TUESDAY, JANUARY 24 • 6-7:30 PM HANSEN

KEENEY

Missouri Orthopaedic Institute 1100 Virginia Ave.

SPACE IS LIMITED. RSVP TO (573) 882-3104.

MISSOURI ORTHOPAEDIC INSTITUTE IS THE PROUD SPONSOR OF THE LIVE UNITED 365 PROGRAM

“$365 provides one week of fresh, healthy breakfasts, lunches, milk and snacks for our classroom of 20 preschool students.” - ELLEN WILSON Executive Director, Columbia Community Montessori

THANK YOU TO TWO LIVE UNITED 365 MEMBERS

Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center Bailey Claton, CHSP, CTA Sales Manager 573-442-6400

With 181 guest rooms and suites, and 11,000 square feet of meeting space, the Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center in Columbia provides guests with a signature lodge-themed place to escape and unwind. Experience our commitment to combining upscale hotel amenities with industry-leading guest service, ensuring that your stay is enjoyable, memorable and fully meets your expectations. We offer a distinct blend of modern lodge comfort, urban convenience and resort style relaxation.

The Neil Team Travis Neil, Realtor 573-289-7892 Donna Neil, Realtor 573-268-9555

The Neil Team with RE/MAX Boone Realty is a Mom and Son real estate team. The Neil Team guides you every step of the way through your real estate transaction. Over 16 years of Real Estate experience working with both home buyers and sellers. Call us with all your real estate needs or questions and let us provide you with ultimate Real Estate experience.

To become a member of the Live United 365 program for only a dollar a day call Patricia Broeckling 573.443.4523

OFFICE AND RETAIL SPACE AVAILABLE! 36,000+ sq. ft.

G re a t vi e w s of th e A ve n ue of th e C ol um n s & C ou rt h ou s e

w it h in d oo r R oo ft op d e c k e & ou td oo r s pa c

S q ua re

Projecte d completi on summer of 2017

CALL FOR AVAILABILITY & PRICING! Direct: 573-424-2895 • Office: 573-449-6200

© 2016 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.‰ Equal Housing Opportunity.

Member SIPC

A little planning may be a great move for your heirs

By designating a non-spousal beneficiary, your IRA can provide your heirs with decades of tax-deferred growth from their inherited assets. When an IRA is stretched, the assets can continue to grow tax-differed, even as the balance is gradually drawn down. Let me show you how your IRA can be stretched to help benefit future generations of loved ones. Call today for your confidential appointment.

Mark Richardson ,CFP® 2415 Carter Ln Suite #104 Columbia, MO 65201 573.442.1276 mark.richardson@edwardjones.com

14 JANUARY 2017

If a distribution is taken before age 59½, it is subject to a 10% early withdrawal penalty in addition to ordinary income tax based on the taxable amount of the distribution, unless certain exceptions apply.

Mark Richardson, CFP® Financial Advisor

t’s my favorite time of year. Some say the best time of the year is the holiday season, or summertime, or Arbor Day. But my favorite time of year is 20 Under 40 time. We started looking for the class of 2017 back in August. We took more than 300 nominations from the community, which more than doubled our nominations for the class of 2016. We asked 40 or so nominees to fill out an application, and they gave us more in-depth information about who they were and where they were headed. I wish we could have chosen all of them, and many of them will definitely land on a future 20 Under 40 list. After much deliberation, we narrowed that group down to our 20 Under 40 class of 2017. They come from different backgrounds, work in varied industries, and have myriad plans for their lives. What they have in ON THE COVER 20 award recipients x 100 photos taken common is that they are hard workers, they are leaders of each = a very hard decision when in their organizations and industries, and they are great choosing the cover. What struck us about representatives of the community. Jessie Yankee’s portrait was her natural smile and the warmth in her eyes – you I’m so excited for you to meet them. Hopefully you’ve also feel that warmth when you meet her. been following our social media channels for the past few Photography by Keith Borgmeyer weeks as we’ve revealed the class members one by one. If not, you can visit columbiabusinesstimes.com for exclusive Q&As with each member of the class. If your nominee didn’t make this year’s list, don’t despair! Please, please look for our call for nominations in August 2017. There are so many worthy individuals in our community — keep recognizing them. This is usually the paragraph where I’d invite you to our annual gala at the end of the month – but I can’t! This event, presented by Joe Machens Dealerships, has grown so much in popularity that we sold out back in November. You don’t have to miss out on all the fun, though. Watch our website and social media for the 20 Under 40 Gala video, produced and edited by Chimaeric. First of all, it’s gorgeous. The guys at Chimaeric built a custom set for this video and the production quality is fantastic. Second, you’ll get to see the fun side of each of these individuals — part of what makes them exceptional. Which ones will break into song? You’ll just have to watch the video to find out, but the answer is: more than one. I invite you to attend the official 20 Under 40 After Party following the event. Join us at 9th Street Public House at 9 p.m. on Jan. 19 and enjoy the signature cocktail, the CBT Gold Standard. J ESS I E

YA NKEE Easy PC

JOE MILLER

First State Community Bank

EDITOR'S PICKS Let’s take a moment to recognize the real MVPs of the business world. Sometimes we take them for granted. Here, I present the three unsung heroes of office supplies.

PAGE 34

ANDREW

BEVERLEY MAKES HIS MOVE PAGE 60

CLASS OF 2017

TWENTY UNDER FORTY

Thanks to all our 20 Under 40 sponsors for making this event possible! • Presenting Sponsor - Joe Machens Dealerships

The Big Eraser Always there for the pencil loving people when they make mistakes, and fun to fiddle with in a long meeting.

Giant Eraser • $2.95 • landofnod.com

The Sassy “While You Were Out” Notepad To take messages for your office mate who likes those extra-long lunches. Make sure he or she knows you noticed in the most passive-aggressive way possible.

Deal With This Great Big Sticky Notes $6 • knockknockstuff.com

• Supporting Sponsors - Modern Litho and Flat Branch Home Loans • After Party Sponsor - 9th Street Public House

This is our financial issue, so you’ll also read some excellent profiles of local financial entities (page 25 and page 30), plus an update on Andrew Beverley’s next banking endeavor (page 60). Thanks for reading,

The Three-Hole Punch Always there for you when you get a wild hair to become the office’s most organized person. Linda from accounting’s binder system won’t hold a candle to yours!

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

Master 30-Sheet 3 Hole Punch $22.86 • walmart.com

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 JANUARY 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 Heather McGee, Marketing Consultant Heather@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

Inside the Issue Twitter Chatter StorageMart @StorageMart Still making waves with our U.K. expansion! Thanks @ColumbiaBiz United Way Heart MO @UWHeartMO Welcome @epeff, Randall Cole & @ProvostStokes to the HMUW Board! @Epeff’s @ColumbiaBiz mentions Stokes & Cole, Thx! COMO Connect @COMOConnect Dale, our transit superintendent, is featured in @ColumbiaBiz this month! #COMOConnect #BusLove

Around the Office DECEM

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Beth Bramstedt, Al Germond, Brandon Hoops, Monica Pitts, Tony Richards, Sean Spence, Jennifer Truesdale, Anne Williams INTERNS Sarah Everett, Madelyne Maag, Grace Vance, Bobbi Watts 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

BER/J

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VOL.7

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LIFE

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VOL.5 / A MAGAZINE ABOUT COLUMBIA LIFESTYLE AND CULTURE

C�M�'S

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AUGUST/SEPTEMB

CULTURE O HOMES C M O FASHION WOMEN AT WORK

WOMENAT

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“WHO RUNS THE WORLD?...GIRLS!” IN THIS ISSUE, WE HONOR WOMEN HARD AT WORK IN OUR CITY

FOREVER

LOVED

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 CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Keith Borgmeyer, Anthony Jinson, Grace Vance

COMO COMO MEET THE WOMAN BEHIND COYOTE HILL

#CHEERS

TRY SOMETHING NEW RIGHT HERE IN COMO

On the cover BRIELLE BAYLESS One of COMO’s hardworking women. Read her story on pg.47.

AUG/SEP

2016

$5.95 US

OCT

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+ Unsung Heroes Women making a difference our community. pg.44 in

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On behalf of the Business Times Company team, we hope you had a wonderful holiday season and wish you great success in the coming year!

Join us for the release of the COMO Living February/ March issue on Friday, January 27 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Village of Bedford Walk. You don’t want to miss the arts and culture issue of our sister publication.

Corrections The December 2016 article “Auto Dealer Update” incorrectly identified University Subaru owner Dave Drane as Dave Armstrong.

Contributors

Brandon Hoops

Beth Bramstedt

Madelyne Maag

Sarah Everett

@CourtsideHoops

@BethBramstedt

@Madelyne_Maag

@EverettSarahL

Write to CBT editor Brenna McDermott at Brenna@BusinessTimesCompany.com COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 17

18 JANUARY 2017

JANUARY 2017 VOL . 2 3 / ISSUE 7

TA B LE OF CON T EN TS

20 Under 40/Finance Issue 15 FROM THE EDITOR

17 INSIDE THE ISSUE 21 CLOSER LOOK 22 BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS 25 BUSINESS UPDATE Accounting Plus

28 NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT Boys and Girls Club

30 CELEBRATIONS LaBrunerie Financial

33 MOVERS & SHAKERS 34 P.Y.S.K. Joe Miller, First State Community Bank

37 OPINION 75 ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH Three Critical Mistakes When Changing Culture

76 MARKETING

20 Under 40 They’re driven, they’re successful, they’re emerging leaders in business and in the community. We’re pleased to present the young professionals who are taking Columbia into the future: our 20 Under 40 class of 2017.

Do I Need a Website?

79 BUSINESS SMARTS Make Cybersecurity a Priority

80 ASK ANNE The True Cost of New Hires

83 NEW BUSINESS LICENSES

MAN ON A MISSION Nearly one year into his new banking project, Andrew Beverley is making his move by going back to his roots.

SNAPSHOTS OF FINANCE For our finance issue, CBT checked out the data on local banking to get a clear picture of where we are and where we might be going.

85 DEEDS OF TRUST 86 ECONOMIC INDEX 88 THIS OR THAT Polly Reynolds, The Trust Company

90 BY THE NUMBERS

20 JANUARY 2017

BUSINE SS • P EOP L E • IM P R OV EM EN T • F YI

C LOSER LOOK

Closer Look

Taco Tuesday, Everyday If you don’t know what a walking taco is, imagine all the trappings of your favorite regular taco, but in a bag of crushed up Fritos. Columbia’s new walking taco specialists are Brittany and Scott Huhn, the wife-andhusband ownership team of Taco Tuesday, Everyday, which opened in October. “I thought most people knew what [walking tacos] were, but that was a total misconception,” Brittany says. They’re a favorite meal for the Huhns and their three children (Brittany says they make walking tacos multiple times per week), so when the two started throwing around ideas for a restaurant, walking tacos were a natural fit. The menu at Taco Tuesday, Everyday has expanded to include regular shell tacos and “walking taco burritos,” which include everything that would be in the Fritos bag, but in a tortilla instead. The Huhns hope to add a full kitchen and expand the menu at their store, located off Green Meadows Road. Until then, though, they’re happy with their product. “Most people love tacos,” Brittany says, “and what better way to eat them than out of a bag?”

Contact: 573-514-7009 Address: 212 E. Green Meadows Rd. #5 Website: facebook.com/tacotuesdayeveryday

Anxiety & Depression Clinic of Columbia

Your Pie

The counseling practice, owned and operated by Tonya Culley and Jared Torbet, opened in April. Cully and Torbet bring a diverse background to the practice, having worked with different patients in schools, hospitals, and in individual counseling. At Anxiety & Depression Clinic, the two use a mindfulness-based counseling method known as ACT, or acceptance and commitment therapy. “It’s really where counseling and psychology are going,” Torbet says. “We realized we were kind of doing some things wrong.” Rather than focusing on the elimination of negative feelings — say, anxiety and depression — ACT develops what Torbet calls “a relationship with those thoughts.” By fostering mindfulness and acceptance of anxiety, ACT patients develop a tolerance for those feelings, weakening the control that they can have on the patient’s self-image. Anxiety & Depression Clinic is a private practice, and their clientele is mostly working professionals and families.

Your Pie, a Georgia-based pizza chain, opened its first Missouri location in Grindstone Plaza last month. The franchise location is owned by Pat Quinn, who is also the owner of Columbia’s Massage Envy and European Wax Center. The fast-casual restaurant specializes in quick-serve, brick oven, customized personal pizzas. Customers have the ability to build their own pizza, panini, or salad made to order. Your Pie uses hand-tossed dough, fresh ingredients, homemade sauces and salad dressings, and offers vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free pizzas. The restaurant offers an eclectic beer menu to go with the pizza: 12 local craft beers are available on tap, and Your Pie has even more options in bottles. The restaurant also has a gelato bar, if you need something a little sweeter than pizza. Quinn was drawn to the concept and quality of the franchise, which has locations throughout the southeast U.S. He likes the idea of mixing fast-causal pizza and craft beer. “Customers who dine at Your Pie have come to expect great tasting pizza served with speed without sacrificing flavor,” says Quinn.

Contact: 573-513-8403 Address: 2024 Cherry Hill Dr. Ste. 201-C Website: comoclinic.com

Contact: 573-875-8750 Address: 1413 Grindstone Plaza Dr. #115 Website: facebook.com/yourpiecolumbia

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 JANUARY 2017

Patriot Park Grant The Patriot Park project, a joint effort of the Columbia Housing Authority, Welcome Home, and the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture, won a $25,000 grant from State Farm’s Neighborhood Assist grant program. The grant will be used to make improvements to the park, located on the grounds of the Patriot Place apartment complex, a housing center for previously homeless veterans. The grant will help fund fruit trees, a greenhouse, tool shed, walking paths, and a fenced dog park in Patriot Park. The 40 winners were chosen through online voting in November.

Boone in Moberly Boone Medical Group opened a new specialty clinic in Moberly. The new clinic replaces a smaller clinic that Boone previously had in Moberly, and the new location is next to the Boone Convenient Care at Moberly, a Boone-run urgent care facility. The 5,000-square-foot facility has a total of 15 exam rooms for Boone patients. 22 JANUARY 2017

Discounted Tuition for Uber Drivers Uber and Columbia College have teamed up to offer Uber drivers a 15 percent discount on tuition. The discount is also open to current students who wish to become Uber drivers. The discount requires that students complete at least one Uber trip per month. Driving hours are flexible with student schedules.

BR I EFLY I N T H E N EWS

$1 Million Gift to Stephens Stephens College received a $1 million gift from fashion designer Jeannene Booher to benefit the Stephens College School of Design. Booher’s donation will go toward a fashion lecture series for the school. After studying at Stephens, Booher went on to the Parsons School of Design in New York. She became a partner and designer at the Maggy London dress company for 10 years, and she then started her own line of dresses and two-piece outfits, which were sold at stores like Neiman Marcus, Barneys, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Nordstrom. The first lecturer was Marylou Luther, editor of the International Fashion Syndicate and writer of the award-winning Clotheslines column.

Flat Branch Rural Lending

Tiger Health Care

Flat Branch Home Loans ranked No. 2 among Missouri lenders in the Guaranteed Rural Housing Loan Program in 2016. Of the 4,927 families who purchased homes through the program in the fiscal year, 391 did so through Flat Branch. The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and helps rural lenders provide home loans to low- and moderate-income rural buyers. The 391 loans made by Flat Branch totaled $43,047,982.

MU Health Care and the Tiger Institute for Health Innovation received the Transformational Leadership Award from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives. They were recognized for developing and deploying transformational information technology that improves the delivery of care and streamlines administrative services. Bryan Bliven, chief information officer of MU Health Care and executive director of the Tiger Institute, and Thomas Selva, chief medical information officer of MU Health Care, accepted the award on November 2.

Online Master’s for Doctors MU now offers an online master’s degree for physicians who want to teach. The course is intended for physicians who have a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree who wish to teach in a classroom setting. The program includes those currently finishing their residencies, and it will focus on clinical education, health care systems, reform and policy, evidence-based medicine, and current issues and challenges in medical education. The 30 credit hour program can be completed in five semesters and is designed so doctors can complete the program while continuing their practice.

Smart Business Products Merger Smart Business Products, owned by Bill Schuette, has merged with Midwest Office, an independent office products company headquartered in Illinois with three Midwest locations. The Columbia location will continue to focus on office furniture and supplies, and Schuette will lead it.

Transportation Technology The Missouri Department of Transportation received the 2016 Governor’s Award for Quality and Productivity, a Technology in Government Award. This award recognized several improvements and additions made to MoDOT’s existing systems, such as the dynamic message sign system, which warns of accidents and offers accurate commute time information and portable, changeable message signs for smart work zones. Also, the field alert traffic system team received the 2016 Francis B. Francois Award for Innovation, presented by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 23

24 JANUARY 2017

BUSINE SS • P EO P L E • IM P R OV EM EN T • F YI

B U SI N ESS U PDAT E

Tag Team Taxing Accounting Plus educates the community on finances.

BY MA DELY N E M AAG | P HOTOG R A P HY BY A N TH O N Y J I N S O N

Denise Nelson and Tina Marso COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 25

BUSINE SS • P EO P L E • IM P R OV EM EN T • F YI

SUCCESS IS DIFFICULT TO AVOID WHEN you are determined put hard work, open arms, and a friendly smile at the forefront. This is the mindset that co-founders Denise Nelson and Tina Marso brought when they founded Accounting Plus in the heart of Missouri. Since the firm was established in 1992, Accounting Plus has integrated into the business community with a variety of services. From tax planning and preparation to business advising and accounting, the firm offers the common and necessary services in accounting — but Accounting Plus also actively cultivates close, personal relationships between its staff and their clients. The idea for Accounting Plus began with Nelson, who grew up in Columbia, watching her family. “My parents owned their own business as contractors, and my grandparents had been self-employed,” Nelson says. “So it made sense for me to start my own business. It was my dream.” But Nelson’s dream didn’t come to light immediately. Instead, she worked for the Boone County Auditor’s office, as deputy auditor, after graduating with her bachelor’s degree in accountancy from MU in 1990. Two years later, after spending some time in Kansas City, she decided it was finally time to launch her dream. So, in August of 1992, Accounting Plus came to life.

STARTING OFF SMALL Her first customers were her parents, for whom Nelson did bookkeeping and payroll. Shortly after starting the business, Nelson met her longtime business partner and friend, Marso. “Tina was the instructor for a tax class I took at H&R Block in 1993,” Nelson says. “I told her about my idea for the business, and we decided to launch it.” But within months of ramping up their firm, Nelson got engaged and needed to move back to Kansas City once more. “I knew Tina was going to take good care of the business,” Nelson says. “I trusted her, so when I needed to move back to Kansas City to be with my husband, there was no doubt that she could conquer this.” Marso moved Accounting Plus into the basement of her home, where she grew the firm’s clientele from a few dozen to hundreds in less than a decade. After starting her family and working as the director of finance and administration 26 JANUARY 2017

B U SI N ESS U PDAT E

“When we provide them with our services, we also want to educate them, teach them to read financials, and have them feel comfortable to have a say in their taxes or accounts.” for an IT systems company in Kansas City, Nelson decided to move back to Columbia again in 2001, joining forces in person with Marso. By this point, the two were ready to expand the business. In 2002, when Accounting Plus had become established as a corporation, Marso and Nelson set up shop in their own office and filled it with a staff to serve its growing list of clients. As the office began to grow, so did the number of services offered. Like any traditional firm, they offered tax and accounting services to local businesses, individuals, and nonprofit organizations. However, Nelson and Marso also decided to add and keep some services not typically found anymore in most accounting firms. One of these services included full payroll services for small businesses. “The majority of accounting firms have dropped this service because it is deadline driven and laborious,” Nelson says. “We don’t know the challenges faced by other firms around town, but this service is unique for us since many of our clients still use it.” The defining feature of the firm can be found in the two women who created it and carried it forward: inspiration to help educate the community.

“From the beginning, I know that our most unique feature is that we’re always friendly and open with our clients,” Nelson says. “When we provide them with our services, we also want to educate them, teach them to read financials, and have them feel comfortable to have a say in their taxes or accounts.” The drive for providing understanding in finance is what pushes Accounting Plus’ staff members.

EMBRACING THE NEW The firm thinks that it’s just as important to hold onto more traditional tax services as it is to expand with new ones as technology continues to grow. Regardless of which service the client needs, Accounting Plus seeks to educate them. One of the newer services the firm’s staff teaches its clients is QuickBooks accounting. “We embrace that about 80 percent of our customers see or use QuickBooks accounting,” Nelson says. “We are more than happy to train our customers on QuickBooks with no questions asked.” They have QuickBooks certified trainers on staff. Nelson and Marso also add on a staff of about 25 accountants and tax preparers during their busiest months of the year. Samantha Dent, who has worked at Accounting Plus as an accountant and senior tax preparer since 2011, says that she loves the personality of the staff. “We are here for our clients as well as each other, and I love that,” Dent says. “Especially when we are busy during tax season, our staff is always willing to step in where help is needed. We are a very close-knit group.” Accounting Plus continues to grow in the heart of Missouri. In 2017, the firm will be celebrating 25 years of their ongoing success. “We love the growth that we have seen each year,” Nelson says. “Years from now, Accounting Plus will still be strong and thriving, and hopefully we will be passing it over by then. Until then, we will still be here doing what we can do for the community.” CBT

Accounting Plus 1604B Business Loop 70 W. 573-445-3805 accountingplusinc.com COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 27

BUSINE SS • P EOP L E • IM P R OV EM EN T • F YI

New Place to Grow The Boys and Girls Club expands with a new high school facility.

BY SARAH EVERE T T

BY THE FALL OF 2017, HIGH SCHOOL members of the Columbia Boys and Girls Club will be able to record music, prepare meals, perform plays, and play basketball in a $2.5 million expansion to their space — just in time for the organization’s 20th anniversary. Columbia’s four Boys and Girls Club locations operate under executive director Valorie Livingston, 25 board members, 11 full-time staff, 30 part-time staff, and many volunteers. Board members like Clyde Ruffin serve as representatives in the community and help set policy and direction for the Club. “They advocate in the community, to make sure that the community understands who we are and what we do, and help secure those resources via community partnerships, programs, donations, opportunities to make those goals come true,” Livingston says. “It’s a diverse group of people, because it takes many different levels of talent to run a business.” The Boys and Girls Club began in 1860 and is the longest standing youth service nonprofit in America. The Columbia branch was chartered in 1997, and Livingston has been with the pro28 JANUARY 2017

gram for eight years. The program relocated to its main Seventh Street site three years ago and has opened one additional club site every year since then. The organization serves students ages 6 to 18 and offers after-school and summer programs on a sliding tuition scale as low as $20 per semester. The high school wing will be added to the Seventh Street site — a great location, says Livingston, due to its proximity to Hickman High School, West Middle School, Jefferson Middle School, and the Columbia Housing Authority.

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN Funding for the expansion came from local philanthropy events such as chili cook-offs and golf and basketball fundraisers, a capital campaign, and a $500,000 donation from the City of Columbia. Board member Ruffin is the First Ward city councilman. Livingston says the mission of the club aligns well with the mission of the city — to address poverty, crime, and the achievement gap. “This will be a great enhancement of the program that’s available for the youth in the First

Ward,” Ruffin says. He and First State Community Bank President Joe Miller served as the capital campaign co-chairs in 2015. Livingston says $2.5 million is only enough to cover construction costs, but more funding is needed for furnishings and equipment. “Money drives our organization as to what kind of program opportunities we can create for these kids, which drives what kind of impact we’re going to have for them or how many kids we’re going to be able to serve,” Livingston says. “So funding is always what keeps me up at night — because in a nonprofit world, nothing’s guaranteed.”

HIGH SCHOOL AND HIGH VULNERABILITY Livingston says she hopes the new site will help retain the more mobile high school group. The expansion will offer a gym for basketball and volleyball; previously the club has never had space for indoor recreation during the winter. The gym will also have a stage for performing arts, an activity that families in poverty might not be able to access in the public school setting.

N ON PR OFI T

Boys and Girls Club of Columbia YEARS OPERATING 19

MAIN FUNCTION To work with and enable young people to fulfill their potential as citizens

STAFF 11 full time; 30 part time

PEOPLE SERVED 700-plus children annually

DIRECTOR Valorie Livingston

BOARD PRESIDENT Matt Moore

NEEDS • Donations • Volunteers

“The majority of kids that “They might not be able to do come here are elementary aged, that at school because of barriand then they start to drop off ers such as transportation and in junior high, and then, by the money and support, and if we time they hit high school, they can offer that here at the Boys stop coming, and we identified and Girls Club, we can overthat the reason why that hapcome all of those barriers,” Livpens is because we don’t have ingston says. enough high school age approThe addition will include priate program opportunities commercial kitchens with culifor them,” Livingston says. nary classes. Livingston says Valorie Livingston Campaign co-chair Miller this opportunity is modeled Director said he thinks the expansion will after the Columbia Area Career address this issue and hopes the Center, a part of Columbia Pubprogram will increase its enrolllic Schools, with whom the club ment to 1,200 or 1,300 students. has a close relationship. The Boys and Girls Club can work “It is one of the highest vulnerwith their students on CPS-speability times in a young adolescific curriculum to make sure cent’s life in the kinds of the decithey are on track to graduate, sions that they’re making,” Livand CPS provides hot meals for ingston says. “They have to have the students. In 2015, the club their own space away from the served more than 47,000 meals. elementary aged kids where they The organization recogcan hang out, and it’s just their nizes that many students have peers, and they want to be there, Matt Moore a passion for culinary arts and and just that opportunity alone Board President they want to showcase it as a allows us to build some very posicareer opportunity — hence the tive relationships with them — to kitchen. They will also partner mentor them and influence some with the Columbia Center for of the decisions that they’re makUrban Agriculture to provide ing as they grow up.” more opportunities for experience in that field. BUILT TO LAST The facility will also have Never initially intending to recording studios and the work in the nonprofit world, opportunity to create and proLivingston now says this is her duce original music — “somedream job. thing other than just, you know, “I am watching these kids your typical band experience,” grow up now in a safe environJennifer Bach Livingston says. ment with positive role modBoard Vice President These additions align with els and making smart decisions the nonprofit’s programming to stay in school and graduate aims: education and career development, and have goals of what they’re going to do after health and life skills, fine arts, and fitness. Their high school and beating all of those odds and all goal is to lead the community in after-school of those challenges,” she says. “It is so fulfilling youth programs providing developmental to be able to see the impact and the difference opportunities that are affordable, safe, and fun. that you’re making in the world, or in our com“We really feel like it is just as important to munity even if it’s just in one child’s life.” CBT help that [high school] age group as it is to give a safe environment for elementary aged kids,” Livingston says. She says adolescence is a critical time in Boys and Girls Club of Columbia which high schoolers are making decisions 1200 N. Seventh St. about gang activity, drug usage, relationships, 573-874-1697 and high school graduation. bgc-columbia.org COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 29

From left: Leslie Wilbers, Alex LaBrunerie, Bret Rodabaugh, Tiffany Greene

1966

1970

1981

Ferd LaBrunerie founds LaBrunerie Financial, specializing in retirement savings for middle class Columbians.

LaBrunerie adds term life insurance to its product line, moving away from costly whole life policies that were common at the time.

LaBrunerie offers what is likely the first 401(k) plan available in Columbia.

30 JANUARY 2017

BUSINE SS • P EO P L E • IM P R OV EM EN T • F YI

C ELEBRAT I ON S

Developing the Plan LaBrunerie Financial celebrates 50 years.

BY JENNIFER TR UESDA L E | P HOTOG R A P HY BY A N TH O N Y J I N S O N

MARKING A 50TH ANNIVERSARY IS A major accomplishment for any business, but for LaBrunerie Financial, mid-Missouri's only independently owned broker–dealer, the milestone signifies half a century of innovation, integrity, and family legacy. In 1966, Ferd LaBrunerie, a St. Joseph native and 1958 Harvard graduate, launched LaBrunerie Financial in Columbia with a specific idea in mind. As lifespans and incomes increased, so did the capacity and need for Americans to save for the future. Recognizing this, Ferd’s business model revolved around providing financial services that would help middle-class clients save for retirement and their children’s college education, a concept that was relatively new at the time. “It was about how average people could create wealth for themselves and their families and meet key needs like a dignified retirement and a college education for their kids or grandkids,” says Alex LaBrunerie, Ferd’s son and current president, about the founding business model. “Dad was very different that way.” LaBrunerie Financial is also different in remaining independently owned and not subject to the demands of a corporate office. That has been a priority, one that allowed the business to remain nimble and offer innovative products in the past, such as the market research services they began offering in the 1990’s. “Americans started relying on the stock market for retirement savings in the ’90s, so the need for stock market research and data was greater and greater,” Alex says. Alex says the firm responded to other changes in the decades leading up to the 1990s as well. In the 1970s, Americans were paying for costly whole life insurance policies. Identifying a trend with the newly introduced, cost-effective term life

policies, Ferd added this product to LaBrunerie Financial’s offerings. Then, in 1981, a few years before 401(k) retirement plans began to replace the standard 403(b), Ferd introduced what was likely the first 401(k) available in Columbia, to a local car dealership.

CHANGING HANDS Alex, 53, was a teenager through much of these changing times, and even then he took an interest in his father’s financial world, setting the stage for his own career in the industry. “When I was a young teenager, investments and the movement of currencies and the interplay between economies and politics was something very interesting to me,” says Alex. Upon graduating from high school, Alex left home to attend St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico before striking out on his own in Denver, where he worked for six years at ITT Financial Services. As a young man, Alex was determined to stand on his own merits. “I was a young, hardheaded 22-year-old. I didn't necessarily want to take advice from my dad. I was going to make it on my own in Denver,” Alex recalls. But he also remembers a pearl of wisdom his father gave to him so many years ago, one that Alex says laid a foundation for a career of integrity. “He called and he said, ‘Don't ever abuse people's trust and always tell the truth. You're going to meet people who tell you otherwise in this industry. Don't listen to them.’” In 1989, Alex, who was married and starting his own family, had the opportunity to move back to Columbia to work with his father. A member of the LaBrunerie Financial team had retired, and, while Alex says it was never a foregone conclusion that he would come back to

work for the family business, it was a decision that made sense — and one he hasn’t regretted. “I truly find that our section in the financial services, of helping people save for the fleshand-blood needs of retirement and education, is very rewarding,” says Alex. Today, with Alex at the helm following his father’s retirement in 2012, LaBrunerie Financial boasts some 2,500 clients, many of whom are third generation. To celebrate 50 years of success, more than 230 clients attended the firm’s outdoor birthday bash in September. Alex says LaBrunerie Financial is now planning for the future generations of clients and how they can serve them. In the short term, Alex and his team of seven employees are gearing up for more market changes. “As far as capital markets go, having lower returns in the next several years is what some analysts are thinking, so charting a course through that is what we're very interested in doing for our clients,” he says. Regardless of what the market or changing times bring, Alex remains steadfast in continuing the legacy of integrity that his father started, and he looks forward with optimism and pride in the services LaBrunerie Financial offers Columbia. “Saving for retirement and for college is a long process, and to be able to see it come to fruition over many years is something I'm proud of,” Alex says. “There's a mutual shared sense of accomplishment that we have with our clients, and it's a privilege to be a part of that.” CBT

LaBrunerie Financial 601 W. Nifong Blvd labrunerie.com 573-449-5313

1989

1990s

2012

2016

Alex LaBrunerie, 25, returns to Columbia after six years at ITT Financial in Denver to work with his father at LaBrunerie.

LaBrunerie begins offering market data and research services.

Ferd LaBrunerie retires as president; Alex LaBrunerie steps into his father‘s role.

LaBrunerie Financial celebrates 50 years.

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 31

T A X I P S

TAMI R. BENUS, CPA

Out with the old, in with the new Clean your financial house for the new year

Review your credit report. Request a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus. If the reports contain errors, get them corrected. Purge financial records. If you’re a financial packrat with stacks of old cancelled checks and bank statements that are no longer needed for an IRS audit or your own use, shred them. Calculate your net worth. This is a great yardstick for measuring your household’s financial growth (or shrinkage) from year to year.

See our tips and blog at trbcpa.com Tami R Benus, CPA 1808 Monroe St. Columbia 65201 573.499.1990

tami@trbcpa.com

trbcpa.com

32 JANUARY 2017

Happy New Year from our home to yours...

“Thank you for supporting our locally owned family business. Because of your support, I have been able to enjoy more time with my family and friends.” —Sue Riley, Owner Does your home need a Personal Touch? Office: 573.256.1920 www.personaltouchcleaningservicellc.com

B U SINESS • PEOP LE • IM P R OV EM EN T • F YI

M OVER S & SH AKER S

Movers & Shakers JANUARY 2017 GORDON

John Gordon John Gordon has been promoted to the rank of deputy chief of the Columbia Police Department. Previously the assistant chief of the operations bureau, Gordon will now oversee the operations bureau, which includes all personnel assigned to patrol. Gordon attended the Senior Management Institute for Police in 2015, and he has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from William Woods University.

Tim Springer After serving Boone Electric Cooperative for almost 22 years and retiring in 2016, Tim Springer, a former manager of environmental health and safety, was awarded the A.C. Burrows Award by the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives. The award recognizes directors and employees of electric cooperatives for their outstanding service to their cooperative, service areas, and surrounding community. Springer served in the U.S. Air Force and completed his career as lieutenant colonel.

Seth Sherman Dr. Seth Sherman, a sports medicine orthopedic surgeon at MU Health Care’s Missouri Orthopaedic Institute, has been selected as one of 16 top sports knee surgeons in the U.S. by Orthopedics This Week. He was recognized for not only his clinical care, but also his work as an athletic team physician, researcher, and educator. Sherman is also an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at the MU School of Medicine.

Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau The Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau has promoted Julie Ausmus to tourism administrative supervisor. In her new position, she will oversee the CVB’s tourism development program and be a liaison to the advisory board. Additionally, Beth Mead has been promoted to tourism services supervisor. Her responsibilities will include overseeing all sales and services staff at the bureau.

Lauren Karr The Mid-Missouri Chapter of Public Relations Society of America named Lauren Karr the 2016 Communicator of the Year. Karr works at Veterans United Home Loans as director of communications and was given the award for her positive impact on the communications profession and her demonstration of superior professional character and achievement.

Commerce Bank Steve Sowers has been named president of Commerce Bank’s Central Missouri region. Sowers succeeds Teresa Maledy, who was recently promoted to chairman and will continue as chief executive officer. In this role, Sowers will continue his duties as the commercial division manager of the bank’s Central Missouri region. These changes anticipated Jim Schatz’s retirement at the end of 2016. Schatz served as chairman and chief credit officer for 17 years.

Sandy Neal Sandy Neal has been appointed as the new Alliance Water Resources president. Neal has held the previous positions of director of business development, director of human resources, and corporate compliance officer within the company. Alliance owner Dale Wagner, who has served as president since 2012, will remain involved in his role as chairman of the board.

Keith Glindemann Keith Glindemann, Columbia College’s director of veterans services, has been elected the president of the National Association of Veterans’ Program Administrators. He was previously the vice president of the organization and has served as the legislative affairs director as well.

AUSMUS

KARR

SOWERS

Richelle Koopman Dr. Richelle Koopman, associate professor of family and community medicine at MU, has been elected president of the board for the journal Annals of Family Medicine. Koopman will oversee publication and budgeting of the journal, which publishes family medicine research focused on patient-centered care.

GLINDEMANN

David Coil Coil Construction promoted David Coil to the role of executive vice president. Coil joined the company fulltime after graduating from Southern Methodist University in 2007, though he worked part-time as a field laborer for the company in high school. In his new role, Coil will focus on project development and oversight of the company’s daily operations. CBT

KOOPMAN

COIL

Are you or your employees making waves in the Columbia business community? Send us your news at Editor@BusinessTimesCompany.com COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 33

B U SINESS • PEOP LE • IM P R OV EM EN T • F YI

J O E M ILLER

C E N T R A L M I S S O U R I P R E S I DE N T | F I R S T S TAT E C OM M U N I T Y BA N K | AG E : 5 0

Job description: Management of Columbia, Moberly, Mexico, and Boonville markets for FSCB. Years lived in Columbia/midMissouri: 33 years. Original hometown: LaMonte, Missouri (since no one knows where that is — just west of Sedalia). Education: Attended both MU and Columbia College. Received my BS in business administration in 1990. Favorite volunteer/community activity: I would say two things: one is serving for the last seven years on the board for the Boys and Girls Club, and the other is my 21 years serving on the Southern Boone R-1 Board of Education. Professional background: I have made my rounds! Started my career while in college, working at Boone County National Bank for 14 years. Five years with Boone National Savings and Loan, then almost 10 years with Commerce Bank before making the move to First State Community Bank in March 2016. A favorite recent project: Co-chairing the capital campaign (with Clyde Ruffin) for the Boys and Girls Club of Columbia. We raised $2.5 million in about 10 months! Why I’m passionate about my job: Pretty basic: I love helping customers achieve financial success. I have also enjoyed working with the “best of the best” over the years! It also allows me to be very involved in this community and meet some of the most extraordinary people. Columbia has a terrific group of banks (and bankers) that truly care, and I am proud to be associated with all of them. If I weren’t doing this for a living, I would: Probably be a politician . . . or an Elvis impersonator. Pro golfer? Drew Smith and Steve Sowers may have a differing opinion. 34 JANUARY 2017

Photography by Anthony Jinson

P E R S ON YO U SH OU LD KN OW

“The past few years have seen, in my opinion, an overreach on the federal level to control smaller financial institutions.” The next challenge facing my industry: Probably rising interest rates. We have seen an extended period of historically low rates, and, as rates begin to move up, what impact will that have on our local economy? The increased regulatory burden on community banks over the past several years (i.e. Dodd– Frank, etc.) has challenged smaller banks to remain competitive. Although some regulatory reform was necessary, the past few years have seen, in my opinion, an overreach on the federal level to control smaller financial institutions. A Columbia businessperson I admire and why: There are a lot that I admire. Three that I consider on my personal Mount Rushmore are Bo Fraser, Ed Scott, and the late Bill Powell. These three men helped me understand the importance of humility, the importance of community, and the importance of passion for whatever you are doing. Outside of my family, I could always count on them to give me direction and wisdom over the past 30 years. Biggest lesson learned in business: Humility. Also that things are never as good as they seem and never as bad as they seem — they are always somewhere in between.

Why I’m passionate about my company: FSCB is a community bank that truly cares about every single customer that walks in the door. It doesn’t matter if it’s a child opening a junior savings account or a person buying a business — they are all important at FSCB. We’re headquartered in Farmington, Missouri, and FSCB was built on the idea of serving the community. FSCB came to Columbia six-plus years ago to continue that tradition in central Missouri. Accomplishment I’m most proud of: My kids and my marriage. I am so proud of the young women my kids have turned out to be as they grow up. They all have huge hearts and care so much for others. Being a daddy is tough, but, as I grow older, I think my wife and I did good! How would you like to impact the Columbia community: My involvement with the Boys and Girls Club has had a huge impact on my family and me. Helping kids see a bright future can be very difficult, but the BGC is doing incredible work to make that happen. My next professional goal: Continue to grow the FSCB brand in central Missouri. Looking to grow into other communities in our area is a high priority for us right now. This is a great bank that can really serve a unique niche in our area.

What I do for fun: Really enjoy traveling. My wife and I try to get to a beach somewhere every year for a little R&R. Greatest strength: Adaptability — I feel that I can adapt to different situations and people relatively easily. Also, I think I’m pretty good at bringing people together to achieve results. Greatest weakness: Other than filling out questionnaires like this? I wish I had more discipline to exercise on a regular basis! That is my goal for 2017 — to lose some weight and take control of my health. Family: Married to my wonderful wife, Tammy, for 26 years. We have three beautiful daughters — Lauren, 24; Logan, 20; and Addison, 14. Next September, I will be adding a son-in-law, Kody Kile, to the family. Favorite place in Columbia: That is a tough one. I love football Saturdays (and football Friday nights in Ashland!). I love being on the golf course at Old Hawthorne, although I don’t get to play as much as I would like. I would also rank Sunday mornings at The Crossing as a favorite place to be. Most people don’t know that I: Recently performed in the TRYPS production of “Elf — The Musical” at Stephens College. I played Santa Claus! CBT COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 35

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36 JANUARY 2017

B U SINESS • PEOP LE • IM P R OV EM EN T • F YI

The Next Pot o’ Gold BY A L GERMON D

ALMOST 110 YEARS AGO, COLUMBIA’S first major industrial enterprise — the Hamilton-Brown Shoe Company — got underway in the still-standing brick factory building at 1123 Wilkes Blvd., at the corner of Fay Street. One of dozens of shoe factories sprinkled across the state, several hundred “operatives,” as they were referred to at the time, provided a major economic boost to this small college community. Racked by the economic depression of the 1930s, closing for a while in 1931 before resuming production a few years later, the plant finally shut down in 1939. The economic setback was significant. Industry bypassed Columbia because it lacked mainline rail service while both residents and the town’s fathers eschewed “smokestack industry” or ventures marked by labor instability. The completion of Interstate 70 across Missouri in 1965 renewed interest among local leaders in attracting both light manufacturing industry and warehouse operations, as tracts zoned for such entities were set aside along several accessible corridors. An industrial development agency was created — Regional Economic Development Inc., or REDI, being

the current iteration — that oversees and promotes this activity. Over the years, Columbia’s development economy has varied with periodic gains and, unfortunately, some losses up and down the two principal corridors, the first bracketing Route B, with some access to the city-owned COLT railway branch to the Norfolk Southern mainline at Centralia, and the newer LeMone Industrial Park on the city’s southeast edge. One of the more recent spurts of positive economic news was IBM’s choice of Columbia for an operations support office. The result of a highly orchestrated community-wide effort, IBM has been a disappointment, failing to achieve originally stated employment goals. Anyone familiar with IBM’s record as an employer in a number of communities in New York’s Lower Hudson River Valley would have been skeptical of all the rah-rah enthusiasm over Big Blue’s job creation promises enunciated several years ago. On the other hand, the region has reasons to celebrate: the use of Chapter 100 bonds allowing Columbia Foods to continue operating the nation’s largest hot dog factory, and the

OPI N I ON

noteworthy expansion of non-manufacturing ventures including Veterans United, Midway USA, and the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority, or MOHELA, among others. Economic development initiatives are the realm of REDI, whose board members occasionally leave hints of leads from entities hither and yon who have shown interest in setting up shop here. Protective secrecy is the watchword as various projects function under the guise of code words. There are reminiscences of failure, such as the Dollar General warehouse that ended up in Fulton or the entity that needed better airline service than we were able to offer at the time. So-called “shovel ready” sites, the Ewing site among them, are bandied about as possible locations for new business ventures, while rumors are always afoot about hauling in that truly large tax-generating Big Magilla, that Holy Grail of Grails called a data center. Who knows what REDI’s periscope is reconnoitering these days? That’s their business, and we respect the need for privacy and confidentiality up until the day they’re ready to announce something. At the same time, we need to caution ourselves that what may look like a pot o’ gold could end up being something akin to inviting a pig into our parlor. What we want is a happy customer that, over the long term, will provide a base of steady employment and won’t offend the values that we cherish and hold dear. While Columbia wants to land the next “big one,” the city’s balks over sewer connections and other tension-generating issues are leading some of us to tout placing these new enterprises outside the hallowed corporate limits of Collegetown, USA. Ashland, among others, is more welcoming these days, with natural gas and the growth and renewal of its sewer system as the community expands its boundaries, crowding its way toward Columbia Regional Airport. Then there’s the prospect of creating wholly new incorporated municipal entities — suburbs if you will — initially centered at least two miles outside Columbia’s present boundary but eventually crawling inward as it presses against Columbia’s outer ramparts. 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 37

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BusinessTimesInteractive.com/mobile 38 JANUARY 2017

They’re driven, successful, and enthusiastic. They’re leaders, they’re teammates. They’re rising stars in Columbia.

M E E T C B T ’ S 2 0 U N D E R 4 0 C L A S S O F 2 017.

BY BETH BR AMSTEDT AND BR ANDON HOOPS | PHOTOGR APHY BY KEITH BORGMEYER

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ADA BUCKMAN Assistant Vice President, Commerce Bank Years lived in Columbia: 9

AGE

F UN FAC T: Ad a was nomi na ted a s C l a s s C l own h er se n i o r ye a r o f hi g h scho o l . 40 JANUARY 2017

Ada Buckman isn’t one to run away from a challenge. Her self-confidence and determination, which have served her well at Commerce Bank, were forged in her childhood. The youngest in her family, Buckman grew up in a house with three older brothers. “My mother always said I was not the traditional little girl because the boys around me made me tough,” Buckman says. But these rich experiences weren’t all that left an imprint on Buckman. She believes some of her competitive spirit is the influence of her grandfather, who survived almost two years in a Nazi prison camp. Known as “the Padre” by other prisoners, he preached to them to believe in themselves, have faith, and refuse to give up. After more than a decade at Commerce Bank, Buckman’s drive hasn’t gone unnoticed. In 2012, she was named as the first recipient of the One Commerce Excellence Award for the Central Missouri region. This award recognizes employees who exemplify outstanding dedication to Commerce Bank’s goals and customers. In 2013, the bank selected her as one of 30 employees from around the country to participate in the Commerce Leadership Development Program. This training exposed Buckman to experienced professionals from all parts of Commerce Bank, including a one-on-one meeting with President John W. Kemper. “Ada’s passion for all things Columbia matches her commitment to the bank’s clients,” says Senior Vice President Mike Ireland. “She’s the quintessential young professional — well connected, polished, humble, and sincere.” This year, Buckman, the treasury services officer, looks forward to growing into a more managerial role and mentoring new employees. It’s an aspiration that has taken root thanks to the nurturing influence of Teresa Maledy, CEO and chairwoman of Commerce Bank’s Central Missouri region. “Teresa’s example and encouragement have pushed me not only to achieve high goals in the Commerce culture,” Buckman says, “but also to challenge myself with projects and leadership responsibilities in the community.”

CL AS S OF 2017

JUSTIN DYER Director of the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy, AGE

Associate Professor of Political Science, MU

Years lived in Columbia: 7

The misconception is familiar to Justin Dyer: Many people liken being a college professor to a retirement job. You get summers off. You only have to spend a few hours here and there in the classroom. The reality is that most professors work nights, weekends, and summers, on top of their daily schedules. The good news, Dyer says, is that it typically involves work they enjoy. There’s no disguising the energy and excitement Dyer has poured into his responsibilities at MU. In addition to his classes and writing projects, Dyer is the founding director of the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy. Founded in 2014 and supported by a $25 million grant in 2015, the Kinder Institute studies U.S. political thought and history. The initial stages of building the program have been a collaborative effort between Dyer and his colleagues. Their hope is to raise the profile of MU and make it a destination for students and scholars in this area of study. Although many people are still learning about the program, Dyer highlights the recent recruitment of two established faculty members, professors Jay Sexton and Adam Seagrave, as early indicators of a budding reputation. As much as Dyer carries the vision for the future of the Kinder Institute, it’s the day-to-day interactions with students that anchor him. He delights in making connections and being a part of their personal and professional growth. “Ultimately our work is meaningful only to the extent that we have a positive impact on the lives of other people,” Dyer says. “As faculty, we talk about our commitment to teaching, research, and service. But really it comes down to making the university a place where people can flourish as they pursue knowledge and wisdom together.”

F UN FAC T: Justin co-a u th ored a b ook on C . S. Lewi s ’ po l i t i ca l tho u g ht tha t wa s pu bl i she d i n Au g u st 2 016 . COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 41

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J.D. CALVIN General Manager, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Years lived in Columbia: 31

J.D. Calvin grew up in real estate. It wasn’t uncommon to find him alongside his mother, Jody Calvin, a Columbia broker for over 30 years, as she showed off a house or put the finishing touches on a closing. Because of these experiences, it seemed like a natural progression for Calvin to partner with his mother after college. “I’ve never thought or referred to what I do as my ‘job,’ which is why I love what I do,” Calvin says. “I think most people that are in family businesses feel the same way. It plays too much to our identity and a part of who we are.” What started as a family business transitioned in 2012 when Warren Buffett acquired Prudential Real Estate, the Calvins’ parent company at the time. Given a choice to become a local shop or join one of the most recognized brands in the world, Berkshire Hathaway, they picked the latter. This month, Calvin will buy the company from his mother with his business partner, Matt Beckett. “J.D. is a hardworking and genuinely good guy,” Beckett says. “He truly makes a difference for a lot of people in the real estate profession and those he helps in his work with Global First Responders.” As general manager, Calvin enjoys giving his heart and passion to agent support, or what he affectionately calls the “agent pit crew.” He wants to ensure they have what they need to do their jobs well. He helps with technology, advertising, photography, training, and more. Calvin has found that a lot of agents, especially ones who have come from other offices, appreciate this level of attention. “Agents aren’t used to management and owners taking an active role in their success,” Calvin says. “We have a team, family-like vibe, which is rare. I love that.”

F UN FAC T: J.D. lived i n Uma Th u r ma n’ s ol d a p a r t me n t . 42 JANUARY 2017

AGE

CL AS S OF 2017

Jessie Yankee strives to make those around her proud. “I work hard and care so much about my business because so many people have supported me throughout my life,” Yankee shares, “and I owe it to them to reach my potential.” Yankee opened EasyPC in 2011 and has grown the company from a home-based, one client operation to a multi-employee entity with hundreds of clients throughout Columbia. Her current role includes managing the business, generating sales, and networking with the community. “Jessie has created an outstanding new IT company in Columbia,” says Shannon Wright, practice administrator for the Women’s Wellness Center. “EasyPC is revolutionary in what they deliver and how they deliver it.” While Yankee enjoys the success of reaching her goals, like building their computer repair division to reach profitability in its first year, she most enjoys the relationships she builds with her team. “I look forward to Monday because I miss my team over the weekend,” Yankee says. “They are everything you could want not only as employees, but as friends.” Yankee credits the book “Good to Great,” by Jim Collins, with giving her courage to confront the brutal facts of her business. “You have to separate your emotional attachment to programs, systems, products, and other organizational areas so you can see the actual reality of your situation,” Yankee says. This clarity has helped Yankee, a mother of two, define the future of EasyPC. She plans to spend 2017 building and training her team in order to open a data center and second repair shop, and she eventually wants to expand into neighboring markets like Jefferson City and Lake of the Ozarks. Yankee also enjoys hanging out with her family, teaching group fitness classes, and drinking wine with her girlfriends. “That about sums up my life,” she says. “Work, kids, workouts, and wine.”

JESSIE YANKEE Owner, EasyPC IT & Computer Repair Years lived in Columbia: 11

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F UN FAC T: Jessie worked f u l l -t i me a t M U a nd h el d t wo ba r te n di n g j o bs w hi l e ge t t i n g he r MBA. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 43

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GARY TEGERDINE Mergers and Acquisitions Manager, MFA Oil Company Years lived in Columbia: 35

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35 Make every day count. For Gary Tegerdine, this simple mindset has formed the foundation of his eight years at MFA Oil. Just “showing up” has never been an option. He wants to make a difference each time he steps in the office. A former analyst, Tegerdine became manager of a new department within MFA Oil last June — mergers and acquisitions. It’s a role well-suited to his cooperative nature. In the eight acquisitions he has been a part of during this time, Tegerdine has cherished the opportunity to look beyond the one-size-fits-all approach. Each scenario is unique and requires creative thinking to find and execute the best solution. But the most rewarding experience of his new role is forming relationships with business owners. “We are acquiring their baby,” says Tegerdine, who also serves on MFA Oil’s employee committee. “You have to earn their trust to the point they know we will make sure their customers continue to receive the service they are accustomed to getting.” Don Smith, the director of mergers and acquisitions at MFA, has been guiding Tegerdine through the transition, especially how to build relationships with clients and work through difficult scenarios to achieve win-win situations. Smith made Tegerdine, who has always dreamed of owning his own business, the lead on a recent acquisition. “Throughout my career, I have been presented with opportunities that allow me to express and implement my ideas as if I was an owner,” Tegerdine says. “I have been blessed.” Tegerdine believes hard work and dedication pays off in the end. It’s a mindset that has proven influential at home too. “I just found out I can learn anything if I put my mind to it,” Tegerdine says. “My most recent accomplishment as a father is learning how to play the Pokémon card game.”

FUN FACT: Gar y is the proud owner of a Batman themed bathroom, including Batman shower curtains, towels, soap dispensers, and more. 44 JANUARY 2017

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LORELI WILSON AGE

Manager of Diversity and Inclusion Programs, Veterans United Home Loans Years lived in Columbia: 31

Loreli Wilson never imagined finding a position in Columbia where she could live out her passion. She feels fortunate to have found Veterans United Home Loans. As manager of diversity and inclusion programs, she not only helps shape the environment where she works, but she is also empowered to influence the broader community. “There are not a lot of companies that encourage you to spend time in the company and community,” Wilson says. “That’s how you know Veterans United genuinely cares about inclusion — they use their resources to impact the community with no desire or expectation of financial gains.” Her work has not gone unnoticed. “Loreli has used programs, projects, videos, events, and even a TEDx talk to do amazing things in the diversity and inclusion field at VU and in the community,” co-worker Emily Clapp says. Together with other professionals of color in Columbia, Wilson helped create the Columbia Diversity Initiative. After two years of research and business planning, it later became a branch of the Diversity Awareness Partnership, based in St. Louis. Although Wilson prefers to work in the background, she has broken out of her comfort zone on several occasions to share about VU’s programs with other organizations. Wilson has also continued her education with certifications through the Society of Human Resource Management and the Institute of Diversity Certification. This year, she looks forward to launching a program called RISE, a partnership between VU, the DAP, Shelter Insurance, Commerce Bank, and other businesses. The goal is to provide leadership development for professionals of color in Columbia. “The effects of this work are slow but meaningful,” Wilson says. “Five to 10 years from now, I hope the work I do will show a noticeable impact on the demographics and professional experiences of people of color in our community.”

F UN FAC T: Loreli e njoys fa mi ly d a nc e p a r t i es , movi e n i g ht s, a n d l i ste n i n g to m a de - u p so n g s by he r da u g hte r, Ar i . COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 45

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ANNIE DOISY Operations Manager, ReverseMortgages.com Inc. Years lived in Columbia: 11

Annie Doisy never dreamed that her first job would potentially be her last. Less than a week after graduating from MU, Doisy took a job with a company now known as Reverse Mortgages.com Inc. She was one of the first five employees and helped facilitate the initial thrust of licensing, writing policies and procedures, and preparing the company to launch. It was a new and challenging experience, and it was clear from day one that she had found a place to make a positive impact and achieve her career goals. In the past eight years, Doisy has been a key contributor in the company’s rise to becoming a top 10 reverse mortgage lender. But she’s not done: Her tenacity and ambition are now set on leadership development. She wants to empower other leaders to take the torch and continue the company’s expansion and growth. Doisy always works with a quote from author and speaker Zig Ziglar in the forefront of her mind: “You don’t build a business. You build people, and people build the business.” Doisy also appreciates the example set by John Schulte, the owner of Reverse Mortgages.com. His encouragement and attention breathe life into the organization and help team members, including Doisy, reach their potential. Her enthusiasm for the team she manages and works alongside is not contrived. “I am constantly motivated and positively influenced by the electric atmosphere of our team,” Doisy says. “Every employee is an integral part. Their commitment and dedication to build a better future for our company and the homeowners we serve is inspirational.” The admiration is mutual. “Annie makes it impossible for anyone not to succeed in her presence,” says co-worker Laura Judkins. “She has earned the respect of more than 70 employees, and she’s done it all before the age of 30.”

F UN FAC T: Annie a t tend s a t l ea st one G reen B ay Pa cke r s ga m e eve r y ye a r. 46 JANUARY 2017

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JOE RITTER Assistant Vice President, Landmark Bank Years lived in Columbia: 30

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When Joe Ritter returned to his hometown in search of a job, he was unsure what career path to pursue. The one thing guiding him was a desire to find a solid organization where employees had opportunities to succeed and advance. He got lucky when he landed at Landmark Bank. Even though he had no banking experience, he learned the ropes as a teller supervisor. He then worked his way up to assistant manager, then branch manager, and, finally, his most recent position, private banking officer. The private banking department ensures Landmark’s best customers get the support and resources they need. It’s a new department that has taken shape under Ritter’s direction, and he looks forward to continued expansion, from hiring at least one additional banker to developing new client relationships. Ritter, who recently celebrated his 10th anniversary at Landmark, likes to have fun and give back too. As the official financial partner of Columbia Public Schools athletics, Landmark often sponsors kicking competitions at football games or halftime shootouts at basketball games. Ritter’s energy and enthusiasm make him the perfect fit for being the face of Landmark at these events. “Joe volunteers his time to represent the bank in our community in so many ways,” says Senior Vice President Cheryl Jarvis. “This is just one reason he is deserving of this award.” One of Ritter’s proudest accomplishments was leading Landmark’s fundraising campaign for the United Way in 2013. As chair of the employee campaign, he challenged himself to take the project to new heights, setting a lofty goal of $80,000. At the conclusion of the campaign, over $100,000 had been raised, with more than 80 percent employee participation. Ritter says, “Our commitment to giving back to the community is one reason I am so proud to work at Landmark Bank.”

F UN FAC T: Joe was th e tea m c a p ta i n for West mi nste r C o l l e ge ’ s so cce r te a m i n 2 0 01. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 47

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Attorney Nathan Jones loves his job, but he’s quick to admit that it’s nothing like the lawyers portrayed on TV. Jones graduated from law school in 2011 and spent five years with Barchet & Jones before opening his own law practice last June. His firm focuses on estate planning, business law, and probate matters. “Most of my job is counseling clients, reading, and writing,” Jones says, “I don’t think a show about my day-to-day life will be on primetime anytime soon.” Jones passed up the opportunity to work for a large firm in order to have control over the kind of work he wants to do. The best he can tell, he is the youngest attorney in Columbia to run his own non-litigation firm. “I enjoy helping people,” Jones says. “Every person that sits down in my office needs help with something. I get to make sure they leave in a better place than they were when they walked through my door.” Over the next ten years, Jones hopes to grow his business by 20 percent, add trademark law as a practice area, and develop a way to provide legal practices across the state. Jones enjoys helping others and giving back to his profession. He is currently on the board of City of Refuge and Playing for Hope. He serves as the president of the Mid-Missouri Estate Planning Council and teaches a tax law research class at the MU law school each fall. “From graduation to working at a firm to becoming partner to opening his own firm, Nathan has continued to excel in every way,” says friend and client Warren Byington. “And he is just getting started.” Jones, a father of two rambunctious boys, is also a runner, a Chiefs fan, and a great cook. “I really enjoy experimenting with my smoker,” he says. “My ribs are pretty dang good!”

F UN FAC T: Nathan i s ma r ri ed to h i s h i gh s ch ool s we e the a r t . 48 JANUARY 2017

NATHAN JONES Owner, Nathan Jones Law Years lived in Columbia: 12

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DAVID COIL

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Executive Vice President, Coil Construction Years lived in Columbia: 31

If a career in construction hadn’t worked out, David Coil says he would probably have taken his love for cooking and started a food truck. Thankfully, Plan A became reality when he began handling the on-site administrative duties for Coil during the construction of Warm Springs Ranch, Anheuser-Busch’s 300-acre Clydesdale farm. From there, Coil moved up in the family business to executive vice president, where he now oversees the company’s projects, people, and resources. “The best thing about my job is handing over the keys to the owner at the end of the project,” Coil says. “To our clients, it is more than a building. It’s their vision and livelihood, and there is a great deal of satisfaction in helping to materialize their dream.” Coil partnered with Welcome Home in the development of their new temporary and emergency shelter for veterans. “I got to help them design, budget, and fund their new facility,” Coil says. “It will give men, women, and families of veterans the chance to get back on their feet.” Terry Roberts, president of Welcome Home, is grateful for Coil’s contribution. “Whether by serving on the board of Woodhaven or helping clients like Welcome Home,” Roberts says, “David is committed to building this community.” In 2014, Coil received his MBA. “I’ve learned to set small, attainable goals in the short term that will move us in the right direction for our long-term vision,” Coil says. One of Coil’s accomplishments was launching a new facility management division. “This team is a dedicated group of personnel that respond to the repair, maintenance, and small project needs of our clients after they’ve occupied their facilities.” Coil is certified in open water scuba diving and loves to travel, hike, fish, and spend time outdoors with his wife and daughter. “Basically, if I’m not at work,” Coil says, “I’m out having fun!”

F UN FAC T: David is a th i rd -gener a t i on E a gl e Sc ou t a n d vo l u n te e r s i n du ct i n g yo u n g m e n i n to the o rga n i za t i o n . COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 49

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DR. TY-RON DOUGLAS Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, MU Years lived in Columbia: 5

Ty-Ron Douglas lives an integrated life as a community engaged scholar, minister, and leader. Born in Bermuda, Douglas moved to the U.S. in 1998 to pursue his education. After stops in Alabama and North Carolina, he landed in Columbia, where he has spent the last five years teaching in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at MU. As a professor, Douglas sees the world as his classroom. “I seek to authentically integrate and activate my research, teaching, and service in the community-based spaces that matter most to those I serve,” he says. Those spaces include neighborhoods, barbershops, and churches. Douglas’ passion is born from his personal story. Long before he had the opportunity to earn his Ph.D., his 19-year-old mother nearly aborted him. “She decided to keep me, so I know I’m supposed to be here,” Douglas shares. “I have a passion for humanity that is grounded in the belief that people, families, and organizations can break cycles and fulfill their potential.” In October 2016, Douglas released his latest book, “Border Crossing Brothas: Black Males Navigating Race, Place, and Complex Space.” He has also co-written a book about marriage and family with his wife. “Dr. Douglas is a leader in the field of education who is acclaimed for speaking nationally and internationally,” says Hickman High School Principal Eric Johnson. “He prepares future and practicing educational leaders to lead with integrity, conviction, and equity. He is also a mentoring leader who builds and develops strong youth.” Douglas feels a call to the state of Missouri and has dreams of building a holistic, culturally-relevant, community-based educational ministry center that creates a bridge between the needs of the urban core of the city, the university, and the business community. Douglas also takes time to celebrate. For fun, he enjoys playing and watching sports, singing and writing music, and spending time with family and friends.

F UN FAC T: Ty -Ron wa s b or n a nd r a i s ed i n B er mu d a . 50 JANUARY 2017

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ALISSA GERKE Broker and Owner, Select Realty; Owner, Rock Bridge Preschool Years lived in Columbia: 11 AGE

Alissa Gerke is not afraid to go after what she wants. Gerke thrives on new experiences, both personally and professionally, a trait that led her to leave Missouri after graduating college in search of a job on the East Coast. That same initiative brought her to Columbia in 2008 to launch Veterans United Realty. Today, Alissa is pursuing her goals as an innovative small business owner, overseeing two quite different companies — Select Realty Group and Rock Bridge Preschool. “Our primary focus at Select Realty isn’t building a business empire,” Gerke says, “but rather ensuring community members thrive through home ownership.” Her goal is to establish realtors who focus on customer service instead of volume. “At Rock Bridge Preschool, we want to give parents peace of mind when they leave their child with us,” Gerke says. Her plans for that goal include providing training and support for teachers and maintaining a safe and clean facility. Her efforts are paying off. Select Realty has grown by 12 percent in its second year of operation, while Rock Bridge Preschool has improved enrollment by 75 percent in Gerke’s first year as owner. Gerke credits much of her leadership success to the five years she spent managing Chili’s restaurants for Brinker International. Her skills earned her a promotion, and the honor of being the youngest female general manager in the company’s 92-store region. “Alissa is warm and inviting to all she meets,” says Natalie Hardin, friend and former co-worker. “She makes people feel welcome through her businesses and by inviting them into her home.” In addition to growing new businesses, Gerke serves as the president-elect for the Women’s Council of Realtors, and she’s active in the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, Voices, and Women’s Network. She has been married for seven years and is the mother of two young daughters.

F UN FAC T: If Alissa wa s n’ t r u nni ng h er b u s i nes s es , she ’ d be se l l i n g ho m e s i n the C a r i bbe a n . COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 51

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KIMBERLY LODGE CEO, Flat Branch Home Loans Years lived in Columbia: 15

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F UN FAC T: If Kimbe rly wa s n’ t a C E O, s h e’ d b e a s i g n l a n g u a ge i n te r pre te r. 52 JANUARY 2017

Kimberly Lodge is driven to be the best at what she does. She’s even been known to push the boundaries of her passion, flirting with obsession. As the CEO of Flat Branch Home Loans, Lodge oversees a staff of 160 in 20 locations throughout Missouri. “I am amazed at how Kimberly can take a service, analyze it, find ways to improve it, and initiate a detailed process,” says co-worker Mary Ropp, “without our clients ever feeling the pain of change.” Lodge continually challenges herself to grow and improve. “I am a student of myself and the life around me,” she says. “I’m learning new lessons all the time.” Lodge’s competitive nature has been known to extend past work. She loves playing games, hunting, fishing, and even growing and preserving her own food. “I admit I also find a lot of amusement in mentally preparing for a zombie apocalypse,” she quips. Lodge credits “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” the classic professional development book by Dale Carnegie, for the realization that, while goals and data are important, relationships are foundational to success. “People have their own hopes and dreams and their own challenges and heartaches,” Lodge says. “I’ve learned to stop talking so much and listen.” The best thing about her job is the people. She is impressed by their commitment to the mission and humbled by the compassion they show each other and their customers. “I have never witnessed so many caring and dedicated men and women under one roof,” she says. Lodge plans to get out of the office and be more involved in the community this year. Personally, she hopes to survive raising teenage boys. “The greatest blessings I have in my life are people,” Lodge says. “My goal for 2017 is to recognize and appreciate those people — my family, friends, Flat Branch, and our community.”

CL AS S OF 2017

ELIAS ABADI Owner and CEO, CoMo Premium Exteriors Years lived in Columbia: 19

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When working on the exterior of someone’s home or business, customer satisfaction is of the utmost importance — a fact not lost on Elias Abadi, owner of CoMo Premium Exteriors. That’s why he tries to include his clients in every aspect of a project, including a follow up after the project is completed. “In our industry, you never really think about ‘great customer service,’” Abadi says, “but we strive to take care of our customers.” Abadi, born in Tehran, Iran, has lived in Columbia since 1997. He graduated from Hickman High School, where he played soccer and wrestled, and got his civil engineering degree from MU in 2003. His brothers Reza and Mousa have started successful businesses of their own, USA Mortgage and Southside Pizza. Elias co-owned Southside with Mousa for five years before starting CoMo Premium Exteriors in 2009. The business originally focused only on roofing. The company now handles nearly any kind of residential or commercial exterior work: roofing, siding, decking, windows, gutters, you name it. Abadi considers the smooth transition from doing only roofs to doing diverse exterior projects a professional milestone. Abadi is a people person. He says the best part of his job is meeting people, “especially when my customer then becomes a friend.” He has a wife and three sons — he’s looking forward to being more involved with his sons’ sports activities as they get older. Abadi is still a sportsman himself, spending his free time hunting and golfing. He’s also a board member for City of Refuge, a nonprofit that helps immigrants and refugees adapt to and succeed in life in mid-Missouri. His work in the community, and his experience in business, has taught him the value of resilience and honesty. “Nobody is perfect in life,” Abadi says. “Mistakes can happen. But how you react to them shows your true character.”

F UN FAC T: Elias loves to c ook ; h e wa s th e c o-owne r o f S o u thsi de Pi zza & Pu b fo r f i ve ye a r s. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 53

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NATHAN TODD Director of Dining Services, Fresh Ideas; Director of Events, Bleu Events Years lived in Columbia: 16

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Nathan Todd’s interests are vast. Aside from catering events, he may be found in the audience of the Missouri Contemporary Ballet or in a deer stand near his family farm. When it’s time to get out of town, Todd says: “I almost never say no to skiing or a beach. I have found that a little adventure keeps the juices flowing for a successful career.” Having grown up in a small town, Todd believes his time showing pigs for 4-H and FFA competitions shaped his passion, honed his leadership skills, and contributed to his strong work ethic. In his roles for Fresh Ideas and Bleu Events, Todd loves creating unique experiences to celebrate people’s special occasions. “There is nothing comparable to executing a flawless event where the client is thrilled and the participants have lasting memories,” Todd shares. Todd credits the two years he spent as food and beverage director for the Cannes Film Festival for solidifying hospitality as his profession. His job included transforming the beachfront of a café into a catering space that served over 1,000 people each day. “I was able to create elaborate dishes, including seven-course meals for notable guests, using a modest mobile kitchen, one executive chef, and a crew of interns,” he says. Todd is currently involved with Sunrise Southwest Rotary, the Missouri United Methodist Church, EPIC, and the Columbia Chamber of Commerce. One day he’d like to create a training program for food service professionals and an educational and vocational outreach program for at-risk youth interested in the culinary world. Nathan’s heart for giving back is noticeable. ”His community service is as endless as his energy,” says co-worker Kris Lensmeyer. “He is selfless with his time and puts everything he has into making Columbia a better place to live.”

F UN FAC T: Nathan s ays h e’ s ter ri b l e a t rel a x i ng a n d wa n t s to ge t be t te r a t do i n g n o thi n g . 54 JANUARY 2017

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AMANDA JACOBS Vice President and Asset Manager, Jacobs Property Management

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Years lived in Columbia: 37

Amanda Jacobs is an intentional goal setter and achiever. At 37, Jacobs is the only realtor in Columbia to hold a Certified Property Manager designation. Her company, Jacobs Property Management, was the Small Business of the Year in 2013 and currently manages 500 residential investment properties for 50 private property owners. Amanda is the third generation of the Jacobs family to work for the company, and, prior to 2008, the family only managed property they owned. Since then, the company’s investment portfolio has doubled in size, and they’ve grown from three to eight employees. “Amanda’s ability to remain calm in stressful situations is superior,” co-worker Heather Ottinger says. “She is a wonderful boss and property manager.” In 2017, Jacobs is determined to grow the company’s portfolio another 10 percent, up to 550 properties. “One of the main misconceptions of my job is that all we do is hand out keys and collect rent,” says Jacobs. “We take care of the homes as if we own them ourselves, and we provide the level of customer service to our residents that we would want ourselves.” No two days are ever the same for Jacobs. “I work in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment with a team that I love like family,” she says. Jacobs was recently received the Columbia Board of Realtors 2016 REALTOR of the Year Award. Personally, she has committed to read 14 business books and attend 100 ribbon cuttings for the Columbia Chamber of Commerce in 2017. Jacobs has four loves — Nicholas Sparks, Dave Ramsey, New Kids on the Block, and her 10-year-old daughter. Away from the office, she enjoys taking cruises and reading. “As for New Kids on the Block, I’m still 12 at heart and love my boy band,” Jacobs admits. “I’ve attended countless concerts. And don’t ask me how many of their t-shirts I have in my closet.”

F UN FAC T: Amand a c oord i na tes Fi na nc i a l Pea c e Un i ve r si t y cl a sse s fo r Fi r st B a pt i st C hu rch. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 55

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BILLY POLANSKY Executive Director, Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture Years lived in Columbia: 8

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The path that led Billy Polansky to Columbia started in southern France. It was the summer before his senior year of high school, and he was participating in an exchange program. Of the many beautiful things that left an impression, one thing changed the trajectory of his life — the food. As much as he lived and breathed the Mediterranean lifestyle, he also tasted it. Every meal seemed to infuse the region with its unique culture. He left eager to immerse himself in the world of food wherever he went. This journey has spanned the globe. He has eaten plantains with fish in Ghana, kosher meals in Israel, and goat foot soup in Haiti. After meeting his wife while volunteering as a full-time educator at the Heifer Ranch in Perryville, Arkansas, they decided to put down roots in Columbia. In 2008, Polansky joined a group of people rallied around a vision of improved urban agriculture and hands-on agricultural education. This became the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture. As executive director of CCUA, Polansky serves thousands of children and families each year, giving them hands-on experiences in the garden. “Billy has shepherded CCUA from humble beginnings as a student-run compost project to a charitable organization with 12 staff and a budget of over $400,000,” says Robbie Price, CCUA board member and architect at Simon Oswald Architecture. “Under his leadership, CCUA grows and donates thousands of pounds of fresh produce every year.” In 2017, CCUA will launch its first capital campaign to build an agriculture park in central Columbia. Polansky hopes the educational facility will improve the quality of CCUA’s programming and model how local governments can work with nonprofits to develop projects that transform communities. “Food changed my life,” Polansky says, “and I want this organization to help others have similar ‘ah-ha’ moments when it comes to food and culture.”

F UN FAC T: At 8 year s ol d , B i l ly sta r ted a b u s i nes s se l l i n g so f t pre t ze l s o u t o f a re d wa g o n i n hi s n e i g hbo r ho o d a n d local p ar ks. 56 JANUARY 2017

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BRIAN WHORLEY Director of Business Development and Planning, Boone Hospital Center Years lived in Columbia: 17

Of all the places Brian Whorley could have advanced in his career, he’s glad it has been at Boone Hospital Center. The hospital has been the perfect location for a naturally quiet and relaxed person like Whorley to shape the future of an industry that affects the well-being of thousands in the region. One year ago, Whorley assumed a brand new role, director of business development and planning. He works with a small team to identify and implement strategies to move the hospital forward. Securities attorney Matt Kitzi says, “Brian is a top young executive at Boone Hospital Center, a key policy maker, a member of the city’s airport advisory board, and a successful entrepreneur.” What makes him feel at home is the family-like atmosphere he has found among his approximately 2,000 colleagues. “A lot of people have been here many years, and there’s a familiarity and friendliness that’s hard to describe,” Whorley says. “While there are always changes in health care, I don’t want to see that change.” When Whorley craves time away from work, he spends it riding his bike on the trails spread across the city. If you order restaurant delivery in over 300 cities in the United States, parts of Asia, or the Caribbean, there’s a chance you’re using software Whorley built with his friend Daniel Lynn on nights and weekends over the course of five years. “The business [BigTree Solutions] was the best, most educational, harrowing, and rewarding experience of my professional life,” Whorley says. Whorley believes everything he learned from this endeavor can translate into health care. He is currently exploring new technologies that would solve some old problems in new ways. “Health care represents an ocean of opportunity,” Whorley says. “I increasingly believe that entrepreneurship has a larger role to play in accelerating needed improvement in access, affordability, and quality.”

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F UN FAC T: Brian ha s c omp l eted th e M i s s ou ri R i ver 3 4 0 r a ce t w i ce . COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 57

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BROOKE BERKEY Assistant Vice President and Relationship Manager, AGE

Central Bank of Boone County Years lived in Columbia: 9

Brooke Berkey finds herself most at home in the presence of people and a solid plan. Her desire to meet, help, and connect people initially led Berkey into the hospitality field, where she hoped to be an event coordinator or wedding planner. Her dream became a reality when she was hired by Stoney Creek Inn in 2007 and eventually worked her way up to sales manager. In late 2012, her plan took a detour when she was recruited by Central Bank as a relationship manager. “I’m proud of myself for taking the leap into banking,” Berkey says. “I’m not usually a risk taker, and this was a complete industry switch.” Berkey was recently promoted to assistant vice president of business banking. Her days are spent managing large commercial relationships, including their deposits, cash management, treasury services, and lending needs. She also assists personal customers who are new to the area, making their transition to a new bank as easy as possible. “Brooke is a proven sales leader in our organization,” Senior Vice President Cindy Whaley says. “Brooke’s customers rely on her expertise, professionalism, and caring nature to take care of their needs.” “I love being the go-to person for customers,” Berkey says, “and it’s incredibly rewarding to connect business owners to each other so they can capitalize on each other’s strengths.” Berkey is also passionate about the American Heart Association. Later this year, she and her husband will chair the 2017 Heart & Stroke Ball. Committed to growing both personally and professionally, Berkey strives to understand her limits, pray more, and overcome her need to please others. When she’s not at the bank, Berkey can be found baking, running on the trail, playing golf, enjoying a craft beer with her husband, or spending time with her boys at the Lake of the Ozarks.

F UN FAC T: Brooke’ s favori te va c a t i on s p ot i s C a b o S a n Lu ca s. 58 JANUARY 2017

CL AS S OF 2017

MARK STINSON Director of Corporate Accounting, Shelter Insurance Years lived in Columbia: 13

Mark Stinson is a bridge-building leader. “One of my strengths is the ability to bring parties together,” Stinson says. “I can interpret what different groups are trying to say and help them understand each other better.” This skill enabled Stinson to implement two significant software upgrades for Shelter Insurance in the past two years. The first involved moving the accounting department’s financial tracking to the Workday Financial System. As the project owner, Stinson oversaw the business side of the project, which transitioned the company from a mainframe system to a cloud-based software. The implementation and migration was completed in just eight months, and the project has increased Shelter’s efficiency. Due to the success of the initial project, Stinson was asked to serve as the owner for a second project to implement an additional Workday module, moving Shelter’s human resources functions and payroll to the new software. “Getting asked to lead this effort was quite the compliment,” Stinson says, “especially since I have little experience in the field of HR.” The final phase of the project went live at the end of 2016. As an accountant, most people think Stinson’s job is to prepare the company’s tax return. In actuality, Stinson spends most of his time understanding Shelter’s business to ensure his department can properly record the company’s financial performance and explain differences to internal management and external parties. In his free time, Stinson likes to volunteer at his church, tackle home construction projects, and do almost anything sports related with his wife and their three active young boys. Even on the playing field, where he coaches his kids, Stinson can’t seem to leave his leadership skills behind. “Mark and I teach our kids the importance of respect, sportsmanship, and how to handle adversity,” says fellow coach David Schleeter. “Mark is a strong role model in our community.” CBT

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F UN FAC T: Growing u p , M a rk wa nted to b e a c a rp en te r, l i ke hi s fa the r. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 59

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MAN MISSION A ndrew Beverley makes his move with an online bank for veterans.

BY MATT PATSTO N | P H OTO G R A P H Y BY A N TH O N Y J I NSO N

ANDREW BEVERLEY, DISTINGUISHED banking executive and startup investor, respected member of various advisory boards and commissions, pillar of Columbia’s business community for more than a decade, has always had his ambitions a little misunderstood. “Well, one thing that not many people know about me is that I was an entrepreneur in high school,” he says. “I did everything from photography to lawn mowing to small home repairs.” He smiles. “This was back in the ’70s, and a lot of people were putting in ceiling fans, so I put in dozens of ceiling fans. If you can believe this, when I was a senior in high school, this lady hired me to completely gut and redo her kitchen, put new windows and doors in her home, and whatever. Can you imagine asking a high school senior to do that?” Beverley is sitting at his desk in the Columbia Bancshares office, wearing jeans. We’re about a halfmile from the main Veterans United Home Loans complex. Employees shuffle between both locations.

Beverley has been working in the office for nine months, since he left his vice president post at Landmark Bank to be the chairman and CEO of the bank holding company that Brant and Brock Bukowsky, Veterans United’s co-founders and owners, started in order to buy the Bank of Clarence, near Macon. The company didn’t offer much context for the purchase — other than saying that the bank opened up new possibilities to complement the VA home loans that Veterans United sells — and has been mostly quiet about the purchase since. Beverley has been keeping his head down, working, going back to his roots. Columbia Bancshares will be a primarily online bank focused on meeting the financial needs of veterans. It will partner with VU (as a separate company), providing wide ranging banking services and financial literacy resources. Beverley is fully inhabiting his role as an entrepreneur again. He’s ready to show the world his newest startup. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 61

everley grew up near Little Rock — he maintains a subtle Arkansas accent, and an affable sense of politeness that must have served him well as a high school businessman. His father was a National Guard officer for 35 years, imbuing the young Beverley with a respect for the military that makes his current project feel particularly satisfying. After getting his finance degree and MBA from Louisiana Tech, Beverley started his career at Republic National Bank of Dallas, the biggest bank in Texas at the time. He was the only employee in his entry class to have not come through the bank’s nationwide recruiting program, which pulled young bankers from high-pedigree colleges, like Harvard. All employees had to wear blue suits with white shirts everyday — their coats had to be on all the time, even when alone, behind closed doors. It was a far cry from installing ceiling fans, but Beverley still embraced it. He worked his way to a position lending mostly to other financial institutions. “I learned a lot about banking from studying other banks,” he says. “It was a great learning experience. Became a manager just four and half years after joining the company, so I was pretty lucky that way.” One of the most interesting impressions I get of Beverley is that he doesn’t care about money in the sense that most people do — he likes finance as an intellectual concept, and he likes teaching people about money. (He stopped one of our interviews for a couple minutes to talk about how important it is for me, personally, given my specific financial situation, to invest in a 401(k).) As he moved his way through the ranks, first at Republic and later at Bank of America in Dallas, he was dealing with more and more money, but what he liked most was the responsibility — the knowledge that he was making a difference. “It was pretty cool, in my early 30s, to be managing millions of dollars,” he says of his time running the trust department for Bank of America. “And there were all kinds of specialists and 30 or so trust officers and all that, but the ultimate responsibility rested with me. Anyway, I liked it and thought it was pretty cool.” The trust department eventually merged into what was called the private client group — “a one stop shop for rich people,” Beverley says. He was a manager in the new group, which included two of the ten wealthiest families in the country. “Lot of billionaires,” Beverley adds. “I’ll keep it positive, but I’ll say this: I realized that money causes more problems than it solves, and there’s not many of those people I would have changed places with. I might want to take their Gulfstream out for a weekend, but I wouldn’t want to change much more than that.” Beverley left Bank of America after they offered him a position as a state-level executive based in Las Vegas. He didn’t want the job, and mentioned to some co-workers that he could never move his two elementary-aged children to Sin City. “They said, ‘you’ll only be there a couple of years, what does it matter?’” he remembers. The comment made him think about whether he was a long-term fit as a Bank of America executive. He decided he wasn’t. “So anyway, that’s when I learned that I wanted to take control of my career.” Beverley sought out a community banking job in a mid-size town — a position where he could see the results of his work in the community he lived in — and the family settled on Columbia. He first worked as an executive with Central Bancompany, then moved to Landmark, where his old friend and former Republic Bank colleague Kevin Gibbens was CEO. “I thought, wow, this is perfect,” Beverley says. “I won’t have to commute, and I can do community banking for a strong community bank, and I just loved it. . . . if it weren’t for the Bukowskys, I would have worked there until retirement.” 62 JANUARY 2017

everley met Brant and Brock Bukowsky through Centennial Investors, the angel investing group of which Beverley was founding president. It was late 2006 — VU had grown tremendously since opening in 2002, but it was still a fraction of the company it is today — and the Bukowskys were early investors with Centennial; in early 2007, they asked if Beverley would be a member of their advisory board of directors. (Brant and Brock declined to be interviewed for this story). Beverley was drawn to the Bukowskys and their business — both because their entrepreneurial spirit spoke to his own history and because their mission resonated with his reverence for the military — and enthusiastically joined. His role on the board was managing the strategic planning meetings for the company: he set the agenda for meetings mapping out how VU could become the company it is today. So Beverley was a familiar face among VU executives, including the ones now involved in the Columbia Bancshares project — Greg Steinhoff, Russ Starr, and Gary Lee, among others. Lee, who worked for CARFAX before becoming VU’s chief technology officer, is now vice president at Columbia Bancshares. He’s in charge of creating the tech platform that will be vital to the bank’s online success. Lee says that VU had been talking about creating a bank on and off for years. It’s a fairly obvious match (veterans who are looking to buy a home could also probably use some financial guidance and help for other things too), and Beverley provides exactly the kind of experience the project needs: he knows how banks work and he knows how startups work. Between Beverley and the VU executives backing the project, the project probably has more professional firepower than any other startup in town. “What got me passionate about the bank is kind of having this blank canvas to work with,” Lee says. “Clarence State Bank does not have a lot of technology right now — they’ve got the bare minimum to be a community bank, so now we have the opportunities to turn this into a platform to first help our employees and then help VU’s borrowers.” Veterans, especially those who joined the military out of high school, often face more financial barriers than average citizens. Coming from an environment where nearly everything is structured, many veterans don’t have the financial literacy to suddenly navigate things like health care, housing, or retirement savings. They’re often underemployed or unable to find full-time work without any job experience besides service. Keith Glindemann, a veteran himself and Columbia College’s veterans service director, says maintaining finances without the military’s structure can be overwhelming: “They pay the bills, and they live today, and then they get out and they might have new expenses — rent, deposits — and it’s hard. If you’re underemployed, how do you leverage those funds to be able to get some place?” Predatory lending firms often target veterans; Glindemann says he’s seen financial advising firms hire ex-military people who can better coax fellow veterans into making risky financial decisions. Part of VU’s appeal is an earnest desire to counteract that — but there’s space to grow beyond home loans.

really believe that serving veterans is a calling,” Beverley says. “It’s not just a job, it’s a mission. So part of why I’m doing it is for that reason — I get really excited thinking about the education of veterans. And the chance to build it from scratch is really exciting too.” Most of 2016 has been spent clearing all the regulatory hurdles that come along with opening a bank (hardly anybody has even tried since the recession), but one of Beverley’s major priorities for the first part of 2017 is nailing down the perfect online platform for the bank. The Bank of Clarence will continue to operate, and Columbia Bancshares will probably have a physical location in Columbia too (Beverley has been meeting with architects to talk ideas), but the online offering is what will set the bank apart. Beverley and Co. — the bank is now up to three employees — are still trying to pin down the exactly perfect tech platform for their product; until they can do that, the official timeline is still murky. Columbia Bancshares is far from the only financial institution dedicated to veterans — Navy Federal Credit Union and USAA are a couple examples — nor will they be the only bank with easy-to-use mobile and online options (big national banks, like Bank of America, have far bigger teams working on theirs). Columbia Bancshares will have to do multiple things well to be successful, and maintaining that multi-tiered strategy is Beverley’s current challenge. The company has a Gantt chart with 87 goals on it, and some of them are huge: for example, one is “review proposals for core system,” which will involve dozens of evaluations, meetings, follow-up meetings, follow-up evaluations — Beverley doesn’t anticipate finishing it until at least March. His position requires constant lens switching between the minutia and the big-picture vision. Lee, who, like Beverley, is a startup mentor through MU’s Venture Mentoring Service, says, “The key with that, as with any startup, is the F-word we joke about: focus.” “What we’re working on is what we would call our customer value proposition,” Beverley says. “We would have to give them a reason to choose us. And part of it might be that they’ve had a wonderful experience with Veterans United Home Loans . . . even though we’re a separate company, we’ve embraced Veterans United’s values about enhancing lives. Well, my part is going to be enhancing veterans’ financial lives.” Much of Beverley’s career path — from his handyman high school career to his corporate ladder climbing to his downsizing and community-focused jobs in Columbia — points to his desire to leave a legacy: to do something impactful enough to last beyond his own career. I ask him if he thought Columbia Bancshares could satisfy that itch more than he’s been able to in the past. “Yeah, oh, absolutely,” he says. “You know, as a community banker, I can drive around and show you places that wouldn’t be there if we hadn’t taken a risk, and I like that. So that’s what I mean when I say I want to look back and say, ‘Here are things that we did.’ Or, you know, I’m proud of my involvement as a founder of Centennial Investors — I think that has the potential to kind of live on and grow. And I think — I think that this does too. The potential is there. At this point it’s still an idea. But I have every confidence it’ll be successful.” CBT COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 63

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Snapshots

OF FINANCE There are countless ways to measure finance in Columbia, and in the

United States. Take a look at a few helpful metrics for gauging everything from bank deposits to commercial and residential development.

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 65

FDIC DEPOSIT MARKET SHARE REPORT >0.75% market share in Columbia FY16

Bank of America

U.S. Bank

National Association

Association

Deposits ($)

1,396,991,000

902,025,000

563,355,000

281,702,000

132,305,000

131,729,000

Market Share

35.48%

22.91%

14.31%

7.16%

3.36%

3.35%

Deposits ($)

1,246,432,000

752,364,000

512,134,000

247,579,000

117,889,000

122,315,000

Market Share

35.98%

21.72%

14.78%

7.15%

3.4%

3.53%

Deposits ($)

965,466,000

490,295,000

315,219,000

166,508,000

83,170,000

61,244,000

Market Share

35.77%

18.17%

11.68%

6.17%

3.08%

2.27%

No. of Offices

FY 2010

FY 2015

FY 2016

(in market)

SBA LOANS

Landmark Bank

Commerce Bank

National

The Bank of Missouri

Lender Name

Lender City

State

5,137,400

The Bank of Missouri

Perryville

1,292,400

The Callaway Bank

Fulton

894,000

Hawthorn Bank

Jefferson City

Statistics, as of Dec. 9, the SBA

1,301,300

Central Bank of Boone County

Columbia

had awarded $3,967,585,700 in

235,000

Landmark Bank - Natl. Assoc.

Columbia

5,000,000

The Business Bank of St. Louis

Clayton

2,574,000

Rural Missouri, Inc.

Jefferson City

580,000

BMO Harris BK - Natl. Assoc.

Chicago

When looking at gender, 16 percent of

376,000

Simmons Bank

Pine Bluff

funds ($647,597,900) were awarded

350,000

Citizens Bank

New Haven

114,000

Mainstreet Bank

Ashland

35,000

Commerce Bank

Kansas City

11,000

U.S. Bank - Natl. Assoc.

Cincinnati

Approved in Boone County FY16

Nationally, according to SBA Lending

loans for the year, up from 2015â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s $3,637,695,000. Thirty-one percent ($1,066,196,700) of national funds were given to minority business owners, up from 29 percent in 2015.

to woman-owned businesses where women owned 50 percent or less of the company. Fourteen percent of funds ($559,597,000) were awarded to businesses in which a woman owned more than 50 percent. 66 JANUARY 2017

17,900,100

68 loans approved for Boone County in FY15.

Source: SBA St. Louis District Office

Central Bank of Boone County

*Boone County National Bank until 2015

The FDIC releases the deposit market share report each fiscal year (ending on June 30), which reveals the percentage breakdown of deposits an FDIC-insured banking institution has within a geographic area. The data is based on a summary of deposits survey filled out by FDIC-insured institutions. This graph represents institutions with a greater than .75% market share in the Columbia metropolitan statistical area. The Callaway Bank

First Midwest Bank of Poplar Bluff

First State Community Bank

Regions Bank

88,155,000

66,709,000

61,794,000

58,954,000

55,699,000

42,997,000

38,442,000

2.24%

1.69%

1.57%

1.5%

1.41%

1.09%

0.98%

83,122,000

43,174,000

57,269,000

53,566,000

40,373,000

31,353,000

54,270,000

2.4%

1.25%

1.65%

1.55%

1.17%

0.9%

1.57%

70,862,000

n/a

91,847,000

31,844,000

37,400,000

47,383,000

2.63%

n/a

3.40%

1.18%

1.39%

1.76%

BANKING TRENDS (in millions)

Q2-16

2015

2014

283

288

297

302

Residential

Source: FDIC State Profile, Missouri

Loan Concentrations

166,696

166,177

National

Source: FDIC.gov

Association

City of Columbia/Calendar year to date comparison

Q3-16

170,796

UMB Bank

Nov. 2016

Nov. 2015

Nov. 2014

Permits

982

1,019

992

Units

329

228

683

161,156

(Median % of Qualifying Total Capital)

Commercial & Industrial

53.81

55.51

52.04

52.23

Commercial Real Estate

166.49

165.68

168.72

173.35

Residential Real Estate

173.72

174

175.53

174.79

Consumer

19.93

19.82

19.44

20.21

Agriculture

75.94

73.43

71.81

72.07

186,450,211

168,525,540

Commercial

Nov. 2016

Nov. 2015

Nov. 2014

224

246

243

130

Permits Units Valuation

100,584,337

218,076,708

Valuation

113,630,756

115,067,446

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 67

Source: como.gov

Total Assets

Providence Bank

BUILDING PERMITS

As of Third Quarter FY16 in Missouri

Number of Institutions

Hawthorn Bank

68 JANUARY 2017

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

FINANCIAL M ATTERS Meet some of Columbia’s experts in the complicated world of financial advising. Here, you’ll get a closer view of their services and philosophies while learning what differentiates them.

The Trust Company • Smit h M oore • M i l l e r, Ba l e s & C u n n i n g h a m • Ta m i R . B enus

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F I NA NC I A L M AT T ERS

Tami R. Benus, CPA What is/are your firm’s area (s) of expertise? Tax, Bookkeeping, Consulting To what do you attribute your firm’s success? Our success is based on operating the company on biblical principles, providing excellent customer services, and going the extra mile for our clients. How many years have you been in this business? 30 years; 22 years owning my own CPA firm What is your favorite part about working for your company? I’m not afraid to navigate through tough questions so that we can provide the most in depth service possible, and help our clients reach their goals. We pride ourselves on providing that level of service in a warm, inviting and friendly atmosphere. What types of related skills does your team have? The staff attends tax update classes and QuickBooks training classes. On average I have 55 hours of continued education each year covering: taxes, ethics, human resources and management. 70 JANUARY 2017

Why should someone consider your firm over another? Our clients tell us that they appreciate the communication they have with us, whether it is in the form of seminars, newsletters or personal communication. They know they are more than a “paycheck” to us. What changes have you witnessed in the past few years that affect your industry? The biggest change is more government regulations being placed on us. From making us responsible to ensure you have proper health insurance to verifying all your charitable donations, this all takes extra time and resources. What advice would you give someone needing your expertise? Each client is unique in the services they need. We do our best to match our services to the client’s needs, from providing one on one QuickBooks training to consulting with them on how to structure their business. What is the most important thing you want people to know about your business? You and your goals are

important to us. We want you to succeed and have the business/personal life you want; we will do what we can to assist you in reaching those goals. What do your clients like most about you? Our clients appreciate how we take the complex tax code and make it understandable. What community involvement do you support that you might care to share? We are a supporter of the Central MO Food Bank, D and D Farm Animal Sanctuary, Love INC, For His Glory, as well as my local church Praise Assembly. I also work with the deaf and hard of hearing community.

Tami R. Benus, CPA 1808 Monroe St. Columbia, MO 65201

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The Focus Financial Group at Smith Moore From left: Jeff Smith, Kim Stading, Carl Fudge

DRIVEN BY THE DESIRE TO EDUCATE and help people succeed, Jeff Smith, Carl Fudge, and Kim Stading pursued professions in financial advising. With unique assets and expertise, together they focus on successfully transitioning their clients through the retirement process.

MORE THAN FINANCIALS The transition into retirement can be both exciting and terrifying at the same time. The Focus Financial Group takes a broader, more holistic approach by incorporating the client’s emotions and values. When the emotional aspects are combined with financial planning and investments, a truly successful retirement transition is more likely to be achieved. They focus on peoples’ lives and not just their money, allowing for a complete financial plan to become much easier to manage.

BREAKING DOWN SKILLS Everyone brings different assets to the

table at The Focus Financial Group. Smith is focused on the relationship aspect of the client’s transition. Fudge is very analytically inclined, an important facet when bringing investments, insurance, business interests, and estate planning all together in a comprehensive plan. Stading combines great technological knowledge with an unparalleled level of energy and enthusiasm. This mix of unique skills allows the team to develop successful plans for their clients on many levels.

is to work toward a trusting relationship and watch their clients succeed.

RELATIONSHIPS MATTER The Focus Financial Group works hard to listen and understand their clients’ expectations. The group not only works with their clients’ monetary future, but also with their personal lives. The Focus Financial Group considers their clients part of their extended family.

WORDS OF ADVICE Smith, Fudge, and Stading advise to never hold anything back when seeking professional, financial expertise. Often, new clients withhold vital information because they are hesitant to reveal too much about their personal side. The wants, needs, and values of a client are just as important in the development of a successful retirement transition as the investment side of the equation. The greatest desire of The Focus Financial Group

The Focus Financial Group at Smith Moore 1101 Club Village Dr., Suite 104 Columbia, MO 65203 573-442-5111 • smithmoore.com COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 71

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Miller, Bales & Cunningham, P.C. From left: Jodi Bales, CPA; Sue Miller, CPA.

What is / are your firm’s area(s) of expertise? We offer a wide range of financial services, including accounting, tax, wealth management, and payroll for individuals and small businesses. We have a niche in the medical field, as well as service industries, retail and business startups. To what do you attribute your firm’s success? Between the two of us (Jodi and Sue), there is 60 years of experience! Our hardworking and knowledgeable team has been a big factor in our success, building relationships with our clients. We take pride in being an integral part of the community. Why should someone consider your firm over another? We have built the foundation of our firm on valuing long term personal relationships, quality of service and integrity. We partner with our clients in all aspects of their financial life and build solutions that meet their individual needs. 72 JANUARY 2017

What changes have you witnessed in the past few years that affect your industry? There is one thing that stays constant, and that’s ever-changing rules and regulations. We have also seen an increased need for more secure, electronic access to data. We strive to provide our individuals and small business clients with access to cutting edge technology for their accounting, tax and wealth management needs. What advice would you give to someone needing your expertise? Every client’s financial needs are different and range from simple to complex. In order to offer the most appropriate assistance to a client, we reccomend finding a trusted partner you feel comfortable working with for a rewarding lifelong experience. We start with an introductory meeting to review where we can be of most help. What is the most important thing you want people to know about your business? MBC has been known as a traditional

accounting and tax firm. However, our true value is unleashed when we provide our wealth management services to help our clients build a financial strategy to identify and meet their financial goals. What community involvement do you (or your firm) support that you might care to share? This past fall we volunteered at the Food Bank and attended the Boys and Girls Charity event. Our staff is involved in different organizations in the community for which they have a passion and we support them in their efforts. We are always looking to help improve our community and give back to those in need.

Miller, Bales & Cunningham, P.C. 1603 Chapel Hill Road, Suite 203 Columbia, MO 65203

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The Trust Company From left: Kari Vogt, Account Administrator; Polly Reynolds, CPA, CTFA, Vice President & Trust Officer; Greg Jones, JD, Assistant Vice President & Trust Officer

OUR DIFFERENCE The Trust Company is not in the business of selling products. Instead, they choose from many investment strategies to help meet your goals. Whether it’s guidance with financial planning, setting up retirement plans, or help with trust administration, they provide unbiased, reliable expertise. Investments are managed individually and portfolios are adjusted based on changing conditions. There is no “set it and forget it” with The Trust Company. Polly Reynolds states that “Our success is more attributable to our clients understanding our genuine care and concern is for them. And though we are technically and professionally well educated, I think our best skill is listening. Clients always know we have their best interests at heart.”

RELATIONSHIPS SET THE TONE Estate and trust settlements offer their own

challenges yet the relationships established by this team ensures smoother transitions. “They know without a shadow of a doubt we are working with them for their ultimate benefit,” according to Reynolds. “It’s our goal to know these families and be able to hold their hands through the process.”

number of specialists on staff. It’s important to me that they are independent and put the client’s needs first.”

As CEO Mark Knackendoffel frequently says, “Not all of our friends are clients, but all of our clients are friends.”

A TEAM APPROACH “Each one of our trust officers brings something special to the table – a different background, different credentials, whatever it may be. This ensures some very beneficial collaboration,” according to account administrator Kari Vogt, Clients consider The Trust Company to be part of their “financial family” and often comment to that effect. Says one client, “They really help me understand all the details and make good decisions.” Another adds, “They really take the team approach and have a

The Trust Company 3610 Buttonwood Drive, Suite 200 Columbia, MO 65201 TheTrustCo.com 573-876-7000 COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 73

74 JANUARY 2017

B U SINESS • P EOP L E • IM P ROVE M E N T • F YI

OR G A N I ZAT I ON AL H EALT H

be obvious to the pivotal employees on the front line. Too much celebration and not enough sense of urgency (for the right reasons) cause a culture shift to lose all its momentum before it even has a chance of taking hold and succeeding.

2. The boondoggle retreat

ORGA N I Z AT IONAL H E ALTH

Three Critical Mistakes When Trying to Change Culture BY TON Y RICHA R DS | Fou n de r of C le ar Visi o n D eve l o p m e n t G ro u p

CULTURE CHANGE IS HARD. Modifying an entrenched organizational climate will be the toughest challenge you ever face as a leader. This is why many do not attempt it and why many cultural change initiatives fail. As a manager of an organization, you have the authority to change policies and procedures. You have the ability to bring on people, let people go, and give employees promotions. You simply make these decisions and fill out some paperwork. But changing the culture does not happen with simply sending a memo. Culture change has to do with strategy, structure, and people. As part of that three-piece recipe, you and your team must win the hearts and minds of those people, and that takes thought, planning, and skill. The elements I described above must be constructed as a mutually reinforcing system that has staying power. Managers may introduce concepts — such as Agile and Scrum, in software development — which may appear to make progress for a while, but

eventually the prevailing organizational climate will overtake it, and these concepts will be sucked down into the current culture like a stick in a whirlpool. Organizational climate changes are large-scale projects that require both the skills and the tools necessary to make a critical impact and achieve a strong chance for success. Here are three critical mistakes managers make when they attempt a culture change.

1. Fanfare as the first move Leaders of the organization put emphasis on announcing change with a lot of fanfare. There's an employee party with T-shirts and wristbands with the next big slogan. Leaders launch the new initiative with much enthusiasm and energy. Meanwhile, employees are drinking the punch, listening to the band, and eating the finger food. They are also thinking about how long this latest thing will last before they are asked to gather for yet another launch, with new fanfare. What may be obvious to some at the top may not

It doesn’t help to whisk employees away for a retreat only to disappoint them with a lecture. Creating an effective case for change takes deep strategic thinking. The reasons for change do not appear quickly; neither does the plan for change or the long-term way to implement it effectively. It also must take place in this order — identify, plan, and implement. The best change plan in the universe won't have a chance if you don't have good strategic reasons for taking it to a new destination. Buy-in must take place in all the people at the retreat. It cannot be happening “because the boss says this is what we are doing.” A retreat that has an agenda of the boss merely rolling out their plan with the expectation of everyone else falling into line has very little chance of succeeding. There's nothing wrong with the executive team going away for a fun time — it helps with camaraderie and team building. But if that’s the goal, that should be the focus of the activity. If the goal is to figure out the future cultural direction of the organization, that should be the focus. Properly conducting a strategic retreat requires a focused agenda and participation from all.

3. Employees asked to go first This typically occurs when executives are acting more like managers rather than leaders. They use management tools from their skill set rather than the leadership ones. They try to manage the culture change initiative as they would a financial resource or a technical resource. Resources of the human kind must be led, not managed. Some leadership tools you might try are communication and storytelling. These types of tools require the leaders of the organization to go first and provide the models for front line employees to follow. When culture change initiatives are handed down as announcements instead of real-life models, not only are you ignoring the current organizational climate, but you’re also expecting a “do as I say, not as I do” result. CBT COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 75

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M AR KET I N G

M ARKET I NG

Do I Need a Website?

cabinets, floors, doors, and even hinges, then you want a custom-built presence. A truly customizable site requires a great deal of flexibility. Owning your website allows you to choose your hosting provider, have your own address, and add on new features at a whim. You can control everything viewers can (or can’t) see when they’re on your website. Just like a custom-built home. Developers may use Wordpress.org, Drupal, or Joomla as a platform to build your site. If any of those platforms went belly up tomorrow, your website would stay just as it is today. It would be at greater risk of getting hacked, but it wouldn’t slip out of existence. Flexibility, however, comes with a price tag and a level of responsibility to continually maintain your chosen software platform. It’s not the best decision for everyone. You may not need a custom-built site at this point in your business. If that’s the case, consider leasing your online property.

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

RENTED WEBSITE

(LEASED HOME) IS THAT A RHETORICAL QUESTION? Doesn’t everyone need a website? Well, no. There are some businesses or organizations who honestly don’t need a website — they just need web presence. But web presence is mandatory. The web is here to stay, and it’s the first stop for most shoppers. According to the 2014 State of B2B Procurement study from the Acquity Group, 94 percent of business buyers do some type of online research prior to buying, and multiple internet sources say 81 percent of general consumers go online before making a purchase.

WEBSITE, WEB PRESENCE — WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? A website is part of your web presence, but web presence isn’t necessarily a website. Confused? It helps to think of web presence in three categories: owned, rented, and borrowed. Websites can be owned or rented. Each of those options allows you to use your own domain, like www.yourcompanyname.com. With a borrowed web presence, you use part of your host’s domain and attach your own identifier, like www.face76 JANUARY 2017

book.com/yourcompanyname. I like to think of these three different options like three different kinds of homes you can buy, and finding the perfect home all depends on your needs and your resources.

OWNED WEBSITE

(CUSTOM-BUILT HOME) An owned web presence allows for the highest level of customization. If you want to plan your home to the last fraction of an inch, if you want to pick from the world's supply of

Renting your online presence isn’t a bad thing; it’s actually the right thing for many businesses of all shapes and sizes. But, just like ownership, it comes with its own set of challenges. Rented web presence comes in a variety of customization levels. Companies like Wix, Wordpress.com, Shopify, and Squarespace allow you to rent their platform and perform some level of customization. Using a website on a platform like these is like renting a home. You can use the space you rent, but you deal with the limitations imposed by your landlord. You have your own address and some flexibility over your site.

Web presence is mandatory. The web is here to stay, and it’s the first stop for most shoppers.

Some of these web landlords let you sell products in a semi-customized shopping experience, while others offer greater design flexibility. If you want your website to do something beyond the limits of your chosen platform, you can’t do it if your web landlord says no. You don’t have to do the upkeep on the code, but you don’t have a say in how the code is kept either. Your landlord is obligated to replace your fridge when it breaks, but they pick the model of your new fridge.

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BORROWED PRESENCE

(SHARED SPACE) Some artisans or small groups may find that this borrowed environment is just what they need to have an online presence. It’s super low-cost and easy to reach out to a new audience. Using borrowed web presence to promote your business or organization is like living with your parents. You have a room, and you can make it your own with the furniture they provide. Etsy, eBay, and Facebook are obviously less customizable than rented or owned spaces, but you can adjust the header for your borrowed space, though the sites force you into a more regimented appearance and functionality. These sites, like parents, enforce more rules upon the people living in their homes for free. And if your parents decide to move or change your room, you just deal with it. Their house, their rules.

So, what seems at first like such a silly question — “Do I need a website?” — is actually a bit of a loaded question. You may not need a website, and even if you do, your needs can still vary. The real question is, “Do I need a web presence?” Absolutely. And fortunately there are options available in all shapes, sizes, and budgets to get you moving in the right direction. CBT

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“Being a new business owner can be intimidating, but CONNECTION EXCHANGE made it very easy to reach out to other local businesses. They helped spread the word about who we are and what we do. We’ve formed some great working relationships that have been integral to getting our feet off the ground.” —Noah Barnes

Co-owner, Clarity Float Spa

Cara Owings & Jennifer Schenck 573.312.0628 connection-exchange.com

B U SINESS • P EOP L E • IM PROVE M E N T • F YI

B U SI N ESS SM AR TS

Cybersecurity for your business is not only about adding layers of security technology — it starts with understanding and managing your cybersecurity risks. At the BBB, we have the “5-Step Approach to Better Business Cyber Security,” based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cyber Security Framework. It helps you see the specifics of your business’s cybersecurity needs, helping you identify and protect data and technology assets. It’s also a good guide for how to detect, respond to, and recover from a breach. This framework is a collaboration between BBB and the National Cyber Security Alliance. For many, it will be best to approach these steps with an IT expert, but most business owners and managers will be able to use this framework to begin making their businesses safer.

B U SI N ESS S MARTS

Make Cybersecurity a Priority 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

• Identify: Take inventory of key technologies you use and know what information you would need to rebuild your infrastructure from scratch. Inventory the key data you use and store, and keep track of likely threats.

• Protect: Assess what protective meaMOST OF US KNOW THAT YAHOO WAS the victim of a cyberattack this year, and that the data of more than 500 million users was stolen. Not enough of us, though, give sufficient thought to the possibility of this sort of thing happening to our own small businesses right here in mid-Missouri. Business owners and managers are focused on growing and maintaining their companies — on sales, personnel, service, inventory, and so many other things. But this means they can overlook less common, but potentially dire, threats. One of the most critical protective measures for any small business is implementing measures to protect you and your customers from hackers who want to steal the data in your system and the money from your accounts. It’s an easy thing to put on the backburner. Many small business leaders think they’re less likely to be a target because of their smaller size and lower profile. Others may think it’ll be easier to deal with a data breach once it has happened than it would be to install protections in the first place.

For perspective, let’s look at some statistics from the Better Business Bureau's Institute for Marketplace Ethics: •

71 percent of all data breaches target small businesses.

• The average cost for a small business to fix a data breach is $7,100. • If money has been stolen, fixing a data breach costs an average of $32,000. • Since January 2015, the FBI has reported a 270 percent increase in cybercrimes. We can see that the reality may be very different from what we’re thinking. Small businesses, in fact, are more frequent targets than big businesses, and there is often little that can be done once data or money is stolen. The threat of cyberattack is very real for small businesses, and the damage can be crippling. Be prepared.

sures you need to have in place to be as prepared as possible for a cyberattack. Put protective policies in place for technologies, data, and users, and ensure that your contracts with cloud and other technology service providers include the same protections.

• Detect: Put measures in place to alert you of current or imminent threats to system integrity, or loss or compromise of data. Train your users to identify and speedily report incidents.

• Respond: Make and practice an incident response plan to contain an attack and maintain business operations in the short term.

• Recover: Know what to do to return to normal business operations after an incident. Protect sensitive data and your business reputation over the long term. Protecting your business from cybercrime is good for you, and it’s good for your customers. Take the time, follow the steps, be ready. CBT COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 79

B U SINESS • P EOP L E • IM P ROVE M E N T • F YI

ASK AN N E

employee was bad. In that case, you may reap the benefits in dollars, increased morale at your business, and happier customers. My simple method: take every cost you can associate with the new hire and add 20 percent. The reason for an added 20 percent is that you really do not know how your customers will react when someone leaves your employ, or how much knowledge a new person truly has until they have been with you a few months. Good luck.

Q A SK A N N E

The True Cost of New Hires 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 I read an article you wrote about the true cost of hiring an employee. It was an outlandish amount of money when you consider the cost of advertising, your time screening, interviewing, reference checking, putting offers together, and on and on. I have used these factors to help make decisions on jobs to outsource, hire through an agency, or keep as in-house hires. Are there other things I should be considering when I look at the cost of hiring a new employee?

What a timely question, since CBT is talking finance this month. While working with many companies over the last 30 years, I have found that most do not have systems to track the true 80 JANUARY 2017

costs. These true costs can include all types of things, and not just those you’ve mentioned: exit costs — the costs associated with someone leaving — include lost productivity, potential customer discontent, lost or reduced business, administrative costs, lost industry expertise, and more. These costs are not always seen quickly when someone leaves a company. Often, it takes a year or two for a new employee to reach the productivity rates of an existing one. If your company has high turnover, it probably has low morale too, often leading to disengagement and loss of productivity. Customers do not generally call you up and tell you they are unhappy — they just start shopping for new vendors. In the worst case scenario, once they have found a new vendor, they quit giving you orders. The bottom line is that it’s more expensive than you think, or want to know, to hire a new employee — unless, of course, the old

It is that time of year when I do my yearly evaluations and compensation planning. Of course, the employees are all expecting bonuses and/or raises in their compensation. It has always been difficult for me to figure out who should get bonuses and what that amount should be. Also, how do I combat having to give raises at evaluation time?

I read a business publication called “Tips from the Top” and have picked up several ideas and tools to consider when developing plans. Here are a few I feel are important and address your question.

Bonuses The article on compensation suggested that you design an objective system for deciding what part of your company’s after-tax profit to put in a bonus pool. Then decide what portion of the pool will be paid out to each staff member. As a rule, the people who make you the most money get the healthier portion of the bonus (but remember who your most important people are: shipping and receiving, reception, etc).

Pay Increases Remember, you do not have to give a pay increase every time you evaluate a staff mem-

ber. Perhaps you could put out a memo reminding everyone it is evaluation time; include an article that summarizes what an evaluation is, including that it’s not necessarily a time for pay increases.

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Reflect on the Past Do this before giving any monetary increases: compile your company’s financials for the last five years and compare. You will likely be surprised by the results, and it can be motivating (sometimes deflating) to see just how far your company has come. Look at what is forecasted for the next year too.

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When looking at your organizational chart, you might consider a three-level pay grid or pay scale to determine your raise policy based on starting rate, job rate, and merit level.

• Starting Rate The person hired is qualified but learning the basics of the job.

• Job Rate For the person who is fully qualified for a position and meets the set expectations – it’s the base for the other levels. Someone hired at the start rate could reach the job rate level within 18 to 24 months of hire.

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• Merit Raises These allow staff members who remain in the same job to receive pay increases and allow the company to retain them. These are given for a job well done. Remember, merit raises are not the same thing as a cost-of-living raise. 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.

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82 JANUARY 2017

BU SI N ESS • P EO P L E • IM P R OV EM EN T • FY I

New Business Licenses JANUARY 2017

Mike Perkins

JT’s Cutz

Jeff Crane

Construction Inc.

804 N. Old 63 573-814-2707 Barber shop

Builders Inc.

3006 Crabapple Ln. 573-777-3691 General contractor

1402 Hathman Pl. 573-424-5793 General contractor

AJ’s Towing Your Pie

1413 Grindstone Plaza Dr. 573-999-3398 Pizza, craft beer, gelato, salads Clarity Float Spa

309 S. Providence Rd. 573-825-8788 Relaxation spa J.R. Robinson

2812 Mexico Gravel Rd. 573-239-3129 General contractor Chris & Sons Cleaning Services

3604 Flatwater Dr. 636-696-6315 Commercial cleaning service Head Brothers Agency

400 W. Business Loop 70 573-777-8248 Insurance office Craft & Canvas

612 Big Bear Blvd. 573-814-1842 Automotive towing

FEATURED LISTING

Kerrington Company

3600 I-70 Dr. SE 573-256-9225 Art fabrication

D.T.’s Dog Training Services

Polished

1610 Kathy Dr. 573-881-1211 Mobile dog training

1400 Forum Blvd. 573-446-6245 Nail & esthetics salon

Skinphoria

The Turning Gear

2600 Forum Blvd. 573-819-9505 Aesthetics and skin care

118 Albany Dr. 573-424-6140 Web design and software

Just Jeff’s

Royal Power Sports

701 W. Business Loop 70 573-673-8741 Christmas tree sales

4101 Waco Rd. 573-999-9497 ATV and motorcycle parts and repair

Kiessling and Associates

108 E. Green Meadows Rd. 573-554-2122 Psychological counseling Carter’s Stump Removal

3605 S. Providence Rd. 573-356-7528 Craft classes and retail

716 Portsmouth Dr. 816-383-1456 Stump removal

Conari Escape Rooms

Cutting Edge Construction

908 E. Walnut St. 314-406-7750 Puzzle solving entertainment

5200 E. Old Millers Rd. 573-881-3939 General contractor

Bella Flooring & Design

Holmes Handyman LLC

600 Dustin Dr. 760-559-6020 Flooring and tile work

4401 Brunswick Dr. 660-651-7323 Handyman work

Seventeen Grand Cleaning Services

2605 Springdale Dr. 573-529-8131 Cleaning service

404 Portland Street 14,700 sq ft office building +/- 6 Acres

ZONING

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.

Kristen Williams Designs

1612 Whitburn Dr. 573-449-2705 Graphic design business, photography, branding Karing Oils

3230 Rock Quarry Rd. 712-490-5366 Distributor of essential oils, supplements CBT

MEL ZELENAK

573-999-3131 mel@malyrealty.com

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 83

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 84 JANUARY 2017

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

B U SINESS • P EOP L E • IM P R OV EM EN T • FY I

Deeds of Trust WORTH MORE THAN $506,400

$18,598,400

$2,000,000

$577,000

3101 Old US Hwy 63 LLC M&T Realty Capital Corp. LT 1B C-K Place Plat 1 LTS 1&2

West Creek Properties LLC Mid America Bank LT 101 Stevens Ridge Subdivision Plat 1

Smith, Jack J & John J Quicken Loans Inc. STR 23-48-12 //NE SUR BK/ PG: 1144/198 FF Tract 2

$18,425,000

$1,933,320.50

3001 S Providence LLC M&T Realty Capital Corp. STR 25-48-13 /NE/NW SUR BK/PG: 474/973 AC 18.01

CKSR LLC First Midwest Bank of Poplar Bluff LT 39 PT Garths Add

$568,000

$14,157,000

$900,000

2400 E Nifong LLC M&T Realty Capital Corp. LT 1 Lutheran Senior Services Subdivision

1511 Windsor Townhomes LLC Landmark Bank LT 21 Stephens First Add L23

$3,596,000

Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity Property Management Corp. Landmark bank LT 16 Bridge Terrace

$843,150

Judy, Grace J & Charles W BBMC Mortgage STR 32-48-11 /W/NW SUR BK/PG: 1701/493 AC 20.93 FF Tract 6

$2,720,000

Columbia South Real Estate LLC Central Bank of Boone County LT 1C2 Bluff Creek Office Park Plat 3-1-B

$710,000

Batten, Rodney E & Tracy M Legends Bank LT 12 Highlands PL 1 $660,000

$2,508,000

Dushoff, Adam & Katherine E Central Bank of Boone County LT 52 PT Westmount Add FF PT of Vacated Rollins Rd Adjacent To LT 52 $534,800

Ahmad Properties LLC First State Community Bank LT 135 Forest Park South Plat 1 $530,000

Buatsi/Malm-Buatsi Trust US Bank LT 131 FF Old Hawthorne Plat 2 $519,000

Dampier, William J & Kimberly A Commerce Bank LT 5 Heritage Woods Plat No 1

Trerry Investments LLC Providence Bank LT 1 Fireside Condos

OTA Properties LLC Commerce Bank LT 24 PT Colonies Plat 4-B The

$2,210,000

$625,000

Jay Ram Inc. Central Bank of Boone County LT 5 PT Survey FF Sanford F Conley Jr Sub

Martin Builders Inc. Central Bank of Boone County LT 33 Liberty Landing Plat No 2

$2,000,000

$614,600

Artemis Real Estate LLC Central Bank of Boone County LT 3K BG 3 Smithton Condos Survey3 CBT

Discovery Park Apartments LLC Central Bank of Boone County LT 4 Discovery Park Subdivision Plat 2-B

Huebner, Jeffrey G & Brandi L Commerce Bank LT 196 Heritage Estates Plat No 2

505 deeds of trust were issued between 10/31 and 11/23.

FEATURED LISTING 5,237 SF Turn-key Restaurant Space Available to owner/occupant

2513 Old 63 South Columbia, MO 65201

Price: Type: Zoning: SQ FT: Acres: Cap Rate:

$1,900,000 NNN Investment C-3 9,600 1.47 8%

Net Operating Income: $150,000

This retail strip center was built in 2005 and has a great mix of tenants. The surrounding area includes 5 student-housing complexes, 2 child care centers, and the Bluff Creek subdivision.

$510,000

Spillman Contracting LLC Central Bank of Boone County LT 107A Copperstone Plat 7 $506,400

GINA RENDE

314-477-4462 gina@malyrealty.com

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 85

B U S I N E SS • P E O P L E • I M P R OV E M E N T • F Y I

From the very first meeting, my clients feel a sense of

relief.

They now know what needs to be done and why. And then they discover a level of personal service they’ve probably never experienced before.

I can do the same for you, as well.

Economic Index LABOR October 2016 - Columbia, Missouri

Labor Force: 69,821 Employment: 68,017 Unemployment: 1,804 Rate: 2.6 percent October 2016 - Boone County

Labor Force: 103,257 Employment: 100,437 Unemployment: 2,820 Rate: 2.7 percent October 2016 - Missouri

Labor Force: 3,148,836 Employment: 3,018,677 Unemployment: 130,159 Rate: 4.1 percent October 2016 - United States

Labor Force: 159,783,000 Employment: 152,335,000 Unemployment: 7,447,000 Rate: 4.7 percent

CONSTRUCTION October 2016

Wills & Trusts Business Law 303 N. Stadium Blvd. Suite 200 Columbia | 573-874-1122 NathanJonesLaw.com

Residential building permits: 70 Value of residential building permits: $8,369,958 Detached single-family homes: 36 Value of detached single-family homes: $7,783,413 Commercial building permits: 20 Value of commercial building permits: $2,421,076 Commercial additions and alterations: 18 Value of commercial additions and alterations: $2,391.076

86 JANUARY 2017

October 2015

Single-family home sales: 157 Existing single-family home sales per month: 138 New construction single family home sales per month: 19 Single-family active listings market: 699 Single-family homes average sold price: $204,835 Single-family homes median sold price: $174,900 Single-family homes average days on market: 60 Single-family home pending listings on market: 130

UTILITIES Water

November 2016: 48,581 November 2015: 47, 926 Change #: 655 Change %: 1.367 percent Number of customers receiving service on December 1,2016: 48,588 Electric

HOUSING October 2016

The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.

New construction single family home sales per month: 25 Single-family active listings market: 663 Single-family home average sold price: $224,312 Single-family homes median sold price: $193,950 Single-family homes average days on market: 49 Single-family home pending listings on market: 138

Single-family home sales: 138 Existing single-family home sales per month: 113

November 2016: 49,025 November 2015: 48,529 Change #: 496 Change %: 1.022 percent Number of customers receiving service on December 1, 2016: 49,049 CBT

FEATURED LISTING

Brown Station and Paris Road SIZE

+/- 25.29 Acres PUD-12 +/- 15.4 Acres C-P

ZONING

Commercial and PUD-12

PRICE

$0.59 per sq ft for PUD-12 Ground $1.94 per sq ft for C-P Ground

For your windows...

Ground available in North Columbia. Property offers close proximity to local schools, major employers and Highway 63. Property can be divided and is priced to sell.

Call us for your free consultation!

MEL ZELENAK

Intelligent shades that simplify your life. 105 Business Loop 70 E. | 573-449-0081 | carpet1columbia.com

573-999-3131 mel@malyrealty.com

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

POLLY REYNOLDS Vice President and Trust Officer, The Trust Company

Mac Money

Writing

Business

Casual

Today

Tomorrow

Learn

Teach

Phone

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

Facebook

Twitter

Solo Sitting Desk

Cluttered Donate Team Standing Desk

Outlook

Gmail

Lunch in

Lunch out

Drive to Work

88 JANUARY 2017

Details

Letters

Volunteer

8 a.m. and 10 p.m. and I’m golden.

Numbers

Clean

1. Both! Gotta keep learning to be able to keep teaching. // 2. Love to buy, but I DIY if I can’t find it. // 3. Oh my gosh, neither. Catch me between

Feet First

Books

Cursive

AM E N DME N TS A N D CONDI TI ONS

Influence

Reading

Head First

Photography by Keith Borgmeyer

Donut

Public Transportation Bagel

Creative

Analytical

Introvert

Extrovert

Laptop

Desktop

Optimistic

Realistic

Travel Happy Hour

Staycation Home

ADVERTISER INDEX ACCOUNTING PLUS............................................................................................91

LANDMARK BANK.......................................................................................2 & 10

ANTHONY JINSON PHOTOGRAPHY.............................................................11

MAHER COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE..........................................................81

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES................................................12

MALY COMMERCIAL REALTY....................................................... 83, 85 & 87

CARPET ONE.........................................................................................................87

MIDWEST COMPUTECH.....................................................................................81

CENTRAL BANK OF BOONE COUNTY......................................................... 5

MILLER, BALES AND CUNNINGHAM...........................................................72

COIL CONSTRUCTION......................................................................................... 7

NATHAN JONES LAW....................................................................................... 86

COLUMBIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE....................................................... 8

NAUGHT NAUGHT INSURANCE AGENCY.................................................87

COMMERCE BANK...............................................................................................16

PERSONAL TOUCH CLEANING SERVICE..................................................32

CONNECTION EXCHANGE..............................................................................78

RESTORATION EYECARE................................................................................36

EDWARD JONES...................................................................................................14

REVERSE MORTGAGES....................................................................................36

FIRST STATE COMMUNITY BANK.................................................................78

ROGUE STUDIOS..................................................................................................18

FRESH IDEAS FOOD...........................................................................................16

SELECT REALTY GROUP - ALISSA GERKE...............................................89

FULL RIDE SPORTS COMPLEX......................................................................78

SHELTER INSURANCE COMPANIES..............................................................18

GFI DIGITAL.......................................................................................................... 64

SMITH, MOORE & CO..........................................................................................71

HAWTHORN BANK.............................................................................................92

SOCKET....................................................................................................................14

HEART OF MISSOURI UNITED WAY.............................................................. 3

STANGE LAW FIRM.............................................................................................82

JENNING’S PREMIUM MEATS.........................................................................77

STARR PROPERTIES...........................................................................................82

JOE MACHENS HYUNDAI...................................................................................4

TAMI R BENUS, CPA................................................................................ 32 & 70

JOE MACHENS LINCOLN..................................................................................13

THE DISTRICT...................................................................................................... 20

JOE MACHENS MAZDA....................................................................................74

THE TRUST COMPANY......................................................................................73

JOE MACHENS NISSAN................................................................................... 68

THE VILLAGE OF BEDFORD WALK............................................................... 6

JOE MACHENS TOYOTA..................................................................................... 9

VETERANS UNITED HOME LOANS............................................................. 20

JOHNSTON PAINT & DECORATING DIRECT............................................77

WILSON’S FITNESS............................................................................................24

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 89

B U SINESS • P EOP L E • IM P R OV EM EN T • FY I

BY T H E N U M BER S

2 0 U ND ER 4 0 / CL ASS O F 201 7

7.5

have a master's degree

have a doctorate degree

*One is in process!

Learn more about the class of 2017 on page 39!

15%

AVERAGE AGE

work in the banking industry That's 3 out of 20!

attended Columbia College

Grew up in Missouri

Grew up outside of Missouri

attended Stephens College SMALLEST HOMETOWN

FURTHEST HOMETOWN

Tehran, Iran 6,780

attended Mizzou 90 JANUARY 2017

miles from Columbia

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COLUMBIA BUSINESS TIMES \ 2001 CORPORATE PLACE, STE. 100 \ COLUMBIA, MO 65202

“Hawthorn Bank knows what we have coming up, and they bring us ideas we haven’t thought of.” “They understand our business, what we’re trying to do. Whether it’s our receivables, material purchases, equipment needs, or whatever, they’re ready to help. “You really feel they care about you.” – Aaron Vollrath Capital Railroad

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