Columbia Business Times - July 2015

juLY 2015

second story stories

Kat Cunningham, Columbia's Top Business Old-Timer

Page 51

how many hospitals?

P.Y.S.K.

Kirk trevor Page 31

Page 61

welcome to

Nostalgiaville?

Page 56

CBT's inaugural

top of the town Page 36

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LUANNE GAINES Early Childhood Educator

The best thing about being a woman is the prerogative to have a little fun.

MEET THE ROCK. A 2014 Street Glide Special Harley-Davidson motorcycle coated in Moroccan Gold. Our history began when I walked into Mid America Harley-Davidson to buy a new sugar skull helmet. As I made my way to the showroom floor, there was something about the way sunlight reflected off of his pearl white paint and shimmery gold tones. Without hesitation, I knew I had to take him for a test ride. Ever since then, The Rock has been the perfect fit for me. With his sporty look, comfortable feel and extra luggage space, I can really ride like a girl. It seems like guys always name their bikes after girls, but I call my bike “The Rock” because he’s a solid constant in my life. He keeps me grounded.

to be able to ride a motorcycle just like my brother. My persistence to ride paid off when my dad surprised me with my own bike. When I was seven, I rode a motorcycle for the first time and it felt like I had been doing it forever. I kept going in circles because I didn’t know how to stop.

But, I didn’t really want to.

WHEN I RIDE “MY HARLEY,

I’M FREE

DURING THAT TIME, girls riding motor-

cycles wasn’t very popular. But, that didn’t matter to me. After 44 years and 17 bikes, I still ride for me because it makes me happy.

When The Rock and I first take off on the road, I’m so tense and excited. Eventually, all of my cares blow away with the wind leaving me feeling good inside and out.

When I ride my Harley, I’m free to feel the way I feel. And, Man! I feel like a Woman!

TO FEEL THE

WAY I FEEL.”

GROWING UP, my mom and dad rode motorcycles. My

mom thought I was too young, but I kept telling her I wanted

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Don’t Let Your Business Be an Easy Target for Fraud

BY TREY CUNNINGHAM

F

raud can come in many forms, from counterfeit checks to stolen credit cards and trusted employees to savvy hackers. For businesses, fraudulent activity is always bad news. According to the Association for Financial Professionals’ (AFP) 2015 survey, 62 percent of companies were targets of payments fraud in 2014 with financial losses that ranged anywhere from a relatively small amount to millions of dollars.

ity. Positive Pay is one example of how companies can get ahead of the game. Positive Pay is an automated fraud detection tool offered by most banks. Here is how it works: Companies cut checks every month and send the bank a list of all those checks, including check numbers, amounts and payees. As checks clear against the account, the bank makes sure the checks match up, eliminating any fraudulent or altered checks.

The good news for businesses is that there are numerous measures out there that can help prevent and detect fraudulent activity. In addition, advanced technology is being developed and deployed now that will help companies better protect their operations and their bottom line.

To protect against internal fraud, business owners should implement dual control and separation of duties. Understand who is in charge of what responsibilities on the financial side and make sure there are no gaps. Implement dual control over the businesses banking transactions, meaning the same person who is running payables should not be the same person who is reconciling accounts. Also, business owners should review financial statements on a weekly or monthly basis.

THE MANY FORMS OF FRAUD According to the AFP, the most common form of fraud businesses encounter is through checks, corporate credit/debit cards and wire transfers.

Paper checks continue to be the payment type most vulnerable to fraudulent attacks and account for the largest dollar amount of financial loss, even though their use continues to decline.

Credit and debit cards are the second most popular form of business fraud, although they experienced a decline in fraudulent activity, down from 43 percent in 2013 to 34 percent in 2014. And lastly, wire fraud incidents almost doubled from 14 percent in 2013 to 27 percent last year.

The newest form of fraud is cyberfraud in which criminals create an email account for corporate executives or vendors and send emails with payment instructions to employees in the accounting department. Employees who are unaware of the fake or altered email account will follow the instructions and make payment.

BE PREPARED While it may seem daunting, businesses can take steps to protect against fraudulent activ-

To mitigate compromise in these areas, businesses should review all areas of their operation and put the proper preventions in place to protect against fraud. For instance, businesses should ensure their employees have the proper education and training for fraud detection. They should install, maintain and update spam filters, anti-virus software and firewalls. Reducing check writing, outsourcing payroll and having dual controls are additional tips that can help prevent fraudulent activity.

Traditional magnetic stripe cards require a signature for security purposes, whereas the new chip cards will add an additional layer of sophisticated fraud protection through an embedded microchip that turns the cardholder’s information into a unique code that is difficult to duplicate or copy when used at a chip-enabled terminal.

Merchants and retailers are currently in the process of investing in new card reading technology that will accept EMV chip cards. If they do not update their technology, they could potentially be liable for fraudulent transactions and not the user or card issuer. Visa intends to institute a liability shift in the U.S. for domestic and cross-border counterfeit transactions effective Oct. 1, 2015. This shift will encourage Visa issuing banks to begin issuing EMV chip cards and merchants to begin deploying card swipe technology that can process the chip-on-chip transaction.

While new technology and preventative measures can help businesses protect against fraud, the truth is that it will always exist in one form or another. What businesses can do is educate their employees, make sure they are using the most up-to-date technology and work with their financial partners to ensure the best practices and protective measures are in place.

Trey Cunningham is community bank president for UMB Bank in Central Missouri. He can be reached at james.cunningham@umb.com.

NEW TECHNOLOGY ON THE WAY In addition to being prepared, businesses will soon be able to rely on new technology to help protect against fraud. The latest and most anticipated technology is EMV (Europay, MasterCard and Visa) chip cards, which will have a major impact on lessening credit and debit card fraud. So much so that 92 percent of financial professionals believe EMV technology will be effective in reducing fraud at the point-of-sale.

NUMBERS TELL THE STORY

62% of companies

77% of organizations

were subject to

that experienced attempted or ACTUPAYMENTS FRAUD in 2014 were VICTIMS OF CHECK FRAUD

PAYMENTS FRAUD in 2014

34%

of organizations that were exposed to payments fraud in 2014 report that such fraud attempts were VIA CREDIT/DEBIT CARDS

WIRES FRAUD incidents nearly doubled, from

14%

in 2013 to

27% in 2014

The typical

FINANCIAL LOSS incurred by companies due to payments fraud in 2014 was

$20,000

78%

of financial professionals believe CONCERNS ABOUT SECURITY are keeping consumers from embracing mobile payments

Source: Association for Financial Professionals “2015 AFP Payments Fraud and Control Survey”

92%

of financial professionals believe EMV CARDS WILL BE EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING POINTOF-SALE FRAUD

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From the Editor

Editorial Erica Pefferman, Publisher Erica@BusinessTimesCompany.com Sarah Redohl, Editor SarahR@BusinessTimesCompany.com Katrina Tauchen, Copy Editor Katrina@BusinessTimesCompany.com

Location, Location, Location ›› What makes a company a local business? Is it determined by the volume of services it provides to other businesses located in the area? By the location of its staff? By its involvement and investment in a particular community?

In our opinion, a local business can be one (or all) of these things. For our inaugural year of Top of the Town, page 36, we’ve honored 70 of the top local businesses providing B2B products or services: top happy hour, top commercial lender, top architect, top Chamber of Commerce supporter.

Some of the businesses have a large staff in Columbia, but a very small portion of their business services are bought by Columbia residents. Some have a small staff here, a widely scattered remote staff, and the majority of their business comes from Columbians. But because our Top of the Town winners were selected by popularity (total number of votes from the community), it seems the most significant factor is their Photo by Anthony Jinson involvement in the community. These businesses won because people love them so much they took time out of their busy day to cast their vote for, say, their top business lunch location.

That said, all the businesses (except Trader Joe’s and Red Robin, though we’d be happy to have them) are located in Columbia. Even in a remote working world (more on that on page 77), location continues to be an asset and became an unlikely (and unplanned) theme of this issue.

On page 61, we outline the ramifications of a proposed new hospital along Highway 63, just a couple miles away from Columbia’s handful of existing hospitals, what it could mean for Columbia and why hospital location is so important. And on page 51, we feature three local businesses that have found success in a less traditional location: above the busy streets of downtown Columbia. Lastly, don’t miss the profile of Columbia’s Historic Preservation Commission. Although, historically, the “what” and “when” have been far more important to this group, in the face of rapid redevelopment of our historic downtown, “where” has become an increasingly common concern.

As always, we appreciate your feedback — good and bad. I hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together for you. Congratulations to all of this year’s Top of the Town nominees and winners!

Best, JULY 2015

Sarah Redohl, Editor

Businesswoman and community leader Kat Cunningham, founder of Moresource Inc., is the city’s Top Old-timer in Business, as voted by you, our readers. Learn more about Cunningham and the rest of the inaugural Top of the Town winners on page 36. Photo by Anthony Jinson.

SECOND STORY STORIES

Kat Cunningham,

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All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of any editorial or graphic content without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

Columbia's Top Business Old-Timer

PAGE 51

HOW MANY HOSPITALS?

P.Y.S.K.

KIRK TREVOR PAGE 31

PAGE 61

WELCOME TO

NOSTALGIAVILLE? PAGE 56

CBT'S INAUGURAL

TOP OF THE TOWN PAGE 36

OUR MISSION STATEMENT The Columbia Business Times and ColumbiaBusinessTimes.com strives 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.

columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 15

16 \\\ juLY 2015

about the last times What's happening online Stephen Webber @s_webber Joining @ColumbiaBiz roundtable this morning w/ @calebrowden44 at 9am on @1400KFRU about #MOLeg

Caleb Rowden @calebrowden44 Looking forward to being on the @ColumbiaBiz roundtable tomorrow morning at 9am on @1400KFRU talking #MOLeg. Always a good dialogue.

Tron Jordheim @tron jordheim Talking about sales in my new column in the @ColumbiaBiz The Evoke Group @TheEvokeGroup Congrats to Plaza Dental Group for winning the Columbia Business Times' Small Business of the Year! @ColumbiaBiz. Mizzou Online @MizzouOnline A reminder that Mizzou's online programs have a national (and global) reach! Thanks @ColumbiaBiz for the shout-out.

Boone County Museum @boonemuseum Check out a #briefhistory of @the_district via @ColumbiaBiz's, ft. @Buchroeders, one of #como's oldest in biz Missouri Theatre @motheatre Time to learn more about #MoTheatre, thanks to @ColumbiaBiz. Pick up your copy, on stands now! #mizzou

BBBS of Central MO @Bigsofcentralmo Want to know our secret to success? Check out our Nonprofit Spotlight in @ColumbiaBiz!

Around the office Top of the Town Mark your calendars for July 1! The CBT is hosting a party you won’t want to miss in honor of this year’s Top of the Town winners. We will be honoring 70 local businesses providing the top B2B products and services in Columbia.

TOP

CBT ’s

OF THE

TOWN

20 Under 20 Hickman High School celebrated its 20 Under 20 recipients May 27 at the Country Club of Missouri.

Inspired by the school’s principal gracing the cover of the CBT as one of our 20 Under 40 recipients, the 20 Under 20 program honored graduating Hickman seniors with bright, bright futures. Congratulations to the 2015 Class of 20 Under 20!

Bank of Missouri @bankofmissouri Our Karin Bell, Sr. VP & SBA Loan Mgr., made @ ColumbiaBiz June "Movers and Shakers" list. #bankofmo

Cara Syferd Owings shared CoMo Connection Exchange's photo.

Super excited to see our ad in the Columbia Business Times June issue! Whoop whoop!

Write to CBT editor Sarah Redohl at Editor@BusinessTimesCompany.com

We're already hard at work preparing for our August issue, which may or may not have involved borrowing a few thousand dollars in cold hard cash. Stay tuned for more on July 25! columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 17

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Call for your consultation today: 573-874-3235 2475 Broadway Bluffs | Suite 301 | Columbia

July 2015

Vol. 22, Issue 1 columbiabusinesstimes.com

36

Top of the Town

In the inaugural year of the CBT’s Top of the Town awards, we received thousands of votes for your favorite B2B products and services in Columbia, and now we’re proud to announce this year’s 70 Top of the Town winners!

51 Second Stories

Perched atop the street-level shops and restaurants filling downtown Columbia, these local business owners have found that its loyalty and community rather than location and prices fueling their continued success.

56 The Fighter

A veteran fighter in a development zone grizzled with controversy, Columbia’s Historic Preservation Commission is working within its charter in the city code by teaching citizens what city structures are worth fighting for — and how to fight for them.

Departments 15 From the Editor 17 Letters to the Editor 21 Movers and Shakers 22 Briefly in the News 25 A Closer Look 26 Business Update 31 P.Y.S.K. 35 Opinion 68 Nonprofit Spotlight 70 Celebrations 73 Did You Know?

75 Marketing 77 Technology 79 Organizational Health 81 Sales 82 Economic Index 83 Deeds of Trust 84 Business Licenses 85 By the Numbers 88 5 Questions 90 Flashback

61 Room for More?

Privately owned Nueterra and MU Health System want to build a new $38 million, 10bed surgical center in Columbia, within four miles of five Columbia hospitals. But how many hospitals is too many?

20 \\\ juLY 2015

Movers and Shakers

›› Professionals grow, serve and achieve

morrison

bonderer

noah

smith

bradley

whelan

ehlert

patterson

›› Providence Bank

›› Lori Ehlert

Great Circle has announced several new positions. Leslie Wiss was named director of trauma informed services, previously serving as senior therapist in the education department. Joseph Beck was named director of residential treatment services for the Eastern Missouri region. Beck previously served as vice president of operations and community-based programs for the Midwest Foster Care and Adoption Association. Mary Sherfy was named chief marketing officer. Previously, she directed marketing and communications for St. Anthony’s Medical Center.

Eric Morrison has been appointed Columbia market president at Providence Bank, and Missy Bonderer was promoted to assistant vice president and banking center manager.

Ehlert was promoted to general sales manager at KRCG CBS 13, Columbia/ Jefferson City. Since April 2014, Ehlert worked as local sales manager for the KRCG sales team.

›› Diane Noah

›› Carrie Gartner

Noah, executive director of HomeCare of Mid-Missouri, recently received the Leadership Award at the Missouri Council of In-Home Services’ annual conference.

Noah has worked for HomeCare of MidMissouri for 17 years and is currently the MCHS president.

Gartner was hired as the new executive director of the board of the Business Loop Community Improvement District. She recently served as executive director of the Downtown Community Improvement District and was approved for the Business Loop CID on April 22.

›› David Starrett

›› Don Smith

›› Denzel Patterson

Columbia College announced Starrett as its first provost. He will replace Terry Smith, who served as executive vice president and dean of academic affairs for more than 18 years. Prior to becoming provost, Starrett worked as an administrator and professor of biology at Southeast Missouri State University. He will oversee academic offerings, accreditation, assessments and the library at Columbia College.

Smith was named director of mergers and acquisitions for MFA Oil Co., a farmer-owned cooperative based in Columbia. With more than 25 years of experience, he joins the company after serving as CEO of Midwest M&A Advisors in St. Louis.

Boone County National Bank welcomed Patterson as its newest mortgage loan officer.

Patterson graduated from the University of Missouri in May 2013, earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in banking and finance. He has more than four years of experience working in financial services.

›› Great Circle

›› Caledon Virtual Alicia Troesser was recently hired as senior graphic designer for Caledon Virtual after graduating from Columbia College with a graphic design degree. Matt LaCasse was hired as content marketing specialist and will write and edit websites, flyers and social media.

›› Commerce Bank Robby Miller, president of Mexico Heating Co., joined the Commerce Bank Advisory Board of Directors. Two other Commerce Bank employees expanded their roles: Jennifer Bradley, vice president and regional retail sales manager, is now branch manager for the Commerce Bank Columbia Brown School Road location, and David Whelan, vice president and group manager, is now branch manager for the Commerce Bank Hy-Vee location.

›› Derin Campbell Campbell, Boone County’s chief engineer, was named south central vice president of the National Association of County Engineers. NACE, a nonprofit organization that voices America’s need for safe county roads and bridges, also welcomed Campbell as chair of the Structure Committee. He will serve as the representative for Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance. CBT

➜ Are you or your employees making waves in the Columbia business community? Send us your news to Editor@BusinessTimesCompany.com columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 21

briefly in the news

›› A rundown of this month’s top headlines

mizzou online TheBestSchools.org, a website profiling American colleges and higher education programs, included the University of Missouri in its 2015-2016 list of best online colleges. The Mizzou Online program was listed as the 13th best online program in the country. MU offers more than 90 online degrees and certificates, including nine bachelor’s degrees, almost a dozen doctoral programs and more than 40 master’s degree programs.

The website selected colleges based on academic excellence, faculty credentials, student support, awards, rankings and reputation.

$6 million gift MU alumnus Harry Cornell donated $6 million to the Trulaske College of Business’s Cornell Leadership Program. The gift was given in perpetuity, ensuring the program’s funding for the future.

“I feel fortunate to have the ability to pay back my alma mater Harry Cornell for the great education I received years ago,” Cornell says. The CLP was founded in 2006 after a previous gift from Cornell; the recent donation brings his total giving to more than $13 million.

The CLP is a four-year program for elite students in the business school. Cornell, a resident of Joplin, is a chairman emeritus of Leggett & Platt Inc., a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Carthage, Missouri.

honeybaked ham The HoneyBaked Ham Co. & Café relocated one block east, from West Green Meadows Road to East Green Meadows Road. The new location is part of the new Academy Village, east of Providence Road, which also includes a Dunkin’ Donuts.

pedestrian safety

Mayor Bob McDavid formed the Mayor’s Task Force on Pedestrian Safety, responding to a series of pedestrian traffic accidents in the past six months. The task force will consist of around 15 members and will be lead by Councilmen Clyde Ruffin and Ian Thomas.

22 \\\ juLY 2015

mu j-school Timothy Blair, an MU alum living in Bel Air, California, donated $1 million to the Missouri School of Journalism for research and education on LGBT issues. In a press release, Blair said he hoped the donation would help journalists use their platform to dispel stereotypes about the LGBT community.

enhanced drive-thru

Landmark Bank announced that three “enhanced drivethru locations” will be able to serve customers seven days a week, beginning May 18. The locations utilize video teller technology, aiming for a more personal customer experience. The bank’s facilities at Highway 63 South, Cherry Hill and Stadium West are the first to try the new technology.

“We’re excited to be able to offer the convenience of weekend hours to our customers,” says Shon Aguero, retail banking executive. “We’re all busy, and we have grown used to doing our shopping and other business whenever we can get to it. There is no reason banking should be different.”

facelift for shelter fountain Shelter Insurance, one of Columbia’s top 10 employers, held a “celebration of the arrival of spring and the 50-year anniversary of a Columbia landmark — the Shelter Fountain,” according to Shelter’s website.

The fountain was recently renovated as a 50th birthday present. Updates include a larger center basin, more water surface and more water in motion.

The new fountain has 49 nozzles and approximately 38 feet of waterfalls, including a nozzle in the center basin with a 20-foot spray height. The fountain was also outfitted with energy-efficient LED lights.

“We are very proud of the fact that the Shelter Fountain has been a community landmark for nearly a half a century,” says Rick Means, Shelter president and CEO, “but in order to keep it functioning for another 50 years, these improvements are necessary.”

Shelter Insurance was created in 1946.

$750,000 pledge

MFA Inc. and MFA Oil have pledged $750,000 to the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, which will establish an endowed MFA Professorship in Agribusiness to support agriculture education.

“We’re proud of our partnership with the university and CAFNR,” says Ernie Verslues, president and CEO of MFA Inc. “Some areas of this company have contact with the university at least every week, and we look forward to continuing a long-lasting relationship.”

The gift will be distributed over four years. If future gifts from MFA reach more than $1.1 million, the endowed professorship will become an endowed chair in the department.

top 10 award

speakupcomo The website SpeakUpCoMo went live on May 1. On the site, citizens are encouraged to comment on posted projects, vote on ideas, take surveys and submit their own ideas for improving the city.

The site, according to a city press release, is designed to make public discussions accessible and convenient without taking the place of in-person public engagement.

“Our form of local government works best when more folks can provide meaningful feedback and easily share their ideas, not only with the staff and council but also with other participating citizens,” says City Manager Mike Matthes.

“SpeakUpCoMo is another tool for us to make decision-making more accessible.”

The site was created on a platform called SpeakUp, which is designed to help government agencies gather feedback from the public.

The American Academy of Family Physicians named the MU School of Medicine a top 10 school for family physicians.

MU was recognized with the same award the previous two years. Of all MU School of Medicine graduates, 18.8 percent enter family medicine.

18.8% of graduates enter family medicine

board break-a-thons

Jade Hockman, of Hockman’s ATA Martial Arts, donated $25,000 to MU Children’s Hospital after more than four years of fundraising efforts.

Hockman hosted several “Board Break-AThons” at the martial arts studio to raise money, with the first in December 2010. The final $1,000 came from Aspen Heights apartments, which donated the money after Hockman offered to Jade Hockman teach self-defense classes to residents for free.

Hockman’s ATA Martial Arts is located on Corporate Lake Drive in south Columbia. CBT columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 23

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a closer look

›› A quick look at emerging companies

1. Corporate Safety Solutions LLC

Corporate Safety Solutions LLC, a safety-training provider that delivers cost-effective client solutions, recently added an office in Columbia.

The business specializes in safety training, including CPR and first aid from the American Heart Association. “We’re providing high-quality safety training and products to the Columbia area that are easily accessible and convenient to the community,” says David Brownell, owner of Corporate Safety Solutions. Individuals can either come into the Corporate Safety Solutions office or schedule for a training session to come to their facility. Corporate Safety Solutions also has offices in St. Joseph, Missouri, and Liberty, Missouri, and has plans to open facilities in Omaha, Nebraska, and Wichita, Kansas, in the near future. Corporate Safety Solutions is located at 303 N. Stadium Blvd., Suite 200 and is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Contact: David Brownell, 866-770-0930

2. Great Southern Bank

The Great Southern Bank has opened a branch in Columbia. Originally established in 1923, the bank is headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, and currently operates 113 offices in eight states.

“We are excited to expand our network of banking centers to Columbia and look forward to being a helpful and active member of the community,” says President and CEO Joseph W. Turner. “We have assembled a team of experienced bankers who understand the needs of this market. Customers can expect great service, a comprehensive line of competitive products and an engaged community partner.” Great Southern Bank offers a wide variety of checking accounts, saving accounts and lending options and has a mission to “build winning relationships with its customers, associates, shareholders and communities.”

Contact: 573-256-0048

2

3. Epoch Health

Epoch Health has added a clinic in Columbia to its nationwide network, making it the first Epoch Health clinic in Missouri. Epoch Health focuses on men’s health, and through a partnership with Urology Associates of Central Missouri, each patient receives a free “100 Percent Men’s Health Screening,” which includes comprehensive labs without obligation. “Epoch Health offers a screening that is more comprehensive than the yearly screening and could possibly save a man’s life,” says Jentry Mills, director of marketing and business development of Epoch Health. After their initial free screening, patients who are eligible for treatment can return for an extensive follow-up exam with Epoch’s onsite doctor. Epoch Health accepts most major PPO insurances and Medicare and offers several types of discount programs for different types of patients. Epoch Health is located at 2900 Trimble Road, Suite 107 and is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Contact: Epoch Men’s Health, 573-818-3067

4. D & D Pub N Grub

A new family-owned-and-operated bar and grill has opened its doors in Columbia. D & D Pub N Grub, which stands for Dad and Daughter, operates as a family restaurant by day and a bar by night and features live music every Friday night. The bar and grill features daily specials on alcohol and food, including $2 tacos on Tuesdays and $2 domestic beers on Saturdays. “We’ve got great food, great people and great times,” says Angie Rensprom, who co-owns D & D Pub N Grub with her father. “The most popular items on our menu include our handmade D & D burgers, hand-breaded tenderloins, nachos and handbreaded wings.” D & D Pub N Grub is located at 6307 Leupold Court and open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Contact: Angie Rensprom, 573-442-7302

3

5. Mattress Firm Inc.

Mattress Firm Inc. added a second store in Columbia, located at 2900 Trimble Road, Suite 101. “We are a national company with all the comfort and peace of mind that comes with a company that is the largest national retailer in the world, but we also offer local, hometown service,” says Christopher Crosby, Mattress Firm district manager. The store offers all the sleep essentials, including a large variety of mattresses, adjustable beds, memory foam pillows and accessories such as mattress toppers and protectors. Mattress Firm offers a variety of financing options such as special financing for 60 months and a 90-day payment option.

Contact: Christopher Crosby, 573-442-0619

6. Lips and Curls/The Social Room

Jesse Garcia, owner of Roxy’s bar and dance club, and his wife, Heather Garcia, a cosmetologist, have teamed up to create something Columbia has never seen. By day, Lips and Curls serves as a 1950s-themed beauty parlor. “The most feedback we have gotten so far has been about our customer service,” says Heather Garcia, owner of Lips and Curls.

“People tell me that they felt at home when they were here and that the experience was fulfilling.” Through a secret entrance within the beauty parlor, though, customers can enjoy a cold drink in a hidden bar called The Social Room. Unlike any other bar downtown, to get into the speakeasy, customers need to say a secret password. Customers can make an appointment at Lips and Curls, which is generally open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or call The Social Room, open from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., to learn the secret password. Lips and Curls is located at 220 N. Eighth St. Contact: 573-397-6441 CBT

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4 ➜ Are you an entrepreneur? Are you sprouting a new business? Tell us about it at Editor@BusinessTimesCompany.com columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 25

Matt McCormick, Heather Hargrove and Kit Stolen Photo by Anthony Jinson

26 \\\ juLY 2015

business update

›› Transformed, trending and up-to-the-minute

➜ 300 S. Providence Road, Columbia, MO 65203 • 573-874-1132 • columbiamochamber.com

The Chamber of Commerce Digs In

The chamber looks to improve with a strategic restructuring and push for further

By Matthew Patston economic and leadership development.

The Chamber of Commerce, until this June, had a flooding problem. Last winter, employees noticed water seeping through the Walton Building’s decaying siding, and the boardroom routinely flooded. Water cleanup sometimes preceded meetings. Inspectors found a gaping hole in the attic walls. The building’s windows, some of which came with original construction in 1986, no longer met sealing standards. A building improvement was in order.

Throughout the process of funding and scheduling the repairs, which took most of the spring, the chamber was busy making other improvements: developing and drafting their strategic plan, an outline of goals and objectives to guide chamber policy until 2018. The strategy, unveiled to chamber members at their annual awards banquet on June 18, refocuses the strategy last outlined seven years ago. The new siding seems timely, as it echoes the strategy’s first listed objective: “Rebrand business to the community.”

Own your message The strategic restructuring began without planning in May 2012, when Chamber of Commerce President Don Laird announced he would retire the following January, after 24 years in his position. The announcement wasn’t a surprise — Laird was past retirement age — but resources had to be mobilized quickly. The chamber recruited an outside agency, Organizational Dynamics, to work with a chamber search committee and find a new president. The result: Current President Matt McCormick, who was recruited to Columbia from a president position in a Dallas suburb, helped design the new strategic plan.

Before the searching began, however, the search committee took stock of their organization; to find a good fit, they had to find out what the fit was.

The committee polled current and former chamber members, reviewed internal policy and

The Columbia Chamber of Commerce is located at 300 S. Providence Road.

tried to determine what they needed. Initially, this was all done with the goal of finding a president, but once McCormick came on board, the snowball had started rolling. The chamber kept looking to improve, and they ordered an internal audit.

The auditors wanted to trim fat: the 2013-2014 Annual Report from the chamber says the process reviewed all chamber functions to “determine if they continued to be consistent with our mission, were productive and cost efficient.”

Heather Hargrove, whose term as chair of the board of directors ended in June, says the audit revealed both strengths and shortcomings: one shortcoming being communication, which is addressed in the first and last of the strategic plan’s five “pillars.”

“So, how do we better tell our strengths?” Hargrove asks. “We’re trying to be the voice of business. That captures so much of what we’re trying to do with these five pillars. We want to tell our own story rather than have somebody else tell it for us.”

Creating sound structure The five pillars are: be the voice of business, deliver value to members, advance commu-

nity excellence, support sustainable economic development and develop organizational sustainability. Each pillar has its own subset of goals and objectives.

The plan is, as McCormick says, a strategic communication outline, one with concrete steps and emphasis on specific chamber initiatives. A quick read reveals a few general themes, such as more directed influence on business policy and solidified organizational structure, but the plan is ultimately about ensuring future success. The chamber is a nonprofit organization, and most revenue comes from membership dues and fundraising. The well-being of the chamber, therefore, depends on how much success it creates for local business. There’s strong incentive to make sure the chamber is effective.

The strategic plan addresses the problem in a handful of ways: In addition to clarifying external communications, the plan calls for a refocus of influence in local and state politics, the hiring of durable and successful chamber staff and improving coordination with local business resources such as REDI and MUbased incubators. columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 27

“Planning is the key, and it’s not episodic, and it’s not just one group making the plan. It’s a collaborative effort.” — Matt McCormick, president, Columbia Chamber of Commerce

TOP

CBT ’s

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“I don’t know if it’s so much about the change in economic development but the struggle in economic development,” Hargrove says.

“It’s become quite stagnant, and frankly, we can’t hang our hats on IBM forever. That’s still where we are. There’s a challenge in this city for economic development.”

“We think it’s our responsibility, in terms of the business community, to provide strong leadership,” says Kit Stolen, who replaced Hargrove as chair in June. “We’re collaboratively trying to figure out what the best avenues are for the community.”

The long term McCormick says they want to see another success like Veterans United, the home loan agency founded in Columbia in 2002 that has since grown to 1,400 employees nationwide. Such success stories, he says, reflect Columbia’s spirit of entrepreneurship, and the chamber wants to ingratiate itself early in that process.

Likewise, Stolen says the new plan is about weaving business into the fabric of the community. Again, the theme of long-term growth and stability comes up, with Hargrove saying, “I think one of the key words to stress is planning — the future.”

“We do think the city focuses on episodic events a lot,” Stolen says. “We’d love to see a bias of focus toward long-term planning.”

“What’s crazy to me,” Hargrove adds, “is how it’s all connected.

When you have a strong economic development foundation in your community, that keeps people working and financially able to support themselves and their families, and that, in turn, pays the taxes that support the parks everyone loves. It’s all interconnected. If we’re not having economic development, the rest of that stuff starts to stall as well.”

McCormick nods. “Planning is the key,” he says, “and it’s not episodic, and it’s not just one group making the plan. It’s a collaborative effort.”

“It has to be,” Stolen adds.

“And it’s that long-term planning to know where we’re going so we can hopefully stop having the long discussions and the arguments over this episode and that episode and to make sure we’re all pulling in the same direction,” McCormick says.

“To be proactive rather than reactive,” Hargrove says.

The fifth pillar, develop organizational stability, is internally focused. It calls for a sleeker chamber: one that is able to quickly adapt to new challenges and new opportunities.

When asked what most excites them about the new plan, McCormick, Hargrove and Stolen all say leadership, both within the chamber and in the community. It’s the last objective listed in the new strategic plan, and it’s one that is noticeably missing from the 2007 version: continue strategic leadership.

Repairs to the Walton Building, they hope, will be the least significant improvements the chamber makes this year. CBT

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Ryan Rich, Owner

Corey Rimmel, Owner

Meet Ryan Rich and Corey Rimmel, owners of Hot Box Cookies. They recently obtained an SBA loan from The Bank of Missouri to open a third location in St. Louis and to set up a new distribution warehouse in Columbia.

An SBA loan from The Bank of Missouri is one of the best financing options for small and growing businesses. An SBA loan can help you finance an entire business, equipment and fixtures, business real estate and much more.

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P.Y.S.K. Person You Should Know

Job description: As music director of the Missouri Symphony, I hire musicians, conduct all concerts and rehearsals and run the artistic programs of the Missouri Symphony.

Kirk Trevor

Music director of the Missouri Symphony Orchestra

Years lived in Columbia/mid-Missouri: 15 Original hometown: Bognor Regis, England

Age:

63

Education: GGSM, Guildhall School of Music, London; Fulbright Exchange to NCSA in the United States

Professional background: I have been a conduc-

Photo by Sarah Redohl

tor since age 11, when I gave my first concert in my hometown. I went to college as a pianist and cellist and continued cello studies in Paris and the U.S. I became assistant conductor to the Dallas Symphony in 1982 and then music director of the Knoxville Symphony from 1985 to 2003. I was music director of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra from 1988 to 2015 and music director of the Missouri Symphony from 2000 to present. I was also a professor of conducting at the University of Tennessee from 1990 to 2000 and at Ball State University from 2005 to 2006. I have taught conducting all around the world, with more than 700 students worldwide. I run the world’s largest conducting school in the Czech Republic every summer, and I teach this year in Denver; New York; Norway; Hong Kong; Prague; and Sao Paulo and Fortaleza, Brazil. I am the most-recorded conductor of the past 20 years with more than 110 CD recordings of music, movies and video game scores.

›› What people should know about this profession: It is not really as glamorous as it might appear.

First of all, conductors do not play all the instruments of the orchestra. I play two, one really well. It is a daily grind of getting orchestras ready to put on the best performance on Saturday when the crowd is there. Just like a football coach, I prepare the team to take on the week’s opponent: Beethoven, say.

We spend a few days preparing and practicing for Beethoven, and then on Saturday, when the crowd comes, we play Beethoven. My role is to inspire and motivate the players to practice hard and be their best for the concert. So it’s just the same as a head coach — except I don’t make that kind of money!

Why I'm passionate about my job: Because it is the only way to inspire and motivate people, whether performers, co-workers or audiences. If I don’t give 100 percent, nobody wants to hear what we have to offer because it will be uninspired, whether it is a musical performance, a radio interview or a rehearsal with my second- to seventh-grade conservatory kids.

I want everybody to feel how I feel about music, not just “classical” music but all music. It has a relevance, and I want people to hear and feel its relevance.

Accomplishment I’m most proud of: Professionally, I’m most proud of all my students, cello or conducting around the world, who have achieved so many wonderful things. Personally, I’m proud of surviving! columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 31

A Columbia businessperson I admire and why: Teresa Maledy, president of

A Professional Knows When it’s Best to Use One. We’re all for a “can do” spirit but choosing, measuring and installing window coverings is best left to the pros.

Commerce Trust. She not only supports causes such as youth and the arts, but her commitment also shows by her presence at events and her obvious enjoyment of being able to participate in her company’s financial commitment to bettering the lives of the community. It makes the relationship with her sponsored entities, such as the Missouri Symphony Conservatory, a real and personal relationship, which helps the sponsored organizations feel special.

A favorite recent project: Working with children in the favelas of Sao Paulo and Fortaleza, Brazil. One of my conducting students runs a big music program for disadvantaged youth in Brazil, and when I am there teaching, I like to work with his very special students in the ghettos (favelas).

If I weren’t doing this for a living, I would: Be a tennis player. I was an athlete

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all through my school days, and music always got in the way of being Wimbledon champion. If you mean realistically speaking, I would probably be playing the stock market or some form of a financial hedge fund manager. I love the way stocks move and their real relationship to the financial situation of a company. But I don’t know whether I would be a chartist or a speculator playing the daily moods of investors.

What I do for fun: Watch the Cavaliers on TV — every game!

Family: Wife, Maria; kids: Sylvia (Sisi), 9; Daniel (Danny), 7; Aiden, 2; and Chloe (by previous marriage), who’s 27 years old and a concert violin soloist

Favorite place in Columbia: Parks and playgrounds where I can sit and read and watch the kids at the same time: Tiger Bounce, McDonald’s Playland, the sprinklers at Flat Branch Park.

Most people don’t know that I: Am very shy. I am not good at parties and uncomfortable with strangers. Also, I am a sports nut. Any sport! I will watch it, get avid about it and can probably name the champions in most sports at a push. I also collect British stamps from 1840 to 1901 and 19thand 20th-century powder compacts. CBT

columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 33

Jared W. Reynolds, CFP® Carroll Wilkerson, CFP®

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Are you coming to the party st on July 1 ? We hope so.

Buy your tickets at www.columbiabusinesstimes.com.

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Roundtable › Al Germond

A Road to the ‘Metropolis of Medicine’ I think the last thing anyone thought Columbia would need is another hospital, and yet another facility is apparently on the way. Nueterra, the Leawood, Kansas, firm that bought Fulton’s 57-bed Callaway Community Hospital last December, by its own admission is “…disrupting the current model and unveiling new opportunities to raise quality standards, provide direct access and Al Germond is the drive down costs.” This was followed by host of the Columbia the announcement last April that NuetBusiness Times erra, teamed with University of Missouri Sunday Morning Health Care as a minority participant, Roundtable at 8:15 wants to build a 10-bed, $38 million hosa.m. Sundays on KFRU. pital on a site in southeast Columbia presHe can be reached at ently occupied by two mobile home parks. al@columbia business Skeptics intone, so what is it exactly times.com. that Columbia’s two existing mega hospital complexes, the VA hospital, two orthopedic hospitals, numerous specialized clinics and on and on are not already providing in the overall realm of health care specialties and services? Or is this a case of developing and staffing a facility to harvest cherries from the trees of medical care upended as it is and stipulated under provisions of the controversial Affordable Care Act of 2012?

As free enterprise capitalists, we say bring it on, and the more the merrier. Of course it would be in the region’s best interest to have more physicians, more beds, more wonderful support technology and all the other bells and whistles that have enabled longer, healthier living. And yet most of us are hopelessly naive about the future of medical care in this country, mere barnacles clinging precariously to the huge ocean liner that represents the health care industry in all its facets, figuratively speaking, as it pokes through the shark-infested ocean of initiatives and regulation by government entities on all levels.

These developments confirm Columbia has earned its stripes as a major metropolis of medicine. And if what would be another hospital and its new owner in Fulton can attempt by taking this audacious step, well, why not ask Fitzgibbon and Bothwell hospitals in Marshall and Sedalia, respectively, to open branches here modeled after Nueterra’s Fulton proposition? Carried to another extreme, how about going after branches of the Mayo Brothers clinics; the Cleveland Clinic; or well-known hospitals in Boston, New York, Los Angeles and other big cities? Columbia is already on the map of advanced medical care in the promising field of nuclear medicine, so why not, we ask.

Fulton is stirring. With more than $200 million on line to finally fix up the embarrassingly decrepit State Hospital No. 1 and announcements of new industrial development and a REDI-type economic initiative, Fulton is on the move. Sometimes in our own hubris, we forget that Columbia is ringed by

Boone Hospital Center is one of five existing hospitals within five miles of the proposed new hospital. Photo courtesy of Boone Hospital.

seven county-seat communities, all but one of them less than an hour’s drive away. We know about the state capital because there’s a huge daily commuting liaison between Jefferson City and Columbia, with Ashland the beneficiary in between. There’s the increasingly evident commuter traffic between Columbia and Boonville, Fayette, Moberly and Mexico. A bridge is missing, so California, only 25 miles southwest of Columbia by air, is less convenient with a 50-mile road trip, but still they come from Moniteau County.

Then there’s Fulton: a virtual straight line 20 miles east of Columbia through the hills and dales of the Kingdom of Callaway on the historic Old Trails Road. Fulton missed out on the interstate highway bonanza, bypassed because the Centennial Road Act of 1921 ordered construction of a straightaway stretch of U.S. Highway 40 — originally State Route 2 — between Calwood and Columbia. Running six miles north of Fulton, this supplanted the old Fulton Gravel Road, which was the original course of this important transcontinental highway, the forebear of Interstate 70.

Whether Nueterra and MU Health Care are allowed to build a hospital here, fixing up the relatively direct 20-mile highway connection between Fulton and Columbia should join the already bloated list of impossible-tofinance highway upgrades most of us have been secretly yearning for. One recalls the talk 50 years ago while construction of Columbia’s new regional airport was finally underway of building a new road between Fulton and the airport, and see how far that turkey got. Somehow it just doesn’t seem beneficial for our region’s overall economy to have many of our Callawegian neighbors drive to Kingdom City and then west another 20 miles or more into Columbia on Interstate 70. Widening and straightening State Routes WW and J should be a priority with the eventual dream of building a four-lane divided highway between the Kingdom’s capital city and the county of Boone. It would be a win-win for the entire region. Perhaps by the year 2115! CBT columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 35

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t

Top of the

Town In the inaugural year of the Columbia Business Times’ Top of the Town awards, we received thousands upon thousands of votes for your favorite B2B products and services in Columbia. With first- and second-place winners in each of the 35 categories, we are proud to announce this year’s 70 Top of the Town winners!

By Sarah Redohl | Photos by anthony jinson

columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 37

Top Place to Work First Place: Veterans United Home Loans 1400 Veterans United Drive | 800-884-5560 Founded in 2002, Veterans United Home Loans has more than 1,600 employees, with more than 1,200 of those in Columbia. Its values are to be passionate, deliver results with integrity and enhance lives. “All three [awards] really just come down to executing on the same mission of our company, which is to enhance lives,” says CEO Nathan Long. “Our employees’ commitment to each other, the veterans they help finance homes for and the local community are what our culture is all about.”

The company’s employee-driven charitable arm, Veterans United Foundation, is committed to enhancing the lives of veterans and military families nationwide by focusing on supporting military families and nonprofit organizations that strengthen local communities.

Second Place: Hawthorn Bank 1110 Club Village Drive | 573-449-9933 Hawthorn Bank is a comprehensive community bank led

by Kathleen Bruegenhemke, Columbia market president.

Hawthorn is also well known as a financial partner for the local business community.

38 \\\ juLY 2015

Top Commercial Builder First Place: Coil Construction 209 E. Broadway | 573-874-1444 This year, Coil Construction is celebrating 40 years in business. It offers a full range of services in both design/ build and construction management for professional, retail, industrial, institutional, Greek housing and health care construction. “Our company culture of integrity, dependability and quality goes from our management down to laborers in the field,” says President Randy Coil.

“We look forward to celebrating our next 40 years in business — and beyond — by continuing to improve and build our community.”

Second Place: Little Dixie Construction 3316 LeMone Industrial Blvd. | 573-449-7200 Little Dixie Construction was founded in 1964 and has dozens of offices across the Midwest, mostly in Missouri.

Top Staffing Company First Place: JobFinders

Top Office Digs

Top HR Firm

First Place: True Media

First Place: Moresource Inc.

500 Business Loop 70 W. | 573-443-8783 True Media, established in 2005, is a media strategy and communications company that specializes in helping corporations determine appropriate communication plans, including traditional, digital, social and mobile media. With offices in the United States and Canada, True Media develops advertising plans, manages media relationships and handles media negotiations for some of North America’s most reputable companies. “We strive to have our office environment help stimulate the creative process and engage our employees to provide best-in-class work for our customers,” President Jack Miller says.

Second Place: Woodruff Sweitzer 501 Fay St. | 573-875-7917 Woodruff Sweitzer has been in business for 23 years. Its team includes strategists, audience experts, planners, creative thinkers, designers, writers, account directors and managers, digital programmers, public relations professionals and administrators, so its clients have access to a variety of resources and talents among the company’s five locations.

401 Vandiver Drive | 573-443-1234 Moresource Inc. was founded in 1994 with an SBA loan by Kat Cunningham and is a leading provider of business services to business owners and HR directors with a la carte services of payroll, HR consulting, benefits administration, bookkeeping and IT-managed services. It’s also a fully licensed insurance agency. “Winning the Top of the Town for Top HR Firm speaks highly to what we do,” Cunningham says. “We have an amazing track record with EEOC claims, workplace conflict, Human Rights Commission issues, audits for wage and hour and working with the Department of Labor.”

1729 W. Broadway, No. 4 | 573-446-4250 Founded in 1986, JobFinders helps companies find cost-effective staffing solutions and helps individuals find jobs they love. It began as a small recruiting firm and has grown to three branches with nationwide recruiting, temporary services and medical divisions. “Earning this award is a testament that Columbia values what we do,” says President Anne Williams. “More so, it shows me my team members love what they do and are doing it exceptionally well.”

Second Place: Caroline & Co. Inc. 311 S. Providence Road | 573-449-3109 After 34 years in the staffing industry, the team at Caroline & Co. remains passionate about providing recruiting and staffing services in Columbia and surrounding areas. It specializes in office and professional staffing, both temporary and permanent.

Top Culture

Second Place: Accounting Plus Inc.

First Place: Veterans United Home Loans

1604B Business Loop 70 W. | 573-445-3805 Accounting Plus, Inc. is an accounting firm with expertise in financial management, including taxes, accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, taxes, QuickBooks support and more. Its clients include both businesses and individuals throughout Columbia and the surrounding area, including Jefferson City, Fulton, Moberly, Boonville and more.

1400 Veterans United Drive | 800-884-5560 For more information about Veterans United Home Loans, head to page 38.

Second Place: Murry’s Restaurant 3107 Green Meadows Way | 573-442-4969 Murry’s Restaurant slogan is “good food, good jazz,” but the restaurant also won over the lunch crowd. Murry’s was founded in 1985. columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 39

Top Newbie to Business First Place: Nick Hardy 504 Fay St. | 573-397-6786 Hardy is originally from North Dakota and graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in hotel and restaurant management. He’s a former professional snowboard instructor, bartender and restaurant manager. Prior to assisting with the opening and management of Logboat Brewing Co., he opened a taproom for a microbrewery. He is currently Logboat’s sales and account manager.

Second Place: Max Prokell 3401 Broadway Business Park Court, No. 107 | 573-818-2200 Prokell started Venta Marketing in 2012 after graduating from the University of Richmond, where he studied business and played football. Venta Marketing is a digital marketing agency that provides website design, Internet marketing, video and creative strategies to businesses and organizations in mid-Missouri and beyond.

Top Old-timer in Business First Place: Kat Cunningham 401 Vandiver Drive | 573-443-1234 Cunningham founded Moresource Inc. in 1994, and it is now a leading provider of business services. She has also made networking and giving back to her community priorities. In 1995, she began serving on boards for nonprofit organizations and has never stopped. She has also participated in Leadership Columbia, Leadership Jefferson City, Leadership Missouri and Greater Missouri Leadership Challenge for Women.

Second Place: David Keller 3610 Buttonwood Drive, Suite 100 573-874-4700 Keller is the community bank president of The Bank of Missouri. He’s been a banker in Columbia since 1984 and helped establish The Bank of Missouri’s Columbia branch in 2005.

40 \\\ juLY 2015

Top Chamber Volunteer First Place: Wally Pfeffer 910 N. College Ave., Suite 5 573-449-0359 Since 1978, Pfeffer has worked with clients to plan for and protect their financial future utilizing the products available thru Mutual of Omaha. “The chamber is an amazing group of committed volunteers striving to better our community in so many ways,” Pfeffer says.

“I’m humbled to be one of them.”

Second Place: Michele Spry 7301 W. Henderson Road 573-446-2484 Spry is the president of Midway Electric Inc., a full-service electrical contracting company that provides services to commercial, residential and industrial customers. She became involved in the Chamber of Commerce in 2006 and became an ambassador in 2008.

She has also served as chair of the ambassadors in 2011 and 2012 and currently serves on the Ambassadors Executive Committee as its historian. She also served as co-chair of the Small Business Committee in 2010 and 2011.

Top Ambassador of Business in Columbia First Place: Dave Griggs 801 Business Loop 70 E. 573-449-2619 Dave Griggs started Dave Griggs Flooring America, a full line wholesale and retail flooring company, in 1975. “My passion is to do all I can to enhance our local economy and create good jobs for all Columbia citizens by working with REDI in partnership with the county, the city and the university,” Griggs says.

Second Place: Mary Ropp 3610 Buttonwood Drive, Suite 100 573-874-4700 In Mary Ropp’s own words, “I find ways to put [The Bank of Missouri’s] clients forward to help them grow and flourish.” The Bank of Missouri has integrated its clients into its own marketing and networking platforms to showcase their products and expertise.

“When they do well, we do well,” Ropp says.

“And that feels great.” columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 41

Top Offsite Meeting Location First Place: Logboat Brewing Co. 504 Fay St. | 573-397-6786 Logboat Brewing Co. is a production microbrewery started by cofounders Tyson Hunt, Judson Ball and Andrew Sharp in 2014. Logboat beers are crafted by head brewer Josh Rein, who “makes beer we all like to drink, and thankfully other folks do, too,” Hunt says.

Second Place: Les Bourgeois Vineyards 14020 W. Highway BB | 800-690-1830 Les Bourgeois Vineyards, located on the bluff top of the Missouri River, is a premier cultural and recreational attraction in mid-Missouri, with space for parties, meetings and events.

Top Janitorial Services First Place: Atkins Building Services Inc. 1123 Wilkes Blvd. | 573-875-5100 Atkins Building Services Inc. is a commercial janitorial division of Atkins Inc., a turnkey service provider of lawn care, irrigation, pest control and holiday lighting, serving the mid-Missouri area since 1925. Its 300-plus staff cleans college campuses, clinic networks, manufacturing plants and state offices, including the Missouri Capitol, and provides specialized construction cleanup, carpet extraction, stone polishing, tile and grout cleaning and refinishing services.

Second Place: Tiger Maids 1000 W. Nifong Blvd., Building 1 | 573-445-9999 Tiger Maids helps busy business owners focus on growing their businesses. It offers residential cleaning and small office/facilitycleaning services.

Top Bank First Place: Central Bank of Boone County 720 E. Broadway | 573-874-8100 Central Bank of Boone County began in 1857, the first to be established in this part of the state of Missouri. Moss Prewitt, a merchant in Columbia, and R.B. Price Sr., his son-in-law, established the firm of Prewitt and Price and became the Columbia branch of Exchange Bank of St. Louis, with $250,000 in capital. Many changes have occurred over the years, including joining Central Bancompany, a Jefferson City-based holding company, in 1974. More than anything, Central Bank of Boone County is an integral part of its mid-Missouri community, says Senior Vice President of Marketing Mary Wilkerson. “Reflecting the commitment of its founders, the bank continues to provide the very best in financial services to all its customers,” she says.

Second Place: Landmark Bank 801 E. Broadway | 800-618-5503 Landmark Bank is celebrating its 150-year anniversary in 2015.

It has $2.2 billion in assets and 42 locations in 28 communities across Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.

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Top Place to have a Business Lunch First Place: Murry’s Restaurant 3107 Green Meadows Way | 573-442-4969 For more information about Murry’s, head to page 39.

Second Place: D. Rowe’s Restaurant & Bar 1005 Club Village Drive | 573-443-8004 “If you like a fun, clean place with big portions of great food, come on over,” the D. Rowe’s website says. Check out D. Rowe’s any day of the week, and the crowd is sure to support this claim. columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 43

Top Real Estate Developer

Top Happy Hour

First Place: Starr Properties 3401 Broadway Business Park Court, Suite 101 573-447-2414 Started in 1984, Starr Properties has grown from a small operation into a full-scale real estate development, investment and management company today. Starr Properties has developed and currently manages a wide variety of investment properties including duplexes, townhomes, condos, singlefamily homes, apartment complexes, retail commercial buildings and office buildings.

First Place: 44 Stone Public House 3910 Peachtree Drive, Suite H 573-443-2726 44 Stone Public House is a gastropub serving contemporary versions of traditional pub fare. It has an extensive selection of craft beer and whiskey. Co-owners Mark Sulltrop and Dave Faron have spent decades in the restaurant industry to bring 44 Stone to Columbia, where it has been serving guests for more than four years. “Thanks to all our friends that come to 44 Stone for happy hour, to close a deal or for any other time or reason, of course,” Faron says. “We’re gonna have a beer and cheers to you all.”

Second Place: John Ott, Alley A Realty 212 Bingham Road | 573-489-5353 John Ott owns Alley A Realty, a commercial real estate development company “committed to renovating and developing properties to create a vibrant downtown” in Columbia. “We focus on restoring properties with a goal of preserving history for the future,” says real estate analyst and property manager Tanner Ott.

Second Place: The Roof 1111 E. Broadway | 573-875-7000 The Roof offers indoor and outdoor seating and a view overlooking downtown Columbia. The menu includes small plates and appetizers, as well as handcrafted cocktails and local beer on tap.

Top Business with International Impact First Place: Influence & Co. 3500 Buttonwood Drive | 573-808-1913 Influence & Co. is a content agency that specializes in extracting knowledge to create and distribute content that fuels companies’ executive branding and content marketing efforts. The company works with senior and managing editors at more than 800 publications, ranging from Inc. and the Washington Post, to Harvard Business Review and WIRED. It is now one of the largest content providers of expert, high-quality content to the world’s top publications. Influence & Co. was recognized as No. 72 on Forbes’ “Most Promising Companies in America” list. In addition, it was also recognized as one of the nation’s most impactful companies at the White House and awarded Best Marketing and Advertising Company in 2014 by Empact Awards, hosted by the United Nations.

Second Place: Global First Responders

thinkstock.com

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adam@globalfirstresponder.com Global First Responders is a local 501(c)3 nonprofit providing international medical relief. Local resident and doctor Adam Beckett founded the group. The nonprofit has provided medical assistance in countries such as Haiti, Ethiopia and Syrian refuges in Jordan.

mike messer,

Top Business Insurance

matt williams,

Jennifer Hedrick,

Top Commercial Lender

Top Architect

Top Business Insurance

Top Commercial Lender

Top Architect

First Place: Mike Messer Agency — Shelter Insurance

First Place: Matt Williams, Landmark Bank

First Place: Jennifer Hedrick

908 Rain Forest Parkway, Suite C 573-442-5291 Messer’s insurance career began in 1999 with Shelter Insurance as a claims adjuster. “I gained valuable experience in that role, which I brought to my agency in 2006,” Messer says. “Now I help my clients understand their risks, and we create a plan for their business, life, auto, farm and home insurance needs.”

Second Place: The Insurance Group 200 Southampton Drive | 573-875-4800 The Insurance Group delivers home, auto and commercial insurance products, as well as employee benefits products, from a variety of providers. “Outstanding customer service is our goal,” says President Charlie Digges.

Top Engineer First Place: Timberlake Engineering 1100 E. Walnut St. | 573-875-4365 Timberlake Engineering was founded by Mark Timberlake in 1999 and is a full-service mechanical/HVAC, electrical, lighting and plumbing, LEED consulting engineering firm with a diverse experience base. The company serves Columbia’s building community by providing “quality, prompt and common sense design solutions” on residential, commercial and industrial projects, Timberlake says.

Second Place: Trabue, Hansen & Hinshaw Inc. 1901 Pennsylvania | 573-814-1568 Trabue, Hansen and Hinshaw (THHinc) is a civil and structural engineering firm serving clients throughout the Midwest by providing quality technical solutions and personal service. On June 1, THHinc completed a merger with McClure Engineering Co. of Iowa and operates as THHinc McClure. This merger will enhance the resources THHinc can offer its clients as it strives to “help our clients be successful in the eyes of their constituents.”

801 E. Broadway | 573-499-7333 Williams has been Landmark Bank’s regional president since last fall. He’s been in the banking industry for 25 years, 20 of them in Columbia. He was previously the president of Hawthorn Bank’s Columbia location, a position he held for seven years. Williams oversees Landmark’s Columbia operations and manages the local commercial loan department. His response to this award was: “Good grief! I’m not even the best commercial lender on my floor! I’ve always been fortunate to have great people supporting me who deserve much more credit than I do.”

Second Place: Drew Smith, Commerce Bank 501 E. Broadway | 800-453-2265 As a trusted partner to commercial clients, Commerce Bank Senior Vice President Drew Smith delivers innovative financial solutions and unmatched customer service. Combining experience, expertise and objective advice, Smith creates value for his clients across a broad array of products and services.

Top Business with a Commitment to Philanthropy First Place: Veterans United Home Loans 1400 Veterans United Drive | 800-884-5560 For more information about Veterans United Home Loans, head to page 38.

Second Place: Joe Machens Dealerships 1911 W. Worley | 573-445-4411 MU Children’s Hospital, True North, MDA, the United Way, Boys & Girls Clubs, the Food Bank, Susan G. Komen and Coyote Hill are just a few of the hundreds of charitable organizations Joe Machens Dealerships assists annually.

2801 Woodard Drive, Suite 103 | 573-443-1407 Hedrick is the managing principal of Simon Oswald Architecture, a commercial architecture and interior design firm.

SOA was established in 1987 to offer integrated architecture and interior design services to mid-Missouri clients and works on corporate, education, civic and health care projects. “We often say, ‘If it’s good for Columbia, it’s good for SOA, and we want to be a part of it,’” Hedrick says.

Second Place: Nick Peckham 3151 W. Route K | 573-489-0901 Peckham focuses on net-zero buildings of all kinds.

“I spent most of my career going steady with Mother Earth,” he says. He is also one of Columbia’s most experienced architects in terms of total years on the job.

Top Accounting Service First Place: Williams-Keepers LLC 2005 W. Broadway, Suite 100 | 573-442-6171 Williams-Keepers LLC is a regional certified public accounting and business-consulting firm with offices in Columbia and Jefferson City. With 14 members and approximately 80 associates, it is the largest businessconsulting firm in central Missouri and offers traditional audit, accounting and tax services in addition to forwardlooking planning engagements. The firm dates back to 1923, when it was first listed in the local telephone directory as the Columbia Accounting Co. In 1983, the name Williams-Keepers was adopted in honor of early partners Paul Williams and George Keepers. Part of the firm’s vision is to enjoy a high-trust relationship with its community. “We choose to continue the legacy of community service established by our firm’s founders in 1923 because we believe helping others is the right thing to do,” says Kari Dowell, director of marketing and HR.

Second Place: Accounting Plus Inc. 1604B Business Loop 70 W. | 573-445-3805 For more information on Accounting Plus, Inc., head to page 39. columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 45

Top Coffee Meeting Location First Place: Kaldi’s Coffee 29 S. Ninth St. | 573-874-2566 Kaldi’s Coffee specializes in sustainably sourcing and roasting the finest coffees in the world. “Since our conception, we have been dedicated to creating memorable coffee experiences wherever our coffee is served,” says co-owner Tricia Zimmer Ferguson.

Second Place: Dunn Brothers Coffee 1412 Forum Blvd. | 573-446-4122 Dunn Bros. Columbia location offers free Wi-Fi, a drivethru, roasted-fresh-daily coffee beans, patio seating, a conference facility and, on occasion, live music.

Top Caterer First Place: Hoss’s Market & Rotisserie 1010A Club Village Drive | 573-815-9711 Hoss’s Market, established in 2002, is a full-service, locally owned gourmet market. It specializes in madefrom-scratch meals for dine-in, takeout and catering.

“The relationships we have established over the years and the personal service Hoss’s Market offers as well as our quality product keeps our business booming and our guests coming back,” says co-owner Trish Koetting. “We truly feel blessed to own a business in this community.”

Second Place: Bleu Restaurant & Catering 811 E. Walnut St. | 573-442-5123 Bleu, known for its “eclectic menu with plenty of American favorites” at its restaurant, also offers catering options.

Top Commercial Photographer First Place: LG Patterson 47 E. Broadway | 573-445-6985 Patterson has been a photographer in Columbia for more than 30 years. Currently, he is the president of Recess Inc.; photo editor at Inside Columbia Magazine, Prime Magazine and CEO Magazine; and photo kingpin (yes, that’s his title) with Thumper Entertainment. He also photographs most of Mizzou Athletics’ sports posters.

Second Place: Casey Buckman Photography 4802 Shale Oaks Ave. | 573-881-1050 Casey Buckman Photography has been providing wedding, portrait, commercial and event photography services to mid-Missouri for more than 12 years. Commercial services include professional headshots and product photography, interior/exterior elevations, on-location customer interaction and other environmental imagery.

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Top Business We Need and Don’t Have First Place: Trader Joe’s Trader Joe’s is a chain of more than 400 specialty grocery stores, with the heaviest concentration in Southern California, where the company is headquartered.

Second Place: Red Robin Red Robin is a chain of casual dining restaurants with more than 500 locations. It’s headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado, but was founded in Seattle in 1969.

Top Place to Close a Deal First Place: 44 Stone Public House 3910 Peachtree Drive, Suite H | 573-443-2726 For more information about 44 Stone Public House, head to page 44.

Second Place: Boone-Central Title Co. 601 E. Broadway, Suite 102 | 573-442-0139 Since 1898, Boone-Central Title Co. has been providing “complete protection through good times and bad,” according to its website. Its goal is to ensure “all of the parties in real estate transactions that the transfer of real estate can be completed with a maximum degree of efficiency, security and cost effectiveness.”

Top Web Developer First Place: MayeCreate Design 700 Cherry St. | 573-447-1836 MayeCreate Design, founded in 2005, provides Web development, graphic design and digital marketing services. “We’re always thinking of better and more effective ways to create art that tells the right people about what our clients do and what makes them special,” says Monica Pitts, chief creative officer. “It really is an awesome compliment to have a public pat on the back honoring us for a job done well.”

Second Place: Delta Systems 200 Corporate Lake Drive | 573-442-9855 Delta Systems Group has provided network support, website development, hosting and online application development to more than 900 companies since 1986. Certified experts at WordPress, Zend Framework and PHP development, the Delta team works in Oregon, Illinois, Michigan and North Carolina as well as multiple Missouri cities. Delta Systems Group consists of Delta Systems; Voltage Creative, an interactive marketing company in Kansas City; Delta Commerce, an online retail company; and two startups.

Top Event Location

Top Commercial Videographer

First Place: The Tiger Hotel

First Place: Spectrum Studios

23 S. Eighth St. | 573-875-8888 The Tiger Hotel is mid-Missouri’s only AAA 4-diamond boutique hotel with 62 rooms and suites and historic meeting spaces that can accommodate 10 to 400 guests, including its Grand Ballroom with original crystal chandeliers, ornate plaster moldings and hardwood floors. The Tiger is also home to Glenn’s Cafe, a Columbia culinary tradition since 1939, serving Southern comfort food.

2301 Chapel Plaza Court, Suite 3 | 805-415-6553 Owner Randy Sinquefield moved from Los Angeles and started Spectrum Studios in 2009. For the past several years, Spectrum has produced feature-length films, documentaries and commercials as well as campaign videos for clients all over the country. “We’re very fortunate to work with many different establishments in our community and not only help them actualize on their vision for their projects but also learn what it is they do and why they are essential to our town,” Sinquefield says.

Second Place: Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center

Second Place: Baker HD

2601 S. Providence Road | 573-442-6400 Stoney Creek’s Columbia property features 181 guest rooms and 11,000 square feet of meeting space.

573-874-5691 Baker HD is a video and film production house and has won more than 50 awards for cinematography, editing and creative. columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 47

Top Advertising Agency First Place: Woodruff Sweitzer 501 Fay St. | 573-875-7917 For more information about Woodruff Sweitzer, head to page 39.

Second Place: MayeCreate Design 700 Cherry St. | 573-447-1836 For more information about MayeCreate Design, head to page 47.

Top B2B Product or Service First Place: Culligan Water

Top Local Team-building Experience First Place: Logboat Brewing Co. 504 Fay St. | 573-397-6786 For more information about Logboat Brewing Co., head to page 42.

Second Place: The Canvas on Broadway 706 E. Broadway, Suite 100 | 573-443-2222 The Canvas on Broadway boasts that it “will be your artistic outlet even if you think you can’t draw a straight line.” It walks its guests through the steps of a painting so even the least artistically inclined can have a good time.

48 \\\ juLY 2015

Top IT Company First Place: Midwest Computech 311 Bernadette Drive, Suite A | 573-499-6928 Midwest Computech was founded in 1982 as a typewriter sales and repair company for Missouri schools and has since evolved to provide IT management and cloud computing solutions for a variety of industries.

“I’m proud of each member of our Columbia team and their dedication to our high customer service standards, industry innovation and community service,” says CEO David Nivens.

Second Place: Easy PC 111 E. Walnut, Suite A | 573-777-3972 EasyPC IT & Computer Repair offers IT services to the businesses of Columbia, provides PC and Mac repair to the public at its office and prides itself on customer service.

1801 Commerce Court | 573-874-6147 Culligan of mid-Missouri has been the premier water treatment company in Columbia since 1943.

The company offers commercial and residential water treatment and also has an FDA-regulated manufacturing facility for Culligan Premium Drinking Water in Columbia. Its mission is to deliver exemplary customer service to all of mid-Missouri through its consistent presence in the community, according to General Manager John Mullette.

“Our team is so excited to be honored as Top of the Town,” he says.

Second Place: Major Brands 1502 Business Loop 70 E. | 573-443-3169 Major Brands is a leading distributor of premium spirits, beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages in Missouri. It employs more than 500 people and serves more than 9,000 retail customers throughout the state. CBT

columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 49

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second stories

Perched atop the street-level shops and restaurants filling downtown Columbia, these local business owners have found that its loyalty and connections rather than location and prices fueling their continued success.

It’s this sense of community that pulls people off of their computers, out of their homes and downtown to these very unique locations.

By Chris Danforth | Photos by Anthony Jinson IN downtown Columbia, it’s possible to purchase blue-collar overalls, a high-end road bike and to close on your new home by walking less than the length of a football field. The sidewalks are lined with big windows on the shops to display beautiful clothes on limbless mannequins or people happily eating delicious food.

Common sense might dictate that in order to operate a retail shop successfully in downtown Columbia, it would need to be located at street level. The seemingly endless stream of foot traffic provides a great advantage to streetlevel businesses, leaving the upstairs spaces populated almost entirely by either law firms and politicians or residents in apartments.

Although most retailers have found space along the downtown sidewalks, there are a few retailers who have found a good fit upstairs. They might not be easy to find, even if you know what you’re looking for. But these places, such as Betz Jewelers, Melissa Williams Fine Art

and Hitt Street Records, have become destinations for their customers.

“We have always been professional, and we feel more comfortable in a professional building,” says L.C. Betz, owner of Betz Jewelers. His store occupies most of the third floor of the Executive Building, a space he says is bigger than most jewelers are able to operate in. Melissa Williams, owner of Melissa Williams Fine Art, has found that foot traffic isn’t a driving force for her business, while Kyle Cook of Hitt Street Records notes that the vinyl-collecting community is what spreads his business.

All three owners touch on the impact of a personal connection and sense of community that drive their businesses.

Cook notes that though he does have to compete with Internet sellers, many of his customers like to come spend time in his shop just to talk about and listen to music. Williams’ collections are unique works, and she says her customers respect the work she does to be able to present these pieces of art. columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 51

S e c o n d S t o r y : B e tz J e w e l e rs

Betz Jewelers The elevator ride to the third floor of the Executive Building is short. Located above Broadway, L.C. Betz has served as the jeweler to multiple generations of Columbians. Betz opened his store in July of 1983 after receiving his business degree from the University of Missouri but is the third generation of the Betz family to call himself a jeweler. Much like how his patrons might proudly pass along a piece of jewelry as an heirloom, it’s clear that Betz treasures the trade and passion his father passed along to him. “He was as good as they came,” Betz reflects on his father, Glenn Betz. “My father had a genuine heart for service, and that allowed us to be successful.”

Before starting his own shop in Columbia, Betz worked for his father for roughly 20 years in St. Louis. During that time he learned how to develop relationships with suppliers and manufacturers as well as his customers, many 52 \\\ juLY 2015

of whom had made the trip from Columbia to St. Louis to visit Betz Jewelers. “They would come visit us to have some work done, then go catch a game,” Betz says. “We were a destination for them.”

There is a very clean feel to the Betz Jewelers floor space. The overhead lights illuminate various rings, necklaces, watches and adornments. A woman is consulting one of Betz’s jewelers about a few older pieces she brought into the shop. “I couldn’t have built it to be what it is without the help I have,” Betz says. “People have bought into what we’re trying to provide here; they see the value in that.”

Betz says he consistently works with pieces his father made, which gives the store a unique sense of historical perspective as well as a sense of legacy. He understands the value and power that word of mouth can have on a reputation and that having a positive presence

on social media is imperative to his business.

“Word of mouth goes a long way, and it travels very fast,” Betz says. “And social media, I see the benefit. It’s what we’ve always tried to do but on steroids.”

Another thing Betz has learned is the value of flexible business practices. With the advancement in 3-D printing over the past decade, Betz has seen the technologies and processes used to fashion the elements of jewelry evolve. As the technologies of jewelry have changed, Betz has embraced the change, saying he gets to “trust his talented employees” who are experts on these new technologies.

Betz has found a fit for his business overlooking the intersection of Sixth and Broadway. “I’m in a place I love to be and have always loved to be,” he says with a grin. “Serving customers is what’s going to make you successful. It makes you feel worthwhile.”

S e c o n d S t o r y : m e lissa williams f in e art

MELISSA WILLIAMS FINE ART Melissa Williams, whose shop has been located above the east sidewalk of Ninth Street for more than 20 years, has openly embraced the blurred lines between art and her business. On the wall are vibrantly colored oil paintings. Lying on a table is a stack of original charcoal-and-ink vignettes. In between the two is a 4-foot-tall globe from the first half of the 20th century. “It’s truly interactive,” she says of the process of visiting the shop and leaving with a piece of art. “Two humans interact and have to find a synergistic moment.”

The entrance to the studio is easy to miss. With no exterior signage (a sign stating whether the studio is open or closed sits just inside the glass door entrance), the entrance to the studio blends into the brick wall. Having been in business since 1973, Williams moved to her current location in the early 1980s. “Actually, from another second-story location,” she adds. “I’m not as dependent on a constant flow of foot traffic as some other shops.”

The upstairs studio location offers her regular customers the convenience of close proximity to the downtown shops and restaurants while still being able to show her art in an environment conducive to her needs.

“Antique stores tend to work better with low traffic,” Williams says, as patrons are able to take more time to experience the art. Many of her clients are regulars, but she does enjoy when young people who are interested in art and antiques come in the shop.

“All the young people I see are really interested. I love to talk to the students who are interested. It’s fun, and they buy stuff! We’ve got this tremendous mix of different economic brackets and age brackets, and it’s working like crazy downtown.”

Williams is concerned that this diversity may start to diminish, however. “Everybody loves the energy,” she says. “My people like to come down [to the studio] and go to lunch. If they started to feel like they’re going to the mall, they won’t

come down here and go to lunch, and that will affect my business.”

In addition to connecting with her customers, Williams enjoys connecting with the pieces she offers. An estate she was able to purchase last year made up of various vignettes and sketches was well received by her customers, she says, and “was an amazing thing. He was trying to actively create a vehicle of communication. And everybody felt it.”

Williams speaks passionately and clearly about her shop and its future. She has reason to, as her business is one built around the relationships between her, her clients and the art in her studio.

The people who climb the stairs into her shop are looking for something, and she takes great pride in being able to introduce them to a piece of art they would be unable to get anywhere else.

“People like to make my shop a destination,” Williams says. columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 53

S e c o n d S t o r y : h itt str e e t r e cords

HITT STREET RECORDS It’s hard to find Hitt Street Records. This isn’t intentional, but as the store has grown from an idea formed during a late night in the Ragtag Cinema downstairs to a shop with a shingle hanging out front, it is something Kyle Cook has embraced.

“The mystique helps,” he says when asked about their unique location. “A lot of people look at the cinema and ask, ‘Where could a record shop be?’”

Since opening its doors in the fall of 2012, Hitt Records has experienced organic growth. “We took it month by month,” Cook says. “The first month we set a goal to build racks for our records, then we had a goal to have a professional sound system, then a sign, then a website.”

The stairs leading from the video store, which is still named 9th Street Video, despite being located on Hitt Street, are lined with various posters promoting records, bands and performances. The shop itself barely seems like it could handle an influx of inventory, its racks and shelves filled to an overwhelming amount. Some of this stock has come from Kyle 54 \\\ juLY 2015

Cook’s personal collection, which still includes “around 3,000 records.”

“It’s a process, and it’s nice,” Cooks says of the act of shopping for vinyl. “Streaming is overwhelming. You see young people ditching their devices to come listen to vinyl in the shop. People like to get out of their house. They say, ‘Let’s go downtown, walk around and check out the record shop.’ And that’s a necessary part of any community, people coming out and interacting with their environment.”

The search for a space for the record store was a unique one. Downtown Columbia used to have a number of record stores, but they had all come and gone for various reasons (another record store has since opened on 10th Street just north of Broadway).

“You had to go to antique malls or Jefferson City for records,” Cook says. “Even Sedalia had a record store. We didn’t even consider opening it in the cinema building.”

Eventually, the owner of the video store suggested they take a look at the space above 9th

Street Video. It was being used as a storage space for VHS tapes and seemed perfect for the communal effort it took to make the late-night idea a daylight reality.

“Initially it was just a lot of people coming together,” Cook says. “None of the people who put this together are marketing people. They’re just a bunch of weirdos.”

Initially the store was only open 24 hours a week and didn’t have a sign out front. Now Hitt Records has members of the vinyl community making it a destination.

“It’s a niche,” Cook says of his customer base. “People were showing up from Rolla; from Omaha, Nebraska; and from Lawrence, Kansas.”

The store has also had an impact on the downtown Columbia community. He says by attracting both old record hounds and curious high schoolers, Hitt Street Records has found its place above the downtown Columbia sidewalks.

“It’s been such a community-building exercise for me,” Cook says. “There’s such a deep connection on so many levels.” CBT

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Fighter A veteran fighter in a development zone grizzled with controversy, Columbia’s Historic Preservation Commission is working within its charter in the city code by teaching citizens what city structures are worth fighting for — and how to fight for them.

By Matthew Patston | Photos by Anthony Jinson

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The Historic Preservation Commission works like a boxing trainer: When its bruised fighters return to the corner, the commission coaches them up and sends them back out for another round. The HPC hollers from behind the ropes. It watches and analyzes and mimics the punches without actually doing the punching, which is left to community activists, petition signers, City Council members and property owners. Limited by its charter in the city code, the HPC’s job is only to train: to say what is worth fighting for and how to fight for it.

In this metaphor, Columbia’s HPC is a veteran, grizzled by controversy and hungry to win its fight. Downtown Columbia’s historic image, which has been subject to recent debate among developers and preservationists, is largely the product of a historic preservation campaign over the past 15 years.

But the ideals of historic preservation have recently conflicted with property rights of downtown business owners: If a building is bound by the obligation to look historic, then it may lose value it might have as a redevelopment site.

Most of the downtown Broadway corridor was altered in favor of a “modern” look in the 1960s, which meant covering the buildings with a thick concrete canopy and eradicating the old-fashioned storefronts. Likewise, owners of the Virginia Building, on Ninth and Cherry, modernized by thinning the windows, plastering metal siding on the exterior walls and remodeling to, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, “create the feeling of an indoor mall.”

The historic look was restored in the mid-2000s, spurred by individual business owners. The first building to tear down its section of concrete canopy was Tucker Jewelry, owned by current HPC chair Robert Tucker.

This culminated in downtown’s designation as a nationally registered historic district, which allowed for developers to remodel using historic preservation tax breaks.

All this also coincided with the maturation of the HPC. The commission was created in 1998 to advocate for historic preservation in the community, and it was succeeding.

“We don’t have any teeth in our ordinance, as we like to say,” Patrick Earney says. Earney works as a structural engineer at Trabue, Hansen & Hinshaw in north Columbia.

He applied to be on the Historic Preservation Commission in 2008 through a company initiative that encouraged participation in the community.

“There are cities that do have teeth: Kansas City, Independence, St. Louis,” he says. “In St. Louis, they can flat out deny a demolition.”

Kansas City’s HPC reviews all applications for exterior changes to historic buildings or landmarks, and if it doesn’t like the changes, the developer can’t get a permit — though the developer still has to pay the application fee. Independence gives a similar privilege to its Heritage Commission but stretches its powers to include the power to refuse changes to fencing, trees and driveways. St. Louis’ Preservation Board reviews all demolition applications, a process that can get stuck in appeals and, as Earney says, result in dilapidated structures that the board blocks demolitions.

But Earney is right in saying the HPC’s ordinance doesn’t allow for much authority. The committee’s only legislative power is recommendation: If the HPC wants to stop a demolition, it has 30 days to investigate, build a case and then explain to the City Council why a building shouldn’t be demolished. The HPC also recommends policy to the city’s planning department, whom the commission serves under. Neither group always listens. Council allowed for demolition of Shakespeare’s, against the HPC’s recommendation, and Earney says the planning department blocked the HPC’s request for ordinance changes a year and a half ago.

“We pulled out anything substantive so they wouldn’t flat out deny it,” he says. “We wanted to go up against a Planning and Zoning Commission that was more friendly to change.”

The HPC is preparing to reengage in the expansion process, but Earney doesn’t think it’ll succeed this time either; the planning department still sees too much value in property rights. If Columbia’s HPC, for instance, could deny a demolition permit for Shakespeare’s, then the owners of that property would lose all the value of potential development on the site.

The HPC, given its limited influence on legislation, wields influence in other ways: it worked with the Public Works council to develop downtown’s brick streets policy, it named historic properties around town, it surveys Columbia’s historic assets, and it was one of several groups to weigh in on downtown’s controversial zoning changes developed and proposed over the past two years. Earney adds the commission also leads walking tours around the city’s historic areas, including downtown. Earney himself led a tour of the brick streets.

“I hope that Columbia can use its imagination.

My concern is not that we’re losing buildings but that we’re losing the historic integrity of Columbia.” — Brian Treece, co-chair, Historic Preservation Commission

columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 57

HPC's Own History The HPC has been slowly but surely increasing its influence since its creation in 1998. Here are a few highlights of historic preservation in Columbia.

1998 The Historic Preservation Commission is chartered. Its role is to survey historical assets and recommend policy to the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council.

2003 The Virginia Building, now home to Tiger Spirit and the Craft Beer Cellar, among other businesses, is remodeled to look more historic. The building was originally built in 1911.

2006 Columbia’s downtown becomes a nationally registered historic district.

2008 The Odon Guitar house is demolished to use the surrounding dirt for a nearby road project. The HPC uses the demolition to argue for an ordinance change, and the commission is granted a 10-day review period to investigate all demolitions of historic properties.

2011 The Annie Fisher house, on Old Highway 63, is torn down. The HPC cites it in an argument for a 30-day review period, which is eventually approved in 2013.

2012 The HPC, with funding from the state, publishes a study of the economic impact of historic preservation in Columbia.

It is the first city-specific study of its kind in Missouri.

2013 A private buyer saves the Niedermeyer apartment building, the oldest building in Columbia, from demolition. The HPC is involved in raising awareness about the building’s history.

2015 Against the recommendation of the HPC, Shakespeare’s Pizza is demolished

by McAlester Park LLC.

58 \\\ juLY 2015

“We try to do positive things,” he says. “It would be easy to show up every month and just whine and tell everybody, ‘No, no, no,’” he says.

“It would be really easy to be that commission, but then the general public would backlash against you.”

With no teeth, the general public is the HPC’s most significant asset. If it can galvanize the public to be passionate about historic preservation, the logic goes, then the general public will elect and influence a council that takes the commission’s suggestions seriously. It also moves some of the HPC’s leverage from the public sector to the private, allowing it to circumvent council’s decisions, as happened with the Niedermeyer apartment building. In 2011, that building was slated for demolition to build student housing. The HPC, among others, vocally opposed the demolition and convinced the public of the building’s historic value (Mark Twain gave a speech in front of the fireplace). All the effort resulted in a University of Missouri math professor purchasing the building and saving it from demolition.

The commission also counts tentative success in the fact that the vacant and boarded-up icehouse is still standing at the corner of Providence and Broadway.

“We raised a big stink about that,” Earney says. “Not because that building is phenomenally worth saving — the little brick one is, but the other one just happens to be old — but we’ve been working with CVS to try to get them to put in something that complements the area rather than conflicts with it. And that gets the ball rolling in the community and gets people to say, ‘Look, if you change the character of something, you change it forever.’”

Earney goes on to cite the William Jewell house, which is now the site of a Commerce Bank branch downtown.

“William Jewell used to live in Columbia,” Earney says. “You know how many people know that? Very few because William Jewell’s house isn’t there anymore.”

Columbia still has the Jewell family cemetery, a nationally registered historic landmark.

“Yeah, it’s nationally recognized, and now it’s surrounded by an apartment complex and a Waffle House,” Earney says.

Earney’s objection points to a difficult problem: What qualifies as historic? If the cemetery is still standing, then to what extent should the land around it be preserved?

For Earney, a building’s architecture can make it historic. He says modern architects

don’t have the same appreciation for exterior aesthetics. He also cites the “character” of an area — a term that evades precise definition.

Brian Treece, the current co-chair and former chair of the HPC, falls back on similar terms to describe historic value. When speaking about Shakespeare’s, he talks about the “vibe” and “embodied energy” of the restaurant.

“There’s something about eating pizza in an old Laundromat that just makes it taste better,” Treece says.

Treece works at Treece Phillips LLC in Jefferson City, which provides strategic communication for legislators, corporations and anyone else who needs it. Like five of the six other members of the HPC, he is an incumbent; there are staggered terms for members but no term limit. The only non-incumbent, Pat Fowler, worked with the HPC as a citizen volunteer before joining.

Treece’s office is in the ground floor of a restored house, about a block and a half from the Missouri Capitol. The house was built in 1825, seven years before the Niedermeyer, by a Jefferson City surgeon; the upstairs was a residence, and downstairs was a surgical clinic. Treece likes old buildings.

When interviewed for this article, Treece begins by walking down Main Street in Jefferson City. He visits a building that was once a power plant, bordered by an electric substation and a rail yard along the Missouri River.

The HPC’s ordinance has specific requirements for member occupations. The commission must have one person with a background in historic preservation; one with an expertise in real estate investment; and the other five must be from fields such as architecture, law, real estate appraisal, construction, engineering and general contracting and then an additional layperson interested in historic preservation.

Treece is the layperson. The old power plant isn’t a power plant anymore. A private developer bought the building and converted it to an event venue, with a stage, dance floor and indoor and outdoor bar. A bike shop occupies the lower level of the building. A small brick building on the side, Treece says, will be converted to a walk-through sandwich shop.

As he describes the building, having clearly done his homework, he draws a comparison to Columbia’s downtown.

“I hope that Columbia can use its imagination,” Treece says. “My concern is not that we’re losing buildings but that we’re losing the historic integrity of Columbia.”

Treece’s strategic communication skills go to use in convincing developers of the HPC’s cause, which means touting the economic benefits of historic preservation. In 2011, the HPC was given a grant from the state’s Historic Preservation Department to direct an economic impact study. It was the first city-focused

report of its kind in Missouri, and the HPC reported impressive numbers: $88 million in investment from historic preservation tax credits and more than 950 jobs created. Similar studies, however, have been deemed dubious over the past 15 years.

A 2005 study from the Brookings Institution said more data was needed to determine the value of historic preservation on economic activity. A 2011 report delivered to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation concluded the same thing.

In an email, MU economics chair David Mandy said: “To really answer the question, one would have to empirically study the effects of tax breaks with enough data to plausibly isolate their effects … these debates often take place in a world of claims and counterclaims, without solid analysis to estimate the real effects.”

Debate over preservation’s value and its impact on property rights has intensified in recent years during Columbia’s downtown development boom. Treece is the former chair and current vice chair of the HPC, but for someone so involved in a public conflict, he seems remarkably placid about it. When asked if he feels frustrated by the HPC’s toothlessness, Treece furrows his brow.

“If City Council wants to make a change to Columbia’s zoning code, that’s up to them and the people that elect them,” he says. “I’m not frustrated. I think that, given their track record, the commission has done very well.”

Things that could be categorized as losses by the HPC — such as the demolition of the Shakespeare’s building — tend to boomerang to expand the commission’s public influence. Its current 30-day review period for all demolitions only came about because the Odon Guitar mansion, a Civil War-era house in north Columbia, was demolished in 2008 to appropriate the dirt underneath the building for nearby roadwork. That demolition gave the HPC leverage for a 10-day review period for historic demolitions; destruction of the Annie Fisher house, in 2011, pushed the review period to 30. Before that, Treece says, demolition applications were almost universally accepted. As he puts it, you could walk into the city office, fill out an application and then walk out and go tear down the building.

Chris Campbell, director of the Boone County Historical Society, holds the view that the HPC most wants to effect: one of an increased but balanced authority over Columbia’s buildings.

“What I hope comes out of current conversations is policies, which seem to be light or nonexistent at the moment, that give a little more time to look and investigate certain projects,” he says. “The HPC is really the only body the city has to lean on for these opinions. In some cases, they may review and find that a building is not really as historic as everyone thinks.”

Despite having its budget cut by $7,000 (42 percent of its total) this year, the HPC is still the highest-funded commission in the city government. Although it continues to eye expansions, the HPC’s teeth don’t yet cut sharply.

As Campbell says, the HPC is the city’s only authority for defining what is and is not historic. For the time being, this influence is kept in check by its limited ordinance. But, as was the case with the Guitar mansion, the commission hopes to move from boxing trainer to prizefighter with each new controversy. CBT

The People Behind Columbia’s Historic Preservation Commission Members of the HPC serve for staggered three-year terms, and they have strict occupational guidelines, with each member representing a certain field that could be useful in historic preservation.

Paul Prevo: The Appraiser

Brian Treece: The Communicator Treece works at Treece Phillips LLC in Jefferson City, where he develops strategic communication for corporations and politicians. He represented Missouri health care providers in Washington, D.C. in a health care reform program, and he was appointed to the Missouri Supreme Court’s task force on drug courts in 1997. His term ends in 2016.

Robert Tucker: The Experience As former owner of Tucker’s Fine Jewelry, Tucker was one of the first business owners to tear down the concrete canopy that hung over Broadway shops until the mid-2000s. Shortly after, downtown became a nationally registered historic district. Tucker served on the board of the Central Columbia Association for 11 years, and he is the current president of the HPC. His term ends in 2015.

Debby Cook: The Designer Cook is the owner of Debby Cook Interiors, a company that develops interior design projects. Through this venture, she has designed and decorated several historic buildings in the area. She is also a member of the Women’s Network. Her term ends in 2015.

Prevo also serves on the Boone County boards of planning and zoning, parks and recreation and family resources. In addition to being the owner of Market Ready Realty, where he works with appraising and brokering property, he is the owner of Tiger Tots Child Development Center. His term ends in 2016.

Pat Fowler: The Lawyer Fowler is the only non-incumbent member of the HPC, though she served as a citizen volunteer since 2012. She has held leadership positions in the Downtown Leadership Council and the North Columbia Neighborhood Association. She has also worked as an attorney and paralegal since earning her law degree from Suffolk University. Her term ends in 2017.

Douglas Jones: The Renovator Although a senior analyst with Shelter Insurance by day, Jones lives in a century-old home in Columbia, and he’s renovating it himself. He is the commission lead for the Preservation Trades workshops, which he helped secure funding for. His term ends in 2017.

Patrick Earney: The Engineer Earney developed an appreciation for historic buildings while working on construction projects, including one at the historic Taylor House, in college. He is currently a structural engineer at Trabue, Hansen & Hinshaw and is a member of the Missouri Preservation Alliance. His term ends in 2016.

columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 59

60 \\\ juLY 2015

Excess Care

By Sarah Redohl

thinkstock.com

Privately owned Nueterra and the University of Missouri Health System have applied for a Certificate of Need from the Missouri Health Facilities Review Committee for a new $38 million, 10-bed surgical center in Columbia. But the proposed location, within four miles of five Columbia hospitals, has opposition questioning whether the need is really there. columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 61

ON April 28, privately owned Nueterra and the University of Missouri Health System applied for a Certificate of Need (CON) from the Missouri Health Facilities Review Committee to build a $38 million, 10-bed surgical center in Columbia at 4130-4150 Lenoir St. The proposed hospital, known currently as the Fulton Medical Center New Campus Expansion for its association with Fulton Medical Center, would be owned — as is Fulton Medical Center — by Nueterra (65 percent) and MU Health System (35 percent).

“A new 10-bed hospital in south Columbia will help address high patient populations at University Hospital,” says Amy Leiker, Nueterra’s vice president of global marketing.

“I’ve walked through this application with a bunch of people, and the word that comes up every single time is absurd,” says Jim Sinek, Boone Hospital Center’s president. Sinek, who became president of Boone Hospital Center two years ago, has 25 years of hospital administration experience in Arizona, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska. “You’ve got 70,000 people you’re trying to provide with convenient, accessible care, and you’re Fulton Medical Center located in Fulton, Missouri, but you’re building a new facility in Columbia?”

The proposed facility would be within four miles of five Columbia hospitals: University Hospital, Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Boone Hospital Center and Landmark Hospital.

Boone Hospital Center has voiced strong opposition to the new facility in the form of community forums, public hearings, expert testimony, employee meetings, a marketing campaign and, ultimately, a petition it plans 62 \\\ juLY 2015

to deliver to the CON hearing July 13. Sinek thinks the new facility would only redistribute patients from Columbia’s existing hospitals.

“The one hospital that is going to be impacted the most is Boone because we do a significant amount of surgery with independent physicians who can go anywhere they want with their patients,” he says.

“This has the potential to destroy an existing hospital for the benefit of a for-profit company’s shareholders.”

“Boone Hospital Center, from an ownership and financial standpoint, is our county’s biggest asset,” says Boone County Commissioner Dan Atwill. The hospital contributes $2 million each year to the county coffers, in addition to the free and reduced-price services and education the nonprofit hospital offers to residents.

“This organization is the biggest asset that the citizens of Boone County own,” says Dr. Jerry Kennett, former chief medical officer for Boone and a trustee on the board. “It’s in the interest of the citizens of the county for this hospital to continue doing well and not to be diverting profits to a for-profit company from Kansas.”

If you build it, will they come?

Since 1980, Missouri, along with many other states, has been requiring all new hospital facilities to prove need. The goal is to contain health care costs while improving quality of care and increasing access to medical care. Although common knowledge dictates that competition benefits consumers, in the case of health care, competition may actually drive costs up.

“Imagine a small town with four MRIs,” says Dave Dillon, vice president of media relations at the Missouri Hospital Association.

“That would probably be considered excess capacity, but if someone thinks they can make a profit off of it, they might still add another MRI. You have that expensive infrastructure either way, so the costs to the patient will be reflected in that excess capacity.”

Excess capacity is any unused resources at a hospital facility, including beds, equipment and even staff.

Recently, University Hospital has experienced near-capacity patient volumes, according to Mary Jenkins, public relations manager for MU Health System — between 80 and 100 percent full.

It receives patients from the emergency department, in addition to referrals by com-

A case study in Casper In the application, Casper (and Rock Springs), Wyoming, is considered a similar project, used to estimate cost per square foot of the proposed Columbia facility.

Vickie Diamond, president of one of the other two hospitals in town, Wyoming Medical Center, told the Casper Tribune that WMC wrote off more than $30 million in charity care in 2012, the year of the debate about Summit. “What happens if WMC has to cut back on services because of the new hospital’s impact?” she asked.

munity physicians, MU physicians and community hospitals throughout central Missouri.

Boone Hospital Center receives patients by the same methods, including referrals from its 300-person medical staff. According to documents kept by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Boone Hospital Center was 46 percent full, and Fulton Medical Center was 31 percent full. MU Health is not required to submit this data but reported an occupancy rate of 65 percent in a recent mail campaign.

The CON application also states that other hospitals in the proposed geographic service area exceed 80 percent, but the proposed facility application states that there are no hospitals in the geographic service area except for the applicant, Fulton Medical Center.

“For those hospitals closest to the service area, the Applicant expects them to experience no impact,” the application reads. “This project is targeting the patients currently served by Fulton Medical Center and the University…”

According to the application, Fulton Medical Center referred more than 500 inpatients and nearly 1,000 outpatients to the university for surgical procedures. It estimates it will be utilized by 10,561 patient days during its first year in operation, 13,603 the second year and 15,622 the third year. It also estimates only 19,174 of Boone County’s 170,773 residents will fall in the hospital’s service area, along with 49,687 from Callaway County, and thus estimates that 103 beds are needed to meet these potential patients’ needs.

Private vs. public According to the Nueterra website, the company’s goal is to “improve health care delivery models and grow market share.” Based in Kansas, Nueterra is the nation’s largest private-sector

boone Hospital center 1600 E. Broadway

Landmark Hospital 604 Old 63 N.

women's and children's hospital 404 N. Keene St.

university Hospital 1 hospital drive Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital 800 hospital drive

fulton medical center new campus extension 4130 and 4150 Lenoir St. proposed location

organization specializing in joint ventures with health systems, hospitals and physicians. Nueterra and MU Health together purchased 37-bed Callaway Community Hospital in December of 2014, renaming the facility Fulton Medical Center and changing the delivery model to a value-based model. Nueterra is the majority partner, at 65 percent, with MU Health System owning the rest.

Although MU Health System refused to comment on its involvement, Leiker mentions the longstanding — 40-year — relationship between Fulton Medical Center and MU Health.

“Fulton Medical Center patients have received quality care from MU physicians and residents, while MU medical and nursing students are able to practice medicine in a rural hospital setting,” she says.

“Because the new hospital will be operated as Fulton Medical Center in partnership with the existing facility in Fulton, it will create new revenues to improve care options at both locations,” Leiker says.

Officials from Ashland, Fulton and the Southern Boone County Development Council and Callaway County see the potential the new facility would bring, not only in financial stability for Fulton Medical Center but also in terms of jobs and economic development opportunities. The application included letters of support from State Rep. of District 49 Travis Fitzwater, MU Health System Executive Vice Chancellor Harold A. Williamson, Fulton Mayor LeRoy Benton, Fulton Director of Administration William R. Johnson, the Callaway County Commission and former District 10 Sen. Jeanie Riddle.

The application adds that, in addition to the longstanding relationship with Callaway County Hospital, “The University also felt that it was important to its educational mission to maintain a teaching presence there for resident physicians.”

“Fulton Medical Center has been financially challenged for many years and needs to adapt

Emergency!

The proposed facility would also have a 24hour emergency room. Dillon, from MHA, says the emergency department is one of the most expensive departments to operate. “At any given time, you can have 20 patients or none,” he says. “And you don’t want to pay for beds you don’t need.”

to a changing health care world,” reads the CON application. “Since it would be a small hospital specializing in surgery services, there would be additional benefits for the patients, as well. Studies show that many of these facilities achieve greater patient satisfaction, reduce costs and decrease infection rates.” For example, those with contagious illnesses won’t be treated at the facility, which would likely result in fewer infections and, thus, post-surgical complications. columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 63

“As part of the Affordable Care Act, the federal government is now linking delivery of quality care with payments,” says Dillon from the MHA. “If you’re an outlier, better or worse, you might get a bonus or discounted payment based on outcomes.” Currently, costs are loosely based around an established list of prices, called the Charge Master, Dillon says, but under the new model, which he says most hospitals are shifting to, hospitals will be paid more if their outcomes are above average.

“The variation can be small, but even 1 percent in either direction, you can really feel it,” Dillon says. Upon its third year of operation, in 2019, the hospital is estimated to result in a net income of $1,903,747.

“I think they’re sold on the concept that if they build a profitable hospital here, they can apply some of those profits to keep Fulton Medical Center open,” Sinek says.

"Limited-service providers often sound like a good deal....they say they offer focused care, efficiencies, etc.," Sinek says. "But everyone pays an average based on the entire spectrum of cases. The assumption is that with a full range of cases, the simple cases balance against the costlier, complicated cases and things will work out."

"Companies like Nueterra screen for only the simpler cases and still get paid the average," Sinek says. "They earn a bonus for offering nothing special, and leave the rest to places like Boone Hospital."

As a nonprofit hospital, Boone Hospital Center provided $11 million in charity care in 2014, in addition to its community health programs and contributions to the county.

In 2014, MU Health Care provided $43.2 million in charity and uncompensated care.

“A dollar that would have come through Boone and would have done a great deal for our county, in terms of roads, bridges and health

care, two-thirds of it would now go to Nueterra’s shareholders,” Sinek says.

“All kinds of services we provide don’t pay for themselves,” Sinek says. “Many of them you can only do because you take profits from one part of the organization, like surgery or imaging, and you apply it to the services that are losing money.”

Sinek says the types of surgeries the application states the new facility would offer “are pretty straightforward, fairly non-complicated and good payer types of surgery procedures.” He says some of the most profitable cases are routine procedures, such as total knee and hip replacements.

“Generally speaking, nonprofits can still make a profit, but they have to put it right back into activities that benefit the community,” Dillon says. “For-profit gives that profit back to its shareholders.”

“There’s a general understanding that we need additional mental health facilities,” Atwill says. “I understand that [providing surgeries] is the plan, but should you go out and build the most lucrative or what will best serve the county?” Atwill would like to see increased collaboration among local health facilities to provide the highest quality and most efficient care to the most residents of Boone County and says he is willing to get that ball rolling.

pital Center, which utilizes independent physicians instead of employing physicians.

Dillon says he’s seen a trend toward employed physicians, which means the physicians work for the hospital directly and are more likely to have set pay and set hours.

“We’re starting to see that physicians want to have a life outside of work,” he jokes. At the same time, increased requirements are making private practice more expensive, albeit paired with greater independence.

“Independent physicians have the privilege to work with a hospital or provide care in a hospital,” Dillon says. “As long as they’re granted privileges to practice there, they can practice at as many hospitals as they want.” This is the model of staffing that Boone Hospital Center utilizes.

“Employed physicians are also less likely to send a patient to the competition,” Dillon says.

He also says volume and specialty might play a role in where an independent physician might choose to practice.

“If one facility does 1,000 knee transplants a year, and the one across town does 100, they may want to practice at the one with the higher volume” for its efficiency and financial benefits, Dillon says.

“If I’m a physician, the extent to which the hospital could do these surgeries quickly and at a low cost, it might be advantageous to a physician,” Sinek says.

“It’s unlikely that [MU Health System] is going to tell its employed physicians to take patients to the Fulton Medical Center expansion and lose 65 percent of the profits to Nueterra,” Kennett says.

Ultimately, when it comes to filling beds, it’s up to physicians, not hospital administrators.

“They are the gatekeepers for us,” Dillon says.

“They can’t do their business without the environment we provide, and you can’t be admitted to a hospital unless a physician puts you there.”

Not all care is created equal

“Many Certificate of Need applications go through without opposition because there’s a genuine need,” Sinek says. “People are having to leave town for care because the occupancy rate is at 85 or 90 percent, and that’s a dangerous situation.

“If they’re opposed, it’s because other parties have looked at it and questioned that need,” he continues. “I think this is an opportunity for the CON committee to really look at the data at the hearing on July 13.” CBT

“I’ve walked through this application with a bunch of people, and the word that comes up every single time is absurd. You’ve got 70,000 people you’re trying to provide with convenient, accessible care, and you’re Fulton Medical Center located in Fulton, Missouri, but you’re building a new facility in Columbia?” — Jim Sinek, president, Boone Hospital Center

64 \\\ juLY 2015

The proposed 51,500-square-foot facility is expected to have an emergency department, 10 medical-surgical beds and two operating rooms, according to the CON application, and is expected to provide general, urology and orthopedic surgeries.

Leiker says physicians from the existing hospital in Fulton, MU Health Physicians, as well as potential new hires will see patients at the new hospital, another concern for Boone Hos-

Getting approved

columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 65

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nonprofit spotlight

›› Primrose Hill Teen Challenge

The Crisis at Home

A residential recovery center, Primrose Hill helps women overcome addiction while becoming nurturing mothers to their children.

By sarah Berger The beautiful primrose flower is native to Missouri. It’s the first rose of summer, and in many ways it represents rebirth, fresh beginnings and brighter days. It was only fitting that a new local nonprofit organization focused on new beginnings and brighter days be named after the flower.

Primrose Hill of Clark is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, faith-based organization affiliated with the international organization Teen Challenge. Primrose Hill’s goal is “to help women, mothers and their children whose lives have been affected by the life-controlling issue of drugs and alcohol.” The 5,700-foot home that sits on 43.5 acres in Clark, Missouri, serves as a 12-month residential recovery center for women and women with young children who have drug and alcohol addictions.

Teen Challenge has 1,200 centers globally, with 250 centers in the United States and centers in 108

countries, but only eight of those facilities in the U.S. allow young children to stay with their mothers in the center for the duration of their recovery.

Primrose Hill is one of those rare centers.

“A lot of times the issue of who’s going to take care of children becomes a real obstacle for women to reach out and find help, and so this removes that obstacle and allows the children to come into the home with them,” says Rick Rowden, project development director for Primrose Hill Teen Challenge. “In Boone, Cole and Callaway County, the mental health statistics show there are more than 5,000 homes where children are living with addicted mothers. So it’s a pretty big crisis, yet it’s not something that’s distant; it’s right here at home.”

Rev. David Wilkerson, a pastor in Pennsylvania, established Teen Challenge in 1958. Since

then, the organization has rapidly expanded, and many centers in the U.S. have their own 501(c)(3) nonprofit structures. The Primrose Hill 501(c)(3) nonprofit is part of Teen Challenge International-Neosho that includes Teen Challenge of the Four States in Neosho, Missouri, a substance-abuse rehabilitation center for men established in 1997, and United Rescue, which includes Teen Challenge Centers in the Asia Pacific region. Primrose Hill is the newest addition to the network, opening its doors for the first time in November 2014.

“Primrose Hill Teen Challenge provides women with life-controlling addictions the opportunity through Jesus Christ for life transformation,” says Randy Asbury, president of the board of directors for Teen Challenge International/Four States/Primrose Hill. “As a result, they can overcome their addictions, find healing and restoration and become loving and nur-

Rick Rowden “I was so proud to cut the ribbon when we opened the home and received our first student.”

Brenda Johnson “I wanted to help women reunite with their kids and families, to live a life free from alcohol and drugs and learn biblical ways of handling life’s challenges.”

Rachel Reardon “The women who stay in the program are brave. It’s not easy to face one’s brokenness and pain.”

68 \\\ juLY 2015

Value to the community

➜ P.O. Box 47, Clark, MO 65243 573-641-5047 bjohnson@primrosehilltc.com

turing mothers to their children. Their successes add value to any community.”

Primrose Hill offers its services to anyone over the age of 18, and it has capacity to house between 10 and 12 women, depending on how many have children with them. The center is currently serving seven women and three children.

“Our referrals come from all over the nation because of our network of over 250 Teen Challenges,” Rowden says. “We actually have referrals from all over the country right now, and the calls just keep coming in every day.”

Goodness provides Residents at Primrose Hill are referred to as students and experience a very disciplined and structured daily routine. Students begin their day at 6.30 a.m. with Bible study and devotion time and then spend their morning studying a curriculum created by Teen Challenge USA that’s unique to their recovery phase. After lunch, the students help manufacture products called Prim Goods, which include soaps, body lotion, lip balm and sugar scrubs. Prim Goods are then sold, and the money is used to help finance the center. After supper, the center encourages students to spend quality time with their children.

Randy Asbury “It’s amazing to watch the young ladies begin to believe there is hope for a transformed life.”

“In Boone, Cole and Callaway County, the mental health statistics show there are more than 5,000 homes where children are living with addicted mothers. So it’s a pretty big crisis, yet it’s not something that’s distant; it’s right here at home.” — Rick Rowden, project development director, Primrose Hill Teen Challenge Primrose Hill requires its students to go through a lengthy application process and a $1,200 induction fee that is used for some of the hard costs involved in running the cen-

Jordyn Lotz “These women are no longer addicts but women of God with a purpose and a calling greater than they can understand.”

ter. The center mainly finances its $17,000 monthly budget from individual and business donations, church donations and grants.

“The community has really stepped up in a big way,” Rowden says. “Because we work with mothers and children, those are two groups of folks that everyone can have some compassion for. We can always use more, but the greatness of God and the goodness of people continue to provide for us.”

Independent studies report Teen Challenge has a 70 to 85 percent success rate, something Rowden attributes to the yearlong commitment and faith component of the program. In fact, many students at Primrose Hill have come from 30- to 60-day recovery programs but needed the extra support and guidance that the Teen Challenge program provides.

“It is noble to save the life of a women, but when you touch the life of a child, you’re impacting generations,” Rowden says. “ Along with my family, Primrose Hill has become my spiritual legacy, so I really want to get the home up and running, successful and sustainable. Hopefully this is something I can leave a mark on and make a difference.” CBT Photos by Sarah Redohl.

Cindy Minchew “I’ve always supported women getting sober. A sober home is a safe home.”

columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 69

Top, from left: Sarah Messer, Scott Batt, Shawn Von Talge Bottom, from left: Eric Hemmer, Jessica Robertson Photo by Anthony Jinson

70 \\\ juLY 2015

celebrations

➜ 101 S. Fifth St., No. 200, Columbia, MO 65201 • 573-442-3850 flatbranchonline.com

›› Flat Branch Home Loans

Surviving and Thriving

Flat Branch Home Loans celebrates 10 years in business.

From humble beginnings in Columbia to expanding to offices across Missouri, Flat Branch Home Loans has made great strides since its birth in 2005. What started off as one office space with two employees has grown to a company with 17 offices and 115 people in Columbia, Ft. Leonard Wood, Jefferson City, Joplin, Marshall, Springfield and St. Louis.

The home loan company officially celebrated its 10th birthday on May 1 and offers a variety of services including refinance loans, down-payment assistance, a first-time homebuyer program, conventional loans, FHA loans, FHA streamline refinance, USDA loans, VA loans and the HARP 2.0 program.

President Jim Yankee says the company has been able to stay afloat during the economic downturn by always growing and looking toward the future.

“We’ve been fortunate enough to hire really good people and grow through the downturn,” Yankee says. “You can’t do the mortgage business small anymore; you have to be big. We’ve grown and been able to do it. Since we’ve grown, we’ve been able to survive.”

Yankee founded Flat Branch Home Loans in 2005, after working at Wells Fargo, with the help of Delton Jacobs. He always knew he wanted to own his own business, and it was the perfect time to start a mortgage company.

“It was really easy to start a mortgage company 10 years ago, but now it’s nearly impossible,” Yankee says. “I got in when it was easy. As we’ve grown, we’ve been fortunate enough to be able to stay alive and keep growing and building. I started doing mortgages while I was in college, so it’s kind of always what I’ve done.”

What’s right for the customer According to Yankee, the way to run a successful home loans business is through the

lasting relationships you build with customers. Many of the people who come into their officers are first-time homebuyers, so it’s often a nerve-wracking experience.

“It’s a great experience,” Yankee says.

“People like that just need someone to talk to and hold their hand through the process. We have really knowledgeable loan officers that have been in the business for a long time. We have the best of the best. It’s great to be able to help them and give them your full attention and your full effort.”

Eric Hemmer, a mortgage banker at Flat Branch since 2008, says he enjoys helping other people and seeing the look on their faces when he is able to assist them. “[It’s rewarding] to see the excitement on our customers’ faces when they close on their new home,” Hemmer says. “It is by far the best part of what we do.”

“We all have the same mindset of doing our best every day and doing what’s best for the customer,” says Kelle Walters, a mortgage banker at the Columbia office. “It’s a really good collaboration. There’s a real teamwork approach of helping each other.”

“We just always focus on the customer,” Yankee says. “As long as we do the right thing for the customer, it seems like everything kind of follows it.”

The Flatbranchers Although the company is always growing, the staff at the Columbia branch remains a tightknit bunch. Yankee says he thinks of his fellow employees as family and has even dubbed the clan “Flatbranchers.”

“People really love working here,” Yankee says. “It’s a great culture and a great group of people.”

“The work environment here is great,” Hemmer says. “It is relaxed and fun, but at the same time, we all are very serious about

By Taylor Wanbaugh

what we do. It makes it easy to come to work when you are working with your friends.”

Owning a home loan business is not always easy. Yankee says in real estate, you really never know what you’ll encounter on a day-to-day basis. Some days the market is up; other days the market is on a downturn. Through it all, Yankee says he wouldn’t change a thing.

“Owning my own business… I love it,” Yankee says. “I wouldn’t want to do anything else.

Growing up, I didn’t know what I wanted to get into, but I always knew I wanted to own my own business and be my own boss. I really do love it.” CBT

Timeline 2005 › Flat Branch Home Loans is founded in Columbia.

2007 › Flat Branch becomes a fully certified FHA lender.

› Flat Branch’s VA loan division in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, opens.

2008 › Flat Branch becomes a completely local, in-house lender, funding and underwriting all of its loans onsite.

2011 › Flat Branch is named to Inc. magazine’s Top 500 Fastest Growing Companies.

2014 › Flat Branch receives approval to service conventional loans (Fannie Mae) and government-backed programs (USDA, FHA and VA).

› Flat Branch gains licensure in Arkansas and Oklahoma.

2015 › Flat Branch Home Loans celebrates its 10th anniversary. columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 71

72 \\\ juLY 2015

did you know?

›› Fun facts CBT staff discovered while reporting this issue

TOP

CBT ’s

OF THE

TOWN

The Columbia Business Times received thousands of votes for our first Top of the Town awards in 35 categories of B2B excellence. Learn about our 70 first- and second-place winners on page 36.

Kirk Trevor, music director of the Missouri Symphony Orchestra, has been a conductor since age 11, when he gave his first concert in his hometown of Bognor Regis, England. Learn more about Trevor on page 31.

Teen Challenge has 1,200 centers globally, with 250 centers in the United States and centers in 108 countries, but only eight of those facilities in the U.S. allow young children to stay with their mothers in the center for the duration of their recovery.

Primrose Hill is one of those rare centers.

Learn more about Primrose Hill on page 66.

$1 Million +

Since opening in 2008, Mustard Seed has sold more than $1 million in product. Learn more about Mustard Seed on page 88.

As a nonprofit hospital, Boone Hospital Center provided $11 million in charity care in 2014, and MU Health Care provided $43.2 million in charity and uncompensated care in the same year. Read more about the proposed new hospital in Columbia on page 61. = $5 Million

10 years Flat Branch Home Loans started in a single office with two employees. Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the company now has 17 offices and 115 employees in Columbia, Ft. Leonard Wood, Jefferson City, Joplin, Marshall, Springfield and St. Louis. Read more about Flat Branch Home Loans on page 68.

In the 1960s, most of the downtown Broadway corridor was altered in favor of a “modern” look, which meant covering the buildings with a thick concrete canopy and eradicating the old-fashioned storefronts. Likewise, owners of the Virginia Building, on Ninth and Cherry, modernized by thinning the windows, plastering metal siding on the exterior walls and remodeling to, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, “create the feeling of an indoor mall.” The historic look was restored in the mid-2000s, spurred by individual business owners. Read more about Columbia’s Historic Preservation Commission on page 56. columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 73

74 \\\ juLY 2015

MARKETING

›› Monica Pitts talks marketing trends and tips

Tips to Heat Up Your Website A good website is a lot like a good microwave. You don’t have to think to use it. Consider the number of times you’ve gone to your in-laws’ house and had to use their microwave, only to be bested by the beast. You end up accidentally resetting the clock and having to go ask for instructions to simply warm up your coffee.

Great websites are an expectation. Bad websites serve up lukewarm leftovers better off in the dog dish. Is your website up for human consumption? Use these hot buttons to heat up your site.

Intuitive Imagine if you went to a friend’s house, and he or she had the same microwave as you. What a relief! Websites should seem as easy to navigate as your own microwave.

Free of excess When you give people tons of extra stuff on your website, it’s just extra stuff, confusing the point and distracting from the actions you want visitors to take.

The site should clearly call viewers to action and give them what’s needed without a ton of clicking.

Clear communication Website visitors get frustrated when they can’t figure out whose website they’re on or what your company does without digging for the information. This includes contact information.

Mary Ropp, senior vice president of business development at The Bank of Missouri, advises websites to speak in elementary terms. “Speaking clearly in your language isn’t the same thing as speaking clearly,” she says. “… Simplify your content so anyone can understand what you’re saying.”

Mobile ready Many great websites are paired with mobile apps for easy access and extended features. Every website needs a mobile-friendly interface. The April Google algorithm update made mobile friendly a priority.

“When I’m on my phone looking at someone’s site, I expect to be able to click on their phone number, hit ‘call’ and reach them,” says Marie Newell, lead graphic designer at Joe Machens Dealerships.

Meaningful content Microwaves are like life support for leftovers. Not all leftovers are created equal, and not all content is either. Good websites speak to a specific target audience, answer their questions and provide meaningful information to that audience.

Explore ways to go above and beyond sharing leftover content. “If you give visi-

m o n i ca p i t ts

Illustration by Tifani Carter

tors something engaging, entertaining and fun, they will come back because they enjoyed the experience,” Ropp says.

Easy on the eyes Add images to your site, and format your content in a clear hierarchy. Good websites are easy to scan and interpret without having to read every word.

“No matter if you’re building a website using a free theme or building from scratch with a professional development team, it’s vital to customize the content and look so viewers instantly recognize who you are, what you do and how to get in touch,” Newell says. “Bonus points are awarded for links to your social media, professional resources and examples of past work or testimonials.”

Marriage of form and function Websites are more than what you see; they have to work, too. Good websites are built on valid code, load quickly and work on all browsers. A great website tracks visitors and provides valuable data to improve viewer interaction and monitor other marketing activities.

Good websites are easy to use and look at. Regardless of the device they’re viewed on, great websites deliver meaningful content and, like a good microwave, consistently meet the expectations of all operators. CBT

➜ C hief creative director at M a y ecreate design columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 75

76 \\\ juLY 2015

technology

›› Brant Uptergrove reviews the latest trends in tech

Mobile Work Style When Midwest Computech’s senior engineer Corey Bruce and I went to the 2015 Citrix Summit, one of the industry’s leading annual IT conferences, we had one main takeaway: The mobile work style will continue to be a trend in need of solutions.

For those of you who might not know, Citrix is a leading software mobility company. You’ve probably used its tools without even realizing it: GoToMeeting, GoToWebinar, GoToAssist and ShareFile, to name a few.

Offering solutions to a mobile work style is what the company does.

The concept of a mobile work style is basically that “work is not a place.”

People should have the ability to work how and from where they want to work. The technology structure of small business/corporate America is changing. Employers and employees are demanding to be able to work from anywhere and to be able to work there efficiently. A large number of companies are lowering their financial overhead by allowing employees to work from home. This obviously allows businesses to have smaller office spaces or eliminate them all together.

Here are a few tools you can utilize to allow more location-based freedom for your employees, lower your overall costs and jump on the bandwagon: 1. XenApp: This Citrix product allows users to log in to their work networks and launch applications anywhere in the world with an Internet connection.

Users can have the same experience from any location, whether it is connecting to a company shared drive, Microsoft Office or another third-party application. XenApp decreases workarounds and keeps all of the company’s information securely on the company server. If a device is lost or stolen, the user can simply purchase a new device and get back to work right away.

2. XenDesktop: With XenDesktop, another Citrix product, users have their full desktop with all of their personalized settings and programs available to them anywhere in the world with an Internet connection. For example, at the 2015 Citrix Summit, Citrix CEO Mark Templeton used his iPhone connected to a monitor, mouse and keyboard to launch Windows 8 and fully navigate and operate Microsoft Office and a 3-D CAD program over a 4G connection. In a room full of tech nerds, it’s important to note that he received a standing ovation for this. Why? Because, basically, this technology makes it possible to have one device do it all. In this case, that device is something that most of us already have and use on a daily basis: our smartphone.

3. Octoblu: Octoblu is a company that Citrix acquired in December of 2014. Octoblu uses IoT (Internet of Things) to enhance features of

b r a n t up t e rg rov e

Illustration by Tifani Carter

Citrix’s other products. An easy way to understand IoT is that more and more devices are connected to the Internet or local mesh networks, and they have IP addresses. This means that software such as Octoblu can be used to carry out different tasks and use these devices interactively. Some of the uses are for safety, while others are for pure convenience. You can use Octoblu to automatically start GoToMeeting meetings when you walk into a conference room, or when you’re 15 minutes from home, you can set your phone to automatically text your spouse that you’ll be home in 15 minutes. A lot of the Octoblu technology is based on location/proximity to other devices and carrying out a task or a series of tasks. Technology such as this can be used to track your company vehicles and report to you their location, speed and other diagnostic reports. The end result is, of course, a more connected lifestyle.

Whether you use Citrix’s products or not, I believe with the company’s continued advancements and foothold in the marketplace, you will soon be affected by one of its products. Reach out to your IT team to see how Citrix can help advance and mobilize your daily IT needs. CBT

➜ account manager at midwest computech columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 77

inside the LINES

helps transform the Business Times Company When the Business Times Company wanted to transform their workspace, itL created an attractive, productive and healthy work environment that integrated their goals, values and image.

BEFORE

This cluttered, incomplete conference room lacks effective space planning and comfort. It needs supportive, ergonomically correct furniture that promotes ease of movement for a healthy and collaborative workspace.

Providing tailored workspace solutions that enhance business performance.

AFTER

The conference room is transformed using natural light, on trend furniture products and effective space design resulting in a healthier, more collaborative work environment for the BTC team.

“When I first contacted itL, I thought I just needed desks and chairs.

What I didn’t expect was their team guiding me through a very elaborate process that engaged how my entire team works together.

Not only did I end up with a wonderful new look for my space, but I ended up with more efficient systems that my employees love!”

Erica Pefferman, President, The Business Times Company

Transform your workspace. furnishing specialists • interior design • space planning • installation • project management 100 E. Texas Ave. | Columbia, MO | 573-234-0778 | insidethelines.net

organizational health

›› Pieter Van Waarde helps guide organizations into good health

A Purposeful Step Backward We’ve all heard the lament of people who say, “I just keep taking two steps forward and one step back.” And they speak of it as though it were a bad thing. Just when they’re making progress, something goes wrong, and they lose momentum. But what if taking a step back was done on purpose, and it was actually a good thing?

We’ve taken staff retreats at least once a year for my entire tenure at Woodcrest. It’s been our purposeful step back to unplug, recharge and reflect on the course of our work and health of our team.

A staff retreat can become part of the natural rhythm of your organizational life. At first we didn’t think we could afford the time away, but now it’s something we all look forward to. Staff retreats provide the space to ask those questions we know we should ask but rarely do: How are we really doing (beyond the numbers)? Are there things we need to be thinking about that will better equip us for the future? Is there any relational tension that needs to be processed or addressed? Do we have what we need for the next run?

I remember the first time I heard someone talk about the benefits of taking time away with your team. I was drawn to the idea immediately. However, when it actually came to planning it, it just never seemed like a good time. I fell prey to the urgent over the important time and time again. It was a crisis that finally compelled me to do what I intuitively knew I should have done long ago. In fact, I became convinced that the crisis might have been avoided had I not dragged my feet so long in getting the time we needed away as a team. Should you be one of the more reluctant ones, here are a few benefits to help you move from agreeing conceptually to implementing proactively: • Some problems cannot be solved in an hour-long staff meeting, no matter how dedicated your people are to solving it.

• An environment that’s different from the norm enhances the ability to find creative solutions.

• Time and space do wonders for innovative thinking and enhancing relationships.

One of the most compelling cases made for the value of staff retreats came from a most unusual source. I was reading an article 20 years ago analyzing the tech bust in Silicon Valley during the 1980s. It was a crazy time, with people setting up beds in their offices. Nonstop work and 70- to 80-hour weeks were the norm. Poor decisions were made. Relationships got frayed. All of these things contributed to an unfortunate — and very preventable — decline.

At the time, no one could have imagined taking a staff retreat amidst the frantic activity. But maybe that could have been the most important thing to do.

Counterintuitive? Yes. Convenient? No. But sometimes that’s exactly what’s needed when all hell is breaking loose.

p i e t e r va n wa a r d e

Illustration by Tifani Carter

Consider these practical suggestions to help you make the most of your experience: 1. Start with a conservative plan. Even half a day can do wonders.

2. Come with a specific problem/question. Bring something to ponder.

3. Unplug! Turn the phones off. Don’t let anyone bring their computers. Create space for focused engagement.

4. Give your team permission to nap. Sometimes a well-rested body will do wonders for people’s perspective.

5. Include something fun. Encourage people to bring their favorite music, games, sketchpad or camera to enhance the enjoyment factor and explore their creative sides.

6. Record your thoughts. Amidst great brainstorming, people can get so engaged in the process they can forget what was decided.

7. Be patient with the process. Even if it doesn’t go well the first time, learn from the experience, and try again.

8. Let the experience do its own good work. Some of my best experiences on retreats were ones where I didn’t think much happened, but later realized that being away did its own good work.

As unusual as it might sound, two steps forward and one step back might be the best thing about your life this summer. CBT

➜ senior paster at woodcrest chapel , president of sidewal k llc columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 79

80 \\\ juLY 2015

sales strategy

›› Tron Jordheim talks business trends and the art of selling

How Top Salespeople Think A town that’s been booming since 1838 has its share of great salespeople.

Many of their names are lost to history. Others you might know personally. Some of their successes were on a grand scale, such as selling the idea of a city-owned electric utility or our wetlands waste water treatment program or our wonderful parks and trails system. Some successes were on a smaller scale yet significant. Who would have thought people everywhere would rinse their noses with a product developed in Columbia or that car-buying would be transformed by collecting data here or that our town would become the hub of VA loans?

It’s easy to look at these kinds of models and think you’re different from the people who accomplished these successes. If you’re any kind of salesperson selling an idea, product or service, you are not any different from them. You might be working on a different scale, but it takes the same skills and thought patterns to sell a new pair of shoes as it does to sell anything else. You might not have the same resources available to you, but you are very much the same.

Riding the roller coaster Here is how top salespeople think. They live with a blend of optimism and fear.

They know they can make better lives for themselves, their customers and their co-workers if they can make a sale. They can see how the world becomes a better place as more people buy more from them. They also have a little fear in the pit of their stomachs that they might fail or that conditions might change on them or that a competitor might outpace them.

Top salespeople balance these two emotions so they never succumb to the roller coaster. They never feel too good about a win, nor do they feel too badly about a loss. They know a big win means more hard work and chances of something going wrong, so they respect a win and take care of it so it keeps their momentum moving forward and feeds their optimism. Top salespeople don’t get discouraged by losses. They know every loss is an opportunity to get better, learn more and pivot into the next success. So they respect their losses and chalk them up to experience.

If you look at the top salespeople in our town, you see their wins and losses help sustain their enthusiasm. Top salespeople may have a calm demeanor, or they may be energetic types. In either case, they have an enthusiasm for their work that gets them up early in the morning and keeps them going.

Finding your vision Look at yourself a moment. Do you have a vision of how people are living better and feeling better because of what you sell? Do you have a healthy dose of fear that you might fall short or won’t make enough sales to sustain a growing momentum? If you answer yes to both of these questions, then you share the makings of Columbia’s top salespeople.

t ro n j o r d h e i m

Illustration by Tifani Carter

Your next assignment is this: Learn to smooth out the emotional highs and lows while continuing to fuel your enthusiasm. Take every positive customer interaction for your fuel. Use that fuel to build the developing story of your success. Take every failure, and learn from it. Sometimes you don’t make a sale for no fault of your own. Sometimes you don’t make a sale because your preparation was inadequate, or you missed a buying sign or you weren’t on your game. Don’t beat yourself up over it. There will be more prospects. Learn your lesson, and make the next contact.

If your product or service is useful and helpful, the only things that can stop you are poor financial planning and call reluctance. I can’t help you with the financial planning, but I can help you with call reluctance. The cure for call reluctance is simple: Talk to the next prospect. The difference between mediocre salespeople and top salespeople is that the top salespeople keep selling. So pick up the phone. Send another email. Talk to the next person who passes you by. Let your fear make you smart, and let your optimism make you relentless. There are top salespeople all around this town whom you can model after and others who are looking to you as their model. So make the next call. CBT

➜ head of mar k eting at storagemart, director of phonesmart call center columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 81

Economic Index

›› It’s all about the numbers Art & framing for business interiors The art on your walls says a lot about your company.

It also says alot about you.

Let us help you create a look that leaves a lasting impression on your clients and staff.

Housing:

Labor:

Single-family home sales, April 2015: 213

April 2015Boone County Labor force: 100,404 Employment: 96,665 Unemployment: 3,739 Rate: 3.7 percent

Single-family active listings on market, April 2015: 717 Single-family homes average sold price, April 2015: $205,106 Single-family homes median sold price, April 2015: $180,000 Single-family homes average days on market, April 2015: 72 Single-family pending listings on market, April 2015: 274

Call us for consult a free ati your b on for usiness !

Stewart Cancer Center waiting room.

Construction: Residential building permits, April 2015: 136 Value of residential building permits, April 2015: $19,901,746 Detached single-family homes, April 2015: 50 Value of detached singlefamily homes, April 2015: $11,749,213 Commercial building permits, April 2015: 13

* Image - Flowering Dogwood from Henry Domke Fine Art

Contact Rene Heider | 573.335.0570 | Rene.deck@msn.com Columbia Mall | 2300 Bernadette Drive | Columbia, MO columbiamall.deckthewalls.com

82 \\\ juLY 2015

Value of commercial building permits, April 2015: $2,606,318 Commercial additions/ alterations, April 2015: 11 Value of commercial additions/alterations, April 2015: $1,306,318

April 2015Columbia City Labor force: 67,743 Employment: 65,284 Unemployment: 2,459 Rate: 3.6 percent April 2015Columbia, Missouri (Metropolitan Statistical Area) Labor force: 100,404 Employment: 96,665 Unemployment: 3,739 Rate: 3.7 percent April 2015Missouri Labor force: 3,090,594 Employment: 2,919, 281 Unemployment: 171,313 Rate: 5.5 percent

Utilities: Water May 2015: 47,840 May 2014: 47,402 Change #: 438 Change %: 0.9 percent Number of customers receiving service on June 1, 2015: 47,719 Electric May 2015: 48,298 May 2014: 47,985 Change #: 313 Change %: 0.7 percent Number of customers receiving service on June 1, 2015: 47,872 CBT

Deeds of Trust

›› Worth more than $416,000

$3,650,000 Sigma Alpha Epsilon Club of Columbia Missouri The Boone County National Bank LT 9 PT Dorsey Sub $2,875,000 Fred Overton Development Inc. Boone County National Bank STR 2-47-13 //N SUR BK/PG: 297/303 AC 67.5 FF Tract 1 W/ Exception $2,875,000 Fred Overton Development Inc. Boone County National Bank STR 1-48-14 //NE $1,572,374 Twin Ventures LLC Commerce Bank STR 4-47-13 //SW SUR BK/ PG: 564/683 AC 48.31 FF PT TRACT 1 $1,384,761 Newton, James Camp and Jill Marie First Community Bank STR 17-47-13 $1,250,000 Manor Hill LLC Boone County National Bank LT 17 Manor Ridge Subdivision Plat 2 $1,123,654 63/70 LLC Callaway Bank LT 1 PT Anderson's add FF Wellington Gordon & Mr. Conley’s Sub $965,000 M M III LLC Boone County National Bank LT 7 PT FF Anderson’s Add $831,208 Petris, Michael and Carisa Hawthorn Bank LT 3 Heritage Woods Plat 1

640 Deeds of trust

were issued between April 28 and May 26

$820,000 Ridgway, Randell and Angela Revocable Trust Homebank STR 22-51-11 //SW AC 120 FF W/Exceptions

$464,000 Miller, James Christopher and Griesmer, Erika Lee Landmark Bank STR 10-48-14 //SE SUR BK/ PG: 3002/101 AC 88.68

$723,830 Begg LLC First State Community Bank LT 22 PT Conley and Perkins Sub

$461,600 Hesemann, Nathan and Laura Landmark Bank STR 24-48-12 //NW SUR BK/ PG: 1385/948

$716,715 Zuidema, Aaron and Mozow Hawthorn Bank LT 1 Heritage Woods Plat 1 $682,215 Cook, James Lee and Crystal Reeves Providence Bank LT 13 Deerfield Ridge Plat 2 $626,000 O’Connor, Michael and Nancy Landmark Bank LT 437 Thornbrook Plat 13 $615,000 10 and 14 Granada LLC Commerce Bank LT 11 Rockbridge Sub BLK 3 $500,000 East 280 LLC Landmark Bank LT 280 PT Columbia $498,400 GRD Properties LLC Boone County National Banks STR 1-48-13 /NE/SW SUR BK/ PG: 482/585 FF TRACT 2

$439,423 Travis Block Construction Co. LLC Hawthorn Bank LT 226 Gates at Old Hawthorne Plat 2 $427,546 Bley & Evans Investments LC Boone County National Bank LT 4C Hawthorn Heights Condominiums $417,000 Patwardhan, Prakash and Anjali Boone County National Bank LT 176 Old Hawthorne Plat 2 $417,000 Meyer, Thomas and Lisa Boone County National Bank STR 9-47-11 /NE/NW SUR BK/PG: 4240/80 AC 10 FF PT Tract 1 $417,000 Rotter, Candice and Paul Boone County National Bank LT 515 Thornbrook Plat 15

$475,000 Pfeiffer, Mark and Tracey Mid America Mortgage Services Inc. Heritage Estates Plat 2

$417,000 Naumann Family Trust The Stifel Bank & Trust LT 51 Westmount Add

$469,900 Brown, Kevin J. and Linda Kathleen Landmark Bank LT 29 Woodrail Sub Plat 4

$416,000 Bauer Homes Inc. Mainstreet Bank LT 1 Southwoods Commercial Park Plat 1 CBT columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 83

New Business Licenses

›› Columbia residents and their upstarts

A-1 Auto Group 213 E. Business Loop 70 Used car sales Alsham for Veterinary Medicine 29 Broadway Village Drive, Apt. C Veterinary medicine and supplies online Ancestry Guns LLC 100 N. Providence Road, Suite 101 Website sales: antique firearms and collectibles Balanced Bodies Therapeutic Massage 4200 Merchant St., Suite 104 Therapeutic massage Body Refinery Gym 3400 Broadway Business Park Court, Suite 110 Full-size fitness facility Bullseye Construction and Remo 1607 Bold Ruler Court Contractor Buying Time 209 N. West Blvd.

Buying and selling watches online Capfinancial Securities LLC 303 N. Stadium Blvd.

Investment adviser/broker

84 \\\ juLY 2015

Davada Imports LLC 110 E. Ash St. Import packaged nonalcoholic beverages for wholesale Designer Body Oils 112 N. Greenwood Ave. Online website selling body oils and lotions Dugout Sports Cards 1408 I-70 Drive SW, Suite 102 Sports cards and memorabilia sales Dunkin' Donuts 3100 S. Providence Road Doughnut restaurant Emergency Restoration Services 211 Mohawk Ave. Remodeling and restoration Fanny’s Boutique LLC 1109 Range Line St., Suite A New and used clothing Fro Furniture 2000 E. Business Loop 70 Furniture sales Hungry Tiger 124 E. Nifong Blvd., Suite B Mobile kitchen: selling food and canned sodas

Oscar Jay’s Gourmet Pies 1121 E. Business Loop 70 Pies and catering Pho Quan Viet Cuisine 1301 Vandiver Drive, Suite J Vietnamese food PTL 1307 Ashland Road, Apt. H Recruit English teacher for Chinese students Ruckus Bar 904 Business Loop 70 Bar and grill Smoothie Time LLC 3400 Broadway Business Park Court, Suite 110 Smoothies, protein shakes Stanton’s Quality Cleaning 1806 Mayberry Drive Cleaning Business Starr Construction Management 3401 Broadway Business Park Court, Suite 101 General contractor Stephen P. Schmidt Writing 5307 Perche Pointe Place Freelance contract writing Sterimed Solutions LLC 900 N. Old 63 Transport, sterilize and dispose medical waste

China Moon 3890 Range Line St., Suite 105 Restaurant

Journeys Christian Counseling 2011 Corona Road, Suite 311 Clinical counseling and therapy

The Pilates Link 1005 Cherry St. Private Pilates/fitness instruction

CPR-Columbia 2609 E. Broadway, Suite 103 Cellphone repair

MDB Construction 4213 Twin Oak Court General contractor

The Tinting Spot LLC 612 Big Bear Blvd., Suite 523 Tinting auto and residential windows

Creative Curbstone LLC 3404 Crape Myrtle Drive Design and installation of concrete curbing

Moore Hair Salon LLC 3304 Broadway Business Park Court, Suite A Hairdressing and manicuring

Yin Yang Night Club 128 E. Nifong Blvd., Suite E 18-and-up alternative nightclub CBT

By the Numbers

›› Boone County statistics

THE COLUMBIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

For our Top of the Town Issue, the CBT wanted to do two things: celebrate our winners (the top) and celebrate Columbia (the town). We found some numbers that show why Columbia is the top town for business in mid-Missouri, from our Chamber of Commerce to our summer sunshine.

ONE YEAR OF PEGGY JEAN’S PIES

Source: Columbia Chamber of Commerce

181

141

Funds raised in the past two and a half years by Total Resource Campaign

Source: U.S. Climate Data

2013

= $50,000

2,700

7,950

Pounds of flour used

New Chamber of Commerce members in 2013-2014

Number of ribbon cuttings by the Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors in 2013-2014

A look at july in columbia

Source: Peggy Jean’s Pies

2,619

Sticks of butter used

2014

Dozens of eggs used

312

8,350

Gallons of Pounds of whole milk used sugar used

High: 88 Low: 67 Average rainfall: 4.37”

SUGAR

Hello happy hour

TIGERS ON THE PROWL

Source: Self-reported

Source: Tigers on the Prowl

30

66

The 2013 auction raised nearly $48,000.

$46

International Bitterness Units of the Snapper IPA from Logboat Brewing Co. Logboat was named Top Local Team-Building Experience. The IBU scale runs from zero to 100, with 100 being the most bitter.

The price of a glass of Bunnahabhain 25 Year Scotch, the most expensive glass of whiskey you can buy at 44 Stone

>4 MILLION

22"-wide base The 2014 tiger’s footprint was 18 percent smaller than the 2013 tiger.

Followers of Veterans United on social media, making it the most-followed mortgage brand in the world.

Veterans United is Top Culture winner for Top of the Town.

150

75,000

100

0

40

,118

45 ,42 7

0 0 40,000

35, 793

100,000

Source: City of Columbia

50,000

,74 9 37, 50 1 38 ,26

215.3 214.5 218

COLUMBIA MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

36

201.6 207.3

Source: City of Columbia

income (in dollars)

200 188.9 195.3

125,000

232.9 224.9 229.6

population

price (in dollars)

250

CITY OF COLUMBIA POPULATION

Source: City of Columbia

97, 20 2 99 ,40 5 100 ,97 6 102 ,32 4 108 ,43 8 110 ,43 8 113 ,23 0 115 ,27 6 117 ,36 4 119 ,47 6

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX

58" tall

65-80 pounds

,32 6 42, 80

The price of a glass of Johnnie Walker Blue Scotch, the most expensive glass of whiskey you can buy at The Roof

The price of a bottle of Hess Collection Cabernet Sauvignon, the most expensive bottle of wine you can buy at 44 Stone, Top of the Town winner

40

$33

Bottles of wine consumed weekly at The Canvas on Broadway (open four days per week). The Canvas on Broadway is the runner-up for Top Local Team-Building Experience.

The annual art auction challenges artists to paint a tiger statue. Each artist has the same statue template to work with.

,34 7

The price of a bottle of Josh Phelps Insignia, the most expensive bottle of wine you can buy at The Roof, Top of the Town runner-up

$80

40

$350

30,000

20,000

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

0 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

0 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

YEAR

YEAR

YEAR columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 85

Real Life

REAL PEOPLE

n Chris & Kathry

ver

Fishman-Wea

family value rn long been a rthe Fitness has r moving back from noin ue with fte nt A . co rs to u s o of e anxiou itness Centers. er w e w , ia rn F Califo ined Wilson’s fitness and jo with our arted working scovered st I d an is hr we di Once C r, Ericka Hill, so personal traine of strength training. It is ing ce ag ur an rt co d en the impo lift weights an terrific; she is is empowering to ka ric E s, at . Plu to see results d hilarious! All of the poolsfamily. r an ou g r in fo at s iv nu ot m so a huge bo er Wilson’s are allove to swim at the summor pool n do re in ild e ch th h at ot B year I trained pools and last thlon. ia for my first tr always u can almost ting yo s ng ni or m On Saturday us at the gym. Chris is lif ill. find all four ofes is running on the treadm y weights. Jam down the slide at the Pla on’s ils ng W ci . ra Bam Lilah is dancing at Sh’ y into Center. And I’mtransform our fitness hobb us ed has help a family habit. ily -Weaver Fam The FishmanL LIFE. REAL PEOPLE. REA

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TOP B2B PRODUCT DELIVERY SERVICE

First Place: Culligan Water 1801 Commerce Court, Columbia, 573-874-6147, culliganmidmissouri.com Second Place: Major Brands

TOP HAPPY HOUR

First Place: 44 Stone Public House Second Place: The Roof

TOP ARCHITECT

First Place: Jennifer Hedrick Second Place: Nick Peckham

TOP COMMERCIAL BUILDER/CONTRACTOR First Place: Coil Construction Second Place: Little Dixie Construction

TOP REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER

First Place: Starr Properties Second Place: John Ott, Alley A Realty

TOP PLACE TO WORK

First Place: Veterans United Home Loans Second Place: Hawthorn Bank

TOP ENGINEER

First Place: Timberlake Engineering Second Place: Trabue, Hansen & Hinshaw Inc.

TOP ACCOUNTING SERVICE

First Place: Williams-Keepers Second Place: Accounting Plus Inc.

TOP CATERER

First Place: Hoss’s Market & Rotisserie Second Place: Bleu Restaurant & Catering

TOP STAFFING COMPANY

Second Place: The Insurance Group

TOP COMMERCIAL LENDER

First Place: Matt Williams, Landmark Bank Second Place: Drew Smith, Commerce Bank

First Place: Influence and Co. Second Place: Global First Responders

TOP WEB DEVELOPER

First Place: MayeCreate Design 700 Cherry St., Suite C, Columbia, 573-447-1836, mayecreate.com

First Place: JobFinders Second Place: Caroline and Co. Inc.

TOP CULTURE

First Place: Veterans United Home Loans Second Place: Murry’s Restaurant

TOP OFFICE DIGS

First Place: True Media Second Place: Woodruff Sweitzer

TOP BUSINESS WITH A COMMITMENT TO PHILANTHROPY First Place: Veterans United Home Loans Second Place: Joe Machens Dealerships

TOP JANITORIAL SERVICES

First Place: Atkins Building Services Inc. Second Place: Tiger Maids

TOP COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER Second Place: Delta Systems

TOP ADVERTISING AGENCY

First Place: Woodruff Sweitzer Second Place: MayeCreate Design 700 Cherry St., Suite C, Columbia, 573-447-1836, mayecreate.com

First Place: LG Patterson Second Place: Casey Buckman Photography

TOP EVENT LOCATION

First Place: The Tiger Hotel 23 S. Eighth St., Columbia, 573-875-8888, thetigerhotel.com

TOP PLACE TO HAVE A BUSINESS LUNCH

First Place: Murry’s Restaurant Second Place: D. Rowe’s Restaurant & Bar

TOP OFFSITE TEAM MEETING LOCATION

First Place: Logboat Brewing Co. 504 Fay St., Columbia, 573-397-6786, logboatbrewing.com

TOP COFFEE MEETING LOCATION

First Place: Kaldi’s Coffee Second Place: Dunn Brothers Coffee

TOP AMBASSADOR OF BUSINESS IN COLUMBIA First Place: Dave Griggs Second Place: Mary Ropp

TOP NEWBIE TO BUSINESS

TOP BUSINESS INSURANCE

First Place: Mike Messer Agency – Shelter Insurance 908 Rain Forest Parkway, Columbia, 573-442-5291, shelterinsurance.com/ CA/agent/mikemesser

TOP BUSINESS WITH INTERNATIONAL IMPACT

Second Place: Les Bourgeois Vineyards, 14020 W. Highway BB, Rocheport, 800-690-1830, missouriwine.com

TOP PLACE TO CLOSE A DEAL

First Place: Nick Hardy Second Place: Max Prokell

TOP CHAMBER VOLUNTEER

First Place: Wally Pfeffer Second Place: Michele Spry

TOP LOCAL TEAM-BUILDING EXPERIENCE First Place: Logboat Brewing Co. 504 Fay St., Columbia, 573-397-6786, logboatbrewing.com

TOP OLD-TIMER IN BUSINESS

First Place: Kat Cunningham Second Place: David Keller

TOP COMMERCIAL VIDEOGRAPHER

First Place: 44 Stone Public House Second Place: Boone County Title Co.

First Place: Spectrum Studios Second Place: Baker HD

TOP BANK

TOP HR FIRM

First Place: Boone County National Bank Second Place: Landmark Bank

Second Place: Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center

First Place: MoreSource Inc. Second Place: Accounting Plus Inc.

Second Place: The Canvas on Broadway

TOP IT COMPANY

First Place: Midwest Computech 311 Bernadette Drive , Columbia, 800346-8934, midwestcomputech.com

Second Place: Easy PC

5 questions

➜ 25 S. Ninth St., Columbia, MO 65201 • 573-449-6166 • mustardseedfairtrade.org

›› Get to know your professionals

A Better, Safer, More Sustainable Future Christina Weaver, founder, Mustard Seed Fair Trade

2. What’s the story behind Mustard Seed? When we were first naming Mustard Seed, we had so many ideas. We decided on Mustard Seed Fair Trade because of what a mustard plant does in a garden. It starts very small and becomes extremely influential amongst its plant neighbors, to the point where it is very difficult for a gardener to contain it. We knew when we started the organization that we were not only small but also inexperienced; everything about what we were doing was a bit of an experiment. We were confident that with care, our organization would become impactful and really effect change for individuals in our community and abroad.

F U N FACT: 88 \\\ juLY 2015

3. How do you source the items you sell, and how do you vet fair-trade claims?

Mustard Seed sources items from nonprofit organizations and small business that are generally based in the United States but work directly with groups of artisans in countries around the world. The vast majority of organizations we purchase from are members of a fair trade-qualifying organization, usually the Fair Trade Federation. We are fairly particular about the look and quality of product we carry in the store, so we do what we can to hunt down and curate all of our product so customers have endless beautiful items to choose from. On top of certification, we keep detailed information on each of our vendors based on the nine standards for fair-trade certification set by the Fair Trade Federation. We want to be able to support small organizations that cannot afford certification but also need to guarantee to our customers that the product they are purchasing makes lasting impact.

4. How has an ever-increasing interest in fair trade and social responsibility affected your business? Simply put, it has had a very positive effect on our sales. Our customers are more knowledgeable now than they were five years ago. This also creates a very real challenge for us. It is very important that when we present a product for sale, it meets the standards we use for fair trade and ethical production. However, there are significantly more businesses selling into the fair-trade market that use terms similar to fair trade or might not label themselves at all or are close to meeting our standards but not quite there. Many of these busi-

nesses sell beautiful product that our customers would love. We are constantly challenging ourselves to make decisions that according to business standards might not be good decisions, but we make them to keep our customers trust and help people navigate the increasing number of businesses that are benefiting from simply marketing their product as fair trade but not holding themselves to appropriate standards.

Photo by Sarah Redohl

1. How would you quantify and qualify Mustard Seed’s international impact?

Mustard Seed works with more than two dozen businesses and organizations that have direct relationships with the individuals making our product. These organizations are located in impoverished areas all over the world, from Nepal to Bolivia, Uganda to Denver. Because we are committed to purchasing what we consider fairly traded items, we know these products are made by individuals who were marginalized in some way.

These organizations are committed to providing sustainable and fair wages, safe working conditions and so much more. Because this support is not given as a handout, the safe work and respect-filled working relationships provide lasting change. Since we opened in 2008, Mustard Seed has sold more than $1 million in product, supporting thousands of individuals around the world.

5. What big changes have you seen that have affected your business the most? The biggest change since 2008 that has affected our business the most is the growth of Columbia as a whole and the growth of downtown.

Our business has grown simply because of our location, which has been wonderful. Also, people really are more familiar with the harm that mass production is causing around the world, both socially and environmentally, and are more receptive to making the choice to buy ethically produced cards, clothing and gifts because of that knowledge. It’s easy to be discouraged and frustrated when you learn how many people are enslaved around the world or how many are underemployed, work in sweatshops or deal with abuse in the workplace. Our work gives everyone hope and makes it seem possible that a better, safer, more sustainable future is possible through our purchasing. CBT

➜ Prior to starting Mustard Seed, Weaver received her degree in political science from American University and worked for a small startup nonprofit in Washington, D.C. for two years.

ADVERTISER INDEX Accounting Plus.............................................................................................. 91 Anthony Jinson Photography �������������������������������������������������������������������13 Baer & Edington LLC....................................................................................80 Boone County National Bank ��������������������������������������������������������������������11 Budget Blinds...................................................................................................32 Caledon Virtual................................................................................................10 Carpet One.........................................................................................................4 Central Trust & Investment Co �����������������������������������������������������������������9 City of Columbia Water & Light �����������������������������������������������������������������6 Coil Construction...........................................................................................72 Columbia Regional Airport ����������������������������������������������������������������������� 65 Commerce Bank............................................................................................72 Dave Griggs Flooring America ����������������������������������������������������������������� 16 Deck The Walls............................................................................................... 82 Designer Kitchens & Baths ����������������������������������������������������������������������� 65 GFI Digital........................................................................................................... 14 Hawthorn Bank............................................................................................... 92 Heart of Missouri United Way ����������������������������������������������������������������� 67 Hub & Spoke.................................................................................................... 76 Inside The Lines............................................................................................. 78 JobFinders....................................................................................................... 34 Landmark Bank................................................................................................. 2 Betz Jewelers...................................................................................................24 Les Bourgeios....................................................................................................12 Macadoodles..................................................................................................... 5 Magnolia Med Spa.......................................................................................... 18 MayeCreate Web Design ���������������������������������������������������������������������������33 Mediacom............................................................................................................8 Mid America Harley-Davidson ������������������������������������������������������������������ 3 Midwest Computech................................................................................... 29 Modern Litho/Brown Printing ������������������������������������������������������������������66 Moresource Inc.............................................................................................. 28 Naught-Naught Insurance Agency ������������������������������������������������������� 18 PCE Inc................................................................................................................74 Peckham Architecture ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������55 Personal Touch Cleaning Service ��������������������������������������������������������� 29 PhoneSmart - 7 Methods �������������������������������������������������������������������������� 18 Ram Jack of Mid-Missouri ������������������������������������������������������������������������� 83 Shelter Insurance Agents �������������������������������������������������������������������������84 Socket.................................................................................................................49 Starr Properties.............................................................................................. 67 State Farm Insurance-Stephanie Wilmsmeyer………………………...67 Superior Garden Center/Rost Landscape ����������������������������������������20 Tech Electronics............................................................................................20 The Bank of Missouri....................................................................................30 The Connection Exchange ����������������������������������������������������������������������80 The Tiger Hotel...............................................................................................60 The Village of Bedford Walk ���������������������������������������������������������������������� 16 UMB........................................................................................................................ 7 Venta Marketing.............................................................................................49 Veterans United Home Loans ����������������������������������������������������������������50 Visionworks............................................................................................24 & 89 Wilkerson & Reynolds Wealth Management……………………………..34 Wilson's Fitness.............................................................................................86

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flashback

➜ 1104 N. Providence Road, Columbia, MO 65203 cpsk12.org/hhs

›› Columbia, then and now

By Torie Ross PHOTO BY BEN MELDRUM

When construction began on Hickman High School in 1925, Columbia was at a tipping point. The population of the city had grown by more than 5,000 people between 1920 and 1929. The only high school in town, Columbia High School, which was built to hold 500 students, was struggling to accommodate 800.

In April of 1925, voters approved the Board of Education’s plans to buy 40 acres of land for a new school. David H. Hickman’s daughter owned the proposed land. David Hickman, the new school’s namesake, was a Missouri legislator who, while in office, had supported the bill to create public middle and high schools

in the state. Three years after construction began, Hickman High School graduated its first class, the Class of 1928.

Although the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. the Board of Education was passed in 1954, it wasn’t until four years later that Hickman High School integrated. Six students from Douglass High School, Columbia’s African-American high school at the time, transferred to Hickman in 1958. The Title IX education amendments of 1972 allowed female students to compete in athletics for the first time, and in 1974 Hickman High School elected its first female student body president, Joan Lowenstein.

As Columbia continued to expand, the need for a second high school arose, and Rock Bridge High School opened in 1973. In the ’90s, three new middle schools were built, and plans for a third high school began to form.

Eighty-seven years after Hickman High School graduated its first class of 129 members, 356 students graduated as part of the Hickman High School Class of 2015. Today, Hickman, one of the largest high schools in Columbia, boasts an enrollment of 1,725 total students, more than 25 AP course offerings, almost 20 athletic teams and nearly 100 extracurricular clubs. CBT

➜ We love Columbia business history. If you have any interesting photos and stories, please send them to Editor@BusinessTimesCompany.com 90 \\\ juLY 2015

“

When we opened our office 12 years ago, we were small and Accounting Plus was small. We have both grown through the years. But the service from Accounting Plus has always stayed the same solid service we began with. No matter what we need, accounting, payroll, business taxes or personal taxes, Accounting Plus has been there and they always have time for any questions we might have. They are a business partner to grow with.

“

WALTER COPLEN, MA, LPC

Coplen Christian Counseling

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