A BUSINESS TIMES COMPANY PUBLICATION MARCH 2019 WOMEN
Giving Hope for a Better Future PG. 74
CELESTE & STELLA HARDNOCK
Owners, My Sister's Circus
Moving Away From the Stereotypical PG. 81
2 MARCH 2019
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What is Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) with pellets is a natural alternative to synthetic hormone replacement therapies. With BHRT, the structure of the hormone — testosterone, estrogen, or both — is matched to the individual patient’s needs. Bio-identical hormones are natural, plant-based substances that metabolize in our bodies the way nature intended. How are the pellets given to a patient?
This has been quite the interesting journey. I have gone from cautious skepticism to cautious optimism to a growing level of confidence. As I mentioned in the last article, I wasn’t sure what ERICA PEFFERMAN to expect and hoped for something more substantial than my first couple of months. However, I will tell you that as the end of my first round of pellets came around, I could tell that the positive impact of the pellets was wearing off. I started tossing and turning at night again. I was tired more during the day. I wasn’t as focused as I had been. I hadn’t noticed the onset of the help from the pellets distinctly, but I sure noticed the decline of the benefits. I called the staff at Evexias and scheduled my second round. This time, the insertion process was a piece of cake. I wasn’t quite the baby I was the first time around. I knew that the process was nearly painless. (I mean, they do give you a shot of Lidocaine to numb the site, so there’s that). In less than 10 minutes, the insertion process was over and I was headed out of the office with a replenishment of supplements in hand —Vitamins ADK, B Complex and the DIM supplement that helps keep the levels of estrogen and testosterone level in check. Contrary to my first experience, this time I could really tell the difference. By the end of the first week, I was sleeping like a rock again and feeling more energetic. Also, I was experiencing more stamina in my gym time. I’m looking forward to continuing to report back on my progress. Next month, I’ll share the experiences that some of my friends are also having in their own journey. We had a great conversation recently and compared notes. Some of it I can share and some of it I can’t!
During a sterile procedure, the practitioner applies a local anesthetic, makes a small incision, then inserts the pellets into fatty tissue under the skin — typically in the flank or upper buttocks. The incision is then closed without any need for stitches. How do pellets work?
The pellets release a constant stream of testosterone or estrogen into the bloodstream based on cardiac output, 24/7/365. In other words, due to increased physical activity or emotional stress (good or bad), this constant stream of hormones helps keep symptoms such as mood and energy fluctuations at bay. Subcutaneous (under the skin) pellets have been used to treat hormone imbalance since the 1930’s, and research consistently shows BHRT with pellet implants is the superior method to deliver hormones in both men and women, as it mimics the way the body naturally releases hormones. I don’t have symptoms, or at least I don’t think I do. Why should I consider looking in to this?
It’s important to note that many patients with low testosterone or estrogen don’t experience the common symptoms related to hormone imbalance. This assumption can be quite dangerous. While BHRT via pellets effectively treats symptoms related to low testosterone and estrogen levels, hormone optimization also plays a key role in preventing diseases such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, certain cancers, and more. We start each patient off with proper bloodwork and then help create a roadmap from there. What should I expect with BHRT with pellet implants?
On average, pellet implants last 4-6 months in men (two to three visits per year) and 3-5 months in women (three to four visits a year). Since patients receive a topical anesthetic during the procedure, most can expect to experience little to no discomfort during or after the procedure. Although most experience substantial benefits after the first round of therapy, many patients experience a more pronounced benefit after the second round of pellets. Remember, people don’t get out of balance overnight, so it often takes a few months to get back on track. Learn more, take the symptom quiz, and schedule your consult at www.evexiasmedical.com today. Find out how Evexias Medical can help you.
To set up appointment, contact your local Evexias Clinic 2900 Trimble Road, Suite 107 | 573.818.3067 | EvexiasMedical.com 6 MARCH 2019
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3 Women’s Health Issues We Need to Talk About… yet fear holds us back. SEXUAL PAIN, BLADDER CONTROL and BOWEL CONTROL PROBLEMS. These seemingly diverse problems
vagina, bladder, rectum. Dysfunction of
have more in common than you
nerves and muscles of the pelvic floor
might think. They are all three suffered by women of all ages (you are not alone), and they destroy
leads to dysfunction of those intimate parts. When we can restore normal
quality of life. They are intimate,
function of the pelvic floor, we can
embarrassing, and hard to talk
permanently regain proper functioning
about, keeping us afraid to seek
of the organs involved. This is not a
help, making us feel hopeless. And, they are all caused by pelvic floor dysfunction.
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WOMEN’S WELLNESS CENTER 1705 E. Broadway, #300 | 573-449-9355 WomensWellnessNow.com Laura Grant, MD, FACOG, NCMP. Columbia Ob/Gyn since 1994. Dr. Laura’s focus is on hormone health and treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction.
14 MARCH 2019
W
e take female empowerment quite seriously around our office. Not only is the Business Times Company — of which CBT is a part — mostly run by women, but we are always on the lookout for ways we can uplift, support, and celebrate the women in our business community. We do this through the events we sponsor, the sources we select for our stories, and the people we choose to feature in each of the magazines. In part, that’s also why, two years ago, we decided to create a women-themed issue in our annual rotation of magazine themes. It was of great importance to us to bring attention to the exceptional businesswomen in our community. This year, we’ve started a new tradition to go along ON THE COVER with the Women Issue by adding the Women of ExcelMother-daughter duo Celeste and lence awards. When we heard that the Columbia Daily Stella Hardnock grace this month's Tribune would not be putting on their annual Women cover. Together they own and run in Business awards, it was an easy decision to bring the My Sister's Circus, a downtown retail shop. Photography by awards home to CBT and then put our own personal Anthony Jinson spin on them. The Women of Excellence awards are divided into eight categories, mostly based on industry: education, finance, health care, hospitality, public service, real estate, retail, and professional excellence. We opened up nominations to the public and received almost 100 submissions. From those nominations, we narrowed it down to three finalists for each category, which were released on our social media in February. However, unlike our other awards, we decided to keep the winners a surprise until the award ceremony and cocktail reception at the end of February. The winners and honorable mentions are also featured in this issue on page 45. In this issue, you will also find a story about a pilot program started in partnership with the Missouri Women’s Business Center that aims to help female inmates in a Mid-Missouri correctional facility develop life skills and business plans. The first class will graduate from the program this year. Read about how it got started and the types of businesses the class members have in mind on page 74. We also dig into more numbers-driven stories about what the professional world looks like for women in terms of the gender-imbalanced industries and equal pay (page 81, 89). (The forecast on making gender-imbalanced industries more inclusive is more promising than the movement, or lack thereof, towards equal pay.) Who are some of the women you admire in Columbia that we should feature in future issues? A BUSINESS TIMES COMPANY PUBLICATION
MARCH 2019 WOMEN
Giving Hope for a Better Future PAGE 74
Moving Away From the Stereotypical
CELESTE & STELLA HARDNOCK
PAGE 81
Owners, My Sister's Circus
EDI TOR ' S FAVOR I TE S DOWNTOWN LUNCH MEETING SPOTS Who doesn’t like a lunch meeting? It gives you a chance to get out of the office, and you get to try all the delicious restaurants in town. Here are my three go-to downtown choices:
ElevenEleven A recent discovery of mine, ElevenEleven is where I go for a laid back meal. It’s away from the hustle and bustle of downtown, so the atmosphere is far more relaxed. My favorite dish is the mushroom Swiss burger.
Room 38 When I’m looking for somewhere elegant and sophisticated, I’ll head to Room 38. The mood inside allows for focused conversation. You’ll find me ordering the lobster mac ‘n’ cheese, of course.
Coley’s American Bistro
Cheers,
For a casual, hassle-free lunch meeting, I almost always choose Coley’s. Parking is easy to find, their service is quick and attentive, and on a nice day, you can sit outside for a bit of fresh air. My personal favorite meal here is the brie burger with sweet potato tots.
Emma Bentley, Editor Emma@businesstimescompany.com
CONNECT WITH US:
ColumbiaBusinessTimes.com
/ColumbiaBusinessTimes
@ColumbiaBiz
@ColumbiaBiz
16 MARCH 2019
EDITORIAL Emma Bentley, Editor Emma@BusinessTimesCompany.com Mary Kate Hafner, Associate Editor MaryKate@BusinessTimesCompany.com Tiffany Schmidt, Associate Editor Tiffany@BusinessTimesCompany.com DESIGN/CREATIVE SERVICES Jordan Watts, Senior Designer Jordan@BusinessTimesCompany.com Kate Morrow, Graphic Designer Kate@BusinessTimesCompany.com Cassidy Shearrer, Graphic Designer Cassidy@BusinessTimesCompany.com Sadie Thibodeaux, Graphic Designer Sadie@BusinessTimesCompany.com
Inside the Issue Behind the Scenes THANK YOU TO OUR 2018 ADVISORY BOARD! We want to give a special shout out to our advisory board members who diligently provided us with feedback on the magazine, story ideas, and suggestions for improvement. Thank you Ajay Vinze, Bill Costello, Breck Dumas, Cale Kliethermes, Denise Nelson, Jessica Macy, Kellie Ann Coats, Mike Grellner, Nikki McGruder, Susan Hart, Teresa Snow, and Todd Hoien!
MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES Deb Valvo, Marketing Consultant Deb@BusinessTimesCompany.com Bonnie Hudson, Marketing Consultant Bonnie@BusinessTimesCompany.com Susie Sapp, Marketing Consultant Susie@BusinessTimesCompany.com MANAGEMENT Erica Pefferman, President Erica@BusinessTimesCompany.com Renea Sapp, Vice President ReneaS@BusinessTimesCompany.com Amy Ferrari, Operations Manager Amy@BusinessTimesCompany.com Beth Bramstedt, Editorial Director Beth@BusinessTimesCompany.com CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Casey Buckman, Anthony Jinson, Justin Kelley, Tiffany Schmidt, Sadie Thibodeaux CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Al Germond, Brooke Kottmann, Brenna McDermott, Kermit Miller, David Morrison, Megan Whitehead INTERNS Kristin Blake SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscription rate is $19.95 for 12 issues for 1 year or $34.95 for 24 issues for 2 years. Subscribe at columbiabusinesstimes.com or by phone. The Columbia Business Times is published every month by The Business Times Co., Copyright The Business Times Co., 2008. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of any editorial or graphic content without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited. OUR MISSION STATEMENT The Columbia Business Times and columbiabusinesstimes.com strive to be Columbia’s leading source for timely and comprehensive news coverage of the local business community. This publication is dedicated to being the most relevant and useful vehicle for the exchange of information and ideas among Columbia’s business professionals. CONTACT The Business Times Co., 2001 Corporate Place, Suite 100 Columbia, MO, 65202 (573-499-1830) • columbiabusinesstimes.com
THE BUSINESS TIMES COMPANY SCAVENGER HUNT Our company retreat day in February had us competing in a scavenger hunt all across town. Congratulations to our winning team "A Designer, a Marketer, and an Account Exec Walk Into a Bar," pictured above forming a human pyramid in front of Logboat.
Contributors
Kermit Miller, KRCG 13
Brenna McDermott
David Morrison
Megan Whitehead
Brooke Kottmann
Write to CBT editor Emma Bentley at Emma@BusinessTimesCompany.com COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 17
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MARCH 2019 VOL. 2 5 / ISSUE 9
TA B LE OF CON T EN TS
The Women Issue 15 FROM THE EDITOR 17 INSIDE THE ISSUE 21 CLOSER LOOK 22 BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS 25 BUSINESS UPDATE
74
Women’s Network
28 NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT First Chance for Children
30 CELEBRATIONS The Assistance League of Mid-Missouri
33 MOVERS & SHAKERS 35 P.Y.S.K. Bea Litherland Smith, MU
39 9 QUESTIONS Elizabeth Leiva, Columbia Fire Department
40 A CAPITOL CONVERSATION The Parson Plan
41 OPINION: AL GERMOND Make It Permanent
43 LOCAL PERSPECTIVE Veterans United Home Loans
A Life-changing Program The Missouri Women’s Business Center’s LaunchU, a business plan creation program, is being adapted to give incarcerated Missouri women a new lease on life and greater self-confidence through a new pilot program called ASPIRE MO.
93 NEW BUSINESS LICENSES 94 DEEDS OF TRUST 95 ECONOMIC INDEX 97 BY THE NUMBERS 98 THIS OR THAT Karen Miller, Retired
45
81
89
Women of Excellence
Stereotypical Jobs
In Focus: It’s Complicated.
Honoring exceptional businesswomen in Columbia who are leaders, mentors, and risk-takers.
Are gender-imbalanced industries changing to be more inclusive?
Why isn’t the pay gap between men and women closing even when there is more attention given to it?
20 MARCH 2019
BUSINE SS • P EOP L E • VOIC ES • F YI
C LOSER LOOK
Closer Look
Elsasser & Associates PC
Park Restaurant & Bar
The Hatchery at Pressed.
Math class is a distant memory for most, which can make tax season a mix of migraines and digit soup. Sherri Elsasser, owner of Elsasser & Associates PC, started her own CPA firm to help eliminate these migraines for her clients and to help them achieve their financial goals. The firm opened in January of this year and specializes in tax preparation and planning, full-service accounting, and consulting services. “I’m passionate about helping my clients be successful,” Elsasser says, “and in order to be successful, they need good numbers to make good business decisions.” She says she is different from H&R Block because, “we don’t just do tax prep for our clients. We meet with them throughout the year and plan.” The firm’s plan for success is to take care of their clients, and Elsasser is looking to expand her business over the next three to five years.
With food options ranging from Korean pineapple burgers to shrimp tempura, Park Restaurant & Bar has thought of it all. This American-style restaurant flavored with an Asian influence opened in December 2018. “We felt like Park was a good addition to an already vibrant food scene in Columbia,” says Jack Cardetti, spokesman for the restaurant. As a nod to the restaurant name, photos of national parks decorate the inside, along with a mural over the bar. “To us, a park is a place where friends and family gather, and that’s what we want our restaurant to be,” Cardetti says. Their menu includes local ingredients and is friendly to vegetarian and glutenconscious diets. Park has a dedicated door for carry-out orders, which can be called in and will soon be available for online order. Tablets at tables allow servers to place orders and customers to pay or split checks easily.
The Hatchery, a flexible workspace, opened a downtown location in February inside of Pressed., a rooftop bar and event space. The idea to expand started with a phone call from Travis Tucker, one of Pressed.’s business partners. Tucker was looking for a way to make use of the bar’s space during the day. He called Amanda Quick, the owner of The Hatchery, to discuss the idea of the two businesses collaborating. During the week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., The Hatchery will occupy the space inside of Pressed. The bar opens at 4 p.m. The Hatchery’s original location promoted itself mostly to women with children. This new location caters to entrepreneurs and people who don’t want the overhead costs of their own space. “It really opened us up to another demographic of the town,” Quick says. “We wouldn’t have been able to do this without the partnership of Pressed., at least not this quickly.”
Location: 1517 Chapel Hill Rd., Ste. 200 Website: www.facebook.com/eacpas Contact: 573-234-2720
Location: 4380 Nocona Pkwy. Website: www.dineatpark.com Contact: 573-554-1955
Downtown Location: 803 Walnut St. Website: www.thehatchery.club Contact: 573-442-8182
Are you starting a new business? Reach out to our team at Editor@BusinessTimesCompany.com COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 21
BUSINE SS • P EOP L E • VOIC ES • F YI
Briefly in the News MARCH 2019
BUSINESS
SKY ZONE CELEBRATES FIRST ANNIVERSARY In January, Columbia’s Sky Zone Trampoline Park marked its first year in business. They offered guests discounted jumping prices in honor of their anniversary. Their available activities, ranging from a ninja warrior course to dodgeball, drew in more than 100,000 visitors in the first year. The trampoline park employs more than 50 people and offers programs like Toddler Time and Homeschool Day.
BUS INES S
BURGERS’ SMOKEHOUSE ACQUIRES CLIFTY FARM COUNTRY MEATS Burgers’ Smokehouse, a Missouribased meat provider, reached an agreement to take on Clifty Farm Country Meats, which is located in Tennessee. The new partnership makes Burgers’ Smokehouse the largest producer of country ham in the nation. The new business will oversee five plants in Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky.
“Clifty Farm has been a tough competitor over many years and is a leading country ham brand in the grocery channel. We now look forward to combining the strengths of our organizations to better serve the needs of our customers in all sales channels.” — Steven Burger, president of Burgers’ Smokehouse
22 MARCH 2019
BR I EFLY I N T H E N EWS
C OM M U N I T Y
WOODHAVEN RECEIVES GRANT Woodhaven is one of 14 recipients of a grant from the Autism Speaks and GameStop NXT GEN Coders Program. The grant is designed to teach digital skills to people on the autism spectrum, which will help them prepare for computer programming and coding careers. Woodhaven plans to use these funds for scholarships along with operational and curriculum costs for courses in the EnCircle Technologies program.
H EALT H
TRUMAN VA EARNS NATIONAL AWARD
BUSINESS
B U S INES S
EMERY SAPP & SONS ACQUIRES NEW COMPANY
BLUEBIRD NETWORK ACQUIRED
Emery Sapp & Sons Inc. recently bought Achen-Gardner Construction, a heavy civil general contractor specializing in underground utilities and public works construction. AGC is a 30-year old company based in Arizona. Emery Sapp & Sons’ acquisition will allow it to bring its technology, innovation, and expertise in excavation, infrastructure, site work, and heavy highway development to AchenGardner's significant repertoire of design– build, construction manager at risk, and job order contract offerings.
Bluebird Network, a telecommunications company headquartered in Columbia, is being acquired by Macquarie Infrastructure Partners. MIP has partnered with Uniti Group Inc. to finance the transaction. Uniti will acquire Bluebird’s fiber network and then lease it back to Bluebird. As part of the transaction, Bluebird will also acquire Uniti’s Midwestern fiber business and receive a long-term lease over Uniti’s Midwestern fiber network.
On January 11, David Isaacks, director of Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, traveled to Washington, D.C., to accept the Veterans Health Administration award for Best Place to Work on behalf of the hospital. The hospital also ranked sixth out of 17 large federal agencies as part of the Partnership for Public Service’s Best Places to Work in the Federal Government program in 2018.
“As director of Truman VA, I was very proud to represent our medical center. However, I’m just one member of a comprehensive team that has the great honor of caring for our nation’s heroes. I want my colleagues at Truman VA to know how much I appreciate their devotion to each other and to the veterans we serve.” — David Isaacks, director of Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital
COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 23
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B USINE SS • P EOP L E • VOIC ES • F YI
BU SI N ESS U PDAT E
Creating Connections Women’s Network celebrates and champions the women in Columbia by providing community and recognition.
BY MEGA N W HIT EHEA D | P HOTOG R A P HY BY C AS E Y B U C K MA N
Women's Network luncheon at Peachtree Catering. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 25
B USINE SS • P EOP L E • VOIC ES • F YI
Courtney Hicks and Stacia Gerrish
GENDER EQUALITY in the workplace is a hot topic right now. The national conversation is rife with thoughts on representation, equal pay, equal rights, and more. Fortunately, this conversation took a big step forward for Columbia in 1979 and has led to a community of incredible businesswomen. Forty years ago, the Columbia Chamber of Commerce realized they had a shocking imbalance in their membership: Out of 600 members, only 12 were women. The chamber looked for a solution that would encourage more women to become members. “Women's Network was created so that women would have a place in our community — a place to connect with other women professionals, a place to gain leadership experience, and a place to build up the women in our community,” explains Brandi Spurling, director of Women’s Network. Women's Network was named a division of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce in 1981 and began with 79 members. It has since grown to be the largest division of the chamber. “In those 40 years, we’ve continued to be a beacon for women's programs across the state through our mission to connect, empower, and engage our more than 400 members through leadership development, educational opportunities, and innovative outreach.” Along with development, education, and outreach, Women’s Network makes a point to recognize local women who are significant contributors to the community through the Debin Benish Outstanding Businesswoman Award, ATHENA Leadership Award, and ATHENA Young Professional Award.
CHAMPIONING WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Anna Hargis, Shelter Insurance
Wendy Moore, Central Bank of Boone County 26 MARCH 2019
In 1986, local businesswoman Debin Benish founded the consulting company Delta Systems. She wanted to help local businesses, nonprofits, universities, and more build and grow through Delta Systems’ web expertise. In addition to working in Columbia, Benish was active in the community through the Chamber of Commerce and Women’s Network. After Benish’s death in 2005, Women’s Network decided to carry on her legacy of giving with the annual Debin Benish Outstanding Businesswoman Award. The first recipient of this honor was Lili Vianello, owner and president of Visionworks Marketing Group. The Debin Benish Outstanding Businesswoman Award “is a way for Women's Network to continue to champion our local businesswomen and the vital role they play in our community every day,” Spurling says. “People that describe Debin speak about her infectious personality, her wit, and her incredible mind. It's rare that the legacy of an individual radiates so clearly even years after their passing, but in my short time in Women's Network, I've seen nothing else be more true. Women's Network is fortunate to have the honor of celebrating Debin's legacy along with Delta Systems and her husband, Dave Benish.” Each summer, at the chamber’s annual membership dinner, a businesswoman nominated by her peers is presented with the Debin Benish Oustanding Businesswoman Award. The criteria for nomination are the exhibition of leadership in supporting small business, a record of volunteering in the community, the mentoring of other businesswomen, and chamber membership (preferably the candidate is also a Women’s Network member). Lindsay Young Lopez, executive director for the Food Bank of Central and Northeast Missouri, was the 2018 Debin Benish Outstanding
BU SI N ESS U PDAT E
Businesswoman Award recipient. She was recognized with this award due to her incredible work with the Food Bank, most notably as the official charitable partner of Mizzou athletics.
RECOGNIZING EXCELLENCE Women’s Network also gives out the ATHENA Leadership Award and ATHENA Young Professional Award. The leadership award was established in 1982, but Women’s Network didn’t begin presenting it until 1995. ATHENA’s mission of recognizing women (and men) around the world who excel in their work, give back to their community, and help raise up other leaders fits perfectly within the mission of Women’s Network. The first recipient was Landmark Bank’s Linda Arnold. “Twenty-five years later, we're still so honored to be a small part of the worldwide ATHENA legacy,” Spurling says. “Each year, we host a banquet to celebrate the finalists and recipients as well as look back on the long list of strong, inspirational individuals we have recognized in the past. To look at that list is to truly see the power that Columbia has had within its borders for so long. Each individual is an inspiration in our community, and without their life's commitment to raising up women and giving back to our community, our awards would only be half as successful as they are.” Nominees for the ATHENA Leadership Award and ATHENA Young Professional Award must achieve the highest level of professional excellence, contribute time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in their community, and actively assist others in realizing their full leadership potential. At the 2018 ATHENA International Awards banquet, Sarah Dubbert, from Commerce Bank, received the ATHENA Young Professional Award, and Bea Litherland Smith, PhD and dean emeritus of the college of human environmental sciences at MU, received the ATHENA Leadership Award.
Michelle Wyatt and Mikisha Ruffin
LOOKING FORWARD Much like the 1979 chamber, Women’s Network is now placing its focus on an issue of diversity. “Diversity is a very important topic within Women’s Network and the chamber,” says Spurling. “In the past six months, Women’s Network has begun diversity and inclusion training with Nikki McGruder and the Inclusive Impact Institute in an effort to begin working toward one of our strategic pillars: diversification of membership. “We were founded on the purpose of having a minority voice in an organization, and our leadership continues to look forward for opportunities to continue this work,” she says. “From the training, Women's Network has created a task force committed to identifying opportunities to increase diversity and to ensure every individual feels at home within Women's Network. We're constantly looking at the programming that we're offering to continue to build upon and improve the experience of all of our members within Women's Network and the Chamber of Commerce.” CBT
Women’s Network 300 S. Providence Rd. 573-874-1132 Womensnetworkcomo.com
Paul Land, Plaza Commercial Realty
Kacey Shelton, Stacey Cole, and Heather Stewart COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 27
BUSINE SS • P EOP L E • VOIC ES • F YI
A Hand Up, Not A Hand Out First Chance for Children focuses on kindergarten readiness and educating parents.
BY BROOKE KOT T M A N N | P HOTO P R OV ID ED BY F I R ST C H A N C E FO R C H I L DR E N
FIRST CHANCE FOR CHILDREN IS A hidden gem in Columbia for some parents. Offering a plethora of services for parents expecting a baby and parents of young children up to age 5, First Chance is passionate about providing family education to Boone County and surrounding counties. Nearly two decades ago, before First Chance was formed, an organization called Boone Early Childhood Partners coordinated 28 MARCH 2019
services and built resources to improve school readiness in Boone County. In 2004, BECP partnered with Project Construct National Center to conduct a countywide school readiness assessment that found that 16 percent of children in Boone County entered school without the necessary skills to succeed. The following year, BECP revamped its mission to inclusively support the entire
system that affects kindergarten readiness, says Kasey Schaumburg, executive director of First Chance. In 2006, BECP changed its name to First Chance, expanded their coverage area to include surrounding counties, and focused specifically on kindergarten readiness. “At the time, no one really knew what [kindergarten readiness] looked like or why it was so important,” Schaumburg says. “But we were seeing numbers come out of
N ON PR OFI T
First Chance for Children MISSION First Chance for Children provides early childhood programs and family resources to foster healthy outcomes for children and families in MidMissouri. VISION All children will arrive at school ready to learn and succeed in school and in life. FOUNDED 2003 CRIBS GIVEN 189 FAMILIES WHO VISITED LEND AND LEARN CENTERS 202 DELIVERED PACKAGES OF DIAPERS AND WIPES 2,275 BOOKS DISTRIBUTED 4,205 BOARD OF DIRECTORS • Abby Owen • Paul Prevo • Leanne Peace • Victoria Brees • Jeremy Milarksy • Kevin Carlson • Dr. Andy Quint • Tom Rose, DVM • Aly Beaudoin
Boone County that kiddos, when they got to kindergarten, weren’t ready to learn.” Most rapid brain development happens within the first five years of life. “The research shows us that if we can help kiddos be ready for kindergarten, then we really can set them up for lifelong success,” Schaumburg says.
COMMUNITY IMPACT First Chance serves about 750 families annually. The organization aids parents prenatally and families with small children through the first semester of kindergarten. The nonprofit offers programs tailored to different age brackets to improve and enrich the lives of children and their parents. The Safe CRIBS Program provides a crib to families who don’t have one in order to ensure their baby has a safe place to sleep. These families also receive a baby bag with essential items needed for infants, and they’re put in contact with a First Chance staff member who will make at-home visitations to help answer questions the parents may have and provide other educational resources. “The services we’re able to provide give families holistic support when they just need a hand up,” Schaumburg says. Perhaps one of the most universal services First Chance provides is their Lend and Learn centers, which are located in Columbia and Centralia and are free and welcome to all. Each center is staffed with a parent educator and provides a safe, educational space for parents to come and play with their children. The center is divided into rooms by domain. The art room allows children to paint and put crafts together. The preschoolinspired room is an imagination haven where children can play with puppets and dress up. The gross motor skills room lets children climb stairs, go down slides, ride scooters, and play with trucks. The infant space is a quiet room for parents to feed their babies or work on tummy time, a pre-crawling exercise. These rooms fuel children’s creativity and support their development while providing them with toys they may not have access to at home. The parent educators are available to offer insight and answer questions. “Parents can come to the Lend and Learn and relax knowing that their child is in a safe environment with lots of toys to play with,” Schaumburg says. “Or they might need some more structured help, and we do parent
education and give parents the tools to be their kiddos’ best first educator.” Schaumburg’s favorite part of the center is the toy closet where families can checkout toys temporarily through a library-type system. The toys go home with the family until it’s time to return them. This lets children have new toys to play with without the families purchasing them, which for some families eases a financial burden. “The public library is wonderful because they’ve got books and toys you can check out, but they’re lacking that human element,” she says. “They don’t have someone who can provide resources, information, and support like at First Chance.”
HOW TO GIVE BACK For parents who have benefitted from First Chance, some choose to volunteer through cleaning the toys, serving on the board, or by helping to raise funds or collect books. Schaumburg often shares with people unfamiliar with First Chance that in lowincome United States’ neighborhoods, there is only one age appropriate book for every 300 children, while in middle-income areas, there are 13 such books for every one child. Every dollar invested in early childhood education yields more than $8 in a lifetime return, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. If society invested in early childhood education like they did K-12 education, the economic impact would be astronomical, Schaumburg says. As more people spread First Chance’s mission with more families, First Chance could reach more families that would benefit. “You might not know it, but the person standing next to you in the elevator or someone you hold as a really dear friend might be struggling with a diaper need or are feeling really overwhelmed with their parenting,” Schaumburg says. “You can let them know there are services available for them to make parenting just a little bit easier and that there are agencies out there that are wanting to support them through that process.” CBT
First Chance for Children 1010 Fay St. 573-777-1815 Firstchanceforchildren.org COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 29
Lynnanne Baumgartner at Upscale Resale
1994
1997
1999
The Assistance League of MidMissouri is officially welcomed as the 90th chapter of the organization.
The chapter begins Operation School Bell, which provides new clothing to elementary CPS students.
The chapter opens Upscale Resale as a permanent fundraiser to fund their philanthropic programs.
30 MARCH 2019
BUSINE SS • P EO P L E • VOIC ES • F YI
C ELEBRAT I ON S
Meeting Unmet Needs The Assistance League of Mid-Missouri celebrates 25 years.
BY EMMA BENTL EY | P HOTOG R A P HY BY T IF FA N Y S C H MI DT
JUST OFF WEST BROADWAY sits the offices and retail shop for the Assistance League of Mid-Missouri, one of only three Assistance League chapters in the state. This year marks their 25th anniversary. The Mid-Missouri chapter, which began in 1994, has grown to include 300 members and nine programs, and the group has provided over $5 million in goods and services to the people in the community, says Lynnanne Baumgartner, Assistance League member and chair of the anniversary committee. That’s no small feat given that the original members weren’t sure how they were going to fund themselves and serve the Columbia area. Today, they’re very proud of what they’ve accomplished. “We really like feeling like we’re moving the needle a little bit to help people take care of the basic needs in their life so that they can, hopefully, move forward and get through the difficult patch or get through the difficult situation,” says Baumgartner.
ASSISTING THE COMMUNITY When they started 25 years ago, the Mid-Missouri chapter offered four programs, mostly aimed at helping the children and teachers in the education system. The nine programs they now provide range from educational scholarships to providing new clothing to helping women transition out of abusive relationships. Board member Jolene Schulz shares a poignant memory from their Operation School Bell program. “There is one story that sticks in my mind that I always tell because it’s bittersweet in a way,” she says. “One little boy said
to us, ‘I get my own toothbrush! I don’t have to share anymore!’” Operation School Bell is a partnership between the Assistance League and Columbia Public Schools. School counselors identify children in need of clothing and put them in touch with the Assistance League, who then provides the children with new clothing. “Last year, we clothed well over 1,500 children,” says Schulz. “Our clothes are all new, they’re not slightly used. We purchase them from the Gap or other places, and we have two or three buyers that hit all the sales on a routine basis and the kids get a coat, a pair of mittens, and they get three different outfits. They also get socks, underwear, and a personal hygiene kit.” Whether it’s a program like Operation School Bell, Bundles for Babies, which provides items for newborns, or the Assisting Women’s Achievement scholarship, which helps women over age 24 complete college degrees, Baumgartner explains that they generally work with professional advisors. “We always have that interface with somebody who’s on the scene — either the school counselor, the nurse or social worker at the hospital, the financial aid people where we provide scholarships — so that we’re assured that the people have a legitimate need,” she says. To fund themselves, they rely on community donations, quarterly Cookie Connection sales, and Upscale Resale, their retail shop. Their biggest money maker, Upscale Resale, is run by Assistance League members. The store’s inventory comes from donations, though they’re very selective about what they choose to display. Around Valentine’s Day, for example, price tags will be tied with red ribbon,
and you’ll find red-themed displays. Plastic tubs in the back of the building keep donations organized by season and holiday so that switching out displays is an easy process.
MORE THAN A VOLUNTEER The Assistance League of Mid-Missouri has no paid staff positions. The organization is run by members who pay dues and receive voting privileges. They currently have around 300 members, many of them devoting themselves to this cause in retirement. For those still working but wanting to be a part of the organization, there is the Professional Leaders Auxiliary, which meets in the evenings and is responsible for the Women in Transition program helping victims of domestic abuse. Each of the Assistance League’s programs is run by a committee, and every member chooses which committees to serve on, so they’re able to serve where their interests lie. “One of the things that’s kind of nice about it is that you can be as involved as you want to be,” says Baumgartner. “If you want to do one thing, you do that. If you want to do six things, you can do that. It’s whatever your time, energy, and interests allow you to do.” Through all their efforts, the Assistance League is fulfilling their mission to meet the needs of families and individuals throughout Mid-Missouri.
Assistance League of Mid-Missouri 1729 W. Broadway, Ste. 1A 573-445-3848 www.almm.org
2005
2014
2019
The chapter awards the first Assisting Women’s Achievement scholarship to non-traditional female students at Columbia College.
The chapter surpasses $1 million in funding for learning experiences through Links to Learning.
The Mid-Missouri chapter celebrates 25 years. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 31
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B U SINESS • PEOP LE • VOIC ES • F YI
M OVER S & SH AKER S
Movers & Shakers MARCH 2019 WARNER
Abby Warner
port services. He graduated from
egy, and outreach. “I am pleased
Visionworks Marketing Group
MU with a finance degree and pre-
to welcome these two individuals
announced the addition of Abby
viously worked in the automo-
to our board of directors,” Doro-
Warner to its team. Working as
tive industry. “I’m a customer,
thy Yeager, OATS executive direc-
a visual aid, she will focus on
too,” Dunlap says. “I know how
tor, says. “They each have a unique
graphic design for newsletters,
important it is to listen, learn, and
background with diverse experi-
Facebook, and program inserts,
respond to customers’ needs.”
ences that make them an asset to
among other projects. She graduated from MU with a degree in
Mel Zelenak
graphic design and a minor in art
Working for Maly Commercial
history. Formerly, she worked for
Realty since 2005, Mel Zelenak has
Bur Oak Brewing Company as a
been promoted to president of the
graphic design intern.
company. “Since his early days as an intern to his move as a sales-
Caleb Jones
person, broker, and then manag-
Attorney and former state repre-
ing broker, Mel has led many large
sentative Caleb Jones is adding a
projects and listings to completion
new title to his resume: vice pres-
professionally and with integrity,”
ident and CEO of the Association
says owner and founder Otto Maly.
of Missouri Electric Cooperatives
DUNLAP
the board and to the organization as a whole.”
Columbia College Michelle McCAULLEY has been
ZELENAK
promoted to executive director of human resources at Columbia College. She will lead a team to give HR support to all college employees and will implement policies and practices to meet HR-related compliance require-
KOSKY
ments. McCaulley is a graduate of
in Jefferson City. Jack Baker, pres-
OATS Transit
ident of the association, says the
The board president for OATS
vote appointing Jones to the posi-
welcomed two new board mem-
tion was unanimous. Jones grad-
bers: Scott KOSKY and Rex
uated from MU with degrees in
SCOTT. For 27 years, Kosky was
agricultural economics and law.
the regional director for OATS
After his re-election in 2004, Pres-
Southwest until his retirement in
bia College’s men’s basket-
ident George W. Bush appointed
2013. He also volunteers for the
ball coach and athletic director,
Jones special assistant in the U.S.
Springfield Department of Men-
announced his retirement follow-
Department of Agriculture.
tal Health Human Rights Commit-
ing the 2018-19 basketball season.
tee. Scott works at MU as a data-
With his Columbia College career
Max Dunlap
base programmer and analyst and
beginning in the '80s, Burchard
After 10 years of working for Mid-
also co-owns the Jamaican Jerk
has gathered accolades includ-
wayUSA, Max Dunlap has been
Hut food truck. Previously, he
ing membership in the Missouri
promoted to vice president of
worked for the City of Columbia
Sports Hall of Fame and the NAIA
logistics and customer support.
in IT. Their time on the board will
Hall of Fame. As of January 15, his
This position covers warehouse
be spent developing and adopting
all-time record for coaching men’s
operations and customer sup-
company policies, long-term strat-
basketball was 781–261. CBT
Columbia College and Webster University and plans to graduate from the Tulane University School of Law this spring.
SCOTT
Bob BURCHARD, Colum-
McCAULLEY
BURCHARD
Are you or your employees making waves in the Columbia business community? Send us your news at Editor@BusinessTimesCompany.com COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 33
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B U SINESS • PEOP LE • VOIC ES • F YI
P E R S ON YO U SH OU LD KN OW
BEA LITHERLAND SMITH DEAN EMERITA | MU’S COLLEGE OF HUMAN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES | AGE: 78 Full name: Beatrice Litherland Smith. Job description: Advocate, counselor, dreamer, drudge, planner, cheerleader, manager, yard guy, writer, landlord, sage, taxpayer. Years lived in Columbia: 42 years. I was recruited from North Dakota State University in 1977 to become, at age 36, MU’s youngest dean. I retired in 2001 as the university’s longest-serving dean. Original hometown: Hornick, Iowa. Population 250. Education: A bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University, a master’s degree from the University of Iowa, and my PhD from the University of Minnesota. Favorite volunteer/community activity: Not just one, please! I’m an officer of the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre board of directors. Producing incredibly good professional theatre in a village of 56 residents is a miraculous feat. I admire the Lyceum staff and enjoy working with shakers and movers from other communities. I’m a trustee of the State Historical Society of Missouri, which comes with all of the excitement attendant to planning a stunning new building and preparing for Missouri’s bicentennial celebration. Professional background: I first taught high school English. I then moved into academic administration at North Dakota State University, and then MU recruited me for the deanship. A favorite recent project: I represented the state historical society trustees on the architectural committee for the beautiful new Center for Missouri Studies building. I applaud Executive Director Gary Kremer,
Photography by Sadie Thibodeaux
COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 35
B U SINESS • PEOP LE • VOIC ES • F YI
Judge Stephen Limbaugh, and visionary legislators for their valiant work in procuring funding for a building that will serve generations of Missourians.
P E R S ON YO U SH OU LD KN OW
Smith holding her 2018 ATHENA Leadership Award
A Columbia businessperson I admire and why: Mark Gingrich, at WilliamsKeepers, is my go-to guy. When my CPA husband, Stephen B. Smith, died suddenly and terribly prematurely, I was confronted with some complex management questions. Mark has stellar credentials in both accountancy and law. I admire his incisive analytical skills, appreciate his patience and clear communications, and love his sense of humor. Why I’m passionate about championing women: I believe women bring unique skill sets to problem-solving and management. When you were hired as the dean of the College of Human Environmental Sciences, you were MU’s youngest dean. What did that mean to you? I was brought to MU to affect a paradigm change in a historic land grant program. I had the vision, moxie, and energy to transform the enterprise with great support from alumni, statewide clientele, and faculty who bought into the goals. I had to be a fighter for equity, resulting in publicity that included a profile in the New York Times. (My mother murmured, “In my day, deans gave garden parties.”) I was tested, I prevailed, and I discovered the inner mettle that comes from marrying competence with convictions. What people should know about being a dean emerita: It’s much like being a proud grandmother! MU’s College of Human Environmental Sciences is ranked in the topmost tier of human sciences programs in the nation. It is a heavy-hitter in grantsmanship. The faculty and students are terrific. I can give financial support and mentoring when sought, but headlines about Missouri’s recurring fiscal difficulties are no longer my problem! The next challenge facing women in higher education: It’s not just higher education. My nominator for the ATHENA Award asked me to recount the number of “firsts for a woman” in my personal history. It 36 MARCH 2019
was a rather amazing retrospective. Looking at the ATHENA banquet audience, I saw so many Columbia women who now occupy leadership positions. Talented women are in the pipeline and getting well-earned opportunities in education, business, and politics. But the comparative percentage of women in leadership positions is still much too small. Women comprise 51 percent of the population and surpass men in completion of advanced degrees, yet they are a decided minority in the top positions. As a board member of a publicly traded corporation, I was one of fewer than a thousand such women in the country; that number still hasn’t changed enough. A challenge for higher education (and business and government) is to show satisfactory ROI for clients and investors. My next professional goal: I read an appealing new year’s resolution: “This year I will not improve.” Alas, I always have goals. I’m working with good advisors on transitional plans. Biggest lesson learned in business: Good records and good networks are vital. Sweat the details and work with smart, goodspirited people. How I want to impact the Columbia community: Targeted philanthropy and judicious sharing of ideas and energy.
Greatest strength: I am blessed by my friendships across generations and sectors. Greatest weakness: A friend calls it “Rural Iowa Female Protestant Guilt” — the belief that one needs to do it all and to do it perfectly. What I do for fun: My husband and I joyfully traveled the world; I love to travel with my family. I enjoy property maintenance and writing. Family: Son, Dave Litherland; daughterin-law, Dr. Chris Litherland; and my beloved G-men: Gavin, Garrett, and Griffin. Favorite place in Columbia: My quiet office cocoons me. I’m surrounded by photographs, the perpetual clutter of my life and work, and Thelma and Louise, my purring Maine Coon cats. Accomplishment I’m most proud of: My son says I’m a good mom, my daughter-inlaw says she won the mother-in-law lottery, and my grandsons hug me in public. Most people don’t know that I: am shy. I’ve traveled the world, done some daunting jobs reasonably well, broken some barriers, spoken to hundreds of audiences — but at the center of my being, I’m still a shy 17-year-old from a very small town. CBT
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Christian Fellowship School presents the 20/20 Vision Award to the following businesses for helping us Build the Future Together by partnering with us at the highest levels on the CFS Gala 2019!
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TITLE SPONSOR:
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It is a privilege to honor my dear friend. Linda’s faith in God never wavered as she walked this path with such grace.
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BU SI N ESS • PEO PLE • VOIC ES • F YI
9 QU EST I ON S
property, and the environment. We do this by making sure we put the fire out as quickly and safely as possible. Other aspects of our job include training, preplanning, conducting business inspections, and public education. 3. What does your typical day look
Q&A ELIZABETH LEIVA Firefighter, Columbia Fire Department
1. What’s your background? I started in the fire service doing wildland firefighting in the summer of 2008 working for Grayback Forestry Inc. based out of Missoula, Montana. After a couple seasons, I moved back to Missouri. I wanted to continue working in the fire service, so I eventually became a volunteer for the Boone County Fire Protection District. Shortly after becoming a volunteer, I was hired on at the Moberly Fire Department, in my hometown. I worked for MFD for a couple years and decided to try for Columbia Fire. I was hired on for the Columbia Fire Department in March 2015. 2. Tell us about your job: Firefighters respond to all kinds of emergencies: fires, medicals, accidents, hazmat, and technical rescue incidents. The majority of our calls are medicals. As a firefighter working at a structure fire, our job is to protect people,
like? I try to arrive at the station by 6:30 a.m. in order to get a quick rundown of the previous shift’s day. The firefighter that worked the day before will give me info about what they did and if there’s anything I need to be aware of on the truck or in the medical bag — just keeping me in the loop. The shift officially begins at 7 a.m. I typically go to my assigned truck and check my air bottle and mask, radio, medical bag, and other miscellaneous things to make sure they’re in working order. I go through all the compartments of the truck to get an understanding of where everything is located because I don’t have an assigned station and can be on different trucks every shift. Some days, we’ll have off-site training that may last one to four hours. If we don’t have training, we may go out and conduct business inspections for a couple hours or we may do training at the station. Lunch is at 11 a.m. We have designated “down” time from noon to 1 p.m. From 1 to 4 p.m. we keep busy with the same things from the morning. We have designated workout time at 4 p.m. After 5 p.m., you can spend your time training, have a family visit, and eat dinner. All of these things can be interrupted at any time to respond to calls. 4. What drew you to your position? My love for the fire service started when I worked in wildland. It wasn’t just the fact that you put water on a fire to put it out; it was the camaraderie of my crew. We became a family and looked out for each other. And it was the training that gave me knowledge, understanding, and purpose. It was the bigger picture that my little 20-man crew could potentially control and redirect fire from coming into a community. To offer help and protection to the citizens of any community is what drew me to this job.
5. What would people be surprised to know about your job? That the majority of the calls we have aren’t fire related — we mostly run medical calls. 6. What are some challenges you face in your job? Not being able to save everyone. Being exposed to cancer-causing toxins. Having to suppress your emotions and refocus after a tough call to be able to help the next customer. Knowing that making a mistake could having devastating consequences. 7. Describe a success you’re most proud of: Getting hired. I went through the new hire process twice in four years. I failed the physical agility test the first time — I was 10 feet from the finish line when my time was up. I was devastated. I was also enlightened. I knew what I needed to do to make it the next time around. After a two-year wait for the next hire process to take place, I was ready. The moment I crossed that finish line with time to spare was a wonderful feeling, followed by getting the phone call from the fire chief offering me a position. I’m very hard on myself. It was one of the few times I felt proud of my accomplishments. 8. What inspires you to get up each day and make a difference? My family. I would be lost without them. I trust that if something happens to my family, they’ll be in the good hands of firefighters and EMS personnel. People trust us to come to their aid and do what’s necessary to make the situation better. The thought of being that person in someone’s life inspires me to go to work. 9. Tell us something about you that we wouldn’t learn from your resume: I backpacked, sea kayaked, and camped for three months in Chile. It was a great experience and taught me about teamwork. It taught me confidence, a different perspective on life, and the value of friendship, loyalty, and perseverance. CBT
Check out more questions and answers online at ColumbiaBusinessTimes.com. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 39
B U SI N ESS • PEO PLE • VOIC ES • F YI
A CA P I TO L CON VER SAT I ON
The Parson Plan BY KRCG 13’ S K ER M IT M IL L ER
SOME MIGHT ARGUE that the Mike Parson era has only just begun. Yes, the southwest Missouri Republican took over as governor last June following the scandal-driven resignation of Eric Greitens, but much of the past eight months was spent cleaning up Greitens’ mess. First, he traveled the state in an effort to restore the public’s trust in Missouri government. Greitens’ policies and protocols had to be re-evaluated. Political divisions had to be healed. And Parson had to get used to the idea of being in charge. Now, the reins of state government are firmly in Parson’s hands. He has crafted his first state budget and delivered his first State of the State address to Missouri lawmakers. It’s time to take a closer look at the Parson plan. In his January 16 speech, Parson talked about a need to take bold action. He targeted two areas of concern: workforce development and the state’s aging infrastructure. Toward workforce development, Parson is prepared to spend millions on retraining adult workers for next-generation occupations. His budget proposal includes $22 million for a program he calls Fast Track. He says it will allow people to receive “advanced training in high-demand areas largely taught at our community colleges, technical schools, and colleges and universities.” Fundamentally, it’s tuition money for study in targeted disciplines. The administration thinks as many as 16,000 people could benefit. The Parson administration would give more control over workforce education to employers. His budget plan includes money for employer-designed school curricula at the high school and college levels, and there also would be new money committed directly to businesses for job creation and training. Parson also has a spotlight on Missouri infrastructure. In November, Missouri vot-
ers rejected a phased-in, 10-cents-per-gallon increase in the motor fuel tax to pay for roads, bridges, and other transportation needs. The politics aside, the lack of adequate funding means MoDOT can do little beyond patching potholes, plowing snow, and cutting the grass in highway medians. So, Parson will ask lawmakers to borrow $351 million to repair 250 bridges already identified by MoDOT as being in immediate need of repair or replacement. Parson says that will free up nearly $350 million dollars in other state and federal resources, which will allow MoDOT to accelerate the agency’s current list of state infrastructure projects. He says the plan will provide $50 million for a cost-sharing program to help cities address local infrastructure needs. The plan represents the first time the state has departed from earmarked road funds to finance road needs, and it has political implications (see the “bold action” referenced earlier). The debt incurred will not be through general obligation bonds (the kind that need voter approval), but through legislature-approved revenue bonds. In a briefing before Parson’s speech, State Budget Director Dan Haug told capitol reporters the bonding debt would be retired with annual general revenue payments of $30 million over a 15-year period. MoDOT officials say the bonding plan won’t come close to meeting an $8 billion shortfall in transportation funding needs in Missouri. But then, the fuel tax increase on the November ballot wouldn’t have either. The other infrastructure target is highspeed internet in rural Missouri. Economists repeatedly have said the lack thereof not only puts Missouri schoolchildren at an educational disadvantage, but it also puts farmers and other rural businesspeople at a competitive disadvantage in a worldwide agriculture economy that seems to evolve by the hour. Parson
wants to supplement Missouri’s $255 million share of the broadband money committed by the U.S. Congress in the 2019 Farm Bill with $5 million in new state funds. The governor wants to boost basic aid spending for public education by $61 million, plus $10 million for school transportation. He told lawmakers his other priorities include “passing tax credit reform, working to make government more efficient and more accountable, protecting freedoms and promoting a culture of life, and passing regulatory and venue reform.” Parson proposes to pay state workers three percent more across the board, with extra length-of-service money for corrections officers. That money will come from savings created by closing the Crossroads Correctional Center in Cameron. Parson also wants to set aside nearly $120 million for unforeseen expenses. The governor says the plan will not require any new taxes. “Our true dedication should be to build and create wealth, not to redistribute it,” said Parson. To make his plan work, Parson says he needs more than funding. The day after his speech to the legislature, he signed executive orders to reorganize four executive agencies. At the core, he is taking hundreds of people, most of them within the Division of Workforce Development, out of the Department of Economic Development and putting them under the administrators for higher education. Parson believes this will refocus economic development on recruiting new employers and solving employer problems at the local level while giving the responsibility for teaching new work skills to the people who do the teaching. CBT Kermit is an award-winning 45-year veteran journalist and one of the longest serving members of the Missouri Statehouse press corps.
Kermit Miller anchors the 6 and 10 p.m. news for KRCG 13. You can reach Kermit at kmiller@krcg.com
40 MARCH 2019
B USINESS • P EOP L E • VO ICE S • F YI
LOCA L PER SPEC T I VE: VU
for future meetings. We’re thrilled to see our meeting numbers growing and have an exciting line up of both guest speakers and topics to help this group continue to grow, learn, and support each other. Barby Wulff is the associate director of production at Veterans United Home Loans, NMLS 17710. Rachel Bruce is a loan officer at Veterans United Home Loans, NMLS 951471.
PERSPECTIVE: CINDY GARDNER, SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Supportive Small Groups BY BARBY WULFF AND CINDY GARDNER | PHOTO PROVIDED BY VETERANS UNITED
PERSPECTIVE: BARBY WULFF, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION
At Veterans United Home Loans, small groups have become a way for employees to collaborate and support each other through their common interests and passions while learning new things. When loan officer and team leader Rachel Bruce approached us with the idea of an ongoing support group for female loan officers, this was an easy yes, and the Women in Production small group was born. As the associate director of production, I was excited to come alongside Rachel to set up this group. I started in the mortgage industry in 1999, when there were few female loan officers in the industry. In 2009, I joined Veterans United as one of only three female loan officers. In 2012, Rachel had a 4-month-old baby and a new job at Veterans United. She learned to navigate and master both roles. Rachel and I are both extremely passionate about using our combined years of experience to help the now 80-plus female loan officers at Veterans United find more happiness, success,
and support. We know the loan officer role can be fast-paced, and with life and family obligations, it can be hard to make time for meeting other like-minded women, even women in the same company. The time to invest in yourself often seems unavailable. We hoped this group would create opportunities for these women with so much in common to meet one another for positive discussions sharing best practices and ideas while building each other up. Women in Production held their first monthly breakfast meeting in June 2018. Since then we’ve had some of our top female loan officers speak on time management and how to balance family life and work life to find your own level of success. We’ve had round table discussions where everyone offers their best practices. Our guest speakers have included family counselors who discuss everything from dealing with a difficult family member to having a difficult conversation with your child. We have created an open line of communication between these women that did not exist before. Now there’s an e-mail group where we can recap our meetings and also share ideas or ask questions. The feedback has been positive and we’ve collected ideas from group members
I’ve spent my entire IT career in Columbia, first at MU for 27 years and then for a stint at Carfax before joining Veterans United. Before I came here, hearing that Veterans United was ranked nationally as one of the Best Workplaces for Women sparked my curiosity. I wanted to find out why. Now, after joining the team, I think it’s the culture that makes it special. The values aren’t just words; our employees live by them. It’s a culture that continues to evolve and never becomes stagnant. Early on in my career, I would say that 80 percent or more of my colleagues in the IT field were male. It was a male dominated field, but that isn’t the case anymore. The technology field is now more diverse and the opportunities are boundless, regardless of gender. I co-chair our Women in Technology small group at Veterans United. It started about a year and a half ago and has more than 50 members. The group offers a platform for collaboration for our female employees in IT. We meet collectively as a group every six weeks and have subgroups that meet more frequently based on their individual passions. At one recent meeting, we talked about a presentation on how different genders work together in IT. The presentation was based on a survey compiled by one of our members. Keeping the lines of communication open and offering a forum to collaborate means a lot for our growth as both employees and people in general. The group is also expanding outside of Veterans United to promote awareness and education regarding technology as a career path for local female high school and college students. CBT COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 41
42 MARCH 2019
B U SINESS • P EOP L E • VO ICE S • F YI
OP I N I ON : AL GER M ON D
"While neither one of them has come forth dancing on stage a hooting and a hollering that they really want their jobs nailed down, you know in their heart of hearts that they want
Let's Make Their Positions Permanent BY A L GERMON D
WELL, LET’S BE DONE WITH IT. Erase the word “interim” from their titles and formally make John D. Glascock, PE, Columbia’s next city manager and confirm Lieutenant Geoff Jones as the next police chief of the Columbia Police Department. There, I said it. Quit fooling around with out-of-town consultants, because this is just another case of them leading to an expensive parade of visits, interviews, and recommendations, not to mention inserting more delay and uncertainty in the process. How many times do we have to remind ourselves that the results accrued from these global searches have been a mixed result at best? While neither one of them has come forth dancing on stage a hooting and a hollering that they really want their jobs nailed down, you know in their heart of hearts that they want to continue in their respective positions.
Glascock, age 59, can recall that Raymond A. Beck, PE, Columbia’s Public Works director and later city manager, didn’t step into retirement until he was 73 years old, so why would Glascock want to “retire” so soon? He’s having second thoughts as this is written. Retirement? How about repurposing? Those who repurpose often end up then living the most productive portion of their lives, as was the case of the late Charlie Digges (1919-2019) who had the stamina, energy, and love of others right up to the last beat of his heart a few weeks ago. Then there’s Lieutenant Jones, the “interim" chief of police, a mere youngster at age 43, another local boy and Rock Bridge High School alumnus. Who from the outside would be better equipped at tackling all the contentious issues blaring in recent headlines than him? Both Glascock and Jones quickly abandoned their respective office warrens to adopt the
to continue in their respective positions." most basic of management styles. They went out and mingled with folks ranging from their own to the most aggrieved individuals, who have since been calmed by their outreaches. The community should work harder at developing a “bench” of talented individuals qualified and capable of moving upward in an orderly line of succession for positions in city government. In June 1956, the city hired Don Allard for a one-year assignment in city manager Leo Hill’s office, which was a requirement of Allard’s MA degree program at MU. Who ended up returning to town in 1962 to be city manager but Don Allard, after other managerial apprenticeships elsewhere? With other controversies continuing to erode the public’s confidence in city governance, the mayor and council could help their reputations by striking “interim” from the titles of John Glascock and Lieutenant Geoff Jones. But will they? Don’t count on it! CBT Al Germond is the host of the Columbia Business Times Sunday Morning Roundtable at 8:15 a.m. Sundays on KFRU. He can be reached at algermond@businesstimescompany.com. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 43
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44 MARCH 2019
WO M E N O F E XC E L L E N C E
This year, we're recognizing the amazing women in our business community through a new set of awards called Women of Excellence. These awards are broken up into eight categories, seven of which are industry specific: education, finance, health care, hospitality, public service, real estate, and retail. They recognize women who seek out ways to grow in their industry, mentor other women, and serve in the community. The last category is professional excellence, which is given out to a woman who's made a great impact on the community and in her field of work.
JOIN WITH US IN CELEBRATING THE INAUGURAL RECIPIENTS!
by Beth Bramstedt | Photography by Anthony Jinson
COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 45
WO M E N O F E XC E L L E N C E
Excellence in
E D U C AT I O N
Honorable Mentions DAWN BROWN
Teacher, Columbia Independent School
P IYUSHA SI NGH, PhD
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Columbia College
46 MARCH 2019
WOMEN
of
E XC E L L E N C E
KATHRYN CHVAL, PhD Dean, MU College of Education
As dean of the nationally recognized MU College of Education, Kathryn Chval serves as the chief academic and administrative officer of the department, leading its educational, research, service, and economic development missions. In this role, Chval has the opportunity to lead and support a team of 600 faculty, staff, and administrators who educate 2,500 students and support 40,000 alumni worldwide. “My job involves serving as a strategist, catalyst, steward, operator, and mentor in order to uphold the university’s core values and nurture a climate that values individuals,” Chval says. “I also have ultimate accountability for the management of our fiscal resources and facilities.” David Bergin, chair of the department of educational, school, and counseling psychology, credits Chval with stabilizing the college financially. “During her tenure, grants and contract expenditures that benefit Boone County and Missouri have increased 17 percent,” he says. She is also credited with establishing 19 new endowments. Although much of her work can be measured in numbers, Chval also feels successful when she acknowledges, values, inspires, and energizes others. “Enriching the lives of others brings me the most joy and purpose,” she says. And the way Chval supports others does not go unnoticed. “I would be remiss if I didn’t share how approachable Dr. Chval is and how much she cares for each faculty member, staff member, and student,” says Tina Van Ness, director of the office of field experiences. What accomplishment makes Chval the proudest? “I am most proud of elevating the visibility of the College of Education so that members in the Columbia community, citizens of Missouri, and people around the world know about the incredible work of our team,” she says. In addition to increasing the college’s reach overseas, the MU College of Education is now ranked No. 38 in U.S. News and World Report’s 2018 Best Online Graduate Education Programs. And that’s just one example. “To many, she is a hero,” says James Tarr, chair of the department of learning, teaching, and curriculum. “And this makes her an ideal candidate to be recognized as a woman of excellence.” COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 47
WO M E N O F E XC E L L E N C E
Excellence in
FINANCE
Honorable Mentions K IM PONDER
Senior Vice President – Regional Retail Leader, First State Community Bank
P O LLY REYNOLDS
Vice President and Trust Officer, The Trust Company 48 MARCH 2019
WOMEN
of
E XC E L L E N C E
JUDY STARR Chief Financial Officer, Central Bank of Boone County
As executive vice president and CFO of Central Bank of Boone County, Judy Starr is responsible for many of the non-customer facing activities in the bank. She oversees accounting, bank facilities, investment of excess funds, deposit operations, and deposit account rate management. She also acts as liaison for those activities where their holding company provides support, such as auditing and compliance. Starr also assists the bank’s large corporate customers with their cash management needs. “This may be the part of my job that I enjoy most, as I get to interact with CFOs at many local companies,” she says. According to Mary Wilkerson, senior vice president of marketing at CBBC, no major decisions get made at the bank without a stop in Starr’s office. “Judy has overseen phenomenal growth during her more than 30 years at the bank,” she says. “Central Bank of Boone County is now seven times the size it was when she first walked through the doors.” Starr is grateful for the opportunities she has in her current role and credits her success to a risky decision she made early in her career. “I moved from a good job with the state as a financial analyst to a lower paying job in private industry in hopes of finding a career with an opportunity to serve others,” Starr says. “I would not have this position had I not taken that risk.” In addition to her financial role, Starr is excited about mentoring her young, new management team and the new finance director for the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri. “I have a responsibility to develop these individuals to ensure the continued success of an institution and the individuals and companies the bank serves,” Starr says. “I care deeply about that.” According to Wilkerson, there are many reasons to consider Judy Starr an exceptional woman. “Not only is she a financial genius, but she has demonstrated that gift in a very male-dominated industry,” she says. “Meanwhile, she has quietly done work in the community to better it for all of us.” COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 49
WO M E N O F E XC E L L E N C E
Excellence in
H E A LT H C A R E
Honorable Mentions B R ID GETT ROBBI NS
Director of Nursing, MU Health Care’s University Hospital
M ONI CA SMI TH
Vice President of Patient Care Services & Ancillary Operations and Chief Nursing Officer, Boone Hospital Center 50 MARCH 2019
WOMEN
of
E XC E L L E N C E
DR. BRIDGET GRUENDER Owner, Liberty Family Medicine
Dr. Bridget Gruender started Liberty Family Medicine in July 2016 to offer affordable primary care to Columbia and surrounding communities. She is the first person in town to successfully open and run a direct primary care clinic, which operates on a monthly membership basis and includes access to an in-house pharmacy. “By establishing a successful program of individualized family practice medicine, Bridget has liberated family medicine from the high-deductible plans that many of us have and that are not affordable,” says Shelter Insurance agent Nancy Allison. In recognition of her innovation, Gruender was recently awarded the Missourian Progress Award for progress in health care. “I absolutely love being a doctor,” Gruender says. “And practicing this way has brought the joy back to serving others in a medical capacity for both myself and so many other doctors across the nation.” While success can be defined in many different ways, for Gruender, success is feeling fulfilled in both her personal and professional life while effectively using the gifts she’s been given to help others. She strives to share information that might be helpful, be a sounding board when needed, and set a good example of living both personally and professionally with integrity. She’s also willing to help in more tangible ways. “Beyond her passion for primary care, Dr. Gruender enjoys helping other women business owners find success,” says Wendy Moore, banking relationship manager at Central Bank of Boone County. “She leases space to two local women in the health care industry for substantially reduced rates and refers clients to each of them to promote their businesses.” As a physician, it’s important for Gruender to have a relationship with her patients. “I feel that true health can be achieved with a personal relationship with a physician,” she says. “And that’s what I offer here in the clinic.” And that’s what keeps patient Amber Goodwin, co-owner of Nutrishop, coming back. “Dr. Gruender’s bedside manner stands out from the rest,” she says. “She makes me feel right at home.” COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 51
WO M E N O F E XC E L L E N C E
Excellence in
H O S P I TA L I T Y
Honorable Mentions A M ANDA ELLI OTT
Chef, Peachtree Catering
LY DI A MELTON
Owner, Günter Hans
52 MARCH 2019
WOMEN
of
E XC E L L E N C E
RACHEL HOLMAN CEO, Les Bourgeois Vineyards
Rachel Holman describes her role as CEO of Les Bourgeois Vineyards as a zookeeper, a finder of the people and the things, an instigator, a mediator, a leader, an ambassador, a student, a teacher, and a cheerleader. “I have a lot of jobs and many of them are still being defined,” she says, “but mostly I am a listener.” Looking back at her accomplishments of the past few years, Holman is proud of remodeling the tasting room and the negotiation of bottling line collaboration for their new canned product launch. She believes that 2019 brings both her greatest challenge and greatest opportunity — to maintain and cultivate a team of creative, passionate, and talented people who are committed to celebrating their diversity and making their region exceptional. And Holman’s team members are some of her biggest fans. “Rachel possesses a deep understanding of and passion for the wine and retail industries. A true advocate, she takes every opportunity to educate others and learn all she can,” says Les Bourgeois administrative director Sarah Cabanas. “She leads Les Bourgeois by example and with respect, empathy, and integrity. Rachel’s professional knowledge, abilities, and grace have made her a mentor for many.” Breianne Roberts, front of house manager for the Blufftop Bistro, echoes Cabanas’ thoughts: “Rachel has upheld the highest level of professional excellence in every situation I’ve seen her handle. She is someone I look up to, a great role model, and definitely one of the best, most caring, professional people I’ve ever worked alongside.” For Holman, mentoring means providing honest feedback about the reality of work and life and everything in between. “It’s more than inspirational quotes, rainbows, and butterflies,” she says. “It’s how to handle the good, the bad, and the ugly. Give advice when it is sought and don’t be offended if people don’t take it to heart.” And while personally Holman’s life may be a bit chaotic, with three children under the age of 4, including a set of twins, she’s motivated by being a source of solace in other people’s lives and reminding them to celebrate the everyday occasions. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 53
WO M E N O F E XC E L L E N C E
Excellence in
PUBLIC SERVICE
Honorable Mentions SARA HUMM
Community Relations Specialist, City of Columbia
JILL SCHLUDE
Deputy Chief, Columbia Police Department 54 MARCH 2019
WOMEN
of
E XC E L L E N C E
STEPHANIE MORRELL Associate Circuit Judge, State of Missouri As a newly elected associate circuit judge, Stephanie Morrell’s job is to preside over various matters before the 13th Judicial Circuit Court. She currently handles criminal and probate matters, including estates, guardianships, and conservatorships, as well as other types of cases assigned by the presiding judge. Before taking the bench, Morrell served as a Boone County prosecutor and the Sturgeon city prosecutor. As a result of her work on a case that involved a two-year investigation spanning multiple counties and states, Morell was awarded the President’s Award by the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys in 2015. According to Assistant City Counselor José Caldera, during her time as a prosecutor, Morrell conducted more than 120 trials, including 20 jury trials, eight of which were homicide trials here in Boone County, and more than 100 bench trials. She handled more than 300 appellate cases, including at least 12 appeals in the Missouri Supreme Court. She also practiced in over 20 counties across Missouri in both civil and criminal law. Yet according to Caldera, it’s not simply Morell’s legal credentials that make her a woman of excellence. “Her entire career has been dedicated to public service,” Caldera says, “but it’s her personal experiences that really set her apart. Stephanie is a single mom who, until she was elected judge, worked three jobs to make sure her two boys had the same opportunities as everyone else. She represents the best in us.” Morrell shares that she is passionate about three things. The first is her passion for the law. “I have wanted to be an attorney and judge since I was a young girl,” she says. “Feeling passionate about what you do is incredibly motivating.” Second, Morrell is motivated by public service. Whether as an assistant attorney general, prosecutor, or a judge, she has worked to ensure that justice is achieved for all citizens. And third, her children are her greatest motivators. “I am extremely proud of my two boys, and they inspire me every day to make sure our community is better,” Morrell says. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 55
WO M E N O F E XC E L L E N C E
Excellence in
R E A L E S TAT E
Honorable Mentions TO R I MESSENGER
Realtor, House of Brokers Realty Inc.
WENDY SWETZ
Broker, Wendy C. Swetz Real Estate
56 MARCH 2019
WOMEN
of
E XC E L L E N C E
ELIZABETH MENDENHALL CEO, Re/Max Boone Realty As CEO of Re/Max Boone Realty, Elizabeth Mendenhall has the opportunity to work for entrepreneurs who are building Columbia and to assist people in finding their dream job. Her leadership roles give her a platform to empower agents, increase their market knowledge, and equip them to be advocates for homeowners. As a sixth-generation real estate agent and a leader in a company that’s been around since 1894, her goal is to create an environment where people can succeed in achieving their professional dreams while being the most educated and professional agents in the community. “Elizabeth epitomizes leadership in the real estate industry,” says Mike Grellner, vice president of Plaza Commercial Realty. “A great leader for the local brokerage her family owns, she also dedicates so much of her valuable time to volunteer leadership positions in the broader real estate industry.” Mendenhall just completed her term serving as the 2018 president of the National Association of Realtors, the largest trade association in the world, with 1.3 million members. “It never started out as a goal that I thought I would achieve,” she says, “but along the way I had a lot of support to serve and run for the position. Representing Realtors across the country has been a journey of a lifetime.” During her term, Mendenhall traveled 300,000 miles working on improving the real estate profession. She interviewed Michael Phelps and Laura Bush and spoke in Peru, Spain, France, and Portugal. “I walked into a Realtor meeting in Virginia last month and was overwhelmed by the support, cards, and comments that people made letting me know that I had done a good job,” Mendenhall says. “I’m not sure how I can top it. It was very special. “ Mendenhall is motivated by change, curiosity, and challenges. She also believes success is simple and encourages others to be happy, be helpful, and have fun. While 2018 was an incredible year, she’s looking forward to whatever the next chapter holds. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 57
WO M E N O F E XC E L L E N C E
Excellence in
R E TA I L
Honorable Mentions C HA RLI E GRAZ NAK & R E B E CCA FAHRENDORF
General Manager and Proprietor, McAdams’ Ltd.
JE SSICA SCHLOSSER
Owner, Lizzi and Rocco’s Natural Pet Market 58 MARCH 2019
WOMEN
of
E XC E L L E N C E
CELESTE & STELLA HARDNOCK Owners, My Sister’s Circus My Sister’s Circus has been in business for more than 40 years and the mother–daughter duo of Celeste and Stella Hardnock still enjoy walking through the door each day. Celeste, who started the boutique in 1977 after graduating from Stephens College, focuses on the displays and tries to keep current with everything in the store. Stella concentrates on selling and ordering. “Every day is different,” Celeste says. “Things are always changing. I try to have a fresh approach to retail and fashion every day.” For Stella, success is helping a customer find an outfit that they love and feel confident wearing. “I love to get new items in each day, see customers that I have built lifelong relationships with, and meet new customers to get them dressed in outfits that they feel great in,” she says. And the customers experience their passion and expertise firsthand. “Every woman loves a good confidence booster and trusted recommendations for outfit selections,” says State Farm agent Jennifer Wesselman. “That is exactly what you find when you walk into My Sister’s Circus, and it's why they’ve been in business for as long as they have.” Wesselman particularly appreciates the Hardnocks’ ability to choose pieces unique to each woman's body type and style. She also appreciates being pampered and feeling special. “Their purpose, passion, and energy are contagious!” Wesselman says. “Team that up with their ability to increase women’s confidence and it sets them apart from all other women clothing stores and boutiques.” One of Stella’s favorite community activities is organizing the fashion show for Little Black Dress benefitting True North. “It’s an organization that I’m very passionate about,” says Stella, “And having them trust me with finding models and putting together a show in front of 1,000plus ladies means the world to me.” The store’s loyal customer base and exciting mix of patterns and textures are sure to keep people coming back for years to come. “I always try to provide our customers with a fresh perspective of what is happening in the fashion world,” says Celeste. “That is a goal I'm always trying to perfect.” COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 59
WO M E N O F E XC E L L E N C E
Professional
E XC E L L E N C E
Honorable Mentions JEN HEDRI CK
Architect and Principal, Simon Oswald Architecture
TIN A WORKMAN
Vice President of Accounting and Assistant Treasurer, Shelter Insurance Company 60 MARCH 2019
WOMEN
of
E XC E L L E N C E
SUSAN HART Partner and Vice President, Huebert Builders Inc. As a vice president at Huebert Builders, Susan Hart is responsible for sales and working with her business partner to oversee operations. The company, which was founded in 1986 and has completed more than $60 million worth of projects, is a full-service commercial contractor and tackles new construction as well as remodels for companies of all sizes. “My favorite part of the position is working directly with the client to make sure their project is successful and works for their company,” Hart says. In addition to her paid role, Hart is also active in numerous community organizations. Her favorite accomplishments include being honored as 2016-17 Rotarian of the Year for her statewide leadership, serving as the current chair of the board for the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, and helping to develop small scale manufacturing companies on The Loop. Hart also enjoys providing social capital to individuals just starting out in their careers. She is currently mentoring a young woman starting a commercial painting company and another woman who owns a commercial cleaning company. “Susan is not shy about rolling up her sleeves and doing the detail work to get the job done,” says Penny Kuhns Knarr, director of operations for the Columbia Chamber of Commerce. “She wants to be a mentor and provide support to the entrepreneurial community and the cultural arts community.” Hart says she’s motivated by tackling a project that will change the landscape of the community both in terms of construction and community service efforts. She feels successful when she can see that her efforts have made her community a better place than it was before. “My work with Susan has proven her talents in the construction industry as well as her unique talents in bringing varied groups and opinions together to achieve a common goal,” says Carrie Gartner, executive director of The Loop. “This has been her strong suit in managing hundreds of construction projects and is her strong suit in her work in our community. Susan has played a key role in helping small businesses grow, prosper, and create good jobs for our neighbors.” CBT COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 61
S P E C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E C T I O N
WOMEN who mean business when it comes to supporting one another are the best women to know. Columbia has an abundance of amazing women who are tenacious, ambitious, intelligent ‌ and most importantly, in the business of building one another up. You can meet some of them now in this special section. 62 MARCH 2019
S PO N SO R E D CO N T E N T
TO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE YOUR SUCCESS? Donna: The support and encouragement our bank gives to women has been instrumental in my success. I love my job and developing people is a passion I have. When you have a dedicated support team, our customers are the true winners. Karin: I have been lucky to work alongside many
talented men and women over the past 30 years. Their support, encouragement, and advice have helped me grow both professionally and personally. Stacia: To me, success is having a life that you are proud to live! It’s loving what you do and doing what you love. It’s perseverance, never giving up. It’s being happy - happiness is truly the key to success. I attribute my success to all of the above.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU PROFESSIONALLY? Karin: I am inspired every day by our clients and the lengths they go to achieve their dreams of being a successful business owner. I am also inspired by the team I work with and their dedication to our bank, our clients, and each other. Lauren: I am inspired by all of the successful
women around me, people who believe in hard work, and who are motivated by making a positive difference in other people’s lives. Stacia: Inspiration is everywhere! I am inspired
professionally when I attend educational networking events, when I meet new people, and when I volunteer my time to help an organization, charity or a person. HOW HAVE OTHER WOMEN IMPACTED YOU PROFESSIONALLY? Donna: We have many very strong, professional
women in our organization that I look up to. Specifically, for their banking knowledge and just overall compassion and professionalism, I would have to say Dawn Dauer, our Chief Banking Officer, and Martha Rollet, our Chief Operations Officer are the role models I look to for guidance. Karin: When I think of the successful women
that I’ve met throughout my professional career,
Pictured from left to right: KARIN BELL
I realize the opportunities are unlimited. It is the hard work, integrity, and determination I have seen in others that constantly pushes me to grow and give back, both professionally and personally. Lauren: The impact other women have had on me, and the amount of professional (and personal) growth they have inspired in me is unmeasurable. Being able to witness all of their hard work result in continued success, has inspired me to continue to work hard, and deal with adversity gracefully. Stacia: Being around women is liberating because we are stronger than what we give ourselves credit for. Two women come to mind that have impacted me professionally: Leslie Schneider and Helen Wade. They have definitely played a role in my life that has helped me to grow as an individual and professionally.
HOW HAS THE BANK OF MISSOURI BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF WOMEN? Lauren: The Bank of Missouri has given me all the resources I need to continue to be successful, and grow my career. Several members of our
B a n ko f M i ss o u r i .co m | 573 . 874 . 470 0
Senior Vice President SBA Manager STACIA GERRISH
Assistant Vice President Mortgage Loan Officer LAUREN BERUBE
Branch Operations Officer DONNA DUNCAN
Vice President Regional Retail Banking Manager
Executive and Senior management teams are powerful women (and great mentors!). Donna: Our bank has very strong, knowledgeable women at all levels of our organization. Our opinions and ideas are valued and highly respected by our peers. Stacia: The Bank of Missouri is very supportive of women, especially their employees. They strive to help everyone, customers and employees, achieve their professional, financial and lifelong goals.
Member FDIC
COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 63
It’s an honor to be surrounded every day by some of the most phenomenal leaders in our industry. The fact that 10 of the 16 leaders in our company happen to be women is something that makes me very proud! We have always prided ourselves on finding amazing talent and these women make up some of the most creative, intelligent, driven, and ridiculously talented people that I have ever known. Our mission is to impact as many people’s lives as we can in our industry and in our community. With these amazing executives, our company is in great hands for many, many years to come!
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64 MARCH 2019
There is nothing I want more in this life than to help people understand their full, beautiful potential! - Dr. Arminta Phelps, DC, CCWP When asked how I’ve contributed to the lives of those in my life, professionally or personally, these are a few of the amazing responses I received… You have this ability to project your positivity, caring and love OUTWARD so that those near you feel it. You brought strength, positivity, and life back into myself. Your words, hugs, and ability to put the body back together saved me! You’ve always showed love, honesty and selflessness throughout the years. You infuse positivity and love into everything! Your encouragement to be present, envision the future that we want to have and manifest it in to reality, and above all else, to approach everything with love, sticks with me daily!
We are all made for such great things and I am humbled and honored to be part of helping anyone (especially women) bring that out in themselves.
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We believe it all begins and ends with family … We’re family owned and operated so we lean heavily on each other every day. It’s the quality of these relationships that translates to the relationships we enjoy with our clients. We’re very proud of the work we do but even more so of the friends we’ve made during our 32 plus years in business. • Chimney & Fireplace Services • Dryer Vent Cleaning • 3,000 sq. ft. Showroom & Design Center featuring gas/wood stoves and fireplaces Omie Johnson, Operations Manager
Dawn Cassil, CFO
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We’re three committed, authentic women who’ve teamed up for the greater good of our company and, most importantly, our clients.
Kari Vogt CFP, Financial Planner
Our daily support and drive for one another to succeed is what makes this office so special. Clients see the relationship we have with each other and are excited to be a part of it, as well. Having such a supportive, encouraging team empowers everyone.
Jenny Hayes Account Administrator Our team has the ability to work towards a common vision, which is providing excellent customer service to our amazing clients. When women support each other, as we do, incredible and marvelous things happen!
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Vice President and Trust Officer We each have our own strengths and weaknesses. However, we have become one unit, encouraging and supporting each other no matter what. And because of this, our clients get the best of each of us individually, as well as collectively. There is just nothing better to witness, as well as being a part of this team we call The Trust Company!
See us for your investment portfolio, trusts, estates and wealth management. Jenny Hayes
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Behind Every Successful Woman in Columbia is a Successful Woman Who Has Her “Back”
I’d like to congratulate all the wonderful 2019 Women of Excellence nominees. You’re beautiful, strong women I respect. - Dr. Ashley Emel
Dr.
Ashley Emel, owner of Compass Chiropractic and Wellness, wife, and a busy mother of two knows the importance of good health contributing to a successful woman, a WOMAN OF EXCELLENCE. She wants everyone in the community to get the absolute best Health Care possible and to feel the best they can. Chiropractic care is for more than just back pain. It helps to boost the immune system, improve mental clarity, circulation, and keeps the musculoskeletal system strong. This prepares the body for everyday activities and adventures. Compass Chiropractic and Wellness provides services in Chiropractic Care, Massage therapy, Acupuncture, Nutrition, Supplementation and more.
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As a co-sponsor of Women of Excellence, we celebrate all the women in our community who whole-heartedly commit themselves to not only their role in the workplace but perhaps more importantly, to one another. We’re thankful to have such women as part of our own team. Since 1961, we have placed great value on the highest integrity of our associates. These women embody and demonstrate that commitment every day.
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With nearly 25 years of experience, I know insurance and the value of a solid relationship. My clients know they can trust me for good advice and excellent coverage. They also know they can count on State Farm.
In celebration of this Women of Excellence issue, Atkins, Inc. would like to show thanks to one woman of many talents, Business Development Manager,
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Beth Cowgill. As Business Development Manager in the Atkins Commercial Cleaning Division, Beth utilizes her background in marketing, communications and public relations to ensure customers receive the exceptional service they were promised on day one. She does this by going out of her way to personally visit customers throughout MidMissouri — from small family businesses to large healthcare systems —staying proactive when it comes to their service concerns. Beth uses a collaborative team effort approach to create a more efficient work environment. She is always finding creative ways to promote and advocate for Atkins.
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Huebert Builders would like to congratulate the 2019 Women of Excellence nominees!
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Aspiring to Change and Giving Hope ASPIRE MO’s historic pilot program creates lasting ripple effect for incarcerated Mid-Missouri Women.
BY MARY KATE HAFNER PHOTOGRAPHY BY SADIE THIBODEAUX
Missouri has the highest female incarceration rate in the U.S. Fifty percent of incarcerated Missouri women are products of recidivism or criminal reoffending. On a whole, Missouri’s prison system is running at 105 percent of capacity. In March 2018, Kellie Ann Coats, executive director of the Missouri Women’s Council, and Ken Chapman, women’s/offender reentry program manager at the Missouri Department of Corrections, met to discuss what could be done about lowering those numbers. Their initial conversation turned into a longer discussion about the possibilities for improving Missouri’s correctional system. They formed the idea that would become ASPIRE MO, an entrepreneurship program for incarcerated Missouri women.
FIRST OF ITS KIND ASPIRE MO’s pilot program launched on December 20, 2018, at the Missouri Department of Corrections Women’s Eastern Reception, Diagnostic, and Correctional Center, in Vandalia, Missouri. The core of the 20-week program is based on Missouri Women’s Business Center’s LaunchU program. Developed at Southeast Missouri State, LaunchU is a nationally recognized, 36-hour intensive business planning course. “We work with you from day one,” says Jessie Yankee, executive director of the Missouri Women’s Business Center. “People often come in with nothing but an idea.” The only alteration made for ASPIRE MO was an added front section of soft skills classes to prepare participants for LaunchU’s core concepts. The soft skills section dives into participants’ individual strengths and weakness using the Gallup StrengthsFinder test, the results of which are weaved throughout the rest of the course. “It was very important, to me in particular, to incorporate StrengthsFinder in this program,” says Coats. “I want to get them in the mindset. I want to get their confidence up, and I want them to feel good about themselves.” The correctional facility participants meet once a week for three hours. At the end of the 20 weeks, they will pitch their business plans and celebrate with a graduation ceremony, cap and gown included. 76 MARCH 2019
Post-release, participants will have mentor support access from the Missouri Women’s Business Center or one of their partners. “We’re not only giving them the tools to start their own business, but we’re also giving them soft skills for employment,” says Coats. “We’re going to be working with case managers to help them find jobs when they get out.” Potential ASPIRE MO participants began their application process through their case worker. For an inmate to be considered, they must have a projected release within four years and no excessive violations. Few violent offenders were given consideration. While there is a mental competency evaluation, no education requirement is needed for the course. One day before the program’s start date, participants found out if they were accepted into the program. Out of 62 applicants, 10 were selected for the pilot class. The first ASPIRE MO participant accepted could be released as early as June 20, 2019.
FLY BY NIGHT Considered a workforce development program, ASPIRE MO has gained special attention from Governor Mike Parson. It supports one of his major agenda focuses: workforce development. “When you talk about workforce development, you’re not just talking about getting a job. You’re talking about what goes into getting a job, how you keep the job, and how that job becomes a career pathway for you” says Chapman. “I see us opening career pathways for these women.” The class has been heavily supported by two of Governor Parson’s cabinet members, Rob Dixon, director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development, and Anne Precythe, Department of Corrections director. The Department of Corrections is currently massively understaffed and dealing with overcrowded prisons, and the program’s existence shows a firm commitment to reform. There are few similar programs in the country to model ASPIRE MO after. Chapman, Coats, and Yankee, each newly instated to their respective positions, have curated every detail of the program while keeping up with its swift timeline. The program has sourced $10,000 in private donor committees and an additional $20,000 from both federal and state government agencies. That money covers two rounds of programming, LaunchU books, discounted coaching fees, and a one-time purchase of Chromebook laptops. The bare bones budget does not include Chapman’s, Coats’s, or Yankee’s time or travel. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 77
“They’re aspiring to be better — to be better moms, to be better citizens, to be better employees, and to be better than where they are right now.” — Kellie Ann Coats, executive director of Missouri Women’s Council
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“It’s fly by night, right now,” says Yankee. As internet was crucial, the use of computers inside the prison was a big question. The questions of space, inmate time, and supervision also posed difficulties. Almost as a product of divine intervention, doors and windows have opened for the program to continue full-steam ahead.
IN THE CLASSROOM ASPIRE MO’s class space doubles as the visiting center. Watching each inmate walk into the room, smiling and chatting, ASPIRE MO feels like any college class. The environment is relaxed as participants visit with one another, discussing homework and the lesson ahead. “I feel very privileged because not only do we have these people helping us, but they’re going to stay connected to us when we leave here,” says Lorie Barnes, an ASPIRE MO participant. “If I run into any problems, I have someone to turn to. Who has that when they leave prison?” At age 46, Barnes is in the midst of a 13-year sentence, projected to be completed on February 13, 2022. Her business idea revolves around her almost six years of specialty dog training at the correctional facility. Upon release, Barnes plans to dive headfirst into her business plan, starting out of her home with her own dog training business. She plans to grow the business by including dog grooming and selling locally made specialty dog items. Inmate Janiece Moore has lived half her life in prison. Serving a 25-year sentence for gang related activities, Moore has distinguished herself in the prison with her heavy involvement on the prison’s campus. “Before time behind the gates, I would only think for today,” says Moore. “One of the big things I’ve learned to do is to think for tomorrow.” Moore evolved her personal training certification, which was obtained inside the correctional facility, into a personal therapy study. Her business idea is a vehicle-based physical therapy company that travels to immobile patients. Other ASPIRE MO business ideas include a produce production in Alabama and a family bakery. “They [ASPIRE MO participants] already have a lot of skills,” says Yankee. “They just don’t know how to take them to the level of being an independent contractor or business owner.”
RIPPLE EFFECT “We have 33 applications waiting for the next session that doesn’t have an official start date
yet,” says Chapman. “There’s more going on than just an entrepreneurship program.” Indeed, there is an undeniable metamorphosis underway. “I think when they come to a program like this that’s safe, where you know that there’s nine other women who have the same shared vision, that creates a certain atmosphere to truly let their guard down and be who they are and learn to be comfortable in those shoes,” says Chapman. The ASPIRE MO women are being formally introduced to new versions of themselves, to their strengths and weaknesses, and what’s more, they’re being given the tools to turn their weaknesses to strengths. As Yankee and Coats lead each class, they are changing the way these women think about themselves for the better. “I love the inmates so much,” says Yankee. “When you actually get in there and meet them, you want to help them. You want them to succeed.” The participants are not shy to share with fellow inmates about their experience in ASPIRE MO. Their confidence and chatter have been infectious.
“People want to take the class,” says Moore. “I’m completely ruining it for them because I say, ‘Let me show you what we did in class today, and what do you guys think about this?’” Most of the women in ASPIRE MO are facing the consequences of being in the wrong place at the wrong time without the resources to get out of the situation. “There’s so much trauma that women who are incarcerated have to deal with,” says Chapman. “There’s the physical, emotional, and the sexual trauma that a lot of times comes with criminal activity. And there’s also trauma that comes with being separated from your children.” As almost every participant is a mother, their children are nine times more likely to go to prison because their parent is a felon, says Chapman. A program like ASPIRE MO, empowering women to support themselves, may not only reduce the recidivism rate, but also positively impact the lives of their children. “They’re aspiring to be better — to be better moms, to be better citizens, to be better employees, and to be better than where they are right now,” says Coats. CBT COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 79
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C H A N G I N G F A C E S Gender representation across industries is shifting — slowly. By Brenna McDermott
Close your eyes and imagine a social worker. A mechanic. A real estate agent.
Chances are you envisioned a person with specific attire and equipment in a specific work environment. You probably also envisioned each as a specific gender. You’re not alone. The world has established certain stereotypes when it comes to work in certain industries. Nurses are women. Computer programmers are men. So on and so forth. But many factors are changing the gender dynamics at work, from new industries, changing technology, and even different recruitment practices. The stereotypes are breaking down — albeit slowly.
WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE STILL GENDER DOMINATED? The male–female ratio of workers has stayed relatively the same for the last two decades. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, women have represented 46 to 47 percent of the civilian labor force since 2000. In 1990, it was 45.2 percent. It was 42.5 percent in 1980, and 38.1 percent in 1970. Many of the stereotypical womendominated industries are still dominated by women. According to 2016 data from the Department of Labor and the U.S. Census Bureau, 87.9 percent of nurses are women, making nursing one of the most womendominated industries. That said, women’s annual earnings as nurses averaged $64,413 while men’s averaged $70,952. “We’re seeing more men go into health care,” says Joan Hermsen, associate professor of sociology at MU. “There’s job availability, more potential job security. I think we’ve seen that shift happening in nursing for a while, so that’s a pretty important shift underway. We see men thinking more about these hightouch kinds of jobs and industries that require interaction with patients.” Representation of men is lowest in preschool and kindergarten teachers — only 82 MARCH 2019
2 percent. According to the data, men working in this field earn on average $29,000 while women average $25,021. “We can think of K-12 education, for example, as a place where it’s still predominately female, particularly at the elementary levels and certainly in childhood education,” Hermsen says. Childcare workers are 94 percent female; dental assistants are 92 percent; medical assistants are 91 percent; receptionists and health information technicians are 90 percent; dietitians and nutritionists are 89 percent. Then billing and posting clerks, hairdressers, cosmetologists, nurse practitioners, payroll and timekeeping clerks, bookkeepers, licensed practical and vocation nurses, tellers, paralegals and legal assistants, health aides, special education teachers, and phlebotomists are all roles in which more than 85 percent of the workplace is female. On the flip side, there are still many occupations with nearly all-male representation. Women are underrepresented in industries like transportation, IT, energy, and infrastructure. Auto technicians and mechanics are 99 percent male; pipe layers and plumbers are 98 percent, as are carpenters, electricians, and operating engineers. Construction laborers, maintenance and repair workers, first-line supervisors of construction trades, and industrial and refractory machinery mechanics all have 97 percent male workers. “I think a lot of the energy industry is still heavily male-dominated, when we think about things like mining and even wind energy, in part because of the engineering behind it, which is still heavily male,” Hermsen says, “but also just the field work that it requires for a lot of those jobs.” Only two industries are 50/50, according to the Department of Labor: postal service clerks and operations research analysts. (It’s worth noting women postal service clerks earn only 95 percent of what male postal clerks do.) Once considered a more male-dominated industry, accountants and auditors are now 60 percent women. Insurance underwriters are 62 percent women, medical scientists are 53 percent women, and 54 percent of probation
officers and correctional treatment specialists are women. Many industries that were womendominated are also shifting. Real estate brokers and sales agents are now only 51.7 percent women, and 47 percent of postsecondary teachers are women. “Female-dominated occupations have been found to pay less than male-dominated occupations with the same skill levels, and women have relatively low shares of employment in high-paying jobs such as those in transportation, construction, and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields,” according to research from the Department of Labor Women’s Bureau.
REASONS FOR GENDER PARITY Studies are pointing to many reasons for businesses to pursue more equal representation of genders in the workplace. According to Industry Gender Gap, a study on women and work published by the World Economic Forum, 37 percent of companies in the IT sector considered an increase in women in the workforce as an opportunity to expand the talent pool. Two in five respondents in the financial services and investing industry said reflecting the customer base was a main reason for promoting equal gender representation in the workplace. Outdoor recreation companies are one group taking a hard look at diversity in the workplace, Hermsen says. “[Businesses realize] they need to be more diverse in everything from who’s working in the production plants making outdoor equipment to who’s designing marketing campaigns,” she says. “If they, in fact, want to have a more diverse group of people using their products or taking advantage of tours or going to these outdoor recreation spaces, they have to be more thoughtful about who’s in the pipeline of doing the work in their industry at all levels.” “I think there’s some awareness by organizations that diversity might be good for them and that means not just hiring men and not just hiring women for particular kinds of jobs, but trying to be broader in their appeal,” she says.
IN THE FIELD
Engineering At All Stages Photography by Anthony Jinson
N
iki Kriete was a selfproclaimed space nerd in high school. It’s what led her to pursue a mechanical engineering degree from MU. While in school, she was part of a society of women engineers, but still, women were definitely the minority. After working in the field for four years, the Northeast Missouri native chose to stay home and raise her children. That did not mean she stopped using her skills, however. She’s a hobbyist carpenter, the fixer of the furnace, and the DIY expert in the house. “Staying at home, I did lots of engineering,” she said. “When the furnace goes out, I fix the furnace.” She joined Timberlake Engineering as a project
engineer in September 2017 after 12 years away from the industry. The first time she worked in engineering, she said she remembered working with one female drafter and maybe a female architect or two. She said it was challenging then to talk with contractors, though she isn’t sure whether that was because she was a different gender or because she was a young person entering the workforce. “I have noticed a huge difference now,” Kriete says. “I don’t get the feeling from anybody that I’m not qualified when I’m speaking with them.” Being a mom has made her a better engineer, she says. “I can multitask, maybe deal with people better, and I’m better at that just because I’ve
lived life. I feel like if I can raise three humans to the age they are now, I can pretty much do anything,” she says. Today she does come across more women in her day-today work in the field, but it’s still a minority. “But it’s more than it was,” she says. COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 83
According to Industry Gender Gap, there is expected to be a 7 to 9 percent increase in the share of women in mid-level roles by 2020 and an 8 to 13 percent increase in women in senior roles. “This suggests an expectation that the workforce strategies employed to promote gender parity will be successful in retaining and promoting the majority of incoming female talent, against past experience,” the study indicated. The road is not always simple for people entering an industry dominated by the opposite gender. They face stereotyping, overcoming an “outsider” status, lack of access to mentors, sexual harassment, and isolation. Forty-four percent of respondents to the Industry Gender Gap study said unconscious bias among managers and lack of work-life balance were significant barriers to gender parity. Other significant barriers included lack of role models and lack of qualified, incoming talent.
HIGH POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH IN WOMENDOMINATED INDUSTRIES The U.S. Department of Labor compiled data for 29 in-demand, higher-paying occupations with a high projected growth rate. Of the occupations with a projected growth rate of more than 30 percent from 2010 to 2020, many of them were female-dominated industries, like dental hygienists (98 percent women); health care social workers (81 percent); meeting, convention, and event planners (77 percent); and occupational therapists (92 percent). There were also plenty of industries that topped a projected growth of more than 30 percent with almost no women employed, like brick masons and block masons (a whopping 0 percent), cement masons and concrete finishers (1 percent), and HVAC mechanics and installers (1 percent). Of the 29 industries listed, 16 had 50 percent or higher employment of women, including the four jobs with the most growth potential (physical therapist assistants; meeting, convention, and event planners; interpreters and translators; and market research analysts and marketing specialists). According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, there’s potential in maledominated industries for women to close the 84 MARCH 2019
Five in-demand occupations projected to have the highest growth rate, 2010 to 2020: PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANTS Projected growth rate: 46 percent Median annual earnings: $52,160 Female workforce ratio: 70 percent
MEETING, CONVENTION AND EVENT PLANNERS Projected growth rate: 44 percent Median annual earnings: $45,810 Female workforce ratio: 77 percent
INTERPRETERS AND TRANSLATORS Projected growth rate: 42 percent Median annual earnings: $45,430 Female workforce ratio: 68 percent
MARKET RESEARCH ANALYSTS AND MARKETING SPECIALISTS Projected growth rate: 41 percent Median annual earnings: $60,300 Female workforce ratio: 57 percent
BRICK MASONS AND BLOCK MASONS Projected growth rate: 40 percent Median annual earnings: $46,440 Female workforce ratio: 0 percent Source: U.S. Department of Labor
gap. By 2024, employers will need to fill 2 million “middle-skill” jobs in the fields of advanced manufacturing, information technology, transportation, distribution, and logistics. Still, the Industry Gender Gap study found that gender parity in industries is about 200 years away. A LinkedIn study has indicated there is significant growth of female representation in
many specific roles. In the past 40 years, test development engineers have increased female representation by 243 percent, automotive salespersons by 154 percent, technical sales professionals by 133 percent, architects by 127 percent, and physicists by 116 percent. By industry, the LinkedIn study indicated public safety had seen a 118 percent increase; construction a 77 percent increase; consumer goods a 71 percent increase; design a 70 percent increase; and agriculture a 67 percent increase. “This shows progress is happening, but it’s happening slowly,” the study concluded. “In the last several decades there has been a nearly 25 percent increase in female representation overall in the software and IT industry — despite slow growth in developer roles — and nearly 30 percent change in hardware and networking. We’re also seeing a rise in women being hired into traditionally male-dominated industries, such as construction and agriculture, albeit still holding traditionally female-dominated roles in functions like marketing and HR.” As for leadership in industries, software and IT services has had a 27 percent increase in hiring of female leaders; manufacturing had 26 percent, entertainment had 24, hardware and networking had 23, and public safety had 21 percent. Even in traditionally women-dominated industries, like hospitality, women make up only 25.5 percent of senior-level managers, according to the Women in Hospitality, Travel and Leisure 2020 report. And what’s the biggest indicator of future job representation? “People are going to look for jobs that pay decent,” Hermsen says. And the research shows that when women specifically leave for a different industry, they’re leaving for money. “Likely the same is true for men,” Hermsen says. “They’re looking for jobs that pay well and that are stable, provide some sense that job will be available in the future.” As Missouri talks about expanding alternative energy jobs, Hermsen says it’s important to keep in mind the value of diversifying an emerging industry. “So called ‘green jobs’ — are they jobs that women are going to be included in?” she says. “I think that’s an important thing for us to be tracking in the future if that’s where new investments are going to be happening broadly in our economy.” CBT
IN THE FIELD
A Call To Serve Photography by Justin Kelley
J
ason North grew up idolizing his father, a volunteer firefighter. A Springfield native, North spent his childhood as a junior firefighter — it seemed exciting to be able to help people, he says. After high school, he got an opportunity at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield to work in the cardiac catheterization lab as a patient courier. While working in the cath lab, he got to see several men in nursing roles. He began to see nursing as an exciting opportunity, much like firefighting. “I like helping people, and being a nurse is the front line,” North said. “That’s where you do the most good.” He said he received a few raised eyebrows when he announced he was going to become a nurse — some friends gave him a hard time
initially — but his family was supportive. North joined MU Health Care as a burn unit and surgical ICU nurse in 2001. At the time, he said the nursing staff was 5 to 10 percent male, but he never faced a hard time from women nurses. “There are great female nurses; there are great male nurses,” North said. “It doesn’t matter what your gender is if you can care for someone.” Today, the ratio is different, he said. His nursing team is usually made up of seven nurses. One day he might be the only male. Another day, there might be three. Sometimes, though rarely, the unit is all male. Several years after announcing he wanted to become a nurse, one of those male friends who had teased North called him up — he too
was going to nursing school. It seemed like a good job opportunity, the friend told North. “When I got out of nursing school, they were begging for nurses,” North said. “I think there’s just job opportunities. I think that, in society, we’re kind of seeing gender and jobs change all around, not just specifically nursing.” COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 85
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IN FOCUS
EQUAL PAY. IT’S COMPLICATED.
The fight for equal pay isn’t having the effect on closing the gap that it used to. BY DAVID MORRISON COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 89
IN FOCUS
W
hen Joan Hermsen surveys the national landscape in the gender wage gap, she sees some encouraging signs. But when the MU associate professor of sociology digs a little deeper into the trends, the picture becomes more complicated. “It’s closing more slowly than it has in the past,” Hermsen says. “There’s a broader concern about these measures that we typically use to demonstrate growing gender equality in our society, that the process of change on those has slowed down. Generally, there is still improvement, it’s just that it’s much slower than it was two decades ago.” According to data from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, the median annual earnings for full-time, year-round female workers were 80.5 percent of those for men in 2016, a pay gap of 19.5 percent. That number has budged only 6.8 percentage points from 2000. The gap closed a full 10 points over the same time span from 1984 to 2000, from 36.3 percent to 26.3 percent. And where you live has a huge bearing on how likely women are to be paid a more equal wage. “You can kind of think about some places where the gender wage gap might be equal to what the national wage gap would’ve been in 1970, or women’s labor force participation rates might resemble what it would’ve been like in 1960,” Hermsen says. “That’s always a piece of the story that gets lost — there is a lot of variation. If we think that women in work or pay equity are important factors in women’s broader autonomy, we can begin to think about how different parts of our own state might be very different cultural experiences for women living there based on their more limited access to better-paid jobs.” Missouri ranked 30th in the nation with a wage gap of 21.5 percent in 2017, according to research from the American Association of University Women. The state’s situation is much better than, say, Louisiana (31.2 percent) but much worse than California (10.9 percent). Within the state, according to Women’s Foundation research gleaned from U.S. Census Bureau data from 2012 to 2016, Boone County ranked 15th among Missouri counties with a 15.6 percent wage gap in median pay. Among the state’s 10 most populous counties, only Greene County (around Springfield, 18.4 percent) and Jackson County (suburban
90 MARCH 2019
Kansas City, 18.1 percent) came close to matching Boone’s equity. And the county’s gap has closed slightly more than 3 percentage points in the past eight years.
CONTRIBUTING FACTORS Aside from geography, factors such as profession and race play into how likely a woman is to be compensated the same as a man of her similar standing and work experience. “For professions with smaller gaps, you could think about industries that are more regulated on this, ones where there’s collective bargaining,” Hermsen says. “Education, with public school unions, government sector work — they generally have smaller pay gaps. In particular kinds of manufacturing, with a heavy presence of unionized plants, you’d see it more.” According to national IWPR data from 2017, female secondary teachers made about 89 percent of the median wages of males — a wage gap of 11 percent — while the gap in financial managers was nearly 29 percent. Race also plays a significant role. While African American women made 92.5 percent of the earnings of black men in 2017, according to IWPR research, they made only 67.7 percent of white men. Boone County’s relatively high rate of college-educated workers leads to higher wages across the board, although Hermsen says men who earn degrees have seen their wages rise disproportionately higher than women with degrees over the past two decades. The only group that seems to be immune from that trend, Hermsen says, is Asian American women, who are generally a highly educated workforce that disproportionately secures high-paying jobs in STEM fields.
LEGAL REMEDIES The only statewide law on the books in Missouri governing equal pay was enacted in 1963. The AAUW rates Missouri as one of 17 states with “weak” equal pay protections because of the provisions the law lacks. Todd Werts, of the Columbia-based Lear Werts law firm, agrees with that assessment of the Missouri law. With the way it’s written, the burden on any plaintiff who wishes to bring suit under the state law is to prove that gender was the only factor in the pay difference. And,
if found in violation, the punishment for the employer isn’t exactly dire. “The remedy it provides is whatever pay the woman was shorted,” Werts says. “Most wage and hour laws you see have that plus some additional amount to cover the hardship. That provides an incentive for the employer to actually provide for both the letter and spirit of the law. There’s not really a disincentive, as currently written. ” Former Governor Jay Nixon signed an executive order in 2015 aimed at eliminating the wage gap in the Missouri executive branch and strongly encouraged private employers to “identify and address any gender wage gap in order to ensure that all Missourians receive equal pay for equal work.” But attempts to pass equal pay reform on a statewide level have stalled amid calls to address root causes instead of mandating compliance. “You don’t hear very much about big legislative actions around pay equity anymore,” Hermsen says. “When you hear that interest in moving legislation, it’s more about how we make it possible for women to both work and care for their kids: having parental leave policies, paid if possible, available to workers, so that they can easily return back to their jobs. There have been efforts at the state level to figure out ways to put programs in place in elementary through high school that would encourage young women to keep thinking about careers in science and technology. It’s those kinds of steps that are being taken more so than legislating pay equity.” Werts says there are other tools in workers’ arsenals if they’re looking to prove gender wage discrimination. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, signed by President Barack Obama in 2009, expanded the timeframe during which plaintiffs can file equal-pay lawsuits. Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 lists gender among its classes protected from workplace discrimination, as does the Missouri Human Rights Act, though Werts says recent amendments to the state act have lessened its protections. Such cases are not easy to prove. “At a macroeconomic level, it really is obvious that, on the whole, women continue to make less for similar work than men,” Werts says. “When you get into a microeconomic analysis of trying to prove specific examples, it’s harder.” CBT
Eq u a l Pay
MEDIAN PAY: BOONE COUNTY VS. MISSOURI VS. UNITED STATES MISSOURI
NATION
Men
Women
Ratio
Gap
Men
Women
Ratio
Gap
2017
$47,436
$37,229
78.5
21.5
$52,146
$41,997
80.5
19.5
2016
$45,897
$35,759
77.9
22.1
$51,640
$41,554
80.5
19.5
2015
$45,611
$35,311
77.4
22.6
$51,859
$41,257
79.6
20.4
(Sources: American Association of University Women; Institute for Women’s Policy Research)
COUNTY
MISSOURI
NATION
Men
Women
Ratio
Gap
Men
Women
Ratio
Gap
Men
Women
Ratio
Gap
2017
$45,370
$38,921
85.8
14.2
$46,846
$36,641
78.2
21.8
$50,859
$40,760
80.1
19.9
2016
$44,547
$37,611
84.4
15.6
$45,856
$35,709
77.9
22.1
$50,135
$39,923
79.6
20.4
2015
$44,031
$37,587
85.4
14.6
$45,340
$35,214
77.7
22.3
$49,450
$39,209
79.3
20.7
2014
$44,767
$37,760
84.3
15.7
$45,264
$35,142
77.6
22.4
$49,400
$39,087
79.1
20.9
2013
$44,607
$37,304
83.6
16.4
$44,913
$34,620
77.1
22.9
$49,087
$38,635
78.7
21.3
2012
$44,166
$36,698
83.1
16.9
$44,462
$34,079
76.6
23.4
$48,629
$37,842
77.8
22.2
2011
$43,241
$35,830
82.9
17.1
$43,868
$33,502
76.4
23.6
$47,549
$37,160
78.2
21.8
2010
$42,230
$35,030
83.0
17.0
$43,078
$32,282
74.9
25.1
$46,478
$36,040
77.5
22.5
2009
$41,230
$34,003
82.5
17.5
$42,464
$31,657
74.6
25.4
$45,363
$35,207
77.6
22.4
(Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey)
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1st Place: Logboat Brewing Co. 2nd Place: The Roof
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1st Place: Room 38 2nd Place: Las Margaritas
1st Place: Inside the Lines 2nd Place: Scout and Nimble
BUSINESS • P EOPL E • VOIC ES • FY I
N E W BUS I N E SS L I C E N S E S
New Business Licenses JANUARY 2019
MidMoTix.com
Regis Hairstylists
Ishams Ordinary
Taste Place
2300 Bernadette Dr.,
700 Fay St.
215 N. Stadium Blvd.,
Ste. 510
573-808-0441
Ste. 103
310-299-4100
Manufacture and bottling
573-499-0001
Beauty salon
of distilled spirits
Restaurant
Ascent Vapor Lounge
Bimbo Bakeries USA Inc
Merrill Lynch, Pierce,
1301 Vandiver Dr., Ste. D
610 Big Bear Blvd., Ste. 519
Fenner, & Smith Inc.
573-442-4285
417-522-5431
2804 Forum Blvd.
Resale of vapor supplies
Retail bakery products
980-387-1879
Fluffybutt
Divine Massage
Cookies LLC
19 E. Walnut St., Ste. I
2101 W. Broadway,
573-673-3144
Ste. 206
Massage therapy
573-881-0902 Bakery
Flat Branch Home Loans
Addison’s South
101 S. Fifth St., Ste. 200
4005 Frontgate Dr.
573-442-3850
573-607-2129
Mortgage lending
Full-service restaurant Associated
Membership-based finance mortgage and lending institution Wood Hearing Center LLC
3610 Buttonwood Dr., Ste. 222 573-777-7970 Hearing aid sales and services
MidMoTix is your local option for conveniently selling and purchasing tickets to events in the Mid-Missouri area.
HMI Cardinal Shower
Rare Epistles
Property Analysts
and Books LLC
209 E. Green
612 Big Bear Blvd., Ste. 523
Meadows Rd., Ste. E
573-554-4505
573-449-4159
Vintage books
Real estate appraisal
Mastercuts 2411
Active Life Massage
ADA Gallup
2300 Bernadette Dr.,
2024 Cherry Hill Dr.,
Counseling LLC
Ste. 624
Ste. 201
409 Vandiver Dr., Ste. 4102
310-299-4100
573-356-2865
573-239-6642
Salon
Chiropractic massage
Mental health counseling
2210 Nelwood Dr. 502-969-4059 Shower door manufacturing
and standard massage Susan Toth Eggener, LMT
Ascent Vapor Lounge
You’re on the guest list.
1200 E. Walnut St.,
Electric Peacock Tattoo
920 E. Broadway, Ste. A
Ste. 106
1809 Ammonette St.
573-214-1866
573-442-4285
573-499-4655
Therapeutic massage
Resale of vapor supplies
Tattoo services
therapy CBT
midmo TIX FOLLOW US: Interested in learning more? Contact us at info@MidMoTix.com
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B U S I N E SS • P E O P L E • VO I C E S • F Y I
DEEDS
Deeds of Trust WORTH MORE THAN $500,000
SIMPLIFY YOUR INTERNET SEARCH. Let us do the research. You make the choice. Locally owned. Multiple options. Competitive rates.
BUSINESS AND RESIDENTIAL Fiber Optic Cable DSL Wimax and Microwave Wireless Television and Phone Services Satellite Television
Call
$644,100,000
$1,750,000
$640,000
Hardin, Jonathan Law & Natalie H Alliant Bank STR 22-47-13//SE SUR BK/ PG: 4579/7 AC 10.43 FF TRACT 13
Hemme Construction LLC The Callaway Bank LT 448 Creeks Edge Plat 4
W A B Development LLC
$644,100,000
Janet E Wheeler American Airlines Federal Credit Union LT 44 Bearfield Meadows $644,100,000
Peterson, Ross F & Crystal D The Bank of Missouri LT 13 Georgetown Village $644,100,000
573-256-1166
Albus Properties LLC Bank of Washington LT 1627 Timber Creek Plat 4 Replat Lot 2 $644,100,000
Gaddy, Charlotte & Steven A The Callaway Bank LT 38 Woodrail South $2,574,000
CUT THE CORD. BREAK FREE. EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS.
1301 Vandiver Dr. Ste. C Columbia, Mo. 65201
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Kasner, Timothy J & Casey C The Callaway Bank STR 2-51-13/N/NE SUR BK/ PG: 1459/425 FF TRACT 2 $2,475,000
Hemme Construction LLC The Callaway Bank LT 421 Creeks Edge Plat 4
Central Bank of Boone County LT 166 Village
$979,175
at Bearfield Plat 1
Rexott LLC Central Bank of Boone County LT 211 Creek Ridge Plat 2
$575,188
$957,000
Rexott LLC Central Bank of Boone County LT 175 Brooks Plat 1 THE $932,500
Martin, Adam W & Marie Katherine Central Bank of Boone County LT 6 PT BL 16 Ashland
Wilson, John & Megan Central Bank of Boone County LT 134 Westcliff Plat 1 $540,006
Manier, Wallace G & Denise M Central Bank of Boone County LT 4-108 Smithton Crossing Condominiums $540,000
Ivy, Rita K & Forrest R $775,000
Central Bank
Martin, Adam W & Marie Katherine Central Bank of Boone County LT 6 PT BL 16 Ashland
of Boone County LT 118B Meadowbrook West SUB BLK C $500,000
Parks, Nicholas A $750,000
& Brooke
Angell, Jed B & Jill S Central Bank of Boone County LT 6 PT BL 16 Ashland
Central Bank of Boone County LT 403A Thornbrook Plat 12A
$706,960
W A B Development LLC Central Bank of Boone County LT 140 Village at Bearfield Plat 1
438 deeds of trust were issued between 12/17 and 1/18 CBT
BUSINESS • P EOPL E • VOIC ES • FY I
Economic Index LABOR
HOUSING
NOVEMBER 2018
DECEMBER 2018
IF YOU’RE
Total single-family home Missouri
sales: 151
Labor force: 3,045,837
Existing single-family home
Employment: 2,969,302
sales: 138
Unemployment: 76,535
New construction single-
Rate: 2.5 percent
family home sales: 13 Single-family homes average listing sold price: $219,117
Boone County
Single-family homes median
Labor force: 98,720
sold price: $188,000
Employment: 96,976
Single-family homes active
Unemployment: 1,744 Rate: 1.8 percent
listings on the market: 698 Single-family homes average days on market: 68 Single-family homes
Columbia Labor force: 67,458
pending listings on the market: 124
Unemployment: 1,191 Rate: 1.8 percent
UTILITIES JANUARY 2019
DECEMBER 2018
IS NOT
DEAD
Magazine ads provide higher comprehension and recall than any other media. And best of all, magazines show the highest return on your advertising spend (per the National Catalina Solutions, 2016). Advertising in our magazines will yield an increase in your brand awareness, brand favorability, and purchase intent.
Employment: 66,267
CONSTRUCTION
READING THIS,
Water January 2019: 49,455 January 2018: 49,095 Change #: 360
Residential building
Change %: 0.733
permits: 5
Number of customers
Value of residential permits:
receiving service on
$1,869,666
February 1, 2019: 49,475
CONTACT US TODAY TO BEGIN THE CONVERSATION.
Commercial additions/alterations: 6
Electric
Value of commercial addi-
January 2019: 50,678
tions/alterations: $666,282
January 2018: 50,210
Residential additions/alter-
Change #: 468
ations: 12
Change %: 0.932
Value of residential
Number of customers
additions/alterations:
receiving service on
$365,344.60
February 1, 2019: 50,689
573 - 4 9 9 -1 8 3 0 B u s i n e s s Ti m e s C o m p a n y. c o m
CBT
TheBusinessTimesCompany.indd 1
5/2/18 3:41 PM COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM 95
ADVERTISER INDEX ACCOUNTING PLUS.................................................................................................... 99 ACHIEVE BALANCE.................................................................................................... 65 ADVANCED CHIMNEY TECHNIQUES................................................................... 66 ANTHONY JINSON PHOTOGRAPHY......................................................................12 ANYTIME FITNESS..........................................................................................................9 ATKINS, INC........................................................................................................... 18 & 72 BMW OF COLUMBIA.................................................................................................... 16 BROCKMEIER FINANCIAL SERVICES...................................................................32 CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP SCHOOL...................................................................... 38 COLUMBIA EDP..............................................................................................................37 COLUMBIA MARKETING GROUP................................................................. 86 & 87 COMPASS CHIROPRACTIC....................................................................................... 68 D & M SOUND................................................................................................................. 24 DOWNTOWN APPLIANCE........................................................................................ 69 EDWARD JONES - MARK RICHARDSON............................................................ 88 EDWARD JONES - KATHY LOU NEALE.................................................... INSERT EVEXIAS .............................................................................................................................6 GFI DIGITAL....................................................................................................................... 3 GREAT CIRCLE.............................................................................................................. 44 HAWTHORN BANK.................................................................................................... 100 HEART OF MISSOURI UNITED WAY................................................................ 4 & 5 HUEBERT BUILDERS, INC..........................................................................................72 I-70 CONTAINER........................................................................................................... 24 INSIDE THE LINES........................................................................................................ 34 JC TOTAL HEALTH....................................................................................................... 80 KNORR MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS.......................................................... 66 LANDMARK BANK.......................................................................................................... 2
96 MARCH 2019
MEDIACOM.........................................................................................................................8 MERCEDES OF COLUMBIA........................................................................................ 14 MIDMOTIX........................................................................................................................ 93 NATHAN JONES LAW..................................................................................................37 NAUGHT NAUGHT INSURANCE AGENCY...........................................................37 NEW CHAPTER COACHING......................................................................................32 ORANGETHEORY FITNESS........................................................................................71 PERSONAL TOUCH CLEANING SERVICE........................................................... 38 PROVIDENCE BANK.................................................................................................... 70 QUANTUM WIRELESS INTERNET.......................................................................... 94 REALTY EXECUTIVES - HEATH HIGGINS............................................................ 10 SENIOR MARKETING SPECIALISTS...................................................................... 64 SIMON OSWALD ASSOCIATES (SOA)..................................................................73 SOCKET............................................................................................................................ 20 STANGE LAW FIRM...................................................................................................... 96 STATE FARM - PHYLLIS NICHOLS..........................................................................72 STUDIO HOME..................................................................................................................11 SUPERIOR GARDEN CENTER/ROST LANDSCAPE........................................ 80 THE BANK OF MISSOURI.......................................................................................... 63 THE BROADWAY HOTEL........................................................................................... 88 THE CLUB AT OLD HAWTHORNE......................................................................... 44 THE TRUST COMPANY................................................................................................67 TRUE FALSE FILM FEST............................................................................................... 7 TRUE NORTH...................................................................................................................71 WILSON'S FITNESS..................................................................................................... 42 WOMEN'S WELLNESS CENTER...............................................................................13
B U SINESS • P EOP L E • VOIC ES • FY I
BY T H E N U M BER S
54.8%
73.6%
65.4%
Percentage of Columbia women who are either very satisfied or satisfied with local economic conditions.
Percentage of Columbia women who agree or strongly agree that they earn a living wage that allows basic needs to be met without assistance.
Percentage of Columbia women who agree or strongly agree that there are opportunities for women to go into business and be successful.
Source: ETC Institute 2017
Source: ETC Institute 2017
52%
28.3
12.3%
Percentage of women compared to men in Columbia.
Average age of women in Columbia as of 2017.
Percentage of Columbia women who were victims of any crime in 2017.
Source: ETC Institute 2017
Source: Towncharts.com
Source: Towncharts.com
Source: ETC Institute 2017
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