Columbia Business Times - May 2016

MAY 2016 THIS / THAT ISSUE

MAPPING THE LORI DILLENDER Division-D

STARTUP WORLD PAGE 46

VS. PAGE 58

COLLEGE TOWN COMPARISON PAGE 64

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Wanda Northway & Associates consists of 3 team members: Wanda Northway, Jerry Stone and Natalie Rector. Together they have a combined 85 years of real estate experience.

The team feels it is essential to keep current with educational courses, changes and updates in the market place. The rewards are the clients and customers who trust the team to guide them successfully through their transactions in a time of paramount decisions, both emotionally and financially.

Kammie Teter Owner

White Dog Promotions LLC whitedogpromos.com 573-875-1144

White Dog Promotions LLC is a locally owned and operated promotional company specializing in custom logo’d trade show giveaways, corporate gifts, golf tournament products and embroidered apparel. Visit the Columbia product showroom to get ideas and to see/touch products before you buy. Our staff is the best in the industry, prices are competitive, and yes, there really is a white dog (Addy) at White Dog Promotions.

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FROM THE EDITOR

EDITORIAL Erica Pefferman, Publisher Erica@BusinessTimesCompany.com Brenna McDermott, Editor Brenna@BusinessTimesCompany.com Matthew Patston, Assistant Editor Matt@BusinessTimesCompany.com

Stop, Listen, and Learn

DESIGN Jordan Watts, Editorial Designer Jordan@BusinessTimesCompany.com

›› SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, I had the opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone. Where is my comfort zone? It’s in the office, on my laptop, coffee in hand and headphones on.

Leadership Columbia has most definitely been outside of that comfort zone. A program through the Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Columbia is a group of 30 business people who meet every other week (or so) for five months and set aside an entire day to learn about leadership development and community issues, and to build our networks.

For the past few months, my classmates and I have built relationships with each other through discussions, games, maybe a few adult beverages, and a shared experience of giving up our most precious commodity — our time — to learn.

Photo by Anthony Jinson It’s not easy putting work aside for eight entire hours to absorb and not do. We’re all driven: we all have deadlines to meet and quotas to fill, and so not doing for an entire day is a challenge. It feels unnatural.

But, if you can make yourself listen, learn, discuss, and absorb, it is well worth the time. We’ve learned about social services, education, major industry, health care, technology, and more. We’ve heard from community leaders across industries and party lines. We’ve had important discussions about our community — where we are, where we want to be, and what challenges stand in the way.

It’s been an incredible journey, one I am so glad I started. It’s been a great way for our team to keep our finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the community, and each person in the class has gotten invaluable coaching from Tony Richards and the Clear Vision Development team. I have an entire booklet outlining my DISC profile, my motivators, my communication styles (whatever you do, do NOT come at me with an aggressive tone — the booklet says it will not end well for you).

I’d like to congratulate my fellow classmates for an ambitious and demanding undertaking — it takes determination, organization, and a desire for personal growth to complete a program like Leadership Columbia. Thank you for investing your time for the good of the community!

In this issue of CBT, you’ll find some interesting and out-of-the-box stories. We’re taking a look at how Columbia stacks up to other college towns (page 64), different opinions on some hot topics in town (page 39), the community policing movement (page 52), and the two c-suite executives, female and under 30, running Division-D (page 58).

I really mean this: we want to hear what you think! Email me or tweet us (@ColumbiaBiz) and weigh in.

Thanks for reading,

Brenna McDermott, Editor brenna@businesstimescompany.com

We thought it fitting to shoot the This or That cover in black and white – a first for CBT. We wanted Division-D CEO Lori Dillender to look sophisticated and the lighting to reflect that. She brought a cool, laid-back vibe to the set. My favorite shot of her, this photo is authentic and shows off her quiet confidence.

Photo by Anthony Jinson.

MAY 2016 THIS/THAT ISSUE

MAPPING THE LORI DILLENDER Division-D

STARTUP WORLD

MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES Deb Valvo, Marketing Consultant Deb@BusinessTimesCompany.com Janelle Wilbers Hayley, Marketing Consultant Janelle@BusinessTimesCompany.com Megan McKenna, Marketing Consultant Megan@BusinessTimesCompany.com Crystal Richardson, Digital Marketing Manager Crystal@BusinessTimesCompany.com Jessica Kaiser, Account Manager Jessica@BusinessTimesCompany.com CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Keith Borgmeyer, Anthony Jinson CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Al Germond, Zach Lloyd, Mike Matthes, Brenna McDermott, Chris Nyenhuis, Matt Patston, Monica Pitts, Tony Richards, Jennifer Truesdale, Anne Williams INTERNS Marilyn Haigh, Caroline Harding, Sean Nelson, Alisiana Peters, Brooke Skiles, Sierra Stewart, Amber Taylor MANAGEMENT Erica Pefferman, President Erica@BusinessTimesCompany.com Renea Sapp, Vice President of Finance ReneaS@BusinessTimesCompany.com Amy Ferrari, Operations Manager Amy@BusinessTimesCompany.com Jamie Patterson, Digital Services Director Jamie@BusinessTimesCompany.com SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscription rate is $19.95 for 12 issues for 1 year or $34.95 for 24 issues for 2 years.

To place an order or to inform us of an address change, log on to ColumbiaBusinessTimes.com.

The Columbia Business Times is published every month

by The Business Times Co., 2001 Corporate Place, Suite 100, Columbia, MO 65202.

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.

PAGE 46

VS. PAGE 58

CREATIVE SERVICES Keith Borgmeyer, Senior Editorial Designer Keith@BusinessTimesCompany.com Kate Morrow, Graphic Designer Kate@BusinessTimesCompany.com

COLLEGE TOWN COMPARISON PAGE 64

OUR MISSION STATEMENT The Columbia Business Times and ColumbiaBusinessTimes.com strives to be Columbia’s leading source for timely and comprehensive news coverage of the local business community. This publication is dedicated to being the most relevant and useful vehicle for the exchange of information and ideas among Columbia’s business professionals.

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 17

Don’t Forget!

Mother’s Dthay is May 8

18 \\\ MAY 2016

ABOUT THE LAST TIMES What's happening online Melissa Emler @MelissaEmler @MattMurrie @mbfxc @EdTech_Stories @DigCitSummitEDU @ColumbiaBiz GREAT ARTICLE!!! #edupreneur #startup

Around the office Top of the Town Ain’t no party like a CBT party. Join us on June 29 for Top of the Town at Logboat Brewing Co. to celebrate the top B2B businesses and services in Columbia. Order your tickets soon at ColumbiaBusinessTimes.com

Matt Fischer @themattfischer Read @MattMurrie’s piece in @ColumbiaBiz on life as a #startup in Columbia.

Peter Stiepleman @PStieple Thanks, @ColumbiaBiz for allowing me to write four articles.

This last one has really gotten around: goo.gl/xh2iwg #cpsbest Matthew Murrie @MattMurrie .@ColumbiaBiz #WhatIf you got a mention on York Exponential blog: bit.ly/1MTekAt #CBT article: bit.ly/1VDU64Z Jonathan Sessions @JSesh .@ColumbiaBiz It’s BatMatt

Company Book Club This month we’re reading "The Happiness Project, or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun" by Gretchen Rubin.

Rubin dedicated a year of her life to explore how to be happier.

Corrections CCIS Career Center @CCIS_Careers The Columbia Business Times is in search for the perfect intern… Actually multiple interns #ApplyToday #internship ow.ly/i/hSPdi

In the April 2016 article “Meant to Be,” it was incorrectly reported that Shelter Insurance donated $650,000 to the Patriot Place project. Shelter actually donated $450,000 to the project. In the April 2016 article “The Greenest House on Earth,”

Write to CBT editor Brenna McDermott at Brenna@BusinessTimesCompany.com

the city of Columbia is pursuing STAR Communities certification, not ENERGY STAR certification.

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 19

20 \\\ MAY 2016

CBT CONTRIBUTORS MAY 2016 MARILYN HAIGH is an editorial intern for The Business Times Company. She is studying French and international journalism at MU and is in constant pursuit of the perfect croissant.

ANTHONY JINSON is a commercial photographer specializing in editorial, corporate and advertising photography with a focus on portraiture. When not making images, you’re likely to find Anthony spending time with MARILYN HAIGH

ANTHONY JINSON

his son or wrenching on vintage motorcycles.

ZACH LLOYD is a graduate of the Master of Science in Journalism program at Ohio University's E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. He lives in Columbia with his girlfriend, Amanda, and their cat, Norma.

MATT PATSTON is the assistant editor of CBT and a senior at the Missouri School of Journalism. He's from Denver, Colorado and spends his free time exploring Boone County with his fianceé and reading long articles ZACH LLOYD

MATT PATSTON

he finds on Twitter.

SIERRA STEWART is an editorial intern for the Business Times Company and a freshman at Arizona State University. She is from Scottsdale, Arizona and considers herself a mix between an empathetic politician and a pragmatic dreamer.

JENNIFER TRUESDALE has a Bachelor of Arts in theatre from Truman State University and a Master of Public Affairs from MU. She works at the Heart of United Way as SIERRA STEWART

JENNIFER TRUESDALE

the strategic marketing and communications director.

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 21

22 \\\ MAY 2016

May 2016

Vol. 22, Issue 11 columbiabusinesstimes.com

DEPARTMENTS

›› THIS/ THAT ISSUE

58

Digital Dames

Division-D’s CEO Lori Dillender, right, and CRO Katelyn Duff rose from interns to the C-suite. The ad placement company is booming with national clients and millennial employees.

39 Head to Head

Columbia has its share of hot topics – which side are you on? We examine both sides of educational attendance areas, real estate development, and online sales tax.

46 Startup System

Columbia has more to do for the startup ecosystem. How can the business community take it to the next level of recruiting, mentoring, and maintaining entrepreneurs?

17 From the Editor 19 Letters to the Editor 21 Contributors 25 Movers and Shakers 26 Briefly in the News 29 A Closer Look 30 Business Update 35 P.Y.S.K. 37 Opinion 70 Nonprofit Spotlight 72 Celebrations 74 Marketing 75 Startups 76 Org Health 77 City 78 Ask Anne 80 Business Licenses 81 Deeds of Trust 82 Economic Index 83 By the Numbers 86 This or That 87 Soundbite 88 9 Questions 90 Flashback

52 It Takes A Village

Community policing is a national trend. Why is it a growing trend and what is necessary to make this police and public partnership work to help officers enforce the law?

64 College Town Crunch

We spend lots of time wrapped up in Columbia’s issues. But in the This or That edition, we consider how the city measures up to other college towns across the United States.

The Big Picture Highly productive technology solutions

Westminster College’s Champ Auditorium required a projector and screen large enough to view from all 1400 seats, with the ability to disappear when not in use. Our solution includes a 14-foot wide screen on a mechanical retraction lift and an Epson Professional Projector mounted to a heavy-duty 17-foot long scissor lift that drops smoothly from the ceiling. The Elan touch panel controls everything. We’ve offered business solutions— and home entertainment--for 40 years.

Conference Rooms • Workplace Music Systems • Surveillance Cameras Automation & Control • Energy Management • Digital Signage Restaurant & Bar Systems • Video Walls

8th and Locust • Downtown Columbia • 573-449-3933 • www.DandMSound.Net 24 \\\ MAY 2016

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

›› Professionals grow, serve and achieve ›› Central Bank of

Boone County

SUZIE NAEGER

BETH WITTE

ELLEN NICHOLS

JESSICA MACY

Central Bank of Boone County promoted three officers: Suzie Naeger, Beth Witte, and Ellen Nichols. Naeger has worked at CBBC since 1994 and is now the vice president and director of relationship banking. Witte has served as the bank’s internal appraiser since 2009 and is now assistant vice president. Nichols started in 1998 and is now the assistant vice president of mortgage lending. The bank also promoted seven other people: Shea Spence, Trista Reeder, Sally Barnes, Miles Taylor Steele, Austin Rapp, Liz Boillot, and Robert Reil.

›› Columbia Public

Schools Foundation

KRIS LENSMEYER

BRIAN DITTMER

The Columbia Public Schools Foundation announced its new board president, Lynn Barnett, and a new addition to its board, Les Borgmeyer.

Barnett retired in 2009, following a 28-year career with CPS. Borgmeyer is vice president of sales for the Columbia Daily Tribune.

›› Kristina Glenn PAT HOLMES

DARRYL SEVIER

U.S. Cellular has named Kristina Glenn as the new sales manager of the store located on East Broadway. Glenn will lead store associates in helping customers find exact plans and devices to meet their needs in both personal and professional settings.

›› Collin Bartels KIM FANNING

CHASE JAMIESON

Collin Bartels has joined the Columbia office of Weichert, Realtors – First Tier, an independently owned and operated affiliate of Weichert Real Estate Affiliates Inc. Bartels joins a team that brings many years of combined real estate expertise to their clients.

›› Jessica Macy

›› Michael Hoeh

New Chapter Coaching announced that Jessica Macy joined the team as senior associate. New Chapter Coaching is an agency specializing in consulting and advising nonprofit organizations in the community. In her new role, Macy will assist nonprofit organizations and their leaders.

Michael P. Hoeh, M.D., will join seven other urologists at the Urology Associates of Central Missouri.

Dr. Hoeh is trained in the latest diagnostic and treatment options for urologic conditions and will provide general urology services.

›› BrightStar Care

of Columbia

BrightStar Care of Columbia owners Matthew and Kristine Hayes were recently recognized at the national home-care franchise’s owner’s conference as recipients of the company’s 2015 Rookie of the Year and Customer Satisfaction Award.

BrightStar Care is a national franchise that provides medical and nonmedical care to private clients within their homes, as well as supplemental care staff to corporate clients.

›› Fresh Ideas

Food Service

Fresh Ideas Food Service promoted Kris Lensmeyer, Brian Dittmer, Pat Holmes, and Darryl Sevier. Lensmeyer has been promoted to vice president of business development.

Dittmer has been promoted to senior vice president of operations. Holmes and Sevier have been promoted to vice president of operations.

›› Kim Fanning Provision Living at Columbia announced Kim Fanning as the new executive director, responsible for daily operations at the senior community. Fanning is a master’s prepared RN, a graduate of the MU Sinclair School of Nursing, and a licensed nursing home administrator with 35 years of experience in health and senior care.

›› Kevin McDonald Kevin McDonald was hired as the UM System’s first chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer. He will work to identify and address organizational and systemic issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the larger context of the university.

›› Mike Sukup Cripps & Simmons recently announced the addition of Mike J. Sukup to their team as an associate attorney. He will focus on estate planning, elder law, guardianships and conservatorships.

›› Chase Jamieson Chase Jamieson has joined the design team at Inside the Lines, an office furnishing company. Jamieson graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with a degree in construction management and interior design.

›› Zane Clark Zane Clark joined Columbia’s THHinc McClure Engineering office as a structural designer.

He will design and evaluate the strength, stability, and capacity of new or existing structures, and he will also work with his team to ensure successful completion of client projects. CBT

➜ Are you or your employees making waves in the Columbia business community? Send us your news at Editor@BusinessTimesCompany.com COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 25

BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS

›› A rundown of this month’s top headlines

DISTRICT OF DISTINCTION

PROTEIN PREDICTION

Columbia Public Schools was named a “District of Distinction” by education magazine District Administration.

CPS received recognition for its initiatives targeted at the “super subgroup.” The super subgroup consists of English language learners, special education students, black or Latino students, and students who qualify for the reduced lunch program. The graduation rate increased from 83 percent in 2011 to 90 percent in 2015 and went up from 67 percent to 80 percent for black students in the same time period.

MU researchers Jaimlin Cheng and John Tanner received a $1.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. Their team studies protein structure prediction, which can help make drugs more effective, improve disease detection, and more. Cheng developed a program called MULTICOM that predicts the structure of protein sequences. Right now, his software is 60 to 70 percent accurate. With the grant, he hopes to increase the software’s accuracy and understand proteins’ 3D structure.

COLUMBIA COLLEGE BUILDS NEW QUAD

MONARCH TITLE COMPANY MEETS BEST PRACTICES STANDARDS Monarch Title Company is the first company in central Missouri to receive an American Land Title Association certification, from accounting firm Habfi, Arogeti & Wynne. The CPA firm assessed the company and found that it complies with the ALTA Best Practices. Those best practices are a benchmark for real estate and mortgage lending companies, developed by ALTA to demonstrate policies that protect lenders and consumers.

HIDDEN TREASURES TOURS EXPANDS Columbia College broke ground on a quad that will open in fall 2016. The $1.9 million project will include an amphitheater, fountain, dining hall, and garden. The garden will be called the Christian College garden, in honor of the school’s religious background. Columbia College hopes the quad becomes a centrally-located gathering space for students to relax, study, and socialize.

Image Source: ccis.edu 26 \\\ MAY 2016

Hidden Treasures Tours, a boutique travel agency located in Columbia, is expanding to Kansas City. The company chose to expand to Kansas City because of the city’s emphasis on arts and cuisine and access to a major airport.

Hidden Treasures Tours’ Columbia office will still be headed by owner Mary Kroening, and Organizational and Project Manager Kari Laudano will manage the Kansas City location.

MU HEALTH CARE SAVES SIGHT MU Health Care received Saving Sight’s 2015 Excellence in Eye Donation Award for facilitating eye donations. In 2015, 75 patients received cornea transplants, which restored their sight. MU Health Care had a 55 percent consent rate for eye donation. The system was one of 31 hospitals to receive the award from Saving Sight, a nonprofit founded in Columbia.

CONCERNED STUDENT 1950 PHOTOGRAPHS FIND PERMANENT HOME The Boone County Historical Society is adding three photographs by street photographer

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EARNS ACCREDITATION The U.S. Chamber of Commerce awarded the Columbia Chamber of Commerce its 5 Star Accreditation for good policies, organization procedures, and an overall positive impact on the community. The Columbia chamber is now in the top one percent of chambers around the nation; of about 7,000 chambers nationwide, 102 are accredited with five stars.

HONORING FIREFIGHTERS

Jon Luvelli to its permanent collection.

The photographs feature “pivotal moments” of the Concerned Student 1950 movement. Luvelli, who donated the images, is the first street photographer included in the historical society’s collection.

COLUMBIA TEACHERS BECOME AIRBORNE

Patrick Hutti, the artist-in-residence at Access Arts, led the creation of an outdoor sculpture to honor firefighters in Columbia. The large, bellshaped piece was built on the ground of the Columbia Fire Department’s administrative building and commemorates the bell that rings at a station to alert firefighters to a fire. The bell also rings when a firefighter dies in service. At an event in March, Hutti fired the piece on-site with the help of Columbia firefighters.

Two Columbia teachers will join the crew of NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, for a flight on the world’s largest flying telescope. Rock Bridge science teacher Rex Beltz and Planetarium Supervisor Melanie Knocke were chosen to participate in the Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors program.

The program’s goal is to improve teaching through first-hand experiences that inspire students. Image Source: nasa.gov COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 27

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A CLOSER LOOK

›› A quick look at companies on the rise and in the news

eMINTS National Center

Forte Wellness Solutions

Phoenix Home Care

Contact: 573-884-7202 Website: emints.org

Contact: 573-256-9225 Website: fortews.net

Contact: 573-442-9911 Website: phoenixhomehc.com

The eMINTS National Center, located in Columbia, has won a five-year, $12 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The eMINTS center, originally an acronym for “Enhancing Missouri’s Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies,” was created through a partnership with the Missouri Department of Education and MU to help teachers integrate 21st century technology into the classroom. The center offers professional learning experiences for educators and helps school districts support new technology and teaching practices. The center has trained and certified more than 3,000 teachers who serve more than 35,000 students. The grant will help eMINTS with its newest project, implementing college and career-ready standards through 21st century classrooms. The grant will allow the program to develop eMINTS trainers in 56 schools in Alabama, Utah, and Arkansas.

The program is hosted by the MU College of Education, and they have partnered with the Small Business Technology and Development Centers.

Forte Wellness Solutions was born after Kris Whitfield saw a friend in pain. The cause turned out to be neuropathy — the weakness, numbness, and pain that comes from nerve damage. Whitfield had developed some methods for helping track and field athletes recover faster from injuries, and he wondered if this treatment could be applied to neuropathy patients.

After developing a treatment, Whitfield was able to help his friend with pain management. “The more people I tried it on, the more it worked,” Whitfield, the owner of Forte Wellness, says. “It was very exciting, but what gave me the most satisfaction was the joy and hope that my treatment was able to provide for these people.” Whitfield is also the co-founder of Epoch Men’s Health.

Today, Forte uses proprietary technology to send electrical stimulation to nerves to treat pain and complications associated with that pain. The FDA-approved technology sends repeated signals through nerve pathways to strengthen those pathways using pads that are attached to the skin. The company is able to treat patients at home, and their office is located at 3600 I-70 Drive SE, Suite F.

Phoenix Home Care ended last year with a bang — the home health care company was awarded the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Fast Track Award in December 2015.

Phoenix provides a range of services, including home services for the elderly and acutely ill and caregiver services for people with special needs. The company has grown from 1,588 employees, in 2013, to 2,759 employees, in 2015, and has grown revenues from $26.9 million to $50.2 million in the same timeframe.

“Our employees share a commitment to innovation, safety, operational excellence, and a good corporate citizenship,” Public Relations Manager Machelle Farmer says. “They work every day to provide care in the lives of those we serve and the community in which we work.” The company will open its 14th office this year and serves all of Missouri, as well as Colorado and Illinois.

➜ Are you an entrepreneur? Are you sprouting a new business? Tell us about it at Editor@BusinessTimesCompany.com COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 29

Ben Gakinya Photo by Anthony Jinson 30 \\\ MAY 2016

BUSINESS UPDATE

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

➜ 601 Business Loop W. 573-442-2257 parkadecenter.com

Rejuvenated Space

Parkade Center becomes a hub for education.

BY BRENNA McDERMOTT | PHOTOS BY ANTHONY JINSON THERE’S ONLY ONE place in Columbia to access five higher education entities under one roof.

It was a natural evolution for these institutions to gather at Parkade Center, says managing director Benjamin Gakinya. And Parkade’s new identity as an educational hub has helped occupancy rates reach 95 percent.

“It’s been a growth,” Gakinya says. “The expansion of the schools definitely takes up more space, which is great. Then just the ability of people, once they come into Parkade, they’re thinking it’s one thing, and when they walk in, it’s completely different. It exceeds their expectations.”

AN EDUCATIONAL HUB In 2010, Moberly Area Community College moved into Parkade. Today, MACC takes up 59,000 square feet of leasable space, 27 percent of the 215,000 square feet available for lease in Parkade.

Since then, Columbia College has added a recruiting office, William Woods University relocated its Columbia location to Parkade, Central Methodist University opened a satellite campus within MACC’s space, and Missouri Health Professions Consortium relocated its occupational therapy program to Parkade.

"I think, overall, The Loop is going to be great for business."

- Ben Gakinya

The Parkade Center houses 55 businesses and offers both retail and office space.

MACC also has cross-partnership agreements with MU, Columbia College, and CMU to host classes in their space.

“I think that it was an accident,” Gakinya says. “I think that you get a big school like MACC, and it’s great and the school is expanding, and then, because MACC is a community college and is a feeder to all these other institutions, they also want to be [here].”

MACC president Jeff C. Lashley says the gathering of schools is less accident and more the result of decades-long partnerships with the other institutions. Columbia College has had an office on MACC’s Moberly campus for 20 years, and CMU shares space with MACC at the Macon location.

Lashley says having all those schools in one location helps students transition easily to the four-year institutions. Those partnerships are the new trend in higher education.

“I would say it’s unusual, if you look at a historical perspective,” Lashley says. “I would say it’s becoming much more common today.

Higher education institutions — two-year sector, four-year sector — are looking for more opportunities to partner, looking for more opportunities to create pathways for students that are just really clear.”

The community college tried several locations before Parkade — space, parking, and lack of lab space were always challenges.

Not only has Parkade eliminated those challenges, Lashley says, the Parkade management has accommodated two expansions of the school, sharing renovation costs for expansion of the school’s technical programs. It’s also a convenient location for the 2,000 nontraditional and nonresidential students, with easy access to I-70.

“For the first time, we were meeting our student needs all in one place,” Lashley says.

Lashley sees possibilities to create more space for MACC’s technical programs.

“I do believe that Parkade would continue to accommodate our needs for growth as they occur, and I think there’s a lot of room for growth still,” he says.

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 31

TENANT TIMELINE Built in 1965, Parkade Center was the original mall in the area, with major retailers like J.C. Penney and Kroger Foods. When the Columbia Mall was built in 1985, retailers began to relocate west or south, and Parkade suffered from a vacancy problem and hands-off management, Gakinya says.

In 2005, the Burnam family purchased Parkade, an anomaly for the storage-giant family. Gakinya came on in 2008 and started vacating the upstairs space for redevelopment.

The next biggest tenant, after MACC, is the USDA, which occupies 50,000 square feet of office space.

Dean Sherrill, owner of Midwest Rare Coins & Jewelry, has been a Parkade Center tenant for 20 years this month. He sells collector coins, gold and silver bars, and rare items. He’s seen many changes at Parkade since his start there.

“At that point, Parkade was probably half empty and my daughter was helping me in here,” Sherrill says. “It was kind of interesting — she would have her friends over and they would play in the hallways. And it was much quieter then.”

The center is defying national trends, says Carrie Gartner, executive director of The Loop 32 \\\ MAY 2016

community improvement district, whose office is located in Parkade. Many older shopping malls around the country become vacant.

“It’s become clear the news about [retailers like] J.C. Penney is that they’re no longer driving the retail market,” Gartner says. “So what happens is we as a community have to decide what we do with these big, vacant spaces. I think Parkade has done an excellent job saying, ‘We have a lot of space, and while we may not be the major retail hub in Columbia, what we can do is put that space to really needed use.’”

Today, there are 55 businesses in the center.

IN THE LOOP Gartner says Parkade can be a model for other vacant lots and properties in The Loop, from street-facing retail to draw shoppers in, to affordable rent, appealing to smaller businesses. It also encourages other property owners that building improvements can pay off financially, and there is a need for office space on The Loop.

“It’s setting a standard for what happens on this corridor,” Gartner says.

Gakinya says they’re currently creating new office spaces in the northeast corner of the building, and 10 to 12 spaces will be available, ranging from 200 to 1,200 square feet.

Gakinya says future goals would include building out some parcels in the parking lot, “If we could get the city to relax some of their standards on stormwater, which makes it costprohibitive for people to build out parcels.”

There’s a concept, he says, to build three more buildings in the expansive parking lot.

“It would be nice to add at least one, because of the increase of people wanting to lease space who need upstairs, exterior space, 5,000 square feet,” Gakinya says. “And I always have to send them away.”

Gartner agrees, and she emphasizes that discussions regarding stormwater changes and development changes have begun. Those hurdles could lower barriers to building and improve the private property along the corridor.

Parkade owner Cris Burnam sits on The Loop board. Gakinya says that, despite the controversy surrounding the inception of the CID, it has already helped businesses by burying power lines and planning for future improvements. “[The Loop] has an impact on business,” Gakinya says. “I can’t measure what impact that has, but it has to impact their business, because a person’s first impression is going to be what they see and how they feel. So I think, overall, The Loop is going to be great for business.” CBT

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Sara El-Toumi, Owner

Meet Sara El-Toumi, owner of Salon Nefisa. Sara recently obtained an SBA loan from The Bank of Missouri to remodel and expand her salon. More customers will now be able to enjoy the full range of services from hair care to spa services, in this welcoming and relaxing atmosphere.

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

34 \\\ MAY 2016

ANDREW GRABAU MAY 2016 • PYSK • PERSON YOU SHOULD KNOW

E X EC U T I V E D I R ECTO R A N D C P O | H E A RT O F M I S S O U R I U N I T E D WAY | AG E : 4 1 Job description: As the executive director, I am responsible for securing and investing community resources to support specific agency programs that provide direct social services to our community in need. I also support our agency partners in building capacity so they can continue being successful, and I serve as a community convener in raising awareness on issues of poverty in our community.

Years lived in Columbia/mid-Missouri: 10.

Original hometown: Joplin, Missouri.

Education: Bachelor’s in political science from MU, master’s in public service from DePaul University.

Favorite volunteer/community activity: Ringing the bells with my kids during the Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign. Everyone is in such high spirits, and it’s wonderful to be a part of that. The more my children can witness this, the more I hope to teach them the importance of philanthropy and community involvement.

Professional background: I have worked in the nonprofit sector and higher education for 17 years. Before joining Heart of Missouri United Way in June 2015, I worked at MU for nine years in various programs within the Office of Advancement. Prior to MU, I worked in Chicago, for the Sigma Chi Education Foundation, and went to graduate school at DePaul University.

If I weren’t doing this for a living, I would: I truly believe I have the perfect job. However, if my position didn’t exist, I would love to write on current domestic policy issues. Or I would like to write the captions for The New Yorker cartoons — but I’m the only one that would find them funny.

Photos by Keith Borgmeyer

Greatest strength: Perseverance and follow-through.

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 35

""Always give someone the respect they deserve, look people in the eye, be empathetic to their story, and do what you say.""

A Columbia businessperson I admire and why:

Greatest weakness: Having to concentrate at

Accomplishment I’m most proud of:

night (I am an early morning person!).

Personally: running marathons. I’m not the fastest, but I have always finished them.

Professionally: building the trust of the community behind United Way and the work being done to make our community stronger.

Why I’m passionate about my company: Heart of Missouri United Way is uniquely positioned to serve every facet of our community. United Way has been a Columbia staple for 65 years, which means we have some of the best and brightest volunteers and philanthropists devoted to our efforts. It’s an inspiration to know there are more than 700 volunteers and 240 companies that sponsor United Way campaigns, as well as 51 agency partners that are all working collectively to make individual lives and our community better.

The next challenge facing my industry: With limited community resources, we simply cannot meet all of our community’s needs. So, we have to continuously improve in understanding measured outcomes and align those with community-wide goals so that we can invest community resources wisely for maximum impact.

Favorite place in Columbia: There are many parts of my early morning runs that inspire me: the view of downtown from the Walnut Street water tower, running past the MU Columns, and the MKT Trail as the sun rises.

Family: Married to Ashli Grabau, my college sweetheart (met on a blind date as freshmen at MU). Daughter, Elsi, 10, and son, Bennett, 6.

What I do for fun: I enjoy going out to eat downtown with my wife, getting up early in the morning for a run, drinking great coffee, listening to music, and cooking.

What people should know about this profession: Even in the face of our community’s biggest challenges, it can be so inspirational because of the people I am fortunate to work with. On any given day, I will meet with company leaders, government representatives, dedicated volunteers, retirees, agency professionals, and members of our community in need. They are all amazing, with passion, stories, and the desire to make the world better.

A favorite recent project: United Way coordinated a community supplies drive during our 2015 campaign kick-off at Shelter Insurance.

Zimmer Radio provided a live broadcast, and the Columbia Daily Tribune helped advertise it. Our partner agencies submitted their top two greatest needs, and the community drove through the Shelter Insurance circle lot to fill up multiple bins with needed items. It was beautiful to watch philanthropy in action!

Matt Williams, president at Landmark Bank, and Peter Stiepleman, superintendent at Columbia Public Schools. Both have the passion for the greater good and are outstanding people. Also, they’re humble despite their important roles in the community — and they can be quite funny.

Biggest lesson learned in business: Always give someone the respect they deserve, look people in the eye, be empathetic to their story, and do what you say.

Why I’m passionate about my job: I know that I am truly making a difference. I get to interact with amazing people that are dedicated to making the world a better place. I understand there is so much need in the community, so I feel grateful to be able to assist however I can in making a genuine difference in someone’s life.

My next professional goal: Helping our community make significant and measurable advances against poverty. I also hope to help bridge the socioeconomic polarization that we are starting to see more as Columbia continues to grow.

How you would like to impact the Columbia community: Help to foster a community that is inclusive and recognizes the need to constantly strive for goals based on equity, and to make sure that we can provide the necessary assistance and the opportunity to help move everyone in our community toward self-sufficiency.

Most people don’t know that I: I worked in a music store in high school and college, so I love seeing the new record stores in town (where I could spend hours browsing). CBT

➜ PYS K : A N D R EW G RA BAU • EX EC UT I V E D I R ECTO R A N D CP O • H EA RT O F M I S S O UR I UN I T ED WAY • AGE: 41 36 \\\ MAY 2016

ROUNDTABLE › Al Germond

A Bipartisan Look Forward THE APRIL 5 municipal election confirms Columbia's continued drift to the political left and, like the county it is a part of, the overwhelming dominance by what, in the city, could become a single party political machine. A "non-partisan" absurdity that eschews conventional labels, Columbia's seven-member city council now includes six liberals (Democrats) and a lone conservative (Republican), who is under threat Al Germond is the host of the of being recalled. Just like Boulder, Columbia Business Times Madison, and other major left-leanSunday Morning Roundtable ing university communities, Columat 8:15 a.m. Sundays on KFRU. bia continues to thrive because it is He can be reached at celebrated for its diversity, its quality algermond@ of life, the activism of its citizens, and businesstimescompany.com other amenities.

Yet it is frustrating for conservatives as they see their influence wane, stymied by repeated failures year after year to win seats in city council races. Otherwise well-funded, conservatives are at a disadvantage as long as public school finance issues share the ballot with races for municipal offices. This time, support was surprisingly strong for both the public school levy increase and the bond issue. For conservatives, the recent council election was a ham-handed train wreck where the proxy candidates in the two ward races never had the remotest chance of winning. If conservatives ever want to win another council seat, they will have to find a candidate with gravitas to step forward and pull out all the stops. Now, the losers are in position to do something shrewd.

They should get over their losses and line up with the winners on the issues that the majority of residents — liberals (Democrats) and conservatives (Republicans) — have decided are important.

Columbia now finds itself at a challenging economic crossroads.

Mindful of the "creative destruction," as first enunciated by economist Joseph Schumpeter (1883-1950), much of what we have held dear has been overturned with the advent of the Internet and the revolutions wrought by it. Potentially painful adjustments at Old Mizzou could end up harming the region's economic base, impacted by reduced residential enrollment, staff layoffs, the fates and fortunes of the Tiger athletic program, shifts to off-campus learning, and the vagaries of legislative appropriations. A fortunate, but less noticeable, boost will come from gains at Columbia and Stephens College, MACC, CMU, Westminster College, and William Woods University, among others. While Columbia remains a preeminent locus of health care services for the region,

the overall system of medical care is in transition, with a future no one can accurately predict.

Retail activity is soft, marked by the closing of Macy's; enhanced shopping opportunities in surrounding communities; and the rapid, unstoppable growth of online sales, exempt from taxes and the concomitant reduction in revenues to the city, county, and state. Envied by others for our low unemployment rate, we should brace ourselves for other possible store closings while wondering about the future of the Columbia Mall as patterns of retail activity undergo change. With its growing presence in Dallas, State Farm Insurance — here since 1956 — could easily shutter its Columbia office, and there's not a thing we could do about it. Jerking CVS around the way city officials and the council did was hardly encouraging to outsiders who might otherwise find Columbia a desirable place to do business. Then the unease continues about overall citizen safety as some opt for country living while suburban communities like Hallsville and Ashland, and reduced commuting costs, increase the attractiveness of places here and in the surrounding counties.

To repeat — and this is important — as long as public school issues share the ballot with races for city council seats, conservative candidates will be defeated again and again. That's because there is an overwhelming support network — more liberal than conservative in nature — that includes thousands of Columbia school system employees, relatives, friends, and whoever else can be rallied for support. The lock on this has been further enhanced by the recent unionization of CPS teachers under a contract with District No. 93 in a collective bargaining agreement negotiated by the National Education Association (AFL-CIO) as well as support from other union locals.

Thus, the incoming mayor and members of the city council could end up serving in perpetuity, replicating the unassailable longevity of the Democratic Party machine that has dominated Boone County politics forever. Columbia conservatives will have to come up with better candidates and somehow figure out a way to surpass the overwhelming presence of liberal-activists, including CPS employees, et al., who will enthusiastically "get out" the vote every April on the first Tuesday.

Back to something shrewd. There's agreement from all quarters politically that Columbia needs to beef up its police and fire services. But this will cost money at a time when finances are tight as revenue from sales taxes becomes less dependable. What better way to enhance emergency services than for everyone — conservatives and liberals — to come together to promote and pass another levy increase. The revenues from this would be used to hire more cops and firefighters. Imagine the potential as liberals and conservatives (Democrats and Republicans, if you will) decide to come together to collaborate and make a strong case for a levy increase to fund public safety enhancements. That would be something everyone — regardless of their political persuasion — could readily agree on. CBT COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 37

38 \\\ MAY 2016

Columbia has its share of hot topics – which side are you on?

BY M AT T PATSTO N

by

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 39

HEAD TO HEAD: NEW DEVELOPMENT VS. HISTORIC PRESERVATION

LET THEM BUILD

O

riginally, Tom Mendenhall loved development because of the dirt. Beginning in 1896, his family operated Boone Realty (now partnered with RE/MAX), and young Tom grew up playing in the dirt piles on the construction sites his family had brokered.

That was in the middle of the 20th century, when Columbia was still in the process of growing out.

Now, it’s growing up. Mendenhall is a player in that too. He’s a part owner of the Lofts buildings on Ninth Street and on Broadway, just two of the multistory projects that have been built in Columbia over the last decade, as decades-old properties downtown have been swapped out for bigger, newer buildings.

Those buildings have mostly been apartments, putting hundreds more captive consumers in the central business district. Mendenhall points out that his Ninth Street building includes a crop of new business tenants on the ground level, including a well-perform40 \\\ MAY 2016

ing Wal-Mart Express for grocery shopping.

As development has gone up downtown, more services have moved in.

Mendenhall says, “I think that the legitimate thing that people have to realize is that Columbia is growing at two to three percent every year.” If the city is growing, then development, somewhere, is unavoidable.

But there’s been pushback against developing downtown. One apartment project, District Flats, led to a lawsuit being brought against the city. The May 2015 demolition of the Shakespeare’s Pizza building, in favor of a multistory building with Shakespeare’s on the ground level, aroused public outcry and a proposed moratorium on all demolition downtown.

“You have a certain group that are just against everything,” Mendenhall says, “and you have some people that are for everything, and we’ve tried to make a happy medium moving forward. I think that’s important, to try to make quality growth of different things.”

In many cases, old buildings in Columbia are in bad shape, and some do make sense to restore — Mendenhall helped update and restore the Stephens building on Broadway that’s now home to Strange Donuts, Seoul Taco, Imago Gallery, Günter Hans, and the Factory Lofts. Other times, it can be more profitable to the owner and to the community to build something new.

While large new buildings have posed a challenge for some city infrastructure, they also bring in thousands of dollars in utility revenue for the city. Thirty years ago, Mendenhall says, downtown had a vacancy problem. New development has helped the area become vibrant again; it’s a short-term change for a long-term investment.

Unless Columbia stops growing, development will be a part of its future. “I think that people need to be reasonable,” Mendenhall says. “I think we have a code of what we can do in Columbia.”

How should Columbia build its future while protecting its past?

PRESERVE THE PAST L

ike Mendenhall, Robert Tucker inherited a passion from his family at a young age, watching his dad buy, renovate, and rent old shotgun houses in St. Louis. Through this, he fell in love with the art of old buildings, but also the utility of using them profitably.

Tucker is the presiding chair of the city’s Historic Preservation Commission, which has come to occupy an antagonistic role in the public debate about downtown development.

“People come to us all the time, asking us to save a building,” Tucker says. “That’s not really what we do.”

Chiefly, the HPC advises city council. They also talk with building owners about how to best preserve the history of old properties. One of Tucker’s favorite responsibilities is to teach people how to maintain old design features in a responsible way, like removing lead paint from cedar siding without ruining it. When a building is scheduled for demolition, the HPC conducts documentation and salvage trips. They recently

led a team of historical preservationists in saving some features of the James Condominium, which is being torn down to make space for a 10-story apartment building.

An obvious argument against putting new buildings downtown is that it requires that old ones be torn down — and Columbia doesn’t have many old buildings to spare. In 1998, the HPC began awarding special designations for notable historic properties around town, originally planning to honor ten buildings per year.

After 2010, they cut back to five or six. Tucker says they’re running out of old places to honor.

“We don’t have much inventory,” he says.

“We don’t have many significant old buildings.”

So, the argument goes, we should preserve the few we have. The HPC helped lead the public search for a new owner of the Niedermeyer building, the oldest building in downtown Columbia, after a developer submitted plans for a 13-story apartment building on the complex. The HPC also supports historic restora-

tion development, a concept successfully executed downtown by developer John Ott. In 2012, aided by a state grant, the HPC published an economic impact study for historic preservation in Columbia. The study estimated that $88.8 million dollars had been invested in historic preservation between 2002 and 2012, creating more than 950 jobs. Much of that investment was the result of the state’s historic preservation tax credits, which offer incentives to developers to redevelop historic properties.

Not every property is restorable, or even worth restoring, but old buildings mean something to the people of Columbia. If they didn’t, then the HPC wouldn’t exist, and there wouldn’t be any debate about the best strategy for city growth.

“The reason the HPC works is that you’ve got people who want to work on old structures and save the old buildings and keep them going,” Tucker says. “And there’s so much economic development there.”

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 41

HEAD TO HEAD: ONLINE SALES TAX

PASS THE TAX C

olumbia is a sales tax city. Sales taxes, at 28 percent and $23.7 million, account for the most significant fraction of the city’s general fund (three times more than property taxes).

The city uses them to pay employees, including police and firefighters, and maintain operations.

Sales taxes have also been an important bargaining chip in development incentives, like transportation development districts and community improvement districts. The city has said that it likes to lean heavily on sales tax to keep property tax low, which gives property tax increases, such as the one recently passed by Columbia Public Schools, an easier chance to win with voters.

But the 21st century has highlighted a few vulnerabilities in this system. First, sales taxes are more wounded by economic slumps, like the recession from 2007 to 2009. Second, sales taxes can be easily avoided in Missouri by shopping online.

Currently, the state of Missouri can’t collect sales tax from any business without a physical 42 \\\ MAY 2016

location in the state. A study from the Truman School of Public Affairs, at MU, estimated that Missouri lost $2.3 billion in sales taxes to online purchases between 2001 and 2009, or about $467.9 million per year.

Deputy City Manager Tony St. Romaine says staffing emergency personnel, particularly police officers, is a concern for the city. But, he says, “we can’t hire more officers without funds.”

Proposition 1, a property tax increase rejected by voters in 2014, would have brought in $6 million dollars to hire 40 police officers and 15 firefighters. The city estimates they lose about $10 million in revenue per year to online purchases.

The city is lobbying for public support of the Federal Marketplace Fairness Act, a bill in the House of Representatives that would require all remote retailers to collect sales tax, even in states where the retailer doesn’t have a physical location. St. Romaine says that the city’s talks with federal legislators have been productive, and the public reception has been positive.

“There hasn’t been any negativity I’ve experienced locally,” St. Romaine says, “for businesses or consumers.”

Federal legislation would give brick-andmortar retailers more equal footing with their online counterparts. Currently, states can elect to participate in the Streamlined Sales Tax Agreement, a cooperative effort that makes it easier for states to collect sales taxes from willing online retailers. Missouri is not currently one of the participating states, and collection still wouldn’t be mandatory. The FMFA would mandate sales tax collection for all online retailers, allowing the city to begin collecting revenue and brick-and-mortar businesses to have a more equal system of taxation.

If it’s not passed, the city fears that Columbia’s economy won’t grow as fast as its population.

“What else can you do?” St. Romaine says.

“I think the only other thing that you can do is reallocate resources.”

Should Columbia collect revenue from online purchases?

HANDS OFF

I

f the Federal Marketplace Fairness Act is passed, it will effectively override a Supreme Court decision. In Quill Corporation v. North Dakota, a 1992 case involving an office supply company whose customers used computer software to order products, the Court ruled that businesses without a significant physical presence in a state cannot be required to collect taxes. Amazon successfully used this precedent for more than a decade to avoid tax for its sales, until mounting political pressure forced the company to make collection agreements with a handful of states.

At the heart of that decision was the commerce clause of the Constitution, which some have argued limits states’ abilities to discriminate against interstate commerce. Requiring interstate retailers, no matter how small, to collect and then report taxes on every purchase made would place an unconstitutional burden on those retailers.

This argument has carried less weight as the scope of interstate sales has grown — at

the time of the Quill decision, the court was mostly concerned with mail-order purchases, which accounted for $180 billion in the U.S.; online sales now total a few trillion dollars.

But there’s another angle to the expansion of online retail: now almost any business can make an online sale, and most businesses don’t have the resources that Amazon has.

Would accounting and collecting sales taxes be too big of a demand for a small business potentially making sales in an array of different tax jurisdictions?

The FMFA partially takes this into account — retailers with less than $1 million in annual sales are exempt — but the fragility of online companies still poses some questions. An article published in Total Retail, a trade publication, says: “Small online businesses believe [the FMFA] would cripple their businesses.

They argue that the Internet is an incubator for startup companies and enables small businesses to access a national market for their

goods and services.” That article was published in 2012, in response to an earlier version of the bill with an exemption limit of $500,000.

St. Romaine says he’s heard principle-based arguments about the Internet in general: that the government shouldn’t legislate any of it.

Any regulation of online activity would pose a threat to the Internet’s value as a free and open exchange of information. Even mild regulation put in place today could lower the threshold for more oppressive laws at some point in the future.

Online shopping won’t fade from the economic landscape in the foreseeable future, and it doesn’t seem likely that questions about sales tax will go unanswered much longer. In a city like Columbia — reliant on sales tax with a young population that does a lot of online shopping — the questions only become more important.

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 43

HEAD TO HEAD: SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AREAS

REDRAW THE BOUNDARIES

I

f only Columbia grew in perfect, socioeconomically balanced squares. Attendance areas would be so easy to draw. If only.

Instead, the process is complicated. Balancing demographics with geography, while also steadying building-to-student ratios and constructing new schools, poses a constant challenge for the school district and the parents of its students.

Paul Moessner, a reverend and pastor at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, is a veteran member of the Columbia Public Schools Enrollment Study Committee, the citizen group responsible for making recommendations about attendance areas to the school board.

“I like geography, and I also like the opportunity to be involved in something so significant for the community,” Moessner says. “Public schools are the foundation of our society.”

An extension of that logic suggests that an unsound public school system can also contribute to society’s problems, including economic inequality. Neighborhood-based attendance areas tend to be comprised of students with 44 \\\ MAY 2016

similar economic backgrounds; these schools also tend to drive property values up or down in their attendance area, which reinforces or widens the wealth gap.

“It becomes pretty apparent that when attendance areas are defined, protection of privilege becomes pretty important,” Moessner says.

There’s not even anything necessarily malevolent about this — parents just want their kids to attend the schools closest to their homes, which Moessner says is only natural. Many parents have idyllic visions of their kids walking to their neighborhood schools every day. That becomes difficult when their school is a few miles away, across busy roads.

Attendance areas carry an inherent tension between geography and social engineering.

These two factors shape the attendance map, which is made up of bunched and asymmetric shapes, particularly in the middle of the city. The attendance areas of Russell, Grant, Fairview, Paxton Keeley, Mill Creek, and Rock Bridge elementary schools were realigned, amid public debate, in 2015, to anticipate the opening of Beulah Ralph

Elementary in southwest Columbia. The school board worked with the enrollment study committee and a consultant, RSP, to draw new lines.

The process emphasized diversity but also simplicity — for example, the new lines eliminated “Russell Island,” a spot of Russell territory that was completely surrounded by Paxton Keeley’s attendance area.

And the schools did become more socioeconomically balanced. In the 2015 school year, the average percentage of students qualified for free or reduced lunch at the six schools was 30. Five of the six moved their percentage closer to the average (Fairview’s stayed the same, at 32), and Beulah Ralph opened at 28 percent.

But was it enough? Or does the district need another comprehensive redraw to even the balance between schools?

Moessner, playing the role of teacher, gives the current attendance area boundaries a C-plus grade. “I’m not going to say ‘absolutely [redraw the boundaries],’” he says. “Is it the best it could be? I don’t think so.”

Which students should go to which schools?

STAY THE COURSE T

he most fundamental goal of attendance areas is to make sure schools aren’t overcrowded. The district has had trouble with this. By 2010, while coping with a budget crisis and increasing enrollment, the district had deployed 164 classroom trailers to alleviate crowded schools. In 2013, the district was forced to redraw the boundaries for Mill Creek Elementary after enrollment there swelled to more than 100 students past capacity.

School Board Vice President Jonathan Sessions says that situation was an example of attendance areas gone bad: negotiations with the Mill Creek PTA had been hostile at times, and the new boundary was more of a temporary stopgap — until Beulah Ralph could open and absorb some students — than a permanent solution.

Growing up in Columbia, Sessions lived in “Russell Island.” Every school day, he drove past Paxton Keeley to get to Russell. Early in his first term on the board (he was elected in 2010), CPS established a comprehensive 10-year plan to deal with overcrowding and attendance area

issues. Armed with comprehensive enrollment projections from consultant RSP, the board mapped out a series of bond issues, budget strategies, and improvement projects to build new schools, eliminate trailers, and establish durable attendance areas.

“When we’re at a place where we’re not overcrowded, our attendance areas won’t change as much,” Sessions says. “That’s really the goal here. But no matter what your real estate agent says, there’s always a chance that the attendance areas might change. If you buy a house and there’s a school being built near you, you should expect an attendance area change.”

The tax levy and bond issue approved by voters last month was the latest installment in the district’s 10-year plan. The $30 million bond will be used for a handful of elementary school additions and a new middle school; by 2018, the district plans on having 61 trailers in use, 103 less than in 2010. By 2022, Sessions says, overcrowding will hopefully be a solved issue. Until then, attendance areas may fluctuate.

Which isn’t to say that diversity isn’t a factor in drawing new attendance areas. Sessions says, “We want our attendance areas to be as representative of the community as possible.”

But the operative term there is “possible.”

Creating perfectly representative attendance areas would have consequences. Parents would protest. Students would have to be shuttled all over town, something that Moessner says isn’t practical or desirable. The “neighborhood school” ethos, and the community that an elementary school builds, would cease to exist.

Existing property values would become less relevant, for better or worse. These are delicate sacrifices to make, especially under the constant pressure of overcrowding in a growing school district.

The problems at stake are more than lines on a map. “This is people’s lives,” Sessions says.

“These are people’s children. These are future versions of adults, and we want to give them every chance to be successful.” CBT COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 45

Steve Cooper and Jasmine Harvey, of AgBiTech, in the MIC lab.

46 \\\ MAY 2016

Building Columbia’s entrepreneurship ecosystem. BY MARILYN HAIGH | PHOTOS BY ANTHONY JINSON

CHAD HANEY SAYS there are two kinds of developers — those who want a stable job in an established company with a guaranteed salary and benefits and those who are willing to trade security to work on new, exciting ideas.

Haney and his business partner Anna Swacker started Tin Can Technologies, a custom software development startup, in 2014 to serve other startups and small businesses. They knew that a company just getting off the ground might not have the resources or knowledge to create software and a website worthy of their idea.

Haney wants to hire students interested in software development, train them, and have them focus their work on one Tin Can Technologies client. Haney has posted positions on university job boards and even Craigslist, but he says his company isn’t getting many applicants. Since his business model relies on new talent, a lack of developers could be crippling.

Tin Can Technologies wants to grow, but Haney says they’re having trouble finding developers in the second category to hire. He thinks they’re leaving Columbia for other markets.

For Haney, the problem isn’t a lack of new ideas in Columbia, it’s a lack of connection between startups and new developers.

“There’s a lot of great ideas in Columbia and these ideas aren’t all from developers,” Haney says. “They’re from people who have no development experience and they need those kinds of developers … I think we need to do a better job as a community of keeping those developers engaged and excited and around more.”

Haney says he doesn’t know what will keep developers in Columbia, other than more support for small businesses in general. Like many other startup communities, one of Columbia’s biggest problem areas is funding, especially for companies that are still just an idea.

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 47

THE FUNDING GAP When Missouri Innovation Center CEO Bill Turpin returned to Columbia, home of his alma mater, after 30 years of working in Texas and California, he saw a gap in funding for technology companies. To solve the problem, the MIC is starting the Mid-Mo Tech Accelerator, a $2 million seed fund, to support technology and development companies trying to get an idea off the ground.

The money will be invested over three years into companies looking for $25,000 to $100,000. He says it will provide investment for 40 to 50 new companies in the area.

Turpin thinks the accelerator fund can help solve the problem that Haney, and others, identified. More support for the tech community will be a good thing for companies in any sector because developers are essential in almost any kind of business. If Columbia can grow more tech companies, more developers may be attracted to the region.

“We can’t force somebody to stay in Columbia, and that isn’t our intention,” Turpin says. “Our intention, though, is to provide what they need and to build relationships with them. I believe it’s these relationships that ultimately help a company decide whether they want to stay here or not. If they’re getting everything they need and they have strong relationships, there’s a lot less reason to pick up and move.”

Accelerators can help solve a lack of funding for companies looking for a relatively small investment to turn their idea into a business. Since most communities have accelerators, Columbia’s lack of support for companies looking for seed money may be the reason some companies go to Kansas City, St. Louis, or other larger markets.

Turpin says there’s a lot of capital in Columbia, but steering it towards new ventures can be difficult. Raising money for the tech accelerator has taken longer than he expected. He says he thinks Midwesterners are less likely to try something that seems risky than people on the West Coast. He says people are friendlier here too, and they might be less likely to give critical advice to a new company.

Later-stage companies that already have revenue and a product can turn to Centennial Investors. The Columbia Chamber of Commerce created CI in 2006 to grow local business. When making investments, the members of CI look for technology or science companies located in mid-Missouri that need between $150,000 to $500,000 in funding.

Outside of investment capital, Columbia needs to find facilities for companies who are outgrowing the space available. REDI President Stacey Button describes the current startup ecosystem as a pipeline.

The universities give students the tools they need to start a company. Columbia College forms the base of the pipeline through its outreach work with high school students and an entrepreneurship major. Ideas become businesses using resources at places like REDI and the MU Small Business and Technology Development Centers. The Down48 \\\ MAY 2016

Top: Ken Gruber and Brittany Angle, of Tensive Controls, in the lab.

town Innovation Hub at REDI gives businesses a physical space to work in the early stages; once companies outgrow the Innovation Hub, they can move to the MIC. That’s currently where the pipeline stops, forcing companies to relocate.

Button says one of the community’s goals is to provide a Tier 2 space for those companies to grow and add new employees. Since MIC is the only wet lab space — the type of chemically adapted facility needed for many life sciences startups — in Columbia outside of MU, growing companies are faced with the decision to constrict themselves or leave town.

Button successfully built a Tier 2 facility in Flagstaff, Arizona, where she was the director of economic vitality before coming to Columbia.

She says MU and the city have been looking into potential locations and are considering Discovery Ridge for the new facility. There is no timeline for the project yet, but Button says the goal is sooner rather than later.

CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY Collin Bunch is a counselor at the Small Business and Technology Development Centers who works one-on-one with companies at any

development stage. The SBTDC helps local businesses grow by providing technical support, networking events, and training courses.

Within the last 18 months, something in the business community has clicked, he says.

“For the first time maybe ever, Columbia is really on the same page,” he says.

Cooperation between groups like MIC and REDI is making Columbia’s expansive support system for startups an asset, rather than a hard landscape for entrepreneurs to navigate. Bunch remembers a year when Startup Weekend and Hack Mizzou, two events designed to foster entrepreneurship, were on the same weekend.

Even though both events were full, he says some people missed the opportunity to do both.

“We never really competed, but sometimes we wouldn’t all communicate,” Bunch says.

“We’d be like, ‘Oh, we’re doing this thing’ and they’d be like, ‘Oh, so are we!’”

Bunch, and many others in Columbia, say this change can be chalked up to changes in leadership.

Turpin returned to his alma mater to lead the MIC in June 2014. Button became the president of REDI and director of economic development for Columbia in January 2015. The same month, Raja Bhattacharya became the director of the Fishman Center for Entrepreneurship at Columbia College.

In June 2015, Steve Wyatt, MU’s vice provost for economic development, organized a meeting for the new leadership to get to know each other and discuss potential projects for collaboration. The group, called the Regional Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Committee, outlined three goals for the future. Less than a year later, all three goals have been achieved.

The committee wanted to coordinate the city’s resources to make it easier for entrepreneurs to find the help they needed. They found two ways to do it: an online map and a master community calendar for entrepreneurial events.

The map was inspired by maps of resources from larger communities. The map will help entrepreneurs figure out where they can go for the help they need. The community calendar, which is live on the REDI website, was created to grow a community of entrepreneurs. Anyone can post their events on the calendar.

“We are now coming together as a community much better than when I first got here,” Turpin says. “I think we’ve had some leadership changes, like myself, Stacey Button, Raja [Bhattacharya]. And we all recognize the need to lock arms and do things together more than maybe our predecessors did. Not knocking

ONE-STOP RESEARCH A life sciences business incubator at a major research institution is nothing new, Turpin says. But one area where MU stands out is variety — the university has all the major sciences on one campus.

The combination of medical and veterinary sciences is becoming a huge advantage for life sciences companies, Turpin says. Before a new drug can be tested on humans, preclinical experiments are done on animals. Tensive Controls CEO Ken Gruber chose to move his company from North Carolina to Columbia because MU was one of the only schools that could give him adequate access to animals.

Tensive Controls, a MIC client, is developing a drug to treat a wasting disease called cachexia that is common in cancer patients. It causes muscle atrophy and extreme weight loss, and traditional drugs are ineffective.

It turns out dogs, like humans, are susceptible to many kinds of cancer and, like humans, are at risk of getting cachexia. When dog owners hear there’s a drug trial that could keep their pet alive a little longer, they often take the chance to try it — and that moves Tensive Controls closer to FDA approval.

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 49

our predecessors, but the city, the university, everybody benefits when we all work together.”

The committee also decided to create a new event to be held in conjunction with Startup Weekend. In October, “Bringing up Business: Mid-Missouri’s Innovation Week” will directly follow Startup Weekend.

Startup Weekend organizer Heidi Fuhrman says the week will extend the collaborative energy of Startup Weekend. Pitch competitions, product demonstrations, and networking events have been planned. Fuhrman says there are going to be events for entrepreneurs at any stage, whether they’re already a CEO or just have a good idea.

“If you get this amazing group of people who are drivers, who are trying different things together in one building, it’s going to be naturally exciting,” she says. “Whenever you get a lot of creative people involved who are really excited about their ideas and want to meet people who know more than they do about certain areas, it ends up being a lot of fun.”

CREATING RELATIONSHIPS Turpin says having an experienced mentor is the number one success factor for a young company because running a business “is a learn-whiledoing thing.”

“You can attend all kinds of lectures, but the lectures don’t mean anything,” he says. “What you need is someone who has been down the road before and knows what to look for.”

MIC started the Venture Mentoring Service in October 2015. The service is modeled after MIT’s successful mentoring program. Turpin and a team traveled to the MIT campus twice to learn about structuring the program and keeping mentors engaged. An entrepreneur can apply online to join the service and gets paired with a group of between two and six experienced business people in the area. The groups are encouraged to meet once a month.

MIC has built a team of over 25 mentors, but is looking for more.

50 \\\ MAY 2016

Some mentors come from as far as Kansas City and St. Louis for their monthly sessions to advise and encourage new businesses.

For Columbia entrepreneur Sarah Hill, MIC’s Venture Mentoring Service helped with the nuts and bolts of starting a business. Hill is an experienced journalist and storyteller, having worked for KOMU 8 and Veterans United before launching her own company. She says she was trained to create content but didn’t know the best way to monetize what she produced. Her mentors helped her find solutions to problems she hadn’t encountered before.

Hill is the chief storyteller at StoryUP, a virtual reality company she started in 2015. Her startup is located in the MIC, which provides the resources she and her team need, like office space, equipment, and mentoring.

Hill got involved in the mentoring program when it started last year and says the process of finding a mentor was like “speed dating for startups.”

She and her team pitched their idea to a large group of experienced business people from around the state.

They were asked to leave the room while the selection committee discussed who would be the best fit for their company.

“I walked out of the room with a handful of valuable people who are providing me advice, guidance, and forethought because they’ve paved the path down before, and now we’re walking on it,” she says.

She was matched with five mentors, who started helping her solve problems immediately. Her original plan was to start a service company that produced virtual reality stories for brands and for journalism. Her mentors strongly advised her to sell a product in addition to providing a service. They told her that servicebased companies aren’t as sustainable as those offering a product that can’t be replaced. After receiving the advice, the StoryUP team created an immersive video product, which is currently in the research and development stage at the MIC.

Middle: Jasmine Harvey and Steve Cooper Bottom: John Chester and Kyle Paddock of AgBiTech

What advice would you give someone in Columbia who has a great idea for a startup but no idea where to start?

“I would say come to REDI, simply because they can at least put you on the right path to doing the test studies you need to do to make sure your idea is a viable, scalable business plan. That’s the first place you should start. Make sure that what you’re about to jump into can actually scale and grow.” -Sam Bodine, CEO and co-founder of Scout & Nimble “Go to 1 Million Cups and listen to some of those speakers. Do an extended Google search and see whether or not somebody in your area has already claimed that territory. Just jump in. You might be swimming in the deep end, but there are other people who will lock arms with you and keep you afloat.” -Sarah Hill, chief storyteller at StoryUP “Go talk to the people that would be your customers. Don’t start on anything with the company before you go and do 50 interviews of people that would be your customers. And do not ask them if they want to buy what you’re selling, ask them questions around what their pain points are and what things they’re wanting that you think your project solves. So many people, I think, focus on ‘how do I get this company off the ground’ before they realize if the company should even exist.” -Kelsey Meyer, co-founder and president of Influence & Co. “One of the first things I would point them to is a book written by [assistant director of the Entrepreneurship Alliance] Diana Kander called “All in Startup.” A lot of these people have great ideas but have no idea where to start, or maybe they think they have a great idea and no one else really thinks it’s a great idea. It’s a really good book for trying to prove that your idea is valid.” -Chad Haney, co-founder of Tin Can Technologies

EDUCATING THE NEXT GROUP OF ENTREPRENEURS Five years after graduating from MU, Kelsey Meyer is the president of content marketing company Influence & Co., which has over 60 employees and over 180 clients. Even though most of her clients are national or international, Meyer says she can’t imagine being anywhere other than Columbia. She says the relationships she built in college were invaluable in starting her company.

As a kid, Meyer took rocks from her neighbor’s gardens, painted them, and tried to sell them back to the neighbors. In college, she looked to MU’s entrepreneur program, the Entrepreneurship Alliance, for more formal training.

The EA is a course that gets students out of the classroom to experience the realities of entrepreneurship firsthand and develop the skills necessary to become entrepreneurs. EA Director Greg Bier takes students on trips to ziplines and high ropes courses to raise self-confidence and create a tolerance of risk. Acting workshops teach them to engage customers, pitch an idea, and develop thick skin.

Bier believes in pushing boundaries. He wants to build students’ self-confidence, but he also wants to challenge them to realize what they’re capable of.

“You can’t get somebody to develop a tolerance for risk with a PowerPoint presentation,” he says. “We really want students to experience what it’s like to be uncomfortable. The more I can get them comfortable being uncomfortable, the better. The answers to their questions about their venture are not in a book.”

Colleges contribute to the research and ideas that Columbia startups build on, and they help provide the manpower to get those ideas going — through students, alumni, and professors.

In programs like EA, experienced entrepreneurs teach students how to add value to customers’ lives and create a sustainable business, not just make a profit.

“One of the advantages to Columbia is that it’s a small enough town that you’re comfortable reaching out to people all the time, but it’s big enough that you’ve got such a breadth of experience here,” Bier says. “And they’re all willing to help students.” CBT COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 51

IT TAKES A Community policing enters a new age in Columbia. BY ZACH LLOYD

Image Source: ThinkStock 52 \\\ MAY 2016

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 53

54 \\\ MAY 2016

"They give me a 9 mm pistol, handcuffs, and pepper spray, but that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cure drug addiction." - Sgt. Mike Hestir

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 55

"I have no doubt, I have no doubt that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to be effective and successful in these three neighborhoods."

-Chief Ken Burton

56 \\\ MAY 2016

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 57

58 \\\ MAY 2016

FROM INTERNS TO C-LEVEL EXECS BEFORE 30 AT DIVISION-D.

BY JENNIFER TRUESDALE | PHOTOS BY ANTHONY JINSON

LORI DILLENDER AND KATELYN DUFF began internships that took them from students to the C-suite of small local startup before they turned 30. Within just years of graduating, they’re part owners of the multimilliondollar venture Division-D and run the show as CEO and CRO, respectively. And their focus on giving opportunities to fresh college grads has them leading a new generation of employees to success in a digital media industry that never stops changing.

HOMEGROWN STARTUP The Columbia community has witnessed the success of local entrepreneur Bobby Campbell for years. Campbell’s projects have generated and sold for millions of dollars. His startup successes include digital media companies 3 Interactive (now Division-D) and AdKarma, and entertainment production company Good Wizard Productions.

Division-D has earned multiple Inc. 5000 nods for fast growth, growing by 85 percent between 2011 and 2014 and grossing $20 million in 2015. The Columbia-based business, which Campbell founded in 2003 out of the spare

bedroom of his apartment, works by exclusively placing digital advertising with national and international brands. The staff of about 50 includes employees at satellite offices in Kansas City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. "Companies used to make their advertising budgets and allot a certain percentage for digital advertising,” says Campbell. “Things have changed. These days, advertisers and agencies make digital media the center of their budget and the center of their advertising world and the center of their efforts to reach their advertising goals."

Being an early adopter of burgeoning trends in digital advertising enabled Campbell to build the company at an impressive pace. But, as an unapologetic member of Generation X who believes in being a “disruptor,” he has also been vocal about adopting a particular business philosophy.

"I personally love Millennials," he says.

"Millennials are uniquely adapted for the digital world."

It's no surprise, then, that Campbell placed Division-D in the hands of two such children of the ’80s, Dillender and Duff.

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 59

LEAD(ING) GENERATION St. Louis native Dillender, 29, and Kansas City native Duff, 28, have traveled similar roads to success. Their stories converge in Columbia, one year apart, as college freshmen pursuing degrees in strategic communication from the Missouri School of Journalism, and both graduated in 2009. Though in the same program at school, they didn't meet until 3 Interactive (now Division-D) brought them together.

"I started with the company in 2008, while I was still in school â&#x20AC;&#x201D; I saw an ad for an internship," Dillender recalls of her junior year at MU. "Katelyn started as an intern in 2009, so I think I was starting full-time when she started interning. We have a very similar trajectory through the company because she started as an intern as well."

60 \\\ MAY 2016

Duff split her last year at MU between the 3 Interactive internship, working nights at Teller's, and studying for her master's in journalism. But a full-time career option at 3 Interactive trumped all, and Duff set grad school aside.

"I ended up really falling in love with [the company]," Duff says. "I interviewed at a couple of different places, got some offers in Chicago, but I rolled the dice really big and decided to stay at 3 Interactive. I couldn't have made a better decision."

In July 2010, just a few weeks after completing her internship, Duff started in an entry-level sales position at 3 Interactive. By the spring of 2012, she was named the director of strategic development. Nine months later, she was promoted to vice president of business development, and then to her current role as chief revenue officer in April 2014. She was 26.

In the meantime, Dillender was climbing the ladder as well. Upon graduation, Dillender also started in sales, and it wasn't long before she was promoted to director of sales, in 2009.

By December 2012, at the age of 25, Dillender became vice president of operations. The following year, she became chief operating officer, and just 11 months later, she was named CEO.

TRENDSPOTTING "In the simplest form, we work with brands and connect them with premium digital publishers," Dillender says. "We place their ads online with different websites, and that's kind of the biggest foundation for how we do business."

In other words, Division-D acts as the bridge between website publishers looking to sell ad space and brands looking to place digital ads.

Dillender was VP of operations in late 2013, when the company rebranded from 3 Interactive to Division-D. Campbell, with the help of his young crew, had once again identified a new trend in the industry: dynamic, media-rich ad units designed to engage viewers and defeat "banner blindness."

Static, banner-style display ads have appeared on websites for more than a decade and been successful, but consumers are growing increasingly immune to their presence. In 2011, industry-leading Interactive Ad Bureau released a portfolio of new ad formats called Rising Star. 3 Interactive was an early adopter of this portfolio and quickly became one of a few companies to offer it large-scale.

Designed to increase customer engagement, these formats make the whole webpage fair game for catchy, responsive display ads. With a mouse click, the ads expand, collapse, or animate. They come in a variety of sizes beyond the standard medium rectangle and often incorporate video content. These ads also use targeting and optimization methods of collecting information about online consumers, enabling the ads to change in real-time to provide content relevant to the customer.

Division-D is also in the business of video and mobile video advertising. Both are rapidly growing industries, with eMarketer predict-

ing that video will account for nearly $10 billion in ad spending in 2016, and mobile video for nearly $7 billion by 2019.

“Video has become about a third of our business in the last two years,” says Dillender.

“Video was about 10 percent of our business around 2014 and then grew to a third in just about a year.”

Getting in on the dynamic-ad-unit game spurred 3 Interactive to rebrand to Division-D, with the "D" standing for dynamic. Dillender and Duff have played active roles in that growth, as well as in feeding Campbell’s unique company culture.

CULTURE COUNTS “One consistent I feel like we have is our vision to work hard, play hard. Hard work always pays off in the end," says Janet Wilhelm, vice president of campaign operations. "The people who are going to find success here are very driven, smart, and hardworking.”

An employee since 2009, Wilhelm’s description of the staff reflects an intentional design in the company culture, one that rewards performance and attitude over experience. That’s because Campbell’s practice of hiring Millennials straight out of college has never changed. Average staff age is just 25, so experience isn’t expected.

“We've had a lot of luck hiring right of school,” says Dillender. “They don't necessarily have that professional experience, but we're interested in the person. If they’re a hard worker with attitude and drive, we're going to go ahead and hire them.

We don't require a certain amount of experience in the industry or anything like that. We're looking at the person, the individual.”

Wilhelm feels that the credibility of the staff is not hindered by their age. Any doubt a client may have about working with young staffers quickly disappears once the business exchange begins and clients encounter competent and intelligent professionals.

A lengthy staff training program gives new employees a leg up on potential ageism. Once hired, Division-D employees enter six months of training to get them up to speed in the industry and ensure their success with the company.

Each new member of the sales team gets a copy of Jeffrey Gitomer’s “Little Red Book of Selling: 12.5 Principles of Sales Greatness,” which Duff says covers sales fundamentals that match their business model.

Not to be discounted is Dillender and Duff’s management style. The two women work well together and take a hands-on approach with staff, with every staffer interacting with either Dillender or Duff on a daily basis. Their goal is COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 61

to create an open environment where employees are encouraged to bring new ideas and strategies, which is important for innovation.

“The digital industry changes so much that if you get too stuck in your processes, the company will never grow,” Duff says. “We have to be willing to change and make decisions on the fly sometimes, because if you're not keeping up with the digital landscape, you become stagnant.”

"We definitely believe in creating a wellrounded, holistic work environment for employees where they can not only excel financially, but also find fulfilment socially."

- Katelyn Duff 62 \\\ MAY 2016

There is also a fun, laid-back environment focused on team building and friendly competition. Staffers enjoy “bring your dog to work” days, regular happy hours and potluck lunches, group fitness activities like kickboxing and CrossFit, and volunteering together in the community. Employees are also recognized in front of the staff and rewarded with “Pots of Gold” — cash bonuses or an extra day of vacation — for their achievements and good attitude.

“We definitely believe in creating a wellrounded, holistic work environment for employees where they can not only excel financially, but also find fulfilment socially,” says Duff.

The result is a whole new generation of young, modern, professional 20-somethings ready to show their stuff — and move up. And with Division-D’s policy of promoting from within, many employees are given the same opportunity as Dillender and Duff.

DIGITAL NATION Duff and her dog, Charlie, whom she adopted from the Central Missouri Humane Society, recently moved closer to home, setting up shop in the newly established Kansas City office that opened in February with a handful of employees from the Columbia office. The Washington, D.C. office also opened in February, fueled by the advertising demands of the upcoming elections,

and the Chicago office opened last August. Dillender remains headquartered in Columbia.

For Dillender and Duff, who are now partowners in the company, their hope is to grow these offices, starting with Columbia staffers who want professional opportunities in bigger cities. But they have no plans for taking headquarters out of Columbia.

“Clients we talk to on the coast, in New York and Los Angeles, they're not used to hearing from digital ad networks or companies in the heart of Missouri,” Dillender says. “They are very surprised that we're operating here and are curious as to why we've stayed in Columbia. And the reason definitely behind that is the university. We rely very heavily on recruitment out of the journalism school and the talent out of Columbia.”

As they keep an eye out for the next hot trend in the ever-changing world of digital advertising, they feel confident that Division-D will persevere by maintaining a bootstrap mentality and continuing to invest in the next generation.

“We can give another young person that same opportunity, and that's something that's very important to Katie and me — helping our younger workforce right out of college to develop and grow,” Dillender says. “At the heart of it, that's the most important part for us, helping individuals grow and reach their potential and personal goals.” CBT

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 63

college town C O M PA R I S O N

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to live in the CoMo bubble. But as the city continues to grow, we must ask ourselves â&#x20AC;&#x201D; how do we measure up, what can we improve, and what are our strengths as a city? CBT compares the numbers between Columbia and other college towns.

BY SIERRA STEWART

64 \\\ MAY 2016

COLUMBIA, MISSOURI >> POPULATION: 116,906 as of July 1, 2014 (census.gov)

AVERAGE AGE: 26.6

MAJOR INDUSTRIES (forbes.com)

in 2014 (census.gov)

• Education • Insurance • Health care

RACE BREAKDOWN LARGEST EMPLOYERS (gocolumbiamo.com) • • • • •

University of Missouri University of Missouri Health Care Columbia Public Schools Boone Hospital Center City of Columbia

from 2010-2014 (census.gov)

High School Graduate or Higher (25+): 93.6% Bachelor’s Degree or Higher (25+): 55.9%

POPULATION OF COLLEGE STUDENTS University of Missouri: 35,424 2015-2016 (MU)

from 2010-2014 (census.gov)

PERSONS IN POVERTY: 24.9% from 2010-2014 (census.gov)

CRIME INDEX UNEMPLOYMENT: 3.2% as of January 2016 (bls.gov)

HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE GRADUATION STATISTICS

from 2010-2014 (census.gov)

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME: $43,776

as of April 1, 2010 (census.gov)

White: 79% African American: 11.3% American Indian or Alaskan Native: 0.3% Asian: 5.2% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 0.1% Two or More Races: 3.1% Hispanic or Latino: 3.4% White Alone (not Hispanic or Latino): 77%

MEDIAN GROSS RENT: $804

Safer than 12% of cities in the United States in 2014 (neighborhoodscout.gov)

COST OF LIVING • • • • • •

Overall: 95.3 Grocery: 94.8 Health: 95 Housing: 92 Utilities: 93 Transportation: 95

As of June 2014, compared to United States average of 100 (bestplaces.net)

Stephens College: 667 2015-2016 (U.S. News & World Report)

Columbia College: 2,200 campus; 27,000 online

GAS PRICES: $1.853

2015-2016 (U.S. News & World Report)

as of March 2016 (gasbuddy.com)

NODS • Forbes.com named Columbia the 6th "Best Small Place for Business & Careers" in 2014 • Named 13th most highly educated municipality in the United States

by Money

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 65

FORT COLLINS, COLORADO >> POPULATION: 144,073 as of July 1, 2014 (census.gov) Sixty-five miles north of Denver, Fort Collins is far enough from the city to enjoy the small, mountain-town vibes and close enough to enjoy the centennial state’s metropolitan perks. The fourth largest city in the state of Colorado, the former army camp is home to Colorado State University, ranked 58th among the United States public universities in 2015 by U.S. News and World Report. Ski resorts and cross-country trails are all within a two-hour drive, while residents have access to 820 acres of developed park land and 29 miles of trails around the Poudre River and Rocky Mountains.

AVERAGE AGE: 29.3

MAJOR INDUSTRIES (forbes.com)

in 2014 (census.gov)

• Clean Energy • Bioscience

White: 89% African American: 1.2% American Indian or Alaskan Native: 0.6% Asian: 2.9% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 0.1% Two or More Races: 3.1% Hispanic or Latino: 10.1% White Alone (not Hispanic or Latino): 83.1%

from 2010-2014 (census.gov)

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME: $53,775

RACE BREAKDOWN as of April 1, 2010 (census.gov)

MEDIAN GROSS RENT: $1,036

LARGEST EMPLOYERS (fortcollinschamber.com) • • • • •

Colorado State University Hewlett Packard Poudre Valley Health System Poudre School District Agilent

from 2010-2014 (census.gov)

PERSONS IN POVERTY: 18.4% from 2010-2014 (census.gov)

CRIME INDEX UNEMPLOYMENT: 2.8%

Safer than 24% of cities in the United States in 2014 (neighborhoodscout.gov)

as of January 2016 (bls.gov)

HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE GRADUATION STATISTICS from 2010-2014 (census.gov)

High School Graduate or Higher (25+): 95.8% Bachelor’s Degree or Higher (25+): 51.6%

POPULATION OF COLLEGE STUDENTS Colorado State University: 32,236

COST OF LIVING • • • • • •

Overall: 113.4 Grocery: 100.7 Health: 104 Housing: 145 Utilities: 91 Transportation: 96

As of June 2014, compared to United States average of 100 (bestplaces.net)

from 2015-2016 (coloradoan.com)

Front Range Community College: 27,926

GAS PRICES: $1.959

from 2014-2015 (FRCC)

as of March 2016 (gasbuddy.com)

66 \\\ MAY 2016

NODS • Listed as one of 10 "Best Places to Retire in the United States" by CBS Money Watch in 2012 • Ranked 7th on "Best Places for Business and Careers" by Forbes in 2013 and 10th in 2015 • Ranked 14th in "Education" by Forbes in 2015

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA >> POPULATION: 128,460 as of July 1, 2014 (census.gov) The largest city in north central Florida, Gainesville is home to the University of Florida, the famous 34th Street Wall, and, formerly, Gatorade. The “Berkeley of the South” was the first proponent for solar power, creating the country’s first feed-in tariff, a policy designed to encourage investment in renewable energy.

“Gatorville, USA” has one of the lowest costs of living, and while property taxes are high, Floridians do not pay state income taxes. Although commonly remembered for its urban landscape, the city is recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation for its greenery and boasts state parks like the Devil’s Millhopper, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park, and Paynes Prairie Preserve.

AVERAGE AGE: 25.1

MAJOR INDUSTRIES (forbes.com)

in 2014 (census.gov)

• Education • Health care • Insurance

from 2010-2014 (census.gov)

as of April 1, 2010 (census.gov)

HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE GRADUATION STATISTICS from 2010-2014 (census.gov)

High School Graduate or Higher (25+): 91.2% Bachelor’s Degree or Higher (25+): 42.6%

POPULATION OF COLLEGE STUDENTS University of Florida: 49,785

from 2010-2014 (census.gov)

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME: $32,108

RACE BREAKDOWN White: 64.9% African American: 23% American Indian or Alaskan Native: 0.3% Asian: 6.9% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 0.1% Two or More Races: 2.9% Hispanic or Latino: 10% White Alone (not Hispanic or Latino): 57.8%

MEDIAN GROSS RENT: $851

LARGEST EMPLOYERS (cityofgainesville.org) • • • • •

University of Florida UF Health Alachua County School Board VA Hospital City of Gainesville

PERSONS IN POVERTY: 35.8% from 2010-2014 (census.gov)

CRIME INDEX UNEMPLOYMENT: 4.5%

Safer than 8% of cities in the United States

as of January 2016 (bls.gov)

in 2014 (neighborhoodscout.gov)

COST OF LIVING • • • • • •

Overall: 89.9 Grocery: 103.3 Health: 96 Housing: 75 Utilities: 98 Transportation: 101

As of June 2014, compared to United States average of 100 (bestplaces.net)

from 2014-2015 (UF)

Santa Fe College: 15,887

GAS PRICES: $2.062

from 2014-2015 (SFC)

as of March 2016 (gasbuddy.com)

NODS • Known as the “Healthiest Community in America” by receiving the only Gold Well City award from the Wellness Councils of America in 2003 • Ranked as one of the “Best Places to Live and Play” by National Geographic Adventure in 2007

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 67

WACO, TEXAS >> POPULATION: 130,194 as of July 1, 2014 (census.gov) Located between Dallas and Austin, Waco is the home of Dr. Pepper, the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum, and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. The 22nd most populous city in the state holds not only Baylor University, but also McLennan Community College and Texas State Technical College, fueling its college town reputation. With seven recreational venues and nine arts organizations within the city’s 95.5 square miles, Waco boasts plenty of attractions, including Waco National Monument — 100 acres of parkland allowing visitors a glimpse into the area’s prehistory of Columbian mammoths.

AVERAGE AGE: 28.4

MAJOR INDUSTRIES (forbes.com)

in 2014 (census.gov)

• • • •

RACE BREAKDOWN

Health care Education Aerospace Manufacturing

as of April 1, 2010 (census.gov)

White: 59.2% African American: 21.5% American Indian or Alaskan Native: 0.6% Asian: 1.8% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 0.1% Two or More Races: 2.8% Hispanic or Latino: 29.6% White Alone (not Hispanic or Latino): 45.8%

HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE GRADUATION STATISTICS from 2010-2014 (census.gov)

High School Graduate or Higher (25+): 77.8% Bachelor’s Degree or Higher (25+): 21.6%

POPULATION OF COLLEGE STUDENTS Baylor University: 16,787 2015-2016 (Baylor)

McLennan Community College: 9,500

from 2010-2014 (census.gov)

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME: $32,864 from 2010-2014 (census.gov)

LARGEST EMPLOYERS (goteamtexas.com) • • • • •

Baylor University Waco Independent School District Providence Health Center L-3 Communications Baylor Scott and White Health (Hillcrest)

PERSONS IN POVERTY: 29.4% from 2010-2014 (census.gov)

CRIME INDEX UNEMPLOYMENT: 3.9%

Safer than 9% of cities in the United States

as of January 2016 (bls.gov)

in 2014 (neighborhoodscout.gov)

COST OF LIVING • • • • • •

Overall: 78.7 Grocery: 81.6 Health: 85 Housing: 53 Utilities: 90 Transportation: 101

As of June 2014, compared to United States average of 100 (bestplaces.net)

2012-2013 (MCC)

Texas State Technical College: 4,803

GAS PRICES: $1.874

2014-2015 (TSTC)

as of March 2016 (gasbuddy.com)

68 \\\ MAY 2016

MEDIAN GROSS RENT: $747

NODS • Baylor University named “Best Western College” by the Princeton Review • Waco named 3rd "Best Travel Destination in Texas" by Texas Highways • Baylor University is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas CBT

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NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

›› Rainbow House

Growing Up Safe

Rainbow House gives children more than just a shelter.

BY ALISIANA PETERS | PHOTOS BY SEAN NELSON THE RAINBOW HOUSE originally opened in 1986, housing up to 12 children in an old farmhouse. Founder Kathy Hughes had been a foster parent for many years and held a deep compassion in helping at-risk children.

This year, Rainbow House will celebrate its 30th anniversary advocating for children.

Rainbow House, located at 1611 Towne Dr., is a regional child advocacy center, children’s emergency shelter, and homeless youth program.

This nonprofit organization supports a total of 11 counties, including Boone County, serving a total of 400 children annually. The shelter can now house up to 14 children at a time, ages zero to 18.

Sixty percent of children admitted are neglected, and the house also cares for children facing emotional, physical, and sexual abuse.

“If we cannot accommodate a need, we will refer [a child] to other counties through our linkage agreement,” says Janie Bakutes, executive director.

Drew Smith

70 \\\ MAY 2016

Kelsey Louder

Rainbow House’s mission statement is “to keep children safe and support families in crisis through prevention, assessment, and intervention in child abuse and neglect.”

The house is similar to a regular home, with a kitchen, a laundry room, toy rooms, bedrooms, and other amenities. Children enrolled in school continue to attend, if possible.

FUNDING AND SPECIAL EVENTS Rainbow House receives funding through a variety of ways, including grants, the United Way, city council funding, contracts, and fundraisers. Rainbow House will often host special events to raise awareness about their mission.

In 2013, Rainbow House was funded with 16 percent federal funding, 26 percent state and local government funding, 45 percent community donations and special events, 12 percent United Way funding, and 1 percent from fees for services. In April, Rainbow House

Jared Reynolds

hosted their ninth annual masquerade ball, with the theme “Night of Heroes.”

CHILD ADVOCATES Rainbow House’s Child Advocacy Center provides services for sexually abused children and their families. CAC conducts forensic interviews, a specific type of child-based interviewing done in situations of abuse, and offers counseling, all in a child-friendly environment. The CAC provides services for children in nine counties, and it’s one of 15 CACs in Missouri and one of 500 in the country. Each year, Rainbow House Regional CAC conducts forensic interviews for 380 to 400 children.

Forensic interviews allow trained investigators to gather facts from an abused child in a safe and comfortable way. The interview is video and audio recorded and is used in criminal proceedings, for therapy, and for other decisions that must be made on behalf of the child.

Melissa A. Faurot

Tom Schwarz

➜ 1611 Towne Drive 573-474-6600 rainbowhousecolumbia.org

“We have a high percentage of children who are willing to talk to our interviewers,” Bakutes says. “It offers them a sense of relief.”

The CAC was created through a partnership between Rainbow House and the Interagency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect, which is made up of multiple community agencies across the area. ICAN has a case review team that investigates local abuse and neglect and shares resources for families facing abuse.

EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL SHELTER When children are removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect, the children’s emergency shelter operates as a temporary home until permanent plans are made.

Children are removed from homes in one of two ways: either the child is removed from a current living situation to receive emergency placement, or a parent seeks shelter for their child for up to 30 days during crises.

Crisis care might include medical emergencies, a death in the family, evictions, domestic violence, or parents in rehab. Ninety-nine percent of crisis care children return to their homes.

The shelter works to reduce emotional trauma suffered by child victims by providing them with home-cooked meals, recreational outings, and activities, as well as nurturing

Janie Bakutes

April Barnett

"The thing that inspires me is that these kids are so resilient. They are able to come back from horrible things that have happened to them."

– Janie Bakutes house parents. Rainbow House’s youth specialists are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The shelter offers a structured, homelike setting and transportation to get children to and from school.

While at the home, each child receives mental health care and weekly therapy to cope with being taken out of their homes. Treatment services can also include family or group therapy, even after children leave the house.

HOMELESS YOUTH PROGRAM The homeless youth program began in 2007 and operates as a transitional living program. Youth ages 15 to 21 who are enrolled in school and homeless or at-risk for homelessness are eligible for this program.

The program provides housing, in a shelter called Sol House, to help young people

Allison Kleiber

transition to adulthood. The homeless youth program offers supportive services such as counseling, life skills training, mentoring, and linkage to partnering organizations.

Rainbow House can provide a safe place for up to 21 days and long-term housing for up to 18 months.

Rainbow House also accepts donations such as toys and gently used clothing and also offers children gift cards to help with basic needs.

IMPACT OF SERVICES Bakutes has been with Rainbow House for 12 years.

One thing keeps her going every day: the children.

“I have worked with at-risk children my entire career,” she says. “The thing that inspires me is that these kids are so resilient. They are able to come back from horrible things that have happened to them. Our staff is absolutely top-notch, and all the good that happens within these walls — I just cannot wait to get back.”

The services that Rainbow House offers also come with several challenges.

“Rainbow House is such a well-respected gem within the community,” says Bakutes. “It is always a challenge to maintain our reputation and high standard of service. We’re always paying attention to our reputation and doing the most we can to help.” CBT

Shawn Sutterer

Jerri Sites

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 71

Dan Latham, right, and Vincent Trapani Photo by Anthony Jinson 72 \\\ MAY 2016

CELEBRATIONS

➜ 620 N. Tradewinds Pkwy 877-883-8677 pulsemedicalstaffing.com

›› Pulse Medical Staffing

Finger on the Pulse

Pulse Medical Staffing wins Rising Star Award BY 2025, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing expects that the United States nursing shortage will grow to 260,000 registered nurses.

“There’s a huge nursing shortage, and on a daily basis, we do not have the nurses to meet the demand locally or nationally,” Dan Latham, CEO of Pulse Medical Staffing, says. “The challenges of the nursing field have definitely changed over the 20 years I’ve been a nurse.”

As Baby Boomers age and the need for health care grows, medical staffing companies like Columbia’s Pulse provide temporary aid to health care facilities while building a profitable, community-oriented business focused on the nurses that keep it running.

A RISING STAR Latham never expected to win an award, let alone receive a legislative proclamation honoring his business. Yet he was recently honored with the MU Extension’s Small Business and Technology Development Centers Rising Star Award.

The Columbia business owner is one of 13 recipients in the state to win the award through the SBTDC. “Small businesses like these exceptional firms are the true engine of economic growth in Missouri,” says SBTDC State Director Chris Bouchard. “These individuals work hard every day to bring opportunity and prosperity to their community, and this award is just a small measure of recognition for their outstanding efforts.”

Companies throughout Missouri taking advantage of SBTDC counseling went through a meticulous selection process after their SBTDC counselor’s nomination. The process dissected each firm’s economic impact, involvement in the community, and exceptionalism. According to Missouri Business, the statewide SBTDC offices helped create or retain 24,180 jobs, increase sales by $439 million, acquire new investments of $419.6 million, and win government contracts totaling $1.4 billion from 2013 through 2015.

On March 23, the SBTDC held the local Excellence in Business Award ceremony to introduce previous winners of the Rising Star award and to present the 2016 award to Latham.

“The event is an opportunity to showcase a client that we’ve worked with, as well as discuss what the SBTDC does and give examples of the wide variety of business that we work with,” says SBTDC Director Virginia Wilson. “We’ve worked with anything from technology businesses to restaurants.”

JUST A HEARTBEAT AWAY With sales growing nearly 100 percent each year since 2013, Pulse Medical Staffing is a financial archetype of success. After seeing a need for a medical staffing agency focused on clients and employees, Latham founded Pulse to be a staffing company run by a medical professional (Latham is a former EMT and nurse).

Latham’s business provides temporary medical staffing to health care facilities nationwide, including hospitals, surgery centers, and nursing homes. Counseled by Wilson, Latham learned how to run a business through trial and error.

“He’s had his challenges, as any startup business owner does,” Wilson says. “It’s really something that he loves. I think, with many business owners, if you don’t have a passion for it, it’s really hard to make it work because it really does take so much from you.”

At their main office in Columbia, the Pulse staff stays active in the community.

“We have volunteers within our staff and even our office that adopted a roundabout about four years ago in northeast Columbia that they water, mow, and weed,” Latham says. “We also make donations to the food bank program in the area.”

The company employs over 200 temporary nurses nationwide, all of whom have one non-negotiable trait: adaptability.

BY SIERRA STEWART “They are 100 percent totally awesome and committed,” Latham says. “It takes a special person to do what they do on a daily basis. If you think about going into your job every day and having every day be a new job, that’s how I instruct everyone to do their job.”

The need for companies like Pulse continues to grow as the ongoing nursing shortage reaches its highest levels. While the patient-tonurse ratio increases, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing is developing legislation and strategies to address the shortage.

“You know, it was very surreal for me. I didn’t ever expect to win the [Rising Star] award,” Latham says. “Our doors have been open since 2010, and you hear about these businesses [not] making it past their two year mark, and we’re going on our six year mark. So it’s like, ‘Wow, we’re doing okay and we’re making it.’” CBT

TIMELINE 2010 › Pulse secures its first acute care hospital client.

2010 › Pulse receives a Federal Supply Schedule contract to supply medical staffing to VA hospitals and facilities in Missouri and Kansas.

2011 › Pulse gains its first long-term acute care hospital client.

2012 › Pulse adds 11 new clients, including long-term care facilities.

2013 › Pulse is asked to exclusively supply nurses to corporate health and wellness and immunization fairs in Missouri.

2014 › Pulse gains 10 new clients.

2014 › Pulse works as a subcontractor with a national health and wellness company to service the University of Michigan in their “M” Healthy Initiative.

2015 › Pulse gains several more clients and is approached by a national nursing agency to partner with more than 360 hospitals nationally.

2016 › Pulse receives Rising Star Award.

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 73

MARKETING

›› Monica Pitts talks marketing trends and tips

Generational Marketing IS THE YOUTH OF TODAY so different from the youth of past generations? Each group of youngsters has considered themselves rebels, striving for change and pushing for their ideal world. Now, marketers everywhere are trying to tap into the up-and-coming buying power of the Millennials. Here are some things to keep in mind when determining how to reach your audience by generation.

ism and diversity, and that they’re more concerned with happiness than other generations. Millennials have been weaned on technology and are less worried about obtaining material goods and more concerned with experiencing life. Their entry into first jobs has been set back by the recession, and they’re living with their parents longer.

AN “INDIVIDUAL” GENERATION OF MARKETING •

Boomers: Boomers are primarily categorized as people who were born between 1946 and 1964. They are 50 to 70 years old.

The post-WWII population increased as Americans who postponed marriage and childbirth during the Great Depression and World War II were joined in the nation’s maternity wards by young adults, eager to start families. People born in this time period are characterized by their individualism and self-fulfillment values, and they’re associated with a rejection, or a push for redefinition, of traditional values.

Watergate and the economic struggles of the 1979 energy crisis further enforced the “I’m out for me” attitude for later Boomers. They were the first TV generation, as well as the first generation where divorce was socially tolerated.

•

Generation X: Generation X encompasses people born sometime between the years of 1965 and 1980. They are between 35 and 50 years old.

Stuck between two larger generations, Generation X is often called the “lost generation.” They embrace technology, and they value freedom and independence. A stereotypical X-er will be family-oriented, savvy, skeptical, and self-reliant. Younger members of the generation have been inundated with marketing since childhood and may seem immune to traditional marketing. They tune into only what interests them, a trend supported by the rapid expansion of cable TV, satellite radio, and the Internet.

•

Millennials: Then there’s the Millennials, or the “everybody gets a trophy” generation, born between 1981 and 2000. They are 16 to 35 years old.

Though generally referred to as Millennials because they saw the turn of the millennium, the names “Generation We” or “Net Generation” seem more fitting, in my opinion. As they forge a less linear path through adulthood, this generation is considered the most non-traditional. And it comes as no surprise that they also value individual-

M O N I CA P I T TS 74 \\\ MAY 2016

With X going steady, filling the gap between Boomers and Millennials, the two seem worlds apart. I think, in truth, they would have been friends — if they were both the same age in similar life stages. As I review the tendencies of different generations, I find more and more similarities between the behaviors of each generation at comparable ages.

From a marketing perspective, the last major shift, before the Millennials, came when the Boomers reached the same life stage that Millennials occupy now. In the 1950s, television became the primary medium for influencing public opinion, changing how corporations spread their message to the general public. Now, Millennials, raised with remote controls, only choose to consume messaging that’s important to them. That makes it more important than ever to intimately know your target market.

The more you know about your audiences, the more prepared you are to connect with those who have buying power: • Treat each consumer like an individual, not a mass recipient. Shake their hands, make eye contact, treat them like they’re the only person in the room.

• Speak to each based on their values — not yours.

• Strive for an authentic message, not a watered-down sales pitch.

The snake oil salesman has officially retired.

• All generations reported appreciating a brand with personality, though each generation wants to identify with a brand who appeals to their own personality.

• Use the marketing mediums best suited for your audience, and even consider segmenting within each medium.

• Support something bigger than yourself that tugs at the heartstrings of your audience.

• All buyers appreciate company values like open-mindedness, creativity, social responsibility, and environmental consciousness.

As salespeople and marketers, it’s time to embrace the differences of the demographics. Stop trying to be something to everyone, and start being everything to someone. CBT

➜ C H I E F C R E AT I V E D I R ECTO R O F M AY EC R E AT E D ES I G N

STARTUPS

›› Chris Nyenhuis shares startup lessons learned

Perfecting the Pitch I FIND MEETING and getting to know new people to be one of the best perks of my job. In the startup world, you feel like you are constantly playing the conversation-starting game. To get the conversation going, you ask questions like, “Do you prefer Coke or Pepsi?” or “Do you prefer Netflix or Hulu?” You’re trying to help people compare and separate your company from Company X and hopefully understand what makes your company different and great.

When startups get ready to go into “market,” one of the most important things we need to have in our bag of tools is the well-crafted elevator pitch.

As a founder, we are told that we have to get our elevator pitch down to a quick 30 to 60 seconds of information that not only tells the story of your company, but also highlights what makes you different and awesome and, most importantly, keeps your audience engaged with what you are saying.

The first time I ever did a startup elevator pitch was a few years back, when I took part in Lean Startup Machine – Kansas City at the Kauffman Foundation. The first thing we did was pitch a potential startup idea for the group to vote on, which we would then develop over the weekend. This sounds easy enough, right? The kicker was that we were only able to use a set amount of words to pitch our idea to the group. The point was to hopefully get our story out and deliver a solid punch line as quickly as possible. By the end of the weekend, we had a viable idea and a solid elevator pitch.

I’ve seen startups use the “Uber for X” pitch and blow people away, and I’ve seen that type of pitch fail.

One of the most common startup elevator pitch lines (especially in the shared-economy marketplace) is the famous “We’re like the Uber for X.” Startups try to find a comparison to a company that has a proven track record and a brand that can be easily related to and understood. Over the past year, I have seen thousands of startups pitch their company and deliver their elevator pitches. I have seen startups use the “Uber for X” pitch and blow people away, and I have also seen startups who use this type of pitch and fail.

CHRIS NYENHUIS

Each time you pitch, you need to know your audience and culture.

When this type of pitch was a success, it was because the audience could understand what they company is doing and, more importantly, could see the relevance of the comparison. When the pitch failed, it was because the audience had a bad experience with the company that the startup was comparing itself to; sometimes, the audience didn’t know the company at all, which left them confused, as they couldn’t see the model being relevant in the market that was being pitched. This type of pitch can be a solid step or a slippery slope. The last thing you want to do is spend all your time justifying the relevance of the comparison instead of focusing on your company in your pitch.

I think it’s fair to say that there is no secret formula to a startup elevator pitch. Just when you think you’ve nailed it and that everyone understands and is on board with your pitch, you will realize that there is one person who doesn’t like or understand it. Just because it works or fails in one setting doesn’t mean that it won’t be different in front of a different audience.

The most successful pitches I have seen are the ones that are confident and authentic. Another rule is to try making the pitch so simple that young children can understand and repeat what you do. However, depending on your market, this can be easier said than done.

Your pitch doesn’t have to cover everything in one quick sentence. If you deliver your pitch correctly, you will have the audience asking you questions, and you’ll start a conversation about your idea. CBT

➜ MANAGING DIRECTOR OF EYES ON FREIGHT COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 75

ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH

›› Tony Richards coaches organizations into good health

This or That Decision Making IN THE COURSE of developing decision-making skills, we often find ourselves making comparisons. Should I choose this or that? Developing self-awareness of our emotions and of our biases helps us to be more effective in the workplace and more consistent and fair in evaluations. When we employ "this or that" thinking, we trigger something called the contrast effect.

HOW DOES THE CONTRAST EFFECT WORK? Say you had a piece of art standing alone. You would develop a certain perception of it. Now, if we put five of the all-time greatest pieces of art next to it, do you think your perception of the first piece of art would change? Sure it would, and probably not for the better. We judge something to be beautiful, expensive, or large if we have something ugly, cheap, or small in front of us to contrast with it.

Here's another one. You order leather seats for your new car, because compared to the $60,000 price tag of the car, $3,000 seems like a small additional fee to pay. All industries that offer upgrade options understand this well. Many scientific experiments show that people are willing to walk an extra 10 minutes to save $10 on food. But those same people wouldn't dream of walking 10 minutes to save $10 on a $1,000 suit. This is irrational. Why? Because 10 minutes is 10 minutes, and $10 is $10. If you employ straight logic, you should either walk in both cases or in neither.

The stock market is a place where this really plays with people. A person gets excited when they buy a stock that is 50 percent below its stock market high. Why is that crazy? Because it doesn't matter what its high price was — it only matters what it’s worth today and whether it goes up or down from that point.

WHY DO WE FALL FOR THIS? Our blind spot shows up when the changes are slow and gradual. Identity thieves have figured out that if money leaves our bank account one dollar at a time, we don't notice it as much as if one hundred dollars is debited at once.

Another place the contrast effect shows up is when we’re making hiring decisions with applicants. It occurs when there is a particularly good or bad applicant who becomes the benchmark against which other applicants are evaluated, thereby distorting the interviewer's evaluation of all subsequent applicants. For example, after evaluating a low caliber applicant, the interviewer may give the next applicant, who

TO N Y R I C H A R D S 76 \\\ MAY 2016

is merely average, a high rating simply because they appear significantly better than the previous applicant. This is why we advise companies to screen and select applicants based on job and applicant data that is fixed and standardized, rather than through the interview process only.

HOW DO WE AVOID THE CONTRAST EFFECT WHEN MAKING DECISIONS? Oftentimes, when we’re succumbing to the contrast effect, we’re looking at option A versus option B. To combat this, you need a standardized method of evaluation, such as the one I mentioned above in the hiring scenario.

Decide in advance a standardized way you are going to evaluate each option. Don’t just compare them. Outside of that, you need to remind yourself that you hardly ever have only two options. Whenever you find yourself faced with a decision that’s seemingly between two choices, it can be useful to consider other options, just in case you’ve fallen into the trap of the contrast effect.

Finally, if you want to be the best looking guy at the party, don't go with your Chippendale friends. People will find you less attractive than you really are. You are better off going alone. Better yet, put the contrast effect to work for yourself and take two ugly friends. CBT

➜ FOUNDER OF CLEAR VISION DEVELOPMENT GROUP

CITY

›› Mike Matthes breaks down the business of government

Death and Sales Taxes “IN THIS WORLD nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Benjamin Franklin Franklin never envisioned the Internet, which would allow consumers to purchase goods of all kinds from all over the world — free of taxes. And while tax-free shopping is likely appealing to a large number of us, it also carries consequences that have a serious effect on the funding of essential services we all use daily.

First, let’s talk about the current tax rates in Columbia. Our residents, through annual surveys, tell us we need more police officers, additional firefighters, better maintained streets and sidewalks, and improvements to infrastructure. I agree.

Columbia has chosen to generate revenue for these important services, and for parks, transit, and the airport, through sales tax. Sales taxes on goods purchased in Columbia equalize the cost of those services between residents and visitors, both of whom use the services that the tax supports.

The sales tax rate in Columbia averages 7.975 percent and falls within the average sales tax range of communities throughout mid-Missouri. The city only collects 2 cents of the total sales tax. Boone County collects 1.75 cents, and the state collects 4.225 cents. In 2016, Columbia will collect about $22.4 million in sales tax revenue for the general fund if sales tax revenues grow, as forecasted, by 3 percent.

Last month, we talked about the property tax rate in Columbia in the late 1940s being as high as $1.25 per $100 of assessed value. Today, the property tax rate for Columbia is 41 cents — one of the lowest municipal property tax rates in Missouri. In 2016, we’re planning to collect about $7.3 million in property taxes for the general fund. Columbia’s philosophy for many, many years has been to leave the property tax rate low so that schools and the library can utilize this revenue source for their important financial needs.

So, for 2 cents on the dollar in sales tax and 41 cents per $100 in property taxes, combined with gross receipts taxes and PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes), Columbia must fund modern police and fire departments, maintain streets, provide award winning parks and trails, and provide for public transit and a commercial airport.

Cue some storm clouds.

Providing the services that residents desire requires adequate revenues.

And that’s where we’re suffering the consequences of the loss of sales tax revenue from online shopping. You’ve heard me say before, concerning declining sales tax revenues, “The Internet is eating our lunch.” Well, it’s eyeing our supper too.

M I K E M AT T H ES

WHAT CAN BE DONE? Locally, Macy’s is closing its doors. We’re losing 81 jobs, and 140,000 square feet of retail space is now vacant. It's a chilling reflection of a recent report from Civic Economics titled “Amazon and Empty Storefronts.” The report noted Amazon sold $44.1 billion worth of goods in the U.S. while avoiding $625 million in state and local sales taxes. Amazon's sales account for the equivalent of 30,000 retail storefronts, equaling 107 million square feet of commercial space, which would have paid $420 million in property taxes. As for the workforce, Amazon sales resulted in a net loss of 136,000 retail jobs.

And that’s just Amazon.

In Columbia, we are estimating that the loss of sales tax due to internet sales could be as high as $10 million annually. That has a monumental impact on Columbia’s general fund. Additional police officers and firefighters, street and sidewalk maintenance, and transit and airport enhancements could all be funded using this revenue.

We must recover the jobs and revenue currently lost to Internet sales. I am asking you to join me in supporting the Federal Marketplace Fairness Act. Already, 24 states (but not Missouri) have voluntarily adopted the simplification measures of the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement, which allows states to fairly and efficiently collect sales taxes on Internet purchases. I encourage you to learn more by visiting MarketplaceFairness. org. I hope you will contact your federal and state legislative representatives to let them know you support these bills.

While I remain optimistic about our economy and strive to close on a more positive note, this year’s sale tax revenue was based on a 3 percent increase. In the first quarter of our fiscal year, October 1 to December 31, our sales tax collection was flat. Zero growth. And the first quarter is historically our best. By all indications, the second quarter will be flat too.

We’ve already taken steps to help ensure our current budget remains balanced. I’ve asked that non-essential hiring for positions vacated by retirement or resignations be paused for one month from the date the position becomes open. I’ve instructed department directors to evaluate and suspend purchases, if possible, of vehicles and other equipment until further notice. The savings we expect to generate from these measures, and earlier savings realized from refinancing our bond debt, should prevent layoffs and keep us from dipping into reserves.

Columbia is a strong and resilient city. By keeping our eye to the future and supporting measures such as the Marketplace Fairness Act, we can make Columbia the best place for everyone to live, learn, work, and play. CBT

➜ CITY MANAGER OF THE CITY OF COLUMBIA COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 77

ASK ANNE

›› Anne Williams answers readers’ HR questions

Pay Whether There’s Inclement Weather? ›› Dear Anne, This winter, we’ve had a few snow days.

Do I have an obligation to pay my employees?

What a sloppy question. If your company is open for business during a snowy day, your employees should be there. If they are hourly employees (non-exempt), you only pay for the hours worked each day. So, if you are open and they are not there, you would not pay them. Exempt employees (non-hourly) may also be unpaid, subtracting up to a full day’s salary. If you close the office, hourly employees should be paid, according to the Department of Labor: "If an employee is ready, willing and able to work, deductions may not be made for time when work is not available." In the case of an exempt employee, the rules change; you may have them utilize accrued vacation or leave for missing a day.

One of the best things to do before an inclement weather day comes is to clearly communicate what your policy is. Think about how it will affect your people before making that decision. Taking away vacation or PTO could breed resentment, which could cause a retention issue down the line. One thing to remember: when an employee knows the rules, they generally try to follow them.

›› What is severance pay? If I’m firing someone, why would I pay them to leave?

You do not have to pay severance to someone you fired! Severance is money or benefits that an employer might want to provide for an employee who is leaving their employ. It is not pay you owe for the time an employee worked before termination. Often, severance is given to employees involved in layoffs, job elimination, or a mutual agreement to part ways. According to the Department of Labor, there is no requirement to offer severance pay unless it’s part of a written policy, employment agreement, company handbook, or something you have put in writing.

When termination of an employee is because of circumstances not associated with their work, severance pay is seen as a positive and supportive gesture.

FYI — a laid-off employee may try to negotiate more severance than the employer offered in his or her severance package. In doing so, technically, the departing employee has turned down the employer’s offer. This legally allows the employer to renege on the offer and pay no severance.

Before making a decision on whether to pay or not to pay severance, check the laws in your area and remember that all your employees who are not terminated are watching how you’re treating their coworkers.

ANNE WILLIAMS 78 \\\ MAY 2016

›› What does a temporary staffing company do?

Temporary staffing firms give companies the opportunity to use “ready to work” employees in situations involving employee absences, temporary skill shortages, seasonal workloads, and special projects.

Temporary or contract workers work in areas ranging from nonskilled trades to degreed professionals across industry sectors: engineering; IT; science; health care; industrial work; office, clerical, and administrative; and managerial.

Because the staffing firm hires the assigned staff that goes to their clients, they are responsible for all payroll, taxes, and worker’s compensation insurance. As an employer, the staffing firm must stay in compliance with all applicable labor, employment, and employee benefit laws, including those pertaining to worker health and safety. Some staffing firms offer full benefits, 401(k)s, and vacation pay for employees.

In businesses searching to hire permanent full-time staff, temporary staffing gives them the opportunity to work with an individual before hiring them. This model gives both the employer and the potential employee the opportunity to see if the culture is the right fit, make sure the employee can do the assigned work, and make sure the employee enjoys the industry. Nationally, over one-third of these employees are offered permanent positions with the companies where they completed assignments. CBT Anne Williams is not an attorney. All content in this column is not guaranteed for accuracy and legality and is not to be construed as legal advice.

➜ PRESIDENT OF JOBFINDERS EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

FEATURED LISTING

15 S 10th Street Columbia, MO 65201 Price: $2,100,000 Sale or $6,000/Month Lease Type: Retail/Office Zoning: C-2 SQ FT: 7,204 Well maintained mixed use building located in the heart of downtown Columbia. Available for lease or purchase. Building offers three 3 bedroom units, main floor retail/office and lower level retail/office.

Your One Stop Design & Print Shop With nearly 40 years of experience, area businesses know us for our efficiency and affordability. We have the know-how to execute your next printing project, so let us price your: Business cards | Letterhead & envelopes | Brochures & flyers Invitations | Forms & labels | Menus And much, much more Your complete satisfaction is our goal ... And our guarantee.

MEL ZELENAK

573-999-3131 mel@malyrealty.com

573-446-4400 | AccentPress.net | 316 Tiger Lane | Columbia COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 79

NEW BUSINESS LICENSES

›› Columbia residents and their upstarts

West Main Pizza Como 923 E. Broadway (573) 619-2803 Pizza and salad

FEATURED LISTING

2513 Old 63 South

High Road School of Boone County 409 Vandiver Dr. (573) 442-2418 Special education services CPR-Columbia 2609 E. Broadway (573) 474-9700 Cell phone, tablet, computer repair/buy, sell, trade

Columbia, MO 65201 Price: Type: Zoning: SQ FT:

$6,000/month Retail C-3 5,237

This turnkey restaurant and bar comes fully equipped with a brick oven pizza, hood, walk-in and reach in coolers and freezers, dishwasher, ice maker, and more.

The property is surrounded by 4 student housing complexes.

Owner will subdivide for a smaller footprint.

GINA RENDE

314-477-4462 gina@malyrealty.com 80 \\\ MAY 2016

Healy Christian Counseling LLC 601 W. Nifong Blvd.

(573) 356-1127 Psychological therapy and social work services Handy Home Experts 411 N. William St. (636) 358-0265 Handyman, light plumbing, electrical, yard work Golden Blades LLC 1906 Waverly Ct. (573) 356-4824 Premium mowing and trimming lawn care

A+ Farmers Concrete LLC 6505 Crooked Switch Ct. (573) 864-7576 Concrete Flatwork, driveways, patios, sidewalks

K R Wischmeyer Electric LLC 904 Bourn Ave. (573) 808-1370 Electrical service and contracting

Jamie Enterprises LLC 2600 Forum Blvd.

(573) 446-6322 Wholesale broker of landscaping products/feed

Arment Enterprises LLC 2401 Industrial Dr. (573) 442-1156 Janatorial cleaning, equipment sales, parts, repairs

The Cleaning Crew 2401 Clark Lane (573) 639-9635 House cleaning

Lovewell Aquatics LLC 3007 Alsup Dr. (816) 550-2126 Aquarium installation and maintenance

Basnett Properties LLC 6500 Upper Bridle Bend Dr. (573) 289-1077 General contracting

Torrid #5501 2300 Bernadette Dr. (626) 839-4681 Retail apparel and accessories

MO Music Entertainment Group 208 Sanford Ave. (573) 999-9815 Music publishing/promotion

Trinity Massage Therapy LLC 4040 Rangeline St. (573) 442-8432 Massage therapy, no retail

Gomez Construction 2904 Range Line St. (573) 234-3744 Masonry work

Mel B’s Art 5801 Redwing Dr. (573) 474-1189 Making and selling art CBT

DEEDS OF TRUST

›› Worth more than $424,000

$275,000,000 Copper Beech Townhome Communities Twenty PNC Bank LT 1 Copper Beech Plat No 1

$1,200,000 Anz, Alan G & Megan George Commerce Bank STR 13-48-13 //SW SUR BK/ PG: 4343/136 AC 8.43

$50,000,000 Columbia Automotive Management LLC Bank of America LT 35 FF Mikel’s Subdivision

$795,000 Lovegreen, Michael A & Jennifer M First State Community Bank LT 115A Old Hawthrone Plat No 2-A

$13,360,920 Bring & Ball Land Company LLC Bank of Springfield STR 10-48-12//NE FF W/ Exceptions $7,692,500 BMT of Columbia LLC Central Bank of Boone County LT 1 Gordons Plat & Sub $6,472,695 Columbia Ventures LLC First Midwest Bank LT 1 Jayscott Sub $3,335,000 Gengry, Eric G & Striegel, Ruth Ann The Bank of Missouri LT 12 Seven Oaks Plat 1 $2,500,000 Aggarwal, Ajay & Garg, Meghan First State Community Bank LT 267 Thornbrook Plat No 8 $1,901,485 Country Folks Enterprises LLC First Midwest Bank of Poplar Bluff STR 29-49-12 /NW/NW SUR BK/PG: 505/847 AC 6.45 FF SUR BK 487/813 $1,882,861 Apple Paducah KY LLC Capaha Bank LT 1 A Keen Estates Plat 2-C $1,500,000 Vader Investments LLC First State Community Bank LT 1 BL 1 Woodrail Centre

$758,587 COMO Urban Housing LLC Hawthorn Bank lT 9 PT McBaine Western Add $656,000 Tompkins, Michael D Central Bank of Boone County LT 28 PT Southfork Lake Sub $650,000 JAV Investments LLC Central Bank of Boone County LT F First Tier Condominiums $586,500 D&D Investments of Columbia LLC Landmark Bank LT 36 PT FF Conley & Perkins Sub $565,500 Providence Investments LLC The Bank of Missouri LT 1A Coventry Pointe Condominiums $535,000 Norregaard, Thorkild V & Julia Commerce Bank LT 16C Woodrail Sub LT16 PL 3 $483,200 MidMo Lawns Unlimited LLC The Callaway Bank STR 10-48-12 /SE/NW SUR BK/PG: 527/538 AC 0.95 FF Tract 2A

510

DEEDS OF TRUST WERE ISSUED BETWEEN 2/22 AND 3/18 $466,500 Cochran, Tiffany A & Andrew Rev Trust Commerce Bank STR 33-47-12 /SW/SW SUR BK/ PG: 3706/25 AC 10 FF Tract 2 $459,200 Markes, Ronald E & Marcy D Revocable Trust Mid America Mortgage Services Inc. STR 10-47-12 //S SUR BK/PG: 3901/74 AC 10.04 FF Tract 7 $450,000 Survivor’s The Trust & Ritchie Family Trust First Technology Federal Credit Union LT 1 Ross Dickerson Sub Plat 3 $430,000 Norton, Troy D & Melinda D Commerce Bank STR 18-48-13 /W/NW SUR BK/PG: 4296/129 AC 18.93 FF Tract 2B $428,000 Watts Construction Co Inc. Landmark Bank LT 223 The Gates Plat No 2 & 3

FEATURED LISTING

1550 Boone Industrial Drive Columbia, MO 65202 Price: $3,490,000(sale) or $4/sq ft (lease) Zoning: ML SQ FT: 90,600 Well-maintained industrial building available for sale or lease. Building offers 84,000 sq ft of warehouse and 6,000 sq ft of office space.

Features 24’ eave heights, 9 dock doors and 1 drive in door. Ownership will divde to suit.

$424,000 Young, Trevor J & Fiona Commerce Bank LT 16 J & J Pony Farms Sub FF Walnut Wood Estates $424,000 McKenzie, Ryan N & Amy N Central Bank of Boone County STR 27-48-14 SUR BK/PG: 4391/42 AC 10.01 FF TRACT 3/ IN NEW MADRID CLAIM NO 64 $424,000 Young, Trevor J & Fiona Commerce Bank LT 16 J & J Pony Farms Sub FF Walnut Wood Estates CBT

MEL ZELENAK

573-999-3131 mel@malyrealty.com

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 81

ECONOMIC INDEX

›› It’s all about the numbers

BEST PRODUCTS

+ BEST PRICE +

EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE

= A GREAT VALUE

Labor:

Commercial building permits: 24

February 2016 – Columbia,

Value of commercial building

Missouri

permits: $5,572,694

Labor Force: 69,590

Commercial additions and

Employment: 67,375

alterations: 23

Unemployment: 2,215

Value of commercial additions

Rate: 3.2 percent

and alterations: $5,052,694

February 2016 – Boone County,

Utilities:

Missouri

Water

Labor Force: 102,954

March 2016: 48,160

Employment: 99,490

March 2015: 47,550

Unemployment: 3,464

Change #: 610

Rate: 3.4 percent

Change %: 1.283 percent Number of customers receiving

February 2016 – Missouri

service on April 1, 2016: 48,186

Labor Force: 3,142,398 Employment: 2,985,128

Electric

Unemployment: 157,270

March 2016: 48,771

Rate: 5 percent

March 2015: 48,101 Change #: 670

February 2016 – United States

Change %: 1.393 percent

Labor Force: 158,279,000

Number of customers receiving

Employment: 150,060,000

service on April 1, 2016: 48,767

Unemployment: 8,219,000 Rate: 5.2 percent

Housing: February 2016

573-445-5266 www.proamgolfusa.com 1729 W. Broadway (next to Shelter Insurance) Mon-Fri 9-7 • Sat 9-5 • Sun 12-4

82 \\\ MAY 2016

Construction:

Single-family home sales: 110

February 2016

Single-family active listings on

Residential building permits: 65

market: 530

Value of residential building

Single-family homes average

permits: $10,716,862

sold price: $209,608

Detached single-family

Single-family homes average

homes: 38

days on market: 83

Value of detached single-family

Single-family homes pending

homes: $9,771,168

listings on market: 215 CBT

BY THE NUMBERS

›› Boone County statistics

PER CAPITA INCOME IN BOONE COUNTY - 2014 (IN 2014 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)

Source: United States Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates

White $29,131

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander $8,654

Black or African-American $15,846

Hispanic or Latino $19,396

American Indian/Alaska Native $10,271

Other Race $13,525

Asian $25,365

Two or More Races $14,371

BIRTHPLACE DATA, COLUMBIA

BOONE COUNTY GENDER DIVIDE Source: United States Census

162,642 TOTAL

Source: United States Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates

66,767

36,685

BORN IN STATE OF RESIDENCE

BORN IN OTHER U.S. STATE

TOTAL:

83,692 FEMALE

113,155

881

NATIVE, BORN OUTSIDE OF U.S.

8,822 FOREIGN BORN

78,950 MALE COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 83

Say “hello”

to the newest addition to the Columbia Eye Consultants team.

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

Meet The Retirement Team As a business owner, do you maximize your 401(k) contributions?

Are you aware of the fiduciary responsibilities of providing a 401(k)?

T

he doctors of Columbia Eye Consultants Optometry (Michael Nichols, O.D.; Christopher DeRose, O.D.; Rob Bernskoetter, O.D. and Jeffrey Gamble, O.D.) are happy to announce the addition of Melissa A. Liepins-Masek, O.D. to their growing team of specialists.

Melissa comes to CECO from the University of Missouri, where she practiced at the Mason Eye Institute with a primary emphasis in pediatric care. She began seeing patients at both CECO’s newly acquired practice in Montgomery City and their recently expanded Columbia, MO location on Keene Street in January of 2016.

Do you know all of the fees charged to your 401(k)?

FIND A BETTER WAY:

Columbia Eye Consultants Optometry’s location at 500 North Keene St. (Suite 103) Columbia, MO 65201.

The addition of Dr. Liepins-Masek marks yet another sign of recent growth, which began in late 2014 and will continue throughout 2016.

573.875.3939 • WRWEALTH.COM

The certification marks above are owned by Certified Financial Planner Board of standards inc. and are awarded to indiviuals who successfully complete CFP Boards initial and ongoing certification requirements.

Securities and Investment advisory Services offered through Waddell & Reed, Inc., a Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC and Federally Registered Investment Advisor. Waddell & Reed is not affiliate with Wilkerson and Reynolds Wealth Management 11/15

84 \\\ MAY 2016

2015 saw the acquisition of their new Montgomery City practice, and the expansion/remodeling of their Keene office location. Currently CECO is preparing to relocate the Chapel Hill office to the the new Boone Hospital South Campus later in 2016.

The expansion of these Columbia, MO locations has allowed CECO to grow their already strong relationships with a number of local and regional, highly-qualified specialists.

Above: Melissa A. LiepinsMasek, O.D. Left: Columbia Eye Consultants Optometry’s newest location at 215 S Sturgeon (Suite A) in Montgomery City.

By providing and facilitating these specialized services (retina, pediatric, geriatric, glaucoma, cataract, etc.), Columbia Eye Consultants Optometry will continue to maintain their reputation as a reliable, multidisciplinary eye care practice for the Mid-Missouri area.

In addition to the practice’s growth, CECO is also pleased with the local reception of KindSight2020, their in-house buy-one-give-one program.

Kindsight2020 allows patients of CECO to participate in providing glasses to those in need. For every pair purchased in one of their optical departments, the doctors of CECO hand deliver a pair to the people of Guatemala during one of their biannual visits.

For more information about Columbia Eye Consultants Optometry, visit their all-new website at: www.cecoptometry.com or call 573.874.2030.

TOP B2B PRODUCT DELIVERY SERVICE

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

TOP HAPPY HOUR

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

TOP ARCHITECT

First Place: Jennifer Hedrick Second Place: Nick Peckham

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

TOP REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER

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

TOP PLACE TO WORK

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

TOP ENGINEER

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

TOP ACCOUNTING SERVICE

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

TOP CATERER

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

TOP STAFFING COMPANY

Second Place: The Insurance Group

TOP COMMERCIAL LENDER

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

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

TOP WEB DEVELOPER

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

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

TOP CULTURE

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

TOP OFFICE DIGS

First Place: True Media Second Place: Woodruff Sweitzer

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

TOP JANITORIAL SERVICES

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

TOP COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER Second Place: Delta Systems

TOP ADVERTISING AGENCY

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

First Place: LG Patterson Second Place: Casey Buckman Photography

TOP EVENT LOCATION

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

TOP PLACE TO HAVE A BUSINESS LUNCH

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

TOP OFFSITE TEAM MEETING LOCATION

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

TOP COFFEE MEETING LOCATION

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

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

TOP NEWBIE TO BUSINESS

TOP BUSINESS INSURANCE

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

TOP BUSINESS WITH INTERNATIONAL IMPACT

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

TOP PLACE TO CLOSE A DEAL

First Place: Nick Hardy Second Place: Max Prokell

TOP CHAMBER VOLUNTEER

First Place: Wally Pfeffer Second Place: Michele Spry

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

TOP OLD-TIMER IN BUSINESS

First Place: Kat Cunningham Second Place: David Keller

TOP COMMERCIAL VIDEOGRAPHER

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

First Place: Spectrum Studios Second Place: Baker HD

TOP BANK

TOP HR FIRM

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

Second Place: Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center

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

Second Place: The Canvas on Broadway

TOP IT COMPANY

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

Second Place: Easy PC

THIS OR THAT

›› Columbia professionals answer the hard questions

THIS Mac Money

Casual

Today

Tomorrow

Learn

Teach

Phone

Email Feet First

Books

Magazines

Coffee

Tea

DIY

Buy

Handwritten

Typed

Print

Digital

Quiet

Lively

Early Bird Behind the Scenes Gel Pen

Details Night Owl In the Spotlight Ball-Point Letters

Facebook

Twitter

Volunteer Solo Sitting Desk Outlook Lunch In Drive to Work Donut

Cluttered Donate Team Standing Desk Gmail Lunch Out Public Transportation Bagel

Creative

Analytical

Introvert

Extrovert

Laptop

Desktop

Optimistic

Realistic

Travel Happy Hour

It ’s b u s in e s s casual f or m e !

Print

Numbers Clean

86 \\\ MAY 2016

Influence

Business

Big Picture

General Manager, KRCG

PC Writing

Cursive

BETH WORSHAM

THAT

Reading

Head First

Photo by Anthony Jinson

or

Staycation Home

SOUNDBITE

›› CBT readers weigh in

What’s the best advice you’ve received for overcoming fear?

"I may be destined to be the lamb for the feast, but nevertheless, it is foolish to offer to set the table for the wolves.” It’s a phrase I coined one time before I was about to go before a board of review for a big project.

It essentially means don’t defeat yourself before you start the challenge. Be confident in your skills and your preparation, and go forward with confidence, and you will prevail.

– Greg Sheeley, 3M

Fear of spiders? Avoid them. Fear of decisions? Make them. Fear of flying? Xanax.

- Suzanne Rothwell, Columbia College

I ask myself, “What’s the worst that could happen?” Then I actually make myself visualize the answer. It’s never as terrible as my fear would have me think it is, and that helps me take that first step to overcoming the nerves. – Megan McConachie, Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau

Take time to think, pray, and analyze of what you are really afraid. Make a list of all of the things that could happen because of that fear. Decide what the impact is of the bad thing happening. Write three things that you would do next if those things happen.

If you lost your job, a loved one died, you got sick — any plan is better than panicking and eating Cheetos under the covers in a dark room. Next to your plan, put one good thing that may happen because of that.

Decide who, if anyone, can be there for you as you face that fear. It's not always the same person, and sometimes, the answer is no one — you must do it yourself. That's OK, but to know a thing is the first step in conquering it. – Heather McGee, Zimmer Radio Group

It’s like the saying about eating something you’ve never had before: you never know until you try. – Kalynn Ramsey, Alternative Community Training

I think that rather than overcoming fear, we’re better served by embracing it. Fear gets stuff done. Whether in business or anywhere, if you’re not fearful, at least occasionally, you’re not in a position to innovate, make a difference, or truly live to your fullest potential. Fear can save your life, and it can also change it for the better. – JD Calvin, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Sometimes you have to “do it afraid.” The longer you take to face any problem, the worse it becomes. – Tony Richards, Clear Vision Development Group

Nine times out of 10, I am terrified to do something new. So I take a deep breath, put my big girl pants on, and do it! Think of all the new adventures, people, and experiences you might miss out on because you are afraid to get out of your comfort zone. – Laura Roeder, Pure Barre

➜ Next month’s question: What’s the one thing our city needs to attract more businesses?

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 87

8 QUESTIONS

➜ 1513 Research Park Drive 573-882-4211 murr.missouri.edu

›› Get to know your professionals

Leading Nuclear Medicine Ralph Butler, Director of MU Research Reactor 4. What are MURR’s future goals?

Our future goals include building on MURR’s momentum in nuclear medicine R&D, fueled by the supply of isotopes for medical diagnosis and treatment — a powerful opportunity for MU. Beyond the $10 million expansion at MURR, the vision for a nuclear medicine innovation district includes a new isotope processing facility, a 70 MeV cyclotron for proton-rich radioisotopes, and ultimately, a larger research reactor — all at or near Discovery Ridge Research Park.

2. What makes you a unique reactor?

Our reactor’s compact and elegant design is renewable and adaptable.

Its unique design allows us to safely operate the reactor for more hours in a given year than any other research reactor in the world. This operating capacity is a key factor to ensuring the nation’s supply of medical isotopes.

With a staff of 200, the MURR Center leads the nation as the highest power research reactor at a university, with multidisciplinary research, education, and service programs that span hundreds of projects in Missouri, the U.S., and the world.

5. You’re requesting $10 million in funding from the state. Why? The requested funding will be used to construct a specialized training and education facility, which would allow us to directly address a primary need cited by nuclear medicine companies that have explored relocation to central Missouri: the limited supply of a specialized technical workforce to support nuclear medicine development and supply. These funds would also allow us to house much needed research space.

3. Why are radioisotopes so important? Radioisotopes impact our everyday lives in so many ways. They are integral components in smoke detectors, help analyze archaeological artifacts to better understand our history, and are indispensable tools for diagnosing diseases and treating cancer.

CBT ONLINE: 88 \\\ MAY 2016

6. Why is Discovery Ridge important to MURR? Due to the short half-lives of medically relevant radioisotopes, locating commercial entities close to MURR and major distribution points (e.g. Columbia Regional Airport, St Louis and Kansas City airports, and I-70) lowers transaction costs, creates efficiencies in marketing and service, and increases supply.

7. Are there any radioisotope projects you’re currently developing? We are working to bring several different radioisotopes to the medical community for which there is no current U.S. supply. The first radioisotope we are developing is Iodine 131, which is used for diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer and other thyroid conditions in more than 800,000 U.S. patient procedures per year. We are currently commissioning the supply line to be in routine production later this year. Another one of our radioisotopes in development is Lutetium 177. Our Lu-177 is the active ingredient in a new drug called Lutathera, which is used to treat neuroendocrine tumors, including pancreatic cancer.

Lutathera has received FDA Fast Track designation and is expected to receive FDA approval in early 2017.

Photo by Sean Nelson

1. What happens at MURR? MURR provides research and development, products, and services that directly benefit citizens worldwide. We engineer customized solutions for leading researchers as well as biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies; conduct a wide range of sensitive analyses; and enable discoveries. In the nuclear medicine arena, MURR is at the heart of a network of internationally recognized scientists, engineers, and technicians who are fighting the war against cancer using radioisotopes supplied by MURR.

8. What are the biggest challenges MURR is facing right now? The largest challenge we are facing today is a lack of space and qualified individuals. Every square foot of MURR is occupied. We are unable to support all of the requests we receive for R&D support that we are otherwise well-suited to provide. CBT

➜ C h e c k o u t m o re q u e st io n s and answe rs wi th Ral p h Butl e r onl i ne at Col um b i aBusi ne ssT imes. com

ADVERTISER INDEX 43TC.........................................................................................................................................9

LANDMARK BANK................................................................................................................2

ACCENT PRESS.................................................................................................................79

MALY COMMERCIAL REALTY....................................................................... 79, 80 & 81

ACCOUNTING PLUS.........................................................................................................91

MAYECREATE WEB DESIGN..........................................................................................14

ANTHONY JINSON PHOTOGRAPHY.........................................................................63

MEDIACOM............................................................................................................................ 4

BETZ JEWELERS................................................................................................................18

MIDWEST COMPUTECH................................................................................................. 33

BUDGET BLINDS................................................................................................................16

MISSOURI EMPLOYERS MUTUAL...................................................................................5

CALEDON VIRTUAL...........................................................................................................11

MORESOURCE INC..............................................................................................................7

CARPET ONE...................................................................................................................... 28

NAUGHT NAUGHT INSURANCE AGENCY...............................................................79

CITY OF COLUMBIA WATER & LIGHT........................................................................10

PERSONAL TOUCH CLEANING SERVICE................................................................69

COLUMBIA ART LEAGUE...............................................................................................20

PROAM GOLF..................................................................................................................... 82

COLUMBIA EYE CONSULLTANTS...............................................................................84

PROVIDENCE BANK......................................................................................................... 57

COLUMBIA REGIONAL AIRPORT..................................................................................18

SOCKET................................................................................................................................89

COMMERCE BANK............................................................................................................ 22

STANGE LAW FIRM...........................................................................................................20

COMO CONNECT.............................................................................................................38

STARR PROPERTIES..........................................................................................................16

CRAFT BEER CELLAR......................................................................................................69

STATE FARM INSURANCE - STEPHANIE WILMSMEYER..................................... 28

D & M SOUND...................................................................................................................... 24

SUPERIOR GARDEN CENTER/ROST LANDSCAPE............................................... 22

DESIGNER KITCHENS & BATHS.................................................................................. 57

TECH ELECTRONICS...................................................................................................... 28

FRESH IDEAS FOOD............................................................................................................8

THE BANK OF MISSOURI................................................................................................34

GFI DIGITAL.......................................................................................................................... 13

THE BROADWAY HOTEL................................................................................................. 15

HAROLD'S DOUGHNUTS...............................................................................................38

THE VILLAGE OF BEDFOR WALK............................................................................... 33

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

TIGER SCHOLARSHIP FUND............................................................................................6

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

WILKERSON & REYNOLDS WEALTH MANAGEMENT.........................................84

JOBFINDERS.......................................................................................................................38

WILSON'S FITNESS........................................................................................................... 12

COLUMBIABUSINESSTIMES.COM /// 89

FLASHBACK

➜ 1200 E. Broadway 573-442-2211 Stephens.edu

›› Columbia, then and now

BY AMBER TAYLOR PHOTO BY SEAN NELSON

STEPHENS COLLEGE, a women’s college founded in 1833, is home to Hickman Hall, a building almost 100 years old.

According to the United States Department of the Interior, Hickman Hall was constructed on Stephens’ campus in 1922. The hall is one of five buildings in the Stephens College South Campus Historic District, located at 1200 East Broadway. The other four buildings are Senior Hall, Wood Hall, Columbia Hall, and the President’s House.

From Broadway, Hickman Hall is the most visible of the buildings. It is a Jacobethan building, meaning it is modeled after the Elizabethan and Jacobean architecture of England, and is located on the western edge of the campus. It is a wide, three-story building originally built to house administrative offices. It has seen no additions or exterior changes of note since its construction.

The hall differs from the other buildings in the area, as it does not use Georgian Revival motifs. It has red brick walls with limestone ornamentation, and a low hipped roof. The archway runs all the way through the building and is the entrance to Hickman Hall.

Stephens hired James Jamieson, a St. Louis architect, for the preliminary sketches of new buildings on Stephens’ campus when the school’s enrollment began to grow. Jamieson joined with George Spearl in 1918 and formed the firm Jamieson and Spearl. Jamieson designed Wood Hall, Columbia Hall, and Hickman Hall.

The Board of Curators voted to add Hickman Hall in 1922 for administration and classroom space. Originally called Science Hall, it was renamed Hickman Hall, after the first president of the Board of Curators, David

H. Hickman. Jamieson and Spearl drew the plans, and the contractor was Davis and Phillips, of Columbia.

Following construction, almost all of the other buildings constructed on campus for the next 20 years used the same Jacobethan style as Hickman Hall. Most of these buildings were designed by Jamieson and Spearl as well.

Jamieson and Spearl also designed buildings at Washington University, in St. Louis, Princeton University, Bryn Mawr College, and MU. The South Campus still serves as the administrative center of the school today. Hickman Hall still holds administrative offices in its building, despite the campus expansions. Some of the buildings in the quadrangle received additions, but it looks mostly the same as it did in the 1940s. CBT

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