October 2013 âžş Bill Waktins,
COO of Riback Supply and former city manager
The second life of Bill Watkins Pg. 30
In God We Trust Religion in the marketplace Pg. 48
From "Likes" to Votes Social media and local campaigning
Out of Time Term limits Pg. 36
Pg. 54
COU Update PG. 22
Case Study: Boone County Millwork 72 lights replaced $4,656 rebate $3300/year saved on electricity lower maintenance costs In the year since Greg Eiffert replaced the light fixtures at the 60,000 sq. ft. Boone County Millwork facility, he has saved over $3300 in electric costs. He will continue to save that amount each year. That savings, combined with his rebate from Columbia Water & Light, will pay for his project in under 3 years. “It’s even less when maintenance is factored in,” says Eiffert. “Our old lightbulbs were much more expensive and burned out often. The new efficient bulbs save us money when we buy them and when we use them.”
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columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 7
8 \\\ october 2013
From the Publisher
Editorial Chris Harrison, Group Publisher ChrisH@BusinessTimesCompany.com Sarah Redohl, Managing Editor SarahR@BusinessTimesCompany.com Katrina Tauchen, Copy Editor Katrina@BusinessTimesCompany.com
Politics and religion ›
We’ve all heard it’s not polite to discuss politics and religion in mixed company. Is it because those topics are just too polarizing, too emotional, too personal? There is no doubt they can be all of the above, but it is undeniable that politics and religion impact the business landscape. And so, in proper Columbia Business Times fashion, we tackle both topics together and discover how each relates to local business. A Boston Globe article a few years back cited that in 2001, the Catholic religion alone commanded approximately $102 billion in revenue. That is a staggering number considering Catholicism is one piece of the whole market. This month, the CBT takes a look at faith-based schools and how they impact the public education offered by our tax dollars. In addition, our feature writer Dianna Borsi O’Brien investigates how businesses use religious references to attract Photo by likeminded customers through focused, faith-based Taylor Allen marketing. Was there ever a greater symbol than the U.S. dollar to tie these two topics together? Term limits has been a polarizing issue in and of itself. Obviously, this legislation is designed to protect citizens from power-hungry career politicians, but ironically, it doesn’t solve the problem at all. It does, however, limit the institutional knowledge needed to navigate complicated financial issues such as the state budget. In fact, Stephen Web“In religion and politics people’s beliefs and ber, Democratic state representative for the 46th District, contends that convictions are in almost every case gotten at term limit legislation takes power second-hand, and without examination, from away from the legislature and gives authorities who have not themselves examined more power to the governor’s office, the questions at issue but have taken them to leadership positions such as speakat second-hand from other non-examiners, er of the house and to lobbyists. whose opinions about them were not worth a Our cover feature is the compelling story of the second life, the rebrass farthing.” — Autobiography of Mark Twain birth, of Bill Watkins. As the head of Riback Supply and DKB, Bill describes the transition from public life as Columbia city manager to the COO of a healthy private business. I hope this issue provides a slightly different perspective on politics and religion. We love feedback, both good and bad. Please don’t hesitate to email your thoughts to chrish@businesstimescompany.com. Best,
October 2013
DESIGN Kristin Branscom, Art Director Kristin@BusinessTimesCompany.com Creative Services Gillian Tracey, Creative Marketing Assistant Gillian@BusinessTimesCompany.com MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES Erica Pefferman, Director of Sales Erica@BusinessTimesCompany.com Angie Huhman, Director of Non-Traditional Revenue Angie@BusinessTimesCompany.com Mason Neff, Marketing Consultant Mason@BusinessTimesCompany.com CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Taylor Allen, Casey Buckman, Whitney Buckner, Breann Hollinger, Angelique Hunter, Anthony Jinson CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Randy Coil, Dak Dillon, Al Germond, Kelsey Gillespy, Sydne Hayman, Vicki Hodder, Kristi Luther, Dianna Borsi O’Brien, Sarah Redohl, Bondi Wood, Molly Wright, Nancy Yang Interns Abby Connoly, Olivia Hancock, Sydne Hayman, Breann Hollinger, Kendra Johnson, GH Lindsey, Tim Nwachukwu MANAGEMENT Chris Harrison, General Manager ChrisH@BusinessTimesCompany.com Renea Sapp, Business Manager ReneaS@BusinessTimesCompany.com Cindy Pudney, Operations Manager CindyS@BusinessTimesCompany.com Erica Pefferman, Director of Sales Erica@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.
➺ Bill Waktins, COO of Riback Supply and former city manager
The second life of Bill Watkins PG. 30
In God We Trust Religion in the marketplace PG. 48
FROM "LIKES" TO VOTES Social media and local campaigning
Chris Harrison, Group Publisher
OUT OF TIME Term limits PG. 36
PG. 54
COU Update PG. 22
Bill Watkins stands in front of the east wall of Riback Supply Co.’s facility at 2412 Business Loop 70 E. in Columbia. Story on page 30. Photo by Anthony Jinson.
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 /// 11
About The Last Times Making IT work for over 30 years.
What People Are Saying ›› Dear Editor, I enjoyed the sport-emphasis articles of the September issue of Columbia Business Times. In light of this subject matter, I think it would have been a great opportunity to highlight some of the academic programs at the University of Missouri that have the focus of training individuals to work in various segments of the sport industry. My programs, sport venue management in the Department of Hospitality Management and sport management in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, were started in 2011. I believe the athletic training program in the School of Health Professions is in its first year. In addition, the turf management program in the Division of Plant Sciences provides instruction to those individuals interested in working in the sport field segment of the industry. The business of sport is growing both in size and in complexity, and universities are tapping into this growth and interest by developing academic programs that train students to be successful managers and leaders in the sport business. I think that
highlighting these MU programs would have been a good fit for the issue, especially because you noted that you feel Columbia needs more development in this particular area. Dr. Lance Carlos Hatfield University of Missouri Director, Sport Venue Management
›› Hi Lance, Thank you so much for your insight. The CBT is always open to fresh story ideas, and we firmly believe that the best ones come from people who are out working in various industries every single day. I’m sure we will have another sportscentric issue on our editorial calendar for next year, and this sounds like a perfect fit for us. If you think of anything else between now and then, please don’t hesitate to contact us and keep us informed on the trends and topics of your industry and the things that you care about.
Sarah Redohl, Managing Editor
Online quiz What is the percentage of businesses affected by cyber attacks, data loss and/or non-existent back up systems annually? A. 16% B. 74%
Online responses to our September issue Great Circle @GreatCircleOrg 29 Aug Big thanks to the @ColumbiaBiz for this lovely article and sharing our mission with their readers! bit.ly/19QjmMj Columbia College @ColumbiaColg 13 Aug #ThankYou to the @ColumbiaBiz for sharing our great news on being honored by #Forbes as a fiscally sound #college
What’s going on around the office Women at Work
Be sure to show your support at Columbia Home’s luncheon Oct. 3 at Columbia Country Club. Like Columbia Home or CBT on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter for the latest details and exclusive photos.
20 Under 40
It’s official! The CBT is accepting nominations for 20 Under 40 until Oct. 15. Head to our homepage at ColumbiaBusinessTimes.com to submit any local business scene all-stars under the age of 40 for a chance to be listed among the best in business.
C. 45% D. 89%
The winner of this month’s quiz will receive an office lunch party for up to 25 co-workers. Enter online at ColumbiaBusinessTimes.com, and we’ll draw a winner from among the entrants with the correct answer.
Write to CBT editor Sarah Redohl at Editor@BusinessTimesCompany.com columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 13
October 2013
Vol. 20, Issue 4 columbiabusinesstimes.com
30
Un-Retired
Bill Watkins is back in the game. After a brief retirement from public life, he’s starting a new career in the private sector with Riback Supply Co.
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42
Departments 11 From the Publisher 13 Letters to the Editor 17 Movers and Shakers 18 Briefly in the News 21 A Closer Look 22 Business Update 25 P.Y.S.K. 27 Opinion 60 Nonprofit Spotlight 63 Technology 65 Celebrations 66 Deeds of Trust 69 Economic Index 70 Business Licenses 71 By the Numbers 72 6 Questions 74 Flashback
48
54
Terms Up
Religion in School
God and Money
(Micro)Targeted
Missouri term limits, voted on in 1992 and fully enacted in 2003, were meant to eliminate career politicians. But are they inhibiting progress in the process?
With seven high schools in the city of Columbia, including numerous faithbased options, diversity and competition are coming to a head.
Businesses appeal to the heart to sell services and products using corporate social responsibility messages — and consumers are eager to buy.
As technology and social media continue to evolve, politicians tap into a microsize campaign trend that’s changing the political landscape.
Movers and Shakers
➜ Are you or your employees
making waves in the Columbia business community? Send us your news to Editor@BusinessTimesCompany.com
›› Professionals grow, serve and achieve
Pullen
augustine
›› Nicholas Pullen William Woods University has chosen Dr. Pullen, an assistant professor of biology, to serve as the university’s Cox Distinguished Professor in Science for the 2013-2014 academic year. ›› Michelle Prowant MidwayUSA has expanded its optics product team with the addition of Prowant, a longtime Midway employee. Prowant will now be responsible for managing product information and identifying new products in the market. ›› Adam Augustine MidwayUSA hired Augustine as its new customer relationship manager. In this position, Augustine will handle customer information management, behavior analysis and other market research activities. ›› Providence Bank As Providence Bank opens a new mortgage center on Cherry Street downtown, the bank has announced seven new employees on its expanded residential lending team: • Chris Sanders: senior vice president and director of residential lending sales • John Brison: residential banker • Josh Smith: residential banker • Carrie Ward: residential banker for the Jefferson City and Columbia market • Sandy Coleman: mortgage processor • Shelli Laurie: mortgage processor
katz
derose
›› Boone Co. National Bank Ali Thompson has been promoted to assistant branch manager at the West Broadway Bank, where she will aid in the day-to-day management of the branch. ›› Kathryn Harvey Harvey, previously the Missouri Department of Transportation’s state design engineer, has been promoted to assistant chief engineer at the department. Harvey will lead department operations in numerous areas, including maintenance, work zone safety and design. ›› Harry Katz Hub & Spoke hired recent University of Missouri graduate Katz as director of video production. In this role, Katz will head the company’s new video production division, Intermodal, which is currently working to produce two television shows for fall debut in mid-Missouri. ›› Antonio DeRose Boone County National Bank has appointed DeRose as the new consumer banking manager at the Hallsville Bank. DeRose worked his way up to assistant manager at South County Bank and will oversee bank staff and work with consumers and local businesses. ›› Aaron McClintic Columbia College has a new director of special projects for adult higher education. McClintic will oversee the logistical matters for the school’s nationwide campuses.
miller
mills
›› Nathan Miller Columbia College promoted Miller from director of special projects to assistant dean for adult higher education. Miller will be responsible for managing various initiatives related to the college’s nationwide campuses, including public relations efforts, student retention and enrollment. ›› Rachel Mills Les Bourgeois Vineyards has named Mills, who has served the winery as marketing director for the past six years, as its new CEO. As CEO, Mills will be responsible for working with the vineyards’ board of directors to set the vision for the company and finding ways to execute that vision. Tia Stratman, an MU graduate and former marketing professional for Socket, will replace Mills as director of marketing. ›› Edward McCain The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute and MU Libraries have appointed McCain to a new joint position: digital curator. McCain will use the position to explore new methods of preserving local news content and monetizing archived materials. ›› Heather Dimmit Following longtime Executive Director Georgalu Swoboda’s retirement at the end of August, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Missouri has a new leader. Dimmit has been named the new executive director by the organization’s board. CBT
columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 17
Briefly in the News
›› A rundown of this month’s top headlines
$11 million A new report from the Association of University Technology Managers shows that among the four UM System campuses and Washington University in St. Louis, the state’s research universities brought in about $11.6 million in gross income from their intellectual property, whether through licensing fees and royalties or new startup businesses. “Colleges and universities are generating new patents, cutting-edge technologies and productive intellectual properties,” David Russell, Missouri commissioner of higher education, says. “As a state, we get a huge return on our investment in higher education.”
Westminster College Westminster College has expanded out of Missouri and into the southwest by opening a second location in the new Mesa Center for Higher Education in the Phoenix suburb. Westminster will share the space with another liberal arts school, Wilkes University of Pennsylvania. Both schools have signed a five-year lease on the property, which Dr. Forsythe houses 13 classrooms, specialized science and computer labs and faculty and staff offices. “The Mesa area has thousands of students every year who seek higher education,” Westminster President Dr. George B. Forsythe says. “Yet those students have been forced to go out of state if they wanted the different approach that a liberal arts education offers: small class sizes; individualized instruction; development of the whole person; and an emphasis on knowing, reasoning and valuing that prepares students for a lifetime of learning and service. This fall we will make the opportunity for a liberal arts education possible right here in Arizona.”
16th Anniversary The Bank of Missouri has received a five-star, superior rating from bank rating company Bauer Financial for the seventh consecutive quarter.
housing market According to data recently released by Missouri REALTORS, more homes are being sold faster for higher prices than they were a year ago. Comparison of the data from July 2013 and July 2012 shows a 16 percent increase in the number of homes sold, a 9 percent decrease in the time a house spent on the market and an increase of more than $20,000 in the average sale price and $15,000 in the median sale price.
Downtown’s Eastside Tavern celebrated its 16th anniversary at the end of September with live music and a dance party. Check out CBT's website for more on the bar’s history.
Top 100 Primaris, a Columbia-based health care consulting firm, has been named one of the best places to work in health care by Modern Healthcare magazine; Primaris is one of only three companies in Missouri and 100 nationally to make the list. Primaris employs about 100 workers in mid-Missouri.
M4A to help guide customers through new insurance exchanges The statewide health insurance exchanges established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will open their doors at the start of October, and the Missouri Association of Area Agencies on Aging will be there to help exchange customers make informed decisions. The M4A is one of two organizations in the state that have been tapped by the federal Department of Health and Human Services to serve as “navigators” for the new program.
18 \\\ october 2013
What’s happening Fore!
Teams from Shelter Insurance, Manor Roofing & Restoration and Mpix.com, among others, competed in the 15th annual Fore the House Golf Tournament benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities of MidMissouri, which works to provide “homes away from home” for families of children getting medical treatment in Columbia.
after-hours mammograms
Inc. 5000
True Media, a Columbia-based media strategy and communications company, has been named to Inc. Magazine’s list of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in a recognition of the company’s 153 percent growth between 2009 and 2012. “One of the things I’m most proud of is that much of our growth has come from current clients who are seeing positive results from the work that we do on their behalf,” True Media President Jack Miller says.
new mural downtown
On Oct. 4 and 5, MU Health Care’s Ellis Fischel Cancer Center will offer mammograms outside of regular hours. The “mammothon” will take place from 6 p.m. to midnight on Friday and from 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday. To receive an examination, women must be either 40 years or older or have a doctor’s order.
mcdonald's
Columbia’s first McDonald’s was demolished in August, but the location on Business Loop 70, chosen by the restaurant’s founder, Ray Kroc, will see a new McDonald’s with updated amenities as soon as the end of October.
Central Dairy’s new mural downtown reinforces its brand while enlivening the area in a way only public art can. Find out more about the mural and how Central skirted signage regulations on CBT's website.
State Farm to lease offices In August, State Farm decided to shift from owning the building to leasing it. The new lease is set for 15 years, but there are two five-year options for renewal. This switch brings the Columbia center into line with the national company’s real estate policy, which focuses on leasing, not owning, office space, says State Farm spokesman Jim Camoriano. CBT
columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 19
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A Closer Look
New Businesses in
Columbia
›› A quick look at emerging companies
1. Hockman Interior Design Sherry Hockman spent years decorating homes for friends and family and will now apply that extensive experience professionally with her new interior design firm. Hockman Interior Design aims to help clients put together a space that fits their lifestyles and their budgets. Hockman’s work has been featured on HGTV’s House Hunters: Where Are They Now?, and she’s worked with clients in Columbia, St. Louis, Kansas City and other cities around the state. The new company takes residential and commercial clients and also operates a showroom showcasing boutique furniture and decorations in The Marketplace on Business Loop 70. Proprietor: Sherry Hockman Contact: 573-999-1994
3. Tiger Town Treasures
5. Adelman Travel Group
Columbia’s newest thrift store, Tiger Town Treasures, aims to carry something for everyone, according to Connie Furlong, who helps run the shop for her son Jeremy. After years of going to yard sales, the Furlongs decided to start their own store to sell goods year round. The store, which is located at 802 E. Business Loop 70 at the former location of Clover’s Natural Market, sells everything from baby clothing and DVDs to power tools and jewelry. At Tiger Town, which opened at the start of July, most items are priced below $25 to appeal to bargain hunters of all stripes. Proprietor: Jeremy Furlong Phone: 573-442-8567
After taking over Springfield-based Great Southern Travel last year in the company’s largest-ever acquisition, Adelman Travel Group has taken and rebranded over the agency’s Columbia location on West Broadway. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., the travel management company focuses on business travel services, including cost-saving measures such as teleconferencing and risk management products, and offers vacation travel services as well. Earlier this summer, Adelman was honored as one of the best 25 producers by Ensemble Travel Group, an organization representing some 850 travel agencies across North America. Proprietor: Adelman Travel Systems Inc. Phone: 414-410-8359
4. Weaver Boos Consultants LLC Based out of Chicago, Weaver Boos Consultants is an environmental and geotechnical engineering firm offering a variety of environmental engineering services. Land surveying and environmental audits are specialties, as are natural wastewater treatment systems and ethanol production technology. Waste management is also a strength; Weaver Boos recently won awards for its landfill design and monitoring. The company, which opened in 1990, has 13 offices across the country with three locations in Missouri, including its new Columbia location, which opened in May. Notable previous clients include United States Steel, Waste Management Inc. and Chase Bank. Proprietor: John W. Weaver II Phone: 312-922-1030
2. Gunther’s Games Now located at Broadway and 10th Street downtown, Gunther’s Games is bringing arcade fun back to Columbia after a six-year hiatus. The former Gunther’s was a Columbia landmark before closing in 2007. The arcade’s new owner, Wes Upchurch, has brought back the original location’s distinctive green and white color scheme and has packed the new location with everything from pinball and Pac-Man to Big Buck Hunt and Mortal Kombat. The games will regularly rotate as well. The business plans to appeal to families and, with beer service, pull in some of the weekend bar crowds as well. Proprietor: TMU Entertainment LLC Phone: 573-424-6139
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6. Stir Fry 88 A new flavor is coming to Columbia Mall. Stir Fry 88, a quick-service Chinese restaurant, prides itself on offering high-quality and consistent dishes such as bourbon chicken and moo shu pork cooked in a traditional wok. Dishes are on the inexpensive end of the spectrum, and customers can choose how spicy they prefer their meals. The Columbia location will be the second store location in the state and 17th nationwide. Innovated Restaurant Group, the national chain that operates Stir Fry 88, also has Japanese, Thai, Chinese and Cajun restaurants in malls across America. Proprietor: Stir Fry 88 of Columbia Inc. Phone: 845-282-6174
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➜ Are you an entrepreneur? Are you sprouting a new business? Tell us about it at Editor@BusinessTimesCompany.com columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 21
Photo by Whitney Buckner
22 \\\ october 2013
view ahead
Business Update
›› Transformed, trending and up-to-the-minute
The Road Ahead
Travel in mid-Missouri looks to be on an upswing. But will it last? As passengers drive up to Columbia Regional Airport (COU) on South Airport Drive, they might notice a new parking lot just north of COU’s previous 350-spot parking lot. Created with some of the 80,000 tons of concrete torn up during a taxiway construction project earlier this year, the new lot provides travelers with 230 additional parking spots. And though the 95 percent federally funded project has meant a necessary update for COU, what seems to matter most are the cars in all those spaces and what each one represents. “The number of cars in the parking lot is a great indicator of the airport’s success,” says Don Elliott, COU’s airport manager. For the various governmental entities, the University of Missouri and a slew of private investors who funded the more than $3 million, two-year revenue guarantee to American Airlines for service to Chicago and Dallas, each filled parking spot represents money saved and money earned. Despite $22,562 paid for the airline’s service in February, which Columbia Director of Finance John Blattel attributes to “a significant number of discounted tickets sold to encourage people to get familiar with the new service,” no further payments have been necessary. In fact, the fund has actually made money, according to Blattel, who oversees the investment. “The interest it’s gained is greater than the revenue guarantee we paid [for February],” he says. “It’s now more than $3 million.” Because the remainder of the fund will be distributed based on the percentage each entity paid in after the two-year guarantee is over, if the service can remain profitable for American Airlines, each investor could receive more money back than it had invested. And Elliott isn’t surprised by the success. Not only have there been months when the flights to Chicago and Dallas were 92 and 85 percent full, respectively, but Elliott also expects 2013 to have the highest number of passengers in the past 25 years.
By Sarah Redohl
“Mid-Missouri is growing, and we truly need good air service because it’s vital to our economy,” he says. The once-daily flight to Chicago and twice-daily flights to Dallas mark the first time COU customers can fly into two major international hubs, Elliott says. An increase in passenger counts will be vitally important if COU will meet Columbia Mayor Bob McDavid’s goal to attract 40 percent of all mid-Missouri travelers by 2020. The airport’s current market share is around 12 percent, up from 5 percent in 2006, according to a Passenger Demand Analysis conducted by COU.
ness of the new service among mid-Missourians and encourage private industry to conduct business travel through COU. “Because of the success of the guarantee, we’re putting ourselves in the position to hopefully add a flight,” Blattel says. “Until we have a plane on the runway, we won’t know for sure.” Elliott agrees that the success with American’s service may improve COU’s chances. “Mid-Missouri is unique, and we could possibly accommodate up to four hubs,” Elliott says. “We currently have one to the North and South, but I’d really like to see one to the East and West—many [people] in the business community indicated that Denver and Atlanta would be ideal.” Fueled by industry About the same time that COU was betting on Although the airport is currently working to get the success of American’s two flights, Beaumont, an additional flight each day to Chicago, Elliott Texas, did the same. But while Columbia paid out says COU needs a steady approach and will con$22,562 total, Beaumont paid out $170,000 for tinue to track progress with its current service. March and $140,000 for April. “Over the next few years the 50-passenger In fact, according to a recent MIT study comjets used at COU will be retired, and Ameriparing the value of air service at various U.S. aircan’s just signed a contract for several 76-pasports, COU has fared betsenger jets with business ter than many other simiclass,” Elliott says. “And we Revenue Guarantee Funds lar airports. Even though have asked American to serve the ACQI (Airport ConnecCOU’s three flights with the tivity Quality Index) has new aircraft.” decreased in most U.S. airAlthough Matt Miller, Amerports, COU’s ACQI has ican’s media relations manager, increased from 2.07 in 2007 says American is very pleased to 14.85 in 2012. with the first six months of serFor Elliott, COU’s sucvice at COU and the support of Private Jeff City cess depends on the varithe surrounding community, $633,500 $100,000 ety of industries in the midhe could not comment on the Univ. of Missouri Cole County $500,000 $100,000 Missouri region with a need future plans of the carrier. Boone County Columbia for travel. More than 80 perAnd with a potentially tough $500,000 $1,166,500 cent of COU’s travelers fly road ahead to get through the for business purposes. travel industry’s toughest time, “[We] save business travelers a lot of time sitdecisions will have to wait. ting in traffic on I-70,” Elliott says, recounting his “We haven’t gotten through the winter yet,” own recent three-hour adventure to St. Louis. Blattel says. Blattel says much of COU’s success can be And for Elliott: “Seeing the entire year will be attributed to marketing efforts to increase awarethe best indication.” CBT columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 23
Amber and Josh Spry, Owners
Meet Amber and Josh Spry, owners of H Town Market. They recently obtained an SBA loan from The Bank of Missouri to purchase and renovate a convenience store, gas station and restaurant in Harrisburg. 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.
Meet our SBA Lending Division team, from left to right: Karin Bell (Vice President), Keith McLaughlin (Senior Vice President), Crystal Morris (Administrative Assistant), Geoff Karr (Loan Officer).
24 \\\ october 2013
P.Y.S.K. Person You Should Know
›› Job description: I bounce between health care media relations, Web development, food writing and, improbably, H.R.
Scott Rowson
›› Years lived in Columbia/mid-Missouri: 13
Food Editor, Columbia Home Magazine; Director, Show Me Quality Consulting
›› Original hometown: Dad was in the Navy, so we moved every two years or so. But I graduated from Rock Bridge High School and went to the University of Missouri, so I’m a quasi-native of CoMo. ›› Education: B.A. in political science from MU
Age:
36
›› Community involvement: Coaching soccer and baseball, the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri, Paxton-Keeley Elementary School volunteer ›› Professional background: Nonprofit and university media relations, press secretary for member of Congress, public information officer for Missouri Department of Social Services ›› A favorite recent project: Handling media outreach for a health insurance executive-turned whistleblower, a fascinating man with an important message ›› A Columbia businessperson I admire and why: Pepe Perez of Pepe’s food truck. Pepe is a good guy who saw a niche — mobile taco purveyor — went after it and created, arguably, the best Mexican food joint in town. ›› Why I’m passionate about my job: Health care is a rapidly changing world right now, and getting to help educate people about that change is gratifying. ›› If I weren’t doing this for a living, I would: Be playing midfield for Sporting Kansas City. ›› What people should know about this profession: Being a consultant means you’re never truly off the clock — doubly true if you work out of a home office. You have to establish a routine and try to segment work time and home time.
Photo by Angelique Hunter
›› What I do for fun: Soccer, MU football, cooking with the family. Dystopian fiction. ›› Family: Wife, Amber, and two kids: Beckett, 9, and Ayla, 6 ›› Favorite place in Columbia: The bar at Sycamore ➜ Rowson is passionate about his job because health care is a rapidly changing
world right now, and getting to help educate people about that change is gratifying.
›› Most people don’t know that I: Own a tractor. ›› Accomplishment I’m most proud of: Getting her to say “I do” 14 years ago CBT columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 25
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Roundtable › Al Germond
point-of-view
Rise of the 8-Hour Meeting A recent meeting of the Columbia City Council may have established the all-time record for length. Would the 3 a.m. adjournment on Tuesday/ Wednesday Sept. 3/4 qualify for entry into the Guinness Book of Records? Perhaps, or maybe at least a footnote as a runner-up. Longtime City Hall observers recall Al Germond is the many sessions that passed midnight and host of the Columbia into the wee hours, but the incumbent Business Times mayor campaigned for brevity, and for Sunday Morning most of his tenure thus far, that seemed Roundtable at 8:15 to have been the case. a.m. Sundays on KFRU. The most recent marathon repreHe can be reached at sented the convergence of a number of al@columbia business controversial issues that drove legions times.com. of activists out of the sultry evening air and into the well-chilled confines of the council chambers. On and on they gassed, it seemed, within their allotted couple of minutes, often parroting many of the points already made by those who preceded them. What to do? What to do?
A consequence of growth?
It’s a bridge yet to be crossed: to amend the charter and delegate much of what today’s seven city councilors have to wrestle with, to shift issues involving property and zoning, for example, to the Planning and Zoning Commission that would be freshly knighted with the power to render final, binding decisions much as is currently bestowed by the Board of Adjustment.
On and on they gassed, it seemed, within their allotted couple of minutes, often parroting many of the points already made by those who preceded them. What to do? What to do? Re-engaging participants Even if the meager stipend only recently provided to City Council representatives for their service is justification for eight-hour sessions, the conclusions of which seem to verge on greeting the dawn’s first light. For the sake of clarity and objective decision-making, council meetings should end by midnight with no exceptions whatsoever. Maybe City Council service would then be more appealing to entrepreneurs and businesspeople who need to be re-engaged to actively participate in municipal affairs, much as was the case many years ago. CBT
A purely mechanical solution would mate a traffic light with a stop clock. The messages of the traffic light are obvious: green means start talking, yellow warns there’s a minute of bloviating left, and red is the guillotine — time to time up! Reprising times past, the city clerk would simultaneously extinguish the microphone. The hand of the stop clock whirls around and gives speakers the opportunity to pace themselves during their allotted discourse. Yet there’s a greater problem at hand, and it coincides with the growing bigness of Columbia. As the community spreads out and repopulates itself, so increases the community’s complexity as a municipal corporation. The City Council, governed largely by the ukase of its 64-year-old municipal home rule charter, simply doesn’t have the resources and time to deal with the myriad docketed issues presented to it when Councilmen Lamb, Worley, Hinshaw and Karsch attend a Columbia City Council meeting with Mayor Howard B. Lang (center) in 1955, it was a third its present size in 1949. according to the 1955 city directory.
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Opinion › Randy Coil
point-of-view
The Upswing For those in the building industry, the past few years have been challenging to say the least. With the recession of 2008, the industry dropped off close to 60 percent nationally. Although we often pride ourselves here in Columbia as recession proof, our numbers weren’t much better. When the recession finally ended, the business community Randy Coil is the as a whole gave a collective sigh of relief, president of Coil but the lingering effects have, in many Construction and ways, caused the construction industry former board chair for to rebound a bit slower than most of us the Columbia Chamber would like. of Commerce. He There are multiple reasons for this has been in the snail’s pace, but it’s safe to say that busiconstruction business ness in general hates uncertainty. With since 1975. the recession still fresh in many CEOs’ minds, expansions, new builds and additions are facing heightened scrutiny. Couple this with an air of uncertainty many of us feel in response to the stock market’s all-too-recent wild ride and events such as the 2012 presidential election, the debt crisis in Europe, and more. Although the recession is technically over, the aftershocks are still influencing business decisions today. For instance, many businesses took drastic measures to avoid going under. They quit spending, and they laid off employees and/or reduced their square footage to save money. As businesses got leaner to weather the storm, a new culture took hold and prompted even those who could afford to spend to adopt a wait-and-see attitude. This mindset has been hard to shake.
Confidence on the rise The good news is the economy is definitely on an upswing. In fact, 2013 ushered in several positive changes. To begin with, many of the concerns that plagued the business world have finally been resolved, and various stopgap measures to avoid future business crashes have been put into place. In addition, the trends are looking good. The economic forecast is on a sharp increase through at least 2015 (McGraw Hill Construction), and the stock market is now, though fluctuating, at an all-time high. With the added bonus that financial institutions are starting to ease up on some of their requirements, consumer confidence is on the rise both nationwide and locally. Such a positive environment is prompting many companies to reinvest in themselves with money that had been previously parked on the sideline. Locally, commercial building permits are up. There were 63 such permits in Columbia in 2011, 75 in 2012, and 87 are currently scheduled for 2013 (City of Columbia Department of Community Development). Vacancy rates for offices and local industries are trending downward. Residential 28 \\\ october 2013
permits in Columbia are going up, and the housing inventory on the market is dropping. The fact that Columbia is also growing is promising. Of the more than 168,000 estimated people in Boone County in 2012, Columbia takes the lion’s share at a little more than 113,000. This creates a greater demand for jobs and houses, restaurants, stores and services. Although the current demand is greater for more additions and remodels for efficiencies versus ground-ups, overall people are starting to look for ways to enhance their existing space, commercially and residentially. This bodes well for construction as a whole. Additionally, with national trends stabilizing, material prices and lending rates not getting any cheaper and with lending institutions relaxing their requirements, the timing couldn’t be better for those considering construction work.
Steps to ensure success • Keep in mind that the building or alteration needs to serve you, not the other way around. A return on your investment is essential, so consult with a CPA, your CFO, a banker and/or a construction consultant to make sure the build or alternation truly makes sense. For example, at Coil Construction, we added a smart room, essentially a room enhanced with multimedia components, which serves our business in multiple ways. First it serves as an additional collaborative space. The enhanced technology not only improves employee conditions, which often translates into increased production, but it also serves as a showroom to clients to display available design innovations. And with an energy-efficient design, it will pay out in three to five years. • Estimate your risk. Begin by forecasting your industry and your local trends. Columbia is a fairly stable economic environment comparatively and enjoys a growing population, which helps lower risk. • Green up when and where possible. Columbians tend to be ecoconscientious. Many of our construction clients have grown up with recycling education that influences their building choices. So consider your building materials. Use eco-friendly paints and glues when you can, and reuse debris when possible. Consider existing infrastructures versus urban sprawl, which can often be more cost-efficient. • Use advancements in technology when it makes sense. Ask important questions before investing. Does it save money over time? Ideally, advanced technology should actually overtime pay for itself. For example, installing and utilizing a flat-screen monitor for meetings instead of paper saves paper and time. Personally, I look for technology that helps me sell construction work. If it accomplishes this goal, then it was a good move. No doubt the construction business took a big hit in the past few years. Fortunately, many businesses weathered this storm and hopefully made changes to avoid future fallout from recessions to come. But the economy will fix it itself once again, and overall we will be better off because of it. For now, the future looks very promising for both the consumer and the building industry. CBT
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The Second Life of Bill Watkins By Nancy Yang photos by anthony jinson
30 \\\ october 2013
In the public sphere for nearly his entire working life, former City Manager Bill Watkins leaves behind retirement for a new career in the private sector. When Bill Watkins announced his retirement back in October 2010, the former city manager believed he was leaving the workplace altogether. But a series of events that began shortly after his announcement would prove destiny had something else in store. “I had actually planned on retiring retiring,” Watkins says. As it turned out, his retirement lasted all of five months. In August 2011, after a career almost exclusively in the public sector, Watkins became chief operating officer of Riback Supply Co. The privately held company distributes heating, air conditioning and building supplies through its 20 branches in Missouri and Kansas. It also owns Designer Kitchens and Baths in Columbia, Jefferson City and Osage Beach. “There are a lot of differences and a lot of similarities between a $400 million-a-year city and a company one-tenth the size,” Watkins says. “There’s finance, personnel, facilities, maintenance; all those things come into play here and with the city as well. Some of the advantages, perhaps, are that here I report to one person, and that’s who I need to make happy. In the public sector, you’ve not only got seven city council members but the public at large.”
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Watkins says his focus is on keeping prices competitive while building and maintaining relationships with customers, both from the wholesale supply side of the business as well as the retail side. Although contractors, plumbers and other subs are Riback Supply’s primary customers, the company began bringing retail customers into the mix in the 1980s with the opening of its DKB showrooms. “DKB is one of the projects that we took on quickly,” Watkins says. “We’re actually making some very significant changes at the Jefferson City location.” Recently, the company purchased a building that will house its DKB showroom together with its plumbing supply outlet. (The HVAC supply outlet will move to 912 W. McCarty St.) “We think the Christy Drive location is better for servicing the greater Jeff City area,” he says. “Secondly, we think that by bringing the plumbing side and the showroom side together, we’ll be able to provide a whole lot better service for our customers, be they somebody who’s thinking about remodeling a kitchen or are from the trade side.” It’s a setup that’s been successful at the company’s Osage Beach location. Consolidating the supply and retail sides has allowed Riback Supply to remain competitive in a changing market. Factors such as the 2008 economic downturn and subsequent slowing of the construction industry, as well as competition from bigbox chains, have contributed to that change.
“Marty Riback is still very involved with the business,” Watkins says. “He takes more of a 10,000-foot approach.” Over the years, he says, Marty Riback has relied on a COO to run the company from a dayto-day perspective. That day-to-day becomes a lot of strategy, he adds. The company's previous COO, the late Ernie Gaeth, was responsible for Watkins’ brief retirement. Gaeth had known and worked with Watkins for a long time. In the late 1980s, when Gaeth was president of the Chamber of Commerce, he was influential in bringing Watkins onboard as vice president of Regional Economic Development Inc. Later, when Watkins was city manager, they worked together forging a partnership between the city and the University of Missouri. After Watkins announced his retirement, Gaeth approached him about becoming his successor at Riback Supply. “Ernie called and asked if I ever thought about working here,” Watkins says. “I felt it wasn’t appropriate to do anything until I actually left office.” So Gaeth asked Watkins to call him later if he was interested. The offer was unexpected and bittersweet. Gaeth had been diagnosed with brain cancer, a tragedy that was compounded by something Watkins and his wife, Kathy, were facing at home. Kathy was dealing with a life-threatening illness herself. Her battle with breast cancer had precipitated Watkins’ decision to step down as city manager.
“There are a lot of differences and a lot of similarities between a $400 million-a-year city and a company one-tenth the size. … Some of the advantages, perhaps, are that here I report to one person, and that’s who I need to make happy.” — Bill Watkins A new chapter Riback Supply was founded nearly 100 years ago by Morris Riback, a Polish immigrant and grandfather of current President Marty Riback. It was Columbia’s first plumbing supply house and now employs about 140 people companywide. 32 \\\ october 2013
“When my wife got sick for the final time, my plan had been to retire and then be her caretaker for a number of months,” Watkins says. “My contract with the city said six months notice, so when we decided to give notice, we really thought we probably had another year, year and a half to go. It didn’t work out that way.”
Kathy died on Feb. 22, 2011, during Watkins’ final weeks as city manager. During their 37-year marriage, they raised three children who are now grown and live in Columbia, Kansas City and Eau Claire, Wis. Memories of those years filled the home that they shared, and when Kathy passed away, Watkins found them to be overwhelming. “I couldn’t stay in that house,” he says. “A good friend helped me find a house on a property with 10 acres.” The property, outside of Rocheport, allowed Watkins to pursue an interest in planting and cultivating fruit trees while remaining relatively close to his office in Columbia. He also remodeled the house, which gave him the opportunity to experience his business from the customer’s point of view. As it turned out, the opportunity would prove valuable — and once again unexpected. While furniture shopping, Watkins ran into Elizabeth Freese, an architect and acquaintance he had worked with in the past. “It was kind of funny,” he says. “I had just bought a new house and needed new furniture. We ran into each other at Ashley Furniture. I had an extra ticket for a jazz concert over at Murry’s. We just kind of hit it off.” They married in August of 2012, combining homes and winding up with more furniture and household items than they needed. They had two or three of everything and resorted to garage sales and donations to Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity, Love INC and the public library. “We cannot pull our car into the garage yet (as of late July), but we’re making progress,” he says. “I had 25 years of stuff, and I think Elizabeth had lived in her house for 15.”
Community connection The changes in Watkins’ personal and professional life have no doubt helped him step back from his former job. He says that current City Manager Mike Matthes walked into a tough situation. Not knowing the community, he didn’t have local support mechanisms in place. “He certainly has his own ways of skinning the cat,” Watkins says. “But I have to tell you that when I retired, I decided to absolutely, completely walk away. I just felt like that was the fair thing to do.” Rather than become a distraction, Watkins has shifted his community involvement to nonprofit organizations. He serves on the board of the Central Missouri Subcontracting Enterprises, formerly the Sheltered Workshop, and is board chair of Columbia’s Youth Empower-
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ment Zone, which helps at-risk youth develop life skills and seek employment. “I think YEZ is doing excellent work, particularly with a population that’s often hard to reach,” he says. “Some of our folks are people who have either just come out of incarceration or are headed in that direction. This is one of the most at-risk populations we have.” At-risk youth have a lot to do with Columbia’s increase in violent crime, he says. He supports a solid police presence but also the YEZ approach, which he says needs to come from a non-law-enforcement organization. “Increased police presence alone won’t work but neither will just the YEZ approach,” he says. “I am not trained as a police officer, though I did take the Columbia Police Citizen Training, which I highly recommend, but I can provide some assistance from the other side.” Working through YEZ involves leveling the playing field by giving at-risk youth the skills 34 \\\ october 2013
and support that they are missing at home, says YEZ Executive Director Lorenzo Lawson. Rather than a welfare program, he calls it an empowerment program. “Bill was pretty significant from the birth of YEZ,” Lawson says. “At the time he was city manager, and there was a lot of youth violence going on. Bill saw the value of the program. He saw that we were making a dent in this huge problem.” Since then, Lawson says, YEZ has helped more than 300 of its participants find first-time employment or enroll in school. In addition, business and community leaders involved in the organization have gained insights into the underlying causes of crime. “Our Executive Director Lorenzo Lawson tells stories, and he’s well enough connected that I think he’s right on,” Watkins says. “I don’t see that way of life regularly. I can’t experience it, and when you hear people talk about it, it’s
hard to believe that’s really the way it is here.” One such story involves a string of convenience store robberies last spring, all of which were caught on tape. Lawson’s perspective is that the perpetrators had just gotten out of prison and couldn’t find employment. With little hope of finding jobs, they turned to crime, knowing that if they went back to prison, their families would at least receive benefits. “It’s a horrible story, but I think that in some cases, it’s probably true,” Watkins says. Stories such as these illustrate why putting a cop on every corner wouldn’t make a huge difference, he adds. “I remember hearing lots of stories from very respectable people about ‘driving while black,’” Watkins says. “That, to me, is unacceptable. There’s got to be a balance. I think this community wants that balance. They want to be safe, but on the other hand, they want a community that’s open, responsive and fair.” CBT
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Stephen Webber, State Rep.– D Term Expires: 2016
Caleb Jones, State Rep.– R Term Expires: 2018
Caleb Rowden, State Rep.– R Term Expires: 2020
John A. Wright, State Rep.– D Term Expires: 2020
Kurt Schaeffer, Senator – R Term Expires: 2016
Chris Kelly, State Rep.– D Term Expires: 2016
36 \\\ october 2013
Voted on in 1992 and fully enacted in 2003, Missouri term limits were meant to eliminate career politicians and protect the freedom of constituents. But has political life found a way to circumvent the system?
By Bondi Wood
In the 1993 blockbuster Jurassic Park, the movie’s scientists claimed they could control the park’s dinosaur population because they had genetically engineered all the animals to be female. Jeff Goldblum’s character, Dr. Ian Malcolm, emphatically warns the scientists that artificial barriers are often circumvented by nature. In his famous quote foreshadowing the ultimate demise of the experimental project, Malcolm says, “I’m simply saying that life finds a way.” Ironically, a year before Jurassic Park hit the big screen, Missouri voters were asked to decide a statewide ballot issue regarding term limits, known as Amendment 12. On Nov. 3, 1992, more than 75 percent of the 1.6 million votes cast were in favor of term limits. Although approved in 1992, term limits were not fully enacted until 2003. Now, more than a decade later, have term limits achieved what proponents intended? Or instead, as in Jurassic Park, has life found a way: a way to work within the confines of term limits, a way of outmaneuvering the original intent of term limits, a way of creating a new normal? You be the judge. Although many of the repercussions predicted by those both for and against the measure
have not materialized, one thing is certain, the intervening years have done little to mellow the opinions of both proponents and opponents. ★
★
★
One of the original arguments promised term limits would eliminate career politicians. Fred Berry, a constitutional conservative, Republican and president of the Columbia Pachyderm Club, supports term limits for both state and federal officeholders but is most adamant about term limits at the national level. “We need term limits as part of the answer to end the corruption in Washington,” he says. “Career politicians tend to be more concerned about their careers than protecting the freedom and liberty of their constituents. Over time, it seems an unacceptable level of indifference, greed and hunger for power sets in, and the country, the Constitution and our freedoms be damned.” Caleb Rowden, a first-term Republican representing Missouri’s 44th District, is on the fence regarding the issue of career politicians and term limits. “I think term limits have pros and cons,” he says. “I think the main thing I’ve seen is there always being a new infusion of people in office that have
new ideas and innovative thoughts on the political process. It can help keep elected officials from getting lazy or stagnant.” Even Stephen Webber, the Democratic state representative for the 46th District and a vocal opponent of term limits, admits they may have one positive attribute. “There is the potential for longtime officeholders to become callous,” Webber says. Specifically, Webber points to new legislators having to vote on difficult issues. “I’ve seen freshmen legislators look physically sick when they vote to cut social programs. You don’t see that look in the ones with three or four terms in office.” David Shorr, a longtime opponent of term limits and partner in charge of the Jefferson City and Columbia law offices of Lathrop and Gage can’t find any reason to support term limits. “I have never seen the benefit [of term limits],” Shorr says. “All I see is those who take office for the right reasons are removed without a vote of their constituents. At best, it benefits the party out of power by forcing a wanted incumbent from being allowed to run.” Despite the opinions of either side, the research shows that term limits have had no effect on limiting career politicians if the career columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 37
move is onward and upward. According to a January 2013 article in State Legislatures magazine, the number of former state legislators serving in the 113th Congress is 49 percent, and that number has hovered around 50 percent for decades — both before and after states enacted term limits. Just as they did prior to term limits, many legislators move from state to national offices, effectively continuing their political careers. However, the careers of our state legislators are capped at eight years in the Senate and eight years in the House — and it’s a lifetime cap. There’s no re-entering the system as in some other states. Consequently, young officeholders, such as Webber and Rowden, will still be young when they are forced out of office. “I’m 30 years old, and I have served as long or longer than 93 percent of the members of the Missouri House,” Webber says. I’ll be 32 when I cast my last vote as a member of the House, and I can never be elected to the House again.” Rowden says: “I am in my first term, so I am not impacted by term limits nearly as much as a representative or senator in their final term. I will definitely have to cross that bridge someday though.” Although no firm data exists outlining where term-limited officeholders next gain employment, should they not seek national office, a comprehensive study authored by David Valentine, associate director of the University of Missouri’s Institute of Public Policy, says that term limits might have had the unintended consequence of having officeholders focus more rather than less on their career plans. The study states the aftermath of term limits has caused “a more competitive environment, as potential candidates jockey for positions both within and without the Legislature.” Because term limits decrease opportunities for political advancement, “many legislators are focused on a nonelective next step,” according to Valentine. ★
★
★
That brings us to the other main purpose for mandating term limits: to decrease lobbyist influence. Webber laments term limits and their impact on his ability to represent his constituents. “Constitutionally, I can’t run for the House again, but lobby firms can hire me; any big business could hire me,” he says. According to Webber, he’s unlikely to opt for either of those career choices, but his point is that it’s perfectly legal to do so. In fact, last August, Republican Speaker of the House Steve Tilley left the Legislature with five months remaining in his term to accept a posi38 \\\ october 2013
tion with a lobbying firm. Ditto for Democrat and Minority Leader Mike Talboy. Berry offers a historical explanation for the enormous influence of lobbyists on our elected officials. He views the adoption of the 16th and 17th Amendments as detrimental to the original intent of the Constitution. The 16th Amendment authorized Congress to levy income taxes, and the 17th Amendment gave the power to elect senators to the people. Prior to that, senators had been appointed by their state legislatures. Berry cites Alexander Hamilton, who supported term limits, but says he believes Hamilton would be of a different mind were he alive today.
“I’ve seen freshmen legislators look physically sick when they vote to cut social programs. You don’t see that look in the ones with three or four terms in office.” — Stephen Webber, state representative, 46th District
“However, what Alexander could not predict is that our country would adopt the 16th and 17th Amendments, which incorporated much of the corruption that we see in Washington today, especially with respect to the income tax and how it rewards lobbyists and elected officials to win favors for the organizations the lobbyists represent and to fund the coffers of elected officials,” Berry says. Like the wily dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, lobbyists have found a way to remain influential, despite term limits. Valentine’s study states lobbyists used to build long-term relationships with powerful, “entrenched incumbents.” Because that is no longer an option, lobbyists now seek out new legislators who share “compatible policy interests and those assigned to the committees likely to handle their issues.” The study goes on to state that lobbyists even sometimes get involved prior to elections by backing a particular candidate who shares views or policies friendly to the lobbyist’s cause. According to Webber, term limits have shifted power away from the legislature and toward three main entities. “It’s taken power away from representatives and given it to the governor’s office, to leadership positions such
as speaker of the house and to lobbyists,” he says. “Lobbyists have become far more powerful.” ★
★
★
Although term limits didn’t exactly achieve what they set out to do, some find it more troubling that by limiting one’s ability to serve, we have weakened rather than strengthened our Legislature. “Term limits compromise leadership,” Shorr says. “We are creating a leadership void where experience and the art of compromise are lost in favor of a quick fix that never comes. We also lose the benefit of the institutional memory of previous debate.” Rowden is struggling with the issue of term limits and examining both sides. “The flip side [of that] is a lack of institutional knowledge that really allows people to truly understand the process and allows them to be as effective as they can be,” he says. “It’s truly a double-edged sword.” For Webber, the real loser in a term-limited legislature is the ability to make long-term policy changes. “Most tax cuts are phased in over a long period of time,” he says. “We don’t have the ability to put together cohesive, coherent, long-term policies because the people are always changing.” Chris Kelly, Democratic Representative in the 45th District, is in the unique position of having served both prior to and after the enactment of term limits. “I served in both a term-limited and non-term-limited legislature,” Kelly says. “The people are every bit as smart and committed as they ever were, but they are not as well informed about policy or history.” Research studies, both local and national, do point to a lack of tenure in leadership positions in states with term limits. For example, prior to term limits, most leadership positions were held by officeholders with an average of eight to 14 years of experience. With term limits, elected officials with an average of four years experience hold most leadership positions. Although widely accepted, it still has not been proven that a lack of tenure equals a lack of knowledge. “Legislators don’t understand their own legislation and are afraid of their own political parties. It’s extremely unproductive,” according to Kelly. Whether experience equals knowledge, the learning curve for incoming legislators is far steeper than for their pre-term-limited predecessors. States with term limits have taken several steps to ramp up knowledge acquisition. In Missouri, the state sponsors a two-week bus tour for freshmen legislators to acquaint them with the scope and breadth of the issues they’ll be facing.
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Missouri is one of 15 states with term limits. Twenty-one states originally passed term limit legislation, but six states have repealed it, either through their legislatures or their courts. Although local proponents and opponents of term limits disagree on most every aspect of the issue, they all agree on one thing: It is highly unlikely that term limits will be repealed in Missouri. For one, it’s a constitutional amendment and very hard to overturn. Second, if it were to become a ballot issue, it’s unlikely there would be much money to fund a statewide campaign for the cause. Webber holds out hope that perhaps term limits can be adjusted. In fact, he says a bill proposing minor modifications did make it out of the House last term but ended its journey there.
Just as they did prior to term limits, many legislators move from state to national offices, effectively continuing their political careers. First-term legislators such as Rowden, who are still scrutinizing the issue, may hold the key to the future of term limits in our state. “Frankly, I am not sure where I am on this issue as of now,” Rowden says. “One could make the argument that if an officeholder isn’t representing their constituents well, they can get voted out. And while that is true, it is very hard to knock off an incumbent in today’s political climate, which would be an argument for term limits. I really see both sides on this one.” Kelly, who will be term-limited out in three more years, has earned the reputation as the House’s strongest and most vocal supporter of the university, the economic engine of our community. And term limits, rather than a public vote, will ultimately silence his voice. “Term limits are a serious problem,” Kelly warns, “and it comes home to roost all the time.” CBT 40 \\\ october 2013
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42 \\\ october 2013
The city of Columbia is now home to seven high schools, a large number for a town with a population near 113,000. But as the school list expands, are students benefitting from the diverse options? Or is it becoming a case of too much competition? By Molly Wright photos by whitney buckner
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Kristie Wolf, principal of Father Tolton Catholic High School, clearly remembers her first conversation with Bishop John Gaydos. “The first thing Bishop Gaydos said to me was he was disappointed the largest city in his diocese did not have a Catholic high school, and we need to fix that,” Wolf says. Of course, this is no longer the case. Father Tolton opened its doors to freshmen and sophomores in 2011, and this fall the school welcomed its first senior class. But Columbia Public Schools also set a milestone this fall. In opening Battle High School, it increased the total public secondary education options to four, including Hickman, Rock Bridge and Douglass. With Columbia Independent School and Christian Fellowship, Columbia now has seven high schools. It’s pretty impressive for a city with a little more than 113,000 people. But could there be a tipping point?
Too much competition? Wolf says this question was a hot topic before Tolton opened. “I have heard there was initially some resistance to building another Catholic high school because within the Catholic community there was a perception that it would weaken Helias (Jefferson City) in some way,” she says. “But I don’t think we actually overlap, or if we do, maybe by five students or so. Helias draws mainly from Jefferson City.” The new head of school for Columbia Independent, Adam Dubé, feels the number of secondary school options is actually advantageous. “There are so many great school options in Columbia,” says Dubé, who appreciates the quality education provided by the public school system but also feels alternative schools bring something new to the table. “Ninety-five percent of Columbia kids are graduating from Hickman, Rock Bridge and Battle,” Dubé continues. “We look for ways that we can truly personalize the experience.” For instance, this year CIS offers a new program for ninth-graders called Intraterm, which allows students to immerse themselves in a weeklong course study apart from their regular curriculum. Scott Williams, principal of Christian Fellowship School since 1994, says: “We have a very good 44 \\\ october 2013
working relationship with CPS. Our students use the career center and other services.” But Williams also feels educational choices are essential, especially for families seeking a more spiritual aspect. “The most distinctive thing that sets us apart is that we have biblical integration in all our subject areas. We are looking to connect all that our children are learning to God’s truth, recognizing that all we are studying is truth created by God. At the same time, we offer our students a rigorous academic program to prepare them for college or whatever vocational direction they want to go when they leave here.” Wolf believes many families are drawn to Tolton because of the school’s dedication to the Catholic faith. “We are traditional in our values, and we support our Catholic beliefs and values,” she says, adding that, in many ways, this is a welcome change for those who attended Catholic school in the 1970s and 1980s, when there was a movement to water down the faith. “The idea was if the Catholic schools became a little less Catholic, they would appeal to more people,” Wolf says. For Tolton parent Jennifer Baggett, a strong Catholic learning environment was the reason she and her husband enrolled their children in the Catholic high school. “For us, the most important thing was to continue our children’s Catholic education,” she says.
“Being a new school, we don’t have traditions. So our kids, teachers and parents get to set the traditions we value here. Since we don’t have a history, we are creating it as we go.” — Kim Presko, principal, Battle High School Lisa Kayser says her daughter was the driving force behind selecting Tolton. “I decided to go to Tolton because I wanted to grow in my faith, and I felt like I could get a better education,” says freshman Ellie Kayser. Now that she’s attending, she says she appreciates how Tolton feels like one big family. Tolton students are put into “houses” or community groups from day one to help them make a smoother transition.
Kristie Wolf Tyler Froeschner prays with teammates
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Tolton football player #83 Spencer Hockman sits near classmates Victoria Unterschutz (right) and Hope Wright (behind).
Voice of the students Student input is also important at Tolton. The school’s sports medicine course as well as the furniture in the library came from student brainstorming. Dr. Kim Presko, principal at Battle High School, also recognizes the importance of student involvement. “Being a new school, we don’t have traditions,” she says, though Battle does follow the same curriculum as Rock Bridge and Hickman. “So our kids, teachers and parents get to set the traditions we value here. Since we don’t have a history, we are creating it as we go.” Prior to this fall, Presko met four times with students slated to attend Battle. “We asked them what kinds of things they were interested in, talked about clubs and activities and gave them a tour of the building,” she says. 46 \\\ october 2013
Dubé believes the smaller size of the alternative schools is what draws many parents. “We can attend to individual strengths and weaknesses as well as individual interests,” he says. CIS school enrollment this year is 37. Williams says the smaller class sizes allow Christian Fellowship students to do extracurricular activities such as travel together and participate in outreach programs. “Our juniors do a trip to New Orleans or Chicago every year, which is a combination of a history and a service trip,” he says. Currently, there are 83 high school students enrolled at CFS.
Public vs. private Although there are many similarities among the seven high schools, there are also significant differences. Whereas, the public schools are free aside from school supplies and incidental fees, tuition is required at all of the private
schools. However, many provide fee breaks, such as when two children from the same family attend Tolton, the family receives a $1,000 discount per child. All of the alternative high schools in Columbia also offer scholarships. According to Williams, at least 20 percent of the students attending Christian Fellowship receive tuition assistance. The private institutions also require either uniforms or enforce dress codes, which might include specifics such as no tennis shoes or sweatshirts or a requirement for the length of skirts. At the moment, Tolton and Battle still have room for more students. Battle expects an additional 400 to join its ranks once it accepts seniors next fall. With an unfinished third floor, Tolton also has room to expand. With Columbia growing, additional high schools in the future is always a possibility — as long as there is community. CBT
columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 47
48 \\\ october 2013
What do God and social good have in common with money? For some consumers, everything. Fair trade. Buy local. Organic. Earth-friendly. Closed on Sunday. Manufactured in the U.S.A. What do these phrases have in common? They’re all marketing appeals designed to get consumers to buy from the heart, not just based on price, quality or need. But is it a good idea to use such tactics in your marketing? Photographer David Owens, whose ads and website include a quote from the Bible, says he’s never had any negative response to highlighting his Christian background. Besides, he says, “It isn’t a marketing ploy.” Owens believes he’s commanded by his faith to give God the glory for his talents and to keep his Christianity, not his profession, first in his mind. “I’m not just a photographer; I’m a follower of Christ,” he says. Some business owners see their shops as small steps toward changing the world. Crystal Midkiff, executive director of The Mustard Seed, an independent fair-trade retail shop on Ninth Street, says that by buying fair-trade goods, consumers can help ensure that workers earn enough to send their children to school, get health care and perhaps avoid the violence and dangers of poverty such as sex trafficking or the use of illegal substances.
By Dianna Borsi O’Brien photo by anthony jinson
columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 49
For Owens and Midkiff and other business owners, the inclusion of their beliefs in their business models expresses their passions — and they’re not alone. These days, most firms include some kind of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in their business practices, which is good because consumers want and expect companies to do more than make a profit. In fact, more than 80 percent of consumers consider CSR efforts when making decisions on what to buy and where to shop, according to a May 2013 study conducted by Cone Communications and Echo Research.
Consumers are listening Rebecca Miller, 26, a University of Missouri graduate student, says she tries to buy ethically sourced items whenever she can, despite her limited financial means. Some products are easier, such as coffee and chocolate, which she buys fair trade when she can afford it. She also limits her clothing purchases to firms that take a strong stance against sweatshop production. Miller’s reasoning is simple: “White American guilt. It’s not fair to inflict poverty if I can do something about it as a consumer.”
More than 80 percent of consumers consider corporate social responsibility efforts when making decisions on what to buy and where to shop. Miller also buys local and organic items when she can. She’s concerned about the environment, which, she says, is why she’s a vegetarian. “It is the easiest environmental decision someone can make because it minimizes the consumption of animal products,” she says. 50 \\\ october 2013
Yet, she acknowledges that she often falls short of her principles. “I’m not great about it by any means. I work long hours, and sometimes it’s easier to buy prepackaged items. I just try to do what I can. And I’ve stopped beating myself up about it.”
“I’m not great about it by any means. … I just try to do what I can. And I’ve stopped beating myself up about it.” — Rebecca Miller This do-what-you-can approach is what Craig Bida, executive vice president of social impact at Cone Communications, sees from both sides of the equation from buyers and sellers. Only 6 percent of consumers believe companies exist only to make money; the rest want and expect companies to do something to improve society or the environment, according to a 2013 Cone Communications/Echo Global CSR Study. CSR considerations loom large for consumers, and hence they should for corporations. About 90 percent of consumers, the study states, “are likely to switch brands to one associated with a good cause, given comparable price and quality,” but as more companies climb on the CSR bandwagon, consumers are becoming savvier.
The right way to do it A CSR message isn’t just for large firms with splashy or international outreach projects. “Smaller businesses are at the cutting edge,” says Bida, who outlined these three keys to doing it right: identify what issue is important to you and your consumers; determine what your firm can uniquely do to address the issue and mobilize your assets; communicate the results clearly because consumers increasingly want to know the impact that companies are having.
Stuart Insurance (from his own hunger) Few firms have their CSR message emblazoned on their company’s front windows, but Stuart Insurance Co. does. It’s hard to miss the message on the windows at Walnut and 10th streets: “Buddy Up to The Buddy Pack! ADOPT A Buddy! Fight Student Hunger! Food Bank for Central and Northeast, Mo., 474-1020.” Inside, there’s also a collection jar for the Food Bank that the insurance company matches in donations. But co-owner John Bell says the windows, advertising and jar aren’t about marketing the company he owns with his wife, Ann. Instead, it’s about making a difference for school children, and it stems from personal experience. Bell grew up very impoverished in Seattle and knows what it’s like as a kid to have an empty stomach. Today, he says, “A child in a classroom should be able to focus on learning, not on being hungry.” The donation jar and his matching funds deliver about $200 a month to the Food Bank, and Bell thinks it’s his windows that offer the greatest benefits in increasing awareness. “Hopefully the window goes a lot further than the donations,” he says.
Hobby Lobby (closed on Sundays) Hobby Lobby’s closed-on-Sunday policy is a visible sign the firm operates on Christian principles, and Vincent Parker, the firm’s director of customer service and training, says every operating decision at the 557-store craft and home décor chain is based on the Christian principles of the founders. The firm employs more than 26,600 workers and has increased the minimum pay for part-time and full-time employees for the past four and five years, respectively. The company’s buyers also strive to purchase directly from the factories producing their goods. “We seek out and visit the factories where many of our items come from…,” Parker says. “Our buyers do not do business with any factories that would conflict with our statement of purpose.”
columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 51
BOTT Radio (Christian talk radio network) BOTT Radio Network is literally banking on that loyalty to a CSR message, in this case a message of Christianity. The 50-year-old firm offers Christian talk radio via 100 stations in 15 states, heard in Columbia at 89.9 FM KMCV. But Regional Manager Sue Stoltz says BOTT doesn’t sell ads and instead sells sponsorship or underwriting rights of six to eight minutes an hour for purchase. When Stoltz talks to firms considering buying time on BOTT, she tells them their listeners are loyal. “They do not channel surf,” she says.
Peace Nook (fair trade before it was cool)
Mary Moss Furniture (customers asked for it) Kay Wax wasn’t planning to open an earth-friendly furniture store, but customers kept asking for it. She already sold some fair-trade and made-in-the-U.S.A. items in her lighting store, Bright City Lights, so she did some research and found there wasn’t another furniture store in Columbia touting made-in-Missouri. That was four years ago, and though the idea hasn’t taken off, the store is holding its own. The upholstered furniture is from Missouri-sourced components and made by Justice Furniture in Lebanon. The wood furniture, tables and chairs are from local Amish crafters in the mid-Missouri area.
Today there are plenty of places in CoMo to buy fair-trade items, but that wasn’t the case when the Peace Nook opened in 1990. The store on the lower level of Broadway sells roughly $300,000 in goods annually, with half of the store dedicated to items such as fair-trade imports, natural food, environmental products, baskets, jewelry, T-shirts, magazines and clothing. The other half of the store is dedicated to books, a division that makes sense because all of the Nook’s proceeds after expenditures go to fund Mid-Missouri Peaceworks, a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to education about peace, economic justice and sustainability and the environment. Why buy fair-trade items? “It’s the right thing to do,” says Tyler Kruger, the store’s co-manager. It’s important to respect less developed countries and use our social consciousness and privilege to make sure they earn a fair wage, Kruger adds.
ServiceMaster (gives away furniture) In 2007, the New York/London firm Clayton Dubilier purchased ServiceMaster and since then has softened its mission statement to “simplify and improve the quality of customers’ lives.” But when Adam Kinser bought his 14-county franchise, the mission statement was, “Honor God in all we do.” For him, it still is. Kinser says their job is to help people, and he works hard to make sure the company never says no to anyone in need. He makes sure all employees do their best, and he makes sure he can provide all 11 of his full-time employees with enough work to support their families. He also pays well above minimum wage and 80 percent of his workers’ health care coverage — the same insurance coverage he has. His firm also does plenty of pro bono work, with organizations such as the Ronald McDonald House and the American Red Cross. 52 \\\ october 2013
The Mustard Seed (beautiful items at good prices) Shopping at The Mustard Seed, Midkiff says, is like getting a passport because items, including clothing, food, coffee, toys and household goods, come from 36 different countries. And because fair-trade goods are purchased directly from the artisans or an artisan cooperative, prices are comparable next to larger retailers. “A lot of people are shopping at Walmart not knowing that [The Mustard Seed] is affordable,” Midkiff says. “This is an opportunity to change society from the inside out.” CBT
columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 53
What's Happening?
(Micro)Targeted By Vicki Hodder
When small is the new campaign trend Think “election,” and chances are big issues and important posts come to mind. Election Day 2012 would seem to have been no exception. President, U.S. senator, governor: These and a host of other statewide and local posts were up for grabs on last year’s ballot. But it was the 2012 election trend toward the very small — microsize, in fact — that is causing a stir among political and media observers. Microtargeted political ads came into their own in the 2012 election, analysts say, and changed the campaign landscape. Microtargeted advertising is, to an extent, what it sounds like: advertising customized to appeal to very small groups of people. What makes this a 21st-century political trend is a campaign’s ability to match increasingly specific information on a voter’s Internet and other media habits with external characteristics to produce more personalized ads. Microtargeted political ads are most visible online and in social media, such as Facebook or Twitter. But cable television began jumping on the trend last year with the help of technological advances in set-top boxes, devices that decode digital signals and display them on televisions and now also have the ability to precisely track viewing habits, says Tim Kay, director of political strategy for NCC Media, a sales and marketing company for the cable industry headquartered in New York. “It’s evolving,” Kay says. “Campaigns are matching it with their information to determine what their targets are actually watching.”
columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 55
Microtargeting in Missouri Area political consultants predict Columbia voters will increasingly see microtargeted political campaign ads. The ability to aim political ads at small voter subsets makes a campaign more efficient and effective in communicating with particular groups of voters, says Richard Martin, founder and principal of Kansas City-based Martin Communication Group. “The more targeted you can make your messages, the more effective they are.” In practice, that means political campaigns are increasingly turning to social media and online advertising. The 2012 presidential campaign serves as a high-profile example of the influence social media can have, but analysts say the trend is visible on myriad political levels. A single statistic goes far to explain why: About 60 percent of American adults use Facebook, Twitter or other social media, according to a February 2013 whitepaper published by the Interactive Advertising Bureau, a New York-based trade association representing online advertisers. “I think it [political advertising] will go more and more to better targeting, and I think that means it will go more and more to online advertising,” says David Barklage, president of Barklage & Knodell, a Missouri political consulting firm.
Moves in traditional media Possibly it will go to traditional media that find a way to microtarget their ads. Barklage says newspapers and magazines are under pressure to more finely aim their ads, while radio and cable television are coming up with new methods and technology enabling them to microtarget. Despite the upheaval, Barklage believes traditional media will find ways to compete in the campaign ad market. Take local newspapers, for instance. “There’s a constituency there that I’m not sure will ever be replaced,” he says. And traditional media also can provide online political ads, reaching voters in the format that many have adopted to replace other media. That’s what the Columbia Daily Tribune newspaper is doing. Political candidates in recent years have begun buying online advertising on the newspaper’s website as a complement to their print ads, allowing them to reach four out of five Boone County adults, writes Tribune publisher Vicki Russell in an email interview on the trend. “Right now, we can help advertisers microtarget to some extent, and our capabilities will be even greater in the coming months.”
“The more targeted and diffused the messaging gets, the more difficult it is to hold a candidate accountable.” — Vicki Russell, publisher, Columbia Daily Tribune Despite that nod to the trend, Russell stops far short of the microtargeted political ad bandwagon in her comments. Microtargeting is troubling on a number of levels, she writes, particularly when it comes to candidate transparency and accountability. It’s difficult for the media as well as voters to monitor what a candidate is telling other voters. “The more targeted and diffused the messaging gets, the more difficult it is to hold a candidate accountable.” Russell’s comments reflect a national discussion on the significance of microtargeted political ads that covers a lot of ground. Analysts debate the trend’s pros and cons, but all agree that at its core is technology that continues to evolve. As NCC Media’s Kay says, “Now they [campaigns] have a little bit more intel.” CBT 56 \\\ october 2013
columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 57
Nonprofit Spotlight ›› Phoenix Programs Inc.
A Call to End Addiction Phoenix Programs Inc. helps the addicted Drug abuse costs our nation upward of $600 billion annually. This drug dependency can result in high health care costs, decreased work productivity and increased crime, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Although the financial figures and economic implications are daunting, rehabilitation resources such as Phoenix Programs Inc. in Columbia work to transform the core issue — the people living with addictions.
A new era Phoenix Programs Inc. began about 40 years ago as a refuge for homeless adult alcoholic men. In the past the organization has moved, grown from one house to another and now has found a home that can house all of its services. Instead of its previous multisite operation, Phoenix Programs now houses its services at 90 E. Leslie Lane. “We moved from an out-of-sight agency to outspoken advocacy just a few years ago,” says Heather Harlan, a certified reciprocal prevention specialist. Community involvement and family services connect the organization to not only the people it serves in treatment but also the people affected by their addictions. The services offered include family groups that consist of counseling for loved ones. The reality is that everyone needs to change somewhat because the situation has taken a toll on everyone in the family, Harlan says. Everyone involved needs new means of fighting the addiction and its effects. For the person being treated, this may include education groups aimed at far-reaching topics: Relapse prevention, yoga and mindfulness geared for triggers and cravings are a few.
60 \\\ october 2013
But the primary aspect of recovery involves the individual’s sessions with a counselor. “This is the backbone where the person gets to customize their treatment,” Harlan says. “We want people to set their own goals, and this drives treatment.” One person may struggle with anger management while another hopes to communicate more effectively with family members. These sessions allow tailored treatment to address the problems of each person directly and specifically.
Set apart Phoenix focuses on evidence-based treatment. This differs from the well-known 12 step programs popular in Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. Although Harlan says Phoenix has great respect for this effective community support, she says it isn’t known
The organization recognizes and treats addiction like a chronic health condition. Just like treatments for diabetes, hypertension or asthma are researched and executed, Phoenix bases its treatment models for addiction on proven research.
By Kristi Luther
how effective these models are for treatment itself. Straying away from a calendar-driven approach allows for a focus on the specific needs of the person. Some may need less than two weeks; others may need more than four weeks. The organization recognizes and treats addiction like a chronic health condition. Just like treatments for diabetes, hypertension or asthma are researched and executed, Phoenix bases its treatment models for addiction on proven research. Phoenix staff members can truly say they understand the people who come into their facility and are desperate for help. All employees are either in recovery or have been impacted by drug abuse with someone in their life. “We’re definitely passionate,” Harlan says. “You don’t get rich going into this field.” In addition, the facility transitioned to a smoke-free environment in 2009; it’s one of few centers in Missouri to do this. “It’s sad to see someone who may have conquered a cocaine addition who dies of emphysema from smoking,” Harlan says. Beyond their facilities, Phoenix Programs has also targeted a unique demographic: adolescents. In the state of Missouri, approximately 52,000 adolescents reported using an illicit drug in the past month, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Adolescents include a person between the ages of 12 and 17. In a time when the human brain is still developing, adolescents can be physically vulnerable to the effects of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Families play a crucial role in beginning and supporting treatment for adolescents, which Phoenix sees as an essential part of treatment.
➜ 90 E. Leslie Lane Columbia, MO • 573-875-8880 phoenixprogramsinc.org
“Getting parents on board is huge,” Harlan says. “A lot of parents don’t want children using drugs, but if they would show up at dinner or not be irritable, even that can help treatment be more effective.”
A phone call away A visit to the Phoenix Programs website leads its viewer to a bold phone number, urging to call. Waiting until a person is acute in his or her addiction leads to decrease in quality of life, so Phoenix emphasizes that loved ones and those affected should call for a free evaluation. Phoenix Programs Inc. sees doctors come through the door, along with lawyers and prominent businesspeople in the community. Drug abuse affects countless people in Columbia. Harlan urges people to steer clear of common myths associated with treatment. These Nelly Roach President “You’ll never hear a family embarrassed that their family member has cancer, but the silence is deafening when they have an addiction to drugs or alcohol.”
Brock Bukowsky Vice-President “I’m most proud of Phoenix Programs’ passion for what it does and the impact it seems to be making.”
include that people have to go away to rehab or that they have to hit rock bottom before considering treatment, she says. Many people in treatment have families and are involved in outpatient services. Phoenix also encourages veterans to come forward and has programs in place specifically tailored to their needs.
An economic decision Although some insurance companies contribute well to drug treatment programs, others do not, and people end up paying out of pocket. Phoenix gives free consultations and emphasizes that people contact them to find out what resources are available. Both the insurance companies and the program’s prices are listed on the organization’s website, along with its phone number and other resources. Beyond this aspect, Phoenix Programs Inc. encourages employers to Steve Smith Secretary “I’m involved with Phoenix Programs because 12 years ago I had people in my life step up and help me. Since that time, I have been alcohol free.
Ron Jenks Member “Most importantly, if you need help or know of someone who needs help, seek treatment, whether it is with us or another agency.”
seek their services as well. Harlan says that in many cases, it is less expensive to help an employee seek treatment before a situation becomes more serious than firing and training new employees. The wear and tear on employees who might have a family member with a dependency issue may also be a concern for the employer. Phoenix goes into businesses, has smoking cessation classes and utilizes surveys in high schools to see what’s effective. The center is working toward a CARF certification (Commission on the Accreditation for Rehabilitation Facilities). CARF is an independent, nonprofit accreditor of health and human services and sets internationally high standards for nonprofits to establish documented policies and procedures. CBT To contact Phoenix Programs Inc., call 573-8758880. Photos by Whitney Buckner. Terry Culver Member “Columbians can help by utilizing the services offered at this facility and understanding this is one of the top facilities of its kind in the Midwest and the entire country. ”
Michael Campbell Member “I’m proud of the fact that we have the ability to intervene in some of the lowest parts in a person's life and give that person the tools to be a better parent, spouse, family member and citizen.”
columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 61
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Technology
›› Dak Dillon reviews the latest trends in the business
The Technological Church
With technology evolving, the technology of the church has evolved to keep up From video integration to search engine optimization to rebranding and app development, the modern church faces many new creative challenges over its forefathers. Churches now face declining memberships combined with less money, all while focusing on attracting the next generation to the pews. So, what can be done? Many are reaching into social media and onto the Web like never before. No longer is it good enough to have a Facebook page and a church bulletin.
The Crossing difference In Columbia, The Crossing has strived to stay ahead of its congregation’s technological reach. Years ago, a youth-orientated service was a big attraction; today, it’s an iPhone app. The Crossing has set its message apart by using an iPhone app and crisp imagery and videos to tell stories on its website. Its look is fresh and pops. These images draw in your eye, lead you through the website, encourage you to watch the stories of the congregation and help you learn more about the services.
It’s marketing Churches have to cross the technological divide and understand the ins and outs of marketing using the latest tools and techniques to keep butts in the seats. The path ahead is not clear, but three keys stick out in my mind: flexible websites, video and a growing social footprint. It’s surprising, but no church in Columbia has gone with a responsive website, the latest bit of
Dak Dillon
technology aimed at helping reach users across all devices. A responsive website takes your message truly mobile and allows you to reach visitors, whether at home, work or on the go. This replaces the need for a mobile app and allows you to reach more visitors. Along with the added search engine optimization benefit, a responsive website helps you reach the congregation throughout their day, anywhere. It’s sad, but websites for many local churches seem to be an afterthought. From cheap templates to poorly executed navigation schemes, the websites just don’t work. Video is another great way to reach the next generation. YouTube has become the second-largest search engine, so why not post sermons online? Create rich video content that’s easily searchable, indexed by Google and accessible everywhere. But be careful; video does bring pitfalls. Quality is key. Just because you can use your iPhone to record something doesn’t mean you should. Invest in a larger video strategy that looks great and has lasting benefits. Where do you share these videos? Along with your website and YouTube, use social media of course. Social has changed the marketing mix of companies small and large. No longer is it enough to just have a Facebook page; now you have to actively curate it with information, service and rich content. Expand your social footprint. Try Vine, Instagram, Tumblr, etc., and reach for the younger untapped generation. The best social plan is the same as any marketing plan: consistency. Have a message, and be consistent with it.
Changing times Technology is always changing, and churches have to pay attention to keep spreading their message and values. Although the messages might not change, the venue and tools do. Have a plan, be prepared and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Not every pastor is a social media expert. CBT
Apps of the Month Politifact: The leader in factchecking politicians has an app to easily see who’s telling the truth on the decisive issues. Poll Tracker: Developed by the folks at Talking Points Memo, this app gives you a look at polls so you can see where your favorite candidate stands. Open States: Ever wondered who funds certain politicians? Want to know where a bill stands? Curious how someone voted? Open States can give you insight into the states’ political workings.
One to Follow @messagetime. Reporting on the news of the city government, Andrew Denny of the Columbia Daily Tribune is the one to follow this month. Follow him on Twitter for musings about city government and breaking news.
➜ Dillon is the principal and creative director at Hub & Spoke, a growing Columbia-based creative agency.
columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 63
64 \\\ october 2013
Celebrations
›› Keith McLaughlin, SBA lending
ar etitan ti r e s
Lending a Hand A loan to small businesses
Keith McLaughlin. Photo by Casey Buckman.
Timeline 1988 › Recognized by the Mid-Missouri Business Journal as Someone You Should Know 1993 › Recipient of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award 1999 › Recognized by the SBA St. Louis District Office for outstanding support and dedication on behalf of the small-business community 2000/ › Top volume lender in SBA St. Louis District 2001 (ranked among the top lenders in the SBA St. Louis District every year since 1997) 2005 › Recognized by the Columbia Business Times as a Person You Should Know 2006 › Served on the Executive Committee SBA National Advisory Council 2008 › Received SBA National Small Business Financial Services Champion of the Year Award in Washington, D.C. 2009 › Recipient of the Columbia Business Times Titan Award for significant contribution to the Columbia community 2011 › Invited to Moscow to speak to officials at the Russian Ministry of Economic Development about SBA programs
by Kelsey Gillespy After more than a quarter of a century in the business of small businesses, Keith McLaughlin foresees retirement as being rather low-key. Then again, when he created and started managing the Small Business Association program at Union Planters Bank in 1997, he thought he’d only be there for a few years. Now, he is nationally and internationally renowned for his contributions and expertise in the field of small business lending. “I didn’t plan to work very long,” McLaughlin says. “I had planned to retire.” His own business, America’s Business Brokers, was doing extremely well when David Keller invited him to create an SBA platform at Union Planters Bank. “It just exploded,” he says. “We had all kinds of volume.” The business was so profitable, McLaughlin’s program became the best in the St. Louis District that year and has remained at the top ever since.
business, we were doing it profitably and that we should go ahead and expand this operation.” Loan sizes are growing so companies can survive in today’s increasingly expensive market. Last year, the average loan was around $300,000, but the SBA program at The Bank of Missouri caters to the needs of each small business. Some companies only require the $40,000 minimum, and others use the recently instituted $5 million cap. “In business, what’s behind the name is a family,” McLaughlin says. “And what you do when you’re loaning money to them is you help families succeed.” Mike and Amy Monahan, owners of the downtown Jimmy John’s, are entrepreneurs who experienced McLaughlin’s love of family and small business. He laid the foundation for their success when he planted their franchise on the ground floor off Broadway. “I watched them grow it like a weed,” he says.
Helping small business
The Midas touch
In 2004 McLaughlin brought his superior skill to The Bank of Missouri as senior vice president of its SBA lending division. There, he manages and operates the only dedicated SBA lending department in central Missouri. Under his tenure, the branch became a nationally recognized program. By 2006, McLaughlin had a seat on the Executive Committee SBA National Advisory Council. During the recession of 2008, launching and maintaining businesses became a challenging, if not risky, endeavor. The SBA program survived profitably, however, as well as the other 300 to 400 businesses that it helped take root in Columbia. “That convinced the bank that this was a worthwhile enterprise,” McLaughlin says. “It showed that we were helping small
McLaughlin’s Midas touch extends beyond the Columbia community. In the midst of the recession, McLaughlin was selected as the nation’s SBA Financial Services Champion of the Year and accepted the award from the U.S. Small Business Administration in the East Room of the White House and got to meet President George W. Bush. Later, in April 2011, he was invited to speak in Moscow to share his knowledge with Russia’s top loan officers. Yet, despite his international acclaim, McLaughlin’s most fulfilling experiences occurred in Columbia. “Being able to see a startup business succeed and be profitable, those are really my proudest moments,” he says. CBT The Bank of Missouri will be hosting a retirement reception for McLaughlin Nov. 13 at 5:30 p.m. at 3610 Buttonwood Drive. columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 65
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$550,000 Foley, Henry C. and Karin E. Landmark Bank Lt 1 Pt Kelly's Ridge
$411,000 Bergh, Shelli R. and William A. Citizens State Bank Str 13-51-13 //Nw Sur Bk/Pg: 4196/110 Ac 10.000
$360,000 Ricketts Family Revocable Living Trust Grant, William Mark and Laura Lee Lt 120a Bedford Walk Replat 6-A
$543,750 Kang, Hojong and Rho, Kyungeun Landmark Bank Lt 69 Pt Ff Lagrange Place
$408,000 Price, Allan F. and Tina W. Landmark Bank Lt 123 Spring Creek Plat 1
$360,000 Burlington Vandiver LLC Enterprise Development Corp Lt 2 Bl 1 Curtis Rollins Sub CBT
$585,000 Tharp, Danny J. and Darla L. Allied Mortgage Group Inc. Lt 223 Heritage Woods Plat 2
66 \\\ october 2013
$500,000 Voeller Properties LLC Bank Of Missouri The Lt 36a Belmont Park Plat 1 Replat Lts 36-39
57
Deeds of trust were issued between july 22-aug. 9
20 •40
T WENT Y UNDER FORT Y 20 Under 40 awards honor the work and contributions of people under the age of forty that help to make this community great! We are seeking individuals who are successful in their chosen fields, who are role models, and who demonstrate leadership in our community.
WHO TO NOMINATE & HOW TO NOMINATE WHO: Anyone between the age of 21 and 39 HOW: Go to www.ColumbiaBusinessTimes.com to fill out a a 20 Under 40 Nomination form.
Nominations will be accepted until November 1st, 2013. columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 67
68 \\\ october 2013
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Economic Index ›› It’s all about the numbers
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Labor (from missourieconomy.org) Columbia Labor Force July 2012: 61,112 July 2013: 61,684 Columbia unemployment July 2012: 3,238 July 2013: 3,281 Columbia unemployment rate July 2012: 5.3 percent July 2013: 5.3 percent Missouri labor force July 2012: 3,027,556 July 2013: 3,050,624 Missouri unemployment July 2012: 225,038 July 2013: 207,518 Missouri unemployment rate July 2012: 7.4 percent July 2013: 7.4 percent
Construction Building permits residential July 2012: 78 July 2013: 142 Value of residential building permits July 2012: $8,456,304 July 2013: $12,734,331 Detached single-family homes July 2012: 36 July 2013: 52 Value of detached single-family homes July 2012: $7,129,890 July 2013: $11,308,097 Commercial building permits July 2012: 19 July 2013: 38 Value of commercial building permits July 2012: $3,931,720 July 2013: $9,577,596
Commercial additions/alterations July 2012: 15 July 2013: 31 Value of commercial additions/ alterations July 2012: $2,472,720 July 2013: $5,983,618
Housing Single-family homes sales, Boone County July 2012: 209 July 2013: 299 Single-family active listings on market, Boone County July 2012: 918 July 2013: 838
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Single-family homes average sold price, Boone County July 2012: $184,136 July 2013: $200,987 Single-family homes median sold price, Boone County July 2012: $153,500 July 2013: $169,900 Single-family homes average days on market, Boone County July 2012: 57 July 2013: 52 Single-family pending listings on market, Boone County July 2012: 173 July 2013: 173
Utilities Water July 2013: 47,371 July 2012: 46,190 Change #: 1,181 Change %: 2.6 percent Electric July 2013: 47,645 July 2012: 46,565 Change #: 1,080 Change %: 2.3 percent CBT columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 69
New Business Licenses ›› Columbia residents and their upstarts
Adelman Travel Group Adelman Travel Systems Inc. 3101 W. Broadway, Suite 101 Corporate and leisure travel All Group Fitness All Group Fitness LLC 3410 Broadway Business Park Court Fitness classes Broadway Ergonomics Eric Schultz 111 E. Broadway, Suite 340 Physical therapy Columbia iRepair Trevor Robinson 1204 Rangeline St. Apple device repairs Cottone & Co. LLC Christopher Cottone 601 W. Nifong Blvd., Suite C, Building 5 Financial advising, retirement savings and planning
THM Investments LLC Travis McGee 3115 Falling Leaf Court, Suite 101 Management company for commercial and residential Tiger Town Treasures Jeremy Furlong 802 E. Business Loop 70 Thrift shop Urban Green Carpet Cleaning Douglas Urban 500 E. Walnut St., Suite 105 Carpet and upholstery cleaning service
Diamond Banc Diamond Banc 2 LLC 401 S. Providence Road, Suite 105 Buying and lending diamonds, gold, jewelry
Weaver Boos Consultants LLC John Weaver II 1000 N. College Ave., Suite D Geo-environmental engineering
La Terraza Mexicana Grill La Terraza Mexicana Grill 1412 Forum Blvd., Suite 140 Full-service restaurant and bar
Alana Harper Esthetics Alana Harper 1005 Cherry St., Suite 218 Cosmetic services
Life is Sweet Massage Therapy Sophie Korcak 1005 Cherry St., Suite 218 Therapeutic massage and bodywork
Gunther’s Games TMU Entertainment LLC 923 E. Broadway Arcade
Mid-Am Tech Darin Preis 807 N. Providence Road IT services, computer equipment repair Stir Fry 88 Stir Fry 88 of Columbia Inc. 2300 Bernadette Drive, Suite 708 Chinese fast-food restaurant 70 \\\ october 2013
The Bespoke Group Amy Blunt 1200 Rogers St., Suite C Consulting, compliance services and government affairs
A Magic Solution Hair Solution Julia Reese 3816 Pinecrest Drive Hair product sales, wigs Columbia’s Christians Cleaning Sandra Garcia-Mareno 3900 Clark Lane, Trailer 183 Cleaning residential and apartments
Conger Construction LLC Tracy Conger 2608 Cardinal Drive Carpentry, remodeling, light construction Cracked Up Phone Repair Cracked Up Phone Repair LLC 1518 Sylvan Lane, Apt. 108 Cellphone screen, iPod, general phone repair Dental Milling Center Kyle Stewart 4405 Sussex Drive Dental prosthetics Do It Rite Cleaning Service Yolanda Govan 5212 Rice Road Cleaning service Flatline Framing Jon Cunningham 3205 Woodvalley Way New construction framing and remodel Home Maintenance Man S&G Totten LLC 6400 Upper Bridle Bend Drive Home maintenance handiwork Jerry’s Service Gerald Brown 2604 Ridgefield Road Home repair and remodeling M&J Carpet Cleaning Melkis Santana Avila 111 N. Stadium Blvd., Apt. 56 Carpet cleaning Saddlebagselect.com Stephanie Hullinger 3600 Woodside Drive Online retail business of saddlebags Van Horn Visuals Selena Van Horn 5805 Mahon Drive Photography (weddings, portrait) and film production Mechanical Systems Inc. Brian Schlatthman 3841 Country Road 140 Solar/mechanical CBT
By the Numbers ›› Boone County statistics
2012 Presidential Election
Politics and religion may not be proper party topics but are nonetheless important aspects of daily life for many Columbians. Take a look at these numbers to learn a little more about Columbia’s political and religious affiliations — and try to make sense of the madness.
Boone County
Missouri
United States
3%
2%
2%
47%
50%
44%
Obama
54%
47%
Romney
51%
other
A history of presidential election results in Boone County
| 1984
| 1988
| 1992
| 1996
| 2000
| 2004
| 2008
| 2012
Columbia's Places of Worship
Boone County Registered Voters 150,000
100,000
50,000
0
1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 Source: Office of the Missouri Secretary of State
Area government jobs
Source: Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau
Christianity in Boone Co. 100,000
Howard: 1,086
Audrain: 1,749 Boone: 21,905
Cooper: 1,533 Moniteau: 1,479
Callaway: 5,524
80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000
Cole: 11,574
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007-2011 American Community Survey
0
Unclaimed Protestant Catholic
Other
Orthodox
Source: The Association of Religion Data Archives 2010 Boone County Membership Report
columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 71
6 Questions
➜ 500 W. Green Meadows Rd. Columbia, MO 65203 573-499-4855 • cbsmo.org
›› Get to know your professionals
A Place to Call Home
Rabbi Yossi Feintuch and Joel Shenker, Congregation Beth Shalom
2. How has CBS worked with the more student-centric organizations Hillel and Chabad, now and in the past? Shenker: Our doors always remain open to faculty, students and visitors of any of Columbia’s higher education institutions. Chabad is a new presence in Columbia, and we have not had joint activities. Our rabbi and theirs have a collegial relationship, and many of our members, myself included, have met the Chabad rabbi, who is quite learned, to discuss the Torah and other matters of Jewish teachings.
Fun Fact: 72 \\\ october 2013
3. How large is your congregation? What about for holidays? Shenker: We currently have between 140 and 150 families who are paying members. Our doors are open to Jews who are not members as well. Some people come to all or most of the religious services, some are infrequent attendees but come to social events or educational activities, some take advantage of our religious school for their children, and some merely want to support a Jewish organization in town. On the major holidays, many people attend services. Our weekly Shabbat services are much smaller groups.
Yossi Feintuch. Photo by Antony Jinson
1. How did Congregation Beth Shalom decide upon Reform Judaism? Shenker: Our congregation caters to an unusually wide range of Jews. Being in a university town means that people have come here from all over the United States and from many other countries, so our members bring with them a wide range of Jewish backgrounds and experiences. We try to be a place where all Jews can feel welcome. Some of our members are very observant religious Jews; some have had less traditional backgrounds. We felt that the reform movement was the most inclusive of the American Jewish movements.
4. You became the first fulltime rabbi of CBS in 1997. How has the Jewish community in Columbia changed since then, and what’s next? Rabbi Feintuch: Although the membership has more or less remained numerically the same, we were able to build our own synagogue at 500 Green Meadows, thus giving CBS its own permanent home and a physical face. This factor in itself has increased our sense of unity and intramember familiarity among ourselves. By and large ours is a membership that is dedicated to our continuity and thriving, and I do hope and expect that our many members’ religious involvement in Sabbath and festival services will become more substantial as well.
5. How do you feel about being the only synagogue in Columbia? Rabbi Feintuch: It is a real responsibility to provide religious and communal services to anyone but the Orthodox; the latter would not find us accommodating their needs. But at CBS folks come from more or less traditional backgrounds, and we need to try and offer the right balance to alienate the fewest and accommodate the most, if not everyone. Still, our competition is tough — assimilation and religious apathy. There are many Jews in town who have found no interest, let alone need, in becoming affiliated with us. Presently, there is another rabbi in town, Avraham La Pine of Chabad (a Hassidic branch of Judaism), who is primarily focused on working with Jewish students at the University of Missouri. That still leaves me as the only congregational rabbi in town; even as I appreciate the privilege, I am aware of the responsibility. 6. What is one thing you wish all Columbians would know about our Jewish community here? Shenker: We love living in Columbia as strongly identified Jews. CBT
➜ CBS services include considerable English as well as Hebrew, and men and women participate equally.
81,250
ADVERTISER INDEX Accounting Plus......................................... 75 Anthony Jinson Photography............... 47 Boone County National Bank................ 76 Caledon Virtual.......................................... 39 Carpet One................................................... 41 Central Trust................................................ 41 City Of Columbia Public Works............ 73 City Of Columbia Water & Light..............6 Commerce Bank....................................... 29 Dave Griggs Flooring America...............64 Easy PC.........................................................20 GFI Digital..................................................... 62 Hawthorn........................................................7 Healthlink.....................................................64 Hub & Spoke................................................ 35 Huber And Associates............................. 62 Mercedes Benz - Joe Machens...............9 Job Point........................................................10 Joe Machens Volkswagen...................... 58 Joe Machens Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge Ram.....................................................5 Joe Machens Ford..................................... 59 Johnston Paint & Decorating ............... 29 KMIZ..................................................................8 Landmark Bank.............................................2 Maid Pro...........................................................8 Mid-City Lumber Co.................................40 Midwest Computech................................ 51 Moberly Area Community College....... 16 Moresource.................................................. 12 Naught Naught Insurance Agency......20 Paul Land- Plaza Real Estate............70,71 Quantum Wireless Internet...................69 Room 38........................................................ 51 Smart Business Products.......................20 Tech Electronics........................................ 53 The Bank Of Missouri............................... 24 The Olde Un Theatre................................ 26 University Club............................................ 16 University Of Missouri Health Care........3 University Of Missouri Health Care...... 14 US Bank......................................................... 53 Van Matre, Harrison, Hollis, Taylor, And Bacon, P.C.............................64 Watkins Roofing.........................................69 White Dog Promotions............................ 26 Wilkerson & Reynolds Wealth Management...............................................66 Wilson's Fitness............................................4
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columbiabusinesstimes.com /// 73
Flashback ›› Then and now
➜ The Columbia business landscape is always evolving, but it’s important to remember our historical roots.
By Sydne Hayman Photo by Breann Hollinger
First Christian Church on North 10th Street holds a strong history in its structure, which has endured several changes over time. The church was organized in 1832 after members of Bear Creek Christian Church, which was three miles north of Columbia, came to establish First Christian. The church was built on a lot on the west side of Seventh Street and faced the Courthouse in 1838. The lot was purchased on Aug. 17, 1836, and during construction, church services were held at different locations, including the Courthouse. The initial structure was a one-story brick building on a foundation of 40 by 60 feet. The church had a potbelly stove and wooden benches with backs that supported members as they
attended two-hour services. A new church, which cost about $12,000, was built at the corner of 10th and Walnut streets, which is where the church is today. Some bricks from the original building were used for the marker in the current building. This building was dedicated on Jan. 31, 1861. It was considered one of the largest churches in midMissouri, with seating for 500. Chicago architect T.A. Bell designed the current sanctuary. The $30,000 project included the chancel in the northwest corner and the pews arranged in a fan shape. This seating was adjusted in 1929 when the education building was constructed based on a design from Eugene Groves, a Denver architect. Prior to 1990, a passageway
with double doors to the west end of the building was between the education building and the sanctuary. A local architect, Pon Chinn, designed the enclosure to the passageway. The church also preserves history in its structure from its own members. Minister-Emeritus Sam Langley gave the cross on the steeple to the church in honor of his wife, Ima Lou. The plaque inside the bell tower was given by Mary Omer and depicts the certification and registry of the sanctuary by the Department of the Interior as a National Historic Place. The church celebrated its sesquicentennial in the spring of 1982 and continues to serve the community. CBT
➜ We love Columbia business history. If you have any interesting photos and stories, please send them to Editor@BusinessTimesCompany.com 74 \\\ october 2013
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