March/April 2020 by Connect Business Magazine

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CONTENTS

March | April 2020

COVER INTERVIEW

COMPANY PROFILE

Arlington Raceway Anna Thill

Visit Mankato FEATURES

Collaboration Connection

Sleepy Eye’s Business Sector Is Far From Sleepy

Collaboration Connection

1 Million Cups: Helping Make Dreams a Reality

40 Years of Racing

Joe Meidl

HOT STARTZ! ST. PETER

Extra Innings Paninos & Pizza

DEPARTMENTS

MANKATO

KDB Detailing ENTREPRENEURIAL INSIGHT

8 26

41 52 54

Editor’s Introduction Day In The Life

Joslyn Manske, Frandsen Bank & Trust Connecting Back Bulletin Board Ask A Professional

Jeremy and Carrie Sharp, Trio Coffee, Wine & Ale House

Connecting Southern Minnesota Business People Since 1994

Connect Business Magazine www.ConnectBiz.com

STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS

CIRCULATION

ADVERTISING

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The Music Mart

March | April 2020

CORRESPONDENCE Mailing Address: Connect Business Magazine P.O. Box 176 Nicollet, MN 56074 Send editorial correspondence to: editor@connectbiz.com

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INTRODUCTION

Southern Minnesota!

Lisa Cownie EDITOR

My love of our special piece of the world is not a secret. I shout it from the mountain tops ... or the lakefronts, as the case may be here. I feel like, more and more, the rest of the state–indeed the multistate region–is also catching on. Helping shine a light on all that we have to offer here is Anna Thill, president of Visit Mankato. She shares my love of the region, and she and her team are making sure everyone knows it. Her work is important to readers of Connect Business Magazine, for the work she does in attracting visitors to our region is good for any business. Also featured this issue is another southern Minnesota destination: Arlington Raceway. Family-owned, it has seen its share of changes since it opened in 1981. And speaking of changes, The Music Mart, founded in Lamberton, has grown from that one store, to four stores throughout southern Minnesota. Each of these profiles work harmoniously to improve the quality of life for southern Minnesotans– while doing their part to ensure a thriving business community. Happy reading and, hopefully, learning,

Lisa Cownie

3RD ANNUAL AWARDS LUNCHEON Tuesday, May 5, 2020 11:30 am to 1:00 pm Minnesota State University, Mankato Centennial Student Union Ballroom

Keynote speaker: Mike Veeck, Visionary & Co-Founder of Fun Is Good, Author, Co-Owner of St. Paul Saints and Minor-League Baseball Clubs, Restaurateur, Professor, Philanthropist. Topic: “Mistakes Made and Lessons Learned as a Lifelong Entrepreneur” Nomination instructions and forms available at our website:

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A member of the Minnesota State system and an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity University. Individuals with a disability who need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, please contact the Small Business Development Center at 507-389-8875 (V), 800-627-3529 or 711 (MRS/TTY) at least 7 days prior to the event. This document is available in alternative format to individuals with disabilities by calling the above numbers.

March | April 2020

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Truth be told, there was a time young Anna Bjerke didn’t have a stellar impression of Mankato. Growing up in nearby Fulda, she would often pass through the area on her way to other destinations. “The funny sidebar with this whole deal is growing up in southwestern Minnesota, we were always traveling to the Twin Cities for entertainment and to see family. Going on all of those trips, we would travel through Mankato, and I was never impressed with what I saw. During that time, Highway 169 was under construction, which doesn’t make for a great view. That whole corridor was just not that attractive nor did it give any indication of what the community was really like. And not being the one behind the wheel, I couldn’t explore any deeper. So it's funny that I grew up not really having a great opinion of the community and now I'm selling the community, which I now love.” Nowadays, truth be told, Anna understands and appreciates all the Greater Mankato area has to offer, a passion she channels daily in her role as president of Visit Mankato. After traversing from her hometown of Fulda to South Dakota and then on to St. Cloud, she is thankful the journey led her to this destination. Continues

March | April 2020

Anna Thill

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March | April 2020

“Graduate school brought me here and that’s when I truly understood all that it has to offer,” she says. Other things changed, too–her last name, for instance. She married her high school sweetheart, started raising her family here, and started making others aware of just what a special destination Mankato is, whether just coming for a visit or for a lifetime stay. A lot has happened in her more than decadelong run in that role: a brand change, a growing marathon weekend, and the development of a sports commission, among others. As a result, thousands of people visit Mankato each year, eating in our restaurants, staying in our hotels and shopping in our stores. In summary, adding to our quality of life. And it is all orchestrated by Anna Thill. In this interview, we learn more about the work Thill oversees and how it is so impactful to businesses in our region. Let’s start from the beginning. You grew up in the area? I grew up in Fulda, Minnesota. There was a lot of moving around early in my childhood, but by second grade Fulda was home. My father worked at the Worthington Community College, where he taught macro and microeconomics, philosophy and religion. That was a very interesting combination of classes that made for an incredible amount of learning from my dad. My mother was mostly a stay-at-home mom raising all of us kids. I grew up with five brothers, but also have two older brothers from my dad’s first marriage. With seven brothers and no sisters, I grew up a little bit as a tomboy, knowing how to shoot a gun, kick a football and throw a good spiral. I was always keeping up with my brothers and their friends. Unfortunately, as my brothers love to point out, I did not grow up learning from my mom how to bake or cook amazing meals. I was ready to do chores like my brothers, but if they weren’t in the kitchen helping to prepare a meal, then neither was I. Equality has always been a big deal to me, I guess. With my dad being the breadwinner in the family and with all of us kids, we didn’t grow up having a lot. So I think a big part of my character also comes from growing up, especially in the early years, wearing handme-downs, only getting the essentials when

Visit Mankato we were shopping, or just seeing all of my friends have “more or better.” Don’t get me wrong, we had a great life growing up, but I do know what it’s like to live very modestly. So a modest childhood, being sensitive to equality issues and wanting to live a life my parents and God would be proud of, shaped me as a child. Progressing forward I met my husband, T.J., when we were 16. He grew up in Worthington and I in Fulda, 16 miles apart. We are high school sweethearts about to celebrate 20 years of marriage in June. I guess you could say we kind of shaped each other too, since we have been together since we were kids. We decided we were going to go to Sioux Falls for college. I loved music, both playing the flute and singing, so I went to Augustana College to major in music while T.J. went to the technical college for land surveying. He finished his two-year degree and wanted to go to St. Cloud State University to get a bachelor’s degree for land surveying. By that time, I knew I didn’t want to teach music, and I knew I didn’t want to compete for first chair in a symphony either. I knew it was a passion of mine, but it was not what my career was going to be. So I decided I would go with him to St. Cloud. I literally picked up the program guide that outlined all the different majors to see what I could go into. I knew I was resetting my future. As I read through all the options I landed on local and urban affairs, which is like city planning, community development, downtown revitalization, environmental protection, and more all wrapped up in one degree. That really spoke to me. There are a lot of different areas you could go into. I had never really studied any of those topics before, but going back to my childhood desire to create big change, these spoke to me. So, we graduated together from St. Cloud State. He graduated from the very first class of land surveyors out of St. Cloud State University. How did you end up in Mankato? While I was going through my classes at St. Cloud, I met students who were graduate students in city planning and downtown development. I was so impressed with them and especially the ones coming out of MSU in Mankato, so I just decided I was going to get my graduate degree instead of going straight into the workforce. My dad is so

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Anna Thill intelligent and I just wanted to prove to him that I was going to do so well in school. (she laughs) So, I got into the graduate program in Mankato while T.J. got a job in land surveying in the area. That’s the path that took me to Mankato. As I was finishing my graduate program I knew it was time to look for a job in Mankato because at that point, I was pretty entrenched in this place. I picked up the newspaper and found the ad for the community building director of the United Way. It was the only job I applied for at the time because that was the only position that was open that really spoke to me. It used my background and knowledge, and it was macro work impacting the community on a large scale. I was at the United Way for six years as the director of community building, which later changed to the director of community impact. That was a great first job. While there, I got to know a lot of community leaders in education, government, business and nonprofits. That connection in the community helped me understand the community at different levels and I think led to my interest in moving up into a stronger leadership role. I let people know that I was looking for a jump in responsibility in the community and that’s how I got called to interview for this job at Greater Mankato Growth. Because when you came to oversee Visit Mankato it was a new entity, right? It was transitioning. At that time it was the Greater Mankato Convention and Visitors Bureau. It was just being formed as its own LLC, separate from the Chamber of Commerce. The chamber and economic development corporation at that time was under Jonathan Zierdt’s leadership and was also in transition. That’s when Greater Mankato Growth Inc. was created, with the Convention

Professional Cred Thill’s reputation in the industry is well known and well rewarded. She is active in professional organizations on a state level. “I’m on the board of the Minnesota Association of CVBs, I’ve been on that board for several years. It’s been a great experience. Then I have been appointed by the governor for the Explore Minnesota Tourism Council, and between those two state organizations, I serve on a lot of subcommittees, such as public policy. On the education committee we strive to educate our colleagues at conferences twice a year. So I am on a handful of smaller subcommittees,” says Thill.

March | April 2020

Visit Mankato and Visitors Bureau being its own LLC under that. I signed the papers to make it an official LLC at my first board meeting. That’s how new it was. What year was that? That was in September of 2007. That interview process by the way happened pretty quickly. They called and said, “Anna, we’d like you to interview for this position.” I went to the interview and it was an interview panel held in a conference room in the Wells Fargo building. The United Way was just down the street. I left that interview to go back to the United Way office and by the time I was about to enter the door to the United Way I got the call. It was literally within minutes that they were like, “Anna, we would like to talk to you about an offer.” How exciting! My life has just been so interesting with the way things have happened through the years. The progression has been kind of organic or just fell into place naturally without a lot of struggle. So you came on board to the Convention and Visitors Bureau and then when you signed that LLC, what was your directive from them or what did they task you with doing at that time? At that time, it was a traditional convention and visitors bureau interested in marketing the community for tourism. We are lucky because tourism here has three legs. We have leisure, conventions, and sports. There are some communities that only have one leg, and typically that’s only leisure. For instance, they might only have a beach. In some, it’s only sporting facilities. But we are well balanced. I think that’s one of the things that’s made us such a strong community; we’re well balanced in almost every area across the board. That said, we are not immune to the ups and downs of the economy,

Hungry for Knowledge Thill is married with two sons: Raleigh, 13, and Cashel, 11. They keep her busy. Thill’s other hobbies revolve around learning. Thill says, “I love learning. I’ll watch the History channel. I love ancient history. And I love science, religion and philosophy. I think my dad played a big role in that. I don’t know if you’ve done the strengths finder and know what your strengths are, but Learner is one of mine. I’m constantly hungry for information and I love engaging in those kinds of deep conversations.”

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Anna Thill especially after I first started in the position, with the slump of 2008-2009. We weren’t immune to that, but we fared much better than other communities did. Anyway, my charge was to make sure that we were bringing as many visitors to the community as possible through all of our marketing and sales efforts in that realm and we’ve continued to evolve since then. When I started we had one full-time staff and a student worker who helped at the front desk. Then I was immediately tasked with hiring a new staff person to handle convention sales. It’s grown from there with our peak being at seven staff. When did it become Visit Mankato and what was behind the thinking to rebrand it that way? When we became our own LLC, we were still a part of the singular chamber brand. We all shared the same brand, the same elements, everything. We all looked the same. What I discovered is for a tourism bureau, it felt very buttoned up.

We were trying to get away from that very bureaucratic sounding convention and visitors bureau to “explore” whatever or “visit” wherever. We were at the forefront of a movement for tourism organization names to be more fun and descriptive. It was a chamber brand so it was very business-y and it didn’t feel like there was a lot of freedom to make it fun, inviting and exciting as you’re supposed to be for tourism. So that was the impetus to go after a tourism brand that could do that for us. In 2013 we launched the new tourism brand, which was Mankato Now Playing. We also changed our organizational name to Visit Mankato, which was in alignment with this trend that had been happening and is still happening across the world. We were trying to get away from that very bureaucratic sounding convention and visitors bureau to “explore” whatever or “visit” wherever. We were at the forefront

of a movement for tourism organization names to be more fun and descriptive. It’s a brand that has fit and worked well. It has been wonderful and I think that it speaks to what we have to offer here, which is exactly what a destination brand should do. Interestingly enough we are exploring the destination brand again to see how it could be expanded to encompass business development work. Stay tuned on that front. So you had the traditional tourism, added convention sales, then in 2013 you added the Sports Commission

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Visit Mankato under the Visit Mankato brand. We moved into the new office and launched the new brand in 2013 and then we immediately went to work on the Sports Commission. The Sports Commission was launched in October 2014. We envisioned this new sub-entity to be not just a committee focused on sports, but it was really about engaging our community on a larger scale around the sporting economy. That’s what that was about and it now has its own brand, a sister brand if you will. It has its own board of sports commissioners, which hold specific seats from representatives in the community. It’s still in the early stages, already having gone through a few phases in its development. I’d say it is finding its stride now. Of course facilities were a huge piece of the Sports Commission early on, because the city was going after the extension of the local option sales tax. Once that process was done we had to step back from the facilities development conversation as it was becoming all-consuming and taking

away from the true purpose of growing the sporting economy through events and services. Fundraising, feasibility studies and the like are not in the Sports Commission’s wheelhouse, but educating, advocating, and event development and support is. There are always a lot of exciting things being planned. We developed the Mankato Marathon, are partnering on the Minnesota Senior Games, and we’ve got our hat in the ring for the Governor’s Fishing Opener. The Jack Frost Frolic is also a newly developed event by the Sports Commission. Who is your target audience? When you’re marketing Mankato who is it that you’re going after or marketing to? We actually mirror what the state of Minnesota is doing. We target our surrounding states, including South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, a little into North Dakota and then certainly all over the state of Minnesota with heavy emphasis on the metro market. We go after a lot of the drive

market which speaks to a geographic draw, but we also go after people interested in niche experiences that fit what we have to offer. Like outdoor adventure, for instance, our trails offer many options for people who want to get out and get active. We have huge opportunities around that because we’re in this Minnesota River Valley and it’s so beautiful. Or there are biking enthusiasts that will travel across the nation for a cool biking experience. We have wonderful and diverse arts and culture and are now considered a destination for the niche audience seeking arts and cultural experiences. In addition to that is sports. We have a lot of options for youth and adults, as well. Many of the opportunities we have are family-friendly, which is certainly a niche we target. Then throw into the mix major events like RibFest, Pow Wow and River Ramble. We make sure that we are pulling people in for those great events in our calendar. When doing our research one thing that

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Anna Thill sets our brand essence apart and differentiates us from our competitors, is our accessibility. For example, we have all of these great opportunities for the outdoor enthusiasts who could just as easily go to the trails and the river and everything else in many communities, but we are an accessible community. Accessibility means you can get across town in 15 minutes. You can go from sledding or skiing at Mount Kato to having a beer at one of our breweries within 15 minutes. One of our sub taglines is “Everything is so close.” We’re also not as expensive as the metro areas that offer skiing, breweries and more. That’s another area of accessibility.

Park. The two groups were brainstorming and wondering, “Could we do a marathon within this arts event and have it all at the same time?” So they brought me in because it was a huge tourism opportunity. It was decided

The marathon has been a big draw to Mankato, was that your brainchild? It was not my brainchild. That’s an interesting history. We had the running community telling us they wanted a marathon here. At the same time, leadership for the Twin Rivers Council for the Arts was trying to put together a huge arts event at Riverfront

that this arts event over time could grow so big that it should have its own capacity in the community, and people coming for the marathon should not be fighting for a hotel room or a seat at the restaurant at the same time as people who want to listen to the symphony and see an art show. Ultimately, we decided to separate the events. I ended up taking on the marathon with this core group of runners that really were the brainchild for the marathon. Then we went after three different race management companies, in order to see who fit best with what we were trying to accomplish and that was Final Stretch. Final Stretch has been with you the whole time. Right? Yes, they have been with us from the beginning and they still are. Although our relationship with them is different now. Going into this 10th year, we took on full ownership of the marathon. Now we are contracting with Final Stretch, as their expertise is very important and they know our community very well.

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March | April 2020

Visit Mankato It’s been a great event for Mankato in many ways. It has, and that’s something that I’m so proud of. I remember Dick Beardsley was our keynote speaker at the very first expo of the marathon. It was standing room only. Mark Bongers, with Final Stretch, and I were on the stage before introducing Dick. We were providing opening remarks and welcoming everybody. I remember being so emotional. I wasn’t bawling or anything, but I was tearing up and saying something about how important the event was to me and how I was almost as proud to launch that event as I was having my children. I am almost sure I made some sort of correlation between the two. Because really I was working the equivalent of two full-time jobs for months to pull that event off with the small staff that we had at the time. It was a labor of love, and I’m so proud of it. You should be, it’s really great. Would you say that’s your biggest accomplishment? That’s certainly on the top of my list.

I think establishing a tourism brand that distinguished us in that realm was a huge accomplishment. Also, strategically expanding the team, so that we can do more for the community has been good. I think establishing a tourism brand that distinguished us in that realm was a huge accomplishment. Also, strategically expanding the team, so that we can do more for the community has been good. Professionally, those top my list. How many staff are you up to now? Visit Mankato has five and a half full-time employees, because we’ve shifted some positions now. GMG and Visit Mankato are always looking to be efficient and effective with tax dollars so some of our staff, work across the multiple business platforms that we have. What would you say has been your biggest challenge since

taking over your role? Oh goodness, it’s a good question. I should have been prepared for it too. I think the biggest challenge that organizations such as ours have, is the misunderstanding of what we really do. We do not produce widgets. We do not produce a lot of tangible things. The marathon can produce tangible measurements of success, but I cannot tell you how many people visited this community because of the advertising we pushed out. I can’t say how many saw our marketing of the city and decided to come visit or how much money they spent in our community while they were here. Because we cannot provide that information, it is a huge challenge and it always puts us in a defensive mode.

Anna Thill We try to be on the offense as much as possible as far as trying to share how we are adding value, but we’re always having to explain it in different ways, hoping people will understand the qualitative versus the quantitative value add. Another challenge is relevancy in the midst of all kinds of competitors who have a much larger checkbook. Think of your Googles and your Trip Advisors and Expedia. Many of them have come on the scene doing what a traditional convention and visitors bureau would do to promote their community. Typically website traffic would show intent to travel. However, if somebody can get everything they need from Trip Advisor and not have to go to our site, how do we prove then that what we are doing is valuable? Our website analytics may be down because people are getting their information from Google, but that doesn’t mean our promotions didn’t inspire them to consider Mankato as a destination. The world is changing fast and we have to do what we can to keep up and remain relevant. That’s one reason I want to put you on the cover, because as a business magazine, I don’t know if everyone in the community quite understands how crucial Visit Mankato is to the success of the economy and business vitality here. I know. We are just sort of “there” to many people. But if you do subtraction by subtraction, what does that look like? If you extract an organization such as ours, what is subtracted in the community

March | April 2020

and the economy? That could be scary. Florida is seeing it, there are cities and communities and states that have seen this severe plunge in their numbers when they underestimated the work of tourism promotion. What would you say is your biggest impact on the community? It’s certainly the traffic that we drive to our hospitality community. This year has been a wonderful year. The Mankato Marathon had a 20% growth, which is awesome. We had the air show in June, which we promoted heavily. We had a great year with a lot of brand new events such as the Aussie Peppers, which we also had a minor role in helping to attract and then promoted heavily. I guess the point that I’m trying to make is there were peaks in traffic associated with certain events that we helped promote, but overall this year, demand for hotel rooms is 10% ahead this year over last year. That is a huge measure of the amount of visitor traffic that’s coming through, because we know that there are a lot of people who are also just driving in and out of this community. They may go to the mall, get a meal, attend an event and then drive home that night. They would still be considered a visitor if they are coming from outside of a 50-mile radius. But when you see hotel traffic go up the way it has, you know that is a lot more money flowing through the community than what was last year.

Visit Mankato

It shows that tourism has produced these long-term economic development results by showing the result of people who have visited a community and then their inclination to start a career there, to bring a business there, to go to school there or retire there. Those inclinations significantly increase if they have seen destination marketing AND visited the community. What would you like our readers to know about Visit Mankato or the work you’re doing? I think that it’s about understanding how we help and work hand in hand with the business community here. For instance, area employers are trying to attract employees, they’re trying to make sure that their business continues to grow. We feed into that. A lot of people don’t understand this halo effect that tourism has. Something that is really important for the business community to understand, is that oftentimes a new resident, a new business, a new student starts with a visit. Nobody just decides to move to a community without visiting first to understand the culture and see what it’s like. There have been studies done by Longwoods International that prove this halo effect. It shows that tourism has produced these long-term economic development results by showing the result of people who have visited a community and then their inclination to start a career there, to bring a business there, to go to school there or retire there. Those inclinations

significantly increase if they have seen destination marketing AND visited the community. Visits are often the first glimpse at our community as people might have come for the Mankato Marathon, or a hockey game, to watch the Aussie Peppers play, or see the bison at Minneopa State Park. Tourism is the first date to long-term economic development. That’s why I come to work every day: that impact that we have on the community overall.

THE ESSENTIALS Visit Mankato 3 Civic Center Plaza #100 Mankato, MN 56001 Phone: 507-385-6660 Web: visitgreatermankato.com

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ENTREPRENEURIAL INSIGHT

New Business, Old Building

In the 1700s the word entrepreneur entered our vocabulary, meaning adventurer. The meaning has been honed over the centuries, it is now widely regarded as one who launches and runs a new business. However, entrepreneurs remain adventurers at heart–taking on great risks based on an idea or expertise one has developed in hopes of making a profit. Jeremy and Carrie Sharp are two such adventurers following a dream. The Sharps are entrepreneurs who based their business plan on their passions: coffee, wine and craft beer. They also knew they wanted to pursue their first business in an area they are passionate about: Waseca. “Jeremy bought the State & Elm Building on July 2, 2018, and right away we started a remodeling project,” says Carrie Sharp. “Trio opened on Oct. 20, 2018. We’ve always loved this building and wanted to open a business here in Waseca.” While Jeremy owns the building, Carrie owns its featured tenant, Trio Coffee, Wine & Ale House. “Trio is a concept based on an idea that several people might want to go out and not everyone wants the same thing,” explains Carrie. “You might have one friend who loves coffee, another who enjoys wine and another who enjoys craft beer but you also want something to eat and don’t want to leave, so why not have it all? “To top it off, we love live music and the arts and felt like there was a need to showcase local talent musically and through art work. This is a concept that is taking off and it’s relatively new but we wanted to bring that to our wonderful town. Our menu is simple with panini sandwiches, salads, from-scratch soups, quesadillas, desserts, including our popular bread puddings, and of course, our Korean BBQ Street Tacos. We wanted a little bit of everything. Looking for an antipasto platter to go along with your wine flight, we’ve got that! 22

March | April 2020

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Recipe for Entrepreneurial Success

A Passion for Giving Back In the back of Trio, you’ll find a Pay It Forward bulletin board. “This is a charity that Jeremy discovered when talking to a local friend and school teacher, Kris Lapides. Jeremy and I have known Kris for a while and we came to her asking for something we could do to give back and she told us about the Backpack Program. Honestly, we didn’t know much about it but once we did, we were all in! Basically, you buy a coffee sleeve for someone, put their name on the coffee sleeve and post it on the Pay it Forward bulletin board at Trio, tag the individual on social media along with Trio and that’s it! The person comes in and they can redeem their coffee sleeve for any coffee they’d like but the cool part is 10% of the proceeds go to the Backpack Program! To date, we’ve been able to donate over $100 to the Backpack Program, which enables over 50 kids to have food over the weekend! That’s what it’s all about,” says Carrie.

The Sharps’ Other Passions “Right now we are very consumed with our business but absolutely love to follow our 17-year-old son with his music! He’s active in band and choir and performs on guitar/vocals and drums in a number of different areas. Personally, I love walking with my dog, Jack, and we still continue on with our visits to area breweries, wineries and coffee shops … hey, it’s what got us started here in the first place and any chance we can get to discover a new love!” says Carrie.

EDITOR

“If you’re looking for a great place for young and old to hang out, grab a bite to eat, have a drink and maybe play a board game or listen to music, Trio is the place. That was our dream and our vision!” explains Carrie. But as all entrepreneurs encounter, there are sleepless nights on the way to pursuing your dreams and clarifying your vision. “By far our biggest challenge is getting the word out there about what we are. It’s in the name but it’s hard for people to get that we have coffee, wine and beer …and food! We really do have it all. What’s more, we try to keep it local. Our coffee is from a local roaster, European Roasterie out of Le Center, Minnesota, and our beer is primarily from breweries in Minnesota. Our wines are from small boutique wineries with wines not carried commonly in this area. We’re trying to be unique and different and not have the same beers and wines that others in the area might have! “Our aim is to be educational and get you to try something different. We have a great music scene going on here and work hard to find great local talent but there again is another challenge, how do we get people to stay local?” While they want to see the evening business pick up a bit, their the lunch crowd has been a pleasant surprise. “The overwhelming response to our lunch menu has been amazing. So amazing that it has grown to triple the items that we initially had. We originally intended to keep our food very small and simple and really focus on our drinks but we’ve become more of a lunch destination. We’re quite happy with lunch but would love to see our breakfast and evenings take off. We’re a great hangout and date destination, whatever time of day that fits.” The Sharps’ advice for other budding entrepreneurs is to follow your dreams, but find balance along the way. “Dream big but do your research and know what you want and stay true to you! What has been so meaningful has been interviews and events where we’ve

been asked to speak about the business. It’s such a great opportunity to look back at our original concept and think about where we are today. This has been valuable as you learn to balance what you want with what the customer wants. Can you balance that? Can you listen but still remain true to your dream? Also, find some great mentors and other businesses that you can

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HOT STARTZ! MARSHALL AND ST. PETER

Extra Innings Paninos & Pizza So, just what is a panino? And how did it make its way to St. Peter? A panino is a unique rolled flatbread sandwich filled with lean meats, cheeses, fresh veggies and tasty sauces. Paninos came to St. Peter via Marshall, where they have been served since 2002. “I have wanted to open a second location since day one in Marshall. It took many years for me to be comfortable enough to take the next step,” explains Mike Sweetman, owner of Extra Innings. “Over the last few years I had been looking at multiple areas that I felt would be a good fit. St. Peter stood out to me right away, but the first location I looked at didn’t work out. I then looked in Mankato and was close to opening a store there and again it fell through. When I came across this location it just felt right. St. Peter is a great town. Picturesque, historic downtown, similar in size to Marshall. It has Gustavus, Marshall has SMSU. I am very happy and excited to be here and be a part of the business community.” There are some differences in the Marshall and St. Peter locations at this time. The Marshall location is more of a “pub” atmosphere. Located at 220 South Minnesota Avenue, Extra Innings opened in St. Peter in December 2019. “It has been going well,” says Sweetman. “Every day seems to pick up a little over the last.” Even though he has years of experience in the panino industry, Sweetman says challenges always present themselves. “It has definitely been a learning experience! The biggest challenge has probably been finding staff. The staff we have found has been great thus far, we could just use a few more to fill in the

gaps,” he says. Staffing issues aside, Sweetman says he couldn’t be happier with his new neighbors in St. Peter. “The best surprise has been how welcoming the neighboring businesses have been,” says Sweetman. “They have seemed to really want to work together to make St. Peter the best it can be.” Extra Innings Paninos & Pizza 220 South Minnesota Avenue, St. Peter Phone: (507) 934-4326 Varsity Pub & Extra Innings 128 West Main Street, Marshall Phone: (507) 532-4714 Web: extrainningspaninos.com

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To be considered for Hot Startz, tell us about a new business or new professional in the area by emailing editor@connectbiz.com.

MANKATO

KDB Detailing Three years ago when they were sitting in a Mankato West High School classroom, they could never have dreamed of what happened to them after graduation. Nuradin Yasin, Jake Neumann and Anis Abdullahi are the young trio behind Kato Detail Bros, a venture that started with their passion for cars. At first, the trio would help friends out detailing their cars; that friend circle quickly grew and the young men knew they were on to something. “What made it a real business was when we started getting booked out for weeks. We were also doing work with local car dealerships and we had steady work coming in. Our client base was growing and word of mouth was spreading,” explains Abdullahi. “Our work spoke for itself and our reviews were fantastic. We knew it was time to take the next step and get to work.” Another unique service of KDB is that they will pick up your vehicle for you, and then return it to you when detailing is complete. That hard work has paid off. They were able to move out of their garages and into their own facility at 1002 Belle Avenue in Mankato, right next to Kwik Trip on Madison and Hopp’s Thrift Store. It is evident they have the passion for their work, and slowly but surely they are learning the process. “Starting a new business and being so young there’s always new challenges every day but at the same time we don’t look at it negatively, we look at it as a chance to learn from it. The more mistakes we make early on the better we will be later on in our business,” says Abdullahi. The three are humbled by the overwhelming support they are receiving. “The support we have been getting from our community is by

far the best part of our business. Being a business owner can be a lonely job but it’s nice to know that our community supports us. That’s why we love what we do and strive to do the best work possible. We would love to give back to the community and help the growth of our town once our business has been fully established.” He adds that perhaps their story will encourage other young people to create their own path. “We hope that by sharing our story of finding a passion and turning that into a business, other young people will believe in themselves too,” says Abdullahi. “We were responsible and thoughtful about it, but we just went for it when the time felt right.” KDB Detailing 1002 Belle Avenue Phone: (507) 351-1034

BANKING THE WAY IT SHOULD BE Keeping it local today & tomorrow

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A DAY IN THE LIFE

Joslyn Manske

Lisa Cownie

Mortgage Banker with Frandsen Bank & Trust in North Mankato

EDITOR

There are self-help books, motivational blogs and leadership symposiums to help the business- and entrepreneurial-minded make the most of each day to maximize productivity. Connect Business Magazine, though, recognizes we have great resources right in our own communities. So we are going right to local business leaders to give all of you a glimpse into how they manage their days. The goal is for readers to be able to take away little tidbits to incorporate into their own lives to be at their best in and out of the office! Joslyn Manske is a busy mom, mortgage banker at Frandsen Bank & Trust, and active community volunteer. How does she juggle it all day in and day out? Let’s find out: Do you have a certain routine that helps you start each day? I wish I could say I did have a set routine to start my day. Like many, I restart my “diet and exercise” program on Mondays. I set my alarm for the gym at 4:30 a.m. with every intention of going every day that week. In reality, I hit the snooze three out of five days and rely on my coffee to get me going. What is your No. 1 organizational tool and why? My life is in my phone. My work schedule, my son’s hockey practices, my upcoming concerts, hotel reservations, you name it, it’s all on my phone! I have completely lost my phone two times in the last 12 months ... so I realize how important it is to me. I do know that one of them is in the bottom of Lake Washington! Anything specific you like to do on your lunch hour to help keep you on top of your day? If I don’t have a business lunch scheduled, I usually run home and switch my laundry, make my bed and do my dishes quick, all while trying not to eat pizza. (she smiles) 26

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How would you describe your “professional” personality? I like to think I am easygoing, approachable and fun. As a mortgage lender, we have to ask many personal questions which are not always easy for people to talk about or share with someone else. It’s my job to make them feel comfortable and offer options to best fit their needs and goals. Most of my customers enjoy a little humor when sitting in my office and it makes for an enjoyable experience for all of us.

What do you do outside of work to help stay balanced? I love being social! I have played year-round volleyball with the same group of girls for 10+ years. I love throwing parties and going to watch live music. If it’s summertime, you will find me on a boat. Manske Outside the Office My pride and joy is my 6-year-old son, Tucker. I also love golfing, traveling, attending concerts, watching my son play hockey, volunteering, and everything at the lake.

FEATURE Collaboration Connection

Sleepy Eye’s Business Sector Is Far From Sleepy When Kurk Kramer moved to Sleepy Eye 23 years ago to teach in the middle school, he did not envision himself being asked to change careers 13 years later. He did accept the offer, however, and in 2009 he took on the responsibilities of the coordinator of the Sleepy Eye Economic Development Authority. Kramer, along with the EDA board, has been revitalizing the business community in innovative ways ever since, preparing and encouraging young people to remain in Sleepy Eye or to return to their hometown for employment or to become hometown entrepreneurs. Like many small cities, Sleepy Eye’s population of 3,600 had seen a decline

Kurk Kramer, EDA Coordinator for the City of Sleepy Eye

Carlienne Frisch FREELANCE WRITER

in businesses, especially on Main Street, with stores and restaurants closing their doors. People left the community, either to find a job or to attend college, and they seldom returned. After last year’s closing of Del Monte’s corn and pea canning facility, which was the largest in the United States, many Sleepy Eye residents wondered what might happen next. Kramer recently announced that the Del Monte property has been sold, and the community has been waiting to hear what will become of the facility and the property. Kramer’s vision as the EDA coordinator has been to revitalize the downtown area, as well as to maintain the larger businesses that have been based in Sleepy Eye for years. One example is Haala Industries, which began as a welding shop and now uses robotics to produce metal products for engineering firms and government agencies. Kramer’s goal includes having a younger workforce available to employers. To achieve this goal, he called upon his background in education to create economic opportunities that would encourage young

adults to work and live in Sleepy Eye, either as business owners or as valued employees. Working closely with EDA board members, he established an on-the-job training program with the two high schools in Sleepy Eye: Southeast High School and St. Mary‘s High School. Kramer explains, “The angle I have had was using my experience in education and seeing the needs in the business community. We put students through three hours of training under this program, including an employment interview, then followed by real experience in a job. I started with four students and four businesses – South Point Federal Credit Union, First Security Bank, Southeast Medical Center and BIC Graphics – all of which are still participating in the program. This school year, there are more than 20 businesses and 30 students involved.” A measure of the program’s success is that some of the students who took part in the first few years of the OJT program now are employed by the businesses in which they interned. Others have returned to Sleepy

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FEATURE Collaboration Connection

Job fairs, like the one pictured here, are one tool Sleepy Eye uses to retain young people in the city.

Eye to establish their own businesses. The downtown area now includes insurance agencies, financial investment planners, attorneys, the Sleepy Eye Coffee Company, Sleepy Eye Brewing, Powerhouse Nutrition, antiques shops, a VRBO (vacation rentals by owner) and a simulated golf project.

March | April 2020

“Millennials, the people in their 20s and 30s, are interested in these businesses,” Kramer said. “A major economic development issue has been the availability of a workforce. Over the past 10 years, we’ve had a return to Sleepy Eye of 50 or 60 young professionals, who have taken an interest in purchasing and rehabbing old buildings. They are making an investment, both financially and nonmonetarily in the future of the community. With the revitalization of downtown, there’s a sense of community. I think that’s why we have an influx of people in their 20s and 30s, mostly returnees, and they bring a spouse. Two of our new doctors grew up in Sleepy Eye, and a third one is a spouse. We have five doctors and one surgeon in our community, all part of the city-owned and very successful Sleepy Eye Medical Center.” After being hired as the EDA coordinator in 2009, Kramer took some economic development courses at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. More importantly, he read a book titled “Flip This Town,” written by a consultant, Ron Drake. Kramer was so impressed with what he’d read that he shared his views with the community’s decision-makers. As a result, Drake was asked to visit Sleepy Eye in 2018 and to provide his expertise to the community. After spending a few days in town, Drake presented his thoughts to the community in an event that more than 200 people attended. It was that presentation that triggered more activity downtown, including the rehabilitation and revitalization work.

This interest resulted in the establishment of the Downtown Revitalization Committee, which developed building standards that promote maintenance and preservation of a building’s historic relevance and appearance. Ten buildings on Main Street have had rehab work done and now house new businesses.

With the revitalization of downtown, there’s a sense of community. I think that’s why we have an influx of people in their 20s and 30s, mostly returnees, and they bring a spouse. Another issue the Sleepy Eye community must address is one that many other Minnesota small cities share – a lack of appropriate housing. Kramer explains, “We need more housing at every income level. One solution is that people are rehabbing the living quarters above the stores on Main Street and living there (as was the custom in past generations). These apartments can provide housing for a single person or a couple with no kids.” One catalyst for the redevelopment of the downtown area was the creation of Veterans Memorial Park. Kramer says, “Ten years ago, four buildings, side by side, were demolished, resulting in 100 feet of street front property being open. No one was interested in building on it, so we sent out

a survey about the possibility of having a Veterans Memorial Park. The response was overwhelmingly positive.” The result was construction of a black granite memorial wall, which includes the names of people from beyond the community, as well as a special monument for the local 13 veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice–from the Civil War to the present, along with other military memorials. With input from the EDA board, Kramer designed the park and its contents, and it was funded nearly 100 percent by donations. There also has been a pocket park development at the corner of Highway 4 and Highway 14. Kramer points out that Sleepy Eye has a good mix of established businesses and new enterprises. He says, “In addition to the new businesses, we have a well-anchored business community, which also serves the agricultural sector. We have two implement dealers – Kibble, which sells John Deere, and Miller Sellner, which sells Case/IH and snowmobiles. The Central

Sleepy Eye Coffee Company and Sleepy Eye Brewing Company are both located in the newly restored PIX Theater building with a rehabbed marquee. Pictured here are Karlyn and Adam Armbruster.

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FEATURE Collaboration

Region Cooperative, which has a long history of serving agricultural producers, employs 160 people.” Other businesses include BIC Graphics, the largest calendar producer in North America, which employs more than 500 people during its peak season in late summer and early fall. Another company that markets nationally is Sensory Effects, a producer of flavored food powders. The Mark Thomas Company produces funeral home products, including printed, wood and pottery items. There also are three assisted living and elder care facilities. The hospitality and tourism industries are represented by the AmericInn and the Sleepy Eye Event Center, the latter drawing visitors from across the nation to the community.

Pictured here is Schmid Financial in its rehabbed building on the corner of 1st Avenue and Oak Street.

Catch the Hometown Business Connection on KEYC News 12! KEYC News 12 and Connect Business Magazine bring you the stories of area local businesses and how they impact Southern Minnesota. • First Wednesday of the month on KEYC News 12 at 6 • Repeats Thursday on KEYC News 12 Midday • See all previous episodes on keyc.com

March | April 2020

Kramer points out, “We are in good enough shape as a city that we paid cash for the event center, with the Sleepy Eye Medical Center and the Public Utilities Commission helping to finance the center. The city purchased and demolished the Inn of Seven Gables, a hotel that had been on that site. We then built the new hotel and event center on the property.” Another former entertainment venue is the Orchid Inn, a name that may evoke readers’ memories of dancing the night away. More recently, the property had an EDA loan on it when the owner passed away. Kramer says, “The building needs much repair, and we are working on selling it, either to be renovated or to be demolished. We want to see a plan from the potential purchaser.” The community also has a weekly newspaper, the Sleepy Eye Herald Dispatch, and a radio station, SAM107.3FM, which is associated with KNUJ in New Ulm. Kramer thrives on the diverse activities and accomplishments of his town. He says, “I enjoy the Sleepy Eye business community and its owners. I enjoy the small-town atmosphere and the pride most everyone has in the community. I have a passion for keeping our community thriving, moving forward and being successful. I’m impressed with the number of young people returning and making an investment for the future of the business district and the community. For the millennials, the return on investment is not going to be in dollars. It will be in the reinvestment in the community because they have a love for the place in which they grew up.”

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innesota has long enjoyed a reputation as a leader in the health care industry, and Minnesota State University, Mankato has capitalized on its place as the flagship institution in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System to drive health care education on campus and in the region. An illustration of these efforts is seen in Minnesota State Mankato’s new state-of-the-art Clinical Sciences Building, which represents the university’s newest addition to campus and houses the Maverick Family Nursing Simulation Center. This 16,000-square-foot, modern Vetter Stone-facade building, hopes to build a bridge the gap between learning in the classroom, and real-life clinical experiences.

Within the Maverick Family Nursing Simulation Center, visitors can find a wide variety of high-tech resources utilized to provide cutting-edge, technologically-driven education and training—whether in undergraduate coursework or continuing education and customized training for health care professionals. At the center of the technology offered in the Clinical Sciences Building is the Simulation Center, home to a multibed skills lab, a family suite with a full functioning kitchen, bathroom, murphy bed, and 13 high fidelity manikins ranging from newborns to adults. Also housed in the CSB is the Maverick Family Nursing Simulation Center, a series of cutting-edge teaching labs,

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utilized not only to provide students with real-world learning experiences, but also used to develop and implement high-impact workforce training solutions consistent with the Continuing Education and Customized Training offered by the university’s Strategic Partnerships division. The Simulation Center enjoys a unique partnership between the College of Allied Health and Nursing and the Strategic Partnerships division. This partnership, driven by Strategic Partnerships’ Continuing and Professional Education Unit, has brought external funding to support customized training programs. In the past year, the Strategic Partnerships division has partnered with the School of Nursing to secure more than $750,000 in training grants that will support the university’s customized training efforts focused on the workforce needs for health care professionals in the region. The vice president of Strategic Partnerships,

The Maverick Family Nursing Simulation Center is a state-of-the-art facility located in the Clinical Sciences Building on the campus of Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Dr. Bobby Fleischman, said: “Strategic Partnerships and the College of Allied Health and Nursing enjoy a unique partnership that addresses not only the vision, mission, and values of the university in driving student success, but these partnerships also leverage and support our community’s major health care providers in providing necessary training that ultimately brings health and well-being to people in the Mankato community”. The most effective education and training of health care professionals remains vital to ensure these professionals are

well equipped to respond to any situation that they may encounter in their practice. Immersing health care professionals in real-life situations not only improves proficiency, but also provides the opportunity to gain exposure to hands-on, critical training for high-risk, low occurrence incidents. Serving as one of three facilities in Minnesota, and one of 100 worldwide, to gain provisional accreditation by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, Minnesota State University, Mankato has partnered with several health care providers across the region to develop customized workforce training solutions. The university has recently engaged in a partnership with Ecumen, whose focus on the individual and family aspect of health care remains a priority. “At Ecumen, we are committed to innovation and the ongoing training of our teams; it’s part of our proud legacy of high quality care and services,” said Brett Anderson, vice president of health and clinical services with Ecumen and Minnesota State University, Mankato alumnus. By employing professional actors and expert trainers from the Simulation Center, Ecumen was able to livestream replications of real-life care delivery situations to team members across the state and hold live debrief sessions for learning. “It was a unique and engaging experience,” Anderson said. “We pulled our teams together from across the state and shared this learning simultaneously. Our caregivers were excited to take what they learned and immediately apply it in serving our residents and customers, and their families.” Additional customized training topics thus far have included dementia care; hospice care; palliative care and end of life decisions; patient satisfaction; communicating in challenging and deteriorating patient situations; and multidisciplinary care teams. The dean of the College of Allied Health & Nursing, Kris Retherford, commented on the future of this extraordinary facility: “We continue to explore other opportunities to deliver simulation experiences through workforce development grants and continuing education offerings with professions in the College of Allied Health and Nursing.” If you are interested in learning more about customized training opportunities offered through the Simulation Center, please reach out to Tammy Bohlke, Continuing and Professional Education director at the Strategic Partnership Center, 424 North Riverfront Drive, Mankato; tammy. bohlke@mnsu.edu; or (507) 389-1094.

LEARN MORE: https://link.mnsu.edu/maverickacademy

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Dahm

Photo by Jonathan Smith

Photos courtesy of Susan Allen 34

March | April 2020

The sounds of cheering fans and revving engines have filled the air at Arlington Raceway each year since 1981. From May to September drivers and fans alike flock to the half-mile dirt track at the Sibley County Fairgrounds for weekly entertainment. Drivers come for the competition, comradery and, with any luck, prize money. Fans come in hopes of seeing their favorite driver in the winnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s circle, to enjoy some great food or just get away for the weekend. Arlington Raceway is one of the biggest tourist destinations in Sibley County. The town of just over 2,200 welcomes over 100 drivers and 500 fans each Saturday night during racing season. Lifelong Kasota residents, Bob and Susan Allen, founded Arlington Raceway in 1981 and have owned and operated it ever since. Both attended St. Peter High School in the late '70s and also attended small business management classes at South Central College. Bob grew up racing on the quarter-mile dirt track in St. Peter with his family, which was heavily involved in racing. He also ran track and cross-country, so you could say heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been involved in racing all of his life. Continues

CONNECT Business Magazine

40 Years of Racing

On May 9, 2020, the duo will mark their 40th opening day as owners of the track: no small feat for a family-owned business. Susan says, “When the St. Peter Speedway closed, local racers began looking for a facility to race at. At the time, the Canon River Speedway near Morristown was the closest track but soon that track also closed down. The Sibley County Fair Board made contact with a few of us and we held a meeting in our one-stall garage to discuss starting a track in the late spring of 1981. I had just given birth to our first child, Levi, in January of the same year. Bob was only 21 at the time and it was decided we would start an association comprised of drivers that wanted to participate and hold races at the Sibley County Fairgrounds in Arlington.” From that meeting in their garage sprang a raceway that has hosted generations of racers. Bob remembers fondly how it unfolded. “Just before midseason the first year we decided to make this a business as the association members had all they could do to keep their cars running and did not have time to work at the track. It was decided to back pay workers and call it a business. At that time, we formed LB&S Inc. of Kasota using some of Susan’s saved-up money. Arlington Raceway was used as the track name and consisted of a figure-eight track on the infield of the oval as we were located between Raceway Park in Shakopee and Redwood Speedway in Redwood Falls, both of which had figure-eight classes. Other classes included the modified and the hobby class. The first night only one figure-eight driver signed in to compete, so we had him run with the hobby cars and he won the feature. The following week more figure-eight cars joined the field,” says Bob. The track has come a long way since its inaugural night back in 1981. “The first event had only 13 cars in three divisions and 328 fans in the stands. The price for admission was $3.50 for an adult and $2 for kids, while the pit fee was $10 if you had white pants on and $12 if you did not”, remembers Susan. Over the last 39 years the Allens have reshaped the race track surface, added an auto/ truck cross track, a go-kart track, lights and cement barriers, along with countless other improvements for the safety of the drivers and spectators. Last year the average payout for a Saturday night event winner was around $12,000. Safety and entertainment have been two of the top priorities throughout their ownership. Over their career in the racing industry the Allens have won many awards for their success and help in moving the sport of racing forward. One of the most prestigious awards came in 2004 when Bob and Susan received national recognition in Daytona Beach, Florida, as the Region Five Auto Racing Promoters of the Year as selected by their fellow race promoters from the region. Each year they attend national and regional meetings to keep up to date with changes in the industry. Bob worked tirelessly in the ‘80s to start the WISSOTA Promoter’s Association, of which he was a founding incorporator. The association now includes 50 tracks. With rules and regional changes for car classes, Arlington Raceway left WISSOTA and joined the IMCA sanction in 1989, where Bob helped develop the IMCA Sprint Car Class. The class now boasts over 1,000 drivers as the largest sprint car sanction in the world, with tracks across the country. As in any business, change is inevitable. Racing is no exception to this rule, but Arlington Raceway has adapted to these changes. 36

March | April 2020

Arlington Raceway | Arlington

“In 1981 all of the bookwork was calculated on paper with the help of a calculator, as were points that were awarded to the drivers each week for their position in the race. We also used an old-style mimeograph machine to make weekly copies. Today we have race management software, QuickBooks software for bookwork, and software for message centers. We use four different computers each night to help run everything smoothly, as well as a copy machine and printers. We also have several Motorola radios and headsets for communications. The drivers wear a RACEceiver in their ear to hear communication from the control tower when an incident occurs on the track so that they know where to go,” says Susan. “Back in the ‘80s, there weren’t very many women that would go into the pit area on a given night. That trend has changed both nationally and locally. Today the pit area is comprised of 40 percent women and 60 percent men. The fans in the stands are about 45 percent women and 55 percent men. In addition to our regular weekly divisions we also have Auto and Truck Cross on a limited schedule so that those on a limited budget can race as well. We also have four classes of go-karts that compete at Arlington. Karts began racing on the front stretch but the participants have increased and now there is a go-kart track in the infield and four classes run on a limited schedule as well. Both of our sons, Levi and Brett, raced in the go-kart divisions when they were younger and now two grandsons, Andrew and Brayden, compete in karts as well. This is a way that more families get involved at the track and many go on to race on the big track as they progress in their racing abilities.” In fact, Arlington Raceway is proud that at least 15 drivers have national IMCA titles in their respective divisions. A highlight for the raceway came when one driver even qualified for the Indy 500. He later returned as a regular at the track a few years later. Evolving over the years from an association in the beginning, Arlington Raceway has been the Allens’ main source of income for the past 20 years. Throughout this time, Bob and Susan have also promoted at Fairmont Raceway, and held events at the Brown, Scott, McLeod, Rice and Steele County fairs. They also ran the Sunday night events at the Redwood Speedway from 2000 to 2010, where they made many improvements. To say there have been challenges throughout their career would be an understatement. In 2009 Susan was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer and the Allens decided to give up the Redwood track. Their son Levi stepped up and assumed the role of general manager at Arlington Raceway, heading up track maintenance and the day-to-day operations. More recently, the track came under scrutiny when some residents complained it was too loud and should be closed down. The Allens listened to the complaints and came up with a self-imposed noise mitigation plan, helping to alleviate any more talk of a shutdown. However, a more tragic event, in the early years almost caused the Allens to shut the track down themselves. “One of the toughest challenges was when a racer lost his life in a racing accident at the track. We remember meeting the driver’s father at around 4 a.m. after the accident. We could not believe it happened and said we were not sure we wanted to go on at the track. That night Maynard Rucks, the father said, ‘Please do not make my son the reason you stop racing at Arlington.’ After that, we decided to make Jeff Rucks

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40 Years of Racing

The Allens have brought 40 years of excitement to thousands of fans.

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Arlington Raceway | Arlington

Pre- and post-race activities, whether at the track or in the shop, brings lifelong family and friends together.” The memories are what keep them coming back again and again.

one of the reasons we do race at Arlington. Each year, for the past 32 years, we have recognized one driver as the Jeff Rucks Memorial Sportsman of the Year. It is a very tough decision made by the track and the Rucks family and the recipient is truly humbled to receive the award. A standing ovation at the awards banquet is given, even by those that have never met Jeff,” says Susan. Approaching their 40th year in the racing industry, the Allens have seen almost everything, but they still find excitement in their work. “What gets us excited is seeing the first-time feature winners. The driver that has a car that is maybe not as new and shiny as their competitor but races and sometimes beats someone with 10 times more experience. We realized many years ago we are not the heroes at our track. Our job is to be the hero makers. Based on the pool of talent at the Arlington Raceway, we feel we have done our job. We also realize that next year we have to start all over again and do the best we can,” says Bob. 2020 promises to be a grand year as they plan to bring back some of the best promotions and put a new twist on them. More safety improvements are planned, as well as changes in the program to speed it along. As always, a plethora of classes will be offered for drivers of all ages and skill levels. International Motor Contest Association, or IMCA, classes include stock car, hobby stock, modified, sport compact, sport modified and sprint car. Other classes include outlaw hobby, auto/ truck cross, and go-karts for the younger racers. It takes around 40 employees to make each race run smoothly

at Arlington Raceway. The Allens are grateful for these employees who give up each Saturday night to make their track successful. At times, tempers can flare and people’s emotions can get the best of them when the competition heats up. Bob says, “We all make mistakes from time to time and we have found that admitting to them and moving on is the best policy. In fact, many of our racers and fans have stated the on-track activity is a small part of what interests them in Arlington Raceway. The family atmosphere and friendships are the most important factor. Pre- and post-race activities, whether at the track or in the shop, brings lifelong family and friends together.” The memories are what keep them coming back again and again. The Allens and Arlington Raceway have persevered despite the many challenges facing modern businesses. Today the raceway is a family affair. Something the Allens are deeply proud of. “Consistency, passion and family are what we believe helps keep the Arlington Raceway successful. Weather has always been a

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40 Years of Racing

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great factor in our business and also helps determine the amount of time spent working on the track surface to prepare for the next racing event. Levi spends over 50 hours a week prepping the track surfaces, maintaining the equipment and making sure everything is in working order for the following Saturdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event. Son Brett helps out part time with some of the maintenance and also with the marketing aspect of the business. Grandson Andrew is the domestic engineer, cleaning up the garbage and mowing the grass each week. Other grandsons, Payten, Brayden, Ellyott and granddaughter Ashlyn help out by picking rocks up, painting and miscellaneous duties throughout the week,â&#x20AC;? says Susan. Family has been the mainstay throughout the years at Arlington Raceway. Four generations of the Allen family have worked at the track and family is the reason they continue their work with such passion. Today, Bob and Susan are still very much involved in Arlington Raceway, but have other interests that keep them busy, too. When Susan is not doing the bulk of the administrative and advertising work, she loves to spend time with her grandchildren, going to their sporting events and baking. Bob has served as a volunteer firefighter for the Kasota Fire Department for 33 years. He is currently serving as fire chief. Bob has also spent the last 10 years working for Jones Birdsong LLP, selling motorsport insurance as a risk manager, a career where his knowledge of racing comes in very handy. The Allens also enjoy traveling together to different racetracks across the country. Racing season, like warmer weather, is just around the corner. Stay tuned for the 40th year of family racing fun in Sibley County this May as the drivers return to the dirt track once again for their fuel-injected fun.

THE ESSENTIALS Arlington Raceway Sibley County Fairgrounds 801 West Chandler Street Arlington, MN 55307 Phone: 507-380-6998 Web: arlingtonraceway.com 507.519.3700 40

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CONNECTING BACK 2015 In 2015 we focused on taking Mankato to the Capitol and efforts of the area business community to make the needs of our region heard. That started with our cover story on Brian Tohal with the New Ulm Economic Development Corp. Also profiled this issue were Schwank Engines and Traxler’s Hunting Preserve.

2010 In March 2010, our cover story was on Floyd D. Palmer, owner of the 600-employee Palmer Bus Service of North Mankato. Also profiled was United Commercial Upholstery. At that time UCC was in Nicollet, but has since grown and moved to New Ulm.

2005 In 2005, a business revolutionary, Doug Thomas, graced our cover as leader of Henderson’s Edvisions Cooperative. Also featured were Nuvex Ingredients, a high-tech food manufacturer in Blue Earth, and North Star Aviation of Mankato.

2000 She broke glass ceilings and landed on the cover of Connect Business Magazine in 2000: Pat Johnson had the responsibility of caring for the largest workers’ compensation insurer in Minnesota, State Fund Mutual, which at that time had 180 employees and over 7,500 customers with over $50 million in written premiums. Also featured were Northwest Packaging, Inc. and Two Fish Recording Studios.

congrats to patrick casey! 2019 attorney of the year CONNECT Business Magazine

FEATURE Collaboration Connection

Helping Make Dreams a Reality Celestial Backers, a.k.a. Angel Investors, Growing as a Resource in our Area Finding financing can be one of the biggest challenges for an entrepreneur hoping to make their ideas a reality. Traditional methods of financing, such as bank loans, government grants and subsidies, as well as personal investment, are sometimes not enough to make a go of it. One type of financing that should not be overlooked, and that local efforts are focusing on, is “angel investor” financing. A broad definition is that an angel investor is a person who invests in a new or small business venture by providing capital. These hallowed backers are typically individuals who have spare cash available and are looking for a higher rate of return than would be given by more traditional investments. Although it varies, an angel investor typically looks for a return of 25 percent or more. Angel investors can help fill in the gap between the small-scale financing provided by family and friends and venture capitalists. The big advantage is that financing from angel investments is much less risky than debt financing. Unlike a loan, oftentimes invested capital does not have to be paid back in the event of business failure. And, most angel investors understand business and take a long-term view. Also, an angel investor is often looking for a personal opportunity as well as an investment. The primary disadvantage of using angel investors is the loss of complete control being only a part owner. In many cases, your angel investor will have a say in how the business is run and will also receive a portion of the profits when the business is sold. With debt financing, the lending institution has no control over the operations of your company and takes no share of the profits. Angel investors can take many different forms: family and friends, wealthy individuals, groups (successful businesspeople who come together) and more recently, crowdfunding. 42

March | April 2020

Lisa Cownie EDITOR

Responses from those looking for an investor seek: • People who don’t impose rules • Investors that can take the tax credit • Wisdom/mentoring • Investors interested in what you are doing • A plan that has an “exit strategy” built in • Partners with expertise in agricultural, more specifically the developing cannabis industry. • Plans for both a short-term or long-term business relationship. Question 3: What angel or venture capital investment groups, or individuals, exist in the southern Minnesota area?

The 1 Million Cups Mankato movement recently tapped into the minds of our community’s business leaders, mentors and entrepreneurs to do some angel investment mapping. This exercise is meant to be a resource for all of you, and will help us gain a greater understanding of the angel investing resources available in our region. Question 1: If you are an investor, what are you looking for? (Particular industries, characteristics of the principals, detailed research?) Responses from potential investors show they are looking for: • Transparency • Good rate of return • ROA • To own a percentage of the business • A plan to protect the original investment Question 2: If you are a startup looking for investment, what are you looking for? (Particular expertise, characteristics of the investors, types of financial arrangements?)

Responses: Participants speculated about which prominent business leaders might be interested in angel investing. Question 4: What preparation should a startup business do before seeking investment? Responses: • Coming up with a business plan • Knowing exactly how the investor will help you/what you need from investor • Proof of concept • Clear list of negotiations/objectives As indicated in some of the responses above, it’s important for any business person thinking about accepting an angel investment to be very clear about what the investor is bringing to the deal besides money, such as expertise in business operations or access to good suppliers. You would also want to develop an understanding of what the angel investor would be like to work with since this person could have their own conflicting ideas for how your business should be operated. Question 5: What resources already exist to help a startup business prepare to seek potential investors?

Small Business Development Center Responses: Small Business Development Center (SBDC). It’s important to have a comprehensive business plan in place. As a small business, you’ll need it in order to secure financing from lenders or investors. The Small Business Development Center in Mankato is a good place to start. Its services are free: Small Business Development Center 424 N Riverfront Drive, Suite 210 Mankato, MN 56001 • (507) 389-8875

Upcoming: 1Million Cups Forum on Angel Investing will feature a panel of local leaders on March 4 at 8:30 a.m. at the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship in Mankato.

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For more information, visit 1millioncups.com/ mankato or contact Yvonne Cariveau: Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship: 424 N. Riverfront Drive Suite 210, Mankato O: 507-389-1018 M: 507-200-8205

CONNECT Business Magazine

March | April 2020

by Lisa Cownie • Photos by Jonathan Smith

The band Chicago describes itself as a “rock and roll band with horns.” Indeed, horns aplenty…including a trumpet, a trombone and a couple of saxophones. This Grammy award-winning group made a stop to a sellout crowd in Mankato last year. On the day of the show, they needed an instrument repaired. Good thing Mankato has a store for that: The Music Mart. Without missing a beat, Joe Meidl’s team was able to repair the instrument and the show went on without a glitch. Continues

CONNECT Business Magazine

The Music Mart But while being on call for the growing number of musicians that come through Mankato is exciting and all, Meidl admits, it’s the day-to-day operations of the store and the people his team gets to meet with every week, that gives them the most satisfaction. It’s the success of local musicians he is interested in and has been since his father founded The Music Mart in Lamberton, Minnesota, in 1971. “My father was a longtime band director and he saw a need in southern Minnesota: servicing area schools. So, he started in Lamberton by calling and talking to every band director in the area. He would drive out every week to another band director. That’s been the base of the company,”

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Meidl met his wife, Linda, while going to school at St. Scholastica in Duluth. They have three children, two sons and a daughter. While they all share some musical tendencies, they also find balance. “My oldest son played trumpet through high school, but was also very involved in sports and gave up trumpet when he graduated high school,” he says. “My daughter is still playing tenor sax and she’ll graduate from high school this year. Hopefully she’ll play in college. My eighth-grader is playing the baritone and he plays a little guitar. We’ve all played piano, but nobody seems to be going into it right now.”

Mankato explains Meidl, who has kept that business model going even as he expands The Music Mart. “We drive from here to Waconia, all the way down to Blue Earth and as far west as Windom. We call on most school band directors every week to pick up, drop off or provide any kind of supplies that they need.” In a world of Skype meetings, online orders and screen time, the good old-fashioned weekly visits from a member of Meidl’s sales team are music to the ears of school band directors throughout the region. A retail instrument supplier to schools, The Music Mart is a franchise dealer for most major brands of band and orchestral instruments. The need his dad identified almost 50 years ago panned out, as The Music Mart, Inc. now works with over 150 elementary and secondary school choir, band and orchestra directors, along with many other music teachers across southern Minnesota and now has locations in Mankato, Faribault and Rochester, as well as the original in Lamberton. Meidl started helping in the family business in 1991, and now runs the operation. “I graduated college with a degree in music management because I wanted to help Dad, however, I didn’t necessarily want to live in Lamberton,” explains Meidl. “So, when I came on board, I opened the store in Mankato. We were in a couple different locations in Mankato, then in 2007 we purchased and remodeled the current building, so now I’m in control of my own destiny.” (he smiles) While Meidl has evolved the business plan a bit, he remains true to the foundation set by his dad. “Music education is really where my focus is,” he says. “We focus on band, orchestra, and we even help with general music and choir. In addition to supporting school band and orchestra programs within a 100-mile-plus radius of Mankato, our customers also include churches, over 260 piano teachers, as well as parents and students with all different musical backgrounds. For them, we stock major piano series, contest music, fun books and sheet music from many publishers.” While maintaining harmony with area band directors from the Mankato and Lamberton stores, Meidl saw another opportunity in 2007 and began expanding

school partnerships. He started in Mankato by merging with another family-owned operation, Midbell Music, and in 2017 added a store location in Faribault by absorbing Eastman Music. More recently, in August 2018 Meidl partnered with Wellhaven Music in Rochester, Minnesota. “Wellhaven Music has been around a long time and again it was a family-owned business. We started actually working together in May of 2018, and then I took

business operations of Wellhaven in August 2018 and eventually bought a building in Rochester in January 2019 and we moved in to the current location April 1, 2019. “And in the middle of all this, I bought out a string shop in Northfield December 2018.” The expansion of Music Mart into other locations is indicative of the trend happening in the retail music store industry: the numbers are dwindling as smaller, family-owned shops are consolidating.

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The Music Mart “The biggest change I’ve seen in my decades in the industry is the consolidation of stores,” he says. “Many of the smaller stores are starting to go away. Right now, within our territory, there’s a small store in Waseca, a small store in Owatonna, and a small store in New Prague. Once they disappear, I am not sure anyone will replace them.” Meidl says the mergers and acquisitions he’s made so far, have just seemed to make sense when they are brought to his attention. “It’s usually just word of mouth,” he says. “No matter how big you think the industry is, it’s really quite small and word gets around. The only reason I knew of the Rochester opportunity is because I have a sales rep who mentioned I should talk to them. I put in a call to start the conversation and it went from there. It’s usually just word of mouth within the industry because the same sales reps have been traveling around talking to stores for years.” As the number of locations has increased, so has, of course, his number of employees. When his dad started, he wrote maybe five checks. Today, Meidl writes 31 each pay period, which he says is equal to 20 full-time employees. That includes the sales reps, but also a team of qualified employees to help manage operations and repair instruments. Their knowledgeable sales reps visit area schools on a weekly basis during the academic year to deliver and/or pick up instruments for repair, cleaning, exchanges, and more. To further support students and schools, Music Mart store locations in Mankato, Faribault and Rochester have excellent repair facilities with experienced repair

technicians on staff. They repair woodwind, brass, percussion and string instruments; complete stripping and lacquering of instruments is outsourced. “Music repair is trade and you learn the basics in the repair school,” he explains. “There’s Red Wing Tech School (now Minnesota State Southeast Technical & Community College), it has a one-year program in instrument repair, and you can learn to

Servicing the needs of area schools fills a niche in Mankato, a city he says is fortunate to have a variety of music stores each with its own focus. Purchasing the other stores in surrounding cities has allowed him to branch out a bit. repair wind instruments, orchestral instruments, or guitar. I’ve had a number of Red Wing grads work at The Music Mart. I have one employee in Mankato and one in Faribault who has been through the instrument repair program. A lot of times people will learn to repair on the job. I also have a recent high school graduate who is taking a gap year and is interested in orchestral repair. She’s

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Mankato learning orchestral repair on the job here at The Music Mart. She graduated from Mankato East. “I don’t think people realize the level of knowledge it takes,” he says. “Our employees have over 100 years of combined experience, some holding degrees in music, music education, music business/ management, music performance and band instrument repair.” Servicing the needs of area schools fills a niche in Mankato, a city he says is fortunate to have a variety of music stores each with

Meidl the Musician This is a case where it’s fun to take your work home with you. “I play the trombone,” Meidl shares. “I used to play a lot more when my kids were young. You know how that is, when kids get older, you start running and following them around and

REACTIVE

its own focus. Purchasing the other stores in surrounding cities has allowed him to branch out a bit. “In Mankato, we all work well together. I work well with Scheitels and Rhapsody. They have their own genre, their own part of the music industry. We do print and educational, they do the pianos, guitars and amplification. Now, in Faribault, there are no other music stores. The previous store had sold guitars so we continued selling guitars at that location. When I bought Rochester, there are only two music

some of your hobbies get dumped. When I first came to town, I played a couple of different concert bands including the Schell’s Hobo Band, but now it’s hard to find the time.” Family first, but community is also important to Meidl and his wife. “I’ve coached a lot of baseball, I coached some football. I’ve been on The Salvation Army board, I’ve been on the Twin Rivers Center for the Arts board, been on the Greater Mankato

PROACTIVE

Growth board. Also, I’m very active with Kiwanis Holiday Lights, too. “When I first joined Kiwanis it was largely because they sponsor the Thunder of Drums performance each summer. Also, they award the Kiwanis Music Excellence Awards. So I’ve combined personal service with things that are also very pertinent to my industry, because that’s what I’m after, that’s what I’m passionate about.”

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The Music Mart stores in Rochester by the way, they were a little heavier in the guitars themselves. So now, we’re doing a lot of guitars and digital pianos in that market, in addition to band and orchestral music. “Rochester is just growing at such a fast pace, I read somewhere they expect the population will double in the next seven to 10 years,” says Meidl. “The store that I purchased was in downtown Rochester, just a miserable location for music retail. For starters, there was no parking. Meters, if you could find them open, and parking ramps, but not conducive to what we needed so we left the downtown area and that has been a good decision.” While the industry is seeing consolidations, business has been steady for Meidl. “There are not a lot of peaks and valleys. It’s consistent. It’s not a high-profit margin. In fact, it costs a lot to get going. If I’m going to rent a string bass for $50 a month and it’s a $2,500 instrument, it takes a while for return on investment if it comes back to me at the end of the rental period. I have a number of years before I start making money on it. But once you have a big pool of instruments out there and it keeps going, it starts generating some revenue. Mankato has been a great community. It supports the arts world pretty well and you need that. It’s a good school system that has really been our bread and butter. Low support from area school systems could hurt music programs and the business. I don’t see that changing as Mankato keeps growing.” Like all retail entities, online shopping takes its chunk of the pie. “Challenges have been the online competition. We are online and we’ve started doing online contracts so people can complete them at home. This does surprise me a bit because traditionally people like to hold the instrument, try it out before buying, so I wouldn’t have believed that we would have as many online contracts as we’ve had. We’ve done over a thousand rentals online. People go online and order and we deliver it to the school, so it combines with our weekly deliveries.” While it sometimes surprises him how the industry has changed, he is also happy that in some ways, it has stayed the same. “Even though there aren’t a lot of people out there, the Lamberton store will always be there so we can remember how we started,” he says. “That’s also a territorial thing. Plus, it is well established, and the people there know what they’re talking about and have been there for years. They are loyal employees so that store will stay open as long as they want to work. It really is a part of the fabric of that community and this company no matter how much we expand our footprint.” Meidl may have started out as an engineering major when he first left Lamberton to go to college, but he’s glad he made the switch and jumped into the family business. “Yes, it’s been very good for us,” he reflects. “The educational music industry, I don’t think, is going away. It’s been a good industry. I hope to do it for many more years.”

THE ESSENTIALS Music Mart 1014 N Riverfront Drive Mankato, MN 56001 Phone: 507-345-1399 Web: themusicmart.biz 50

March | April 2020

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BULLETIN BOARD Local Chamber and Economic Development News

Check Out What’s Happening In Your ! y t i n u m m o C

Henderson Jeff Steinborn: The Henderson Area Chamber welcomes the Henderson Fitness Center as its newest member. The Sibley County Business Expo will be held in Henderson on March 31st, 4pm to 7pm. Plans are underway for Flood Fest 2.0, an effort to bring awareness of the Minnesota River flooding around Henderson. Plans are also underway for the 12th Annual Henderson Classic Car Roll-In. This event is held each Tuesday, May through September.

Madelia Katie Wolle: Madelia Area Chamber is hard at work planning the 45th Annual Park Days Celebration. The River’s Edge Arts and More Fair is down in Watona Park on Saturday along with the Blues Festival featuring, The Jimmy’s. Madelia is unlike anywhere in Southern Minnesota with the amazing line up of music starting with IV Play Friday evening. Come celebrate the summer in Madelia July 10 to 12.

Marshall EDA Marcia Loeslie: The Marshall Economic Development Authority is excited to announce the hiring of our new EDA Director, Lauren Deutz. Deutz has a degree in Marketing and Mass Communications from MSU Mankato and a Master’s in Business Administration from SMSU. Most recently, Deutz was the Marshall CVB Director where she promoted Marshall as a place to visit, live, work and play. The City of Marshall is working with a developer for Block 11 52

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St. Peter Chamber Ed Lee: The Saint Patrick’s celebration attracts thousands, with the parade at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 17. Everyone is invited to the Chamber’s Annual Social, which has a Roaring 20’s theme at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 3. The Chamber Diplomats welcomed Extra Innings (home of the Panino), Neisen’s Riverside Sports Bar and Caribou Coffee with ribbon cuttings. The Chamber is drumming up support for the proposed bicycle/recreation trail linking trail systems in Saint Peter and Mankato.

to construct a mixed-use commercial/residential development. It will include retail/office space on the 1st floor, and 56-unit housing on the 2nd and 3rd floors.

Nicollet Chamber Alesia Slater: Happy Spring from the Nicollet Chamber of Commerce. We are excited for our 2020 events: up first for 2020 is our Nicollet City Wide Garage Sales, then, beginning in May is our the 4th Annual Crusin’ on Pine and 99. Follow all of our events at nicollet.org. Enjoy your spring.

Redwood Area Chamber Anne Johnson: Have you ever been to Ramsey Park in Redwood Falls? Sizing up at 256 acres, Ramsey Park is the largest municipal park in Minnesota. Home of the famous “Ramsey Falls” waterfall, the park also boasts a zoo, five park shelters available for reservations, a 30+site campground, and miles of paved trails. Learn more on our website: redwoodfalls.org and plan your spring or summer park adventure soon!

Sleepy Eye Kurk Kramer: The Sleepy Eye Coffee Company and Sleepy Eye Brewing are both open and experiencing a large number of visitors. The coffee, food, and brews have been beyond delicious! Powerhouse Nutrition, Sleepy Eye VRBO, the four antique shops, stained glass shop, and other Main Street businesses are experiencing an

Submit your chamber news to editor@connectbiz.com

Region Nine Dev. Com

Waseca EDA

Did you setup a LinkedIn profile a few years ago and haven’t looked since? If you are a business owner, now is the time to shift your focus to your biggest networking opportunity and the platform with the highest organic traffic of all available social media. Join Julie Fredrickson, Owner of J. Fre Consulting, at Social Media Breakfast – New Ulm’s event on March 27th from 7:30-8:30 a.m. to learn about recent changes with LinkedIn, the continuing efforts they are making, and what strategies you can use to grow your network and your business.

Gary Sandholm: Southside Marine has moved their sales and service location into Waseca on South State St. The Waseca EDA provided a loan to assist the move. Benya Kraus has opened the Lead for Minnesota headquarters office in Waseca City Hall. See www.leadforminnesota. org/ for information about this exciting project. Half Pint Brewing Co. was featured on TPT’s Almanac to illustrate how young people are moving to rural Minnesota communities.

influx of added activity in the downtown, with a couple more new additions in the works. The community is also in the middle of a Welcoming Communities Program along with Region Nine, the U of MN Extension, and Greater Mankato Diversity Council. These meetings will continue until September.

City of Eagle Lake Jennifer Bromeland: The City of Eagle Lake, in partnership with Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), recently held a child care provider appreciation event for Eagle Lake child care providers. An impressive 140 years of combined child care experience was present at this event. The Eagle Lake Child Care Grant Program was recently established to provide an incentive to all licensed child care providers in the City of Eagle Lake, to create additional child care slots. The Eagle Lake Park Board recently hosted a free Winter Activities Event at Lake Eagle Park to encourage residents to be active outdoors and experience the community with friends and neighbors. Music on Parkway will be coming to Eagle Lake this summer. More information will be available soon.

St. James EDA Joe McCabe: We welcome a new business, LK Photography, to the community. The chamber recognized the following Business of the Year–Lewis Drug, a new addition to our city, along with St. James Rotary and St. James Sertoma–Non-profits of the Year and Pete Eggen–Chamber Member of the Year.

Springfield Area Chamber Denise Gieker: After wrapping up our annual meeting, the Springfield Chamber has continued to stay busy planning our annual Spirit of Springfield and Business of the Year awards banquet which is scheduled to take place in March or early April. A special retail promotion will be taking place during the “Ides of March”. Please watch for all the event details to be released soon!

Discover Waseca Tourism Ann Fitch: The #ONLYINMN monument was prominently displayed during the Sleigh & Cutter Festival adding a bright and interesting touch to the festival. Watch for special retail promotions as the weather warms. The 2020 Waseca Spring and Summer brochures are available at many Waseca businesses as well as most Minnesota Welcome Centers. There will be a lot of music in Waseca this year. Come rock with us!

City of Winnebago Jean Anderson: The Winnebago EDA is excited to spotlight one local business per month throughout 2020! Additionally, the EDA has posted an RFP for commercial development of a former grocery store on Main Street. Some fun events to attend: March 24 from 5 to 7 pm at the Museum: Goulash Supper Fundraiser; April 5 from 11:30 to 1:00 at City Hall: Nacho Bar Fundraiser for Bago Fun Fest; April 28 from 5 to 7 pm at the Winnebago School: Chicken and Biscuit Fundraiser sponsored by Winnebago Community Club. CONNECT Business Magazine

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What Classifies A Crime in Minnesota?

The Definition is Within the Following Four Elements An element of a crime, according to the United States justice system, is a fact the prosecution must prove to achieve a conviction in a criminal case. Also called elements of an offense, the prosecution must present evidence that proves beyond a reasonable doubt the defendant is guilty of committing the criminal offense in question. Under U.S. law, four main elements of a crime exist:

1) Mental State (Mens Rea)

Mens rea is Latin for “guilty mind.” The legal theory of mens rea refers to criminal intent. The theory states that to convict a defendant of a crime, the prosecution must establish the defendant’s criminal intent. The prosecution must show evidence that the defendant had

a culpable mental state at the time of committing the crime. In other words, that the defendant was in a right state of mind and had conscious intent to commit the crime. To convict a person of a crime, that person must have voluntarily, intentionally, knowingly, or purposefully committed the act in question. Failing to possess the mental intention to commit the crime could result in a not-guilty verdict, since the defendant did not knowingly intend to break the law or cause bodily harm. This element of a crime will vary depending on the circumstances. In a murder case, for example, it is enough to establish proof of malice aforethought for mens rea. Other crimes may require knowing, willful, or reckless mens rea.

2) Conduct (Actus Reus)

The second element of a crime is actus reus, Latin for “guilty act.” Actus reus is a required element of a crime that means a criminal act, or the criminal omission of an act, must have actually occurred. It is not a crime to only have thought of an unlawful act, or to think criminal thoughts. In other words, mental state alone is not enough to convict a person of a crime. The defendant must have actually committed a crime. Note that actus reus can refer to actions, omissions, or words. Unlike thoughts, words can constitute acts according to U.S. criminal law. Defamation, for example, is the crime of saying or publishing derogatory words about someone else. Perjury, threats, solicitation, and conspiracy are also word-related threats that can fulfill the element of actus reus in the U.S. criminal courts.

3) Concurrence

The prosecution cannot secure a conviction by only proving mens rea or actus reus. The defendant must have both mens

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