May-June 2018 by Connect Business Magazine

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MAY/JUNE 2018

Contents

THE MAGAZINE FOR GROWING BUSINESSES IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA

COVER STORY

Legal Leader

Art Director/Staff Photographer: Kris Kathmann

Julia Ketcham Corbett’s community ties and legal expertise are a boon to Mankato’s business scene.

Contributing Photographers: Art Sidner Contributing Writers: Erin Dorney, Carlienne Frisch, Julie Nelson, Heather Thielges

PROFILES

Production: Becky Wagner

The Ballroom is Booming 24

Circulation: Becky Wagner

Owner Tania Cordes’ business savvy, including an MBA from Harvard, has reinvirgorated the iconic Kato Ballroom.

Printing: Corporate Graphics, N. Mankato Mailing: Midwest Mailing, Mankato Cover Photo: Kris Kathmann

The Silhouette has put the small town of Easton on the map...and on many wedding planners’ itineraries!

CIRCULATION

9,400 for May/June 2018 Published bimonthly

CORRESPONDENCE

COLLABORATION CONNECTION – SPECIAL REPORTS

Planning for the Future: More Females Taking Traditionally Male Roles

Send press releases and other correspondence: c/o Editor, Connect Business Magazine P.O. Box 176, Nicollet, MN 56074

E-mail: editor@connectbiz.com (please place press releases in email body)

Local financial advisors see value in attracting, training and retaining advisors who bear a strong resemblance to industry clients.

Women Executives in Business Have Woven a W.E.B. of Connections for 25 Years

Publisher: Concept & Design Incorporated Editor: Lisa Cownie

The Shape of Success

STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS

Web: www.connectbiz.com Phone: 507.232.3463 Fax: 507.232.3373

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W.E.B.’s objectives are to encourage and support members by providing an opportunity to gather together for educational programs that help develop and improve the growth of a member’s business.

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ABOUT CONNECT Locally owned Connect Business Magazine has ‘connected’ southern Minnesota businesses since 1994 through features, interviews, news and advertising.

COLUMNS

Editor’s Letter Cownie Connection Opinion

Call: (507) 232-3463

5 22 58

Connect Business Magazine is a publication of Concept & Design Incorporated, a graphic design firm offering print design, web design, illustration and photography. conceptanddesign.com

IN EVERY ISSUE

Connect with Community A Day in the Life Bulletin Board Hot Startz! Ask A Professional 4

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36 40 44 55 62

EDITOR’S LETTER

Leading By Example The thing I admire most about the business leaders featured in this issue is that they are good at their jobs. Really, they are just good at life. They are moms who love their children as well as community advocates who embrace the region. They kick ass in their careers. They also just happen to be women. Julia Ketcham Corbett, managing partner at Blethen, Gage and Krause, lives by her motto, Get Sh*# Done... and she does. Tania Cordes loves a good challenge, and boy did she find one when she took over the iconic Kato Ballroom. And from a teeny tiny town seemingly in the middle of nowhere, Joline Pearson is making an international footprint and carrying on her mom’s legacy with The Silhouette. Please enjoy the stories of these business and community leaders. These women. So, happy reading...and hopefully, learning!

Lisa Cownie Editor

Being a woman in the architecture + Engineering field makes me proud

Hard work Empower yourself always pays off if there is one thing i’m willing to bet on, it’s myself

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Empowerment + Working Ingenuity The inspirational messages above come from some of the 70+ women leaders who consistently strive to better our firm, client outcomes, and communities. Powered by our employeeowners and ESOP structure, each of ISG’s nine offices, including Mankato, embody a spirit of innovation and ingenuity. ISG’s culture of empowerment and drive makes it possible; the firm’s diverse and multi-disciplinary team makes it happen

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Legal Leader Attorney Julia Ketcham Corbett’s community ties and legal expertise are a boon to the Mankato business scene.

By Lisa Cownie Photo by Kris Kathmann

I don’t mean to scare you, but if you own or manage a small to medium size business (under 500 employees), a recent study shows you have a one in five chance of getting hit with an employment claim. The study, by business insurer Hiscox, also finds the average cost to defend employment charges is $125,000, which includes expenses such as attorney’s fees and settlement costs. If you are not prepared, these can be alarming statistics. Indeed, employment lawsuits can be among the most time-consuming and costly losses for businesses. In fact, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission estimates in total, employers spend upwards of $404 million dollars each year on employment claims. Businesses often learn the hard way – that the way they’ve been dealing with employees or employee issues are incorrect and need to be changed. Employment law is an area where having good legal advice about your employment practices can ultimately save the business a lot of time, money and headaches. Enter Mankato employment law master, Julia Ketcham Corbett. Corbett understands the ins and outs of employment law...and just as important, she understands the needs and culture of the southern Minnesota business community. “I think keeping up with all of the employment laws and regulations, which are numerous and constantly changing, is the biggest challenge for businesses in our region,” says Corbett. “Often businesses are doing what they think is right or they are doing things the way they’ve always done it. They are acting with the best of intentions, but they don’t realize all of the laws that are impacting what they are supposed to be doing or not doing in terms of their employees, and they are unknowingly making mistakes which can be very costly.” continued > MAY/JUNE 2018

CONNECT Business Magazine

Legal Leader

“It created kind of a specialization area that hadn’t been there before. I saw that and began focusing in that area of law. So I happened to be in the right place at the right time. Fortunately for me, because it is an area I really love.” Prevention, then, can be the best defense against lawsuits. Corbett says simple preventative and mitigation measures such as having written hiring procedures, proper training for supervisors, including on discrimination and harassment, as well as keeping an up-to-date employee handbook can go a long way in minimizing risk and protecting your business. And with more than two decades of experience, Corbett knows what she’s talking about. In fact, she entered the profession at a time when employment law was just coming

front and center. In 1990 the Americans with Disabilities Act became law. In 1993, the Family and Medical Leave Act was instituted. And, in 1994 on the heels of these legal milestones, Corbett graduated from Hamline Law School. “Employment law was really emerging as a significant substantive area of practice when I started practicing in 1994,” she reflects. “Certainly with the ADA, FMLA and those kind of significant employment laws being enacted, it really complicated things. It created kind of a specialization area that hadn’t been there before. I saw that

and began focusing in that area of law. So I happened to be in the right place at the right time. Fortunately for me, because it is an area I really love.” While she was graduating at just the right time, the right place for Corbett turned out to be Mankato and the law firm of Blethen, Gage and Krause. “Blethen had long been a business law firm, that’s been their bread and butter. So it was a natural segue for me to help develop that practice when I joined the firm.” Although when she moved to Mankato fresh out of law school, she had no intention of staying that long. Now 24 years, three kids, but still just one law firm later she can’t imagine living anywhere else. Corbett says, “It was my first legal job out of law school and I hope it will be my last. Although my husband and I have had opportunity to move over the years, we weren’t interested. This is where we are raising our kids and I just can’t imagine calling anywhere else home or practicing

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Blethen, Gage & Krause | Mankato

in any other law firm.” Truth is, this is by far the longest time Corbett has spent living in any one place. “I was born in St. Louis, Missouri. My dad worked for Cargill so I am what I considered to be a Cargill brat,” she explains. “They moved their management people very regularly, in fact, every year to every two years. So by the time I was in fourth grade we had moved all over the Midwest; Iowa, South Dakota, Missouri, and eventually Minnesota. “So often times we would move and know that we were going to be moving again in 12 months. It was difficult as a kid, but a lot of who I am now has to do with that experience. At that age, elementary school, nobody necessarily wanted to befriend the new kid. So I didn’t have a choice but to reach out and make efforts to connect with others every time we moved. I think those early experiences helped me with that, because otherwise I would have just sat at home with no friends and nothing to do. I had to reach out and make those connections.”

And she’s been making connections ever since. Her career choices and her community service work all revolve around opportunities for her to connect with others. “I’m a connector, I look for ways to help others by seeing what connections I have, that I can in turn connect them with. And I like being able to work with people over and over again. Family law is another area of practice for me and in those cases I hope I don’t work with them over and over again. When a case is closed, they understandably don’t want to see me anymore. But in my employment law practice, I work with human resource professionals and I have relationships with them, many of which go back 20 years. They may even change employers, but I’m still working with them wherever they land. So to have those long relationships and connections is important to me. I love that part of my practice.” She also loves Mankato, which is evident in the numerous community and service organizations she is a part of. From Greater

S O L U T I O N S

Mankato Growth, to the Sports Commission to her longest running volunteer post as a board member for Living Links (recently merged with Harry Meyering Center), Corbett is invested in this community. In this interview she discusses career, community and her top priority in life, her family. As I mentioned, your family moved around a lot while you were growing up, but you consider New Richland, Minnesota your hometown? When I was in fourth grade my dad got moved to New Richland. We had been living in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota but the whole time we were there we knew they were building a plant in New Richland and we would be moving there. It was a smaller town of course than we had been used to, but my mom and dad decided it was time to stop moving us. So while my dad continued to get moved by Cargill, he didn’t move us anymore. He actually got his pilot’s license so he could easily fly down

L I T I G AT I O N • B U S I N E S S FARM • PERSONAL

Our Employment Law attorneys are dedicated to providing our clients with comprehensive strategies for dealing with the complex and ever changing relationship between employers and employees. Employers large and small put their trust in Blethen, Gage & Krause. Let us provide the sound legal advice and effective solutions that will meet your legal needs. Call or visit blethenlaw.com today to learn more about how we can make a difference for you.

507-345-1166 BlethenLaw.com MAY/JUNE 2018

CONNECT Business Magazine

Legal Leader

to the other places he was managing around the Midwest. When he wasn’t working in New Richland, he came home on weekends. I appreciate that he did that for us, so thankful we didn’t have to move anymore. So New Richland-Hartland is where I finished the rest of elementary and high school. I graduated in a class of 37 people. So I decided for college I wanted something maybe a little bit bigger. I went to college at Winona State for four years, got my bachelors degree and then moved up to the Twin Cities and went to law school at Hamline. I lived there for three years and then coming out of Hamline Law School got my job offer here in Mankato and have been here ever since. It will be 24 years this August. All with Blethen. My first job out of law school. That’s sort of rare these days. Jay Weir

Why did you pick law? It kind of picked me. I thought I wanted to be a teacher actually.

Legal Leader

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Professional Cred Bar Admissions: • Minnesota Bar (1994) • U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota (1998) • U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit (1998) Memberships: • 6th District Bar • Minnesota State Bar Association • Minnesota Women Lawyers Personal Interests: Outside the practice of law, Julia enjoys a very busy life. A long-time athlete, she continues to play volleyball and golf and enjoys pilates and high-intensity interval training. She is the mother of three very active sons and enjoys watching them play soccer, football, basketball and baseball. When she has free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband or friends, reading, cooking and volunteering her time to a number of community organizations.

Blethen, Gage & Krause | Mankato

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My mom is a teacher, my aunts are teachers, my grandma was a school librarian. I had worked and volunteered in a classroom for kids with learning disabilities and behavioral issues. So I thought that’s what I wanted to do. But I got to my first teaching class and I just hated it. I remember calling my mom and saying ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do but it isn’t this!’ And she said, well you better figure it out because we are paying for college and you ARE going to class. [laughter] So I didn’t know what to do. I finished out those classes through spring semester of my sophomore year and was going into my junior year still not knowing what I was going to do. I thought, well, I will figure it out over the summer. And I did! That summer I worked as a temp secretary and got placed at a law firm in Albert Lea, Minnesota. It was a sole practitioner whose legal assistant was on maternity leave so I was there for several weeks. He embraced me as though I was his regular legal assistant. He let me read files and talked to me about cases. I got to see him meeting with clients and it just kind of piqued an interest in me I didn’t know I had. I don’t have lawyers in my family and wasn’t really ever exposed to them. I mean, my parents had someone that did their wills, but that was it. Even so, I sought his advice and his suggestion was to get a degree in something you can use if law school doesn’t work out. So, I thought, well I am good at English so I got an English degree thinking if law school doesn’t work out or that’s not the path I end up taking there’s lots I can do with that degree. So I went to law school kind of not knowing for sure if it was the right path. But when I got there and got into my classes it just all started to click and I knew that was where I was supposed to be and where I was supposed to be going. It kind of was accidental. I’d like to say I had this grand plan from day one...but no...that’s not the case.

Build

Legal Leader

Awards & Honors • Named “Super Lawyer” by Minnesota Law & Politics, 2014 – 2017 • Appointed Administrative Hearing Office, City of Mankato, 2016 • Minnesota Business and Professional Women’s Young Careerist, Who’s Who in Family Law, Named in Law & Politics “Top Recoveries of the Year”, 2004. • Named a “Rising Star” in the Legal Profession by Minnesota Law & Politics • Honored as a “Woman of Distinction” award recipient by the Mankato YWCA MAY/JUNE 2018

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Legal Leader

“I love what I do. Every day is different. I love that it challenges my brain. I love that I get to work with people and help people. It was definitely the right path.” Well, you’ve been at it for 24 years so it must have been the right path. I love what I do. Every day is different. I love that it challenges my brain. I love that I get to work with people and help people. It was definitely the right path. Figuring out law was the right path is one thing, but once you make that decision...then you have more choices to make. Like, what specific kind of law to practice. That was a good thing about Blethen, I got to kind of do everything at first. It is a smaller firm. In Mankato it’s a bigger firm but compared to firms in the Twin Cities, we would be considered a small to mid-sized firm. So you kind of have to do everything. One philosophy of our firm is that our new attorneys are exposed to lots of different types of law. One reason for that is because law school doesn’t really prepare you for a particular area of law. It prepares you for how to think, it

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prepares you to be an analytical thinker and how to process things cognitively. But it doesn’t give experience in the day to day types of things that you are going to do as a practicing lawyer. So, the learning continues when you go to a firm and start specializing. I think when I was hired I was supposed to be the next Jim Turk of our office in anticipation of his eventual retirement. Jim did 100% insurance defense work and litigation, representing people sued in accidents, those types of things. As time went on I got interested in employment law and started developing that practice. I also worked a lot with Bailey Blethen who was a great mentor to me in family law. So I got busy in those two areas of practice and by the time Jim was ready to retire from representing clients and moving to mediating cases, and I was supposed to become him. I was so busy I couldn’t become him! And that worked out because I really don’t think that would have been a good fit for me for a number of reasons. So we hired Ben McAninch and he’s become Jim Turk and I’ve continued

Blethen, Gage & Krause | Mankato

to develop my employment law practice and that keeps me busy about three quarters of the time. I still do a little bit of family law but I am more choosy about which cases I take. I also mediate family law cases and try to help people who are going through divorce, resolve their issues. So family law representation and mediation is about 25% of what I do and employment law is 75%. I would imagine employment law is hard to keep up with? It is and it is very different from family law in that respect. Family law doesn’t change a lot but employment law changes constantly. So keeping on top of everything is important and takes some work. I only work on the employer side. I don’t represent employees. We do represent some employees in our office, but we are heavily employer side representatives, even within our office. I would say 90% of our employment law cases are representing the employer. I help employers with all kinds of things such as hiring, discipline, termination, documentation, drafting handbooks and noncompetition agreements and employee and supervisor training. I help them as they are trying to make day-to-day decisions about employment issues, like dealing with a request for accommodations or leave or dealing with a disciplinary situation; the employer is trying to decide what can they do, what do they need to do to keep people working, etc. My goal is to make sure my clients are complying with the law and being as productive as they can be in their businesses. So it’s helping

Legal Leader

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every day with something new. It’s a phone call about something new every day. When should a business pick up the phone and make that call? That’s a good question and it varies. The best time is before there is a problem. But often times a business calls at a point of crisis. Often a new client comes to us because they’ve done something and they are worried they haven’t done it right or they have received some sort of notice that there is a claim against them and they are trying to figure out what to do with it. That’s not always true though. Sometimes we have a small business that as it develops and grows, figures out it needs help managing employee issues. If you have two or three employees you can often handle things, but when you start to get to 10, 12, 15 employees suddenly there are just a lot of requirements in the law and documentation and expectations of the employers and they find they need help in that area.

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I’d imagine, some only reach out when they really need to. A lot of them come when already in crisis mode. We get them through it and then they come on with us long term to prevent more instances. One of my longest clients came to me originally when they had a claim made against them by an employee who had left. We helped them through that claim and two more claims that happened right after the first one. But they’ve been with us now for 23 years out of that crisis and since then we’ve never had another claim (knock on wood.) Moral of the story...come to you before crisis mode. Yes! I think employers sometimes fear the cost of employment law advice, but frankly I spend about 15-20 minutes on the phone with a client and we can hopefully avoid a very expensive claim. It just takes a few minutes in many cases to make sure they are doing things in the right way, documenting correctly, and that they are making the decision they need to make appropriately. Our practice is designed to increase awareness and decrease the exposure employers have with regard to employmentrelated claims. We regularly present seminars to and provide in-house training for our

Blethen, Gage & Krause | Mankato

employment clients regarding employmentrelated issues and the changes in the law which impact them. Our services, when engaged in a preventative manner, are an investment that will pay dividends by increasing awareness and decreasing the costs resulting from employee turnover and litigation. Our lawyers advise employers about statutory compliance, such as ADA and FMLA compliance, hiring, documentation and discipline and termination, as well as non-competition and non-solicitation rights. Is there a certain geographic area you serve? A large majority of our clients are located in the Greater Mankato MSA, but we represent clients all over Minnesota and into Iowa. In fact we have an attorney licensed in Iowa. Our insurance defense lawyers regularly represent clients all over the state. I’ve had cases as far north as Duluth, I regularly represent clients in the Twin Cities, and I have clients all over Southern Minnesota. I also represent a couple of franchise business owners that have locations all over the state. Some lawyers, once they have experience, go out on their own. Has that ever crossed your mind? I don’t have any interest in being on my own. Growing up I’ve always worked best in a team environment. We have that at Blethen. We joke that a lot of us are ex-jocks and we tend to work as teammates and bounce things off one another. I just can’t imagine trying to handle everything on my own and not have others to help. Just recently I got a call from someone who had probate questions and I just put them on hold for a second so I could walk down the hall and find the person I knew would have the answers. I am thankful to have that expertise around me. Otherwise the temptation is to help everybody and I think I could get myself into trouble! I like being a lawyer. I don’t like the administration side of things. I am one of the managing partners, so I do deal a bit with the administration side. But if I could just practice law all day long and not have the administration side that would make me happy. But the administrative role is a

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MAY/JUNE 2018

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Legal Leader

role that needs to be filled and I don’t mind filling it. But I think if you are on your own, you have to spend a lot of time being an administrator and doing it all yourself. I can’t imagine doing the marketing and hiring and all of the things that I have a team around me to do now. I can’t imagine doing all of that and not having the resources around me that I have in Blethen. How long have you been in the role of managing partner? I don’t remember exactly when I became a part of the management team or a managing partner. We use that term a little differently than a lot of larger law firms. In bigger firms, the managing partner often doesn’t practice law or has a very reduced practice – they are an administrator. For us, that’s not how it works. Silas Danielson and I are the management team/managing partners. We both have a very busy, full-time law practice, but we also handle administrative duties for the firm. Blethen

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“And that’s how I’ve grown into what I want to tackle next. Now I want to mentor other women who may find themselves in a similar situation. I want to encourage them and I want to help them find their voice.” Gage & Krause has eight partners. We used to have a number of small committees within the partnership. It’s too hard to have eight people involved in every decision. Probably about five or six years ago, we decided to go to a system where we would eliminate the numerous committees and there would be a managing partner or two to oversee firm administration. We have an office manager who handles the day-today administration, but Silas and I are the go-to’s for higher level decision making. We review and handle firm finances and review issues to decide if they are minor

enough that we or the office manager can take care of them, or if they are more major, we take them to the whole partnership for a decision. Silas and I are a good team – we’ve been together since the first day of law school and started at Blethen on the same day. We complement each other. He’s a CPA, so is excellent with numbers. He often takes the lead on financial issues and I take the lead on process and procedure, personnel and marketing issues. You realize, it’s not just in your firm. In all the many roles you fill, you are

Blethen, Gage & Krause | Mankato

considered a leader by the community! It’s something I’ve grown in to. As my career has matured, so have I. And I have learned a valuable lesson. I have learned to be a leader by listening. When I first started practicing law, it wasn’t unusual for me to be the only female in the room. And I think it took me a while to find my voice and be confident enough to speak up. Now, I do but I make sure I’m ready. I listen and my lawyer training kicks in and I analyze, but once I know what my position is I’m not afraid to speak up no matter who is in the room. And that’s how I’ve grown into what I want to tackle next. Now I want to mentor other women who may find themselves in a similar situation. I

want to encourage them and I want to help them find their voice. Along with your career, I know you are very involved in many community endeavors. Is that also something you’ve grown in to? It is just something in me that is innate. I just have it in me. I grew up in a small community and went to a small school where you had to be involved or it just didn’t happen. And my parents were great role models in that. They both worked full time but also took time to be involved in their communities. My dad was always a part of the Lions and my mom was a teacher but always taking on other community roles as well. They never talked about it, they

just did it. And I saw them doing that and it just became part of who I am. It set the course for what I grew into in life as far as community service. You’ve mentioned your employer is supportive of life outside the office. When I came to Blethen the firm had, and still has, such a focus on giving back to the community. Which is remarkable when you consider how a law firm works. In a law firm, each attorney is required to achieve so many billable hours. Well, at Blethen time spent in community service is considered in that billable hour requirement. Even though the firm is not getting paid for that time, it still counts. They just encourage all of us to find ways to give back. So it was modeled for me

“They just encourage all of us to find ways to give back. So it was modeled for me early in life through my parents and then reinforced when I started my career and has certainly grown as my career has matured.”

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Blethen, Gage & Krause | Mankato

Legal Leader

early in life through my parents and then reinforced when I started my career and has certainly grown as my career has matured. Funny story, when I first started at Blethen one of the partners came in and said, ‘Hey I’m on the board for this local youth basketball association. We’d love to have you join the board. There are lots of great people on the board it would be a great way for you to make connections. And it may be a way for you to get involved and get acclimated in the community.’ So he left my office and I was considering it. And then seriously, and maybe I’m exaggerating here…but it seemed like just a couple of hours later…he comes back in my office and said, ‘say, didn’t your husband Brian play basketball in college? Would he want to coach in this youth league?’ [She smiles] And I thought to myself... right, you wanted him all along! You were using me to get to him! So they got us both, me on the board and him coaching. And my husband has actually been coaching in that league ever since, other than a short

break after we first started our family. He just retired from youth basketball coaching last month, at least that’s what he’s saying. Let’s talk about your family. That’s my number one priority. I always make it a point to say I am a mom who works, not a working mom. I am a wife who works. Those always come first. I met my husband Brian in college, we were engaged when I took the job in Mankato and got married soon after moving down here. We have three sons. Brennan is 20 and attends University of Wisconsin Madison, Griffin will graduate from Mankato West in June and is still looking at all of his options...he has some great ones so it’s a big decision. And my youngest, Aidan, is in 8th grade. We’ve had opportunities to leave certainly over the years, but we just love it here. In fact, I think my original plan was to take the job in Mankato to get experience and then move on. Maybe go back to the Twin Cities,

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Blethen, Gage & Krause Phone: (507) 345-1166 Address: 100 Warren Street #400 Mankato, Minnesota Website: bgklaw.com

or Brian’s job could take us somewhere else..Kansas City, Omaha, then I would get licensed wherever that would be. But Brian and I just fell in love with it here. It’s been a wonderful place to raise our family. We’ve never really considered going anywhere else. This is home. I love Mankato. I know I’ve heard you say that you couldn’t do all you do without the tremendous support and partnership of your family. Definitely. I was just reading an article on why many women leave the practice of law before becoming a partner, much less a managing partner. One of the points in the article was that they often don’t have a true partnership at home, so they are trying to have a career and be a full-time mom, wife, housekeeper, cook, taxi-driver, volunteer etc. They have 100% of the responsibilities of the home, plus trying to succeed in their career. It’s just too stressful to try to do all of that, so many female lawyers drop out before they get to upper levels of partnership and management. I think that’s true for all women who want a career outside the home. You really need a good partner at home to be successful at work and find time to volunteer and lead. I can’t imagine trying to do everything I do without help, and luckily I’ve got a great partner in Brian, and my boys are supportive and mostly [laughter] helpful. I couldn’t have taken on the leadership roles I’ve taken on at work and in the community without that support and without them taking on some of the other responsibilities so that I can thrive in the chaos of trying to have my career while being a mom, wife, and volunteer, all at the same time. They are all key to whatever success I’ve had in keeping all of the plates in the air. Editor Lisa Cownie writes from Mankato.

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Embrace Freedom From Work Let’s face it, vacations aren’t what they used to be. It used to be, that they were regular occurances. Everyone took their yearly vacation! These days though, Lisa Cownie that is not the case. Editor Americans just can’t seem to unplug. According to a report by the Project: Time Off Coalition, between 2000 and 2014, the number of vacation days U.S. workers took declined steadily from a long-term average of 20.3 days to 16. And while the number of vacation days taken ticked up to 16.8 in 2016, 54% of employees don’t take their full vacation time each year.

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So, see, vacation...not what it used to be. Oh, I suppose the official definition hasn’t changed much: vacation [vey-key-shuh n, vuh-] 1 a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, 2 a part of the year, regularly set aside, when normal activities are suspended. 3 freedom or release from duty, business, or activity. (Dictionary.com) Nowhere in these definitions does it say you have to make elaborate plans, go somewhere exotic, or really, well, DO anything. What all of these definitions have in common, is the idea of just taking a break. I particularly like the word “freedom” in one of the definitions. “Vacation” means the freedom to take some time to do whatever you want...even if that means just staying home. It is a necessary component of sanity. Now, you may be of the school of thought, especially if you are a business owner or manager, that taking time off will harm your productivity, your bottom line, or

maybe even the team around you. But, studies have shown that the exact opposite may be true. Whereas you don’t have to plan your vacation necessarily, planning the best time to take your vacation may help you alleviate some of the stress. When you plan your vacation time – your freedom – intelligently, it can be a win-win for everyone involved. It gives you time to relax and offers others a chance to develop their leadership skills. So plan when you know you don’t have any big projects planned, and give yourself time to prepare others in your absence. Having someone else do your job, giving up a little bit of control, can be unsettling. In fact, I’ve spent many a “vacation” worrying about what I would find when I got back in the office. But with planning and proper communication before I go...it makes for a much smoother transition when I return. According to startupgrind.com, if a full scale vacation isn’t in the cards for you, here

are some other ways you can find some freedom to recharge. 1. Take short breaks from work during the day. Research shows pausing in the middle of a project and switching your attention to something else...a video game, a TV show or a crossword

puzzle, gives a different part of our brain a chance to step in. You may come back to the project with a new perspective. Some find the Pomodoro Technique approach of using 25 minutes of work alternated with five minutes of recreation works well.

2. Take more frequent vacations. Americans are allotted an average of 10 days vacation time each year. Instead of taking them all at once, try spreading them out! 3. Take one day–or at least one evening– off every week. This can help tremendously with work-life balance. More hours spent working does not equal better work. 4. Consider a mid-day nap. For the record, this is something I could NEVER do and I know, it’s a radical suggestion and not practical in every job or workplace. But there’s a growing pile of evidence that shows people who take naps are more alert, more productive, and less prone to mistakes than those who don’t. If napping is completely out of the question, try five or ten minutes of meditation instead. The importance and benefits of taking time off from work are well-documented. Now go embrace your freedom!

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Owner Tania Cordes’ business background, including an MBA from Harvard, reinvigorates the iconic Kato Ballroom.

Just 10 blocks from the heart of Mankato’s Old Town district, the Kato Ballroom is nestled in the thick of an industrial zone, just off of bustling Riverfront Drive. But, you likely already know the spot. If you’ve lived in the greater Mankato area for any amount of time, you’ve probably been there yourself. Or at least heard tales of its whirling, dancing nights. A Storied History Herb Martinka, who opened the Ballroom in 1946 and operated it through 1982, kept the space packed with regularly scheduled dances and events that drew in a thousand or more patrons per night. This early success helped Martinka rebuild after the Ballroom burned down in a fire in the early 1950s. Besides wildly-successful dances throughout the sixties and seventies (a local Facebook group dedicated to “Mankato Memories” contains hundreds of comments from residents reminiscing about the Ballroom’s heyday, including things like “Oh the lies we told our parents to get to those dances!”), the Kato Ballroom is well known for its close brush with ill-fated musician Buddy Holly. On January 25th, 1959, Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” performed at the Kato Ballroom as part of the “Winter Dance Party” tour. Eight days later, all three artists perished in a fatal plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, just one hundred miles south of Mankato. The incident inspired Don McLean’s 1971 song “American Pie” and February third was deemed “The Day the Music Died”. According to the Minnesota Ballroom Operators Association, a nonprofit organization supporting ballrooms, bands, and old-time music promoters, Minnesota has more active ballrooms than any other state. However, the number of these historic buildings still in operation (or even existence) is rapidly dwindling. Approximately twelve historic Minnesota ballrooms are still in operation, down from about 180 statewide. continued >

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Kato Ballroom owner Tania Cordes seated on itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic stage where acts from Buddy Holly to The Suburbs have performed.

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This Ballroom Is Booming

Ballrooms like the one in Mankato used to be just a short drive for residents living in rural areas, providing a chance to gather, socialize, and meet friends and future spouses. The largest concert at the Kato Ballroom featured the Everly Brothers, drawing over 2,400 people on November 22, 1964. Whether polka, big band music, or rock ‘n’ roll, ballrooms have occupied a special place in the history of the Midwest—one that is quickly evolving. Enter Tania Cordes, who purchased the 26,000 square-foot Kato Ballroom in 2014. A Local Renaissance The Kato Ballroom had been owned by Cordes’ ex-husband’s family for more than 30 years, but it wasn’t until a conversation around 2012—when Janet Sell decided to retire—that Cordes set her sights on revitalizing the local hotspot. “My career path is not really a ‘training ground’ to get to be a ballroom owner,” says Cordes, when I ask her how she got here. “I’ve always loved to entertain. I love to cook. I mean, I’ve collected recipes since I was a kid. I used to throw huge dinner parties, and I’d always thought about starting some sort of catering/event planning business.” Cordes has a background in business, with a degree in economics from Colgate University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Her past job titles include things like “Analyst,” “Strategy Associate,” and “VP Institutional Sales.” In the late nineties she was part of a Chicagobased Internet start-up that offered insurance to small businesses.

This Ballroom Is Booming

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A Legendary History Just a few of the hundreds of entertainers who have played at the Kato Ballroom: Bobby Vee Buddy Holly Chubby Checker Glenn Miller Jerry Lee Lewis Johnny Cash Lawrence Welk Louis Armstrong The Beach Boys The Everly Brothers

Kato Ballroom | Mankato

After taking ownership of the Ballroom, Cordes leveraged her business skills and background to revitalize it. “I’m very careful about all of my margins—my numbers. I do all my own books, all my own taxes every month, so I know exactly where we stand all the time,” she says. Cordes’ first task was to renovate the space—always being sure to maintain a balance between preserving the Ballroom’s history and preparing it for future generations of customers. Two of her best friends flew in over Labor Day the September before she took over to help. “We literally painted and scoured everything,” Cordes says, with a laugh that is half-grimace. “We spent a good 72 hours almost completely inside this Ballroom, painting and redoing things.” Cordes focused on transforming the space to an upgraded art deco look, keeping many of the Kato Ballroom’s signature touchstones but making things more consistent, modern, and appealing to a younger crowd. “It doesn’t look like the Civic Center or the Courtyard and it never will,” she says. “But I think there is a place for the Ballroom in this town.” Kitchen and catering services were improved, rugs were deodorized, restrooms were updated, and Cordes then moved on to the next stage: booking, booking, booking. “My theory in the beginning was that someone in the Ballroom is better than no one,” says Cordes. She focused on bringing in events of all kinds, and saw business spiral as more and more people moved through the space. “A lot of people didn’t even know the Ballroom was still open,” she adds. “Bringing in so many new and returning parties over the last couple of years has really helped spread the word that the Kato Ballroom is back in business.” A glance through the Ballroom’s online calendar and social media posts reveals a lot about how the clientele has changed over time. While they still serve as a dance hall for big bands and polka nights, the Kato Ballroom hosts theatre performances, fashion shows, fundraising events, high school proms and formals, hip hop shows, album release parties, symphony performances (“Pops at the Kato”), class reunions, corporate lunches, and business meetings. Tribute

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This Ballroom Is Booming

Bandwagon at the Ballroom On the first Monday of every month, the Kato Ballroom hosts the KEYC News 12 Bandwagon Show. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for a night of old time music and dancing from 6:30 to 9:30. An $8 cover charge will get you in and drinks, sandwiches, and snacks are available for purchase.

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This Ballroom Is Booming

shows have been particularly successful, including performances celebrating The Eagles, Pink Floyd, Elvis, Fleetwood Mac, and Queen. Weddings are always on the schedule, and the Ballroom is booking more than ever. “When I took over, that first summer I think we had, maybe, nine weddings,” says Cordes, adding that in 2017 they hosted over thirty. “I thrive on the energy. I thrive on helping people have fun. My biggest thing was getting people in here to have fun, and if they could get in here and have a good experience, the word would spread.” Cordes estimates that the Ballroom held about a hundred events last year, compared with around twenty the first year she owned the place. Some, like the Minnesota Pheasants Banquet and the Mankato Clinic Holiday Party, are repeat customers who have been booking with the Ballroom for years. Others are businesses that have come back to the Ballroom after opting for alternative spaces for one reason or another. Cordes credits the Ballroom’s success to the renovated space and food, but it is clear that her enthusiasm and personality have played a major role in bringing more business into the historic building. “I’m a huge extrovert so I get my energy from being with people. This business, to some extent, suits me perfectly,” she says. In 2016, Cordes received the National Travel and Tourism Week Attraction Award from Visit Mankato for going above and beyond in providing outstanding service to visitors in the community. In May of 2017, Minnesota Public Radio visited the Kato Ballroom

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to celebrate their 50th anniversary, featuring interviews, on-air broadcasts, and a live performance by Minnesota punk rock band, The Suburbs. Another highlight was The Buddy Holly Story Dinner Theater, presented by Merely Players in 2016. Over 1,800 people visited the Ballroom over four days for four sold-out performances. The musical would have normally been held at the Lincoln Community Center, but Cordes credits the historical significance of the Ballroom, and one of Holly’s last performances there, with pushing the production over the edge in terms of success. Cordes has already left her mark on another local tradition. KEYC’s Bandwagon Show is one of Minnesota’s longest-running locally-produced shows, featuring old time music and dancing. When she first took over the Ballroom, the free dance was attended by about 80-100 people, taped for two hours on the first Monday of every month, and shown on KEYC News 12 with a 4% market share. After the host decided to retire, and with no sponsor lined up, the station had plans to cancel or at least cut back on the program. Cordes took it upon herself to send out a survey to participants. “I asked them straight out—Would you come to Bandwagon if we charged? How much would you pay? Who would you want to see? What are your favorite bands?,” says Cordes. She had her mother tabulate the data that Christmas. “And my mother says: ‘Tania, 95 percent of the people will come. And they’ll pay!”

Kato Ballroom | Mankato

At that point, Cordes faced some doubters, but she was armed with the survey data—a signature of her strong background in business. Bandwagon started charging a $5 cover fee, which people happily paid. The dance was extended to three hours, and a rotating menu was added. “I mean, I have people who call to find out what’s on the menu now, whereas we used to serve the same meal every time,” she says. The dances now bring in anywhere from 200-300 paying customers, with show ratings up to 16%. What The Future Holds It seems like bookings at the Ballroom are about to reach critical mass, forcing Cordes to think critically about the future of her business. “One thing I learned in business school is that entrepreneurs have a hard time letting go, letting their business expand,” says Cordes. “They tend to hold on too tight because they like to control everything.” At the beginning, she did every job you could have at the Ballroom, from bartending, to cooking, to serving, cleaning restrooms, and handing out programs. And she’s still willing to jump in wherever she’s needed. “The question is, where is that line where you start to expand but not expand too fast?” asks Cordes. “You can’t hire a whole bunch of full-time people and then not have the business to

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This Ballroom Is Booming

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support them. It’s tricky.” The Ballroom currently relies on a parttime staff of about 25-30 people who get called in based on the needs of different events happening in the space. Cordes estimates that she works around 70 hours a week, depending on what’s scheduled. Her full-time Operations Manager Larry Bowers has worked at the Ballroom for 35 years, since about the time the Cordes family purchased it from Herb Martinka. “I try to find time for my personal life because I’ve got four kids. That was one of the biggest adjustments—going from being a stay-at-home mom,” says Cordes, who has children age seven, nine, fifteen, and seventeen. “I would say I feel a fair amount of guilt about leaving them and not doing what I used to do. It’s taken me a while to get over this because I was raised by a mother who stayed at home… Six nights of dinner theater means that one of us—Larry or I—is

The Shape of Success

New Floor, Same Great Feel In 2009, flooding caused water damage that forced Kato Ballroom owners to replace the original dance floor. After reportedly burning up four saw blades cutting the hard maple floor out, workers stumbled upon a well-preserved pack of Lucky Strike cigarettes left behind by the original floor layers. Over 7,500 square feet of new sub-floor and tongue-ingroove maple was put in, and the dancers kept on dancing.

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here from before the first person arrives until the last person goes home. It can be stressful, hard to have work-life balance,” she adds. However, personal attention seems to be just one of the many benefits of working with the Kato Ballroom. Cordes has heard many a horror story from brides about venues upcharging or being unresponsive. “We’re not a big corporation,” she says. “Basically, if you ask me, I can tell you yes or no.” Because she handles all sales for the business, customers speak directly to her from the beginning and throughout their event. Another benefit? The Ballroom doesn’t have a lot of hidden costs. “We’re straight forward with what we charge for and there isn’t going to be a nightmare surprise bill at the end,” says Cordes. Once events hit a crowd of about 400 people, there aren’t a lot of venues in Mankato or the surrounding area that will do the trick. Spaces like the recentlyopened Verizon Center will get the job done, but don’t have the same charm of a historic space like the Kato Ballroom. “It’s not a hotel, it’s not cookie cutter,” says Cordes. “It’s got a certain look. Now, that might not be the look that every single person is looking for, but it’s unique and a lot of people really love the retro thing.” Best of all, Cordes focuses more on building authentic relationships than pushing the hard sell, which is important when you’re operating in a tight-knit community like Mankato. “I can only sell what I really believe in,” she says. “I can tell a bride why this is the best place to have their wedding. But that’s because I really believe it.” With her solid background in business, and infectious enthusiasm for event planning, Cordes is on track to restoring the Kato Ballroom to its former glory—and then some. Erin Dorney writes from Mankato.

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To continue the strength of a family-owned business, they strive to partner and collaborate with other businesses and keep hold of relationships they have made over the years. Partners like Minnesota State University, Mankato. “Minnesota State Mankato is a huge boost to the community in many aspects. It’s not only vital to the retail and service industry but provides connections through the professors and students that last a lifetime,” says Eric. The strength of relationships and partnerships helps them navigate the things that are out of their control.

“Today’s consumer has many more choices for obtaining good products and designs. It has become a challenge to keep up with social media, computer systems and internet shopping sites. ” - Eric Will

“Minnesota State Mankato is a huge boost to the community in many aspects. It’s not only vital to the retail and service industry but provides connections through the professors and students that last a lifetime,” - Eric Will

“Our products have a much shorter life cycle and the new generation is not interested in collecting stuff. They would rather have one nice piece on their coffee table than a whole collection of items on a shelf or in a cabinet. Technology and keeping up with new products creates its own issues. Today’s consumer has many more choices for obtaining good prod-

ucts and designs. It has become a challenge to keep up with social media, computer systems and internet shopping sites. It is key to have the right products, at the right time and at the right price. Developing a product line to distribute to the retail stores that is on trend, reasonably priced and providing quick shipping is always a challenge,” says Eric. One goal at Will’s Company is to change and evolve with the trends; keeping products and inventory relevant to the consumer’s needs. “As third generation owners of a family business, we strive to maintain the values and integrity that make us unique as a small business. We endeavor to provide outstanding

“As third generation owners of a family business, we strive to maintain the values and integrity that make us unique as a small business. We endeavor to provide outstanding customer service and a pleasant work environment for our clients and employees. Our hope is to continue expanding and growing our business in the future.” - Eric Will

customer service and a pleasant work environment for our clients and employees. Our hope is to continue expanding and growing our business in the future. For example, we are just beginning to offer a line of furniture pieces that complements our home decor. This is a new area for us and one that shows a lot of potential. Stagnation means death, and so we are constantly looking for that next big design, product or line that will set us apart.” Will’s Company owners Tracy Will-Pomeroy and brother Eric Will.

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ProGrowth Insurance in Gaylord is now Alloy Insurance. The office has moved to 325 Main Avenue in Gaylord. Agents Patty Boeder, Deb Uecker and Vicki Frauendienst can be contacted at 507-237-5358.

Madelia Lost Sanity Brewing in Madelia, is now open with four custom brews and food delivered from local restaurants. The debut brews have each been named by local fans from the Lost Sanity Brewing Facebook page, with the final launch including Hopzophrenia IPA, Botched Lobotomy Brown Ale, Catatonic Cream Ale, and Personality Disorder Porter. The brewery is proudly owned and operated by Madelia local Caleb Fenske and his family. They keep things local with specially treated Madelia water for a smoother taste and local additions such as honey from the area. Lost Sanity is located at 12 West Main Street in Madelia. Non-alcoholic beverages are also available. Congratulations to the Watonwan County Library celebrating their 75th anniversary, to the Madelia Community Hospital and Clinic celebrating their 100th anniversary and to Farrish Johnson Law Office celebrating their 175th anniversary!

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Mankato Edward Jones Financial Advisor Sander Ludeman announces that a second financial advisor, Jennifer Seys, has joined his office in Mankato. Edward Jones has been named the No. 1 Best Workplace in Financial Services & Insurance by Great Place to Work and FORTUNE magazine.

The ranking considered input from more than 76,000 employees in the Financial Services & Insurance sector. Great Place to Work, a research and consulting firm, evaluated more than 50 elements of team members’ experience on the job. These include pride in the organization’s community impact, belief that their work makes a difference, and feeling their work has special meaning. “We are proud of our workplace that is built upon our values, culture and partnership,” says Edward Jones Managing Partner Jim Weddle. “We recognize and appreciate the contributions from our associates that create our success by working together. Our entire firm is aligned around delivering a superior client experience based upon a business model designed to support personal relationships with our clients. We derive great satisfaction from serving individual investors, because the work we do is so impactful and important.” United Prairie Bank in Mankato is proud to announce that William Updike has been promoted to a Senior Personal Banker. In addition to helping customers with business and personal deposit products and services, he will now be adding personal loans to his offerings. True Real Estate welcomes several new agents to the Mankato office! Kim Lingbeck is now an agent. Prior to earning her real estate license, Lingbeck has been with True Real Estate since 2016 as the staging and listing coordinator. Steve Csizmadia will also join the team. Steve is an active member of the Mankato community and has been involved in many organizations including Boy Scouts of America, West High School, US Air Force Civil Air Patrol, Mankato Part Time Police, Mankato Community Emergency Response Team and Amateur Radio Emergency Service among others. And Alyssa Moffitt is also now an agent. She has spent most of her career in accounting until joining True Real Estate in 2016 as the office manager.

The Mankato Area Foundation announces Patti Kramlinger has joined the Foundation team as Director of Philanthropic Engagement. Within this new role, Kramlinger will work closely with the Foundation’s President and CEO, Nancy Zallek to further promote and facilitate local philanthropy. Patti is dedicated to improving lives and building capacity within the greater Mankato community through her work with families, businesses, and individuals. Bolton & Menk, Inc. has opened an off-site studio location in downtown Mankato. Demand for high end video has advanced the company to new lengths in order to meet clients’ needs and produce the standard of video the firm has been known for. Bolton & Menk Studios houses the Graphics Work Group, specializing in 3D animation, video editing, music and audio recording, graphic design, green screen production and aerial photography. The studio, located at 424 North Riverfront Drive, features a 15’ x 10’ green screen, video editing/production suite and audio recording booth, along with graphic design and 3D animation production areas. CENTURY 21 Atwood Realty, Inc. has received from the Century 21 Real Estate Corporation the GOLD MEDALLION Award for the Mankato Office and the Quality Service Office Award for the St. Peter Office. The GOLD MEDALLION Award is bestowed upon offices based on their level of production and the Quality Service Award is based on exceeding the service expectations of clients. New Ulm Telecom, Inc. (NULM; OTCBB) has entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement to purchase Scott-Rice Telephone Co. from Allstream Business U.S., LLC, an affiliate of Zayo Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ZAYO) for approximately $42 million in cash. New Ulm Telecom, Inc. intends to finance the acquisition with existing capital resources and proceeds from a new credit facility with its principal lender CoBank, ACB. Scott-Rice Telephone Co. provides phone, video and internet services with

over 18,000 connections, serving the communities of Prior Lake, Savage, Webster, Elko and New Market, Minnesota. MRCI, headquartered in Mankato, is honored for its innovative programs that give individuals with disabilities and disadvantages the opportunity for independence through job training and placement. At a ceremony in Minneapolis, Minnesota Business Magazine honored MRCI with the Diverse Business Development, Community Impact Award. Other finalists in the nonprofit category were Twin Citiesbased Womenventure and YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities.The Community Impact Awards honor businesses, social enterprise organizations, and nonprofits that are making a significant impact on communities in Minnesota. The EDA Board in Sleepy Eye, along with the Chamber Board and Downtown District Committee, are making final arrangements with Ron Drake, author of “Flip This Town” to spend a three day visit in Sleepy Eye meeting with business owners, property owners, and members of the community to discuss ways in which the community can revitalize the Downtown District, improve the aesthetics, and incorporate activities that will reinvigorate interest in the downtown. William P. LeDuc with Agri-Realty LLC in Mankato was recently recognized by the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA) for five years of membership within the organization. Chankaska Creek Ranch and Winery is opening an events center. The events center will offer a variety of options for meetings, social gathering or team building experiences designed to create the ultimate experience. For more information email Events@ChankaskaWines.com. Chankaska Creek Ranch and Winery is also excited to announce the acquisition of Precision Wine Bottling. The acquisition will allow Chankaska to lead and maintain their current bottling process. It is the goal of Chankaska to continue serving the 13 wineries in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin that Precision currently supports.

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Assistant Winemaker, Josie Boyle, will oversee and manage the bottling service. South Central College TRIO advisor and Mankato school board member Abdi Sabrie has been selected to receive a 2018 Bush Fellowship. Sabrie is among 24 Bush Fellows selected by the Bush Foundation. First National Bank Minnesota announces the promotion of Jay Buboltz to the role of Vice President, Retail Banking. Buboltz has been a member of the banking team at First National Bank Minnesota since 2004. Buboltz will oversee the retail department of the bank, in addition to his retail lending, facility management and security duties. Otto Media Group, a local creative advertising agency, is pleased to announce its new offices at 1609 N. Riverfront Dr. Mankato, above Discover Chiropractic and Hatanpa State Farm Insurance. OMG has expanded from 300 sq ft to 3000 sq ft and joined with our strategic partners under one roof in the process. “Since Mike Sargent and I started OMG in 2016 we’ve recognized other talent in the local marketing community and have formed strategic partnerships with businesses we consider to be the best in their respective fields. As 2018 begins, we will no longer simply partner on projects, but also work side by side as we move under one roof in Mankato’s first of its kind marketing collective. While we are all still separate businesses, this new joint venture space will truly make us a one stop agency for all marketing needs.” says Wes Otto.

Those strategic partners are: Jordan Powers a photographer, videographer, and owner of Made in Mankato; Dave Kruse a web designer, full stack developer, and owner of KruseTech; Derek Wehrwein an illustrator, graphic designer, and freelance contractor; Ashley Flitter, a copy writter, user experience developer, productivity coach, and owner of Ashley Flitter Consulting. These individual businesses will compliment OMG’s own team; Director of Design Mike Sargent, and Director of Strategy Wes Otto. The new space will include Made in Mankato’s full scale video and audio production studio, complete with a multicamera, audio equipped, LED lit, infinity green screen set up. There will also be an internal event space with a stage, projector, and seating for up to 50 people. As well as an eight person conference room with full technology integration for meetings. All three of these spaces are available for rent by the public. Midwest Family Mutual Insurance Company of Des Moines, IA announces that Kato Insurance Agency, Inc of Mankato has been named to their prestigious President’s Club for 10 consecutive years. This award recognizes outstanding continued service to customers and community and superior performance. Mayo Clinic Health System leadership announces that Kirby Johnson has been named site administrator for Mayo Clinic Health System in Waseca and New Prague. Johnson succeeds April Lanz, who is an operations administrator for the Mankato hospital and recently served as interim site

NEW ULM AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Supporting the businesses who make us a special place to visit for a weekend, or a lifetime. See our historical downtown, do some shopping – open your own business! We’ll help you make it your home.

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administrator in Waseca. Bolton & Menk, Inc. has opened an Algona, Iowa office. The opening of the office gives the firm better access to serve the needs of our northwest Iowa clients in municipal engineering, agricultural drainage, and land surveying. Bolton & Menk has 18 offices located in Iowa, Minnesota, and North Dakota, with more than 450 employees including a professional staff of more than 150 engineers, planners, landscape architects, and surveyors. Computer Technology Solutions is proud to be given the 2018 Pinnacle Circle of Excellence Award among Digium’s top 25 value-added reseller partners worldwide. Beth Fasnacht with Timeless Interiors in North Mankato has joined the design team for the redevelopment of the Three Sisters buildings in downtown Blue Earth. The buildings, which have been vacant for 12 years, will be the first site for the Rural Renaissance Project, an initiative being launched in 2018 by Mankato’s Connect the Grey. The buildings will be a hub for the arts and agriculture focused businesses, with special focus on ag tech related to markets and financial decision making, as well as quality of life for farm families (health, education, and cultural opportunities). Construction is scheduled to begin in spring of 2018. Greater Mankato Growth, Visit Mankato, City Center Partnership and GreenSeam announce their 2017 Volunteer of the Year award recipients. John Hemstock, Maureen

Waltman, Randy Zellmer and Jodie Hermer have made outstanding contributions to our organizations by demonstrating leadership through service and volunteerism as well as making contributions to the betterment of the community’s quality of life, business environment and economic vitality. Bluestem Commons Row Homes in Mankato is now offering tours. The homes are located at 3009 Bluestem Trail. Check out their website, bluestemcommons.com and Facebook page. Contact Patti at 507461-4838 or patti@bluestemcommons. com to schedule a tour. CCFBank is pleased to announce that Mike Kunkel has joined the CCFBank team as the West Region President. “We are pleased that Mike has joined CCFBank and we are confident that he will be a key component to the future success in our markets throughout Minnesota,” said CCFBank’s CEO, Stephen Bianchi. JBeal Real Estate Group would like to announce the addition of two new agents, Elaine Buhs and Eric Lefeber to their team. “We are very excited to have them both and look forward to what their futures hold here,” says Jason Beal. To get in touch with Elaine, Eric, or any one of the sixteen agents, call 507-385-1313 or visit jbealhomes.com. BankVista has been named 2017 Minnesota Medium SBA Lender of the Year. “SBA’s lenders work hard every day to help small businesses start, grow and succeed,” says Nancy Libersky, SBA’s Minnesota District

Director. “We guarantee the loans, but it is the banks, credit unions and our incredibly strong community-based lenders who put money in the hands of business owners. These dollars are creating new businesses and new jobs in the state every day.”

providing Obstretrics and gynecology services to patients at Mayo Clinic Health Systems in St. James.

St. James

Waseca

Superintendent of Schools, Becky Cselovszki, wins the 2018 MASA (Minnesota Association of School Administrators) Administrator of Excellence Award.

From the Chamber: New chamber members: Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp., Marty Johnson; Ward House Brewery; Yaya’s Place, Dave’s Body Shop, The Park and North Memorial Health. The Chamber Ambassadors presented Progress awards to Grand Stay Hotel and Suites and New Business awards to Personalized Apparel and Signs and Glitter & Grace. Roots award was presented to Radio Shack and Thrifty White Drug, long standing businesses in Waseca. Roots is an award given to a business that has been in business for over 30 years or more in the community. Kirby Johnson, named site administrator for Mayo Clinic Health System in Waseca. Waseca Area Chamber has a new MN Job Match portal. This tool is designed to bring employers and job seekers together in a more efficient manner. It revolutionizes the recruiting process connecting businesses with qualified candidates. Check out wasecachamber.com/job-match-portal.

Mayo Clinic Health Systems, St. James has now installed a new state-of-the art CT scanner. The Super 8 of St. James announced that it has once again been recognized for outstanding quality and service by Booking. com, receiving an 8.7 Guest Review Award. Missy Davis is the new Mayberry Realty office manager. Bob Harder celebrated 50 years of owning Odin State Bank. St. James Opera House received a $60,000 grant from the Minnesota Historical Society. John Ahern, Cleary Building Corporation Building Sales Specialist, was recognized for outstanding sales performance in 2017. Jonathan Buchholz, M.D., will begin

Engraved Signs ADA Compliant Signs Clothing Labels Decals

The Collage has celebrated their oneyear anniversary.

Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) recently approved nine grants totaling $124,338 to support asset-based collaborative approaches to meeting the needs of children birth to age five and their families.

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A DAY IN THE LIFE

A Day In The Life 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 that readers may be able to take away little tidbits to incorporate into their own lives to be at their best in and out of the office!

in supporting those moments and opportunities. As a wife, a mother of two, a former Mrs. Minnesota, a registered nurse, a personal trainer and a successful business owner she feels it is her calling to help others lead a healthy lifestyle. And she believes proper diet and nutrition are what can help all of us make the most of our days.

Breanna Ludeman Owner, Ideal Weigh To B – Mankato Breanna Ludeman knows a thing or two about seizing the moment and making the most of opportunities that come your way. She also knows the value of hard work

You opened Ideal Weigh To B eight years ago, and it kind of takes all of your interests and rolls them into one. Yes, I am taking my experience as a registered nurse and personal trainer to help improve the health of our community one lifestyle at a time. Built on the foundation of a medically designed and developed weight loss protocol, our Ideal Weigh to B staff and I are a lifestyle education organization. We are trying to have a meaningful impact on the expanding obesity epidemic. We also work closely with patients that suffer from Metabolic Disease: Hyperten-

sion, High Cholesterol, Diabetes, Hypothyroidism, and Inflammatory Disease. It is our hope to give people the tools they need to live their best lives. I feel like when you started, you were on the front end of this type of movement, now there are so many competitors. How do you deal with that as a locally owned business? We were! You’re absolutely right – there is now a lot competition but the quality in our market varies widely. My patients see the same coaches all the time unlike a large franchise. I think what sets us apart from the others out there is that we are no longer JUST focusing on a diet, but also the lifestyle changes needed to maintain results after losing the weight. These two pillars, weight loss and lifestyle change, are the HEART of what makes us at Ideal Weigh to B unique and on the cutting edge. If there’s anything I’ve learned in

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NO idea that I am an avid fisher-woman.) and a 4-H leader for the last 11 years. My passion for health and wellness has brought me on a personal journey of fitness competitions. I love seeing what the human body is capable of. You will also find me at the wee hours of the morning teaching classes at the Lake Crystal Rec Center as a Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor. My husband and family love it when I bring them on vacation as a traveling fitness pro too – it’s a fantastic gig!

my years of practice, it’s that there are no shortcuts, magic pills, wraps, shakes or radical surgeries that keep the weight off. We have a great reputation with local doctors and medical professionals in working together on difficult individual cases. What continues to drive me is when you see a person eventually get off of an entire list of medications. Well, we’ve got career covered. Let’s talk about all the other balls you juggle! I am at my best when busy! You can find me volunteering my time as the Lake Crystal BASS Fishing Coach (that’s right! many have

And of course, your most important job...mom and wife. My family is my foundation. We enjoy spending time together as a family. We strongly believe in sharing moments and memories by traveling the world. We have been in the Greater Mankato Area for the last 15 years. I have been married to my husband, Sander, for 19 years. He is the secret to my success. There is almost nothing he hasn’t done for me–as Mrs. Minnesota he even had to turn into a full time PR agent literally overnight! I’m mostly fortunate to have access to his business acumen. I have two sons: Sander Allen is 16 and a keeps me on my fishing game. He has a passion for all things outdoors. Camden is 14 and is all about football and wrestling so if we aren’t on the lake we are in the stands cheering on the Lake Crystal Knights.

What advice to you have for other female entrepreneurs? Use your natural skills as a woman to catapult your idea or business forward. We are great at multitasking and seeing our vision through to completion which gives us a competitive edge. To succeed you have take calculated risks and have a solid plan. So many more women have it in them to break away from what’s comfortable. I also believe that when you follow your passion everything else falls into line.

BIZ BRIEF ●● Ideal Weigh to B is a full service health and weight loss clinic that uses the Ideal Protein Weight Loss Method. With clinics in Mankato and Blue Earth. It is administered by a Registered Nurse and focuses on improving overall lifestyle. ●● Mankato Location 1400 S Riverfront Dr #200 Mankato, MN 560001 Phone: 507-387-5025 ●● Blue Earth Location 315 South Main St. Blue Earth, MN 56013 Phone: 507-526-2021

TEAM PLAYER Angie Bersaw

Principal Transportation Planner, Mankato, MN Angie co-leads the firm’s planning and urban design group, facilitating transportation projects, community and environmental planning, landscape architecture, and project communication services. Her planning skills help keep her family of five organized too! The first thing we build with every client is a relationship. Bolton-Menk.com

Providing public infrastructure solutions since 1949. MAY/JUNE 2018

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COLLABORATION CONNECTION — SPECIAL REPORT

Planning For The Future: More Females Taking Traditionally Male Roles How Two Firms Are Making An Effort To More Diversity One national study puts the number of Certified Financial Planners in the country at more than 80,000. Record numbers in some areas, but that same study Lisa Cownie shows a disproporEditor tionate number of men to women in the field. Now the challenge is to recruit more women into this traditionally maledominated industry. “In the past it was the man of the household that made decisions financially – that isn’t the case anymore as majority of financial decisions are now made by women,” says Colby Staloch, Northwestern Mutual advisor. “Secondly, we are excited to get out of the norm for different ideas and perspectives. We want an inclusive culture that we are proud of long term.” That’s why Northwestern, led by Staloch locally, is making an effort to recruit more women. He’s finding some success. “Northwestern Mutual has been working on this for a while now and building the right teams locally to attract this talent. Here in 2018 we will add 5 women advisors to our offices. We are proud of our ability to attract strong females in the area because of our support system we have created to help them create the business they desire,” he explains. Angela Wenninger is one of those making a move to the Northwestern office. For Wenninger it is also a move into a new career. “I have a degree from UW-Madison in conservation biology,” says Wenninger. “After graduating I worked for the Conservation, Planning, and Zoning department for the largest county in the state of Wisconsin. In 2014, I became a registered Yoga teacher. This allowed me to have my own business 42

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as a yoga teacher and utilize my five years of experience as a realtor. As I considered a career that would allow me to incorporate my passion for business, hard work, love for people and their wellness, becoming a financial advisor with a company like Northwestern Mutual was a perfect fit.” Wenninger is looking forward to combining all of her life experiences to make the most of this new career. “One of the things that brings me joy is pursuing wellness, for myself, my family and others,” says Wenninger. “For me, wellness not only includes striving to exercise

“We see this industry focusing on recruiting and developing talent outside of white males. In that group of 14 we have women, Hispanic and military background.”–Colby Staloch and eat healthy, but also making disciplined decisions that lead to financial peace and success. I decided to get into financial planning because I wanted to establish supportive relationships with my clients and to help them develop a strategic vision for realizing their financial goals. As a financial advisor, I am committed to helping others pursue and find wellness in their lives.” Like Wenninger, Jennifer Seys, a former school teacher, was ready to embrace a new career. The fact that financial advising is male dominated did not deter her. She recently joined Edward Jones who she says invests in people which gave her the

Angela Wenninger

confidence to follow her passions. “What I like is to build relationships,” she says. “But with teaching I built relationships with students on a yearly basis. With financial advising, I’m building life-long relationships. I’m still educating but now it is in an office, not a classroom.” Edward Jones and Northwestern are leaders in driving initiatives that are part of broader efforts to attract, train and retain advisors who bear a strong resemblance to clients. Staloch says, “In 2006 we had 5 advisors along with 5 team members behind the scenes with 2 interns in the summer here in Mankato. Our firm has now grown to 14 advisors in Mankato with 15 staff behind the scenes. We see this industry focusing on recruiting and developing talent outside of white males. In that group of 14 we have women, Hispanic and military background. The wave is getting out of the solo practice mentality where you have one advisor, one staff in one office. Clients today want simplicity in their planning with a team approach. The experience someone receives at Northwestern Mutual today is very different than what it was 20 years ago because of the company’s ability to adapt and be at the center of our clients’ lives.”

CONNECTING BACK

5 YEARS AGO

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MAY/JUNE 2013 For the cover story five years ago, we caught up with newly retired CEO of River’s Edge Hospital in St. Peter, Colleen Spike. She talked about the changes she’d experienced in the health care industry during her 16 years at the helm. Our first company profile feature was Singlestad Farms in Waseca and Scott Singlestad, who had plowed through 40 years as a farmer, including five years as a national United Soybean Board farmerdirector. The other profile was Rolloff Electric in New Ulm.

10 YEARS AGO

MAY/JUNE 2008 Our May 2008 issue featured another woman business leader, Cindy Rae Pautzke who was leading her family’s Pumpkinland into the future. The agriculture-entertainment theme park next to the Blue Earth River was a top southern Minnesota destination. Also profiled in that issue Wendinger Band and Travel and Le Center-based Camas Inc.

15 YEARS AGO

MAY/JUNE 2003 Ed Bosanko of Watonwan Farm Service in Truman graced our cover. At the time it was known as Minnesota’s largest local ag cooperative. Also featured were Wenger Physical Therapy in North Mankato and European Roasterie of Le Center.

20 YEARS AGO

MAY/JUNE 1998 We featured a duo of dynamic business characters in May 1998: Bill Carlson of Carlson Craft and, in a separate story, Jerry Johnson of Clear With Computers (CWC). Feature stories were Davisco Foods International in Le Sueur and Rainbow Woods in Le Center.

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BULLETIN BOARD

Any chamber of commerce, convention and visitors bureau, or economic development organization in our reading area—large or small, from Amboy to Winnebago—can post on our free bulletin board. For details, email editor@connectbiz.com.

Blue Earth Cindy Lyon, Blue Earth Chamber

Mankato Rosi Back, Greater Mankato Growth

The general contractor for the new “Giant Welcome Center”, United Builders, started work mid April. More good news is that many of our area businesses are subcontractors. Occupancy is set for October 1! All will be invited to our giant Ribbon Cutting in the late fall, ready for tourism at its B.E.st, year round, Monday– Saturday right at the foot of the 60’ Green Giant Statue. See us at 500 Fairgrounds Road.

Greater Mankato Leadership Institute helps individuals grow personally and professionally, offering an interactive glimpse of the Greater Mankato region through monthly sessions each month from September to May. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn the leadership skills necessary to take your career and organization to the next level! Apply at greatermankato.com/leadership. Applications will be accepted until June 1.

Fairmont Margaret Dillard, Fairmont Area Chamber

Mankato Julie Nelson, Small Business Development Center

The Fairmont Area Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with our neighboring chambers and EDAs, will host the third in a series of workforce seminars by HR consultant Wes Pruett on June 21 from 12:30-4:00 at the Southern Minnesota Educational Campus. All businesses are invited to attend this seminar on coaching skills for managers and conducting retention interviews. Earlier seminars have tackled topics like adapting to a millennial workforce and building employee engagement.

The partnership between the Better Business Bureau and the SBDC has officially launched. BBB’s Mankato office is located with the SBDC at 424 N. Riverfront Drive, Suite 210. Regular office hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8am to 1pm, staffed by a trained intern/representative. Better Business Bureau will offer a number of educational workshops and Focus Luncheons for BBB Accredited Businesses and interested business owners throughout the region.

Fairmont Stephanie Busiahn, Visit Fairmont

Nicollet Alesia Slater, Nicollet Chamber

Competitive fishing is off the hook in the Fairmont area this spring! The Fairmont Lakes Foundation kicks off the season at Gomsrud Park with their Annual Fishing Tournament on Saturday, May 19 and Bass Seekers of Fairmont reels in the youth at the Kids’ All-American Fishing Derby & Casting Contest on Saturday, June 2. Complete your monthly quota with the 2018 FoxMaster Fishing Tournament on Saturday, June 9, hosted by the Fox Lake Conservation League.

As school comes to an end please keep an eye out for the children out and about in town. Nicollet City Wide Clean Up Day is Saturday, May 5. Friendship Days is June 14-16. For information or to get involved with Friendship Days, please contact Del Vulcan with the Nicollet American Legion. The Nicollet Fire Department is celebrating 125 years. Crusin’ on Pine and 99 will begin on May 24. Follow all the local happenings at nicollet.org.

Madelia

Le Sueur

Karla Angus, Madelia Area Chamber

Julie Boyland, Le Sueur Chamber

Madelia Park Days will be held July 13-15. Friday features a grand parade followed by Switchroad Band and fireworks. Saturday is all-day fun with a free blues festival featuring five amazing bands. Enjoy Rivers Edge Art & More Fair with 70-plus Vendors, 5K Run/ Walk, Kids Carnival-Kids Fun Zone, food vendors, and beer wagon. Friendly competition: Kids Pedal Pull, Carp Classic Fishing, Bean Bag Toss, Baseball and Basketball Tournaments, something for the whole family! visitmadelia.com and Facebook-Madelia Chamber.

Welcome to these new Businesses and chamber members in Le Sueur: Alice HQ Photography 101 Bridge Street Suite B, 507-995-7724; Hortenbach Sports Outlet, LLC, 1420 Commerce, 612-501-6284; Patty’s Kitchen Cupboard, 205 S. Main Street, 507-665-6929; Toppers & Trailers Plus, 510 Doppy Lane, 507-593-2000; Why Not Gift Store, 206 Valleygreen Square Mall, 507327-9843. The Le Sueur Chamber Golf Outing will be held Monday, May 21st – Start organizing your team today! Call 507-665-2501 to register.

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MAY/JUNE 2018

Local Chamber & Economic Development News

Sleepy Eye Kurk Kramer, Sleepy Eye EDA The Sleepy Eye EDA is continuing to work with another business that will soon be locating south of Kibble Implement. Within the next couple of months, C&S Heating will be moving to a new building going up along Highway 14. The EDA is also involved with an investment group that is currently looking at the former Orchid Inn facility and is interested in opening a new STEM educational facility called AGlobal. It will also include the Elite Language Institute which will be an English as a second language learning center.

St. James Jamie Scheffer, St. James EDA This summer, the St. James EDA is building a 20,000 square foot spec building in the St. James Industrial Park. The building will be 200’ by 100’ with 28’ ceiling height, an expandable end wall, two loading docks, and flexibility to suit your needs! See the inside front cover of this magazine for our ad. Contact Jamie with any inquiries at 507-375-1289.

St. James Joe McCabe, St. James Area Chamber The Chamber Ag Business Committee will be selecting a student for the Agriculture Future of America Scholarship for the sixteenth year of participation in this program. The committee has awarded over $42,000 in scholarships to high school seniors. The Chamber, along with the St. James Rotary and St. James District 840 Foundation, is gearing up for the 15th annual Community Golf Invitational at the South Fork Golf Club which will be held on June 22.

St. Peter Ed Lee, St. Peter Chamber The summer festival season is ramping up as Blues Fest kicks things off on Saturday, June 9. There will be a big ceremony to mark

the opening of the Veterans Memorial in Minnesota Square Park on July 1. The Old-Fashioned Fourth of July Parade and Picnic is bringing back community grilled chicken for the picnic, along with many great vendors. Watch for announcement of Grand Marshal!

Waseca Gary Sandholm, Waseca EDA The Waseca community visioning project has been completed with the publishing of the Waseca Vision 2030 Community Vision and Strategic Action Plan. Comprehensive, challenging, and action oriented, the first steps are being taken to execute the plan as Waseca’s future is built. A step toward that future is Hostas Direct, an online vendor of hostas, garden markers, and related items. With online sales only, Waseca is again going to be a hosta center. We look forward to Burger King opening probably in late May.

Waseca Gary Sandholm, Discover Waseca Tourism As spring and summer are upon us, the fishing season takes off, boats hit the water, and the fun begins. Preparations are underway for Bike MS: Ride Across Minnesota. Increased activities using the lakes and trails are complemented by the Art Center, Historical Museum, Farm America and a great choice of restaurants. Plan to attend Lakefest on July 4th, and Waseca’s Sesquicentennial on Labor Day weekend. Fireworks displays will be part of both Lakefest and the Sesquicentennial.

Winnebago Jean Anderson, City of Winnebago Join us on June 15-17 for one fun filled weekend! A combined event of what was Moto Fest and Brew Fest is now one great weekend of Bago Fun Fest! There will be beer and wine sampling, live entertainment, and food vendors. Check our schedule of events and buy beer and wine sampling tickets at bagofunfest.org. Winnebago’s swimming pool is 50 years old this summer! Join us for free swimming during the Bago Fun Fest and also other celebratory events during the season.

New Ulm

Waseca

Sarah Warmka, New Ulm Chamber/CVB

Kim Foels, Waseca Chamber

The New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce welcomes these new members: MonaLena Kitchen + Bar, Volunteers of America Adult Day Services, The Tunnel Car Wash, Clear View Window & Gutter Cleaning. The Chamber will again host Leadercast in New Ulm on May 4th. New Ulm attractions will begin their summer hours Memorial Day weekend. Save the date for New Ulm’s largest party of the summer: Bavarian Blast, July 19-22.

The Minnesota DEED site has a cost of living tool that provides a yearly estimate of the basic-needs cost of living in Minnesota. The site displays Waseca County as affordable in many areas, which you can see here: http://mn.gov/deed/data/data/datatools/col/. What makes Waseca County attractive is its small-town feel, contentment among residents, great schools and the quality of life. For more information about Waseca area , check out www. wasecachamber.com

MAY/JUNE 2018

CONNECT Business Magazine

By Lisa Cownie Photo by Kris Kathmann

The Silhouette put the small town of Easton on the map…and on many wedding planner’s itineraries.

The U.S. wedding industry hit the $72 billion revenue mark in 2016. Good news for the 300,000-plus wedding vendors operating in the United States. That industry’s far reaching impact could even be felt in the small southern Minnesota town of Easton. Population 199. It may seem an unlikely spot for a company, a retail store in fact, that attracts customers from all over the Midwest. According to data gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2010, the city has a total area of 0.93 square miles, and right in the middle of it all, The Silhouette. The Silhouette has been serving wedding parties, prom goers, formal affairs, and other special occasions for almost four decades. Even though the town hasn’t grown in that time, the business, now owned and operated by Joline Pearson, has seen steady growth over the years. “The Silhouette is a family-owned bridal store that has been in business since 1981. My mom, Lois, started the business on our family farm, just outside of Wells,” explains Pearson. “In 1987, we built an establishment in Easton, which is where we are still located today. But since that time, we have added on to our store and now cover 5,000 square feet.” At five thousand square feet it is the “centerpiece” of the town, surrounded only by a handful of other businesses including The State Bank of Easton, a U.S. Post Office, Loonan Insurance, Al’s Bar, The Look Salon, Club 569 (supper club), Swehla Trucking, Little Pumper, along with two churches. When people make the journey to Easton, driving past fields on country roads, they find it an unlikely spot for such a glamorous business. One of the first things they ask is, “Why Easton?” continued >

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The Shape of Success

Mankato Waseca

Madelia

Easton Fairmont

Albert Lea

Blue Earth

“My mom chose Easton because our family is a member of the church here in town,” says Pearson, who grew up in nearby Wells. “And we have stayed here because it is endearing to many. We believe that many brides seek the ‘small-town’ service. Because we are a specialty store, people will travel from many different areas to see what we have to offer.”

The Shape of Success

Family at the Heart of the Operation Pearson reflects, “Family reputation of strong values and work ethic early on gave people the confidence to come to the store initially, and I have strived to continue with the strong values and ethics for the customer to help them realize The Silhouette is the place to go for unparalleled service. I am keeping up my mother’s legacy.” What did you learn from your mom? “So much! I learned how to sew, positive attitude, striving to do anything I set my mind to. Always stay humble and kind toward people. Be honest, have integrity, and keep your word.” 48

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POWER!

The Silhouette | Easton

They offer bridal gowns, bridesmaid dresses, prom dresses, mother of the wedding or special occasion dresses, as well as tuxedo rentals. “Over the past two and a half decades our selection has evolved to become the region’s best,” says Pearson. “My sister Linda Johnson and I attend the Chicago Bridal Market each fall and meet with our manufacturer reps to see what’s new for the upcoming year. Together

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The Shape of Success

Prom Particulars

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A recent study by Visa looked at how much U.S. households are spending on that most American of events — the prom. • Average spending in preparation for the annual ritual will hit $1,139 this year, Visa said, about $130 more than in 2012. • Households making less than $50,000 a year plan on spending almost 10% more than the national average.

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• Single parents plan on spending an average of $1,563, about 37% above the national average. • Married parents plan to spend just $770, one-third less than the national average. • On average, the most frugal families, prom-wise, are in the Midwest, and the biggest spenders in the Northeast. MAY/JUNE 2018

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Going Beyond the Numbers

The Shape of Success

we select the styles we feel will be most sought after in the Midwest.” Being fashion forward and following those trends, though, was just one challenge Pearson faced when she took over the operations. Pearson says, “I had to learn what price ranges, styles, and sizes work for the women in our area. I also do all of my own bookwork, so I had to educate myself on the accounting side of the business as

The Shape of Success

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Wedding Dress Deep Dive According to the study, in true millennial style, today’s brides are focused on making the wedding more enjoyable and meaningful for all involved. One way they are doing that is moving away from requiring bridesmaids to wear the exact same dress. In the study, 66% of brides only picked the color, allowing the bridesmaids to pick their own dress. Other info from the study: * The average cost of a wedding dress is $1,517, up from $1,380 in 2014. * The average bridesmaids’ dress costs $133. * Traditional white and off-white gowns are still the most popular, with 93% of brides selecting either color for their wedding dress.

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

* However, more brides are looking to make a splash by wearing something non-traditional, with 11% opting for something “unique” (i.e., cocktail length, separates, jumpsuits, non-white). * About half, 54%, of all brides choose to wear a veil. * Selecting multiple dresses for the big day is a trend that continues to rise in popularity, with 10% purchasing a second look for the reception and another 7% for a separate dress for the after-party. Source: The Knot

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MAY/JUNE 2018

The Silhouette | Easton

well. When The Silhouette became well-known, we were in need of more space so we had to expand the store and inventory size.” While their store is massive in size, so is their web presence. Enabling The Silhouette to have an international presence. “We outfitted a bride in North Africa,” she says. “Her sister, who communicated through technology, picked the dress for the bride and

The Shape of Success

The Private Side of Pearson “I grew up on a farm outside of Wells, Minnesota with my parents and six siblings. I graduated from Wells-Easton High School. Together my husband and I had two children and from them, four grandchildren. In my free time, I enjoy the outdoors, a relaxing bonfire, and spending time with my family and friends. “My husband passed away in 2010 from Pancreatic Cancer. Since that time, we have proudly supported the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Right away a few members of my family, friends, and I started doing the 8-mile bike ride. Following the first year, we then decided that we would do 25 miles! We proudly support the PurpleRide each year and their cause of earning funds towards pancreatic cancer research.” About the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Founded in 1999, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) is dedicated to fighting what it refers to as the world’s toughest cancer. In its mission to save lives, the group attacks pancreatic cancer on all fronts: research, clinical initiatives, patient services and advocacy. The effort is amplified by a nationwide network of grassroots support. The Pancreatic Action Network is a determined group. In fact they hope to double the survival rate by 2020. To join their cause or for more information, please visit www.pancan.org.

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Christina Meyer

In fact, a 2016 American Wedding Study shows social media is the numberone way brides-tobe are connecting with wedding brands and products during planning, with 82% doing so versus 75% in 2014. delivered it to her prior to her wedding day.” Pearson says technology has opened many doors for the business, making its location virtually a nonfactor in business dealings. “We have seen a tremendous amount of interaction on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, which has helped expand our service area,” she explains. In fact, a 2016 American Wedding Study shows social media is the number-one way brides-to-be are connecting with wedding brands and products during planning, with 82% doing so versus 75% in 2014. A deeper dive into the stats shows 33% of brides are connecting with brands and products through Instagram. Even with the technological tools of the trade, Pearson says there is no replacing the good old fashioned methods of promotion. “We attend five bridal expos throughout the year. This notifies newly engaged brides about us and allows us to share our story with them,” she says. And, as with any retail business, The Silhouette relies on word of mouth. “We believe The Silhouette has a wellknown reputation because we try to ensure that each bride’s experience is memorable in the most positive way. We listen to our customers’ needs and wants and do our best to accommodate them. We often find women who have purchased prom dresses from us return for their bridal needs. Many of the brides we are servicing now are daughters of women who purchased their

The Silhouette | Easton

wedding gowns from us decades ago. We also have provided the formal wear for numerous members of the same family. We truly appreciate the customer loyalty we have generated over the years.” Creating loyalty is by design for Pearson and her staff as she says the high quality doesn’t stop with the formal wear she sells. “The Silhouette stands out from other stores because of our top-notch service, huge selection of styles and sizes, and years of experience, which is longer than all of the nearest competitors combined,” she explains. “Our philosophy is to provide the above average level of service to create a positive emotional impact on the customer. Our reputation is our integrity and we do not compromise it.” While competitors in nearby, larger cities keep popping up, Pearson believes prom goers and brides to be will continue to make the trek to Easton, as they have done for the last 30 years landing The Silhouette on WCCO’s top five bridal shops in Minnesota.

The Shape of Success

Trends for Men’s Formal Wear • Tuxedos remain the most popular style for grooms, with 54% of men wearing one for their big day. Another 36% opt for a suit instead. * While renting remains the most popular option (51%), 41% now purchase their formalwear (up from 36% in 2014). Sources Bride.com and The Knot

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The Shape of Success

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“The Silhouette sets itself apart from other competitors because we strive to provide exceptional service. The staff here also tries to be as caring and understanding as possible; each woman’s story is different, and

“Many girls who have purchased a prom dress from The Silhouette have come back for their wedding needs-bridal, bridesmaids, mother of the wedding dresses and tuxedosas well! We appreciate them all!” we want them to feel welcome and comfortable in our store. Because of our years of experience, I believe our knowledge of the bridal industry shines above all others. The Silhouette has built a well-known reputation for being a one-stop shop that also offers free alternations.” Pearson says The Silhouette can handle the ups and downs of the economy because people will always be getting married and attending prom...and many know where to go. She says, “Many girls who have purchased a prom dress from The Silhouette have come back for their wedding needs-bridal, bridesmaids, mother of the wedding dresses and tuxedos-as well! We appreciate them all!”

Call 507-232-3463 or visit ConnectBiz.com/advertising Editor Lisa Cownie writes from Mankato.

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MAY/JUNE 2018

HOT STARTZ!

Very New or Re-formed Businesses or Professionals New To Our Reading Area

NORTH MANKATO

Long-Term Employment Connections

ART SIDNER

Randy Long is finally bringing to light, a dream he’s been harboring for more than 25 years: owning his own business. “My work life so far has been focused on serving others in some capacity, starting with growing up in my aunt and uncle’s clothing store,” he reflects. “I have worked as a Career Counselor at MSU, a HR Generalist at ISJ and a Career Counselor/ Grant Coordinator for a nonprofit. The last five years I was the South-Central Region Business Services Representative for MN Department of Employment & Economic Development. A statewide position elimination occurred last April, and I could not help but think of fulfilling my dream.” So Long took the leap and started Long-Term Employment Connections. “My strength and passion are serving others and building relationships – ‘connecting’. I am hoping to guide professionals looking for a new job or wanting to follow their passion, and then assist them in confidentially connecting to area employers and new job possibilities. I assist with resume revisions, and any part of the job-search process needed. Due to having assisted businesses with many workforce related questions or needs, I am also looking to continue those services with regional businesses. I have taught, trained, done public speaking and retention advising along with helping post jobs

and find employees. My familiarity with State of MN resources and data helps with understanding issues companies may be going through,” he explains. At this point he is focusing on the south central region of Minnesota. A region he believes is ready for these services. “ I truly believe that I offer a strong understanding of the workforce issues in our region, along with an understanding of what it takes for people to be happy in their employment. I have been an advisor for Professional Job Seekers, Regional Businesses of all sizes, Staffing Agencies, Counselors and Advocates, Educators and Community Leaders – it has been a pleasure to serve all! I have been blessed to be a connector and relationship builder and hope to continue doing just that!” LONG-TERM EMPLOYMENT CONNECTIONS Telephone: (507) 594-9236

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HOT STARTZ!

Awaken Reiki & Soul Healing Deborah Monacelli understands the biggest challenge for her new business is going to be helping others understand what it is she is offering. Everyone understands what a life coach does. Many have never heard of Reiki. “Reiki is a spiritual healing art with its roots in Japanese origin. Reiki treats the whole person, body, mind and spirit, to achieve balance and restore optimum health,” she explains. “Reiki is simply a relaxing treatment whereas natural healing vibrations are transmitted through the hands of a Reiki practitioner to the body of the recipient. The purpose of a Reiki treatment is to relieve stress and pain, induce relaxation, release emotional blockages, and accelerate natural healing.” Monacelli believes the time is right for a business such as this in Mankato. “According to WebMD, Americans are continuing to turn to complementary and alternative medicine. And, CNN reports that about a third of us are now using alternative methods to supplement the care we get from our doctors,” she says. “By enhancing the flow of energy through the body, balance and health is acheived and we come in touch with our true selves.” Monacelli is a Reiki Master teacher and practitioner. She is also a certified life coach, qigong healer, meditation teacher and currently in the Yoga Teacher Training program at Sun Moon Yoga. Awaken Reiki & Soul Healing has a varied client base. Monacelli says her clients range from college students to business executives to the yoga enthusiast.

“The response and interest has been wonderful. When people get off the table they feel relaxed and rejuvenated, they can think and see more clearly, they feel more in control of their emotions and they feel a sense of lightness. They can go out into the world and be their best selves again. I am grateful to be able to assist people,” she says. “It brings me such great joy to help others. Often, clients experience tears. If I were a dentist, that may not be a great thing, but these are tears of happiness, joy, connection to their self and a profound sense of release. However, being a life coach and healer, these tears are the reason I go to work every day and have such passion for my work. It is truly rewarding.” AWAKEN REIKI & SOUL HEALING Address: 523 South Second Street, Suite 201 Telephone: (507) 353-0480 Website: awakenmankato.com

ART SIDNER

MANKATO

r o f E M O H r u Yo

thefanmankato.com

ktoe.com

Very New or Re-formed Businesses or Professionals New To Our Reading Area

FAIRMONT

Golden Tie Tuxedos

ART SIDNER

When Golden Tie Tuxes first opened in November 2017, owners Rich and Kathleen Detert, initially just offered tuxedo rentals. But, their focus quickly changed along with their location. “My husband and I discussed the feasibility of expanding Golden Tie Tuxes to include high quality men’s suits, name brand shirts and ties. The idea was exciting but we did not have enough space in our original location to accommodate the addition of men’s wear,” explains Kathleen. “This prompted the search for a larger location. Five Lakes Centre was willing to rent us an area that had been used for storage.” Golden Tie just opened in a new location with a new name in March 2018. “Golden Tie Tuxes Plus is a product of our perceived need for a tuxedo rental store, and a men’s clothing store,” she explains. “This became a greater need when a Fairmont business which had provided these services for over 50 years, closed. I have experience in selling men’s clothing, suit alterations, and tuxedo rentals. There is not another men’s store specializing in suits, and shirts for about a 60 mile radius in any direction.” It does come with challenges though, Kathy admits their online business needs developing. “I am trying to overcome the ‘online’ issue by being a very service-oriented business,” she says. “We offer individualized attention from trained professionals.

We care about following through with each customer, whether it involves informing the bride and/or groom of progress involving their wedding tuxes, or about customizing each suit purchase to your satisfaction. When you purchase a shirt from us, we will ask you to try it on to assure that it fits properly. We will offer to steam it to take the creases out so it is ready for you to wear. If you are unsure of how to tie a tie, we can do it for you. You are not just our customer, you are our neighbor, and our friend and we value your opinion and want your return business. We shop locally and purchase from YOUR local business for our needs. If we work together, we can make “small town America”, a viable business option again!” GOLDEN TIE TUXEDOS Address: Five Lakes Center, 400 State Street, Suite 170 Phone: (507) 236-0732

To be considered for one of three spots in the July Hot Startz!, email the editor at editor@connectbiz.com. Businesses considered must have started—or changed greatly in form—within one year of our publishing date. Professionals chosen must be new to our reading area.

MAY/JUNE 2018

CONNECT Business Magazine

OPINION

Finding Common Ground, In An Uncommon World for Women

Heather Thielges Partner Eide Bailly, Mankato

Over the past 20 years, more than 50% of accounting graduates entering the profession are women. In accounting firms nationwide, that percentage drops to a mere 19% at the partner level. About ten years ago, I was given the opportunity to participate in a task force specifically focused on this statistic within my firm. We knew there were unintended biases that likely had an impact, sometimes significant on the opportunities and career paths for our talent, especially women. Women are often looked upon to fill certain roles and then can be overlooked for other opportunities because of these roles; a double whammy that makes navigating advancement and sustaining

success more challenging. So why did I choose a profession that when I started my career was dominated by men, full of challenges? I wish I could tell you I intentionally started my journey to blaze a path for women in public accounting. The truth is twofold: 1) I wasn’t a model high school student (outstanding grades; terrible attendance)

but despite the distraction(s) pulling me away from school, I refused to miss my accounting classes; and 2) My parents learned early on if they said “you can’t” do something my brain immediately plays the mission impossible theme song and starts strategizing a way that in fact, I can. While no one told me I couldn’t, women leaders in public accounting were

“While no one told me I couldn’t, women leaders in public accounting were not extremely common and the thrill of accomplishing the seemingly impossible fueled me.”

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“So why did I choose a profession that when I started my career was dominated by men, full of challenges? I wish I could tell you I intentionally started my journey to blaze a path for women in public accounting.” not extremely common and the thrill of accomplishing the seemingly impossible fueled me. That determination to find a way when faced with a “can’t” was crucial early on in my career. Female leaders and role models were scarce. My male counterparts were excellent coaches and mentors but let’s face it, there were times when I just couldn’t ask them for advice – think

new mom, nursing, and scheduled for overnight travel to a client. There wasn’t always a clear path or example to follow so being creative in finding alternative ways to achieve the same results as my male colleagues but in a way better suited for me as a woman was necessary. This creativity in finding alternatives or solutions is what I love most about my career. I get to flex this mental muscle

EIDE LIKE I’D LIKE TO EMPOWER OTHERS

daily to recruit talent, coach and mentor a team of talented individuals, give back to the community and provide clients with solutions that help them accomplish their goals and grow their businesses. I also believe creative problem solving leads to innovation which is needed to continue to increase the number of women in leadership roles within the public accounting industry. I’m proud to be part of a firm intentionally focused on increasing the number of female leaders and building a diverse leadership team focused on innovation. I think the combination of a diverse leadership team focused on innovation is a powerful tool that all business owners can use to better anticipate and tackle tomorrow’s business challenges and drive positive economic impact. Heather joined Eide Bailly in 2001 and provides a wide range of public accounting services to clients. She specialized in business valuation and litigation support and often consults clients on matters of family law. She can be reached at hthielges@eidebailly.com.

Eide Bailly is proud to support the growth and leadership of the women in our community. When we empower each other to succeed, our local businesses and communities grow. Let our talented team help you stay on the path to success with services that go well beyond tax and audit to help your business, no matter where you are in your journey. • Payroll Services • Business Valuation • Cyber Security • Estate Planning • HR Consulting • Technology Consulting

What inspires you, inspires us. 507.387.6031 | eidebailly.com MAY/JUNE 2018

CONNECT Business Magazine

COLLABORATION CONNECTION — SPECIAL REPORT

Women Executives in Business Have Woven a W.E.B. of Connections for 25 Years by Carlienne Frisch A variety of business organizations and networks thrive in communities throughout south central Minnesota. One such organization, Women Executives in Business (W.E.B.), is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. W.E.B. is an area-wide networking and educational organization for women who are, or aspire to be, business owners, entrepreneurs, executives or managers. W.E.B.’s objectives are to encourage and support members by providing an opportunity to gather together for educational programs that help develop and improve the growth of a member’s business. The 24 current members represent 21 business areas. W.E.B. collaborates with other organizations in honoring women in the community, provides members with scholarships for continuing education, and of course, offers opportunities for business referrals. The most important aspect, according to charter member and past president Linda Hachfeld, is that members feel a camaraderie within the organization and an understanding of women’s business issues and concerns, as well as having a “safe place” to discuss aspects of their business, especially issues unique to business women. “Before W.E.B., there was no group in Mankato with which I, as a start-up business owner, could discuss business issues,” she says. The idea for W.E.B. began in the late 1980s, inspired by both casual monthly breakfast meetings of several women business owners and an outreach program by the Rochester-based Women’s Network of Entrepreneurial Training. Hachfeld, who saw how the two groups could be linked to benefit both, reflects, “The timing couldn’t have been better. Our casual group would shore up its purpose by moving into learning stronger business principles, and WNET would benefit by increasing its outreach. “We wouldn’t be here without community involvement,” she continues. “In our 60

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formative years, a 15-member Advisory Council was established with a representative from three Chambers of Commerce (Mankato, St. Peter and Le Sueur), three area banks, the instructor of the Small Business Program at South Central Technical College and the Mankato Small Business Development Center. Half of the Advisory Council’s members were women business owners.”

Even more revealing was that 84 percent of respondents said they desired to attend educational and support meetings on issues that pertained to their business. And W.E.B. was born. With grant funding from the Southeastern Minnesota Initiative Fund, a business needs survey was developed and sent to 158 women business owners in the three counties. A return of 54 percent, the survey results showed that 65 percent of respondents did not have a business plan. Many asked for help in staying motivated, time management and resolving communications problems, as well as strategic growth, financing, sales strategies, writing a business plan and technical assistance. Even more revealing was that 84 percent of respondents said they desired to attend educational and support meetings on issues that pertained to their business. And W.E.B. was born. In 1993, charter member Susan Chambers, an attorney, wrote W.E.B.’s articles of incorporation and by-laws. W.E.B. filed documents for nonprofit status, receiving it the following year. W.E.B. now meets nine times a year, September through May. Most meetings are held at women-owned

businesses, such as the W.O.W. Zone Entertainment Center in Mankato, as well as at the Minnesota State University Mankato Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, which is directed by W.E.B. board member Yvonne Cariveau, who also owns Internet Connections, a company she founded 26 years ago. Three current W.E.B. members are 25-year veterans—Hachfeld, the owner of the nutrition and health publishing company Appletree Press, Karen Palmer, former owner of Hugs N Kids, who moved into retail management, and Chambers. Hachfeld says W.E.B. has certainly evolved over a quarter century. “We broadened our membership to include women who may not own a business but are instrumental (or seek to be) in running one, perhaps as an executive or manager. We engage our members in providing a business profile of their company, sharing what motivated them to start their business, what’s working, what they find challenging, and what their vision is for their company.” W.E.B. members share their business story. Heidi Wyn, owner of Curiosi-Tea House, who presented the program “Tea 101,” said, “It’s encouraging to be able to share my story and to network.” Hachfeld says, “Other members can chime in with tips and suggestions of what helped them when they faced similar challenges. We also invite experts, such as accountants, wealth managers and business coaches, from the broader community to address areas in which we can all benefit— latest tax changes, technology, social media skill building and writing compelling copy.” Carla Mills, owner of Carla Mills Photography, sees “growing your circle” as W.E.B. membership’s biggest advantage. “I had been looking for a networking group, and W.E.B. came up on Google. I attended a meeting as a guest and was impressed with the laid-back, supportive, friendly atmosphere. Yet they knew what they were doing. I felt comfortable. They have a way of folding you in and want to help people succeed. I’ve had a happy

amount of business increase, but membership is not just about numbers,” Mills says. Jennifer Stuvek, a Doctor of Chiropractic at Aurora Chiropractic, agrees,“Although I’ve had a few new patients referred by W.E.B. members, the biggest plus of membership is the camaraderie, women understanding the challenges. Some women have owned their business for 20 years and know things you can’t learn in a book. As one of the younger members, I bring a new perspective.” The educational purpose of W.E.B. includes scholarships provided to members to continue their business education. Named for a charter member who passed away, the JoAnne Walberg W.E.B. Scholarship (originally funded by member donations, area banks and a match by the Walberg family), covers up to half the fee of a workshop or program. One year, six such scholarships were granted. A larger scholarship is available for members who seek to pursue a leadership development course. A third scholarship is available to any current member who experiences a financial hardship, such as disruption in her business. An annual highlight is Women’s Night Out, co-sponsored by W.E.B., South Central Minnesota Lawyers and Business and Professional Women. Each organization honors an outstanding “Yellow Rose” recipient chosen by members of her organization. The event includes a vendor fair of womenowned businesses, a woman speaker and nearly endless networking opportunities. The event’s proceeds are donated to Mankato Y.W.C.A. to fund programs for the next generation of women leaders. W.E.B. member Christina Flaugher, who has co-chaired Women’s Night Out for three years, is a senior audiology technician at Mankato’s Mayo Clinic. She used her leadership program grant to enroll in the Carnegie Women’s Leadership Program at the Mankato Y.W.C.A. “It gave me confidence to trust in my leadership abilities,” she says. ”Flaugher was introduced to W.E.B. by Chambers, who happens to be Flaugher’s mother. “This group of women (from several counties) have been in the trenches, but we also have women who are just starting out and those who have initiated post-retirement or pre-retirement careers. Some members have had several careers,” says Chambers. Chambers, who has presented programs on topics such as sexual harassment, em-

ployee handbooks, and hiring/firing procedures, used her 2017 Walberg scholarship to take a six-day course on child custody evaluation, augmenting her full-time alternative dispute law practice. Another scholarship recipient, Rebecca Krenik, the founder and owner of Blue Heron Landscape Design, attended a full day of landscape design classes. A 10-year W.E.B. member, Krenik said that in addition

to continuing education, she has benefited from indirect referrals from W.E.B. members. Whatever role W.E.B. members choose to take on, the organization weaves a multilayered net of support for women in the business community. To learn more about W.E.B., visit www. webmn.org. Carlienne Frisch writes from Mankato.

GROW YOUR BUSINESS WITH THE SBDC “Working with the SBDC helped me to synchronize my passion and skills into professional business opportunities that I was previously unaware of. My SBDC consultant guided me to discovering and defining my own personal business philosophy in the most non-judgmental and inquisitive manner.” Vusa Bentley, Owner Bentley Mediation and Drafting, Mankato

Contact the Small Business Development Center to develop a personalized plan myminnesotabusiness.com or call 507-389-8875 MSU Strategic Partnership Center, 424 North Riverfront Drive, Suite 210, Mankato, MN

Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and regional support partners. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the program sponsors. Programs are open to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact the SBDC at 507-389-8875.

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ASK A PROFESSIONAL

Julie Nelson Associate Regional Director Small Business Development Center, Mankato

May marks National Small Business Week and the debut of the South Central Minnesota Small Business Awards. These awards will be presented annually by the Small Business Development Center to outstanding entrepreneurs who have followed their dreams, taken risks and found success. At the SBDC, we see amazing and inspiring stories every day. We are honored to play a role in those journeys. We also want our small businesses, and especially our award recipients, to know how much they have inspired US. There’s nothing small, however, about the impact they have on our economy. (The SBA’s size standards define small business as 500 employees or less for most industries.) In Minnesota alone, small businesses— Support their Main Streets: The 510,000 small businesses in Minnesota are in nearly every neighborhood in the state. Provide opportunities: Small businesses make up 99.5 percent of all Minnesota employers. Create jobs: Two out of every three new jobs created in the U.S. are from small businesses. Have unique items and services: Many small businesses craft their own products or feature those of other local entrepreneurs such as artists, farmers and bakers. Grow the global economy: 86.9 percent of Minnesota exporters are small firms. Change the world: SBA-assisted companies such as 23andMe, Apple, Ben & Jerry’s, Costco, Nike, Intel and Whole Foods all started small and have led the way of new ideas across industries. Employ nearly half the workforce: Small businesses in Minnesota employed 1.2 million people in the state’s private workforce in 2016. Support families: Approximately one in five small businesses are family-owned. Data Source: U.S. Small Business Administration 62

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Small Business = Big Impact The South Central Minnesota Small Business Awards spotlight entrepreneurs bringing innovation to our region. Statistics tell only a small portion of the story, however. Small business owners and their employees work countless hours, sacrifice their personal time and assets, improve their communities, drive innovation—and keep more money in their communities. Small businesses also contribute to a community’s distinctive vibe and charm. They can offer more than just a product or service to their customers—they can stand out from the crowd and offer an experience. Local entrepreneurs also tend to place high importance on community involvement. We cannot hope to create jobs and spur economic growth in our communities without supporting small businesses. Make this gift to your community; it will be richer for it. With all this in mind, we are proud to honor the recipients of our South Central Minnesota Small Business Awards for 2018. Congratulations to all!

Mark Johnson

Encore Entrepreneur (Age 50+) Artisan Restoration LLC, Kasota Mark Johnson founded Artisan Restoration LLC out of his passion for old buildings, which started in 1976 when a farmer gave him an old granary. That reclaimed wood is in the home he still lives in today.

Mark launched the business at age 60, utilizing his decades of experience as a general contractor to find and rehabilitate old treasures to charm and delight clients. His unique log cabin and barn projects are always one-of-a-kind, and his quality craftsmanship makes him a sought-after builder across the Midwest. Mark serves on the board of Friends of Minnesota Barns.

Blane, Lori and Mark Maher

Family-Owned Small Business Blue Earth Monument, Blue Earth Blue Earth Monument, Inc. is a locallyowned family business creating loving tributes since 1877. All of the monuments are created in-house by skilled artists and craftsmen, offering custom shapes, custom artwork, shape carved designs and more. Lori and Mark Maher became owners in 2008, then sole owners in 2011 when Lori’s father retired after 52 years. In 2015, they expanded with a new location in Albert Lea, managed by their son Blane. The company is known for its knowledge and excellence in caring for families at the most difficult times. Minority-Owned Small Business Kato Trucking LLC, Mankato Kato Trucking is family owned and operated, providing skilled drivers, and safe and efficient deliveries across the country. Ayan Musse is the Operations Manager, and Nagi Obeyd is the primary driver. Ayan was born in East Africa (Somalia) and grew up in Egypt. In 1997, she came to the United States as a refugee. Governor Mark Dayton